• Understanding Culture vs. Religion

    As we continue our foray into Medini seerah, we notice that Medinah, at the time of hijrah, was divided culturally. It contained three distinct groups: Al-Aws, Al-Khazraj, and the Jews. All three held roughly equal power, with no one being significantly stronger than the other; Medinah had no clear leader who all the groups answered to. Medinah was not only multi-cultural, but multi-religious! Which brings us to an important discussion: what is the difference between culture and religion, and how do we find a balance bewteen the two?
  • Ikhtilaf – I

    In the previous post, we introduced the topic of Differences of Opinions. We listed the four ways of categorizing these differences. In this post, we will look at the first category: Differences due to interpretation of word meanings and grammatical constructions. Within this category, we have several sub categories: Shared literal meanings/Equivocality/Homonym (Ishtirak): An example of this would be the word “qur” which means menses as well as the time of purity between menses.
  • Mcdonald, KFC, Moon Sighting…

    Muslims, living in the Muslim Countries, generally tend to have limited exposure to Fiqh and its rulings. There is usually one dominant madhab and that’s all people know about. Rarely, if ever, people are exposed to other madahibs. However, the situation for many of us living in west, like Canada, is quite different. Because of the diversity of muslims, from various countries, cultures and backgrounds, we are exposed to many madhabs.
  • Which Ramadan Opinion Do I Pick?

    Sight the moon, and if you cannot, then count the days … Ramadan is coming, alhamdulillah. Ramadan, a time when all the shayateen are chained up, as the Messenger of Allah (salallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: Narrated Abu Huraira (radiallahu ‘anhu): Allah’s Messenger (salallahu alayhi wa sallam) said, “When the month of Ramadan starts, the gates of the heaven are opened and the gates of Hell are closed and the devils are chained.
  • Local or International Sighting?

    As yet another Ramadan comes, the question arises? should we follow the opinion of the local moonsighting, or the international moonsighting? Great arguments erupt, people insulting each other left and right, breaking ties, breaking families … Brothers and sisters, ya Muslims, WAKE UP!! Realize that all the opinions which are backed by the scholars are correct! What? All of them? Yes. all of them. How does that work? In Islam, we have scholars (‘ulama), and we have people who have the knowledge and tools and responsibility to give fatwa (mujtahidoon).
  • Understanding Fiqh: Sources of Islamic Law (Pt.7)

    Bismillah walhamdolilah wasalatu wasalam ‘ala Rasool Allah Asalamu ‘alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatahu, To continue, last post we discussed the details of the sunnah. We explained how the sunnah is comprised of the saying and actions of the Prophet sallalahu alayhi wasalam along with his tacit approvals and that which he left given the need. We also summarized how the sunnah came to explain the Qur’an by detailing rulings which were very general in the Qur’an, by limited what seemed absolute, by affirming what Allah said in the Qur’an, and by bringing rulings which are not directly found in the Qur’an.
  • Understanding Fiqh: Sources of Islamic Law (Pt. 6)

    Bismillah walhamdolilah wasalatu wasalam ‘ala Rasool Allah Asalamu ‘alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatahu, Continuing in our talks about the science of fiqh, today we will look at the sources of Islamic Law. As we know the sources of Islamic Law depend on two core sources: al-Qur’an and as-Sunnah. These two sources are the basis of which our religion is based upon. One without the under is not Islam, for verily they both go hand in hand.
  • Understanding Fiqh: Foundation Stage (Pt.5)

    So far, we have come to realize that Allah azza wa jal revealed the Qur’an to reform human conditions; to take people out of ignorance and darkness and into light. To carry out this purpose laws had to be enacted to make sure the system of Islaam was established perfectly and correctly. Last article we talked about two of the four basic principles relating to Qur’anic revelation. We will continue with the last two now.
  • Understanding Fiqh: Foundation Stage (Pt.4)

    As we discussed in the last post, the method of legislation was primarily through the questioning of the Companions radhiAllah anhum to which Allah revealed verses to answer their inquiries or the Prophet sallalahu alayhi wasalam answered them. Its important to make clear here that the Prophet sallalalahu alayhi wasalam did not speak from his own desires; meaning, that which he answered was a type of revelation and not just from his whims and desires.
  • Understanding Fiqh: Foundation Stage (Pt.3)

    As per the last discussion, the Foundational stages of Fiqh are characterized by the Prophethood of our beloved Prophet sallalahu alayhi wasalam. It is in the life time of the Prophet sallalahu alayhi wasalam that rules, which would govern fiqh for generations to come, were established. These rules were established via the statements of Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala found in the Qur’an and also the Sunnah of the Prophet sallalahu alayhi wasalam.