For centuries the hostility between Christianity and Islam has been a barrier to any effort to develop better understanding between the two. It is a barrier which neither Islam, lacking a voice in the West, nor the West, secure in its own position, has been greatly concerned to penetrate. This book contains papers written by Muslim scholars to meet what is now recognized, at least on their part, as an urgent contemporary need to acquaint the Western reader with the true message of Islam, as understood by the Muslims themselves, and to put him in touch with important currents of thought in the Muslim world, It is hoped that this may establish a basis for initiating a meaningful and open-minded discussion on the contribution which Islam can make in solving the problems facing modern society.

In the Early Hours is a collection of inspirational advice by a dear and beloved teacher Ustaadh Khurram Murad on the subject of spiritual and self-development. In it, he sets out the goal of the believer - the single-minded desire to seek the good pleasure of God. He then outlines the methods and instruments which must be used in the attainment of that ultimate goal. This book, we hope, will serve as a useful companion on your journey towards the meeting with your Lord.

In Islam Plain and Simple, author Tariq Jalil explores the basic beliefs of Islam as well as its most controversial topics. In this highly accessible introduction, Mr. Jalil expounds upon the basis of Muslim ethics and spirituality practiced by over 1.6 billion people. With an eye toward common misconceptions held by observers in the West, and to the sometimes troubling inheritance in Muslim countries, he has woven together a well-researched narrative that challenges both stereotypes and even some practices in the Muslim world itself. Mr. Jalil's perspective and depth of understanding is invaluable for enhancing understanding and providing a dialogue for many years to come.

Although there are over one billion Muslims in the world and over ten million in the West, most discussions of Islam are based on clichés or outright prejudice. This lively and compelling book sets out to bridge the gulf of misunderstanding. Islam, argues Akbar Ahmed, does not mean the subordination of women, contempt for other religions, opposition to the modern world, or barbaric punishments for petty crimes. Outsiders can learn to appreciate the beauty, depth, and variety of Islamic tradition only by returning to its sources. One cannot fully come to terms with modern Islam without understanding its sources and traditions. Anthropologist Ahmed accurately explains the conflicting cultural values and ignorance of East and West and does an excellent job explaining the differences between the Shi'iah and Sunni branches of Islam, women in Islam, and Muslim minorities. Unfortunately, owing to space constraints, Nigeria and Indonesia are not covered. Islam Today starts with the life of the Prophet Muhammad (s) and the Qur'an's five pillars, which govern the beliefs and behavior of Muslims everywhere. It goes on to show how the great Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal empires have deeply marked the successor states in Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, and India, and explores how the Muslim minorities in the West struggle to maintain their identities and ideals in uncomprehending or hostile environments. Ahmed explores these issues with insight and sympathy, penetrating beyond the stereotypes to the realities of Islamic life.

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.

Islam, the West and the Challenges of Modernity attempts to demonstrate, using sources which draw upon Islamic thought and civilization, that Muslims have the means to respond to contemporary challenges without betraying their identity. The book argues that Muslims, nourished by their own points of reference, can approach the modern epoch by proposing a specific social, political and economic management that is linked to ethical values, a sense of finalities and spirituality. This still requires, however, that the western interlocutors make a distinction between modernity and the ideology of modernism which tends to impose westernization. The latter, in its substance and other than in its well-intentioned discourse, does not admit the reality of the pluralism of civilization, religions or cultures. Topics discussed include political orientations, the notion of Shura, democracy, contemporary problems and pitfalls, economic directives, individual spending, community life, general economic principles in Islam, profound reform, Islamic banks, human rights, freedom, fears and hopes, the problems of the modern age for Muslim nations, and more.

This book examines the social aspects of Islam, clearly outlining the aims and duties of every Muslim in respect of vital issues in Islamic life and conduct. The subjects dealt with include human rights, the sanctity of life, women's rights, the duties of the Muslim in the workplace, the family, sexual relationships, alcohol, drugs, crime and punishment, 'green' issues and the true meaning of jihad. Reference is made in each chapter to the relevant passades of the Qur'an and Hadith. The aim of the book is to show how Muslims strive to bring God-consciousness (taqwa) into every area of their daily lives, from the important and profound to mundane and simple tasks; and how, in this devotion and urge to serve, striving for the pleasure of their Lord, they find fulfilment and happiness.

"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.