Islamic Studies

Brief Notes On The Fundamentals Of Islamic Revival: Abul Hussein

Brief Introduction To The Matter At Hand

In the struggle for interpretative dominance and the debate regarding how to proceed in the process and activity of da’wah and education (both core aspecs of Islamic Revival) many issues present themselves and often in a quite unsystematic, frenzied matter. At this point we need clarity, i.e., this stage of da’wah demands clarity and order. The irony of those who would have us label all things modern as Dajalic or Shaitanic is that they have flourished in the very system that they demonize, frankly many have benefited from our demonization of the other (West) it only feeds the claim to our Orientalness (otherness), to our being totally alien to the process of the civilized world and the free society.

We are not in need of a new theory of apology to defend Islam nor in need of a rhetoric of protest to castigate the West and its henchmen but rather we are in need of orientation and purposed action.

The Guiding Principle Of Islamic Revivalist Thought

For the Muslim living under the shade of Modernity, a world patterned after rational order many a time (rather most of the time) Islamic discourse (for da’wah and revival) is disorderly fraught with gaps (confused, disconnected from life). Shaikh al-Islam Tahir Ibn Ashour (r), established for us a fundamental principle for revival in explaining the Prophetic saying:

” Say: I believe in Allah then seek to follow a straight path” (Sahih from the hadith of the Forty hadith of Imam al-Muhaddith an-Nawawi (r))

Shaikh Al-Islam Ibn Ashour (r) a scholar from Zaytuna in Tunis said this Prophetic text means that first we are to reform our intellect, its thought process and conceptualizing of matters and then we are to reform out acts. Islamic revival then begins with this first step purification of belief and acting correctly these two things cultivate correct spirituality by establishing the life of the intellect and soul on correct belief and action. Shaikh al-Islam was a very traditional scholar this is the da’wah of many traditional scholars that we need to look at the way we think and understand our texts and the world and build on that which will cultivate an Islamic life. Shaikh al-Islam was one of the greatest exponents of the Theory Of The Aims Of Islamic Law by Imam Shatibi (r).

Drawing Parallels, Muslims In The West Then And In The West Today: Crisis As Opportunity For Revival

When we look at the Ulema of Granada (r) roughly 500 years ago they were engaged in the effort of Ijithad and meeting the needs of their times. Dr. Jalali Mareni a scholar from the Maghrib who wrote on Shatibi said that the Ulema of Granada (the last strong hold of Islam before the disappearance of Al-Andalaus) held that the fact that life presented so many in and out caused many of the scholars to penetrate deep into the scholarly legacy and the source texts of Islam (Qur’an and Sunna) so as to respond to life from an living Islamic discourse.

Many would have us believe that Muslims have no intellectual crisis ( a shift) nor a need for ijtihad nor a need to connect people with the source texts of Islam and the scholarly legacy. All revival begins first with a correction of thought and belief and with a correction of the way we practice. This first step of revival takes place in education in looking at the way education takes place and being clear on the objectives of education and measuring the qualitative and quantitative aspects of education.

To date there is not one educational institution in the West capable of producing scholars ready to deal with the 21 century not to mention give fatwa. It is beyond me how many muslims in the West have arguments against: Ijtihad, Fiqh of Minorities, Maqasid ash-Shar’iah, Comparative Fiqh, Taqleed, the need to teach people with evidence and other established principles of Islamic revival and how we still read of “awaam” in traditionalist terms debate in Aqeeda. From where have they gained the ability and know how to engage?

Knowing One’s Limits: Having A Reference Point Means Giving The Scholars A Platform

If we are to take cue by tradition then let us look at one classification that some of the scholars had they divided people up into three classes:

Mujtahid
Muqallid
Illiterate

(Although I in no way propose a return to this societal schema let the people of reflection reflect (today we are in need of widespread literacy and intellectual interfacing (scholars and intellectualls sitting side by side). )

The Muqallid in the absence of a mujtahid was inclusive of the majority of scholars according to this paradigm, since there are no mujtahids. All others in this classification are awaam (illiterates) that have no right to speak on matters of Deen they are upon the madhab of the mufti they have no madhab except that of the scholar they take fatwa from. This understanding is well documented in our Books. If we are to take the traditionalist da’wah in the West to its conclusion than that would mean that no one is qualified to speak. Given the gates of ijtihad are closed the “scholars of the traditionalist da’wah” are not qualified to speak. If this is the case then how is it that we hear debates against fiqh of minorities a project established by some of the most respected scholars in the Muslim Ummah.

This is an example of incongruity (spekaing without knowledge debating without aim rejecting without understanding) a matter that was indicated to early as the problem with da’wah in the West (confusion, disorder, immaturity) that is that in the West we are very confused about issues of Deen and understanding.

Giving Importance To The European Fiqh Council

Rather than create a body of scholars and platform we have invested in a war of words and rather than following as some argue for taqlid rather we see anarchy instead of authority. The Fiqh Council Of Europe is headed by some of the senior scholars of the Ummah the likes of al-Allamah Abdullah Bin Bayyah (r) but in yet very few people understand what is going on in the council because the English-arabic speakers in our community involved in da’wah are not working to communicate what the Ulema are saying to us in the West. The council was set up to address matters of fiqhi concern that Muslims in the West face. In yet none of the top people in da’wah in the West does much to promote the determinations and fataawa of the council. In addition the council is host to scholars of various backgrounds:

Sufi, Salafi, Islamic Movement and what governs is not partisanship but rather research ( a blow to bigotry I suppose). It is not perfect but it is a start in giving direction to Islamic discourse particularly in matters of fiqh. Like the scholars of Granada the scholars of the council are faced with dealing with issues that traditional fiqh is silent upon and situations that require ijtihad so from such experiences the scholars of the council take their research of matters in the West to scholars in the East and the scholars in the East benefit from understanding the fiqhi issues of Muslims in the West.

The beginning of revival is correction of belief and thought and it means we learn to reach out to the Ulema as a body of scholars rather than cultivating a cult of personalities. And of the fundamentals of revival is to correct our action and part of correction is not to speak about matters of which we have no knowledge.

Putting Our House In Order: We Are In Need Of Reformation Of Thought, Heart And Action

We see so many brothers speak badly about: madhabs, ijtihad, fiqh of minorities, maqasid ash-shariah and delve into aqeeda but in yet they are not educated in these matters. How is it that a lawyer acts as an authority in biology or vice versa, we have a phenomena now of lawyers trying to play the role of Islam scholar. This is what we face a lack of respect for skill and merit and not a democracy of opinion but rather a herd mentality. From the fundamentals of revival is correction of belief and thought and action.

Our problem in not just a crisis of the soul as some say our problem is a crisis of thought and action. This is why we see so many debates about aqeeda and fiqh and “tradition” because we are facing the crisis of the Muslim mind

(See: Crisis in the Muslim Mind by AbdulHamid A. Abu Sulayman www.witness-pioneer.org/vil/Books/AA_cmm/default.htm )
From the fundamentals of Islamic revival is to build on Islamic education and to demand that our education forms us in such a manner that our aqeeda is established on a firm basis and nourished the brotherhood of Islam and unity and that we are intellectually and spiritually capable of dealing with life today. Reformation is not a reformation of Deen but rather one of self revival is revival of those principles of Deen which have fallen into defunct mode in the life of the Muslim Ummah.

And The Denouement: Recap Of The Main Point

Islam addresses not only the soul but also the intellect and the body and all that concerns the life and wellbeing of those three. If we are to see the tradition of the scholars (their intellectual legacy) appreciated in the West and people become more literate in the Quran and Sunnah we need to be in touch with those who appreciate and understand it most and those are the senior scholars of this Ummah. The trend of the scholars today is to follow fiqh councils rather than fatwaas of individual scholars and this should be our practice.
A sign of immaturity and ignorance is to attack that which one does not understand and this is what we see happen in Islamic discourse in the West not to mention bigotry.

“Islamic revival is a process and begins with reforming the our heart and thought and action.”

” Say: I believe in Allah then seek to follow a straight path” (Sahih from the hadith of the Forty hadith of Imam al-Muhaddith an-Nawawi (r))

With Salaam From The City Of A 1000 Minarets

Abul-Hussein

Cairo, Egypt

20 Dhul Qhadda 1427 AH

–I admit I am guilty for the mistakes but do not hold against me to destroy me teach me to build and then maybe you got me

–a piece of wisdom

The greatest victory is to conquer your enemy without battle (to make him your friend)

So what of brothers?

The essence of Islam is brotherhood so love your brother if otherwise how could you claim to believe completely?

About the author

Yusuf Rios (Abul Hussein)

Yusuf Rios (Abul Hussein)

Yusuf Rios was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. While becoming a Catholic priest, Yusuf discovered the path to Islam. He studied Islamic sciences for a period of seven years, studying with scholars in Cleveland, Ohio before receiving a work-study contract with the Islamic American University. At the Islamic American University, he read Arabic and a limited number of Islamic sciences intensively for one year. He then traveled to Cairo, Egypt where he resided for five years. There, he attended a number of intensive courses at Arabic learning centers. After these courses, he joined various scholarly circles, reading Islamic sciences with a host of scholars of diverse expertise and orientations. Yusuf takes particular pride in having studied intimately with a number of scholars from al-Azhar University. Likewise, he has great love and attachment to Egypt and especially al-Azhar Mosque where he studied for the major portion of his residence in Egypt. Yusuf has a Bachelors in Western Philosophy and Sociology and is working on a Masters in Education. He serves as an instructor in Islamic Sciences with Islamic American University and in local mosques in Dearborn, Michigan and Cleveland, Ohio. His four main research areas in Islamic sciences are in the areas of Usul al-Fiqh, Maqasid ash Shar’ia, Hadith Sciences, and Fiqh.

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  • ‘The irony of those who would have us label all things modern as Dajalic or Shaitanic is that they have flourished in the very system that they demonize, frankly many have benefited from our demonization of the other..’ Br. Abil Hussein, you are becoming very predictable in your criticisms. We know who you are talking about. But why don’t you let people grow and mature rather than reminding us of outdated and out of centext 12 years old quotes! I haven’t opened your chest but i sense a touch of jeleousy. UNITY – lets practice what we preach. May Allah forgive me and guide us all.

  • Mohammed:

    What is your problem? He can write whatever he likes. He kept with in the adab and brought out points that many feel need to be elaborated on. The traditionalist are become the next Catholic Church: don’t ask, don’t question, and just listen. I think that Mr. Yusuf’s dijalic understanding coupled with A. k. Murad’s tirades against anyone in his path are something that we should examine along with the relation between Syed Hussein Nassir, Martin Lings, Eaton and others to the heretic thoughts of Shun and Guneon.

    By turning your keyboards to Abu Husseins’ person you have failed to address his points. Hopefully you can muster the strenght to do so in the future. Unity! Unity should not be utopian. I’m sure that Abu Hussein has the greatest of respect and love for these people, but Islamically, he has the right to discuss these things. Your reaction, with all resepect, seems a little extreme.

    Abu Hussein: I would recommend that you apply 3 components when examining any Movement or idea:

    1. Generic: meaning the historical and future developments of such movements.
    2. Functional: meaning there is a function to such thoughts within the framework of our world
    3. Semantics: meaning there is a climate created by ideas that fosters, in many cases, a culture or sub-culture. Thus, it is very easy to recognize followers of traditional islam or salafis by the way the dress, talk (sidi sidi) and act. Within that community it is easier to recognize the followers of Nuh Keller. They have special clothes (they all have the same beards, hats and shukur shirts). Thus, are we witnessing the birth of the Muslim accult amongst certain Muslim groups?

    Adam

  • AS

    Mohammad, I hope you are well thanks for your comments and advice.

    I take benefit from the Ulema of this Ummah I do not hold the Ulema against a ruler of group think nor do I dismiss an Alim because of an idea or mistake, I love the Ulema. What characterizes my outlook is one thing and one thing only: I see unity of the Muslims as fundamental to Iman and I do not think unity is a matter to be achieved by any means.

    If we are willing to learn then let us turn to the Qur’an and the Sunnah and gain a major lesson in Islamic revival from Surah Bayyinah. What we learn is that the nations that came before us divided after the truth (The Truth –def. as The Qur’an, according to Imam Ibn Kathir (r)) was revealed to them.

    Sheikh As-Sabooni (r): narrates that some of the scholars of tafsir held that the people of the Book differed over the Prophethood of Muhammad (saw) after they came to know the truth of it.

    Imam Ibn Kathir (r) emphasized that the people of the Book differed greatly then he mentions the hadith of the 73 sects as proof of their differing and splintering.

    If we look to the well known hadith of the 73 sects (which is graded Hasan by some Scholars of Hadith and Sahih Li Gharihi by other Scholars of Hadith ) in light of Surah al-Bayyinah what we learn is that division is a matter that is greatly disliked in Islam and it is a serious issue that we are warned against.

    It was related to me by a student of a student of Shaikh Nadwi (r) that Shaikh Nadwi taught we must not to draw conclusions according to appellations —Sufi, Salafi, Ikhwani etc. but rather we must judge according to whether an act or belief is in conformity with the Deen.

    There is a principle in Usul al-Fiqh which states that one ought to judge by the meaning of terms and not by the apparent nature of the term. This is why the Ulema say there is to be no debate about terminology rather let us clarify what we mean the content of our thought and then deal with that.

    Two principles here are an integral part of the methodology that I follow:

    1.} Unity is an integral part of Iman
    2.} Do not judge according to terms but rather according to specificities

    In light of what of was said the term Sufi or Salafi or otherwise holds little weight in my view. A person who confesses Islam is a Muslim primarily to me and not an Ottoman, Sufi, Salafi etc. between myself and that person is the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His (swt) Prophet (saw) and that of the rightly guided Imams and the scholarship of the verifying scholars.

    Mohammad growing and maturing first means taking an account of ourselves and correcting our mistakes. There were serious mistakes made in the da’wah effort in the West and no one party, group etc. can be held responsible if we engage in honest evaluation. We must be clear on five things:

    1.} The need for clear accountable, reliable, qualified leadership

    2.} The need for a sound well rounded Islamic education that allows us to deal with life problems

    3.} The need for community and unity and the adab of differing

    4.} The need for clear aims and goals for da’wah in the West

    5.} The need to build our identity on Qur’anic terms Allah named us Muslims nothing else there is no hyphenated Muslim is we judge by the Qur’an and the Sunnah

    The point of this post was to instigate thought about self reformation as a community and to illustrate that we are all culpable and ought be mature enough to admit our failures and brave enough to build together and least tolerate each other respectfully .This does not exclude advice and constructive criticism we need each other this Ummah is suffering from division and bigotry not to mention a lack of will to interface with each other.

    Abul-Hussein

  • salaams,
    the unity thing reveals itself to be hypocritical. why? the brother’s incessant reference to shaikh Hamza’s critique of modernity as dajjalic is not true. quit perpetuating this lie. it is out of context completely, he did not demonise the ‘west’ [sic]. so with everything you write dont mention these things. infact if you truly care about honesty and decency you will recant.
    how can you claim to want unity when you are either unwilling or unable to understand the critiques from various people or groups. your total lack of understanding leads you to strange fascinations and constructing imagined ironies which would never have arisen had you been thorough and honest in your analysis.

  • Asalamu alaykum,

    Here we go with the Hamza Yusuf Cult stuff again. Guys, grow up and learn that he is not perfect nor above nashiha.

    Malik bin Nabi

  • As:

    I remember certain scholars of the West saying clearly that the computer was the dajal, or was it the T.V? Anyways, some of our brothers are not be sincere here. If that was the case then why did certain scholars recant their “former positions” if they said nothing wrong, then why did they repent from their ways?

    I agree with Malik…the cult lives on

  • Asalamu alaykum,

    Please all let’s keep it friendly. This is starting to get a little ugly and we may have to block all comments.

    Admin

  • Assalamu Alaikum,

    Why do we need to get personal all the time? It seems that every time someone makes a critique of anything we feel that this is a personal attack on our character, that is not the case here, the brother has made some interesting points and if you disagree with him pen them but with adab and courtesy. We need to show maturity and calmness when presenting our case and not get heated Insha’Allah.

    Disagreements existed since the beginning of time, even some prophets disagreed with each other (Musa and Harun), the sahaba disagreed with each other, it is in our human nature to disagree, it brings out the best in us Insha’Allah.

    We need to be transparent and the issues in which are differing upon must be made clear. The matter of conflict management should be studied and implemented, and we need to know and study carefully how to work in unity while we have our differences Insha’Allah.

    “We must cooperate in matters wherein we agree and excuse one another in those wherein we disagree.” [Imam Rashid Rida]

    May Allah give us the ability and sincerity to fulfill the covenant. Ameen!

    Wassalam
    AH

  • Asalamu alaykum,
    when critiquing someone’s position you have to know his position and do it justice. this is being honest. if one is either unable or unwilling to really grasp a position then takes snidy digs at someone it is quite frankly dishonest. in the case of sheikh Hamza, while there are people who love him, myself included, this doesnt necessarily mean that, i cannot disagree with his position, think a particular analysis that he makes maybe missing something, whether he has gone too far or not far enough. many people are disillusioned with what traditionalism has come to mean and these are real problems that need to be explored and discussed. however if someone presents shoddy analysis, sprayed with quotes of luminaries to temper decontextualised unsubstantianted and persistent attacks on people then these must be exposed.
    abullah
    first of all the sheikh hasnt recanted. even if he has is there anything particularly wrong with recanting. do you want a list of famous recanters.
    he has said publicly that his approach was perhaps appropriate at that time but after 9/11 with the muslim profile being high and his own in particular it is counter productive to have that approach to dawah.
    the only people who are cultish here it seems is the [i hate sheikh hamza because many people love him] fan club. who have nothing substantial to say except jump on the badnwagon of haters.

    i love you brother suhaib but you gotta tell ya boy to quit takin shots at hamza…

  • Asalamu alaykum,

    I felt that Abu al-Hussien brought up some interesting points that one could argue or agree with in a decent manner. However, I did, and do not, think he took a shot at Sh. Hamza Yusuf.

    SDW

  • Really guys,why don’t you just come out and say ‘we don’t like the sufi’s or sufi sympathisers’. This way we know where you stand. You are prepared to go out of your ways to ‘prove’ the hadra is a bida, eventhough you are knowledgeable enough to know that this is an issue of khilaf. So why bring these things up, heh? Didn’t the great Hasan al-banna shahid avoid issues of khilaf. Remember the tarawee advice? So why do you guys go out of your ways to attack asharis when you know it will cause fitna. Have you misssed out those pages on the ikhwani methodology. please be consistent and honest. Imam Suhaib is doing an amazing job and i truly love him. However sometimes i get really agitated when some of you preach unity and cause disunity. Sh. Hamza and imam Zaid have always been honest and open in their approach. Even if it means ‘recanting’, ‘reviewing’ and ‘maturing’ with age and times. This is what i see as honesty and transparency. They may get things wrong,and no doubt they will, but this is life guys!
    Look at the like of the great luminary Sh. Nadwi himself (leave aside his student of a student!). In his early days he was with jamat-e-islami in india(ikhwanis of india). The shaykhs early works are very revolutionary (see his biography of shah ismail). However later he left and ‘recanted’ his positions. He wrote a book against the jamat. He wrote a book about the virtues of the tableeghis. A complete turn around. Everyone loved him though because they saw a sincere man trying to undersand his deen and man struggling to apply his understanding of the religion in very stressful times in india. deja vous!

  • Asalamu Alikum,

    Subhan’Allah, how easily we lose focus of the objective, “Unity”. I must admit, we are extremely critical of others for the wrong reasons. I am sure by now everyone knows who Sh. Hamza is, and who he is not. Even if the brother was taking a shot at Sh. Hamza I do not think it takes away from him at all, in fact, I think it reveals more about the person taking the shot then the one it is intended towards.

    Anyhow, I think it is important that we get back on point and elaborate more on the methods of “Unity”. I agree that unity begins with the reformtion of ones intellect, which in turn would tranform ones actions. Now, the question can be raised that in the “West” such a reformation is in friction with societal norms, and as a result it is very difficult to achieve such results without having a community or support system that nourishes and reinforces this process. So, how could an individual in such a setting achieve this objective without having this type of a support system or community if you will, or is such a system really not necessary?

    Daniel H.

  • Asalamu alaykum,

    Dear Muhammad: May Allah love the one who loves me for His sake. I think you failed to read the posts on the Hadara well. Here is the quote fom the article:

    Asalamu alaykum,

    “Before we start, we must mention that this is an issue of ijtihad amongst the scholars. However, it should be noted that the position taken here is that of the majority. At the same time, since there is no Ijm’a on this issue it is not allowed to denounce, degrade nor through insults at those who follow the other opinion. However, we reserve the right to present this position, using the firm language of the majority who opposed it. We hold firm to the fact that, under the lens of this opinion, these things are innovations, but reserve enough love and respect to listen, love and honor those who disagree with our contentions. We challenge the other side to openly summit to such an expanse and present both opinions [on their websites] as we have done below [by posting their article] instead of belittling, falling into character assassinations and the like [accusations of crypto salafism etc]. As al-Shaf’i [may Allah have mercy upon him] said, “Indeed the issues related to ijtihad should not be forbidden with the hand. And it is not allowable for anyone to force his opinion on another. Instead proofs and discussion should take place that present each others side. And if one follows one of the other opinion he should no be censured for doing so.” [risalah]. Thus, dear brother/sister although we differ strongly with you, we still have nothing but love, respect and honor for you.”

    http://altranslators.com/bg/?p=10

    Finally, I think it is highly regreatable that one would question the intention of his/her brother. I would encourage you to engage Abu al-Hussein and try and, with soft gloves, explain your position. In the future, before you type, make sure that you are relating correct information. If not, as is the case below, you could be creating great harm for others by spreading incorrect information.

    Now, this my last post here and I hope others will follow Daniels lead and develope this further.

    SDW

  • Thank you very much for the correction. I obviously didn’t read the whole peice. Please accept my apology if I came across rather harsh and also for not relating the facts correctly. May Alllah swt bless you Imam Suhaib. May He bring our hearts together for his sake only.

  • Asalamualaikum wa rahmatallah,

    There are many aspects of society today that certainly lend them selves to being called ‘dajjalic’ in the linguistic sense of covering truth with falsehood. But the lesson that Muslims have learned is that in our approach to dawah such terminology is unhelpful. If we intend to live within a society we have to learn to interact with it in a manner that will bring about a positive change. Taking an antogonistic approach rarely brings about positive change in society. Thus the Prophet peace be upon him approached dawah in a gradual manner, as did the Revelation of the Quran, and thus the Shariah.

    They say, criticize the sin, not the sinner. This is another way to make our dawah constructive instead of destructive.

    Another thing we should ask for is beneficial knowledge, because some knowlege is harmful and brings little or no benefit. In our dawah we should be mindful of the audience and seek Allah’s pleasure alone, and try to say the things that will bring the most reward and affect the hearts in a positive way. May Allah guide us to make our dawah more pleasing to Him.

  • salaam aleukum br. Abul hussein,
    ok soft gloves………
    the previous article indicates your point about ‘interpretive dominance’ or the problems you see this having. it also explains your issue with so-called traditionals who have usurped this power. it is useful here because you also premise your points on this.

    [it is interesting to see amid this scramble for power and to be more specific, scramble for interpretative power some claim for themselves the keys to excommunication and or declarative power to pronounce anathema[sic] such as untraditional or modernist.]
    you ofcourse indict the so-called traditionals and question their authority to pronounce anathema [sic].
    my problem is that firstly, you have failed to truly indicate how this process came to be, who are these people, what are their objectives, what do they consider ‘anathema’ then ask whether their analysis is true or not. the ulema are inheritors of the Prophets and their ‘interpretive’ power comes from this. if you are of thier ‘class’ [no pun intended] then you can counter their positions.
    your analysis falls down on very basic suppositions….that there is a monolithic enterprise called traditionalism, that there is sort of a traditional industry. this is essentially false. if you do a survey of people who would consider themselves traditional they would overwhelmingly if not all count the shaikhs hamza yusuf, bin bayyah, abdal hakim murad, zaid shakir, sherman jackson, gibril fouad haddad, muhammed al yaqoubi, umar faruq abdallah, nuh ham mim keller, riyadh ul haq, etc among them; their students and their teachers.
    what all of them agree on essentially that the madhabs are a good thing, sufism is a good thing, ashari/maturidi is correct. they are classicists. however that is where their unity stops. everybody mentioned has a different approach to dawah, different understanding of what are the causes of the problems we are facing, they offer different emphases on the way forward. therefore to lump them especially the way you have done is not only incorrect, its wrong.
    the critique of shiekh abdal hakim murad is simply that wahhabis doctrinal extremisms can lend itself to violent extremisms. if you empower people to have interpretive power in regards to the quran and sunnah without possesing the tools to do so; if you are literalist in your interpretation and dont appreciate nuance you can become extreme. while i dont wholly agree with this. i can see why he says that. my point with br. abul hussein is you would present a hypothesis and with a brief stroke brush certain scholars away….without accurately discussing your hypothesis, giving accurate accounts as well as reasons for your deductions [if we can call them that]
    salaam aleykum brother abul-hussen

  • Assalamu alaikum

    To my beloved brothers and sisters
    Let me add my 2 cents worth of opinion..
    When talking about revival .. we tend dwell too much in usuluddin and neglected about asasuddin.
    There will be always differences in matter of aqidah, fiqh and methodology of da’wah until at least the time of Sayyidina Jesus alaihissalam.
    But there will always be the same common denominator in asasuddin until qiyamah.
    What is foundation of religion? It is love.
    Ruhama ubainahum…
    What we need now is not more debates, method searching and whatever u might call it..
    But we need more love… though it sound simplistic..
    But it is the solution of the problem and the starting point of revival..
    No matter how high is your knowledge.. intellectual capacity etc.. in the end you still need that love..
    I hav been there, done that, ikhwanis, tablighis, traditionalist ..etc.. but in the end love is what drive me.. out of intelectually crises, burnout, darkness or whatever..
    Love is iman, taqwa, ukhuwwah, mawaddah, rahmah, qistasulmustakim..
    It is the foundation of religion. Without love there can be no religion, no fatwa to be followed, not method will be effective, no usuluddin no revival and no salvation.
    What we need now is jama’ah ulfah… wherever we go we form and spread love and ulfah… create more jama’ah ulfah….
    It is the language of love that the lowest intellect of human to the most sophisticated mind.. can understand…
    I mean , to the simple minded fellahin, illiterate muslims, ghetto dwellers.. do they understand tafwid al-ma’ana, ta’wil, ta’til, wahdatul wujud, imkan kazb etc…
    But they understand love, compassion, tender and sincere heart..
    Alhamdullilah and masyaALLAH, have learn the knowledge of deen from some of the most knowledgable Ulama in this world.. and most of know the method and actions from Qur’an and sunnah to inculcate love..
    Lets realise that revival of this ummah cannot even begin without love.. and lets start with those near to us and then near to us….
    And lets love teach us the adab… and eventually unravel the crisis whatever it is..

    May I repeat this?

    The essence of Islam is brotherhood so love your brother if otherwise how could you claim to believe completely?

    iman is love

    wassalam

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