An Overview of Hanbali Terms, Scholar & Works By Shaykh Ali bin Muhmmad Al-Hindi
Imam Sa’eed bin Al-Musayyab: Biography
The illustrious women from the first generation by Imam adh-Dhahabi and Ibn Hajar al Asqalani
What’s New
The Calcutta Madrasa and the Linguistic Problem of Muslim Education in Bengal
by Adnan Mahmud In 1919, the Calcutta University Commission (the Sadler Commission) paused in the middle of its sprawling survey of Bengali higher education to issue a quietly devastating verdict on a decision made sixty-two years earlier. Had the Calcutta Madrasa been incorporated into the new Calcutta University at its…
In Focus
Featured Book Review:
Beyond Timbuktu: An Intellectual History of Muslim West Africa.
“Islamic West Africa has enjoyed a rich tradition of learning since its earliest encounters with Islam. Kane (2016, p. 18) “traces the development of Islamic education” in the chapter titled The Growth and Political Economy of Islamic Scholarship in Bilad al-Sudan. This section highlights how African scholars established educational institutions comparable to other universities in the Muslim world. Kane references numerous writers, historians, travelers, geographers, and poets, including Abd Allah Abd al-Aziz al-Bakri (d. 1094), author of Kitab al-Masalik wa’l-Mamalik (The Book of Routes and Realms). He also mentions the Muslim African poet Al-Kanami, who composed the following lines in praise of the Almohad ruler Ya’qub al-Mansur:
“He removed his veil but my eyes, out of awe, saw him through a veil; his favour drew me near but being near, out of awe, I found myself distant…”
In Review
Ahmed ibn Hanbal
Review by Abdul Hai Writing a historical biography of any significant figure is always challenging, particularly when it concerns a figure like Imam Ahmed ibn Hanbal. Several challenges arise when…Podcast: Chat With Matthew Carr. Blood and Faith: The Purging of Muslim Spain, 1492-1614
Blood and Faith: The Purging of Muslim Spain, 1492-1614 Join me, your host Abdul Hai, as we dive into the gripping story of the Muslims of Spain and their fate…
The Literarium
OUT NOW!!
This issue of xplores how faith, history, and identity shape our understanding of the modern world. It ranges from Why History Matters? and the revival of faith through historical awareness, to Abdelwahab El-Messiri’s Encyclopedia of Jews, Judaism and Zionism, encouraging readers to engage with deeper intellectual traditions. It also highlights lesser-known histories in Did You Know that Muslims Were the First Code-Breakers in History?, alongside British Muslims in the Neoliberal Empire, which reflects on identity and belonging today. Bringing together history, scholarship, and contemporary reflection, this issue offers a thought-provoking collection for anyone interested in how the past informs the present. Download it to explore further.
Other Word: An International Journal of Creative Writing
Volume 3 Issue 1
In a world saturated with daily horrors, moments of courage and compassion stand out. This issue celebrates those who act with conscience and bravery, from historic resistance to the contemporary flotillas to Gaza. Through powerful stories and poetry, Other Word inspires readers to reflect, awaken, and nurture the values that build a more just and humane world.
ILS Digest.
Discover Issue 1, Volume 2 of the ILS Digest, where history, culture, and heroism come alive. Journey through the global struggles faced by Muslims, experience the elegance of archery of Islamic traditions, and uncover the inspiring story of a legendary Bangladeshi hero who became a symbol of courage. This volume weaves the past and present into a compelling story you won’t forget.
Articles
“The Road to Mecca by Muhammad Asad (1900–1992) and Desert Encounter by Knud Valdemar Gylding Holmboe (1902–1931) are the works of two such passionate and ambitious young Europeans who traveled across the Muslim world. Both men, converts to Islam as well as established authors, documented their journeys in detail, describing the people, landscapes, and political atmospheres they encountered”
Essay
Share your ideas and insights with a wider audience. The Islamic Literary Society is thrilled to offer an upcoming platform for scholars and thinkers to publish their work. This is your opportunity to contribute to a vibrant intellectual community, exchange ideas, and showcase your research. Stay tuned for more details—your work deserves to be seen!
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The Islamic Literary Society app is here!!
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