If you are intent on becoming a better Muslim, you must already have known that in Islam, there is no distinction between the five rituals and the non-ritualistic aspects of life; in a way, one reinforces the other. The five rituals of Islam, as a matter of fact, are symbolic expressions and practical training programs that function as building blocks to global integrity in the lives of Muslims. Islam is the complete code as well as the only way of life we, the Muslims, should strive to emulate (Al-Ma’idah, 5: 3).

In that, we are not to separate "religion" from our communal, educational, or political spheres – Islam should be they way we socialise, the way we conduct, the way we relate to knowledge and wisdom, the way we run a government, or the way we trade as Allah commands: "O you who believe! Enter into Islam wholeheartedly…" (Al-Baqarah, 2: 208). We are not to enter Islam half-heartedly, merely aping the rituals while we imbue not in us an Islamic lifestyle.

A concrete example may be cited as in the case of congregational prayers - Islam places a great deal of emphasis on them. Allah, the Most Wise, has asserted that the Muslims are to leave off their business and trading and rather hasten earnestly to establish the jumu’ah prayers on Friday. (Al-Jumu’ah, 62:9).

Thus, the Friday congregational prayer serves as a niche where the local Muslim community may discourse on numerous grounds. History is a witness to the Mosque’s role in Muslim communication on administrative, educational, legislative, political, and social arenas. Islam makes no division between spiritual and secular affairs.

"It is not righteousness that you turn your faces toward East or West; but it is righteousness to believe in Allah and the Last Day and the Angels and the Book and the Messengers; to spend of your substance out of love for Him for your kin for orphans for the needy for the wayfarer for those who ask and for the ransom of slaves; to be steadfast in prayer and practice regular charity; to fulfill the contracts which you have made; and to be firm and patient in pain (or suffering) and adversity and throughout all periods of panic. Such are the people of truth the Allah-fearing." (Al-Baqarah, 2:177)

The Qur’anic verse touches on a number of issues including the topics of zakat or the alms tax and sadaqah or charity.

In contrast to becoming a part of the contemporary interest-based society, Allah enjoins the Muslims to pioneer a zakat-based community. What is the ritual of zakat all about beyond the surface? A little introspection in this respect helps us decipher the essence of Zakat and charity. Charity, when practised in the true Islamic spirit, inculcates in us a genuine concern for the destitute and needy and leaves no place for parade and vanity; as Allah the Supreme admonishes: "A kind word with forgiveness is better than almsgiving followed by injury. Allah is Absolute, Clement. O you who believe! Render not vain your almsgiving by reproach and injury…" (Al-Baqarah, 2: 264).

Zakat literally meaning "to purify", is An alms-giving system that is designed for purifying both one’s possessions and prejudices, standing on a firmly established right that, if the rich denied, would be exacted by force, if necessary. Thus, zakat elevates our morality and encourages us to strive towards an economically balanced world ensuring basic happiness and freedom to all its citizens.

The key points may be derived as follows:

§ "Deal not unjustly and you shall not be dealt with unjustly": As Muslims, we are to steer clear from usury. If we are giving interest on something, then we are being dealt unjustly, plus, we are supporting the cause of usury, something most detestable in the Sight of our Lord. Praise be to Allah the Supreme, some of our striving Muslim brothers and sisters with extra-ordinary calibre have been instrumental in initiating an interest-free banking system in the West, although in small scale. For instance, Muslim Community Co-operative Australia (MCCA) is an Islamic Financial Institute that has sought to initiate an Islamic alternative to finance for Muslims in Australia. In USA, the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) has been providing the service for years. In Canada, the attempt by the Islamic Co-operative Housing of Toronto at introducing interest-free Islamic banking system has also been highly successful. Therefore, it is incumbent on us to support their cause with all possible means – with our time, money, resources, skills etc.

§ "If you do not do it, then take a notice of war from Allah": A war from Allah, the Master and the Lord of the universe! Do you think you can win the battle? How many of us are involved in the interest-based banking system? Are we working at the bank and supporting the interest-based economy? Have we taken a loan so that we may afford a luxurious villa? Have we invested in fixed deposit? If we have answered yes to any of these, then we should realise we have waged a war against Allah! To quote from God’s Word: "Allah's Promise is the Truth and whose word can be truer than Allah's" (An-Nisa’, 4: 122).

§ "Allah will deprive usury of all blessing but will give increase for deeds of charity: for He loves not creatures ungrateful and wicked": Allah the Most Wise has warned us about the danger of the immoral practice of usury that it would be devoid of all blessings. Let’s now share some facts regarding the consequences of the world’s prevalent practice of interest-based economy.

UNESCO estimates that "about 500,000 children die every year from debt repayment alone...." (Lee, 1997) Globally, the grotesque gulf between the rich and the poor has continually been on alarming upsurge. According to the United Nation's Human Development Report (1996), the "total assets of the world’s 358 billionaires exceeded the combined annual incomes of the poorest 45 percent of the world's population" -- 2.3 billion people, that is, and the ratio of the shares in the global income of the world’s richest 20% and poorest 20% populace "doubled – from 30:1 to 61:1" in the past 30 years. The statistics showed that "more than one-fifth of the world’s population lived on less than one dollar a day" (The New York Times, 1996) and that this figure "rose to 1.31 billion people in 1993 from 1.23 billion in 1987" (ibid) causing more than half the people in sub-Saharan Africa to suffer a fall from their already-meagre living standard. The statistics presented by Longworth (1999) in the Chicago Tribune further demonstrated that per capita incomes in nearly half the world’s countries were lowered all the while the 200 richest individuals in the world had more than doubled their wealth during 1994 and 1998.

To put this into more horrifying perspective: Gaag (1999) pointed out that despite the fact that three richest people possessed wealth which exceeded the combined Gross Domestic Products of the 48 least-developed countries, the cost of eradicating poverty had been estimated at $80 billion, that’s about a mere one per cent of global income. "In 1995 the world spent $800 billion - ten times that amount - on the military alone."

"Ramadan is the (blessed month) in which was sent down the Qur'an, a guide to hunaity, clear (signs) for guidance and judgment (between right and wrong)". (Al-Baqarah, 2: 185). The Qur’an is surely a guide to the entire world, not only the Muslims. It is a guide, a manual on how and to which direction the human race should gear its life to ensure global peace and justice. As Muslims, we are duty-bound to pioneer the way to global harmony -- we are duty-bound to shun all forms of corrupt lifestyles, to be the part of the solution to the world’s myriad quandaries rather than support the evil causes. That’s our true purpose in life -- we, the Muslims, are to acquire life lessons from the rituals that are vital to reach our ultimate goal -- to please Allah through enjoining justice, forbidding all forms of tyranny, and finally establishing the Islamic code of life on earth (Al-i-‘Imran, 3: 110). Instead, the current Muslim world has failed to grasp the true significance of the Islamic rituals and turned them into superficial customs.

Critics may fittingly exclaim, "easier said than done". Striving for an Islamic Way of Life is by no means an "easy game" especially while we have such strong jibes constantly thrown at us by forces to whom establishment of global harmony and justice would most certainly have their opportunism jeopardised. An endeavour at making a change to the prevailing World System would mean to be calling for trials and tribulations. Admittedly, firm conviction in Allah entails sacrifice and moral vigilance: "Do people think that they will be left alone on saying "We believe" and that they will not be tested? We (i.e. God) did test those before them and Allah will certainly make known those who are true from those who are false." (Al-‘Ankabut, 29: 2~3)

None of us are destined to Paradise just because we "claim to be Muslims" but the true faith is manifested through actions in obedience to Allah's Commands (Muhammad, 47: 31). These actions are not mere perfunctory expressions of the Islamic rituals, but they are actions necessitating lifelong sacrifice for global harmony, justice and the Cause of Allah. Simply put, the trial of sacrifice is the pre-requisite for the reward of Paradise: "…Do you think that you shall enter Paradise without such (trials) as came to those who passed away before you? They encountered suffering and adversity, and were so shaken in spirit that even the Messenger and those of faith who were with him cried: "When (will come) the help of Allah?" Ah! Verily, the help of Allah is (always) near!" (Al-Baqarah, 2: 214)

Belief in the Day of Accountability and the Life Hereafter is one of the fundamental articles of faith in Islam. Denial of the Judgement to come is obviously tantamount to leaving the fold of Islam. What leads to leaving the fold of Islam? Allah has made it plain and simple in the Qur’an: "Have you ever seen a person who denies the Judgement (to come)? (It is) he (who) pushes the orphan aside and doesn't feel sorry for the poor. So, a warning to people who pray but who are careless (about the purpose) of their devotions, Whose prayers are only for show; refusing to share even the smallest kindness." (Al-Maun, 107: 1-7)

How is it like to be an orphan? If you are a parent, then you are urged to try visualising for a moment what it would be like for your offspring if both your spouse and you had died leaving the orphaned toddlers? What would it be like for them to be afflicted with poverty on top of being orphaned? How would you like for others to behave towards your orphan children? If you are not a parent yet -- well, it is almost guaranteed that this kind of thought will surely naturally spring to your mind when you become one.

Is it a phony claim when we call ourselves Muslims? How do we evaluate if we have complete faith in Islam? The Prophet was reported to have said: "None of your faith is complete until you wish for your Muslim brothers and sisters what you desire for yourself." (S. Bukhari 1.2.12).

Do we sympathise with those who are deprived of life’s necessities throughout the year or throughout life? Allah’s Apostle depicted the characteristics of the true believers: "The example of the (true) believers in their affection and compassion and benevolence are like one body; If one part of it becomes ill, the whole body comes to its aid with fever and sleeplessness." (S. Bukhari 8.73.40). Are we setting an example of true believers? How could we, the Muslims, be merry to have shouldered the expense on the outer space navigation just for personal amusement while forsaking our less fortunate brothers and sisters in Afghanistan, Chechnya, Gujarat, Iraq, Kashmir, Palestine, Philippines and wherever they may be? In which countries is forced child exploitation for camel jockeying most evident?

Constructive self-criticism perhaps comes first before we should accuse of immorality those tyrants who come from non-Muslim backgrounds. One of the meanings of the term jihad is self-purification. Let us then first contemplate on the current pathetic state of the Muslim world. Let us first set straight the statistics of child abuse and slavery in Muslim-majority countries.

The following data represent some national statistics on child abuse and slavery in Bangladesh -- the world’s third largest Muslim-majority country where 83% of the total population profess allegiance to the Muslim faith. Bangladesh is singled-out in this article as its populace share the same ethnicity as the author (self-criticism comes first); in addition, this particular community scored a "hatrick" by being ranked as the world’s most corrupt country for the past three years (2001-2003), according to the Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index. Nonetheless, the statistics is equally appalling elsewhere across the Muslim world.

Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (1996) reports that approximately 496,000 children are involved in slavery nationwide. Bangladesh National Women's Lawyers Association (BNWLA) provides the ratio that about 30% of its total children in Bangladesh are involved in child labour". (Ali, 1998). According to the US Dept of State (2002 & 2000), "approximately 6.6 million children between the ages of 5 and 14 years" work, are engaged in "activities harmful to their physical and mental wellbeing"; especially those working in domestic fields may work "in conditions that resemble servitude and prostitution" and working hours amount to "15 hours a day, seven days a week". (UNICEF, 1999). Only 16% of child domestic workers received their wages in hands (ibid) and in a survey conducted by the Bangladesh Human Rights Commission on 123 domestic maids in Dhaka showed that "105 of them were tortured one way or the other, with 88 of them aged between 4 and 17 years bearing marks of injuries inflicted by their employers". (Islam 1997).

Here follow two more concrete instances of poverty and child abuse, one of which has recently secured a place in the World News Headlines. Experts would tell us, synaesthesia – meaning descriptive words or images that refer to the senses of sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch and kinaesthetic sensation -- in narratives is more easily remembered and communicated.

Although some scenarios concerning a particular Muslim community were illustrated, the above-mentioned incidents are not exceptions to the rule, but have become a part and parcel of the poor community and more-or-less prevalent in the entire Muslim globe: "Full many a flower is born to blush unseen, and waste its sweetness on the desert air." (Thomas Gray). For those who have domestic labourers working for them at home: let’s be questioned on how we have been treating them.

Jumping back to the crux -- how can we, the readers of this article, aid toward the solution to crimes like child abuse? Besides carrying out the immediate obligations of zakat, let us make a commitment today, right at the moment, to foster at least one child in the not-too-distant future, taking into account of the spirit of charity in Islam.

Let us be reminded that we had absolutely no choice whatsoever concerning the time, place, race, or family status we were born in. Shouldn’t we be grateful to Allah for the enormous blessings He has showered upon us? Shouldn’t we, in return, endeavour to deliver at least one soul from impending oppression? Shouldn’t we bring about happiness and joy at least to one individual if we are truly determined to show gratitude to Allah, the Lord of the Universe? We will indeed be held accountable before our Lord on the Day of Judgement about how we spent the bounties He bestowed on us: "Competition for the (riches) of the world ever enchants you, even until you find yourself in the grave. But (the vanity of your pursuits) will soon be made evident! In time, you will come to understand. If you knew for sure (what lay in store,) you would envision Hell-fire all around (and more!) You will no doubt see it clearly, on a Day when you will be called to account for your handling of life's opportunities." (Al-Takathur, 102:1-8)

It may cause us minor inconveniences of course; nevertheless, we are morally duty-bound to financially aid people especially when we amount to the richest of the world denizens. Fostering children through a third party is not an effective step you want to espouse, for most often than not, the most oppressed children come from the world’s most corrupt countries as was duly highlighted in the previous issues; so chances are slim that the full amount of your financial contributions would ever reach the right person. The ideal would be to foster a baby and let him/ her be nurtured at your own home.

The process of child fosterage is quite straightforward if the child is of the same nationality as you are. A massive amount of information may be obtained from the Internet resources. In Islam, however, adoption is strictly prohibited but fostering is permitted, meaning a prospective adoptive Muslim parent may only assume guardianship as well as custody of children. The adoptive child is entitled to retain the family name of and inherit from his biological parent according to Islamic Shari’ah Law (IslamOnline). Breastfeeding a foster child who is under the age of two also makes it possible for the foster family to establish a mahram relationship with him or her (Malik Muwatta 30.1.6, S. Bukhari 7.62.166).

Why do we fast? Well, Allah gives the answer in the Qur’an: "…Fasting has been prescribed upon you as it was prescribed upon those before you, so that you may attain righteousness…" (al-Baqaraa, 2:183). We are expected to attain a profound sense of God-Consciousness through fasting, which should change our characters for the better – if it does not, there is really no point of fasting. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was reported to have said: "Whoever does not abandon falsehood in word and action, and speaking bad words to others, then Allah Almighty and Majestic has no need that he should (fast) leaving his food and drink." (Bukhari 8.73.83) The Messenger of Islam also warned us, "Perhaps a fasting person will get nothing from his fast save hunger, and perhaps the one who stands to pray at night will get nothing from his standing except sleeplessness." (Sahih al-Jaami')

Fasting reminds us of those who are deprived of life’s necessities, awakens our conscience and gives it scope for "exercise in a joint experience for all society at the same time". (Concept of Worship in Islam). Fasting, in its true essence, thus teaches the Muslims how to hold honesty, social justice and harmony above petty self-interests without being ascetic. It strikes a perfect balance between asceticism and materialism.

It is time to reflect on whether the present Muslim generation is adopting truthfulness in every word and action. Have we ceased to provide false statements in our tax return forms? Or, have we ceased to invent forged information in the immigration or scholarship application form we have filled in? Have we stopped plagiarising at the educational institutes? Ceased taking advantages of utilities illegally? Stopped cheating on others or adopting bribery in our career fields? Business? Changed our attitudes and behaviours towards the poor and destitute? You will not have to look further to discover the bitter reality – just surfing through the internet for a few moments and searching for the statistics of the world’s most corrupt places would be sufficient – the Muslim-majority countries in general, have become the most corrupt of all nation-states. We need to brace ourselves for a rude awakening that "Allah will not change a situation until the people change themselves" (Qur’an; 13: 11). Does this explain on part why the Muslims have been humiliated all over the world at present?

My family had the opportunity to make Hajj a few years ago. On the eve of Eid-ul-Adha, my husband and I hurried to reach the three Jamarat where the hajjis were supposed to throw stones at the "Satan", what happened, however, was that we were spared from being almost stoned to death instead. If you had also made the blessed pilgrimage to the Kaaba, you must have seen the enraged pilgrims throwing stones, thongs, umbrellas and what not at the "Satan" by the Jamarat.

The pilgrims could be far better off if we had grasped that "throwing stones at Satan" at the Jamarat actually stood as a symbolic act for shunning all our evil desires. The entire rite of Hajj is in fact symbolic by which we are reminded of the sacrifices of Prophets Ibrahim (Abraham) and Ismail (Ishmael) – may peace and blessings of Allah be upon them – so that we prepare ourselves for similar sacrifices for the sake of Islam. Pilgrimage may as well serve as a platform for global Muslim communication where issues like international diplomatic relations etc. are addressed and an atmosphere of universal brotherhood is fostered.

Ironically, a large number of pilgrims do like to think of the blessed Pilgrimage as a Pilgri-Match, a contest, where they are supposed to compete against the fellow pilgrims in every rite they follow. The result amounts to endless sufferings of the Hajjis each year that we all have been witnessing for decades. 

The rich among us will slaughter an animal per household while we all celebrate the Eid of Sacrifice. Here follows the Qur’anic verse where Almighty Allah hammers the point home when He speaks of those sacrificial animals: "It is neither their meat nor their blood that reaches Allah. It is your piety that reaches Him. He has thus made them subject to you that you may glorify Allah for His guidance to you and proclaim the Good News to all who do right." (Al-Hajj, 22:36~37)

To summarise the entire article, the Islamic Rituals are nothing short of channels or practical training programmes through which Muslims should acquire life lessons vital to reach their ultimate goal, which, as was spotlighted earlier, is to please Allah through enjoining justice, forbidding all forms of tyranny, and finally establishing the Islamic code of life on earth (Al-i-‘Imran, 3:110). Unfortunately, a vast majority of Muslims are oblivious of the core essence of the rituals, counting them to be the ultimate target of Islam. As a result, they keep themselves busy as mechanical Muslims: looking for "short-cut" ways to Paradise: reciting this in Arabic 50 times or repeating that in Arabic over 100 times whereas the Qur’an is full of warnings that indicate quite the contrary. The failure of the Muslims in grasping the true significance of the Islamic rituals has resulted in a grotesque disparity between an ideal Islamic society and prevalent Muslim communities.

The Muslim world has been in deep slumber for decades, nevertheless, we are a "Sleeping Giant". The very moment we get awaken, the moment we commit ourselves to be true Muslims, we are promised Allah’s perpetual blessings both in this life and the next. "...Ah! Verily, the help of Allah is (always) near!" (Al-Baqarah, 2: 214)

"Allah has promised to those among you who believe and work righteous deeds, that he will of a surety grant them in the land, inheritance (of power), as He granted it to those before them; that He will establish in authority their religion, the one which He has chosen for them; and that He will change (their state) after the fear in which they (lived), to one of security and peace. They will worship Me (alone) and not associate aught with Me. If any do reject faith after this, they are rebellious and wicked." (An-Nur, 24: 55) 

Needless to say, Allah’s Promise is indeed true. But we as Muslims will have to do our part before Allah’s Promise should take place. We will have to strive to be true Muslims and spend all possible resources we have in order to make this planet a better one.

· Ali, Salma. October 1998. Country Report on Trafficking in Children and Their Exploitation in Prostitution. BNWLA.

· Alim 2.0 Islamic Software. 1996. ISL Software Corporation, Release 4:U.S.

· Bancroft-Hinchey, Timothy. 2002. "30 Dead in Bangladesh Stampede". Pravda: News and Analysis On-Line. http://english.pravda.ru/main/2002/12/01/40208_.html. Accessed 15 May. 2003

· Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, October 1996, Report on National Sample Survey of Child Labour in Bangladesh

· Concept of Worship in Islam. http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/tawheed/conceptofworship.html. The Institute of Islamic Information and Education: U.S. Accessed 18 May 2003.

· ICAS (Inter-Country Adoption Service). http://hnb.dhs.vic.gov.au/commcare/ccdnav.nsf/childdocs/-1DC8483734FBB3D4CA256E180064E9E6-7B47F8BDED04146DCA256EB70017E005?open. Accessed 1 Oct 2004

· Islam, Tabibul. November 1997. "Bangladesh: The Face of Poverty in Every Child Worker". OneWorld International

· IslamOnline. http://www.islamonline.net/fatwa/english/FatwaDisplay.asp?hFatwaID=3145. Accessed 1 Oct 2004

· Lee, Jeremy. 1997. What Will We Tell Our Children?. P. 189

· Longworth, R. C. July 12, 1999. "A grotesque gap". Chicago Tribune.

· The New York Times. June 24, 1996. 20% of World’s People Live on Dollar a Day

· UNDP. Human Development Report 1996: Economic growth and human development. http://hdr.undp.org/reports/global/1996/en/. Accessed 16 May 2003

· UNICEF Innocenti Digest on Child Domestic Work, May 1999, The Phenomenon of Child Domestic Work: Issues, Responses and Research, 19-23 November 1997

· US Dept of State. 25 February 2000. Country Reports on Human Rights Practices – 1999

· US Dept of State. March 2002. Country Reports on Human Rights Practices – 2001