A Plea for Religious Reform

The final chapter closes the circle of problems identified in the first chapter which lead to the sorrowfulness of contemporary Muslims and which are discussed at length in the individual chapters that follow. In conclusion, Amin hopes for reform and discusses some possible solutions to the problems he identifies.

Political and Social Roots of Islamic Sects

This chapter introduces several ideological groups and sects within Islam such as the Khawarij, Shi’ites, Qadaris, Mu’tazilites, Zaydis and Druz and discusses the reasons for their emergence and their relationship with core Islamic values and teachings.

Introduction

Not Provided

Foreword to the Tenth Edition

The translation is of the book’s 10th edition published in 2006, which includes a valuable foreword by Hussein Amin. Written twenty years after the publication of the first edition, the author added a discussion of two topics which he considered timely at the time, namely Islamic terrorism and democracy, thereby almost predicting the events of the ’Arab Spring’. In addition, he discusses ways to address both of these issues.

The Awaited Mahdi in Contemporary Times

This chapter discusses the figure of the Mahdi, who in Islamic eschatology is the prophesied redeemer of Islam, ridding the entire world of all evil as a kind of Messiah for Muslims. The chapter critically engages with this idea and ties it to Bedouin traditions and the role of hope versus reality.

The Chances of Successfully Establishing a Society Based on Islamic Principles

The continued call for the application of sharia laws is discussed in this chapter, along with the possibility of establishing a society based on Islamic principles and the compatibility of sharia with modern life.

Reflections on the Status of the Awliyāᵓ

Following on from the previous chapter, this chapter addresses the status of awliya’, or saints and holy men, and other icons venerated by the general populace for different reasons. The chapter discusses the need for a tangible, rather than an abstract, form of spirituality and takes a critical stance towards the over-veneration of such icons almost to the point of sanctification, tying it to remnants of pagan religions as well as historical customs and traditions kept alive by the general populace.

Reflections on the Truth about Abū Lahab (the Judas of Banū Hāshim)

This chapter provides a new interpretation of Chapter III of the Qur’an. It refutes the traditional exegetical material by grounding itself in historical facts. This new reading is supplemented by primary Islamic historical sources which answer many of questions that the reading of this chapter raises when compared to traditional exegetical interpretations (tafsir).

The Sorrowful Muslim’s Guide

This chapter provides an outline for the book. It addresses the various reasons why the contemporary Muslim is sorrowful, caught between their pride in their historical Islamic civilisation and religion, and the realisation that their core beliefs have been weighed and have been found wanting. The contemporary Muslim also seeks a role in modern history and wants to contribute to global civilisation, yet misses the spiritual element to do so, which leads to this sorrowful state.

The Decline in the Position of the Clergy in the Eyes of Muslims

In this chapter, Amin traces the decline in opinion of the clergy among contemporary Muslims, following their veneration in the early centuries of Islam, all the way to the contempt with which they are almost viewed in the twentieth century. He engages with the reasons for this change in perception.