In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful
The state of Qatar has opened its gates to other cultures and civilisations while maintaining its local identity. FANAR, the Qatar Islamic Cultural Centre is one of the most important landmarks, with its great design along with a spiral minaret that reflects light and guidance for the whole of mankind. The very source of the culture of Qatar stems from the doctrines and cultures of Islam, and with this book we aim to provide you with a basic guide to the creed of not only this country, but also one fifth of the world’s population. We have written this aimed at the modern day thinker, pondering about the very nature of the meaning of life and trying to clear some of the many misconceptions of today. We also hope to build bridges between the many communities both within Qatar and globally. By giving you this book we hope that this acts as a small gesture and will inspire you to visit our iconic centre. Ahlan Wa Sahlan We would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who strove to produce the series on Understanding Islam in the forms of posters, brochures and books. The team of writers, proof readers, designers and builders all strove with one ultimate aim, to seek the pleasure of their Lord.
Mohammed Ali Al-Ghamdi Director General