EQUALITY IN ISLAM

Islam considers all human beings as equal. There is no difference between them because of their race, colour or tongue. All of them belong to one family and come from one origin.

This was not the case before Islam came to the Arabian peninsula. Before Islam , each tribe considered its members to be superior to those of other tribes, and this made life very difficult between them. They could  not deal with each other properly, and they led a difficult life; there was severe fighting almost continously between the tribs  of Arabia because of their attitude towards one other . Might was right, so the weak had practically no rights.

VOCABULARY :

equality	:	Persamaan hak
humble	;	Sederhana.rendah
To defeat	;	Mengalahkan
To astonish	;	Mengherankan, mengejutkan
peninsula	;	Semenanjung, jazirah
emphasize	;	Menegaskan, menekankan
Slavery	:	Perbudakan
welcome	:	Menanyambut, menggembirakan

EQUALITY IN ISLAM

Islam considers all human beings as equal. There is no difference between them because of their race, colour or tongue. All of them belong to one family and come from one origin.

This was not the case before Islam came to the Arabian peninsula. Before Islam , each tribe considered its members to be superior to those of other tribes, and this made life very difficult between them. They could  not deal with each other properly, and they led a difficult life; there was severe fighting almost continously between the tribs  of Arabia because of their attitude towards one other . Might was right, so the weak had practically no rights.

VOCABULARY :

equality	:	Persamaan hak
humble	;	Sederhana.rendah
To defeat	;	Mengalahkan
To astonish	;	Mengherankan, mengejutkan
peninsula	;	Semenanjung, jazirah
emphasize	;	Menegaskan, menekankan
Slavery	:	Perbudakan
welcome	:	Menanyambut, menggembirakan

PILGRIMAGE

Islam is built upon five pillars. One of them is pilgrimage to Mecca. It is obligatory for muslims who can offer the journey. Hajj, one kind of pilgrimage, is performed in the month of Zulhijja.

There is another kind of visit to Mecca called ‘ Umra. It is also compulsory once in a lifetime for those who are able to perform the journey, but the difference between ‘Umra and Hajj is that ‘Umra can be performed alone. The best time to perform ‘Umro is during the month of Ramadan, for the prophet said : “Umra during the month of Ramadan ,is equal to Hajj.” The reward of Hajj and ‘Umra is great reward in the sigt of God.

VOCABULARY :

compulsory	:	Wajib, diwajibkan
sufficient	;	Cukup
shave	;	Bercukur
To touch	;	Menyentuh, memegang
dissolve	;	Larut, hilang, lenyap
sound	;	Bunyi, suara
To oppose	:	Menentang
barrier	:	Perbedaan, penghalang

PILGIMAGE (1)

Pilgrimage to mecca is one of the five pillars of Islam. It is obligatory for every able muslim to visit Mecca once in his lifetime for pilgrimage because the Holly Qur’an says: “Pilgimage is a duty man owes to Got. Those who can offer journey…”The prophet also said: “Islam is built upon five pillars. First there is no other God but Allah and Muhammad is His messenger. Second ,to observet the five daily prayers. Third to give zakat, the divine tax. Fourth to fast during the month of Ramadan, and fifth to perform the pilgrimage to the holly House of God in Mecca for those who are able to offer the journey.

Hajj in Islam means visiting the sacred Mosque in Mecca during certain dates in muslim year, which are called :” the month of Hajj.” These months are Shawwal, Zul-Qo’dah and Zul-Hijja. The pilgimage  to Mecca can only be accepted at these times and the condition of performing  Hajj cannot be accepted before these months, for the holy Quran says: “ The Hajj is performed in certain  months.

VOCABULARY :

To owe	:	Berhutang, memberikan
sacred	;	Suci keramat
To dispense with	;	Meninggalkan, melepaskan,mematuhi
rite	;	Tata cara keagamaan
condition	;	Sarat, keadaan
To descend	;	Turun, menuruni

DIVINE TAX

Zakat is one of the five pillars of islam, its aim is to meet the social needs of the muslim society and to improve the economic position  in Islam.The word Zakat means purification, blessing and increasing, It is a kind of protection of the wealth of those who are rich . When a muslim  pays his zakat he is protecting his money unexpected disaster , for the prophet said, “ Protect your property by giving zakat and help your relatives to recover from their illness by giving charity.”Zakat is an obligatory payment, like a tax, and the English translation  is poor dues. It could be called  a devine tax, for it has been prescribed by God in the Holly Qur’an says in many places,”keep up regular prayer and give zakat “ and one of the saying of the  prophet when Muaz was sent to Yemen was,” You will come to folk who are people of the book, so invite them to testify that there is no God but Allah and that Muhammad is God “s messenger. If they obey that, tell them  that God has made it to obligatory for them to pray five times every twenty four hours.If they obey that, tell them that God has made it obligatory for them for sadaqa to be taken from the rich and handed over to the poor. If they obey that ,do not take the best part of their property and have regard to the claim  of him who is wronged,,for there is no veil between it and God.

VOCABULARY :

Wealth	:	Kekayaan.
charity	;	Derma,kemurahan hati
To testify	;	Memberikan kesaksian
veil	;	Tabir, tutup, kerudung
obscene	;	Cabul
obligatory	;	Wajib

FASTING IN ISLAM

Fasting during Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam. This is because the prophet (peace be upon him ) said Islam is upheld by five pillars: first, to bear witness that there is no other Got but Allah and that Muhammad is his messenger. The second is to pray regularly. Third, to pay zakat to the poor. Fourth, to fast during the month of Ramadan. Fifth ,to visit the house of Got in Macca once in a lifetime, for those who are able to make the journey.

Fasting can be defined as abstaining from eating, drinking, smoking and having sexual intercourse from dawn to sunset. Fasting for the month of Ramadan was prescribed during the second year of the Hijra.Fasting was an ancient form of worship prescribed by God from the beginning of time. The aim of ordering people to fast is that they should learn how to be patient, to have good morals, to purify their hhearts,to ennoble their character and to be gentle in dealing with people. One should feel the sufferings of hunger and thirst in order to be quick to help those who are suffering when seeing them. One must always learn to fear of God and His mercy.

VOCABULARY :

To up hold	:	Menegakkan/membuat tegak.
Witness	;	Kesaksian, saksi.
To prescribe	;	Menentukan;membuat resep
restraint	;	Mengendalikan,mengekang
Desire	;	Keinginan,hawa nafsu
To bear	;	Melahirkan, memikul, menahan
To purify	;	Memurnikan,mensucikan

THE DAY OF PEACE

WHEN THE PROPHET WAS THIRTY –FIVE YEARS OLD THE PEOPLE OF MECCA WANTED TO REBUILD THE KA’BAH,BECAUSE IT HAD BEEN DAMAGED BY THE FLOOD WHICH COVERED THE VALLEY OF MECCA AT THAT TIME.THE TRIBES OF MECCA COOPERATED WITH EACH OTHER TO REBUILD THE KA’BAH, BECAUSE IT WAS AN HONOUR FOR THEM AND ALL THE ARAB TRIBS.ALL THE ARAB TRIBS RESPECTED THOSE OF MECCA AND REGARDED THEM AS PEOPLE WHO LOOKED AFTER HOUSE OF GOD.

WHEN THEY STARTED BUILDING THEY CAME TO THE PLACE  WHERE THEY HAD TO REPLACE AL-HAJAR AL-ASWAD, THE BLACK STONE. FROM THIS MOMENT THE ARGUMENT STARTED.WHO WOULD HAVE THE HONOUR OF PUTTING THE STONE IN ITS PLACE? EACH TRIBE WANTED TO HAVE THIS HONOUR . THEY STARTED ARGUING AND THIS ALMOST LED TO A FIGHT.SOME OF THEM CALLED FOR A FIGHT, AND A BLOOD BATH THREATENED MECCA.

VOCABULARY :

FLOOD	:	BANJIR.
TRIBE	;	SUKU BANGSA.
TO REGARD	;	MENGANGGAP,MENGHORMATI
ARGUMENT	;	PERCEKCOKAN,PERBEDAAN PENDAPAT
BLOOD BATH	;	PERTUMPAHAN DARAH
JUDGEMENT	;	KEPUTUSAN,PENDAPAT
THREAT	;	ANCAMAN