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'3) Giving Zakat (Support of the Needy)
All things belong to God, and wealth is therefore held by human
beings in trust. The original meaning of the word zakat is both
‘purification’ and ‘growth.’ Giving zakat means ‘giving a
specified percentage on certain properties to certain classes of
needy people.’ The percentage which is due on gold, silver, and
cash funds that have reached the amount of about 85 grams of
gold and held in
possession for one lunar year is two and a half percent. Our
possessions are purified by setting aside a small portion for
those in need, and, like the pruning of plants, this cutting
back balances and encourages new growth.
A person may also give as much as he or she pleases as voluntary
alms or charity.
4) Fasting the Month of Ramadan
Every year in the month of Ramadan,*3 all Muslims fast from dawn
until sundown, abstaining from food, drink, and sexual
relations.
Although the fast is beneficial to health, it is regarded
principally as a method of spiritual self-purification. By
cutting oneself off from worldly comforts, even for a short
time, a fasting person gains true sympathy with those who go
hungry, as well as growth in his or her spiritual life.
5) HAJJ: The Pilgrimage to Makkah
The annual pilgrimage (Hajj) to Makkah is an obligation once in
a lifetime for those who are physically and financially able to
perform it. About two million people go to Makkah each year from
every corner of the globe. Although Makkah is always filled with
visitors, the annual Hajj is performed in the twelfth month of
the Islamic calendar. Male pilgrims wear special simple clothes
which strip away distinctions of class and culture so that all
stand equal before God.
Pilgrims praying at the Haram mosque in Makkah. In this mosque
is the Kaaba (the black building in the picture) which Muslims
turn toward when praying. The Kaaba is the place of worship
which God commanded the Prophets Abraham and his son, Ishmael,
to build.
The rites of the Hajj include circling the Kaaba seven times and
going seven times between the hillocks of Safa and Marwa, as
Hagar did during her search for water. Then the pilgrims stand
together in Arafa*4 and ask God for what they wish and for His
forgiveness, in what is often thought of as a preview of the Day
of Judgment.
The end of the Hajj is marked by a festival, Eid Al-Azha, which
is celebrated with prayers. This, and Eid Al-Fitr, a feast-day
commemorating the end of Ramadan, are the two annual festivals
of the Muslim calendar.
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* Footnotes :
(1) Allah means GOD.
(2) Narrated in Abu-Dawood, #4985, and Mosnad Ahmad, #22578.
(3) The month of Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic
calendar (which is lunar, not solar).
(4) An area about 15 miles from Makkah.
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