Islam
Islam is an Arabic term which means complete submission to the will of Almighty God and is derived from a word peace. It is the religion of peace, mercy and forgiveness, the same religion of truth which the Almighty has revealed through all His Prophets starting with Adam and including Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, Jesus & Muhammad (blessing of Allah and peace be upon them). But Almighty Allah’s final message to mankind, an affirmation of all that has been sent before, was revealed to the last of the Prophets Muhammad pbuh through Gabriel.
Obligatory Practices of Prophethood -- Faraiz e Nubuwat
To testify that
“I bear witness that there is no God but Allah, The only One and Who has no participant. And I bear witness that Muhammad is His Subject and Messenger.”
ASH-HADU ALLA ILLAHA ILLALLAHU WAHDAHU LA SHARIKALAHU WA ASH-HADUANNA MUHAMMADAN ABDUHU WA RASOOLUHU
Salath is an Arabic term used for Prayer. In Urdu & Farsi -Persian, it is called as NAMAZ.
The book of God tells us: “Verily Salath prevents one from shameful and forbidden things; And the remembrance of Allah is the greatest.” (29:25)
Further, the Holy Qur’an says that the Salath is a time bound Obligation for the believers. The Holy ProphetPBUH say that: “Salath is the best of all that has been ordained by Allah.” The Holy ProphetPBUH is also reported to have said that: “Salath is the difference between a believer and a KAFIR- disbeliever.”
He PBUH is also reported to have said: “One who intentionally gave up Salath has committed KUFR-disbelief.” The Importance of Salath is evident from a saying of the ProphetPBUH in which he describes the Salath as one of the Pillars of Islam. This is because God has ordained all believers in Qur’an about 72 times: “WA AQEEMUS SALATH” -And establish Salath.
Time and Order of Salath The Salath is obligatory for a believer five times a day, along with the obligatory Salath, the Sunnah (Practice of the ProphetPBUH) is also necessary. Since the Salath is a time bound obligatory worship a believer has to be watchful to offer it on time. All the Obligatory Salath’s are to be offered in a congregation (Jamaat).
It is permissible to offer Salath individually, if offering it in congregation is not possible, for valid reasons. However, it is said in the traditions of the ProphetPBUH that the reward for a Salath offered in congregation is 27 times more than offering it individually.
The utmost importance of offering obligatory prayers in a congregation is evident from the practice of The Promised Imam MAHDIAS. It is reported in several books of NAQLIAT-E-MAHDIAS (Narrations), that on hearing the AZAN (call for the congregational Salath) Imamuna MahdiAS, if he was taking food, used to leavethe morsel into the plate and go to join the congregation.
Literally the word “Zakat” means purity and purification. It is a technical term of the Sacred Islamic Law which means: “Certain portion or amount of property that is given thereof as the due of God by its possessor to the poor in order that he may purify himself thereby.”
The payment of this due is obligatory provided that the property is of a certain amount and have been in his/her possession for one Lunar year. The portion to be given, varies according to the nature and amount of the property. Generally, it is one-fourth thereof i.e. two and a half percent. Sadaquah is also a Qur’anic term which means Charity made in the way of Allah to seek His pleasure and it is to be rewarded in the life here-after.
There are two kinds of Sadaquah’s: (1).Obligatory (Farz) & (2).Voluntary (Nafal) (1) Obligatory (Farz) Sadaquah : Obligatory (Farz) Sadaquah is one , payment of which has been ordained by God in His Last Book,the Holy Qur’an. Zakat, Ushr, Zakat-ul-Fitr are obligatory Sadaquah’s. Great rewards have been promised by God for one who obeys His command and pays the Farz Sadaquah’s to the deserving poor mentioned in His Book. Zakat, the obligatory Sadaquah, purifies its giver of his/her sins and extols him/her by testifying his/her faith in Allah. (2)Voluntary (Nafal) Sadaquah: Voluntary (Nafal) Sadaquah are the charities made in addition to the obligatory Sadaquah’s. The rewards for this kind of charities are also great as promised in the Holy Qur’an and Ahadith.
Fasting During the Holy Month of Ramadan Fasting is called Saum in Arabic and Roza in Urdu. It means to refrain or to keep away from something. In the Sacred Islamic Law it means to refrain from eating, drinking and sex from dawn to dusk. Fasting during the whole month of Ramadan has been made obligatory by Allah the Most High for every Muslim, Man or Woman, who has reached puberty, and who is capable of bearing the Fasting. It is one of the five pillars of Islam. It not only purifies the body but also purifies the soul of the believers and keeps them away from all kinds of sins. The Book of God says: “O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, As it was prescribed for those before you, So that you may guard (against evil). For a certain number of days; But whoever among you is sick or on a journey, Then (he shall fast) a (like) number of other days And those who are not able to do It may effect a redemption by feeding a poor man; So whoever does good spontaneously It is better for him, and that you fast Is better for you if you know. The month of Ramadan is that In which the Qur’an was revealed, A guidance to mankind and Clear proofs of the guidance and the distinction, Therefore whoever of you is present in the month, He shall fast therein, and whoever is sick or upon a journey, Then (he shall fast) a (like) number of other days; Allah does not desire for you difficulty, And (He desires) that you should complete the number And that you should extol the greatness of Allah For His having guided you and that you may give thanks.” (183-185/2 Al-Baqara)The conditions of a valid Fasting are:(a). The Intention for Fasting(b). Refraining from things which break the Fasting(c). While fasting one should avoid slander, lying and foul language. For a seeker of God and God’s pleasure, Saum (Roza) of Ramadan are a highly rewarding form of worship. Performing this form of worship gives us training in patience, purification and perseverance. The rewards in the life hereafter are far more valuable. There are a number of sound traditions (Ahadith) of the Messenger of God (God bless him and give him peace) which indicate how much God is pleased with his humble slave when he sincerely observes fasting. He said that whoever observes fasting faithfully and whole-heartedly all his previous sins would be forgiven.
The Hajj is an Arabic term used for the Pilgrimage to Makkah. It is one of the “five pillars of Islam”. Every Muslim who can afford to do so is obliged to make the pilgrimage to Makkah at least once in his/her lifetime. It is performed during the Islamic Month of Zul Hajj in the city of Mecca. When the pilgrim is about ten kilometers from Mecca, he must dress in Ihram Clothing, which consists of two white seamless sheets. Rituals of the Hajj include walking seven times around the Kaaba, touching the Black Stone, running seven times between Mount Safa and Mount Marwah, and symbolically stoning the Devil in Mina. The pilgrim, or the hajji, is honored in his or her community, although Islamic teachers say that the Hajj should be an expression of devotion to God instead of a means to gain social standing. QURANIC VERSES THAT GIVES DETAILED INSTRUCTONS ON HOW HAJJ SHOULD BE PERFORMED: Perform the pilgrimage and the visit (to Mecca) for Allah. And if ye are prevented, then send such gifts as can be obtained with ease, and shave not your heads until the gifts have reached their destination. And whoever among you is sick or hath an ailment of the head must pay a ransom of fasting or almsgiving or offering. And if ye are in safety, then whosoever contenth himself with the visit for the pilgrimage (shall give) such gifts as can be had with ease. And whosoever cannot find (such gifts), then a fast of three days while on the pilgrimage, and of seven when ye have returned; that is, ten in all. That is for him whoso folk are not present at the Inviolable Place of Worship. Observe your duty to Allah, and know that Allah is severe in punishment. (2:196) The pilgrimage is (in) the well-known months, and whoever is minded to perform the pilgrimage therein (let him remember that) there is (to be) no lewdness nor abuse nor angry conversation on the pilgrimage. And whatsoever good ye do Allah knoweth it. So make provision for yourselves (Hereafter); for the best provision is to ward off evil. Therefore keep your duty unto Me, O men of understanding. ( 2:197) It is no sin for you that ye seek the bounty of your Lord (by trading). But, when ye press on in the multitude from ‘Arafat, remember Allah by the sacred monument. Remember Him as He hath guided you, although before ye were of those astray. (2:198) Then hasten onward from the place whence the multitude hasten onward, and ask forgiveness of Allah. Lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. (2:199) And when ye have completed your devotions, then remember Allah as ye remember your fathers or with a more lively remembrance. But of mankind is he who saith: “Our Lord! Give unto us in the world,” and he hath no portion in the Hereafter. (2;200) And of them (also) is he who saith: “Our Lord! Give unto us in the world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good, and guard us from the doom of Fire.” (2:201) For them there is in store a goodly portion out of that which they have earned. Allah is swift at reckoning. (2:202) Remember Allah through the appointed days. Then whoso hasteneth (his departure) by two days, it is no sin for him, and whoso delayeth, it is no sin for him; that is for him who wardeth off (evil). Be careful of your duty to Allah, and know that unto Him ye will be gathered. (2:203)