The words bull in a china shop spring to mind - although I do understand why.
The thing with the blood belongs to Shia Islam and it is only them that do it. They beat themselves with chains, in remembrence of Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet ohammad) that died in battle over the Caliphate. I am asking myself why you want to know about that?! That is not a road I would like to travel or encourage you to.
So we are going to read and learn - slowly. We are also going to avoid radical ideas and if I see you headed in that direction guess what is gonna happen??
I am not trying to patronise you, just get you to examine whether this is about faith or a desire to learn a fascinating subject. Either way is fine but make sure you know which. Islam is a way of life and to become a good Muslim you must 'live' Islam.
Other than Allah (swt) nobody would be happier if you wanted to become a Muslim than I and I know what a blessing it can be and the peace it can bring to your life and mind. However you must be sincere and learn.
The five Pillars:
1. Faith - as you know the declaration of faith is called Shahada =
ashadu an la ilaha illa-llah, wa ashadu anna Muhammadan rasulullah
meaning - I testisfy there is no god but G-d and I testify that Mohammad is the Messenger of G-d.
The most important part of the Shahada is intention and sincerity, it must come from the heart. Mohammad was not some clever bloke with a plan, he was the Seal of the Prophets and must be respected as so.
The Shahada also makes up part of the Adhan (call to prayer which you hear from the mosque). Here is some good info on the Adhan:
Adhan: The Call to Prayer
2. Prayer - Salat.
The 5 daily prayers are performed facing the direction of the Ka'aba (where you see
' in the middle of a word it is a glottal stop, a distinct momentary pause in the word). We do not worship the Ka'aba, it is simply a focal point for all Muslims.
The history of the Ka'aba can be found here:
Kaaba, Ka'aba, Black Stone, hajr-e-aswad
To begin with praying is a complicated matter, this site will take you through it step by step:
The Basics of the Muslim’s Prayer)
For prayer you must also dress correctly according to your gender and in your mind have the intention to pray. Prayer is very personal, you are trying to connect to Allah, you are prostrating in front of Him, not just 'grovelling in the dust' as non Muslims often suggest.
3. Charity - zakah. This is not charity in the way we think of it in the West.
It is voluntary but is also a moral obligation given to us by Allah. Nothing 'belongs' to us, everything belongs to Allah and we are simply entrusted to look after it. Zakat is set at 2.5% of your capital but you can give more but not to the point of doing without or making your family do without. Even smiling at someone is a form of chairty.
Prophet said when he was asked 'What if a person has nothing?' he replied 'He should work with his own hands for his benefit and then give something out of such earnings in charity.' Then asked 'What if he is not able to work?' The Prophet said: 'He should help poor and needy persons.' Then further asked 'What if he cannot do even that?' The Prophet said 'He should urge others to do good.' Then asked 'What if he lacks that also?' The Prophet said 'He should check himself from doing evil. That is also charity.'
4. Fast - Sawm
For Muslims this is a spiritual and moral time. We not only avoid food, drink, smoking, sexual relations but also arguing, thinking bad thoughts, etc. From the first sign of dawn until the last ray of light at dusk we devote our minds to glorifying Allah.
5. Pilgrimage - Hajj
Every Muslim, if they are physically and financially able to perform hajj once before they die. Hajj is to the Ka'aba in Mecca and is our response to the call of Allah.
Pilgrims wear simple clothes, which remove class and culture - this is symbolic of the Dayof Judgement, when money, power and culture will be meaningless. The hajj is for the glory of Allah, not to worship a man. Most people that perform hajj also visit the tomb of the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) but that is not a part of the hajj.
Tis is just the beginning and I would strongly suggest to anyone thinking of converting to read the Quran from cover to cover and learn where the hadiths fit into everything before they convert. I converted very quickly but nobody had even mentioned the hadiths, so I had a struggle to get my mind round them after the fact.
Hope this helps.
Salaam
MW
