The Great Synthesis or a Gradual Convergence? Rethinking the Origins of Islamic Legal Theory Part 1

Part 1 – The Conventional Story: Raʾy vs. Ḥadīth.

Beyond the myth of opposites: how raʾy and ḥadīth shaped the law together

 

Series Introduction

This four-part series, “The Great Synthesis or a Gradual Convergence? Rethinking the Origins of Islamic Legal Theory,” revisits a familiar narrative in the history of Islamic law. For decades, scholars have told the story of two rival camps—the ahl al-raʾy (the “people of reason”) and the ahl al-ḥadīth (the “people of tradition”)—locked in intellectual battle until al-Shāfiʿī (d. 204/820) brokered a decisive compromise, a “Great Synthesis” that shaped the foundations of Islamic jurisprudence.

But was the divide really so sharp? Were these groups as polarized as later accounts suggest, or were they always closer in practice? By examining both classical doctrines and modern scholarship, this series argues for a more nuanced view: one of proximity, overlap, and gradual convergence rather than stark opposition.

A “War” in Early Islamic Law?

When students first encounter the history of Islamic law, they often hear of a fierce intellectual battle between two rival camps: the ahl al-raʾy and the ahl al-ḥadīth. The ahl al-raʾy are usually identified with the scholars of Kufa and Iraq, who emphasized reasoned opinion, analogy (qiyās), and systematic principles to extend the law to new cases. The ahl al-ḥadīth, based largely in Medina, are portrayed as textualists who insisted on grounding the law directly in transmitted reports from the Prophet.

The Encyclopaedia of Islam frames this divide as one between jurists who “promoted the use of independent legal reasoning to arrive at legal decisions” (ahl al-raʾy) and those who held that “only traditions from the Prophet be used for the law” (ahl al-ḥadīth). In this telling, the two camps were so different that their approaches were fundamentally irreconcilable.

This is where al-Shāfiʿī (d. 204/820) enters the story. He is said to have resolved the conflict by synthesizing the two approaches into a unified legal theory. By requiring that reasoning be anchored in Qurʾān and authentic hadith, and by laying down systematic principles (uṣūl al-fiqh) to govern interpretation, al-Shāfiʿī created a new scholarly consensus. This achievement has been described by Wael Hallaq as nothing less than a “Great Synthesis” (Origins and Evolution of Islamic Law, 7).

Hallaq’s Dramatic Narrative

Hallaq is one of the most influential voices in framing the origins of Islamic legal theory. In The Origins and Evolution of Islamic Law (2005), he describes the history of Islam between 150/767 and 350/961 as marked by conflict between these two groups, culminating in their reconciliation. For him, the “Great Synthesis” was not only a legal turning point but also a cultural one: it reflected a broader social transformation in which hadith gained unrivaled authority.

His portrayal is dramatic. He speaks of a “war” between rationalists and traditionalists, of repeated “battles” in which one side gained the upper hand, and of the eventual victory of a middle ground. The ahl al-raʾy, he says, were “too libertarian” to survive on their own. By the third/ninth century, hadith had become indispensable. At the other pole, the radical traditionalism of figures like Aḥmad b. Ḥanbal was “too austere and rigid” to last, and had to moderate.

This kind of story has a certain dialectical flavor: conflict, tension, and then reconciliation into something new. It’s not Hallaq’s own language, but his framing echoes familiar intellectual patterns that resemble a thesis–antithesis–synthesis arc often associated with Hegelian thought.

The Problem with the “Great Synthesis”

Critics argue this story is too neat. One problem is methodological: Hallaq relies heavily on biographical dictionaries, which record teachers and reputations, but tell us little about doctrines. A jurist could study with a traditionist and still employ reasoning, or cite hadith extensively while also using analogy.

This risks exaggerating polarity. The terms ahl al-raʾy and ahl al-ḥadīth may reflect polemical labels, not solid identities. Joseph Schacht suggested that “ahl al-raʾy” was never a self-designated school but a term used by critics. Moreover, Hallaq’s portrayal of figures like Aḥmad b. Ḥanbal as purely anti-reason seems overstated. Evidence from his students shows that Aḥmad often extrapolated principles from hadith and applied them analogically—showing flexibility.

Why the Drama Persists

So why has the “Great Synthesis” story lasted? Partly because it gives a clear origin story for uṣūl al-fiqh and casts al-Shāfiʿī as a unifying genius. It also mirrors familiar intellectual patterns: conflict followed by reconciliation is a compelling narrative arc. But intellectual history is often messier. Evidence suggests both groups were already closer in practice: both used hadith and reasoning, differing only in emphasis.

Why This Matters

This debate shapes how we understand Islamic law’s character. If it was born out of conflict, then its systemization was a fragile truce. If the divide was never so sharp, then Islamic law emerges as a tradition of spectrum, overlap, and negotiation from the start. That difference matters for how Muslims today view their legal heritage—whether as polarized or as organically plural.

Looking Ahead

In the next installment, we turn to Aḥmad b. Ḥanbal, often seen as the archetypal traditionalist hostile to reason. Yet a closer look reveals a jurist who employed analogy and reasoning in subtle ways. If even Aḥmad used raʾy-like methods, then perhaps the gulf between ahl al-raʾy and ahl al-ḥadīth was never as wide as supposed.

References

- Wael B. Hallaq, The Origins and Evolution of Islamic Law (Cambridge University Press, 2005)
- Encyclopaedia of Islam, 2nd ed., s.v. “Ahl al-Raʾy”
- Christopher Melchert, “Traditionist-Jurisprudents and the Framing of Islamic Law,” Islamic Law and Society 8, no. 3 (2001): 383–406
- Joseph Schacht, The Origins of Muhammadan Jurisprudence (Oxford University Press, 1950)

Spouses are Garments

﷽

الحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله

وعلى آله وصحبه أجمعين ومن تبعهم بإحسان إلى يوم الدين

اللهم اجعلنا منهم

We begin by mentioning the Name of The One True God, Allāh, The Infinitely Caring, Eternally Compassionate. We sincerely praise and thank God to the highest extent, and ask Him to bless, protect, honor, and compliment our Prophet and Messenger Muḥammad, his family, his companions, and those that diligently follow them until the end of times. Dear God, please include us from amongst them.

Ramaḍān in The Qurʾān

When discussing the āyāt about Ramaḍān, we may find that there is a lack of focus and attention given to the last āyah about Ramaḍān within the section of Sūrah Al-Baqarah, āyah 2:187. Perhaps because it is longer, and deals with the history, background, and technical aspects of fasting, but it really is such a beautiful āyah. Let us touch on the first part of that āyah because even out of that oft-skipped āyah, the first part is often just passed over. This is from my experience. May Allāh ﷻ[1] allow all of us to learn and teach the Qurʾān in all its glory.

Alḥamdulillāh - Thank You, Allāh. مَا شَاۤءَ ٱللَّهُ لَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِٱللَّهِ - this is what Allāh willed and there is no ability to do anything without Him,[2] we covered the entire section of Sūrah Al-Baqarah on Ramaḍān (2:183-187) with IOK Suhbah in early 2024 right before Ramaḍān 1445. We have an article summarizing some of those discussions here: Ramaḍān is Coming!.

Rules of Fasting (Ṣiyām)

At the start of that āyah (2:187), Allāh ﷻ says: “أُحِلَّ لَكُمْ لَيْلَةَ الصِّيَامِ الرَّفَثُ إِلَى نِسَائِكُمْ هُنَّ لِبَاسٌ لَكُمْ وَأَنْتُمْ لِبَاسٌ لَهُنَّ - Intimacy (rafath) with your spouses has been permitted for you during the nights of Ramaḍān. They (your wives) are clothing (libās) for you (o husbands), and you (o husbands) are clothing (libās) for them (your wives).”[3]

The vast majority of scholars are of the opinion that when fasting was first made an obligation on the Muslims (i.e., the day of ʿĀshūrāʾ - the 10th day of Muḥarram, and/or perhaps Ramaḍān of 2 AH), the fast (ṣiyām) was essentially the entire day and night, save the time between Maghrib and falling asleep.[4] Other scholars, namely from the Iṣlāḥī-school of tafsīr,[5] have a slightly different take on this in the sense that the ruling to the Ummah of the Prophet ﷺ[6] was never that “ifṭār” (the time to eat, drink, and be intimate) was from Maghrib until sleep, but that it was the ruling of the previous nations (namely the Jews). So, when some of the Jews of Al-Madīnah became Muslim (and perhaps also those new Arabian Muslims who were native to Al-Madīnah, the Anṣār, who were not Jews, but were familiar with their practices) they defaulted to following this ruling because they did not know otherwise.[7] Regardless,[8] the ruling that Allāh ﷻ now gave and/or clarified to the Prophet ﷺ and his community is that fasting (ṣiyām) is from the start of Fajr (dawn, the white thread of light on the horizon coming out of the black thread that is the darkness of the night)[9] until the start of Maghrib (sunset). From the time of sunset until dawn, it is completely permissible, rather it is encouraged — “وَٱبۡتَغُوا۟ مَا كَتَبَ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمۡ - go do what has Allāh has deemed permissible for you”[10] — to eat, drink, and be intimate.

Spouses are Garments (Libās) - هُنَّ لِبَاسࣱ لَّكُمۡ وَأَنتُمۡ لِبَاسࣱ لَّهُنَّ

With all of that background done, let us spend some time on the next sentence within the same āyah, “هُنَّ لِبَاسࣱ لَّكُمۡ وَأَنتُمۡ لِبَاسࣱ لَّهُنَّ - They (your wives) are clothing (libās) for you (o husbands), and you (o husbands) are clothing (libās) for them (your wives).”[11] But... What does this mean exactly? Shaykh Al-Mufassirīn (The Senior Exegete) Al-Imām Al-Ṭabarī (d. 310 AH - raḥimahu Allāh[12]) asked the same question. Rather he went further and asked, “how is it possible for a wife to be the clothing for her husband, and then - at the very same time - the husband is the clothing for his wife. That is not physically possible!”[13] He then presents three[14] ways of understanding this.[15]

  1. They are considered a garment for each other because they remove (outer) layers of clothing when they sleep together under one blanket wherein their bodies are fully touching, so much so that they end up partially “wearing” and “covering” the other like clothing.[16] He then quotes some poetry to show that referring to the spouse as clothing due to skin-to-skin contact under a blanket is a well known concept.
    1. Nābighah said, “إِذَا مَا الضَّجِيعُ ثَنَى عِطْفَهَا ... تَدَاعَتْ فكَانَتْ عَلَيْهِ لِبَاسَا”,[17] meaning, when the husband laying in bed turned over to his wife, she reciprocated and leaned back into him, and thus she became his libās.
    2. Laylā said, “رَمَوْهَا بِأَثْوَابٍ خِفَافٍ فَلا تَرَى ... لَهَا شَبَهاً إلا النَّعَامَ المُنَفَّرَا”, meaning, travelers who have been struck with hunger have placed frail athwāb (garments - plural of thawb) onto the backs of the camels within the caravan. So as the caravan goes forth, it looks like a frantic ostrich running away. The frail garments refer to the travelers/riders themselves, because they - the travelers/riders - have been afflicted with hunger and are just flesh and bones. Thus all that is seen of them is their clothing. That is why they are referred to as athwāb.[18]
    3. Abū Dhuʾayb Al-Hudhalī said, “تَبَرَّأُ مِنْ دَمِ القَتيلِ وَوَتْرِهِ ... وَقَدْ عَلِقَتْ دَمَ القَتِيلِ إزَارُهَا”, meaning, you claim to have nothing to do with the killing of so-and-so and their stuff, but you are just like such-and-such women who also denied a murder, but the dead body and possessions were found with her izār (lower garment), meaning herself.[19]
    4. Al-Rabīʿ explained the āyah by saying “libās” means “liḥāf” which is a blanket, bed sheet, cover, and/or wrap.
  2. “Libās” means “sakan” which means comfort, rest, relaxation. This is because Allāh ﷻ also says, “جَعَلَ لَكُمُ اللَّيْلَ لِبَاسًا - He (Allāh) made the night a covering and a time of ease (libās) for you”[20] and “وَجَعَلَ مِنْهَا زَوْجَهَا لِيَسْكُنَ إِلَيْهَا - He (Allāh) made from it (the first human soul, aka Prophet Ādam ﷺ) its spouse (i.e., our mother Ḥawāʾ ﷺ) so he (Ādam) can go to her for rest and comfort.”[21] He then quotes ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAbbās[22] (raḍiya Allāh ʿanhumā[23]), Mujāhid (d. ~104 AH - raḥimahu Allāh), Qatādah (d. 118 AH - raḥimahu Allāh), and Al-Suddī (d. 128 AH - raḥimahu Allāh), all of whom explained “libās” to mean “sakan”.
  3. The words “satara” and “wārā” refer to covering and concealing something from the view of others. When they are used to mean “so-and-so covered so-and-so or such-and-such”, they refer to the coverer as its cover (libās) and concealer (ghishāʾ)[24].

That is a beautiful analysis for anyone who understands marriage. But let us dive a little deeper. Let us see how the Qurʾān uses libās and clothing elsewhere. No doubt, the Qurʾān best explains itself.[25]

Comfort & Relaxation (Sukūn)

First, let us look again at point #2 made by Al-Imām Al-Ṭabarī (raḥimahu Allāh). Spouses are supposed to be sakan and sukūn for one another. Sukūn refers to the stillness of something after movement (taḥarruk) and is often used to mean taking up a city as your home.[26] That is because when you have a city or place to call home, you are not constantly traveling, anxiously seeking shelter, and do not need to worry about getting rest. The āyah “جَعَلَ لَكُمُ اللَّيْلَ لِبَاسًا - He (Allāh) made the night a covering and a time of ease (libās) for you.”[27] is a great example to illustrate that calmness and relaxation. But technically a jump is made. To understand “libās” in that āyah as “sakan”, we must first look at another two āyahs, “وَجَعَلَ اللَّيْلَ سَكَنًا - He (Allāh) made the night a time of ease (sakan) for you.”[28] and “وَمِنْ رَحْمَتِهِ جَعَلَ لَكُمُ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ لِتَسْكُنُوا فِيهِ وَلِتَبْتَغُوا مِنْ فَضْلِهِ - He (Allāh) made the night a time for you to take rest, and the day a time for you to work and seek livelihood from His Excess Bounty — He did so out of His Compassion.”[29]

We have come full circle! During the day, we are busy with work, family, food, money, and more. We are constantly on the move. When the night comes, we have time to slow down, relax, rest, take a break, and sleep. This is exactly how a husband and wife should be with each other. For the most part, they happen to either be physically separate during the day, or mentally separate as they are busy with different tasks. At night, they should take the time to unwind, relax, and spend time with each other. Not only that, but from point #1 from Al-Ṭabarī (raḥimahu Allāh), we learn to be physical: hug, embrace one another, and have skin-to-skin contact. This is not just allowed, but is a subtle instruction given by Allāh. And if this was not clear enough, in addition to “وَجَعَلَ مِنْهَا زَوْجَهَا لِيَسْكُنَ إِلَيْهَا - He (Allāh) made from it (the first human soul, aka Prophet Ādam ﷺ) its spouse (i.e., our mother Ḥawāʾ ﷺ) so he (Ādam) can go to her for rest and comfort”[30] quoted by Al-Ṭabarī (raḥimahu Allāh), we can hit the nail on the head by mentioning the popular āyah recited at most marriage ceremonies (nikāḥ), “وَمِنْ آيَاتِهِ أَنْ خَلَقَ لَكُمْ مِنْ أَنْفُسِكُمْ أَزْوَاجًا لِتَسْكُنُوا إِلَيْهَا - From the many signs that point towards Allāh is the fact that He made spouses from you from your own human race so that you go to them seeking comfort.”[31] This “seeking of rest and comfort” is definitely understood as a reason (taʿlīl) why we should have spouses, but perhaps - as was touched on right before - it could also be a subtle recommendation from Allāh. As in, “go and find comfort in your spouse!” Allāh knows best. As a final point from this angle, let us quickly review the āyah, “وَمِنْ رَحْمَتِهِ جَعَلَ لَكُمُ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ لِتَسْكُنُوا فِيهِ وَلِتَبْتَغُوا مِنْ فَضْلِهِ - He (Allāh) made the night a time for you to take rest, and the day a time for you to work and seek livelihood from His Excess Bounty — He did so out of His Compassion.”[32] This wording only comes up once whereas the following wording comes up twice, “الَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمُ اللَّيْلَ لِتَسْكُنُوا فِيهِ وَالنَّهَارَ مُبْصِرًا - The One Who made the night for you to get rest and the day as an illunimator for you to see”[33] Making sense of a deeper understanding of this wording requires more thought and reflection on my part.

Hide and Conceal Faults (Satr)

Allāh ﷻ tells us, “يَا بَنِي آدَمَ قَدْ أَنْزَلْنَا عَلَيْكُمْ لِبَاسًا يُوَارِي سَوْآتِكُمْ وَرِيشًا وَلِبَاسُ التَّقْوَى ذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ ذَلِكَ مِنْ آيَاتِ اللَّهِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَذَّكَّرُونَ - Children of Ādam! Without a doubt We have given you garments (libās) to cover (yuwārī) your nakedness and private parts (sawʾāt) and to be beautiful clothes (rīsh). Taqwā-based clothing is the best. All of that is from the signs of Allāh so that they (humans) pay attention to reminders.”[34] In the initial discussion on “libās” above, we saw the word “wārā - to conceal” used in point #3 made by Al-Ṭabarī (raḥimahu Allāh), and it is present in this āyah. Clothing is to wārā (past tense verb) yuwārī (present tense verb) someone’s sawʾah: their nakedness (ʿawrah) and private parts. Clothing is used to cover what we do not want the world to see. But Allāh said that He also gave us beautiful clothes (rīsh). Al-Ṭabarī (raḥimahu Allāh) states that “rīsh” can mean: (1) embroidery, (2) furniture, (3) luxuries, (4) wealth, (5) clothing, (6) livelihood/housing, and (7) beauty.[35] Al-Shaykh Ṣiddīq Ḥasan Khan Al-Qinnawjī (d. 1307 AH / 1890 CE - raḥimahu Allāh) also looks at the linguistic meaning from another perspective and says that the feathers of a bird “rīsh al-ṭāʾir” have been made by Allāh to cover the bird and also be a source of its beauty.[36]

Then Allāh ﷻ reminds us that the best clothing is taqwā-based clothing. Clothing that is worn keeping in mind the commands of Allāh, and is thus grounded in Faith (īmān) and modesty (ḥayāʾ) — two meanings that Al-Ṭabarī (raḥimahu Allāh) gives for the phrase “libās al-taqwā”.[37] With all of that in mind, we can conclude the following:

  1. Clothing is used to cover what we do not want others to see.
  2. Clothing is used to cover what others are not allowed to see from us.
  3. Clothing is meant to be beautiful.
  4. Clothing can fail to meet its intended goal. Thus the best clothing is that which is grounded in taqwā (protecting ourselves from Allāh’s punishment by obeying Him), and thus fulfills the above goals.

What that said, let us apply this to our spouses, because we want to see how Allāh ﷻ described the roles of spouses since He ﷻ described spouses as clothing.

  1. A spouse should cover what we do not want others to see.
  2. A spouse should cover what others are not allowed to see from us.
  3. A spouse is meant to beautify us.
  4. Spouses can fail to be good spouses. Thus the best spouse is one who has taqwā (protects his or herself from Allāh’s punishment by obeying Him).

On that final point, we see how the Prophet ﷺ’s teachings not just explicitly fall in line with the Qurʾān, but also implicitly when there does not seem to be an obvious āyah to reference back to. The Prophet ﷺ said, “تُنْكَحُ الْمَرْأَةُ لأَرْبَعٍ لِمَالِهَا وَلِحَسَبِهَا وَلِجَمَالِهَا وَلِدِينِهَا فَاظْفَرْ بِذَاتِ الدِّينِ تَرِبَتْ يَدَاكَ - Men usually marry women for one of four reasons: (1) her wealth, (2) her family status and lineage, (3) her beauty, and/or (4) her religiosity. You will be a real winner if you marry a woman due to her religiosity, so good for you!”[38] If we see taqwā in the āyah and dīn in the ḥadīth as synonymous, we see how the subtle hint in The Qurʾān becomes very obvious on the tongue of the Prophet ﷺ.

Beauty (Zīnah)

We have seen from the previous section that rīsh as a type of clothing can be something nice and beautiful. Just a few āyāt later, in the same section, Allāh says, “يَا بَنِي آدَمَ خُذُوا زِينَتَكُمْ عِنْدَ كُلِّ مَسْجِدٍ - Children of Ādam! Wear your nice clothes for every prayer and place of prayer.”[39] Al-Ṭabarī (raḥimahu Allāh) gives the background behind this āyah and says that people used to perform ṭawāf (the 7 rounds around the Kaʿbah in Makkah) naked (due to a Qurashī policy that a person’s everyday clothes are not pure or worthy enough to be in such holy place, so either purchase our “special Qurashī clothing” or do not wear anything). This āyah is a command that everyone must have their ʿawrah (their “nakedness”[40] covered) when performing ṭawāf. As such, Al-Ṭabarī (raḥimahu Allāh) defines “zīnah” (literally adornment) as clothing.[41] The vast majority of scholars also hold that opinion.

They additionally add on that “عِنْدَ كُلِّ مَسْجِدٍ - for every prayer and place of prayer” means how it has been translated, instead of “at every mosque”. Meaning that the rule simply does not apply to every place of prayer, but every prayer itself. So make sure to dress properly when praying.[42] Al-Imām Abū Al-Faraj Jamāl Al-Dīn Ibn Al-Jawzī (d. 597 AH - raḥimahu Allāh) adds one more opinion that it can refer to wearing one’s nicest clothes when people gather (on Friday) and Eid.[43]

From this we see that clothing (libās) and adornment (zīnah) have been used interchangeably. Thus we can hopefully extract from the usage of “rīsh” and “zīnah” - both literally meaning beautiful clothing - instead of or alongside “libās” to highlight that “libās” can and should be beautiful (as we briefly hinted at earlier). As such, the Prophet ﷺ told Al-Mughīrah ibn Shuʿbah (raḍiya Allāh ʿanh) to go look at his fiancee (makhṭūbah), saying, “انْظُرْ إِلَيْهَا فَإِنَّهُ أَحْرَى أَنْ يُؤْدَمَ بَيْنَكُمَا - Go look at her. It will spark and maintain your love for each other.”[44] The point being, they should both view each other as beautiful and attractive. This is to be kept in balance with the guidance mentioned above by the Prophet ﷺ, that is, religiosity is the main factor, and it supersedes all other factors.

As a side point, we also have to understand that beauty and attraction is not simply a function of the eyes and physical appearance. The entire world may find a certain woman ugly, but if the man who is married to her sees her piety, kindness, and love, he may very well find her to be the most beautiful woman on earth. And in the same way, the entire world may find a certain man ugly, but if the woman who is married to him sees his piety, kindness, and love, she may very well find him to be the most handsome man on earth.

Also, it can be said that in modern society, men and women will dress up, look good, and wear their best clothes in public, but will be unkept and dressed in their raggedy shaggy pajamas at home for their spouse. However, we learn from Ibn ʿAbbās (raḍiya Allāh ʿanhumā) that both husband and wife - yes, both - should try and look their best for their spouse. In regards to the āyah, “وَلَهُنَّ مِثْلُ الَّذِي عَلَيْهِنَّ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ - husbands and wives have equitable rights due to each other”[45] he, Ibn ʿAbbās (raḍiya Allāh ʿanhumā), said, “إِنِّي أُحِبُّ أَنْ أَتَزَيَّنَ لِلْمَرْأَةِ كَمَا أُحِبُّ أَنْ تَتَزَيَّنَ لِي الْمَرْأَةُ - I love to dress up and look good for my wife, the same way I enjoy her dressing up and looking nice for me.”[46]

We should also note, adhering to the point earlier about taqwā and modesty (ḥayāʾ), one is not to flaunt their spouse. We should not be showing off our clothes (although some people do). The point of nice clothes is to make us look good. Our job is to make our spouse look and be good. We should not be people who are the source of the world finding out about our spouses’ faults (because we all have faults). Rather we should speak positively about them, mention their good qualities, and help them be more beautiful in the sight of Allāh, as well as being appreciated among people.

Protection (Wiqāyah)

Allāh ﷻ tells us, “وَجَعَلَ لَكُمْ سَرَابِيلَ تَقِيكُمُ الْحَرَّ وَسَرَابِيلَ تَقِيكُمْ بَأْسَكُمْ - He (Allāh) made clothing (sarābīl) for you: some clothes will shield you from the heat, and other clothes will protect you when you are at war.”[47] Al-Ṭabarī (raḥimahu Allāh) explains “سَرَابِيلَ تَقِيكُمُ الْحَرَّ - clothing that shields you from the heat” to refer to clothes (thiyāb[48]), a synonym of “libās”. He quotes Qatādah (raḥimahu Allāh) saying that these garments (thiyāb) being referred to here are clothes made from cotton (quṭn), linen (kattān), and wool (ṣūf). He then explains “سَرَابِيلَ تَقِيكُمْ بَأْسَكُمْ - clothes that protects you when you are at war” to mean that it protects weapons from reaching your flesh, and ends by quoting Qatādah (raḥimahu Allāh) who said it refers to metal (ḥadīd).[49]

To the first part, “سَرَابِيلَ تَقِيكُمُ الْحَرَّ - clothing that shields you from the heat,” Siddīq Ḥasan Khan (raḥimahu Allāh) explains that it is not just heat, but also the cold; it was not mentioned because it should be obvious to the reader.[50] When teaching Sunan Abī Dāwūd to IOK’s Full Time Seminary’s graduating class of 2019, Shaykh Muhammad Umar Razzaq (ḥafiẓahu Allāh) mentioned that same point about the āyah implying cold in addition to the explicit mention of heat. He explained that, although the Ḥanafī school does not take rulings via the linguistic instrument of “mafhūm al-mukhālafah - understanding the implication of the opposite of what was said”, that is restricted to deriving law, not understanding concepts in general, and thus we can infer that Allāh mentioned a few uses of clothing (sarābīl) even though all types of protection via clothing are to be understood: be it heat, cold, rain, sun, swords, arrows, spears, poison ivy, mosquitos etc.

With that being said, we can connect the protection (wiqāyah) received from clothing (sarābīl) to the role of a spouse who is clothing (libās) for their spouse. A husband and wife should strive to protect each other from evil, from harm, from sin, and most of all, the punishment of Allāh. We have used the term protection (wiqāyah) already above. It comes from the verb in the āyah, “تَقِيكُمُ - protects you” which is related to the oft-repeated Qurʾānic Dictate of taqwā which means to protect and shield oneself from the anger and punishment of Allāh by obeying Him. The noun “wiqāyah” literally refers to a shield. We must use the proper equipment to save us from each respective harm. To protect myself from Hell, I stay away from disobedience. To protect ourselves from heat, we wear cotton. To protect ourselves from swords, we wear metal armor. We must use common sense and our God-given intellect to protect ourselves in the correct way. I cannot expect an iron-clad suit of armor to protect me from the heat, nor can I expect cotton to protect me from Hell. So a husband and wife too must play their proper role in protecting each other in the best way possible. How they advise each other, correct one another, and learn and grow their mistakes should be done with Islamically-guided wisdom. As just mentioned, a husband and wife should protect each other from harm; be it harm from themselves or others. We can see this displayed in the teachings of the Prophet ﷺ in three ways. So as to not get confused between the back and forth of the word “spouse”, we will focus on a husband protecting his wife in the following scenarios.

  1. A husband protecting his wife from herself. Once a group of Jews came to visit the Prophet ﷺ, and they “greeted” him by saying, “السَّامُ عَلَيْكُمْ - May you die!” to which our mother, ʿĀʾishah (raḍiya Allāh ʿanhā), replied in loving defense of her husband, the Prophet ﷺ, by saying, “بَلْ عَلَيْكُمُ السَّامُ وَاللَّعْنَةُ - No! May you die and be cursed!” Upon hearing that, Prophet ﷺ taught her, “يَا عَائِشَةُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الرِّفْقَ فِي الأَمْرِ كُلِّهِ - O ʿĀʾishah! Allāh loves gentleness in all matters.”[51] Thus he ﷺ taught her and protected her from harming herself via sins.
  2. A husband saving his wife from himself. The Prophet ﷺ said, “الْمُسْلِمُ مَنْ سَلِمَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ مِنْ لِسَانِهِ وَيَدِهِ - A true Muslim is someone that other Muslims are safe and protected (salima) from his tongue and hands.”[52] Thus a husband or a wife cannot be a true complete Muslim (al-muslim al-kāmil) if they hurt their spouse via their words (tongue) or through physical means (hands). Also, when the Prophet ﷺ was asked about different kinds charity and good deeds (ṣadaqah), he said the least someone can do is, “يُمْسِكُ عَنِ الشَّرِّ - restrain evil.”[53] One of the ways that is understood is to retrain and prevent your harm and evil from reaching others.[54]
  3. A husband saving his wife from someone else. We have the most perfect example within the Prophet ﷺ who lived this. Once Abū Bakr (raḍiya Allāh ʿanh) went to visit his daughter, ʿĀʾishah (raḍiya Allāh ʿanhā), and when he arrived, he asked the Prophet ﷺ for permission to enter. When Abū Bakr (raḍiya Allāh ʿanh) entered, he heard his daughter, ʿĀʾishah (raḍiya Allāh ʿanhā), speaking to the Prophet ﷺ in a loud voice. Upon hearing and seeing that, he went to her and grabbed her and was about to hit her, saying, “I never want to see you raise your voice to the Prophet ﷺ ever again!” at which point the Prophet ﷺ stepped in between the, blocking and shielding Āʾishah (raḍiya Allāh ʿanhā) from Abū Bakr (raḍiya Allāh ʿanh). And so Abū Bakr (raḍiya Allāh ʿanh) left. After he left, the Prophet ﷺ lovingly remarked (not in a patronizing way, since that is sinful), “كَيْفَ رَأَيْتِنِي أَنْقَذْتُكِ مِنَ الرَّجُلِ - See how I saved you from that man?”[55] This is also seen from scenario one in which our mother, ʿĀʾishah (raḍiya Allāh ʿanhā), speaks out to defend the honor and rank of her husband, the Prophet ﷺ, and shielded him ﷺ from the harmful speech of others - albeit in a manner that the Prophet ﷺ ultimately deemed incorrect.

Seeking Comfort and Warmth (Istidfāʾ)

This is another related meaning that requires us to see and appreciate the deep connections between various āyāt and aspects of the sunnah. We have been focusing on spouses as clothing (libās), and we have touched upon āyāt that either explicitly or implicitly refer to clothing. Here we have another implicit connection. Allāh ﷻ tells us, also in Sūrah Al-Naḥl (#16) as was our previous discussion on protection, “وَالأَنْعَامَ خَلَقَهَا لَكُمْ فِيهَا دِفْءٌ وَمَنَافِعُ وَمِنْهَا تَأْكُلُونَ - And He (Allāh) created livestock from which you get clothing for warmth (difʾ), various other benefits (manafiʿ), and meat that you eat.”[56] The word “anʿām” refers to livestock, which refers to four-legged domesticated farm animals raised for agricultural purposes, and includes, but is not limited to: camels, cows, goats, and sheep.[57] But we want to focus on “لَكُمْ فِيهَا دِفْءٌ - from which you get clothing for warmth (difʾ)”. The word “difʾ - دِفْءٌ” literally means warmth, the opposite of cold.[58] Al-Ṭabarī (raḥimahu Allāh) explains that this refers to clothing (malābis) made from wool, leather, and fur that is used for warmth. He those quotes Ibn ʿAbbās (raḍiya Allāh ʿanhumā) defining “difʾ” as “thiyāb” (clothing), and Mujāhid (raḥimahu Allāh) explaining it as “knit/weaved clothing” (libās yunsaj).[59]

Now that we have connected libās to difʾ, let us look at how difʾ (seeking of warmth) via one’s spouse is done in the life of the Prophet ﷺ and his companions (raḍiya Allāh ʿanhum). Our mother, ʿĀʾishah (raḍiya Allāh ʿanhā), said that, “رُبَّمَا اغْتَسَلَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ مِنَ الْجَنَابَةِ ثُمَّ جَاءَ فَاسْتَدْفَأَ بِي فَضَمَمْتُهُ إِلَىَّ وَلَمْ أَغْتَسِلْ - Sometimes, after the Prophet ﷺ and I were intimate, he would bathe before I had bathed. So when he finished his bath, he would come to me seeking warmth (istadfaʾ), so I would hug him tightly even though I had not bathed yet.”[60] We find the great companions ʿUmar ibn Al-Khaṭṭāb (raḍiya Allāh ʿanh), ʿAbd Allāh ibn Masʿūd (raḍiya Allāh ʿanh), Abū Al-Dardāʾ (raḍiya Allāh ʿanh), Ḥudhayfah ibn Al-Yamān (raḍiya Allāh ʿanh), Ibn ʿUmar (raḍiya Allāh ʿanhumā), their noble students (tābiʿūn) ʿAlqamah ibn Qays Al-Nakhaʿī (d. 62 AH - raḥimahu Allāh), Al-Aswad ibn Yazīd (d. 74/75 AH - raḥimahu Allāh) all doing the same thing, that is, seeking warmth from their wife after having taken a bath.[61]

Intertwining (Mukhālaṭah) and Envelopment (Ghashāwah)

Allāh ﷻ says the following when discussing a group of people that He punished. “فَأَذَاقَهَا اللَّهُ لِبَاسَ الْجُوعِ وَالْخَوْفِ - Allāh made them (the people who rejected their prophet and were extremely ungrateful for the constant provision Allāh continued to bless them with) taste the libās (‘clothing’) of hunger and fear.”[62] What does it mean for someone to taste or be afflicted with (adhāqa) “لِبَاسَ الْجُوعِ وَالْخَوْفِ - the libās (“clothing”) of hunger and fear”? Al-Ṭabarī (raḥimahu Allāh) says the hunger (jūʿ), and the harm of that hunger, mixed and intertwined (mukhālaṭah) with their bodies. The hunger was so interconnected into their bodies that Allāh then referred to it as clothing (libās).[63] The great grammarian, linguist, writer, and literarian, Maḥmūd - Jār Allāh (the neighbor of Allāh) - Al-Zamakhsharī (d. 538 AH - raḥimahu Allāh)[64], talks about how clothing (libās) wraps (ishtimāl) the wearer, thus clothing covers and envelopes (ghashāwah) people. So the meaning of “لِبَاسَ الْجُوعِ وَالْخَوْفِ - the libās (“clothing”) of hunger and fear” thus becomes “hunger and fear that enveloped, wrapped, and concealed them.”[65]

Additional points on libās, mukhālaṭah, and ghashāwah from Al-Mufradāt[66]

We just saw how Al-Ṭabarī (raḥimahu Allāh) made an instant connection between libās and mukhālaṭah, and how Al-Zamakhsharī (raḥimahu Allāh) made an instant connection between libās and ghashāwah, showing their expertise in the Arabic language.

  1. Just like Allāh said spouses are libās for each other, Arabs call a close friend a khalīṭ. It is also said, “ولَابَسْتُ فلانا: خالطته - I did mulābasah with someone, meaning I did mukhālaṭah with him.” Meaning, I spent time with him. Allāh ﷻ makes use of this meaning by saying, “وَإِنَّ كَثِيرًا مِنَ الْخُلَطَاءِ لَيَبْغِي بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ إِلا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَقَلِيلٌ مَا هُمْ - Many close friends (khulaṭāʾ) transgress the rights of their friends - unless they are close friends who believe and do good deeds (aka are pious) - and these kinds of friends are rare.”[67]
  2. Also, we have been referring to libās as clothing, which comes from the verb: لَبِسَ يَلْبَسُ لُبْساً - referring to covering, concealing, and clothing. But, another variation is used: لَبَسَ يَلْبِسُ لُبْسَة (which is used in the Qurʾān[68]) and الْتَبَسَ يَلْتَبِسُ الْتِبَاساً - referring to confusion (iltibās). In the same way that خَلْط and اخْتِلَاط mean not just mixing, but also confusion.
  3. Allāh refers to the night with both words. Allāh says, “جَعَلَ لَكُمُ اللَّيْلَ لِبَاسًا - He (Allāh) made the night a covering and a time of ease (libās) for you.”[69] and also says, “وَاللَّيْلِ إِذَا يَغْشَى - I (Allāh) swear by the night when it covers!”[70]

The Prophet ﷺ’s Recommended Actions (Sunan) with Clothing

We also learn how to interact with clothing from the habits and teachings of the Prophet ﷺ.

  1. He ﷺ was commanded to, enjoyed, and told others to clean their clothes. — From the earliest of revelations to the Prophet ﷺ is Sūrah Al-Muddaththir (#74), in which Allāh ﷻ commands the Prophet ﷺ to, “وَثِیَابَكَ فَطَهِّرۡ - Keep your clothes clean!”[71]
  2. He ﷺ would make a prayer (duʿāʾ) upon wearing a new garment. — Whenever the Prophet ﷺ got a new garment, he would make a prayer (duʿāʾ), saying, “اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ أَنْتَ كَسَوْتَنِيهِ أَسْأَلُكَ خَيْرَهُ وَخَيْرَ مَا صُنِعَ لَهُ وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّهِ وَشَرِّ مَا صُنِعَ لَهُ - O Allāh! Thank You! Complete gratitude and compliments are due to You only. You clothed me with this [naming the garment]. I ask You for all the good it has to offer and can be used for, and I take You protection from all the bad it has and can be used for.”[72]
  3. He ﷺ taught us to make duʿāʾ whenever we wear any garment. — The Prophet ﷺ said, “Whoever wears a garment and says, ‘الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي كَسَانِي هَذَا الثَّوْبَ وَرَزَقَنِيهِ مِنْ غَيْرِ حَوْلٍ مِنِّي وَلاَ قُوَّةٍ - Thank You, Allāh! Complete gratitude and compliments belong to You. You clothed me with this garment and provided it for me without any effort and ability from my end’ will be forgiven for all their minor sins.”[73]
  4. He ﷺ would mend, stitch, and sew his clothes. — Our mother ʿĀʾishah (raḍiya Allāh ʿanhā) was asked about the Prophet ﷺ’s general habits and housework, to which she responded with things like: “He ﷺ would (1) يَخْصِفُ النَّعْلَ - mend his sandals, (2) وَيَرْقَعُ الثَّوْبَ وَيَخِيطُ‏ - stitch and sew his clothes, and (3) يَفْلِي ثَوْبَهُ - would clean his clothes (by removing lice).”[74]
  5. Some say he ﷺ would give names to some of clothes.[75]

Conclusion

I cannot grasp, let alone convey, the unimaginable beauty within the statement of Allāh, “هُنَّ لِبَاسࣱ لَّكُمۡ وَأَنتُمۡ لِبَاسࣱ لَّهُنَّ - They (your wives) are clothing (libās) for you (o husbands), and you (o husbands) are clothing (libās) for them (your wives).”[76] This is just one sentence from one āyah of the Qurʾān that we explored. How many more endless treasures exist in this one sentence, let alone the rest of Allāh’s Book?

If we summarize the practical takeaways from the above, we see the following (again, defaulting to husband for ease and clarity, though these work both ways):

  1. A husband should provide ease and relaxation for his wife.
  2. A husband should find ease and relaxation in his wife.
  3. A husband should provide physical touch and intimacy for his wife.
  4. A husband should find physical touch and intimacy for his wife.
  5. A husband should make himself beautiful for his wife (spiritually, character-wise, and physically).
  6. A husband should find beauty in his wife (spiritually, character-wise, and physically).
  7. A husband should help his wife beautify herself (spiritually and character-wise).
  8. A husband should speak about his wife in a positive way.
  9. A husband should not try to find faults in his wife.
  10. A husband should protect his wife from himself.
  11. A husband should protect his wife from herself.
  12. A husband should protect his wife from others.
  13. A husband should protect his wife from Hell and Allāh’s Punishment.
  14. A husband should find warmth in his wife (physical and emotional).
  15. A husband should provide warmth to his wife (physical and emotional).
  16. A husband should be deeply connected to his wife (physically and emotionally).
  17. A husband should hug, embrace, and be intimate with his wife.
  18. A husband should find hugs, embraces, and intimacy from his wife.
  19. A husband should help his wife be clean and pure (spiritually and physically).
  20. A husband should pray (duʿāʾ) for the needs of his wife as well as for her (continued) piety and righteousness. — We see find this explicit in the Qurʾān. Allāh ﷻ, Al-Raḥmān (The Infinitely Caring), when describing and praising His special slaves and servants, describes them as those who make the following prayer (duʿāʾ), “رَبَّنَا هَبْ لَنَا مِنْ أَزْوَاجِنَا وَذُرِّيَّاتِنَا قُرَّةَ أَعْيُنٍ وَاجْعَلْنَا لِلْمُتَّقِينَ إِمَامًا - Our Master! Please gift us joy and happiness from seeing goodness and piety within our spouses and children, and make us from the leaders of the pious!”[77]
  21. A husband can give loving nicknames to his wife. — The Prophet ﷺ would, at times, call his wife ʿĀʾishah (raḍiya Allāh ʿanhā) by a shorter version of her name[78], “ʿĀʾish”.[79]

O Allāh! Allow our tongues, our lips, and our mouths to easily and constantly recite Your Book. O Allāh! Give us a deep understanding of Your Word. O Allāh! Gift us a personal relationship with Your Speech. O Allāh! Illuminate, purify, and give life to our hearts through Your Book. O Allāh! Help us act on Your Guidance and Commands in Your Perfect Final Revelation, to live by them, and to die by them. O Allāh! Make us beautiful, loving, caring, chaste, pious husbands to our wives. O Allāh! Make us beautiful, loving, caring, chaste, pious wives to our husbands. O Allāh! We ask You what Your special slaves, ʿIbād Al-Raḥmān, ask you: رَبَّنَا هَبْ لَنَا مِنْ أَزْوَاجِنَا وَذُرِّيَّاتِنَا قُرَّةَ أَعْيُنٍ وَاجْعَلْنَا لِلْمُتَّقِينَ إِمَامًا - Our Master! Please gift us joy and happiness from seeing goodness and piety within our spouses and children, and make us from the leaders of the pious![80] O Allāh! We ask You what Your closed dear friend Ibrāhīm ﷺ asked You: رَبِّ اجْعَلْنِي مُقِيمَ الصَّلاةِ وَمِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِي رَبَّنَا وَتَقَبَّلْ دُعَاءِ رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيَّ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَوْمَ يَقُومُ الْحِسَابُ - My Master! Make me, my children, and my entire future progeny to come people who regularly and diligently pray (ṣalāh)! Our Master! Accept this plea and these acts of obedience! Our Lord! Forgive me, my parents, and all the believers on the day humanity stands for account![81]

اللهم فهمنا

ربنا زدنا علما

اللهم فقهنا في الدين وعلمنا التأويل

اللهم معلم آدم وإبراهيم ومحمد علمنا مما علمتهم

اللهم ارزقنا علما نافعا وحكمة بالغة

اللهم افتح علينا فتوح العارفين

يا فتاح يا عليم

اللهم صل وسلم على رسولك المصطفى الكريم

وعلى آله وصحبه أجمعين ومن تبعهم بإحسان إلى يوم الدين

اللهم اجعلنا منهم

Written exclusively in the blessed month of Ramaḍān of the years 1445 and 1446.

Acknowledgements

I hope and pray that my parents, teachers, spouse, and children are always rewarded for all the good Allāh facilitates for me to do through their prayers, instruction, support, and mentorship. But for this article, I cannot help but mention my dear beloved shaykh, Ḥaḍrat Mawlānā Abū Al-Zahrāʾ Abdul Wahab ibn Parwiz Khan (ḥafiẓahu Allāh wa raʿāh - May God preserve him and lovingly look after him [as well as his family, teachers, and students]). He, Shaykh Abdul Wahhab (ḥafiẓahu Allāh), was sharing some reflections at the wedding ceremony of one his students (who happens to be a friend and relative of mine), and he mentioned this āyah. I swear to God - wallāhi, I never understood this āyah, “هُنَّ لِبَاسࣱ لَّكُمۡ وَأَنتُمۡ لِبَاسࣱ لَّهُنَّ - They (your wives) are clothing (libās) for you (o husbands), and you (o husbands) are clothing (libās) for them (your wives)”[82] until he made those beautiful comments about how one takes care of their clothes and how that relates to the love, care, and protection one should show to their spouse. Not only did he help me memorize the Qurʾān, but he also taught me its real applicable meanings; that is a true teacher of Qurʾān. May Allāh ﷻ bless him, his family, his teachers, his students, and allow him to always piously and sincerely serve His Book, The Qurʾān, āmīn.

Credits to Editors

May Allāh ﷻ reward those who helped write and edit this, including, but not limited to, Shaykha Ayesha Syed Hussain, and Munir Eltal.

Footnotes

  1. Unicode for jalla jalāluhu, meaning: His (God’s) Majesty is exalted and far above everything else ↑

  2. Al-Qurʾān: Sūrah Al-Kahf 18:39 ↑

  3. Al-Qurʾān: Sūrah Al-Baqarah 2:187 ↑

  4. Al-Qurṭubī, Aḥkām Al-Qurʾān s. 2 a. 187 ↑

  5. Named after Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī (d. 1418 AH / 1997 CE - raḥimahu Allāh) who was a student of Ḥamīd Al-Dīn Al-Farāhī, also known as ʿAbd Al-Ḥamīd Al-Farāhī (d. 1349 AH / 1930 CE - raḥimahu Allāh). Perhaps the most famous individual from this school and/or mindset of “Qurʾān-First” (this is a term I made up) is Dr. Israr Ahmed (d. 1431 AH / 2010 CE - raḥimahu Allāh). One of Shaykh Dr Mohammad Akram Nadwi (ḥafiẓahu Allāh - May God preserve him)’s most beloved teachers, Mawlānā Shahbāz Iṣlāḥī (d. 1432 AH / 2002 CE - raḥimahu Allāh) is also from this school.

    There are some who incorrectly think this school is a fringe group. The reality is that the leading figures of the school were not only great scholars (ʿulamāʾ), but were connected to and close friends with many of the senior scholars of the Dār Al-ʿUlūm’s of the Indian Subcontinent; some were even senior teachers at these schools (madāris). Just as an example, Mawlānā Shahbāz Iṣlāḥī (raḥimahu Allāh) studied at and graduated from the Madrasah Al-Iṣlāḥ and studied closely with Akhtar Aḥan Iṣlāḥī (a student of Ḥamīd Al-Dīn Al-Farāhī raḥimahu Allāh). He then taught at Dār Al-ʿUlūm Nadwah Al-ʿUlamāʾ in Lucknow. Mawlānā Shahbāz Iṣlāḥī received ijāzah from one of Nadwah’s most famous graduates and chancellors, Shaykh Abū Al-Ḥasan ʿAlī Al-Nadwī (d. 1420 AH / 1999 CE - raḥimahu Allāh) who not only spent some time studying at Dār Al-ʿUlūm Deoband under Shaykh Al-Islam Shaykh Al-ʿArab wa Al-ʿAjam Ḥusayn Aḥmad Madnī (d. 1377 AH / 1957 CE - raḥimahu Allāh), but also held the chairman position at Dār Al-ʿUlūm Deoband for some time, and was also dearly beloved to Ḥaḍrat Shaykh Al-Ḥadīth Muḥammad Zakariyyā Al-Kandhlawi (d. 1402 AH / 1983 CE - raḥimahu Allāh). Mawlānā Shahbāz Iṣlāḥī also received ijāzah from Al-Qāriʾ Muḥammad Ṭayyib Qāsimī (d. 1403 AH / 1983 CE - raḥimahu Allāh) who is not only the grandson of the legendary founder of Dār Al-ʿUlūm Deoband, Qāsim Al-ʿUlūm wa Al-Khayrāt Ḥujjah Allāh Al-ʿAllāmah Mawlānā Muḥammad Qāsim Al-Nānawtwī (d. 1297 AH / 1880 CE - raḥimahu Allāh) and the author of “Maslak ʿUlamāʾ Deoband - The way of the Scholars of Deoband”, but was also the chancellor (muhtamim) of Dār Al-ʿUlūm Deoband for more than 50 years. Mawlānā Shahbāz Iṣlāḥī also received ijāzah from The Light of Syria, Al-Shaykh Al-ʿAllāmah Al-Musnid ʿAbd Al-Fattāḥ Abū Ghuddah (d. 1417 AH / 1997 CE - raḥimahu Allāh). Mawlānā Shahbāz Iṣlāḥī is just one example of many great scholars from the Iṣlāḥī School. Much can also be said about Ḥamīd Al-Dīn Al-Farāhī (raḥimahu Allāh)’s praises among his contemporaries from the Dār Al-ʿUlūm’s of the Indian Subcontinent, but that is for another day. ↑

  6. Unicode for ṣallā Allāhu ʿalayhi wa sallāma, meaning: may Allāh (God) bless, honor, and preserve the legacy of Prophet Muḥammad (or whoever is mentioned) ↑

  7. Israr Ahmed, Bayān Al-Qurʾān s. 2 a. 187 (v. 1 p. 263) ↑

  8. This is simply a point of history, and has literally no impact on the ruling this āyah conveys. All Muslims accept the final outcome (i.e., fasting is from dawn to sunset). There is no need to criticize either side in this discussion. ↑

  9. Al-Qurʾān: Sūrah Al-Baqarah 2:187 ↑

  10. Al-Qurʾān: Sūrah Al-Baqarah 2:187 ↑

  11. Al-Qurʾān: Sūrah Al-Baqarah 2:187 ↑

  12. May God show him kindness and grace ↑

  13. Paraphrased to properly convey the rhetorical point ↑

  14. Although he (Al-Ṭabarī) says two, he interjects point #3 in the middle of discussing #2. ↑

  15. Al-Ṭabarī, Jāmiʿ Al-Bayān s. 2 a. 187 ↑

  16. Less like our modern clothing, but think of a giant shawl that serves as one’s upper or lower garment that is just tossed over or loosely wrapped around someone. ↑

  17. There are 2 or 3 other versions of this line which all roughly mean the same thing. ↑

  18. Explanation taken from the editor of my copy of Jāmiʿ Al-Bayān by Al-Ṭabarī. ↑

  19. Ibid. ↑

  20. Al-Qurʾān: Sūrah Al-Furqān 25:47 ↑

  21. Al-Qurʾān: Sūrah Al-Aʿrāf 7:189 ↑

  22. ʿAbd Allāh the son of ʿAbbās is the young cousin of the Prophet ﷺ. ʿAbbas is the paternal uncle of the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ, that is to say that ʿAbbās and ʿAbd Allāh (the father of the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ) are brothers, and are both the sons of ʿAbd Al-Muṭṭalib (the paternal grandfather of the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ). ↑

  23. May God be pleased with him (and his father) ↑

  24. There is an entire section towards the end on libās and ghishāʾ/ghashāwah ↑

  25. القرآن يفسر بعضه بعضا ↑

  26. Al-Rāghib Al-Aṣfahānī, Mufradād Alfāẓ Al-Qurʾān: سكن ↑

  27. Al-Qurʾān: Sūrah Al-Furqān 25:47 ↑

  28. Al-Qurʾān: Sūrah Al-Anʿām 6:96 ↑

  29. Al-Qurʾān: Sūrah Al-Qaṣaṣ 28:73 ↑

  30. Al-Qurʾān: Sūrah Al-Aʿrāf 7:189 ↑

  31. Al-Qurʾān: Sūrah Al-Rūm 30:21 ↑

  32. Al-Qurʾān: Sūrah Al-Qaṣaṣ 28:73 ↑

  33. Al-Qurʾān: Sūrah Yūnus 10:67, Al-Qurʾān: Sūrah Ghāfir 40:61 ↑

  34. Al-Qurʾān: Sūrah Al-Aʿrāf 7:26 ↑

  35. Al-Ṭabarī, Jāmiʿ Al-Bayān s. 7 a. 26 ↑

  36. Ṣiddīq Ḥasan Khan, Fatḥ Al-Bayān fī Maqāṣid Al-Qurʾān s. 7 a. 26 ↑

  37. Al-Ṭabarī, Jāmiʿ Al-Bayān s. 7 a. 26 ↑

  38. Al-Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ: Kitāb Al-Nikāh Bāb Al-Iktifāʾ fī Al-Dīn #5090, Muslim, Ṣaḥīḥ #1466 ↑

  39. Al-Qurʾān: Sūrah Al-Aʿrāf 7:31 ↑

  40. Men: navel to knees; Women (in the presence of “marriageable men - ghayr maḥram”): everything except face, hands, and feet ↑

  41. Al-Ṭabarī, Jāmiʿ Al-Bayān s. 7 a. 31 ↑

  42. Ibn Al-Jawzī, Zād Al-Masīr s. 7 a. 31, Ṣiddīq Ḥasan Khan, Fatḥ Al-Bayān fī Maqāṣid Al-Qurʾān s. 7 a. 31 ↑

  43. Ibn Al-Jawzī, Zād Al-Masīr s. 7 a. 31 ↑

  44. Aḥmad, Musnad: Musnad Al-Kūfiyyīn Ḥadīth Al-Mughīrah ibn Shuʿbah #18154, Al-Tirmidhī, Jāmiʿ: Kitāb Al-Nikāḥ ʿan Rasūl Allāh ﷺ Bāb Mā Jāʾ fī Al-Naẓar ilā al-Makhṭūbah #1087, Al-Nasāʾī, Sunan: Kitāb Al-Nikāḥ Bāb Ibāḥah Al-Naẓar qabl al-Tazwīj #3235, Ibn Mājah, Sunan: Kitāb Al-Nikāḥ Bāb Al-Naẓar ilā al-Marʾah idhā arāda an yatazawwajaha #1865, Al-Dāramī, Sunan: Min Kitāb Al-Nikāḥ #2106 ↑

  45. Al-Qurʾān: Sūrah Al-Baqarah 2:228 ↑

  46. Ibn Abī Shaybah, Muṣannaf: Kitāb Al-Ṭalāq - Mā Qālū fī Qawlih “wa li al-rijāl ʿalyhinn darajah” #19263, Al-Ṭabarī, Jāmiʿ Al-Bayān s. 2 a. 228 ↑

  47. Al-Qurʾān: Sūrah Al-Naḥl 16:81 ↑

  48. also known as thawb, the singular of which is athwāb - which came up earlier in a line of poetry at the start of this discussion ↑

  49. Al-Ṭabarī, Jāmiʿ Al-Bayān s. 16 a. 81 ↑

  50. Ṣiddīq Ḥasan Khan, Fatḥ Al-Bayān fi Maqāṣid Al-Qurʾān s. 16 a. 81 ↑

  51. Al-Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ: Kitāb Al-Adab Bāb Al-Rifq fī al-amr kullih #5678 (also #5278, #5901, #6032, 6528), Muslim, Ṣaḥīḥ #2165 ↑

  52. Al-Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ: Kitāb Al-Raqāʾiq Bāb Al-Intihāʾ ʿan al-Maʿāṣī, Muslim, Ṣaḥīḥ #41 ↑

  53. Muslim, Ṣaḥīḥ#1008, Al-Bukhārī, Al-Adab Al-Mufrad: Bāb inn kull maʿrūf ṣadaqah #225 ↑

  54. Al-Mullā ʿAlī Al-Qārī, Mirqāh Al-Mafātīḥ: Kitāb Al-Zakāh Bāb Faḍl Al-Ṣadaqah #1890 ↑

  55. Abū Dāwūd, Sunan: Kitāb Al-Nikāḥ Bāb Mā Jāʾ fī Al-Mizāj #4999, Al-Nasāʾī, Al-Sunan Al-Kubrā: Kitāb ʿIshrah Al-Nisāʾ Bāb Rafʿ Al-Marʾah Ṣawtahā ʿalā Zawjihā #9110 ↑

  56. Al-Qurʾān: Sūrah Al-Naḥl 16:5 ↑

  57. In English see IOK’s Blog on Eid Al-Aḍḥā. Al-Ṭabarī, Jāmiʿ Al-Bayān s. 16 a. 5 ↑

  58. Al-Rāghib Al-Aṣfahānī, Mufradād Alfāẓ Al-Qurʾān: دفىء ↑

  59. Al-Ṭabarī, Jāmiʿ Al-Bayān s. 16 a. 5 ↑

  60. Al-Tirmidhī, Jāmiʿ: Kitāb Al-Ṭahārah Bāb mā jāʾ fī al-rajul yastadfiʾ bi al-marʾah baʿd al-ghusl #123. Al-Tirmidhī then said, “ليس بإسناده بأس - There is no issue acting on this chain.” Similar wording is found in Ibn Abī Shaybah, Muṣannaf: KitābAl-Ṭahārah Bāb fī al-Rajul yastadfiʾ bi imraʾatih baʿd an yaghtasil #842, Ibn Al-Jaʿd, Musnad: Musnad Sharīk ʿan al-Miqdām ibn Shurayḥ ibn Hāniʾ #2286, Ibn Mājah, Sunan: Kitāb Al-Ṭahārah Bāb fī al-junub yastadfiʾ bi imraʾatih qabl an taghtasil #580 ↑

  61. ʿAbd Al-Razzāq Al-Ṣanʿānī, Al-Muṣannaf: Kitāb Al-Ṭahārah Bāb Mubāsharah Al-Junub, Abū Bakr Ibn Abī Shaybah, Al-Muṣannaf: Kitāb Al-Ṭahārah Bāb fī Al-Rajul Yastadfiʾ bi imraʾatihi baʿd an yaghtasil and Kitāb Al-Ṣiyām Bāb mā dhukir fī al-mubāsharah li al-ṣāʾim ↑

  62. Al-Qurʾān: Sūrah Al-Nahl 16:112 ↑

  63. Al-Ṭabarī, Jāmiʿ Al-Bayān s. 16 a. 112 ↑

  64. We do not condone his iʿtizāl (muʿtazilism) ↑

  65. Al-Zamakhsharī, Al-Kashshāf s. 16 a. 112 ↑

  66. Al-Rāghib Al-Aṣfahānī, Mufradād Alfāẓ Al-Qurʾān: لبس وخلط وغشي ↑

  67. Al-Qurʾān: Sūrah Ṣād 38:24 ↑

  68. “وَلَلَبَسْنا عَلَيْهِمْ ما يَلْبِسُونَ” Al-Qurʾān: Sūrah Al-Anʿām 6:9 ↑

  69. Al-Qurʾān: Sūrah Al-Furqān 25:47 ↑

  70. Al-Qurʾān: Sūrah Al-Layl 92:1 ↑

  71. Al-Qurʾān: Sūrah Al-Muddaththir 74:4 ↑

  72. Al-Tirmidhī, Jāmiʿ: Kitāb Al-Libās Bāb Mā Yaqūl idhā Labisa thawban jadīdan, Abū Dāwūd, Sunan: Kitāb Al-Libās Bāb Mā Yaqūl idhā Labisa thawban jadīdan ↑

  73. Abū Dāwūd, Sunan: Kitāb Al-Libās Bāb Mā Yaqūl idhā Labisa thawban jadīdan ↑

  74. Al-Bukhārī, Al-Adab Al-Mufrad Bāb Mā Yaʿmal Al-Rajul fī Baytih ↑

  75. There is a narration that says the Prophet ﷺ had a turban named “Al-Saḥāb - The Clouds” that he later gifted to ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib (raḍiya Allāh ʿanh). See: “حديث كانت له عمامة تسمى السحاب فوهبها من علي فربما طلع علي فيها فيقول ﷺ أتاكم علي في السحاب أخرجه ابن عدي وأبو الشيخ من حديث جعفر بن محمد عن أبيه عن جده وهو مرسل ضعيف جدا ولأبي نعيم في دلائل النبوة من حديث عمر في أثناء حديث عمامته السحاب الحديث” ↑

  76. Al-Qurʾān: Sūrah Al-Baqarah 2:187 ↑

  77. Al-Qurʾān: Sūrah Al-Furqān 25:74. Explanation (tafsīr) taken from Al-Ṭabarī, Jāmiʿ Al-Bayān Āyah 25:74 ↑

  78. In English, one could call a “Johnathan” by “John” or a “Jessica” by “Jess” ↑

  79. Al-Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ: K. Badʾ Al-Khaq B. Dhikr Al-Malāʾikah, Muslim, Ṣaḥīḥ. Both have the wording, “يَا عَائِشُ هَذَا جِبْرِيلُ يَقْرَأُ عَلَيْكِ السَّلاَمَ - O ʿĀʾish, Jibrīl (the Archangel Gabriel ﷺ) is here greeting you with Salām (meaning the greeting of safety, al-salāmu ʿalaykum).”

    There are weaker narrations that mention other nicknames like:

    1. “يَا مُوَفَّقَةُ - O Muwaffaqah: you who has been blessed by Allāh to learn, do, and teach good!” Al-Tirmidhī, Jāmiʿ: K. Al-Janāʾiz ʿan Rasūl Allāh ﷺ B. Mā Jāʾ fī Thawāb Man Qaddama Waladan.
    2. “يَا عُوَيْشُ” the diminutive version of ʿĀʾishah, meaning something like, “O little ʿĀʾishah!” Al-Ṭabarānī, Al-Duʿāʾ: B. Mā Kāna Al-Nabiyy Yadʿū bi fī Sāʾir Nahārih, Ibn Al-Sunnī, ʿAmal Al-Yawm wa Al-Laylah: B. Mā Yaqūl idhā Ghaḍiba - Nawʿ Ākhar.
    3. “يَا حُمَيْرَاءُ - O Ḥumayrāʾ: little bright one!” Al-Nasāʾī, Al-Sunan Al-Kubrā: K. ʿIshrah Al-Nisāʾ B. Ibāḥah Al-Rajul li Zawjatih Al-Naẓar ilā Al-Laʿib, Al-Ṭaḥāwī, Sharḥ Mushkil Al-Āthār: B. Bayān Mushkil mā ruwiya ʿan Rasūl Allāh ﷺ fī jawābih kāna li zawjatih Umm Salamah wa Maymūnah [...], Al-Ḥākim, Al-Mustadrak ʿalā Al-Ṣaḥīḥayn: K. Maʿrifah Al-Ṣaḥābah [...] Ammā Qiṣṣah Iʿtizāl Muḥammad ibn Maslamah Al-Anṣārī ʿan Al-Bayʿah. There are more narrations, but perhaps these are the only ones without major issues. See Ibn Al-Jawzī, Al-Mizzī, and Ibn Ḥajar for more details on narrations with the wording of “يَا حُمَيْرَاءُ”.

    ↑

  80. Al-Qurʾān: Sūrah Al-Furqān 25:74. Explanation (tafsīr) taken from Al-Ṭabarī, Jāmiʿ Al-Bayān Āyah 25:74 ↑

  81. Al-Qurʾān: Sūrah Ibrāhīm 14:40-1. Explanation (tafsīr) taken from Al-Ṭabarī, Jāmiʿ Al-Bayān Āyah 14:40-1 ↑

  82. Al-Qurʾān: Sūrah Al-Baqarah 2:187 ↑

Ramaḍān is Coming!

﷽

الحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله

وعلى آله وصحبه أجمعين ومن تبعهم بإحسان إلى يوم الدين

اللهم اجعلنا منهم

I start by mentioning the Name of God - Allāh, The Infinitely Caring, Eternally Compassionate. We sincerely praise and thank God to the highest extent, and ask Him to bless, protect, honor, and compliment our Prophet and Messenger Muḥammad, his family, his companions, and those that diligently follow them until the end of times. Dear God, please include us from amongst them.

Ramaḍān is Here! Rejoice!

Allāh ﷻ[1], The One True God - Perfectly Mighty and Majestic is He, says in The Qurʾān, “يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ قَدْ جَاءَتْكُمْ مَوْعِظَةٌ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ وَشِفَاءٌ لِمَا فِي الصُّدُورِ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةٌ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ قُلْ بِفَضْلِ اللَّهِ وَبِرَحْمَتِهِ فَبِذَلِكَ فَلْيَفْرَحُوا هُوَ خَيْرٌ مِمَّا يَجْمَعُونَ - People! A moving reminder from your Master has come to you, as well as a reminder that is a healing for whatever is in people’s chests, guidance, and kindness for believers. So My Prophet, tell humanity that they should be happy, rejoice, and take pleasure in 2 specific things: Allāh’s faḍl (grace) and His raḥmah (kindness). That is far better than everything they gather!”[2] A mawʿiẓah is a powerful and moving reminder that goes straight to your heart; it just hits you like nothing else, it moves you and shakes you with fear and urgency. This isn’t just any powerful reminder. It is a reminder from Allāh: your Lord, your Master, your Maker. Who better to advise you, remind you, and give you a wake up call other than your own God, Allāh? Shifāʾ is a cure and healing; it overpowers sickness and disease. It is the cure to the diseases of our hearts. It subdues and overpowers our desires which do not earn us the pleasure of Allāh. Hudā is guidance that is required for one to find and know their path and way forward, allowing them to get to their destination. Raḥmah is compassion and kindness.[3] The sequential instances of “and” (wāw) in the sentence can also be understood as ʿaṭf bayān (“and”s of explanation) rendering the translation as: “a reminder that is a cure, guidance, and grace from your Lord has come to you.” After that, Allāh tells the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ[4] to tell humanity that they should be happy and rejoice because of Allāh’s faḍl: His bounty, grace, and blessings, as well as Allāh’s raḥmah: His kindness, compassion, and care. The early explainers of the Qurʾān gave examples of Allāh’s faḍl as Islām, Qurʾān, and Knowledge. And they gave examples of Allāh’s raḥmah as Qurʾān, the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ, and being Muslim.[5]

What a beautiful reminder from Allāh! May He ﷻ make us truly joyous and grateful for His endless blessings. Although the early scholars didn’t mention Ramaḍān explicitly as a potential meaning of faḍl or raḥmah, we can definitely extrapolate that. It is truly a blessing and a gift from Allāh, especially because it is the month in which The Qurʾān was revealed.[6]

With that in mind, each and every single believer, including you and I, should be happy and appreciative that Allāh ﷻ has allowed us to witness the days, weeks, and months leading up to Ramaḍān. This is not only a command from Allāh, but also a display of our care for Ramaḍān. Just like anyone who is awaiting their move-in date, wedding, graduation, or any important and joyous occasion, people show not only happiness, but also gratitude and preparation. We cannot conceive of someone getting married in a week to have little to no regard for the preparations. Just like that, our joy for Ramaḍān should also consist of preparation. — Have I communicated my Ramaḍān work schedule to my teachers, professors, boss, and colleagues? Have I submitted my time off notice to school and work? Have I done my grocery shopping for suḥūr[7], ifṭār[8], and Eid[9]? Have I selected or purchased my clothes for Eid? Have I done my gift shopping for Eid? Have I set up goals for myself to achieve this Ramaḍān? Do I have an idea of what habits I want to work to get rid of? Do I have a plan to ensure that this Ramaḍān will be the best Ramaḍān I’ve had? — All of these questions that focus on our preparation reflect our delight and appreciation that Ramaḍān is coming.

This excitement, zeal and preparation we should have for Ramadan was exemplified by our Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ. He ﷺ is the best follower of The Qurʾān, what more could we expect? Allāh ﷻ sent him ﷺ to explain The Qurʾān, “وَأَنزلْنَا إِلَيْكَ الذِّكْرَ لِتُبَيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ مَا نزلَ إِلَيْهِمْ - We sent down this reminder (The Qurʾān) to you, O Prophet, so that you can explain to humanity what was sent down to them.”[10] And our mother, ʿĀʾishah (raḍiya Allāhu ʿanhā[11]), when asked about the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ’s character beautifully remarked, “كَانَ خُلُقُهُ الْقُرْآنَ - His character was The Qurʾān.”[12]

So how did the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ show happiness at the coming of Ramaḍān, and how did he ﷺ instill that joy within others?

The Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ’s teachings weren’t for Ramaḍān alone. Rather, every month, he ﷺ prayed to Allāh ﷻ for a good month when seeing the crescent of the new moon[13]. He ﷺ would say, “اللَّهُمَّ أَهِلَّهُ عَلَيْنَا بِالْيُمْنِ وَالْإِيمَانِ وَالسَّلَامَةِ وَالْإِسْلَامِ رَبِّي وَرَبُّكَ اللَّهُ‏ - O Allāh! Let this crescent come upon us and let us enter this month with ease (safety), faith (Īmān), protection, and submission (Islām). [Then he ﷺ addressed the moon, saying] My Master and your Master is Allāh.”.[14] He ﷺ announced that Ramaḍān has come by saying, “قَدْ جَاءَكُمْ رَمَضَانُ شَهْرٌ مُبَارَكٌ - Ramaḍān, a blessed month with increased goodness, has come to you!”[15]

The Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ encouraged his companions by telling them about the huge rewards of fasting and praying in Ramaḍān.

  1. He ﷺ said, “مَنْ صَامَ رَمَضَانَ إِيمَانًا وَاحْتِسَابًا غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ وَمَنْ قَامَ لَيْلَةَ الْقَدْرِ إِيمَانًا وَاحْتِسَابًا غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ - Whoever fasts Ramaḍān with full faith and hopes for reward will be forgiven of all of his/her previous (minor) sins. And whoever prays on the Night of Al-Qadr[16] with full faith and hopes for reward will be forgiven of all of his/her previous (minor) sins.”[17] — What a powerful motivator. If I fast in Ramaḍān and worship during the last 10 nights of Ramaḍān with a heart that truly believes in Allāh ﷻ and hopes for His reward, I will be forgiven for all my previous minor sins. My shortcomings in worship and character will be forgiven. However, Allāh still requires a sincere resolve for those sins that are major and grave. I must beg Allāh for forgiveness for any severe transgression of His laws, and do my best to make up for them by doing extra good deeds. Even in that scenario His Forgiveness is so vast; He ﷻ not only forgives someone who repents from major sins, but if their desire to become better is sincere and one changes their life around, Allāh will replace their bad deeds with good deeds! He ﷻ says, “إِلا مَنْ تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ عَمَلا صَالِحًا فَأُولَئِكَ يُبَدِّلُ اللَّهُ سَيِّئَاتِهِمْ حَسَنَاتٍ - (As for those who committed major sins and are deserving of severe punishment in the hereafter), if they repent and sincerely turn back to Allāh, reaffirm their belief and conviction in God, and follow it up with good deeds, Allāh will replace their bad deeds with good deeds.”[18] We must also note that this vast forgiveness from Allāh ﷻ does not, by default, include the rights of other human beings. If I stole someone’s property, backbite them, cheated them, abused them, or hurt them in any way, I must make up for it. If not, they will have a chance to ask for compensation from me on the Day of Judgment.
  2. Abū Hurayrah (raḍiya Allāh ʿanh) prefaced the above narration by saying, “كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يُرَغِّبُ فِي قِيَامِ رَمَضَانَ مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ يَأْمُرَهُمْ فِيهِ بِعَزِيمَةٍ - The Prophet ﷺ would encourage us to pray during the nights of Ramaḍān, but did not make it mandatory.”[19] — He encouraged his companions (raḍiya Allāh ʿanhum), and us by extension, to take advantage of these special nights with ritual prayer (ṣalāh) and worship. What a beautiful caring Messenger ﷺ we have!
  3. He ﷺ continued to encourage praying during the nights of Ramaḍān by saying, “مَنْ قَامَ رَمَضَانَ إِيمَانًا وَاحْتِسَابًا غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ - Whoever prays (ṣalāh) during the nights of Ramaḍān with full faith and hopes for reward will be forgiven of all of his/her previous (minor) sins.”[20]
  4. He ﷺ told them “إِنَّ فِي الْجَنَّةِ بَابًا يُقَالُ لَهُ الرَّيَّانُ يَدْخُلُ مِنْهُ الصَّائِمُونَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ لاَ يَدْخُلُ مِنْهُ أَحَدٌ غَيْرُهُمْ يُقَالُ أَيْنَ الصَّائِمُونَ فَيَقُومُونَ لاَ يَدْخُلُ مِنْهُ أَحَدٌ غَيْرُهُمْ فَإِذَا دَخَلُوا أُغْلِقَ فَلَمْ يَدْخُلْ مِنْهُ أَحَدٌ - There is a special door of Jannah called ‘Rayyān’. On the Day of Resurrection, people who regularly fasted will enter through that door, and no one else will be allowed to enter through that door. An announcement will be made, ‘Where are those who used to fast?’ Then, they (those who would regularly fast) will stand and go. No one will enter except those who would regularly fast. After they all enter, that gate will be shut. No one will enter through that door ever again.”[21] — This narration beautifully highlights the special rank of those who fast, as they will exclusively be entered through the gate of Paradise, Rayyan. Rayyān is the hyperbolic form of rayy (الري), referring to the concept of quenching one’s thirst, and what a beautiful name since people who fast endure thirst. Thus, this gate and everything present upon entering from this gate is said to be focused around the highest and purest forms of satisfying one’s desire for an enjoyable cool drink to satisfy their thirst. As for who the “people of fasting” are, it could refer to those who fast regularly throughout the year, in which case Ramaḍān is the perfect stepping stone into building a habit of fasting. It could also refer to those who ensure their fasts of Ramaḍān are completed without neglect.[22]
  5. He ﷺ reminded them, “قَالَ اللَّهُ كُلُّ عَمَلِ ابْنِ آدَمَ لَهُ إِلاَّ الصِّيَامَ فَإِنَّهُ لِي وَأَنَا أَجْزِي بِهِ‏ وَالصِّيَامُ جُنَّةٌ وَإِذَا كَانَ يَوْمُ صَوْمِ أَحَدِكُمْ فَلاَ يَرْفُثْ وَلاَ يَصْخَبْ فَإِنْ سَابَّهُ أَحَدٌ أَوْ قَاتَلَهُ فَلْيَقُلْ إِنِّي امْرُؤٌ صَائِمٌ‏.‏ وَالَّذِي نَفْسُ مُحَمَّدٍ بِيَدِهِ لَخُلُوفُ فَمِ الصَّائِمِ أَطْيَبُ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ مِنْ رِيحِ الْمِسْكِ لِلصَّائِمِ فَرْحَتَانِ يَفْرَحُهُمَا إِذَا أَفْطَرَ فَرِحَ وَإِذَا لَقِيَ رَبَّهُ فَرِحَ بِصَوْمِهِ - Allāh ﷻ said, ‘Every action of an individual is something that can benefit him/her amongst people (i.e., be seen doing an action, and thus, praised for it), except for fasting, because it is for Me (Allāh), and I (Allāh) personally reward it.’ Fasting is a shield. So when you’re fasting, don’t be lewd or harsh. If someone curses you or tries to fight you, say ‘I’m Fasting.’ I (Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ) swear to God, the smell of a fasting person’s mouth is more fragrant (beloved) to God than a breeze of perfume. A fasting person has two moments of joy: the first is when they open their fast, and the second is their joy because of their fasts when they meet their Master.”[23]
  6. He ﷺ excited them, “إِذَا جَاءَ رَمَضَانُ فُتِّحَتْ أَبْوَابُ الْجَنَّةِ وَغُلِّقَتْ أَبْوَابُ النَّارِ وَصُفِّدَتِ الشَّيَاطِينُ - When Ramaḍān arrives, the gates of Heaven are wide open, the gates of Hell are locked shut, and the devils and evil spirits are chained.”[24]
    • In a weaker version, he ﷺ is said to have added on, “وَيُنَادِي مُنَادٍ يَا بَاغِيَ الْخَيْرِ أَقْبِلْ وَيَا بَاغِيَ الشَّرِّ أَقْصِرْ - And a caller (perhaps an angel) will announce: ‘O Seeker of good, Come! O Seeker of bad, stop and cut it out!’”[25] And in another weak version, the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ is narrated to have concluded by saying, “وَلِلَّهِ عُتَقَاءُ مِنَ النَّارِ وَذَلِكَ كُلَّ لَيْلَةٍ - Allāh frees people from the Fire (i.e, through their efforts in Ramaḍān, grants them salvation from Hell). That happens every single night of Ramaḍān.”[26]
  7. Additionally, he ﷺ hinted at helping others, not just ourselves by saying, “مَنْ فَطَّرَ صَائِمًا كَانَ لَهُ مِثْلُ أَجْرِهِ غَيْرَ أَنَّهُ لاَ يَنْقُصُ مِنْ أَجْرِ الصَّائِمِ شَيْئًا - Whoever gives a fasting person food to break their fast with will get the reward similar to that of the fasting person he/she gave food to, without it reducing any reward from the fasting person who was fed.”[27]

Ramaḍān in The Qurʾān

That is a glimpse into how the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ showed joy, gratitude, and excitement for the coming of the month of Ramaḍān based on Allāh’s command to rejoice at His bounties and grace. Now let us see how the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ applied and lived out what Allāh mentions specifically about Ramaḍān and Fasting. Allāh ﷻ says:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ أَيَّامًا مَعْدُودَاتٍ فَمَنْ كَانَ مِنْكُمْ مَرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ وَعَلَى الَّذِينَ يُطِيقُونَهُ فِدْيَةٌ طَعَامُ مِسْكِينٍ فَمَنْ تَطَوَّعَ خَيْرًا فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَهُ وَأَنْ تَصُومُوا خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِي أُنْزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنُ هُدًى لِلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَاتٍ مِنَ الْهُدَىٰ وَالْفُرْقَانِ فَمَنْ شَهِدَ مِنْكُمُ الشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ وَمَنْ كَانَ مَرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ بِكُمُ الْيُسْرَ وَلَا يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ الْعُسْرَ وَلِتُكْمِلُوا الْعِدَّةَ وَلِتُكَبِّرُوا اللَّهَ عَلَىٰ مَا هَدَاكُمْ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُوا لِي وَلْيُؤْمِنُوا بِي لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُونَ‏[28]

“Believers! Fasting has been obligated on you, just like it was obligated on those before you, so that you can increase in your taqwā (awareness and obedience of God). It is only a set number of days. So if any of you are sick or traveling, make up the missed fasts at a later date. Whoever has a missed fast and is financially capable of feeding a poor person for every missed fast can do that. Whoever is charitable and feeds a poor person for a missed fast has done something good and will be rewarded. But if you fast (instead of feeding a poor person - because you are able to fast) that is better for you, if only you knew.[29] Ramaḍān is the month that The Qurʾān was revealed in. It has been sent down as a guidance for humanity, with guidance that is clear and understandable, and as The Criterion. So whoever is present in this month must fast. If someone is sick or traveling, they can make it up at a later date. Allāh wants ease for you and through you, and doesn’t want hardship for you or because of you. This is so that you can complete the month, declare God’s Greatness because He’s guided you, and so you are grateful and thankful. When any of My slaves ask you (O Prophet) about Me, then I am near. I respond to the call of the caller when they call. Let them (everyone, every caller) respond to Me (by trying their best to obey Me), and truly believe in Me so that they can be correctly and insightfully guided.”

This beautiful passage continues on for one more lengthy āyah filled with endless gems. But we will save that for another writeup. As for the above four āyāt, let us explore how Allāh ﷻ assigns a goal for each action He commands, and how the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ excellently exemplifies each command and goal.

Ṣiyām/Fasting ➝ Taqwā/Obedience of God ﷻ

Allāh ﷻ gives us the command, “كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ - Fasting has been obligated on you” followed by the goal, “لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ - so that you can increase in your taqwā (awareness and obedience of God).” Fasting is an action which consists of refraining from eating, drinking, and sexual intercourse from dawn to sunset. It is an exercise in self control. The outcome Allāh has associated with it is gaining taqwā - a quality that focuses on an individual being both aware of Allāh, and afraid of His anger and punishment. Taqwā comes from وقاية indicating shielding and protection; thus one protects themselves from Allāh’s anger and punishment, and the “shield” that is used is one’s obedience of Allāh, and one’s abandoning of sins.[30] We see the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ rephrasing this by saying, “الصِّيَامُ جُنَّةٌ - Fasting is a shield.”[31]

We often talk about how taqwā is an extraordinary trait attained only by the most pious. There is an aspect of that which is true; having the highest levels of taqwā requires a lifetime of effort and piety. However, that does not mean that we do not have any taqwā. When you find yourself alone at home, with full and free access to water and food, but do not eat or drink, that is a sign of your taqwā. You are not afraid of someone barging into your house to punish you for eating, nor do you fear the earth swallowing you up for drinking. Yet, deep down inside your heart, you recognize and truly believe that Allāh exists, that He is watching you, and that He can and will hold you accountable. Thus, you choose to obey Him. That is, in essence, taqwā.

All that is from the perspective of the act of fasting itself, and sets the standard for the bare minimum. But Allāh ﷻ gives us the goal, “لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ - so that you have taqwā” which can, perhaps, imply that we increase, grow, and develop our taqwā. That is because fasting serves as a long action focused outwardly on restraining oneself. When I fast, I stop myself, shield myself, “protect” myself from food and drink. I also start to think twice about even the most mundane of actions. Never throughout the year do I think twice about drinking water, nor how much water is in my mouth when brushing my teeth. But in Ramaḍān, in the state of fasting, I become hyper aware of these mundane actions. I pay close attention to how I rinse my mouth and nose in wuḍūʾ[32] while I’m fasting, not just for one wuḍūʾ, but an entire month’s worth of wuḍūʾ. The hope would be that I become well aware of my habits, my routines, and my daily mundane actions to such an extent that I could never possibly miss performing an action beloved by Allāh ﷻ or conceive of committing an action that is displeasing to Allāh ﷻ. If I think twice about a sip of water, of course I will think ten times about consuming wine and swine. As a result of training self-restraint for 29 days, of course I should have developed an awareness of what my eyes glance at, what my ears tune in to, what my tongue says, what my hands do, and what my heart feels. How can I watch a video that Allāh does not approve of, after I spent 15 hours holding myself back from drinking water despite my thirst? If I do not eat and drink for enough time, my body will physically weaken, and if it continues, my life will be in danger. If I do not lie, backbite, cheat, commit fraud, consume interest, have greed, envy, or literally any and every evil action of the heart or body, I will not die, nor will my body be negatively impacted. Thus, a month of fasting will train me in my awareness of Allāh - The All Knower, Ever Watchful, Fully Aware - and increase me in my fear of Allāh, and thus manifest as me being more obedient and dutiful to Allāh.

And how excellent is our Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ who exemplified taqwā for us, and taught us how to practice it ourselves.

  1. He ﷺ humbly reminded us without any hint of arrogance or bragging, “قَدْ عَلِمْتُمْ أَنِّي أَتْقَاكُمْ لِلَّهِ وَأَصْدَقُكُمْ وَأَبَرُّكُمْ - You all know that I have the most taqwā of Allāh, and that I am the most honest, and the most pious.”[33] He ﷺ is our role model in taqwā, because no one is more aware of, and more obedient to Allāh than him ﷺ.
  2. He ﷺ informed us, “يَا مَعْشَرَ الشَّبَابِ مَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ مِنْكُمُ الْبَاءَةَ فَلْيَتَزَوَّجْ فَإِنَّهُ أَغَضُّ لِلْبَصَرِ وَأَحْصَنُ لِلْفَرْجِ وَمَنْ لَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ فَعَلَيْهِ بِالصَّوْمِ فَإِنَّهُ لَهُ وِجَاءٌ - Young people! If you are financially capable of getting married, then get married! Marriage is one of the best ways to guard one’s eyes and stay chaste. Whoever is not able to get married should fast, because fasting will serve as a means of lowering and controlling their desires.”[34]
  3. He ﷺ said, “الصِّيَامُ جُنَّةٌ وَإِذَا كَانَ يَوْمُ صَوْمِ أَحَدِكُمْ فَلاَ يَرْفُثْ وَلاَ يَصْخَبْ فَإِنْ سَابَّهُ أَحَدٌ أَوْ قَاتَلَهُ فَلْيَقُلْ إِنِّي امْرُؤٌ صَائِمٌ‏ - Fasting is a shield. So when you’re fasting, don’t be lewd or harsh. If someone curses you or tries to fight you, say ‘I’m fasting.’”[35]
  4. He ﷺ taught us, “مَنْ لَمْ يَدَعْ قَوْلَ الزُّورِ وَالْعَمَلَ بِهِ فَلَيْسَ لِلَّهِ حَاجَةٌ فِي أَنْ يَدَعَ طَعَامَهُ وَشَرَابَهُ - Allāh has no need for (and does not ‘care’ for) someone who refrains from food and drink whilst fasting if they did not stop lying, making false testimony, or benefiting from cheating oaths (or any other major sin).”[36]

Relationship with The Qurʾān ➝ Shukr/Gratitude

Allāh ﷻ gives us the subtle instruction, “شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِي أُنْزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنُ - Ramaḍān is the month that The Qurʾān was revealed in.” followed by the goal, “لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ - so you are grateful and thankful.” Every single passage in The Qurʾān requires our gratitude. From the “simple” concept of Allāh ﷻ having graciously revealed it to us humans and allowing us to experience, recite, and understand His Divine Speech, to having the ability to find guidance and clarity to navigate our lives through His Perfect Book. All of this requires gratitude. We show appreciation for the sky, earth, animals, food, water, clouds, houses, clothes, family - literally everything He ﷻ made for us and sent for us. Then that gratitude extends to our Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ who conveyed God’s Book, and his companions (raḍiya Allāh ʿanhum) who passed it down - and so on. We must also thank our parents, our teachers, our spouses, our children, our siblings, our relatives, and friends for everything they have done and continue to do for us.

As always, our role model in this is none other than the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ. He ﷺ not only taught us how to be actually grateful by living a life of thankfulness, but also applying this very āyah: The Qurʾān should make us more appreciative. That through the recitation, understanding, and application of The Qurʾān, I should become more grateful. The Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ’s young cousin, ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAbbās (raḍiya Allāh ʿanhumā)[37] said, “كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَجْوَدَ النَّاسِ بِالْخَيْرِ وَكَانَ أَجْوَدَ مَا يَكُونُ فِي شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ إِنَّ جِبْرِيلَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ كَانَ يَلْقَاهُ فِي كُلِّ سَنَةٍ فِي رَمَضَانَ حَتَّى يَنْسَلِخَ فَيَعْرِضُ عَلَيْهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ الْقُرْآنَ فَإِذَا لَقِيَهُ جِبْرِيلُ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَجْوَدَ بِالْخَيْرِ مِنَ الرِّيحِ الْمُرْسَلَةِ -The Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ was the most generous of people with all things good. The most generous he ﷺ would be was in Ramaḍān. Every year, Jibrīl[38] (ʿalayh al-salām[39]) - The Archangel Gabriel, would come and stay with the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ in Ramaḍān until the month ended. The Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ would recite and review everything that had been revealed from The Qurʾān up until that point with Jibrīl (ʿalayh al-salām). So when Jibrīl (ʿalayh al-salām) would visit the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ, he - the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ - would be even more generous than a blowing breeze.”[40] We see here that the the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ’s interaction with The Qurʾān literally made him more giving; more giving that a breeze of wind. When a breeze of wind blows past a tree, there isn’t a single part of the tree that remains untouched. The Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ’s generosity reached everyone in his community.

He ﷺ taught us to be grateful and giving as well by teaching us to feed others in Ramaḍān, when he ﷺ said, “مَنْ فَطَّرَ صَائِمًا كَانَ لَهُ مِثْلُ أَجْرِهِ غَيْرَ أَنَّهُ لاَ يَنْقُصُ مِنْ أَجْرِ الصَّائِمِ شَيْئًا - Whoever gives a fasting person food to break their fast with will get the reward similar to that of the fasting person he/she gave food to, without it reducing any reward from the fasting person who was fed.”[41] This can apply to the head of the house who goes to work and earns money that is used to put food on the table for his family to eat. It can apply to the one who gets groceries for the family. It can apply to the one who cooks food for the family. It can apply to the one who sets the table and serves food for the family. It can apply to the one who feeds their spouse, their child, or their parent by placing a morsel of food in their mouth. It can apply to the one who gives a box of dates to their friend. It can apply to the one who hosts an ifṭār at their house or their masjid. It can apply to someone who gives a bottle of water, or even one sip of water, to someone sitting next to them at Maghrib (sunset). It can apply to someone who only has one date and splits it with the person next to them. As the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ said, “مَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ مِنْكُمْ أَنْ يَسْتَتِرَ مِنَ النَّارِ وَلَوْ بِشِقِّ تَمْرَةٍ فَلْيَفْعَلْ - If you can save yourself from the Fire of Hell, even if it is by giving half a date, then do so.”[42]

One may object and say the āyah ends with gratitude, “لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ - so you are grateful and thankful,” which is different from generosity. But in reality, using the blessings of Allāh ﷻ in a manner that will please Allāh ﷻ is from the greatest forms of shukr (gratitude).[43] One of the best ways to use the wealth Allāh ﷻ has given us is to spend it on others: be it our family, the needy, or to spread the message of Islām to list a few. Allāh ﷻ makes this a hallmark quality of the people of taqwā: “الَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْغَيْبِ وَيُقِيمُونَ الصَّلاةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنْفِقُونَ - They (the people of taqwā) are people who believe in the unseen[44], diligently pray the five daily prayers, and use the wealth We have given them to spend on and give to others.”[45]

Duʿāʾ and Istijābah/Supplication and Obedience ➝ Rushd/Guidance and Clarity

Allāh ﷻ ties praying to Him and asking Him through duʿāʾ (supplication) to receiving guidance and clarity. Allāh ﷻ says, “وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُوا لِي وَلْيُؤْمِنُوا بِي لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُونَ - When any of My slaves ask you (O Prophet) about Me, then I am near. I respond to the call of the caller when they call. Let them (everyone, every caller) respond to Me (by trying their best to obey Me), and truly believe in Me so that they can be correctly and insightfully guided.”

Firstly, Allāh ﷻ addresses His Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ by telling him ﷺ that, for anyone who asks about Allāh - specifically questions around when, where, and how to speak to and ask Allāh (duʿāʾ), He ﷻ is already close by and near. This implies that any time and any place is suitable,[46] as well as any wording one can conceive of via the variety of languages and phrases, so long that the asker is humble, respectful, and sincere.

Second, Allāh ﷻ ingrains into our hearts and minds that He ﷻ will hear it and He ﷻ will respond; the condition is simply to be a caller who calls, to be an asker who asks. However, Allāh ﷻ’s response may not come in the way we expect it. The Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ said, “مَا مِنْ مُسْلِمٍ يَدْعُو لَيْسَ بِإِثْمٍ وَلَا بِقَطِيعَةِ رَحِمٍ إِلَّا أَعْطَاهُ إِحْدَى ثَلَاثٍ إِمَّا أَنْ يُعَجِّلَ لَهُ دَعْوَتَهُ وَإِمَّا أَنْ يَدَّخِرَهَا لَهُ فِي الْآخِرَةِ وَإِمَّا أَنْ يَدْفَعَ عَنْهُ مِنَ السُّوءِ مِثْلَهَا - If a Muslim prays to God for something that does not involve sins or cutting off family ties, then Allāh will respond to him/her by giving him/her one of three things. Either He (Allāh) will give the asker what they asked for, or He will save the reward of that prayer (duʿāʾ) for them in the Hereafter, or He will save and protect them from some harm/evil that is equivalent to what he/she asked for.”[47]

Third, we must also recognize that belief, sincerity, and a genuine attempt to obey Allāh should be made for our prayers to have a real chance of being answered. Allāh ﷻ says right after that, “فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُوا لِي وَلْيُؤْمِنُوا بِي - Let them (everyone, every caller) respond to Me (by trying their best to obey Me), and truly believe in Me!” He ﷻ also taught us to be in a state of humble submissiveness to Him when we ask Him (duʿāʾ) by saying, “ادْعُوا رَبَّكُمْ تَضَرُّعًا وَخُفْيَةً - Beg your Master humbly, submissively with full certainty and obedience from your heart without raising your voice.”[48] and “وَاذْكُرْ رَبَّكَ فِي نَفْسِكَ تَضَرُّعًا وَخِيفَةً وَدُونَ الْجَهْرِ مِنَ الْقَوْلِ بِالْغُدُوِّ وَالآصَالِ وَلا تَكُنْ مِنَ الْغَافِلِينَ - Remember and mention your Master (and ask Him in duʿāʾ) in a manner that is humbly submissive, while also being afraid of potential punishment for your sins, and in a low voice. Do so day and night. Never forget Allāh, nor become unaware, heedless, or oblivious of Allāh.”[49] Of course, obedience is key. Many have explained “فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُوا لِي” - literally translated as “try to respond to Me” to mean “obey Me”.[50]

What does this sincere and humble begging (duʿāʾ) lead to? Rushd - guidance and clarity. Rushd is similar to hidāyah (guidance). The opposite of hidāyah (guidance) is ḍalālah (being lost), and the opposite of rushd is ghayy which refers to not knowing one is lost, being ignorant of a false belief system, or the evil, darkness, or incorrectness of something.[51] Thus we can understand rushd to mean, guidance, clarity, knowing one is on the right path, and knowing that one is doing the right thing. Allāh ﷻ tells us that He gave rushd to His special beloved servant[52], Ibrāhīm (ʿalayh al-salām) - Abraham, “لَقَدْ آتَيْنَا إِبْرَاهِيمَ رُشْدَهُ - We graciously gave Abraham the guidance and clarity.”[53]

So how does making duʿāʾ, obeying Allāh, and truly believing in Him lead to this guidance and clarity? Firstly, Allāh ﷻ is the one that said it, so we accept it without a shadow of a doubt. Second, we can reflect on our own human experiences to realize this. When you ask Allāh ﷻ, The All Knower (Al-ʿAlīm), The Infinitely Wise (Al-Ḥakīm), and The One Who can do anything (ʿalā kull shayʾ qadīr), you have asked the one being that is fully capable of completing any and all tasks. I can ask any human being for the simplest task, yet they may be unable to fulfill it. If I ask someone to stand, they may - in that very second - become unable to get up. I can ask someone to give me a cup of water, and before they lift a finger, they could no longer be alive. Yet Allāh ﷻ is The Eternal, The Ever Living (Al-Ḥayy) The One Who maintains every single thing (Al-Qayyūm) who will ALWAYS be there, who can do LITERALLY anything. When you ask that being, who’s power, control, authority, and ownership is beyond infinite, there is no question of can He or can He not - the answer, even before the unnecessary question is asked, is a resounding: He absolutely can! Allāh ﷻ is ALWAYS there to listen. If He chooses to give, based on His Divine Wisdom, there is no one and nothing that can stop Him, let alone question or challenge His decision to do so. At this point, you have handed your situation over to Allāh ﷻ, like the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ who said “فَوَّضْتُ أَمْرِي إِلَيْكَ - I have handed over and entrusted my situation over to You, O Allāh!”[54] and the man who believed in Mūsā (ʿalayh al-salām) - Moses - even though he was from the family of the Pharaoh (Firʿawn) when he addressed his people saying, “أُفَوِّضُ أَمْرِي إِلَى اللَّهِ - I am handing over this situation of mine over to Allāh to handle it for me.”[55] When a believer does this, they will get a level of guidance and clarity never before experienced. They have entrusted their need, their ask, the thing they are begging for over to Allāh. The believer knows Allāh ﷻ can handle it and fully take care of it. The worry, stress, anxiety, confusion, panic - all the emotions of uneasiness - will be put to rest knowing that they are going in the right direction (rushd), with a correct belief and understanding (rushd).

In conclusion, let us all be happy and excited for Ramaḍān. Let us diligently prepare for the special month to come. Let us do our best to fast and become more obedient to Allāh. Let us strive to read The Qurʾān more, read it better, memorize it, understand it, and live and die by it. Let us use our relationship with The Qurʾān to be more grateful to Allāh ﷻ and everyone around us. Let us become frequent and sincere in our prayers (duʿāʾ) to Allāh ﷻ. Let us all push ourselves to firmly root the belief of Allāh ﷻ into our hearts, and exert ourselves to obey Him. Let us hope to find guidance, clarity, and comfort by doing so. — O Allāh! Help us do so! O Allāh! save us from ever having to deal with Hell. O Allāh! Make us worthy of Your Love and Pleasure! O Allāh! Bless and honor Your beloved Prophet Muḥammad.

Footnotes

  1. Unicode for jalla jalāluhu, meaning: His (God’s) Majesty is exalted and far above everything else ↑

  2. Al-Qurʾān 10:57-8 ↑

  3. See Maqāyīs Al-Lughah by Ibn Fāris and Mufradāt Alfāẓ Al-Qurʾān by Al-Rāghib Al-Aṣfahānī ↑

  4. Unicode for ṣallā Allāhu ʿalayhi wa sallāma, meaning: may Allāh (God) bless, honor, and preserve the legacy of Prophet Muḥammad ↑

  5. Al-Ṭabarī, Jāmiʿ Al-Bayān Āyah 10:58, Ibn Al-Jawzī, Zād Al-Masīr Āyah 10:58 ↑

  6. Al-Qurʾān 2:185 ↑

  7. Pre-dawn (Fajr) meal, aka breakfast, eaten prior to starting the fast ↑

  8. The meal at sunset to break/open one’s fast ↑

  9. The celebration after Ramaḍān on the 1st of Shawwāl ↑

  10. Al-Qurʾān 16:44 ↑

  11. May God be pleased with her ↑

  12. Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, Musnad M. Al-Nisāʾ M. Al-Ṣiddīqah ʿĀʾishah bint Al-Ṣiddīq, Al-Bukhārī, Al-Adab Al-Mufrad B. Man Daʿā Allāh an Yuḥassin Khulaqah, Al-Bukhārī, Khalq Afʿāl Al-ʿIbād B. Al-Radd ʿalā Al-Jahmiyyah wa Aṣḥāb Al-Taʿṭīl. Another similar wording (فَإِنَّ خُلُقَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ كَانَ الْقُرْآنَ) is found in ʿAbd Al-Razzāq, Muṣannaf: Al-Awwal min Kitāb Al-Ṣalāh B. Ṣalāh Al-Nabī ﷺ bi Al-Layl wa Witrih, and another wording (فَإِنَّ الْقُرْآنَ خُلُقُهُ and فَإِنَّ خُلُقَهُ كَانَ الْقُرْآنَ) is found in Isḥāq ibn Rāhaqayh, Musnad Mā Yurwā ʿan Abī Al-Shaʿthāʾ ... wa ghayrih ʿan Masrūq ʿan ʿĀʾishah ʿan Al-Nabī ﷺ ↑

  13. Lunar/Islamic months start at the sighting/birth of the new crescent. ↑

  14. Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, Musnad M. Abī Muḥammad Ṭalḥah ibn ʿUbayd Allāh, Al-Tirmidhī, Jāmiʿ K. Al-Daʿawāt ʿan Rasūl Allāh ﷺ B. mā Yaqūl ʿind ruʾyah al-hilāl with the use of the word “أَهْلِلْهُ”. — There is some weakness in these narrations. Al-Tirmidhī says the narration is “هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ غَرِيبٌ”. The word “الْأَمْنِ” is used instead of “الْيُمْنِ” in Al-Dārimī, Sunan: Min Kitāb Al-Ṣawm ↑

  15. Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, Musnad Abī Hurayrah, Isḥāq ibn Rāhawayh, Musnad Mā Yurwā ʿan Abī Qilābah wa Zurārah ... ʿan Abī Hurayrah ʿan Rasūl Allāhﷺ, Ibn Abī Shaybah, Muṣannāf K. Al-Ṣawm Mā dhukir fī Faḍl Ramaḍān wa Thawābih. There’s a similar wording “إِنَّ هَذَا الشَّهْرَ قَدْ حَضَرَ وَإِنَّهُ شَهْرٌ مُبَارَكٌ” in ʿAbd Al-Razzāq, Muṣannaf K. Al-Ṣiyām B. Salsalah Al-Shayāṭīn wa Faḍl Ramaḍān and “أَتَاكُمْ رَمَضَانُ شَهْرٌ مُبَارَكٌ” in Al-Nasāʾī, Sunan K. Al-Ṣiyām B. Dhikr Al-Ikhtilāf ʿalā Maʿmar fīh ↑

  16. Laylah Al-Qadr, the night of virtue, status, decree, and power - is the night in which the Qurʾān was revealed. It falls on an odd night within the last 10 nights of Ramaḍān ↑

  17. Muslim, Ṣaḥīḥ, Al-Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ K. Al-Ṣawm B. Man Ṣām Ramaḍān īmānan wa iḥtisāban wa niyyah (with the two sentences flipped) ↑

  18. Al-Qurʾān 25:70 ↑

  19. Muslim, Ṣaḥīḥ, Al-Nasāʾī, Sunan K. Al-Ṣiyām B. Dhikr Al-Ikhtilāf ʿalā Maʿmar fīh and B. Thawāb man qāma Ramaḍān ... ↑

  20. Al-Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ K. Al-Īmān B. Taṭawwuʿ Qiyām Ramaḍān min Al-Īmān ↑

  21. Al-Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ K. Al-Ṣawm B. Al-Rayyān li Al-Ṣāʾimīn, Muslim, Ṣaḥīḥ (with the wording “لاَ يَدْخُلُ مَعَهُمْ أَحَدٌ غَيْرُهُمْ”) ↑

  22. Al-Hararī, Al-Kawkab Al-Wahhāj Sharḥ Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim ibn Ḥajjāj v. 13 p. 121. Al-Ṣanʿānī, Al-Tanwīr Sharḥ Al-Jāmiʿ Al-Ṣaghīr v. 4 p. 17. Zakariyyā Al-Anṣārī, Minḥah Al-Bārī bi Sharḥ Ṣaḥīḥ Al-Bukhārī v. 3 p. 340-1. ↑

  23. Al-Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ K. Al-Ṣawm B. Hal Yaqul Innī Ṣāʾim idhā Shutima, Muslim, Ṣaḥīḥ (with the wording “فَلاَ يَرْفُثْ يَوْمَئِذٍ”) ↑

  24. Muslim, Ṣaḥīḥ. Al-Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ K. Al-Ṣawm B. Hal Yuqāl Ramaḍān aw Shahr Ramaḍān ... (with the wording “إِذَا دَخَلَ شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ ... وَسُلْسِلَتِ الشَّيَاطِينُ”). Muslim also brings another narration with the wording “وَسُلْسِلَتِ الشَّيَاطِينُ” ↑

  25. Al-Tirmidhī, Jāmiʿ K. Al-Ṣawm ʿan Rasūl Allāh ﷺ B. Mā Jāʾa fī Faḍl Shahr Ramaḍān “حَدِيثٌ غَرِيبٌ لاَ نَعْرِفُهُ ... إِلاَّ مِنْ حَدِيثِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ”, Al-Nasāʾī, Sunan K. Al-Ṣiyām B. Dhikr Al-Ikhtilāf ʿalā Maʿmar fīh “قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ هَذَا خَطَأٌ”, Ibn Mājah, Sunan K. Al-Ṣiyām B. Mā Jāʾa fī Faḍl Shahr Ramaḍān ↑

  26. Al-Tirmidhī, Jāmiʿ K. Al-Ṣawm ʿan Rasūl Allāh ﷺ B. Mā Jāʾa fī Faḍl Shahr Ramaḍān “حَدِيثٌ غَرِيبٌ لاَ نَعْرِفُهُ ... إِلاَّ مِنْ حَدِيثِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ”, Ibn Mājah, Sunan K. Al-Ṣiyām B. Mā Jāʾa fī Faḍl Shahr Ramaḍān ↑

  27. Al-Tirmidhī, Jāmiʿ K. Al-Ṣawm ʿan Rasūl Allāh ﷺ B. Mā Jā fī Faḍl man Faṭṭara Ṣāʾimā. Similar wording found in Al-Dārimī, Sunan Min Kitāb Al-Ṣawm and Ibn Mājah, Sunan K. Al-Ṣiyām B. Fī Thawāb man Faṭṭara Ṣāʾimā ↑

  28. Al-Qurʾān 2:183-6 ↑

  29. This part of the āyāh is understood in a few different ways. Here it is summarized into the three main understandings. First, it can be understood as it was translated, and thus it serves as a choice that was abrogated by the following āyah. Second, a لا can be inferred before the verb, thus rendering the understanding, “وَعَلَى الَّذِينَ لا يُطِيقُونَهُ فِدْيَةٌ طَعَامُ مِسْكِينٍ” which would result in the same ruling, but a slightly adjusted translation, “Whoever is unable to make up the missed fast should feed a poor person for every missed fast.” Third, it refers to those people who find it extremely hard to fast, although they are not “sick” like the elderly, pregnant, and nursing. See Al-Ṭabarī, Jāmiʿ Al-Bayān Āyah 2:184 and Al-Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ K. Al-Tafsīr B. Qawlih Ayyāman Maʿdūdāt ... and B. Fa Man Shahida minkum Al-Shahr fa-l-yaṣumh ↑

  30. See Al-Ṭabarī, Jāmiʿ Al-Bayān Āyah 2:2 and Al-Rāghib Al-Aṣfahānī, Mufradāt Alfāẓ Al-Qurʾān “وقى” ↑

  31. Al-Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ K. Al-Ṣawm B. Hal Yaqul Innī Ṣāʾim idhā Shutima, Muslim, Ṣaḥīḥ ↑

  32. The ablution, washing of specific body parts to enter into a state of ritual purity. See Al-Qurʾān 5:6 ↑

  33. Al-Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ K. Al-Iʿtiṣām bi Al-Kitāb wa Al-Sunnah B. Nahy Al-Nabī ﷺ ʿalā Al-Taḥrīm ..., Muslim, Ṣaḥīḥ ↑

  34. Muslim, Ṣaḥīḥ, Al-Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ K. Al-Nikāḥ B. Man Lam Yastaṭiʿ Al-Bāʾah fal-yaṣum ↑

  35. Al-Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ K. Al-Ṣawm B. Hal Yaqul Innī Ṣāʾim idhā Shutima, Muslim, Ṣaḥīḥ ↑

  36. Al-Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ K. Al-Ṣawm B. Man Lam Yadaʿ Qawl Al-Zūr wa Al-ʿAmal bih fī Al-Ṣawm ↑

  37. ʿAbbas is the paternal uncle of the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ, that is to say that ʿAbbās and ʿAbd Allāh (the father of the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ) are brothers, and are both the sons of ʿAbd Al-Muṭṭalib (the paternal grandfather of the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ). ↑

  38. The most senior angel - creature of light - in charge of communication revelation from God to God’s prophets ↑

  39. May God honor and preserve his legacy ↑

  40. Muslim, Ṣaḥīḥ, Al-Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ K. Faḍāʾil Al-Qurʾān B. Kāna Jibrīl Yuʿriḍ Al-Qurʾān ʿalā Al-Nabiyy ﷺ ↑

  41. Al-Tirmidhī, Jāmiʿ K. Al-Ṣawm ʿan Rasūl Allāh ﷺ B. Mā Jā fī Faḍl man Faṭṭara Ṣāʾimā. Similar wording found in Al-Dārimī, Sunan Min Kitāb Al-Ṣawm and Ibn Mājah, Sunan K. Al-Ṣiyām B. Fī Thawāb man Faṭṭara Ṣāʾimā ↑

  42. Muslim, Ṣaḥīḥ. Similar wordings with the same meaning are, like “اتَّقُوا النَّارَ وَلَوْ بِشِقِّ تَمْرَةٍ” are narrated multiple times in both Al-Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ K. Al-Zakāh and Muslim, Ṣaḥīḥ. ↑

  43. Al-Rāghib Al-Aṣfahānī, Mufradāt Alfāẓ Al-Qurʾān “شكر”, Al-Khazzār, Mawsūʿah Al-Akhlāq p. 151 ↑

  44. Referring to the fact that humans do not see Allāh in this earthly life, nor do they see angels, heaven, hell, reward, and/or punishment, yet they still believe in all of these things with full certainty. It can also refer to a believer’s faith and obedience to God when they are in private. See: Al-Ṭabarī, Jāmiʿ Al-Bayān Āyah 2:3 ↑

  45. Al-Qurʾān 2:3 ↑

  46. Al-Ṭabarī, Jāmiʿ Al-Bayān Āyah 2:186 ↑

  47. Al-Bukhārī, Al-Adab Al-Mufrad B. Mā Yuddakharu li Al-Dāʿī min Al-Ajr wa Al-Thawāb, Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, Musnad M. Abī Saʿīd Al-Khudrī, Ibn Abī Shaybah, Muṣannaf K. Al-Duʿāʾ B. Min Faḍl Al-Duʿāʾ. A similar statement is attributed to Zayd ibn Aslam (raḍiya Allāh ʿanh) in Mālik, Muwaṭṭāʾ K. Al-Qurʾān. ↑

  48. Al-Qurʾān 7:55, explanation (tafsīr) taken from Al-Ṭabarī, Jāmiʿ Al-Bayān Āyah 7:55 ↑

  49. Al-Qurʾān 7:205, explanation (tafsīr) taken from Al-Ṭabarī, Jāmiʿ Al-Bayān Āyah 7:205 ↑

  50. Al-Ṭabarī, Jāmiʿ Al-Bayān Āyah 2:186 ↑

  51. Ibn Fāris, Maqāyīs Al-Lughah “غوي”, Al-Rāghib Al-Aṣfahānī, Mufradāt Alfāẓ Al-Qurʾān “غوى” ↑

  52. Khalīl ↑

  53. Al-Qurʾān 21:51. — The possessive phrase (iḍāfah) in “رُشْدَهُ” can refer to guidance and clarity that was specifically for him. See: Abū Al-Saʿūd, Irshād Al-ʿAql Al-Salīm Āyah 21:51. ↑

  54. Al-Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ K. Al-Daʿawāt, Muslim, Ṣaḥīḥ ↑

  55. Al-Qurʾān 40:40 ↑

Remembering Mufti Naeem

Sometimes you are so busy with life you don’t think much of where it all started, how you became who you are, the journeys you took and the people who helped you along them. And then something happens which forces you to pause. Only then you remember there were people who played a major role in shaping you to the person you are today, in turning your dreams which you thought would remain dreams forever into a reality.

I’m remembering now.

—

I was just one of his thousands of students. Not one of the best, not even close to accomplished. I’ll admit I wasn’t even someone who was considerate enough to keep much contact, keep him updated, despite how much he had advised us to. As the years went by, the relationship, even memories, faded away.

And yet I haven’t been able to focus on anything else all week long. Not surprising of course considering the influence he had and the role he played in enabling me to study. It’s surprising, rather, how I took his presence granted for all of these years.

I wasn’t sure whether I’d share this initially. I was writing this to sort my own mind and thoughts. Then I remembered he would tell us that he hoped we’d remember him with goodness all our lives and share his words when we teach in the future, the same way he’d always quote his own teachers and mention them by name when he taught. A legacy through ‘ilm. Sadaqah jariyah. That is all he ever worked for.

—

Apart from the final year Bukhari class, I didn’t have much direct encounter with him but my entire stay in Pakistan was due to him and under his care. It was his invitation, his hospitality what brought me there so everything about my stay in Pakistan is intrinsically linked to him and his family.

When I went to Pakistan to study back in 2006, there were few, if any, quality Alimiyyah programs in America for girls. I chose Pakistan because I had family there. But, really, I chose it because of his school. There are many seminaries in Pakistan but it was only his that really accommodated foreigners.

He would go out of his way to encourage and allow foreign students in and accommodated every request or need along the way. Although he had many other responsibilities, foreign students were his personal guests. He understood that traveling so far and studying in a land where everything was different was a big adjustment and sacrifice, so he did his best to make it easier. He also understood the stakes here; if these students could successfully study and go back to their lands, the benefit they could have in their communities was critical.

This treatment wasn’t just for western students. This is how he treated every student who came from afar. Students from Thailand and Sri Lanka, Tanzania and Tajikistan, Russia and Fiji; students from remote villages in Sindh and Baluchistan and other parts of Pakistan all called his madrasa their home. And that’s one of the biggest things that sets him apart.

As Mufti Rafi said, “His service to foreign students can never be forgotten. There is no similar example in any other madrasa.”

When I last visited Pakistan two years ago, a classmate of mine and now a teacher at the madrasa for the past decade asked me “We don’t get many students from America anymore the way we used to before. Why? You guys aren’t encouraging kids to study anymore?”

It dawned upon me then that his dream to spread this knowledge worldwide had already begun to be realized. I told her there were now so many programs and schools and teachers in America that students didn’t need to go abroad the way they did before.

Thousands of his students, male and female, are teaching across the world. He’d proudly tell us of his students starting madrasas in remote villages in Baluchistan and Sindh. “These girls are educating their entire villages and communities, people didn’t even know how to say the Kalima before. People come from miles away to learn from our students.”

It is this that really gave him joy and fulfillment.

—

At a time when the political climate in Pakistan made it difficult for foreign students, he took responsibility for all of them. He promised them he would take care of them. He fought for their right to study. He built relationships with ambassadors of other countries. He opened his doors to both foreigners and anyone else who wanted to see what a madrasa is like. He invited the media to come and see a madrasa from the inside, to show them that far from being places of extremism and violence, they were places of learning and teaching sacred knowledge. He so earnestly believed that madrasas could and should exist in the modern world, and he knew it wouldn’t be possible without building links with the outside world, something that many madrasas were hesitant to do then.

His efforts and attitude enabled so many to come and study the words of Allah and the Prophet ﷺ. Even those who didn’t attend his institute benefited from his presence, knowing that he was there to stand up for them if anything was to happen. He didn’t discriminate when it came to helping others. Any foreign student of any institute was welcome at his place.

There are so many stories of entire families traveling to Pakistan to study at his seminary. And many more of them entrusting their children to him completely. He fulfilled that trust.

There was a girl in my class from Tanzania. When she was about 9 her uncle came to Pakistan for Tabligh, and upon visiting the seminary he was impressed with the opportunities here for girls. Mufti Naeem invited him to send his children, and he went back and brought four of his daughters and nieces to study. The girls grew up there. They first memorized the Qur’an, then started the alim course. He came back eight years later at the graduation ceremony of the oldest girl and decided to take all the girls back because the separation had been too long. He brought home with him four hafizas of the Qur’an, one who had completed the alima course, and another who had nearly completed it. Her uncle’s plan was that the oldest girls would tutor the rest in their studies and then they’d all teach together in their city in Tanzania. We had laughed then at the idea of her and her cousin teaching the younger cousins books like Mishkat, but we missed the bigger point, that this was how knowledge is shared and spreads.

There was another girl in my class from Sri Lanka. Her entire family moved to Pakistan and both parents and all three siblings enrolled. They first memorized the Qur’an, and then completed the course before returning to Sri Lanka.

These are just some of the hundreds of stories of people studying at his seminary, who otherwise wouldn’t have that chance, and then going back to benefit others. This was his constant emphasis. Study and teach those who don’t have access. Always be involved in teaching, he told us in one of our final lessons. Even if you have no formal teaching opportunity, just invite people to your home to learn.

—

His concern for girls’ Islamic education in particular is especially noteworthy. Of course there are many seminaries and institutes of Islamic knowledge for girls in Pakistan, and many people who support them. But he was one of the influential people who was an outspoken proponent from the beginning and truly believed in the potential. He was also one of the few who accommodated female foreign students, especially those who were there without family.

Before I went to Pakistan to study, my father consulted other scholars. Some discouraged him. Doing an Alima course isn’t that important they said, especially with all the difficulties and risks of going far from home. It’s not fard to study the deen at that level. Karachi was going through a very unstable period back then so they did have a point. We also inquired with other girls madrasas in Karachi, that were closer to where my extended family lived (Jamia Binoria was in the outskirts of Karachi). But they all said they don’t allow girls over the age of 13 and they don’t encourage Americans to attend.

Mufti Naeem, rahimahullah, was the only one who really encouraged it. He’s the one who understood the value and need, who was willing to take responsibility for it all, despite the risks. He’s the one who kept inviting my father, and reassured him everything will be taken care of, that there would be nothing to worry about. He accommodated all our requests and needs, to the point of welcoming my grandmother into the madrasa community and allowing her to spend her day there whenever she liked. He assured us that my only worry should be to study. Everything else will be taken care of.

While many other girls madrasas in Pakistan suffice with the standardized curriculum for girls, which back then (it has since changed a bit) was an abridged version of the regular curriculum and especially subpar when it came to subjects like Arabic, Jamia Binoria had its own curriculum, which included a very strong Arabic curriculum. Many other teachers including my late teacher, the principal of the girls division, Maulana Masood Baig rahimahullah, had a role in this but it was also something Mufti Naeem would take pride in and mention. It’s something I took for granted initially and only much later did I learn that most madrasas in Pakistan, and perhaps even worldwide do not have a strong Arabic program for girls, which makes it very difficult for them to pursue independent research and further studies after graduation.

Jamia Binoria was also one of the few madrasas in Pakistan then that had an ifta (mufti) course for women. In my final year, at least once a week he’d encourage us to enroll in it the next year. He’d tell us how important doing takhassus fil ifta was, how if he was to have it his way he would make ifta a requirement for all students, how much there is a need for female mufti(a)s, how there are already thousands of male Muftis, but they can never replace the role of a female one can have.
He’d talk about how proud he was of all the female ifta students, how every time he looks at their work he’s so impressed. “They’re better than our male students,” he’d say. “Don’t let anyone tell you you can’t become a mufti. If a woman can become a surgeon or engineer why can’t she become a mufti?”

—

As a teacher he was always encouraging, appreciative of the smallest of achievements, ready to praise and make du’a for his students. The term “mushfiq” is what everyone is using to describe him, because that is what he was. Loving, caring, encouraging.

In Pakistan, teachers don’t really praise students; the tendency (both in schools/colleges and madrasas) is to put students down. And yes, too much praise can be dangerous but a little bit encouragement and uplifting is needed. He wouldn’t withhold this.

There was a curtain in our classroom, separating the male teachers from the students. This was the standard system of all girls madrasas in Pakistan, preserving religious guidance and cultural sensitivities regarding modesty and hijab while still enabling students to communicate with and build a positive relationship with male teachers. Hadith classes usually involve a student reading the Arabic text, with the teacher interrupting every now and then to explain. He would make it a point to ask the name of the person who read and praise them and make du’a for them.

It’s these little things that would encourage us all to work harder to succeed. He would often call my father and keep him updated and congratulate him on mine and my sister’s progress. Knowing that despite being in charge of 5000+ students and a host of other responsibilities, he was personally invested in our success always helped drive us to work hard.

He taught Bukhari with passion, you could sense the love for the Prophet ﷺ in his words. The Bukhari class was more than just facts and technical explanation, there was always a practical lesson. He strongly emphasized that knowledge must lead to action and he always made his classes reflect that. He would say, my goal is to teach you in a way you’ll never forget, that you still hear my voice when you read these hadiths the way that I hear my teacher’s voice when I read them, and that you carry these lessons with you lifelong the way my teachers enabled me to.

Now I hear his voice, not just in those hadiths but in every hadith or ayah I read. Everything has a connection with him for it is in his madrasa that I studied everything. It is in his madrasa, and through him, that Allah allowed the doors of knowledge to be opened for me, and for that I am forever indebted.

—

Hospitality is another word that defines him. Anyone that has visited him can testify to his boundless hospitality. This is something he practiced with both words and actions. It’s something he strived to build in his students and family too. I remember him going off on a tangent once in Bukhari. In a hadith in Kitab al-Nikah the topic of guests came. He talked about how guests are a blessing, how we should always honor guests, how we should never complain about guests. “Many people complain about the work involved in hosting. They complain when they have family that constantly visits. Guests are a blessing from Allah. When you go to your homes remember this. Don’t ever complain about guests.”

I’ve always remembered this when someone is coming over.

My friend tells me that after his passing, as people crowded his house for ta’ziyah for his family, something that of course was more challenging and complicated with covid, his wife mentioned, “He would always tell us to honor guests. So what can I possibly do now?”

Thankfully others intervened and told people that it is best to show sympathy by genuinely doing what’s best for grieving family, which in these circumstances means not visiting so as not to afflict them with more worries and difficulties.

—

His hospitality meant that the doors of madrasa were always open to those who needed help. Beyond hospitality, he took care of those around him. Orphans, widows, converts to Islam. The madrasa was a shelter for so many who didn’t have a shelter. There would always be some girls sheltering there. He’d take care of their expenses and education and even get them married when they were ready if needed.

Once, he was hosting the wedding of a convert girl. This girl had spent quite some time at madrasa so everyone was excited. Obviously it wasn’t logistically possible to invite all of the students to the wedding but my classmates decided to try to get an invite anyway. When he came in to teach Bukhari the day before the wedding, they broached the subject of the upcoming event, knowing he would be excited to talk about it. He took the bait and started talking about the wedding plans and arrangements. “But we aren’t invited,” they said.

“You aren’t? Why didn’t anyone invite you? I am inviting you all. You all can come as my special guests.” He replied.

His wife wasn’t too pleased with us, “You have no shame in asking for an invitation, in taking advantage of the softheartedness of your teacher like that?”

But that’s how he was. Always rushing to take care of everyone around him. Solving problems, fixing things.

No problem was too small for him to address personally. He told us once about a former student who lives abroad who called him and asked if he could add photos of the girls’ campus to the website. The website had photos of the boys campus but not the girls. She missed the madrasa and wanted to see it again. He had photos taken and put up right away.

That’s the type of person he was. People would go to him for anything big or small and he’d oblige.

—

I remember when his own father passed away, he came a day later to teach his class. We asked about his father and he broke into tears. He shared the story of his father, the last moments, highlighting how his father was continuously reciting Qur’an till the end.

It is people like him who bring barakah to institutions, he said. Madrasas run through spirituality, not through money. Make dua this institution continues to run. He was worried about fulfilling his responsibilities after his father passed. He cited that with the passing of each scholar, degeneration follows.

Now we’ve lost another link to the previous generation.

—

He was a simple man. Whatever he did he did for the institution, for all madaris, for the deen. No personal benefit or enjoyment. No fun vacations. No days off. Just working for the people.

He didn’t care what people thought. It wasn’t glamorous work. Being under the spotlight meant there would always be people out there to criticize. But that didn’t bother him. He just went out of his way to serve the people, to do things that nobody else was doing, that many didn’t even see the point of doing.

—

Mentioning him won’t be complete without also mentioning his family, especially his wife. If he was the father figure of all students, his wife was/is the mother, especially of the girls. They were a team. She’d be with him on many of his travels. She was also the head in charge of the girls school, his representative at madrasa. Always looking out for the girls affairs, always ready to address issues that needed care, always extending hospitality. She took care of the girls as if they were her own daughters, especially those who had no family nearby. Because of her active involvement with the madrasa, he also was always an integral part of it, always accessible, always concerned about the girls. The madrasa was a family effort, and his entire family served it day in and day out.

May Allah always protect her and allow her to continue.

—

Although one the most defining thing about him is his service to others, which he spent his life doing, it never came in the way of worshipping Allah. He was a man who was always reciting the Qur’an, following the footsteps of his own father. A man who never left tahajjud. A man who always finished a recitation of the Qur’an in taraweeh independently every year. A man who always prayed in congregation. Even on his last day, though he was feeling unwell the whole day, he prayed at the masjid. He came home from Maghrib, rested for a while, felt more unwell. They took him to the hospital and he passed away on the way, before Isha.

Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi rajioon.

—

It is examples of my teachers like him and others which have given me energy to carry on teaching even when life is busy and and balancing everything is difficult. Remembering their advices, their constant urging that teaching is a right that knowledge upon us, has always reminded me that it is not optional, that it is not a favor we do upon anyone, but rather an honor and trust Allah has given us.

What I feel now is a renewed purpose to continue this work and to internalize all the lessons from his own life.

I learn from him that the road less traveled may be difficult to take, but it is a necessary road to take to cause lasting good, that sometimes the most benefit is in doing things that others are not doing.

I learn from him what it means to be the people about whom Allah says, “La yakhafun fillahi lawmata laim.” They do not fear the blame of the blamers. I learn that it is only Allah who we should work to please, because it is to Allah we will return, and as long as we are sincere and on the right path, there is no need to worry about what others say.

I learn from him to think beyond my own benefit, but rather for the benefit of those around me, and to think beyond the needs of the present, but rather the needs of the future generations as well.

I learn from him that you should dream big and work hard but that small efforts should never be underestimated. It is small efforts that grow into big things, that help fulfill those big dreams. No dream is too big if Allah’s help is with us, no action too small for Allah’s reward.

I learn from him what it means to be a hafidh of the Qur’an, that it’s more than just memorizing the words, but rather it means to fill one’s life with the Qur’an, to regularly and always recite it, and to understand and implement it.

I learn from him that no matter how busy a person may be, it is always possible to have time for the Qur’an if a person wills it. The ability to recite the Qur’an is an issue of devotion and priorities, not an issue of the availability of time.

I learn from him that our character and our dealings with people speak much louder than any other words, that a student is more likely to remember and feel inspired by a kind word than a long lecture.

I learn from him what it means to be hospitable and generous with ones time and that this is the first step of dawah and teaching. I learn what it means to serve others for the sake of Allah, that by lowering ourselves in front of others for the sake of Allah we are only raised in rank by Allah.

But most of all I learn that knowledge increases and multiplies as it is shared. I learn that the benefit of knowledge is not limited to the teacher and student but rather it flows to the entire community. I see from his example how just one person of knowledge can have the ability to change the life of hundreds of thousands, if Allah so wills it. And I learn that the legacy of sacred knowledge is the most valuable legacy to leave.

May Allah accept his efforts, overlook his shortcomings, raise him to the highest levels of Jannah, and increase his sadaqah jariyah.

Reflections on the Life of Imām Al-Nawawi

Islām means submission. In Arabic, the person who does the action described by the verb aslama (أسلم). In this case, the doer of the act of submission is called a Muslim. The esteemed scholar of Islam, Imām Al-Nawawi, revered by many till this day, embodied this definition wholeheartedly. Muḥyi Al-Dīn was a nickname that was given to him, which means “one who gives life to the religion”. In counseling, we are taught that in order for the client to feel truly heard and understood, we must build a relationship with them first. Similarly, in order to appreciate and apply the gems of knowledge left by Imām AL-Nawawi, we must take the time to learn his background and scholarship.

His full name is Al-Imām Al-Ḥāfidh Muḥyi Al-Dīn Abu Zakariyyah Yaḥya ibn Sharaf ibn Muri ibn Ḥasan ibn Ḥasan ibn Muḥammad ibn Jumu’ah ibn Ḥizam Al-Ḥizāmi Al-Nawawi. He was born in the year 631 (1233) and was from a small town of Al-Nawa, south of Damascus, Syria. There is little mention of his family background, but his father was known for his piety and God-consciousness. He taught his family to avoid eating anything that may be forbidden in any way. In “Purification of the Heart” by Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, we learned how what we consume affects our speech and state of heart. If we eat in excess or harmful foods, it can become a spiritual disease of one’s heart.

Imām Al-Nawawi memorized the Quran before he reached the age of puberty and chose to focus on his studies instead of playing with children his age. His father saw his interest and dedication to his studies and took him to Damascus, the center of learning and scholarship at the time. He was enrolled in a well-known institution that had numerous teachers who were regarded as masters of authority in their fields of specialty and disciplines they taught. Imām Al-Nawawi studied Ḥadīth, Fiqh and its principles, syntax, and etymology from distinguished scholars of his time.

He had an endless thirst for knowledge, taking twelve lessons daily, along with writing explanations and commentaries on every lesson. If he was not in class, he reflected over his lessons, reviewed the material in his head, and solved many complex issues. He chose to contemplate and work rigorously on complex issues than engage in activities of this world. He barely slept, ate simply, and spent most of his time on his studies. Al-Qutb al-Yawnini said about him, "He would not waste any moment of the day or night but he would spend it busy with attaining knowledge.” Overall, his pursuit of knowledge dominated his entire life.

As a person, Imām Al-Nawawi was regarded as a man of piety, knowledge, and good character due to his dedication to his studies. He was a modest person and did not allow his students to serve him, instead he served them until his old age. He did not allow to be given a stipend for his services and with the money he had, he spent it all on books. He believed that he was more in need of books than food or water. He barely slept and Imām Al-Nawawi, himself, said that he did not sleep on a bed for two years. For six years continuously, as a student of knowledge, he never slept until sleep overcame him. These character traits and examples demonstrate Imām Al-Nawawi’s manifestation of Islam in actions. Like the Prophet ﷺ, he was given respect, fame, and intelligence and he only used the good in his life as a means to please God.

He left this world in the year 676 (1277) at the very young age of 45, never married, nor had any children. However, he left us his most desired materialistic possession of this world; his books. Till this day, his books are considered treasures of the Islamic world and are taught in schools, memorized, and lived by. Imām Al-Nawawi’s most famous compilation is the “40 Hadith.” His other well-known works include Riyāḍ al-Ṣāliḥīn, the most well-known and studied commentary on Ṣaḥīh Muslim, Kitāb al-Adhkār, Al-Tibyān fī Ādāb Ḥamalah Al-Qur’ān and Bustān al-’Ārifīn,

Imām Al-Nawawi is considered to be amongst the most pious believers to follow and benefit from. Lessons that we can learn from him are in abundance and should be put into practice. A few include to give serious attention and time to Islam, to emulate the teachings of the Prophet ﷺ and live simply. His work ethic, focus, and love for Allah and the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is shown in his character and his works he left behind for us to benefit from.

Resources

Shaykh Furhan Zubairi’s Notes on Imam Nawawi’s 40 Hadith

https://whatisquran.com/735-biography-of-imam-an-nawawi-rahimahullah.html

http://sunnahonline.com/library/biographies/366-nawawi

http://40hadithnawawi.com/index.php/the-imam

 

An Open Letter to the “Religious” Regarding Acceptance

Alḥamdulillah, we are currently living through and experiencing the last ten nights of Ramadān. One of these nights is laylah al-qadr, the night of power, a night that is better than a thousand months. The Prophet ﷺ told us, “Whoever stands in prayer on the night of power with faith and expecting reward, then all of their previous sins will be forgiven.”[1]This is meant to be a very spiritual time of the year where a person increases their acts of worship and devotion trying to build a stronger connection with their Lord and Creator.

However, I have to admit that for the past few nights there has been a certain heaviness in my heart that is preventing me from feeling the full potential of these blessed nights and has been causing me to be distracted and bothered. That heaviness I’m feeling is the attitude of “religious” people towards our imams, scholars, and religious institutions for decisions they have made based on sound knowledge, understanding, consultation, dua, and sincerity. I know I should be stronger and let people say and think whatever they want. I should, as they say, let the haters hate. But this is an issue that needs to be dealt with head on in a very direct and clear manner if we want to move forward as a minority Muslim community in America.

A few years ago a group of scholars after discussions, research, and consultations with other scholars decided to adopt the position of global moon sighting, which is a valid legal opinion, for deciding the start and end of Ramadan. This led to accusations within the community of leniency in matters of religion, pandering to the majority, deviancy and other baseless and unfortunate claims. Similarly this year we started fasting based off of the reports of highly respected and trusted individuals who sighted the crescent with the use optical aids. Using optical aids to sight the crescent is a valid legal position[2]. Despite that, we still heard similar remarks and statements from a certain segment of the community. This year, at the Institute of Knowledge, we decided to organize an all female tarāwīḥ for our female students who have completed their memorization of the Quran. The permissibility of having an all female congregation led by a female is a valid legal position[3]. However, since this is something that people have never been exposed to before and are unfamiliar with, again we started hearing similar types of statements and remarks. The hurtful part is that these concerns were never brought up to us directly.

It is extremely important for us, especially our “religious” to understand that within Islamic Jurisprudence there are a number of issues in which there are valid accepted differences of opinion. Valid differences of opinion in secondary religious matters have always existed. They existed among the Companions during the time of the Prophet ﷺ, they exist now, and they will exist until the end of times. There are differences of opinion among the various schools of jurisprudence and even within them. Pick up any book of Ḥanafī fiqh and you will find a number of examples where Abū Yūsuf and Muḥammad (r) disagreed with their teacher Abū Ḥanīfah (r).

Issues in which there are valid differences of opinion are classified as mujtahad fīh, meaning a matter subject to interpretation. These are issues that are open to interpretation and allow for scholarly difference. A mujtahad fīh issue is any issue that does not have a definitive proof. Imam al-Ghazālī (r) defines it as, “every legal ruling that doesn’t have a definitive proof.” Since they are open to interpretation there will obviously be differences of opinion. For example, according to the Shāfiʿī position a person should raise their hands to their shoulders when starting prayer. According to the Ḥanafī position a person should raise their hands to their ears. There are differences regarding how to hold one’s hands in prayer, the ruling of reciting Surah al-Fātiḥah, reciting behind the Imām, saying āmīn out loud and the list can go on and on.

Issues of Islamic Jurisprudence aren’t as black and white as people make them out to be. As a matter of fact, they are very complex and require the expertise of scholars to comb through the Quran and aḥadīth, search for relevant texts, then use the rules of the Arabic Language, principles of fiqh and their understanding to extrapolate and derive rulings. In addition to that they will look at the conclusions of previous scholars and experts and understand their arguments and reasoning for those particular conclusions. It’s possible that two scholars will have the same verse in front of them but because of their different principles and methodologies will arrive at two opposite conclusions. Basically, fiqh is much more complex and nuanced than we think. Whoever tells you otherwise is being academically dishonest or is ignorant.

Adab Al-Ikhtilāf, the manners or ethics of disagreement, is unfortunately something that is greatly lacking in our communities. This is a subject that should be studied by all students of knowledge, Scholars, Imams, activists’, callers and the general public. Issues in which there are valid differences of opinion should be dealt with a great level of tolerance and understanding. Just because someone follows a different opinion than ours or one that we are unfamiliar with doesn’t automatically make them wrong, lenient, or somehow a deviant who’s destroying the religion.

Unfortunately, that’s the attitude of a segment of the so called “religious” community. If we see someone doing something we disagree with we automatically start judging them. If a scholar looks a certain way or dresses a certain way, we automatically start judging them. I have noticed a lot of students of knowledge, graduates from traditional madāris, and graduates from Islamic Universities catching heat from "religious" individuals for not practicing certain acts classified as al-sunan al-zawā'id or for dressing a certain way (primarily wearing what we endearingly refer to as "pant/shirt"). Since ikhtilāf in these matters are allowed, we must show tolerance in such issues. This means that we shouldn’t label the opinion of others which may be different, but valid, as deviant, an innovation, blasphemous, or creating fitnah. Rather we’re supposed to have an attitude of acceptance and inclusiveness.

No one should be rebuked, reprimanded, scolded, corrected, advised or yelled at for following a valid difference of opinion. The Shāfiʿī’s developed a beautiful saying, “Issues of ijtihād are not rejected with force, and it is not allowed for anyone to force people to follow their opinion regarding them. Rather they should discuss them using scholarly proofs. If one opinion appears correct to a person, he should follow it, and whoever follows the opposite opinion then there’s no blame on him.”[4]

As a matter of fact when it comes to these types of issues we’re supposed to let people practice what they’ve learned as long as it’s a valid opinion. Sufyan Al-Thawri (r) said, “If you see someone doing something that’s disagreed upon and you have another opinion, don’t stop him.”[5] As Imām Mālik (r) remarked, “If you try to change them from what they are familiar with to something they’re not familiar with, they will consider that disbelief.”[6]

Part of Adab Al-Ikhtilaf is praying behind others who may follow a different opinion than your own. For example, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with praying behind someone who follows the opinion of wiping over their socks, bleeding doesn’t break wudhu, or reciting from the mushaf during tarāwīh. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with this and has been the practice of scholars throughout history. There’s a beautiful booklet written by Imām ibn Hazm (r) dealing specifically with this topic.

This lack of adab and tolerance from the “religious” and their attitude towards imams, scholars, and Islamic institutions for adopting and following valid positions that they are unfamiliar with is extremely disheartening and hurtful. I mean, do they really think that someone who has spent anywhere from six to twelve or even more years of their life studying Islam, who has dedicated their lives to the service of Islam, is going to intentionally do something that is wrong or impermissible? Do they really think that they’re going to intentionally misguide the community? However, they are not entirely at fault because they may not know any better. Perhaps they haven’t been exposed to the diversity of fiqh and are only familiar with what they have been taught. They may even be doing so out of some sort of misplaced effort to uphold the truth or honor the tradition.They may even sincerely believe that by speaking out they are engaging in some sort of nahy ʿan al-munkar (prohibiting evil). A large part of the blame for this type of approach and attitude lies on the shoulders of some of our scholars and graduates who perpetuate this sort of intolerance and narrow mindedness. As people of knowledge who have studied and are aware of these finer details of fiqh it is important for them to be academically honest. How is it that they have studied for so long and are considered to be scholars, ulema, and imams and haven’t learned how to deal with valid differences of opinion in a fair and balanced manner? I came across an important principle while reading through Mufti Taqi Usmani's transcribed lecture notes on Jāmiʿ al-Tirmidhī under the section of abwāb al-libās. The principle he highlights is:

الإنكار على غير منكر، منكر بنفسه.

A loose translation would be "Censuring a matter that is not impermissible is impermissible itself."

It’s time for us as a community to mature and move above and beyond these debates. One of the ways for us as a community to mature and move above and beyond these debates is through education. The Muslim community in America is very diverse and this diversity is represented through our scholars and imams. We have scholars and graduates who have studied at different Islamic Institutions, Seminaries, and Universities throughout the Muslim world. Some studied at Azhar, some in Madinah, some in Dār al-ʿUlūm’s, some in Syria, some in Yemen, some in Mauritania, and several other reputable places.

If you know anything about these institutes they have vastly different approaches towards Islamic Law and different ways of understanding texts of the Quran and Sunnah. All of these institutions are products of their environment; they were dealing with different realities religiously, socially, politically, and economically. Graduates who have studied at these different places have also adopted some of these different approaches and understandings. All of us have different approaches, different understandings and a wide range of opinions. We’re entitled to our own opinions, as long as they’re valid, can argue in favor of them, and defend them till we’re red in the face. But at the end of the day we should all still be able to sit down and talk to each other. We have to have mutual love, respect, and understanding. Love, respect, brotherhood and unity are far more important than our own individual differences of opinion.

This diversity of opinions shouldn’t lead to disunity. Unity and conformity are two separate things. Islam requires us to have unity amongst ourselves, not conformity. May Allah ﷻ guide our hearts to what is correct, bring our hearts together, and unite our community.

Footnotes

  1. Muslim, k. Ṣalāh al-musāfirīn wa qaṣrihā, b. Al-targhīb fī qiyām ramadān wa huwa al-tarāwīḥ ↑
  2. The use of optical aids to sight the moon is a valid position within the scope of fiqh. I will address the issue in a separate article after Ramadān. ↑
  3. This will also be addressed in a separate article after Ramadān. ↑
  4. إن مسائل الاجتهادية لا تنكر باليد، و ليس لأحد أن يلزم الناس باتباعه فيها، و لكن يتكلم فيها بالحجج العلمية، فمن تبين له صحة أحد القولين تبعه، و من قلد أهل القول الآخر فلا إنكار عليه ↑
  5. عن الإمام سفيان الثوري أنه قال، "إذا رأيت الرجل يعمل العمل الذي قد اختلف فيه و أنت ترى غيره فلا تنهه". ↑
  6. عن الإمام مالك، "إن ذهبت تحولهم مما يعرفون إلى ما لا يعرفون رأوا ذلك كفرا." ↑

Crisis of Knowledge

The word crisis is defined as a time of intense difficulty, trouble, or danger. Based on this definition, the Muslim Ummah has been and is currently experiencing several different crises; political, economic, social, and religious. According to a lot of my teachers, mentors, and contemporary scholars the "crisis of knowledge" is perhaps the greatest crisis affecting the entire Muslim world. The crisis isn't simple; it's complex and multi-faceted with several different factors affecting it. The purpose of this short article is to highlight some of the different aspects of this crisis and to hopefully start a conversation that will allow us as a community to start thinking about real and practical ways to tackle it.

1. The Lack of Basic Islamic Literacy

A lack of a base level of literacy in Islamic Studies including but not limited to theology/creed, Quranic studies, Ḥadīth studies, fiqh, and history. It is important for us as a community to be honest and real with ourselves. Our understanding of our faith, religion, and its teachings is superficial and shallow. We may think that we know our religion, but the reality is that we know very little. We have a particular perception of what Islam is, which is mostly based on our personal experiences and circumstances, which is heavily influenced by the particular flavor or culture of Islam that we’ve been brought up in. For most of us, what we know about Islam comes from what we’ve learned at home from our parents, maybe Sunday school, various talks and lectures, Shaykh Google, and Mufti YouTube. Oftentimes our understanding of Islam is very ritualistic and formal; it’s based on the form, but it’s missing the substance. Not to put any of us down or make us feel bad, but how many of us actually understand the Quran? Its history, preservation, compilation, subject matter, themes, and structure? How can we be true people of faith when we can’t meaningfully engage with the primary source of our faith?

Seeking this base level of literacy is an obligation upon each and every single one of us. As the Prophet ﷺ said, “Seeking knowledge is an obligation upon every single Muslim.”[1] This doesn’t mean that everyone has to become a scholar; rather, everyone has to learn enough knowledge that will allow them to worship their Creator properly with understanding. This is very much related to the next point.

2. The Need for Formal Islamic Education in the West

Until recently, an absence of a formal and structured course of study for American Muslims. Going through high school in the late 90’s in Southern California there was a lack of access to formal or structured Islamic Studies programs, let alone traditionally trained scholars. Till this day the majority of mosques in Southern California don’t have a scholar as an imam or religious director, which is a discussion for another article. Thanks to my father, I literally grew up in a mosque, but for the longest time we didn’t have an imam, classes, lectures, or programs. I was fortunate enough that during my sophomore year a close friend of mine started taking me to a weekend program organized by Sh. Nomaan Baig that gradually and organically developed into the Institute of Knowledge.

Alḥamdulillah, in the past several years there has been a lot of advancement in this area. We have amazing programs such as the IOK Seminary (iokseminary.com) and Extension (iokextension.com) (shameless plug), but one of the main issues continues to be getting people to participate and attend.

3. Cultural Baggage and Its Impact on Scholarship

A negative attitude towards scholarship and traditionally trained scholars as a result of cultural baggage found in immigrant communities from Muslim countries that were formerly colonized. From my experience with the upper-middle and upper class immigrant Desi communities there has always been this negative sentiment towards Mowlanas or Moulvis. Oftentimes they are looked down upon as being backwards, unintelligent, rigid, poor, unrelatable, and disconnected from society. This attitude is a direct result of colonization along with several different factors. There is a lot that can be said about this based on personal experience that would require a longer discussion.

4. Clashing Worldviews: Revelation vs. Modernity

A clash of two very different worldviews: a worldview that is based in revelation through the Quran and Sunnah in opposition to a worldview that is the result of the contemporary, secular, liberal world of the modern West that is somehow perceived to be rooted in rational thought.

Whether we like to admit it or not, we are heavily influenced by the society and culture we live in, specifically the western education system of public/private schools and universities that most of us are products of. We have knowingly or unknowingly adopted a value system and way of life that is based on modernity, liberalism, and secularism. For example, our understanding of the concepts of freedom, justice, liberty, equality, mercy, and fairness are informed through a very liberal and secular lens. Because of that we impose our understandings of these concepts on to verses of the Quran and aḥādīth of the Prophet ﷺ and end up finding certain verses or aḥādīth to be "problematic". There ends up being this internal conflict within ourselves that leads towards a lot of doubts and confusion.

Our worldview should be informed by the Quran and Sunnah. Allah ﷻ is the epitome of justice, fairness, equality, mercy, and freedom. What God declares to be fair, merciful, and just is what is truly fair, merciful, and just. We can't impose our flawed understanding of these concepts upon our faith and tradition. All of this goes back to having a firm grounding in exactly what the world view and value system of Islam is in the first place, which is dependent on knowledge.

5. The Imbalance Between Academic and Islamic Education

An imbalance of resources towards "academic" education as opposed to "Islamic" education. What I mean by that is that the average high school student spends about 8 hours a day in school. If they are highly motivated and want to get into the best universities they probably spend another 3 hours minimum doing homework and studying. That is 11 hours a day. Add on any extracurricular activities, time spent hanging out with friends, playing sports, going to the gym, video games, tv, and social media and there’s very little time left in the day. During all this time students are constantly being exposed to a very powerful intellectual, philosophical, moral, and ethical worldview that is oftentimes diametrically opposed to the teachings of our religion.

Comparatively, the average student spends only 2-3 hours a week in a Sunday school, if that. That is a huge imbalance and misappropriation of priorities. We have to make our communities recognize and understand the value of "Islamic" education and spending time in an “Islamic” environment.

6. The Absence of Structured Islamic After-School Programs

A lack of structured after school programs for school aged children. According to the Prophetic model of teaching, we should be instilling deep faith in Allah and love for the Prophet ﷺ from a very young age in order to shape and develop a proper worldview. Unfortunately, most of our mosques don’t have structured holistic after school programs designed to do so.

These are just some initial thoughts I have. What does everyone else think? What else do you see as a problem? How can we start working towards fixing it?

This is a necessary conversation.

Footnotes

  1. Ibn Mājah, al-muqaddimah, b. Faḍl al-ʿulamā’a wa al-ḥath ʿalā ṭalab al-ʿilm, 224 ↑

Being Muslim in Trump’s America

I don’t know about everyone else but I’m still in absolute shock that the 45th president of the United States is Donald J. Trump. A man whose campaign rhetoric was full of hate, prejudice, racism, bigotry, xenophobia, islamophobia and blatant vulgar sexism. He called Mexican immigrants rapists and killers and has consistently called for the construction of “the wall”. He has offended the black community by making disparaging remarks about the Black Lives Matter movement. He actually mocked a disabled reporter on video by imitating his physical disability and then denied it. He even said, “I could stand in the middle of 5th Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn’t lose voters.”

One of the worst things that came to light about him is his disgusting and vile attitude towards women. His true nature was caught on camera and on tape when he boasted about groping and making unwanted advances on women. Then he had the audacity to justify it by saying it’s just locker room talk. I mean come on. Talk about alternative facts.

Throughout his campaign he called for a ban on Muslims immigrating to the U.S, suggested developing a Muslim registry and has said that “Islam hates us.” He has made some very dangerous and Islamophobic statement that highlight his true attitude towards Islam and Muslims. And we as Muslims shouldn’t be naïve about this; his top aides and several figures in his administration actually believe they’re at war with Islam. The list of ridiculous things he’s said and done can go on and on. There were several times throughout his campaign where he said or did something that most people thought made him unfit and unqualified to be President.

Despite all this and much more, he was still elected the 45th President of the United States of America. As I said I’m still in shock. If we use his first few weeks as an indication of what’s to come, Americans, especially Muslim Americans, are going to face some interesting times. And it seems like his team and him are trying their best to fulfill their campaign promises. Someone wittingly remarked that President Obama entered office with a mandate of change and was largely unsuccessful. Trump was elected to office with a mandate of disruption and has been doing so since his inauguration.

He set the tone of his administration towards Islam and Muslims when he said, “We will reinforce old alliances and form new ones – and unite the civilized world against radical Islamic terrorism, which we will eradicate completely from the face of the Earth.” On top of that he has surrounded himself with cabinet members and aides who are known to be open bigots and Islamophobes who believe there’s a clash of civilizations and that they’re at war with Islam.

Wake-up Call

The fact that he won the election should be a wake-up call for all of us. It should make us realize that the society we live in, American, society, has some real deeply-rooted issues. Racism, prejudice and bigotry towards minorities run deep within the veins of America, this is a reality that none of us should be blind to. I mean there was official segregation between races, black and whites, up until the 60’s and there continues to be unofficial segregation until today. We as Muslims living in America should be aware of its history and how it has shaped the America we see today. We should recognize that Islamophobia is an extension of that prejudice and racism; it’s part of that same mindset and mentality.

Islamophobia

Islam and Muslims have been under the microscope for some time now. Since 9/11 a whole industry has been created and developed whose sole purpose is to create closed-minded prejudice and hatred towards Islam and Muslims. There’s a whole well-funded industry of Islamophobia and propaganda dedicated to tarnishing the Image of Islam and Muslims in the average person’s mind. They’ve created an environment where the word Islam has negative associations. That when someone hears the word Islam they automatically think of violence, terror, bombings and the enemy.

The main stream media, whether its CNN, BCC or Fox News, portrays Islam and Muslims in the most negative light possible. CNN has had panel discussions on “Is Islam a violent religion?” and “Is Islam more violent than other religions?” There are headlines that create doubts and irrational fears in the average person’s mind about their normal Muslim neighbors and co-workers like, “How she went from a school teacher to an ISIS member” and “When Americans leave for Jihad”. These are absolutely ridiculous things that may seem bizarre and outrageous to us but real for the person sitting next to us in class or at the doctor’s office.

And it’s this rhetoric, this hate, this prejudice and bigotry that has created an environment that would allow for hate crimes to take place, that would make it okay for people to think that a “Muslim Ban” or a “Muslim Registry” is needed. In the past year we’ve seen a noticeable spike in Islamophobic incidents. There are reports of people being kicked off planes simply because they’re Muslim. Sisters have been assaulted and harassed and had their hijabs torn off. We’ve had these insane armed protests outside masājid. Three Muslim youth had their life taken away from them because of this bigotry. Just recently a few masjids were burned down to the ground and most recently we had the tragic shooting that took place during Isha prayer at a masjid in Quebec, taking the lives of 6 innocent Muslims.

There’s so much bigotry and fear-mongering that at times it seems overwhelming. There’s so much bias, hate and prejudice that sometimes we feel stuck. And with Trump in office it seems as if the rhetoric has been taken to a new level. It seems like “war on Islam” is part of the Trump doctrine. Now the question we should be focused on is: what can we do about it? How do we deal with it? What are we supposed to do?

Patience and Prayer: Focus on our relationship with Allah

One thing that we can definitely take solace in is the fact that the Prophet (saw), the last and final messenger, our role model also experienced this same anti-Muslim rhetoric. As a matter of fact, he faced Islamophobia on steroids. There was a very powerful anti-Islam, anti-Muslim sentiment amongst the people of Makkah. This rhetoric and opposition didn’t cause them to give into fear; it didn’t make them scared. Rather, it made them stronger.

In multiple places throughout the Quran Allah (swt) taught the Prophet (saw) how to deal with this opposition. How to derive strength from these trial and hardships. When the people of Quraish rejected him, when they called him a liar, a magician, a sorcerer and a madman Allah (Swt) told him, “So be patient, [O Muhammad]. Indeed, the promise of Allah is truth. And ask forgiveness for your sin and exalt [Allah] with praise of your Lord in the evening and the morning.”

40:55

Allah (swt) told him to seek strength through patience and prayer. To focus on his relationship with Allah (swt).

Allah (swt) told him something similar in Surah Taha, “So be patient over what they say and exalt [Allah] with praise of your Lord before the rising of the sun and before its setting; and during periods of the night [exalt Him] and at the ends of the day, that you may be satisfied.”

20:130

These are the same words of advice that Allah (swt) gives to us as believers, “O you who have believed, seek help through patience and prayer. Indeed, Allah is with the patient.”

The true strength of the believers has never been through financial or physical means. Their true power has always come through their spiritual strength.

Outlook

In light of everything that’s going on around us both politically and socially I feel that it’s very important for us to keep the following five things in mind:

  1. Faith – We should focus on strengthening our relationship with Allah ﷻ Faith and spirituality are what give us the ability to face challenges and difficulties with strength, steadfastness, patience and perseverance.
  2. Accepting the Divine Decree and Having Trust in Allah– We should recognize that everything that’s happening is part of the Divine Decree and will of Allah ﷻ; nothing happens without His will or permission. There’s some deep divine wisdom behind everything that’s going on and we should place our faith and trust in Him. As Allah ﷻ says, “Say: Nothing shall befall us except what Allah has willed for us. He alone is our Protector, so in Allah let the believers place their trust.”[1]
  3. Blessings in Disguise – Oftentimes things may seem like they’re horrible but there’s always a silver lining. As Allah ﷻ tells us, “And it is possible that you dislike a matter, but Allah places much good in it.”[2] We’ve already seen that our communities are organizing, coming together and uniting against prejudice. Perhaps this is our opportunity to strengthen our communities and our relationships with other minority groups. This past weekend 1000’s of people protested the “Muslim Ban” at airports all across America. The vast majority of those standing for us and with us were non-Muslim. As a matter of fact all this negative attention towards Islam and Muslims may actually be changing peoples’ perceptions of Islam for the better (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2017/01/25/americans-dont-support-trumps-ban-on-muslim-immigration/?utm_term=.1264a2ca7637).
  4. Optimism and hope – Our faith and religion teach us to be optimistic and hopeful regarding the future; not pessimistic and desperate. We’re taught to keep a positive attitude and remember that ultimately Allah ﷻ is in control. Allah ﷻ tells us, “And do not become weak, nor grieve, for surely you shall be victorious if you believe.”[3]
  5. Be Proactive! – Now is the time to work towards change. We can’t retreat into fear or isolation. It’s time for us to get involved in our local communities, build relationships with people of other faiths and make our voices heard.

May Allah ﷻ make all of our affairs easy for is and give us strength, patience, forbearance, wisdom and guidance.

Footnotes

  1. 9:51 ↑
  2. 2:216 ↑
  3. 3:139 ↑