Islam: An Introduction (Selected Writings)

In Islam: An Introduction (Selected Writings), comprising his three articles, namely, A Fundamental View of Islam; Islam: A Guide; and Philosophy of Worship in Islam, Fazlur Rahman Ansari (1914-1974), one of the brilliant South Asian Muslim scholars of the last century and the foremost disciples of the noted South Asian spiritual master Mawlānā Abdul Aleem Siddiqui, offers an illuminating picture of Islam. Away from the apologia of Muslim modernists and the demeaning Orientalist projections of Islam, Shaykh Ansari's meditations are inclusive, refined and authentic, informed by his deep insights into both the classical sources of Islam and modern philosophical sciences.

Tawhīd and other core institutions of Islam form part of Ansari's meditation in the first chapter of the book. The Qurʾān states unambiguously that Tawhid permeates every facet of human endeavour; therefore, the dualistic vision embraced by other world religions and subsequently advanced by Western civilisation defeats the integrated philosophy of Islam. Tawhid, Ansari believes, is interlinked to the development of the integrated worldview about humanity's success in this world. Moreover, it expands the horizon of 'Ibādah (worship) by investing values that have far-reaching implications for a balanced outlook on life. In the second chapter, Ansari presents a synopsis of Islamic faith and practice. The salient features of Islam are supported by an array of opinions and impressions from the writings of Western critics of Islam; however, his references to Western sources in no way betray an apologetic mindset. In the final chapter, Ansari elucidates the rationale behind the pillars of Islam (Arkān) and also outlines the wisdom that informs the Prophetic practices in this regard. The thematic significance of Shaykh Ansari's meditation is aimed at rediscovering the message of Islam in our today's multi-cultural world.

Abdul Kader Choughley, the editor of the volume, has contributed enormously to the revival of contemporary South Asian Muslim scholarship, during the past decade or so, with several valuable studies on Islam in South Asia, focusing on Islamic revivalism. And he deserves accolades for his insightful work, Fazlur Rahman Ansari Aligarh Years: 1933-1947 (Tawasul International Publishing, Rome, 2024). An upcoming work, The Qur'ānic Revelation, is an overview of Dr Ansari's comprehensive study in the genre of Quranic studies. Some of the other important works of Choughley, related to the legacy Fazlur Rahman Ansari are Fazlur Rahman Ansari Aligarh Years: 1933-1947, Dr Ansari Series: Moral and Spiritual Transformation in Islam (Selected Writings and Lectures, Vol.1), Moral and Spiritual Transformation in Islam (Muhammad Fazlur Rahman Ansari's Lectures in South Africa: Reflections, Vol. 2), published by Tawasul International, Rome, 2024.