ACTS THAT INVALIDATE THE FAST AND REQUIRE A MAKE-UP DAY AND EXPIATION
Intentional eating, drinking, and having sexual intercourse during the day require making up the day and an expiation. Expiation is defined as freeing a slave if one can do so; if the person has no slaves or cannot free one for a valid reason, he or she must fast for 60 consecutive da
Continue Reading →- September 28, 2013
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PLACES WITH VERY LONG DAYS AND VERY SHORT NIGHTS
Muslims who are in such areas (e.g., close to the polar regions) should follow the norms of the areas in which the Islamic legislation took place (e.g., Makka or Madina) or follow the schedule of the closest area that has “normal” days and nights.
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THE VIRTUE OF THE NIGHT OF POWER (LAYLAT AL-QADR)
This night is the year’s most virtuous night. God says: We revealed it (the Qur’an) on the Night of Power [Laylat al-Qadr]. What will tell you what the Night of Power is? It is better than a thousand months. (97:1-3) For example, any action therein (e.g., reciting the Qur&
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THE MEANING AND PRINCIPLES OF I‘TIKAF
I’tikaf literally means to stick to something, whether good or bad, and to block out everything else. As a term, it denotes devoting oneself, especially during the last 10 days of Ramadan, to praying in a mosque. God’s Messenger, upon him be peace and blessings, performed
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OATHS
Making an oath means to swear by God that one will not do something. In Islam, one can swear only by God. People who make such an oath must do their best to fulfill it, and so should not make one carelessly. People who make false statements by mistake or unknowingly, and then swear to
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VOWS
A vow is a solemn promise to do, in God’s name, something that resembles an act of worship and make obligatory upon oneself that which is not obligatory. A vow is considered “Islamic” only if it is made in God’s name and involves an obligatory or necessary act
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HUMANITY
God created the universe so that He could be known and recognized in all His Names and Attributes, and so His creation includes one creature with free will: humanity. Of all creatures, only humanity can manifest the Divine Names the All-Willing, All-Knowing, and All-Speaking in the mo
Continue Reading →- September 22, 2013
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THE INVISIBLE REALM OF EXISTENCE
Belief in the invisible realm of existence and the beings inhabiting it is another essential of Islamic faith. Since our sensory powers are limited, it is not wise to deny outright the existence of realms beyond our senses. Also, we know so little about existence that what we do know
Continue Reading →- September 19, 2013
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ANGELS AND OTHER INVISIBLE BEINGS
Angels are purely spirit beings that represent the purely good aspect in existence, while Satan and his descendants represent the purely evil aspect. God is One and Infinite, without opposite. All other beings and existents have an opposite. Since we have two opposite aspects in our n
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