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What_is_Islam, page : 29
3. The bestowal of charity on one's fellow man. Islam places great
emphasis on generosity and charity as a means of purifying one's soul and
drawing closer to Allah. The Muslim is enjoined to give voluntarily
whenever he/she can; however, he/she is required each lunar year to pay
an obligatory charity tax of 2 ½ of his/her annual savings. This
obligatory charity is then given to orphans, the needy and the poor. The
Zakat, which means obligatory charity, enables the Muslim community to
take care of all its members and insures that no one will be deprived of
his/her basic human right to exist.
4. Fasting during the ninth month of the lunar year called "Ramadan."
This fast is enjoined upon Muslims of good health and sound body who
have attained the age of physical maturity and are not prevented from
performing the fast by various circumstances like travel, sickness, mental
illness, or specifically in the case of women, menstruation, or childbirth.
The fast of Ramadan begins at dawn and lasts until sunset. During this
period the Muslim abstains from eating, and drinking, sexual activity and
smoking. Fasting teaches self-discipline and control, while purifying the
emphasis on generosity and charity as a means of purifying one's soul and
drawing closer to Allah. The Muslim is enjoined to give voluntarily
whenever he/she can; however, he/she is required each lunar year to pay
an obligatory charity tax of 2 ½ of his/her annual savings. This
obligatory charity is then given to orphans, the needy and the poor. The
Zakat, which means obligatory charity, enables the Muslim community to
take care of all its members and insures that no one will be deprived of
his/her basic human right to exist.
4. Fasting during the ninth month of the lunar year called "Ramadan."
This fast is enjoined upon Muslims of good health and sound body who
have attained the age of physical maturity and are not prevented from
performing the fast by various circumstances like travel, sickness, mental
illness, or specifically in the case of women, menstruation, or childbirth.
The fast of Ramadan begins at dawn and lasts until sunset. During this
period the Muslim abstains from eating, and drinking, sexual activity and
smoking. Fasting teaches self-discipline and control, while purifying the