Search for Truth

Introduction ~ 3 ~ INTRODUCTION The theme of this book is evident from its title. Its purpose is to present Islam as it is, drawing on its original sources rather than judging it by the later day interpretations and commentaries or the practices of present day Muslims in different parts of the world. A distinction is made between Islam as presented by the Prophet Muhammad, may peace be upon him, and his Companions (information about which is available to us in the Qur’an and the sunnah) and Islam as represented by later Muslim generations—both in theory and practice. This is what we call the scientific approach. We are living in the age of the media. Before the advent of the modern media there were large numbers of people in the world who knew nothing of Islam. With the invention of the printing press and now the electronic media it is difficult to find today a single person who is unaware of it. But there is a clear-cut difference. In previous ages it happened that wherever Islam spread people