correctives & clarifications
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Joining Feet to Straighten Prayer-Rows: Is it a Sunnah?
Q. As part of straightening the rows for congregational prayer (salat al-jama‘ah), is it required or recommended that each person join their feet with those standing either side of them? A. Two issues need addressing here. Firstly, the importance of straightening the rows and the care and attention our Prophet ﷺ gave to it. Secondly, the manner… Continue reading
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A Perennial Problem: Is Islam the Only Valid Path to God?
Is Islam (the religion and way of life the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ came with) the only path to God? Does the Qur’an extend the validity of religions beyond Islam; to any who believe in God and act rightly? Or does the Qur’an insist that Islam is the exclusive and only path to God? And what of the idea… Continue reading
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The Path of Knowing, Doing & Becoming
Q. I’ve been following your talks and writings, on and off for about sixteen years now. You often mention the Islamic concept of knowing, doing & becoming, describing it as the “methodology of a Muslim” and a “blueprint for a believer.” It’s even the motto of your blog and the Jawziyyah Institute. I know you’ve explained… Continue reading
correctives & clarifications, fiqh & usul al-fiqh, salafism reconsidered, sufism, suluk & spirituality, theologybalanced Islam, hadith of Angel Gabriel explained, holistic Islam: iman islam ihsan, Islam is about being transformed, Islamic spirituality, manhaj of a Muslim, manhaj of Ahl al-Sunnah, moderate Islam, sound Islamic methodology, sufism is an Islamic science, the Jibreel hadith explained, three areas of Islam, three spheres of Islam: knowing doing becoming, where does tasawwuf fit in Islam? -
Should I Stop Making Dhikr If My Heart Isn’t In It?
‘I’m remembering Allah, but my heart’s not in it; what’s the point’ is a typical anguish for many of us? ‘When I make dhikr, my heart doesn’t have focus, it’s all over the place. Is there any use’ is another one? So should we stop making dhikr because out heart lacks focus on Allah; because there isn’t any hudur al-qalb… Continue reading
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Divorcing the Wife at the Behest of Parents
Q. Is there any religious requirement in Islam for a husband to divorce his wife merely because his parents are displeased with the marriage, or continue to disapprove of it? Didn’t the Prophet ﷺ endorse the decision of ‘Umar who ordered his son to divorce his wife? Is the son being disobedient if he refuses to do so? ♦… Continue reading
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40 Day Spiritual Retreat: Does It Have a Basis in Islam?
In Islam, is there any significance to the period of forty days? Why do certain people insist on going into spiritual retreats for this length of time? Some allude to the verse: And when We appointed for Moses forty nights [Qur’an 2:51], saying that it points to the importance and justification of a forty day spiritual retreat. What,… Continue reading
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Happy Muslims: Should We Have Made a Song and Dance of It?
Question. Unfortunately I was unable to attend your talk last week about whether we should be making a song and dance about the Happy British Muslims video? I would be interested to hear what questions you raised during the talk and what your feelings are about the video? Response: Bismi’Llah, alhamduli’Llah wa’l-salatu wa’l-salamu ‘ala rasuli’Llah. Thank you for your query.… Continue reading
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Doctrine of the Divine Attributes
According to Islam, a sound understanding of Allah’s attributes rests on two pillars. The first concerns the doctrine or ‘aqidah – of how hearts should believe in them. The second is tied to practice or ‘aml – of how hearts should take on board their meanings and implications. The latter issue will be discussed in… Continue reading
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The Greater Jihad: Is it Just a Myth?
Muslim scholars have long identified two types of jihad (lit. “striving” in God’s cause): an outer form of jihad and an inner one. The outward jihad refers to state-sanctioned military force (i.e. armed combat), which is waged defensively to protect both religion and realm; or offensively to combat tyranny, or protect the innocent and defenceless… Continue reading
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Dhikr Repetition: Is it Allowed?
In his al-Fawa’id (a patchwork-like book on moral psychology, that contains within it a collage of spiritual benefits and lessons on practical piety), Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah wrote: ‘God, Exalted is He, says: And remember Job, when he cried unto his Lord: “Affliction has seized me. But You are the Most Merciful of the merciful.” [21:83] This supplication… Continue reading