Besides the regular books published by IQRA Publications, there are also a few more books authored by Syed Iqbal Zaheer which have been well-received in the national and international markets. Two recent titles in this category are the following:
A biography of the Prophet of Islam. Vol. I-II (Darussalam, by Dr. Mahdi Rizqullah; Tr: Syed Iqbal Zaheer, 2005, 900pp.)
This work on the life-history of the Prophet (pbuh) stands out from other works in quite a few ways. First, every detail mentioned has been traced back to original sources, whose authenticity has been discussed extensively in the footnotes. Second, the events of the Prophet’s life have been related to modern times and lessons drawn for the benefit of those who happen to face similar situations in their struggle to spread the prophetic message.
Muhammad, the unlettered Prophet who changed the world in 23 years (by Syed Iqbal Zaheer, 1993, 125pp.)
A short, but compelling, biography of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). A must-read for those interested in the life of the Prophet, but who cannot find the time for reading larger biographical accounts.
Bilal, the Abyssinian Outrunner (by Syed Iqbal Zaheer, 1993, 100pp.)
An authentic, inspiring and moving account of the life of the African Bilal – the first to embrace Islam among the slaves in the Makkah of Muhammad’s time.
Management and Administration in Islam (by Dr. Muhammad Abdullah al-Buraey, 2002, 470pp.)
Richard Chapman of the University of Durham comments, thus, about this book: “From the early documents of the religious leaders, numerous rules for public administrative behaviour and procedure may be extracted, and these are supplemented by the wisdom of Islamic administration. They are brought together using systemic approach, to form an ‘ideal Islamic administrative model.’ The result is the emphasis on the dignity of the individual, social equity and personal growth…”
The Future World Order – Vol. I (by Abdul Aziz F. al-Mubarak, 1999, 328pp.)
This is the first of a series of books which should be in every library and in the possession of every reader concerned with the present civilization and its influence on the lives of humankind. From a rational perspective this book addresses science, religion, and the present age and corrupt world-order, which is increasingly becoming irrelevant and giving way to its superior replacement, elaborated on by this book. The book also shows that the present civilization, led by the West, particularly the US, is lopsided in its ‘progress’ – it is heavy on the empirical sciences but deficient on the moral (divine-oriented) values; since the values of this civilization are secular, they are empty with respect to real personal deterrence. As we are part of it, per choice or per force, it is dragging us and the entire human race along a path of destruction unless rescued. This book is a sincere, inviting, effort in this endeavour.
Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi (by Syed Iqbal Zaheer, 2005, 109pp.)
Ali Miyan was downright moralist and spiritualist. While to some modernistic scholars the past is the intellectual albatross that the Ummah sooner discarded the better for it, to Ali Miyan it is a legacy that must be made a subject of study. According to them, you look at the past to find out ‘why’ you are, and ‘where’ you are in your decline. To Abul Hasan Ali, you look at the past to find out ‘how much’ you had declined. To some, the Ummah needs a fresh agenda. Abul Hasan Ali envisaged the Ummah’s journey into the future as a continuation of the past on the well-trodden path as taken by the Salaf, the Imams, the Mujaddidun, renowned scholars, and – not to forget – what is anathema to some: the Shuyukh and the great Sufis.
Fundamentals of the Islamic Creed (by Abu Jafer al-Tahawi; Tr: Syed Iqbal Zaheer, 1999, 255pp.)
The book is a summary of the faiths and beliefs of the Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama’ah, the mainstream Muslims. The scholars and the jurists are unanimous that the articles of faith as formulated by Imam Tahawi most accurately reflect the mind and understanding of the earliest Muslims. It is free from incorrect interpretations, over-exemplification and any distortion of the ideas promulgated by Islam. There is also a general agreement that the commentary on the original work as done by Qadi Ibn Abi Al-Izz Al-Adhrui is also an accurate elucidation of what Tahawi meant to express. It strives to be very close to the texts of the Qur’an and the Sunnah, and without overstretching the meaning, attempts to project the opinion of the great majority of scholars in matters where differences in opinion prevail.
A Voice to Hear (by Syed Iqbal Zaheer, 1998, 94pp.)
Many non-Muslims wish to know what the Qur’an is about, but are not sure if they should procure a copy. These passages should give them some idea of the central theme of the Qur’anic message: Man’s creation by God, sending of Prophets, destruction of the world, raising up of the dead, accounting and judgement.
Hadith of the Night Vision (by Syed Iqbal Zaheer, 2005, 130pp.)
A Prophet’s duty is not simply to communicate, but rather to communicate successfully. In other words, a Prophet does not merely offer a message, but sees to it that the message is received correctly – by the minds and souls. This is one of the reasons why the scholars of Islam insist on Muslims reading the texts by themselves. The way a Prophet can communicate, no one else can. The hadith (and its explanation) presented in this book is an example of this. The Prophet could have stated the text of the hadith in a simple, straightforward way. Butot he chose to do it in an elaborate manner, thus forcing its entry into our minds and souls and leaving impressions for a long while.
The Splitter of the Dawn (by Syed Iqbal Zaheer, 2007, 129pp.)
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) dictated a work whose equivalent could not be produced to this day. Pickthall and Arberry – two translators of the Qur’an – called it inimitable. But the Prophet made it clear that it was not his writing. So this is amazing: those who have committed themselves to disbelief reverse the logic of plagiarism, and attribute the Qur’an to Muhammad (pbuh), while he refused! This booklet offers a few verses of the amazing Qur’an.
Islam, the Religion you can no longer ignore (by Syed Iqbal Zaheer, 2002, 76pp.)
This book deals with the single most important issue of your life: that of your relationship with God – Allah in Arabic – the one God who created you, nourishes you, and to whom you shall return with death. If you have set right your relationship with Him, then while this life becomes a prelude to it, blessings of an unimaginable kind await you in the Hereafter. On the other hand, if the relationship has not been set right, then, and assuredly, a disaster of stupendous magnitude awaits those who refuse to give their Lord His due: love, thanks, obedience and worship.
Islamic Code of Practice for the Medical Profession (by a board of Islamic Medical Practitioners; Tr: Syed Iqbal Zaheer, 41pp., 2003)
When compared with the ancient Hippocratic oath that doctors usually make at the end of their studies, the code of practice for the medical profession as presented in this little book is definitely wider in scope, reasonable and humanistic. In today’s world of declining morals, this is certainly a refreshing and elevating contribution and should reach every practitioner and worker in the field of medicine, whatever his or her religious persuasion. After all, the medical profession is above all persuasions and prejudices.
I would like to repent, but..! (by Muhammad Saleh al-Munajjid; Tr: Syed Iqbal Zaheer, 1993, 60pp.)
With the passage of time it is becoming clearer that the modern age is not simply suffering from a moral crisis but of total confusion about what is right and what is wrong. The tragedy is not that the finer points go unappreciated but that the world has come to question the validity of even age-old truths. This has left young men and women totally confused about their course of action. Injustices are multiplying at a great pace and threaten to explode any moment into a fireball of conflicts that may engulf the whole world. In such circumstances, this book is a welcome addition. It offers the penitent useful guidelines and dwells upon those aspects of repentance that are the very speciality of Islam.
Fake Pearls (by Syed Iqbal Zaheer, 2001, 230pp.)
A remarkable thing about Islam is the authenticity of its two sources: the Qur’an and the Prophetic sayings. The Qur’an of course takes care of itself. Its inimitability guarantees that it will remain unaltered to the end of the world. But the Prophetic sayings are less inwardly defended. The early scholars of Islam therefore quickly set about documenting the trustworthy reports. But that was no guarantee against fresh incursions of the untrustworthy ones. Preachers, zealots, ascetics, pamphleteers, story-tellers and ignorant Samaritans of every age give currency to old narratives and add a few of their own invention. In their early phase these reports remain in verbal circulation. But, with time, they infiltrate into written works. The scholars therefore take to purging them out. The cycle goes on. This present work – collected from five different books – is a short collection of such reports as falsely attributed to the Prophet, and which have somehow been popular among the masses through the centuries.
