TO BE A MUSLIM (Shaykh Nazim, 85 pages, 3/4)
https://www.nvrislam.net/index.php?j=eng&post=6046
yâ arªama r-râªimîn.20
Whoever does not know this prayer, may recite:
“Rabbanâ ghfir lî wa li-wâlidayya
wa li-l-mu’minîna yawma yaqûmu l-ªisâb.” [Sûratu Ibrâhîm, 14:41]
If one does not know this prayer either, one may stand without reciting anything. If the deceased person is a child, this du‘â’ is recited as well:
“Allâhumma j‘alhu lanâ farata(n) Allâhumma j‘alhu lanâ ajran wa dhukhra(n) wa-j‘alhu lanâ shafî‘an wa mushaffa‘a.”21
When the Imam has called the fourth takbîr, the jamâ‘a (congregation) repeats the takbîr and together with the Imam give salâmât, thus completing the prayer. Whoever is performing the janâza prayer outside of the mosque, should take off his shoes and step on top of them for the duration of the prayer. Our Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, once said that those attending a funeral prayer will receive a
20Allah, grant forgiveness to our living and to our dead, and to those who are present and to those who are absent, and to our young and our old folk, and to our males and females.
O Allah! whomsoever you grant to live, from among us, help him (resp. her) to live in Islam, and whom of us you cause to die, help him (her) to die in faith.
O Allah, if he (she) acted well, then increase for him his good action, and if he (she) acted wrongly, then overlook his wrong actions. Grant him security, glad tidings, generosity and closeness to you through your Mercy, O most Merciful.
21O Allah! make him (or her) our forerunner, and make him for us a reward and a treasure, and make him for us a pleader, and accept his pleading.
reward as big as Mount Ukud, and that those attending a burial will receive a reward twice as big. It definitely is the last claim that our departed Muslim brothers have on us that we should accompany them on the way to their grave, their final resting place, and keep fellowship with them. For every step that one bears the bier and follows behind in the procession one is forgiven one major sin.
Remembering the dead, reciting prayers on them, and giving alms in their name will gladden those who have passed away, and will also help us to leave this world with faith. It is a very important service to pray for the deceased and to do good in their name, in particular on Fridays and on special holy nights. Just as baby birds open their beaks wide when their mother alights on the edge of their nest, bringing them food, in the same way our near and dear deceased ones wait for the gifts that we bring to them. Therefore we must make every effort not to deprive them of these. He who knows nothing else can at least recite Qul huwa llâhu aªad ... (Sûrat al-Ikhlâs) three times, and then say: “O my Lord, I dedicate this to our Holy Prophet and to all my loved ones who have passed away; may it please You to make it reach them!” Then if he also reads al-Fâtiªa once, he will receive the reward of having dedicated a reading of the entire Qur’ān (khatm).
Only men should attend the funeral service. It is a big sin for women to walk behind the funeral procession and to weep and cry loudly in the graveyard. It is a torment for the deceased if women walk behind the bier or if women are present at the burial ground. Since it is sinful for women to follow behind in a funeral procession, and a torment to the deceased, women must not follow the dead on their way to the cemetery. It is also not permissible for women to go to the graveyard early in the morning, under the pretext of
performing certain rites during the first forty days after the passing. Instead of going to the graveyard, a woman should recite Qur’ān for the deceased in her home. This will give joy to the deceased and at the same time she will be given the reward of having gone on ªajj. Nowadays, when women go to visit cemeteries all decked out and heavily made-up, the inhabitants of the graves suffer a great deal of pain and cry out: “When will these women go away and leave us be!” because they are causing them such torment.
To place wreaths on the burial site is a Christian custom and has no place in our religious or national traditions. This is wasting money for a useless purpose, and Islam is always on the lookout for what is useful and beneficial. Islam has no time for spending money simply for show and ostentation. Instead of investing money by the handful in wreaths at every funeral, how much more praiseworthy it would be if that money were used to found a charity for the benefit of the community. Another way of wasting a lot of money is buildings that are erected over grave sites. That is anoth- er thing Islam does not commend. It is not at all reason- able to bury countless sums of money alongside the dead. This money would be better employed in the foundation of schools, hospitals, orphanages, or any other charitable institutions, and for their continuous upkeep. However, it is useful for the deceased if their graves are covered by green leaves and verdant plants. If myrtle branches or date fronds, or branches of any other plant that keep their green freshness for a long time, are placed upon a grave, their
praises of Allah l will cause His mercy to rain upon the dead in their graves.
3 – fasting
(siyâm)
Fasting in Islam
Fasting every year during the month of Rama¡ān is a form of worship that Allah Almighty has made obligatory for His believing servants to observe. It is a binding duty for all Muslims who have reached the age of maturity to keep the fast when the month of Rama¡ān begins, excepting those who are ill, travelling, pregnant or nursing, or who cannot fast on account of extreme old age. Fasting means to refrain eating, drinking, and sexual contact from the first sign of dawn until sunset.
The Merits of Fasting
A Muslim keeping the fast is well received in Allah’s pres- ence, He will grant him whatever he asks for and cleanse him of sins. Allah alone knows how great will be the reward given to one who is fasting. Those who fast, who endure hunger and thirst while in this world, will be saved from hunger and thirst on the Day of Judgment. Those who do not fast will die hungry and thirsty and in their graves as well as on the Day of Resurrection they will suffer hunger and thirst as a punishment. Those who have completed all their fasts will be greeted by angels offering them trays of heavenly foods the moment they rise from their graves.
Fasting Is Not Difficult
Allah l helps anyone, who intends to keep the fast, to suc- ceed in completing his fast, even young children. There- fore it cannot be right for adults to say, “We cannot put
up with fasting.” To keep the fast is only a matter of will power. If a person who is in control of his nafs says: “O my Lord, I am intending to fast this day for the sake of Your Pleasure, please help me to accomplish this,” then he will be successful in his fast. Essentially this is the secret of being successful in all one’s undertakings; for Allah l will never
turn down anyone who makes his intention and then asks
Allah to support him.
Respecting Religion
and Teaching Respect for Religion
It is a sign of faith to have respect for our religion and to teach respect for it. It is obligatory to regard religious in- junctions such as praying and fasting as true and right. It is a great sin to be casual about religious injunctions and to not take them seriously, and an even greater sin to laugh at those who observe their religious duties and make fun of them. It also is shameful and humiliating for us. Because if we are asked, we say that we are Muslim. If anyone is not happy with Islam, he should adopt the Christian, Jewish or Zoroastrian faith, or else he should proclaim his unbelief and not get involved in the business of the Muslims.
Respect for Rama¡ân
It is obligatory for all to show respect for the month of Rama¡ān, which is the Sultan of all twelve months of the year and the most blessed and most valuable in the Sight of Allah. It is this holy month that brings an abundance of blessings to the Muslims every year.
During the first ten days of this blessed month Allah Al- mighty opens the gates of Mercy for His servants; in the second ten days He forgives them their sins, and in the final ten days He grants deliverance from Hellfire to those of His servants who respect and observe this blessed month be- cause they are aware of its value. Therefore, there is a true feast for believers at the end of Rama¡ān. Allah has com- manded believers to keep the fast during the blessed days of Rama¡ān, and our Holy Prophet ordered them to pray the tarâwîª prayer during the nights.
If a person is prevented from fasting for a valid reason, he should not tell anybody that he is not fasting but carry on as if he were keeping the fast. It is a great sin to eat while fasting people are looking on. It is as if he were challenging Allah, like the one who says, “See here, I am not fasting, so what are You going to do about that? Go ahead!” The final outcome for such people cannot be a good one.
Regulations for Fasting
Fasting is a form of worship that Allah has made a duty for all believers. As with every other action, the condition for fasting is that one first makes one’s intention. If he likes, a person can make his intention separately for every day, or else he can intend the fast of the complete month of
Rama¡ān, and if he wishes, he can make his intention for all the months of Rama¡ān of his entire lifetime. As for the benefit of this intention, whatever a person intends to do, even if he never has the opportunity to carry out his inten- tion, he will receive rewards as if he had actually performed that action. For instance if a person were to intend to fast Rama¡ān every year until the end of the world, should he live that long, then on the Day of Reckoning in his book of deeds he would find written rewards as if he had actually fasted Rama¡ān every year until the end of time. Therefore, people who always think about good actions and intend to carry them out will receive the rewards for them, even if they do not find the strength to realise those intentions.
Intention for fasting can be made the night before or in the morning. A person who intends to fast keeps away from all food and drink and does not approach his wife from the first sign of dawn until the sun has set, according to Allah’s command. Fasting also serves as a training for one’s own nafs and for subjecting it to one’s will. Those who can con- trol their own nafs can succeed in all that is good, whereas, by contrast, all badness issues from a person’s lack of con- trol over his own nafs and running after its desires. Allah Almighty has made fasting a binding duty on all nations, beginning from the nation of Adam, peace be upon him, up unto the nation of our Holy Prophet. For it is hunger that can break down the nafs and that furthers its compliance
with the commands of Allah l. Fasting has been made obligatory for the training of the nafs, and for developing
good moral character.
There is great reward in inviting a guest for the break- ing of the fast (iftâr) during the month of Rama¡ān. Just as a person during his fast refrains from food and drink for Allah’s sake, so he must also abandon everything that Allah
l has prohibited, that He has made ªarâm. It is damaging to the fast and diminishes its reward if one tells lies, engag- es in slander, criticises people, or harms them by word or
deed. If one happens to forget that one is fasting and eats something, the fast is not broken. Our Holy Prophet taught us that it is good and full of blessings to hasten to break the fast at iftâr, and to delay the saªûr (pre-dawn) meal.
On Giving fitr (zakât al-fitr)
Whoever is too ill or too elderly to keep the fast is required to give a certain amount in alms (fitr) to the poor for every day of the fast that he has missed. There is also a fitr that every Muslim having the means is required to give during Rama¡ān, up until the ‘Îd prayer, for himself, for his wife, his children, his domestic servants, and for other depen- dents. Whether one has fasted or not, he is obliged to give fitr. The fitr is the right of the poor. Whoever gives his fitr with a happy heart will be protected from the troubles and misfortunes that would come upon him and his household from one year to the next.
Those who cannot keep the Rama¡ān fast because of ill- ness or because of a journey, which are both acceptable ex- cuses, make up for the days they have missed day by day. If a person breaks the Rama¡ān fast intentionally after having made the intention to fast, he will be required to fast six- ty-one days uninterruptedly. Pregnant women and nursing mothers make up for the Rama¡ān days they have missed by fasting an equal number of days in another month.
4 – giving
alms
(zakât)
About Giving zakât
In Islam, it is a duty for everyone who possesses wealth to pay zakât on his possessions. Allah l does not accept the prayers of those who pray but do not give their zakât. Allah Almighty will not protect the rich who do not protect the poor; in the end, they will lose their wealth and will them-
selves become dependent on others. He will increase the wealth of the rich who pay their zakât dues and will protect them from any harm to their possessions and their lives.
Zakât is distributed once a year among the poor. Accord- ing to the command of Allah l, those who have money set aside one fortieth (2,5%) of their money, or merchants of their wares, with the intention of paying their zakât dues, saying: “O my Lord, You have given this wealth to me; for
the sake of gaining Your Pleasure in accordance with Your Command I have set aside my zakât to give to the poor among Your servants. Please accept my offering and do not leave us in need of anyone but You.” Those who set aside and present their zakât in this manner will not experience any difficulty or scarcity in this world or the next. If a farmer gives charity in the way of Allah (sadaqa) on the crops that he regularly grows, his earnings will be blessed with abun- dance, and will be protected from misfortune and calamity.
5 – pilgrimage to
(ªajj)
mecca
Óajj – the Pilgrimage to Mecca
The fifth pillar of Islam is, for those possessing the means, to go on ªajj to the Óijāz once in their life. Allah Almighty has made it obligatory for those of His servants who are well-off to visit and circle the Holy Ka‘ba and to stand at Mount ‘Arafāt once during their lifetime.
Standing at ‘Arafât
The object of the ªajj (pilgrimage) is the Standing at ‘Arafāt (waqf) on the ninth day of Dhi l-Óijja. He who is at ‘Arafāt on that day becomes a Óajjî. Allah Almighty will cast His gaze upon His servants gathered at ‘Arafāt on the day before the ‘Îd. The Light of this Divine Gaze will cleanse those present of all the sins they have committed up until that moment, so that they are again as pure as new- born babes. Our Holy Prophet gave us the good tidings that those whose ªajj is accepted are destined for Paradise.
The adab (good manners) of the Pilgrimage
Having set out on pilgrimage, a person will encounter plac- es and people he has never seen before, he will be faced with situations he is not used to, he will endure hardship; therefore, one who embarks on his ªajj must be equipped
with patience and endurance in the event of any difficulty. No matter how much difficulty he faces during his pilgrim- age, he must complete his ªajj without complaining and without expressing his discomfort to anyone. During the ªajj one must not look at anyone’s shortcomings, mistakes, or faults, and one must hurt no one by word or deed. Some- one who quarrels, is provocative, or engages in physical fighting will be stripped of the rewards of his ªajj. One who goes on ªajj must take with him as much money as he will need and spend it as he likes in the holy places. It is not permissible to become a burden on someone else, or to set out with an insufficient amount of money, or to impose
physical suffering on oneself. Allah l has made the ªajj
obligatory on those who have sufficient strength for it. It
is not permissible for women to go on ªajj on their own. They must travel with a male companion to look after their needs, with their husbands, their sons or brothers, or one of their close relatives.
All of the pilgrim’s expenditures on his journey to the Óijāz, from the time he leaves his house until he arrives at his destination and from there up to the moment of his return to his home, will be placed in the mîzân, the scales of balance, on Judgment Day. Any one sadaqa (charity) the pilgrim distributes while in Mecca will be reckoned as one hundred thousand sadaqât. Every prayer that one prays at that holy place is the equivalent of one hundred thousand prayers, and one day of fasting has the worth of a hundred thousand days of fasting. Those embarking on a pilgrimage to the Óijāz must set out on the business of the Hereaf- ter, and when they make their intention to go on ªajj, they should say: “O my Lord, for the sake of Your Pleasure I have made the intention to go on ªajj; make it easy for me and assist me in fulfilling my intention.”
Pilgrims setting out for Mecca with the intention of per- forming the ªajj, don their iªrâm before entering the city of Mecca and enter it thus attired. Everyone arriving at Mecca first of all visits the Holy Ka‘ba and performs tawâf around it. On the day before ‘Îd al-A¡ªâ everyone ascends Mount ‘Arafāt to perform the waqf, the Standing at ‘Arafāt. From ‘Arafāt the pilgrims go down to Muzdalifa the night before the ‘Îd, and on the morning of the ‘Îd they set out and move on to Minā. There the sacrifices are made, the pilgrims leave their state of iªrâm, and go on to stone the devil. After spending three days of the ‘Îd there, they return to Mecca on the third day. On reaching the Ka‘ba they perform the
tawâf of ziyâra (visitation), after which they do the sa‘y, the ritual of passing back and forth between the hills of Zafā and Marwa seven times. With this they will have completed the far¡ and wâjib obligations of the ªajj.
The Visit to our Holy Prophet, the Pride of all Creation
After having completed the ªajj, the pilgrims go on to Medina and visit our Holy Prophet. It is reported that our Holy Prophet said: “My intercession becomes wâjib, re- quired of me, on behalf of whoever visits my grave.” We are also given the good tidings that anyone who is present at forty prayer times in the Holy Mosque of the Prophet will be eligible for pardon from two things: from hypocrisy, and from Hell.
B O O K T H R E E
THE
FOUNDATIONS OF ISLAM
The Fifty-Four far¡ Requirements
There are fifty-four far¡ obligations which comprise the foundations of Islam, and it is a principle of Islam that we be informed of these and arrange our lives accordingly. Believ- ing in these fifty-four far¡ and putting them into practice will ensure a community’s advancement in this world and deliverance in the next, and will guarantee the happiness of every single individual.
1.To know that Allah Almighty is One and to remember Him often; (not to ascribe any partners to Him) and to eschew unbelief;
2.To eat and drink only what is ªalâl; to keep the fast of Rama¡ān;
3.To make wu¡û’;
4.To pray the five daily prayers and to instruct one’s fam- ily to do so;
5.To perform ghusl in case of major ritual impurity (janâ- ba); if there is no water to be found or in case one has a valid excuse, to perform tayammum;
6.To know for a truth that Allah Almighty is the Provider and guarantees our provision;
7.To wear clean clothes obtained through means that are
ªalâl; to keep one’s private parts clean;
8.To put oneself in Allah’s hands; to depend on Allah l in all matters and to trust in Him;
9.To content oneself with whatever Allah l has given; to ask everything of the Lord;
10.To give thanks for the endless favours Allah Almighty has granted us;
11.To be satisfied with what Allah Almighty has decreed; not to complain;
12.To be patient in the face of calamity, not to complain of anybody; to seek refuge in Allah l in all matters;
13.Not to forget one’s past sins and to repent of them;
14.To be a sincere servant to Allah Almighty; to worship sincerely;
15.To consider Shaytān as one’s enemy and never to follow him;
16.To hold the Holy Qur’ān as the proof and ultimate au- thority; to listen to the Qur’ān and not give ear to false words;
17.To know death for a reality; to prepare for it, to provide for oneself through piety and God-fearing conduct; not to trade one’s eternal life hereafter for this fleeting world;
18.To love that which Allah l loves, and to avoid what He dislikes;
19.To show kindness to one’s parents and to always treat them well; never to disobey them;
20.To enjoin goodness and prevent evil; not to insult what Islam holds in respect;
21.To visit one’s relatives and enquire after their health; to show consideration for one’s neighbour’s rights;
22.Not to betray a trust; to guard what is right; to stand for justice everywhere;
23.To always be in awe of Allah Almighty and to abandon worldly comforts;
24.To obey Allah Almighty and His Prophet; not to re- verse good actions;
25.To avoid sinfulness and to busy oneself with acts of worship; not to worship or perform good deeds for show;
26.To obey those wielding authority;
27.To regard the world as a lesson to be learned; not to make friends of those who disbelieve;
28.To reflect on everything; not to act thoughtlessly;
29.To guard one’s tongue from bad language; not to speak indecent and repulsive words;
30.To purify one’s heart; to remove bad habits from the heart;
31.Not to make fun of anyone; never to ridicule anybody;
32.Not to look at what is ªarâm; to turn one’s gaze from women out of wedlock and to overlook other’s faults;
33.To be true to one’s word, as a believer will always be;
34.To stop one’s ears from listening to bad things; not to torment any Muslim;
35.To strive for the knowledge that will bring salvation in this world and in the next;
36.To always weigh with true weight and balance; not to cheat anybody;
37.Never to feel safe from Allah Almighty’s punishment, and to always fear Allah (to practice taqwâ);
38.To give charity to the poor and to help those in need;
39.Never to give up hope in Allah’s Mercy, no matter how much one has sinned;
40.Not to yield to the desires of one’s nafs; to avoid back- biting, musical entertainment, and useless speech;
41.To feed people for Allah’s sake; to love Allah Almighty more than anything else;
42.To earn a good living so that one is not dependent on others;
43.To give zakât, and to go on ªajj once during one’s life- time, provided one has the necessary means;
44.Not to touch a woman during her monthly courses and after childbirth; to wait before marrying a divorced wom- an until she has completed her ‘idda, her waiting period;
45.Not to drink alcohol, not to gamble, not to make a busi- ness of moneylending and usury;
46.Not to commit adultery; to keep away from lewdness and sodomy;
47.Not to be arrogant toward anyone; not to slander any- one; not to adopt a conceited gait or swagger;
48.Not to usurp the property of orphans; not to commit injustice in matters of inheritance; not to wrongfully ap- propriate anyone’s belongings;
49.Not to talk maliciously about a Muslim in his absence; not to pry into a fellow Muslim’s shortcomings; not to make evil assumptions about one’s fellow believers; not to refer to anyone by bad nicknames;
50.To fulfill one’s contracts; not to break agreements; not to remind anyone reproachfully of a kindness done to him; not to conceal testimony to the truth; not to com- mit perjury; not to bear false witness;
51.Not to run from the enemy in war, but to fight for the sake of Allah’s Pleasure; not to unjustly kill any believer or dhimmî (protected non-Muslim population in a Mus- lim state);
52.To always preserve one’s probity; not to abandon the integrity of these nine parts of the body: the heart, the tongue, the eye, the ear, the belly, the hands, the feet, the private parts, and the trunk; to love all righteous believers for Allah’s sake, and to dislike those who dis- believe and openly engage in sinfulness; not to practise magic or make mischief; not to regard anything as un- lucky (superstitiously);
53.Not to eat pork, blood, or the meat of animals not ritu- ally slaughtered (fallen stock), or not slaughtered in the Name of Allah (that is, in the name of another); always to speak the truth; to refrain from telling lies; not to en- gage in robbery and brigandage;
54.To abstain from spending money on sinful things (lux- uries, frivolous objects etc.); to abandon wastefulness; not to endanger oneself by one’s own hand in actions for this world or the next; not to marry anyone of a forbidden degree of kinship, or a woman who practises idolatry. To learn one’s religious obligations; to act in accordance with the Qur’ān and to avoid ignorance in every way.
All of the above are obligations spelled out in the holy vers- es of the Holy Qur’ān. Whoever acts in accordance with these will earn Allah’s Pleasure and attain eternal bliss. There is no doubt that Islam inspires the highest level of faith and the highest standards of character in man. In the Islamic religion, everything that ruins humanity and drags mankind into disaster is absolutely forbidden. On the con-
trary, Islam stringently imposes the actions that are most necessary for mankind’s progress and development.
The laws brought by Islam form the most suitable and su- perior system, applicable to every period of history and to every community. As long as man continues to exist, this order will neither be changed nor corrupted. The commu- nities who are able to truly abide by these rules will of a certainty make progress. This experience is an historically well-proven fact.
*
Animal Sacrifice
It is wâjib for anyone who possesses sufficient means to sac- rifice an animal for Allah’s good pleasure on the ‘Îd al-A¡ªâ, the Feast of Sacrifices.
Every part of the animal that is sacrificed will be a ran- som for every part of the person offering the sacrifice. Its limbs, blood and soul will be set free in substitution for that person’s limbs, blood, and soul. To sacrifice an animal for ten liras is superior to giving one thousand liras in charity. For as soon as the blood of the sacrificial animal touches the ground, the person offering the sacrifice achieves forgive- ness. If the person sacrificing the animal is a woman, she must be present when the animal is sacrificed and watch it from the background. If a person is unable to perform the sacrifice himself, he should engage someone who knows how to do it in his stead. Those assisting the person per- forming the sacrifice should all intone the takbîr (Allâhu akbar) and recite the basmala. The one offering the sacrifice recites this du‘â’:
Bismillâhi r-raªmâni r-raªîm.
“[Qul:] Inna salâtî wa nusukî
wa maªyâya wa mamâtî li-llâhi rabbi l-‘alamîn, lâ sharîka lah wa bi-dhâlika umirtu
wa anâ awwalu l-muslimîn.” 22 [Sûrat al-An‘âm 6:162-163]
While performing the sacrifice, it is considered makrûh, highly detestable, to cut the animal’s spinal chord with the first cut, while the animal is still alive. It is ªarâm to cut the spinal chord before the animal is dead and has come to rest, since to do so will cause the animal pain beyond pain. Great care must therefore be taken when slaughtering any animal not to injure the spinal chord before the animal is dead. Some people think that unless the spinal chord is cut the animal will not easily die, and cut into it with the first cut of the knife, but this is not correct. It is a cruelty and in- justice to the animal. It has a claim on the one who slaugh- tered it in this manner. That animal will hold the o
Link: https://www.nvrislam.net/index.php?j=eng&post=6046
yâ arªama r-râªimîn.20
Whoever does not know this prayer, may recite:
“Rabbanâ ghfir lî wa li-wâlidayya
wa li-l-mu’minîna yawma yaqûmu l-ªisâb.” [Sûratu Ibrâhîm, 14:41]
If one does not know this prayer either, one may stand without reciting anything. If the deceased person is a child, this du‘â’ is recited as well:
“Allâhumma j‘alhu lanâ farata(n) Allâhumma j‘alhu lanâ ajran wa dhukhra(n) wa-j‘alhu lanâ shafî‘an wa mushaffa‘a.”21
When the Imam has called the fourth takbîr, the jamâ‘a (congregation) repeats the takbîr and together with the Imam give salâmât, thus completing the prayer. Whoever is performing the janâza prayer outside of the mosque, should take off his shoes and step on top of them for the duration of the prayer. Our Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, once said that those attending a funeral prayer will receive a
20Allah, grant forgiveness to our living and to our dead, and to those who are present and to those who are absent, and to our young and our old folk, and to our males and females.
O Allah! whomsoever you grant to live, from among us, help him (resp. her) to live in Islam, and whom of us you cause to die, help him (her) to die in faith.
O Allah, if he (she) acted well, then increase for him his good action, and if he (she) acted wrongly, then overlook his wrong actions. Grant him security, glad tidings, generosity and closeness to you through your Mercy, O most Merciful.
21O Allah! make him (or her) our forerunner, and make him for us a reward and a treasure, and make him for us a pleader, and accept his pleading.
reward as big as Mount Ukud, and that those attending a burial will receive a reward twice as big. It definitely is the last claim that our departed Muslim brothers have on us that we should accompany them on the way to their grave, their final resting place, and keep fellowship with them. For every step that one bears the bier and follows behind in the procession one is forgiven one major sin.
Remembering the dead, reciting prayers on them, and giving alms in their name will gladden those who have passed away, and will also help us to leave this world with faith. It is a very important service to pray for the deceased and to do good in their name, in particular on Fridays and on special holy nights. Just as baby birds open their beaks wide when their mother alights on the edge of their nest, bringing them food, in the same way our near and dear deceased ones wait for the gifts that we bring to them. Therefore we must make every effort not to deprive them of these. He who knows nothing else can at least recite Qul huwa llâhu aªad ... (Sûrat al-Ikhlâs) three times, and then say: “O my Lord, I dedicate this to our Holy Prophet and to all my loved ones who have passed away; may it please You to make it reach them!” Then if he also reads al-Fâtiªa once, he will receive the reward of having dedicated a reading of the entire Qur’ān (khatm).
Only men should attend the funeral service. It is a big sin for women to walk behind the funeral procession and to weep and cry loudly in the graveyard. It is a torment for the deceased if women walk behind the bier or if women are present at the burial ground. Since it is sinful for women to follow behind in a funeral procession, and a torment to the deceased, women must not follow the dead on their way to the cemetery. It is also not permissible for women to go to the graveyard early in the morning, under the pretext of
performing certain rites during the first forty days after the passing. Instead of going to the graveyard, a woman should recite Qur’ān for the deceased in her home. This will give joy to the deceased and at the same time she will be given the reward of having gone on ªajj. Nowadays, when women go to visit cemeteries all decked out and heavily made-up, the inhabitants of the graves suffer a great deal of pain and cry out: “When will these women go away and leave us be!” because they are causing them such torment.
To place wreaths on the burial site is a Christian custom and has no place in our religious or national traditions. This is wasting money for a useless purpose, and Islam is always on the lookout for what is useful and beneficial. Islam has no time for spending money simply for show and ostentation. Instead of investing money by the handful in wreaths at every funeral, how much more praiseworthy it would be if that money were used to found a charity for the benefit of the community. Another way of wasting a lot of money is buildings that are erected over grave sites. That is anoth- er thing Islam does not commend. It is not at all reason- able to bury countless sums of money alongside the dead. This money would be better employed in the foundation of schools, hospitals, orphanages, or any other charitable institutions, and for their continuous upkeep. However, it is useful for the deceased if their graves are covered by green leaves and verdant plants. If myrtle branches or date fronds, or branches of any other plant that keep their green freshness for a long time, are placed upon a grave, their
praises of Allah l will cause His mercy to rain upon the dead in their graves.
3 – fasting
(siyâm)
Fasting in Islam
Fasting every year during the month of Rama¡ān is a form of worship that Allah Almighty has made obligatory for His believing servants to observe. It is a binding duty for all Muslims who have reached the age of maturity to keep the fast when the month of Rama¡ān begins, excepting those who are ill, travelling, pregnant or nursing, or who cannot fast on account of extreme old age. Fasting means to refrain eating, drinking, and sexual contact from the first sign of dawn until sunset.
The Merits of Fasting
A Muslim keeping the fast is well received in Allah’s pres- ence, He will grant him whatever he asks for and cleanse him of sins. Allah alone knows how great will be the reward given to one who is fasting. Those who fast, who endure hunger and thirst while in this world, will be saved from hunger and thirst on the Day of Judgment. Those who do not fast will die hungry and thirsty and in their graves as well as on the Day of Resurrection they will suffer hunger and thirst as a punishment. Those who have completed all their fasts will be greeted by angels offering them trays of heavenly foods the moment they rise from their graves.
Fasting Is Not Difficult
Allah l helps anyone, who intends to keep the fast, to suc- ceed in completing his fast, even young children. There- fore it cannot be right for adults to say, “We cannot put
up with fasting.” To keep the fast is only a matter of will power. If a person who is in control of his nafs says: “O my Lord, I am intending to fast this day for the sake of Your Pleasure, please help me to accomplish this,” then he will be successful in his fast. Essentially this is the secret of being successful in all one’s undertakings; for Allah l will never
turn down anyone who makes his intention and then asks
Allah to support him.
Respecting Religion
and Teaching Respect for Religion
It is a sign of faith to have respect for our religion and to teach respect for it. It is obligatory to regard religious in- junctions such as praying and fasting as true and right. It is a great sin to be casual about religious injunctions and to not take them seriously, and an even greater sin to laugh at those who observe their religious duties and make fun of them. It also is shameful and humiliating for us. Because if we are asked, we say that we are Muslim. If anyone is not happy with Islam, he should adopt the Christian, Jewish or Zoroastrian faith, or else he should proclaim his unbelief and not get involved in the business of the Muslims.
Respect for Rama¡ân
It is obligatory for all to show respect for the month of Rama¡ān, which is the Sultan of all twelve months of the year and the most blessed and most valuable in the Sight of Allah. It is this holy month that brings an abundance of blessings to the Muslims every year.
During the first ten days of this blessed month Allah Al- mighty opens the gates of Mercy for His servants; in the second ten days He forgives them their sins, and in the final ten days He grants deliverance from Hellfire to those of His servants who respect and observe this blessed month be- cause they are aware of its value. Therefore, there is a true feast for believers at the end of Rama¡ān. Allah has com- manded believers to keep the fast during the blessed days of Rama¡ān, and our Holy Prophet ordered them to pray the tarâwîª prayer during the nights.
If a person is prevented from fasting for a valid reason, he should not tell anybody that he is not fasting but carry on as if he were keeping the fast. It is a great sin to eat while fasting people are looking on. It is as if he were challenging Allah, like the one who says, “See here, I am not fasting, so what are You going to do about that? Go ahead!” The final outcome for such people cannot be a good one.
Regulations for Fasting
Fasting is a form of worship that Allah has made a duty for all believers. As with every other action, the condition for fasting is that one first makes one’s intention. If he likes, a person can make his intention separately for every day, or else he can intend the fast of the complete month of
Rama¡ān, and if he wishes, he can make his intention for all the months of Rama¡ān of his entire lifetime. As for the benefit of this intention, whatever a person intends to do, even if he never has the opportunity to carry out his inten- tion, he will receive rewards as if he had actually performed that action. For instance if a person were to intend to fast Rama¡ān every year until the end of the world, should he live that long, then on the Day of Reckoning in his book of deeds he would find written rewards as if he had actually fasted Rama¡ān every year until the end of time. Therefore, people who always think about good actions and intend to carry them out will receive the rewards for them, even if they do not find the strength to realise those intentions.
Intention for fasting can be made the night before or in the morning. A person who intends to fast keeps away from all food and drink and does not approach his wife from the first sign of dawn until the sun has set, according to Allah’s command. Fasting also serves as a training for one’s own nafs and for subjecting it to one’s will. Those who can con- trol their own nafs can succeed in all that is good, whereas, by contrast, all badness issues from a person’s lack of con- trol over his own nafs and running after its desires. Allah Almighty has made fasting a binding duty on all nations, beginning from the nation of Adam, peace be upon him, up unto the nation of our Holy Prophet. For it is hunger that can break down the nafs and that furthers its compliance
with the commands of Allah l. Fasting has been made obligatory for the training of the nafs, and for developing
good moral character.
There is great reward in inviting a guest for the break- ing of the fast (iftâr) during the month of Rama¡ān. Just as a person during his fast refrains from food and drink for Allah’s sake, so he must also abandon everything that Allah
l has prohibited, that He has made ªarâm. It is damaging to the fast and diminishes its reward if one tells lies, engag- es in slander, criticises people, or harms them by word or
deed. If one happens to forget that one is fasting and eats something, the fast is not broken. Our Holy Prophet taught us that it is good and full of blessings to hasten to break the fast at iftâr, and to delay the saªûr (pre-dawn) meal.
On Giving fitr (zakât al-fitr)
Whoever is too ill or too elderly to keep the fast is required to give a certain amount in alms (fitr) to the poor for every day of the fast that he has missed. There is also a fitr that every Muslim having the means is required to give during Rama¡ān, up until the ‘Îd prayer, for himself, for his wife, his children, his domestic servants, and for other depen- dents. Whether one has fasted or not, he is obliged to give fitr. The fitr is the right of the poor. Whoever gives his fitr with a happy heart will be protected from the troubles and misfortunes that would come upon him and his household from one year to the next.
Those who cannot keep the Rama¡ān fast because of ill- ness or because of a journey, which are both acceptable ex- cuses, make up for the days they have missed day by day. If a person breaks the Rama¡ān fast intentionally after having made the intention to fast, he will be required to fast six- ty-one days uninterruptedly. Pregnant women and nursing mothers make up for the Rama¡ān days they have missed by fasting an equal number of days in another month.
4 – giving
alms
(zakât)
About Giving zakât
In Islam, it is a duty for everyone who possesses wealth to pay zakât on his possessions. Allah l does not accept the prayers of those who pray but do not give their zakât. Allah Almighty will not protect the rich who do not protect the poor; in the end, they will lose their wealth and will them-
selves become dependent on others. He will increase the wealth of the rich who pay their zakât dues and will protect them from any harm to their possessions and their lives.
Zakât is distributed once a year among the poor. Accord- ing to the command of Allah l, those who have money set aside one fortieth (2,5%) of their money, or merchants of their wares, with the intention of paying their zakât dues, saying: “O my Lord, You have given this wealth to me; for
the sake of gaining Your Pleasure in accordance with Your Command I have set aside my zakât to give to the poor among Your servants. Please accept my offering and do not leave us in need of anyone but You.” Those who set aside and present their zakât in this manner will not experience any difficulty or scarcity in this world or the next. If a farmer gives charity in the way of Allah (sadaqa) on the crops that he regularly grows, his earnings will be blessed with abun- dance, and will be protected from misfortune and calamity.
5 – pilgrimage to
(ªajj)
mecca
Óajj – the Pilgrimage to Mecca
The fifth pillar of Islam is, for those possessing the means, to go on ªajj to the Óijāz once in their life. Allah Almighty has made it obligatory for those of His servants who are well-off to visit and circle the Holy Ka‘ba and to stand at Mount ‘Arafāt once during their lifetime.
Standing at ‘Arafât
The object of the ªajj (pilgrimage) is the Standing at ‘Arafāt (waqf) on the ninth day of Dhi l-Óijja. He who is at ‘Arafāt on that day becomes a Óajjî. Allah Almighty will cast His gaze upon His servants gathered at ‘Arafāt on the day before the ‘Îd. The Light of this Divine Gaze will cleanse those present of all the sins they have committed up until that moment, so that they are again as pure as new- born babes. Our Holy Prophet gave us the good tidings that those whose ªajj is accepted are destined for Paradise.
The adab (good manners) of the Pilgrimage
Having set out on pilgrimage, a person will encounter plac- es and people he has never seen before, he will be faced with situations he is not used to, he will endure hardship; therefore, one who embarks on his ªajj must be equipped
with patience and endurance in the event of any difficulty. No matter how much difficulty he faces during his pilgrim- age, he must complete his ªajj without complaining and without expressing his discomfort to anyone. During the ªajj one must not look at anyone’s shortcomings, mistakes, or faults, and one must hurt no one by word or deed. Some- one who quarrels, is provocative, or engages in physical fighting will be stripped of the rewards of his ªajj. One who goes on ªajj must take with him as much money as he will need and spend it as he likes in the holy places. It is not permissible to become a burden on someone else, or to set out with an insufficient amount of money, or to impose
physical suffering on oneself. Allah l has made the ªajj
obligatory on those who have sufficient strength for it. It
is not permissible for women to go on ªajj on their own. They must travel with a male companion to look after their needs, with their husbands, their sons or brothers, or one of their close relatives.
All of the pilgrim’s expenditures on his journey to the Óijāz, from the time he leaves his house until he arrives at his destination and from there up to the moment of his return to his home, will be placed in the mîzân, the scales of balance, on Judgment Day. Any one sadaqa (charity) the pilgrim distributes while in Mecca will be reckoned as one hundred thousand sadaqât. Every prayer that one prays at that holy place is the equivalent of one hundred thousand prayers, and one day of fasting has the worth of a hundred thousand days of fasting. Those embarking on a pilgrimage to the Óijāz must set out on the business of the Hereaf- ter, and when they make their intention to go on ªajj, they should say: “O my Lord, for the sake of Your Pleasure I have made the intention to go on ªajj; make it easy for me and assist me in fulfilling my intention.”
Pilgrims setting out for Mecca with the intention of per- forming the ªajj, don their iªrâm before entering the city of Mecca and enter it thus attired. Everyone arriving at Mecca first of all visits the Holy Ka‘ba and performs tawâf around it. On the day before ‘Îd al-A¡ªâ everyone ascends Mount ‘Arafāt to perform the waqf, the Standing at ‘Arafāt. From ‘Arafāt the pilgrims go down to Muzdalifa the night before the ‘Îd, and on the morning of the ‘Îd they set out and move on to Minā. There the sacrifices are made, the pilgrims leave their state of iªrâm, and go on to stone the devil. After spending three days of the ‘Îd there, they return to Mecca on the third day. On reaching the Ka‘ba they perform the
tawâf of ziyâra (visitation), after which they do the sa‘y, the ritual of passing back and forth between the hills of Zafā and Marwa seven times. With this they will have completed the far¡ and wâjib obligations of the ªajj.
The Visit to our Holy Prophet, the Pride of all Creation
After having completed the ªajj, the pilgrims go on to Medina and visit our Holy Prophet. It is reported that our Holy Prophet said: “My intercession becomes wâjib, re- quired of me, on behalf of whoever visits my grave.” We are also given the good tidings that anyone who is present at forty prayer times in the Holy Mosque of the Prophet will be eligible for pardon from two things: from hypocrisy, and from Hell.
B O O K T H R E E
THE
FOUNDATIONS OF ISLAM
The Fifty-Four far¡ Requirements
There are fifty-four far¡ obligations which comprise the foundations of Islam, and it is a principle of Islam that we be informed of these and arrange our lives accordingly. Believ- ing in these fifty-four far¡ and putting them into practice will ensure a community’s advancement in this world and deliverance in the next, and will guarantee the happiness of every single individual.
1.To know that Allah Almighty is One and to remember Him often; (not to ascribe any partners to Him) and to eschew unbelief;
2.To eat and drink only what is ªalâl; to keep the fast of Rama¡ān;
3.To make wu¡û’;
4.To pray the five daily prayers and to instruct one’s fam- ily to do so;
5.To perform ghusl in case of major ritual impurity (janâ- ba); if there is no water to be found or in case one has a valid excuse, to perform tayammum;
6.To know for a truth that Allah Almighty is the Provider and guarantees our provision;
7.To wear clean clothes obtained through means that are
ªalâl; to keep one’s private parts clean;
8.To put oneself in Allah’s hands; to depend on Allah l in all matters and to trust in Him;
9.To content oneself with whatever Allah l has given; to ask everything of the Lord;
10.To give thanks for the endless favours Allah Almighty has granted us;
11.To be satisfied with what Allah Almighty has decreed; not to complain;
12.To be patient in the face of calamity, not to complain of anybody; to seek refuge in Allah l in all matters;
13.Not to forget one’s past sins and to repent of them;
14.To be a sincere servant to Allah Almighty; to worship sincerely;
15.To consider Shaytān as one’s enemy and never to follow him;
16.To hold the Holy Qur’ān as the proof and ultimate au- thority; to listen to the Qur’ān and not give ear to false words;
17.To know death for a reality; to prepare for it, to provide for oneself through piety and God-fearing conduct; not to trade one’s eternal life hereafter for this fleeting world;
18.To love that which Allah l loves, and to avoid what He dislikes;
19.To show kindness to one’s parents and to always treat them well; never to disobey them;
20.To enjoin goodness and prevent evil; not to insult what Islam holds in respect;
21.To visit one’s relatives and enquire after their health; to show consideration for one’s neighbour’s rights;
22.Not to betray a trust; to guard what is right; to stand for justice everywhere;
23.To always be in awe of Allah Almighty and to abandon worldly comforts;
24.To obey Allah Almighty and His Prophet; not to re- verse good actions;
25.To avoid sinfulness and to busy oneself with acts of worship; not to worship or perform good deeds for show;
26.To obey those wielding authority;
27.To regard the world as a lesson to be learned; not to make friends of those who disbelieve;
28.To reflect on everything; not to act thoughtlessly;
29.To guard one’s tongue from bad language; not to speak indecent and repulsive words;
30.To purify one’s heart; to remove bad habits from the heart;
31.Not to make fun of anyone; never to ridicule anybody;
32.Not to look at what is ªarâm; to turn one’s gaze from women out of wedlock and to overlook other’s faults;
33.To be true to one’s word, as a believer will always be;
34.To stop one’s ears from listening to bad things; not to torment any Muslim;
35.To strive for the knowledge that will bring salvation in this world and in the next;
36.To always weigh with true weight and balance; not to cheat anybody;
37.Never to feel safe from Allah Almighty’s punishment, and to always fear Allah (to practice taqwâ);
38.To give charity to the poor and to help those in need;
39.Never to give up hope in Allah’s Mercy, no matter how much one has sinned;
40.Not to yield to the desires of one’s nafs; to avoid back- biting, musical entertainment, and useless speech;
41.To feed people for Allah’s sake; to love Allah Almighty more than anything else;
42.To earn a good living so that one is not dependent on others;
43.To give zakât, and to go on ªajj once during one’s life- time, provided one has the necessary means;
44.Not to touch a woman during her monthly courses and after childbirth; to wait before marrying a divorced wom- an until she has completed her ‘idda, her waiting period;
45.Not to drink alcohol, not to gamble, not to make a busi- ness of moneylending and usury;
46.Not to commit adultery; to keep away from lewdness and sodomy;
47.Not to be arrogant toward anyone; not to slander any- one; not to adopt a conceited gait or swagger;
48.Not to usurp the property of orphans; not to commit injustice in matters of inheritance; not to wrongfully ap- propriate anyone’s belongings;
49.Not to talk maliciously about a Muslim in his absence; not to pry into a fellow Muslim’s shortcomings; not to make evil assumptions about one’s fellow believers; not to refer to anyone by bad nicknames;
50.To fulfill one’s contracts; not to break agreements; not to remind anyone reproachfully of a kindness done to him; not to conceal testimony to the truth; not to com- mit perjury; not to bear false witness;
51.Not to run from the enemy in war, but to fight for the sake of Allah’s Pleasure; not to unjustly kill any believer or dhimmî (protected non-Muslim population in a Mus- lim state);
52.To always preserve one’s probity; not to abandon the integrity of these nine parts of the body: the heart, the tongue, the eye, the ear, the belly, the hands, the feet, the private parts, and the trunk; to love all righteous believers for Allah’s sake, and to dislike those who dis- believe and openly engage in sinfulness; not to practise magic or make mischief; not to regard anything as un- lucky (superstitiously);
53.Not to eat pork, blood, or the meat of animals not ritu- ally slaughtered (fallen stock), or not slaughtered in the Name of Allah (that is, in the name of another); always to speak the truth; to refrain from telling lies; not to en- gage in robbery and brigandage;
54.To abstain from spending money on sinful things (lux- uries, frivolous objects etc.); to abandon wastefulness; not to endanger oneself by one’s own hand in actions for this world or the next; not to marry anyone of a forbidden degree of kinship, or a woman who practises idolatry. To learn one’s religious obligations; to act in accordance with the Qur’ān and to avoid ignorance in every way.
All of the above are obligations spelled out in the holy vers- es of the Holy Qur’ān. Whoever acts in accordance with these will earn Allah’s Pleasure and attain eternal bliss. There is no doubt that Islam inspires the highest level of faith and the highest standards of character in man. In the Islamic religion, everything that ruins humanity and drags mankind into disaster is absolutely forbidden. On the con-
trary, Islam stringently imposes the actions that are most necessary for mankind’s progress and development.
The laws brought by Islam form the most suitable and su- perior system, applicable to every period of history and to every community. As long as man continues to exist, this order will neither be changed nor corrupted. The commu- nities who are able to truly abide by these rules will of a certainty make progress. This experience is an historically well-proven fact.
*
Animal Sacrifice
It is wâjib for anyone who possesses sufficient means to sac- rifice an animal for Allah’s good pleasure on the ‘Îd al-A¡ªâ, the Feast of Sacrifices.
Every part of the animal that is sacrificed will be a ran- som for every part of the person offering the sacrifice. Its limbs, blood and soul will be set free in substitution for that person’s limbs, blood, and soul. To sacrifice an animal for ten liras is superior to giving one thousand liras in charity. For as soon as the blood of the sacrificial animal touches the ground, the person offering the sacrifice achieves forgive- ness. If the person sacrificing the animal is a woman, she must be present when the animal is sacrificed and watch it from the background. If a person is unable to perform the sacrifice himself, he should engage someone who knows how to do it in his stead. Those assisting the person per- forming the sacrifice should all intone the takbîr (Allâhu akbar) and recite the basmala. The one offering the sacrifice recites this du‘â’:
Bismillâhi r-raªmâni r-raªîm.
“[Qul:] Inna salâtî wa nusukî
wa maªyâya wa mamâtî li-llâhi rabbi l-‘alamîn, lâ sharîka lah wa bi-dhâlika umirtu
wa anâ awwalu l-muslimîn.” 22 [Sûrat al-An‘âm 6:162-163]
While performing the sacrifice, it is considered makrûh, highly detestable, to cut the animal’s spinal chord with the first cut, while the animal is still alive. It is ªarâm to cut the spinal chord before the animal is dead and has come to rest, since to do so will cause the animal pain beyond pain. Great care must therefore be taken when slaughtering any animal not to injure the spinal chord before the animal is dead. Some people think that unless the spinal chord is cut the animal will not easily die, and cut into it with the first cut of the knife, but this is not correct. It is a cruelty and in- justice to the animal. It has a claim on the one who slaugh- tered it in this manner. That animal will hold the o
Link: https://www.nvrislam.net/index.php?j=eng&post=6046