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ĒįŃĒČŚÉ įŌČßÉ ( äęä ) ÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜ For the sake of Islamic speech at globalization years : It pleases {N}net to present this
location for all English speacers all over the
world
ŹĢĻķĻĒ įįĪŲĒČ ĒįĻķäķ Żķ ŚÕŃ ĒįŚęįćÉ : ķÓŚĻ ŌČßÉ äęä Ćä ŹŽĻć åŠå ĒįäĒŻŠÉ įįäĒŲŽķä ČĒįÅäĢįķŅķÉ Żķ ßį ćßĒä ÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜ PROPHET MUHAMMAD
(May Peace Be Upon Him) Prophet
Muhammad (PRUFI) was born in Mecca. The exact date of his birth is disputed.,
but it is agreed that it was around A. C. 570. The
undisputed source for his biography is the glorious Qur’an, though there are
many biographical studies of the Prophet, wriften from the accounts of those
who knew him personally or to whom his memory was quite vivid. Both his parents
died young his father, Abd-Allah, first and his mother Amnah shortly after. It
is said that he was about six years of age at the time of his mother’s death.
His grandfather Abd a prominent leader in ‘Mecca at the time, then took charge
of him. Upon the death of his grandfather, Muhammad’s guardianship passed to
his uncle Abu a no less devoted patron, whose love for and protection of
Muhammad persisted long after the Prophet (PBUH) proclaimed his mission and the
new faith. In
his trading expeditions be showed himself both sutcessfu! and honest - be was
called Al-Am/n - qualities that caused a widow. Khadija! to entrust him with
the management of her business affairs. At the age of twenty-five, he married
Khad who was forty then. They lived twenty-five years together in prosperity
and bappinness, and had four daughters and two 5ofls, but of the daughters
who lived and married, only Fatema bad descendants. Muhammad (PBUH) was a
devoted! loving father, and was kind to children in general. In his twenty-five
years of life with Khadijah, be was the ideal husband. When she died! be
remained several years without a wife, and even after he married- for a number
of reasons-several wives, he always remembered Khadijah. ! When I was poor, she
enriched me; when they called me a liar, she alone remained true”. It is an
undisputed fact that KhadUah was the first to berieve in Muhammads mission
before anyone! even himserf, believed in it. At
the age of forty, Muhammad (PSUR) was inclined to worship in solitude in a cove
on Mount Hire outside the city. It was while praying, during the sacred month
of his people, that he beard a voice command him. Read”. “I cannot read he
replied. But the voice again commanded him, Read In the name at thy Lord Who
createth... Man from a clot. Read And thy Lord is the Most Bounteous, Who
teacheth { writing } by the pen, teacheth man that which he knew not”.’ Trembling,
Muhammad (PBUH) rushed home to Kbadijah and told her of his experience. She
comforted him and encouraged him. After a short interlude, he again heard the
voice calling to him: ! Thou art the messenger of God, and I am Gabriel. Rushing
back to Khadijah in a state of complete exhaustion, he asked that
she cover him with a cloak. Then he beard the call ‘0 thou enveloped in the
cloak, arise and warn Thy Lord. magnify, thy raiment purify, pollution shun And
show not favour, seeking worldly gain! For the sake of thy Lord, be patient! It
was then Muhammad (PBUH) realised what his misson to his people was to be, and
that was bow it began. He preached the worship of one God, and constantly
reminded his listeners of the apostles of monotheism, such as Abraham. Moses
and Jesus, who had been sent with a similar message. He also decrared he was
The last in the chain of prophets. Opposition to Muhammad’s message took the
form of mockery at first and then turned to persecution. Muhammad (PBUH) was
ordered by God to migrate to Medina (Yatbrib) where both he and his followers
were welcomed by the helpers (Al-Ansar ), the Muslims of Medina. There, Isla
asserted itserf not only as a religion but also as organised communily. One of
the first measures was to integrate the refugees from Mecca with the original
population of Medina. Muhammad then instituted legal bonds of brotherhood
between each immigrant and one of the Ansar. 1. Quran,
Chap. 96:1-5. 2. Qur
Chnp. 74: 1-7. Battles
with the pagan tribes with started Badr. Though they were inferior in number,
the Muslims came out victorious. A year later, they were defeated at Uhud, and
Muhammad (PBUH) was wounded In the battle of the ditch the Muslims showed their
good taclics and won the battle. Later! the Prophet (PBUH) secured a truce with
the Meccans to enable Muslims to undertake their pil grimage to Mecca. The
truce gave Muhammad (PBUH) time to es tablish his position at Medina. Sack
in Mecca, the last years in the Prophet’s life were marked by military
expeditions with which the Muslim state initiated its expansion. By then, the
Prdpbet’s authority was firmly established and the unification of the Arabian
peninsula proceeded steadily. Muhammad (PBUH) thereupon reorganised his
administration. Paganism was outlawed. The Muslim community was based on the
principle of equality and was governed entirely by the Quranic raw. In
his !farewell sermon the Prophet {PBUH) urged his followers not to split up
after his death, affirmed the oneness of God and the brotherhood of the
faithful, enjoined the community to watch over the rights of women and
proclaimed the abolition of blood feuds and of usury. ÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜ THE
PROFESSION OF FAITH (shahada) The Arabic word Islam means submission , obedience , commitment and peace. Submission
means we should cheerfully accept and act upon God's Law . Commitment means we
bind ourselves to God, we put ourselves in His charge if we submit to God's
Will , obey His laws , and commit ourselves to His charge , we will have peace
. Islam is the religion of truth and righteous . It is not a new religion .
Islam was ordained by God . It has always been and will be until the end of
time . A person who holds the beliefs and follows the practices of Islam is
called a Muslim . They worship God alone and believe that "There is no God
except Allah " Allah has no partner . He is the Only One , so a Muslim
always turns to God and to no one else for help and guidance . Messengers were sent by God to specific peoples mostly with an oral message . but prophets were connected with a written scripture . Muhammad has the advantage of being at once a messenger and a prophet . God revealed the Qur'an to Muhammad .It was revealed in Arabic sentence by sentence at different times over a period of twenty three years . The Qur'an is the only scripture in human history preserved in its complete and original form without any change in style , wording or punctuation . Whereas the Qur'an is the word of God , the Traditions of Muhammad (Hadith) are practical interpretations of the prophet . It also includes deeds of the prophets companions which had his approval . Muslims
believe that as God is Merciful . Beneficent and wise , everything he ordains
is for the good of man . Although we may be unable to perceive God's design we
accept His Will we must realize the limits of the human mind in comparison with
God's limitless knowledge . Surrender to God's will is therefore an essential
article of the Muslim faith . Muslims
believe that life is meaningful , and that the purpose of life is to worship
and serve God . To worship God means more than prayer . It means to love Him ,
to obey His commandments and to do what is right . God expects each of us to
carry His Islamic commitments . Muslims believe that individuals must work for
their good in this world and the next . Each Muslim must combine faith with
action , belief with practice . Faith must come through rational thinking and
acceptance of God's ordainments . The teachings of the Qur'an are based on
revelation and reason . Islam will propagate not by force but by conviction .
Muslims are commended by God to observe five basic creeds . We call these creeds
the five pillars of Islam .The first pillar is the profession of faith "
There is on God except Allah and Muhammad is a messenger of Allah " . When
this profession of faith is made
with sincerity . an individual is on the way to the Islamic way of life . When
this profession is put in force ,
then an individual has become a Muslim . ÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜ ÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜ PRAYER (Salat) Before
prayers (salat ), we wash the exposed parts of our bodies (wudu ). First we
silently say that our intention (niyat) in washing is to make wudu. When wudu
is completed, we are ready for prayers- There are live daily prayers which
consist of either two, three or four units (rakats). These prayers are
obligatory for adult Muslims except those incapacitated by illness. The names of the live daily prayers, their times and the number of
units
1. Fair
(the dawn prayer). to be observed some time between dawn and sunrise, consists
of two units. 2. Omit
(the early afternoon prayer), to be observed some time just after noon until
mid - afternoon! consists of four r 3. As, (the
late afternoon prayer), to be observed some time just between mid-afternoon,
consists of four rakats. 4. Maghrib
(the evening prayer), to be observed some time just after sunset until the last
light fades, consists of three rakats. 5. Isha
(the night prayer), to be observed at some time during the night, consists of four
re Additional (Sunnah) Prayer
It
was the practice of the Prophet (peace be upon him) often to say additional
prayers immedialely preceding and/or following the obligatory raid) prayers
which we have just described. Many Muslims perform these prayers regularly in
reverence to the Prophet (peace be upon him). Personal prayer or Supplication (Du’a) Upon
the completion of the required (Fard ) prayers or the Sunnah prayers, we can
pray in our own words (du’a) if we wish expressing whatever is in our hearts,
whether it be praise thanksgiving, asking for forgiveness.
supplication for ourselves or for others, or any other thing. Congregational
Prayers is
recommended that when two or more Muslims are present at the time of a prayer
they form a congregation and pray together. A leader ( imam ) is selected from
among the men in the group, preferably a person of religious knowledge and the
group form straight parallel rows behind him, standing shoulder to shoulder but
not touching each other, all facing Qibla (the direction of Ka’aba). Women form
separate parallel rows behind the men. On
Fridays, Muslim men and boys go to the mosque to pray the Friday (Jum'a ) congregational
prayer. It is obligatory for them but not for women. (Jum'a ) prayer consists
of two ca/cats, substi tutir for the four a of Dhur preceded by a sermon
(Khutba and is observed at Dhur time on Friday,
always in congregation. Eld
Prayer There
are two H/c The first is called E;d-ui Fitr ( the Festival of Fast-Breaking)
and I falls on the first day of Shawwal, following the month of Ramadan. The
second Hid is E/d-uI-Adha (The Festival nf Sacrifice) and it falls on
the tenth day of Dhul-Hijjah the last month of the Islamic calendar. The Hid
prayer is any time after sunrise and before noon on either of the two Elds. No
call to prayer (adhan) or summons (iqamah) is required. This prayer consists of
two re/cats with six to sixteen additional takbics ( A/lahuAkbac) offered in
congregation and followed by a sermon (khutba). ÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜ ALMSGIV!NG (Zakat) Zakat
is the fourth pillar of Islam. It is an obligation (lard) prescribed by God for
those Muslim ten and women who possess enough means! to distribute a certain
percentage of their annual savings or capital in goods or money among the poor
and needy. Zakat is assessed at the end of the year on both capital and savings
from income. The details of percentages and the method of distribution and
collection are based on the practices of Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) and his
Companions. The
literal meaning of the word Zakat is purity. The Prophet (PBUH) has said !‘ God
has made Zakat obligatory simply to purify your remaining property . There is
no equivalent practice in other religions. Hence! while terms such as
‘charity’, ‘poor-tax’ ‘alms-tax’
and poo-due’, !almsgiving! have been coined by various translators, none of
these terms actually conveys the true sense of the word Zakat. Zakat is not a
tax levied by a government, nor is it a voluntary contribution. It is first and
foremost a duty enjoined by God and hence an essential article of faith. In
Quran thre payment of Zakat is frequently mentioned in the same sentence or
verse as the establishment of salat (prayers). Lo!
Those who believe and do good deeds and establish sa/at and pay Zakat, their
reward is with their Sustainer! and no fear shall come upon them! nor shall
they grieve”. (2 277). Thus!
while salat is an act of worship through words and bodily action! Zakat is a
devotional act through one’s wealth. Without the spirit of submission to God
and love of Him, both acts are Without spiritual and moral significance. In
the Qur'an, wealth is referred to as Gods bounty (fadl) God,
as the Creator and Sustainer of the universe! is also the Owner of a things!
including all the things which man possesses and uses. Who has
created the heavens and the earth and sends down rain
for you from the sky? Wit it We caused D
grow n them
orchards fu at loveliness it
is not in your power to make trees Grow
in them". Since God
is the true Owner of all things arid we are merely His trustees, wealth is to be produced. distributed,
acquired and spent in a way which is pleasing to Him- The acquisition of wealth is not an end in itself, nor
is wealth to be squandered for meaningless or wasteful purposes, and above all
it is not to be used in order to gain power over other people through
exploitation or control of the means of livelihood. Qur'an and Hadith make it
very dear that any form of gain which results in some injustice or harm to
others is an act of disobedience to God- On the other hand, Qur’an tells us
that next to purity of faith, the most pleasing in the sight of God s kindness
and charity, forbearance and forgiveness and doing good to others- Those who
spend n charity, whether in prosperity or adversity, who restrain anger arid
pardon people; for God loves those who do good to others Zaka is
compulsory on cash, cattle and crops. The regulations differ for each of these
categories For cash, the minimum rate is two and one-halt percent (2.5 % - Those who
are eligible to receive Zakat are mentioned in the Qur'an. The a aye only
for the poor, the needy, those who collect them, those whose hearts are to be
reconciled, to tree the captives and the debtors for The cause of God, arid for
the travelers; a duty imposed by God. God is All-Knowing, All-wise”. (9:60(It ÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜ FASTING (Sawnm) The
fast of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Muslim year 5 observed by adult
Muslims, men and women except the aged and the sick. Those on a journey may
postpone the fast. For the whole of the month of Harnadan, believers must
abstain irom sunrise till dusk from food, drink and sexual relations. During
the night special prayers are pelormed (Taraweeh). When the new moon appears
and the month of tasting is ended! Muslims celebrate. The festival which lasts
three days is called ‘ d a! Fin or the Lesser Festival. Fasting
is an act of pure submission to Gods command,given in the Ouran, to observe the
fast. FastLng has many benefits but its true significance is to develop a sense complete
obedience to the One Who created us and gave us our physical and spiritual needs and the means
to fulfill these needs. We acknowledge that God is our Sustainer, and through
His bounty - through the use of natural resources and our faculties - we obtain
our sustenance. Hence, If God commands us to abstain from food! drink and the
fulfillment of other natural appetites for a period of time, we gladly obey His
command. God says in Qur’an 0 you
who believel Fasting is prescribed to you As it was prescribed To those before
you, That you may (learn) Self- restraint.” (2: 183). While
many benefits come to us through lasting the primary benefit is that we learn
self restraint, discipline of our appetites, and flexib of our habits. Over
indulgence in eating, drinking, smoking or marital relations makes one the slave.of
one’s desires and habits. Through fasting one becomes free of this slavery.
Through fasting afflictions those who are well-off learn to appreciate the
afflictions of the poor - hunger and Thirst and become more sympathetic toward
them. When a person fasts, he feels that he is joining the whole Muslim world
in a spiritual act, thus
increasing his sense of community and brotherhood. Fasting also helps to
improve peoples health, such as the elimination of fatly substances from the
blood, decrease in the harmful activity of intestinal microbes and of uric
acid, and so on. But it should be emphasized that all these benefits are not
the object of tasting. As was stated earlier, we fast solely because God
commands us to do so, as devout and obedient servants to His will. ÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜ PILGRIMAGE
(Hajj) Hajj the fifth pillar of
Islam , is obkigatory at Ileast once in alifetime for any muslim man or woman
who fulfills the folloing conditions: at the time he (or she ) intends to
perform Hajj, he shoud be sane , sound of health , free from debts , and should
have enough resources to pay his
own travel expenses . Very briefly , the
obligatory (fard ) observances of Hajj are : 1- IHRAM , ( the
physical and spiritual state of consecration to God ) Before approaching Mecca
, the pilgrim takes a full bath (ghusl) before putting on the garments of ihram
. In ihram attire , he expresses his intention (niyat ) to perform hajj . The
putting – on of ihram is followed
by a two rak'a (unit ) prayer . The
ihram dress which all male
pilgrims wear , consist of two sheets of ordinary unsewn white cloth which symbolizes the renunciation of worldly and material goals and
vanities . The pilgrim who is in a state of consecration (muhrim ) must abstain
from certain satisfactions and pleasures . 2. TAWAF
(Cirumambulation of the Ka'ba ) On entering the Sacred Mosque the muhrim goes towards the
Black Stone which he kisses or
touches . Starting from the Black Stone and keeping the building on his left ,
he makes the seven circuit the Black stone is kissed or touched . 3.SA'Al
(hastening ) The next rite is that of running between
the two elevations called Safa and Marwa . God has prescribed the rememberance
of Hajar's attempts to find water
as imporyant part of the observances of Hajj . Each pilgrim ascemds as-Safa .
At the top he makes devotional calls (talbiya ) , descends from the hill ,
walks the distance to al-Marwa and climbs it , making similar talbiya ,
repeating sa ' ai seven times . 4. ARAFAT
and MUZDALIFA : After sunrise on the 9th of Dhul-Hijja , the pilgrim sets out
for Mount Arafat reciting talbiya . Here Dhur and ' Asr prayers are performed
in congregation . Just after sunset , all the pilgrims leave for Muzdalifa
where everyone performs Maghrib and ' Isha prayers and passes the night . 5. MINA : On the morning of the 10th
of Dhul-Hijja , the pilgrims return to Mina , where there are three stone
pillars representing three positions where the devil (Satan ) tried to tempt
propget Ismail ( peace be upon him ) to rebellion when his father was leading
him to the place of sacritice . Ismail drove away the devil by throwing stones
at him . The pilgrims throw stones at the same pillars to signify the rejection
of evil promptings . 6.EID-UL-ADHA(The
Feast of Sacrifice ): After stoning the first of
the three pillars , the pilgrims sacrifice a sheep , goat or camel , following
the practice (sunnah) of the prophet lbrahim who God spared him the sacrifice
of his son Ismail (peace be on them ). While Eid-ul adha is actually a part of
the observances of hajj , it is also celebrated throughout the Muslim world ,
and every Muslim who can afford it sacrifices an animal on this occasion . ÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜ MUSLIM FESTIVALS There
are two main festivals for Muslims
: Eid-al-Fitr (the Festival of Fast-Breaking ) , and Eid-Al-Adha (the festival
of Sacrifice ). The word Eid means a recurring happiness or festivity .
Eid-al-Fitr is celebrated on 1 Shawwal following the month of fasting , Ramadan
. Eid –ul-Adha is celebrated on 10th of Dhul-Hijja ,following the
course of hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca ). When
the prophet (PBUH) arrived in Medina , he found that the people of that city
celebrated many festivals . He abolished these pagan observanves and told the Muslims
that God has prescribed only two festivals for them-the two Eids . the Eids are
days of thanksgiving and rejoicing for every Muslim , as well as for the
community of Muslims as a whole . Eid-al-Fitr celebrates the completion of a
month of fasting . It was first celebrated in Medina after the migration of
prophet Muhammad (PBUH) . Eid-ul-Adha the completion of hajj , both fasting and
pilgrimage being acts of worship undertaken for the sake of God alone . While
the Eids are occasions for joy and happiness , they are certainly not occasions
for frivolity , overeating or the pursuit of pleasure . The joy which we feel
on Eid the spiritual joy of fulfillment – fulfillment of God's command of
discipline , piety and collective worship . Each of the Eid is the spirit of
peace and forgiveness , for at these times one should forget all grudges and
ill-feeling toward one's fellow men if he has not already done so . On Eid one
makes fresh start in his relations with others in a brotherly spirit . The
time of Eid prayer is between sunrise and noon , and like Friday prayer Eid
prayer is always said in congregation . If it is preferred , women may however
pray at home . One should bathe and put on clean clothes before going to prayer
. The Eid prayer consists of two rakats with six to sixteen additional takbirs (recitations of "Allahu
Akbar " –God is Most Great ) , followed by a sermon (khutba) in two parts
, similar to the Friday sermon . In the sermon of Eid-al-Adha , he should
emphasise the duty of sacrifice . When pilgrims arrive at Mina , sheep or cows
are sacrificed before breakfast time . The meat of the sacrificed or sheep or
goat may be eaten or distributed among the poor . The sacrifice of a lamb or
sheep (for one household ) or a cow (for up to seven households ) is to be made
on Eid day or during the following two days , i.e., on the 10th , 11th
or 12th of Dhul-Hijja .A third of the meat is kept for the use of
the household and the remainder is distributed uncooked among the poor and sent
as a gift to friends and relatives . When pilgrims arrive at Mina , animals are
to friends and relatives . When pilgrims arrive at Mina , animals are
sacrificed before breakfast time . The meat of the sacrificed sheep or goat may
be eaten or distributed among the poor . (Muslim Holidays and Ceremonies American
Trust publications ). |