Samir Abbasi

*Hazrat Dawud, peace be upon him*[David] It is narrated from Wahb bin Munabbih, may Allah have mercy on him, that Hazrat Dawud was short in stature, had blue eyes, sparse hair, and a pure heart. When Hazrat Dawud killed Jalut, he earned respect and love in the hearts of the Children of Israel. Eventually he was made king. Allah the Exalted also granted him prophethood. In this way, prophethood and kingship were united in one person. Before this, a king would be from one tribe and a prophet from another.[Goliath] Some say that when Jalut challenged Talut to a duel, he said, “Either you come to me or I will come to you.” Talut asked his army, “Who will accept his challenge?” Hazrat Dawud came forward, fought Jalut, and killed him. Wahb bin Munabbih states that the people, impressed by Hazrat Dawud’s bravery, deposed Talut and made Hazrat Dawud king. _“And We certainly gave Dawud from Us bounty. [We said], ‘O mountains, repeat praises with him, and the birds [as well].’ And We made iron p...

 *Hazrat Sulaiman, peace be upon him — Part 1*[Solomon] Allah the Exalted made Hazrat Sulaiman the successor of Hazrat Dawud and, through wisdom and prophethood, appointed him as heir, and further bestowed His grace and bounty upon him. The command of Allah is: _“And Sulaiman inherited from Dawud. And he said, ‘O people, we have been taught the speech of birds, and we have been given from all things. Indeed, this is evident bounty.’”_ And gathered for Sulaiman were his armies of jinn, men, and birds, and they were set in ranks. Until, when they came to the valley of the ants, an ant said, _“O ants, enter your dwellings lest Sulaiman and his soldiers crush you unknowingly.”_ Hearing her words, he smiled and said, _“My Lord, enable me to be grateful for Your favor which You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents, and to do righteous deeds that will please You. And admit me by Your mercy into [the ranks of] Your righteous servants.”_ He took a muster of the birds and said, _“Why do...

 *Hazrat Sulaiman, peace be upon him — Part 2*[Solomon] When the envoys returned to her with a stern reply, she saw no option but to submit. So, along with the Queen, they set out to present themselves before Hazrat Sulaiman to express submission. When Hazrat Sulaiman received this news, he addressed his obedient jinn in his court: “O courtiers, is there anyone among you who can bring me the throne of the Queen of Saba before they come to me in submission?” Among the jinn was a powerful Ifrit who said, “Before you rise from your place, I will bring it to you. Indeed, I have the strength for it and I am trustworthy.” A person who had knowledge of the Divine Scripture said, “I will bring it to you before the blink of your eye.” When Sulaiman saw the throne placed before him, he said, “This is by the grace of my Lord, so that He may test me whether I give thanks or am ungrateful. And whoever gives thanks, gives thanks for his own good; and whoever is ungrateful — then indeed my Lord i...

 *Genres of Poetry — Part 1* *1) Ghazal* Ghazal is the most popular genre of Urdu. It came into Urdu from Persian. Several Urdu poets experimented within the ghazal. Even those poets who strongly opposed the ghazal also composed poetry in the ghazal form — Hali, Josh, etc., who were against the ghazal, still created verses in the ghazal’s embrace. The literal meaning of ghazal is to converse with women, or to talk about women, or to speak of love and romance with the beloved. Structurally, in a ghazal both _misras_ of the first _sher_ are _ham-qafiya_, _ham-radif_, and _ham-wazan_.[with same refrain][in same meter] All subsequent couplets follow the _qafiya_, _radif_, and meter of the first _sher_.[rhyming] In terms of meaning, every _sher_ of a ghazal is a complete unit and conveys a separate idea. If an entire ghazal is written on a single theme, it is called a _ghazal-e-musalsal_. The first _sher_ of a ghazal is called the _matla_. If, after the _matla_, both _misras_ of the sec...

 *Ilm-e-Urooz — The Science of Prosody* _Ilm-e-Urooz_ is the science through which we determine whether a _sher_ is _mauzun_ or _na-mauzun_.[metrical][unmetrical][couplet] The purpose of _Ilm-e-Urooz_ is to arrange words in a specific meter so they can be recited melodiously. _Wazan_ means the required meter of a _sher_. *Bahr* The specific meters intended for a _sher_ are called _bahr_.[meter] *Arkaan of Bahrs* A _bahr_ consists of several _arkaan_ [metrical feet]. The main _arkaan_ of the _bahrs_ used in Urdu are as follows. *Components of a Rukn* Each _rukn_ is made up of two or three components. These components are of two types: two-letter or three-letter. A two-letter component is called _sabab_, and a three-letter component is called _watad_. *Sabab Khafeef* — The first letter is _mutaharrik_ and the second is _sakin_, e.g., _dil_. *Sabab Saqeel* — Both letters are _mutaharrik_. *Watad Maqroon* — The first letter is _mutaharrik_ and the second and third are _sakin_, e.g., _n...

 *Taqti — Scansion of Verse* _Taqti_ is the process of weighing the parts of a _sher_ against the _arkaan_ [metrical feet] of the _bahr_.[couplet][meter] _Taqti_ literally means “to break into pieces.” To make a _sher_ equal in weight to the _arkaan_, it is divided into pieces — hence this process is called _taqti_. In _taqti_, a _mutaharrik_ [voweled letter] is matched with a _mutaharrik_, and a _sakin_ [unvoweled letter] with a _sakin_. A _mutaharrik_ is a letter that carries a vowel sign — i.e., any one of _zabar_, _zer_, or _pesh_. A _sakin_ is a letter that has no vowel sign. For example, in _maktabi_: _meem_, _te_, and _be_ are _mutaharrik_, while _kaaf_, _wow_, and _ye_ are _sakin_. In _taqti_, only those letters are counted that are pronounced, even if they are not written. For instance, _Muhammad_ is written with four letters but five are pronounced — because of the _tashdeed_ on _meem_, it is uttered twice. So it is counted as five letters. An _alif-madd_ is counted as tw...

*Syed Mohammad Mir Adal Amrohvi* Syed Mohammad Mir Adal was born on 9 March 1509 CE in the present-day Mohalla Gher Karam Ali Khan of Amroha. His father, Mir Syed Muntakhab Sani, was a distinguished son of his era who was a senior military officer during the reign of Mughal Emperor Babur. In recognition of his notable conquests, the emperor granted him the entire jagir of Amroha. Syed Mir Adal’s elder brother, Syed Mubarak, was also appointed to one of the highest military posts in Akbar’s court during his time. Syed Mohammad Mir Adal received his early education in Amroha. Initially, he also served as the first mudarris of the present Jama Masjid in Mohalla Maulana. Some time later, for further education, he went to Agra, where he acquired higher religious and worldly learning. His reputation for piety began to spread throughout the city.[teacher] In the light of this great background, the renowned court scholar of that era, Mulla Abdul Qadir Badauni, records Bairam Khan’s testimony t...

 *Mushafi Amrohvi* In the major languages of Central Asia — Arabic, Persian, and Urdu — the poet and writer from India who rendered the most scholarly and practical service to the linguistic and literary development was Ghulam Hamdani Mushafi. The land of Amroha can take endless pride in this son. Mushafi was a literary researcher and poet whose contributions cover the last two and a half centuries of literary history. Mushafi was the first historian of literature who, in 1780, first identified Urdu as a language through his poetry. Not only did Mushafi recognize Urdu as a distinct language, he also formally initiated _tazkirah-nigari_ [biographical anthology writing] in Urdu. This was a unique form of _tazkirah_ writing that proved to be foundational for literary criticism in Urdu. In his works _Tazkirah-e-Hindi_, Mushafi presented accounts of 188, and in _Riyaz-ul-Fusaha_ of 322, Persian-Urdu poets. Moreover, the critical commentary he made on the poetry of these poets is itself ...

 *Makhdoom Hazrat Syed Husain Sharafuddin Shah Wilayat* Hazrat Shah Wilayat Sahib was born in 653 AH, corresponding to 1252 CE. Shah Wilayat’s great ancestor, Hazrat Syed Harun, who was a grandson of the 10th Imam Hazrat Ali Naqi, had migrated from Madinah to a town near Baghdad in Iraq. Because Syed Harun was the last ancestor of Shah Wilayat Sahib who lived in Arabia, and after him his subsequent ancestors came to Iran, Shah Sahib described himself as “Wasti.” Later, from Iran, via Sindh, the distinguished lineage continued to flourish in Hindustan.  Shah Sahib’s father came in the form of a caravan, brought everyone to [place unclear in source], and then permanently settled in Amroha. In Amroha, the arrival of Makhdoom Miran Syed Ali, the elder, took place in 1268 CE with a large accompanying group, and Shah Wilayat Sahib was also part of it. This was the time when, immediately after Balban’s rule, the reign of Firoz Shah was beginning. In time, a few years later, Sultan Fi...

 *Bi Amma Abadi Bano Begum Amrohvi* Abadi Bano Begum was a unique and unparalleled freedom fighter connected with India’s First War of Independence in 1857. Regrettably, this lady’s patriotism and sacrifice have not been discussed in history in the same way as other thousands of freedom fighters have been remembered.  Abadi Bano Begum was born in 1850 in Mohalla Darbar Siyan, Amroha. She belonged to a distinguished and well-placed family of the city. Her grandfather Ghulam Maula Khan and father Muzaffar Ali Khan were counted among the eminent people of the city in their time.  When Bi Amma grew up, she was married in 1868 to Faiz Abdul Ali Khan, who held a responsible position in the court of Rampur. Bi Amma had four sons and one daughter with him. After the birth of her fourth son, Bi Amma’s husband passed away suddenly, because of which she had to live a life of struggle and hardship.  She came to Amroha with her two elder sons, Shaukat Ali and Mohammad Ali. There ...

 *Nawab Mushtaq Husain Waqar-ul-Mulk Amrohvi* During India’s First War of Independence in 1857, one of the most important personalities who awakened educational consciousness among the Muslim community was Nawab Waqar-ul-Mulk Mushtaq Husain Zubairi. He played a key role. In his time he was a famous Muslim politician. Recognizing his ordinary abilities in the fields of education and literature, Sir Syed Ahmad Khan made Waqar-ul-Mulk the standard-bearer of his Aligarh Movement. It was under the influence of this movement that Aligarh Muslim University was established and education spread among Indian Muslims. Nawab Waqar-ul-Mulk, famous as Mushtaq Husain the writer, was connected to Meerut, but his maternal home was in Amroha. He was born on 24 March 1841 in Meerut. He was only six months old when Mushtaq Husain’s father, Fazl Husain Zubairi, passed away. Some time later, Maqbool-un-Nisa Begum came to Amroha with her son, and in this way Waqar-ul-Mulk became part of his grandfather’s...

 *Nawab Mushtaq Husain Waqar-ul-Mulk Amrohvi* During India’s First War of Independence in 1857, one of the most important personalities who awakened educational consciousness among the Muslim community was Nawab Waqar-ul-Mulk Mushtaq Husain Zubairi. He played a key role. In his time he was a famous Muslim politician. Recognizing his ordinary abilities in the fields of education and literature, Sir Syed Ahmad Khan made Waqar-ul-Mulk the standard-bearer of his Aligarh Movement. It was under the influence of this movement that Aligarh Muslim University was established and education spread among Indian Muslims. Nawab Waqar-ul-Mulk, famous as Mushtaq Husain the writer, was connected to Meerut, but his maternal home was in Amroha. He was born on 24 March 1841 in Meerut. He was only six months old when Mushtaq Husain’s father, Fazl Husain Zubairi, passed away. Some time later, Maqbool-un-Nisa Begum came to Amroha with her son, and in this way Waqar-ul-Mulk became part of his grandfather’s...

 *Professor Khaliq Ahmad Nizami Amrohvi* Among the representative historians of India, one distinguished name is Professor Khaliq Ahmad Nizami. At the same time, because of his extraordinary abilities, he was renowned throughout the world as a great Islamic scholar and as a person of unique style. In History, Islamic Studies, Sufism, and various other fields, Professor Khaliq Ahmad Nizami authored more than 50 books in Urdu, Hindi, and English that are regarded as authoritative references worldwide.  Apart from these literary achievements, the greatest testimony to Nizami Sahib’s services to education is that he spent 40 years of his life as a teacher at Aligarh Muslim University. He also served as Vice Chancellor of this recently renowned university.  Professor Nizami was born on 23 December 1925 in Mohalla Jhanda Shahid, Amroha. He was the pride of a family descended from the great Sufi saint Hazrat Masududdin, popularly known as Sheikh Fariduddin Ganjshakar — known in ...

 *Sheikh-ul-Islam Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab* *A Famous Revivalist and a Great Reformer* *His Birth and Lineage:* Sheikh-ul-Islam Muhammad bin Abdul-Wahhab was born in 1115 AH in the city of Uyainah, seventy kilometers northwest of Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia. He belonged to a very respected and learned family. *Education:* Sheikh-ul-Islam received his primary education in his ancestral place from his respected father and was brought up under his guidance. He was so intelligent that he had memorized the Qur’an by the mere age of ten. He studied books of Tafsir, Hadith, and Fiqh. From the beginning, he had great interest in studying the works of early scholars, especially Sheikh-ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah and his great student Allamah Ibn Qayyim.[exegesis] *Condition of Najd:* In those days, the people of Najd were badly involved in polytheistic acts and non-Islamic practices. They were completely overwhelmed by polytheism. Graves, tombs, trees, stones, caves, evil spirits, and m...

 *The Character of Prophet Muhammad (SAW)* The Prophet (SAW) was known in Arabic for his magnificent eloquence and fluency. He was remarkable in rank and status. He was a precise, clear speaker. He was well-versed in Arabic and thoroughly acquainted with the dialects and accents of every tribe. He would speak to his guests using their own accents and dialects. He was proficient and quite eloquent both in the language of the Bedouins and in the clarity and splendid speech of the townspeople. Above all, he was endowed with Allah’s help in the revealed verses of the Qur’an. His endurance, tolerance, and forgiveness while he held an important position; his patience and steadfastness in adverse circumstances — these were all talents. They were virtues and qualities that Allah Himself bestowed upon him. Even wise people have their shortcomings, but the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) was different from others: the more he was hurt or injured, the more gentle and patient he became. The more rud...

 *What are Shariah, Tariqah, Haqiqah, and Ma’rifah?* In every religion, the Sufi inclination tends to describe different stages or spheres that lead toward Ultimate Reality. 1) *Shariah* – Shariah is Divine Law. By affirming it, a person becomes a Muslim. It is a model for an individual’s life and for law, which binds Muslims together into a community. Shariah is the means for organizing human society in Islam. It is the way by which a person gives religious significance to his daily life and becomes able to center that life in a spiritual focus. 2) *Tariqah* – Tariqah, or “the path,” is chosen by individuals who, after following Shariah well, desire further spiritual elevation. It is a path that emerges from Shariah. Within this external Shariah there exists an inner Shariah which is called Tariqah. 3) *Haqiqah* – _Haqiqah_, from the word _Haqq_, means Reality or the path leading toward Ultimate Reality. At this stage, the believer sees everything in the heart and becomes immersed...

 *Who are Ghaus, Qutb, and Abdal?* 1) *Ghaus* – The worldly Qutb is called _Madadgar_ or _Al-Ghaus_, and this manifests in one person present on earth. The cosmic Qutb appears as a virtue in the Ghaus, which can be traced back to Al-Hallaj, and he is the spiritual leader for the earthly saints. It is said that all creatures, hidden beings, living and non-living, should pledge their allegiance to the Ghaus, who is given great authority. Exempted from this are only those individuals who are connected with the angels, the jinn who are under the jurisdiction of Khidr, and those people who belong to the 10th rank of the _Rijal al-Ghayb_ [Men of the Unseen]. 2) *Qutb* – In Arabic, _Qutb_ means axis. The term _Qutb_ can refer to celestial motion and may be used as an astronomical term or as a spiritual symbol. In Sufism, the Qutb is the Perfect Human, _Insan-e-Kamil_, the universal man who leads the sacred hierarchy. In every era there are five Qutbs, and they are infallible and trustwort...

 *What are a Salik, Majzub, and Qalandar?* 1) *Salik* – A Salik is generally understood to be a person who is adorned with outward deeds and outward attire. The first condition for being a Salik is that the inner state should either be naturally present, or, through acquisition, the _lata’if_ [subtle spiritual centers] should accept the color of love and the color of _Tawhid-e-Af‘ali_ [Oneness of Divine Acts]. In reality, a Salik is only the one whose _lata’if_ have already become imbued. 2) *Majzub* – People call a mad or deranged person a Majzub. In other words, it is the name for a lunatic or madman who is not legally accountable. Some people think that a Majzub is superior to and higher than a Salik. A Majzub is only that person whom Allah the Exalted has drawn toward Himself. A Majzub acquires the quality of _jazb_ [divine attraction] through proximity by way of obligatory acts or through _qurb-e-wujudi_ [proximity of being]. 3) *Qalandar* – This is a Sufi elder who is so imme...

 *Mixing of Non-Islamic Ideologies in Islamic Sufism* After the 4th century Hijri, non-Islamic Sufism also found its way among Muslims. And because this Sufism was non-Arab and non-Islamic, its constituent elements were antithetical to Islamic Sufism — namely: polytheism, _hulul_, _ittihad_ [union with God], man-worship, incarnation and transmigration of souls, monasticism, denial of religion, absolute antinomianism, and hypocrisy and flattery.[incarnation] This is why, from Imam Ibn Taymiyyah (RA) and Imam Ibn al-Qayyim (RA) to Shaykh al-Islam Hazrat Maulana Husain Ahmad Madani (RA) and Hakim al-Ummah Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi (RA), all the revivers of the religion in the Muslim Ummah raised the banner of intellectual jihad with full force against this non-Islamic Sufism. And by making Muslims aware of its corruptions, they fulfilled their religious duty without fearing any blame. It is human nature that if a person makes some personality his objective and starts living his life f...

 *Mixing of Non-Islamic Ideologies in Islamic Sufism – Part 2* The beliefs of Abdullah bin Saba very quickly gained acceptance in Egypt. He traveled to various cities, and his aim was to mislead Muslims. He would declare the three Caliphs as usurpers. He began a chain of secret correspondence with people in various provinces who were against Hazrat Uthman (RA). Amir al-Mu’minin Ali (RA) had Abdullah ibn Saba killed.   Abdullah bin Saba was the first person who became convinced of the obligatory nature of the Imamate of Ali (RA). He made Hazrat Ali into a god and entrenched the belief of man-worship among Muslims, and by creating division he arrayed Muslim against Muslim.   After his death, his group gained general acceptance in Iran, because, like the Jews, the Iranians also harbored intense hatred for Arab Muslims in their hearts. In Islamic history this movement has also been remembered by the infamous titles of Mulahida, Batiniyyah, and Qaramitah.  ...

 *Mixing of Non-Islamic Ideologies in Islamic Sufism – Part 3* The Qaramitah had advised their followers, who were given the rank of _da‘wah_, that when you preach to a person, first become acquainted with his beliefs, then present yourself as like-minded to him so that he does not become ill-disposed toward you. When he trusts you, then begin gradually to shake his beliefs.   The beliefs of this chain are as follows:   1) Muhammad (SAW) and Ali (RA) are both special manifestations of Allah.   2) Allah, Muhammad (SAW), and Ali (RA) — all three have a relationship of oneness.   3) Muhammad (SAW) and Ali (RA) are in reality one, or two names of one person.   4) Ali (RA) was the tenth avatar of Vishnu.   From these explanations, it is proven that the Qaramitah preached their sect in the garb of Sufism and inserted their beliefs into Sufism, which are against Qur’anic teachings.   Pir Sadr al-Din in Gujarat and Pir S...

 *Mixing of Non-Islamic Ideologies in Islamic Sufism – Part 5* Monarchy had already established a separation between religion and worldly life, and that non-Islamic teaching ruined the collective, moral, and religious life of Muslims. The remaining damage was completed by this non-Islamic Sufism, because the distinction between _Shari‘ah_ and _Tariqah_ opened the door to violations of the commandments, and the spiritual life of Muslims came to an end. The result of this teaching was that, gradually, groups of Qalandari and Malamati dervishes emerged among Muslims. The individuals of both these groups remained free from adherence to Shari‘ah; rather, they felt pride in this freedom. The Qalandar group made traveling their hallmark. They would say: “The purpose of Sufism is to overcome the _nafs al-ammara_ [the soul that incites to evil]. One method of overcoming it is also its humiliation. Therefore, do such deeds because of which people will call you bad. When people consider you b...

*Mixing of Non-Islamic Ideologies in Islamic Sufism – Part 6* Thus, the assassin of Nizam al-Mulk Tusi [the vizier of the Seljuk Sultan Malik Shah], who in reality belonged to the Ismaili sect, appeared in the dress of Sufis. Having become a Sufi, he gained Tusi’s proximity, and seizing the opportunity, he killed him. In the same way, two men of the Batini sect came to Shah Abbas Safavi disguised as Sufis. Consequently, the concept of _Qutb_ also arose among the Sufis. It means _Sayyid al-‘Arifin_, or the crown of all gnostics. The Sufis assumed, without evidence, that no Sufi can reach the station of _Qutb_ in terms of _ma‘rifah_ until God causes that _Qutb_ to pass away. Yes, after his death, God bestows his station upon his successor. It should be clear that the idea of the continuity of _Qutb_ can be proven neither by the Shari‘ah nor by rational arguments; it is a metaphor. The similarity of their beliefs can be gauged from the fact that when they arranged the chain of shaykhs for...

*Imam Abu Hanifah – Part 1* Among the four Imams of Fiqh, the greatest was Imam Abu Hanifah. His real name was Nu‘man bin Thabit. His title was Imam al-A‘zam and his kunyah was Abu Hanifah. He was born in 680 CE in Kufa. His father traded in cloth. He was of Persian descent. Kufa was established during the time of Hazrat Umar Faruq. For the education, training, and propagation of religious knowledge in that city, Hazrat Umar sent Hazrat Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud, who was a high-ranking scholar and Companion of the Messenger (peace be upon him). From the last period of Hazrat Uthman Ghani until the caliphate, he spread the light of knowledge and culture in Kufa. As a result, according to some Muhaddithin, 4,000 scholars and Muhaddithin emerged in Kufa. When Hazrat Ali came there, Kufa had already become a center of knowledge and civilization. Hazrat Ali made it the seat of the caliphate. Imam Abu Hanifah’s father, Hazrat Nu‘man, presented himself in the service of Hazrat Ali. Accordingly, Haz...

 *Imam Abu Hanifah – Part 2* *Imam Abu Hanifah and the Teaching of Fiqh* — In the beginning, Imam Abu Hanifah attained mastery and fame in _Ilm al-Kalam_ [scholastic theology], but later he became averse to theological debates and arguments and turned towards Fiqh. For this purpose, he became a student of the Imam of Fiqh of that time, Hammad bin Sulayman (d. 120 AH), upon whom the teachings of Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas‘ud and Hazrat Ali had settled. Describing his interest in Fiqh, Imam Sahib wrote: “A part of my life passed in _Ilm al-Kalam_. I thought that the predecessors were more acquainted with the reality of religion, yet they did not engage in debates, but rather reflected on the knowledge of Shari‘ah — they studied it and taught it. I also saw that the experts of _Ilm al-Kalam_ were different from the qualities of the righteous; their hearts had become hard. Therefore, I abandoned _Ilm al-Kalam_ and then engaged in Fiqh.” In those days, a woman asked a question: “If someone...

 *Imam Malik – Part 1* Imam Malik is counted among both the Imams of Fiqh and Hadith. Your name is Malik, kunyah Abu Abdullah, and title Imam Dar al-Hijrah. The chain of lineage is as follows: Malik bin Anas bin Malik bin Abi Amir bin Harith. The Companion Abu Amir came from Yemen to Madinah Munawwarah and accepted Islam before the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). Your family was respected both before and after Islam. Imam Malik was born in 93 AH, and according to one opinion, in 95 AH. Imam Malik’s education and upbringing took place in Madinah Munawwarah. Imam Malik had a great passion for Hadith. For acquiring knowledge, he sold the beams of his house. The number of scholars from whom Imam Malik benefited reaches 900. Among them, 300 of his teachers were Tabi‘in, of whom Hazrat Nafi‘, Muhammad bin Shihab, Imam Ja‘far al-Sadiq, Muhammad bin Yahya al-Ansari, Abu Hazim Salamah bin Dinar, Yahya bin Sa‘id al-Ansari, and Rabi‘ah are especially notable. Imam Malik would attend t...

 *Imam Malik – Part 1* Imam Malik is counted among both the Imams of Fiqh and Hadith. Your name is Malik, kunyah Abu Abdullah, and title Imam Dar al-Hijrah. The chain of lineage is as follows: Malik bin Anas bin Malik bin Abi Amir bin Harith. The Companion Abu Amir came from Yemen to Madinah Munawwarah and accepted Islam before the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). Your family was respected both before and after Islam. Imam Malik was born in 93 AH, and according to one opinion, in 95 AH. Imam Malik’s education and upbringing took place in Madinah Munawwarah. Imam Malik had a great passion for Hadith. For acquiring knowledge, he sold the beams of his house. The number of scholars from whom Imam Malik benefited reaches 900. Among them, 300 of his teachers were Tabi‘in, of whom Hazrat Nafi‘, Muhammad bin Shihab, Imam Ja‘far al-Sadiq, Muhammad bin Yahya al-Ansari, Abu Hazim Salamah bin Dinar, Yahya bin Sa‘id al-Ansari, and Rabi‘ah are especially notable. Imam Malik would attend t...

*Imam Malik – Part 2* Imam Malik’s jurisprudential school is contained in his book _Al-Muwatta_. Although it is a book of Hadith, it has been arranged in a juristic order. Once, the Abbasid Caliph Harun al-Rashid said to him: “I want to give your book _Al-Muwatta_ official status and order all people to act according to it.” But Imam Malik forbade him and said: “The companions of Hadith have spread to various cities and narrate hadiths, so people act according to whatever hadith has reached them. It would not be appropriate to bind them to my book.” *Imam Malik and Love for the Messenger* — Imam Malik had extreme love for the noble person of the Messenger (peace be upon him). His state regarding respect for the Prophet (peace be upon him) was such that in the city of Madinah he never relieved himself, never rode a mount, and never walked wearing shoes. His purpose was that there should be no shortcoming in the etiquette due to the Messenger. Once, the Caliph of the time spoke loudly ne...

 *Imam Shafi‘i – Part 1* Imam Shafi‘i’s name was Muhammad, his father’s name was Idris, and his grandfather’s name was Abbas bin Uthman bin Shafi‘i. Due to this relation, he is called Shafi‘i. His kunyah was Abu Abdullah. He belonged to the Quraysh tribe. His lineage meets that of the Prophet (peace be upon him) in the eighth generation. He was born in 150 AH in Gaza, in the region of Palestine. After his birth, his father passed away. His mother brought him to Makkah Mukarramah at the age of 2, and they settled in the valley of Khayf. *Education and Upbringing* — He was both poor and an orphan, but his mother’s effort and his own passion made the journey of learning easy. Imam Shafi‘i was intelligent and hardworking. By the age of 9 he memorized the Noble Qur’an, and began acquiring education in language and literature in Masjid al-Haram. He also gained knowledge of Qur’anic exegesis and Hadith there. Among his teachers in Masjid al-Haram, Ali, Isma‘il bin Qustuntin, Sufyan bin ‘U...

 *Imam Shafi‘i – Part 2* After reaching Baghdad, he acquired knowledge of Hadith and Fiqh from Imam Abu Yusuf and Imam Muhammad bin Hasan al-Shaybani [the prominent student of Imam Abu Hanifah] and broadened his knowledge. At that time he was 34 years old. Imam Shafi‘i says: “I acquired knowledge from Imam Muhammad equal to the load of a camel.” He would both gain knowledge from Imam Muhammad and also debate various issues with him. In this way, he got the opportunity to fully compare the schools of thought of Imam Malik and Imam Abu Hanifah. In Baghdad, he also benefited from Waki‘ bin al-Jarrah, Abu Usamah Hammad bin Usamah, Isma‘il bin ‘Ulayyah, and Abdul Wahhab bin Abdul Majid. Then he returned to Makkah Mukarramah and, giving up the thought of employment, engaged himself in the service and propagation of religious knowledge in the Haram Sharif. *Teaching* — When he started teaching the Book and Sunnah, Allah granted him acceptance, and his remarkable capability attracted stude...

 *Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal – Part 1* His name was Ahmad, his father’s name was Muhammad, and his grandfather’s name was Hanbal. He was born in Rabi‘ al-Awwal 164 AH in Baghdad. He was 3 years old when his father passed away. His mother raised him. In Baghdad, he acquired knowledge from scholars, memorized the Noble Qur’an, and gained other sciences. Then he traveled to Kufa, Basra, Makkah, Madinah, Yemen, Syria, etc., to acquire knowledge, especially hearing hadith from the scholars of hadith. Among Imam Ahmad’s teachers, notable names are Imam Abu Yusuf, Hashim bin Bashir, Abu Hazim al-Wasiti, Waki‘ bin Jarrah, Yazid bin Harun, Imam Shafi‘i, Mu‘tamir bin Sulayman, and Bishr bin Mufaddal. *Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal’s Rank in the Science of Hadith* — Just as Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal is counted among the Imams of Fiqh, he is likewise counted among the Imams of Hadith. His devotion to hadith and his status in hadith is accepted by the Muhaddithin and scholars. The Muhaddith Abu Zur‘ah said to I...

 *Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal – Part 2* There are five principles of Imam Ahmad’s jurisprudential school:   1. When a text (Qur’an and Sunnah) exists on an issue, no opposition should be heeded.   2. Act upon whatever the Companions gave a fatwa on.   3. If there is a difference in the sayings of the Companions, then take the opinion that is closer to the Qur’an and Sunnah.   4. If no other evidence opposes an issue, then every mursal and da‘if hadith can be acted upon.   5. Qiyas [analogical reasoning] is also an authority in Shari‘ah as needed.   An important thing in Imam Ahmad’s jurisprudential school is _Istishab_. It means to maintain something based on its previous state until some evidence proves a change in it. Imam Ahmad did not consider it appropriate to compile and organize his fiqh and fatwas. Instead, he spent all his time and effort on compiling the _Musnad_. Therefore, his rulings and judgments are found in relat...

 *Writings in the Prophetic Era* 1. *Letters of Protection [Aman Nama]* — The Prophet (peace be upon him) had letters of protection written and given to many people and families, numbering in the hundreds. For example, he had Amir bin Fuhayrah, the freed slave of Hazrat Abu Bakr, write a letter of protection. Similarly, the Prophet (peace be upon him) granted letters of protection to the Jahina tribe, Banu Zur’ah, and Banu Rabba. 2. *Constitution of the Islamic State* — After reaching Madinah, the Prophet (peace be upon him) had a written charter prepared, which was the constitution of the Islamic state he established. It contained several clauses, the details of which are present in books of Seerah. 3. *Census [Mardum Shumari]* — Upon arriving in Madinah, the Prophet (peace be upon him) had a census of Muslims conducted and kept its written record preserved. One narration mentions that the names of 1,500 Muslims were written, and another narration mentions 500. Therefore, the Muha...

 *Writings in the Prophetic Era* 1. *Letters of Protection [Aman Nama]* — The Prophet (peace be upon him) had letters of protection written and given to many people and families, numbering in the hundreds. For example, he had Amir bin Fuhayrah, the freed slave of Hazrat Abu Bakr, write a letter of protection. Likewise, the Prophet (peace be upon him) granted letters of protection to the Jahina tribe, Banu Zur’ah, and Banu Rabba. 2. *Constitution of the Islamic State* — After arriving in Madinah, the Prophet (peace be upon him) had a written charter drawn up, which was the constitution of the Islamic state he established. It contained several clauses, the details of which are present in books of Seerah. 3. *Census* — Upon reaching Madinah, the Prophet (peace be upon him) had a census of Muslims conducted and kept its written record preserved. One narration mentions that the names of 1,500 Muslims were written, and another narration mentions 500. Therefore, the Muhaddithin think that...