The annual Religious Freedom Reports released by US State Department often include sections about religious freedom in Saudi Arabia. These reports are officially distributed by the State Department and then circulated amongst the centers of research in the West as well as the international media outlets and other channels. Saudi Arabia comes on top of concern of those involved in these reports, due to its religious and political significance. Accordingly, it becomes incumbent on us, as Saudis, to discuss the sections in these reports which cover religious freedom in our country and provide facts that are not included in these reports. While discussing these reports, we should explain to the world our view point vis-à-vis these reports. We should also allow the reader to discover the truth as stated therein and according to criteria upon which many fair-minded, rational people agreed with us.
The prescribed book for the course is Subulus-Salaam by the 17th century Yemenite scholar Muhammad ibn Ismaa‘eel as-San‘aanee which is a commentary on Buloogh al-Maraam written by Haafiz Ibn Hajar al- ‘Asqalaanee. In Buloogh the author gathered the majority of the hadeeths which are commonly used as the basic evidences for the Islamic legal system. The course material is comprised of the Chapter on Fasting (Kitaab as-Siyaam) from Subulus-Salaam.
Author: Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips
Reveiwers: Muhammad AbdulRaoof
Is it true that mankind today has reached such a level of progress that they have no need of the Messengers and their teachings? Are humans capable today of guiding themselves without referring to the methods set out by the Messengers? This comprehensive work which is full of clear proofs and evidences from the pure teachings of Islam, is an essential reading for all Muslims and seekers of truth.
Author: Omar Bin Sulaiman Al-Ashqar
Reveiwers: Muhammad AbdulRaoof
Issues that the caller to Allah must obtain
Author: Muhammad ibn Saleh al-Othaimeen
Explanation of all the surahs of the 30th chapter of the Quran: in a very simple and informative way, the Shaikh Explain the surahs of the 30th chapter of the Quran, starting with Surah An-Naba' and ending with An-Nas.
Author: Imam Ibn Kathir
Reveiwers: Muhammad AbdulRaoof
Publisher: International Islamic Publishing House
The discourse in this book addresses elite western politicians, intellectuals and thinkers. It discusses the most important issues related to the political system of Saudi Arabia from an Islamic perspective and through the state's laws like the Basic Law of Governance. Among the issues discussed by the book, for instance, the imama (leadership), the rights and duties of the Muslim leader, the nature of relation between citizens and the King, the concept of Shoura in Islam and the impact of the implementation of this Shoura in Saudi Arabia compared with democracy, the concept of bay’ah (pay of allegiance), the formation of political parties and the so-called opposition, the freedom of opinion, as well as other issues raised in the Western media and political circles about the political system of Saudi Arabia.