Though Shahadah is the most essential step on the path to Allah and the beginning of the new journey as a Muslim, it is not enough! A newly converted Muslim should care as much about his religion and practice the rituals required of him as any other Muslim.
Islam is one of the world’s largest and most widespread religions, with over 1.6 billion followers worldwide. Islam’s central tenet is submission to God, and Muslims believe that by living under His will, they will achieve salvation. Islamic teachings promote peace, compassion, and charity, and Muslims are expected to show mercy and forgiveness even to those who have wronged them.
How to Perform Ablution (Wudu)
Wudu, by terminology, means the act of ritual washing of specific parts of our bodies in a specific way to remove ritual impurities. Although wudu itself is a type of worship that entails certain rewards, wudhu can also be seen as a prerequisite to performing some ritual acts of worship such as performing the tawaf (circling of the Kaaba) for Umrah and hajj, holding the Mushaf (Quran), and, most importantly, praying our five daily prayers.
Quick Note;
Washing: Washing refers to pouring water over a specific body part in a manner that the entire area is covered with water.
Wiping: Wiping, on the other hand, refers to using wet hands to pass over a specific body part without pouring water over it.
Step 1:
Niya: Make your intention. Your intention should be performing Wudu for the pleasure of Allah, and seeking closeness to Him
Say “Bismillah” (In the Name of Allah).
Step 2:
Wash your hands up to the wrists thoroughly three times.
Step 3:
Rinse your mouth three times, swirling the water around. Rinse your nose three times, blowing the water out and using the left hand to remove the water from your nose.
Step 4:
Wash your face three times, from the hairline to the chin and from ear to ear. Make sure the whole face, eyebrows, nose, and lips are washed. Men should wash their beard hair.
If his beard is thin, he should make sure water reaches the skin. If it is thick, he should wash the surface and run his wet fingers through it.
Step 5:
Wash your arms and hands from your fingertips up to your elbows three times. It is essential to remove anything that could prevent water from reaching the skin, such as dough, mud, paint, etc.
Step 6:
Wipe your head starting with your hands at the front of your head, bringing them to the back of your head, and then back to the front again. Women should wipe it from the front of their heads to the roots of their hair at the nape of their necks. She does not have to wipe her entire hair length.
Step 7:
Wipe your ears by putting your index fingers in your ears and wiping the back with your thumbs.
Step 8:
Wash your feet three times up to the ankles, wiping in between your toes with your little finger. Don’t forget the back of your ankles.
Step 9:
It’s good to finish your wudu with the du‘a
“O Allah, make me among those who turn to You in repentance, and make me among those who are purified.”
“Ashhadu an laa ilaaha ill-Allah wahdahu laa shareeka lah, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhu wa Rasoluh. Allaahumma aj‘alni mina altawabeen wa aj‘alni min almutatahhireen”.
Things that nullify ablution (wudu):
Here are the four main things that can break a wudu:
- Anything that exits from the front or rear private parts
If any kind of excrement exited the front and rear private parts, such as urinating, defecating, or even farting, it would invalidate Wudu.
However, being in contact with feces does not invalidate wudu. For example, if a person has stepped upon human feces, it does not break his or her state of wudu. Nevertheless, because it is considered filth (Najasah), we will need to remove and clean it first before performing other acts of worship.
- Being unconscious
Being unconscious can invalidate your wudu. This includes fainting, seizures, or sleeping.
There are two exceptions to sleep, which do not invalidate wudu:
- If a person does not fall in a deep sleep, it does not count as sleep. A sign of dozing off is when the person can still hear sounds or conversations around them, even if they don’t understand them.
- An upright sitting position. Anyone who sleeps in this position will be able to feel or be conscious of any air exiting the rear.
- Skin contact with an adult non-Mahram of the opposite gender
Be it intentional or unintentional, skin contact with the opposite gender of a non-mahram will nullify your wudhu.
But what is a mahram? A mahram is a person you are not allowed to marry (unmarriageable kin). Non-mahrams are those you are allowed to marry. Hence, according to the Shafi’i mazhab, skin contact with your spouse can also invalidate the wudu.
From the above, it also means that non-skin contact does not invalidate the wudu. For example, if there is cloth or even a tissue in between, the contact does not invalidate the wudu.
Additionally, being in contact with a child below the age of maturity (bulugh), such as shaking their hands, does not invalidate the wudu.
- Touching private parts
Touching the front and rear human private parts, intentionally or unintentionally, with the palm of our hand will invalidate our wudu.
Prayer (Salat):
Salat is more than a mere obligatory ritual. Rather it is the first and a continuing sign of the believer’s obedience to Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala.
It is a spiritual ritual, a source of strength and patience, and a means of self-purification. A believer does not see salat as a burden but rather a privilege to learn and develop a deeper connection to his Creator. A Muslim offers prayer out of humility and love to show their inner devotion to Allah because he or she depends on him.
The five daily prayers are:
Fajr: Can be prayed during the time between dawn and sunrise. (2 Raka’a)
Duhr: Can be prayed during the time between noon until the afternoon. (4 Raka’a)
Asr: Can be prayed during the time between afternoon and sunset. (4 Raka’a)
Maghreb: Can be prayed during the time between sunset and night. (3 Raka’a)
Isha: Can be prayed during the time between night until fajr. (4 Raka’a)
How to perform the prayers step by step:
- It is crucial for both men and women to wear clean clothes that cover their awra: Women should cover their entire body except for their hands and face, while men should cover at least the area between their navel and knee and it’s preferable to wear a shirt that covers the top body and covers men’s shoulders. Importantly, neither men nor women should cover their face and hands during salat.
- Once all of the preconditions above have been fulfilled, the person intending to offer the prayer is facing the proper direction (qiblah), and a sincere intention has been made for that particular prayer, the prayer may be begun. The hands should be raised to the height of the ears and the following said:
- Allahu Akbar.
Meaning: Allah is the Greatest.
- The first chapter of the Quran (al-Fatiha) must be recited after saying: “A’udhu billahi minash shaitanir rajeem” which means: “I seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the accursed”
- Alhamdu lillaahi Rabbi al-‘aalameen Al-Rahmaani al-Raheem Maaliki Yawmi al-Deen ayaaka na’budu wa ayaaka nasta’een Ihdina al-Siraata al-Mustaqeem Siraata al-lazena an’amta ‘alaihim ghayri al-maghdoobi ‘alaihim wa la-daalleen
Meaning: Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the world; Most Gracious, Most Merciful; Master of the Day of Judgment. Thee do we worship, and Thine aid we seek. Show us the straight way, the way of those on whom Thou hast bestowed Thy Grace, those whose (portion) is not wrath, and who are not astray.
- Next, a short chapter or at least 3 verses from the Quran are recited. Surah Ikhlas is commonly taught first because it is one of the shorter surahs and for the great rewards associated with it.
- Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim Qul Huwa allahu ahad. AllahuSSamad. Lam yalid wa lam yu-lad. Wa lam yakun lahu kufuwan ahad.
Meaning: In the name of Allah, the most merciful and gracious. Say, He is Allah, the One. Allah is Eternal and Absolute. He begets not, nor was He begotten. And there is none co-equal unto Him.
- At this point, “Allahu Akbar” should be said and the person should go into ruku (bow your back), placing the hands on the knees and keeping the back straight. While bowing, the following should be recited:
- Subhaana Rabbi al-Athim wa bihamdih.
Meaning: Glory be to my Lord the Great, and praise be to Him.
- Then, he goes back into the standing position, the following should be said:
- “Samia Allahu liman hamidah”
Meaning: Allah hears the one who praises Him.
- Then,” Allahu Akbar” is said, and the person does prostration (sujud) on the ground. In sujud, the forehead, palms of the hands, knees, and tips of the toes must all touch the ground. The following must be said one or three times:
- Subhaana Rabbi al-a’laa wa bihamdih.
Meaning: Glory be to my Exalted Lord, and praise is to Him.
- “Allahu Akbar” should be said, and the person should sit up on his or her knees and say:
- AstaghfiruAllaha Rabbi wa atubu ilayh.
Meaning: I seek forgiveness from Allah, my Lord, and turn toward Him.
- Again,” Allahu akbar” should be said and the sujud repeated. Then, the person should stand up and repeat the same process (e.g., recite the first chapter of the Quran; recite another chapter of the Quran, bow, and do the two sujud). Finally, sitting on the knees (in the final rakat: sometimes it’s 2nd, 3rd, 4th), the following must be said:
- Attahiyat lillahi wa salawatu wa’t-tayyibat, as-salamu ‘alayka ayyuha’n-Nabiyyu wa rahmat-Allahi wa barakatuhu. As-salamu ‘alayna wa ‘alaa ‘ibad-AIllah al-saliheen. Ashhadu alla ilaha illa Allah wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhu wa rasoluh.
Meaning: All the best compliments and the prayers and the good things are for Allah. Peace and Allah’s Mercy and Blessings be upon you, O Prophet! Peace be upon us and on the pious slaves of Allah. I testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah, and I also testify that Muhammad is Allah’s slave and His Apostle.
- Ashhadu an laa ilaaha illa Allah, wahdahu la sharikalah wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan, abdahu wa rasoluh.
Meaning: I testify that there is no Allah but Allah, alone without associates, and that Muhammad is His servant and messenger.
- Allahumma salli ‘ala Muhammad Wa ‘ala aali Muhammad Kama sallaita ‘ala Ibrahima wa ‘ala aali Ibrahima wa barik ‘ala Muhammad wa ‘ala aali Muhammad Kama barakta ‘ala Ibrahima Wa ‘ala aali Ibrahima Fil a’lamina Innaka hamidun Majid.”
Meaning: Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the world; Most Gracious, Most Merciful; Master of the Day of Judgment. Thee do we worship, and Thine aid we seek. Show us the straight way, the way of those on whom Thou hast bestowed Thy Grace, those whose (portion) is not wrath, and who are not astray.
- Turn your face towards looking over your right shoulder and then turn to the left. Each time recite the following:
- Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatuAllah
Meaning: Peace and Mercy of Allah be upon you.
Note: For the third and fourth rakaa prayers (as in Zuhr, Asr, Maghrib, and Ishaa) the process is repeated as usual. The only difference is that in the third and fourth rakat, Surat Al-Fatiha is always read silently. After saying Ameen it’s not necessary to recite any other passage and to go straight into ruku and sajdah.
Zakat
Currency: Muslims above the subsistence level must pay up to 2.5% of their annual savings to help people in need.
Prayer and belief are not enough to make someone a good Muslim. Islam is very concerned about looking after the welfare of poor people, and the Qur’an specifies that all Muslims above the subsistence level must pay up to 2.5% of their annual savings to help people in need.
So once a year a Muslim works out 2.5% of everything they own and hands it to an approved organization to use for charitable purposes.
Muslims call this Zakat, and it’s the third pillar of Islam. It’s not a religious tax, as some people (not Muslims) say; it’s an act of worship, and it’s something that pleases God: in fact, in the Qur’an, you’ll find that prayer and zakat are frequently spoken of together.
Zakat is an act of worship that goes directly to making the world a better place for people who are up against it.
Paying Zakat also purifies the 97.5% of your wealth that remains, and you can use this as you wish with a clear heart. You can use some of it for gifts to charity, but such spontaneous charity is called sadaqah, not Zakat.
Ramadan
We must talk about Ramadan! Ramadan is the holiest month of the Muslim calendar (which follows a lunar cycle, so the time Ramadan falls changes every year if you use the Gregorian calendar). It is the month in which the Quran was sent down to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Ramadan is also the month when Muslims fast from dawn until sunset.
Worship is amplified during Ramadan. If you go to a mosque on any given night of Ramadan, you may see hundreds of worshippers standing in prayer for Allah.
New Muslims can learn more about Islam by reading Islamic literature, attending classes at their local mosque, and seeking advice from more experienced Muslims.