Salat according to Allah has to be performed five times a day at different sections in the day. The adhan is the call to prayer given by the mu’adhin from the minaret, which is the tower on the Mosque. Orignally the mu’adhin would have shouted the call to prayer with his own voice but in these modern days he uses a microphone. In Islamic countries, the public call to prayer from the mosques sets the rhythm of the day for the entire population, including non-Muslims.
Salat al-fajr: dawn, before sunrise
Salat al-zuhr: midday, after the sun passes its highest
Salat al-'asr: the late part of the afternoon
Salat al-maghrib: just after sunset
Salat al-'isha: between sunset and midnight
The prayer ritual, which is over 1400 years old, is repeated five times a day by hundreds of millions of people all round the world. Carrying it out is not only highly holy, but connects each Muslim to all others around the world, and to all those who have uttered the same words and made the same movements at different times in Islamic history. The set prayers are not just phrases to be spoken. Prayer for a Muslim involves uniting mind, soul, and body in worship. So a Muslim carrying out these prayers will perform a whole series of set actions that go with the words of the prayer. Muslims make sure that they are in the right frame of mind before they pray; they put aside all everyday cares and thoughts so that they can concentrate exclusively on God.
If a Muslim prays without the right attitude of mind, it as if they hadn't bothered to pray at all. So before they pray they have to be prepared. Salat begins with washing which is called Wudu. In the courtyard of a mosque there are special washing facilities. There is a difference between every day washing and Wudu. Wudu always follows the same pattern, which begins with the worshipper announcing his intention to offer the prayer to Allah. This announcement is called Niyyah.
1.Wudu begins with washing the hands three times
2. The mouth is rinsed three times
3.The nostrils are washed out three times. The Face is then washed three times
4.The arms are washed as far as the elbows three times
5.The top of the head, the ears and the back of the head are washed.
6.The feet are washed as far as then ankle three times
7.The shoes or sandals are left outside before entering the mosque to pray. (Do not need to pray at a Mosque)
Salat does not have to be take place in a Mosque. It can be carried out in any public place as long as: The person is clean. If no running water is available clean sand will do. The place is clean, muslims use a prayer mat for this.
To perform Salat, Muslims follow a sequence of movements. This involves standing, bowing or kneeling face down on the floor which is called prostration. Each cycle of movements is called a rak’ah. Also they have to show their respect to Allah and recite the Shahadah.
They will lay down their prayer mats which will have a directional arch on them because all Muslims have to face towards Allah when they pray who they think is located at the holy city of Makkah.
A Muslim will then bend down with they head touching the front of their mat and pray to Allah their God, just as we pray to our God.
Zakat
Zakah is the duty to give away alms and to help the needy.
One of the most important principles of Islam is that all things belong to God, and human beings in trust therefore hold that wealth. The word Zakat means both 'cleansing' and 'growth'. Muslims’ 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. Zakat is the amount of money that every adult, mentally stable, free, and financially able Muslim, male and female, has to pay to support to the needy.
Zakat is compulsory when a certain amount of money, called the nisab is reached or exceeded. Zakat is not compulsory if the amount owned is less than this nisab. The nisab or minimum amount of gold and golden currency is 20 mithqal; this is about 85 grams of pure gold. One mithqal is approximately 4.25 grams. The nisab of silver and silver currency is 200 dirhams, which is approximately 595 grams of pure silver. The nisab of other kinds of money and currency is to be scaled to that of gold, 85 grams of pure gold.
Zakat is due:
1. Passage of One Lunar Year:
Zakat is obligatory after a time span of one lunar year passes with the money in the control of it's owner. Then the owner needs to pay 2.5% of the money as Zakat.
2. Deduction of Debts:
The owner should deduct any amount of money he or she borrowed from others; then check if the rest reaches the necessary nisab, then pays Zakat for it.
Zakat is not supposed to take away the money and wealth of people. Like other duties, paying zakat is a blessing to all Muslims. Paying it is a test of honsety – a Muslim cannot live a enjoyable life if he does not pay zakat. He knows that he will have to answer to Allah on the Day of Judgement. The Qu’ran tells him that a complete record of his dees is being kept in heaven. That record will show if he has been generous and honest.
Saum
Saum is the duty to keep the fast of Ramadam
The Arabic word 'Saum' in its literally means 'abstain' and when used to refer to the five pillars of Islam then people take it to mean 'Rozah', which actually means fasting. This Rozah under the five pillars happens during the month of Ramadhan. Unfortunately, the word 'fasting' can be a bit strange as for many non-Muslim people the word fasting simply means to go without food and drink for some duration of time.
For Muslims, fasting is not just about going without food and drinks for a month, as many things are forbidden during Ramadhan.
An example of some of the things forbidden in Islam is given in the following hadith:
Fasting is not abstaining from eating and drinking only, but also from vain speech and foul language. If one of you is being cursed or annoyed, he or she should say, I am fasting. I am fasting.
This hadith reflects in essence how, during Ramadhan, a Muslim must guard not only his hunger but also his tongue and his attitude. Ramadhan is not just about fasting either; it involves many other important things that form this one pillar of Islam called Saum. As stated in the above, hadith fasting is not just about nonparticipation from eating and drinking, though this is the most easily recognised part. When Muslims fast they have to abstain from several things between sunrise and sunset, which are:
- Food and Drink
- Sexual intercourse
- Smoking
- Fighting
These are the four physical things that Muslim must abstain from doing, but there are also several other things to be abstained from which are:
- Arguing
- Bad language
- Back-biting and gossip
- Violence
- Being rude and impolite
- Getting angry
All of the physical things that Muslims must stop themselves from doing are also not to be done all around the year but must of all in the month of Ramadam.
As already mentioned, fasting is not just a physical act to Muslims and when performed with the right intentions then it has many rewards. Every time a Muslim fasts during Ramadan, his spiritual growth increases. Here is a list of what Muslims believe are the benefits of fasting:
It teaches mankind sincere love; Muslims fast out of a deep love to God. Muslims believe that anyone who loves God truly understands what love is.
Muslims fast not just to please God but also to satisfy their own conscience.
Fasting gives Muslim a happy outlook on life, giving them hope because a Muslim who fasts is hoping to please God and seek his grace.
Fasting helps to increase an individual's control over their desires, since fasting in Islam is not just about stopping one from food and drink but also about avoiding desires and physical temptations: it helps to to increase Muslims' willpower.
It helps Muslims to be more patient and less selfish.
Unity between Muslims because wherever in the world a Muslim may be, there will be other Muslims all over the world doing the same thing in the same way and at the same time as that individual regardless of wealth, status, nationality and colour.
After a period of fasting, a person no longer thinks that he/she is hungry but rather starts to think 'my body is hungry'. This helps develop the spiritual conscience of a Muslim.
While fasting during Ramadhan is very important, a few people are exempt:
- The elderly.
- Pregnant women: fasting can cause harm to a woman or her unborn baby.
- Women who are breastfeeding: it can affect and endanger the life of the mother and baby.
- Anyone's whose health might be endangered either through lack of food or through illness.
- People who do very heavy or strenuous manual work and have no other means of support if they become too weak to work through fasting.
- Menstruating women, as it is important that their energy levels are kept up and that they stay healthy.
- Any individuals travelling on a journey of more than 77 kilometres and who are not planning to stay anywhere for more than 14 days.
- Children up to the age of puberty.
Children have no obligation to fast until they reach puberty but can be encouraged to participate in fasting up to their own capacity. For example a child may wish to fast from morning till noon and can be encouraged to do so, but a child cannot be forced to fast or to continue fasting if they are having difficulties.
It can be easy for some Muslims to forget they are fasting - especially during the first few days before the routine is established - and to eat or drink something by accident. Should someone who is fasting accidentally eat or drink something then this forgetfulness does not break the fast. In the Qur'an Muslims are told the following:
If somebody eats or drinks forgetfully, then he should complete his fast, for what he has eaten or drunk has been given to him by God
Ramadhan is a time of change and reflection for Muslims. It is about psychological, spiritual and physical change in a Muslim's life. Ramadhan is a bridge for those who believe, it is a way of getting from one level of faith to the next, for Muslims who want to get more devouted then their Imaan will continue to grow after Ramadan but for those who don't then it will pass them by and they will return to the state they were in before. For Muslims who wish to improve their level of faith, Ramadan can be just the thing to help them improve. Muslims believe that every day they should reflect on the day they leave behind, to recognise their own weaknesses and strengths and to re-evaluate their awareness of God.
Hajj
Hajj is they duty to Pilgrimage to Makkah once in a Muslim’s lifetime
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. Pilgrims wear special clothes: simple garments, which strip away distinctions of class and culture, so that all stand equal before God.
On the outskirts of the city they enter the holy state- Ihram. Ihram involves taking off their normal clothing and putting on special clothes:
- Men and boys wear two white, unsewn cotton sheets. One of these is tied around the waist and the other is draped over the left shoulder.
- Women and girls put on a long, plain dress and a head covering. Veils which cover the face are not allowed on the Hajj
Ihram also means that from that from this time onwards all pilgrims are forbidden to:
- Use any perfume or perfumed soap
- Wear any jewellery (but women may wear wedding rings)
- Have any sexual relations
- Cut their hair or nails
- Kill any living thing including plants
These rules ensure that a pilgrim is in the right spiritual frame of mind to undertake the Hajj.
Only Muslims are able to enter the city of Makkah. The main objective of every Muslim to head towrd the Ka’bah. He shall walk/run around the shrine seven times in an anti-clockwise direction, saying a prayer each time. The separate laps all start from the Black Stone. Every time he circles the Ka’bah he kisses or raises his arms to the Black Stone, his thoughts are now just of Allah. In the Qu’ran it says that the Ka’bah was first built by Ibrahim and his son, Isma’il. Muhammed the prophet cleared all of the idols out of the Ka’bah and from then on it was used for only worshjip to Allah. Some Muslims believe that the Ka’bah is directly under the throne of Allah in heaven.
During the Hajj service a large black cloth covers the Ka’bah. After the service this shall be cut up and sold to the pilgrims as a souvenir of their journey. The next part of the Hajj is the sa’y. This will involve walking seven times between two small hills, Marwa and Safa. This is to remind pilgrims of Hajar. Hajar was Ibrahim’s wife, who ran between the two hills in search of water. Pilgrims then travel to the plain of Arafat and the Mount of Mercy, where Muhammad preached his last sermon. The pilgrims stand here and pray from noon until sunset. This is the most important part of the Hajj. Before ending the Hajj, pilgrims go on to Mina, where they spend three days. On each day, they throw seven stones at each of the three pillars. The pillars symbolise the devil. This reminds Muslims of Ibrahim’s refusal to listen to the devil.
The Hajj is then over and the pilgrims now go back to Makkah to walk or run around the Ka’bah for the last time, Ihram is then over. Some pilgrims will travle on to the tomb of Muhammad in Maddinah.
