Shaykh Dr. Haitham al-Haddad

Shaykh Dr. Haitham al-Haddad is a jurist who seeks to contextualise classical Islamic knowledge for the modern era. He is a firm believer that Islam is uniquely qualified — more than any other system — to build a divine civilisation capable of helping humanity to enjoy a better life in all spheres by maintaining the correct balance between the rights of the Creator and the rights of the creation. He believes Islam is the only viable alternative to the failing unjust and oppressive contemporary world systems, as Allah says: "You are the best nation produced [as an example] for mankind: you enjoin what is right, forbid what is wrong, and believe in Allah." (al-Qur'ān, 3:110) According to this verse, Shaykh Haitham identifies the pillars of Islamic reform as īmān (faith), unity of the Ummah, impactful action, and knowledge. Drawing from his expertise in Islamic principles — Usūl al-Fiqh, Maqāsid al-Sharī‘ah, ‘Aqīdah, and other Islamic sciences — he promotes these foundational pillars to guide the Ummah’s revival. He is known for developing advanced theories that explore the role of Islamic jurisprudence in obtaining solutions for the contemporary challenges facing humanity, and he critically re-evaluates how Islamic legal rulings (fatāwa) can be formulated in light of modern sociopolitical realities. Shaykh Dr. Haitham al-Haddad earned his PhD from SOAS, University of London, with a doctoral thesis on Islamic jurisprudence concerning Muslim minorities. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in Sharī‘ah and Law from the University of Omdurman, Sudan, and a degree in engineering from the renowned King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) in Saudi Arabia. He has undertaken intensive studies in management, becoming a certified ISO 9000 auditor. In addition, he has studied various Islamic sciences under leading scholars of the Muslim world, including the former Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, Shaykh ‘Abdul-‘Aziz ibn Baz, among many others. He has obtained many classical ijāzāt in various Islamic sciences, including Qur'ān and Hadīth. Shaykh Haitham has served as an Islamic judge for several UK-based arbitration and legal bodies for over 20 years; he is a judge at Islamic Council. He has delivered hundreds of courses on topics such as Fiqh, ‘Aqīdah, Usūl al-Fiqh, Maqāsid al-Sharī‘ah, Tafsīr, Sīrah, Islamic Thought, Islamic Leadership and Management, Da'wah, Reform, and Political Engagement. Shaykh Haitham has also submitted many academic papers in many universities around the world. He is frequently consulted by numerous Islamic organisations across Europe and beyond, and serves as a senior scholar at Islam21c. Shaykh Haitham has lectured in various universities around the Muslim world, provided counsel to Islamic institutions, authored several books and textbooks for different institutions, and travelled extensively to advocate for the reform and unity of the Ummah.
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Call to Help Syrians this Winter

15 Min Read

I am sure that many of us have witnessed the picture of that small, beautiful baby with a stiffened body and two extended arms who died because of the bitter cold in Syria. Reports have confirmed that this winter is one of the coldest recorded to have ever hit the Middle East. Many young children are dying due to a lack of basic needs, including anything to keep them warm. Food is far from being enough and clothes are not adequate enough to resist the severity of this harsh winter. There are no heating systems as they were destroyed by

Shaheed Insha Allah – Abdul Qadir Mullah

5 Min Read

Featured article; Bangladesh on the Brink by sheikh Abu Talha   Related Articles;                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Bangladesh; State Sponsored Slaughter  |  Bangladesh and Di-Islamisation                                                                                                 Bangladesh; Travesty of Justice  |  The War Crimes Trail of Bangladesh - Another Perspective We express our heart felt condolences to the people of Bangladesh for the loss of an inspirational leader, and at the same time our joy that Allah the Almighty has blessed him with a beautiful end; to be slain as a martyr (if Allah wills) at the hands of the enemies of Islam for his defence of Islam and Muslims in Bangladesh. The Muslim

Nelson Mandela: A big Loss but…!

10 Min Read

There is no doubt that Nelson Mandela (1918-2013) was a great person. His struggle for what he believed was both inspirational and motivated many people. I remember seeing him on TV when he left his long imprisonment showing the people the small cell where he lived in solitary confinement for over 10 years. He spent around 27 years in jail which constituted almost one third of his life and his entire youth. He was offered a high position and status in the apartheid government in exchange of giving up his struggle for freedom and black people’s rights. He died before

What of Those Who Never Heard of Islam [al-Tahwiyyah Pt 21]

10 Min Read

The fate of people who did not hear of Islām is a common question on the minds of many, yet it is easily understood when one appreciates the all-encompassing nature of Allah’s Knowledge and His absolute justice. لَمْ يَخْفَ عَلَيْهِ شَيْءٌ مِنْ أَفْعَالِهِمْ قَبْلَ أَنْ خَلَقَهُمْ، وَعَلِمَ مَا هُمْ عَامِلُونَ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَخْلُقَهُمْ "Nothing about them was hidden from Him before He created them. And He knew everything they would do before He created them." --- Allāh’s knowledge is all-encompassing. His infinite knowledge is perfect and complete and include in it the deeds of the creation; their good deeds, their

The Sublime Qadar of Allah [al-Tahwiyyah- pt 19]

10 Min Read

Allāh willed that the Prophet Muhammad (Ṣallāhu 'alayhi wa salam) would be born into this world in the ‘Year of the Elephant’, 570 CE, the knowledge of that was with Him from an eternity and was written in the Preserved Tablet (al-Lawḥ al-Maḥfūth), when the exact moment came, He decreed that and so it was. وَقَدَّرَ لَهُمْ أَقْداراً، He has ordained all things in due measure. Allāh has created everything, and Allāh has ordained it all to be created in due measure (taqīr); as He said: ‘He created everything and determined it (qaddara) most exactly’. This means when Allāh created

The UK & European Cities Prayer & Fasting Timetables 2014 – 1435 AH

20 Min Read

The prayer and fasting timetables listed in this document were obtained based on what is now known as the “18 degree formula” along with some necessary amendments to cater for the abnormal circumstances many European countries face due to their high location in the Northern Hemisphere. It is beyond the remit of this article to go through the juristic discussion regarding the correct methodology in formulating a timetable, yet it is sufficient to say that the “18 degree formula” is accepted and used by the overwhelming majority of Muslims around the World and has been used extensively throughout Islamic history.

al-Tahwiyyah Pt 15, 16 & 17- In No Need of Creation

8 Min Read

We believe that Allāh has always been the Lord, even if He had not brought anything into existence; just as He was al-Khāliq (the Creator) even if He had not created anything. لَيْسَ مُنْذُ خَلَقَ الخَلْقَ اسْتَفَادَ اسْمَ الخَالِقِ، وَلا بـِإِحْدَاثِهِ البَرِيَّةَ اسْتَفَادَ اسْمَ البارِي   It is not the case that He acquired the name Creator (al-Khāliq) only after He created, or the name Originator (Al-Bari) only after He originated (something). The author is emphasizing the fact that Allāh did not benefit from the creation, He did not become a Creator because of them, nor did He acquire or gain

Philosophy of Fasting Ep 1

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Philosophy of Fasting Ep 2

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Philosophy of Fasting Ep 3

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