The Making of Al-Wudhu or Purification by Ablution

The Sunnat procedure & sequence of performing Wudhu are:-

1. Have the Niyat or intent of Taharah or purification; preferably face the Qibla or Ka'ba & quietly read or recite Durood Sharif

" I seek the refuge of Allah to be saved from the devil Satan who has been rejected."
, & then

" In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. "

2. Wash the hands up to the wrists, passing the fingers of the two hands in between each other (Three times).

3. Cleanse the mouth with Miswak or brush or fingers & gargle (Three times).

4. Rise the nostrils from within by sniffing in the water & cleaning using left hand, particularly the smallest finger (Three times).

5. Wash the face from forehead to the chin & from ear to ear (Three times).

6. Wash the right arm up to the elbows & then the left arm (Three times).

7. Wet the hands with water, pass them (Masah) over the head, clean the inner ears with index fingers & the outer ears with thumbs, & finally pass the back of the hands over the back of the neck or nape as well as the sides of the neck (Masah one time).

8. Finally, wash the right foot up to & including the ankles, then the left foot likewise also washing in between the toes (Three times). After Wudhu, if socks (or boots covering ankles) are worn of a strong & water repellent material (nylons & wool included but not cotton), then for the next Wudhu it is sufficient to pass wet hand over feet (Masah) but these socks must be taken off for washing of feet once in every 24 hours, & in journey of 48 miles or more round trip with the intended stay of less than 2 weeks (safar), the limit for Masah is 3 days & nights. Masah helps at work, in office, factory, & schools, etc., in the west for daily prayers.

Two Articles of Faith, in Brief & Detail

1. Iman-e-Mujmal or Faith in Brief.

" I solemnly believe in Allah, with all His names & attributes, & have accepted (to obey) all His commandments (of Shari'ah) by admitting them with tongue & believing them with heart."

2. Iman-e-Mufassal or Faith in Detail.

"I solemnly believe in Allah, His angels, His revealed books, His Messengers or Prophets, the day of resurrection & judgement, predestination & fate (good or bad) from God, & life after death."

Six Articles for Declaration of Faith

1. Kalimat-ul-Tayyib or the Kalimah or the Article of Faith.
" There is no deity but Allah & Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah ."

2. Kalimat-ush-Shahadah or the Declaration & Submission of Testimony or the Second Kalimah.
" I bear witness to the fact that there is no deity but Allah, who is One and there is no partner with Him; & I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant & Messenger ."

3. Kalimat-ul-Tamjjed or the Declaration of the Glory of Allah or the Third Kalimah.
" All Glory & praise be to Allah; there is no deity but Allah; Allah is the greatest, there is no power, no might but from Allah, the Most High, the Great ."

4. Kalimat-ul-Tauheed or the Declaration of the Oneness of Allah or the Fourth Kalimah.
" There is no deity & none worthy of worship but Allah; He is the One & there is no partner with Him; His is the Kingdom(of the whole universe) & to Him is all praise; He gives life & He takes life or causes death; in His hand is all good; & He has power over all things."

5. Kalimat-ul-Istighfar or Declaration of Repentance & Seeking of Forgiveness or the Fifth Kalimah.
" I seek forgiveness of Allah, my Lord, from all the sins & wrong doings, done intentionally or unintentionally, secretly or openly; & repent from the sins I know as well as seek forgiveness from those sins that I do not know due to ignorance or other cause; most certainly You are the Knower of the unseen, Coverer of human failings & Forgiver of sins, & there is no power, no might but from Allah, the most High, the Great. "

6. Kalimat-u-raddil-Kufr or Refutation of Disbelief or the Six Kalimah.
" Allah! I seek refuge in Thee from associating any partner with Thee knowingly; I beg Thy Forgiveness for(all the) sins of which I am(aware or) not aware of. "

Five Pillars of Islam

Islam & Shari'at cover & include the following:-

1. 'Aqaaid or true belief, conviction, creed doctrine & faith.
2. M'aamilaat or transactions, proceedings, & business & other deals.
3. 'Ibadaat or worship, prayer & service.
4. M'aashrat or way of life with all habits, manners, customs & behaviour according to Sunnah or the Holy Prophet's traditions (peace be upon him).
5. Tasawwuf or Islamic mysticism or sufism or self-purification or Tazkiyat-un-Nafs, also classified as Akhlaqiyaat or Islamic manners & morals including habits, behaviour, devotional exercise & dhikr (zikr or remembrance of Allah) etc. A Muslim becomes a good Muslim by learning & practicing the above five, according to Sunnah & by leaving all sins & Bid'yaat or new things against our religion.

According to the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), the fundamental principles or pillars of Islam are five.

1. Declaring that there is only One God or Allah & Muhammad is the true & the last Messenger of Allah.
2. Salat or praying five times a day.
3. Zakat giving & distribution of the annual prescribed charity & poor-due.
4. Saum, roza or fasting in the month of Ramadhan.
5. &, Hajj performance or pilgrimage to Makka at least once in a lifetime, if possible.

(Bukhari & Muslim)