Philosophy and Beliefs
The Reality and Importance of Belief (Īmān)
Character and Its Rational Foundation
The First Prerequisite for Organizing Behaviour
The Meaning of Belief (Īmān)
The Status of Belief (Īmān) in the Establishment of a Civilization
The Two Types of Belief (Īmān)
1. Religious Belief (Dīnī)
2. Temporal Belief (Dunyawī)
Some Foundational Principles
The Belief System (Īmāniyāt) of Islam
Intellectual Criticism
The Importance of Belief (Īmān) in Islam
The Precedence of Belief (Īmān) over Action
Summary
An Objection
Examination of the Objection
4. Belief (Īmān) in Allah
The Importance of Belief (Īmān) in Allah
The Comprehensive Structure of Belief (Īmān) in Allah
The Moral Advantages of Belief (Īmān) in Allah
1. Breadth of Vision
2. Self-respect
3. Humility and Fear of God
4. Elimination of False Expectations
5. Optimism and Peace of Mind
6. Ṣabr (Fortitude) and Trust in God
7. Bravery
8. Contentment
9. The Improvement of Morals and Organizing Behaviour
5. Belief (Īmān) in the Angels
The Purpose of Belief in Angels
The Reality of Angels in this System of Existance
The Additional Status of Human Beings and Angels
The Second Purpose of Belief in Angels
The Third Purpose of Belief in Angels
6. Belief (Īmān) in the Messengers and Prophets
The Reality of Prophethood
The Difference between Prophets and Ordinary Leaders
The Mutual Relationship Between Belief (Īmān) in Allah and Belief (Īmān) in the Prophets
The Unifying Declaration
Allegiance and Obedience to the Messenger
The Importance of Faith in Prophethood
The Distinguishing Features of the Prophethood of Muḥammad (pbuh)
The Difference between the Prophethood of Muḥammad (pbuh) and Earlier Prophets
A General Invitation
Completion of the Dīn (the Way of Islam)
The Abolition of Previous Religious Ways (Adyān)
The Sealing of the Institution of Prophethood
The Essential Ingredients of Muḥammad’s Faith
7. Belief (Īmān) in the Heavenly Scripture
The Relationship between Prophethood and the Book
The Qur’ānic Illustration of the Lamp and the Guide
Belief (Īmān) in All the Heavenly Books
Exclusive Submission to the Qur’ān
Comprehensive Details of Faith in the Qur’ān
The Foundation Stone of Islamic Universality
8. Belief (Īmān) in the Last Day
Some Natural Questions
Denial of the Life in the Hereafter
The Impact of Rejecting the Hereafter on Morality
The Theory of Transmigration
Intellectual Criticism on the Theory of Transmigration
The Impact of Transmigration on Culture
Faith in the Life in the Hereafter
The Correct Approach to Intellectual Research
The Objections to the Life in the Hereafter
The Qur’ānic Argument
The Possibility of Life in the Hereafter
The Cosmic System is a Perfect System
A Perfect System cannot be Aimless and Worthless
Rational End of this Perfect System
The End of the Cosmic System
What will be the System of Life in the Hereafter?
The Need for Belief in the Last Day
Preference for the Hereafter over this World
The Record of Temporal Actions and Justice
The Benefit of Belief in the Last Day
9. The Importance of Belief (Īmān) in Islamic Civilization
Salient Features
An Outline of Islamic Civilization
The Importance of Belief (Īmān) in Islamic Civilization
The Danger of Hypocrisy (Nifāq)
Appendix: Life after Death
Index
Sayyid Abul Aʿlā Mawdūdī (1903-79) is undoubtedly one of the greatest Islamic scholars produced by Muslim South Asia throughout its 1200 year-long history. With the launch of the Jamāʿat-i-Islāmī in 1941, he not only joined the ranks of leading Muslim reformers, but became the torch bearer of a new Muslim political awareness being born out of the demise of Western colonialism and imperialism. He was one of the progenitors of the people called by the rather new term ‘public intellectuals’ – the rare breed of people who not only sit behind their desks or search the deep recesses of libraries to produce new epistemological views and scholarship but also have the vigour and the vision to combine social and political activism with their intellectualism – persons who, to borrow a modern