In Chasing a Mirage, Tarek Fatah Writes: Islamists argue that the period following the passing away of Muhammad was Islam's golden era and that we Muslims need to re-create that caliphate to emulate that political system in today's world. I wish to demonstrate that when Muslims buried the Prophet, they also buried with him many of the universal values of Islam that he had preached. The history of Islam can be described essentially as the history of an unending power struggle, where men have killed each other to claim the mantle of Muhammad. This strife is a painful story that started within hours of the Prophet closing his eyes forever, and needs to be told. I firmly believe the message of the Quran is strong enough to withstand the facts of history. It is my conviction that Muslims are mature and secure in their identities to face the truth. This is that story. Advance Praise for Chasing a Mirage "Tarek Fatah has written a provocative and challenging book which is a must read for anyone who cares about these issues." —Janice Gross Stein "Chasing a Mirage is an extremely valuable contributing to the fight by progressive Muslims against Islamist fascism. This book should be required reading for the Left in the West who have mistakenly started believing that Islamists represent some sort of anti-imperialism." —Farooq Tariq "Fatah argues passionatley for universalism instead of exclusivism, integration instead of ghettoism, and makes a powerful appeal for the silent majority of Muslims to speak out before it is too late. This work of courage and daring needs to be read widely." — Pervez Hoodbhoy "This fascinating work by brave and bri8lliant tarek Fatah is simultaneously thought-provoking, instructive and enlightening for laymen and scholars, Muslims and non-Muslim...an invaluable and rare addition to the corpus of Islamic literature in the post-9/11 world, a bold step towards Islamic Reformation and Enlightenment." —Taj Hashmi "Tarek Fatah's is a voice that needs to be heard. Canada needs a healthy, reasoned debate about the issues he is raising, and indeed so does the world." —Bob Rae "This fascinating work by brae and brilliant Tarek Fatah is simultaneously thought-provoking, instructive and enlightening for laymen and scholars, Muslim and non-Muslim... an invaluable and rare addition to the corpus of Islamic literature in the post-9/11 world, a bold step towards Islamic Reformation and Enlightenment." —Taj Hashmi "Tarek Fatah's is a voice that needs to be heard. Canada needs a healthy, reasoned debate about the issues he is raising, and indeed so does the world." —Bob Rae, Member of Parliament, Canada
This accessible work balances the image of Islam as aggressive and fanatical with an objective picture of the main features of Muslim history and the compulsions of Muslim society.
The orientalists have been studying the seerah of the prophet with a view to casting doubt and raising suspicions and discrediting the life and personality of the Prophet (saw). Their approach has evolved over the period of time. At times they have been vicious in their attacks as was the case in the 18th century which with time during the 19th and 20th century became seemingly sympathetic to his life. This study by Dr Mohammad Mohar Ali critically analyses the works of three famous orientalists, William Muir, D.S Margoliouth and W. Montgomery Watt. Dr Ali refutes the charges levelled by them against the life and character of the Prophet (saw) with an erudition which the treatment of such a subject requires.
The author of this treatise is Imam abu Jafar al Tahawi (239 - 321 AH), one of the leading authorities on the Hanafi madhabs. The period he lived in was the zenith of the dissemination of the Islamic sciences and Imam at Tahawi was one of the giants this era produced. To illustrate this; his teachers included imam Ismail ibn Yahya Al Muzani (a major student of Imam al shaafi), he collected hadith from Imam an-Nasai (author of Sunan an-Nasai, one of the saheeh Sittah) and his students included the great Muhaddith Imam At-Tabarani. The purpose of this treatise was to state the creed of the early scholars of the Hanafi madhab and to indicate its correlation with the views of Ahl As-Sunnah Wal Jamaah in general. Imam Dhahabi (673-748 AH) said about At-Tahawi - He was the muhaddith and faqih of Egypt, equally distinguished in both fields. Whoever reads the word of this Imam is sure to acknowledge his erudition and width of vision. Ibn Kathir (702-774 AH) said - He was the most reliable and correct narrator of hadith and one of the greatest scholars of hadith Ibn Hajr Al Asaqalani (773-853 AH) said - He was a reliable narrator, a great scholar, famous jurist, very knowledgeable concerning the controversies of the jurists and a man of keen interests.
