Ascent To Felicity

Written by the eminent 11th century Hanafi scholar, Abul-Ikhlas al-Shurunbulali, Ascent to Felicity is a concise yet comprehensive primer in creed and jurisprudence. It spans all five pillars of Islam, as well as the topics of slaughtering, ritual sacrifice, and hunting. To supplement the text, the translator has added key explanatory notes taken from several reliable works on theology and jurisprudence. He has also added appendices that comprise numerous supplications related to the five pillars, presented in Arabic script along with English transliteration, as well as the etiquette of visiting the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) in Madina Munawwara.

An admirable rendering into lucid, fluid English of Imam Hasan al-Shurunbulali primer of Hanafi law, Ascent to Felicity. This concise but thorough work focuses on the five acts of worship. The book has the added feature of a fairly detailed presentation of the basics of the Muslim Creed. In translating this introductory section of Imam Shurunbulalis treatise, Khans skill as a translator is on full display, as he has made sometimes involved theological concepts easily accessible to the average English reader. Khan has provided an additional service to both Shurunbulalis work and to contemporary Muslims by augmenting the translation with insightful and extremely useful explanatory notes. The value of this work, skilfully produced by White Thread Press, goes far beyond its benefit to adherents of the Hanafi legal school. Rather, it will prove of benefit to Muslims in general as well as researchers interested in latter-day presentations of the creed and practice of Sunni Muslims.

” Imam Zaid Shakir Co-Founder and Resident Scholar, Zaytuna College