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Being Muslim: A Practical Guide
"Being Muslim: A Practical Guide" is a new book written to help people learn how to live and practice the faith of Islam-to learn what Muslims believe, how to pray and fast, and how to perform the Islamic devotions appropriately. This book is not meant to expound on abstract theoretical aspects of Islam, but to give readers practical and useful knowledge that can help them understand what it means to be Muslim. It highlights how we can, on a daily basis, develop a healthy relationship with God, through both devotions and in ordinary daily life.
370 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2015
196 people are currently reading
844 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
January 8, 2018
As a Christian, I found this book incredibly helpful in gaining a better understanding of Islam, what it is, and what it is not. I really enjoyed learning about Islam from a Muslim perspective and found the explanations to be very clear and understandable despite my limited knowledge.
Assuming others with more knowledge than I have verified the accuracy of what this book says in regard to Islam, I would not hesitate to recommend this book to someone who knows little but wants to learn more about Islam.
Assuming others with more knowledge than I have verified the accuracy of what this book says in regard to Islam, I would not hesitate to recommend this book to someone who knows little but wants to learn more about Islam.
June 4, 2020
I converted a while back. I live near almost no Muslims so I had to reach myself everything. I was confused, misguided, and running around like a chicken with its head cut off; until I found this book. Alhamdulillah, it taught me everything I know now—I don’t go a day where I don’t recommend this to another convert. This book changed my life for the better and has EVERYTHING you need to get you started and up to a good level of knowledge.
May 18, 2020
The best beginner guide for a new convert or a newly practicing Muslim that I have ever come across. It covers the different aspects of the religion that one would necessarily need in there day to day life in sufficient detail w/o overburdening the reader with too much information, though it does get a bit too wordy at times. The author ends by recommending books that build up on the topics discussed in the books. Despite having studied intermediate level classical texts, I personally found this book of much benefit.
September 25, 2024
Extremely well written!
August 1, 2022
"It has been said that Islam itself is like a clean and pure stream of water. It runs over bright rocks of different colors--the cultures of the Muslims. The purity of the water allows the color to still be seen. It is not opaque; it does not prevent or obstruct the expression of the culture. Instead, it refines and enhances it."
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Mashaa Allah! This book is extremely well written. The author explains Islamic concepts in a clear and precise manner that is easy to grasp. He even provides diagrams for further elaboration. This book breaks down into different chapters such as The Six Pillars, Spiritual Refinement, Prophet Muhammad s.a.w, The Qur'an, Islamic Holy Days & A Muslim's Lifestyle etc. Hence, I took my time to savour each chapter to internalise and practise what I've learned.
This book was written as a guide for reverts and beginner Muslims. However, I strongly feel that some chapters that touch on fatwa/shariah law may create confusion, as the book explains these topics on a broader scale. Hence to avoid any doubt, it is better for reverts/beginner Muslims to learn fatwas from their own school of thought (preferably from a certified teacher) before reading about them.
If you're thinking of giving this book to a revert or a beginner Muslim, ensure that you have read it to help bookmark chapters that are suitable for them to read on their own, like Aqidah & Sirah. Ultimately, be patient and be open to answering questions and may Allah reward us for our efforts, Amin!
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Mashaa Allah! This book is extremely well written. The author explains Islamic concepts in a clear and precise manner that is easy to grasp. He even provides diagrams for further elaboration. This book breaks down into different chapters such as The Six Pillars, Spiritual Refinement, Prophet Muhammad s.a.w, The Qur'an, Islamic Holy Days & A Muslim's Lifestyle etc. Hence, I took my time to savour each chapter to internalise and practise what I've learned.
This book was written as a guide for reverts and beginner Muslims. However, I strongly feel that some chapters that touch on fatwa/shariah law may create confusion, as the book explains these topics on a broader scale. Hence to avoid any doubt, it is better for reverts/beginner Muslims to learn fatwas from their own school of thought (preferably from a certified teacher) before reading about them.
If you're thinking of giving this book to a revert or a beginner Muslim, ensure that you have read it to help bookmark chapters that are suitable for them to read on their own, like Aqidah & Sirah. Ultimately, be patient and be open to answering questions and may Allah reward us for our efforts, Amin!
September 13, 2016
A must-have reference book for everyone. Dr Tarsin has laid down the essential daily practices of a Muslim in details as well as providing a wholistic introduction to where to go after that, lifestyle, social conduct, spiritual refinement to name a few. The book is also an easy read and well structured so one could easily consults it, group read it, and/or give it to young Muslim as a guide.
May 26, 2018
I loved this book! It breaks down the basic tenants and ideas of the Muslim faith for people either new to Islam, those refinding their beliefs, or for those who are curious about what Islam really believes. It is set up in a good way so the information is easily understood.
September 13, 2021
Intriguing.
December 6, 2022
All I needed.
It was all I need for this new beginning of my life. Thank you so much, dr. Asad Tarsin. Thanks to all the contributors of the edition of this work. May Allah bless you all.
It was all I need for this new beginning of my life. Thank you so much, dr. Asad Tarsin. Thanks to all the contributors of the edition of this work. May Allah bless you all.
August 17, 2024
Does what it says on the tin!
October 6, 2025
Reposting my previous review until I add new comments:
Exploring a system of faith—frankly even just thinking about it—no matter whether one is a novice, everyday member, or accustomed expert, is EXTREMELY overwhelming. Especially for those newer to a religion, or perhaps those revisiting after some time away, it's like trying to jump into an ocean without having learned to swim. And oftentimes, whenever someone tries to engage with the existing literature, they normally end up finding information from simplified children's books or unnecessarily convoluted (by unnecessarily I mean not quite compatible with what a layman needs) and complex scholarly work—not much in between (in a comprehensive way, at least). I've been trying to find different ways to engage with Islamic literature lately as a layman and even though there are plenty of lectures and sermons online to peruse through, it's still a sea of information, and especially in the age of the internet it only gets more complicated from there. Asad Tarsin absolutely understands the difficulty in this process, and Being Muslim: A Practical Guide is genuinely such a useful and meaningful embodiment of how to respond.
The book tackles much of the procedural information that most Muslims should be aware of—how to pray, what portions of the Quran to recite during when, protocol during different Islamic holidays or rituals. But even beyond that, he personalizes the experience, meaning he gives the reader a stronger eye into what certain terms mean and how we can try to conceptualize them. There's an understanding that to get closer to religion, before delving into all of the intricacies that you'll inevitably run into, you should cultivate a sense of closeness with not just God, but different words and even what it means to be Muslim. For example, Tarsin, near the initial half of the book, points to the 3 components of Islamic character: the practices and behaviors related to the 5 pillars, one's cognitive reasoning, and their spiritual soundness. These might seem like a no-brainer to some but it did two things for me: first, it reminded me just how important reasoning and logic is to Islam, and it's realizations like those that wear away at the preconceived notions people have of religions
as being completely devoid of reason or rationale. But more importantly, it illuminated and reinforced an even greater point that Islam reinforces: you have no right to judge someone's character, let alone their Islamic character. There is a seemingly infinite amount of things that go into what makes a human a human, and conversely, a Muslim a Muslim, so when we see that another Muslim isn't necessarily practicing in the exact way we've been brought up or seen to be required, don't be so quick to judge or chastise; seeing that there's only a pixel missing from an entire photo without even acknowledging what went into literally every other pixel or part of the photo would be missing the point. This is a long-winded example of why I think this is an appreciable book to read. It's for anyone and everyone. It'll serve as a centralized source for basic prayer information, knowledge about holidays and different customs, but it also equips people to interact with the different values we forget religions have—the ones that we hold true to our hearts. I'm definitely going to be revisiting or perhaps rereading this book sometime soon, because even though I tried to annotate and read slowly, there's a whole sea of information to sift through and I've only taken one voyage.
Exploring a system of faith—frankly even just thinking about it—no matter whether one is a novice, everyday member, or accustomed expert, is EXTREMELY overwhelming. Especially for those newer to a religion, or perhaps those revisiting after some time away, it's like trying to jump into an ocean without having learned to swim. And oftentimes, whenever someone tries to engage with the existing literature, they normally end up finding information from simplified children's books or unnecessarily convoluted (by unnecessarily I mean not quite compatible with what a layman needs) and complex scholarly work—not much in between (in a comprehensive way, at least). I've been trying to find different ways to engage with Islamic literature lately as a layman and even though there are plenty of lectures and sermons online to peruse through, it's still a sea of information, and especially in the age of the internet it only gets more complicated from there. Asad Tarsin absolutely understands the difficulty in this process, and Being Muslim: A Practical Guide is genuinely such a useful and meaningful embodiment of how to respond.
The book tackles much of the procedural information that most Muslims should be aware of—how to pray, what portions of the Quran to recite during when, protocol during different Islamic holidays or rituals. But even beyond that, he personalizes the experience, meaning he gives the reader a stronger eye into what certain terms mean and how we can try to conceptualize them. There's an understanding that to get closer to religion, before delving into all of the intricacies that you'll inevitably run into, you should cultivate a sense of closeness with not just God, but different words and even what it means to be Muslim. For example, Tarsin, near the initial half of the book, points to the 3 components of Islamic character: the practices and behaviors related to the 5 pillars, one's cognitive reasoning, and their spiritual soundness. These might seem like a no-brainer to some but it did two things for me: first, it reminded me just how important reasoning and logic is to Islam, and it's realizations like those that wear away at the preconceived notions people have of religions
as being completely devoid of reason or rationale. But more importantly, it illuminated and reinforced an even greater point that Islam reinforces: you have no right to judge someone's character, let alone their Islamic character. There is a seemingly infinite amount of things that go into what makes a human a human, and conversely, a Muslim a Muslim, so when we see that another Muslim isn't necessarily practicing in the exact way we've been brought up or seen to be required, don't be so quick to judge or chastise; seeing that there's only a pixel missing from an entire photo without even acknowledging what went into literally every other pixel or part of the photo would be missing the point. This is a long-winded example of why I think this is an appreciable book to read. It's for anyone and everyone. It'll serve as a centralized source for basic prayer information, knowledge about holidays and different customs, but it also equips people to interact with the different values we forget religions have—the ones that we hold true to our hearts. I'm definitely going to be revisiting or perhaps rereading this book sometime soon, because even though I tried to annotate and read slowly, there's a whole sea of information to sift through and I've only taken one voyage.
May 2, 2023
This is the definitive go to resource for newly practicing Muslims and converts to Islam. Dr. Tarsin does a splendid job of trying to hit all the important topics one should be familiar with in order to cultivate their life long journey of practicing Islam while not oversimplifying or digressing too much into details. It's concise and acts as an amazing resource and launch pad for further study for those who wish to learn more about the different aspects of this way of life thanks to the references and further reading provided at the end.
May 11, 2016
A beautiful overview of peacefulness.
March 4, 2019
Well put together, easy-to-read overview of the faith with great resources to continue to learn.
May 27, 2020
It’s been such a wonderful guide for me. I’ve been seeking for answers to fill the gaps on my Islamic knowledge and this book has helped me a lot. It’s filled with lovely stories and information.
August 11, 2020
Was taught this book by a scholar. A really excellent guide to the basics of what Being a Muslim really means.
July 19, 2020
Beautifully outlined and well written intro to Muslim practice and belief. If you are born Muslim who wants to reconnect with your deen, a new Muslim who is trying to learn the basics, or someone who doesn't know anything about Islam but wants to know what practicing Muslims ACTUALLY believe and do- read this book. You will realize how comprehensive and well structured this deen is and so many of questions you might have had for your entire life will be answered. Most importantly, you'll be equipped with tools to start the real work of connecting with your Lord.
One thing to keep in mind- this is not a comprehensive work, but rather the starting point of your (life-long) journey.
That being said, I love this book so much that I keep several copies of this book at home on hand to give to people
Cannot recommend enough!
One thing to keep in mind- this is not a comprehensive work, but rather the starting point of your (life-long) journey.
That being said, I love this book so much that I keep several copies of this book at home on hand to give to people
Cannot recommend enough!
January 20, 2020
This is a really good book to help understand the basic principles and practice of Islam. It tends toward the poetic in places, but it does get dry in others. The section on the daily prayers is most helpful. It helps if you read either a biography of The Prophet Mohammad or a history of Uslam before reading this book.
August 26, 2021
A great book to learn about basic beliefs and practices of Muslims. This book is also an excellent guideline for those who are willing to teach and guide new Muslims. I was reading this book while taking the online course 'Introduction to Islam: What It Means to Be Muslim'. The course outline is based on this book;
https://academy.seekersguidance.org/e...
https://academy.seekersguidance.org/e...
May 1, 2024
A very well written book. Succinct and clear in its explanations. Well organised and a great structure. You can dip in and out and use as a reference as needed. Great for anyone- whether you have knowledge or not, it is a fantastic book. A big task has been undertaken by writing it and distilling information in the way they have managed to do so.
February 6, 2020
I found this book really useful. I also found it a slight tough read as it is a manual in its essence also. Nevertheless I found it useful and would recommend it to all western Muslims.. Born or revert..
July 18, 2022
I’m so thankful for my campus Imam for suggesting this book. It’s an absolute essential for reverts or born Muslims who are reorienting themselves towards the deen. It’s approachable, easy to read, and explanatory. Alhamdulilah
January 4, 2025
This book is a really easy read! It’s practical —sometimes even instructional— and makes Islam feel so much more approachable. It really does a great job of „catching people up to speed“, and I‘d recommend it to anyone interested in learning about Islam.
October 26, 2019
It's a very useful book. I think it would be very useful to those who
To know about the religion of Islam. Especially for new muslims.
To know about the religion of Islam. Especially for new muslims.
August 27, 2020
An excellent introduction to Islam, helpful for new believers as well as those just wanting to learn more about the faith. It's an essential on my bookshelf.
May 1, 2021
Great guide to the basics of the theology and practice of Sunni Islam.
December 19, 2021
Very concise and beginner-friendly book of Islam. Focusing on the practical guide on the 6 pillars of iman, 5 pillars of Islam (Maliki), and good character.
April 10, 2023
A well written book but I worry that this may be an information overload for a new Muslim. Nonetheless, it covers its topics well.
April 4, 2017
An incredible reference for people learning about Islam and for those who recently became Muslim. A friend of mine who was born Muslim said reading this book helped him renewed his faith.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews