The Right to Life

Allah Almighty honored man and created him with His own Hand and blew into him from His Spirit. Then, He made His angels prostrate to him and subjected to him all that is in the heavens and the earth – all from Him. Moreover, He made him a successor on earth and bestowed talents and blessings upon him so that he can dominate the earth. He preferred him over all beasts and animals. Man cannot fulfill his goals unless he takes his rights in full. At the forefront of these rights, which are guaranteed by Islam, is the right to life – an inviolable right.

Allah, the Exalted, says (what means): {And do not kill the soul which Allah has forbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right.}[Quran 6:151]. The right that permits the taking of souls was explained by the Prophet  when he reportedly said: "It is not permissible to spill the blood of a Muslim except in three cases: the married person who commits adultery, a life for a life, and the one who forsakes his religion and separates from the group." [Muslim]

Out of its great concern for the protection of life, Islam threatens those who deem it permissible to kill with the severest punishment. In the Quran, Allah Almighty says (what means): {But whoever kills a believer intentionally – his recompense is Hell, wherein he will abide eternally, and Allah has become angry with him and has cursed him and has prepared for him a great punishment.} [Quran 4:93]

Moreover, it is clearly indicated in authentic hadiths that killing a believer is one of the gravest sins. In a hadith via Al-Bara’ ibn ‘Azib, may Allah be pleased with him, the Prophet  said: "If this world were to be destroyed, that would be less significant before Allah than the unlawful killing of a believer." [Ibn Majah] In another hadith on the authority of Abu Sa‘eed Al-Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him, the Prophet  said: "If the inhabitants of the heavens and the inhabitants of the earth all took part in shedding the blood of a believer, then Allah would cast them (all) in the Fire." [At-Tirmithi] Also, Ibn ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Prophet  said: "He who helps in (the spilling of) the blood of a Muslim, even with half a word, it will be written between his eyes on the Day of Judgment 'Desperate of the mercy of Allah'." [Al-Bayhaqi]

The Noble Quran prohibits us from killing our children out of fear of poverty and starvation. A Quranic verse reads (what means): {And do not kill your children for fear of poverty. We provide for them and for you. Indeed, their killing is ever a great sin.} [Quran 17:31] In another verse that speaks about a common practice among the Arabs during the pre-Islamic era of ignorance, Allah, The Exalted, says (what means): {And when the girl [who was] buried alive is asked for what sin she was killed.} [Quran 81:8-9] This equally applies to the non-Muslims who live under the rule of a Muslim nation and enter into an agreement of protection with the Muslim ruler – be they Jews or Christians. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn Al-‘As, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Prophet  said: "Whoever killed a mu‘ahid (a person who is granted the pledge of protection by the Muslims) shall not smell the fragrance of Paradise, even though its fragrance can be smelt at a distance of forty years." [Al-Bukhari] Moreover, Allah, the Exalted, says (what means): {So if they remove themselves from you and do not fight you and offer you peace, then Allah has not made for you a cause [for fighting] against them.}[Quran 4:90]

This also applies to the one who commits suicide. Allah Almighty warns us against this, saying (what means): {And do not kill yourselves [or one another]. Indeed, Allah is to you ever Merciful.}[Quran 4:29] Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Prophet  said: "He who commits suicide by throttling shall keep on throttling himself in the Hellfire, and he who commits suicide by stabbing himself shall keep on stabbing himself in Hellfire." [Al-Bukhari]

Hence, Allah Almighty legislated retribution and the killing of the intentional killer as a revenge from him and purification for society. Allah Almighty says (what means): {And there is for you in legal retribution [saving of] life, O you [people] of understanding, that you may become righteous.} [Quran 2:179] Even in manslaughter, Allah, the Exalted, does not exempt the killer from liability. Rather, He made it obligatory upon him to set a slave free and give ransom. If he cannot free a slave, he is required to fast for two consecutive months. Ransom for manslaughter is ordained by Islam so that people do not take life lightly and to inspire respect for the human soul.

Undoubtedly, the first thing about which the servants will render account on the Day of Judgment is murder. The erudite Andalusian scholar Ibn Hazm  said: "I do not know of any sin, after polytheism, greater than killing a believer without right or abandoning prayer." The Prophet  is reported to have said: "Every sin may be forgiven by Allah except a man who dies as a disbeliever or a man who kills his (Muslim) brother." [An-Nasa’i] In another hadith, he  said: "A servant continues to guard his faith (and thus hopes for the mercy of Allah) so long as he does not shed blood unjustly." [Al-Bukhari & Muslim]
This is Islam. It came to preserve the human soul and the blood of Muslims, lest people may take Muslim blood lightly. -islamweb.net

Bashfulness: An Asset of the Righteous Wife

Bashfulness is the asset of the believing woman that helps her preserve her honor, dignity and status. All righteous wives are bashful in their behavior and in everything else - their clothing, their movement, their speech, their dealings and their manners. The bashfulness of the believing wife makes her more adherent to the Islamic dress code, whether it be Hijaab or the face cover. She does not wear any thing that is transparent, tight, similar to men’s clothes, ostentatious, scented or enticing. How can she not do all this when it is an obligation and she would bear sins if she did not abide by these rules? Allaah The Almighty Says (what means):

• {and to wrap [a portion of] their headcovers over their chests} [Quran 24:31]
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• {O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to bring down over themselves [part] of their outer garments. That is more suitable that they will be known and not be abused.} [Quran 33:59]
• 
  
• {and do not display yourselves as [was] the display of the former times of ignorance}[Quran 33:33]
• 
  

How can a woman display herself as righteous while she displays her charms to every eye in order to attract attention? What would she then keep special for her husband? The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “Bashfulness and faith are inseparable; if one of them is missing, the other will be missing as well.” The woman who exposes her beauty is not bashful as she does not have this essential characteristic of Islam. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “Every religion has distinctive morals and bashfulness is the distinctive moral in Islam.” Moreover, the bashfulness of the believing woman makes her lower her gaze. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {And tell the believing women to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts and not expose their adornment except that which [necessarily] appears thereof.} [Quran 24:31]

 

The righteous believing woman also knows what Allaah The Almighty says through the words of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam: “The [forbidden] gaze is one of the poisonous darts of Iblees [Satan]. The one who avoids it out of fear of Me will be granted such faith that he feels its sweetness in his heart.” Giving free rein to the gaze brings nothing but harm as the forbidden gaze is the seed of all evil and can only lead to evil as it is one of the gates of the devil. The righteous woman does not underestimate this. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said to Umm Salamah and Maymoonah, may Allaah be pleased with them: “Are you blind? Do you not see him?” when they were looking at ‘Abdullaah ibn Umm Maktoom, who was a blind man.

 

The bashfulness of the righteous woman is also exhibited in the way she speaks. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {Then do not be soft in speech [to men], lest he in whose heart is disease should covet.} [Quran 33:32] The bashfulness of the believing woman is clear in her behavior, movement and way of walking. Thus, every Muslim woman should be an embodiment of bashfulness. The best example of bashfulness is that of the two girls who met Moosa (Moses), may Allaah exalt his mention. Their bashfulness prevented them from mixing with men at the well of Madyan. They said (what means): {“We do not water until the shepherds dispatch [their flocks.]”} [Quran 28:23] This is the example of the righteous woman who stays at home, and if she leaves it for a dire necessity then she does so while being bashful.-islamweb.net

Seeking Forgiveness: Tradition of the Prophets and the Righteous

The Prophets, may Allah exalt their mention, and the virtuous and righteous people were the quickest of all to comply with the call of Allah The Almighty.

Our father Aadam (Adam) and our mother Hawwaa’ (Eve), may Allah exalt their mention:

They responded to the call of Allah The Almighty immediately after they disobeyed Him when Shaytaan (Satan) caused them to slip and drove them to commit a sin. They hastened to show remorse and to repent. Allah The Almighty Says (what means):{They said, "Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves, and if You do not forgive us and have mercy upon us, we will surely be among the losers.} [Quran 7:23]

Nooh (Noah), may Allah exalt his mention:

When he, may Allah exalt his mention, felt sympathy for his disbelieving son, he said (what means): {…"My Lord, indeed my son is of my family; and indeed, Your promise is true; and You Are the most just of judges!} [Quran 11:45] Then Allaah The Almighty Said to him (what means): {…"O Nooh, indeed he is not of your family; indeed, he is [one whose] work was other than righteous, so ask Me not for that about which you have no knowledge. Indeed, I advise you, lest you be among the ignorant.}[Quran 11:46]

Then, Nooh, may Allah exalt his mention, asked for the forgiveness of Allah The Almighty, repenting of what he said. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {… "My Lord, I seek refuge in You from asking that of which I have no knowledge. And unless You forgive me and have mercy upon me, I will be among the losers.} [Quran 11:47]

Besides, after Allah The Exalted had punished the disbelieving people of Nooh, may Allah exalt his mention, with drowning and saved the believing people with Nooh, may Allah exalt his mention, he said(which means): {My Lord, forgive me and my parents and whoever enters my house a believer and the believing men and believing women. And do not increase the wrongdoers except in destruction.} [Quran 71:28]

Ibraaheem (Abraham), may Allah exalt his mention:

Ibraaheem, may Allah exalt his mention, who was the intimate friend of Allah The Exalted, said in the verse (which means): {And who I aspire that He will forgive me my sin on the Day of Recompense.} [Quran 26:82]

Moosa (Moses), may Allah exalt his mention:

Moosa, may Allah exalt his mention, says in the verse (which means): {He said, “My Lord, indeed I have wronged myself, so forgive me,” and He forgave him. Indeed, He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.} [Quran 28:16] He, may Allah exalt his mention, also says (what means): {[Moosa] said, "My Lord, forgive me and my brother and admit us into Your mercy, for You are the Most Merciful of the merciful.} [Quran 7:151]

Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam:

The Companions of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, narrated that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, used to seek the forgiveness of Allah The Almighty at least one hundred times in each gathering, saying: "O Lord, forgive my sins and grant me (accept my) repentance; for You are the Accepting of repentance, the Merciful." In another version: "… You are the Forgiving, the Merciful." [Abu Daawood] The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: "By Allah! I ask for forgiveness from Allah The Exalted and turn to Him in repentance more than seventy times a day." [Al-Bukhaari]

Furthermore, Allah The Almighty urges the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, to seek His forgiveness. He, the Exalted, Says (what means): {… ask forgiveness for your sin and for the believing men and believing women…} [Quran 47:19]

Yoonus (Jonah), may Allah exalt his mention:

Prophet Yoonus, may Allah exalt his mention, called out in the darkness of the whale’s belly (what means): {There is no deity except You; exalted are You. Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers.} [Quran 21:87]

Daawood (David), may Allah exalt his mention:

Daawood, may Allah exalt his mention, supplicated Allah The Exalted as Allah The Exalted Says (what means): {And Daawood became certain that We had tried him, and he asked forgiveness of his Lord and fell down bowing [in prostration] and turned in repentance [to Allah].} [Quran 38: 24]

Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him:

Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, the best of this nation after the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, asked the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, "O Messenger of Allah, teach me an invocation with which I may invoke Allah in my prayers.” The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “Say, ‘Allahumma inni thalamtu nafsi thulman katheeran wa la yaghfir ath-thunoob illa ant; ighfir li maghfiratan min ‘indik wa irhamni, innaka anta Al-Ghafoor Ar-Raheem (O Allaah, I have wronged my soul very much and none forgives the sins but You; so please bestow Your forgiveness and mercy upon me. No doubt, You are the Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful).’” [Al-Bukhaari]

‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him:

‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, said to the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, "O Messenger of Allah, ask forgiveness for me."

There are numerous righteous and devout people other than these, who used to seek the forgiveness of Allah The Almighty frequently; repentance was their banner, their request for forgiveness was their slogan, and they repeatedly turned to Allah The Almighty. -islamweb.net

“There is no preference… except through righteousness”

The Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, during his Last Sermon in Mina, said: "O people!  Your Lord is one Lord, and you all share the same father.  There is no preference for Arabs over non-Arabs, nor for non-Arabs over Arabs.  Neither is their preference for white people over black people, nor for black people over white people.  Preference is only through righteousness."  Then he said: "Have I conveyed the message?" and the people declared that he had.  [1] When we study the history of the Muslim peoples, we find that one of the hallmarks of Islamic civilization – where it has historically surpassed all others – is its universality.  Islamic civilization realized the greatest level of interracial and interethnic integration that existed in the world.  It offered every nationality and ethnic group the chance to participate fully in the development and cultivation of the civilization that they shared. We can verify this by looking at the great people in Muslim history who represent excellence and achievement in all of the arts, sciences, and vocations that give a civilization its character.  We find that Islam’s great thinkers, leaders, artists, and achievers represent every ethnicity and nationality that came into the fold of Islam.  We find Turks, Kurds, Arabs, Persians, Berbers, Africans, Indians, and Central Asians all robustly represented.  The reason for this is simple: The religion which united these people into a civilization, though its Prophet was an Arab, is not a religion for the Arabs.  Prophet Muhammad came with a religion for all humanity.  The Quran’s message is universal.  God says about His Prophet: "We sent you not except to be a mercy for all peoples." (Quran 21:107) God commands His Messenger: "Say: O people! Surely I am God’s Messenger to you all, of Him whose is the kingdom of the heavens and the Earth.  There is no God but He." (Quran 7:158) God describes the Quran as follows: "It is no less than a message unto all creation." (Quran 12:104) Another reason why Islamic civilization achieved the ideal of universality is because Islam sets forth the principle that righteousness is the basis for the superiority of one person over another.  Considerations such as color, race, lineage, and ethnicity simply do not factor in.  God declares this unequivocally in the Quran where He says: "O humanity! We created you from a single pair of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes that you may know one other.  Verily the most honored of you in the sight of God are the most righteous from among you." (Quran 49:13) And it was this very principle that Prophet Muhammad made sure to declare to the people in his Last Sermon to the assembled pilgrims in Mina: "O people! Your Lord is one Lord, and you all share the same father.  There is no preference for Arabs over non-Arabs, nor for non-Arabs over Arabs.  Neither is their preference for white people over black people, nor for black people over white people.  Preference is only through righteousness." Upon saying this, he demanded of them: "Have I conveyed the message?" Then he heard the people’s voices rise up saying: "You have conveyed it." This is why Islam was able to integrate a huge diversity of nations and peoples into one great and vital civilization at a time when the rest of the world had failed to do so.  It is not that others had not tried.  Possibly the greatest attempt in the history before Islam was made by Alexander III of Macedon, also known as Alexander the Great.  Under the tutelage of Aristotle, Alexander strove to mold a universal civilization that would bring together all of the people in his Empire under a shared Hellenistic culture and vision.  To do this, he established cities in every province with the name of Alexandria, which would be centers of culture and learning that would be the wellsprings of a single Hellenistic civilization.  He also sought to unite the Greeks and the Persians into a single people through a program of intermarriage.  He held a mass marriage of his senior officers to Persian and other noblewomen at Susa, which is located in what is now western Iran.  He, himself, married the daughter of the Persian monarch.  He actively promoted intermarriage between the peoples of his empire as a policy.  Alas, the dream of Alexander and his mentor Aristotle did not succeed.  It evaporated as soon as Alexander died.  The states that succeeded his empire were those of a Greek governing class over indigenous people who did not share in the culture, values, and prosperity of the rulers.  The significance of the Islamic achievement can also be compared in light of Western civilization, which was for a very long time dominated by the bane of white supremacy.  Western civilization did not regard non-whites as equals and did not afford them to fully participate in that civilization as equals.  Even in America, a nation of immigrants where many ethnic and racial groups are strongly represented, and where the ideal of universality would be at its greatest possibility of realization, the days of segregation are not that long past. It is Islam that bequeathed the ideal of equality and universality to the civilization that it founded.  This is truly one of the greatest achievements of Islam. Footnotes: [1] Musnad Ahmad -islamreligion.com

Women giving alms

Question

What is the meaning of the Prophet ordering that women should give alms in the Hadith where he saw most of the occupants of Hell-fire were women?

Answer

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; and blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions. 

Once Allah's Apostle went out to the Musalla (to offer the prayer) 'Id-al-Adha or Al-Fitr prayer. Then he passed by the women and said, "O women! Give alms, as I have seen that the majority of the dwellers of Hell-fire were you (women)." They asked, "Why is it so, O Allah's Apostle?" He replied, "You curse frequently and are ungrateful to your husbands. I have not seen anyone more deficient in intelligence and religion than you. A cautious sensible man could be led astray by some of you." The women asked, "O Allah's Apostle! What is deficient in our intelligence and religion?" He said, "Is not the evidence of two women equal to the witness of one man?" They replied in the affirmative. He said, "This is the deficiency in her intelligence. Isn't it true that a woman can neither pray nor fast during her menses?" The women replied in the affirmative. He said, "This is the deficiency in her religion."

So, when the Prophet saw that women outnumbered men in Hell, he told them the reason for this and advised them of how to avoid being thrown in Hell-Fire.

The Prophet also said: "A person who calls people towards doing good deeds will get the same reward as those who follow him and do good, and nothing will be diminished from the requital of the latter. Similarly those, who call the people towards vice will have the same punishment as those who follow them without any diminution in the punishment of the perpetrators"(Muslim).

As for the way of safety, Allah describes it as: "Verily, the good deeds remove the evil deeds (i.e. small (sins)." [11:114].

So, Allah ordered women to spend on good to expiate for all the bad that they do.

In another narration of the same Hadith the Prophet added: "And repent to Allah".

This Hadith is yet another evidence that the Prophet cares very much about his Ummah; he has not left any form of good without directing us to it and he has not left any form of bad without clarifying it to us and warned us of it.

Allah knows best. -islamweb.net

Where is God?

Now and again human beings are prompted to ask themselves some of life’s truly profound questions.  In the quiet darkness of the night, when far off stars twinkle in the vast, majestic sky, or in the cold, hard, light of day when life rushes past like a speeding train, people of all colours, races and creeds wonder about the meaning of their existence.  Why are we here?  What does this all mean?  Is this all there is? On magnificent days filled with sunshine and iridescent blue skies, people turn their faces towards the sun and contemplate its beauty.  In the deepest winter or the wildest storm, they ponder the strength inherent in the forces of nature.  Somewhere in the deep recesses of the mind, the concept of God arises.  The wonders of creation are a call to the heart and the soul.  The gentle touch of a snowflake, the smell of freshly cut lawn, the soft patter of raindrops and fierce wind of a hurricane are all reminders that this world is full of wonder. When pain and sadness threaten to engulf us, human beings are again prompted to contemplate the meaning of life.  In the midst of suffering and grief, the concept of God arises.  Even those who would consider themselves far from religion or spiritual belief find themselves looking skywards and pleading for help.  When the heart constricts and fear swamps us, we turn helplessly towards some sort of higher power.  The concept of a God then becomes real and meaningful. In the midst of pleading and bargaining, the sheer vastness of the universe is laid bare.  The reality of life is filled with awe and wonder.  It is a rollercoaster ride.  There are moments of great joy, and periods of immense sadness.  Life can be long and monotonous or it can be carefree.  As God arises and His majesty is clear, more questions begin to take shape.  One question that inevitably comes to mind is – where is God? Around the world and down through the ages people have struggled to come to terms with the question of where God is.  The human inclination is to search for God.  The ancient Babylonians and Egyptians built lofty towers in their search for God.  The Persians looked for Him in fire.  Still other, such as the indigenous people of North America and the Celtic people looked for God in the glorious signs of nature around them.  Buddhists find God in themselves, and in the Hindu religion, God is believed to be in every place and in everything. The quest for God can be confusing.  When posing the question where is God, the resulting answers can also be confusing.  God is everywhere.  God is in your heart.  God is where goodness and beauty exist.  What happens however, when your heart is empty and your surroundings are dismal, dirty, and ugly?  Does God cease to exist?  No! Of course not!  Amidst this confusion, the Islamic concept of God is a beacon of light for those stumbling in the darkness. What Muslims believe about God is clear-cut and simple.  They do not believe that God is everywhere; they believe that God is above the heavens.  The human need to turn our faces towards the sky in times of trouble and strife is an inherent answer to the question, where is God?  God tells us in the Quran that He is the Most High (Quran 2:255) and that He is above all His Creation. “He it is Who created the heavens and the earth in six Days and then rose over the Throne (in a manner that suits His Majesty).  He knows what goes into the earth and what comes forth from it, what descends from the heaven and what ascends thereto.  And He is with you (by His Knowledge) wheresoever you may be.  And God is the All-Seer of what you do.” (Quran 57:4) Prophet Muhammad was known to point towards the sky when referring to God.  When making supplication to God he raised his hands towards the heavens.  During his Farewell sermon, Prophet Muhammad asked the people,“Have I not conveyed the message?” and they said, “Yes!”  He asked again,“Have I not conveyed the message?” and they said, “Yes!”  He asked a third time, “Have I not conveyed the message?” and they said “Yes!”  Each time, he said, “O God, bear witness!” - at the same time pointing up to the sky and then at the people.[1] God is above the heavens, above His creation.  This however does not mean that He is contained by any sort of physical dimensions.  God is close, very close, to those who believe in Him and He answers their every call.  God knows all of our secrets, dreams, and wishes, nothing is hidden from Him.  God is with His creation by His knowledge and power.  God is the Creator and the Sustainer.  Nothing comes into existence except by His will. When Muslims marvel at the wonders of the universe they are secure in the knowledge that God, the Most High, is above the heavens, and comforted by the fact that He is with them in all their affairs.  When a Muslim is struck by loss or grief, he does not question God’s wisdom, or ask the question, ‘where was God when I was sad, or grieving or suffering?’  Humankind was created to worship God, (Quran 56:51) and God said many times that trials and tribulations would be part of our life experience. “And He it is Who has created the heavens and the earth in six Days ...that He might try you, which of you is the best in deeds.” (Quran 11:7) In their darkest night, or their darkest hour humankind instinctively looks towards the sky.  When their hearts beat heavily and fear threatens to overwhelm them, people turn to God.  They raise their hands and beg for mercy, forgiveness, or kindness, and God responds;  For He is the Most Merciful, the Most Forgiving and the Most Kind.  God is distinct and separate from His creation, and there is nothing like Him.  He is All Hearing and All seeing.  (Quran 42:11)  Hence when we ask the question where is God, the answer is undoubtedly, He is above the heavens and above all His creation. We also say that He is not in need of any of His creation and all of creation needs Him.. Footnotes: [1] The text of the Farewell Sermon can be found in Saheeh Bukhari and Saheeh Muslim,  and in the books of At Tirmidhi and Imam Ahmad. -islamreligion.com

Acts of the Prayer and the heart's states in them

When you hear the Athaan (call to Prayer), let that remind you of the horrors of the Summons on the Day of Resurrection. Spare no time in fully preparing yourself to respond. For those who hasten to answer this call are the ones who will receive gentle summoning on the Day of the Great Review. So review your hearts now; if you find it elated and eager to respond, you can expect the Summons to bring you glad tidings on the Day of Judgment. That is why the Prophet  used to address Bilal  saying: "Delight us by the Prayer, O Bilal!"

Wudhoo’ (Ablution)

When you perform ritual cleansing (Wudhoo’ or Ghusl), make sure to also tend to the cleanliness of your inner being, which lies at the heart of all these. In cleaning your inner being, use in the place of water repentance and remorse for your excesses, and a resolve not to perpetrate them in the future. Thus you should cleanse your inner being, for that is the place where your Lord will be looking.

Covering private parts

When in Prayer you make sure that certain parts of your body are covered from the eyes of other humans. But you should also mind your internal shameful spots, those unworthy secrets of your soul that are beheld only by Allah Almighty. Beware these faults and realize that nothing will escape the sight of Allah Almighty.

Facing the Qiblah

In this you turn your face away from all other directions and set it toward the Ka'bah. But more important than that is to turn your heart away from everything else other than Allah Almighty, directing it towards Allah Almighty. This is the whole point of the practice!

Standing upright

This means holding oneself erect—in body and in spirit—in the presence of Allah Almighty. Your head which is the highest part of your body should be bowed down as a reminder of the need to keep the heart meek and humble, free of arrogance and pride.

Intention

When forming the intention, resolve to be responsive to Allah Almighty by performing the Prayer in full conformity with His commands, by doing it properly, by avoiding things that invalidate or detract from its wholeness, and by doing all this for the sake of Allah alone, hoping for His reward and fearing His punishment, seeking His grace and favor by His leave.

Takbeer

When making Takbeer (pronouncing the phrase: Allahu Akbar to begin the Prayer acts), your heart must be inundated with the meaning of Takbeer. You should feel in your heart that nothing whatsoever is greater than Allah Almighty.

Reciting the Quran

People fall in three categories when it comes to Quran recitation: (a) those who move their tongues unconsciously (b) those who are conscious of the movement of the tongue, understanding the meaning while listening as if to a person outside themselves; this is the degree of `those on the right', (c) those who start from awareness of the meaning, then use the tongue to give expression to this inner consciousness.

Bowing

Bowing (Rukoo’) indicates a renewed affirmation of the supreme greatness of Allah Almighty. In bowing you confirm your submissiveness and humility, striving to refine your inner feelings through a fresh awareness of your own impotence and insignificance before the might and grandeur of your Lord Almighty. To confirm this, you seek the aid of your tongue, glorifying Allah Almighty and testifying repeatedly to His Supreme Majesty. Then you rise from bowing, hopeful that He will be merciful towards you. To emphasize this hope within you, you say: "Allaah hears those who give thanks to Him." Acknowledging the need to express gratitude, you immediately add: "Grateful praise to You our Lord!"

Prostration

Then you go down in prostration. This is the utmost point of submission, for when you prostrate you bring the noblest part of your body—your face—down to meet the most lowly of all things, the dust of the earth. When you place yourself in this position of lowliness, be mindful of the fact that you belong there, from dust you were created and to dust you shall return. At the same time you should renew your inner awareness of Allah's majesty, repeating: "Glory to my Lord Most High!"

Sitting and testifying

When you sit to make the testimony (Tashahhud), sit decorously. Declare that all the Prayers and good deeds you perform are for the sake of Allah Almighty, and everything belongs to Him. Such is the meaning of at-Tahiyyaat. Be inwardly aware of the Prophet, and of his noble person, as you say: "Peace be upon you, O Prophet, as well as Allah's mercy and blessing." Be sure that he will return an even more perfect greeting to you. Then salute yourself and all Allah's righteous servants. Then testify to the Unity of Allah Almighty, and to the mission of Prophet Muhammad .

End of Supplication

Make sure to supplicate at the end of your ritual Prayer and before Tasleem, imploring and entreating with meekness and humility, confidently hoping to be answered. Let your supplication include your parents and the other believers.

Salutation (Tasleem)

Finally, and with the intention of concluding your Prayer, address your Tasleem to the angels and the others present. Feel a sense of gratitude to Allah Almighty for having enabled you to complete this act of worship. Imagine that you are saying farewell to this Prayer of yours, and that you may not live to make another one. -islamweb.net