The Qur'an: Essential Teachings. Abdur Raheem Kidwai

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       Contents

      Preface

      Foreword

      Transliteration Table

1. Almighty Allah

      2. Allah’s Messengers

      3. The Prophet Muḥammad (peace and blessings be upon him)

      4. Life and Afterlife

      5. The Qur’ān

      6. al-Ghayb (the Unseen)

      7. Creation

      8. Mankind

      9. Prayer (Ṣalāh)

      10. Fasting

      11. Charity (Ṣadaqah and Zakāh)

      12. Pilgrimage (Ḥajj)

      13. Believers

      14. The Straight Way

      15. Man’s Obligations Towards His Fellow Human Beings

      16. Treating Parents

      17. Treating Children

      18. Treating Husbands/Wives Well

      19. Good Social Behaviour

      20. Making Supplications to Allah

      Index

       Preface

      The Qur’ān occupies the pride of place in the lives of Muslims. Being Allah’s final and perfect guidance it instructs Muslims in each and every aspect of their personal and public life. Furthermore, the Qur’ān exhorts Muslims to study it and reflect on its meaning and message, which is bound to enlighten and develop them. However, for millions of English-speaking Muslims, some English translations and a few introductory books on the Qur’ān are the only resource for gaining the knowledge of the Qur’ān and deriving Allah’s guidance for their self-development. Generally speaking, the material available in English on the Qur’ān fails to meet these objectives adequately. The English translations of the Qur’ān are addressed mostly to specialized readers, and presuppose some background knowledge on the part of readers of comparative religion, theology, history and Qur’ānic terminology. Those not so equipped tend to be rather put off by the copious, scholarly notes explicating doctrinal, linguistic, legal and historical allusions of the Qur’ān.

      Another shortcoming in most of the books on the Qur’ān in English is the authors’ predilection for using freely and frequently Arabic/Qur’ānic terms. The readers not familiar with such terms hazard guesswork which is not acceptable in this serious study.

      The present work is addressed to the English-speaking reading public interested in grasping the meaning and message of the Qur’ān. In pursuance of this aim, some basic Qur’ānic terms, concepts and themes are explained in a simple language. The work is intended to help readers get an idea of the Qur’ānic worldview – the articles of faith, particularly the concepts of God, Messengership and the Hereafter. Needless to add, these beliefs lie at the core of Islamic faith and practices. For a better appreciation of the concept of God in Islam, it is followed by discussion on the Unseen, Creation and mankind. This should bring into sharper relief the role of God in the universe, and more importantly, God-man relationship in Islam. Religious duties in Islam – Prayer, Fasting, Zakāh and Ḥajj are elucidated mainly in terms of their rationale, and their all-pervading impact on man’s personal and collective life. This, in turn, throws light on the Qur’ānic value system which is elaborated further by spelling out the traits of believers in the Qur’ān, hallmarks of the Straight Way prescribed by the Qur’ān and the Qur’ānic code of conduct governing social relations. The last section focuses on the Qur’ānic guidance related to treating family members in particular, and fellow human beings in general.

      According to the Qur’ān, each and every human action should be permeated with God-consciousness. Therefore, the book concludes with the explanation of the Qur’ānic concept of supplication. According to the Qur’ān, supplication constitutes a direct link between Allah and man, enabling man to lead a God-oriented life.

      This account of the message of the Qur’ān, with occasional comparison with major world faiths, should help readers form a clear idea of the Qur’ānic guidance on some major issues faced by them. It is hoped the present book will serve the needs of those new to the study of the Qur’ān. As an introductory work it should familiarize them with basic Qur’ānic terms and concepts which will help them grasp better advanced works on the Qur’ān. May Allah accept this humble effort in the cause of promoting a wider readership of the Qur’ān among English-speaking readers. May Allah pardon the author for any inadvertent lapse in construing and conveying the message of the Qur’ān.