about islam

[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.




The Shahada inscribed over entrance
to Ottoman Topkapi Palace (the
museum contains a mantle worn by the Prophet, among other treasures), Istanbul.









]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 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.

]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
I testify that Muhammad is the messenger of
God.
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





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[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
proportion for those in need, and, like the pruning of plants, this cutting back
balances and encourages new growth.[/color][/size][/font]
[font=Verdana][size=9][color=#336699]Each Muslim calculates his or her
own zakat individually. For most purposes this involves the 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 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.'
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[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.[/color][/size][/font]
[font=Verdana][size=9][color=#336699]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.
[/color][/font]





[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
so that all stand equal before God


]
Makkah]



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. Then
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
Judgment.
In previous centuries the 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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