1. The Declaration of Faith is to testify that there is no deity except ALLAH, and Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him is His final Messenger. ALLAH means the One True God, the Invisible, the Indivisible, the One who sets all motion in motion. He is The Creator, The Omniscient, The Absolute, The Eternal, The Merciful, Whom there is nothing coequal or comparable to. To be a Muslim you have to believe in The One True God, ALLAH, as well as the chain of Prophets starting with Adam and including many other prophets some of whom are Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and the final Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon them all.

2. Prayer is a supplication to ALLAH, performed in private and in congregation.

2. Charity and Taxation is an obligatory fee to the Islamic government that is mandated upon every able Muslim. It is used in civil development and to improve the status of unprivileged citizens.

4. Fasting is the abstinence from worldly desires (eating, drinking, etc.). Muslims are obligated to fast from sunrise to sunset during the days of the month of Ramadhan. Ramadhan is the 9^th month in the Islamic lunar calendar.

5. Hajj, the annual Pilgrimage to Makkah, is a religious event which is obligated upon every able Muslim once in a lifetime.

Pilgrimage to Makkah should not be delayed, for one may die at any moment.'Alee ibn Abee Taalib reported Allah's messenger ( Prophet Mohammud_pbuh) as saying, "if anyone holds enough provision and a riding animal to take him to Allah's house and does not perform the Hajj, it dose not matter whether he dies a Jew or Chrisitan. That is because Allah who is blessed and exalted says, 'Hajj to the House is a duty men owed to Allah by those among mankind who can affod the journey.

The Qur'an is the Final Divine Revelation from ALLAH to Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. The Qur'an answers all questions concerning God, the relation between God and his creation, as well as human relations.

Say you: “We believe in God, and in that which has been sent down on us and sent down on Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, and Jacob, and the Tribes, and that which was given to Moses and Jesus and the Prophet, of their Lord; we make no division bet­ween any of them, and to I inn we surrender.” (Sura II, 136)

It is not piety, that you turn your faces to the East and lo the West. True piety is this; to believe in God, and the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and the Prophets; to give of one’s substance, however cherished, to kinsmen, and orphans, the needy, the traveller, beggars and to ransom the slave; to perform the prayer; to pay the alms. And they who fulfil their covenant…. and endure with fortitude misfortune, hardship, and peril, these are they who are true in their faith, these are the truly god fearing. (Sura 11, 172, 173)

Surely this Qur’an guides to the way that is the straightest and gives good tidings to the believers who do deeds of righteousness…. Thy Lord has decreed you shall not worship squander…. And keep not thy hand chained to thy neck, nor outspread it widespread altogether, or thou wilt sit reproached and denuded…. And approach not fornication; surely it is a shameful, and evil as a way. And slay not the soul God has for­bidden…. And fill up the measure when you measure, and weigh with the straight balance…. And walk not in the earth exultantly; certainly thou wilt never tear the earth open, nor attain the mountains in height. (Surah XVII, 9, 23-37)

Islam considers Jesus, peace be upon him to be one of the mightiest messengers of ALLAH. The Qur'an confirms his miraculous birth without any male intervention. ALLAH says, "Verily the likeness of Jesus in the sight of ALLAH is the likeness of Adam, He created him from dust, then He said to him 'Be,' and he was."

HUMAN RIGHTS IN ISLAM

Islam teaches Equality, Justice and Freedom of Conscience. ALLAH says in the Qur'an, "There is no compulsion in religion." The life and property of all citizens in an Islamic State is considered sacred whether a person is Muslim or not. If the person is not a Muslim, the Islamic Law also protects his religious rights. Islam is a religion for all people from whatever race or background they may be. Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him said, "All people are equal in the sight of ALLAH. There is no claim of merit of an Arab over a non-Arab, or of a White over a Black person, or a male over a female. Only ALLAH fearing people merit a preference with ALLAH."

Islam is a philosophy of life. It gives reasons and a set purpose for living. Furthermore, it defines the best ways to secure progress and happiness. This is done by elevating the spiritual side and satisfying the material needs of people.

Islam considers man as a viceroy of God on earth. This status is a fine one, but it is also critical for the requirements must be satisfied. Thus, he is in an envied position, and consequently his acts and behaviour are expected to conform with the high level he is occupying. The Islamic concepts and laws are inseparable parts of the Islamic ideology. They are the practical expression of Islam in society and life in general. These concepts and laws are essentially concerned with harmonizing people's relationships among themselves, with other beings, and above all with the Creator.

The basic Islamic outlook to this life is that of an introductory course. This worldly life is viewed as a prelude to another eternal life. Therefore, this world is a preparatory stage for people in order to attain the spiritual level which permits them to enter Paradise. The other side of the picture is the horror of Hell for people who misuse the powers at their disposal. Hence, success and failure are not measured with this worldly or materialistic supremacy. The Islamic measure differs from materialistic standard by accounting for the life hereafter. The satisfaction of God is the sublime aim which surpasses all other inclinations and wishes. This is by no account neglecting materialistic supremacy, but putting it in its rightful place. It is with the satisfaction of God that Muslims seek materialistic supremacy.

If anyone has a real desire to be a Muslim and has full conviction and strong belief that Islam is the true religion ordained by Allah for all human-beings, then, one should pronounce the "Shahada", the testimony of faith, without further delay. The Holy Qur'an is explicit on this regard as Allah states: "The Religion in the sight of Allah is Islam." (Qur'an 3:19) In another verse of the Holy Qur'an, Allah states: "If anyone desires a religion other than Islam (Submission to Allah), Never will it be accepted of him; and in the Hereafter he will be in the ranks of those who have lost (themselves in the hell fire)."(Qur'an 3:85)

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