Al-Mahdi Institute Podcasts: Recent Episodes
Al-Mahdi Institute
Al-Mahdi Institute's podcasts cover a variety of topics from Sunni Shia discussions, Book Reviews, inter-faith discussions, Research seminars on Contemporary Islamic topics.
Whether or not non-Muslims are subject to Sharīʿa responsibilities has been treated in various contexts in works of uṣul al-fiqh and fiqh. Across schools of thought the prevalent view has been that non-Muslim are indeed subject to sharia responsibilities before God. This position is endorsed by Imāmī Shīʿa legal theorists such as Sharīf alMurtaḍā (d. 436/1044), Shaykh al-Ṭūsī (d. 460/1067), and ʿAllāma al-Ḥillī (d. 460/1067). Each of these considered the question within the context of the linguistic discussions of uṣul al-fiqh framed within enquiries regarding the scope of the imperative. Does the imperative include the non-Muslim and the slave as it includes the Muslim and the free person? This paper will examine how this position has been nuanced by some modern Shīʿī Uṣūlī’s, in response to an Akhbārī rejections of the prevalent view, by distinguishing between universal moral responsibilities applicable to all and particular Sharīʿa addresses only incumbent upon believers. The paper will further point to some contemporary implications of this distinction for our understanding of the nature and practice of Sharīʿa in plural contexts.
The main question addressed in this paper is: “Can jurists rely on moral judgments to disregard or qualify scriptural evidence?” The standard answer to this question among later uṣūlī scholars is yes, provided that the moral judgment in question is “conclusive”. Otherwise, the scriptural evidence will retain its validity. In applying this principle to particular cases, such as child marriage, jurists working within this paradigm split into two groups: a minority who claim that the moral judgment in question is certain, and accordingly modify or set aside the conflicting scriptural evidence; and a majority who believe that the moral judgment in question is not certain, and consequently resolve the conflict in favour of scriptural evidence. Regarding the level of justification one can legitimately claim for moral judgments, the second group are correct in most cases. Therefore, granting the dominant paradigm, the path of moral reforms in jurisprudence is effectively closed. However, one can ask whether such a stringent condition as certainty for the permissibility of using moral judgments in jurisprudential arguments is rationally defensible. In this paper, I try to show that such a condition is indefensible, and hence the dominant paradigm lacks rational credibility. Based on the alternative paradigm that I propose and defend, the conflict we face here is of an epistemological and hermeneutical nature. Thus, the appropriate solution to this conflict is to weigh the evidence we have in favour of moral judgments against conflicting scriptural evidence and prioritise the stronger, i.e., the evidence with a higher probability of being true. Within this paradigm, for moral judgments to take precedence over opposing scriptural evidence, it is sufficient that the moral judgment has stronger rational support by virtue of being more probable than the conflicting scriptural evidence. This paradigm provides a rational basis for moral reforms in jurisprudence.
The linguistic principle of absoluteness leads to the absolutisation of a regulation in terms of the unrestricted scope of the applicability of its referent. Thus, the statement “respect the scholar” due to lack of qualifiers will yield the meaning of obligation as opposed to encouragement from the form of the imperative “respect” and this respect will be applicable to every type of scholar by virtue of the unqualified clause the “scholar”. The outcome is the obligation of respect to every scholar regardless of the scholar’s denomination, field of expertise and piety. The principle of absoluteness is utilised as a legal hermeneutical tool for the interpretation of evidences across the chapters of jurisprudence. A fundamental assumption in the principle of absoluteness is that the lawgiver is in a position to explicate his intention fully including all possible qualifications pertinent to the regulation and scope of its application in relation to the subject. Thus, by not restricting qualifiable terms the implication is that there are no qualifications to the regulation and to its scope of application. Having stated this the unqualified clause can be qualified at any point within the timeframe of the lawgiver which is a period of over two centuries. Thus, an absolutised verse of the Quran due to lack of qualifications within the Quran may be qualified and restricted by the statements of the Prophet or anyone of the subsequent twelve Imams. Analysing the phenomena of post-absolutised restrictions demonstrates rationally that the absolutised regulation was not absolute in essence from the outset but yet was treated as an absolute prior to its qualification since the qualifications can be delayed for up to a couple of centuries. This phenomenon reflects on the fallibilism of the absolutised regulations. Additionally, it shows that the issuance of unqualified regulations was resorted to at a pragmatic level and on utilitarian basis. The regulations are designed to secure their values in an overall manner and for the majority of individuals. Existentially it is difficult to conceive of absolute regulations; all regulations are bound by their existential contexts. In light of the above it is argued that: 1. existentially the lawgiver cannot be in a position to explicate all the qualifications beyond the lawgiver’s immediate context with a view to catering for the majority. 2. since the regulations are value-bearing the qualifications can be conceived through refined human learning and experience in every field of life. 3. existence being dynamic can effect change in relations of things to human beings. Such changes can qualify originally absolutised regulations and similarly restricted regulations may become absolutised by the same token.
Among contemporary scholars dedicated to examining the intersection of language and Islamic legal theory, Bernard G. Weiss’ contributions to the study of Islamic law frequently emphasise the paramount importance of linguistic inquiries and language analysis (al-mabādiʾ al-lughawiyya or mabāḥith al-alfāẓ) within the uṣūl alfiqh literature. By taking into account a few late-19th/early-20th century digests and manuals used in the madrasa curriculum, his doctoral dissertation Language and Orthodox Muslim Thought: A Study of “Waḍʿ al-Lughah” and its Development and his subsequent articles on ʿilm al-waḍʿ (1966, 1976, and 1987) provided an initial general overview of a new science called ʿilm al-waḍʿ to a Western audience, underscoring its significance within the framework of legal methodology. Nevertheless, the extensive 14th - 20th century exegetical literature of ʿilm al-waḍʿ, originating from the foundational al-Risāla al-Waḍʿiyya of ʿAḍud al-Dīn al-Ījī (d. 756/1355), as well as the contexts in which this short text emerged, remain largely unexplored and understudied. The linguistic investigations of basic elements of language (nouns, verbs, and prepositions) undertaken by early commentators and glossators on al-Ījī’s Risāla are mainly devoted to analysing the roots of signification but also to developing a semantic theory that filled critical gaps in various disciplines, like balāgha, uṣūl al-fiqh, and logic. In general, ʿilm al-waḍʿ (lit. the science of linguistic positing), which can be loosely rendered as “semantics of the parts of speech,” examines how terms come to convey their concepts and, particularly, how terms convey particular and individual, or universal and general concepts. The original scope of ʿilm al-waḍʿ aimed to elucidate how terms, such as prepositions and pronouns, are posited in a universal way yet ultimately convey particular and individual concepts. The innovative solutions provided by ʿilm al-waḍʿ for explaining the semantic properties of this group of terms were so influential that premodern scholars, mainly commentators and glossators on al-Ījī’s Risāla, expanded the scope of this science, developing a comprehensive semantic theory that encompassed all parts of speech and simple sentence structures, while also engaging with the ḥaqīqa-majāz dichotomy. This presentation will first offer a heretofore unprecedented survey of the emergence and subsequent formation of ʿilm al-waḍʿ as an independent, and yet interdisciplinary, science between uṣūl al-fiqh and ʿilm al-maʿānī wa-l-bayān. It will then present some aspects of the linguistic investigations undertaken by legal theorists prior to the emergence and establishment of ʿilm al-waḍʿ, in order to highlight the innovative and original contributions that this new discipline introduced into the broader discourse of the linguistic inquiries. Finally, it will offer some preliminary reflections on how ʿilm al-waḍʿ has impacted legal theorists’ analysis of language and uṣūl al-fiqh literature.
Can a perfectly good and wise God impose “impossible obligations” (takīf bi mā lāyotāq), that is, obligations surpassing human ability? This question holds profound significance within Islamic theology and carries weighty implications in the realm of Islamic law and morality, particularly concerning the comprehension of divine commands. For example, if one concedes that a perfectly good and wise God cannot (or does not) mandate impossible obligations, then an individual may reasonably question the religious validity of any prescription of Sharia if it is demonstrated to exceed human capacity. As I have argued in this paper, one’s position on this matter is tightly connected to the principle of Ultra posse nemo obligatur or “ought implies can” (from now on “the ability principle”). Historically, Muʿtazili, Shīʿī, and Māturīdi scholars have advocated for the ability principle and thus the notion that a perfectly good and wise God cannot issue impossible commands. Many of these scholars argued that the truth of the ability principle is necessary and evident to reason, while they also offered some textual and rational justifications for their position. In recent times, some modernist Shīʿī scholars have leveraged the ability principle and the concept of the immorality of impossible obligations not only as a guiding principle to reform traditional Islamic jurisprudence but also as a cornerstone for the revival of a morally sensitive understanding of religion in general, which they term "humane religion" or Dīn-e Insānī or Dīn-e Rahmānī. Conversely, Ashʿarī scholars have contested this principle and thus asserted that it falls within God’s power and authority to impose obligations beyond human ability. This paper sets out to first analyse different types of “ought” and “can” to identify the most appropriate understandings of these concepts in the context of moral and legal obligations. Second, it explores the traditional Ashʿarī arguments, championed by Abu Hamid Muhammad Ghazali, challenging the ability principle and advocating for the moral permissibility of God's imposition of impossible obligations. Additionally, it delves into traditional Muʿtazili and Shīʿī responses to this notion, as articulated by Qazi Abdul Jabbar and Shaykh Tusi. However, it finally argues that the ability principle (and consequently, its theological and legal implications) faces some new philosophical challenges that warrant careful consideration. There are at least three scenarios that can be counted against the ability principle and its theological and legal implications: First, the phenomenon of psychological compulsion, such as kleptomania. Second, scenarios originally offered by Harry Frankfurt (known as “Frankfurt cases”), and finally, cases in which the moral status of one person’s action depends on some other person’s having a certain moral obligation. This paper briefly examines these new challenges and argues that there are ways to meet them.
Muslim jurists infer, or justify, knowledge of Sharia regulations by primarily taking recourse to the apparent linguistic indication (ẓāhir) of the scriptural sources of the Quran and hadith corpora. These scriptural injunctions of Sharia are regarded as being based on values, with adherence to them considered beneficial to humanity and capable of mitigating harm. While Sharia's scriptural injunctions originated in the context of physical reality, contemporary society is increasingly becoming familiar with virtual environments, including virtual reality, augmented reality, video games and virtual worlds, broadly referred to as the Metaverse. As virtual reality unfolds as a multifaceted digital environment with interactive capabilities akin to the physical world, and with new user interfaces and more realistic graphics, it inevitably introduces new dimensions of ethical and religious inquiry, intersecting with technology, ethics, and fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence). For instance, Sharia has plentiful injunctions relating to actual reality including injunctions concerning sexuality, violence, deception, economics/trade, unlawful social interaction etc; however, the question that arises is whether these injunctions are also applicable and extendable to human actions in virtual reality? In navigating this uncharted terrain, Muslim jurists and theologians must grapple with a spectrum of normative dilemmas pertaining to both deontological Sharia regulations (al-aḥkām al-taklīfiyya) and situational Sharia regulations (al-aḥkām al-waḍʿiyya). As such, they must meticulously scrutinise semantic and interpretative methodologies to decern the applicability of Sharia injunctions to the complexities of virtual reality. The paper will explore the applicability and extension of scriptural injunctions to the following areas: 1. Individuals’ interaction with virtual objects and the virtual economy. 2. Individuals’ interaction with virtual characters, known as NPCs (non-playable characters), or AI avatars. 3. Individuals’ interaction with another real person’s avatar This paper embarks on a thought-provoking inquiry: to what extent can scriptural injunctions of Sharia be extended from their original context to the domain of virtual reality? If such extension is deemed plausible, what implications arise regarding the applicability of these injunctions in assessing an individual’s actions, interactions, and behaviours within virtual environments? Specifically, our analysis will focus on the relevance of technical Uṣūlī hermeneutical concepts, notably exploring linguistic principles such as the primacy of unrestricted meaning (aṣālat al-iṭlāq) and the primacy of generality (aṣālat al-ʿumūm) of scripture. We seek to determine whether these linguistic principles, traditionally applied in physical reality, retain their validity within virtual reality contexts. This examination encompasses existing virtual environments as well as potential future technologies, such as brain-computer interfaces or haptic suits, which augment users' sensory experiences within the virtual realm.
Absolute or unrestricted (muṭlaq) versus delimited (muqayyad) is a key area in the study of language and meaning (mabāḥith al-alfāẓ) in Islamic Legal Theory (uṣūl alfiqh). It deeply affects the understanding and interpretation of the apparent linguistic (ẓāhir) indication of Scripture and Tradition (Sunna), thereby deducing new, or justifying pre-existing, jurisprudential, ethical, and theological knowledge of Islam. This section in uṣūl al-fiqh includes three major chapters: preliminary discussions, the rulings of absolute expression (aḥkām al-iṭlāq), and the rulings when both absolute and delimited expressions coexist. The second chapter is divided into the utterances of absolute expression (alfāẓ al-iṭlāq) and the quality of indication of these utterances to absolute expression. This paper focuses on how the absolute (muṭlaq) indicates absolute expression (iṭlāq) and comprehensiveness (shumūl). Is this implication by designation (waḍʿ) or does it depend on context (qarīna)? Among Shi’ite Uṣūlis, the dominant approach since the 11th AH/17th AD century is the necessity of general context (qarīna ʿāmma) for absolute expression (iṭlāq). This general context depends on the realisation of a few necessary preliminaries, which are called “the necessary preliminaries of wisdom/ rationality” (muqadammāt al-ḥikma). There are at least three necessary preliminaries: first, the possibility of absolute and delimited expression; second, the speaker (mutakallim) must be in “the situation of a clear statement of complete intention” (maqām al-bayān li tamām al-murād) and not in “indetermination” (ihmāl) or ambiguity (ijmāl); third, the negation of what requires specification (ta’yīn). The focus has been on the second preliminary, analysing its boundaries and meaning. How can we determine if the speaker—here, the Lawmaker (Shāriʿ)—is in the “situation of a clear statement for complete intention”? What are its precise criteria? This paper examines holding absolute (al-tamassuk bi al-iṭlāq) in various fiqh cases and argues for a revision. If the Lawmaker’s situation is unclear, what does the foundational principle (al-aṣl al-awwali) require? Focusing on Imāmi uṣūl al-fiqh, this paper also provides a comparative analysis with Sunni uṣūl al-fiqh and linguistic philosophy. It comprises three sections: an overview of absolute and delimited (muṭlaq wa muqayyad), a literature review of “the necessary preliminaries of wisdom” (muqadammāt al-ḥikma), and the criteria for “the situation of a clear statement of complete intention” (maqām al-bayān li tamām al-murād).
The intricate relationships among the various sources of Islamic legal reasoning have long constituted some of the most vigorously discussed and contentious subjects. These include the relationships between: The Qurʾān and Sunna; text (naṣṣ) and reason (ʿaql); consensus (ijmaʿ) and the Qurʾān and Sunna; the internal dynamics within the religious texts themselves; the connections between analogical reasoning (qiyās) and textual evidence (al-adilla al-lafẓiyya), and others. Notably, the question of how conjectural Sunna (al-sunna al-ẓanniyya) like solitary narrations (pl. al-akhbār al-āḥād) relate to and potentially qualify (taqyīd) or specify (takhṣīṣ) the Qurʾān has been a pivotal topic extensively debated throughout the history of Islamic legal theory. Carrying profound implications on whether or not such solitary narrations possess the epistemic authority to specify and/or qualify the general indication of the Qurʾān or not. This paper aims to trace the historical evolution of the theory permitting ‘specifying of the Qurʾān through solitary reports’ (takhṣīṣ al-Qurʾān bil-khabr al-wāḥid) , analysing perspectives from both Sunnī and Shīʿī traditions. Among Sunnī scholars, the issue sparked numerous debates and stark scholarly divisions. In contrast, the Imāmī Shīʿī majority endorsed such qualification/specification, albeit with certain significant exceptions from early scholars. I will review the major critiques levelled against this specification theory and the responses from its proponents, as well as examine both the methodological and epistemological grounds underlying its construction within Sunnī and Shīʿī legal theories. Additionally, I will address the crucial issue of delineating the relationship between qualifying or specifying the Qurʾān through solitary reports, and the theory of abrogation (naskh) of the Qurʾān through such narrations, along with the consequent implications. Building upon this analysis, I will evaluate and critique the fundamental premises of the specification theory and uncover the extent to which the specification or qualification of the Qurʾān by solitary narrations is present in the practise of ijtihād. This will be done by examining whether the Qurʾān actually contains any general indications (ʿumūmāt), such that a jurist is able to qualify or specify the general indication of the Qurʾān by a solitary report. This entails analysing the legal (sharʿī) nature of the Qurʾānic texts regarding their amenability to generalisation. Ultimately, conclusions will be drawn regarding the extent to which rejecting the theory of specifying or qualifying the Qurʾān through solitary narrations impacts the overall corpus of Islamic legal theory and the juristic edicts (pl. fatāwa) in contemporary times.
This research paper consists of two steps. Firstly, it introduces a new perspective on the problem of the relationship between expression and meaning, thereby contributing to linguistic discussions in uṣūl al-fiqh. Secondly, it discusses some drawbacks of the principle of authoritativeness of apparent meaning. The process of assigning (al-waḍʿ) vocal expressions (alfāẓ) to meanings and the topic of denotation (dalāla) has been one of the oldest subjects discussed by scholars in the field of uṣūl al-fiqh since its inception. In this context, assigning and imposing refer to a particular correlation between an expression and its corresponding meaning. It involves the speaker and the audience inherently associating the intended meaning upon encountering the expression. Therefore, assignation is the sole factor through which a text or utterance signifies a specific meaning. Also, according to Islamic logicians, denotation is a state wherein recognising something elicits recognising something else. Scholars in uṣūl al-fiqh agree on assignation as a distinct link between expression and meaning, offering varied explanations of its workings. Al-Ṣaymarī sees assignation as natural, while Mohaghegh Isfahani deems the relation arbitrary. Mohaghegh Nāīnī refutes both, asserting God posits the connection, revealing languages to humankind. Al-Khoei, influenced by Nahavandi, highlights dependency on the positer’s intention. This study introduces a new perspective on the relationship between expression and meaning. The relationship between meaning and expression in a given source text can have three modalities: textually explicit, implicit synoptic, and apparent. The principle asserting the primacy of apparent meaning as authoritative evidence underpins most principles in uṣūl al-fiqh. However, this principle necessitates scrutiny, as it has specific limitations. This essay addresses these issues by examining the following questions: Firstly, it analyses whether the audience of the source text confines to the immediate addressees from the first generation when the text was initially uttered or it extends to contemporary individuals in subsequent generations. Secondly, it contemplates whether, if the addressees of source texts encompass contemporary people, the criterion for the authoritative apparent meaning should be what could be comprehended at the time of utterance or what could be understood in the context of contemporary circumstances. Finally, despite Islamic theologians maintaining that the Quran’s text is God’s speech, this essay raises the following questions: does the same hold true for the texts of hadiths? Do hadith texts correspond to the speeches of the Imams? Or can they be considered paraphrased quotes? If so, applying the linguistic principles from uṣūl al-fiqh, especially the principle of apparent meaning, to hadiths could be methodologically controversial.
Legal and normative discourse has been integral to the fabric of Shīʿism since its inception. Revered across nearly all schools of Islam, the sixth Shīʿī Imām, Imām Jaʿfar b. Muḥammad al-Ṣādiq (d. 765), stands as a paragon of juridical scholarship. The legal doctrines elucidated by Imām Jaʿfar and his immediate successors have purportedly been meticulously preserved by eminent figures such as al-Kulaynī (d. 941), Qāḍī al-Nuʿmān (d. 974), al-Ṣudūq (d. 991), and al-Ṭūsī (d. 1067) within their respective ḥadīth collections. These compendia collectively form a coherent corpus of legalistic discourse, distinctively associated with the Jaʿfarī school of thought. Within this corpus, a specific legal persona of the Imām is presupposed, wherein the linguistic formulation of legal pronouncements is contingent upon the recipient, while the underlying legal principles remain immutable and accessible solely to the Imām. Numerous traditions assert that God has conferred upon the Imām the authority of legal guardianship (al-wilāyah al-tashrīʿiya), enabling them to legislate per divine knowledge, thus allowing flexibility in expressing their legal rulings through various linguistic forms. The embodiment of this principle becomes evident when the Imām issues divergent rulings on the same matter due to specific circumstances, illustrating the dynamic nature of legal language. By recognizing the parallels between legal guardianship and other prevalent Jaʿfarī themes such as dissimulation (taqiyya) and intellectual accommodation (kalām ʿalā qadr ʿuqūl al-nās), one can argue that the aforementioned Shīʿī corpus posits a perspective on legal principles and legal language that is characterized by realism yet subject-dependency. Within this framework, the Imām not only receives legal principles but also interprets and applies them, emphasising the nuanced interplay between linguistic expression and the application of legal principles. Due to this, the Imām embodies a ‘proto-Uṣūlī’ role, applying consistent principles but issuing varied judgments based on circumstances, akin to a 'legal demiurge' endowed with divine authority. This meta-ethical stance, akin to ‘Platonic Moral Realism’, underscores the constancy of principles amidst changing moral judgments. Such a view significantly impacts the legal language used by the Imām, with specific rulings tailored for ‘common’ followers and general principles revealed to legally ‘qualified’ ones. The rejection of analogical reasoning (qiyās), attributed to the Imām, is also rooted in the belief that only he holds the necessary knowledge for accurate interpretation, ensuring clarity in legal meaning. Viewing the Imām as a ‘Divine Jurist’ reveals disparities in Jaʿfarī legal thought before and after the Occultation, shedding light on evolving synthetic legal trends amongst later Twelver communities. This perspective highlights Imāms’ distinct stance on the relationship between legal language and meaning, affirming the adaptability of the former and the permanence of the latter.
For centuries, under the rubrics of dalīl al-khiṭāb, mafhūm al-mukhālafa, and al-istidlāl bi-l-ḥaṣr, Muslim legal theorists debated the validity of affirming for what is unspoken the contradictory of the ruling for what is spoken. Put differently, if revelation links a ruling to a specified attribute of a thing, does this entail (linguistically, logically, or in some other way) the opposite ruling for what lacks that attribute? Referring to a common example: Does the Prophet’s assertion that zakāt is due on free-grazing sheep (fī sāʾimat al-ghanam zakāt) entail that zakāt is not due on fodder-fed sheep? Navigating the confluence of linguistic and logical implication, uṣūlist discourse on this issue reached a considerable degree of refinement, and has inspired a number of informative studies in past decades. So far, however, some important linguistic-logical parallels seem to have escaped notice. First is the fact that propositions which link a ruling to a specified attribute may be formally rendered as conditionals, and the inference “If p then q, not-p, therefore not-q” (with a conditional major premise) constitutes the formal fallacy of denying the antecedent (aka the inverse fallacy); whereas the inference “If and only if p then q, not-p, therefore not-q” (with a biconditional major premise) is valid. Second is the fact that in some cases contextual factors dictate that propositions formulated as mere conditionals (if p then q) should be understood as biconditionals (if and only if p then q), thus allowing valid inferences of the inverse (if not-p then not-q). Third, and on top of these older, logical observations, modern pragmaticians have developed a lively discourse around “conditional perfection”: our tendency to hear conditionals as biconditionals (subconsciously “perfecting the conditional”) and thus to accept inferences of the inverse. As is too often the case with modern theorists, however, they have proceeded in evident ignorance of very rich and relevant premodern discourses. This talk therefore aims first to present select definitions, typologies, and controversies of the uṣūlist discourse on dalīl al-khiṭāb, mafhūm al-mukhālafa, and al-istidlāl bi-lḥaṣr, second to understand these with reference to their logical parallels, and third to juxtapose all this with a summary of the modern discourse on conditional perfection, suggesting (as in previous studies) how centuries of refined, premodern Islamic theorising and debate can complement and contribute to the (sometimes re-inventive) efforts of modern theorists.
While the task of jurisprudence (fiqh) is to determine what people are supposed to do in their daily affairs by inference from premises that involve the divine rulings of Sharia, the science of the principles of jurisprudence (uṣūl) is intended to facilitate such transitions by providing the relevant methodological principles and rules of validity for such inferences. In that sense, the science of usūl can be regarded as the logic of jurisprudence. One of the principles that a jurist needs to rely on to derive religious (Sharia) rulings concerns the evidence at their disposal. This evidence either directly comes from the Qurʾān and the Sunna or is grounded in reason. The former comes into two varieties: linguistic evidence which involves statements of the Qurʾān and the non-linguistic variety which includes, among other things, the actions of the māʿṣūm (infallible). For linguistic evidence to fulfil its role, however, three things must be determined: (i) the prima facia meaning of the evidence and what it denotes, (ii) its reliability (ḥujjiyya), and (iii) whether evidence did, in fact, issue from the legislator. The questions that arise from the role of linguistic evidence in the process of deriving particular Sharia rulings have, however, spawned an important chapter in the science of uṣūl about the foundations of meaning. These investigations include discussions about the characterisation of meaning, its apparent arbitrary character as well as its different varieties. More fundamental questions concern the origin of meaning i.e., what renders words or expressions meaningful. Here, discussions of such concepts as convention, usage, and intention feature prominently. Although important insights are fleshed out in these uṣūlī investigations, the overall results are often fragmentary and disconnected. It is here that the contemporary analytic philosophy of language can fruitfully interact with the science of uṣūl. In this paper, focusing on the works of Mohammad Bagher Sadr, I shall try to bring some of the discussions of meaning in the philosophy of language to bear on the issues of linguistic meaning discussed in the science of uṣūl. Hopefully, investigations along these lines may result in the mutual enrichment of both disciplines.
Medieval Muslim legal theorists devised increasingly complex categorisations of linguistic clarity and ambiguity. This paper traces the emergence of key terms including muḥkam, mutashābih, mujmal, and ẓāhir, which eventually crystalised in a four-fold Shāfiʿī classification and an eight-fold Ḥanafī one. Both these systems treated clarity and ambiguity not as features of the words and sentences of scripture, but as interpretive claims about the hermeneutical relationship between a text and a proposed interpretation of it. Both the Shāfiʿī and Ḥanafī systems served the same purpose, which was not to pin down meanings but to give the jurists as much interpretive power and flexibility as they reasonably could within the bounds of ordinary linguistic usage. Those legal theorists who resisted this combination of power and flexibility, including Ẓāhirīs and Akhbārīs, could not prevail against the flexible mainstream paradigm that took hold among Sunnīs and Imāmīs alike, and that still tacitly undergirds most legal discourse today. Today modern reformers and traditionalists alike exploit the vocabulary of clarity and ambiguity to support their interpretations. One highly original reformulation of these concepts comes from the Egyptian thinker Hassan Hanafi, who compounds the flexibility of the classical hermeneutic by retaining the flexible mainstream legal theorists’ analysis of ambiguity, albeit transposed into the language of twentieth-century European phenomenology, and then adding two more layers of ambiguity or subjectivity through his theory of how language relates to phenomenal reality and human action. This aspect of Hanafi’s hermeneutic has been much appreciated in some quarters, but all by itself interpretive flexibility is not the panacea some reformers take it to be, for flexibility cuts both ways: it can be used to justify reform or to uphold the status quo, and if anything is more readily amenable to the latter. As Hanafi himself illustrates, those who seek to justify the most radical reinterpretations cannot pin their hermeneutical hopes on the ambiguity of language, but are compelled to reconsider the whole theory of language and meaning on which classical legal theory rested.
Muslim scriptural text seems to pose contemporary challenges as to how its reader may mitigate tension between what text says and what it means. This tension defines the hermeneutical problem represented in the potential opposition between language and meaning, such opposition which Muslim jurists, and Arabic philologists for that matter, sought to resolve by referring to the idea of ‘context’. Particularly in juristic literature, Muslim scholars tend to use the word ‘context’ in two meanings: 1) ‘context’ in the sense of the linguistic context of the scriptural text; that is to read a text semantically and thematically according to its language-use and in connection with the surrounding texts which come before and after (aka sawābiq and lawāḥiq), where syntactical structure and speech arrangement are detrimental in the meaning-making process, and 2) ‘context’ as referring to the specifics of a given situation, where a text is read in connection with its speaker’s (authorial) intent and its surrounding historical and cultural circumstances. Based on these two meanings, ‘context’ can be classified into two types: context of language and context of situation, to borrow Malinowski’s term for the latter type. This paper seeks to demonstrate that the Muslim jurists relegated ‘context of situatio’ to an ancillary but instrumental role in determining meaning, as they do not seem to envisage the possibility of meaning beyond text or outside the context of language-use. It is possible however, I argue, to redeem a space within classical Islamic tradition, where ‘context of situation’ can be said to play an equally active role in the meaning-making process, hence balancing/reconciling the notion of language with the notion of meaning. Toward that end, the current paper seeks to expand the idea of ‘context’ to include another type of ‘context’, i.e., the context of interpreting religious text in connection with concrete reality. That is, a text – to be intelligible – is to be understood in connection with the way the text applies to a concrete situation. With this, the paper shall refer to three types of ‘context’: context of language, context of situation, and context of application. The paper shall draw on perspectives not only from classical Islamic knowledge but also from the philosophy of language and philosophical hermeneutics that may inform discussions on the attempt to develop such hermeneutics of application from within Islamic tradition. As it proceeds to situate its argument within Islamic tradition and modern knowledge, this paper will make references to 1) classical Islamic scholars such as al-Shāṭibī, Ibn al-Qayyim, and other philologists and jurists from Islamic tradition and 2) modern scholars of language and hermeneutics such as Firth, Wittgenstein, Malinowski, and Gadamer from modern times.
One of the pivotal issues in contemporary philosophy of language is the nature of linguistic meaning: what is it in virtue of which a word or a phrase has a specific linguistic meaning it actually does? A foundational theory of meaning aims to provide a systematic answer to this question. Although this question has not been explicitly raised in Shiite uṣūl al-fiqh, the uṣūlīs have long been concerned with a related problem, namely, the nature of convention (waḍʿ), and have proposed several theories in this regard. It seems that by “waḍʿ,” the uṣūlīs mean (at least implicitly) the process or condition that bestows words and phrases with their meanings. Thus, from the uṣūlīs’ theories of convention, we can infer their foundational theories of meaning, even if these theories are not explicitly formulated in uṣūl texts. One prominent uṣūlī theory of convention is the commitment (taʿahhud) theory, proposed by Nahāvandī (d. 1322), Ḥā’irī (d. 1355), Isfihānī (d. 1362), and most notably Khūʾī (d. 1413), among others. Given the close connection between the notions of convention and linguistic meaning in uṣūl al-fiqh, we can construct a foundational theory of meaning from the commitment theory of convention. At first approximation, such a theory of meaning runs as follows: Commitment Theory of Meaning: S means M in a group G if and only if the members of G are committed that whenever they intend to induce M (or induce a particular attitude relevant to M) in their audience, they utter S. This formulation is a schematic statement; depending on whether S is a word, a declarative sentence, or a non-declarative sentence, the parenthetic phrase (namely, “induce a particular attitude relevant to M”) will take a more specific form. The commitment theory of meaning is particularly interesting as it closely aligns with the basic idea of use theories of meaning, especially the intention-based theory of meaning developed by Paul Grice. In this paper, I will provide a detailed comparison between the commitment theory of meaning and the Gricean theory of meaning. I will then argue that although the commitment theory of meaning represents a significant step towards a sophisticated theory of meaning in uṣūl al-fiqh, it suffers from important problems in its accounts of both word meaning and sentence meaning. As we shall see, the Gricean theory of meaning fares better regarding at least some of these criticisms. Finally, I will tentatively propose that the notion of commitment might be employed in the context of William Alston’s theory of meaning (another form of the use theory of meaning) to shed light on the nature of illocutionary rules.
The Simulation Hypothesis, by best-selling author, renowned MIT computer scientist and Silicon Valley video game designer Rizwan Virk, explains one of the most daring and consequential theories of our time.
Drawing from research and concepts from computer science, artificial intelligence, video games, quantum physics, and referencing both speculative fiction and ancient eastern spiritual texts, Virk shows how all of these traditions come together to point to the idea that we may be inside a simulated reality like the Matrix.
The Simulation Hypothesis is the idea that our physical reality, far from being a solid physical universe, is part of an increasingly sophisticated video game-like simulation, where we all have multiple lives, consisting of pixels with its own internal clock run by some giant Artificial Intelligence. Simulation Theory explains some of the biggest mysteries of quantum and relativistic physics, such as quantum indeterminacy, parallel universes, and the integral nature of the speed of light.
In this second episode of the CIMS podcast, Dr Muhamemd Reza Tajri and a panel of scholars delve into the challenges Muslim societies face regarding unorthodox positions on sexuality, including the inclusion of LGBTQ+ individuals and sexual diversity. The discussion explores internal challenges within Muslim communities and the added complexities for Muslim diasporic communities navigating broader societal interactions. This episode offers a thought-provoking examination of how evolving perspectives on sexuality impact traditional values, cultural identity, and religious beliefs.The Centre for Intra-Muslim Studies (CIMS) was established in 2015 to bring together Muslims from across the denominational spectrum to critically discuss ideas pertaining to Islamic theology, history, and contemporary issues affecting Muslims.
The discovery of the pulmonary transit of blood was a ground-breaking discovery in the history of the life sciences, and a prerequisite for William Harvey’s fully developed theory of blood circulation three centuries later. This book is the first attempt at understanding Ibn al-Nafīs’s anatomical discovery from within the medical and theological works of this thirteenth century physician-jurist, and his broader social, religious and intellectual contexts.
Although Ibn al-Nafīs did not posit a theory of blood circulation, he nevertheless challenged the reigning Galenic and Avicennian physiological theories, and the then prevailing anatomical understandings of the heart. Far from being a happy guess, Ibn al-Nafīs’s anatomical result is rooted in an extensive re-evaluation of the reigning medical theories. Moreover, this book shows that Ibn al-Nafīs’s re-evaluation is itself a result of his engagement with post-Avicennian debates on the relationship between reason and revelation, and the rationality of traditionalist beliefs, such as bodily resurrection.
Breaking new ground by showing how medicine, philosophy and theology were intertwined in the intellectual fabric of pre-modern Islamic societies, Science and Religion in Mamluk Egypt will be of interest to students and scholars of the History of Science, the History of Medicine and Islamic Studies.
On the 8th of May, The Department of Mysticism and Spirituality hosted a seminar by AMI's visiting fellow, Seyed Amir Hossein Asghari, exploring Sufism and Philosophy in Shi'i Seminaries. He examined the relationship between the School of Najaf and the School of Separation and the connection between Shi'ism, Philosophy and Sufism in the contemporary seminaries of Najaf, Mashhad, and Qom. He traced lines of spiritual heritage through teacher-student relationships to introduce the main figures in both schools and discuss lines of transmission of mystical knowledge. He also discussed the early Shi'i Sufi tradition through figures such as Kumayl b. Ziyad, Ibn Tawus, Hasan b. Hamza al-Palasi al-Shirazi, Ibn Mi'mar and Sayyid Haydar Amuli. Al-Palasi is a key figure who is understudied, and Seyed Amir Hossein spent some time explaining his background and thoughts. The seminar brought to light the effect of debates on the validity of mysticism and philosophy in the traditional seminary on the Shi'i diaspora in modern times.
This episode of the CIMS Podcast brings together a panel of Muslim scholars to deliberate on the impact of gender roles and expectations on Muslim societies. The panel discusses the extent of the truth behind allegations of women's disempowerment directed at Muslim societies and the challenges they pose. The claims of patriarchy come from outside the Muslim community as well as from within it. This podcast offers some eye-opening responses to these claims of misogyny.The Centre for Intra-Muslim Studies (CIMS) was established in 2015 to bring together Muslims from across the denominational spectrum to critically discuss ideas pertaining to Islamic theology and history.
The impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on our lives prompts profound questions beyond the technical realm. While shaping the future of humanity, AI also challenges diverse worldviews, reducing rich human experiences to data analysis. This pragmatic lens can overshadow aspects of our reality, marginalizing or, at worst, destroying what isn't understood. Understanding is paramount because, in human-machine interactions, misunderstandings may harm only the vulnerable human side. With Islam being integral to many lives, its worldviews, imaginations, and values should be considered in AI development beyond simplistic pattern-recognition and statistical approaches. Therefore, it is important to consider the integration of Islamic epistemological perspectives into AI as a crucial aspect of future research.
The revival of Shi‘ite Sufism, after the destruction of Safavid empire, occurred during the Zand dynasty (1163-1209/1750-1794) and continued through the Qājār era. As Zarrīnkub has pointed out, the Qājār era was a time of nostalgia for the noble past. Of course, their mystical philosophy had to fit the theological standards of Shi‘ite society. The two leading Sufi orders in this revival movement were the Ni‘matullāhīs and the Dhahabīs. These two orders had much in common, as both of them highly emphasized the importance of following Islamic laws and Shi‘ite beliefs. They were known to be the propagators of Akbarian philosophy in Persia. Dhahabīs and Ni‘matullāhīs were strong promoters of the school of “Unity of Being” (Waḥdat al-wujūd).
Mīrzā Muḥammad Taqī, with the spiritual title of Muẓaffar ‘Alī Shāh (d.1215/1800) is one of the most influential masters in the history of Ni‘matullāhiyya order. This Shi‘ite Sufi master is one of the most active and knowledgeable masters of the Ni‘matullāhīs during this era. He is the first master after the return of the order to Persia who wrote about its cosmological views, based on the philosophy of “Unity of Being”. In his youth, he began studying the rational and traditional seminary sciences (‘ulūm ‘aqlī wa naqlī) and became well-versed in them. Muẓaffar was more of a mystic philosopher (ḥakīm) than a jurist (faqīh), and extremely well-versed in speculative Sufism, following the school of “Unity of Being”.
Muẓaffar ‘Alī Shāh’s mystical poetry had in-depth mystical meanings, with heavy reliance of Ibn ‘Arabī’s philosophy and terminology. Muẓaffar was very influential for the development of the Ni‘matullāhī order and as a propagator of Ibn ‘Arabī’s thoughts. His beliefs about the perfect man, insān-i kāmil, were highly influenced by Akbarian (Ibn ‘Arabī’s) philosophy. Muẓaffar passed away in 1215/1800. He wrote numerous books and literary papers, which are tremendously valuable for a better understanding of Ni‘matullāhī thought.
Muẓaffar ‘Alī Shāh wrote poetry lamenting over his separation from his master, Mushtāq, to whom he dedicated a compendium of his poetry, calling it Diwān-i Mushtāqīyya. In this paper, we will examine two of Muẓaffar's writings: “Sea of the Secrets” (baḥr al-asrār) and “Compendium of the Seas” (majma‘ al-biḥār) which are both interpretations of the first chapter of Quran. “Sea of the Secrets” (baḥr al-asrār) is in verse form of Mathnawī and “Compendium of the Seas” (majma‘ al-biḥār) is written in prose. In these two works, Muẓaffar ‘Alī Shāh heavily relied on the chapter of Prophet Adam in Fuṣūṣ al-ḥikam of Ibn ‘Arabī. He had numerous references to Ibn ‘Arabī and his writings. Muẓaffar ‘Alī Shāh explains the relationship between Nubuwwa (prophethood), Risāla (apostleship) and Wilāya (sainthood) based on Ibn ‘Arabī’s teachings using his terminology like the disclosure of Attributes of Divine Majesty (jalāl) and disclosure of Attributes of Divine Beauty (jamāl). This paper investigates the importance of Muẓaffar ‘Alī Shāh for survival of the school of “Unity of Being” among practicing Shi‘ite Sufis in general and the Ni‘matullāhī Sufi in particular as one of the most important Shi‘ite Sufi orders in Iran.
The metaphysical perspective of Ibn ʿArabī oscillates constantly between the distinction of the different relations that determine being, and the constant return to the indistinction of being itself. According to Ibn ʿArabī, only perplexity (ḥayra) is suited to the apperception of being, while the distinction and articulation of the relations that weave themselves into being seem, for their part, to require a mode of knowledge that allows for differentiation.
This presentation will show how the articulation of the various elements of Ibn ʿArabī’s metaphysical system is based on a “correlative ontology”, according to which existing realities are distinguished within a web of relations woven within the single being, while having no existence of their own, since they ultimately refer to the relation that being maintains with itself. It will then explain how this correlative ontology allows Ibn ʿArabī to found different levels of relationships, within which the notions of Creation and Divinity and their different modalities of correlation emerge.
This circular conception of being, in which the fundamental status of existing things is qualifiable only by perplexity, corresponds also to the circular movement that Ibn ʿArabī associates with “the perplexity of the muḥammadan” (ḥayrat al-muḥammadī). This movement of rotation around the pole of being, by which the latter is envisaged in an infinitely renewed way, is opposed by Ibn ʿArabī to the “linear” path (mustaṭīl), which for its part always necessarily relates to a particular determination of being, and thereby prevents it from being envisaged in itself.
There is no doubt in the claim that the foremost interpreter of Ibn ‘Arabi (d. 638/1240) within Twelver Shi’ism is Sayyid Haydar al-Amuli (d. 787/1385), who in his Jami’ al-Asrar thoroughly filtered the Akbarian doctrine in such a way that it emerged in accordance with the theological demands of the Twelver tradition. While Amuli’s accomplishments in these regards are acknowledged, it is not known whether any schools arose within the intellectual centers of Iran and Iraq loyal specifically to his ideology; it is instead in the Islamic periphery of India, where demonstrable evidence exists to indicate the existence of such a school therein. Sayyid Nur Allah Shushtari (d. 1019/1620), the martyred Mughal chief justice, quite openly aligns with Amuli in his Majalis al-Mu’minin (Gathering of the Believers), labeling him as Sayyid al-Muti'allihin (Lord of the heavenly ones) whilst openly appropriating ideas from Amuli’s Jami’ al-Asrar to develop the thesis of his majlis-i shishum (sixth gathering) on Sufi believers. Shushtari argues that in essence Sufism and Shi’ism are one and the same, one is an inward expression whereas the other is outward. Furthermore, in his Majalis al-Mu’minin, Shushtari includes a lengthy entry on Ibn ‘Arabi, providing illumination on his supposed hidden Shi’ism, as well as a defense of Akbarian monism. Shushtari’s views have routinely been categorized as aberrational by mainstream Usulis, like al-Wahid al-Bihbahani (d. 1205/1791), who decried him as a Shi’ah-tarash (Shi’ah fabricator); it is thus of great intrigue that when Bihbahani’s student, Sayyid Dildar ‘Ali Naqawi Nasirabadi (d. 1235/1820), returned to North India in 1781 with the aim of spreading Usulism, he met stiff resistance by Twelver Chishtis (Sufis), who claimed to follow a supposed ideological school of Haydar al-Amuli linked with Shushtari. This occurs more than 150 years after the execution of Shushtari, indicating that such an Akbarian-Amulian lineage potentially existed in North India; also giving credence to the Sufi-Shi’i nexus claims of majlis-i shishum. In order to delve further into this matter, Nasirabadi’s polemic against this group, titled al-Shihab al-Thaqib, and the rejoinder prepared by this Akbarian-Amulian group, Radd-i al-Shihab al-Thaqib, will be analyzed and expounded upon in this paper.
The notion of the unity of being and its self-manifestation as elaborated upon by Mahmood Dawud al-Qaysari, the illustrious interpreter of Ibn Arabi, assumes on the one hand an essential state of hiddenness and unknowableness of the ipseity whilst on the other, it permeates all being . Allah as the epiphanic self-recognition of the ipseity is the fullest expression of the ipseity to itself and is a source of all manifestations in forms of the unending names of Allah. However Allah as the fullest expression of the ipseity is curtailed to the domain of what the ipseity conceives of itself in relation to what it wishes to reveal of itself as God. Thus ipseity is simply is-ness whereas God is is-ness in manifestation.
Accordingly the name Allah is simultaneously a designation of the unknowable ipseity and of God who is the author of the world: its beginning and end, the apparent and its hidden. Therefore there is a distinction between the unknowable ipseity termed Allah and its self-recognition as Allah. The ipseity qua itself is beyond the notion of God whereas the Ipseity through the process of self-revelations and descents from the rank of Allah acquires the meaning of being God.
Through this distinction it becomes clear that the unity of being from the perspective of the ipseity is beyond the notion of God and does not recognise God-world distinction; it simply is all things and beyond all things. The distinction between God and the world only arises through a relationship that exists between Allah and the world which is in need of being governed (ma’luh).
This paper will explore how the lack of nuance between Allah depicting the Absolutely unknowable ipseity and Allah as the manifester of the ipseity within the emanationist scheme has led to ambiguity and conflation between descriptions of the Author of the world and the Absolutely unknowable in the thoughts of likes of Sadra. Thus at times the arguments from contingency to prove the Necessary being simply lead to the notion of Allah as God but not Allah as the ipseity which does not allow for any distinction. Similarly the idea of the proximity through emanation of the first intellect with Allah and the distance of prim-matter from Allah whilst maintaining that all are His reflections equally at once beyond the consideration of time, place and causality fails to clarify that proximity and distance is in relation to Allah as God and lack of distance and proximity is in relation to Allah as the hidden ipseity.
Additionally this distinction will be used identify the differing ranks of God mentioned within the Quran and the spiritual literature of the Prophet and the Imams through the variety of functions and descriptions of God.
This study delves into "Risāla-yi Nūr-i Waḥdat" (Treatise of the Light of Oneness) by Khwāja Khurd (b. 1010/1601), a seminal work in the Naqshbandi Sufi tradition that has also been influential in the Sufi School of Najaf within the Shia Seminary. Renowned for its eloquent yet accessible language, Khurd's treatise advocates the Akbarian doctrine of Waḥdat al-Wujūd (Unity of Being) over Sirhindī’s Waḥdat al-Shuhūd.
A central tenet of the Sufi School of Najaf is the understanding of self-knowledge as the gateway to the Gnosis of God. Khurd’s treatise deeply explores this concept, suggesting that the journey (Suluk) to recognizing the Real Being in the universe is through understanding the self, which is inherently intertwined with the Divine. Through his poetic language, Khurd captures the essence of this transformative realization, offering insights into the relationship between lover and beloved, and their union in the divine context.
Under the influence of figures like Sayyid ʿAlī Qāḍī Ṭabāṭabāʾī (1866-1947) and ʿAllāmah Sayyid Muḥammad Ḥusayn Ṭabāṭabāʼī (1321/1904-1402/1981), the Sufi School of Najaf has integrated Khurd's treatise into its spiritual pedagogy. This work serves as one of the foundational texts for spiritual development, emphasizing meditation, memorization, and the internalization of its teachings. It guides disciples in practices such as Muraqabah (meditation), Khalwah (seclusion), and Arba`in (the forty-day spiritual retreat), facilitating their journey in embracing the concept of Unity and transcending the self within the framework of Waḥdat al-Wujūd.
Finally, this paper examines the role of "Risāla-yi Nūr-i Waḥdat" in the Sufi School of Najaf, its impact on the spiritual formation of practitioners, and its broader implications in expanding the Akbarian doctrine of Waḥdat al-Wujūd in the Shia Irfān.
Sayyid Ḥaydar Āmulī was one of the most important, overtly Twelver, pre-Safavid interlocutors of the theoretical strand of mysticism developed by the school of Ibn ʿArabī. He critically contributed to the development of a more precise articulation of waḥdat al-Wujūd and elucidated a project which sought to bridge the gap between Ṣūfism and Shīʿism. Yet his inclusive, synergistic contribution remains understudied, despite an increasing stream of works of varying scope and depth, both within traditional Twelver circles and in modern scholarship. In this paper I trace Āmulī’s use of waḥdat al-Wujūd in his largest surviving work of Qurʾānic exegesis, Al-Muḥīṭ al-aʿẓam fī taʾwīl kitāb Allāh al-muḥkam (completed in 777/1376) which remains an under investigated yet significant contribution to esoteric exegesis (taʾwīl) of the Qurʾān. This paper will show how dependant Āmulī’s esoteric method of exegesis is on the framework of manifestation and correspondence which are key presuppositions of waḥdat al-Wujūd. For Sayyid Ḥaydar, the centrality of waḥdat al-Wujūd to esoteric interpretation is such that an exegete cannot be considered of those who are firmly established in knowledge (al-rāsikhūn fī al-ʿilm), the group identified in the Qurʾān (3:7) as knowing the esoteric meaning, without a sound knowledge if its principles. Thereafter, the paper will show the explanatory power of waḥdat al-Wujūd in positing alternative meanings to the scriptural sources in specific surviving sections of Āmulī’s exegesis.
This paper proposes to delve into the profound legacy of the Akbarian tradition, an intellectual tradition rooted in the works of Ibn ʿArabī, which extensively contemplates the central doctrine of tawḥīd (the oneness of God) and has exerted a lasting influence on subsequent Islamic theological discourse. However, the reception of this tradition within Muslim scholarship has engendered multifarious responses, sparking contentious debates primarily revolving around the perceived incompatibility of distinguishing between the Creator and the created. These ongoing debates have seen scholars either championing Ibn ʿArabī as the "The Greatest Saint" (Shaykh al-Akbar) or denouncing him as a heretic.
Within this context, Qāsim Nānotwī, a pivotal figure in the formation of the Deobandi school of thought, emerges as a noteworthy scholar who engages with the Akbarian tradition. His scholarly pursuits are steeped in the kalām tradition, where he seeks to reconcile apparent theological inconsistencies in revealed texts, the Quran and hadith literature, employing the methodology of burhān (demonstrative logical knowledge) while also incorporating a mystical perspective.
Nānotwī's writings unveil not only his profound reverence for Ibn ʿArabī but also his intimate familiarity with the conceptual paradigms of the Akbarian tradition. It is this reverence for Ibn ʿArabī that motivates Nānotwī to offer a rejoinder to prevalent misconceptions surrounding the doctrine of waḥdat al-wujūd (oneness of being) and to clarify its differentiation from waḥdat al-mawjūd (oneness of existents).
This presentation aims to explore Nānotwī's writings, not only in terms of his comprehension of waḥdat al-wujūd but also in his innovative use of this concept to establish the existence of God, elucidating how all facets of creation are inherently ontologically dependent on their Creator and derive their reality from the Divine existence. As a scholar hailing from the Indian subcontinent during the late Mughal and early British Raj era, this paper endeavours to illuminate the interpretation and integration of the Akbarian tradition within the corpus of Sunni Muslim literature, particularly through the lens of one of the founding figures of the Deoband school of thought.
Numerous studies have explored the concepts emphasized by the School of Ibn al-ʿArabī, with a particular focus on Waḥdat al-wujūd as the central ontological theory of the School. However, only a small number have delved into the analysis of the scriptural hermeneutics within the School. This paper seeks to contribute to scholarly discussions by elucidating Akbarī hermeneutics in relation to the foundational concept of Waḥdat al-wujūd.
Through an examination of key writings, including Ibn al-ʿArabī’s al-Futuḥāt, Ṣadr al-Dīn al-Qūnawī’s Iʿjāz al-bayān, and Shams al-Dīn al-Fanārī’s ʿAyn al-aʿyān, this paper traces the evolution of Ibn al-ʿArabī’s exegetical and ontological ideas within subsequent Akbarī writers. This evolution culminates in a comprehensive hermeneutical theory that integrates Akbarian ontology, epistemology, and spirituality. The argument suggests that upon close investigation, Akbarī exegesis harmonizes seamlessly with the concept of Waḥdat al-wujūd, not only justifying this concept through Qur’anic interpretation but also establishing a synthesis of ontology, epistemology, and spirituality. The paper not only sheds light on the ontological and exegetical ideas of the School of Ibn al-ʿArabī but also addresses Akbarī prophetology. Akbarī scriptural hermeneutics and prophetology, which emphasize the dynamic role of the Muslim community in the interpretative process, are presented as potential solutions to contemporary challenges faced by modern Muslims.
The Moroccan Sufi master Aḥmad Ibn ʿAjība (d. 1244/1809) penned two small treatises that focus upon the oneness of being (waḥdat al-wujūd), Taqyīdān fī Waḥdat al-Wujūd. His other writings do not use the term frequently but are nonetheless infused with an understanding of waḥdat al-wujūd similar to that espoused in the writings of Ibn ʿArabī (d. 638/1240). Several passages within his major Quran commentary, al-Baḥr al-Madīd fī Tafsīr al-Qurʾān al-Majīd, such as the commentary on Q 2:115, convey his understanding of the oneness of creation as a tapestry woven of divine attributes with all existents reflecting the unity of the Divine. For Ibn ʿAjiba perceiving this unity is essential to wayfaring upon the spiritual path, as it prevents the multiplicity of forms from distracting the spiritual aspirant. Progressing to the point where one witnesses all of existence as a single essence (dhāt wāḥid) reflecting the Divine and in complete servitude (ʿubudiyya) to It is thus essential for attaining connection with God. This paper goes beyond Ibn ʿAjība’s short treatises on waḥdat al-wujūd to examine his discussions within ¬al-Baḥr al-madīd and his little studied commentary upon the Ḥikam of Ibn ‘Aṭā’illāh al-Sakandarī (d.709/1309), Īqāẓ al-Himam fī Sharḥ al-Ḥikam. The central point of analysis is how Ibn ʿAjība perceives the understanding and witnessing of the oneness of being as a central component on the path of spiritual wayfaring, as elaborated in his exegesis of Q 6:103 and similar verses. Particular attention is given the process Ibn ʿAjība envisions for shifting one’s focus from the ephemeral existence of created beings to the divine reality within them such that one is able to witness the manifestation of the Divine in all the forms of creation.
The history of the concept of waḥdat al-wujūd finds its ‘point of rising’ (maṭlaʿ) with the ideas of Ibn ʿArabī (d. 1240) on the singularity of al-ḥaqq and the ways in which that unique and absolute being is manifest in its many theophanies. Its limits (ḥudūd) and extension (inbisāṭ), however, go far beyond and reach into the very aesthetics of literature traditions across Islamicate and Persianate languages and cultures. A generation ago William Chittick indicated the significance of the reception of Ibn ʿArabī (d. 1240) in this context, and the sheer number of commentaries, marginalia, paratexts, and independent treatises that engages the metaphysics and devotional tradition of the Andalusian master testifies to a major commitment. The earliest presence of Ibn ʿArabī was in the poetry of Fakhr al-dīn al-ʿIrāqī (d. 1289), a devotee in the presence of the Suhrawardī Sufi Bahāʾ al-Dīn Zakarīyā (d. 1262) in Multan, followed by Chishtī and Kubravī masters already in the pre-Mughal period. We still have much to do to consider the literary heritage of early modern pre-colonial and colonial South Asia in terms of the broad long tradition of ḥikma, taṣawwuf, kalām, and ʿerfān. One of the decisive elements in this tradition is the way in which Persian and vernacular literary traditions negotiated the influence of Ibn ʿArabī and read his ideas in ways that conformed to their own aesthetics of presence and metaphysics of beauty. I will consider four case studies that modify and read Ibn ʿArabī in their own ways: the Mughal prince Dārā Shukoh (d. 1659), Bēdil (d. 1720) perhaps the greatest Indo-Persian poet, Mīr Dard (d. 1785) one of the pillars of Urdu poetry and the pivotal thinker of the new ‘Muḥammadan way’ of Sufism, and the great Punjabi poet of the 18th century Bullheh Shah. None of these figures was a simple imitator or transmitter – literary traditions like philosophical ones acquire a dynamic that arises from creative misreadings and liminal interpretations as well as exciting new aesthetic formulations. In this way, we can consider how the metaphysics of the unity of existence and often its ethical and aesthetic implications were naturalised and transformed in the soil of Hindustān.
What is the nature and social role of women? In today’s Shi‘ism, these questions are often answered through the “separate-but- equal” ideology which emphasizes the role of women as wives and mothers, and places men in authority. But is this the only ideology which can be derived from Shi‘i scriptural sources? This book takes a more nuanced approach to that question by exploring how women are portrayed in hadith on ancient sacred narrative – the stories of the prophets. It shows far more diverse views on what it means to be a woman (and, by extension, a man) – and that early Shi‘is held competing views about ideals for women.
The Hebrew Bible formulates two sets of law: one for the Israelites and one for the gentile “residents” living in the Holy Land. Law Beyond Israel: From the Bible to the Qur'an argues that these biblical laws for non-Israelites form the historical basis of qur'anic law. This volume corroborates its central claim by assessing laws for gentiles in late antique Jewish and especially in Christian legal discourse, pointing to previously underappreciated legal continuity from the Hebrew Bible to the New Testament and from late antique Christianity to nascent Islam. This volume first sketches the legal obligations that the Hebrew Bible imposes on gentiles, on humanity more broadly and, more specifically, on the non-Israelite residents of the Holy Land. It then traces these laws through Second Temple Judaism to the early Jesus movement, illustrating how the biblical laws for residents inform those formulated in Acts of the Apostles. Building on this legal continuity, the study employs detailed historical and literary analyses of legal narratives in order to make three propositions. Firstly, rabbinic laws for gentiles, the so-called Noahide Laws, while offering a more lenient interpretation than the one we find in Acts, are equally based on the biblical laws for gentiles. Secondly, Christians generally appreciated and even expanded the gentile laws of Acts. Thirdly, the Qur'an reinvents Arabian religious practice by formulating its own distinctive approach to the biblical laws for gentiles, in close continuity with - and at times in critical distance from - late antique Jewish and especially Christian gentile law.
Using philosophical analysis, this book explores the construction of gender in Muslim societies and its implication to the constitution of the self. The root of the existing discourse of the hierarchical principle is examined as is the extent to which the process of human reproduction, especially the role of women in conception, contributes to an anti-egalitarian theory of gender. The author analyzes the theological, cultural and political apparatus of the masculine conception of femininity and seeks to unfold the process of the alienation of the self from a woman’s sense of individuality, agency, and autonomy.
Incorporating traditional Islamic sources, Western feminist texts and Christian texts, Gender and Self in Islam seeks to restructure the contradictory claims of gender hierarchy and egalitarianism and elaborate an alternative set of interpretations that is friendly and inclusive of women.
Media reporting on Islam and Muslims commonly relate stories about terrorism, violence, or the lack of integration with western values and society. Yet there is little research into how non-Muslims engage with and are affected by these news reports. Inspired by the overtly negative coverage of Islam and Muslims by the mainstream press and the increase in Islamophobia across Europe, this book explores the influence of these depictions on the thoughts and actions of non-Muslims.
Building on extensive fieldwork interviews and focus groups, Laurens de Rooij argues that individuals negotiate media reports to fit their existing outlook on Islam and Muslims. Non-Muslim responses to these reports, de Rooij argues, are not only (re)productions of local and personal contextuality, but are co-dependent and co-productive to the reports themselves.
Khalil Andani holds a Ph.D in Islamic Studies from Harvard University (Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations) and serves as an Assistant Professor of Religion at Augustana College. Khalil Andani's dissertation, “Revelation in Islam: Qurʾanic, Sunni, and Shiʿi Ismaili Perspectives”, was awarded Best Ph.D. Dissertation of the Year by the Foundation for Iranian Studies in 2020. His first book, based on this dissertation, will be an analytical and historical investigation of Islamic theologies of revelation in the formative and classical periods of Islam, beginning with the Qurʾan and extending through Qurʾanic commentary (tafsīr), Sunni and Shiʿi prophetic tradition (hadith), Sunni theology (kalām), and Shiʿi Ismaili philosophy.
Professor Liyakat Takim is the Sharjah Chair in Global Islam at McMaster University in Canada. A prolific writer and speaker he has authored and/or translated eight books. He is currently working on his ninth book on Qur’anic exegesis. He has also written more than one hundred and forty scholarly works which have been published in various journals, books, and encyclopediae. Professor Takim’s research interests lie in topics such as reformation in Islam, Qur’anic exegesis, the role of custom in shaping Islamic law, Islam in the western diaspora, Islamic fundamentalism, Islamic mystical tradition, Islamophobia, the treatment of women in Islam law and many other topics. His latest book titled Shi'ism Revisited: Ijtihad and Reformation in Contemporary Times was published by Oxford University Press in January 2022. Professor Takim has also spoken at more than one hundred and twenty academic national and international conferences. He has spoken in different parts of the world ranging from Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore, to East Africa, Dubai and North America. Professor Takim has taught at several universities and is actively engaged in dialogue with different faith communities.
Hossam Ouf is currently a research fellow at the Chair of Hadith Studies and Prophetic Tradition at the Center for Islamic Theology in Tübingen, where he researches and teaches Hadith and Sira. He also received his doctorate in 2022 from the University of Tübingen. His dissertation entitled “Hadith Transmission and Confessionality: A Comparative study of “al-Jāmiʿ al-ṣaḥīḥ” of al-Bukhārī (d. 256/870) and “al-Kāfī” of alKulaynī (d. 329/940) in the Sunni and Twelver Shiite hadith sciences.” He completed his master's and bachelor's degree in Islamic Theology in the German language at AlAzhar University in Cairo, Egypt. His master's thesis was also on the topic “The Hadith Criticism of al-Khaṭṭābī (931-998): An Analytical Study of Matn Criticism in the 10th Century A.D./4th Century A.H.” His research interests include Islamic Theological Hadith Research, classical and modern approaches to hadith sciences and the hadith transmission, comparative Hadith research, Sunnis, Shiites, Muʿtazilites, Hadith hermeneutics and hadith exegesis, and classical and modern exegetical approaches to mushkil al-ḥadīth.
Mushegh Asatryan is Associate Professor of Arabic and Muslim Cultures and Director of the Language Research Centre at the University of Calgary (Canada). His research interests include the history of Islamic sectarianism, interreligious debate in the Abbasid empire, esoteric movements in Shiʿism, and Late Antique trends in Islamic thought. His works include Controversies in Formative Shiʿi Islam, the forthcoming study and critical edition of Manhaj al-ʿIlm wa l-Bayān by the Nuṣayrī author ʿIṣmat al-Dawla (co-authored with David Hollenberg), and the forthcoming article “The Emergence of Sunnism: When did the Sunnis Become a Sect?” He is currently working on a book on the culture of debate (munāẓara) in the ʿAbbāsid empire.
Mohammad Ghandehari is a scholar of Islamic studies. He holds a Ph.D. (on Kitāb Sulaym) from the University of Tehran, Department of Qurʾanic and Hadith Studies and is now a research fellow at the University of Religions and Denominations. His primary research interests are Early Hadith, Methodological approaches to the study of Hadith and the conversation of the Qurʾan with the Bible. His publications include “Facing Mirrors: The intertwined golden calf story” (2018). Among the courses he has taught are “The Qurʾan and the Bible” and “Early Shiʿi Hadith.”
Haidar Hobballah completed his PhD in Comparative Religions and Christian Theology at the University of Religions and Denominations in Qom, Iran. Prior to this, he spent several years studying in various seminaries and universities in Qom. He is currently the Head of the Department of Hadith and History and a Senior Lecturer in Islamic Studies at Al-Mahdi Institute in Birmingham, UK. Alongside this, he continues to teach advanced courses (dars khārij) in various disciplines of Islamic Studies. He is the author of two dozen books and numerous articles in the fields of hadith studies, jurisprudence, legal theory, theology, philosophy, and Qurʾanic studies. He is currently working on a book on the history of hadith across different schools of thought.
Gurdofarid Miskinzoda is the Head of the Shiʿi Studies Unit in the Department of Academic Research and Publication at The Institute of Ismaili Studies. She is also the Managing Editor of the Shiʿi Heritage Series. Miskinzoda’s academic background is in the fields of the history of the Near and Middle East and of Islam, Islamic Studies, philology and the study of Arabic and Persian literatures. She is the editor (with Farhad Daftary) of The Study of Shiʿi Islam: History, Theology and Law (London, 2014). Having completed her doctoral studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in 2007, with a dissertation on medieval accounts of the Prophet Muhammad’s life, Miskinzoda joined the Institute of Ismaili Studies as a Research Associate. Most recently in 2019, Miskinzoda completed an MBA in Higher Education Management at the IOE, UCL. Miskinzoda is a Senior Fellow of the Hider Education Academy, UK.
George Warner is a scholar of Islamic studies specialising in Sunni- Shiʿa relations, hadith, ritual, and devotional literature in Arabic and Persian. He has taught at RuhrUniversität Bochum and SOAS University of London, where he completed his PhD in 2017, and is currently based at the University of Exeter in the UK. His first book, ‘The Words of the Imams: al-Shaykh al-Saduq and the Development of Twelver Shi'i Hadith Literature,’ was published in 2021 by I. B. Tauris.
Bekir Kuzudişli is a Professor at Istanbul University in Turkey. He completed his doctorate in 2005 with the thesis title of: “Ḥadīth Narration and Family Isnād”. Kuzudişli is now the Head of the Institute of Islamic Studies. Following his research on hadith narration and asānīd in Shiʿism, his current research interests focus is on asānīd, the history of ḥadīth, Orientalism, and ḥadīth in Shiʿism. Kuzudişli has academic publications in Turkish, Arabic and English. Some of his works include Shiʿa and Ḥadīth, Asbāb īrād al-ḥadīth: Siyāq riwāyāt al-ḥadīth fī-l-qarn alawwal al-hijrī, “Two Different States, Two Shiite Usūl al-Hadīth: Two books written in the Ottoman and Safavid Territories.” “What was the Sunnī Source of al-Shahīd al-Thānī’s Bidāyah: al-Tībī’s al-Khulāṣah or al-Jurjānī’s al-Mukhtaṣar?”, “Relationship Between the Qur’ān and the Sunnah in Shiʿa”, “Sunnī-Shiʿi Interaction in the Early Period – The Transition of the Chains of Ahl al-Sunna to the Shīʿa”.
Ali Rida Rizek (Ph.D., Arabic and Islamic Studies, University of Göttingen 2021) is a scholar of the social and intellectual history of Islam, with a particular focus on Twelver Shiʿism. He received his BA and MA in Arabic Language and Literature from the American University of Beirut (AUB) in Lebanon. He has taught at the American University of Beirut (AUB), the Lebanese American University (LAU), the University of Leiden, the University of Göttingen, and the University of Bayreuth in Germany. His research focuses on the history of Islamic law, Qurʾanic studies, Arabic literature, and classical Islamic education. He has published studies on hadith, legal history, and the classical Islamic ethical discourse. His upcoming book examines, for the first time in a monograph, the life, work, and impact of two early Imāmī legal scholars, namely Ibn Abī ʿAqīl al-ʿUmānī and Ibn al-Junayd al-Iskāfī (both flourishing in the 4th/10th century).
Ali Aghaei is a Research Associate at the Institute of Islamic Theology of the University of Paderborn. He holds a MA and PhD in Qurʾan and Hadith Studies from Usul ad-Din College in Qom (2002) and Islamic Azad University in Tehran (2012). From 2004 to 2013, Aghaei contributed to the Encyclopaedia of the World of Islam (Dāneshnāmeh-ye Jahān-e Eslām) being a member of the Academic Board of the Encyclopedia Islamica Foundation, Tehran. In the academic year 2013/2014, he was a post-doctorate fellow in the EUME program of Forum Transregionale Studien (Berlin) and subsequently a Research Fellow in the Corpus Coranicum project at BBAW (2014-2015). He has conducted philological, palaeographical and codicological research on Qurʾanic manuscripts first as a Research fellow in the French-German project Paleocoran at BBAW (2016-2017) and then in his own project Irankoran, funded by BMBF hosted at BBAW (2017-2020). Since October 2020, Aghaei has taught hadith studies at the Paderborn Institute of Islamic Theology while pursuing his research interests in Qurʾanic manuscripts.
On 7th February 2024, Dr Ali Rida Rizek presented a research seminar at AMI entitiled ‘Between Ibn al-Junayd al-Iskāfī and al-Shaykh al-Ṭūsī: Legal disagreement (khilāf) in Early Imami hadith Compendia.’ In his presentation, he spoke about the various tools and methods employed by Shiʿi scholars such as al-Shaykh al-Ṭūsī and al-ʿAllāma al-Ḥillī and how they dealt with the legal and hadith disagreements regarding Ibn al-Junayd al-Iskāfī. Dr Rizek argued that while al-Shaykh al-Ṭūsī made use of claims to sideline Ibn al-Junayd al-Iskāfī, al-ʿAllāma al-Ḥillī was more accommodating to this diversity of thought.
On 30th January 2024, Farhana Mayer presented a research seminar at AMI on ‘Qur’anic Principles of Integral Ecology’, based on her publication Praise to God, Lord of the Worlds, An Introduction to Qur’anic Ecology and Resonances with Laudato Si’ (Laudato Si’ Research Institute, Oxford, 2023). In her presentation, having highlighted that integral ecology is based on the idea that everything is interconnected and includes socio-economic as well as environmental matters, she explained how the Qur’anic integral ecological perspectives are founded on the scriptural viewpoints of: unity and the interconnectedness of God, humanity and the cosmos (tawḥīd); all creation as ‘signs of God’ (āyāt Allāh) and constituting a book of revelation; and humankind’s role as the divinely-chosen deputy/successor on earth (khalīfah fi’l-arḍ). She discussed how the key Qur’anic ethical virtues of justice (ʿadl), equitability (qisṭ), balance (mīzān/taʿādul), moderation (wasaṭīyah), and above all mercy (raḥmah) are applicable to integral ecology. Unpacking these, she related them to the principles enshrined in the Islamic names of God (asmāʾ Allāh al-ḥusnā) which, in addition to providing a portrait of God, also serve as an ethical framework within which to position good environmental and socio-economic practices. Describing the principles of the divine names as the ultimate scales, she drew attention to the pivotal role of raḥmah in configuring balance. Furthermore, she related the divine names to humankind’s God-endowed nature (fiṭrah), reinforcing the theological concept of humankind as deputies on earth. The ecological and environmental implications of the above were highlighted, including the evident imperatives for balanced, moderate, just, equitable and merciful ways for humanity to engage with each other, with the other living creatures on earth, and with regard to the planet and its resources.
In this research seminar, Ali highlighted the important but relatively unknown philosophical contributions of Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr, an influential 20th century Shia Islamic thinker from Iraq. He drew insightful parallels between al-Sadr’s ideas on morality and ethics and those of the modern philosopher Alasdair MacIntyre. Ali noted how both thinkers are deeply critical of modernity and see potential in reviving and adapting Aristotelian virtue ethics to address contemporary moral problems. According to Ali, al-Sadr believed the Islamic ethical and moral tradition could provide solutions to problems created by the two dominant political philosophies of his time – capitalism and communism. Like MacIntyre, al-Sadr advocated forming small communities that consciously reject the values and institutions of modernity.
This book provides detailed and multidisciplinary coverage of a wealth of key Qur’anic terms, with incisive entries on crucial expressions ranging from the divine names allāh (“God”) and al-raḥmān (“the Merciful”) to the Qur’anic understanding of belief and self-surrender to God. It examines what the terms mean in Qur’anic usage, discusses how to translate them into English, and delineates the role they play in expressing the Qur’an’s distinctive understanding of God, humans, and the cosmos. It offers a comprehensive but nonreductionist investigation of the relationship of Qur’anic terms to earlier traditions such as Jewish and Christian literature, pre-Islamic Arabic poetry, and Arabian epigraphy. While the dictionary is primarily engaged in ascertaining what the Qur’an would have meant to its original recipients in late antique Arabia, it makes selective and critical use of later Muslim scholarship alongside an extensive body of secondary research in English, German, and French from the nineteenth century to today.
Ibn Taymiyya (1263–1328) of Damascus was one of the most prominent and controversial religious scholars of medieval Islam. He called for jihad against the Mongol invaders of Syria, appealed to the foundational sources of Islam for reform, and battled against religious innovation. Today, he inspires such diverse movements as Global Salafism, Islamic revivalism and modernism, and violent jihadism. This volume synthesizes the latest research, discusses many little-known aspects of Ibn Taymiyya’s thought, and highlights the religious utilitarianism that pervades his activism, ethics, and theology.
Modern biomedical technologies managed to revolutionise the End-of-Life Care (EoLC) in many aspects. The dying process can now be “engineered” by managing the accompanying physical symptoms or by “prolonging/hastening” death itself. Such interventions questioned and problematised long-established understandings of key moral concepts, such as good life, quality of life, pain, suffering, good death, appropriate death, dying well, etc. This volume examines how multifaceted EoLC moral questions can be addressed from interdisciplinary perspectives within the Islamic tradition.
This book examines all verses of the Quran involving knowledge related concepts. It begins with the argument that an analysis of the Quranic concept of ignorance points to epistemic virtues that can pave our way towards gaining knowledge and/or understanding. It deals with the Quranic concepts of perceptual, rational, and revelatory knowledge as well as understanding and wisdom in the light of recent discussions in Western analytic epistemology. It also argues that the relevant Quranic verses seem to involve concept of an epistemic conscience whose proper exercise can yield knowledge or understanding. While not overlooking the Quranic emphasis on revelation as a source of knowledge, the book draws our attention to a remarkable overlap between some strains of contemporary virtue epistemology and Quranic approach to knowledge. It shows that the Quranic verses suggest a progressive sequence from propositional knowledge to understanding to wisdom.
Dr. Nebil Husayn delivers a research seminar examining an early pro-ʿAlid epistle attributed to ʿAlī b. Abī Ṭālib (d. 40/661) that defends his claims to leadership and critiques his rivals. The epistle emerged in the context of intra-army disputes after ʿAlī’s companions were murdered. While the work survives primarily in Twelver Shīʿī sources like those of al-Qummī, al-Kulaynī, Ibn Rustam al-Ṭabarī, and Ibn Ṭāwūs, some Sunni historians like al-Balādhurī also referenced it, indicating early circulation. Dr. Husayn analysed both the transmission and contents of this epistle, interrogating the relationship between the oral and written and the text’s role in shaping pro-ʿAlid identity and early Shi’ism.
The Islamic tradition has always held animals in high esteem, deserving the same level of consideration as humans. The Qur'an opines that "there is not an animal in the earth nor a flying creature flying on two wings, but they are people like you." This fascinating and highly original book examines the status and nature of animals as they are portrayed in the Qur'an and in adjacent exegetical works, in which animals are viewed as spiritual, moral, intelligent, and accountable beings. In this way, the study presents a challenge to the prevalent view of man's superiority over animals and suggests new ways of interpreting the Qur'an. By placing the discussion within the context of other religions and their treatment of animals, the book also makes a persuasive case for animal rights from an Islamic perspective.
An Anxious Inheritance reveals the tensions between the early framers of Islam and the ever-expandable category of non-Muslims. Examining the encounter with these religious others, and showing how the Qur'an functioned as both a script to understand them and a map to classify them, this study traces the key role that these religious others played in what would ultimately emerge as (Sunni) orthodoxy. This orthodoxy would appear to be the natural outgrowth of the Prophet Muhammad's preaching, but it ultimately amounted to little more than a retroactive projection of later ideas onto the earliest period.
Non-Muslims (among them Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians) and the "wrong" kinds of Muslims (e.g., the Shi'a) became integral—by virtue of their perceived stubbornness, infidelity, heresy, or the like—to the understanding of what true religion was not and, just as importantly, what it should be. These non-Muslims were rarely real individuals or groups; rather, they functioned as textual foils that could be conveniently orchestrated, and ultimately controlled, to facilitate Muslim self-definition. Without such religious others proper belief could, quite literally, not be articulated. Shedding new light on the early history of Islam, while also problematizing the binary of orthodoxy/heresy in the study of religion, An Anxious Inheritance makes significant contributions to a number of diverse academic fields.
The late Michael Dols in his book on the Majnūn rightly asserted that when dealing with madmen in medieval Islamic societies, we need to have in mind a model of medical pluralism. He had spotted the various intersections of genres of texts and learning, and even sociological classes and behavioral norms in his examination of madness, more broadly, and lovesickness (ʿishq), in particular. In this chapter, I shall focus on the discussions on lovesickness from five medical commentaries from the Mamluk period. The focus will be not only be on illuminating how the texts and the authors engage with the work(s) of their predecessor(s), but also what we can learn about the specific intellectual landscapes in which each author operated along with their specific interests in the topic.
Professor Nahyan Fancy is the Al-Qasimi Professor in Islamic Studies at the University of Exeter. He received his PhD in History and Philosophy of Science from the University of Notre Dame. He taught for 17 years in the History department at DePauw University, Indiana, before joining the faculty at the Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies at Exeter this year. He works on the intersections of philosophy, medicine, science and religion during the period between 1200 and 1520. His first book, Science and Religion in Mamluk Egypt: Ibn al-Nafis, Pulmonary Transit and Bodily Resurrection (Routledge, 2013), situated Ibn al-Nafis’s proposal of the pulmonary transit of blood within the context of debates amongst philosophers and religious scholars over the proper role of reason in interpreting revelation and the possibility of bodily resurrection. He has published widely on post-classical medicine, including more recent work on pre-modern understandings of sleep and plague. His current book project examines eight medical commentaries on the Canon of Medicine and its Epitome, to reveal that neither were Ibn al-Nafis’s works ignored after 1300, nor was there a decline in medical and scientific thought due to religious antagonism.
Prof Mohammed Basil Altaie (University of Leeds)
This article discusses the question where the Qurʾan sets a conceptual limitation on the interpretation of biological evolution of the first human creature, Adam, and presents a novel understanding for the process of biological evolution in general. The work is part of my endeavour to promote new studies in Daqīq al-Kalām which represent the Islamic approach to Natural Philosophy. The question of the creation of Adam will be discussed in two contexts, the first is what the Qurʾan precisely presents about this miraculous creation, and in the second context the general process of evolution will be discussed using of the principles of daqīq al-kalām. Due to the limitation on the size of the article to be presented in this workshop I will not be concerned with the traditional views about biological evolution, nevertheless I will focus on the how the Qurʾan presented the creation of Adam where it is explicitly shown that the special status obtained by this event centres on the divine spiritual blow which transformed a developed being into a human.
The second part of this article presents a new-kalām perspective to understand evolution through the principle of re-creation which was introduced by the Mutakallimūn and was adopted by several Muslim scholars like Mulla Sadra and others. This new approach will enable Muslim scholars of philosophy of science to establish new vender in the approach to delicate questions related to Islamic SharīꜤa and Science.
Prof. Mohammed Ghaly
(Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar)
Genetic testing is one of the ground-breaking advancements brought forth by the field of genetics, which have revolutionized biomedical sciences. This revolutionary potential has led these technological breakthroughs to become a major target for ethical reflection within both religious and secular moral traditions. From the 1990s onwards, Muslim religious scholars and biomedical scientists, with the help of transnational Islamic institutions, have been engaging in interdisciplinary deliberations on the ethical implications of genetic technologies, including genetic testing.
This presentation will focus on the ethical inquiries arising from three main types of genetic testing: premarital testing, preimplantation testing, and prenatal testing. By critically examining and analysing these deliberations, the presentation aims to explore the multifaceted and interrelated aspects of genetic testing in the Islamic bioethical discourse. It will illustrate how these deliberations provide answers to the question of when (human) life begins while also revealing an underlying perception of what embryonic life actually means and when it would have sufficient moral worth to be protected.
Dr Rahim Nobahar
(Shahid Beheshti University)
The continuity of human generation, its strength and health are oftenemphasised in Islamic teachings. According to Islamic theology one of the aims and philosophies of prophecy is to save material and spiritual life of mankind (hifz al-nawa al-insani). In such a context every permissible measure for having a healthier linage is welcomed. In Islam having children is highly recommended and rewarded, however, with the advancement of premarital genetic testing it is possible to determine the risk of passing on a genetic disorder that would negatively impact the quality of a child’s life. Just as it is wrong to inflict pain and suffering on a living human being for no reason, it is also morally wrong to deliberately or negligently produce a generation for whom life is painful.
In addition, Islamic principles emphasise a reasonable quantity of humanity coupled with strength, ability, and health. By appealing to both moral and Islamic principles it is possible to argue for societal authority to curtail the reproduction of generations with painful genetic diseases through the enforcement of legal sanctions. From another perspective, the government has responsibilities towards the well-being of its citizens. These responsibilities give the government authority to make some decisions regarding the quality and quantity of future generations. The financial and societal burden entailed in taking care of an unhealthy generation, justifies the government imposing pre-marital genetic testing. The expediency of producing a healthy and strong generation is so important that it necessitates this level of restriction on the freedom and privacy of individuals. Failing to carry out such tests can be considered a crime under certain circumstances. It seems that those who deliberately or even negligently reproduce unhealthy children can be held legally responsible by their children and liable for compensation of material and spiritual damages they have caused.
Dr Ali Fanaei, Dr Elham Farahani, Ms Arefeh Sadat Hosseininejad (Al Mahdi Institute, Mofid University)
The impressive advances in science and technology in the modern world have dramatically increased the freedom of humans to make decisions and their power to control nature. Since humans are free and responsible agents, it is reasonable and meaningful to expect religion and ethics to have something to say about the way in which humans conquer nature with the help of modern science and technology. Religious and moral teachings are normative — which
means religion and ethics are both action-guiding — and the more the power of humans to control nature and their scope of abilities increases, the more they will need practical guidance.
One of the fields that modern science and technology have made possible for humans to control and intervene in is determining the sex of a foetus before pregnancy, which is called preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD). In this method, X and Y sperms are separated from each other and several embryos with different sexes are produced in a laboratory environment using the sperms. The embryo with the desired sex is then transferred to the mother's womb.
This method can be used for two different purposes: One is preventing the birth of babies who suffer from disorders of sex development, and the other is choosing the sex of the baby by the parents or the government. It is clear that using this method, for whichever purpose, is important and challenging from a religious and moral point of view, regardless of the personal and social consequences resulting from it. This article attempts to first formulate the religious and moral questions regarding this issue, and then critically analyse and evaluate the answers that have been or can be provided using religious and moral arguments about the permissibility or prohibition of using this technology in determining the sex of the foetus.
Dr Khaoula Trad (University of Hamburg)
This paper examinates the diachronic evolution of the idea of the ensoulment in one Qurʾanic exegesis and two ḥadīth commentaries by Abū Bakr Ibn al- ʿArabī (d.
543H/1148 CE). I trace the exclusion of the ensoulment of the creational formula in Aḥkām al-qurʾān. Subsequently, the idea appears for the first time in al-Qabas as a phase that juristically represents a pivotal criterion for establishing penalties.
Finally, I demonstrate how in his ḥadīth commentary ‘Āriḍat al-aḥwadhī, Ibn al-ʿArabī assimilates and inserts Ibn Masʿūd’s ḥadīth and accordingly the concept of ensoulment in his embryological approach.
Mr Rizwan Virk (Arizona State University)
In the twenty-first century, a new idea has arisen, The Simulation Hypothesis, about the nature of the universe as a computer simulation or a video game, which both challenges and extends existing popular belief systems, (i.e. atheism/materialism and the worldviews of various world religions). The Simulation Hypothesis also provides a bridge between an increasingly scientific and technological society which takes a materialistic view of the world, and those of faith, which tend to believe that the physical world is not all there is. Some have even called The Simulation Hypothesis a new kind of religion, though for many younger people, the simulation hypothesis is a technological and relatable path into theology using video games as the metaphor. In this paper, my goal is to provide a comparison with and parallels between, the Simulation Hypothesis, its various flavours and conclusions, and the Abrahamic religions in general, and Islam in particular. This includes passages from the Qurʾan (and the Bible), and various aspects of popular, orthodox, and Sufi Islamic theology, cosmology and metaphors used therein, including unseen entities like jinn, angels (in particular the recording angels, the kiramin kitabin), the Scroll of Deeds, the purpose and nature of the temporary world, duniya in comparison to the hereafter, the akhirah, the existence of a soul, and the final reckoning (or ḥisāb) during the Day of Judgement (Yawm al-qiyāmah).
Prof. Mustafa Mohaghegh Damad
(The Academy of Sciences of Iran)
Infertility has become a pressing issue in modern society, prompting the use of "artificial insemination" as a viable solution. This term refers to the process of facilitating the fusion between male sperm and female eggs, utilising medical devices or alternative methods excluding intercourse and sexual intimacy, to enhance fertility and promote conception. Artificial insemination is practiced in two forms:
- Complete Artificial Insemination: Prepared sperm is placed directly inside a woman's reproductive tract to help with fertilization. This is subdivided into: i) Intrauterine Insemination (IUI): Sperm is placed into the uterus using a thin tube during ovulation.
ii) In Vitro Fertilization (IVF): Eggs are taken from the woman's ovaries and fertilized with sperm in a laboratory. The resulting embryos are then put back into the uterus.
- Incomplete Artificial Insemination: These methods assist with fertilization, but sperm isn't placed directly inside the woman's reproductive tract. An example is Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) where a single sperm is injected into an egg in a laboratory, and then the fertilized egg is transferred to the uterus. Another example is Gamete Intrafallopian Transfer (GIFT) where eggs and sperm are collected and placed into the fallopian tubes, allowing natural fertilization to happen inside the woman's body.
However, from an Islamic legal perspective, artificial insemination does not possess a historical precedent. Therefore, it is not explicitly mentioned in Islamic scripture, principles, laws, or traditions. To ascertain its permissibility within Islamic jurisprudence, Muslim jurists require specific supporting evidences or references. Some arguments have been presented in support of artificial insemination based on general jurisprudential rules, as well as narrations referring to a third party becoming pregnant by coming into contact with sperm without sexual intimacy. These instances can provide a basis for inferring the ruling for artificial insemination within the broader framework of Islamic jurisprudence.
Discussions on applied Islamic ethics related to the beginning of human life primarily focus on the moral status of the embryo, foetus, and child, as well as the developmental stages and the time elapsed between these stages that inform Islamic rulings. The moral status assigned to each developmental stage
carries significant implications for contemporary medical practices such as In vitro fertilization (IVF), embryonic stem cell research, prenatal testing, and foetal surgery. This article aims to explore the ontological grounding of the embryo's moral status within Islamic ethics, concentrating on the diverse approaches presented by Sunni schools of jurisprudence and addressing the complexities
arising from the intersection of religious and scientific viewpoints.
Initially, the article will provide an overview of the current landscape of ethical debates surrounding the beginning of human life, emphasising the need for a comprehensive understanding of the various factors shaping the moral status of embryos in Islamic ethics. It will then define the full moral status (FMS) of the
human person and outline the theoretical conceptions of moral status proposed by various Sunni schools of jurisprudence, addressing the challenges that their
theories face. The article will suggest two mutually inclusive routes to FMS: (1) belonging to the human species, determined by biology and human form
(takhlīq), and (2) possessing capacities or potentialities that differentiate an embryo from a human person.
Mrs Hatice Kubra Memis (University of Exeter)
The question of when human life begins is a multifaceted issue that extends beyond the realm of medicine. In Islamic Law, this topic is of particular importance, particularly in cases of induced miscarriage. Islamic legal rulings concerning the foetus can be categorized into two groups: those that relate directly to the foetus, such as nasab (lineage), diya (blood money), and inheritance, and those that relate to the foetus’ influence on its mother’s life, including her waiting period (ʿidda), manumission, fasting, maintenance, and punishment. This paper examines several of the rulings that have direct relevance to the foetus and its mother, including diya (blood money), kaffāra (expiation), ʿidda (waiting period), and umm walad (mother of the child). The way fuqaha (Muslim jurists) approach miscarriages vary depending on whether the foetus has a human appearance at the time of its demise or on the opinion of four trustworthy women who are experts in their field. To understand the criteria for determining when human life begins, this study focuses on the broader context of Islamic schools, such as Sunni and Shia, and particularly on the impact of the beginning of life on four issues: diya, kaffāra, completion of the ʿidda, and the status of umm walad.
These issues are critical for establishing a discussion on matters that directly impact real-life situations such as abortion, stem cell and embryo research.
RS | Relationship between Islam & Science | Hamzad Zahid
islam #science #muslim #hamzadzahid #relationship
RS | Journey of Muslim Medical Practitioner | Dr Rafaqat Rashid
muslim #medical #islam #rafaqatrashid
Practical Interactions Between Science and Islam in the UK | Dr Mansur Ali
science #islam #uk #mansurali
Science & British Muslim Religious Leadership Overview | Stephen Jones Saleema Burney Riyaz Timol
muslim #leadership #religious #british
IRS | In Support of Assisted Dying: A Christian Perspective | Dr Scott S. McKenna
christian #religion #death #life #scottmckenna
IRS | Ritual Washing Before Burial: A Comparison | Rabbi Jeff Berger
jeffberger #jewish #islam #muslim #death #burial
IRS | Living Eschatologically: A Catholic Understanding of Death | Dr Christopher Clohessy
catholic #death #christopherclohessy #eschatologically #christian #life #religion
The Soul, Barzakh and Human Transformation in Life & Death | Dr Maria Massi Dakake | IRS
muslim #islam #afterlife #death #barzakh #mariadakake
IRS | Quranic Conceptions of Life, Death and Resurrection | Dr Ali Fanaei
quran #life #death #resurrection #alifanaei #islam #muslims
IRS | Not a Simple Soul: Jewish Views of the Human Psyche | Rabbi Mark L. Solomon
death #soul #jewish #judaism
IRS | Case for the Pre-existence of Human Souls: A Qur’ānic Perspective | Shaykh Arif Abdulhussain
death #islam #soul #quran #Allah #shaykharif
Dr Meena Kumari has been an Assistant Professor at Law Centre-1, Faculty of Law, the University of Delhi since 2018. She received a PhD Degree in law at the University of Delhi in February 2022 with a thesis titled ‘An Insight into Law of Talaq in Muslim Personal Law in India: A Comparative Study with SAARC and ASEAN Countries.’ Her areas of interest are Islamic law, marriage laws, women's property rights and procedural laws. She holds Junior Research Fellowship awarded by UGC, India. Recently, she received the award of Best Early Career Paper in Law for presenting the paper titled ‘Changing Perspective of Hindu Marriage’ at an International Conference organized by Northumbria University, Newcastle, UK with the generosity of the Journal of Legal History.
Book abstract: Stories about gendered social relations permeate the Qur'an, and nearly three hundred verses involve specific women or girls. The Qur'an features these figures in accounts of human origins, in stories of the founding and destruction of nations, in narratives of conquest, in episodes of romantic attraction, and in incidents of family devotion and strife. Overall, stories involving women and girls weave together theology and ethics to reinforce central Qur'anic ideas regarding submission to God and moral accountability.
Celene Ibrahim explores the complex cast of female figures in the Qur'an, probing themes related to biological sex, female sexuality, female speech, and women in sacred history. Ibrahim considers major and minor figures referenced in the Qur'an, including those who appear in narratives of sacred history, in parables, in descriptions of the eternal abode, and in verses that allude to events contemporaneous with the advent of the Qur'an in Arabia. Ibrahim finds that the Qur'an regularly celebrates the aptitudes of women in the realms of spirituality and piety, in political maneuvering, and in safeguarding their own wellbeing; yet, women figures also occasionally falter and use their agency toward nefarious ends. Women and Gender in the Qur'an outlines how women and girls - old, young, barren, fertile, chaste, profligate, reproachable, and saintly - enter Qur'anic sacred history and advance the Qur'an's overarching didactic aims.
quran #gender #islam #male #female #men #women
Dr Shoaib Malik speaks about Islam and Evolution at the al Mahdi Institute. #Islam #Evolution #Science
Ibn Babawayh – also known as al-Shaykh al-Saduq – was a prominent Twelver Shi'i scholar of hadith. Writing within the first century after the vanishing of the twelfth imam, al-Saduq represents a pivotal moment in Twelver hadith literature, as this Shi'i community adjusted to a world without a visible imam and guide, a world wherein the imams could only be accessed through the text of their remembered words and deeds. George Warner's study of al-Saduq's work examines the formation of Shi'i hadith literature in light of these unique dynamics, as well as giving a portrait of an important but little-studied early Twelver thinker. Though almost all of al-Saduq's writings are collections of hadith, Warner's approach pays careful attention to how these texts are selected and presented to explore what they can reveal about their compiler, offering insight into al-Saduq's ideas and suggesting new possibilities for the wider study of hadith.
Tafsir Quran | Surah al-Hujurat Part 5
tafsirquran #qoran #tafsir #surahhujurat #islamiclecture
Tafsir Quran | Surah al-Hujurat Part 4
tafsirquran #qoran #tafsir #surahhujurat #islamiclecture
Tafsir Quran | Surah al-Hujurat Part 3
tafsirquran #qoran #tafsir #surahhujurat #islamiclecture
Tafsir Quran | Surah al-Hujurat Part 2
tafsirquran #qoran #tafsir #surahhujurat #islamiclecture
Tafsir Quran | Surah al-Hujurat Part 1
tafsirquran #qoran #tafsir #surahhujurat #islamiclecture
RS | Is Life Sacred? Sanctity of Life Arguments | Dr Yaser Mirdamadi
"Is Life Sacred? Sanctity of Life Arguments in (Muslim) Bioethics, an apophatic appraisal".
Dr Yaser Mirdamadi is a researcher in Muslim biomedical ethics at the Institute of Isma‘ili Studies, London. In addition to his seminary background, he received his PhD in Islamic Studies from the University of Edinburgh. He has widely published articles (mainly in Persian) on philosophy of religion, political theology, modern Islam and (Muslim) ethics.
RS | The Hijab Controversy in Modern Iran | Dr Lloyd Ridgeon
In this presentation, Dr Lloyd focuses specifically on the views of two Iranian clerics, Ayatollah Motahhari and Ahmad Qabel, whose views on the hijab are diametrically opposed, but who argue from a position of “rationality”. These arguments assume greater importance given the current campaign for unveiling in Iran.
hijab #iran #hijabiniran #islamichijab
Dr Sufyan Dogra presents on Karbala in London: Genealogy and Continuity of Contested Expressions of Muharrum Rituals among British South Asian Twelver Shia Muslims’
shia #britishshia #southasiashia #shiahistory #shiaislam
Tafsir Quran | Surah al-Zumar Part 5 | Shaykh Arif Abdul Hussain
tafsirquran #shaykharif #quran #surahzumar #islamiclecture
Tafsir Quran | Surah al-Zumar Part 4 | Shaykh Arif Abdul Hussain
tafsirquran #shaykharif #quran #surahzumar #islamiclecture
Tafsir Quran | Surah al-Zumar Part 3 | Shaykh Arif Abdul Hussain
tafsirquran #shaykharif #quran #surahzumar #islamiclecture
Tafsir Quran | Surah al-Zumar Part 2 | Shaykh Arif Abdul Hussain
tafsirquran #shaykharif #quran #surahzumar #islamiclecture
Tafsir Quran | Surah al-Zumar Part 1 | Shaykh Arif Abdul Hussain
tafsirquran #shaykharif #quran #surahzumar #islamiclecture
RS | The Tragedy of Al-Mamun Reading Al-Saduq's Uyun akhbar al-Rida | Dr George Warner
Bio: George Warner is a research associate at the Centre for Religious Studies at Ruhr-Universität Bochum, having previously taught at SOAS, where he completed his PhD in 2017. His research interests include Shi'ism, devotional literature in Arabic and Persian, ritual studies and hadith. His first book, The Words of the Imams: al-Shaykh al-Ṣadūq and the Development of Twelver Shīʿī Hadith Literature, was published by I. B. Tauris in 2021.
Tafsir Quran | Shaytan's Strategies in Quran Part 4 | Ms Nazmina Dhanji
shaytan #satan #quran #tafsirquran
Tafsir Quran | Shaytan's Strategies in Quran Part 3 | Ms Nazmina Dhanji
shaytan #satan #quran #tafsirquran
Tafsir Quran | Shaytan's Strategies in Quran Part 2 | Ms Nazmina Dhanji
shaytan #satan #quran #tafsirquran
Tafsir Quran | Shaytan's Strategies in Quran Part 1 | Ms Nazmina Dhanji
shaytan #satan #quran #tafsirquran
RS | Organ donation in Shi'i Jurisprudence | Mahdiyah Abdul-Hussain
organdonation #islam
Tafsir Quran | Surah Al-Waqi'ah Part 4 | Shaykh Muhammed Reza Tajri
quran #tafsirquran #surahwaqiah
Tafsir Quran | Surah Al-Waqi'ah Part 3 | Shaykh Muhammed Reza Tajri
quran #tafsirquran #surahwaqiah
Tafsir Quran | Surah Al-Waqi'ah Part 2 | Shaykh Muhammed Reza Tajri
quran #tafsirquran #surahwaqiah
Tafsir Quran | Surah Al-Waqi'ah Part 1 | Shaykh Muhammed Reza Tajri
quran #tafsirquran #surahwaqiah
RS | Women's Right to Child Custody in Shi'i Fiqh | Sayed Hossein Qazwini
Sayed Hossein Qazwini (Islamic Seminary of Karbala) discusses the different Shi'i Fiqhi views on Women's right to child custody.
Dr Omar Anchassi (University of Edinburgh) presents on the early juristic position within the various schools of jurisprudence regarding marriage to non-Muslim women who are either pagans or from the Abrahamic religions.
Interreligiousmarriage #ChristianMuslimMarriage #Marriage #Islamiclawsmarriage
RS | Being Shia in Europe | Dr Emanuelle Degli Esposti
Shia #Europe #MuslimsinEurope #IslamEurope #Islamiclecture
Tafsir Quran | Surah Al-Qiyamah Part 3 | Shaykh Muhammed Reza Tajri
quran #tafsirquran #surahalrum
Tafsir Quran | Surah Al-Qiyamah Part 2 | Shaykh Muhammed Reza Tajri
quran #tafsirquran #surahalrum
Tafsir Quran | Surah Al-Qiyamah Part 1 | Shaykh Muhammed Reza Tajri
quran #tafsirquran #surahalrum
Tafsir Quran | Surah Al-Rum Part 3 | Dr Ali Reza Bhojani
quran #tafsirquran #surahalrum
Tafsir Quran | Surah Al-Rum Part 2 | Dr Ali Reza Bhojani
quran #tafsirquran #surahalrum
Tafsir Quran | Surah Al-Rum Part 1 | Dr Ali Reza Bhojani
quran #tafsirquran #surahalrum
Dr Caitlyn Olson is a Departmental Lecturer in Islamic History at Oxford. She earned her PhD from Harvard in 2020 and held a postdoctoral fellowship at NYU Abu Dhabi in 2020-21. Her research centres on the Maghrib and, increasingly, West Africa during the 15th-18th centuries, in particular on theological thought, education, and relations among scholars and broader society.Bio: Caitlyn Olson is a Departmental Lecturer in Islamic History at Oxford. She earned her PhD from Harvard in 2020 and held a postdoctoral fellowship at NYU Abu Dhabi in 2020-21. Her research centers on the Maghrib and, increasingly, West Africa during the 15th-18th centuries, in particular on theological thought, education, and relations among scholars and broader society.
Dr Jocelyn Hendrickson | Leaving Iberia: Islamic Law and Christian Conquest in North-West Africa | AMI Book Review
About book: Leaving Iberia: Islamic Law and Christian Conquest in North West Africa examines Islamic legal responses to Muslims living under Christian rule in medieval and early modern Iberia and North Africa. The fall of al-Andalus, or Reconquista, has long been considered a turning point when the first substantial Muslim populations fell under permanent Christian rule. Yet a near-exclusive focus on conquered Iberian Muslims has led scholars to overlook a substantial body of legal opinions issued in response to Portuguese and Spanish occupation in Morocco itself, beginning in the early fifteenth century.
By moving beyond Iberia and following Christian conquerors and Muslim emigrants into North Africa, Leaving Iberia links the juristic discourses on conquered Muslims on both sides of the Mediterranean, critiques the perceived exceptionalism of the Iberian Muslim predicament, and adds a significant chapter to the story of Christian–Muslim relations in the medieval Mediterranean. The final portion of the book explains the disparate fates of these medieval legal opinions in colonial Algeria and Mauritania, where jurists granted lasting authority to some opinions and discarded others.
Based on research in the Arabic manuscript libraries of five countries, Leaving Iberia offers the first fully annotated translations of the major legal texts under analysis.
Scrutinising the Sunni Standpoint on the belief in Imam Mahdi | Shaykh Muhammad Umar Ramadhan | CIMS
CIMS | Reassessing Mainstream Shi'i Standpoint on belief in Imam Mahdi | Dr AbdulAziz Sachedina
Name: Dr Edmund Hayes
University: Radboud University Nijmegen
Book: Agents of the Hidden Imam: Forging Twelver Shi‘ism, 850-950 CE
Chapters:
0:11 Introduction
00:28 Inspiration
03:07 Argument
09:33 Structure
17:23 Intended audience
18:12 Future projects
Chapters: 0:00 introduction 0:17 What is the book about? 3:03 What inspired you to write the book? 5:05 What are you working on next?
Ramon Harvey revisits the Muslim theologian Abū Manṣūr al-Māturīdī (d. 333/944) from Samarqand and puts his system, and that of the Māturīdī school, into lively dialogue with modern thought. Combining rigorous study of Arabic Māturīdī texts with insights from Husserl’s phenomenology and analytic theology, Harvey explores themes from epistemology and metaphysics to the nature of God and specific divine attributes (omniscience and wisdom, creative action, divine speech and the Qur’an). His systematic treatment of these topics shows that a contemporary Islamic philosophical theology, or kalām jadīd, can be true to the past, yet dynamic in the present, and can provide original and constructive answers to perennial theological questions.
ramonharvey #maturidi #theology #islamictheology
The Gendered invention of “Religion” in colonial-modernity and its implication for global politics.
Dr Rabea Khan - Rabea successfully defended her PhD thesis in June 2021 with a thesis entitled ‘The Gendered Coloniality of the Religious Terrorism Thesis: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Religious Labels and their Selective Use in Terrorism Studies’. Rabea’s work is interdisciplinary and brings together the fields of Critical Terrorism Studies and Critical Religion, utilising gender and decolonial theory. Rabea also holds a BA in International Relations and Law from Oxford Brookes University and received her M.Litt. in International Security Studies from the University of St Andrews in 2015. Rabea was the main organiser of the 2018 CSTPV Graduate Conference Contemporary Issues in Terrorism Studies. She has peer-reviewed articles for St Andrews’ Contemporary Voices in International Relations and previously worked as a tutor for undergraduate students in International Relations modules. She has also delivered the lectures on ‘Feminist theory in IR’ for the undergraduate module ‘Theories in International Relations’ in 2019 and designed and convened workshops for CEED’s Academic Skills Project for undergraduate IR students. Rabea has previously published with Critical Research on Religion and is currently working on her first manuscript, based on her doctoral thesis
Dr Joshua Ralston discusses his book "Law and the Rule of God: A Christian Engagement with Shari'a" with Dr Ali-Reza Bhojani. In Law and the Rule of God, Joshua Ralston presents an innovative approach to Christian-Muslim dialogue. Eschewing both polemics and apologetics, he proposes a comparative framework for Christian engagement with Islamic debates on sharī'a. Ralston draws on a diverse range of thinkers from both traditions including Karl Barth, Ibn Taymiyya, Thomas Aquinas, and Mohammad al-Jabri. He offers an account of public law as a provisional and indirect witness to the divine rule of justice. He also demonstrates how this theology of public law deeply resonates with the Christian tradition and is also open to learning from and dialoguing with Islamic and secular conceptions of law, sovereignty, and justice.
sharia #god #christian
Dr Anver M. Emon discusses his book "Islamic Natural Law Theories" with Dr Ali-Reza Bhojani. By recasting the Islamic legal tradition in terms of legal philosophy, Anver Emon's Islamic Natural Law Theories sheds substantial light on an uncharted tradition of natural law theory and offers critical insights into contemporary global debates about Islamic law and reform.
Dr Cyrus Ali Zargar discusses his book "Polished Mirror: Storytelling and the Pursuit of Virtue in Islamic Philosophy and Sufism" with Dr Ali-Reza Bhojani. Islamic philosophy and Sufism evolved as distinct yet interweaving strands of Islamic thought and practice. Despite differences, they have shared a concern with the perfection of the soul through the development of character. In The Polished Mirror, Cyrus Ali Zargar studies the ways in which, through teaching and storytelling, pre-modern Muslims lived, negotiated and cultivated virtues. Examining the writings of philosophers, ascetics, poets, and saints, he locates virtue ethics within a dynamic moral tradition.
Disputes between classical Muslim theologians are often spoken of in very abstract terms. What is often forgotten, however, is the human relationship that would have existed between such theologians. Through the example of the Shīʿī Hishām b. al-Ḥakam and the Ibāḍī ʿAbdallāh b. Yazīd al-Fazārī, I demonstrate how two theologians with striking doctrinal differences nevertheless maintained a very strong friendship, as evidenced by the mention of this friendship in various genres of literature. Such a friendship serves as a prompt to rethink our assumptions about how classical Muslim theologians interacted with each other and as a precedent on which to base intra-Muslim interactions today.
The generally perceived notion/purpose of ijtihād is to provide a solution where there is no direct text on a particular issue. Given that within the theories of Islamic law, it is a well-accepted fact that an ijtihād would not necessarily negate another ijtihād on the same issue, one may arrive at the question of sanctity in relation to the fatwas issued as a result of different ijtihāds being carried out. This study therefore looks at whether the body of fatwas issued are any less in their sacredness as a result of differences and variations in ijtihādi conclusions. The study will follow a textual analysis and its scope falls within the broad sphere of theology.
fatwa #ijtihad #islamiclaw
This paper will discuss the impact of the case method on three separate cohorts, all in the context of Islamic education. Although a very widely used tool in higher education, the use of the case method is rare in Islamic education, normally being superseded by a traditional didactic or instructive style of teaching, a feature that often extends across most age groups and even into specialised seminary learning. Retrospective observational analysis was conducted on three separate cohorts in the community who were exposed to the case methodology over a period of five years. Three separate areas of growth were seen in the cohorts in varying degrees.
- Personal growth and mentoring of the individual through the acquisition of key life skills such as critical analysis, public speaking, presentation skills and ability to collaborate with others.
- Increasing knowledge base of the individual in a wide variety of Islamic and non-Islamic disciplines.
- Triggers for community action following identification of critical societal issues.
Significant areas requiring greater engagement by community leaders were also frequently flagged up such as suppressed atheism, apostasy, child abuse, mental health and ethical practices of Muslims. Above all, the nature of the case method ensured cross-generational as well as cross-gender conversations on major neglected issues affecting Muslims in the UK, ultimately allowing participants to critically evaluate their faith in a safe space without judgement, develop key life skills and study Islam in context of the modern world and tackle major societal issues relevant not only to Muslims, but society as a whole.
Averroes adopted a legal-centric epistemological framework in order to prove #Philosophy as #Islamic. The main focus was to demonstrate to what extent philosophy was Islamic using Averroes’ systematised framework from his legal treatise, Kitāb faṣl al-maqāl as a rebuttal to Muslim jurists who considered philosophy as anti-Islamic. Using Averroes’ legal treatise, Sayyid Wajee showed how Averroes employs the legal methodology and the principles adopted by Muslim jurists against them, highlighting the compatibility between philosophy and Islam. Moreover, Averroes’ grounds his assertions of philosophy as an Islamic endeavour by combining the technical jargon of the jurists with Qurʾānic passages as a way of conclusively affirming the concept of ‘Islamic philosophy’.
The presentation highlighted the negative attitude towards philosophy in the 12th century and this attitude persisting in the 21st century in certain Islamic institutions. Sayyid Wajee emphasised on #Averroes premise that the study of law which is widely accepted by Muslim thinkers as an Islamic enterprise according to the jurists themselves, the same sentiment should be afforded to Muslim philosophers
The presentation aimed to cover the question of whether Muslims are allowed to reside in non-Muslim majority countries under the condition of religious freedom. It encompassed an analysis of the major textual evidence on this topic, regardless of whether they argue for permissibility or prohibition. The focus is to engage with the seemingly contradictory arguments considering their authenticity, historical context and meaning, in the hope of coming close to, or advancing, the understanding of the religious opinion on the matter. Shaykh Zaini argued that emigration was mandatory under certain historical circumstances experienced by early companions, then it became advisory following the conquest of Mecca and the establishment of the religion.
Dr. Jones presented a paper on ‘Islam and Science’, which drew on previous research on perceptions of evolution by the research team for the project ‘Science and Religion: Exploring the Spectrum’, as well as new research being conducted on views of Islam and science among Muslim religious leaders. He spoke about the findings of a survey of British Muslims on science and evolution, highlighting that British Muslims are marginally more likely to identify with science than the wider British public but remain both sceptical and uncertain about biological evolution. Muslims’ evolution scepticism varies significantly depending on how questions are asked, while they are also considerably more likely to suggest that they do not know how to respond.
This presentation looked at narratives dealing with the experiences of female scholars within the Sunni Muslim community in the UK, with a focus on the South Asian community. The South Asian community is responsible for setting up many of the traditional Islamic learning institutions (darul ulums) in the UK for both male and female students.
Many of these institutions will follow the same curriculum whereby students will study the same texts and subjects, yet female graduates often face greater challenges upon graduation. Often their education is questioned and their opportunities to serve their communities are more limited. This presentation highlighted some of those challenges through personal narratives taken from various studies conducted in the UK. Finally, it called for greater community participation in creating a more accepting space for female scholars and a more supportive community network so that they are able to better serve their communities, and the community is able to benefit from their knowledge and expertise.
Dr. Rajani explained the dynamics of the abovementioned Centre, explaining how scholars from various denominations come together and attempt to give unified responses to some of the questions and challenges facing Muslims today. Dr. Rajani clarified the processes and methods that the Centre employs to try and arrive at jointly agreed opinions, which are then disseminated in the form of online statements.
Hitherto, the Centre has produces 43 statements, ranging from jurisprudential issues – like the permissibility of consuming stunned meat – to theological matters – like the finality of the prophethood of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). The Centre’s work has shown what can be achieved when Muslims work together despite the differences in their ideological and even theological stances.
Dr Bianka Speidl - Islam as Power: Shi‛i Revivalism in the Oeuvre of Muḥammad Ḥusayn Faḍlallāh
Providing an in-depth and extensive analysis of the concept of power as articulated by Muhammad Husayn Fadlallah (1935–2010), this case study analyses the systemic conceptualisation of power and his argumentation of sacralising Islamised power. The volume also offers a quick overview of how the concept was understood and articulated by other Shi‛ite jurists such as Ayatollah Khomeini.
Examining Fadlallah’s oeuvre, in particular his seminal book Islam and the Logic of Power [ al-Islam wa-mantiq al-quwwa ], this book focuses on the narrative itself, which played a central role in the radical transformation that occurred in the Shi‛te concept of empowerment and its recognition as a necessity. The analysis of Fadlallah’s conceptualisation and argumentation illustrates the mechanism of sacralising righteous power as well as the means of gaining it. Fadlallah reinterpreted Shi‛sm as a project of empowerment to initiate and sustain an “impulse of power” amongst the Lebanese Shi‛tes in the most critical moment of modern Lebanese history.
shia #fadlallah #biankaspeidl
Dr Zarepour demonstrated Fārābī’s interpretation of Aristotle’s work on logical fallibilism. He showed how Fārābī’s views differs from Aristotle on logical and theological fatalism. To reject these types of fatalism, Fārābī argues that the truth values of future contingent propositions are already distributed but this distribution is indefinite. As a result, that a contingent proposition is now true does not make it necessary in itself. Formalising Fārābī’s solutions to the problems of logical and theological fatalism in the language of contemporary modal logic, Dr Zarepour discussed its strength and weakness. He also showed that although Fārābī defends these solutions, there can be found passages in his commentary which signal that he is not totally satisfied with them. These passages can be taken as a sign for his implicit inclination towards a specific sort of open theism which was later explicitly defended by some important figures of Arabic philosophy.
Mohammad Saleh Zarepour is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Department of Philosophy of the University of Birmingham. He received a PhD in Philosophy at Tarbiat Modares University, Iran in 2015 and another in Theology and Religious Studies at the University of Cambridge in 2019. Before going to Birmingham he was a Humboldt Postdoctoral Researcher at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich. He is the author of Necessary Existence and Monotheism: An Avicennian Account of the Islamic Conception of Divine Unity (contracted with CUP) and co-editor of Mathematics, Logic and Their Philosophies (Springer, 2021). His areas of research interests are medieval Islamic philosophy, philosophy of religion, philosophy of logic and mathematics, and philosophy of language.
Dr Fella Lahmar presents "Educational challenges facing the role & scope of female scholarship"
islamiceducation #islamicscholars #femalescholars
Dr Amina Inloes presents "Female Scholarship and Authority in Islamic Scripture"
womenislam #islamandwomen #femalescholars #islamicscholars #islamicscripture #aminainloes
Dr Ali Reza Bhojani "Theorising Diversity & Difference within Muslims Scholarly traditions"
Islamicstudies #muslimscholars #muslims #scholars #islamictradition
Shaykh Umar Ramadhan presents "Theorising Diversity & Difference within Muslim Traditions"
Sunni #Islam #hadith #islamicstudies
AMI Book Review | Opposing the Imām: The Legacy of the Nawāṣib in Islamic Literature | Nebil Husayn
Islamichistory #Islam #Islamicstudies #ImamAli #Khawarij #Nawasib Islam’s fourth caliph, Ali can be considered one of the most revered
figures in Islamic history. His nearly universal portrayal in Muslim literature as a pious authority obscures centuries of contestation and
the eventual rehabilitation of his character. In this book, Nebil Husayn examines the enduring legacy of the nawasib, early Muslims who
hated Ali and his descendants. The nawasib participated in politics and discussions on religion at least until the ninth century. However,
their virtual disappearance in Muslim societies has led many to ignore their existence and the subtle ways in which their views subsequently
affected Islamic historiography and theology. By surveying medieval Muslim literature across multiple genres and traditions including
the Sunni, Mutazili, and Ibadi, Husayn reconstructs the claims and arguments of the nawa¯sib and illuminates the methods that Sunni
scholars employed to gradually rehabilitate the image of Ali from a villainous character to a righteous one.
Nebil Husayn is Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Miami, where his research considers the development
of Islamic theology, historiography, and debates on the caliphate. Husayn obtained his Ph.D. in Near Eastern Studies from Princeton University.
Hannah-Lena Hagemann | The Khārijites in Early Islamic Historical Tradition | Book Review
islamichistory #kharijite #khawarij
AMI Book Review | Sexual Violation in Islamic Law | Dr Omar Anchassi
BookReview #IslamicLaw #Sexualviolation #omaranchassi #Islam #islamicstudies
AMI Book Review | Ash'arism Encounters Avicennism: Sayf al-Dīn al-Āmidī on Creation | Dr Laura Hassan
BookReview #Asharism #Sayfaldin #alamidi #creation #islamicstudies #laurahassan #ibnsina #avicennia
AMI Book Review | Visions of Sharia | Dr Ali Reza Bhojani.
In Visions of Sharīʿa: Contemporary Discussions in Shī ͑ī Legal Theory Bhojani, De Rooij and Bohlander present the first broad examination of ways in which legal theory ( uṣūl al-fiqh) within Twelver Shīʿī thought continues to be a forum for vibrant debates regarding the assumptions, epistemology and hermeneutics of Sharīʿa in contemporary Shīʿī thought. Bringing together authoritative voices and emerging scholars, from both ‘traditional’ seminaries and ‘Western’ academies, the distinct critical insider and emic accounts provided develop a novel avenue in Islamic legal studies. Contextualised through reference to the history of Shīʿī legal theory as well as contemporary juristic practice and socio-political considerations, the volume demonstrates how one of the most intellectually vibrant and developed discourses of Islamic thought continues to be a key forum for exploring visions of Sharīʿa.
sharia #bookreview #alirezabhojani #shia #islamiclaw #shialaw #fiqh #islamicstudies
AMI Book Review | A Secular Age by Charles Taylor | Dr Pooya Razavian
BookReview #Secularism #CharlesTaylor #PooyaRazavian #Islam
AMI Book Review | Shia Minorities in the Contemporary World | Prof. Oliver Scharbrodt
BookReview #Shia #Minorities #MuslimWorld #Islamicstudies #OliverScharbrodt
AMI Book Review | Islam and Law in Lebanon | Dr Morgan Clarke
BookReview #Islamandlaw #lebanon #islaminlebanon #morganclarke #islamicstudies #middleeast
Dr. Liyakat Takim reviews his book 'The Heirs of the Prophet: Charisma and Religious Authority in Shi'ite Islam' | AMI Library Book Review
BookReview #Islam #ProphetMuhammad #Shia #Islam #LiyakatTakim
AMI Book Review | Islam in Liberalism by Joseph Massad Review | Shaykh Jaffer Ladak
BookReview #Islam #Liberalism #JosephMassad #JafferLadak #Islamicstudies
AMI Book Review | In Search of Ali ibn Abi Talib's Codex | Nazmina Dhanji
bookReview #ImamAli #Quran #Islam #Islamicstudies
AMI Book Review | The New Testament in Muslim Eyes | Dr Shabbir Akhtar
bookreview #shabbirakhtar #islamicstudies #christianmuslims #newtestament
AMI Book Review | Islam & the Challenge of Human Rights | Dr Abdulaziz Sachedina
bookReview #Islam #humanRights #abdulazizsachedina #modernity #islamstudies
AMI Book Review | Unsaying God: Negative Theology in Medieval Islam | Yaser Mirdamadi
bookReview #God #theology #islam
AMI Book Review | Contemplating the Quran | Shaykh Ahmed Saad Al-Azhari
BookReview #Quran #AhmedSaadalzhari #Islam #Islamicstudies
AMI Book Review | Durūs fī ʿilm al-Rijal | Sayed Hossein Qazwini
HosseinQazwini #Islam #Islamicstudies #bookReview
AMI Book Review | Islamic Legal Orthodoxy | Devin Stewart
bookreview #devinstewart #Islamiclaw #Islam #orthodoxy
AMI Book Review | The Emergence of Modern Shi'ism | Dr. Zackery Heern
modernshia #shiism #bookreview #zackeryheern #islam
AMI Book Review | Scripturalist Islam | Prof. Rob Gleave
bookreview #islam #robertgleave #islamstudies
AMI Book Review | Zayd | Shaykh Jaffer Ladak
Prophetmuhammad #zayd #jafferladak #History #Islam
AMI Book Review | Into the Wild | Sayyid Hussain Makke
bookreview #intothewild #hussainmakke
Authoritarian or authoritative: Resolving the Free Speech Tensions between Secular and Religious Higher Education
Professor Alison Scott-Baumann
9th Annual Contemporary Fiqhī Issues Workshop (FWS) https://www.almahdi.edu/workshop/freespeech
RS | Freedom of Thought and Expression from an Existential Perspective | Shaykh Arif Abdulhussain
9th Annual Contemporary Fiqhī Issues Workshop (FWS)
https://www.almahdi.edu/workshop/freespeech
RS | Freedom of Intellectual Expression: A Critique on the Legacy of “Books of Misguidance” | Haidar Hobballah
9th Annual Contemporary Fiqhī Issues Workshop (FWS)
https://www.almahdi.edu/workshop/freespeech
RS | Ghazālian Insights on Doctrinal Toleration and Its Implications for Notions of Freedom | Ebrahim Moosa
9th Annual Contemporary Fiqhī Issues Workshop (FWS)
https://www.almahdi.edu/workshop/freespeech
RS | Freedom of Expression and the Challenge of Hate Speech: An Islamic Perspective | Rahim Nobahar
9th Annual Contemporary Fiqhī Issues Workshop (FWS)
https://www.almahdi.edu/workshop/freespeech
RS | Free speech: opportunities and challenges for British Muslims in the UK | Miqdaad Versi
9th Annual Contemporary Fiqhī Issues Workshop (FWS)
https://www.almahdi.edu/workshop/freespeech
RS | Dangerous Definitions: On the Debate around Defining Islamophobia within the UK | Rebecca Ruth Gould
9th Annual Contemporary Fiqhī Issues Workshop (FWS)
https://www.almahdi.edu/workshop/freespeech
RS | Principles and Limits of Freedom of Expression from the Islamic Jurisprudential Perspective | Dr Reza Pourmohammadi (6 of 13)
9th Annual Contemporary Fiqhī Issues Workshop (FWS)
https://www.almahdi.edu/workshop/freespeech
Hermeneutical Implications of the Dispute between Akhbaris and Usulis on the Books of Misguidance
Professor Seyed Mohammad Fatemi
9th Annual Contemporary Fiqhī Issues Workshop (FWS)
https://www.almahdi.edu/workshop/freespeech
RS | Freedom of Expression or Freedom to Ban: Juristic Pluralism and Diversity in Islam | Liyakat Takim
9th Annual Contemporary Fiqhī Issues Workshop (FWS)
https://www.almahdi.edu/workshop/freespeech
RS | Free speech as Ethical Speech in Islam: An Anthropological Perspective | Dr Morgan Clarke & Dr Ali-Reza Bhojani
9th Annual Contemporary Fiqhī Issues Workshop (FWS)
https://www.almahdi.edu/workshop/freespeech
RS | Freedom to Believe: Reassessing the Regulations of Apostasy | Ayatollah Mohaghegh Damad
9th Annual Contemporary Fiqhī Issues Workshop (FWS)
https://www.almahdi.edu/workshop/freespeech
Free Speech & Critique of Religion in Contemporary Islam | Mohsen Kadivar (1 of 13)
9th Annual Contemporary Fiqhī Issues Workshop (FWS)
https://www.almahdi.edu/workshop/freespeech
With gender being a central theme of the discussion, Dr. Yacoob began by positioning her presentation in the milieu of gender in Islamic law, and particularly from the Hanafi School. The presentation explored the idea of intersectional identities to ask the question about how much of what is seen as gender-related law, is actually informed exclusively by gender as the identity marker. Dr. Yacoob argued that it is often other aspects of a female subject’s identity that cause certain laws to apply.
These other identity markers may include the woman’s position in a family unit, her freedom, her age and other social positions. In her closing arguments, Dr. Yacoob included the idea that viewing Islam and Islamic law, through the lens of gender, was partly a colonial imposition. The presentation resulted in a vibrant question and answer session among the virtual seminars attendees
With gender being a central theme of the discussion, Dr. Yacoob began by positioning her presentation in the milieu of gender in Islamic law, and particularly from the Hanafi School. The presentation explored the idea of intersectional identities to ask the question about how much of what is seen as gender-related law, is actually informed exclusively by gender as the identity marker. Dr. Yacoob argued that it is often other aspects of a female subject’s identity that cause certain laws to apply.
These other identity markers may include the woman’s position in a family unit, her freedom, her age and other social positions. In her closing arguments, Dr. Yacoob included the idea that viewing Islam and Islamic law, through the lens of gender, was partly a colonial imposition. The presentation resulted in a vibrant question and answer session among the virtual seminars attendees
To what extent were Islamicate societies structured around ‘racial hierarchies’? Is it fair to categorize Islam as a religion of ‘Arab supremacy’? In this paper, I explore the usefulness of deploying the concept of ‘race’ (and ‘racism’) outside the framework of European modernity.
Focusing specifically on the discursive formations surrounding ‘blackness’ in the Islamicate past, I contend that much of the literature exploring this subject in the academy has been characterized by essentialist narratives regarding racial hierarchies that lend themselves to Eurocentric readings of history.
Through the exploration of an under-studied genre of ‘Black Excellence’ literature, I attempt to unmoor these narratives. Further, I also discuss the uses and abuses of the discourses surrounding ‘Muslim racisms’, and how these arguments have been, and continue to be, deployed in debates regarding Islam, Muslims and the Islamicate. (Video part 2 of 2)
During the second research of the academic term, Dr Haroon Bashir explored race in Islamicate societies and the claim that it was structured around racial hierarchies using blackness as a case study. He posed the question as to why certain stories of anti-blackness have been produced and reproduced so widely in western literature?
Through the exploration of an under-studied genre of ‘Black Excellence’ literature, he attempted to unmoor these narratives. Haroon presented the thesis that much of the literature exploring the subject is characterised by essentialist narratives about ‘Arab supremacy’ and exclusively considering slaves as black in order to reaffirm the colonial history of the West and their troubled relations with race. In contrast to this, he argued that such rigid notions of race cannot be projected onto Islamicate society, where race was a far more fluid concept, as there are examples of being Arab being associated with the language as opposed to ethnicity. Haroon concluded the presentation by arguing that whilst studying the relationship between different tribes is necessary for understanding race relations in Islamicate societies, it is imperative to detach this study from the Eurocentric narrative.
Growing demand for the supply of halal meat in the UK and exportation means that over 70% of the meat slaughtered is halal although Muslims only make up 5% of the population. To ensure that animal welfare is cared for during the time of slaughter, EU regulations, still adhered to in the UK despite Brexit, require pre-slaughter stunning in all slaughterhouses.
This is due to the claim that effective stunning causes immediate unconsciousness meaning that an animal cannot experience any pain or distress. Nonetheless, concessions are made for Muslims and Jews allowing non-stun slaughter for religious rites; a practice that animal welfare and veterinary organisations are campaigning to outlaw.
Although much of the halal meat available in the UK has been pre-stunned, the compatibility of pre-stunning with sharia requirements for halal meat has been a point of controversy for Muslim communities.
Dr Awal Fuseini presented the new slaughter techniques used, like gas stunning for poultry and mechanical and electric stunning for larger animals and highlighted some of the problems they raise for Muslim scholars. He also explained the different methods for bleeding an animal and those that yield the greatest blood loss.
Dr Awal concluded by emphasising the need for jurists to collaborate with mainstream researchers in order to get a better understanding of new slaughter techniques before issuing informed fatwa and hoped to continue working with Al-Mahdi Institute on the topic.
Ayatullah Saanei, his work & impact on Islamic Law - Conference held at SICM (Mehfil Ali) Shaykh Dr Kumail Rajani presentation on the future of progressive thinking within the Hawza after the death of Ayatullah Saanei.
Ayatullah Saanei, his work & impact on Islamic Law - Conference held at SICM (Mehfil Ali). Dr Ali Reza Bhojani presentation on continuity and change in the interpretation of Shari'a, Ayatullah Saanei on the legal status of non-Muslims.
AMI RESEARCH SEMINAR - The Best Explanation of Karbala by Dr Ali Fanaei
Dr. Fanaei spoke about the various approaches, among Shi’i circles, to the event of Karbala and the martyrdom of Imam Hussein. The presentation opened with a critique of more traditional approaches to the event, which tend to focus on the undeniable tragic and calamitous aspects of it. Dr. Fanaei opened by suggesting that a more wholesome and beneficial appreciation would require an exploration of its positive ramifications of it.
The presentation’s main body sought to explain how various explanations for the event of Karbala, fall short in that they do not help in deriving universally applicable principles. In doing so, Dr. Fanaei’s talk problematised mythical, mystical, political and jurisprudential understandings behind the reasons of the event. Some of the mentioned endeavours to explain the event have been purported by prominent names, like Dr. Ali Shariati (political) and Ayatollah Shaheed Motahheri (jurisprudential). All of them, however, were either rebutted by the historical contexts or were insufficient explanations due to them not being universally imitable. In conclusion, Dr. Fanaei suggested that the underlying reasons behind the event of Karbala could only be explained using the moral lens; in that Imam Hussein’s uprising was necessary to uphold the moral principles of justice and dignity.
Rabbi Jeff Berger presents the concept of Sin and Human Nature in Judaism (Video part of 3 of 3).
Shaykh Ali Khaki presents the concept of Sin and Human Nature in Islam (Video part of 2 of 3).
Prof. Esther D. Reed presents the concept of Sin and Human Nature in Christianity (Video part of 1 of 3).
Panel Three: Presentation by Shaykh Riaz Walji on the creation and the environment in Islam. (Part 3 of 3)
Shaykh Riaz gave a thorough analysis of the Quranic verses on the origin and purpose of creation. He emphasised that the objective of the verses was to remind people of the majesty of God as the universe is the manifestation of God, often described as the ‘face of God’. Shaykh Riaz enumerated verses alluding to the creation in conformity with the scientific knowledge of existence such as the occurrence of the big bang and the expansion of the universe, which he supported by hadith literature. He concluded with discussions on the environmental crisis, quoting scholars who consider it to be indicative of a spiritual crisis arising from the misconception that the cosmos is lifeless unconscious matter.
Shaykh Riaz is a lecturer at Al-Mahdi Institute. He teaches Islamic philosophy and Mysticism, Theology, and Usul al Fiqh. He has an MA in Islam in Contemporary Societies at the University of Warwick and is a graduate of the Institute’s Hawza programme. He currently serves as a research assistant to the Director of the Institute, helping with educational projects and papers with contemporary relevance for Muslims.
Panel Two: Presentation by Sister Isabel Smyth on the creation and the environment in Christianity. (Part 2 of 3)
Sister Isabel focused on the Catholic perspective with an analysis of Pope Francis’ letter, Laudato si that sets out the Pope’s care for creation using the theology of creation as a motivation for believers. It reflects a change in the theology in response to changes in society, as is the ongoing process within Catholicism. The initial understanding of Genesis was that nature was created for the ease of human beings, however, due to the original sin of Adam and Eve, humans were left on earth to suffer in their sinful state. This reading had far-reaching consequences in Christianity including implications for the treatment of women. The changes in Laudato si came about as a recognition that the chapters of Genesis contained truth but were written as myths. The changes also reflect our evolving knowledge of science and cosmology.
Sister Isabel is the Scottish Catholic Bishops’ Secretary for Interfaith Relations, secretary of the West of Scotland Council of Christians and Jews and a member of the UK Churches Committee for Interreligious Relations. In 2007 she was awarded an OBE for her work in interfaith relations.
She taught for over twenty years in the religious education department of St Andrew’s College of Education and has long-standing experience in interfaith work and has served on a variety of interfaith and religious education bodies including the Churches Agency for Inter-Faith Relations in Scotland and the UK Interfaith Network.
Panel One: Presentation by Rabbi Dr Michael Hilton on the creation and the environment in Judaism (Part 1 of 3).
Rabbi Michael began by explaining that the exchange of ideas on foundational issues amongst the three faith traditions is not a novel occurrence. Whilst in the past forums like the IRS which bring together intellectuals of Christianity, Islam, and Judaism for scholarly discussions did not necessarily exist, reading and replying to the scholarly works of other faiths was not uncommon. Thus, IRS continues a tradition of debating and learning from one another. His presentation comprised of two parts; firstly, analysing texts such as the Genesis which talk about creation, and secondly, discussing texts through which duty towards creation can be understood. Whilst there is a multitude of Jewish texts that address environmental concerns, Rabbi Michael picked out four key themes: stewardship, preservation of species and prohibition of waste, pollution, and the green belt.
Currently, Michael is Rabbi Emeritus of Kol Chai, Scholar in Residence of the Liberal Jewish Synagogue London, a governor and Senior Lecturer at Leo Baeck College, and an Honorary Research Fellow at the Centre for Jewish Studies, University of Manchester. Rabbi Michael has been involved in leading interfaith weeks since 1986, mainly at the Ammerdown Centre near Bath, and is the Jewish team leader for Oxford Three Faiths Week.
He is the author of The Gospels and Rabbinic Judaism (1988), The Christian Effect on Jewish Life (1994) and Bar Mitzvah: A History (2014), detailing the origins and development of bar mitzvah (for boys) and bat mitzvah (for girls). His current research is about the influences of
Event Date: 29th May 2021
Shaykh Ladak outlined the Shia stance on Yazid and Imam al-Hussain’s rising, and that the Shia hold Yazid directly accountable for the killing of al-Hussain. He outlined the Shia theological stance towards Yazid’s status in the hereafter and justifications for why it is permitted to curse him. The practice of cursing, according to Shaykh Jafar, is a positive means of staying away from sins and should not be taken as something negative. (Video part 2 of 3).
Event Date: 29th May 2021
Shaykh Ladak outlined the Shia stance on Yazid and Imam al-Hussain’s rising, and that the Shia hold Yazid directly accountable for the killing of al-Hussain. He outlined the Shia theological stance towards Yazid’s status in the hereafter and justifications for why it is permitted to curse him. The practice of cursing, according to Shaykh Jafar, is a positive means of staying away from sins and should not be taken as something negative. (Video part 2 of 3).
Event Date: 29th May 2021
Dr Qadhi outlined the spectrum of Sunni opinions regarding Yazid’s Khilāfa & his personality, mentioning the mainstream views and the extreme positions held by Sunni Scholars. All Sunni scholars according to him condemn the killing of Imam al-Hussain, although some may not necessarily hold Yazid as being accountable for his death... (Video part 1 of 3).
The Khilafa of Imam Hassan and his abdication to Muawiya, interesting and informative Shia Sunni Panel Discussion. (Part 3 of 3 videos)
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
00:04 Dr. Muhammad Khalid
05:01 Dr. Ali-Reza Bhojani
05:23 Sayed Hassan Rizvi
06:56 Dr. Seyfeddin Kara
09:13 Shaykh Atabek Shukurov
12:53 Shaykh Umar Ramadhan
17:39 Dr. Seyfeddin Kara
20:03 Sayed Hussain Morteza (Speaks in Urdu)
24:34 Dr. Ali-Reza Bhojani (Translating for Sayed Hussain Morteza)
27:51 Shaykh Atabek Shukurov
32:58 Dr. Ali-Reza Bhojani
33:42 Sr. Fatima Agha
34:38 Dr. Seyfeddin Kara
37:49 Sayyid Jaafar Fadlallah
44:15 Dr. Fella Lahmar
50:08 Dr. Ali-Reza Bhojani
51:00 Shaykh Atabek Shukurov
54:44 Shaykh Hassanain Govani
56:24 Shaykh Atabek Shukurov
58:46 Dr. Ali-Reza Bhojani
59:41 Dr. Seyfeddin Kara
1:03:09 Shyakh Umar Ramadhan
1:05:10 Sayyid Haamid
1:07:24 Shaykh Arif Abudlhussein
1:08:54 Dr. Ali-Reza Bhojani
1:09:48 Shaykh Atabek Shukurov
1:13:00 Dr. Seyfeddin Kara
1:14:25 Dr. Ali-Reza Bhojani
The Khilafa of Imam Hassan and his abdication to Muawiya from the Sunni View presented by Shaykh Atabek Shukurov. (Part 2 of 3 videos)
The Khilafa of Imam Hassan and his abdication to Muawiya from the Shia View presented by Dr. Seyfeddin Kara. (Part 1 of 3 videos)
CIMS Discussion: Understanding the stand of Imam Ali and those who opposed him at the battle of Siffin. Shia Sunni scholars discuss various points of view. The discussion prompted further questions around the topic of Khaṭaʾ Ijtihadī (mistakes in interpretation); a notion which would see the wrongs of the companions reduced to a mere error in their judgement, whilst them still being considered worthy of reward due to their effort in the issue. This naturally led to the discussion as to whether Muawiya could be considered a rebel (bāghi), something considered a grave sin by some Muslim jurists, to which the Sunni ulema in the discussion agreed that he, and for that matter, anyone who revolted against Ali, would fall into the category of a rebel. The reverence of Muawiya amongst Sunnis was also discussed, to which some Sunni scholars present made the claim that this is a modern influence of Nasibis on the Sunni community. Syed Fadlallah wrapped up the discussion quoting Quranic verses 2:134 and 12:111, which highlight the importance of taking lessons from such events in history as opposed to it merely being a point of difference. (Part 3 of 3 videos)
Chapter:
00:00 Introduction
00:12 Question, Ahmad Kaouri
01:26 Answer, Syed Naveed Shah
06:22 Answer, Shaykh Umar Ramadhan
10:43 Comment, Syed Naveed Shah
11:57 Question & Comments, Sayyid Hamid Al-Hussainy
19:56 Comments, Dr Ali Reza Bhojani
21:37 Answer, Mufti Farukh Sab (Urdu)
24:55 Translation of Mufti Farukh by Dr Ali Reza Bhojani (English)
27:07 Comments, Syed Naveed Shah
29:07 Comments, Shaykh Umar Ramadhan
31:44 Comments, Shaykh Zahiruddin Tahir
33:36 Comments, Dr Sayyid Jaafar Fadlallah
37:18 Question, Shaykh Arif Abdulhussein
39:42 Answer, Shaykh Umar Ramadhan
42:51 Answer, Shaykh Ayman Yacoub
47:15 Comments, Dr Sayyid Jaafar Fadlallah
54:26 Comments, Shaykh Arif Abdulhussein
55:36 Conclusion Dr Ali Reza Bhojani
58:32 Shaykh Arif Abdulhussein gives tribute to Prof. Dr Ataullah Siddiqui
CIMS Discussion: Understanding the stand of Imam Ali and those who opposed him at the battle of Siffin. Shia view presentation by Dr Sayyid Jaafar Fadlallah. Syed Fadlallah presented a summary of his detailed Arabic paper on the topic. He broached the subject by looking at historical sources to deduce the motives held by Ali and Muawiya leading up to the battle. These motives are important in trying to figure out which side was in line with Islamic values. He also briefly outlined the approaches that influence one’s reading of this and for that matter any historical event. (Part 2 of 3 videos)
CIMS Discussion: Understanding the stand of Imam Ali and those who opposed him at the battle of Siffin. Sunni view presentation by Syed Naveed Shah. Syed Naveed’s presentation, which was a historical account of the events, outlined the events leading up to and including the battle of Siffin from Sunni sources. From his reading of these historical accounts, he concluded that Ali was appointed as caliph in a rightful manner and that Muawiya’s uprising against him was unjustified. (Part 1 of 3 videos)
Shaykh Arif Abdulhussain, who after acknowledging that this was a sensitive and polarising event for the Muslims, went on to ask whether it was befitting for Lady Aisha to rise up and in the process oppose the Qur’anic commands[3], in addition to rising up against a legitimate caliph. During the discussion, further questions were also raised such as whether those who rose up were considered rebels (baghi) to which Qari Zahiruddin outlined a Sunni stance that during the battle they were considered rebels, however after the battle they repented and were thus exonerated from being considered rebels. In addition to this, the question was raised as to why the fighters against the first two caliphs were considered abandoning the religion (murtad) whilst the fighters against Ali were let off so easily? Also mentioned during the discussion was how this political incident has led to theological implications, and how the Sunni may have to reconcile the notion of the companions being just & right (Adool) whilst them fighting each other? It was concluded that the event did cause tensions in the community, however, the actions of Ali ibn Abi Talib in dealing with Lady Aisha showed that he did so with utmost respect despite the far-reaching consequences of her actions. This is a learning point for us in emulating his character and learning from history.
Chapter:
00:00 Intro
00:13 Sheykh Arif Abdulhussein
07:07 Dr Amra Bone
10:40 Qari Zahirrudin Tahir
11:37 Prof. Liyakat Takim
13:18 Shaykh Umar Ramadhan
15:24 Qari Zahirrudin Tahir
17:00 Dr Ali Reza Bhojani
17:57 Qari Zahirrudin Tahir
19:43 Prof. Liyakat Takim
22:14 Shaykh Umar Ramadhan
23:29 Prof. Liyakat Takim
25:00 Sayed Hamid
32:19 Qari Zahirrudin Tahir
34:39 Dr Fella Lahmar
39:18 Dr Amina Inloes
43:30 Prof. Liyakat Takim
47:01 Sheikh Hasnain Govani
50:44 Qari Zahirrudin Tahir
53:50 Dr Mohammad Khalid
1:05:52 Dr Ali Reza Bhojani
1:07:15 Shaykh Umar Ramadhan
CIMS Presentation on the Shia perspective by Prof. Liyakat Takim on the Battle of Jamal. Professor Takim briefly recapped the historical narrative, outlined by Qari Zahiruddin, confirming that these details were largely agreed upon by both Shia and Sunni. He then went on to mention certain points raised by Shia scholars such as Lady Aisha’s attack on Basra, which resulted in many lives being lost, despite the killers of Uthman being in Medina and not in Basra. Furthermore, he mentioned the incident of the dogs barking at a place called Hawab, at which point Lady Aisha wanted to turn back as she remembered the Prophet warning his wives of the barking dogs of Hawab. However, members from her army came together and bore witness that the place they were at was not Hawab, to which some Shia scholars point out that this was a mass false testimony if not the first one in Muslim history. The battle of Jamal was a dark time for the Muslim community and it is at this point in history according to Prof. Takim that a concretised notion of identity formed in the community where the label of either a follower of Ali or a follower of Uthman came into existence. (Part 2 of 3)
CIMS Presentation on the Sunni perspective by Qari Zahirrudin Tahir at the Battle of Jamal. Quoting early historical historians such as al-Tabari, al-Baladhuri and others, Qari Zahiruddin outlined the events after the death of Uthman, the reluctance of Ali to take the office of the caliphate, and his subsequent taking of office due to insistence by the people. Despite initially giving allegiance, Talha and Zubair defected and ended up joining Lady Aisha to muster an army rallying in the name of avenging Uthman’s blood. After outlining the events leading up to the battle of Jamal, Qari went on to describe the specifics of the battle which included the retreat of Talha & Zubayr out of remorse, and their subsequent killings. The battle was eventually won by Ali, after which he sent off Lady Aisha back to Medina with dignity and respect. Citing narrations in Sunni hadith books such as Bukhari, and referencing Sunni Scholar’s views such as Shaykh Albani, Qari mentioned that Lady Aisha was in error, however, she was remorseful and repented, and this is testified by her unwillingness to be buried next to the Prophet, in addition to her silence during the remainder of her life in respect to any opposition to Imam Ali. (Part 1 of 3)
CIMS Panel discussion on The Door of Fatima: The controversy over the violation of the House of Sayyeda Fatima (as) by companions, after the death of the Prophet Muhammad (s).
CIMS Presentation on the Sunni perspective by Shaykh Umar Ramadhan on The Door of Fatima: The controversy over the violation of the House of Sayyeda Fatima (as) by companions, after the death of the Prophet Muhammad (s). (Part 2 of 3)
CIMS presentation on Shia perspective by Shaykh Vinay Khetia on 'The Door of Fatima: The controversy over the violation of the House of Sayyeda Fatima (as) by companions, after the death of the Prophet Muhammad (s)'. (Part 1 of 3)
Event date: Feb 2020
Q&A and Shia Sunni panel discussion on the topic of the relationship between Lady Fatima al-Zahra and the Khulafa after the death of the Prophet in light of the dispute over Fadak. (Part 3 of 3)
Event date: Feb 2020
Shia presentation by Shaykh Kumail Rajani on the relationship between Fatima al-Zahra and the Khulafa after the death of the Prophet in light of the dispute over Fadak. (Part 2 of 3)
Event Date: Feb 2020
Sunni presentation by Maulana Abdul Hamid Kusuri on the relationship between Lady Fatima al-Zahra and the Khulafa after the death of the Prophet in light of the dispute over Fadak. (Part 1 of 3)
Event date: Dec 2019
Early Islamic History, Saqifa and the Appointment of the First Caliph Abubakr, Shia Sunni panel discussion and Q&A. (Part 3 of 3 videos)
Event date: Dec 2019
Early Islamic History, Saqifa and the Appointment of the First Caliph Abubakr, Shia view presentation by Syed Hadi Rizvi. (Part 2 of 3 videos)
Event Date: Dec 2019
Early Islamic History, Saqifa and the Appointment of the First Caliph Abubakr, Sunni view presentation by Mufti Abdul Majeed Nadeem. (Part 1 of 3 videos)
Event Date: 14th September 2019
Amongst the points raised in the discussion was that companions not following the Prophet’s commands in providing him with paper could be taken as a failure in his mission, and thus should be dismissed as a possibility. However, this was rejected as a weak argument as the disobedience of a people is not an indication of success or indeed a failure of prophets or for that matter God. Of the more interesting points raised during the discussion was the acknowledgement by certain Sunni scholars that the Prophet had indeed wanted Ali to be the successor, however since this was a communal matter, it was up to the community to decide ultimately i.e., the Prophet’s words were just advice and not binding. (video part 4 of 4)
Event Date: 14th September 2019
Shaykh Mahmood using the Quran and hadith critiqued arguments used to justify the actions of the companions who denied the Prophet’s request in writing something down on his deathbed. He then went on to conclude, evidenced by hadith, that the Prophet had indeed wanted to write a will and that the will was in regard to his successor being Ali. (part 3 of 4)
Event Date: 23rd March 2019
Was the Prophet denied a chance to record a last testament before his death by his own companions? The issue of qirtas, refers to the incident at the end of the Prophet’s life when he asked his companions for a pen and paper to record something but was refused, which has been an ideological dividing line for the Shia and the Ahl al-Sunna. Shia scholars maintain that the Prophet wished to write down the successorship of Imam Ali whilst Sunni scholars refute this understanding. (2 of 4)
Event Date: 23rd March 2019
Shaykh Umar Ramadhan argued that although there are solitary narrations the Prophet wanted to record something, it was not related to succession. He reasoned that the issue of succession is so great that the Prophet would have insisted because it would have been his duty to convey the message. However, according to the narration when the Prophet asked for a pen and paper Umar ibn Khattab said that he was unwell and that the book of God is sufficient guidance. When his companions began arguing the Prophet said it was not appropriate for them to raise their voices and ordered them to leave. If he wanted to write something so fundamental to the wellbeing of the Muslim Ummah, he would have corrected Umar ibn Khattab as he had done on previous occasions and persisted. Thus, the Prophet wanted to convey something personal, and not something which had been revealed to him regarding the leadership after him. The final revelation of the verses of the Quran which occurred a few days prior to the incident stating, ‘We have not missed anything from the book’, supports this view and provide a justification as to why Umar ibn Khattab insisted that the book of God is enough. (1 of 4)
Program date: 19th January 2019
The succession of the Prophet and the event of Ghadeer, Shia Sunni Panel Discussion. (Part 3 of 3 videos)
Program date: 19th January 2019
The succession of the Prophet and the event of Ghadeer, Shia View Shaykh Ayub Rashid. (Part 2 of 3 videos)
Program date: 19th January 2019
The succession of the Prophet and the event of Ghadeer, Sunni View Shaykh Ayman Yacoub. (Part 1 of 3 videos)
Program date: 17th March 2018
‘Tawassul (Intermediation) in the light of the Islamic Tenet of the Sole Authority of God’, Shia Sunni debate. (Part 3 of 3)
Program date: 17th March 2018
‘Tawassul (Intermediation) in the light of the Islamic Tenet of the Sole Authority of God’, Shia view presented by Shaykh Arif Abudlhussain (Part 2 of 3)
Program date: 17th March 2018
‘Tawassul (Intermediation) in the light of the Islamic Tenet of the Sole Authority of God’ Sunni view presented by Dr. Khuram Bashir. (Part 1 of 3)
Event Date: 16th December 2017
Dr Mohammed Khalid concluded with the following statements;
🟢Theologically, the Sunni and Shia schools of thought have a similar notion of tawhid. There may be differences in the terms used in describing Tawhid, however, the differences do not make a difference to the essence of the oneness of God’
🟢The concepts of Tawassul and Sha’faa are not contradictory to the notion of tawhid. They are just a means of gaining the nearness of God.
🟢It was also concluded that a further discussion on Tawassul and Shaf’aa according to the Sunni and Shia perspectives is required, to allow for an in-depth discussion on these topics for the benefit of all scholars. (Video part 2 of 2)
Event Date: 16th December 2017
Shaykh Muhammad Reza Tajri presented from the Shia perspective and discussed the variety of interpretations of Tawhid.
🟢He discussed the concept of Tawhid in its essence the Essence, attributes and also the actions of God using popular sources such as the sermons of Imam Ali (as) from Nahjul Balagha.
🟢He also explained the meaning of tawassul (a physical action) and shafa’a (a theological notion) and their permissibility and invalidity, respective of the concept of
🟢Tawhid within the Shia school of thought.
🟢It was concluded that these actions (tawassul and shafa’a) did not go against the notion of Tawhid. (Video part 1 of 2)
Event Date: 1st of April 2017
It was concluded that regarding the fundamentals of faith, despite minor differences, there was an overwhelming overlap between the Shia and Sunni regarding the fundamentals of the faith. (video part 3 of 3)
Event Date: 1st of April 2017
Shaykh Arif’s presentation saw him divide the fundamental beliefs into two parts;
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the primary (usūl awwaliyya) beliefs, subscribing to which one can be considered a Muslim,
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and secondary beliefs (usūl thānawiyya), belief in which would consider one a Shia.
The primary being belief in the oneness of God (tawḥīd), Prophethood (nubuwwa) and the day of judgement (qiyāma) whilst the secondary being belief in the justice of God (ʿAdl) and in the Imams (Imāma). He also outlined the differences amongst the Imami scholars regarding these divisions. (Video part 2 of 3)
Event Date: 1st of April 2017
At the core of Shaykh Abdul Hadi Al-Omri's presentation regarding the fundamental articles were the belief in one God (tawḥīd) and prophethood of Muhammad (SAW) (nubuwwa).
This is rooted in a lengthy narration in which the Prophet is asked what islām and īmān are, to which he replies Islam is;
a) belief in one God
b) belief in the prophethood of Muhammad
c) establishing prayers
d) paying the zakat
e) fasting in Ramadhan and
f) carrying out the Hajj
whilst Iman is;
a) belief in Allah
b) his angels
c) his messengers
d) books
e) day of judgement
f) predestination.
Building on this as his framework and considering Islam and Iman as being synonymous, he cited several verses to establish belief in all the above as being fundamental in being considered a Muslim. (Video part 1 of 3)
Event Date: 28th January 2017
Of the questions raised in the discussion was the narration found in Shia hadith works “all the companions committed apostasy (irtadū) except three” to which Sayed Qazwini responded by rejecting this narration based on the lack of chain, in addition to it being logically impossible that only four companions out of the thousands remained on the faith. It was also evident from the discussions that the Shia narrative is one that is over-critical to the Sahaba perhaps due to a reactionary outlook to the Sunni narrative. . Some Shia scholars did however raise that, although the ṣahāba need to be seen in terms of their human capacity, there is a general lack of knowledge amongst the lay Shia about the various companions of the Prophet and their services to Islam. The notion of ʿadūl (trustworthiness) of the companions was also further discussed where it became evident that the term used in the presentation was in reference to the moral integrity of the companions whilst the technical term in this discussion is about the trustworthiness of the companions in narrating hadith (See CIMS discussion on this from Sunni perspective - Link below). This led naturally to the topic of cursing the companions – to which the Shia and Sunni scholars present agreed that cursing and abusing of the companions is categorically wrong, and whilst critiquing the companions’ actions does not amount to cursing, it should only ever be done in a respectful manner. (Video part 2 of 2)
chapters
0:00 introduction
0:05 Dr Mohammad Khalid
03:44 Sayed Hossein Qazwini
06:15 Shaykh Arif Abdulhussain
11:49 Sayed Hossein Qazwini
18:10 Shaykh Arif Abdulhussain
20:01 Shaykh Umar Ramadhan
23:55 Dr Mohammad Khalid
28:43 Sayed Hossein Qazwini
30:12 Dr Mohammad Khalid
31:21 Shaykh Mohammad Sajjad
33:32 Dr Wahid
37:04 Shaykh Nuru Mohammed
41:32 Sayed Hossein Qazwini
46:08 Dr Mohammad Khalid
48:06 Shaykh Abu Jaffar
49:42 Sayed Hossein Qazwini
52:05 Dr Mohammad Khalid
52:46 Dr Wahid
54:14 Dr Mohammad Khalid
55:10 Shaykh Ayman Yacoubi
1:00:31 Sayed Hossein Qazwini
1:02:59 Dr Ali-Reza Bhojani
1:05:04 Shaykh Mahmood Khattab Fawzy
1:13:18 Maulana Ayaaz Ahmad Ghulam Nabi
1:14:54 Sayed Hossein Qazwini
1:23:11 Dr Mohammad Khalid
1:24:42 Hafeez Idrees
1:28:06 Sayed Hossein Qazwini
1:31:42 Mix discussion
Event Date: 28th January 2017
Sayed Hossein Qazwini's main argument was that the ṣahāba hold a high status and are praised in the Quran, that praise is conditional upon their obedience to the Prophet. Furthermore, the existence of criticism of some ṣahāba in the Quran is further evidence that there is no basis to consider them free from scrutiny. (Video part 1 of 2)
Event Date: 13th June 2015
Shia Sunni scholar panel discussion, the Concept of Sahabah & Adalah Ahle Sunnah Perspective (Video part 2 of 2).
Event Date: 13th June 2015
Maulana Abdul Hamid Kusuri presents, The Concept of Sahabah & Adalah Ahle Sunnah Perspective (Video part 1 of 2).
Event date: 24th Sept 2021
Of the various points raised, was the implication of the Shia belief in ismah is the raising the Imam’s ismah above that of the Prophet. This is because if the Prophet were to make a mistake he would be guided by revelation, whereas the Imam would be guided without revelation, elevating the imams status above the Prophet. The scholars present echoed the Shia belief that the final Prophet is of the highest standard, in both the worship and in ismah. (Video part 3 of 3)
Event date: 24th Sept 2021
Professor Mohammad Ghari Seyed Fatemi outlined the mainstream Shia belief of ismah according to classical theologians as being the Prophet & Imams being protected from mistakes, sins, or anything that would make them be worthy of blame. Amongst the different opinions amongst Shia theologians, Sayed pointed that a minority believe the Prophet (and by priority the Imams) having the possibility of forgetting. He then went on to highlight the arguments used by the Shia theologians; that if the Imam is not infallible it would result in infinite regress. This is because if the Imam is not infallible the follower would have to find someone else who doesn’t make mistakes in religious affairs to be a point of emulation. This would continue until infinity or it would need to stop somewhere – and for the Shia it is the Imam who is the perfect guide and free from mistakes and sin (at the very least in terms of religious affairs). The Sayed also went on to briefly explain his own understanding of the scope of ismah. (Video part 2 of 3).
Event date: 24th Sept 2016
Ayatollah Mostafa Mohaghegh Damad’s main argument for the necessity of an Imam was premised primarily on a mystical reading of Shia Islam. This view holds that there is a need for a divine connection between God and Man which is fulfilled by the perfect man (al-insan al-kamil) which in this case is the Imam. Mohaghegh’s detailed discussion revolved around the Qur’anic verse 2.30 “When your Lord said to the angels, ‘Indeed I am going to set a viceroy (khalifa) on the earth”. The verse uses the term ‘Ja’il’ translated as ‘going to set’, however, the Arabic verb is in its continuous present tense indicative of an everlasting act i.e., God will always set up an Imam.
Furthermore, the verse continuing from it evidences the superiority of this viceroy based on knowledge and not shedding bled, something characteristic of the perfect man or Imam in this case. Furthermore, verse 2:124 where Prophet Ibrahim is told ‘I am making you the Imam of mankind’ alludes to a dual responsibility of Prophets – one of conveying the message (risala) and one of Imama. For the Shia whilst the message is completed with the final Prophet, there still is a link between the Divine and creation via means of the Imam. (Video is part 1 of 3)
0:00 Introduction
0:10 Ayatollah Mohaghegh Daman presentation in Arabic
16:44 Shaykh Arif Abdullhussain English summary of above presentation.
Event date: 27 February 2016
From amongst the discussions, a number of issues emerged that offer genuine ground for unity despite the differences between the two positions of Ahl al-Sunnah and al-Shia.
– Despite his differences of opinion, Imam Ali ultimately accepted the situation as it unfolded after the passing of the Prophet, offering his cooperation, support and help to the Caliphs.
– This offer of Imam Ali was for the broader sake of religion and the general interests of the Ummah. Imam Ali’s perseverance for the sake of unity was identified as arguably one of his greatest virtues. The need to adopt this spirit in the modern era was agreed upon by all.
– Imam Ali is accepted as imam and Khalifah al-Rashid by Ahl al-Sunnah, offering a further basis for unity and harmony despite the diversity within the Ummah. (Part 3 of 3)
Event date: 27 February 2016
Shaykh Mohammad Sajjad presents the Ahl al-Sunnah view that the Prophet never appointed anyone explicitly as his successor and left the matter to the community, and the best among them should be appointed as the leader of the Ummah. It was acknowledged that Sunni historical accounts of Saqifa have been understood in ways that can challenge this mainstream position of Ahl-al Sunnah. Shia scholars of thought agreed that the appointment at Saqifa was not an election nor was it democratic; some members of the Ahl al-Sunnah also accepted this. (Part 2 of 3)
Event date: 27 February 2016
Shaykh Kumail Rajani presents the stance of the Shia school of thought, Imam Ali was appointed as the successor by the Prophet to lead the Ummah after him. The conventional approach of Shi’a scholars to justify this position is to argue that numerous texts from the Quran and Sunnah, either directly or indirectly, indicate Imam Ali’s successorship. This evidence is found extensively in Sunni sources, however, it was acknowledged that as individual evidence the meaning and implication of each of these texts has been challenged. Accordingly, a non-conventional Shi’a approach was introduced that argued for a holistic approach to the evidence. This approach argues that reading all the relevant texts alongside agreed historical information, cumulatively, identifies that Imam Ali was intended as the successor to the Prophet. (Part 1 of 3)
Event held on: 5th of October 2015
‘Who are the Ahlul Bayt?’ Shia Sunni Panel Discussion Part 2 of 2. Some of the points of discussion from the presentation and Q&A were; ✔️According to the madhhab of Ahl al-sunnah, Ahl al-Bayt is a great institution and source of guidance as expounded by the Quran and sunnah of the Holy Prophet.
✔️The wives of the Holy Prophet are also part of the institution of Ahl al-Bayt being as the direct misdaq of the address of the Quran in sura al-Ahzab in the context as has been dealt with.
✔️The Holy Prophet also declared 4 people known as Ahl al-kisa as the members of Ahl al-Bayt in his numerous ahadith on important occasions. ✔️According to some ahadith prohibiting sadaqah, some other people of Banu Hashim such as Al-Abbas, Al Jafar, Al Aqil, Al Muttalib are also made the part of Ahl al-Bayt, but this view is not grounded within Ahl al-Sunnah.
✔️According to Ahl al-Sunnah, the members of Ahl al-Bayt are highly honoured but they are not Masum. (Part 4 of 4)
Event held on: 3rd of October 2015
‘Who are the Ahlul Bayt?’ Shia Sunni Panel Discussion Part 1 of 2.
Some of the points of discussion from the presentation and Q&A were;
✔️The wives of the prophet are considered to be part of the ‘Ahlul Bayt’ in a more general meaning of the term, whereas the more specific meaning of the term is limited to the five, and this is backed by the different narrations e.g. the event of Mubahila.
✔️ Both Shia and Sunni accept the Ahlul Bayt as role models and sources of guidance.
✔️ According to the Shia school of thought, insulting and use of derogatory language about the wives of the Prophet is strongly prohibited and is against the teachings of the Imams e.g. Imam Ali (a.s) who respected and maintained the honour of the wife of the Prophet even after she stood up against him in the battle of Jamal.
✔️The Shia’s unanimously agree that exaggerating (ghulluw) of the status of the Imams is unlawful, and the Imams are below the Prophet in station.
Event held on: 5th of October 2015
‘Who are the Ahlul Bayt?’
The Sunni view was presented by Mufti Mohammad Farooq Alvi (A grand mufti and imam and khatib of the jami masjid Spark brook Birmingham) who presented his research in the stance of Ahl al-Sunnah pertaining to the Institution of Ahl al-Bayt.
0:00 Introduction
0:10 Urdu presentation by Mufti Farooq Alvi
27:11 English summary of above presentation by Shaykh Arif Abdulhussain
Event held on: 3rd of October 2015
‘Who are the Ahlul Bayt?’
Some of the Shia points of the discussion presented by Shaykh Mohammed Abu Ja’far.
✔️The wives of the prophet are considered to be part of the ‘Ahlul Bayt’ in a more general meaning of the term, whereas the more specific meaning of the term is limited to the five, and this is backed by the different narrations e.g. the event of Mubahila.
✔️Both Shia and Sunni accept the Ahlul Bayt as role models and sources of guidance.
Meeting date: 13th June 2015
CIMS Discussion: Shia and Sunni discussion about the concept of Sunnah from the two various perspectives.
(Part 3 of 3 videos)
Meeting date: 13th June 2015
CIMS Discussion: Shaykh Mohammad Bahmanpour presents "The concept of Sunnah in the light of Shia view". Shaykh Bahmanpour provides a definition of the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (s) as his words, his practice, and his tacit approval of acts of others. There is a difference between social norms and etiquettes that the Prophet followed as the cultural norms to that era and the Sunnah that he laid out for his community forever.
Then the Shaykh discussed the path to the Sunnah of the Prophet (s);
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The companions
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The Imam of Ahlul Bayt (as) The Shia accept both sources as valid and reliable, however, the path to the companions can be unreliable. Then there is the question of who counts as a companion of Prophet Muhammad (s)? The Shaykh discusses the reasons why the Shia do not reply on the hadith books compiled in the second and third century attributing traditions to the companions for several reasons. The Shaykh then discussed the Shia path to the Sunnah and its various aspects. (Part 2 of 3 videos)
Meeting date: 13th June 2015
The Sunni perspective presented by Maulana Abdul Hamid Kusuri. (Part 1 of 3 videos) “The Sunnah of the Prophet is the second main source of guidance after the holy Qur'an for the Ahle-Sunnah. Following the Sunnah involves following the Qawl (sayings), fi'il (actions) and taqreer (approval) of the acts of others in hadith terminology."
Event date: 18th April 2015
The discussion ended with an interactive Q&A session allowing all scholars and attendees present to take part and iron out any issues or concerns they may have had.
In conclusion, the scholars all accepted and agreed on the following statements;
– Taqiyyah and Ikrah are synonymous terms from the same origin and are denoted by the Quran on an equal basis.
– Taqiyyah is not a new invention in Shi’ism and its terminology is derived from the holy Qur’an making it justifiable in Islam.
– Taqiyyah can only be practised in genuine life or death circumstances similar to Idtirar and anything relating to worldly benefits is strictly forbidden and deceptive.
– The ulama of both schools of thought have to educate their communities about the true concept and application of Taqiyyah to dissipate the misconceptions around the issue. (Part 3 or 3)
Event date: 18th April 2015
Shaykh Abdul Hadi al-Omri presented the Quranic concept of Idtirar and Ikrah (extraneous circumstances) based on the teachings of the Sunni school of thought. He explored the state of idtirar (helplessness) and its applications and conditions concerning human life. And, ended by also admitting of the misuse of this Quranic principle by the people of various Hiyal (tricks) for the sake of their worldly desires. (Part 2 or 3)
Event date: 18th April 2015
In his presentation, Shaykh Ayub Rashid examined the concept of Taqiyyah from the perspective of the Shi’i school of thought by using the Holy Qur’an, the Prophet’s sunnah, and hadith to illustrate to shed light on the topic. He explained that taqiyyah was not a new invention, rather it dates back to the time of the Holy Prophet and has a direct link with specific verses of the Holy Qur’an i.e. Sura al Imran (3: 28) and Sura al-Nahl (16:106); where a believer is permitted to conceal his real faith and utter something which contradicts his faith for the sake of his own life or the people around him. He explained that Taqiyyah was used as the shield from the severe persecution of Shias at the hands of the Umayyad and Abbasid rulers. He also acknowledged that the notion of Taqiyyah has been misused by the people inclined to their vested interests which have caused a lot of misunderstandings but have no concern with the proper teachings of the Shia Imamiyah school of thought. (Video Part 1 of 3)
Event date: 31st January 2015
Finally, the Shia Sunni panel discussion about holy Quran concluded with an interactive Q&A session allowing the audience to input their knowledge and ask the scholars their questions.
Event date: 31st January 2015
Quran: In the Light of Sunni and Shia Perspectives Shia presentation by AMI’s Shaykh Arif Abdulhussain elaborated on the divine credibility of the Quran; which has maintained its authenticity since its revelation onto the holy Prophet. He also shed light on the narrations regarding the completion and compilation of the Holy Quran to clear any related misunderstandings.
Event date: 31st January 2015
The first presentation by Hafiz Mohammad Saeed (Imam of the Islamic Centre, Handsworth Birmingham) validated the authenticity of the revelation of the Quran and refuted the allegations and misconceptions regarding the revelation and compilation of the Quran emanating from certain traditions.
Chapter:
0:00 Intro
0:18 Urdu presentation - Hafiz Mohammad Saeed
29:28 English summary - Shaykh Arif Abdulhussain