A Brief Illustrated Guide to Understanding Islam (P/B)

This work is a translation of Shaikh Abdul Aziz bin Baz’s book ‘Ad-Duroos Al-Muhimmah li-Ammatil-Ummah.’ It contains concise lessons that explain the fundamental teachings of Islam. This book covers a wide range of basic information such as the meaning of Tawhid (Islamic monotheism), the categories and implications of Shirk (polytheism), the regulations of prayer, and Islamic morals and manners. As the title implies, these are truly essential lessons for everyone who is concerned with the correctness of his Islamic beliefs and acts of worship.

Separates the authentic Islamic teachings on dream interpretation from the myths, superstitions and fabrications being circulated on the subject. It also provides a guide for dream interpretation according to references found in the Quran and authentic hadeeths.

Since the English publication of Muhammad Al-Akili’s 508 page work entitled, Ibn Seerin’s Dictionary of Dreams: According to Islamic Inner Traditions in 1992, followed shortly thereafter by Dreams and Interpretations by Ibn Seereen, there has been an explosion of dream interpretation and interpreters among English-speaking Muslim communities in the West. On the other hand, dream interpretation has been a long established tradition in the Muslim East. However, it has become so mixed up with superstition, myths and fortunetelling, that most educated Muslims shun this area. The fact of the matter is that dream interpretation is mentioned in the Quran and was regularly practised by the Prophet (pbuh), himself. Consequently, there is a real need to understand this subject, especially, considering that humans spend about a third of their lives sleeping.

Often, the first thing someone is asked when they discover the truth and embrace Islam is the question: Why Islam? Here, an American revert-to-Islam answers that question. The author, K. Sherman, writes: The beauty of Islam is probably the best-kept secret in modern times; it is about time it was revealed. This is the sentiment of a majority of people who are discovering the truth about Islam every day. My first exposure to the religion was through a perusal of a fifty-page booklet titled Towards Understanding Islam (written in 1932). It explained to me everything that twenty years of life and fifteen years of education could not. After the initial sense of relief, I suddenly felt cheated. I was consumed with rage. Why? I could not fathom how people could know about this phenomenal way of life and not speak out and inform others. This book is my personal take on the beauty of Islam, backed up by relevant and authentic references. I am convinced that humanity direly needs it and it is my duty to speak out.

This book analyses the principles and practices of philanthropy and distributive justice in Islam. It argues, with analyses and examples, that the accomplishment of purposive philanthropy, as commanded by the fundamental tenets of Islam, through the professionalization and rationalization of zakat management, modernization of awaqaf, etc. has the potential of optimizing justice in Muslim societies. The work draws on the Quran, Hadithe, other authentic literature, and also on official documents and publications of management agencies dealing with philanthropy in different Muslim countries/societies. The analyses are documented enough to be used as a text for the study of philanthropy in Islam in tertiary institutions nonetheless are simple enough to draw general readership and to be used by non-profit and international organizations worldwide in order to order to understand the principles and issues of philanthropy and distributive justice in Muslim societies.

Dr. Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips has rendered Ibn Taymiyah’s treatise, Eedaah-ud-Dalaalah fee ‘Umoom-ir-Risaalah, from volume 19 of Majmoo‘-ul-Fataawa into very readable English. This abridged and annotated translation is significant in that it is perhaps the first book available in English exclusively on the topic of spirit-possession and exorcism in Islam.

Ahmad ibn ‘Abdul-Haleem ibn Taymeeyah was bron in the town of Harran [near Edessa, in what was once Northern Iraq, but is now called Orfa and is a part of Turkey.], in the year 1263 CE. His father was a leading scholar of the Hanbalite school of Islamic law and so was his grandfather, who authored Muntaqaa al-Akhbaar, the text of ash-Shawkaanee’s Hadeeth classic Nayl al-Awtaar.

Ibn Taymeeyah mastered the various disciplines of Islamic study at an early age and read extensively the books of the various sects and religions in existence at that time. Much of his time and effort was spend defending the orthodox Islamic position against a tidal wave of deviation which had swept over the Muslim nation. Consequently, he faced many difficulties from both the prominent sectarian scholars of his time and from the authorities who supported them. His clashes with them led to his imprisonment on numerous occasions. Ibn Taymeeyah also fought, not only against internal enemies of Islaam, but also against its external enemies by both his Fatwaas (Islamic legal rulings) and his physical participation in battles. His ruling allowing the taking up arms against groups which recognized the Shahaadataan (declaration of faith) but refused to uphold some aspects of the fundamental principles of Islaam, greatly affected the resistance movement against the Tartars who had declared their acceptance of Islaam but did not rule according to divine law.

During these struggles he wrote countless books and treatises demonstrating his extensive reading and knowledge, not only of the positions of the early scholars, but also those of the legal and theological schools which had subsequently evolved. Ibn Taymeeyah also had a major effect on the open-minded schoars of his day, most of whom were from the Shaafi’ite school of law. Among the most famous of his students were IBN KATHEER, ADH-DHAHABEE and IBN AL-QAYYIM. The author died in 1328 while in prison in Damascus for his Fatwaa against undertaking journeys to visit the graves of saints [Ibn Taymeeyah’s ruling was based on the authentic statement reported by Abu Hurayrah wherein the Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) said, “Do not undertake a journey except to three masjids; this masjid of mine, Masjid al-Haraam (Makkah) and Masjid al-Aqsaa (Bayt al-Maqdis).” Collected by Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim]. His Fatwaa had been distorted by his enemies to say that he forbade visiting the Prophet Muhammad’s (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) grave.