The Five Pillars of Islam :
Laying the Foundations of Divine Love and Service to Humanity,
[A5] Paperback - 301 pages,
by Dr Musharraf Hussain al-Azhari.

 

Back in Stock April 2021

Description :


An excellent practical manual for learning essential Islamic beliefs and practices and understanding the true spirit of worship. Derived from the Classical Sunni Manuals: Aqa'id al-Nasafi by Abu Hafs 'Umar al-Nasafi (d. 537 A.H.) & Nur al-Idah wa Najat al-Arwah by Hasan ibn 'Ammar al-Shurunbulali (d. 1069 A.H.)



About The Book:

The Five Pillars of Islam is a comprehensive and practical manual on the five pillars, or the fundamentals of belief and practice of a Muslim, and provides an understanding of the spirit of worship. Written with a contemporary Muslim audience in mind, the creed is based on the orthodox Sunni Maturidi School of Theology, and the legal rulings upon the Hanafi Legal School. It is an invaluable reference for every home and classroom.


This book is a practical manual that will enable the reader to learn and understand the religious duties as prescribed by the Qur'an and Sunnah, and it is based on classical sources.


The first pillar, or the shahadah, is a translation of 'Aqa'id al-Nasafi by Abu Hafs 'Umar al-Nasafi (d. 537 A.H.). This is a famous primer on Islamic beliefs, whilst the other four pillars of Worship-Prayer, fasting, Zakah and Hajj pilgrimage-are described in the minutest detail in another classical work of jurisprudence (fiqh) : Nur al-Idah wa Najat al-Arwah by Hasan ibn 'Ammar al-Shurunbulali (d. 1069 A.H.). I have tried to follow faithfully these two most authentic books which are taught in seminaries all over the world. I have attempted to translate them into lucid and clear contemporary English and to present them in an appealing manner.




About the Author: Dr Musharraf Hussain is an Imam and Chairman of governors of the Karimia Institute, a progressive Sunni Islamic School, he studied biochemistry and Islam under Justice Pir Muhammad Karam, rahmatullahi 'alayhi and later at Azhar University, Cairo.


This is a concise well presented book!





Table of Contents :


---The Essence of the Five Pillars
---Transliteration Table,
---Acknowledgements,
---Introduction.


The First Pillar of Islam : Shahadah - The Declaration of Faith,

---[1]. The Meaning of Faith and it's Development,
------The Significance of the Shahadah,
------The Cultivation of Faith.

---[2]. Aqa'id al-Nasafi : A Summary of Islamic Beliefs.
------About Aqa'id al-Nasafi,
------Translation of Aqa'id al-Nasafi,
------Belief in Allah,
------Belief in al-Akhirah (the Hereafter), its Punishments and its Rewards,
------The Nature of Iman (faith), Belief in the Messengers, Angels and Revealed Books,
------The Beliefs and Practices of the Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah.


The Second Pillar of Islam : Salah - The Prayer,

---[3]. Introduction to the Shari'ah and the Science of Fiqh,
------The Shari'ah,
------Fiqh,
------The Catoegories of Rulings in Islamic Jurisprudence,
------Islamic Rituals of Worship.

---[4]. The Meaning, Wisdom and Benefits of Salah,
------The meaning of Salah,
------The Spiritual Benefits and Wisdom of Salah,
------Developing Concentration (khushu) in Salah,
------The Moral Benefits and Wisdom of Salah,
------The Social Benefits and Wisdom of Salah,
------The Masjid (House of Worship) - The Most Blessed Place on Earth,
------Women in the Masjid.

---[5]. Preparation for Salah: Taharah, Adhan and Iqamah,
------The Importance of preparing for Salah,
------Introduction to taharah (purity),
------Purification with ghusl (bath) and tayammum (dry ablution),
------Ghusl,
------Tayammum,
------Purification with Wudhu,
------Making the Adhan (Call to Prayer) and Iqamah (Call made immediately preceding prayer),

---[6]. How to Pray Salah,
------The Obligation to Pray Salah,
------The Six Conditions for Prayer,
------The Six Compulsory (Fard) acts in Prayer,
------The Nine Necessary (Wajib) Acts in Prayer,
------The Sunnah Acts in Prayer,
------The Special Sunnahs for Congregation,
------The Desirable (Mustahabb) Acts in Prayer,
------The Undesirable (Makruh) Acts in Prayer,
------The Invalidating (Mufsid) Acts in Prayer,
------How to Perform the Salah,
------Summary of the Procedure for Salah,
------The Nafl Prayers (Voluntary Salahs'),
------Combining Two Prayers,
------Making Up for Missed Salah (Qada).

---[7]. Special Congregational Salah : The Friday, 'Id and Funeral Prayers.
------The Friday Prayer,
------The Conditions for establishing the Friday Prayer,
------The 'Id Prayer,
------The Funeral Prayer,
------The Procedure for the Funeral Prayer,
------The Traveller's Prayer,
------How to Pray whilst Travelling on an Airplane, Train or Coach?


The Third Pillar of Islam : Zakah - The Almsgiving,

---[8]. The Meaning and Wisdom of Zakah,
------The Spiritual Benefits and Wisdom of Zakah,
------The Moral Benefits and Wisdom of Zakah,
------The Social Benefits and Wisdom of Zakah.

---[9]. The Payment of Zakah
------Who must pay Zakah?
------What types of wealth necessitate Zakah?
------Who deserves to receive Zakah?
------The manners of paying Zakah.



The Fourth Pillar of Islam : Sawm - The Fasting in Ramadan,

---[10]. The Blessings of Ramadan and Fasting,
------Ramadan is the Spring of Righteousness,
------A Month of Mercy, Forgiveness and Deliverance.

---[11]. Fasting : A Means of Moral and Spiritual Growth for the Individual and Community,
------Fasting was Prescribed to Us to Develop in taqwa (piety),
------Spiritual Growth,
------Using Ramadan as a Programme for Spiritual Growth,
------Using Fasting as a Means for Moral development,
------The Social Benefits and Wisdom of the Obligatory Fast in Ramadan,
------The Health Benefits of Fasting.

---[12]. The Fiqh Rulings for Ramadan,
------Beginning and Ending Ramadan,
------The Obligation to Fast the Month of Ramadan,
------Who is exempt from Fasting?
------What is the Fast and when does it Begin and End?
------What Nullifies the Fast?
------The Rulings of Kaffarah (Atonement),
------What does not break the Fast?
------What is Undesirable (Makruh) whilst Fasting?
------The Meaning and Practice of Tarawih Prayer.
------How did the Blessed Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him & grant him peace, Fast ?

---[13]. I'tikaf : The Spiritual Retreat,
------The Meaning and Virtues of I'tikaf,
------The Three Types of I'tikaf,
------What Nullifies the I'tikaf,
------The Permissable Reasons to temporarily Leave I'tikaf,
------The Undesirable Acts in I'tikaf.

---[14]. Laylat al-Qadr : The Night of Power,
------The Significance of the Night of Power,
------When is this Night?
------What is the Wisdom in keeping the Exact Date Secret?
------What happens on this Night?
------Is there any Special Devotaion on this Night?

---[15]. 'Id al-Fitr : A Time for Celebration and Charity.
------A Time to Celebrate,
------Alms-Giving at the End of Ramadan : Sadaqah al-Fitr.



The Fifth Pillar of Islam : Hajj - The Pilgrimage,

---[16]. The Meaning and Significance of Hajj,
------Hajj - A Journey Back to our Roots,
------The Spiritual Benefits and Importance of Hajj.

---[17]. An Overview of the Hajj : Rules and Conditions,
------The Types of Hajj,
------On Whom is Hajj Obligatory?
------The Conditions for the Performance of Hajj,
------Performing Hajj on Behalf of Somebody Else,
------The Five Days of Hajj in Brief,
------The Conditions for the Soundness of Hajj,
------The Obligatory (Fard) Rites of Hajj,
------The Necessary (Wajib) Rites of Hajj.

---[18]. The Rites of Hajj : Meaning and Practice,
------Ihram - The State of Sanctity,
------'Arafah - Preparation for the Day of Judgement,
------Tawaf - Turning around the Spiritual Pivot of the World,
------Sa'y - Running between Safa and Marwah,
------Ramy - The Stoning of the Shaytans,
------Qurbani - The Sacrifice,
------Halq and Qasr - Shaving and Cutting the Hair,
------Jinayat - Hajj Offences and their Penalties.

---[19]. Performing Hajj,
------The Five Days of Hajj,
------Before 8th Dhu al-Hijjah : The Months of Hajj,
------8th Dhu al-Hijjah : The First Day of Hajj,
------9th Dhu al-Hijjah : The Second Day of Hajj,
------10th Dhu al-Hijjah : The Third Day of Hajj,
------11th Dhu al-Hijjah : The Fourth Day of Hajj,
------12th Dhu al-Hijjah : The Fifth Day of Hajj,
------The Steps of Umrah and Hajj,

---[20]. Performing 'Umrah.
------The Rites of Umrah,
------How to Perform Umrah?


---Appendix : Moon Sighting,
---Selected Scholarly Biographies,
---Glossary,
---Bibliography,
------Islamic Source Texts,
------Classical and Modern Scholarly Texts,
------Reference Works and Internet Links.