Migration is not merely a scene from the past that we re-enact in our consciousness each year, nor is it a religious occasion to be passed over in sermons and exhortations. Rather, it is a moment of profound awareness and a civilisational and human concept that transcends the confines of time and place. Allah chose… Continue reading I Am Migrating to My Lord
Scholarly Differences in Islamic Jurisprudence
Ikhtilāf, scholarly divergence or disagreement, has long constituted a central element within the Islamic intellectual tradition. Far from being an aberration or a source of mere polemics, ikhtilāf has historically been regarded by many classical scholars as both an inevitable outcome of human reasoning and, under certain conditions, a divinely sanctioned feature of the interpretive… Continue reading Scholarly Differences in Islamic Jurisprudence
The Deluge of Wazīfahs
This dīn is the name of īmān and islām. Success in it is promised upon righteous action, and the goal it teaches is to establish a connection and nearness to God. The remembrance of Allah is the opening key to every difficulty. For this reason, the ummah has been gifted with the magnificent offering of… Continue reading The Deluge of Wazīfahs
Mawlānā Mustaqīm Bistawī (May Allah Have Mercy on Him)
Do not ask about the equipment of the caravan of the self-effaced, Our caravan’s bell tolls without a cry. The News of His Passing Today (Tuesday, 28 Dhū al-Ḥijjah 1446 AH), though the sun had risen in Oxford in all its brilliance, a different shadow had already fallen over my heart and mind—news that rendered… Continue reading Mawlānā Mustaqīm Bistawī (May Allah Have Mercy on Him)
The Book al-Muqtasid in Commentary of al-Īḍāḥ
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم Some of my excellent students—those committed to knowledge, eager to grasp deeper meanings, and drawn to what lies beyond the outward surface of grammatical studies—said to me: “O our teacher, we often hear you praise the book al-Muqtasid by ʿAbd al-Qāhir al-Jurjānī (d. 471 AH), and you commend it in a… Continue reading The Book al-Muqtasid in Commentary of al-Īḍāḥ
Alas for the Letters!
I am not among those who glorify the past in mourning, nor among those who curse the present out of discontent. Rather, I am of those who reflect upon the contours of faces and the lines etched upon them, reading in them the remnants of what has passed and the shadows of what is yet… Continue reading Alas for the Letters!
The Autonomy of Educational Institutions and the Breadth of Thought
Educational institutions have, throughout history, stood as milestones in the advancement of human civilisation. Whether established in the lands of the East or nurtured in the intellectual climates of the West, their foundations have always rested upon principles that foster intellectual freedom, critical insight, and a commitment to research. Such institutions are not beholden to… Continue reading The Autonomy of Educational Institutions and the Breadth of Thought
The Meaning of “And He taught Adam all the names”
In verses 31-33 from surah Al-Baqarah, Allah declares: “And He taught Adam all the names, then He presented them to the angels and said, ‘Tell Me the names of these, if you are truthful.’ They said, ‘Glory be to You! We have no knowledge except what You have taught us. Indeed, it is You who… Continue reading The Meaning of “And He taught Adam all the names”
Academic Language and Our Negligence
Academic language is the invisible foundation upon which the entire edifice of modern education rests. It is not merely a collection of words and technical terms, but a structured method of understanding, analysis, reasoning, critique, research, and the expression of knowledge. It paves the way for the intellectual development of the student. This language not… Continue reading Academic Language and Our Negligence
Rejecting the Hadith Tradition Wholesale: An Epistemological Fallacy
To dismiss the entire hadith tradition due to the presence of fabricated or weak narrations is an epistemological fallacy. It is akin to rejecting all historical records because some are unreliable, or to discrediting scientific development due to the presence of flawed studies. The proper scholarly response is not wholesale rejection, but critical refinement through… Continue reading Rejecting the Hadith Tradition Wholesale: An Epistemological Fallacy