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.

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

 

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." ↑

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 ↑

I don’t know about everyone else but I’m still in absolute shock that the 45^th 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 5^th 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 45^th 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.”

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.”

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 ↑