Oscar Wilde said, “Every Saint has a past and every sinner has a future.” We have many exemplaries in he Islamic tradition of those who turned to servitude and piety. Allah says in the Qur’an: ‘Believers, all of you, turn to God so that you may prosper.’ [Surah an-Nur 24:31] Ibn Juzayy al-Kalbi (d. 741AH) comments on the…Continue reading How to seek forgiveness – Istighfār
Imām Al-Nasā’ī
Imām Al-Nasā’ī is the compiler of the well-known book of Sunan Al-Nasā’ī (As-Sunan As-Sughra as he named it) and is also amongst the al-Sahih al-Sittah. He was renowned for his utmost extensive awareness of the defects of Hadith and the conditions of the narrators. His Name, Background and Family An-Nasai was born in Nasa, a…Continue reading Imām Al-Nasā’ī
Imām Ibn Mājah
Ibn Mājah was an eminent scholar and memorizer of Hadith, and a seeker of truth, like Salman al Farsi. He compiled Sunan ibn Majah and is also amongst the al-Sahih al-Sittah. His Name, Background and Family His full name is Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Yazid ibn Majah Al-Rabi Al-Qazwini and was born in 209 AH…Continue reading Imām Ibn Mājah
Imām Abū Dāwūd
Imām Abū Dāwūd is the compiler of the well-known book of Sunan Abū Dāwūd and is also amongst the al-Sahih al-Sittah. His Name, Background and Family His full name is Abū Dā’ūd Sulaymān ibn al-Ash‘ath ibn Isḥāq al-Azdī al-Sijistānī and was born in Sistan, Iran in 202 AH (817 or 818 CE). His focus on…Continue reading Imām Abū Dāwūd
Imām Al-Tirmidhī
He is the compiler of the well-known book of Hadith Jami Al-Tirmidhī which is distinguished by his unique approach of the classification and verification of Hadiths. His work is also amongst the al-Sahih al-Sittah. His Name, Background and Family His full name is Muhammad ibn Eisa ibn Sawrah ibn Musa ibn Ad-Dahhak Al-Tirmidhī Al-Bughi As-Sulami, from…Continue reading Imām Al-Tirmidhī
Imām Muslim
Imām Muslim is another leading pillar in ahadith and amongst the al-Sahih al-Sittah. He compiled Sahih Muslim, a renowned hadith collection accepted by all scholars. His Name, Background and Family His full name is Abu Al-Husayn Muslim ibn Al-Hajjaj ibn Muslim ibn Ward ibn Kushadh Al-Qushairy An-Naysapuri. Imām Muslim was born in 202 AH (817 CE) or…Continue reading Imām Muslim
Imām Al-Bukhārī
Imām Al-Bukhārī is a leading pillar in ahadith and amongst the al-Sahih al-Sittah. Scholars unanimously agreed that Imām Al-Bukhārī’s work, the Sahih Bukhārī is the most authentic hadith collection of all the other works of Hadith. His Name, Background and Family His full name is Abu Abdullah Muḥammad ibn Ismā‘īl ibn Ibrahim Ibn Al-Mughīrah ibn Bardizyah…Continue reading Imām Al-Bukhārī
Niqab in Islam
What is a Niqab? The Niqab (sometimes confused with burka, hijab and abaya) in Islam is a gown that covers the whole body except the eyes, dull colours are normally worn. As oppose to the headscarf (commonly known as the Hijab) it is not considered compulsory and from those who do consider it compulsory, they are…Continue reading Niqab in Islam
Al-Isrāʼ wal-Miʼrāj
The following is based on the works of Muhammad ibn Alawi ibn Abbas al-Maliki, Hafiz al-Shami and Najm al-Din al-Ghayti, Ismail Adam Patel. Many of the accounts are taken from Sahih Bukhari and other works accepted by the majority of the scholars. What is it? al-Isrāʼ is the Night Journey and al-Miʼrāj is the Heavenly…Continue reading Al-Isrāʼ wal-Miʼrāj
Ulum al-Hadith Curriculum
Ulum al-Hadith is a vast ocean of a science. It requires extensive reading and study over many, many years. Here is a suggested curriculum for aspiring students of hadith, consisting of a combination of Arabic and English works. It is based on my own experiences and advice from consulting with scholars, as well as the wonderful Multaqa…Continue reading Ulum al-Hadith Curriculum