Five Pillars Of Islam

Islam is a great religion and it consists of 5 things. The 5 pillars of Islam (five things) are the foundation of Muslim life.

Five Pillars of Islam:

. Shahadah

. Salah

. Zakah

. Sawm

. Hajj

Shahadah:

Shahadah means the declaration of faith. It is the most important pillar in Islam.

Declaration of faith means, There is none worthy of worship except God (Allah) and Muhammad (PBUH) is the Messenger of God (Allah). The importance of this declaration is the belief that the only purpose of life is to serve and obey Allah, and this is achieved through the teachings and practices of the Last Messenger, Hazrat Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him).

Salah:

Salah means prayer which is performed 5 times a day and it is obligatory for every person. 5 times prayers create as a direct link between the worshipper and Allah. Allah gifted the 5 times prayers to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in the night of Sahbe Miraj. Therefore, Muslims are expected to pray 5 times a day. Muslims pray in the mosque and it is not necessary but they are obligated to pray towards Kaaba.

Salah is performed at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset, and night.

Zakah (Zakat):

All things belong to God (Allah), and wealth is therefore held by human beings in trust. The original meaning of the word zakah is both growth and purification. Giving zakah (charity) means giving a specified percentage on certain properties to certain classes of needy people.

Each Muslim calculates his or her own mandatory charity individually. This involves the annual payment of 2.5% of one’s capital, eliminating such items as primary residence, car and professional tools.

Sawm:

Sawm means fasting, it comes every year in the ninth month of Islamic Lunar Calendar, all Muslims fast from dawn to dusk during the month of Ramadan.

Ramadan is a Holiest month, therefore, Muslims perform Umrah in this month with Ramadan Umrah Packages because they get different ziyarats and many gifts in these packages.

It is mention in Quran:

Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may attain piety- (2:183)

During fasting, Muslims abstain from 3 key human needs as the drink, food and sexual relations. It is obligatory on every physically and mentally capable adult Muslim.

Some important benefits of fasting:

1- Scientifically proven health benefits.

2 -A means of learning self-restraint and patience.

3 -Promotes spiritual self-purification and growth.

4 -Forgiveness of sins.

Hazrat Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) said: He who fasts Ramadan with faith and hoping for reward, then his past sins are forgiven.

Hajj:

And Hajj to House is a duty that mankind owes to Allah, for those who can afford the expenses.   (3:97)

The pilgrimage to Makkah is compulsory only for those who are physically and financially able to do so. Almost, over 2 million people go to Makkah each year from every corner of the world providing a unique opportunity for those of different nations to meet one another.

The Hajj starts in the 12th month of Islamic lunar year and the name of this month is Dahul Hijja.

Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) said, whoever performs Hajj and doesn’t utter obscenities or commit sin, will come back just like the day when his mother bore him.

Muslims search Cheap Hajj Package so that they perform Hajj easily and many travel agencies give comfortable hotels, transports, Qurbani, and many things in this cheap package for the ease of the pilgrims.

How to get Umrah Visa?

Umrah Visa:

When can Muslims perform Umrah?

Umrah can be performed at any time of the year. Because it is a Holy and Great Journey for every Muslim. As Hajj is an obligatory and compulsory and it is only performed at least one time in life. But Umrah can be performed at any time in life.

Everyone should apply for Umrah visa through an approved Umrah travel agent.

Umrah Visa Requirements:

Visa: It is a document issued to a person or a stamp marked on the passport of a person who wants to visit another country.

1:  A completed original Umrah visa application form. Firstly, you should carefully read the visa application form before the sign and after signed (a visa application form by post, send a large, self-addressed envelope to your nearest Saudi Country’s Consulate).

If anyone has a non-Muslim name, then he or she should submit a certificate from a mosque or an Islamic center stating that the applicant is a Muslim.

2: For Visa, One recent passport size picture with a white background should be attached to the application form. The photograph must be a full-face view is accepted whereas side or angle views are not accepted.

3: A most important point to get the visa is that passport should be valid for at least six months from the date of submission of the application form.

4: Verified and non-refundable airline ticket. Departure from Saudi Arabia should be written 2 weeks from the date of entry.

5: Women and children must be accompanied by husband/father or a male relative (Mahram). Proof of relationship is required as a marriage certificate for a wife, a birth certificate for a child. If a woman is forty-five years old or older then she is allowed to go without a Mahram if she travels with an organized group or family. If the applicant isn’t a national of the country she/he is applying from, a valid residency permit must be submitted with the application.

6: A vaccination certificate against Meningococcal Meningitis must be attached. Vaccination certificate should have been issued not more than 3 years and not less than ten days former to entry to Saudi Arabia and it should be valid for 3 years. The certificate of vaccination must be with the applicant on entry to Saudi country.

The validity of Umrah Visa:

Umrah visa is only valid for 2 weeks, within these two weeks you should perform Umrah, making sure your departure from Saudi Country is within 2 weeks of the date of entry.

Important note: The Umrah visa in Ramadan can’t increase the last day of Ramadan. You should leave Saudi Arabia by the end of Ramadan and can’t have Eid-ul-Fitr there.

NOTE: You should easily get Umrah visa with the help of different companies because these companies give Umrah Packages. These Umrah Packages contain many things which included flights, hotels, transportation, etc.

      Allah gives the opportunity of every person to perform Umrah in life. (Ameen)

Brief History of Safa and Marwa

There are 2 famous hills which are located in Al-Haram mosque in Makah. As Safa was one connected to the mountain of Abu Qubays and Al-Marwa was connected to the mountain of Qu’ayqi’aan.

Sa’i between Safa and Marwa is one of the pillars of Hajj and Umrah, Allah says in the Holy Quran:

Indeed, Safa and Marwa are among the symbol of Allah. So whoever makes Hajj to the House of performs Umrah there is no blame upon him for walking between them. And whoever volunteers good- then truly, Allah is Appreciative and knowing.

Safa and Marwa are major rituals of Hajj followed by every Muslims to accomplish their Hajj. This ritual is practiced by running back and forth in the hills of Safa and Marwa. The distance between 2 hills is estimated to be 450 km and it is necessitated for Hajjis to take 7 circuits between the same which makes it a total of 3.15 km.

According to the Islamic traditions, Ibrahim (AS) was ordered by Allah to leave his wife Hajarh (AS) who was princes of King Egypt and son Ismail (AS) in deserts (The place is known as Safa and Marwa). When she wanted to search for water to protect the life of her son because her son felt thirst. She left Ismail in the desert and ascended to Safa, and then she climbed Marwa during the search of water. She repeated this activity 7 times between hills.

Allah sent an Angel to the earth and rewarded Hajarh’s patience by granting her the fresh spring of water to accomplish the thirst for Ismail (AS).

According to Saahi Bukhari (Book of Hadithas) in which of this incident is narrated, said; If she had left the water, it would have been flowing on the surface of the earth.

In light of this hadith, Hazrat Hajarh (AS) said the Zamzam to prevent the water from spreading.

Therefore, every Hajji pays a visit to Safa and Marwa and walks back and forth to honor Hajarh’s efforts and patience.

This was the basic reason which makes 2 ordinary Hills the Holy Places of Muslims. Muslims who perform the Hajj and Umrah must run in the middle portion of the distance between the hills of Safa and Marwa 7-times. There are very rush of pilgrims during Hajj because millions of Muslims from all over the world gather to perform this ritual. Whereas Umrah is also called lesser pilgrimage and therefore, there is less rush in the normal season whereas a rush in peak season. Therefore, to manage your trip with the help of travel agencies who provide the best facilities on the name of Cheap Umrah Packages accomplish with flights, hotels, transportations and etc.