We praise G-d. We worship Him alone. We seek His Assistance and His Guidance and His Mercy. For without His Mercy, we would not have been guided to the right way. We ask Him to forgive us our errors in the Faith, in the religion, and for our sins that we commit against our own selves. We ask Him to strengthen us in our position and our stand and to put it in our hearts and in our spirit a desire to always want to be better and the desire to be counted among His servants, the righteous. We offer Him worship and offer worship to none other. He is G-d alone. We do not worship any, except Him, being sincere and offering Him religion. Religion is for G-d.
The first home constructed for all people, according to our book, the Book of G-d to us and for us in our lives, G-d says that the first house built for the worship of G-d for all people is that house in Mecca, called The House, the First House, and it is our qiblah. Qiblah means that it is our center and that we turn to that direction to make prayer and we also go in that direction or travel to that House to make Hajj or Pilgrimage. The House is very important.
If you are like a recorder that takes the message and gives exactly back what was given to it and no more, you don't have Islam. To have Islam, you have to be taught. Allah didn't send a Messenger with a book and say, "You read it and that is enough." Allah sent Muhammed to teach you the message. Allah says that he was sent to teach the Qur'an, not just read the Qur'an: "To teach them the Qur'an and also the rules of logic, of wisdom."
It is not enough to turn know the importance of turning toward the Qiblah or the Kaa'ba. You also must understand the meaning, the importance of facing that House in prayer, going to that House and saluting it before you begin your Hajj. It is a Home built for all mankind; it did not say it is a Home built for Muslims. It says "a Home built for all mankind." What is this teaching us? It is teaching us to not be racist. It is teaching us to be one in the family of humanity and to accept all people as your brothers and sisters in humanity. That tells us that we are obligated, then, not only to Muslims but to the whole family of humanity.
First things first, we know that. Your first obligation is to those nearest to you. But after you have managed to take care of those nearest to you, your duty includes those who are farthest from you. Our learned teacher, Maulana Maududi, may G-d give him paradise, said that Islam is an idea for the reform of the whole earth. Muslims have a mission to not only take care of their own families and their own Muslims, but we have an obligation and a mission to extend that kindness to the whole planet earth.
What's most important to Muslims are important relationships, vital relationships. The first of those relationships is our relationship with Allah, with G-d upon taqwa. Taqwa is translated by some as "G-d consciousness." Some translate it as "fear of G-d." G-d says, have this taqwa, this reverence or caution for G-d, and for family relations. It is also used in another way and less important way, I would say. "And have respect for the fire." So if you look at the many ways this "taqullah" verb form is used in Qur'an, then you will come away with the more complete understanding of what taqwa is. Don't just read one meaning in Qur'an. Read the whole Qur'an. All Muslims are supposed to read Qur'ran at least during the month of Ramadan, or have it read to you. If you can't read yourself, then someone should read it for you. We have wonderful recordings now of Qur'an that can be played during the month of Ramadan.
