Fundamentals of Islam (P/B)

LET US BE MUSLIMS is a new edited English version of Sayyid Mawdudi’s Urdu Khutubat. It is no ordinary book, says Khurram Murad in his long Introduction, for it has stirred more hearts and impelled more lives to change their course than any of his more erudite works. In these Friday congregational addresses, Sayyid Mawdudi expounds such familiar themes as Iman, Islam, the Prayer, Fasting, Almsgiving, Pilgrimage and Jihad. But, in an unusually beautiful, powerfully reasoned, eloquent and passionate, and yet simple and lucid style,

“Sayyid Abul A’la Al-Mawdudui (1903-1979), one of the chief architects of contemporary Islamic resurgence, was the an outstanding Islamic thinker and writer of his time. He devoted his life to expound the meaning and message of Islam and to organise a collective movement to establish the Islamic Order. In this struggle, he had to pass through all kinds of sufferings.
Between 1948-67, he spent a total of five years in different prisons of Pakistan. In 1953, he was also sentenced to death by a Martial Law court for writing a ‘seditious’ pamphlet, this sentence being later commuted to life imprisonment. In 1941, he founded Jama’at-I Islami, of which he remained Amir, until 1972 and which is one of the most prominent Islamic movements of our day. He authored more than one hundred works on Islam, both scholarly and popular, and his writings have been translated into forty languages.”

Narrated by Umar Ibn al-Khattaab (May Allah be pleased with him), the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:

“If you put your faith completely in Allah, He will arrange for your sustenance in the same way as he provides for the bird. They go out in the morning with their stomachs empty and return filled in the evening.” (Tirmidhee)

This book discusses the place of pride Islam gives to making lawful earnings and rizq through hard work and striving. It also looks at the contempt Islam places on begging and indolence. Then it looks at which earnings are lawful, which are not and the many ways by which wealth can increase while seeking the pleasure of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He).

No one denies that the modesty which is commanded by Islamic Law and by convention includes the decency and decorousness demanded of a woman, and the kind of behavior that will ensure that she is kept far away from situations of temptation and suspicion. Further more, there is no doubt that the greatest act of modesty that she can perform is to wear the hijab, which covers her face. It is the best thing with which she can adorn herself, because it protects her and keeps her far removed from temptation.