Your Way To Islam
Creator: DR. MOHAMMAD SULEIMAN AL-ASHQER
Date: 2006-01-26
Description: An invitation to all to join the faithful in their progress to Allah's blessing.
Identifier: http://islamworld.net/resources/cache/13
Language: en
Source: J. D. C. SERIES ON ISLAM NO. 11
Subject: Non-Muslims
Title: Your Way To Islam
Created on: Sat Jun 27 01:26:31 -0400 2009
Updated on: Mon Sep 25 13:20:59 -0400 2006
Version: 4
Abstract: ... Stand up saying “Allahu Akbar” in order to begin a new Rak‘ah, exactly as the first Rak‘ah. After finishing the second “Rak‘ah” you sit down and recite Part One and Part Two of “At-Tashahhud”. Finally you turn the face to the right hand side and say: “As-Salamu ‘alaykum wa rahmatul-lah” which means Peace be upon you and The Mercy of Allah! Then you do the same to the left side. Thus a two- Rak‘ah prayer is completed, such as the Fajr Prayer. As for 4 Rak‘ah prayers such as the Dhuhr, only the first part of At-Tashahhud is recited after completing the second Rak‘ah. Then you stand up to perform two more Rak‘ahs in the same way, but without reciting any verses from The Qur’an after Al-Fatihah. The ‘Asr and t ‘Isha’ prayers are performed exactly as the Dhuhr. In the Maghrib Prayer, the final Tashahhud and “As-Salam…” come after the third Rak‘ah. WHY WE PRAY The Muslim observes his Prayers to show devotion and obedience to Allah, because Prayer is one of the greatest forms of worship that Allah likes His servants to offer. To thank Him for creating us in the best form of creation. Because He has guided us to the Deen (Complete way of Life, Religion) of Islam. Prayer is a chance for a Muslim to express to his Lord whatever he feels and needs through Divine Words of Allah i.e. the Qur’an. To remember his Lord and not forget His commands amid life’s pre-occupations. To ask Allah, The Exalted, to give him aid and continuous guidance in the darkness of life. To strengthen love and fear of Allah in the Muslim’s heart so that he might remain sticking to the Right Path of Islam, and its laws and manners. Gaining good rewards from Allah and having our sins forgiven. To rejoice when he finds himself on the Last Day pleased with the great reward allotted to him in the Gardens of Bliss. Prayer is a unique training and developmental program which, if well and devotedly performed, can achieve for Muslims many valuable physical, ethical and spiritual gains such as cleanliness, health, order, punctuality, brotherhood, equality, social consolidation,… etc. CHAPTER 17 ZAKAT (Poor Due, Alms) WHAT IS ZAKAT The term “Zakat” originally means: growth, and purity. In Islamic Law, it means paying every lunar year a certain percentage of your savings to certain charitable usage defined by The Qur’an. If you have, for that period, an amount of money equal to the value of 85 grams of pure gold (now 1985, is about $1000) or more, you must pay 2.5%. Zakat is paid for the poor and the needy Muslims, for the wayfarers, for propagating Islam or fighting for Islam, for helping new Muslims or encouraging non-Muslims to embrace Islam, for those who are burdened with debts and are unable to pay them. If you have articles of trade, you calculate their Zakat in the same way. You can ask some Muslim scholar or refer to any good reference book to know more about Zakat. WHY WE PAY ZAKAT To show devotion to Allah Who commanded us to do so and informed us that He loves the charitable. CHAPTER 18 SAWM, or SIYAM (Fasting) ABOUT THE FAST In Ramadan, (the 9th month of the lunar Islamic year) Muslims fast in obedience to Allah’s command and in gratitude for Allah’s Grace for revealing His Glorious Book, The Qur’an, in Ramadan. Sawm (Fasting) is to abstain from eating, drinking and intimate intercourse from dawn to sunset. If sick or on a journey, a Muslim is permitted to break his fast. If he breaks the fast, he has to make it up by fasting a number of days equal to the days in which he broke fasting in Ramadan. After the end of Ramadan comes “Eid al-Fitr” (the Holy day of Breaking the Fast) which is the 1st day of Shawwal, the month following Ramadan. On the Eid morning, all Muslims congregate, in open grounds or in mosques, to perform “ Eid Prayer” to express their happiness and gratitude to Allah for enabling them to complete this duty of Fasting. Concerning this important duty, Allah says: “O you who believe. Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that you may (observe) piety and self-restraint” [The Qur’an 2:183] Also, He says: “Ramadan is the month in which was sent down The Qur’an, as a guide to mankind, also clear (signs) for guidance and judgement (between right and wrong). So, every one of you who is present (at his home, village, or town) during that month should fast it, but if any one is ill, or on a journey, the prescribed period (should be made up) by other days”. [The Qur’an 2:185]. WHY WE FAST We fast in obedience to Allah’s command, and because Allah loves those who fast. To show our gratitude to Allah’s Grace of sending down His Guidance, The Qur’an, to guide us and the whole humanity. To thank Allah for making us of those who believe in The Qur’an. And because He enabled us to memorize His Book, to recite it, to study and understand it, and to benefit in its guidance. To develop control on our material desires Allah planted in our nature. To control ourselves in front of all things prohibited by Allah. Fasting makes us remember the needy who suffer from hunger and deprivation. Hence, to become more sympathetic to them and help them with part of what Allah has bestowed upon us. To check our engrossment in our desires, and increase our care for our spiritual entity through intensifying our deeds and acts of worship in this month of The Qur’an. To increase our share of sincerity, consience, patience, discipline, as well as many healthful benefits. Above all these, the great reward Allah promised to give us on the Last Day. CHAPTER 19 HAJJ (THE PILGRIMAGE) WHAT IS HAJJ Hajj is a journey to ’Al-Ka‘bah (the sacred House of Allah) in Makkah (Mecca) with the intention of obeying Allah’s command and performing certain prescribed rites there. (For the details of performing Hajj, you may consult any Islamic reference book on the subject). Performing Hajj is obligatory, once in a lifetime, upon every mature Muslim provided he is able (physically and financially). The whole journey of Hajj and its rites conform to a unique form, the principles of Islam and commemorate Islamic milestones related to Prophets Ibraheem (Abraham), Ismael and Muhammad, ‘Alayhimus-salam. The rites of Hajj are performed, in general, in the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah (the last month of the Islamic Year). On the 9th of Dhul Hijah the culminating rite is performed at Mount ‘Arafat’ where all pilgrims, sometimes about two million, gather. Pilgrims’ stand at ‘Arafat to declare their supplications to Allah and their repentance and need of His Mercy and Forgiveness. This reminds us of the Grand Assembly on the Day of Judgment. The next day (the tenth) is the great Eid ’Al-’Adha (The Feast of Sacrifice) when pilgrims offer their sacrifices. After slaughtering their sacrifices, pilgrims go to Makkah and make Tawaf (circumbulate) seven times around Al-Ka‘bah. Muslims everywhere slaughter their sacrifices (of camels, cows, or sheep) after performing the Eid Prayer. These sacrifices were prescribed in commemoration of the great sacrifice of Prophet Abraham (Alayhis-salam) when he was about to slaughter his only son, Ismael, whom he loved much, when Allah ordered him to do so to test his loyalty and obedience to Him. After completing the acts of Hajj, you can enjoy visiting The Mosque of Prophet Muhammad – sallal-lahu ‘alayhi wa salam – in Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah (the illuminated town) and attend some Prayers there. The reward for praying at that Mosque is great. When in Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah, pay a greeting visit to the Prophet’s grave and to his noble companions’ graves, in the Islamically accepted form. Also visiting the Holy Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem is recommendable in Islam. WHY WE PERFORM HAJJ Purposes and lessons of performing Hajj are so many. Among them are: Responding in obedience to Allah’s commands. To be grateful to Allah for His Grace and Favors on us, such as health, wealth and children. To glorify Allah by visiting and making Tawaf (gowing around) His Sacred House, Al-Ka‘bah. (Al-Ka‘bah is the first House built on earth for worshipping Allah, which Ibrahim – The Friend – and his son Isma‘il erected by the instruction of Allah). To pray at Al-Ka‘ba, which is the Qiblah (direction) to which all Muslims turn their faces in the five daily prayers. To visit and stand in devotion to Allah at the Sacred Mountains such as Mount ‘Arafat. There we celebrate the praises of Allah, purify our souls and repent of all sins. To see the places where Ibrahim, the noble Friend and Prohpet of Allah, and his first son Ismail – Alayhis-salam – stayed and worshiped Allah. To visit the places where Prophet Muhammad – alayhis-salam – was born, brought up, received the Divine Message, suffered and struggled for spreading the light of Allah. To meet our Muslim brethren coming from all countries, and to see the actualization of brotherhood, equality, cooperation and love among Muslims regardless of their differences in nationality, color, standard of living, and other worldly matters. To see the universality of Islam. To practice patience, sacrifice, endurance, simplicity and other spiritual capacities we are in urgent need of. To come back cleansed of our sins, so as to start a new page in our life, hoping to keep it free from sins until the end of life, so that we may be accepted and well rewarded by Allah in the Hereafter. CHAPTER 20 HOW TO DEVELOP YOUR ISLAM? Becoming a Muslim after becoming convinced is opening a plain page in your deed record. Whatever bad deeds you have committed before, Allah will forgive because of your embracing Islam. Becoming a Muslim is like starting a new life. You have to grow and develop in Islam. How can you do so? By the following: Firstly: Increasing your knowledge of Islam, through: Reading the Qur’anic text. Reading some interpretations of the Qur’an. Reading Traditions (Sayings) of Prophet Muhammad, ‘Alayhis-salatu was-salamu). Reading the biography of Prophet Muhammad –‘Alayhis-salatu was-salamu). Reading the biographies of the great Muslim figures among our righteous fore-Muslims who propagated Islam and proclaimed it to mankind. Attending Jumu‘ah (Friday) congregational prayer, listening to its Khutbah (sermon) and praying with Muslims. Attending the two ‘Eid (holiday) prayers. Performing the five daily prayers in congregation at the mosque whenever you are able to do so. Attending Islamic religious, teaching sessions. Contacting scholars, shaikhs, mosque imams (leaders) and preachers, introducing yourself to them and asking them about any Islamic matter you need to know. They are always happy to provide you with the required clarification. Having one or more friends of good Muslims who are fairly knowledgeable about Islam to be your permanent reliable reference. Read as much as you can of the basic sources of Islam (The Qur’an and As-Sunnah) and of the authentic and trustworthy writings about Islam to understand it more. You will learn a lot about the laws and systems of Islam related to worship, family structure, life activities, manners, economic and public affairs. You will know the ideology of Islam and its view in regard to creation, the universe, man, and life. Islam is not rituals or morals only, it is in fact a comprehensive system for society, a constitution for the state and a way of life. Secondly: Doing good deeds as much as you can: Try to do good deeds more than the five basic duties mentioned before, such as: Performing voluntary prayers, in addition to the compulsory five daily prayers. Helping the poor and the needy by extra charity in addition to Zakat, or by assisting them in carrying out their necessary difficult duties. Fasting a day or more other than in Ramadan. Taking part in useful social projects aimed at reforming Muslim Society. Inviting others to embrace Islam. CHAPTER 21 HOW TO PROTECT YOUR ISLAM Becoming a Muslim means that you have achieved a lot of good for yourself. It is like owning a valuable treasure. The owner of a treasure will have many enemies who strive to take his treasure away from him. And you have gained the treasure of Islam. Some people will try to drive you away from your Deen (Religion). Those people are the foes of Allah. The foes of Allah are devils whether from among Jinn (whom we do not see) or from among human beings. Human devils may try to mock at you. Or, they may try to persuade you by money so that you may turn back from your Religion. They may accuse Islam of many things, or cloud your mind with some misconceptions. You have to know that Allah has said in the Qur’an “And no question do they bring to you but We reveal to you the truth and the best explanation” (The Qur’an 25:33). So, consult Muslim scholars about what Allah has revealed in the Qur’an to answer such misconceptions. As for Jinn devils they whisper into your heart. “Would you desert your fathers’ and forefathers’ religion, and follow a different one?” Would you follow a religion that tasks you with prayers, fasting and giving others your property? And that deprives you from wine… etc.” In fact, many people grow up, and find themselves traditionally following and honoring their parents’ religions and beliefs. All followers of true, or false religions are like that, but the problem is: which of these religions is the true one and which is the false? Surely, Islam is the only Deen (Religion) which is pure and free from all types of superstitions, polytheism and paganism. It is the Deen of pure Monotheism. When you feel these whispers of Jinn devils, recite: Rabbi ’a‘uthu bika min hamazatish-Shayateen, Wa ‘a’udhu bika rabbi ‘an yahduroon (The Qur’an 23:97-98) “O my Lord ! I seek refuge with you from the suggestions of the Evil Ones. And I seek refuge with You, O my Lord!, lest they should come near me”. And recite also the chapters Al-Falaq and An-Nas of the Quran. These are included in Appendix (I) with transliteration. CHAPTER 22 HOW TO INVITE OTHERS TO ISLAM? Our noble Prophet Muhammad – Sallal-lahu ‘alayhi wasallam – said: “If Allah guides one person to Islam through you, it is better for you, than having the greatest wealth.” He also said: “Whoever calls (others) to guidance has the same reward as the rewards of those who follow him, without decreasing anything from their rewards.” Therefore be keen to invite to Islam those non-Muslims whom you know. Start with people who are closest to you, such as: your parents, wife, son, daughter, brother, then relatives and friends. Allah (Glory be to Him) said to His Messenger Muhammad – Sallal-lahu ’Allahu ‘alaihi wasallam – [The Qu’an 26:214], “And admonish your nearest Kinsmen”. Make clear to them the right religion, and make them interested in it! Tell them of the glad tidings of which Allah has promised, and the blessings and favors that Allah will endow upon them in this world and the next if they follow Islam. Warn them of Allah’s wrath upon them if they disbelieve in the Holy Quran which He has revealed to be a guidance to everyone. Or if they disbelieve in Prophet Muhammad – Sallal-lahu ‘alayhi wasallam – whom He has sent as a mercy to the worlds. Invite them with love and sincerity. And you, yourself, should be an example of good character. Be quick in doing good and in helping others. If you do so: You will be a propagator of Islam by your actions as well as your words. Your friends will be quick to accept when you invite them to Islam, and then Allah will lead them to guidance. They will come to know that what you say is the truth. They will consequently accept Islam and love this religion and love you too. You must know well the wise approach of inviting others to Islam and teaching them. Thus you should speak what is suitable for every occasion. One of the wise sayings of Arabs is: “There is suitable speech for each situation.&... [Full Article...]
