Islam

It is incumbent upon Muslims to perform Haj, at least once in a lifetime, as long as they possess the means. As is clear from the following excerpts from the Quran and Hadiths, Haj is one important pillar among the five foundation pillars of Islam.

“Pilgrimage to the House is a duty to God for all who can make the Journey.” (3:97).

“The first House ever to be built for men was that at Mecca, a blessed place, a beacon for the nation.” (3:96)

Zakat, or the alms-tax, is one of the five basic tenets of Islam. Its payment is obligatory, at the rate of 2.5%, on all wealth that is subject to growth. Eight categories of people, eligible to receive Zakat, have been specified in this verse of the Qur’an:

Fasting (sawm) is the third pillar of Islam. Right from dawn till dusk, a man who is strictly on a fast will neither eat as much as one morsel of food nor drink a single drop of water. By submitting to this discipline, that is, by depriving himself of the prime necessities of life, man learns the valuable lesson of fortitude. With no food and drink, he naturally feels hungry and thirsty, and his strength begins to ebb.

What is the role of the mosque in Islam? Masjid, or mosque, literally means ‘a place for self-prostration,’ that is, a place formally designated for the saying of prayers. According to a hadith, the Prophet of Islam observed: “The Masjid is a house of God-fearing people.” This means, in effect, that it is a centre for the inculcation of reverence, where individuals learn what is meant by piety and are thus prepared for a life of devotion to the Almighty.