Islamic scholars divide ilm (science, knowledge) into two: Fard ayn sciences and fard kifaya sciences...

Fard ayn sciences are those that are obligatory for every Muslim, whether male or female; ILM-AL-HAL (catechism) knowledge.

The fact that the knowledge of ilm-al-hal (catechism) is obligatory for every Muslim, man or woman, is certain based on the following words of the Messenger of Allah:

“Seeking knowledge is an obligation on every Muslim, whether male or female.”

There are many sciences beyond that; they are sciences that need to be learned by people who want to be specialized.

Since ILM-AL-HAL (catechism) knowledge was considered to be of primary importance, our scholars prepared valuable fiqh (Islamic law) books about it. However, almost none of them gave importance to the reasons and sufistic aspects of the Islamic decrees.  However, plain and dry fiqh knowledge is like a burden. In order to carry that burden, the inner world of today’s reader must be strengthened by understanding the reason of the question; the reader should read the sufistic aspects of the question so that his eagerness and enthusiasm would increase, so that he would find the desire and enthusiasm in himself to carry that burden of responsibility and so that he would feel the necessity to fulfill the duties he learned while reading the catechism.

MEHMET DİKMEN, who had been working for a long time to bring about a new kind of work like that, concluded his work; God Almighty enabled him to prepare a catechism that we were expecting. Now, we are happy to present you with the catechism we were dreaming about. Therefore, we are happy and peaceful.

You will see when you examine it that there are not only religious decrees and responsibilities arranged in order but also the reasons, worldly benefits and social aspects of those decrees and responsibilities; the opinions and wits of today’s scholars and thinkers regarding the issue were also reported, and the catechism questions were confirmed and explained rationally and logically.

We hope that the “ISLAMIC CATECHISM”, which has a different quality due to the sufistic events and exemplary wits it contains, the rational and logical defenses of eastern and western thinkers and the plainness in its style, will meet the religious needs of every Muslim, whether male or female; we also hope that it will serve people in a wide area as a valuable book that Muslims will read eagerly and by drawing lessons. 

Ahmed Şahin

May 1983, Bahçelievler