The main laws or beliefs relating to food

Eating is a matter of faith in Islam. Muslim dietary practise is fundamentally about obeying God. All practising Muslim believers obey God Almighty by eating the allowed foods (halal) and avoiding the forbidden foods (haram) which are mentioned in the Qur’an and in the sayings of the final prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him). The following are a list of Muslim dietary practises. Muslims follow these because it is God’s word in the Qur’an. The health benefits (which are now apparent with the development of science) of the Muslim diet merely qualify the wisdom of God’s word and shed light on God’s benevolence. It is God’s commandments that are crucial; the health benefits are secondary.

Recite the name of God (Allah) before eating and thank God after finishing. It is a good thing to eat by the right hand and in company. Muslims must pronounce the name of Allah on all animals while slaughtering.

Think and contemplate in every item of food you eat by remembering God the creator the Designer, The Organiser and the Provider. A prayer-like state may be achieved in this way.

It is important to eat only when you are hungry. When you do eat, you should not eat in excess. As advised by the Prophet, one should divide his / her stomach into 3 parts - a third each for food, fluid, and respiration. Remember the hungry when you eat. One could avoid going to hell by feeding a hungry dying person or animal.

Halal pure healthy meat, chicken, fish, milk, olive oil and honey are highly recommended in Islam.

Is there a link with vegetarianism?

All types of fruit and vegetable (when grown naturally and not genetically modified) are recommended to consume in Islam. Grapes, dates, figs, pomegranate, pulse and cereal are also commended. Honey and olive oil are prescribed as medicinal.

Having said all this, the Prophet said “the master of all foods is the meat” Meat is a highly nutritious diet, as doctors testify. There is no prohibition to be vegetarian in Islam, but any practising Muslim will come across meat on many Islamic occasions when meat is provided. For example, the sacrifice of sheep and distribution to the poor at the end of Hajj (pilgrimage). It should also be noted that it is not obligatory to eat meat in Islam.

In general, will people of this faith eat in a food outlet that serves food or drink that does not conform to their beliefs?

It is very discouraged in Islam to eat in a restaurant which serves forbidden food and alcohol or to buy anything from it. Sitting at a table where alcohol is served is forbidden too. Restaurants with smokers are to be avoided too (this is the result of a new fatwa that states smoking is haram).

When and why do people of this faith feast and fast?

Feast days (dates vary according to the lunar calendar) include Eid al-Fitr (after finishing the fasting months of Ramadan), Eid al-Udha, and Maulud n'Nabi (the birthday of the Prophet Mohummmad – some Muslims do not celebrate this).

Fasting is considered an opportunity to earn the approval of Allah, to wipe out previous sins, and to understand the suffering of the poor. Fasting is also partly to be in control of appetite and to avoid food addiction. It is the fourth ritual observance in the Five Pillars of Islam.

Fasting includes abstention from all food and drink from dawn to sunset. Voluntary fasting is common on Mondays and Thursdays (it is undesirable to fast on certain days of the months and on Fridays). Ramadan, the ninth month of the Muslim calendar, is a mandatory fasting period that commemorates the period when the Qur'an was first revealed to Prophet Muhammad. During Ramadan, Muslims abstain from food and drink (and sex) from before the break of dawn until sunset. Muslims are encouraged to fast 6 days during the month of Shawwal (the month after Ramadan), on the 10th day of Muharram (the first month in the Islamic calendar), and on the 9th day of Zul Hijjah (the month of Hajj - pilgrimage).

Islamic Dua wallpapers

In the terminology of Islam, Dua literally meaning invocation, is an act of supplication. The term is derived from an Arabic word meaning to 'call out' or to 'summon', and Muslims regard this as a profound act of worship.

There is a special emphasis on du'a in Muslim spirituality and early Muslims took great care to record the supplications of Muhammad and transmit them to subsequent generations.[citation needed] These traditions precipitated new genres of literature in which prophetic supplications were gathered together in single volumes that were memorized and taught. Collections such as Imam al-Nawawi's Kitab al-adhkar and Shams al-Din al-Jazari's al-Hisn al-Hasin exemplify this literary trend and gained significant currency among Muslim devotees keen to learn how Muhammad supplicated to God.

However, Du'a literature is not restricted to prophetic supplications; many later Muslim scholars and sages composed their own supplications, often in elaborate rhyming prose that would be recited by their disciples. Popular du'as would include Jazuli's Dala'il al-Khayrat, which at its peak spread throughout the Muslim world, and Imam al-Shadhili's Hizb al-Bahr which also had widespread appeal.[citation needed] Du'a literature reaches its most lyrical form in the Munajat, or 'whispered intimate prayers' such as those of Ibn 'Ata Allah al-Iskandari. Among the shia schools, the Al-Sahifa al-Sajjadiyya records du'as attributed to Ali and his grandson Zayn al-Abidin.

Makah Wallpapers

Mecca ( /ˈmɛkə/; Arabic: مكة‎, Makkah, pronounced [ˈmækːɐ]) is a city in the Hejaz and the capital of Makkah province in Saudi Arabia. The city is located 73 km (45 mi) inland from Jeddah in a narrow valley at a height of 277 m (909 ft) above sea level. Its resident population in 2008 was 1.7 million, although visitors more than double this number every year during Hajj period held in the twelfth Muslim lunar monthof Dhu al-Hijjah.

As the birthplace of Muhammad and a site of the composition of the Quran, Mecca is regarded as the holiest city in the religion of Islam and a pilgrimage to it known as the Hajj is obligatory upon all able Muslims. The Hijaz was long ruled by Muhammad's descendants, the sharifs, either as independent rulers or as vassals to larger empires. It was absorbed into Saudi Arabia in 1925. In its modern period, Mecca has seen tremendous expansion in size and infrastructure. Because of this Mecca has lost many thousand years old buildings and archaeological sites.Today, more than 13 million Muslims visit Mecca annually, including several million during the few days of the Hajj. As a result, Mecca has become one of the most cosmopolitan and diverse cities in the Muslim world, although non-Muslims remain prohibited from entering the city.

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Hajj in Islam

The Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca) is the fifth of the fundamental Muslim practices and institutions known as the five pillars of Islam. Pilgrimage is not undertaken in Islam to the shrines of saints, to monasteries for help from holy men, or to sights where miracles are supposed to have occurred, even though we may see many Muslims do this. Pilgrimage is made to the Kaaba, found in the sacred city of Mecca in Saudia, the ‘House of God,’ whose sanctity rests in that the Prophet Abraham built it for the worship of God. God rewarded him by attributing the House to himself, in essence honoring it, and by making it the devotional epicenter which all Muslims face when offering the prayers (salah). The rites of pilgrimage are performed today exactly as did by Abraham, and after him by Prophet Muhammad, may God praise them.

Pilgrimage is viewed as a particularly meritorious activity. Pilgrimage serves as a penance - the ultimate forgiveness for sins, devotion, and intense spirituality. The pilgrimage to Mecca, the most sacred city in Islam, is required of all physically and financially able Muslims once in their life. The pilgrimage rite begins a few months after Ramadan, on the 8th day of the last month of the Islamic year of Dhul-Hijjah, and ends on the 13th day. Mecca is the center towards which the Muslims converge once a year, meet and refresh in themselves the faith that all Muslims are equal and deserve the love and sympathy of others, irrespective of their race or ethnic origin. The racial harmony fostered by Hajj is perhaps best captured by Malcolm X on his historic pilgrimage:

‘Every one of the thousands at the airport, about to leave for Jeddah, was dressed this way. You could be a king or a peasant and no one would know. Some powerful personages, who were discreetly pointed out to me, had on the same thing I had on. Once thus dressed, we all had begun intermittently calling out “Labbayka! (Allahumma) Labbayka!” (At your service, O Lord!) Packed in the plane were white, black, brown, red, and yellow people, blue eyes and blond hair, and my kinky red hair - all together, brothers! All honoring the same God, all in turn giving equal honor to each other . . .

That is when I first began to reappraise the ‘white man’. It was when I first began to perceive that ‘white man’, as commonly used, means complexion only secondarily; primarily it described attitudes and actions. In America, ‘white man’ meant specific attitudes and actions toward the black man, and toward all other non-white men. But in the Muslim world, I had seen that men with white complexions were more genuinely brotherly than anyone else had ever been. That morning was the start of a radical alteration in my whole outlook about ‘white’ men.

There were tens of thousands of pilgrims, from all over the world. They were of all colors, from blue-eyed blonds to black-skinned Africans. But we were all participating in the same ritual displaying a spirit of unity and brotherhood that my experiences in America had led me to believe never could exist between the white and the non-white... America needs to understand Islam, because this is the one religion that erases from its society the race problem. Throughout my travels in the Muslim world, I have met, talked to, and even eaten with people who in America would have been considered white - but the ‘white’ attitude was removed from their minds by the religion of Islam. I have never before seen sincere and true brotherhood practiced by all colors together, irrespective of their color.”

Thus the pilgrimage unites the Muslims of the world into one international fraternity. More than two million persons perform the Hajj each year, and the rite serves as a unifying force in Islam by bringing followers of diverse backgrounds together in worship. In some Muslim societies, once a believer has made the pilgrimage, he is often labeled with the title ‘hajji’ ; this, however, is a cultural, rather than religious custom. Finally, the Hajj is a manifestation of the belief in the unity of God - all the pilgrims worship and obey the commands of the One God.

At certain stations on the caravan routes to Mecca, or when the pilgrim passes the point nearest to those stations, the pilgrim enters the state of purity known as ihram. In this state, the certain ‘normal’ actions of the day and night become impermissible for the pilgrims, such as covering the head, clipping the fingernails, and wearing normal clothing in regards to men. Males remove their clothing and don the garments specific to this state of ihram, two white seamless sheets that are wrapped around the body. All this increases the reverence and sanctity of the pilgrimage, the city of Mecca, and month of Dhul-Hijjah. There are 5 stations, one on the coastal plains northwest of Mecca towards Egypt and one south towards Yemen, while three lie north or eastwards towards Medina, Iraq and al-Najd. The simple garb signifies the equality of all humanity in God’s sight, and the removal of all worldly affections. After entering the state of ihram, the pilgrim proceeds to Mecca and awaits the start of the Hajj. On the 7th of Dhu al-Hijjah the pilgrim is reminded of his duties, and at the commence of the ritual, which takes place between the 8th and the 12th days of the month, the pilgrim visits the holy places outside Mecca - Arafah, Muzdalifah, and Minaa - and sacrifices an animal in commemoration of Abraham’s sacrifice. The pilgrim then shortens or shaves their head, and, after throwing seven stones at specific pillars at Minaa on three or four successive days, and heads for the central mosque where he walks seven times around the sacred sanctuary, or Kaaba, in the Great Mosque, and ambulates, walking and running, seven times between the two small hills of Mt. Safaa and Mt. Marwah. Discussing the historical or spiritual significance of each rite is beyond the scope of this introductory article.
Among all the acts of worship (furoo-e-deen), Hajj is the only worship, for which a complete surah (Surah Hajj) is revealed in the Holy Quran.

Hadees 1: If a person, on whom Hajj has become wajib, does not perform Hajj and dies, he/she will die as a Christian or a Jew.
Hadees 2: If Hajj becomes wajib on a person and it is not performed, then he/she will be raised as a Christian or Jew on the day of judgment.
Hadees 3: When a person, on whom Hajj becomes wajib, completes the Hajj properly, his/her sins are forgiven such as if he/she is a newly born person.
Hadees 4: When a person completes a Hajj properly, his/her every dua is accepted for four months.
The Almighty has compared the negligence of hajj to ingratitude because of its importance. Hajj is one of the five pillars on which Islam is based. In a noble hadíth, Imam al-Bãqir (a.s.) said,
“Islam is based on five pillars: on prayer (salãt), alms (zakãt), pilgrimage (hajj), fasting (sawm), and devotion [to the Ahlul Bayt] (wilãya)." 1
Imam ‘Ali bin Abi Tãlib (a.s.) advised about hajj by saying,
“Do not neglect the pilgrimage to the House of your Lord; otherwise you will perish." 2
Imam as-Sãdiq (a.s.) said,
“If the people neglect the pilgrimage to the House, the chastisement will overwhelm them and they would not be warned [about it].” 3
This is so because neglecting hajj while the person is in a position to fulfill all its conditions is a great sin.
A hadíth says,
“When a person is capable of doing the pilgrimage but does not do it, he has indeed flouted a law from the laws of Islam.” 4
Another noble hadíth says,
“One who keeps postponing hajj until he dies, Allãh will resurrect him on the Day of Judgment as a Jew or a Christian.” 5
Hajj in Islam is of three kinds:

• Hajj Al-Tamattu
• Hajj Al-Qiran
• Hajj Al-Ifrad

Hajj al-Tamatt'u means entering into ihram for the Umrah, taking off after performing the Umrah, and then entering into ihram again for the Hajj. People who come from other countries usually perform Hajj al-Tamatt'u.

Hajj al-Qiran means entering into ihram for both the Umrah and the Hajj at the same time, not taking off for the ihram until the day of sacrifice at Mina.

Hajj al-Ifrad (Single) means entering into ihram only for the Haj.

Five pillars of slam

In Islam there are five pillars, these pillars are the basis of Islam. First I will list them and after that go on to explain them in more detail. The pillars are

• Shahada/kalimah
• Prayer
• Charity/zakat
• Fasting in the month of Ramadan
• Hajj/pilgrimage to Mecca


Shahada/kalimah:

To be a Muslim a person must say the kalimah, which is the declaration of faith. The wording is:

La ilaha ila Allah; Muhammadur-rasul Allah. 'There is no deity worthy of worship except for Allah; Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.'

This small statement is divided into two parts, the first part declares the oneness of Allah and the second testifies to Muhammad being the messenger of Allah .

These two parts go together, we have the religion from Allah and Muhammad the messenger of Allah taught mankind how to live by this law.

By saying the shahada a person is a Muslim provided it is done with true belief and followed up by action..

Prayer:

Prayer is a main act of worship and is done five times a day in Islam at various times throughout the day, to constantly remind man of Allah and the purpose for us being in this world. It is a protection from doing wrong. It benefits the whole being and refreshes the soul.

Before prayer can begin it is necessary to purify oneself by doing wudhu or ablution which is done by washing hands, mouth, nose, face, ears, hair, neck, arms to elbows and feet three times each with water. It is also necessary to wear clean clothes and find a clean place to pray. Also it is necessary to face the qiblah, which is the direction of the kabah in Mecca. Finally one must make the proper intention before starting the prayer.

The prayer times are as follows:

• Fajr/dawn prayers
• Dhuhr/noon prayers
• asr/mid-afternoon prayers
• Maghrib/sunset prayers
• Isha/early night prayers

Prayers consist of verses from the Quran, accompanied by various bodily postures - standing, bowing, prostrating and sitting. Prayers are said in Arabic, the language of the revelation. This means no matter where you go in the world the prayer will be the same. Personal supplications after the prayers can be offered in any language. In Islam there is no clerical authority, no priests or ministers. Prayers are led by any learned person who knows the Quran and is chosen from the congregation, this person is called the imam.

Charity/zakat:

The word zakat means purification and growth. Through giving to charity we purify our wealth and income. Zakat is an act of worship and by spending for the sake of Allah we purify our heart . . This financial obligation on Muslims is very important, as charity is a big part of Islam.

Allah says in the Quran, 2:177: ........and spend of your substance out of love for Him (Allah), for your family, for the orphans, for the needy, for the wayfarer, for those who ask,......Such are the people of truth those mindful of Allah.

Zakat is paid on surplus of wealth and is normally a rate of 2.5%, this charity is due once a year.

Zakat helps everyone. The giver is purified from greed and selfishness. The recipient is purified from jealousy and hatred for the rich. The zakat helps the whole of society as it creates a bond between the rich and poor, it minimises social tension and it bridges the gap between rich and poor. It provides social and economic security for the whole of society.

Apart from zakat a Muslim can pay voluntary charity, known as sadaqah, any time he or she wishes and any amount.

In Islam we believe that everything belongs to Allah and wealth is given to us by Him in trust.

Charity in Islam is not just about money. The prophet Muhammad told us that even a smile and cheerful face is an act of charity. Muslims can do charity by many means, like helping others, advising others and improving his or her own life.

Fasting in the month of Ramadan:

Ramadan is the 9th month of the lunar calendar which Muslims follow. This month is very important in Islam as it was in this month the Quranic revelations started.

During this month Muslims must fast from sunrise to sunset, abstaining from all food and drink. Apart from that we must also not have any sexual contact, It is strongly recommended to wake up before sunrise to have a meal, as fasting is not there to make life difficult for you, Allah does not want anyone to suffer. Following the tradition of prophet Muhammad Muslims break their fast at sunset with dates and water.

Those who are sick, on a journey, young children, elderly and women who are pregnant or nursing a child may break their fast but have to make up for days lost at a later time.

You are forbidden to fast if fasting will endanger your life, also women who are menstruating are forbidden to fast but must make up for the days lost. If someone is physically unable to fast they must feed a needy person for each day missed. Children start fasting (and praying) from puberty although many start before.

Although fasting is beneficial for the health, it is regarded principally as a method of self-purification. During fasting you are cut off from worldly pleasures and comforts. when fasting you gain sympathy for those who go hungry on a daily basis, so you are more willing to help them. While fasting you achieve spiritual growth, you learn discipline, self-restraint, patience and flexibility.

During the month of Ramadan a Muslim should read the entire Quran, from cover to cover.

Also during Ramadan there are special prayers each evening after Isha prayers. These prayers are called Tarawih. The Quran is divided into 30 parts called Juz, and each evening one of these parts are recited so that the whole of the Quran will be completed at the end of Ramadan.

During the last 10 days of Ramadan there is a special night called the Night of Power (Laylat al-Qadr). To spend this whole night in prayer and worship is equivalent to a thousand months of worsip, so Allah's reward for this is very great.

On the first day after the end of Ramadan, which is when the next moon is visible, the festival of Eid ul Fitr is celebrated and fasting stops. On this day Muslims who are able to will feed the poor, called Zakat al-Fitr. On the day of Eid Muslims put on their best clothes and attend Eid prayers at the mosque. After this the day is normally spend celebrating with family and friends.

Fasting in the month of Ramadan is obligatory, but apart form Ramadan there are other voluntary fasts throughout the year. Muslims are encouraged to fast six days of the month of Shawwal which is the month following Ramadan. Also Mondays and Thursdays are recommended for fasting and the three middle days of each month. Another day recommended for fasting is the day of Ashura, which is the 10th day of Muharram, which is the first month of the lunar calendar. It was on this day that prophet Moses (as) and his followers were saved and the pharaoh was drowned.Fasting on the days of Eid is strictly forbidden in Islam.

Hajj/pilgrimage to Mecca :

Pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia is obligatory on every Muslim at least once in their lifetime if they are physically and financially able to do so.

Hajj takes place in the 12th months of the Islamic calendar (Dhul Hijjah). It lasts for six days.

Male pilgrims wear Ihram, which is a two piece white seamless garment. Women can wear their normal clothes.

Around 2 million Muslims from all around the world gather here each year to perform the rites and rituals of the hajj, all men dressed alike, no matter which colour or financial status they are from, all are one brotherhood in Islam. All stand together as one and equal before Allah . The only thing which makes someone greater in Islam is someone's knowledge and actions of the faith.

The rites of Hajj go back to the time of Prophet Ibrahim (as) who rebuilt the kabah with his son Ismail (as). These rites include circling round the kabah 7 times anti clockwise to signify it's centrality in Islam, this is called the Tawaf. Another rite is running back and forth between the mountains of Safa and Marwah, just as Hagar (Ibrahim's wife) did while searching for water for her son Ismail (as). This is also where you will find the sacred well of zamzam. Pilgrims also gather on the plain of mount Arafat to join in prayers for Allah's forgiveness, it was here prophet Muhammad gave his last sermon. Finally the pilgrims go to throw stones at pillars representing Satan before they sacrifice an animal (mostly a sheep). The hajj is a very spiritual time and the reward for doing hajj in the right manner and with a proper heart is paradise. You will leave the hajj sin free insha Allah and you go home to start your new improved life.

Golden Islamic Quotes For A Muslim

• When you see a person who has been given more than you in money and beauty, look to those, who have been given less.
• A Muslim who meets with others and shares their burdens is better than one who lives a life of seclusion and contemplation.
•  It is better to sit alone than in company with the bad; and it is, better still to sit with the good than alone. It is better to speak to a seeker of knowledge than to remain silent; but silence is better than idle words.
• The best richness is the richness of the soul.
• Do you know what is better than charity and fasting and prayer? It is keeping peace and good relations between people, as quarrels and bad feelings destroy mankind.
• He is not of us who is not affectionate to the little ones, and does not respect the old; and he is not of us, who does not order which is lawful, and prohibits that which is unlawful.
• Much silence and a good disposition, there are no two things better than these.
• Kindness is a mark of faith, and whoever is not kind has no faith.
• The best of the houses is the house where an orphan gets love and kindness.
• To overcome evil with good is good, to resist evil by evil is evil.