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The Branches of Religion
To be a sincere and good, practicing Muslim in the way of Islam and Allah, you
should know Fooroo-e-deen. To consider yourself a lover and follower of Ahl-lul Bayt
(a.s.), you should test yourself and practice these ten Practices’ of Faith.
They are of the following:
Fooroo-e-deen
1. Salat: Prayer
2. Sawm: Fasting
3. Hajj: Pilgrimage
4. Zakat: A poor rate (Charity)
5. Khums: one-fifth tax
6. Jehad: Holy Sacrifice, defense
7. Amar bil Ma’aroof: Enjoining the good.
8. Nahl anil Munkar: Avoiding the bad.
9. Tawalla: Loving Ahl-lul Bayt (a.s.)
10. Tabarra: Keeping away from the enemies of Ahl-lul Bayt (a.s.)
1 . Salat (Prayer)
Salat, or Prayer is Wajib Obligatory for a Muslim five times a day. The prayers
are obligatory on those who have become Baligh. For the purpose
of fulfillment religious obligation a boy becomes baligh on completion
of his fifteenth year, and a girl on completion of her ninth year.
During Salat, we present ourselves before Allah, and by this, we prove to Allah that we
are His sincere servants. Therefore, we have to know where, when, and how to offer
prayers. Before we offer prayer, we have to consider the following:
1. Cleanliness of the body and mind.
2. Place (where you are offering your prayers)
3. Dress
4. Time
5. And the direction of the Kaa’bah.
The following are the Wajib Prayers (obligatory):
1. The five daily Prayers: Salat al Fajr, Salat al Thohar, Salat al Asr, Salat al
Maghrib, and Salat al Isha.
2. Salat al Ayaat.
3. Salat al Tawaf.
4. Salat al Qaza.
5. Salat al Ahad.
6. Salat al Istejara.
7. Salat al Nathar.
8. Salat al Mayyit.
9. Salat al Qasam.
10. Salat al Juma.
11. Salat al Ehtiyat.
1. Prayer (Obligatory 5 daily Prayers)
Wajib (Compulsory): The offering of these prayers entitles one to Heavenly reward,
while due to neglect the person will get retribution in the Hereafter.
The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.w.) has said: If Allah accepts one's
Salat (Prayers), other good deeds of his will also be acceptable to Him. But if
one's Salat is rejected by Allah, his other good actions will be surely rejected.
The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.w.) has further said: Everything has
something to embellish. And the thing that adorns Islam is the obligatory Salat,
five times a day. Everything has a prop, and the prop for a Moo’min (Faithful)
is this very Salat. Everything needs some sort of light, and for the heart of a
Moo’min this Salat serves as a light. Everything carries some price, and the
price of Paradise is this Salat. Salat is a way of penitence for a penitent and a
source of prosperity. It is through this very Salat that the devotee can hope for
Munificence of Allah, the acceptance of his supplications and the expiration of his
sins.
Imam Jafar al Sadiq (a.s.) has said: One who makes light of
Salat and has no regard for it, does not belong to us, and will surely be deprived of the
benefit of our intercession (on the Day of Judgment).
Praying, says the Prophet of Islam
(s.a.w.w.), is the salvation of the true believer, the pillar of
faith, and the light of heaven on earth.
The best devotion, says Imam Ali (a.s.), is to abstain from what is prohibited; and the most agreeable of earthly
acts to God, is to pray to Him, for prayer turneth away a decree even though ordained; it
is the key of mercy, and the means whereby needs are satisfied and every calamity warded
off.
Whosoever prays, says Imam Muhammad Baqir
(a.s.), ‘shall never want. And he once said
to Mir (one of his followers), O Mir, pray and do not say
whatever is ordained shall come to pass. Verily there is a rank of nearness to God
which cannot be obtained save by prayers and entreaty.
To the questions, what was the best devotional act? He replied, that there was
nothing more agreeable to God than praying and entreaty, for God loved those who pray to
Him, and that there was nothing more hateful to Him, than those who are proud and abstain
from devotion and prayer.
Imam Ali (a.s.) has said: Offer your prayers regularly, be
careful when you are offering them, pray as often as you possibly can and through prayers
seek the proximity of His Realm. Prayers are made compulsory for faithful
Muslims. Have you not read in the Holy Qur’an, the reply of those who would by
thrown into Hell? When they will be asked: What has brought you to Hell? They
will say, We were not amongst those who prayed.
2. Sawm (Fasting)
Observance of fasts becomes obligatory from the day following the appearance of the new
moon of the Month of Ramadon till the night when the new moon of the succeeding month
appears.
Fasting helps us train ourselves of our natural appetites and to shun evil. It
doesn't only mean abstaining from food, but from every kind of evil. Imam Ali (a.s.)
says: Many persons get nothing out of their fasts but hunger and
thirst; many more get nothing out of their night prayers but exertions and sleepless
nights. Wise and sagacious persons are praiseworthy even if they do not fast and
sleep during the nights. O ye who
believe, fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you that ye may
exercise self-restraint. Holy Qur’an (2;183) So everyone of you who witnesseth this month should fast in
it. Holy Qur’an (2;185) According to Islam, it
prescribes all the details about the fast, as to when to fast, how to fast and when not to
fast and when to make up the defaulted fasts and how if one cannot fast at all owing to
reasons of health, the compensation for it. The following verse from the Holy
Qur’an gives only the basics of the fundamentals of the Islamic fast: For a fixed number of days, but whose among you is sick or on a journey
then (he shall fast) that number of days; and those who are hardly able to do it, may
effect a redemption by feeding a poor man, and (even so) who so of his own accord
performed a good deed, it is better for him; and that ye fast is better for you if ye
know. Holy Qur’an (2:184)
3. Hajj (Pilgrimage)
Going to Mecca for pilgrimage is called Hajj. The pilgrimage becomes obligatory
on one who has funds enough for his return journey as well as maintenance of his family
during his absence. It is a physical and spiritual exercise, as well as a scientific
and religious journey testing Muslims in his/her mind, body, and resources. The Hajj
is performed on the ninth of the last month of the Islamic Calendar, Zilhajj. Proclaim among people for the Hajj so that they come to you on foot or on
camels of any kind from deep and distant places. Holy Qur’an (22;27)
The Hajj of the House of Allah (Kaaba) is obligatory on every
one who has means for the journey to it. Holy Qur’an (3;97)
Verily, the First House made for mankind is the one in
Mecca. Blessed and a Guidance for the worlds. In it are clear signs indication
the standing place of Abraham. Whoever entereth it is secure and purely for God
requires Mankind to make the pilgrimage to the House if they can afford to journey
thither, and whoever denies it, then verily God is Self-sufficiently independent of the
worlds. Holy Qur’an (3;95-96)
4. Zakat (Poor rate)
This is payable at the rate of one out of every forty, on the value of one's capitol
possessions such as gold and silver coins, wheat, barley, dates, raisons, camels, cattle
and sheep, after satisfying certain conditions. And offer
prayers, and pay Zakat, and bow down with those who bow down (in worship).
Holy Qur’an (2:43) The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.w.) described
Zak’at as money taken from the rich and returned to the poor. It literally
means ‘purification’ as used in the Holy Qur’an: Take
of their wealth a charity, to purify them and cleanse them thereby, and pray for them,
verily thy prayer is assurance (of peace) for them; and God is All Hearing and All
Knowing. Holy Qur’an (9:103) Islam wants every man to
live in honor and dignity. That’s why it has made taxes a duty for the rich to
help the poor. It helps make life happy and comfortable for everyone.
5. Khums (1/5 tax)
Paying one-fifth of the amount of a year's saving (after deducting all legitimate
expenses from the earnings of that year) is called Khums. Sasaats
(descendants of the Holy Prophet) have a aright over half of this amount which should be
paid to those amongst them who are poor and needy. The other half belongs to the
Imam and should be paid to his Naaebs (Mujtaheds).
Khums can be given in seven ways:
1. Booty - everything taken as spoils in war.
2. Mineral - diamond, gold, rock - salt.
3. Treasure - gold, silver, jewelry that came from under earth or where hidden
somewhere else.
4. Precious - taken out of seas, oceans, such as pearls, shells, etc.
5. Land - Example: Land brought by a non Muslim from a Muslim. The amount
of Khums is 1/5 of the total value.
6. Amalgamation - lawful and unlawful things determined separately.
7. Profit in Business - the net yearly income. And know
that out of all wealth you may acquire, one fifth of it is for Allah, and for the
messenger and for his Kinsmen, and the Orphans, the poor and the wayfarer.
Holy Qur’an (8:41)
6. Jehad (Holy Sacrifice,
defense)
Jehad means to strive or fight in the way of God. Jehad literally means strive,
and as striving can be of various kinds and in different ways, it includes also fighting
when it becomes the only alternative to defend the faith and the faithful.
Every adult male Muslim, who is not sick and has no other feasible disability is
required to fight against those who attack Islam. Jehad should be exclusively in the
way of God and never for any territorial ambition. The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.w.)
himself never started any war unless it was thrust upon him by the enemies. The Holy
Qur’an states: And fight in the cause of God
(against) those who fight you but be not aggressive; for verily God loveth not the
aggressors. Holy Qur’an (2:190)
7. Amar
bil Ma’aroof (Enjoining the good)
Amar bil Ma’aroof means to enjoin what is right, and exhortation to do good.
It is required for every Muslim to be good, to be regular in prayers, fasting,
Zak’at, Khums, taking part in Jehad, performing Hajj, being truthful, remaining
honest, and to enjoin his other brethren to do the same. Let
there arise out of you, a band of people inviting to all that is good, enjoining what is
right and forbidding what is wrong. They are the ones to attain
felicity. Holy Qur’an (3:104)
8. Nahl
anil Munkar (Avoiding the bad)
Nahl anil Munkar mean forbidding what is wrong, and avoiding the bad (Prevention of
evil). A Muslim has to keep himself away and safe from every evil and wickedness,
and should preach to others abstinence from it. It is wajib on every Muslim to
abstain from what is forbidden in Islam such as gambling, drinking wine, telling lies,
committing adultery, sodomy, backbiting, robbing, extortion, breaking promises, being
disloyal, and doing dishonest things. Let there arise out
of you, a band of people inviting to all that is good, enjoining what is right and
forbidding what is wrong. They are the ones to attain felicity. Holy
Qur’an (3:104) O’ my sons!
Establish prayer and enjoin the good and forbid the evil, and be patient against what
befalls thee; verily this is the task of steadfastness. Holy Qur’an
(31:17)
9. Tawalla (Loving Ahl-lul Bayt ‘A.S.’)
Tawalla means to love and respect the Ahl-lul Bayt (a.s.) And to be friendly with their
friends. The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.w.) said, I leave among
you, two Weighty Things, one of them is the Book of Allah, and the other is My Itrat
(progeny), who are My Ahl-lul Bayt (People of My House ‘A.S.’). After me,
you shall not go astray if you adhere to both as the cistern of Kauthar in the
Heavens. Verily, verily Allah intended
but to keep off from you (every kind of) uncleanness, O ye people of the House and purify
you with a thorough purification. Holy
Qur’an (33:33) 10. Tabarra (Keeping away from
the enemies of Ahl-lul Bayt (a.s.)
Tabarra means to keep away from the enemies of Ahl-lul Bayt (a.s.). And those who followed shall say: Had there been for us, then we would
renounce them as they have renounced us. Thus will Allah show them their deeds to be
intense regret to them, and they shall not come forth from the fire. Holy
Qur’an (2:167) This source of Information was taken from:
1. S. Ghaffari. Foroo-e-Deen. Published by Ahl-lul Bayt Islamic
Foundation. Uae.
