The Beginning of Guidance for Muslim Women

The Beginning of Guidance (Bidayat al-Hidayat) is one of the last books written by the great 12th century Persian scholar, Imam al-Ghazali. It is intended to be a guidebook for structuring daily activities and rectifying the state of your heart as you strive to be a worshipful servant of God. The book covers three sections: acts of worship, avoiding misconduct and advice on keeping company with others. It begins with the intentions of seeking knowledge, the etiquettes of waking in the morning, the basics of ritual purification, prayer, the etiquettes of the mosque and congregational worship, preparing for sleep and fasting. Advice is given on the illnesses of the heart and how to purify oneself of them, and on the etiquettes of choosing friends, mixing with people and social life in general. This book is often the first classical text that new Muslims, students of sacred knowledge and older children study. It is taught in English using the translation published by Whitethread Press. The meanings of Imam al-Ghazali’s words are enriched with a close reading of the classical commentary, Maraqi al-’Ubudiyyah by Shaykh Muhammad Nawawi al-Jawi. MISK Women has a fascinating new podcast called Women on the Straight Path, in which the lives and legacies of a wide range of women from our sacred Islamic history are studied and discussed in light of contemporary times. Please join us on https://women-on-the-straight-path.captivate.fm We also present a podcast for Muslim women in which the origins and genealogies of the ideas and concepts of our modern times are traced and discussed from a traditional Islamic perspective which helps us understand the contemporary context in which we live. Please join us there on the following link: https://left-or-right-the-straight-path-please.captivate.fm Please subscribe to all three podcasts from your preferred podcast distribution platform. Links are provided on the website for each show. Jazakum Allahu khairan If you wish to contact us for questions, comments, discussion or anything else, please find us on the following: Instagram: @miskwomen Email:miskwomen@gmail.com Facebook: Our private, women only group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/miskwomenhalaqa Telegram: Please contact for the private group link.