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.
The Month of Ramadan
Translated by Dr. Abu Zayd They asked: What is the meaning of the month of Ramadan? I replied: It is a month of blessings, abundance, happiness, and beauty. In it, the Qurʾān was revealed as guidance for humanity, guidance that is self-evident and clear....
Tafsir Series
[Surah Al-Anbiya | Surah al-Hajj | Surah al-Muminun | Surah al-Nur] In this year-long course with Shaykh Akram Nadwi, four important chapters (surahs) of the Quran will be studied with theological, legal and spiritual emphases.
Orientalists and Hadith
Textual and stylistic criticism that developed in the study of ancient texts, were extended to religious texts from the late eighteenth century onwards. The criticism would demonstrate layers of editing and other interventions in those religious texts.
The Origin of a Successful Marriage:
Of course, in the contemporary western world, culturally speaking, marriage has become established as a particularly personal, private preference. It is viewed as a sort of self-expression or self-fulfilment and, some degree of romantic association…
Reflections on Surah al-Jinn
When someone behaves in a way that shows that they are not in control of their will, that they cannot sense what is harmful or dangerous to themselves, the Arabic word used will probably be majnun. Literally, the word means jinn-possessed.
The Crisis facing Madrasah
Madrasahs, like Nadwa, Deoband, Islah and others, which have been active in service of the Muslim community for the best part of 150 years, now face a hard choice. They are under pressure to shift from the objectives for which they were originally…