The meaning of “Islam” is submission, and in order to understand the five pillars of Islam, one must understand that this refers to the submission of the whole individual. Emerick explains that a person has both a body and a soul, or nafs, and both must learn to accept God’s will. For this reason, the five pillars of Islam require niyya, or intention of the heart and action by the body. Islam emphasizes both orthodoxy and orthopraxy. The physical act of bowing and standing and the precise Arabic words of prayer are essential, yet a perfectly performed prayer is still rendered void if the participant does not have the proper niyyah. This practice continues throughout the five pillars, and the Islamic pattern of fasting and almsgiving is a unique blend of spiritual commitment and temporal discipline.
I found parallels between zakat and the LDS practice of home and visiting teaching from the story of Abu Illya by Donna Lee Bowen. Abu Illya was a devout Muslim and very hard-working baker from Morocco. His neighbor, Lalla Fatiha, became a widow responsible for several children. She received no financial help from her family, and the Illyas discovered that she was experiencing significant difficulties. From that moment on, the Illyas took responsibility for the family’s welfare. Without being asked by a religious leader or even Lalla Fatiha herself, all of the Illyas began helping with the food, clothing, monetary, and especially the educational needs of their neighbors. They refused to accept any thanks, and Abu Illya said, “This isn’t charity. . . .This is zakat. . . .Lalla Fatiha helps us be better Muslims, and in turn is a good Muslim herself” (221). Although I understand that modern zakat differs from family to family, this kind but totally unpretentious service was different from LDS tithing. It was not writing a check for a pre-specified amount. It seemed like a combination of tithing, fast offerings, and home teaching, in that the Illyas were taking complete responsibility for their Muslim neighbor’s simply because it was “the way Islam is to be lived” (221).
The purpose of fasting during Ramadan is to submit the body more fully to God, and so gain spiritual and physical benefits. The pamphlet, “Fasting Regulations and Practices,” lists a number of reasons why a person might fast, from appearing younger to saving money. The most important reason for fasting is “to please Allah and to earn His blessings and rewards” (3). All of the other benefits of health, money, and religious duty apply as well. That said, Ramadan is now experiencing many of the problems in the Middle East that Christians face each December in the Western world: commercialism. The month of Ramadan, according to a New York Times article, has become the best month for sales and advertising in Egypt and Dubai. Emerick insists that any sin such as lying, backbiting, or fighting nullify a Ramadan fast, that it is a time to abstain from all petty sins, as well as food and drink. Eid Al-Fitr, the two-day festival after Ramadan, is the time for celebration. However, the article quotes one man asking, “Why can’t religion and fun go hand in hand?”
The struggle between secular holiday and religious fasting observance, body and nafs, or “natural man” and spirit, all seem to be the same struggle. They all show difficulties of living a spiritual life in a physical world. To me, fasting during Ramadan and paying a proper zakat are just Islam’s specific solutions. They have different names in my own LDS faith: Fast Sunday, tithing, fast offerings, Christmas, or the Law of Consecration, but, like the five pillars, they require the physical action and the heart.
No comments:
Post a Comment