Fasting during the twenty-nine or thirty days of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. The fast for a whole month is incumbent on every healthy adult, male and female. However, one is not required to fast if poor in health. Pregnant and nursing women are exempted from fasting.

Menstruating women are also exempted, but must make up for the fast afterwards. Travelers are exempted from fasting during journeys (though they may fast if they can). Fasts which remain unobserved for reasons of health or travel must be made up during the year. Those who cannot do so, because of poor health, old age, etc., should feed the poor and needy instead.

Fasting is a sort of annual crash course in self-discipline. Believers are trained intensively during this one month so that they may live the whole year round in the spirit of fasting. According to the Qur’an there are two purposes in fasting. One is to make us cautious in life, and the other is to make us thankful to God. During Ramadan, when believers keep the fast, they become extremely correct in their actions. They are is very particular about everything they do. They are very conscious of when to eat, and when not to eat; what to do and what not to do. They give more time to daily prayers. They also spend longer on recitations of the Qur’an than they usually do, they give more to the poor, and so on. This kind of awareness—this kind of disciplined life—is required of believers, not only during Ramadan, but throughout their entire lives. In this way fasting trains the individual to live a life of proper self-control.

When believers starve for the whole day, ending the fast only at sundown, the importance, the need and the value of food and drink become so alive to them at that time that words in praise of Almighty come rushing to their lips.

At the time of iftar, (the breaking of the fast) the Prophet Muhammad used to be lavish in his praise of and thanks to God. Here, two short invocations show how much the Prophet used to value the experience of iftar: "Praise be to Allah, Who helped me to keep my fast, and who nourished me so that I could break my fast. Praise be to Allah, the thirst is quenched, and the veins are moist. And by God’s will our reward is certain."

Iftar is represented in many sayings of the Prophet as being symbolic of the life Hereafter: "Those who fast are destined to have two joys: one at the time of iftar and the other when they meet their Lord."

Just as being prudent in life is required of us, so being thankful to God is required of us in our day-to-day life for His countless rewards and blessings.

Like other forms of worship, fasting too has a physical, outward form which we are very aware of. But we should never forget its inner spiritual essence. Those who refrain from taking food and water on specific days, but who go throughout life without a qualm about telling lies, persecuting their fellow men, obstructing justice and so on, have missed the whole point of the fast of Ramadan. They have concerned themselves all along with outward realities. The Prophet Muhammad warned that the only thing such a person would receive as a result of fasting would be hunger and thirst.

Those who fast in all sincerity takes care to cast their entire life in one consistent mould. They refrain from indulging in anything that is prohibited by Allah. As the Prophet said, "such a person can be likened to a tethered horse, which can go only as far as its rope permits."

Sawm(Fasting)

Dr. Farida Khanam

Sawm, or ritual fasting is the third pillar of Islam. This fast takes place each year during Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic Calendar. The fast of Ramadan lasts for the whole month. From dawn to sunset we are required to refrain from all food and drink. If one is sick or on a journey, one is allowed not to fast. But the missed fast has to be made up by fasting the same number of days afterwards.

According to the Qur’an, the main purpose of fasting is to attain taqwah or God-consciousness. Thus fasting brings us closer to God.

Fasting, according to the Prophet, is a shield, which guards us from evil ways.In Ramadan extra salaah in performed. There are extra sunnah salaah on Ramadan nights called salat-ut-Tarawih. In the last ten days of Ramadan, some retreat to the mosque to perform. Itikaaf, to pray and to read the Qur’an as much as they can.

Ramadan is a blessed month. The Qur’an was revealed in this month. Ramadan is also called the month of the Qur’an.

Benefits of Fasting

1. There is a feeling of togetherness, as all Muslims, rich and poor, fulfil the same demands of the fast and then share their food together at night.
2. The rich gain a better understanding of what it must be like for the poor who can not always eat when they want to. This should make them more generous towards them.
3. Muslims will learn to appreciate all the good things they have each day, and to thank Allah for them, instead of just taking them for granted.
4. Muslims learn self Control.
5. Muslim learn how to endure hardship.

Ramadan thus brings us closer to the path of goodness and God-consciousness.

Fasting and Qur’an
Dr. Saniyasnain Khan

The Qur’an makes special mention of its revelation in the month of Ramadan, while making it obligatory upon the followers. This indicates that there is a close link between Ramadan and the Qur’an. In the words of the Qur’an:

The revelation of Qur’an started in 610 a.h., in the month of Ramadan according to the lunar calendar. The first revelation was made to the Prophet when he was in the cave of Hira, and it continued for the next 23 years, finally reaching completion in Medina.

The guidance given in the Qur’an is the best blessing to the mankind from God, because it shows man the path to ultimate success. It tells man how to conduct himself so that in his eternal life he can gain entry into paradise. Paradise is the goal of man. Fasting is the path to it.

The month of Ramadan is the annual reminder of this blessing. The celebration of the revelation of the Qur’an is not observed in the usual way but by abstinence and being thankful to the Almighty. Fasting in this month is acknowledgment of the divine blessings. It is like saying, ‘O Lord I have heard and I accept it.’

Also this is a month during which the Qur’an should be read and understood. The Qur’an is specially recited in this month. In the night the Qur’an is also recited during Tarawih. This month has been made special so that the blessings of God may be counted even more.

When the Qur’an is read during the month of its revelation, it reminds us of the time when the divine light from heaven fell upon the earth. Man remembers this and cries out, ‘O Lord, fill my heart with your divine light!’ He cries out, ‘Make me among those who are near you!’ When he reads about Hell and Paradise, his inner self cries out, ‘O Lord, save me from Hell, and let me enter Paradise.’

In this way the Qur’an becomes a guiding force in man’s life. He earns his livelihood according to its dictates. He bathes in the ocean of its life to cleanse his soul.

The Qur’an is a reward to His servants from God. And fasting is acknowledgment of the reward. Through fasting man makes himself worthy of being thankful to God. He obeys the command of God and thus revels in the supremacy of God. Having gone through a month’s fasting, he creates an ability in himself to lead a life of piety as ordained in the Qur’an.

Fasting is a special deed. It makes a man kind-hearted, and enables him to awaken his finer feelings. He is then able to feel and experience what God desires of a man in this world.

Fasting, a form of training to create the capacity in a man to become the most devoted worshipper, makes him most grateful to God and creates a fear of Him which makes him shiver. The very hardship of fasting carries a man from the material world to the plain of spirituality.

The Arabic term for fasting is ‘sawm’. In essence, it is the same as "tabattul Ilal-Allah" that is detaching oneself from the world and devoting one’s life entirely to God (Quran,73:8). Fasting, along with most of the other rites of worship, was prescribed on a regular basis after the Prophet’s emigration to Medina (2 A.H) but it had been practiced even before Islam it in one form or the other.

According to Aishah, The Prophet’s wife, the Quraysh used to fast on the day of Ashura, in their days of Ignorance (before Islam) and the Prophet would also fast on that day (Sahih Muslim). So one night say that fasting marks the entrance to an Islamic life, if the Prophet’s stay in the cave of Hira before his receiving Prophethood is taken into account.When God decided to give His scriptures to Moses. He asked him to go the Mount Toor where, remaining apart from his people, he was to speed forty days in fasting and abstinence. Moses did so far forty days continuously. Only them did God speak to him. This is mentioned in verse 143 of chapter 7 of the Qur’an.

Before commencing his prophetic mission, the prophet Jesus had fasted for forty days in the desert. Only then was the word of god revealed to him. This is recovered in the Bible as the Sermon on the Mount. Likewise, the Final Prophet used to go to the cave of Hira before receiving his Prophethood. There he would fast in seclusion, engrossed in a world of worship and contemplation. Only after a long life of this inner purification, did the time come for him to be visited by an angel, so that he might receive the word of God.

Fasting is known as "Sawm" in The Islamic Shariah. The word `Sawm’ means to abstain. Literally; it means to abstain from walking around, speaking, eating and drinking. Al Khails as Saim, is a horse that has been detained at a stable and denied fodder. That is why the Prophet called the month of Ramadhan a month of patience. Harith ibn Malik describing one of his fasts to the Prophet said. "I withdrew from the world and was thirsty all day". The outer sign of fasting is abstention from food from morning till evening. But, in its real essence, it is to withdraw from all worldly attachments, and reduce all mundane necessities to a minimum. While fasting, one devotes much less time to conversation, social activity and sexual intercourse.

This reaches a climax during Itikaf, a total retreat conducted during the last ten days of Ramadhan. In Itikaf one is totally cut off from these pursuits. One retires from the human world and enters the world of God. The contact which the believer thus establishes with God should remain with him throughout his life. This is what the Prophet termed "Zuhd" (disattachment with detachment from the world) and has been made obligatory in the form of fasting during the month of Ramdhan. This renunciation or Itikaf, during the last days of the month of fasting is has been considered an extremely desirable form of worship. In Itikaf, one distances completely from the world and turns to God. Itikaf is the most complete fulfillment of Islamic requirements during the whole of Ramadhan, has been exhonerabled as concession for albeit less strictly practiced during the first part of the month (a concession made to devotees.)

The Benefits of Fasting:
What are the benefits sought in fasting? Its aim is to weaken the material aspect of man and strengthen the spirituality in him so that he may enter the higher realms of faith.

Two things make up a man: jos npdu and as indispendable for the performance of mundane tasks, it is his soul which will take him to the higher realities. The mind - as psychologists prefer to call it - must, therefore, be preserved in a state of purity. That means that just as the body requires physical nourishment, the soul must be nourished spiritually.

When one lifts oneself up from the material world and becomes attached to the spiritual world, one is astonished to apprehend a new door of truth opening before one. All those realities that were formerly invisible beneath a veil of matter now become plain for in to see. One reaches the lofhies station- The final stage in the ascent of man.

This is explained in the tradition:When a person has elevated himself the world, God endures him with wisdom, which emanated from his lips. He is shown the ills of the world, and their remedies. He is brought safely to the abode of peace.(Mishkat)

There comes a point on this path when one passes so far beyond the veil matter that one can see realities exactly as they are. Then one "worships God, as if one were seeing Him." (Bukhari)

Prophethood is the final stage of this path. But a common man can also elevate his soul to this degree. The difference is that a Prophet is one chosen by God. There is no obscurity in his vision of the divine world; it appears before him in absolute, certain form; it actually became a part of his consciousness. The Prophet thus is in a position to say: "I know that I know", while a common man can never reach this stage because he is not `chosen’. Unlike the Prophets, his contact with the divine world is neither absolute nor conscious.

Of the verses of the Quran prescribing the fast of Ramadhan, there is one which does not apparently seem to deal with fasting, but it is in this verse that the significance of fasting has been explained. And when My servants question you concerning Me, tell them that I am near. I answer the prayer of the suppliant when he calls upon Me. (Qura’an 2:186)

The Prophets, because of their being chosen, are in direct contact with God through angels. For others, the Qur’an takes the place of the angel Gabriel. By fasting and abstinence, the Prophets cleansed and purified their souls or minds of all material stain, thus detaching themselves inwardly from the world. It was then that God’s angel descended to them and directly communicated to them the word of God. Others like to attain through the Qur’an must asks enable in fasting and abstinence in order to appreciate what they read. Although the Quran is with us today, preserved in written form as it was revealed, it enters one’s heart only when one is spiritually prepared to receive it by living a life of fasting and devotion.

The fact that Ramadhan fasting was prescribed in the month when starting of the Quranic revelations began is an indication that the purpose of fasting is to prepare the individual mentally and physically for whatever the Qur’an enjoins.

Just as the Prophet had to fast in the solitude of the cave of Hira in order to receive the Qur’an, so shall other believers have to do the same. Otherwise they will be , in the words of the Quran, like donkeys, laden with books". (62:15). The book of God will not have entered their hearts.

The Qur’an is the law of the universe, it is the voice of nature. One who is submerged in the depth of its meanings begins to hear its message in every heart beets. Every particle in the universe starts conveying its message to him. He eventually comes to see the Qur’an and nature as reflections of one another: "Now here are Signs self-evident in the hearts of those endured with knowledge and none but the unjust neglect Our Signs".

Fasting - the Path of Spiritual well-being
While decreeing the fast of Ramadhan, the Quran says:
God desires your well-being, not your discomfort (Quran 2:185).Man’s prior and most important need is food and drink. Abstinence from these things cannot but inconvenience him. Fasting, by its very nature, is sure to result in physical discomfort. The fact that God has said in the Quran that He desires you well-being, not your discomfort, shows indirectly that there is bound to be some physical inconvenience involved in fasting. Why, then, has it been called a path to comfort and well-being?

"Yusr", the word used in this verse, is the Arabic for ease, or well-being. It is used when an individual becomes so well prepared for a task that he finds it easy. The meaning of this verse is that fasting might appear to cause discomfort, but God has nothing to gain from causing human beings unnecessary trouble. Man may have been created such a way God that he must necessarily satisfy his material needs, but if he is discover the Quran on a truly intellectual level, it is also essential, at least for a few fixed days to retire from the material world in order to develop the spiritual part in himself, so that he may see far and beyond all material veils; only then he will be able to receive the word of God. This is the relevance of fasting to the Quran, because of which the month in which the Quran was revealed has been decreed a month of fasting.

The Reality of Fasting:
Some think that the most important thing about fasting is the breaking of it, so the whole day is spent in arranging for a variety of dishes and drinks. Others consider it to mean staying hungry all day, and reciting the whole of the Quran each day without stopping to ponder over its meanings. But such acts only serve to turn a purely Islamic worship into a form of Christian monasticism. As for what is mistakenly called "dhikr bil Jahr" (Loud remembrance of God)- repetitive recitation and shaking of the body - this contradicts the very purpose of fasting, which is spiritual seclusion. The true aim of fasting is withdrawal from everything except essential subsistence and vital responsibilities. During this period, one should reduce conversation, social life, movement, merrymaking and all kinds of worldly activity to a minimum. For a certain time, one should lead a life of quiet devotion, reading the Qur’an and pondering over its meaning. Abstinence from food symbolizes not only the eschewing of those forbidden things, which a believes should give up for his entire life, but also the renunciation even of lawful things for the devotion to the fast. In seeking meanness to God, the believes must cut himself off from all worldliness.

Although fasting, in its specific and definite form, is prescribed just once a year, the fasting engaged in for this one month should be a continuous, permanent state, if is to be done in the correct spirit. Fasting is cutting oneself off from the world and turning to God; not in a physical sense, but in one’s heart and mind to be continually directed towards God, whatever one’s bodily activity. Spiritually, one’s whole life should be a form of retreat at all time though not understanding this reality, people have fled to mountains and jungles in order to perfect their faith. But the perfection of faith is for one to fulfill one’s obligations in the turmoil of the world, while remaining in a state of inward "retreat" and remembrance of God. Abdullah Ibn Masud, one of the Prophet’s closest companions, addressed his contemporaries - those who grew up after the Prophet’s death - in these word:

The major religions of the world can be divided into two broad categories—the Aryan and the Semitic, with Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism in the first and Judaism, Christianity and Islam in the second. So far as their theological aspects are concerned, there is a difference between these two kinds of religions. While the Aryan religions are basically philosophy based, the Semitic religions are revelation based. The former represent the culmination of the philosophical pursuit of truth by the great minds of the world. In the quest for reality, meditation and contemplation brought these saintly souls to the conclusions which gave rise to the principal, organized religions of the eastern hemisphere.

The creeds of the Semitic religions on the other hand, are based on divine revelation. That is, God chose a series of Semites to be His apostles and then imparted to them His commandments, frequently in the form of Scriptures, through His angels. These messengers were not only the bearers of divine scriptures but also their interpreters. It was these revelations and their divinely inspired interpretations which provided the fundamentals of the Semitic religions as they exist today.The basic difference in respect of beliefs of the Aryan and Semitic religions can be briefly described in terms of monism and monotheism respectively.

Although both traditions—monism and monotheism—have the idea of God in common, there are fundamental differences in their conceptualization of God. In the Aryan tradition, God is an all-pervasive force rather than an independent reality. Monism posits the totality of a single reality, with all the diverse phenomena of the natural world seen as different manifestations of the same reality, according to this concept, therefore, there is no real difference between the creator and the creature. Thus in monistic theorizing, the concept of an individual, personal God does not exist.

In Semitic religions, particularly in Islam, the concept of God is entirely based on monotheism. This concept can also be termed dualism, that is, the Creator and the creature, in their nature are completely different from one another. God has a real and eternal existence. As the Creator of all things, he is distinct as an entity from all that He has created. His creatures in their seemingly independent existence totally depend upon the will of God. The sole possessor of all power, God has created man to live for a specific period of time, during which he is sent into the world to be tested. It is this concept of the Creator as totally distinct from creature, which sets the Semitic religions apart from the Aryan.

The philosophy of Islam is explicitly that of monotheism. It is true that the Sufi system has, to a great extent, incorporated monistic concepts. This is in actual fact, a deviation from the original and real Islam. It is therefore held by the majority of Islamic scholars to be an incorrect interpretation, not truly representative of Islam.Other presentations of Islam also figure in the books produced in the later period of Islam. But all of these, based as they are on personal interpretations, do not have the status of sacred books. In Islam, it is only the Qur’an and Sunnah (the Prophet’s words and deeds) which enjoy the status of the only authentic sources, and it is to them that we must turn if we are to have a true appreciation of the essence of Islam.

The mainstay of Islam is its monotheism—tawhid—that is, belief in the oneness of God in the complete sense of the word. God is One. He has no partner. He created all things and has complete control over the universe. We should serve Him and submit to Him alone. In Him should we repose our hopes and to Him should we pray. Though He cannot be seen, He is so close to us that He hears and answers us when we call upon Him.

The distinctive aspect of this monotheism is that no intermediary link exists between the Creator and the creature. By remembering Him, any individual at any point in time may, quite independently, establish contact with God. There is no need for any go-between. Indeed belief in an intermediary link with God is alien to the Islamic religious system. Called shirk (associating others with God) it is deemed to be an unpardonable offence.

According to the Qur’an God in Islam is not a symbol, but a reality. God has not been conceived of as a kind of working hypothesis on which to found a religious system. On the contrary, God in Islam is a Personality. He has a real and independent existence. He is alive and self-sustaining, self-perpetuating. He is near us; He cares for us; He hears and sees. He has knowledge. He takes decisions. He rewards and punishes. He is the Controller and Sustainer of human history.

1. Iman (Faith)The literal meaning of Iman is to believe in or to have faith in something. That is, to accept Islam with conviction. This deep faith is attainable through realization alone. Hence it would be proper to say that faith is a discovery and that there is no discovery greater than the discovery of God.
2. Islam (Surrender to God)Islam means to submit or to surrender with a full realization of God. Man abandons his ego, his freedom, and surrenders himself before God completely. In all matters of life he obeys God’s commandments. He begins to lead a restrained life instead of a permissive one. This is what is called Islam.
3. Dhikr (Remembrance)Dhikr means to remember—in Islamic terminology it means to remember God. When man discovers God, the Creator, the Almighty, Who will reward as well as punish for our good and bad deeds, it is inevitable that the thought of God comes to dominate one’s mind. At all times and in all situations one remembers God. This remembrance is known as dhikr. When a person has reached this stage, this is a sure indication that he has found God with all His attributes.
4. Salat (Prayer)Salat means prayer. It forms the most important part of Islamic worship. It is obligatory for a Muslim to offer prayer five times a day. Besides this, Nafil (voluntary prayer) may be said at other times. The spirit of salah is khushu which means submission. Salat is intended to inculcate a deep sense of submission in a believer, which is expressed externally by his physical bowing in the postures of ruku and sajda.
5. Sawm (Fasting)The literal meaning of sawm is abstinence. Sawm is a form of worship which has to be observed annually, in the month of Ramadan. The outward form of sawm is abstinence from eating and drinking from morning till sunset. The inner state of sawm is renunciation of all things that God has forbidden, directly or indirectly. When a man fasts, observing all these aspects of fasting, spirituality is produced within him. He comes to experience closeness with God.
6. Zakat (alms-giving)Zakat means purity. This means that a man purifies his earnings by giving away one part of them in the path of God. In this way, zakat awakens the sense in man not to consider his earnings as his own possession, but a gift of God. Zakat is, in essence, a practical acknowledgement of God’s bounties. And this admission is no doubt the greatest form of worship.
7. Hajj (Pilgrimage)Hajj means pilgrimage. That is, visiting sacred places in Hijaz in the month of Zul Hijja in order to perform the annual worship of Hajj required of a believer once in a lifetime. Hajj is a symbol of Islamic unity. It is through Hajj that interaction takes place between Muslims on an international scale. Then it is also through Hajj that Muslims from all over the world are reminded of Abraham’s sacrifice. On the pilgrimage they also witness the historical places associated with the Prophet of Islam. In this way they return with a long-lasting inspiration, which continues to activate them to adhere to the path of God throughout their lives.
8. Dawah (Invocation)Dawah means to call, to invite. A Muslim who has received the message of God must do his utmost to communicate this message to other human beings. This dawah work in its nature is a prophetic task. The more one follows the way of the Prophet in the performance of this task, the greater the reward one will receive for it.
9. Jihad (Struggle)The literal meaning of jihad is to strive or to struggle. In the present world, most of the time one has to work for Islam in adverse circumstances. In such circumstances, working for religion through struggle and sacrifice is called jihad. This jihad involves struggling with one’s own self as well. Struggling to communicate the word of God to others is also jihad. In a similar way when any power commits aggression against Islam then, at that moment, rising in defense against that power too is jihad.
10. Sabr (Patience)Sabr means patience, for example, restraining oneself from any adverse reaction when faced with an unpleasant situation. On all such occasions, one must be able to offer a positive response instead of a negative one. This is essential. For, in this present world, unpleasant events set in motion by others have to be faced time and again. If one is invariably provoked on such occasions and reacts negatively, the desired personality will not develop in one. All the teachings of religion require a positive psychology. Therefore, one who loses patience will be able neither to imbibe religious instruction nor to pass it on to others.

All Praise is Due to God

One of the important teachings of Islam is that on receiving anything, we should be grateful to God in acknowledgment of His bounty, and utter these words ‘All praise and thankfulness is due to God, the Lord of the Worlds.’ Praise of God, in its true spirit, is the essence of the Qur’an. After having accepted Islam, a believer’s inmost feelings find expression in these words of praise.

Man’s existence is a blessing of God. Man’s extremely balanced body is a blessing of God. The entire world created so favorably for man is a blessing of God.

When this reality dawns on man and he realizes God’s immeasurable blessings upon him, his soul is filled with a feeling of gratefulness to God. His heart and mind are overawed by His greatness. At that moment words of acknowledgment of God—‘Praise be to God, Lord of the Worlds’ spontaneously come to his lips.

God the Almighty is too great for man to give Him anything. The only thing man can offer in His presence is acknowledgment. The moment of man's greatest worship of God is when his soul is pervaded by God’s glory and greatness; when he recognizes God’s divinity as compared to man's servitude; when, in full awareness of his own helplessness, he comes to acknowledge God’s bounties in the true sense of the word.

When man discovers God with all His attributes, his soul lies prostrate before Him. His whole being turns towards God. The feelings inspired in him by God’s bounties surge within him like the waves of the ocean.

When all these feelings find verbal form, they are called praise and gratefulness to God.

God is the greatest being of the universe. Yet, in a universe visible to all, God’s supreme glory remains invisible. Realization of God is to discover this hidden greatness. This realization finds expression in words such as ‘Praise be to God—Lord of the Worlds.’

May God Reward You

One of the teachings of Islam is that on receiving some gift or benefit from another, one should pray that God may reward the giver handsomely. Acknowledging a gift with the words: "May God reward you," not only expresses a high form of regard for the giver, but also testifies to the fact that God alone has it in His power to give rewards. When the recipient of a favor says to God on behalf of his benefactor: "O God, help him as he has helped me, and give him more than he has given me," this demonstrates an even higher form of regard.

The phrase 'May God reward you,’ is expressive of two virtues, one being gratitude and the other being the willingness to give as well as to take. Its utterance emphasizes the principle that one should be a giver as well as a taker. A man should always be at pains to benefit those who have benefited him. He should be so thankful to his benefactor that he starts praying for them. A genuinely heart-felt prayer is the best gift that a man can give to his fellow-men.

Insha Allah (God Willing)

One of the teachings of Islam is that when we undertake a task, we should start by saying, ‘Insha Allah,’—God willing. According to the Qur’an, the owners of a certain orchard made it known that they intended to pluck its fruits as soon as they were ripe. But they added no reservation such as: ‘If it be God’s will.’ When they reached their orchard the next morning, they found that a God-sent calamity had destroyed their entire crop. This was the result of their having omitted to say ‘God willing’ (68:18).

God willing (Insha Allah) is a phrase of great significance. Islam teaches us that whenever a man is going to embark upon any venture, he should say, ‘if God wills’ before he begins. This is to acknowledge the reality that God alone is the Doer in this world. A person can achieve his ends successfully only when God’s blessings are with him. God alone has the power to make things happen, as everything functions according to His will. Man can only wish for certain happenings, but occurrence rests with God alone.

When man thinks seriously of God’s all-powerfulness and his own total helplessness, such feelings find expression in the words, ‘Insha Allah.’ In this way he acknowledges that he can only make a beginning. So far as the completion of the task is concerned, it lies entirely in God’s hands.

The phrase Insha Allah in its essence is a form of prayer. Beginning one’s work with Insha Allah is like seeking God’s company and when God, the Lord of the universe, accompanies us on our journey, who can stop us from reaching our destination?

Conveyance

To facilitate travel in this world, we have to use transport of one kind or another. Islam teaches us that when we make use of these different means of transport, we must remember God and say: ‘Glory to Him who has subjected these to us. But for Him we could never have accomplished this. To our Lord we shall return.’ (43:13-14)

One of God’s countless bounties to man is His provision of suitable conveyances. To meet different requirements man has to travel from one place to another. But he cannot traverse long distances on foot. God has therefore come to his aid and made certain things subject to him in order that he may utilize them as transport.

Initially, animals alone were the means of conveyance. Then man crossed the seas, making ships for travelling long distances. Investigations revealed that God had endowed matter with such properties that it could be fashioned into much more rapid forms of transport. Hence the motor car and the airplane came into existence.

All means of transportation, right from the horse to the airplanes, are blessings of God. If they were brought into being, it was entirely due to God having harnessed the potential of nature to human use. When man thinks of all these bounties showered upon him by God he spontaneously calls out: ‘O God, It is You who has subjected everything to us. It would not otherwise have been possible for us to make use of things as we have.’

Blessings are of benefit to the thankful person in this world as well

as in the next. All that a thankless person will receive is temporary provision in this world and eternal chastisement in the next.

Inna Lillah

It often happens in this world that man loses something, or suffers some calamity. On such occasions, Islam teaches us to willingly resign ourselves to our misfortune, taking that to be God’s decree. On all such occasions the sufferer should utter the words: ‘We belong to God and we shall return to Him.’

God has made this world for the purpose of putting mankind to the test. Here, receiving and losing are both designed as a trial for man. Therefore, when man receives something, he should prove himself to be a thankful servant of God. And when he loses something he should adopt the attitude of patience. Only one who can do so will pass God’s test.In this world man cannot save himself from experiencing unpleasant things. Sometimes he will suffer from the pangs of hunger and thirst, at others, a life very dear to him will pass away or he will incur a loss of wealth. On all such occasions these words must come to his lips...‘We belong to God and we shall all return to Him.’

Through these words man acknowledges his status of servitude vis à vis God’s all-powerfulness. He expresses himself in words such as these: O God, You are the giver. If You have taken something out of what You have given me, You had the right to do so.

Saying Inna Lillah is a form of worship. This is to adopt the attitude of surrendering to God’s will instead of complaining against fate. It is to convert the loss into a new discovery.

This phrase, ‘We are from God and to God we shall return’ is, in short, an acknowledgment of God's godhead on the part of His servants.

After Eating and Drinking

One of the teachings of Islam is to praise God, after satisfying one’s hunger and thirst, in words such as these: All praise is due to God who provided me with food and water, and who made me one of the believers.Man cannot survive without food and water. He requires these things continuously throughout his entire life. For man's requirements God has made perfect arrangements. On the one hand, He has provided water in abundance on the earth, on the other, He has provided ample nourishment which man can obtain with the minimum of effort.

When a believer is hungry and thirsty, and he eats and drinks, he is overwhelmed with the feeling of how great that God is who has made such splendid provision for him. If God had not done so, he would have suffered the pangs of hunger and thirst, having had to go without food and water. His whole body expresses his acknowledgment of God’s bounties and he calls out: Praise be to God for all of His abundant provisions!

On receiving bodily sustenance the believer is reminded of the spiritual sustenance provided for him by God. Through revelation God gave man the knowledge of what He wants from him, thus enabling him to lead us life according to His will and ensuring his success in the next eternal world. Man then remembers God with even greater adoration.Every moment of his life, man ought to keep praising God,—God, who has made the most superb provision for him, both physical as well as spiritual.

Rising from Sleep (The life after death)

The Prophet of Islam likened death to sleep and life to the state of wakefulness after sleep. When he awakened in the morning, he would say: "All praise and thanks are due to God who gave us life after death."For the rest of mankind, waking and sleeping are likewise symbolic of life and death. Going to sleep is like dying and waking up in the morning is like rising from the grave. Our inevitable awakening after sleeping foreshadows with certainty how we shall arise after death to give an account of our deeds on the Day of Judgement.

Man has to pass his life in this world in such a way that every happening becomes for him a reminder of the Day of Judgement. His sleeping and rising should also serve as reminders of life after death.The most delicate aspect of man’s life is that his existence does not come to an end after death. He has to be reborn in another world. The present world is the world of action, while the world to come will be one in which he reaps his reward. That will be the beginning of a new and eternal life—either eternal heaven or eternal hell.

Man is reminded daily of this most important reality when he goes to sleep and when he rises from sleep. In this way, actions of this world come to remind man of the hereafter.

The Prophet of Islam used to lead a very simple life and laid great stress on believers doing likewise. Once he said, "O people, don’t you hear me, O people, don’t you hear me, O people, don’t you hear me, ‘Simplicity is undoubtedly a part of faith.’ ‘Simplicity is undoubtedly a part of faith.’

When man has discovered the greatness of God, his own-existence in comparison appears quite insignificant. This feeling makes him into a truly modest person. His whole being is colored in the hue of servitude. His manner ceases to be aggressive and his voice becomes gentle. Even his gait expresses his modesty. His whole attitude comes to reflect a new seriousness.

All this inevitably results in his preferring simplicity in everything, in food, drink, living arrangements, and so on. He avoids luxuries, pomp and show. His soul finds pleasure and contentment in leading a life of simplicity instead of indulgence.

True faith leads man away from artificial things to nature, where simplicity is the rule. He develops a liking for a simple way of life which is more natural. This naturalness behooves the believer. Naturalness is in accordance with his modesty and humility, themselves great virtues in the eyes of God.

1. Islam: Introduction to Islam
   1. Introducing Islam
   2. What is Islam
   3. The Religion of Islam
   4. Four Pillars
   5. SALAH (PRAYER)
      • Salat (Prayer)
      • Prayer
   6. FASTING
      • Fasting: A Means for Purifying the Soul
      • Sawm (Fasting)
      • Fasting and Self Purification
      • Fasting: A Symbol of Piety
      • The Essence of Fasting
   7. ZAKAH
      • Zakah
   8. HAJJ
      • Hajj (Pilgrimmage)
      • Hajj: The Journey of a Lifetime
      • The Obligation of Hajj
      • The Message of Pilgrimmage
2. Principles of Islam
   1. God
   2. Prophet
   3. Akhirat
   4. Angels
   5. Freedom of Expression in Islam
   6. Freedom of Thought in Islam
   7. The Mosque in Islam
3. Thought Provoking Articles
   1. The Revival of Islam
   2. Two Kinds of Movements
   3. The Present Day Islamic Movements
   4. Islamic Dawah in a Changing World
   5. Clearing the Path for Islam
   6. Our Failure to Perform Dawah
   7. Islam the only Choice
   8. Models for Humanity
   9. Religious Harmony
   10. The Superiority of Truth
   11. The System of Nature
   12. The Essence of Religion
   13. The Straight Path
4. Moral Vision
5. Articles on India and Indian Muslims
   1. A Historical Review
   2. Political Realism
   3. The Political Misfortunes of Muslims
   4. The National Agenda
   5. Social Responsibility and Media
   6. The Tragedy of Muslims
   7. New Decision
   8. Towards a Glorious and Invincible India
   9. Swadhyaye
   10. Address During Progress in Religion Award Ceremony
   11. The Making of the Indian Nation
6. Islam and Mysticism
   1. What is Mysticism
   2. Aspects of Islamic Mysticism
   3. Meditation in Islam
   4. The Spiritual Goal of Islam
7. Why I Chose Islam
   1. Jemima Goldsmith - Wife of Imran Khan
   2. Thoughts of an American Muslim
   3. Narrative of a Egyptian Christian Convert
8. Select Papers, Interviews and Addresses of Wahiduddin Khan
   1. Non Violence and Islam
   2. Peace and Religion
   3. Progress in Inter-Religious Dialogue
   4. Spiritual Unity
   5. Western Civilization and Islam
   6. Limits of Tolerance
   7. Social Aspect of Islamic Mysticism
   8. Social Justice in Islam
   9. The Policy of Peace - How to Attain Normalcy in Jerusalem
   10. The Return to Religion
   11. TIME Magazine Interview
   12. Answers to Interview Questions
   13. Responses to Questions from the University of Florida
   14. Success in Perseverence - All India Radio
   15. Dawah Articles
       1. Ambassadors of Islam
       2. Dawah Activism
       3. Dawah Explosion
       4. Islam
       5. The Master Key
       6. Missing Zeal
       7. Patience and Dawah
       8. A Purposeful Creation
       9. Human Tragedy
       10. Why Did I Embrace Islam
   16. I Religion and Science
       1. The Return to Religion
       2. Religion and Reason
       3. The Concept of God
       4. Faith and Reason
       5. Everything Created in Pairs
       6. Islam in the Modern World
   17. Social Aspects of Islam
       1. Respect for Humanity
       2. International Custom
       3. The Payment of Dues and the Recognition of Rights
       4. Worship and Social Service
       5. Islam on Vegetation/ Plants
   18. Prophet of Islam
       1. Principles of Success
       2. The Prophet's Love and Tolerance for Mankind
       3. The Prophet Muhammad's Message of Peace
       4. Seerah As a Movement
   19. The Miraculous Quran
       1. The Quran
       2. Ingratitude for God's Blessings
       3. The Qur'an's Lament
       4. Qur'an - The Sacred Book of Islam
   20. Islam: Non-Violence, Peace and Tolerance
       1. Tolerance
       2. Tolerance: Its Significance Today
       3. Patience: The Superior Solution
       4. Nonviolence and Islam
       5. Islam and Peace
       6. Islam - A Tolerant Religion
       7. How to Attain Peace in Jerusalem
       8. How to Attain Normalcy in Jerusalem
       9. The Concept of Jihad
       10. On Islam and Jihad
       11. Islam on the Multi-Religious Society
       12. Creating Harmony Amidst Cultural Conflict
       13. World Religions and the Spirit of Tolerance
   21. I Tazkiya(Self Purification) and Character Building Articles
       1. The No Problem Person
       2. The Positive Way
       3. Antidote
       4. Gratitude
       5. God-Given Hope
       6. Forgiveness
       7. Firm Utterance
       8. Life After Death
       9. Two Categories
       10. Paying the Price
       11. Prayer
       12. Seeking the Pleasure of God
       13. Silence
       14. The Difference Between a believer and an Unbeliever
       15. The News of an Earthquake
       16. The News of the Last Day
       17. The Pure in Heart
       18. Man and His Mind
       19. Coming To Maturity
       20. Importance of Education
       21. Intentions
       22. On Trust and Obligation
       23. Purity and Cleanliness
       24. Facility Versus Difficulty
       25. On the Basis of Falsehood
       26. The Story of Hajj
       27. The Concept of Divine Love
       28. The Unfathomable Mercy of God
       29. The Spirit of Islam

In Algebra, a term, or monomial, is comprised of a combination of one to three of the following: numbers, variables, and exponents. In Algebraic expressions and equations, terms are separated by addition and subtraction signs.

• Numbers: Constant, known quantities that remain fixed.
  Examples: 100, 23, -157, π, e

• Variables: Symbols that represent unknown quantities.
  Examples: θ, x, y, and any other letter of the alphabet

• Exponents: A known or unknown quantity that raises a base to a given power.
  Examples: x² (the 2 is the exponent, x is the base); ab^x(the x is the exponent, b is the base); e^u (the u is the exponent)

Each monomial has a coefficient, which is the number that is multiplied by the other elements of the term.
Quick tip for finding the coefficient: It’s usually the number at the beginning of the monomial.

Examples of Monomials

1. 15xyz
   Coefficient: 15
2. -b²
   Coefficient: -1 because -b² is the same as -1b²
   
3. 21pq³
   Coefficient: 21
4. 4ac
   Coefficient: 4

When monomials, or terms, share the same variable and same exponent, they are like terms. Note: Like terms don't have to share the same coefficient.

Like Terms Practice #1

Find the like terms in the following expression:

x + 2y + 3y + 3x + 15y

Answers:
x and 3x are like terms.
2y, 3y, and 15y are like terms.

Like Terms Practice #2

Find the like terms in the following expression:

x + -x² + - x³ + y² - y + 4y⁴

None of these terms are alike because of different variables and exponents.

Combining Like Terms

When combining like terms, or adding and subtracting monomials, remember that the variables and exponents must be the same.

I love shopping at the grocery store in the summer because of the delectable fruit. Below is a depiction of how I tally the peaches and plums that I buy.

• 6 peaches + 5 peaches = 11 peaches
• 16 plums + 5 plums = 21 plums
• 6 peaches + 5 plums = 6 peaches + 5 plums

Notice that 6 peaches plus 5 plums does not equal 11 peaches. Also notice that 6 peaches plus 5 plums does not equal 11 plums.

Counting peaches and plums is similar to adding and subtracting monomials.

Like Terms Practice #4

Simplify the following expressions. (In other words: Combine like terms.)

1. 6x + 5x
Answer: 11x

2. 6y + 5y
Answer: 11y

3. 6x + 5y
Answer: 6x + 5y

1. If 3x + 2 = 10, what is the approximate value of x -1?

(A) 0

(B) 1.7

(C) 4

(D) 3

(E) 0.7

Explanation

Solve for x:

3x + 2 = 10

3x + 2 + -2 = 10 + -2

3x = 8

3x/3 = 8/3

x = 8/3

Find x -1:

8/3 -1 = 5/3 = 1.666666667

2. For all real values of p, 0 <>

Which of the following must be greater than 1?

(A) p²

(B) p³

(C) 2p

(D) p + 5

(E) 10p²

Explanation

Choose a real number between 0 and 1.
Let p= .2

Test the value, p = .2 in each of the choices.

(A) p² = (.2)² = .04

(B) p³= (.2)³ = .008

(C) 2p = 2(.2) = .4

(D) p + 5 = .2 + 5 = 5.2

(E) 10p² = = 10(.2)² = .4

1. If 3x + 2 = 10, what is the approximate value of x -1?

(A) 0

(B) 1.7

(C) 4

(D) 3

(E) 0.7

Explanation

Solve for x:

3x + 2 = 10

3x + 2 + -2 = 10 + -2

3x = 8

3x/3 = 8/3

x = 8/3

Find x -1:

8/3 -1 = 5/3 = 1.666666667

2. For all real values of p, 0 <>

Which of the following must be greater than 1?

(A) p²

(B) p³

(C) 2p

(D) p + 5

(E) 10p²

Explanation

Choose a real number between 0 and 1.
Let p= .2

Test the value, p = .2 in each of the choices.

(A) p² = (.2)² = .04

(B) p³= (.2)³ = .008

(C) 2p = 2(.2) = .4

(D) p + 5 = .2 + 5 = 5.2

(E) 10p² = = 10(.2)² = .4