Book Review: An Essay on Islam
Book reviewed by Maulana Muhammad Ali
The Light (Pakistan), 1st August 1922 Issue (Vol. 1, No. 16, p. 4)
Is the title of a book of over two hundred pages by M. Venkata Ratnam B.A., retired Educational Officer, Madras, and ex-Principal of the Government College at Rajmundry.
Islam and its Holy Prophet [pbuh] have had their tribute of praise from many non-Muslim writers, but a novel feature of the present volume, whose author professes the Christian religion, is the study of comparative religion which it affords to the reader.
Part I of the book deals with the study of religion in general, and, showing the need of religion for man, deals briefly with the anti-theistic theories.
Part II deals with the four most important religions of the world: Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity and Islam, and shows that the last, and which is also the latest, is the only religion that is adapted to satisfy the religious craving of humanity.
With true moral courage the Christian author of this book gives expression to the following conclusion to which he has come after a careful study of all the important religions of the world:
“Islam is the most natural and reasonable religion of all, and is most acceptable to all thinking men.”
He deals at the end with some of the more important objections which Christians usually put forth against Islam. He has dealt with his subject very lucidly and ably, and every seeker-after-truth, to whatever religion he may belong, would find the little volume very helpful in a comparative study of religion.
I strongly recommend it to the attention of young Muslim students in particular.
The book is cloth-bound and the printing and get-up are good.
The book may be had at Rs. [Rupees] 2 from the:
Ahmadiyya Anjuman Ishaat-i-Islam
16 and 17 Second Line Beach
Madras
Muhammad Ali