Islam means Submission and obedience (to Allah),
Humility, submissiveness and conformance (to the
Laws of Allah), Safety, security, immunity or
freedom from evil, Peace. Islam is a way of life
whereby one takes upon oneself what Allah Has
ordained and His Messenger practically demonstrated
and conveyed to the mankind. It entails total
submission and obedience to Allah that leads one to
peace, and safety, security, immunity and freedom
from evils and afflictions of any kind form within
or without.
The
framework of the Muslim life: faith, prayer, concern
for the needy, self-purification, and the pilgrimage
to Makkah for those who are able.
1) FAITH
There is no god worthy of worship except God and
Muhammad is His messenger. This declaration of faith
is called the Shahada, a simple formula which all
the faithful pronounce. In Arabic, the first part is
la ilaha illa Llah - 'there is no god except God';
ilaha (god) can refer to anything which we may be
tempted to put in place of God - wealth, power, and
the like. Then comes illa Llah: 'except God', the
source of all Creation. The second part of the
Shahada is Muhammadun rasulu'Llah: 'Muhammad is the
messenger of God.' A message of guidance has come
through a man like ourselves.
2) PRAYER
Salat is the name for the obligatory prayers which
are performed five times a day, and are a direct
link between the worshipper and God. There is no
hierarchical authority in Islam, and no priests, so
the prayers are led by a learned person who knows
the
Learn Quran, chosen by
congregation. These 5 prayers contain verses from
the
Quran,
and are in Arabic, the language of Revelation, but
personal supplication can be offered in one's own
language. Because shalat is transliterated from
arabic word, so it has multiple english spellings
such as salat, salah, sholat, sholah or shalah.Some
peoples also called shalat as namaz
Prayers are said at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon,
sunset and nightfall, and thus determine the rhythm
of the entire day. Although it is preferable to
worship together in a mosque, a Muslim may pray
almost anywhere, such as in fields, offices,
factories and universities. Visitors to the Muslim
world are struck by the centrality of prayers in
daily life.
A translation of the Call to Prayer is:
God is most great. God is most great.
God is most great. God is most great.
I testify that there is no god except God.
I testify that there is no god except God.
I testify that Muhammad is the messenger of God.
I testify that Muhammad is the messenger of God.
Come to prayer! Come to prayer!
Come to success (in this life and the Hereafter)!
Come to success!
God is most great. God is most great.
There is no god except God.
3) ZAKAAT
One
of the most important principles of Islam is that
all things belong to God, and that wealth is
therefore held by human beings in trust. The word
zakaat means both 'purification' and 'growth'. Our
possessions are purified by setting aside a
proportion for those in need, and, like the pruning
of plants, this cutting back balances and encourages
new growth.
Each Muslim calculates his or her own zakaat
individually. For most purposes this involves the
payment each year of two and a half percent of one's
capital.
Zakaat keeps the money flowing within a society,
Cairo. A pious person may also give as much as he or
she pleases as sadaqa, and does so preferably in
secret. Although this word can be translated as
'voluntary charity' it has a wider meaning. The
Prophet said 'even meeting your brother with a
cheerful face is charity.'
The Prophet said: 'Charity is a necessity for every
Muslim. ' He was asked: 'What if a person has
nothing?' The Prophet replied: 'He should work with
his own hands for his benefit and then give
something out of such earnings in charity.' The
Companions asked: 'What if he is not able to work?'
The Prophet said: 'He should help poor and needy
persons.' The Companions further asked 'What if he
cannot do even that?' The Prophet said 'He should
urge others to do good.' The Companions said 'What
if he lacks that also?' The Prophet said 'He should
check himself from doing evil. That is also
charity.'
4) THE FAST
Every year in the month of Ramadan, all Muslims fast
from first light until sundown, abstaining from
food, drink, and sexual relations. Those who are
sick, elderly, or on a journey, and women who are
pregnant or nursing are permitted to break the fast
and make up an equal number of days later in the
year. If they are physically unable to do this, they
must feed a needy person for every day missed.
Children begin to fast (and to observe the prayer)
from puberty, although many start earlier.
Although the fast is most beneficial to the health,
it is regarded principally as a method of self
purification. By cutting oneself off from worldly
comforts, even for a short time, a fasting person
gains true sympathy with those who go hungry as well
as growth in one's spiritual life.
5) PILGRIMAGE (HAJJ)
The
annual pilgrimage to Makkah - the Hajj - is an
obligation only for those who are physically,
financially able to perform it. Nevertheless, about
2 million people go to Makkah each year from every
corner of globe providing a unique opportunity for
those of different nations to meet one another.
Although Makkah is always filled with visitors, the
annual Hajj begins in the twelfth month of Islamic
year (which is lunar, not solar, so that Hajj and
Ramadan fall sometimes in summer, sometimes in
winter). Pilgrims wear special clothes: simple
garments which strip away distinctions of class and
culture, so that all stand equal before God.
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