Muslim funerals are on what day. National funeral rites and customs of Muslim peoples, condemned by Sharia

Let us present some customs and traditions associated with funeral rites and practiced by Muslim peoples, but condemned by Sharia.

1. Holding meetings to mark 40 days after the death of a person.

When conducting funeral ceremonies, one cannot imitate the traditions of non-Muslims. Mourning in Islam, according to the hadith of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), is observed for 3 days.

Holding pious meetings to read Mawlid for the soul of the deceased, remembrance of the Almighty (dhikr), prayers, etc. is a permitted and encouraged action in Sharia. In particular, if you spend them on highly respected days and months, you can receive greater rewards for this. However, the intention to mark the 7th, 40th, 52nd or any other day and year after the burial of a person, as is customary among many Muslim nations, is neither sunnah (an act recommended by religion) nor farz (mandatory requirement of religion) . Carrying out this tradition precisely with this intention is condemned by Shariah.

If the time of holding a pious Majlis coincided with these days (for example, the 40th day), then the person organizing this meeting should in no way have the intention of doing this, exalting and celebrating this particular (40th) day.

Especially not in accordance with Sharia, as is currently customary in some villages, are the meetings, the so-called fortieth day (40th day), to which all relatives are invited from cities and villages, and which, accordingly, require excessive expenses. They say that in some villages, celebrating this day, they even drink vodka.

May the Almighty protect us from such majlises!

If the funds that the relatives of the deceased spend on this day on refreshments and travel, they distributed to the poor and needy, or donated them for running water, building roads, bridges, for improving mosques and madrassas, then both the deceased and the living would receive from this is a thousand times more useful.

2. Observance of mourning by women after the death of a relative for more than 3 days.

There are many women who wear black mourning clothes even for several years. According to Sharia, a woman, even if her father, brother, son has died, is prohibited (haram) from mourning for more than three days, except in cases where her husband has died or she has finally divorced him. According to Sharia, such a woman is obliged to mourn for four months and ten days.

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: “A woman who believes in Allah and the Day of Judgment is not allowed to mourn for more than three days. If her husband died, then she should remain in mourning for 4 months and 10 days.” This saying was conveyed by Imams al-Bukhari and Muslim.

Dear sisters in faith! It will be better for you if you follow the path indicated by the Prophet (PBUH) and distance yourself from the path of Satan.

3. Growing a beard by the relatives and friends of the deceased.

Growing a beard is the sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), but Shariah does not encourage its letting go, since it is associated specifically with the death of a person. It is written in the Sharia books that we should not do anything in addition to what we observed before the death of someone, i.e., expressing sadness and other separate customs performed so that the people see it.

4. Sending women unaccompanied by close male relatives (son, husband, father, etc.) to other villages and cities to express condolences to loved ones, acquaintances, and relatives of the deceased.

Islam prohibits women from traveling unless accompanied by a mahram.

5. Spending the property of a person, after whose death there were children (orphans) who had not yet reached the age of majority, as alms and for other desirable acts.

Children whose father has died are considered orphans (the Arabic word for “orphan” is “yatim”) until they reach puberty. The inheritance that is left to them after the death of their father is their property and is spent at the discretion of the trustee exclusively for the maintenance of these children (the trustee is appointed by the father of the children or a judge (qadi)). All money is given to children in full when they reach adulthood. Therefore, in particular when holding a funeral, it is prohibited to spend orphans’ money to treat guests. However, the mother of the children and the adult children may spend their share of the property after its division for such desirable purposes.

It is said in the Holy Quran:

Meaning: “Give the orphans their property and do not exchange your bad for the orphan’s good. Do not use the property of orphans in addition to yours in addition to yours, for truly this is a great sin."(Surah An-Nisa, verse 2).

Another verse says:

meaning: “Truly, whoever feeds on the money of orphans without right feeds fire in his stomach and will burn in hellfire.”(Surah An-Nisa, verse 10).

If the deceased bequeathed, according to religion, no more than 1/3 of the entire inheritance and if these expenses for desirable acts are made from this part of the property, then this is a different matter. From the property of a person who died, leaving minor children and without making a will, it is allowed to make expenses only for his funeral and for repayment of his debts to the Almighty and people, and to spend it on desirable (sunnah) purposes, such as alms, etc. ., is forbidden (haram).

If all the heirs, without exception, are already adults and give their consent, then from the property remaining after the death of a person it is allowed to make expenses for good desirable purposes, such as alms, etc.

6. Without paying off the debts remaining on the deceased, whether they are associated with the Almighty or people, following the customs of others, distributing his remaining property for desirable (sunnah) deeds (alms, etc.).

The distribution of the inheritance of the deceased and the sale of at least part of it are invalid until the wills of the deceased are executed, debts are distributed and the cost of Hajj and Umrah, if he was obliged to perform them, as well as the costs of the shroud and burial are allocated. If there is not enough money to do all of the above, something from the inheritance is sold.

If the deceased remains unreimbursed for prayer and fasting, unfulfilled Hajj (if possible), unpaid zakat or debts, then while at least part of the above remains unfulfilled, it is impossible to spend funds from the inheritance for desired purposes. Therefore, his executor and heirs must first of all pay attention to compensation for these acts. If they themselves do not know how this is done, then let them go to theologians who are well versed in these issues. Then, having set aside funds from his inheritance that are sufficient to repay these debts, the funds specified in his will are allocated from the remaining part, i.e., no more than 1/3 of the part.

The will is carried out on the condition that the deceased bequeathed to distribute, according to religion, no more than 1/3 of the entire inheritance. The remaining 2/3 of the inheritance is distributed among those who have the right to receive their share from this inheritance, which is indicated in Sharia (in the books of inheritance (miras)).

However, until the debts of the deceased are repaid, even bequeathed funds cannot be used for appropriate purposes (for the execution of his will).

Some people make a will that, after their death, some of their property be given to one of their heirs. This cannot be done (if the other heirs do not agree with this), because the hadith says that the will is not intended for the heirs. For the heirs, there is a portion of the property of the deceased determined by the Koran itself and the hadiths.

The part of the property remaining after these procedures is the property of the heirs, and therefore it must be distributed accordingly, or if all the heirs are adults and mentally competent, then each of them from his share, if possible, can direct funds to perform good, recommended deeds for the soul of the deceased. If among the heirs there are those who have not yet reached the age of majority or are mentally disabled, then nothing from their share of the property should be allocated for desirable acts.

7. Decorating the grave with marble or other expensive stones, spending a lot of money on this, and installing a luxurious marble slab over the grave. It is especially condemnable when a portrait or photograph of the deceased is drawn or attached to a gravestone.

From the funds spent on decorating the graves in this way, there is no benefit either for the deceased or for the living, except in the case of funds spent on the improvement of the graves of holy people, sheikhs, and theologians, for which good reward is provided, for this is their revival expensive shrines (ziyarat).

This is what Imam an-Nawawi writes.

8. Lamentation, sobbing and loud crying at the death of a relative or loved one.

In our republic (in Dagestan), in some villages even men cry loudly. In Sharia, shedding tears out of mercy for the deceased and silently crying for him is not condemned, but if crying, screaming and sobbing is heard even outside the house, then this is forbidden.

9. Inviting women to the funeral specifically to mourn the deceased.

Paying such mourners, feeding them and consuming the money they received for mourning is prohibited under Shariah. We previously mentioned hadiths that talk about the punishment intended for such mourners.

10. The majority of people who came to the gathering to express condolences spend time talking about property, about worldly things, blaspheming and slandering others in such a way that these actions only harm themselves and the deceased, but do not benefit either them or him. .

It is necessary to benefit from such meetings by turning them into pious majlises, praying and reading something from the Koran for the soul of the deceased, telling those present about the basics of religion, where those who know can pass on their knowledge to others. If you do this, then, truly, the benefit from this is great both for the deceased and for those gathered for condolences. One should also take into account the fact that in such places (at condolences) people listen especially carefully to the sermons and heed them.

11. Having seen how one spends a lot on desirable actions, and taking an example from him, claiming that he is no worse, the desire of everyone (both poor and rich) to find means to make the same large expenses on recommended actions, i.e. .not for the sake of the Almighty, but for show.

Voluntary donations are made by each person based on his capabilities. Doing something good, following the traditions and customs of people, does not bring any benefit in the next world, for the Almighty does not accept the act of a slave if his intention is insincere.

Having followed these traditions, performing them for show, for the sake of worldly goals, how many people find themselves in great debt and a hopeless situation?! Isn’t it better to make voluntary expenses based on your own capabilities than, being afraid of conversations, to follow customs that cause harm both in this world and in the eternal world?! There is no need to be afraid of gossip, let them talk. After all, they will not harm you in any way, on the contrary, they will benefit you, for their good deeds of gossip will be erased from their books of deeds and transferred to your book of deeds.

In some localities, a tradition has emerged of distributing a kilogram of sugar, rice or a certain portion of meat to each family as alms, although in reality there are no such opportunities. And in other villages, in addition to distributing meat per capita, they also distribute it outside the village, in neighboring villages. Rather than spending 100,000 rubles, following such traditions, it is better and more honorable to spend 100 rubles in favor of the poor and needy, to give to madrassas, to students of religious educational institutions, to publish and distribute religious literature and for other similar purposes. Especially if these huge expenses are incurred with the intention of following tradition and customs, then the owners will not receive compensation for such donations.

12. When visiting cemeteries on highly revered days, men and women visit them together.

However, if women go to cemeteries with their close relatives (mahram) in order to visit the graves of relatives and friends, sheikhs, righteous people, theologians, and if they are dressed in accordance with the requirements of Sharia, then there will be nothing reprehensible in this.

It is highly reprehensible for women, especially young women, wearing clothes that reveal their charms, to go to a cemetery.

13. Gathering of women over the body of the deceased to mourn before taking it out of the house.

It is advisable for relatives to look at the deceased. And for strangers who are not mahrams for the deceased, revealing the face of the deceased and standing over him together is prohibited. It is also forbidden for men who are not mahrams to stand over a deceased woman, just as it is forbidden for women who are not mahrams to crowd over a deceased man.

14. After taking the stretcher with the body of the deceased out of the house, stop on the way and read dhikr (remembrance of the Almighty) or on the way to the cemetery, uncover his face and stroke it.

15. Postponing the burial of the deceased after the construction of the grave, washing and wrapping, i.e. after performing all the necessary rituals, until they finish reading the Koran for the soul of the deceased or until some relative arrives from afar.

A hadith narrated by Imams Muslim and al-Bukhari says: “The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) commanded that the deceased be quickly prepared and buried.”

16. They say that in some villages of Dagestan it is customary to drink alcohol while standing near the grave of the deceased under the pretext of remembering the deceased.

This is likening the unbelievers. Alcohol, which is already prohibited by Sharia, cannot be allowed even close to the cemetery.

17. They also say that in some settlements of our republic there is a custom: the mother of the deceased, his sister, wife, that is, close relatives, stand in the middle of the room throughout the whole day in order to meet women who come to condole.

This is an unworthy custom, which can only tire, but is in no way beneficial either for the deceased or for the living. On the contrary, it is necessary to show sympathy and mercy to the relatives and friends of the deceased, and it is they who should not be disturbed these days, they need peace. Therefore, the entire jamaat of such settlements needs to abandon such a custom.

18. People who go to the cemetery to bury the deceased walk over the graves, sit or stand on them, showing carelessness and behaving inappropriately.

The Hadith of the Prophet (PBUH), narrated by Muslim, reads: “It is better for you to sit on hot coals that will burn your clothes and reach your flesh than to sit on a grave.”

If an emergency arises, that is, if there is no other way, then it is not forbidden to walk through the graves.

19. Some do not fence the cemetery around, as a result of which dogs, etc., go there, desecrate the graves, and garbage also gets there.

It is said that the inhabitants of such a settlement will certainly be faced with some kind of misfortune.

The hadith says: “Everything that brings torment, harm and hardship to a living person brings them to the deceased.” Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, it is necessary to keep the cemetery at an appropriate level of cleanliness and take this seriously.

Sheikh of Islam and major imam Davud al-Ashiy sent a letter to the jamaat of one of the villages of Dagestan, in which it is written: “It has come to our attention that your cemetery is abandoned and polluted, that there are cattle there. You are obliged, even after paying the appropriate funds, to ensure that animals do not live there, to clean the cemetery of sewage, based on your capabilities. In these graves lie your fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters and children. Fear Allah in doing anything that may harm them. Causing harm to the deceased is strictly prohibited. Beware of troubles and punishment from the Almighty.

Most misfortunes befall people because they cause torment and harm to the deceased. Stepping on graves or trampling them for people or animals is prohibited by the Koran and hadiths.

In most cases, the reason that plague overtakes people and animals is disrespectful attitude towards the deceased, causing them torment. And Allah accepts the prayers of the deceased, therefore, fear the Almighty, O possessors of intelligence, in order to find happiness. And may Allah’s greetings descend on those who follow the straight path!” (“Fatawi al-Chuhi”, p. 64).

There are many settlements in our republic whose residents do not prevent animals from walking around and trampling the cemetery and desecrating it. They also need to think carefully about the contents of the said letter.

20. Revealing the deficiencies of the deceased.

The hadith of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) says: “Mention only the good deeds of the deceased.”

21. Haymaking at the cemetery.

It is not advisable to mow or chop grass or trees growing on a grave while they are green and wet, and Ibn Hajar writes that this is even forbidden.

As long as such plants or trees are green, they perform praise (tasbih) to the Almighty, angels descend there, and what grows on the grave is the property of the inhabitant of that grave, and therefore you cannot do anything that harms him. However, you can mow or chop them after they dry out. It is also permitted to mow the grass growing between two graves, but not above the grave. This also needs to be paid special attention to those who do this.

22. The belief of the Wahhabis, who prohibit visiting the graves of prophets and holy people for blessings, is incorrect.

Visiting the graves of prophets or holy people for blessings is a good deed (sunnah).

23. The opinion of people who, after the death of a person, turns off the light in a room and does not turn it on for 40 days, is incorrect, believing that the soul of the deceased visits this place. Some people prohibit praying in the house of the deceased, which is also incorrect.

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: “We are allowed to pray on any clean piece of land.” The hadith was reported by Imam Muslim.

Note. Some people, when someone dies, gather many of their relatives, relatives, friends, acquaintances and strangers, but among them there are very few who perform funeral prayers for the deceased.

For the deceased there is no more dear and highly respected gift from us than performing a funeral prayer. A person who is at least a little worried and mourns for the deceased should first of all perform the funeral prayer, and someone who does not yet know how to perform it needs to learn how to do it.

Also, all Muslims in the village go to the grave of the deceased in the morning and in the early evening, but if they hear the call for prayer, few go to the mosque. This also indicates that most people go to condolences and to the grave of the deceased not for the sake of the Almighty, but for the sake of people.

Visiting a cemetery, reading the Koran there, etc. are desirable deeds, but visiting a mosque to perform congregational prayers is a thousand times more important and highly revered action.

May Allah help us to conduct funeral rites as specified in Sharia, so that they benefit both the living and the deceased! Amine.

According to Shariah, adulthood occurs with puberty or, if puberty has not occurred earlier, at age 15 according to the lunar calendar (approximately 14.5 years according to the solar Gregorian calendar).

Based on the book “The Essence of Death and Funeral Rites.” SCUTTION. Makhachkala 2009

14 453

Sharia edition:

Gamet Suleymanov

Nazratulla Abdulkadirov- Graduate of the Faculty of Hadith Studies of the Islamic University of Holy Medina.

Introduction

Today you can often meet religious Muslims who believe that all folk customs and traditions are contrary to Islam and should under no circumstances be followed. On the other hand, one can also meet those Muslims who commit acts prohibited by Islam, appealing to the traditions and customs of their fathers.

However, in reality, both of these approaches are extremes, because Islam takes the golden mean in this matter, as in all other matters.

Islam in no way prohibits people from all their traditions and customs in absolute terms. On the contrary, according to the teachings of Islam, all traditions and customs of people are fundamentally permissible. Traditions and customs become forbidden only when they contradict the instructions in the Qur'an and Sunnah. Sheikh-ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) wrote: “ As for customs and traditions, they are basically permissible. Only those that Allah Almighty has forbidden are prohibited."(Majmu al-Fataawa).

Moreover, Islam commands us to often rely and act in accordance with the customs and traditions of society. In other words, the traditions and customs of a society can have legal force in Sharia. Studying the works of Islamic jurists and hadith scholars, one can sometimes be surprised at how much importance Islamic theologians attached to the customs and traditions of people. Let's look at some examples together.

Five Golden Rules in Islamic Law (Fiqh)

Traditions and customs, in Arabic ‘aadaat(العادات) or ‘urf(العرف), have almost similar definitions in Russian. Sheikhul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah gave the following definition to customs and traditions: “ Customs are all the things that people are used to doing in their daily lives and what they need"(Majmu al-Fataawa).

To understand the significance and importance of traditions and customs in Islam, it is enough to note that one of the five main rules in Islamic jurisprudence is the rule “ the customs of society have legal force" .

In Arabic this rule is: (العادة محكمة) al-'aada muhakkim.

Further, like other types of law, Islamic law is based on two separate scientific disciplines: “theory of law” and “legal rules”. Theory of law, or usul al-fiqh, studies general arguments from the Quran and Sunnah and teaches how to apply them to emerging unsolved problems and problems. In turn, the discipline “legal rules”, or al-qawaaid al-fiqhiyyah, is a kind of collection of rules that Islamic jurists derived by studying in detail all the arguments from the Koran and Sunnah and finding a common characteristic feature and pattern for them. The number of rules in this science is very large, and the purpose of this article is not to familiarize the reader with all the rules. However, important for us is the fact that one of the five basic rules of the science “legal rules” is the rule “ customs and traditions of society have legal force". The remaining four rules are: " actions are judged by intentions", « difficulty leads to relief", « You can’t harm yourself or others.” And " doubt cannot eliminate conviction".

These five rules are called the basic or golden rules for many reasons. Firstly, because these rules include the largest number of frequently recurring issues in Islamic law.

Secondly, these five rules are unanimously accepted rules by all four Sunni legal schools (madhabs). That is, unlike some other rules in the science of "legal rules", Hanafis, Malikis, Shafi'is and Hanbalis unanimously recognize and often appeal to these five golden rules in their legal judgments.

Thirdly, due to the fact that these five rules are the most comprehensive, many other rules of the science of al-qawaaid al-fiqhiyya are derived from these five basic rules. So, for example, the rules " what traditions and customs indicate is similar to what the Quran and Sunnah indicate." , or " the customs of merchants have legal force in their trade transactions." , etc. are rules derived from the basic golden rule."

Thus, the serious attention paid by Islamic jurists to the customs and traditions of people indicates their great importance in the Islamic religion.

Arguments from the Koran and Sunnah and the influence of traditions on issues of Islamic fiqh

There are many evidences from the Qur'an and Sunnah indicating that " customs and traditions of society have legislative force". Let's mention some of them:

For example, Allah Almighty commands men in the Quran to treat their wives well “ Treat your wives well"(Holy Quran, 4:19). The concept " Fine", voiced in the sacred verse, is largely determined by the accepted norms and traditions, which do not contradict the Koran and Sunnah, in a particular country/people in which the couples entered into their marriage. Abdur-Rahman al-Saadi (may Allah have mercy on him) said in his interpretation of this verse:

« The meaning of “treat well” refers to any kind of relationship, be it the manner of communication or the manner of behavior between husband and wife. Good treatment between spouses is determined according to the norms and traditions of the people»

Moreover, there are many commands in the Qur'an and Sunnah to respect and treat well parents, relatives, neighbors, the poor and generally all creation, but the sacred texts do not specify in detail what these good relations should look like. Allah Almighty said in the Quran:

“Worship Allah and do not associate partners with Him. Do good to parents, relatives, orphans, the poor, neighbors from among your relatives and neighbors who are not your relatives, nearby companions, strangers and slaves whom your right hands have taken possession of. Verily, Allah does not love the proud and the boastful."

Holy Quran, 4:36

Sheikh Abdur-Rahman al-Saadi (may Allah have mercy on him) wrote:

« Indeed, Allah has commanded to treat well parents, relatives, neighbors, orphans, the poor and, in general, all creation. Thus, everything that people consider to be a good attitude is a specification of what the Sharia orders, for Allah ordered a good attitude in general (namely, the generally accepted traditions and customs of a particular people/region specify this order)»

"Kawaaid al-Usul al-Jaamia"

Sheikh Ibn Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him), commenting on the above words of Abdur-Rahman al-Saadi, said:

« Allah has commanded us to maintain kinship ties, but what exactly is “maintaining kinship ties”? In fact, Allah has not clarified this concept and therefore one must refer to the customs and traditions of the society. For example, we should not say: “To be considered to be maintaining family ties, you must visit them every day, or every week, or every month.” No! We should say: “whatever, in accordance with the accepted norms, customs and traditions of society, is considered to be the maintenance of kinship ties, then this is the maintenance of kinship ties required by Islam.”

The same can be said about the concept of “good attitude”. The definition of this concept also varies. You can give one dirham to a poor person and it will be considered good treatment. But if you give one dirham to a rich and authoritative person, then this will be considered, on the contrary, a bad act. Thus, the same act can be regarded as a good attitude and as a bad one, depending on the situation. To determine the boundaries of this, one should turn to the established norms and traditions of society.»

"Sharh Qawaa'id al-Usul al-Jaamia", pp. 82-83

The role of customs and traditions in the science of hadith

In the previous chapter, we learned the important role that following customs and traditions plays in Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh), and therefore in the daily life of a Muslim. Now we will learn about the importance of following customs and traditions in another great Islamic science - the science of Hadith. The science of hadith, or Ilm al-mustalah al-hadith, is a great science because It is through this science that hadith scholars determine and prove the authenticity of a particular hadith.

However, what is interesting for us is that, in accordance with the established rules of this science, if the transmitter of a hadith does not follow established customs and violates the norms of decency of the society among which he lives, then he ceases to be considered a fair transmitter, and the hadith that he transmits is not can be considered reliable!

Thus, there are five basic conditions for an authentic hadith:

1) Hadith should only be transmitted by fair and trustworthy narrators;

2) Hadith transmitters must have a good memory;

3) The chain of transmitters must not be interrupted;

4) The meaning of a hadith should not contradict the meaning of another, more reliable hadith;

5) The hadith should not have hidden flaws.

We are only interested in the very first condition, namely, how is the fairness and trustworthiness of a particular transmitter determined? Hadith scholars have ruled that it must combine two main qualities: 1) fear of God and 2) decency. Piety means that he must perform obligatory acts (such as prayer, paying zakat, fasting in Ramadan, obedience to parents, etc.) and must also avoid major sins (such as drinking alcohol, adultery, lying, etc. .d.).

As for the concept of decency, a decent person, as defined by hadith scholars, is one whose actions and behavior are considered decent and decent in the society in which he lives. In other words, a decent person is one who lives in accordance with the customs, norms and traditions of his society and does not violate them. Today we often call it by various names: “culture”, “etiquette”, “good manners”, “good manners”, “standards of decency”, etc.

Sheikh Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him), explaining the concept of decency, said:

« Decency is behaving in such a way that people like it and speak well of that person. Decency also means avoiding behavior that is inappropriate for people. In other words, if a person commits any act in front of his society that is contrary to the general norms of human behavior, and they consider this act to be in bad taste, because Such behavior is characteristic exclusively of shameless and ill-mannered people, then we will say about such a person that he is not considered a fair and trustworthy transmitter of hadith. This is because he acted contrary to the customs of the people, and thereby his integrity as a transmitter of hadith was violated.

Let's give an example in our time. If in our country (Saudi Arabia) any man goes out during the day with a plate of food, and goes shopping, eating in front of people, then such a person will lose his decency (decency) in the eyes of people. Such a person will become an object of ridicule and criticism for everyone.»

Sharh al-Baykuniyya

However, again, all this is provided that the norms dictated by this or that society are not prohibited from the point of view of the Holy Quran and the most pure Sunnah.

Important advice for practicing Muslims

A practicing Muslim who seeks to encourage others to adhere to Islam must adhere to three main positions in relation to the customs and traditions of his people/society:

1) If any customs and traditions of his people are in accordance with the teachings and spirit of Islam (such as hospitality, modesty, respect for elders, honoring parents, etc.), then he should encourage and praise them for this. He must bind and remind them that these customs and traditions are, one way or another, a manifestation of their religiosity and devotion to Islam. This, in turn, should strengthen their religious spirit and desire to comply with the laws of Islam. Further, through these good customs and traditions, indicating that Islam is not an alien religion to them, he should encourage them to observe other Islamic injunctions.

2) If he sees that certain customs and traditions of his people are contrary to Islam (such as drinking alcohol, gambling, etc.), then in this case he should best urge his people to abandon these acts condemned by Islam. It is important that he use wisdom, gentleness and consistency in calling for the abandonment of the blameworthy. Of course, he himself should not participate in these forbidden acts, but he should also always take into account the balance of benefit and harm and “not cut from the shoulder at once” in prohibitions against other people who commit condemnable actions. After all, one must always take into account their position, level of religious literacy, readiness to accept and rethink this or that information. There is no doubt that in the religion of Islam absolutely everything is important, but there will always be more important and less important. We should always start with the more important and move on to the less important, taking into account all of the above aspects as much as possible.

3) If any customs and traditions of his people do not contradict Islam, but at the same time Islam does not call for their observance, then in this case he should try as much as possible to follow the customs and traditions of his people so as not to be alien to his fellow countrymen and earn their love and respect. If he succeeds in doing this, and his people accept him as one of their own and not a stranger, then, as a result, it will become much easier for him to call his people to the great and true religion of Islam. Also, in no case should he ridicule and condemn this type of customs, for this will only alienate people from him, and, therefore, they will never again want to listen to or accept any instructions and edifications from him, and in this, in the end, there will be great harm for himself and for the people he instructs.

We ask Allah Almighty for good for all Muslims and guidance in His religion.

Prepared: Ramin Mutallim
Proofreading:

Let us mention some basic conditions for the validity of recognizing a particular custom as having legal force in Islamic fiqh:

1) The custom must be widespread in its region (city, region, etc.). That is, in order for a custom to have canonical force in Islam, and its ruling to apply to all residents of a given region, it should not be individual in nature or limited to one family, etc.

2) The custom must be relevant today.

3) The custom should not be prohibited from the point of view of the canons of Islam. In other words, for a custom to have legitimacy in Islamic law, it must not go against the principles of the Holy Quran and the most pure Sunnah. For example, the widespread custom of drinking alcohol in many nations and regions cannot have legal force in Islam, because alcohol itself is prohibited by Islamic law. In turn, the changing customs of people cannot in any way surpass the comprehensive laws of the Almighty Creator, Who created all things and knows better about each of His creations. After all, He who created knows more than the one who was created.

From the book of Professor Abdul-Aziz Al-‘Uwaid “Sharh manzuuma al-qawaid al-fiqhiyyah.”

Marriage traditions in Islam have remained unchanged for many centuries. The Koran, the holy book of Muslims, says that creating a family is one of the main commandments of the Almighty. To this day, boys and girls treat with trepidation the most important marriage ritual - the wedding ceremony.

The traditional wedding ceremony among Muslims is called “nikah”. In accordance with religious traditions, all believers, when concluding a family union, go through this ceremony, otherwise the marriage will be considered invalid. This means that living together between spouses without nikah is, from an Islamic point of view, illegal, and children will be born in sin.

In modern society, the fact of performing nikah is confirmed by a document that has no legal force. Despite this, Muslims continue to sacredly honor and observe the customs of their ancestors.

Nikah is a ritual prescribed by Sharia (a set of rules concerning the life of Muslims, based on observance of the Koran). It symbolizes the sacred marriage between a man and a woman. Its essence is not only in acquiring the right to legal family relationships, living together, living and having children, but also in taking mutual obligations.

They are seriously preparing for nikah. First of all, the newlyweds inform their parents of their intention to get married in order to receive their blessing. Long before the wedding ceremony, future spouses discuss the most important moments of their life together and their expectations from each other. Thus, a girl can warn her future husband that she intends to get an education, and only after that consider having children.

Muslims are confident that all important issues, even the most intimate ones, should be discussed before marriage to get rid of unpleasant surprises in the future. Modern youth do not consider it immodest to come to their nikah with a marriage contract in their hands, which is read out during the ceremony in front of witnesses, in the presence of a clergyman.

Conditions for Nikah

In Islam, there are clear regulations on the rules and conditions for entering into a religious marriage:

• nikah is concluded solely by mutual consent of a man and a woman;
• future spouses must reach marriageable age;
• it is unacceptable for them to be closely related;
• At the ceremony, the presence of a man from among the bride’s closest relatives is required, acting as a guardian: father, brother or uncle. When this is not possible, other adult Muslim men are invited;
• the ceremony always takes place in the presence of male witnesses from each of the future spouses;
• The groom must certainly pay mahr (money as a wedding gift) to the bride. The amount depends on her wishes. Modern Muslims often replace money with expensive jewelry, valuable property or real estate.

Interesting! According to Islamic tradition, the mahr should not be excessive or too small.

The conditions for concluding a nikah are in many ways similar to those that are customarily observed during secular marriage registration. This means that they have stood the test of time and have repeatedly confirmed their worth.

Ideal wife for a Muslim

Muslim men are extremely responsible when choosing their future wife. For them it is important that the girl:

• was healthy and pious;
• received a highly moral education;
• well versed in issues of the Islamic religion.

It is desirable that she is also beautiful and rich. However, the faithful respect the Prophet’s warnings that it is wrong to make a woman’s external attractiveness and her level of income the main criteria. The Prophet warned that external beauty could in the future have a detrimental effect on spiritual qualities, and wealth could cause disobedience.

The criteria for choosing a future wife are based on the goals of starting a family, because marriage is concluded for:

• creating a harmonious union of loving people;
• birth and proper upbringing of children.

From this point of view, the parameters that Muslim men use when choosing a life partner look quite logical.

Henna night

An Islamic woman has the right to marry more than once, but the night of henna occurs only once, 1-2 days before the first nikah. It symbolizes the girl’s separation from her father’s house and unmarried friends, and also means the beginning of a new life in the status of a wife, a married lady. Essentially, “henna night” is a bachelorette party.

According to tradition, the gathered women sing sad songs, and the bride cries. It is generally accepted that the more tears shed that night, the more successful and happier the upcoming marriage will be. In former times, marriage really gave reason for crying, because the young woman was separated from her family for a long time (sometimes forever). She was worried about moving to her fiancé's family, whom she might not even know.

A lot has changed now. The brides are no longer sad, but openly rejoice, singing and dancing. Often, “henna night” takes place in a restaurant with cheerful music for the bride and her bridesmaids.

The traditional Muslim ritual opens with the “lighting of henna.” The groom's mother brings in a beautiful tray with henna and burning candles. This symbolizes the ardent mutual love of the future newlyweds. The bride's friends and relatives are present at the event - dressed up, with beautiful hairstyles. The hero of the occasion, as expected, is dressed in a luxurious red dress, and her head is covered with an elegant red veil. Guests sing songs and dance.

The future mother-in-law places a gold coin in the palm of her son's bride and holds it tightly. At this moment the girl must make a wish. The hand is painted with henna and a special red bag is placed on it.


Then all the women present are decorated with patterns from the henna mixture. An ornate design is usually applied to the hands. It is believed that this contributes to a happy marriage and long family life. Unmarried young girls prefer a small ornament, often applying paint only to the tips of their fingers - this is how they emphasize their modesty and innocence. Older women and those who already have a family richly paint their palms, hands, and sometimes feet.

The nikah ceremony can take place in any language. The main thing is that the bride, groom and witnesses understand the meaning of what was said and what is happening.

At the beginning of the ceremony, the mullah reads a sermon:

• about the meaning of marriage and the mutual responsibility of spouses to each other;
• about the importance of decent upbringing of offspring.

Traditionally, during the ceremony, a relative of the bride asks her consent to marry. At the same time, the bride’s silence does not mean that she objects. Spiritual traditions allow that, being a virgin, the future wife may simply be embarrassed to express her “yes” out loud.


If a woman does not want to get married, no one has the right to force her to do so. This applies to both relatives and the groom himself or representatives of the clergy. Forcing marriage is considered a great sin in Islam. When the bride and groom express mutual consent, the imam or mullah announces that the marriage has been concluded. After this, excerpts from the Koran are read and prayers are offered for the happiness and well-being of the young family.

Important! In accordance with spiritual tradition, it is recommended to end the nikah with a celebration, to which many guests are invited and abundant food is served.

For Muslims, weddings are not just a beautiful custom. In accordance with the wills of the Prophet, men who have the opportunity and desire to marry must do so. The concept of “opportunity” includes:

• normal physical and mental health;
• awareness of moral responsibility for the family and willingness to accept it;
• the required level of material security;
• literacy in matters of religion.

Muslims, not without reason, believe that compliance with these rules is an indispensable condition for happiness and harmony in marriage.

Nikah with a Christian woman

Islam does not prohibit Muslim men from marrying Christian and Jewish women. At the same time, a woman is not obliged to change her faith, and forcing her to do so is considered a sin. However, it is advisable for family members to adhere to the same religion in the future. This will allow you to avoid many disagreements when living together, including in matters of raising children.

Nikah with a girl of a different faith is carried out in compliance with all traditions, but at the same time there is a number of features:

• witnesses on the part of the bride must be Muslims, since the presence of representatives of other religions during the ceremony is unacceptable;
• the girl must be dressed in accordance with Islamic rules;
• When performing nikah, the bride says a special prayer - shahada - and receives a second (Muslim) name.

Interesting! Islamic women are only allowed to marry Muslims. They can start a family with representatives of other faiths only if the future husband converts to Islam.

Ceremony in the mosque

It is advisable to schedule the wedding ceremony for Friday evening. Typically, Muslims perform nikah a few days before the secular marriage registration procedure.

Fees

It all starts with the fact that each of the future spouses, while still at home, completely washes their body and puts on formal attire. At the same time, it is long, closed and not tight-fitting, and the headdress (veil or scarf) completely covers the hair. For this reason, Muslim brides are spared the need to spend long hours at the hairdresser on the eve of the ceremony.

As for the groom's suit, modern men do not attach special importance to it, often choosing the usual “two-piece”. Recently, there has been a tendency to order a special frock coat, which is paired with classic trousers and shoes.

A prayer is offered in the parental home, the newlyweds ask and receive the blessings of their father and mother, after which the bride and groom, each accompanied by their parents, go to the ceremony. Traditionally, the nikah ceremony takes place in a mosque, but it is not forbidden to get married at home, where a representative of the clergy is specially invited.

Ceremony

The ceremony begins with a sermon given by a mullah or imam.


Further:

• prayers follow for the happiness and well-being of the new family;
• the mahr is voiced, which the girl often receives right there;
• the groom prays for the good of his future wife and her protection from evil forces.

Having received mutual consent from the newlyweds, the mullah announces the marriage, after which the spouses exchange wedding rings. At the end of the ceremony they are given a special certificate.

Rings

Important! According to Sharia rules, Muslim wedding rings must be only silver, without precious stones. For men, this condition is still mandatory today, but women are allowed gold.

Jewelry companies offer a variety of wedding rings for nikah, the main decoration of which are words and phrases praising Allah. They can be inscribed on both the internal and external surfaces of the decoration. Small, “modest” diamonds are increasingly sparkling on women’s rings.

Banquet in Muslim style

After the wedding ceremony, the newlyweds and their guests go to a gala dinner. Wedding tables are set abundantly and variedly. To create a special atmosphere of celebration, musicians are invited to the event. People are having fun and dancing.

It is allowed to invite friends and relatives to the wedding banquet, regardless of religion. Before the start of the feast, guests present gifts to the newlyweds. Most gifts given are money, special gold coins and expensive jewelry.

According to Muslim tradition, there should be no alcohol or pork on the table. But sweets, fruits, juices and popular carbonated drinks are welcome. At the end of the festive dinner, the newly made husband and wife leave for home.

Useful video

Regardless of religion, it is a sacred rite that gives a husband and wife a church blessing for a happy family life and the birth of children. About how Muslim weddings take place in the video:

Conclusion

Muslims revere their customs. The modern ritual of nikah may differ between Turks and Arabs, Circassians and Tajiks, and representatives of other peoples and nationalities. But what remains unchanged is that this ceremony is considered perhaps the most important in the life of every Muslim, because it gives the beginning of a new and happy family life.

Islamic holidays and rituals

Holidays

In Islam, as in other religions, there are many holidays that are an important part of the Muslim cult. In Arabic, "holiday" is called "id" ("return at a certain time"). Holidays are celebrated joyfully and solemnly. On holidays, every Muslim is given the opportunity to give thanks and praise to the Lord for His mercies, for special grace, for providing the opportunity to appreciate and rejoice in all the blessings of God, to unite all Muslims to support in them a sublime sense of belonging to the Muslim community - the ummah, for the opportunity for life renewal , reconciliation, restoration of broken ties with relatives, completion of deferred matters, etc.

During the Eid holiday, Muslims remember loved ones, as well as all the faithful of the ummah - acquaintances and strangers, relatives and strangers, poor and rich. In addition, on holidays the dead are remembered and prayed for.

There are two religious holidays in the Islamic calendar:

Eid al-Fitr- the holiday of breaking the fast (Small holiday), which is celebrated at the end of fasting and

Eid al-Adha, festival of sacrifices. This holiday is called the Great Holiday and is celebrated during the Hajj. All holidays in Islam are celebrated according to the lunar calendar. This calendar dates back to July 15, 622, when the Prophet moved from Mecca to Medina. The Muslim calendar begins with the year of the Hijri. The Muslim lunar year is eleven days shorter than the solar year and is divided into 12 months. Almost every third year is considered a leap year, so Muslim holidays are not timed to a specific date and come 11 days earlier every year. The month of Hijri is the period between two new moons.

The names of the months are preserved in Arabic: Muharram, Safar, Rabia Awwal, Rabi Sani, Jumada Awwal, Jumada Sani, Rajab, Sha'ban, Ramadan, Shawwal, Dhul Qaada, Dhul Hijjah . The months of Safar, Rabi Sani, Jumada Awwal, Jumada Sani and Dhul Qada are not marked by any memorable events. Six months of the Islamic calendar have 30 days, and the remaining six months have 29 days. Accordingly, the dates move relative to the solar calendar and a full circle is completed in 32 solar or 33 lunar years, since there are 354 years in a lunar year.

The first month of the Islamic calendar declared by Caliph Omar is Muharram. New Year's celebration installed in memory of the Hijra - the migration of the Prophet from Mecca to Medina. The holiday is celebrated after the new moon appears in the sky.

On New Year's Day, which is celebrated on the first of Muharram, Muslims are obliged to make important decisions in their lives, leave failures and sins in the past and enter a clean, bright future.

An important date for Shia Muslims this month is the tenth day. On this day of 61 AH in Karbala, the brave and courageous grandson of the Prophet Hussein died in an unequal battle against the troops of Caliph Yazid, accepting martyrdom. Shiites wear mourning clothes and during the first ten days of the month of Muharram they commemorate Hussein, who was a Shiite imam. On the tenth day, solemn processions and mourning are held, sermons are read, and scenes of the martyrdom of the imam are played out.

Despite the fact that Eid al-Fitr is called the Lesser Holiday, many people like it more than Eid al-Adha, perhaps for the reason that with its advent the long fast of Ramadan ended. This holiday is also called the “Feast of Sweets”. It is called “small” because it lasts three days, while Eid al-Adha lasts four days.

They prepare for the holiday carefully and long before it, since there are usually a lot of guests and everyone needs to be fed tasty and plentifully. Muslims paint their houses, buy new curtains and bedspreads for furniture, decorate their houses with garlands and ribbons, do everything to make it feel festive and make everyone happy. Of course, the holiday is not complete without gifts, congratulations, cards with images of famous mosques and a greeting message.

On the eve of the holiday, holiday donations (zakat al-filter) are collected for the poor and needy so that they can buy themselves new clothes and celebrate the holiday with dignity. Many believers send money to their relatives and provide assistance to loved ones and acquaintances.

Eid holiday coincides with the new moon. If it falls on the evening of the 29th, then this night is considered the first day of the new month; otherwise, in order to avoid misunderstandings, the start of the holiday is postponed by one day.

The end of the fast is announced on television and radio, calls to prayer proclaimed in mosques, drumming, gunfire, general fun and rejoicing begin everywhere, people take to the streets and wish each other a happy celebration - Eid Mubarrak. Traditionally, fasting is broken with something simple - dates, juice or milk. Most people love the drink “moon of faith” (“kamaruddin”), which is prepared by soaking dates and apricots for 24 hours. The modest meal ends with the Maghrib prayer.

During the Eid holidays in Muslim countries, people do not work or study for three days. Muslims pay holiday visits to relatives and friends, and give children pocket money and many gifts.

The main celebration begins at noon with a large celebratory lunch - the first lunch of the day for the past month. In the afternoon, Muslims usually remember the dead and visit cemeteries. Then again the Muslims party until late at night.

The main holiday is Eid al Adha celebrated after the Hajj. The holiday lasts four days. The holiday was established in memory of the obedience of the prophet Ibrahim, who sacrificed his son to overcome the devil's temptations. Eid holiday Al-Adha is celebrated by all believers, not just those who have made the pilgrimage. All those who perform the Hajj are remembered with kind words and prayed for. In Muslim countries, the Hajj is broadcast on television. During the holiday, Muslims are required to show exceptional humility and reaffirm their devotion to God. All their thoughts at this time are focused on the idea of ​​self-sacrifice and sacrifice. This idea is expressed in the ritual of slaughtering a sacrificial animal. Performing the ritual does not pose any difficulties, since all Muslim men know the rules for slaughtering sacrificial animals in accordance with the principles of Islam, which are to cause as little pain and suffering to the animal as possible. While performing this procedure, prayers are performed. The sacrificial animal can be either a camel, a ram, a goat or a cow.

Celebration of the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad - Milad al-Nabi Muslims traditionally celebrate the twelfth day of the month of Rabi'a Awwal (originally August 20, 570). The Prophet's birthday began to be celebrated during the reign of the Abbasid caliphs. This holiday allows all Muslims to bless the soul of the Prophet and express their love and respect to him. Today, this holiday reminds all Muslims of the lessons that can be learned from the life and Sunnah of Muhammad.

Day of celebration of Laylat al-Miraj - Night of Ascension Celebrate the 27th of Rajab. The holiday was established in memory of the Prophet's night journey and His ascension to heaven. This event happened eleven years before the Prophet moved from Mecca to Medina. On a winged animal named al-Buraq (Arabic: lightning-fast), the Prophet, together with the angel Jibril, was transported from Mecca to Jerusalem, then he was allowed to see Heaven and Hell, after which he appeared before the throne of the Lord in the seventh heaven, reaching the highest spiritual state for a person . The main feature of this experience was the establishment of Friday daily prayer. Muslims spend this night reading prayers and the Koran.

The Night of Power holiday - Laylat al-Qadr is celebrated on the 27th of Ramadan. That night the Prophet received his first Revelation from the Lord. The Koran (Sura 97-5) says:

“In the name of Allah, the merciful, the merciful! Verily We sent him down on the night of power! And what will let you know what the night of power is? A night of power is better than a thousand months. Angels and spirit descend into it with the permission of their Lord for all commands. She is the world until dawn!”

However, since the actual date is unknown, Muslims can celebrate this holiday on one of the odd nights of the last ten days of Ramadan. Most Muslims are in mosques for prayer on the night of the 27th Ramadan.

Traditionally, on the 14th of Sha'ban, Muslims celebrate the holiday of Laylat al-Baraat, the Night of Blessing (Purification), or the Night of the Commandment. This holiday falls on the night of the full moon before the start of Ramadan. At this time, the Prophet was preparing for Ramadan, spending his nights in prayer. The next day, the 15th of Sha'ban, they visit the graves of deceased relatives and read funeral prayers. Muslims believe that every year on this night God gives orders to his angels regarding human destinies: who is given long life and who is destined to die; what will be the means of human subsistence for this year; which people will be cursed and whose sins will be forgiven. On this night, Muslims light candles and prepare a special meal.

Birth of a child

When a child is born in a Muslim family, it is considered a gift from Allah.

The ability to have children is a great grace that is understood and appreciated. Muslims immediately initiate newborn children into the ummah, for which purpose they whisper a call to prayer into the baby’s right ear - the azan, which begins with the words “Allahu Akbar” - “Allah is great.” Iqama is whispered into the baby's left ear - a command to rise to prayer. In some cases, a hollow tube or reed is used for these purposes; thus the first word that the baby hears is the word “God”.

Small ritual "Takhnik"

To perform this small ritual, it is necessary to anoint the baby’s lips with sweet fruit juice or honey, accompanying these actions with heartfelt prayers and wishes for the child to grow up obedient, affectionate and “sweet.”

Sacrifice

An ancient ritual of thanksgiving is the sacrifice of an animal. Two animals are sacrificed for a boy, one for a girl. The meat of sacrificial animals is distributed to the needy and poor.

Ritual "Akika"

This ritual is performed seven days after birth. The newborn's head is shaved and, calling on grace for the child, money is distributed to the poor. If there is no hair on the baby’s head, then the distribution of alms, which, as a rule, is very generous, is not canceled.

Naming

For Muslims, choosing a name is very important. Nowadays, the names Muhammad and Ali are very common. If the first part of a man's name consists of the word "Abdul" ("Slave"), then the second and final part of it must be one of the ninety-nine epithets of Allah. For example, Abdul-Karim ("slave of the Magnanimous") or Abdul-Rahman ("slave of the Merciful"). A Muslim is a slave only to God, so the child is not given names such as, for example, Abdul-Muhammad (“slave of Muhammad”). With all the reverence and respect for the Prophet, a Muslim still cannot be his slave.

Girls are most often given the names of women from the family of the Prophet - Aisha, Zainab, Fatima, Khadija, Ruqaiya. After the child receives a name, the child's name is added to the parent's name as an honorific. This honorary addition is called the weasel. For example, if the child’s name is Hussein, then his father receives the kunya Abu Hussein - “father of Hussein.” The child's mother receives the kunya Umm Hussein - "mother of Hussein."

Circumcision ritual - “Khitan”

The specific Muslim rite of circumcision - khitan - is very ancient. The ritual is usually performed on the same day as the Akika ritual, provided that the boy is healthy. If he is sick or weak, the ceremony is postponed for a short time. In some Muslim countries, boys are circumcised between the ages of seven and ten. For example, in Turkey, boys are dressed in festive clothes and circumcised in the presence of many relatives and friends.

Ritual "Bismillah"

Bismillah (bismala, basmalah) is the pronunciation of the formula and the formula itself “Bismi Llahi r-rahmani r-rahim”. These words mean: “In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful!” Almost every sura of the Koran opens with these words. “Bismillah” is said during prayer, as well as when starting any task. This formula is given a magical meaning. It is written on talismans, and is also often found in inscriptions on architectural structures of the Muslim East.

Typically, Muslim children begin to study the Qur'an at an early age. When a child turns five years old, a pious believer from relatives or even an imam is invited to perform the Bismillah ritual, who offers to recite Surah Al-Fatiha and write the letters of the Arabic alphabet in order. The child is very happy if he successfully passes this test. Then he learns the canons of wudu and begins to thoroughly study Islamic disciplines.

Wedding ceremony

Muslims, as a rule, do not force their children into an unwanted marriage. Therefore, as a first step and for the first acquaintance of possible spouses, bridesmaids are organized, which are held during family celebrations or weddings of mutual friends. If the bride or groom did not like each other, a polite, careful, tactful refusal follows. Quite often, according to Islamic customs, marriages are created by mutual agreement of the parents of the bride and groom, who wish their children happiness and love in married life. After collusion, grooming, matchmaking and the groom's proposal, they agree on the dowry that the husband allocates to his wife and other conditions.

There is a peculiarity in the Muslim wedding ritual when the husband gives his wife a dowry. Islam obliges a man to pay each of his wives a dowry, which remains their property. If the marriage suddenly turns out to be unsuccessful, the wife will be able to divorce her husband who does not agree to divorce only if she returns the dowry. When a husband seeks a divorce, the wife is allowed to keep the resulting dowry as her property.

Islamic marriage is a simple ceremony that can sometimes be performed in the absence of the bride. If the bride wishes, she can send two witnesses as a sign of consent to conduct the marriage ceremony, which consists of reading the Koran and swearing an oath in the presence of witnesses from the bride and groom. An imam is often invited to conduct the ceremony, but the ceremony can be carried out without the special presence of a spiritual person.

Wedding customs and traditions are sometimes dissimilar and depend on the prevailing way of spiritual and cultural life of the country. In Asia, for example, brides are dressed in beautiful shalwar kameez, consisting of a long shirt with wide scarlet bloomers with gold embroidery; in other countries, the bride is dressed in white wedding clothes. Wedding celebration – Valima It is usually celebrated on the wedding day or on one of the three subsequent days.

Funeral rite

Muslims know that they cannot choose the day of their death. Only the Lord knows about this day, who calls to himself the souls he created. Life is a gift from God, and its duration is a blessing from God. A true Muslim perceives all this as worship of Allah, welcoming the possibility of death with the words “Amr Allah” - “By Your command, O Lord” and asks for forgiveness for all his sins, voluntary and involuntary. The best thing for a believer is to die with prayer on his lips or with the thought of God. Muslims also believe in resurrection from the dust on the “day of uprising” - “yaum al-qiyama”. The Koran says: “O people! If you are in doubt about the resurrection, then We created you from dust, then from a drop, then from a clot of blood, then from a piece of meat, formed or shapeless, in order to clarify (this) for you. And we place you in the wombs, as far as we want, until a certain time. Then we bring you out as a baby, then so that you reach your maturity. Among you there is one who rests, and among you there is one who returns to the most miserable life, so that after knowing nothing, you will know nothing. And you see the land is barren, and when We send water down on it, it begins to move and swells and produces all kinds of beautiful vapors.

This is because Allah is the truth, and that He gives life to the dead, and that He is powerful over every thing, and that the hour will come - there is no doubt about it! - and that Allah will raise up those who are in the graves." (Quran. Sura 22:5–7).

After a person has died, he should carefully close his eyes and say a prayer over him. A deceased Muslim should be given his final ritual ablution, while treating the mortal remains of the deceased with respect, dignity and love. Muslims believe that the final ablution should only be performed by family members of the deceased. For men, men are preferred for ablution, and for women, women are preferred. The husband, however, is allowed to perform this ritual on his wife, and the wife on her husband. If there is no suitable person among the relatives, then this duty is performed by a worthy member of the community.

In the absence of clean water, for example in the desert, dry ablution with sand (tayammum) can be performed. If men perform ablution on a woman or a woman on a man, their hands must be covered so that they cannot touch their naked bodies. Muslims are not obliged to wash the bodies of non-believers, victims during war - all martyrs are traditionally buried without washing, so as not to wash off the “blood of martyrdom” from them. The bodies of these dead are buried in clothes, without wearing a shroud.

When dressing in a shroud, it is not recommended to use expensive materials for the shroud. For men, three pieces of simple white cloth are selected, for women - five pieces. You can use two pieces or one if it is large enough to wrap around your entire body. The canvases should be unfolded and spread, placing one on top of the other. The longest and widest cloth is placed last, then the deceased is carefully lifted, laid on the spread cloth, fumigated with incense, then the right side of the deceased is wrapped with the edge of the top cloth, and the left side is wrapped with the other edge. In the same way they wrap with the second and third sheets. Next, all the canvases are fastened and the knots are loosened after the deceased is lowered into the grave.

If there is no large cloth for wrapping, then the head of the deceased is covered with cloth, and his legs are covered with paper or grass. If there are many dead people, they can be wrapped in twos or threes in one shroud and buried in one grave.

For women, the shroud consists of a cloth for the loins, which is used to tie up the thighs, a lumbar cloth, which is used to bind the lower back, a shirt to cover the belly and chest, a cloth to cover the head and hair, as well as a general large cloth that completely covers the entire body.

To perform the funeral prayer ( salat al-jayaza ) the best will be the one who was chosen in advance by the deceased, a true believer and highly moral, or an imam, or an assistant to the imam. If they are not available, the funeral prayer can be performed by the father or grandfather of the deceased, son, grandson or closest relative. This prayer must be performed by at least one Muslim. They pray standing, without bowing.

When you see a funeral procession, you should bow respectfully. The Prophet allowed women to participate in funeral processions, but did not recommend it. The cemetery is preferably Muslim, but it is also possible to bury in another, in the part given to Muslims, since only in this case can the graves be placed oriented towards Mecca.

People gathered for the funeral must stand at the edge of the grave until the end of the funeral rites. The grave should be as simple as possible. Excesses are prohibited in Islam; all the dead are equal before God. The depth of the grave pit should reach the chest of an adult man. It is advisable to equip the grave with a niche - qibla. The body of the deceased is lowered into the grave by men from her circle of close relatives. The bodies of the deceased are lowered feet first. In graves, the dead are placed on their right side, facing the Kaaba and with appropriate support that does not allow them to fall onto their backs. Then the knots of the shroud are unraveled and pebbles, leaves or reeds are placed on top to prevent soil from getting on the body of the deceased. After this, a handful of earth is thrown into the grave and words from the Koran are spoken: “From it We created you and into it We will return you and from it We will bring you out another time.” (Quran. Sura 20:57). Then the grave is covered with earth, and everyone present prays. The surface of the grave should rise above ground level by the width of a palm, so that it is clear that this is a grave and so that no one accidentally steps on it. You cannot sit on or lean on graves. The grave can be marked with a headstone. Erecting expensive monuments is considered a pre-Islamic custom. Muslims should not erect expensive monuments; it is better to give alms to the poor. Mosques should not be erected over graves, as the Prophet would not approve of this. He Himself was buried in Aisha's room, but now this room is part of the Medina Mosque.

Gathering and commemorating the deceased on the third or fourth day after his death, as well as celebrating anniversaries of death, is called Ravda. This custom is a folk tradition; there is no mention of it in the Koran or Sunnah. Mourning for a husband or wife lasts four months and ten days, mourning for other dead lasts three days and three nights.

In addition to the listed holidays, rituals and traditions, every nation professing Islam has other holidays, rites and rituals that are passed on from generation to generation. Thus, Shiites in some countries also have their own holidays, both religious and secular. The most revered holidays include the following holidays: the celebration of the birthday of Hussein (5th Rabbi I), the death of Ali (21 Ramadan), Ali receiving the title of heir to the Prophet (18 Zi-Hajj).

In Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco, Muslims consider the main holidays

· Azkha- festival of sacrifice

· Fitr- holiday of the end of fasting,

· Day of death of Hussein (Ashura),

· Birth of the Prophet.

The Arabs are still celebrating Meimuna Day(Wives of the Prophet), Martyrs' Day, etc.

In India, Muslims consider the following official holidays:

· Ashura,

· Arbaa-ma yadur– the last recovery of the Prophet,

· Ali's death

· Fitr,

· Azkha- Feast of Sacrifice.

· Barafat- the day of the death of the Prophet. It is especially solemnly celebrated in India.

Muslims in Java and other islands of Indonesia have three main holidays. Other holidays are also celebrated, but with less honor.

In every Muslim country, along with general Muslim holidays, there are also local holidays in honor of their saints and miracle workers. These local festivals are usually held at the graves of saints. The solemnity of the holiday and the number of pilgrims depend on the glory of the saint and the advertising created around his name and grave. If a lot of people come, then organized trade brings great income to both the traders and the organization, most often the dervish order, which guards the tomb of its famous sheikh. Thus, in Egypt, the grave of Sheikh Ahmed Bedawi is especially popular. The day of the holiday is also the day of a big fair. Religious processions take place here, prayers are held, sacrifices are made and even magic tricks are performed.

Fairs that are held near the graves of saints in India on holidays are called “shoals”. Dancers, singers, musicians, etc. take part in the festival. Sacrifice and prayers alternate with music and singing. At such fairs, the main supplier of goods and the main trader are well-known groups of Muslim clergy.

Some holidays and ceremonies serve specific purposes. For example, in Egypt, special ceremonial ceremonies are organized for the mass expulsion of “zara” from people allegedly possessed by this demon. This mainly refers to people who are prone to seizures. According to popular superstition, these seizures are caused by a special kind of demon called zar. To exorcise the demon, castes of clergy or dervishes arose who cast out the demon through spells. Depending on the financial status of the patient or the patient, rituals and spells take place more or less solemnly and last for the appropriate time. The ritual is accompanied by dancing with tambourines, drums and the singing of special prayers.

Not only in India, but also in many other Muslim countries one can observe the same picture. On well-known established holidays, one can be healed of illnesses and diseases, or be cured at the grave of a saint or in a particularly sacred place by touching a number of objects. So, near the famous Suleiman Mountain, which is located in the Fergana Valley, up to ten thousand pilgrims gathered for a holiday and for healing.

Nauruz holiday

Nowruz is often considered one of the Muslim holidays. It is celebrated in Iran, Afghanistan, Turkey, Azerbaijan, as well as among Muslims of the Volga region, the Urals and Central Asia.

Nauruz is the day of the vernal equinox, a spring holiday. According to the ancient Iranian solar calendar, it falls on the first day of the month of Farvardin.

Traditional Nowruz rituals begin with the appearance of the first spring flowers. Groups of children go from house to house with bouquets of snowdrops and tulips and sing songs praising spring. These processions are called "snowdrops". The owners invite the singers into the house, take flowers, kiss them and rub the flower over their faces, while saying good wishes. Having received gifts, the children move to another house.

Before the holiday, it is customary to thoroughly clean homes, update household utensils and clothes. Two weeks before it, wheat or lentil grains begin to sprout. On the eve of the holiday, new clothes are put on. Squeeze the juice out of the sprouted grains and cook over low heat. Flour and sugar are added to the prepared broth and a ritual delicacy is obtained. sumanak (malt halva).

The table is being set in a brightly lit house. It should contain seven items whose names in Farsi begin with the letter “sin”: for example, sprouted grain (sabza), garlic (sir), apples (sir), vinegar (sirko), barberry (sumac), wild olive ( sonjit), spinach (sipana). A mirror is placed on the table, and on both sides of it there are candlesticks with a number of candles equal to the number of family members at the table. There must be bread on the table, a bowl of water with a green leaf floating on the surface; nuts, fruits, rooster, fish, cheese and milk. The Koran is also placed on the table. All household members should be at the festive table, so that later they do not have to wander in a foreign land all year.

The candles must be lit. You cannot blow on them, so as not to shorten the life of one of the family members. A good omen will be the arrival of the first male guest the next morning with the wish: “Live another hundred years.”

In the city quarters, on the days of Nowruz, a common meal is organized. Before sunset, fires are lit, and those gathered take turns jumping over the fire with wishes for good, in order to get rid of illnesses and sins accumulated over the year. During the day, singers, storytellers, tightrope walkers, magicians, and dancers demonstrate their talents in the squares; equestrian and wrestling competitions are held. Over the next three or four days, people visit each other and give gifts to relatives and friends.

This text is an introductory fragment.

XVIII. Islamic primary sources a) Quran Quran - History of the Quran - Contents of the Quran Surah - chapter of the Quran Ayat - Quranic verses Ayat al-Kursi - 255th verse of sura “al-Bakara” (“The Cow”) Rum - sura of the Quran, which contains a fulfilled prophecy about the victory of the Byzantine troops over

§ 4. Outstanding Islamic scholars of Russia Shigabutdin Mardzhani is the “ruler of thoughts” of Russian Muslims. The centuries-old history of the development of Islam in Russia remembers the names of hundreds of outstanding theologians and jurists who became famous far beyond the borders of their homeland.

Worship and rituals What is a prayer service, how to order it correctly? Hieromonk Job (Gumerov) Prayer service is a divine service, the content of which is a pure prayer to the Lord God, the Most Holy Theotokos or the saints. In its composition, the prayer service is

II. Sacrificial rites Crowds of people flocked to the sanctuaries described above, on certain days of the year and under certain circumstances of both public and private life, to perform sacrifices and other liturgical rites. Here, in the mysterious thicket of the forest or under

Buddhist-Islamic Relations During the Abbasid Period Early in this period, the Abbasids ruled Bactria (northern Afghanistan), where they allowed local Buddhists, Hindus, and Zoroastrians to practice their religions in exchange for paying a poll tax. However

Rites of Initiation Typically, while the neophyte lies unconscious in the yurt, the family calls a shaman, who will then play the role of mentor. In other cases, after being “cut to pieces,” the neophyte goes in search of a teacher to learn the secrets of the craft. Knowledge is of character

RITES IN LAMAISM The cult, as a system of rituals, was very poorly represented in the original Buddhism, but in the course of development such a magnificent complex theatrical complex of rituals and ceremonies arose that is hardly known to any other religion in the world. Especially this

Islamic communities Islamic communities have significant influence in Russia, as well as in the Central Asian countries of the CIS. Currently, almost forty peoples live on the territory of the Russian Federation, whose religion historically was Islam. At the same time, the number

Send your good work in the knowledge base is simple. Use the form below

Students, graduate students, young scientists who use the knowledge base in their studies and work will be very grateful to you.

Posted on http://www.allbest.ru/

Muslim customs and rules

Muslim faith

The creed of Islam has all the attributes of a religious doctrine. It is based on faith in God - the creator and ruler of the universe, in the Last Judgment, in retribution after death. As in Christianity, all people are considered from the point of view of one criterion: their adherence to the commandments of God and the instructions of the clergy.

Depending on this, they are divided into true believers and infidels. The righteous believers, according to Muslim doctrine, are destined for eternal bliss in heaven, and the infidels and sinners among the righteous are destined for torment in hell.

Thus, Islam, like other religions, transfers the search for human happiness to heaven, promising rewards to those believers who meekly followed religious instructions and the demands of the clergy.

Islam is no different from other religions in that it is based on anti-scientific ideas about the creation of the world, about the driving forces of nature and society. For Muslims, everything is in God. He is the beginning and the end of all things. Based on this, all the basic principles of Islam are formulated.

Muslims are guided by the following basic principles, recognized as an immutable truth and obligatory for all believers: faith in Allah, in the holiness of the Koran, the messenger of Muhammad, the immortality of the soul, the resurrection from the dead on the day of judgment, belief in hell and heaven, devils, demons and angels.

Faith in Allah

islam muslim religious predestination

Belief in Allah is the first and fundamental article of faith in Islam. Allah is one, omnipotent. He is the creator of the universe, earth and sky, and all forms of life. He has neither a son nor a daughter because, as the Koran says, “he has no girlfriend.” Allah rules the world alone, nothing happens without his knowledge (“God creates as he wants”, “he is the doer of what he wants” - 85:16).

For disobedience and unbelief, God, at his discretion, can punish a person both during life and after death. The actions and deeds of people are monitored by angels specially appointed for this purpose.

Muslims believe that God is able to perform any miracle at any time. Just as with one command, expressed in the word “Be!”, he created the heavens, earth, mountains, rivers, flora and fauna, God, according to Muslims, can at any moment disrupt the natural course of history, violate the laws of nature, for he is omnipotent .

A believer should not and has no right to doubt the omnipotence of Allah. Otherwise, he commits a grave sin, which can only be redeemed by gifts in favor of the clergy or by performing a hajj - a pilgrimage to Mecca and other “holy” places.

Immortality of the soul

An integral part of Islamic dogma is the anti-scientific idea of ​​the immortality of the soul. Followers of Islam believe in the existence of some special substance that leaves the body at the moment of death (sometimes they talk about its various incarnations). The resurrection from the dead on the day of the Last Judgment is also associated with this idea.

In early Islam, resurrection was understood as the awakening of the dead, their rising from their graves (“qiyama”) in the form in which death found people. Those who deserved paradise could endlessly enjoy bliss, being cleansed from diseases, bodily defects, not subject to aging, decrepitude, etc.

At the same time, at a later time, other ideas arose about paradise as the abode of a disembodied soul, the pleasures of which cannot be understood and described by people burdened with a sinful body and accustomed to a purely sensual form of pleasure.

Last Judgment

The idea of ​​the Last Judgment arose in Islam partly under the influence of the traditional belief of pagan Arabs in the afterlife of people, and partly under the influence of Christian doctrine. There is no exact description of the picture of the Last Judgment either in the Koran or in legends.

Usually, the clergy, in their sermons or conversations with believers, brings up fictions about the Last Judgment in accordance with the tastes and level of the listeners, taking into account the possibilities of direct or indirect influence on their imagination, feelings and psyche. Servants of Islam preach that the signs of the end of the world and, following it, the Last Judgment are widespread unbelief, oblivion of the traditions and customs of fathers and grandfathers, disrespect for churches, the clergy, etc. In other words, the sign of the end of the world is the spread of atheism.

The approach of the Last Judgment, the onset of the end of the world, will also be accompanied, according to Muslim preachers, by formidable natural phenomena, signs and wonders.

The provisions about the end of the world and the Last Judgment, with which the clergy intimidate believers, are one of the effective means in the hands of the clergy in their struggle to preserve religion.

(in Islam there is no heaven for women)

Muslims, especially residents of the desert and hot zones, imagined paradise in the form of a wonderful oasis, with its clean and cold coolness, water, greenery and orchards, where everything was in abundance: delicious food, drink, silk robes, rivers flowing with milk, honey and wine. In paradise, every Muslim has in store houris - maidens with black eyes, silky braids, and the most delicate white skin. They are always ready to give their caresses, they always remain young and do not lose their virginity, their bodily purity cannot be stained at all or is restored immediately after love pleasures.

At the top of paradise there grows a lotus, in the shade of which the righteous rest. In paradise, the original Koran and other “sacred” books are kept, where the deeds of people are recorded. Above paradise, above the eighth tier, is the throne of Allah, emitting a wonderful light that brings peace, tranquility and bliss to the celestials who are under the throne of God. This is how Islamic preachers portray paradise, trying to captivate believers with this description.

Muslim hell consists of seven circles. He is equipped with all kinds of instruments of torture and the most sophisticated means for torturing sinners. This includes fire, and cauldrons with boiling resin, and tongs for tearing meat out of the body, and poisonous scorpions, snakes and all kinds of monsters to which sinners are thrown to be torn to pieces. The torments of hell, like the pleasures and bliss of heaven, according to Muslim doctrine, continue indefinitely.

The Sirat Bridge spans over hell. It is as thin as a hair and sharp as the sword of Azrael. This bridge leads to heaven for those who are able to cross it. Sinners fail to do this. They are punished in hell for their sins. Muhammad acts as an intercessor before Allah for sinners, and only those who are condemned to burn forever in hellish flames remain in hell.

Cult of Angels and Demons

The cult of angels and demons occupies a significant place in Islam. Angels, in the view of Muslims, are incorporeal beings who unquestioningly carry out the orders of Allah, being his messengers. The angels closest to the throne of the Eternal are Dzhabrail, Mikail, Israfil and Azrael.

Dzhabrail's duty is to convey divine commands, Mikail watches the mechanism of the universe, Israfil always stands ready to blow a special horn, to give a signal about the coming of the Last Judgment, Azrael is the terrible angel of death. There is a belief that, by wielding his sword, he carries out the divine sentence of death and releases the soul from the body. He can appear to sinners and villains in a visible form and instill in them indescribable horror.

Every person during his lifetime has two guardian angels who record his good and bad deeds, so that after death they can be weighed to determine the person respectively to heaven or hell.

In addition, Muslims are inspired to believe in the existence of the angels of death Nakir and Munkar, who carry out preliminary interrogation, demand an account of earthly affairs, etc., and the angel Ridwan - the guardian of heaven, and the angel Malik - the guardian of hell.

One angel who did not want to obey Allah, known among Muslim believers as Iblis (devil, shaitan), was cursed by Allah. Allah, the omnipotent, of course, could have dealt with the rebellious Iblis, but decided to leave him until the Last Judgment, so that he would tempt people, testing the strength of their faith and resistance to temptations incompatible with Islam.

Dogma of Predestination

One of the most important dogmas in Islam is the dogma of predestination, which permeates the entire Muslim faith. According to this belief, nothing has existed and does not exist in the world that does not depend on the will of Allah. According to Muslim ideas, even before the creation of the world, the Pen was created, which Allah commanded to write about all divine deeds and creations, right up to the time of the Last Judgment. Fulfilling the will of the Almighty, Pero wrote down what is destined to happen in the future history of mankind, and no one can change all this. Therefore, every person depends on God.

Everyone is destined for a certain fate, which is inevitable. Even death occurs only according to divine destiny. The Koran declares: “It is not proper for the soul to die except with the permission of Allah, according to the scriptures with a fixed period” (3, 139).

Thus, people from birth are doomed to follow the path destined from above. They are not allowed to grumble about life’s hardships. After all, even adversity is predetermined by Allah. They are not allowed to complain about disasters. And disasters from God. They must patiently follow their path, which the Almighty has indicated.

It is not difficult to understand the true meaning of the doctrine of predestination, which condemns believers to passivity, patience and humility before their fate.

Social principles of Islam

The doctrine of the omnipotence of Allah, of predestination, of the Last Judgment, of hell and heaven, preached by Islam, pursues a very specific goal - to reconcile believers with their position, to perpetuate the orders existing on earth, to justify social injustices in capitalist countries. Earthly orders, according to Islam, are eternal, established once and for all, unchangeable. This sanctifies the exploitation of man by man, class inequality, and justifies the wealth and luxury of those in power in a class antagonistic society.

Recently, attempts have been made to make Islam the ideology of the national liberation movement in the countries of the East. These attempts, naturally, cannot change the essence of Islam. If today national liberation movements act under the flag of Islam, then quite recently the most reactionary forces acted under the same flag. The point is that the contradictory, eclectic texts of the Koran can be interpreted in any way, choosing from them provisions that are more acceptable at a given time.

In its essence, Islam was and remains a religious movement based on anti-scientific ideas. It cannot help to understand and explain the phenomena of nature and social life. Being a fantastic reflection of the forces that dominate people, Islam leads believers to the wrong path. This suits the exploiting classes quite well, who use the preaching of humility and patience, humility and obedience, and renunciation of the search for paths to earthly happiness in their interests. By instilling extreme individualism in people, the Muslim religion prevents them from uniting in the struggle to transform life.

Thus, Islam retains the inherent features of every religion, which make it possible to characterize it as the same “opium of the people,” poisoning the consciousness of the masses, contributing to their spiritual enslavement.

The Koran is a “holy” book, revered by adherents of all Muslim movements, followers of all Muslim sects. It serves as the basis of Muslim legislation, both religious and civil.

The name of this “holy” book comes from the word “kara”, which means “to read” in Arabic. According to Muslim mythology, it was transmitted by Allah to the Prophet Muhammad through the Archangel Jebrail. Since then, the Koran supposedly exists unchanged as collection of sermons and sayings of Muhammad.

However, in reality, as science has established, the final version of the Koran was compiled and approved under Caliph Osman (644-656). It is a work written by many authors. This can be judged from the content and style of the Quran. It is enough to familiarize yourself with his texts to make sure that they were written by different people.

According to legend, Muhammad did not write down his sermons, instructions and sayings. Some teachings were allegedly written down by his disciples on palm leaves, parchment, bones, etc. They were then collected together without any plan or systematization and copied into one book.

The first attempts to collect all the sayings of Muhammad were made under the first caliph Abu Bekr (632-634).

Under Caliph Osman, a special editorial commission was created, which compiled the Koran as a collection of religious and everyday rules obligatory for all Muslims. All other collections of Muhammad's sermons, including those collected by the prophet's "companions" but not approved by the caliph, were burned.

The Koran is divided into 114 chapters (surahs). Each chapter, or sura, which is intended to convey a whole revelation, consists of verses, or, as they are called, verses. The word "ayat" means "sign", "miracle". Individual sentences and thoughts “contained in one chapter of the Quran are often not connected with each other, and in most cases they are not connected with the title of the chapter.

The Koran is characterized by confusion of thoughts and eclecticism, perhaps due to the fact that many chapters or most of them were omitted or deliberately destroyed during hasty editing, so that only the headings or some verses remained. For example, the second chapter (surah) is called “The Cow,” although this name is not justified in any way. Of the 286 verses (verses) that make up the chapter, only verses 63, 64, 65 and 66 contain an occasional mention of a cow. However, it has nothing to do with the content of the chapter, which talks about the basic principles of Islam. About half of all chapters of the Koran are named after the first word with which they begin, although this word, as a rule, does not relate to the issue being treated in the chapter.

Religious people and the clergy try to explain or justify the inconsistency and vagueness of the Koranic provisions by the weakness of the human mind, supposedly incapable of understanding all the wisdom and depth of God's word. Modern Islamists are trying to claim that the mission of Muhammad and the Koran has universal significance. However, it is clear from the Koran that it was intended primarily for the Arabs. To convince the Arabs that they are the people chosen by Allah, the Koran specifically emphasizes that it was revealed in Arabic (12.2 and other suras).

Like any other religious book, the Koran is an ordinary collection of laws, regulations and traditions, as well as a presentation of various mythical tales, including those borrowed from other religions, legends and traditions, common among the Arab population during the 6th-7th centuries. n. e., which reflect, to one degree or another, the socio-economic relations that existed on the Arabian Peninsula.

The Koran contains instructions regarding the regulation of trade, property, family and marriage relations, and provides moral standards that are mandatory for a Muslim. But mainly it talks about the duties of believers in relation to rulers, the clergy, about the attitude of Muslims to other religions, about Allah - the only god who should be worshiped without complaint, about judgment day, resurrection and the afterlife. Much space is occupied in the Koran by exhortations to be faithful only to Allah, obedient to his messenger and threats against those of other faiths (infidels).

The Koran confirms and legitimizes class inequality and sanctifies private property. “We,” Allah declares in the Koran, “divided among them (i.e. people) food in the life of their neighbor and elevated some degrees above others, so that some of them would take others into service” (43, 31). For an attempt on property, the Koran provides for the most severe punishments in this and the afterlife.

Many verses of the “holy” book are dedicated to women. First of all, the Koran proclaims the inequality of women.

For disobedience, this “sacred” book teaches, “admonish and leave them on their beds and beat them” (4, 38); “keep them in their homes until death calms them and Allah makes a way for them” (19, 4); “marry those women who are pleasant to you - two, and three, and four” or “one or those that your right hands have taken possession of” (4, 3). Here, as we see, there is no hint that a woman’s consent is necessary for marriage, for the “holy” book of Muslims proceeds from the fact that a woman is not equal to a man by birth (“Husbands stand above wives for what Allah has given to one advantage over others,” 4, 38), in terms of property status (when inheriting, a man was entitled to “a share equal to the share of two women,” 4, 175) and in legal terms, as evidenced by the provision of the Sharia court, which equates one male witness to two women -witnesses (2, 282).

There are also verses in the Koran about the need for seclusion for women.

It must be said that the seclusion of a woman, wearing a burqa, chachvan, veil, yashmak is not a specifically Islamic innovation. However, the Koran preserved and consolidated the customs and practices of different eras and peoples, which reflected the humiliating and unequal position of the female sex.

The Muslim idea of ​​the universe, as set out in the Koran, is neither complete nor logical. There we will find only very fragmentary, not at all original and absurd information about the structure and origin of the universe, representing a mixture of biblical and Talmudic views, seasoned with myths that existed among the Arabs.

The Koran says that the Earth is a plane, the balance of which is maintained specifically for this purpose by mountains erected by God.

The Koran teaches that God created the world in six days: on the first day the heavens were created; in the second - the sun, moon, stars and wind; in the third - creatures living on earth and in the seas, as well as angels living in the seven heavens, and the air; on the fourth day, God created water and assigned food to all creatures, on the same day, at his command, rivers flowed; on the fifth day, God deigned to create paradise, the black-eyed maidens (gurias) living in it, and determined all kinds of pleasures; On the sixth day God created Adam and Eve.

By Saturday, all work was completed, but there was no new creation; order and undisturbed harmony reigned in the world.

Heaven and Earth, according to the Koran, originally represented one inseparable mass, like steam or smoke. “Didn’t those who did not believe see that the heavens and the earth were united, and we separated them and made every living thing out of water? Will they not believe? (21.31).

Then God ascended to the sky, which was like smoke, and said, addressing the Earth and the heavens: “Come voluntarily or unwillingly,” to which they replied: “We come voluntarily.” Some modern Muslim theologians, well versed in astronomy, are attempting to interpret these verses of the Koran (41, 10) as an allegorical description of the “divine law of universal gravitation.”

The seven heavens (the sky consists of seven floors) were created by God over the course of two days. The heavens are located one above the other in the form of solid vaults, in which there is not the slightest crack or crevice; they cannot collapse, although they stand without supports. The sun and moon are placed in the lower sky, or vault, for the purpose of decorating the heavens and serving people. God spread the earth under people’s feet like a carpet or a bed, and made it motionless (27:62), fastening it with mountains so that it would not shake.

Man is seen as the crown of creation. “God created everything beautifully and then proceeded to create man” (32:6). God formed the human body from earth or clay, giving it a certain structure, endowing it with vision, hearing, providing it with a heart, and then breathed life into it from his spirit (32.8; 15, 29; 38, 72).

The Koran and the people who relied on it not only did not enrich knowledge, but, on the contrary, played a very reactionary and oppositional role in relation to advanced scientific thought, persecuting and punishing its outstanding representatives. It is enough to point out the names of Abu Ali Ibn Sina, Ahmed Ferghani, Al Battani, Biruni, Omar Khayyam, Nizami, Ulugbek and others, who suffered a lot from the Muslim clergy and the authorities supported by them for their free-thinking and scientific research.

Now, due to enormous changes in the sphere of social life, achievements of science and technology, when the blatant absurdities of the Koran have become visible even to the illiterate, backward sections of the population, the clergy, in order to save the prestige of the Koran, speaks of the need to distinguish the form of expression of the Koran from its content, that in the Koran “the greatest values ​​and deepest thoughts are hidden” for true believers, who are given the opportunity to penetrate through the outer shell of the Koranic words into the depths of divine wisdom. Characteristic, for example, are the statements of some clergy that even human space flights are predicted in the Koran.

Apologists of the Koran interpret the words “Look at your donkey...” (2, 261) as an indication of the need to study anatomy. Of course, it is impossible to explain by the allegorical nature of the Koran the absurdities or absurdities that it contains. The Koran reflects the unscientific, primitive views of the ancient Arabs, cut off from the civilized world. Thus, the geographical and astronomical, as well as historical ideas and knowledge of the compilers of the Koran do not correspond to the scientific level achieved in the advanced countries of that time.

In Islam, there are certain rules regarding food intake.

Before starting a meal, Muslims say: “In the name of Allah, the merciful and merciful,” or “O Allah, bless this food and save us from hell.”

And after finishing the meal, they say: “Thanks be to Allah, who sent us food and drink and made us Muslims.”

It is imperative to wash your hands both before and after eating. Moreover, unlike Western countries, in the Muslim East, guests usually do not go to a special room to wash their hands, but wash them without getting up, over a basin. As a rule, the host’s children pour water from a jug into the guests’ hands.

According to Muslim traditions, the host is the first to start the meal and the last to finish.

You should take food with a spoon, fork (the cutlery should be held in your right hand) or with your hands, but not with two fingers.

As soon as bread or flatbread appears on the table, they begin to eat it slowly, without waiting for another dish. It is not recommended to cut bread with a knife, so you break it with your hands.

If several people eat from one plate, then everyone should take food from the side closest to them, and not from the middle of the dish. However, if a tray or bowl of sweets, nuts or fruits is served, guests and hosts can choose any of them.

Before starting tea drinking, you should say: “In the name of Allah,” and at the end: “Glory to Allah.”

The drinking vessel must be held with the right hand. It is recommended to drink water or any soft drink in small sips. It is prohibited to drink from the neck of a bottle or jug. It is not customary to blow on very hot tea or coffee, but rather wait until it cools down.

Rules of decency when eating and drinking

Customs of Islam that are useful not only for Islamists

Rules for receiving guests and behavior when visiting

When you want to receive guests in your home, you should invite not only your wealthy friends, but also the poor. The rules of hospitality oblige this, and the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) himself said: “The food that is served is bad if you invite only the rich and do not invite the needy as well.”

When inviting your father to your place, you must invite his son, and if during the invitation his close relatives are in the invitee’s house, then you must invite them all - it would be impolite to bypass them with an invitation. When receiving guests, meet them at the entrance to the house, treat them as cordially as possible and show them as much respect and respect as possible.

Attentiveness and exceptional care towards guests are obligatory for the hosts for three days; starting from the fourth, you can take a little less care of the guests.

Upon arrival of the guest, serve the treat as soon as possible, do not make him wait long; You should not serve extra food beyond what the guest can eat. There should be an odd amount of bread (flatbread) on the table, exactly as needed according to the number of guests; and if one bread is broken for a treat, the other should not be broken until the first is eaten - this would be an unproductive waste (israf).

When the food is served, the host invites the guest to start eating, but the rules of decency require that the host be the first to extend his hand to the dish. On the contrary, the owner should dry his hands after eating, waiting for the guest to do this. You should not be particularly intrusive in treating the guest; it is enough to repeat the invitation three times.

At the table, the host must keep the guest company in accordance with the guest’s tastes and appetite. The guest has finished his meal, and the host should stop eating. While treating a guest, the host is allowed to fast (uraza-nafil), if he began to observe such a fast before the guest’s arrival. The most delicious and refined dishes should be offered to the guest, while the host eats what is worse and simpler.

If little food has been prepared, and it is clear that the guest has a good appetite, then the owner should eat as little as possible so that the guest gets more. If the guest wishes to leave after the end of the meal, do not insist too much on him staying. Follow him, accompany him to the exit and, before he leaves, express your gratitude to him for his visit, saying: “You have honored us with your visit, may Allah reward you for this with his mercy.”

You should not allow special luxury in the treat, so as not to create the impression that you are bragging about your hospitality or trying to outshine others. How should one behave when receiving an invitation to a meal? You must accept the invitation, even if you know that the person inviting you is able to buy, for example, only one leg of lamb. Whether you are a significant person or a poor person, you should not offend anyone with a refusal, but you should accept the invitation and go where you are called.

It is indecent to come to a meal without receiving an invitation. If two people simultaneously invite you to their place, then you need to go to the one who lives closer; if both live equally close, then you should give preference to the one with whom you are more familiar or friends. It is indecent, when invited to visit, to bring with you someone who has not received an invitation.

If any person, without being invited, follows on his own initiative to visit someone who has been invited, then the latter at the entrance to the house must say to the owner: “This person came of his own free will, without my invitation. If you wish, let him come in, but if you don’t want this, then let him leave.” This removes the moral responsibility from the guest for the fact that someone who was not invited came with him. When going on a visit, you should somewhat satisfy your hunger at home, so that in the gathering you do not stand out from the other guests by haste in eating.

When you arrive at the meeting, take the place that will be indicated to you by the host. You should accept everything that the owner offers, indecently look around and examine the things in the room. Also, you should not give instructions to the owner regarding cooking and everything else. You can express your opinion only if there have been friendly relations between you and the owner for a long time. It is indecent for guests to pass food to each other with their hands after taking food from a dish. The general rule is that you should not serve food with your hands to a poor person, a dog, or a cat.

At the end of the meal, you should not take home anything that is still left on the table without the owner’s permission. Food is served on the table to be eaten immediately and not taken home. When the host, at the end of the meal, begins to roll up the spread tablecloth on which the guests were treated, you should pray for the well-being of the host like this: “O Allah! Send abundance to the owner of the house who offered the treat, and increase his wealth with your mercy towards him.”

After the prayer, be sure to ask the owner for permission to leave and after that do not have long conversations, because... It is known from legend that Muhammad, peace be upon him, used to say: “After eating, disperse quickly.” (Which is translated into Russian by the saying “Do not be afraid of a guest sitting, be afraid of a guest standing” - long conversations in the doorway before leaving are inappropriate).

When eating and drinking, the following rules should be followed:

you need to start eating only when you are very hungry, and it is better to eat not to the fullest, in moderation;

In general, one should beware of eating food that cannot be said with certainty that it is undoubtedly pure. Such dubious food (shubha), eat as little as possible - even when hunger forces you - with a feeling of shame and repentance in your soul;

do the same if there is no reason to consider the food illicit, but it is offered by a person who is cruel or does not comply with all the laws of Islam;

You shouldn’t eat meat all the time without a break, but you also shouldn’t go completely without meat for forty days in a row;

Beware of eating or drinking certain foods one after another, because... this can be harmful to health, for example: after fish you should not drink milk immediately and vice versa;

boiled meat should not be mixed with fried meat, and dried or dried meat with fresh meat;

You should not eat or drink one after the other, two hot or stimulating, or two cold or chilling, two soft and tender, or two hard and rough foods;

do not eat two dishes in a row that have a strengthening effect, or two dishes that have a laxative effect, or one that is strengthening and the other that is laxative - it is better to limit yourself to one dish (fruits, of course, do not count);

if the food is ready and you are hungry enough, eat before the obligatory daily prayer, so that by the time of prayer you finish eating and go to pray;

those starting to eat must wait for the eldest of those present to reach out to the food, and then only they themselves can begin to eat, however, the eldest should not hesitate - he should quickly begin to eat, without making others wait, so that the food does not get cold;

before starting to eat, it is necessary to read the prayer established for this purpose, or at least say out loud: “In the name of Allah, the merciful, the merciful”;

you must begin and end your meal with salt - this is the custom;

when starting to eat, take a pinch of salt and say again: “In the name of Allah, the merciful, the merciful”; If someone, out of forgetfulness, before starting a meal does not say the prescribed prayer phrase “In the name of Allah, the merciful, the merciful,” and remembers this while eating, he should correct his mistake by saying: “In the name of Allah both the beginning and the end food"; food and drink must be taken with the right hand; You should take food from the dish directly in front of you, without choosing tidbits lying on the other side of the dish, so you are allowed to take only the fruits you like;

you should treat bread and crumbs with special attention - Muslims recognize bread as a sacred product and take all measures to ensure that the bread does not fall from the table to the floor;

Bread, before you start eating it, is supposed to be broken into pieces - be it a flatbread or weighted bread - certainly with both hands, slowly, and the honor of breaking the bread for guests belongs to the host of the treat;

they do not cut bread with a knife, they do not bite off a whole flatbread with their teeth - all this is considered indecent;

You should not use bread to wipe off fat from your hands after eating meat;

you should pick up and eat crumbs that accidentally fall out of your mouth while eating - this brings a lot of happiness;

throwing away crumbs means revealing your pride and arrogance; It is recommended to eat slowly, without rushing, because... haste in eating harms digestion, do not put too large pieces in your mouth and try to chew everything as best as possible;

You should not blow on food that is too hot; you should eat when it has cooled down on its own;

the mouth should be opened only enough to accommodate the taken piece. it is indecent to stretch your hand to the dish for the next piece until the previous one has been chewed and swallowed; after taking a bite from your piece, you should not put the rest of it back on the dish, or shake off the food that has stuck to your hand into the bowl from which the rest of those present take food;

You should not beat the fat in the bones on bread, on the edge of a dish or on a tablecloth;

It is considered a sin to doze off while eating, like animals; one should also not raise one’s voice, say unpleasant things to those present, or criticize the offered treat;

if possible, you should not eat alone, because the more hands reach out to food, the more God sends it for the benefit of people, and the well-being of the owner of the house increases;

until the very end of the meeting, you should do your best to maintain peace, harmony and a cheerful mood among those gathered, and you should get up no earlier than the owner rolls up the tablecloth on which the food was served; getting up earlier is allowed only due to some good reason;

politeness requires that everyone taking food from a common dish should try to provide the best pieces to others, and not reach out for the best pieces for themselves;

you should not fill the spoon to the brim - this shows passion for food, and also take too little on the spoon - this often reveals pride;

It is best to fill the spoon halfway; you must try not to let the spoon drip onto the tablecloth or clothes;

food left in a spoon should not be put back into the container from which others eat;

You should not bring your mouth close to the cup itself, like animals, put the spoon far into your mouth and make unpleasant sounds when sipping from the spoon;

You should not knock with a spoon when placing it on a dish; and the spoon should be placed with the outer side down so that the food remaining on the spoon does not drip onto the tablecloth;

When peeling fruits, you should not put the peeled skins, grains and seeds on the same dish where the fruits were, but put it all in a container offered by the owner specifically for these purposes;

before eating and after eating, all guests must wash their hands in compliance with all formalities, which, in general, are performed quite accurately in all Muslim homes;

after washing the hands, before the meal and after it is over, specially established prayers are said, in which they thank God for the food sent and ask for forgiveness of sins to the owner of the house, to all those present, to all Muslims;

One of the older guests says the prayer to himself, raising his hands in front of him, palms up, and when finished, runs the palms of his hands over his face and chin, and this gesture is silently repeated by everyone present.

There are rules for drinking water:

If possible, water should be drunk while sitting;

there are two exceptions to this rule: while standing, they drink water from the ZamZam spring during the Hajj, and the water remaining after ablution, if a person wants to drink and there is water in his jug;

You should not blow on the water;

it is indecent to drink water from a cup in one gulp, without a break, but you should do this in three doses, each time tearing yourself away from the edge of the dish - at the first reception take only one sip, at the second - three, at the third - five;

and sticking to an odd number of sips;

before the first sip you should say: “In the name of Allah, the merciful, the merciful,” and after finishing drinking: “Glory to Allah, the Lord of the worlds.”

Nasheed is a Muslim chant, traditionally performed by male vocals solo or in a choir without the accompaniment of musical instruments (only some percussion instruments are allowed).

The permissibility of the use of other musical instruments remains a matter of debate: according to the interpretation of many theologians, including the founders of four of the main madhhabs of Islam, Islam prohibits their use in chants (with the exception of some percussion instruments); at the same time, in the performance of nasheeds there are many new directions, more or less referring to their use.

Posted on Allbest.ru

...

Similar documents

Traditions and customs of the Islamic faith. The Koran is the holy book of Muslims (followers of Islam). The strong influence of Islam on the culture and customs of many peoples in Asia and Africa. The role of the mosque in Islam, pilgrimage to Mecca. Islamic jihad, Muslim holidays.

presentation, added 03/18/2011


History of the emergence of Islam; its directions are Kharijites, Sunnis, Shiites. Spread of religion outside Arabia. The division of Islam as a result of the political struggle for the throne of the caliphate. Major Muslim holidays. Structures and plots of the Koran.

abstract, added 08/22/2011


Islam as a world religion. The holy book of Islam is the Koran, its most important postulates and leitmotifs, social and economic issues, the story of the ancient prophets. The life story of the Prophet Muhammad. Muslim countries. Various currents in Islam.

presentation, added 05/24/2012


The concept and distinctive features of Islam as one of the world's monotheistic religions, history and main periods of its development, reasons for its widespread prevalence in modern society. The essence of Allah in Islam, the content and basic principles of the Koran.

presentation, added 05/21/2014


Islam is a monotheistic world religion, features of its doctrine. The holy book of Islam, the Koran, its meaning. The essence of Allah, Muhammad is the prophet of Islam. Buddhism is the doctrine of a person who has acquired absolute wisdom. Basic principles of the Buddha's teachings.

presentation, added 12/11/2012


Islam: directions, currents, sects. Founder of Islam. Islam as a way of life. Sources of faith. Creed of Islam Sharia. Basic values ​​of Islam. Women's rights under Sharia. Eating etiquette, prohibitions, regulations and rituals. Holidays in Islam.

abstract, added 12/12/2007


The history of the emergence of Islam - a monotheistic Abrahamic world religion. Secret sermons of Muhammad and the spread of Islam. Pillars of faith: in Allah, angels, scriptures, Judgment Day, predestination. Description of the People of the Book in the Quran and Sunnah.

presentation, added 01/06/2015


The emergence of Islam on the territory of the Arabian Peninsula. Muslim states on the territory of Russia. Islamic period of the Golden Horde. Muslim countries in Russia after the collapse of the Golden Horde. The role of the confessional factor in modern Russia.

abstract, added 11/12/2012


An introduction to the pre-Islamic Arabian Peninsula and the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. The life of the Prophet Muhammad - a prominent religious figure, founder and spreader of the Islamic religion and caliphate. Problems that arose during the spread of Islam.

presentation, added 11/09/2010


History of the emergence of Islam. Distinctive features of religion, its impact on the culture and customs of many peoples of Asia and Africa. The role of the mosque in Islam. Muslim holidays, traditions of the ancient cult of stones, trees and other animate things and phenomena.

Return