The Practical Guidebook of Essential Islamic Sciences

The Practical Guidebook of Essential Islamic Sciences is a commentary on the Al-Murshid al-Mu‘in by Shaykh ‘Abd al-Wahid (d. 1040 AH / 1631 CE), a poem that summarises the Deen of Islam as outlined in the hadith of Jibril on Islam, Iman and Ihsan in 317 verses. Its meaning is The Helpful Guide to the Necessary Sciences of the Deen. This poem is memorised and studied in Morocco, where the author lived, and throughout North and West Africa. It is considered the first book to be studied on Islamic teaching in the Madrasas (Qur’anic Schools) after, or along with, the memorisation of the Noble Qur’an. The Practical Guidebook of Essential Islamic Sciences is refined and distilled from Shaykh Ali Laraki’s teaching of the justly famed Al-Murshid al-Mu‘in of ‘Abd al-Wahid ibn ‘Ashir to students, young and old, while Imam and Lecturer of communities in Madrid (Spain), Norwich (UK), Newark (US) and Cape Town (South Africa). It is a fundamental book about Ash’ari belief, Maliki jurisprudence and Junaidi Sufism. It consists of everything a believer needs to know to acquire the basic knowledge of the Deen.