Based on Shaykh Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani’s notes in the introduction to Dars Tirmidhi (1/80-86). 

The science of hadith deals with both the narrating (riwaya) and deep comprehension (diraya) of Prophetic statements. In the section of deep comprehension, it further divides into fiqh al-hadith (understanding the text of the hadith) and mustalah al-hadith (classification of the hadiths). In this last branch of mustalah al-hadith, hadiths are classed into various categories depending on the chain of narration, the context of the hadith, who narrated it, the number of people narrating it, among other things. One classification is regarding the authenticity (sihha) of hadiths. There are three main categories in this classification:

1) Sahih – the rigorously authenticated hadith

2) Hasan – the sound hadith

3) Da’if – the weak hadith

In order to classify hadiths into these three categories, hadith scholars (muhaddithun) have gone to great lengths, researching every single narrator and chain of narration. This led them to the declaration of a hadith being sahih, hasan or da’if. The act of declaring a hadith as sahih is known as tashih. For the latter two, the words tahsin and tad’if are used.

Due to the intricate nature of this science, this classification, of course, requires the one dealing with it to be a master in the science of hadith. It requires him to know the details of the narrators, the different classifications and, of course, to be acquainted with hundreds of thousands of hadiths. Scholars who dealt with these classifications were experts. They spent tens of years training to understand this science, let alone applying it. Then they spent more years in the company of others who too were experts in this science. Then they spent even more years researching and writing in this field themselves. They sacrificed their time and lives in their quest. Some of the luminaries who excelled in this science include: Imam Nawawi, Hafiz Dhahabi, Hafiz Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, Imam Yahya ibn Ma’in, Imam Ali ibn al-Madini and Hafiz Iraqi (Allah have mercy on them all).

In this article, we wish to highlight certain principles of classifying and declaring hadiths as sahih and da’if, for overlooking them can lead one to think that certain hadiths were wrongly classed by earlier scholars. However, before explaining these principles, it is vital to know what exactly a sahih and da’if hadith is. For a hadith to be classed as sahih, it needs to meet five conditions:

1) The chain of narration, from the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) to the final narrator, must be connected (muttasil) in such a way that every single person in the chain has himself heard or received this narration from the person he is narrating from.

2) All the narrators in the chain must be upright (‘adil) – meaning that they must be:

a) Muslim

b) Of the age of puberty (baligh)

c) Sane (‘aqil)

d) Not an open sinner (salim min al-fisq)

e) Free from bad habits (salim min khawarim al-muru’ah)

3) All the narrators must possess the ability to preserve the hadith precisely (dabt).

4) The hadith should not contradict other hadiths which have come from more reliable narrators (‘adam al-Shudhudh).

5) There are no other hidden weaknesses (‘adam al-illah al-Qadiha) – such as a hidden gap in the chain of narration.

Upon the absence of any one of the above five conditions, the hadith immediately is classed as da’if. But if all of the conditions are met, with the third (preservation) being of a lower degree, then it is classed as hasan. Now that we have understood the definitions of the three classifications, it will be easier to understand the principles given by Shaykh Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani. The principles themselves are detailed very lengthily in the Urdu language. However they have been simplified here so they may be understood by those who are not too familiar with the hadith sciences. They are seven as follows:

Principle 1 – What is a sahih hadith?

A hadith is classed as sahih if it meets the above five conditions, as outlined. Some erroneously think that only the hadiths in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim(known together as the Sahihayn) are sahih, or that all sahih hadiths have been covered in them. The authenticity of a hadith is not based on which book it is in, rather on the fulfilment of the above five conditions. Imam Bukhari himself mentions that his book does not cover all the sahih hadiths. In fact, some hadiths in other books are more authentic than some of those found in the sahihayn – several are in the Sunan of Imam ibn Majah. Imam Bukhari’s work is called “the most authentic book after the Book of Allah” in an overall sense; it does not mean every single hadith found inside it is above every single hadith found in other books.

Principle 2 – Who is authorised to declare hadiths as sahih and/or da’if?

Declaring a hadith to be sahih (tashih) or da’if (tad’if) is an intricate task which requires deep understanding and a profound knowledge of the science of hadith. Only the elite (mujtahidun) are able to do this. Imam Ibn al-Salah mentions in his book Ulum al-Hadith (more commonly known as Muqaddima ibn al-Salah) that since the turn of the fifth hijri century, scholars can no longer be deemed qualified to declare a particular hadith as sahih or da’if if a classification has already been given regarding it (which will be in most cases). However, the mainstream scholars are of the opinion that the ability to qualify a hadith does not depend on the era of amuhaddith; rather it depends on his knowledge. This is a more accepted approach since the scholars who took on this task later on were the ones most famous for it. They include Hafiz Dhahabi, Hafiz Ibn Hajar, Allama Ayni, Hafiz Sakhawi, Hafiz Zayla’i, Hafiz Iraqi amongst many others. Imam Anwar Shah al-Kashmiri, who passed away less than a century ago (1933), was also considered to be at this level.

Principle 3 – Scholars can disagree about the authenticity of a particular hadith

Since classifying hadiths is based on the independent research of each scholar, sometimes we find mixed opinions of expert scholars (mujtahids) regarding the authenticity of a particular narrator or hadith. It is a matter of ijtihad; hence no scholar can be condemned or rebuked for his position. Moreover, when an expert Imam (mujtahid) uses a particular hadith as proof for a ruling, it shows that he believes it to be worthy enough to be used as a proof. It would be wrong, in such an instance, to present the opinion of another expert scholar and say that the hadith is not worthy of being used as a proof, since both are experts (mujtahids). Remember that when a scholar says that this hadith is sahih or da’if, it is not a factual statement; it is merely his personal opinion based on his research.

Principle 4 – A sahih hadith may be considered da’if in later times

At times, it is possible that an earlier scholar – like Imam Abu Hanifa – finds a particular hadith to be completely authentic when it reaches him through the Companions (sahaba) and those succeeding them (tabi’un). However, a weakness in the chain of narration could have appeared as it progresses past this Imam. In such an instance, it would be wrong to accuse the earlier Imam of using a weak hadith if it was perceivably sahih in his time but da’if later on. Therefore, a hadith which was regarded as da’if in Imam Bukhari’s time, for example, was not necessarily as such at the time of the earlier scholars.

Principle 5 – How authentic is a sahih hadith, and do we leave da’if hadiths altogether?

Imam ibn al-Salah, the renowned hadith expert, states in his Muqaddima that just because a hadith is given the status of being sahih, it does not necessitate that in actual fact it is undeniably sahih. It merely means that from a technical aspect in terms of fulfilling the five conditions, the hadith is sahih and therefore it is most likely that it will be sahih in actual terms as well. However, there remains a possibility that even a hadith considered as sahih may not actually be as such, since a reliable narrator (known as thiqa) can also make a mistake. But this “possibility” is not given any credit unless there are indications and strong proofs elsewhere (such as the hadith opposing a clear Qur’anic verse or other more authentic hadiths) suggesting that a mistake may have been made by a narrator of this sahih hadith. If such strong proofs are found, it is perfectly acceptable to not act upon this sahih hadith.

Likewise, just because a hadith has been given the status of being da’if, it does not necessitate that in actual fact it is undeniably incorrect. It merely means that from a technical aspect the hadith is da’if and therefore it is most likely that it will be da’if in actual terms as well. However, there remains a possibility that a non-authentic narrator has narrated the hadith correctly; nobody is wrong every time. But just like with the sahih hadith, it is necessary to have strong indications and proofs to suggest that this hadith is acceptable. If such strong proofs are found, it is perfectly acceptable to act upon this da’if hadith.

Based on this, if a mujtahid Imam – due to other strong proofs – chooses not to act upon a hadith technically considered as sahih, or chooses to act upon a hadith technically considered as da’if, he cannot be accused of “leaving the sunnah” or as “one who acts upon weak narrations.”

Imam Tirmidhi, one of the six authors of the widely taught six hadith collections, mentions in his Sunan that he has included two hadiths in his book which are sahih, yet no one has acted upon them. The scholars have reached a consensus on leaving both, despite their being sahih, due to other strong proofs – but no one was accused of “leaving the sunnah.” There is also a da’if hadith found in the same collection which is acted upon and accepted by many scholars due to other strong proofs, such as Imam Malik, Imam Shafi’i, Imam Ahmad and Imam Awza’i – but no one was accused of “acting upon a weak narration.”

Principle 6 – A da’if hadith is accepted if supported by the actions of the Sahaba and Tabi’un

Many hadith experts and scholars of principles of Islamic jurisprudence (usul) assert that if a hadith is da’if in its chain of narration, but the ruling given in it was acted upon by the Companions (sahaba) and those who followed them (tabi’un), it can be used as a proof, despite being da’if. An example of this is the ruling of a slave girl’s divorce and waiting period. In a da’if hadith it is narrated to be two divorces and two menstrual cycles. In spite of it being da’if, this was still found to be the common understanding of the sahaba and tabi’un. This is the very same principle which Imam Abu Hanifa uses in many of his rulings. He accepts certain narrations technically considered as da’if today, yet the sahaba acknowledged their correctness through their actions.

Furthermore, a sound (hasan) hadith can be used to derive rulings just like sahih hadiths. So it’s important to know that a da’if narration may be elevated to the level of a sound (hasan) hadith if there are several chains of narration for it. This type of sound (hasan) hadith is known as hasan li ghayrihi (meaning “sound due to the support of other narrations”).

Principle 7 – What happens if two authentic hadiths contradict each other in their context?

In the instance of authentic and acceptable hadiths contradicting each other, some jurists (fuqaha) and hadith experts (muhaddithun) compare the chains of both and act upon the one considered as more authentic. Others like Imam Abu Hanifa, however, do not always prefer the one which has the more authentic chain of narration; instead they select the one which conforms to the Qur’an and general spirit of Shari’ah the most, regardless if it has a less authentic chain. Though this decision may seem “eccentric” to some, it is in fact more likely to be the correct one since you are making a decision based on what the boundaries of Shari’ah dictate. Just having a stronger chain of narration does not necessitate a hadith’s superiority; it is much more than that.

This is one of the reasons why it is not recommended for people who do not possess the mastery of the hadith sciences to take up a position where they devise their own rulings based on what they understand from the hadiths they read. More than often, they will find many contradictions in the hadith collections. This will lead them to unnecessary confusion, strife, conflict with others, and worst of all, the separation and disunity of the Ummah. By keeping the above broad principles of “hadith verification and acceptability” in mind, much of the objection levied against earlier mujtahid Imams would no longer remain. And Allah knows best.

Photo taken from Wandering Threads

By Mawlana Dr. M Mansur Ali

Your clothes conceal much of your beauty, yet they hide not the unbeautiful.
And though you seek in garments the freedom of privacy you may find in them a harness and a chain. (Khalil Gibran, The Prophet)

Marriage is the oldest traditions known to mankind. It is a continuation of that holy communion that took place between our first parents Adam and Hawwa (May Allah’s peace be on both of them) in the garden of al-Firdaws. Adam (as) enjoyed the bounties of his Lord in paradise. He knew no needs. However, as time passed by he yearned for human company. For love and warmth, for someone to share his thoughts with, to be intimate with, someone who can understand the beatings of his heart and deepest of his thoughts. Allah created his wife Hawwa (as) for him and thus filled the void in his heart. Together they roamed around in paradise, eating from its many delicacies when and whatever they wished. However, due to a momentary lapse of judgement caused by the whispering of the devil, together, they violated the only one restriction that Allah has commanded them to refrain from. As a result of this trespass divine Grace left them and they became acutely aware of their nakedness.  It is then that both Adam and Hawwa felt a second need, the need to cover themselves up.  They ran to the trees of paradise and started covering their innocence with its leaves. ‘Where can you run away from me Adam?’ said his Lord to him. ‘I’m not running to get away from you my Lord’, he replied ‘I’m running to hide from you out of shame and modesty’. (al-Tabari, Al-Araf: 7:22). The need for company and the need for clothes were two of the first needs that Adam (as) experienced in paradise, it then comes as no surprise that Allah refers to the relationship between a husband and wife using the metaphor of clothes and garments.

‘They (your wives) are your garments and you are theirs’ says Allah in the Qur’an. The metaphor of the garment is a very powerful one as it brings home the message. It creates in the mind a crystal clear picture of the relationship needed for a happy and healthy marriage. Clothes are a basic necessity for humans. They are used for warmth as well as beauty.

Clothes have many qualities and functions. One of its qualities is that it keeps us warm. The sign of a healthy marriage is when the husband and wife feel warmth in each other’s company. Their very presence brings tranquillity to the hearts of their spouse, and the whole world feels like a cold empty void without the other.

Our clothes are physically the closest object to our bodies. They trespass beyond the boundaries of what is socially accepted as ones comfort space. The husband and wife should be close to each other like the closeness of the garment to the naked body.  They should be able to share the most intimate of thoughts with each other without the fear of being judged by the other. They should be open and transparent with each other and should be able to communicate their feelings, frustrations, desires physical, spiritual and emotional with honesty and without embarrassment.

Clothes are also a form of protection. They protect from harsh weather conditions as well as conceal physical imperfections such as a scar on our body. Here the analogy is three-fold: first and foremost the husband and wife should physically protect each other not only from outside threat but also from themselves. It defies all laws of human compassion and dignity that a man beats up his wife and then comes onto her like a beast for no other purpose than his gratification. He further adds insult to injury in the process by saying ‘I love you’.

Furthermore, it is the duty of the spouse to make sure that people are not bad mouthing their spouse, at least not in their presence and if they do then they should put them straight. That marriage is in a sorry state when one of the spouses is the centre of ridicule in the presence of the other and he/she does nothing about it. Even worse is when the spouse starts divulging intimate details and imperfections to others. It is in line with Prophetic practice that the spouse should conceal each other’s imperfections. Like the way our clothes conceal our physical imperfections, similarly we should conceal the imperfections of our spouse.

Similarly, our clothes function as a barrier from toxins and other harmful bacteria from coming on to our body.  Marriage is about faith and trust, it is a commitment made in the presence of God and in the presence of the community. A couple should not let any third party come between them and pollute their holy communion. Indeed it is one of the devil’s greatest triumphs to cause a split between the spouse by casting doubts on their fidelity and honour.

Obviously being human one will have ups and downs in their marriage. There is nothing un-human about this. ‘Marriage is a bed of roses’ says sister Ruqayyah Waris Maqsood, ‘but a bed of roses with many thorns.’ However, it is a test of character as to how one rises up from these problems. Once in a while our clothes get dirty. We wash our clothes in order to clean them. We may also add fabric conditioners for extra softness. Conflict resolution is an art one needs to master. One needs to have an understanding for the other’s point of view, listen to them attentively and try to understand their grievance. It won’t do anyone harm if a dollop of love conditioner was added in the process. People wash their own clothes in their homes. Similarly the first call of duty should be to resolve any problems amongst themselves without resorting to any third party. A common problem amongst some women is that they get their families involved in every little argument that they have with their husbands. This at times will only make the situation worse rather than better. It is only when the stain is really stubborn or the blanket is too big that one needs to take it to the laundry. When all avenues of conflict resolution have been exhausted only then should one resort to close ones and elders for help. And if the argument is about who is to do the next laundry, just remember the fabric conditioner.

Remember our clothes are ours, they are made to fit us, even if someone else wears exactly the same clothes it’s still not our clothes. Couples should take great care that they don’t drag their parents in to their arguments. Husbands should not search for their mother in their wives and wives should not search for their father in their husbands. ‘My mother used to do everything for me’ or ‘my father used to treat me like a princess’ are common sledgehammers used against each other.  If you really want to make a comparison with your parents [???], then it is better to make a horizontal comparison rather than a vertical one. How does your father treat your mother or vice versa? Accurate results will only yield when the comparison is being made between two husbands or two wives and not a father and a husband or a mother and a wife.

Many people boil down marital disputes to clash of personalities. However, unless the clash is severe, why should we see it as something detestable? Don’t we have differences and tensions in all phases of life? Shouldn’t we be celebrating our differences and respecting the other person’s likes and dislikes. Difference (ikhtilaf) in Islam is never seen as a bad thing, it is a part of the divine design of the cosmos to which we belong. What is abhorred is dispute (khilaf), antipathy and animosity. What is the joy of living in a monolithic world where everyone looks and thinks the same? Where is the challenge in this? A little bit of chilli and pepper brings out the kick in the curry and only enhances its flavour. The fabric in a cloth is made up by weaving strands of yarn vertically and horizontally. Although the fibres go in different direction they interlock at the intersection. Without the horizontal-vertical weaving the fabric will not exist. Their differences make the fabric. Without any differences there won’t be any spark in the marriage. Like the fabric our differences should be viewed as complimentary and not contradictory. As the Persian poet says: har gulera digar rang wa bu ast (every flower has a different colour and fragrance).

From time to time clothes need repairing. It’s the little stitches that keep the clothes intact. Presenting one’s spouse with a big present at valentine whilst being neglectful towards her the whole year round will not mend the already big hole in the clothes. It’s the everyday little appreciations, coy remarks and playful gestures that will keep the stitches of the marriage intact.

Despite being so close to us, we still need to take off our clothes and hang them in the closet at night. Similarly, despite being intimately close, we should give our spouse their own space lest they feel suffocated by our love. ‘Loving to death’ may not cause one to die, but it can result in a very unhappy spouse who needs time to herself. We need to understand that although we are bonded together as a couple, however we are individuals. And the sooner we understand this human condition the happier we will be in our marriage. As Gibran says:  And Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone, even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music … stand together yet not too near together: For the pillars of the temple stand apart.

There now remains one piece of analogy which will throw the whole metaphor of the garment in jeopardy. What should one do when it is time to change their old clothes? If this is your case then it is high time that you buy your wife a new SAREE.

By Muzzammil Husayn

Shah Wali Allah al-Dehlawi (d. 1762) revived the spirit of Islamic scholarship in India. In light of this revival below follows a comprehensive list of the Indian scholars over the last two centuries whose scholarship and authorship is recognised throughout the world e.g. in Egypt, Yemen, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Syria.

1. Shah ‘Abd al-‘Aziz al-Dehlawi (d. 1823), for numerous works, including Bustan al-Muhaddithinand Tuhfat Ithna ‘Ashariyya (both translated into Arabic)
2. Abid al-Sindhi (d. 1841) for numerous works on fiqh
3. ‘Abd al-Hayy al-Lakhnawi (d. 1887), for numerous works on the science of hadith
4. Nawab Siddiq Hasan al-Qinnawaji (d. 1890) for numerous works and for championing the Ahl al-Hadith cause
5. Rahmatullah Kayranawi (d. 1891) for his response to Christian missionaries in an Arabic work called Izhar al-Haqq
6. Muhammad ibn Ali al-Nimawi (d. 1904) for his work on hadith proofs for Hanafi fiqh of Salah called Athar al-Sunan
7. Shams al-Haqq Azim Abadi (d. 1911) for his commentary on Sunan Abu Dawud called ‘Awn al-Ma‘bud, and other works
8. Ahmad Rida Khan al-Barelwi (d. 1921) for numerous works, including al-Dawlat al-Makkiyya, and for championing the “Ahl-i-Sunnat” movement
9. Khalil Ahmad al-Saharanpuri (d. 1928) for his commentary on Sunan Abu Dawud called Badhl al-Majhud
10. Anwar Shah Kashmiri (d. 1933) for numerous works including Fayd al-Bari (a commentary on Sahih al-Bukhari), al-‘Arf al-Shadhi (a commentary on Jami‘ al-Tirmidhi), Nayl al-Firqadayn (on the issue of raf‘ al-yadayn) and al-Tasrih bi ma Tawatara fi Nuzul al-Masih
11. ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri (d. 1935) for his commentary on Jami‘ al-Tirmidhi called al-Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi
12. Idris al-Kandehlewi (d. 1944) for his footnotes on Mishkat al-Masabih called al-Ta‘liq al-Sabih
13. Shabbir Ahmad al-Uthmani (d. 1949) for his commentary on Sahih Muslim called Fath al-Mulhim which was completed by Mufti Taqi Uthmani (b. 1943)
14. Sulayman Nadwi (d. 1953) for works on history
15. Yusuf al-Kandehlewi (d. 1965) for his commentary on Sharh Ma‘ani al-Athar called Amani al-Ahbar and his popular work on the lives of the Sahaba called Hayat al-Sahabah
16. Zafar Ahmad al-Uthmani (d. 1974) for his work on Hanafi fiqh and hadith proofs for Hanafi fiqh in I‘la al-Sunan, al-Qawa‘id fi ‘Ulum al-Hadith and Abu Hanifa wa Ashabuhu l-Muhaddithun which are written “in the light of what he acquired from” (‘ala daw’i ma afadahu) his teacher and uncle Ashraf Ali al-Thanawi (d. 1943) who is cited frequently in the works
17. Habib Ahmad al-Kiranawi (d. ?) for his work on the principles of Hanafi fiqh called al-Qawa‘id fi ‘Ulum al-Fiqh
18. Muhammad Yusuf Binnori (d. 1977) for his commentary on Jami‘ al-Tirmidhi called Ma‘arif al-Sunan
19. Muhammad Zakariyya al-Kandehlewi (d. 1982) for his commentary on the Muwatta of Imam Malik calledAwjaz al-Masalik which according to Abu l-Hasan Ali al-Nadwi is an encyclopaedic work on the science of hadith that connects the Arab world to the world of Indian scholarship, as al-Kandehlewi often refers to the comments of Rashid Ahmad al-Gangohi (d. 1905) whose commentaries on Sahih al-Bukhari and Jami‘ al-Tirmidhi were collected by the latter’s student and the former’s father Yahya al-Kandehlewi as al-Lami‘ al-Dirari and al-Kawkab al-Durri respectively
20. Ihsan Ilahi Zahir (d. 1987) who wrote many works, mostly of a polemical nature
21. Badr al-Din al-Sindi (d. 1996) who wrote many works in favour of the Salafi movement
22. Habib al-Rahman al-A‘zami (d. 1997) for his edition and verification of major hadith compilations including the Musannaf of ‘Abd al-Razzaq in 11 volumes, and his refutation of al-Albani in al-Albani: Shudhudhuhu wa Akhta’uhu
23. Abu l-Hasan ‘Ali Nadwi (d. 1999) for various works including Rijal al-Fikr wa l-Da‘wa and for popularising Indian scholarship throughout the world
24. ‘Abd al-Rashid al-Nu‘mani (d. 1999) for his work on Abu Hanifa’s position in hadith called Abu Hanifa wa Makanatuhu fi l-Hadith
25. Safi al-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri (d. 2006) for his well-known biography of the Prophet called al-Rahiq al-Makhtum

As it stands, half of the major scholars from India over the last two centuries, during which time Shah Wali Allah al-Dehlawi’s legacy revived the spirit of Islamic scholarship, were of a Deobandi background.

By Ustahdha Bint Ahmad 

Each and every human is in pursuit of happiness, whether it be a child, or an adult, a Muslim or a non-Muslim, and this is a true fact. In order to achieve this true happiness, one must comprehend what this emotion really is. Happiness is ‘feeling, causing, or giving pleasure’ and it is being ‘satisfied’ according to the Oxford dictionary. It is essential to understand the psychology of happiness so we know how much of it we have control over.

James Montier published his research into ‘The Pshchology of Happiness’ and learned that happiness was composed of three elements:

1. About 50% of individual happiness comes from a genetic set point. That is, we’re each predisposed to a certain level of happiness. Some of us are just naturally more inclined to be cheery than others.
2. About 10% of our happiness is due to our circumstances. Our age, race, gender, personal history, and, yes, wealth, only make up about one-tenth of our happiness.
3. The remaining 40% of an individual’s happiness seems to be derived from intentional activity, from “discrete actions or practices that people can choose to do”.

As humans we have no control over our genetic set-point, and hardly any control over our circumstances. This 50% of happiness in Islam is called ‘ridha bi al-qadha’ (being content with our lot on life). This means that as believers if we truly loved Allah the necessary effect of it would be that we are content with our lot in life. The Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) would supplicate with words that would highlight the importance of satisfaction with our fate, therefore we too should make the effort to recite these sorts of supplications:

“I am pleased with Allah as my Lord, with Islam as my religion, and with Muhammad as my Prophet” (Allah bless him and give him peace). [Abu Dawud].

“O Allah, make me content with what you have provided me, send blessings for me therein, and replace for me every absent thing with something better” [Bukhari].

“O Allah, I seek refuge with You from knowledge which does not bring benefit and from a heart which is not fearful and from a self which is not content and from a supplication which is not answered.’” [Muslim]

Thereafter, the main conclusion to be drawn from Montier’s research is that we can only work on the last 40% to make ourselves happier. It must be noted that this 40% cannot be achieved in pursuit of money, fame or anything else materialistic. These are all transitory, and anything transitory will never result in true happiness. True happiness is contentment, and this is only attained through activities which are not fleeting. So here are 10 steps to make our lives happier:

1. Seek the pleasure of Allah – nothing can make us happier than seeking the pleasure of Allah. Whether we are university, home or on holiday never forget to seek the countenance of Allah.

2. Be grateful – The more grateful we are to have the things we do, the more Allah will shower you with His bounties. Appreciation of what Allah has blessed you with is vital.

“If you express gratitude, I shall certainly give you more, and if you are ungrateful, then My punishment is severe.” [Ibrahim: V7]

3. Satisfy your soul and not your physical body – Work on activities that result in eternal happiness that bring a smile to the heart and not merely a smile to the face. Do meaningful work; strive to partake in feeding the homeless at hospices, assisting the distressed and helping others over and above excessive shopping, excessive eating out, and time spent in worldly activity.

“True enrichment does not come through possessing a lot of wealth, but true enrichment is the enrichment of the soul.” [Bukhari]

4. Avoid comparisons – do not look towards celebrities, rich or affluent people above you in worldly matters. The lives of such individuals are not ‘ideal’ in the eyes of Allah, look towards the lives of the likes of the Messenger (Allah bless him and give him happy) and Khadija (May Allah be pleased with her) who are our guiding stars in religious matters.

“Look at those below you (less fortunate than you), and don’t look at those above you, for this is better.” [Muslim]

5. Have no expectations in other than Allah– place all reliance and expectations in Allah alone, any favour that we do, and good character that we display is not for us to be met with the same. All that we do is in hope

“O Allah, give me enough of what You have made lawful to suffice me from what You have made unlawful, and enrich me by Your bounty giving me independence from all other than You.” [al-Tirmidhi]

6. Serve others and cultivate good relations – We should have an altruistic nature always ready share our warmth and support to others.  The Messenger (Allah bless him and give us peace) strongly advised to maintain family ties, keep strong relations and relayed to us the etiquettes of social relations.

“All created beings are the dependants of Allah, and the most beloved of creation to Allah is the one who is good to His dependants” [Bayhaqi]

God gives us people to love

and things to use,

 not things to love

and people to use. – Max Lucado

7. Be in routine- If we are in routine we will get adequate sleep and that solves half the problem! A person with a sleep deficit is often grumpy, tired and unproductive – all of this counteracts the characteristics apart of the 10 steps to happiness.

The Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) chose a simple live over an affluent one, and he was always content in life. One lesson to extract from his life full of happiness is his routine. A person that plans their day is much more productive than a person that doesn’t.

“The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) had carefully apportioned his time according to the demands on him for:

• offering worship to Allah

public affairs, and

personal matters.

After the early morning prayers he would remain sitting in the mosque reciting praises of Allah till the sun rose and more people collected. He would then preach to them. After the sermons were over, he would talk genially with the people, enquire about their welfare and even exchange jokes with them. Taxes and revenues were also distributed at this time [Muslim]

8. Promote brotherhood/sisterhood – feeling a part of a larger group gives us a sense of security and a safety net to fall onto in occasions of happiness and hardships. The concept of brotherhood and sisterhood is one of the central themes of Islam.

“The (example of) believers (in their mutual love, care and concern) is like a single person: if his eye complains of pain his whole body complains of pain, and if his head complains of pain his whole body complains of pain.” [Muslim]

9. Eat good halal pure food – refer to the article ‘You Are What You Eat”. Eating well maintains our physical well-being, this too keeps us happy.

10. Keep Fit – Scientists claim the best benefit of exercise is that it makes us feel happy.

Exercise is described by many doctors as an anti-depressant. The presence of certain chemicals like endorphins and phenylacetic acid increases drastically after a good work out and it is this that contributes to that ‘feel good’ feeling after a good workout.

There are two chemicals apart of exercising that contribute to that ‘feel good’ feeling after a good workout.

1. Cortisol
2. Endorphins

With these supplications and ten steps with the divine assistance of Allah it is hoped we can all live a happier life to transport us to our final abode – PARADISE, where eternal happiness lies. May Allah be pleased with us always. Ameen.

(Al-Muhsinaat, www.al-muhsinaat.org)

An article from ‘Muslim Student Handbook 2011-12’

By Salim Williams  

Being the winner or being correct can be such a satisfying feeling even if the relative consequence is that others must suffer loss or the feeling of disappointment. The feeling of victory can be heightened by the knowledge that your opponent, of whom you have had previous hostilities and are diametrically opposed, is firmly attached to the other end of that loss. But, when that dispute or competition can mean both parties suffer loss when one of the parties wins the race it is only then we realise it was a dispute that never should have been.

The atheist community have for the last fifty years populated the social services including the schools and municipal government bodies in the form of largely left leaning individuals. At first they were not in any sort of power nor were they as daring as to challenge the cultural social fabric of the society in ways as profound as we see today. But, slowly they came to dominate the social services and had a greater and greater impact on the culture of those organisation to the point that employment within those bodies almost required that your politics be at least centre-left at a minimum. As time passed the aggressive atheism extolled by ideologies such as Communism, Trotskyism and Maoism could be found within most publically funded schools, with the exception of faith schools and the privately funded.

Atheism was first presented as equality of the faiths and beliefs which appeared to be completely harmless or even virtuous to this so called egalitarian society. But its real aim was to remove Christianity as the dominant value system of the social sphere. The arguments used seemed completely innocuous by others because it presented the removal of monotheism as inclusion of others thus making the social space inclusive rather than exclusive. The rationale seemed almost irresistible when faced with a rapidly growing and diverse social and cultural demographic. Little did the people realise that when the faiths are equal Atheism becomes the default dominant ideology.

Atheism and atheists used this modus to completely cleanse the social space of Christian values, thus creating a void which would only be filled by people’s individual morality or lack thereof. The basis for this was their theory that humanity could reason themselves into exactly the same good values but “without God”. Like most, social theories, as opposed to scientific ones, the scope for disaster is infinite and the implications and results would be long lasting and profound. This arrogance based in man’s self deceit that he is the ultimate being and there is no great power other than him has resulted in the manifest destruction of a healthy human society and the natural environment.

The atheists attacked Christianity with such vigour that it became completely Res non grata within the educated classes and the intellectual environment. Those who wanted to be taken serious as academics had to consider seriously whether they should adhere to a way of life that could seriously undermine their career in both the long and short term. The result being that it was considered incompatible to be both Christian and intellectually enlightened. This is clearly not the case but this was the effect of such aggressive atheism within the educational establishment.

The result is that the values which were promoted by Christianity were also jettisoned and those that adhered to its values were considered backward or intellectually ill-equipped. The atheist would argue that; if God doesn’t exist why should they adhere to a set of values equally created in the mind of a man or woman? This argument is not only tired and able to be refuted, but now we have a body of evidence based in the tangible world of the social sphere which strongly suggests that when a society has a highly developed sense of the creator and adheres to the values which flow from that way of life the society suffers less degeneration and objective ills. The examples are too numerous to catalogue but a few examples are: Britain as opposed to the rest of mainland Europe which has a greater sense of Christianity and therefore lower teenage pregnancy, alcohol abuse by its young, better social cohesion and family cohesion. In nearly every human sphere Western Europe does better socially than Britain. And, better still Eastern Europe with a stronger sense of Christian values and less polluted sense of society has even lower social problems than Western Europe. The Middle East which is socially totally centred on the concept of a creator has the lowest of all recorded social problems such as teenage pregnancies and alcohol abuse. The instances of sexually transmitted diseases in the Middle East are almost non-existent over the whole region and only appear in those areas of the Middle East which have allowed their social values to be relaxed in order to accommodate the western way of life in its own population or a western immigrant population.

The recent riots in Britain was a culmination of many things that converged and expressed themselves in quite a devastating manner but, the underlying cause of the riots was the natural result of the removal of Christian values from society. The vacuum created by the atheist was always going to eventually be filled by the most powerful default values in human society; those of: greed, selfishness and survival. Not to see or imagine this result could only be credited to wilful ideological blindness and if they really didn’t see this coming then why should we trust them to be in any position to have a say in human social affairs ever again. And, would this not be proof of their limited human intellect not to be able see the desired and undesired results of their design. Atheists will argue that the socio-economic factors leading up to the riots should be the only factors that are determinative of the rampant criminality that was so destructive and wanton over those nights but that is clearly not the case. The simple fact is that other countries with cultural systemic poverty do not have young who go around looting and burning their towns and cities just because they are poor and socially excluded and to cite this as a counter argument is woefully vacuous of any rationale based in reality. What can be accepted is that the economic conditions acted as a catalyst but no matter how much heat you apply to water it will never behave like petrol; because, it does not have the same properties, or in human terms, values.

The atheist may well try to argue that removal of Christianity does not necessitate the replacement with the worst kind of values such as greed, selfishness and a lack of empathy. But, if we look at the evidence dispassionately the observable evidence overwhelming suggests that societies that have moved away from Christian or monotheistic values have an identical increase in social values that can be traced back to greed and selfishness. Such societies overwhelmingly extol consumerism, personal debt, and sexual promiscuousness. Not all to the same degree but the correlation is undeniable. The logical argument is even more irresistible. If everyone is left to come to a collective agreement concerning social norms it has to be assumed that everyone wants the same things for their own and the collective good.

This is patently false and belongs to the realm of utopian theory even though at first glance it may sound obvious until you factor in reality. Humans value different things at different times and to different extents. So, which social norms should be constant and which norms should be variable? The simple fact is that we can never agree on any of them collectively so they agree to the ones that have the most immediate impact on the individual such as prevention of personal harm and non-interference of personal liberty up until it harms others. This results in social norms that enforce the freedom of the individual but do not make collective social legislation in the long term because it concedes the fact that humans cannot agree on collective social applicable norms simply because what is deemed good for, or in the interest of, one individual is not necessarily favoured by another, from a purely human perspective. An example of this is the taking care of the elderly.

In Britain the old have no right to be looked after by their families either under legislation or morally, so the result is that many live alone and die alone without being noticed or families place them in to care homes to be looked after by non-family members. The state will only guarantee that immediate impact is prevented such as physical harm to themselves or by others or abuse. The vacuous moral situation leaves many of the vulnerable in British society to the inclement forces of personal self-interest. Not even children are safe from the broken values of atheist Britain. It legislates that children should have all there organic needs met and must not be harmed in the immediate but stops short of then saying the parents or guardians of that child must provide a social and family environment that is conducive to producing a well developed, socially intelligent and socially sympathetic child which as we have seen is just as important for the protection and good health of the society as a whole. In fact it could be argued that looking after the moral or long term needs of a child will encompass both the immediate and long term but the short term impact prevention can and usually does exclude the long term impact.

The rioting youth have only displayed values which have been steadily dominating the social sphere for nearly 50 years. They have been told that there is no God nor afterlife and therefore no accountability. They now believe this life and its trappings are the only things worth striving for. This has robbed them of hope which is essential for the human mind and at the same time rid them of an internal policeman which when other external prophylactic methods have failed would be the safety net any healthy society would rely on to prevent such rampant lawlessness. That coupled with the aggressive consumerism and wealth-worth based materialistic values would eventually result in the riots witnessed up and down the country. The youth were in utter despair as they could not worship the new god capitalism that the middle classes worship but, the youth have been educated to worship nothing but him without the ability do so at the same alters. Despair in this life and no hope in the hereafter this would send sane men mad. But, the youth found a way to worship their new god but just in a manner unacceptable to its high priests and shaman.

Originally produced for islamiquemagazine.com

By Shaykh Uwais Namazi

Sheikh Ahmad ʿAlī Diwān Lājpūrī (1919-2011)

This obituary was inspired by Dr. Akram Nadwī’s speech at Masjid al-Falah (Leicester) on Saturday 12 March 2011, a day after the Sheikh’s funeral. His Urdu speech can be downloaded from here: http://bit.ly/k6S1am

—————————————–

[I relate to] Shaykh Aḥmed ʿAlī al-Lājpūrī as-Sūrtī – ʿAbd ar-Raḥmān al-Amrohī – Faḍl ar-Raḥmān ibn Ahl Allāh aṣ-Ṣiddīqī – ʿAbd al-ʿAziz ibn Aḥmed ibn ʿAbd ar-Rahīm ad-Dehlavī (a.k.a Shāh ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz) – from his father: Shāh Walī Allāh – Abū Ṭāhir al-Kurdī – Muḥammad Ibrāhīm al-Kūrānī – Ṣafī ad-Dīn Aḥmad al-Qushāshī – Aḥmad ash-Shinnāwī – Shams ad-Dīn Muḥammad ar-Ramlī – Zakariyyā al-Anṣārī – Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī – al-Buhrān Abū Isḥāq Ibrāhīm at-Tannūkhī – Abū al- ʿAbbās Aḥmad Ibn Abī Ṭālib al-Ḥajjār – Abū ʿAbd Allah al-Ḥusayn ibn al-Mubārak az-Zabīdī – Abū al-Waqt ʿAbd al-Awwal ibn ʿIsā al-Harawī as-Sijzī – Abū al-Ḥasan ʿAbd ar-Raḥmān ibn Muḥammad ibn al-Muẓaffar ad-Dāwūdī al-Būshanjī – Aḥmad ibn Ḥamūyah as-Sarakhsī – Muḥammad ibn Yūsuf ibn Maṭar al-Firabrī – Abū ʿAbdullāh Muḥammad ibn Ismāʿīl al-Bukhārī – Ismāʿīl ibn ‘Abī ‘Uways – Mālik ibn ‘Anas – Hishām ibn ʿUrwah – his father: ʿUrwat ibn az-Zubayr – ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀṣ:

I heard the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, say: “Allah will not extract knowledge from His slaves but will expel knowledge by uplifting Scholars [from this world] until there will be none left, in which case people will take the ignorant as their leaders. People will consult these ignorant leaders and they will advise without proper knowledge. They are misguided and misguide others.”

—————————————- This is how the shortest and most elevated chain of our times reads.

It is a tremendous endorsement that Shaykh Aḥmad ʿAlī Lājpūrī’s name has now crystallized in the chain of transmitters linking us back to the Prophet, may Allah’s peace and blessing be upon him. Muslims should take heed and realise the blessing surrounding the Prophetic pronouncements. Ḥadīth students relating transmissions with chains will now invoke Mowlānā’s name and no doubt pray for his mercy.

Indeed there are many proficient Ḥadīth transmitters present today, however ‘elevation’ or ʿuluw, which is to pursue the highest chain with the least number of transmitters, has been much sought after by scholars and students alike. For, it means closeness to Allah and His Prophet amongst many things and this alone is one blessing enough. Imam Aḥmad promulgated ‘the pursuit of an elevated chain is a tradition of those bygone’ while Imam ʿAlī ibn al-Madīnī announced that ‘settling for less is a sign of misfortune’ (al-Nuzūl Shu’m). There is no shortage of examples from the Companion generation onwards of people travelling to hear reports from the mouths of the earliest or initial narrators. Shaykh Aḥmad ʿAlī was amongst the last, if not the last, surviving student to have studied under Mowlānā ʿAbd ar-Raḥmān Amrohī. He was in his final year of ʿālim class at Dabhel, an institution founded by the Deobandi prodigy Mowlānā ‘Anwar Shāh Kashmīrī, when its resident Shaykh al-Ḥadīth Mowlānā Shabbīr Aḥmad ʿUthmānī took sabbatical leave. The 30’s and 40’s were decades troubled with politics in the Subcontinent that proved decisive, it led to the notorious partition, and Mowlānā ʿUthmānī was in the thick of much of it. Unlike Deoband’s Shaykh al-Ḥadīth Mowlānā Ḥusayn Aḥmad Madani, Mowlānā ʿUthmānī did not support the Congress cause. Instead, his intuition led him to place faith in the call for a separate Muslim state which later became known as the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

When I first went to recite Ḥadīth to Shaykh Aḥmad ʿAlī in 2005 with Imam Muṣṭafā ʿUmar (California), he shared his feelings about the political disagreement between the two personages. It was his sincere belief that both had the interests of fellow Muslims at heart and that he was not in a position to judge or fault either. This is an important principle which tends to find lesser acknowledgement today than ever before, especially in a culture where people are expected to hold a partisan opinion. Where posterity is not able to appreciate the context in which dissent is shaped, it should refrain from taking sides. In fact, posterity is advised to exercise caution when confronted with contentions of past contemporaries. For, ill-will and animosity is not uncommon and a lack of care can destroy the past, jeopardise the present and divide the future.

In any case, Mowlānā Shabbīr Aḥmad ʿUthmānī’s sabbatical left the institution in search of an appropriate substitute to take on the leading position of Shaykh al-Ḥadīth. The institution, unable to find a suitor, requested the then frail Mowlānā ʿAbd ar-Raḥmān Amrohī who was escorted from his hometown well over a thousand kilometres away. (Amroha is located in North India, the state of Uttar Pradesh)

This is significant.

Mowlānā Amrohī had many credentials attached to his name. He was the last student to have studied Sunan al-Tirmidhī from Mowlānā Qāsim Nānotwī and had accrued ijazāh from Muftī Rashīd Aḥmad Gangohī. He was also affiliated with Deoband’s spiritual leader, Ḥājī Imdād Allāh, who licensed him in the Chishti order. This meant that there was only one link between Shaykh Aḥmad ʿAlī and the founding fathers of Deoband.

Some thirty years ago, Qārī Ṭayyib, the former principle of Deoband visited Pakistan and during his address to the ʿUlamā’ there, prided over the particular link of Mowlānā ʿAbd al-Raḥmān Amrohī. For, it linked him to his grandfather, Mowlānā Qāsim, via one link only. Of late there was none who could claim such an honour 1, not even in the Deoband itself, and just when one feels that it stops here it does not.

Mowlānā Amrohi is also recorded to have studied with Shaykh Ḥusayn ibn Muḥsin al-Yamānī, a Yemeni scholar who set foot in India five years after the Mutiny of 1857 and is responsible for bringing certain strands of thought to the Indian landscape that were otherwise not readily accessible. Shaykh Ḥusayn’s formal studies were under various members of the mighty al-Ahdal family but he had also been blessed with the companionship of both the peerless al-Qaḍī al- Shawkānī and the unrivalled ‘salafī’-oriented Ḥadīth scholar, Shaykh Muḥammad ibn Nāṣir al- Ḥazimī. All conferred their licenses and showed much love and affection. Al-Shawkānī would say to him, ‘Your father is the student of my father, you are my son and student’.

His trip to India came shortly after he faced persecution at the hands of one of al-Ḥudaydah’s governors, a Turk by the name of Ahmed Pasha (al-Ḥudaydah was the Shaykh’s birthplace). This governor wanted to implement an unspecified tax upon pearl merchants, for which he invited scholars to approve his policy. Shaykh Ḥusayn strongly refused. He passionately defended the public, reasoning that there was no basis for it in the Qur’ān, ḥadīth or fiqh texts. This resulted in death/torture threats but he remained steadfast and handed in his resignation. Consequently, he was fettered out into the scorching sun without food or water. His features had changed and everyone who saw his situation condemned the governor. He was released shortly thereafter.

India was undergoing its fair share of political turmoil at the time. Shaykh Ḥusayn made a total of three trips to India, Bhopal in particular. It was his last trip, however, in which he decided to settle in India for good which proved most profitable. Bhopal, thanks to the exceptional Shāh Jehān Begum and her second husband, the Amīr Ahl al-Ḥadīth Fī al-Hind2, Nawāb Ṣiddīq Ḥasan Khān al- Qannowjī, became the capital of Ḥadīth studies and Shaykh Ḥusayn was its centre of attraction.3 Thousands of scholars flocked to study at his feet, Mowlānā Amrohī included, as he was by far one of the most celebrated Ḥadīth scholars of that period.

Most important of all, however, was Mowlānā Amrohī’s affiliation and later license from Mowlānā Faḍl ar-Raḥmān Ganj Murādābādī, a magnificent personage not only well-versed in scripture but also the greatest Sufi authority of his time. It should suffice in noting the famous historian and prodigy, Ḥakīm ʿAbd al-Ḥayy al-Ḥasanī, who was also one of his disciples. He comments that his karāmāt had reached the point of certainty to all, second only to those known of Shaykh ʿAbd al- Qādir al-Jīlānī. Notables from all walks of life flocked to him, including those now considered from various Sunni denominations: Mowlānā Thānvī, Aḥmad Rīḍā Khān and Nawāb Ṣiddīq Ḥasan Khān4 — – all had sought his companionship. Amongst many things, Mowlānā Faḍl ar-Raḥmān is known for his attachment to the ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī. He would have at least two readings of it daily at his khānqāh, which mesmerised all that were present. Mowlānā Faḍl ar-Raḥmān was amongst the last students of Shāh ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz, the eldest son of Shāh Walī Allāh and Mowlānā Amrohī is considered his last student. This is what made Shaykh Aḥmad’s chain so strong. It’s the most elevated link to India’s polymath and Ḥadīth revivalist, Shāh Walī Allāh.

The majority of senior Deobandi scholars today are students of Mowlānā Ḥusayn Aḥmad Madanī. Mowlānā Madanī’s chain goes via his teacher Mowlānā Maḥmūd al-Ḥasan, “Shaykh al-Hind”. It will read along the following lines:

1. X

2. Mowlānā Madanī

3. Maḥmūd al-Ḥasan/Qāsim Nānotwī/Rashīd Gangohī

4. ʿAbd al-Ghanī ibn Abī Saʿīd

5. Shāh Muḥammad Isḥāq

6. Shāh ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz

7. Shāh Walī Allāh

Britain’s senior ʿUlamā’ are students of Shaykh Zakariyyā Kandhelvī, former Shaykh al-Ḥadīth of the Mazāhir al-ʿUlūm (Saharanpur) seminary and author of the famous Faḍā’il al-Aʿmāl. His chain is as follows:

1. Zakariyyā al-Kandhelvī

2. Khalīl Aḥmad Sahāranpūrī

3. ʿAbd al-Ghanī ibn Abī Saʿīd/ʿAbd al-Qayyūm Badhānvī

4. Shāh Muḥammad Isḥāq

5. Shāh ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz

6. Shāh Walī Allāh

By contrast and bearing in mind that Moulanā Madanī died in 1957 and Shaykh Zakariyyā in 1982, Shaykh Aḥmad ʿAlī’s is as follows:

1. ShaykhAḥmad(d.2012)

2. ʿAbdar-RaḥmānAmrohī

3. Faḍl ar-Raḥmān Ganj Murādābādī

4. Shāh ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz

5. ShāhWalīAllāh(d.1762)

That is an impressive 250 years between three links. —————————

Shaykh Aḥmad was born in 1919, almost a century ago, in the wake of a series of political events that would change the course of history: the Great War and the Second World War, the fall of the Ottoman Caliphate, the partition of India Pakistan etc. His hometown Lājpūr is renowned for its piety and sayyids. Shah Sufi Sulaymān, author of bāgh-e-ʿĀrif, Mufti ʿAbd ar-Raḥīm Lājpūrī, author of the voluminous fatāwā-e-Raḥīmiyyah, Mufti Marghūb ar-Raḥmān Lājpūrī and Mowlānā Ismāʿīl Wādī, an old sage currently residing in Blackburn, are some of the proud sons of this village.

He received his initial education at home and later pursued formal studies at the Jāmʿiah Taʿlīm ad- Dīn seminary at Dabhel. After graduation, he taught there for some years. In 1950 he was invited to serve as Imam in South Africa. Travelling then was accomplished via sea and took months. By the time he had reached South Africa, the mosque committee that invited him had changed and the vacancy filled. The Shaykh then decided to retreat to his teaching post in Dabhel when others suggested neighbouring Mozambique was desperately in need of an Imam. Mozambique too, by the time he had reached there, had found someone. However, his arrival in Mozambique had coincided with an individual from Malawi who was in search of an Imam.

From 1950 onwards, for 12-14 years, Shaykh Aḥmad ʿAlī served as full-time Imam and teacher at the town of Dedza. Thereafter he retired with a shop in Namadzi, a trading post which connected the North and Central Malawi with the South, in particular to the country’s former capital Zomba. His shop was strategically situated across the town’s mosque. Namadzi, located on a famous travelers route, functioned as a pit-stop where travelers would stop to pray, snack and catch up with news. When the Malawi dictatorship, like many of its African counterparts, took up the Africanisation policy which put non-natives at a disadvantage, the Shaykh, along with the rest of the commonwealth Africans of Asian heritage, migrated to England, Leicester to be precise, which is home, till date, to the largest population of African Asian migrants. He arrived here in 1970.

Throughout my visits I realised he was essentially a man of that past era. He embodied all the charm and warmth of our immediate predecessors, which is fast becoming extinct with the departure of this first generation of migrants. Their ‘values’ are alien to the third/fourth generation of British Muslims today.

Following the sunnah was beyond question, he adhered to the configurations of the Deobandi school passionately. In it, he found his comfort and conviction. On a Ramadhan visit to an Arab country, he related how Arab students had decided to read 8-12 rakʿats of the tarāwīh prayer. The Shaykh, with all humility and indifference, told them that while they were free to pray however many they wished, he would pray the full twenty. He was very respectful and mindful in this which brought about a great sense of admiration, even to those who did not hold similar positions.

Last year, thanks to Shaykh Haytham al-Ḥaddād and Dr. Akram Nadwī’s efforts, Britain witnessed its first ever public reading of the ṣaḥīḥ al-bukhārī. Over a period of 5 weekend sittings and in the presence of Britain’s leading Ḥadīth experts, students – both male and female – recited the entire ṣaḥīḥ al-bukhārī to the Shaykh. It was a historic event and the elders of Masjid al-Falāḥ should be commended for allowing the programme to materialise. It was not merely the recitation itself or the quick Ḥadīth comments in between recitation that made it a memorable experience, the post session interaction and the Masjid sleepovers generated fruitful exchanges and dialogue which would not have been possible otherwise. They will no doubt form cherished memories for those that were present.

The Bukhārī recitation instigated further interest. Shaykh Aḥmad was invited to London on behalf of Buruj Press where Yaḥyā ibn Yaḥyā al-Laythī’s recension of the muwaṭṭā’ was read over a weekend. I had planned to visit but poverty, and nothing else, had prevented me from attending. Students shortly thereafter were contemplating on a recitation of ṣaḥīḥ muslim but Allah had other plans.

His recognition and high isnād attracted Ḥadīth students from all across the globe. Students, from the Middle East in particular, flocked to sit at his feet in Leicester. The grandson of the Saudi luminary Shaykh Nāṣir al-ʿAqīl, ‘Anas al-ʿAqīl related how his friends and students at Makkah were amazed when he told them he was travelling to England to recite Ḥadīth and obtain a very special isnād. “ENGLAND?!” they exclaimed with shock and horror.

There is much political discourse surrounding the failure of multiculturalism but seldom will it highlight the rich exchanges that are surfacing within Muslims themselves as a result of figures like these.5 The prospect of various Muslim orientations and students travelling from foreign lands would have not been possible otherwise.6

In May 2010, the Kuwaiti Islamic cultural bureau had organised a recital of ṣaḥīḥ al-bukhārī in front of six leading authorities, Shaykh Aḥmad ʿAlī was amongst them. During his annual visits to the Ḥaramayn, he would be surrounded by an army of students eager to recite Ḥadīth to him and connect with his chain.

My last visit to the Shaykh was in mid January when news had reached me of his critical health, a fever that was potentially to cost him his life. Many rushed to see him the following morning. By the grace of Allah he had recovered, rather promisingly, before our return. It was during this visit he told us he had two wishes left in life: to make ʿUmrah and to visit his parents graves in India. Of those, he was granted the first. He returned on Sunday 6 March, four days after which he breathed his last. In shā’ Allah, his wish to be reunited with his parents was answered in the form of his death. He can be forever at peace with them, knowing that his name is now formidably attached to a long list of luminaries which ends with our beloved Prophet (SAW). He will be remembered for his piety and wisdom.

Details about his ʿUmrah trip and his death are given by his only son, Shamshul Haque. His statement is repeated here in its entirety:

“My father was 92 years old when he passed away and I was fortunate to accompany him on his last ʿUmrah trip. Prior to going for ‘Umrah on 20 February 2011 my respected father’s health was not good. He was weak but he had this burning desire to visit Makkah and Medīnah with his family.

So on Sunday 20 February 2011 myself, my four sisters and his son in law, nephew and niece left for Makkah. On arrival in Makkah his health improved considerably and the respected Shaykh performed ʿUmrah with ease and with tears rolling kissed the ḥajar-e-‘aswad, or black stone.

Word had spread that the respected Shaykh was in Makkah and lots of people came to the hotel to meet him and read Ḥadīth. At the end of each session the respected Shaykh emphasised the importance of reading Ḥadīth and, more importantly, putting in to practice the sunnah our beloved Prophet (SAW) in our daily life. The respected Shaykh always requested duʿās to die with īmān and was very concerned with the state of the ummah. The respected Shaykh prayed for the welfare of the entire ʿummah.

After seven days in Makkah we departed to Med īnah. On reaching Medīnah the respected Shaykh was very quiet and with humility went to the grave of Rasūl (SAW) and again with tears flowing presented himself. Again in Madīnah word had spread and many Shaykhs came to visit him. Here in Madīnah a complete reading of the muwaṭṭā’ was made in six days. When the time came to leave Madīnah the respected Shaykh went very quiet. There was also reading on his way to the airport. Throughout the journey back home, the respected Shaykh was very quiet and in deep meditation.

The Respected Shaykh passed away on Thursday 10 March at time between ʿasr and maghrib prayers. The family was with him, the Shaykh had come from Masjid al-Falah along with family members, he read chapter 36, surah yāsīn, and passed away looking up smiling and reciting the kalimah, ‘lā ilāha ‘illa Allāh, Muḥammad Rasūl Allāh’, there is no God but Allah and Muḥammad is his Messenger.

May Allah (SWT) elevate His status in Jannah and give him a lofty place in the Firdaws.

I have indeed lost a wonderful father.”

The Shaykh leaves behind four caring daughters and a son. All of them married and reside in England. One can only pray that Allah give them solace and the strength to overcome the immeasurable loss.

His funeral saw the attendance of some of Britain’s leading scholars, all of whom recognised the loss of this otherwise unknown towering figure whose name gave British Muslim scholarship a face and much recognition in the field of Ḥadīth.

As the teacher of teachers, the Shāh Wajīh ad-Dīn al-ʿAlawī of our time, Mufti Shabbīr Aḥmad rightly lamented, paraphrasing the ḥadīth of Umm Ayman: “I weep not because the Prophet has died but because the communication from the above has now been severed.”7 By this, he was referring to the tradition of public Ḥadīth readings.

Uwais Namazi

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1 Dr. Akram in his address makes note of Mowlānā Sarfaraz Khān Ṣafdar as an exception. He was a student of Mowlānā Madanī, who died in May 5 2009 at the age of 98. The additional links that are to follow, however, forms part of Sheikh Aḥmad ʿAlī’s legacy only.

2 Literally, the leader of the ahl-e-ḥadīth in India

3 For a wonderful and recent presentation on the Begum, see the prodigious Barbara Metcalf’s Jan 2011 presidential address at the 125th annual American Historical Association meeting. Her presentation is titled, “Islam and Power in Colonial India: The Making and Unmaking of a Muslim Prince(ss)”. It can be viewed here: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0B_AjI_FRw)

4 The Nawāb did not meet him in person but kept correspondence and sent his sons to keep in his company.

5 I understand it is beyond the political remit to acknowledge this phenomenon, nonetheless other perspectives reading into multiculturalism should not ignore it either.

6 I am grateful to none other than my diligent and ecumenical friend, Shaykh Andrew Booso, for bringing this point to the attention of others. See his article here: (http://bit.ly/hv3ZOk)

7 The ḥadīth is narrated in several Ḥadīth collections. The following is a translation from ṣaḥīḥ muslim:

Abū bakr said to ʿUmar, Allah be pleased with them both, after the Prophet’s demise, “let us go visit Umm Ayman, Allah be pleased with her, like the Prophet used to visit her”. When we got to her she started crying. Both Abū Bakr and ʿUmar said, “What causes you to cry? Don’t you know what is with Allah is better for the Messenger of Allah?” She replied, “I do not cry for that reason, for I am fully aware what Allah has is better for the Messenger of Allah but I weep because the revelation has now stopped descending from the sky.” Thus, she provoked them [in crying] and they started crying with her.

By Shaykh Nuh Ha Mim Keller

In the name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate

14 July 1995

Dear Suleman ‘Ali:

Thank you for your fax of 27 June 1995 which said, in part:
“Recently a pamphlet has been circulated around Oxford saying that evolution is synonymous with kufr and shirk. I myself am a biologist and am convinced by the evidence which supports the theory of evolution. I am writing to ask whether the Quranic account of Creation is incompatible with man having evolved. Are there any books which you would recommend on the subject?”

During my “logic of scientific explanation” period at the University of Chicago, I used to think that scientific theories had to have coherence, logicality, applicability, and adequacy, and I was accustomed to examine theory statements by looking at these things in turn. Perhaps they furnish a reasonable point of departure to give your question an answer which, if cursory and somewhat personal, may yet shed some light on the issues you are asking about.

By Zameelur Rahman

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 and relaying the editor’s, Dr Bashshar ‘Awwad Ma’ruf’s, gradings of the chains, as he graciously included his expert analysis on most of the narrations from Abu Hanifah’s biography in the footnotes.

1. Yazid ibn Harun (118 – 206) said: “I comprehended the people and I have not seen anyone more intelligent, nor more virtuous, nor more scrupulous than Abu Hanifah.”(Tarikh Baghdad 15:498) Dr. Bashshar ‘Awwad Ma‘ruf comments, “Its isnad is sahih.”

Yazid ibn Harun is a narrator of hadith found in the six famous collections, and is one of the greatest huffaz of hadith, said to have memorised over twenty thousand hadiths. He was one of the most reliable transmitters of hadith, and was also recognised for his devotion and piety. (Tahdhib al-Tahdhib 11:366-9)

2. Sulayman ibn Abi Shaykh (151 – 246) said: “Abu Hanifah was scrupulous and generous.” (Tarikh Baghdad 15:462-3) Dr. Bashshar ‘Awwad Ma‘ruf comments on this narration, “Its narrators are trustworthy (thiqat).”

3. Yahya ibn Ma‘in said: I heard Yahya al-Qattan say: “We have sat in the company of Abu Hanifah, by Allah, and we heard from him. By Allah, when I would look at him, I recognised in his face that he feared Allah!” (Tarikh Baghdad 15:482) Dr. Bashshar ‘Awwad Ma‘ruf comments: “Its isnad is hasan.”

Yahya ibn Sa’id al-Qattan (120 – 198) was also a follower of the opinions of Abu Hanifah in fiqh, as shown in an earlier post. His standing in hadith was unmatched. (see: Tahdhib al-Tahdhib 216-20)

4. Muhammad ibn Ishaq al-Balkhi narrated to us: I heard al-Hasan ibn Muhammad al-Laythi say: “I came to Kufa and inquired about the most devout (a’bad) of its inhabitants and I was directed to Abu Hanifah. Then I came when I was an old man and inquired about the best faqih amongst its inhabitants and I was directed to Abu Hanifah.” (Tarikh Baghdad 15:482) Dr. Bashshar ‘Awwad Ma‘ruf comments, “Its isnad is good (jayyid).”

Al-Hasan ibn Muhammad al-Laythi was the Qadi of Marw and ‘Abd Allah ibn al-Mubarak was favourably disposed to him. (Ibn Hibban, Kitab al-Thiqat 8:168) This narration, therefore, shows Abu Hanifah from an early period was known to the people of Kufa as the one who performed the most worship amongst them. Kufa was at that time a large city containing many learned and pious inhabitants.

5. Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah (107 – 98) said: “Allah have mercy on Abu Hanifah. He was from the worshippers (musallin), that is, he was one of many Salahs.” (Tarikh Baghdad 15:482) Dr. Bashshar ‘Awwad Ma‘ruf comments, “A sahih report.”

‘Ali ibn al-Madini narrated: I heard Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah say: “Abu Hanifah was an honourable person, and he would perform [much] Salah from early in his life.” (Tarikh Baghdad 15:483) Dr. Bashshar ‘Awwad Ma‘ruf comments, “Its isnad is good.”

Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah is the most prominent hadith-teacher of Imam al-Shafi’i, and is a prolific narrator found in the six famous collections of hadith.

6. Abu Muti‘ said: “I was at Makkah, and I did not enter into Tawaf in a moment from the moments of the night except I saw Abu Hanifah and Sufyan (al-Thawri) in Tawaf.” (Tarikh Baghdad 15:483) Dr. Bashshar ‘Awwad Ma‘ruf comments, “Its isnad is hasan.”

7. Yahya ibn Ayyub al-Zahid (d. 168) said: “Abu Hanifah would not sleep at night [i.e. he would stay awake in worship].” (Tarikh Baghdad 15:483) Dr. Bashshar ‘Awwad Ma‘ruf comments, “Its isnad is hasan.”

Yahya ibn Ayyub al-Ghafiqi is also a narrator of hadith found in the six famous collections.

8. Abu ‘Asim al-Nabil (122-214) said: “Abu Hanifah would be called ‘the peg’ (al-watad) because of the abundance of his Salah.” (Tarikh Baghdad 15:484) Dr. Bashshar ‘Awwad Ma‘ruf comments, “Its isnad is sahih. Its narrators are trustworthy.”

Abu ‘Asim al-Dahhak ibn Makhlad is a narrator of the six famous collections of hadith, and he is the greatest and eldest of al-Bukhari’s shaykhs. Some of al-Bukhari’s thulathiyyat (three-narrator chains) which are the shortest of al-Bukhari’s chains go through him. (Tahdhib al-Tahdhib 4:450-3)

9. It is narrated from Imam Abu Yusuf: “While I was walking with Abu Hanifah, I heard a man say to another man: ‘This is Abu Hanifah, he does not sleep at night.’ Abu Hanifah said: ‘By Allah: It is not said of me what I do not do.’ He would revive the night in prayer, supplication and devotion.” (Tarikh Baghdad 485-6) Dr Bashshar comments that its chain is acceptable (salih).

10. It is narrated from Mis’ar ibn Kidam (d. 155): “One night I entered the masjid and I saw a man praying, and I found his recitation pleasing. He recited a seventh (of the Qur’an) and I thought he would bow down. Then he recited a third and then half and he continued to recite until he completed it all in one rak‘ah. I looked, and behold, it was Abu Hanifah.” (Tarikh Baghdad 487-8) Dr Bashshar comments that it has a hasan chain with all the narrators being trustworthy (thiqah) except Hafs ibn Abd al-Rahman who is reliable (saduq).

Mis’ar ibn Kidam was a contemporary of Abu Hanifah, and he is a narrator found in the six famous collections of hadith, and was known for his worship and piety.

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Imam al-Dhahabi wrote in a volume dedicated to the merits of Imam Abu Hanifah and his two companions: “Abu Hanifah’s standing in the night in prayer, his night-vigilance, and his devotion have been mass-transmitted (tawatarat).” (Manaqib al-Imam Abu Hanifah, al-Dhahabi, Lajnatu Ihya’ al-Ma’arif al-Nu’maniyyah, pp. 20-1)

Many pious men of the generation of the Atba’ al-Tabi’in kept the company of Imam Abu Hanifah, such as Dawud al-Ta’i, Fudayl ibn ‘Iyad and Shaqiq al-Balkhi, whose virtues are endless and can be read in the biographical literature. This is also a great testament to the profound spiritual station reached by Imam Abu Hanifah.

B

‘Allamah Zafar Ahmad al-’Uthmani wrote in his Abu Hanifah wa Ashabuhu al-Muhaddithun: “Know that the opinions of Imam Abu Hanifah in al-Jarh wa al-Ta’dil (narrator-criticism) and the principles of hadith were accepted and received from him by the ‘ulama of this field. They quoted him in their books as proof or for consideration, just as they took from Imam Ahmad, al-Bukhari, Ibn Ma’in, Ibn al-Madini, and other scholars of this field. This shows you his great standing in [the science of] hadith and his expansive knowledge and mastery.” (Abu Hanifah wa Ashabuhu al-Muhaddithun, Idarat al-Qur’an wa al-’Ulum al-Islamiyyah, p. 45)

I will quote below a few examples of the scholarly acceptance of Imam Abu Hanifah’s pronouncements in this important field:

1. Al-Saymari narrates in his published book Akhbar Abi Hanifah wa Ashabih: Muhammad ibn ‘Imran ibn Musa al-Marzubani reported to us: Muhammad ibn Makhlad al-‘Attar narrated to us: Abu Musa Qays al-Mu’addib narrated to us: Suwayd ibn Sa‘id narrated to us: Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah narrated to us: “The first to sit me down to narrate hadith was Abu Hanifah.” I [Suwayd] said: “How was this so?” He said: “When I entered Kufa, Abu Hanifah said to them [i.e. the Kufans]: ‘This is the most learned of them regarding [the hadiths of] ‘Amr ibn Dinar.’ Then the scholars (mashayikh) gathered around me, asking me about the hadiths of ‘Amr ibn Dinar.” (Akhbar Abi Hanifah wa Ashabih, p. 82)

This chain is hasan: Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Husayn ibn ‘Ali ibn Muhammad Al-Saymari (351 – 436) is a Hanafi faqih and muhaddith who narrated from al-Daraqutni and Ibn Shahin, and is saduqaccording to al-Khatib (Tarikh Baghdad 8:634-5); Abu ‘Ubayd Allah Muhammad ibn ‘Imran ibn Musa al-Marzubani (296 – 384) is thiqah according to al-‘Atiqi. (Tarikh Baghdad 4:227-9); Muhammad ibn Makhlad al-‘Attar (d. 331) is thiqah according to al-Daraqutni (Tarikh Baghdad 4:501); Abu Musa Qays ibn Ibrahim ibn Qays al-Tawabiqi al-Mu’addib (d. 284), al-Daraqutni said he is acceptable (salih) (Tarikh Baghdad 14:478-9); Suwayd ibn Sa‘id ibn Sahl al-Harawi (140 – 240) is thiqah according to Ahmad ibn Hanbal, and a narrator of Muslim (Tahdhib al-Kamal)

The same narration was also narrated by Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr through a different chain:

Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr said: [Abu Ya‘qub Yusuf ibn al-Dakhil narrated in his book Fada’il Abi Hanifah wa Akhbaruhu]: Abu l-‘Abbas al-Farid narrated to us: Muhammad ibn Isma‘il [al-Sa’igh] narrated to us: Suwayd ibn Sa‘id al-Anbari narrated to us: I heard Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah say: “The first to sit me down to narrate hadith in Kufa was Abu Hanifah. He sat me down in the mosque and said: ‘This is the strongest of people regarding the hadith of ‘Amr ibn Dinar,’ then I narrated to them.” (al-Intiqa fi Fada’il al-A’immat al-Thalathah, p. 199)

Ibn al-Dakhil (d. 388) is described as the “muhaddith of Makkah” by al-Dhahabi in Siyar A‘lam al-Nubala, but besides this there is no other criticism or praise of him, although his biography is known. Abu al-‘Abbas Muhammad ibn al-Husayn al-Farid, his reliability is unknown. Muhammad ibn Isma‘il al-Sa’igh (d. 276) is thiqah according to Abu Dawud and al-Dhahabi. Hence, although the chain is weak because of the unknown narrator in the chain, it is not “very weak” (da‘if jiddan) that it cannot be used as a supporting narration. This narration therefore strengthens the previous one.

The narration also corresponds with the information known about Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah (107 – 198) from the books of Rijal. As mentioned in Taqrib, he “was the strongest narrator from ‘Amr ibn Dinar (45 – 126).” Ibn ‘Uyaynah himself referred to ‘Amr ibn Dinar as “thiqah thiqah thiqah” – the repetition is for emphasis. And it is known some major Kufan narrators like Waki‘ ibn al-Jarrah and Yahya ibn Zakariyyah ibn Abi Za’idah narrated from him as mentioned inTahdhib al-Tahdhib (4:118). Waki‘, as mentioned in an earlier post, would issue fatwas according to the opinions of Abu Hanifah, and Yahya ibn Zakariyya ibn Abi Za’idah, who was the strongest and greatest narrator in Kufa after Sufyan al-Thawri, is known to have been a “student of Abu Hanifah” as mentioned in al-Dhahabi’s Tadhkirat al-Huffaz.

After mentioning the abovementioned narration, ‘Allamah Zafar Ahmad al-‘Uthmani says: “Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah is one of the outstanding imams, chief of the muhaddithin and shaykh of Islam, yet he says: ‘The first to sit me down to narrate hadith was Abu Hanifah.’ In this is a great proof of the greatness of Abu Hanifah in the science of hadith, and people’s reliance on his opinion with respect to the reliability of narrators. Thus, he (Allah be pleased with him) was not only a muhaddith, but he was from those who made men muhaddithin!” (Abu Hanifah wa Ashabuhu al-Muhaddithun, p. 17)

2. Imam al-Tirmidhi narrates in his Kitab al-‘Ilal: Mahmud ibn Ghaylan narrated to us: He said: Abu Yahya al-Himmani narrated to us: He said: I heard Abu Hanifah say: “I have not seen anyone a greater liar than Jabir al-Ju‘fi (d. 128), nor anyone more virtuous that ‘Ata’ ibn Abi Rabah (27 – 115).” (Al-Jami‘ al-Kabir, Dr. Bashshar ‘Awwad Ma‘ruf ed., 6:233)

Imam al-Tirmidhi narrated this in the context of determining the provenance of the science of al-Jarh wa al-Ta’dil. The narrators in al-Tirmidhi’s chain are reliable: Mahmud ibn Ghaylan (d. 239) is a narrator found in the Sahihs of al-Bukhari and Muslim, and declared thiqah by Ibn Hajar al-‘Asqalani in al-Taqrib (Tahrir al-Taqrib 3:353). Abu Yahya ‘Abd al-Hamid al-Himmani (d. 202) is also a narrator found in the Sahihs of al-Bukhari and Muslim, and declared thiqahby Ibn Ma‘in, al-Nasa’i, Ibn Qani‘ and others, although some invalid criticism was levelled at him because of irja’. (Tahrir al-Taqrib 2:300-1)

This narration has also been quoted in the books of Rijal under the biographies of Jabir al-Ju’fi and ‘Ata’ ibn Abi Rabah (e.g. Tahdhib al-Tahdhib 2:48), illustrating the acceptance of Imam Abu Hanifah’s view amongst the later experts of this science.

3. In an earlier post, I also quoted Imam Abu Hanifah’s authentic criticism of deviant groups:

Al-Khatib al-Baghdadi narrates: al-Khallal reported to us: al-Hariri reported to us that ‘Ali ibn Muhammad al-Nakha‘i narrated to them: Muhammad ibn al-Hasan ibn Mukram narrated to us: Bishr ibn al-Walid narrated to us: I heard Abu Yusuf say: Abu Hanifah said: “Two groups of the worst of people are from Khurasan: the Jahmiyyah and the Mushabbihah(antropomorphists),” and he probably said “Muqatiliyyah (followers of Muqatil ibn Sulayman (d. 150 H)).” (Tarikh Baghdad 15:514-15) Dr. Bashshar ‘Awwad Ma‘ruf said: “Its isnad is sahih, its narrators are trustworthy (thiqat).”

With the same chain, al-Khatib narrates: al-Nakha‘i said: Muhammad ibn ‘Ali ibn ‘Affan narrated to us: Yahya ibn ‘Abd al-Hamid ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Himmani narrated to us from his father: I heard Abu Hanifah say: “Jahm ibn Safwan is a kafir.” (Tarikh Baghdad 15:515) Dr. Bashshar ‘Awwad Ma‘ruf said: “Its isnad is hasan.”

Imam Abu Hanifah’s opinion on Jahm is in fact quoted in the books of Rijal. Al-’Asqalani said in Tahdhib al-Tahdhib (vol 10:281): “Muhammad ibn Sima’ah (who is thiqah according al-Saymari and saduq according to al-’Asqalani in al-Taqrib) narrated from Abu Yusuf from Abu Hanifah that he said: ‘Jahm went overboard in negation until he said: He [i.e. Allah] is nothing, and Muqatil went overboard in affirmation until He deemed Allah to be like His creation.’” Al-’Asqalani also quotes him saying: “Two disgusting opinions came to us from the east: Jahm the negator [of Allah's attributes] and Muqatil the anthropomorphist.”

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For more examples of the recorded statements of Imam Abu Hanifah on al-Jarh wa al-Ta‘dil from Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, see Abu Hanifah wa Ashabuhu al-Muhaddithun, pp. 45-7.

Question:

What is the virtue of spending on one’s family on the day of ‘Ashura and what is the authenticity of the hadith that encourages this sort of spending?

Answer:

The Messenger of Allah (upon him blessings and peace) is reported to have said: “Whoever expands his expenditure on his family on the day of ‘Ashura, Allah I will inflate his sustenance for the rest of that year.”

This hadith has been reported by several Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), among them are the following:

1) Sayyiduna Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him). (al-Istidhkar of Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr, 10:140)

Hafiz “Iraqi (may Allah be pleased with him) declared the chain of this hadith to be on par in authenticity with the standards of Imam Muslim (may Allah be pleased with him) (al-Maqasid al-Hasanah, no.1193)

2) Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him). (Shu‘ab al-Iman, no. 3515, al-Targhib, 2:15-116). This hadith was classified as sahih (sound) by Hafiz Ibn Nasir (may Allah be pleased with him). (al-Maqasid al-Hasanah, no.1193)

3) Sayyiduna Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him). (Shu‘ab al-Iman, no.3514)

4) Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him). (Shu‘ab al-Iman, no.3513)

After recording the above hadiths, Imam Bayhaqi (may Allah have mercy on him) comments: “When all the chains of these narrations are gathered, they assume (sufficient) strength”.

5) Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him). (al-Afrad of Daraqutni, Tanzih al-Shari‘ah, 2:158)

This has also been reported with a fair chain like the statement of Sayyiduna ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) (al-Afrad of Daraqutni, al-Maqasid al-Hasanah, no.1193, Tanzih al-Shari‘ah, 2:158)

Furthermore, several narrators of the hadith have been reported to have echoed the following testimony, “We have tried this out and have found it to be accurate”. (al-Istidhkar, 10:140). This further strengthens the credibility of the narration.

‘Allamah ‘Iraqi (may Allah have mercy on him) has authored a detailed treatise on this hadith in which he has proven its acceptability beyond a shadow of doubt. He has also vehemently rebutted the assumption of Shaykh Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) that the hadith has no basis. ‘Iraqi (may Allah have mercy on him) – like many others –expressed his amazement at such an irrational assertion! (see Tanzih al-Shari‘ah, 2:158)

Lastly, this hadith provides an ideal solution during these times of global financial constraint. The extent of expansion in expenditure will naturally differ from one individual to another.

And Allah Ta’ala knows best.

Note: Imam Bayhaqi (may Allah have mercy on him) has written that the practice of applying kuhl (antimony, or surma) on ‘Ashura (for specific reasons…) has been reported by an extremely weak narration. (Shu‘ab al-Iman, 5:334) and should therefore be avoided.

[Mawlana] Mohammed Haroon Abasoomer
Camperdown
South Africa