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PREFACE
In the Name of Allah,
The All-compassionate, The
All-merciful
Praise belongs to Allah, the Lord of all being;
the
All-compassionate, the All-merciful;
the Master of the Day of
Judgement;
Thee only we serve, and to Thee alone we pray
for
succour;
Guide us in the straight path;
the path of those
whom Thou hast blessed,
not of those against whom Thou art
wrathful,
nor of those who are astray.
O'' Allah! send your blessings to the head of
your
messengers and the last of
your prophets,
Muhammad and his pure
and cleansed progeny.
Also send your blessings to all your
prophets and
envoys.
Call unto the way of your Lord with wisdom and good
exhortation,
and reason with them in the best way. Lo! your Lord best
knows those
who go astray from His path, and He knows best those who
are rightly guided.
(Qur''an, 16:125)
Ansariyan Publications
P.O.B 37185/187 QUM
Islamic Republic Of
Iran
This book, written in a relatively simple language,
presents a summary of the teachings of Islam to provide some information
for those who are not able to examine Islamic matters deeply in a
specialized manner.
One of the most valuable styles for the promotion of
culture, sciences and religion is through simple writings. This method has
evolved for general dissemination of human knowledge to unveil
uncertainties and remove difficulties from some specialized branches of
science and technology so as to make them easily understandable for the
public. No matter how technical a branch of science or subject is, it
could be stated and written in such a way that everyone can utilize it and
gain a relative knowledge in proportion to his educational status and in
accordance with the depth and the extent of his thinking.
This style we see in the Qur''an in its best form. In the
Qur''an, the most complicated human affairs, highly metaphysical and
humanistic matters, Ma''ad (Resurrection), the ultimate point of
man''s life and his conditions after death, etc have been described in the
most simple language possible. Considerable space is needed to cite a few
examples of such illuminating highlights of the Qur''an; therefore, we are
quoting only one or two examples. Qur''an, although firm and rational in
its reasoning for Ma''ad and the life in the world Hereafter, states
simply, briefly, and in a way that is comprehensible to all.
"...Says he: ''Who will give life to the bones when
they are rotten ?'' Say: ''He will give life to them Who brought them into
existence at first, and He is Cognizant of all creation''
(36:78-79)."
This is a very strong reasoning and a logical and
rational remark. The Power that brought forth creations from nonexistence
into the world of existence has the power to gather the components once
more and give them life after their disintegration.
It is said that Abu Nasr al-Farabi*, the Muslim
philosopher, wished that had Aristotle been alive, he would have accepted
this logical reasoning of Qur''an for physical resurrection. As you can
see, although rational, it has a very simple language that can be easily
comprehended if one thinks a little about it. In like manner, many remarks
and reasonings have been presented about the science of the origin, but
the Qur''an states the subject in a simple and balanced manner.
"Does He not know who He created? And He is the Knower
of the subtleties, the Aware (67:14)."
With this brief expression, the subject becomes
completely clear. For experts, too, this verse has a strong argument in
itself.
The prophets and Imams [Twelve infallible successors of
Prophet Muhammad (SA)] have also set forth advanced, sophisticated, and
more complicated matters in a simple form but profoundly in accordance
with Allah''s Book. It is also stated in the Qur''an:
"And We did not send any messenger but with the
language of his people so that he might explain to them clearly ...
(14:4)."
This verse lucidly indicates that the prophets used the
criteria of simple language carefully to clarify and express the truth.
This is due to the fact that the prophets were cognizant of the precise
method of presentation, the mode of speech, and the insights of the people
of their time. They were also well aware of their people''s talents and
feelings. The prophets were familiar with the artistic and literary
feelings of their people and presented their subjects and materials in
customary forms acceptable to the public. Although the principles of the
teachings of the prophets were similar and identical, the method of their
presentation and expression has had considerable differences in various
societies.
This principle existed in the prophets'' commissions:
"We are commissioned to speak in accordance with
people''s thoughts. Islamic matters, therefore, should be presented in
such a way that is understandable by everyone One must adopt a simple
and balanced language filled with artistic and literary aesthetics to
acquire a striking success in its abundant and immediate influence."
**
Based on this principle and in accordance with the Qur''an
and the ahadth (Traditions), our religious leaders wrote simple and
condensed books in a simple language. These books were firm and logical
and had a correct, lucid, and condensed form and technique. They had very
well found out that it is always the quality of presenting the subjects
and the manner of expression, language, and writing that can propagate a
subject in the society, a fact that is very much ignored nowadays.
There are two factors that play an essential and vital
role in this cause and in the real fulfilment of this method. Firstly,
full knowledge and information on the subject matter. Secondly,
familiarity with the principles of writing and the literary and artistic
criteria for simple writing. If the author lacks in either of these two
principles, they will not be able to present useful books to the people.
Even if they make such an attempt, they will not succeed.
Thus to prepare small treatises on important,
enlightening and valuable subjects related to human beings is a great,
specialized and difficult task. He, who writes scientific matters for the
public, performs a greater and more specialized task than one who writes
for experts. Therefore, it should not be assumed that simplicity in
writing means that anyone with little knowledge and artistic talent in
writing will be able to present some treatises; rather this task is more
burdensome and difficult than scientific and technical writings. As
mentioned earlier, to embark On such a task entails two kinds of
proficiencies.
In relation to the dissemination of religious culture,
particularly that of Islam, such books are of vital significance. As there
is no such opportunity available to the people of our society to spend
many years to gain knowledge about Islam, such treatises must be written
to adequately orient and familiarize them with Islam. The grandeur, depth,
and vastness of Islamic matters should not hinder people''s understanding.
A couplet states:
"If the sea''s water cannot entirely be drawn,
at
least so much to quench the thirst must be taken".
Consequently, researchers, with expertise and skill in
various Islamic matters, should also have expertise and experience in
literary and artistic techniques and the forms and types of presentation,
so that their material could be understood by the present generation which
would then be familiarized with the Islamic culture.
This book is presented to serve the purpose of such a
significant task. The late ''Allamah Tabataba''i, with his vast and deep
knowledge on Islamic matters, both comprehensively and in relation with
one another, coupled with his experience in presenting relatively simple
and general books, aimed at pursuing such a mission. This book and a few
others in this connection can prove advantageous to everyone and can
fulfil the responsibility of theological centres and Islamic
theologians.
Al-Hawzatul-''Ilmiyyah, Qum
* Abu Nasr al-Farabi was a great Muslim
philosopher, who was born in
259 AH at Farab, (one of areas of Turks)
and died at Damascus in 339 A.H.
** "Al-Haya''", 3rd edition, vol.
1, p 146.
