Tarif Aam bi-Din al-Islam

Taʿrīf ʿĀmm bi-Dīn al-Islām (A General Introduction to the Religion of Islam) is a book by the Syrian jurist and author Ali al-Tantawi (d. 1420 AH / 1999 CE), presenting the essential doctrines and worldview of Islam in an accessible, modern style Maqalat Mawqi al-Durar al…+1.

Background and Composition

The concept for the work originated early in al-Tantawi’s career Tarif Aam bi-Din al-Islam. In 1349 AH (1930 CE), he announced a planned book titled Limādhā Anā Muslim ("Why I Am a Muslim") in his Sayf al-Islām pamphlets, but the draft was lost before publication Tarif Aam bi-Din al-Islam. While teaching Arabic literature and religion at the Central Secondary School in Baghdad in 1936, his students repeatedly requested a single, comprehensive text that explained Islam directly—mirroring how the Prophet Muhammad introduced religion to visiting tribesmen in brief encounters—rather than specialized scholastic works on jurisprudence (fiqh), theology (tawḥīd), or exegesis (tafsīr) Tarif Aam bi-Din al-Islam. Al-Tantawi published appeals in the literary magazine al-Risālah calling on scholars to author such an introductory book, a call answered only by Muḥammad Bahjat al-Bīṭār Majallat al-Risala+1.

In 1387 AH, al-Tantawi published an article titled Taʿrīf ʿĀmm bi-Dīn al-Islām in the journal of the Muslim World League (Majallat Rābiṭat al-ʿĀlam al-Islāmī) Tarif Aam bi-Din al-Islam. This prompted the Saudi Minister of Hajj and Endowments, Muhammad Umar Tawfiq, to officially request that the League commission al-Tantawi to write a complete book on the topic, with further encouragement coming from the Minister of Education, Hasan ibn Abd Allah Al al-Shaykh, and his deputy, Abd al-Wahhab Abd al-Wasi' Tarif Aam bi-Din al-Islam.

After spending a year gathering extensive drafts and preparatory notes, al-Tantawi lost the entire collection in Amman, Jordan Tarif Aam bi-Din al-Islam. Relying only on a copy of the Qur'an while staying outside Amman, he rewrote the first volume on Islamic creed from scratch in ten days, consciously avoiding heavy scholastic citations to keep the material direct and comprehensible for young readers Tarif Aam bi-Din al-Islam.

Method and Structure

Al-Tantawi framed the broader project around the classical Hadith of Gabriel, which divides religion into three dimensions: īmān (faith/creed), islām (ritual practice and pillars), and iḥsān (spiritual conduct and ethics) Majallat al-Risala+1. He intentionally steered away from the dialectical terminology of speculative theology (ʿilm al-kalām)—such as debates over substances (jawhar), accidents (aʿrāḍ), and bodily definitions—aiming instead for an educational exposition rooted directly in the Qur'an and authentic Sunnah Majallat al-Risala+1.

The completed volume focuses on Islamic creed (al-ʿaqīdah) and contains several core discussions:

• Introductory reflections (Bayna Yaday al-Kitāb): An allegorical discussion contrasting the challenging uphill road leading to safety with the easy, paved path leading to destruction, presenting revelation as divine guidance for human free will and intellect Tarif Aam bi-Din al-Islam+1.
• Epistemology and definitions: An analysis of epistemic categories such as necessary knowledge (al-ʿilm al-ḍarūrī), acquired knowledge (al-ʿilm al-naẓarī), doubt (al-shakk), conjecture (al-ẓann), and firm conviction (al-ʿilm and al-ʿaqīdah), citing epistemological starting points in Descartes and Abu Hamid al-Ghazali Tarif Aam bi-Din al-Islam.
• The nature of religion and belief: Arguments addressing the innate human inclination toward faith (al-gharīzah al-dīniyyah), the purpose of divine revelation, and rational refutations of materialist and accidental explanations of the universe Majallat al-Bayan+1.
• Articles of faith: Systematic chapters explaining belief in God (tawḥīd), the unseen, angels, scriptures, prophetology and the life of Muhammad, and the Day of Judgment Majallat al-Risala+1.

Although originally projected as a three-part series to encompass islām and iḥsān, al-Tantawi never completed the subsequent two volumes, leaving the published book centered primarily on creed Tarif Aam bi-Din al-Islam+1.

Publication and Reception

The book was initially printed in Medina through the assistance of Uthman Hafiz Tarif Aam bi-Din al-Islam. The Jordanian Ministry of Education subsequently published a run of twelve thousand copies as a special issue of its journal Risālat al-Muʿallim, distributing it to teachers throughout Jordan under the initiative of ministry officials, including Ishaq al-Farhan and Bashir al-Sabbagh Tarif Aam bi-Din al-Islam. It was also published by the Jordanian Ministry of Defense for distribution among soldiers Tarif Aam bi-Din al-Islam.

A commercial edition was later issued by Mu'assasat al-Risalah in Beirut, going through numerous print runs and reaching its sixth edition by 1394 AH (1974 CE) Tarif Aam bi-Din al-Islam+1.