WHAT IS ISLAM?
The name of the religion ISLAM, which comes from an Arabic root word meaning "PEACE" & "SUBMISSION". ISLAM teaches one can only find PEACE in one's life by submitting to ALMIGHTY GOD (ALLAH) in heart, soul & deed.
ONENESS OF ALLAH:-
By belief in the Oneness Of ALLAH, I mean that ALLAH is One & that there is none like Him; He has no partner; He neither begets nor is He begotten; He is indivisible in person; He is eternal; He is infinite; He has neither beginning nor end; He is ALMIGHTY, the ALL-KNOWING, the ALL-JUST, the CHERISHER of all the worlds, the PATRON, the GUIDE, the HELPER, the MERCIFUL, the COMPASSIONATE,etc. ALLAH is everywhere. Certainly, ALLAH knows all the actions we do on earth, both good & bad.ALLAH has created us & all the worlds. He loves & cherishes us. He will reward me in the Heaven for all our good deeds(actions) & punish me in Hell for all our bad deeds.
We can win the Love of ALLAH by complete submission to His Will &Obedience to His Commands.
What Is Iman (Faith)?
Iman means "to believe in" , i.e. to have a firm & sincere belief in the Cardinal Articles of Faith.
NOTE:- One who professes IMAN is called a MU'MIN (THE FAITHFUL) & the one who observes all the PRINCIPLES OF ISLAM is called a MUSLIM.
The Fundamental Principles Of ISLAM:-
- THE DECLARATION OF FAITH:-
LA ILAHA ILLALLAH, MOHAMMAD-UR-RASOOLULLAH
i.e; " There is no deity but ALLAH & MOHAMMAD is the APOSTLE (MESSENGER) of ALLAH."
1. KALIMA - SHAHADAT (DECLARATION OR SUBMISSION OF EVIDENCE):-
i.e; " I bear witness that there is no deity but ALLAH, Who is without PARTNER, & I bear witness that MOHAMMAD is His SERVANT & APOSTLE."
2. KALIMA - TAMJEED (DECLARATION OF THE GLORY OF ALLAH):-
Subhaana-llaahi Walhamdu Lillaahi Walaaa Ilaaha Illa-llaahu Wallaahu Akbar. Walaa Hawla Walaa Quwwata Illaa Billaahi-l ‘Aliyyil ‘Azeem.
i.e; " Glory be to ALLAH & praise; there is no deity but ALLAH; ALLAH is most GREAT, there is no power, no might but ALLAH, the most HIGH, the GREAT."
3. KALIMA - TAUHID (DECLARATION OF ONENESS OF ALLAH):-
Laaa Ilaaha Illa-llaahu Wahdahoo Laa Shareeka-lahoo Lahu-l Mulku Walahu-l Hamdu Yuhyee Wayumeetu Wahuwa Hayyu-l Laa Yamootu Abadan Abada. Dhu-l Jalaali Wal Ikraam. Biyadihil Khair. Wahuwa Alaa Kulli Shai-’in Qadeer.
i.e;" There is none worthyof worship but ALLAH; He is ONE & has no PARTNER; His is the Kingdom (of the whole universe) & unto Him is due all praise; He gives life & causes death; in His hand is all good, & He has the power over all things."
4. KALIMA - ASTAGHFIRULLAH:-
Astaghfiru-llaaha Rabbi Min Kulli Dhambin Adhnabtuhoo ‘Amadan Aw Khata-an Sirran Aw ‘Alaaniyata-wn Wa-atoobu Ilaihi Min-adh Dhambi-l Ladhee A’lamu Wamina-dh Dhambi-l Ladhi Laaa A’lamu Innaka Anta ‘Allaamu-l Ghuyoobi Wasattaaru-l ‘Uyoobi Wa Ghaffaaru-dh Dhunubi Walaa Hawla Walaa Quwwata Illaa Billaahi-l ‘Aliyyil
‘Azeem.
i.e; " I seek forgiveness from ALLAH, who is my CREATOR and CHERISHER, from every sin I committed knowingly or unknowingly, secretly or openly. I also seek His forgiveness for all sins which I am aware of or am not aware of. Certainly You (O Allah!), are the KNOWER of the hidden and the Concealer of mistakes and the Forgiver of sins. And there is no power and no strength except from ALLAH, the Most HIGH, the Most GREAT."
5. KALIMA - RADD - E - KUFFAR (DECLARATION OF THE REFUTATION):-
Allaa-humma Inneee A’udhu-bika Min An Ushrika Bika Shay-awn Wa-ana A’lamu Bihee Wa- astaghfiruka Limaa Laaa A’lamu Bihee Tubtu ‘Anhu Wata-barraatu Mina-l Kufri Wash-shirki Wal-kidhbi Wal-gheebati Wal-bid’ati Wan-nameemati Wal-fawahishi Wal-buhtaani Wal-m’aasi Kulli-haa Wa-Aslamtu Wa-aqoolu Laaa Ilaaha Illa-llaahu Muhammadu-r Rasoolu-llah.
i.e; "O ALLAH ! I seek refuge in You from that I should ascribe any partner with You knowingly. I seek Your forgiveness for the sin of which I have no knowledge. I repent from it. And becoming disgusted of disbelief and idolatry, lying and backbiting, innovation and slander, lewdness and abomination and all other acts of disobedience, I submit to Your will. I believe and I declare that there is none worthy of worship except ALLAH and MOHAMMAD is the Messenger of ALLAH."
The second Principle Of Islam is to offer the Obligatory Prayers five times a day. Prayer is an act of worshipping ALLAH according to teaching of the HOLY PROPHET MOHAMMAD SALLALAHU ALEYHE WA SALLAM.
The essential requisites for offering prayer are:-
1. The worshipper must be a MUSLIM.
2. The worshipper's clothes & body must be free from all impurities.
3. The place where the Prayer is to be offered should be pure & clean.
4. The part of the body between the navel & the knees of a male worshipper & the whole body except the face & the hands of a female worshipper must be fully covered.
5. The worshipper must face in the direction of KA'BA the Great Mosque at MAKKAH.
6. The worshipper must form the NIYYAT (i.e; intention) in his or her mind of the particular Prayer, Farz(obligatory) or SUNNAT or NAFL(optional), he or she is about to offer.
7. The worshipper must obsevre the time & rules prescribed for the respective prayers.
8. The worshipper must have performed WUDU(i.e; ablution).
9. The worshipper must have performed GHUSL(i.e; the washing of the whole body), if he or she was in a state of grave impurity.
NOTE:- Inorder to keep the body clean from dirt & minor impurities & to be ever ready for prayer, a Muslim must wash the private parts of his or her body whenever any impure matter issues from the body.
- ZAKAT (ISLAMIC ALMS-FEE) :-
Zakat is the amount in kind or coin which a Muslim of means must distribute among the deserving every year.
Zakat is obligatory on all Muslims who have in their possession for one complete year gold of the minimum weight of seven and a half tolas or silver of the minimum weight of fifty-two and a half tolas.
NOTE:- A Tola is a unit of weight used in India & Pakistan that is equal to the weight of a silver rupee.
The annual rate of Zakat on gold or silver is 2 1/3%.
Zakat is not only given on gold or silver but it can be given on camels, cattle, goats & all the articles of trade.
Zakat is exempted when used as ornaments for personal use, but are liable to Zakat as articles of trade.
Zakat on trade should be calculated on the net balance of the value of the articles of trade at the end of the year.
The moral of Zakat conveys us that one must not be selfish & get too fond of worldly possessions, but must always be ready & willing to help us brethern by all means at our disposal.
- THE OBSERVATION OF FASTS IN THE MONTH OF RAMAZAN:-
By observation of Fasts we mean the act of abstaining from eating, drinking, smoking, allowing anything whatsoever to enter into what is understood to be the interior of the body, as also voluntary vomiting, self- pollution, sexual intercourse, etc. from the break of dawn till sunset.
The observation of Fasts is obligatory on all Muslims excepting infants, the insane, the invalid.
Men & women too old or feeble to bear the hardships of a Fast are exempted, but they should feed a poor & a needy Muslim to satiation twice a day, or pay the amount of one SADAQAT-UL-FITR for everyday.
The real significance of Fasting consists of self-control that it fosters & develops & thus, enables one to save oneself from being an easy victim to temptation, & consequently minimizing the chances of committing sins. This in it's turn will make the practice of virtue easier & lead one nearer to the Kingdom Of ALLAH.
- PILGRIMAGE TO MAKKAH (AL-HAJJ):-
The pilgrimage to MAKKAH in the state of IHRAAM to be adopted at the MIQAT strictly carrying out all that it imposes, observing WUQOOF at ARAFAT, performing the TAWAF round the KA'ABA, etc. in accordance with the prescribed laws is called HAJJ.
The performance of HAJJ is incumbent on all Muslims, at least once in a lifetime, if circumstances permit, i.e; if they are in a position both physically & materially to undertake the journey to MAKKAH, & make sufficient provision for their dependents during the period of their absence.
THE HOLY KA'ABA (MAKKAH)
NOTE:-
IHRAAM:- The removal of sewn clothes from the body & wrapping it up in a couple of seamless sheets at the MIQAT with the intention of performing HAJJ or UMRAH, & abstaining from all things that are unlawful for those intending to perform HAJJ or UMRAH signifies IHRAAM.
UMRAH:-The visit to MAKKAH at any time of the year in the state of IHRAAM to be adopted at MIQAT, performing the TAWAF round the KA'ABA in MAKKAH & accomplishing sa'ee in accordance with theprescribed laws is called as UMRAH.
TAWAF:- The performance of seven circuits round the KA'ABA (in MAKKAH) commencing from the Black Stone(also known as AL-ASWAD or SANGE ASWAD) & having the KA'ABA on one's left is called TAWAF.
THE BLACK STONE
MIQAT:- The boundary lines which the pilgrims or those who want to perform UMRAH should not cross without adopting the IHRAAM are called MIQATS. There are 5 MIQATS in all namely:-
1. ZUL-HULAIFA or BI'R'ALI, whichindicates the border line of HARAM(The city of MAKKAH,in which the KA'ABA is situated along with a certain defined outlying territory on all it's sides) for those coming from the side of MADINAH.
2. ZAT-al-IRAQ serves as MIQAT for those coming from the side of Iraq or Mesopotamia.
3. JAHFA or RABIGH is the MIQAT for those from Syria.
4. QUARN for those from the side of Nedjd.
5.YALAMLAM for those from the direction of Yemen, Pakistan, India, etc.
WUQOOF:- The stay at ARAFAT, at least for a few minutes, during the time between the declining of the sun from the meridian on the 9th of Zilhijja (the 12th Lunar month) & beforethe dawn of the 10th of Zilhijja is called WUQOOF.
