User talk:ABID BASHIR DABLOO

ISLaAM is the fastest growing religion in the world. Because Islam is a complete way of life. It tells man about the purpose of his creation and existence, his ultimate destiny, his place among other creatures and more importantly, it provides him with guidance to lead a balanced and purposeful life which will enable him to avoid the Hell-fire and be rewarded with a place in Paradise in the life after death. Simply Islaam is to "Obey Allah" (Allah is the Name of the Only One True God). Islaam is a verb in Arabic (a doing word). The one who does Islaam is called a Muslim. (Allah calls us "Muslims" in His Speech of Qur'ân).

The Arabic word Islaam means voluntary surrender to the will of Allaah and obedience to His commands. Allaah is an Arabic word, the proper name of God. Muslims prefer to use Allaah rather than God. [TOP]

MUSLIM A person who freely and consciously accepts the Islaamic way of life and sincerely practices it is called a Muslim. A Muslim (the one who does Islaam) remembers:


 * TO SURRENDER (to give up himself/herself to ALLAH the Almighty)


 * TO BE IN SUBMISSION (happily submit his/her own will to Allaah's Will)


 * TO OBEY ALLAAH (understand Qur'ân and Sunnah and he implements it in action)


 * TO DO ALL OF ABOVE, ONLY FOR SAKE OF ALLAAH (not to impress/show off)


 * THE RESULT IS PEACE in worldly life & Eternal PARADISE, by Mercy of Allaah.

Therefore a Muslim cannot be truly a Muslim "by birth" in a Muslim family or nation or tribe; rather after seeking knowledge and understanding of the Qur'ân & Sunnah and obeying Allaah on Allaah's Terms, then only one can say that "I am obedient servant of Allaah" (i.e. I am a Muslim).

We may know that Islaam is the only Way to Peace & Paradise.. but unless we make up our mind to obey Allaah in ACTION, Allaah may not Accept it from us, May Allaah Forbid.

BASIC BELIEFS The three fundamental Islamic beliefs are:

Tawhid - Oneness of Allah; Risalah - Prophethood; Akhirah - Life after death.

TAWHID is the most important Islamic belief. It implies that everything in existence originates from the one and only Creator, who is also the Sustainer and the sole Source of Guidance. This belief should govern all aspects of human life. Recognition of this fundamental truth results in a unified view of existence which rejects any divisions of life into religious and secular. Allah is sole source of Power and Authority, therefore entitled to worship and obedience from mankind. There is no scope for any partnership with the Creator. Tawhid tells man that Allah is not born, nor is anyone born of Him. He has no son or daughter. Human beings are His subjects.

RISALAH means Prophethood and Messengership. Allah has not left man without Guidance for the conduct of his life. Since the creation of the first man, Allah has revealed His guidance to mankind through His prophets. The prophets who received books from Allah are called messengers. The message of all the prophets and messengers is one and the same. They urged the people of their time to obey and worship Allah alone and none other. Whenever the teachings of a prophet were distorted by people Allah sent another prophet to bring human beings back to the Straight Path. The chain of Risalah began with Adam, included Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Lot, Jacob, Joseph, Moses and Jesus, and ended with Muhammad (peace be upon them all), as the final messenger of Allah to mankind. The revealed books from Allah are: the Torah (Tawrah), the Psalms (Zabur), the Gospel (Injeel) and the Qur'an. The Qur'an was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him), as the final book of Guidance. It is unchanged and nobody can change it.

AKHIRAH means Life after death. Belief in Akhirah has a profound impact on the life of a believer. We are all accountable to Allah on the Day of Judgment when we will be judged according to how we lived our lives. A person who obeys and worships Allah will be rewarded with a permanent place of happiness in Paradise (Jannah); the person who does not do so will be sent to Hell (Jahannam), a place of punishment and suffering. [TOP]

FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM Islam has five pillars or basic foundations to act. Acting correctly and sincerely on these foundations will transform a Muslim's life into the line of the Creator. Faithful practice of these duties inspires him to work towards the establishment of justice, equality and righteousness in society, and the eradication of injustice, falsehood and evil.

1. SHAHADAH, the first of the five basic foundations, is the declaration, knowingly and voluntarily, of: La ilaha illal lahu Muhammadur rasulullah MEANS "There is no god except Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah" This declaration contains the two basic concepts of Tawhid and Risalah. This is the basis of all actions in Islam, and the four other basic duties follow this affirmation.

2. SALAH (compulsory prayer) is offered five times a day. It is a practical demonstration of faith, and keeps a believer in constant touch with his Creator. The benefits of Salah are far reaching, long lasting and immeasurable. It develops in a believer the qualities of self-discipline, steadfastness and obedience to the Truth, leading him to be patient, honest and truthful in the affairs of his life. The five daily prayers are:

FAJR between dawn and sunrise

ZUHR between midday and mid-afternoon

ASR between mid-afternoon and sunset

MAGHRIB just after sunset

ISHA between nightfall and dawn

3. ZAKAH (welfare contribution) is a compulsory payment from a Muslim's annual savings. It is an annual payment of 2.5% on the value of cash, jewelry and precious metals; a separate rate applies to animals, crops and mineral wealth. Zakah can only be spent on helping the poor, needy, the disabled, the oppressed, debtors and other purposes as defined by the Qur'an. Zakah is one of the fundamental principles of Islamic economy, which insures an equitable society where everyone has a right to contribute and share.

4. SAWM is the annual obligatory fasting during the month of Ramadan - the ninth month of Islamic calendar. A Muslim, every day of this month, refrains from eating, drinking, smoking, and sex, from dawn to sunset. Sawm develops a believer's moral and spiritual standard and keeps him away from selfishness, greed, extravagance and other vices. Sawm is an annual training program which increases a MusIim's determination to fulfill his obligation to the Almighty Lord.

5. HAJJ (pilgrimage to the House of Allah) is an annual event, obligatory on those Muslims who can afford to undertake it, at least once in their lifetime. It is a journey to the House of Allah (Al-Ka'bah) in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, in the month of Dhul Hijjah - the twelfth month of the Islamic calendar. Hajj symbolizes the unity of mankind; Muslims from every race and nationality assemble together in equality and humanity to worship their Lord. The pilgrim, in the ritual clothing of Ihram, has the unique feelings of being in the presence of his Lord. [TOP]

THE QUR'ÂN The Qur'ân is the final Book of guidance from Allah, sent down to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) through the angel Gabriel (Jibra'il). Every word of the Qur'an is the word of Allah. It was revealed in a period of 23 years in the Arabic language. Muslims learn to read it in Arabic and many memorize it completely. Muslims are expected to try their best to understand the Qur'an and practice its teachings. The Qur'an is unrivaled in its recording and preservation. The astonishing fact about this book is that it has remained unchanged even to a letter for over fourteen hundred years. The Qur'an deals with man and his ultimate goal in life. Its teachings cover all aspects of his life and the life after death. [TOP]

THE HADITH The Hadith is the collection of sayings, actions and silent approvals of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). It explains the Qur'an, and how to practice it. The Hadith were recorded meticulously by the Prophet's companions. Six particular collections have became prominent and are regarded as the most Authentic: Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Nasa'i and Ibni-Majah.

PROPHET MUHAMMAD (peace be upon him) Muhammad (pbuh), the final messenger of Allah and the best of creation, was born in Makkah, Arabia, in the year 571 CE. His father, Abdullah, died before his birth and his mother, Aminah, died when he was only six. Later on he was looked after by his uncle Abu Talib. He married Khadijah, a noble lady of Makkah, when he was twenty five. He first received revelation from Allah at the age of forty, marking the beginning of his work as the messenger of Allah. The people of Makkah at that time used to worship idols. The prophet (pbuh) invited them to Islam. Some of them responded favorably and became Muslims, while others rebuked him and turned against him. He continued to preach the message of Allah and, gradually, the number of his followers increased. In the thirteenth year of his Prophethood, in 622 CE, Muhammad (pbuh) migrated from Makkah to Madînah. The people of Madînah accepted him as their leader and he established the first Islamic state there. The Islamic calendar begins from the day of the migration (Hijrah) of the Prophet (pbuh). The Prophet (pbuh) organized the early Muslims and preached the message of Allah with unmatched patience and wisdom. Eventually Islam was established in the whole of Arabia and was set to make a tremendous contribution to the history and civilization of the world. Islam, as a way of life, can solve all human problems, and is the only hope for the present as well as the future. The need is to practice it faithfully. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) died in 632 CE at the age of sixty three. He left behind the Qur'an and his Sunnah as the source of guidance for all generations to come. [TOP]