Preface

This book was first published in 1971 as part of the Islamic Correspondence Course run by Bilal Muslim Mission of Tanzania.

 

The idea behind writing this book was to satisfy the needs of our new generation - the youths and the students who are unable to study the scholastic books written by the Muslim scholars and whose only source of information seems to be the biased writings of orientalists presented as "objective" and "authentic" studies.

 

The book became very popular. It was at once translated into Swahili and was serialized in Islamic Affairs newsletter of Atlanta, Georgia (U.S.A). Since then, it has been reprinted several times in Dar-es-Salaam and Mombasa. Then I revised and expanded it in 1992. Now Al-Haj Mulla Asgharali M.M. Jaffer (President, World Federation of K. S. I. Muslim Communities) has kindly offered to publish it under his supervision. It is hoped that this edition will prove even more popular and useful.

 

I must acknowledge my indebtedness to Mr Athar Hussain (ex­ Secretary to the Govt. of U.P., India) and the late Nawwab Ahmad Husain Khan of Paryanwan (U.P, India) as well as to late 'Allamah Sayyid 'Ali Haydar Naqavi and late 'Allamah Sayyid Muhammad Husain Tabataba'i whose books, Prophet Muhammad and His Mission, Tarikh-e-Ahmadi, Tarikh-e-A'immah and Tafsir Al-Mizan, respectively, have provided the main structure of this book. May Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'aIa increase their rewards.

 

S. Saeed Akhtar Rizvi

 

Dar-es-Salaam

August 10, 1999