Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies
Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies
Preface v
Transliteration xviii
List of Authorities and
key to references xxi
INTRODUCTION
Islam, not Muhammadanism 1
Significance of the name
Islam 2
Place of Islam among the
religions of the world 3
New meaning introduced
into religion 5
Religion is a force in
the moral development of man 6
Islam as the basis of a
lasting civilization 7
Islam as the greatest
unifying force in the world 8
Islam as the greatest
spiritual force of the world 10
Islam offers a solution
of the great world problems 11
Misconceptions underlying
anti religious movement 13
FIRST PART: THE
SOURCES OF ISLAM
Chapter
I. The Holy Quran
How and when the Holy
Quran was revealed ib.
It is the highest form of
revelation 21
Other forms of Divine
revelation to men 22
The Prophet's experience
of revelation 23
Nature of the Prophet's
revelation 25
Arrangement of the Holy
Quran 26
Arrangement in oral
recitation 28
Complete written copies
of the Quran 29
Standardization of the
Holy Quran 29
Differences of readings 31
Collective testimony of
the purity of the Quranic text 33
The theory of abrogation 35
Hadith on abrogation 37
Use of the word naskh 38
Basis of abrogation 40
Sayuti on abrogation 41
Shah Wali Allah's verdict
on five verses ib.
Interpretation of the
Quran 44
Value of Hadith and
commentaries in interpreting the Quran 46
Divisions of the Holy
Quran 47
Makka and Madina suras 48
The place of Quran in
world literature 50
European writers on the
Quran 53
Translation of the Holy
Quran 55
Chapter
II. Sunna or Hadith
Sunna and Hadith ib.
Transmission of Hadith in
Prophet's lifetime 59
Writing of Hadith in
Prophet's lifetime 60
Why Hadith was not
generally written 62
Memory could be trusted
for preservation of knowledge 63
Collection of Hadith:
first stage 64
Collection of Hadith:
second stage 67
Collection of Hadith:
third stage 70
Collection of Hadith:
fourth stage 72
Collection of Hadith:
fifth stage 73
Bukhari 75
Method of counting
different reports 76
Reports in biographies
and commentaries 77
Story tellers 79
European criticism of
Hadith 81
Canons of criticism of
Hadith as accepted by Muslims 85
The Quran as the greatest
test for judging Hadith 87
How far did the
Muhaddithin apply these tests 90
Different classes of
Hadith 93
Chapter
III. Ijtihad or Exercise of Judgment
Ijtihad ib.
Value of reason
recognized ib.
The Prophet allowed
exercise of judgment in religious matters 98
Exercise of judgment by
the Companions 98
Imam Abu Hanifa 100
Imam Malik 101
Imam Shafi'i ib.
Imam Ahmad 102
Different methods of
formulating new laws 103
Qiyas 104
Istihsan and Istislah 105
Istidlal ib.
Ijma 106
Ijma is only Ijtihad on a
wider basis 109
To differ with majority
is no sin ib.
Three degrees of Ijtihad 110
The door of Ijtihad is
still open 112
Independence of thought 114
SECOND PART: THE
PRINCIPLES OF ISLAM
Chapter
I. Iman or Faith
Faith and action ib.
Iman in the Quran 120
Iman in Hadith 121
Kufr or unbelief 122
A Muslim cannot be called
a kafir 124
Iman and Islam 128
No dogmas in Islam 130
Principles of faith 131
Significance of faith 132
Guidance afforded by
human nature 138
Guidance afforded by
Divine revelation 140
Chapter
II. The Divine Being
Sec.
1. The Existence of God
Material, inner and
spiritual experience of humanity ib.
The law of evolution as
an evidence of purpose and wisdom 135
One law prevails in the
whole universe 137
The whole of creation is
held under control ib.
Sec.
2. The Unity of God
The Unity of God 144
The gravity of shirk 145
Various forms of shirk 146
Idolatry 148
Nature worship 149
Deism and the Trinity ib.
Doctrine of sonship 150
Significance underlying
the doctrine of Unity 152
Unity of human race
underlies Unity of God ib.
Sec.
3. The Attributes of God
Nature of the Divine
attributes 153
Arsh 155
Proper name of the Divine
Being 156
Four chief attributes 157
Ninety nine names 161
Predominance of love and
mercy in Divine nature 165
Divine attributes as the
great ideal to be attained 167
Chapter
III. Angels
Angels are immaterial
beings ib.
Can angels be seen? 170
Abraham's guests 171
Harut and Marut 172
Nature of angels 173
The angel's coming to the
Holy Prophet 174
Angelic function 176
Angels as intermediaries
in bringing revelation 178
Angels as intermediaries
in strengthening believers 180
Angels as intermediaries
in carrying out Divine punishment 181
Angels' intercession and
prayers for men 182
Angels help in the
spiritual progress of man 183
Angels' promptings to
noble deeds 184
Angels' recording deeds
of men 185
Faith in angels 186
Iblis is not an angel but
one of the jinn 187
The jinn 188
The Devil 189
The word jinn as applied
to men 191
The jinn have no access
to Divine secrets 194
Chapter
IV. Revealed Books
Revealed books mentioned
under three names ib.
Revelation to objects and
beings other than man 202
Revelation to auliya 203
Revelation to man granted
in three ways 204
Object of God's
revelation to man 206
Revelation is a universal
fact 208
Belief in all sacred
scriptures is an article of Muslim faith 208
Revelation brought to
perfection 209
The Holy Quran as guardian
and judge of previous revelation 210
Defects of earlier
scriptures removed 211
Alteration of the text of
previous scriptures 212
Door to revelation is not
closed 214
Kalam (speaking), is an
attribute of the Divine Being 216
Chapter
V. Prophets
Nabi and rasul ib.
Faith in Divine
messengers 220
Universality of the
institution of prophethood 221
A Muslim must believe in
all the prophets 222
National prophets 223
The world prophet 224
All prophets are one
community 228
Why prophets are raised
up 230
Sinlessness of prophets 232
Istighfar 234
Dhanb 236
Khata ib.
Individual cases: Noah
and Abraham 237
The Holy Prophet Muhammad 238
Moses 239
Adam 240
Conception of miracles in
Islam ib.
The miracles of Islam 244
Prophecy 246
Prophecy of the triumph
of Islam 248
Intercession: God is the
real Intercessor 250
Who can intercede? 251
God's intercession 253
Intercession of the
angels ib.
Intercession of prophets
and believers 254
Shafa'a on the Judgment
Day 255
Finality of prophethood 257
A Prophet for all people
and all ages 258
Unification of human race
based on finality of prophethood 259
Significance underlying
finality ib.
Appearance of the Messiah 260
Appearance of reformers 262
Chapter
VI. Life After Death
Al Akhira ib.
Importance of faith in
Future Life 265
Connection between the
two lives 266
Barzakh 267
Second stage of the
higher life ib.
Spiritual experience in
the barzakh stage 269
Duration of barzakh 270
Various names of
Resurrection 271
A general destruction and
a general awakening 272
Three resurrections 274
Spiritual resurrection
and the greater Resurrection 275
Life has an aim 277
Good and evil must have
their reward 278
Resurrection as a
workable principle of life 279
Resurrection is quite
consistent with present scientific knowledge 280
Will the Resurrection be
bodily or spiritual? 281
A body prepared from the
good and evil deeds of man 283
Spiritualities
materialized 285
The book of deeds 286
Balance 289
Janna or Paradise 291
Blessings of Paradise 292
Women in Paradise 295
Hur 296
Hur as a blessing of
Paradise 298
Children in Paradise 299
Abode of peace ib.
Liqa Allah or the meeting
with God 300
Advancement in the higher
life 302
Different names of Hell 303
Hell, a manifestation of
spiritualities 304
Remedial nature of Hell 307
Chapter
VII. Qadar or Taqdir
Significance of qadar and
taqdir ib.
Creation of good and evil 317
The will of God and the
will of man 321
Foreknowledge of God 324
God's writing of
adversities 325
Lauh mahfuz 328
God does not lead astray 329
Idzal as ascribed to God 331
God's sealing of hearts 333
Hadith and predestination 335
Faith in qadar finds no
place in the Quran and Bukhari 344
Faith in qadar is a
doctrine of later growth 345
Significance of faith in
qadar 348
Ash'ari's view 350
THIRD PART: LAWS
AND REGULATIONS OF ISLAM
Chapter
I. Prayer
Sec.
1. Value of Prayer
Importance of prayers in
Islam ib.
Self development through
prayer 356
Prayer as the means of
realizing the Divine in man 357
The experience of
humanity 358
Prayer, a means of
attaining to moral greatness 359
Prayer as the means of
purification of heart ib.
Unification of the human
race through Divine service 361
Regulation of prayer 362
Times of prayer 364
Mode of worship 365
Language of prayer 367
Other advantages of
maintaining Arabic in Divine service 371
The Fatiha 373
Prayer as index of Muslim
mentality 374
Sec.
2. The Mosque
No consecration is
necessary 380
The mosque as a religious
centre 381
A training ground of
equality 382
The mosque as a cultural
centre 383
The mosque as a general
centre 384
Respect for mosques 385
Mosques should face the
Ka'ba 386
Building of the mosque 388
Tribal and sectarian
mosques 389
Admission of women to
mosque 390
Office bearers of the
mosque 394
Sec.
3. Purification
Outward purification as a
prelude to prayer 395
Wudzu 397
The tooth brush 399
Taking a bath 400
Tayammum 401
Sec.
4. The Adhan
The origin of adhan 402
The delivery of adhan 403
Significance of adhan 404
Sec.
5. Times of Prayer
Regularization of prayer 406
Times of prayer ib.
Five obligatory prayers 408
Combining prayers 409
Voluntary prayers 410
Sec.
6. The Service
The form of the prayer 410
The maintenance of the
spirit of prayer 412
Parts of Divine service ib.
Posture of qiyam 413
Posture of ruku' 414
Posture of sajda 415
Posture of qa'da ib.
Is a departure from these
postures allowable? 416
Dhikr 418
Dhikr in qiyam 419
Dhikr in ruku' and sajda 422
Dhikr in the sitting
posture 423
The qunut 425
Dhikr after finishing
prayers 427
The congregation 428
Iqama 429
Congregational prayer ib.
Sajda sahw 430
Late comers 431
Prayer in the case of one
who is on a journey ib.
Prayer service in battles ib.
Sec.
7. The Friday Service
Friday service specially
ordained 432
Preparations for the
Friday service 433
The khutba 434
The Friday service 435
Sec.
8. The 'Id Prayers
Festivals of Islam 436
Gathering for the 'Id 437
The 'Id service 438
The 'Id khutba 439
The 'Id charity ib.
The sacrifice 440
Can sacrifice be replaced
by charity 441
The idea underlying
sacrifice 442
Sec.
9. Service on the Dead
Preparatory to service 444
The service 445
Patience enjoined under
afflictions 449
Sec.
10. Tahajjud and Tarawih
Tahajjud prayer is
voluntary 451
The Holy Prophet's
Tahajjud ib.
The Tahajjud prayer 452
Tarawih 454
Sec.
11. Miscellaneous Services
Service for rain ib.
Service during eclipse 455
Chapter
II. Zakat or Charity
Charity as one of the two
principal duties ib.
Prayer is useless if it
does not lead to charity 458
Conception of charity in
Islam 459
Voluntary charity 460
Significance of zakat 462
Importance of zakat in
Islam 463
Zakat as the basic
principle of every religion 464
Problem of the
distribution of wealth 465
Islam's solution of
wealth problem 466
Zakat is a state
institution 467
Property on which zakat
is payable 468
Nisab 469
Rate at which zakat must
be paid 470
Zakat under modern
conditions 471
How zakat should be spent 472
Zakat may be spent in
defence and propagation of Islam 475
Other national charitable
institutions 476
Chapter
III. Saum or Fasting
Saum ib.
Institution of fasting in
Islam ib.
A universal institution 478
New meaning introduced by
Islam 479
A spiritual discipline 481
A moral discipline 482
Social value of fasting 483
Physical value of fasting 484
The month of Ramadhan 485
Choice of Ramadhan ib.
Persons who may not fast 487
Who is bound to fast 491
Voluntary fasts 492
Restrictions on voluntary
fasting 493
Expiatory fasts 494
Compensatory fasts 495
Fasting in fulfilment of
a vow 496
Limits of the fast ib.
The niyya 499
What breaks the fast 500
Ethical side of fasting 501
I'tikaf 504
Lailat al-qadr 505
Chapter
IV. Hajj or Pilgrimage
Hajj ib.
European views on
adoption of hajj by Islam ib.
Sacredness of Makka and
the Ka'ba recognized in earliest revelations 509
Why Ka'ba was not made
qibla earlier 510
When was hajj first
instituted 512
Description of the Ka'ba 514
History of the Ka'ba 516
Al-Masjid al-Haram 518
Historical evidence of
antiquity of Ka'ba ib.
Abrahamic origin of chief
features of hajj 519
Asceticism combined with secularism 521
Levelling influence of
hajj 522
A higher spiritual
experience 523
On whom is hajj
obligatory 525
'Umra 526
Ihram 529
Miqat or Muhill 530
Tawaf 531
The Black Stone 533
Significance underlying
tawaf of the Ka'ba 535
Significance underlying
kissing of the Black Stone 536
The sa'y 538
The hajj proper-march to
Mina ib.
'Arafat and the wuquf 539
Muzdalifa 540
Yaum al-nahr in Mina 541
Ayyam al-tashriq ib.
Ramy al-jimar 542
Other activities allowed
in pilgrimage 544
Chapter
V. Jihad
Significance of jihad ib.
Use of the word jihad in
Makka revelations 546
Jihad in Madina
revelations 548
Jihad in Hadith 549
Use of the word jihad by
jurists 551
The spread of Islam by
force ib.
Circumstances under which
war was permitted 553
So-called "verse of
the sword" 556
When shall war cease 558
Peace recommended 559
Hadith on the object of
war 562
Jurists' wrong notion of
jihad 570
Dar-al-harb and Dar
al-Islam 574
Jizya 575
Jizya was not a religious
tax 577
Incidence of the jizya 579
Islam, jizya or the sword 581
Directions relating to
war 584
Prisoners of war 585
Slavery abolished 587
War as a struggle to be
carried on honestly 588
Apostasy 591
Apostasy in Quran ib.
Hadith on apostasy 594
Apostasy and Fiqh 598
Chapter
VI. Marriage
Sec.
1. Significance of Marriage
'Ibadat and mu'amalat 600
Hudud or restrictions ib.
Everything is lawful
unless prohibited 601
Importance of the
marriage institution 602
Marriage as the union of
two natures which are one in their essence 603
Multiplication of the
human race through marriage 604
Feelings of love and
service developed through marriage ib.
Marriage and "free
love" 605
Sec.
2. Legal Disabilities
Mut'a or temporary
marriage disallowed 606
Prohibitions to marry 611
Marriage relations
between Muslims and non-Muslims 613
Sec.
3. Form and Validity of Marriage
Preliminaries of marriage 616
Proposal of marriage 618
Age of marriage ib.
Essentials in the
contract 620
Mahr or the nuptial gift 621
Shighar 625
Publicity of the marriage ib.
The khutba 626
Evidence of marriage 629
Walima or marriage feast ib.
Guardianship in marriage 630
Marriage in akfa' 635
Conditions imposed at the
time of marriage 636
Polygamy 637
Polygamy is an exception 638
Sec.
4. Rights and obligations of husband and wife
Woman's position in
general 643
Woman's position as wife 644
Mutual relation of
husband and wife 645
A division of work 646
Woman not excluded from
any activity in sphere of life 647
Rights of husband and
wife 648
Stress laid on kind treatment
towards wife 649
Sterner measures allowed
in case of immoral conduct 650
Birth control 653
Seclusion of women 655
The veil 656
Decent dress 658
Privacy 660
Intermingling of the two
sexes 661
Sec.
5. Marriage of Slaves
Prostitution abolished
and marriage introduced ib.
There is no concubinage
in Islam 663
Sec.
6. Divorce
Marriage and divorce 670
Divorce is permitted
under exceptional circumstances 671
Causes of divorce 672
Wife's right of divorce 675
Husband's right of
pronouncement of divorce 677
Divorce during
menstruation 678
The 'idda or waiting
period 679
Divorce is revocable 680
Irrevocable divorce 681
Pronouncement of divorce
in three forms ib.
Subterfuges to make the
revocable divorce irrevocable 682
Effect of irrevocable
divorce 683
Tahlil or halala 684
Procedure of divorce 685
Ila' 686
Zihar 687
Li'an ib.
Charitable view of
divorce 688
Chapter
VII. Acquisition and disposal of property
Acquisition of individual
property ib.
Unlawful means of
acquiring wealth ib.
The Holy Quran on the
exercise of property rights 691
Hajr or restrictions on
the disposal of property 693
Guardian of minor 694
Honest dealing in
transactions 695
General directions
relating to sale transactions 666
Mortgage 697
Bequest ib.
Gift 698
Waqf 699
The Musalman Waqf
Validating Act 700
Chapter
VIII. Inheritance or Waratha
Reform introduced by
Islam ib.
Inheritance law as
contained in the Quran 702
Hanafi view of
inheritance law 711
Debts 713
Bequest ib.
Chapter
IX. Debts
Writing of debts ib.
Leniency towards debtors recommended ib.
Insistence laid on
payment of debts 717
Warning against
indebtedness 718
Usury prohibited 719
Reasons for prohibition 720
Hadith on usury ib.
Interest 721
Deposits in banks or
Government treasuries 722
Bank deposits 723
Co-operative banks 725
Interest on business
capital ib.
State borrowings 726
Chapter
X. General Regulations
Sec.
1. Foods
Islam promotes
cleanliness ib.
General rules regarding
foods ib.
Moderation recommended 728
Prohibited foods ib.
Slaughtering of an animal 730
Invoking the name of God
on slaughtered animal 731
Game 733
Prohibition in Hadith and
Fiqh ib.
Good manners in eating 734
Entertainments 736
Sec.
2. Drinks
Intoxicating liquors 737
Sec.
3. Toilet
Toilet and cleanliness
recommended 740
Clothing ib.
Chapter
XI. Penal Laws
Hudud ib.
General law of punishment 744
Punishment for murder 745
Murder of a non-Muslim 747
Alleviation of punishment
in murder cases 748
Punishment for dacoity 749
Punishment for theft 750
Punishment for adultery 752
Flogging 753
Stoning to death in
Jewish law 754
Jewish practice followed
by the Prophet at first 755
Accusation of adultery 758
Drunkenness 759
General directions for
execution of punishments ib.
INDEXES
Index of Arabic words and
phrases 761
General Index 765
