Many of the recent events, especially the terrorist attack of September 11, have projected a very negative image of Islamic religiosity and polity. Islam, however, as any other major religion of the world, possesses a very rich scriptural treasure, deep spiritual theology, a very sublime mystical and ascetical tradition, etc. In thirteen chapters Prof. Asghar Ali Engineer tries to present some of the oft-discussed issues of Islam in the correct perspective. In many of these issues, Prof. Engineer argues, today’s Islam has failed to project the real spirit of the holy Qur’an and the real mind of Prophet Muhammad. He says, "It is, therefore, highly necessary that we separate what is divine from what is the opinion of the medieval ‘ulama’ who are being blindly imitated". "It is also part of an attempt to re-read and re-interpret Islamic sources in the their original spirit which is quite modern and eternal in values".
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Asghar Ali Engineer
Prof. Asghar Ali Engineer is an internationally known Islamic scholar, a dedicated social reformer and an ardent advocate of inter-religious dialogue. He is specially trained in Islamic theology. Tafsir (commentary of the holy Qur’an) Islamic Jurisprudence and Hadith. He is now the Chairman of the Centre for the Study of Society and Secularism, and Chief Editor of the quarterly Indian Journal of Secularism. He serves also as member of the Governing Council of the foundation for Communal Harmony of the government of India. Prof. Engineer has written more than forty books and a number of scholarly articles. He has held many responsible offices like Vice President of People’s Union for Civil Liberties and chairman of the Committee for Communal Harmony. He is also recipient of important awards like National Communal Harmony Award from the Ministry of Home Affairs, government of India and Hakim Khan Sur Award for National Integration from Maharana Mewar Foundation.
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