Reviewers' Comments

“Rarely does an Islamic book arrest the attention of the non-scholarly
fraternity of South Africa in such a manner as did Khalid Baig’s First Things
First. Within a few days, our entire stocks were depleted by not only
enthusiastic readers, but readers who purchased additional copies to distribute
to others in order to share their enlightening and thought-provoking experience.

"Baig has skillfully presented the timeless teachings of Islam to a western
audience - Muslim as well as non-Muslim, - in a way that appeals to a mindset
used to receiving information in a non-debating, non-sermonizing and
non-academic style. The overall effect of this is that practicing Islam in a
western society becomes meaningful, one is not overawed by the glamour of
modernization which Baig manages to deconstruct and expose its hypocritical
side, and one’s desire to practice Islam in seemingly difficult situations
becomes non-intimidating.

"Personally, Baig has more than anything else, restored the confidence of the
ummah in Islam. He questions stereotypes and idiosyncrasies, removes the
blinkers from our eyes using simple logic and compels the reader to ponder the
situation in a way that is difficult to ignore. Above all, his articles are in
digestible bits and one is left energized and wonderstruck after reading any
article. I pray that Allah Ta‘ala accepts this work. It should be introduced as
extracurricular reading for students attending universities, Muslim schools and
madrasahs.” Maulana ‘Abbas ‘Ali Jeena, President, Council of Muslim
Theologians (Jamiatul ‘Ulama)

"Our age has greater access than ever before to information, ideas and
opinions. The Internet allows for dissemination more than ever before, but
paradoxically much less information is assimilated. People seem to have much
shorter attention spans and seem to avoid anything except brief “sound-bites.”
This collection finds a very happy medium between scholarly work and shallow
quick phrases. There is sufficient information to allow an understanding of some
depth and to point to aspects which could encourage further research.

"Islam is often the focus of detailed questioning by many people. Some people
do examine Islam and Muslims to find flaws or to reinforce their prejudices, but
many more examine it to seek knowledge. This collection encapsulates a broad
range of topics. The reader can learn about Islam and its fundamentals as well
as considering more contentious issues. It does not aim at controversy, but
provides information about issues that require information and answers. There
are essays on many current topics. The few mentioned here give an idea:

• “Women's Rights. An Islamic Declaration”

• “The Crusade against Hijab: Then and Now”

• “On Extremism”

"But the essays do not deal only with current and political issues. The book
strongly stresses moral foundations and the importance of living lives according
to Islamic teachings. And we should always see what good we can do:

"Helping a destitute person with a small amount of money or just some kind
words, greeting a stranger, visiting the sick, joining in the funeral, consoling
someone going through difficulty, removing something harmful from the path,
making a quiet prayer for someone in need of help, forgiving a person who has
hurt us - none of these will make headlines but all of them can bring about a
major change in our lives."

"I strongly urge you to read the book. It is designed in a way that allows it
to be read in short snatches. Consider the arguments and where possible, put
these ideas into practice,

"May Allâh Ta’âla bless the writer, the reader and all those who contributed
in making this valuable book and information available. May He include all of us
among His sincere and pious servants." Moulana Shabbir Ahmed Saloojee,
Principal of Darul Uloom Zakariyya, Johannesburg

“Khalid Baig has been contributing the column ‘First Things First’ in
Impact International for several years now. This column has covered a wide
spectrum of Islamic topics of contemporary relevance, ranging from Islamic
beliefs and practices to issues of Islam and politics, culture, media, tradition
and modernity, and international affairs. Like many of his admirers, I always
look forward to reading his column, which is arguably the most eagerly awaited
and most widely read part of Impact.

“The present volume is a collection of his columns written against the
backdrop of major issues that confront Muslims today in their individual lives
and Islamic societies in their quest for identity and authenticity. Throughout,
he is unequivocally committed to the integrity of pristine Islamic teachings.
His guides in his intellectual journey to find answers for the problems facing
Muslims today are the Qur’an, the Sunnah of the Prophet, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa
sallam, and the consensus of the community of Islamic scholars. His real genius
lies in distilling Islamic scriptural and scholarly sources into concise,
trenchant ruminations on Islam and the contemporary situation of Muslims. With
clarity, elegance, and often with quick and ready wit, Khalid Baig brilliantly
articulates Islamic perspectives, clears up the confusions created by extraneous
influences, and challenges his readers to wake up to their responsibilities as
Muslims.

“Khalid Baig has a rare and rich gift for both precision and thoroughness: in
two to three pages, he manages to say more than most writers would in several
dozen pages. His nonpolemical style, calm and measured tone, careful and
balanced opinions, and insightful comments are sure to make this book an
engaging and immensely rewarding reading experience. It deserves to be widely
circulated and read by both Muslims and non-Muslims alike.” - Mumtaz Ahmad,
Ph.D Professor of Political Science - Hampton University - Hampton, VA

“Although the FTF’s primary readership is naturally Muslim, its message is
universal and inclusive. FTF encourages readers to think straight and to think
for themselves.

"FTF is the most popular and must-read feature article of Impact. The reward
is Khalid Baig’s though the gift is there to be shared by everyone.” -
Muhammad Hashir Faruqi Editor, Impact International - London, England

About the Author

An engineer by profession, Khalid Baig has been writing on Islam and
current affairs since 1986. He is editor of Albalagh E-Journal as well as a
regular contributor to Impact International.