We begin to write the book Islam and Christianity with the Basmala. All praise be to Allahu ta’âlâ, and may the best of prayers be upon His beloved Prophet, Muhammad (’alaihi’s-salâm), upon his Ahl al-Bait, and all his Companions!
Allâhu ta’âlâ has created everything, the living and the non-living, out of nothing. He alone is the Creator. Because He pities mankind very much, He creates and sends everything that is necessary for a comfortable, sweet and cheerful existence in this world and the next. As the most superior and valuable of His endless blessings, He has made distinctions for us between the way of truth leading to felicity and the way of falsehood, which brings about trouble and sorrow. He has always commanded goodness, diligence, and to be helpful to others. He has declared that He will call all people to account following the Rising after death, that those who do good deeds will live in endless happiness in Paradise, and that those who do not believe in the teachings of His prophets (’alaihimu’s-salâm) will remain in endless torture and pain in Hell. Therefore, we begin writing this work glorifying His Name and consigning ourselves to His guidance. We also see it as an honourable duty upon us to express our gratitude and love for those superior men called “prophets”, especially for the most superior of them, the Last Prophet, Muhammad (’alaihi’ s-salâm), whom He has selected as an intermediary and messenger to reveal the way of felicity and comfort to human beings.
This book is written in the nature of a “key” for those Muslim brothers of ours who have just a smattering of knowledge on how the Islamic religion has developed, and it has been written for those non-Muslims willing to know the fundamentals of Islam. Islam, the most up-to-date and the most immaculate of the world’s existing religions, is based upon very humane and very logical principles. Without going into details, this book touches
upon the fundamentals of Islam and makes a comparison of Islam with other religions. It answers criticisms raised against Islam by its adversaries and explains as compendiously as possible the qualifications essential for being a good Muslim.
For those who would like to read valuable books on Islam written by Islamic scholars (rahimahumullâhu ta’âlâ) after learning the facts contained in this book, we advise that they read books published in different languages by the Hakîkat Kitabevi (Bookstore) in Istanbul. The names of these books are appended to our books.
Read this book slowly and with reflection! Encourage others to read it, too! An ignorant person cannot be a good Muslim. Indeed, it is impossible for a person not to attach all his heart to Islam after learning its fundamentals. After reading this book, you will also realize what a lofty, sacred, logical, and perfect religion Islam is, and you will attach all your heart and soul to it in order to attain salvation and repose in this world and in the hereafter.
Mîlâdî Hijrî
Shamsî Hijrî
Qamarî
2000 1378 1420
Publisher’s Note:
Those who wish to print this book in its original form or to translate it into another language are permitted to do so. We pray that Allâhu ta’âlâ will give them a reward for this beneficial deed of theirs, and we thank them very much. However, permission is granted with the condition that the paper used in printing will be of a good quality and that the design of the text and setting will be properly and neatly done without mistakes.
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A Warning:
Missionaries are striving to advertise Christianity, Jews are working to spread out the concocted words of Jewish rabbis, Hakîkat Kitâbevi (Bookstore), in Istanbul, is struggling to publicize Islam, and freemasons are trying to annihilate religions. A person with wisdom, knowledge and conscience will understand and admit the right one among these and will help to spread out that for salvation of all humanity. There is no better way and more valuable thing to serve humanity than doing so.