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Towards Understanding ISLAM Author’s Preface

The present edition of Towards Understanding Islam is more than a new translation of my book Risalah Diniyat: it is an entirely new and revised version.

The first edition, which was rendered into English by the late Dr. Abdul Ghani (Director of Public Instruction, Afghanistan), was very brief and sketchy. Unfortunately, Dr. Abdul Ghani did not live to improve the translation.

I later revised the original book and made substantial additions to it.

This revised edition of Risalah Diniyat has now been skillfully translated by Prof. Khurshid Ahmad, to whom my heartfelt thanks are due for this labour of love. I am confident that the book will serve its purpose better in this new form. ‘My object in writing this book has been to provide all those – Muslims and non- Muslims alike – who have no access to the original sources with a brief treatise giving a lucid, comprehensive and all-embracing view of Islam.

I have avoided minute details and endeavoured to portray Islam as a whole in a single perspective. Apart from stating what we Muslims believe in and stand for, I have also tried to explain the rational bases of our beliefs. Similarly, in presenting the Islamic modes of worship and the outlines of the Islamic way of life, I have also tried to unveil the wisdom behind them.

I hope this small treatise will go far towards satisfying the intellectual cravings of Muslim youth, and that it will help non-Muslims to understand our real position.