in this world and the method of his call to the people in these words:
"I have been sent only forthe purpose of perfectinggood morals."
--(Al-Muta)
That great message which has left an indelible impression on the
history of life, and forpropagating which and for bringing people
under whose influence Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) worked ceaselessly.
Its purpose was nothing else but to strengthen the moral character of
the people so that the world of beauty and perfection may be
illuminated before their eyes and they may try to achieve
itconsciously and with knowledge.
Worshiping has been made compulsory in Islam, and it has been included
in the basic pillars of faith. But the Islamic forms of worship are
not some sort of mystic exercises that link men with some unknown,
mysterious being, and which subject men to perform useless acts and
meaningless movements. All the Islamic compulsory forms of worship are
designed as exercises and training to enable people to acquire correct
morals and habits and to live righteously, and to adhere to these
virtues till the end, whatever be the changes in their circumstances.
Prayer prevents commitment of Evil
Salat (prayer) is a compulsory form of worship, which is like an
exercise towards which man is attracted with interest and willingness.
He offers it continually, so that his life may be free from all
diseases andthe body may be healthy and strong.
The holy Qur'an and the Sunnah of the Prophet-both are the open proofs
of these realities.
When Allah commanded the compulsory prayers to be established, He
stated its wisdom in this way:
"Prayer prohibits obscenity and evil."
To keep away from evil, wickedness and to purify from bad deeds are
also realities of the prayer. In a Hadith-e-Qudsi it is stated:
"I accept the prayers of the person who adopts the policy of humility
with it on account of My greatness, obliges My creatures, does not
insist on sinning against Me, spends his day in remembering Me, and is
kind to the poor, travelers, weak and the suffering people.
Zakat is a means of purification
Zakat has been made compulsory on the eligible 'scheduled' ( sahibe
Nisab ) persons. It is not merely a tax that is collected from the
pockets of the people, but its foremost purpose is to sow the seeds of
kindness. sympathy and benevolence, and to provide a chance of
introduction among the various sections of the society and to
establish the relationship of love and friendliness.
The purpose of paying Zakat has been stated in the Qur'an in the
following words:
"O Prophet ! Take charity from their property so that if may clean
them and purify them."
--(Tauba: 103)
To clean the self of the worldly impurities and toraise the standard
of the society to the heights of decency and purity are the wisdom
behind the levy of Zakat.
For this reason the Prophet has taken it in a very wide sense, and to
pay Zakat has been madecompulsory for every eligible Muslim. The
Prophet has said:
"To smile in the company of your brother is charity.To command to do
good deeds and to prevent others from doing evil is charity. To guide
a person in a place where he can go astray is charity. To remove
troublesome things like thorns and bones from the road is charity. To
pour water from your juginto the jug of your brother is charity. To
guide a person with defective vision is charityfor you.''
--(Bukhari)
The environment of desert and the Bedouin life--an environment which
had its basis on internal bickerings and fights--in such an
environment the teachings of Islam were presented to the world and
they show what aimsand purpose these teachings had, and it shows where
these teachings led the Arabs inthat dark and dismal environment.
Fasting is a stepping stone to Righteousness
Similarly Islam has made fasting compulsory. But itis not envisaged
that men should keep away from their carnal desires and other
prohibited things for a fixed period only. The Prophet has said:
"Pasting is not the name of merely keeping away from eating and
drinking, but it is keeping away from wicked and obscene things. If in
the state of fasting, someone abuses you or picks up a quarrel with
you, say: "I am fasting."
Qur'an states the purposeof the imposition of fasting in these words:
"Fasting has been made compulsory for you, as it was made compulsory
forthose (followers of earlier prophets) who preceded you, so that you
may become righteous."
(Baqarah: 183)
Hajj is a compulsory pilgrimage to weaken the love for the world
Sometimes man thinks that to travel to the holy places and to perform
pilgrimage, which has been made compulsory for every rich Muslim, and
which is included in the basic pillars of Islam, is merely a form of
worship that has no relation with the world of morality and character.
This is a clear misunderstanding. Givingcommands about this compulsory
worship, Allah states:
"The months of Hajj are well-known. In these months whoever intends to
perform Hajj should not indulge in sexual act, wicked act, and
Fighting during the Hajj. Whatever righteous act you will perform will
be known to Allah. Take with you provision for the journey (for Hajj),
and the best provision is righteousness. So fear me, 0 men of
understanding !"
-(Baqarah: 197)
This is merely the main outline of the forms of worship which are well
known and generally practiced in Islam and they are its basic pillars.
They show us what a deep relationship is therebetween religion and
morality and how strong and lasting is this relationship. How varying
are these forms of worship in their spirit and appearance from one
another, but in thoseaim and purpose how close they are, which the
holy Prophet declared hismain objective.
Therefore, saint (prayer), sawm (fasting), zakat, Hajj and other forms
of worship like these are the stepping stones for real perfection, and
are the means of cleanliness and purity that make life secure and
magnificent. On account of high attributes and noble qualities that
are the inalienable parts and the consequences of these forms of
worship, they have been given a very high and important placein
Allah's religion.
If these forms of worship do not purify the hearts of men, if they do
not nourish best qualities in those who observe them,and if they do
not improve and make firm the relationship betweenAllah and His
slaves, then there is nothing left for men but destruction and
devastation.
Allah says:
"Surely, he who appears before his Lord as a criminal, there is hell
for him, in which he will neither die nor will he live. And he who
will appear before Him as a faithful, who has performed good
deeds--for all such people there are high positions, ever green
paradise, beneath which canals will be flowing; they will live in them
for ever. who adopts purity."
--
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And Allah Knows the Best!
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Published by :->
M NajimudeeN Bsc- INDIA
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