The meaning of ‘inshallah’, ‘mashallah’ and ‘bidhnillah’
Translated by Dr Imran NavedThey asked: What is the meaning of ‘inshallah’?I replied: Is there any Muslim who is unaware of the meaning of this word which is so frequently used in our lives?They said: Its usage is so varied among people that its meaning...
The Classical persistent western attitude to the natural world
1- The natural world is world as given. This world includes the human being before it is influenced by other human beings. In other words, the natural world includes the human being as an animal, not as an human. 2- This distinction between animal and human echoes...
The Qur’an should not be valued as merely a sacred object
1. The Qur’an as Self-Consistent and Coherent Guidance (1) Allah says in the Qur’an about the Qur’an, that it is a self-consistent, coherent message from the Creator to the most favoured among His creatures. He also says of it that it is the final revelation of His...
Eulogy on Moulana Farahi
Written by Allamah Syed Suleman Nadwi Translated from Arabic into English by Syed Huzaifah Ali Nadwi This world is an astounding place. And perhaps the most startling occurrence is when what one fears most transpires - the unimaginable. We submitted this treatise...
Desire is desire, not will
Translated by Hala Akram and Aisha Akram During this lockdown period, you are confined to your homes. Madrasahs are not yet open. You wish to continue your studies at home, engage in regular activities, and make the most of your time. You set aside time to read...
Prayer in the mosques during the easing of the lockdown
The covid-19 pandemic has caused massive disruptions in the lives of millions of people all over the world. There is, first of all, the personal suffering of those who have had to cope with the loss of members of family and other loved ones –– the officially recorded death toll…
Shaytan’s Tricks
Most people most of the time do not intend to do bad things (crimes and sins, like lying, stealing, defrauding, raping, killing, backbiting, etc.). Most people most of the time intend to do good things (or ‘neutral’ things, things whose good or bad value is not known). The Shaytan would be wasting much of his energy…
Mixed classes for men and women
Some people from India, where I used to teach, have put to me the following question: Why now do you teach classes in which men and women students share the same space? [By ‘the same space’ is meant a space without any sort of physical partition.] Since the question addresses my own practice, I am obliged to answer for myself.