What is the meaning of jihad in Islam? How has Islam progressed? How many human casualties were caused by this great intellectual, social, and moral revolution which appeared in the Arabian peninsula? Were the wars of the beginning of the Islamic era defensive or offensive? These questions in themselves are so extensive that if we decided to discuss them all in detail we would not have enough time to focus on the central issue itself.
It is the first anthology of Ayatullah Taleghani’s writings to appear in English. In fact, although some of his sermons have been translated into English elsewhere, this is the first publication in English of any portions of the writings for which he is most famous, Islam va Malikiyat (“Islam and Ownership”) and Partuvi az Qur'an (“ A Ray From the Qur’an). With its careful translation by Mr. R. Campbell, and Dr.Hamid Algar’s biographical introduction and extensive annotations, this volume is intended to serve as an authoritative introduction to the works of Ayatullah Taleghani for Muslim and non-Muslim alike. It is the core of Islam va Malikiyat that is presented here, 50 pages of the original; within the extract nothing at all has has been omitted. The commentaries on Surat al-Fatiha and Surat al-Infitar, from Partuvi az Qur’an, are also without any deletions. The remaining pieces, which form Sections II, III, and V, appear in their entirety.
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