Worse still, even certain Muslims were not
far from being deceived by the stratagem, in their very homes. Hence the sporadic
emergence, now and then, of ideas fabricated by a bunch of people belonging to certain
research institutions and centers within the Muslim countries, pinpointing the essence of
faith and instilling the delusion that it is religion, not ignorance of religion, which is
to blame for the rampant impotence, dependence and blindness that caused the backwardness
and weakness of the Ummah.
Amidst these vicissitudes, there emerged on
the scene of Islamic cultural and intellectual action a group of eminent scholars, who set
to enrich the Islamic thought with their vast knowledge, supplementing it with their
judicious thinking and objective awareness of the challenges facing the Ummah in the
multifarious areas of intellectual production and development. The praiseworthy
contributions of these prominent figures take root in the efforts exerted by scholars and
thinkers since the 7th century of the Hegira, who have devoted themselves to safeguarding
religion against misconceptions, sparing no effort to consolidate the bond uniting Muslims
with their religion on the basis of an enlightened assimilation of the Islamic principles
and values, shunning excesses and extravagance. Their contributions had an indubitable
impact on the movement of resurgence, the groundwork of which was laid by a group of
scholars and thinkers renowned for their diligent endeavour to correct the deep-seated
fallacies coined about Islam, renovate the Muslims' understanding of their religion and
strengthen the relevance of religion to society, indeed to all walks of life.
Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qardawi, Director of the
Center of Researches on the Sunnah and the Sirah, University of Qatar, represents one of
the milestones of this straight path. Since the 1950's, he has embarked with an elite of
established scholars, well versed in the Islamic culture and fiqh, on the noble enterprise
of devising an Islamic method characterized by an integrated perception of religion and
life, a staunch commitment to the immutable principles, and a vast, profound grasping of
the objectives of legislation and its applications to the contemporary reality. The aim
was to rekindle the spark of religion in the self by going back to the pure sources, and
shed light on the flexibility, tolerance and ability of Islam to assimilate developments,
in all times, as it enshrines the divine message sent down to all mankind.
Dr. Al-Qardawi underlines that the problem
facing the Muslim society has no bearing whatsoever to Islam. Rather, it is ascribed to a
misunderstanding of Islam either by design or ignorance. This truth is portrayed by the
author through the various chapters of the book, which have taken a long time to
elaborate, and are published under the comprehensive title of (Towards a Sound Awakening:
Renovating Religion and Promoting Life). This is a sizable contribution, added to the
already towering edifice built up by the author, consisting of over fifty publications
that all concur to achieve the same end.
Given its foremost responsibility which
consists in evolving a sound thinking likely to serve as the fulcrum of the Ummah's
progress, the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization takes pleasure in
presenting to the reader this book, in English, hoping it will contribute to expounding
the Islamic stance vis-a-vis the issues preoccupying the Muslim, today, on the forefront
of which is the relation between religion and worldly life. The book provides an occasion
to contemplate the solutions offered by Islam to the problems in which positive ideology
has erred a long way notwithstanding the abundant, influential means of dissemination it
wields.
May the Almighty help us disseminate the
truth and expound His religion. May He lead us to the straight path.
Dr. Abdulaziz Othman Altwaijri
Director General of ISESCO
