Faisal Hassan

A few years ago I was doing a deep dive into Imam Shafi'i's biography and reading through his Kitab al-Umm. During this period, I remember going to sleep one night and having a dream of meeting a figure who I believed was Imam Shafi'i. (I'm a strange human; I don't dream in colour and can barely make out facial features when I do... but I was led to believe it was him anyway 😅.) I asked Imam Shafi'i: what's your view on musical instruments? My friends, for the life of me I don't recall what he said! 😂

Note: scholars differ on the nature of the (temporary) instruction of killing dogs in the time of revelation. The instruction arguably returns to the notion of harm and ensuring safety within the community, rather than some purposeless legislation for the mere sake of having them killed. This harm could include the vicious nature of dogs at the time and in scaring off kids; or the spread of rabies; or due to general disturbances at night from the constant barking of stray dogs. Otherwise, the benefit in dogs is recognised within the Quran and Hadith themselves for both hunting and shepherding, in addition to the other hadiths on general compassion and treatment of animals. In other words, the instruction was an exception to the rule based on the context of revelation (and restricted to those that posed harm), rather than a universal law.

Is there any verse or hadith that speaks on animal extinction? Allah tells us, "There is no creature on the earth, nor any bird flying with their wings, but they are communities like you." (An'am: 38) Allah Most High informs us that all land creatures and birds are communities (i.e. an ummah) like us humans. A community in what way? A community in serving some purpose and wisdom from their creation in this world, and being sustained by Allah in the same way He sustains humans. This function of creatures is something appealed to in the Quran as a way of reflecting on Allah's signs in His universe, and they can only serve as signs if they actually exist and do not go extinct. In an interesting hadith more directly pertinent to animal extinction, the Prophet (peace be upon him) initially instructed that dogs in Madinah be killed, and later said - appearing to correct those who understood this as a general rule - that had it not been for the fact that dogs are a community (ummah) among several other animal communities, he would have instructed to have them all killed, but that he only permits killing the (vicious) black dogs. As Imam al-Khattabi (d. 388) explains in his commentary Ma'alim al-Sunan: The hadith indicates a concern of turning dogs or any other creature extinct, as there exists no animal species except that God's creation of that particular creature carries wisdom and benefit within the ecosystem. Therefore, if there is a need for dogs (or any other creature) to be killed, then this should only apply to those that are harmful, as the rest of the dogs still serve benefit.

On the topic of mursal hadiths, Imam al-Dhahabi (d. 748) shares a nice presentation in his book al-Muqidhah that tends to be underappreciated. A mursal hadith is a disconnected prophetic report from a Tabi'i. Since the Tabi'i has not met the Prophet (peace be upon him), any report he attributes directly to the Prophet without stating his source is considered disconnected, with at least one break in the chain of transmission. While many tend to group all mursal reports in one category (as though they are all given the same treatment), Imam Dhahabi offers a tiered analysis which includes subcategories and divisions. He acknowledges that the Tabi'un as a generation include a large group of people, with some significantly more senior in age than others. For example, some Tabi'un may have died between 20-70 AH. Others died between 70-100 AH. Others died between 100-150 AH. These approximate tiers represent subdivisions and subcategories, depending on how senior or junior the Tabi'i is. The likelihood of there existing numerous missing links in the mursal chain from junior Tabi'un is significantly higher than it is for senior Tabi'un, and the weakness of the hadith with the former would naturally be greater. This analysis occurs even before the other considerations around mursal hadiths are assessed - like the personal habit or practice of the Tabi'i in question and whether or not he exclusively transmits from narrators he considers reliable, an assessment taken from the data around their transmission rather than mere assumptions not supported by data.

Sh. Muhammad al-Ghazali (d. 1996) on reading the Quran without understanding, complaining that this is not the purpose of revelation. (كيف نتعامل مع القرآن الكريم، للشيخ محمد الغزالي)

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "The martyrs are five: one who dies from a plague; an abdominal disease; drowning; a falling building; and a martyr in God's cause." (Bukhari and Muslim) The idea behind this report is that God recognises the hardship and difficulty each person endures, and raises their station and reward as a result of that struggle. The Prophet (peace be upon him) provides examples of those who experience great difficulty that subsequently leads to death, and compares them to a martyr in terms of the significant reward they attain as a form of consolation for them and their family. While the hadith lists five categories, an analogy can be drawn from these to other similar causes of death and illnesses, as the hadith is simply intended to provide examples rather than offering a comprehensive list.

Does extraterrestrial life exist? The observable universe is absolutely humongous. Are we to assume that distant exoplanets are like empty homes on earth? We truly don't know what exists out there. What we do know for sure is that "all praise belongs to Allah, Lord of all beings and realms", and that if there exists intelligent life outside earth, then I simply have another reason to praise Him and glorify His name!

The emphasis on Arabic literature (adab) is directly tied to interpreting both Quran and Hadiths. To interpret the Quran and Hadith requires understanding the full range of linguistic expression, and this is what literature serves to teach; it is training the reader to recognise the elasticity of language. In fact, the entire chapter of linguistic signification (dalalat al-alfadh) in Usul al-Fiqh is teaching the nature of languages in general, not just Arabic. In other words, every concept within this chapter is actually universal and can likewise be found in English - so if someone fails to appreciate the elasticity of language in English, they'll also fail to appreciate it in Arabic, which will naturally affect the way they interpret Quranic verses and hadiths.

The ability to understand a concept is different to the ability to make others understand it. These are separate skills. Some people are gifted with the ability to teach and package information in a way that is easily digestible. The Syrian legend Sh. Ali al-Tantawi (d. 1999) is one of those people. Sometimes the inability to explain a concept does indeed come down to not understanding it properly, and this is something students can pick up on very easily. As Sh. Ali al-Tantawi says: If you see a teacher laying out a concept which the students do not understand, and after seeking clarification he does nothing more than repeating what he just said, then know that he has only memorised the concept and not truly understood it. قال الشيخ علي الطنطاوي: إذا أنت رأيت معلّمًا يلقي المسألة فلا يفهمها التلاميذ، فيستوضحونه فيحاول التوضيح فلا يأتي بأكثر مما قال، فاعلم أنّه حفظ المسألة وما فهمها، أو (بالتعبير الجديد) ما هضمها.

Prophetic guidance encourages good treatment towards all animals. Beyond the ethics of excellence (ihsan) towards all creatures and in every context, there exists a clear prohibition on purposeless killing and harm towards any living creature. The only exceptions found in texts for killing an animal are for consumption or harm (and that too is restricted to the context of harm). Purposeless killing is forbidden explicitly within the hadith. Otherwise, good treatment applies to all animals, including pigs and dogs. Pigs are only forbidden to consume; that's it. It's a dietary law that doesn't have anything to do with treating them well. Dogs likewise deserve good treatment. The topic of dog purity - which itself is differed over by jurists - is a separate discussion that has nothing to do with showing them compassion. That dogs are to be treated well is why the Prophet (peace be upon him) informs us about a prostitute from the Israelites who saw a dog almost dying of thirst and who then proceeded to show it compassion by providing it water - ultimately resulting in her immorality being pardoned before Allah. (Bukhari and Muslim) Yes, this is about a dog. In another hadith, the Prophet (peace be upon him) highlights that in every moist liver (i.e. living creature) there is reward. (Bukhari and Muslim) In other words, serving any living being is pleasing to Allah. The assumption that prophetic guidance is somehow at war with dogs is either baseless or from a decontextualised reading of reports, as though humans and dogs have developed some enmity from the beginning of time. This simply isn't true.

Humour is what makes us human. Classically, humans would be described as talking animals (الإنسانُ حيوان ناطق), but they are equally laughing animals (الإنسانُ حيوان ضاحك). Humour is natural. "I laugh, therefore I am", a 2026 variant of the Descartes philosophy. 😁 The ability to appreciate a good joke is one of the blessings Allah allows us to experience. The shock value from a punchline is completely unparalleled. It is for this reason that humour and jokes are not intrinsically rebuked in prophetic guidance, as to prevent joking is to prevent people from being human. That someone may not personally take a liking to jokes is simply a temperamental preference rather than a "religious" judgement. Prophetic guidance does share general guidelines on joking, and much of this revolves around being considerate of others and avoiding the spread of false information (i.e. lies). Avoiding lies, however, is not judged by a literalistic attitude, as though "halal" banter is equivalent to dad jokes. What a miserable world! Lies are not judged by the literal phrase a person utters, rather than the meaning understood by you and your audience. The standard "a man, a bear, and a tiger walk into a bar..." is a typical joke setup, not understood by anyone as conveying reality. Nobody describes this as a lie, in the same way they do not describe Simba in Lion King as a lie. Similarly, sarcasm is just a regular linguistic device and a colourful way to convey meaning. Otherwise, how boring must jokes be after stripping them of all figurative usage! What a way to kill the Arts rather than appreciating a fine joke. 😁 And just as there's a time for humour and winding down, there's a time for serious conduct. As the Prophet (peace be upon him) told Handhalah, "A time for this and a time for that." (Muslim)

The inability to comprehend the Divine is the comprehension of the Divine. God is absolutely sublime. He is nothing like His creation. The mind only relates to things it experiences; it is finite, and therefore, be definition, cannot possibly imagine the Divine being.

It's always nice to see a full range of personalities expressed in different books. - Some authors have a calm and relaxed demeanour. Others are a bit more colourful, flooding their works with sarcasm and emotion. - Some authors demonstrate a young and fiery spirit, triggered by even the smallest of errors. Others demonstrate an elderly and more controlled address, sometimes developed only into their later years. - Some authors write like Maths is their favourite subject. 😁 Others write like they also share an appreciation for Literature and the Arts. - Some authors write like they carry no fear, mentally prepared for any backlash. Others write with a bit more diplomacy. - Some authors don't mind letting their guard down and expressing their humour. Others are a bit more mysterious and prefer talking strict business. Human diversity is truly something to appreciate. Now I'm not sure how I come across, but I hope it's at least pleasant and that I'm in your top 3! Much love! 😂❤️

If you don't begin reading the right books, you'll spend a lot of time unlearning the things you're learning. This is precisely why book recommendations are important. What are book recommendations? They're essentially those who've already read a significant amount of material within a field telling you where you'll find the best information. Book recommendations serve both the purpose of validating information and also saving you time from learning what isn't helpful for you currently. And if book recommendations are important, then you must also know that recommendations are only as useful as the person providing you their judgement. Someone who indiscriminately dishes out praise isn't going to provide a sound assessment of what you should or shouldn't read. I remember a long time ago, I asked a person if the book they held in their hand was good. He replied, "It's a kitab." Okay, it's a book. But just because some information has been documented on printed pages and placed between two covers doesn't immediately make it right. Don't you realise different books make different claims? Don't you realise different books operate with different assumptions? Don't you realise arguments supporting a conclusion can sometimes be strong and sometimes weak? Are you able to separate the wheat from the chaff? If not, your book recommendations are meaningless. Look out for those who are careful in their praise and critical in their assessment, as they're the recommendations that matter.

Notions of 'good' and 'bad' tend to only focus on one of these categories. Naturally, humans like to be around people who treat other humans nicely, and are therefore drawn to that focus when determining what is 'good', though ultimate judgement with God can perhaps be described as an existential judgement, one that is broader than just human relationships.

'Akhlaq' in its broadest sense includes all relationships. It includes one's relationship with God. It includes relationships with humans. It includes relationships with one's self. It includes relationships with animals. Lacking in any one of these is a deficiency in Akhlaq. To treat other humans nicely while failing to recognise and express gratitude to God - the Lord and Sustainer who deserves most praise and recognition - is nothing but bad character. To treat God nicely while disregarding relationships with humans is not only bad character, but, in reality, a contradiction - as any true relationship with God would be reflected in one's treatment with others.

Who was al-Khadir? Given the mystery behind the figure al-Khadir, there appears to be a lot of folklore and superstition associated with him. This is expected, as humans tend to stretch their imagination in matters carrying an element of the unknown - in the same way that happens with Jinn interactions. In reality, the only two sources that can inform us about al-Khadir are the Quran and authentic prophetic statements, and there is not much information about al-Khadir in them, which is why classical scholars even differ on his identity. - Was he a prophet, operating in a way no other human can based on knowledge provided to him by Allah? Possibly. - Was he an angel, simply demonstrating the Divine plan and decree in the universe (rather than the Divine law)? Possibly, and this would also answer a lot of the questions people have about the story. Some argued he was an angel historically, as recorded by al-Mawardi (d. 450) in his Tafsir, and it's reasonable. I've also heard the contemporary Sh. Abdullah al-Judai incline to this view while acknowledging there is nothing explicit on the topic. The truth is that the Quran and authentic hadiths are the only source of information to know about al-Khadir, and they do not share much detail about him beyond what is necessary. Of course, this is expected as the focus behind stories, as Allah teaches, are the lessons and morals rather than the figures themselves. As Allah says, "Truly, in their stories is a lesson for those possessing intellect." (Yusuf: 111) And Allah knows best.

The story of Prophet Musa and Khadir (commonly pronounced Khidr) from Surah Kahf is truly profound and gives us an insight into the Divine plans in this universe. The story shows us that events in this world may not always appear to unfold in our favour, but the ultimate chain of events - only known to Allah Most High - demonstrates both Divine wisdom and a greater plan. Khadir in this story represents the workings and tasks appointed to an angel, lifting the veil of what occurs behind the scenes in this glorious world. God acts in His wisdom, and He tasks the angels to carry out plans corresponding to that wisdom. Sometimes that wisdom in life may be apparent to us, and other times it may not. Allah has the full picture, and we surrender to Him, knowing full well He is all just and wise.

Imam Dhahabi (d. 748) expresses tolerance in his biographical entries for scholars who may have adopted a few mistaken conclusions by virtue of being human. He argues that a few shortcomings from a scholar should be excused and not a reason to disregard their entire contribution. After speaking about a disagreement on a secondary topic of theology, he says: If we were to completely disregard and abandon a scholar anytime he falls into errors in individual issues, and that too an error for which he is already forgiven, then no scholar would actually be safe! قال الذهبي: ولو أنّا كُلّما أخطأَ إمامٌ في اجتهادِه في آحادِ المسائل خطأً مغفورًا له، قُمْنا عليه وبَدَّعْناه وهَجرْناه، لمَا سَلِمَ معنا لا ابنُ نَصْرٍ، ولا ابنُ مَنْدَة، ولا مَن هو أكبرُ منهما. واللهُ هو هادي الخَلق إلى الحقّ، وهو أرحمُ الراحمين، فنعوذُ بالله من الهوى والفظاظة.

Imam Muhammad ibn Nasr al-Marwazi (d. 294) was an early mujtahid and scholar of hadith who authored several works on Fiqh. One of his popular books is Ikhtilaf al-Fuqaha', a work on comparative Fiqh and early juristic differences. This work is interesting as it provides insight into the views of early mujtahids whose madhhabs went extinct, or only survived for a few centuries. Their views are still preserved in what is known as the Khilaf literature. I shared some personal thoughts on this work, including the author's approach to Fiqh; some history of Fiqh; and also the early development of the Hanbali madhhab. I hope you enjoy 🙏❤️ (timestamps in the video description). https://youtu.be/9Rud8YgZAM0?si=_0nFSEgqFTKRH-Uz