Muharramat: Forbidden Matters Some People Take Lightly

This book, authored by Luqman Nagy, is an introduction to the history and legacy of the great translation movement that began at the Bayt al-Hikmah in ninth century Abbasid Baghdad and culminated centuries later in Spain, with teams of Muslim, Christian and Jewish scholars translating works of Greek and Islamic science from Arabic into Latin. These translations became the first scientific textbooks to be used at many European universities. This wealth of knowledge that was made available in Latin helped initiate the Renaissance, or ‘rebirth’ of learning in the West.

According to a well-known hadith, cleanliness and purity are half of the faith. It is obligatory for a Muslim to be clean and in a state of purity in order to offer formal prayer and recite the Quran by way of ablution, a ritual shower, or dry ablution. Purity and cleanliness encompass both physical and spiritual aspects. Physical impurities can be removed by clean, pure water or dry, clean earth or stone, and this is a beginning step for spiritual cleanliness. In the Purity of the Muslim, Saeed al-Qahtani explains in a clear and comprehensive manner the types of various impurities and the ways to attain purity and cleanliness according to the teachings of the Quran and of the final prophet, Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).

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.

The author presents a penetrating diagnosis of the illnesses of humanity today, together with a fascinating overview of the Islamic metaphysics, unearthing its spiritual and moral values and its timeless relevance and applicability. Man and universe is a compelling and urgently needed piece of writing about what we human beings are, where we stand, and what we can do about it.