Despite securing scholarships abroad, students from Gaza are unable to travel to further their education.

Before applying to law school, I spoke to Muslim lawyers for advice and mentorship. One lawyer I connected with was based in the U.K. and worked in human rights, advocating for Muslims impacted by the War on Terror. 

At this point in my life, I was interested in either immigration law or international humanitarian law. During the call, he explained that while many Muslims seek a path in the legal field for similar reasons, many Muslims’ legal needs in the West actually lie in the day-to-day. Marriages, divorces, disputes, business contracts, estate planning – these are areas where the average Muslim regularly finds themselves at odds with the law of the land or unsure of how to reconcile their faith’s obligations as U.S. residents or citizens. You may be able to avoid it, but if you intend to live out the rest of your days in the U.S., then you must know that even you cannot outrun probate courts, and preferably thought about it beforehand rather than after the death of a loved one.

This idea was reinforced during an internship at a Muslim boutique law firm where the supervising attorney stressed the importance of “bread and butter” legal work: drafting contracts and settling disputes. These are, in the language of jurists, matters of mu’amalat: the domain of the Shari’a that governs our transactions and relationships with one another. This is not to diminish the significance of civil rights advocacy, humanitarian law, or immigration law. These fields are undoubtedly critical, especially in light of the genocide in Gaza, arbitrary detentions of student protestors and advocates, and deteriorating civil rights. However, we also cannot overlook the need for legal expertise in the domains that shape our everyday lives, particularly where our fard al-ayn is concerned. Ensuring that our daily interactions – contracts, marriages, business dealings, and how we resolve disputes with others both on an individual and institutional level – are shari’a-compliant (as best we can) is an obligation, not a personal preference or last-minute add-on. It is a fard (obligation) to know the ruling (hukm) of an act before engaging in it, yet we routinely do so.

A Case Study: Islamic Marriage Contracts in the U.S.

I’ll give readers a case study that is perhaps unusual when we think of Islam and U.S. law, nonetheless salient for the point I am trying to make. In 2001, the following case was presented to the Court of Appeals of California, Fourth District1: a Muslim couple married decades ago in Egypt filed for divorce. California, like other community property states, has a presumption that acquisitions during a marriage (barring exceptions like inheritance) belong equally to each spouse, thus are to be divided equally upon divorce – unless the presumption can be overcome. The husband presented their Egyptian nikah contract, claiming it was a prenuptial agreement stipulating that marital issues were to be governed under “Islamic law”, but nothing more. If the nikah contract was upheld as an enforceable prenuptial agreement under U.S. law, his medical practice and retirement accounts would be considered his separate property and not community property, thus would not have to be divided with his ex-wife.

And therein lies the problem: the Court here was not looking at the substance of Islamic law on marital assets, per se. In one footnote, they even comment, “There are at least four schools of interpretation of Islamic law…The legal system in various Islamic countries will often be influenced by one school or the other. Egypt, for example, has been influenced by both the Hanafi and Maliki schools.” Instead, the Court focused on whether the document contained sufficiently clear and enforceable terms to function as a pre-nup. They found that it did not. So, the presumption of splitting everything equally held.

When my marital property professor, herself a family law practitioner, taught this case, she mentioned the lack of adequate legal help for Muslims in the local area. Because when Muslims, like others, marry and divorce, and like others, who generally want to proceed in a manner most aligned with their values, they want to seek attorneys who understand their needs and know not only U.S. law, but are competent in Islamic law. In her experience, she’d seen clients with disputes over unpaid mahr, oral agreements, and the like, with little precedent on the best way to proceed.

This is not an article on how enforceable contracts among Muslims should be in U.S. courts and what the jurisdictional implications are for Islamic public law in America, nor am I the first to articulate this. Rather, it’s a point on how thin calls for diverse legal representation and Muslim representation are if it does not go beyond being a particular type of face among the same types of faces. It is far deeper and urgent. There is an immediate need for Muslim professionals who can articulate the Islamic worldview in their research and work.

The above case is just one of many growing numbers of cases dealing with the intersection of Islam and U.S. law, but the number of legal practitioners who have a basic grounding and connection to the Islamic sciences, equipped to think about these issues a step further than the status quo, is fewer than desired. And conversely, it is not within the realm of work, nor is the faqih/mufti equipped to navigate U.S. legal realities. 

The disconnect between ‘secular law’ and ‘shari’a’ (though the distinction is not so discreet as we would think) is one of the enduring consequences of secularism. The systematic marginalization of Islamic legal principles in favor of Western legal frameworks has left a void in which Muslims are forced to compartmentalize their lives: ‘ibadat in one corner, everything else in another. Obviously, this is due to living in the U.S. in the first place (and on a higher level, the structure of nations/states). By residing in a non-Muslim jurisdiction, one implicitly and explicitly affirms certain obligations to its system. But this overlooks and oversimplifies, for example, the freedom to contract, which allows individuals to determine many terms of their relationships and transactions, provided they do not contradict public policy or statutory law. This creates some space, however imperfect, for communities to govern their affairs in alignment with their values, even within a secular system. For example, multiple scholars and writers have drawn comparisons between the American Jewish experience with beth dins – Jewish religious courts – and Islamic councils or tribunals.

This sort of interplay of religious and secular legal systems, therefore, has precedents, despite what bills attempting to ban ‘shari’a law’ would have one think. Critics – both within and outside the community – might argue that such a ‘coexistence’ is ultimately contradictory and makes Islamic principles subordinate. Yet the alternative is a community left to navigate a legal framework that often fails to account for their religious needs, leading to compromises that undermine both their legal rights and their spiritual commitments. 

This challenge must shift from theoretical discussions to actionable strategies. Muslim lawyers have a significant opportunity to collaborate with ‘ulema and other relevant experts, leveraging their knowledge of Islamic jurisprudence while refining their own expertise in legal research and practice. Even those engaged in civil rights, humanitarian law, and other legal fields remain deeply connected to Islamic principles and jurisprudence; their work is inseparable from questions of right and wrong, justice and ethics, with accountability shaped by the moral and legal foundations of shari’a. Muslim lawyers must recognize that what we do is not value-neutral, and the community must recognize and support the need for competent Muslim lawyers. Work devoid of an Islamic objective and actualization is a failure of purpose.

[Look out for Part II next week inshaAllah]

 

Related:

– Age of Consent in Classical Islamic Law

– Why Studying And Teaching Aqidah is Necessary for the Ulama And Students of Knowledge

1    105 Cal. Rptr. 2d 863, 88 Cal. App. 4th 398.

The post So You Want To Become A Lawyer? [Part I] – On Faith, Duty, And The Legal Profession appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

Lawmaker for New Jersey threatens Dublin with investment losses.

Dear Struggling and Distressed Muslim,

This letter was meant for you. Yes, you specifically. The one who has been struggling and not understanding why it’s not working out. The one who has seen countless members of your family and friends “getting ahead” and sailing through this stage of life. The one whose suffering is not as visible or discussed in our communities, despite the pain striking and settling at the core of your heart, as you feel you have been left behind. This is regarding your pain from infertility and the struggle of not being able to have a child.

Know that you are not alone. There are millions across the world who are dealing with the same exact problem. But you have something that many do not: the Ultimate Supporter and Creator of the Universe is with you.

Infertility is not a sign of Allah’s Displeasure, but rather a test. As with every test, everyone advises patience; yet, sincerely practicing patience is difficult. It is, however, a choice and an action. How we actively practice patience will inshaAllah bring peace and blessings to our hearts and lives. While I cannot take away your pain and struggles, what I can offer is advice to remind you of some actions that can be taken to strengthen your relationship with Our Creator, and find ease through this difficult time. 

Advice #1: Elevate Your Du’a and Fully Trust Allah

Du’a is not simply asking from Allah . It’s the essence of worship and a way to rewrite our destiny. Du’a is, without a doubt, the most powerful tool we have at our disposal, but there are ways to make it more effective and meaningful. I will focus on these 3 points:

1. Etiquettes of Du’a
2. Focus on Forgiveness 
3. Practical Game Plan

The Etiquettes of Du’a

The first etiquette is regarding what we should say before we even start making dua to Allah . Specifically, praising Him and sending durood (peace and blessings) upon the Prophet . Sending durood on the Prophet is so powerful that even if we were to not ask anything and just spend our entire time sending durood on the Prophet , our worries would disappear and our sins would be forgiven. 

This isn’t to say we shouldn’t ask and make du’a for what we want, but it’s just a point of how many blessings there are in just sending peace and blessings on the Prophet . It could be that Allah appreciates so much that you send peace and blessings on the Prophet -the most beloved creation to Allah – instead of asking for your own needs, that He solves your problems and rewards you for it too. Do we really think that any problem in the world can withstand so many blessings coming from Allah ?

The second etiquette I want to mention is calling on Allah by His many blessed Names and Attributes. 

Specifically, some names that come to mind are:

• Al-Kareem and Al-Wahab – the One who is the Most Generous and Gives the best of gifts
• Al-Qadeer and Al-Azeez – there is absolutely no problem we can ever have that will be more powerful or unable to be solved by the Almighty and All-Powerful
• Al-Jabbar – the One who can mend your broken heart while you suffer through the pain

The third etiquette is to mention your weaknesses to Allah and never be disappointed in making du’a. When Zakaria made du’a to Allah for a child, he knew that his state of being old didn’t matter – the Lord of the Worlds could change anything and everything if He willed it. He went decades without children but remained optimistic.

Do not focus on what you can realistically do, but focus on what the Lord and Creator of the Worlds can do. Allah made the rules of the world we live in, including our own medical states, and He [wt] can do whatever He wills. 

The fourth etiquette is to have full trust in Allah’s Plan for you. This leads to consistency and surrendering yourself to Allah – you cannot lose hope. Even if you do not receive what you asked for, remember that Allah gave or will give you something equivalent or better; but it will be on Allah’s timeline, not ours. Our task is to be patient in making du’a. 

“Every one of you will have his supplications answered, as long as he is not impatient and he says: I have supplicated, but I was not answered.” [Bukhari and Muslim]

I’ve been guilty of this, where I make du’a and expect that my problem will be immediately solved. But du’a doesn’t always work like Amazon Prime. I personally know a couple who had multiple miscarriages, and it took almost 10 years for them to have their first child. We have to remember and trust that Allah knows and decides when the best time is for everything. He knows what is good for us and when it is good for us, and we do not. 

This is part of the perfection of our faith: to be content with what Allah has ordained after we have done everything we possibly can. This sentiment is perfectly encapsulated by the beautiful du’a of the righteous caliph Omar ibn Abdul Aziz : 

“O Allah, make me pleased with Your decree and bless me in Your providence, such that I would not like to hasten anything You delay, nor delay anything You hasten.”

The fifth and last etiquette I will mention is to take advantage of the times when du’a is accepted. These include:

• The last third of the night
• Between the adhan and iqaamah
• When it is raining
• When in sujud
• When traveling
• A fasting person as they break their fast

Focus on Forgiveness

We all fall short of our duty to Allah , and we all make mistakes. Even if we fulfill the obligations, did we fulfill them to a level that is befitting the Lord of the Universe? But, by the Mercy of Allah , He still may accept our broken actions. 

Allah created us so that we would turn back to Him after we slip. What’s also interesting is that asking forgiveness from Allah for those same mistakes is directly linked to certain blessings.

A man once came to al-Hasan al-Basri and complained to him: “The sky does not shower us with rain.” He replied: “Seek Allah’s forgiveness (i.e. say أستغفر ألله).”

Then another person came to him and said, “I complain of poverty.” He replied: “Seek Allah’s forgiveness.”

Then another person came to him and complained, “My wife is barren; she cannot bear children.” He replied: “Seek Allah’s forgiveness.”

The people who were present said to al-Hasan: “Every time a person came to you complaining, you instructed them to seek Allah’s forgiveness?”

Al-Hasan al-Basri said, “Have you not read the statement of Allah? ‘saying, ‘Seek your Lord’s forgiveness, ˹for˺ He is truly Most Forgiving. He will shower you with abundant rain, supply you with wealth and children, and give you gardens as well as rivers.’”[Surah Nuh:10-12]

So, given that asking for forgiveness is one of the best ways to have a child, what is one of the best ways to ask for forgiveness?

The Prophet taught us Sayyid al-Istighfar – the master du’a for forgiveness. I would highly recommend memorizing it and repeating it often.

Finally, an important part of seeking forgiveness is to leave the sins that we are knowingly committing. While we cannot eliminate every mistake, we can at least do our best to leave the things we know we are doing that are crossing the boundaries of Allah . 

Practical Game Plan

Now, what is a practical way to implement some of these etiquettes of du’a? Here is a game plan inspired by the dua of the mother of Imam Bukhari and of the legendary hero Salahuddin when he defended Jerusalem from the Crusaders. While you may not be able to do all of this, the goal is to try to do the best of your ability and at least do part of it. 

1. Wake up during the last 1/3 of the night, especially on Friday night, about 30-45 minutes before Fajr, and pray 2 rakaats and make a long dua during sajdah (remember that in the Islamic calendar, Friday night starts on Thursday after maghrib)
2. Go to the masjid, especially on Friday morning, right before fajr adhaan
3. Combine the intention to pray 2 rakaats sunnah of fajr, sunnah of entering masjid, and sunnah in between adhaan and iqaamah, and make dua during sajdah
4. Make dua right after fajr salah, after you’ve done the adhkaar after salah
5. Consistently repeat this at least once a week, if not daily

During your du’a, complain of your own poverty to Allah and how you have done everything you possibly can, but there is nothing else you can do. Keep knocking on Allah’s door, just like Imam Bukhari’s mother. Imam Bukhari was born almost blind, and his mother would spend her nights making du’a for her son’s eyesight to be restored.

For 2-3 years, she she didn’t lose hope or give up. Just kept knocking and asking for a medical miracle from Al-Shafi.

Then one night, she saw Prophet Ibrahim in a dream, who told her that because of her persistent du’a, her son’s eyesight had been restored. Imam Bukhari would go on to author the most authentic book ever written by man, leaving behind a legacy of scholarship that still endures over 1,000 years later. 

This is the power of du’a. Not because of what you can do. But because of what Allah can. 

There are many other things that can be done to elevate one’s du’a, but the crux of du’a is recognizing that Allah is in control and we need Him . When we show and verbalize our need to Allah and show that we are not self-sufficient but rather completely reliant on Him , we hope He will shower His Mercy and Bounties upon us. And just like anything in life, if we continue to do the same thing over and over again the exact same way, du’a can start feeling mundane and even empty, so I hope implementing some of these points can revitalize and reenergize our du’a again.

Advice #2: Internalize the Quran

The Quran was sent as a mercy to mankind and the way to expel darkness from our hearts and lives as we go through the trials of life. But when we only focus on reading it without reflection, especially as non-Arab speakers, we miss many subtleties and messages. 

Do these 2 things, and you will see how your perception of the Quran will change and how peace will enter your heart:

1. Make yourself the audience of the verses you are reading. Do not just read the story of Musa and think of it as a nice history lesson. Internalize the message as if the Quran is speaking to you and that the verses were revealed specifically for you. If there are verses about arrogance, ask yourself – am I arrogant? If there are verses about patience, ask yourself – am I patient? And so on and so forth.
2. Pay attention to the Names of Allah that are used in the verses. Allah is the Greatest Writer, and every word and Name He places is placed in a very specific location for a reason. Reflect on what the verse is saying to YOU and why that specific name of Allah is being used. 

Advice #3: Practice Gratitude

Often, when we are struggling with something difficult, patience is what is recommended. But the fact of the matter is, sincere patience requires something even before that: gratitude. 

Allah told us in the Quran:

˹Consider˺ when Moses said to his people, “Remember Allah’s favour upon you when He rescued you from the people of Pharaoh, who afflicted you with dreadful torment—slaughtering your sons and keeping your women. That was a severe test from your Lord.

And ˹remember˺ when your Lord proclaimed, ‘If you are grateful, I will certainly give you more. But if you are ungrateful, surely My punishment is severe.’” [Surah Ibrahim; 14:6-7]

The Bani Isra’eel, after being tested with hundreds of their babies being murdered by Firawn, are not being told to be patient. They are being advised to be grateful. Ponder this profound point. Why would Allah and Musa advise them on gratitude and remembering the blessings they have? Does not patience in this scenario make more sense?

The only way to practice sincere patience is to first appreciate all the blessings Allah has already given us. Only then will we find the strength to sincerely endure the hardships we are facing for the sake of Allah . 

And for those who think, “What blessings do I even have to be grateful for?”, consider these questions:

• Would we trade even one of our eyes for Elon Musk’s trillion-dollar pay package?
• Would we trade our warm beds for living in makeshift tents during the freezing, wet winter of Gaza while consistently being threatened by bombs and airstrikes? Or for a place in a Rohingya refugee camp?
• Would we trade the security of our lives for the constant violence, hunger, and humanitarian crises happening in Sudan and Lebanon? 
• Would we trade our freedom to practice our religion and beliefs for the religious and political persecution happening to Uyghurs in China or Muslims in Kashmir and India? 

None of this is to say that we don’t have problems or tests in life. But when we consider the enormous blessings Allah has bestowed upon us, we would not trade our problems for anyone else’s across the world. 

Furthermore, not having a child does not mean you don’t already have a loving, supportive spouse – do we appreciate him/her as we should? Or do we wonder if things would have been better if we had married someone we could have children with? If so, we are failing at understanding that while children can be a beautiful part of marriage, not having children does not mean a marriage is any less successful or less full of love. The Prophet loved Aisha more than anyone else, and their marriage serves as a role model for all of us. This is despite them not having any children together.

Another point that I want to mention is that if we are given children and one of them causes us to lose our faith, was that child really a blessing? This point is emphasized during the story of Musa and Khidr in Surah Al-Kahf. Khidr kills a child and later explains to Musa that Allah wanted to replace that child with another one for the parents, as the first child could have caused them to become kuffar and destroy their relationship with Allah . Who is to say that if we are given a child, that would not happen to us, and Allah is in fact protecting us from a greater evil?

The final point I will mention is that there will always be blessings given to others that we may never receive. At the same time, we have been given blessings in our lives that others can only dream of. This is by the decree of Allah . So our focus should be on the blessings we have and how we can maximize them in pursuit of pleasing Allah . 

As Prophet told us, “Know that whatever happens to you could never miss you, and whatever misses you could never reach you.” [al-Mu’jam al-Kabīr]

Advice #4: Increase in Good Deeds

Part of showing and practicing gratitude to Allah is to obey Him and fulfill the obligations He ordained on us. But, if you only fulfill the obligations, that alone will not necessarily get you special treatment from Allah . If you think about our careers – how do we get ahead? We have to work harder than our coworkers, contribute extra on projects, serve on committees, etc., to get promoted. Those who barely do their job, under fair circumstances, would not be the ones who would get promoted and benefit from a bump in salary, benefits, perks, etc. 

In a hadith qudsi, Allah said:

“Whosoever shows enmity to someone devoted to Me, I shall be at war with him. My servant draws not near to Me with anything more loved by Me than the religious duties I have enjoined upon him, and My servant continues to draw near to Me with supererogatory works so that I shall love him. When I love him, I am his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes, and his foot with which he walks. Were he to ask [something] of Me, I would surely give it to him, and were he to ask Me for refuge, I would surely grant it to him. I do not hesitate about anything as much as I hesitate about [seizing] the soul of My faithful servant: he hates death, and I hate hurting him.” [Bukhari]

There are so many good deeds that can be discussed, including qiyam al-layl (which is the best prayer after the fardh salah), dhuha salah, various adhkaar, praying in the masjid, fasting, etc., but the one I want to emphasize is sadaqah. It’s an absolutely amazing, widely encompassing, and easy deed if we have the right mindset. Moreover, in the current state of the world where everyone is talking about investing and making money, the fact of the matter is, whatever money we spend in charity is our real investment because that is what we will see on our scale of good deeds in the Hereafter.

“Envy consumes good deeds just as fire burns wood. Charity extinguishes sinful deeds just as water extinguishes fire. Prayer is the light of the believer, and fasting is his shield from the Hellfire.” [Ibn Majah]

Advice #5: Seek Professional Help

The problem with this step is that we often either prioritize this step over fixing our relationship with Allah , or neglect this step completely. Take advice from qualified medical professionals, talk with your family and elders, pray istikharah, and make a decision regarding next steps in your journey. We will never know what will or will not work unless we try, but we should be informed about the risks and benefits of each avenue available to us so we can make an educated decision.

I would also mention that infertility can come with a whole set of emotions, including depression, anger, despair, hopelessness, etc., so a qualified therapist, especially one with an Islamic background, could be beneficial in understanding how to process and manage our emotional state from both an Islamic and psychological perspective. I have included a list of resources for mental health at the end of this letter.

A man said, “O Messenger of Allah! Shall I tie it and rely (upon Allah), or leave it loose and rely (upon Allah)?” The Prophet SAWS said: “Tie it and rely (upon Allah).” [Tirmidhi]

Final Thoughts

The Prophet frequently made a du’a asking Allah to make him firm in his religion.

It’s so hard to be consistent, and it’s even harder at times to be consistent and trusting when you don’t have physical proof in your hand of what you’re aiming for. There’s a reason why Muslims are called believers – one of them is that we believe in the Unseen. And can you imagine that the greatest of all creation, the Prophet , is making du’a to be steadfast on Islam? It’s surreal to me because he had the Quran revealed to him by Jibreel . But while we’ll never have the same level of iman as the Prophet , that doesn’t mean we don’t try. It’s up to us to remember that Allah is writing our story in the best way possible. 

Don’t be displeased with Allah . You are where you are, and I am where I am, and every person is where they are exactly as the Greatest Story Writer has written. While we don’t know how things will go in the future, our job is just to do our best with what we know now. And part of this journey for you involves your family, so encourage them to do the things you all find beneficial – inshaAllah you all will grow closer together as you continue to support each other.

At the end of the day, it very well could be you’re never gifted a child. That doesn’t mean that all your efforts and du’as went to waste. We don’t know what Allah protected us from and what reward Allah has prepared for us in the Hereafter. 

I want to end with this advice a friend pnce gave to me:

“One of Allah’s Mercies towards you is that He continually creates needs for you to Him. Whenever He fulfills one of your needs, He creates another for you, so that you do not become detached from Him. Indeed, souls are inclined to detach from those they feel self-sufficient without.  Whoever becomes self-sufficient from Allah and detaches from Him will perish. Therefore, some scholars have said: ‘that Allah creates needs for you so that your servitude to Him may grow.’”

May Allah always guide and bless our families and us to what is best for us in this life and the next, relieve our struggles, anxieties, and fears, and always keep us hopeful in His Mercy and Plan. 

 

List of Mental Health Resources:

• Muslim therapists in various localities in the USA: https://www.mapsnetwork.org/ 
• For a local Muslim mental health professional: Please take a look at the resources here to find a local Muslim therapist: 
  • https://muslimpsychologycenter.com/directories/
  • https://muslimmentalhealth.com/getsupport/
  • https://www.muslimtherapist.directory/
• If you are looking for assistance regarding spiritually-related concerns: Please consider Khalil Center: https://khalilcenter.com/. They are able to provide many psychospiritual resources, including therapy and religious consultations.
• For general options: Please try www.psychologytoday.com. This website can narrow searches down by religion, therapy type, insurance, and zip code.

The post On Infertility And Not Having A Child: A Letter To Couples Going Through The Silent Struggle appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

Sun’s out, and while some people are ready for (halal) pool parties, some of us just want to pick up a good book or ten. And with Muharram having just begun, it’s important for us not to get caught up in the ghaflah (heedlessness) of summer holidays and to maintain a sense of intentionality in how we spend our time off.

As always, the MuslimMatters Bookshelf has you covered! No need to hunt around for interesting books when we’ve got a list ready to go right here.

A Beautiful Patience by Samaiyah Mushtaq [Non-Fiction]

Dr. Samaiya Mushtaq writes about her husband, Dr. Mahmoud Sabha, and his journey into Gaza on medical mission – not just once, but twice. But this book isn’t just about him, or about what he witnessed in Gaza; it’s also about her own raw experience being the wife who stayed home with two young children, who wrestled with her own emotions… with guilt, fear, shame, anxiety, and more.

This unique memoir is so beautifully written that I was on the verge of tears almost every time I opened it. The author touches on her own background, her first marriage and divorce, her second – happy – marriage, motherhood and post-partum… and how all the blessings in her life competed with her husband’s decision to serve the people of Gaza.

There’s so much I want to say about the book, but really there’s nothing more to be said other than that everyone should read it immediately. It’s a book for us all – not the heroes of Gaza, but those of us left behind, those of us who open our newsfeeds every day to read about massacres upon massacres and then swipe to pictures of restaurant meals and think about buying a sweet treat on our next outing and then wonder what we’re doing for Palestine.

Dr. Samaiya’s vulnerability and honesty pulls the reader in, holds up a mirror to our own selves, and then shines a light on how – even as we grapple with our guilty consciences – the people of Gaza and the medical heroes of Gaza push through daily horrors with a quiet strength and beautiful patience that comes from complete and utter trust in Allah alone.

This book is truly incredible, especially as more and more news from Gaza is throttled by the zyeo entity and the genocide escalates daily. It is a primer on sabr and tawakkul, and challenging ourselves in our positions of privilege.

Hope and Despair: My Struggle to Free My Husband by Monia Mazigh [Non-Fiction]

Most young Canadians today don’t recognize the name of Maher Arar, but as part of the 9/11 generation, I grew up reading the news about Arar’s illegal abduction by the FBI and his deportation to and torturing in Syria at the behest of the RCMP.

Hope & Despair was written by Arar’s wife, Monia Mazigh, whose unyielding pursuit of justice for her husband is what finally resulted in his release – and the exposure of the Canadian government’s responsibility in the entire affair.

While this book is about Monia and what she experienced from the day of her husband’s disappearance, to the day that a public inquiry finally vindicated him, this book serves as a stark reminder of the reality we live in: our governments are corrupt to the core, intelligence and security agencies are evil in their very essence, and both have no inclination to change their ways.

Yet rather than languish in silence, it is our responsibility to do as Monia did: to never give up, to pursue justice, to fight against the powers that be, no matter the discomfort or risks it carries. Given that the Canadian government continues to target Muslims, this book is necessary reading for us all – that we too do not give into learned helplessness, but know that Allah does not help a people until they help themselves.
It’s also a reminder that anyone who blindly trusts in the government as an agency of truth or justice is an absolute idiot.

That’s not to say that there aren’t occasionally good people out there. Mazigh writes of individuals who listened to her, who campaigned with her, who did their best to subvert the machinations of injustice from within. Allah brings forth help from where we do not expect… but we must demonstrate our own commitment first and foremost.

The Arar case isn’t just an aberration in the fading annals of Canadian history. It is just the tip of the iceberg of the Canadian government’s entrenched Islamophobia, and just a glimpse of what they have done and continue to do to Muslims across the country.

Some Justice: A Ghazi Ammar Medieval Mystery by Laury Silvers [Adult Historical Fiction]

Laury Silvers’ medieval Muslim mystery novels are a force of creativity and thoughtfulness that make the reader overlook the lack of professional editing and the rough-around-the-edges craft.

This newest book, the first of a new series connected to her original series (The Sufi Mysteries), follows former Ghazi Ammar at-Tabbani as he tries to solve the first big case to come to his investigation agency… a case that seems doomed from the very beginning. Zaytuna, the original heroine of the original series, has her own mystery to solve, of course – one that will teach her yet another lesson in trusting God. Ammar has his own lessons to learn, and readers will be enthralled by the introduction to medieval Baghdad’s more unsavory elements.

Note: This book explores very heavy, very dark themes of suicide (and worse), and is absolutely a very adult murder mystery.

The Ocean Would Paint Me Blue by Zoulfa Katouh [Young Adult Fiction]

The author of the legendary “As Long As The Lemon Trees Grow” is back with a new novel! This one is solidly young adult, and definitely targeted at Muslim teen girls.

Jihad is a Syrian American Muslim girl, whose grief over her mother’s death has leached away her ability to see the world in colour. When she’s enrolled at a bougie private school to improve her chances of getting into an exclusive arts university, Jihad has to contend with elitism, Islamophobia, and a sketchbook with the mysterious power to magically paint her murals across the city.

In all honesty, this is in many ways a Muslim teen girl fantasy: from Jihad’s unique talents as an artist to the smart, attractive teen boy who’s interested in Islam and becomes Jihad’s loyal friend/ protector, there’s a lot of angst and just-under-the-surface romance (nothing explicitly haram, as there’s a lot of care to avoid this, but there is a fair bit of Jihad and Jamie talking alone together). This is also a magical realism book, which might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I know my teenage self would have been all over this book! Fans of SK Ali’s Misfits series will adore this book as well.

Amina Banana and the Formula for Fairness by Shifa Saltagi Safadi [Chapter Book]

The Amina Banana series never fails to serve up an excellent story that’ll keep kids hooked!

In book 4, Amina is struggling with how unfair life can be, AND with the school science fair. As always, the author manages to weave together a rich, layered story that covers themes that all kids will relate to: unfairness, jealousy, making some (big) mistakes… but also faith, forgiveness, and understanding.

I ADORE that there’s a scene where Amina wakes up to her grandmother praying tahajjud, proving once again that it is absolutely possible to include powerful Islamic representation in a kids’ story in a way that is organic and adds to the story without being preachy or annoying. There’s also a science activity included, as well as a recipe, and an explanation of the Islamic lunar calendar!

The Amina Banana series needs to be a staple for all chapter book readers – filled with heart, STEM, and most importantly, Islamic values that are never compromised.

Papa and the Missing Something by Shieda Majeed

“Papa and the Missing Something” by Shieda Majeed is a unique, incredibly sweet story about a man whose life is perfect… almost. Something inside him is missing, and he’s not quite sure what it is. This adorably illustrated picture book follows Papa and his family as they search for the “missing something.”

This is the first time I’ve ever come across a kid’s book specifically about parents coming to Islam, and this book is beautifully done! I did find it a titch long, but it should keep the attention of kids 7+ for sure. This is such a beautiful concept to see in Muslim kidlit, and it’s wonderful to see the spectrum of authentic Muslim representation mashaAllah.

…

What books have you added to your summer reading list?

Related:

From The MuslimMatters Bookshelf: Summer Reads For All Ages

From The MuslimMatters Bookshelf: Your Go-To Summer Reading List

The post From The MuslimMatters Bookshelf: Your Summer 2026 TBR appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

Tehran threatens “serious and immediate” consequences after massacres in Lebanon.

Gaza pediatrician Hussam Abu Safiya remains in solitary confinement after Israeli high court denies his appeal.

I expect Swiss authorities to fully respect my rights and to adhere strictly to the rule of law.

People in Nabatieh mourn the recent dead in religious ceremony held amid empty streets and shattered buildings

As the procession wound its way through mounds of rubble, the crowd chanted and beat their chests, their lamentations echoed by the dull thud of shelling in the foothills just beyond the city.

“This is the tragedy of Karbala, O Imam Hussein, look. This is the tragedy of Karbala,” the crowd cried in the opening procession of Ashura, in the city of Nabatieh, southern Lebanon.

Continue reading...

Progressive Jewish group calls for more focus on the threat from the far right and the recognition of a diversity of views within the community

• Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates

• Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast

Far-right extremism and the conflation of Jewish identity with Israel are the main drivers of antisemitism in Australia, the Jewish Council of Australia (JCA) says.

In its submission to the royal commission on antisemitism and social cohesion, the liberal Jewish group calls for more focus on the “often overlooked” threat from the far right, and recognition of the diversity of views within the Jewish community instead of the “tendency to treat Jews collectively as representatives of Israel”.

Continue reading...

Exclusive: Muslim Council of Britain national guidance also urges mosques to strengthen police ties and improve CCTV

Mosques are being advised to carry out lockdown drills, strengthen ties with police and improve CCTV coverage under national guidance published amid growing concerns about anti-Muslim attacks.

The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) released a new security and preparedness framework for mosques, trustees and volunteers, warning that places of worship and community centres faced an increasing threat from vandalism, intimidation, threats and targeted hostility.

Continue reading...

Her latest remarks drew on Ed Husain’s memoir The Islamist. Reading more may help reframe the debate on Islam, writes Australia’s special envoy to combat Islamophobia

I must admit that Senator Pauline Hanson surprised me this week. But not for the reasons you might think.

After years of hearing the senator speak about Muslims, Islam, mosques, immigration and national identity, I never imagined I would see the day when she would stand up and quote from a book. Yet in her latest remarks, she drew on British writer Ed Husain and his memoir, The Islamist, citing his account of joining – and later leaving – Hizb ut-Tahrir in Britain as evidence for her concerns about Islam in Australia.

Continue reading...

Scholar Robin Andersen explores how Israeli propaganda is reproduced – and rarely questioned – in corporate news.

One Nation leader uses the platform to rail against multiculturalism, the climate change “hoax” and the media

• Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates

• Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast

A nationally televised address to the National Press Club was perhaps the clearest proof yet of Pauline Hanson’s arrival in the mainstream of Australian politics.

The One Nation leader used the platform to rail against multiculturalism, the climate change “hoax” and the media in a speech that was interrupted by a protest highlighting her opposition to wage rises for the lowest-paid workers.

Continue reading...

Covering up arms displays is no substitute for an embargo.

One Nation leader denounces high immigration levels, Islam, transgender rights, the ABC and the Guardian in inflammatory address

• Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates

• Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast

Pauline Hanson has declared Australia cannot be multicultural and must exist as a “monocultural society”, warning high migration had caused the country to lose its identity and national values.

In an inflammatory address to the National Press Club in Canberra, the One Nation leader pledged to axe SBS and overhaul the ABC if she wins the next federal election, including imposing a licence fee for metropolitan households to watch the public broadcaster. Regional services would be protected.

Continue reading...

Darius is sent on a journey that shows him sights he never would have imagined, as well as feelings he did not expect.

Read Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16

* * *

Back Into the Fold

The next few months passed without serious incident. Our caravans were attacked a few times, but the attacks were clumsy and undermanned. I knocked a man out, broke another’s leg, and slashed another’s hamstring, hobbling him, but I did not kill anyone. This was deliberate on my part. After what had happened last time, I wanted no more blood on my hands, no murdered souls haunting my nightmares.

I began praying again. Ahmed welcomed me back into the fold without comment. By then I had earned a reputation within Five Stars Trading Company as disciplined, reliable and unusually calm under pressure. I arrived to work early, maintained my equipment carefully, avoided gambling houses and never drank. I also fought well enough that older guards stopped treating me as a curiosity.

Back in Deep Harbor, I was summoned unexpectedly to the company offices overlooking the western canal.

Shah Suliman stood waiting beside a large map covered in ink markings and trade routes.

“You read maps?” he asked abruptly.

“Not really, but I learn quickly.”

“But you are literate?”

“Yes, of course.”

One eyebrow lifted slightly. “Interesting. Come, let me show you.”

Using a slender stick, he pointed out to me the features of the map: mountains, rivers, provincial and national boundaries. He showed me the scale that indicated the relationship to actual distances, and the green lines that represented standard Five Star routes.

Then he pointed toward a route stretching westward farther than any I had traveled before.

“Have you heard of Persia?”

I twisted my mouth to the side and thought. “Far away land. A Muslim land. Where the flying carpets come from. And pistachios.”

Suliman laughed loudly at that. “Carpets indeed. Not flying, but yes, the Persians make intricate, durable and iconic carpets. Pistachios, as you say, and other nuts as well, along with dates and dried apricots, and a variety of spices. And horses! You have never seen horses like these, Darius. The Emperor’s horse is one we brought from Persia.”

“It sounds amazing. Have you actually been there?”

“Yes. And you are going in six days. There will be sixty wagons. The route is dangerous, and the potential for profit immense. We are sending Sergeant Karim with you.”

For a moment I thought I had misheard him. Then a smile crept over my face.

“You are sending me to Persia?”

He clapped me on the shoulder. “Prepare well. The war has cut into our profits. We are hurting more than anyone knows. This expedition must not fail.”

I felt honored that Suliman had confided in me, and vowed that, for my part, I would not fail him.

Sixty Wagons

The caravan that departed Deep Harbor was unlike anything I had ever seen. Sixty wagons stretched along the road like a moving village. There were merchants, translators, scribes, cooks, teamsters, laborers and guards, along with more than three hundred horses and pack animals. Every wagon carried cargo worth a small fortune. All the recruits I had trained with were together on this voyage.

As we rolled out through the city gates, I looked back only once. Deep Harbor’s walls receded behind us, then vanished into the morning haze.

At first the journey felt much like any other route. We crossed familiar provinces, camped beside familiar roads, and listened to the same complaints from merchants who thought the world existed solely to inconvenience them. They complained that the horses smelled, the road was too rough, and that we took too many breaks or not enough.

A common complaint was that the guards were not subservient enough. They wanted us to bring them food or drink, wash their clothing and polish their boots. We were not there for that. Our job was to be vigilant.

I had a small dual-language copy of the Quran with me. In the evenings, when I was off shift, I sometimes spent time reading it, working my way through the Arabic letters as Zihan Ma had taught me, learning the shorter surahs in Arabic, and memorizing the meanings in my language.

I sometimes noticed Weili watching me as I did so. Oh, she pretended she was brushing her horse or mending a tear in her tunic, but every now and then she’d glance my way. This made me smile. Weili was a beautiful young woman. There were a lot of men in the caravan who wanted her company, both merchants and guards. All were older than me, and some had money. The fact that she chose to spend her time spying on me as I read the Quran filled me with a warmth I did not care to examine.

When I had memorized a surah, I would sit with Ahmed, and he would check and correct my pronunciation, and tell me something about the tafsir or asbab an-nuzul.

Thin Air

The landscape began to change.

Mountains rose higher than I had ever seen or imagined. We crossed over a high altitude pass where, bundled like sheep, we shook with cold and gasped in the thin air. Several horses died of pneumonia and were slaughtered for food, though the Muslims among us did not eat of that.

Longwei, the poet of our group, composed a short poem:

Six horses drink from a mountain stream.
Two are soon to die.
A dragonfly buzzes from wagon to wagon.
The mountains watch us pass
without a whisper or a nod.

Meilin groaned. “If this journey does not kill me, old man, your poetry will.”

As for me, I found Longwei interesting. In the evenings when the caravan camped for the night, the guards took shifts keeping watch and guarding the perimeter. When Weili and I were not on shift, we often joined Longwei around his campfire. He was the eldest of us by far – perhaps sixty years old – and, by his account, as well travelled as anyone in the world. He claimed to have studied horsemanship in Mongolia, kung fu at the Shaolin temple, philosophy at a great university of the west, and poetry with a disciple of the tradition of Su Dongpo.

I could not guess at the truth of all that, except for the martial arts. I had noticed that Longwei always woke with a groan, clutching his back and rubbing his knees. Once he warmed up, however, he went through a series of morning exercises that looked much like my own Five Animals warmup. In combat, he was not acrobatic or flashy, but rather highly efficient in his movements. That kind of efficiency only came from training. His movements were in fact reminiscent of snake style, and reminded me of how my father used to move.

Often Meilin joined us around the fire, though I could not imagine why, since all she did was poke fun at Longwei.

A Drinker and Gambler

As we moved on, I saw rivers wider than any in my homeland, and valleys so fertile it seemed that they could feed the world. We passed through cities whose names I could not pronounce and whose markets sold foods that were gloriously spicy and strange. One town was famous for melons so large that a small child could sit inside one. Another sold sweet cakes flavored with rose petals.

Longwei composed:

A river as blue as a lung full of air.
Rose petal cakes.
A moment in time
fading to the sound
of the wagon wheels.

I liked it. It made me feel wistful and slightly sad. Yet Meilin cackled and said, “Those cakes went to your head, old man. Who do you think you are, Li Bai, the Poet Immortal? As for me, I welcome the sound of the wagon wheels, for with every moment it takes us closer to our destination.”

As for Kuangren, the little punk was missing in action half the time. He might be the son of a noble, trained in riding, etiquette, and archery, but he was a degenerate drinker and gambler. He owed money to a score of merchants and guards, and carried a flask from which he drank like a pelican, even when on duty. Our caravan did not pass through cities – we skirted them – but whenever we were within a few hours riding of one, Kuangren inevitably disappeared. Sometimes he returned looking spooked, as if someone were chasing him.

Other times he came back whistling, often with a trinket he hadn’t possessed before. He might return with a silver ring, silk gloves, a carved pipe or a jade figurine. When questioned, he refused to say how he’d come upon them. We guessed that he was either a thief, or – judging by the smell of perfume that sometimes clung to him – a seducer of wealthy women.

“Do you not care,” I asked Sergeant Karim once, “that Kuangren might be a thief?”

“I despise thievery,” he replied, “but first, I cannot prove anything, and second, what I care about is this caravan. If he steals from someone on the caravan, or if his thievery imperils us, I’ll deal with it. Otherwise, it’s not actionable.”

I did not know how Karim would “deal with it,” but I was sure it wouldn’t be anything pleasant.

Alhamdulillah

One night as I sat with the Quran, Weili approached me openly.

“Would you teach me?”

“Sit,” I told her, and without further discussion I began to teach her Surat Al-Fatihah.

“Zihan Ma taught me,” I told her, “that we begin every day with Bismillah, and lie down to sleep with Alhamdulillah. When Adam’s soul was breathed into his body, he sat up and sneezed, and said, ‘Alhamdulillah.’ This was the first word spoken by a human being, because it expresses the fundamental relationship between humankind and the Creator. We praise Him, and we are grateful to Him. Both of these attitudes are included in the word hamd.”

Weili smiled at me, and it was as if the sun had risen in the middle of the night.

“Darius, you’re very smart,” she said.

I blushed, and was grateful for the cover of night. “Not especially. I was fortunate to have a teacher.”

“My father taught me some things when I was small,” she said. “But I don’t remember. He was Muslim, but my mother was not. My family were farmers from the south. The invaders attacked our town. My father was killed, and my mother was taken captive. All my close relatives were slaughtered. I hid in a water urn and survived. I was sent to live with my aunt’s cousin in Deep Harbor. Her husband is an archery instructor. But he’s not Muslim.”

She said all this in an apologetic tone, and I felt deeply sad for her. I had often felt sorry for myself, but her story was far more tragic than mine. Yet she never complained. She rode tall in the saddle, practiced her archery, fought well when necessary, and cared for herself without asking for help from anyone.

That was the moment I began to fall in love with her.

The Birth

One evening the caravan stopped beside a stream. While we were making camp, I heard someone – a portly merchant with long, braided hair – say that one of the mares was acting strangely. I and a few other guards went to look. The other horses were feeding, but this mare was pacing, then lying down, then standing back up again. Her coat was slick with sweat.

“She’s in labor,” Weili said.

“Why would someone bring a pregnant horse on a caravan?” I asked.

She shot me a look. “It’s not always obvious. Don’t ask dumb questions.”

“Don’t we need boiled water, clean towels and I don’t know what else?”

“No,” Sergeant Karim said, arriving on scene. “Just back up and let the mare do her job.”

At that, a few dozen people stood at a respectful distance and watched as the mare gave birth, then licked the foal to clean away the birth fluids, and nudged the foal to breathe. Within an hour the foal was standing on wobbly legs. It was astounding, and all I could say was subhanAllah.

The next day Longwei recited a poem:

A mare knows how to clean the afterbirth.
A swallow builds a perfect nest.
Even turtles know where to bury their eggs.

Yet we humans walk where there is no path,
and often fail to earn our daily bread.
We kill from desperation,
and walk in darkness
in the midday sun.

Meilin groaned. “Just kill me now, please. Darius, do one of your insane moves and cut me in half with your sword.”

Coming out of the mountains, our caravan went south. We moved slowly as always, and the mare who had given birth – freed from the duty of carrying a rider or pulling a wagon, trotted alongside, as did the foal. The foal was brown with a white chest and white feet, and Weili named him White Chest, which I thought was a silly name, though I kept my opinion to myself. When White Chest became tired, he was ushered up a ramp onto a wagon, where he slept as the caravan rolled on.

A Barren Land

I kept thinking of Longwei’s poem. I had found the foal’s birth to be a beautiful and miraculous event, yet the same event had pushed Longwei’s mind to thoughts of loss and death. What had he been through to see the world that way? And what did he mean that we kill from desperation? I killed as a last resort, to protect the property of my employers. It was not an act of recklessness or despair.

We stopped at a river, and Sergeant Karim commanded us to fill every container we had with water. Continuing on, we passed through sparsely wooded foothills, then into a land of flat red earth that baked beneath the sun. When Sergeant Karim saw a man using the water generously to perform wudu, he punched him hard enough in the chest to knock the wind out of him. As the man lay gasping, Karim shouted, “A trickle only! Enough to wet your skin for wudu, no more! Any man who wastes water will be put on horseshit duty and cut to half rations.”

Trees in this land were scarce, and were twisted and stunted. In the villages we passed, everyone was barefoot. The men bore spears and hard stares, the women looked disconsolate and overworked, and the children had bloated bellies.

As we rode, Longwei recited another poem he’d composed:

A dry forest and a roasted plain.
A raven pecks at a monkey’s corpse.
I suddenly feel that I am dreaming
of my own future.

At this, Meilin laughed uproariously.

Kuangren gave a disgusted cluck of his tongue. “Why are you laughing? It’s the most depressing thing I’ve ever heard.”

Meilin grinned. “That’s what’s funny. The poet opens his mouth, and just when you think he might offer a wing of hope or a glimpse of heaven, he slaps you with a handful of baked earth.”

Weili, riding past, sitting upright and alert in the saddle, smiled. “That was well put. You are a poet too, Meilin.”

“Heaven forbid,” Meilin muttered.

The One I Missed

The foal, White Chest, grew quickly, and often ran madly up and down beside the caravan, making everyone laugh. At some point I realized that I was no longer lonely. I rarely thought of my parents, or of my aunt, Zihan Ma and Haaris. It wasn’t that I didn’t care about them. I loved them. But I was young, and every day was an adventure. There was always something new to see. And the job was demanding. I didn’t often have the luxury of daydreaming. By the time my head hit the pillow at night, my body was a wrung dishrag. I always fell asleep almost immediately.

The only one I truly missed was Far Away, which was strange. Why should I miss one mangy old cat more than the people who had taken me in and cared for me? Yet I did. I made dua for him after every salat: “Ya Allah, protect Far Away and care for him. Don’t let him run off or come looking for me. And let me see him again one day.”

One evening, after Karim caught two guards neglecting their horses, he marched the entire company into the camp enclosure and delivered one of his lectures.

“If your horse goes lame,” he growled, pacing before us, “the caravan slows down. If the caravan slows down, merchants lose money. If merchants lose money, Five Stars loses money. If Five Stars loses money, Shah Suliman becomes unhappy. And if Shah Suliman becomes unhappy, Karim becomes unhappy.”

He pointed at the guilty guards.

“You do not want Karim unhappy.”

“No, Sergeant,” everyone answered.

Karim was not satisfied. He paced up and down. “You all have grown lax,” he said at last. “We have not had a serious attack in some time. You have grown complacent. Men swapping shifts without permission, not oiling and sharpening their weapons, neglecting their horses, gambling.” He smiled at us, but it was like a tiger’s smile before it rips your throat open.

“It’s my fault,” he went on. “I’ve been too easy on you.” He pointed, and moved his finger along the line of men. “Not anymore. The next guard I catch neglecting any aspect of their duties, there will be consequences.”

I soon found out what those consequences were. I had often been astounded that Kuangren got away with half of what he did. One night, apparently, it was too much for Sergeant Karim. What happened next shocked me.

* * *

As-salamu alaykum dear readers. Just a quick note to assure you that Darius’s story is taking him far from where he began, but the road has not forgotten its destination. Stick with me, and inshaAllah we’ll get there together.

Come back next week for Part 18 – The Glory of Persia

Reader comments and constructive criticism are important to me, so please comment!

 

See the Story Index for Wael Abdelgawad’s other stories on this website.

Wael Abdelgawad’s novels – including Pieces of a Dream, The Repeaters and Zaid Karim Private Investigator – are available in ebook and print form on his author page at Amazon.com.

Related:

Kill the Courier |Part 1 – Hiding in Plain Sight

Moonshot: A Novel of Marriage, Love and Cryptocurrency

The post Far Away [Part 17] – The Caravan appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

This Qurayshi woman remains anonymous, but her story features most prominently in the Qur’anic exegetical literature in connection with the well-known 20th ayah from Surah An-Nisa1. Her claim to fame was an incident in which she confronted ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb (d. 23 AH/644 CE) for a policy he enacted while caliph that limited the amount of mahr (marital gift) a woman could request upon marriage. While the general contours of her story are well known, what is missing is a closer analysis of the transmitted historical narrations about this incident and the remarkable details they reveal about the changed cultural ethos of seventh-century Arabia regarding women. More significantly, when we use this incident as a benchmark to measure women’s access, visibility, and advocacy in North American mosques, it reveals critical gaps that need to be addressed within our Muslim communities.  

Pre-modern and modern exegetical heavyweights alike often affirmingly cite this anonymous woman’s advocacy in connection to the meaning of the verse:

“If you desire to replace a wife with another and you have given the former a heap of gold (as a dowry), do not take any of it back. Would you take it unjustly and very sinfully?” [Surah An-Nisa, 4:20].

Most narrations focus on her success in convincing ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb to rescind his policy to institute a cap on the mahr based on the merit of her argument. According to one narration, ʿUmar instituted a policy that put a 400-dirham limit upon the marital gifts given to women upon marriage.2 The Qurayshī woman argues that a correct understanding of Q. 4:20 demonstrates the permissibility of  women requesting a high marital dower (even heaps of gold), if they so wish. 

It is interesting to note that not a single exegete (mufassir) cites this story with any sense of rebuke, chastisement, or dissent to this woman’s advocacy. From Ibn Atiyya (d. 541/1147), Fakhr al-Dīn al-Rāzī (d. 606/1209), and Muḥammad ibn Aḥmad al-Anṣārī al-Qurṭubī (d. 671/1273) to Ismāʿīl ibn ʿUmar Ibn Kathīr (d. 773/1371) and Muḥammad al-Ṭāhir ibn ʿĀshūr (d. 1973), among many others, exegetical heavyweights cite this incident affirmingly. The woman’s success in advocating her case and ʿUmar’s subsequent repeal of his policy becomes further evidence for classical exegetes that it is permissible for women to request a high or excessive marital gift. The primary piece of evidence they reference is the verse itself, since God does not use anything that violates divine law as an example.3 Accordingly, the verse’s example of a man giving his bride a qinṭār (a large amount of wealth) for her marital gift means it is valid to do so.  

Yet what is more important than the validity of women’s right to request as high a mahr as they choose, are the critical lessons offered by this historical incident on the ethics of dissent, a community’s inclusivity of individuals impacted by policies, women’s advocacy, and cultivating an egalitarian cultural ethos. There are many relevant lessons to glean from the historical encounter between this anonymous Qurayshī Arab woman and ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb (God be pleased with them) during his reign as caliph of the Muslim empire between 634 to 644 CE. The woman’s ability to offer a dissenting opinion to his policy reflected a new cultural ethos that valued women’s perspectives, intelligence, knowledge, and contributions. I will provide a brief analysis of the historical narrations (riwāyāt) that have been transmitted about this woman’s advocacy and ʿUmar’s response, God be pleased with them. 

In the twentieth-century commentary of Muḥammad al-Ṭāhir ibn ʿĀshūr (1879–1973), Al-Taḥrīr wa’l-Tanwīr, he narrates the following version of this historical incident: 

For this reason, when ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb delivered a sermon in which he forbade excessive dowries, after he descended [from the minbar], a woman from Quraysh said to him, “O Commander of the Faithful, is God’s Book or your statement more worthy of being followed?” He replied, “Indeed, the Book of God. Why is that?” She replied, “You have just forbidden people from charging a high amount [al-mughālāt] in women’s dowries, although God states in His Book: even if you have given her a great amount of gold, do not take any of it back” (Qur’an 4:20).

ʿUmar responded, “Everyone has a greater understanding [afqahu] than ʿUmar.” In another narration, he said, “A woman is correct and a leader is mistaken—and God’s help alone is sought [wa-llāhu al-mustʿān].” Then he returned to the pulpit and said, “I had previously restricted you from being excessive in the dowries of women; however, let every man do with his wealth as he wishes.”4

The first lesson to be gleaned from this riwāya (narration) is the nascent Muslim community’s inclusivity of women in this space where ʿUmar declared this new policy. All the historical narrations about this incident demonstrate that this woman was in the vicinity to hear ʿUmar’s ruling and publicly challenge this policy. Furthermore, the historical records underscore the woman’s accessibility to ʿUmar (God be pleased with them) such that she could respond to him when he declared this new ruling. She did not struggle to hear his policy from a remote room with a dysfunctional sound system. She did not have to walk around a building to find the men’s section. She did not have to walk down a second-floor balcony reserved for women or seek permission to speak to ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb . She did not have to write a letter to his secretary to request a meeting with him. In only one of the exegetical reports I have come across, that of  Ibn ʿAṭiyya in his commentary, al-Muḥarrar al-Wajīz fī Tafsīr al-Kītāb al-ʿAzīz, he writes that the woman approached ʿUmar from “behind the people” (min warāʾ al-nās)5. One of the narrations in Ibn Kathīr’s commentary notes that she was standing in the rows of women, which nonetheless indicates she was close enough to be heard (فقالت امرأة من صفة النساء)6.

Whether the woman approached him from behind the men or not, the transmitted reports unquestionably affirm the woman’s ease of access to ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb . This accessibility is even more remarkable when we consider that ʿUmar (God be pleased with him) was not only functioning in his capacity as an imam, but as head of state, the caliph of the Muslim empire. The anonymous woman’s ability to offer a dissent to his policy reflected an egalitarian cultural ethos that valued women’s voice and perspective. 

These observations give rise to the following questions: How many Muslim women today would have access to a religious leader if she disagreed with a statement or policy he issued? Could this exact scenario be replicated in our own mosques today in North America? How many women would be rebuked, shunned or herded away if they wanted to be publicly heard in a mosque? Furthermore, do the structures and designs of our mosques today facilitate women’s access to the space where policies are being enacted? Or rather, do our mosques exclude women from spaces where policies are being enacted, even when those policies impact them directly? 

Second, and quite significantly, the reports cited in the exegetical literature affirm that the woman’s understanding of this ayah was correct. Although we don’t know her name, we know that her skilled legal reasoning changed a policy that may have impacted women for centuries thereafter. If God states in His Holy Book that upon divorce, men cannot take back a penny of what they’ve gifted their wives in the form of mahr, even if it was a heap of gold, this indicates that women could ask for heaps of gold, which would be deemed excessive in that historical context. In al-Qurṭubī’s commentary on this verse, he notes that scholars have agreed that there is no limit to the amount a man could gift his wife as a marital gift (mahr), but they disagree on the minimum amount7. Therefore, this woman’s advocacy and ʿUmar’s subsequent repeal of his policy have shaped legal scholars’ understanding of this issue for centuries thereafter.  

Third, ʿUmar’s response to this woman offers many lessons in effective leadership. First, he took the time to listen to her. Although he was a busy man and of great status, he didn’t see it “beneath him” to hear out this woman’s argument. Second, he displayed great intellectual humility by submitting that she was correct and that he made a mistake. Third, he immediately corrected his mistake, validating her judgment to subsequent scholars who analyzed this incident. He didn’t make excuses about how it would make him look or claim “it’s too late now.” He simply walked back up the minbar and rescinded his policy. According to a narration in Ibn Kathīr’s commentary on Q. 4:20, ʿUmar states, “I had forbidden you from increasing women’s marital dowers beyond 400 dirhams. However, whoever desires, let him give from his wealth whatever he likes.8” The narrations underscore ʿUmar’s remarkable intellectual humility, as he allegedly states, “God forgive me; everyone is of greater understanding [afqahu] than ʿUmar.” In another narration, he states, “A woman was correct, and ʿUmar was mistaken.9”

Fourth, the different transmitted narrations about this historic incident reveal the female companions’ deep level of trust in divine justice and their direct spiritual connection to God. Like the female companion whose advocacy forms the backdrop of Sūrat al-Mujādila (Khawla bint Thaʿlaba ), this female companion demonstrates a deep spiritual connection to God and her faith in divine justice. In one of the narrations in Ibn Kathīr’s tafsīr, after ʿUmar declares, “Do not increase the dowries of women, even if she is the daughter of a nobleman,” the tall Qurayshī woman says to ʿUmar , “That is not for you [to limit] (mā dhāka laka).10” 

Her statement, “that is not for you [to limit],” reflects more than meets the eye. Like other female companions during the prophetic period, this seventh-century Qurayshī woman felt a deep, personal connection to God and recognized Muslim women’s rights as divinely ordained. She and other female companions, based on other historical reports, did not view the male companions as the arbiters of their faith or deliverer of their rights. They understood that their rights came directly from God. 

The woman’s statement, “That is not for you [to limit]” reflects a recognition that the marital dower (ṣadāq) is ultimately a legal right that God Himself bestows upon women. The bride has full autonomy to determine what her ṣadāq should be, and the woman is the sole recipient of this gift. This anonymous Qurayshī woman’s ability to recognize God as the ultimate arbiter of women’s rights reflects her deep intellectual insight. Centuries later, legal-minded scholars arrived at a similar conclusion. For example, in his commentary on Q. 4:4, al-Qurṭubī notes writes, “Al-Ṣadāq [marital gift] is a gift from God to women.11” Similarly, the thirteenth-century exegete al-Rāzī, a logician and philosopher known for his philological tafsīr, deduces a similar understanding as the Qurayshī woman – that God is the one who has gifted women the ṣadāq. In his commentary on Q. 4:4, al-Rāzī asks, “From whom is the mahr a gift [ʿaṭiya]?” He notes that there are two possibilities. It is either a gift from the husband or a gift from God. In support of the second possibility, he writes, “Others have stated that God gave both men and women the shared benefits of marriage, such as sexual enjoyment and procreation, yet God ordained this gift from the husband to the wife, so it is a gift from God [to women] from the outset.12” 

This seventh-century Muslim woman’s response to ʿUmar , “that is not for you [to limit],” would come across to many Muslims today as offensive or insulting. Can we imagine, for a moment, a woman telling a religious leader in our Muslim community today that a specific matter was beyond his authority to determine? Instead of viewing this statement as insulting or offensive, we should view it as an affirmation of this woman’s tawḥīd, her belief in one God with whom there are no other sovereigns. This is perhaps the most important quality that we need to revive in our own communities today. The recognition that our loyalty belongs to God first and foremost, and that human beings can never stand as intermediaries in our relationship with God. Accordingly, when humans fail to deliver justice, whether they are religious leaders or not, this should not shake our faith but invigorate our search and advocacy for divine justice.  

Related:

[Podcast] Guardians of the Tradition: Muslim Women & Islamic Education | Anse Tamara Gray

The Light of Female Islamic Scholarship: Da’wah, Difficulty, And Determination

1    https://legacy.quran.com/4/202     Ibn Kathīr, Tafsīr al-Qurʾan al-ʿAẓīm, 1:580.3     Ibn ʿAṭiyya, al-Muḥarrar al-Wajīz fī Tafsīr al-Kītāb al-ʿAzīz, 2:29, aal- Qurṭubī, al-Jāmiʿ li-Aḥkām al-Qurʾan, 6:163; Ibn ʿĀshūr, al-Taḥrīr wa’l-Tanwīr, 2:288. Ibn ʿĀshūr states, “This exaggerative term indicates that giving a large amount (qinṭār) is legally permissible (mubāḥ sharʿan) because God does not give as an example something that the Sharīʿa condemns, such as the forbidden” (2:288). 4    Ibn ʿĀshūr, al-Taḥrīr wa’l-Tanwīr, 2:288-9.5    Ibn ʿAṭiyya, al-Muḥarrar al-Wajīz fī Tafsīr al-Kītāb al-ʿAzīz, 2:29.6    Ibn Kathīr, Tafsīr al-Qurʾan al-ʿAẓīm, 1:580.7    al-Qurṭubī, al-Jāmiʿ li-Aḥkām al-Qurʾan, 6:166-7. 8    Ibn Kathīr, Tafsīr al-Qurʾan al-ʿAẓīm, 1:580. He states, “إني كنت نهيتكم أن تزيدوا النساء في صداقهن على أربعمائة درهم، فمن شاء أن يعطي من ماله ما أحب.”9    Ibn Kathīr, Tafsīr al-Qurʾan al-ʿAẓīm, 1:580.10    Ibid.11    Al-Qurṭubī, Al-Jāmiʿ, 6:44.12    Al-Rāzī, Mafātīḥ al-Ghayb, 5:148.

The post The Woman Who Corrected Umar: Mahr, Tafseer, and Advocacy appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

South African jazz pianist, composer and improviser who cast a spell on audiences all over the world

The pianist Abdullah Ibrahim, who has died aged 91, was among the first musicians from South Africa to achieve and sustain a major reputation with the international jazz audience. Listeners around the world, at first in small clubs and later in the grandest concert halls, fell under the spell of his compositions and improvisations, which took a sophisticated idiom originally created by the descendants of enslaved Africans and reinfused it with a primal warmth.

He was still known as Dollar Brand, a combination of his nickname and his family surname, when he and his wife-to-be, the singer Bea Benjamin, arrived in Europe in 1962 as refugees from the apartheid state.

Continue reading...

Support for Israel is collapsing around the globe as its army removes heavy machinery from Lebanon to escape Hizballah drones.