47
43 COVERS OF SOME BOOKS, BOOKLETS AND OTHER PUBLICATIONS WRITTEN, TRANSLATED OR EDITED BY AUTHOR: 1) Cover of S.V. Mir A¦med Ali’s translation of the Holy Qur’ān which al-Jibouri edited and which was published by the United Muslim Foundation in Lake Mary, Florida, U.S.A. This is the first U.S. edition and carries the date of 2005. It was given to al-Jibouri as a gift by the said Foundation. This edition carries the Library of Congress Catalog No. 2004099418, British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data, ISBN 0-9761870-0-0 and is available from www.amazon.com. Its Preface, which falls in 13 pages, was written by the Translator in Jumāda I 1420/August 1999 and deals with why the Qur’ān is called the miracle of Prophet Mu¦ammed , and it is posted on a number of Internet sites.

Books and Publications by Yasin Al-Jibouri

Embed Size (px)

DESCRIPTION

This is a list of all the books, newsletters and bulletins which Yasin T. al-Jibouri has so far written, edited or translated. It totals 52 which reflects his prolific pen.

Citation preview

Page 1: Books and Publications by Yasin Al-Jibouri

43

COVERS OF SOME BOOKS, BOOKLETS AND OTHER PUBLICATIONS WRITTEN,

TRANSLATED OR EDITED BY AUTHOR:

1) Cover of S.V. Mir A¦med Ali’s translation of the Holy Qur’ān which al-Jibouri edited and which was published by the United Muslim Foundation in Lake Mary, Florida, U.S.A. This is the first U.S. edition and carries the date of 2005. It was given to al-Jibouri as a gift by the said Foundation. This edition carries the Library of Congress Catalog No. 2004099418, British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data, ISBN 0-9761870-0-0 and is available from www.amazon.com. Its Preface, which falls in 13 pages, was written by the Translator in Jumāda I 1420/August 1999 and deals with why the Qur’ān is called the miracle of Prophet Mu¦ammed , and it is posted on a number of Internet sites.

Page 2: Books and Publications by Yasin Al-Jibouri

44

2) Cover of one of the editions of M.H. Shakir’s translation of the Holy Qur’ān edited by al-Jibouri. It was published in 1999 by Tahrike Tarsile Qur’ān, Inc. and is being marketed by www.amazon.com and numerous other Internet outlets. ISBN-10: 0940368188, ISBN-13: 978-0940368187. The reader may be interested in knowing that the translator of this edition is not actually one “M.H. Shakir” but a Pakistani financier named Mu¦ammed (Mo¦ammad) μabib, a member of the renown μabib family.

Page 3: Books and Publications by Yasin Al-Jibouri

45

Cover of another edition of S.V. Mir A¦med Ali’s translation of the Holy Qur’ān which al-Jibouri edited. It is dated 2008 and has ISBN-10: 1879402394 and ISBN-13: 978-1879402393. Tahrike Tarsile Qur’ān, Inc. published this edition, an only English translation without comments, explanations or footnotes as is the case with a lartger edition by the same translator.

Page 4: Books and Publications by Yasin Al-Jibouri

46

3) Cover of Ninety-Nine Attributes of Allāh by Yasin T. al-Jibouri, published by Tahrike-Tarsile-Qur’ān, Inc. of New York in 177 pages in January of 1997 and is available for sale on some web sites; look it up on the web by these numbers: ISBN-10: 1879402556 and ISBN-13: 9781879402553.

Page 5: Books and Publications by Yasin Al-Jibouri

47

4) Cover of An¥āriyān’s 2001 (second) edition of Allāh: The Concept of God in Islam, ISBN 978-964-438-008-2, the most important and the most widely circulated work of al-Jibouri. It is particularly popular in Indonesia where it has been translated into Indonesian and is being widely marketed there; next page has more details for you. By the way, the corresponding Aramaic term for the Almighty is Ĕlāhā ܐ ـ ܐ in Biblical Aramaic and Alâhâ ܐ ـ ܵܐ ܵ ܿ ܼ in Syriac. An¥āriyān has been reprinting this book time and over again in order to meet world-wide public demand for it. This book contains 5 parts: PART ONE deals with 18 most commonly asked questions about the Almighty and includes sections about how Muslims start everything of importance by invoking the Name of Allāh and another about how the Prophet of Islam used to praise his Lord. PART TWO details the 99 attributes of Allāh a version of which is published as a separate book by Tahrike-Tarsile-Qur’ān, Inc. of New York. This part contains a section about the explanation and derivation of the word “Allāh” from which you get to know why Muslims prefer to use this word rather than any other in their mother tongues. PART THREE deals with the most important article of faith in Islam: the Unity (Taw¦id) of God. It also contains a section about how some Muslims view the Almighty, for e.g. their belief that He has bodily parts and will be seen in the Hereafter as walking, talking and laughing, putting His leg in Hell in order to fill it... Another section discusses how Shī`ite Muslims conceive their Lord, another about how to supplicate to the Almighty as well as discussions of Adam and Eve and the first human family, Paradise, the angels, Satan and demons, followed by details from the Islamic theology of biographies of a number of prophets starting with Enoch (Idris) and ending with the Prophet of Islam . PART

Page 6: Books and Publications by Yasin Al-Jibouri

48

FOUR explains how one gets to know the Almighty from supplication, and it contains eight of the most widely recited supplications. PART FIVE is dedicated in its entirety to the biography of the Prophet of Islam and contains sections detailing all the wives whom the Prophet married and the circumstances of those marriages, ending with a discussion of the Holy Qur’ān and citing some miraculous aspects of this amazing Book of the Almighty. It also contains one essay which the author regards as one of three best essays which has so far written: It traces in detail the threads of a plot to assassinate Āmina, mother of Prophet Mu¦ammed , attempted by a wizard and a witch, the most famous of their time. It is titled “Witchcraft and Wizardly in A.D. 6th Century Arabia.” Finally, the book, which falls in 744 large pages, ends with a Glossary of Islamic terms. This Glossary has been eliminated from the new pending two-volume U.S. edition of this book contents of which by far exceed those in this edition; so, make sure you order your copies of it from AuthorHouse! Your library cannot be complete without it. Later editions of this book published by An¥āriyān have removed the word “Allāh” from the title.

Cover of Indonesian translation of al-Jibouri’s book titled Allāh: The Concept of God in Islam. This Indonesian translation (over 900 pages, apparently with comments on the original English text) was published in Jakarta in 2003 by a company called Lentera Basritama. This image was obtained from the Internet. This is one of the links that connect you to one of the sellers of this Indonesian edition: http://dinazhar.multiply.com/reviews/item/28 and below is some of the text about this edition: udul buku: Konsep Tuhan Menurut Islam

Page 7: Books and Publications by Yasin Al-Jibouri

49

Judul asli: Allāh, The Concept of God in Islam Pengantar : Haidar Bagir Penulis : Yasin T. Al-Jibouri Penerbit : Lentera Basritama, Jakarta Edisi : Pertama, Agustus 2005 Tebal buku : 904 hlm.; 24 cm. (Hardcover) Dalam kehidupan sehari-hari, kita jarang meragukan bahwa seluruh kejadian alam semesta disebabkan dengan cara tertentu. Misalnya, sebuah jembatan ambruk karena jembatan tersebut kelebihan beban, salju (atau es batu) mencair karena udara panas, sebatang pohon (tanaman) tumbuh karena sebutir biji telah ditanam, dan seterusnya. Tetapi adakah sebuah benda tidak memiliki sebab? Kisah pencarian tak berujung tentang eksistensi dan konsep Tuhan ini telah dilakukan umat manusia semenjak anak keturunan Nabi Adam AS yang pertama. Anak cucu Adam AS tak pernah ‘bertemu’ Tuhan secara langsung. Karena itu manusia senantiasa mencari Tuhannya. Buku Konsep Tuhan Menurut Islam karya Yasin T. Al-Jibouri yang diterbitkan Lentera Basritama Jakarta ini menuntun kita mencapai “hakikat Tuhan” dan menjawab pertanyaan sentral: siapa Tuhanmu? Pandangan yang ortodoks berpendapat bahwa Tuhan itu bukan zat. Logika ilmiah—sebagaimana pernah diungkap Friedrich W. Nietzsche (1844-1900), Clarke, Aquinas, Leibniz, Hume, Kant, dan Russell—menyatakan hanya ada tiga jenis zat, yakni zat padat, cair, dan gas. Selain itu tidak ada lagi. Tetapi ada sesuatu yang bukan zat yang selalu digunakan untuk memikirkan sesuatu yang ilmiah, yaitu “pikiran” itu sendiri. Adakah yang mampu menggambarkan seperti apa wujud pikiran itu? Jika tidak ada, artinya ada “zat” yang tidak terbentuk zat seperti yang kita kenal. Menurut para teolog, kehidupan merupakan mukjizat tertinggi dan kehidupan manusia merepresentasikan pencapaian yang teranugerahkan dari rancangan induk kosmis Tuhan. Bagi ilmuwan, kehidupan adalah fenomena paling menarik dalam alam semesta. Seratus tahun yang lalu, pokok persoalan tentang asal usul dan evolusi sistem kehidupan menjadi ‘medan pertempuran’ bagi bentrokan terbesar antara sains dan agama sepanjang sejarah kontemporer. Teori evolusi Charles R. Darwin (1809-1882) menggoncangkan fondasi doktrin Kristen dan lebih dari ungkapan lain apapun sejak Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543) menempatkan matahari pada pusat sistem matahari. Konsep ini menyadarkan orang kebanyakan terhadap konsekuensi berjangkauan jauh dari analisis ilmiah. Sains, demikianlah tampaknya, dapat mengubah keseluruhan perspektif manusia tentang diri dan relasinya dengan jagad raya. Bibel menyatakan dengan sangat eksplisit bahwa kehidupan merupakan akibat langsung dari aktivitas Tuhan. Ia tidak muncul secara alamiah sebagai akibat proses fisik biasa yang ditegakkan setelah penciptaan langit dan Bumi. Sebaliknya, Tuhan memilih untuk menghasilkan—melalui kekuasaan-Nya—mula-mula tumbuh-tumbuhan dan binatang, kemudian manusia yang dinamakan Adam dan Hawa.

Page 8: Books and Publications by Yasin Al-Jibouri

50

Suggested cover for the new U.S. edition of al-Jibouri’s major work titled Allāh: The Concept of God in Islam which is written in 2 Volumes. It will be available for the readers early in the year 2012, Insha-Allāh. Its contents will expand materials published in previous editions, and it will contain original Arabic texts of some of its supplications. Insha-Allāh, Vol. One of it will be available for sale world-wide early in 2012. This is my major work. Some departments of education in a number of countries have ordered copies of its previous edition for depositing at all public libraries. Hopefully this edition will surpass its predecessor in all aspects, Insha-Allāh.

Page 9: Books and Publications by Yasin Al-Jibouri

51

5) Front cover of al-Jibouri’s book Mu¦ammad: Prophet and Messenger of Allāh. This edition was published by An¥āriyān in 2008 and carries ISBN 978-964-219-019-5. The author intends to expand this book and get it published in the U.S. Inshā-Allāh. This book contains eight parts. PART ONE details the Prophet’s lineage and immediate relatives and family members, then it lists the Prophet’s governors, judges, trustees and treasurers, police officers and law enforcers, confidants, missionaries, financial secretary, standard bearers, stable-masters, poets, weapon bearers, caravan leader, preacher, mu’adhins, chamberlain, messengers, guards, bondmaids, freed slaves, free servants, tools and household items, animals and various military items. PART TWO is a chronology of historic events that took place during the Prophet’s lifetime starting from the time when he became Prophet and till his demise. PART THREE deals with the Prophet’s birth and ancestors, the Children of Ishmael, Hāshim, Abdul-Mu§§alib and Zamzam. PART FOUR deals with his missionary work year by year, marriage, the reconstruction of the Ka`ba and other details. PART FIVE provides more details about his year-to-year mission in Mecca. PART SIX provides with details about his establishment of the Islamic State in Medīna…

Page 10: Books and Publications by Yasin Al-Jibouri

52

6) Cover of first U.S. edition (Indiana: AuthorHouse, 2011) of al-Jibouri’s book Kerbalā and Beyond: An Epic of Immortal Heroism; 720 large pages. This book, which is available for sale throughout the world with the exception at the moment (this is the month of November, folks) of Australia and hopefully it will reach it soon. It is divided into four parts, a glossary of Islamic terms and many Arabic poems eulogizing Imām Hussain’s martyrdom. PART ONE deals with the Imām’s revolution against the un-Islamic rule of Yazīd, bastard “son” of Mu`āwiyah, and Imām’s eventual martyrdom in Kerbala. PART TWO summarizes post-martyrdom events. PART THREE deals with the outcome of Imām Hussain’s revolution and narrates attempts by Wahhābis and others to obliterate his grave site which all failed. PART FOUR details biographies of Imām Hussain’s nine Infallible Imāms . This part is often posted on various Internet sites and can comprise a 161-page book. This book has been published by AuthorHouse in August of this year and is being widely marketed by the Publisher, Amazon and Barnes and Noble, to name only the largest book wholesalers in the world. You can order your copy of it online.

Page 11: Books and Publications by Yasin Al-Jibouri

53

Cover of the second reprint of al-Jibouri’s book Kerbalā and Beyond (Qum: An¥āriyān Publications, 1423 A.H./2002 A.D.); ISBN 964-438-045-2.

Page 12: Books and Publications by Yasin Al-Jibouri

54

Cover of the 2002 reprint of al-Jibouri’s book Kerbalā and Beyond (Qum: An¥āriyān Publications, 2002); ISBN 978-964-438-045-7.

Page 13: Books and Publications by Yasin Al-Jibouri

55

7) Cover of the first U.S. edition of al-Jibouri’s Fast of the Month of Rama¤ān: Philosophy and A¦kām dated 1994 which An¥āriyān Publications published, too. Four years later, An¥āriyān published another edition of it the cover of which is shown below. This book is now very widely circulated due to the in-depth researches it contains. The contents of this 168-page book cover topics such as: fast in history, name and derivation, intention to fast, significance of the month of Rama¤ān and of its fast, a few benefits of the fast, what breaks the fast, Do Not Say “Rama¤ān” Only, history and types of fast, forty types of fast, (six types of) optional fast, the Prophet preaching about the month of Rama¤ān, norms of conduct related to the fast, if§ār, invocations at the time of if§ār, the month of repentance, a glance at Paradise and Hell (a vivid description of both of these places; the book’s author regards this small portion as one of his most favorite writings), when fast is prohibited, it is the month of the Holy Qur’ān, rewards of reciting (each of the 114) chapters of the Holy Qur’ān, the significance of the fast will be realized only at the moment of death, what is al-¯irā§ al-Mustaqeem?, sharing if§ār with others, su¦oor (sa¦ari) (pre-dawn meal), prayers during the glorious month of Rama¤ān, ghusul, Lailatul-Qadr…, etc.

Page 14: Books and Publications by Yasin Al-Jibouri

56

Cover of the 2007 An¥āriyān third edition of al-Jibouri’s book Fast of the Month of Rama¤ān: Philosophy and A¦kām, ISBN 978-964-438-172-0. An earlier edition is dated 1998 which was followed by another in 2000. This book is available for sale at many outlets on the Internet. The author designed its cover which An¥āriyān enhanced a little bit.

Page 15: Books and Publications by Yasin Al-Jibouri

57

8) Cover of former An¥āriyān edition of al-Jibouri’s book Mary and Jesus in Islam published in 2009 in 127 medium size pages and carries ISBN 978-964-219-064-5. Some booksellers have it for sale online. This 127-page book, references of which are first-hand “Christian” sources in addition to Holy Qur’ān and authentic classic Islamic books, tackles issues such as: the major differences between Islam and Christianity, Maryam (Mary) daughter of `Imrān (Amram) , birth of Jesus son of Mary , Jesus and Mary leave for Egypt, Mary and Jesus return home, Mary’s death and prophethood of Jesus , the disciples, Saint Barnabas, the Holy Spirit, miracles of Jesus , the Table of Viands, the Almighty admonishes Jesus , inovcatons by Jesus , supplication by Jesus whereby he brought the dead back to life, was Jesus crucified? After Jesus : the “son of God” and “the Trinity”, finally, is it Christianity or paganism? This U.S. edition revised the previous one with many additions and enhancements, and it contains an extensive Glossary. The entire book is transliterated in order to provide the reader with the correct pronunciation of names, book titles and terms.

Page 16: Books and Publications by Yasin Al-Jibouri

58

9) Cover of first edition of al-Jibouri’s translation of A General Outlook at Rites, the very first translation to be in print; it is dated 1979 when the author, Martyr Mu¦ammed Bāqir a¥-¯adr (1935 – 1980), was still alive, only one year before his martyrdom. It was published by the World Organization for Islamic Services (WOFIS) in 79 pocket size pages. Two other editions followed it, but unfortunately no image is available for either. Its translation was completed in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A., a year after the translator’s graduation. Although small in size, it covers very important topics such as: worship: a permanent human need, the need to be linked to The Absolute, belief in God is the remedy, rituals are practical expressions, subjectivity of purpose and self-denial, the inner feeling of responsibility, the Unseen in explainting rituals, inclusion in worship, worship and the senses, the social aspect of worship, etc.

Page 17: Books and Publications by Yasin Al-Jibouri

59

10) Front cover of al-Jibouri’s second (chronologically) published translation. The date of publication is 1980, the same year when the author, Mu¦ammed Bāqir a¥-¯adr, was martyred. It falls in 187 medium size pages and was also published by the World Organization for Islamic Services (WOFIS). The author deals in this book with topics such as what he calls “the actual (social) human problem,” humanity and its treatment of the problem, the Marxist viewpoint, the non-Marxist viewpoint, the difference between a natural experiment and a social experiment, capitalist democracy, socialism and communism, Islam and the social problem, freedom according to capitalism and Islam, freedom according to the capitalist civilization, freedom in the personal sphere, freedom in the social sphere and insurance in Islam vs. in Marxism.

Page 18: Books and Publications by Yasin Al-Jibouri

60

11) Cover of al-Jibouri’s translation of a dissertation by martyred economist Mu¦ammed Bāqir a¥-¯adr which is extracted from his famous work Iqti¥āduna (Our Economics). It carries the date of April 1990, and it falls in 29 medium size pages, so it is a booklet according to rules and regulations of the Library of the U.S. Congress. In just 29 pages, the author was able to put so much information about: our need for raising the question (whether or not there is an economics science in Islam), misunderstanding the question, how to distinguish between the doctrine and the sience, an example for the difference between the doctrine and the science, emphasizing that Islamic economics comprise a doctrine, Is there an economic system in Islam?, What sort of Islamic economic system is it?, the economic doctrine and the science of economics, conclusions derived from the previous examples, the sciences of economics and the doctrine: similar to history and ethics, economics is a science, the difference is in the function, not the label, doctrine may be a framework for science, derived conclusions, doctrine does not apply scientific methods, the Islamic economic system we advocate, What are the greatest obstacles?, inclusion and absorption of Shari`a, doctrines need molding, the ethics of Islamic economics, etc.

Page 19: Books and Publications by Yasin Al-Jibouri

61

12) Cover of the first Lebanese authentic Arabic-English translation by al-Jibouri of Al-Muraja`āt: A Shī`i-Sunni Dialogue (Beirut, Lebanon: Imām μussain Foundation, 1415 A.H./1995 A.D.). This book is already translated into as many as twenty languages. This English translation by al-Jibouri was the fruit of the translator’s close friendship with martyred μujjatul-Islam Sayyid Mu¦ammed-Mehdi al-μakim, oldest son of late Grand Ayatullah Sayyid Mu¦sin al-μakim . The translator was first requested by al-μakim and by the World Organization for Islamic Services (WOFIS) to edit an existing translation of Al-Muraja`āt titled The Right Path, but the translator’s comparison between that translation and the original Arabic text convinced him that there was no way he could do justice to the book by such editing simply because the English text hardly matched the original Arabic. He, therefore, suggested to late al-μakim, who is mentioned in the Preface to this book, that it would be better to translate the book all over again, and he was eventually able to convince him. Al-Jibouri completed the very first direct translation of this very important reference into English and recently the London, U.K., office of His Holiness Grand Ayatollāh Sayyid Ali al-Sistāni published a Spanish translation of this same English edition, giving credit to the translator. Work on another translation into Albanian is ongoing. There is no room here to list all its topics besides the following: Why the Shī`as do not uphold the sect of the majority of Muslims, Islamic unity, generations of the first three Islamic centuries never knew present Sunni sects, position of the

Page 20: Books and Publications by Yasin Al-Jibouri

62

Prophet’s `Itra , particularly that of the Commander of the Faithful Ali , in Islam, μadīth of the Two Weighty Things (Thaqalayn) and its tawatur, those who do not adhere to the `Itra shall stray, A¦ādīth and Qur’ānic verses honoring Ahlul-Bayt , illegality of falsifying ¦adīth, most Sunnis are not familiar with beliefs of their Shī`i brethren and are not willing to be, one hundred Shī`i authorities relied on by Sunnis, nation’s politicians turned the public away from the faith of Ahlul-Bayt , Qur’ānic verse referring to wilāya (mastership) of Imām Ali and implications of such wilāya, forty a¦ādīth relevant to Ghadīr Khumm historic event, ¯a¦ī¦ books contradict beliefs of the Muslim majority, Ali as heir of the Prophet , did the Prophet leave a will? Was `Ā’isha really the best of the Prophet’s wives? Why do Shī`as reject her

¦adīth? The best wife of the Prophet was Khadija , not `Ā’isha, refutation of `Ā’isha’s claim that the Prophet died on her chest, `Ā’isha and surrendering to sentimentality, no consensus of endorsement of caliphate of Abu Bakr, why was Ali reluctant to demand his right to the caliphate?, Thursday’s Calamity (shortly before the Prophet breathed his last when he asked

that his will be written down and was denied), Prophet’s appointment of Usamah ibn Zayd as commander of the army and how some ¥a¦aba did not comply, a number of other incidents in which some ¥a¦aba did not obey the Prophet’s commands, what really happened at Saqīfat Banī Sā`ida (the so-called “election” of a successor to the Prophet in leading the Islamic nation), why some fanatics question the derivation of the Shī`a School of Muslim Law from the Imāms of Ahl al-Bayt , Shī`as were pioneers in recording knowledge and ¦adīth during the ¥a¦aba’s period, some Shī`a authors who were contemporary to the tābi`īn and to the latter’s followers. This book takes the form of correspondence between the late Shaikh Salīm al-Bishri (photo above), Egypt’s then Maliki imām, mufti and rector of al-Azhar, who lived from 1832 to 1917 (or 1916 according to the Arabic edition of this work consulted

Page 21: Books and Publications by Yasin Al-Jibouri

63

for this book which does not provide us with the exact year when he met his Shī`ite counterpart), according to Biographical dictionary of modern Egypt by Arthur Goldschmidt, and Sayyid Abdul-μusayn Sharafud-Dīn al-Mūsawi (photo below), a highly respected Shī`ite scholar whose date of birth, death and visit to Egypt vary from one account to another. Goldschmidt places al-Bishri’s year of birth in 1832 A.D., a date which agrees with the account provided by Murta¤a Āl-Yāsin, to whom reference is made below, but he is very brief in recording his account of al-Bishri, so he makes no reference to the meeting between him and al-Mūsawi. The following information is presented to the reader as it exists in the 4th edition of the original Arabic edition published in 1428 A.H./2007 A.D. by Dār al-Qāri’ for printing, publishing and distribution اريء للطباعة و دار القع شر و التوزي According to this edition, Sayyid .(of Beirut, Lebanon) النAbdul-μusayn Sharafud-Dīn al-Mūsawi was born in Kā¨imiyya, Iraq, in 1290 A.H./1871 A.D. and died at the age of 87 (on Jumāda II 8, 1377 A.H./December 18 [according to the Julian calendar], or December 31, according to the Gregorian calendar, 1957 A.D.). Some references place his year of death in 1958. Al-Mūsawi visited Egypt for the first time in pursuit of knowledge in 1329 A.H./1911 A.D. and stayed there for one year, according to Murta¤a Āl-Yāsin who wrote in 1365 A.H./1946 A.D. the “Author’s Biography” for this same Lebanese edition when he was in his home town, al-Kā¨imiyya, Iraq. During that year, when he was 39, he met in Cairo al-Azhar’s rector (head, dean), who was then 79 years old. This historic meeting between both men sparked a debate about the similarities and differences between Islam’s two branches, the Sunni majority and the Shī`ite minority, which was later written in the form of correspondence the first letter of which is dated Dhul-Qi`da 6, 1329 A.H./October 16, 1911 and the last, which was sent by the Shī`i scholar to his Sunni debator, is dated Jamādi al-Ūla 2, 1330 A.H./April 6, 1912. It was then that Al-Azhar started teaching the Shī`i fiqh, regarding it the fifth School of Islamic Law.

Page 22: Books and Publications by Yasin Al-Jibouri

64

An¥āriyān’s 1422 A.H./2001 A.D. second edition (so far, four reprints have been produced) of al-Jibouri’s translation of Al-Muraja`āt: A Shī`i-Sunni Dialogue; ISBN 978-964-438-278-9.

Cover of an earlier edition of al-Jibouri’s translation of Al-Muraja`āt. It is available for sale from www.amazon.com.

Page 23: Books and Publications by Yasin Al-Jibouri

65

13) Cover of the 7th U.S. edition of Nahjul-Balāgha which al-Jibouri edited for Tahrike Tarsile Qur’ān, Inc. of New York. It is dated 2009 and falls in 990 large pages. It is available for sale on the Internet on many web sites, particularly www.amazon.com and its ISBNs are: Paperback: 978-1-879402-34-8, Casebound (hard cover): 978-1-879402-35-5. The author of this book regards his completion of editing Nahjul Balāgha as one of the Almighty’s countless blessings on him, the unworthy servant of His that he is. This edition may be the most extensive research in print about this famous book, about its most revered author, Imām Ali , contents and compiler. Its Table of Contents covers twelve parts the listing of headings of which fills thirteen pages. We cannot do justice to this great book without enlightening the readers about its subject-matters as follows: Nahjul-Balāgha comprises various issues that cover major problems of metaphysics, theology, fiqh, tafsīr, ¦adīth, prophetology, imāmate, ethics, social philosophy, history, politics, administration, civics, science, rhetoric, poetry, literature, etc. Most of the discussions about various theological issues and philosophical notions in Islam have their origin in this very book. Similarly, all the controversies regarding socio-political problems in the Muslim society and state left their echo in Nahjul-Balāgha, or rather those were inspired from the utterances of al-Imm Ali . The book not only reflects the spirit of early Islam and the teachings of the Qur’ān and the Prophet in the proper perspective but also serves as a guide to traverse the future in the light of these teachings.

Page 24: Books and Publications by Yasin Al-Jibouri

66

It is a matter of regret that Nahjul-Balāgha was not properly utilized by the Muslims as a source book of Islamic philosophy, logic, fiqh and ethics due to misconceptions about its attribution to Imām Ali . In the presence of strong and sufficient evidence in support of the contents of the book being authentic, it was sheer prejudice and lack of the spirit of inquiry that was responsible for neglecting such a reliable source of Islamic thought. In recent times, the Orientalists have spread the unfounded doubts of Ibn Khallikān and al-Dhahbi among Muslim and non-Muslim scholars in the name of objectivity in research, thus giving a respectable appearance to their ignorance which was, of course, combined and prompted by their motive to alienate the Muslims from their intellectual heritage. Many scholars, particularly in India and Pakistan, question the authenticity of Nahjul-Balāgha's ascription to Amīr al-Mu'minīn using lofty words of research-objectivity with a hefty-pose of a dispassionate seeker of the truth. None of them, for sure, ever studied any book about early sources of the sermons and letters of Imām Ali , nor did any one of them ever try to gain really objective information about this great book. Unfortunately none of them bothered to go through even the valuable research done by Imtiyaz Ali Khan 'Arshi, a widely read and respected writer in the Urdu literary circles in the Subcontinent. Those who insist on denying the veracity of Nahjul-Balāgha are either suffering from a malady of deeply-rooted prejudice spread through the propaganda of the supporters of Banu Umayyah, or their minds and spirits have been blinded by the propagation of falsehood by some Orientalists under the garb of high-sounding academic jargon. If our minds are cured of this jaundiced perception of our own past, Nahjul-Balāgha can be paid the attention it deserves, its contents and meanings will then be objectively studied, fully explored and exploited for a better understanding of Islamic ideologies, facts and realities. A look at the subjects discussed in Nahjul-Balāgha will be helpful in ascertaining the wide scope of this invaluable treasure of wisdom. So far, a few attempts to classify the book’s subject-matters and to index it accordingly have been made, yet none of them has been sufficiently comprehensive. A subject-wise index of the contents of Nahjul-Balāgha has been prepared by Ali Ansariyan and published

Page 25: Books and Publications by Yasin Al-Jibouri

67

in Arabic under the title al-Dallil 'ala mawdu'at Nahjul-Balāgha الدالئل in 1395 A.H./1975 A.D. It was translated and على موضوعات نهج البالغةpublished three years ago in Persian with the subtitle “Nahjul-Balāgha mawdu'i”. The compiler has divided the contents into eight categories each of which deals with a specific subject further divided into various issues pertaining to the main theme. The main divisions are as follows: 1. Ma'rifat Allāh: knowing Allāh, 2. Ma'rifat al-kawn: knowing the cosmos, 3. Ma'rifat al-hujjah: knowing the Proof, 4. Ma'rifat nizam al-hukumah wa al-mujtama': knowing the system of government and society, 5. Ma'rifat al-'ahkam: knowing the rulings, 6. Wa'rifat al-'akhlaq: knowing ethics, 7. Ma'rifat al-ta'rikh: knowing history, and 8. Ma'rifat al-ma'dd: knowing the afterlife The major issues covered under the main categories can be sum-marized thus: 1. Ma'rifat Allāh (knowledge about God): The utterances and writings of Amīr al-Mu’minīn on God and His Attributes are divided into eighteen subheadings in the following manner: 1. taw¦īd, the Unity of God; 2. ¥ifāt al-dhāt, the Attributes of Essence; 3. `ilm wal hikmah, the Knowledge and Wisdom of God; 4. `azamah wa qudrah, Greatness and Power of God; 5. ba¥īr, Seer; 6. samī`, Hearer; 7. ¦ayy, Living; 8. mutakallim, Speaker; 9. jabarutiyyah, Omnipotence; 10. 'adl, Divine-Justice; 11. nu¥rah wa intiqām, Help and vengeance of God; 12. at-tawakkul 'alayh, Dependence on God; 13. at-ta¦mīd lahu, Praise to God; 14. al-'isti`ānah bih, Seeking assistance from God;

Page 26: Books and Publications by Yasin Al-Jibouri

68

15. ar-razzāq wa ar-rizq, the Provider and provision, divided into further sub-issues; 16. worship and worshippers, divided into sub-headings dealing with various forms and kinds of worship and worshippers, the worst and the best human beings, and worship of things other than God; 17. manifestation of God and the Beatific Vision; 18. al-qa¤a' wa al-qadar, Divine Will and Intention; 2. Ma'rifat al-kawn, knowledge of the universe: 1. heavens and the earth; 2. creation and the properties of living beings: Under this topic, Imām Ali describes various animals such as the bat, the ant, the peacock and other birds; 3. many various aspects of the human nature; 4. angels, their worship and utterances with special reference to Jibra'il (Gabriel) and Mika'il (Michael) archangels; 5. Satan. 3. Ma`rifat al-¦ujjah, knowledge about the Proofs or Arguments of God: The first part of it is devoted to prophetology; that is, the characteristics and the aims of the prophets, their companions and families, their character, etc.; the next seven sections, from the second to the eighth, deal with the lives of Adam, Abel and Cain, ¯āli¦, Moses and Aaron, Banu Isra'il (the Israelites), David and Solomon, and Christ . The ninth section is devoted to the life and character of the Prophet Mu¦ammed , spread over 230 pages further divided into sub-issues to discuss the pre-Islamic Arabs, the Family of the Prophet , the main objectives of the prophetic mission, miracles, wives of the Prophet , the finality of his prophethood, ¦adīth and the criteria of reliability and grades of authenticity, ¦adīth-interpretation, Companions, jihād and the battles of the Prophet , the demise of the Prophet and its consequences; Ahl al-Bayt , Fā§ima , al-μassan and al-μussain , Ahl al-Bayt and zakāt; the Qur’ān: classification of verses, tafsir by conjecture (ra'i), the role of the Imām in the interpretation of the Qur’ān, the attributes of the Qur’ān, teaching of the Qur’ān, important of correct understanding of the Qur’ān, qirā'a

Page 27: Books and Publications by Yasin Al-Jibouri

69

(recitation) of the Qur’ān, tafsīr of some verses. Under the life of the Prophet , the meaning and conditions of Islam are also dealt with, with reference to the characteristics of the Muslims and their dignity. Imān and mu'min form the theme of a separate section; at the end, apostasy (kufr) and its characteristies are discussed. The tenth issue under hujjah concerns the caliphate and the Imāmate with specific reference to the leadership of Ahl al-Bayt [the Imāms of the Family of the Prophet . The eleventh part deals with the issues related to the oath of allegiance (bay`a). The twelth part contains the utterances of al-Imām Ali concerning his own Imāmate and his own role in the advancement of the cause of Islam; some sections give autobiographical details about the Imām . Ali's zuhd (asceticism), justice, dress and eating habits, humility and courage. The last section of this part is about Amīr al-Mu’minīn's sayings about al-Imām al-Mahdi (عج), his identity and reappearance. 4. Ma'rifat nizam al-hukamah wa al-mujtama' (knowledge of the system of governance and society): This part deals with the issues of society and politics, and is perhaps the most relevant to present-day Islam and the Muslim world. It spreads over more than four hundred pages. Such an in-depth treatment of the subject is indicative of the Imām's concern for the umma’s socio-political life. The issues covered are: 1. Justice and oppression: forms of oppression and characteristics of oppressors; responsibilities of the just imāms; the duty of the faithful, al-mu'minun, vis-à-vis justice and oppression. 2. Right and wrong (¦aqq and bā§il): distinction between right and wrong; criterion of right; reciprocal rights and duties; duty towards God; and mutual duties of parents and children. 3. Semblance of the truth 4. Poverty 5. People and their kinds: causes of differences and their sources; role of various groups in social changes; people's inner transformation, a prerequisite for reform; role of healthy elements in society; characteristics of evil and anti-social elements in society; people's attitude towards social change.

Page 28: Books and Publications by Yasin Al-Jibouri

70

6. Government and society: This part is divided into twenty-three chapters: 1. The most fundamental objectives and duties of Islamic government. 2. The characteristics of rulers. 3. The duties of rulers towards people. 4. Ministers and advisers. 5. People's rights: social classes and their mutual dependence; the responsibilities of the army; and functions of rulers in fulfilling people's rights. 6. The Islamic army and choice of commanders. 7. The mutual rights of people and rulers. 8. Whom to refer to resolve differences? 9. Courts of justice and qadis. 10. Officials and functionaries of government, their mode of selection; the ruler's duty towards them. 11. State information and intelligence, and military intelligence. 12. Taxes, public treasury (bayt al-mal), and tax payers: means of levying taxes; protection and guarding of public treasury; heads of expenditure of public funds; equitable distribution of bayt al-mal; and problem of misappropriation of bayt al-mal. 13. Secretaries and record-keepers of official matters (ministers and high officials). 14. Businessmen and industrialists: State administration of economic affairs. 15. The oppressed and the deprived sections of society, and ruler's duties towards them. 16. Governors' direct contact with people for listening to their grievances, and people's right to have aecess to rulers. 17. Governors' personal responsibility in certain matters. 18. Direct supervision by governors and government authorities of current affairs of the State. 19. Ruler, his family and relatives. 20. Duty of governors vis-a-vis charges levelled against them.

Page 29: Books and Publications by Yasin Al-Jibouri

71

21. Pacts and peace treaties with other States. 22. Guidelines for performance of governors' individual and social functions. 23. Seeking God's help for being just. 5. Ma'rifat al-A¦kām (knowing religious laws): This part is divided into eighteen subheadings. The first section contains the Imām's views about the philosophy of laws. The second and the third sections deal with prayer (¥al¡t) and the virtue of congregation prayer, Friday prayer and midnight prayer. The fourth section is devoted to the Imām's sayings about fasting (¥awm). The fifth one comprises Amīr al-Mu’minīn's interpretation of laws regarding women's obligation in compulsory matters. The remaining chapters deal with the following issues: the sixth about almsgiving (zakat); the seventh about property laws; the eighth about Hajj pilgrimage and the Holy Ka'bah; the ninth about al-'Amr bi al-ma'ruf wa al-nahy 'an al-munkar (the enjoining of doing what is good and prohibiting the doing of what is evil), one of the fundamental branches of the faith (furū` ad-Dīn) that covers all forms of activities, social, political, economic, as well as individual duties. The tenth and the eleventh chapters deal with laws concerning jihad, a term with a very wide range of connotations, but its special meaning covers all forrns of struggle against unbelief, which itself embraces various forms of injustice and oppression, denial of the existence of God is an atrocity against one's own self. In this section, emphasis is on the laws pertaining to war and military activity; the last two subheadings deal with martyrdom and martyrs, and peace treaty with enemies. The twelfth chapter is about injunctions regarding the circumstances which necessitate hiding of faith with the purpose of defending individual as well as collective existence of the Muslims (taqiyya). The thirteenth chapter is devoted to the laws of business transactions with special emphasis on usury (riba) and money borrowing. The fourteenth chapter covers laws about adultery (zina). The next four chapters discuss issues involved in theft, murder, dying of the hair, and laws concerning human conduct in desperate situations (a¦k¡m al-mu³§arr أحكام المظطر).

Page 30: Books and Publications by Yasin Al-Jibouri

72

6. Ma`rifat al-Akhl¡q (ethical laws): This is the longest section of the book, spreading over six hundred pages. One hadith (tradition) says,

من ال خالق له ال دين له. الدين األخالق “The religion (of Islam) is about ethics; one who has no ethics has no religion.” The first part of this section covers general issues of morality in the following order: 1. reason, its virtues, forms, effects, and functions; limitations and evil consequences of misuse; 2. contemplation and intellection; 3. the heart as the inner faculty which is the source of moral virtues and evils; its general condition and relation with other organs of the body; its qualities and means of strength, weakness, hardening, and limitations; 4. knowledge: definition and scope; useful and useless forms of knowledge; relation between knowledge and practice; effects of knowledge; teaching and learning; limitations of human knowledge; 5. theologians and their duties; 6. the misguided and misleading `ulam¡'; 7. wisdom and the role of learned persons in society; 8. the wood and the Hereafter-salient features of worldly life; comparison and contrast between the world and the Hereafter; temporality of the world and eternity of the Hereafter; relation between the two; purpose of the creation of the world; deception and pride of the world; proper and improper utilization of the world; world-outlook of awliya ', the Prophet of Islam , pious persons, and Imām Ali (as); man's attitude to the world; 9. capital and its distribution; 10. good and evil. The second part of ethical discussions deals with moral behaviour and conduct. This is itself divided into ten sections dealing with various modes of conduct:

Page 31: Books and Publications by Yasin Al-Jibouri

73

1. repentance and the seeking of forgirveness (tawba and istighf¡r); 2. piety (taqwa); 3. characteristics of muttaqīn (the pious); 4. zuhd (asceticism); 5. patience and resignation (¥abr); 6. the tongue, its function and its relation to other organs of the body; tongue-control; 7. friendship and friends: how to choose friends; reliance and dependence on friends; mutual duties of friends; 8. manners and courtesy; 9. forbearance and patience; 10. abstention from self-praise. Moral vices are discussed under the following: lust, love (in its negative sense), miserliness, extravagance, envy, pride, hypocrisy and hypocrites (nifaq and munafiqun), deceit or self-indulgence (narcissism). At the end of this section certain moral issue with reference to women are dealt with. The concluding part gives an account of supplication, its need, circumstances and effects, with some of the supplications of Imām Ali on different occasions. 7. Ma`rifat at-Tā'rīkh (knowing history): This section gives us an idea of Imām Ali's view of history and historical events. It is divided into sixteen parts, and each part is divided further into many subheadings and provides an intimate picture of the life and times of Imām Ali (as), his contemporaries, and the Prophet : 1. Analysis of history: main currents and traditions in history; causes of the rise and fall of nations and lessons from history. 2. Life history of Imām Ali ; glimpses of an auto-biographical account of the life of the Imām with reference to his role in the unity of the umma by foregoing his right to the caliphate and snubbing divisive efforts of some opportunists, including some among his very close relatives.

Page 32: Books and Publications by Yasin Al-Jibouri

74

3. Saqifat Bani Sa'idah, the place, just few yards northwest of the Prophet’s Mosque at the time when the Prophet passed away, where the farce described by some Muslims as the “electing” of the first caliph took place 4. Fadak, the reader of this book is provided with plenty of details about this real estate which the Prophet gifted to his only daughter and which the first caliph confiscated 5. Al-Imām Ali and the caliphs, namely Abu Bakr, Omer and Othmān; the Imām's advisory role during the period of Omer's caliphate; the role of the Shura (consultative committee) in “electing” Omer's successor; reasons of the Imām's allegiance to Othmān, and the latter's deviations; Ali's counsel to Othmān; Ali's innocence in the assassination of the third caliph and his stand after the assassination. 6. The caliphate of Imām Ali : the Imām's reasons for being reluctant to accept the caliphate; people's pressure and insistence; declaration of the Imām's policies and programs. 7. Parties and groups opposing the Imām. 8. The Battle of Jamal with special reference to the role of `Ā'isha, ±al¦ah and az-Zubayr; the Imām's attitude during and after the battle towards his opponents (the renegades). 9. The Battle of ¯iffīn: the role of the Qāsi§ūn; the Imām's reasons for fighting them; his attempts to convince them about the evil consequences of war. 10. Ta¦kīm (arbitration): the evil of the ta¦kīm and its roots; the Imām's reasons for rejecting the proposed arbitration; evil and far-reaching consequences of the arbitration. 11. The Khawārij (Khārijis or Khārijites): the Khawārij's role and their misleading notions; the Imām's repeated efforts to pursuade the Khawārij from fighting before the Battle of Nahrawān; the Imām's anticipation of the fate of the Khawārij. 12. The last days of the Imām: the Imām's foreknowledge of his martyrdom; the last sermon; the Imām's words on the dawn of the nineteenth of Rama¤ān before being fatally injured; the last moments of the Imām and his will. 13. Praise and criticism of the Imām's companions: basic traits of the disheartened elements; comparison of the Imām's companions with those of the Prophet and those of Mu`āwiyah;

Page 33: Books and Publications by Yasin Al-Jibouri

75

relations between the Imām and his companions; their praise; evil consequences of disobeying the Imām . 14. Opponents of the Imām Ali's rule and the reasons for their dissent. 15. Events of Egypt: the appointment of Mu¦ammed ibn Abū Bakr (son of the first caliph) and its abrogation; the appointment of Mālik ibn al-Ashtar; the Imām's letter to the people of Egypt; the assassination of Mālik ibn al-'Ashtar; Malik ibn al-'Ashtar's great qualities; martyrdom of Mu¦ammed ibn Abū Bakr. 16. Personages: Abu Dharr al-Ghifāri; al-Ash`ath ibn Qays; the companions of al-Madā'in; Imri'ul-Qays; Anas ibn Mālik; al-Burj ibn Mushīr a§-±a'i, Banu Umayyah and their disruptive role in Islam; μamzah and Ja`far a§-±ayyār; Khabbāb ibn al-`Arrāt; Khadījah; Sa`īd ibn Mālik; Sa`īd ibn Namrān; Abu Sufyān; ¯a`¥a`ah ibn ¯aw¦¡n; `Amr ibn al-`Ā¥; the Quraysh, their tribal background and opposition to the Imām , and the Imām's attitude towards the Quraysh; Kumayl ibn Ziyād an-Nakha'i ; Marwān ibn al-μakam; Masqalah ibn Hubayrah; Mu`āwiyah ibn Abū Sufy¡n and the Imām's correspondence with him; al-Mughīrah ibn Akhnas and al-Mughīrah ibn Shu`bah. 17. The Imām's historical and eschatological foresight: conditions of the last days of the world; destiny of Ba¥ra and Kūfa; destiny of the Arabs; duties and responsibilities of the faithful (mu'minūn) in the last days. 8. Ma`rifat al-Ma`ād (knowing Resurrection and the Hereafter): death, its agonies and mysteries; the mu'min's preparedness for death; the Angel of Death; what happens after death?; learning lesson from death and graveyard; the Day of Judgement: proof of Resurrection; indications pointing out to the Last Day; judgement of human deeds; ¯irā§; human condition on the Day of Judgement; heaven and hell.

Page 34: Books and Publications by Yasin Al-Jibouri

76

14) Cover of al-Jibouri’s translation of one of the books written by Dr. Mu¦ammad al-Tijāni al-Samāwi. Al-Jibouri designed its covers, re-wrote its first two chapters, numbered all its Qur’ānic verses, provided the A.D. dates for all Islamic lunar dates, rewrote its first chapters and added some footnotes. Both al-Jibouri and Nasir Shamsi deleted all inflammatory sectarian statements from the translated text, thus improving its chances to be read by moderate and open-minded Sunni Muslims. It was first published by Vantage Press of New York in 1996, and it carries the Library of Congress Catalog Card No. 96-90442, ISBN 0-533-12055-1. In this book, al-Tijani, whom I met when I was living in Virginia and became his translator, tries to prove that the Muslims who truly adhere to the Sunnah of the Prophet of Islam are actually none other than the Shī`a or Shī`ites. Read it then judge for yourself! It is a challenge! How does al-Tijani make his point? Here I am giving you a list of the subjects this book covers, since I am the one tho typed its text and sent it to Vantage Press to publish it on behalf of its copyrights holder, Dr. Manzour Rizvi: The book is not divided into parts; it flows with the wind and takes you from one realm to another. First, the author introduces you to the Shiī`as of the world then attempts to identify the “Ahl al-Sunnah” wal jam¡`a, as our Sunni brothers prefer to be called. He narrates to you details of the first incident that led to dividing the Muslim nation into Shī`i and Sunni followed by details of an event that led to the Muslims’ divergence from the Prophet’s Sunna. He details another incident that juxtaposed the Shī`as versus the Sunnis and goes on to argue that: “Ahl al-Sunnah”

Page 35: Books and Publications by Yasin Al-Jibouri

77

are not familiar with the Prophet’s Sunnah, “Ahl al-Sunnah” and the obliteration of the Sunnah where he details how the earliest records of the Prophet’s traditions, a¦ādīth, were burnt and their writing was banned by the first caliph. This is followed by a section about the attitude of “Ahl al-Sunnah” towards the Shī`as, the Shī`as’ attitude towards “Ahl al-Sunnah”. The author goes on to introduce the Im¡ms of the Shī`as to his readers followed by introduction of the Imāms of “Ahl al-Sunnah”. He further details how the Prophet had appointed the Imāms of the Shī`as and compres in the next section this appointment with oppressive rulers having appointed the Im¡ms of “Ahl al-Sunnah” then the “secret” why Sunnis form the majority of the Muslim population. A discussion of the persecution of the Shī`as at the hands of Umayyad and Abbasid rulers follows after which the author goes to the Prophet’s traditions and the Qur’ān trying to prove that the “righteous caliphs” invented their own Sunnah. He further discusses the concepts of taqlīd and marāji` to which the Shī`as adhere and also according to “Ahl al-Sunnah”. He further elaborates on the subject of the “righteous caliphs” and cites the views of both Shiī`is and “Ahl al-Sunnah”. The subject of the hostility towards the Prophet’s Ahl al-Bayt dominates a good portion of this book most references of which are actually written by “Ahl al-Sunnah”. A discussion of the “Imāms and pillars of Ahl al-Sunnah” consumes 74 pages of this book during which the author, a graduate of the Sorbonne University in Paris, tries to prove that those imāms and pillars contradicted in their conduct both texts of the Holy Qur’ān and of the Prophet’s authentic Sunnah…

Page 36: Books and Publications by Yasin Al-Jibouri

78

15) Front cover of al-Ba¦rāni’s book titled Al-Sirāj which al-Jibouri translated, μabīb al-K¡zimi edited and An¥āriyān published in 2004. It falls in 152 pages and carries ISBN 964-43-558-6, and it falls in 150 medium size pages. This book starts by discussing adherence to the way of Ahl al-Bayt by way of introducing itself to the readers. It is divided into eleven chapters: the need to cultivate ethics, preference of delving into the science of ethics, All¡h created us to live happily forever, venues leading to All¡h, which gives the book its title, man is weak, path taken to reach All¡h, conviction is incomplete without certain merits, fulfilling a promise, voluntary benevolence beyond and more than a pledge and self-denial even while being needy, resigning to destiny, beyond resigning to destiny and, finally, rules of conduct of the ¦ajj. This book may serve the purpose of introducing non-Muslims to Islam especially since its style is lucid, its arguments are simple while being documented and supported, and it follows the precept that Islam is the religion of commonsense and meets all human needs in healthy ways.

Page 37: Books and Publications by Yasin Al-Jibouri

79

16) Cover of the first edition dated 2010 of al-Jibouri’s translation of the book titled in Arabic ة و األوالد د األحب ؤاد في فق by “Second مسكن الفMartyr” Zayn ad-Dīn Ali al-Āmili, ISBN 978-964-219-153-6. Each page is in Arabic faced by its English translation. It was a tough translation due to most texts in it going back to the first Islamic century, that is, more than a thousand years ago when the standard of spoken Arabic was very, very high. Hundreds of copies of this book have already been distributed and are in circulation in Iraq, a country where almost every family has had a tragic loss of a dear one. This book will make you forget your tragedy of the loss of a son, a daughter, a family member, a friend…, or any precious person, and it will prompt you to even thank the Almighty for it. It is divided into four chapters, and it ends with an epilogue and five other sections before its Conclusion. The first chapter deals with rewards for the loss of children. Chapter 2 deals with a number of relevant topics such as patience in the aftermath of a tragedy and the rewards one earns for having been afflicted with it. Chapter 3 tackles acceptance of the Almighty’s decrees and surrender to them, as bitter as they may seem, and the degrees of such acceptance and perservance. Chapter 4 deals with weeping and grieving over lost ones, and it strongly warns against impatience during the time of trials and tribulations, of the tragedies of losing precious ones.

Page 38: Books and Publications by Yasin Al-Jibouri

80

17) Front cover of al-Jibouri’s translation of Kashf al-Reeba an A¦kām al-Gheeba of “First Martyr” Taqi ad-Dīn Ibrāhīm al-`Āmili. An¥āriyān published this book, which carries ISBN 978-964-438-977-1, in 2008. It falls in 104 medium size pages. Its title means “Removing doubt from rulings relevant to gheeba, backbiting.” Backbiting is one of the plagues afflicting backward societies where the favorite social pastime is criticizing this individual and that for the lack of something better to do. This relatively small book is divided into five chapters the titles/topics of which are as follows: 1) Why people backbite, types of backbiting, 2) preventive treatment of backbiting, 3) permissible backbiting, 4) contemplation on the consequences of backbiting, and 5) removing doubt about the rulings relevant to backbiting. This book deserves to be widely circulated throughout the Islamic world especially in countries where unemployment is high and so is poverty and all the ills it brings: ignorance, fanaticism, intolerance, extremism, cruelty and even crime. Never take backbiting lightly is the message of this very interesting book.

Page 39: Books and Publications by Yasin Al-Jibouri

81

18) Front cover of al-Jibouri’s translation of الرياء و العجب Pretension and Conceit. It was published by An¥āriyān in 2008 and carries ISBN 978-964-219-015-7. This book falls in 150 medium size pages and is not divided into chapters but into sections. The topics it covers are generally as follows: the meaning and levels of “pretension”, the ugliest degree of pretension, how conviction is not knowledge, degrees of prtension’s objectives, scientific point to eradicate pretension, a call to sincerity, wise admonishment, third level of pretension, levels of pretension from the aspect of what is hidden and what is manifest, a precise research in the issue of pretension, a unique Qur’¡nic jewl, another wise admonishment, how to scientifically and practically cure the heart of the disease of pretension, when showing off acts of worship is permissible, treatment of pretension, a sublime tradition and an explanation, a dissertation about conceit, conceit according to traditions, the meaning of conceit, degrees and levels of conceit, consequences of conceit, pride, forgetting about and underestimating sins, not believing in All¡h’s mercy and favors, and treating the conceit sickness.

Page 40: Books and Publications by Yasin Al-Jibouri

82

19) Cover of al-Jibouri’s translation of أسوة العارفين The (Role) Model of Gnostics, and it was published in 2008 by An¥āriyān and carries ISBN 978-964-219-016-4. This is a very interesting and inspiring book about the life of the late Ayatollah Mu¦ammed-Taqi Bahjat who is described in the Introduction to the book as being the embodiment of a description by Im¡m Ali of some faqīhs: “Great is the Creator in their hearts, so everything besides Him is in their eyes small.” This brief review can in no way describe the greatness of this man who dedicated his entire life, since his boyhood and till his death, to seeking theological knowledge and disseminating it. He was born in 1334 A.H./1925 A.D. and died in 1430 A.H./2009 A.D. His residing in the year 1348 A.H./1929 A.D. the holy city of Kerbala, Iraq, where Im¡m al-Hussain’s shrine and an active theological seminary are located, helped the four-year old child develop a passion for learning and scholarship that stayed with him till the last moment of his life.

Page 41: Books and Publications by Yasin Al-Jibouri

83

20) Front cover of al-Jibouri’s translation of a book by a Palestinian Sunni doctor who embraced the Shī`a faith, namely As`ad Wa¦īd al-Qāsim. It was published by An¥āriyān first in 2004 then in 2006 and carries ISBN 964-438-617-5. It should inspire you, too, to embrace this great faith. This book falls in 160 medium size pages and is divided into five Chapters thus: 1) Im¡mate and relevant texts and proofs, including a discussion about how “The majority of the Muslims went against the a¦¡dīth relevant to Im¡mate (leadership) and how some ¥a¦¡ba prohibited the Messenger of All¡h from writing his will, lagged behind Us¡mah’s military expedition and even cast doubts about Us¡mah’s leadership. It also details the events that took place at Saqīfat Banī Sā`idah. 2) How fair and equitable where the ¥a¦¡ba? 3) Shī`as and the Holy Qur’¡n. 4) Shī`as and the Purified Sunnah, both parties stand towards the Sunnah, recognizing the Prophet’s infallibility. It also contains these sections: “Abū Hurayra and the abundance of his a¦¡dīth” and “A halt with al-Bukh¡ri in his ¯a¦i¦.” 5) Mut`a of the ¦ajj and “The Awaited Mahdi and Dissensions.” The book is well documented and annotated and makes a very interesting reading for non-fanatics!

Page 42: Books and Publications by Yasin Al-Jibouri

84

21) Front cover of Your Kalima and the Savior by Wajahat Hussain, edited by al-Jibouri, published in New Jersey, U.S.A., in 2001 in 61 pages. It is inspired by Kerbalā and Beyond book.

Page 43: Books and Publications by Yasin Al-Jibouri

85

22) Cover of one of the issues of Noor al-Islam magazine which is published by the Imām μussain (as) Foundation of Beirut, Lebanon, the English section of which is edited by al-Jibouri.

Page 44: Books and Publications by Yasin Al-Jibouri

86

23) Covers, which al-Jibouri enjoyed designing, of the last issues of Islamic Affairs bulletins which were published in Atlanta, Georgia, prior to al-Jibouri moving to Maryland then Virginia. Al-Jibouri started editing and publishing Islamic Affairs in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1974 which continued publication till the year 1979. Having settled in Northern Virginia, he resumed its publication in 1983 in a different format then had to terminate it for good in 1989 due to insufficient financial support from the Muslim communities who used to receive it.

Page 45: Books and Publications by Yasin Al-Jibouri

87

In addition to the previous 23 titles, al-Jibouri has also written, translated or edited many more which include the following. Some titles have deliberately been removed from the following list of 30 other titles; so, the list is not inclusive: BOOK TITLE AUTHOR AL-

JIBOURI IS ITS

1) Memoirs of a Shī`ite Ithnā-`Asheri Missionary

Yasin al-Jibouri Author

2) Ghadīr Khumm: Where Islam was Perfected

Yasin al-Jibouri Author

3) Dictionary of Islamic Terms (2 Volumes)

Prophet Mu¦ammed Author

4) Who is the Tikrīti President?

Dr. ¯alā¦ Shubber Translator

5) The General Bases of Banking in the Muslim Society

Mu¦ammed Bāqir a¥-¯adr Translator

6) Our Faith Sayyid Mu¦ammed μussain al-Jalāli

Translator

7) A Biography of Imām ar-Rida

Sheikh Mu¦ammed Jawād FadlAllāh

Translator

8) Maqtal al-μusain Abd al-Razzāq al-Muqarram

Translator

9) Canon: A Glimpse at the Islamic Law

Sayyid Mu¦ammed al-Shīrāzi

Translator

10) The Pathway to an Islamic Revival

Sayyid Mu¦ammed al-Shīrāzi

Translator

11) The Holy Qur’ān Translated by A. Yousuf Ali

Editor

12) Socio-Economic Justice with Particular Reference to Nahjul-Balāgha

Dr. S.M. Waseem Editor

13) A Biography of Leaders of Islam

Sayyid Ali Naqi Naqvi, English translation by Dr. Sayyid Nazir Hassan Zaidi

Editor

Page 46: Books and Publications by Yasin Al-Jibouri

88

14) Al-Islam Risalatuna (4 Volumes)

A Lebanese curriculum committee

Translator

15) Best Month, Best Night A Lebanese professor Translator 16) The Book of Istikhāra A Lebanese professor Translator 17) Weapon of the Prophets

A Lebanese professor Translator

18) Miracles of the Holy Qur’ān

A Lebanese professor Translator

19) The Great Names of Allāh (AsmĀ’ Allāh al-Husna)

A Lebanese professor Translator

20) Expatriate Guide Grand Ayatollāh Sayyid Mu¦ammed-Saeed al-μakīm

Translator

21) Khums Michigan Office of Grand Ayatollāh al-Sistāni

Translator

22) Amicable Companionship

Hon. Sayyid Mahdi al-Āmīn

Translator

23) Ilahiyyāt (Vol. 1) Shaikh μassan Mu¦ammed Makki al-Āmili

Translator

24) A Biography of Mu¦ammad Bāqir a¥-¯adr

A compilation Author

25) The Form of Islamic Government and Wilāyat al-Faqeeh

Article – Anonymous author

Translator

26) About the World Political Situation From a Muslim’s Viewpoint

Essay – Anonymous author

Translator

27) Middle East Business Magazine

Middle East Media Corporation

Senior Editor

28) Ghadīr’s Khu§ba Prophet Mu¦ammed Translator 29) Tragedy of al-Zahrā’: Doubts cast and rebuttals

Ayatollāh `Allāma Sayyid Ja`far Murta¤a al-`Āmili

Translator

This brings the total number of works which al-Jibouri has so far written, edited or translated to 52 (23 + 29), not counting the number of volumes within one and the same group, and work goes on to add more to the list. This list excludes a number of political bulletins,

Page 47: Books and Publications by Yasin Al-Jibouri

89

newsletters and other publications which al-Jibouri opts not to mention at the present time. It must be pointed out that, with the exception of editing the Middle East Business Magazine as a full-time employee of Middle East Media Corporation in McLean, Virginia, all these works were done during al-Jibouri’s leisure time. While editing Islamic Affairs, al-Jibouri was also studying for his higher university degree and working in order to support himself, pay for his living expenses as well as high tuition fees. It was a real struggle for him.