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.

An indispensible handbook presented in a self explanatory style, clear layout with a rich set of glossary, that gives detailed explanation of the creed held by the Ahl-as-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah, and goes on to provide a step-by-step guide to Purification, Prayer, Poor-dues, Fasting, Hajj etc. This book also addresses aspects which one may be shy to ask anyone such as biological and sexual behavior and practices etc. It deals with issues that should be known by everyone regarding the correct performance of these devotions, which Muslims have little knowledge of. Additionally, intricate matters such as Taqwa, social behavior, one's duties to others, individual and collective dealings, sales and purchases are also addressed with both their correct and distorted forms highlighted. A section is also devoted to Tazkiyah and Ihsan, the sincere worship of Allah and attaining to the true spirit of faith. The main feature of this book - is that it deals with issues that every Muslim faces daily and should be aware of in order to conduct their lifestyle in accordance to the Qur'an and Sunnah. As such it is an invaluable guide for all Muslims including those new to Islam and for young people making their entry into adulthood - an essential addition to every Muslim's personal library. The book gives an explanation on Aqidah, Taharah, Salah, Zakah, Sawm and hajj. In addition, some basic aspects on what is prohibited and disliked, together with some instructions on elements of social conduct. Hanafi Fiqh is followed; however there are occasional references to other school of Fiqh.

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.

Al-Basheer was a magazine dedicated to Islamic sciences. It was published from 1987 to 1995. During that time, it developed a small but very loyal following.

The articles contained in this volume come from the first two years of al-Basheer. Among the numerous articles contained herein are: “Allah’s Description of the Hypocrites,” “Between Islam and Kufr,” “Islam and Innovations (I): The Meaning of Bidah,” “There is no Compulsion in the Religion,” “Daily Congregational Prayers and Combining the Prayers,” “Zakaat and Jewelry,” “Abu Hurairah: A preserver of the Sunnah,” “The Importance of Jihad in the Life of a Muslim,” and “The Importance of the Sunnah and Hadith in Islam.”

These articles have been in great demand and it is hoped that their publication in book form will ease access to them on a large scale.

This translation of "Khutabat" covers themes such as Iman, Islam, the prayer, fasting, almsgiving, pilgrimage and Jihad.

Description
Since the terrorist attacks of September 11th, there has been an overwhelming demand for information about Islam, and recent events - the war in Iraq, terrorist attacks both failed and successful, debates throughout Europe over Islamic dress, and many others - have raised new questions in the minds of policymakers and the general public. This newly updated edition of What Everyone Needs to Know about Islam is the best single source for clearly presented, objective information about these new developments, and for answers to questions about the origin and traditions of Islam. Editor of The Oxford Encyclopedia of Modern Islam and The Oxford History of Islam, and author of The Future of Islam and many other acclaimed works, John L. Esposito is one of America's leading authorities on Islam. This brief and readable book remains the first place to look for up-to-date information on the faith, customs, and political beliefs of the more than one billion people who call themselves Muslims.
Features

• Comprehensive primer on Muslims and Islam, written by one of America's most respected authorities on Islam
• Fully updated edition features many new topics

About the Author(s)
University Professor, Professor of Religion and International Affairs, Professor of Islamic Studies and Founding Director of the Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at the Walsh School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University

In a Western world suddenly acutely interested in Islam, one question has been repeatedly heard above the din: where are the Muslim reformers? With this ambitious volume, Tariq Ramadan firmly establishes himself as one of Europe's leading thinkers and one of Islam's most innovative and important voices.
As the number of Muslims living in the West grows, the question of what it means to be a Western Muslim becomes increasingly important to the futures of both Islam and the West. While the media are focused on radical Islam, Ramadan claims, a silent revolution is sweeping Islamic communities in the West, as Muslims actively seek ways to live in harmony with their faith within a Western context. French, English, German, and American Muslims--women as well as men--are reshaping their religion into one that is faithful to the principles of Islam, dressed in European and American cultures, and definitively rooted in Western societies.
Ramadan's goal is to create an independent Western Islam, anchored not in the traditions of Islamic countries but in the cultural reality of the West. He begins by offering a fresh reading of Islamic sources, interpreting them for a Western context and demonstrating how a new understanding of universal Islamic principles can open the door to integration into Western societies. He then shows how these principles can be put to practical use. Ramadan contends that Muslims can - indeed must - be faithful to their principles while participating fully in the civic life of Western secular societies. Grounded in scholarship and bold in its aims, Western Muslims and the Future of Islam offers a striking vision of a new Muslim Identity, one which rejects once and for all the idea that Islam must be defined in opposition to the West.

Reviews
"In the spirit of interfaith dialogue, which Ramadan embraces, one might as well describe this book as a splendid practical catechism for Muslims in the West. There is much food for thought in it as well for non-Muslim majorities in the West and Muslim majorities in the Middle East. The book is at its best when it describes and interprets the recent explosion of accusations of witchcraft and other superstitions in the region and links them to the exercise of political power." --Foreign Affairs

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 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.

Path to Wisdom: A Guidance for Humanity focuses on the various aspects of human existence through the eyes of Muslim thinkers and writers of the past. It urges the reader to reflect upon their inner and outer existence and subsequently live a more aware and meaningful life, with a deeper consciousness of God, themselves and the world around them. It begins from the essence of human nature itself: "Reflection" and takes the reader on a journey through a range of human experiences, ending in "Death". It asks only that in the modern world of materialism and instant gratification, the reader chooses a more reflective and self-aware path. Through the range of Muslim thinkers used, the book seeks to establish that Islam is rich with wisdom that has often been acquired through intense study and soul-searching. Furthermore, it argues that the acquisition of such wisdom is within the reach of all of us via our own journeys through life, with a little help from our predecessors.