The Islamic Law of Ilā’ Those who swear that they will not go in to their wives should wait four months; so if they go back, then Allah is surely Forgiving, Merciful. (226) And if they have resolved on a divorce, then Allah is surely Hearing, Knowing. (227) What is Ila? In the times of jahiliya…
The Six Doors of the Heart Imam Al Muhasibi wrote in his Risala al Mustarshidin (Treatise for the Seekers of Guidance) that the wise men (i.e. himself) said: The heart is like a house with six doors. If you let anyone enter through these doors without your knowledge then your valuables are at risk. Hence…
The Ummah of the Qur’an Never Sleeps What is the connection between staying awake and spreading the Salam? These two are symptoms of an alert ummah, that is caring and connected – to each other and to Allah Almighty. Those who spend their wealth (in Allah ’s Cause) by night and day, in secret and…
Not Shooting the Messenger The Prophet (peace be on him) said: ‘I do not break my covenant and I do not imprison the ambassadors or the messengers.’ (Sunan abi Dawood) Abdullah bin Masud said: The Sunnah is not to kill the ambassadors. (Ahmad) No one would quibble with this. It is common sense. Yet it…
The Divorce 101 There are many misconceptions regarding divorce, particularly in the Indian subcontinent. With TV dramas stringing endless storylines out of these misconceptions, there is much need for clarity on the topic. Divorce should not be the creation of a problem. It should only be a solution. First Divorce could be – Talaq-Raj’i –…
‘They want to extinguish the light of Allah Almighty but Allah Almighty will complete His light, even though the disbelievers dislike it’. (9:32 and 61:8) Allah Almighty is highlighting the fact that whenever we have the truth, there are always enemies against it. The truth always faces challenges. How can we identify those who…
Can Muslims Marry Non-Muslims? ‘Do not marry unbelieving women (idolaters/mushrikaat) until they believe; a slave woman who believes is better than an unbelieving woman even though she allure you. Nor marry (your girls) to unbelievers until they believe: a man slave who believes is better than an unbeliever even though he allure you. Unbelievers do…
Good marriages need ‘mawadda’ or love plus more. The word comes from ‘wud’ meaning deep love. Without this essential component, a marriage is a union in which the partners tolerate each other at best and hate each at worst. You can’t live with anyone you hate. If hatred controls a marriage, it creates a generation of hatred. Hearts full of hatred are likely to be trouble makers and criminals. By contrast, where there is love, there is mercy.
7 Tips for a Successful Marriage Unlike other relationships which we are born into, we make a choice and a commitment in marriage and need to work at it to create love, peace and security. How can a couple improve this within their marriage? Here are 7 tips to improve this sacred relationship. 1. Understanding…
Cornering the Cat – Why Allah Forbid Oppression Oh my servants, I have made oppression forbidden on myself and made it forbidden amongst you so do not oppress one another. (Bukhari) This is one of the fundamental rules and pillars in Islam – the prohibition of oppression (dhulm). There are different types of dhulm. The…
Choosing Your Words Wisely Tell my servants to say what is best. (17:53) And say to the people what is good.(2:83) The Prophet (peace be on him) said: Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day let him say something good or let him be silent. (Bukhari) There are so many narrations which are about…
Ijtihad (reasoning) and Taqleed (imitation) Do I need to follow a madhab? Who is qualified to make Ijihad? What essential knowledge does a mujtahid need? Definition While Ijtihad is the process of systematic legal reasoning carried out only by mujtahids (those trained in ijtihad), taqleed is to follow a certain school, or scholar or opinion. The…
The Differences among the Fuqaha In particular we are focusing on the scientific differences among the fuqaha (jurists) and why we have more than one opinion. The main difference is linguistic difference. The second one is evidences and the third is in understanding. When we look at linguistic differences, it becomes clear quite quickly that…
The Origins of the Fiqh Schools Fiqh at the Time of the Prophet (peace be on him) During the lifetime of the Prophet (peace be on him) how was fiqh decided? If someone needed a ruling on a case what did the Prophet (peace be on him) himself do? The first thing the Prophet (peace be on…
Why Scholars Differ This was the first course I delivered in the UK in 2001, but it is as relevant today as it was then, if not more. I used to deliver this course over three months at shariah college, so here I am going to condense it and give you an overview. Why do…