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1. Faith (Decleration of Faith)
"La-ilallah-il lalahu, Muhammador Rasululah" "None is worthy of worship except God, and Muhammed is the Mesenger of God." This decleration is significant because it declares that the only purpose of life is to worship Allah. |
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2. Salah (Prayer)
The five obligatory prayers. These directly link Muslims to Allah. They contain verses from the Qur'an and are said in Arabic. Dua, (personal cupplications) may be offered in any language. Salat is the name for the obligatory prayers which are performed five times a day, and are 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 Quran, chosen by the congregation. These five prayers contain verses from the Quran, and are said in Arabic, the language of the Revelation, but personal supplication can be offered in one's own language. 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.
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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 Here after)! Come to success! God is most great. God is most great There is no god except God. |
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3. Zakah (Almsgiving)
Zakah means purification and growth. Everything belongs to Allah in Islam. He bought our souls and our bodies when we recieved salvation. Zakat is giving to those who have less as a charity. This is required at least once a year if one holds the wealth that causes Zakah to become obligatory. 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 zakat means both 'purification' and 'growth'. Our possessions are purified by setting aside a portion for those in need, and, like the pruning of plants, this cutting back balances and encourages new growth. Each year Muslim calculates his or her own zakat individually. For most purposes this involves payment each year of two and a half percent of one's capital. 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 (PBUH) said: 'even meeting your brother with a cheerful face is charity.' |
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4. Sawm (Fasting)
During the Holy Month of Ramadan Muslims show their obedience to Allah by not eating, drinking, or smoking between dawn and Sunset. By depriving their bodies of the comforts of eating, they keep Allah constantly on their mind. 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 o 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.
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5. Hajj (Pilgrimage to Makkah)
It is obligatory for a Muslim to make pilgrimage to Makkah, to the Kabba at least once in their life if they have the financial ability to do so. The annual pilgrimage to Makkah- the Hajj- is an obligation only for those who are physically and financially able to perform it. Nevertheless, about two million people go to Makkah each year from every corner of the 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 the 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. The rites of the Hajj, which are of Abrahamic origin, include circling the Ka'ba seven times, and going seven times between the mountains of Safa and Marwa as did Hagar during her search for water. The pilgrims stand together on the wide plain of Arafa and join in prayers for God's forgiveness, in what is often thought of as a preview of the Last Judgement. In previous centuries Hajj was an arduous undertaking. Today however, Saudi Arabia provides millions of people with water, modern transport, and the most up-to-date health facilities. The close of the Hajj is marked by a festival, the Eid al-Adha, which is celebrated with prayers and the exchange of gifts in Muslim communities everywhere. This, and the Eid al-Fitr, a feast-day commemorating the end of Ramadan, are the main festivals of the Muslim Calendar.
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