AN ACQUAINTANCE WITH ISLAM

Title: AN ACQUAINTANCE WITH ISLAMAuthor: Ayatollah Ibrahim AminiProject supervisor: Translation Unit, Cultural Affairs Department, the Ahl al-Bayt (¡®a) World Assembly (ABWA)Translator: Dr. Mahmud FarrokhpeyEditor: Iffat ShahProofreader: Rababeh GhulamiDate de publication: 2012 All rights reserved.PREFACE —11SECTION ONE THE PRINCIPLES OF RELIGIONThe Principles of Religion —15The Role of Belief in One’s Prosperity —15The Means of Recognition —17Jurisdiction in Islam —23Jurisdiction at the Time of the Prophet (s) —24The Great Prophet of God (s) as the First Jurisprudent (Waliul Amr) —25Wilayat after the Messenger of God (s) —30Wilayat at the Time of Occultation (Ghaibat) —34SECTION TWO ETHICS IN ISLAM Ethics in Islam —39The Methods of Teaching Ethics —45The Method of the Prophets —45The Scientific Method —45Ethics —47The School of Ethics in Islam —47Different Systems of Ethics —48Supplications —51Prayers in Islam —59SECTION THREE ISLAM AND FAITH Islam —65Faith —69Blasphemy (Unbelief) —75Decrees for the Unbelievers (kafirs) —78Hypocrites —79The Appearance of the Hypocrites —79First Group —79The Second Group —80The Third Group —80The Conspiracies of the Hypocrites —80Unity of the Muslim Ummah —87The Duties and Mutual Rights of Moslems —931. Managing the Affairs of Moslems —932. Brotherhood —933. The Believers’ Mutual Rights —934. Affection —945. Gratifying Other Moslems —956 .Satisfying a Believer’s Needs —957. Giving Advice —95The Islamic Ummah: Its Tasks and Responsibilities —97SECTION FOUR MAN IN THE EYES OF ISLAM Man in the Eyes of Islam —103Man and Freedom of Will —109Man and his Tasks —115Man’s Responsibilities —119Man’s Responsibilities vis-à-vis God (swt) and the Messenger of God (s) —119Man’s Responsibilities towards himself —120Man’s Responsibilities towards Other Human Beings —122SECTION FIVETHE TASKS AND RELIGION COMMANDS AND THEIR SOURCES The Islamic Commands —125Obligatory commands and conventional commands —125Devotional Commands —126The Linking Commands —126Individual Duty and Necessary Duties —127Obligatory- with- Choice Tasks —128Prohibited Acts —128Other Commands —128Contaminations and Purifying Agents —128Transactions —128Family- Based Commands —129Guardianship of the Jurist and Government —129Commands Based on Eating and Drinking —129Sources of Islamic Religious Injunctions (Commands) —131The Quran: the First Primary Source of Islamic Commands —131The Prophet’s (s) Way of Life [Sunnat]: the Second Source —136The Traditions of the Infallibles (‛a): the Third Source —139The Distributors of the Prophet’s (s) Knowledge —146Ali (‛a) as an Encyclopedia of Knowledge —150The Recording of the Narrations —152Reason: the Fourth Source —154The Use of Reasoning —156Ijtehad and Taqlid —158The Qualifications for Ijtehad —162Taqlid (imitation) —164SECTION SIX MINOR PRINCIPLES (FUNDAMINTAL PRINCIPLES APPLICATIONS) Prayers —167Kinds of Prayer —171Fasting —173The Philosophy of Fasting —177The Pilgrimage —181Attention towards God and Purification of the Self —181The Universal Congress of Muslims —186A Demonstration of Unity —188Holy War (Jihad) —191The Early Jihad (The Lesser Struggle) —193The Greater Struggle —195Enjoining the Good Prohibiting the Evil —199Steps for Enjoining the Good and Forbidding the Evil —204The Status of the World Moslems vis-a-vis our Responsibilities —204Is the Prophet of God (s) Contented with the Present Situation? —206Why did we Become Like this? —206What is the Solution? —209Who is Responsible? —210The Alms —213Possessions Subject to Alms —216The Expenditure of Alms —218One Fifth of One’s Wealth [Khums] —221The Application of Khums —223