Using Ampersand Sign in Update Statement

update <table_name> set field_name = 'ABC' || chr(38) || 'DEF' where <where clause>


38 is the ASCII code for ampersand (&), and in this form it will be interpreted as a string, nothing else. I tried it and it worked.

PHP Connectivity with MS SQL Server (mssql) commands

<?php
$myServer = "server name";
$myUser = "user name";
$myPass = "password";
$myDB = "database name"; 

//connection to the database
$dbhandle = mssql_connect($myServer, $myUser, $myPass)
  or die("Couldn't connect to SQL Server on $myServer"); 

//select a database to work with
$selected = mssql_select_db($myDB, $dbhandle)
  or die("Couldn't open database $myDB"); 

//declare the SQL statement that will query the database
$query = "SELECT * from table-name";


//execute the SQL query and return records
$result = mssql_query($query);

$numRows = mssql_num_rows($result); 
echo "<h1>" . $numRows . " Row" . ($numRows == 1 ? "" : "s") . " Returned </h1>"; 

//display the results 
echo "<li>" . $row["ItemId"] . $row["ItemName"] . $row["SupplierId"] . "</li>";

}

//close the connection
mssql_close($dbhandle);
?>

Company

Outline: A man is known by the company —  he keeps selection of companions good men —company of wiser men — conclusion.

A man is known by the company he keeps/ just as a tree is known by the fruit it bears. Our associates have great influence on our character. A good and virtuous man will, by the silent influence of his example, make us good, a wicked man will make us wicked like himself. Hundreds of young men are led astray by bad companions. It is very easy to yield to temptations. .

We must choose our companions with very great care. We must shun bad company as poison. In all religions, the company of the virtuous is recommended as a means of spiritual betterment. If we make bad friends, they will spoil our all efforts and bring us disgrace. On the other hand, if someone has good friends, they will bring him honour. It will help him to make progress in life.

Good men will raise us to their level. Men more learned and experienced than ourselves will guide us aright through the difficulties of life. Their example and their teachings will ennoble us, raise our thoughts, place high ideals before us, and encourage us to do right. They would give us solace in times of distress, and confer peace of mind on us. Young men should always' prefer the company of men wiser and better than themselves.

It is a law of nature that we become like those with whom we live, and if we do not sit in the company of men who are better than ourselves, we shall never improve. If we have something good and noble to look up to, we shall imitate it, and if we have a low and vulgar example before us. we shall follow it, and become like - it. The importance of good company for the elevation of character cannot be overrated. „

Company plays a vital role in our life. That is why Islam gives more importance to the company of a scholar that mere prayers. We can aiso touch the heights of glory if we are very careful about our company.

Habits

Outline: Character - qualities effort - work of life - repetition of good - actions - conclusion.

Character is the sum of habits. If these are good, we call the man a man of good character; if bad, we despise him as a bad or a wicked man. Young men should form good habits for habits once formed have a permanent hold on us, and it is not easy to shake them off afterwards. Habit is second nature, therefore good habits should be formed in youth, which may stand us in good stead in the practical struggles of life.

Truthfulness, honesty punctuality, dutifulness. charity, love, kindness, respectfulness, and obedience to parents and elders are the characteristics of noble men, and these should be assiduously cultivated.

Effort is required in the beginning to form a habit, but with patience and perseverance, we succeed in the end. Little children find it difficult to rise early in the morning, attend school, and fix their attention on their lessons, but with repeated efforts, the thing becomes easy. Association with good men and study of good books have great influence in the formation of our character and habits.

Good habits help us in the work of life. An action takes less time and is more easily and satisfactorily performed if we are habituated to it. Certain habits are easy to form, especially bad habits, others require continued effort and frequent repetition.

While we should repeat good actions at regular and proper intervals to make them a pan of our nature, we should with equal care shun bad ones. The best way to get rid of bad habit is not to indulge in them, when the time for their gratifications comes. For instance, if a student is addicted to smoking, is inclined to be lazy, or to tell lies, he should see that when the time comes for him to indulge in that bad habit, he stands firm, resists the temptation and says 'No.' If he denies gratification to his low desires in this way, he will find that no such temptation will come across his path to trouble him.'

Habits can be easily formed up to the age of twenty five, hence young men should take special pains to train themselves in good and righteous habits.

The Influence of Climate on Character

Outline: Introduction- example of Muslims cold countries moist countries Mughals.

Climate has a great influence on character. People living in cold countries are more hardy, active, and enterprising. Those living in hot climates are ease-loving and lazy. In moist climate, people are pale-faced and slow. Of course, where the cold is intense, the people remain inactive, they cannot move about; but temperate countries, especially those situated near the coast, like England, produce energetic and enterprising men. Such a climate is highly conducive to activity. The Esquimaux of Greenland, on the other hand, are mere savages.

Self Respect

Outline: Introduction avoidance from evil not defiles his body the feelings pretension.

A man must respect himself. He should not degrade his body or mind. He is what God has made him. Why should he be ashamed of himself? His duty is to make the most of the powers which he has. Even persons afflicted with any defect or deformity should not hate themselves. A man who despises himself will never rise, and will not command the respect of others. Respect yourself, if you wish to be respected by others.

Self-respect will keep a man away from evil, will not allow him to do anything mean or unworthy, 'Self-respect,' says Smiles, 'is the noblest garment with which a man may clothe himself.' it is the most elevating feeling with which the mind can be inspired. A self-respecting man will not defile his body, nor corrupt his mind. He will neither cringe nor crawl before others, neither fawn nor flatter, but will treat his officers with due respect. He will be courteous and polite to all and sympathetic and kind to his juniors. He will not bully those under him.

To think meanly of one's self is to sink is one's own estimation, and if you think little of yourself, others will think less of you. You cannot rise, if you do not look up. Even the humblest man may be raised by this feeling. Poverty itself will heightened and made bearable by it, and it is really a noble sight to see a poor man holding himself upright, refusing to demean himself by low actions. It is true that persons who think meanly of themselves cannot command the respect of others, but persons who pretend to be what they are not, who are arrogant and presumptuous, bring upon themselves ridicule and hatred.

Self Culture

Outline: Introduction- the highest virtue its cultivation non-dependence conclusion.

Mail has a body mind, and soul, and there are great powers hidden in them, which must be developed. The proper training and development of these powers by one's own diligent effort is self- culture. 'The best part of every man's education." says Sir Walter Scott, 'is that which lie gives to himself.* The education which we receive at school is .more important training which we are to give ourselves on these foundations. That which is imparted to us from outside is not so much ours as that which we acquire by our own application land study.

Self Help

Outline: Introduction the highest virtue its cultivation non-dependence conclusion.

Self-help is the doing of one's own work by oneself and depending entirely upon one's own powers for the performance of any act, without turning to others for help in the matter. Men have been endowed with strength and intelligence by God and it is in the fitness of things that we "should turn these things to good account and utilise them for doing things independently of others. It is a common saying that God helps those who help themselves, and so if we do not exert ourselves we cannot receive any help from God in tiding over our difficulties.

Self-help is one of the highest virtues and upon this depends much of national and individual greatness. The practice of this virtue creates confidence in our own selves and increases our strength, so that, by cultivating this virtue, we can hold our own against all odds. With the increase of mental strength also increases the strength of character, and all these have far-reaching effects. Not only are persons possessing this virtue benefitted them-selves, but they inspire others with confidence, so that the latter place implicit faith in them and turn to them for guidance in times of distress. Next, self-help begets self-respect ^and independence. Unless a person is self-reliant and knows how shameful it. is to look up to others for help in every matter, or the delight of doing things by dint of his own powers, he cannot have any sense of self-respect or the worth of independence.

On account of the importance of this virtue, we should try to cultivate this from our very childhood, for once the habit of relying upon others for doing things which we can do ourselves is formed, it is difficult to shake it off. In all departments, whether in the matter of food and clothing, or in studies, or in play, children should not be given more help than they require and should be made to develop habits of self-help, without which they will never be able to prosper in the world.

Whatever we earn by our own exertions, however little it might be, is sweet. A man who depends for his living upon another cannot derive as much joy as one who secures it by his own labour. Dependence is nothing but a curse and one who has to live upon the charity of others is lost to all sense of self-respect and becomes a cripple,

If the help which he had-so long been getting is with-drawn, the man breaks down and cannot proceed a single step further. The tendency of always relying upon others prevents the latent virtues in a man from displaying themselves and thus a man. who might, if he so willed, have hecome a useful member of society, turns to be a shameless dependant. If the absence of self-help in individuals is bad, the same defect in a whole nation is much more dangerous. Further, the man who is not in the habit of relying upon his own self has to be at the mercy of others who do his work and so he has the misfortune of seeing his work never done to his satisfaction.

Self Control

Outline: Essential element chariot tender plant good character surrounded by temptations.

Self-control is the most essential element of character. Without it, no character is possible. All true growth implies restraint.

In Sanskrit books, the human body is compared to a chariot, the five senses or the horses are not kept under restraint, they will run away with the driver and throw him into a pit. These five senses should, therefore be kept in check. The mind of man is very restless. Unless it is controlled, it will lead him astray. All evil passions, all evil thoughts should be driven out; we should not give a loose rein to our feelings and impulses. We must check and suppress anger, 'count ten," says a proverb.

If a tender plant is not cut and pruned, and protected from all evil influences, it will not grow. Similarly, a young man who is not properly guided, not checked from evil and turned .towards good, and who is allowed to go as he likes, and as his whims lead him, will never develop a good character. It is quite possible that he will mar his life. In future he may get into trouble. That is why, it is very important to have self-control.

Man is surrounded by temptations, and if he has not disciplined himself by patient self-control, he is sure to fall an easy victim to them. Self-control is the only, means of developing and strengthening character. It requires practice, and a young man who neglects this important duty will form loose habits, and will never grow strong and good.

The pages from the history show that the people who had self-control, made their marks and got their aims. For true progress, it is important to have self-control.

Self Sacrifice

Outline: The nobles trait     law of universe-example of seed  in every religion       other's benefit            four kinds of men.

Self-sacrifice is the noblest trait in human character. Giving up of one's own interests for the sake of others exalts man. Parents sacrifice their comforts for the sake of their children, soldiers sacrifice themselves for their country, patriots and reformers sacrifice themselves for freedom and truth. Society is held together only by means of sacrifice. If each member of society were to have his own way. regardless of the comforts and interest of others, there would be utter chaos and endless struggle which would make peace and progress impossible.

Sacrifice is the great law of the universe. One thing is sacrificed for the other, and this other sacrifices itself in its own turn for something else, and thus Nature carries on its work. Sacrifice is the price which must be paid for all progress.

The seed is "sown in the ground, but unless it loses itself, the crop will not grow. From the dead seed grow hundreds of grains, and similarly from one act of sacrifice spring peace, happiness, and plenty. Martyrs suffer for religion and truth, and their blood saves mankind from error.

Sacrifice is enjoined in every religion as an act of great merit, but it has now degenerated into the sacrifice of animals. The real object of sacrifice was to teach men to give up the best things they loved on earth for the sake of God and their fellowman, and instances are on record where noble men have not hesitated to part with everything dear to them wealth, children, and even their own lives for what they thought to be higher objects. Lily, a poor nurse, saved the life of her infant master. (onlinetaleem.blogspot.com) Arnold, son of Walter, by sacrificing that of her own son. Wister sacrificed all he had for truth. The Christians believe that Jesus Christ sacrificed himself for mankind.

A charitable man sacrifices his wealth for the benefit of others, and a gentleman sacrifices his own interests for others. A good man will always do a good turn to his neighboured. Really by helping others we help ourselves.

There are four kinds of men. says a Sanskrit poet:       the noblest are those who sacrifice their own interests for others. Next come those who will serve others only when their own interests do not clash with theirs. The third class are those who injure others for their own selfish ends, but the meanest are those who would inure others, though they themselves gain nothing by it. It is very mean to injure others for our own benefit. There are numerous instances in history, where servants have sacrificed themselves for their masters. Blessed are those who have sacrifices themselves to make the whole world free and happy.

Punctuality

Outline: Definition   best use of time        manifold advantages          wins respect and confidence        It  benefits students     unpunctual never makes progress observed by nature.

The habit of doin^ things at the appointed time is punctuality. Every man is sent out to the world to do his share of work within the limited span of his life. The amount of work to be done in a life time is so great and the time at our disposal so short that we cannot afford to lose time if we mean to something "Time and tide wait for no man," nor can it be kept in store for future use.

So we must always make the best use of time, or, in other words, we must be punctual doing things in their proper time. An opportunity allowed to pass away may never return and the work we hoped to do may remain unfinished. It is the habit of punctuality which enables us to perform the greatest amount of work within the short period of our life on earth.

The advantage which punctuality brings to man is manifold. A punctual man is never in want of time and hence he is never in a hurry. Whatever he does, he can do with perfect calmness and so his work has no defect and is perfect. He is never late in his work or in his appointments and consequently men can safely rely upon his promises and engagements.

Discipline

Outline; What is discipline?           foundation of civilized society       much necessary \for home life, key of happiness and peace         without it life is useless.

By discipline we understand "that training which makes us active in accordance with certain prescribed rules and in implicit obedience to the orders of a superior authority. Complete  obedience, without questioning the propriety or otherwise of the commands of a superior, is thus an essential factor of discipline. Every civilized society rests upon the solid foundation of discipline, for without it there would he no order or regularity but only chaos and disorder. What the rudder is to the ship, the sting is to the bee, ' the horns are to the bull, that is discipline to life, Just as it is impossible for a ship to sail over the sea with safety without a rudder, being entirely at the mercy of the winds and waves, so it is impossible for,-a man to pass through the journey of life with any ... amount of success without being protected by discipline.

It follows, therefore', that discipline is of the utmost importance to us in all spheres of life at home, in school and college and in public life. A child must be taught the value of discipline from the moment his sense is seen to develop. This will contribute to his future greatness, form his character and make him otherwise a useful member of society. A child not subjected to discipline from his early life will acquire the habit of doing what he likes at his own sweet will and, not being mature enough to know what is for his good, will have the tendency of doing things which will be harmful to his interests. (onlinetaleem.blogspot.com) A child, who, for want of discipline, does not obey his parents or superiors, contracts vice, which, when he grows up, will have a firm hold upon him and spoil his whole career, making him unfit to associate with men. A disciplined child, on the other hand, is not a prey to all these evils and becomes a useful man of character.

No home, if it is to be peaceful and happy, can afford to be without discipline. A home in which there is no discipline amongst its members, where everyone acts according to his own whims without paying any heed to the authority of the head of the family, can know no peace. Disorder, confusion and quarrels prevail in such a home and sooner or later such a family is sure to break up.

No less important is discipline in schools and colleges. Students should be subjected to a strict code of - discipline and should be made to obey their teachers and professors implicitly and follow the rules prevailing in their institutions to the letter. Unless they are taught this, education imparted to them cannot be considered to have been complete. For. however much they may  learn, whatever examinations they might pass, they cannot be called men in the true sense of the word.

The Rights of Man

Outline: Introduction           -democracy led us   example of American colonies      French Revolution  conclusion.

What are the fundamental rights which every human being has, and the free exercise of which must be guaranteed to him or her by society ? There was a time when man was supposed to have very few rights, and almost every department of his life was open to check the interference by the State, by the tribal chief or by the priesthood. The result of this was that the individual had no will or choice of his own, and was completely subordinated to the ruling class of the group or society of which he was a member.

But since the rise of democracy there has been a move in the direction of respecting the freedom of the individual, which had not existed before. The liberal thought, which took rise in the eighteenth century in Europe as a result of the thinking and reasoning of men like Voltaire and the French encyclopedists, the unlimited exercise of authority over the individual by Church or State was seriously questioned, and it came to be recognised that some limits should be set to the power of society, and man should be given some rights and a measure of freedom consistent with the well-being of his fellow-citizens and the State of which he was a member.

When the American colonies fought their War of Independence against England, they drew up a document in which the rights of the individual were defined. It was declared that all men were born free, and that no interference with their liberty could be brooked, and the War of Independence was being fought to vindicate this right to liberty.

When the French Revolution came in 1789, it set forth a threefold principle as the basis of the people's struggle against their rulers. This principle was the principle of Liberty, Equality and Fraternity. Interpreted, this means that all men are free, and no one has the right of undue interference with them in their private life. Secondly, that all men are equal in the eyes of the law and the constitution, and that no one can claim privilege over anyone else on the score of birth, position or for any other reason. Fraternity is an emphasised form of this concept of Equality; it means that all men are like brothers.

Democracy was established in Europe in the nineteenth century, though it has been fully successful only in Great Britain and France in Europe, and in the U.S.A.

Duties of a Citizen

Outline: Introduction           the ambition to sacrifice respect to others           works honestly         defends his country.

A good citizen needs to imbibe many qualities. That he has some duties and responsibilities to bear is true, but at the same time he also enjoys some rights and privileges as a citizen of a free State. While he has every right to participate in the judicial, legal, political religious and social affairs of the nation, he has also some responsibilities. /.e. not to injure the" sentiments of others and to protect the weak against, the strong. To stand by State, under all the conditions, is his first and foremost duty.

A good citizen must be ready to sacrifice his everything for the sake of his motherland. He is also required to be a patriot and nationalist. He should have firm and deep faith in the welfare of his - motherland. He has to observe law and order. But he has also to keep in his heart, the betterment of the country, the welfare of the State, 4he good of society and the interest of the nation and possess a good moral conduct.

A good citizen must respect the cultural heritage of his country, i.e., he will have to respect the heroes, the prophets, the sages and saints of his country. He must respect the race which has given him birth. He must always keep in mind the future of his country. He must raise the standard of living of his country by working honestly.

Obedience to laws is the next important public duty of a citizen. Society can make no progress if the people have no respect for laws. If a citizen finds that a particular law is bad, he should try to get it replaced by constitutional means. He should not unnecessarily resist a law.

Another important duty of a citizen is to pay all taxes levied by the State. The State provides him with the conditions necessary for his life, progress and happiness. It must have at its disposal enormous funds to organise the whole machinery of government and public administration, and to perform welfare functions. It is for this reason that citizens are called upon to pay taxes, and duties etc. In a democracy taxes are determined by the representatives of the people, and it is the duty of every citizen to pay the taxes.

Also at the time of aggression or foreign attacks, he must be ready to shed his blood for the sake of his motherland. Thus, defence of the country is the supreme duty of a good citizen. He must leave no stone unturned for the prosperity and integrity of his motherland.

Duty to Parents

Outline: Introduction           love and obedience—our duty make them happy         example.

It is the paramount duty of children to obey their parents, They are the most experienced guides, and the best well-wishers that children can have. They support them, they sacrifice their own comforts for their sake, they love them as no one else can, and they are the greatest blessing which young people can have. It is their duty, therefore, to revere them, to obey them and to make them happy. They have no object in view in advising us but our own future well-being. When they correct our faults by gentle hints, by persuasion, or even by rebuke or chastisement, they have the best of motives. Being inexperienced, we do not understand the consequences of our actions; we are, therefore, liable to mistakes, and it is only their kind guidance which keeps us on the right path. It beloves young men, therefore, to place implicit faith in their parents, and to obey them in all matters.

It is our duty to revere and please our parents as long as they are spared to us, but a grown up young man, who is able to think for himself, should follow his conscience in matters in which he happens to think differently from them. It must be borne in mind that we can never repay the debt we owe to our parents, and therefore by thought, word or action, we should never cause them any bitterness or disappointment, especially in old age. No sacrifice is too great to secure their happiness.

In Muslim religious literature, there was a person who carried his old and blind parents on his shoulders and served them to the best of his powers, preferring their comfort to his own. He sets an ideal of service to his parents. He kicked away wealth and honour to obey his parents. We are taught to revere our parents, religious preceptor, and God. Blessed are those children who obey and serve their parents.

Religious Instructions

Outline: Introduction           - No foundation without religion - the neutral policy has adopted - different schools of thought - conclusion.

In our schools and colleges, only worldly education is imparted to the youth of the country, and its result is that the intellect is developed, and the more important part of man, the spirit, is neglected. This purely intellectual education makes man an atheist, and his ideas are confined to the material world only. The higher world of the spirit—and there is no doubt even in this materialistic age, that such a world does exist—4s entirely shut to them.

Without religion, there can be no secure foundation for morals, either. Religion raises and ennobles man, and it should form an essential part of a youngman's education. In Pakistan, unfortunately, the circumstances are very peculiar. There are so many religions here that it is not possible to teach them all in our schools.

The government has wisely adopted the policy of non-interference in the religions of the people, and hence it is neutral in the matter of religious instruction. But all the same, the need of religious instruction is being greatly felt. It should go hand in hand with training in material science. Some moral instruction is given in material sciences. Some moral instruction is given in schools by means of readers and lectures, but that is not enough. In order to be of practical use it must be based on religion.

In denominational schools, started and maintained by the various religious communities, the Brelvis, the Shias, the Ahl-i-Hadith, and the Christians, religious education is given according to the tenets of the particular faith of that community which supports it. But this training is unfortunately imparted on narrow sectarian lines, and has not succeeded in its object.

All religious training worth the name must be broad based on a spirit of toleration. The first principle which should be taught to every child is to respect the religious susceptibilities of others, and to honour the prophets of other religions. Mutual toleration and a broad-minded sympathy and respect for other faiths should be an . essential pan of religious instruction. Without it, it will degenerate into narrow sectarianism and foster bitterness and fanaticism. Let us teach youngmen the doctrines and practice of their religion, but let them imbibe the truly religious spirit which inculcates universal love, and removes all hatred and narrow bigotry from the mind.

'Tis religion that can give Sweetest pleasures while we live;

Tis religion must supply Solid comforts when we die.'

Islamic Democracy

Outline: Introduction           a big revolution – equality the sayings of the Holy Prophet - role of money  -  social justice - conclusion.

The modern democratic state is a type of state which came into existence in 19th century largely as an effect of the French Revolution and the Industrial Revolution of the absolute nation-state of 16th and the 17th century. But the Islamic state came into existence in the 7th century as an effect of the greatest Revolution of the world which was not only political and economic, but also social and ethical.

Islam revolutionised every aspect of human life. So, Islamic democracy in its connotation is wider than western democracy. It means not only political equality but also social equality. In Islamic society all are equal. There no class-divisions or distinctions of birth and social position. All members of the society enjoy equal status and position^ The only criterion of superiority in Islamic society-is personal ability and character. Allah says: "O mankind! I created you out of a single pair of a male and a female. The most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is he who is the most righteous of you."

Islamic Culture

Outline: Definition - salient features – development of the whole race - practical religion – rational - a complete social system - conclusion.

Culture means the cultivation and development of human mind. Islamic Culture differs from other Cultures. The aim of other cultures is to cultivate the mind of an individual or some group. Islamic Culture is the kind of Culture prescribed by Islam. It aims at nothing less than the success of mankind as a whole. The origin of Islamic Culture lies in the Holy Quran.

Islamic Culture is very different form other cultures in many ways. The salient features of Islamic Culture are four. Firstly, Islamic Culture is universal in its aim and object. It does not aim at the progress of an individual or a group of individual. Its objective is the development of the whole race intellectually, spiritually, socially and economically. It provides the guidance in both the worlds, material and spiritual.

Secondly, it is a practical religion. The teachings of Islam are practicable. Islam means to surrender to the will of God. It teaches and preaches to us in practical, material, social and spiritual life. Islamic Culture has no place for those who only believe and do not act.

Thirdly, Islamic Culture is rational. It appeals to men to use their reason. It does not prohibit its believers to shun the learning of worldly education. It does not maintain any distinction between the religious education and secular education. In glorious days of Islam, the Muslims learned science subjects side by side with Quran, Hadith and Fiqha.

Fourthly, Islam gives a complete political and social system as alternative to other systems. It promotes brotherhood and equality. There is no priesthood in Islam. Every Muslim man and woman has been urged to learn knowledge. It promises peace and stability in the whdle world.

The Muslims are backward today because they do not follow the principles of Islam, in true spirit. They regain their lost status in the world by following the tenets of Islam. Now they must awake and act upon the principles of Islam.

Status of Women in Islam

Outline: Introduction           - her role in different spheres of life - relation with husband - to bring up the children - equal rights - conclusion.

In Islam women enjoy an exalted and dignified position which can never be found in any other religion of the world. Islam bestows women a very respectable place. Islam is the only religion that recognizes a woman to be a loving daughter of a kind father, a polite wife of a loving husband a kind-hearted mother of a good son and a polite sister ef a livable brother. It recognises the position of women to be the same as that of men. It claims that both come from the same essence.

The position of the mother is very much exalted in Islamic tradition. Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) has gone so far as to say, "Paradise lies underneath the feet of your mothers." As regards the position of a woman as wife, the saying of the Prophet (Peace be upon him) is categorical, "The best among you is the one who is best towards his family." With regards to women as a daughter, the Islamic attitude can be realised from the reproaches which the Holy Quran makes against the pagan pre-Islamic behaviour at the birth of daughters. Islam abolished all types of such disgraces.

Moharrum

Outline: An important festival - story of Yazid - death of Imam Hussain is mourned – Taziahs - conclusion.

The Moharrum is an important and interesting religious festival of the Muslims. It celebrates the martyrdom of Imam Hussain (A.S.), the grandson of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H).

The story is that Yazid, the Caliph of Damascus, was an ambitious man and he did not like to see the direct descendants of the Holy Prophet claiming any rival position to him. He troubled Imam Hussain in many ways, till a war broke out which lasted a long time. Eventually, Imam Hussain died in the field of Karbala. He was kept without food and drink for several days, and this makes the tragedy more painful.

The festival lasts for ten days, in which the death of Imam, the hero, is mourned by pious Muslims. They sing funeral songs, elegies, lamenting the death of Hussain, and spend their time in weeping and wailing. Alms are distributed among the poor, and cold sweetened drinks are specially supplied to the thirsty.

On the tenth day, huge bamboo structures covered with coloured papers of various designs are carried in solemn procession through the town, and buried outside, where a big meal is held. The structures called Taziahs are sometimes made of wood and ivory also, and are very costly. They represent the tomb of Imam Hussain at Karbla.' The procession is composed of mourners, who remembering the martyrdom of the holy hero, are filled with great spiritual anguish. They revere the Taziahs or Taboots. The worshippers follow or precede these Taziahs, repeating in a very excited manner the name of 'Hussain' (A.S).

It is a great pity that on those occasions when there should be peace and good-will among all, riots break out as a result of religious fanaticism. Though the mourning in honour of Imam Hussain is observed by all sections of Muslims, yet the Taziahs are the symbols of worship only among the Shias. Quarrels break out among Shias and Sunnis. and Ahl-i-Hadith, Shias riots, also, occur in some places on those occasions. People should learn religious toleration, and help one another in observing all religious ceremonies. Mutual concord and sympathy are very necessary for our national well-being.

A Mosque

Outline: Introduction - carefully maintained - honest supervisor - picturesque scene on gatherings - conclusion.

It is the common place of worship, open to all. Usually the temple is the most beautiful building in the whole town, and is scrupulously kept clean. It is the centre of attraction for all. It stands for the embodiment of the religious fervour of the people, and hence on such buildings neither money nor attention is spared to make them grand and noble.

The Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (Peace be upon him)

Outline: Introduction - Hazrat Haleema looked after - a fine man - message of God – preaching - many battles were fought.

Hazrat Muhammad (peace he upon him) was born at Makkah in 571 A.D. His father. Abdullah had died before he was born. He was brought up by his mother Amena. Then he was brought up by his loving grandfather Abdul Muttalib a chief of the Quraish. But when he died after eight years, his uncle. Abu Talib, under took to look after him. He looked after him more lovingly than his own children.

How to count the number of any day / days between two dates

Hi every one ... If we want to count the number of Saturdays and Sunday between two dates, how would we do that ? !

Dates are ( 01-Oct-2015) to (31-Oct-2015)

how to do it in SQL

SELECT TO_CHAR(dat,'DY'),COUNT(*) FROM
    (select TO_DATE('01-Oct-2015') + num dat from
    (SELECT level - 1 num
    FROM dual
    CONNECT BY level <= ABS((TO_DATE('01-Oct-2015') - TO_DATE('31-Oct-2015'))-1)))
    WHERE TO_CHAR(dat,'DY') IN ('SAT','SUN')
    GROUP BY TO_CHAR(dat,'DY')

This query helps me a lot of in my requirement, hope it helps you and fulfill your requirement as well. Also, i if you have any best solution do not forget to share as well.
Regards

AVG: What does it Mean?

AVG is an aggregate function in SQL to compute the "average" of a set of values. More precisely, it computes the mean of those values. And even more precisely, AVG computes what is known as the arithmetic mean. The underlying math is so deceptively simple, it's easy to believe one understands the result and how to apply it. But keep reading! Learning about "average" is like uncovering an iceberg. There's more to it than meets the eye.

SQL Statistic Series: You are reading part of an ongoing series covering the statistical functions available in the Oracle Database implementation of SQL.

Measure of Central Tendency

The arithmetic mean is considered a measure of central tendency. Computing such a measure is an attempt to come up with a single value through which to conveniently characterize, discuss, and compare different data sets.
Figure 1 shows the math. It's very simple: Just sum the values and divide by their quantity. The first three examples show higher values dragging the mean upward. The final example piles on some low values to drag the mean downward. What you see is characteristic of the arithmetic mean. Any value added above or below the mean will move the mean in the direction of the new value. The move may be slight, or it may be large, but it will be non-zero.

Figure 1. Examples of computing the arithmetic mean

Mean as Representative Value

An ideal use of arithmetic mean is to provide a single representative to stand in for a collection values, and you're using that representative value in some calculations. You want the math to work out as if you had looked at each value individually, but you don't want the tedium of showing each separate computation.

Example Data: Download and execute avgExamples.sql to create the example tables and data used in this article.

Pretend you're managing a combination gas station and convenience store. You're open 24 hours a day, seven days per week. It is January 2013. Your target revenue goal for the month is $500,000. Divide by 31 days in January, and you must push at least $16,129 in sales per day. The following table tracks your daily sales progress:

SELECT *
FROM daily_sales
WHERE daily_date >= DATE '2013-01-01'
  AND daily_date < DATE '2013-02-01'
ORDER BY daily_date;

DAILY_DATE          SALES_AMT
------------------ ----------
01-JAN-13               17032
02-JAN-13               15043
03-JAN-13               16783
04-JAN-13               23343
05-JAN-13               25703
06-JAN-13               19538
07-JAN-13               18001
08-JAN-13               17154
09-JAN-13               26235
10-JAN-13               14983
11-JAN-13               16010
12-JAN-13                4300
13-JAN-13                2874

Your numbers look good until the 12th, when they fall off a cliff. Freezing rain struck your area that day. Ice has played havoc on tree limbs and power lines, leaving you without power for most of two days. Gasoline has stayed in the underground tanks unpumped. Coffee pots have been cold. For two days all you've sold are potato chips and soda pop. You are worried. Your early numbers are good, but have these two days without power been enough to put you below where you need to be?
Knowing you need to average $16,129 per day for the month, you sit down at your computer and type in a query:

SELECT ROUND(AVG(sales_amt))
FROM daily_sales
WHERE daily_date >= DATE '2013-01-01'
  AND daily_date < DATE '2013-02-01';

ROUND(AVG(SALES_AMT))
---------------------
16692

Whew! This is good news. Even with those two very bad days, you're still trending above your $16,129 target. Your hard work at exceeding plan is paying off by providing you a buffer in these difficult circumstances.
Looking for even more reassurance, you query your prior two months sales:

SELECT EXTRACT (MONTH FROM daily_date) AS "Month", 
       ROUND(AVG(sales_amt)) AS "Avg Sales"
FROM daily_sales
WHERE daily_date >= DATE '2012-11-01'
  AND daily_date < DATE '2013-01-01'
GROUP BY EXTRACT (MONTH FROM daily_date)
ORDER BY EXTRACT (MONTH FROM daily_date);

     Month Avg Sales
---------- ----------
        11      18817
        12      18803

These numbers are great news. You're current mean daily sales is just barely above the line at $16,692, but your track record from the prior two months indicates significant upside potential.
For one last bit of reassurance, you decide query a running average for the month of December. You want to see how the mean daily sales changed as the month progressed. Figure 2 illustrates. Notice how each day's mean sales amount takes into account the sales history from all the prior days.

Figure 2. The concept of a running average

SQL window functions make running (and moving too) averages fairly easy. Following is a query making use ofAVG...OVER to compute the running mean daily sales for December 2012. See my article You've Got Framing! if you're unfamiliar with the OVER clause and want more detail on how it works in this scenario.

SELECT daily_date, 
       sales_amt, 
       ROUND(AVG(sales_amt) OVER (ORDER BY daily_date)) AS "Running Avg"
FROM daily_sales
WHERE daily_date >= DATE '2012-12-01'
  and daily_date < DATE '2013-01-01'
ORDER BY daily_date;

DAILY_DATE          SALES_AMT Running Avg
------------------ ---------- -----------
01-DEC-12               14530       14530
02-DEC-12               14230       14380
03-DEC-12               15830       14863
...
22-DEC-12               19235       17610
23-DEC-12               20133       17720
24-DEC-12               22839       17933
25-DEC-12               21833       18089
26-DEC-12               20593       18185
27-DEC-12               20001       18252
28-DEC-12               19848       18309
29-DEC-12               23134       18476
30-DEC-12               22783       18619
31-DEC-12               24323       18803

These results are excellent news! They show a clear and sharp movement upwards in the running average toward the end of the month. Querying for November sales, you see the very same pattern in that month. There's every reason to believe you can repeat the pattern for January. You confidently report to your regional manager that the power loss is a minor blip and nothing to be concerned about. Your daily mean sales remain above the mark; you are on track to end the month ahead of plan.

Note: Means can be useful in communicating the big picture swiftly. Recite a list of daily sales numbers and a busy manager's eyes will glaze over. Give him a single number instead, such as the mean daily sales so far in the month, and you've conveyed the big picture without burying the manager in the details.

Nulls and their Effect

SQL's AVG function ignores nulls. This is by design, and it's a good decision. If you must, you can apply a function such as COALESCE to coerce a null to some other value such as zero. Here's a trivial example to illustrate:

SELECT AVG(sales_amt) AS "Normal",
       AVG(COALESCE(sales_amt, 0)) AS "Coerced"
FROM null_demo;

    Normal    Coerced
---------- ----------
         3        1.2

And here is the underlying data:

SET NULL "NULL"
SELECT * FROM null_demo;

DAILY_DATE          SALES_AMT
------------------ ----------
01-FEB-13                   2
02-FEB-13                   4
03-FEB-13                NULL
04-FEB-13                NULL
05-FEB-13                NULL

The normal invocation of AVG takes only the non-null values 2 and 4 into account. It returns the mean as (2 + 4) / 2 = 3. The second implementation treats nulls as if they were zeros. The rather odd effect is to return a mean that does not fall between the values in the table. That mean has no meaning either. What possible business meaning can the value 1.2 convey in this scenario? None at all. Think about the following two statements:

• Average sales are $3.00 dollars per day, but we are missing data for three of the five days.
• Average sales are $1.20 dollars per day, and I'm going to leave you with the impression that no data is missing.

Which of these would help you make a better business decision? Would you rather hear the truth? Or bury your head in the proverbial sand?

Weighted Means

Sometimes it's not enough to simply take the average of a single column. Picture yourself a fleet manager responsible for a small fleet of delivery trucks. You're responsible for managing fuel costs to an average of $3.50 or less per gallon for the month. Fail, and you lose your bonus pay. Wanting to get a quick sense of how things are going, you execute the following query:

SELECT ROUND(AVG(PRICE),2) AS "Avg Per Gal"
FROM fleet_fuel
WHERE buy_date >= DATE '2013-01-01'
  AND buy_date < DATE '2013-02-01';

Avg Per Gal
-----------
       3.46

This result looks great. Doesn't it? You've applied the AVG function. You've gotten a result. You're well under the mark. You feel your bonus is secure. Except you're wrong.
You've forgotten to factor in the number of gallons purchased at each price. Each per-gallon purchase price needs to be weighted by the number of gallons purchased at that price. The AVG function doesn't help here. You can apply SUM instead, and do the weighting math yourself. Here's how:

1. Begin with gallons * price to weight each price by the number of gallons sold.
2. Apply the SUM function, as in SUM(gallons * price) to give a total off all you've spent on fuel so far during the month.
3. Divide by the number of gallons to get the mean price per gallon.

Figure 3 illustrates this logic and why it works. Callout #1 shows the data for two fuel purchases. Callout #2 shows a naive and incorrect approach to computing the mean. You do a get mean of two values, but that mean does not mean what it should mean. Callout #3 highlights the correct approach. Multiplying each price by the number of gallons purchased at that price gives the effect of having a record for each individual gallon purchased. The resulting mean is then truly the mean price per gallon.

Figure 3. Weighting the mean

Fortunately, the needed SQL expression is far easier to write than Figure 3 was to draw. Here's a query implementing the logic from Figure 3 for a weighted mean:

SELECT ROUND(SUM(gallons * price)/SUM(gallons),2) AS "Avg Per Gal"
FROM fleet_fuel
WHERE buy_date >= DATE '2013-01-01'
  AND buy_date < DATE '2013-02-01';

Avg Per Gal
-----------
       3.52

This result's more worrisome, isn't it? Your target is $3.50 per gallon. Your current, weighted mean is $3.52 per gallon. That bonus isn't so secure after all. Fortunately, you have time left in the month to act. Good thing you knew about weighted means. You may be able to salvage that bonus yet.

When Median and Mode are Better

Say that you have a friend planning a visit to Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Your friend plans to drive across region, and asks you for some intelligence on fuel prices. Here is a situation in which the goal is not really to make the math work out accounting-style as in the examples so far. Instead, you're trying to distill a complex picture into just a few numbers that you and your friend can get a grip on. The arithmetic mean might not be your best choice here.
It may in fact be reasonable to provide the mean per-gallon fuel price. After all, gasoline is a competitive market and prices tend to cluster tightly around a center. There aren't likely to be many outliers. You could tell your friend:

"The mean fuel price in the region is $3.55 per gallon."

However, an even more meaningful statement is:

"Half the gas stations charge less than $3.50 per gallon, and half charge more."

Here you are giving what is known as the median: $3.50 per gallon in this case. This is useful information, and I plan a follow-up article soon on how to compute the median and apply it. Your friend can reasonably decide to treat $3.50 as the maximum he'll pay per gallon. Knowing that half the fuel stations charge less, and presuming a reasonably even geographic distribution, your friend should be able to make the trip and hold out for the less-expensive gas stations.
But wait! There's more. Perhaps you can provide the mode as well, also a planned future topic. The mode refers to the most commonly observed value. You investigate and find the fuel prices in your region to bebimodal. That means two prices are tied for being most commonly observed. The two prices are $3.46 and 3.52. Now you can paint a more detailed picture for your friend, and with just a very few numbers:

"Half the gas stations charge less than $3.50 per gallon, and half charge more."

"The two most common prices are $3.46 per gallon, and $3.52 per gallon."

With this information, your friend might decide to hold out for $3.46 per gallon or less. Again, that's presuming a not-too-uneven geographic distribution. (There is only so much you can convey, after all, with just three numbers).
Choosing the correct statistic isn't just about the data you're working with. You can't look at a data set and say arbitrarily that the median applies, or that the mean is a better choice. Choose your statistics based upon the intelligence you're trying to derive, the decisions you're hoping to make, the picture you want to paint.

Note: Median is in many cases more useful or desirable than the arithmetic mean. Yet SQL has a history of poor support for computing the median. (Oracle Database does currently support a MEDIANfunction). You'll find plenty of convoluted techniques in older books on SQL for computing the median, some that work well and others that work mostly – except for some corner cases. It's always been trivial to compute the mean though, and sometimes the mean has been chosen only for that reason. It's the "when all you have is a hammer" effect.

Circular Data

Watch out for circular number systems when computing the mean, or any other measure of central tendency. Look at Figure 4 showing several times clustered around midnight. A naive approach to computing the mean would put it at 12:02:15, twelve hours opposite where it ought to be. In this particular example, the mean as a measure of central tendency is correctly placed at 00:02:15, two minutes and 15 seconds past midnight.

Figure 4. Mean in a circular number system

Wall-clock time and compass direction are two examples of circular systems in which care is needed when computing the mean. Various methods exist. The United States Environmental Protection Agency employs the so-called Yamartino method developed in 1984 by Robert J. Yamartino in their studies involving wind direction. That's just the tip of the iceberg. At least one book, Statistical analysis of Circular Data by N. I. Fisher, has been written on the topic.

Non-Additive Data

The arithmetic mean is based around addition. Remember the daily sales example early in this article? Each day of the month you sell a certain amount, and you add those amounts together for a monthly total. For example:

14530 + 14230 + 15830 ... 23134 + 22783 + 24323

Two other common patterns you'll encounter involve rates and products. It's useful to know how to spot them so that you don't apply AVG when it shouldn't be applied.
Rates often involve the word "per", as in "miles per gallon" and "kilometers per hour". Imagine if I made the same 60 km trip twice in the same day. First I drove it at 60 kph. Then I returned home at a slower, 40 kph. Here's how that looks:

60km at 60kph + 60km at 40kph

This is not the simple, additive pattern to which arithmetic mean applies. The correct mean speed is not 50 kph like you might expect. It's actually 48 kph, because you spend more time (more hours) driving the slower trip. Another type of mean, the harmonic mean, will give the correct answer and should generally be applied to situations like this involving rates. The math behind the harmonic mean, and especially why that math works, is really interesting and I plan a future article on the topic.
The other commonly encountered pattern involves products – values multiplied together instead of being added. Remember during the runup to the year 2000 how all of us in the computing field would get big raises each year as the industry frantically worked to save the world from six-digit date meltdown? Those were good times. Imagine three yearly raises in pay of 10%, 20%, and 30%. Let your starting salary be N, and here's what you have:

 N * 1.10 * 1.20 * 1.30

Once again, this is not an additive sequence. Rather, it's a series of products. The mean pay raise is not 20%. The geometric mean applies here, and the mean increase in pay works out to 19.72% per year. You can prove that by working through some math:

N * 1.10 * 1.20 * 1.30 = N * 1.1972 * 1.1972 * 1.1972

1.10 * 1.20 * 1.30 = 1.7160, 

and 1.1972 * 1.1972 * 1.1972 = 1.7159,

and finally...N * 1.7160 ≈ N * 1.7159

Rounding accounts for the difference of 0.0001 in the result. Geometric mean is also a topic I plan for a future article.

The Sum of it All

Choose your average carefully depending upon what it is you're trying to convey. Arithmetic mean is ideal when you need the math to work out accounting-style, as in the daily sales and fuel cost examples. Watch for non-additive cases that might require other types of mean, such as the harmonic and geometric.
Arithmetic mean is prone to what is termed skew. A small number of outlying values can give a false impression of central tendency. Figure 1 hints at how this may be so. A future article on standard deviation will delve into this topic more closely.
The potential for skew is one reason the median is often favored over the mean. This is why the U.S. Census Bureau tracks and reports a median  annual household income rather than a mean income. Median is often more appropriate than the mean in cases where you are working to promote understanding  by painting a picture of the current state of things.

Finally, it isn't possible to look at a data set and declare authoritatively that just one statistic applies, or that only one type of average should be used. It may be perfectly reasonable to look at multiple statistics together, such as mean and mode in the example of an automobile trip across the Upper Peninsula. The bottom line is to choose the statistic that best conveys the message, and that best helps you manage to your desired result.

Dates in Range

Posing the Question

Arturo was after a solution encompassing more than a single month. Following is the question he put to me:

"What if you had two different ranges?

   beg_date        end_date
   01-Jan-2013     15-Jan-2013
   15-Mar-2013     02-Apr-2013

How do you generate individual rows for each day between 01/01 to 01/15, and between 03/15 to 04/02?"

An excellent question! Arturo's question forces me to gereralize the solution from my previous article that is specific to days in a single month, and make it work to cover any date range, even one spanning many months.

Getting Started

Following is my starting point, the solution from my prior article. It's a query that returns one row for each day in the current month.

SELECT LEVEL, LAST_DAY(SYSDATE)-LEVEL+1
FROM dual
WHERE ROWNUM <= EXTRACT(DAY FROM LAST_DAY(SYSDATE))
CONNECT BY LEVEL=ROWNUM;

The query makes creative use of LEVEL and CONNECT BY to form a row-generator giving incremental values beginning with 1. Following are some aspects to consider:

• The LEVEL column counts upward toward the number of days in the month.
• The starting date is implicitly the first of the month.
• The EXTRACT expression generates a value marking the end of the range.

The solution logic is based around integers returned by LEVEL and EXTRACT that represent day numbers. That logic limits the solution to generating rows for only a single month.

Generalizing the Solution

My first need is to generalize the query by making it possible to specify any two dates to denote the range of interest. Before doing that, I want to get rid of ROWNUM from the WHERE clause and use LEVEL instead. It may be lack of coffee, but my use of ROWNUM is making it harder for me to think clearly about the query and how it works. The fix is a trivial, one-word change to the WHERE clause:

SELECT LEVEL, LAST_DAY(SYSDATE)-LEVEL+1
FROM dual
WHERE LEVEL <= EXTRACT(DAY FROM LAST_DAY(SYSDATE))
CONNECT BY LEVEL=ROWNUM;

Now I can get on with solving the problem at hand. I want to specify beginning and ending dates explicitly. There are two date ranges, so I'll create and initialize four bind variables in SQL*Plus:

VARIABLE beg1_date CHAR(11);
VARIABLE end1_date CHAR(11);
VARIABLE beg2_date CHAR(11);
VARIABLE end2_date CHAR(11);

EXECUTE :beg1_date := '1-Jan-2013'; 
EXECUTE :end1_date := '15-Jan-2013';
EXECUTE :beg2_date := '15-Mar-2013';
EXECUTE :end2_date := '2-Apr-2013';

My solution query shown earlier generates dates in reverse order, beginning from the end of the month as given by LAST_DAY(SYSDATE). It's an easy modification to reference end2_date as the end of the range. Just specify TO_DATE(:end2_date) instead. For example:

From: SELECT LEVEL, LAST_DAY(SYSDATE)-LEVEL+1
To: SELECT LEVEL, TO_DATE(:end2_date)-LEVEL+1

I'll simplify the WHERE clause to restrict output to ten rows. Let's see how things go:

SELECT LEVEL, TO_DATE(:end2_date)-LEVEL+1
FROM dual
WHERE LEVEL <= 10
CONNECT BY LEVEL=ROWNUM;

     LEVEL TO_DATE(:END2_DATE
---------- ------------------
         1 02-APR-13
         2 01-APR-13
         3 31-MAR-13
         4 30-MAR-13
         5 29-MAR-13
         6 28-MAR-13
         7 27-MAR-13
         8 26-MAR-13
         9 25-MAR-13
        10 24-MAR-13

These results are promising. Next I can modify the WHERE clause to terminate execution at the beginning of the range. I'll specify beg1_date, because I want the query to generate a wide enough range of dates to encompass both the desired, smaller ranges. Here's the query and its results:

SELECT LEVEL, TO_DATE(:end2_date)-LEVEL+1
FROM dual
WHERE TO_DATE(:beg1_date) <= TO_DATE(:end2_date)-LEVEL+1
CONNECT BY LEVEL=ROWNUM;

     LEVEL TO_DATE(:END2_DATE
---------- ------------------
         1 02-APR-13
         2 01-APR-13
         3 31-MAR-13
...
        90 03-JAN-13
        91 02-JAN-13
        92 01-JAN-13

The query is now generating an extended range of dates covering both the smaller ranges that I'm after.

Punching a Hole

All that's left is to "punch a hole" in the results by getting of the unwanted rows. Here is my first attempt, which is to add two predicates to the WHERE clause:

SELECT LEVEL, TO_DATE(:end2_date)-LEVEL+1
FROM dual
WHERE TO_DATE(:beg1_date) <= TO_DATE(:end2_date)-LEVEL+1
  AND NOT (
        TO_DATE(:end2_date)-LEVEL+1 > TO_DATE(:end1_date)
    AND TO_DATE(:end2_date)-LEVEL+1 < TO_DATE(:beg2_date)
    )
CONNECT BY LEVEL=ROWNUM;

     LEVEL TO_DATE(:END2_DATE
---------- ------------------
         1 02-APR-13
         2 01-APR-13
         3 31-MAR-13
...
        17 17-MAR-13
        18 16-MAR-13
        19 15-MAR-13

Bummer! The CONNECT BY logic falls into the hole and terminates. Results are good until the desired gap is encountered. Then query execution ends.

Playing the Crazy Card

What's needed is a second WHERE clause. The HAVING clause can serve that purpose if you group by all the columns. The result is a fun query that you should probably not ever use in a production setting:

SELECT LEVEL, TO_DATE(:end2_date)-LEVEL+1
FROM dual
WHERE TO_DATE(:beg1_date) <= TO_DATE(:end2_date)-LEVEL+1
CONNECT BY LEVEL=ROWNUM
GROUP BY LEVEL, TO_DATE(:end2_date)-LEVEL+1
HAVING NOT (
        TO_DATE(:end2_date)-LEVEL+1 > TO_DATE(:end1_date)
    AND TO_DATE(:end2_date)-LEVEL+1 < TO_DATE(:beg2_date)
    )
ORDER BY LEVEL;

     LEVEL TO_DATE(:END2_DATE
---------- ------------------
         1 02-APR-13
         2 01-APR-13
         3 31-MAR-13
...
        17 17-MAR-13
        18 16-MAR-13
        19 15-MAR-13
        78 15-JAN-13
        79 14-JAN-13
        80 13-JAN-13
...
        90 03-JAN-13
        91 02-JAN-13
        92 01-JAN-13

The ORDER BY clause I've added this time is irrelevant to the logic. It merely undoes the effects of the grouping operation so the results are displayed in a comprehensible order.

Finding Some Sanity

While clever, the preceding approach is pretty awful. The grouping operation is likely to force a partial sorting of the data. It surely must be better to avoid the GROUP BY processing. To that end, take a query and subquery approach:

SELECT day_of_range FROM (
SELECT LEVEL AS range_counter, 
       TO_DATE(:end2_date)-LEVEL+1 AS day_of_range
FROM dual
WHERE TO_DATE(:beg1_date) <= TO_DATE(:end2_date)-LEVEL+1
CONNECT BY LEVEL=ROWNUM
) WHERE NOT (
        day_of_range > TO_DATE(:end1_date)
    AND day_of_range < TO_DATE(:beg2_date)
    );

The inner query generates the extended range of dates. The outer query's WHERE clause punches the desired hole in that range. The results are dates covering just the two, smaller ranges.

Pondering an Alternative

If the desired gap is large enough, then you may prefer to attack the problem as a union of two queries. Be sure to use the UNION ALL operator to avoid the overhead of unneeded elimination of duplicate rows; there won't be any. For example:

SELECT LEVEL, TO_DATE(:end2_date)-LEVEL+1
FROM dual
WHERE TO_DATE(:beg2_date) <= TO_DATE(:end2_date)-LEVEL+1
CONNECT BY LEVEL=ROWNUM
UNION ALL
SELECT LEVEL, TO_DATE(:end1_date)-LEVEL+1
FROM dual
WHERE TO_DATE(:beg1_date) <= TO_DATE(:end1_date)-LEVEL+1
CONNECT BY LEVEL=ROWNUM;

The first query in this union generates the latter range. The second query generates the earlier range.