Islam – An Introduction

Syed Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi

Paperback, 176 Pages, Black & White
6 x 9 Inches
Nadwi Press

Islam means to submit one’s will to God, to surrender one’s ego and in all humility accept God’s word, The Quran, as a guide with which to lead one’s life. The beautiful miracle that transpires, thereafter, is that one begins to feel freer and more empowered by sacrificing the self in service to God’s wisdom.

Every aspect of the religion of over one-and-a-half billion individuals is divinely designed to absolute perfection. It imbues balance within one’s life and fosters harmony both within oneself and in one’s associations with others.

To an outsider, however, Islam is still a mystery and for others it is too complicated to get one’s head around let alone to practice it judiciously. Which is where this wondrous book comes in. Written by the great scholar of Islam, Sayyed Abu Hasan Ali Nadwi, it presents the beautiful religion in the simplest way making it thoroughly accessible to the layperson.

Readers of this superb book will soon discover the gift of Ali Nadwi, which was to present Islam in a thorough but simple manner. His careful selection of words and terms invites the seekers of knowledge and wisdom to know more while answering their most burning questions.

Among the secrets of Islam, the most important one is approaching The Quran as it only truly benefits those who approach it in the spirit of submission and love. And when learned and practised correctly, Islam changes one’s life both inwardly and outwardly so then one lives to enter paradise among the righteous.

Table of Contents:

ISLAM: MEANING, NATURE AND SCOPE

• Value of Faith in Islam
• Oneness of Allah (Tawheed)

II PILLARS OF ISLAM

• SALAH (Prayer): First Pillar
• Salah Sustenance for the Soul
• How Salah Is Offered
• Prayer Call (Adhan)
• Ablution (Wudu)
• Deeds Done in the Mosque
• Congregational Prayer
• Prayer Contributing to Worshippers’
• Self-Confidence
• Completion of Prayer
• Importance of Mosque
• Completion of Prayer
• Importance of Mosque
• Friday Prayer
• Friday Sermon (Khutba)
• Different Levels of Prayer
• ZAKAH (Poor-Due): Second Pillar Importance of Zakah
• Allah Absolute Owner of All Things Man Temporal Owner of Property Wisdom Behind Fixing Percentage of Zakah Articles for Which Zakah Is to Be Paid
• Uses of Zakah
• Zakah a Form of Worship, Not a Penalty Giving Away Extra Wealth as Charity Value of Man in Islam
• SAWM (Fasting): Third Pillar
• Commandment for Fasting
• Virtues of Fasting
• Wisdom in Associating Fasting with Ramadan
• Ramadan: a Global Season of Worship and Virtue
• Pre-Dawn Meal (Sahoor)
• Safeguarding the Spirit of Fasting
• Seclusion (E’tekaf
• Night of Power (Lailatul Qadr)
• Moon of Eid Marking the End of Ramadan
• HAJJ(Pilgrimage): Fourth Pillar
• Relevance of Prophet Ibrahim’s Story to Hajj
• Hajj Reminder of Prophet Ibrahim’s Mission
• Hajj Manifestation of Islamic Brotherhood
• Hajj Associated with Specific Time and Place

III ISLAMIC SOCIETY: FEATURES, FESTIVALS AND CUSTOMS

• Prominent Features:
• Islam a Religion of Ordained Divine Laws
• Title of the Muslim Ummah
• Importance of Religion for Muslims
• Islamic Laws (Sharia) Unalterable
• Specific Concept of Purification
• Eating Habits
• Love for the Prophet
• Faith in Cessation of Prophethood
• Love for the Prophet’s Companions and His Family
• Reverence for the Holy Quran
• Tradition of Committing the Quran to Memory
• A Global Community
• Important Festivals:
• Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha
• Preparations for Eid al-Fitr
• Eid al-Fitr Prayer
• Eid al-Adha: Importance of Sacrifice
• Global Dimension of Both Festivals
• Important Customs:
• From Birth to Death
• Birth of a Child and Calling Adhan and lqamah in His Ears
• Shaving the Head of the Child
• Giving a Name to the Child
• Adopting Names of Prophets and Sahabah
• Teaching the Child Etiquette of Purification
• Teaching the Child How to Pray Marriage
• How a Muslim Marriage is Performed
• The Marriage Sermon
• A Model Marriage Sermon
• Marriage a Form of Worship
• Natural Problems and a Muslim’s Response
• Illness
• Death
• Concern for Meeting Death in a State of Iman (Faith)
• Congregational Prayer for the Dead
• Carrying the Dead to the Cemetery
• Burial Rites
• Sending Food to the Family of the Deceased

IV ISLAMIC CULTURE

• The Ibrahimi Culture and Its Pioneers
• Three Features of the Islamic Culture
• Man most suitable for managing the world
• Successful Vicegerent
• Two Contradictory, Ideologies Mutual love and Cooperation.
• Malice a Serious Evil

VI CONCLUSION

• God Not Disappointed with Man Value of Love Sharing Others’ Suffering Man’s Chief Excellence Man’s ultimate Responsibility