BOOK REVIEW
Name of the Book: The Spirit of Islam
Name of the Author: Maulana
Wahiduddin Khan
Translator: Prof Farida Khanam
Publisher: Goodword Books, New Delhi
Year: 2022
Pages: 488
ISBN: 9789394886179
The Spirit of Islam is an English translation of Maulana Wahiduddin Khan’s Urdu book Islam: Ek Ta’aruf. The Urdu edition has been a perennial bestseller. Throughout the Urdu-speaking world, many academic institutes have incorporated it in their course. The reader is captivated by one- or two-page length articles elucidating various aspects of Islamic way of life. In short and succinct paragraphs, the writer beautifully expounds the moral, spiritual, mundane, social, and metaphysical aspects of Islam. Drawing heavily from the Quran and the corpus of Hadith, the reader is impressed by the application of these teachings in the day-to-day affairs.
In this book, the author expounds on the spirit of Islam instead of the outward forms of various religious rites. Every form, activity, belief and teaching of Islam are aimed at inculcating God-consciousness in a believer, well-wishing towards fellow human beings and above all constant self-introspection. The book explains that a believer’s response to situations of life should be one of a heightened awareness of being ultimately accountable before God, be they unpleasant, negative, pertaining to disputes or controversies, failures or successes.
Being extremely cautious in his speech and actions, a believer’s life experiences are an opportunity for spiritual development and purification of the soul.
The following is a selection from an article titled The Motivation for Social Service from this book:
“According to a saying of the Prophet: “One who helped in removing the pain and trouble of another in this world shall have his trouble and pain removed by God on the Day of Judgment. One who has helped someone in difficulty shall have his difficulty eased by God in this world as well as in the Hereafter. One who kept another’s defects and negative points a secret shall have such negative points of his own kept secret by God in this world and as well as in the Hereafter. God helps people so long as they help their brothers.” (Sunan Abu Dawood 4946)
This teaching of Islam has made human service, a matter of personal interest for everyone. Accordingly, when someone helps anyone, he immediately makes himself deserving of divine succour. Whatever good he has done to others, he will receive from God on a large scale.
This teaching produces an extraordinary willingness to serve others. When a person sees someone in pain, he feels that precious moment has come when by removing that person’s difficulties he can make himself deserving of God’s mercy.”
Written in simple and lucid language, the book is suitable for people of all ages. In fact, readers can read one article in one go however pressed for time they are.
A PERSON OF FAITH IS NOT PROUD AND ARROGANT LIKE A DRIED-UP STICK. RATHER, HE IS FLEXIBLE, LIKE A SOFT PLANT.