Few Thoughts on Surah al-‘Ankabut
The surah begins with the question: {a hasiba n-nasu an…} It is not right to translate hasiba as ‘think’/‘imagine’ or ‘suppose’/‘conjecture’. The meaning here is ‘reckon’, ‘calculate’, to use reason to weigh up options in order to come to a judgment about…
Desire and Love in Marriage
I want to begin by trying to explain to you the difference between desire (hawa) and love (mahabba). Desire is something that happens to you; you are passive before it; it arises; it gets you; it seems strong and you seem weak. It is aroused by…
Reflections on Education
The importance of religion to Muslims means, an emphasis on Arabic and Qur’anic studies; and the importance of earning their livelihood, means they have instead, to learn English, which is the only medium Western learning could be studied.
Islamic Law and Water
Water is the basis of life on earth in all its forms. It is a resource as essential as light and air. The spoiling of this resource, or the restriction or abuse of access to it, at the least harms life and, in the extreme, threatens its continuance.
The Right Pathway to Studying Ḥadīth
They asked: Why is it that you vociferously denounce the manner of teaching the noble Prophetic ḥadīth in most of the religious seminaries today? I replied: Yes, as a matter of fact, I do criticise this approach quite heavily…
Silence
قالوا: أخبرنا عن الكلام والصمت أيهما أفضل؟ قلت: الصمت أفضل إلا إذا لم تجدوا مناصا من الكلام الذي فيه خير ونفع، فإن الصمت وقاية ضد ورطات يوقع الإنسان فيها لسانه إيقاعا، يغرُّه النطق وتحريك شفتيه غافلا عن يوم تخمد فيه الحركات، ويختم فيه على الأفواه،ويحاسب فيه على كل ما نطق به من دقيق وجليل حسابا عسيرا غير يسير
Some Reflections on ‘Aqidah
A creed is a special kind of formal statement of religious belief or collection of such statements. A very good and justly famous creed among the Sunnis is the document known as al-‘Aqidah al-Tahawiyyah. I will be discussing it at some length.
The Meaning of Ijāzah
They asked: We see you greatly welcoming the quest for Ijāzah from various teachers, both verbally and in writing, and we see you placing them in a position of tremendous esteem and respect, even coveting them without end.