How To Know The Religion of Truth

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How To Know The Religion of Truth (1/9)

Abdul Rahman Bin Hammad Al-Omar


If man is aware that Allah is the Lord Who has created and nourished him, and that Allah is the Only True God with no partners associated to Him, thus, He is the Only True God that deserves to be worshipped, and if man knows also that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah to mankind, he must also know that his faith in Allah and His Prophet Muhammad (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) will not be perfect unless he is acquainted with the religion of Islam, believes in it, and behaves according to its precepts. This is due to the fact that Islam is the true religion approved by Allah, Glory be to Him, for mankind. Allah had commanded all His Messengers, before Muhammad, to follow Islam, and He sent Muhammad the last of His prophets, to propagate Islam, and enjoin people to behave according to its precepts.

What is Islam?
Muhammad, the last Messenger of Allah to mankind, defined Islam as follows: “Islam is to testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is His Messenger, to perform prayers, pay the poor tax (Zakat), fast the month of Ramadan and do pilgrimage to the Holy House in Makkah if you have the means for that”.

Islam is the universal true religion for mankind. Allah stated in the Holy Qur’an that: “Truly, the religion with Allah is Islam”. (Surah Al-‘Imran, 3:19)

All Messengers of Allah, even those who had been sent before Muhammad, adopted Islam, manifested it, and behaved according to it. The Qur’an states also:

“And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him; and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers”. (Surah Al-‘Imran, 3: 85)

According to these two Qur’anic verses, Islam is the only true religion from Allah and no other religion will be accepted in the Hereafter. Therefore, Muslims alone will gain happiness in the next world. Those who die adopting a religion other than Islam will be of the losers in the next world and will be tormented in Hell-fire.

This explains why all the prophets who had been sent before Muhammad (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) declared themselves to be Muslims and surrendered to Allah. They declared that they are free of everyone who rejects Islam. Thus, a Jew or a Christian, who strives for salvation and wants to gain happiness in the Hereafter, should embrace Islam and follow Muhammad the Prophet of Islam, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. By embracing Islam, the Jew or the Christian becomes, at the same time, a true follower of Jesus and Moses, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon them, because, as it has been mentioned before, Moses, Jesus, Muhammad and all Messengers of Allah who had been sent before Muhammad, were Muslims and called people to Islam, the true religion of Allah. Whoever is born after the mission of the last prophet Muhammad, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, should not call himself a Muslim, unless he believes in Muhammad the Messenger of Allah, follows him and does what Allah commands and avoids what He prohibits. Allah says in the Qur’an:
“Say: (O Muhammad [may Allah's peace be upon him] to mankind) " If you(really) love Allah then follow me (i.e. accept Islamic Monotheism, follow the Qur’an and the Sunnah), Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is Oft forgiving, Most Merciful”.(Surah Al-‘Imran, 3: 31)

In this verse, Allah orders His Messenger Muhammad (may Allah's peace be upon him) to tell those who pretend that they love Allah: “If you love Allah truly, follow me and Allah will love you, Allah will never love you nor will He forgive your sins, unless you believe in His Messenger Muhammad and follow him”.

Allah had sent Muhammad to propagate Islam, the comprehensive and tolerant religion to all mankind. Allah stated in the Qur’an that He gave perfection to Islam and approved it to be the religion of mankind.

“This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion”.(Surah Al-Ma’idah, 5: 3)

This Qur’anic verse was revealed to the seal of prophets Muhammad, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him during his last pilgrimage while he was standing on the mount of Arafat, giving his prayers to Allah and thanking Him for His help and that He had accomplished His favors on His Messenger by the completion of the Qur’an, and that Islam had begun to take its course by gaining an ever increasing number of followers.

This verse also indicates that Islam was revealed to Muhammad in order to call all mankind to it, because it is the perfect, comprehensive and suitable religion for mankind in all ages, all places, and for all nations.

This is due to the fact that Islam is characterized by knowledge, tolerance, Justice and good. It contains a clear, perfect and straight method that can guide man in all spheres of life. Islam is not only a faith, but it also has its own distinguished basis of governing, Justice, political system, social affairs, economy and whatever useful knowledge which mankind may need to achieve prosperity in this worldly life and happiness in the coming life (after death).

(Continued)

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How To Know The Religion of Truth (2/9)

Abdul Rahman Bin Hammad Al-Omar


The Pillars of Islam
Islam is based on the following (five principles). No one can claim to be a Muslim unless he believes in these five essential rules and practices them sincerely:
1- To testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah, and Muhammad is Allah's Messenger.
2- To offer the (compulsory congregational) prayers dutifully and perfectly.
3- To pay Zakath (i.e. obligatory charity.)
4- To observe fast during the month of Ramadan.
5- To perform Hajj Whenever one is capable. [1]
To testify that there is no god save Allah and that Muhammad is His Messenger has a specific meaning which the Muslim should not only know, but also practice sincerely. Whoever utters this testimony (shahadah) without knowing its meaning, or without binding himself by it in his behaviour will gain no use from it.
This testimony means that there is none on the earth nor in the heavens deserving to be worshipped save Allah alone. Allah is the One True God. All other deities, whatever they may be, are false. Therefore, whoever worships any deity besides is an unbeliever and an idolater even if what he worships is a prophet, a saint or a holy man, under the pretext that this deity will be his intercessor to Allah. The unbelievers, against whom Prophet Muhammad, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, carried a continuous fight, had used this false pretext to justify worshipping their prophets and pious men. Seeking to gain the consent of Allah, or asking for His help cannot be achieved by worshipping others than Allah, but it can only be attained by serving Allah alone, glorifying Him by His names and Attributes, and by performing the good deeds that He had commanded us to do, such as prayer, fasting, fighting for His cause, pilgrimage and kind treatment to the parents.... etc.
Worshipping takes different forms, and one of them is supplication which means, to ask for something that no one can ever grant except Allah. The fall of the rain, recovery of a patient, relief from misfortunes, asking for salvation from Hell-Fire and dwelling in Paradise... etc., in all these cases and other similar cases, one should ask Allah alone to grant such blessings.
Whoever asks a mortal being to grant him such things is indeed worshipping this being. Allah ordered His bondsmen to supplicate Him alone for whatever they may need: -
“And your Lord said: "invoke Me, [i.e. believe in My Oneness (Islamic Monotheism) and ask Me for anything] I will respond to your (invocation). Verily! Those who scorn My worship [i.e. do not invoke Me, and do not believe in My Oneness, (Islamic Monotheism)] they will surely enter Hell in humiliation!” (Surah Ghafir, 40: 60)
Allah instructed us that mortal beings whom idolaters supplicate, are deprived of power; they can never cause harm or bring any benefit to any one:
“Say: (O Muhammad [may Allah's peace be upon him]): "Call upon those-besides- Him-whom you pretend [to be gods like angels, 'Isa (Jesus) 'Uzair (Ezra), and others.] They have neither the power to remove the adversity from you nor even to shift it from you to another person". (Surah Al-Isra’, 17: 56)
The Qur’an states also:
“And the mosques are for Allah (Alone): so invoke not any one along with Allah.”(Surah Al-Jinn, 72: 18)
Offering sacrifices and votive offerings are services which should be consecrated for Allah alone. Whoever offers a sacrifice or makes a vow for a dead pious man, for the jinn or for anyone other than Allah, is an idolater cursed by Allah. The Qur’an states:
“Say: (O Muhammad [may Allah's peace be upon him]): "Verily, my Salat (prayer), my sacrifice, my living, and my dying are for Allah, the Lord of the Alamin (mankind, jinn and all that exists). He has no partner. And of this I have been commanded, and I am the first of the Muslims." (Surah Al-An’am, 6:162-163)
Prophet Muhammad, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:
“May Allah curse whoever offers a sacrifice to anyone other than Him”, If a person says: "I vow to offer a sacrifice to this in the examination, or if I am relieved from a disease etc.” This kind of vow is certainly a form of idolatry, because vows should be consecrated to Allah alone and absolutely not to anyone else, other than Allah. The right vow in such cases is to say: “I vow to offer a sacrifice to Allah, or I vow to Allah that I will pay to the poor this sum of money, or will give the needy so and so, if I succeed in the examination, or be relieved from disease.”
Calling for help, asking for refuge and invoking for support are also among the forms of divine services. One should not call for help, ask for refuge or seek for support from anyone else, other than Allah. The Holy Qur’an has stated:
“You (Alone) we worship, and You (Alone) we ask for help (for each and everything).”(Surah Al-Fatihahh, 1: 5).
The Holy Qur’an states also:
“Say: I seek refuge with (Allah) the Lord of the daybreak, from the evil of what He has created.” (Surah Al-Falaq, 113:1-2)
Prophet Muhammad, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “Call me not for help, but call Allah your Lord.” The Prophet said also: “If you ask for anything ask for it from Allah Alone, if you seek for help, seek it from Allah Alone.”
It is permissible for a person to ask for his fellow brother's help or support if the matter for which he asks for help is within the scope of human ability. But if such a matter is beyond the scope of human ability, man must not ask for help from any one save Allah. In all cases, it is strictly forbidden to ask for help or support from a dead man or an absent person, even if he were a prophet, a saint or an angel.
As for those who pretend to know that which is invisible, or foresee what is hidden in the future, they are unbelievers and flagrant liars. Even if what they foretell happens, it only happens by chance. Both Imam Ahmad and Al-Hakim related that the Prophet had said: “Whoever goes to a diviner or a fortune-teller and believes in what he says, disbelieves in what had been revealed to Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.”
Trust, submissiveness “Tawakul”, and hope (Raja) are also among the forms of worshipping. Man should never trust, hope or submit to anyone save Allah. It is regrettable that many of those who belong to Islam still commit idolatry and invoke others than Allah “i.e.: notable men of authority, dead pious men.... etc.” They circumambulate the graves of dead pious men invoking them for help or to attain their needs. There is no doubt that this is a form of idolatry and whoever performs such an action is not a Muslim, even if he utters the testimony of Islam and performs all the fundamental duties of Islam.
Allah stated in the Qur’an:
“And indeed it has been revealed to you (O Muhammad [may Allah's peace be upon him]), as it was to those (Allah's Messengers) before you: "If you join others in worship with Allah, (then) surely (all) your deeds will be in vain, and you will certainly be among the losers.” (Surah Az-Zumar, 39:65)
The Qur’an states also:
“Verily, whosoever sets up partners (in worship) with Allah, then Allah has forbidden Paradise to him, and the Fire will be his abode”. (Surah Al-Ma’idah, 5: 72)


(Continued)

[1] The Messenger may the peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, said- The superstructure of Islam is raised on five pillars; to testify that there is no god save Allah Alone and that Muhammad is His Messenger, to perform the Zakath, to fast the month of Ramadan and to dopilgrimage to the Holy House.

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How To Know The Religion of Truth (3/9)

Abdul Rahman Bin Hammad Al-Omar




Allah commanded His Prophet Muhammad, may the peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, to say to the peoples, “Say: (O Muhammad [may Allah's peace be upon him]): "I am only a man like you. It has been revealed to me that your Allah (God) is One Allah (God-i.e. Allah). So whoever hopes for the Meeting with his Lord, let him work righteousness and associate none as a partner in the worship of his Lord.” (Surah Al-Kahf, 18: 110)
Those foolish men are really deluded by wicked ignorant scientists who have acquaintance in some religious branches, but ignore absolutely the basic principal of faith, that is Tawhid “Oneness of Allah”.
Using deviated interpretations, false traditions imputed to the Prophet misled by lust, Satanic dreams and all other forms of misguidance, those wicked pretenders call people to believe in the intercession of pious men and thus support idolatry by all means.
Those demons who follow blindly their ancestors and adopt the same behavior of ancient idolaters are unbelievers and evildoers.
“...And seek the means of approach to Him…” (Surah Al-Ma’idah, 5: 35)
And the means of approach which we are commanded to seek are well known. They consist of performing righteous deeds, believing in the Oneness of Allah, offering prayer, paying the Zakat, fasting during the month of Ramadan, performing pilgrimage and striving with might and main for the cause of Allah. Invoking dead men in times of affliction and distress has nothing to do with the means of approach to Allah; it is rather against these means and contrary to the basic faith of Islam “Tawhid” or belief in the “Oneness of Allah”.
It is true that prophets, pious men and some other Muslims will be endowed with the favor to intercede for others, but they will never have such favor save by the will of Allah.
Intercession is an exclusive divine prerogative. No one can ever intercede for another except by the Will of Allah. Therefore, a true monotheist never invokes the dead for intercession, because a dead man can never remove harm or bring benefit, but in all cases the true Muslim invokes Allah saying: “O Allah, I pray to you to bestow upon me the intercession of Your Prophet and pious men”.
Allah said in the Holy Qur’an:
“Say: To Allah belongs all intercession: His is the Sovereignty of the heavens and the earth. Then to Him you shall be brought back”. (Surah Az-Zumar, 39: 44)
Taking graves as places of worship, kindling lights thereon, constructing buildings over them, plastering, decorating them with curtains, or performing prayers thereon, all these actions are flagrant forms of heresy and are strictly prohibited by the noble Prophet, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
Ignorant people who circumambulate the graves of Al-Badawiy and Sayaidah Zenab in Egypt, Al-Jilaniy and the so-called notable descendants of the Prophet in Najaf, Karbala and other cities of Iraq, and round other graves elsewhere, commit flagrant idolatry because they believe that these buried bodies have the ability to bring benefits or cause harm to them, and that they could help them attain their need. Such men are not only lost idolaters, but they are disgraced even if they pretend to be Muslims and do what Muslims do.
To be a true monotheist, it is not enough to utter that there is “no god save Allah and Muhammad is His Messenger.” but, it is essential for a Muslim to be aware of the meaning of this testimony and behave accordingly.
For those who embrace Islam and desist from false creed, it is enough for them to utter first the testimony of Islam. By doing this they become Muslims as long as they do not behave in a way contrary to the principles and morals of Islam.
Prophets and pious men, are innocent of the idolatrous deeds of those who invoke them or ask them for help. They are aware of the fact that Allah had sent His Messengers to call people to abandon worshipping any being save Allah, even if they were prophets or pious men. The way in which a true Muslim can show his love and affection to the prophets and pious men is to follow their good way, taking them as models in deeds and behavior. It is a religious duty for every Muslim to love the prophets and pious men, but he must never worship them. Muslims believe that they not only should love Prophet Muhammad, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, but they should also prefer him to their own selves, kins, sons and all other people.
The Group That Will Be Delivered
Although Muslims are great in number, yet only a few of them are true Muslims. There are 73 Muslim sects with hundreds of millions of followers; however only one of these sects are true Muslims. Those are the ones who follow the way of Prophet Muhammad, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and the way of his faithful companions, both in matters of faith and good behaviour. Bukhari and Muslim related that the Prophet, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “The Jews had split into 71 sects, the Christians had dispersed into 72 sects and this nation (The Muslim nation) will disperse into 73 sects; all of them will dwell in Hell-Fire, except one” when the companions asked the Prophet, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, about the group that will be delivered, he said: “It is the group that will follow my way and my companions' way”.
The Prophet, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and his companions were quite aware of the meaning of “No god save Allah.” Therefore, they stuck to monotheism both in faith and behaviour, they invoked none save Allah, offered sacrifices or made vows to none save Allah, supplicated in distress to none save Allah, asked for help only from Allah and believed that none could profit them or hurt them save Allah. The Prophet and his companions performed sincerely all Islamic duties for the sake of Allah. They believed in Allah, His Angels, His Books, His Messengers, the Day of resurrection and Judgment, and in the divine decree, the good thereof and the evil thereof. True Muslims consult the glorious Qur’an and prophetic traditions in all affairs of life and accept with the fullest conviction the solutions based on Qur’anic commandments and prophetic traditions. Devout Muslims give their intimacy to those who are sincere to the cause of Allah, and they are foes to the enemies of Allah. They call to Allah, strive in His way, obey their Muslim ruler, enjoin right conduct and forbid indecency and wherever they are, they say nothing but the truth.
Devout Muslims not only show their love and affection for the Prophet (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), but also to his wives, progeny and companions. They never discriminate among them, nor do they prefer one of them to the other; they respect them all, each one for his own merits. True Muslims do not busy themselves with the disputes that happened among those noble companions. They never believe that they committed the offences which some hypocrites attribute to them. They know that the aim of the hypocrites is to disperse the Muslim nation. But it is regrettable that some Muslim scholars and historians were deceived by these false accusations of the hypocrites and registered them in their books.
Those who claim to be the noble descendants of the Prophet (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) should first verify their ancestral line to be sure of what they claim to be. Allah has cursed whoever relates himself to someone other than his father. If what they claim to be is true, they should follow the right way of the Prophet and his noble progeny by being sincere in adoring Allah desisting from sins, not allowing people to kiss their hands and feet, and finally, they should not distinguish themselves by wearing a special uniform. All these forms of behaviour are contrary to the Prophet's way, and he is innocent of those who adopt a way different from his manner. In fact, according to the Qur’an, the noblest Muslim in the sight of Allah is he who fears Him most. May Allah guide us to the right path, and may His blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his progeny and his companions.

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How To Know The Religion of Truth (4/9)

Abdul Rahman Bin Hammad Al-Omar





Sovereignty and Legislative Power Are Exclusive Rights of Allah
Sovereignty and legislative power are exclusive rights of Allah. This is an immediate conclusion of monotheism. Nobody has the right to enact a law contrary to the law of Allah. A Muslim should never govern or judge by laws different from the laws of Allah, nor should he give his consent to any form of judgement or government based on laws contrary to the laws of Allah. According to the Islamic faith, no one has the right to forbid what Allah had made legal, nor can he legalize what Allah had forbidden. Whoever commits intentionally such a deed or approves it is a disbeliever. The Holy Qur’an states that: “And whosoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed, such are the Kafirun (i.e. disbelievers - of a lesser degree as they do not act on Allah's Laws).” (Surah Al-Ma’idah, 5: 44)
The mission of Allah's Prophets is to call people to believe in monotheism and behave according to its precepts. They try to deliver people from the bonds of man worship to the blessings of Allah's service, and to convince them to submit to the laws of Allah instead of submitting themselves to man-made laws.
Whoever recites the Glorious Qur’an attentively and keeps away from following, blindly, people opinions will know that Allah had assigned for man his duties towards Him and his relation with Allah's other creatures.
The servant believing in Allah is aware that all kinds of service should be dedicated to Allah alone and no partner with Him. He knows also that his duty towards prophets and pious men is to follow in their footsteps and express his love to them. As for the enemies of Allah, although it is the duty of the believer to detest them because they are detested by Allah, yet the believer is authorized to call them to Islam and explain its noble meaning to them; they may be guided by such a call and embrace Islam. But if they reject it and refuse to submit to the laws of Allah, a Muslim is permitted to fight them until idolatry is uprooted and the religion of Allah gains victory over polytheism.
The Notion of Acknowledgement That Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah
To testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah means to know and believe sincerely that Muhammad is the Prophet and Messenger whom Allah had sent to all peoples of the world. It means also that Muhammad is a servant of Allah, thus he must not be worshipped, because worshipping is due to Allah Alone. As Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, he must be followed and obeyed, not denied. Whoever obeys Muhammad will abide in the Garden and whoever disobeys him will abide in Hell-Fire. Allah said in the Holy Qur’an: “And whatsoever the Messenger (Muhammad [may Allah's peace be upon him]) gives you, take it; and whatsoever he forbids you, abstain (from it)…” (Surah Al-Hashr, 59: 7)
“But no, by your Lord, they can have no Faith, until they make (O Muhammad [may Allah f s peace be upon him]) judge in all disputes between them, and find in themselves no resistance against your decisions, and accept (them) with the full submission.” (Surah An-Nisa’, 4:65).
This means that, according to the Islamic faith all acts of devotion, all rules of legislation and government, and All rules that explain what is lawful and what is forbidden, should be nothing else than that which had been conveyed to people by the noble Messenger of Allah, Muhammad, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. The Muslim should not believe in any legislation different from what is transmitted by Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah.
These last two Qur’anic verses mean that Muslims should obey Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah in what he commanded them to do, and desist from all that he prohibited them to do, because the Messenger neither commanded nor prohibited according to his own desires, but he used to do this in conformity with the revelations of Allah. It is also related by Muslim that the Prophet, may the peace and blessings of Allah be on him, said:
“Whoever performs a deed that is not in conformity with our principles, his deed will be rejected.”
Thus, any wise man who wishes to attain happiness in this present life and in the Hereafter and gain salvation after death, should testify that “There is no god save Allah, and that Muhammad is His Messenger”. He should also behave according to the notion of this testimony and practice the other fundamental principles of Islam which constitute the proper way to worship Allah.
Prayer: The Second Pillar of Islam.
The second pillar of Islam is performing prayer. The Muslim is enjoined to perform five obligatory prayers every day to keep himself in relation with His lord, to invoke and implore Him, and to refrain himself from committing lewdness or indecency. These prayers not only ensure psychological rest to the Muslim in this present life, but they also pave the way to him to gain eternal happiness in the Hereafter.
To perform prayer, one should be pure, wearing pure clothes and pray in a clean place.
Before prayer, the Muslim should cleanse himself by pure water, removing all traces of stool, urine, or any other dirt. In this way he purifies himself physically and morally.
Prayer is the pillar of religion. It follows in importance the two testimonies. Therefore, it is not only a duty on a Muslim to perform prayer from his maturity up to his death, but he should also order his household to perform it. He should also order his children to start practicing it from the time when they are 7 years old so that they may be accustomed to perform it promptly. Evidence from the Qur’an:
“Verily, As-Salat (the prayer) is enjoined on the believers at fixed hours.” (Surah An-Nisa’, 4:103).
Further evidence from the Qur’an:
“And they were commanded not, but that they should worship Allah, and worship none but Him Alone (abstaing from ascribing partners to Him), and perform As-Salat (Iqamat as-Salat) and give Zakat, and that is the right Religion.” (Surah Al- Baiyyinah, 98: 5).
In the first of these two verses, Allah told people that prayer is a prescribed duty on all believers and that they should fulfil this duty at its fixed time. In the second verse, Allah made it well-known to mankind that He had created them in order to worship Him Alone, be sincere in their devotion to Him, perform prayer and pay the Zakat (i.e., obligatory charity) to those who deserve it. The Prophet, may the grace of Allah be upon him, said: “The obligation which distinguishes between us and the unbelievers is prayer, therefore, whoever desists from prayer, becomes an unbeliever.” Thus, prayer is a duty on the Muslim in all circumstances. Even if he is sick or frightened he should perform his daily prayers, sitting, standing or lying. If he is unable to perform them in any of these ways, he is permitted to perform them by his eye gestures, or even by his heart.
The five obligatory daily prayers are the Morning Prayer (Fajr), the noon prayer (Zuhr), the afternoon prayer (Asr), the evening prayer (Maghrib) and the night prayer (Ishaa).
The time due for Morning Prayer begins at true dawn and extends until the sun rises. It should not be delayed beyond this span of time. The time for noon prayer starts from the Zawal (a little after the sun has passed the meridian) and extends till one's shadow becomes equal to his own length plus the length of its noontime shadow. The time enjoined for afternoon prayer starts after the end of noon-prayer time and extends until the sun turns yellow. One must hasten to perform it while the sun is still bright. The evening-prayer time begins soon after sunset and lasts till the disappearance of the twilight. Its performance should not be delayed. The night-prayer time begins after the disappearance of the twilight and lasts till midnight. If a Muslim delays one of these five prayers, he commits a grievous sin. He should turn to Allah for repentance and refrain himself from recommitting it. The Qur’an warns those who delay their prayer beyond its fixed times:
“So woe unto those performers of Salat (prayer) (hypocrites), those who delay their Salat (Prayers) from their stated fixed times”. (Surah Al-Maa'oon, 107:4-5).

(Continued)

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How To Know The Religion of Truth (5/9)

Abdul Rahman Bin Hammad Al-Omar


Rules of Prayer
1- Purification:
Before a Muslim starts his prayer, he should purify himself by cleaning his excretion organs if he had urinated or evacuated his bowels. Then he performs ablution.
The first step in performing ablution is to intend it. There is no need to express the intention in a loud voice, but it is enough to intend it by heart, because Allah knows the intention of His bondsmen. The Prophet, may the peace and grace of Allah be upon him, used not to utter words expressing his intention for ablution. Thus, every Muslim should follow his way.
The worshipper continues his ablution by rinsing his mouth with water thrice, sniffing water up his nostrils and blowing it out thrice; washing his face three times making sure that the water reaches all the parts of his face. After washing the face, the worshipper washes his hands, arms and elbows, the right hand before the left, then, wipes his head with his hands starting from front to back and vice versa, rubs his ears and finally washes his feet up to his ankle three times, the right leg before the left leg. A Muslim should keep up his ablution. If he urinates after ablution, evacuates his bowels, passes wind or loses his consciousness for any reason, he should re-perform ablution to clean himself again before practicing prayer.
If a Muslim is in a state of major impurity, (discharge of semen in erotic dreams or sexual intercourse.... etc), he should clean his body by taking a bath. Women also should carry out this cleansing bath to purify themselves after menstruation or childbirth. Allah has disburdened women and exempted them from performing prayer during menstruation and childbirth periods. As for other periods, they are required to perform prayer promptly.
If a Muslim is in a deserted area or on a journey and finds no water, or if he fears that using water will harm him (because of sickness), he is permitted to purify himself by using good clean earth or sand instead of water.
This is called "Tayammum" or purification with earth. It is done in the following way: You intend by heart to perform it. Then you strike the dust (or sand) with your hands and wipe your right hand over your face, over the back of your right hand by your left hand and over the back of your left hand by your right hand. Purification with earth is also permissible to women after the period of menstruation or confinement if water is not available, or if its use could harm them.
2- How to Perform Prayer:
The Morning Prayer consists of two rakaat (two bowings).
A Muslim, whether a man or a woman, stands facing the Qiblah, (turning his face and whole body towards The Holy House of Allah in Makkah), then he intends by heart without uttering his intention that he will perform the Morning Prayer and starts it by saying:
“Allahu Akbar” which means “Allah is Great”
The worshipper recites after that this opening prayer:
Which means:
“Praise and Glory be to Allah. Blessed be Your name. Exalted be Your Majesty and Glory. There is no god save You.”
After reciting the opening invocation, the worshipper says:-
“accursed Satan”. Then, he recites Al-Fatihahh, or opening surah of the Qur’an:
The meaning of this glorious surah can be translated as follows: “In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. All the praises and thanks be to Allah, the Lord of the Alamin (mankind, jinn and all that exists). The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. The Only Owner (and the Only Ruling Judge) of the Day of Recompense (i.e. the Day of Resurrection). You (Alone) we worship, and You (Alone) we ask for help (for each and everything). Guide us to the Straight Way. The Way of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace, not (the way) of those who earned Your Anger (such as the Jews), nor of those who went astray (such as the Christians).” (Surah Al-Fatihah, 1: 1-7) These Qur’anic verses, and all other verses, should be recited in Arabic ********. [1]
After reciting the Fatihah, the worshipper recites also a passage containing at least three verses of the Qur’an, or a surah like Surat Al-lkhlas. Then he bows saying:
“Allahu Akbar”
Which means: “Allah is Great.” Bending his head and back and putting his hands on the knees. While bowing one should say thrice:
Which means: - “Our lord, praise is for Thee Alone.”
Then, he says “Allahu Akbar” going back to the standing position and then prostrates in a “sajdah” placing his hands opened with his knees, forehead, nose and his tip-toes on the ground. He recites thrice while in prostration:
Which means: “Glorified is my Exalted Lord.”
Then, the worshipper assumes the erect sitting position saying “Allahu Akbar” and says while sitting:
Which means: “O my Lord, forgive me.”
He prostrates again saying:
“Allahu Akbar” and repeats what he said during the first prostration,
Which means: “Glorified is my Exalted Lord”. The worshipper stands upright again saying:
“Allahu Akbar”
Recites the Fatihah and some other verses of the Qur’an, bowing prostrating and repeating what he did and said during the first rakaah (the unit of prayer).
However after the second prostration, instead of standing up, he should sit upright to recite the Tashahhud as follows:
“All service, all worship and all sanctity are for Allah. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and Allah's mercy and blessings. Peace be upon us and upon those who practice righteousness. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. O Allah, have mercy on Muhammad and those related to Muhammad, just as Thou hadst mercy on Ibrahim and on those related to Ibrahim; surely Thou art The Praiseworthy, The Great. O, Allah, bestow your blessings on Muhammad and on those related to Muhammad as Thou hadst bestowed them on Ibrahim and those related to Ibrahim. Surely, Thou art The Praiseworthy, The Great.”
Then the worshipper turns his face to the right saying:
Which means: “Peace be upon you and Allah's mercy too” and turns his face to the left saying the same words.
This brings the two rakaat of the morning prayer (Fajr) to completion.
As for noon (Zuhr), after-noon (Asr) and the night (Isha'a) prayers, each one of them consists of four rakaat (four units of prayer bows.) The first two rakaat of these prayers are performed in the same manner as the Morning Prayer. But after reciting the Tashhahud, the worshipper should not turn his head to the right and left to say “Assalamu Allaikum.” Instead, he stands up and continues to pray the third and fourth rakah, then, sitting after the fourth rakah, he recites the Tashhahud again, asks Allah to have mercy on Muhammad, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, then, he terminates his prayer by turning his face first to the right, then to the left saying in each time “Assalamu Allaikum wa rahmatu Allah.”
Which means “Peace be upon you and Allah's mercy too.”
As for the Maghrib prayer “evening prayer” it consists of three rakaat (three units of prayer), the first two raka'h are performed in the same manner as that mentioned before for the noon prayer, then the worshipper stands up and performs a third rakah. After that, he sits up right, recites the Tashahud and terminates his prayer by the tasleem, (Assalamu Allaikum.) It is advisable to the worshipper to repeat, in bowing and prostrating, the words by which he Glorifies Allah.
Muslim males should perform the five daily prayers in congregation in a mosque. An Imam leads Muslims in congregational prayers. Muslims select their Imam on the basis that he should be the most pious among them, the best in reciting and understanding the meaning of Qur’anic verses and the best among them in performing the prayers perfectly. The Imam recites the Fatihah and other Qur’anic verses in a loud voice in the two raka'h of the Morning Prayer, the first two raka'h of the evening and Isha prayer.
A female Muslim performs prayer alone or in congregation. She should veil her whole body including the hands and feet in order to protect her prudency and not to allure men. It is permissible for her to unveil her face only when she prays alone and she must cover her face if she is in the presence of a man. When she prays in a mosque, she must be veiled, not perfumed and act her prayers behind men.
A Muslim performs his prayers in complete humility and submissiveness to Allah. He should go to his prayers peacefully and be tranquil in bowing and prostration. He should avoid haste, amusement and raising his eyes up to the sky and must not utter anything during his prayers other than the Qur’anic verses and the rites of his prayer.
On Fridays, Muslims perform in congregation the “Juma prayer” (Friday prayer). It consists of two raka'h in which the Imam recites the Fatihah and Qur’anic verses loudly. This prayer is preceded by two sermons in which the Imam preaches to the Muslims, instructs them and reminds them to behave according to the precepts of their religion. Friday-congregational prayer is obligatory on men, they must attend it on Fridays at noon.


(Continued)

[1] If in praying one recites the Qur’an in a ******** other than Arabic, what he recites, will not be of the Qur’an but it will be a translation of the meaning of the Qur’an. One of the main characteristics of the Qur’an is that it is in Arabic, and any translation of its words from Arabic into any other ******** takes away its glamorous eloquent literature and wondrous nature. Thus, reciting-Qur’an, especially in prayers, can never be in any ******** other than Arabic.

[ابوالوليد المسلم]

How To Know The Religion of Truth (6/9)

Abdul Rahman Bin Hammad Al-Omar


The Zakat (obligatory charity)
The third pillar of Islam: paying the poor due:
Allah ordained every Muslim who possesses a certain amount of property to pay annually the Zakat (poor due), of his possessions to the poor or to the other categories mentioned in the Qur’an.
The minimum amount of gold liable to payment of Zakat is 20 miskals of gold (i.e. a miskal is a weight equal to 4.68 grams) and the minimum amount of silver is 200 dirhams (a dirham is a weight that equals 3.12 grams) or an *****alent sum of current money to this amount.
There is also a minimum amount for goods of commerce liable to payment of Zakat. As for cereals and grains, its minimum amount is 300 Saa’ (a Saa’ is a cubic measure used by Arabs.) The minimum amount for real estates prepared for sale should be estimated in accordance with its value, but if the real estate is prepared for lease, the estimation should be in accordance with its rent.
The annual amount of Zakat fixed on gold, silver and goods of commerce is 2.5%. As for cereals, grains and fruits, the fixed amount of Zakat is 10% of the crop, if the crop is the yield of an easily irrigated land (ie: a land irrigated by rivers, spring or rain), but if the land is irrigated with difficulty by man-made means such as pumps or other lifting apparatus, the amount of Zakat becomes only 5%. Zakat of grains, fruits and crops is due at the harvest time. In case of a land that yields two or three harvests annually, one should pay the Zakat for each harvest independently.
The amount of Zakat due on camels, cows and sheep is explained in books dealing with this subject.
Zakat is enjoined by the Qur’an:
“And they were commanded not, but that they should worship Allah, and worship none but Him Alone (abstaining from ascribing partners to Him), and perform As-Salat (Iqamat as-Salat) and give Zakat, and that is the right Religion.” (Surah Al- Baiyyinah, 98:5).
In fact the Zakat has a wonderful social role. It soothes the poor's feelings, satisfies their needs, and strengthens the bonds of mutual love among the poor and the rich.
Zakat is not the only means that Islam has used to maintain social solidarity and co-operation among Muslims, but Islam imposes also on the rich to support the poor at times of famines. Islam prohibits the Muslim from being sated with food while his neighbor is hungry. Islam enjoined also Zakat- Al-Fitr (Fitr-Fast-Due) on all Muslims and has made it a duty on every one of them to distribute a Saa’ (a cubic measure) of elementary substances for himself and a similar Saa’ for each one of those whom he supports, including his servants. The whole amount should be distributed among the poor, before the prayer of feast day. Islam imposed also expiatory gifts on the Muslim who commits perjury (that is to feed ten poor people or clothe them or to fast three days, if he is unable to feed or clothe the poor). The Muslim is commanded to perform his vows, and practice voluntary charity. Allah promised to give the best rewards for those who expend their money for His sake. Their rewards will not only be multiplied to tenfold, but to 700 folds, or even to a boundless number.
Fasting The Month Of Ramadan
The fourth pillar of Islam is to fast during the month of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Hijiri calendar. Before the dawn of the first day of Ramadan, a Muslim intends to fast this month, and abstains every day from drinking, eating, or practicing *** till sunset. He performs fast till the end of the month of Ramadan, fulfilling by that the commandment of Allah, and seeking His pleasure.
Fasting has innumerable benefits. When a man refrains himself from lust, abstains from eating and drinking for the sake of Allah, he does this only for one purpose; that is to obey Allah, worship Him and imbue his heart with God's fear.
Fasting has also innumerable hygienic, economic and social benefits which are perceived only by those who perform it with strong belief and sincere faith. The Qur’an states:
“O you who believe! Observing As-Saum (the Fasting) is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become Al-Muttaqun (the pious).” (Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:183)
“The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur’an, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong). So whoever of you sights (the crescent on the first night of) the month (of Ramadan i.e. is present at his home), he must observe Saum (fast) that month, and whoever is ill or on a journey, the same number [of days which one did not observe Saum (fasting) must be made up] from other days. Allah intends for you ease, and He does not want to make things difficult for you. (He wants that you) must complete the same number (of days), and that you must magnify Allah [i.e. to say Takbir (Allahu Akbar; Allah is the Most Great] for having guided you so that you may be grateful to Him…” (Surah Al-Baqarah, 2: 185)
According to the rules of the Qur’an and Prophetic Traditions, it is permissible for a sick man, a man travelling on a journey, a menstruating woman, or a confined woman not to fast, but to make up for what they missed.
Foster-mothers and pregnant women are also permitted not to fast if fasting will harm them or their babies, but they should compensate this fully by fasting for equal number of days. If a man drinks or eats absentmindedly while fasting, he should spit out whatever stills in his mouth as soon as he remembers that he is fasting. In this case his fast is not broken. This is a privilege with which the Muslim nation has been endowed: “Allah forgives sins committed by mistake, forgetfulness, or by compulsion.”

(Continued)

[ابوالوليد المسلم]

How To Know The Religion of Truth (7/9)

Abdul Rahman Bin Hammad Al-Omar


Pilgrimage
Pilgrimage (Hajj) is the fifth pillar of Islam. It is a duty of a Muslim to perform pilgrimage to the House of Allah once in a lifetime, but it is permissible for him to go on pilgrimage voluntarily more than once.


Pilgrimage has innumerable benefits:
1. In fulfilling this service, man expresses his devotion to Allah, not only by performing rites which need physical effort, but he expresses also his deep spiritual devotion to Allah and spends of his money for His sake.
2. Pilgrimage is an annual Muslim-congress, attended by Muslims from all over the world. They meet in one place, Makkah, all being dressed in one uniform, worshipping Allah The One God and performing the same rites during the fixed period of Hajj. There is no discrimination between them; all are Allah's bondsmen; no white man has preference over a black man, neither the rich over the poor. In this way, Muslims are acquainted with one another, co-operate one with the other, and they remember the day when they will be resurrected and gathered before Allah who will account them for their deeds. Thus, they prepare themselves for the Hereafter and do their best to obey Allah, their Lord.
The Ka'aba is the Qibla of all Muslims; they direct their faces towards it when they perform their prayers. But, it should be well-known that all the rites of pilgrimage such as circumambulating round the Ka'aba, attending Arafat, Muzdalifah, and staying for several days in Mina.... all these rites have one objective ... that is to worship Allah according to the method He commanded and during the time He fixed. Worshipping is neither dedicated to the Kaaba nor to any of these other places which are no more than objects, created by Allah, that can never bring benefit or cause harm to anyone. Worshipping is dedicated to Allah alone, The Lord of everything, who alone has the absolute sovereignty and all power.
According to the Muslim's faith, all forms of worshipping are enjoined by Allah and should never be based on individual judgement or taste. Therefore, had Allah not commanded people to perform pilgrimage to the Sacred House at Makkah, Muslims would have never performed it.


Evidence for pilgrimage from the Qur’an:
“And Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah) to the House (Kabah) is a duty that mankind owes to Allah, those who can afford the expenses (for one's conveyance, provision and residence); and whoever disbelieves [Le. denies Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah), then he is a disbeliever of Allah], then Allah stands not in need of any of the Alamin (mankind, jinn and all that exists).” (Surah Al-‘Imran, 3: 97)
Performing "Umrah" or lesser pilgrimage once in a lifetime is also a duty that a Muslim should fulfil either during Hajj time or any other time.
It is not an indispensable duty for every Muslim to visit the mosque of the Prophet in Al-Madina during Hajj-time or at any other time, but this is an advisable deed and whoever performs it will be recompensed by Allah. The tradition which states: “Whoever performs pilgrimage and does not visit me is turning away from me.” is untrue and is imputed falsely to the Prophet.
A Muslim leaving for Madina intends to visit the mosque of the Prophet. When he arrives there, he prays in the mosque and then visits the tomb of the Prophet peace be upon him. The visitor salutes the Prophet politely and leaves the place adopting by that the same manner that the companions of the Prophet used to do. He should not ask the Prophet or supplicate for anything from him. In fact those who supplicate the Prophet for help, ask him for what they need, or invocate him to be their intercessor to Allah, are committing idolatry and the Prophet is innocent of their ill deed. Therefore, every Muslim should be aware to avoid such idolatrous deeds.
After visiting the prophet's mosque the visitor visits also the tombs of Baqeih. He should behave during his visit in conformity with Islamic ethics and invocate Allah to bless the deads and martyrs buried in these tombs.
The manner of performing Hajj And Umrah:
A Muslim who intends to perform pilgrimage or Umrah should expend in this journey of his pure and lawful property and avoid using illicit gains lest it should ruin his noble pilgrimage. The Prophet, may the peace and blessings of Allah be on him, said: “Whatever flesh that comes to grow out of illicit gains is rather doomed to Hell-Fire”.
It is also advisable for a pilgrim to select a man of good faith to accompany him on pilgrimage. A pilgrim, whether travelling by car or train, puts on "Ihram" as soon as he arrives at the miqat (the station for Ihram), and a pilgrim, travelling by plane, puts on Ihram when he approaches the miqat. According to prophetic traditions, there are five mawaqit (five stations for Ihram):
1 . Zul Hulaifa (Abyar Ali): for pilgrims from Madinah.
2. Al-Juhfa, a place near Rabigh, for people coming from the directions of Syria, Egypt and Maghrib.
3. Qarn Al-Manazil, for people coming from Najd, Al-Taif and other regions of that direction.
4. Zat Irq, for people coming from Iraq.
5. Yalamlam, for people coming from Yemen. These mawaqit are not only for people coming from the above-mentioned regions, but also for those who chance to travel by these routes.
As for the inhabitants of Makkah and those who live within the area bounded by these mawaqit, they assume their Ihrams from their homes.
Manner of lhram
It is advisable for a pilgrim to take a bath, to clean and perfume himself before assuming lhram at the miqat. The lhram dress for males consists of two simple white seamless sheets, one to be wrapped round the loins and the other to cover the upper part of the body. The head should not be covered. Women have no special dress for lhram, but they should be dressed in wide veiling and unalluring clothes. After assuming the lhram, a woman should neither veil her face with a seamed veil, nor use any seamed gloves to cover her hands. It is permissible for her to cover her face with a part of her head-veil if she finds herself surrounded by men, the same manner adopted before by the wives of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and the wives of his companions.
The pilgrim, after assuming Ihram, intends by heart to perform Umrah and says: which means: O' Allah, here I am at Thy service intending to perform Umrah. In this way the pilgrim performs Hajj Tamattu' which is really excellent because the Prophet (may the peace and blessing of Allah be on him) recommended his companions to perform this kind of Hajj. He even obliged them to abandon their Ihram and make their visit to Kaaba an Umrah, giving exception only to those who brought with them their "Hady" "sacrifices" , and carried on their Hajj by Qiran, the same manner which the Prophet himself adopted. The Qarin (who performs Hajj by Qiran) intends when he starts his pilgrimage rites by saying:
“Here am I, O' Allah, I intend to perform Umrah and Hajj”.
Therefore he should not abandon his Ihram and all Ihram restrictions till he offers his sacrifice on the feast-day (Day of Immolation, 10th of Zulhijja) called Id'ul Adhha.

(Continued)

[ابوالوليد المسلم]

How To Know The Religion of Truth (8/9)

Abdul Rahman Bin Hammad Al-Omar


After assuming the Ihram:
1.It is forbidden for a Muslim to cohabit with his wife, kiss, or touch her lustfully. During the Ihram period a pilgrim is also not allowed to marry or propose to a lady.
2. It is also forbidden for a Muslim to remove or trim his hair from any part of the body.
3. Similarly, paring the nails of hands and toes is also forbidden.
4. A man in Ihram should not cover his head, but it is permissible for him to be shaded by an umbrella or sit in the shadow of a tent.
5. During the Ihram one is not allowed to apply perfume to his body or garments or even to smell it.
6. It is forbidden during the Ihram to kill animals of game or to help others to do so.
7. A male pilgrim is not allowed to wear tailored clothes during the period of Ihram; instead of shoes he can use sandals. Women should not wear seamed veils on their faces.
As soon as the pilgrim arrives at the Kaaba, The Holy House of Allah, he circumambulates it seven times for the “Tawaf Al-Qodoum”, circumambulation of arrival. He starts the Tawaf from near the black stone. That is his Umrah Tawaf; the pilgrim can invoke Allah by whatever prayers he likes. After terminating the seven rounds of Tawaf he moves to the station of Ibrahim, where or somewhere in the vicinity, he performs a two-rakaat prayer of the Tawaf.
A pilgrim proceeds after that for "Sa’ee". He starts by mounting the eminence Al-Safa and faces the Qibla saying “Allahu Akbar, la ilah'a illa Allah,” and invokes Allah by whatever prayers he likes. Then, he walks to the eminence of Al-Marwa, mounts it, faces the Qibla, saying Allahu Akbar, invokes Allah, then returns to the eminence of Al-Safa, then repeats this walking from Safa to Marwa and vice versa, till he completes seven rounds at Al Marwa.
A pilgrim, who performs pilgrimage by Tamattu, gets his hair shaven or trimmed after completing his "Sa’ee".
For women, it is enough to trim a small part of their hair as long as a finger-tip. In this way the pilgrim completes his Umrah, discards his Ihram and is free to lead a normal life in all respects.
If a woman menstruates or gives birth before or after her Ihram, she becomes Qarinah and performs Hajj by Qiran.
Therefore, she should intend to perform Hajj and Umrah combined in one Ihram. Menstruation and confinement do not forbid a woman from doing any of the acts of Hajj except the circumambulation of the Holy House which she should postpone until she becomes clean.
If she gets clean before people assume their Ihram, she takes a cleansing bath, joins them when they assume their Ihram, and performs with them the rituals of Hajj. But if her cleansing from menses occurs at a later time, following her assuming Ihram, she combines Hajj and Umrah in one Ihram, performs all the rituals of Hajj, including staying in Mina, standing in Arafat, going to Muzdalifah, pelting, offering the sacrifice and trimming her hair on feast-day, but she cannot circumambulate the Holy House till she is clean. When she gets clean, she takes a cleansing bath and performs circumambulation round the Kaaba and "Sa’ee", hence, fulfilling both Hajj and Umrah. This was the method adopted by the mother of believers, Aisha according to the directions of the Prophet (peace be upon him). The Prophet affirmed by his deeds any sayings that the Qarin combines Hajj and Umrah and fulfils them both by performing one circumambulation and one "Sa’ee". The Prophet himself performed Hajj in accordance with this manner and said that “Umrah is included in Hajj till Doomsday”.
On the 8th day of Zul-Hija, the pilgrims assume Ihram from their settlements in Makkah in the same manner they had done before at the miqat. A pilgrim, whether a man or a woman, intends to perform Hajj by saying “Here I am My Lord, I intend to perform Hajj.”
A pilgrim refrains himself from practicing any of the actions forbidden during the Ihram period in the same way as explained before. Then he proceeds with other pilgrims to Mina to pass the night there. A pilgrim should perform his prayers there in time. He is permitted to shorten his prayers but not to combine one of them with the other. On the morning of Arafat (the 9th of Zul-Hij a), the pilgrims go to Namira mosque to perform in congregation the Zuhr (noon) and Asr (afternoon) Prayers combined together. By noon, they proceed to Arafat to stay there till sunset praying, supplicating Allah and asking Him for forgiveness. The pilgrim can stand at any place in the valley of Arafat because the whole of Arafat is reserved for wuquf (standing). He should turn his face while praying and supplicating towards the Qibla and not towards the mount of Arafat. The pilgrim should be aware that climbing the mount is not a ritual service, and that wiping oneself with its stones is a heretical deed.
After sunset, the pilgrims proceed to Muzdalifah where they perform Maghrib (evening) and Isha (night) prayers combined together, and shortening only Isha prayer. They spend the night there, and next day they perform the Fajr (morning) prayer at dawn and leave to Mina before sunrise. When they arrive there, they pelt “Jamrat Al-Akabba” by seven pebbles, each one of which should not be larger than a chickpea. One should observe strictly the guidance and orders of the Prophet to overcome the allurement of the Satan and avoid such devious actions as pelting the “Jamra” by shoes and any other action which is not in accordance with the commandments of Allah or the traditions of the Prophet.
After pelting Jamrat Al-Aqaba, the pilgrim offers his sacrifice, then shaves or shortens his hair (but it is better to have it shaven rather than having it shortened). Women slightly trim off parts of their hair.
After that, the pilgrim can discard Ihram and perform all the acts which were forbidden during the Ihram period except sexual intercourse. Then the pilgrim heads for Makkah, performs Tawaf Al-Ifadah, and the Sa’ee, hence, discarding Ihram completely and he is then allowed to perform all the acts that were forbidden during the Ihram period with no exception.
The pilgrim returns to Mina, to stay there for three successive days (the Feast Day and the following two days). He spends the nights of these days at Mina and at every noon or mid-day he pelts the three Jamarat (on the 11th and 12th of Zul-Hija). He starts by pelting Al-Jamarat-al-Sugrah (The small Jamara), then Al-Jamarat al-Wusta (The medium Jamara) and finally Jamarat Al-Akaba, which he had pelted before on the morning of the Feast Day. Each one of these Jamarat is pelted by seven pebbles. The pilgrim has the choice after that, either to leave Mina on the 12th of ZulHija or stay there till next day. It is better to stay till next day and perform a pelting at noon. The final thing that a pilgrim should do before leaving Makkah, is to perform Tawaf Al-Wadaa' (Tawaf of Departure). However, a woman in a state of menstruation or childbed is allowed to leave Makkah without performing Tawaf AI-Wadaa’.
Offering the sacrifice can be done also on 11th, 12th or 13th of Zul-Hija, and Tawaf-al-ifada can also be postponed till the pilgrim leaves Mina, but it is better to perform the rituals in accordance with the order and times which are mentioned above.

(Continued)

[ابوالوليد المسلم]

How To Know The Religion of Truth (9/9)

Abdul Rahman Bin Hammad Al-Omar


Faith
The Muslim is ordained to believe not only in Allah, His messengers and fundamentals of Islam, but he should also believe in His angels,[1] and the Books which He had revealed to His messengers.
The Qur’an is the last divine Book. It abrogates, substitutes, and stands to preserve the truth of the old scriptures from corruption.
A Muslim should not only believe in Muhammad but he should also believe in all former prophets whose names have been given in the Qur’an. The Muslim's faith is that Muhammad is the last of the messengers of Allah and that he is sent to all nations including Jews, Christians and other sects. Thus, all people should believe in Muhammad and follow him, who does not believe in him and in Islam, is disbelieving not only in Muhammad, but also in all other Messengers of Allah, even though he may claim to be a follower of one of them. Moses, Jesus, and other Messengers of Allah exculpate themselves from those who do not believe in Islam and in Muhammad. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said,“By Him who has my soul in His hands, anyone of this community that comesto know about me and dies without believing in my message will dwell in Hell-Fire, even if he is a Jew or a Christian.”
A Muslim believes also in Resurrection, Reckoning, Requital, Paradise, Hell-Fire and Divine Decree
What does it mean to believe in Divine Decree? It means that Allah knows everything that ever existed in the past, that is existing now, and all that will exist in the future, before He created the heavens and earth. This divine knowledge is registered in a guarded Tablet. Therefore, the Muslim believes strongly that nothing can ever exist except by the will of Allah.
Allah has created people to worship Him and obey Him. He made His commandments and prohibitions very clear and endowed people with the ability and will to carry out what He enjoined them to do, in order that they may obtain His reward, but those who disobey Him will suffer His punishment.
The volition of man is dependent on the will of Allah. However, there are certain forms of fate in which man's will has absolutely no role, i.e. misfortunes of life, poverty, sickness... etc. These forms of fate are imposed on people by the will of Allah Alone, and man will neither be rewarded nor punished for them, because they are beyond his understanding and will, but if man endures and keeps contented with what Allah had foreordained for him, Allah will reward him bountifully.
The pious Muslims achieve the highest rank of faith, dwell in the best positions of the paradise and are the nearest to the consent of Allah, because they worship Allah, glorify Him, and are always submissive to Him as if they are seeing Him. They never disobey Allah secretly or openly. They believe strongly that Allah watches them wherever they may be, and that any of their deeds, sayings or intentions can never be concealed from Allah. If one of them commits a sin, he repents sincerely to Allah, asks Him forgiveness and never recommits it. The Qur’an states: -
“Truly, Allah is with those who fear Him (keep their duty unto Him), and those who are Muhsinun (good doers).” (Surah Al-An’am, 6:128)
Islam, The Perfect Religion
Allah states in the glorious Qur’an:
“This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.” (Surah Al-Ma’idah, 5:3)
Allah also states in the Qur’an:
“Verily this Qur’an guides to that which is most just and right and gives glad tidings to the believers (in the Oneness of Allah and His Messenger, Muhammad [may Allah's Pace be upon him]), who work deeds of righteousness, that they shall have a great reward (paradise).” (Surah Al-Isra’, 17:9)
Allah said also:
“And We have sent down to you the Book (Qur’an) as an exposition of everything, a guidance, a mercy, and glad tidings for those who have submitted themselves (to Allah as Muslims)…” (Surah An-Nahl, 16:89)
The Prophet, Pace be upon him, said: “I have guided you to the right path which is as bright as daylight is thus, whoever deviates from this path is doomed to perdition.”
He also said: “I have left to you the Book of Allah and my Traditions, if you hold fast to them, you will never be misled.”
In the first of the above-mentioned Qur’anic verses, Allah stated that He had perfected the religion of Islam to be suitable and corresponding to the needs of mankind in every place, time and nation. Islam is not only free from all defects, but, it also corresponds to the needs of mankind and does not impose any unnecessary burden on people. Allah stated also that He had completed His blessings for the Muslim nation by bestowing upon them this perfect, magnanimous and great religion which forms the message of Muhammad, the last Prophet of Allah. Allah promised to give help and victory to Islam over all enemies, and stated that He had chosen it to be the religion of mankind, and that any other religion, whatever it may be, will not gain His acceptance.
The second verse indicates that the Holy Qur’an is an illuminative perfect method of life which guides people to true solutions for both mundane and religious problems.
Whatever a deed may be, the Qur’an has explained to us whether it may be good or evil. The Qur’an not only guides us to solutions for all kinds of problems in all times, but the Qur’anic solutions for these problems are also characterized by being just and right, whereas, all other solutions contrary to it are short and defective as they are based on human feebleness, ignorance and injustice. The Qur’an is a comprehensive Divine Book which contains the basis of knowledge, faith, politics, system of governing, justice, psychology, sociology, economics, penal law and all sciences that mankind may need. Basics of these fields of knowledge are explained clearly in the Qur’an and prophetic traditions. The next chapter will be consecrated to discuss briefly the perfectness of Islam and its comprehensive method.

[1] Angels are creatures whom Allah had created from light. They are many in number and no one can count them save Allah. A portion of them are in the heavens, some others are entrusted with mankind.