A man arrived at the masjid carrying nothing but need and an ancient faith: that houses of worship exist for those whom life has abandoned, that communities claiming connection to the divine actually honor divine commands about mercy.

His request was simple. Direct. Money for survival. The transaction that should flow as naturally as water from those who have abundance to those facing drought.

The imam’s refusal was equally direct. “There’s a process,” he explained. Forms to complete. Committees to consult. Procedures that transform divine obligation into bureaucratic theater.

What happened next was the systematic destruction of a human soul desperate for grace.

First, a kiss to the imam’s forehead, a cultural gesture seeking to unlock mercy through respect. When respect failed, the hands came next, the universal language of supplication escalating the plea. Finally, the feet. A grown man kissing the ground where compassion should have stood, surrendering the last fragments of his dignity for scraps of help.

Each kiss was hope translated into humiliation. Each gesture revealed how completely we have corrupted divine instruction, replacing God’s immediate commands with our endless complications.

“I felt very uncomfortable,” the imam later confessed during his lecture on emotional intelligence, sharing this soul’s destruction as an example of challenging situations where community leaders might need support in processing difficult encounters.

Here’s what should make you uncomfortable: your system created this scene.

As he spoke, different discomfort carved itself into my chest. The sound of spiritual bankruptcy is so complete that it forces human beings to kiss feet for acknowledgment of their basic worthiness to exist.

That drowning man wasn’t manipulating anyone. He was performing increasingly desperate acts to penetrate bureaucratic armor with raw human need. And we made him do it.

You Are Not Allah’s Gatekeeper

Stop pretending you are.

When did you appoint yourself the quality control manager of Divine Mercy? When did you decide that Allah’s Provision requires your investigative approval before reaching His Creation?

What costs more, occasionally helping someone who might not have desperately needed it, or turning away someone who actually did?

Your price for being deceived: pocket change that won’t change your life. Their price for your refusal: death. Despair. The final decision that mercy doesn’t exist in this world.

You’ve deluded yourself into believing that protecting money from theoretical fraud justifies protecting yourself from actual human suffering.

They Shame You Daily

While you construct investigative committees and debate worthiness, Americans have revolutionized compassion through trust. GoFundMe has moved thirty billion dollars to people in crisis. No background checks. No worthiness tribunals. No humiliating applications.

Crisis gets posted. Money flows. Help arrives.

They respond with lightning efficiency while you deliberate with glacial bureaucracy, despite your possessing more explicit divine commands about immediate charity. They built highways to mercy while you constructed obstacle courses to protection.

Listen to your Quran’s clarity:

“And in their wealth is a recognized right for the needy and the deprived.” [Surah Adh-Dhariyat; 51:19]

A RIGHT. Not charity you graciously bestow after thorough investigation. Not assistance contingent on proving worthiness to your satisfaction. A right as fundamental and immediate as their need for oxygen.

You have perverted this divine right into a bureaucratic privilege, transforming what Allah made simple into what you made impossible.

Your Perverted Architecture

Ramadan fundraising operates like professional campaigns, raising millions through passionate appeals and competitive generosity. Building projects, conference funding, speaker fees, your money machinery runs with High precision when serving your institutional priorities.

Then Monday morning desperation knocks. That family facing eviction discovers your money requires different rules entirely. Poverty documentation. Weekly committee meetings. Urgent crisis transformed into patient waiting for your convenience.

The mathematics condemn you: Muslim Americans pour 4.3 billion dollars annually into charity, yet homeless families sleep in parking lots while you debate their documentation requirements.

The Prophet’s masjid featured dirt floors, yet permanently housed whoever needed shelter. Your marble palace develops procedural complications for temporarily helping anyone.

You’ve replaced sanctuary with bureaucracy, mercy with management, divine hospitality with human gatekeeping.

The Predators You Birthed

Your failures have consequences beyond slow help; they create hunting grounds for predators.

When official channels fail through endless committees and waiting, desperation seeks alternatives. Your inadequacy births exploitation targeting those you claim to serve.

“When you make legitimate help so difficult that people seek alternatives, you bear moral responsibility for every predator who fills the vacuum you created.” [PC:Nick Fewings (unsplash)]

Community members offer assistance while expecting inappropriate access or gratitude. But worse: individuals weaponize charity itself, positioning themselves as brokers between wealthy donors and desperate families, then wielding this borrowed power like medieval lords extracting tribute.

They demand public gratitude for others’ money. They create humiliation theater where recipients perform appreciation for strangers’ entertainment. They document their “generosity” on social media using funds they never earned to purchase social status they never deserved.

When resistance emerges, they deploy psychological warfare. Sighing about “ungrateful attitudes” during community gatherings. Manufacturing consensus against dissenters. Mobilizing desperate families (terrified of losing their lifeline) to attack anyone challenging the broker’s illegitimate authority.

They transform charity from liberation into social control, discovering that controlling assistance means controlling people. They command armies of the desperate, each family a weapon against the next who might resist.

This is your creation. When you make legitimate help so difficult that people seek alternatives, you bear moral responsibility for every predator who fills the vacuum you created.

Gaza Reveals Your Hypocrisy

Right now, millions flow toward Gaza through channels you know are imperfect. Military checkpoints extract tribute. International facilitators charge devastating commissions. Bureaucratic mazes delay aid while people starve. Twenty percent of donations might reach intended recipients if fortune smiles.

Yet you give urgently, accepting imperfection, understanding that crisis demands immediate response despite systemic complications.

Meanwhile, here in America, you spend weeks investigating whether the homeless man outside your masjid deserves twenty dollars for food.

You accept flawed efficiency for distant suffering while demanding perfect systems for local mercy. You understand that war complicates Gaza distribution, yet refuse to understand that poverty, addiction, and desperation create complications requiring immediate response rather than extended investigation.

Gaza mirrors your moral failure. You give to faraway crises with trust while bureaucratizing nearby mercy with suspicion.

The Divine Trap You Cannot Escape

When someone asks for help, Allah arranged that intersection. The Lord of all circumstances orchestrated this meeting of their need and your resources. He delivered them to your door specifically.

The Creator positions a person in need before you, and you respond with suspicion, investigation, or delay? You demand they prove to you what Allah has already authenticated by bringing them to your attention?

Every broken soul stumbling through your doors carries divine examination wrapped in human flesh: “Will you be My mercy on earth, or another reason to surrender hope?”

That struggling man isn’t failing his test by arriving imperfect. You are failing yours by demanding perfection before offering mercy.

Your Orders Are Simple

Emergency funds available same day. No exceptions. Dignified assistance, recognizing that asking for help has already cost them everything. Clear criteria published transparently.

But fundamentally: Give when someone asks. Give what you can afford to lose. Stop investigating backgrounds. Stop interrogating motives. Stop creating barriers between recognizing need and responding to it.

If someone deceives you, that becomes their account with Allah , not yours. Your spiritual record stays clean because you responded to apparent need with mercy.

Your Judgment Approaches

That man kissing the imam’s feet revealed your system’s moral bankruptcy. You have created structures so divorced from mercy that desperate people must perform degrading acts to access what should flow like rain.

The Prophet said:

“Whoever relieves a believer’s distress of the distressful aspects of this world, Allah will rescue him from a difficulty of the difficulties of the Hereafter.”

Every barrier you construct will be examined. Every delay you impose while people suffer will require accounting. Every humiliation you demand will be weighed against your own desperate need for mercy on the Day when no committee will deliberate your worthiness, and no process will delay divine judgment of how you responded when mercy was needed most.

Every day you delay, another soul learns that your masjid is where hope goes to die.

 

Related:

– Faith In Action: Zakat, Sadaqah, And Islam’s Role In Embracing Humanitarianism In A Globalized World

– [Podcast] A Riba-Free Future With A Continuous Charity | Faizan Syed

The post The Architecture of Withholding: When Charity Becomes Control appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

In October 1973, Arab oil producers led by Saudi Arabia imposed an oil embargo on the United States and other nations backing Israel during the Yom Kippur War. That bold move triggered a global energy crisis and helped bring about a ceasefire. It was a rare moment of Arab assertiveness on the world stage.

Fast forward to today: Israel’s relentless bombardment of Gaza has killed more than 65,000* people—mostly women and children—according to humanitarian sources. A recent UN commission has even accused Israel of committing genocide. Yet, the Arab response has been largely symbolic. Statements of condemnation, calls for restraint, and summits filled with rhetoric have replaced meaningful action. The contrast with 1973 could not be starker.

Since that pivotal year, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries—Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman—have spent close to half a trillion dollars on Western weapons. According to estimates from the SIPRI Arms Transfers Database:

• Saudi Arabia: $150–200+ billion
• UAE: $50–80+ billion
• Qatar: $30–50+ billion
• Kuwait: $20–30+ billion
• Bahrain & Oman: $10–20+ billion (combined)

Yet, despite this massive investment, not a single GCC country has fired a weapon at Israel since 1973. The only direct military involvement by a Gulf state was a small Saudi contingent in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War—before the GCC even existed.

Meanwhile, Israel has not hesitated to strike targets in GCC countries. In September 2025, Israeli warplanes bombed a location in Doha, Qatar, targeting Hamas leaders and killing several Qatari citizens. This brazen act exposed the vulnerability of even the most well-armed Arab states and the hollowness of their strategic alliances.

So why do GCC countries continue to spend billions on weapons they never use against the region’s most aggressive actor? The answer lies in the geopolitical narrative shaped by Western powers. The USA and its allies have long portrayed Iran, Iraq, and other Shi’a-majority nations as the primary threats to Gulf stability. Western arms sales are marketed not just as tools of defense but as symbols of prestige and political alignment. 

Citizens are rarely told that these contracts often include restrictions on how and where the weapons can be used—especially against Israel. Using Western-supplied arms against Israel would likely trigger sanctions, loss of military support, and diplomatic fallout. GCC leaders are reminded of Iran’s fate since the fall of the Shah in 1979—a cautionary tale of defiance punished by isolation.

Even more troubling is the lack of protection these alliances offer. The United States, which maintains military bases across the Gulf, did not warn Qatari leaders about the impending Israeli strike in Doha. The so-called safety net proved worthless. The U.S. response was muted, and no action was taken against Israel. The message was clear: when Israel attacks, even America’s closest Arab allies are left exposed.

President Joe Biden has openly called Israel a “God-send” for the United States. He once remarked that if Israel didn’t exist, America would have to invent it. President Donald Trump is even more unabashed in his support for Israel. His daughter Ivanka converted to Judaism, and his son-in-law Jared Kushner—a deeply connected Orthodox Jewish real estate mogul—played a central role in shaping Trump’s Middle East policy. Trump’s designation of Qatar as a Major Non-NATO Ally in 2022 did little to shield it from Israeli aggression. Qatari officials were informed of the airstrike only ten minutes after it occurred.

So what good are trillions of dollars in weapons if GCC countries won’t defend their own sovereignty, let alone protect Palestinians from Israeli aggression? Qatar didn’t retaliate. Instead, it convened a summit in Doha to discuss the attack.

The result? A familiar spectacle of unity and impotence.

Leaders from the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), joined by representatives from Indonesia to Senegal, gathered in Doha to express solidarity. The summit concluded with a strongly worded communique condemning Israel and reaffirming support for Qatar. But beyond the rhetoric, there were no sanctions, no diplomatic breaks, no economic pressure—just words.

It was a stark reminder that 0 + 0 + 0 + … + 0 still equals 0.

At the summit, Gulf leaders called on the United States to rein in Israel. Jasem Mohamed al-Budaiwi, Secretary General of the GCC, urged Washington to use its “leverage and influence” to stop Israeli aggression. But such appeals are increasingly disconnected from reality. Trump’s recent comment—“it’s up to Israel what it does in Gaza”—underscored the futility of expecting restraint from Washington.

Hours after the summit ended, Israeli forces launched a new ground offensive in Gaza City, undeterred by regional condemnation.

When will Arab leaders learn that they cannot rely on a fox to guard a henhouse? Appeasing and paying protection money to those who enable mass murder is not diplomacy—it’s complicity.

The Doha summit laid bare the limits of Arab diplomacy. Despite their oil wealth, modern infrastructure, and global investments, Gulf states have failed to convert economic power into political leverage. This impotence is not just a failure of strategy—it reflects a deeper structural weakness. Without the will or ability to challenge U.S. policy or impose costs on Israel, Arab states are left issuing statements that carry little weight.

As the humanitarian crisis in Gaza deepens and international outrage grows, the Arab world faces a moment of reckoning. Will it continue to rely on symbolic gestures and appeals to Western powers? Or will it rediscover the assertiveness it once wielded in 1973?

For now, the answer seems clear. The communique from Doha may have expressed solidarity, but it did nothing to stop the bombs from falling.

[* This number is a masked figure and reflects an estimated one-tenth of the actual scale, from research noting that “the actual death toll was likely much higher given the exclusion of non-trauma deaths resulting from the destruction of health care facilities, food insecurity, and lack of water and sanitation.”]

 

Related:

– 150 Muslim Leaders And Institutions Now Say Arab Muslim Nations Should Cancel Abraham Accords, Suspend Oil Sales, Close Airspace To Israel, And Send Diplomatic Aid Mission To Gaza

– What A Rubio: United States Throws Weight Behind Israel After Aggression On Qatar

The post 0+0+0 = 0 : The Empty Promise Of Arab Solidarity In Doha appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

Deek and Rania finally talk, and Rania – in pain and medicated – bares her heart.

Previous Chapters: 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 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21

* * *

So many tears
that your sorrows seize,
Flowing deep as Euphrates…
— Marwa al-Timimi

Rania came to stand right beside Deek, and still he didn’t see her. His eyes were faraway, and now that he was close, she saw that there were dark circles under his eyes, and a recently scabbed-over wound above his left eyebrow. His left eye seemed a little puffy as well. He wasn’t doing well.

On the one hand, she wanted to reach out to him and comfort him. But on the other hand, she took a certain satisfaction in knowing that he wasn’t out there partying and living the high life. He was suffering without her.

Gravity

Someone touched Deek’s shoulder and he flinched. It was Rania, dressed all in green – green scrubs, hijab, and green leather walking shoes, with an ID badge on a lanyard around her neck. She had lost a little weight, which served to grant her visage a greater degree of gravity and beauty. There was a sheen of sweat on her face, and the way her brows drew together told him she was worried, unhappy or in pain.

“Are you okay?” Rania asked.

“Yeah.” He smiled nervously. “I was just remembering when Sanaya had whooping cough.”

Rania rubbed his shoulder. “That was a difficult time. But we got through it together.” She touched her own eyebrow, then pointed to Deek’s. “You got hurt.”

“Someone tried to carjack the Porsche.”

“La hawla wa la quwwata illah billah. I knew something was wrong. Hey, could we talk in the cafeteria? I haven’t eaten in hours.”

Deek wasn’t very hungry, but he could eat a little fruit salad.

In the elevator Deek shifted from foot to foot, and didn’t look at Rania.

“Do you want to tell me about what happened?” Rania asked.

Deek waved this off. “It’s nothing. I mean, another time.”

Rania nodded. “I hear you’re staying at the Marco Polo. Must be nice.”

“My room has a fountain. It’s lonely, though.” He said this last part without thinking, and immediately regretted it. He wasn’t ready to be that forthright.

The Same Person

The corridor that led to the cafeteria was long and sterile. Photographs of nature scenes from Yosemite adorned the walls.

“I just finished a quilt,” Rania said. “It’s brown, blue and green. The colors of Iraq’s desert, farms, and rivers. I thought of you as I sewed it. Would you like to take it to your hotel room?”

The weather was a bit hot for a quilt, but as Deek thought about it, he realized the answer was yes, he would love to have with him something that came from Rania’s hands. He would sleep better with it in his arms.

“Sure. Thank you.”

Sitting in the cafeteria, Deek watched as Rania took a disconsolate bite of a tuna sandwich.

“I’ve missed you,” Deek said.

“You could have called or come home anytime.”

“I miss the old Rania. The one who was good to me. I’ve been thinking about the past. I wish I could go back in time.”

She gave a grimace. “I’m still the same person.”

Changing the subject, Deek asked if she had received the other hundred thousand he’d transferred.

Rania did not meet his eyes. “Yes. It’s generous, thanks.”

“I sent something with the girls.”

“I haven’t seen them since this morning.”

He ate a strawberry. “You’re having a bad day?”

“A patient died.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. A child?”

Rania tucked her chin into her chest. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

Deek had not failed to notice the way Rania sat stiffly in her chair, and shifted her weight from one leg to another.

“Does your back hurt?”

She seemed about to say something, but then a wave of irritation or anger washed over her, and she said, “Oh, now you’re concerned? That’s rich.”

Deek restrained the urge to get up and walk away. He speared a banana slice with his fork and popped it into his mouth.

Par For The Course

“Sorry,” Rania said a little while later.

Deek gave a bitter, lopsided smile. “Par for the course.”

“What does that mean?”

“I’m used to it.”

“Oh, really?”

He took a breath. This wasn’t how he had wanted this to go, but maybe this was how it had to go. “Do you remember last Thursday? I made a trade that earned one point seven million dollars. That was the moment everything changed. I jumped up and I was shouting I did it, I did it. Do you remember?”

Rania blinked several times, then nodded slowly. “Yes. I remember.”

“Do you remember what you said?”

“You have to understand. I didn’t know at that time that you had earned one point seven million dollars. And I was upset because you refused to have dinner with me.”

“Do you remember when I came to see you at the hospital the next day, just before Jum’ah?”

Rania winced. “I’m the bad guy, is that your point?”

“I could go on and on. Do you remember when Amira wanted an electric scooter and you said, ‘If there were two productive adults in this house, maybe, but with only one person working and one sitting at home eating potato chips -”

“I think I was having some back pain that da-”

“Or two months ago, when you came home with Shannon and Anisah, and they ran me down?”

Rania went pale. “I didn’t know you heard that.”

“I was in the kitchen getting a drink. It’s not what they said that hurt me, though. It was your silence. And the time when I tried to hug you, and you pushed me away and said I looked like a bum, and you were embarrassed to invite people over.”

Rania sat back and crossed her arms. “You sound like one of your computers spitting out data. You have a whole list of my mistakes. How about keeping a list of all the good I’ve done for you and our family?”

It’s A Shock

“I’m just saying, the most recent incidents were the straws that snapped this Iraqi camel’s back.”

Rania stood, leaving her sandwich uneaten. “I apologize. I was obviously a bad wife.”

“No. You were the best wife in the world for almost our entire marriage. Anyway, before you go, we need to talk about money. Could you sit please?”

Rania sat reluctantly, arms still crossed across her chest.

“I set up a corporation called Milestone. It will send you thirty thousand dollars every month, starting on the first.”

Rania’s eyes grew wide. “Thirty thousand dollars? For how long?”

Deek noticed a young medical technician – a tall blond guy with a chunky, papaya-shaped body – eating a slice of carrot cake and watching them under his brows. He motioned to Rania to keep her voice down.

“Ongoing. Also, Sanaya and Amira will receive smaller monthly payments. And take this.” He removed an orange and black card from his pocket and handed it to her. “It’s a Milestone debit card. It has a monthly limit of ten thousand dollars. The pin is the month and year we got married.”

“What if I don’t remember the month and year we got married?”

Deek raised his hands in a shrug. “Then we’re both in trouble.”

“And this is all from the cryptos?”

The question annoyed him. “Do you still doubt that? You saw me slaving away in that closet like a zoo animal for five years. You think, what? I robbed a bank? Or became a drug dealer?”

“No, habibi.” She passed a weary hand over her eyes, and Deek felt a surge of compassion. He’d come here to tell her he loved her, and to ask her advice about how to handle the money. Not to fight. Yet the anger and resentment had spewed forth.

“I know it’s from the crypto,” Rania went on. “I believe you. It’s just a shock, can you understand that?”

“Yes of course. There’s more. I’ve made a lot of money.”

“I think we’ve established that.”

“More than you realize. I need guidance on what to do with it.”

“Why ask me?”

Deek’s heart fell. This wasn’t what he’d hoped for. “Because you’re my wife. This money is for us, our family. It will change all our lives, inshaAllah.”

Rania’s jaw hardened. “I don’t care about all of that.”

Deek’s mouth opened, then closed. What was he supposed to say? Wanting to push her, to get a reaction, a protest, an argument, anything, he said, “Do you still want half of everything I earned?”

Rania’s face hardened. “Now you’re just trying to provoke me.”

Deek looked away. “It’s literally what you asked for.”

Rania stood blinking for a moment, then her face hardened into resolve. “You picked a bad day to come at me with this.” She turned and walked away.

Deek remained sitting. Too late, he remembered Rania’s back pain, and the patient she’d lost. Why hadn’t he kept his stupid mouth shut? With rounded shoulders, eyes fixed on the table, he forked an apple slice and munched on it. He felt bitter and disappointed in himself, in Rania, and in the world. Weariness washed over him again. It seemed he was tired all the time lately. He finished the fruit salad and trudged out to the car.

In the parking lot, he started the car, headed toward the parking lot exit – then circled back around slowly, thinking. What was waiting for him at the Marco Polo? The gorgeous hotel room was starting to feel like a prison cell.

Again he cruised toward the exit and again he circled back. He stopped the car in the middle of a row and put his forehead to the steering wheel. He could not go back inside the hospital. Rania would burst her top. It was time to leave. He raised his head – and saw a vision that made his breath stall in his chest.

A One Way Trip

Rania stood frozen outside the pediatrics doors, pain radiating down her back and hip. She fingered her badge, thinking.

Going through those doors would mean making a choice. It was a one way trip, like a newly built ship heading downriver and out to sea, never to return to the shipyard. She wasn’t ready for that.

She buzzed the intercom, and informed the nurse at the station – Chea – that she was taking another 20 minutes off for personal reasons. Then she turned her back on the double doors and ran, or tried to. With the third or fourth stride, the pain made her stumble, and she put a hand against the wall. Standing up straight, she settled for walking fast.

Each step was a shot of agony in her lower back and hip. It felt like someone had attached a small vise to her right hip bone, and was steadily tightening the screw. But she clenched her teeth and took it like a woman.

It was hopeless. Deek was probably gone. But she continued all the way to the parking lot, where she walked up and down the rows in the cool evening air, searching for the little black Porsche. There was no sign of it.

She stood, feeling desolate, then was about to go back into the hospital when a voice called out, “Rania?”

She turned and there was Deek, sitting in the passenger seat of a small blue SUV. He’d pulled up to the passenger loading roundabout. She opened the front passenger door and climbed into the car, settling back into the seat with a groan.

“What’s this car? Another impulse buy?”

“Sort of. I sold the Porsche.”

“That car didn’t even last as long as one of my diets.”

“It was cursed. Allah have mercy on it.”

She gave him an incredulous look, then burst out laughing.

All These Things And More

Deek was stunned when he saw Rania wandering the parking lot like a woman in the desert, searching for an oasis. Was she looking for him? What was this, a scene in a romantic movie? More likely she wanted to blast him for the things he’d said.

Girding himself against the coming storm, he called her name.

When she entered the car, then laughed at his comment about the Porsche, he was caught off guard, not to mention relieved. This was like the Rania of old, who could disarm him with humor, and whose laugh could have broken down the walls of Babylon.

“Deek, habibi,” she said. “You did a lot of talking. Can I talk now?”

“Sure.” He cruised to a parking spot and shut off the engine.

“Look at me,” Rania said.

He met her dark eyes, tight with anxiety or pain.

“I am deeply sorry that I was not nice to you the last several months.”

“The last two years,” Deek interrupted.

She dropped her chin to her chest. “The last two years. The financial pressure was crushing me, and I reacted badly. But not everything is so black and white as you think. Look at this.” She took out her phone, scrolled for a moment, then showed him a text message. It was a group text from her to Anisah and Shannon, and it read:

As-salamu alaykum sisters. Your comments about my husband today were neither invited nor appropriate. I should have spoken up at the time but I was caught off guard. Deek is a good man and I’m proud to be with him. I think it’s best if we press pause on our friendship.

“I sent that the same day. I’m sorry I didn’t speak up right at the moment. I was shocked by their words and my tongue got tied.”

Deek’s chest swelled upon reading the message. He wanted to nod and say, That’s my wife! But he merely said, “I didn’t know.”

“There are many things you don’t know, Deek Saghir, and you would do well to remember that. Anyway. I also regret being friendly with Dr. Townsend, but please know that I never did anything inappropriate with him, and never would.”

“If you had, I would have drowned him in the river.”

Rania snorted. “You and drowning in the river. Always talking about drowning yourself or drowning somebody else. It’s creepy.”

“You know I grew up on the banks of the – “

Tigris River in Iraq

“The Euphrates, I know. And I grew up on the Tigris, so what? I dream of swimming in the river, Deek, not drowning. Swimming.” She made swimming motions with her arms.

This made Deek smile, but he did not want to smile, and made a conscious effort to erase it.

“And,” Rania went on, “just for the record, I do not care about him at all. I love you. I love your strength and determination. The way you set your mind to something and never give up. You mentioned Sanaya’s sickness, all those years ago. Do you think I have forgotten, or could ever forget, the way you sat with her at night, making dua’ to Allah to save her? The little gifts you always bring me, the way you massage my feet when I come home after a long day at the hospital? The thousand times you sat on the floor with the girls, teaching them to play chess, and hearts, and Chinese checkers. Your kindness, your generosity. You see someone in pain, you help them, it’s your way. All these things and more I love about you, my great Iraqi prince. If my love for you on our wedding day was hot and passionate, then it is a still burning flame, as powerful as ever. I’m trying to hold on to you, but it’s like holding on to an electric eel. You have to do your part as well.”

Prince Of Lands

“So I’m an eel now.”

Rania threw up her hands in frustration. “That’s what you got out of everything I said?” She took a breath and let it out, calming herself. Calling up a memory, she smiled.

“Deek, habibi, do you remember the poem I recited to you at our wedding?”

“What poem?” This was a deflection. Of course he remembered. It was an ancient Iraqi poem by the scholar Marwa Al-Timimi. Deek had been so touched by Rania’s recital that he had memorized it.

Rania recited the poem now:

If Allah makes you a prince of lands,
Riding steeds through desert sands,
Owning cattle, barley, date,
I will share your blessed fate.

And if He wills it all away,
Leaves you hungry, in dismay,
Friends depart, you lie in dust,
By your side I’ll stay in trust.

Should you laugh with joy profound,
Back teeth gleaming, cheerful sound,
Or if you weep with tears of lime,
Bitter streams through sands of time—

So many tears that your sorrows seize,
Flowing deep as Euphrates,
Whether joy or grief you view,
I stand with you.

***

Come back next week for Part 23 inshaAllah

 

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:

Day Of The Dogs, Part 1 – Tiny Ripples Of Hope

Searching for Signs of Spring: A Short Story

 

The post Moonshot [Part 22] – A Still Burning Flame appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

Rubio Visits Jerusalem

The United States set out a revealing, if thoroughly predictable, stance this week after Israel’s strikes on an American-requested negotiation with Hamas at Qatar. American Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited Jerusalem and reaffirmed his support for the Israeli regime and commitment to the removal of the same Hamas with whom Doha had been facilitating talks. It is unclear what reception Rubio will get as Qatar meets with other Gulf states to discuss its response to the Israeli attacks.

Pattern of Israeli Attacks on Negotiators

Yahya Sinwar (right) and Ismail Haniyeh (left) attending the funeral of Hamas official Mazen Foqaha in Gaza City on March 25, 2017.

The Israeli attack on Doha marked another case where Israel struck at negotiators under American protection. In summer 2024, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, who led negotiations, was assassinated in Tehran after having already lost much of his family as an Israeli pressure tactic.

A year later, Israel interrupted American negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program by wiping out the Iranian military command—almost including chief negotiator Ali Shamkhani, who was initially reported to have been killed but survived—and then inciting the United States into an ill-conceived assault on Iran.

What makes this attack different is that it took place in a Gulf state that is nominally an ally of the United States, even as Israel has repeatedly flared at its diplomacy with Hamas.

Qatar’s Mediation History

Though Israel, and such sympathetic regimes as the United Arab Emirates, have often accused Qatar of backing “radical Islam” – a buzzword for any remotely independent form of Muslim politics -, in fact, Qatar’s mediation has often been done at American insistence.

In 2012, for instance, Barack Obama’s government requested that Doha take in Hamas’ civilian leadership, which was then distinguished from its military command, in an effort to break up the group between its exterior and interior leadership. A year later, Qatar was used as the venue for a Taliban diplomatic office as the United States attempted to wedge between the Taliban’s “interior” and “exterior” leadership as well as draw the group away from Pakistan.

It was Doha that ended up mediating a ceasefire between the United States and Taliban in 2020, which only collapsed after prevarication from Washington and a Taliban assault that captured Afghanistan a year later.

A Trap for Hamas Negotiators

Indeed, the Hamas negotiating team led by Khalil Hayya was essentially lured into a trap: having been promised negotiations, they and their Qatari hosts were instead subjected to an Israeli attack of which the United States could not have plausibly been unaware. Such niceties as diplomacy are, of course, irrelevant to an Israel that treats not only Hamas but Palestinians at large as a virus to be expunged in its ongoing genocide, but it is also clear that the United States is quite content to let Tel Aviv run amok even at the cost to its reputation.

Rubio, an especially ardent Zionist who cut his teeth by arguing that Obama was insufficiently committed to an Israel that actually thrived on his protection, has unsurprisingly been an enthusiastic cheerleader of whatever Tel Aviv does and is more committed to censoring criticism of Israel among his populace.

Qatar’s Ambiguous Role in American Power

Qatar and the American military base.

Qatar has played an ambiguous but important role in the American balance of power. On the one hand, unlike “more-loyal-than-the-king” regimes such as Abu Dhabi, it hosts political leaders from various Islamist groups and occasionally flirts with anti-autocratic Islamists such as the Muslim Brethren; on the other, it hosts the largest American base in the region, Udaid.

It has long been argued that this would protect Doha against a backlash of precisely the sort that the United States has just permitted from Israel. This theory now stands exposed, and it was with unsurprising indignation that Qatari foreign minister Mohammad bin Abdul-Rahman announced Doha’s right to respond however they see fit.

 

Related:

– The Witkoff Massacre: Slaughter Of Starving Palestinians Undercuts Trump Pretensions

 

The post What A Rubio: United States Throws Weight Behind Israel After Aggression On Qatar appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

I often think of Sandra Bland. She was stopped for a minor traffic violation in Texas, arrested, and found dead in her jail cell three days later. The official story was suicide. Many of us never believed it. What we saw was a young Black woman silenced — her light extinguished, her death written off, her humanity erased by a system that preferred convenience over truth. 

I think of Sandra now because the world is watching something similar happen to Palestinians. They are being bombed, starved, displaced — and now, even silenced at the very stage where nations are supposed to speak. Recently, the United States barred Palestinian officials, including President Mahmoud Abbas, from attending the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The message is unmistakable: not only can Palestinians be denied their homes, their lives, and their futures — they can be denied even a voice. 

At the same time, nearly all Palestinians holding Palestinian Authority passports are now barred from traveling to the United States. This includes students, workers, and the sick in desperate need of medical treatment. Earlier this month, even humanitarian visas for critically ill children from Gaza were halted. Think about that: children who needed surgery, chemotherapy, or urgent care were told they could not enter the U.S. because of who they are. 

This is not just policy. It is not just “security.” It is erasure. 

The 1948 UN Genocide Convention defines genocide not only as killing members of a group, but also “causing serious bodily or mental harm” and “inflicting conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part.” What else do you call systematic starvation, denial of medical care, displacement, and silencing? What else do you call the banning of an entire people from the halls of the UN, where the world claims to uphold justice? 

This is genocide. 

Some will recoil at that word, insisting it is too extreme, too loaded. But if we are too afraid to name it, then we are complicit in its continuation.

Genocide does not happen only in gas chambers or on battlefields. It happens when a people are denied the right to live, to move, to heal, and finally, to speak. It happens not only with bombs but with paperwork, policies, and visa restrictions. 

And it happens most effectively when the world shrugs. 

I write this not only as a journalist, but as a Muslim who believes deeply that silence in the face of oppression is a betrayal of faith. The Qur’an tells us to stand firmly for justice, even against ourselves or our families. To watch Palestinians denied even a seat at the United Nations and say nothing would be to side with the oppressor. 

Sandra Bland’s face in that mugshot looked hollow, as if the life was already draining from her before the world declared her gone. Palestinians today are being made to look the same way — as if they are already erased, their voices already muted. But I know, as we all know, that they are alive, they are human, and they will not stop speaking. 

And so neither can we. 

If Palestinians are barred from traveling, then we must carry their stories. If they are denied the right to speak at the UN, then we must speak their names in every space we can. If their passports are deemed worthless, then we must remind the world that their humanity is priceless. 

Sandra Bland’s family still fights to this day for accountability, because they know the truth: she did not die by her own hand. She died because a system decided she did not matter. The same system is now telling Palestinians they do not matter. We cannot let that lie stand. 

To the readers of this piece, I ask: do not grow numb. Do not tell yourself this is politics too complicated for you to understand. It is not complicated to say that children deserve medicine. It is not complicated to say that a people deserve representation. It is not complicated to say that denying a whole nation the right to speak is not democracy — it is erasure. 

History will remember whether we looked away or whether we stood up. I pray we choose the latter.

Because when you silence a people, that is not security. That is not diplomacy. That is genocide.

 

Related:

– Watch, Learn, And Speak Out: Films And Documentaries About Palestine Made Available Online For Free

– The Truth, The Whole Truth, And Nothing But The Truth?: A Case For Fictionalizing Testimonies Of Atrocities

The post When You Silence A People, That Is Genocide appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

The fantasy genre has always called to me ever since I was a little girl. I loved the idea of magic and the supernatural, especially if the main character was a girl. These stories showed me how characters I could relate to could overcome difficulties with bravery, ingenuity, and support. Reading books was a brief escape from my challenging childhood home.

Some of my favourite fantasy authors were Tamora Pierce, Garth Nix, and Ursula Le Guin. After much resistance, I eventually got into Tolkien and loved his lush prose. The common themes I loved throughout all the fantasy books were relatable characters facing impossible odds  (extra points for strong female characters!). I overlooked the fact that most, if not all, of these characters were default white.

Another unfortunate unifying theme that tied them together was the absence of the Islamic worldview. In the fantasy stories that I grew up consuming, there was no Necessary Being. There was either a total absence of the Divine, or human beings with supernatural powers instead of an Omnipotent God. This is still deeply concerning because every type of media we consume can either bring us closer to Allah or further away.  

Children and the Realm of Fantasy

The massive popularity and ongoing appeal of fantasy franchises like Harry Potter surely tell us something. Why do children like this genre so much? It’s exciting, interesting, and reminds us that there is more to this world than what we can understand with our senses. We know this as truth – the unseen realm and supernatural beings such as angels and jinn do exist.

“Fantasy novels are a creative expression of this curiosity about what we cannot explain through the material world alone.” [PC: Gabriela (unsplash)]

Human cultures across time and space have been intrigued by the Unseen, especially during eras that were not so oversaturated in technology. Once upon a time, our ancestors were so much more embedded in the natural world. In South East Asia, where I was born, it was common for humans to interact with jinn before Islam arrived on our shores. Alhamdulilah for the guidance of the Shari’ah, which forbade further contracts to be made with jinn, and instead, taught us to place our complete trust in Allah .

Fantasy novels are a creative expression of this curiosity about what we cannot explain through the material world alone. When fantasy novels are written by Muslims who love Allah and the Prophet , imagine the possibilities of the kinds of fantasy novels we can write. 

Conversations with Children about the Fantasy Genre

Beyond books, cartoons like K-Pop Demon Hunter are an incredible hit. This is an animated film about a K-pop girl band, who are secretly demon hunters, that must save their fans from a group of demons who have taken the form of a K-pop boy band.

My daughter watched the show with her friends during a playdate, and I made sure that we discussed it afterwards. That cartoon was a good opportunity to bring up a few points:

• Music really can make us forget about many things, including worship and the truth of the afterlife

• The depiction of the Underworld in that cartoon was false, compared to the truth of the different stages of our lives as humans: 
  • our souls being created
  • the world of the womb
  •  our life as human beings on earth
  •  our lives in the grave
  • Judgement Day
  •  our final destination in Jannah, inshaAllah. 

I am a big believer in talking to our children and listening to what they’re going through in every aspect of their lives – schoolwork, friends, Islamic studies, and media consumption. It’s not a good idea for parents to just let their kids watch or read whatever they like, as children are still developing their moral compass, spiritual understanding, and frontal lobe (the part of the brain that influences decision-making, emotional regulation, and personality). Cartoons, just like audiobooks, can be a family bonding activity and a good way to discuss reality versus fantasy. It’s an invaluable life lesson worth repeating: everything we consume can either bring us closer to Allah or further away.

It’s also never a good idea for parents – as tired as we often are – to mentally check out while our kids zone out to their favourite TV shows. We are responsible for nurturing them with praiseworthy habits, and in this day and age, a huge part of that is being aware of what kind of media they’re consuming.

We must talk to our kids about what they’re watching and teach them how to critically analyze the kind of themes the movies/books are teaching them, from both an Islamic and a healthy mindset point of view. This is how we can instill that active sense of learning in our kids from a young age, instead of allowing them to be default passive consumers. Teaching them the value of analyzing the media they consume might even encourage them to become God-centered creatives as well, if they are artistically inclined.

Writing My Own Fantasy Book

When I drafted my first middle-grade fantasy novel, How to Free A Jinn, I didn’t know if it would land a literary agent, let alone a publishing deal. I specifically wanted to write a fantasy novel from the Islamic worldview; the vast majority of fantasy novels I read have a total absence of Islam, and I wanted to add something beneficial to the existing body of fantasy literature. I wanted to write a book from the Muslim worldview, about a girl who has inherited the consequences of the pre-Islamic practice of making a contract with an ancestral jinn. I wanted readers to immerse themselves from a viewpoint I hadn’t read yet: a neurodiverse young Muslim girl who loves her faith, family, and culture. There’s nothing quite like seeing the lived experience of relatable characters on page.

For so many decades, I  have consumed media from characters from different worldviews. I wanted my own children, as well as other children, to experience something from my own worldview, for a change. It took less than a year to land my US literary agent, and at least another three more years before my Australian and then my American publisher took a chance on my book.
 I wanted other Muslim kids to see the love and bickering that happens in our families, and I wanted them to read about being only twelve and already facing hard decisions. Most of all, I wanted to write a character who made mistakes, but ultimately chose a path pleasing to Allah .

Book Reception

In Malaysia and Singapore, my book was incredibly well-received. So many of my readers shared that their families also had very similar jinn stories. It was so heartwarming to see young Malay girls cosplaying as Insyirah, my book’s main character, by wearing noise-cancelling headphones on top of their hijabs! To my surprise, there was a spectrum of reaction in Australia. Many Muslim readers and their families were very enthusiastic, because it was high time for our stories to get traditionally published. On the other hand, there were WhatsApp messages circulating, warning Muslim families not to read my book because it encouraged black magic – clearly, whoever started that rumor hadn’t even read my book!

How To Free A Jinn by Raidah Shah Idil

As my book will reach the US, Canada, and the UK at the end of this year, I hope and pray that the Islamic schools there will be more open to welcoming my book and the ensuing discussions in their schools. My book can actually be a launching pad for healthy discussions around the unseen, e.g., recognizing the difference between good jinn and bad jinn, staying away from sorcery, understanding the difference between mental illness and jinn possession, and, above all, turning back to Allah , always.

On the topic of jinn, a concerned Muslim parent asked me why I had ‘jinn’ in my title. I explained that the jinn stories in my novels could be taken literally, or metaphorically (ancestral trauma and resilience) – and either way, I didn’t want to mislead my readers by suggesting that my book was something that it wasn’t. There’s nothing inherently wrong with talking about jinn, as long as the actual lesson of the story is Islamic! I was shocked to learn that there are Muslim kids who honestly believe that Iblis is a fallen angel. I corrected this Christian misconception and taught them that angels do not ‘fall’ or sin, unlike jinn and humans. Iblis is a jinn who was elevated to the ranks of angels until he disobeyed Allah’s Command to prostrate to Prophet Adam .


Harnessing the Fantasy Genre To Influence Islam-Consciousness

Muslim children are already exposed to the fantasy genre at school and at home, either in books or through cartoons and movies. I believe in having proactive conversations with our children from a truth-based worldview. I also believe in writing our own high-quality fiction so both Muslim children and even non-Muslim children can enjoy reading our books, and perhaps one day, come to Islam too.

Reading fantasy novels is not the same as engaging in forbidden black magic. Those are two completely separate topics. If anything, a well-written fantasy novel can be a warning against engaging with black magic! If parents don’t feel equipped to have these conversations, then it’s time to learn and consult with experts who do. I’m not encouraging the outsourcing of hard conversations – this is a skill that gets better with practice – but I strongly believe that the natural bond between parents and children can be used in our favor when it comes to their media consumption choices, for as long as our kids trust our judgment and want our approval. That window of influence will reduce as they get older, so while they’re still young and long for connection with us, let’s make the most of it.

 In a nutshell:

• Ground your children in the truth of Islam and the Islamic worldview:
  • Completing the www.whyislamistrue.com course helped me immensely with this.
• Compare the Islamic worldview with the two different worldviews presented in cartoons, movies, and novels:
  • secular worldview (no God, only the laws of science)
  • supernatural worldview (superpowers and supernaturally strong human-like beings, but no Necessary Being) 
  • Islamic worldview (Allah is a Necessary Being who creates and maintains our contingent universe)

We come from a rich oral storytelling tradition teeming with fantasy elements; when done mindfully and consciously with Allah in mind,  fantasy novels can be a subtle and effective da’wah tool, inshaAllah. Muslim parents should not irrationally fear the impact of fantasy novels on our children, but navigate the genre with thoughtfulness and awareness of Islamic morals and values.

 

Related:

– [Podcast] How To Free A Jinn & Other Questions | Ustadha Raidah Shah Idil

– The Muslim Book Awards 2025

 

The post Muslim Kids Reading Fantasy Novels – Yea Or Nay? appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

the Cryptocurrency is Deek’s last chance to succeed in life, and he will not stop, no matter what.

Previous Chapters: 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 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19

“You will not enter Paradise until you believe, and you will not believe until you love one another. Shall I tell you something which, if you do it, you will love one another? Spread peace between yourselves.”
– Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Iman

A Changed Appetite

Deek still felt weary, as he hadn’t gotten much sleep before the girls showed up and – thankfully – pulled him out of that awful dream with Queen Latifah embezzling all his treasure in exchange for a drink of water and a piss. Yes, he thought grudgingly. I understand the point of the dream. I get it.

Still, the makhlama had hit the spot, and he felt well enough to work. He’d been neglecting the cryptos, and that would not do. He fired up one of his computers. The girls had been impressed with his setup here, but it wasn’t that different from what he’d had back in the closet, except that the computers were state-of-the-art, and the screens were huge

Normally, he would grab a junk food snack before sitting down to work. His favorites were the Petit Ecolier cookies: buttery biscuits topped with chocolate squares. Somehow eating classy French cookies seemed like less of a sin.

Today, he felt no such craving. Though the emotional effects of the Namer’s potion had dissipated, it seemed the physical effects persisted. Instead, he put a bunch of grapes on a plate, said bismillah, and popped one into his mouth, relishing the bright sweetness. Forget Petit Ecolier! This tiny fruit, crisp on the outside yet bursting with juice, was the ultimate dessert. It was perfectly designed by Allah, and needed no factory or packaging. It was a miracle. How had he not realized this before?

Signs of a Frenzy

Reviewing his crypto holdings, he was stunned. Everything was up massively. Some of his tokens had tripled or more since he last checked. One of the AI tokens had done a x35. Even large-cap cryptos like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana were skyrocketing. The hair stood up on the back of his neck.

Rather than visiting the usual cryptocurrency news sites and blogs, he brought up a mainstream news aggregator website and, popping a few grapes into his mouth, looked over the headlines. He didn’t even have to search for “cryptocurrency.” It was right there in the mainstream headlines:

“‘I Sold Everything To Buy Crypto’ – Buyers Make Desperate Moves as Crypto Frenzy Spreads.”

“Crypto Market Cap Increases By Billions as Retail Money Pours In.”

“Crypto: Dangerous Bubble or New Financial Paradigm?”

Skimming the articles, he saw that enthusiasm for crypto had reached fever pitch. Middle-class working people were mortgaging homes and selling their cars to buy Bitcoin. Financial analysts and writers who, a year ago, had proclaimed that crypto was dead, were now singing its praises. One wrote:

“Crypto has made me a believer. We are witnessing the birth of a new paradigm, that of decentralization. In this new market, everyone gets rich.”

Another said:

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to acquire generational wealth. Crypto is changing the very definition of finance. You can throw all the old rules out of the window: the day of DeFi has arrived.”

He checked the crypto Fear and Greed Index. It was at 93 out of 100, signifying a state of extreme greed, which meant that confidence in crypto was nearly total.

As a final check, he visited a website that monitored crypto inflows and outflows, meaning how much crypto was being sent to centralized exchanges to be sold, and how much was being withdrawn, to be held in long-term storage.

He saw what he expected to see. Very large holders, known in crypto parlance as whales, were quietly selling. Meanwhile, small buyers – called retail buyers – were flooding in, paying any price for the most popular tokens. The pension funds, investment funds, banks, and corporations were using the retail buyers as exit liquidity.

Deek had been through three crypto cycles, and he knew what this reckless, panicked buying signified.

The entire crypto market was about to crash.

The fall would be dramatic and steep. Even blue-chip cryptos could lose as much as 90% of their value in a bear market, while smaller tokens would become worthless.

The Exit

With shaking hands, he went through his wallets and sold all his holdings: blue chips, alts, meme coins, everything. He converted them into U.S. Dollar Coin, which itself was a type of crypto called a stablecoin, pegged to the value of the United States dollar.

Even stablecoins were not necessarily safe in a bear market, however. Deek had seen other stablecoins lose all their value, especially those that used computer algorithms to maintain their price. USDC was supposedly backed by actual, physical US dollars, but Deek didn’t want to risk it.

He sent the bulk of the USDC to a centralized exchange account he’d opened in the name of Milestone Investments, and swapped it all for Euros.

He now had $40 million in USDC in a few different wallets, and 352 million euros in the Milestone account, which at the current exchange rate equaled about 440 million dollars. If he continued to value his real estate holdings at $22 million, his net worth was now $502 million.

That was it, he was out of the crypto market. He would hold the USDC until the coming bear cycle ended and the next bull run began, which might take two years. Until then, he was done.

This was far too much money to leave sitting inert in a non-interest-bearing account. Later, he would think about how to invest it, perhaps with BAM!’s guidance.

Half a Billion

He sat back, overwhelmed. The grapes remained on the plate, mostly uneaten. Sweat had broken out on his forehead, and he wiped it with his t-shirt sleeve. His breath came heavy, as if he’d just run a marathon.

He slid from the chair and fell onto his knees and elbows on the marble floor. Head down, he focused on breathing. La ilaha il-Allah, he breathed, and it became a mantra. With every exhalation, la ilaha il-Allah. He remained like that until his knees became sore. He rolled up into a sitting position with his back against the wall.

Half a billion dollars. His net worth was now half a billion dollars. He could not fathom it. The numbers were like the high score on a video game. It was cool, but what could you do with it?

He needed to talk to someone. He needed guidance. But who? He could not let it be known in the community that he possessed this kind of wealth. He’d never have a moment’s peace. Someone would always be after him for a loan, partnership, or favor.

There were three options:

He could talk to his genius Puerto Rican friend who didn’t care about money and had just saved his life with a trumpet.

There was Imam Saleh, who Deek trusted implicitly, and was a wise and gentle man.

Three, Rania, his life partner, was also his best friend.

Zaid Karim was not on his list of confidantes. Deek had always had an image of the Palestinian private eye as an action hero, valiant and unstoppable, but shallow. Ever since he’d seen Zaid praying in the Namer’s backyard, however, surrounded by cats, he’d begun to understand that his portrayal of Zaid might be one-dimensional and unfair. He did not truly know the man. All the more reason, in any case, not to confide in him.

There was really only one choice in the end. He had to see his wife.

Deek’s body was a ruin whose foundation had crumbled beneath it. He let himself tip over to lie on the floor. It was a hot day outside, but the AC was running in here, and the marble was icy against his skin. Lying there, using an arm as a pillow, he tried not to think of the massive wealth he now possessed. It felt like a tiny coal burning on the outside edge of his brain, demanding that he do something. But he didn’t know what.

“What is a treasure worth,” Latifah had asked, “if you would give half to take water in, and the other half to let it out?”

The Gaza Decision

He closed his eyes and remembered the conversation between him and Zaid at the Namer’s house. “If you really want to give away a million dollars,” Zaid had said, “Give it to the charities in Gaza. The situation there is beyond dire. And purify your wealth in the process.”

Still lying on the floor, he took his phone out of his pocket and called Imam Saleh.

“As-salamu alaykum ya Deek Saghir! How is your iman today?”

“Umm… I don’t know.” The interrogatory confused him. He had to pause before continuing. “I have a question. Do you know any charities operating in Palestine, and especially in Gaza, that accept donations in cryptocurrency?”

“No one’s ever asked me that. I’ll text you some names of good charities, but I have no idea about the crypto angle. While I have you on the phone, would you be willing to do a seminar on cryptocurrency for the community? What it is, how to invest, and so on?”

Deek was not eager for publicity, but Imam Saleh was someone he deeply respected, so he simply said yes.

“Superb, mashaAllah. I’ll set it up.”

When Saleh sent the list of charities, Deek researched them. One, Helping Hand for Relief and Development, ran projects around the Muslim world, including in Palestine, and accepted crypto. They had a high rating on Charity Navigator.

He filled out a form on the HHRD donation page with his contact info, then selected USDC from a drop-down list of cryptos. From the many projects they had listed, he selected Palestine. In the amount field, he hesitated, then typed 10,000,000 and hit send. He was given a USDC address, which he copied. Opening his crypto wallet, he pasted the address and sent ten million USDC.

The little burning spot in his brain cooled. He closed his eyes, lay his head on his arm, and fell asleep to the sounds of the bubbling fountain and the susurration of the air breezing through the vent.

He woke up an hour later shivering with cold, and with a sore neck. His phone was buzzing on the floor.

“Hello?” His voice was the croak of a frog.

An Invitation Declined

“As-salamu alaykum. Is this brother Deek Saghir?” Pakistani, by the accent. Educated.

Still groggy, he wiped a bit of drool from his chin. “I guess so. That’s what my mother named me.”

“Brother Deek, did you mean to donate ten million dollars in crypto?”

“Oh.” He tucked one arm inside his shirt as a chill racked his body. “You’re from… HHRD?”

“My name is Mahboob Syed, I am the director of Helping Hand’s Los Angeles office.”

“Yes. I meant to.”

“Allahu Akbar. This is extraordinarily generous. Would it be possible for you to come to Los Angeles? We will pay for your transport.”

Deek remembered how this had impressed him when BAM! offered it. It had made him feel respected and important. Now it didn’t seem to matter.

“Why? To ask for more money?”

“Not at all. We only want to meet you.”

Deek rubbed his right cheek vigorously. “I appreciate the offer, brother Mahboob. I’ll take a rain check.”

“Very well, but I want to extend to you an invitation to see how your money is spent. I see you earmarked the money for Palestine. Some of the money will go to Palestinian refugee camps in Jordan and Lebanon, and some for food and medical supplies for Gaza. If you like, we will take you to the camps, and you can meet the refugees yourself. Many are widows and orphans.”

Deek sat up, rubbing his sore neck. “Wow. I could do that?”

“Absolutely. One of our donors recently threw an Eid party for the widows and orphans in the Ain el-Hilweh camp in Lebanon. Ain el-Hilwah has a high rate of extreme poverty, due to overcrowding, limited infrastructure, and lack of employment. One thing we will do with your money is create work projects to provide opportunities. For example, simply buying a sewing machine can enable a woman to work as a seamstress. With a donation like yours, we might build a small factory. You can see this with your own eyes. Often the refugees make dua’ for the donors.”

Thinking of the hardship of those people’s lives, and that the money he had earned through hard work and the blessing of Allah could make such a difference, warmth suffused Deek’s chest, and he stopped shivering.

“I’ll think about it. But spend the money as you see fit. I trust you.”

Mahboob made dua’ for Deek and his family, and they ended the call.

A Conduit

Deek sat, pensive. The thought of a room full of widows and orphans – women who had lost their husbands to Israeli violence and oppression, and children who were bereft, with no one but Allah to care for them – making dua’ for him, Deek Saghir, was humbling and almost frightening. Who was he that they should make dua’ for him? He was no one, just a fool who’d had the good fortune to get rich playing with imaginary money. They were the ones for whom the whole world should be making dua’. Yet most of the world had turned their backs on them.

He was beginning to realize what this money meant. This money had not been given to him to stay in expensive hotels and drive fancy cars. He was only meant to be a conduit. This realization gave him goosebumps.

For the first time in the last several days, he did not feel lost. Rather, he felt like a man in a cave who has just glimpsed the tiniest bit of sunlight in the distance.

He rose and made wudu, prayed ‘Asr, then changed into another of his tailored suits. This one was deep midnight blue with a subtle herringbone pattern that caught the light when he moved. The jacket hugged his shoulders perfectly, tapering to a slim waist, the fabric cool and weighty against his skin. Underneath, he chose a crisp white shirt with French cuffs, each fastened with small square cufflinks of black onyx set in silver. His belt and shoes matched—a rich espresso brown, polished to a mirror shine. The scent of his aftershave—cedar and bergamot—was subtle, like the scent of a forest lying just on the other side of a rise.

Looking at himself in the mirror, he realized that he’d lost a lot of weight. The protruding belly was gone, with only a slight rounding remaining. His face looked ten years younger. It was a welcome feeling to look in the mirror and feel good about himself for once.

Dreaming of Home

The auto detailing shop was on the other side of town. The hotel concierge provided a town car, and ten minutes later, he was in the back seat, being driven by a young black man with a fade cut, who, Deek learned during the course of the ride, was Afro-Panamanian but had never been to Panama. He wore gray slacks and a baby blue dress shirt worn thin at the shoulders.

“One day I’ll visit the land where my parents grew up,” the youth said wistfully, “I print pictures off the internet and put them in frames from the Dollar Store.”

Deek felt a surprising pang of recognition. He understood that longing completely. His family had left Iraq when he was nine years old, one step ahead of the mukhabarat – the Iraqi secret police – but carrying the vivid colors and scents of their homeland in their hearts. He remembered the narrow streets of his neighborhood, the smell of lamb grilling in the air, and the laughter of cousins in the courtyard. His family had fled tyranny and violence, and he had never returned. Yet in quiet moments, he still dreamed of it.

Now, for the first time, he realized he could go back. Not as a refugee boy clutching his father’s hand, but as a man with the means to stay in the best hotel, hire protection, and walk those streets again without fear.

When the young driver dropped him off, Deek opened his wallet. He was going to tip the youth twenty dollars, but on impulse, he took three thousand dollars from his wallet and handed it to the astonished driver. “Tell me about your trip when you get back. And buy me a Panama hat.”

Before the kid could formulate a reply, Deek was out of the car and moving on.

Goodbye Little Beauty

The Porsche was pristine. They’d cleaned it, tuned it up, and repaired the window. If they had noticed any lingering smell from Deek’s embarrassing intestinal accident, no one said anything. Deek paid the bill and took off.

He rolled up to the Porsche dealership on North Palm and was greeted by a fit and tanned young salesman in a black suit, with neatly cut blond hair and green eyes. He could have been a model if his cheeks had not been pockmarked by acne scars.

The salesman had barely introduced himself as Denny when Deek said, “I want to sell my car.”

Denny looked it over. “This is a classic model. You looking for something newer?”

“I don’t want to buy. Just sell.”

“Anything wrong with it?”

“It’s cursed.”

Denny blinked. “It’s a lemon? I’m sorry, we wouldn’t be interested in -”

“Nothing like that. It runs like a dream. But violence follows it.”

The salesman laughed. “You’re kidding.”

“Unfortunately not.”

“Can our shop check it out?”

“Go for it.”

The dealership lounge had a box of donuts on the table and a selection of fruits. Deek ignored the donuts and took a banana. He browsed a copy of the Los Angeles Times, skimming the international news. The articles about the Middle East carried a heavy pro-Israeli slant. It was undisguised and flatly racist. Disgusted, he threw the rag back onto the table.

Denny returned. “You were right. The car’s in good shape. We can offer forty thousand.”

Deek laughed. “It’s worth triple that.”

“I can go up to fifty.”

Deek’s face flushed. He was suddenly fed up with Americans and their deceptions. “Give me the keys. I’ll give it away to one of my friends before I sell it to you thieves.”

Denny handed over the keys reluctantly, and Deek walked away.

“Eighty-five!” Denny called after him. “Final offer!”

Deek whirled and pointed at him. “You should have started with that.”

Denny trotted up to him, grinning. “Hey, you’re Arab, right?”

“So?”

“I’ve visited lots of Arab countries. Negotiating is part of your culture. Tawwel baalak.” He held his hand palm up, fingers bunched together, and moved the hand up and down.

The use of the Arabic phrase and hand gesture, both meaning “take it easy,” made Deek snort with laughter. He studied the globe-trotting salesman for a moment, then thrust the keys back at him. “Make it ninety and you can write it up.”

Before he left, he paused beside the Porsche and ran his hand over the gleaming black roof. What a gorgeous little car. Machinery, art, and adrenaline wrapped in one small package. “Goodbye, little beauty,” he said. “I’m sorry I said you were cursed. Tawwel baalak, ya habibti.” In saying this, he meant the phrase in its literal sense, which was something like “lengthen your mind.” May the little car have a long and productive life.

New Ride, New Mission

He walked across the street to the Carmax used car lot and selected a two-year-old, twilight blue Kia Sportage. The compact, Korean-made SUV seated five people and had a V-6 engine and cloth seats. It was solid but definitely not a luxury vehicle, and actually rather ordinary looking. Which was what he wanted. Hopefully, no one would shoot him in the face over a used Kia.

He paid for it with his Milestone Investments card and drove away, loving the high perspective and smooth ride.

He parked under the shade of a tree in the Walmart lot nearby, and called Lubna.

“Hello, Deek. You’re not coming by again, are you? I just got off work, I’m tired.”

“As-salamu alaykum my beautiful sister. You know what, your family is very lucky to have you. And I see how hard you work. I admire you a lot.”

“Deek, tell me really.” She sounded genuinely worried. “Is there something wrong with you?”

He chuckled. “There are lots of things wrong with me. Speaking of your job, have you given notice yet?”

“Should I? Are things underway?”

“You need to get them underway.”

“Me? I’m just the principal.”

Tasks for Lubna

“I need you to take an active role,” Deek explained. “You’ve already been paid, after all. First, set up a board of directors. I’ll be the board president, you’re the vice president, and I would like Imam Saleh to be on it. We’ll need a Treasurer and Secretary as well, that makes five, and let’s say two more, for a total of seven. You might consider Safaa, my wife’s cousin, and a lawyer would be good too. But it’s up to you. Once you’ve done that, file for non-profit status.”

“Hold on, I need to write this down.”

Deek gave her a minute, then she said, “Anything else?”

“Yes. Start looking for teachers. We’ll begin next school year. I want people who are enthusiastic and malleable. Definitely no one who’s stuck on old-world methods. Also, we’ll need a curriculum. I’m sure there’s a lot more. We need someone with experience running a school.”

“Hold on. I’m writing.” A few moments later, she said, “What will you be doing while I’m handling all this?”

“Looking for a building. We need a property zoned for school use, or that can be rezoned. It should have plenty of land for future growth.”

“I feel like you’re entrusting me with a lot. I don’t know if I can do all this. You might -” her voice broke, and Deek sat up straight as he realized for the first time that Lubna was frightened. “You might have picked the wrong one,” she finished.

“No, my dear sister. I picked exactly the right one. You are smart and capable, and you have a huge heart. I absolutely know you can do it. I’m honored to be working with you. Don’t forget, the first task is to pick the board of directors. You can delegate to them and consult with them.”

“Deek, come on.”

“What?”

“Who are you? You seem like a different person. Why are you being so nice to me?”

This made Deek cry. It happened suddenly, unexpectedly. Tears came to his eyes, and he put his face in his hands, trying not to sob, but he couldn’t help himself, and a formless sound escaped. It was embarrassing. Now that the Namer’s potion had worn off, his emotions were like a herd of mustangs running roughshod through his heart.

“Deek? What’s wrong? Are you crying?”

“I’m sorry I was so unkind to you that my being nice makes you think I’m dying.”

“Okay, big bro. Stop or you’ll make me cry too. I don’t understand what’s happening with you, but I can tell that you’ve genuinely changed. The way you’re acting, this is the big brother I always wished for. I used to make dua’ to Allah to change you, did you know that?”

This wounded Deek. He began to weep in earnest and ended the call, so that Lubna would not hear. He put his forehead on the steering wheel. When he was done, one side of his face was streaked with tears, and the bandage on his left eye was wet.

New Vision

He went into the Walmart, washed up in the bathroom, then bought gauze and medical tape, facial tissues, and a sports drink. Back in the car, he gingerly removed the bandage, shielding his eye from the brightness of the afternoon sunlight. He tested his injured eye, blinking several times, then slowly removed his hand. He looked around at the mostly empty lot, and the scattered trees providing oval-shaped blobs of shade. His eye was fine. There was no pain. He looked in the rearview mirror. There was no indication of injury.

Just as the Namer’s potion had healed the rest of his injuries with its final burst of potency, it had healed his eye. He let out a big breath, then took a swig from the sports drink.

The girls had told him that Rania’s schedule was 3 to 3. It was now six o’clock in the afternoon. He would go visit her at her job. The last time he did that, she snapped at him and told him not to bother her. Deek needed to know where he stood with her now. Had anything really changed? It was time to find out.

First, though, he needed to clear his thinking and his heart. For that, he needed the river.

* * *

[Part 21 will be published next week inshaAllah]

 

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:

Pieces of a Dream | Part 1: The Cabbie and the Muslim Woman

Gravedigger: A Short Story

The post Moonshot [Part 20] – New Eyes, New Mission Copy appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

Over 150 Muslim scholars, imams, community leaders, and institutions in the United States and several other nations have now endorsed a joint statement expressing their view that governments of Arab Muslim nations should immediately cut any ties with Israel, including the so-called Abraham Accords, and take other concrete steps to force an end to the genocide in Gaza.

The statement, which was originally signed by over 80 individuals and institutions when first released in August, also says that Arab Muslim nations should ban the use of their airspace to support the Israeli government, announce consideration of an embargo on any oil or gas sales that benefit Israel, facilitate the travel of humanitarian convoys and flotillas attempting to break the siege on Gaza, and send a diplomatic aid mission to demand entry to Gaza.

Since the statement’s original publication on Aug. 8th, the Israeli government has killed hundreds more Palestinians and bombed various countries, including Tunisia, Syria, and now Qatar.

The joint statement reads, in part:

“Business as usual in international affairs is simply not working. We believe that the governments of the Muslim-majority nations of the world should not wait for the ‘international community’ to grow a conscience. This is especially true of Arab Muslim nations surrounding Palestine.

“We believe that these governments have the unique opportunity, legal authority, and moral basis to take greater, immediate, and concrete action to pressure the Israeli occupation to end this carnage.

“Although a genocide should matter to every single human being regardless of their faith, this genocide against a predominantly Muslim population carried out by an openly racist, anti-Muslim government should especially matter to the ummah of Prophet Muhammad, may peace be upon him. So should the fate of Palestine, including Masjid Al Aqsa.” 

Signatories to the statement argue that these Muslim-majority nations have the unique opportunity, legal authority, and moral basis to take various steps, such as:

1. Ending any economic, diplomatic, intelligence, and military relationships with the Israeli government, including the so-called Abraham Accords.
2. Announcing consideration of an embargo on global oil and gas sales that directly or indirectly contribute support to the Israeli government’s genocide.
3. Banning the use of their country’s airspace and the use of any military bases within their country to support the Israeli government in any way.
4. Opening their side of Gaza entry points, like the Rafah crossing, and facilitating the travel of aid trucks, medics, journalists, demonstrators, and others who wish to approach the crossing and demand entry.
5. Organizing a unified diplomatic mission to a Gaza crossing with senior government officials personally leading an aid convoy and refusing to leave until Israel allows unlimited aid to enter freely by land routes.

 

The full statement reads:

In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful. All praise and thanks belong to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. May peace and prayers be upon Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.

Al-Nu’man ibn Bashir reported that the Messenger of Allah, may peace and blessings be upon him, said, “The parable of the believers in their affection, mercy, and compassion for each other is that of a body. When any limb aches, the whole body reacts with sleeplessness and fever.”

We, the undersigned Islamic scholars, religious leaders, and institutions, write today to share our view that the political leaders of the world’s Muslim-majority nations should take greater, concrete action to stop the ongoing genocide of our brothers and sisters in Gaza.

We wake up every morning to see new images of men, women, and children in Gaza whose rib cages protrude through their skin because of starvation, whose heads have been hollowed out because of Israeli snipers, or whose bodies have been charred like charcoal because of a bombing.

We also see the Israeli occupation stealing more swathes of land across Palestine and threatening to expel surviving Palestinians from Gaza. We see mercenaries opening fire on crowds of starving Palestinians seeking food.

We see that, even under increasing international outcry, an insufficient trickle of aid enters Gaza while the death toll from both starvation and Israel’s indiscriminate attacks rises daily.

Despite the efforts of various human rights groups, brave journalists, nations like South Africa, and millions of protestors around the world, the Israeli occupation is now reaching the final stages of its campaign of extermination and expulsion.

The common regional response to Israel’s crimes—a foreign ministry issuing a statement of condemnation that calls on unnamed members of the international community to stop the genocide—has not stopped the genocide. Neither have calls for the deadlocked, ineffective and unrepresentative UN Security Council to take action.

Business as usual in international affairs is simply not working.

We believe that the governments of the Muslim-majority nations of the world should not wait for the “international community” to grow a conscience. This is especially true of Arab Muslim nations surrounding Palestine.

We believe that these governments have the unique opportunity, legal authority, and moral basis to take greater, immediate, and concrete action to pressure the Israeli occupation to end this carnage.

Although a genocide should matter to every single human being regardless of their faith, this genocide against a predominantly Muslim population carried out by an openly racist, anti-Muslim government should especially matter to the ummah of the Prophet Muhammad . So should the fate of Palestine, including Masjid Al Aqsa.

Although we recognize the geographic, financial, and military limitations that some governments in the Arab Muslim world face, it appears to us that these governments have many unused tools at their disposal.

Some of these governments control the most important parts of global oil production. Some of them host military bases used to resupply and support Israel. Others control airspace that is critical to the Israeli government and its ability to rearm. One controls a border crossing with Gaza. These nations have leverage. They just haven’t used it.

We therefore today express our view that the governments of Muslim-majority nations should go beyond harsh statements and diplomatic entreaties. Specifically, we believe that these governments could help end the genocide by:

1. Ending any economic, diplomatic, intelligence, and military relationships with the Israeli government, including the so-called Abraham Accords.
2. Announcing consideration of an embargo on global oil and gas sales that directly or indirectly contribute support to the Israeli government’s genocide.
3. Banning the use of their country’s airspace and the use of any military bases in their country to support the Israeli government in any way.
4. Opening their side of Gaza entry points like the Rafah crossing and facilitating the travel of aid trucks, medics, journalists, demonstrators and others who wish to approach the crossing and demand entry.
5. Organizing a unified diplomatic mission to a Gaza crossing with senior government officials personally leading an aid convoy and refusing to leave until Israel allows unlimited aid to enter freely by land routes.

Over the past two years, people around the world have bravely protested to demand an end to the Israeli occupation’s genocide in Gaza. These protesters—many of them not Muslim, Palestinian, or Arab—risked their jobs, reputations, and safety to stand up for our brothers and sisters in Palestine.

Now the governments of the Muslim world have an opportunity to reflect the wishes of their citizens by taking brave, unified action to help our brothers and sisters in Gaza.

We believe that if they take the aforementioned steps and use other appropriate tools at their disposal in an attempt to stop the genocide, the entire Muslim world and people of good faith around the world will rally around them.

We close with a prayer:

May Allah  grant the highest rank of Paradise to our brothers and sisters who have been martyred in Gaza, heal those injured, and comfort those who have lost loved ones.

May Allah  forgive the ummah for failing to do more to help our brothers and sisters in Gaza.

May Allah  guide the political leaders of the Muslim world to take effective action for our brothers and sisters in Gaza and uphold justice for all.

May Allah  inspire all of us to strive for justice with sincere intentions, wise decisions, effective strategies, and successful outcomes.

May peace and blessings be upon Prophet Muhammad , his family, and his Companions.

Ameen. 

 

CURRENT SIGNATORIES

Individuals

• Ruqia Abdi, Author and Educator
• Imam Sedin Agic
• Aftab Alam, President, The March 15th Forum
• Atiya Aftab, Esq.
• Imam Khalid Alkhalili, Fullerton Muslim Community Center
• Ajir Bilal Mahmud, Executive Director, OPOW
• Imam Mohamed Abdel Salam, Puyallup Islamic Community Center (PICC)
• Dr. Ismahan Abdullahi
• Professor Hamid Algar
• Shaykh Abdullah Al-Mahmudi
• Emad Al-Turk, Chairman- Mississippi for a Just World
• Imam Osama Alrefai
• Shaykh Hashim Ahmad, Senior Lecturer, DarulUloom Ashrafia San Francisco
• Shaykh Ibrahim Ali
• Imam Mohammad Ali Elahi
• Hafiz Ikhlas Ansari
• Atiya Aftab, Esq. / Kenneth Rasheed, Esq., Center for Islamic Life at Rutgers University
• Sheikh Abdullah Ateeque
• Nihad Awad, National Executive Director, Council on American-Islamic Relations
• Shoaeb Basha, Executive Director, American Muslim Health Professionals
• Dr. Hatem Bazian, President of Northern California Islamic Council
• Dr. Zahid Bukhari
• Imam Saffet Catovic
• Imam Chris Caras, Islamic Center of Pittsburgh
• Noorgul Dada, Chairman, Noor Islamic Cultural Center
• Imam Mohamed Dahir
• Dr. Abdelhafid Djemil
• Dr AbdAlAziz Eddebbarh, Imam Ibn Asheer Institute
• Imam John Ederer
• Imam Mohammed Ebrahim, ISSA – Islamic Society of the Seacoast Area
• Imam Mustapha Elturk
• Dr. Asif Hirani
• Imam Seyed Ali Ghazvini
• Imam Khalid Griggs, Executive Director, ICNA Council for Social Justice
• Dr. Ayman Hammous, Executive Director, Muslim American Society
• Dr. Suleiman Hani
• Dr. Altaf Husain
• Oussama Jammal, USCMO Secretary General
• Dr. Quraysha Ismail Sooliman
• Imam Is’Haaq Jasat
• Imam Ahmadullah Kamal, IQRA Cultural Center
• Maria Kari, Executive Director of Project TAHA
• Muhi Khwaja, American Muslim Community Foundation
• Shaikh Ahmad Kutty
• Sa’ad Quadri, Muslim Educational Center
• Yasser Louati, Comité Justice & Libertés (Committee for Justice and Liberties)
• Maulana Muhammad Faisal
• Edward Ahmed Mitchell, Deputy Director, Council on American-Islamic Relations
• Shaykh Suhail Mulla
• Ustadh AbdelRahman Murphy, Roots Community
• Shaykh Rami Nsour
• Imam Saeed Purcell
• Dr. Yasir Qadhi
• Dr. Mufti Muhammed Omer Rafique
• Okolo Rashid, Co-founder, International Museum of Muslim Cultures
• Emad Sabbah, President and Co-Founder, Ethaar
• Imam Mohamed Mukhtar Sayid
• Dr. Muzammil Siddiqi
• Imam Ali Siddiqui, Former Chairman, Peace with Justice Center, LaVerne, CA
• Chaplain Ahmed Shedeed, President, Islamic Center Of Jersey City
• Dr. Omar Suleiman
• Dr. Hebatullah Taha, President of the Board, CAIR Los Angeles
• Shaykh M Ihsaan Taliep
• Shaykh Dr. Salman Younas
• Imam Suhaib Webb
• Hena Zuberi, Editor-in-Chief, MuslimMatters
• Sheikh Abdullah Zaheed

Organizations

• Ahlulbayt Islamic Center of Columbus
• American Center for Justice
• American Islamic Cultural Center
• American Muslim Health Professionals (AMHP)
• American Muslims for Palestine (AMP)
• Arizona Muslim Alliance
• Australian Muslim Advocacy Network (AMAN)
• Center for Education and Research Nahla
• Center for Religious Tolerance (Masjid Usman) San Diego
• Center for Islamic Life at Rutgers University
• Comité Justice & Libertés (Committee for Justice and Liberties) (France)
• Council of Sacramento Valley Islamic Organizations (COSVIO)
• Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)
• Dallas Peace and Justice Center
• Dar al-Hijrah Islamic Center
• Ethaar
• FEMYSO (Forum of European Muslim Youth and Student Organisations)
• Greenview Madani Center
• Hamzah Islamic Center
• Hershey Islamic Center
• Husaynia Islamic Society of Seattle
• ICNA Council for Social Justice
• Imam Council of Metropolitan St. Louis
• INSAN – Institutet för Samhällsanalys
• International Museum of Muslim Cultures
• IQRA Cultural Center
• Islamic Association of North America (IANA)
• Islamic Center of Boston Wayland
• Islamic Center Masjid Al-Sabereen
• Islamic Center of Irving
• Islamic Center of Maryland (ICM)
• Islamic Center of Morgantown
• Islamic Center of Passaic County
• Islamic Center of Pennsylvania
• Islamic Center of Pittsburgh
• Islamic Center of San Diego
• Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA)
• Islamic Community Center of Atlanta
• Islamic Council of Victoria
• Islamic Organization of North America (IONA)
• Islamic Society of Central Jersey
• Islamic Society of Chester County
• Islamic Society of North America (ISNA)
• Islamic Society of Orange County
• Islamophobia Studies Center
• ISSA – Islamic Society of the Seacoast Area
• Kitaab Academy
• Kurdish Community Islamic Center
• MAS Sacramento Region
• Mississippi for a Just World
• Mosque Foundation
• Muslim Alliance in North America (MANA)
• Muslim American Society (MAS)
• Muslim Anti-Racism Collaborative (MuslimARC)
• Muslim Community Of Folsom
• Muslim Community of Nassau County
• Muslim Educational Center
• Muslim Girl
• Muslim Legal Fund of America (MLFA)
• Muslim Peace Fellowship
• Muslim Rights Watch Belgium
• Muslim Students Association (MSA National)
• North American Imams Federation (NAIF)
• Noor Islamic Cultural Center
• Partei Für Muslime Plus (Germany)
• Peace Tree Mental Health
• Prince George’s County Muslim Council
• Sacramento Area League of Associated Muslims (SALAM)
• Salam Scouts
• San Ramon Valley Islamic Center
• Shia Muslim Council of Southern California
• Silicon Valley Islamic Center
• Tayba Foundation
• The Islamic Society of Central Delaware
• The March 15th Forum
• Tri-City Islamic Center
• UBM Advisory Services
• Ubudiyyah Life Centre
• US Council of Muslim Organizations
• We Love Our Neighbors
• Wisconsin Muslim Civic Alliance
• World Council of Muslims for Interfaith Relations
• Worry Free Community

The post 150 Muslim Leaders And Institutions Now Say Arab Muslim Nations Should Cancel Abraham Accords, Suspend Oil Sales, Close Airspace To Israel, And Send Diplomatic Aid Mission To Gaza appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

the Cryptocurrency is Deek’s last chance to succeed in life, and he will not stop, no matter what.

Previous Chapters: 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 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19

“You will not enter Paradise until you believe, and you will not believe until you love one another. Shall I tell you something which, if you do it, you will love one another? Spread peace between yourselves.”
– Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Iman

A Changed Appetite

Deek still felt weary, as he hadn’t gotten much sleep before the girls showed up and – thankfully – pulled him out of that awful dream with Queen Latifah embezzling all his treasure in exchange for a drink of water and a piss. Yes, he thought grudgingly. I understand the point of the dream. I get it.

Still, the makhlama had hit the spot, and he felt well enough to work. He’d been neglecting the cryptos, and that would not do. He fired up one of his computers. The girls had been impressed with his setup here, but it wasn’t that different from what he’d had back in the closet, except that the computers were state-of-the-art, and the screens were huge

Normally, he would grab a junk food snack before sitting down to work. His favorites were the Petit Ecolier cookies: buttery biscuits topped with chocolate squares. Somehow eating classy French cookies seemed like less of a sin.

Today, he felt no such craving. Though the emotional effects of the Namer’s potion had dissipated, it seemed the physical effects persisted. Instead, he put a bunch of grapes on a plate, said bismillah, and popped one into his mouth, relishing the bright sweetness. Forget Petit Ecolier! This tiny fruit, crisp on the outside yet bursting with juice, was the ultimate dessert. It was perfectly designed by Allah, and needed no factory or packaging. It was a miracle. How had he not realized this before?

Signs of a Frenzy

Reviewing his crypto holdings, he was stunned. Everything was up massively. Some of his tokens had tripled or more since he last checked. One of the AI tokens had done a x35. Even large-cap cryptos like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana were skyrocketing. The hair stood up on the back of his neck.

Rather than visiting the usual cryptocurrency news sites and blogs, he brought up a mainstream news aggregator website and, popping a few grapes into his mouth, looked over the headlines. He didn’t even have to search for “cryptocurrency.” It was right there in the mainstream headlines:

“‘I Sold Everything To Buy Crypto’ – Buyers Make Desperate Moves as Crypto Frenzy Spreads.”

“Crypto Market Cap Increases By Billions as Retail Money Pours In.”

“Crypto: Dangerous Bubble or New Financial Paradigm?”

Skimming the articles, he saw that enthusiasm for crypto had reached fever pitch. Middle-class working people were mortgaging homes and selling their cars to buy Bitcoin. Financial analysts and writers who, a year ago, had proclaimed that crypto was dead, were now singing its praises. One wrote:

“Crypto has made me a believer. We are witnessing the birth of a new paradigm, that of decentralization. In this new market, everyone gets rich.”

Another said:

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to acquire generational wealth. Crypto is changing the very definition of finance. You can throw all the old rules out of the window: the day of DeFi has arrived.”

He checked the crypto Fear and Greed Index. It was at 93 out of 100, signifying a state of extreme greed, which meant that confidence in crypto was nearly total.

As a final check, he visited a website that monitored crypto inflows and outflows, meaning how much crypto was being sent to centralized exchanges to be sold, and how much was being withdrawn, to be held in long-term storage.

He saw what he expected to see. Very large holders, known in crypto parlance as whales, were quietly selling. Meanwhile, small buyers – called retail buyers – were flooding in, paying any price for the most popular tokens. The pension funds, investment funds, banks, and corporations were using the retail buyers as exit liquidity.

Deek had been through three crypto cycles, and he knew what this reckless, panicked buying signified.

The entire crypto market was about to crash.

The fall would be dramatic and steep. Even blue-chip cryptos could lose as much as 90% of their value in a bear market, while smaller tokens would become worthless.

The Exit

With shaking hands, he went through his wallets and sold all his holdings: blue chips, alts, meme coins, everything. He converted them into U.S. Dollar Coin, which itself was a type of crypto called a stablecoin, pegged to the value of the United States dollar.

Even stablecoins were not necessarily safe in a bear market, however. Deek had seen other stablecoins lose all their value, especially those that used computer algorithms to maintain their price. USDC was supposedly backed by actual, physical US dollars, but Deek didn’t want to risk it.

He sent the bulk of the USDC to a centralized exchange account he’d opened in the name of Milestone Investments, and swapped it all for Euros.

He now had $40 million in USDC in a few different wallets, and 352 million euros in the Milestone account, which at the current exchange rate equaled about 440 million dollars. If he continued to value his real estate holdings at $22 million, his net worth was now $502 million.

That was it, he was out of the crypto market. He would hold the USDC until the coming bear cycle ended and the next bull run began, which might take two years. Until then, he was done.

This was far too much money to leave sitting inert in a non-interest-bearing account. Later, he would think about how to invest it, perhaps with BAM!’s guidance.

Half a Billion

He sat back, overwhelmed. The grapes remained on the plate, mostly uneaten. Sweat had broken out on his forehead, and he wiped it with his t-shirt sleeve. His breath came heavy, as if he’d just run a marathon.

He slid from the chair and fell onto his knees and elbows on the marble floor. Head down, he focused on breathing. La ilaha il-Allah, he breathed, and it became a mantra. With every exhalation, la ilaha il-Allah. He remained like that until his knees became sore. He rolled up into a sitting position with his back against the wall.

Half a billion dollars. His net worth was now half a billion dollars. He could not fathom it. The numbers were like the high score on a video game. It was cool, but what could you do with it?

He needed to talk to someone. He needed guidance. But who? He could not let it be known in the community that he possessed this kind of wealth. He’d never have a moment’s peace. Someone would always be after him for a loan, partnership, or favor.

There were three options:

He could talk to his genius Puerto Rican friend who didn’t care about money and had just saved his life with a trumpet.

There was Imam Saleh, who Deek trusted implicitly, and was a wise and gentle man.

Three, Rania, his life partner, was also his best friend.

Zaid Karim was not on his list of confidantes. Deek had always had an image of the Palestinian private eye as an action hero, valiant and unstoppable, but shallow. Ever since he’d seen Zaid praying in the Namer’s backyard, however, surrounded by cats, he’d begun to understand that his portrayal of Zaid might be one-dimensional and unfair. He did not truly know the man. All the more reason, in any case, not to confide in him.

There was really only one choice in the end. He had to see his wife.

Deek’s body was a ruin whose foundation had crumbled beneath it. He let himself tip over to lie on the floor. It was a hot day outside, but the AC was running in here, and the marble was icy against his skin. Lying there, using an arm as a pillow, he tried not to think of the massive wealth he now possessed. It felt like a tiny coal burning on the outside edge of his brain, demanding that he do something. But he didn’t know what.

“What is a treasure worth,” Latifah had asked, “if you would give half to take water in, and the other half to let it out?”

The Gaza Decision

He closed his eyes and remembered the conversation between him and Zaid at the Namer’s house. “If you really want to give away a million dollars,” Zaid had said, “Give it to the charities in Gaza. The situation there is beyond dire. And purify your wealth in the process.”

Still lying on the floor, he took his phone out of his pocket and called Imam Saleh.

“As-salamu alaykum ya Deek Saghir! How is your iman today?”

“Umm… I don’t know.” The interrogatory confused him. He had to pause before continuing. “I have a question. Do you know any charities operating in Palestine, and especially in Gaza, that accept donations in cryptocurrency?”

“No one’s ever asked me that. I’ll text you some names of good charities, but I have no idea about the crypto angle. While I have you on the phone, would you be willing to do a seminar on cryptocurrency for the community? What it is, how to invest, and so on?”

Deek was not eager for publicity, but Imam Saleh was someone he deeply respected, so he simply said yes.

“Superb, mashaAllah. I’ll set it up.”

When Saleh sent the list of charities, Deek researched them. One, Helping Hand for Relief and Development, ran projects around the Muslim world, including in Palestine, and accepted crypto. They had a high rating on Charity Navigator.

He filled out a form on the HHRD donation page with his contact info, then selected USDC from a drop-down list of cryptos. From the many projects they had listed, he selected Palestine. In the amount field, he hesitated, then typed 10,000,000 and hit send. He was given a USDC address, which he copied. Opening his crypto wallet, he pasted the address and sent ten million USDC.

The little burning spot in his brain cooled. He closed his eyes, lay his head on his arm, and fell asleep to the sounds of the bubbling fountain and the susurration of the air breezing through the vent.

He woke up an hour later shivering with cold, and with a sore neck. His phone was buzzing on the floor.

“Hello?” His voice was the croak of a frog.

An Invitation Declined

“As-salamu alaykum. Is this brother Deek Saghir?” Pakistani, by the accent. Educated.

Still groggy, he wiped a bit of drool from his chin. “I guess so. That’s what my mother named me.”

“Brother Deek, did you mean to donate ten million dollars in crypto?”

“Oh.” He tucked one arm inside his shirt as a chill racked his body. “You’re from… HHRD?”

“My name is Mahboob Syed, I am the director of Helping Hand’s Los Angeles office.”

“Yes. I meant to.”

“Allahu Akbar. This is extraordinarily generous. Would it be possible for you to come to Los Angeles? We will pay for your transport.”

Deek remembered how this had impressed him when BAM! offered it. It had made him feel respected and important. Now it didn’t seem to matter.

“Why? To ask for more money?”

“Not at all. We only want to meet you.”

Deek rubbed his right cheek vigorously. “I appreciate the offer, brother Mahboob. I’ll take a rain check.”

“Very well, but I want to extend to you an invitation to see how your money is spent. I see you earmarked the money for Palestine. Some of the money will go to Palestinian refugee camps in Jordan and Lebanon, and some for food and medical supplies for Gaza. If you like, we will take you to the camps, and you can meet the refugees yourself. Many are widows and orphans.”

Deek sat up, rubbing his sore neck. “Wow. I could do that?”

“Absolutely. One of our donors recently threw an Eid party for the widows and orphans in the Ain el-Hilweh camp in Lebanon. Ain el-Hilwah has a high rate of extreme poverty, due to overcrowding, limited infrastructure, and lack of employment. One thing we will do with your money is create work projects to provide opportunities. For example, simply buying a sewing machine can enable a woman to work as a seamstress. With a donation like yours, we might build a small factory. You can see this with your own eyes. Often the refugees make dua’ for the donors.”

Thinking of the hardship of those people’s lives, and that the money he had earned through hard work and the blessing of Allah could make such a difference, warmth suffused Deek’s chest, and he stopped shivering.

“I’ll think about it. But spend the money as you see fit. I trust you.”

Mahboob made dua’ for Deek and his family, and they ended the call.

A Conduit

Deek sat, pensive. The thought of a room full of widows and orphans – women who had lost their husbands to Israeli violence and oppression, and children who were bereft, with no one but Allah to care for them – making dua’ for him, Deek Saghir, was humbling and almost frightening. Who was he that they should make dua’ for him? He was no one, just a fool who’d had the good fortune to get rich playing with imaginary money. They were the ones for whom the whole world should be making dua’. Yet most of the world had turned their backs on them.

He was beginning to realize what this money meant. This money had not been given to him to stay in expensive hotels and drive fancy cars. He was only meant to be a conduit. This realization gave him goosebumps.

For the first time in the last several days, he did not feel lost. Rather, he felt like a man in a cave who has just glimpsed the tiniest bit of sunlight in the distance.

He rose and made wudu, prayed ‘Asr, then changed into another of his tailored suits. This one was deep midnight blue with a subtle herringbone pattern that caught the light when he moved. The jacket hugged his shoulders perfectly, tapering to a slim waist, the fabric cool and weighty against his skin. Underneath, he chose a crisp white shirt with French cuffs, each fastened with small square cufflinks of black onyx set in silver. His belt and shoes matched—a rich espresso brown, polished to a mirror shine. The scent of his aftershave—cedar and bergamot—was subtle, like the scent of a forest lying just on the other side of a rise.

Looking at himself in the mirror, he realized that he’d lost a lot of weight. The protruding belly was gone, with only a slight rounding remaining. His face looked ten years younger. It was a welcome feeling to look in the mirror and feel good about himself for once.

Dreaming of Home

The auto detailing shop was on the other side of town. The hotel concierge provided a town car, and ten minutes later, he was in the back seat, being driven by a young black man with a fade cut, who, Deek learned during the course of the ride, was Afro-Panamanian but had never been to Panama. He wore gray slacks and a baby blue dress shirt worn thin at the shoulders.

“One day I’ll visit the land where my parents grew up,” the youth said wistfully, “I print pictures off the internet and put them in frames from the Dollar Store.”

Deek felt a surprising pang of recognition. He understood that longing completely. His family had left Iraq when he was nine years old, one step ahead of the mukhabarat – the Iraqi secret police – but carrying the vivid colors and scents of their homeland in their hearts. He remembered the narrow streets of his neighborhood, the smell of lamb grilling in the air, and the laughter of cousins in the courtyard. His family had fled tyranny and violence, and he had never returned. Yet in quiet moments, he still dreamed of it.

Now, for the first time, he realized he could go back. Not as a refugee boy clutching his father’s hand, but as a man with the means to stay in the best hotel, hire protection, and walk those streets again without fear.

When the young driver dropped him off, Deek opened his wallet. He was going to tip the youth twenty dollars, but on impulse, he took three thousand dollars from his wallet and handed it to the astonished driver. “Tell me about your trip when you get back. And buy me a Panama hat.”

Before the kid could formulate a reply, Deek was out of the car and moving on.

Goodbye Little Beauty

The Porsche was pristine. They’d cleaned it, tuned it up, and repaired the window. If they had noticed any lingering smell from Deek’s embarrassing intestinal accident, no one said anything. Deek paid the bill and took off.

He rolled up to the Porsche dealership on North Palm and was greeted by a fit and tanned young salesman in a black suit, with neatly cut blond hair and green eyes. He could have been a model if his cheeks had not been pockmarked by acne scars.

The salesman had barely introduced himself as Denny when Deek said, “I want to sell my car.”

Denny looked it over. “This is a classic model. You looking for something newer?”

“I don’t want to buy. Just sell.”

“Anything wrong with it?”

“It’s cursed.”

Denny blinked. “It’s a lemon? I’m sorry, we wouldn’t be interested in -”

“Nothing like that. It runs like a dream. But violence follows it.”

The salesman laughed. “You’re kidding.”

“Unfortunately not.”

“Can our shop check it out?”

“Go for it.”

The dealership lounge had a box of donuts on the table and a selection of fruits. Deek ignored the donuts and took a banana. He browsed a copy of the Los Angeles Times, skimming the international news. The articles about the Middle East carried a heavy pro-Israeli slant. It was undisguised and flatly racist. Disgusted, he threw the rag back onto the table.

Denny returned. “You were right. The car’s in good shape. We can offer forty thousand.”

Deek laughed. “It’s worth triple that.”

“I can go up to fifty.”

Deek’s face flushed. He was suddenly fed up with Americans and their deceptions. “Give me the keys. I’ll give it away to one of my friends before I sell it to you thieves.”

Denny handed over the keys reluctantly, and Deek walked away.

“Eighty-five!” Denny called after him. “Final offer!”

Deek whirled and pointed at him. “You should have started with that.”

Denny trotted up to him, grinning. “Hey, you’re Arab, right?”

“So?”

“I’ve visited lots of Arab countries. Negotiating is part of your culture. Tawwel baalak.” He held his hand palm up, fingers bunched together, and moved the hand up and down.

The use of the Arabic phrase and hand gesture, both meaning “take it easy,” made Deek snort with laughter. He studied the globe-trotting salesman for a moment, then thrust the keys back at him. “Make it ninety and you can write it up.”

Before he left, he paused beside the Porsche and ran his hand over the gleaming black roof. What a gorgeous little car. Machinery, art, and adrenaline wrapped in one small package. “Goodbye, little beauty,” he said. “I’m sorry I said you were cursed. Tawwel baalak, ya habibti.” In saying this, he meant the phrase in its literal sense, which was something like “lengthen your mind.” May the little car have a long and productive life.

New Ride, New Mission

He walked across the street to the Carmax used car lot and selected a two-year-old, twilight blue Kia Sportage. The compact, Korean-made SUV seated five people and had a V-6 engine and cloth seats. It was solid but definitely not a luxury vehicle, and actually rather ordinary looking. Which was what he wanted. Hopefully, no one would shoot him in the face over a used Kia.

He paid for it with his Milestone Investments card and drove away, loving the high perspective and smooth ride.

He parked under the shade of a tree in the Walmart lot nearby, and called Lubna.

“Hello, Deek. You’re not coming by again, are you? I just got off work, I’m tired.”

“As-salamu alaykum my beautiful sister. You know what, your family is very lucky to have you. And I see how hard you work. I admire you a lot.”

“Deek, tell me really.” She sounded genuinely worried. “Is there something wrong with you?”

He chuckled. “There are lots of things wrong with me. Speaking of your job, have you given notice yet?”

“Should I? Are things underway?”

“You need to get them underway.”

“Me? I’m just the principal.”

Tasks for Lubna

“I need you to take an active role,” Deek explained. “You’ve already been paid, after all. First, set up a board of directors. I’ll be the board president, you’re the vice president, and I would like Imam Saleh to be on it. We’ll need a Treasurer and Secretary as well, that makes five, and let’s say two more, for a total of seven. You might consider Safaa, my wife’s cousin, and a lawyer would be good too. But it’s up to you. Once you’ve done that, file for non-profit status.”

“Hold on, I need to write this down.”

Deek gave her a minute, then she said, “Anything else?”

“Yes. Start looking for teachers. We’ll begin next school year. I want people who are enthusiastic and malleable. Definitely no one who’s stuck on old-world methods. Also, we’ll need a curriculum. I’m sure there’s a lot more. We need someone with experience running a school.”

“Hold on. I’m writing.” A few moments later, she said, “What will you be doing while I’m handling all this?”

“Looking for a building. We need a property zoned for school use, or that can be rezoned. It should have plenty of land for future growth.”

“I feel like you’re entrusting me with a lot. I don’t know if I can do all this. You might -” her voice broke, and Deek sat up straight as he realized for the first time that Lubna was frightened. “You might have picked the wrong one,” she finished.

“No, my dear sister. I picked exactly the right one. You are smart and capable, and you have a huge heart. I absolutely know you can do it. I’m honored to be working with you. Don’t forget, the first task is to pick the board of directors. You can delegate to them and consult with them.”

“Deek, come on.”

“What?”

“Who are you? You seem like a different person. Why are you being so nice to me?”

This made Deek cry. It happened suddenly, unexpectedly. Tears came to his eyes, and he put his face in his hands, trying not to sob, but he couldn’t help himself, and a formless sound escaped. It was embarrassing. Now that the Namer’s potion had worn off, his emotions were like a herd of mustangs running roughshod through his heart.

“Deek? What’s wrong? Are you crying?”

“I’m sorry I was so unkind to you that my being nice makes you think I’m dying.”

“Okay, big bro. Stop or you’ll make me cry too. I don’t understand what’s happening with you, but I can tell that you’ve genuinely changed. The way you’re acting, this is the big brother I always wished for. I used to make dua’ to Allah to change you, did you know that?”

This wounded Deek. He began to weep in earnest and ended the call, so that Lubna would not hear. He put his forehead on the steering wheel. When he was done, one side of his face was streaked with tears, and the bandage on his left eye was wet.

New Vision

He went into the Walmart, washed up in the bathroom, then bought gauze and medical tape, facial tissues, and a sports drink. Back in the car, he gingerly removed the bandage, shielding his eye from the brightness of the afternoon sunlight. He tested his injured eye, blinking several times, then slowly removed his hand. He looked around at the mostly empty lot, and the scattered trees providing oval-shaped blobs of shade. His eye was fine. There was no pain. He looked in the rearview mirror. There was no indication of injury.

Just as the Namer’s potion had healed the rest of his injuries with its final burst of potency, it had healed his eye. He let out a big breath, then took a swig from the sports drink.

The girls had told him that Rania’s schedule was 3 to 3. It was now six o’clock in the afternoon. He would go visit her at her job. The last time he did that, she snapped at him and told him not to bother her. Deek needed to know where he stood with her now. Had anything really changed? It was time to find out.

First, though, he needed to clear his thinking and his heart. For that, he needed the river.

* * *

[Part 21 will be published next week inshaAllah]

 

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:

Pieces of a Dream | Part 1: The Cabbie and the Muslim Woman

Gravedigger: A Short Story

The post Moonshot [Part 20] – New Eyes, New Mission appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

Cryptocurrency is Deek’s last chance to succeed in life, and he will not stop, no matter what.

Previous Chapters: 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 | Part 17 | Part 18

“If you’re not careful, the world will have you loving the things that will destroy you.” — Malcolm X

Start With Your Eye

Like fog lifting from the glittering surface of the San Joaquin River under the noon sun, Deek’s mind began to clear. He blinked at his two daughters, one – Sanaya – looking irritated, and the other – Amira – mostly worried.

As he began to sit up, Amira grabbed his hand and pulled, supposedly helping him up but nearly pulling his arm out of the socket. The crazy kid always did this, even though he’d asked her many times not to. It was like she thought he was invulnerable, and his body was a toy for her to knock around.

“Miri! Take it easy. You can see that I’m hurt.”

“Why are you hurt?” Sanaya demanded.

Deek put on his slippers, and picked up the bag of dirty clothes. “Where do I start?”

“With your eye.”

“I need a shower. There are groceries in the kitchen. Could you two make makhlama while I clean up?”

Sanaya grimaced. “I thought you were inviting us to lunch. Now we have to cook? And you didn’t answer the question.”

“Fine, order room service. I just missed Iraqi food, that’s all.” He picked up the dirty clothes and dumped them in the closet hamper.The maid would take them to be cleaned. “To answer your question, I got glass in it.”

“How?”

“The kid I bought the car from broke the car window and attacked me.”

He had always been very honest with the girls, even when they were little. He believed this was the reason for their trust in him, which had always been full to brimming.

“Why did he do that?” Sanaya asked.

“No idea. He said his dad was sending him back to Yemen, but what that has to do with me, I don’t know. I guess his dad didn’t like him selling me the car. Although I paid more than it was worth. Now – “ He pointed to the two girls – “order room service, or cook something.” In a German accent, he added, “I’ll be back.”

“Okay, Terminator,” Amira said. “Or should I say Babanator.”

“Baba,” Amira called out to him as he went into the bathroom. “There’s a fountain in your living room.”

“I know, Miri.”

Makhlama

Ten minutes later he exited the bathroom in a cloud of steam, hair neatly combed, just a dab of French cologne on his neck, and wearing the jeans and Hawaiian shirt he’d had on when he first left the house. He was sure the girls were freaking out about everything going on, and didn’t want to add to it by wearing one of his expensive new suits.

Makhlama

To his extreme pleasure, he found the girls in the kitchen making makhlama. Sanaya had diced a large onion and caramelized it in olive oil, then added two chopped tomatoes, turmeric, salt and black pepper, and some chili flakes.

In a second pan Amira had scrambled several eggs. As Deek watched, the girls combined the contents of the two pans, and the makhlama was complete. The scent took him home and made him close his eyes in sweet memory. He was back in that hot little apartment on Millbrook Avenue, when he and Rania were first married. The two of them stood shoulder to shoulder in the tiny kitchen, cooking together, and completely happy in spite of their poverty.

“Lunch is served,” Sanaya said with a sweep of her arm.

They sat in the small but elegant dining room, pouring glasses of orange juice. Deek said the dua’ he’d taught the girls when they were little, and that he still said before mealtimes:

Bismillahi, wa barakat-illah.
In Allah’s Name, with blessings near,
We thank Him for this family dear.
We thank Him for the food we chew,
and thank Him ‘cause we’re Muslim too.

The food was delicious, and as he took the first bites he found tears welling up in his eyes. Yes, the Namer’s potion had definitely dissipated. But that was fine. The potion had taught him that he could open his heart, he could speak words of love, and the experience would not destroy him. The words were there. He only had to plug them into the microphone.

Not A Gunfight

“What about this one?” Amira reached out and roughly tapped the scar on his forehead, which made Deek flinch in surprise, as he could not see on that side. “How did you get it?”
“Some gangster shot me. Fortunately he was a bad shot.”

Both girls stopped eating, staring at him in horror.

“You’re kidding,” Sanaya said finally.

“No. After the Yemeni kid beat me, I managed to throw him to the ground. Then these gangsters wanted to steal the car. I pulled a knife, and one of them shot me. It was just a graze. Then Marco – my friend Marco, remember? – stepped out of nowhere and brained the guy with a trumpet. A trumpet!” Deek laughed, then saw that no one was laughing with him. In fact, the girls were looking at him as if he had completely lost his mind.

Sanaya cleared her throat. “Dad… I have no idea what to say.” Her voice increased in volume as she threw her arms out wide. “What is going on? You left mom, you’re living like a cross between a stumblebum and a deposed king, and getting in gunfights? What are we supposed to think?”

“For real though,” Amira seconded. “This is totes cray.”

“It wasn’t a gunfight,” Deek muttered. “I only had a knife.” He scooped a big bite of makhlama into his mouth. “Gunfight,” he said while chewing, “implies that two people were shooting at each other.”

“Dad!” Sanaya slapped the table, making the dishes bounce.

Straight Up

Deek put his fork down. “Alright. Here it is, straight up. I struck it rich in crypto. Really rich, alhamdulillah. Around the same time, I got fed up with your mom’s attitude. Partly because she’s been frequently unkind with me the last few years, and partly because she refused to believe me when I told her about the crypto. I’m still not even sure that she believes me. And she confessed something, which she can tell you or not herself -”

“We know about the doctor at work,” Sanaya said. “I was there when she said it, remember? She changed departments and shifts, by the way. She doesn’t work with him anymore.”

“Okay, well, that’s good. So there was that too. It was all too much. I needed some space to think. So I left. Not because of the money, that has nothing to do with it. Secondly, I bought the Porsche from a Yemeni youth named Shujaa. I didn’t know that the boy is unstable, and his family are basically gangsters. The car was a gift from his father, and his father became angry. And Shujaa claimed I ripped him off. So his dad came after me, which I managed to get out of that situation alhamdulillah, then the kid came after me. End of story.”

Sanaya held up a hand. “Shujaa Tzan’ani? That Shujaa?”

Deek lifted his chin in disapproval, not happy that his daughter knew the young tough. “How do you know him?”

“I don’t. I have Yemeni friends, and people talk. That family is bad news, Dad.”

“I know that now.”

“So…” Amira ventured. “Are you coming home?”

Deek shrugged. “I need to talk to your mom, find out where her head is. I love her very much, and I miss her so much it hurts. But I want to be treated with respect. I won’t go back to being doubted, talked down to, and humiliated. I just can’t.

“Mom loves you,” Sanaya said. “Whatever mistakes she’s made.”

“And I love her.”

“Okay, so?” Amira demanded.

Deek sighed. “I don’t know.”

What About Us

“And what about us? Are you leaving us?” Amira’s voice was hesitant and sad.

Deek smiled and reached out to squeeze her shoulder. “I love you both so much. I’m very proud of you. You will always be my daughters, and we will always be close, no matter what. I walk in your shoes, you walk in mine.”

“Okay.” Amira rubbed her eyes. “But I don’t want you to divorce Mom.”

“Hey! No one said anything about divorce.”

“How much money did you actually make?” Sanaya inquired.

“A lot. Millions. Oh, I’ve been meaning to tell you Sanaya, I know you’re doing well at City College mashaAllah, but if you ever want to transfer, I will pay for it. Even an Ivy League school. Also, you don’t have to work anymore if you don’t want to. You’re both going to be receiving large monthly allowances directly into your bank accounts. And your mom too. I’ll discuss that with her first, then tell you the details.”

Sanaya looked dubious. “This… allowance… will it be more than I make at work?”

“Way more. Now can I get back to eating the makhlama? It’s the best thing I’ve tasted in a week.”

“I think he’s legit telling the truth about everything,” Amira said matter-of-factly.

Sanaya studied her father thoughtfully. “Dad always tells the truth. It’s one of his redeeming qualities.”

“I didn’t know I needed to be redeemed.”

“You do,” Sanaya said seriously.

Questions

“So we’re rich now?” Amira asked.

“Yes,” Deek mumbled with his mouth full.

“That’s boss. We can go on vacations?”

“Yes.”

“I can get a car of my own?”

“Yes, when you get a license.”

“Has it occurred to you,” said his elder, college educated daughter, “that if you were to gain the world and lose your family, you would in reality lose everything?”

Deek gave her a serious look. “Yes.”

Amira flicked his ear. “I feel like you just want us to shut up so you can inhale the makhlama.”

Deek grinned. “Yes.”

“One more thing, Dad,” Sanaya said. “You say the money has nothing to do with you leaving. But have you considered that if you didn’t have the money, you wouldn’t have left, because you’d have nowhere to go? Without Mom supporting you, you were broke.”

Respect, Love Or Mercy?

Deek put down the fork and sat up straight. “That’s unkind. Our marriage is a partnership, or it’s supposed to be. And yes, I still would have left, even if it meant sleeping on Marco’s sofa, or in a cheap motel. I’ll tell you a truth about men, and you’d better remember it when you are married, inshaAllah.”

He held up a hand to forestall the impending objections. “Whenever that happens.”

“Alright.” Sanaya made a beckoning gesture. “Lay it on us.”

“A man’s dignity is as important to him as food or air. A man can stand poverty and pain. He can stand working until he’s about to fall down. He can stand being looked down on by others, if that’s the price he must pay to support his family. But when he comes home, he wants to be treated with respect. Not obedience! It’s not the same thing. A good man won’t care if you can cook, or if you’re a little overweight. He won’t expect you to automatically agree with him. But he will expect to be spoken to respectfully. That’s the secret to men.”

“Just to clarify,” Sanaya said, “this is the secret to Arab men, right? And what about love and mercy?”

Deek sat back in his chair. “Oh, I don’t know. All men, I think. As far as love, it’s women who want communication, security and love. Men just want respect and even admiration. That’s what love looks like to us.”

“Are you sure, Baba?” Amira raised an eyebrow. “‘Cause it sounds like you’re talking about a bear. Just treat the bear with respect and he’ll leave you alone!”

Deek laughed. “Yeah, pretty much.”

“Wa min ayatihi,” Sanaya began to recite, “an khalaqa lakum min-anfusikum...” She continued to the end of the ayah.

“And one of His signs,” she translated, “is that He created for you spouses from among yourselves so that you may find comfort in them. And He has placed between you compassion and mercy. Surely in this are signs for people who reflect. Surat Ar-Rum.”

She reached across the table and poked Deek’s chest above his heart. “Mercy, Dad. I’m sure respect is important, but I think Allah knows the secrets to men, women and marriage better than anyone, and He says compassion and mercy. So where is your compassion for Mom?”

Deek’s face was pale. He felt like Sanaya had struck him with a hammer, rather than a finger.

“Where did you learn that?”

“Class on marriage at Masjid Madinah. Are you upset?”

“No. I’m proud of you.”

What Do You Want?

“Baba.” Amira’s voice was unusually solemn, and Deek turned to her, meeting her two eyes with his one good one.

“What do you want more? All of this?” She waved an arm to encompass the luxury of the suite. “Or your family?”

Deek found himself speechless. He swallowed. When he spoke his voice was hoarse. “I’d give up all of my kingdom before I’d give up my family.”

Amira nodded, and let it drop.

Later, as the girls were leaving, Deek handed Sanaya the remaining backpack. “Give this to your mom. Be careful, there’s a lot of money in it.”

“How much?”

“Two hundred K, I think. Maybe two fifty, I forget.”

“What!” Samaya exclaimed.

“This new life,” Amira said, “is totes cray, for real.”

“Mom should be home right now,” Sanaya commented, “if you want to see her. Her new shift is three to three. I hate it, we hardly see her anymore.”

Deek shook his head. “I have to work a little. I’ll visit her later at the hospital, inshaAllah.”

“You promise?”

“Absolutely.”

* * *

[Part 20 will be published next week inshaAllah]

 

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:

Pieces of a Dream | Part 1: The Cabbie and the Muslim Woman

Gravedigger: A Short Story

The post Moonshot [Part 19] – Makhlama And The Secret To Men appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

Today marks the launch of the FIFTH year of the Muslim Book Awards!

The Muslim Book Awards (MBA) is an annual celebration of Muslim voices in publishing, from mainstream publishers, Islamic publishers, or authors who self-publish. Hosted by MuslimMatters.org and featuring a panel of well-known Muslimah reviewers from Bookstagram, the MBA takes in nominations before finally judging the entries and announcing the winners on MuslimMatters!

MuslimMatters is proud to host the Muslim Book Awards.

What is Muslim Bookstagram?

Muslim Bookstagram is the unofficial name for the niche space on Instagram where Muslim book lovers reside! It is a vibrant community of readers, writers, librarians, bookstore owners, and all those who are bookishly inclined.

Book reviews are shared, new and old publications highlighted, and deep discussions about publishing, representation, and storytelling are had. Muslim Bookstagram has become both an amazing space for valuable conversations and a resource for Muslim parents, as well as anyone else interested in diverse, representative literature.

Who are the judges of the MBA 20245?

Amire Hoxha is a mechanical drafter by trade, a reader by heart, and the author of “AMAR’S FAJR REWARD“! Her meticulous nature helps her identify quality and assess books. Aside from her online presence, Amire has established, curated and grown her local masjid library for 7 years. Her background in Islamic knowledge has made her an authentic resource for Muslim parents wanting authentic Islamic books. Follow her on Instagram: @muslimkidsbooknook

Shifa Saltagi Safadi is the author of KAREEM BETWEEN (Putnam 2024), the AMINA BANANA chapter book series (Putnam 2025), the picture book THE GIFT OF EID (Holiday House 2025), and indie Muslim published SPELL IT LIKE SAMAR (2019), HEAVEN AT MAMA’S FEET (2021) and PEPPERONI, PITCHES, AND OTHER PROBLEMS (2021). Shifa shares her favorite Muslim books on her online instagram bookblog @muslimmommyblog and is an ELA middle school teacher, so books are basically her whole life! Shifa was born in Syria and immigrated to the US with her parents as a young girl. She lives near Chicago (GO BEARS!) with her husband and four children.

Kirin Nabi is a former Islamic School Librarian who now stewards three little free libraries, and posts about children’s and YA books by Muslim authors or books containing Muslim characters at www.islamicschoollibrarian.com. Find her on Instagram: @islamicschoollibrarian

Zainab bint Younus is a Canadian Muslim woman who writes on Muslim women’s issues, gender-related injustice in the Muslim community, and Muslim women in Islamic history. She also provides in-depth book reviews of Muslamic literature on her Instagram account, covering everything from YA and adult fiction, academic treatises, and Islamic religious literature. You can find her on Instagram (@bintyounus) and support her via Patreon.

Calling all Muslim authors, illustrators, and publishers!

Submissions are restricted to Muslim authors, illustrators, and publishers. If you’ve written, illustrated, or published a Muslim-books-awards-worthy book, we want to know about it!

Application Requirements:

Written by a Muslim author

A Muslim story: The story must involve clearly Muslim characters and at least some reference to elements of Islam.

Islamically appropriate: The story must not promote beliefs or actions that are clearly prohibited by Islam or go against Islamic values. This does NOT mean that characters don’t experience serious conflicts or go through challenges; it does mean that the final message should not be something that promotes unIslamic beliefs or actions (e.g. shirky beliefs, promoting LBGTQ relationships, praising zina).

Published between January 2025-December 2025

English language: Unfortunately, we do not have the resources or ability to include non-English-language books.

Must be prepared to provide sample pages upon request

Must be prepared to provide complimentary physical copies to all 4 judges

 No AI, whether used for writing or illustrations.

Submit Your Book!

Click here to submit your favorite Muslim publication of 2025 for the Muslim Book Awards!

Submissions will close on September 15, 2025, and winners will be announced in January 2026! There’s not much time, so hurry to submit your books today!

Support Our Official Sponsor!

Crescent Moon Bookstore is the generous official sponsor of the Muslim Book Awards 2023, 2024, and 2025! CMB carefully curates books, toys, games, stationery, and home decor for every Muslim household. Crescent Moon was created for all of us wanting to make our homes and the world a better place. A portion of all proceeds goes to several different children’s charities around the world for humanitarian aid. Crescent Moon Bookstore has an incredible selection of Muslim books for all ages, with free US shipping over $60.00 and free Canadian shipping over $125!

Related:

Muslim Bookstagram Awards 2021 – What Makes A Winning Story?

The post The Muslim Book Awards 2025 appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

Disclaimers:

No. 1. This is not a fatwa (an Islamic legal ruling), I do not have the authority to issue one. This article is simply a summative analysis of some of the possible options available to Muslims, particularly those living in the United Kingdom, to purchase a suitable accommodation and the Islamic positions regarding these options. If you need a fatwa for your specific circumstance, please seek out a qualified, competent, and respected scholar in your locality.    

No. 2. The fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) scope of this article:

Fiqh is either madhab-based (according to one of the four established legal schools) or comparative, and in both approaches, precise attribution is very important. Therefore, due to my own personal limitations, the fiqh sections of this study will rely on the Ḥanbali madhhab from the works of both classical and contemporary sources. 

Where relevant, I will also refer to the following Fiqh councils and Sharia boards: The European Council for Fatwa & Research; Accounting and Auditing Organisation for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI); The International Islamic Fiqh Academy (IIFA); and The Islamic Council of Europe. It should be noted that these respected organisations do not always strictly adhere to a single madhab (some may do so depending on the background of its scholars and the community that they serve) and therefore these institutions may incorporate elements from different madhabs when issuing fatwas (legal rulings) and resolutions.  

_____________________

Introduction

Muslims in the UK will have a number of reasons for wanting to purchase a home: a genuine need for a place to live for themselves and their families, or even economic reasons such as investing or retirement planning. Differing scholarly views on the methods to purchase a house have always been one of the most intensely debated topics for the last few decades. Despite the numerous fatwas, articles, books, lectures, workshops, and podcasts on the topic, Muslims are far from reaching a decisive conclusion on the matter. This has caused a huge amount of alarm and concern for many Muslims.

In this article, I want to delve into the following topics before concluding: 

1. Social and Private Renting;
2. Social Dealings and Transactions in Islam;
3. Conventional Interest-Based Mortgages; 
4. Islamic Home Purchase Plans;
5. Other alternative ways to purchase a house; 
6. Summary; and
7. The responsibility on the average Muslim 

Before that, let us have a brief look at how the Qur’an and Sunnah view the concept of a home or dwelling.

A Necessity and Place of Peace

A home is one of the basic necessities for a wholesome and balanced life. Allah says in the Qur’an: 

“And Allah has made your homes a place to rest…” [Qur’an: 16:80]

“A house in Arabic is called a ‘maskan’ because it offers inhabitants a place away from the demands and pressures of the outside world to find peace, tranquillity, and rest.” [PC: Julian Hochgesang (unsplash)]

The purpose of a house is to allow humans to enjoy peace and comfort for their heart, body, and mind. Since most people work outside of their homes, the real purpose of a home is to return after a hard day’s work and enjoy a sense of peace and rest. In the highly commercial world that we live in, people often spend huge amounts of money on extravagant fixtures and furnishings, which can sometimes diminish the main purpose of a home, which is to bring peace and comfort. When elegant houses are compared to modest (even smaller) homes, the dweller who is blessed with peace and comfort in his heart, body, and mind is certainly in a better position. As we can see, peace is the highest purpose and the greatest aim for possessing a home.1

In fact, the Arabic term ‘maskan,’ which also means house, is derived from the Arabic verb ‘sakana,’ which means to calm down, to be at ease, and to feel tranquil. Hence, the words ‘sukun’ and ‘sakinah’ mean calmness, tranquillity, peacefulness, serenity, etc.2

Therefore, a house in Arabic is called a ‘maskan’ because it offers inhabitants a place away from the demands and pressures of the outside world to find peace, tranquillity, and rest.3

The Prophet said: 

“Part of a man’s happiness includes a good neighbour, a comfortable mount and a spacious abode.”4

In another Hadith, he (saw) said: 

“Four things are part of happiness: a righteous wife, a spacious abode, a good neighbour, and a comfortable mount. And four things are part of misery: a bad wife, a bad neighbour, a bad mount, and a small abode.”5

We are also taught by the Prophet (saw) to make dua to Allah (swt) for a spacious home. The Messenger (saw) is reported to have said in dua one night: 

“Oh Allah, forgive me my sins, make my house spacious and bless me in that which You have provided for me.”6

Now that we have established that a home is a necessary part of the life of every human being and a cause for their worldly delight, let us explore some of the ways Muslims can secure a place to live in the UK. Some have argued that a residential home can be acquired through renting, whether in the social or private sector, and therefore, purchasing a home is not really required. 

Let us start by exploring these two options:

SECTION 1: SOCIAL AND PRIVATE RENTING Social Housing

Gone are the days when anyone who applied for a home through their local council would eventually be given one to rent (after spending a period of time on the waiting list). Nowadays, for the vast majority of local councils, socially rented homes are reserved for those who have a particular need (e.g., those with a disability) who are unable to rent in the open market. 

This is due to the housing crisis in the UK, which is one of the biggest economic and social challenges the country faces. Soaring housing prices, leading to a shrinking social housing stock and increasing homelessness, have left millions of households without the ability to secure stable and affordable housing.7

Furthermore, the Localism Act 2011 has seen an end to ‘lifetime tenancies’, allowing local authorities and registered housing associations to offer fixed-term tenancies (ranging between one, two, or five years, depending on the local council) and also introduce different levels of rent (social and intermediate).8  Even those with ‘lifetime tenancies’ could face massive rent increases pegged to their earnings or local private rent levels, which has been debated by the Government several years ago. 9

Nevertheless, if you are one of those few people in the country with a council home and a lifetime tenancy, and social rent, you are in an extremely rare and privileged position, one that you should be very thankful to Allah for!

Private Renting

In the private sector, there are huge differences in rent levels across the country, making main cities very expensive for those on an average salary. This has led to a new diaspora of young people moving out of big, expensive cities like London to more affordable places in the UK. 

Moreover, if you rent from a private landlord, the landlord is entitled to take their property back at any time. They can serve you a notice for eviction and ask you and your family to vacate the property.10 Coupled with this huge risk of lack of security, private renters also often have to accept very poor living conditions due to the lack of affordable housing in their local area.11

These are some of the challenges that lead some Muslims to the decision of wanting to own their own home in order to avoid the pitfalls of being trapped in private renting. 

SECTION 2: SOCIAL DEALINGS AND TRANSACTIONS IN ISLAM 

It is important at the beginning of this section to point out the following:12

1. Islam encourages work, development, and progress, as the Messenger of Allah said:

“The strong believer is better and more beloved to Allah than the weak one. Be keen to do what benefits you; rely on Allah and do not act as though you are powerless. When you have a problem, do not say: ‘If I had done such and such, the result would have been such and such’. Rather, you should say: ‘This was decreed by Allah, and Allah does what He wills.’ For saying ‘If’ opens the gate for Satan.”13

2. Allah has entrusted us with the responsibility to care for and cultivate the earth. 

3. While Islam recognises the brokenness of the heart before Allah to be a virtue, it does not condemn wealth and prosperity, nor does it condone poverty. This is clearly shown where the Messenger of Allah said to ‘Amr ibn al-Aaṣ:

“Lawful money is excellent for a righteous man.”14

In this hadith, there is a reference to the two factors that determine whether or not money is a blessing for someone: how the person acquired it (lawful, i.e., halal money) and how he or she spends it.

4. Islam cautions that one must rely on Allah , for it is He Who decides who earns money and how much they will earn. A person who seeks money through haram (forbidden) means will not truly benefit from it by becoming content and feeling blessed. The Messenger of Allah said:

“O people, fear Allah and be moderate in seeking a living, for no soul will die until it has received all its provision, even if it is slow in coming. So fear Allah and be moderate in seeking provision; take that which is permissible and leave that which is forbidden.”15

5. Finally, wealth is condemnable if it distracts the heart from seeking Allah’s Pleasure, or if it causes one to be arrogant and disrespectful.

Therefore, there is nothing inherently wrong with wanting to purchase a home, whether one is driven by a genuine need or even a wish or desire, as long as purchasing a house can be done in a halal (permissible) manner.  Before we look at the means by which Muslims purchase homes in the UK, let us explore the conditions for valid transactions that are found in our books of Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence). 

Selling and Trading in Islam 

Selling is permissible by consensus.16

“Muslim scholars agree on the permissibility of trade in general, as Allah subḥānahu wa ta’āla (glorified and exalted be He) has widened its rulings and has not prevented transactions except if they contain harm for the creation in their religion or their wealth.” [PC: Cytonn Photography (unsplash)]

Allah says: 

“But Allah has permitted trading and forbidden Riba.” [Qur’an: 2: 275]

Therefore, many aspects of trade are halal (permissible) according to the Qur’an, Sunnah, the consensus of the scholars, and qiyas (analogical deduction).17 Muslim scholars agree on the permissibility of trade in general, as Allah has widened its rulings and has not prevented transactions except if they contain harm for the creation in their religion or their wealth.18

Pillars & Conditions required for Halal (Permissible) Transactions in Islam and their possible Hinderances or Impediments

The following is a summarised framework based on the authorised Hanbali view from ‘Sharḥ al-Muntaha al-Iraadaat’:19

• Pillars:

1. The two contracting parties 

2. The object of sale 

1. The format of offer and acceptance, whether verbal or non-verbal 

• Conditions: 

1. Legal maturity of both parties 

2. Mutual consent 

3. The object is inherently sellable 

4. It is owned by the seller 

5. It is deliverable 

      6 & 7. It is known to both parties, as is the price 

• Hindrances: 

1. Sales during a prohibited time, such as during the Friday khuṭbah

2. Sales that entail riba or lead to harm

      3. Sales that damage social cohesion, such as outbidding or soliciting another’s offer 

      4. Sales by a city dweller on behalf of a nomad 

Parties to a contract can also place conditions within a contract; these conditions within trade transactions can either be valid or invalid.20

Valid Conditions:

• Valid conditions are those that do not invalidate the aims and objectives of the contract and therefore must be fulfilled. 

The Prophet said: 

“Muslims must keep to the conditions they make.”21

• The first type of valid conditions of trade agreements is those that support and facilitate the contract by conferring a benefit on the seller or the buyer, e.g., taking a deposit or deferring payment. 
• The second type of valid conditions of trade agreements is those that stipulate using the product in a certain way. E.g., a seller of a house can stipulate that the new owner stay for a certain period before selling again. 

Invalid Conditions:

• The first type of invalid condition is that which nullifies the whole contract, e.g., stipulating a contract within the main one. An example is when someone says, “I will sell this item to you on condition of you renting me your house.” This is because the Prophet forbade concluding a selling contract based on another conditional contract.22
• The second type of invalid condition is a condition that is null and void itself, but it does not nullify the entire contract. For example, a seller imposing on a buyer that he must never sell the item that he had bought. This is invalid because the Prophet said: “If anyone imposes a condition which is not in the Book of Allah, then that condition is invalid even if he imposes it one hundred times.”23 This condition is invalid, but that does not invalidate the whole contract. 

Therefore, a sale is permissible (halal) as long as the above-mentioned pillars and conditions of a valid sale are fulfilled and the transaction is free of any hindrance to validity and free from an invalid condition that nullifies the whole contract. This opens up the possibilities of options in a contract where either party (the buyer or the seller) can cancel the deal before parting24 or after parting if there was a violation (cheating or deception).25

Riba (usury)

The greatest hindrance in a contract is Riba (usury). Dealing in Riba is one of the gravest sins. All of the heavenly revelations have prohibited dealing in Riba, and Allah warns those who deal in it with the severest of threats.  

Allah, the Most High, says in the Qur’an: 

“Those who consume Riba will stand (on Judgement Day) like those driven to madness by Satan’s touch.” [Qur’an: 2: 275] 

And: 

“Allah has made Riba fruitless and charity fruitful. And Allah does not like any ungrateful evildoer.” [Qur’an: 2: 276]

He (swt) also says: “O believers! Fear Allah, and give up outstanding Riba if you are (true) believers.”  [Qur’an: 2: 278]

Because,

“If you do not, then be aware of a war with Allah and His Messenger! But if you repent, you may retain your principal – neither inflicting nor suffering harm.” [Qur’an: 2: 279]

In addition to these Qur’anic verses that warn against Riba, the Prophet has also stated that Riba is one of the great destructive sins.26

What is Riba?

Linguistically, the word Riba in Arabic means an increase, while in Fiqh, it refers to an increase in particular things. It is divided into two categories27: Riba al-Nasi’ah (Riba of Delay) and Riba al-Fadl (Riba of Excess):

A. Riba al-Nasi’ah (Riba of Delay)

This type of Riba refers to a delay of two types: 

• First Type – increasing the debt on the borrower of money (by way of an interest rate). This is the origin of Riba al-Jahiliyyah (pre-Islamic period of ignorance)28. This is when a creditor lends money, then, when the time comes to pay, he offers the person in debt more time to pay in return for more money to be paid in addition to the principal debt. This results in an excessive increase in debt and the inability of the borrower to be able to pay off the debt. 
• Second Type – selling goods of the same type but in excess, with a delay in the delivery. There are many examples of this, such as selling gold for gold, silver for silver, wheat for wheat, barley for barley, dates for dates, and salt for salt, as the Prophet said: 

“Gold is to be paid for gold, silver for silver, wheat for wheat, barley for barley, dates for dates, and salt for salt, like for like and equal for equal, and payment is to be paid hand to hand.”29

This type of Riba also includes selling any type of these items for the same on credit.

B. Riba al-Fadl (Riba of Excess)

This type of Riba refers to selling an item for another of the same type but in excess or taking something of a superior quality for its inferior quality. The Prophet stated that this kind of transaction is prohibited in six items: gold, silver, wheat, barley, dates, and salt.30

As for the modern currency that exists, such as banknotes, the same ruling of gold and silver also applies to money as they share the same property as gold and silver (value that can be measured).  

Riba can also occur when lending money against a specified interest rate. This is where a person or institution (like a bank) gives a loan to a customer with the condition that the loan be paid back (either in full or in instalments) with additional interest. The ‘interest’ here falls into both types of Riba (an-Nasi’ah and al-Fadl) and therefore, paying it is from amongst the major sins. The same applies to loaning someone money with the condition that they pay back the loan with additional ‘interest’ on top. This is the most common form of Riba in the modern financial systems, and it is the complete opposite of what Allah describes a qard’ hasana (goodly loan) should be. 

Allah says: 

“Who is that would loan Allah a goodly loan, so He may multiply for him times over.” [Qur’an: 2: 245]

This verse refers to all forms of spending for the sake of Allah which includes lending money to those in need. It likens these acts of spending to giving a loan to Allah which indicates a great reward and virtue of giving interest-free loans to people.31

Also, the Prophet said: 

“Whenever a Muslim gives a fellow Muslim a loan twice, it will be like giving charity once.”32

Therefore, although lending money when someone who is in financial difficulty contains a risk, it is ultimately considered an act of kindness. Relieving the distress of any believer is greatly appreciated by Allah, who will, in turn, relieve the distress of the lender.33

Thus, lending money is from amongst the best types of sincere actions; it is a contract of excellence and kindness. However, if there is a stipulation for compensation or benefit, and this becomes part of the agreement, then all of these types of loans that bring about benefit are usurious.34

A War with Allah and His Messenger !

It is this type of Riba (Riba al-Jahiliyyah)35 where the lender lends money and then (for additional time / late payment) adds more interest when the customer is unable to pay is the type of Riba threatened with a war with Allah and His Messenger (saw). Allah (swt) doesn’t mention anyone with the threat of war in His revelation except for three people:36 

a) the polytheist;

b) the usurer; and

c) the one who shows hostility to His walee’ (close servants of Allah).37

Moreover, Allah does not confine the sin to the lender on interest alone; the borrower who pays the interest, the writer of the promissory note, and the witness to it are also accomplices to this major sin as the Prophet warned: 

“Allah has cursed the one who takes interest, the one who pays it, the two persons who witness the deed, and the one who writes the contract.”38

Therefore, depositing money into a bank and receiving interest is also prohibited as it is a form of Riba.  

Wisdoms Behind the Prohibition of Riba

The underlying reason for the prohibition of Riba is that it involves injustice, unfairness, and encourages inequality, which Islam forbids due to its deep concern for the moral, social, and economic welfare of mankind.39

Some of the wisdoms include: 

(a) protecting foodstuffs from being monopolised by people who can get larger quantities of the food used by poor people, in exchange for the better kinds that they possess;

(b) Earning money through interest means there is less incentive to work;

(c) It allows raising the value of capital in the face of labour by allowing money to beget money rather than through real investment and dependency on labour;

(d) Interest can lead to greater gaps between the economic levels in society;

(e) Interest has the power to trap the poor into vicious cycles of debt, leading to bankruptcy; 

(f) Charging interest on loans makes people less likely to do the good deed of offering interest-free loans; 

(g) People are more likely to take part in productive business ventures that involve some reasonable risk if there is no interest;40

Thus, in a society where interest is lawful, the rich benefit from the suffering of the poor and as a result the rich continue to get even more wealthier while the poor get poorer. This creates socio-economic classes separated by huge gulfs, leading to anger, envy, hatred, and contempt of the poor towards the rich, which in turn, threatens the social order of society and encourages civil unrest.41

‘Interest’ vs Riba – are they not the same thing?

It should be noted here that although the word interest has become synonymous with Riba in our modern age, not every ‘interest’ equates to the major sin of Riba. It is important to clarify the difference between the financial term ‘interest’ and the Sharia (Islamic Law) term ‘Riba.’ They are not always the same thing, as there are some transactions that contain ‘interest,’ however, they are permitted by the Shariah as that particular type of interest does not equate to Riba. 

One example is ‘bay’ al-ajil (deferred payment sales).42 It is permissible even if the instalment price is higher than the upfront cost, as agreed by The International Islamic Fiqh Academy (IIFA) of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (formerly the Organization of Islamic Conference), in Resolution # 51 (6/2), where they stated: 

“Increasing the price for deferred payment over the immediate payment is permissible. It is also permissible to state the price of the commodity for the immediate and deferred payments. However, the transaction is not valid unless the two parties of the contract agree on the form of the transaction: immediate or deferred.43“

For example, if someone purchases a phone and it has two prices: an upfront purchase price of £500 or an instalment price of £550 (to be paid in twelve instalments with the additional interest of 10% – £45.83 each month). This additional £50 added to the price of the phone is due to the 10% added interest. However, because the timeline and figures have been agreed upon from the onset, the vast majority of scholars would permit such a transaction. This is provided that the item is going from the seller to the new owner without the intervention of a third-party finance company.44

As we have illustrated, many types of transactions are permitted in Islam, but for the purpose of this article, let us focus on the following halal (permissible) transactions in Islam:  

1. Buying;45
2. Selling;46
3. Renting/leasing;47
4. Loans (giving and receiving);48 and 
5. Mortgages.49

It is well known that buying, selling, renting, and giving/taking a loan are all permissible so as long as conditions of the Sharia are met (e.g., consent, ownership, etc) and none of the impediments are present (e.g., invalid condition, Riba, etc). A lesser-known fact is that a mortgage is actually allowed in Islam.  

Mortgaging refers to placing an item with a lender in order to secure a loan; collateral in case of non-fulfilment of the loan. This is permissible according to the Quran, the Sunnah, and the consensus of the Scholars.50

Allah says in the Quran:

“… And if you are on a journey and cannot find a scribe, then a security deposit [should be] taken.” [Qur’an: 2: 283]

It is also known that the Prophet himself took a mortgage when borrowing from a Jewish trader in Madina.

A’ishah narrated: 

“The Prophet passed away while his shield was mortgaged with a Jew for thirty sa’51 of wheat.”52 

Hence, it can be seen that there is nothing inherently haram (unlawful) regarding mortgages in enough of themselves. So, what is it then that makes conventional interest-based mortgages a forbidden transaction and therefore clearly haram?

SECTION 3: CONVENTIONAL INTEREST-BASED MORTGAGES 

In a conventional mortgage transaction, four things are taking place: 

1. Buying and selling: person A is purchasing a house from person B, who is intending to sell his/her house.;
2. Borrowing money: Person A is borrowing money from a bank to pay person B for the purchase price of the house; 
3. Mortgage: the bank that is lending the money will only do so by placing the house at their disposal (as collateral) to guarantee that the debt is repaid; and then 
4. Repayment with added ‘interest ’: the money that was borrowed from the bank will now have to be repaid over 25-30 years in monthly instalments with added interest on top of the principal loan. This interest rate is reviewed every two to five years, depending on when the fixed rate of interest expires.   

As we have seen, the above three transactions appear in our classical books of fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) and are therefore considered to be valid transactions. If that is the case, then why are mortgages considered haram? 

Islamic mortgaging. [PC: Jakub Zerdzicki (unsplash)]

From the above illustration, the answer is obvious – the main thing that makes purchasing a house with a conventional mortgage haram is the fourth stage (repayment of the loan with added interest).53 The addition of interest on the loan, which has to be paid over time, makes the contract a Riba contract as it falls into both types of Riba (an-Nasi’ah and al-Fadl) and is therefore forbidden in Islam. 

However, the European Council for Fatwa and Research states that it is permissible to use a conventional mortgage to purchase a house in one limited situation.54

The scholars who advocate this view still reiterate the clear Sharia position – that dealing with interest is haram (forbidden) and is one of the greatest sins; however, they make an exception to someone purchasing a house for the purpose of residence only.55 

These respected Scholars urge Muslims living in the West to do their best to establish alternatives that are acceptable to Islam, and if a person can rent without causing himself much hardship, then he should be content to do so. However, if a person has no other place to live and does not have enough money to purchase the house outright, and taking a mortgage is the only alternative, they state that a person can do so as long as the following conditions are strictly observed: 

1. The house to be purchased must be for the buyer and his household;
2. The buyer must not have another house; and
3. The buyer must not have any surplus of assets that can help him buy a house by means other than mortgage.

This fatwa is based on the following two major juristic considerations:

Juristic Consideration No. 1: The agreed-upon juristic rule, which states that extreme necessities turn unlawful matters lawful. 

This rule is derived from five Quranic texts, amongst them:

“But whosoever is forced by necessity without wilful disobedience, nor transgressing due limits; (for him) certainly, your Lord is oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful” [Qur’an: 16: 115]

Moreover, jurists have established that hajah (need), whether for an individual or a group, can be treated in equal terms with darurah (extreme necessity). Hajah or need is defined as those things that put Muslims into some difficulty. Darurah (extreme necessity), on the other hand, is that which Muslims cannot manage without. Allah has lifted difficulty as stated in Surat Al-Hajj and Al-Maidah:

“And He has not laid upon you in religion any hardship” [Qur’an: 22:78], and “Allah does not want to place you in difficulty, but He wants to purify you, and to complete His favour to you that you may be thankful.” [Qur’an: 5: 6]  

Any house that meets the criteria set up by the definitions of hajah and darurah, as mentioned above, is one that is suitable for the Muslim family in terms of size, location, locality, and amenities.

The fatwa is built on the rule of darurah or hajah, which is treated in a similar manner to darurah; the Council stresses that there is another rule that governs and complements the rule of extreme necessity and need. This rule states that what has been made permissible due to extreme necessity must be dealt with great care and taken in measure. It should be restricted to the category of people who are in real need of a house. Moreover, this fatwa does not cover taking up a mortgage to buy a house for commercial reasons or for any purposes other than personal use (residence).

Juristic Consideration No. 2: It is permissible for Muslims to trade with usury and other invalid contracts in countries other than Islamic countries. 

This opinion is held by a number of renowned jurists, such as Abu Hanifah, his colleague Muhammad As-Shaybani, Sufayn At-Thawri, Ibrahim An-Nakha`ie, and, according to one opinion of Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, which was declared as true by Ibn Taymiah, according to some Hanbali sources. It is also the declared opinion of the Hanafi school of jurisprudence.56

However, despite the arguments put forward by senior scholars such as the late Dr Shaykh Yusuf al-Qardawi (rh), this fatwa has been extensively challenged by many notable scholars57, including Dr. Shaykh Salaah as-Saawi (AMJA) in his book ‘A Polite Reconsideration of the Fatwa Permitting Interest-Based Mortgages for Buying Homes in Western Societies.’

Dr Shaykh Salaah as-Saawi argues that the two juristic principles upon which this fatwa relies have been misapplied and therefore the fatwa is erroneous. Here is a summary of his examination of the fatwa:  

(I) Regarding Juristic Consideration No. 1 (extreme necessities turn unlawful matters lawful), Dr. as-Saawi argues:

• In fiqh, hajah (need) is whatever is required for ease and the removal of constriction, which usually leads to difficulty and hardship, accompanied by the loss of benefit. If it is not taken care of, then in general, it causes difficulty and hardship;
• The concessions are only valid to take advantage of when the person is practically involved in their causes, e.g., one intending to travel cannot benefit from the concessions of travelling merely through the intention; rather, he must be practically involved in travelling.
• As for the difference between hajah (need) and darurah (necessity), the two can be differentiated from several aspects, including: 

1) Necessity is more severe than need – necessity is based upon doing what is an absolute must, and a person cannot leave it, whereas need is based on making things easier, which a person can do without; 

2) Necessity allows the forbidden, whether the necessity affects an individual or the community. In contrast, need does not entail allowing the forbidden, unless the need is that of the general community. This is because every individual has unique needs all the time, and it is not possible to have a specific law for every person, unlike necessities, which are rare; 

3) The exclusive ruling that applies to necessity is a temporary allowance of what is forbidden by the text of the Shari’ah. This allowance ends with the disappearance of that necessity and is limited to the person for whom the allowance is due to his necessity. 

• As for rulings which are established based on need, they do not revoke any text of the Qur’an & Sunnah, but only oppose principles and qiyas (analogical reasoning), and they are established in a permanent manner by which those in need and others can benefit from them.

Therefore, even though a home is, without doubt, one of the necessary needs of the human being that must be fulfilled, it does not have to be acquired through ownership only. Rather, this need can also be fulfilled through renting or any other way in which a home can be acquired.

(II) Regarding Juristic Consideration No. 2 (the permissibility for Muslims to trade with usury and other invalid contracts in non-Muslim countries), Dr. as-Saawi argues:

• In the presence of clear, definite texts transmitted regarding the prohibition of riba al-nasi’ah, the evidence, which is assumed to be from the Hanafi school, is very weak and cannot be relied upon; 
• The other widely-followed Madhabs (schools of jurisprudence) did not accept the view of the Hanafis in this matter, and even Abu Yusuf, student of Imam Abu Hanifah rejected this view.;
• Thus, Hanafis do not permit riba or other definitely prohibited matters in non-Muslim countries, as is often mistakenly assumed.

A summary of Shaykh as-Saawi’s study: 

1) The prohibition of riba in both its forms, fadl and nasi’ah (which includes the prohibition of bank interest) must be emphasised and endorsed. This is what was established by all the fiqh assemblies in different parts of the Islamic world; 

2) Riba can only be permitted by necessity. Anyone who is faced by a situation of necessity must turn to the people (of knowledge) who have the authority to issue a fatwa whom the person trusts regarding their knowledge, so that they can determine the extent of his necessity; 

3) Need is treated like a necessity in allowing the forbidden when the required conditions are fulfilled. These conditions can be summarised as follows: 

1. The occurrence of need according to its Islamic legal understanding. This is to repel harm and weakness, which diverts people from engaging in and carrying out the matters of livelihood, not for comfort and luxury; 
2. The absence of valid alternatives. This means that the haram is widespread, and all paths to the halal (e.g., renting) are blocked; and
3. The lack of capability to move to other areas where valid alternatives can be found. 

4) Therefore, the basic principle regarding one who is unable to own a home in a halal way involving no riba or doubt is to be content with renting; 

5) When renting entails difficulty and clear hardship due to the size of the family or other factors, it is allowed to grant them a concession to own a house in this manner, in light of the rules mentioned above. This is only after consulting with the people of knowledge to determine the extent of this need;

6) It is a necessity to provide Islamic alternatives to the problem of financing housing. This is either by creating Islamic institutions or by persuading the Western banks to amend their contracts in dealing with the Islamic minorities in such a way as to agree with the requirements of Islamic Law; 

7) Appealing to those capable in the Islamic world to build investment projects to provide housing for those needing it amongst the Muslims settled in Western societies. Such projects could be via the well-known forms of valid transactions such as musharakah, murabahah, istisna’, renting-ownership schemes, etc.58

SECTION 4: ISLAMIC HOME PURCHASE PLANS

“Legal maxims play an important role in interpreting and applying Sharia principles to contemporary financial practices.” [PC: Signature Pro (unsplash)]

The topic of Islamic Mortgages or ‘Home Purchase Plans’ (HPPs), as they are widely known, falls under the category of financial transactions in our books of Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence). The framework for governing these transactions has been derived from the Qur’an, the Sunnah, Ijama’a (consensus of jurists), and Qiyas (analogy). A deductive study of these evidences has led to the establishment of several rules and governing principles (legal maxims) for determining the Islamic rulings of financial transactions. Legal maxims play an important role in interpreting and applying Sharia principles to contemporary financial practices.

A note on the Maxims of Islamic Law (Qawa’id al-Fiqhiyya)

In terms of the acceptance of legal maxims of the Sharia among the scholars, they are divided into the following two categories: a) maxims, which are accepted and utilised by all scholars from different schools of Islamic law (madhabs); and b) maxims that are accepted by scholars from certain madhhabs, but rejected by others. The following are five comprehensive major maxims in Islamic Law (fiqh) that are accepted by scholars from all four of the legal schools (madhabs), even though they may disagree on how they are applied to specific matters of fiqh: 

1. Matters are determined according to intentions; 
2. Hardship entails ease; 
3. Harm must be eliminated
4. Certainty is not overruled by doubt; and 
5. Custom is a basis for judgment.59

These five major maxims also have branches that lead to further corollary maxims which can be applied to Islamic financial contracts.60

Some of the other important Islamic legal maxims that are applicable specifically to Islamic financial contracts include (but are not limited to):61 

1. The default position of contracts is that all contracts and transactions are halal (permissible) and correct, and no contracts can be considered as haram (impermissible) except with evidence from the Qur’an and Sunnah of the Messenger (saw);62
2. All contracts must be free from gharar (gross uncertainty), dhulm (harm), and Riba (usury);63 and
3. The essence of contracts is their goals and meanings, not their words or forms.64

Therefore, in order for HPPs to be considered Islamically impermissible, a scholar would have to prove in a substantial way, the presence of one or more of the following in the contract:

1. Gharar (gross uncertainty/ambiguity);
2. Dhulm (harm);
3. Riba (usury);

With these principles and rules in mind, let us now look at Islamic mortgages – more commonly known as Home Purchase Plans (HPP), which are intended to be structured in a way to help avoid Riba. Currently, there are three different types of HPPs:65

     A. Ijara (a rent-only agreement – the alternative to the conventional ‘interest-only’ mortgage):

The bank buys the property you want to buy, and you pay them rent with the condition that you buy the property from them at the end of the term.

The bank also leases the house to you for a fixed term at an agreed monthly rent.

     B. Murabaha (profit sale).

The bank buys the property and gradually sells it to you at a mark-up price, which you pay in monthly instalments.

The ijarah model is most commonly used for buy-to-let properties, whereas murabaha is most commonly used for commercial properties. These type of agreements are rarely used for UK residential home purchases.  

   C. 𝗗𝗶𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝘂𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗸𝗮𝗵 (partnership):

This is the most common way residential home purchases are currently conducted. In this model, the bank will own most of the house (typically 80%), and the customer will own the remaining 20%. The bank will lease the customer their portion, the customer then pays the bank monthly rent for the portion that the bank owns, while also slowly buying back shares of the house – purchasing equity, until the customer eventually has 100% ownership. 

Examining the different contracts that are currently available in order to discuss their merits and defects according to the Sharia is a highly laborious and technical exercise that is beyond the scope of this article. Therefore, let us limit our exploration to the most common way banks offer Islamic finance products finance residential homes, which is the Diminishing Musharakah + Ijarah contracts. 

Case Study: a closer look at the Diminishing Musharakah + Ijarah method

The next few steps will illustrate what happens in an Islamic Bank HPP contract, which will help us establish the facts and thus help us understand the substance of the contract:

Step 1: The bank and the customer purchase a house together for an ‘acquisition cost’ of £100K. The customer pays £20K and the bank pays the remaining £80K. This gives the customer a 20% ‘initial share’ of the house, and the bank retains the remaining 80% of the share. 

Step 2: The customer then signs a co-ownership agreement to reflect his/her shares. In the same co-ownership agreement, the customer must agree to buy the bank’s ‘Initial Share’ of the Property for the ‘Acquisition Cost.’ 

The above two steps conclude the Diminishing Musharakah agreement.

Step 3: The bank then requires the customer to simultaneously enter into a ‘lease agreement.’ In this agreement, the bank requires the customer to pay rent on their ‘share’ of the house for as long as the customer hasn’t fully paid off the bank’s share of the property.

This is where the Ijarah agreement comes in.

Step 4: The customer will also take out the relevant buildings insurance to insure the property. 

This is another obligation the customer alone takes responsibility for. 

Step 5: Completion – the customer moves into the property, pays monthly rent + acquisition payments for around 25 – 30 years until they have purchased all of the bank’s shares. At this point, the property will belong to the customer fully. 

The above is a very simplified illustration, and this type of Diminishing Musharakah + Ijarah transaction method is currently used by most banks and is approved by respected Islamic scholars.66 

However, critics of this model have argued the following: 

     a) HPPs are a debt instrument, and therefore contain Riba

When the customer signs a co-ownership agreement to reflect his/her shares and agrees to buy the bank’s share of the property for the acquisition cost, this clause, in substance, results in the bank selling its ‘initial share’ to the customer immediately. It also results in the co-ownership effectively coming to an end. This is because the customer has now purchased the bank’s share and has full beneficial ownership and full risk of the house, as the bank no longer takes risk in the property. The customer now owes the bank £80K as a money debt, which the bank agrees the customer can pay over several years.

Despite the fact that both English law and Islamic law recognise beneficial ownership, here, the sale has taken place from the very first day, and the customer begins to owe the bank a money debt. A binding obligation to purchase now and a binding obligation to purchase in the future both create a money debt. 

Result: Critics of this method conclude that the above example indicates that this type of HPP is a debt instrument, and therefore any ‘rent’ payable by the customer is actually Riba. 

Some other contentions of HPPs in general include:

     b) With HPPs the Bank does not fully share the ownership risk;

In the case of HPPs, if the bank buys 80% and the customer buys 20% (as illustrated in the above example), then the bank owns the majority of the house. It should therefore be obliged to fulfil the duties of an owner and share the risk of loss. However, in an HPP, the customer pays the stamp duty, takes out the buildings insurance, and is ultimately responsible for any damage to the property. 

Also, if the value of the houses decreases, a customer who defaults under such contracts can find himself required to guarantee the bank’s original capital contribution to the property purchase, which is higher than the decreased lower price. This is called negative equity. In a true musharakah agreement, loss and gain must be shared equally. 

     c) Combination contracts

The Prophet said: 

“It is not permissible to sell something on condition that the purchaser lends you something. And it is not permissible to have two conditions in one transaction. And no profit is permissible unless possession has been taken of the goods. And you cannot sell what is not in your possession.” 67

Modern HPPs have two (or sometimes more) contracts for every purchase (co-ownership agreement, leasing agreement, service agency agreement, etc), where each contract is interdependent on the other.

   d) Islamic Banks use the LIBOR to set the rent, rather than using the local rent levels 

This does make the HPP more affordable; however, using the LIBOR (The London Inter-Bank Offered Rate) is the same method used by conventional banks to calculate interest rate averages. 

Setting rental levels in line with market interest rates is not in itself haram, just like a Muslim restaurant owner can sell non-alcoholic mocktails at the same price as alcoholic cocktails. However, linking the rent levels to LIBOR can cause gharar (gross uncertainty) in the contract. This is because the customer won’t know how much rent to pay the bank until the beginning of each new period, despite being contractually bound to rent the property for the subsequent period. If interest rates increase dramatically, then the amount of rent will also increase, and the customer may find himself locked into the payment of very high rental rate that he/she cannot afford.

     e) Fractional reserve banking and money creation 

Most of our money supply is created by private banks that deal in interest (Riba), who simply create money. Unfortunately, some Islamic banks have been found to do the same.68

     f) HPPs use hila (legal trickery) 

Islamic law also prohibits hila (legal trickery) as a mechanism to avoid clear haram acts. This can produce a usurious loan from otherwise permissible contracts. 

Scholars who oppose the current Diminishing Musharakah models offered by Islamic banks also argue that each of the steps in the transaction (i.e., buying, leasing, promising to purchase, etc) are, on their own, perfectly fine and valid according to the Sharia. However, when these transactions are combined and one agreement depends on the other, the outcome results in a Riba contract.69 

For example, in the following framework, the individual transactions mentioned below are completely halal:

• An interest-free loan (which is something that is recommended);
• A gift (which again, is something recommended); and
• A promise.

Taken individually, these three transactions are completely valid. However, if they are combined in a single contract, where one agreement is contingent on the other, the result is Riba.70

Shariah standards of the Accounting and Auditing Organisation for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI) on Diminishing Musharakah contracts

It is worth noting that although the Shariah standards of the Accounting and Auditing Organisation for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI), while recognising and approving Diminishing Musharakah contracts, they prohibit the following: 

1. The promise to purchase further shares should be independent of the partnership contract. Therefore, it is not permitted that one contract be entered into as a condition for concluding the other;
2. It is not permitted to stipulate that one partner bear all the cost of insurance and maintenance on the ground that he will eventually own the subject matter of the partnership; 
3. It is not permitted to stipulate that the equity share be acquired at their original or face value, as this would constitute a guarantee of the value of the equity shares of one partner (the bank) by the other partner, which is prohibited by the Sharia.71

Scholars who oppose the HPPs that are currently available do not permit them, as they sincerely believe it is possible to produce genuinely Shariah-compliant Islamic property financing contracts under English law. Furthermore, they feel that to permit the current models on purely contractual grounds is a flawed strategy for the Muslim community in the UK. Moreover, it is argued that this will risk the development of home purchasing products that include a proper implementation of Islamic finance principles and, therefore, may be a tool for the suppression of the beginning of an interest-free economic renaissance.72 

Scholars who champion the current HPP structures, however, have detailed responses to the above-mentioned criticisms.73 Here is a brief summary of the way they respond to some of the criticisms: 

(I) HPPs are a debt instrument, and therefore contain Riba

This is a mischaracterisation of the HPP construct because when a customer purchases a home, the following is taking place: 

• The Islamic bank is an entity that owns the freehold and holds it on trust for the customer. The customer is then gradually buying out the Islamic bank;
• Therefore, the customer is not the owner of the house from the very start.

An Islamic HPP is understood under English law to slowly facilitate the gradual transfer of beneficial ownership from the bank to the homeowner.

(II) With HPPs the Bank does not share in ownership risk fully

The Sharia allows for any party to forgo their right as long as this is mutually agreed upon. For example, a wealthy woman can forgo her right over her husband to spend on her. Therefore, whatever is mutually agreed upon before the contract is concluded must be abided by as the Prophet said: 

“The Muslims are bound by the conditions, except for a condition that forbids what is permissible or permits what is forbidden.”74

(III) HPPs use combination contracts

• HPP is based on two independent contracts; 
• As long as the two contracts can be clearly distinguishable and broken into separate parts with no interlinking, and there is clarity on the price and the items, then this would be permitted by the Sharia.  

(IV) Islamic Banks use base-rate-pegged values to set your rent, rather than using the local rent level

• There is nothing inherently wrong (impermissible) in using any external factor (including LIBOR) to calculate rent.  

The above are very simple summaries of often very highly technical arguments made by scholars who have sufficient knowledge, education, training, and practical hands-on experience, both in terms of the Sharia and the UK law (England & Wales), as well as awareness of industry expectations and norms.  

Irrespective of which side seems more convincing, it is impossible for the average Muslim (non-scholars and specialists) to take a definitive view either way, doing so would be very disingenuous. 

SECTION 5: OTHER ALTERNATIVE WAYS TO PURCHASE A HOUSE 

The final option to purchase a house is via the new models of Islamic home financing that have emerged over recent years. These are known as Shared Ownership Products and are provided by companies like WayHome, Your Home, Keyzy, CrowdToLive, Heylo, and Pfida (formerly Primary Finance), amongst others.

These models are all different from the conventional mortgages and Islamic HPPs and provide an alternative debt-free financing structure. 

From a Sharia perspective, there are currently no objections to these new Shared Ownership Products75, meaning they are fully Sharia-compliant.

However, there are some practical drawbacks, which include: 

1. Currently, these products are not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) as they act more like a landlord than a traditional bank; 
2. Customers will be paying the market rate rent on the portion that they do not own of the purchased property; 
3. Lack of FCA authorisation also means: a) with some companies, customers are not allowed to fully purchase the entire house due to tax reasons; b) other companies will charge the customer double stamp duty (as the exemption only applies to regulated institutions like Banks); c) there is less clarity and transparency as to what a customer is actually paying compared to the mortgage market (as there is no obligation for these companies to be transparent like regulated bodies); and d). Shared Ownership Products are more expensive than conventional mortgages and Islamic HPPs;
4. Accessibility is also another issue, as customers have to get onto long waiting lists (up to five years) to access some of these products. However, with companies like Pfida, investing with them can radically reduce this time on the waiting list.  

Despite this, these companies offer new and innovative ways of operating, which include: 

1. Allowing the customer to take a payment ‘holiday’ and pay through equity;
2. Supporting the customer during the process of buying and helping to vet the house, and even to negotiate the deal with the vendor;
3. Allowing customers to purchase a home with no upfront deposit and simply pay through the rental agreement; and
4. Allowing the customer to continue renting the portion of the house that the company owns with no obligation to purchase further shares. 

SECTION 6: SUMMARY

In summary, we have discussed the following: 

Option A: Renting – we have seen that acquiring a home to rent from a social landlord is almost impossible for most people. Renting from a private landlord comes at a huge risk and can be very expensive depending on where you choose to live. However, since there are obviously no Sharia objections to renting, this remains a good option for most people. 

Option B: Taking a conventional interest-based mortgage – the ‘one house for residential purposes’ rule to permit a conventional mortgage still remains the official opinion of the European Council for Fatwa and Research. This verdict is for residential homes only (not buy to let) and is limited to one per person, i.e., a home to live in, not to do business or rent out to make money from. However, from the onset, this fatwa has been extensively challenged by senior scholars and therefore remains very controversial. 

Option C: Islamic Home Purchase Plans – this option is also not free from issues. All the scholars and specialists in the field of Islamic finance will agree that Islamic HPPs are certainly far from perfect in terms of meeting the full requirements of the Sharia. The divergent Scholarly opinions range from some scholars permitting HPPs (despite their flaws) due to our modern economic and commercial context at one end of the spectrum,76 to other scholars concluding that Islamic HPPs are exactly the same as interest-based mortgages, if not worse, and therefore also haram.77     

Option D: Shared Ownership Products – these products do not have any Sharia objections; however, they are more expensive and come with practical challenges, such as accessibility, as well as structural issues relating to the lack of FCA approval and regulation. 

SECTION 7: THE RESPONSIBILITY ON THE AVERAGE MUSLIM REGARDING THIS TOPIC 

As we have seen, Option A: renting (social or private) and Option D: opting for a new type of shared ownership product are completely free from any Sharia objections, and neither option involves any kind of debt, like taking out an interest-bearing mortgage. On the other hand, purchasing a home through a conventional mortgage or an Islamic HPP remains a very controversial issue with diverse views and opinions on either side. The fatwa to permit the use of an interest-based mortgage is a matter of ijtihad (a struggle to exercise personal judgment in Islamic Law by a qualified scholar). Likewise, the current models of HPPs are also the result of scholarly ijtihad. Hence, there may never be a uniform opinion regarding either option, as opinions based on ijtihad will always have an element of doubt and never reach a state of certainty like matters where permissibility and prohibition are very clear and well known.  

The Ulema (scholars) have stated that if the fuqaha (Islamic jurists) reach the degree of ijtihad and issue a verdict, they will be rewarded for their efforts even if they are wrong, as the Prophet said:

“If a judge gives a verdict according to the best of his knowledge and his verdict is correct, he will receive a double reward, and if he gives a verdict according to the best of his knowledge and his verdict is wrong, even then he will get one reward.” 78

This Hadith exonerates the mujtahid (scholar capable of ijtihad) from sin, and promises him a reward because he is qualified to make ijtihad and he has done his absolute best, but it also clearly states that he can be mistaken.

If the scholars differ on a matter, the correct view is that one of the positions has to be incorrect, as something cannot be simultaneously halal and haram in the sight of Allah . So, what then must the average Muslim (layman) do regarding these heavily contested differences of scholarly opinion?

The answer is the following, where Allah says in the Qur’an: 

“Ask the people of knowledge if you do not know.” (Qur’an: 16:43)

The Prophet said: “If you did not know, why didn’t you ask, the cure to ignorance is to ask.”79

With heavily contested and debated issues such as this, the laity are not required to examine and understand all of the evidences and intricacies regarding both sides of the argument. However, despite this, it is still very important for Muslims to be somewhat acquainted with an overview of the various arguments offered by different scholars, as well as the drawbacks to these arguments, in order to make an informed decision if they intend to go down the route of purchasing a house. 

Even after reading through the arguments, sincerely conducting your own thorough research, consulting people of knowledge, the average Muslim will still have to largely rely on taqleed (choosing a scholar or a fatwa issuing authority) who is qualified and trustworthy, and then following that scholarly view on this particular matter. This type of taqleed is permissible for the ordinary person or even a person of knowledge who has not reached the status of Ijtihad in knowledge or in a particular field, because the one who is limited in a particular field is like an ordinary person in it.80 And if and when a person takes a decision based on a valid ijtihad, then it is impermissible for anybody to criticise him.81 

However, it is very important to note that Muslim scholars have unanimously agreed that it is totally prohibited (haram) for a Muslim to follow the compromises and concessions of scholars, such that a person finds the concession of a particular scholar and then follows it.82

A note on Muslim unity 

While these issues are fiercely debated by scholars on both sides who hold strong views regarding these matters, it is important for us not to let these issues of Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) cause any disunity amongst the Muslims.   

Allah commands us to: 

“And hold firmly together to the rope of Allah83 and do not be divided. Remember Allah’s favour upon you when you were enemies, then He united your hearts, so you – by His grace – became brothers. And you were at the brink of a fiery pit and He saved you from it. This is how Allah makes His revelations clear to you, so that you may be (rightly) guided.” [Quran: 3:103]

He also tells us that: 

“The believers are but one brotherhood, so make peace between your brothers. And be mindful of Allah so you may be shown mercy.” [Quran, 49:10]

 Regarding unity, our Prophet (saw) said: 

“The believers, in their mutual love, mercy, and compassion, are like a single body: if one part of the body feels pain, the whole body responds with sleeplessness and fever.”84 

He also said: 

“Do not envy one another, do not hate one another, do not turn away from one another, and do not undercut one another in trade; but be you, O servants of Allah, brothers.”85

Therefore, it is extremely important to ensure that no matter what opinion you follow, or how strongly you feel about a certain issue, that these matters of fiqh differences should never be the cause of sectarianism and disunity in the Ummah. 

SECTION 8: CONCLUSION 

As Muslims, we must exercise caution in regard to every aspect of our faith. 

A note on Taqwa (God-consciousness) and Wara’ (scrupulousness)

Tawqa means being God-conscious and living a life of righteousness, piety, and self-restraint from all sinful acts. 

Allah says 

“O you who have believed, have tawqa and be with those who are truthful” [Qur’an 9:19]

The Prophet said:

“Have taqwa wherever you are, follow a bad deed with a good deed and it will erase it, and behave with good character towards people.”86

Wara (scrupulousness), on the other hand, entails not only striving to stay away from things that are haram (unlawful) as well as exerting one’s best to avoid that which is disliked (makruh), but it also entails abstaining from all doubtful matters in fear of falling into haram.  Wara also means staying away from some halal things due to fear of it leading to something that is haram or makruh.  

The Prophet said: 

“The halal is clear and the haram is clear, and between them are matters unclear that are unknown to most people. Whoever avoids these unclear matters has absolved his religion and honour.”87

He also advised: 

“Leave that which you are in doubt for that which you are in no doubt.”88

The above two Hadiths indicate that when the scholars differ on a matter, it is recommended to remove oneself from the difference by doing an action that the scholars agree upon.89

The temporary nature of this life 

In the end, we must constantly remind ourselves that this world is temporary and our real home is in the Hereafter, in Paradise. 

Allah tells us that: 

“Every soul will taste death, and you will only receive your full reward on the Day of Judgment. Whoever is spared from the Fire and is admitted into Paradise will (indeed) triumph, whereas the life of this world is no more than the delusion of enjoyment.” [Qur’an: 3:185-191]

He also tells us that:

“This worldly life is no more than play and amusement, but far better is the (eternal) Home of the Hereafter for those mindful (have tawqa of Allah). Will you not then understand?” [Qur’an: 6:32] 

But if there is a real and pressing need to purchase a home, we must do so whilst maintaining our duty and faithfulness to Allah . 

After weighing out the arguments both in favour and against, as well as the practical, legal, and financial challenges, a strong contender seems to be Pfida90 for the following reasons: 

1. Debt-free

There is no obligation to purchase the company’s share of the property. There are also no early or late repayment fees for not purchasing equity.

2. Not pegged to interest

The rent is not pegged to interest rates or LIBOR. Instead, it is determined by a number of factors, including the local rental market, and annual rent reviews are capped to reduce uncertainty.

3. Affordability

The property is sold to the customer at the original purchase price, and not at the current market value. They provide rental discounts to make sure it remains affordable for the customer. 

4. True risk sharing

If the property decreases in value or there is a shortfall upon sale, proceeds are split according to respective partnership share. This is fundamentally different from a bank, which has the first call on the proceeds of a sale, and the customer may end up with nothing upon repossession.

5. Ultimate flexibility

Customers can manage their Pfida home account online to change the target equity payment when they need to or opt to pay rent only in any given month.

6. Choosing what to do with your equity 

By introducing an equity buffer, means that there is less risk of defaulting on payment. This allows the customer to pay in equity if they cannot afford the rent. They can also then purchase it back again once they are in a better financial position, in their own time.

The model adopted by Pfida is fully Sharia-compliant and seems to offer a true risk-sharing partnership. 

Allah knows best, and may His peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad , his family, and all his Companions. 

***

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Books & Articles 

1. Accounting and Auditing Organisation for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI), ‘Sharia Standards’ (Dar Al-Maiman Publishing, 2015)
2. Al-Buhuti, Shaykh Mansur, ‘Shar Muntaha al-Iraadaat’ li al-Buhuti, (www.shamela.ws)
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4. Al-Qurṭubi, Abu ‘Abdullah Muḥammad ibn Aḥmad ibn Abi Bakr ibn Farḥ al-Anṣari al-Khazraji al-Andalusi, ‘The General Judgments of the Qur’an and Clarification of what it contains of the Sunnah and Ayahs of Discrimination’, Vol. 3 Juz’ 3: Sarat al-Baqarah 254 – Sūrah Ali Imran 95 (translated by Aisha Bewley, Diwan Press Ltd). 
5. Al-Fawzan, Dr. Saalih, ‘The Summary of Islamic Jurisprudence’ (al-Maiman Publishing House, 2011), Volume 2.
6. Al-Fawzan, Dr. Saalih, ‘Shar mukhtasa ala matn zaad al-mustaqni’ (Dar al-Aasima, 2004), Volume 3. 
7. Al-Qardawi, Dr. Yusuf, ‘al-Fatawa ash-Shaadh mu’aayireha wa tatbeeqaha wa asbabuha wa kayfa nu’arlejuha wa nutawaqqarha’ (Dar ash-Sharouq, 2010)  
8. Al-Qardawi, Dr. Yusuf, ‘The Lawful and the Prohibited in Islam’ (Al-Falah Foundation, 1960)  
9. Al-Mushayqih, Dr. Khalid, ‘Qawa’id al-Aqd,’ (Kuwait, www.sda8media)
10. Al-Mushayqih, Dr. Khalid, ‘al-Khulasatu al-Qawa’id al-Fiqhiyya,’ (Raka’iz, 2024)
11. Al-Sawi, Dr. Salah ‘A Polite Reconsideration of the Fatwa Permitting Interest-Based Mortgages for Buying Homes in Western Societies’ (Translated by Usama Hasan, 21st June, 2001)
12. Al-Sa’di, Sheik Abdurahman bin Nasir, ‘Nur al-Basai’r wa al-Baab fi Ahkaam al-Ibadaat wa al-Mu’amalaat wa al-Huquq wa al-Adab’ (Dar Ibn al-Jawzy, 1420h).
13. Al-Sa’di, Sheik Abdurahman bin Nasir, ‘Shar al-Qawa’id wa al-Usool al-Jaamia’ (www.moswarat.com).
14. Al-Sa’di, Sheik Abdurahman bin Nasir, The Path of the Wayfarer (Manhaj al-Salikin), (The Islamic Literary Foundation, 2014 – translated from Arabic by S. ‘Abd al-Hamid). 
15. Al-Sa’di, Sheik Abdurahman bin Nasir, ‘Maxims of Fiqh,’ (al-Qawa’id al-Fiqhiyyah) (Dar Makkah International, 2015 – translated from Arabic by Abu Fatimah Azhar Majothi).
16. As-Shithry, Dr. Sa’d ibn Nasir, Shar Nur al-Basai’r wa al-Baab fi Ahkaam al-Ibadaat wa al-Mu’amalaat wa al-Huquq wa al-Adab (Dar Kunuz Ishbayliya, Riyadh 2014).
17. As-Shithry, Dr. Sa’d ibn Nasir, ‘Usul al-Fiqh for the Muslim who is not a Mujtahid’ (translated by AbdulWahid Stephenson, Insight into Islam Publications, 2022).
18. As-Suyuthi, Jalaluddin, ‘Asbah wa an-Naza’ir fi Qawa’id wa Furu’ Fiqhi Shafi’I,’ (https://shamela.ws)
19. At-Turayfi, Abdul-Aziz Marzouq, ‘Tafsir wa al-Bayaan li ahkaami al-Qur’an,’ (Dar Minhaaj, Riyadh 2018)
20. Al-Haj, Dr. Hatem, ‘Umdat al-Fiqh Explained: A Commentary on Ibn Qudamah’s The Reliable Manual of Fiqh,’ Volume 1: Fiqh of Worship and Commerce (International Islamic Publishing House, 2019). 
21. Al-Haj, Dr. Hatem, Managing Our Disagreement (online)
22. Al-Haddad, Dr. Haitham, ‘The Islamic Mortgage: Paradigm Shift or Trojan Horse?’ (islam21c.com, 2006)
23. Al-Haddad, Dr. Haitham, ‘Islamic Ijara Mortgages by HSBC and Other Banks,’ (islam21c.com, 2004)
24. Al-Qahtani, Dr. Syed ibn Ali Wahf, ‘Ar-Riba: idraruhu wa aatharuhu fi daw’e al-kitab was as-sunnah,’ (1984, alukah.net)
25. al-Uthaymeen, Shaykh Saalih, ‘Shar Mumti ala zaad al-Mustaqni’ (Dar Ibn Jawzi, 2005), vol. 8
26. al-Uthaymeen, Shaykh Saalih, ‘Shar Usool min al-ilm al-Usool’ (Dar Ibn Jawzi, 2001). 
27. At-Turki, Sulayman ibn Turki, ‘Bay’ at-Taqseet wa Ahkamuhu,’ (Dar Shibelia, KSA, 2003)
28. Ghazali, Nasrun Mohamad, Sawari, Mohd. Fuad Md, Ghalia, Bouhedda and Alhabshi, Syed Musa Syed Jaafar, ‘The Fiqh Maxim Al-Ghunm Bi Al-Ghurm: A Critique on Interpretation of the Maxim Relating to the Risk-Return Concept in Islamic Banking and Finance,’ (ISRA International Journal of Islamic Finance, Volume 16, Number 2, 2024)
29. Ibn Taymiyyah, Taqi al-Din, ‘al-Qawa’id al-Nuraniyah’ (Dar Ibn Jawzi, 2012)
30. Ibn Nujaym, Zain al-Abideen ibn Ibrahim bin Muahmmed al-Shaheer bi ‘Asbah wa an-Naza’ir ala Madhab Abi Hanifa an-Nu’man’ (Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyya, 1999)
31. Isma’eel, Dr. Mohammed Bakr, ‘al-Qawa’id al-Fiqhiyya baina al-asa’la wa tawjih,’ (Dar Manar, 1997). 
32. Khattab, Dr. Mustafa ‘The Clear Quran’ (theclearquran.org) 
33. Khan, Ibrahim ‘Islamic Mortgages are a debt and therefore haram – Why this Analysis is Mistaken’ (islamicfinanceguru.com)
34. Khan, Ibrahim ‘What is An Islamic Mortgage? Why is it Islamic?’ (islamicfinanceguru.com)
35. Philips, Dr. Abu Ameenah Bilal ‘A Commentary on Usool al-Fiqh Made Easy,’ (United Arab Emirates, 2003)
36. Ramli, Muhamad Amirol bin, ‘ISC550 – Qawaid Fiqhiyya – Kitab Review – Book Review – Ashbah wan Nazair fi Qawaid wa Furu’ Fiqh Syafi’yyah – Jalahuddin as-Suyuti,’ (MARA University of Technology, www.researchgate.net/publication/371137887, 2023)
37. Saleem, Haider, ‘Pros and Cons of an Islamic Mortgage’ (www.islamicfinanceguru.com)
38. Saleem, Haider ‘What Makes an Islamic Mortgage Halal?’ (islamicfinanceguru.com)
39. Sharief, Dr Salah, ‘Buying a House with a Mortgage: A Muslim’s Dilemma’ (www.linkedin.com, May 2024)
40. Saiti, Buerhan & Abdullah, Adam. ‘The Legal Maxims of Islamic Law (Excluding Five Leading Legal Maxims) and Their Applications in Islamic Finance,’ (JKAU: Islamic Econ., Vol. 29 No. 2, pp: 139-151 (July 2016) DOI: 10.4197 / Islec. 29-2.12
41. Umar, Dr. Shaykh Sajid, ‘Fatwa: Student Loans are Permissible’ (www.islam21c.com)
42. Yusuf, Bassam ibn Sulayman ibn Ali, ‘Hilyatu adh-Dhakha’in wal-adab bi-shar Nur al-Basai’r wa al-baab’ (Waqfiyyatu at-Tahbir, 2018). 
43. ‘Al-Qawa’id Al-Fiqhiyyah (Legal Maxims of Islamic Jurisprudence): A Translated Compilation’ – written by Islamic University of North America (Mishkah), 2013
44. Lecture notes from ‘The Coherence of the Sharia’ by Dr. Hatem al-Haj 

Websites 

1. www.qur’an.com
2. www.aboutislam.com
3. www.tenantsupporthelpline.co.uk
4. www.prince-evans.co.uk 
5. www.shelter.org.uk
6. www.aaoifi.com
7. www.amjaonline.org
8. www.islamicfinanceguru.com
9. https://iceurope.org/
10. www.pfida.com
11. www.e-cfr.org
12. https://shamela.ws

 Lectures

1. Islamic Finance Q&A – Dr. Yasir Qadhi and Dr Main Al-Quda (www.youtube.com)
2. Islamic Financing / Mortgages – Dr. Yasir Qadhi and Dr Hatem Al-Haj (www.youtube.com)
3. Leasing a Car with instalment payments at a Higher Price – Dr. Yasir Qadhi (www.youtube.com)
4. What every Muslim Needs to know about Riba – Dr. Yasir Qadhi (www.youtube.com)
5. Ruling on Mortgages & ‘Sharia Compliant’ Loans – Dr. Yasir Qadhi (www.youtube.com)
6. Islamic Mortgages: Everything you need to know, how they work, where to get one and how (www.youtube.com)
7. Where to get a UK Islamic Mortgage in 2024? (www.youtube.com)
8. Are Conventional Mortgages halal if there’s no alternative? (www.youtube.com)
9. Islamic Mortgage Alternative – Primary Finance – The Deep Dive (www.youtube.com)
10. Is Islamic Banking Really Islamic? An insider’s view with Harris Irfan (www.youtube.com)
11. No Riba House for Muslims Finally – Pfida’s Home Provision Scheme (www.youtube.com)
12. The Riba Series – Mufti Faraz Adam (www.youtube.com)
13. The Coherence of the Sharia – Dr. Hatem al-Haj (www.youtube.com)
14. Khulasa Qawa’id al-Fiqhiyya – Al-Mushayqih, Dr. Khalid (www.youtube.com)

 

1     Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Qur’an.com)2    aboutislam.com3    Ibid4    Narrated by Ahmed (15409), classed as Saheeh by al-Albaani in ‘Saheeh al-Jaami,’ no. 30295    Classed as Saheeh by al-Albaani in ‘Saheeh al-Jaami,’ no. 8876    From a report narrated by al-Tirmidhi (3500), classed as Hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’ (1265)7    www.tenantsupporthelpline.co.uk/blog/uk-housing-crisis/8    www.prince-evans.co.uk 9    https://england.shelter.org.uk/professional_resources/policy_and_research/policy_library/consultation_response_pay_to_stay10    https://england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/eviction/eviction_notices_from_private_landlords11    Two million private renters put up with poor conditions to find a home (Shelter, May 2022)12    Dr. Al-Haj, ‘Umdat al-Fiqh Explained,’ p. 479-840. ‘Umdat ul-Fiqh’ is a summary of the fiqh of Ahmed ibn Hanbal by one of the greatest jurists of the Hanbali Madhab, Imam Ibn Qudamah al-Maqdisi (1147-1223).13    Sahih Muslim 2664 14    Adab al-Mufrad (297) by Imam Bukhari, graded Sahih according to al-Albaani15    Sunan Ibn Majah 214416     ‘Muntaha al-Iraadaat’ by Taqi ad-Din Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Fatuhi al-Hanbali (died 1520) also known as Ibn an-Najar is based on the official opinions of the Hanbali Madhhab. This is taken from Shar Muntaha al-Iraadaat li al-Buhuti (Maktaba al-Shamela), by Imam Yunus al-Buhuti (1592 – 1641) who was one of the greatest specialists of the Hanbali Madhab.17    This is taken from ‘The Summary of Islamic Jurisprudence’ By Dr Shaykh Dr Saalih Al-Fawzan which is based on his explanation of ‘Ar-Rawdul-Murbi’ fi Sharh Zadul-Mastaqni’ (vol 2, p. 9), by Imam Yunus al-Buhuti (1592 – 1641) was one of the greatest specialists of the Hanbali Madhab. 18    al-Sa’di, ‘Nur al-Basai’r’ (1991), p. 3219    al-Buhuti, ‘Shar Muntaha al-Iraadaat,’ (Maktaba al-Shamela)20    Dr. al-Fawzan, ‘The Summary of Islamic Jurisprudence’ (vol 2, p. 19-20).21    Abu Dawud (3594) [4/16] and At-Tirmidhi (1352) [3/634]22    At-Tirmidhi (1234) [3/533] and An-Nasa’i (4646) [4/340]23    Al-Bukhari (2155) [4/467] and Muslim (3756) [5/380]24    The Prophet (saw) said: “Both the buyer and the seller have the option (of cancelling or confirming a deal) as long as they have not parted and are still together.” Al-Bukhari (2112) [4/420] and Muslim (3833) [5/415]25    Dr. al-Fawzan, ‘Summary of Islamic Jurisprudence,’ vol 2, p. 23-34 and Dr. al-Mushayqih, ‘al-Khulasatu al-Qawa’id al-Fiqhiyya,’ p 42-43.26     Al-Bukhari (2766) [5/481] and Muslim (258) [1/273]27    . Classically, Scholars have categorised Riba differently; however, this is the categorisation of contemporary Ulema (scholars). The only difference between the classical and the contemporary scholars is the way it is presented. 28    at-Turayfi, ‘Tafsir wa al-Bayaan li ahkaami al-Qur’an,’ (2018), p. 54929    Muslim (4039) [6/16/ and Ahmed (9605) [2/438]30    Muslim (4039) [6/16/ and Ahmed (9605) [2/438]31    Dr. al-Haj, ‘Umdat al-Fiqh Explained,’ p. 527.32     Sunan Ibn Majah, Chapter (19) Lending, 243033    Dr. al-Haj, ‘Umdat al-Fiqh Explained,’ p. 52734    Ibid, p. 53135    At-Turayfi, ‘Tafsir wa al-Bayaan li ahkaami al-Qur’an.’ p. 54936    Ibid, p. 54937    Abu Hurayrah (ra) reported that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said: “Allah said: ‘Whoever shows hostility to a close servant of mine (walee’), I have declared war upon him…” Al-Bukhari (6502) 38    Narrated by Ahmed, Abu Dawud, An-Nasa’I, and Ibn Majah, and also by at-Tirmidhi who graded it as as-Sahih. 39    Dr. al-Qardawi, ‘The Lawful and the Prohibited in Islam’ (1960), p. 263 40    Dr. al-Haj, ‘Umdat al-Fiqh Explained,’ p. 499-50041    Dr. al-Qarwadi, ‘The Lawful and the Prohibited in Islam,’ p. 26342    Dr. al-Haj, ‘Umdat al-Fiqh Explained,’ p. 52143    Dr. al-Haj, ‘Umdat al-Fiqh Explained,’ p. 49444    The use of an intermediary finance company who loan the customer money on a fixed rate of interest is the most common way car finance is arranged in the UK. These companies will usually lend money on interest to the buyer in order to help the with the purchase of the product (in our case a new car). The buyer will then pay back the loan with the added interest which equates to Riba and is therefore prohibited. 45    al-Buhuti, ‘Shar Muntaha al-Iraadaat,’ (Maktaba al-Shamela).46    Ibid47    Ibid48    Ibid49    Ibid50    Ibid51    Sa’ is an old measurement. One Sa’ equates to three litres. 52    Bukhari and Muslim53    In the UK, conventional and Islamic banks also oblige the customer to insure the house in order to protect themselves against loss in the case of a fire or natural disasters. The discussion on the Islamic ruling on commercial insurance is beyond the scope of this article. Please refer to a competent scholar or reputable fiqh council. 54    www.c-cfr.org55    This excludes taking a conventional interest-based (Riba) mortgage for a business property or for the purpose of renting out that property in order to benefit from the rental income. 56    www.c-cfr.org57    Dr. as-Sawi, ‘A Polite Reconsideration of the Fatwa Permitting Interest-Based Mortgages for Buying Homes in Western Societies’ (2001) p. 70-8558    Ibid, p. 65-6659    Dr. al-Mushayqih, ‘al-Khulasatu al-Qawa’id al-Fiqhiyya’ (2024)60    Ibid. p. 14261    For a details discussion on Islamic legal maxims related specifically to financial contracts please refer to ‘Qawa’id al-Aqd,’ by Dr Khalid al-Mushaqih (Professor of Islamic Law at Qaseem Islamic University, KSA). 62    Dr. al-Mushaqih, ‘Qawa’id al-Aqd,’ p. 12. According to this rule, it is not necessary for banks or other lending institutions to place ‘halal’ certificates on their websites. Rather, it is for those who disagree with their model to show that the product contains a prohibited feature. Nevertheless, due to the spread of Riba and other haram (unlawful) features in most contemporary financial transactions and to gain consumer confidence, the practice of publicising ‘Sharia compliant’ certificates has become common.63    Dr. al-Mushaqih, ‘Qawa’id al-Aqd,’ p. 4364    Dr. al-Mushayqih, ‘al-Khulasatu al-Qawa’id al-Fiqhiyya’ (2024), p 12. This subsidiary Maxim comes under the major Maxim ‘matters are judged by the intention behind them.’65    At the time of writing (July 2025), these three are the most commons type of HPPs available and since Islamic finance is forever developing, there may be different models available in the future. 66    Dr. Abdul Sattar Abu Ghuddah (rh), Dr Shaykh Nizam Yaqubi, Mufti Faraz Ahmed and others. This information can be found on the websites and Sharia Compliant Certificates of different HPP providers. 67    Narrated by Ahmad, Abu Dawud, at-Tirmidhi and Nisa’i; classed as Sahih by many scholars68    Haider, ‘Pros and Cons of an Islamic Mortgage’ (www.islamicfinanceguru.com)69    Dr al-Haddad, ‘Islamic Ijara Mortgages by HSBC and Other Banks,’ (2004)70    Ibid71    AAOIFI Sharia Standards, (2015), p. 346 – 34872     Dr al-Haddad, ‘The Islamic Mortgage: Paradigm Shift or Trojan Horse?’ (2006)73    Khan, ‘Islamic Mortgages are a debt and therefore haram’ (islamicfinanceguru.com)74    Narrated by at-Tirmidhi (1352)75     Please note these new debt-free Shared Ownership Products are NOT the same as the older and widely known shared ownership products that have been available on the open market for the past two decades where the customer takes out an interest-baring mortgage to purchase a share in the property and then pays rent for the remaining share which is usually owed by a housing association. 76    Dr. Abdul Sattar Abu Ghuddah, Dr Shaykh Nizam Yaqubi, Mufti Faraz Ahmed and others. This information can be found on the website or Sharia Compliant Certificates of different HPP providers.77    Dr. al-Haddad, ‘The Islamic Mortgage: Paradigm Shift or Trojan Horse?’ (2006)78    Sahih al-Bukhari 7352, Sahih Muslim 171679    Sunan Abi Dawud 33680    Dr Philips, ‘A Commentary on Usool al-Fiqh Made Easy,’ p.223-22481    Dr as-Shithry, ‘Usul al-Fiqh for the Muslim who is not a Mujtahid’ (2022), p. 3882    Ibid, p.2083    Allah’s covenant84    Sahih Muslim85    Sahih al-Bukhari86    Sunan at-Tirmidhi 198787    Bukhari and Muslim88    At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasa’I and Ahmed89    Dr as-Shithry, ‘Usul al-Fiqh for the Muslim who is not a Mujtahid’ (2022), p. 38.90    This is the position of The Islamic Council of Europe (Shaykh Dr Haitham al-Haddad and Shaykh Dr Sajid Umar).

The post To Buy Or Not To Buy, That Is The Question: An Analysis Of Possible Home Purchasing Options For Muslims In The UK appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

Cryptocurrency is Deek’s last chance to succeed in life, and he will not stop, no matter what.

Previous Chapters: 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 | Part 17

“The example of those who spend their wealth in the cause of Allah is that of a grain that sprouts into seven ears, each bearing one hundred grains. And Allah multiplies ˹it more˺ to whoever He wills. For Allah is All-Bountiful, All-Knowing.” – Quran 2:261

Anonymous Gift

Deek went to the hospital gift shop, bought a t-shirt with an image of Yosemite Valley, changed in the restroom, and stuffed his dirty red shirt and suit jacket into a plastic bag.

On impulse, he took a rideshare to Masjid Madinah. It was not even close to Dhuhr time, but the musalla would be open. He made a generous wudu’, washing himself thoroughly. Wearing one of the backpacks and carrying the other, he entered the musalla. It was cool and quiet, with thick carpets, calligraphic paintings on the wall, and no sound but the turning of the ceiling fan. There was no one there except Imam Saleh, sitting in a corner, reading the Quran. Deek waved to him, then prayed. It felt good to lower his head before Allah.

When he finished his prayer, he handed one of the backpacks to Imam Saleh and murmured, “Donation for the masjid.” Not waiting for a response, he walked out.

As he stood in front of the masjid, swaying with exhaustion, Imam Saleh came hurrying out, carrying the backpack. He was a tall man with midnight-black skin, a sharp nose, and a fist-length beard, wearing a gray thobe, Arab slippers, and beige kufi.

“Brother Deek! Are you sure about this? It’s a lot of money.”

Deek gave him a weary look. “You’re not going to refuse it, are you?”

“That depends. Are you sure you can afford it? Your first obligation is to your family.”

“I guess you haven’t heard about my situation. Yes, I’m sure.”

Saleh smiled. “I don’t listen to gossip. Why, what is your situation?”

Deek sighed. Might as well tell him, why not? “I made a lot of money in the cryptocurrency market. More than I could have imagined. But I’m struggling a bit.”

Saleh nodded slowly. “Any rapid change in life can be disconcerting. But remember that there is one relationship that never changes.”

“You mean between me and Allah.”

“Exactly. No matter how much wealth you have, you are destitute before Allah. You need him now as much as ever. More, in fact. Keep to the deen, keep your salat. They will steady you and keep you on the lighted path. In any case, alhamdulillah. I’ll announce this donation to the community, it will fire them up and bring in more, inshaAllah.”

Deek nodded. “Don’t mention my name, please. Strictly anonymous.”

The Imam gave a half shrug. “MashaAllah. Good for you, akhi.” He looked up and down the street. “Do you need a ride?”

Deek gave a tired smile. “It’s okay.”

“Come see me,” the Imam said, “if you’d like to talk about anything at all.”

Atop the Covers

Back in his hotel room, he wanted to take a scalding hot shower, change his clothes, and make himself a big breakfast with the groceries he’d bought a few days before. But he had no energy to even order room service. Not even taking off his street-stained pants, nor the heavy knife that hung from his hip, he dropped the remaining backpack on the floor and collapsed into the huge bed, lying atop the covers. It was as if the bed were a grave that opened up to greet him.

Morro Rock

As he fell asleep, he heard the fountain splashing gently. It brought up a memory of sitting on the beach with Rania, listening to the waves lapping the shore. It was the first vacation they’d taken together. They’d been together for a year, and saved a little money, so they’d said goodbye to the sweltering Central Valley summer and spent a week in Morro Bay, where the sun shone gently and the cooling fog rolled in off the sea.

They rented bicycles and rode out to the amazing Morro Rock, rising sheer out of the coastal water like the head of an awakening colossus. They took a bay cruise and spotted sea otters and dolphins. Visited the skateboard museum, of all things. And enjoyed the king-sized bed in the motel room. That bed had been almost as comfortable as this one.

He had a vague thought that there was something he was supposed to do today. But darkness crept in around the edges of his mind, and he could not remember. The bubbling of the fountain was a siren song that pulled him down. Soon he fell into a mile-deep sleep, even as the sun rose high in the sky outside, casting sharp-edged shadows through the curtains.

Pain and a Pant Suit

Rania Al-Rashid stepped out of her house and took a breath, letting the late morning sun warm her face. She pressed a hand into the hollow of her aching lower back and rubbed it in circles. It helped a little. But the ache never went away entirely. This time, the pain had been activated the day Deek left, when she fell on her tailbone in the driveway.

This morning, she’d rolled out of bed and fallen onto her hands and knees. Desperately swallowing two naproxen tablets, she waited until the agony retreated, like a hyena knowing it would not make a kill this day.

Nevertheless, she looked good, and she knew it. She wore a gray rayon pant suit with a four-button waistcoat and a two-button silk-lined jacket, atop a white dress shirt. Her gray hijab was tucked into the shirt. Her low-heeled black cabaret loafers were comfortable yet professional.

She’d parked her gold colored Honda Accord on one side of the driveway, in case Deek came home and wanted to park his Porsche in the garage. She walked to it and swiped a finger across the roof. The car needed a wash.

She had a complicated relationship with cars. You couldn’t function in a widely spread country town like Fresno without a car. But driving made Rania nervous.

The Accident

Her mind went back – as it had so many times, whether she wanted it to or not – to that day when her father had let her borrow the family Camry to drive her younger brother, Hasan, to his soccer game. It was a Saturday morning in spring. She was seventeen years old and had just gotten her license a month before.

Hasan sat in the passenger seat, chewing sunflower seeds and spitting them into a paper cup. The windows were down. She was listening to music on the radio and dancing in the seat, obeying traffic laws but not really paying attention, not scanning her mirrors or looking right and left as she’d been taught in driving school. The light turned green at Maroa and Ashlan, and Rania started forward immediately. She never saw the pickup barreling through the red light until the screech of tires split the air and the rear of the Camry lifted like a kicked can.

She remembered the sound—like a steel drum splitting in two. Then pain, like a white flash in her lower back. Not sharp, but deep, as if something important had been torn or jarred loose. There was no blood—only sunflower seed shells on her face and in her hair.

Hasan was shaken, but fine. Rania was hospitalized for two days, and then released with instructions on how to care for her back. Exercises, rest, ice, and medication only when she needed it.

The pain receded for a while, then returned like a stalker—during college finals, during shifts on her feet, during pregnancy. Now it was a familiar companion, flaring under stress then fading, but always waiting.

There were moments when she thought she couldn’t take it anymore and would go mad. Then there were times when she was grateful for the pain, wallahi, she welcomed it, because it was teaching her. It humbled her, and reminded her of what mattered in life. It kept her dependent on Allah.

She could be annoyed by a thousand things, from a colleague who chewed gum noisily to not having eggs in the fridge; but when she was in pain, all she wanted was for the pain to disappear. Nothing else mattered.

So when the pain disappeared for a time, she found herself deeply grateful, and aware of the beauty that permeated the world. The neighbor’s cat, sunning itself on her back patio, was a living miracle. The taste of raspberry yogurt, the weight of Deek’s hand in hers, Sanaya and Amira’s good health, all these things were monumental blessings, and Rania was all the more aware of them because of her constant, nagging teacher, whose name was Pain.

To this day, she could not stand sunflower seeds, however.

Looking for Signs

She got in the car and headed to her meeting. Her daughters were meeting Deek for lunch in just a little while. Rania had not been invited, but might have tagged along anyway, just for the opportunity to talk to her husband. But this meeting with the architect was important.

She had done a tremendous amount of research in preparation for this meeting. She had $100,000 to spend to build Deek his own full-sized home office and library. It would be fully equipped with its own bathroom, a hardwood desk, split AC and ceiling fan, leather sofa, and wall-to-wall bookshelves. The $100K was all the money that Deek had left her. She could not spend a penny more. It would have to be enough.

Would this bring Deek back to her? Allahu a’lam. There was no way to know. But she knew Deek; he was always looking for “signs.” Before they had married, he once asked, “What if I wanted to move away from here, would you be okay with that?” And she replied, “I would go with you to Nepal, Antarctica, or the Burmese jungle. As long as we are together.” He later told her that was the sign he was looking for.

More recently, after he’d put in a few years of work on the cryptocurrency thing with no success, Rania had occasionally suggested – gently – that perhaps it was time to go back to teaching. But Deek insisted he was waiting for a sign.

This office would be his sign, as well as a concrete expression of her regret for doubting him, and for the five years he’d spent working in the walk-in closet. Deek was a highly intelligent man, and she should have trusted his ability.

During these days apart, she had missed his embraces, and the way he always lightened her mood after a long day at work. She missed his back massages, so helpful when the pain flared up. She missed his lame jokes (Why did the cell phone see a therapist? Because it kept feeling drained). She even missed his well-intentioned -though clumsy- help in the kitchen.

She didn’t care about the money, truly. He could keep it all for himself, or give it all away, and she would not utter a peep. She just wanted her husband back, the father of her children, the man she loved.

Design Negotiations

The architect’s office was located in a stylish building with a metallic facade that swept up into the shape of a sail. Rania stepped into the sunny conference room clutching a slim binder. She ignored the pain in her back, which was tolerable at the moment – merely an annoying and insistent reminder of the steady grind of time and age. Overall, she felt calm and professional, even if the film of sweat on her forehead said otherwise.

Across the glass table, Mr. Lewis—her architect—spread out a set of glossy renderings for the new office/library addition. He gave her a warm smile.

Mr. Lewis was a big, broad-shouldered man with close-cropped red hair. He looked more like a football player than an architect. But, she told herself, that wasn’t fair. People judged her on her appearance every day. She shouldn’t do the same to others.

“Looks great, Mrs. Al-Rashid,” he said. “To hit these design goals—built-in walnut shelving, clerestory windows, radiant-heated stone floor—you’re looking at about $160 a square foot once permits, engineering, contractor fees, and finishes are rolled in.”

Rania opened her binder. “That’s over my budget,” she said evenly. “And over the standard rate. I’ve reviewed the California Residential Cost Data. Fresno averages are closer to $130 per square foot for mid-range builds. So you can deal with me fairly, or I’ll find someone else for the job.”

Mr. Lewis smiled thinly. “I assure you I was not trying to cheat you, if that’s what you’re implying. You wanted walnut shelving and radiant stone flooring. Those are premium features and cost more. But if you switch to painted MDF and simple porcelain tile, we could shave 15%. I can get you down to that $130 target. You just have to work with me and trust me. I’m an honest businessman.”

Rania nodded, feeling chastised. “Very well. I’ll need an itemized spreadsheet. And since I’ve already applied for our Fresno permit, include any plan-check resubmittal fees.”

Mr. Lewis grinned. “You’ve done your homework. You sound like a pro.” He began typing on his laptop.

After twenty minutes of discussion, reviewing options, and note-taking, Mr. Lewis rapped on the table. “Okay. With the adjustments we’ve made, we’re at $130 per square foot. That’ll leave you room in your $100,000 budget for furniture and lighting.”

Rania offered a small, satisfied smile. “Perfect. Let’s move forward.”

She stepped out of the office already sketching a new quilt pattern in her head. This quilt would go on the wall and would be the perfect finishing touch to Deek’s dream workspace.

Masjid Treasures

Zaid Karim pulled up to Masjid Madinah just in time for Dhuhr prayer. His assistant Jalal sat in the passenger seat.

He’d spoken to Aunt Faiza that morning and learned that she’d talked to Jamilah late last night, California time. Jamilah had narrated the dream of a Palestine in Jannah, and Munir’s presence there.

“I’ve been telling everyone about the dream,” Faiza said. “It gives people hope, including me. It is spreading quickly.”

When Zaid told her that he was sending her thirty thousand dollars, she said, “Allah bless you Zaid, but what I truly wish is to see you. I need family by my side.”

Zaid could not say no to that, and had booked a flight to Amman immediately. He would pray Dhuhr and be on his way, leaving the car with Jalal.

In Masjid Madinah there were a dozen people gathered for salat, including men and women. Zaid knew most of them:

Faraz, the Bangladeshi facilities manager, was obsessed with cryptocurrency. Bayyinah, a Syrian hafiza with a gentle voice, was a mother of seven but always had time to teach Quran. And of course, Imam Saleh, tall and traditionally dressed as always. He was highly educated and was the kindest man Zaid knew.

These people were regulars. Deeply faithful, productive individuals, all of them carried their own special lights, shining in a color like no other, serving the community in a way that no one else could. Each of them was a treasure, and a representation of what a Muslim should be.

It was wonderful to visit grand masjids in other countries, but there was nothing like praying in your local masjid, because it was your second home, and home was the place that always took you in. It didn’t matter whether it was fancy or bare-bones, because you were standing in front of Allah, Master of the universe, Who at the same time knew and cared for every crawling ant, every plant stretching to the sun, and every man or woman weeping in the dark.

A Favor

After salat, Zaid sat cross-legged in front of Imam Saleh.

“I’m leaving for Amman. Make dua’ for my trip to be successful, and for my Aunt Faiza, as her son Munir just returned to Allah.”

Imam Saleh put a hand atop Zaid’s hand. “Of course, akhi. May I ask a favor? Will you have time for a side trip?”

Zaid was surprised that the Imam would have anything for him to do in the Middle East, but if there was anyone in the world he trusted fully, it was this man.

“We have a relationship,” the Imam explained, “with a Palestinian refugee camp outside Amman. It’s called the Gaza Camp. You may know that Gazan refugees in Jordan have trouble obtaining services like education and healthcare. And many are hungry.”

Zaid was surprised to hear this. “No, I didn’t know.”

“Could I give you money to deliver to the camp? You can give it directly to the UNRWA administrator, his name is Hamid Sabah. He’ll use it to buy food aid and health care supplies. Or if you’re in any way uncomfortable, you can rent a truck and buy flour, rice, and beans yourself, and deliver it.”

“I’m fine with delivering the money to Hamid. I’d be happy to.”

Imam Saleh opened a backpack that had been sitting against the wall. It was stuffed with cash. The Imam counted out one hundred thousand dollars and put it into a plastic bag for Zaid.

“MashaAllah! Where did this come from?”

“Anonymous donor. Just this morning, actually.”

Zaid gave a sly smile. “Is the anonymous donor tall like you, with curly hair, and named after a rooster?”

Saleh lifted his eyebrows in genuine surprise. “You truly are a detective. But as I said, it’s anonymous. I cannot confirm or deny.”

As Zaid left the masjid, he asked Allah once again to bless Deek Saghir. The man was like a blind and good-hearted elephant, crashing through the forest, knocking down trees and injuring himself, but in the process opening up paths and sowing the seeds of growth.

Half My Kingdom

Deek dreamed again that he was a treasure hunter, but this time he had finally found the treasure!

The desert burned like a sea of molten glass, but the weight of his haul—ancient coins, velvet sacks of gems, golden statuettes—was a crown of impending power. Riding slowly across the desert, swaying atop the camel’s back, he could already hear the clink of payment, feel the gazes of admiration, taste the gratitude owed to him. The wind carried the echo of plans: new houses, debts erased, favors bought, and most of all, vindication.

He barely noticed his lips cracking, the river of sweat down his spine, the cottony roughness in his throat. His waterskin was empty, but no matter. Water could be found.

The desert betrayed him. The familiar wells on the caravan maps were bone-dry, as if the earth had swallowed its own mercy.

He staggered on. The treasure grew heavier by the moment. His throat was a hot chimney full of ashes. He dropped to his knees, the soft sand giving no comfort.

Then she appeared.

Queen Latifa’s robes were the color of weathered stone and twilight. Her eyes held the quiet depth of a well that had never run dry. She carried a single waterskin, ordinary in shape, and held it out with both hands.

“Latifah,” he croaked. “I’m so happy to see you. I need water.”

Her gaze didn’t flicker. She didn’t smile. She asked, simply, “What will you trade?”

“But you’re my friend.”

She withdrew the waterskin, hiding it in her coat.

“Half!” Deek gasped. The words came fast, his thirst overriding all considerations. “Half of my treasure.”

She handed him the waterskin, and he tipped it back and drank. Coolness slid down his throat like a balm. He tipped it back further and drank more, and yet more, greedily, until the skin was empty and his belly was full. He was saved.

A deal was a deal. He began unloading his packs, dividing everything in half.

Soon, he felt the need to relieve himself. He had drunk too much too fast. He continued to divide the treasure until the job was done. Hoisting her half onto impossibly strong shoulders, Latifah walked away.

Deek’s need to relieve himself was urgent. He walked behind a large rock, but release would not come. The pressure in his bladder became sharp and unrelenting. He doubled over, his breath catching in bursts. Any moment, his bladder would burst, and he would die. He stumbled to his remaining treasure and plunged his hands into a pile of coins. They were worthless.

Latifah appeared as if she had never left. She watched him with the same still weight.

He looked up at her, eyes wide. “What do you want? I cannot answer nature’s call. I am dying.”

“What would you give for release?” Her tone held no scorn, only the quiet truth of arithmetic.

“The other half. Take it all.”

“You are free.”

Deek stumbled behind the stone again and relieved himself, weeping in relief. When he returned, having cleansed his hands with hot sand, Latifah was still there. She studied him closely.

“What is a treasure worth,” she asked, “If you would give half to take water in, and the other half to let it out?”

Deek had no reply. The treasure lay dully on the desert floor, for Latifah had not taken it. Deek’s chest heaved. He felt smaller than the grains of sand, and the desert’s vast emptiness felt like a reflection of the hole inside him.

Latifah grinned, and suddenly she was his old friend again, the one who sang, acted, dispensed wisdom, and ate mac ‘n cheese at two in the morning. “Catch you on the flip, brother Deek. Last word: Be a good husband and a good dad.” She walked away, vanishing into a mirage.

Her words seemed to echo: “Dad… Baba… Dad…”

Surprise Visitors

“Dad!”

“Baba!”

He tried to open his eyes, but they were crusted shut. Reaching up, he found a bandage on the left eye. That’s right… He was blind in that eye. Rubbing the crust out of the right eye, he opened it.

He was in the hotel room, lying face-up on the rumpled bed, one arm dangling toward the floor, still wearing the filthy suit pants he’d had on when he was attacked and fell in the gutter. The knife was still in its sheath, but had twisted beneath him, causing his belt to tighten uncomfortably around his waist. His red shirt and jacket spilled from a plastic bag at the foot of the bed.

Sanaya and Amira stood above him. Their eyes roamed the palatial suite, then returned to him.

“Baba?” Amira whispered. She reached out, gently touching his shoulder. “What happened to you? You look like you’ve been in a war.”

Deek blinked his right eye blearily. “Girls?” His voice was husky, throat thick. “What are you doing here? How did you get in?”

“We have a lunch date!” Amira protested. “We got the maid to let us in.”

“What happened to your forehead and your eye?” Sanaya demanded. She placed her fists on her hips, just as her mother did when she was angry. “Why are you wearing a knife? What on earth is going on here, Dad?”

* * *

[Part 19 will be published next week inshaAllah]

 

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:

Trust Fund And A Yellow Lamborghini: A Short Story

If Not You, Then Who?

 

The post Moonshot [Part 18] – Half My Kingdom appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

الحمد لله رب العالمين والصلاة والسلام على رسوله الكريم وسيد المرسلين وعلى آله وصحبه أجمعين

[The detailed work of al-Imām Abī ʿAbdullāh Shihāb al-Dīn al-Tūrbishtī al-Ḥanafī, Maṭlab al-Nāsik fī ʿIlm al-Manāsik, contains sections on the virtues of the Levant and its people, its importance now, in the past, and in the end of times, followed by a section on al-Aqṣā, a translation of which may similarly follow. All of these shed light on the spirit of the Levantine peoples, particularly the Palestinians, in light of current events, for where many others would break apart in the advent of such atrocities—in the face of the loss of families, bloodlines, destruction of homes and one’s homeland as well as all that he had ever known—the Palestinian, as Taha Abderrahmane succinctly indicates, remains to be the embodiment of the Perfect Man (al-Insān al-Kāmil) in our age, proclaiming God’s praise and treading forward with duty regardless of what befalls him. This is not detached from the blessings the Levantine lands have been imbued with. As such, there may hardly ever be a more appropriate time to recount their virtues and significance—not to succumb to the civilizational weakness of the ummah and romanticize the anguish of our brethren, but to remember the nobility of the land we fight for, its inhabitants, and the sacrifices of those who have entrusted the torch to us that we must carry. May we be proven worthy.]

God, the Exalted, said, “Exalted is He who took His Servant [i.e., Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ] by night from al-Masjid al-Ḥarām to al-Masjid al-Aqṣā, whose surroundings We have blessed.”1 This verse indicates the virtue of al-Aqṣā from two perspectives.

One, [it refers] to the night journey undertaken by the Messenger ﷺ from the Ḥarām thereto so that he may fulfill his particular position in the most perfect of manners, complete his ﷺ status as the noblest of the Prophets, and so that for him the two virtues may be gathered and a qiblah from the two may be preferred.

Two, it is an indication to the blessings dedicated for its surroundings, for the blessing being connected to the general surroundings are closer and more complete in relation to the meaning than for the case to be restricted to the mosque alone, and so there is an exhortation towards the affirmation of the blessings that are perpetuated from it to the worlds.

Then we understand from the meaning of the statement that the most beneficial of these blessings and exalted in welfare is the foundation upon the earth of the Mosque, which necessitates the perpetuation of blessings in its surroundings. It is as the root, and the surroundings as the ancillary, and as such the latter follows in being blessed, as is the case for the surroundings of the Ḥaram in relation to the Bayt al-Ḥaram.

And which land may be more blessed than the one which God has chosen for his faithful servants? There is not a place therein where so much as a fingertip may reach except that a Prophet had prostrated thereupon or glorified God. None has preceded it in attaining this status except Masjid al-Ḥarām.

From the time of the one who spoke to God—Moses, peace be upon him—it was a station of prayer till the time of the abrogation [of the Mosaic prophethood]. Seventeen months following the emigration, Muḥammad ﷺ faced it, before which he prayed therein with the Prophets during the night of Isrāʾ. It is blessed from every aspect, and so, then, we do not say that today it retains the same honor it did as the days prior. Rather, it has become even more honorable by the virtue of the Messenger ﷺ turning to it, being taken thereto during the night journey, and praying in it. The virtues of the two Sanctuaries are even greater in nature, but these do not decrease from its virtue, but attest to and increase its noble nature.

It is more noble to supplicate to God, the Exalted, by being in its vicinity and praying therein, seeking closeness to Him by visiting it. The Messenger ﷺ particularly designated it as a place of visitation along with the two Sanctuaries.

It was narrated from Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī, may God be pleased with him, that the Messenger ﷺ said, “Do not undertake a journey except to three mosques: Masjid al-Ḥarām, my own Masjid, and Masjid al-Aqṣā.”2

He, may God be pleased with him, said, “The Ḥarām was mentioned, as was the Aqṣā in the Book, in the form of adjectives. As for what has come in the Sunnah, they are majorly in the form of annexations, like the saying ‘congregational mosque (Masjid al-Jāmiʿ) and ‘truth of certainty’ (ḥaqq al-yaqīn), indicating the mosque on a given day in which a congregation is held or the truth of certainty belonging to a specific matter. The Ḥarām is the Mosque of the greater nation, whilst al-Aqṣā is the mosque of a smaller portion.”

There is another facet of this to uncover, which is that the Arabs connected larger ideas to singular words when there were two different words to denote a particular concept. As such, they would use “al-Aqṣā” to denote the mosque, but this carries the larger meaning of the larger compound as was mentioned by the Messenger ﷺ and his companions.

Masjid al-Aqṣā is an Islamic name. It has come in some ḥadīths in the form of Masjid al-Īliyāʾ. We have cited this facet in the first chapter of our book, and such is how it was known prior to the advent of Islām. It was also referred to by Uri Shalem, by the People of the Book, in Hebrew. It was said that it means “House of Peace” (bayt a-salām)—this is how it was known to the Arabs. Al-Aʿshā said,

Wealth has been carried—

To the ends of Amman, Homs, and Uri Shalem.

Abū Naṣr al-Ḥāfiẓ al-Sajzī called it Uri Salem—with an “s” (sīn), and the “l” appended with an “-e/-i” (kasrah)—as if he was Arabizing it. From a ḥadīth from ʿAṭāʾ, it was mentioned in some books, “Give Uri Shalem the glad tidings of the rider of the donkey.” (This is in reference to the Messenger ﷺ when he journeyed during the night of Isrāʾ.) As was narrated from Kaʿb, “Paradise is in the Seven Heavens, centered by Bayt al-Maqdis, for which it was called Uri Shalem (the Complete Light).”3

He said, God be pleased with him, that the d (dal) Bayt al-Maqdis is pronounced only slightly, followed by an -i vowel (kasrah). It was named such for it had been purified—cleansed—of sins. It was also said that it was to be pronounced as Bayt al-Muqaddas.

It was narrated from Anas bin Mālik that the Messenger ﷺ said, “I arrived in an animal larger than a donkey but smaller than a mule, which would place its hooves [when it ran] as far as its sight [went]. I mounted it, and Jibrīl, peace be upon him, was with me, and so we left. He told me to dismount and pray [after a point], and so I did. He asked, ‘Do you know where you prayed? You have prayed at the center of emigration (Madīnah). He said again [later], ‘Dismount and pray.’ I did so, and he asked [again], ‘Do you know where you have prayed? You have prayed at the Ṭūr of Mount Sinai where God [the Exalted] had spoken to Mūsā, peace be upon him.’ [We traveled some more] and then he asked [once more], ‘Do you know where you have prayed? You have prayed at Bethlehem where ʿĪsā, peace be upon him, was born.’ I entered Bayt al-Maqdis afterwards, and the Prophets were gathered before me, peace be upon them, and Jibrīl walked me to lead them [in prayer].”4

If it is asked that the statement that “I prayed where the emigrants stepped [foot] in” contradicts the ḥadīth of Jarīr—“Indeed, God, the Exalted, revealed to me, “Whichever of these lands you settle in will be the place of your emigration: Madīnah, Bahrain, or Qinnasrīn.”5—why is it that the first report involves specification and the latter choice?”

We respond that the difference comes due to history [and timing], which does not imply a deficiency on any part. It can be said thus that he was inspired before the Isrāʾ for what was mentioned in the ḥadīth of Jarīr, before or after which the night of Isrāʾ was clarified to him. He had been informed about his migration but was unable to stay in Madīnah. He made it easy for his companions, as appeared in his saying: “I was shown your place of migration. I was shown a salty land with palm trees situated between two volcanic stones.”6

From what supports this is that a group of anṣār (Helpers) met with the Messenger ﷺ, who spoke to them about the situation. They said, “When we return to our people, we will convey this ḥadīth.” The following year, twelve men came and pledged allegiance to him upon Islām—this was the first pledge of al-ʿAqabah. They promised to arrive the following year with the rest of their people and take him to their homeland. The year came, [the promise was fulfilled,] and this was the second pledge of al-ʿAqabah. The majority of the people of knowledge held that the Isrāʾ was after the first pledge of al-ʿAqabah and before the second. There are also those who say that it was prior to the hijrah by a year, or a year and two months, or sixteen months. Further positions were not mentioned to us.

If the ḥadīth of Abū Mūsā is asked about, wherein the Messenger ﷺ said, “I saw in my dream that I emigrated from Makkah to the land where dates grow, and I was afraid that it was al-Yamāmah or Hajr, when it was [in fact] the city of Yathrib.”7 We say that this report does not contradict the previous one, as he said, “I was afraid (fa-dhahaba wahlī, literally meaning “my fear turned to…”).” This is not based on an opinion or anything of the sort, but is a grammatical matter that is not concerned with the knowledge of Prophethood in any form.

“When it was [in fact] the city of Yathrib”—there are differences concerning what led to his fear, so the reality was clarified to him. It is the same whether it was explained to him during the dream or whilst he was awake.

It was narrated from Dhū-l-Aṣābiʿ that he said, “O Messenger of God [ﷺ], if we are tested with remaining after you [have passed], what do you command us to do? He responded, ‘Upon you is Bayt al-Maqdis. Perhaps God [the Exalted] may provide you with offspring who visit it [frequently].’”8

With a chain tracing back to al-Ṭabarānī, it has also been narrated via Dhū-l-Aṣābiʿ that he asked, “O Messenger of God [ﷺ], should we be tested with remaining after your passing, where do you command us [to go]? He replied, “Upon you is Bayt al-Maqdis. Perhaps offspring will be made for you who will visit the Masjid frequently and be delighted.”9

It was narrated from Dhū-l-Aṣābiʿ that he said, “O Messenger of God [ﷺ], if we are tested with remaining after you [have passed], what do you command us to do? He responded, ‘Upon you is Bayt al-Maqdis. Perhaps God [the Exalted] may provide you with offspring who visit it [frequently].’” [PC: Cole Keister (unsplash)]

If this ḥadīth is proven, then it acts as an addition (ziyādah) in the evidence we have already established and follow, enriching what we have thereby mentioned. For which virtue is more complete and greater than choosing a particular place for travel which is greater than all places save for the Two Sanctuaries (Ḥaramayn) and for the performance of prayer—none compares save for the Two Mosques.

As for the virtues of prayer therein, we have mentioned several aḥādīth prior.

Regarding the virtues of praying in Bayt al-Maqdis, we have also mentioned several reports. Among those is what has been narrated from Abū-l-Dardāʾ, may God [the Exalted] be pleased with him, that the Messenger ﷺ said, “Prayer at the Masjid al-Ḥarām is similar to a hundred thousand prayers, at my Masjid a thousand, and at Bayt al-Maqdis five hundred.”10

It was also  narrated from Abū-l-Dardāʾ that the Messenger ﷺ said, “The virtue of prayer in the Masjid al-Ḥarām, compared to prayers outside of it, is a hundred thousand [of such]; in my Masjid, it is like a thousand; and in Bayt al-Maqdis, it is like five hundred.”11

With a chain tracing back to Aḥmad al-ʿAssāl, it was narrated from Abū Dharr, may God [the Exalted] be pleased with him, who said, “I said, O Messenger of God ﷺ, is prayer at your Masjid more virtuous than prayer at Bayt al-Maqdis? He replied, ‘A prayer in my Masjid is better than four prayers there (i.e. Bayt al-Maqdis)—a blessed place for prayer. It is the land of gathering and resurrection.’”12

If it is said that this report contradicts what has preceded, we respond that these reports, if they are taken from Saʿīd bin Bashīr Abī ʿAbd al-Raḥmān, the leader of Banī Naṣr from the people of Damascus, then many of the aʾimmah of the text[-ual sciences] have spoken regarding this, saying, “He had a poor memory and atrocious handwriting.”13 On Saʿīd bin Sālim al-Qaddāḥ—Abū ʿUthmān al-Khurāsānī—they narrated, “He would make several mistakes in narrations, and would bring reports the opposite way.”14

The matter is thus as Abū Dharr had narrated, which is the first of the reports mentioned. God [the Exalted] had increased it in its virtue by mentioning it beside, and subordinating it to, the virtue of the mosque of Madīnah.

If it is asked, “Why is the matter not settled in the heart?” We respond that the matter is based upon sayings on the virtues of prayer in the mosque of the Messenger of God ﷺ, which is equivalent to a thousand prayers offered elsewhere. This is all based on authentic textual evidence as opposed to statements that lack such decisive proof, and God [the Exalted] knows best.

If it is then asked, “Did the authentic texts not establish that prayer in the mosque of the Messenger ﷺ is better than a thousand prayers elsewhere save for the Ḥarām, which implies that prayer al-Aqṣā and other masājid are of the same value? How is this contradiction resolved?”

We respond that it has been established in the reports of Abū-l-Dardāʾ and Abū Dharr, and it is possible to resolve [the apparent contradiction] between the two, which is to affirm that prayer in al-Aqṣā would have resembled prayers elsewhere save for the Two Sanctuaries if not for what we have already established [in terms of it being equivalent to five hundred prayers in typical circumstances]. God [the Exalted] is aware of its authenticity.

It was narrated from ʿAbd-Allāh ibn ʿUmar, may God be pleased with him, that the Messenger ﷺ said, “Sulaymān, the son of Dāwud, when he created Bayt al-Maqdis, asked God [the Exalted] for three things: judgment that would correspond to God’s own, and it was granted to him; for a kingdom unlike which none will arise thereafter, and it was granted to him; that the one who enters his mosque does not do so except to pray therein, and leaves it sinless as the day he was born.”15

It was narrated from ʿAbd-Allāh bin ʿUmar that he heard the Messenger ﷺ say, “Sulaymān, the son of Dāwud, asked God [the Exalted] for three things. He was granted two of them, and I hope the third came to him as well. He asked his Lord for judgment that would correspond to His own, and he was granted such; he asked for a kingdom unlike which none would have, and he was granted such; and he asked that when a man leaves the mosque—meaning, Bayt al-Maqdis—having intended nothing but prayer therein, leaves so sinless as the day he was born. We hope this was granted as well.16

He said, may God be pleased with him, this (i.e., the issue of leaving Bayt al-Maqdis sinless after prayer) matter is connected to hope, for he was not inspired with an answer with regard thereto, nor was he made certain regarding it. However, even if this affair was not clarified specifically, it was still done so on a general level due to his saying that “[the supplication of] every Prophet is answered.”17

He said, God [the Exalted] be pleased with him, the addition (ziyādah) in this narration— according to what we have narrated from the book of al-Nasāʾī—is not reliable, due to the position of ʿAbd-Allāh bin Muḥammad bin Saʿīd bin Abī Maryam al-Miṣrī. Ibn ʿAdī, regarding him, said, “He was neglectful and did not know what left his head or would purposefully lie.”18

It was narrated from Maymūnah, the freed slave of the Messenger ﷺ, that she said, “O Messenger of God [ﷺ], instruct us regarding Bayt al-Maqdis.” He replied, “Go there and pray therein”—the land was in a state of war at the time–“and if you cannot do it, then send oil so that its lamps may be lit.”19

He [Ibn Mājah] said, may God [the Exalted] be pleased with him, that in some chains of the report, it has been narrated as follows: “Go there and pray, for prayer therein is as a thousand prayers elsewhere.”20

It was narrated from Abū Hurayrah, may God [the Exalted] be pleased with him, that the Messenger ﷺ said, “Whoever passes away in Bayt al-Maqdis, it is as though he has passed away in the heavens.”21

Abū Jaʿfar Luwayn said, “What is meant in the report is not Bayt al-Maqdis itself, but the city in which it is located.”

Our master said, “In the chain (isnād) of this ḥadīth is Yūsuf bin ʿAṭiyyah Abū Sahl al-Ṣaffār al-Baṣrī, who is weak. Even if the report is proven, the implication of the saying that ‘it is as though he passed in the heavens’ carries a tone of reverence of the place and its loftiness and the safety of the Muslims who pass away therein, for the people of the Heavens are not amongst the punished due to their own elevated nature and the particularization of the place that has been indicated.”

Then we mention that it is the greatest of frontiers of Islām—a House wherein the Prophets had worshipped [God, the Exalted]—where the Muslims had gathered to overpower their enemies, for which much blood was shed at the beginning of the sincere servants of God [the Exalted]. But when the Commander of the Faithful, ʿUmar, may God be pleased with him, arrived, they became afraid, their hearts trembled, and their thoughts became troubled. Unable to find a way out, they requested safety in a state of subjugation. Terror had filled them—they departed, with God [the Exalted] having weakened their foundations, broken their supports, and disappointed their hopes.

Following their end came [new] generations—a time of seizing a novel opportunity—a group from Banī ʿUbayd camped there and took control, making clear the faults in their defenses and the futility of their hopes. God [the Exalted] then willed that their capabilities should be weakened and their structures destroyed after ninety years of rule by the King and mujāhid Nūr al-Dīn Muḥammad bin Sanqar [al-Zengī], may God sanctify his martyrdom and elevate his soul. He was a pillar of the Abbasid Caliphate—may God [the Exalted] raise its position and increase its supporters—who unsheathed his sword with his battalions whose mention extended to the horizons, rising [in the lands] with the dawn of Islām [in the lands], till the Holy Land was freed of the filth [it possessed prior], save for the Holy House (al-Bayt al-Muqaddas), as it was difficult for him due to the protection surrounding it and impenetrability. He thus took control of its highs and lows for fifteen years. Then he, God have mercy on him, passed away after much service, his memory being remembered in verses:

I said, “May God allow their souls to thrive”—

As though I saw them, and only them.

So whoever passes from good attains [further good],

And whoever is absent, through his remembrance is still present.

After his rule, al-Nāṣir Yūsuf bin Ayyūb stood to power, may God reward him for the good he brought for Islām, and so he took what he took, and so did they. He restricted their capacity to breathe for seven years, until they were finally uprooted and the truth was established in their place.

It has reached me from him, may God have mercy on [his soul], that when he conquered the land and ordered the washing of the rock from impurities, he used his beard instead of a broom [out of reverence]. It is no wonder that God, the Exalted, raised his status when he humbled himself before His Majesty, and honored through him the Ayyūbids. Any breach against the religion, through their presence, remained closed, and schemes of the misguided repelled, until weakness befell them through the sight of what al-Malik al-Kāmil witnessed.22 By God’s grace, he was astute, using his cunning to shield his shortcomings, and being a steed that raced past to be unable to recover from faltering. He retained some things, and yet others eluded him. The words of the poet proved true23:

Seeing is for the eyes that remain dormant [on the visible],

And witnessing is for that which is not present.

The fury of the dīn and the bed of humiliation were unleashed upon al-Quds, a place of mercy. A poor man from the Ḥijāz walked to Bayt al-Maqdis after the days of the formation of the heinous truce—not out of necessity—and there he saw the foul ones—the bearers of defilement—treading within the purified Mosque. He turned his eyes towards the guard posts, which had now become pens for pigs and seats for those worse than pigs. The zeal of Islām stirred within him as did the generosity of faith, and so he sang:

O king whose aspirations

Have struck the domes of glory above the highest stars

We have laid forth what we have out of concern for the kings of the Levant, the guardians of the truth, in the event that their hearts soften towards the enemies of God [the Exalted] and the enemies of His Messenger ﷺ, and out of compassion for them to wear the armor of shame and be clothed therein. God [the Exalted] honored them by honoring the religion and elevated their rule by elevating His Word. Were honor sought through anything other than those, God [the Exalted] would have turned away from them, their power leaving them, and the earth becoming narrow for their presence despite its vastness.

Whoever ponders upon these words will come to know that it is a reminder for the intelligent and an exhortation towards the negligent. We ask God [the Exalted] to grant us and them success in fulfilling the right of that land and the re-establishment of its sanctity, for it is a place designated for His worship, the exaltation of His Name—a place rendered for sending forth His Revelation, blessed by the Holy Spirit, characterized by an increase in rewards for prayer and iʿtikāf therein for iḥrām (for ḥajj) on one’s path to Masjid al-Ḥarām. We have previously mentioned a ḥadīth narrated from Umm Salamah, may God be pleased with her, from the Messenger ﷺ in the chapter on times (bāb al-mawāqīt).

There were those who had assumed iḥrām from the muhājirīn and the fuqahāʾ from within their population. Amongst them was ʿAbd-Allāh bin ʿUmar, may God be pleased with him; from the anṣār was present Muʿādh bin Jabal; and from the tābiʿīn Kaʿb al-Aḥbār and others. We have previously mentioned others from various generations.

My heart gives in due to the dissipation of this virtue. Although I hail from the Ḥijāz, this intention had come to my heart when I had only been a child. I was light on my feet and able to walk well, and yet I was not taken. Now, I grieve over the loss of that blessing, as I am in my sixties, or have at the very least struck my sixtieth year, and I do not despair that my Lord will grant me the capacity to fulfill this long-cherished desire, enabling me to reach that noble station. It is the place described to quench the thirst of those devoted to God [the Exalted], and to fill with hope the souls of those who were neglectful prior. It is hardly surprising [that it occupies such a status], given that its soil was made more virtuous through one Prophet after another—particularly through the friend of the Most Merciful, may God’s salutations be upon him.

Upon him, from the beloved, every day—

The peace of God when peace is remembered.

I was afraid to seek the landmarks of our faith—

The days of your reign in the lowest of the earth.

Are you not from a noble people?

Blessed roots bring a blessed nature to the tree.

You erected the banners of guidance to crush disbelief,

With a dangerous spear and sharp blade.

They came to destroy what has been established.

I have determined—not the eyes of envy—

That you have seated the enemies of the Messenger,

Raising their sons to the status of the [believers] who prostrate.

Respect the Sharīʿah, for it has changed—

The Law of the Canon has been altered.

Many a covenant was taken from Prophets—

All blasphemed by wine and swine, O Promised One.

My grief lies for the Purified House, for it

Has housed many infidels.

Be honored upon Islām, lest you meet [the fate] of those

Who strut proudly in the mosque.

If you do not fear the gloating of the envious,

The stubbornness of the tyrant, and the power of the aggressor,

Beware the tears of the Muslims and their grief,

And the supplications of the pious.

Remember when you stood in regret, seeking forgiveness

In a day now past from the Prophet Muḥammad.

The Cross has united its supporters—

So O Nation of Islām, does [Islām] have its supporters?

Blessed is the one destined to be the neighbor of that noble Prophet and his noble children.

As for the virtues of the Holy Land and its abundance of characteristics—which the one who spoke to God [the Exalted] asked to be brought to him within a distance of a stone’s throw—[we will mention the following].

It was narrated from Abū Hurayrah, may God be pleased with him, “He asked God that the Holy Land be brought to him within the distance of a stone’s throw.” He added, “The Messenger ﷺ said, ‘If I were able, I would have shown you his grave which lies beside the road, beneath a red dune.’”24

The road to Al-Aqsa [PC: Levi Meir Clancy (unsplash)]

This is the last of what we had intended to establish in this book, and we are not free of the remaining portion regarding the investigation and refinement concerning what was initially indicated at the beginning of this book. By God [the Exalted], it is as a lump that lies in a throat that one chokes on which no patience may endure. To God [the Exalted] do we complain, and to Him is our resort. He is the One who grants strength to the weak from the strong, and avenges the oppressed from the oppressor—to Him do we seek forgiveness for the slips of our tongues.

So in conclusion, we return to what we had begun with in the opening. Thus, we say, with a tongue entwined with humility and need, rather than one with eloquence and freedom: O God, by Whose grace good deeds are completed, by whose Words bones are scattered, by Whose signs the heavens and the earth are cut open, and by Whose Names the mountains are set firm: we praise You whilst acknowledging our inability to ever be able to do so sufficiently, and thank You whilst noting our deficiency in doing so. We ask you to send your blessings upon the one who guided us to You—the Prophet of Mercy, Muḥammad , with the purest of blessings and the most perfect of greetings, and to bestow him with the highest of ranks.

[Bestow such as well] upon his family who followed what he legislated and followed the light which was revealed to him—we ask that you bestow upon us from the radiance of Your Glorifications what delivers us from the darkness of ignorance, and guide us thereto [as You protect us from] missteps. Teach us the greatest of ways with which we may glorify You by which we may attain safety from misery and attain Your pleasure on the Day of Meeting. Allow us to taste the coolness of Your forgiveness and the sweetness of Your love, from what we find from You in the essence of life and the delight of subsistence, and not be rendered needy from any other than You—not rendered humiliated by any except You and be fearful or hopeful of any other; in distress except through Your exaltation; in abundance except by Your Face; and in annihilation except in You.

Reward our parents and those who guide us with a reward that fulfills their right on our behalf, and do with us and them as befits You; fulfill our hopes, for we have extended to You the hands of supplication, O Guider of the perplexed, and the Face of those who ask; O God, assist the nation of Islām by filling their schisms and uniting their spread, for the rupture has spread far and wide.

Preserve, O God, Your Prophet Muḥammad, peace and blessings be upon him, in every branch of his fountainhead and tree—the bringer of guidance with the party of truth. O God, support him with a support… from which stem the signs of victory and triumph. O God, this House—the stronghold of Your religion and the nest of Your friends, is from Your creation and subtlety. Help the builders [of nations built in Your Name], the helpers of those who call to You, and soldiers who fight for You. Break, O God, those who seek to break us, and strike them with a crushing force to break their faces and backs. Do not, O God, allow the party of Satan and tyrants to attain victory over those who have witnessed and held firmly to the truth in Your path. Indeed, You are Most Noble and Merciful (al-Karīm al-Raḥīm). Praise be to God, Lord of the worlds, and blessings and salutations be upon our Prophet Muḥammad and his family.

 

Related:

– The Glorious Virtues of Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa

– 8 Things You Didn’t Know About Masjid Al-Aqsa

1    Al-Isrāʾ, 12     Al-Tirmidhī, 3263    It was cited by Abū Mūsā al-Madīnī in al-Majmūʿ al-Mughīth fī Gharīb al-Qurʾān, 1:108, and Ibn al-Athīr in al-Nihāyah fī Gharīb al-Ḥadīth, 1:804     Sunan al-Nasāʾī, the Book of Prayer, 4505    Al-Tirmidhī in his book on the Virtues of the Messenger ﷺ; al-Ḥakīm al-Tirmidhī in al-Mustadrak, 3:3; al-Ṭabarānī in Muʿjam al-Kabīr, 2417; some others have narrated the report as well from Jarīr bin ʿAbd-Allāh, may God be pleased with him.6    A part of a report narrated by al-Bukhārī in his Ṣaḥīḥ in Kitāb al-Kafālah7    A part of the ḥadīth narrated by al-Bukhārī in his Ṣaḥīḥ in the Book of Virtues/Signs of Prophethood in Islām, 34228     Al-Ṭabarānī, Muʿjam al-Kabīr, 42379    Ibid, 423810    Mu“jam al-Kabīr; it has likewise been narrated in al-Haythamī’s Majmuʿ al-Zawāʾid, 7:711    Al-Bazzār, Musnad, 414212    Al-Ṭabarānī, Musnad al-Shāmiyyīn, 271413    Ibn Abī Ḥātim, al-Jarḥ wa-l-Taʿdīl, 6:414    Ibid15    Sunan al-Nasāʾī, Book of Masājid, 69316    Al-Ṭabarānī, Muʿjam al-Kabīr, 1455417    A part of a ḥadīth of ʿĀʾishah, may God, the Exalted, be pleased with her, and its verification has preceded18    Ibn ʿAdī, al-Kāmil fi Ḍuʿafāʾ al-Rijāl, 4:25519    Sunan Abū Dāwud, Book of Prayer, 40720    Sunan Ibn Mājah, 1407; al-Ṭabarānī, Muʿjam, 55; Musnad Abū Yaʿlā, 708821    Luwayn al-Maṣṣīṣī, Juzʾ fīhi Ḥadīth, 9222    Al-Malik al-Kāmil Muḥammad ibn al-Malik al-ʿĀdil Muḥammad bin Ayyūb, Abū al-Maʿālī Nāṣir al-Dīn, was an Ayyūbid Sultan who passed away in the year 635 AH. See: Ibn Khallikān, Wafayāt al-Aʿyān, 5:7923    Maḥmūd al-Warrāq. The verses were taken from his Dīwān, 106.24    ʿAbd al-Razzāq, Muṣannaf; this source builds on al-Qurṭubī, al-Mufhim li-mā Ashkala min Talkhīṣ Kitāb Muslim, 6:222

The post The Virtues Of Al-Aqsa And Traveling Thereto: A Translation From Maṭlab Al-Nasik appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

My wife and I have been thinking a great deal about how we divest our children from accolade culture when it comes to understanding how they value themselves in the world, and how they value their relationship to Allah .

This has not been as easy as it might seem, largely because the world is built on a diet of measuring ‘success’ – thus a successful child is one who attains high marks, receives accolades, has multiple degrees, until they are then successful in a high-paying profession. We’ve tried to make little adjustments to try and redress this; for instance, we might celebrate an end to their exams, as opposed to celebrating at the point of their results being released. To even purchase them gifts based on their effort, not based on their results.

Ultimately, we have been trying to encourage our children to experience the world as one that is connected to ihsan and taqwa – to not measure themselves by what the world informs them of what makes a human valuable.

Over the last two years, I’ve had the examples of others informing me of what a life filled with dignity looks like. The son of a friend took part in the Cambridge University encampment to protest the ongoing genocide in Palestine. The son was calling me seeking advice about what the encampment should and should not be doing. After a while, I called my friend to ask him about his son’s degree being at risk, and how he was engaging this action. My friend explained that he initially balked at the idea that his son might not be able to complete his education, but then reminded himself that a fulfilled life cannot be reduced to a degree from Cambridge, but has to be in the stances we take at times when courage is needed – no time more pressing than the midst of a genocide. I was impressed by my friend’s position – it seemed validating to know that other parents were willing to support their children take stances that might materially impact their futures.

More recently, I came to support the protests taking place at the SOAS Liberated Zone, where students have been attempting to force SOAS to divest from Israel academically and financially. In the process of making their demands, there has been a process of repressing pro-Palestinian voices among the student body by the SOAS student union and the administration of the Vice Chancellor, Adam Habib, known for calling the police on his own students during his previous role as the chancellor of a university in South Africa.

Among those who took part in the protests at SOAS is Haya Adam, a second-year Law and International Relations student who was suspended pending an investigation by the university. Although excluded from university premises, Haya continued to protest against the university and her personal treatment, highlighting the layers of complicity. Always at these protests, you will meet the wheelchair-bound Aunty Azza, the mother of Haya, staunchly standing by her daughter’s stance, regardless of the outcome. When you look at Aunty Azza, you don’t see a fear of her daughter’s future; you see a complete certainty in Allah’s Promise that a life lived in dignity and in defence of the oppressed, is far more valuable than anything else. Haya herself maintained that while she would always fight her suspension, she would never apologise for her advocacy of the Palestinian people.

A few weeks ago, I was invited to speak at a protest in support of Haya. As I listened to the other speeches and heard from Haya herself, I realised that there was very little I could actually do for her, other than express my solidarity. The protest was taking place just outside of the gates of SOAS, and I looked at the buildings that I would once frequent for my own Master’s in Law, having graduated twenty-one years ago. Seeing Haya, a small but very powerful young Muslim woman, I wanted to express my heartfelt solidarity, and so, when I took to the platform, I expressed that I would burn my SOAS Master’s certificate should she be expelled from the university – as an act of solidarity for her. My words were met with a great deal of applause, with Aunty Azza specifically taking me aside to thank me for my proposed gesture.

Two weeks later, I heard the news that Haya was indeed expelled after a sham investigation process. I thought back to my own public commitment to her that I would burn my certificate– and so I did, recording it to highlight my anger at the SOAS administration. This didn’t seem enough, though. It didn’t seem much of a sacrifice to just burn a piece of paper that I could easily re-order if I needed one again. I felt that there was no real sacrifice at the end of such a symbolic act. The following morning, I wrote to the SOAS administration to inquire into the process of having my degree unrolled from the university, as there is no formal process in doing so.

Since then, while the vast majority of people have expressed their support for my actions, there have also been some who questioned the efficacy of such an act. For them, burning or rescinding an accolade that I worked hard to attain (and I really did nerd out during my Master’s) was an unfathomable act. Why waste the time, effort, and money?

The first real answer is: because I told Haya I would do so. I hope that as long as I am alive, Allah will make me a man of my word, and because I had promised this, I decided that I would actually follow through. But, in the process of going further and seeking to rescind the degree, I came upon a different motivation for myself; one that desired to divest from these institutions and the stranglehold they have over what we consider to be a dignified and honoured life. That the Master’s degree means nothing to me in the midst of a genocide – that there is nothing that the accolade was able to give me that I could not have learnt from a book.

People spoke of it in terms of sacrifice, but to me, this small act of solidarity with our young sister was minimal at best. I did not go out and encourage others to do the same, and of course, they are welcome to. But this was not so much about how much change this would bring, as much as it was about divesting myself from a love of what we are taught ‘empirically’ makes us valuable. Haya, Aunty Azza, and our friends standing with them sent me their du’as, as did Palestinians – and so, all that is left is a hope that Allah accepts it – what is more valuable now? The du’as of the oppressed, or the certificate from a colonial institution invested in a racially segregated apartheid state? I haven’t come to think of it as a sacrifice, as much as it now feels liberatory.

Right now, there are hundreds of predominantly non-Muslims who have expressed their public support for the banned direct action group Palestine Action in the UK, forcing the police to arrest them. Just over a week ago, my friend, colleague, and former Guantanamo Bay detainee, Moazzam Begg, chose to be arrested alongside this group – all for the sake of sacrificing and taking risks to defend Palestine. Such actions are breaking the asphyxiation imposed on us by the global War on Terror – that arrest, charge, and conviction can no longer be seen as something to be ashamed of, but rather something that we celebrate as more and more people take risks for Palestine.

The world is changing, and with that, we must change our relationship to it. Can we encourage ourselves to sacrifice in different ways? Can we see our children expelled from their university campuses? Can we see ourselves being arrested for the sake of standing up for a cause? Can we see ourselves divesting from the very institutions that create harm in the world? If we can, then inshallah we will win – even if that means material loss in this life.

 

Related:

– Whistleblower Exposes Aid Organization’s Links With Israeli Military

– Foreign Affairs Official Resigns Over Gaza Genocide

 

The post On Burning Accolades And Sacrificing: Asim Qureshi Speaks Out About Decision To Burn His SOAS Degree appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

By Faheem A. Hussain

In the dusty corners of the internet, a cryptic yet increasingly influential movement within Muslim digital discourse has begun to stir. Known as SAIF, or Society of Alternative Islamic Futurology, it fuses Islamic traditionalism with radical techno-futurism. Born in the margins of digital space, SAIF rejects both the stagnation of the modern Muslim nation-state and the nostalgic retreat into medieval forms. Instead, it dreams—aggressively, brazenly—of an Islamic future built not through reform, but rupture. This is not traditional modernism. It’s something more raw, more unpredictable—a young vitality, still wild, unshaped, but alive.

I. The Provocation of SAIF Thinking Alongside SAIF

What, then, is SAIF?

This is not an explainer, nor a polemic. It is an attempt to think alongside SAIF—to take it seriously not as settled doctrine, but as a provocation worth wrestling with. Like all speculative movements, its coherence lies not in consensus, but in mood, tension, and the dangerous vitality of half-formed thought.

Marginal Digital Ambition

SAIF is a loud, discordant voice at the margins—digital in medium, but worldly in ambition. One that insists it has something urgent to say about the world beyond X. Recently, its champions[1] have claimed a corner of the internet, launched a website, and begun outlining its vision. That vision has stirred discomfort. Dismissed as trolls, internet seekers, even as heretics, its members draw both ridicule and fascination. People ask: Is this a cult? Why do they speak in riddles? Who even understands what they’re saying? And, of course, the ever-present complaint: Who chose that unreadable font on the website?

II. The Technologies It Mythologizes Techno‑Optimism and Cynicism

Yet, beneath the chaos, there is something compelling. SAIF articulates an unmistakably optimistic vision of technology, laced with biting cynicism. It’s a messy constellation of ideas: AI-driven futures, crypto-economies that aim to seize power from states, and a commitment to radical decentralization.

Mythologizing Decentralization

What links these technologies in SAIF’s imagination is their potential to wrest sovereignty away from the state. AI is not just automation, it’s a frontier of theological and epistemological reconfiguration. Crypto is not just finance: it’s a challenge to the state’s monopoly of the mint. Decentralization is not chaos: it’s an invitation to reimagine the ummah outside the architectures of nationhood. SAIF doesn’t merely adopt these tools; it mythologizes them, seeing in each a kind of divine hacking of modernity itself. It is a vision not of reforming the state, but of rendering it obsolete.

I won’t pretend to grasp all of it. The language is sometimes elliptical, even esoteric. But I sympathize with the impulse. There’s something undeniably attractive in this herculean, even romantic, effort to wrest control from Muslim states that seem to have abandoned their world-historical destiny. Yes, the postcolonial state was once a vital node in the fight against imperialism. But today many have become little more than praetorian guards—corrupt, visionless, self-serving. China’s model, for all its sins, at least pairs its corruption with infrastructural ambition.

So why then should we assume these tendencies, the relentless centralization of the state and the centrifugal forces of decentralization new technologies open up, cannot coexist? As Anthony Giddens, and others have pointed out,[2] modernity is marked by countervailing forces.[3] Even as some state institutions centralize power, others fragment and disperse. As the meme goes: ‘why not both?’

III. SAIF’s Political Accelerationism Accelerationism Defined

These tensions come to a head in SAIF’s most controversial impulse: Accelerationism[4]. This isn’t just a “pox on all houses.” It’s more radical, more uncompromising. SAIF appears to argue that the current liberal international order must fall entirely before something new and viable can emerge. And it is falling—before our very eyes—as China, the long-slumbering giant, begins to awaken. But SAIF pushes beyond observation; it exults in the unraveling: Let the U.S. fragment. Let the West burn its own credibility. This isn’t quietist despair; it’s strategic anticipation, even encouragement.

Strategic Anticipation vs. Conservatism

I confess, I’m more ambivalent about this. Perhaps it’s my own conservatism speaking, a conservatism I recognize and question. Yet I understand this despondency towards the shackles of the present. Even as the Neo-reactionary Nick Land[5] is endlessly quoted in SAIF circles, this giddy philosophy of accelerationism[6] is less a doctrinal commitment of SAIF than a sweeping broom of history that sees in the destruction of the present, glimmerings of the future. A future it’s determined to wrest and make in its own discordant image. This is not theory-as-program; this is theory-as-detonator.

Still, I hesitate. Acceleration burns indiscriminately. Fire burns the wheat with the chaff. And yet I see the appeal: in a world where gradualism has failed, where state-led reforms are hollow, and where the scholars, the guardians of tradition have little to say about our planetary and technological futures—one begins to understand the desire not for gentle reform, but for rupture.

IV. Aesthetic Obscurity and Elitism Obscurity as Experiment

Then comes the question of form. Critics often complain that SAIF is incomprehensible. And, to be fair, some of it is. The website, too, seems designed to reverberate rather than explain. But in some ways, maybe the obscurity isn’t needless. Perhaps SAIF, like certain modernist efforts before it, reminds us of what the philosopher Wittgenstein said of Heidegger, famous for the impenetrability of his philosophical prose, of ‘running against the very limits of language’.

That doesn’t justify every lapse into obfuscation—but it does suggest that something more experimental is underway. Perhaps the familiar languages and citations will only lead us back to the same old dead ends. Maybe it’s time to break the walls, to risk dreaming anew, even if that means embracing a fractured and strange prose. Modernists have done this before; why not again?

Elitism and the “Biomass” Critique

The charge of elitism also sticks. SAIF too often oscillates between dreams for the masses and a poorly concealed disdain for them; the biomass[7] as it uncharitably calls them. It is not just impolite; it risks repeating the dehumanizations SAIF otherwise resists. Yet, even this hostility, discomforting as it is, emerges from a raw frustration at the inertia of Muslim collective life.

V. Modernity Without Capitulation Escape from Stale Binaries

Dr. Sherman Jackson

SAIF’s provocations don’t emerge from a vacuum. They are in dialogue, sometimes obliquely, sometimes explicitly, with deeper intellectual efforts to escape the stale binaries that dominate Muslim discourse.

One of the more provocative thinkers that SAIF cites, though by no means identical to it—is the work of Shaykh Dr. Sherman Jackson. His book Islamic Secular[8] mounts a radical challenge to the key intellectual binaries that govern so much of contemporary Muslim thought; the specific relationship between the Secular and Religious, with most arguing that in Islam there is no Secular. The book, controversial and dense, doesn’t offer easy solutions. But it does do something more important: it reframes the terrain. The Islamic Secular is a book that challenges much of what is taken-for-granted in the shallow shoals of much of contemporary Muslim thinking.

Islamic Secular Reframing

That the Islamicate needs to modernise—a truth long evident to anyone who has seriously reflected on its present condition—now finds powerful articulation in a leading thinker, native and rooted in Islamic tradition, offering a rigorous and compelling argument to many who once believed they had to choose between piety and modernity.

Jackson forces us to ask whether a Muslim engagement with modernity must come at the cost of religious integrity, or whether another path exists, one in which secularisation can be understood in Islamic terms, rather than simply inherited from liberal genealogies. In doing so, he opens up new pathways of thinking: whence before, in order for Islam to modernise and go forward, it must liberalise and Westernise; now we can conceivably modernise without necessarily Westernising.

This intellectual grounding does not validate SAIF, nor does it tame it—but it does help explain why, even when it veers into the polemical or absurd, it resonates. What we’re witnessing is not just aesthetic rebellion. It’s the stirrings of a deeper civilisational anxiety: how to remain faithful without remaining frozen.

VI. The Stakes of Imagination Civilisational Urgency

So why does all this matter? Who cares about some obscure movement on the edges of social media? Because if we don’t make room for these provocations, we resign ourselves to a future shaped entirely by others.

Imagination as Our Rarest Resource

The stakes aren’t academic. They’re civilizational. In an age where the Islamic world is too often reactive, tethered to outdated scripts or imported frameworks, SAIF dares to wrest the horizon back. Not to mimic, but to myth-make. To resist the slow death of imagination. If we cannot afford to be naive, we can even less afford to be stagnant. And whatever else SAIF may be, it is not stagnant.

Imagination is the rarest resource in our intellectual economy. If we do not make space for speculative energy—wild, abrasive, half-formed—we surrender the future. The Islamic world often repeats the past or mimics the West.

When Muslims invoke a mythologized past as a salve for the present, as if nostalgia alone will birth the future; when fiqh-maximalists offer nothing beyond more law and more piety; when conformity is prized over imagination, it becomes clear how narrow our collective vision has become. When people are being killed in the name of piety, and scholars cling to ossified traditions with little to say about the actual future, SAIF’s provocations, however brash, begin to look less like noise and more like signal.

One need only walk through Singapore, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chongqing, even Dubai—the unmistakable sense is not that the future has arrived, but that it’s already leaving us behind. While dawah brothers argue theology on YouTube, the very ground beneath us hums with change we scarcely register. Even if you don’t share SAIF’s disdain for the “biomass” or its critique of legalist orthodoxy, you can’t deny that the critique itself arises from something real. There is something here.

VII. Genealogies and Lineages Historical Echoes of Futurism

Even as we watch it bloom—and maybe eventually wither—perhaps this is what it felt like when Islamic thinkers first discovered the radical futures of the West. When Ottoman reformers grew tired of the false promises of vested interests. When Cairene intellectuals stood both fearful and intrigued before Western technologies, and now, increasingly, Chinese ones. There is something wild in this modernity, something vital. Perhaps that explains the childlike innocence—yes, a good kind of naivety—of those discovering they may be the only ones both frightened by AI’s unknowns and enamored by its possibilities. Who wonders aloud about the future of money, and what crypto might do to a state long defined not only by violence, but by the monopoly of the mint.

Futurist Tradition in Islam

And so while SAIF’s wild futurism may seem like an anomaly, it has a deeper lineage. In some ways, it echoes the disorienting awe of the Nahda thinkers, the reformers of the Ottoman Tanzimat, or the Afghani–Abduh lineage; men who gazed at European steam engines and printing presses and asked not only “what is this?” but “what might we become if we mastered it?” They saw science and technology not as threats, but as instruments Muslims had to reclaim to restore dignity. They, too, were accused of heresy, elitism, and incoherence.

Those individuals were not merely reformers, but speculative futurists of their age. They dreamed of a world where the ummah could rise again – not by copying Europe, but by mastering its tools and exceeding its limits. And like SAIF, they were animated by the conviction that a future could be imagined that was neither Western mimicry nor medieval retreat, but something more vital –  something that was theirs.

New Futures

And yet, in so many ways, SAIF is an atypical modernism. Many of its contributors are not anti-traditionalist. Some are deeply traditional, even arch-traditionalist. What unites them is the conviction: that Islamic civilization will rise again, and that new futures must be imagined to make that possible. This is not a traditionalism that believes old solutions will suffice for new problems. It’s a traditionalism that knows the future must be shaped, not inherited.

For SAIF, ‘wisdom’ is not the property of others – a belief that betrays a lack of confidence of the faithful, when the opposite is true. Indeed wisdom is not a closed archive, but a living challenge. The believer’s confidence must include the ability to adapt, to wield, to absorb —and from it all, transform. The believer can wield, and force our vision of the future that is rightly ours. In that confidence, SAIF is unified, even in its dissonance, all its various visions and voices.

VIII. Final Thoughts Provocations and Collective Vision

SAIF isn’t a tight ideology. It’s a series of provocations, a set of thought experiments. In that sense, it reflects the Ummah itself: overlapping visions, contradictions, tensions. But at least it’s a vision wholly turned toward the future, not with despondency or despair, but with strategic ambition.

Fellow Travellers in Speculation

For all these reasons, while it may be a small, obscure internet tendency today, the broader civilizational future of Islam may have to look something like this. In SAIF’s strange prose and electric provocations, we might just glimpse the first sparks of what must emerge, that is if Muslim civilization is ever to rise again and take its rightful place under the sun.

This, I think, is why I’m cautiously optimistic. SAIF, or something like it, is indeed necessary. Perhaps SAIF will fragment; too obscure, too abrasive, too unstable. But where else are such attempts being made? Where else is the future imagined, not as a crisis to be avoided, but as a space to be seized? We ought not to see SAIF as Islamicate thought in its final form, but as an early experiment. Some of the ingredients of a future vision are already here, scattered, unstable, perhaps, but unmistakably present. And that, for now, is enough.

So while I’m not a SAIF member or even an advocate, perhaps insofar as this is all true, I too am a fellow traveller. And perhaps in some sense we all are, and perhaps in some sense we all must be.

Bio

Faheem A. Hussain is an independent researcher exploring questions at the intersection of Islamic thought, philosophy, and modernity. He holds a BA (Hons.) in Arabic and Islamic Studies from SOAS, University of London, an MA in Philosophy from Heythrop College, and a PGCE in Religious Studies from Roehampton University. His writings—often situated between tradition and speculative reflection—can be found on Substack at faheemahussain.substack.com and occasionally on Twitter @FaheemAMHussain.

Footnotes:

[1] One of the main figures is the anonymous account of @ibnmagreb for more of his thoughts can be found here in Iqra Post Substack. A detailed interview can be found here in – INTERVIEW: IBN MAGHREB – https://qawwam.online/interview-ibn-maghreb/

[2] Zygmunt Bauman’s concept of liquid modernity offers a profound lens through which to understand the fluid and transient nature of contemporary society. In his seminal work, Liquid Modernity, Bauman explores how the shift from “solid” to “liquid” modernity has transformed various aspects of human life, including identity, relationships, and work.

Emma Palese’s article, Individual and Society in the Liquid Modernity, provides an in-depth analysis of Bauman’s theories – Individual and Society in the Liquid Modernity – https://springerplus.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/2193-1801-2-191

[3] Anthony Giddens’ concept of modernity emphasizes the simultaneous processes of centralization and decentralization within modern institutions. In The Consequences of Modernity, Giddens discusses how modernity inherently involves globalizing tendencies that both centralize and decentralize social structures. He notes that while certain domains experience increased central control, others witness decentralization, reflecting the complex dynamics of modern societies. See The Consequences of Modernity

A shorter introduction can be found in Giddens’ essay “The Globalizing of Modernity” delves into these themes, highlighting the inherent globalizing nature of modernity and its impact on social institutions. – https://depthome.brooklyn.cuny.edu/aod/Text/Giddens.pdf?

[4] Loathe as I am ever to cite a wikipedia article; it is surprisingly good – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accelerationism(accessed 28/05/25). But see this critical review of it ‘A U/ACC PRIMER’ – https://xenogothic.com/2019/03/04/a-u-acc-primer/ Well worth reading

[5] This is perhaps his most famous essay – ‘A Quick and Dirty Introduction to Accelerationism’ – https://web.archive.org/web/20180113012817/https://jacobitemag.com/2017/05/25/a-quick-and-dirty-introduction-to-accelerationism/

[6] A compelling history of the movement is perhaps this ‘Accelerationism: how a fringe philosophy predicted the future we live in’ – https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/may/11/accelerationism-how-a-fringe-philosophy-predicted-the-future-we-live-in

[7] See this article What’s a “Biomass”? – by Abvdullah Yousef one of the key provocateurs of the movement.

[8] This review is published by Ahmed Askary, @pashadelics, the editor-in-chief of another new and exciting Muslim publication, Kasurian, determined to grapple with Islam’s present and future.

The post The Promise of SAIF: Towards a Radical Islamic Futurism appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

Cryptocurrency is Deek’s last chance to succeed in life, and he will not stop, no matter what.

Previous Chapters: 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

“When money speaks, the truth is silent.” — Yoruba proverb

A Fast Drive

The next few minutes passed in a daze. Deek’s breathing was shallow and rapid, and his skin felt clammy. Hot blood ran down the side of his face. Somehow, Marco loaded him into the passenger seat and single-handedly lifted Shujaa and dumped him in the back. His musky Yemeni cologne permeated the car’s interior. Who puts on cologne to attack someone?

History repeated itself as Deek found himself once again injured and being driven somewhere. His shirt was wet against his skin. His entire face hurt. The night was dark and suffocating, and the lights from the streetlights made him wince. He groaned and pressed a hand to his eye. Reaching for the seat lever, he reclined the seat until, with a jolt, it struck Shujaa’s legs.

“You shouldn’t have done that,” Marco said. “You need the seat elevated to slow the bleeding from your head.”

But Deek could not raise the seat again, as he didn’t have the energy to sit up.

Marco – sitting on shattered glass and not caring – drove fast, making Deek rock from side to side. At one point he stopped, and Deek – feeling hazy and on the edge of blacking out – saw his friend step out of the car and pitch the gun into an inky black canal.

Shujaa recovered consciousness and began to moan, “Baba’s sendin’ me back to Yemen ‘cause o’ you, he’s sending me back. Ain’t nothin’ for me there, I’ll die there. He says I’m a loser and a failure, he don’ want me around. An’ is all your fault ‘cause you took my car. Why you got this stupid saxophone on top o’me, get it off.” He went on like that.

Sometime later – Deek couldn’t say how long – pulled up in front of Fresno Community Regional Medical Center. As strong hands helped him out of the car and onto a mobile gurney, he could smell the burning rubber of the car tires. Marco had turned that Porsche into a rocket.

Bleach and Lime

“What happened to you, sir?” a woman’s Indian-accented voice asked.

“Glass in my eye.”

“Let us see. Move your hand.”

Inside, the hospital was chilly and loud, with people calling out, machines beeping, and doors opening and closing with a hiss. The corridors smelled of bleach and lime.

The gurney moved quickly, then rose in an elevator. An injection flooded into his arm. The pain faded, and as he sank into warm quicksand, he thought of Rania’s dark eyes and gentle hands. He needed her to toss him a line and pull him out. He needed her to save him.

Desperately Alone

Deek Saghir woke up slowly, like a post-apocalyptic sun rising over a devastated world, yet shining onto a few green shoots springing up from the wasteland. His throat was dry, and his head was light, but he felt little pain. He opened his gummy eyes, then realized that he could only see out of his right eye. Reaching up a hand, he found his left eye bandaged, along with his left eyebrow and temple.

He was in a hospital room. Dim lighting, air whispering through a vent. A clear night sky outside the window, broken up by the silhouettes of two palm trees.

The delicately clear state of mind he had enjoyed for the last several days was gone. Deek’s chest was as full of emotion as a sea cave is full of water when the high tide rushes in. He felt desperately alone. He would have given his left hand at that moment for a hug from his wife.

What was this chaos that his life had become? Alone all the time, violence at every turn, thoughts of poverty and loss haunting him? Driving a wedge between himself and everyone he loved by throwing around piles of cash, as if money were a substitute for genuine caring and love. A substitute for actually being there. What was that saying, that ninety percent of success was just showing up? And wasn’t that true for family as well, that ninety percent of being a father—a good, genuine, loving father—was just showing up?

And he was not showing up. He had abandoned his daughters. How could he have done that? How had he not missed Sanaya’s quick wit, making fun of her university professors, sharing with him clips of old baseball games on YouTube—she’d played little league as a kid and been obsessed with the sport ever since—and telling him funny stories of the crazy things she witnessed at his job at the convenience store?

Or his dear Amira, always teasing him, losing to him at chess but never quitting, teaching him Spanish phrases and street slang that she learned from her Chicana friends at school, and always letting him know how much she loved him?

What was wrong with him? Tears came to his eyes. He moaned and rolled onto his right side, grabbing handfuls of his hair. The Namer’s potion had healed his terrible wounds after that first attack and cleared his mind, allowing him to fly in the sunlight above the clouds. But at what price? Yes, Deek was an emotional man, but by separating him from his emotion, the potion had divorced him from his own heart. Just as his family had been split asunder, he was like a great tree cut in half by a chainsaw.

Healed Wounds

Startled by the sound of a snore on his left, Deek rolled onto his side to see with his right eye. Marco slept in a chair against the wall, his arms hanging limp, and the back of his head resting on the wall.

“Marco.” Deek’s voice came out low and hoarse, and he tried again, wiping his tears with the sleeve of the light blanket that was draped over him. “Señor Marco Feliciano Colón Tirado.”

Marco woke with a start, wiping non-existent drool from his chin. “You scared me, I thought I was back in Catholic school. How do you feel?”

“Where am I?”

“Fresno Regional. They operated on your eye. It’s…” Marco checked his phone. “Four in the morning.”

“Am I blind?”

“No, they say you’ll be okay.”

“Can I get some water?”

“Do you mind if I turn the light on?”

“Turn it on, man. Please turn it on.” Maybe banishing the external darkness would lighten his heart as well.

Marco filled a cup of water from a pitcher on the counter against the wall. It was cool and delicious, and Deek downed it all in one glass, then met Marco’s eyes.

“Ay Dios!” his friend exclaimed.

“What?”

“I saw you after those thugs attacked you. You were all beat up, dude. Black eye, split lip, blood coming out of your mouth, and blood pouring down the side of your face. Now look!”

“What?” he was getting annoyed. How was he supposed to know what he looked like?

“Your face is mostly healed. Just very light bruises. I mean, I can’t see the bullet wound, but the rest of your face looks good.”

You Saved Me

Deek knew right away what had transpired. The Namer’s potion had used up the last of its strength healing his physical wounds, and had burned itself out in the process. That was why he was so emotional. His usual loving, desperate, bitter, envious, proud heart was reasserting itself.

Rather than feeling pleased that his wounds were healing quickly, he felt his pulse spike as guilt washed over him. Who was he to be worthy of such gifts? He was a wreck and a shame.

For just a moment, he considered going back to the Namer and asking for another dose. But no, he could not live his life in an artificially imposed state of rarefied clarity. He had to exist here, on the ground, in the real world. He had to learn to express love, be a good husband and a good friend, and to power it all with his heart, rather than a drug. This was his task: to wrestle with his own bitter soul and win the battle unaided.

He realized as well that Marco did not know that Shujaa was the one who had attacked him. Marco thought the thugs had done it. He must not have seen the first part of the fight. And – Deek remembered – Marco had saved his life. He remembered it as clearly as if it were a vision rising before his eyes: Marco swinging that trumpet like Jackie Robinson at bat, then grabbing the gun and scaring the thugs away.

He dropped the empty glass on the bed between his legs, reached for his brilliant and talented friend, and pulled him into a tight embrace.

“Oh! Qué pasa?”

“You saved me.” His voice was raw with emotion. He pushed Marco away to look him in the eye. “You could have been killed. What’s the matter with you?”

Marco blushed. “You’d have done the same for me.”

“Yes.” Deek sat back. “I would. Oh! Your poor trumpet! I’m so sorry, man. You have to let me pay for -” he froze. “Marco, where’s my car?”

“In the hospital parking garage.”

“With the window busted out?”

“I haven’t exactly had time to get it repaired.”

Deek groaned in dismay. “You remember the backpack I tried to give you at the restaurant?”

Marco laughed. “How could I not? It’s not every day you see that much -” Now it was Marco’s turn to pause. His eyes widened. “Don’t tell me it’s in the car?”

“Under the passenger seat. And there’s a second backpack with an equal amount under the spare tire. If it’s still there.”

“Ay Dios! I’ll be right back.”

Psychic Bond

“Wait! I need my phone. Where’s my phone?” Had it been lost in the fight? His crypto wallets – and secret phrases – lived on that phone. Losing them would be disastrous. His stomach tightened at the thought.

“It’s here with the rest of your stuff.” Marco opened a cabinet and handed over a large plastic bag. Then he dashed out of the room like an Iranian spy with Saddam Hussein’s secret police on his tail.

Deek pawed through his bloodstained clothes, found his pants, and took his phone from the pocket. The screen was cracked, but the phone turned on and worked normally. Alhamdulillah. His shoulders sagged in relief.

Notifications popped up, showing several voicemails and messages from Rania. She had begun calling yesterday afternoon, only a few minutes after the attack had occurred. This didn’t surprise Deek. He and Rania had always shared a psychic bond. He knew how that sounded, which was why he never told anyone. But Rania always knew when he was in trouble, distressed, or hurt. In fact, now that he thought about it, he realized that rather than a two-way mental bond, it was Rania with the gift. She also knew when Sanaya or Amira were in distress. She was the one with the psychic boost.

“Habibi,” the first voicemail went. Hearing her voice brought Deek actual physical pain, like a heavy weight on his chest. Tears came to his eyes. “I know something is wrong. Call me right away, or I won’t be able to sleep.”

There were other voice messages along the same vein, each more panicked than the last.

Rather than call her at this hour, Deek wrote a text: “As-salamu alaykum honey. You’re right, I was in trouble. I got attacked on the street. But all is well. Just a few cuts and bruises. I’ll check in with you tomorrow inshaAllah.”

He checked his crypto wallets. The bull run was still plowing forward. His net worth was up another ten percent. He swapped some of the meme coins for stablecoins and utility coins, and shut it down. Sleepiness was washing over him like a river overflowing its banks, but he fought it, slapping his right cheek.

Dew On A Flower

Marco returned wearing two backpacks. “I’ve been peeking around corners, worried I’d run into Rania.”

Deek laughed. “She doesn’t work here. She’s at Kaiser, across town. Now listen. Your trumpet is ruined because of me. I want you to take $20K out of the backpack. No arguments! Get yourself the best trumpet money can buy.”

Marco pursed his lips, considering, then did as Deek had told him. He fanned the money beside his face. “I could get a custom Monette with this much money. A horn with a voice like liquid metal. Darkness wrapped in velvet, then dew on a flower.”

Deek’s smile stretched from cheek to cheek. “Beautiful. And don’t forget what I said.”

“You want to hear me recite the Quran.”

Deek nodded slowly. “You said it.”

“I might have a surprise for you on that front.”

Deek tried to say, What do you mean? But the words came out slurred. His eyelids were falling and he could not stop them, any more than a deep-sea diver can lift the sea off his own shoulders.

The Best People

a forest where people lived in slender white towers hidden among the trees…

He slept fitfully, waking up often either to drink water or urinate. Dreams came like a grave robber’s hammer, smashing a path into the hidden tomb of his heart, blow by blow: Rania had disappeared, but was said to have been sighted in a forest where people lived in slender white towers hidden among the trees. Deek sped through the forest in the Porsche, but could not find his wife… He was in London. He was supposed to meet Sanaya and Amira for lunch, but he was lost, and every turn took him deeper into a gray slum where the buildings shifted and changed shape…

Somewhere in the middle, he prayed Fajr, then went back to sleep. The next time he woke, bright sunlight was streaming in through the window. The palm trees were brown and green against a blue sky.

There was no sign of Marco, but a short Filipina nurse with tired eyes and a wide nose was checking his pulse. When she saw he was awake, she smiled and left the room without a word.

A tall, dark-skinned doctor wearing black scrubs and a white coat entered the room. Her blue hijab marked her as a Muslim, and her glasses were thick enough that if you were lost in the woods you could use them to focus the sun and start a fire. Deek thought she looked Pakistani, and his guess was proven correct when she spoke in a British-Pakistani lilt.

“I’m Dr. Ali. Let’s see how you’re doing.”

“What’s my prognosis?” Deek didn’t want to look like a one-eyed pirate for the rest of his life, with people pointing at him.

“Excellent. You will have to wear that patch for three days, then a clear eye shield for a bit.” She pointed to her own temple. “We sutured the laceration.”

He breathed a smile of relief. “Alhamdulillah. Thank you so much. Are you Pakistani?”

She gave a half-shrug. “Yes, British Pakistani. Why?”

“The best people in the world.”

“Pardon?”

“You Pakistanis.” He was filled suddenly with effusive affection toward this doctor. He was as fond of her as if she were his own sister. It was not a romantic attraction. He was simply grateful.

“I never met a Pakistani,” he went on, “who wasn’t honest and intelligent. In every smile, in every deed, they bear the Ummah’s hope in word and creed.” This was something he’d heard at a poetry recital at Masjid Madinah, and had stuck in his head.

She pulled her head back and grinned in amazement. “Why Mr. Saghir! Who is that by?”

“I don’t remember.”

“Well. Your wife must love hearing such poetry.” She pointed to Deek’s wedding ring. “Speaking of which. Your friend wouldn’t give us your family’s contact info, and we could not open your phone. Do you want us to call your wife?”

“Not just yet. I don’t want her to see me like this.”

She tut-tutted. “You should know better. Husbands and wives see each other in every condition. Up or down, happy or sad. But now that you mention it…” She reached out and grasped Deek’s chin, turning his head one way and the other. “There’s hardly anything to see. You look tired, but aside from that, the speed of your recovery beggars belief. Only once before have I witnessed this kind of thing. I’m going to take this bandage off.” She peeled the bandage from the side of his head, then took a pair of glasses from her coat pocket and leaned in, studying the bullet wound.

B Flat

“This is… I don’t know what to say. The wound is completely scabbed over. You don’t even need a bandage anymore.” She tossed the bandage in the biohazard bin. “I must ask. How did you get this wound?”

Again, he felt that flash of guilt and irritation. So what if his wounds were healing quickly? It wasn’t his fault. “What do you mean?” he demanded.

“It appears to be a gunshot wound, but because it’s superficial, I can’t be sure. If it is, I am obligated to report it to the police.”

Police involvement was the last thing Deek wanted. He had not committed a crime, but he didn’t want to open a can of worms as the police investigated the gangsters, Shujaa, Bandar, and who knew what else

“A gunshot wound? My goodness! I remember being beaten with fists. And someone swung a trumpet as well.” Putting his college drama class skills to good use, for once.

“So it’s not a gunshot wound?”

“There was definitely a trumpet.”

To his surprise, Dr. Ali laughed. “As you wish, Mr. Saghir. I’m not a bobby. We’ll call it a trumpet wound. I’d say about a B flat. Because, you know, you be flat on your back.”

This terrible joke coming from a doctor with a British Pakistani accent sent Deek into a fit of giggles. It took him fully ten seconds to shut it down.

A Strange Question

The doctor’s face grew serious. “May I ask a strange question?”

“Sure. What?”

“Have you consumed any sort of holistic medicine? A liquid? Maybe… A dark blue liquid?”

She was describing the Namer’s potion. He studied her face, but her expression was unreadable. The people in the Namer’s neighborhood all knew her, but Deek had the distinct feeling that talking about her to strangers would be wrong.

He changed the subject. “Can you tell me about the young man who was brought in with me? Shujaa?”

“Is that his name? We have him as a John Doe. He was severely concussed and lost a lot of blood. He is in an induced coma. Do you have contact information for him?”

Again, Deek was not sure of the right thing. Shujaa had been moaning that his father wanted to send him back to Yemen. But it was not Deek’s place to interfere. He gave the doctor Shujaa’s full name and Bandar’s name, which she wrote down.

This would be the moment to reveal the fact that Shujaa was the one who attacked him. The police would be called, and Shujaa – if he recovered – would go to jail. But Deek said nothing. He pitied the foolish young man. Shujaa had suffered enough.

“Do you mind,” Dr. Ali said, “if we revisit the previous topic?”

“Which was?”

She glanced around, then spoke in a whisper. “The Namer. I would like to meet her.”

There. She’d said it. There was no doubt now what she was after. “I’ll pass on the request. That’s all I can do.”

The doctor shrugged. “Well, you can be discharged at any time, Mr. Saghir. Come back in three days to swap your eye patch for a clear shield. Do pass on my request.” She turned and left.

As impressed as Dr. Ali had been by Deek’s poetry recitation, she had been even more amazed and disturbed by his rapid recovery. He wondered what she wanted with the Namer. To learn from her? Or something more sinister? He snorted at the foolishness of his own thoughts.

Servants of Al-Ghani

Rising stiffly from the bed, he changed back into his dirty, bloodstained suit, which smelled like a street gutter, then realized he did not have the car key.

He texted Marco: “Do you have the car?”

As he was washing his face and pouring a cup of water, the reply came: “I took it to get detailed and have the window repaired. They’ll call you when it’s ready. You need a ride? I could borrow a car.”

“No, it’s fine.” He would take a rideshare.

He had intended to see Rania last night, after dropping off Marco, but he needed rest. A dark tide was creeping in at the edges of his mind. The Prophet Musa, peace be upon him, had crossed the sea, and now the water was crashing back in on itself, and Deek stood in the center like an idiot.

Who did he think he was, running around with a ton of money, thinking that everyone he loved and cared about would genuflect before him in gratitude? When in reality they were all servants of Al-Malik, Ar-Razzaq, Al-Ghani. Allah was the King and Master of all. He was The Provider from Whom all sustenance was derived, and He was The Most Rich, whose wealth never diminished, even if He were to grant the wishes of every human and jinn who had ever lived. Deek himself was no one, nothing. He was a supplicant, a beggar.

As Deek walked out of the hospital, exhausted and carrying almost half a million dollars in cash, he realized he was out of ideas. He did not know what his life meant, what the money represented, or what he should do beyond the next meal, or the next desperate sleep.

* * *

[Part 18 will be published next week inshaAllah]

 

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:

Trust Fund And A Yellow Lamborghini: A Short Story

If Not You, Then Who?

 

The post Moonshot [Part 17] – When Money Speaks appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

When the Taliban swept back into power in August 2021, they did more than reclaim Kabul—they began a radical experiment in governance. At its helm sits an elusive figure, Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, whose influence is felt more through edicts than appearances. From the corridors of power to the dusty streets of provincial towns, a new political order is being constructed—one rooted in religious legitimacy rather than technocratic expertise, national pride over international approval, and strict social norms over liberal freedoms. The result is a nation marked by contradiction: a government praised for restoring basic security even as it restricts girls from classrooms; a leadership hailed for rooting out corruption yet hindered by a lack of professional capacity; and a movement unified in appearance but quietly divided over the realities of state-building. On the ground, a complex picture emerges of a populace enjoying newfound security yet stifled by social constraints, and growing cracks between the ideals of the Islamic Emirate and the realities of running a fractured nation still reeling from decades of foreign occupation and civil strife.

Often referred to by his religious title Amir al-Mu’minin—a term historically used to denote the ruler of the Afghani people—Hibatullah Akhundzada was appointed Supreme Leader by the Taliban Leadership Council in 2016 and assumed ultimate authority over the Afghan state on 15 August 2021, following the Taliban’s spectacular victory over U.S.-backed forces after two decades of war. Since then, Akhundzada has seldom appeared in public and never addresses the press or the international community directly, helping curate a near-mythical status in Afghanistan. The Supreme Leader sits above any bureaucratised governmental positions, freeing him from the formality of government, and allowing his role to remain organic and uncompromising. Whilst he is rarely seen or heard, his edicts from above, conveyed through decrees and intermediaries, are profoundly felt by the people he rules over, and his numerous decrees have transformed the country’s system of governance.

When I found the opportunity to ask government officials and provincial governors about their enigmatic leader, I sensed both reverence for his position and deference to his authority, partly from a deeply rooted culture of obedience but also–after decades of war and instability–there is an appreciation of the need to close ranks in what is a period of vulnerability. Among his many executive powers, Akhundzada is responsible for governmental appointments at all levels, from the prime minister and other members of the cabinet to judges and provincial and local leaders.

The officials I spoke to working in the municipality of Kabul confirmed as much. The deputy mayor jovially explained how he had absolutely no relevant experience or expertise for his current role but was appointed by virtue of his achievements as a mujahid on the battlefield, his knowledge of Islam and his reputation for honesty and integrity. This, one senior scholar of the Taliban explained, is the defining feature of their system of governance: “This is the first time since the time of the Sahabah that the ulema control of all branches of government,” he proclaimed, arguing that their leadership has proven more effective than the so-called specialists who previously held these positions.

One such individual was Mohammed Khalid of the Mayoral Office, who appeared visibly delighted to have the opportunity to present the accomplishments of his administration. Speaking from the Mayoral complex—once occupied by U.S. forces—he eagerly outlined their initiatives aimed at tackling corruption and improving operational efficiency. Among the successes he highlighted were the cleaning and expansion of a canal in Kabul, the development of water distribution systems, and the planting of two million trees—all achieved with limited resources and at a fraction of the expected cost.

Khalid also described bold internal reforms, including the dismantling of several projects tainted by nepotism and the dismissal of 1,860 government employees whose primary activity appeared to be the misappropriation of public funds. The meeting concluded with a quiet acknowledgement that, despite the administration’s earnest efforts, further progress would require the support of skilled specialists, and ingenuity alone was not enough to elevate Afghanistan to the next stage in its development. “Tell the world the truth about what you see,” Khalid told me. “If there are mistakes, be open about it”. My visit to the Kabul Municipality reflected my broader impression of the departments and officials I encountered: warm, welcoming, and dedicated, yet constrained by international isolation—an issue that is, to some extent, of their own making.

The Taliban’s presence is now firmly established throughout the country. Even a short drive through Kabul involves passing multiple checkpoints manned by smiling, youthful, Kalashnikov-clad guards. Yet, their presence rarely feels oppressive or intrusive. Many locals attest to a transformation in the overall security situation. Before 2021, people were hesitant to even use their mobile phones in crowded public areas. To my amazement, I passed open-air currency exchangers handling bundles of cash, some even pushing wheelbarrows full, seemingly without a care in the world. The streets are unexpectedly clean and orderly, with a sense of calm and tranquillity that locals, having endured two decades of violence and instability, are vocally appreciative of, even while harbouring grievances with other aspects of the Taliban’s rule.

At the forefront of recurring grievances during my stay was the issue of girls’ education. Whether speaking to a street vendor in Kabul, a former Taliban fighter, or current ministers, the longer I remained, the more frequently I encountered frustration over the Taliban’s current ban on girls attending secondary school and beyond. Schools for Quran and Islamic studies are still open to girls of all ages, but secular education remains out of reach. One particularly striking conversation was with a civil engineer and long-time supporter of the Taliban, who expressed deep frustration over the lack of a clear plan for female education—he has daughters of his own and is desperate for them to have access to schooling.

Even senior figures within the current administration admit that the education ban has become a major obstacle to Afghanistan’s reintegration into the global economy, acknowledging that the two primary barriers to international recognition are the restrictions on girls’ education and ongoing security concerns. Notably, there are reports of some high-ranking Taliban members sending their own daughters to study in countries like Pakistan or Qatar—an indication of the internal divisions that exist beneath the movement’s outward display of unity. At the same time, the Taliban have appealed to members of the Afghan diaspora, particularly the intelligentsia, to return and help rebuild the country. But many have declined, unwilling to compromise their daughters’ education in exchange for appeals to national pride.

I spoke directly with one of the Taliban’s most respected scholars on the issue, who offered a passionate defence of their policy. He insisted that the Taliban is not inherently opposed to girls’ education, but views the current restrictions as a temporary measure aimed at shielding Afghan society from what he described as the corrosive influence of Westernisation. In his view, girls’ education has been used as a vehicle to undermine Islamic values and reshape women’s roles in ways that conflict with their moral framework. He was eager to point out that thousands of girls’ schools still operate across the country, where secular subjects are taught, and he assured me that education for girls would resume once the system had been comprehensively restructured in line with their principles. However, the core concern remains: no timeline has been provided—a fact that offers little comfort to those hoping for a swift return to normalcy.

This points to a broader issue within the new system of governance: a lingering uncertainty rooted in the absence of communication with the Afghan public. One senior minister candidly acknowledged this, telling me, “We are good in a practical sense, but we are not so good at communicating our message.” It’s a fair assessment that aligned with what I observed—whether in the absence of public explanations for the strict social edicts issued by the newly formed Department of Calling to the Good and Forbidding the Evil, or in the failure to articulate a clear political vision for the country’s future.

When I asked a senior official from the Interior Ministry about a timeline for the long-promised constitution—and whether it would be ratified by the people—he answered only the first part, saying a committee is currently working on its composition alongside the Supreme Court and the Supreme Leader. Notably, he gave no indication of a timeline. Perhaps more troubling is the lack of clarity around the question of leadership succession. In systems where power is concentrated in a supreme leader, authority is rarely relinquished except through death. The Taliban have given no indication of how a future transfer of power would take place. This ambiguity fosters further uncertainty, undermining efforts to build stability, reassure the population, and attract much-needed foreign investment to a country still reeling from decades of war.

This complex transition from insurgency to statecraft was perhaps best illustrated during a journey into the mountains of Paghman. As we set off for a hike through the breathtaking mountain passes, we were joined by Abu Khalid, a former mujahid turned government official. With a Kalashnikov slung casually over his shoulder, he climbed into the 4×4 and greeted me with a warm, affectionate smile. Having fought through two decades of war, Abu Khalid carried with him an endless trove of stories—tales of battles against U.S. forces delivered with vivid detail and tireless enthusiasm. Gazing out of the window, a glint in his eye and a faintly melancholic smile on his face, he spoke of his fallen comrades: “They were the lucky ones. They achieved martyrdom. Now we carry the heavy burden of running the state.” In that moment, I saw a man proud of their victory, yet quietly yearning for a simpler time—when the path was clearer, and the mission less burdened by the complexities of governance.

Afghanistan is often referred to as the graveyard of empires, and en route to Panjshir province to meet its governor, we encountered a stark visual reminder of that legacy — a vast expanse of decimated Soviet tanks stretching into the mountainous horizon. As we clambered over the rusting remnants of a once-feared empire, I was struck by how, for many, the Taliban have come to symbolise unwavering resistance to imperial domination — first against the Soviets in the 1980s, and more recently against the Western coalition over the past two decades. In their shift from insurgency to governance, their refusal to compromise on core principles or bow to international pressure regarding their vision for society has earned them admiration across parts of the Global South, where the spectre of Western imperialism is ever present. “It is important for us to maintain the mentality of Jihad in the people — the U.S. has done a lot of damage to the mindset of the people,” one senior official told me, highlighting the continued emphasis on preserving their ethos of religious struggle in a post-conflict era.

Afghanistan today stands at a fragile crossroads. Under the Taliban’s rule, the country has emerged from the chaos of occupation and civil war into a fragile order, one defined more by security than by inclusion. Despite the many contradictions at the heart of the Taliban’s rule, what I encountered across Kabul and beyond was a nation cautiously recalibrating after decades of war. Beneath the rigid ideology and the lingering opacity of leadership, there exists a cadre of officials determined to deliver change—often with limited resources but abundant resolve. From municipal reforms to local security improvements, there are signs, however modest, of a government attempting to build from the ruins of occupation and civil strife. The challenges are undeniable: restrictions on education, the absence of clear constitutional direction, and the lack of specialist expertise remain pressing concerns. Yet within the movement itself, and among its rank and file, there are voices calling for pragmatism and reform. If those voices grow louder—and are heeded—the Islamic Emirate could gradually shift from insular authority to engaged governance, rooted not only in religious conviction but in the trust and participation of its people. If the Taliban can evolve from rigid rulers to responsive stewards, Afghanistan may yet chart a path forward—one that honors its principles while finally breaking the cycle of isolation and instability.

Related:

[Podcast] Man2Man: Afghanistan Beyond the Headlines | Abdullah Zikria

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Isn’t fantasy football just for fun? How could it possibly be haram?

Omar Usman tackles the topic of sports gambling amongst Muslim men, how it has become unexpectedly common and acceptable, and the serious repercussions of gambling at a societal level. If you enjoy watching (and betting on) sports, or know someone who does, this khutbah is necessary to listen to and share with your friends!

Related:

Fiqh of Entertainment | Ismail Kamdar

The post [Audio] How Sports Gambling is Destroying Muslim Men | Omar Usman appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

[Read Part 1 Here]

Still Relevant

The Bosnian genocide that reached a pinnacle thirty years ago provoked widespread grief and horror both among Muslims and in the “West”. Yet little has been learned from the Bosnian tragedy, whose lessons continue to be relevant today both in Bosnia itself and in the wider world. This article will examine how the Bosnian genocide and issues around it retain relevance today.

The United States and Europe’s Sphere of Influence

The most obvious point of relevance is, of course, the fact that the United States and much of the rest of Europe still treat the former Yugoslavia as a “sphere of influence”, with regional envoys and ambassadors acting more as suzerains among squabbling vassals. In the case of Bosnia this was rendered official through the 1995 Dayton Accord, which entrenched the Serb-majority areas as a “state within a state” and insisted on a cyclically rotating leadership, based on ethnic group, that precluded any real settlement, truth, or reconciliation.

The respite that the Serb ethnonationalists received via the American war would encourage Serbia to turn on Albanians in Kosovo; when this happened, the United States flung on the mantle of rescuer and bombarded them so fiercely that they were forced to retreat. Washington then adopted the Kosovo region, which became an officially independent country in 2008 yet still retains enormous American influence, so that in recent years attempts to break away from American tutelage have met with regime change.

This means that the Yugoslavia conflict was never resolved but only “frozen”, and Serb irredentism unchecked: as recently as 2020 Washington urged a regime change against a Kosovo government seeking to break free from the American fold, and threatened the same government after it was voted back in power and confronted Serb irredentists. It is ironic that the United States’ continuing hegemony in the Balkans requires a maintenance of the same divisions whose resultant war Washington had claimed to stop in the 1990s.

Ethnonationalism and its Muslim Victims

Outside the region, there are eerie similarities between much contemporary nationalist politics and the Yugoslavia case. The way that Serb ethnonationalism, and to a lesser extent its Croat counterpart and rival, trained on an “alien” Muslim enemy was key both to the former Yugoslavia’s collapse and the Bosnian genocide.

With the officially universalist ideology of socialism in retreat, the 1980s saw a surge of nationalism throughout Yugoslavia, and this was most damagingly harnessed by Serbia premier Slobodan Milosevic. He attained a mass following largely by presenting Yugoslavia’s supposedly cosmopolitan establishment as indulgent toward ethnically-Albanian Kosovar criminality at the expense of the gallant Serbs. Yugoslavia had long feuded with Albania and this lent venom to the idea that Yugoslav Albanians were a fifth column, though in fact the crimes attributed to them were equally to be found among other groups.

In fact, of course, the Yugoslavia establishment was quite accommodating to Serb ethnonationalism, particularly under Milosevic, but the very fact of minoritarian participation meant that he could portray himself as champion of the Serbs and harness state resources toward Serb supremacism. From Kosovars to Croats and then Bosnian Muslims (Bosniaks) Serb ethnonationalism espoused by Milosevic, and taken even further by many regional ethnonationalists, found one enemy after another and provoked a backlash.

In the particular case of the Bosniaks, the Muslim factor was particularly key: they were presented as either the descendants or easily-led collaborators of Ottoman Turks, and various ideologists—even Biljana Plavsic, who briefly sat on Bosnia’s elected council—espoused racialist ideologies to argue for their inferiority. The parallels with numerous, mainly but not exclusively far-right, parties in and outside the West today are too obvious to notice.

Modern Parallels

Geert Wilders in the Netherlands made his career with sustained vilification of Muslims. Germany’s far-right competes with establishment “centrist” Friedrich Merz, who describes Arabs in animalistic terms. France has long been infamous for homogenizing autocracy against minorities in general, and Muslims most particularly under the cover of laicite.

In the same way as Milosevic fixated on Albanian “criminality”, various British far-right parties have adopted a racially selective approach to the issue of crime and sexual abuse and grooming gangs, which are to be demonstrated against only if of a certain hue and background; rabidly anti-Muslim minister Michael Gove contrived a much-hyped scandal by claiming that Islamists were trying to infiltrate British education. A large number of American politicians, especially those closest to Israel, have made careers of impunging Muslims.

Hindutva radicals

Nor is this an exclusively Western phenomenon: the attempt of India’s Hindutva trend to expunge Muslims from Indian society has ranged from total revisionism of the same sort that Serb ethnonationalists pursued against Bosniaks to everyday organized harassment to massacres, among whose key architects Narendra Modi was rewarded by becoming prime minister. Media, of both rightwing and liberal variety, is often willing to play along.

Though European states have made a habitual policy of issuing condolences every July, it appears that few have learned the lesson. This is epitomized in the glib condolences on the Bosnian genocide issued by European Union leader Ursula von der Leyen, herself an unambiguous supporter of a genocidal Israeli state whose extermination campaign against Palestinians has relied on much the same rabid anti-Muslim viciousness and often the same strategies, such as ethnic cleansing for territorial supremacy, that the Serb ethnonationalists used in Bosnia.

Western Indifference

It should be noted that, much as Israel’s anti-Muslim propaganda found a willing ear in Europe and North America, even the Bosnia of the 1990s was viewed with callous indifference if not outright hostility by major European leaders. Francois Mitterrand bluntly rejected the idea of Bosnia as a viable European state; any doubt that this was related to Islam could be cleared by the remarks of British officials who spoke of a “painful but realistic restoration of a Christian Europe”.

Despite a centuries-long heritage, Bosnia’s Muslims were viewed not only by random bigots but at the top levels of government as alien by virtue of their Islam. That so many Bosnians held onto Islam in such circumstances is a remarkable feat and a sign of Allah’s favour. Decades of secularization in the Balkans at large has led to a frequent tendency to view Bosniaks as only nominally or culturally Muslims, yet their commitment to their religion and identity under the harshest duress was remarkable.

Foreign Governments: Sympathy and Muted Support

One major difference between the 1990s and the current period was the initiative of many Muslims, both governments and private individuals, in attempting to alleviate Bosnia’s plight. A United Nations embargo, which practically left Bosnia defenceless against already-armed opponents, came under considerable criticism from Muslim countries; though several joined the United Nations peacekeepers, they were vocally critical of the mission’s passiveness.

Pakistani units led by Qasim Qureshi, Bangladeshi units by Fazlur-Rahman, and Egytian units led by Hussein Abdel-Razek manned important fronts but made no secret of their discontent, particularly at the inequity of the embargo. In fact Pakistani spymaster Javed Nasir made an attempt to break the embargo, for which the United States pressed Islamabad to sack him in spring 1993.

Gulf States Humanitarian Aid and Frictions

Hasan Cengić, Bosnian Finance Minister (1992–1995), known as the “Flying Imam” for his diplomatic fundraising flights.

It was only a year later, when Washington was able to mediate between its primary vassal Croatia and Bosnia, that it turned a blind eye to Iranian weapons, sent by Ali Fallahian and Akbar Torkan. Other governments, such as the Gulf states, sent humanitarian and financial support, particularly such Gulf states as Saudi Arabia—handled by future king Salman bin Abdul-Aziz, who had experience doing the same for Afghanistan’s anticommunist insurgency in the 1980s—and Kuwait.

The Bosnian finance minister Hasan Cengic, whose frequent journeys abroad to obtain support earned him the moniker of “Flying Imam”, particularly aimed to get support. Valuable as donations were, they were occasionally delivered through zealous advocates of the Islamic schools predominant in Arabia, who would occasionally object to what they perceived as Bosniak irreligiosity.

One tract by a foreign volunteer, using Kuwaiti official channels, to chide the Bosniaks for what allegedly incorrect religious practices provoked a sharp response from Bosniak preachers such as Dzemaluddin Latic and Enes Karic: not only were Bosniaks emerging from years of enforced secularism but their school of Islam anyway differed. These frictions were relatively rare but were later exaggerated for political reasons after the United States assumed the role of suzerain in the Balkans: they were used to portray foreign Muslims at large as intolerant fanatics unaccustomed to Bosniak tradition.

The Cost of Paranoia: Foreign Fighters and Their Betrayal

Undoubtedly the most famous aspect of foreign support were mostly Arab foreign fighters recruited to the Bosniak army. These came largely independent of state support, though Bosnia’s opponents accused Sudanese diplomat Fatih Hassanain of recruitment. The best-known figure, though he actually left Bosnia quite early on other commitments, was Hadrami recruiter Mahmoud Bahadhiq, known as Abu Abdul-Aziz Barbaros for his red beard.

Muhammad Habashi (Abul-Zubair), from Makkah, was another Arabian volunteer who set up a volunteer battalions. A Hezbollah force from Lebanon, led by Ali Fayad, also arrived in support. The Bosnian army set up units, led by Asim Koricic, Amir Kubura, Serif Patkovic, and Halil Brzina, to work with the Arabs, as did local volunteers organized by the preacher Nezim Halilovic. The most famous foreign Muslim unit was led first by a Libyan doctor, Abul-Harith, and then Jamal Abul-Maali.

Media Propaganda and Smear Campaigns

Not only did Serbian media vilify these foreign fighters to scaremonger about a Muslim invasion on the gates of Europe, but their propaganda found welcoming ears abroad. Several Israeli writers and analysts poisoned the discourse. A case in point is Yossef Bodansky, a rabidly anti-Islam “expert” for the American congress. He acted on behalf of both the Israeli and Serbian governments, and regularly scaremongered about Bosnia’s “radical” regime: over the next fifteen years he would produce similar alarmist propaganda ranging from Chechnya to Sudan. Anti-Muslim alarmists such as Steven Emerson also made their name in American security circles by scaremongering on Bosnia.

The upshot was that the American “rescuers” of Bosnia were singularly suspicious of “Islamism” in Bosnia and sought to contain it. The 1995 Dayton Accord, which institutionalized ethnic cleansing campaigns against Bosnia under an American protectorate, was accompanied by the assassination of Abul-Maali, which was widely suspected on American intelligence. Just months earlier a more radical militant who had taken refuge in Denmark, Talaat Qassem, entered the Balkans, only to be abducted at Croatia in the first “extraordinary rendition” carried out by American intelligence. Qassem had links with Ayman Zawahiri’s insurgent organization against Cairo, and an acquaintance with Anwar Shaaban, another Bosnia volunteer who disappeared at about this point. Such episodes were used in a guilt-by-association smear campaign accusing Bosnia volunteers at large as Qaeda: after 2001, this became an entire sub-genre within the counterterrorism industry.

Consequently the United States also became more paranoid against foreign Muslims in Bosnia. Many Arab fighters had married and lived law-abiding lives in Bosnia after the war, with the protection of Alija Izetbegovic’s government. After Izetbegovic died, the United States exerted increasing pressure on Sarajevo to monitor or expel the Arabs, warning that their retention might jeopardize Bosnia’s entry into the European Union. In the late 2000s the United States systematically undermined Bosnian interior minister Tarik Sadovic, complaining that he would not crack down on the Arabs.

“They Look Alien”

Abu Hamza, a Syrian volunteer during the Bosnia war.

Exploiting and exaggerating the brief religious friction between Arabs and Bosniaks from the 1990s, American diplomat Raffi Gregorian tried to portray a crackdown on Arabs as a defence of Bosniak tradition against fanatics: “They look alien,” he snapped. “They talk alien. They act alien. This is a parochial society that has its own approach to Islam, and they don’t fit in.” In the prevalent paranoia of the “war on terror” there was simple scope to remark on the irony of an American diplomat asserting who was and was not alien to Bosnia, about Arabs who had risked their lives to help the country against a genocide. The contrast with the glowing coverage of, for example, foreigners fighting in Ukraine—even those of pointedly radical, such as far-right, colours—is too stark to miss.

The truth was of course that these “aliens” had risked their lives to help Bosnia against the hostility or indifference of various foreign states, and even the helpless political inaction of most Muslim countries. With little meaningful justice for Serb genocidaires, it is hardly a surprise that in recent years Milorad Dodik, the unrepentant leader of this Bosnian-Serb unit, has aggressively resorted to the same sort of rhetoric that coloured the genocide, nor that Bosnia’s governments have generally been helpless to do much about it. The genocide remains keenly relevant in Bosnia because the rhetoric and political frameworks that incited it run rampant under the American-European aegis.

Conclusion: Lessons Still Resonate

The Bosnian genocide is also relevant abroad. For millions of foreign Muslims in the 1990s it was a shocking reminder of the depth and extremes of anti-Muslim nationalism; for minority Muslims in particular it served as a wake-up call to how far supposedly neutral institutions might go to shield the worst anti-Muslim crimes. With an even bloodier genocide taking place today that has killed, maimed, starved, and expelled Palestinians by the millions in the most sadistic ways; the strained efforts of various institutions throughout the West to deny the evidence of their eyes in favour of Israel; and the impunity with which Israel’s supporters regularly incite anti-Muslim animus from Amsterdam to Los Angeles—the lessons of the horrors experienced by Bosnia’s Muslims in the wreckage of Yugoslavia resonate with us today.

Related Posts:

History of the Bosnia War [Part 1] – Thirty Years After Srebrenica

Go Visit Bosnia

 

The post History Of The Bosnia War [Part 2] – The Continuing Relevance Of The Bosnian Genocide appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.