DEEN AND ISLAM

It has been many years since my family left Saudi Arabia. I remember that when I was young, we spent most of our time in 'Umrah. I have many memories of Al-Haram Ash-Sharif - particularly the Ka`bah and drinking Zamzam water for the gallon - and I must not fail to observe the Shawarmas (meat sandwiches)! Despite the fact that I had a feeling of a deep sense of being, I did not propose that it be something like the lighting I felt the previous week. From the days when I started to practice Islam as a young adult, I often thought and imagined what I would do if I somehow managed to backtrack towards Makkah , back to Ka`bah. So that I could approach God and, even more essentially, God would recognize my pleas? I perceive and understand that, to the extent that my conviction is involved, God is Omniscient and Omniscient. In this way, in the event that I offer a petition to God, always or anywhere, He will be fully aware of it. In any case, there is that indefinable "kick...

All Muslims of the world, no matter what their sects are, hold in common that Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) was the last Prophet (Seal of the Prophets), and in fact, Muslims believe in divine prophecy having ended with him, just as they believe in the Oneness of Allah (Tauheed). Allah (SWT) says: "Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but (he is) the Messenger of Allah, and the Seal of the Prophets: and Allah has full knowledge of all things." (Noble Qur'an, 33:40) Rights of Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) are the most important, after the rights of Allah (SWT). There is no human who has more rights than Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw). Allah (SWT) says: "Surely We have sent you (O Muhammad) as a witness and as a bearer of good news and as a warner, That you may believe in Allah and His Messenger and may aid him and revere him; and (that) you may declare His glory, morning and evening." (Noble Qur'an, 48:8-9) "And We have not sent ...

Ramadan is a special month of the year for over one billion Muslims throughout the world. It is a time for inner reflection, devotion to God, and self-control. Muslims think of it as a kind of tune-up for their spiritual lives. The third "pillar" or religious obligation of Islam, fasting has many special benefits. Among these, the most important is that it is a means of learning self-control. Due to the lack of preoccupation with the satisfaction of bodily appetites during the daylight hours of fasting, a measure of ascendancy is given to one's spiritual nature, which becomes a means of coming closer to God. FIG 1.1 Fasting and uses Ramadan is also a time of intensive worship, reading of the Qur'an , giving charity, purifying one's behavior, and doing good deeds. As a secondary goal, fasting is a way of experiencing hunger and developing sympathy for the less fortunate, and learning to thankfulness and appreciation for all of God's bounties. Fas...