Just like any other religion, Marriage is very important in the Muslim world so both genders men and women can procreate, stay away from sins, and live a peaceful live. The word marriage in Islam is referred to as ‘’Zawaj’’. There are rules that regulate the family relationships and basics in Islam and this ensures that all members will live without many problems. Whenever a problem takes place between them, they can go back to these rules to figure out what should be done. In Islam, marriage is considered to be completely half of your religion because it shields from promiscuity, homosexuality, and fornication. In Islam, these issues are said to result in other problems such as homicide, slander, property loss, and family disintegration.

Marriage Conditions:

Married Muslims should not be married against their consent and should be of an appropriate age. It is recommended that the woman should be eighteen years or older, so she is able to serve her husband and household. This issue has caused a lot of confusion in the world but Muslim parents who force their children into marriage are acting against the rules of Islam. This is usually due to lack of education or culture and Muslim people all over the world have opposed this several time. Also a Muslim wife shouldn’t be forced during sexual relationships, according to Islam. This actually has a high importance in Islam as the woman can actually ask for divorce, if her husband is asking her to have sex with him by force or without her consent. The divorce will take place even if the woman has children as this is a very serious case in Islam. A Muslim woman is not allowed, in any way, to engage in sexual relationships with her soon to be husband.

Men shouldn’t be married unless they are able to support their wives and children completely. A woman who is divorced, widowed, or married previously should wait for three complete months until she can get married again. In all cases, a Muslim woman who is pregnant will have to wait until she gives birth to the child so she can get married again. This is mainly to ensure that the women can start a completely new life with her husband.

A Muslim man should never marry his step-mother, grandmother, daughter, sister, and mother, sister of his mother or father, or any woman related to his wife. This is perhaps similar to other religions such as Christianity where a man is also not allowed to marry his daughter or mother. In the world of Islam, marriage is a very important event that represents social and loving relationships between both partners. Muslim married couples enjoy their life by extending their family, by having children and continuously strengthening their relationships. The conditions of marriage in Islam aren’t complicated whatsoever, and if they are followed precisely, everything will go smoothly before the marriage takes place and during it. There are also regulations in Islam that explain how married couples should treat their children.

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writer @Omniya_Fareed on Twitter
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Mosque also known as Masjid in Arabic means any open area or house for praying in Islam. It is a holy place of worship for the followers of Islam and is also known as “place of prostration” to God. Muslims are supposed to pray five times a day, i.e. near dawn, midday, afternoon, around sunset and at the nightfall, preferably in Masjid. There is a place outside or inside every Mosque where Muslim worshipers are supposed to take off their shoes. There is another place where Muslims can carry out ritual of washing before praying in a Mosque. This ritual is known as Wudhu.

The Mosques are very often built with a domed roof and a tall tower known as a Minaret. Muslims are called for worship from the Minaret, and the man who calls to worship is called Muezzin. No pictures or statues are allowed inside a Mosque. Many mosques are decorated with the patterns and words that shows versus of the Quran. Muslims don’t put or use much furniture in mosques but most of the time Muslims use praying mats.

In a Mosque, there is always a Quibla wall which faces Mecca (Makkah) which signifies direction and has an empty arch. The direction of Mecca is very important for Muslims, and it is very crucial that every Muslim should know it. Women and Men have separate places for prayers usually women pray in a screened off area in the Mosque which holds its services every day. Friday is a special day for prayer so on Friday noon all Muslims go to the Mosque.

Eid Al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha are two Eids holidays in the Islamic Calendar on which special prayers are held at Mosques in the morning. In the month of Ramadan when Muslims fast during the day, Mosques host Iftar after sunset, after the fourth required prayer of the day, called Maghrib.

The third pillar of Islam states that Muslims are supposed to give approximately one-fortieth of their wealth to charity as Zakat. Since Mosques are the center of Muslim communities, so that is where Muslim give and, if necessary, collect Zakat. A special Zakat is collected by Mosques before Eid-Al-Fitr in order to help poor Muslims to attend the prayers and celebrations associated with the holiday.

Salat is the Islamic prayer in the Muslim world. Salat involves all 5 everyday prayers: Fajr (dawn), Dhuhr (noon), Asr (afternoon), Maghrib (evening), along with Isha’ (night). This Fajr prayer is carried out just before dawn. Dhuhr is carried out inside the midday following sun features surpassed its maximum level, Asr is the afternoon before sundown, Maghrib is the evening prayer following sundown along with Isha is the nighttime prayer. These types of prayers are usually recited whilst experiencing this Kaaba with Mecca.

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Eid al-Adha honours the moment when God appeared to Ibrahim in a dream and asked him to sacrifice his son. As Ibrahim was about to sacrifice his son, as a sign of obedience, God stopped him and gave him a sheep as a sacrifice instead of killing his own son.

The Adha holiday begins on the last day of the Hajj (a pilgrimage that occurs from the 8th to 12th and last month of the Islamic calendar). Many people call Eid al-Adha the Feast of Sacrifice or the Greater Eid. It is prompt to mention that, In Islam, there are two Feasts (Eid holidays) observed by Muslims and Greater Eid is the longer one of these two as it lasts for four days. The other feast is called Eid al-Fitr or the Little Eid. This feast follows the final day of the holy month of Ramadan; the time for inner reflection, devotion to God, and self-control which are all reached through out the fasting process that occurs for the thirty days of Ramadan.

To commemorate the appearance of God to Ibrahim and later happenings, during Eid al-Adha, many Muslim families sacrifice a sheep and cook its meat. The meat is eaten with families and friends and shared with the poor people. The meaning of eating and sharing is for the hope that the sacrifice might be accepted by God. Muslim people, who want to take part in Eid al-Adha, but do not have enough money to buy a sheep and share it with others, can donate to charities that benefit the poor. During the holiday, many Muslims exchange meaningful gifts with each other.

Although this is a great religious celebration, there are certain rules about who should and who should not take part in this big commemoration service. According to traditional believers everyone, men, women and children should go to the mosque to perform Eid prayer. Travelers and menstruating women should not pray in the mosque, and those in bad health cannot eat meat. “Eid Mubarak” and “Eid Saeed” are the routine greetings used during the holiday to offer best wishes.

In 2013, Eid al-Adha is supposed to start and take place in the evening of October 14, and will continue till the evening of October 15. However, dates vary for different countries. The official date is going to be announced by scholars in Saudi Arabia. This is definitely one of the best four days in the Muslim world where everyone gets to enjoy doing good deeds and meeting with their family and friends.
Eid al-Adha honours the moment when God appeared to Ibrahim in a dream and asked him to sacrifice his son. As Ibraham was about to sacrifice his son, as a sign of obedience, God stopped him and gave him a sheep as a sacrifice instead of killing his own son.

The Adha holiday begins on the last day of the Hajj (a pilgrimage that occurs from the 8th to 12th and last month of the Islamic calendar). Many people call Eid al-Adha the Feast of Sacrifice or the Greater Eid. It is prompt to mention that, In Islam, there are two Feasts (Eid holidays) observed by Muslims and Greater Eid is the longer one of these two as it lasts for four days. The other feast is called Eid al-Fitr or the Little Eid. This feast follows the final day of the holy month of Ramadan; the time for inner reflection, devotion to God, and self-control which are all reached through out the fasting process that occurs for the thirty days of Ramadan.

To commemorate the appearance of God to Ibrahim and later happenings, during Eid al-Adha, many Muslim families sacrifice a sheep and cook its meat. The meat is eaten with families and friends and shared with the poor people. The meaning of eating and sharing is for the hope that the sacrifice might be accepted by God. Muslim people, who want to take part in Eid al-Adha, but do not have enough money to buy a sheep and share it with others, can donate to charities that benefit the poor. During the holiday, many Muslims exchange meaningful gifts with each other.

Although this is a great religious celebration, there are certain rules about who should and who should not take part in this big commemoration service. According to traditional believers everyone, men, women and children should go to the mosque to perform Eid prayer. Travelers and menstruating women should not pray in the mosque, and those in bad health cannot eat meat. “Eid Mubarak” and “Eid Saeed” are the routine greetings used during the holiday to offer best wishes.

In 2013, Eid al-Adha is supposed to start and take place in the evening of October 14, and will continue till the evening of October 15. However, dates vary for different countries. The official date is going to be announced by scholars in Saudi Arabia. This is definitely one of the best four days in the Muslim world where everyone gets to enjoy doing good deeds and meeting with their family and friends.

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writer and traveler @Omniya_Fareed on Twitter
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Hajj is one of the most important religious practices in Islam. It is mostly commutated when people have the thought of the ancestors in their thoughts, mind and faith.  The generation that led to the coming into existence of the Muslims is also taken into consideration when it comes to the commemoration of Hajj. Some of the forefathers and of the Muslims lineage who are regarded with high respect during the Hajj festivals include Ibraheem (the father of Ishmael), Ishmael, Haajar( the wife of Ibraheem) and the great Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him).

These important figures and ancestors are thought of during hajj because of the many sacrifices they made for the Islamic religion. Their sincerity as well as the dedication they showed in their life time is another prime reason for their remembrance. Muslims are normally advised not only to undertake the Hajji activities physically but, also, spiritually. They are also asked to take keen interest of the activities they do, understand the role played by the commemoration activities and at the same time learn from the lessons of the past.

During the celebration, the Muslims dress seamless garment which looks in an exact manner as does the shroud. The significance of this garment brings about the sense of full separation of the worldly things and brings about attachment of the spiritual realm to your life. At this particular time, you are expected to stay holy, get spiritually nourished and be purified so that your life gets drawn closer to Allah.  By this, you are supposed to gain the benefits of the Eternal life given by Allah to those who belong to him and serve him loyally.

The commemoration of hajj gives people a sense of humbleness and brotherhood since it makes them equal to and above all makes them helpless. In simple terms, the school of hajji is known as an institution when high spiritual discipline is regarded with much dignity. Self-control is another point that is highly observed during the commemoration of hajj. It is regarded as a school of righteousness that aims at taming oneself against all sins. It is such a life experience that produces more hard-working and more tolerant human beings.

The ceremony is also used to commemorate the first Muslims who brought forth the idea of celebrating hajj. In the process, activities of mercy and compassion are extended to those who are sick, needy and suffering. Through the hajj commemorations, on the mount Arafat, Muslims pray for Allah’s forgiveness and blessings. Through the celebration, Arafat gets to bring about unity and togetherness in all that they do and for those who could not perform hajj this year, they usually fast. Therefore, hajj is such a life time experience that every Muslim dream of.

 

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It is okay to have biases, just as long as we are aware they exist. Opinions are valuable contributions, but they must be preceded by qualifications. We must know from which context the opinion is coming. Omniscience is not a realistic human quality. Nobody writes with the absolute truth at his or her back. Further, outside information is important for content, but it only stretches to the margins of its source, or the reference points of its reader.

We all need to do a better job of qualifying ourselves. Age, upbringing, ideology, the certain magazines or websites we read, or even our daily preferences all impact the words and ideas we report, or how we respond.

For me, I’m 23 years old. I live in a humble neighborhood in Washington D.C. I vote Democratic. I listen to Radiohead everyday. I follow sports closely, especially the NBA and American football. I have a conviction that human beings all possess equal abilities, irregardless of everything. I’ve lived in every part of the U.S., and I have friends of every type. I also think it reflects cowardice to comment alone, without putting forth articles. Which returns us to subjectivity.

Not in all instances is subjectivity beneficial. Sometimes, it is best for information to be presented cleanly. Of course, this is not how we most often receive it. Although there are no grand conspiracies to deliver slanted news coverage, it does get delivered that way for numerous reasons, most of them incidental. But, in editorial writing, opinions are foundational.

Editorializing says that it is impossible to make a truly objective statement, so we should instead put forward our opinions, with candor. But, the first rule of editorializing is that the author must qualify him or herself. This way an article is presented and interpreted in a suitable context.

Okay, I get it. You don’t want to disclose too much for fear of muqaburat. But, if we don’t have even a general outline of qualifications, meaning region, background, biases, then the authority of the information will always be in question.

Those of us with courage enough to write for public view deserve better than skepticism or indifference. We should be read. And criticized, appropriately. Given our diverse backgrounds, though, it is imperative that our readership knows who we are. Without qualification, they’re just empty words.

About the author

Ethan Lazuk

Born in Montana in 1989, I attended high school in Phoenix, Arizona, and college at The University of Montana, from which I recently earned a Bachelor's degree in Central and Southwest Asian Studies. I currently live in Washington D.C.
Although American English is my first language, I also have an intermediate/advanced knowledge of Modern Standard Arabic, with some Lebanese and Gulf vocabulary, as well as a basic knowledge of Farsi-Persian. My academic areas of interest include Cultural Anthropology, Islamic Studies, and Environmental and Human Geography. In 2010, I was a summer intern with the Department of Defense, working on Ft. McNair Army Base in the Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies. Additionally, I have traveled in Istanbul, Turkey, and lived in Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia.


I am a third-generation American of Polish descent. My great-grandparents fled Eastern Europe during the Bolshevik Revolution and entered the United States through Ellis Island. Today, my parents and sister live in Colorado, where they are surrounded by the beautiful Rocky Mountains. I am also happily married to the love of my life named Dania. Originally from al-Madinah, Saudi Arabia, she came to the United States two years ago as an exchange student. She is a practicing Muslim. But I am a searcher who finds beauty in all religions, and therefore I do not belong to any one religion in particular. But her and I having different religious beliefs has not negatively affected our marriage. In fact, it has brought us closer together. We respectfully embrace our differences, while cherishing our infinite similarities. If being in an inter-faith marriage has taught me one thing, it is that religious differences are not a cause for division, but for collaboration.

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Hiking in the Rocky Mountains in the state of Montana with my wife and her two sisters, all of whom are from Saudi Arabia, I decided to bring up an interesting topic for discussion. My wife is exposed to new ideas and new types of people everyday, and so she is open-minded toward many subjects. Her sister is more traditional, in the sense that her cultural inclinations are influenced more by Saudi Arabia than America. Often when I discuss an idea that I have with my wife, she listens calmly, and either agrees or disagrees, but seldom does she get mad. Her sister, though, gets mad.

At this time, the American Football season was about to start. Because of labor disputes between the NFL and the referees, it had been decided that replacement officials would work the games until the labor dispute was resolved. Now, no sport is more significant to Americans than American Football, especially the NFL. Numerous radio and television stations are devoted only to sports, and NFL football consumes the bulk of the attention. So, the big argument across the country at this time was why the players in the NFL, who are the best in the country, should have to play with replacement referees. What were the qualifications of these referees? What experience did they have? How would they affect the integrity of the game? Believe me, this subject caused many excited debates throughout the country for several months.

So, liking to pose controversial questions for the sake of starting intelligent and impassioned debates, I turned to my wife’s sister and said, “isn’t it interesting that in America, for a game, the credentials and qualifications of a few replacement referees causes such concern. Every single detail of these referees’ qualifications and past experiences has been searched out, and discussed and debated publicly for months. But, in the Middle East, there are religious scholars, most of whom have never left their country, or even their home region, but you listen to them and follow their words and ideas. What are their qualifications for speaking about the World when they have never even visited the West, or seen first-hand many of the topics about which they deliver such firm rulings. And what makes their interpretation of Islam legitimate? Who are they to say Islam is this or Islam is that? Can’t you read from the Qur’an yourself, and make up your own ideas? In America, we have replacement officials for a football game, and their qualifications are fervently debated for months before the first game has even started. But in the Middle East, you have religious scholars who you listen to, but about whom you never question their rulings or their qualifications. Why?”

Expectedly, her sister  got mad at me. But then my wife stood up and said to her sister, “look, just because something exists doesn’t mean we need to defend it. Sometimes the truth is what it is, and it isn’t always right.”

The purpose of this website and blog, as I see it, is to initiate complicated dialogues in order to better understand each other’s worldviews. The purpose is not to prove that you’re smarter or more right than anyone else. Talk about what you believe, while accepting what someone else believes. But do it without insulting or denigrating anybody with a different viewpoint.

So, without getting mad, what is your opinion about the question I raised to my wife and her sister? Do you find it offensive, truthful, or both? There is no right or wrong answer. But what your answer will do is help fulfill the purpose of this blog, which is to introduce different worldviews, while always remembering that none of us is right or wrong. We just are who we are.

About the author

Ethan Lazuk

Born in Montana in 1989, I attended high school in Phoenix, Arizona, and college at Northern Arizona University and The University of Connecticut, before finally coming to The University of Montana, from which I recently earned a Bachelor's degree in Central and Southwest Asian Studies. I currently live in Washington D.C.


Although American English is my first language, I also have an intermediate/advanced knowledge of Modern Standard Arabic, with some Lebanese and Gulf vocabulary, as well as a basic knowledge of Farsi-Persian. My academic areas of interest include Cultural Anthropology, Islamic Studies, and Environmental and Human Geography. While my research interests include pre-Islamic religions and socio-political structures from the Middle Eastern and Central Asian regions; the formative years of Islam and the subsequent developments of alternative interpretations, or madhabs; intra-communal and inter-religious relationships in a pre-colonial context; the effects of colonial encounters on indigenous community structures and socio-religious ideologies; Orientalist versus indigenous historical narratives and interpretations; and political Islam and modern-day social movements, especially in response to Western foreign policy. In 2010, I was a summer intern with the Department of Defense, working on Ft. McNair Army Base in the Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies. Additionally, I have traveled in Istanbul, Turkey, and lived for three months in Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia.


I am a third-generation American of Polish descent. My great-grandparents fled Eastern Europe during the Bolshevik Revolution and entered the United States through Ellis Island. Today, my parents and sister live in Colorado, where they are surrounded by the beautiful Rocky Mountains. I am also happily married to the love of my life named Dania. Originally from al-Madinah, Saudi Arabia, she came to the United States two years ago as an exchange student. She is a practicing Muslim. But I am a searcher who finds beauty in all religions, and therefore I do not belong to any one religion in particular. But her and I having different religious beliefs has not negatively affected our marriage. In fact, it has brought us closer together. We respectfully embrace our differences, while cherishing our infinite similarities. If being in an inter-faith marriage has taught me one thing, it is that religious differences are not a cause for division, but for collaboration.

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Relationships add a lot of color and support to life. Sweet and worthy relations make life worth living. In times of need, after Allah almighty, you may look towards your relatives for help. There is always great expectation and hope that is associated with the relatives. Blood relations, especially, are very important. Your brother and sisters spend a great part of their lives with you they share happiness as well as sadness with each other. This is the reason why your love and attachment towards your relatives is always very strong. For this reason Islam, has allotted special rights to the relatives so that the expectations associated with such relations can be fulfilled in a better sense.

Islam has very strict laws in relation to the interaction with relatives. It is regarded as an act of corruption if a person cuts off his contacts with any of his relations. It has been made compulsory to help the needy relations at the time of their requirements and a person should always stay kind to his relatives.

A Muslim needs to fear Allah in his dealings with the relatives. He will be accountable on the Day of Judgment in front of Allah almighty in relation to the treatment which he had maintained with his closed ones.

Cutting of relationships for any kind of reason is a deed that is just not acceptable in the eyes of Allah almighty at any cost. The blood relations have been made by Allah himself and a person has got no authority to modify or cut off from relations that were made in place by Allah. It has been mentioned in Quran that

“And cut asunder those things which God has commanded to be joined, and work mischief in the land; — on them is the Curse; for them is the terrible Home!” [Holy Quran: Ra'd: 13:25]

These verses show that staying in touch with each other and being honest towards your relations is very important. It doesn’t only creates love among people, but also pleases the Allah almighty and his pleasure can allot you with great out comes not only in this world, but also in the world hereafter.

Our beloved Prophet PBUH was very much kind and just towards his relatives. Whenever he was needed by someone he was there to help. He once said:

“Help your relatives, even if you only give them a drink of water. The best form of helping relatives is not to bother them.” [Bihar al-Anwar, v.74, p.103]

At another place our Prophet mentioned that

God’s mercy shall not be bestowed upon a nation in which there are those who cut off relations with their relatives. [Ibid]

Being loyal and kind towards your relations is very important because Allah almighty highly dislikes the act in which a person cuts of from his relations.

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SALAT

Salat, prayer, is the greatest Ibadat of Muslims to Allah-Rabbul-Alameen. Salat keeps Muslims away from all kinds of bad doings. Saying salat is not only the way for deliverance in the afterlife but also encourages Muslims to do good deeds to be successful in this mortal life. Every Muslim has to say salat in time, as it is mandatory for them.

BENEFITS

Salat and odhu (ablution) work as a tonic in our body. From the rules and regulations of Islamic sharia, it is known that if a man does odhu before sexual intercourse with his wife, then the duration of intercourse will be long and delayed. Every Muslim has to do odhu before saying salat for being purified. As Muslims have to say prayer every day, they have do odhu every day as well. Due to doing odhu every day, the neurons become stronger and they get a lot of sensual power.

By saying salat, Muslims are free of mental diseases as salat refrains people from tension of any kind of worldly thinking and directs the mind towards the love of Allah. Medical science reveals that tension, bad thinking, fear, and mental pressure are the causes of more than half of the diseases of human beings. The Ibadat towards Allah makes our mind wide and affluent. By doing salat, we find the goals of our life which make us satisfied and hopeful, and we can be safe from any kind of tension and fear.

The people who say salat repeatedly don’t get affected by issues like high blood pressure, heart disorders, and diabetes. Salat boosts our energy to go about our daily life, increases concentration and makes us more positive towards life. Our mental strength is also increased a lot by saying ing salat in jamat. Salat increases our sexual energy, and as there is a close relationship between sexual energy and our longevity, salat increases our longevity as well.

Salat assists to make our earnings stable. Time is a great wealth for us as human life is a collection of time. The time that is spent in saying salat is compensated by Allah. As compensation, Allah, the most gracious, increases our earnings. Again, the rewards that will be given, for the sake of saying salat, by Allah in the afterlife can’t be described in words. So, it is really significant for us to say salat to succeed in this earthly life and the infinite afterlife.

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The importance of Zakat in Islam

Zakat is a beautiful concept that is regarded as one of the five pillars of Islam. In terms of meaning, the word Zakat is taken as “purification” and “growth”. However if one wants to look at the actual definition of Zakat in light of Islamic teachings then it is defined as an obligatory act for every wealthy Muslim in which he or she has to give a calculated amount of his/her wealth to needy people that have been described by the teachings of Holy Quran and hadith. The amount that has to be given has also been told and those who are the worthy receivers of Zakat have been pointed out too. Zakat is regarded as a means of purifying one`s belongings or wealth. According to the teachings of Holy Quran, giving of Zakat is very important, and those who don’t follow the commands of Allah Almighty related to Zakat will have to face serious consequences. The importance of Zakat can be judged by the fact that in Holy Quran at numerous locations it is mentioned that

“…..and establish regular Salah and GIVE regular Zakat…..”

At 70 places in the Quran, Allah Almighty the commands that Salah and Zakat co-exist. Both Salah and Zakat are different forms of worships in Islam. The former has to be done physically while the latter has to be performed financially. Those Muslims who are alert towards this duty have been promised great outcomes, but those who show negligence towards it will have to suffer heavy losses. In the case of Zakat, clear instructions have been provided about the people upon whom the observance of this duty has been made compulsory. Below mentioned are the qualities, which if present in a Muslim, make him eligible to give Zakat.

The Muslim man or woman has to be adult, fully conscious and in his senses.

He should be free, not a slave.

He or she has to own a specified amount of wealth that has been described by the Holy Prophet PBUH. A thing that needs to be mentioned is that Zakat is not considered for items that are required for personal needs like clothes, furniture etc.

At the end of every year Zakat has to be given means the person should be possessing that specified amount or property equal to it for at least a year.

If a person has Gold 87.48 Gram or Silver 612.36Gram, then it becomes compulsory for him to pay Zakat. The next important thing is that to what kind of people Zakat should be given. This has also been explained in detail by Allah almighty. In the Quran it is mentioned that:

“Alms are for the poor and the needy, and those employed to administer (the funds); for those whose hearts have been (recently) reconciled (to truth); for those in bondage and in debt; and for the wayfarer: (Thus is it) ordained by Allah, and Allah is full of Knowledge and Wisdom.”

The importance of Zakat in Islam can never be underestimated, so it is best that every wealthy Muslim should fulfill this duty.

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Any human that comes into this world is surounded relations that already exist regardless of personal choice. Those beautiful relationships help the person grow and understand the norms of a complicated world. Kinship in Muslim families is very important because the bonds created by familiy are the strongest bonds of all.

“Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him maintain the bonds of kinship.” [Sahih Al-Bukhari]
Nuclear and extended families of modern society are supported by the high status of familial relations in Islam. Families are a safe haven and a source of protection, hence Muslim families are defined as, “the establishment of a safe social relationship on the basis of mutual respect, protection of rights and duties of its members, consideration of morality and generosity, a key role in safeguarding its member’s consolidation, fluency and stability” (Sayyid Jalal Mir A’qaiee).

Members in the Muslim family system each have their own set of rights including rights of parents, rights of grandparents and rights of children.

Parents and Grandparents are to be shown respect in the Muslim family, and the children are to be a source of strength in old age. The Quran teaches, “Your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him, and that [you show] kindness to parents. Should one or both of them attain to old age with you, Say not “Fie” unto them nor repulse them, but speak unto them a gracious word. And lower unto them the wing of submission through mercy and say: My Lord! Have mercy on them both as they did care for me when I was little. Your Lord is best aware of what is in yourselves. If you are righteous, then Lo! He was ever forgiving unto those who turn unto Him” (17: 23-25).”

Children in the Muslim Family, similarly, have rights too. The Quran teaches, “Upon death, man’s deeds will (definitely) stop except for three deeds, namely, a continuous charitable fund; endowment or goodwill; knowledge left for people to benefit from; and pious righteous and God-fearing children who continuously prays Allah, the Almighty, for the soul of his parents.” The Prophet (PBUH) said that children are to be looked after by their parents; have a right to education; a right to food, shelter and clothing; and to be protected and secured.
Prophet Muhammad also said: “Be fair and just in terms of the gifts you offer your children. If I was to give preference to any (gender over the other) I would have preferred females over males (in terms of giving gifts).”

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Islam is a wholesome religion, it is the most pure and complete religion. Islam gives importance to even aspect of life even if it is a minor aspect. Islam has guided Muslims about how they should live their lives so that they can acquire heaven in the life hereafter. Islam is an old religion but it sheds life and provides guidelines for Muslims and even for non Muslims of every era. From the smallest aspects like eating, drinking and sleeping to the greater aspects like doing business and marriage, Islam provides information and a right path to do everything. It has been given a lot of importance in the teachings of Islam that Muslims should strictly follow the guidelines laid down for them in Quran and Sunnah so that they do not harm themselves or others.

Islam has provided the guidelines for Muslims about marriage. Marriage is given a lot of importance in Islam and it is considered as a sacred bond between the husband and wife. The relationship of husband and wife is given a lot of importance and husbands and wives are asked to give utter importance to each other. Wives and husbands are given rights and they have obligations towards each other and towards their family.

Husbands are strictly forbidden to degrade or mistreat their wives. Husbands should not be tyrant and they should love and care for their wives. Husbands are to consider it their foremost duty to ensure the safety of their wives and children and to fulfill their righteous wishes. Husbands are to be fair with their wives and they should be treated with patience and love. Husbands are given the duty to be the head of the house and to run the house with care and responsibility. Husbands should ensure that their wives are acting in accordance to the teachings of Islam so that they can go to heaven. Husbands should teach their wives if they are ignorant to the teachings of Islam.

Wives are given numerous rights in Islam along with a share of property of husband. Hence they are asked to be nice to their husbands and to stay patient at bad times especially if husband and the household are facing financial crisis.  Wives are asked to be obedient towards their husband. Wives are to support their husbands morally and emotionally at all times and same is expected from the husband.

Both the husband and wife are forbidden to cheat in their relation. A woman who is a wife of a man is not allowed to marry another man. But a man who is a husband of a woman is allowed to marry three other women. He is allowed to marry other women but under strict conditions, he can’t marry another woman while his first wife is unhappy with this decision of her husband. Husband has to be completely and absolutely fair among his wives. And none of his wives should feel lowly about his decision.

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Jawad Ahmad

I am 24 years old and i have done Masters in Business Administration (Finance) from a recognized university.
Right now i am doing freelancing and writing articles on different projects.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE HOLY QUR’AN: 

The Holy Quran is pure and the greatest gift of Allah to humanity. It’s  prospect is to guide human being to the right path, to arouse mankind conscience and to illuminate the human mind. It’s instructions are aimed at the general welfare of human beings.

Allah speaks of the Quran as a radiant light which His servants flow be on right path and never go apart from their Lord, Allah. He says:

“…..but We have made the (Quran) a light, where with we guide such Our servants as We will….”

It is the actual word of Allah and it is beyond human imagination to produce anything like it. Some of the Holy Prophet’s (Peace be upon Him) contemporaries were the greatest masters of Arabic  language, but they could not produce anything like the Quran either in content or in style. The Quran says:

“If the whole of mankind and Jinns were to gather together to produce the like of this Quran, they could not produce the like thereof, even if they backed up each other with help and support.”

Allah has perfected His religion for all mankind with the revelation of this Book. He says :

”….This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon you and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.”

The Holy Quran is a complete and comprehensive Book, clearly defining the permitted and forbidden, the lawful and the unlawful as the Quran itself confirms:

“……Nothing have We omitted from the Book……”

And also:

“…..And We have sent down to thee a Book explaining all things……”

The Quran is spiritual guidance for man, his system of law, his code of ethics and above all, his way of life. It embraces all walks of life and covers the entire field of human affairs, whether spiritual, intellectual, political, social or economic. It is a code that has no boundaries and barriers of time, place or nation.

One of the major characteristics of the Quran is that in its wisdom there is a moving force that provokes the mind and stirs, as is evident from the fact that when the Holy Prophet (Peace be upon Him) first started to preach, his only power was the Quranic wisdom through which he attracted people to Islam.

The Quran characterizes moderation, harmony between the material and spiritual, the individual and collective. The Quran pays attention to all the needs of man and deals with them in such a way as to help him realize the noble objectives of his being . Because of this approach of moderation, the Quran calls the Muslims, a ‘middle nation’ and the best people, evolved for mankind, to enjoin the right and forbid the wrong.

The unique Book enjoys the distinction of being authentic, pure and original both in its contents and order, a quality which no other book of any kind can claim. It stands today as it first came down, over 1400 years ago, and shall always remain to be so as Allah has promised to safeguard it from and violations in its purity:

“We have, without doubt, sent down the Message; and We will assuredly guard if (from corruption)”

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Hassaan12

I am from Karachi, Pakistan. I am a Computer Science student. Love to play games, write articles, checking FB, Forums etc.

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“O Believers! When you prepare for prayers, wash your faces and your hands up to the elbows, and wipe your heads, and your feet to the ankles … and [if you] do not find water then betake yourselves to clean earth and wipe your faces and your hands with it.” (Al-Quran: Chapter 5, Verse 6).

Wudu is required for every Muslim they are supposed to be in a state of spiritual purification before performing the five daily obligatory prayers. Not only is Wudu important before offering Namaz (prayer), the state of purification must also be achieved before numerous other acts of worship, which include optional prayers, touching the script of the Quran and the rites of the pilgrimage (Hajj). The importance of cleanliness in Islam is paramount, Wudu allows for a believer’s body and mind to be cleaned, so they are ready for praying for Allah.
Steps in Wudu.

For any Muslim, first is foremost is the intention of the namaz, followed by the beginning of the Wudu. Wash both hands up to the wrist three times, making sure that water has reached between the fingers.

Secondly, mouth and nose need to be cleaned with water (three times). Later, a handful of water is required to sniff into nostrils three times to clean them and then wash the tip of the nose.

Thirdly, face is to be washed three times from right ear to left ear and from forehead to throat. Followed by right arm and left arm (thoroughly from wrist up to elbow three times.)

Moving on, the palms of the hand need to be wet, and they have to be touched over the head from the top of forehead to the back of the head. The wet tips of index fingers are placed at the grooves and holes of both ears and also the wet thumbs are passed behind the ears.
Finally, both feet are washed to the ankles starting from the right, all the while paying attention that the water has reached between the toes and all other parts of the feet.

At the end of the above steps, following has to be recited:
“Ash hadu an la ilaha illal lahu wah dahu la shareeka lahu wa ash hadu an-na muhammadan ‘abduhu wa rasulhu”

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Islam is a religion that substantially emphasizes on getting education. Even the first revelation of Islam on the Holy Prophet mentioned about reading. Islam was revealed in the times when the Arabs were going through highest level of illiteracy. They had no education, no manners and therefore, made rules that were against the humanity. Therefore, it was necessary to show them the right path and educate them about the difference between the truth and lie, the right and wrong. This is where Islam played a vital role, not only a religion , but a complete code of life was provided by God to mankind through Islam.

Islamic education is quite essential for all the human beings, whether Muslims or non-Muslims. It teaches us the basics of  life. The reason why we were given life and what does our God expect from us in return. Although non-Muslims majorly believe in the scientific theories, yet even science has agreed with most of the facts given in the Islamic studies and Quran. They have failed to prove any alternative reason and factor for the making of the planet earth, the sun revolving around it and all the beautiful creatures’ including humans that are living in this world. There is certainly no better explanation than the one given by the existence and oneness of God according to Islam.

Just like any other educational aspect, Islamic education is also necessary. Humans were declared the smartest and most intelligent creatures in Islam as God said that man has the weapon of education against every other creation. But, merely education is not enough as reading books regarding certain subjects, education also deals with the knowledge of how we should live in this world, for what reason, in what manner. In Islam, teachings are provided that acknowledge about all these matters. The Islamic studies majorly comprise of the importance of life and that after death.

It also deals with our way of living, giving us highly detailed knowledge of even the tiniest matters like behaving with our family, friends, elders, younger, neighbors and even enemies.

As always said Islamic education acts as a complete code of life. It is extremely valuable from every aspect covering almost the entire fields of religious, social, educational, behavioral and other areas of life where we need a firm guidance to assure that we do the right thing and acquire success along with the happiness and blessings of God. Obviously He is your Creator and Master and if he is not happy than you are not able to clear any test in life.

Islamic studies guide us about how to wear clothes, how to eat, what to eat, when to eat, and the way to talk and even business skills that are most helpful for financial success. The first thing taught of all in this regard is to start with the name of your God and always do what is right and keep the people around you happy and satisfied by your behavior towards them because God likes those who are liked by His creatures.

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When one wants to find out more on the History of Arabic Language, they need to start with knowing the culture of the people, and, what they love to associate with. Over the years, linguistic has become part and parcel of our daily lives and this is one of the ways in which one will gather the confidence to learn more about the religion, history and the culture of the people. All over the globe, there is the presence of the Arabic language and this is mostly associated with the Islamic language. Those who are Muslims need to know this language and they will end up interpreting the Quran. They end up understanding it more and better and this will make it easier for them to associate with the people who know it.

The Arabic language is also very common these days and there are several schools, that do teach in Arabic language even though they are not located in the Middle East area or the Arabic nations. This is to promote the global trade, which makes it necessary for people to know different languages and this will make them communicate well. In the process of learning the language, they end up knowing more on the History of Arabic Language. This is one of the easiest ways to gather knowledge, since you get to interact with the teachers and have a deeper understanding on the formation of the Arabic language.

With the predominant being in the Arab nations, the language actually came because of trade. The Arabs used to migrate in different areas and mostly in Africa and they used to settle in the coastal areas. In order to interact with the people, they will end up using some of their words and they came to be formed into the Arabic language. Some of the words are from the Swahili people in the coastal areas of eastern Africa and some are from the Amharic language from Ethiopia. Other countries, which also contributed to the formation of the Arabic language, include Egypt and Morocco. As the traders were shifting from one place to the other, they also spread the Islamic religion and taught people how to read and write it. In a matter of time, the people adapted to it and it was used all over the Arabic nations.

The History of Arabic Language goes back in time when the holy prophet (PBUH) was on earth and they used the Islamic language, which was later simplified. Then, it was the deep Arabic language and to date, it is very hard for one to elaborate some of the symbols and words. What is usually written in the Quran is harder but played a major role in the information of the Arabic language. One who wants to deeply study this religion needs to master the tajweeds and this means reciting the different verses in deep Arabic terms. Luckily, with time, one gets to understand how the Arabic language has come to unite

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Many Muslims love reading the hadith and this makes them to have a deeper understating of the word of Allah. Reading the Quran is very hard especially when one does not know how to translate the tajweed or the different verse in the Quran.

This is the message of Allah and it comes in verses and scriptures and for one to abide by the rules, they need to keep on advancing and explaining their knowledge to find the deeper meaning to each verse. This is very hard for some people especially when they want to find the relevance of the message and relate it with the local happenings. This is the reason why Allah sent the holy prophet (PBUH) to translate and show the Muslims the way of life and this will make them have a deeper understanding of how they are to run things, and solve matters.

When it comes to matters of business, relationships, faithfulness and living together in harmony, it is hard for the Muslims to have the right direction if they do not rely on the word of Allah, which is found in the holy book. There are rules that the Muslims need to abide and should not break the covenant by doing evil deeds that will not please Him. At times, it gets harder to know the direct message of Allah and it calls for elaboration through parables or the hadith. This simply means more elaboration on the word of God in a simple manner in which many people can relate to.

There are hadiths that do focus on faithfulness and this will go a long way in teaching the Muslims on the significance of this faith, and need to do in order to be faithful to each other. When one has a deeper understanding of the message, it gets more clearer to them and they end up leading a holy life just as it is indicated in the Quran. There is the need to be faithful, holy and have the right attitude towards life. This is the reason why the holy prophet (PBUH), was awarded the intelligence to assist humanity to live according to the word of God. When the angle Gabriel delivered the message of Allah in the Quran, the holy prophet (PBUH) took it and translated it to the Muslim faithful and this makes it easier for them to understand

In the hadith, there is always a teaching to it and this will give one the guidance, the deeper meaning and the right to solve the issue at hand thanks to the Holy word. It is advisable for every Muslim to know the different sunnah and hadith as portrayed in the Quran and this will make them live together in harmony. When it is given to them in a simplified form, it gets very easy for them to end up understanding the word and this will make them follow the teachings of Allah, and Prophet Muhammad, (PBUH). This makes it easier to sort issues and to know how to live by the code of Islam.

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Many Muslims need to undergo the Islamic education aspect and this will give them the chance to grow up as strong and responsible individuals. When one is well brought up in the religious aspect, they will end up living well with the other people in the society. It is advisable for the parents to ensure that the children are living well with other people and they do respect their elders in the society. You need to take the bold step as a patient and lead through the examples by following all the rituals of the Quran and according to the teachings of the Holy prophet.

Islamic education enables the student to end up knowing all the virtues and the practices of the Islamic life and this will enable one to end up growing in the right way. When one has the basic understanding of the different deeds, the teaching, and the proverbs, they end up being wise and will want to find out more when they are interacting with people. It is not easy for one to understand the Islamic way of life and this means they have to show commitment by observing the different pillars laid out in the Quran. One does not qualify to be a Muslim if they do not live according to the way the holy prophet lived his life. With the guidance of the Quran, one gets the basic understanding of the real way of life and end up getting the best and fulfilling rewards.

There are different areas where one can get the Islamic education and some of the areas include the Mosques since they are branded the Islamic centers. Here, you will get the qualified teachers who will give you an in-depth understanding of the way of life in the Muslim aspect and you will end up gathering the relevant knowledge. You need to ensure that you master all the basics and take time to digest all the details handed down to you in the mosques. When one is new to Islam, they need to master the way of life in the Islamic world, reading the holy book and living with other people in the society. You need to take time and visit the mosques to learn more on the Quran, the teachings and reading the message.

When one wants to learn Islamic education but for linguistic or religious matters, they have several ways to do it and some of them include using the Islamic library, which hosts a number of different books and one will end up knowing more on the religion. You need to visit the language centers to learn the Islamic language in order to translate all the details in the Quran. Some religious analysts want to gather this information to assist them in interpretation and the research aspect. Whichever reason you need to use the Islamic education for, you need to know more on the religion and why the Muslims follow this way of life. It is a worldwide religion and keeps on gaining popularly by the day and other people want to gather more on this religion.

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Arabic language is used as official language in more than 20 countries all over the world and this way is the fifth most frequently spoken nationwide language around the world. Well when someone thinks of learning Arabic language so many questions arise in mind like why should one learn Arabic and what importance of learning Arabic is? Well the answer to the two questions is same in one way or other. That is when someone will understand that what are the reasons behind learning Arabic? One can also configure its importance. Well there are so many reasons and thus importance behind learning of Arabic, however in this article a brief account regarding them is given as:

• We all know that ALLAH the Almighty and most beneficent has chosen Arabic from all other languages as vehicle for his revelation to the  whole humanity not only in this world but also for the life of the world after this world. HE has revealed Quran in this language too so that we may understand. It means ALLAH has bestowed some importance to the very language so it is important to learn about this language.
•  We can say that Arabic is the language of Muslims and Islam. So if someone wants to understand Islam and Muslims he must learn Muslim language.
• As mentioned earlier Quran is revealed in Arabic so as the Sunnah is in Arabic. So the learning of Arabic is important in a way to have through understanding of both Quran and Sunnah. As if you know Arabic it means you can understand Quran and Sunnah and thus you can understand study and learn Islam.
• Arabic language is heritage of Muslims. Lots of past Muslims scholars have done lots of research work regarding different fields of science in this language. So if anyone is interested to know about the researches he must know Arabic. Moreover, if you want to study and learn Muslim culture you also need to know the Arabic as the very language being the conduit of culture.
• Another importance of learning Arabic is that many of the non Muslims are learning this language to prove Islamic knowledge wrong. If they can do so why should not Muslims go for it? They should actively learn this language in order to protect their precious religion.

Hence to learn Arabic language is important in one way or the other to develop thorough understanding about what is written in Quran and said in Sunnah and also to have command on your religion that is Islam. Well it is not difficult to learn Arabic as ALLAH has bestowed many features to the language one of them is that it is easy to understand and learn. Moreover now a day teaching of Arabic is becoming part of studies of Muslim academy. So if you wants to be a complete Muslim and especially wants to preach Islam you must have command on Arabic so that you can understand and reproduce each and everything written and said in context of Islam.

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Muslim Academy is very important for getting the knowledge and information about Islam. The aim of the academy is to spread and share the knowledge about the Islam to the people. People take a lot of benefits from these academies and get the knowledge about any issues. The last Holy Prophet Hazrat Mohammed (S.A.W) emphasis on the importance of getting knowledge and said:”Seek knowledge from the cradle to the grave” and this saying tells us that get the education and there is no limit for getting the knowledge. The academy is providing the Islamic knowledge according to the needs and requirements of the students and gives the knowledge to the students according to their abilities.

The Muslim Academy plays a vital role for making the society goes according to the Islamic laws and the people make their living standards according to the Islamic laws. For making the good personality of the people these academies provide the Islamic information and the knowledge about the Islamic laws at early stage because the child has the more picking power and the children have the more observation power so they easily learn the rules and regulations of the Islam. The experienced and qualified scholars hired by these Islamic academies for giving the knowledge and improve the personality of the students for making the society according to the Islamic laws.

The all staff and the scholars of the Muslim Academy follow the basic rules of the Islam such as love, respect and obedience and they implement the rules and regulations of Islam on their lives and make themselves role models for their students. The aim of these Islamic academies is to provide the perfect Islamic education to all the students and they tell the students about the character of the Holy Prophet Hazrat Mohammed (S.A.W) and guide the students to follow the noble deeds and the behavior of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) for making their lives according to the Islamic laws and make their contribution for making the society according to the laws of Islam.

There are many academies available which are providing the information of the science and technology to the people of Islamic world and they are working to promote the knowledge of the Islam in the Islamic countries. The Muslim Academy plays a vital role for the promotion of the Islamic knowledge among the people and the country which has a lot of academies working for giving the awareness to the people of the country that country have many people who led their lives according to the rules and the laws of Islam such as they offer prayer five times a day, always ready to help the needy persons, give respect to elders ,do not hurt anyone, try to give happiness to others by sharing their sorrows and share their happiness with the others. The country in which all the people follow the Islamic laws is called the Islamic country in real sense and the Islamic academies are very important for the training of the people.

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