The Jawziyyah Institute

The Humble “I”

jawziyyah.admin — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 06:52:37 +0000

In a new blog, Shaykh Abu Aliyah muses on Muslims and Modernity and covers a wonderful spectrum of topics ranging from the social to the spiritual.

Fussing Over the 15th of Sha‘ban

The Editorial Board — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 12:00:08 +0000

Blurb here…

Historically, jurists have differed over whether the 15th night of Sha‘ban has any distinctive merit or not. Some uphold its merit and consider the night to be laylat al-bara’ah- “the Night of Emancipation [from the Fire].” Other scholars are of the opinion that the night in question has no merit or distinction at all over any other night of the year. Based on these two views, the first group of jurists rule that singling-out the night for the performance of superogatory acts of devotion – prayer (salat), invocation (dhikr), supplication (du’a), etc – is sanctioned by the Sacred Law and is meritorious. The latter group declare that, laudable as the intention may be, to specify the night for acts of worship and devotion is not sanctioned by the Sacred Law, or shari‘ah, at all.

The objective of this paper is twofold. Firstly, to discuss why such differences have arisen in this issue, and how each stance has its legitimacy in the canons of Islamic jurisprudence. Secondly, and more importantly, the issue serves to lay down a golden principle in areas of legitimate differing – a principle which, if contravened, constitutes a clear-cut deviation from the Islamic norm and the teachings of the blessed Sunnah. The paper is entitled: Fussing Over the 15th of Sha’ban & the Golden Rule of Differing and may be read here.

It is hoped that the paper will help remove some of the schisms that oftentime surround this matter – what with certain factions of the Muslims claiming that their view alone constitutes ‘true’ or ‘authentic’ Islam. Indeed, schisms always thrive when sustained by the murky waters of bigotry!

SURKHEEL (ABU AALIYAH) SHARIF

The Seventy-Three Sects: Are the Majority of Muslims Innovators?

The Editorial Board — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 10:50:12 +0000

Some hadiths speak of the Muslim nation splitting-up into seventy-three sects, each of them in the Fire except the one Saved-Sect. This paper discusses the extremely volatile issue of The Seventy-Three Sects, discussing whether this implies that the majority of Muslims are destined for Hell? It further looks at the phenomena referred to as salafism (salafiyyah, to give it its Arabic tag) and to those known today as salafis; probing their claim to be the sole upholders of Islamic orthodoxy. That said, the paper's overarching aim, however, is concerned with the indispensable issue of sound Muslim unity.

The Seventy-Three Sects: Are the Majority of Muslims Innovators?

jawziyyah.admin — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 10:50:06 +0000

What does the hadith mean that speaks of the Muslims splitting-up into seventy-three sects, all of them in the Fire except one Saved-Sect? And are the majority of Muslims destined for Hell?

Hallmark Of Lovers

The Editorial Board — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 21:31:27 +0000

Love of God: it is the heart's strength, the soul's nourishment and the eye's splendour. Here, Ibn Rajab discusses the nature of divine love in relation to divine obedience.

Hallmark of Lovers

The Editorial Board — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 19:50:42 +0000

Speaking about the station of love, Ibn al-Qayyim wrote: 'It is the station for which the competitors compete; to it do the workers fix their gaze; for reaching its mark do the forerunners strive; upon it do the lovers annihilate themselves; and with its refreshing breeze do devotees revive themselves. It is the heart's strength, the soul's nourishment and the eye's splendour.' In this piece from Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali, the nature of divine love is discussed in relation to divine obedience. The masters of the inward life tell us that the lowest degree of love is that love of God should reign supreme in one's heart. Its litmus test being: to disobey someone you love should they invite you to disobey God. The utmost degree is that there remains not even the slightest love for other than God in one's heart. And that is rarer than red sulphur!

The Believer’s Shield: Ibn Juzayy on Taqwa

The Editorial Board — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 22:13:41 +0000

Abu Aaliyah discusses the obligation, fruits and levels of taqwa, based on readings from the work of the profound Spanish scholar, Ibn Juzayy al-Kalbi (d.741H/1340CE).

The Moth, The Light, The Longing

jawziyyah.admin — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:51:57 +0000

Though not a religious poem, believers may see in Shelley's verses powerful symbols of religious sentiment: a love beyond earthly love, and a yearning for what can soothe our earthly sorrows.

The Believer’s Shield: Ibn Juzayy on Taqwa

The Editorial Board — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 12:33:08 +0000

It is said that ‘Umar once asked Ubayy ibn Ka‘b about the meaning of taqwa (being mindful, conscious or wary of God), to which he replied: 'Have you ever walked down a thorny path?' ‘Umar responded: 'Yes I have.' 'What did you do,' asked Ubayy? 'I gathered up my clothes and tried my best to avoid harm,' said ‘Umar. Ubayy remarked: 'That is what taqwa is like.' In this talk, Abu Aaliyah discusses the fruits of taqwa and its various levels, reading from the work of the profound Spanish scholar, Ibn Juzayy (d.741H/1340CE). To understand the levels of God-consciousness is to be able to climb Mount Taqwa, and perhaps even reach its summit!

The Moth, The Light, The Longing

The Editorial Board — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 00:15:05 +0000

In his 1822 poem One Word is Too Often Profaned, the English poet, Percy Shelly, wrote:

I can give not what men call love;
But wilt thou accept not
The worship the heart lifts above
And the heavens reject not:
The desire of the moth for the star,
Of the night for the morrow,
The devotion to something afar
From the sphere of our sorrow?

Poetry such as this often presents us with powerful imagery which can help us to reflect upon the theme of “Meaning”. For ‘In some poetry,’ the Prophet, peace be upon him, said, ‘there is wisdom.’

Shelly sees in the moth’s desire for the star a poignant symbol of the heart yearning for something which is compelling, sustains hope and soothes us from our immediate sphere of sorrow. Now for reasons we don’t fully understand, moths have a tendency – an inborn nature – to be attracted to light. Starlight and moonlight attracts moths; so do candlelight and floodlights. But here there is something of a problem for moths. A candlelight at night will attract moths, but they end up being consumed in its flame. Floodlights on a football pitch attracts moths, but will vaporise them on first contact. The innate longing of a moth for light, if it is the wrong source of light, can lead to its own destruction.

There is a parallel here with the human situation. Man, too, has a deep yearning for what will truly satisfy him – and that longing Islam tells us is for God. In the Qur’an, one of God’s Beautiful Names is al-Kafi – “The Sufficer”, “The One who satisfies all needs”. It follows, then, that whenever we turn our backs on the Sufficer, we shall continue to remain unsatisfied and unfulfilled.

Another of God’s Names is al-Nur – “The Light”, for God is the light of the heavens and the earth, says the Qur’an (24:35). Muslims hold that creation is a theophany, a manifestation, of the Divine Names. If God were not light, there will be no light anywhere in creation: neither physical nor spiritual.

As human beings, we have an innate longing for God’s light – for God – and in the absence of that light there is only an unfulfilled restlessness within us. Like the moth attracted to harmful sources of light, we too can misdirect our hopes and our longings to things that may harm us, as they fail to deliver what we had expected. The objects of our desires have a marked tendency to frustrate us in that everything we hoped would bring meaning into our lives ends up disappointing us. A most obvious point in case is our current materialistic culture with its many quick-fixes and promises of fulfilment. The longing for God can even be subverted or perverted, in that one could end-up making a ‘god’ of created beings or forces. For when the love, longing, devotion, loyalty and submission that is due to God, is focused on other than Him, or others along with Him, then this is idolatry – shirk. For as Islam sees things, whoever loves something, desires it, values it, and centres their hopes; fears; love and loyalty around it – submitting to it independently of God – then this, for them, is a deity, a god, an object of sacrilegious worship. Some there are who make a god of wealth, others make gods of women, still others make a god of their own whims and desires. Asks the Qur’an: Have you seen him who takes his whims for his god? (25:43) Of course we have!

Surkheel (Abu Aaliyah)