Bless

Pilgrimage الحج

2006-05-24T04:34:00.000-07:00

The Holy Qur'an > Surah Al-Baqarah> Verse 126
And remember Abraham said: "My Lord, make this a City of Peace, and feed its People with fruits' such of them as believe in Allah and the Last Day." He said: "(Yea), and such as reject Faith, for a while will I grant them their Pleasure, but will soon drive them to the torment of Fire, an evil destination (indeed)!"

Hajj Information Center
http://www.islamicity.com/mosque/hajj/

Fasting Ramadan صوم رمضان

2006-05-24T04:26:00.000-07:00

The Holy Qur'an > Surah Al-Baqarah> Verse 185
Ramadan is the (month) in which was sent down the Qur-an, as a guide to mankind, also Clear (Signs) for guidance and judgment (between right and wrong). So every one of you who is present (at his home) during that month should spend it in fasting, but if any one is ill, or on a journey, the prescribed period (should be made up) by days later. Allah intends every facility for you; He does not want to put you to difficulties. (He wants you) to complete the prescribed period, and to glorify Him in that He has guided you; and perchance ye shall be grateful.

The Holy Qur'an > Surah Al-Baqarah> Verse 187
Permitted to you, on the night of the fasts, is the approach to your wives. They are your garments and ye are their garments. Allah knoweth what ye used to do secretly among yourselves; but He turned to you and forgave you; so now associate with them, and seek what Allah hath ordained for you, and eat and drink until the white thread of dawn appear to you distinct from its black thread; then complete your fast till the night appears; but do not associate with your wives while ye are in retreat in the mosques. Those are limits (set by) Allah: approach not nigh thereto. Thus doth Allah make clear His Signs to men: that they may learn self-restraint.

Narrated Ibn Umar:
I heard Allah's Apostle saying, "When you see the crescent (of the month of Ramadan), start fasting, and when you see the crescent (of the month of Shawwal), stop fasting; and if the sky is overcast (and you can't see It) then regard the crescent (month) of Ramadan (as of 30 days)".

How to Fast
http://www.islam101.com/ramadan/ramadan.htm

More about Ramadan:
http://www.sunnah.org/ibadaat/fasting/Ramadan.html

Obligatory Charity Tax الزكاة

2006-05-24T04:22:00.000-07:00

Narrated Jarir bin 'Abdullah ,

I gave the pledge of allegiance to the Prophet for offering prayer perfectly giving Zakat and giving good advice to every Muslim. Narrated Abu Said:

Allah's Apostle (p.b.u.h) said, "No Zakat is due on property mounting to less than five Uqiyas (of silver), and no Zakat is due on less than five camels, and there is no Zakat on less than five Wasqs." (A Wasqs equals 60 Sa's) & (1 Sa=3 K gms App.)

How to calculate Zakat :
http://zakat.al-islam.com/eng/

Praying الصلاة

2006-05-24T04:14:00.000-07:00

Compulsory prayers :
1- Fajr prayer: 2 times (rakaas)
2- Zuhr prayer: 4 Rakaas
3- Asr prayer: 4 Rakaas
4- Maghreb prayer : 3 Rakaas
5- Eshaa prayer : 4 Rakaas

Audio & Video /detailed info in English & Arabic) كيفية الصلاة http://www.islam.org/Mosque/salat/salat9.htm
http://www.islamway.com/english/images/prayer/pray1.htm

To know the prayer times in your country , use the below link:
http://prayer.al-islam.com/default.asp?l=eng

Before praying : Ablutions (Wudu') from Qor'an and Sunnah الوضوء

2006-05-17T04:16:00.000-07:00

The Holy Qur'an > Surah Al-Maidah> Verse 6

O ye who believe! when ye prepare for prayer, wash your faces, and your hands (and arms) to the elbows; rub your heads (with water); and (wash) your feet to the ankles. If ye are in a state of ceremonial impurity, bathe your whole body. But if ye are ill, or on a journey, or one of you cometh from offices of nature, or ye have been in contact with women, and ye find no water, then take for yourselves clean sand or earth, and rub therewith your faces and hands. Allah doth not wish to place you in a difficulty, but to make you clean, and to complete His favour to you, that ye may be grateful

Narrated 'Ata' bin Yasar:
Ibn 'Abbas performed ablution and washed his face (in the following way): He ladled out a handful of water, rinsed his mouth and washed his nose with it by putting in water and then blowing it out. He then, took another handful (of water) and did like this (gesturing) joining both hands, and washed his face, took another handful of water and washed his right forearm. He again took another handful of water and washed his left forearm, and passed wet hands over his head and took another handful of water and poured it over his right foot (up to his ankles) and washed it thoroughly and similarly took another handful of water and washed thoroughly his left foot (up to the ankles) and said, "I saw Allah's Apostle performing ablution in this way."

Ablution step by step :
http://www.jannah.com/learn/ablution.html http://www.jannah.com/learn/prayer.html http://www.islamway.com/english/images/prayer/pray1.htm

Tawhid: Faith in the Unity of God التوحيد

2006-05-03T04:20:00.000-07:00

The most fundamental and the most important teaching of Prophet Muhammad (blessings of Allah and peace be upon him) is faith in the unity of God. This is expressed in the primary Kalimah of Islam as "There is no deity but Allah" (La ilaha illallah). This beautiful phrase is the bedrock of Islam, its foundation and its essence. It is the expression of this belief which differentiates a true Muslim from a kafir (unbeliever), mushrik (one who associates others with God in His Divinity) or dahriyah (an atheist).
The acceptance or denial of this phrase produces a world of difference between man and man. The believers in it become one single community and those who do not believe in it form an opposing group. For the believers there is unhampered progress and success in this world and in the hereafter, while failure and ignominy are the ultimate lot of those who refuse to believe in it.
But the difference between the believers and the unbelievers does not result from the mere chanting of a few words. Obviously, the mere utterance of a phrase or two is not in itself important. The real difference lies in the conscious acceptance of this doctrine and complete adherence to it in practical life. Mere repetition of the word 'food' cannot dull hunger; mere chanting of a medical prescription cannot heal the disease.
In the same way, if the Kalimah is repeated without any understanding, it cannot work the revolution which it is meant to bring about. This can occur only if a person grasps the full meaning of the doctrine and accepts and follows it in letter and spirit. We avoid fire because we know that it burns; we keep away from poison because we know that it can kill. Similarly, if the real meanings of Tawhid are fully grasped, we avoid, in belief as well as in action, every form of disbelief, atheism and polytheism. This is the natural consequence of belief in the Unity of God.

http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/tawheed/mautaw1.html