Zakat

Zakat

       

What is Zakat ?
Zakat (“that which purifies”) is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. It refers to alms-giving, which is obligatory for all Muslims who meet a minimum wealth requirement (called the nisab). Zakat is distinguished from sadaqat (voluntary contributions made by Muslims) and from jizyah (tribute money paid by subjugated non-Muslims).


Muslims are required to give 1/40 of the monetary wealth (exceeding the nisab) they have held for an entire year. They are also required to give various percentages of agricultural products, livestock, and other goods.

Alms are to be distributed to specific groups according to the Qur'an:

Qur’an 9:60—The alms are only for the poor and the needy, and those who collect them, and those whose hearts are to be reconciled, and to free the captives and the debtors, and for the cause of Allah, and (for) the wayfarer; a duty imposed by Allah. Allah is Knower, Wise.

“Those whose hearts are to be reconciled” (al-Mu’allafatu Qulubuhum) refers to non-Muslims or to weak believers, to whom money is given in order to draw them to Islam. Ibn Kathir comments:


There are several types of Al-Mu'allafatu Qulubuhum. There are those who are given alms to embrace Islam. For instance, the Prophet of Allah gave something to Safwan bin Umayyah from the war spoils of Hunayn, even though he attended it while a Mushrik [idolater]. Safwan said, "He kept giving me until he became the dearest person to me after he had been the most hated person to me.” . . . Some of Al-Mu'allafatu Qulubuhum are given from alms so that they become better in Islam and their heart firmer in faith. For instance, the Prophet gave some of the chiefs of the Tulaqa' a hundred camels each after the battle of Hunayn, saying, “I give a man (from the alms) while another man is dearer to me than him, for fear that Allah might throw him on his face in the fire of Jahannam.” It is recorded in the Two Sahihs that Abu Sa`id said that `Ali sent the Messenger of Allah a gold nugget still in its dirt from Yemen. The Prophet divided it between four men: Al-Aqra` bin Habis, `Uyaynah bin Badr, `Alqamah bin `Ulathah and Zayd Al-Khayr, saying, “To draw their hearts closer.” Some people are given because some of his peers might embrace Islam, while others are given to collect alms from surrounding areas, or to defend Muslim outposts. (Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Commentary on 9:60)


Surah 9:60 also mentions “the cause of Allah,” which refers to jihad. Ibn Kathir notes: “In the cause of Allah is exclusive for the benefit of the fighters in Jihad, who do not receive compensation from the Muslim Treasury.”

During the time of the “Rightly Guided Caliphs,” Zakat was to be paid only to the legitimate Islamic ruler. Indeed, Abu Bakr regarded Muslims who refused to pay Zakat to him as apostates:


Sahih al-Bukhari 7284—Abu Bakr said, “By Allah, I will fight him who discriminates between Zakat and Salat (prayers), for Zakat is the compulsory right to be taken from the wealth. By Allah, if they refuse to give me even a tying rope which they used to give to Allah’s Messenger, I would fight them for withholding it.”

Written By : Errwin Mahbob

Eid Al-Adha

Eid Al-Adha

              

Eid al-Adha is an Islamic festival to commemorate the willingness of Ibrahim (also known as Abraham) to follow Allah's (God's) command to sacrifice his son Ishmael. Muslims around the world observe this event.

What do people do?
At Eid al-Adha, many Muslims make a special effort to pray and listen to a sermon at a mosque. They also wear new clothes, visit family members and friends and may symbolically sacrifice an animal in an act known asqurbani. This represents the animal that Ibrahim sacrificed in the place of his son.
In some traditionally Muslim countries, families or groups of families may purchase an animal known as udhiya, usually a goat or sheep, to sacrifice, but this is not common or legal in many parts of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States or many other countries. In these countries, groups of people may purchase a whole carcass from a butcher or slaughterhouse and divide it amongst themselves or just buy generous portions of meat for a communal meal on Eid-al-Adha. People also give money to enable poorer members of their local community and around the world to eat a meat-based meal.
In the period around Eid al-Adha, many Muslims travel to Mecca and the surrounding area in Saudi Arabia to perform the Hajj pilgrimage. Package holidays are organized from many countries. Muslims may plan and save for many years to enable them to take part in this event, which is one of the five pillars of Islam.
Public life
Eid al-Adha is a public holiday in places such as the Indonesia, Jordan, Malaysia, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates. It is not a nationwide public holiday in countries such as Australia, Canada,The United Kingdom or The United State. However, some Islamic organizations may be closed or offer a reduced level of service and there may be some local congestion around mosques in countries where Eid al-Adha is not a public holiday.
Background
Ibrahim, known as Abraham in the Christian and Jewish traditions, was commanded by God to sacrifice his adult son. He obeyed and took Ishmael (Ismail or Ismael) to Mount Moriah. Just as he was to sacrifice his son, an angel stopped him and gave him a ram to sacrifice in place of his son. Some people dispute that the son of sacrifice was Isaac (Isḥāq). Regardless, these events are remembered and celebrated at Eid al-Adha.
The Islamic calendar is based on observations of the moon and the length of a particular month can vary between years. For this reason, predicted dates of Eid al-Adha may be corrected at the start of the month of Dhul Hijja. This is around 10 days before the start of the festival.

Written By : Errwin Mahbob

Hari Raya Puasa

Hari Raya Puasa
 
               

The festival of Eid, Hari Raya Aidilfitri or Hari Raya Puasa falls on the first day of Syawal, the 10th month of the Hijrah (Islamic) calendar. It is a celebratory occasion following a month of fasting, which is known as Ramadan. Hari Raya is Malay for "grand day of rejoicing".
Date Of Hari Raya Puasa
According to the Hijrah calendar, Hari Raya Puasa falls on the first day of the 10th month of Syawal. The Hijrah calendar is a lunar calendar and therefore the dates on which Hari Raya Puasa falls varies each year.

Hari Raya Puasa should not be mistaken for the first day of the Islamic New Year.

The Fasting Month Of Ramadan
Ramadan falls on the 9th month of the Islamic year. Puasa is Malay for "fasting". Fasting in Islam means abstaining from eating, drinking, smoking and indulging in any form of behaviour that serves to nullify the fast. During Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn to dusk and perform religious duties, such as reading the Quran.

All Muslims are required to fast, with the exception of children who have not reached puberty, feeble elderly, the sick whose health is likely to be severely affected by fasting, expectant mothers and women nursing their children. Women who are menstruating can take a maximum of 10 days off. However, they must make up for each day taken off at another time. Travellers are also permitted to eat during the period of fasting provided they make up for the lost days later on. Fast is broken after sunset when it is time for the evening meal, which is known as Iftar.

The breaking of fast can be performed individually or as a group. When breaking fast communally, individuals can take turns to undertake the necessary preparations for the majlis berbuka puasa (gathering for the breaking of fast). In Geylang and Jalan Bussorah (behind Masjid Sultan), streets are brightly lit with all sorts of Malay culinary specialties that go on sale for the breaking of fast.

It is desirable that, during the nights of Ramadan, Muslims perform tarawih prayers in addition to their daily prayers. Tarawihprayers are performed only during Ramadan and are conducted after the Isyak (night) prayers, the last of five obligatory prayers of the day for Muslims. While tarawih prayers may be conducted alone at home, Muslims are encouraged to join the congregation at the mosques or temporary prayer halls at the void decks of housing flats.

During Ramadan, every Muslim is obliged to give to the poor the zakat fitrah (religious tithe). Many Muslims also choose this time to pay an obligatory yearly amount of 2.5% of their annual savings. Zakat literally means purification and growth. In Islamic law, the zakat prescribes 2.5% of property or 1/40th of income to be distributed to the poor and needy. By the eve of Hari Raya Puasa, Muslims would have paid their zakat at authorised collection centres, mostly in mosques around Singapore.

The Festival of Hari Raya Puasa or Aidilfitri
Hari Raya Puasa marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan. It is a time of forgiveness within the Muslim community and a time for strengthening of bonds amongst relatives and friends. New clothes, decorated houses and exchange of invitations between friends and relatives commemorate Hari Raya Puasa.

The first day after Ramadan is a busy one. A visit is made to the mosque and the recitation of special prayers is a practice that Muslims observe on the morning of Hari Raya Puasa to celebrate the end of the month-long fast. Other practices include asking forgiveness from elders and visiting relatives and friends. Visitations usually begin with the parents' home as the first destination. It is a custom among many Muslims to ask forgiveness from their parents for the wrongs they have committed in the past year. Although it is not required for Muslims to visit the cemetery during Hari Raya, many do so as a remembrance of those who have left them.

They would have specialties such as beefrendang (a spicy dish of beef that is like a dry curry), ketupat (rice cake wrapped in coconut leaf) and lontong (rice cake immersed in coconut gravy). Along with these would be cookies, cakes and pineapple tarts.

In the past, homes were lit with lampu pelita , a small kerosene lamp that was usually homemade. The trend now is to use decorative, flickering lights.

Written By : Errwin Mahbob

Fasting

"Fasting"





After a month of 'puasa', our Muslim friends are celebrating this meaningful event where they gather as a family and have a wonderful time.

As a non-Muslim, I was curious about what the true definition of 'puasa'. I found out that the word puasa was derived from the Arabic word:

Sawm.

"Sawm (Arabic: صوم‎) is an Arabic word for fasting regulated by Islamic jurisprudence. In the terminology of Islamic law, Sawm means "to abstain from eating, drinking and sexual intercourse".[1] The observance of sawm during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, but is not confined to that month."

"Muslim are prohibited from eating, drinking, smoking, and engaging in sexual intercourse from dawn (fajr) to sunset (maghrib). Fasting is essentially an attempt to seek nearness to Allah and increase one's piety. One of the remote aims of fasting is to sympathize with those less fortunate ones who do not always have food and drink readily available. Also one must try to avoid cursing and thinking evil thoughts. Fasting is also viewed as a means of controlling one's desires (of hunger, thirst, sexuality, anger) and focusing more on devoting oneself to God.

Sawm also carries a significant spiritual meaning. It teaches one the principle of Love: because when one observes Fasting, it is done out of deep love for God."

Written By : Errwin Mahbob

What is Aurat?

What is Aurat?
Well, literally "aurat" comes from the word "aurah" in Arabic which means shame and humility. And basically it means certain part of the body that we need to cover from others to see..

Where is Aurat?

So, if we are talking about the certain part in the body, where is that certain part? Well, aurat for man and woman is different, since man and woman are different.

For men, the part where they have to close is between the navel untill the lower part of their knee.

For women, they have to close all part of their body except their face and their wrist. The clothes that we are wearing must no be too tight and the hijjab that you wear must at least closed the hair and the breast. 

When should we close our Aurat?
Well, Aurat should be closed once you hit puberty. Why? Because when we hit puberty, our sins and deeds will be counted by Allah. For men, their Aurat should be closed all the time except infront of their wife. For women, their Aurat is like the men's Aurat infront of their husbands, their fathers, the fathers of their husbands,their sons,the sons of their husbands, their brothers, their brothers' sons, their sisters' sons, and so on. So, infront of others who are not mentioned in the Quran, the women can only show their face and wrist..


Why should we close our Aurat?
People mostly women think that it is unnessary for them to close their Aurat. Here, I'm not gonna tell you that we have to close it because the Quran said so, but I'm going to tell it based on the logic. Aurat is very closed to sexuality. For instance, when a man see the navel, the thigh, the breast, the buttock or the beautiful hair of a woman, the man will surely got excited and his lust will start to control him. And this is what Islam don't want because when the lust start to control a person, he will surely lost his mind..But hey, some women said that why must we closed our hair? Well, we never know what a person like to see. Sometime a man can get excited by just seeing some blond hair. So, in Islam, we like to take prevention since prevention is better than cure..

       

                                        

Written By : Boy

What is Muslim?

What is a Muslim?

A Muslim is by definition one who submits his will to Allah and adheres to the principles of Allah’s religion. We therefore believe that all Prophets were by definition Muslim.
When his Lord said to him (Abraham), “Submit”, he said “I have submitted [in Islam] to the Lord of the worlds.”[Quran 2:131]

A Muslim is the one who accepts Allah as the One and Only God who is worthy of worship and that Muhammad (pbuh) is the last and Final Messenger.

There is also however a difference between a Muslim (One who submits) and a Mu’min (One who believes). As Allah states in the Quran:

“The bedouins say, “We have believed.” Say, “You have not [yet] believed; but say [instead], ‘We have submitted,’ for faith has not yet entered your hearts. And if you obey Allah and His Messenger, He will not deprive you from your deeds of anything. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.” [Quran 49:14]

To attain the status of a true believer in Islam one must strive to attain true faith. This is exemplified through the Quran and many of the Hadith ( Narrations) of Muhammad (pbuh).

“The believers are only those who, when Allah is mentioned, their hearts become fearful, and when His verses are recited to them, it increases them in faith; and upon their Lord they rely,The ones who establish prayer, and from what We have provided them, they spend. Those are the believers, truly. For them are degrees [of high position] with their Lord and forgiveness and noble provision.” [Quran 8:2-4]

In the Hadith of Muhammad (pbuh) we also find

“”No one of you becomes a true believer until he likes for his brother what he likes for himself”. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

“The most perfect believer in faith is the one who is best in moral character. The best of you are those who are the best to their spouses in manners.” [Al-Tirmidhi 1082].

“A true Muslim is one from [the transgressions of whose tongue and hands, all other Muslims are safe; And a true Mu’min is one from whom people’s lives and wealth are secured;” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

“None of you will truly believe until I am more beloved to him than his father, his son and all of mankind.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

written by wan syafiq

The Meaning and Purpose of Life

The Meaning and Purpose of Life

As Muslims we believe in the one and only Creator Allah. He is the only One worthy of worship and has indeed created us for a purpose. He has sent many Messengers and Prophets to guide humanity to the straight path, with Muhammad (pbuh) being the Final Messenger and the Quran being the Final Revelation.

Allah says in the Quran that we were indeed created for a purpose beyond that of mere play and enjoyment.

“Did you think that We had created you in play (without any purpose), and that you would not be brought back to Us?” (Quran 23:115)

Allah states that the reality of this life is one of deception and we should not fall for its temporary enjoyments.

“Know that the life of this world is but amusement and diversion and adornment and boasting to one another and competition in increase of wealth and children – like the example of a rain whose [resulting] plant growth pleases the tillers; then it dries and you see it turned yellow; then it becomes [scattered] debris. And in the Hereafter is severe punishment and forgiveness from Allah and approval. And what is the worldly life except the enjoyment of delusion.” (Quran 57:20)

Allah assures us that the reality of this life is that each and everyone of us is being tested, and we will be brought back to our Lord in account for every deed we have performed, both the good and the bad.
“[He] who created death and life to test you [as to] which of you is best in deed – and He is the Exalted in Might, the Forgiving.” (Quran 67:2)

Allah also teaches us that the purpose of life is to also worship Him alone without associating partners with Him. This does not necessarily mean praying 24 hours a day with our face planted on the ground, but rather live our lives in obedience to God in accordance with the moral code outlined in the Quran. This includes being kind to your parents, relatives, neighbours, the poor and the needy. It also means fuliflling the commands of God whether it is to perform the 5 daily prayers, pay the Zakat (Charity), fast the month of Ramadan and perform the Hajj (Pilgrimage).
“And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.” (Quran 51:56)

-Written by Aaron Aziq-