Physical Descriptions of the Four Imams – Collected from Imam Dhahabi’s Siyar A’lam an-Nubala

    Abu Hanifah an-Nu’man bin Thabit: Abu Yusuf said: “Abu Hanifah was well-formed, was from the best of people in appearance, the most eloquent of them in speech, the sweetest in tone, and the clearest of them in expressing what he felt.” Hamad bin Abi Hanifah said: “My father was very handsome, dark, had […]

Muharram: Between Fact and Fiction

  By Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani Muharram is the month with which the Muslims begin their lunar Hijri calendar. It is one of the four sanctified months about which the Holy Quran says, “The number of months according to Allah is twelve (mentioned) in the Book of Allah on the day He created the heavens […]

Ruh & Nafs – The View of Qadi Thana’ullah Panipati (ra)

  By Mufti Muhammad Shafi Usmani (ra) و إذ قال ربك للملائكة اني خالق بشراً من صلصال من حما مسنون. فإذا سويته و نفخت فيه من روحي فقعوا له ساجدين And (remember) when your Lord said to the angels, “I am going to create a human being from a sound-giving clay made of decayed mud. […]

Entertainment and Sports in Light of the Prophetic Tradition

  Courtesy of Mukumbura By Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani Translated by Zameelur Rahman Zuhayr ibn Harb narrated to me: ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Mahdi narrated to us: from Sufyan: from ‘Alqamah ibn Marthad: from Sulayman ibn Buraydah: from his father: that the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: “He who played backgammon is […]

Literary Aspects of the Qur’an: Al-Baydawi’s Interpretation of Alif Lam Mim Using the Rules of Tajweed

By Mawlana Dr M Mansur Ali  The Qur’an, that inimitable symphony, the very sounds of which move men to tears and ecstasy, invigorated the barren hearts of camel shepherds and transformed them in to guiding stars for humanity. That eternal and unimpeachable writ, which laid the foundation of a civilization that carried the knowledge of […]