Four Basic Quranic Terms

by Syed Abul-Ala Maududi

• Preface

• Introduction

  • Four Basic Terms

  • Importance

  • Why the Misapprehensions

  • The Consequences
     

• Chapter 1: ILAH

  • Dictionary Meanings

  • The Pre-Islamic Concept

  • The Criterion for Godhood

  • The Qur'anic Approach
     

• Chapter 2: RABB

  • The General Meanings

  • Qur'anic Uses of the Word

  • False Notions about Rububiyyah

  • Hazrat Nuh's People

  • The 'Aad People

  • The Thamud

  • The People of Hazrat Ibrahim and Namrud

  • Lot's People

  • Shu'aib's People

  • The Pharaoh and his People

  • The Jews and Christians

  • The Meccan Pagans

  • The Message of the Qur'an
     

• Chapter. 3: IBADAH

  • The Qur'anic Use of the Term
     

• Chapter 4 : DEEN

  • Usage and Meaning

  • First and Second Sense

  • The Third Sense

  • The Fourth Sense

  • As a Comprehensive Term
    

Islamic Publications (Pvt.) Limited 
13-E, Shahalam Market, Lahore (Pakistan)
(All Rights Reserved)

Copyright by: 
ISLAMIC PUBLICATIONS (PVT) LIMITED LAHORE

1st Edition March, 1979
2nd Edition November, 1982
3rd Edition January, 1993
4th Edition April 1996
Published by Rana Allah Dad Khan. Managing Director 
Islamic Publications (Pvt.) Limited, 
13-E Shahalam Market. Lahore (Pakistan)

Printed by Zahid Bashr Printer,

Preface

Those of us who have been familiar with Maulana Maududi's writings from the beginning are aware that,  at the start, he confined himself mainly to the fundamentals, trying to scrub away the centuries old crusts which had dimmed the true Islamic concepts and to remove the misunderstandings that had spread gradually regarding the basic principles and purpose of Islam. His book, Qur'an Ki Char Bunyadi Istilahen, which originally appeared in his monthly Urdu magazine, Tarjuman-ul-Qur'an, was one such effort, the intention being to remove the misunderstandings which had come to prevail widely concerning four basic Qur'anic terms, Ilah, Rabb, Deen and 'Ibadah, and to bring out their true connotations by reference direct to the Qur'an itself.

Although it took us some time to get round to the job, we on our part were able to start bringing out an English translation of the book in the Academy's monthly journal, The Criterion. We are glad that it has since been possible for us to bring out the whole translation in book form, after an extensive revision which we hope would have helped in improving the sense and making it clearer.

I feel sure that this book will help all those who wish to acquaint themselves with Qur'anic teachings as to the sense in which Muslims should regard Allah Almighty as the Ilah and the Rabb, His Deen as the way of life meant by Him for man, and 'Ibadah as the primary purpose of His creation of man.

Brother Abu Asad, a research fellow in the Academy has done a nice job-and quite painstaking too in rendering the book into English. May Allah accept and reward his efforts.

A.H. Syed Manawar Hasan
C.E. Secretary General
Islamic Research Academy
Karachi