Imam Ghazali: To Deem Abu Bakr & ‘Umar (Allah Be Pleased With Them) To Be Disbelievers Is Disbelief

In a work he wrote in 487 AH (1094 CE), Imam al-Ghazali writes: If it is said: “If someone explicitly says Abu Bakr and ‘Umar (Allah be pleased with them) are disbelievers [wa ‘l-‘iyadhu billah], then this entails that it… Continue Reading

Imam ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Qurashi On Why There Are Only Few Female Hanafi Scholars

Imam ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Qurashi (696-775 AH) (1) wrote: In this section, I will enumerate the female scholars among our (Hanafi) companions that I have come across. I have come across only very few.   Undoubtedly, the situation of women is… Continue Reading

The Issue of Female Rulership – Muftī Muḥammad Rafī‘ ‘Uthmānī

What is Islām’s stance on a woman being made the sovereign ruler of a country? When Pakistan elected its first female prime-minister in December of 1988, many concerned individuals were asking whether this is permissible in Islām. Hence, Muftī Muḥammad… Continue Reading

Mawlānā Rashīd Aḥmad Gangohī: Defining Dār al-Islām and Dār al-Ḥarb

Some rulings of Islām change based on a person being in a Muslim-governed territory or “Dār al-Islām” or in a non-Muslim governed territory or “Dār al-Ḥarb”. What constitutes a Dār al-Islām or Dār al-Ḥarb is therefore a vitally important question… Continue Reading

Imām al-Bayhaqī’s Letter to ‘Amīd al-Mulk on Imām Abu l-Hasan al-Ash‘arī

In his comprehensive hagio-biography of Imām Abu l-Hasan al-Ash‘arī (260 – 324 H) Tabyīn Kadhib al-Muftarī, Hāfiz Ibn ‘Asākir (499 – 571 H) quotes a lengthy letter written by Imām al-Bayhaqī (384 – 458 H) to the grand vizier of… Continue Reading

Narrations on the Piety and Character of Imam Abu Hanifah

Imam Abu Hanifah, despite his mastery in the Islamic sciences, was recognised for his piety (taqwa), scrupulousness (wara’) and worship (‘ibadah). In the following I will quote a few excerpts from Imam al-Khatib al-Baghdadi’s biographical dictionary Tarikh Baghdad, omitting the chains… Continue Reading

Examples of the Teachers and Disciples of Imam Abu Hanifah

One of the greatest indications that Imam Abu Hanifah’s opinions in fiqh were informed by an immense knowledge of hadiths, and related Islamic sciences, is the companionship with him of some of the most learned scholars of the salaf. In… Continue Reading