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but
we do not live in a value free world, and a marriage of a
believer in the one God and an idolater would be even
more unworkable than that of a communist and a
capitalist, unless, of course their convictions are no
more than labels they attach to themselves. For a Muslim,
belief is not something you are born with and retain as a
birthright. Belief has a practical dimension and is very
much reflected in what we do and how we interact with the
world around us.
WORSHIP THROUGH ACTION: THE FIVE
PILLARS...
Islam is real life orientated. There is no
benefit in a proclaimed faith which does not translate
into action. Worship in Islam is everything that is done
with the intention to serve and please Allah. Before we
begin offering additional voluntary service, however,
there are some prescribed actions, Allah demands from us.
These are traditionally known as the five pillars on
which the building of Islam rests:
Shahadah (declaration of faith),
Salah (daily prayers],
Sawm (fasting during the lunar
month of Ramadan), Zakah (a share
of one's surplus wealth given to those in need of it),
and Hajj (the pilgrimage to the
Ka'bah in Makkah).
Sahadah...
Except at times of
persecution, faith needs to be proclaimed. It is a public
statement of one's commitment to the cause. To become a Muslim,
a person needs to make the declaration of faith before at least
two witnesses (for practical purposes], and to remain a Muslim,
this commitment must regularly be remembered and renewed. The
declaration of faith is that "There is no God but Allah (La
ilaha illallah) and that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah
(Muhammadur-Rasulullah). The first statement is a clear
rejection of all false gods and a recognition that only Allah
is worthy of worship and devotion. The second statement
acknowledges that we can only learn what Allah wants from us by
listening and adhering to the message sent via His messenger,
Muhammad (SAW), the seal to a long chain of messengers
throughout the history of mankind.
Salah...
Theoretical recognition
of a Creator and supreme power is not sufficient. When
Allah made us, He made us for a purpose, namely to
worship Him in the way He designed for us to worship Him.
Many people say that they worship God in their own way
and that their belief is in their heart, but by taking
that view we make ourselves gods and decide how Allah
should be worshipped, rather than follow His command.
There are five daily prayers in Islam, which can be
complemented by further voluntary prayers. These prayers
involve both the body and the mind and consist of a
series of bowing and prostrations together with
recitations of the Qur'an and of praises of Allah,
complemented by personal requests. The prayers are during
the morning twilight before sunrise
(Fajr), after the sun has passed its
zenith or highest point at noon (Zuhr),
mid-afternoon (Asr), after sunset
(Maghrib), and after the onset of night
(Isha). These regular prayers serve as
an ongoing reminder of our purpose in life and prevent us
from straying too far off the path. They are like roll
calls or the taking of a register: Just like a factory
worker is not considered to be present at work if he does
not clock in, or pupils are not recorded as attending if
they were not present at registration, the five daily
prayers reaffirm again and again that we are still in the
service of Allah.
Sawm...
As we go through life,
it is easy to become pre occupied with satisfying our
material needs. Some religions institute retreats for a
few chosen people who dedicate themselves fully to
religious service and renounce the worldly struggle for
survival. Islam takes a more moderate approach where once
a year everybody takes a retreat together. By abstaining
from food and drink and intimate sexual relations during
daylight hours for the duration of the month of Ramadan,
the 9th month of the lunar calendar, and by spending more
time during this month in prayer, recitation of the
Qur'an, and reflection, we train ourselves not to become
slaves to our material needs and desires and heighten our
awareness of Allah and our spiritual dimension and
destiny.
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