Allâh has laid down for a Muslim four major exercises of faith, some are daily, some weekly, some monthly, some annually and some are required as a minimum of once in a lifetime.

These exercises of faith are to serve man’s spiritual purposes, satisfy his human needs and to mark his whole life with a Divine touch.

These major exercises of faith are:

Praying to the Creator, on a daily basis, is the best way to cultivate in  man a sound personality and to actualize his aspirations.

Allâh, does not need man’s prayer because He is free of all needs. Islamic prayers are for our benefit. The benefits are immeasurable and the blessings are beyond imagination.

In Islamic prayer, every muscle of the body joins the soul and the mind; in the worship and glory of Allâh. Islamic prayer is an act of worship.

It is a matchless and unprecedented formula of intellectual meditation and spiritual devotion, of moral elevation and physical exercise; all combined.

Offering of prayers is obligatory upon every Muslim, male or female, who is sane, mature; and in case of women: free from menstruation or confinement due to child birth.

Requirements of prayers: Performing of ablution (Wudû’), purity of the whole body; clothes and ground used for prayer, dressing properly and declaring the intention and facing the “Qiblah”: the direction of the Al-Kabah in Mecca.

Obligatory prayers: Five daily prayers, the Friday’s noon congregation prayer and the funeral prayer .

Highly recommended prayers: Those accompanying the obligatory prayers, and the two great festival prayers.

Optional prayers: Voluntary prayers during the day and night .

Times of obligatory prayers:

Early morning (Fajr): after dawn and before sunrise

Noon (Dhuhr): after the sun begins to decline from its zenith until it is about midway on its course to setting.

Mid-afternoon (Asr): after the expiration of the noon prayer time until sunset.

Sunset (Maghrib): immediately after sunset until the red glow in the western horizon disappears.

Evening (Ishâ’): after the expiration of the sunset prayer until dawn.

Prayers should be offered in its due time, unless there is a reasonable excuse.

Delayed obligatory prayers must be made up.

Prayers involve prescribed physical motions, accompanied with saying mainly some parts of the Qur’ân,

In addition to the prescribed prayers, a Muslim expresses gratitude to Allâh and appreciation of His favors and asks for His Mercy all the time.

Especially at times of for example: Child birth, marriage, going to or rising from bed, leaving and returning to his home, starting a journey or entering a city, riding or driving, before or after eating or drinking, harvesting, visiting graveyards and at time of distress and sickness.

Fasting is abstaining completely from eating, drinking, intimate sexual contacts and smoking; from the break of dawn till sunset. It is a matchless Islamic institution which teaches man the principle of sincere love to Allâh.

 Fasting teaches man a creative sense of hope, devotion, patience, unselfishness, moderation, wise savings, sound budgeting, willpower, mature adaptability, healthy survival, discipline, spirit of social belonging, unity and brotherhood.

 Obligatory fasting is done once a year for the period of the month of Ramadân; the ninth month of the Islamic (Lunar) year.

 Recommended fasting: every Monday and Thursday of every week, three days in the middle of each Islamic month, six days after Ramadân following the Feast Day, and a few days of the two months before Ramadân.

 Fasting of Ramadân is a worship act which is obligatory on every adult Muslim, male or female; if he/she is mentally and physically fit and not on a journey.

 Exception: Women during their period of menstruation and while nursing their child, and also in case of travel and sickness.

It is an act of worship and spiritual investment.

 The literal meaning of “Zakâh” is purity and it refers to the annual amount, in kind or coin, which a Muslim with means must distribute among the rightful beneficiaries.

Zakâh does not only purify the property of the contributor but also purifies his heart from selfishness and greed.

 It also purifies the heart of the recipient from envy and jealousy, from hatred and uneasiness; and it fosters instead: good-will and warm wishes for the contributors.

Zakâh has a deep humanitarian and socio-political value; for example, it frees the society from class warfare, from ill feelings and distrust, and from corruption.

 Every Muslim , male or female, who at the end of the year is in possession of the equivalent of 85 gm of gold (approx. $750 in the year 2001) or more, in cash or articles of trade, must give Zakâh at the minimum rate of 2.5%.

 Zakâh is paid on the net balance after paying personal expenses, family expenses, due credits, taxes.. etc.

 The recipients of Zakâh are: The poor, the needy, the new Muslim converts, the Muslim prisoners of war (to liberate them), and Muslims in debt. Also, employees appointed to collect Zakâh, Muslims in service of research or study or propagation of Islâm, and wayfarers who are foreigners in need of help; are entitled to receive Zakâh.

 Taxes paid to governments do not substitute for this religious duty. A contributor should not seek pride or fame, but if disclosing his name and his contribution is likely to encourage others, it is acceptable to do so.

 It is a pilgrimage to Mecca, at least once in a lifetime; and it is obligatory upon every Muslim, male and female, who is mentally, physically and financially fit.

 It is the largest annual convention of faith on earth

(3 millions in the year 2001).

 Peace is the dominant theme. Peace with Allâh, with one’s soul, with another, with all living creatures. To disturb the peace of anyone or any creature in any shape or form is strictly prohibited.

 Muslims from all walks of life, from every corner of the globe assemble in Mecca in response of the call of Allâh. They go there in glory of Allâh, not to worship a man. It is to remember the grand assembly of the Day of Judgment when people will stand equal before Allâh.

 It is also to commemorate the Divine rituals observed by Prophet Abraham and his elder son Ishmael, who were the first pilgrims to the first house of Allâh on earth, i.e. Al-Kabah.

 Visiting the mosque of Prophet Muhammad at Al-Madînah is highly recommended; but not essential in making the Hajj vaild and complete.