The third Khalifah, Uthman’s deviation from the policy established by the Prophet and his two successors (Abu Bakr and ‘Umar) by apportioning a share of the Islamic state treasury to his relatives caused deep unease among most Muslims, leading to deep fissures in society.
Muslims throughout the world commemorate the Day of Ashura when Imam Hussain and his entire family were martyred in the plains of Karbala. The struggle between Haqq and batil is waged daily in countless ways, big and small. Muslims must decide which side they are on.
When the Prophet (pbuh) left this earthly abode, the vast majority of Muslims were newcomers to Islam, hence not fully immersed in the values of Islam. Even the Prophet’s committed followers (the Muhajiroon and Ansar), at time made decisions concerning issues of justice and equality that may have fallen short of the Qur’anic and Prophetic standard. We should not, however, impute ulterior motives to them.
Most Muslims respond positively to any call for establishing Islamic laws in society. While an average person does not have the capacity to do so, many Muslim intellectuals have also unfortunately fallen under the influence of western thought and are unable to offer direction.
In his continuing discussion of what constitutes Quraish, Abu Dharr explains that it does not refer to the tribe but primarily those who were with the Prophet (pbuh) in Makkah and then migrated with him to Madinah.
Hajj is one of the important obligations in Islam. Most Muslims perform it in a mechanical manner without realizing its true import based on the teachings of the Qur’an.
The persons around the Prophet (pbuh) were the founding fathers of Islamic self-determination. While not all of the same ranking, they were the first among the first (al-Sabiqeen). This was the generation of the Muhajiroon and the Ansar. They suffered persecution and torture but remained steadfast in their loyalty to the Prophet (pbuh).
Taqwa is an important concept in Islam. It has much deeper meanings than mere ‘piety’. The just-concluded month of Ramadan was meant to build our taqwa. With Ramadan’s end, our quest for taqwa, however, does not end. There are other routes to achieving taqwa.
The Islamic system of governance as exemplified by the Prophet (pbuh) and his two successors should not be confused with the western concept of “democracy”. Islam’s system was and is unique. It needs to be understood well to avoid the pitfalls that emerge from faulting thinking
The battle of Badr was an extremely important event in early Islamic history. It was a battle for the very survival of the nascent Muslim community. Because of their strong commitment, the Muslims were able to defeat an enemy force three times larger.
Let it be known that the Khilafah ruling method is based upon the concept of bay‘at. This means that the citizenry in an Islamic socio-governmental order is involved in deciding who their “chief executive” shall be. One way of understanding the Khilafah is to say that it was a “social contract” between the executive decision maker(s) and the resident citizens on the basis of Shura.
Western colonialism has inflicted immense damage on the lives of most people in Asia and Africa. Even geography has been colonized. Thus, meaningless labels like the ‘Middle East’ and ‘Far East’ have been coined to describe regions of the world to suit their purpose. Such distorted labels must be discarded.
The Prophet (pbuh) was chosen by Allah for a divinely-ordained mission. He received guidance from on high but on worldly matters he consulted his companions. Unless divinely instructed, he allowed them to decide on issues through mutual consultation.
Why do kings and other potentates whose rule is clearly un-Islamic insist on having court preachers on their payroll? The court preachers play an important in providing a veneer of Islamicity, and therefore, legitimacy where none exists, to these rulers.
Allah (swt) told His beloved Prophet (pbuh) to make decisions through mutual consultation with his followers. Despite being guided from on high, there were occasions when the Prophet (pbuh) sought the opinion of his companions and accepted it even when it was contrary to the opinion he held. This has important implications for Muslim life.
Pakistan has been in the grip of an unending political crisis that has badly damaged its economy. A syndicate of criminals and gangsters has taken the country hostage with no prospects in sight to resolve the crisis. It has put the very survival of the state at risk.
In his continuing series reflecting on the divergence of opinion in early Islamic history, Abu Dharr takes up the issue of the Shi‘i and Sunni understanding of the word ‘ismat (from which the word ma‘sum) is derived.
Throughout history, human beings have been involved in wars. The last century was particularly brutal. The patterns of war, however, seem to be changing and those at a disadvantage are fast catching up with developments in latest technology.
Comparing the policies of Umar and Uthman shows how the problems arose in early Islamic history and the deleterious consequences that followed
Justice is an important concept in Islam. It is also often touted at the global level but regrettably, there is little justice in the world. The rich and powerful exploit the poor and weak. There is no system whereby people can seek redress for injustices inflicted on them.
