Prof Farida Khanam is an author, editor, translator, public speaker and former professor of Islamic Studies at Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi. Among her books are ‘A Simple Guide to Islam’ and ‘A Study of World’s Major Religions’. She has translated into English many books authored by Maulana Wahiduddin Khan. Currently the chairperson of CPS International, she is a regular contributor of articles to various publications. Prof Khanam has edited Maulana’s English translation of the Quran and has also translated his Urdu commentary on the Quran into English. She can be reached at [email protected]

THE JOURNEY CONTINUES…

SPIRIT OF ISLAM is not a magazine that provides information or entertainment. It is a movement. It is a textual expression of an intellectual movement. In the initial period, this movement was known as the Al-Risala movement. The name was derived from the Urdu monthly Al-Risala started by Maulana Wahiduddin Khan in 1976. When Maulana discussed the idea of starting a magazine with a friend, he was dissuaded by saying that nobody reads suggestive magazines and that people preferred informative writings. That the magazine has survived 46 years, and English as well as Hindi editions also come out regularly is a testament to the belief and perseverance of the man who launched it.

The English edition of Al-Risala is Spirit of Islam that you are reading now. It is being published since 1984 under various names. The journey of Al-Risala under the name Spirit of Islam started in January 2013. This issue marks the beginning of the 11th year of the Spirit of Islam.

The objectives of this movement are:

• To help people realize the innumerable blessings of God
• To present the timeless teachings of the Quran and the Prophet in the contemporary idiom
• To guide people to move from the level of material pleasures towards a life that is spiritual and God-oriented
• To help people become duty-conscious instead of becoming rightconscious
• To inculcate the values of peaceful coexistence and communal harmony

We are now entrusted to pursue these objectives through this publication. We are fortified by the immense reservoir of Maulana’s writings at our disposal. The editorial team makes every effort to bring out articles that are current, relevant, and are helpful in the spiritual upliftment of the readers.

We are thankful to our readers. Their kind words and suggestions make us improve SOI. We have added some feedback from our readers as a special section in this issue.

May this new year bring you spiritual contentment, intellectual progress, and physical well-being of every kind!

You should think that every day is
the last day for you, so you have to
decide what to do in the very first
instant, otherwise you will not be
able to do anything