Renascence Foundation

Questions/Answers

Q&A: The Frontier at Ashkelon

Question Is the following ḥadith recorded by al-Ṭabarāni and narrated from Ibn ‘Abbās authentic, Ṣaḥīḥ? I have received a post concerning this and it says that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon...
Scholarship

‘Don’t make my grave an idol’

Introduction Previously we have briefly touched upon the most common arguments dominating discourse surrounding the root origins of Shirk (polytheism). Often, this discourse centres around three distinct poles: the story of al-Lāt, the idols worshipped...
PUBLICATIONS

The Book of Tawheed (al-Muhalla)

Presented here for the first time in English, is a complete translation of book one entitled Kitāb al-Tawḥeed (the Book of Monotheism) taken from Ibn Ḥazm’s magnum opus of fiqh (jurisprudence), al-Muḥalla bil’Athār.[1] Given that...
Questions/Answers

Destructive hopes

Question What is the authenticity of this narration? From Abdullah ibn ‘Amr he said the Messenger of Allah peace and blessings be upon him said: The rightness in the beginning of this nation was...
PUBLICATIONS

The Sufficient Summary on the Rules Derived from the Sources of Deen

Ibn Ḥazm’s contribution to the rich tapestry of Islamic thought ranks no less to that of other famous polymaths like al-Ghazāli (1058 – 1111) and Ibn Taymiyyah (1263 – 1328). The approach that Ibn Ḥazm ...
Questions/Answers

An angelic word?

Question What is the sourcing for the following tradition, is it Ṣaḥīḥ (authentic)? عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ قَالَ جَاءَ جِبْرِيلُ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ عِشْ مَا شِئْتَ فَإِنَّكَ مَيِّتٌ...
Questions/Answers

Hearts of Devils

Question Many people quote this narration, which is found in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, upon the authority of Ḥudhayfah that he said the Prophet peace be upon him said: ‘You will listen to the Amir and...
PUBLICATIONS / Scholarship

A Ruling on Music & Chess

There are issues of contention that tend to invoke some quite unusual or even polarising responses. Music and chess are of this category. Often there tends to be quite a skewed approach to such issues,...
Theology

Virtue of Monotheism

Presented below is a selected translation of chapters (7 through to 10) from Part 8 of Kitāb al-Tawḥeed (Book of Monotheism) by Professor Muḥammad ibn Abdullah al-Mas’ari. These chapters focus upon the virtues of...
Questions/Answers

Stargazing

وَسَخَّرَ لَكُمُ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ وَالشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ ۖ وَالنُّجُومُ مُسَخَّرَاتٌ بِأَمْرِهِ ۗ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَعْقِلُونَ By His command, He has made the night and day, the sun, moon, and stars all of...
Scholarship

Exalted is He who holds all dominion

Presented below is a complete translation of the Tafsir of chapter 67 from the Qur’ān, which is entitled Surah Mulk. The translation is rendered from the acclaimed Tafsir of the grand Imām, the scholar’s scholar,...
Questions/Answers

Q&A Tall buildings in Mecca

Question Are these ḥadith sound? Are the references provided correct and accurate? When you see the belly of Makkah will be cleft open and through it will be dug out river-like passages (i.e. tunnels) (or water in...
Scholarship

Selected issues from: The Book of Prayer

Seek help with steadfastness and prayer– though this is hard indeed for anyone but the humble; who know that they will meet their Lord and that it is to Him they will return [Qur’an, 2:...
Contemporary Subjects

A declaration of war?

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَذَرُوا مَا بَقِيَ مِنَ الرِّبَا إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ فَإِنْ لَمْ تَفْعَلُوا فَأْذَنُوا بِحَرْبٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ O you who believe, beware of Allah: give up any outstanding dues from...
Theology

Say: He is Allah, the One

Presented below is a complete translation of the Tafsir of chapter 112 from the Qur’ān. Rendered from the acclaimed Tafsir of the grand Imām, the scholar’s scholar, Abu Ja’far Muḥammad ibn Jarir al-Ṭabari [see: Tafsir...
Theology

So which of the favours of your Lord will you deny?

Presented below is a short extract from the acclaimed Tafsir (Jāmi al-Bayān ‘an Ta’wil ay’ al-Qur’ān) of the grand Imām Abu Ja’far Muḥammad ibn Jarir al-Ṭabari regarding the oft-repeated verse in chapter 55, Surah al-Raḥman. ...
Questions/Answers

Q&A Knowledge revival

Question Can this ḥadith be verified? The Prophet said: ‘He whom death overtakes while he is engaged in acquiring knowledge with a view to reviving Islam with the help of it, there will be one...
Contemporary Subjects

March of the Black Banners

Introduction The traditions of the ‘black banners’ or march of the ‘black banners’ al-Riyāt al-Sawd, for some are truly evocative. In a world characterised by oppression, injustice and even outright evil, the reported wording of...

The majority of the hypocrites

Presented below is translation of a short piece written by Professor Muḥammad ibn Abdullah al-Mas’ari which covers the sourcing for the ḥadith: ‘The majority of the hypocrites from among my Ummah are (to be found...

Contemporary Subjects

Justice is a fortress

Justice is a fortress in which all who are frightened take refuge. In fact, if a tyrant feels oppressed, does he not call for justice and scorn and condemn injustice? But you never see the...

Theology

The Historic Reality of Paganism in Arabia

Introduction Reconstructing the precise reality of the paganism as it existed in Arabia is a complicated task. What were its essential features? What exactly did the pagan Arabs actually believe about God, the afterlife, the...

Contemporary Subjects

Allegiance

The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him forewarned us that the era prior to the advent of the Dajjāl would be characterised by years of deception and treachery. This is exemplified by...

Contemporary Subjects

Was the Prophet (ﷺ) a vegetarian or vegan?

There are some that have the inclination to try and depict the latest trend, fashion or fad as being something that was “originally Islamic” to begin with. Some do so quite innocently, others sincerely...