Islam is derived from the Arabic root "Salema": peace, purity, submission and obedience. In the religious sense, Islam means submission to the will of God and obedience to His law. Everything and every phenomenon in the world other than man is administered totally by God-made laws,
Submission to the good will of God, together with obedience to His beneficial Law, ie, becoming a Muslim, is the best safeguard for man's peace and harmony.
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad inspects preparations in Alton, Haslemere and Morden The World Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, the Fifth Khalifa, His Holiness, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad conducted an inspection for the arrangements of the 52nd Annual Convention (Jalsa Salana) of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in the United Kingdom on Sunday 29 July 2018. During the
This is part of the series presented in Ramadan 2018: “The Foremost Way of Seeking Forgiveness: Sayyid al Istighfar Explained, by Shaykh Muhammad Abu Bakr Ba-Dhib.
In this segment, the Shaykh speaks about the prayer called Sayyid al-Istighfar, or “The Foremost Way of Seeking Forgiveness.” It is an established tradition, taught by the Prophet Muhammad, Allah bless him and give him peace.
The author of this text, Ahmad al-Habshi, was a student of the great Iman al-Haddad for forty years, This teaches us that a true scholar is the one who keep the company of their teachers, even after becoming a scholar. He was known as the “Father of the Mosques,” because he would look out for mosques that were old or damaged, and would repair it with his own hands.
The author begins the text with an introduction to repentance. He mentions that repentance is a door to Allah, through which a person becomes closer to Allah and a righteous state. It is the first station of religion. When someone commits a sin, they are far away from Allah. and when they repent, they are returning to Allah. Of course, true repentance is not just a statement made by the tongue, it’s a resolution of the heart.
About the Series
In this five-part series, Shaykh Muhammad Abu Bakr Ba-Dhib covers a short treatise on explaining the foremost way of seeking forgiveness as has come to us from Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. The work, Tiryaq al Qulub wa al Absar fi Bayan al Ulum allati Tadamanha Sayyid alIstighfar (The Healing of Hearts and Eyesight in Exposition of the Knowledges Contained in The Foremost Way of Seeking Forgiveness) is by Imam Ahmed bin Zain al-Habshi (d. 1145 AH).
Text, transliteration and translation of Sayyid al Istighfar can be found below. اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّي لا إِلَهَ إِلا أَنْتَ خَلَقْتَنِي وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ وَأَنَا عَلَى عَهْدِكَ وَوَعْدِكَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا صَنَعْتُ أَبُوءُ لَكَ بِنِعْمَتِكَ عَلَيَّ وَأَبُوءُ لَكَ بِذَنْبِي فَاغْفِرْ لِي فَإِنَّهُ لا يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلا أَنْتَ
Allahumma anta Rabbi la ilaha illa anta khalaqtani wa ana ʿabduka, wa ana ʿala ʿahdika wa waʿdika ma astataʿtu, aʿudhu bika min sharri ma sanaʿtu, abu’u laka bi niʿmatika ‘alayya, wa abu’u laka bi dhanbi faghfir li fa’innahu la yaghfiru ‘dh-dhunuba illa anta.
O Allah, you are my Lord. There is no god but You. You created me and I am Your servant. I am upon Your covenant and promise to the best of my ability. I seek refuge in You from any evil I have wrought. I confess to You Your blessings upon me and I confess to You my sins. So forgive me, for no one forgives sins but You.
Download “The Daily Practices of the PROPHET” This free book (see download instructions below) is a compilation of some Sunnan (practices of the Prophet s.a.w.s.) and acts of worship. It is the very Sunnan that has been passed down to us through generations, whether they be known or unknown acts of worship, or those that are […]
Sura Luqman emphasizes tarbiya, or spiritual growth, and is named after a great sage. In this series, Shaykh Ibrahim Osi-Efa explores the meanings of this chapter.
In this segment, Shaykh Ibrahim discusses sama, or listening to spiritual poetry and songs. Continuing the discussion about entertaining discourse–music meant to distract from God–he mentions that even good things can fall into the category of being impermissible, if they distract from Allah. Given that, spiritual poetry only becomes wrong if it is used for a purpose other than to help people in their path of knowledge.
Some people may be listening to spiritual poetry or remembrance, or even something like Qur’an recitation, in a way that distracts them from Allah, whereas others will be using it as a means to Allah. Similarly, if someone is praying, but is very proud of their prayer, then the prayer, although intrinsically a good thing, has now become a distraction.
Throughout history, many poets and scholars have written spiritual poems that seem to the layman as if they are speaking about the love of a woman, although they are actually speaking of Divine Love.
By way of explanation, an Andalusian poet once said,
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What is change? How does change happen? The is the purpose of change? What are the spiritual and worldly keys to change—for the individual, for groups, for communities, and for believers?
In the first part of the series, Shaykh Faraz Rabbani speaks about the definition of change, reform, and rights.
What is Change?
There is not, in fact, any intrinsic benefit mentioned in the Qur’an about change. Rather, we are called upon to change from an undesired state to a desired one, in accordance to what Allah has deemed to be good and true. Not only are we responsible to change our own states, but we also have a social responsibility to have concern for the greater societal good.
Furthermore, we are taught about reform (islah). Something is considered to be reformed when it is free of harm. Therefore, a righteous person is called a salih, or someone who had made a personal change and fixed themselves.
We also have a definition for good. We have a moral criteria, we do not believe that good is relative. For example, just because someone is very rich, does not mean that we can steal from them. Allah has upheld justice, and His justice is not punitive. Rather, it is restorative. Justice entails that we are required to give everyone their rights, and deal with them in the best possible way.
Some obligations comes through choice, while others are circumstantial. For example, after choosing to get married, it is our duty to do well by our spouse. However, if we see someone bleeding on the sidewalk, it is our responsibility to help them, even if we haven’t been the cause of their injury.
In conclusion, we see social change as a responsibility, not as a whim-based function. We should be having a sense of responsibility to work to improve the lives of the poor or oppressed, rather than waiting until a picture goes viral.
By the Grace of Allah Almighty, SeekersHub Toronto Islamic Seminary is looking for a talented individual to join our outreach team, to help expand our reach, both locally in Toronto and globally.
Overview:
SeekersHub Global Islamic Seminary is hiring a qualifiedOutreach Engagement Managerfor SeekersHub Toronto Islamic Seminary with strong project management, copywriting, online marketing, and community engagement skills.
The incumbent’s main responsibility will be the stewardship of ourOutreachfunction, showcasing the core values of SeekersHub, and making our educational services accessible to a wider audience.
Key Job Parameters:
Status: Part-time (30 hours a week)
Location: SeekersHub Toronto Islamic Seminary offices
Remuneration: Commensurate with qualifications and experience
Requirements:
Newsletters–curating and composing all scheduled newsletters for SeekersHub Global and SeekersHub Toronto.
Internal engagementwith stakeholders such as SeekersHub scholars, team members, and volunteers, and students–for our educational services and for our sustainability initiatives.
External Engagementwith stakeholders such as prominent Islamic scholars, Islamic organizations, and influencers, and external organizationals.
Messaging: Defining and showcasing the SeekersHub Global/Toronto value proposition across all platforms–newsletters, social media, programs, offerings–this would include interviews, testimonials, scholar and student stories, etc.
Candidate Profile and Skills:
Strong project management skills—ideally with 3-5 years working experience with project management principles.
Strong copywriting, editing, and writing skills.
Effective people manager, open to direction with a collaborative work style and an unflinching commitment to getting the job done in a fast-paced, dynamic community service context.
Audience engagement–in person and online.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
How to Apply:
We welcome qualified applicants from all backgrounds. If interested, please apply in confidence tohr@seekershub.orgwith your resume and a cover letter.
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Shaykh Faraz Rabbani gives a thematic study of this Sura, its explanation (tafsir), key lessons, and how to grow one’s relationship with Allah through deepening one’s understanding and relationship with this great Sura.
Sura al-Waqi’ah is one of the most beloved and most recited Suras of the Qur’an. This is because of the sense of urgency and opportunity it conveys.
This Sura has three main themes:
The Resurrection
The first theme, found in verses 1-56, described the amazing awe-inspiring power of the Resurrection, as well as the various stations which all people will be in.
The resurrection is a reality. It has been said, “If the light of faith were in your heart, the hereafter would be so real that you wouldn’t feel the need to travel to it.” There are two types of disbelief in the Hereafter; the explicit denial, and lesser denial. The latter involves a lifestyle that does not act as if the Hereafter exists. We should nurture a sense of reality of the hereafter, to give us the sense of urgency that we need to ensure that we take this life seriously.
Proofs of the Resurrection
The second theme, found in verses 57-80, speak about the rational proofs of the Resurrection.
Modern science usually argues that there is no Creator, However, we believe that things cannot create themselves, and we have many proofs in the Qur’an and in other places. The human being is like a plant, nurtured by reflection and watered by remembrance. If bereft of these, the faith could shrivel and die. Therefore, we have a duty to learn more about our beliefs. If a society isn’t firmly rooted in their faith, the faith can leave when in testing times.
During and After Death
The third theme, from verses 81-96, speaks about the state of a person during and after death.
After death, there are many types of people. The ones brought near, will have joy and ease in Paradise. There will also be those of the right hand, who will be greeted with good. As for the one who denied, they will be in Hellfire.
All blessings are from Allah, even life itself. We must respond to these blessings while we still have time. However, Allah asks us why we only look at these blessings when we are close to dying, or when we see someone else die, even though Allah is closer to us than anyone else. Closeness to Allah is not an issue of distance, but in the sense that He sustains everything, at all times.
I know who I am. Most racialised people do. History matters to us. We know that the answers to who we are as a nation lie in a story that did not start with the last election or 9/11 or Tampa or deaths in custody or the stolen generations. We know that if we were to approach the question of who we are as a nation the way we would a jigsaw puzzle then the most logical and coherent approach is to first assemble the pieces that make up the frame to see its shape and how the border determines the shape and fit of all the pieces inside.
We know that the frame of Australia is race. As a white-settler colonial outpost of the British empire, it could only ever be race. The dispossession, genocide and exploitation on which this country was founded; the legacy of its status as a British settler colony; past efforts to build a racially exclusionary nation via the White Australia policy; its evolution from “racial” to “cultural” dominance through the vehicle of a highly politicised policy of multiculturalism; and, above all, the denial of Indigenous sovereignty – racialised people know that this is where any discussion of this nation’s identity must start.
Sura Luqman emphasizes tarbiya, or spiritual growth, and is named after a great sage. In this series, Shaykh Ibrahim Osi-Efa explores the meanings of this chapter.
Shaykh Ibrahim continues to give the commentary on this Sura, beginning with these verses:
From amongst people, are those who finance entertaining discourse, to deviate (others) to from the way of Allah without knowledge make it the butt of mockery. Those will have a humiliating punishment. And when our verses are recited to him, he turns away arrogantly as if he had not heard them, as if there was in his ears deafness. So give him tidings of a painful punishment. (31:5-6)
He explains that the nature of this world, is that it entertains you, at the expense of your future. Imam Abdullah ibn Masoud believed that the “entertaining discourse,” was music. In our times, the “entertaining discourse” is not only the music culture, but also film, sports, talk shows, and everything else found in the entertainment industry. These things aren’t haram in the general sense, but if they distract from the remembrance of Allah, they should be avoided.
The Nasheed Hub, an initiative of SeekersHub Global, aims to showcase the traditional Islamic art of nasheed, or Islamic devotional songs.
Biha Yathbut al-Iman (It Strengthens Faith)
There are many hadiths that speak about why repeating the Testification of Faith is beneficial, such as this one.
“Belief is seventy and some branches. Its lowest branch is the removal of harm from the road while its highest is to say: There is no god but Allah.” (Muslim, Tirmidhi, Nasa’i, Ibn Majah, and Ahmad).
Sometimes, repetition can become dry, and that’s when this beautiful nasheed comes in, which literally sings the praises of singing praise. Whenever you feel like you’re losing focus, this poem, authored by ShaykhʿAbdul-Qadir al-Lubni, will come to your rescue.
With it faith is strengthened, with it security is obtained
Repeat it, whoever you are, “there is no God but Allah!”
The poem lists the benefits of saying this blessed phrase, including reaching success, healing from illnesses, and lifting of tribulations.
It cures all maladies, it rectifies all defects,
Mention it without fear of boredom, “there is no God but Allah!”
It’s pleasant tune and encouraging theme makes it a nice song to sing alone, in a group, or with children.
Throughout the decades and civilisations of Islam, the vocal tradition, sometimes known as nasheed or devotional songs, were penned as a way of celebrating and giving thanks to Allah for the message of Islam, as well as for the Messenger himself.
These nasheeds were a way for people to turn towards their Lord in joyful celebration, rather than stringent routine. They were also tools to spread the message of Islam in a non-confrontational way. These nasheeds were able to reach out to those who were alienated or indifferent to the religion and the Muslim community, as well as to teach children who were too young for academic study.
These nasheeds originating from all corners of the Muslim world – from West Africa to Malaysia, from Turkey to Great Britian – mirror their own culture but all carry a common thread: love of Allah and His Messenger.
This series will explore the different nasheeds, penned by some of the great historical Muslim figures, poets, and scholars.
They stand accused of being two of the four so-called “Isis Beatles”, the notoriously cruel British-born jihadis responsible for beheading at least five hostages – the British aid workers Alan Henning and David Haines, plus the US journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff and the US humanitarian worker Peter Kassig – alongside countless incidents of torture and degradation. Neither shows remorse, and neither is legally entitled to the protection of the British state any more since being stripped of their British citizenship. The Sun is probably right to argue that most people would happily see them dead. But for “string ‘em up, for all we care” to become the effective position of the British government is a genuinely shocking moment all the same.
This Free Islamic Book is a must read for all to understand the human soul’s journey after death. The book discusses the following: From One World to Another The Meaning and Truth of Death The Bliss of the Interspace between the Two Worlds The Punishment of the Interspace (Barzakh) How can a Man save […]
A must read for all to understand the reality of the soul and how to purify it. The concept of purification of the soul as a whole is and always will be central to the message of Islam and to the welfare of humans, both in this life and the Hereafter. Indeed, it was a […]
Inquiry into response to fatal attack by Hindu cow vigilantes on Muslim man Akbar Khan
Indian police have begun an inquiry into officers alleged to have taken a tea break instead of taking a critically injured lynching victim to hospital.
Much-disputed events centring on Birmingham schools is subject of ambitious drama
The notorious Trojan Horse inquiry into an alleged Islamist takeover of a number of inner city schools in the east of Birmingham is the subject of a documentary play that explores the devastating impact of the affair on the city and those whose lives it touched.
Based on more than 200 hours of interviews with about 90 witnesses, including many of the teachers, pupils, parents and governors whose lives were turned upside down by the events four years ago, the play will have its premiere in Edinburgh next month.
On 21 July 2018, Canada’s Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Honourable Ahmed Hussen MP visited the Fazl Mosque where he met the World Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, the Fifth Khalifa (Caliph), His Holiness, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad.
The Daily Show host was right: the official ‘colorblindness’ of the French state ignores the realities of race and racism
Last Sunday, France – and all its domestic racial and religious politics – was placed fully on display. Les Bleus had just claimed their second World Cup, besting a gritty Croatia 4-2.
Five to seven people beat man to death on suspicion of cow smuggling, police say
Suspected vigilantes killed a Muslim man transporting two cows in India on Saturday, just 15 months after a similar attack highlighted the growing influence of pro-Hindu fringe groups.
Police in the north-western state of Rajasthan said a group of five to seven people surrounded the man, identified only as Akbar, as he led the cows to his village in nearby Haryana state and thrashed him to death on suspicion of cow smuggling.
The global scale of gendered violence, FGM or forced marriage is staggering. The Honour Her campaign deserves your support
Saturday 14 July marked the National Day of Remembrance for the Victims of Honour Based Violence, a day established to commemorate the birthday of Bradford-born Shafilea Ahmed, murdered by her parents in a so-called honour killing in 2003. It took nine years to bring her killers to justice. And today marks the second anniversary of the brutal rape and murder of my constituent Samia Shahid. Another senseless death, another “honour killing” and another woman denied justice.
Looking at these and other recent cases, it’s hard to imagine that in this modern world women and girls still suffer such appalling violence based solely on the outdated notion of “honour”. Despite the global media coverage, education and campaigning around Shafilea’s murder, Samia was still killed. We must address what this tells us. If there’s one thing that more than 25 years of involvement in campaigns to end violence against women has taught me, it is this: the chain of violence can only be broken when survivors are empowered to break their silence, and communities accept their responsibility to address difficult truths and make changes to the dynamics within them.
Report by monitor group Tell Mama finds women are being disproportionately targeted
A record number of anti-Muslim attacks and incidents of abuse were reported last year, with women disproportionately targeted by mostly male teenage perpetrators, the monitoring group Tell Mama has said.
In its annual report, the group noted a surge in Islamophobic attacks, with 1,201 verified reports submitted in 2017, a rise of 26% on the year before and the highest number since it began recording incidents.
The Guardian visits Islamberg in New York, against which a Tennessee man plotted a deadly attack. Why have most Americans never heard of him?
In 2015, the Muslim community of Islamberg, in upstate New York, discovered that a Tennessee minister, Robert Doggart, was plotting the deadliest attack on US soil since 9/11 against their village. Yet many Americans have never even heard of him, and the community feels its fears over safety have been ignored.
No terrorism charges were brought against Doggart. No national news outlets covered his arrest. One month after he was taken into custody, a judge released him on bail. As Doggart’s case went before an all-white jury, the Guardian’s new documentary, White Fright, dissects the US’s segregated system of national security, the media’s role in exacerbating terrorist threats, and the failure of society to protect vulnerable communities from racist attacks.
On 10 April 2015, the FBI quietly arrested Robert Doggart, a white, 63-year-old Christian minister after they discovered he was plotting an attack against Islamberg, a small African American Muslim community in upstate New York. Inspired by claims on Fox News that the community was a terrorist training camp, Doggart discussed firebombing a mosque and a school in the village and using assault rifles and a machete to murder the residents.
No terrorism charges were brought against Doggart. No national news outlets covered his arrest. One month after he was taken into custody, a judge released him on bail. As Doggart’s case went before an all-white jury, White Fright examined the US’s segregated system of national security, the media’s role in exacerbating terrorist threats, and the failure of society to protect vulnerable communities from racist attacks.
Research by the University of Alabama shows attacks by Muslims receive an average of 105 headlines, others just 15
Terrorist attacks committed by Muslim extremists receive 357% more US press coverage than those committed by non-Muslims, according to new research from the University of Alabama. The researchers controlled for factors like target type, number of fatalities, and whether or not the perpetrators were arrested before reaching their final statistic.
Terrorist attacks committed by non-Muslims (or where the religion was unknown) received an average of 15 headlines, while those committed by Muslim extremists received 105 headlines.
Ustadh Tabraze Azam writes on the adab or etiquette of the Allah’s elect among the scholars and students of knowledge as attested to by various sources.
In our desire to become true students, we have to uphold the kind of adab, or right etiquette, that colors Allah’s elect. People of knowledge are chosen by Allah Most High, and we cannot do anything more but to aspire to the way of those whose scholarship is recognized by one and all in the hope that we may become of them in our own distinct ways. It is reported that Imam Abu Hanifa said, “If the jurists (fuqaha) aren’t the elect (awliya’) of Allah, then Allah has no elect servant (wali).”
The one who acts according to his knowledge with sincerity is the true faqih, even if he knows only a little. What we see from the righteous, godfearing scholars is that they had a tremendous amount of adab in their seeking of sacred knowledge. Imam al Halwani, a giant of the early Hanafi tradition, famously remarked, “I’ve never touched even a piece of paper without wudu.” This was his state with that which will [eventually] contain knowledge, so what then of the knowledge itself? Being true students is a tall order, and we can only hope that if we traverse in the right direction with the right attitude, that Allah will complete this matter for us.
Continuing on from the last post, the following are the remaining points of adab which we can all strive to uphold in our respective journeys. Entire monographs (and commentaries!) have been written on the duty of upholding adab in seeking sacred knowledge, so keep in mind that this is a brief listing of some important points, and certainly not an exhaustive study.
Seeking Beneficial Knowledge and Practice
Beneficial knowledge is a light which Allah casts into the heart of the one who possesses it. This light brings about reverential awe (khashya) of the Divine which manifests upon the limbs and in the person’s character and dealings, transforming him into an “imam,” a leader to be followed and a prophetic inheritor. Thus, the fruits of your knowledge should be plain in the way you are. If you aren’t doing what you’ve learnt, there is a problem.
Sufyan ibn ‘Uyayna once remarked, “The Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, is the perfected criterion, and everything is measured against his character, disposition and guidance. Whatever corresponds to it is truth, and whatever contradicts it is falsehood.” The upshot is that beneficial knowledge is that which is transformative. It calls you to an increase in everything from righteous works to your state with Allah, and makes you put Allah first in life such that you see Him before you proceed with anything.
Humility and Saying “I don’t know”
Sajiqli Zada mentioned a report in his brilliant treatise, Tartib al ‘Ulum, where he says that our master ‘Ali, may Allah ennoble his face, was asked a question whilst he was upon the pulpit and he responded with, “I don’t know.” He was told that this isn’t where you should be standing if you don’t know the answer. So he remarked, “This is where you stand if you know things and don’t know others. As for somebody who [thinks he] knows everything, he has no place.” Such a person is all dressed up for people, with no place to go.
The Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, said, “No servant ever humbled himself before Allah Most High except that He raised him.” (Muslim) Imam Shafi‘i stated that he saw Imam Malik being asked forty-eight questions to which he responded to thirty-two of them by saying, “I don’t know.” What this should teach us is that there is no shame in not knowing something. Rather, it is shameful to respond when you don’t know. Studying is a lifelong journey and the religion is deep and vast, so take your time and avoid making false claims.
Good Companions
Allah Most High said, “O believers! Be mindful of Allah and be with the truthful.” (Sura al Tawba 9:119) And the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, said, “A person is on the religion of his close companion, so let each of you look well to whom he takes as a close companion.” (Tirmidhi; Abu Dawud)
Companionship (suhba) is important (we’ll be looking at this in more detail in a future article, insha’Allah). Ibn Jama‘a noted that “dispositions take from one another.” Naturally, then, a student of knowledge would do well to surround himself and keep the close companionship of those who will increase his state, either in knowledge or character, or some other virtuous trait like his work-ethic or resolve. The simple idea is that when you see hardworking people, for example, you are more likely to work hard.
Gratitude and Honoring Knowledge and Its Folk
One of the secrets of Divine Increase is sincere gratitude to Allah. Whether you understood the lesson or you didn’t understand, be grateful for the opportunity and what little you did understand, even if only the words themselves (and not the meanings intended), and you will see an increase. Allah Most High says, “If you show gratitude, I will surely increase you.” (Sura Ibrahim 14:7) If you strive with sincerity and are truly grateful, you can be sure to receive a tremendous windfall.
Gratitude, namely, directing blessings toward that for which they were created, includes benefiting from people of knowledge. But in doing so, we need to give scholars of sacred knowledge the respect and honor they deserve by being inheritors of the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace. This sense of veneration (ta‘dhim) is a duty of those seeking closeness to Allah. As one of the elect said, “Nobody deems the rank and worth of the elect of Allah to be tremendous, except somebody who is of tremendous rank and worth with Allah.”
Allah Is the Giver
This is a return to the point we began with: Allah chooses beneficial knowledge for those He wishes. As we learn from our studies in Theology (‘aqida), there is no necessary correlation between cause and effect. Allah is the creator of everything, and He gives to whosoever He wills. Studying day and night for a decade doesn’t necessarily make a deeply learned person, just as studying on weekends for a decade doesn’t make a well-educated Muslim. Of course, this is usually the case, but the point is that these matters are means which are necessary, but not intrinsically relied upon.
Hence, we should focus our hearts on Allah in our seeking, and not busy ourselves with knowledge from Allah who is the point from beginning to end. If knowledge isn’t making you more Allah-centered, then it is not true knowledge. When somebody remarked to Imam Ahmad that Ma‘ruf al Karkhi, an early ascetic, scholar in his own right, and deeply devotional man, wasn’t very [outwardly] knowledgeable (in comparison to those who were busy with knowledge, but missing the greater point!), he said: “Be quiet! May Allah pardon you. Is the point of knowledge anything other than what Ma‘ruf attained unto?”
May Allah Most High bless us with an ever-increasing state of adab in all our affairs, deep gratitude which He is pleased with, and a heart which can discern truth from falsehood by His Grace. “Our Lord! Grant us mercy from Yourself and guide us rightly through our ordeal.” (Sura al Kahf 18:10)
In this new series of articles and podcasts, Ustadh Tabraze Azam discusses the meaning of adab and what it means for a Muslim to do things in the right way.
Wife of terrorism defendant had applied for permission to wear face veil during trial
A Victorian judge has banned a woman whose husband is facing terrorism charges from wearing a niqab in court, saying it posed a potential security risk.
The woman applied through her husband’s lawyers to wear the face veil, which she said was a “a fundamental way in which she observes her faith”, while sitting in the public gallery to support him through the six-week trial.
We are deeply saddened at the news of the passing of one of the greatest contributors to the preservation and dissemination of Islamic knowledge in our time, Shaykh Murabit al-Hajj.
He told me several times, “Hamza, this world is an ocean, and those who drown in it are untold numbers. Don’t drown.” I have never seen anyone like him before him or after him, and I don’t think that I ever will. May Allah reward him for his service to this deen and his love and concern for the Muslims. He was never known to speak ill of anyone.
He said to me, “And what is man other than a comet that flashes brilliant light for a moment only to be reduced to ashes.” Shaykh Murabit al-Hajj is a master of the sciences of Islam, but perhaps more wondrous than that, he has mastered his own soul. His discipline is almost angelic, and his presence is so majestic and ethereal that the one in it experiences a palpable stillness in the soul. As the Arabs says, “the one who hears is not as the one who has seen.” May Allah grant him the highest level of paradise. Ameen. #murabitalhajj”
Shaykh Hamza Yusuf and Shaykh Rami Nsour are well known students of the Shaykh. Please support some of the fruits of Shaykh Murabit al-Hajj’s noble work by supporting these scholars. Shaykh Hamza is the co-founder of Zaytuna College, the first Muslim liberal arts college in the United States. Shaykh Rami is the co-founder of Tayba Foundation, a provider of holistic education and support to incarcerated Muslims.
Sura Luqman emphasizes tarbiya, or spiritual growth, and is named after a great sage. In this series, Shaykh Ibrahim Osi-Efa explores the meanings of this chapter.
Sura Luqman has 34 verses. Some say that all 34 verses were revealed in Mecca, while others say that all but two or three verses were revealed in Mecca. Regardless, it is classed as a Meccan sura because most of it was revealed there. This is significant, because Mecca was the place that the believers were spiritually raised, while Medina was the corroboration of the time in Mecca. As a reflection of this, the Meccan suras often had the theme of spiritual development, with reminders to remember Allah, as well of the afterlife. In contrast, the suras revealed in Medina focuses on various laws.
As a Meccan sura, Sura Luqman touches on subjects relating to spiritual development. This makes it a good lesson for parents and caregivers, as many of these lessons are directly connected to child-rearing themes.
In fact our mother Aisha, Allah be pleased with her, who was raised in the environment of Mecca, said, “We first learned faith, and then we learned the Qur’an, (meaning the laws defined in the Qur’an), and it increased us in faith.” She also said in another narration, “Had we learned law before faith, we would have disbelieved or become hypocrites.”
In our times, there is often an overwhelming focus on implementation of the law, before faith has taken root. This is a dangerous approach, because it can distance the person from faith.
It is important point to remember for anyone supporting a person in their spiritual development, whether they be a friend, a parent, a child, or an extended family member. When helping someone, one should try their best to nourish them spiritually, rather than simply throwing the law onto them.
This is the second part of a talk by Shaykh Dr Asim Yusuf on approaches to depression and anxiety in Classical Islam. Here he presents the author and physician Abu Zayd Balkhi.
I want to move on to a couple of these therapists. I say therapists. That’s a Freudian slip. The first of them is called Abu Zayd Balkhi. He was a ninth century physician, so he was a doctor. He was from Afghanistan but spent most of his life in Baghdad, which was the center of the Muslim world at the time. The second is very famous: Imam Ghazali, the great Reviver of Islam, who is called the Proof of Islam.
They took different approaches to the question of mental health. I will more on Abu Zayd Balkhi because he is by far less well known, and yet what he had to say, I kid you not, it reads like a manual of psychology. Remember, we are talking about somebody who is writing 1,200 years ago, when the styles were very very different. If you read it, it is astonishing.
There was a paper published on this particular work. When it went to peer review they said: “We’re not going to approve this. We don’t believe it is genuine, because this is not written like 9th century manuscripts are written.” The reviewers then did about three or four years of background research to determine its veracity. Then they wrote back eventually to the people that wrote this paper and said: “You do realize we are going to have to rewrite the history of psychology?”
Abu Zayd Balkhi
So who is Abu Zayd? He is a polymath as many of these people were. He wrote on a whole number of different topics – religious and so forth. Primarily, however, he was a physician. His great work is called Mas’alah al Abdan wa al Anfus, which means: The ways of bringing about restoration of the body and the soul. He is unique among writers of that time.
There were many great works on medicine produced around that period, but he is unique among them in that he had a separate chapter at the end of the book specifically for psychological illnesses. And the way he approached those psychological illnesses was first to acknowledge their existence. To acknowledge that they were very important. And to bemoan the fact that many physicians of his period felt that these things did not exist. And that if they did they were just extensions of physical illnesses.
He said no this is a real thing and it needs to be tackled. One of the things I really got from reading his work was the seriousness with which he treats especially depression. He says that this is a really horrible illness. He distinguishes very clearly, very lucidly, between sadness, which he calls huzn in Arabic, and depression, which he calls jaza‘. Jaza‘ has the sense of being cut open, of being cut off from things, of pain, and of being unable to endure something.
Defining Depression
That is the basic meaning of the word in Arabic, and he coins what in his time was a neologism for what we would now consider to be depression. Something that goes way beyond what you would expect a person who is experiencing sadness to suffer. He also distinguishes firstly in very brief form, four types of mental distress. He says there is mental distress that relates to sadness; mental distress that relates to anger; mental distress that relates to anxiety; and mental distress that relates to obsessions, or obsessive misgivings.
Within each of those categories there is a normal variant and a pathological variant. They exist on a spectrum, but at some point on the spectrum it becomes pathological. There is a way in which you approach the normal variation and a different way in which you approach the pathological variation. They require different types of treatment.
Where depression specifically was concerned he is, I think, the first person in history to distinguish between endogenous depression and reactive depression. And again he does this very, very lucidly. He said there are two types of depression. One that has a clear cause, a clear precursor: some stressor has occurred, which has caused the person to feel like this. That needs a particular type of treatment.
Supportive Therapy and Treatment
There is another, however, where there is no apparent cause. This, he says, is down to an impurity of the blood or an upset of the humors, and what it requires is “supportive psychotherapy.” His words are “to talk to someone wise and loving who can give you comfort and allow you to put things in perspective.” That is supportive psychotherapy which he distinguishes from actual psychotherapy.
Very interestingly he said the other thing that helps with this is music therapy, i.e. singing. Get the person to sing the songs they know. Songs that remind them of happier times. This is very effective. However, the primary treatment for endogenous depression, he says, is medication.
Reactive depression on the other hand requires particular forms of psychotherapy. He mentions a number of different types that we today would recognize as cognitive behavioral therapy; rational emotive therapy; reciprocal inhibition; and interpersonal therapy.
Remember, these are things that have come about in the 20th century. He is describing them in the ninth century and he describes them very cogently. As I say, it is like reading a manual written in the 20th century.
The Root of Mental Illness
He also acknowledges the root of all mental distress. He said the root of mental distress is concern about the future, which he calls anxiety. He distinguishes anxiety from what he calls terror. When he describes the symptoms of terror, he’s describing a panic attack. He says this is different from anxiety. Anxiety comes from three sources. One is internal, one is situational, and one is about your history. That is to say biological, psychological, and social.
These manifest in the disorders of which he he mentions four. He doesn’t actually talk about psychosis at all. What we would now call a manic state. I don’t know why that is. I think that and the only person that I know of in in classical Islam who mentioned what we would now consider symptoms of psychosis like hallucinations and so forth was Ibn Sina who considered them to be neurological disorders.
Abu Zayd Balkhi has this fantastic approach. One of the amazing things he does is at the beginning of his work he talks about the importance of mental health. The second chapter of his work is about mental hygiene. What he says is that everyone is going to suffer with mental distress at some point or other in their life. Some people will experience minor symptoms, some people will experience major symptoms.
There are things to do with your temperament or your upbringing and so forth that might make you vulnerable to experiencing a major episode. But everyone will experience them to some degree or another and therefore there are certain things that everybody should be doing to preserve their mental health. What he describes is what we would today, in 2017-2018, call mental health first aid.
Mental Health First Aid
This is a very, vey new concept. The idea of steps you can take yourself, that your neighbors can take, your friends can take, to help to ward off a mental health crisis, or to bring immediate relief to you in a mental health crisis. Then he also talks about preventative medicine. He says that there are certain things that we need to all be doing. One of which is effectively banking good thoughts or banking positive cognitions.
He said all mental distress ultimately comes down to negative cognitions. When you have negative cognitions you need to be able to combat them with positive cognitions. But you can’t have positive cognitions when you are in the midst of a mental health crisis. So what do is you bank them when you are calm. When everything is good in your life, think about those good things.
Remind yourself constantly about the good things, so that when you then have a negative cognition that may trigger a mental health problem, you can immediately combat it with a positive cognition. He talks about a lot about independence. About not becoming dependent on counselors, but at the same time accessing expert opinion, expert advice, and expert treatment.
Internal and External Therapy
He talks about the internal and the external. Internal therapy is what you can do yourself. External therapy is what is needs to be done for you by a practitioner: someone who is wise. Someone who is an expert, who has had dealings with this in the past. Someone who you trust and respect. That is to say, someone with whom you have a therapeutic relationship.
He says that this is because one of the first things to go when you become mentally ill is your sense of perspective and your insight. Often you will find that people do not recognize how unwell they are. That is where you need someone.
What you need is somebody who can who can intervene, but in order for them to intervene, there has to be a pre-existing relationship or there has to be an acknowledgment by that person that this is an expert. They know what they’re talking about. I really should listen to them. It shouldn’t be a family member. It needs to be – he doesn’t use the word as there was no such thing in that time – but a professional.
He ends with his discussion of depression. How serious a problem this is and how important it is that people really get a handle on it and understand it. And how a person presents in the throes of a depression. They will not look like themselves. You will look at them and sometimes, he says, they will even appear to act like a madman. You won’t recognize them. What is critical to understand is that there is a person underneath that. And we need to bring that person back. You need to work with that person to bring them back again.
Hope and Spirituality
He ends there for a very hopeful note. And hope should be the stock-in-trade of mental health practitioners. If we can’t give hope then we are not going to get very far no matter what drugs, no matter what therapy, that person goes for. Abu Zayd talks about the worst symptom of depression being helplessness and hopelessness, because once you lose hope you feel helpless.
He also mentions but doesn’t focus too much on the spiritual aspect of these conditions. You can see from everything that I’ve said so far that Abu Zayd Balkhi is approaching the question of mental illness or the question of mental distress like a physician. His focus is on symptoms, models, treatments, and so forth.
But he says that one of his points is that it is important for you internally to do this but also for the therapist to reinforce that things are really bad at the moment; things are really terrible at the moment; something really horrible has happened to you; but you’re not meant for this world. You’re meant for the Hereafter.
Seen from Eternity
Focus on that put things into that eternal perspective. When you put things in an eternal perspective they look very very different. He thereby puts into context something very important which is the notion of pathological spirituality. That is to say or think: “Bad things are happening to me because God is angry with me.” I see this quite often actually.
The idea that this is happening to me because God hates me; my child died because God hates me; or because I’ve done something wrong; this is a punishment for sins. To which the response is: So how come God did the same thing to the Prophet Muhammad, blessings and peace be upon him, who was sinless? Whom he loved.
Now if you reframe it as a test, as a trial, as an as an education, as a lesson to learn something about yourself, it is in adversity that we dig deep within ourselves and find a hidden strength that we did not know that we had. Abu Zayd Balkhi he leaves it at that but that theme is then taken up by Imam Ghazali.
This talk by Shaykh Dr Asim Yusuf was given at the Centre for the Study of Islam in the UK, Cardiff University, entitled “Approaches to Depression and Anxiety in Classical Islam.” This is not a transcript but an edited post based on the second part of the talk. The first part can be read here.
London mayor calls for Conservatives to take action over Michael Fabricant tweet
The Conservative MP Michael Fabricant has apologised for tweeting a cartoon image of Sadiq Khan being mounted by an inflatable pig, after he was accused of Islamophobia.
Khan, the mayor of London, called on the Tories to take action against the backbencher, and the Labour MP Wes Streeting said he had written to the Conservative chief whip, Julian Smith, asking what would be done.
The Nasheed Hub, an initiative of SeekersHub Global, aims to showcase the traditional Islamic art of nasheed, or Islamic devotional songs.
Ya Sa’da Qawm–How Felicitous are the People
Many have been the literary and spiritual giants through history who have blessed us with their poetry. They have the talent of writing deeply moving verses, which give the readers a slight taste of something they couldn’t otherwise reach.
Ya Saada Qawm was written by the great spiritual master, Gawth Abu-Madyan, and speaks about the people who have attained unto Allah. It does so in beautiful words that reflect the beauty of this experiential relationship, in a way that almost lets us taste it.
How could you want anything other than Him, when you’ve seen His exaltation? he asks. After He’s allowed you to see His light and splendour?
The way to Allah is repentance, and those who repent will come into His sanctuary. Loving Him becomes automatic, effortless, and the heart will never want to be far from Him. Get to know Him by reflecting over the signs in His earthly creation.
Just as Gawth Abu Madyan guided thousands of people in 12th century Andalusia and Morocco, he continues to guide through this poem.
Throughout the decades and civilisations of Islam, the vocal tradition, sometimes known as nasheed or devotional songs, were penned as a way of celebrating and giving thanks to Allah for the message of Islam, as well as for the Messenger himself.
These nasheeds were a way for people to turn towards their Lord in joyful celebration, rather than stringent routine. They were also tools to spread the message of Islam in a non-confrontational way. These nasheeds were able to reach out to those who were alienated or indifferent to the religion and the Muslim community, as well as to teach children who were too young for academic study.
These nasheeds originating from all corners of the Muslim world – from West Africa to Malaysia, from Turkey to Great Britian – mirror their own culture but all carry a common thread: love of Allah and His Messenger.
This series will explore the different nasheeds, penned by some of the great historical Muslim figures, poets, and scholars.
Move is Islamophobic, antisemitic and undemocratic, say Muslim leaders
A council has become the first to ban non-stunned halal meat from school meals, prompting accusations of Islamophobia and antisemitism.
Lancashire county council voted on Thursday to stop providing halal meat to council establishments unless animals are stunned before they are slaughtered.
