Culture

Home | Archives | About | Media Links

October 1999

Allah's Followers - Muslims in Hong Kong

By Kwong Sum Yin

Another article from this beat:
Funeral Rites - Da Chai

The word Islam is derived from the Arabic root Salema, meaning peace, purity, submission and obedience. In the religious sense, it means submission to the will of Allah - the one and only eternal god of Muslims.

Mr. Shahriar Mohammad Akramullah, 31, a Ph.D. candidate in the Electrical and Electronic Engineering Department at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology is a Muslim.

From the moment a person embraces Islam, the "five-time prayers" become obligatory.

"Five prayers, or salah, takes place in the early morning, after dawn and before sunrise.

"The reason behind choosing the above times is that we are not worshipping the sun but Allah.

"Before offering a prayer, one must in good shape. It is necessary to clean ourselves. This performance is called Ablution, or wudu.

"We also have to keep our clothes and the place of prayer clean.

"Each salah consists of two to four rakah - a set of postures during praying, and all prayers need to be recited in Arabic," he said.

According to Mr. Akramullah, every muscle of the body joins the soul and the mind in the worship and glory of Allah. At that moment, Muslims are highly concentrated.

Mr. Akramullah said that salah does not affect daily life.

"Of course, nobody is perfect. Sometimes I miss a prayer in the early morning.

"Then I may combine it with the following prayer.

"We can also seek forgiveness from Allah by a compensating prayer.

"For example, if you are in a car during praying time, the best way is stop and pray.

"But if you can't, Allah will allow you to pray later," he said.

A further rule is that they should face the Qiblah - the direction of the holy place, or Ka'bah, at Mecca.

Another application of faith is fasting, or Seyam, for a month called Ramadan - the ninth month of the Islamic year

During this month, Muslims abstain from eating, drinking, intimate sexual contacts and smoking from the break of dawn till sunset.

Mr. Zafirlah Khan, 17, a form 6 student of Islamic Kasim Tuet Memorial College, has been a Muslim since birth.

Many of his friends are Muslims and has affected his decision to continue to practice Islam as his relligion.

He said that fasting is not a problem as it is only once a year.

"Indeed it is not so difficult," Mr. Akramullah said.

"I regard it as only a shift in eating time."

"I may eat an early breakfast and a late lunch.

"It is only a bit difficult during summer I feel thirsty easily," he said.

Mr. Chau Wai Man, 15, another form 4 student of Islamic Kasim Tuet Memorial College, agrees.

"I find it is a rather unbearable situation after doing vigorous exercises.

At that moment I am hungry and thirsty," he said.

However, they all agree with this practice.

"I think it can train me to become a self-disciplined and patient person," said Mr. Chau.

"We should keep in mind that we fast for Allah. We can show our faith and obedience to him," said Mr. Akramullah.

Muslims cannot eat haran, or unlawful food, like pork and alcoholic drinks.

For Mr. Akramullah, it is a bit difficult to have suitable meals at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

"The choice of foods is restricted as I can't eat pork. Also, I cannot eat mushbooh, or suspected food.

"It is difficult for me to identify which food is halan as there are many muslbooh," he said.

Despite these minor problems, Mr. Akramullah enjoys being a Muslim and sharing his religion with others.

Home | Archives | About | Media Links