Muslim Scientists:

Muslim Scientists:

The Five Pillars of Islam

The 'Five Pillars' of Islam are the foundation of Muslim life:

• Faith or belief in the Oneness of God and the finality of the prophethood of Muhammad;
• Establishment of the daily prayers;
• Concern for and almsgiving to the needy;
• Self-purification through fasting; and
• The pilgrimage to Makkah for those who are able.

Iman or Faith

"There is none worthy of worship except God and Muhammad is the messenger of God." This declaration of faith is called the Shahadah, a simple formula that all the faithful pronounce. The significance of this declaration is the belief that the only purpose of life is to serve and obey God, and this is achieved through the teachings and practices of the Last  Prophet, Muhammad. 
 

Salah or Prayer

Salah is the name for the obligatory prayers that are performed five times a day, and are a direct link between the worshipper and God. There is no hierarchical authority in Islam and there are no priests. Prayers are led by a learned person who knows the Qur'an and is generally chosen by the congregation.
Prayers are said at dawn, mid-day, late-afternoon, sunset and nightfall,  and thus determine the rhythm of the entire day. These five prescribed prayers contain verses from the Qur'an, and are said in Arabic, the  language of the Revelation. Personal supplications, however, can be  offered in one's own language and at any time.
Although it is preferable to worship together in a mosque, a Muslim may  pray almost anywhere, such as in fields, offices, factories and universities. Oftentimes visitors to the Muslim world are struck by the centrality of prayers in daily life.
A translation of the Adan or Call to Prayer is:
God is Great.
God is Great.
God is Great.
God is Great.
I testify that there is none worthy of worship except God.
I testify that there is none worthy of worship except God.
I testify that Muhammad is the messenger of God.
I testify that Muhammad is the messenger of God.
Come to prayer!
Come to prayer!
Come to success!
Come to success!
God is Great!
God is Great!
There is none worthy of worship except God.

Zakah 

The financial obligation upon Muslims.

 An important principle of Islam is that everything belongs to God, and that wealth is therefore held by human beings in trust. The word zakah means  both "purification" and "growth." Our possessions are purified by setting aside a proportion for those in need and for the society in general. Like the pruning of plants, this cutting back balances and encourages new growth.
 Each Muslim calculates his or her own zakah individually. This involves the annual payment of a fortieth of one's capital, excluding such items as primary residence, car and professional tools.
An individual may also give as much as he or she pleases as sadaqa-h,  and does so preferably in secret. Although this word can be translated as "voluntary charity" it has a wider meaning.
The Prophet said, "Even meeting your brother with a cheerful face is an act of charity." The Prophet also said: "Charity is a necessity for every Muslim." He was asked: "What if a person has nothing?" The Prophet  replied: "He should work with his own hands for his benefit and then give something out of such earnings in charity." The Companions of the Prophet asked: "What if he is not able to work?" The Prophet said: "He should help the poor and needy." The Companions further asked: "What if he cannot do even that?" The Prophet said: "He should urge others to do good." The Companions said: "What if he lacks that also?" The Prophet said: "He should check himself from doing evil. That is also an act of charity."

Sawm or Fasting

Every year in the month of Ramada-n, all Muslims fast from dawn until sundown--abstaining from food, drink, and sexual relations with their spouses.
 Those who are sick, elderly, or on a journey, and women who are menstruating, pregnant or nursing, are permitted to break the fast and  make up an equal number of days later in the year if they are healthy and able. Children begin to fast (and to observe prayers) from puberty, although many start earlier.
Although fasting is beneficial to health, it is mainly a method of self-purification and self-restraint. By cutting oneself from worldly comforts, even for a short time, a fasting person focuses on his or her purpose in life by constantly being aware of the presence of God.  God states in the Qur'an:  "O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed to those before you that you may learn self-restraint." (Qur'an 2:183)

Hajj or Pilgrimage

The pilgrimage to Makkah (the hajj) is an obligation only for those who are physically and financially able to do so. Nevertheless, over two million people go to Makkah each year from every corner of the globe providing a unique opportunity for those of different nations to meet one another.
 The annual hajj begins in the twelfth month of the Islamic year (which is lunar, not solar, so that hajj and Ramada-n fall sometimes in summer, sometimes in winter). Pilgrims wear special clothes: simple garments that strip away distinctions of class and culture, so that all stand equal before God.
The rites of the hajj, which are of Abrahamic origin, include going around the Ka'bah seven times, and going seven times between the hills of Safa and Marwa as did Hagar (Hajir, Abraham's wife) during her search for water. The pilgrims later stand together on the wide plains of 'Arafat (a large expanse of desert outside Makkah) and join in prayer for God's  forgiveness, in what is often thought as a preview of the Day of Judgment.
The close of the hajj is marked by a festival, the 'Id al Adha, which is celebrated with prayers and the exchange of gifts in Muslim communities everywhere. This and the 'Id al Fitr, a festive day celebrating the end of Ramada-n, are the two holidays of the Islamic calendar.

Islam, Qur'an & Science

The Concept of Charity in Islam

By Maulana Wahiduddin Khan

Date: 30 March 2000

Charity, preached by every religion of the world, is a way of bringing justice to society. And justice is the essence of religion, Islam has therefore made charity, that is zakat, obligatory and binding upon all those who embrace the faith; it has been made into an institution in order to give in permanence and regularity.

All human beings, according to Islam, have been created by one and the same God, and for this reason they belong to one great brotherhood. All being descendants of the same progenitor, Adam and Eve, they should naturally be each other's well-wishers. They must willingly come to one another's assistance, like members of the same large family. Islam has, therefore, laid the greatest of emphasis on the support of destitute and disabled members of society. It is a sacred duty of the wealthy to give part of their possessions to fulfill the needs of the deprived sections of the community.

A society can flourish only when its members do not spend all their wealth on the satisfaction of their own desires but reserve a portion of it for parents, relatives neighbors, the poor and the incapacitated. As the saying goes: Charity begins at home. A true believer is thus always prepared, after meeting the needs of his family, to assist other people in need of his help.

There are two forms of charity in Islam - obligatory and voluntary, called zakat and sadaqa respectively. Zakah, from the verb zaka, which signifies "to thrive," "to be wholesome," "to be pure" means purification. Giving up of a portion of the wealth one may possess in excess of what is needed for sustenance, is to "purify" or legalize it so that the remainder may lawfully be used by the alms giver.

Deducting zakat from one's earnings is a material acknowledgment of the fact that the actual giver is God. Since the giver is God, the recipient is duty bound to spend it in His cause.

The law of zakat is to take from those who have wealth and give it away to those who do not. This rotation of wealth is a way to balance social inequality.

Islam has established this institution to make concern for the poor a permanent and compulsory duty. This means an annual contribution of two and a half percent of one's income to public welfare. The rate on other types of wealth such as agricultural produce and jewelry is more. It is incumbent on minors and adults, males and females, living or dead.

Islamic law empowers the Islamic State or Community to collect such contributions and keep a separate account of them. The funds thus accumulated must be spent on the eight categories specified in the Qur'an(2:177) namely, the poor and the destitute, the wayfarer, the bankrupt, the needy, converts, captives, the collectors of zakat, and in the cause of God. The last category allows such funds to be used for the general welfare of the community - for the education of the people, for public works, and for any other need of the Muslim community.

Zakat in spirit is an act of worship while in its external form it is the carrying out of social service. It is thus not just the payment of a tax as it is generally understood but is rather an act of religious significance. Its importance is underscored by the fact that the Qur'an treats it at par with salat(prayer). The Qur'an frequently enjoins the believers 'to perform the worship and pay the zakat.' It goes to the extent of saying that one cannot attain righteousness unless one spends out of one's wealth for the love of God: "By no means shall you attain righteousness, unless you give of that which you love."(3:92)

So the test of charity lies not in giving away something we have discarded but the things that we value greatly, something that we love. It is unselfishness that God demands. It may be in any form - one's personal efforts, talents, skill, learning, property or possessions.

The demand of Islam that all its followers should spend their wealth freely on the common good of society cannot be fully met by the payment of the obligatory levy of zakat. According to a hadith the Prophet observed: "In one's wealth there is a due (to God and His men) besides zakat." Hadrat Ali, the fourth Caliph, explained this hadith thus: "God has ordained that the rich are to pay out of their wealth to that extent which is sufficient for the needs of the poor; so that if they do not find food and clothing, or any other need remains to be fulfilled, it would be because the rich are not doing their duty, and for this God will take them to task on the Day of Judgment."

According to Abdullah ibn Umar, the great religious scholar of the first phase of Islam, "If the zakat levy is insufficient to meet the needs of the poor; then it is the duty of the rich of every town to put the poor on their feet."

Abu Zar Ghifari, a companion of the Prophet, reported that the Prophet, while sitting in the shade of the Kabah wall, said, "They are the losers." Abu Zar enquired, "who are they, O Messenger of God?" The Prophet replied: "Those who pile up heaps of wealth and(pointing in all directions with his hands) do not spend like this and this." (Bukhari and Muslim)

There are many verses in the Qur'an and many traditions of the Prophet making it quite clear that there is a due over and above zakat and that the wealthy are not relieved of their duties solely on payment ofzakat.

The Qur'an uses the word 'haq,' the right of the poor; so what the wealthy man is asked to give is not charity but that which should come back to the poor, as a matter of right.

All the expenditure of people in need in an Islamic society is covered by sadaqat (meaning literally 'righteousness' from the root sadaqa, to speak the truth, to be true) - a very wide term used in the Qur'an. (In Islamic literature, this is referred to as sadaqat al tatawwu, or spontaneous alms-giving). According to Ibn Arabi(Akham al-Quran, 2/946-7), alms-giving is called sadaqat to indicate the sincerity(sidk) of the giver's religious belief. He goes on to say that sadaqat is a voluntary act of worship, a choice made of one's own free will. If the act is other than voluntary, it has no religious merit. "For man makes it obligatory for himself, just as God makes mercy obligatory for Himself towards those who repent." The only difference between sadaqat and zakat(the latter being a terms widely used in Quran and the hadith) is that while both kinds of alms-giving are necessarily voluntary (that being the reason for the word sadaqat covering both forms of contribution) the former is the result of an inspiration on the part of the donor as befits certain sets of circumstances, whereas zakat is given on the basis of a fixed percentage of the donor's wealth, (nisab) so that the amount given will vary not according to the needs of a particular donee, but according to the earnings of the donor. In the case of zakat there is also a system of collection set up under Islamic law and there are persons appointed as collectors of these dues. The money thus collected is meant for the general benefit of the community. In the case of sadaqat, the bequest is made directly and spontaneously from one individual to another and the amount given is at the discretion of the giver.

If a very high standard has been set for charity, it is because zakat and sadaqat are performed by believers not just as moral obligations to society, but as sincere endeavors to gain God's pleasure. In his commentary on the Quran, Abdullah Yusuf Ali writes:

1. "It must be in the way of God
2. It must expect no reward in this world
3. It must not be followed by reference or reminders to the acts of charity
4. Still less should any annoyance or injury be caused to the recipient e.g. by boasting that the giver relieved the person in the hour of need.

"

Thus the spirit of kindness and well wishing is the essence of charity. The giver is not to expect any reward from the beneficiary as there awaits for him an abundant reward from God - material, moral and spiritual - what God deems it best to confer on His servant.

The Quran in verses 264 and 271 of the second chapter, warns us against spending "to be seen of men". This is false charity. Alms-giving with this motive is worse than not giving away anything at all. In verse 265 God gives a beautiful parable to illustrate the true nature of charity. It is like a field with good soil on a hillside. it catches good showers of rain and the moisture penetrates the soil. The favourable conditions increase in output enormously. So a man of true charity is spiritually healthy. He is the most likely to attract God's bounties. The Quran goes on to give four parables to explain the truly spiritual nature of charity (2:261:206). These parables explain how true charity bears on the whole of our lives.

Since charity is purely for the sake of God, it has value only if something good and valuable is given. It should be lawfully earned or acquired by the giver. It should include such things as are of use and value to others. Charity is, in the words of the Prophet, to place a thing in the palm of God. It is therefore obvious that placing worthless things in the hand of God dishonours Him.

There are some people who think that acts of charity would ruin them. Abdullah Yusuf Ali comments on such doubts: "No kind or generous act ever ruled one." We have never heard of anyone who, due to his generosity to good causes, has been impoverished. It is because God has promised to shower such a person with greater bounties(2:268). On the other hand, false generosity, that is, extravagant expenditure for show or self indulgence does lead people to ruin.

In verse 273 the Quran states that "Charity is for those in need." This is general principle which enjoins us to help people in need, be they good or bad, on the right path or not, Muslims or non-Muslims. We are not supposed to judge in these matters. The chief ends in charity, as reiterated here, should be God's pleasure and our own spiritual good. This verse in the first instance was revealed in Madina, but it is of general applications.

The concept of charity in Islam is thus linked with justice. It is not limited to the redressal of grievances. It implies apart from the removal of handicaps, the recognition of the right that every human being has to attain the fullness of life.

The spirit of helping others to earn God's pleasure is best reflected in Muslim society in the field of education. Inspired by traditions of the Prophet that the greatest charity for a Muslim being to learn something and then teaching it to others(Ahmad) Muslims in large numbers have devoted themselves to other's education generation after generation.

Knowledge is the most wonderful thing in the whole universe. That is why there is nothing greater then knowledge being imparted by one human being to another. Muslims on a large scale have engaged themselves in receiving education and imparting it to others, individually as well as by establishing maktabs and madrasas, that is, primary schools and Colleges. These educational institutions established in the house of the teachers or in separate buildings, generally made no charges for instruction. During the medieval period, these madrasas flourished in tens of thousands throughout the Muslim world. The wealthy people helped in running these madrasas, not only though zakat, but also by making endowments, (wakf) of their properties as these madrasas. The income from these properties met the needs of these schools. The orphans and poor people were given stipends over and above free board and lodging (Promotion of Learning in India madrasas W.N. H. 104-5)

Sadaqa in the form of wakf is known as sadaqa-e-jaria, i.e. permanent alms. Helping someone to establish himself in business, giving someone a proper education; helping someone to recover from some disease by monetary assistance to looking after the orphans and the destitute; giving scholarships to students, all such charitable works, come under sadaka jaria - that is why so many centres of social welfare have continued to function in the Muslim community. It is unfortunate that the figures of individuals assisting people in need are not available. There are such traditions as stress the importance of giving sadaqain the holy month of Ramazan. Therefore, in this month of fasting, almost all those who can afford it help the poor people in one way or another. The reward for giving voluntary alms in secret is seventy times that of giving it publicly(Al-Baydawi, Anwar al-Tanazil, 2/211).

Sadaqat is a very wide term and is used in the Quran to cover all kinds of charity. Its scope is so vast that even the poor who can have nothing tangible to give can offer sadaqa in the shape of a smile or a glass of water to a thirsty person, or they may even just utter a kindly word. Good conduct is frequently termed sadaqa in the hadith. Planting something from which a person, bird or animal later eats also counts as sadaqa. In this extended sense, acts of loving kindness, even greeting another with a cheerful face, is regarded as sadaqa. In short, every good deal is sadaqa.

The Practice of Sadaqa

Inspired by the verses of the Quran and the traditions and practices of the Prophet and his companions, the giving of Sadaqa to individuals or institutions remained widespread among the Muslims. The Prophet was the most generous of men. He used to give with his own hand. When asked for anything, he never refused. If he had nothing to give, he would borrow from one of his companions and pay him later.

The Prophet's wives were also known for their alms-giving. Of them Zaynab bint Jahsh was the most generous and was called by the Prophet "the longest in arm." She was also known as the "mother of the poor" (umm al-masakin) for her alms-giving. Aisha, the youngest wife of the Prophet too was known as the mother of the poor."(Al-Ghazali, Ihya ulum al-din, vol-1/298). Whenever anyone uttered words of blessing for her, she used to return the same with some aims. After them we have shining examples of generosity set by the pious caliphs. Once when the Prophet urged them to give sadaka . Umar bin al Khattab brought half of what he owned, but only to find that once again Abu Bakr had outdone him by giving away all that he had.There is very interesting example of the generosity of Usman, the third Caliph. During the Caliphate of Abu Bakr people were in great distress due to a drought. The Caliph told them to remain patient, for God would soon relieve them. Before long Usman's caravan arrived with its merchandise from Syria. There were one thousand camels in it, all of them loaded with wheat and foodstuffs from Syria. When the news got around Madina, all the great traders of Madina rapidly converged on Usman's house. When he emerged to meet them, they expressed their urgent desire to purchase the foodstuffs so that they could pass it on to those towns people who needed it.

Ushering them inside, he asked them how much profit they were prepared to give him on the merchandise. "Twelve dirhams on every ten dirhams worth," they replied. "But I can get a better price," said Usman. "Then we'll give you fourteen," Usman again said that he could get a better price, whereupon they put their price up to fifteen dirhams. But Usman stood firm. Bewildered by his attitude, they asked him who could give him a better price, considering that all of the merchants of Madina were already assembled there "I can get ten dirhams for every dirhams's worth," he told them, then asked them if any one of them could give a better price than that. No one spoke up. Then Usman recited the verse of the Quran which says that those who do good will be rewarded tenfold (6:60). He explained to them that he intended to give away all the wheat and other foodstuffs to the needy people of Madina.

According to the teachings of Islam the giving of sadaqa serves a number of functions. Sadaqa first and foremost act as expiation for sins. The believers are asked to give sadaqa immediately following any transgression (Ihya-e-Ulumuddin, Al-Ghazzali, 1/298). Voluntary alms-giving can also compensate for any shortcoming in the past payment of zakat, Sadaqa also gives protection against all kinds of evil.Sadaqa wards off affliction in this world, questioning in the grave and punishment on Judgment Day. (Ismail Hakki, Tafsir Ruh-alBayan, 1/418). It is therefore recommended to give sadaqa by night and by day, in secret and in public to seek God's pleasure (Quran, 2:274). The constant giving of a little is said to please God more than the occasional giving of much. Sadaqa is also a means of moral edification.

Reflections on the Branches of Faith

5/23/2012 - Religious - Article Ref: OI1205-5102
By: Jamaal Diwan
OnIslam

The Love of God is the spring from which faith flows and the foundation from which our following of the example of the Prophet is born.  It is narrated in an authentic tradition of the Prophet Muhammad  that he said:

"Faith is seventy-something branches. The highest of the branches is the statement 'There is no god but God' and the lowest of them is to remove something harmful from the road. Modesty is from faith." (Muslim)

In this simple tradition the Prophet  clarifies to mankind that faith requires more than lip-service. Faith is an ongoing struggle towards improvement, a journey of actualization and a mission of carrying the message of truth to all of creation.

Therefore, yes, the foundation of such faith is the core conceptualization of the oneness of the Creator and the Sustainer of the heavens and the earth, but it is also manifested in other things. That faith shows itself in the way that one pays attention to their internal states and their intentions behind their actions. It manifests itself in outward actions, such as smiling in the face of a stranger or a family member, or removing something harmful from the path.

It is out of this tradition and its profundity that Imam Al-Bayhaqi wrote his monumental work The Branches of Faith. The work is over ten volumes long and covers many different areas of Islamic thought and practice.
It is a compilation of traditions of the Prophet Muhammad  as well as the righteous people who came after him. It consists of seventy-seven branches of faith and is in actuality a magnum opus for the ethical teachings of the Prophet. This is because although the first several branches deal strictly with issues of belief, many of the chapters that come thereafter deal with varying issues of social ethics and manners.

Clearly in dealing with such a work it is not possible to cover everything. Rather, we will choose certain chapters and then combine between the material in those sections as well as personal reflections in order to discuss the topic at hand.

The 10th of the Branches of Faith: Love for God

In these verses the importance of love for God is clear. This is not merely a side issue but rather something that is central...

A man came to Ibn Surayj and he asked him:

"Where do you find in the Quran that love for God is required?"

He said, "I do not know, but so-and-so says so."

The man said, "It is in His statement:

"Say, 'If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your relatives, wealth which you have obtained, commerce wherein you fear decline, and dwellings with which you are pleased are more beloved to you than God and His Messenger and struggling in His cause, then wait until God executes His command. And God does not guide the defiantly disobedient people'' At-Tawbah 9:24

This is because such a threat does not come except in response to something which is required.

In another place in the Quran God says:

"And, among the people are those who take other than God as equals [to Him]. They love them as they [should] love God. But those who believe are stronger in love for God" Al-Baqarah 2:165

And also:

"Say, 'If you love God, then follow me [Muhammad], God will love you and forgive you your sins. And God is Forgiving and Merciful'" Al-Imran 3:24

In these verses the importance of love for God is clear. This is not merely a side issue but rather something that is central within the Islamic perspective on life. It is this love that is the spring from which faith flows and the foundation from which our following of the example of the Prophet is born.

The centrality of love for God is also emphasized in various traditions of the Prophet. In one of these traditions the Prophet, peace be upon him, said:

"There are three characteristics which if a person has them, he will taste the sweetness of faith: for God and His messenger to be more beloved to them than anything else; to love another person purely for the sake of God; and to hate to return to disbelief just as they would hate to be thrown into fire" (Al-Bukhari).

But What is Love for God?

Through these various verses and traditions it is clear that love for God is a fundamental part of faith. However, sometimes although we know something in a general way we need indicators and details in order to really understand what it actually means. This is something that takes us past mere sloganeering and into the realm of true understanding and actualization. As such the scholars mentioned several different meanings for what love for God really is.  Amongst these are the following:

The conviction that He is worthy of praise from every perspective and that there is nothing in His attributes except that it is a reason for His deserving praise. This means to understand that God is the Magnificent and the Glorious, that all of His attributes and descriptions are such that they require from us to stand in awe of Him and praise Him an abundant praise. The conviction that He is excellent to His servants, bestowing upon them all sorts of goodness from His immense bounty. This entails recognition of the source of all good and His generosity upon His creation. The conviction that His excellence towards His servants is such that the servant's speech and actions can never be enough to fulfill the required level of gratitude towards Him. To be perpetually concerned that He will turn away from us, thereby taking our gnosis of Him which He has generously bestowed upon us away. For all of the person's hopes and desires to be concentrated upon Him, glorified and exalted is He, and to never think at any time that he or she is not in need of Him. To follow the example of Prophet Muhammad . To be vigilant in performing the obligatory and seek His proximity through the recommended acts as much as possible. For the mentioned meanings to have such a stronghold on the person's heart that they are continuous in their remembrance of Him in the best way possible.

So What Should I Do?

There are two particular things that are specifically or implicitly mentioned by Imam Al-Bayhaqi that we can focus on when trying to increase our love for God. The first is to follow the example of the Prophet  and the second is to be consistent in His remembrance.

The great scholar and exegete Ibn Kathir mentioned when commenting on the verse of the Quran...

"There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of God an excellent pattern for anyone whose hope is in God and the Last Day and [who] remembers God often," Al-Ahzab 33:21

...that this pattern is in his speech, actions, and internal states.

Many times when we think of the example of the Messenger  we think of particular actions or statements, but to follow him is to do more than this. It is to also seek the internal states that accompanied those external actions and statements; concepts such as sincerity, integrity, honesty, humility, generosity, courage, forgiveness, etc. As such one of the ways that we can increase in our love for God is to increase in our love of His messenger. This can be accomplished through a deep study of his life and his characteristics, while continuously seeking to follow his practical example in our daily lives.

The other thing that we can do to increase our love for God is to engage constantly in His remembrance. Imam Al-Bayhaqi actually spends much of the chapter on this concept and mentions a large number of traditions highlighting the importance of remembering God and the merits of particular supplications and actions. Here we will mention only two, and anyone who is interesting in more detail can refer to books such as Riyad al-Salihin of al-Nawawi and The Fortress of the Muslim.

The first is a tradition wherein the Messenger  said:

"The most beloved words to God are 'O my Lord you are exalted above all imperfection and to You is all praise, blessed is Your name, exalted are You, and there is no god except You. And the most hated words to God is for a person to say to his brother, 'Be mindful of God,' and for his brother to respond with, 'Worry about yourself.'"

This tradition gives us a severe reminder about arrogance but it also highlights the merit of this particular phrase.

Another tradition states,

"Two words, they are light on the tongue, heavy on the scales, and beloved to the Most Merciful: Glory and praise are to God and Glorified is God the Most Great." (Al-Bukhari & Muslim)

Conclusion

In this [discussion] we dealt with the importance of love for God, showing some of the evidences for its obligation and discussing some of its signs. However, Al-Bayhaqi did not leave us without action items and thus we were reminded also of the importance of following the Messenger and remembering God as critical means for attaining His pleasure.

May He, the Loving, increase us in our love for Him and soften our hearts to His remembrance.