Article: Nisab is the threshold or cut-off amount. If your personal wealth, or what you own, is more than the nisab, you owe zakat. If your personal wealth is below the nisab, you don't owe zakat. You use either the current market price of gold or silver to calculate nisab. Always check current market rates, as gold and silver prices fluctuate. Choose either the gold or silver rate, not both. The nisab is the cash equivalent of 3 ounces/87.48 grams of gold or 21 ounces/612.36 grams of silver.. For example, if each ounce of silver is currently worth $15, the nisab using the silver calculation is $315 ($15 X 21 ounces = $315). If your personal wealth is above $315, you owe zakat. Zakat is an annual duty. It's due one lunar year, or hijiri, from the first day you exceeded the nisab threshold or from the day you last paid zakat. For western, Gregorian and Hijri Date conversations, check out: IslamicFinder Hijri and Gregorian Calendar Date Conversions If you know your personal wealth is always above zakat, select any date during the year to pay. Keep track of the date so you remember when it's due the next year. Many people choose Ramadan as the month they pay zakat. Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam. It's a sacred time when Muslims read the Koran and fast from dawn to dusk. Paying zakat is another way to cleanse the soul during this holy period. Silver has a lower price than gold. Using silver for the nisab means you're more likely to exceed the threshold. You'll be able to meet your spiritual and moral duty to provide for those who are less fortunate. For example, if each gram of silver is worth $0.66, the nisab using the silver calculation is $404.15 (612.35 grams X $0.66 = $404.15). More people would exceed this threshold rather than the gold threshold. Zakat is not a tax. It's a spiritual act to help relieve people's suffering. Some people believe that in many countries, paying zakat is voluntary whereas paying taxes is mandatory. However, this is incorrect. Zakat is one of the 5 pillars of Islam, and therefore, it is an absolute must on every Muslim who is able to pay it. It is attributed to the universal religion of Islam, and therefore has nothing to do with the law of the land. Zakat directly helps the poor and needy. Zakat teaches you self-discipline. It helps you focus on helping others rather than on your own possessions and needs. It helps you be a better Muslim and brings you closer to Allah.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Calculate the nisab. Determine your cycle dates. Base your calculations on silver. Know the difference between zakat and tax.
Article: An up-to-date antivirus program will detect most attacks before they can happen. Windows comes with a program called Windows Defender that is a competent antivirus that updates automatically and works in the background. There are also several free programs available, such as BitDefender, avast!, and AVG. You only need one antivirus program installed. See Turn On Windows Defender for instructions on enabling Windows Defender on your Windows computer. See Install an Antivirus for instructions on installing an antivirus program if you don't want to use Defender. Windows Defender will automatically deactivate if you install another antivirus program. If you're not running a web server or running some other program that requires remote access to your computer, there is no reason to have any ports open. Most programs that require ports will use UPnP, which will open ports as necessary and then close them again when the program isn't in use. Keeping ports open indefinitely will leave your network open to intrusions. See Set Up Port Forwarding on a Router and ensure that none of your ports are open unless necessary for a server you are running. Email attachments are one of the most common ways for viruses and malware to get onto your system. Only open attachments from trusted senders, and even then, make sure that the person intended to send you the attachment. If one of your contacts has been infected with a virus, they may send out attachments with the virus without knowing it. Each and every service or program you use that is password-protected should have a unique and difficult password. This will ensure that a hacker cannot use the password from one hacked service to access another. See Manage Your Passwords for instructions on using a password manager to make things easier for you. Public Wi-Fi spots are risky because you have zero control over the network. You can't know if someone else using the spot is monitoring traffic to and from your computer. By doing this, they could gain access to your open browser session or worse. You can mitigate this risk by using a VPN whenever you are connected to a public Wi-Fi spot, which will encrypt your transfers. See Configure a VPN for instructions on setting up a connection to a VPN service. Many "free" programs that you find online come with extra software that you likely did not want. Pay close attention during the installation process to ensure that you decline any additional "offers." Avoid downloading pirated software, as this is a common way for viruses to infect your system.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Ensure your antivirus software is updated and active. Make sure your firewall is properly configured. Be very careful with email attachments. Make sure your passwords are strong and unique. Try to avoid public Wi-Fi spots. Be vary wary of programs downloaded online.
Article: Canaries are active birds that enjoy flying around in their cages. If your canary has stopped flying or if they are spending long periods of time on their perch, you may want to take them to a vet. A sick canary may tuck their head under their wings or sleep near their food bowl. A healthy canary should be chirping or singing. A sick canary may be quiet, or they may make wheezing, sneezing, clicking, or coughing noises. Pay attention to their breathing as well. Rapid or labored breathing can be a sign of canary pox or the fungal infection Aspergillosis. Typically, canaries should eat between one and two teaspoons of seed or pellets a day. They should not need their water replaced more than once a day. If you notice any changes in their appetite, the bird may be ill. If you find their water dish empty or if they are drinking more than usual, they may be dehydrated. If your bird isn't eating their food, they may have lost their appetite. This is a common symptom of many illnesses. Canaries normally puff up their feathers when they are sleeping or if they are cold. If they are not sleeping, however, and they remain puffed up for long periods of time, it may mean that your canary is unwell. When you change the cage liner every day, check their droppings. Healthy droppings should have clear and watery urine, chalky white urates, and dark, solid feces. Any change in color or consistency means that something may be wrong. Yellow or green coloration can be a symptom of liver disease. Red or black coloration can be a sign of internal bleeding. Loose or runny feces can indicate that your canary has diarrhea. Healthy droppings should not smell. If you notice a foul odor, it may mean that they have a parasite called giardia. You also might find some discharge and swelling around their nares. Discharge due to sneezing is often a clear sign that your canary has an illness.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Note any decrease in activity. Listen to the sounds that they make. Observe how much they eat and drink. Watch for puffed up feathers. Inspect their droppings. Check their cage for discharge due to sneezing.