Layla takes pride in her love for Qays al-‘Āmirī, that love which wandered through the deserts of Najd, yet was only made purer by its wandering, and truer by its trial, until it seemed a spirit unbound by land and unconfined by time. And Shirin takes pride in the devotion of Farhād, who refused to… Continue reading Reminder: Ramadan takes pride in the fasting and nightly devotions of the Muslims
Scholarly Disagreement: Its حدود (Limits), Etiquette, and Responsibilities
The very nature of knowledge and research is founded upon disagreement. Among scholars, there is sometimes agreement and at other times disagreement, and this اختلاف (difference of opinion) is both necessary and beneficial for reflection and deep thinking. However, such disagreement must never be unregulated or descend to a personal level; rather, it must always… Continue reading Scholarly Disagreement: Its حدود (Limits), Etiquette, and Responsibilities
Reminder: Do not wrong anyone
Do not wrong anyone, for wrongdoing will become layers of darkness on the Day of Resurrection. How heavy those darknesses will weigh upon hearts on the day when secrets are laid bare and deeds are weighed. So beware lest a fleeting power, a passing anger, or a domineering desire lead you to lay your hand… Continue reading Reminder: Do not wrong anyone
The Moment of Farewell
Today is the twenty-sixth day of the blessed month of Ramadan. The heart is immersed in a strange state. It feels as though only yesterday a caravan of divine mercy descended from the heavens at our doorstep, and today that very caravan is gathering the reins of its camels, preparing to depart. Only a moment… Continue reading The Moment of Farewell
Games, Recreation, and Life
_(An excerpt recalling Jaʿfar Masʿūd Ḥasanī)_ * There was a time when, on the horizon of Muslim life, swordsmanship, archery, and horsemanship shone like brilliant stars. In their light flourished an entire world of courage, skill, and manliness. It was an age when the battlefield itself was the playing field, and every young man tested… Continue reading Games, Recreation, and Life
Reminder: There is nothing but myself and the mirror
I looked upon Zaid, and he appeared envious; I looked upon Amr, and he seemed ignorant; I looked upon Samer, and he was lewd in his licentiousness; I looked upon Hajjaj, and he was bitter. Yet I discerned no one without discovering some flaw, some imperfection, as if deficiency had gathered in all humanity, as… Continue reading Reminder: There is nothing but myself and the mirror
Tafsīr, taʾwīl, and tadabbur
Within the long and sophisticated tradition of Islamic scholarship, several technical terms have emerged to describe the processes through which the Qurʾān is understood, interpreted, and internalised. Among these, three concepts have acquired particular prominence: tafsīr (exegesis), taʾwīl (interpretive return or interpretive determination), and tadabbur (reflective contemplation). Although discussions of Qurʾānic interpretation often concentrate on… Continue reading Tafsīr, taʾwīl, and tadabbur
Nadwa’s Lentils
It is often said that whoever has not lived in the hostel of Nadwa cannot truly be a Nadwi. At first glance, this sentence appears to be a cheerful exaggeration, yet within it lies a very subtle thread of truth. The hostel life at Nadwa was not merely a story of teaching, learning, books, and… Continue reading Nadwa’s Lentils
The Earliest Manuscript of Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim in the Handwriting of Ibn al-Khāḍibah
The book Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim by the Imām, ḥadīth master Muslim ibn al-Ḥajjāj al-Naysābūrī (d. 261 AH) is regarded as one of the most eminent compilations of the Prophetic Sunnah and, after Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī by Imām Muḥammad ibn Ismāʿīl al-Bukhārī, it is considered by scholars to be the most authentic book of ḥadīth. Since its composition,… Continue reading The Earliest Manuscript of Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim in the Handwriting of Ibn al-Khāḍibah
Reminder: Despair is more hideous than the fire of hell
O soul! Beware, beware of despairing of the Spirit of God, and beware, beware of losing hope in His mercy. Truly, the heart’s turning towards despair and hopelessness is far more hideous than its turning towards the fire of Hell. For the fire of Hell, though fierce and dreadful, torments the body, whereas despair is… Continue reading Reminder: Despair is more hideous than the fire of hell