The first formal institute of madrasa/Maktab education was at the home of Sayyadina Zaid bin Arkam (ra) near a hill called Safa, where our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) was the teacher and the students were the beloved sahaba (ra). After migration the madrasa of “Suffa” was established in Madina on the east side of the Masjid an-Nabawi. Sayyadina Ubada bin Saumit (ra) was appointed by the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) as a teacher. In the madrassa curriculum there were the teachings of the Qur’an, the ahadith, fara’idh, tajweed, genealogy, treatises of first aid, etc. There were also training in horse riding; the art of war; handwriting and calligraphy; athletics and martial arts.
One of the many Sunnaah of the Ambiya (عليهم السلام) is that of Hayaa – shame and modesty : a quality which is sorely missing in the lives of the majority of Muslims today and which should otherwise be an outstanding characteristic and feature of all Muslims, whether married or un-married. The Hadith states : ‘Hayaa is a branch of Imaan.’
Television is such an evil that if our society only understood its reality, then they would find no excuse to watch. Read more
“Learning from those who have been on the journey before you can save you a lot of hurdles and help you deal with the inevitable, better equipped. We need to realise the importance of learning from those before us.”
Seeking knowledge is a highly rewarding venture. It is, however, very easy to become overwhelmed by the vast amounts of information that needs to be processed and digested. Here is an 8 step guide briefly discussing the basic requirements for a student of Deen or an aspiring Hafidh of the Qur’an:
- Constancy alongside moderation Read more
How does a woman fulfill her relationship with Allah Most High, and at the same time, also serve the community?
There are many extremes in this. For example, some people believe that women should not be educated at all; that they should be kept completely ignorant so that they don’t know anything beyond the basics of their faith. This is completely rejected by our deen. Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi, for example, compiled the famous work Bahishti Zewar and aimed it particularly toward women. The comprehensiveness of the book suggests it is a work that ought to live on the bookshelf of every home and used as a guidance for every aspect of a woman’s (and indeed her family’s) life. Indeed, such is the usefulness of the book that it is not uncommon to find muftis using Bahishti Zewar as a reference point nowadays.
There is the other extreme, too. Read more
The great tābi‘ī, Hasan al-Basri rahimahullāh once said:
O son of Ādam! You are but (a collection of) days: when a day goes, a part of you goes.
A day that has passed will never return. Every morning at sunrise the day says:
Whoever is able to do some good should do it, for I will never return to you.
Just think! Our childhood days have passed; for many their youth has passed; others have reached old age and are waiting only for death to come. Allāh ta‘ālā says:
…Indeed, when the term appointed by Allāh comes, it cannot be delayed… (71:4) Read more
by Muhammad Haq (Haq)
Sitting in the mosque board meeting, as one issue after another was raised, I’ll confess it was difficult not to drift into my own thoughts. However, one issue was raised that caught my attention that was, perhaps not surprisingly, the issue of finance and fundraising: the mosque needed funds for refurbishing the ablution (wuḍu) area. Without much progress being made, I identified a possible source, although it was not problem-free. The source I suggested had a large proportion earned from unlawful sources; however, there was an opinion within Fiqh (jurisprudence), which allowed the utilisation of such funds for public good (maslaḥa).1 This objection was fairly raised by some, but as I started to explain how there was a scholarly opinion – “Forget the scholars!! We only follow the Qur’ān and Sunnah,” shouted a fellow member, Read more
By Shaykh Muhammad ‘Awwamah
Translated by Muntasir Zaman
Before concluding the first cause of difference, it is necessary to discuss two doubts that dwell in the minds of many people:
The statement, “When a Hadīth is authentic, it is my opinion”
The authenticity of a Hadīth is sufficient to practice upon it
The first doubt is put forth as follows:
Imām al-Shāfī‘ī mentions, “When a Hadīth is authentic, it is my opinion.’ Hence, if we come across an authentic Hadith in Sahīh al-Bukhārī, for example, in a particular issue and we practice according to that Hadīth, then we have practiced upon an established Sunnah and according to a reliable school of jurisprudence. Moreover, it is incorrect to confine the madhhab of Imām al-Shafi‘ī to what is written in the works of his school of jurisprudence because, based on his own statement, any authentic Hadith will also form part of his madhhab.”
The answer is that the statement “When a Hadīth is authentic, it is my opinion” has been recorded from scholars besides Imām al-Shāfi‘ī. Rather, this is the mute expression of every Muslim who understands the meaning of the statement, “there is none worthy of worship besides Allāh, and Muhammad is His messenger.” Read more
The Women’s Mosque of America has started operations in Los Angeles. It is not a mosque per se, but the name of a non-profit organization. It began with holding female only Jumuah prayers, in an old synagogue with Stars of David etched on the stained glass windows. The decision to use this venue was made to “promote peace.”
Creating a separate space for Muslim women is a noble idea. Unfortunately the organizers chose the one event for this project for which it has no basis in the Shariah. Muslim women are not required to offer Jumuah. Read more
Valentine Day, Birthdays, and Other Daze
What commercial and cultural propaganda presents as beautiful is rooted in ugly paganism but most blind followers do not know.
There is a group of practices that we can consider as the twin sister of bid’ah. Like bid’ah they flourish on the twin foundations of ignorance and outside influence. Like bid’ah they entail rituals. But unlike bid’ah the rituals have not been given an Islamic face. They are followed because they are considered an acceptable cultural practice or the hottest imported “in” thing. Read more
by Shaykh Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh
The journey to the Hereafter is one which almost every person fears, yet we fail to show any concern for our dear and near ones from the time of their demise to after burial. Our condition at such a critical time is worthy of much lament and shame. Rather than our benefitting the deceased in anyway, we return from the funeral with no benefit to ourselves or to the family; in fact we return with increase in the hurt and grief of the family and maybe sin too. This is because we are neglectful and forget the severity of the stages which our beloved ones are soon to reach. Read more