The Humble I

Knowing, Doing, Becoming

salafism reconsidered

October 1, 2012

Legitimate Islamic Learning: Being People of Isnad

One cannot worship God with loving submission, save with sound sacred knowledge or ‘ilm. The Golden Rule in this regard was stated by Imam al-Bukhari in these terms: al-‘ilmu qabla’l-qawli wa’l-‘aml – ‘Knowledge comes before speech and action.’1 If we don’t possess sound knowledge, we could make something a part of the religion which can never be… Continue reading

correctives & clarifications, fiqh & usul al-fiqh, knowledge & learning, salafism reconsidered

fiqh, ijazah, madhhabs, unbroken chain, way of the salaf
September 20, 2012

Beholding the Prophet’s Status ﷺ

Mainstream, orthodox Islam (Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jama‘ah) has long prided itself on preserving and transmitting the descriptions and distinctions of the blessed Prophet, peace be upon him. Tirmidhi’s much celebrated Shama’il, that depicts the beautiful attributes – physical and moral – of the Prophet, peace be upon him, is one such work in this heritage. Imam… Continue reading

orthodoxy & ahl al-sunnah, prophetology, salafism reconsidered, theology

‘lim al-ghayb, did the prophet have knowledge of the unseen?, knowing the rights of the Chosen one, loving Allah’s Beloved, shama’il, status of the Prophet, the Prophet’s maqam, venerating the Prophet, yearning for the Prophet
August 23, 2012

The Seven Rules to Seeking Sacred Knowledge

The duties instated by faith are a necessary measure in order to regulate human affairs, guide man, prevent him from straying, as well as dissuade him from self-harm or harming others. By recognising that the Sacred Law (sharī‘ah) exists to guide and protect us, we can attain to a reasonable equilibrium in this world and… Continue reading

fiqh & usul al-fiqh, knowledge & learning, salafism reconsidered

Dhahabi, Ghazali, Islamic knowledge, obligatory knowledge, prioritising religious learning, sacred knowledge

About Me

My name is Surkheel Sharif (aka Abu Aaliyah). Born and raised in London, England, I began my more formal, but gradual studies of the Islamic sciences around the late 1980s (just a few years after having quit my degree in Astrophysics). I also gained an MA in Islamic Studies from Birkbeck College, University of London, in 2009.

I’ve translated a few Islamic works from Arabic into English; one of them, a short text on Muslim spirituality, called The Exquisite Pearl (2000). I have also authored a few books, including: More Fish Please & the Earth’s Complaint (2011); Fussing Over the 15th of Sha’ban & the Golden Rule of Differing (2011); A Muslim’s Guide to Modernity (2025); and Salafism Reconsidered (forthcoming)

I am the founder and current Director of the Jawziyyah Institute (est. 1999): a non-profit organisation dedicated to cultivating an Islam true to its time-honoured tradition, relevant to its current context, and of benefit to wider society.

salafism reconsidered

Legitimate Islamic Learning: Being People of Isnad

Beholding the Prophet’s Status ﷺ

The Seven Rules to Seeking Sacred Knowledge