SPIRIT OF ISLAM FEBRUARY 2018

16 Spirit of Islam Issue 62 February 2018 SADAQAH (Charity) is the duty of acceding to others the right to share in one’s wealth. It makes one aware that if one’s own needs require the expenditure of money for their satisfaction, so also do the needs of others. One is never then oblivious to the needs of others. SAWM (Fasting) must be practiced for the sake of God. By fasting, man contrasts his own helplessness with God’s omnipotence and thanks God for the food and drink which He has bestowed upon him. IHSAN (Chastity): It is important as it keeps one pure and guards one against shameful behaviour. The sense of shame which God has given man acts as a natural deterrent against permissiveness. DHIKR (Remembrance of God): Truly virtuous men and women must remember God at all times. Another chapter in the Quranmentions threemore qualities of believing men and women. These are penitence, devoutness and obedience. TAWBAH means feeling penitent about having committed a wrong and then turning away from it. This is a very special attribute of believing men and women. IBADAH (Worship): Believing men and women worship only God. SIYAHAH (Travelling) implies the virtues of undertaking journeys for God’s cause. Travelling for the cause of God includes taking such action for the sake of God as necessitate moving about from one place to another. Examples of such travel are covering long distances in order to acquire knowledge of religion; visiting scenes of natural beauty or places of historical interest which have some lesson for mankind; and, especially undertaking journeys in order to convey God’s message to His creatures. The Quran by laying out the qualities which both men and women should posses has brought out the point of equality of the genders in the highest area of life. The other differences are merely of different roles in worldly life based on the biological and physiological differences which are in the very nature of men and women. o