About The Book

The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him & grant him peace, said: "Islam is built upon five; testifying that there is no deity except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, establishing the ritual prayer, almsgiving, making the pilgrimage to the House, and fasting in Ramadan." [Al-Bukhari, Muslim].

These five components of the religion serve as its foundation and are hence known as its "pillars."  The text before us, entitled, " Essentials of Islam" is the English translation of a concise yet comprehensive manual on theology and jurisprudence (the latter based on the Hanafi School of Law) ... Anwaar e Shari'at which deals with all the five fundamental Pillars of Islam. Although this is a primer text, it is quite broad in its range of subjects and the most salient issues pertaining to the sciences of 'aqidah (kalam) and fiqh are presented clearly.

"Essentials of Islam" is not only lucid in it's presentation and relevant to this lofty aim, but also reliable in it's content. It's author, Shaykh Jalal al-Din Ahmad al-Amjadi, may Allah have mercy upon his soul, is recognized as a leading jurist of the Hanafi school.  

''Anwar-e-Shariat'' is an excellent book which delivers an introductory insight into the fundamental laws of Islam directly related to the day to day activities of any individual. It consists of answers to the commonly posed questions and eliminates many misconceptions, all of which are explained in an extremely simple manner.

About The Author

He is Faqih al-Millah, al-Shaykh Mufti Jalal al-Din Ahmad al-Amjadi al-Hanafi, rahmatullahi ta'ala 'alayhi. He was born in Uttar Pradesh, India in 1933/1352AH into a religious family. Faqih al-Millah memorised the Holy Qur'an at the tender age of 10 and subsequently studied the Islamic sciences and disciplines under numerous scholars, specifically Persian literature and other elementary books on Islam under Shaykh 'Abd al-Ra'uf and Shaykh 'Abd al-Bari in Iltifatganj. He then went onto study the Dars al-Nizami curriculum in Nagpur under Shaykh Arshad al-Qadiri, rahimahullah, and graduated at the age of 19 years.

Fiqh al-Millah despite hardships continued his education and striving for further knowledge until he became one of the greatest scholars of his generation. He taught at many seminaries across India, including Madrasa Fayd al-Ulum, Madrasa Qadriyya al-Ridawiyya in Bhawapur, Basti as well as Dar al-Ulum Fayd al-Rasul. He started issuing Fatawa at the age of 24, and continued to do so for 25 years until his health deteriorated. He also established a seminary for graduate scholars to train to become a Mufti. Faqih al-Millah gives the credit for his skills and proficiency in fatawa writing to his spiritual mentor, Sadr al-Shari'ah Shaykh Amjad 'Ali A'zami' rahmatullahi ta'ala alayhi.

Despite being dedicated to teaching his students sacred knowledge and issuing fatawa, Faqih al-Millat also authored numerous books with the aim of propagating and spreading the teachings and dotrine of the Ahl al-Sunnah w'al Jama'ah; as preached and upheld by the great Gnostic, mufassir, muhaddith, mujaddid - Imam Ahmad Rida Khan al-Qadiri, alayhi ar-rahman. 

Table of Contents

• AUTHOR’S DEDICATION.
• EDITOR’S FOREWORD.
• TRANSLATOR’S NOTE.
• AUTHOR’S INTRODUCTION.
• THE BOOK OF FAITH.
• ALLAH.
• THE ANGELS.
• THE DIVINE BOOKS AND SCRIPTURES.
• THE PROPHETS AND MESSENGERS.
• THE MESSENGER OF ALLAH.
• THE DAY OF JUDGEMENT.
• FATE & DESTINY.
• RESURRECTION & LIFE AFTER DEATH.
• POLYTHEISM AND DISBELIEF.
• INNOVATION.
• THE BOOK OF ACTIONS.
• DISCOURSE ON THE RITUAL ABLUTION.
• RITUAL BATHING.
• THE DRY ABLUTION.
• CLEANSING OF THE EXCRETAL PASSAGES.
• WATER AND LEFTOVER WATER OF ANIMALS.
• WELLS & WELL-WATER.
• IMPURITIES.
• MENSTRUATION, POST-NATAL BLEEDING & MAJOR RITUAL IMPURITY.
• SALAH TIME-PERIODS.
• DISLIKED TIMES FOR SALAH
• THE CALL TO PRAYER.
• NUMBER OF UNITS OF SALAH & RULINGS CONCERNING THE INTENTION.
• THE METHOD OF PERFORMING SALAH.
• DU’A’ AFTER SALAH.
• SPECIFIC RULINGS FOR FEMALES IN SALAH.
• PRE-REQUISITES OF SALÁH.
• LEGAL TERMINOLOGY.
• OBLIGATORY ACTIONS OF SALAH.
• NECESSARY ACTIONS OF SALAH.
• SUNNAH ACTIONS OF SALÁH.
• RECITATION.
• CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER AND LEADERSHIP.
• ACTIONS WHICH INVALIDATE SALAH.
• THE DISLIKED ASPECTS IN SALAH.
• THE WITR PRAYER.
• SUNNAH AND VOLUNTARY SALAH.
• TAHIYYAT AL-WUDÙ’ [POST-RITUAL ABLUTION].
• SALAH AL-ISHRAQ [THE POST-SUNRISE PRAYER].
• SALAH AL-DUHA [THE MID-MORNING PRAYER].
• SALAH AL-TAHAJJUD [THE NIGHT-VIGIL PRAYER].
• SALAH AL-TASBIH [THE PRAYER OF GLORIFICATION].
• SALAH AL-HAJAH [THE PRAYER FOR THE FULFILMENT OF DESIRES].
• THE TARAWIH PRAYER.
• MAKING UP FOR THE MISSED PRAYER.
• PROSTRATION OF ERROR.
• PRAYER OF THE SICK.
• PROSTRATION OF RECITATION.
• THE TRAVELLER’S PRAYER.
• THE FRIDAY PRAYER.
• THE FIRST SERMON KHUTBAH FOR SALAH AL-JUMU’AH.
• THE SECOND SERMON (KHUTBAH] FOR SALAH AL-JUMU’AH.
• THE SALAH FOR EID AL-FITR AND EID AL-ADHÃ.
• THE FIRST SERMON [KHUTBAH] FOR ID AL-FITR SALAH.
• THE SECOND KHUTBAH FOR THE EID AL-FITR AND EID AL-ADHÃ SALAH.
• THE FIRST KHUTBAH FOR THE EID AL-ADHÀ SALAM.
• SACRIFICE RITUAL [QURBANI].
• THE SACRIFICE FOR A NEW-BORN [‘AQiQAH].
• THE FUNERAL PRAYER.
• DISCOURSE ON ALMS-GIVING [ZAKAH].
• ONE-TENTH [‘USHR] ON CULTIVATED LAND.
• RECIPIENTS OF ZAKAH.
• SADAQAH AL-FITR.
• FASTING.
• ACTIONS WHICH INVALIDATE OR DO NOT INVALIDATE A FAST.
• THE DISLIKED ACTIONS IN FASTING.
• MARRIAGE [NIKAH] & ITS ETIQUETTES.
• THE METHOD OF CONDUCTING THE MARRIAGE CEREMONY [NIKAH].
• THE MARRIAGE SERMON [KHUTBAH AL-NIKAH].
• DIVORCE [TALAQ]
• THE WAITING PERIOD [‘IDDAH]
• ETIQUETTES OF EATING.
• ETIQUETTES OF DRINKING.
• CLOTHING AND ATTIRE.
• BEAUTY AND ADORNMENT.
• ETIQUETTES OF SLEEPING.
• METHOD OF PERFORMING “FATIHAH”.
• SEVEN FUNDAMENTAL TENETS [KALIMAHS] OF ISLAM.
• DURÜD SHARIF & SOME BENEFICIAL DU’ÁS.
• DATES TO REMEMBER.
• BIBLIOGRAPHY.