The discourse in this book addresses elite western politicians, intellectuals and thinkers. It discusses the most important issues related to the political system of Saudi Arabia from an Islamic perspective and through the state's laws like the Basic Law of Governance. Among the issues discussed by the book, for instance, the imama (leadership), the rights and duties of the Muslim leader, the nature of relation between citizens and the King, the concept of Shoura in Islam and the impact of the implementation of this Shoura in Saudi Arabia compared with democracy, the concept of bay’ah (pay of allegiance), the formation of political parties and the so-called opposition, the freedom of opinion, as well as other issues raised in the Western media and political circles about the political system of Saudi Arabia.
There has been much misinformation about the people of Saudi Arabia in Western media; some may be due to Islamophobia, but some come from the difficulty in getting an accurate picture of the Kingdom's diversity from the outside. Saudi woman was no exception. This books demonstrates the achievements been made by Saudi woman despite the difficulties facing them. It highlights the roles being played by educated Saudi women and the government efforts to change negative attitudes towards women. While reflecting the emerging role of Saudi women who have been marginalized by rigid traditions and restricted misinterpretation of Islamic law, the book stresses that the active roles of Saudi woman, at both domestic and international levels, has dispelled long-held stereotypes of these women as being uneducated and dull.
This is a useful book although it is small. It contains some technical terms for da'wah in English. No doubt all scholars and callers to Islam in English are in much need to something like that to conveys the right message of Islam to all those speak English.
Its author said in the introduction, "It is a known fact that every language has one or more terms that are used in reference to God and sometimes to lesser deities. This is not the case with Allah. Allah is the personal name of the One true God. Nothing else can be called Allah. The term has no plural or gender. This shows its uniqueness when compared with the word "god," which can be made plural, as in "gods," or made feminine, as in "goddess." It is interesting to notice that Allah is the personal name of God in Aramaic, the language of Jesus and a sister language of Arabic."
Pillars of Faith: discusses the fundamentals of faith, by outlining and detailing the objectives of the Islamic 'Aqeedah. Numerous references are made to the Qur'an and authentic Ahadith, for establishing the sincere intention and worship to Allah, liberating the mind and thought from the irrational and chaotic losses, establishing peace of mind and sound thinking, safeguarding the intentions, learning to establish a strong Ummah (community), achieving happiness in this life and the hereafter, and more.
Author: Jafar Sheikh Idrees
Reveiwers: Muhammad AbdulRaoof
Publisher: A website Islamic Library www.islamicbook.ws - Islamic Dawah centre in Hamra, Jeddah www.islamic-ef.org
I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. Upon whom to these characteristics of the awaited prophet apply? Upon Jesus or Muhammad (peace be upon them). This book examines these prophecies in a very logical and scientific method.
Author: Jamal Badawi
Reveiwers: Muhammad AbdulRaoof