An English translation of Fath-i Islam by the learned writer
and translator Mirza Masum Beg was published privately from Rawalpindi,
Pakistan, in 1969 under the title Predominance of Islam.
In producing this new translation we have found the earlier work
to be of invaluable help.
In this translation we have tried to be as close and faithful
to the original as possible, while also adhering to the important
requirement of using simple, clear and modern English idiom.
In a few places where additional words were required in the translation
to make clear the meaning of the original, these have been given
within square brackets, thus: [...]. In some cases it was
necessary to show the words of the original text as well as their
translation, and here we have used parentheses, thus: (...),
in this way that either the original text is within parentheses
or the translation is within parentheses, as best in a particular
case.
Sub-headings have been inserted in this translation for the facility
of the reader. These are not in the original Urdu book.
The five footnotes by the author (three of these being of a considerable
length) have been placed together in a separate section for the
convenience of the reader.
While the responsibility of this translation is mine, I have been
assisted in this work by young Sarah Ahmad of Lahore, Pakistan,
and her sister Dr. Zainib Ahmad.
Zahid Aziz, Dr.
March 2000.