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…
Indian Triple Talaq Bill
People have called and written to me to report that Muslims in India are very angry and, at the same time, very anxious, that the so-called “triple talaq” bill has been passed by both houses of the parliament, and the President has given assent to it.
The Standing on the Plain of Arafah
Translated by Dr. Abu ZaydStanding in ʿArafah is ṣalāh just as ṭawāf is ṣalāh, for Ḥajj combines all forms of ṣalāh together.Ṣalāh essentially signifies entry into the presence of God. When an ordinary person comes before a powerful king into his majesty’s...
The True Meaning of Ḥasan
They asked: Can you clarify for us the meaning of ḥasan ḥadīth? I replied: Experts of ḥadīth also have three usages of this term. They asked: What are they? I replied: The term ḥasan-ṣaḥīḥ is used for a report whose source is known…
The True Meaning of Ṣaḥīḥ
They asked: What is the true meaning of the ṣaḥīḥ (sound) ḥadīth? I replied: Experts of this discipline have used it for a variety of meanings, all of which have in common the reliability or verification of a report’s attribution to its source.
From the Sirah of the Prophet ﷺ – The Messenger as a Teacher
قالوا: حدِّثنا عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم معلِّما. قلت: قد حالفكم التوفيق في سؤالكم هذا نامًّا عن صفاء طبائعكم وطهارة سرائركم، فما أجهل الناس به صلى الله عليه وسلم معلِّمًا! تدنى مستواهم وهبط هبوطا، وفسد عقلهم واختل تفكيرهم أيما اختلال
The Length and Number of Units of Prayer
They asked: What are the obligatory and sunnah prayers (ṣalāh), and what is the number of their units (rakʿahs)? I replied: I have mentioned to you in a previous article that our prayers are scheduled…
Tarawīḥ Prayer is not Obligatory
They said: Some people before us have condemned in very severe terms those who don’t perform the Tarawīḥ prayer. I replied: This condemnation is extremism in the religion of God and strictness where it doesn’t belong…