The Conclusive Argument From God

This important and comprehensive work of 18th-century Islamic religious thought written in Arabic by a pre-eminent South Asian scholar provides an extensive and detailed picture of Muslim theology and interpretive strategies on the eve of the modern period.

The Conclusive Argument from God is the master work of Shah Wali Allah of Delhi (1762), considered to be the most important Muslim thinker of pre-modern South Asia. This work, originally written in Arabic, represents a synthesis of the Islamic intellectual disciplines authoritative in the eighteenth century. In order to argue for the rational, ethical and spiritual basis for the implementation of the hadith injunctions of the Prophet Muhammad, Shah Wali Allah develops a cohesive schema of the metaphysical, psychological, and social knowledge of his time. This work provides an extensive and detailed picture of Muslim theology and interpretive strategies on the eve of the modern period and is still evoked by numerous contemporary Islamic movements.

Ten Proofs for the Existence of God is an elegant and thoughtful disposition of the proofs of God’s existence found in the Holy Quran. From the principle that the loved ones of God always meet with success to the moral awareness of human beings to the fine-tuning of the universe, Hazrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud Ahmad(ra), the second successor of the Promised Messiah(as), sets forth ten Quranic arguments to show with compelling force that the existence of God can be established with full certainty and in a manner which is beyond refute.

Shah Wali Allah’s two important treatises on juristic diversity and the nature of binding and independent authority in Islamic law, Al-In'af fi Bayan Sabab al-Ikhtilaf and 'Iqd al-Jid fi A'kam al-Ijtihad wa-l Taqlid, are here translated from the original Arabic with critical introductions and annotations to the author's sources and the legal issues used to illustrate his arguments. Addressing relevant and crucial contemporary issues, these new scholarly translations of the important treatises provide access to important debates on authority and reform in Islamic legal reasoning. The question of ijtihad (independent critical reasoning) versus taqlid (adherence to the classical schools and rulings of Islamic law) continues to inform contemporary discussions of how Muslims—as individuals and in their institutions and practice—can maintain fidelity and authenticity while addressing the compelling issues of the present age.

Our God is an English translation of Hamara Khuda written by Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad (ra), M. A. in the prime of his youth. The book was written largely for the youth who were being swept by the onslaught of atheist literature. It is as relevant today as then; rather more so. The book mainly addresses the issue of Existence of God from the point of view of rational arguments. It furnishes cogent reasons as to why we cannot see God. The beauty of God lies in His being Hidden from our physical eyes, and yet being apparent to us through his creation and revelation. The universe, human nature, morality, universal acceptance of God, supremacy of Prophets and testimony of the righteous are the bases on which the author successfully develops the arguments for the existence of God. For a reflective mind everything in the world points to God. Even the smallest constituent of the universe presents an unfathomable puzzle for the human mind. The Christian church was, and continues to be, mainly responsible for advancing a totally false and absurd view that there is fundamental contradiction between science and religion. The Holy Quran and the Holy Prophet (sa) categorically reject this view. The author deals with the issue comprehensively and shows that there is not, and cannot be, a contradiction between science and religion. Next, the writer deals with advantages of belief in God; it brings about unity, dissuades from evil, encourages to do good, helps to understand the nature of things and brings about true satisfaction and contentment. Seven main Atheistic arguments are successfully refuted by very powerful arguments. Lastly, a comparison is made between drawbacks of Communism—which is considered to be a branch of Atheism—and advantages of economic system of Islam.

Many of the most prominent figures in African-American Islam have been dismissed as Muslim heretics and cultists. Focusing on the works of five of these notable figures—Edward W. Blyden, Noble Drew Ali, Elijah Muhammad, Malcolm X, and Wallace D. Muhammad—author Edward E. Curtis IV examines the origin and development of modern African-American Islamic thought. Curtis notes that intellectual tensions in African-American Islam parallel those of Islam throughout its history—most notably, whether Islam is a religion for a particular group of people or whether it is a religion for all people. In the African-American context, such tensions reflect the struggle for black liberation and the continuing reconstruction of black identity. Ultimately, Curtis argues, the interplay of particular and universal interpretations of the faith can allow African-American Islam a vision that embraces both a specific group of people and all people.