Umar ibn Abdul-Azeez The Just Caliph (IIPH)

Until September 11, 2001 few Westerners had ever heard of “Wahhabism.” Now most of us recognize the word as describing an austere and puritanical type of Islam, mentioned frequently in connection with Osama bin Laden and Saudi Arabia and often named as the inspiration behind the 9/11 terror attacks. The word “Wahhabi” stems from the name of the founder of this system of thought, Muhammad Ibn Abd al-Wahhab (1702-1791), companion and religious adviser to Muhammad Ibn Saud, founder of the House of Saud. In this book Natana DeLong-Bas offers an in-depth study of the written works of al-Wahhab. She focuses on four areas: theology, legal theory, proselytizing through education and jihad, and law on women. Through a close reading of al-Wahhab’s texts she demonstrates that many aspects of 20th- and 21st-century Wahhabi extremism do not have their origins in his writings. Examples of this extremism include the emphasis on jihad, martyrdom and militancy, and misogyny. The strict division of the world into dar al-Islam and dar al-kufr, according to which only Wahhabi adherents are considered to be true Muslims and all others are non-Muslims who must be fought, is entirely absent from al-Wahhab’s work. Instead, argues DeLong-Bas, all of these themes were only added to Wahhabi teachings in the 19th century following armed engagement with the Ottoman Empire. DeLong-Bas’s study fills an enormous gap in the literature about Wahhabism by returning to the original writings of the founder of the movement. She debunks the common journalistic portrayal of Muhammad Ibn Abd al-Wahhab as an illiterate, rural bumpkin with no scholarly formation. Her revisionist reading of al-Wahhab’s thought will be controversial but impossible to ignore. The book will be essential reading for students and scholars of Islam as well as for those interested in the background of this dangerous modern ideology.

According to a well-known hadith, cleanliness and purity are half of the faith. It is obligatory for a Muslim to be clean and in a state of purity in order to offer formal prayer and recite the Quran by way of ablution, a ritual shower, or dry ablution. Purity and cleanliness encompass both physical and spiritual aspects. Physical impurities can be removed by clean, pure water or dry, clean earth or stone, and this is a beginning step for spiritual cleanliness. In the Purity of the Muslim, Saeed al-Qahtani explains in a clear and comprehensive manner the types of various impurities and the ways to attain purity and cleanliness according to the teachings of the Quran and of the final prophet, Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).

This book, authored by Luqman Nagy, is an introduction to the history and legacy of the great translation movement that began at the Bayt al-Hikmah in ninth century Abbasid Baghdad and culminated centuries later in Spain, with teams of Muslim, Christian and Jewish scholars translating works of Greek and Islamic science from Arabic into Latin. These translations became the first scientific textbooks to be used at many European universities. This wealth of knowledge that was made available in Latin helped initiate the Renaissance, or ‘rebirth’ of learning in the West.

Mercy is clemency and forbearance; mercy is the disposition to forgive or show compassion; mercy means a favor or a blessing; mercy further denotes the qualities of kindness, sympathy, generosity, and beneficence. Suffice is to say that all of these qualities were present in abundance in the character of the Prophet Muhammad (May Allah have his peace and blessings on him).

He was a mercy not just to believers, but to disbelievers as well, for he would invite them to come out of darkness and into the light of true guidance. He is a favor and blessing for mankind, not just the Arabs, the people among whom he was sent, but for people of all races and colors. His staunchest enemies became his closest followers when the cloud of blind prejudice was removed from their sight and when they were able, for the very first time, to see with clarity the true nature of the Prophet’s character.

This book deals with many of the qualities that the Prophet possessed that made him the mercy to everyone. It starts with His perfect lineage, His noble upbringing, and his fully dedicated worship. This book then gives many of the qualities of the Prophet including his generosity, humbleness, bravery, patience, and leadership to name a few. Each chapter includes examples from the life of the Prophet on how he was the perfect living example of that quality. The book ends with the perfection of life of the Prophet with his farewell sermon and even his noble death where he demonstrated some of those qualities as well.

In this book, is an explicit CLARIFICATION of the MAJOR DOUBTS raised by the proponents of Mawlid an-Nabi, including:

• Mawlid an-Nabi is honoring the Prophet.
• Mawlid an-Nabi is celebrated by a large number of the people in many towns and cities.
• Commemorating Mawlid an-Nabi renews the memories of the Prophet.
• Celebration of Mawlid an-Nabi is cut of love for the Prophet and an expression of ones love, which is permissible.
• Mawlid an-Nabi is a Bidah Husna (good innovation) because it is a means of showing gratitude towards Allah for sending the Prophet.
• The sayings of Umar, ‘What a good Bidah is this?’

Additional quotes by Shaikh Muhammad ibn Ibraheem Aal-Shaikh have been added to further clarify these issues. The booklet also as 2 valuable appendixes:

Appendix 1: Explanation of the Hadeeth,”He, who established/initiates a Sunnah Husna in Islam.” in the word o Shaikh Saleh al-Fawzan and Shaikh Muhammad ibn al-Uthaimeen (rahimahullah)

Appendix 2: A Dialogue between Shaikh al-Albani (rahimahullah) and a proponent of Mawlid.

The Muslim Nation today is experiencing a blessed awakening in all aspects of its affairs, one that has been aroused by the efforts of Muslims throughout the globe. This is despite the onslaught of the disbelievers against Islam whether that be military or through their powerful media apparatus. In these often difficult times, we find many Muslims returning to their Din and embracing it with vigour and enthusiasm. However the astute observer will find that there are many problems that hinder its progress, problems that have caused some of the scholars to lay down some guidelines that the youth of this blessed awakening should adhere to and follow. It should also be noted that if the Islamic guidelines are not strictly adhered to, and the youth are left to be driven by their emotions alone, then surely this awakening will result in destroying more than it will build!