Few would dare to attempt to summarize the Islamic faith in a book of this size but this is the aim of the late Grand Ayatollah Muhammad al-Shirazi, one of the most eminent Islamic authorities of modern times. Eschewing complicated jargon and deliberately using succinct and lucid language within a "question and answer" format, he has sought to convey the richness and profound spirituality of the Islamic message in all its aspects to the widest possible audience. There are necessarily some Arabic and technical terms but these have been kept to a minimum. The late Sayyid Shirazi covers all the main aspects of Islam, from the fundamental beliefs such as the Oneness of God and His justice and prophethood to topics like ablutions, praying, fasting, and making the Hajj and also deals with such diverse subjects as Islamic law, economics, politics, the Islamic view of society, the issue of freedom in Islam, and so on. This is a book which will not only be useful for Muslims who want to find out more about their religion but also for non-Muslims who seek a concise introduction to what Islam is all about.

Table of Contents

A Biographical Sketch vi

Foreword by the Author ix

1 - The Islamic Faith - An Introduction 1

2 - The Basic Beliefs of Islam 9

The Oneness and Unity of God (Tawhid) 9

Prophethood 10

Resurrection 13

Paradise 15

Hell 16

The Day of Judgement 17

The Justice of God 17

Imamate 18

3 - Islamic Moral Qualities, Ethics and Ideals 23

4 - An Islamic Life-Style 33

5 - What is Forbidden in Islam 37

6 - Islamic Acts of Worship 43

Praying 44

Fasting 48

Khums and Zakat 50

Jihad 52

Hajj 55

7 - Some Aspects of the Shari‘a 61

Purification in Islam: 61

Ablutions (Wudu’) 62

Complete Wash (Ghusl) 62

Tayammum 64

Places for Worship 64

Holy Shrines 66

Supplication 69

Congregational Prayer (Salat Al-Jama’a) 71

Enjoining what is Good, Forbidding what is Reprehensible 73

I‘tikaf 74

Propagating Good 75

Tawalli and Tabarri 79

8 - Freedom in Islam 81

The Limits to Freedom 81

Kinds of Freedom 82

9 - Islamic Economics 85

10 - Peace in Islam 89

11 - Politics in Islam 93

12 - Society in Islam 99

13 - Islamic Rulings 103

14 - A Life of Happiness under the Banner of Islam 107