ELEMENTARY TEACHING OF ISLAM (ART PAPER PKT ) PB

Preface
It is a living miracle of the Truth of Islam that though it has neither a backing of huge missionary corporations, nor does it have any authentic literature in foreign languages, yet people after people, attracted to it by its inherent, magnetic force, keep on embracing this religion of love and universal brotherhood. For, whenever either by dint of personal research and study or by a chance-contact with, and the consequent guidance of a real Muslim theologian they learn the true facts about Islam, the invariable conclusion they arrive at is that Islam is a very simple religion and all its teachings are perfectly rational and in complete consonance with the laws of nature.
It is not a new religion, but a divinely combination of all the old inspired ones and provides the via media, the golden means. On the one hand, its comprehensively high code of ethics, which is unique for many reasons, equips its votary of his journey towards the ultimate goal of a sincere seeker after Truth Allah, and on the other directs its followers to foster and maintain fraternal relations with all the human beings and achieve the utmost progress in all the spheres of art and science and the material walks of life.
This is the only religion, the Sacred Book of which, the Holy Qur’an, is preserved intact in its pristine purity and an authentic record of the minutest details and the eventful life of its promulgator, Prophet Muhammad (May peace and blessings of Allah be on him), is extant to this day after a lapse and blessings of Allah be on him), is extant to this day after a lapse of more than thirteen centuries.
The necessity of the presentation of the elementary teachings of Islam, explaining its Cardinal Articles of Faith and the Fundamental Principles in the simplest possible English language is therefore, obvious, for such a publication would not only serve to acquaint the English-knowing new Muslims with the essentials of Faith and the directions for engaging in devotion to Allah, but also supply the long-felt need of a handy book for imparting the rudiments of Islam to the Muslim children of those countries where the English Language rules supreme and children are sent away to school using English as medium of instruction, without having any knowledge, whatsoever, of their religion.
Releasing the urgency of publishing such a volume, I, during my itinerary of Ceylon, Singapore, Penang, Java, etc., drafted out a skeleton aCCording to the Shafi’i School in spite of numerous pre-oCCupations. My learned friend, Mr. M.I.M. Hanifa, B.A. (London), Advocate of Colombo, very kindly undertook to revise and touch it up and it was due to his invaluable assistance that A Short Catechism of the First teachings of Islam was published a few years ago, and has proved very beneficial.
About the same time an incomplete and imperfect draft, aCCording to the Hanafi School, was released for publication in The Real Islam of Singapore on aCCount of pressing demands. The present volume is a thoroughly revised and enlarged edition of that draft. While sending it to the press I feel, I must acknowledge the co-operation, in this humble work, of Mr. K.S. Anwari, my Secretary, during the South and East African tour, and of my son-in law Hafiz Muhammad Fazlur Rah ran Ansari, B.A. (Alig.).
While expressing the hope that this little volume will serve the purpose in view and will meet the approval of all those concerned, I desire to record my sincere thanks to Al-Haj Mohammad Ibrahim of Trinidad for liberally undertaking the cost of printing and thus rendering a signal service to Islam and to the public. If it pleases Allah, a second volume, in which commonsense arguments in support of the Cardinal Articles of Faith and a much more detailed treatment of the .Principles of Islam and the laws governing society will be incorporated, will soon follow this modest attempt.
May it please Allah to aCCept this humble service.
Amen!
MOHAMMED ABDUL ALEEM SIDDIQUI.
268 Mashaikhan Street,
Meerut City(India)