A glimpse on the history of Makkah

History informs us about what happened during specific points in the past as well as events that have taken place over time and gives us information related to this. Such information may be true or false, and every Muslim is obliged to seek the truth and confirm any information he hears so that he may ascertain what is correct from what is fabricated. Moreover, every Muslim should refer to reliable sources in order to obtain definite, authentic and verifiable information.

Makkah is the SacredCity as well as the holiest and the absolutely most honourable place on earth. The most truthful sources from which one can take news about its history are the Noble Qur’an and the authentic prophetic narrations in this regard, and from these we can ascertain its ancient history as well as how it was prior the message and prophethood of Muhammad .

After the advent of Islam, Muslim scholars and historians have endeavoured to record chronicles of Makkah in general history books as well as books concerned with the biographies of the Muslim scholars who lived in it. Some scholars authored books that dealt primarily with its history and the areas surrounding it, one of the most famous being “Chronicles of Makkah and its Ancient Monuments” authored by Abu Al-Waleed Al-Azraqi  from the third century AH. Another book was “Chronicles of Makkah in Ancient and Contemporary Times” authored by Al-Fakihi  who also lived during the third century AH, and his book was larger than that written by Al-Azraqi  but the initial parts of his book were lost over time.

Thereafter, chronicling the affairs and events of Makkah ceased for a period of almost four centuries. It was thereafter resumed and one of the scholars who is considered to be the most prolific author regarding it and its history was Imam Taqiyyud-Deen Al-Fasi Al-Makki  (775 AH - 832 AH). In his book entitled “The Therapy for those who Harbour Affection for the History of the Sacred City”, Imam Taqiyyud-Deen  expressed his amazement at the fact that chronicling the history of Makkah had halted after Imams Al-Azraqi and Al-Fakihi .

This incited him to write many publications on the history of Makkah that took different sizes; large, medium and small. One of the largest books he authored was “The Treasured Necklace on the History of the SecureCity” which consisted of eight volumes. Next in size came “The Therapy for those who Harbour Affection for the History of the Sacred City” which consisted of two volumes, which he later summarised in books such as “The Gift for the Honourable on the History of the Sacred City” and others.

Thereafter, many scholars and schools of history arose which contributed to the writing of the history and chronicles of Makkah such as, Aal Fahd and Aal At-Tabari, and this has continued ever since, to include the contemporary.

The establishment of Makkah:

The history and building of Makkah is directly connected to Prophet Ibraheem as he was the first person to settle his family in it when he left his wife Hajar and his son Isma’eel  there in compliance with the command of Allah for him to do so.

Imam Al-Bukhari  reported on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbas  in the long narration in which the Prophet  informed us that Ibraheem  once came with his wife Haajar and his son Isma’eel  who was still a suckling infant, from ancient Syria to Makkah. At that time, Makkah had no water and nobody residing in it. Ibraheem  took them both under the shade of a tree and left with them a bag of dates and a flask of water, then headed back to ancient Syria. As he was leaving, his wife Hajar called to him, saying: “Where are you going? How can you leave us in this deserted valley that has neither humans nor anything else (in terms of life)?” She repeated this a few times but he did not reply, so she asked: “Did Allah command you to do this?” Ibraheem  replied: “Yes” Thereupon she said: “Then He shall never forsake us”.

Ibraheem  walked for a while and then stood upon a small hill, raised his hands in supplication, and said, as Allah informs us saying (what means): “Our Lord! I have settled some of my descendants in an uncultivated valley near Your sacred House, our Lord, that they may establish prayer. So make hearts among the people incline toward them and provide for them from the fruits that they might be grateful.”[Quran 14:37]

Allah blessed Hajar and her son with the well of Zamzam, and then people came from all directions and resided in Makkah. The first tribe to reside there was the tribe of Jurhum among whom Isma’eel  grew up and from whom he married.

Ibraheem  came many times to Makkah to check upon their condition, and later Allah commanded him to build the Ka’bah; Allah says (what means): “And [mention] when Ibraheem (Abraham) was raising the foundations of the House and [with him] Isma’eel (Ishmael), [saying]: 'Our Lord! Accept [this] from us. Indeed, You are the Hearing, the Knowing.'” [Quran 2:127]

Allah also says (what means): “And [O Muhammad], when We designated for Ibraheem (Abraham) the site of the House, [saying] “Do not associate anything with Me and purify My House for those who perform Tawaf (circumambulation of the Ka’bah) and those who stand [in prayer] and those who bow and prostrate.” [Quran 22:26]

Ibn Katheer  said commenting upon this verse in his famous book of history entitled “The Beginning and the End” in Volume 1, page 135: “There is no authentic report from the infallible (i.e. Prophet Muhammad ) informing us that the House (the Ka’bah) was built before Ibraheem  and whoever states that, relying upon this verse (for evidence of that), has no basis for such a claim because what is meant by the verse is that he was simply being informed of where the House was to be built.” In Volume 2 page 227 of the same book, he said: “The verses of the Qur’an clearly indicate that Ibraheem was the first person to build it.”

Abu Tharr  narrated: “I asked the messenger of Allah: `O messenger of Allah! Which mosque was the first built on earth?` He  replied: “The Sacred Mosque (in Makkah)” “I then asked: ` Which mosque was built next?` He  said: “The Aqsa mosque (in Jerusalem).” “Thereupon, I asked: `What was the period between the building of the two mosques?` He  replied: “Forty years.”" [Al-Bukhari]

These reports clearly highlight the virtue of Prophet Ibraheem  and confirm that he was the one who built the two mosques, and that the period between the two was forty years.

Therefore, it becomes evident that the first thing to be established in Makkah was the Sacred Mosque (i.e. the Ka’bah), and that the first water to gush forth from it was Zamzam.

Thereafter, the offspring of Isma’eel  multiplied in the area of Hijaz (the province in which Makkah lies) and its surroundings, and their families succeeded each other in caring for the Sacred House and maintaining it for a long period of time, until the tribe of Khuzaa’ah took over this responsibility. People remained upon the monotheism with which Prophet Ibraheem  came until the time when, ‘Amr bin Lahy Al-Khuza’i introduced idol worshipping in the Ka’bah.

The number of idols then increased in the Ka’bah and this phenomena spread all around the Arabian Peninsula to the extent that the number of idols in the Ka’bah reached three hundred and sixty, as stated by Al-Kalbi in his book “The Idols”.

Due to numerous wars and tribal struggles, the well of Zamzam was buried and people could no longer find it. Qusay bin Kilab, a great-grandfather of the Prophet Muhammad  forcefully took over the custody of caring for the Sacred House and maintaining it from the tribe of Khuza’ah, as it had abused its authority. Qusay gathered the scattered families of the Quraysh tribe, relocated them in Makkah, and restored the sanctity of Makkah, which had been lost due to Khuza’ah's misuse of  authority and because some of the Quraysh tribe had been placed in the surrounding areas of Makkah in order to protect it.

This marked the beginning of an authority that glorified Makkah and which freely offered all types of services to its visitors, such as food, water and the cleaning and maintaining of the Ka’bah.

After ‘Abdul-Muttalib saw a dream in which he saw the exact spot of the buried well of Zamzam, he had the area dug up and restored the well. Thus, the well of Zamzam once again became the source of water to the pilgrims and visitors, as well as to the residents of Makkah.

After this, a grave event took place during the time of ‘Abdul-Muttalib when Abrahah the Ethiopian headed towards Makkah riding a huge elephant in order to demolish the Ka’bah. This is why that year came to be known as “The Year of the Elephant”, during which the Prophet  was born.

A city with such a magnificent history is worthy of having such an exalted status and should, therefore, be glorified and honoured. It deserves to occupy a special place in the hearts of its residents, as well as the Muslims in general. - islamreligion.com

ISLAMOPHOBIA AND THE MEDIA

In September 2001 the world changed forever.  On the 11th day of that month, a series of four coordinated attacks were carried out in the USA.  The perpetrators were revealed to be a group of people claiming to be Muslim and subsequently the War on Terror was initiated.  The media played a huge part in the world’s response to these attacks.  Lies were spread, political agendas were pushed, little pieces of truth surfaced every now and then, and the world’s governments learned how to manipulate the media, and thus the people.

The media were not pawns in a political spin attack for long, and they learned a new skill—how to create the news rather than only reporting on it.  However, any discussion of Islamophobia and the media needs to acknowledge that Islamophobia began a very long time ago in the age of empires.  This old discourse has been combined with the new way of delivering the news and sparked a deeply entrenched Islamophobia that takes stereotypes and assumptions, and serves them up on a platter of misinformation.

In 1980 the first twenty-four-hour news channel, CNN (Cable News Network), heralded a new era of news broadcasting and then set the bar high with their breathtaking and transformative coverage of the first air strikes in the 1991 Gulf War.  The twenty-four-hour news cycle was established, and a revolution in the media industry took place.  Our patterns of behavior in regards to the news began to change.  News networks now compete for viewers, and make no mistake about it, viewers and advertising sponsors, are needed to keep the wheels of the network news machine turning.

In this modern world, if we believe that the news cycle is restrained by the size of the event, we can be sure that the size of the story is limited only by the news producer’s imagination.  Nowadays the essence of the news means that we go to bed and the sky is falling, but miraculously we wake up and it has not fallen as yet.  Nearly twenty years ago authors Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel in their book, Warp Speed: America in the Age of Mixed Media, suggested that "the press has moved toward sensationalism, entertainment, and opinion" and away from traditional values of verification, proportion, relevance, depth, and quality of interpretation.[1]

There is one specific group of people that have been caught in the media web; Muslims.  Media Smarts, Canada’s center for media and digital literacy, describes the way Islam was thrust into the global media frontline.  "The American-led ‘War on Terrorism’ led to an increase in Islamophobia (fear or hatred of Islam) across the globe.  This increase in Islamophobia was in turn reflected in the way media outlets addressed and stereotyped Muslim populations."[2]

The convergence of twenty-four-hour news and the continued heightened security alerts across the globe has consistently portrayed Muslims as violence-prone people who are entirely opposed to Western values.  It is, and always has been, the nature of the media to report on the sensational and dramatic occurrences, however, any mention of Islam or Muslims is predominantly negative.  Islamophobia is an example of how the twenty-first century media has abandoned the core values of journalism, and strive for little more than sensationalized stories that, more often than not, associate Islam with criminality and danger to ‘our peaceful way of life.’

In 2016 the University of Cambridge released a report that shows that mainstream media reporting about Muslim communities contributes significantly to rising hostility toward Muslims in Britain.[3]  This substantiates the findings of an Islamophobia Roundtable in Stockholm in 2014, when Erik Ullenhag, the Minister for Integration, said that since the terrorist attacks in New York, Muslims have been seen as one group not many groups or individuals.  "All people of Muslim background", he said, "are considered to share the same culture and the same views.  And far too often they are portrayed in a negative context."[4]

Nowadays the media, in all its forms and with all its tentacles, has the ability to easily construct a negative image of Islam and Muslims.  Creating news and opining instead of reporting has given people the ability to choose the channel that agrees with their views.  Thus whole populations are no longer exposed to other viewpoints.  There is nothing that encourages them to understand and empathize with the situations and lifestyles of diverse cultures, or even with their neighbors who have opinions that are different to the ones they hold dear. 

When you add social media to the already volatile mix, we find that Muslims endure daily racial slurs, degrading photos, intimidations, and harassment campaigns.  The structure of social media and each platform’s reliance on algorithms means that those with extremist views are able to connect to each other with ease.  It also means that deceptions about Muslims often live on even after being exposed. 

Unfortunately, politicians also use social media to bolster their followings and increase their numbers at the ballot box.  In 2016, a conservative commentator‘s popular Facebook page shared a meme stating that Trump’s former defense secretary, James Mattis, was chosen for the job in order to ‘exterminate’ Muslims.[5]  One United States political party was found to have routinely spread anti-Muslim sentiments to their constituents who often belong to extremist communities.  Even after the horrific attack on New Zealand’s Muslim community, whilst they were praying, a certain social media company failed to close and remove groups with names like ‘War against Islam’ and ‘Bikers Against Radical Islam Europe.’[6]

In an article, "Challenging Islamophobia no threat to free speech,"[7]  Dr.  Neil Curtis, Associate Professor of Media and Communication at the University of Auckland suggests that there are several ways to uncouple Islamophobia from our limited understanding of Islam:

1.     To recognize that Islamophobia is not a new discourse.

2.     To understand that Islam is a religion of more than 1.8 billion people, from widely diverse cultures, and consequently they cannot be lumped into one homogenous package.

3.     We must stop saying or thinking that everyone in this package (that doesn’t exist) is violent or threatening.

4.     We must start to separate vigilance in regard to terror from Islamophobia.  Here Dr.  Curtis mentions that the media refers to Muslim migration with terms like, pests, plagues, and deluge.  This must stop.

5.     Dr.  Curtis says that non-Muslims must not accept "the Western-centric view that we are the primary targets or victims of Islamist terror." Because by far the greatest numbers of deaths from Islamist terror occur in Muslim communities.

In conclusion, people across the globe must learn to look at their media in a different light.  We must learn how to separate the truth from the fiction, and the facts from opinions.  We need to choose our news outlets wisely and try to watch or read from across a wide array of viewpoints and understandings. - islamreligion.com

FOOTNOTES:

[1]Weaver, David H.; et al.  (2006).  "8.  Journalists' Best Work".  The American Journalist in the 21st Century: U.S.  News People at the Dawn of a New Millennium.  Routledge.  p.  226.

[2]Media Portrayals of Religion: Islam.  http://mediasmarts.ca/diversity-media/religion/media-portrayals-religion-islam

[3]Media fuelling rising hostility towards Muslims in Britain.  https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/media-fuelling-rising-hostility-towards-muslims-in-britain

[4]https://www.government.se/49b729/contentassets/c1ce0055a09040a0a394c920ae6ffb77/speeches-2010-2014---erik-ullenhag

[5]Anti-Muslim Hate Speech Is Absolutely Relentless On Social Media Even As Platforms Crack Down On Other Extremist Groups.  https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/janelytvynenko/islamophobia-absolutely-relentless-social-media

[6]Ibid

[7]Challenging Islamophobia no threat to free speech.  https://www.newsroom.co.nz/@ideasroom/2019/03/22/499862/challenging-islamophobia-no-threat-to-free-speech#

Enhancing zuhd in Ramadan

Let us welcome the blessed month of Ramadan this time with a fresh commitment to our Merciful Creator and Sustainer to reorient our lives in His way. The most salient lesson of this month of divine training for the believers is self-restraint and abstinence. As we train ourselves in abstinence from the necessities of life for part of a day through the month, we consequently strengthen our physical as well as mental abilities to abstain from not only what is illicit (haram), but also from all that distracts us from the pursuit of Allah's pleasure. This mental and spiritual attitude –zuhd - is a necessary weapon for us to fight off the onslaughts of materialism and snares of Satan.

What is zuhud

Imam Ibn Qudamah Al-Maqdisi  defines zuhd as: 'giving up' something for something better, while what is given up is itself of value in some way. In other words, zuhd means to give up B in return for A, either because one values A too much or values B too little in comparison. Commonly, zuhd means to refrain from an object of desire in the pursuit of a nobler objective, particularly refraining from the desire of this world and pursuing the desire of the Hereafter. He further says that the best and most perfect of zuhd is to give up everything for the sake of Allah. The next in grade is to give up this world to seek Allah^'s Paradise.

Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim  defines zuhd as: "An attitude that is the opposite of being eager and con­cerned about the life of this world. In the Arabic language, it means abandoning a matter while despising it and belittling its significance, so that one will exchange it for what is more significant."

He  further says: "I heard Shaykh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah  say: ^'Zuhd is abandoning what does not bring about benefit in the Hereafter. Wara^' is abandoning what you fear will have consequences in the Hereafter.^' This statement is one of the best and most comprehensive definitions of Az-Zuhd and Al-Wara'."

Sufyan ath-Thawry  said: "Zuhd in this world means avoiding hopes of long life, not in wearing thick garments (unlike what some people with superficial understanding of zuhd think)."

Imam Hassan Al-Basri  said: "Zuhd in this world is not achieved by prohibiting the permissible, nor by giving away all of one^'s wealth. Rather, it means being more certain in what Allah has in His hands than about what one has in his hands."

Enhancing Zuhd in Ramadan

The best of teachers of mankind  said: "The worst cavity one fills is one's belly, if you must eat make sure you full one third of your stomach with food, one third with water and leave one third for air (i.e. leave it empty.)" [At-Tirmithi]

The beloved messenger  would also encourage finishing our food so nothing is left in the plate to be thrown away, and he would encourage even licking the fingers (if one ate using hands), or giving your plate to someone else to do the same.

Another narration says that one should not leave even a morsel of food to be thrown away: "for you do not know where the blessing is." [Muslim]

Compare these standards to our way of eating, particularly during Ramadan. Every known recommendation of the beloved Messenger  is flouted. Food is extravagant and everyone attempts to fill his or her stomach to the brim. It has become an ironical joke that people gain instead of losing weight during Ramadan. The discipline and self-restraint of the day is more than compensated for during the lavish dinners. Taraweeh prayer is difficult and often skipped as a result of extravagant engagement with food. Worse yet, the left over food is sometimes thrown away carelessly.

Ramadan is a month of zuhd, and this pattern must change if the Muslims are to ever earn zuhd and spiritual as well as physical benefit from this sacred month. Some practical tips:

 Eat measured, moderate amount of healthy meals in Suhoor (pre-dawn meal) and Iftar (evening break-fast)

1. When at some generous host's place or at a restaurant, do not feel obliged to finish it all, and have the packed for you to eat later. Don't be intimidated by un-Islamic pride - no morsel of food in your possession should be wasted. Food we eat is sacred in that it is given by Allah and is full of His blessings - this is our religious value.
2. Invite poor people in your community to break their fast with you; their respect for food and Allah's provisions is often a good lesson.
3. Remember the Prophet's advice on eating moderately - print it out and post it by your dining table if possible.
4. Particularly while fasting, prevent your heart from getting engaged in something of this world - food, clothes, celebrities, buildings, or people. An excellent religious teaching of some of our scholars is to cast down our eyes and say 'Subhanallah' (perfection is for Allah) whenever something of this world catches our fancy to the point of making us forget Allah.
5. Pick out audio lectures of scholars whose speech affects your heart, or recitation of the Quran by your favorite reciters, and make it a habit to listen to them attentively and regularly while driving or at home.

Remember the Saying of Allah (which means) "…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…." [Quran, 57: 20] - islamweb.net

CHAPTER 77, AL-MURSALAT (THE WINDS SENT FORTH)

Introduction

This chapter sits in the middle of five chapters, all thought to have been revealed in Mecca, in the earliest days of revelation.  It is a fifty-verse chapter that takes its name from the first words of the first verse, ‘By the winds sent forth.’ It strings together a series of images from this life and from the Hereafter and punctuates them with a sharp admonition, ‘Woe on that Day to those who deny the truth.’ This rebuke is repeated ten times.  The Winds Sent Forth describes events that will precede the Judgment. 

Verses 1 – 15 An Oath

The chapter begins with God taking an oath by forces that have an effect on earth and on our daily lives.  By the winds sent forth, one after the other; by the storms and hurricanes and the winds that lift and scatter the clouds to far-off distant places.  They deliver a warning and a reminder; what you are promised will definitely happen.  This refers to the Resurrection and the Judgment.  The All-Wise and All-Mighty who made this system and controls it is fully capable of destroying it and resurrecting us from the dead. 

We are then jolted by a description of that momentous Day.  The stars will be dimmed, the sky will be torn apart, and the mountains turned to dust.  These descriptions suggest that the universe we think we understand will break down and there will be countless small collapses.  And on that Day the Messengers will give testimony for their communities.

God asks us if we know when this is all going to happen and answers His own question by saying that it will happen on the Day of Decision (Judgment).  He also asks what would make us realize just what the Day of Decision is?  And on that Day, woe to the disbelievers who deny the truth.

Verses 16 – 19 The past repeated

God asks us to think, by saying, ‘Did We not destroy the former generations for their evil deeds?’ The same thing will happen to the last of the generations; they will follow the first and be destroyed because of their evil behavior.  This is how God deals with the guilty.  And on that Day, woe to the disbelievers who deny the truth.

Verses 20 – 28 A home for the living and the dead

God asks us to ponder the fact that He created us from an underrated fluid and let us rest in a secure place while we developed (in the womb) for a period of time that He alone determined.  God has the power to shape and develop us into a perfect and complete person from an insignificant sperm-drop; how shall He be helpless to re-create us on that Day?  God made the earth a home for both the living and the dead.  He placed firm mountains upon it and provided fresh, sweet, water to drink.  Woe to whoever reflects upon these created things which demonstrate the greatness of their Creator, then after that continues to reject Him.

Verses 29 – 40 The dreaded command

The chapter now thrusts images of the Day of Judgment upon us.  Those who denied the truth will be told to walk towards the Hell they denied.  God does not actually mention the word Hell because it will be plain to see; three tall pillars of smoke rising out of the pit of Hell.  God tells them to walk towards their shadow but warns that it provides no shade of coolness or protection from the flames.  It is suffocating and it is burning.  It shoots out sparks as big as huge castles.  This is the punishment for the deniers of truth.  They will be totally speechless; their guilt and crime will be proved to the fullest, and they will not be able to offer any excuse after it.  There will be a deafening and ominous silence.

They will then be told that this is the Day of Decision (Judgment).  They are gathered with all the previous generations, and God will wryly suggest that if they have any plots to use against Him, this would be the time to use them.  And on that Day, woe to the disbelievers who deny the truth.

Verses 41 – 45 The righteous are honored

However, those who took heed of God’s words and were righteous, striving to please Him, will have no such experience.  For them will be cool shade, flowing springs, and any fruit they desire.  This shade will provide coolness and relief from the burning sun unlike what the disbelievers are experiencing as they make their way towards the columns of smoke.  The righteous however will know nothing of this and will be encouraged to eat and drink to their heart’s content.  This is their reward, and this is how God rewards those who strive to behave in a way that is pleasing to Him. 

Verses 46 – 50 An opportunity for guidance

In the only image of this present life, given to us in this chapter, God addresses the disbelievers telling them that they can eat, and enjoy themselves, for a short while.  But a Day where there will be retribution.  And if the disbelievers do not believe in this Quran which has clear proofs then what else after this can convince them!? - islamreligion.com

THE PROPHET IN RAMADAN

It was Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, who made us raise our eyes from the dust beneath to view the glory of the starry heavens above.  It was Muhammad who led us from the depths of darkness to the grandeur of the light of God.

The Prophet was the one who led us to break our stone statues and wooden gods.  It was Muhammad who lifted us out of the filth of idolatry to relish the serenity of God’s transcendence.

On the Night of Power in one Ramadan, the Quran descended on Muhammad, and he received its first verses in the Cave of Hira.  (Ibn Abbas)

Thereafter the Prophet taught us how to celebrate Ramadan through days of fasting and nights of prayer: to honor each day of Ramadan as a day of patient endurance through fasting, and each night as a night of gratitude through prayers.

An Unexpected Transformation

It was nothing short of miraculous how the Prophet reformed and refined those unruly tribes of Arabia and transformed them into pious, disciplined, God-fearing ascetics, who stood in prayers in the mosque five times a day seeking the guidance of God.

And imagine: these same people who once reveled in the pleasures of “wine and women” could now spend the whole month of Ramadan in fasting and prayers.

Into the hearts of his followers, the Prophet instilled the love and fear of God and love for humanity.  His example was inspiring and irresistible; and each of them became eager to be his closest follower.

To them he was the sincerest and the most cordial of leaders.  And his life was open before them like a book; they could see him practicing most closely in his own life what he was preaching.

Letting the Spirit Reign Supreme

The Prophet demonstrated to his people how this world is less important than the next, and how the body is less important than the soul.  In fasting, the Prophet taught them step by step how to ignore the physical demands so that the spirit reigns supreme.

Abandoning food, drink, and sex was only a prelude to the next stage of greater significance: of conquering avidity and cupidity, lust and licentiousness; of liberating one’s mind from flights of passion and fits of temper.  Indeed the Prophet said:

“The strong person is not the one who can wrestle someone else down.  The strong person is the one who can control himself when he is angry.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)

Also about the effect of fasting on one’s behaviour, the Prophet said, “Fasting is a shield, so the one who fasts should avoid obscene speech and ignorant behaviour.  If someone abuses him or starts to fight with him, he should reply by saying: ‘I am fasting.  I am fasting’.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)

The core of fasting according to the Prophet was one’s willingness not merely to give up self-indulgence, but to feel the need of one’s brother as one’s own.  And no one was more kind-hearted and generous than the Messenger of God; and his generosity reached its peak in Ramadan.  (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)

The Prophet stressed on the importance of treating people nicely when he said:

“Make things easy for people and do not make them difficult, and cheer people up and do not drive them away.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)

He also said:

“The most beloved of actions to God Almighty, is making another Muslim happy, removing a hardship that has befallen him, paying off a debt of his or ridding him of hunger.  It is more beloved to me indeed that I walk with my Muslim brother to see to a need of his than secluding oneself in a mosque for a month…” (Tabarani)

The heart of one who sincerely fasts is open to the contemplation of the magnificence of the countless bounties of God.  That is why the Prophet asked his followers to avoid gluttony:

“The food of two people is enough for three, and the food of three people is enough for four.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)

Gentleness in Hardship

God is All-Merciful and He has expressed His Mercy to us His creatures through the sending of His final messenger Muhammad as an embodiment of mercy.  The Prophet said:

“Have mercy to those on earth so that He Who is in Heaven will have mercy on you.” (Tirmidhi)

“The believer is not the one who eats his fill when the neighbor beside him is hungry.” (Bayhaqi)

So it was not surprising that the Prophet’s Companions loved him dearly, as he was the kindest of men, bestowing his mercy not only upon humans but also on other creatures of the world as well.

No leader could be more considerate and solicitous of his followers than Muhammad: he never allowed any Muslim to bear any burden more than they could bear, as taught by God Himself.

For he was well aware of the infirmities of people; and this is evident from his consideration for his followers in the matter of fasting: He taught Muslims to delay the sahur (the pre-dawn meal before fasting) till a little before Dawn Prayer and not to delay the iftar (the meal to break the fast) after the call to Sunset Prayer so that no unnecessary strain is laid on the fasting person by prolonging the fast time.

During travel in Ramadan, the Prophet would either fast or break his fast; and he allowed his companions to choose between the two, according to their ability.

It is noteworthy that the Prophet did not specify a particular distance in travel as a minimum limit for a person to break the fast.  His Companions sometimes broke the fast immediately after leaving home, because this was the example set by the Prophet himself.

Similarly during times of heat or thirst they were permitted to cool themselves by pouring water on the head, and the Prophet himself did so.

His example in the matter of consorting with his wives during Ramadan was not different; he disallowed only such acts that would obviously undermine the fasting.

As for the Tarawih Prayers (the supererogatory night prayers performed in Ramadan), it is recorded that the Prophet began praying them in congregation and then he stopped, fearing that such prayers would become obligatory if he continued to pray them in congregation.

Thus while he demonstrated through his example that the Tarawih Prayers are better offered in congregation, he allowed leniency in the matter out of his mercy.

Seclusion: Refreshing the Soul

The highest point of Ramadan for Muslims is seeking the Laylat al-Qadr (the Night of Power) during the last ten days.  One act of worship the Prophet emphasized particularly during this time is itikaf, which is a spiritual retreat in which one confines oneself to a mosque to spend one’s time entirely to the worship and remembrance of God.

In these modern days when people hanker after indulgence in ephemeral pleasures, one needs to return to the seclusion of the house of prayer from time to time; which is essential for one’s spiritual rejuvenation and the return to one’s Creator.

Thus the beloved Prophet has taught us how to use Ramadan as a month for disciplining our intransigent passions, for renouncing our desires for self gratification and for practicing patient endurance in the face of hardships.

The Prophet exhorted us that during Ramadan most especially it is our duty to support and uplift our less fortunate fellow humans.

Above all, Ramadan is a month of contemplating the Grace and Bounty of God Almighty, of returning to our Guardian Lord in repentance, of sincerely seeking His forgiveness. - islamreligion.com

THE THIRD PILLAR OF ISLAM: COMPULSORY CHARITY OR ZAKAT

Charity is not just recommended by Islam, it is required of every financially stable Muslim.  Giving charity to those who deserve it is part of Muslim character and one of the Five Pillars of Islamic practice.  Zakat is viewed as "compulsory charity"; it is an obligation for those who have received their wealth from God to respond to those members of the community in need.  Devoid of sentiments of universal love, some people know only to hoard wealth and to add to it by lending it out on interest.  Islam’s teachings are the very antithesis of this attitude.  Islam encourages the sharing of wealth with others and helps people to stand on their own and become productive members of the society.

In Arabic it is known as zakat which literally means "purification", because zakat is considered to purify one’s heart of greed.  Love of wealth is natural and it takes firm belief in God for a person to part with some of his wealth.  Zakat must be paid on different categories of property — gold, silver, money; livestock; agricultural produce; and business commodities — and is payable each year after one year’s possession.  It requires an annual contribution of 2.5 percent of an individual’s wealth and assets.

Like prayer, which is both an individual and communal responsibility, zakat expresses a Muslim’s worship of and thanksgiving to God by supporting those in need.  In Islam, the true owner of things is not man, but God.  Acquisition of wealth for its own sake, or so that it may increase a man’s worth, is condemned.  Mere acquisition of wealth counts for nothing in the sight of God.  It does not give man any merit in this life or in the hereafter.  Islam teaches that people should acquire wealth with the intention of spending it on their own needs and the needs of others. 

"‘Man’, said the Prophet, ‘says: My wealth!  My wealth!’  Have you not any wealth except that which you give as alms and thus preserve, wear and tatter, eat and use up?"

The whole concept of wealth is considered in Islam as a gift from God.  God, who provided it to the person, made a portion of it for the poor, so the poor have a right over one’s wealth.  Zakatreminds Muslims that everything they have belongs to God.  People are given their wealth as a trust from God, and zakat is intended to free Muslims from the love of money.  The money paid in zakat is not something God needs or receives.  He is above any type of dependency.  God, in His boundless mercy, promises rewards for helping those in need with one basic condition that zakatbe paid in the name of God; one should not expect or demand any worldly gains from the beneficiaries nor aim at making one’s name as a philanthropist.  The feelings of a beneficiary should not be hurt by making him feel inferior or reminding him of the assistance.

Money given as zakat can only be used for certain specific things.  Islamic Law stipulates that alms are to be used to support the poor and the needy, to free slaves and debtors, as specifically mentioned in the Quran (9:60).  Zakat, which developed fourteen hundred years ago, functions as a form of social security in a Muslim society.

Neither Jewish nor Christian scriptures praise slave manumission by raising it to worship. Indeed, Islam is unique in world religions in requiring the faithful to financially help slaves win their freedom and has raised the manumission of a slave to an act of worship - if it is done to please God.

Under the caliphates, the collection and expenditure of zakat was a function of the state.  In the contemporary Muslim world, it has been left up to the individual, except in some countries in which the state fulfills that role to some degree.  Most Muslims in the West disperse zakat through Islamic charities, mosques, or directly giving to the poor.  Money is not collected during religious services or via collection plates, but some mosques keep a drop box for those who wish it to distribute zakat on their behalf.  Unlike the zakat, giving other forms of charity in private, even in secret, is considered better, in order to keep one’s intention purely for the God.

Apart from zakat, the Quran and Hadeeth (sayings and actions of the Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him) also stress sadaqah, or voluntary almsgiving, which is intended for the needy.  The Quran emphasizes feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, helping those who are in need, and the more one helps, the more God helps the person, and the more one gives, the more God gives the person.  One feels he is taking care of others and God is taking care of him. - islamreligion.com

PARTS OF THIS ARTICLE

• The First Pillar of Islam: The Muslim Profession of Faith
• The Second Pillar of Islam: The Prayer
• The Third Pillar of Islam: Compulsory Charity
• The Fourth Pillar of Islam: The Fast of Ramadan
• The Fifth Pillar of Islam: The Pilgrimage (Hajj)