Reviewed by Abdul Hai Professor George Makdisi, in his article “The Significance of the Sunni Schools of Law in Islamic Religious History,” observes that “one of the more interesting phenomena in Islamic religious history is the development of the schools of law.” This observation is indeed correct. The development of Islamic legal scholarship brought about…
Review by Abdul Hai أُولَئِكَ آبَائِي فَجِئْنِي بِمِثْلِهِمْ إِذَا جَمَعَتْنَا يَا جَرِيرُ الْمَجَامِعُ”- الفرزدق” There is a well-known prophetic tradition in which the Holy Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said:“The best people are those of my generation, then those who come after them, and then those who come after them.” For…
Reviewed by Abdul Hai In the contemporary global landscape, the term “madrasah” has become a lightning rod for political debate and cultural war, often reduced to a caricature of religious isolationism, anti-process or, more darkly, a breeding ground for radicalism. Since the events of 9/11, Western policymakers have frequently viewed these traditional Islamic institutions through…
By Abdul Hai Introduction The term al-Waṣiyya (الوصيّة) conveys the meaning of ‘to counsel, advise, and provide final guidance’ and is derived from the Arabic triliteral root w–ṣ–y (و–ص–ي) . In al-Qāmūs al-Muḥīṭ (القاموس المحيط) Imām al-Fīrūzābādī defines w–ṣ–y as: “وأوصاه ووصّاه صفاتها: عهد إليها‘Awsāhu and wassāhu (he gave him a tawṣiya): he entrusted or…
Reviewed By Abdul Hai Katerina Brac is a collection of short poems by Christopher John Reid, a British poet, essayist, cartoonist, and writer. Katerina Brac, as indicated in the title, is a fictional and imaginary character originating from an unspecified foreign country. Reid presents the poems as if they were written in Brac’s own language,…
Edited by Zahid Pranjol and Jacob Norris. Reviewed by Abdul Hai سْمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيْمِ, Never have I been so of two minds about a book and its contents as I am about We Are Still Here: An Anthology of Resilience, Grief, and Unshattered Hope from Gaza’s University Students, edited by Zahid Pranjol and Jacob Norris….
By Abdul Hai There are three notable events in Islamic history that shook the Muslim Ummah to its core. The first was the series of Christian Crusades between 1096–1291, which appeared to break the very spirit of the Muslims. The second was the Mongol assault on Baghdad in 1258, during which hundreds of thousands of…
Allama IqbalReviewed by Abdul Hai Poets have long employed provocative language that divides their audience, generating both admirers and critics. What is particularly intriguing about this skill is that poets often withhold the true meaning of their work, allowing readers or listeners to construct their own interpretations. In this duality of meaning and interpretation, both the…
Dr Israr AhmadReviewed by Abdul Hai Several prominent figures in modern Islamic history have demonstrated unwavering dedication, commitment, and a persistent desire for the revival of Islam. Despite numerous challenges and opposition, such individuals remained steadfast in their efforts to seize transformative moments in history. One notable figure in this regard is Dr Israr Ahmad….
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful Islam at the Crossroads Reviewed by Abdul Hai The Saudi writer Ibrahim Al-Buleihi is deeply convinced of the political, social, scientific, and anthropological achievements of the Western world, considering it a “civilisation par excellence.” His admiration for Western civilisation is so profound that he…
Reviewed by Abdul Hai “They are successful because they left their religion and we are backward because we left our Religion”. Jamal-uddin Al-Afghani I arrived in Cairo just after the Maghrib prayer during one of my remarkable journeys to Egypt. Upon arrival, I took a taxi with my friend, who had been waiting to receive…
A short comparative look at two travel accounts: The Road to Mecca by Muhammad Asad (1900–1992) and Desert Encounter by Knud Valdemar Gylding Holmboe (1902–1931). The modern interaction between the West and the East began when Napoleon Bonaparte (1769–1821) invaded Egypt in 1798. This invasion opened the doors for other European nations to explore the…
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