London-based Ta-Ha Publishers Ltd. (Ta-Ha) has all the reasons in the world to be proud. Coming a long way since 1980, this independent publishing house is celebrating its 25th anniversary in March.

Ta-Ha has been responsible for over 250 publications, many of which are currently in print and distributed worldwide. “It has always been and continues to be our aim to assist in making the teachings of Islam more readily available and accessible for everyone,” writes Ta-Ha in its website, www.taha.com.uk. As a matter of fact, amongst its forthcoming releases include a book entitled A Muslim Girl’s Guide to Life’s Big Changes by Rayhana Khan – with a cover reminiscent of another bestseller by Helen ‘Bridget Jones’ Fielding. How chic! Manging director Afsar Siddiqui explains.

How did your Islamic publishing business start?

As recently as the late 1970s, there were neither independent Islamic book publishing houses nor any specialist Islamic bookstores in the UK. It was difficult to access good quality Islamic literature in English especially for children. It was for these reasons that, in 1980, I decided to establish the first independent Islamic publishing house in the UK for the publication and distribution of Islamic literature and particularly books.

Initially, in the absence of Islamic bookstores, there were sold by retailers in stalls outside mosques particularly after the Friday prayers.

What is the story behind the name of your publishing house?

I had read that Umar ibn al-Khattab (ra), the Second Caliph, accepted Islam while hearing Surah Ta-Ha being recited. I was inspired therefore, to call this publishing house, Ta-Ha Publishers.

What sort of books do you publish?

Our publications cover a range of Islamic subjects – from recent translations into the English language or earlier classical works by scholars to more recent works by contemporary authors. These include a variety of topics such as the Quran, hadith, Islamic law and self-development. We also have a number of books highlighting the honourable status that Islam has accorded to women.

Which of these are your best-selling titles?

There have been a number of best-sellers through the years, but a few of these have stood the test of time and been consistently popular over the past two decades such as Dajjal: The Antichrist by Ahmad Thomson and Shariah: The Islamic Law by Prof. Abdur Rahman Doi. Books offering practical advice from the Quran and sunnah are always popular such as The Muslim Woman’s Handbook by Huda Khattab and A Guide to Salah by M.A.K. Saqib. We also introduced Harun Yahya’s series of books to the English-speaking market in 1998. the first of these books, Perished Nations, is now in its fifth edition.

How do you make cerebral Islamic books appealing to youngsters?

Children’s books form a large part of our range with over 60 titles. We believe that children’s books should be of the highest quality, both in terms of the text and the artwork, as our youngest customers are often the most discerning! Our editors are native speakers of English and have been through the English education system as well as having a sound religious education. This ensures that the text is both Islamically correct and relevant to the youth of today. it is one of our aims to instill a love of reading and Islamic books in our young Muslim children so that they will continue in their quest for knowledge throughout their lives.

What do you look for when choosing a new publication?

We always welcome submissions from new and established authors. Our editors look for a sound Islamic subject matter with references to the Quran and sunnah; preferably a subject that has not been previously covered or a subject that has been presented in a novel way.

Has the demand for books increased or decreased over the years?

Alhamdulillah, the number of retail outlets selling Islamic products in the UK has increased dramatically. There are now over 500 bookshops in this country alone – in stark contrast to the situation when Ta-Ha was established. The accessibility of products and people’s growing awareness of Islam has meant that the demand for books, especially those of a good quality, is increasing.

What are your plans for the future?

My daughter, Dr. Abia Afsar-Siddiqui, has recently joined me with the aim of building on the foundations that I have laid over the past 25 years. Insha Allah, we hope to continue in our aim to provide not only books from which Muslims of all ages can learn about Islam and how to put faith into practice, but also historical works from which Muslims can be inspired by our rich history and numerous achievements.

About 15 years ago, I also founded the Islamic Publishers Association (IPA) with the aim of representing Islamic publishers, booksellers and authors from all over the world. Alhamdulillah, we received a very strong response and a large number of organisations, including publishers in Malaysia, became members of the IPA.

**This article was first published in The Halal Journal Mar/Apr 2005 edition.