ISLAM IN FOCUS

Wa-l-asr æ ÇáÚÕÑ Inna-l-insana lafee khusr Åä ÇáÅäÓÇä áÝí ÎÓÑ Illa-l-ladheena amanu wa ‘amilu as-salihat ÅáÇ ÇáÐíä Âãäæ Ç æ Úãáæ Ç ÇáÕÇáÍÇÊ Wa tawasaw bi-l-haq sabr wa tawasaw bi-s-sabr æ Êæ ÇÕæ Ç ÈÇáÍÞ æ Êæ ÇÕæ Ç ÈÇáÕÈÑ This may be interpreted as follows: In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful By (the token of) time (through ages) Verily man is in loss Except those who have Faith, and do righteous deeds And join together in the mutual teaching of truth and of constant patience (Qur’ an, 103) One of such short passages is recited after the Fatihah in each of the first two units. In the third and fourth units no recitation other than the Fatihah is required There are many short and easy passages in the Qur’ an. Every Muslim must make some efforts to learn by heart as many passages as he can. Also he must read and study the instructions of the Qur’ an. Reading the Qur’ an is in itself a high form of worship and fruitful session of devotion.

The Fasting (Sawm) Another unique moral and spiritual characteristic of Islam is the prescribed institution of Fasting. Literally defined, fasting means to abstain “ completely” from foods, drinks, intimate intercourses and smoking, before the break of the dawn till sunset, during the entire month of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic year. But if we restrict the meaning of Islamic Fasting to this literal sense, we would be sadly mistaken When Islam introduced this matchless institution, it planted an ever-growing tree of infinite virtue and invaluable products. Here is an explanation of spiritual meaning of the Islamic Fasting: 1. It teaches man the principle of sincere Love; because when he observes the Fasting he does it out of deep love for God. And the man who loves God truly is a man who really knows what love is 2. It equips man with a creative sense of Hope and an optimistic outlook on life; because when he fasts he is hoping to please God and is seeking His Grace 3. It imbues man with a genuine virtue of effective Devotion, honest Dedication and closeness to God; because when he fasts he does so for God and for His sake alone 4. It cultivates in man a vigilant and sound Conscience; because the fasting person keeps his Fast in secret as well as in public. In Fasting, especially, there is no mundane authority to check man’ s behavior or compel him to observe the Fasting. He keeps it to please God and satisfy his own conscience by being faithful in secret and in public. There is no better way to cultivate a sound conscience in man 5. It indoctrinates man in Patience and Unselfishness; because when he fasts he feels the pains of deprivation but endures patiently. Truly this deprivation may be only