Reading Time

• Summary Transcript: 3~ minutes
• Full Transcript: 30~ minutes

Learning Objectives

• Understand the Hierarchy of Knowledge
  • Identify the highest form of knowledge according to Ibn Qudamah, which focuses on understanding Allah, His attributes, and the afterlife.
  • Differentiate between praiseworthy knowledge and knowledge that serves communal obligations (fard kifayah).
• Apply the Concept of Self-Purification
  • Recognize the importance of self-purification and personal spiritual development before guiding or helping others.
  • Explain how traits such as greed, jealousy, and vanity impact spiritual growth and how they can be addressed.
• Comprehend Islamic Rulings on Abortion
  • Articulate the Islamic rulings on abortion as presented by Ibn Qudamah, particularly focusing on the stages of pregnancy and the role of qadar.
  • Evaluate when abortion is permissible in Islam, and the importance of considering individual circumstances.
• Grasp the Role of Qadr (Divine Decree) and Human Free Will
  • Understand the balance between divine decree (qadr) and human free will, and how individuals are responsible for their actions within the framework of Allah’s knowledge.
  • Demonstrate the importance of focusing on present actions rather than worrying about what Allah has decreed.
• Emphasize Consistency in Good Deeds
  • Explain why consistency in good deeds is crucial for ensuring a positive spiritual ending.
  • Discuss the concept of one’s fate being sealed based on their final actions, and the importance of maintaining righteousness throughout life.
• Prioritize the Study of Qur’an and Sunnah
  • Justify why the Qur’an and Sunnah should be the foundational sources of knowledge for a Muslim, as recommended by Ibn Qudamah.
  • Outline supplementary disciplines (e.g., tafsir, abrogation) that enhance understanding of these sacred texts.
• Discern the Dangers of Misusing Knowledge
  • Identify the negative consequences of using knowledge to win debates or refute others for the sake of pride.
  • Develop a humble approach to knowledge that focuses on personal spiritual growth rather than proving others wrong.
• Balance Fear and Hope in Spiritual Practice
  • Describe how to balance fear of a bad ending with hope in Allah’s mercy, and apply this balance to personal religious practice.
  • Explore strategies for maintaining humility while striving for a good ending in both actions and intentions.

Class Summary

The Importance of Pursuing Praiseworthy Knowledge and Spiritual Growth

In our journey through Imam Ibn Qudamah’s Muhtasar Minhaj al-Qasidin, we are reminded of the significance of seeking knowledge that deepens our connection to Allah and brings us closer to happiness in the afterlife. The lessons outlined by Ibn Qudamah encourage a balance between personal spiritual growth and communal responsibilities. Let’s explore these key teachings.

Knowledge That Brings Us Closer to Allah

The highest form of knowledge, as Imam Ibn Qudamah explains, is knowledge about Allah, His attributes, and His wisdom in creating the afterlife to follow this world. This knowledge is pursued for its own sake, and it’s a never-ending journey—one that leads to eternal happiness. In contrast, any knowledge that doesn’t serve this ultimate purpose, such as mundane studies that don’t increase your spirituality, can be considered a waste of time.

The Two Types of Knowledge

Knowledge is categorized into two main types:

1. Praiseworthy Knowledge: This refers to knowledge about Allah, which brings a person closer to Him. It is essential and should be the main pursuit for anyone seeking spiritual growth.
2. Knowledge That Supports Other Learning: Certain types of knowledge, such as those related to communal obligations, should be learned but only to a limited extent. These support your ultimate goal but should not take over your primary focus on understanding Allah.

Focus on Self-Purification First

Ibn Qudamah emphasizes that before trying to guide or correct others, one must focus on their own spiritual purification. Traits such as greed, jealousy, and vanity should be worked on diligently. Trying to fix others before fixing yourself is like ignoring a fire in your own home while trying to put out fires elsewhere. True spiritual success comes from inner transformation first.

Abortion in Islam: A Case-by-Case Approach

The text also discusses Islamic rulings on abortion, particularly concerning when it is permissible. Scholars agree that after 120 days, when the soul has been breathed into the fetus, abortion is not allowed except in cases where the mother’s life is at risk or the fetus is confirmed to be dead. For pregnancies less than 120 days, there is more flexibility, but it remains a sensitive case-by-case decision that must consider individual circumstances.

Understanding Qadr (Divine Decree)

Ibn Qudamah also delves into the concept of qadr, or divine decree, explaining that while Allah knows everything—past, present, and future—humans still have free will. It’s our responsibility to make the best choices with the options Allah has provided. Rather than worrying about what Allah knows, we should focus on making the right decisions in the present.

Consistency in Good Deeds and the Importance of a Good Ending

One critical lesson from Ibn Qudamah is the need for consistency in good deeds. It’s not enough to start well—you must strive to end well, too. A person may perform good deeds their entire life but lose their way in the end, and vice versa. Therefore, humility and persistence in doing what pleases Allah are key to ensuring a good ending.

Full Transcript

Alhamdulillah Rabbil Alameen, salallahu wa sallam wa barakatuhu wa nabiyyin wa muhammadin wa ala alihi wa sahbihi wa sallam wa tasliman kathira. Welcome back to this very special session from Ta’seel that’s happening remotely this time, from the book of Imam Ibn Qudamah, Muhtasar Minhaj al-Qasidin.

The Importance of Knowledge and Terminology

In this book, we’ve been studying together the chapters on the subject of knowledge. Last week, if you remember, we talked about different terminologies used in describing knowledge and different levels. Unfortunately, these have been misused because they’ve been watered down or maybe given a different meaning to them, such as the word “fiqh,” for example, which is supposed to mean the understanding of one’s relationship with Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala. Rather, now we use it as understanding what is right, what is haram, and what is halal in terms of matters of fiqh and furu’ (branches).

The subject of ilm (knowledge), which people now think of as being strong in debating masa’il (issues) of fiqh and usool (principles), has also been altered. Imam Ibn Qudamah refers to true ilm as understanding Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala’s ayat and His amazing creation, and tawheed (the oneness of Allah). Many of these terminologies have been changed.

The Praiseworthy Disciplines of Knowledge

Now, he is moving to a new chapter called “The Praiseworthy Disciplines,” or Fasl fil Uloom al-Mahmoodah. What are these uloom (sciences) that are considered mahmoodah (praiseworthy), which Muslims, especially students of knowledge, need to aspire to learn?

Some of these uloom are praiseworthy, and from the title, it’s clear that some disciplines of knowledge are not praiseworthy. In fact, they’re not even supposed to be counted as part of knowledge. Let’s see what Imam Ibn Qudamah says about the praiseworthy disciplines that he encourages you and me to learn, insha’Allah ta’ala.

The Highest Form of Knowledge: Knowledge of Allah

Bismillah. Bismillah ar-Rahman ar-Rahim.

Imam Ibn Qudamah says, “Know that praiseworthy knowledge is of two types. Number one: knowledge that deserves the utmost praise. The more one possesses it, the better. This is the knowledge about Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala, His attributes (sifat), actions (af’al), and His wisdom in making the afterlife follow this world. This is knowledge sought for its own sake and knowledge that leads to happiness (sa’adah) in the afterlife. It is the bottomless ocean. Men can only circle around its shores and edges to the best of their ability.”

At the beginning of this introduction, Imam Ibn Qudamah is not providing any specific details in terms of what particular discipline you need to follow. He gives you the big spectrum first. He says, “Look, the number one ilm that you need to pursue is the one that brings you closer to Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala, and that’s the one you need in this dunya and in the akhirah.”

He says, “Al-ilmu billah (knowledge of Allah), to have knowledge about Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala.” He quotes the ayah of Allah, “Fa’lam annahu la ilaha illallah” (Know that there is no god but Allah), which means learn and pursue that knowledge. Even learning about Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala is part of our duty. He says you should know about Allah’s oneness, His beautiful attributes, His actions, and His wisdom in making this dunya and akhirah—understanding the purpose and meaning as it should be.

He continues, “Qal fa’inna hadha ilmu matloob li thaatihi.” This knowledge is sought for its own sake, meaning the reward is inherent in the pursuit. The more you learn about Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala, the more you will hopefully have that khashiyah (reverence) that we talked about in previous sessions. Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala says, Innama yakhsha Allah min ibadihi ulama (It is only those who have knowledge among His servants that fear Allah). Those who truly fear Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala are the ulama—those who are conscious of Him.

The more conscious you are of Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala, the more you adopt ihsan (excellence). That is, you worship Allah as if you see Him. And if you’re not at that level, then you know that Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala sees you. Imam Ibn Qudamah says that this is the ilm you need to spend most of your life studying. He implies that this ilm has no limit. You’ll continue living your life pursuing this ilm.

He also says that any knowledge you pursue that doesn’t feed into this purpose is a waste of time. Whether you’re studying Arabic language, tajweed, or even matters of dunya like medicine or law, if that knowledge doesn’t make you more religious or spiritual, then you’re missing the point of everything. He’s bringing us back to the purpose of seeking knowledge.

Applying Knowledge in Practice

So, keep in mind, brothers and sisters, as we study this ilm and knowledge, that if what you’re studying right now isn’t bringing you closer to Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala, then you’re missing the point. Keep the goal in mind: to know more about Allah azza wa jal, His beautiful names, and His attributes. This will reflect in your life and help you understand the purpose of why Allah created the dunya before the akhirah. Following His instructions brings you sa’adah (eternal bliss).

That’s the first ilm that is praiseworthy, or mahmood. Now, let’s see what he says about the second type of knowledge.

The Second Type of Knowledge: Necessary but Limited

Knowledge that is praised only to a certain degree. This is the previously mentioned knowledge needed in fulfilling communal obligations (fard kifayah). Knowledge of all communal obligations is needed, but it can be studied either according to need or exhaustively.

Imam Ibn Qudamah says, “Look, we talked about the first ilm, which is the ultimate knowledge you’re looking for. But then there are many other aspects of knowledge that lead to that first one.” He says that you shouldn’t put too much energy into this ilm. He says, La al-‘ulum allati la yuhmad minha illa miqdar makhsoos (Only a certain amount of these types of knowledge is praiseworthy). You only need a certain amount of this knowledge that will act as a catalyst or stepping stone to reach the ultimate knowledge about Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala. He doesn’t mention any specific disciplines but refers to the previously mentioned knowledge.

He says some disciplines of knowledge require iftikar (a little bit of knowledge to get by), while others require iqtisar(medium effort). Then there are those that require istiqsa’ (extensive research and deep study). Every discipline is different. He advises against delving too deep into a discipline that only requires a little knowledge. You don’t want to waste your time focusing too much on it.

Purifying the Self Before Engaging in Da’wah

Imam Ibn Qudamah says you should be one of two people: either someone who is busy working on themselves or someone who has worked on themselves and now devotes themselves to helping others. He warns against focusing on fixing others before fixing yourself. You must work on purifying your inner self from negative characteristics like greed, jealousy, ostentation, and vanity before focusing on outward conduct.

This concept will be discussed in the section on destructive flaws. He advises that if you haven’t completed this internal work, don’t engage in communal obligations because others can do that. A person who ruins themselves while trying to fix others is a fool. They are like someone who has scorpions in their sleeves but focuses on driving flies away from others.

SubhanAllah, this is a beautiful point from Imam Ibn Qudamah, which is, of course, an extension of Imam Ghazali’s work. He’s not just giving information but linking it to spirituality. You need to seek knowledge, but some of it is more important than others.

The Dangers of Ignoring Personal Spiritual Work

He says you need to be one of two people: either busy working on yourself or someone who has worked on themselves and now helps others. What does that mean? Purify your soul. If you’ve studied the meaning of tahajjud but don’t pray it, you’re missing the point. If you know the value of fasting on Mondays and Thursdays but aren’t doing it, or you know the purpose of giving da’wah but aren’t giving it, you’re missing the point.

You need to work on yourself first. This knowledge you’re gaining demands application. If you don’t apply it, it will disappear.

Once you’ve worked on yourself, you can start helping others. But don’t be someone who is ruined from the inside, trying to fix everything around them. Unfortunately, many of us do this because it’s easier to see the results in others than in ourselves. It takes much more energy to work on waking up for fajr or abstaining from haram, but inviting others to do the same can feel easier.

Also, sometimes it comes from arrogance or ignorance. We might look at other people’s faults while pretending we have none, or we might truly not see our own. This is why it’s important to focus on yourself first. Greed, jealousy, ostentation, and vanity—these are traits that will eat away at your good deeds and spiritual energy.

Balancing Personal Purification and Da’wah

If you can’t focus completely on fixing yourself and others, then don’t start engaging in communal obligations. Don’t start studying Arabic grammar or different qira’at when you still struggle with jealousy or arrogance. Work on your heart first.

I want to clarify something here. You might think, “Wait, if that’s the case, I’ll never be able to give da’wah because I’m not perfect.” But you don’t need to be perfect to give da’wah. We are all human and imperfect. Human perfection means that when you make a mistake, you fix it. This is the principle behind Imam Ibn Taymiyyah’s stance when asked about giving da’wah while having faults.

For example, someone who smokes might feel hypocritical talking about the harms of smoking. But they still have an obligation to stop smoking and to give da’wah about its harms. These are two separate obligations: giving da’wah and making tawbah. You can’t abandon one because you’re struggling with the other. As long as you feel guilt and have the intention to fix your fault, you can still give da’wah. But if you are desensitized and feel no shame in your fault, then speaking against it becomes hypocritical.

So be mindful of this balance. Imam Ibn Qudamah says, “If you’re finished with purifying your inner self—and what a far-fetched goal that is—then focus on communal obligations, but proceed gradually.” He acknowledges that complete purification is a far-fetched goal, but to the best of your ability, you should move on to other pursuits once you’ve made progress on yourself.

Now, he’s going to give more detailed guidance on what disciplines to focus on and where to start. Keep in mind that this is according to his time, more than a millennium ago. Since then, scholars have reorganized knowledge, so some disciplines might not be mentioned here.

Knowledge of the Qur’an and Sunnah

Start with the Book of Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala, then move to the Sunnah of His Messenger, salallahu alayhi wa sallam. Then learn the sciences of the Qur’an, such as tafsir, knowledge of abrogating and abrogated verses, and clear and ambiguous verses. The same applies to the Sunnah. After this, focus on communal obligations.

The first knowledge you need to busy yourself with is knowledge related to the Qur’an and the Sunnah of the Prophet, salallahu alayhi wa sallam. We’ve already talked about how these are the ultimate sources of knowledge because they are the sacred words of Allah and the Prophet, salallahu alayhi wa sallam. Study them for their own virtue.

To better understand the Qur’an and the Sunnah, study supplementary disciplines like tafsir (interpretation of the Qur’an), abrogation (understanding which rulings were replaced by later ones), and muhkam (unequivocal verses). These are sciences that will help you better comprehend the sacred texts.

When it comes to Sunnah, you’ll also need supplementary sciences to understand the hadith of the Prophet, salallahu alayhi wa sallam. In academia today, students often specialize in one particular issue or chapter, but Imam Ibn Qudamah advises against this. Diversify your fields of knowledge. Don’t go too deep into non-necessary disciplines. If you read one book or attend one lecture, that’s enough.

Refuting Others for Show Is Dangerous

There are many people today, especially on social media, who focus on refuting others rather than gaining substantial knowledge. They spend their time debating and trying to put others down. But Imam Ibn Qudamah warns against using knowledge just to win debates. It destroys the soul. Shaytan will always provide justifications for this behavior, but there’s no end to it. Be careful about what you focus on, because it will shape how you are judged.

The Creation Process and the Concept of Abortion

Imam Ibn Qudamah discusses the process of creation, explaining how Allah sends an angel to breathe the soul into a child in the womb. The soul comes from heaven and must be nurtured with heavenly sources. The angel is also commanded to register four things: provision, deeds, lifespan, and whether the person will be successful or miserable.

We’ve covered this process before, but now we’re going to discuss a contemporary issue: abortion. We won’t cover everything in detail, but we’ll discuss enough to understand the Islamic rulings. One important thing to understand about abortion is that it’s a case-by-case issue. There are general rules, but fatwas (Islamic rulings) must consider individual circumstances.

Imam Ibn Rajab, rahimahullah, says that a group of fuqaha (Islamic jurists) allowed women to abort what is in their wombs as long as the soul has not yet been breathed into it. They regarded this as equivalent to the withdrawal method of contraception (known as al-azl), where a man withdraws before ejaculation to avoid conception. This opinion was held by some fuqaha, but there are refutations to it.

This is a weak position because the embryo is already a child that is forming. With withdrawal, there is no child at all—it only prevents the start of conception. The Prophet, salallahu alayhi wa sallam, said about withdrawal that there is nothing wrong with it, but if Allah wills for a child to be conceived, it will happen regardless.

Some fuqaha also declare that once the embryo becomes a blood clot, the woman is not permitted to abort it. This is because the child has already begun the process of coagulation and is forming into a human being.

Abortion Rulings in Different Stages of Pregnancy

As opposed to a drop which has not yet begun to coagulate and may not knit together as a child. Based on what we learned earlier from last week, we said that according to the hadith of Ibn Mas’ud, radiAllahu anhu, 40 days will be in the form of a drop, 40 days in the form of a clot, and 40 days in the form of a morsel (mudgha). Based on this, the scholars say as long as the child has not yet formed, now the question arises: how long does it take for the embryo to form before we can say it starts taking the shape of a human being?

This is where the Hanbali school of thought differs, and we will see what the classical scholars say about this and then discuss when it’s considered a formed being. But before we get into that, I want to present the three opinions regarding the subject of abortion. These opinions are based on whether the embryo is considered alive or not.

The Three Opinions Regarding Abortion

All scholars agree that after 120 days, meaning after the full four months (three phases of 40 days each), the child is considered a living being. Some Hanbali scholars even say it takes 130 days, adding ten more days. After four months, you cannot abort a child under any circumstances unless for two reasons:

1. If the pregnancy endangers the life of the mother, in which case abortion is permitted to save her life.
2. If the child is proven to be dead in the womb, in which case the pregnancy must be terminated.

Beyond these two reasons, abortion is not permitted after four months. Another significant discussion among scholars today involves cases of severe fetal deformities. If a child is diagnosed with a severe, life-threatening deformity, can the parents abort? Scholars agree that after four months, when the child is alive, you cannot abort due to deformities. This is seen as a test from Allah to the parents. There are also cases where medical diagnoses of deformities might not be accurate, and some children are born perfectly healthy despite the initial diagnosis. So, terminating the pregnancy based on a potential diagnosis would be devastating for the parents.

The second case for abortion involves the period between the first 40 days and 120 days, before the soul is breathed into the fetus. Most scholars say that you cannot abort a child after the first 40 days. They argue that after this point, the child starts taking shape as a human being. This belief aligns with modern scientific understanding, where fetal development becomes more distinct after the first few weeks.

Abortion Within the First 40 Days

The first 40 days offer more leniency for abortion, especially when pregnancy might occur despite contraceptive measures, such as taking pills. However, scholars still have a strong opposition to abortion even in the first 40 days unless there is a valid reason. These are the general rules, but as mentioned earlier, each case must be examined individually. You cannot give a blanket fatwa (ruling) to everyone.

Let’s move on to page 71. One person interpreted that the angel divides up the drop when it becomes a clot into different portions, some of which become skin, some flesh, and some bones, all of which is decreed before its existence. But this contradicts the outward meaning of the hadith, which implies that the angel forms and creates all of these parts, though this creation and division could happen before the actual formation of the flesh and bones.

Now, I want to comment on this. The Arabic text says, qal ba’duhum, meaning “some say,” but the translation says “one person.” This is a mistranslation because it wasn’t just one person. The scholars were discussing various opinions on how the body forms, so it’s important to understand that this was a general scholarly view.

Secondly, we need to remember that the statements of the scholars about fetal development are not sacred. They’re based on the best scientific knowledge available at the time. The Qur’an gives a perfectly accurate description of human development, but these scholars were giving their interpretation based on what they knew. Today, we have modern science and experimentation that provide more accurate details about fetal development. We use modern knowledge to understand the hadith of the Prophet, salallahu alayhi wa sallam, not the other way around.

So don’t cling to old descriptions of development as if they are divine revelations. Instead, apply modern scientific understanding to help explain these hadith. We believe the Qur’an and hadith will always align with the truth about Allah’s creation. Scholars in the past made rulings based on what they understood about fetal development, but today, with more knowledge, some of these rulings might be adapted or revised. Let’s continue on page 73.

Miscarriage and its Legal Implications

A group of scholars took a position based on the outward meaning of the hadith of Ibn Mas’ud. They said that the shortest period in which the form of a child becomes clear is 81 days, meaning after two of the three 40-day stages (drop and clot), because the child does not become a fully formed morsel until the third stage.

This leads to some practical rulings. For example, if a woman miscarries before 81 days, the miscarriage is not treated as a fully formed human being. She would not be required to perform janazah (funeral prayer) for the fetus. If the miscarriage happens after 81 days and the fetus has formed, then the scholars would consider the miscarriage a premature delivery of a human being, and janazah would be performed.

These rulings also apply in matters of divorce. For instance, if a woman is pregnant and then miscarries before 81 days, her waiting period (iddah) is not considered over. But if she miscarries after 81 days, the iddah would end with the miscarriage because it is considered a delivery.

As you can see, these details of fetal development have implications for Islamic rulings. A woman’s iddah period, funeral rites, and other technical rulings depend on how we understand the stages of development. Now, let’s move to page 75, where we continue this discussion.

The Rulings After Four Months of Pregnancy

Imam Ahmad, rahimahullah, based his well-known position on the apparent meaning of the hadith of Ibn Mas’ud, that the soul is breathed into the fetus after four months (120 days). Therefore, if a fetus is miscarried after four months, the funeral prayer must be performed because the soul had already been breathed into it. This position was also held by Sa’id ibn al-Musayyib, and it’s one of the two positions held by Imam al-Shafi’i and Imam Ishaq.

Imam Ahmad says that if a child is born after four months, even if it’s a miscarriage, we must treat it as a full human being and perform the janazah for it. But if the miscarriage happens before the four months, then there’s no need for the janazah. The fetus is not considered fully formed, and there’s no need to wash the body or perform the funeral rites.

The Divine Decree and the Individual’s Fate

Now, let’s move on to page 79, where we conclude this discussion. Imam Ibn Rajab, rahimahullah, talks about the last portion of the hadith, referring to the qadr (decree) of each individual. He explains how the decree of each person is written.

In any case, this writing, which is written for the embryo in its mother’s womb, is not the same as the writing of the general decree that occurred when Allah created all creatures. Allah says, Nothing occurs, either in the earth or in yourselves, without it being in a book before We make it happen. And as is mentioned in Sahih Muslim from Abdullah ibn Amr, from the Prophet, salallahu alayhi wa sallam: “Truly Allah decreed the destinies of creatures 50,000 years before He created the heavens and the earth.” In the hadith of Ubadah ibn As-Samit, the Prophet, salallahu alayhi wa sallam, said, “The first thing Allah created was the pen, and He said to it, ‘Write.’ So it proceeded to write everything that is to be until the Day of Judgment.”

The Complexity of Qadr and Human Responsibility

This leads many people to ask: If Allah knows everything, and He knows whether we will be in Jannah or Jahannam, why do we go through the process? The answer is that Allah’s knowledge is ultimate, and He knows what happened in the past and what will happen in the future. Understanding qadr properly involves breaking it down into four elements:

1. Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala has ultimate knowledge.
2. Allah gave the order for that knowledge to be written.
3. Allah has the divine will (irada) to allow events to happen.
4. Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala creates the actions, meaning He facilitates for you what you intend to do.

Our concern should not be what Allah knows about us but rather what we are doing with the knowledge and free will that we have. Allah has given us choices, and our job is to ensure that our actions align with what Allah has decreed for us in the best way possible. As the Prophet, salallahu alayhi wa sallam, said, “Do not worry about this. Everyone will be facilitated to what has been decreed for them.”

The Importance of Consistency and a Good Ending

There’s a portion of the hadith that mentions someone might be doing the acts of the people of Jannah until they’re a hand span away from it, and then qadr catches up with them, and they end up in Jahannam. Some scholars say these are the words of Ibn Mas’ud, while others say these are the words of the Prophet, salallahu alayhi wa sallam. This serves as a reminder that we need to be consistent in our deeds because there is always a chance that people might change.

We should never assume we’re guaranteed Jannah just because we’re doing good now. We need to remain humble and consistent, as only Allah knows our future. Similarly, we shouldn’t judge people who seem destined for Jahannam now because Allah may guide their hearts and change their fate. Ultimately, deeds are judged by their conclusion.

Imam Ibn Rajab summarizes this discussion by saying that concluding actions reflect what was preordained. The righteous people of the first generations used to be terrified of an evil conclusion. They were more focused on how their lives would end than how they were living in the present. Sufyan al-Thawri, rahimahullah, was known to weep out of fear that iman (faith) might be taken from him before death. He used to say, “I am afraid that in the core of the book, I am preordained as unfortunate.”

Balancing Fear and Hope in Allah

But it’s important to balance this fear with hope. We don’t want to be overwhelmed by the fear of a bad ending to the point that we feel paralyzed. Yes, we should be concerned about how our lives will end, but we should also focus on doing the best we can in the present.

The best way to ensure a good ending is to live a life that pleases Allah today. If we strive for excellence and consistency, insha’Allah, when the time comes for our deeds to be sealed, it will be sealed with something beautiful.

This brings us to the final point. We shouldn’t concern ourselves with what Allah knows about us or our qadr. Instead, we should focus on the actions available to us today and make the best use of them. Allah has given us guidance through the Qur’an and Sunnah, and as long as we stay on the right path, insha’Allah, we will meet Allah while He is pleased with us.

Insha’Allah, next week we will study hadith number five, which is extremely important as it discusses the meaning of bid’ah (innovation). We will also continue with the book of Ibn Qudamah on the subject of knowledge.

Q&A

1.  What is the highest form of knowledge according to Ibn Qudamah?
   • The highest form of knowledge is knowledge about Allah, His attributes, actions, and His wisdom in making the afterlife follow this world. This knowledge leads to happiness in the afterlife and is pursued for its own sake.
2. How does Ibn Qudamah categorize knowledge?
   •  He categorizes knowledge into two types:
     • Praiseworthy knowledge that brings a person closer to Allah.
     • Knowledge that is necessary but limited, which supports communal obligations (fard kifayah).
3. Why does Ibn Qudamah emphasize self-purification before helping others?
   •  He believes that one must purify their own soul from negative traits such as greed, jealousy, and vanity before focusing on fixing others. This prevents hypocrisy and ensures that knowledge is applied correctly.
4. What are the Islamic rulings on abortion as discussed by Ibn Qudamah?
   • Abortion is prohibited after 120 days of pregnancy, except if the mother’s life is at risk or the fetus is confirmed dead. Before 120 days, there is some flexibility, but abortion must be considered on a case-by-case basis.
5. What does Ibn Qudamah say about qadr (divine decree) and free will?
   • While Allah has ultimate knowledge of everything, humans have free will and must make the best choices with the options provided by Allah. It is important to focus on the present and act righteously rather than worrying about what Allah knows.
6. How does Ibn Qudamah highlight the importance of consistency in good deeds?
   • He warns that a person’s final actions determine their fate. Therefore, consistency in good deeds is crucial to ensure a good ending, as it’s possible to live righteously but lose one’s way toward the end of life.
7. Why is studying the Qur’an and Sunnah emphasized as the starting point for seeking knowledge?
   •  Ibn Qudamah teaches that knowledge of the Qur’an and Sunnah should be the foundation of all learning, as these are the sacred words of Allah and His Prophet, and they guide all aspects of life and worship.
8. What is the role of communal obligations (fard kifayah) in Ibn Qudamah’s framework of knowledge?
   • Fard kifayah refers to communal obligations that everyone must learn, but they should be pursued only to the extent necessary, not exhaustively, so as not to divert focus from knowledge that brings one closer to Allah.
9. What does Ibn Qudamah say about debating for the sake of winning arguments?
   • He cautions against using knowledge to win debates or refute others just to show superiority. This attitude can destroy the soul and lead to arrogance, diverting from the true purpose of seeking knowledge, which is spiritual growth.
10. How does Ibn Qudamah suggest balancing fear of a bad ending with hope in Allah’s mercy?
    • He advises maintaining humility and consistently striving for righteousness, while balancing fear of a bad ending with hope in Allah’s mercy. Focus should be on making good choices now to ensure a positive outcome at the end of life.

The post Study Classical Texts the Traditional Way | Session 8 appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

The winter holiday season is once again here, and as converts to Islam, whether we come from observant or secular Christian backgrounds, it’s often a time of confusion, stress, and loneliness, especially in the early days. As someone who embraced Islam many years ago, I’ve been through, and seen in other converts, a range of approaches to dealing with the season and with the inevitable family drama it can bring, and I hope the lessons learned may help others just starting out on their Muslim journeys.

Can Muslims Celebrate Christmas?

In a word: No! Make no mistake, intentionally celebrating Christmas as a religious holiday to mark the birth of Jesus (peace be upon him) is not something that practising Muslims should be doing. Alhamdulillah Islam is a complete way of worship, and we have our own celebrations to enjoy.

However, nothing in life is black and white, and the lived reality for a convert, especially a new convert, may mean they cannot avoid certain aspects of the holidays. There may be mitigating circumstances for many converts, at least for a year or two after taking shahada. We will look at some of these cases below.

Unless these circumstances apply to you, however, nothing in this article should be taken as a general fatwa permitting the celebration of any holiday not mandated by the Qur’an and Sunnah.

Now that has been made clear, let’s look at a few examples of how converts in different circumstances have dealt with Christmas. These scenarios could of course apply to any religious celebration, such as Diwali, Kwanzaa, Channukah and others.

I’ve converted but haven’t told my parents, and I still live at home…

Many new converts feel a need to hide their Islam from their friends and family at the beginning, and for a variety of reasons. If you fall into this category, especially if you are still living in your family home, then it will be very difficult to avoid participating in the normal activities of the day without arousing suspicion. I’ve heard of converts who picked up Christmas day work shifts for this reason, but that isn’t possible for many. Especially young converts who may be students or otherwise financially dependent on their parents, there really isn’t much choice in the matter.

If this is you, please know that Allah SWT is aware of your circumstances, and He SWT only asks us to worship Him to the best of our ability. You may decide to simply avoid the religious aspect, but engage in the family gathering with the intention of upholding good relations with your loved ones. If your family is religious and you simply can’t avoid church without risk, again Allah SWT knows what is in your heart, avoid what you can (for example, don’t sing the hymns) and ask for Allah’s Mercy over the rest.

I’ve converted and I have children from my first marriage…

Many people assume that if someone converts, their children automatically become Muslim too, but the reality is often very different. It can be very difficult for children who have always celebrated Christmas to understand why their mum or dad no longer wants to. Whether your children are still small, or are teens, it is worth having a discussion with them about your new faith and what it means.

Many converts opt to wean their children off Christmas step by step. One mother I know who came from a devoutly Catholic family planned her children’s transition like this: Year 1, they still decorated and exchanged gifts and visited family, but they did not attend church services. Year 2, they exchanged gifts and visited family, but she didn’t have a tree. Year 3, they agreed together to only visit family for dinner, but kept the gift exchanges for both Eid days instead. In between, she took care to make Ramadan and Eid as special as she could with decorating, food, iftar gatherings and so on to help her children see that they were not ‘losing’ anything in leaving Christmas behind, alhamdulillah.

In the case where the children’s other parent does celebrate the holidays, however, it can be trickier. Again, discussing the issue with your children is important. If your children have not decided to be Muslim with you, you cannot force them to give up Christmas or any other celebration, but you can and should try to involve them in your new religion and community as much as possible, so they can appreciate for themselves its beauty inshaAllah.

I’ve converted and the people I work with celebrate…

The office party, Secret Santa, festive lunches…if your colleagues don’t know you’ve converted, you may feel awkward to suddenly pull out of all the normal yearly activities, especially as many employers view this time of year as a great opportunity for team building.
However, rest assured that all of these activities are not mandatory, and if you don’t want to participate, you should not feel bad about it.

If you are not ready to disclose your new religion to your workplace, it is easy to come up with any excuse not to attend, such as family commitments. If they do know that you are Muslim, a simple, “Thank you but I don’t celebrate Christmas anymore, but have fun!” should suffice.

I’ve converted, but it’s the only time of year I can see my family…

It is unfortunate that much of the West has a calendar centred on this time of year, making it the one time that almost everyone can take holidays and visit loved ones. If you live away from your family and the ‘festive season’ is the only time you can see them all, it can seem cruel to not visit.

I do know of many converts who do attend family gatherings at Christmas for this very reason, but they have the intention of keeping family ties, and consciously consider 25th December to just be a normal day, and they do not give or receive gifts. Others chose to visit the day before or the day after. In any case, avoidance of any religious observance is essential in these circumstances to avoid any doubt, and Allah SWT knows best.

If you opt to not participate and to visit your family at other times, be sure to discuss it with them in a loving and kind manner, reassure them of your plans to visit, and avoid being harsh or bringing religious rulings into the discussion. Be mindful that their view of Islam will be impacted by how we treat them, so always strive to be kind and give da’wah by example inshaAllah.

I’ve converted, and I got married and have small children, and my parents want to give them Christmas presents…

If you’ve spent some time as a single new Muslim choosing to engage with your family over Christmas, you may find that marriage and children will change your perspective somewhat. Building your own family means that now you are not the only person in the equation, and your spouse and children must also be considered.

It is very important before marriage to discuss with your potential spouse how you will navigate issues like holidays with your non-Muslim family. From the start, clearly lay out your mutual expectations, including how much you will expose your future children to. Whatever you decide, discuss it with your family as well so they aren’t blindsided, and hurt, by any changes. Christmas is a time when many grandparents look forward to spoiling their grandchildren, so discussing in advance with your family how they can navigate this with you will avoid bad feelings later on.

If you are already a parent, and you didn’t lay this groundwork, then it is important to approach it from now with love and kindness. If your parents want to give gifts, you don’t need to refuse them, but you can opt to actually give them to your children at another time. You can also encourage your parents to delay the gifts until Eid, and to invite them to celebrate with you at that time inshaAllah. Giving your family members Eid gifts as well can be a good icebreaker in this regard inshaAllah.

I’ve converted, and I’m lonely…

Lastly, we must also acknowledge that Christmas is a time of great nostalgia for many converts, and leaving it can bring loneliness, especially as there can be very little to distract us on the day itself. For those of us who are on our own at this time of year, Christmas day can be very isolating. The best advice is to be proactive in finding something beneficial to do on the day. As most people have the day off, you may find that your local mosque will be hosting a special talk or activity. Many Muslim-owned restaurants will be open, perfect for gathering some friends together for an impromptu social. Reach out to others in your networks who may be alone on that day, you may find many who are also struggling and who will appreciate the gesture.

Finally, for the non-convert Muslims…

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to dealing with this time of year as a new Muslim, and I would remind my born Muslim brothers and sisters to be mindful when talking about Christmas with someone who has recently come into Islam. If they have chosen to navigate their personal circumstances in a specific way, it is not our place to criticise that choice, for they may have circumstances in play that we know nothing about.

Blanket statements about the prohibition of celebrating, or of ‘imitating a people’, while true for most Muslims, are not necessarily practical or feasible for the new convert, especially if their conversion is not public yet. Rather than advice, ask what support they need. Extend a hand of friendship, not an eye of judgement. Your kindness, empathy and understanding could turn a lonely time into one of lasting memories for them inshaAllah.

Related:

[Podcast] Navigating Christmas: Advice to Converts, from Converts | Hazel Gomez & Eman Manigat

Podcast | Ho Ho Haraam | Ustadha Alima Ashfaq

The post I’ve Converted, and It’s Christmas… appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

[This three-part article is a summary of some of my thoughts about the current state of the Western Muslim community – inspired by Jonathan Haidt’s book, the Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions & Bad Ideas are Setting Up a Generation for Failure. Read Part 1 here]

Almost 10 years ago, I bought a book called Adab-ul-Din wal-Dunya, i.e. the Protocols (or etiquettes) of the Afterlife & the Worldly Life. This is a book written by Imam al-Mardawi d: 450 AH, a senior jurist & scholar of tafsir from the Shafi’i school of thought. The first chapter of the book was about what the author described as the most important protocol or etiquette: the intellect. At that point in my studies and spiritual experience, I was genuinely confused. I thought that perhaps Islam, belief in God, or Tawhid, etc should be the first protocols.

However in the years since then, as a teacher and researcher of Islam who works in the community and has a social media presence, I have realized he was absolutely right. Imam al-Mardawi explained that the intellect is where belief in God, the Prophet Muhammad and a sound understanding of the Qur’an and Sunnah starts. Again, he was absolutely right. Never underestimate our luminaries from the past.

Throughout the Qur’an and Sunnah, the importance of knowledge, intellect, and learning is repeatedly emphasized. The revelation of the Qur’an began with the command to ‘read’. The Qur’an itself is a book that requires knowledge of the Arabic language, the Sirah of the Prophet , and the Hadith to understand thoroughly.

What happens when you have little to no knowledge? Everyone has to base their beliefs and conclusions on something. Human beings cannot function without beliefs. Knowledge has the special characteristic of being impersonal.

Most Muslims in the West go to public school. There is no systematic study of Islam there. If they do go to Islamic schools, the quality of Islamic education is often poor as most Islamic schools don’t invest in qualified Islamic Studies programs or teachers. In many Muslim countries, despite their many issues, most Muslims have at least been studying Islam systematically for much of their lives.

Without that education, we end up with a vacuum of knowledge, but society, family, and culture dictate that we must make decisions about our religious beliefs and practices. The only recourse becomes emotion. Unfortunately what we call ‘being educated’ today is the education of the dunya, not the religion. But are you really ‘educated’ if you don’t understand your own ontological worldview?

Emotions are useful, but they cannot be trusted for our beliefs. Not only are emotions personal and thus biased on our subjective personal experiences, but trusting in them too many leads to psychological problems. Those who know this best are people are either psychotherapists or people who have suffered from mental illnesses like anxiety or depression and have learned to manage them. In anxiety, for example, your emotions of fear, self-criticism, and uncertainty take over your reason-based decision-making processes. You’re 28 years old, but overwhelming fear due to trauma from seeing your dad have a heart attack keeps convincing you that you are having a heart attack every time you feel a twitch in your chest. You get dozens of tests done to ensure you have no heart problems, but you read a page of Mayoclinic and all the fear comes back. True story by the way.

What we are seeing today in Muslim society in the West is people literally holding up their emotions as evidence for what they believe, say, and do. I have seen that many Muslim parents justify how they choose to bring up their kids without consulting a single fiqh book (e.g. that kids should be encouraged to pray at the age of 7, and reprimanded over it starting at the age of 10), or even any research-based parenting books. What tricks them into parenting the way they do is a well-intentioned but grossly uninformed love for their kids. They won’t enforce prayer on their kids early because ‘I’m being easy on them, look how tired they are and how much homework they have’, they won’t understand that they have to be a parent and not a friend, or let their kids make mistakes, because ‘unconditional love’. This ‘unconditional love’ is what will destroy their children’s Islam and their psychological well-being because of absent or helicopter parenting.

I have seen Muslims flinch or pull away at the emotional discomfort of being corrected or reprimanded with basic facts, even when done in a very polite, understanding, and respectful way. The problem is that in a vacuum of knowledge, and in a culture that celebrates the role of emotion over the intellect, this is a disaster. We end up confusing the impact of what people say to us with their intentions, thinking that they are ‘oppressing’ us, suppressing us, or being rude to us when in fact they’re just trying to correct us with facts. For most of human history, this would usually be a miscommunication, but now it’s a mantra.

The Imam or Shaykh speaking about women’s requirement to obey their husbands, or husbands’ responsibility to financially maintain their families is nowadays interpreted as an offensive, insidious or personal attack. The woman will call it misogynist, and the man will call it feminist. I once posted a reminder on my page about the importance of the 5 daily prayers, and it was absurd to see that some people were actually offended and started defending the fact that it was difficult to pray Fajr. Talk about how mortgages are haram and a grown man will start whining about how absurd it is to pay someone else’s rent. If you are offended by basic factual information, it is a serious problem. At the very least, accept the factual as factual. Social media exacerbates this, not only by not giving us the necessary undistracted time to reflect and hold ourselves accountable but also because it has created a culture in which we need to respond right away instead of putting down the phone for a few hours to think about what we just saw or read.

Don’t forget that it was Shaytan’s emotions of pride and arrogance that led to him to make his most regrettable decision of rebelling against the Creator and dooming himself to Hell.

Solutions:

1. We must seek Islamic knowledge. I don’t mean YouTube videos and Twitter posts. That is NOT knowledge. That is raw data. Structured knowledge is taken from teachers, well-designed courses, and programs. There are many such programs nowadays designed for the public. Many are online. The excuses for not learning due to access or unavailability are no longer admissible. Either study or acknowledge that you are choosing to remain ignorant and thus leave your emotions to be the judge of what you believe.
2. Islamic institutions and religious leadership MUST provide fardh-ayn programs, i.e. comprehensive Islamic education programs for the public that provide them the foundations of Islamic theology, fiqh, and spirituality that they need to function as Muslims on a daily basis. This has become fardh on these organizations and individuals themselves. Flowery talks with coffee served in the background are NOT a replacement for this. We need more educators and less speakers. Learn how to educate the public and not just preach to them.
3. Learn to manage your emotions. Override them with the knowledge of right and wrong in Islam. It’s easier said than done, but emotional intelligence is a concept that is extremely important for Muslims. Unfortunately today due to the political situation in the West this concept has almost been forgotten. As Muslims however we need to rise about this and learn from the emotional intelligence of the Prophet .

*To be contd. in Part 3…

[This article was first published here]

 

Related:

– A Real Crisis In The Trust Of Muslim Scholars And Leadership

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

The post The Coddling Of The Western Muslim Mind: [Part II] The Islam Of Emotionalism appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

Prophet Yaqub and Sons Out of Control

If we hear of a family today where all the others bully one sibling, we may ask – well, what are the parents doing about it? We know that Prophet Yaqub was a divinely guided Prophet of Allah , and we all look up to our Prophets with great respect. But also try to imagine Prophet Yaqub as a regular dad agonizing over what sinister plots his out-of-control sons might cook up to hurt Yusuf . Think of how desperately he wanted to protect Yusuf and find a way to repair the relationships between his children. Imagine the frustration he endured when he saw or came to know of another messed up thing one of them had done to poor Yusuf . How about we picture the urgent conversations he’s had with his wife or trusted friends and all the solutions he had tried but failed? 

Imagining Prophet Yaqub’s predicament in such a way helps us better empathize and sympathize with him as parents. And when we consider that a Prophet himself could not have better managed the dynamics between his children to the extent that one was nearly murdered, it puts our own suffering into context. It helps us realize that as parents, we can only do so much. Not everything is in our control. Even though we are the heads of our families, sometimes our children will not conform to the transparent divides of right and wrong we guide them towards.

“He said, ‘O my son, do not relate your vision to your brothers or they will contrive against you a plan. Indeed Satan, to man, is a manifest enemy. Surely Satan is a sworn enemy to humankind.“ [Surah Yusuf; 12:5] 

Prophet Yaqub had the wisdom to accept that his influence wasn’t the only factor that swayed his children. He acknowledges that Shaytan and the forces of evil are powerful and that his children could fall prey to them. Of course, he still tried to protect Yusuf and call his sons back to the truth, but there was only so much he can do, as guidance is ultimately in Allah’s Hands.

“And they brought upon his shirt false blood. [Jacob] said, ‘Rather, your souls have enticed you to something, so patience is most fitting. And Allah is the one sought for help against that which you describe.'” [Surah Yusuf: 12;18]

Prophet Yusuf [alayhis] faced personal grief on an elevated level. [PC: Bernd Dittrich (unsplash)]

Prophet Yaqub shows us how to live with the reality that Allah guides only some people and not all. Imagine Prophet Yaqub as an average father. It would be excruciating for any father to endure a situation in which his children killed anyone out of spite. How disappointed would any parent be to find out such horrifying news? But when we factor in that his sons killed their sibling, one of his children–that makes it so much worse because he is facing personal grief on an additional level. He might never see his favorite son again, and the world may have lost a Prophet. This incredible patience and resiliency of spirit, even though it devastates Prophet Yaqub to the extent that it causes him to lose his eyesight, is a powerful reminder of the hardships that any parent can suffer at the hands of their disobedient children. The silver lining in Prophet Yaqub’s story is that his sons eventually repent from their terrible deed, and his family reunite. As struggling parents, we can try our best to endure our situations patiently and keep turning to Allah to guide our children. 

Prophet Nuh and a Disobedient Son

We know that Prophet Nuh famously leads his followers safely through a catastrophic flood. We might also know that Prophet Nuh could not save his son’s life during the flood. Although he calls out to his son directly and invites him aboard the ship [Surah Hud; 11:42], his son then refuses in a very ignorant way. Prophet Nuh’s son’s reply shows his lack of faith in Allah as the All-Powerful God. His son says in the Quran,

“[But] he said, “I will take refuge on a mountain to protect me from the water.” [Noah] said, “There is no protector today from the decree of Allah, except for whom He gives mercy.” And the waves came between them, and he was among the drowned.” [Surah Hud: 11;43]

“I will take refuge on a mountain, which will protect me from the water,” he says. Prophet Nuh desperately gives him sincere advice and dawah, immediately responding, “Today no one is protected from Allah’s decree…” But his son does not accept his father’s final plea. Waves separate them, and his son drowns. 

Do we not think that Prophet Nuh tried his best to give da’wah to his son and teach him the truth for many years before the flood? We know what an intimate bond a father and son share and how much facetime they must have had living as a family. He must have been one of the best role models a child could ever ask for…but still, even though Prophet Nuh fought until the last second to protect and guide his son, he was ultimately unable to save his son from Allah’s terrifying punishment. 

Imagine how much heartbreak Nuh feels when he realizes that he has managed to save the lives of elephants and dozens of random animals, but not one of his own flesh and blood. In the following verses of Surat Hud, Allah reveals just how challenging it is for Nuh to see his son drown in front of his eyes. He says to Allah , “‘Certainly my son is also of my family,’’’ conveying the deep hurt he feels when his son dies [Surah Hud, 11:45]. Nuh is referring to Allah’s Decree in ayah 40, where Allah uses the Arabic word “ahlika,” your family, to describe the people that Nuh is responsible for collecting onto the ship. In ayah 46, Allah replies,

 

‘He said, “O Noah, indeed he is not of your family; indeed, he is [one whose] work was other than righteous, so ask Me not for that about which you have no knowledge. Indeed, I advise you, lest you be among the ignorant.”

Some scholars have mentioned the word “ahl” in these verses in Surat Hud and also in Surat al-Anbiya, which is better defined as followers than family. Still, there is obviously some linguistic allowance for Nuh to feel confused about why his son died. As his story in this surah continues, we see that Nuh obediently accepts Allah’s Will with Prophetic patience – but that does not detract from how painful his situation truly is. 

We know Nuh tries to guide his son until the very end, but it is not enough. There are Muslim parents out there who are living the same reality. They have tried and tried to help guide their children towards Islam and leading upright lives for years. Through no deficiency of their own, Allah had decreed that their children would never accept divine guidance, and their children have died outside of a state of submission to Allah .

Just like Nuh vocalizes in Surat Hud, parents in similar situations may feel unimaginable grief and confusion. Maybe there is the addition of shame when going to the masjid or out to community events because of the rumors surrounding this child. Although these parents suffer from a painful situation, it is a small comfort that they are in the great company of Prophet Nuh and can make his heart-wrenching dua during difficult times:

“[Noah] said, “My Lord, I seek refuge in You from asking that of which I have no knowledge. And unless You forgive me and have mercy upon me, I will be among the losers.” [Surah Al-Hud: 11;47]

Some of us parents may have children who have done terrible things. It could be a child who has committed murder, stopped praying or renounced their faith, has a haram lifestyle with romantic relationships or substance use, or acts in hurtful ways to their parents, whom they should respect the most in this world. Understanding the plight of Prophets Yaqub and Nuh at an intimate level helps those of us who are facing the unthinkable cope with the reality that we cannot always control our children.

 

Related:

– Did The Prophet ﷺ Wear Glasses? – Raising Your Children To Be Resilient Muslims

– Parenting Older Kids: Focusing On Success In The Deen

The post Family Troubles Of The Prophets: A MuslimMatters Series – [Part II] My Kids Are Out Of Control appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

What does ‘coddling’ mean? It means to be overprotective.

This article is a summary of some of my thoughts about the current state of the Western Muslim community. It is inspired by Jonathan Haidt’s book, the Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions & Bad Ideas are Setting Up a Generation for Failure. While reading this book, I was surprised by how many of these ideas were manifest in the Muslim community too, albeit in more unique and particular ideas.

In the same vein, I contend that current trends in da’wah and Islamic education in the Western World – especially in North America – although well-intentioned, are setting up the community for failure. I will adjust the three main problems in the book into language and content more applicable to the Muslim community. At the end of each problem, I will suggest what we can do to improve.

‘Only God Can Judge Me’: The Cult of Self-Esteem

I was recently in a masjid in Canada where I overheard an argument between a masjid administrator and an elderly Muslim uncle. The uncle was upset that the Imam had told him his prayer was likely invalid due to something he had done. I heard the uncle say, “Who is he to tell me that my prayer is invalid? That is between me and God!”

Given how well-known it is in fiqh and hadith that certain actions invalidate our prayers (as a very basic example: losing your wudu in prayer), I was quite shocked by this absurd statement. The same fiqh and hadith that teach you how to pray also teach you what breaks your prayer.

It was easy for me to think at that moment that this was an isolated case of a grumpy elderly uncle. But if we are to observe Muslim culture in the West – both online and offline today – it is anything but isolated to the elderly.

Many Muslims in the West have become overly sensitive to any criticism of their religious practice or interpretation of what it means to be a good Muslim. The Prophet said,

“The religion is sincere advice.” [Muslim]

Encouraging others to do good and preventing them from doing evil is a core aspect of Islam, and abandoning it is mentioned in the Qur’an as a characteristic of past nations that were destroyed.

But to advise today is to incite antagonism and resentment. Advising a Muslim man to stop talking about issues of religious controversy they have insufficient knowledge of often invites outcry and complaints about curtailing the freedom to speak their mind. The status of students of knowledge and scholars – which is not just of practical but theological importance -, is thrown out the window. The same goes for advising a Muslim woman about her dress or social conduct. The Muslim version of the accusation of ‘mansplaining’ arises, as if Muslim men have no responsibility or obligation to correct issues in society that pertain to women, even their own daughters. The most extreme version of this attitude is when you see homosexual ‘Muslims’ proclaiming the acceptability of their choices and the refusal to accept criticism of their beliefs that contradict the most basic tenets of Islam.

What are the reasons for this? I will discuss three.

1. Our exposure and lives amidst secular teachings and environments

In secularism, religion is a private matter that does not extend to the world outside my house or mosque. Growing up in this environment, we end up believing that our practice of Islam is a personal matter between us and God. If you don’t know what secularism is, and have never lived in a Muslim country, this almost seems intuitive.

In Islamic law, ethics, and spirituality though, this has little basis. Yes, we will be answerable to Allah on our own for our deeds on the Last Day, but reminding each other, advising each other, correcting each other, and supporting each other to do good and avoid wrong actions is a fundamental part of how an Islamic society is supposed to function. Allah describes the People of the Book, i.e. the Jews & Christians, as having been cursed because,

“They would not forbid each other from evil they used to do. Indeed how evil is what they used to do!” [Surah Al-Ma’idah: 5;79]

Islam doesn’t stop as soon as you step outside your house or masjid. We see this all the time in masjid parking lots. Stranger prays together, foot to foot, shoulder to shoulder inside, but as soon as the prayer is over we are aggressively cutting off each other in the parking lot and not giving each other space. We attend to our prayers when it’s time, but then go right back to watching the sinful content of Netflix.

2. The cult of self-esteem

The culture of self-help books, life coaches, pop psychology, and self-serving algorithm-driven social media advice of ‘believing in ourselves’ and ‘self-care’ have overridden the Islamic imperative to be wary of the nafs (self). Instead, we have transformed from being wary of the nafs and how it deceives us into evil via our desires and human weaknesses, into celebrating the nafs and obeying it even if it goes against Allah , His Messenger and the consensus of Islamic scholarship. This is the equivalent of worshipping the nafs. The wife of Aziz, who fell prey to her own desires in her attempt to seduce and then falsely accuse Yusuf , when confronted, reproaches herself by saying,

“And I do not acquit myself. Indeed, the soul is a persistent enjoiner of evil, except those upon which my Lord has mercy. Indeed, my Lord is Forgiving and Merciful.” [Surah Yusuf: 12;53]

Distractions from find self-worth in the pleasure of Allah [swt] [PC: Javier Gonzalez (unsplash)]

Today we see Muslim men attaching their self-esteem to abhorrent views of women and self-serving interpretations of masculinity. They can’t find their self-worth in being servants of Allah or practical and useful endeavors in life, so they wallow in the shallow and self-destructive world of sectarianism, pointless argumentation, alpha-male/red-pill discourse, and attacking students of knowledge and scholars. This is in addition to video game addiction and the epidemic of pornography.

Muslim women on the other hand have boiled down their entire self-worth into the hijab and feminist notions of males being the enemy. Apparently, the hijab gives you superpowers, where you can suddenly now talk about Islam and give your opinion on Islamic issues of scholarly import with impunity on social media just because you wear a hijab and have a few thousand followers. Regardless of what the woman thinks, says, or does, it is her husband, father, or Imam who is the real perpetrator and she is always the victim.

Individualism is counter to the theological, legal, and ethical imperative in Islam to be an ummah. Muslims are supposed to be a collective that gives a foundation for each other to build on. Social media only amplifies this problem by giving a voice to the ego that we would have never dared to expose in public before the age of the internet.

Self-esteem is also confused with spirituality due to modern Western psychology, which is atheistic in spirit. This is contradictory to Islamic spirituality, in which fighting the nafs and struggling on the path of righteousness are fundamentals in the path to Allah .

3. The two polarized types of da’wah that have become manifest – especially online

On the one hand, we have popular celebrity Shaykhs and Imams whose content and talks are way too conciliatory, and overly cautious so as not to invite dissent or criticism. From one angle I can’t blame them. We started with a da’wah in the 90s that was often way too harsh and oblivious to the difficulties of Muslims in the West. Speaking hard truths that upset your congregation can also get you fired in a heartbeat.

The other angle however, is that even in spaces or situations where that risk is less present, or the danger of not being outspokenly vocal about the truth becomes too imminent, their da’wah remains overly ‘soft’ and ‘sensitive’. At some point, we have to realize that being too lenient with the people is as destructive as being too harsh with them. I can’t remember the last time I saw a series of classes or talks describing Hell, the life of the grave, women being required to obey their husbands, riba being a major sin, or the need to learn Islam before speaking about it. It took way too long for religious leadership to act on ‘Muslim’ figures being advocates for LGBTQ+ views. And yes, there is a way to do all this without becoming a shill.

On the other hand, we have their antagonists, the da’wah warlords on Twitter and YouTube. Their discourse has become all about debates, angry shouting matches, condescending speech, and attacking Shaykhs and Imams from the previous categories, even scholars. For some reason, these people think that because the other group is too soft and lenient, the right approach is to be overly harsh and restrictive. What these guys have done is create a chaotic and savage world of Islamic discourse where the loudest, brashest, and most arrogant preacher is the winner. These guys sought to correct the excesses of the first category but ended up creating their own culture of celebrity fandom and echo chambers, except that they usually have a much poorer level of Islamic knowledge than the first.

But let’s face it, these brothers are often addressing issues that celebrity shaykhs and Imams are unable to or afraid to touch. If the right people don’t speak up on issues within their purview, they should not be surprised when the wrong people take up the responsibility instead.

Da’wah and public preaching – the soft & the tough kind – both have their place. The Qur’an balances between reminders about Heaven and Hell. But they should never be two separate camps. Also, if people at this introductory level are not funneled into more formal learning (not scholarly) that demonstrates the truth-in-between-the-noise in a common-sense and factual way, people will drown in the embattled shallows.

Solutions:

1. We must stop thinking that no one can judge us is a judgment in itself on others, in that they are incapable, undeserving, or unjustified in their judging of us.
2. We must learn to humble ourselves and accept advice. It’s perfectly okay to be wrong, and it’s perfectly okay to be reminded that we’re wrong by other people, be they the same gender or another. All of us need external accountability. None of us can see or acknowledge all of our faults.
3. Get out of your comfort zone. Too many Muslims only spend time with people who agree with them. Your best friends are not those who agree with everything you say and cater to your ego, but who challenge you and bring you closer to Allah by giving you advice grounded in the proper understanding of Islamic ethics and spirituality.
4. We must learn about the importance of encouraging good and forbidding evil in Islam and how Islam is not just a private religion but a public one.
5. We must appreciate the stark difference between ‘believing in ourselves’ vs. ‘believing in Allah ’. The Muslim’s sense of self-worth should always be linked to their sense of ubudiyyah, or slavehood to Allah . If we do not ingrain in ourselves that we are slaves to the Creator and must submit to Him, then we will inevitably become slaves to another, even if it be our own nafs.
6. Da’wah needs reform. Imam and Shaykhs must become more outspoken about uncomfortable truths. If they stay silent about them, then they should not be surprised when others arise to speak about the issues that they don’t address, and criticize them for their silence. Uncomfortable truths are still truths, and if the right people don’t address them, then others will feel the need to stand up for them.

 

Related:

– Naseehah: The Art Of Giving Islamic Advice And Dawah Online #FiqhOfSocialMedia

– Are Western Muslims Becoming Right-Wing? The Emergence Of A Politically Mature Community With Agency

The post The Coddling Of The Western Muslim Mind: [Part 1] The Cult Of Self-Esteem appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

Decoloniality is a trendy term that trickled down from the ivory towers of academia and has made its way into Muslamic circles – but should Muslims really be jumping on that bandwagon?

Zainab bint Younus asks Muhammad Saad Yacoob about the difference between decoloniality and anti-coloniality, Islamic intellectual tradition around resistance and revolution, and what the average Muslim can do to change of the Ummah. (This episode also features plenty of fascinating side quests, including the history of gunpowder and Imam al-Ghazali and the depth of Greek influence on Muslim thought outside of philosophy!)

Tune into this episode for a deep discussion that unravels assumptions around Muslims and decoloniality.

M. Saad Yacoob is a student of knowledge, an aspiring writer, and poet. Saad has a Bachelor’s in English from George Mason University and a PhD Student in Arabic and Islamic Studies at Georgetown University.

Related:

The Tolling Bell Of Revolution – Why The World Needs Allamah Muhammad Iqbal Now More Than Ever

Then The Sea Split: Reflections On The Story Of Prophet Musa, Gaza, And Hope

The post Islam, Decoloniality, and Allamah Iqbal on Revolution appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

Introduction

All praise is due to Allah, the Just, the all-Hearing, the Ever-Watchful, and peace and blessings be upon our beloved Messenger Muhammad ﷺ and his blessed family and companions.

The following is a paper formally written by the Female Scholars Network, a group of over 100 female Islamic scholars, teachers, and daa’iyyas across Canada, the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Australia, Malaysia and elsewhere around the world.

We condemn the ongoing issue of abuse within religious spaces, which has permeated all communities for far too long. We also stand firmly in support of victims of all forms of abuse in their quest for justice and truth, and in awe of their strength and courage as they go through the painful journey of healing and recovery.

As Muslims, we aspire to be grounded in a foundation of taqwa, knowing that Allah will hold us all to account for how we choose to behave in the face of this evil. We are also grounded in a foundation of justice against dhulm (oppression)1 2; which includes holding one another to account. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ reminded us that “A believer is the mirror of his brother. When he sees a fault in it, he should correct it.”3 

Most importantly, we are grounded in the knowledge that we must take account of ourselves before we are collectively held accountable on the Day of Judgement, and that those of us in positions of leadership will be questioned about our leadership.4

While abuse is a universal human problem not specific to any race, religion, or culture, as Muslims we have a religious obligation to look within our ummah and to “command the good and forbid evil.”5 As a Muslim community, it is our sacred duty to protect the vulnerable, offer support to the victims, and ensure that they receive care, compassion, and justice. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said:

مَنْ رَأَى مِنْكُمْ مُنْكَرًا فَلْيُغَيِّرْهُ بِيَدِهِ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ فَبِلِسَانِهِ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ فَبِقَلْبِهِ وَذَلِكَ أَضْعَفُ الْإِيمَانِ

“Whoever among you sees an injustice, let him change it with his hand; if he is unable to do so, then with his tongue; if he is unable to do so, then with his heart; and that is the weakest level of faith“ [Sahih Muslim].

The principles and objectives of Islamic law (maqasid ash-shari’ah) guide us to speak out against harm and to prevent it where possible: 

• Maxim: La darara wa la diraar (No harm should be inflicted nor reciprocated).6
• Maxim: Dar’ al mafasid muqaddam ‘ala jalb al masalih (Prevention of harm is given precedence over pursuing benefit).7

Additionally, we wish to remind the community that addressing spiritual abuse is not a “women’s issue” or a way to attack men; rather, victims of abuse include boys and men, and perpetrators include women. In this matter, as in all matters, we remember Allah’s words: {The believing men and believing women are allies of one another. They enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong…} (Qur’an 9:71)

We must thus stand with those who have been wronged, provide them with a safe space for healing, and work together to prevent further harm. Our obligation goes beyond speaking out against abuse; we must provide resources and support to help navigate a path to healing, and work to prevent future abuse at a grassroots level.

It is in this spirit that we write this paper.

What Is Spiritual Abuse?

Spiritual abuse refers to the misuse of religious knowledge, authority, or position to control, manipulate, or harm individuals or groups.8 It involves exploiting religious influence to dominate others, often leading to emotional, psychological, physical, financial, or even sexual harm.9 Such abuse undermines the victim’s autonomy, manipulates their faith, and maintains control, either using religious beliefs or by simply exploiting the power dynamics within the relationship. Whether through emotional, financial, physical, or sexual exploitation, this form of abuse operates by eroding trust, distorting religious teachings, and isolating the victim from sources of support. Whilst we are aware that the term ‘spiritual abuse’ may be used with different intended meanings, the definition above is widely accepted by professionals in the field and will be our intended meaning when using the term henceforth. 

Spiritual abuse not only harms the well-being of individuals but can also severely impact a person’s relationship with Allah, their faith, and their future.10 The most significant and distinct harm created by spiritual abuse is that the perpetrator explicitly or implicitly places themselves in the position of Allahﷻ or as an intermediary to Him within the life of another person, thereby distorting the victim’s relationship with their faith altogether. Therefore, the heinousness of this crime cannot be overstated.

The consequences of spiritual abuse in our families, our communities, and our societies at large are simply too grave to ignore.11 Spiritual abuse is not a matter of one-off scandals we hear about within the larger Muslim community, but a chronic, festering disease that harms everyone. Criminal actions such as grooming, sexual assault of women, and child sexual abuse must be investigated to  identify factors that enable the abuse, with an eye toward building strategies for prevention.

The Fallibility of Scholars

The most important principle of our deen is that of tawheed. One of the main objectives of Islam was to eradicate intermediaries between people and God. The Makkans had several idols as intermediaries, while the Christians, through the practice of confession, turned to their priests and popes as intermediaries between them and God. They also held the belief that some figures were infallible. Islam eradicated this ideology of intermediaries to allow each individual to have a personal and individual relationship with Allah, with no need for any priest or idol to pray on their behalf. 

Scholars and righteous people are an integral part of our deen; many assist people on their journey to Allah, offering crucial insight and naseeha (advice). Respect for our scholars, righteous people, and elders is a part of our tradition, and having access to scholars to assist a person on their journey to Allah is a great blessing. This respect, however, is not without its limits, and there should be absolutely no adherence to the words of a scholar where he or she contradicts the guidelines given by Allah and His Messenger ﷺ. 

There have been many cases of spiritual abuse in the Muslim community involving those in clerical positions. Keeping in mind that we do not believe in the infallibility of scholars, we must emphasize that no scholar or pious person should be held equal to Allah. No scholar has special access to worshiping Allah in a way that other believers are excluded from, nor should they be positioning themselves in this manner.

Individuals who position themselves in this manner must be identified and held to account, whether by legal authorities and/or by the community (when applicable). Where individuals hold positions of responsibility towards communities and individuals, such vigilance becomes even more critical. Communities should ensure that there is no glorification of teachers as though they are sinless or somehow above reproach, as this paves the way for predatory people to gain an easy following. Time and time again, we have seen Muslims in positions of power completely destroy the lives of those they were meant to protect12.

Who Are the Abusers? 

Anyone can exploit a situation where they hold some power over another person. Abuse is not limited to a particular gender, age group, profession or level of knowledge. It is often a combination of personal and contextual circumstances that allow for abuse to occur in the first place and then continue unabated.

Abuse more likely occurs if the context facilitates opportunities for abuse. This usually means that the abuser has easy access to vulnerable individuals, that there are few accountability structures in place, and that the abuser’s harmful actions are overlooked by others. Abusers may also instill fear in the victim or manipulate them into thinking that the abuse is normal and that they should not speak out or that they have no avenue to seek help. 

Predators often engage in commonly identified grooming tactics with both adult and child victims such as giving gifts, the over-praising of physical attributes, claiming God will be pleased with them if they unreservedly listen to the person being abusive, and rewarding the victim for their compliance. These behaviors are red flags that parents and leaders need to be vigilant about. Abusers may also make direct threats to victims’ dunya and akhira, such as telling victims that God will be displeased with them if they refuse to comply or if they tell anyone, or that the abuser will tell people things that would make the victim feel ashamed if others were to know. 

Major red flags also include encouraging the victim to keep secrets and not tell anyone else what is happening, communicating with the victim in private in person or online or both, and hiding their actions from the general public. Very often victims are made to feel like they are making a mutual decision and complying with the abusers requests of their own volition. However, the reality is often more complex as they may not realize they have been groomed. They may have been led to believe that they have a ‘special relationship’ with the abuser.

Some signs of abuse can be very clear. These include cases where a perpetrator asks someone to carry out haram actions, sometimes justifying them within a religious context, or when they demand total obedience, promising that it will bring the victim closer to Allah, or when they control many of the victims’ everyday religious and personal decisions. Abuse itself is often hidden, which means that we should look out for misconduct and signs of abuse and use these to question behaviours13 for all staff and a strong safeguarding policy should be enforced with consequences for misconduct. Institutions should appoint a designated safeguarding lead to whom any unsafe behaviours and potential issues can be reported.

All safeguarding policies should include Islamic guidelines on khalwah, interactions with minors, private communications, and a blanket prohibition on communication outside of official platforms. 

Those in positions of leadership, whether as religious figures or masjid/institution board members, must demand that any organizations that they work for or with have safeguarding policies developed and enforced14.

In order to prevent offenders from moving from community to community wreaking havoc, masajid, institutions, and organisations, which all have a clear obligation to protect others from harm, must institute policies of refusing to hire anyone who has been involved in any form of abuse, anywhere, let alone those convicted of such offences.

There must be clear recruitment processes for larger institutions with the relevant safeguarding background checks15. Laws exist to prevent the employment of individuals with certain types of convictions on their records (e.g. child sexual abuse) if such employment puts them in a position to be working with vulnerable demographics. Religious organizations must consider themselves akin to social services organizations and comply with these laws, given that masajid and other religious spaces often serve as socio-spiritual resources. 

2. We call on imams, community leaders, teachers and Islamic institutes to hold predators publicly accountable through legal means. Community leaders must get professional training from accredited sources so that they can learn about mandatory reporting, signs of child abuse, and how to support victims. In turn, this knowledge should be shared with the public so that the entire community receives consistent messaging about how to deal with these matters in an Islamically ethical and appropriate manner. There must be due processes within institutions to receive and thoroughly investigate complaints and to hold predators accountable. Institutions must ensure that these processes for reporting and investigation are made well-known. To avoid corrupt or perfunctory investigations, these complaints should ideally be dealt with by a designated external body. We thus call upon community leaders to establish such a regulating body.

This work has already begun at some masajid and Islamic organizations; existing structures of accountability can be further researched and serve as sources of inspiration for building effective systems for use in the Muslim community. 

​​In addition to internal processes, institutions should not hesitate to contact relevant authorities such as the police when the law has potentially been broken and individuals have been harmed.

In order to recognize abuse and implement these policies, community leaders must get professional training from accredited sources so that they can learn about mandatory reporting, signs of child abuse, and how to support victims. In turn, this knowledge should be shared with the public so that the entire community receives consistent messaging about how to deal with these matters in an Islamically ethical and appropriate manner. 3. We call on imams, community leaders, teachers and Islamic institutes to prioritise discussions around spiritual abuse.

An educated community is a safer community. Discussions about healthy dynamics and signs of abuse need to happen often—and long before a crisis strikes. We need to build a culture of safety by discussing abuse in our communities and how to ensure it is prevented. Leaders need to run regular programs about spiritual abuse and talk about it in khutbahs and halaqas. 

Furthermore, when instances of abuse occur, these must be acknowledged and addressed publicly. Silence not only protects the abuser, but also fails to offer justice and support to the victim. We will be accountable if we are silent. Discussions should take place within institutions between all the concerned parties and must directly address the dhulm (oppression) and sinfulness of the crime. 

In addition to internal discussions, written communication to the community affected, together with communal addresses, needs to take place. The focus must remain on the incident, in order to create awareness and protect victims and potential victims, rather than shifting blame with distracting discussions on gender wars and feminism. 

Additionally, leaders should not ignore behaviors that do not fall under criminality, but are Islamically unlawful. These often involve exploitation of a position of power, such as secret marriages16, pressuring minors into marriage (in countries or states where there are no laws against minors marrying), taking advantage of convert women by not safeguarding their Islamic rights, and exploiting one’s position as spiritual leader/counselor to gain personal access to vulnerable women. 

4. We call on imams, community leaders, teachers, and Islamic institutes to establish structures that support victims and survivors.

Too many survivors of abuse are ashamed to seek help because of the pervasive culture of victim-blaming. This must change. Community leaders must model trust in and compassion for victims of abuse. In discussions of sexual abuse (especially child sexual abuse), suggestions of segregation or hijab17 as the solution to abuse must not be the sole focus. Instead, institutions must uphold the sunnah of holding perpetrators accountable. 

Victim blaming in this and other ways can give rise to microaggressions and painful ostracisms at community gatherings, such as community members distancing themselves from victims of abuse or spreading gossip about them. The fault always lies with the perpetrators and never with the victim. 

Demonstrating compassion for survivors includes constantly fighting against the culture of stigma and shame that surrounds abuse. Institutions should make explicitly clear that they prioritize safeguarding the community, and should ensure that the organization is a welcoming and safe space for all. Where funds are available, they should create supportive structures such as professional family counseling and support groups. Where institutions do not have the means, they should ensure that they have an internal safeguarding lead who can both support them and direct them to the relevant external support and help they need18.

Part of creating systems of support for vulnerable groups, particularly women, is ensuring that institutions employ women as resident scholars and teachers. Having women scholars as part of an institution’s framework demonstrates the community’s prioritization of women seeking knowledge in protected, safe spaces. 

However, women can at times be those who are the abusers or who perpetuate abuse. Therefore, there is a need for systems of accountability in all institutions, single-sex and otherwise, without exception. This cannot be understated.

We must also repudiate the role that some women have played in enabling the protection of abusers and perpetrating the silence of their crimes. These cycles of abuse must end, with all believers, men and women, playing active roles in supporting survivors of abuse and building preventative systems.

5. We call on imams, community leaders, teachers and Islamic institutes to provide education on building God-centered, healthy family dynamics.

With the advent of technology and social media, it is very easy to come across many different messages in relation to sex education and healthy relationships. It is therefore imperative that we teach our children and communities collectively what Allah ﷻ intended for gender dynamics and marital intimacy, with real examples of healthy relationships. This also includes education on boundaries, autonomy, and personal safety for young children and others. Such knowledge will empower individuals to better understand how to maintain personal safety from a holistic Islamic lens. This guidance is found within the Qur’an and the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ), along with research from health professionals. 

Call to Action: The community’s role in protecting vulnerable individuals from predators: Congregation members and the wider Muslim community should make demands of their institutions and use their collective power for positive change. Engage with masajid and institutions that do have the correct procedures in place, and do not engage with, send your children to, or donate your funds to institutions that refuse to make the changes necessary to keep our communities safe. Where institutions have explicitly violated safeguarding procedures, such as concealing the abuse of a minor, it is both a legal requirement and an Islamic obligation to report these institutions to the authorities, as Muslims have an obligation to uphold the religious mandate of safety and security, according to the principle of the shari’ah:

When an obligation cannot be fulfilled without a means, then the means become obligatory.19

Whilst some are pressured not to report to authorities, we must emphasize that there is nothing wrong with doing so, and in fact, it can be obligatory to do so. No Islamic legal system exists without a government that establishes courts with the power to arrest, investigate, prosecute, and sentence those accused of crimes. Since, as minorities in many countries, Muslims do not have this, we have to depend on the governing jurisdiction to perform these functions20. Otherwise, we live in anarchy, which Islam opposes. 

As discussed above, the primary responsibility of preventing abuse falls on community leaders and institutions. However, it is important to remember that even if the precautionary measures are taken by institutions, there still may be predators who escape notice and are in a position to exploit people. For this reason, community members can take additional protective measures:

• Avoid glorifying teachers as though they are infallible, as this paves the way for predatory teachers to gain an easy following.
• Refuse private meetings or conversations. There should be no khalwah (seclusion) with teachers or students of the opposite gender, and online khalwah (private messaging) is not excluded from this. Private conversations with a scholar of the opposite gender are never acceptable, and community members must report scholars who insist on such privacy. 
• Prevent all young children from being in a state of khalwah with teachers.21 22
• Vet the environments that children are sent to, and do not assume that children will be safe just because a place is a Muslim institution.
• Remember that a scholar or religious leader should never ask you to do anything that is haram.
• Recognise red flags of abuse and bring them to the attention of leaders, authorities, and the community where necessary (see next section for more details on this).
• Look for green flags of safe Islamic leadership, such as:
  • Students being encouraged to use critical thinking skills, and to question with adab.
  • Teachers being able to say, “I don’t know” and being open to feedback and pushback
  • Leaders having good adab with everyone, especially their own families.
  • Institutions being transparent about finances, rules, and boundaries..
  • Teachers maintaining boundaries, especially in interactions with the opposite gender and with children.
  • Leaders being willing to listen to and learn from critique from community members without reacting angrily or defensively.
  • Leaders being clear about the structures of accountability that they are held to.

Too many of our elders have been secretly abused in the past, were unable to seek help, and have developed maladaptive coping mechanisms, including emotional suppression, denial, or moving away from religious practices. And hearing about recent cases of child abuse can open up old wounds23. It is never too late to get help for past instances of spiritual abuse. 

Abuse and the Misconception of Concealing the Faults of Others or Backbiting

Islam emphasizes the inherent dignity of human beings, particularly Muslims. This is why gossiping and backbiting are forbidden, and concealing people’s private sins that do not cause harm to others or the community at large is encouraged24. These are general guidelines and are not applicable to individuals committing harm against others, especially when concealing harm is going to encourage impunity and further perpetuate that harm. Rather, reporting and even publicizing may be encouraged and even mandatory, depending on the case25. 

Allah tells us in the Quran: {Allah does not like the public mention of evil except by one who has been wronged…} (4:148).

According to the mufassirin, this verse indicates that it is permissible for the one wronged to pray against the one who wronged him and report him publicly, as long as it does not entail lying26. Moreover, the wronged person is permitted to publicly speak of the harm and complain about the oppression, even saying to the people, “He is an oppressor.”27 Hence, whether one is obligated to conceal and advise privately on the one hand, or to report and/or speak about the sin or crime on the other, depends on the people harmed, the potential for future harm,  and the consequences of leaving that sin/crime unaddressed. Muslims are obligated to protect, preserve, and safeguard the religion, people’s rights, and the principle of justice.

Imam al-Nawawi stated that backbiting is permitted for a legitimate purpose, and one of these purposes is seeking counsel28. When one is seeking help in therapy and needs to talk about the abuse to heal, there is a clear benefit. The therapeutic setting is a private one between client and counselor, and comes with legal obligations, including confidentiality. A therapist cannot disclose anything a client says except in limited circumstances as required by law. A client’s purpose in engaging with a therapist is to seek healing, not to simply gossip aimlessly. Thus, it is not considered backbiting or slander for someone to discuss abuse or abusers in the context of therapy.

Similarly, seeking counsel from elders or friends would not constitute backbiting, as the intention is not to gossip but to help bring oneself out of a harmful situation. Wider conversations about abuse and how it can impact victims need to continue, as abuse grows in silence. Perpetrators use isolation as a method of control, and a victim often feels alone in what they are dealing with. This isolation, in addition to feelings of shame that may come with being a victim of abuse, makes it very difficult to recognize the abuse and seek help. The less that abuse is discussed, the easier it is for abusers to continue with their behaviors unchecked. Alongside abusers feeling emboldened by the silence, victims also self-blame in that kind of environment, believing that the abuse is their own fault, and people come to regard signs of abuse as none of their business. Speaking about abuse in community, in classes, and in families will allow more people to recognise signs of abuse and help to end the culture of shame and silence that allows it to continue harming individuals  and communities.

The Islamic Obligation to Report Abusers

{You who believe, uphold justice and bear witness to God, even if it is against yourselves, your parents, or your close relatives. Whether the person is rich or poor, God can best take care of both. Refrain from following your own desire, so that you can act justly—if you distort or neglect justice, God is fully aware of what you do.} (Qur’an 4:135)

Imam al-Nawawi recommends that cases of harm and corruption be brought to the authorities, “because concealing [the abuser] would encourage him to cause more harm and corruption, violate the prohibitions, and embolden others to do the same as him.”29 This highlights the imperative of reporting such behavior not only to restrict direct harm to victims, but also to restrict perpetrators’ access to and influence on vulnerable individuals. In some cases, making the abuser known to the community to protect people and to deter others is also crucial in preventing further harm.30 Whether the abuse should be made public knowledge depends on a range of factors and requires Muslim leadership to take this matter seriously in order to develop an understanding of when it is appropriate and necessary to divulge such information to the community.

It is an Islamic obligation for anyone who witnesses a criminal act or knows of a criminal act that took place (with evidence), to report it to the legal authorities of their region. Furthermore, it is NOT a sin for a Muslim to call the police on another Muslim if that person has committed crimes (including sexual abuse, domestic abuse, financial crimes, etc.). In non-Muslim countries, we already rely on the legal structures for every other aspect of our lives; we should not hold a double standard and only use these institutions when they benefit us personally, but rather, we must acknowledge and understand that in the absence of an Islamic legal authority, we are bound to turn to these institutions for any criminal matter, even if it is against other Muslims.

Call to Action:  We call on Muslim families to model healthy gender interactions and healthy families: 

It is imperative that we model healthy gender interactions to the next generation of young Muslim men and women, and the best example of that begins within the family home. This includes respectful interactions between spouses, between each spouse and all children, and between wider family members. Modeled behaviors should provide healthy examples of respect for each other’s views (even when not in agreement), conflict resolution skills, and healthy boundaries within families. 

For single parent homes or in the absence of a healthy father figure, there needs to be a collective effort from mahram men to act as role models to young people whenever possible. 

Where children may have been exposed to traumas, we need to consider what resources and assistance parents and caregivers may need to support that child, alongside professional consultation. Where children or adults experience mental health difficulties, rather than exclusion and ostracisation, there needs to be a collective effort to include them and provide safe spaces that are accessible, friendly and welcoming. By modelling these healthy behaviors within families, we can then extend them into our communities.

We call on Muslim men to inculcate and model futuwwa (chivalry) in the true Prophetic sense: 

The Prophet ﷺ was the best example of kind, respectful, and honorable interactions with men, women, and children. We know that there are many incredible Muslim men in our communities who seek to fulfill the Sunnah of RasulAllah in all ways. We understand that as qawwaamoon, Muslim men have an important leadership role in our communities. Brave and compassionate Muslim men who embody the characteristics of the Prophet ﷺ will hold themselves and other men accountable31. It takes a special courage to call out injustice, especially when it is family members, friends, or colleagues perpetrating the oppression.

Muslim men must also model healthy behavior for the upcoming generation of young men and women. Abuse does not happen in a vacuum, and is often repeated from generation to generation. Contrary to many assumptions however, men who were abused as children are not doomed to repeat the cycle. Both spiritual healing and external resources online and in-person are often successful at breaking these generational patterns32. We believe in the strength of Muslim men to do what is right for the Sake of Allah and to protect the Ummah, knowing that the leadership they have been entrusted with is a serious responsibility about which they will be asked on the Day of Judgement. 

We call on Muslim women to support vulnerable groups, particularly other women: 

We must acknowledge the role that women have also played in enabling the protection of abusers and perpetrating the silence of their crimes; indeed, we must recognize that even women can be abusers. This cycle must end, with Muslim women playing an active role in not just supporting survivors of abuse, but being actively involved in building preventative systems. Make space for survivors and help build them up instead of tearing them down. 

Muslim women should seek out female scholars, teachers, and students of knowledge to learn from. We need to build strong networks of Islamically educated mothers, aunties, sisters, daughters who can empower each other with sacred knowledge, as God intended through the example of the Mothers of The Believers (may Allah be pleased with them all). We must demonstrate the care and nurturing of the Ummahaat al-Mu’mineen by serving as  a source of safety and strength, empathy and resources for both our communities in general and for victims if abuse should occur.  

Conclusion

This paper is more than just a statement of condemnation; it is a call to action to community leaders and community members alike. Spiritual abuse in all its forms is a hidden disease in our Ummah—one that believing men and believing women alike have an obligation to root out. It is time for us to set up checks and balances in our community institutions, masajid, and schools to protect our most vulnerable community members. It is part and parcel of  our religious obligation to help one another by ending oppression and to enjoin good and forbid evil:

Allah’s Messenger ﷺ said, “Help your brother whether he is an oppressor or an oppressed,” A man said, “O Allah’s Messenger ﷺ! I will help him if he is oppressed, but if he is an oppressor, how shall I help him?” The Prophet ﷺ said, “By preventing him from oppressing (others), for that is how to help him.”33

It is with this spirit of standing determinedly against oppression that this paper has been issued. Standing against spiritual abuse in all its forms is a collective responsibility of both community leaders and community members alike. Part of fulfilling the Prophetic commandment of preventing an oppressor from oppressing others is an imperative to address risk factors that contribute to creating perpetrators in the first place. This is in order to protect them from sin, from harm, from their own violence, and crucially, the abuse of others.

After outlining our motivations for this paper, we started by laying out a well-accepted definition of spiritual abuse. Thereafter, we emphasized the fallibility of scholars, explaining that they are not immune to perpetuating abuse. We identified red flags associated with abusers and listed demographics vulnerable to abuse. Most importantly, we dedicated a large proportion of this paper to a call to action for all members of the Muslim community, first and foremost to its leaders, thereafter the wider community, families, men, and women. Within this section, we discussed misconceptions related to concealing sins and the Islamic obligation to report abusers. We detailed concrete steps for all members of the Muslim community to take in order to prevent abuse.

This paper is only the first step in raising awareness about the seriousness of spiritual abuse and what meaningful action our community needs to take in order to effectively deal with this disease. We pray that everyone, men and women, leaders and community members, understands the seriousness of the matter at hand and realizes that it is our communal responsibility to urgently address these issues.

May Allah make us amongst those who are sincere in our work, who seek His Pleasure above all else, who uphold the obligations of enjoining good and forbidding evil, and who are a source of benefit and safety to our brothers and sisters in this Ummah. May Allah forgive us for our shortcomings, purify us, and accept this from us, paving the way to removing abuse in our Ummah.

Download the PDF of this paper: Female Scholars Against Spiritual Abuse

Related:

Statement Against Abuse: The Female Scholars Network

Statement Against Domestic Violence: The Female Scholarship Network

1     {Indeed, Allah orders justice and good conduct and giving to relatives and forbids immorality and bad conduct and oppression. He admonishes you that perhaps you will be reminded.} (Qur’an 16:90)2    {O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm in justice, witnesses for Allah , even if it be against yourselves or parents and relatives…} (Qur’an 4:135)3    Abu Hurayra said, “A believer is the mirror of his brother. When he sees a fault in it, he should correct it.” [Al-Adab Al-Mufrad]4    Abdullah ibn Umar reported: The Messenger of Allah,ﷺ, said, “Every one of you is a shepherd and is responsible for his flock.” (Bukhari and Muslim)5    Quran 9:1126    “La darar wa la dirar” is an Islamic legal maxim that means “no harm shall be inflicted nor reciprocated”. The maxim is based on a hadith, and is close to the principle of “non-maleficence” in secular bioethics. Islam directs people to not be harmful or maleficent to others, and if one is harmed, Islam advises not to reciprocate harm. The term “darar” is a legal term that means harm, prejudice, or cruelty. For example, in marriage, darar may be grounds for divorce.7    Dar’ al-mafasid muqaddam ‘ala jalb al-masalih is an Islamic maxim that means “Prevention of harm is given precedence over pursuing benefit.” Under this maxim, warding off of evils is given preference. This maxim can be used to help resolve disputes in cases where there is a lack of direct evidence, but the risk of grave harm is present. 8    Defining Spiritual Abuse, and Why We Use The Term9    Processing Spiritual Abuse In Islam: A Comprehensive Guide For Individuals, Communities, And Organizations10    Insights into the Psychological Sequelae of Spiritual Abuse, Dr Rania Awad and Dr Tabish Riaz11    The Challenges of Leaving Spiritually Abusive Groups12    Blurred Lines: Women, “Celebrity” Shaykhs, and Spiritual Abuse13    Section 76 of the Serious Crime Act 2015 has a list of behaviours considered suspicious: Controlling or Coercive Behaviour in an Intimate or Family Relationship[/mfn]. 

Vulnerable Targets for Grooming and Exploitation: While anyone can be a target for grooming and exploitation, particular individuals are recognised as vulnerable groups at greater risk for abuse. These include: 

• Children and young adults
• Single mothers with weak or non-existent support networks
• Convert mothers, convert women in general, and new male converts
• Muslim women who are starting their journey to their deen
• Divorcees
• Women struggling to find a spouse
• Individuals who have been abused in the past
• Muslims who grew up without an understanding of religion and are reconnecting with Islam
• Those struggling with mental health challenges (diagnosed or otherwise)
• Those who are disabled and may be without strong support or protections

Children in particular are more susceptible to believing what adults tell them, especially if the adult holds a trustworthy position or is introduced to them by other trusted adults. Some may not be sure about what types of conduct are acceptable when coming from an adult, while others may not know how to seek help when an adult’s conduct toward them is obviously inappropriate. Even with guidance from parents or other adults about personal boundaries and having models of healthy relationships around them, children are especially vulnerable to being told that there are “exceptions.”

Once a person is trapped in an abusive situation, it becomes very difficult for them to find a way out. Abuse often begins as harmless affection, which may escalate very slowly and incrementally. This process is called grooming and causes the victim to let their guard down, while being manipulated to not realize that they are in fact victims.

People rely on the help and support of religious leaders, and they should be able to do so safely without the risk or fear of any exploitation. Mosques and Islamic organisations must be cognizant of the vulnerability of the above-mentioned groups and provide them with referrals to appropriate local support where necessary (such as Muhsen in the US and Solace in the UK). Even when such organizations do not exist specifically to address abuse, the built-in support systems that they do provide function as a protective measure.

A Call To Action: We call on imams, community leaders, teachers, and Islamic institutes to:

• Implement safeguarding measures to protect all staff, students, and community members

• Hold predators publicly accountable through legal means and internal policies

• Prioritise discussions around spiritual abuse

• Establish structures that support victims and survivors

1. Provide education on building God-centered healthy family dynamics

1. We call on imams, community leaders, teachers and Islamic institutes to actively safeguard staff, students, and the wider community.  We must take precautionary measures to prevent abuse and to set up a culture of safe leadership. There should be safeguarding training13. Such trainings are available through existing organizations, such as the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (UK), although there exists a need for further trainings to be developed in the context of religious leadership14    Ensuring The Safety Of Our Communities: A Call For Immediate Corrective Action From American Muslim Organizations15     In the UK, a DBS check could flag up such convictions, although this obviously does not account for potential perpetrators. In countries like Canada, a Criminal Record Check will flag prior convictions as well.16    On Secret Marriages | Dr Shaykh Mohammad Akram Nadwi17    Hijab and segregation have a place in larger discussions of societal well-being and protective measures, but can never be seen as the sole solution in cases of abuse.18    Guide to support options for abuse19    Maa laa yatimm al-waajib illa bihi fa huwa waajib20    We are aware that our legal and political institutions are compromised by racism and Islamophobia as well as other issues, but given the lack of an Islamic ruling body or any other avenues of legal authority, we must recognize that we still have to rely on them for cases of abuse, just as we rely on them for other legal matters.21     Imam an-Nawawi writes: Likewise, it is forbidden for a man to look at a beardless youth if he has a handsome appearance, whether he looks with passion or not, whether he is safe from temptation or he fears it. Sharḥ al-Nawawī ‘alá Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, 4:31 #33822    Preventing khalwah can include keeping classroom doors open, using security cameras, and other methods.23    Dear Resilient Soul… – A Message To Survivors Of Childhood Sexual Trauma24    The Prophet ﷺ said, “Whoever conceals the fault of a Muslim in this world, Allah will conceal his faults in this world and in the Hereafter. Allah will help a person so long as he is helping his brother.” (Muslim). The Prophet ﷺ also explained backbiting and slander for us, defining the former as, “Saying something about your brother that he dislikes.” It was said, “What if what I say about my brother is true?” He said, “If what you say is true then you have backbited about him, and if it is not true, then you have slandered him.” [Muslim]25    Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen emphasized that, “Concealing the sin of a person may be an ordainment and praiseworthy, and it may be forbidden.” He further explained that, “What is meant by concealment is concealing the fault, but concealment cannot be praiseworthy unless it serves an interest and does not lead to any negative consequences. 26    Tafir al-Sa’di, and Tahir bin Ashur, al-Tahrir wal-Tanwir27    Tahir bin Ashur, al-Tahrir wal-Tanwir28    Imam al-Nawawi cites seeking an answer from a Mufti. See: Riyad al-Salihin; see also: “Discussing Intimate Details in Therapy Sessions” (Seekers Guidance)29    Imam al-Nawawi, Sharh Sahih Muslim30    The Maliki scholar Abu Abbas al-Qurtubi stated about such a person that it would be obligatory to report them, punish them, and “make it public so that others like him will be deterred” citing the fact that refraining from doing so, among other things, may violate people’s rights. 31    Narrated ‘Aisha: The Quraish people became very worried about the Makhzumiya lady who had committed theft. They said, “Nobody can speak (in favor of the lady) to Allah’s Apostle and nobody dares do that except Usama who is the favorite of Allah’s Apostle. ” When Usama spoke to Allah’s Apostle about that matter, Allah’s Apostle said, “Do you intercede (with me) to violate one of the legal punishments of Allah?” Then he got up and addressed the people, saying, “O people! The nations before you went astray because if a noble person committed theft, they used to leave him, but if a weak person among them committed theft, they used to inflict the legal punishment on him. By Allah, if Fatima, the daughter of Muhammad committed theft, Muhammad will cut off her hand!” (Sahih Bukhari, Volume 8, Book 81, Number 779)32    Khalil Center, Canadian Muslim Counseling, Ruh Care, and other Muslim mental health organizations are all examples of accessible resources. Please research for similar resources in your own locale.33    Sahih al-Bukhari

The post Addressing Abuse Amongst Muslims: A Community Call-In & Leadership Directives | The Female Scholars Network appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

If you want advice – death is sufficient, says Muslim scholar Bediüzzaman Said Nursi. True. Every time I visit the gravesite of my sweet three-year-old Meryem, I am painfully awakened in new ways. Her love and light continue to sustain and strengthen me. She has turned into a spiritual guide of some sort and invites me into her new afterlife. Our reconfigured relationship prioritizes existential questions. More than ever, my thinking, writing, and teaching centers around marginalized topics like suffering, death and grief. To me, my dead daughter imparts the greatest lessons on life. For Muslims, the meditation on death should be ideally part and parcel of daily spiritual practice. A moderate amount of a healthy fear of death enhances the quality of life and becomes life-preserving. However, humans tend to forget as the Qur’an points out and we all can be prone to fall into a mode of avoidance or denial:

“And do not be like those who forget God, so He made them forget themselves. It is they who are truly rebellious.” [Surah Al-Hashr: 59;19]

“When trouble befalls the human being he cries out to Us, whether lying on his side, sitting, or standing, but as soon as We relieve him of his trouble he goes on his way as if he had never cried out to Us to remove his trouble. In this way the deeds of such heedless people are made attractive to them.” [Surah Yunus:10;12]

As for many, remembering death frequently has given me a greater clarity, sharper vision and more in-depth understanding of life. Death can strangely make you more alive and transform you into a better version of yourself. A reason why many thinkers concluded that life has no meaning without mortality. In that regard, three profound life-lessons in particular have stood out to me:  

1. We are all migrants

As humans we are fundamentally migratory beings. Change, mobility, movement and motion are essential to human development and flourishing. Without inner and physical activity we cease to thrive and exist. We age, reach our peak and gradually decline. Again, slowly migrating from one stage to another is intrinsic to the human experience. Death is an inescapable reality. None of us is bound to stay on this earth. The Qur’an mentions in Surah Al-‘Araf [7:172] about the primordial covenant and gathering of the souls. According to that we came from a celestial origin, “And when your Lord brought forth from the children of Adam, from their loins, their seed, and made them testify of themselves: “Am I not your Lord?” They said: “Yes, we testify.” We dwell on earth for a determined period and ultimately have to return to our final destination – our heavenly home. Yet, we pretend we can claim absolute ownership on our bodies, our loved ones, our wealth and property, and on God-given resources and territory. None of it belongs truly to us. The True Owner calls us to support and uplift one another on this universal journey, “They believe in God and the Last Day, and they enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and hasten to good deeds. And those are among the righteous,” [Surah ‘Ali-Imran: 3;114]. Indeed we belong to God, and indeed to Him we will all return, declares the Qur’an. If I am only a guest, trustee and caretaker of this earth and all what it contains, I strive to make sure that I walk and act humbly on this planet and return everything in the best manner back to my Creator. If I am destined to leave and none of my attachments can come with me, then perhaps I should focus on leaving a spiritual imprint or moral legacy behind and use all what I have as a means to achieve this vision. 

2. Mindfulness – Life is now

The past is gone. Learn from its lessons. Tomorrow is non-existent – the future is not promised. Ruminating too much over the past, overthinking and excessive worry about the future is also wasted mental energy that we desperately need for the now. Therefore, do not cry before beaten, says Bediüzzaman again. Mortality makes us intensely aware that all what we have is this very moment. The present is truly a present – a blessing not taken for granted. Often, I go back to my last time with my daughter and I am grateful that all the important things that truly matter were said, felt and done. As I want to return in peace to my Creator, I try to be more kind to myself and others, more forgiving and ideally not to hold onto grudges. True human liberation comes with a sense of freeing oneself from destructive and harmful thoughts. The future while unknown holds also the possibility for goodness. To anticipate it with hope and good assumptions is a characteristic of a believer. To assume the best of God and trust in His Decree puts the heart at ease. Whatever He has written for you will be in your best interest.   

3. Gratitude – Focus on abundance over absence 

Meryem’s death called me to slow down, to pay more attention, to live more mindfully, to make every day count and to be more aware of my blessings. I aspire to live more consciously and more holistically by engaging all my inner and outer senses in a mode of gratitude: when I enjoy an apple or my coffee, I practice the art of noticing. I reflect on the creation, shape, smell, taste and origin of my blessing and find more wholesome delight by recognizing the love and care of my compassionate Creator. I try to respond to His Love by doing more of what He values and what really matters: cultivate deeper connection with God and the creation, maintain meaningful relationships and engage in more service to others. At the same time, I have given up on the illusion that my to-do tasks will ever be fully accomplished. The fate of the world is thankfully not on my shoulders. I do the best I can on a daily basis, but the work will not finish with me. It will continue. That perspective gives me comfort. I committed myself to a vision that focuses more on abundance and contentment instead of absence and complain.

Death is truly the greatest teacher. If we face our mortality with courage, it will enhance the quality of our lives. Whatever weighs us down or is detrimental therefore needs to go: Toxic relationships, unnecessary distractions, material clutter that overwhelms. Out Prophet Muhammad encouraged us therefore to be in this world like a traveler or a stranger. Life is a brief moment. We are bound to leave any time. This sustained remembrance of death forces us to examine what is truly essential on this journey and for our ultimate destination. 

 

Related:

– The Forgotten Sunnah Of Raising Stepchildren: Reflections On The Death Of My Stepson

– My Dearest Fetus: Enduring Unimaginable Loss

The post Death The Greatest Teacher: Three Life-Lessons From My Dead Daughter appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

Reading Time

• Summary Transcript: ~2 minutes
• Full Transcript: ~17 minutes

Learning Objectives

• Understand the Different Types of Obligatory Knowledge
  • Identify and differentiate between Fard Ayn (individual obligation) and Fard Kifayah (communal obligation).
  • Provide examples of each category and explain their relevance in daily Islamic practice.
• Explore the Four Categories of Knowledge
  • Understand the definitions of Usool (fundamentals), Furu’ (branches), Muqaddimati (tools), and Mutammimati(enhancers).
  • Be able to categorize Islamic sciences or subjects into these four types.
• Recognize the True Essence of Knowledge
  • Explain the concept of ‘Uloom al-Quloob or ‘Ilm al-Mu’amala, focusing on how it relates to dealing with Allah and purifying the heart.
  • Reflect on how knowledge should enhance one’s spiritual connection with Allah.
• Appreciate the Original Meanings of Key Islamic Terms
  • Describe how terms like Fiqh, Tawheed, Dhikr, and Hikmah have evolved over time and return to their original, deeper meanings.
  • Discuss the broader spiritual implications of these concepts beyond their modern-day restrictions.
• Prioritize Beneficial Knowledge
  • Define what constitutes beneficial knowledge according to the Qur’an and Sunnah.
  • Understand the Prophet’s (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) teachings on seeking knowledge that positively impacts one’s heart and actions.
• Develop Strategies for Seeking Knowledge Consistently
  • Identify practical ways to manage time effectively for seeking knowledge, even with other life commitments.
  • Explore methods of integrating learning into daily routines and ensuring consistency in one’s studies.
• Maintain Sincerity in Seeking Knowledge
  • Reflect on the importance of sincerity (ikhlas) in the pursuit of knowledge and ways to renew and purify one’s intention.
  • Avoid the common pitfalls of seeking knowledge for fame or recognition.
• Handle Doubts and Confusion in Learning
  • Learn how to address doubts that arise during study, including seeking guidance from reliable scholars and authentic sources.
  • Embrace patience and persistence in learning as a process that involves continuous reflection and clarification.

Class Summary Understanding the True Essence of Knowledge: Insights from Imam Ibn Qudamah

In a recent Ta’seel class, Shaykh Yaser Birjas explored Imam Ibn Qudamah’s Muqtasar Minhaj Al-Qasideen, providing valuable insights into the true nature of knowledge in Islam. This post will summarize the key points discussed, offering a deeper understanding of how knowledge should be pursued and applied in our daily lives.

Categories of Knowledge: Fard Ayn vs. Fard Kifayah

Shaykh Yaser explained that knowledge is divided into two primary obligations:

1. Fard Ayn (Individual Obligation): This is knowledge that each individual Muslim is required to know and act upon, such as the five daily prayers.
2. Fard Kifayah (Communal Obligation): Knowledge that is a communal responsibility, like learning medicine or performing funeral rites. If a sufficient number of people fulfill these obligations, the rest of the community is absolved.

The Four Types of Knowledge

Imam Ibn Qudamah categorized knowledge into four types:

1. Usool (Fundamentals): Core sciences, such as studying the Qur’an, which is learned for its own merit.
2. Furu’ (Branches): Branches of knowledge like Fiqh (jurisprudence), which involve learning what is halal (permissible) and haram (forbidden).
3. Muqaddimati (Tools): Tools used to engage with fundamental knowledge, such as Arabic grammar and Hadith science.
4. Mutammimati (Enhancers): Enhancers like Tajweed (Qur’anic recitation rules) that deepen your study of the Qur’an and Sunnah.

Reclaiming the True Meaning of Knowledge

Shaykh Yaser emphasized that true knowledge isn’t just about learning rulings; it’s about understanding your relationship with Allah. He pointed out that over time, concepts like “Fiqh” and “Tawheed” have become narrowly defined. Originally, Fiqh was about comprehending the deeper reality of life and the Hereafter, not just legal rulings. Tawheed, similarly, was more than an intellectual exercise—it was about truly living in recognition of Allah’s Oneness.

The Essence of Dhikr and Wisdom

The Shaykh reminded us that Dhikr (remembrance of Allah) should be an internal, spiritual practice, not just an outward ritual. He also discussed Hikmah (wisdom), highlighting that true wisdom is about applying knowledge in a way that benefits both ourselves and others.

Balancing Knowledge and Life: Key Takeaways from the Q&A

During the Q&A session, Shaykh Yaser provided practical advice:

• Consistency: Even small but regular acts of seeking knowledge are valuable.
• Sincerity: Always purify your intentions when seeking knowledge—study to please Allah, not for recognition.
• Avoid Doubts: Clarify doubts by asking reliable scholars and engaging with authentic sources.

Conclusion

Imam Ibn Qudamah’s teachings, as explained by Shaykh Yaser Birjas, highlight the need for a balanced approach to seeking knowledge—prioritizing what brings us closer to Allah and applying it with sincerity and humility. May Allah grant us the ability to seek and act upon beneficial knowledge, bringing us closer to Him.

Full Transcript

Welcome back to our Ta’seel class, where we are discussing the book of Imam Ibn Qudamah, Muqtasar Minhaj Al-Qasideen. We are still in the chapter of knowledge, where he explains the meaning of knowledge and what its essence is exactly. If you remember from last time, Imam Ibn Qudamah (rahimahullah) mentioned different categories of knowledge that are required of you.

Categories of Knowledge: Fard Ayn and Fard Kifayah Fard Ayn (Individual Obligation)

The first type of knowledge is that which is required individually from you. What do we call that? Everything that you need to do individually—what kind of knowledge is that? Fard Ayn. What does Fard Ayn mean? It means it’s individually obligatory, meaning it’s an obligation on each and every one of you. No one can do this on your behalf. Can anyone give me an example of Fard Ayn? What is it? Salah? No, it depends.

When we say Salah, what do we mean by Salah in jama’ah? Fard Ayn refers to the obligatory acts, meaning Salah (prayer), the five daily prayers, which are individually obligatory.

Fard Kifayah (Communal Obligation)

The second part is the knowledge that is considered communal obligation. If a group of the community or even one individual takes care of that, alhamdulillah, the sin is removed from the entire Ummah. What do we call that? Fard Kifayah. Fard Kifayah, which again means it’s a communal obligation. Can anyone give me an example of this? Salat al-Janazah, for example, not just Salat al-Janazah, but also washing the body, I’tikaf, medicine, all these things are examples of Fard Kifayah. If a sufficient group of people takes care of that, it lifts the obligation from everyone.

The Four Categories of Knowledge

Then Imam Ibn Qudamah (rahimahullah) divided knowledge into four categories. He said there is:

1. Usool (Fundamentals)
2. Furu’ (Branches)
3. Muqaddimati (Tools)
4. Mutammimati (Enhancers)

Usool (Fundamentals)

Usool means the fundamental knowledge, things you study for their own sake. Like what? The Qur’an. The Qur’an is an example of fundamental knowledge. It’s a science that is studied for its own value.

Furu’ (Branches)

Then we have Furu’—the branches. Furu’ would be things like Fiqh (jurisprudence), where we discuss what is halal and haram.

Muqaddimati (Tools)

Muqaddimati means the tools by which we study the Qur’an and Sunnah, like Nahw (Arabic grammar), Usool al-Fiqh (principles of jurisprudence), and Mustalah al-Hadith (science of Hadith). These are not the end goals, but the tools necessary to engage with the primary texts.

Mutammimati (Enhancers)

Mutammimati are things that enhance your study of the Qur’an and Sunnah, like Tajweed (the rules of Qur’an recitation) and Uloom al-Qira’at (the science of Qur’anic recitations).

Prioritizing Knowledge

The purpose of knowing these categories is to set your pursuit of knowledge in the right order of priorities. Don’t spend your whole life on grammar, for example, and miss out on the more important aspects of knowledge. You need to prioritize what is most beneficial to you, especially in terms of your relationship with Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala).

The Essence of Knowledge: ‘Ilm al-Mu’amala and ‘Uloom al-Quloob Defining the Essence of Knowledge

Then Imam Ibn Qudamah discussed the essence of knowledge. What is the essence of knowledge? It is called ‘Uloom al-Quloob or ‘Ilm al-Mu’amala—the knowledge of knowing how to deal with Allah. This includes the conditions of the heart, such as love for Allah, fear of Allah, contentment, gratitude, and removing ill feelings like envy from your heart. This is the true meaning of knowledge.

The Distortion of Knowledge in Imam Ibn Qudamah’s Time Distortion of Fiqh

Imam Ibn Qudamah (rahimahullah) addresses a major issue of his time, which is the distortion of the true meaning of knowledge. He laments how some people have started seeking specific titles or disciplines, thinking this is what knowledge truly is. He warns that this was not the way of the early generations of Muslims.

He gives us an example. He says the word “Fiqh” today has been restricted to jurisprudence and rulings. People think that if you know the fiqh rulings about prayer and fasting, you are a Faqih. But the early generations used the word “Fiqh” to mean something much deeper—understanding the religion itself and having an awareness of the Akhirah (Hereafter). This is why Al-Hasan Al-Basri (rahimahullah) said, “A true Faqih is the one who abstains from this world and desires the Hereafter.” Fiqh, in its original meaning, was not just about knowing how to perform wudu or Salah, but about knowing how to live your life in accordance with the guidance of Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala).

Imam Ibn Qudamah says that true knowledge is understanding your relationship with Allah, and everything else is secondary to that.

Distortion of ‘Ilm

The next word he discusses is ‘Ilm (knowledge). He says, in the early generations, ‘Ilm referred to knowledge of Allah, His signs, His blessings, and His actions. But today, ‘Ilm is often restricted to specific debates about jurisprudence, even if someone is ignorant of the Qur’an and Sunnah.

Restoring the True Meaning of Key Concepts Tawheed (Monotheism)

He also discusses Tawheed (monotheism). He says, originally, Tawheed was about recognizing that everything happens by the will of Allah and that He is the Creator and Sustainer of all things. The fruit of understanding Tawheed is that you have reliance (tawakkul) on Allah, contentment with His decree, and a constant seeking of His guidance. Today, however, Tawheed has become a subject of philosophical debate, which has taken away from its spiritual essence.

Dhikr (Remembrance of Allah)

He moves on to Dhikr (remembrance of Allah). The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said, “Remind, for the reminder benefits the believers.” He also said, “If you pass by the gardens of Paradise, graze therein,” referring to gatherings of Dhikr. Unfortunately, today, Dhikr has been turned into outward rituals, where people gather, chant, and sway, thinking this is true Dhikr. But the true essence of Dhikr is a deep, personal connection with Allah.

The Pitfalls of Misguided Spirituality

Imam Ibn Qudamah criticizes the excessive focus on outward practices that lack true sincerity and devotion. He warns against “roaming sermons” where speakers make bold claims about spirituality and deceive people into abandoning their professions to follow misguided paths of false piety.

Hikmah (Wisdom)

Lastly, Imam Ibn Qudamah discusses Hikmah (wisdom). True wisdom, he says, is combining knowledge with action. It is living according to what you know to be true. Today, the term Hakim (wise) has been distorted, and people use it to refer to anyone with knowledge, even if they do not act on that knowledge. True Hikmah is applying knowledge in a way that benefits you and others.

Conclusion: Prioritizing Beneficial Knowledge

Imam Ibn Qudamah concludes by reminding us to always focus on the true meaning of knowledge, which is understanding our relationship with Allah and acting on that knowledge. He warns against getting caught up in titles, debates, or outward displays, and encourages us to seek knowledge that brings us closer to Allah.

He says: “May Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) make us among those who seek beneficial knowledge and act upon it.”

Question 1: Balancing Knowledge with Daily Life

Student: Shaykh, you mentioned that Ilm is supposed to benefit our hearts. How do we balance seeking knowledge with our everyday obligations?

Shaykh Yaser Birjas: That’s a good question. Seeking knowledge should be a part of our lives, not something that pulls us away from our responsibilities. You don’t have to abandon your job or family to seek knowledge. Balance is key—dedicate time to studying, even if it’s just a little bit every day. The goal is consistency and making sure you’re applying what you learn.

Question 2: Dhikr Gatherings and Bid’ah

Student: Shaykh, some people say that Dhikr in gatherings is a bid’ah (innovation). How do we know if a form of Dhikr is permissible?

Shaykh Yaser Birjas: The basic principle is that Dhikr should be done according to the Sunnah of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). If you’re doing Dhikr in a way that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) or the Sahabah didn’t do, you need to question whether it’s permissible. Dhikr gatherings are fine as long as they follow the Sunnah. But when people start adding rituals or practices that have no basis in Islam, that’s when it becomes problematic.

Question 3: Can Dhikr Be Done in Any Form if It Brings You Closer to Allah?

Student: Shaykh, what if someone argues that as long as the Dhikr brings them closer to Allah, it doesn’t matter how it’s done?

Shaykh Yaser Birjas: That’s a common argument, but it’s important to remember that in our religion, acts of worship must be done according to how the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) taught us. We don’t invent new ways of worship. The companions of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) were the best generation, and they followed the Prophet’s guidance precisely. If a form of Dhikr was truly beneficial, it would have been taught by the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) or practiced by his companions. So, it’s not just about feeling closer to Allah; it’s about following the correct way to get closer to Him.

Question 4: How to Navigate Overwhelming Amounts of Information

Student: Shaykh, how can we ensure that we’re pursuing the right type of knowledge? There’s so much information out there, and it’s hard to know what’s truly beneficial.

Shaykh Yaser Birjas: That’s an excellent question. We live in a time where information is abundant, but not all of it is beneficial. The key is to prioritize the knowledge that will benefit your relationship with Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) and your understanding of the Deen. Start with the fundamentals—learn about Tawheed, Salah, and the basics of your obligations as a Muslim. Then, as you grow in your understanding, you can branch out to more specific fields of study. It’s also important to seek guidance from trustworthy scholars and avoid information that comes from unreliable or unknown sources.

Question 5: How to Identify Beneficial Knowledge

Student: What’s the difference between knowledge that benefits and knowledge that doesn’t? How do we distinguish between the two?

Shaykh Yaser Birjas: The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) used to make du’a, asking Allah for beneficial knowledge and seeking refuge from knowledge that does not benefit. Beneficial knowledge is the type that brings you closer to Allah, corrects your actions, and helps you live a life in accordance with the teachings of the Qur’an and Sunnah. Knowledge that doesn’t benefit is information that may distract you from your purpose, make you arrogant, or have no positive impact on your relationship with Allah or others. Always ask yourself: Is this knowledge bringing me closer to Allah? Is it making me a better person? If the answer is no, then perhaps it’s not the best use of your time.

Question 6: Seeking Knowledge for the Right Reasons

Student: Shaykh, some people seek knowledge just for fame or recognition. What advice would you give to someone who is worried about their intentions when studying Islam?

Shaykh Yaser Birjas: That’s a very important point. Sincerity is key in seeking knowledge. You should always check your intentions and ask yourself why you’re studying. Are you doing it to be recognized by others, or are you doing it for the sake of Allah? The scholars of the past were very cautious about their intentions. They used to say that one of the hardest things to purify is your niyyah (intention). A person might start out sincere, but over time, the desire for recognition or praise can creep in. Constantly renew your intention and remind yourself that you’re seeking knowledge to please Allah and benefit yourself and others, not for worldly gain.

Question 7: How to Deal with Doubts While Studying

Student: How do we deal with doubts that arise while studying? Sometimes, when learning about Islamic rulings or concepts, it’s easy to become confused or overwhelmed.

Shaykh Yaser Birjas: Doubts can happen, especially when we’re faced with complex or new information. The key is not to ignore those doubts, but to seek clarification from reliable sources. Don’t let confusion linger—ask scholars, study the Qur’an and Sunnah, and engage in discussions with people of knowledge. Also, be patient with yourself. Learning is a process, and sometimes things may not make sense immediately, but with time and dedication, insha’Allah, those doubts will clear up. And always make du’a for guidance, asking Allah to show you the truth and to protect you from misunderstanding.

Question 8: Managing Time While Seeking Knowledge

Student: Shaykh, what advice do you have for those of us who feel like we don’t have enough time to study because of work, family, or other commitments?

Shaykh Yaser Birjas: Time management is a challenge for many of us, but seeking knowledge doesn’t have to take up your entire day. The most important thing is consistency. Even if you only dedicate 10 or 15 minutes a day to studying, over time, that adds up. Make the intention that whatever free time you have, you’ll use it wisely to increase your knowledge. You can also combine your daily routines with beneficial learning—listen to Islamic lectures or Qur’an while driving or doing household chores, for example. It’s about making the most of the time you do have and being consistent, even if the time is short.

Question 9: Claims of Spiritual Secrets Not Found in the Qur’an or Sunnah

Student: Shaykh, what about people who claim to have spiritual knowledge or secrets that are not found in the Qur’an and Sunnah? Should we listen to them?

Shaykh Yaser Birjas: Be very careful of anyone who claims to have special knowledge or spiritual secrets that are not based on the Qur’an and Sunnah. The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) made it very clear that Islam was completed during his time. There is no need for any additional information beyond what has been revealed. Anyone who claims to have hidden knowledge or a secret way to get closer to Allah is either misguided or trying to mislead others. Stick to what is authentic and always verify any claims with the teachings of the Qur’an and the authentic Sunnah.

Question 10: Reconnecting with the Deeper Meaning of Fiqh

Student: Shaykh, you mentioned earlier that Fiqh has become more about legal rulings, but it used to have a deeper meaning. How can we reconnect with that original understanding of Fiqh?

Shaykh Yaser Birjas: That’s a great point. Fiqh, in its true essence, is about understanding how to live your life in accordance with the guidance of Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala). It’s not just about knowing the technicalities of legal rulings, but about applying those rulings in a way that brings you closer to Allah. To reconnect with that understanding, focus on the holistic aspects of Islam—how your prayers, fasting, and actions should all be leading you towards a deeper relationship with your Creator. Study the inner dimensions of worship and reflect on how the rulings of Islam are there to purify your heart and soul. This is the deeper meaning of Fiqh, and it’s something we need to revive in our studies and practices.

Question 11: Where to Start When Seeking Knowledge

Student: What’s the best way to start seeking knowledge if someone is just starting on their journey? Should they focus on books, lectures, or attending classes?

Shaykh Yaser Birjas: If you’re just starting, the most important thing is to begin with the basics. Start with the fundamentals of the religion, such as learning about Tawheed, Salah, and the obligations that every Muslim needs to know. You can do this through books, lectures, or attending classes—whatever works best for you. But always make sure that the sources you’re using are reliable and come from scholars who are grounded in the Qur’an and Sunnah. After that, you can expand into more specific areas of interest. The key is to build a strong foundation first and be consistent in your learning.

Question 12: Protecting Ourselves from Arrogance

Student: Shaykh, you talked about sincerity in seeking knowledge. How can we protect ourselves from becoming arrogant or showing off as we gain more knowledge?

Shaykh Yaser Birjas: Humility is essential in seeking knowledge. No matter how much we learn, there will always be more to know, and we must always remind ourselves that knowledge is a blessing from Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala). It’s not something we achieve on our own, but a gift that He bestows upon us. The more knowledge you have, the more you should realize how little you know and how much there is still to learn. Surround yourself with people who keep you grounded, and always check your intentions. Remember that the purpose of knowledge is to bring you closer to Allah, not to elevate your status in the eyes of others.

Q&A 1. What are the two primary categories of obligatory knowledge in Islam?

• Answer: The two primary categories are Fard Ayn (individual obligation) and Fard Kifayah (communal obligation).

2. Can you give an example of Fard Ayn knowledge?

• Answer: Examples of Fard Ayn knowledge include the five daily prayers, which every individual is responsible for performing.

3. What is an example of Fard Kifayah knowledge?

• Answer: Examples of Fard Kifayah include performing Salat al-Janazah (funeral prayer) or studying medicine. These are obligations on the community, and if some fulfill them, others are relieved of the duty.

4. What are the four categories of knowledge according to Imam Ibn Qudamah?

• Answer: The four categories of knowledge are Usool (fundamentals), Furu’ (branches), Muqaddimati (tools), and Mutammimati (enhancers).

5. What type of knowledge is considered Usool?

• Answer: Usool refers to fundamental knowledge, like the study of the Qur’an, which is learned for its own merit.

6. How does Imam Ibn Qudamah describe the true essence of knowledge?

• Answer: The true essence of knowledge, according to Imam Ibn Qudamah, is ‘Ilm al-Mu’amala or ‘Uloom al-Quloob, which is the knowledge of knowing how to deal with Allah, including matters of the heart like love, fear, and contentment.

7. How has the concept of Fiqh (jurisprudence) been distorted over time?

• Answer: Fiqh was originally understood to encompass a deeper understanding of the Deen and the Hereafter, but over time it has been restricted to legal rulings on matters like prayer and fasting.

8. What is the spiritual significance of Tawheed according to Imam Ibn Qudamah?

• Answer: Originally, Tawheed was about recognizing Allah’s Oneness and living in full reliance on His will, but today it is often debated philosophically, which takes away from its spiritual essence.

9. What is the true essence of Dhikr (remembrance of Allah)?

• Answer: The true essence of Dhikr is a deep, personal remembrance of Allah, not just outward rituals or chanting.

10. How does Imam Ibn Qudamah define true wisdom (Hikmah)?

• Answer: True Hikmah is the combination of knowledge and action. It is the ability to apply knowledge in a beneficial way.

11. What advice does Shaykh Yaser give for managing time while seeking knowledge?

• Answer: Shaykh Yaser advises consistency, even if it’s only 10-15 minutes a day. It’s about making the most of your available time and applying what you learn.

12. What should you do if doubts arise while studying?

• Answer: If doubts arise, seek clarification from reliable scholars, study the Qur’an and Sunnah, and be patient with yourself as you learn.

13. How can a person purify their intention while seeking knowledge?

• Answer: Constantly renew your intention to study for the sake of Allah, not for recognition or praise. Reflect on why you are seeking knowledge and keep it focused on pleasing Allah.

14. How did the early scholars view knowledge that does not benefit?

• Answer: The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) would seek refuge from knowledge that does not benefit. Such knowledge distracts from the true purpose of seeking knowledge, which is to bring one closer to Allah.

The post Study Classical Texts the Traditional Way | Session 7 appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

For Muslims in the West – whether born Muslims, or converts – the Christmas season is a time of mixed feelings. With sparkling lights and catchy music, the festive atmosphere is a contagious one… and presents a massive challenge to Muslims who are trying to avoid the haraamness of it all!

Whether you’re trying to talk to your kids about why Christmas isn’t something we celebrate, figuring things out with your non-Muslim family, or struggling to avoid falling for the “Christmas isn’t even religious anymore!” argument, MuslimMatters has plenty of resources for you!

[Podcast] Navigating Christmas: Advice to Converts, from Converts | Hazel Gomez & Eman Manigat

“Twinkling lights, cheery music, traditional food, and exchanging presents with family and friends… the Christmas season comes with a great deal of nostalgia and emotional challenges from new(er) Muslims, who often struggle to navigate establishing boundaries as a Muslim while also maintaining positive relationships with their families.

Anse Hazel and Anse Eman share their own experiences as converts, discussing some of the most common and most difficult challenges that new Muslims face, as well as providing support to those experiencing backlash from family and friends. They offer advice, compassion, and a holistic understanding of maintaining Islamic values while strengthening family ties, too.”

How To Talk To Young Children About Christmas

“As Muslim parents, how do we approach the issue of talking about Christmas with our young children? It can be difficult to navigate the “feels” of the season, especially for younger children, while strongly upholding Islamic values surrounding the celebration of Christmas.”

All I Want For Christmas Is… For Muslims To Read This

“Let’s be honest here, for those of us growing up as Muslim minorities, whether it was Christmas or another holiday, the assertive “because it’s ḥarām (forbidden)” coupled with the parental death-stare was usually the end of the conversation. One generation later, though, this answer – or the subconscious resentment of it – now has parents like me reluctant to repeat it, and for many, even questioning it.”

Podcast | Ho Ho Haraam | Ustadha Alima Ashfaq

“Christmas is around the corner, and the Christmas carols, decor, and workplace parties hype is at its peak! What does that mean for Muslims? Can’t we all sing Muslim carols, have a crescent shaped tree, and celebrate the Mawlid of Prophet ‘Eesa (as)? Or is Christmas really haraam?

Ustadha Alima Ashfaq shares how Muslims can navigate the Christmas season in a way true to our Deen and sensitive to individual situations, without compromising our Islamic principles.”

Muslims Celebrating Christmas: Why the “Petty” Is Powerful

“In recent years, I have noticed an increase in the number of Western Muslims celebrating Christmas in different capacities. This may be more understandable for those new to the faith, or for those who have non-Muslim family members with whom participating in this holiday may be tricky to navigate.

Unfortunately, there is also an increasing number of Muslims who have jumped on the bandwagon of celebrating Christmas with really no compelling reason to do so – putting up decorations in their homes, Christmas trees, giving Christmas presents to their children, etc.”

Khutbah: Living as a Muslim in a Christmas World

“This is an extremely poignant khutbah by Sh. Mustafa Umar. This provides a much needed step in moving past the dialogue of things like ‘is it haram to get a greeting card’ or ‘is it haram to put up a Christmas tree’.”

5 things Muslims can learn from Christmas

“This article certainly does NOT condone the ever-increasing practice of imitating non-Muslims in the celebration of their holidays. However, I do believe that there are lessons that we can draw from the way that non-Muslims celebrate their holiday. These are lessons that we can apply to our own two historically Islamically legitimate holidays – the two ‘Īds.

So, what are these lessons?”

In a Season of Consumerist Craziness, Let’s Be Grateful for Blessings

“At this time of year the stores are pushing their sales at us. Advertising is everywhere. There if a frenzy to buy, buy, buy. Let’s realize that as Muslims this is not our way of life. The consumerist madness is a deception. There’s no joy or peace attached to it. It’s a shallow illusion.

Look at what society has done to itself in the name of consumerism. A day of thanks (Thanksgiving) has become the prelude to “Black Friday”, the biggest shopping day of the year. It used to be that Black Friday did not begin until Friday morning, out of respect for Thanksgiving. Then the starting gun was moved to midnight, and now it has crept into Thursday evening. Nothing is sacred.”

The post MM Recap: The Christmas Edition appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.