Roots Of Knowledge ROK 😊

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”

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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.”

NEW Podcast

The Future of Islamic Education | Mufti Liaquat Zaman & Maulana Ateiq | Ep. 27 - YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djo9EuRJApw

Podcast NEW https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=djo9EuRJApw

No Comfort for the Seeker The pursuit of knowledge is a lifelong journey. The more I study, the more I realise how vast the world of knowledge is and how incapable we are of understanding it all. Every time I start reading something, I want to gain more than a superficial comprehension. I want to go right to the core of the issue, explaining how it functions, how it was created, and how it changed over time. The issue, though, is that I frequently find myself drawn into related conversations. One subject leads to another, and before I realise it, I've gone far from my starting point. It delays what I was originally looking for, but it’s rarely ever a waste, it all adds value in the long run. There are no set rules when it comes to learning. Everyone determines their own pace and goals. Some people are content with only grasping the basics. Others desire to go further, even if it means foregoing some comforts, such as sleep or socialising. And then you have the relentless ones the “super seekers.” For them, asking “why, who, what, when, and where” is almost like oxygen. They live to discover. I’ve heard incredible stories of sacrifice. People walking from one part of the world to another just to hear a hadith from its source. Others selling parts of their home to finance their studies. Some would sell old newspapers to feed their families while continuing their education.Some even forced themselves to sleep every other night in order to make more time for reading and writing. It is encouraging, but it also serves as a reminder that too much intensity without balance can be detrimental to one's health, family life, and community relationships. True growth occurs when you achieve the correct balance between profound learning and daily life. That is what makes a journey of knowledge sustainable and appealing.

When Islam Leaves the Public Sphere Islam can only be fully appreciated when the laws of Allah are seen as guiding every layer of society, from the ordinary individual to those in positions of leadership. When Islam is applied holistically, its true impact transforms homes, streets, institutions of education, systems of governance, and even international relations. The Seerah of the Prophet ﷺ stands as the greatest proof of what it means to embody divine guidance at every level of life. Islam also breathes new life into human creativity, giving meaning to exploration, innovation, and technological advancement, all within the ethical framework of preserving life, dignity, and the balance of creation. If Islam is confined only to the mosque, the heart, or the private home, it loses its ability to challenge injustice and offer real solutions to societal ills. Muslims risk becoming passive in the face of oppression, while the Qur’an, a book meant to lead humanity, is reduced to a relic, admired like an exhibit in a museum, but detached from the living world it was meant to shape. Without this comprehensive structure in place, whenever Muslims rise to challenge a force more powerful than them in military or technology, they are either crushed or branded as violent rebels, accused of seeking to spread harm rather than justice. The absence of a visible, functioning Islamic framework leaves their efforts misunderstood and misrepresented, no matter how sincere or principled.

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