Ibn Taymiyyah’s Essay on Servitude

Sheikh-ul-Islam’s book Al-Aqeedah-il-Wasitiyah deals with the perfect and undefiled Islamic Faith and Creed of the As-Salaf-As-Salih (the pious predecessors) particularly in regards to Allah’s names and attributes, with solid arguments in brief words and terminology. The book is highly appreciated by the scholars for its brevity as well as comprehensiveness; and for its contents produced perfectly in line with the Qur’an and Sunnah in an appealing and manifest manner.

The eminent scholar of Islam, Sheikh-ul-Islam Imam Ibn Taimiyah, discusses the real & original faith of Islam according to the Qur’an & Sunnah. The real faith in Allah and his religion Islam is to follow the Qur’an and Sunnah strictly. Any scholar who adds or attributes or alters any basic fundamental of Islam is wrong & deviates from the teachings of Islam. Every Muslim must read this book to get the real light of Faith.

The order to live one’s life in accordance to the dictates of Tawhid, monotheism, is the single most important injunction laid down by the revealed law, it formed the core of the call of all Prophets and was the essential message of all revealed scripture. To worship Allah based on Tawhid is the purpose of human existence, and it is through this worship that man achieves a sense of fulfilment and contentment; in the words of one of the scholars, ‘he enters a paradise in this world before entering the Paradise of the next.’

This book, apportioned in sixty-seven chapters, deals with many aspects of Tawhid, all of them essential learning for any Muslim. Its focal topic revolves around issues of ulùhiyyah, divinity and `ibadah, worship, with some chapters dealing with al-Asmm wa’l-Sifat, the Names and Attributes of Allah. Its simple language, well-ordered structure, and heavy reliance on Qur’anic verses and Hadith of the Prophet (saw) lends it to easy reading and its importance cannot be underestimated.

Kitab al-Tawhid is a landmark work analysing orthodox Islamic monotheism. Since it was authored it has received a great deal of attention, a large number of commentaries and has been translated into over twenty languages. Relevant as it was then, it remains relevant today and Muslims are in dire need of reading it, studying it and teaching it.

Unfortunately, despite previous laudable efforts, a translation does not yet exist in English that truly reflects the importance of this work. It gives Dar us-Sunnah great pleasure to present this work to the reader in the hope that it fills this gap

• An accurate translation in easy to read modern English

• Annotations taken from 15 major commentaries

• All major criticisms against the book by its antagonists addressed

• All Hadiths and narrations critically analysed and referenced

• This work also includes the authors ‘Letters on Tawhid and Eassay on the meaning of the Kalimah’

• Overview of the style and structure of the book

• Biography of the author analysing his life, creed and works

• The Arabic text of the whole book included

• 420 Revision Questions

• Indexes of verses, Hadiths and narrations

• This is an ideal text book for every Muslim on this very important topic