Bidayat as-sul fi Tafdil ar-Rasul (The Beginning of the Quest for the High Esteem of the Messenger) is a concise work summarising succinctly forty distinctive virtues and characteristics of the Messenger of Allâh (Allah bless him and give him peace)

Translated by Aisha Bewley.

The Author Imam 'Izz ibn 'Abd al-Salam, nicknamed the Sultan of Scholars, produced a number of brilliant works in Shafi'i jurisprudence, Qur’anic exegesis, methodological fundamentals of Sacred Law, formal legal opinion, government, and Sufism, and a masterpiece on Islamic legal principles, Qawa'id al-ahkam fi masalih al-anam [The Bases of Legal Rulings in the Interests of Mankind].

This book presents a thematic treatment of Islamic civilisation. Each of the fourteen chapters comprising this book treats at least one of the major themes that are characteristic of this youngest religiously-based civilisation of the world. The author’s thematic approach is primarily meant to promote a better appreciation of the living nature of Islamic civilisation. The book’s content provides ample evidence that Islamic civilisation is not merely a passing historical phenomenon. The various themes it discusses clearly demonstrate the continuing relevance of Islamic civilisation to the present and future humanity.