Roots Of Knowledge ROK 😊

If i cant see it i dont believe it ! 😅 Im old school i need to see all my thoughts and notes to make sense, adjust and organise them Almost near the end phase of making the leadership course notes Ill post the books i used for anyone interested

Dr Muhammad Hamidullah and His Contributions I remember when I was doing a bit of research for a book I was writing on the development of Fiqh from the time of the Prophet peace be upon him to the formation of the madhabs. Before you ask, no, it's still not finished; it's heavily under construction ;) Anyway, one of the chapters I was working on covered the official letters sent out to governors back in the early days of Islam. These letters had a wide range of instructions, covering everything from what Surahs to recite in the congregational prayers, all the way to how to issue a legal ruling on unprecedented, real-world matters. During that research, I came across a really unique book written by a brilliant Indian scholar named Dr. Muhammad Hamidullah (Hamidullah Haydarabadi), who later studied in Europe and authored several incredible works. He put together a book compiling the official administrative documents from the time of the Prophet ﷺ all the way to the era of the Rightly Guided Caliphs. The book is called مجموعة الوثائق السياسية للعهد النبوي والخلافة الراشدة In it, he references the famous Constitution of Madinah. Now, the exact details of this constitution are highly contested among historians, but what makes his work insane is how he reconstructed it. He stitched the entire thing together by digging through over 20 different source languages—ranging from Arabic and Urdu to English, French, Dutch, Italian, Turkish, and many more. In fact, it’s reported that he actually mastered over 17 languages in his lifetime just to do this kind of deep research. The constitution itself is made up of 47 specific clauses covering a broad range of laws designed to allow unity, security, and cooperation between the various warring tribes and religious groups living in Madinah at the time. I won’t be diving into the fine details of these clauses during the actual leadership course, but I think I’ll add them to the supplementary notes.

Good read to understand summer esha issue in the uk

If there were two, the whole system would collapse One of the questions that came to mind while I was reading up on leadership was pretty simple: why has humanity consistently preferred a single leader throughout history? The author of Depth Leadership breaks this down by highlighting four major problems that come with a dual leadership system: > Constant monitoring: The underlying psychodynamics mean the co-leaders have to constantly check in on and second-guess each other. > Sibling rivalry: Just like in a family unit, an unconscious competition and rivalry naturally forms between the two. > Loss of neutrality: There is a high risk of collusion against the group, or the leaders taking opposing sides when the community splits on an issue. > A mismatched pace: The two leaders often use completely different methodologies and speeds when trying to resolve conflicts. She does mention that co-leadership can work to a degree, but only under very specific conditions. In a nutshell, it only succeeds when both individuals can effectively act as a single leader. They have to : 1. set their emotions aside entirely, 2. maintain absolute professionalism, 3. and share a single, unifying philosophy. Ultimately, for us as Muslims, this is a powerful reminder. The Ummah will never be able to function at its optimum level unless it is united under a single, clear leader.

Qudoori kitab nikah

Not everyone should be put on a pedestal Here’s another discussion from Mirror Thinking by Fiona Murden that I found really useful and wanted to share with you guys. The problem with putting a role model on a pedestal is that the standard for right and wrong shifts once they are in the limelight. It stops being about universal rules and becomes tailored to that specific person, especially when all they ever hear is praise. This is a trap any human being can fall into. Our brains simply aren't wired to sustain continuous power or fame without disconnecting us from normal societal checks and balances. Even if someone starts out with the best intentions, power can literally cause acquired personality disorders. Fiona Murden calls it "Hubris [Arrogance] Syndrome". She mentions a study done by Lord David Owen and Jonathan Davidson that found that out of 18 US presidents, 7 had traits of this disorder, with George W. Bush having full-blown 'hubris syndrome'. In the UK, out of 26 prime ministers, David Lloyd George, Neville Chamberlain, Margaret Thatcher, and Tony Blair all developed the actual syndrome. Now imagine such studies were done on contemporary Muslim leaders, scholars & influencers. How much of a difference would there be? Whether someone is a Maulana, a Shaykh, or just an overnight social media sensation, absolutely no one is immune to the sickness of being put on a pedestal. There has to be a proactive effort to suppress this from overtaking a person's life and thus taking them away from Allah. She asks an interesting question why is there such a rapid increase in arrogance in today's leaders as compared to the past? Classically, tribes were small, leaders rarely experienced hubris, the natural checks in society kept them grounded and deeply connected to the community. But the modern era has stripped away those constraints. Today, online influencers can gain massive popularity overnight without feeling any real human connection to their audience. The result? An abuse of power, and a total inability to handle feedback are classic signs of someone suffering from hubris. Islam has always warned us about the dangers of public praise and holding high positions. Being brutally self-critical and ensuring others kept him in check was the well-known habit of Sayyidna Umar (r.a.). May Allah protect us and give us true insight into ourselves.

How Mirror thinking shapes our perception of others Today, while reading Mirror Thinking by Fiona Murden, I came across a really interesting point about how our brains handle empathy. The book explains that people actually feel less empathy for someone if that person supports a rival sports team. It turns out the brain is literally wired to switch off empathy for perceived rivals. Sadly, you see this exact same thing happening in a lot of Muslim groups and organisations. As soon as someone buys into a specific group mentality, they lose the ability to feel the same empathy for outsiders as they would for members of their own circle. In fact, the book even mentions that watching a rival group suffer can actually activate the reward centers in the brain. The only way to beat this is if a person consciously steps outside of that mindset, questions their own automatic reactions, and intentionally rises above that tribal group mentality. It made me think about one of the most beautiful aspects of the Prophet, peace be upon him, his incredible ability to show deep empathy even to those who actively harmed him. There are so many narrations where his sublime character completely broke through people's defences. When people witness that kind of empathy, it is unforgettable. It completely mirrors into their own lives and shapes the way they make decisions from that moment on. Let me know if you want me to share a few more interesting points from the book related to leadership.

Islam's Built-In Leadership From all the things I have been reading about leadership, I have come to realise something: If you switched the word "Islam" for "divinely guided leadership", you would not be far from the truth. Leadership is literally built right into our daily rituals and the way our communities function. Take prayer, for example. Five times a day, someone is chosen from among the ranks to lead. The followers fall into perfect alignment and follow along from start to finish. But it's not blind obedience. If the Imam makes a mistake, the community is actually required to call it out and correct him. Because we repeat this every single day, the core ideas of leadership and accountability are naturally woven right into the fabric of our lives. Look at Zakat, too. It’s not just a case of someone feeling pity for the less fortunate, reaching into their pocket, and tossing some cash. It’s actually a highly sophisticated system designed to map out exactly who is in need and who has the means to give. It sets strict guidelines for when, how much & who receives what. This pushes the responsibility upon the individuals in authority to stand up, to take the lead, to make sure everything is handed out equally and transparently. These are just two common, everyday practices that millions of us do without ever really stopping to realise the deep leadership wisdom behind them. But there is a flip side to this. Because people are used to following, it can easily make the public feel like they owe absolute devotion to their leaders or religious scholars. Respecting them is fine, but it turns toxic the second these mentors and scholars are put on a pedestal to the point where they expect and enjoy being idolised. The second honest leadership stops being about serving the people and turns into leader worship, we reduce Islam to empty rituals, just like any other faith out there. We strip it of its practical purpose, which is supposed to be the actual betterment of mankind.

When leaders succumb to the crowd One of the books I’m currently reading is 'Depth Leadership' by Helene Smit, which looks at the deep psychological side of leadership. There’s this really interesting section where she talks about how a group can unconsciously project their own backgrounds, traumas, and baggage onto their leader without the leader even realizing it. If you aren't careful, you end up compromising your own values and boundaries just to cater to the collective psyche of the crowd. This is seen when influencers drop their values once they succumb to the "stay-relevant" phase of their online/media career. It honestly made me reflect on just how incredibly strong the Prophets of Allah were, and how unshakable they remained in their conviction. Think about our Prophet ﷺ maintaining absolute consistency for 23 years, despite 13 years of brutal persecution, isolation, and trauma in Makkah. Yet, despite his immense strength, Allah still reminded him: "And if We had not given you a firm footing, you would have almost inclined toward them a little." (Quran 17:74) The Quran was his anchor, the ultimate rope of Allah that made him the greatest leader to ever exist. Whether he was at home with his family, in the masjid, conducting trade, or acting as the head of state, his leadership style will always be miles ahead of anything modern psychology tries to teach us. When you look at history, even the most rigid Muslim leaders usually softened their stance once they actually took office. For some, the reality of governance completely shifted them to the opposite side of the spectrum. On paper, it’s easy for anyone to imagine themselves as the perfect, ideal leader and sit back picking faults in those who are actually trying to lead. But reality hits different. I've come to realise that the Ummah today desperately needs to understand the weight and seriousness of two things: marriage (with everything it entails) and honest leadership. Because we lack both, the Ummah is crumbling from the inside out, both within the walls of our own homes and in our houses of governance. #propheticleadershipblueprint

Not every scholar is a leader, just as not every leader is a scholar. Leadership isn't a free it’s a specific skillset forged over years of trial and error. Unless a scholar has spent significant time in the amongst the community, actually dealing with people’s messy, real-world problems, they shouldn't be the "go-to" for life’s big crises. There is this common misconception that the moment someone graduates from a Madrasah or an Islamic institute, they suddenly possess a fountain of golden advice. That’s just not the reality. Don’t get me wrong, if you need to know the technicalities of prayer, Zakat, Hajj, or the ethics of trade, that is strictly the domain of trained scholars. But I remember when I first graduated; people would come to me for advice on marriage, divorce, career moves, or even depression. Honestly? I didn't have the answers. I’d just parrot things I’d heard from my teachers, but I realise now that wasn't the best move. When it comes to helping people through life, experience is the most vital ingredient. You need that lived wisdom alongside Islamic knowledge. I think the reason the public treats scholars like a "fourth emergency service" is because of the heavy titles we use, Molana, Mufti, Shaykh, Apa, or Shaykha. We put people on pedestals. Yet, one of the truest marks of a great leader is the ability to admit their own limitations. Even our Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) would constantly remind his companions of his humanity. When a man approached him, trembling with nerves and awe, he said: "Take it easy on yourself, for I am not a king. I am merely the son of a woman from the Quraysh who used to eat dried meat." My advice to the public is this: if you’re looking for help with a specific problem, find a scholar who has hands-on experience in that specific field. If you can’t find one, you’re honestly better off speaking to a wise elder in your family who has lived through it. And to my fellow graduates: please, don't feel like you have to solve everyone’s problems or have an answer for every DM. Being a listening ear is one thing, but giving "half-baked" solutions is dishonest. We need to get comfortable saying, "I don't know." Many of the greatest scholars of our past were never too proud to apologise and admit they didn't have the answer.

Take the direction of the Qibla, for example. It’s such a standard part of our daily Salah, but it required Muslims to master how to find an exact direction across huge distances. This was a primary driver for Muslims to explore the movements of the stars, the sun, and the moon. This curiosity became the foundation for Muslim achievements in astronomy, mathematics, and the laws of nature, leading to the development of timekeeping devices, sea navigation, and countless other advancements. I don’t intend to list every single inspiration here, that would be a very hard task, but if anyone is interested in exploring this further, I highly recommend the book 'Islam Between East and West' by Alija Izetbegović. When you really look at the influence the Prophet (peace be upon him) has had over the centuries, it is impossible not to marvel at the sheer impact he continues to have on the hearts of Muslims today.

Ranking Influence: Why Hart Put the Prophet ﷺ at No. 1 I’m currently going through Michael Hart’s 'The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History'. What initially drew me to this book is that Hart ranked the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) as the single most influential figure in human history, placing him above Jesus Christ, all other biblical prophets (peace be upon them all), and every major historical leader. He also notably includes Umar bin al-Khattab (r.a.) at the number 52 spot. I’d often heard this book mentioned in articles regarding Western perceptions of the Prophet (peace be upon him), but I never actually got around to reading it until now. Since I’m currently preparing a course on leadership, my interest in why certain individuals leave such a massive footprint on society pushed me to finally add this to my list. There is no doubt that the legacy of a noble person who has captivated the hearts and shaped the lives of billions over 1,500 years is something worth studying deeply. Hart’s core reasoning is that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) had a far greater personal influence on the actual formulation of Islam than Jesus had on Christianity. He points out that unlike Jesus, who held no political office and whose influence was purely spiritual, the Prophet (peace be upon him) was uniquely successful as both a 'political' and a religious leader. He writes: "Muhammad has been ranked higher than Jesus. There are two principal reasons for that decision. First, Muhammad played a far more important role in the development of Islam than Jesus did in the development of Christianity. Although Jesus was responsible for the main ethical and moral precepts of Christianity (insofar as these differed from Judaism), it was St. Paul who was the main developer of Christian theology, its principal proselytizer, and the author of a large portion of the New Testament. Muhammad, however, was responsible for both the theology of Islam and its main ethical and moral principles. In addition, he played the key role in proselytizing the new faith, and in establishing the religious practices of Islam. Moreover, he is the author of the Moslem holy scriptures, the Koran, a collection of Muhammad’s statements that he believed had been divinely inspired. Most of these utterances were copied more or less faithfully during Muhammad’s lifetime and were collected together in authoritative form not long after his death. The Koran, therefore, closely represents Muhammad’s ideas and teachings and, to a considerable extent, his exact words. No such detailed compilation of the teachings of Christ has survived. Since the Koran is at least as important to Moslems as the Bible is to Christians, the influence of Muhammad through the medium of the Koran has been enormous. It is probable that the relative influence of Muhammad on Islam has been larger than the combined influence of Jesus Christ and St. Paul on Christianity." [The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History - p. 9] While Hart attributes the authorship of the Quran to the Prophet (peace be upon him) whereas we believe it is the direct Word of Allah revealed to him it is still fascinating to see how the Quranic teachings inspired such vast developments in Muslim history. I’m not just talking about cultural contributions like coffee or loanwords in the English language, but rather the intellectual curiosity Muslims developed because of the core tenets of the faith.

Some Thoughts on Prophetic vs. Corporate Leadership For me, reading about leadership has been tremendously fulfilling in many ways. I am not an expert in this field, but like many others out there I have always tried to link the dots between leadership from the Islamic texts and leadership in the current world. Most of us grew up only seeing leadership through a political or corporate lens. And even then, we usually only see the public performance, we don't really get to see how those models are actually supposed to work behind the scenes. When you look at the Prophetic model of leadership, on the other hand, it’s a completely different world. Here are four big ways it stands apart from the typical corporate "boss" model: 1. Integrity in public and private In the corporate world, ethics are often compartmentalised. As long as the CEO is hitting the numbers, people tend to ignore their private life. Prophetic leadership doesn't work like that. It demands a total alignment between your public face and your private reality. No compromises. 2. Where the "Intelligence" comes from Modern business is obsessed with IQ (logic) to make money, and maybe a bit of EQ (emotional intelligence) to keep the staff happy. But Prophetic leadership is built on Spiritual Intelligence. Without that spiritual bedrock, leadership just becomes a mechanical "tick-box" exercise, honestly, something an AI could do. 3. What power is actually for The corporate model is often pretty self-serving. The person at the top gets the perks, the bonuses, and the elite status. It feels like the team exists to serve the leader. The Prophetic model turns that whole hierarchy upside down. You aren't the 'boss', you're a servant. It’s about taking the heaviest burden onto your own shoulders and looking out for everyone else while you stay completely in the background. 4. Doing things right vs. Doing the right thing A corporation will keep a leader as long as they’re efficient, like a well-oiled machine or an algorithm. But a Prophetic leader always prioritizes justice over efficiency. It’s not just about "doing things right" to get a result; it’s about making sure the goals of the business stay subservient to divinely inspired morals. At the end of the day, a purely "worldly" leader is basically just a glorified, intelligent biological machine, just trying to get more efficient to get a bigger yield. In contrast, Prophetic leadership is about having a heart full of humanity and the shoulders to carry the burden of doing what’s right. Let me know if there is anything interesting that you've come across on the topic InshAllah, I’ll be talking more about this and some other deep dives in my upcoming course on 'Prophetic Leadership' Unlock the Prophetic DNA of Leadership Do you feel the potential for leadership within you but struggle to bridge the gap to becoming a truly "Guiding Leader"? Leadership is more than just a corporate buzzword or a business competency-it is a spiritual obligation. Join us for a powerful one-day intensive as we deconstruct the "Blueprint" of the greatest leader to ever walk the earth: the Prophet Muhammad Date: Saturday 13th June Time: 10am - 3pm Venue: As-Suffa Institute, 156 High St, B6 4UX Open to: Brothers and Sisters Fee: £15 (without meal) | £20 (with meal included) Seats are limited. Give your leadership potential the Prophetic foundation it deserves.

*اسلامی علوم حاصل کرنے سے پہلے عربی میں مہارت کیوں ضروری ہے؟* اس سوال کا جواب سمجھنے کے لیے پہلے یہ طے کرنا ضروری ہے کہ ہمارا اصل مقصد کیا ہے۔ ہمارا مقصد محض اسلام کے بارے میں معلومات اکٹھا کرنا نہیں، ہمارا مقصد قرآن اور سنت کو ان کے اصل سرچشمے سے سمجھنا ہے۔ اور یہ تبھی ممکن ہے جب انسان عربی زبان پر اس گہرائی سے عبور حاصل کرے جس طرح قرآن کے نزول کے زمانے میں اسے سمجھا جاتا تھا۔ بات سیدھی سی ہے: جس کی عربی کمزور ہوگی، اس کے دین کی پوری سمجھ بھی کمزور رہے گی۔ جب آپ ترجمے پر انحصار کرتے ہیں تو آپ متن کو مترجم کی نظر سے دیکھ رہے ہوتے ہیں، اور اسی بات کو سمجھتے ہیں جو اس نے اپنے فہم اور الفاظ کے ذریعے پیش کی ہوتی ہے۔ نیت کتنی ہی اچھی ہو اور سوالات کتنے ہی درست ہوں، زبان نہ آنے کی صورت میں آپ اور حقیقت کے درمیان ایک دیوار ہمیشہ کھڑی رہتی ہے۔ آپ جو پڑھ رہے ہیں وہ واقعی اصل متن کا صحیح مفہوم ہے یا نہیں، اس کی تصدیق کا آپ کے پاس کوئی راستہ نہیں ہوتا۔ آج یہی مسئلہ ان لوگوں کے ساتھ بھی ہے جو دین سیکھنے کے لیے AI کا استعمال کرتے ہیں۔ انہیں جوابات تو مل جاتے ہیں، لیکن وہ یہ نہیں جان سکتے کہ وہ درست ہیں یا محض الگورتھم کی خود ساختہ غلطی۔ دین کے معاملے میں AI یا گوگل پر انحصار کرنا بالکل ایسا ہی ہے جیسے کوئی سنگین بیماری میں انٹرنیٹ سے علاج ڈھونڈنے لگے۔ اس سے وہ ڈاکٹر نہیں بن جاتا، بس سرچ کرنا سیکھ لیتا ہے۔ اور یہ بھی نہ بھولیں کہ یہ سسٹم انسانوں کے بنائے ہوئے ہیں، اور ہر انسان کے اپنے تعصبات ہوتے ہیں۔ عام لوگوں کی نظر میں، جو شخص ترجموں اور AI سے سیکھ کر باتیں کرتا ہو ماہر نظر آ سکتا ہے، لیکن حقیقت میں اس کے پاس خود سے تحقیق کرنے اور بات کی صحت پرکھنے کی صلاحیت نہیں ہوتی۔ اور یہی بنیادی چیز ہے۔ قرآن و سنت کا علم ہمیشہ ایک مضبوط سلسلے کے ذریعے منتقل ہوتا آیا ہے، ایسے مخلص اور دیانتدار مردوں اور عورتوں کے ذریعے جنہوں نے اپنی زندگیاں دین کو تحریف سے بچانے کے لیے وقف کر دیں۔ اس پورے سلسلے میں عربی زبان ہی وہ لنگر ہے جو سب کو ایک جگہ باندھے رکھتا ہے۔ پھر چاہے کوئی مفسر ہو، محدث ہو یا فقیہ، سب کو عربی زبان ہی کے معیار پر پرکھا جاتا ہے۔ یہی وہ ذریعہ ہے جو ہمیں یہ صلاحیت دیتا ہے کہ اگر کوئی علمی غلطی کرے تو ہم اس کی تصحیح کر سکیں۔ تاریخ گواہ ہے کہ کوئی بھی حقیقی عالم ایسا نہیں گزرا جو پہلے عربی علوم میں مہارت نہ رکھتا ہو۔ آخر میں، جو شخص کسی موضوع پر صرف انگریزی یا اردو میں پڑھتا ہے وہ بظاہر اچھی گفتگو کر سکتا ہے، لیکن حقیقت میں وہ دوسروں کی باتیں ہی دہرا رہا ہوتا ہے۔ اصل اور گہرے سوالوں کے جوابات صرف وہی دے سکتا ہے جس نے عربی زبان کے ذریعے ان علوم کی گہرائیوں میں اتر کر انہیں حاصل کیا ہو۔ 🖋️*تحریر از: مفتی لياقت زمان صاحب* (برطانیہ) (فاضل جامعہ العلوم الاسلامیہ بنوری ٹاون) 📝اردو ترجمہ از: *مجلس طالبات علم پاکستان*

Why Vision is the Missing Link in Our Organisations I’ve been diving back into Nabeel al-Azami’s book, 'Muhammad (s): 11 Leadership Qualities That Changed the World,' and a few things really jumped out at me. Out of all eleven qualities he breaks down, the one I think we’re starving for in our organizations today whether it’s mosque committees, charities, or schools, is Vision. There’s a famous idea that if you don’t know which way you’re headed, you’re not actually "moving". A lot of us mistake busywork or constant change for actual progress, but without a clear direction, we’re mostly just walking in circles or, even worse, wandering blindly. A visionary leader is the one who ensures everyone is doing the 'right' thing, not just any thing. But for that to work, the leader’s own vision has to be solid from the start. Nabeel lists five "tick boxes" for a proper visioning process, and the order really matters here: 1. Self-Assessment: Where are we right now? 2. Trends Analysis: Where are we actually going? 3. Vision Statement: Where exactly do we want to be? 4. Mission & Action Plan: How do we actually get there? 5. Implement & Monitor: Are we actually making it? I’m going to go much deeper into these during the course, but it’s worth noting that anyone who studies the Quran and the Seerah can see this wasn't just "luck." There was a distinct, systematic approach to how the Prophet ﷺ established the Deen. From the gradual way laws were introduced to the calculated strategies behind the Hijrah or the bond of brotherhood (Mu'akhah), nothing was "off the cuff." It wasn't just random people doing random tasks. When a leader has a clear vision and, this is the key, manages to get their team to believe in that same vision, progress is inevitable. Without it? You’re basically on a ship where the crew is working hard, but the boat isn't getting any closer to the shore.