This book is a collection of popular thought-provoking articles on Islam. Many issues are covered, including beliefs, practices, self reform, education, women, and other contemporary issues.
Distilling the wisdom of great scholars of Islam, these articles present Islam without apology.
The articles, which were originally published in the "First Things First" column of Impact International, have been thoroughly revised and updated with insertion of Qur'an and Hadith text and references. They are now being presented for the first time in book format, ideal for reading and sharing with others.
The book has been published in arrangement with the Jamiatul Ulama of South Africa.
Reviewers' Comments
“Khalid Baig has been contributing the column ‘First Things First’ in Impact International for several years now. This column has covered a wide spectrum of Islamic topics of contemporary relevance, ranging from Islamic beliefs and practices to issues of Islam and politics, culture, media, tradition and modernity, and international affairs. Like many of his admirers, I always look forward to reading his column, which is arguably the most eagerly awaited and most widely read part of Impact.
“The present volume is a collection of his columns written against the backdrop of major issues that confront Muslims today in their individual lives and Islamic societies in their quest for identity and authenticity. Throughout, he is unequivocally committed to the integrity of pristine Islamic teachings. His guides in his intellectual journey to find answers for the problems facing Muslims today are the Qur’an, the Sunnah of the Prophet, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, and the consensus of the community of Islamic scholars. His real genius lies in distilling Islamic scriptural and scholarly sources into concise, trenchant ruminations on Islam and the contemporary situation of Muslims. With clarity, elegance, and often with quick and ready wit, Khalid Baig brilliantly articulates Islamic perspectives, clears up the confusions created by extraneous influences, and challenges his readers to wake up to their responsibilities as Muslims.
“Khalid Baig has a rare and rich gift for both precision and thoroughness: in two to three pages, he manages to say more than most writers would in several dozen pages. His nonpolemical style, calm and measured tone, careful and balanced opinions, and insightful comments are sure to make this book an engaging and immensely rewarding reading experience. It deserves to be widely circulated and read by both Muslims and non-Muslims alike.” - Mumtaz Ahmad, Ph.D Professor of Political Science - Hampton University - Hampton, VA
“Although the FTF’s primary readership is naturally Muslim, its message is universal and inclusive. FTF encourages readers to think straight and to think for themselves.
"FTF is the most popular and must-read feature article of Impact. The reward is Khalid Baig’s though the gift is there to be shared by everyone.” - Muhammad Hashir Faruqi Editor, Impact International - London, England
About the Author
An engineer by profession, Khalid Baig has been writing on Islam and current affairs since 1986. He is editor of Albalagh E-Journal as well as a regular contributor to Impact International.
