Captured Thoughts

New Directions in Islamic Education explores the relationship between pedagogy and the formation of religious identities within Islamic education settings that are based in minority and majority Muslim contexts. Based on empirical research, the book engages critically with the philosophical, theological and cultural dynamics that inform Muslim educational thought and practice. The book offers an integrated model of Islamic education that identifies the heart of the Islamic educational imagination as tarbiyah, a transformative process of becoming. Overall, this book seeks to ground the theory and practice of Islamic education within the experience of the educator and the learner, and it synthesises the spiritual foundations of Islam with the tradition of critical reflection within the classical Muslim educational heritage. This ground breaking and wide-ranging work should be of interest not only to Muslim educators and education specialists, but also to social scientists, theologians and policy makers.

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.

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.

In all the divine revelations there is a constant warning that wrongdoers may end up in Hell-fire, though Allah’s kindness and mercy are extended to many people. Reading about the Hell-fire enables one to know it, fear it, and try utmost to keep oneself away from it through correct beliefs and good deeds. The more one knows about Hell-fire, the more he or she strives to be saved from its reach. Relying on statements from the Holy Qur’an and the Hadith, this book enables the reader to have a realistic picture of Hell-fire’s torments. It may be enough to know that it is a raging fire, but detailed knowledge of it, as displayed in this book, will strengthen a person’s belief and eventually, Allah willing, make him or her seek for and remain steadfast on the path to salvation. This is an indispensable book for believers and non-believers alike. Hell-fire: Its Torments and Denizens is an abridged, summarized version of Siddiq Hasan Khan’s book about the Hell-fire.