Foreword
It is with great pleasure that we present Guidelines for Islamic Workers to the Muslims of North America. This is an English translation of a speech originally delivered in Urdu by Abul A’la Maududi, the great Islamic scholar of the 20th century, at the concluding session of the Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan Convention, held in Karachi in 1953.
Although the instructions and advice of Sayyid Maududi were intended for the workers of Jamaat-e-Islami, they remain equally valuable for Muslims in general. Moreover, these precepts hold special significance and importance for all those who are committed to the Iqamat al-Din (establishment of the Islamic way of life).
This book is especially important for the workers of the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA), given that their struggle for the Iqamat al-Din is solely for the pleasure of Allah.
For a Muslim — and especially for an Islamic worker — strong attachment to Allah and awareness of the Hereafter are the fundamental motivating forces for carrying on the Islamic struggle with firm determination. Guidelines for Islamic Workers will help in developing a clear understanding of the true meaning of attachment to Allah and the importance of the Hereafter.
Furthermore, it provides guidance on how to increase and measure this attachment, and how to cultivate a deeper concern for the Hereafter.
This book, along with other important advice, also includes special guidance for women workers of the Islamic movement.
In conclusion, I would like to emphasize that this book is not merely intended to enhance one’s Islamic knowledge — it offers practical guidance. Knowledge is not fruitful unless it is translated into action.
We hope and pray to Allah that the readers absorb its message in the true Islamic spirit.
Zaheer Uddin
Nāzim
Islamic Circle of North America
Montreal
28 Sha‘ban 1403 A.H.
10 June 1983 C.E.
