Thursday, August 22, 2013

Profile of a Muslim



Checklist for a good Muslim

These verses from the Holy Quran sketch the Profile of a Muslim. Success for a Muslim doesn’t automatically follow belief. It requires fulfillment of certain conditions.

 1. Successful indeed are the believers.
2. Those who offer their Salat (prayers) with all solemnity and full submissiveness.
3. And those who turn away from Al-Laghw (dirty, false, evil vain talk, falsehood, and all that Allah has forbidden).
4. And those who pay the Zakat.
5. And those who guard their chastity (i.e. private parts, from illegal sexual acts)
6. Except from their wives or (the slaves) that their right hands possess, – for then, they are free from blame;
7. But whoever seeks beyond that, then those are the transgressors;
8. Those who are faithfully true to their Amanat (all the duties which Allah has ordained, honesty, moral responsibility and trusts) and to their covenants;
9. And those who strictly guard their (five compulsory congregational) Salawat (prayers) (at their fixed stated hours);
10. These are indeed the inheritors
11.Who shall inherit the Firdaus (Paradise). They shall dwell therein forever.

We as Muslims therefore should ensure the following:
  • Offer prayers regularly at the fixed times and by consciously standing in front of The Almighty Allah with total submission.
  • Become cognizant about what Allah has forbidden and making a conscious effort to stay away from it. Just as we love to keep our bodies clean, we should be concerned about keeping our hearts untainted and pure by guarding ourselves from all that is dirty, evil, false and worthless in our talk, and from everything else that we have been forbidden.
  • Promptly pay Zakat as soon as it is due and not delaying or making excuses, for the Zakat amount is ‘poor due’ and doesn’t belong to us.
  • Not become brazen about matters pertaining to sex, or immune to shamelessness and promiscuity. Preserving human dignity and decency paves the way for a healthy society.
  • Find legitimate gratification of desires only in our spouses.
  • Not betray trust or go back on one’s word.
These verses explicitly convey that abiding by these get us into Paradise for eternal happiness!
Taken from iqrasense.

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Importance of Salah (Namaz - Daily Prayers)

 

 

 

Allah (swt) has said in the Noble Qur'an: "I have not created the jinn and humankind for any other purpose except that they should worship Me." (Noble Qur'an 51:56)

It is clear from the above verse of Noble Qur'an that the purpose of our birth and of our life is none other than that of the worship of ALLAH (SWT). There are many acts of worship  in Islam, and Salah is one of the most important obligatory acts.

Salah (Salat, Namaz) is the ritual prayer practiced by Muslims in supplication to Allah (swt). The term is commonly used to refer to the five daily prayers, which are compulsory upon all mature Muslims. Salah (Salat, Namaz) is considered the most important act of worship (Ibadah, Ibadat) in Islam and its importance is such that under very few circumstances it can be omitted.

Salah (Salat, Namaz) strengthens the foundations of our faith. It prepares a person to live the life of goodness and obedience to ALLAH (SWT), and it builds courage and determination. Every time we perform Salah, we renew our commitments to ALLAH (SWT) and we rid ourselves from worldly pressures five times a day.

According to a Hadith a companion of Holy Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) came to him one day and asked him "What is the thing that Allah (swt) loves most?" Holy Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) replied "The thing that Allah (swt) loves most is when his people pray Salah on time."

Salah (Salat, Namaz) is a practical sign of obedience to the commands of Allah (swt). Its importance has been emphasized about 500 times in the Noble Qur'an.

Once Holy Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) shook a dry branch of a tree so that all of the leaves of the branch fell off than the Holy Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) said "The sins of those who pray Salah, drop off as the leaves of this branch fell off."

Before Salah, we make wuzu (ablution). Wuzu (Ablution) is a unique way of cleansing certain parts of our body so we are clean before bowing down to the one who created us, who created the universe the one and only Allah (swt).

The Holy Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) once asked his companions "Tell me if there was a river at the door step of one of you in which you washed five times a day would any of your dirt remain?" When Holy Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) received the reply that none of it would remain he then said "That is like the five times Salah, with which Allah (swt) wipes out sin."

The last thing that Holy Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) emphasized at his deathbed was Salah. He also said the first thing we will have to answer about on the day of judgment is Salah.

While in Salah one communicates with ALLAH (SWT) and experiences his presence. That's why a Hadith says: Salah is the Meraj of a Momin (Namaz is called as Meraj-ul-Momineen).

The Holy Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) also said "The key to Heaven is Salah. The key to Salah is Purification."

"Namaz is a pillar of Religion. If Namaz is accepted all other deeds are accepted. If Namaz is rejected then all other Deeds are rejected." Holy Prophet Mohammad (pbuh)
Courtesy : nativepakistan
                hamariweb
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