Shaykh ʿAbd al-Raḥmān al-Kattānī the Legend of Morocco “I am from the partisans of Ḥadīth, and they are the best of parties. I have passed the age of ninety, and I hope to pass a hundred.”[1] -Abū Ṭāhir al-Silafī (d. 576 AH) [Note: This article is being reposted after receiving news of the tragic passing of our dear Shaykh ʿAbd al-Raḥmān al-Kattānī on December 5, 2022. May Allah elevate his...
The Life and Thought of Imām Zāhid al-Kawtharī
The Life and Thought of Imām Zāhid al-Kawtharī By Muntasir Zaman “What cosmic soul is imprisoned in that human body?” mused the learned Abū Zahrah (d. 1974) in utter admiration—indeed, “it is the soul of al-Kawtharī!” he proclaimed. [1] In recent memory, relatively few scholars have managed to synthesize expertise in, not merely acquaintance with, the vast majority of Islamic sciences. Shaykh...
A Student’s Guide to Essential Works on Qur’ānic Exegesis
A Student’s Guide to Essential Works on Qur’ānic Exegesis By Mawlānā Yūsuf al-Bannūrī Translator’s Preface Before you is an excerpt from “Yatīmat al-Bayān,” a forward by the critical hadith scholar Mawlānā Yūsuf al-Bannūrī (d. 1397 AH) to “Mushkilāt al-Qur’ān” which is a compilation of exegetical notes by ‘Allāmah Anwar Shāh al-Kashmīrī (d. 1352 AH). In this excerpt, Mawlānā Yūsuf al-Bannūrī...
Book Review: “An Introduction to the Disciplines of the Noble Hadīth” by Mufti Abdul Mālik al-Kumillā’ī
Book Review: “An Introduction to the Disciplines of the Noble Hadīth” Author: Mufti Abdul Mālik al-Kumillā’ī By Muntasir Zamān Being the second source of Islāmic law, the blessed hadīths of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) hold a lofty position in the hearts of Muslims. The science of hadīth is extremely vast and requires strenuous effort to familiarize oneself with even...
A Chronological List of Prominent Hanafi Jurists – Arabic
جَدوَل لأسماء أعلام الفقهاء الحنفية ومواليدهم ووفياتهم مع ذكر بعض مؤلفاتهم لا يشك من له أدني إلمام بالعلم أن معرفة مواليد ووفيات الأعلام لها أهمية خاصة للباحث، وهذا لأسباب عديدة. منها أنها تعين الباحث على تعيين المراد باسم علم أو عنوان كتاب، وتحفظه من الأخطاء البينة من هذا القبيل. فإنه قد يتفق أن لكتابين عنوانا واحدا أو لعلمين اسما واحدا – مما يكون سببا للإختلاط على المبتدئ – مع أن الكتابين ألّفا...
A Chronological List of Prominent Hanafi Jurists – English
A Chronological List of Prominent Hanafi Jurists The importance of knowing the dates of birth/death of the scholars cannot be stressed enough. For one, it saves a researcher from obvious blunders and inaccurate referencing. Many a times, several scholars or books share the same name but are from entirely different eras. Thus, when a scholar like Ibn ‘Ābidīn quotes “al-Lubāb,” for example, it is...
A Diamond Among Rocks: Nisāb Al-Ihtisāb (The Manual of Al-Ihtisāb)
A Diamond Among Rocks: Nisāb Al-Ihtisāb (The Manual of Al-Ihtisāb) Among the many contributions of Islām which Muslims have rightfully boasted of through the ages has undoubtedly been its contribution in\ the line of academia. The very first revelation to the Messenger of Allāh (peace and blessings be upon him) bears first hand testimony to this fact. From the intricacies of language to the...
Is Giving a Lecture Before Jumu’a an Innovation?
Translator’s Preface It has become a norm in our era to label acceptable practices in religion as innovations. Unfortunately, our Masājid have become arenas of disputation and debate; luminaries and high-ranking Islamic scholars are branded as innovators. Many issues that have a legitimate basis in religion are rejected under the pretext that they are innovations not found in the early era of...
Every Rose Has its Thorns: Abū Bakr al-Jassās and the Influence of the Mu‘tazila
Every Rose Has its Thorns: Abū Bakr al-Jassās al-Rāzī and the Influence of the Mu‘tazila By Muntasir Zaman The proverbial statement of Imām Mālik, “The opinion of every person is subject to acceptance and rejection except the occupant of this grave [i.e. the Messenger of Allāh, may peace and blessings be upon him]”[1] is important to bear in mind when appraising Muslim personalities. From its...