Discussion: What is Islam? What do you know about Islam? What is your personal definition of Islam or religion in general?
We discussed the importance of the Five Pillars of Islam:
- Shahadah (Declaration)
- Salah (Prayer)
- Zakat (Charity)
- Sawm (Fasting)
- Hajj (Pilgrimage)
Shahadah is the declaration of faith stating: "I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah (swt), the One, without any partner. And I bear witness that Muhammad (peace be upon him) is His servant and His Messenger."Salah is prayer which is performed five times a day as a direct relationship with God.Zakat is a mandatory charity to the needy and poor.Sawm is fasting during the the holy month of Ramadan. Muslims fast to purify themselves and to devote themselves to God. Not only do we fast to "feel like those in need" but to also clean our sins and become better Muslims. It is a way for us to get closer to Allah (swt).Hajj is the pilgrimage to Mecca (Makkah). This is an obligation that must be performed at least once in a Muslim's lifetime. It is the demonstration of a Muslim's devotion to God. Hajj is the 12th month in the Islamic calendar.
Starting October 31st, 2008 one person will bring up a topic of discussion (i.e. Quranic verse, hadith, news, etc.) and will begin the discussion.
We also discussed fundraising ideas for organizations such as Islamic Relief:
- Buttons
- Candy
- Car Wash
- Stickers
The shirt design will be finalized by October 31st inshAllah.
**There will be NO MEETING next week due to a no school day on October 24th, 2008.
Topic for Next Week: Shahadah
Weekly Quranic Verse, Hadith, etc: Mustafa
