Now let
us see what code of conduct Muhammad (blessings of Allah and peace be upon him) has taught
as ordained by God Almighty. The first and foremost things in this respect are the 'Ibadah
(or worships) - the primary duties which must be observed by each and every person
professing to belong to the Muslim community. 'Ibadah is an Arabic word derived from 'Abd
(a slave) and it means submission. The concept of 'Ibadah is very wide. All your
activities are 'Ibadah if they are in accordance with the law of God and your ultimate
objective is to seek the pleasure of God. A set of formal 'Ibadah (worships) are
thus the pillars on which the edifice of Islam rests in other words The five pillars of Islam are the foundation of Muslim life:
1.1. “The Confession” "La ilaha illa
llah" "There is no God but God." The Shahada, (Testimoney) Kalima There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is the Prophet of Allah.
2. Salat - Involves performing ritual prayers five times daily - facing Qibla @ Mecca
The
most fundamental and the most important of these obligations. Salah are the prescribed daily prayers which
consist in repeating and refreshing five times a day the belief in which you repose your
faith.
3. Zakat - Almsgiving for the poor or needful person. Its fundamental
importance lies in the fact that it fosters in us the quality of sacrifice and rids us of
selfishness and greed. Islam accepts within its fold only those who are ready to give away
in God's way some of their wealth willingly. Every Muslim whose finances are above a
certain specified minimum must pay 2.5% of their cash balance annually to the deserving.
4. Fasting - Involves fasting for the month of Ramadan - from sun-up(dawn prayers call) till sun-down. What prayers
seek to do five times a day, fasting in the month of Ramadhan (the ninth month of the
lunar year) does once a year. What is it that makes us voluntarily undergo hunger or
thirst from dawn to dusk? It is nothing but faith in God and the fear of Him and the Day
of Judgment. This consciousness of duty and spirit of patience that incessant fasting
during a whole month helps us strengthen our faith.
5. Hajj - Pilgrimage to
Mecca once a lifetime. Mecca today stands at the site of a house that the Prophet Abraham (God's blessing be upon him) built for
the worship of Allah. Allah rewarded him by calling it His own House and making it the
center towards which all must face when saying prayers. He has also made it obligatory on
those who can afford it to visit this place to perform the Hajj, at least once in a lifetime.
The pilgrimage is, in a way, the biggest of 'Ibadah. For unless a person really loves God
he would never undertake such a long
journey.
Notes some of the informations are taken from Islamicity
Notes some of the informations are taken from Islamicity
