Clear Guide to Islamic Rulings

Clear Guide to Islamic Rulings

Ar-Risalah al-Amaliyyah, or Manual of Islamic Practice, is a reference book for Muslims. That is, in conducting themselves, on a spiritual, as well as mundane, level, they should observe what Allah, the Exalted, has ordained lawful and refrain from embarking on that which He has declared unlawful. In the second half of the twentieth century the spread of Is- lam in the West gained momentum. In part, this has been due to the migrations of Muslims to the new lands, especially from the Arab World, and in another to people embracing Is- Jam. Regrettably, the first and second generations among Muslim immigrants started to loose their mother tongue, par- ticularly in its written form. Their first language has become that of the host countries, be it English, French, Spanish etc. The Religious Authority, or Marji', Grand Ayatullah as- Sayyid Mohammad Hussain Fadhlullah is known for his knack in recognising the needs of the contemporary world. He is aware of Muslims ideological and juridical needs. Thanks to his novel approach in jurisprudence and his wide grasp of the modern world needs, the intelligentsia, especially among the younger generations, see in him a representation of a trend which was set by Martyr Ayatullah as-Sayyid Mo- hammad Baqir as-Sadr in the mid seventies, and thus follow his fatwa in ever increasing numbers. To martyr as-Sadr goes the credit of making a leap in the way fiqh (jurisprudence) is presented to the public at large. His was a down-to-earth approach; in his Manual of Islamic Practice, "al-Fatawal Wadhiha" - The Manifest Edicts, he made the rather complex subject matter of fiqh more accessi- ble to the laity. "The Manifest Edicts" has been expanded and further improved by Ayatullah Fadhlullah. Among its main objectives, Dar al-Islam Foundation aims to disseminate Islamic thought, knowledge, and culture among Muslim communities. Thus, it feels privileged by His Eminence as-Sayyid Fadhlullah's request to oversee the pro- ject of this first translation into English of the revised Manual from the Arabic edition. We hope it will fulfill, in some measure, the needs of Muslims, especially those living in for- eign lands, and guide them through the maze and complexi- ties of their day-to-day life. Finally, we urge the readers and institutions alike to pro- vide us with their comments on this translation, so that we could take it into account in future editions, Praise be to Al- lah, Lord of the worlds. Hussain ash-Shami, Director General, Dar Al-Islam Foundation, Rajab, 1420 H. (October, 1999 C.E..) London, UK.