The fundamental beliefs of Islam was explained in some detail in Towards Understanding Islam. The Shari'ah, too, was briefly dealt with there.
The fundamental beliefs of Islam was explained in some detail in Towards Understanding Islam. The Shari'ah, too, was briefly dealt with there. This collection now explains, with sufficient detail, two other themes: one, the meaning and spirit of Islam; the other, worship. Those who will read these addresses together with Towards Understanding Islam will find, with the grace of Allah, sufficient illumination for their journey on the path of Islam.
Sayyid Abul A’Ia Mawdudi's
Khutubat, of which Let Us Be Muslims is the new and edited English translation,
is no ordinary book. First, he links life, and remember the whole of life, with
Iman. Iman becomes the centre of life, which does not accept anything less than
total commitment to the One God. This Iman, for long, we have made irrelevant
to real life. Second, he links our actions with Iman, and therefore, with life.
In his understanding, there can be no true Iman without actions. Third, he
links acts of ritual worship or 'Ibadat - in the sense of five pillars - with
Iman as the seed from which they grow and with actions as the branches into
which they blossom. They are the stem which must grow out of Iman and produce
its crop of righteous life. Fourth, he connects the outward form with the inner
spirit; if 'forms' do not yield the desired fruits, they are devoid of spirit.
Outward religiosity hoisted on empty hearts has no value in the sight of God.
Fifth, he links Jihad with righteous life by emphasizing its position as the
pinnacle and culmination of everything God desires of us, the highest virtue -
and thus with Iman and life. To be true Muslims, we must be Mujahids. Sixth, he
links history with Iman. Iman is no more a mere metaphysical and spiritual force;
it is the fulcrum of history, it is the determinant of destiny. Thus history
becomes crucial for Iman, and therefore for life. We can no more sit back
passively; we must try, actively, to change history, that is, wage Jihad.
Seventh, he links this-world with the Hereafter, as a continuing process.
Without striving to fulfil the will of God in the present life, we cannot reap
any harvest in the next.
First published in 1940, since then it has been published in various forms and
languages. A popular series has been that of six separate booklets -
Haqiqat-i-Iman, Haqiqat-i-Islam, Haqiqat-i-Sawm-o-Salat, Haqiqat-i-Zakat,
Haqiqat-i-Hajj, Haqiqat-i-Jihad. Translations in Bengali, Hindi, Tamil,
Malayalam, Gujrati, Telugu, Sindi, Pushto and many other sub continental
languages have also been made and published since the early 1950s. The English
translation came out thirty-five years later under the title The Fundamentals
of Islam (Islamic Publications, Lahore, 1975). In all these different forms and
languages, it has gone through innumerable reprints and is being constantly
reprinted from many places. Many organizations, even individual admirers, have
published its parts for mass distribution. Yet its need remains as fresh and
its demand as high as ever.
Contents
Introduction by Khurram Murad
Preface to the First Edition by Abul Ala Maududi
Part 1. Iman
1. Knowledge, the First Step
2. Between Islam and Kufr
3. How Muslims Treat the Qur'an
4. True Meaning of Iman
5. Why is the Kalimah Unique?
6. Why Believe in the Kalimah?
Part 2. Islam
7. The False Gods
8. Can We Call Our Selves Muslim
9. Are We True Muslims?
10. Why Obey God?
11. Difference Between Din and Shari'ah
12. True Meaning of 'Ibadah
Part 3. Salah
13. Meaning and Blessing of the Prayer
14. What we Say in the Prayer
15. Blessing of the Congregational Prayer
16. Has the Prayer Lost its Power
Part 4. Sawm
17. Meaning and Blessing of the Fasting
18. True Sprit of the Fasting
Part 5. Zakah
19. Fundamental Importance of Zakah
20. Meaning of Zakah
21. Zakah, a Social Institution
22. General Principles of Spending
23. Specific Injunctions of Zakah
Part 6. Hajj
24. Origin and Siginificance of Hajj
25. Restoration of True Hajj
26. Renewal of Self
27. Renewal of Society
Part 7. Jihad
28. Meaning of Jihad
29. Central Importance of Jihad
Preface to the Eighth Reprint
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