The Hanging Church

The Hanging Church is considered the oldest church in the area of Al-Fustat (Old CairoIt is known as Al-Muallaka (the hanging) because it was built on the ruins of two old towers that remained from an old fortress called the Fortress of Babylon. It was dedicated to The Virgin Mary and St. Dimiana.
It dates back to the end of the 3rd Century A.D and the beginning of the 4th Century A.D, but it has been reconstructed and renovated several times since. Some historians believe that it was built earlier, and it might have been a Roman Temple that was later converted to a Roman Church, and at a later date still, it became a Coptic Church. This was proved by the discovery, in 1984, of the scenes, on the western side of the right aisle of the church, which contained pagan Roman Gods, but layers of plaster had covered them.
This church has played an important role in the history of the Coptic Church because it became the seat of the Patriarchs after transferring it from Alexandria to Al-Fustat. The 66th patriarch Anba Christodolos (1039-1079 A.D) was the first Pope to chant the Holy Liturgy in the church. This was maintained in El-Mullaka Church until the 14th Century, when it was transferred to Abu Sefein church.
There are 110 icons here, the oldest of which dates back to the 8th Century, but most of them date to the 18th Century. Nakhla Al- Baraty Bey gave some of them as gifts, in 1898 A.D, when he was the overseer of the church.
The French monk Vansleb, who was sent to Egypt in 1671 by King Louis XIV in order to study the state of the churches and the monasteries of Egypt, mentioned that he had seen on one of the walls of the Hanging Church, inscriptions written by the hand of the great Muslim commander Amr Ibn El-As, asking the Muslim people to treat this church with respect. The Plan of the Church
It takes the shape of a basilica and it has a wooden roof in the shape of Noah's Ark.
The church was once very spacious but it became much smaller, throughout the ages, after several modifications. Obeid Bin Khozam did the last modification in 1755 A.D. It now measures 23.5m in length, 18.5in width and 9.5m in height.
It consists of the following elements
Entrance.
The vestibule.
The nave and the two aisles.
The three Sanctuaries (located to the east of the church, the most important being the middle one, which is dedicated to The Virgin Mary)
Some steps lead to the middle entrance. On both sides of this entrance there is a door that leads to 2 upper floors, dedicated to the dwelling of the priests.
In front of the entrance, there is a vestibule that was used as a resting place for visitors
Inside: the southern aisle is separated from the nave by 8 marble columns, linked from above with a wooden architrave, which is supported on arches. The northern aisle is also separated from the nave by 8 marble columns but there is no architrave.
Nearly in the middle of the southern aisle, there is a door, which leads to a small church with a sanctuary. Inside this small church there is a baptistery, which is a deep basin of reddish granite, which probably dates back to the 5th Century. It is decorated with the sign of water in Hieroglyphics.
Of the three sanctuaries, the most important is the middle one, which is dedicated to the Virgin Mary. In the centre of this main sanctuary there is an altar made of marble. Above it, there is a wooden dome, supported by 4 marble columns, and decorated with religious scenes, such as Jesus on his throne surrounded by the four evangelist saints, and angels.
In front of the middle altar, in the nave of the church, is a pulpit that stands on 15 columns, decorated with reliefs and mosaics, symbolically representing Jesus, the 12 Disciples, John the Baptist and the Virgin Mary.
There are 7 altars in the Church, 3 of them situated in the main sanctuary, and 3 located in the right sanctuary, among which is the altar of Tecla Hymanot, the Ethiopian Saint, and another one that was recently discovered in the northern side.

Abu Serga churche

Abu Serga churche

Now we are standing in the oldest part in the present city Cairo: the old Cairo which is famous for the "Roman fortress of Babylon " and some of the oldest Coptic churches in Egypt and the world. Such as the "Hanging church" and the "Abu Serga church" You could see as well the oldest "Jewish temple" in Egypt (Ibn Ezra). There is also the old mosque of Amr Ibn El Ass this makes the area a religious assembly.
The Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus (Abu Serga) is a 4th century church and today is considered to be the oldest of Cairo's Christian churches. It is dedicated to two early martyrs and traditionally believed to have been built on the cave where the Holy Family, Joseph, Mary and the infant Christ, rested at the end of their journey into Egypt. They may have lived here while Joseph worked at the fortress.
The church of St. Sergio (also known as St. Sergius or Abu Serga) was built in the centre of the Ancient Roman fort of Babylon. We are not sure of the origin of Saint Sergius, because in the history of the Coptic Church there are two Saints with the same name. The first one was an Egyptian who died, together with his father and sister, during the severe Christian persecution. People today celebrate his memory every year on the 7th of February. The second one was a servant of the Roman Emperor Maximilian, and he was martyred in Syria at the beginning of the 4th Century.
Abu Serga is also Known as the "Holy family" church since they stayed in it for a week in a crypt that the church is built on.
The church has a significant historical importance; it is where many patriarchs of the Coptic Church were elected. The church is dedicated to Sergius and Bacchus, who were soldier-saints that were martyred during the 4th century in Syria by the Roman Emperor, Maximilan.
The building was constructed during the 4th century. It was burned during the fire of Fustat during the reign of Marwan II around 750. It was then restored during the 8th century, and has been rebuilt and restored continually since medieval times.
The Church takes the shape of a basilica with a narthex, a nave, and 2 aisles, which are separated from the nave by 12 columns, 10 of stone, one of marble and one of rosette granite. There are 3 Sanctuaries each Sanctuary contains an altar, with a wooden dome, supported by 4 marble columns. The dome of each altar has religious scenes of Christ, Angels, and the 4 evangelists. There is a pulpit which is made of marble, the older one was made of wood now resides in the Coptic Museum in Cairo.
The screen separating the sanctuary from the rest of the church is a beautiful work of art which dates to the 12th century. There are some wooden panels that depict fine scenes of saints on horseback, the Nativity and the Last Supper. There are some icons that show different scenes depicting the life of Christ, the Virgin Mary and some of the saints.
One of the most important locations in this church is the crypt in which the Holy Family stayed during their journey into Egypt. It has a nave and 2 aisles and the ceiling is domed. At the end of the southern aisle of the Cave, is a baptistery. On the 1st of June, each year, the church of St. Sergio commemorates the arrival of the Holy Family by having prayers inside the church of the crypt. The crypt contains the remains of the original church.

Sultan Hassan Madrassa and Mosque

This is one of the most wonderful Islamic Monuments in the Islamic World. If Ancient Egypt is proud of the Pyramids of Giza, Islamic Egypt has to be proud of the Sultan Hassan Madrassa. The founder of this gigantic monument is the Sultan Hassan, son of the great Mamluke Sultan Al-Nasser Mohamed Ibn Qalawoun. Sultan Hassan ruled twice, the first time in 1347, when he was 13 years old, he was dethroned by the other Mamluke princes and generals. The second time when he was 22 years old and before he had time to put an end to the power of the princes they revolted against him, and attacked him. It said that he escaped from the Citadel and hid in Cairo; but they found him, he was killed 16 years after his ascending to the throne. He left 10 sons and 6 daughters.

The Sultan Hassan gave order for the construction of this Madrassa in 1361A.D, and the work continued for 4 years. The Mosque was almost complete when Sultan Hassan was killed. It was finished by one of his commanders whose name was Bashir Al-Gamdar. The site of the Madrassa was previously known as Souk Al-Khayl or the Horses Market. The Madrassa was built of stones, but some internal parts and details were built of bricks, faced with stones.

The Madrassa-Mosque consisted of, an open courtyard surrounded by four roofed prayer halls. It contains four Madrassas or religious schools. It has four facades; the most remarkable facade is the northeast one. It is 145m long and 38m tall, it has 4 pairs of windows and at the top of the wall is a massive cornice .
The Sahn, or the court, of the Mosque is almost square, about 34m long and 32m wide, with a large ablution fountain in the centre, which is covered with a wooden dome, carried on 8 marble columns around its capital decorated with a band of inscriptions of The Qur’an (the verse of Al-Kursi). At each corner of the sahn (courtyard) is a door that leads to one of the 4 Madrassas (schools); the biggest one being the Hanafiyya Madrassa, which occupies an area of 898 square metres.
The qibla iwan (Qibla hall) is the biggest of the 4 iwans of the Mosque. There is a mihrab (niche) covered with marble the arch of the mihrab rested on 2 columns.
The marble Minbar (Pulpit/tribune) is covered with coloured panels of marble decorated in its upper part by floral motifs.
The Dekkat Al-Mouballegh or the bench of the repeater is situated at the front of the quibla iwan, and it is made of marble, raised on 8 pillars and 3 piers. There are 2 doors opened in the Quibla wall leading to a mausoleum dome behind the mihrab, where the Sultan is supposed to be buried. The Mausoleum dome is 21 square metres and its decoration is similar to that of the quibla iwan.
The grave has a sarcophagus of coloured marble, surrounded by a small wooden screen. It was intended to be a tomb for the Sultan Hassan but it contains the bodies of 2 of his sons named Al-Shehab Ahamd and Ishmael.
Actually 4 minarets were intended to be built in the original plan but only 3 were erected, The one over the entrance collapsed in the and now there are only 2 minarets. One dates back to the Ottoman period in the 17th Century, while the bigger, and the most beautiful one, is the original, which is 82 m high.

Mohammed Ali Mosque

A Tour in Egypt's Mohammed Ali’s Mosque
Welcome to Egypt… Welcome to Cairo…
"You must be longing to see Egypt. For that you’ll refuse to go to the hotel, and you’ll prefer to start from this moment. I know you want to see the Pyramids, now. It’s your life’s dream. Well, but do you think you’re able now to ride a horse, or a camel in the desert of Pyramids? Will you be able to descend deeply inside Pyramids to see if those great kings lay there? Probably not today, and I’m sure you don’t want to miss that. I’ll advise you to suspend that until tomorrow. You need some rest now. What’s a better place than a Citadel to find rest and safety?! Well, let's go!
"Look! We’re still far away, but you can see it clearly. This Citadel that rises on The Hill of Al-Moqattam, in one of the highest areas in Cairo. What a perfect place for a Citadel! It’s called: Qal’et El-Gabal (Citadel of The Mountain) or Qal’et Salah El-Deen Al-Ayouby (Citadel of Salah El-Deen Al-Ayouby). It’s about 800 years old, but still firm and grand. It dominated the landscape for many centuries.
"It’s too vast to be explored in one day, but we can have a quick look around. You may like to enter this mosque or that. Many mosques have been built on it through all these years. You may also like to enter this museum or that, to discover the Modern History of Egypt. You must be wondering at the wonderful weather and the pure air. That’s because the site that was chosen very carefully. When they thought about building the Citadel, they hung pieces of meat in many places. The healthiest area was where the meat took a longer time to decay. No wonder that it’s still alive. You can easily imagine the soldiers in the towers and on top of the walls, ready to spend their souls to save this place.
"Do you see this great mosque? It’s called Mohammed Ali’s Mosque. He was one of the greatest governors of Egypt in the modern age. When he came to power in 1805, he saw that it was necessary to build a big mosque in The Citadel to be a place for prayer and other tasks. With its two high minarets and huge dome, you can easily see it from many places in Cairo and it dazzle eyes everywhere.
"Do you know why you might find it familiar? Because it was designed by the famous Turkish engineer, Yousof Boshtaq, so it came as a mix of Al-Sultan Ahmad’s Mosque and Aya Sofia’s Mosque in Turkey. If Pyramids are the mark of Ancient Egypt, and if Al-Azhar Mosque is the mark of Islamic Egypt, Mohammad Ali’s Mosque iscertainly the mark of Modern Egypt.
"The mosque consists of two parts: The covered prayer hall, and the open courtyard. Lets explore the covered space first. How big is it?! It’s about 41 square meters. Lets go to the center, between these four huge columns. Look up! This is a big dome from inside. It extends up 52 meters and is 21 meters in diameter. It is surrounded by four half domes, with the same diameter, but less in height. The four corners of the mosque are covered with four small domes.
Within the mosque are two minbars, or pulpits. The larger one of wood is decorated with gilt ornament, and is original. It is said to be one of the largest in Egypt, incorporating significant gold in its decorations. The smaller one of alabaster was a gift from King Faruq, dating to 1939. The mihrab, or prayer niche, is made of Egyptian marble. It is covered with another half dome! It is rather simple, but very beautiful at the same time
"Do you notice these colored lights? They come from these big and high windows with stained glass in the walls. Do you see these small windows in the big dome, half domes, and the small domes? They are so nice. They give a beautiful effect, but you don’t need to count them. If you asked me, I would tell you there are 136 windows. I see you are astonished by these wonderful colored decorations in the walls and domes. Well, you have the right to be dazzled, but we aren’t going to spend all day here. We still have a lot to see.
"Let’s go out through the main door in the back wall. Now we are in the open courtyard, the other part of the mosque. Do you feel its size? Yes, it’s about 53x54 meters, larger then the mosque. What’s this thing in the center of the court? It’s a fountain! It would have been used for ablution before prayers. This bulge beside it is the mouth of the water tank.
"Look around! You see that the courtyard is surrounded by rounded arcades and covered by small domes. These domes are supported by large marble columns Don’t you think that these 47 domes are very beautiful? Look at this small tower, in the back of the court. This clock inside it was a gift from Louis Felipe, King Of France to Egypt, The clock, given as a gift in exchange for the Egyptian obelisk now in the Palace de la Concorde, Paris the clock has never worked, and probably never will
"Well, let’s walk around the mosque. May be you don’t read Arabic, but I’m sure you’ll like these inscriptions on the inner and outer walls. Would you like to have a photo of these high minarets? You shouldn’t miss that. They are the highest minarets in Egypt, at 82 meters tall. We are near to the Citadel’s walls. From here, you can see most of Historical Cairo, and on a very clear day, you may be able to see Pyramids too!
"Well, after you saw this great mosque and its position in the Citadel, I think you can understand why some people become confused. The Citadel is sometimes mistakenly called Mohammed Ali’s Citadel! But the novel thing, and what they don’t know, is that there really is a citadel called Mohammed Ali’s Citadel, near to Salah El-Din’s Citadel!! We hope to visit it one day.

The citadel

One of Cairo's most popular tourist attractions is the Citadel which houses a number of museums, ancient mosques and other sites, located on a spur of limestone that had been separated from its parent Moqattam Hills by quarrying the Citadel reveals a very medieval character.
In the twelfth century Salah ad-Din Al ayyubi the founder of the Ayyubid era realized the strategic importance of the area, and decided to fortify the area to protect it against attacks by the Crusaders, and since then, it has never been without a military garrison. Originally it served as both a fortress and a royal city.
Legend mentions that Salah ad-Din chose the site for its healthy air. The story goes that he hung pieces of meat up all around Cairo. Everywhere the meat spoilt within a day, with the exception of the Citadel area where it remained fresh for several days. But in reality this location provides a strategic advantage both to dominate Cairo and to defend outside attackers. Salah ad-Din had come from Syria where each town had some sort of fortress to act as a stronghold for the local ruler so it was only natural that he would carry this custom to Egypt.
Salah ad-Din used the most modern fortress building techniques of that time to construct the original Citadel. Great, round towers were built protruding from the walls so that defenders could direct flanking fire on those who might scale the walls. The walls themselves were ten meters high and three meters thick.
The Bir Yusuf (Salah ad-Din's Well) was dug in order to supply the inhabitants of the fortress with a source of drinking water. Some 87 meters (285 ft) deep, it was cut though solid rock down to the water level. It is not simply a shaft. There is a ramp large enough so that animals could descend into the well in order to power the machinery that lifted the water. unfortunately, the well is closed to tourists these days.
After the death of Salah ad-Din, his nephew, Al-Kamil, reinforced the Citadel by enlarging several of the towers. Specifically, he encased the Burg al-Haddad (Blacksmith's Tower) and the Burg ar-Ramlab (Sand Tower) making them three times larger. These two towers controlled the narrow pass between the Citadel and the Muqattam hills. Al-Kamil also built a number of great towers around the border of the walls, three of which can still be seen overlooking the Citadel parking area. These massive structures were square, up to 25 meters tall and 30 meters wide. In 1218, Sultan al-Kamil moved his residence to the Citadel where he built his palace.
When the Mumluks finally overcame the Ayyubid rulers in 1250, their sultan Baybars al-Bunduqdari moved into al-Kamil's palace. He isolated the palace by building a wall that divided the citadel into two separate enclosures linked by the Bab (gate) al-Qullah. The area where the palace once stood is referred to as the Southern Enclosure, while the larger part of the Citadel is referred to as the Northern Enclosure.
The Ottomans controlled Egypt between 1517 and the early 20th century, except for a brief French occupation. Much of what we see of the Citadel actually dates from this period. The Lower Enclosure came to be known as the al-Azab because some of the Ottoman soldiers, known as the Azab troop, were stationed in the Lower Enclosure. These soldiers were not allowed to wed until after they retired, and in fact the word Azab can be translated as "bachelor".
Later the strict military structure of the Ottoman soldiers gradually collapsed. During this period, the Azab troops began to marry, and were even allowed to build their own housing within the fortress. By the mid 17th century, the Citadel had become an enclosed residential district with private shops and other commercial activities, as well as public bath and a network of small streets.
The Ottoman Muhammad Ali Pasha, one of the great builders of Modern Egypt, came to power in 1805, and was responsible for considerable alteration and building within the Citadel. He rebuilt much of the outer walls and replaced many of the interior buildings. His Mohammed Ali Mosque (see also), built in the style called Ottoman style that imitates the great mosques of Istanbul, today dominates the Southern Enclosure
South of the Mosque is the Gawharah (Jewel) Palace. This structure was built I the 18 century housed the Egyptian government until it was later moved to the Abdeen Palace.
Today there is also a National Police Museum at the Citadel.
There is also Muhammad Ali's Harem Palace that was built in the same Ottoman style as the Jewel Palace. The statue in front is of Ibrahim Pasha by Charles Cordier. The Palace served as a family residence for the Khedive until the government was moved to Abdeen Palace. It was a military hospital during the British occupation and was only returned to Egyptian control after World War and became the Military Museum of Egypt (founded by King Faruq). While the Museum has many artifacts illustrating warfare in Egypt, one of the most interesting attractions is the Summer Room. This room contains an elaborate system of marble fountains, basins and channels used as a cooling system, and is probably the last such example in Cairo. In the court behind the carriage gate of the museum is a statue of Sulayman Pasha that originally stood in the city center. Just beyond this museum is a small Carriage Museum , it contains eight carriages used by the Muhammad Ali family. Just behind this museum is the Burg at-Turfah (Masterpiece Tower), one of the largest of the square towers built by al-Kamil in 1207.
Near the far end of the Northern Enclosure is the Suleyman Pasha Mosque. It was the first Ottoman style mosque built in Egypt and dates from 1528. It was built to serve the early Ottoman troops.

components of a mosque

Cairo is known as the City of 1,000 Minarets because of its many mosques. Many of these mosques are open to visitors, and in fact, Cairo has an ongoing program for the restoration of ancient mosques, a few of which ranks as some of the oldest to be found in the world. Certainly some are the grandest to be found anywhere.

Yet, because Egypt has seen many influences from different ruling empires, including Abbasid, Fatimid, Ayyubid Mamluk and Ottoman and others, and because Cairo specifically is a city of the Islamic world, Egypt offers a varieties of mosque styles. Furthermore, its mosques date from the earliest periods of Islam up to and of course, including modern varieties.
Some mosques in Egypt are actually complexes that include a number of other structures that may, or may not be found attached to other mosques. For example, many mosques include an Islamic school facility, called a madrasa. Others may have tombs, and even hospitals (maristan), along with other structures within the complex.
Other mosques may be located in strange places. There is a mosque (Abu Al-Haggag Mosque), which creates a strange appearance inside the Temple of Luxor in Upper Egypt, and in the Sinai, a Fatimid mosque is incorporated into the famous St. Catherine's monastery.
Basic components of a Mosque
The Demarcated Space
Prayer is an essential element of Islam, and the demarcated space allows a space for congregational prayer. In formal mosques, the demarcated space is partially roofed, and partly open to the sky. The covered prayer hall usually differs relative to the size of the open courtyard (sahn). The courtyard is most often surrounded on three of its sides by colonnades, or arcades, with the fourth side opening into the covered sanctuary. The prayer hall, which is normally rectangular or square, may take the form of a hypostyle hall with its roof supported by a number of columns. In this design, a system of horizontal beams known as architraves, a system of arches support the ceiling. In other designs, the roof may consist of a single large dome or instead, by more smaller domes.
The size of the covered prayer hall and the open courtyard is dependent both on the size of the congregation and the climate of the region where the mosque is located. Obviously, in wetter or colder climates a smaller open courtyard would be required and for example, a city such as Cairo, where rain is rare and the climate is usually hot even in winter a larger open courtyard would be required.
Mosques throughout the world have a standard orientation. Within the prayer hall, one wall must face Mecca, the direction in which Muslims should face in order to pray. This wall is called the qibla wall, and at its midpoint is a niche known as the mihrab. The mihrab basically takes the form of a niche, with a semicircular arched at the top. It should be noted that the mihrab is not considered to be a sacred element of the mosque. It prescribes the sacred direction for prayer to Mecca in prayer, Muslims will form row after row facing the qibla wall.
The Minbar
The minbar is a pulpit and is always located to the right of the mihrab. It takes the form of a staircase leading to a small platform from which the imam leads prayers and also delivers the oration (khutba), which take place on Fridays and it is partly sermon and partly a political message. An imam may be defined as any adult male who leads a congregation in prayer. In actuality, the imam usually leads the prayers not from the platform at the top of the minbar, but from a step below. This is because the platform itself is symbolically reserved for the Prophet Muhammed, himself.
The minbar may differ in height depending on the congregation's size, to allow the congregation to more easily hear the imam's words. The minbar may, or may not have handrails leading up the staircase to the platform. The small platform is often covered with an attractive shape, such as a dome style roof. As a side note, in historical times, the minbar was used for the coronation, or inauguration for a new caliph, a political ruler.
The Dikka
The dikka is a raised platform form which the respondents repeat the ritual postures of the imam and speak the responses so that the stages of prayer may be transmitted to larger congregations, it is aligned with the position of the mihrab.
The Kursi
The kursi is basically a bookstand on which the Muslim holy book, the Qur'an, is placed. The kursi is generally set next to the dikka, so that the sheik read and recite form the Qur'an.
The Fountain
Water for ablutions before prayer is provided in most large mosques, though these days its function is sometimes purely decorative. The fountain allows a number of worshippers to wash under running water. The pool is usually located at, or near the center of the open courtyard.
The Minaret
The towering minarets are the most visible part of a mosque, Used to call worshippers to prayer (adhan) by the muezzin, the minaret provided a means to ensure that the voice of the muezzin (caller) can be heard at a maximum distance .Today, many calls to prayer are issued through loudspeakers.

The Portal
Mosques are always surrounded by high walls. Enclosure walls, sometimes functioning for the purpose of fortifications, are and were common.
Visiting Mosques
Tourists are welcome to visit many of the ancient mosques. There are very few that cannot be entered, but visitors should conform to certain dress codes and observe mosque etiquette. In reality, the same etiquette applies when visiting ancient Christian churches in Egypt. Mostly, it is a matter of clothing, or coverage.
While shorts and short dresses are common on the streets of Cairo and other tourist locations, both men and women should have their legs covered. Revealing tops should also be avoided, and shoulders covered. These are simply the basic requirements.
As a matter of respect for another's religion, it is also custom to cover the arms, and particularly for women, also the hair.
You will also be asked to remove your shoes prior to entering the mosque, and will usually be offered a pair of slippers. Don't worry, your shoes will be safe, but a small tip of an Egyptian pound or two should be given to the shoe keeper when leaving the mosque.
Besides these restrictions, use your common sense. Obviously, the mosque is a place of tranquility and is sacred, so playing around and yelling should be completely avoided. Photography is, however, usually allowed, though depending on the mosque, there may be a fee.

The Five Pillars of Islam

The Five Pillars of Islam

The Five Pillars of Islam are the framework of the Muslim life. They are the testimony of faith, prayer, giving zakat alms (support of the needy), fasting during the month of Ramadan, and the pilgrimage to Makkah once in a lifetime for those who are able
1) The Testimony of Faith:
The testimony of faith is saying with conviction, “La ilaha illa Allah, Muhammadur rasoolu Allah.” This saying means “There is no true god (deity) but (Allah),1 and Muhammad is the Messenger (Prophet) of Allah.” The first part, “There is no true deity but Allah,” means that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah alone, and Allah has neither partner nor son. This testimony of faith is called the Shahada, a simple formula which should be said with conviction in order to convert to Islam, the testimony of faith is the most important pillar of Islam.
2) Prayer:
Muslims perform five prayers a day. Each prayer does not take more than a few minutes to perform. Prayer in Islam is a direct link between the worshipper and Allah. There is no intermediary between God and the worshipper.
In prayer, a person feels inner happiness, peace, and comfort, Prayers are performed at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset, and night. A Muslim may pray almost anywhere, such as in fields, offices, factories, or universities. Wuduu or Ablution is necessary for all prayers and a prayer without wuduu is invalid.
3) Giving Zakat .alms tax (Support of the Needy):
All things belong to God, and wealth is therefore held by human beings in trust. The original meaning of the word zakat is both ‘purification’ and ‘growth.’ Giving zakat means ‘giving a specified percentage on certain properties to certain classes of needy people.’ The percentage which is due on gold, silver, and cash funds that have reached the amount of about 85 grams of gold and held in possession for one lunar year is two and a half percent. Our possessions are purified by setting aside a small portion for those in need.
4) Fasting the Month of Ramadan:
Every year in the month of Ramadan, all Muslims fast from dawn until sundown, abstaining from food, drink, and sexual relations.
5) The Pilgrimage to Makkah:
The annual pilgrimage (Hajj) to Makkah is an obligation once in a lifetime for those who are physically and financially able to perform it. About two million people go to Makkah each year from every corner of the globe. Although Makkah is always filled with visitors, the annual Hajj is performed in the twelfth month of the Islamic calendar. Male pilgrims wear special simple clothes which strip away distinctions of class and culture so that all stand equal before God. Pilgrims praying at the Haram mosque in Makkah. In this mosque is the Kaaba which Muslims turn toward when praying. The Kaaba is the place of worship which God commanded the Prophets Abraham and his son, Ishmael, to build. The rites of the Hajj include circling the Kaaba seven times and going seven times between the mounds of Safa and Marwa, as Hagar did during her search for water. Then the pilgrims stand together in Arafa and ask God for what they wish and for His forgiveness.
The end of the Hajj is marked by a festival, Eid Al-Adha, which is celebrated with prayers. This, and Eid al-Fitr, a feast-day commemorating the end of Ramadan, are the two annual festivals of the Muslim calendar.
Some Basic Islamic Beliefs
1) Belief in God:
Muslims believe in one God, Who has no son nor partner, and that none has the right to be worshipped but Him alone. He is the true God, and every other deity is false
God alone is the Almighty, the Creator, and the Sustainer of everything in the whole universe. He manages all affairs. He stands in need of none of His creatures, and all His creatures depend on Him for all that they need. He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing, and the All-Knowing. His knowledge covers all things, the open and the secret, and the public and the private. He knows what has happened, and what will happen.
2) Belief in the Angels:
Muslims believe in the existence of the angels and that they are honored creatures. The angels worship God alone, obey Him, and act only by His command. Among the angels is Gabriel, who brought down the Quraan to Muhammad .
3) Belief in God’s Revealed Books:
Muslims believe that God revealed books to His messengers as proof for mankind and as guidance for them. Among these books is the Quraan, which God revealed to the Prophet Muhammad . God has guaranteed the Quran’s protection from any corruption or distortion.
4) Belief in the Prophets and Messengers of God:
Muslims believe in the prophets and messengers of God, starting with Adam, including Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and Jesus (peace be upon them). But God’s final message to man, a reconfirmation of the eternal message, was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad . Muslims believe that Muhammad is the last prophet sent by God.
5) Belief in the Day of Judgment:
Muslims believe in the Day of Judgment (the Day of Resurrection) when all people will be resurrected for God’s judgment according to their beliefs and deeds.
6) Belief in Al-Qadar:
Muslims believe in Al-Qadar, which is Divine Predestination, but this belief in Divine Predestination does not mean that human beings do not have freewill. This means that they can choose right or wrong and that they are responsible for their choices.