Muharramat: Forbidden Matters Some People Take Lightly

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.

This book, written by Luqman Nagy, highlights the life and times of ‘Umar ibn ‘Abdul-‘Azeez, a truly exceptional Muslim ruler who, during his twenty-nine months in office, governed the Ummah totally in accordance with the Qur’an and the Sunnah. His sincere devotion to the religion of Islam enabled ‘Umar ibn ‘Abdul-‘Azeez to bring prosperity and contentment not only to the Ummah but to all those residing within the Umayyad state.

Remembrance, praise and supplication – dhikr and du‘â’ – are the core of worship of the Divine. The Noble Qur’an and the last Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) have stressed this point and taught us how to attain Allah’s pleasure through calling on Him and remembering Him in words of praise and thankfulness. This small book is a valuable collection of daily supplications from the Qur’an and the authentic hadiths. It contains the Arabic text, full transliteration and clear translation of the meaning of dozens of phrases of remembrance (dhikr) and supplication (du‘â’). This new and revised edition of Let Us Remember Allah and Praise Him is designed to be easy to use: its full-sized page format ensures that the print is large enough to read effortlessly, and yet its ultra-slim volume makes it no trouble to slip into a handbag or backpack. It is truly a practical handbook for every Muslim desiring to seek peace in this earthly life and salvation in the hereafter.

In light of the past, with hope for the future,Muslim-Christian Interactions: Past, Present, and Future addresses a subject that is vital to the 21st century. It provides an in-depth study of Islam and Christianity, taking an analytical approach to their respective edicts while comparing and contrasting them. It offers an investigation of religious concepts with respect to logic and scientific knowledge, and considers the true role and mission of religious figures of both faiths. With a past full of oppression from leaders of both faiths, against their respective doctrines and principles, Muslim-Christian Interactions sorts out the truth of what these religions really stand for. It looks at the manner in which Muslims and Christians have interacted in the past and present, in order to draw lessons for the future.

Now more than ever, it is crucial for Muslims and Christians to seek a path of mutual understanding, allowing compassion for fellow human beings to prevail over divisive politics and views. In the wake of false propaganda against Islam, the author seeks to correct the misconceptions that abound regarding Islam and Muslims.

The subject of this treatise – the nature, essence and circumstances of the human soul – is fascinating to people of all ages, faiths and walks of life. It covers in particular the issue of death and what happens after it. Due to the nature of this exciting topic, one who researches this subject is faced with an enormous amount of conflicting information. Therefore in order to arrive at sound dependable conclusions regarding the soul, one must carefully read and analyse the available material and evaluate it according to stringent criteria. This is of utmost importance since it bears directly on one’s belief.

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.