In Surat As- Sajdah, Allah is talking about ihsan (perfection and excellence). If you search for the word ihsan in the Quran, you find many verses on this topic. Allah Almighty is teaching us through His attributes and actions how to deliver excellence and perfection. ٱلَّذِیۤ أَحۡسَنَ كُلَّ شَیۡءٍ خَلَقَهُۥۖ وَبَدَأَ خَلۡقَ ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنِ مِن طِینࣲ…
Contemporary practice of mudaraba In modern settings, the most common example of mudaraba (profit sharing) is when you deposit money into an Islamic bank. The bank acts as the mudarib, investing the money in Sharia-compliant ventures, while you, the depositor, are the rabb al-mal. You remain a silent partner, and the bank conducts the business….
Understanding musalsal hadith Musalsal hadith are a fascinating part of hadith studies because they show not only what was narrated but how the narration was passed from teacher to student across generations. Instead of focusing only on the words of the hadith, this category highlights repeated patterns in the chain of transmission, such as a…
The one who argues vs the one who submits his face to Allah Allah Almighty says in Surah Luqman: أَلَمْ تَرَوْا أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَخَّرَ لَكُم مَّا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَأَسْبَغَ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعَمَهُۥ ظَـٰهِرَةًۭ وَبَاطِنَةًۭ ۗ وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن يُجَـٰدِلُ فِى ٱللَّهِ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍۢ وَلَا هُدًۭى وَلَا كِتَـٰبٍۢ مُّنِيرٍۢ “Do you not see that…
What were the major outcomes of the establishment of the Prophet’s ﷺ marketplace (Souq al-Nabi ﷺ)? The existing markets When the Prophet ﷺ arrived in Madinah, he sought to understand the city’s economic structure. At the time, there were three markets, the largest of which was operated by the Jewish tribe of Banu Qainuqa. It…
Introduction to Mudaraba In this section, we will explore the contract of mudaraba, following the sequence of Imam al-Ghazali, in his renowned work Ihya Ulum al-Din, particularly in the section about al-kasb (earning). Imam al-Ghazali divided earning into six common contracts that people frequently use in business transactions. We have already discussed most of them,…
The Prophet ﷺ said: يَأْتِي عَلَى النَّاسِ زَمَانٌ الصَّابِرُ فِيهِمْ عَلَى دِينِهِ كَالْقَابِضِ عَلَى الْجَمْرِ “A time will come when the one who patiently bears the pain and trials of staying true to his religion will be like someone grasping a piece of burning coal.” (Tirmidhi) We are familiar with this hadith, which the Prophet…
Are string instruments permissible in Islam? The permissibility of music In Islam, any ruling of prohibition has to be based on authentic evidence and clear meaning. In music there is no such evidence, so we can’t pronounce it haram. The use and the accompanied actions might be haram, that’s a different discussion. If a…
Shaykh Haytham’s speech at the Ijazah Ceremony for his students Alhamdulillah. Some things never change. Twenty-five years ago, I delivered my very first course at the Muslim World League, and I am standing here again today… Teaching has always been my passion, but not in English! Arabic is my language, and English was never my…
In the famous hadith, the Prophet ﷺ said: قال رسول الله ﷺ: مَن يُرِدِ اللَّهُ به خَيْرًا يُفَقِّهْهُ في الدِّينِ، وإنَّما أنا قاسِمٌ واللَّهُ يُعْطِي، ولَنْ يَزالَ أمْرُ هذِه الأُمَّةِ مُسْتَقِيمًا حتَّى تَقُومَ السَّاعَةُ، أوْ: حتَّى يَأْتِيَ أَمْرُ اللَّهِ. When Allah intends good for someone, He gives him understanding of the religion. I am only…
Continuing the series, Seeking the Halal, the Ijarah contract is the fifth type of contract, based on Imam al-Ghazali’s categorisation in Ihya’ ‘Ulum al-Din, in Kitab al-Kasb (The Book of Lawful Earning). Imam al-Ghazali divided the subject of earnings into six main types of contracts, around which most forms of trade and business revolve. We have…
The Prophet ﷺ wrote a letter to Heraclius, the Byzantine Empreror who reigned from 610-641 CE, known to the Arabs as Qaysar (Caesar). It was the period following the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, between the sixth and eighth year after the Muslims had migrated to Madinah. Around this time, the Prophet ﷺ sent letters to the…
Nearly there… The believers, having endured the wait for the reckoning to begin, some shaded beneath the Throne of Allah, others standing in sweat that reached their ankles, knees or even their necks, will have witnessed the intercession of the Prophet ﷺ until reckoning began. They would have been sorted into groups, had their deeds…
Hell is brought forth For disbelievers and sinners, the angels will drag Hell itself into view. Allah says: وَجِاْيٓءَ يَوۡمَئِذِۭ بِجَهَنَّمَۚ يَوۡمَئِذٖ يَتَذَكَّرُ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ وَأَنَّىٰ لَهُ ٱلذِّكۡرَىٰ And Hell, that Day, will be brought forth. On that Day man will remember, but what will remembrance avail him then? (Al Fajr 89:23) The Prophet ﷺ said: عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ…
The end of death Finally, after the people of Paradise have entered Paradise and the people of Hell have entered Hell, death itself will be brought in the form of a ram and slaughtered. Allah’s Messenger ﷺ said: ؤْتَى بِالْمَوْتِ كَهَيْئَةِ كَبْشٍ أَمْلَحَ فَيُنَادِي مُنَادٍ يَا أَهْلَ الْجَنَّةِ، فَيَشْرَئِبُّونَ وَيَنْظُرُونَ فَيَقُولُ هَلْ تَعْرِفُونَ هَذَا فَيَقُولُونَ…