Book Overview

A Brief Introduction To Islam. 

The Arabic word 'Islam' simply means 'submission', and derives from a word meaning 'peace'. In the religious context it means complete submission to the will of Almighty God

(Allah). 'Mohammedanism' is thus a misnomer because it suggests that Muslims worship Muhammad (SAW) rather than God. 'Allah' is the Arabic name for God, which is used by Arab

Muslims and Christians alike.  Islam may seem exotic or even extreme in the modern world. Islam is not only a religion and a philosophy but a complete and absolute way of life.

 Perhaps this is because religion does not dominate everyday life in the West today, whereas Muslims have religion always uppermost in their minds, and make no division between

secular and sacred. They believe that the Divine Law, the Shariah, should be taken very seriously, which is why issues related to religion are still so important

There are few people on earth today who have not heard about Islam. Yet, one is often surprised to learn that it is really quite different from his initial impression. For Islam is not as it is represented in the Western media, nor is it Arab culture, nor is it a religion in the sense of mere private conviction (or more often, speculation) concerning the state of existence.  Islam is a voluntary relationship between an individual and his Creator.

The outstanding difference between this and other religions is that Islam refuses to accept any form of creation whatsoever as a deity worthy of worship. It emphasizes the exclusive worship of the One who created the heavens and the earth, to whom all creation will finally return. It is not a new religion but the continuation and culmination of preceding monotheistic religion - the same truth revealed by God to every prophet. Hence, it is for all peoples and all times.

This book has been intended as an introduction only to the basic fundamentals of Islam in an ongoing series of "Understanding Islam and Muslims" and it is incumbent on the student to further his / her study on this and all other subjects on Islam. Numerous Quranic verses and Ahaadith to substantiate the various perspectives and rites on Islam are quoted without the Arabic text, and the lessons are setout very simply, with the various Quranic verses, Ahaadith, and other rites transliterated and translated. We have as far as possible avoided unnecessary technicalities and steered clear from all the dispensable and lengthy details.

 We ask Almighty Allah to help us benefit from what we learn, and to learn that which will benefit us, and to protect us from knowledge that is not beneficial, and from deeds that are not acceptable to Him. I beseech Almighty Allah to accept this humble effort and that He should forgive me, my parents, all my tutors and all the Scholars and Students of Islam from whose works I have borrowed freely and I hope that this book will be of benefit to all. I beg forgiveness for any errors, oversights and omissions and beg the mercy of the Oft-Forgiving most Mercifull Allah.      -----

M. N. Salie.