The Inner Teaching of Islam

With all religions there is an outer teaching and the Inner Teaching. Since the Beginning the Path to the Inner Teaching, known as the Tree of Life ('Etz Hayyim), has been concealed (Genesis 3:24). We (the Lovers of God) are obligated to seek out this Path (Ecclesiastes 1:13), because the end thereof is Eternal Life (Genesis 3:22).
The Inner Teaching is communicated to us through symbolism -the language of the Mind. The symbol for Islam is the Sun, the Moon, and the Star. The Sun, Moon, and Star represent Man, the walking Trinity, who is created in the Image and the Likeness of God.
Usually only the crescent Moon and a five-point Star is represented, but the presence of the Sun is implied because the Moon receives its light from the Sun. The Sun (God in us) is ever-present, whether we actually see it or not, otherwise we would not be able to see anything whatsoever, because it is our Sun that makes seeing possible.
The Sun, Moon, and Star is a glyph of the Family: Man, Woman, and Child. In the Holy Bible and al Qur'an Majid, Joseph is given a vision of the Sun, the Moon, and eleven Stars making obeisance to him. (Genesis 37:9; AQM 12:4) The Sun, Moon, and Stars in Joseph's vision represented Joseph's Father, Mother, and Brothers, and this caused his brothers to envy him and plot against him.
The Sun sustains our Milky Way galaxy and the Man sustains his Family. The Man is likened to the Sun because he is the purveyor of light (spiritual knowledge and guidance) to his Family via the Woman (the Moon), who in turn reflects her wisdom to the Children.
"...Wisdom is justified of [known by] her Children." (Matthew 11:19)
Since ancient times the Moon has been used as a symbol for the Woman. The Moon -Earth's only natural satellite - is symbolic of the creative forces and the feminine psyche, or mind. The Moon's cycle around the Earth is approximately 29 days and coincides with the Woman's menstrual-cycle.
The Moon represents the physical body (the lower self). The Moon, like our bodies, is also in a constant state of flux. The Moon has not always existed. Like the human body it came from the Earth.
The Moon has two sides, but only one side is visible. The Moon's two periods of waxing and waning signify the vicissitudes of Life. This is the significance of the postures in Salat. The bending (ruku'), the sitting (jalsa), and the prostrating (sajda) symbolize the periods of gain and loss, opulence and poverty, wealth and indigence, intelligence and ignorance.
The Crescent is the Mother's Womb and the Star is the Child. Each one of us is a Star, as we have all come into the world through the Womb of our Mother. The Star seems to be pushing its head out, struggling to be born head-first into the world. The Star is a man born perfect, yet imperfect.
"Consider the human self, and how it is formed in accordance with what it is meant to be, and how it is imbued with moral failings as well as with Consciousness of God! To a happy state shall indeed attain he who causes this [self] to grow in purity, and truly lost is he who buries it [in darkness]." ("The Sun," Surah 91:7-10; AQM, M Asad translation)

Elyah Israel is an author, visionary and the founder of Christ Conscious Centre (CCC), which is a ministry devoted to the research, and developement of the Inner Christ -the True Realization of GOD in ourselves. Elyah publishes books, articles, and essays dedicated to espousing the Gospel of the Inner Teaching. The Gospel of the Inner Teaching is a Salve of Healing for our world which is drunk with dogma and division and sick with superstition.
Christ Conscious Centre advocates and promotes literacy and scholarship in Biblical Hebrew. To this end we provide free Hebrew lessons on the website of Christ Conscious Centre - http://www.christconsciouscentre.org -. Hebrew is the language that YAHWEH spoke, and the Original language in which the Holy Bible was written. The Hebrew Aleph Beyt is an ancient system of alphanumeric/ hieroglyphic symbols. When we explore this body of Wisdom we gain the mystical insight to think outside of the (traditional) box regarding Scriptural interpretations. The Knowledge contained in this Body of Wisdom is the Key to Understanding the inner meaning of the Holy Bible.

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The Pillars of Islam and the Muslim Golden Age

What are the basic ideas of Islam and what were the contributions of the Muslim Golden Age? The basic ideas behind the religion of Islam are fivefold. These five things are more than mere concepts. For the Muslim, they are obligatory. They are conveniently named in what Islam calls the Five Pillars of Islam. Namely,
1. The Shihada
2. Prayer
3. Zakat
4. Fasting
5. Pilgrimage
The first pillar of Islam is the Shihada, or the statement of faith. The Arabic word Shihada is loosely translated as the witness. The Shihada is simply a statement of faith, or belief. It states, "There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is his prophet." This is the doorway to faith for the Muslim. It is stated repeatedly during Muslim prayers as well.
Salat is the second pillar of Islam. Prayers are made daily to Allah by Muslims the world over. Each believer faces in the direction of Mecca and is required to perform prayers five times a day at specified times. Before praying, the Muslim must perform a ritual cleansing with water as well. Men and women usually pray apart from one another, but can pray in the same place if necessary.
The third pillar of Islam, Zakat, is the Arabic word meaning obligatory giving. This usually takes place during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Giving takes various forms throughout the Muslim world, but the emphasis is on giving to the poor.
The fourth pillar of Islam is fasting during the holy month of Ramadan. This is quite serious business. From sunrise to sunset no food or drink is permitted. Abstinence from smoking, is required too. Allowances are made for pregnant women or the infirmed.
Lastly, the Haaj, (pilgrimage) to the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia is 'required' if one has the means to make the trip. This is usually a highlight of any Muslim's life and holds deep significance.
These five main pillars sum up the main tenants of Islam. The simplicity of each aspect is alluring and aided the spread of the new religion long after Muhammad's death.
As noted in "Western Civilization - Ideas, Politics and Society", by Marvin Perry, "In the eighth and ninth centuries, under the Abbasid caliphs, based in Baghdad, Muslim civilization entered its golden age. Islamic civilization creatively integrated Arabic, Byzantine, Persian, and Indian cultural traditions. During the Early Middle Ages, when learning was at a low point in Western Europe, the Muslims forged a high civilization." (203) This period is known as the Muslim Golden Age.
Medical advances included surgery, such as amputations, and the removal of cancerous tissues. They developed new medicines and used anesthetics when performing operations as well. Advances in mathematics included work in algebra and trigonometry, not to mention the Arabic numerals. Additionally, the discipline of physics saw successful challenges to the works of Euclid and Ptolemy in the field of optics.
Of note among the many Muslim scholars of this Muslim Golden Age were Al-Fabari (c.870-950), Ibn-Sina (980-1037) and Ibn-Rushd (1126-1198). These and others employed Greek thought and philosophy to catalog and refine Muslim doctrine, write poetry, philosophy and practice medicine.

Curtis Bradley is the father of three and a full time writer and entrepreneur, residing in Connecticut. He holds a B.S. Finance, Summa Cum Laude, from Sacred Heart University (Fairfield, CT). Curtis is an avid reader and enjoys learning immensely. Currently, he's reading through his list of the top books of all time and writing extensively.

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What Meditation Is

A surfeit of concepts seems to be packed in this magical expression called meditation. What does this term meditation mean?
I am too small and irrelevant a person to explain or expand on the concept of this greatest expression on earth. Yet I deserve to make a try.
Meditation is derived from the Latin word 'meditari', which means to heal. It would be an error to believe that meditation is a practice that originated in the mystical east. It really does not matter when this originated or where. The fact of the matter is great individuals of all religions down the ages meditated.
Hindu sages stressed on self-awareness through yoga and the means to achieve this was meditation.
There is reference in Christianity to meditation. The term meditation is used a number of times in the Psalms of the New Testament. For instance, Psalm 143:5 says, "I remember the days of old; I meditate on all you have done; I ponder the works of your hands."
Muslims confirm their faith in the oneness of God and declare their total submission to His commandments through Salat.
According to Buddhists, "the gift of meditation is the greatest gift you can give yourself in this life".
In Judaism, Rabbi Abraham considered meditation as the core of all biblical prophets.
You can go on and on describing, what meditation is according to different religions. All spiritual leaders knew meditation sets in motion processes that lead to physical, mental and spiritual well being.
Human civilization has seen remarkable progress in scientific evolution. Now it deserves a spiritual evolution. Our existence depends on it.

Arun Prabhu loves travel, is a nature lover and a keen photography enthusiast. You can visit his blog here http://arun-savenature-preservemankind.blogspot.com/2010/07/monsoon-special.html

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Silence - An Islamic Perspective

"Silence is gold" we say. In Islam silence is more than gold. There is a well known saying of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) on the value of keeping silent:
"Salat (prayer) is the main pillar of Islam, however remaining silent is better.
Sadaqa (charity) will extinguish the anger of Allah, however remaining silent is better.
Sawm (fasting) is a shield against the fire of hell, however remaining silent is better.
Jihad (holy war) occupies a high position in the deen of Allah, however remaining silent is better."
The human experiences tranquility by reducing four of his innate habits: Socializing, eating, sleeping and talking much. Islam puts much emphasis on controlling one's tongue. Speech is one of the inlets to the spiritual heart. Generally useless talk is most of what we utter. It is that which is said with little thought and less purpose. Surprisingly even talking about religion can fall into this category. Many Muslims talk about God and Islam without proper knowledge.
As for every day's conversations, they are all about arguing, backbiting, debating, and lying. Such speech has no value, or rather bears negative effects for it brings nothing but distraction with the trivial.
On the other hand beneficial speech according to Islamic teachings is whatever is wholesome and constructive. Commenting on public life is not considered spiritually harmful however only when our lips are sealed about the ordinary that beneficial speech becomes illumined. Excessive talking can be a serious threat to one's soul. The tongue has a privilege that other organs of the body do not, and that is to mention Allah's name and remember Him audibly. The essential cure to excessive talking according to Scholars is through constant remembrance of Allah.
We have often been taught to think before we talk but this aptitude seems to have been lost through time. While it may not be possible to spend every moment remembering Allah, it is part of the spiritual training to strive towards keeping one's tongue moist with dhikrullah (remembrance of Allah). After much remembrance with the tongue (some say it takes years), it becomes natural for some to be in constant contemplation and remembrance of The One, Allah. Silence in Islam, is simply Salvation.

Zeen Khan is the editor of PathtoJannah.com, a website providing Islamic audios and Islamic videos. They are giving away a series of free Islamic lectures available as instant download. Grab your free Islamic lectures

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Tasawwuf: The Soul of Islam

Tasawwuf is the mystical dimension of Islam. It talks about purification of one's heart. Practicing Tasawwuf clears one's heart from lust, calamities of the tongue, anger, malice, jealousy, love of the world, love of fame, niggardliness, greed, ostentation, vanity, deception, etc. It fills the heart with disdainful attributes of repentance, perseverance, gratefulness, fear of Allah, hope, abstention, trust, love, sincerity, truth, contemplation, etc. These are the attributes that are needed to create passion in the other institutions of Islam, known as Fiqh. Fiqh consists of Tauheed (faith in Allah), Zakat (charity), Salat (prayer),Sowm (Fasting in the month of Ramadhan) and Hajj (pilgrimage of Mecca). All of these things are accepted by Allah only if they are done with passion and sincerity, which cannot be achieved without the purity of heart. Thus, Tasawwuf is the soul of Islam.
The practitioner of Tasawwuf is commonly called a Sufi, thus giving Tasawwuf a new name, SUFISM. A lot of people have misunderstandings about Tasawwuf. Many think that it is something beyond Qur'an and Sunnah. Wayward Sufis as well as the superficial ulema, although on the opposite ends of the spectrum, are together in holding this mistaken notion. Consequently the first group has shunned the Qur'an and Hadith while the second group has shunned Tasawwuf. Actually, although the term Tasawwuf, like many other religious terms in use today, evolved later, the discipline is an important part of the Islam. In fact, all the external deeds taught in Quran and Sunnah are designed for the reformation of heart. Its focus is the purification of character. The motive of Tasawwuf is to attain divine pleasure; its methods are totally in accordance with Shariah (Islamic Law).
In order to purify heart and practice Tasawwuf, one normally requires a mentor called the Shaikh. A Shaikh is a person who possesses all the necessary knowledge of Islam, whose beliefs are strong and in accordance with Shariah, and lacks the greed for material things. One can recognize a good Shaikh by the fact that in his company, one can feel himself shrinking away from the world and moving towards Allah, which is what life is all about in the end. It is usually perceived that a Shaikh can perform miracles, which is not true. As a famous Sufi Bayazid Bistami says: "Do not be deceived if you see a performer of supernatural feats flying in the air. Measure him on the standards of the Shariah."
A Shaikh usually gives following instructions to his Mureed (disciple) in order to reach the purification of heart.
1. Perform repentance on past sins.
2. If you owe something to someone, make plans to discharge it.
3. Guard your eye, ears and tongue from things that encourage sins.
4. Perform dhiker (practice of repeating the names of God).
5. Every night, before sleeping, perform self accounting. Review all the good and bad deeds of the day.
6. Perform muraqaba-maut (meditation over death) every night before going to bed. Just visualize that you have died. Reflect upon the pangs of death, the questioning in the grave, the plain of Resurrection, the Reckoning, the presence in the Court of Allah, etc. This helps bring softness to the heart and breaks the tendency to commit sins.
7.Develop humility. If you do a good deed, don't be arrogant about it. Never consider yourself nobler than other people even if you think they are sinful. It is possible that they may repent in the future, and you might lose your purity because of your own arrogance.
The essential idea of Tasawwuf is to bring our desires, anger and intellect at equilibrium. Above mentioned practices will equilibrate them. When desires are at an equilibrium, it brings chastity and decency. Otherwise, it leads to lust and arrogance. Similarly when anger is at equilibrium, a person develops valor and steadfastness whereas if not at equilibrium it results in pride and boastfulness. Finally, if intelligence is at equilibrium it makes a person wise and witty and if it lacks equilibrium, the result will be ignorance and stupidity. The character of a person becomes beautiful when all these faculties are at an equilibrium. The character of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) was the most beautiful of all human beings who have ever walked this earth. The beauty of the character of a Muslim is, accordingly, judged relative to it.

If you require services conforming to the Shariah standards, the provided link may prove beneficial to you.: Free Muslim Classifieds.

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Islamic Gifts For Children's Birthdays

Being a child means little things can please you and you can find happiness in the smallest parts of life. For children, celebrating their birthdays is equivalent to getting presents from their friends and family and enjoying playing with them. For a Muslim child's birthday, the best presents which anyone can give them are Islamic gifts, which are related to their religion in one way or another.
There are a number of Islamic gifts that are available and can be given to children for their birthdays. One of the best Islamic gifts for children consists of good illustrated Islamic books. Based on the child's age, there are numerous topics which are of interest for them. The basic books about topics like Salat, Fasting, Hajj, Zakat, Lives of different prophets, Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h) and Basics of Islam can be given to children of any ages between 5-12 years. There are different difficulty levels available about these areas, so you can select the ones which will be the most suitable for the child you are buying it for.
Islamic animated movies created by different Islamic media organizations are also great Islamic gifts for children. These movies feature animated characters who live life according to the principles of Islam and focus on teaching their viewers the day to day impact f Islam on the lives of its followers. There are different DVD's teaching children different matters such as telling the truth, helping others, respecting parents and elders, cleanliness, working hard and being humble which can help them in their lives on a daily basis. Due to this reason, these video gifts are well appreciated not only by children, but also by their parents.
There are also a number of educational and entertainment toys which also make great Islamic gifts, as they focus of implementing Islam into their teachings in one way or another. Educational toys such as Toy laptops, digital Quran iPod's and Arabic learning characters are a huge hit with children of almost all ages. In addition, Islamic action figures and dolls are great entertainment toys for children while being modest as well. Other toys which make good Islamic gifts for children include hand puppets, Arabic and Islamic puzzles, Islamic trivia games and Islamic art and calligraphy kits.
So the next time you are invited to a child's birthday party, or are looking for a present for your own child, be sure to check out the numerous Islamic gifts available for children at your local stores and choose with care and love the gifts which will help them become better Muslims.

Sohail Khan works for Islamic Impressions which specializes in retail and wholesale products for the Islamic market and stocks a wide range of ideal Islamic gifts to buy online or in our stores in London, Birmingham, Denmark and Trinidad.

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Islam's 5 Pillars - Back To Basics

Islams 5 pillars are all ingrained in the minds of every Muslims. So much so that we tend to take them lightly to the point of neglecting them. Today let us revise Islams 5 pillars and rediscover what our hearts should naturally incline to. I say should, because unfortunately our hearts are so covered up in disease that we have developed a hardness of the heart and our hearts no longer inclined to the basic things that they were created for. They incline to our desires more than anything. When they should incline to worship of Allah, The irresistible. We were created for that purpose alone and with Islams 5 pillars, taught to us by our beloved prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) we know exactly how. So let's go over them so that they may be implemented.
1. Shahada (testimony Of Faith): The first thing a person says that brings them in the fold of Islam. It consists of the following statement " I testify that there is no god (or deity worthy of worship) but Allah and I testify that Muhammad is his last and finally messenger." When you say these words, while meaning and understanding them, you become a Muslim. A Muslim is a person that "Submits to God's will".
2. Salat (Performing 5 daily prayers): A Muslim must perform 5 daily prayers at their prescribed times (On time). While in pray the worshiper is in direct link with his Lord (Allah). The performance of the prayer is mention in the Qur'an, but the details of how it is to be performed was given to us by the prophet Muhammad ( May the blessings and peace from Allah be upon him) Some people think that we could combine all the prayers for the end of the day, but that is incorrect. They must be performed at a set time which is determined by the position of the sun.
3. Zakat (Paying of the Alms tax): The Arabic meaning of the word Zakat is "purification" or "growth". Paying zakat to the needy serves the purpose of purifying our wealth and helping the poor. It has been set at 2.5% of the money set aside in a full year. Every Adult, free, and mentally sane and financially able Muslim, male or female, is obliged to pay his zakat every year.
4. Sawm (Fasting the month of Ramadan): Muslims have been advised that when the month of Ramadan arrives, they are to fast from sun up the sun down. Fasting means abstaining from food and water and from sexual intercourse during the prescribed hours mentioned. The reward for fasting is great and is only truly known by Allah. So we should not miss out that at all.
5. Hajj (Pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia): It has also been prescribed by Allah, that we perform hajj at least once in our life time. On hajj, we are guests of Allah. A set number of rituals must be performed exactly in order for our pilgrimage to be accepted. If accepted, hajj completely washes you of all your sins and leaves you as sinless as a new-born baby.
Well here it is, Islams 5 pillars...
Make sure to implement them in your daily lives. Of course the explanation above was a brief one. For more info on Islams 5 pillars search Islam tomorrow on Google.

Mimi is a long time convert to Islam who has found fullfilment and peace in it. for more info on here web site visit [http://www.tawheedquest.com]

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Islamic Gifts of Prayer Mats

A Muslim cannot deny the importance of praying or 'Salat' in his life; that makes prayer mats a significant feature of every Muslim household. They make ideal gifts for various occasions; they are not only useful but also have a spiritual implication. If you wish to advice someone to become regular in his prayers, then, choosing from a variety of prayer mats and presenting him with one will say it all. This is an ideal present for children as soon as they turn seven. Their personal mat will make them proud of their possession and motivate them to use it rightfully.
When family or friends move into a new house, prayer mats can be the most appropriate gifts. Praying on them will ensure that the family will live in peace and tranquility with the Grace of Allah. For such times you can select rug like prayer mats that are woven in dark and rich colors; they might be a little expensive but the occasion demands generosity on your side.
Muslim pilgrims returning from Hajj or Umrah too distribute prayer mats along with other souvenirs from the Holy Land. They can purchase them from the Holy cities of Mecca or Medina but that is a costly process and then the air freight weight limitations restrict them from bringing the gift for every one. A workable solution is to buy as many prayer rugs as they need from their own home town; only they must choose ones of superior quality and manufactured in countries that supply to the rest of the world.
If some friends or relatives, especially female ones plan to meditate in seclusion, that is, sit in 'Aitakaf' during the month of Ramadan, again prayer mats will prove to be a beneficial and handy gift. As Muslim females are required to meditate at home only, they can choose an isolated corner or room of the house, spread out their mats and connect with Allah. They can recite the holy Quran while sitting there and when too tired can even lie down and rest.
Prayer mats can be given to sons and nephews going abroad to Non-Muslim societies; there they might have to live in a locality without a masjid nearby. A rug like mat will serve well there as it will be durable and last the individual's entire stay. If they are not sure of their room's cleanliness they can spread out the mat and pray and later roll it and let it stand in a corner when it is not being used.

Sohail Khan works for Islamic Impressions which specializes in retail and wholesale products for the Islamic market and stocks a wide range of stylish Islamic goods made to supreme quality standards including beautiful prayer mats.

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The History of Islam

Before the birth Islam, the Arab Peninsula lacked any political organization in any form. No part of the Arabian Peninsula knew a government structure except for Yemen. The Arabs never acknowledged any law or authority. They followed the tribal chiefs whose decisions were dictated not by a written law but rather by their character and personality. The written law of the land was non-existent; therefore, people took law into their own hands. The tribe had an obligation to protect its criminal members in order to survive as a whole. Tribalism or 'asabiyya, the clan spirit, took precedence over the ethics. With no law and no government, the Arabs were consumed by long years of inter-tribal fighting and secondary vendettas.
All things changed with the birth of Islam. Prophet Muhammad was born during 570 BC in Mecca, a part of western Arabia. He received his first revelation in 610 BC. Muslims believe that Prophet Muhammad recited the Quran, the Muslim holy book, as revealed to him by the archangel Gabriel in Arabic. They also believe that the Arabic language is the Quran language. The Quran can be "explained" in different languages but not translated. Hence, most non Arabic Muslims memorize the Quran in Arabic and not in their own language. Similar to the Bible, the Quran makes people responsible for their actions, for which they will be judged by God. The Quran, however, includes lots of rules about the Muslim daily life. In Arabic, it is known as a "Deen and Dunia", i.e. a religion and rules of life.
Muhammad died in 632 BC. His successors, known as the four caliphs, spread the message of Islam through the sword using the rule: "Aslm Taslam," meaning become a Muslim and you will be unharmed. The Muslim Arabs conquered Syria, Palestine, and Egypt from the Byzantine Empire, and Sasanian Empire, thus creating a global empire. The Muslim empire grew over time but it sustained a major blow with the dissension of the Shiites.
The dissension occurred at the contention of the fourth Caliph's Chair between Ali Ibn Abi Talib (Ali the son of AbiTalib) son-in-law of the prophet Mohammed and Mu'awiyah ibn Abi-Sufyan, the first Umayyad Caliph and previous heir of the pagan throne of the city of Mecca and the governor of Syria. Ali Ibn Abi Talib became the fourth caliph but struggled to be accepted. Mu'awiyah, the governor of Syria, rebelled against Ali. They met at the battle of Siffin (657 AC). The battle was inconclusive, so the two factions resolved to arbitration. The Shiaa still claims to this day that Ali's representative was tricked into dethroning Ali while Mu'awiyah's representative who was supposed to dethrone his Caliph confirmed him.
The Sunni are the dominant faction in the world today, estimated at 1.5 billion people. They are found in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Indonesia and previous Southern Soviet Republics. Sunni means "Orthodox", the one who did not make false interpretations of the Quran. Mecca is their Jerusalem equivalent. The Shiaa is the second largest branch of Islam at 154 million persons, estimated to be around 10% of the entire Muslim population. They believe the political and religious leadership should come from the descent of the Ali Ibn Abi Talib. The Shiaa are mainly located in Iran, Iraq, Yemen, Afghanistan and Lebanon. They are powerful mainly in Lebanon and Iran. After Mecca, the Shiaa refer to Karbalaa' as their religious capital because it marks the location where the sons of Ali Ibn Abi Talib were massacred.
Each Muslim has five duties to accomplish in life, named the Five Pillars of Islam. The duties include Shahada, Salat, Zakat, Sawm and Hajj. Shahada is the profession of faith, the acknowledgment that Allah is the only one worthy of worship. Salat, praying five times a day at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset and night, allows the believer to connect directly with Allah. Zakat, giving alms to the needy, in doing so, a believer purifies their wealth and gains the blessings of Allah to grow in goodness. Sawm is fasting, especially during Ramadan and is recognized as a way of purifying oneself. Hajj is the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, which all Muslims should take part in at least once in their lifetime, if economically possible, to worship and show submission to Allah as well as the unity of Muslims. The Shiaa Muslims developed eight practices, which substantially overlap with the five Pillars.
The rift between the East and the West or between the Christian civilization and the Islamic Civilization has been there since the birth of Islam. It started with Islam's Byzantine conflict and progressed to Spain's occupation and Crusades followed by the Turkish incursion into East Europe. With the fall of the "Sick Man" Empire, the Ottoman Empire, in World War I, the Muslims came under the occupation of the Western world. The rift was worsened with the establishment of Israel in 1948.

Ghassan Gholmieh is the founder of FamilyIgloo in Southern California.

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Islam Meets Web 2.0 Free RSS Feeds With Muslim Prayer Time Are Now Available

The modern Muslims are getting used to using a religious software and information services (e.g. sms) to get a right time for prayer (salat), that is regarded as an important part of muslim's life. Now at the very start of RSS boom Muslim community got the access to Muslim Prayer Time
(Azan) RSS feeds for PCs, mobiles and other devices from Pray In Time Information center.
Accurate calculations of Muslim prayer times for every location is a non-trivial task, because the time of prayer depends on the sunrise and sunset times and geographical location. The sunset and sunrise is different in different locations and change throughout a year. Historically, prayer timing was determined by Islamic religious scholars and the prayers were informed about start of a prayer by the muezzin from a minaret.
Now in the most of modern cities there it is difficult for Muslims to hear an adhan (call to prayer) that makes alternative way of informing prayers about prayer timetable more and more important.
One possibility is to use Azan Islamic software for mobile and PCs, sms azan services that created a market for religious software developers. With the start RSS era this service became available globally for free. It only requires an RSS reader (such as IE 7.0) and hence can run on virtually any PC, PDA, cell phone and any other computer device. The prayer should just visit the Pray In Time information center's web site: http://www.pray-in-time.org, select the necessary location and subscribe to this free namaz time service RSS. At the moment more than 6 millions inhabited locations are covered and the number is growing.
Glossary.
Adhan (Azaan, azan and other spellings) (أَذَان) is the Islamic call to prayer, recited by the muezzin. The root of the word is ʼḏn "to permither derivative of this word is uḏun, meaning "ear". Adhan is called out by the muezzin from a minaret of a mosque five times a day (Sunni Islam) or three times a day (Shi'a Islam) summoning Muslims for fard (mandatory) salah (prayers).
Salat (also salah, solat, solaat, namaz, solah, salaat, namaaz and other spellings) (Arabic: صلاة, Qur'anic Arabic: صلوة, Persian: نماØning to pray, or to bless, generally refers to prayers that Muslims offer to God (Arabic:Allah) and most commonly refers to the five dailyritual prayers in Islam. It is one of the Five Pillars of Islam in Sunni Islam, and one of the ten Branches of Religion in Shi'a Islam. As such, it is compulsory (fard) upon every Muslim.
About Pray In Time information center.
Pray In Time was created to provide a reliable information to muslim community via web. Started as a Prayer Time information service it added a global muslim directory covering almost all aspects of Muslim's life.
http://www.pray-in-time.org

About Pray In Time information center. Pray In Time was created to provide a reliable information to Muslim community via web. Started as a Prayer Time information service it added a global Muslim directory covering almost all aspects of Muslim’s life. http://www.pray-in-time.org

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Why Use Islamic Prayer Mats For Your Worship?

The religion Islam is centered on Allah, the Supreme Being, and followers of the faith show their submission and obedience towards Allah Almighty by offering prayers five times a day. The prayer consists of certain sacred rituals performed in a specific order by Muslims all over the world regardless of their ethnicity or social standing. The most important part of the prayer or Salat is "Sajdah" which is to bow or prostrate to Allah SWT. Another important element required before beginning to offer Salat include wearing clean clothes and praying in a clean place.
The requirement of a clean place can be easily fulfilled with the use of prayer mats and this is the primary reason for the wide usage of prayer mats in Islam. These praying rugs are convenient and easy to carry as they comprise of a small carpet or rug, and can be rolled or folded to fit even in a compact space. They can be carried everywhere you go with you saving you the hassle of looking for a clean place to offer your prayers.
There are a few different types of prayer mats which are available and some of them include:
Hand woven: These are hand weaved from pure threads such as wool and silk and most commonly used by the richer people as they are costlier and unique.
Tree Bark: Prayer mats most commonly used in mosques and other joint praying places are made from certain tree barks. They are not as soft as the hand woven ones, but provide a thick layer of clean area to pray. These prayer mats are commonly referred to as a "Saf" and consists of a long rectangular mat which can accommodate numerous people at the same time.
The padded types of prayer mats; those that either use an extra layer of foam or polyester filling, are very useful for older people in particular as they provide a soft cushioning under the legs for those suffering from health issue related to the lower part of the body. These include back problems, arthritis and knee problems that become common with aging.
Prayer mats have been in use since the advent of Islam and are a fundamental part of any Muslims home. They are used five times a day by placing them on the floor in the direction of the house of Allah; the Kaa'ba, and standing on them and offering Salat. They are always kept clean and are often times removed from the floor immediately after use in order to prevent them from getting dirty.

Sohail Khan works for Islamic Impressions which specialises in retail and wholesale products for the Islamic market and stocks a wide range of stylish Islamic goods made to supreme quality standards including beautiful prayer mats.

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About Islam - Prayers In The Quran

The Quran provides us with many specific prayers that we may use for ourselves. The Quran contains the Contact Prayers in Sura 1, as well as other various prayers of supplication and commemoration. A list of Quranic prayers is provided here. God advises us in Sura 2, Verse 186: When My servants ask you about Me, I am always near. I answer their prayers when they pray to Me...
In the name of GOD, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
The very first prayer we encounter in the Quran is the Contact Prayers. These are the specific words used by Muslims five times a day for Salat. Sura 1 (The Key), Verses 1-7: "Praise be to GOD, Lord of the universe. Most Gracious, Most Merciful. Master of the Day of Judgment. You alone we worship; You alone we ask for help. Guide us in the right path; the path of those whom You blessed; not of those who have deserved wrath, nor of the strayers."
Other Quranic prayers are;
[2:128] "Our Lord, make us submitters to You, and from our descendants let there be a community of submitters to You. Teach us the rites of our religion, and redeem us. You are the Redeemer, Most Merciful."
[2:201] "Our Lord, grant us righteousness in this world, and righteousness in the Hereafter, and spare us the retribution of Hell."
[2:250] "Our Lord, grant us steadfastness, strengthen our foothold, and support us against the disbelieving people."
[2:286] "Our Lord, do not condemn us if we forget or make mistakes. Our Lord, and protect us from blaspheming against You, like those before us have done. Our Lord, protect us from sinning until it becomes too late for us to repent. Pardon us and forgive us. You are our Lord and Master. Grant us victory over the disbelieving people."
[3:8] "Our Lord, let not our hearts waver, now that You have guided us. Shower us with Your mercy; You are the Grantor."
[3:16] "Our Lord, we have believed, so forgive us our sins, and spare us the agony of the hellfire."
[3:26-27] "Our god: possessor of all sovereignty. You grant sovereignty to whomever You choose, You remove sovereignty from whomever You choose. You grant dignity to whomever You choose, and commit to humiliation whomever You choose. In Your hand are all provisions. You are Omnipotent. You merge the night into the day, and merge the day into the night. You produce the living from the dead, and produce the dead from the living, and You provide for whomever You choose, without limits."
[3:147] "Our Lord, forgive us our sins, and our transgressions, strengthen our foothold, and grant us victory over the disbelievers."
[3:191-192] "Our Lord, You did not create all this in vain. Be You glorified. Save us from the retribution of Hell. Our Lord, whomever You commit to Hell are the ones You have forsaken. Such transgressors have no helpers."
[3:193-194] "Our Lord, we have heard a caller calling to faith and proclaiming: `You shall believe in your Lord,' and we have believed. Our Lord, forgive us our transgressions, remit our sins, and let us die as righteous believers. Our Lord, shower us with the blessings you promised us through Your messengers, and do not forsake us on the Day of Resurrection. You never break a promise."
[6:162-163] "My Contact Prayers (Salat), my worship practices, my life and my death, are all devoted absolutely to GOD alone, the Lord of the universe. He has no partner. This is what I am commanded to believe, and I am the first to submit."
[7:23] "Our Lord, we have wronged our souls, and unless You forgive us and have mercy on us, we will be losers."
[7:126] "Our Lord, grant us steadfastness, and let us die as submitters."
[7:155-156] "...You are our Lord and Master, so forgive us, shower us with Your mercy; You are the best Forgiver. And decree for us righteousness in this world, and in the Hereafter. We have repented to You."
[10:10] ...Their prayer therein (in the Gardens of Bliss) is: "Be You glorified, our god," their greeting therein is, "Peace," and their ultimate prayer is: "Praise be to GOD, Lord of the universe."
[10:85-86] "We trust in GOD. Our Lord, save us from the persecution of these oppressive people. Deliver us, with Your mercy, from the disbelieving people."
[11:47] "My Lord, I seek refuge in You, lest I implore You ...for something I do not know. Unless You forgive me, and have mercy on me, I will be with the losers."
[12:101] "My Lord, ...Initiator of the heavens and the earth; You are my Lord and Master in this life and in the Hereafter. Let me die as a submitter, and count me with the righteous."
[14:35] "My Lord, make this a peaceful land, and protect me and my children from worshiping idols."
[14:40-41] "My Lord, make me one who consistently observes the Contact Prayers (Salat), and also my children. Our Lord, please answer my prayers. My Lord, forgive me ...and the believers, on the day when the reckoning takes place."
[17:80] "My Lord, admit me an honorable admittance, and let me depart an honorable departure, and grant me from You a powerful support."
[17:111] "Praise be to GOD, who has never begotten a son, nor does He have a partner in His kingship, nor does He need any ally out of weakness."
[18:10] "Our Lord, shower us with Your mercy, and bless our affairs with Your guidance."
[18:14] "Our only Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth. We will never worship any other god beside Him. Otherwise, we would be far astray."
[23:94] "My Lord, let me not be one of the transgressing people."
[23:97-98] "My Lord, I seek refuge in You from the whispers of the devils. And I seek refuge in You, my Lord, lest they come near me."
[23:109; 118] "Our Lord, we have believed, so forgive us and shower us with mercy. Of all the merciful ones, You are the Most Merciful."
[25:65-66] "Our Lord, spare us the agony of Hell; its retribution is horrendous. It is the worst abode; the worst destiny."
[25:74] "Our Lord, let our spouses and children be a source of joy for us, and keep us in the forefront of the righteous."
[26:83-87] "My Lord, grant me wisdom, and include me with the righteous. Let the example I set for the future generations be a good one. Make me one of the inheritors of the blissful Paradise... And do not forsake me on the Day of Resurrection."
[27:19] "My Lord, direct me to be appreciative of the blessings You have bestowed upon me and my parents, and to do the righteous works that please You. Admit me by Your mercy into the company of Your righteous servants."
[28:16] "My Lord, I have wronged my soul. Please forgive me."
[28:21] "My Lord, save me from the oppressive people."
[28:22] "May my Lord guide me in the right path."
[28:24] "My Lord, whatever provision you send to me, I am in dire need for it."
[37:100] "My Lord, grant me righteous children."
[43:13-14] As you rest on top of (what you ride on), you shall appreciate such a blessing from your Lord, and say, "Glory be to the One who subdued this for us. We could not have controlled them by ourselves. We ultimately return to our Lord."
[46:15] "My Lord, direct me to appreciate the blessings You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents, and to do the righteous works that please You. Let my children be righteous as well. I have repented to You; I am a submitter."
[59:10] "Our Lord, forgive us and our brethren who preceded us to the faith, and keep our hearts from harboring any hatred towards those who believed. Our Lord, You are Compassionate, Most Merciful."
[60:4-5] "Our Lord, we trust in You, and submit to You; to You is the final destiny. Our Lord, let us not be oppressed by those who disbelieved, and forgive us. You are the Almighty, Most Wise."
[66:8] "Our Lord, perfect our light for us, and forgive us; You are Omnipotent."
[71:28] "My Lord, forgive me and my parents, and anyone who enters my home as a believer, and all the believing men and women..."
[112:1-4] "He is the One and only GOD. The Absolute GOD. Never did He beget. Nor was He begotten. None equals Him."
[113:1-5] "I seek refuge in the Lord of daybreak. From the evils among His creations. From the evils of darkness as it falls. From the evils of the troublemakers. From the evils of the envious when they envy."
[114:1-6] "I seek refuge in the Lord of the people. The King of the people. The god of the people. From the evils of sneaky whisperers. Who whisper into the chests of the people. Be they of the jinns, or the people."
[3:18; 47:19] GOD bears witness that there is no god except He, and so do the angels and those who possess knowledge ... "There is no other god beside GOD," and ask forgiveness of your sins and the sins of all believing men and women.

Kris A. O. works for Abe's column. Abe's column from God's Mosque.org utilizes the Quran as a guidebook and reference to answer prevalent questions and apply it to real life issues. The referenced Quran translation is by Dr. Rashad Khalifa. Come see other interesting Q&A at http://www.godsmosque.org

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Why Should We Pray

The bounty, which has been bestowed to us by Almighty Allah, is our Muslim Identity. Our ultimate shield is the authentic and sacred book of Holy Quran; an illuminating guide which remains pure till the end of time.
Is there anyone other than Allah who nurtures, consoles, and meets your every need? Who forgives and overlooks your faults? Who carries you through your hard times and dilutes or even averts your trial on your mere asking? Who grants you wisdom, rights of expression, freedom of speech and freedom of explore? Indeed, non other than Allah, who has created us and has given us the title of Ashraful Makhlukaat. Then, should we not bow down and express our respect and gratitude towards Him? Or is it only these lower creations that bear an ingrained etiquette to say Thank you?
Out of the five pillars of Islam we find that the word Salat is the most frequently mentioned of the five. The word Salat is mentioned a total of 67 times in the Quran. The Salat provides the nourishment needed by our souls and is a sure method of attaining righteousness and nearness to our Creator.
We all must pray because He has created us. He is the only one, to whom all our prayer should be, and He is the one, to whom, we should bestow.
Quran says,
"O you who believe! Bow down and prostrate your selves and adore your Lord, and do good, that you may prosper."
(Surah Al Haj:77)
Today, life is governed by success, time and money. If only we could see the investment that manifolds each time, we bow down to our creator or else forget that too in the lust of this worldly life. Our reflection and remembrance of Him adds surplus to our eternal credit. Not only do we add wealth upon wealth, but also we physically unwind from the turmoil's of the day, and energize our body.
Remember that we should not only remember Allah in our hard times, but in our good times as well. We should balance our life.
We all know that the time is running and we have many responsibilities to fulfill, but we should remember Allah in every second of our life. We must make time to nurture and feed our soul. We must revitalize our inner selves, and establish that intimacy with our Creator.
Quran says,
"O you believe! Seek (Allah's) help with patience, perseverance and prayer."
(Surah Al Baqarah:153)
Our Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said,
"The one who is regular and steadfast in observing his 5 daily prayers shall be with the truthful and martyrs on the day of judgement."
(Narrated by Ibn-e-Habban)

Munir Moosa Sewani has been one of the famous, prominent and creative names in the field of Education since he was 8 years. He is a Master Trainer In Special Education, Post Graduate, Teacher Educator and a Teacher. He is a Freelance Writer and Photographer too. He is an author of the famous self-published storybook for children named as "The MORAL STORIES FOR CHILDREN" and has also written Biology course books for Secondary Classes. He has written almost more than 30 articles on social, health, educational and cultural issues, which are internationally recognized and published on most of the famous world wide websites, magazines and newspapers. He is also a Social worker, private tutor, career counselor, musician, lyrics writer and has multi- dimensional talents. His future plan is to write dozens of informative books and articles and to work for education and media too.

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How Prayer Mats Help Teach Children the Importance of Praying

Children begin to learn and understand many things from a very early age by looking at their parents, siblings and peers. They like to imitate the adults around them and in particular their parents, who are the center of their world, particularly during early childhood. When a child sees his parent behaving in a certain way, he is likely to follow suit. This is the main reason that after the birth of their child, most conscious parents try to take up good habits and practices themselves which they want to teach their children.
In order to teach your young child the importance of praying in our lives, it is extremely important to be regular with offering your prayers. When your child will see you offering prayers five times a day, he will try to imitate you from the beginning, and it is very likely that he will develop a love and understanding for Salat from an early age. It is important to show you child a routine by making the ritual ablution, known as "Wudu" followed by selecting a clean place and placing prayer mats for yourself and your child and continuing with the Salat.
The prayer mats which act as a clean and pure place to pray can be attention grabbing for your child. Children usually find the soft material and vivid colors to be attractive and comforting. Even though initially they might use the prayer mats as a play area while you offer your prayers, but with the passage of time, they start to imitate your actions for praying. The love for praying and staying clean is enhanced over time with the continued guidance provided by the parents.
Certain Islamic Sunday schools in the UK and USA have the preschoolers create small prayer mats during the craft period. These prayer mats are made using small pieces of solid colored carpets and are then colorfully decorated by children using markers and paints to make flowers and abstract designs according to their own talent and creativeness. Then these prayer mats are used by them during Sunday school each week to offer Salat. When this craft project is introduced into the classroom, the teacher also tells the students about the importance of Namaz in Islam.
The prayer mats which they create in class also act as a starting point for the children to offer prayers more regularly. In addition it is often a matter of pride for them to pray to Allah using a mat they have made themselves. For children these little activities not only keep them busy and entertained, but also act as stepping stones to get a better grasp over their religious heritage.

Sohail Khan works for Islamic Impressions which specializes in retail and wholesale products for the Islamic market and stocks a wide range of stylish Islamic goods made to supreme quality standards including beautiful prayer mats.

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Importance of Prayer Call - Islamic Perspective

The prayer is the first of the act of worship which was legislated in Islam made obligatory on the Muslims. And brothers and the sisters it is the first thing that Allah almighty will ask us about on the day judgment, this is what the Prophet Muhammad told to us. And Allah will ask the angels to look at the records of the deeds to see that if all of your prayers (especially Fajr), your obligatory prayers have been performed.
And if there is something missing or some negligence or there is short coming in the prayers which it either could be you missed it or it could either to be you do not make the Wudu (Ablution) before hand or you did not performed the prayer correctly in acceptable manner all this caused to miss your obligatory prayer, then Allah and his mercy the most merciful will tell the angels to look for the extra voluntary prayers to see if there are another voluntary prayers that will make up the short comings of obligatory prayers and if they are not sufficient voluntarily prayers, then the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) told us Allah will not look at the rest of your deeds! Allah will not look at your charity, he will not look at your fasting, he will not look at your kindness to the parents he will not look whether you put your head or not and all other deeds will not even be looked at, and that person, who is deficient will go to hell.
Indeed my brothers and sister we should know that Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) said that thing that differentiate between Shirk and Kufer and Eiman is the Salah (prayer), and whoever abandons it is a disbeliever (a Kafir). This is why Allah Almighty told us in his book to guard strictly the prayer especially the middle prayer (Asar prayer), Fajr prayer and stand before Allah with obedience. Indeed Prophet Muhammad said that whoever missed their Asar prayers, then they have nullified their good deeds! The good deeds have been nullified!
You say with your tongue I am a believer, you say with your tongue you are Muslim but there is a clear sign of hypocrites is the laziness in the prayer, Especially the Fajr Prayer and the Ishah prayer. Who is the one who disobeyed the command of the Allah almighty? The Satan (devil)! Allah ordered him to bow down to Adam along with the angels, but he refused. And now the Allah is ordering down us to bow down before him, to worship him to pray. Are we not therefore merely following Satan and his footsteps?
Oh brother and sisters don't follow the footsteps of Satan he is a swan enemy to you! He has swanned to take us with him to hell fire then how could be we such a lazy about such a thing. And if you want from yourself or think to yourself, why do I find it so hard to abandon the sins? Why I do find hard to change myself? Then look to your prayers and ask yourself how is your prayers, then I am sure you will find that if you are finding it difficult to keep it away from the sins.
Then this the problem that our prayers have just become rituals, just a movements, just some action that we performed and some words that we say and we don't really know what is the meanings of that words! And we even don't think about the benefits of these actions, and it's become the habit and this is the case where people maybe praying from a long time. There is no Khushu (happiness) in the prayer. This is something brothers and sisters very important that we have neglected. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) told to his companions and he mentioned about this if one of you between your house and between the place of work that was a stream, and if you passed through this stream five times a day then would any dirt left on you? They said no Prophet of Allah we would surely be cleaned. The prayer is like this, this is how prayer expatiates for the sins.

Brother and sisters, as you know The Fajr prayer is hardest to get and for that I recommend my Hub on the topic Fajr Salah is Calling You.
Zain-Ul-Abideen is a creative writer, writes both professionally and for pleasure. Professionally, Zain-Ul-Abideen write articles on Islamic Prayer Call or Muslim Prayer call. He has found the discipline involved with this work to be a great writing exercise and believes it enhances and improves the rest of his writing. Zain-Ul-Abideen's articles at Different Articles directory are of a much more personal nature, where he feels he can express his views and interests in the world around him

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Spirit Who Performs Salat

When a man has reached a strong connection with God, then come guidances that lead his life, his behavior, even up to the things which most people considered it a small and trivial.
Spirit who performs salat
Spirit {arruh, not the spirit who usually haunts rumored in the public view} is a divine ambassador who was given the task of guiding people to the straight path, the path that God blessed. The spirit be able to guide the human when himself in a state of being dhikr, connect to God. Meanwhile, for people who fail, then the spirit is helpless. In fact, the ruling is the devil.
As one who prays {salat} with heart connect with God, then God's guidance through the spirit come. It is felt in every movement of salat, start from takbir until the greeting, the great strength that lead and guide to stand, lead to read fatehah, compel to bowing, encourage to iktidal, push to bow down, and so on. We'll just give up. Total surrender to God. Jobs that are as rightful requirements of salat happen automatically and run away. We're just watching, seeing, watching God's busy take care of the physical body and our inner, lead in prayer, lead in every movement, giving a sense of solemn in salat.
Become object of God
According to the tawheed, we actually always to be object of God. And it's time we know for dzauq {heartstrings} the truth of these teachings of Quran. Especially in prayer, we can feel the truth of God's word. So we should learn to pray with thumakninah/stillness rather long. Give God a chance to lower His guidance. Until at last we reach the point of feeling that we really just become the object of God. In order to increase the level of our faith. From trust {believe in the truth of teachings of the Quran} in science {'ilmulyaqin} to increase to a higher level of trust as the feeling of self / personal experience / dzauq /' ainulyaqin.

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