The second part of this article explores the prohibited forms of taqlid which, unlike the prescribed type (see Part I), may rightly be called "blind following". It also corrects some of the misguided notions and far-fetched interpretations in this regard; interpretations that are falsely peddled as being the stance of our past Imams and pious predecessors.…
Taqlid & Madhhabs: the Good, Bad, and the Ugly [1/2]
Must each Muslim know the proofs behind a religious action before performing that act? In Islam, what counts as "proof"? Is accepting a fatwa of a qualified Muslim scholar on trust, without knowing his legal reasoning, blind following? Can ordinary Muslims who've had no legal training evaluate proof-texts and identify the strongest view. How can Muslim…
Concerning Functional Fatwas & Dysfunctional Muftis
Do fatwas change with place and time; if so, how? Is Islamic fiqh fossilised? Do we require a new fiqh for the 21st century? Are classically-trained muftis fit for purpose in today's world? Should the ‘ulema be trained in the core philosophical underpinnings of modernity? Does the new maqasid-based fiqh offer a better way forward…
Jihad & Martyrdom, War & Peace
Is Islam a conquest ideology more than an actual religion, as some now claim? Is Jihad identical to 'perpetual war' in Islam's grand political scheme of things? And is the life of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ mostly about blood and gore and body counts? These are the issues addressed here. Muslim scholars have long identified two types of jihad…
Justice, Equality & Feminism: the Quranic View
In this tafakkur or 'meditation' upon the Qur'an, we explore the Islamic teachings on justice - what it means, its place in our religion, how it permeates the entire shari‘ah, and the dire consequences to nations and societies when justice is ignored or thrown to the wind. In fact, as we'll see, the current state of the Muslim…