Roots Of Knowledge ROK 😊

Karachi intensive 😄

Staying in Your Lane: The Scholar’s Responsibility Anyone studying Islam knows that our religion is built upon the Qur’an and the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. When a person studies Islam at a deep and advanced level, they become a valuable asset to the community. But graduates need to realise that they’re only as strong as their research skills. Stepping outside your area of expertise can cause confusion and damage, because the public assumes that when a scholar speaks, they’re speaking with precision and grounded in truth. Being able to back up what you say with solid evidence in the fields you’ve studied, whether that’s Qur’an, Hadith, Fiqh, Aqeedah, and so on, this is what gives your words weight. It’s what earns you respect from other scholars and the public. But when you move into areas like politics, science, or global events, it’s important to make it clear that you’re sharing a personal view. Unless you’ve done the required research or can present valid evidence, then at best, it’s just a plausible opinion. Whether it's about political situations, conspiracy theories, or the future emergence of Yajuj and Majuj, without solid backing, it remains your perspective, not a religious ruling. Even in the past, you’ll find scholars commenting on things that were clearly outside their own fields, like the shape of the earth, the existence of strange creatures, or medical remedies. These views shouldn’t be taken as Shari’ah, they were just their own thoughts based on the knowledge of their time. If we don’t make these distinctions, it can harm the reputation of scholars and make Islam look like something people just throw opinions around about. That cheapens the deen and turns it into something ornamental rather than something transformational. It’s like a pen: used properly, it can record knowledge, bring benefit, and change lives. But if all it does is sit there like a paperweight, then it becomes something pointless. And we know that Islam is not that, it offers solutions for our personal lives, our communities, and the world, both in this life and the next. So my advice to anyone graduating is: know where your value lies. Understand that people are listening to what you say some of it will bring people closer to Allah, and some of it could turn them away. Be careful, be humble, and may Allah protect us all.

And finally, the eighth step is to connect the Quran to today’s world. This is something many students miss. The Quran isn’t just about the past, it speaks to the issues we face now. Whether it’s atheism, consumerism, feminism, or all the other “isms” out there, the Quran has guidance on how to deal with the modern world. It speaks against arrogance, injustice, and the abuse of others’ rights. If we can open the Quran and see how it answers today’s problems, that’s when it really becomes a living book for us. These are eight steps that I think can transform the way you study the Quran. If you approach it with love, patience, and reflection, the Quran will become a light in your heart and a guide for your life.

8 Steps to Deepen Your Understanding of Allah’s Words How should a student study the Quran if they really want to progress in understanding the words of Allah? I want to share eight steps or aspects that I think every serious student should focus on if they want to get the most out of the Quran. First of all, anyone who starts this journey needs to have a vision. Just like any subject you study, you need to know what you’re aiming for, and you need to be ready for the challenges along the way. The Quran isn’t something you just pick up casually and expect to understand everything straight away. It has its own goals, its own hurdles, and if you don’t have a plan, you can lose focus very quickly. The first step is to really understand the words of every single ayah. You need to know what each word means, how the words come together in sentences, and how those sentences build the meaning of the surah. This is usually what you get in an Alimiyyah course or a detailed study of the Quran. But the key is that your understanding has to be guided by the Prophet ﷺ, his companions, and the early generations. If we start making up meanings without their guidance, that’s when we go wrong. The second step is to understand the background of revelation. This is about knowing the events and situations in which a verse or surah was revealed. Not every ayah has a historical story, but when it does, it makes the Quran come alive. Like the first revelation “Iqra”, was revealed at a time when people were drowning in ignorance. Knowing that makes the command to “read” so much more powerful. Or when the Prophet ﷺ stood on Mount Safa calling his people and faced harsh rejection that context completely changes how you feel when you read those verses. The third step is to pick up on the themes of the Quran. Some surahs focus on tawhid and shirk, some on injustice, some on worship, family life, or financial matters like riba. When you understand the main themes, it helps you reflect on the surah as a whole. For example, what is the theme of Surah Al-Fatiha? What about Surah Al-Baqarah and its focus on Bani Isra’il? Knowing the themes helps you connect the Quran to your life. The fourth step is to realise how revolutionary these themes were when they were revealed. Imagine living in Makkah before the Quran, society was full of idol worship, oppression, and ignorance. Then the Quran starts talking about the oneness of Allah, giving women rights, and standing up against injustice. These ideas shook society. Understanding how shocking and powerful the Quran was at that time makes you appreciate it so much more. The fifth step is to see the Seerah of the Prophet ﷺ in the Quran. As you read, you should be able to follow his journey, calling his people, facing Abu Lahab’s insults, migrating to Madinah, going through the battles of Badr and Uhud. The Quran isn’t a separate book from his life, it’s like Allah is guiding him through every step, and those reminders to him are reminders to us too. The sixth step is to notice the unique personality of each surah. Every surah has its own style and flavour. You can’t just take an ayah from one surah and drop it into another, it wouldn’t fit. Even the way Allah phrases things is intentional. For example, sometimes Allah says “All praise belongs to Allah” and other times “To Allah belongs all praise.” Each one is perfectly suited to the surah it’s in. This takes time to appreciate, but the more you read and reflect, the more you see it. The seventh step is to let the Quran touch your heart. When you read a verse, feel it as if it’s being revealed now. Feel the fear, the hope, the warning, the love. Let the stories of the prophets move you more than any movie or novel. The Quran is meant to change your life, but that only happens if you let it enter your heart, not just your mind.

Thinking of Starting an Alimiyyah Course? Prt2 Studying Arabic in the Alimiya course isn’t just about translating words or having a basic conversation. You need to have a good grasp of Arabic sentence structure, literature, prose, poetry, and all the different styles within the language. And the reason is simple. The Quran is in Arabic. The Prophet ﷺ spoke Arabic. So if someone wants to understand how rulings are derived whether it's the issue of intention when washing the face in wudu, or the ruling on doing tayammum on stone or dust, or buying and selling online between people thousands of miles apart then you need Arabic. The original texts are all in Arabic. And if someone doesn’t understand the depth and connotation behind the words, they’ll struggle to properly understand what’s being said. Take the statement of the Prophet ﷺ, “There is no iman for the one who doesn’t have amanah.” What does that actually mean? Or, “Actions are by intentions.” What does that mean? Does it mean the reward is based on intention? Or does it mean the action isn’t even valid without the right intention? These kinds of questions can only be answered properly when someone understands the language. If a person skips Arabic, it becomes a big problem. I remember some students who came to the madrasa I was studying at. They had completed an Alimiya course where everything was done in English. All the texts were translated. Nothing was studied directly in Arabic. So when they joined our madrasa, they couldn’t read the books themselves. They couldn’t understand the material without someone walking them through it. Everything they knew was from their teacher’s notes. And that left them dependent. They couldn’t verify if the teacher had given them the right information or not. And this is the problem. When you don’t know Arabic, you can’t research for yourself or go deeper into the texts. Umar ibn al-Khattab رضي الله عنه noticed this in his time. The Arabic language was being mixed with other languages, and important meanings were being lost. Words were losing their weight. And that’s exactly what we see happening to English today as well. So if someone is serious about studying Islam properly, they have to learn Arabic. And not just modern-day Arabic, but the Arabic that existed at the time of the Prophet ﷺ and the Sahaba. That’s the Arabic of revelation. That’s the language this deen was preserved in. Just a few thoughts I wanted to share, especially for those who are thinking about joining an Alimiya course or who are already studying. I hope it helps you make better use of your time and energy when learning.

Thinking of Starting an Alimiyyah Course? Prt1 Here's What You Need to Know When starting an Alimiyyah course or rather, when embarking on the journey of studying the Islamic sciences , it’s really important to understand not just what the course is offering, but also what you want from it. If your goals are aligned with what the Alimiyyah course is designed to deliver, and if the course is taught the way it should be, then inshaAllah you’ll benefit a lot. But if that alignment isn’t there, you could end up spending years going through the motions, not really learning much, and feeling disappointed at the end. This is why it’s so important to know what you’re getting into before committing to any intensive Islamic programme. The first and most crucial part of the journey is learning the Arabic language. Most of the early years in an Alimiyyah course are focused on this. And when we say ‘learning Arabic’, we don’t mean basic conversational Arabic. Most people who join these courses have never studied a language properly before, maybe a bit of French or Spanish in school. But Arabic in the Alimiyyah course is very different. You're learning Arabic to understand how it was used in the time of the Prophet ﷺ and his companions. That’s because the end goal is to be able to read and understand the Qur’an, its commentaries, Hadith collections, books on Aqidah, Fiqh, and more all in their original form. To do this, you need to study different branches of the language: Sarf (Morphology): This is all about how verbs work and change. It can feel strange at first, especially if you’ve never studied a language like this before. Nahw (Grammar): A whole subject dedicated just to sentence structure and how meanings are formed. Arabic Literature: Reading texts from different periods to get familiar with how Arabic has developed over time. Other Areas (like conversation or writing): These aren’t essential but can really help build fluency and confidence. Once you've spent a few years developing your Arabic, only then are you ready to start accessing the higher-level books. And even then, you need teachers to guide you through them. You can’t just pick up a Tafsir book or a Hadith collection and expect to understand it on your own. These are deep sciences with their own terminology and ways of thinking, and you need someone qualified to take you through them. InshaAllah, I’ll do another post later about that next stage. But for now, I hope this gives a clearer picture of what the Alimiyyah course is all about and helps anyone thinking about starting it to make an informed decision.

Why many people misunderstand Alimiya Courses and Leave The biggest problem students face when they join any Alimiya course, any course where they will be studying the Islamic sciences at a deep level, is that they don't really know what they are getting themselves into. This is found out very soon after they start the course. The Alimiya course is not designed for people to gain an average understanding of Islam. It is structured from beginner's level all the way to a fairly advanced level. The average person who wants to join these courses usually goes in with the idea that they will be learning about the Quran, the Hadith, and Al Aqidah immediately. For these individuals, the Alimiya course is not suitable. It is only for those who want to master the understanding of the Quran on their own. They should be able to read it, study it, and research it independently. The average Muslim, perhaps 80% to 90% of Muslims around the world, do not really want that level. All they want to understand is, what can I benefit from the Quran? What can I benefit from Hadith? What can I benefit from these other sciences? For them, what they need is a watered-down Alimiya course where they do not study the Arabic language in-depth. Instead, they go through the Quran with the teacher, focusing on the translation of the Quran, the translation of Hadith, and the translation of these other sciences to grasp an understanding of what these sciences are all about. The problem with this approach is that these individuals will never reach a satisfying level of understanding of the Quran, Hadith, and other sciences, where they can debate with others, explain concepts, and address objections. However, a person who studies the Alimiya course will be in a position where, even if they do not know the answer straightaway, they have the tools to research. This is probably the biggest difference between the Alimiya course and other courses. First, Alimiya course students will have a firstha

Why you can't rely on articles and clips alone It's very easy for the general public to be misconstrued with regards to certain matters. This is because the information they receive is often not fully provided or they have not developed a good level of training and understanding in the particular field. Therefore, it's easy for them to misinterpret the information or reach incorrect conclusions about specific matters. This can happen in many areas, especially when it comes to understanding topics related to the Quran, hadith, fiqh, aqidah, and others. Unfortunately, some individuals can take advantage of this by selectively sharing information to support their narrative. As a result, people may end up watching content online and becoming confused about these matters. The only solution is for individuals to systematically learn about the subject, starting from the basics and progressing to an advanced level.

Guarding your faith online Social media platforms in the dissemination of Islamic information can play an important role, but they can also be very damaging to people's understanding of Islam, their faith, and the unity of the community. The reason for this is that social media is a platform where there are no restrictions on how information is disseminated from an Islamic point of view. All forms of information can be found there, whether from legitimate sources, individuals who want to portray something as true, or those with nefarious intentions who aim to present a warped image of Islam. In our case, this pertains to issues related to the Quran, the life of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, his biography, his Sira, hadith narrations, fiqh, or aqidah, whatever it may be. These can be used as tools to distort the image of Islam in people's minds. Unfortunately, in today's times, there is no way for us to ascertain the validity of this information easily. In the past, scholars would advise looking at who you get your information from, focusing on the individuals behind the information. In today's context, it is very hard to ascertain the credibility of these individuals. What I would suggest is to seek information from verified scholars and respectable individuals in the community who are known locally for their integrity. It is advisable to stay away from those whose credibility is uncertain or who are known to have made controversial statements, and to abstain from listening to or taking information from them.

Hidaya Class link meet.google.com/yxw-izfe-nda 9am uk time

Caption this 😅

Historical Roots and Misunderstandings Many students are unaware that the founders of the Hanafi school particularly Abu Hanifa and his teachers, lived during the time of the Companions and Tabi'in. This meant they had direct exposure to the purest understanding and practice of Islam, far more than those who came after. The cases documented in the early foundational works were based on the Qur'an, Sunnah, and the practice of those early generations. However, these early texts rarely included the specific evidence used for each ruling. As a result, the closer one gets to the founding period, the stronger the connection to the original sources of Islam. This is why attempts to revisit early Hanafi rulings using narrations from later hadith collections (e.g. Bukhari and Muslim) have always been contentious. Using later-compiled hadiths to evaluate early fiqh has led some critics to wrongly accuse Hanafis of relying on weak hadith. But many narrations that were strong in the era of the Tabi’in may not have survived intact due to the loss of reliable chains or scholars passing away without transmitting them further. This does not weaken the Hanafi methodology. Their rulings had already been formulated through deep discussions and assessments of the available reports. Later Hanafi scholars often cited hadiths to show precedent, even if the exact chain was not preserved. This is why books may contain weak narrations not as proof texts, but as a historical indication that the view was known and practised. We can see a similar method in works like Sunan al-Tirmidhi, where the author often mentions a weak narration but then states, “The majority of the Companions and early scholars practised according to this.” This demonstrates that early practice held independent authority, even when later chains became weak. Conclusion I wrote this as a brief guide to help students of Hanafi fiqh understand the historical and scholarly significance of its books, its approach to evidence, and the reasoning behind its methodology. May Allah grant us clarity, understanding, and a deep connection to this noble tradition.

How to Study Hanafi Fiqh & Hadith The Role of Fiqh in Islam The science of Fiqh is a crucial part of the Islamic tradition. It is a carefully developed method of making sense of the sources of Islam, namely, the Qur'an, the Sunnah, and the early understanding of Islam, and applying them to real-life situations. Imagine having a limited set of instructions and practices from your boss and then being left in charge to deal with matters he didn’t specifically mention. Naturally, you'd have to work out solutions using what he already gave you. Similarly, scholars created a systematic way of categorising, weighing, and defining instructions and practices to develop a comprehensive framework for dealing with new issues. This is what the experts of the past have tirelessly done, making it easier for the wider Muslim community to practice their faith. These approaches became known as the madhhabs, or schools of Fiqh. How to Study the Hanafi School Students often ask: what is the best way to study the Hanafi approach? The primary aspect of understanding a madhhab is to identify the earliest discussions of the school for each chapter of Fiqh. This helps expose students to the original questions jurists were addressing and how they approached them. This can be a daunting task, as the early works are voluminous. A more manageable approach is to study the abridged primers that attempt to summarise the key questions and cases central to the founders of the school. A prime example is Mukhtasar al-Quduri, one of the most widely studied books in Hanafi circles throughout the centuries. It covers all the major chapters of Islamic rulings in their most essential form. Studying Quduri gives students a clear understanding of the foundational views and how they were transmitted. Progressing to Intermediate and Advanced Texts Once a student has grasped the Mukhtasar, they can move on to books that elaborate on its contents. These may include commentaries such as al-Lubab or works like Sharh al-Wiqayah and al-Ikhtiyar, which provide deeper insights into the reasoning and evidence behind earlier rulings. After this, students are ready to engage with more detailed and analytical works, such as al-Hidayah by al-Marghinani. This book does not just present evidence but also discusses internal disagreements within the school, as well as differing views from other schools. It also reflects the thinking of later Hanafis on issues that needed clarification or contextualisation. Studying the entire al-Hidayah equips students with a deep understanding of the school and the rational arguments that support its positions. Later Hanafi books often deal with: > new issues not discussed earlier, > refinements of earlier rulings, > or surveys of past positions to determine the dominant opinion. These works can generally be studied independently once the student is grounded in the foundational texts. Essential Complementary Subjects Alongside Fiqh, students should also study related sciences: > Usul al-Fiqh – the theoretical framework for how jurists extract rulings from the Qur'an and Sunnah. > Qawaid Fiqhiyyah – legal maxims that help organise rulings. > Ahadith al-Ahkam – hadiths related to legal rulings. Usul al-Fiqh is especially important. It shapes how students view the language of the Qur'an and Sunnah, how reports are transmitted, and how meaning is derived. I hope to write on these subjects in more detail in the future, insha’Allah. The science of Rasm al-Mufti, which teaches students how to respond to issues that appear unprecedented, is not something I have discussed here. This alone needs a lengthy post.

Useful website for history lovers https://www.oldmapsonline.org/en/history/regions#position=1.6193/60.1/-4.4&year=2010

100 Harms of Not Studying / researching & reading Translated from Urdu (by Mufti Muhammad Ismail Toru) 1. Increase in ignorance 2. Decline in intellect 3. Intellectual shallowness 4. Weakness in language and expression 5. Distance from research 6. Lack of seriousness in personality 7. Weak decision-making 8. Inability to argue with evidence 9. Weak memory 10. Frivolous conversation 11. Decrease in critical thinking ability 12. Spiritual weakness 13. Lack of religious awareness 14. Ignorance of Sunnah and Seerah 15. Shallow mentality 16. Emotional imbalance 17. Dominance of negative thinking 18. Falling into false ideologies 19. Getting lost in the deception of the world 20. Forgetting the purpose of life 21. Wasting time 22. Laziness and inactivity 23. Restlessness in solitude 24. Pointless talk 25. Death of imagination 26. Hardness of the heart 27. Becoming sectarian 28. Shyness in personality 29. Increase in doubts and suspicions 30. Intellectual slavery 31. Falling into tribulations (fitnah) 32. Distance from religion 33. Signs of hypocrisy 34. Lack of distinction between truth and falsehood 35. Hostility toward knowledge 36. Ignorant behavior 37. Intensified prejudice 38. Inability to face questions 39. Intellectual fallacies 40. Lack of self-confidence 41. Unawareness of humanity 42. Speaking without evidence 43. Hatred for reform 44. Lack of academic courage 45. Rudeness in speech 46. Haste in giving opinions 47. Negative role in society 48. Scattered personality 49. Absence of constructive thinking 50. Advice has no impact 51. Anger over trivial matters 52. Narrow understanding of religion 53. Unfamiliarity with Hadith and Qur'an 54. Escape from truth 55. Arrogance and pride 56. Superficial show and display 57. Lack of awareness 58. Deprivation of reflection and contemplation 59. Ignorance in religious matters 60. Following anti-knowledge groups 61. Disinterest in books 62. Speaking against the truth 63. Non-conformist mindset 64. Falling for incorrect fatwas 65. No value for time 66. Disrespect towards parents and teachers 67. Self-made version of religion 68. Living in dreams and illusions 69. Distance from scholarly gatherings 70. No attachment to the Qur’an 71. Identity crisis 72. Giving opinions without evidence 73. Weakness in da'wah (propagation) 74. Contributing to the downfall of the nation 75. No concern for the Ummah 76. Selfishness 77. Avoiding constructive criticism 78. Anti-education mindset 79. Aimless life 80. Social decline 81. Poor upbringing of children 82. Weak relationship with teachers 83. Feelings of superiority or inferiority 84. Social stress 85. Resorting to lies 86. Believing in rumors 87. Spreading hearsay 88. Intellectual dishonesty 89. Hindrance in national progress 90. Disinterest in worship 91. Corruption in beliefs 92. Immaturity in personality 93. Intellectual chaos 94. Inclination toward vulgarity and indecency 95. Ideological weakness 96. Individual and collective loss 97. Waste of time 98. Obedience to desires 99. Distance from the truth 100. A person ceases to remain truly “human”

Please share and donate towards this sadaqa jariya https://gofund.me/5cd6647b

Sorry I won't be able to do livestream today

Does the Qur’an Mention Secularism, Capitalism, and the Other Isms? Words like 'capitalism', 'atheism', and 'secularism' don’t appear in the Qur’an at least not in the form we use today. But that doesn’t mean the Qur’an is silent on the problems they raise. It speaks directly to the realities behind these ideologies. The names might change from one era to the next, but the core ideas arrogance, denial of truth, obsession with wealth, turning religion into something private have always been around. The Qur’an is a book of guidance for every time and place. It doesn’t just describe what went wrong with past nations. It gives us a framework to recognise those same patterns playing out in our own time. That’s why, no matter how much the world changes, the Qur’an still speaks clearly to what’s happening around us. It’s not a book you read once and move on from. The more you come back to it, the more it connects with your own life. When you’re struggling, the stories of the Prophets hit differently. When you see injustice or arrogance spreading, verses about past tyrants start to feel very familiar. And when you reflect on Allah’s mercy and punishment, it forces you to stop and think about where you’re heading. As for these modern “isms” that keep coming up atheism, secularism, capitalism they might not be listed by name, but the Qur’an deals with them in principle. Human beings have always come up with ways of thinking that go against revelation. The Qur’an doesn’t chase labels. It exposes the mindset behind them. Take atheism. It’s the belief that life has no Creator, no ultimate purpose. The Qur’an challenges that straight on. Allah says: “Were they created by nothing, or were they themselves the creators?” That question alone shuts down the whole worldview. Secularism, keeping religion out of public life, is also addressed. The Qur’an makes it clear that revelation isn’t just about private worship. It’s supposed to shape society, law, and justice. Allah says in Surah al-Ma’idah: “Whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed, they are the disbelievers.” Capitalism, especially in its extreme forms where wealth becomes a god and the poor are trampled, is no different. The Qur’an is full of warnings about hoarding money, exploiting people, and turning life into a race for possessions. “Woe to every scorner and mocker who collects wealth and keeps counting it, thinking that his wealth will make him live forever.” And of course, riba (interest), injustice, and neglecting the needy are all condemned in clear terms. So no, the Qur’an doesn’t use our modern terms but it speaks to the mindset, the symptoms, and the consequences of these ideologies. Whether it’s called liberalism, atheism, capitalism, or something else, if it’s built on rejecting truth, the Qur’an already addressed it. That’s what makes this Book so powerful. It doesn’t need updating. It just needs honest reading. “Indeed, this Qur’an guides to that which is most upright.”