Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad

Paperback

Third Edition (October 2023)

9781933764214

 

The Essence of Islam in 12 Verses from the Qur’an

 

Contents:

 

1. What is Religion?

- What does the word ‘religion’ mean?

- Why is it important to know all this?

 

2. What is Islam?

- The meaning of the word ‘Islam’

- Islam as a civilisation

- Islam as a religion

- The inner meaning of the rites of Islam

- Why is it important to know all this?

 

3. ‘Who is Your Lord?’

- Mercy

- Love

- Why is it important to know all this?

 

4. Why Did God Create People?

- Kindness to others

- Why is it important to know all this?

 

5. What Are Heaven and Hell?

- Why is it important to know all this?

 

6. What is The Qur’an?

- The Qur’an as revelation

- The Arabic Language

- The Arabic Language of the Qur’an

- The obstacles in reading the Qur’an

- The subjects of the Qur’an

- The Qur’an as a mirror

- The importance of the Qur’an

- The influence of the Qur’an on Islamic thought

- The interpretation of the Qur’an

- The Preservation of the Qur’an

- Why is it important to know all this?

 

7. Who is The Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.?

- Who is the Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. to Muslims?

- Human virtue

- Spiritual perfection

- The mission of the Prophet

- Love for the Prophet Muhammad

- The sayings of the Prophet Muhammad

- Imitation of the Prophet Muhammad

- Why is it important to know all this?

 

8. What is ‘The Heart’?

- What are human beings?

- What is ‘the heart’?

- Self-knowledge

- Rust on the heart

- Polishing the rust off the heart

- Why is important to know all this?

 

9. What is Worldly Life?

- Why is it important to know all this?

 

10. What is The ‘Shari’ah’?

- The meaning of the word ‘shari’ah’

- The schools of Islamic jurisprudence

- Ibn Taymiyyah and the beginning of the anti-usul Sunni movement

- Logic

- The anti-usul movement up to the present day

- Sunni schools of thought in 2016 and in 1900

- The Shi’i madhahib

- Other madhahib

- Capital and corporal punishment

- Taking it easy

- Why is it important to know all this?

 

11. What is ‘Jihad’?

- The meaning of the term ‘jihad’

- The two kinds of jihad: the ‘greatest jihad’ and the ‘lesser jihad’

- The ‘greatest jihad’ as such

- The ‘lesser jihad’ as such

- The reasons behind - and conditions necessary for - the ‘lesser jihad’

- The goal of the ‘lesser jihad’

- Is the ‘lesser jihad’ offensive or defensive?

- The intention behind the ‘lesser jihad’

- The rules of conduct during the ‘lesser jihad’

- Relations with non-Muslims outside of the ‘lesser jihad’

- Why is it important to know all this?

 

12. What is Government?

- The importance of justice

- The ‘excellence’ of justice

- What is justice?

- The ecology of justice?

- What is government?

- Popular consensus and government legitimacy

- Temporal state

- Citizenship

- Why is it important to know all this?

 

Postscript: What is Happiness?

- Happiness or misery?

- Defining happiness

- Enjoyment

- Joy

- Contentment

- Happiness

- Why is it necessary to know all this?

 

Appendix 1: The Big Tent of Islam

- The different kinds of Muslims

- The Amman Message (2004-2006)

- The Benefit of the ‘Three Articles’ of the Amman Message

 

Appendix 2: Three Questions For Every Muslim

 

Index of Ahadith Cited

Index of Qur’anic Verses Cited

Index of Poetry