When the rare heavens willed to adorn the pages of history with fresh colours, the grandeur of the house of Tīmūr—which for centuries had cast its shadow across Hind—began to wither in the face of time’s relentless decree. The silent decisions of Divine Will drew a line through their rule. To the superficial observer, it… Continue reading A New Synthesis
Two Educational Gatherings in London
Arrival in East London I travelled to East London with my family, accompanied by my daughter Maryam and her children Sufyān and Amīrah. In our hearts we carried the longing to reunite with loved ones, and the hope that this journey would yield knowledge, light, and remembrance. Our first stop was to visit my gentle… Continue reading Two Educational Gatherings in London
A Letter: The Story of My Student Days at Nadwah
My dear one, You asked a simple question—yet it opened the sealed chambers of my heart like the sudden arrival of spring on a withered tree. You asked: “How were your student days? Did we truly live without care for sleep, hunger, or comfort, moulding ourselves day and night solely through the pursuit of knowledge?”… Continue reading A Letter: The Story of My Student Days at Nadwah
O Son of Nothingness!
O son of nothingness! O you who were brought into being when once you were not even a thing to be mentioned! Death shall seize you suddenly, and you shall have no power to repel it. Time moves continuously—coming and going without pause—and your appointed term shall overtake you without warning. Afflictions are many and… Continue reading O Son of Nothingness!
“Al-Rāʾid” (1981–1983): An Analytical and Intellectual Study
From the years 1981 to 1983, a careful reading of al-Rāʾid, the Arabic journal of Dār al-ʿUlūm Nadwat al-ʿUlamāʾ in Lucknow, reveals a vibrant intellectual, literary, pedagogical and ideological movement. This initiative not only developed students’ proficiency in Arabic composition, but also helped shape their intellectual and spiritual outlook. During this period, al-Rāʾid was no… Continue reading “Al-Rāʾid” (1981–1983): An Analytical and Intellectual Study
School of Thought Never Let Me Go
It is with some difficulty that I attempt to express what lies within my heart. My thoughts, observations, and experiences are of the kind that not everyone will find agreeable. There’s a hesitation in me, a concern that my words may be misunderstood or provoke disapproval and criticism. Still, I have resolved to speak the… Continue reading School of Thought Never Let Me Go
The Language of Fatwā
ʿAjīb shahr — A strange town holds within it words waiting to be said. In the field of logic, one comes across terms like taṣawwur, taṣdīq, ʿumūm wa khuṣūṣ muṭlaq, ʿumūm wa khuṣūṣ min wajh, ḥadd tāmm, ḥadd nāqiṣ, rasm tāmm, rasm nāqiṣ, tanāquḍ, istiqrāʾ, qiyās, and so on. In grammar: marfūʿāt, manṣūbāt, majrūrāt, munṣarif,… Continue reading The Language of Fatwā
Hifz of the Qur’an
Hifz, in its original and most profound sense, denotes preservation. Over time, however, this noble concept has been narrowly reduced, in popular understanding, to the memorisation of the Qur’ān’s words alone. While the memorisation of the Qur’ānic text remains a praiseworthy and vital tradition, the erosion of the broader and richer implications of hifz has… Continue reading Hifz of the Qur’an
The Beginning of Knowledge and the First Duty
Man passes through the pathways of life and casts his gaze upon a lofty palace—its windows gleaming beneath the sunlight, its gardens flourishing as though watered from the springs of imagination. He cannot help but wish: if only that palace belonged to me; if only my hand could reach its keys, so I might dwell… Continue reading The Beginning of Knowledge and the First Duty
Sustainability and Stewardship in the Qur’an and Hadith
The Qur’an and Hadith collectively articulate a profound and enduring ecological ethic that transcends temporal and cultural boundaries. Grounded in principles of tawḥīd (divine unity), khilāfah (stewardship), ʿadālah (justice), and amana (trust), these foundational texts offer a spiritually charged framework that harmonises theological doctrine with environmental responsibility. Islamic environmental ethics are neither incidental nor peripheral… Continue reading Sustainability and Stewardship in the Qur’an and Hadith