Islamic advocate Amr Khaled discusses contemplation, or thought, as a means of worship in this booklet. It also includes his viewpoints on the creation of the universe and human beings. He defines the value of thinking as being one of the greatest acts of worship, which helps humans draw nearer to Allah. Through contemplation, humans become aware of the presence of Allah and understand the importance of worship. By thinking about the universe, and all that it contains, mankind can see that there is a design to every aspect of it and a Designer behind it all.

In the first part, Amr Khaled focuses on the creation of the universe. He points out that Allah’s power; greatness and wisdom are seen quite clearly in His creation. There are countless evidences that exist that unequivocally point to a Creator who continues to oversee His creation, such as:

• The creation of the universe and all it contains.
• The greatness of the Earth and the Heavens, as revealed in the Holy Quran.
• The creation of the solar system.
• The creation of earth.
• The atmosphere and how it balances life on earth.
• The creation of mankind.
• The creation of the plant and animal kingdoms.
• In the second part, Amr Khaled delves specifically into the creation of man and clarifies that a drop of semen propagates the human race. He also provides a detailed interpretation of a portion of verse 35:28, Surah Fatir, from the Holy Quran that reads:
  “…those truly fear Allah, among His Servants, who have knowledge: for Allah is Exalted in Might, Oft-Forgiving.”

This introductory book on Islam serves as a good da'wah tool, explaining some of the fundamentals of Islam, as well signifying verses of the Qur'an and how they relate to science and the world around us.

Prefacio
Este libro es una breve guía para entender el Islam y está dividido en tres Capítulos.
El primer capítulo: Algunas evidencias de la veracidad del Islam, contesta algunas importantes preguntas que algunas personas hacen:

• ¿Es el Corán verdaderamente la literal palabra de Dios, revelada por Él mismo?
• ¿Es Muhammad verdaderamente un profeta enviado por Dios?
• ¿Es el Islam verdaderamente una religión de Dios?

Calling to Allaah is a very great honour which is not reached through ease, response and love of relaxation. It is not reached except through beneficial knowledge, righteous action, deep understanding and careful following of the way of the Prophets in calling to Allaah.

In this book Shaykh Rabee' ibn Haadee al-Madkhalee explains in detail the methodology of the Prophets in their call to Allaah. In it, he answers those questions which face every caller to the faith who wishes to follow the footsteps of the Prophets: What should his call begin with? What should he concentrate on? And what is the goal of his da'wah to Allaah? The author then compares the methods of the Prophets with the different methodologies employed by various contemporary da'wah groups and movements that have arisen in our time and highlights the stark contrasts between these new, innovated methodologies and the pure and perfect Prophetic way. This book is an important guide for all those active in the field of da'wah, giving them an insight into the methodology of da'wah which the Prophets employed and how it is a divine and precise methodology which leaves no room for personal opinions, experimentation or individual inclinations.

This first volume of Presenting Islam in the West sets out to present the methodology of the call to Allah (ad-da'wah ila Allah) based on the Qur'an and sunnah. The one calling to Islam only calls to what he knows: "Invite all to the way of your Lord (Islam) with wisdom and beautiful preaching, and reason with them in the best possible way (to convince them of the truth)." [Surah Nahl 16:125]. The caller gives information, and Allah decides who becomes Muslim. Articles are included from many referenced sources. The caller's relationship to his listeners should be like that of a doctor and a patient; thus, a seed once planted may become a tree of eman with careful nurturing over time, insha'Allah.

The power of this prayer of Imam Muhammad al-Dari lies in its simplicity, its purity, and its sincere supplication. It is essentially a plea to God that our transgressions be overlooked, that Divine Mercy be bestowed upon us, that social justice be restored in spite of us, that wrongs be righted, and that righteousness reign once again in our lands, so that the destitute may no longer be in need, the young may be educated, the animals’ purpose fulfilled, rain restored, and bounties poured forth. It is a plea to be freed from the aggression of foreigners in lands over which they have no right—a plea much needed in our modern world, rampant as it is with invasions and territorial occupations. Ultimately, it asks not that our enemies be destroyed, but simply that their plots, and the harm they cause, are halted. Its essence is mercy, which in turn is the essence of the Messenger of God, Muhammad (s): “And we have only sent you as a mercy to all the worlds.”

Reviews:
“Shaykh Hamza Yusuf has rendered a tremendous service to Islam with this translation of a powerful, deeply spiritual supplication, and passed it along to a community of Muslims far removed from its Moroccan roots. He has also augmented it with a riveting introduction that examines the nature of oppression and its impact on human societies, while challenging us to admit our powerlessness to God.”
– Imam Zaid Shakir Author, co-founder of Zaytuna College

“Hamza Yusuf is in himself and his work, a beautiful, and absolutely necessary, living bridge between the Islamic and American cultures. His eloquence, and his brilliant intelligence, are vital energies, nourishment, we can share.”
– Coleman Barks, author The Essential Rumi

“The prayer of Imam al-Dari is a reminder that in all religions and all cultures there are men and women of wisdom and courage who rise to stand with the oppressed against the oppressor. The greatest virtue we possess, as the poet knows, is compassion, not only for the victim but also for the victimizer. It is the contradictory tension of justice and mercy, of law and forgiveness, which makes us complete human beings.”
– Chris Hedges, author of War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning

For the first time, Muslims are faced with a worldwide positivism which is working to use knowledge, the sciences and their discoveries and achievements in a manner which severs the relationship between the Creator, the created universe and man, thereby disregarding the world of the unseen and driving a wedge between science and values. Lacking even the most modest store of vital Islamic doctrine on the intellectual level, university students and researchers in the Islamic world are confronted with doctrines and philosophies which are presented to them together with a flimsy, miserable defense of Islam. There is not a single academic institution in the Islamic world in which Islamic thought is taught and in which the Islamic vision is given a deep-rooted foundation with the same force and persuasiveness with which Western ideas and the Western vision are taught to students in the West, in a coherent, comprehensive manner accompanied by seriousness and commitment on the part of all.
The book argues that this approach is diametrically opposed to the Islamic perspective and that we must disengage human scientific achievement from positivistic philosophical premises and reemploy these sciences within a systematic epistemological framework based on divine revelation, conferring honor upon all forms of knowledge, as having been bestowed upon man by their Creator.

In this brilliant work, Seyyed Hossein Nasr says, "The West has produced many orient lists who have studied Islam from their own point of view, but the Islamic world has produced very few occident lists who can study the various aspects of Western civilization from its science to art, from religion to social behavior, from the Islamic point of view." Through these Muslim 'maps' of the modern 'intellectual' landscape, the author challenges two fronts: young Muslims to become familiar with their religion and cultural roots and to gain an understanding of the modern world from the Islamic point of view. This guide for the Muslim to the modern world the first of its kind in any language presents the eternal truths of Islam as well as Western religious and intellectual tradition as they confront each other in today's world. The Islamic perspective is so unique that NPR (National Public Radio)'s Robert Siegel discussed the work with the author on the All Things Considered program. About the Author: Seyyed Hossein Nasr was born in Tehran in a family of traditional scholars and physicians. After receiving his early education in Iran, he came to America where he studied physics, the history of science and philosophy at MIT and Harvard from which he received his doctorate. Nasr was professor at Tehran University and founder and first president of the Iranian Academy of Philosophy. He is presently University Professor of Islamic Studies at George Washington University.

In Understanding Islam, Dr. Dirks offers a timely and factually correct alternative to understanding Islam. It is written for the Western, and primarily Christian reader. The primary focus of the book is on what is termed Sunni Islam, i.e., the Islam practiced by approximately 85-90% of the self-professed Muslims in the world. The book is unique in several respects. It treats Islam from its own point of view. It is written by a natural-born American for the Western reader, and thus may avoid some of the cultural overlay that accompanies some books on Islam written by other Muslim authors. The author is an American who has practiced Islam both while living in America and in the Middle East, thus offering a broader perspective than would have otherwise been possible. As a convert from Christianity to Islam, and as a former ordained minister within Christianity, the author does a very good job of expounding the commonalities and contrasts of Islam with Judaism and Christianity, while still avoiding the temptation to distort Islam by interpreting it from within a Judaeo-Christian perspective. The reader is introduced to Islam almost exclusively through the two primary sources of Islam, i.e., the Qur'an and the sunnah, which are the only completely authoritative sources on Islam.

"Crucial to the vitality of any religious community is its ability to attract and engage descendants and converts. By this measure, notwithstanding the proliferation of mosques and Islamic organizations, the Muslim community in America is not doing at all well." This rather sober assessment motivates Dr. Lang to address, in this book, the alienation from the Mosque of the great majority of America's homegrown Muslims. In Losing My Religion: A Call For Help, the author comes to terms with many of the queries put to him by Americans of Muslim parentage and converts to Islam since the publication of his book Even Angels Ask in 1977. Lang asserts that to effectively respond to the general malaise of American-born Muslims, the Islamic establishment in America needs to be willing to listen to the doubts and complaints of the disaffected. This entails engaging in open discussions on issues with which many in the Muslim community will be uncomfortable, but Lang avers that such open dialogue will be of more benefit to young American Muslims struggling with their faith than the covert and uniformed discussions that often take place or no discussion at all. For this reason, Lang feels it is important and beneficial "to be candid and objective and not evade controversy, for to inadequately state the case for or against a specific position, especially when it challenges convention, only serves to further alienate the skeptical." In addition to examining questions of theodicy, hadeeth authenticity, and moot practices within the American Muslim community, the author includes many testimonials and inquiries that make this book informative.