A Muslim Convert Once More

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ   The following is adapted and extracted from “ Biographies of Some of the Aswhab al-Wujuh in the Shafi’i Madzhab .”   The Aswhab al-Wujuh are the scholars who developed and transmitted the Shafi’i madzhab from the time of the immediate students of Imam Abu ‘Abdullah Muhammad ibn Idris ash-Shafi’i ( r.a. ), circa 200 AH, to the time of Imam Abu Hamid Muhammad ibn Muhammad al-Ghazali ( r.a. ), circa 500 AH.   Thereafter there was a pressing need for recension of all this development into a single body of work.   This task was met by Imam Abu al-Qasim ‘Abd al-Karim ibn Muhammad ar-Rafi’i ( r.a. ) and Imam Abu Zakariya Yahya ibn Sharaf an-Nawawi ( r.a. ), who became known as the Shaykhayn in the madzhab .   Imam Abu Ishaq Ibrahim ibn ‘Ali ash-Shirazi al-Fayruzabadi ( r.a. ) was born in Fayruzabad, Iran, in 393 AH, where he grew up.   He then travelled to Shiraz, where he began learning fiqh .   He later travel...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ   Shaykh ‘Utsman Nuri Tufbas wrote, in “Islam, Spirit & Form”, Allah ( s.w.t. ) has Ordained five stages for human life.   The first stage is the realm of souls; the second is the period spent in the mother’s womb; the third stage is the temporal life in this world; the fourth stage is the period spent in the intermediate stage and the grave; the fifth stage is the Hereafter and eternal life either in Heaven or in Hell.   The temporal life was Granted to mankind as a test: Salvation and eternal happiness depend upon deeds and conduct of humankind in this temporal life.   Belief in the Hereafter is one of the principles of six articles of faith enabling men to become aware of the fact that there is a Reward or a Punishment in return for these deeds and acts and thus men have responsibilities during this temporal life.   Important significance was attributed to the belief in the Hereafter to the extent that it is Menti...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ   The following is my answer to a Quora question: “ Is the Trinity Illogical?   It is important to understand how a thing is defined within its context before considering it logical or illogical.   The word “Trinity” come from the Latin word, “ trinitas ” , which means “three”, or “triad”.   The Greek equivalent is “ triados ” .   The first surviving use of the term was around 170 CE by Theophilus of Antioch, who wrote in his second letter to his friend Autolycus, “In like manner also the three days which were before the luminaries, are types of the Trinity, of God, and His Word, and His wisdom.   And the fourth is the type of man, who needs light, that so there may be God, the Word, wisdom, man.”   The Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church explains the Trinity thus: “The Church expresses her Trinitarian faith by professing a belief in the Oneness of God in whom there are three Persons: Father, S...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ   Imam Abu al-Faraj ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn ‘Ali ibn al-Jawzy (r.a.) wrote, in Thib ar-Ruhani , that anger is heat that spreads when something provokes one’s anger, it makes the blood of desire boil to take revenge, and may even cause a fever.   The main reason for anger is usually arrogance, for a person is never angry at anyone who is higher than him.   That said, the cure for this is that the angry person changes his state; if he is talking, he should be silent, if he is standing, he should sit, and if he is sitting, he should lie down, so that he may calm down.   If he leaves the place immediately and leaves the one he is angry at, it would be better.   He should also reflect on the excellence of repressing anger, for Allah ( s.w.t. ) has praised those who repress anger.   He Says:   سُوۡرَةُ آل عِمرَان ... وَٱلۡڪَـٰظِمِينَ ٱلۡغَيۡظَ وَٱلۡعَافِينَ عَنِ ٱلنَّاسِ‌ۗ ... (١٣٤)   … who restrain anger and par...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ Mawlana Wafi’ Muhammad said every human being is a link in the human chain which began with the coming of Adam and Eve on Earth.   As a link in this important chain, man is required to keep two things in mind, one is regarding what he is sending before him, and the other is what he is leaving behind.   In this connection, Allah ( s.w.t. ) Says:   سُوۡرَةُ الحَشر … وَلۡتَنظُرۡ نَفۡسٌ۬ مَّا قَدَّمَتۡ لِغَدٍ۬‌ۖ … ( ١٨ )   … and let every soul look to what (provision) he has sent forth for the morrow. ... (Surah al-Hashr:18)   One way of developing a strong link in the chain is to leave behind things that will continue to benefit us even though we are no longer physically alive in this world.   We can achieve this by leaving those of our relatives and friends who pray for our forgiveness and well-being in Barzakh and in the Hereafter.   Allah ( s.w.t. ) Taught the believers to pray as follows:   سُوۡ...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ   The following is adapted and extracted from “ Biographies of Some of the Aswhab al-Wujuh in the Shafi’i Madzhab .”   The Aswhab al-Wujuh are the scholars who developed and transmitted the Shafi’i madzhab from the time of the immediate students of Imam Abu ‘Abdullah Muhammad ibn Idris ash-Shafi’i ( r.a. ), circa 200 AH, to the time of Imam Abu Hamid Muhammad ibn Muhammad al-Ghazali ( r.a. ), circa 500 AH.   Thereafter there was a pressing need for recension of all this development into a single body of work.   This task was met by Imam Abu al-Qasim ‘Abd al-Karim ibn Muhammad ar-Rafi’i ( r.a. ) and Imam Abu Zakariya Yahya ibn Sharaf an-Nawawi ( r.a. ), who became known as the Shaykhayn in the madzhab .   The first of these Aswhab al-Wujuh was Imam Abu Ya’qub Yusuf ibn Yahya al-Buwayti ( r.a. ).   He was the successor the Imam ash-Shafi’i ( r.a. ), and accounted his greatest student.   Those who knew him de...