I – The Great Loss of the One who does not Pray
When the topic of Ṣalāh is addressed on the public platforms, the conventional method focuses on establishing its importance, the sins associated with a person who fails to perform it and the ruling of such a person. This method is without doubt essential and reflects one of the many Qur’anic approaches when speaking about Ṣalāh. As for this piece, the method will not be conventional. May Allāh make these words a means of wakefulness for our hearts. We will take different narrations which speak not only of Ṣalāh, but of other matters that are attached to it, such as wudhūʿ, the…
What does Allah’s mercy offer me?
The Prophet (sall Allāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam) said, لما خلق اللهُ آدمَ ونفخ فيه الروحَ ؛ عطس، فقال : الحمدُ للهِ، فحمد اللهَ بإذنهِ، فقال له ربُّه : يرحمُك اللهُ يا آدمُ ! “When Allāh created Ādam and blew within him the soul, Ādam sneezed. He said, “Alhamdulillah” so His Lord said, “O Ādam, Allah has mercy upon you.” These were the first words which the ears of man heard from Āllah.” The name of Allāh, ArRaḥmān (The Most Merciful), must occupy a special status within the heart of every Muslim since it clearly occupies a special status in the Qur’ān. We have been given knowledge of no less than 99 names of Allāh, all of which are majestic,…
The single deed that saved them
“And We have not sent you, , except as a mercy for the ʿAlamīn (mankind, jinns and all that exists).” Alḥamdulillah, ours is an ummah blessed with the immeasurable and infinite Mercy of Allāh (subḥānahu wa taʿālā). The ultimate Mercy we desire from Allāh (subḥānahu wa taʿālā) is salvation, and we have been provided with the means of attaining such with tools, advice, examples and the ultimate guide to success in this life and the Hereafter. The Prophet (sall Allāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam) imparted upon us the advice we require, if only we would pay heed. What follows are five…
Behind closed doors: “It’s my life, and I’ll sin if I want to”
Allāh says, إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَنْ تُؤَدُّوا الْأَمَانَاتِ إِلَى أَهْلِهَا وَإِذَا حَكَمْتُمْ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ أَنْ تَحْكُمُوا بِالْعَدْلِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ نِعِمَّا يَعِظُكُمْ بِهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ سَمِيعًا بَصِيرًا “Allāh commands you to restore the trusts to their owners and when you judge between people to judge with justice. Excellent is that which Allāh instructs you. Indeed, Allāh is ever Hearing and Seeing.” The majority of the Mufasirīn are agreed that this Āyah was revealed to the Prophet (sall Allāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam) immediately after the conquest of Makkah. After a long mission of Da’wah, he returned to Makkah, triumphant and glorious. He cleansed Makkah…
“I have pardoned every Muslim who has harmed me.”
When the life of Shaykh al-Islām Ibnu Taymiyyah is discussed the focus, many a time, is on the dimensions of his knowledge, his flawless memory, his Jihād, his enjoining of good and forbidding of evil, his trials, his ʿIbādah, his fearlessness and bravery, and his eloquence. But, such discussions often miss one of the most beautiful dimensions of the life of this marvel of a man, a dimension which the Ummah of Islām needs now more than any other time before. This is the dimension of the pardoning of others. One of his slogans in life was: أحللت كل مسلم…
Fruits of Following the Sahaba
With terms such as ‘salaf’ and ‘salafism’ having become highly politicised and sensationalised in the public domain, Ustadh Ali Hammuda separates fact from fiction in this series demystifying the status and authority of the constitutive and interpretive “Understanding of the Companions” of the Messenger of God (sallAllāhu ‘alayhi wasallam). The Authority of the Understanding of the Companions Part 5 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 Poor are those who wish to 'modernise' Islām. Not only because they are seen as sell-outs by mainstream Muslims, but because they are at the fingertips of their neo-con masters. Little do they realise that they are in fact selling their afterlife to forward…
Looking Backward to go Forward
With terms such as ‘salaf’ and ‘salafism’ having become highly politicised and sensationalised in the public domain, Ustadh Ali Hammuda separates fact from fiction in this series demystifying the status and authority of the constitutive and interpretive “Understanding of the Companions” of the Messenger of God (sallAllāhu ‘alayhi wasallam). The Authority of the Understanding of the Companions Part 4 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 Many evidences in the Sharīʿah obligate the adoption of the understanding of the earliest generations, and call on Muslims to retreat to them particularly during times of dissension. Some of these evidences are explicit and others are implicit. This is the objective of our…
Why follow the ‘old’ path?
With terms such as ‘salaf’ and ‘salafism’ having become highly politicised and sensationalised in the public domain, Ustadh Ali Hammuda separates fact from fiction in this series demystifying the status and authority of the constitutive and interpretive “Understanding of the Companions” of the Messenger of God (sallAllāhu ‘alayhi wasallam). The Authority of the Understanding of the Companions Part 3 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 Backwards, ‘outdated’, ‘non-compatible’, ‘fundamentalists’… How often do we hear these terms spurted out at the Muslim community for following its ‘old ways’ in religious matters? Has the understanding of Islam really degenerated whilst the world becomes more sophisticated and advanced? Why is such authority…
Analysing the Authority of Orthodoxy
With terms such as ‘salaf’ and ‘salafism’ having become highly politicised and sensationalised in the public domain, Ustadh Ali Hammuda separates fact from fiction in this series demystifying the status and authority of the constitutive and interpretive “Understanding of the Companions” of the Messenger of God (sallAllāhu ‘alayhi wasallam). The Authority of the Understanding of the Companions Part 2 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 In this short series, we attempt to elucidate what is meant by Islamic 'orthodox' understanding, a concept popularly criticised in the contemporary age in preference of 'modernism' and 'progressive' ideology that fits with today's prevalent dogmas. It then outlines the authority of the oldest…
Who are the ‘Salaf’?
With terms such as 'salaf' and 'salafism' having become highly politicised and sensationalised in the public domain, Shaikh Ali Hammuda separates fact from fiction in this series demystifying the status and authority of the constitutive and interpretive "Understanding of the Companions" of the Messenger of God (sallAllāhu ‘alayhi wasallam). Authority of the Understanding of the Companions Part 1 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 The Prophet (sallAllāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) once said, إِنَّ اللَّهَ نَظَرَ إِلَى أَهْلِ الأَرْضِ فَمَقَتَهُمْ عَرَبَهُمْ وَعَجَمَهُمْ إِلا بَقَايَا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ “Allāh looked at the people of the earth and was angry with them all, Arabs and non-Arabs, except for a remainder of the…