Our Legends:

Publisher: Kube Publishing in association with Miftaah Institute, 2021, 62pp. ISBN: 9781847741547.

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The Qur’anic paradigm incorporates the pedagogy of storytelling to achieve its aims. Stories console hearts, strengthen faith, inform and prompt deep reflection. Significantly, people are expected to heed their messages. This is the underlining message of this valuable book, originally written as short summaries for students and later developed by Mustafa Rasheed into short video stories and web articles. At the behest of friends, Mufti Abdul Wahab then converted them into book- form for wider bene t to shed light on thirteen male luminary Muslim scholars who have significantly influenced Muslim life and thought. In presenting these short life sketches, the pious intention is to make Muslims amongst the chosen servants of Allah who can affect spiritual and social changes. Female pioneers will be addressed in the future. The endnotes supply extensive references and Arabic texts supplement the stories, adding to its authentic appeal.

The book begins with the uplifting life of [Umar ibn Abd al-[Aziz (63–682/ 101–720). Interestingly, the fusion of spiritual and political matters that he addressed and of reforming racism, tribalism, and nepotism, which had become widespread at that time, will strike a chord with many.