Year 11 Islamic Part 1

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2021-2022

Grade
10
Islamic Education

1
Student book

VOLUME ONE Islamic Education Student book 1442-1443 A.H. / 2021-2022


1

051223
249010
1
Islamic Education

Student book
Grade 10

Volume 1

Certified óªà©e
The materials in this óªà©e ÜÉàµdG Gòg iƒàfi
book are certified by the
Ministry of Education º«∏©àdGh á«HÎdG IQGRh ø

1442-1443 A.H. / 2021-2022 A.D.


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Introduction
Praise be to Allah, the Most Powerful, the Most Bountiful, Who taught by the pen; taught man
that which he knew not. Blessings and peace be upon the most honored of messengers, our master
Muḥammad d, who was sent as a mercy to all nations, and upon his family and companions.

The Curriculum Design Team of the Islamic Education Series is pleased to present to our dear
students this new edition of Islamic Education textbook, praying to Allah i that it will help
them increase their knowledge, expand their intellectual horizons, and elevate and refine their
moral character; for Allah i is the All-Hearing, Always Ready to Answer.

In terms of structure, this book has adopted a unit-based approach with each unit comprising diverse
topics that collectively represent the domains and core themes of the curriculum in an integrated
and holistic manner such as:

Divine Revelation (Waḥy), Islamic Creed (ʿAqīdah)

Values and Manners of Islam (Qiyam wa Ādāb)

Islamic Rulings and their Higher Purposes (Aḥkām wa Maqāṣid)

Life of the Prophet (Sīrah) and Prominent Muslim Personalities (Shakhṣiyyāt)

National Identity and Contemporary Issues (Huwiyyah wa Qaḍāyā).

This new textbook has sought to translate the curriculum standards into comprehensive tables of
contents and stipulate the learning outcomes at the beginning of each lesson under the heading: ‘I
learn from this lesson.’

Each lesson consists of an introduction entitled: ‘I take initiative to learn’; a presentation entitled:
‘I use my skills to learn’; and a conclusion entitled: ‘I organize my concepts.

This is followed by student activities which focus on three specific types:

general activities for all students entitled: ‘I answer by myself’;

enrichment activities for outstanding students entitled: ‘I enrich my experience; and applied
activities entitled: “I assess myself”.

The book strikes a balance between religious knowledge and educational activities by providing
students with the necessary Islamic knowledge and concepts while at the same time affording them
the opportunity to enrich and broaden their knowledge through classroom activities.

4
The textbook aims to:

realize the defining traits of Emirati students, strengthen their loyalty and sense of belonging
to their country, protect and fortify them against the ideas of extremism and terrorism, develop
21st century skills and thinking skills, and meet the pressing needs and demands of sustainable
development.

The textbook focuses on the religious knowledge and ideas that students are required to have. It
furthermore connects this religious knowledge and ideas to their contemporary life in accordance
with the lenient teachings of Islam which are characterized by moderation, balance, tolerance,
love, peace, cohesion, harmony, respect for human dignity, rejection of violence and hatred,
reinforcing positivity, and a sense of individual and communal responsibility. Moreover, the
book attaches importance to developing performance skills that are specific to Islamic education
and places special emphasis on Islamic values in order to build conscientious personalities who
are committed their religion, take pride in their heritage, contribute to nation building and open
up new horizons of cooperation and collaboration for promoting common human values.

Moreover, the learning activities are both numerous and diverse so as to contribute towards
developing critical thinking in learners. Critical thinking constitutes today a necessary and
indispensable tool of contemporary life to fortify students against aberrant and deviant ideas
and imprudent and rash imitation. Moreover, the book aims to develop creative and innovative
thinking, which the UAE endeavors to achieve by 2021 through its vision entitled “United in
Ambition and Determination”, en route to becoming one of the best countries in the world. In
addition, it seeks to develop the skills for solving problems in life and for making sound and
timely decisions. Similarly, it contributes towards the honing of students’ skills and fine-tuning
their competencies and raising their awareness of investing material and human capabilities and
preserving and developing the nation’s wealth.

We hope that this way of presenting the topics and subject matter will aid our students in utilizing
their learning competencies such as observation, thinking, experimentation, application, self-
learning, research, inquiry, and inferring and extrapolating evidence-based results.

As we present this book to our students, we pray to Allah i that the planned and intended
benefits be realized, by bringing into effect the learning standards of Islamic Pedagogy and by
developing thinking and performance skills with a view to building a generation with the ability
to create and innovate, face the challenges of their time and raise their country in honor and
dignity.

Allah Alone grants success

Curriculum Design Team of the Islamic Education Series 5


6
Table of Contents
content is defined on smart learning app

SN Domain Theme Lesson Page


Unit One
The Holy Qurʾān and Its
1 Divine Revelation (Waḥy) Sūrat al-Kahf: 1-8
Sciences

The Holy Qurʾān and Its


2 Divine Revelation (Waḥy) Makkan and Madinan Qurʾān
Sciences

3 Islamic Creed (ʿAqīdah) Faith-Based Reasoning Reason and Intellect in Islam

Islamic Rulings and their Higher Maxims of Islamic Rulings


4 The Islamic Juristic (Legal) Schools
Purposes (Aḥkām wa Maqāṣid) (Qawāʿid)

Life of the Prophet (Sīrah) and


Prominent Muslim
5 Prominent Muslim Personalities Sakīnah bint al-Ḥusayn
Personalities (Shakhṣiyyāt)
(Shakhṣiyyāt)

Unit Two

The Holy Qurʾān and Its


1 Divine Revelation (Waḥy) “The Companions of the Cave”
Sciences

The Holy Qurʾān and Its Stages of the Collection of the


2 Divine Revelation (Waḥy)
Sciences Qurʾān

The Methodology of Thinking in


3 Islamic Creed (ʿAqīdah) Faith-Based Reasoning
Islam

Islamic Rulings and their Higher Purposes Maxims of Islamic Rulings


4 Endowments: Giving and Growth
(Aḥkām wa Maqāṣid) (Qawāʿid)

National Identity and Contemporary Contemporary Issues


5 Human Development in Islam
Issues (Huwiyyah wa Qaḍāyā) (Qaḍāyā)

Unit Three

The Holy Qurʾān and Its


1 Divine Revelation (Waḥy) The Owner of the Two Gardens
Sciences

The Noble Ḥadīth and Its


2 Divine Revelation (Waḥy) The Prophetic Sunnah
Sciences

Islamic Values and Manners (Qiyam wa


3 Islamic Manners (Ādāb) Dressing Etiquette
Ādāb)

Islamic Rulings and their Higher Maxims of Islamic Rulings


4 Juristic Diversity and Disagreement
Purposes (Aḥkām wa Maqāṣid) (Qawāʿid)

Life of the Prophet (Sīrah) and


The Prophetic Method of Propagation
5 Prominent Muslim Personalities Life of the Prophet (Sīrah
(Daʿwah)
(Shakhṣiyyāt)
7

Unit One

1
8
Unit Contents

No. Domain Theme Lesson

Divine Revelation The Holy Qurʾān and


1 (Waḥy) its Sciences
Sūrat al-Kahf: 1-8

Divine Revelation The Holy Qurʾān and Makkan and


2 (Waḥy) its Sciences Madinan Qurʾān

Islamic Creed Faith-Based Reason and


3 (ʿAqīdah) Reasoning Intellect in Islam

Islamic Rulings
The Islamic
and their Higher Maxims of Islamic
4 Purposes (Aḥkām Rulings (Qawāʿid)
Juristic (Legal)
Schools
wa Maqāṣid)
Life of the Prophet
(Sīrah) and Prominent Muslim
Sakīnah bint al-
5 Prominent Muslim Personalities
Ḥusayn
Personalities (Shakhṣiyyāt)
(Shakhṣiyyāt)

9
1 Lesson One

Sūrat al-Kahf: 1- 8
1. recite the holy Qurʾānic verses 3. explain the causes behind the
I learn from observing the rules of tajwīd . revelation of Sūrat al-Kahf.
2. explain the meanings of the words 4. analyze some of the significations
this lesson and implications of the holy verses.
contained in the relevant Qurʾānic
to: 5. read the hloy verses from memory.
verses.

I take the initiative to learn

Sūrat al-Kahf was revealed in Makkah after Quraysh had dispatched al-
Naḍr ibn al-Ḥārith and ʿUqbah ibn Abī Muʿayṭto Madīnah. Quraysh said to Illuminations
them: “Ask the Rabbis(Jewish Scholars) in Madīnah about Muhammad his
qualities and character and tell them about what it is he is saying for they are The Messenger
the People of the Scripture and they possess knowledge of the kind we don't d said: “Whoever
possess.”
The delegation of Quraysh set out to Madinah. There they asked the memorizes ten verses
Jewish Rabbis about the Prophet, to which they responded: “Ask him from the beginning
about three matters; if he answers you correctly concerning them, then he of Sūrat al-Kahf will
is a prophet who has been sent (by Allah), and if he does not, then he is a be protected from
deceiver who is saying things that are not true. Ask him about some young al-Dajjāl (the False
men who have gone before in an earlier era- what was their story for theirs is
a strange and wondrous tale. Ask him about a man who was a prolific traveler Messiah).”
and reached the eastern and the western parts of the earth. What was his (Narrated by Muslim)
story? Ask him about the soul (rūḥ)- what is it?”
The delegation of Quraysh returned to Makkah, and upon reaching Makkah, they said: “O
people of Quraysh, we have come to you with a decisive solution which will put an end to the
problem between you and Muhammad. Then they came to the Messenger of Allah d and asked
him (about the three matters), and so Sūrat al-Kahf was revealed which answered their questions.
Allah / has made Sūrat al-Kahf a guiding light for the believer. The Messenger of Allah d says:
“Whoever recites Sūrat al-Kahf on Friday, it will illuminate him with light from one Friday to the
next.” (Narrated by al-Suyūṭī in al-Jāmiʿ al-Ṣaghīr).

I analyze: I discuss the underlying causes behind Quraysh's attitude taking into account the
outcomes resulting from that.

I use my skills to learn: - I recite and memorize:

‫سو َر ُة الكهف‬
‫ﭧ ﭨ ﱫ ﯛ ﯜ ﯝ ﯞ ﯟ ﯠ ﯡ ﯢ ﯣ ﯤ ﯥﯦ ﯧ ﯨ ﯩ ﯪ ﯫ ﯬ ﯭ ﯮ ﯯ ﯰ‬

‫ﯱﯲﯳﯴﯵﯶﯷﯸﯹﯺﯻﯼﯽﯾﯿﰀﰁﰂﭑﭒﭓﭔﭕ‬

‫ﭖ ﭗﭘ ﭙ ﭚ ﭛ ﭜ ﭝﭞ ﭟ ﭠ ﭡ ﭢ ﭣ ﭤ ﭥ ﭦ ﭧ ﭨ ﭩ ﭪ ﭫ ﭬ‬

‫ﱪ‬R‫ﭭﭮﭯﭰﭱﭲﭳﭴﭵﭶﭷﭸﭹﭺﭻﭼﭽﭾﭿﮀﮁ‬

10
Sūrat al-Kahf: 1 - 8

Sūrat al-Kahf

Allah,i , says:
1. al-ḥamdu li-llāhi lladhī ʾanzala ʿalā ʿabdihi l-kitāba wa-lam yajʿal lahū ʿiwajā
2. qayyiman li-yundhira baʾsan shadīdan min ladunhu wa-yubashshira l-muʾminīna lladhīna yaʿmalūna
ṣ-ṣāliḥāti ʾanna lahum ʾajran ḥasanan
3. mākithīna fīhi ʾabadan
4. wa-yundhira lladhīna qālū ttakhadha llāhu waladan
5. mā lahum bihī min ʿilmin wa-lā li-ʾābāʾihim kaburat kalimatan takhruju min ʾafwāhihim ʾin yaqūlūna
ʾillā kadhiban
6. fa-laʿallaka bākhiʿun nafsaka ʿalā ʾāthārihim ʾin lam yuʾminū bi-hādhā l-ḥadīthi ʾasafan
7. ʾinnā jaʿalnā mā ʿalā l-ʾarḍi zīnatan lahā li-nabluwahum ʾayyuhum ʾaḥsanu ʿamalan
8. wa-ʾinnā la-jāʿilūna mā ʿalayhā ṣaʿīdan juruzan
Praise be to Allah Who has revealed the Scripture unto His slave, and has not placed therein any
crookedness,
2. (But has made it) straight, to give warning of stem punishment from Him, and to bring unto the
believers who do good works the news that theirs will be a fair reward.
3. Wherein they will abide for ever;
4. And to warn those who say: Allah has chosen a son,
5. (A thing) whereof they have no knowledge, nor (had) you fathers. Dreadful is the word that comes
out of their mouths. They speak nothing but a lie.
6. Yet it may be, if they believe not in this statement, that you (Muhammad) will torment your soul with
grief over their footsteps.
7. Lo! We have placed all that is in the earth as an ornament thereof that we may try them: which of
them is best in conduct.
8. And lo! We shall make all that is therein a barren mound
I study the interpretation of the Qurānic vocabulary:

Word Meaning

‫`عِ َو َجا‬iwajā (crookedness) deviating from Truth to Falsehood

‫َق ِّيمًا‬ qayyiman (straight and upright) straight and moderate

‫َبا ِخ ٌع‬ bākhiʿun (torment to death( ruine and destroy

‫ أَ َس ًفا‬asafan (out of grief) with anguish and agony

‫ لِ َن ْبلُ َو ُه ْم‬li-nabluwahum (that we may that we may try and test them
test them)

‫صعِي ًدا‬
َ ṣaʿīdan (mound) Dust or dry soil

‫ُجر ًُزا‬ juruzan (barren) arid and bare with no herbage


11
1 Lesson One

I grasp the significations and implications of the verses

An All-Great Lord and an All-Holy Qurʾān

The holy sūrah begins by praising Allah i in order to teach people how to thank and praise their
Lord and Cherisher, Allah i , in a way that befits His Majesty. Celebrating the praises of Allah
i (ḥamd) is in lieu of every blessing and bounty coming from Allah i . Showing thanks
and gratitude to Allah (shukr) is in lieu of a blessing and bounty relating specifically to the person
expressing his thanks and gratitude to Allah. The blessings and bounties of Allah i are countless
and therefore praising Him is a an obligatory duty (wājib) on every one of His creatures at every
moment. Among the greatest of His Blessings is the blessing of having sent our Master Muhammad
d as a mercy unto the worlds and the blessing of having revealed the Holy Qurʾān. For indeed, Allah
i has revealed the Qur’an in the form of a Book that is absolutely free from any crookedness,
contradiction or incongruency, which points to the fact that the Qurʾān is perfect and complete in and
of itself. Moreover, He has sent It as a Book that is straight (qayyiman), that is, upright and true in its
details, such that It completes and fulfills all else and is a cause for guiding and directing the creation
to its Creator, the Real and True Allah i begins by first negating the quality of imperfection and
deficiency (from the Qurʾān) saying:‫( ﱫ ﯢ ﯣ ﯤ ﯥﱪ‬wa-lam yajʿal lahū ʿiwajā) “and has not placed
therein any crookedness” in order to negate the initial thought that comes to the mind which is that the
Qurʾān belongs to the category of speech produced by humans, or that it is magic, or that it is poetry.
Allah i then follows up this negation with an affirmation that the true essence of the Qurʾān is
that it is “‫( – ﱫﯨﱪ‬qayyiman) (straight)”, moderate and a straight path that distinguishes Truth from
Falsehood and that it brings people out from the darkness of misguidance, fanaticism and extremism
into the light of moderation, temperance and happiness. Hence, it is on this basis that people are duty-
bound to praise and thank Allah i , since the Holy Qurʾān, even though it was sent down upon
our Master Muhammad d in the form of revelation, it was nevertheless sent to all of humanity.

I cooperate with my classmates: in collaboration with the members of my group I


discuss the following statement:
َ ‫( فِيْ َر ْأ ِي ِه عِ َو ٌج َوفِيْ َع‬fī raʾyihī ʿiwajun wa fī
َ ُ‫صاه‬
Arabs have a saying that goes as follows: (ٌ‫(ع َوج‬
ʿaṣāhu ʿawajun) ‘his opinion contains an ʿiwaj (crookedness in the abstract sense) and his
walking stick an ʿawaj (crookedness in the concrete sense).

We deduce a rule that justifies and validates the use of the word ‫ ﱫ ﯥﱪ‬with the letter ʿayn
vowelled with a kasrah in the first verse.

I explain: I provide a logical justification for the following:


The aforementioned verses mention the Qurʾānic attribute of ‫( )ﱫﯨﱪ‬qayyiman)
meaning ‘straight’ after first mentioning‫( ﱫ ﯢ ﯣ ﯤ ﯥﱪ‬wa-lam yajʿal lahū ʿiwajā) “and has
not placed therein any crookedness”.

12
Sūrat al-Kahf: 1 - 8

A General Message:
Allah i sent a messenger to every community (ummah) but sent our Master
Muhammad d as a messenger to the whole of humanity. Thus, Allah i made him
the final of all prophets and his mission the final of all missions which clarified to people
the rights and entitlements owed to them and the duties and obligations they (in turn) owe
to others:‫( ﱫ ﯩ ﯪ ﯫ ﯬ ﯭ ﯮ ﯯﱪ‬li-yundhira baʾsan shadīdan min ladunhu wa-
yubashshira l-muʾminīna) “… to warn of a severe punishment from Him, and to give good
news to the believers …”. The verse, furthermore, indicates the various attitudes people
had towards the message; they basically formed two parties: a party that believed in the
message and the another party that disbelieved in it, and hence the warning of a serve
punishment from Allah i to those who disbelieve in the message so that maybe they
will return to Allah's Guidance after it has become clear to them what the final outcome
will be, thus save themselves from that final ending, become of those who believe in the
Message of Allah’s Messenger d and thus receive the blessed tidings of everlasting bliss
and eternal life in Gardens of Paradise wherein there is neither toil norstruggle. Here we
find that Allah i has given precedence to warning people of a punishment (over giving
them glad tidings of a reward) in this verse so as to make it clear to us that saving humanity
is the priority and not punishing them. Allah i says:
‫ﱫ ﯲ ﯳ ﯴ ﯵ ﯶ ﯷ ﯸﯹ ﯺ ﯻ ﯼ ﯽﱪ‬
147. mā yafʿalu llāhu bi-ʿadhābikum ʾin shakartum wa-ʾāmantum wa-kāna llāhu shākiran
ʿalīman
“Why should Allah punish you if you give thanks and be faithful? And Allah is All-
Appreciative (Ever-Rewarding), All-Knowing.” (Sūrat al-Nisāʾ: 147)
In spite of this, Allah i has left it to man to choose his own path such that no one is
to force another to make a particular choice. Allah i says:
‫ﱫ ﭧ ﭨ ﭩ ﭪ ﭫ ﭬ ﭭ ﭮ ﭯﭰ ﭱ ﭲ ﭳ ﭴ ﭵ ﭶﱪ‬
99. wa-law shāʾa rabbuka la-ʾāmana man fī l-ʾarḍi kulluhum jamīʿan ʾa-fa-ʾanta tukrihu
n-nāsa ḥattā yakūnū muʾminīna
And had your Lord willed, all who are in the earth would have believed together. Would
you (Muhammad) compel men until they are believers? (Sūrat Yūnus: 99)

13
1 Lesson One

I compare:
On the basis of the above, I complete the comparison according to the table below:

‫ َو ُي َب ِّش َر‬- wa yubashshira ‫ َو ُي َب ِّش َر‬- wa yubashshira (and to give


Aspect of comparison
(and to give good news) good news)
Meaning

Outcome

I deduce:
I reflect on the statement of Allah i:‫ ﱫﭧﭨﭩﭪﱪ‬- (al-muʾminīna lladhīna
yaʿmalūna ṣ-ṣāliḥāti) “…the believers who do good works …” and extrapolate from it one of the
values of Islam.

A false argument:

Allah, says: ‫( ﱫﯼ ﯽ ﯾ ﯿ ﰀ ﰁﱪ‬wa-yundhira lladhīna qālū ttakhadha llāhu


i
waladan) “and to warn those who say, ‘Allah has taken a son.’” After the warning was first came in
a general sense, it now comes a second time but in a more specifical and detailed sense. This is
because the polytheists used to say “we worship angels, and the angels are the daughters of Allah,
so the warning and the response came together both to them (the polytheists) and to those who say
similar things to what they say, whether it be they themselves or their forefathers before them. This
is because they adopted this belief on the basis of blind imitation and not out of conviction, without
knowledge, rational argument or proof. This constitutes falsehood in its very essence because the
existence of a son means to satisfy a psychological need like fatherhood or motherhood, or a material
need such as ancestral connection or extending a helping hand to one’s parents; and a need is an
imperfection and deficiency (naqṣ) on the part of the one in need, and Allah i is absolutely
above imperfection and deficiency. Allah says: ‫ ﱫﭙ ﭚ ﭛ ﭜﱪ‬3. (lam yalid wa-lam i
yūlad). He begets not nor was begotten (Sūrat al-'Ikhlāṣ: 3)
The warning is repeated in the verse to demonstrate the enormity of what they are saying and
claiming and the gravity of what they have chosen for themselves.
I reflect and find a link:
In the first warning Allah i
explains what it is that He is warning of. Mention what it is that He
is warning them of in the second instance.
...............................................................................................................................................................
Allah i says:‫( ﱫﭙﭚﱪ‬kaburat kalimatan) “…Monstrous is the utterance…”, that is to
say, grievous is the utterance, being the ultimate in disbelief, and as such deserves severe
punishment.
State what this utterance is and where it occurs in another sūrah of the Holy Qurʾān

14
Sūrat al-Kahf: 1 - 8

The Prophet of Mercy:


Allah, i , says: ‫ﱫﭤ ﭥ ﭦ ﭧ ﭨ ﭩ ﭪ ﭫ ﭬ ﭭ ﭮﱪ‬
"fa-laʿallaka bākhiʿun nafsaka ʿalā ʾāthārihim ʾin lam yuʾminū bi-hādhā l-ḥadīthi ʾasafan"
"It may be that you (Muhammad) will torment your soul to death for their sake, should they not
believe this (Heavenly) Discourse, out of grief".

Allah i addresses His Messenger d saying “It is almost as if you, Muhammad, are

killing yourself because your people are not believing in your daʿwah”. Allah has compared i
His Prophet, who has brought the good of both this world and the Next to all of humanity, and then
his people reject and shun him, with someone whose loved ones have left him, and is consumed
by extreme sadness on account of them being far away and fear that they might perish. This is all
because he loves them and loves for them what he loves for himself. Never would he rush to inflict

harm on them but instead he would continue to beseech Allah pleading to him and hoping i
that to bring forth their progeny predisposed those who the declare the Divine Unity (tawḥīd) Allah.
This was in fact the state of the Messenger d
throughout his twenty-three years of preaching Islam
and his instruction to his Companions and his ummah (community) until the Day of Judgment with
respect to all people.
These verses here point to the importance of the psychological dimension of the human being
such that one should not allow his grief, anger, or despair to completely dominate him in order not to
bring destruction upon himself whether by way of death or a bad and negative reaction.

a person experienced a huge loss and became stricken with severe


I find a grief and dispairsuch that he lost his appetite, and says that his
solution life is over. I find a structured solution to this problem in a series of
sequential steps

I identify the I specify the


I identify the problem I identify the causes
priorities solutions

I infer:
instantiations of the Prophet’s love for people.

...............................................................................................................................................................

15
1 Lesson One

The Worldly Life is an Abode of Trials and Tribulations


Allah, i , says: ‫ﱫﭰ ﭱ ﭲ ﭳ ﭴ ﭵ ﭶ ﭷ ﭸ ﭹ ﭺﱪ‬
7. ʾinnā jaʿalnā mā ʿalā l-ʾarḍi zīnatan lahā li-nabluwahum ʾayyuhum ʾaḥsanu ʿamalan
“Indeed We have made whatever is on the earth an adornment for it that We may test them [to see]
which of them is best in conduct.”
Allah i makes it clear that the worldly life is an abode of testing and that He created the earth
and what is on earth of animals, plants, water and air as adornment for it, such that people can enjoy
its beauty and everything on it that serves a means towards their subsistence and earthly habitation
without it distracting them from the purpose for which they have been created- Allah says: i
‫ ﱫﭳ ﭴ ﭵ ﭶ ﭷ ﭸﱪ‬56. wa-mā khalaqtu l-jinna wa-l-ʾinsa ʾillā li-yaʿbudūni
I did not create jinn and humans except that they worship Me (Sūrat al-Dhāriyāt: 56).Hence, being
tried and tested (ibtilāʾ) reveals who of them is the best in putting their trust in Allah iand showing
obedience towards Him with respect to what Allah i has created for them in this world. Thus, he
benefits from it in the manner Allah ihas prescribed by not being wasteful and extravagant and
i and he inhabits the earth developing and cultivating as an act of worship
in obedience to Allah
(ʿibādah) to Allah i. Everything on earth Allah i has created and made subservient for the
benefit of humanity and on the Day of Resurrection the earth He will transform all of it into dust, such
that the earth will be smooth and even with no life on it. This, then, is a submission to the fact that Allah
i is the Creator (‫الخالق‬- al-Khāliq), provider (‫الرازق‬- al-Rāziq), Giver of Life ‫المُحْ ِيي‬-ْ al-Muḥyī), Taker
of Life (‫المميت‬- al-Mumīt) and to Him belong the keys to everything.

I investigate:

The word ‫( ِز ْي َنة‬zīnah - ‘adornment’) is occurs in the statement of Allah : ‫ﱫﭰ ﭱ ﭲ ﭳ ﭴ ﭵ ﭶﱪ‬
i
(ʾinnā jaʿalnā mā ʿalā l-ʾarḍi zīnatan lahā) “Indeed We have made whatever is on the earth an adornment
for it …”,

in cooperation with my classmates and under the supervision of the teacher, I state the various meanings
of the word ‫( ِزي َن ًة‬zīnah - ‘adornment’) and their respective significations and implications

Meaning Significations and Implications

16
Sūrat al-Kahf: 1 - 8

I reflect:
Which of these significations and implications apply to the holy verse?
.....................................................................................................................................................
I express myself:
in front of my fellow students, describing the aspects of beauty in one of the elements
in nature explaining how the Magnificance of the Creator is manifested in the particular
element that I have chosen.

I organize my concepts

Sūrat al-Kahf

Occasion of revelation This Worldly Life is


Eternal Message an Abode of Trials
................................................................... and Tribulations
...................................................................
................................................................... ...................................................................
...................................................................
................................................................... ...................................................................
...................................................................
................................................... ...................................................................
...................................................
...................................................

17
1 Lesson One

Student Activities

I answer by myself:
First: I summarize the cause of descension of Sūrat al-Kahf.
Second: I state what is meant by the statement of Allah : ‫عملﱪ‬ ً ‫( ﱫلنبلوكُ ْم أي ُك ْم أحس ُن‬lahā i
li-nabluwahum ʾayyuhum ʾaḥsanu ʿamalan) “…that We may test them [to see] which of them is
best in conduct.”.
Third: I choose the expression closest in meaning to the Qurʾānic words from the list of expres-
sions by underlining it:

Word Meaning

1 ‫اب‬ ْ al-kitāba (Scripture)


َ ‫ال ِك َت‬- The Holy Qurʾān, the Torah, the Bible

2 ‫ َويُب َِّشر‬- wa yubashshira (bring the news) To warn, to tempt, to announce good tidings

3 ‫ت‬
ِ ‫ الصَّال َِحا‬- Aş-Şāliĥāti (righteous deeds) Good things, good works, refraining from sins

without interruption (uninterruptedly, without rest,


4 ‫ أَ َب ًدا‬- ʾabadan (for ever)
without end (endlessly)

5 َ qayyiman (straight and upright)


‫قيِّمًا‬- qayyiman (straight and upright)

Fourth: I explain the meaning of the words of Allah, :


‫ﱫ ﭙ ﭚ ﭛ ﭜ ﭝﭞ ﭟ ﭠ ﭡ ﭢ ﱪ‬
"kaburat kalimatan takhruju min ʾafwāhihim ʾin yaqūlūna ʾillā kadhiban"

“…Monstrous is the utterance that comes out of their mouths, and they say nothing but a lie.”

.............................................................................................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................

Fifth: I extrapolate from in the first and second verse the following rules of Qurʾānic recitation:

‫( إِ ْخ َفاء حَ ِق ْي ِق ّي‬ikhfāʾ haqīqī) Actual conceal-


ment
‫( إِ ْظهَ ار َش َف ِو ّي‬iẓhār shafawī) Labial manifes-
tation and accentuation

‫( إِ ْد َغام ِب ُغ َّنة‬idghām bighunnah) Assimila-


tion with nasalization
‫( إِ ْد َغام ِب َغي ِْر ُغ َّنة‬idghām bighayri ghunnah)
Assimilation without nasalization

18
Sūrat al-Kahf: 1 - 8

There are those who say that every prophet who was sent with the language
of his people was specifically sent to them. They have been refuted by the
following counter argument: ‘what if he was sent with a language other than the
language of his people, would his people have understood him? The answer
I enrich my is obviously ‘No’. Hence, they would never believe in him. Thus, if his people
experience don't believer in him, then other people also will not believe in him. Hence, it
is not necessarily the case that a prophet was sent specifically to his people

I assess myself

Level of Achievement
SN Learning Area
Average Good Excellent

Reciting the relevant Qurʾānic verses with


1
proper tajwīd

2 Memorizing the relevant Qurʾānic verses

Meaning of the relevant Qurʾānic


3
vocabulary

4 Overall meaning.

5 Legal rulings mentioned in the verses

I make my mark

I memorize Sūrat al-Kahf and recite it always,


especially on Fridays

19
2 Lesson Two

Makkan and Madinan Qurʾān

1. explain the wisdom behind the 3. explain the distinctive features of


I learn from revelation of the Qurʾān piecemeal the Makkan and Madinan Qurʾān.
(munajjaman).
this lesson 4. summarize the benefits of
2. define what is meant by the Makkan knowing the Makkan and Madinan
to: and Madinan Qurʾān. Revelation.

I take the initiative to learn

The Holy Qurʾān was revealed to our Prophet Muhammad in stages over a period of d
approximately twenty-three years. This means that it was revealed in Makkah al-Mukarramah and
al-Madīnah al-Munawwarah (the radiant city) in accordance with the movement of the Prophet . d
As such, space had its impact on the sūrahs of the Qurʾān, whether in terms of their classification,
characteristics or the various sciences that developed around them subsequently as evidenced in
the studious efforts of the Muslimscholars.
The fact that the Qurʾān was revealed in piecemeal form prompted some people to ask at the time
- why was not the Holy Qurʾān sent to the Prophet all at once in a single book. The Holy Qurʾān d
answered this question instantly; Allah, i, says:
‫ﱫﯯ ﯰ ﯱ ﯲ ﯳ ﯴ ﯵ ﯶ ﯷﯸ ﯹ ﯺ ﯻ ﯼﯽ ﯾ ﯿ ﰀ ﭑ ﭒ ﭓ ﭔ ﭕ ﭖ ﭗ ﭘ ﭙ ﱪ‬
32. wa-qāla lladhīna kafarū law-lā nuzzila ʿalayhi l-qurʾānu jumlatan wāḥidatan ka-dhālika li-
nuthabbita bihī fuʾādaka wa-rattalnāhu tartīlan
33. wa-lā yaʾtūnaka bi-mathalin ʾillā jiʾnāka bi-l-ḥaqqi wa-ʾaḥsana tafsīran
32. And those who disbelieve say: , ‘Why has not the Qurʾān been sent down to him all at once?’
So it is, that We may strengthen your heart with it, and We have recited it [to you] in a measured
tone..
33. And they do not bring you any similitude but that We bring you the Truth (in response to it),
and better (than their similitude) as an exposition (Sūrat al-Furqān)
I cooperate with my classmates and extrapolate:
In collaboration with the members of my group, I determine the wisdom behind revealing the Qurʾān
piecemeal with reference to the two previous verses.

................................................................................................ ...................................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................

I imagine and determine:


the geography of the places in which the Holy Qurʾān was revealed in terms of location and nature.

...................................................................................................................................................................

20
Makkan and Madinan Qurʾān

I use my skills to learn:

Introduction to the Makkan and Madinan Qurʾānic Revelations


Scholars agree that the Holy Qurʾān is divided into Makkan and Madinan revelations:
Makkan Revelations: constitute what was revealed before the Migration of the Prophet (Hijrah) d
even if it was not revealed in Makkah.
Madinan Revelations: constitute what was revealed after the Migration, even if it was revealed in
Makkah (and not Madinah).

Characteristics of Makkan and Madinan Revelations:


Interest in the Makkan and Madinan sūrahs of the Holy Qurʾān of Muslim scholars began during
the time of the al-Tābiʿūn (the Successors i.e. the generation of Muslims that succeeded the
Prophet’s Companions. This was due to the importance that this science held for the rest of the
sciences of the Qurʾān, such as al-nāsikh wa l-mansūkh (the abrogating and abrogated verses)
(), asbāb al-nuzūl (causes and occasions of descension) and the various ʿulūm al-tafsīr (sciences
of Qurʾānic Interpretation and exegesis). The tireless efforts of scholarsF in this field of inquiry
continued unabated until it reached the status of an independent science having its own sources
and prominent luminaries. Among those who contributed to this science were al-Ḍahāk ibn Muzāḥim
(‫ )الضحاك بن مزاحم‬- and Ibn Shihāb al-Zuhrī (‫ )ابن شهاب الزهري‬- in his book Tanzīl al-Qurʾān (The Rvelation
of the Qurʾān).
The resolute efforts of scholars in this science have continued until the present day. Scholarly
dissertations and academic theses have been conducted on the topic of Makkan and Madinan
revelations such as Masters and Doctoral dissertations on the distinctive characteristics of Makkan
and Madinan revelations.
It should not occur to one’s mind that there is a difference between Makkan and Madinan revelations
as regards the obligation of acting according to their respective rulings or their proven authenticity
and status as Qurʾān. Both types of revelationconstitute the Speech of Allah revealed to i
the Prophet Muhammad d
, narrated by a continuous chain of large multitudes of transmitters
, recited as an act of worship, and inscribed between the two covers of the compilation of written
pages called a muṣḥaf (codex = a collection of sheets in book form). However, every stage of the
Prophetic daʿwah mission had its own character and unique circumstances and, consequently, its
own topics and methods.
These research studies and academic investigations have identified the characteristic features of
the Makkan and Madinan revelations in the following manner:

Makkan verses Madinan verses


1. focus on explaining the following matters:
1. focus on the following matters:
- calling to Tawḥid and worshipping Allah, mentioning the Day of - practical legislations and detailed rulings concerning acts of
Judgement, Paradise and Hell Fire, arguing with polytheists devotion, transactions, Sharīʿah penalties, jihad, peace, war,
and calling to adhering to moral virtues.
the family institution, rules of governance and methods of
2. relating numerous stories of the prophets and how they were
rejected by their communities for the purpose of deriving legislation.
lessons, rebuffing (the disbelievers) and comforting the 2. addressing the Ahl al-Kitāb (People of the Book) and inviting
Messenger d . them to Islam.
3. short end-of-verse breaks (fawāṣil) highly eloquent and pithy
3. lengthy portions and verses in a style that firmly establishes
expressions, concise wording and higly elegant style.
4. The form of address in them is mostly ‫(ﱫ ﮜ ﮝ ﱪ‬yā- the rules and objectives of Islamic legislation
ʾayyuhā n-nāsu) “O mankind!”; while at the same time not 4. the form of address in them is mostlyy
containing ‫( ﱫ ﯓ ﯔ ﯕﱪ‬yā-ʾayyuhā lladhīna ‫( ﱫ ﯓ ﯔ ﯕﱪ‬yā-ʾayyuhā lladhīna ʾāmanū) “O
ʾāmanū) “O you who believe!”
you who believe!”
5. They include all the verses in which the word ‫ﱫﮛﱪ‬
(Kallā) “Nay” is mentioned. 5. Uncovering the behavior of the hypocrites and explaining the
6. They include all the verses containing a ‘sajdah’ (‫)سجدة‬ danger they represent to Islam. 21
‘prostration’.
2 Lesson Two

I cooperate and apply:


- In cooperation with the members of my group, I distinguish between Makkan and Madinan
revelations giving reasons:
Type of
Qurʾānic verses Reason
Revelation
Allah, i , says:
)278 : ‫ﱫﮥ ﮦ ﮧ ﮨ ﮩ ﮪ ﮫ ﮬ ﮭ ﮮ ﮯ ﮰﮱ ﱪ (البقرة‬
278. yā-ʾayyuhā lladhīna ʾāmanū ttaqū llāha wa-dharū mā
baqiya mina r-ribā ʾin kuntum muʾminīna
“O you who believe! Be afraid of Allāh and give up what
remains (due to you) from Ribā (usury) (from now onward), if
you are (really) believers” (Sūrat al-Baqarah: 278).
Allah, i , says:
)13 :‫ﱫﭦ ﭧ ﭨ ﭩ ﭪ ﭫ ﭬ ﭭ ﭮ ﭯﭰ ﭱ ﭲ ﭳ ﭴﱪ (لقامن‬
13. wa-ʾidh qāla luqmānu li-bnihī wa-huwa yaʿiẓuhū yā-
bunayya lā tushrik bi-llāhi ʾinna sh-shirka la-ẓulmun ʿaẓīmun
“And (remember) when Luqmān said to his son when he was
advising him: "O my son! Join not in worship others with Allāh.
Verily! Joining others in worship with Allāh is a great ẓulm
(wrong) indeed” (Sūrat Luqmān: 13).
Allah, i , says:
)183 :‫ﱫﭣ ﭤ ﭥ ﭦ ﭧ ﭨ ﭩ ﭪ ﭫ ﭬ ﭭ ﭮ ﭯ ﭰﱪ (البقرة‬
183. yā-ʾayyuhā lladhīna ʾāmanū kutiba ʿalaykumu ṣ-ṣiyāmu ka-
mā kutiba ʿalā lladhīna min qablikum laʿallakum tattaqūna
“O you who believe! Observing As-Saum (the fasting) is
prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that
you may become Al-Muttaqûn (the pious)” ( Sūrat al-Baqarah:
183)
Allah, i, says:
)11-12 :‫ﱫ ﭻ ﭼ ﭽ ﭾ ﭿ ﮀ ﮁ ﱪ (عبس‬
11. kallā ʾinnahā tadhkiratun
12. fa-man shāʾa dhakarahū
11. Nay, (do not do like this), indeed it (these Verses of this
Qur'ān) are an admonition,
12. So whoever wills, let him pay attention to it (Sūrat ʿAbasa)

I analyze:
In cooperation with the members of my group, I explain the causes and reasons that led to the topics
of discourse in the Holy Qurʾān changing after the Migration to Madinah.

..............................................................................................................................................................

..............................................................................................................................................................

..............................................................................................................................................................
22
Makkan and Madinan Qurʾān

I express a view:
In collaboration with another group, we determine the topics of discourse that are appropriate to the
era we live in today.

Benefits of Knowing the Makkan and Madinan Revelations:


Knowledge of the Makkan and Madinan revelations has many benefits
such as:
1. It helps to follow the life of the Messenger d
and trace the salient events in his life through
the Qurʾānic verses. The revelation of the Qurʾān spanned twenty-three years coinciding with
the events that the Prophet d
was experiencing and living through. Hence, understanding
the Makkan and Madinan revelations became ancillary and complementary to the scientific
inquiry of the Life of the Prophet.
2. The various methods and approaches of the Qurʾān are known througha consideration
of the state and condition of the addressee which can also beneficial for themethod of
calling and inviting (daʿwah) to Allah i through wisdom and beautiful preaching.
‫ال ِم َن َز َل‬
َ ْ‫اس لِإلس‬
ِ ُ َّ‫اب الن‬
َ َ ‫ َحتَّى إ َذا‬،‫ص ِل ِفي َها ِذ ْكرُ ْال َجنَّ ِة َوالنَّار‬
‫ث‬ ِ ِ َّ ‫ف‬ َ ُ‫ إِنَّ َما َن َز َل أَو ََّل َما َن َز َل س‬:‫َقوْ لُ َها‬
َ ‫ور ٌة ِمنَ ْال ُم‬ ‫رُ ِو َي عَ ْن عَ ا ِئ َش َة‬
‫الز َنا‬ َ ُ َ َ َ َ َ
ِّ ‫ لقالوا ال َند َُع‬.‫ ال َت ْزنُوا‏‏‬:‫ل أوَّل ش ْي ٍء‬َ َ َ َ ْ َ ُ َ
‫ َولوْ َن َز ‏‬.‫ ال َند َُع ال َخم َْر أ َب ًدا‏‏‬:‫ لقالوا‬.‫ْر‏‬ َ ْ ْ َ َ َ َ
‫ َولوْ َن َزل أوَّل ش ْى ٍء ال َتش َربُوا ال َخم َ‏‬،‫ال ُل َو ْال َح َرا ُم‬
َ َ َ ‫ْال َح‬
َ
‫أ َب ًدا‏‬.It was reported that ʿĀʾishah m
said: “In fact, the first verses to be revealed were in a
chapter from the al-Mufaṣṣal (i.e. the group sūrahs from Qāf or al-Ḥujurāt to the end of the
Qurʾān), in which is mentioned Paradise and Hellfire in detail. When the people embraced
Islam, the verses regarding the lawful and unlawful were revealed. If the first verse to be
revealed was not to drink wine, they would have said: we will not stop drinking. And if it had
been revealed not to commit adultery, they would have said: we will never stop committing
adultery” (Narrated by al-Bukhārī)
3. It aids in knowing the history of Islamic legislation and identifying the wisdom of Allah i behind
His legislation (and the way He legislates) through first laying the intellectual and psychological
foundations and thereafter constructing upon them the rulings, commands and prohibitions which
had a huge impact on people embracing Islam and complying with its teachings.
4. It assists in knowing and understanding the period of time during which the Qurʾān was revealed.

I do research and add:


other benefits that knowledge of the Makkan and Madinan revelations holds with the aid of any
of the available learning resources:

» ....................................................................................................................................................

» ....................................................................................................................................................
I express my duty towards the Holy Qurʾān

» ....................................................................................................................................................

» .................................................................................................................................................... 23
2 Lesson Two

I organize my concepts
I complete the following conceptual diagram:

Definition Makkan Revelations: constitute what was revealed before


of Makkan the Migration of the Prophet (Hijrah) even if it was not d
and Madinan revealed in Makkah
Revelations Madinan Revelations: ............................................................
Makkan and

Characteristics
Revelations

......................................................................................................
Madinan

of Makkan
Revelations

Characteristics
......................................................................................................
of Madinan
Revelations

Benefits of knowing It aids in knowing the history of Islamic legislation and its gradual
the Makkan development in a general way
and Madinan
.....................................................................................................
Revelations

Student Activities

First: I answer by myself:


1) I explain the following:

- why the Makkan verses focus on matters of Islamic creed.

................................................................................................................................................................
2) I compare the Makkan to Madinan verses in terms of the themes and topics that each of the two
types addresses explaining the wisdom behind the difference in theme and topic between the
Makkan and Madinan revelations:
Themes and topics addressed by
Themes and topics addressed by Makkan verses
Madinan verses

........................................................................................... ...........................................................

Wisdom behind the difference between Makkan and Madinan surahs as regards the themes
and topics that they respectively cover:
..............................................................................................................................................................

24
Makkan and Madinan Qurʾān

Second: I enrich my experience:


1. The longest verse in the Qurʾān is verse number: ………………… in Sūrat ………………………...
* its type: ……………….. because: ………………………. , ………………………. and
……………………….
2. I search in the Muṣḥaf (Qurʾān) for a Makkan verse revealed in Madinah stating the verse
number and the name of the sūrah in which it occurs.

» ....................................................................................................................................................
» ....................................................................................................................................................

I assess myself

I state the level to which I have achieved the learning outcomes in this lesson:

Level of Achievement
SN Learning Area
Average Good Excellent

I explain the wisdom behind the revelation of


1
the Holy Qurʾān in piecemeal form.

I define the notion of Makkan and Madinan


2
revelations

I identify the Makkan and Madinan verses


3
when reciting the Holy Qurʾān.

I compare between the Makkan and Madinan


4 revelations as regards their respective
characteristics

I summarize the benefits gained from knowing


5
the Makkan and Madinan revelations

I make my mark

- I read the following statement and make a similar statement.


I specify a time on a daily basis to artistically appreciate the style of the Holy Qurʾān in order to
enrich my vocabulary and become an eloquent speaker and an intelligent conversationalist, who
represents his country as a journalist, writer or orator

» ............................................................................................................................................................

25
3 Lesson Three

The Mind in Islam

I learn from 1. extrapolate instantiations of how the mind is venerated in Islam.


2. explain that there exists no contradiction between the Sharīʿah
this lesson
and the mind.
to:
3. infer the effect of reading on the development of the mind.

I take the initiative to learn

Scientists estimate that if ten pieces of information were saved every second in the memory of
a human being throughout his life, only half this memory might be filled up. So, what is the size of
this memory? What is science going to discover of the secrets of this part of the human body? Is the
brain the same as the mind?
Some use the word mind to refer to the brain. The truth of the matter is that the mind is one thing
and the brain is another. Scientists maintain that the mind is a form of consciousness that emanates
from the brain. The brain is the tool of the mind and mental intellection whereas the mind (mental
intellection) involves understanding, perceiving and knowing the qualities and properties of things in
terms of beauty, ugliness and perfection.
I compare:
I find other differences between the mind and the brain.
.................................................................. ..................................................................

I use my skills to learn:


A Great Blessing for a Great Purpose. Allah has distinguished man from the rest of i
creation with possessing mind; He has singled him out for this great blessing. Many great things
result from this distinctive quality such as free will, computation and calculation, etc.. No doubt there
is a great wisdom behind this, which becomes evident when determining the purpose for which man
has been created Allah, , says: ]56 :‫ﱫ ﭳ ﭴ ﭵ ﭶ ﭷ ﭸﱪ [الذاريات‬
i
56. wa-mā khalaqtu l-jinna wa-l-ʾinsa ʾillā li-yaʿbudūni
I did not create jinn and humans except that they worship and serve Me (Sūrat al-Dhāriyāt: 56
The actualization of servitude (ʿubūdiyyah) to Allah requires the actualization of i
vicegerency (khilāfah) on earth and building and developing the earth (iʿmār al-arḍ).
Allah, , says: ‫ﱫ ﭑ ﭒ ﭓ ﭔ ﭕ ﭖ ﭗ ﭘ ﭙ ﱪ‬
i
30. wa-ʾidh qāla rabbuka li-l-malāʾikati ʾinnī jāʿilun fī l-ʾarḍi khalīfatan
And (remember) when your Lord said to the angels: "Verily, I am going to place on
earth a vicegerent" (Sūrat al-Baqarah: 30).his requires deliberation, calculation, deep
thinking, knowledge and consciousness. Thus, Allah endowed man with the i
blessing of the mind so that hewould become capable of carrying out his mission in life, and
should he fail in that, the cause would be negligence, laxity, recklessness or irresponsibility.
I investigate:
In cooperation with the members of my group, we determine the factors that help a person to
carry out his mission in life....................................................................................................................................
26
........
The Mind in Islam

I consult the al-Muʿjam al-Mufahris li Alfāẓ al-Qurʾān (Qurʾānic


I research Concordance or Indexed Dictionary of the Vocabulary of the Holy
and deduce: Qurʾān) ( ‫ ) المعجم المفهرس أللفاظ القرآن الكريم‬or a digital Qurʾān program and
determine the frequency with which the Qurʾānic words in the table
below occur.

Qurʾānic word Frequency of Occurrence in the Qurʾān

‫ تتفكروا‬tatafakkarū (you think, plural)


‫ تتفكرون‬tatafakkarūn (you think, plural)
‫ يتفكروا‬yatafakkarū (they think, plural)
‫ يتفكرون‬yatafakkarūn (they think, plural)

‫ تعقلون‬taʿqilūn (you understand, plural)

‫ يفقهون‬yafqahūn (they understand, plural)

I discover:
the significance of the frequency of occurrence of the
Qurʾānic words in the table above.

............................................................................................................................................................

......................................

Instantiations of the way in which Islam venerates the mind:


Islam venerates the mind, and this veneration of mind has several expressions and
manifestations such as:
First: the mind (intellect) is the locus of legal obligation (manāṭ al-taklīf):
Islam links a person's legal obligation to discharge Sharīʿah rulings to the mind (reasoning), such
that if he is sane he is legally obligated and if he is insane he is not legally obligated.. A sane person
is legally obligated to discharge the rulings of Islam and responsible and accountable for his conduct
because he is capable of understanding these rulings and adhering to them. However, if he loses his
sanity for a reason outside his control, he is exempted from any legal obligation by Islamic law, and
hence will not be held accountable for what he does or does not do, intentionally or unintentionally.
A person who loses his sanity becomes entitled to protection and care. His responsibilities (like
standing guarantee and the power to act on his own behalf) are transferred to others; he becomes
unaccountable. The Messenger d
said: “The Pen is lifted from three person (i.e., their deeds are
not recorded): the one who is asleep until he wakes up; the child until he reaches puberty; and the
insane person until he regains his sanity.” (Narrated by al-Nasāʾī)
The mind is a great blessing, and when this blessing disappears or made to disappear life
becomes chaotic without a order or stability

27
Second: those who possess intellect and reason are the highest in status
Islam has conferred on those who possess intellect and reason a great rank, which they earn
through their pursuit of learning and knowledge, through their continuous endeavor to attain the truth
and through devoting their knowledge and effort to serve humanity and bring about their happiness.
Allah i says: ]11 :‫ﱫ ﰈ ﰉ ﰊ ﰋ ﰌ ﰍ ﰎ ﰏ ﰐﰑ ﰒ ﰓ ﰔ ﰕ ﱪ [المجادلة‬
11. … yarfaʿi llāhu lladhīna ʾāmanū minkum wa-lladhīna ʾūtū l-ʿilma darajātin wa-llāhu bi-mā
taʿmalūna khabīrun
“…Allāh will exalt in degree those of you who believe, and those who have been granted knowledge.
And Allāh is Well-Acquainted with what you do…” (Sūrat al-Mujādilah: 11)
In order for the intellect to attain the truth, the intellect must adhere to the experimental method, which
is based on analysis, testing and interpreting the results, not on blind imitation. Allah, i, says:
]36 :‫ﱫ ﯯ ﯰ ﯱ ﯲ ﯳ ﯴ ﯵﯶ ﯷ ﯸ ﯹ ﯺ ﯻ ﯼ ﯽ ﯾ ﯿ ﱪ[اإلسراء‬
36. wa-lā taqfu mā laysa laka bihī ʿilmun ʾinna s-samʿa wa-l-baṣara wa-l-fuʾāda kullu ʾulāʾika kāna
ʿanhu masʾūlan
“And follow not (i.e., say not, or do not or witness not, etc.) that of which you have no knowledge (e.g.
one's saying: "I have seen," while in fact he has not seen, or "I have heard," while he has not heard). Verily!
The hearing, and the sight, and the heart, of each of those you will be questioned (by Allāh)” (Sūrat Al-
ʾIsrāʾ: 36)
People of intellect do not rely on rumors whether it pertains to their own knowledge or their passing
judgment on things. For this reason, we find that the Islamic guidance and instruction as regards maintaining
social security, when something occurs or an urgent matter arises, is that people verify the truth of the
matter from authentic and authorized sources Allah, i, says:
]83 :‫ﱫﮊ ﮋ ﮌ ﮍ ﮎ ﮏ ﮐ ﮑ ﮒﮓ ﮔ ﮕ ﮖ ﮗ ﮘ ﮙ ﮚ ﮛ ﮜ ﮝ ﮞ ﮟ ﱪ [النساء‬
83. wa-ʾidhā jāʾahum ʾamrun mina l-ʾamni ʾawi l-khawfi ʾadhāʿū bihī wa-law raddūhu ʾilā r-rasūli
wa-ʾilā ʾulī l-ʾamri minhum la-ʿalimahu lladhīna yastanbiṭūnahū minhum
“When there comes to them some matter touching (public) safety or fear, they divulge it. If they
had only referred it to the Apostle, or to those charged with authority among them, the truth of the
matter would have come to the knowledge of those of them who are able to investigate …” (Sūrat
al-Nisāʾ: 83)
Those of them who are able to investigate are the people of intellect, wisdom and sound judgment.

I criticize:
In collaboration with the members of my group, I reflect on the following statement, analyze it and
form an informed opinion about it:
“The value of knowledge is is judged by the benefits it yields for the person possessing that knowledge
only.”

....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

....................................................................
Third: Islam made the mind the basis of accepting Islamic call (daʿwah)
Allah, i, says:
]190 :‫[آل عمران‬ ‫ﱫﮉ ﮊ ﮋ ﮌ ﮍ ﮎ ﮏ ﮐ ﮑ ﮒ ﮓﱪ‬
190. ʾinna fī khalqi s-samāwāti wa-l-ʾarḍi wa-khtilāfi l-layli wa-n-nahāri la-ʾāyātin li-ʾulī l-ʾalbābi
“Verily! In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the alternation of night and day, there are indeed
signs for men of understanding” (Sūrat ʾĀl ʿImrān: 190)
This is an invitation for those endowed with reason and intellect to contemplate and reflect on
creation in order to adduce evidence and furnish proof for the Greatness and Oneness of the Creator .
28
The Mind in Islam

Science (ʿilm) and faith (īmān) are not disconnected and separate from one another. On the contrary,
faith (īmān)requires of man to approach religion with an open mind, to become insightful, discerning
and clear-minded through the truthscontained it and congnizant of its deep and profound meanings,
and is thus transformed into a firmly grounded unshakeable faith (īmān) Allah, i, says:
]73 :‫[الفرقان‬ ‫ﱫﮘ ﮙ ﮚ ﮛ ﮜ ﮝ ﮞ ﮟ ﮠ ﮡﱪ‬
73. wa-lladhīna ʾidhā dhukkirū bi-ʾāyāti rabbihim lam yakhirrū ʿalayhā ṣumman wa-ʿumyānan
“And those who, when they are reminded of the revelations of their Lord, fall not deaf and blind
thereat “(Sūrat al-Furqān: 73)
That is to say, they receive ‘the revelations of their Lord’ with open and receptive hearts and gazing
upon them with the profound insights of divine guidance; this is the case with the learned scholars in
particular and the Muslim believers in general.

Allah, i, says:
‫ﱫ ﭑ ﭒ ﭓ ﭔ ﭕ ﭖﭗ ﭘ ﭙ ﭚ ﭛ ﭜ ﭝ ﭞ ﭟ ﭠ ﭡ‬
]73 :‫ﭢ ﭣﭤ ﭥ ﭦ ﭧ ﭨ ﭩ ﭪ ﭫﭬ ﭭ ﭮ ﭯﱪ [الحج‬

73. yā-ʾayyuhā n-nāsu ḍuriba mathalun fa-stamiʿū lahū ʾinna lladhīna tadʿūna
I reflect min dūni llāhi lan yakhluqū dhubāban wa-lawi jtamaʿū lahū wa-ʾin yaslubhumu
and infer dh-dhubābu shayʾan lā yastanqidhūhu minhu ḍaʿufa ṭ-ṭālibu wa-l-maṭlūbu.
O people, here is a parable set forth to you, so listen to it carefully: Verily,
those whom you invoke besides Allah cannot create (even) a fly, even though
they all join together for the purpose. And if the fly snatched something away
a thing from them, they would have no power to release it from its possession.
(Equally) weak are (both) the seeker and the sought.
Sūrat al-Ḥajj: 73)
- I ponder over the holy verse and infer the following from it

The issue it discusses ........................................................................

The rational argument in support of this issue ........................................................................

I think and reconcile:


Allah, i, says:
]170 :‫[البقرة‬ ‫ﱫ ﭑ ﭒ ﭓ ﭔ ﭕ ﭖ ﭗ ﭘ ﭙ ﭚ ﭛ ﭜ ﭝ ﭞﭟ ﭠ ﭡ ﭢ ﭣ ﭤ ﭥ ﭦ ﭧﱪ‬
170. wa-ʾidhā qīla lahumu ttabiʿū mā ʾanzala llāhu qālū bal nattabiʿu mā ʾalfaynā ʿalayhi ʾābāʾanā
ʾa-wa-law kāna ʾābāʾuhum lā yaʿqilūna shayʾan wa-lā yahtadūna
“When it is said to them: "Follow what Allah has revealed:" They say: "Nay! we shall follow the ways
of our fathers." What (they would they do that) even though their fathers had no understanding at
all, nor were they rightly guided?” (Sūrat al-Baqarah: 170).
How do I reconcile adherance to the indigenous customs and traditions of the United Arab Emirates
with the fact that Islam prohibits blind imitation?

....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

....................................................................
29
3 Lesson Three

Fourth: the respect Islam accords to the role of the intellect:


Islam values the role of the intellect in understanding the laws and mysteries of the universe in order
to benefit from what Allah i
has created and made subservient to people, all of this for the
comfort and happiness of humankind. Islam also calls people to respect the findings they have arrived
at by themselves, as well asthose arrived at by others. Allah, , says: i
]191 :‫ﱫﮜ ﮝ ﮞ ﮟ ﮠ ﮡ ﮢ ﮣ ﮤ ﮥ ﮦ ﮧ ﮨ ﮩﱪ [آل عمران‬
 91. … wa-yatafakkarūna fī khalqi s-samāwāti wa-l-ʾarḍi rabbanā mā khalaqta hādhā bāṭilan subḥānaka
1
fa-qinā ʿadhāba n-nāri
“… and think deeply about the creation of the heavens and the earth, (saying): "Our Lord! You have not
created (all) this without purpose, glory to You! (Exalted be You above all that they associate with You as
partners). Give us salvation from the torment of the Fire…” (Sūrat ʾĀli ʿImrān: 191)
It is for this reason that Muslim Scholars and Scientists respected the sciences and knowledge of past
nations, built on them and further developed them.
Islam has prescribed (commanded) everything that keeps the mind in peak condition and functioning at
it fullest capability and proscribed (prohibited) everything that weakens the mind and renders its functioning
null and void. As such, Islam has declared unlawful attacking and infringing upon the mind in such a way
so as to render it incapable of performing its function, such as drinking alcohol or consuming anything that
causes intoxication or languidness and loss of vigor, Allah, , says: i
]90 :‫[املائدة‬ ‫ﱫﭑ ﭒ ﭓ ﭔ ﭕ ﭖ ﭗ ﭘ ﭙ ﭚ ﭛ ﭜ ﭝ ﭞ ﭟﱪ‬

90. yā-ʾayyuhā lladhīna ʾāmanū ʾinnamā l-khamru wa-l-maysiru wa-l-ʾanṣābu wa-l-ʾazlāmu rijsun
min ʿamali sh-shayṭāni fa-jtanibūhu laʿallakum tufliḥūna
O you who believe! Wine, gambling, altars and divining arrows are filth, of Satan’s handwork.
Therefore, refrain from it, so that you may be successful. (Sūrat al-Māʾidah: 90).
Hence, drug abuse is a heinous crime committed against the mind even if it be at the hands of
thevictim himself by doing it to his own mind.
Also, Islam prohibited disabling and intoxicating the mind by succumbing and giving in to
fanaticism, extremism and dangerous and destructive ideas or looking at things in a negative way
such as pessimism, believing magicians and sorcerers, believing and promoting rumors without
verifying or questioning them; all this serves to belittle and denigrate the mind and to render it futile
and non-existent
I find out:
the legal position on drugs according to UAE Law.
...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
I demonstrate via logical and rational argument that the United Arab Emirates
I discuss do indeed love Islam and the Muslims and that they stand up in support of
them.
and
......................................................................................................................................................................................................
demonstrate
....................................................

The Conflict between Reason (ʿAql) and Revelation (Naql):


The predominance of intellect in man is amongst the signs that point to perfection except that
there are limits to this predominance beyond which it cannot go. If the intellect were capable of
perceiving and comprehending everything required by people, they would dispense with the need for
revelation and prophets. Allah / says in Āyat al-Kursī (the Throne Verse) in Sūrat al-Baqarah:
30
: ]255 :‫ﱫ ﯢ ﯣ ﯤ ﯥ ﯦ ﯧﯨ ﯩ ﯪ ﯫ ﯬ ﯭ ﯮ ﯯ ﯰﱪ [البقرة‬
The Mind in Islam

255. … yaʿlamu mā bayna ʾaydīhim wa-mā khalfahum wa-lā yuḥīṭūna bi-shayʾin min ʿilmihī ʾillā
bi-mā shāʾa
“He knows what happens to them (His creatures) in this world, and what will happen to them in the
Hereafter. And they will never compass anything of His Knowledge except that which He wills.”
(Sūrat al-Baqarah: 255).
Therefore, the intellect in Islam is regarded as one of the sources for knowing and determining the
Islamic rulings and laws and their higher purposes, however, it does not constitute an independent
source but requires the Sharīʿah to instigate, direct and guide it. Therefore, Sharīʿah and the intellect
are mutually supportive and complement one another; thus, clear and explicit texts from the Qurʾān
and authentic Sunnah are not contradicted by clear and explicit rational judgments; on the contrary,
the rational mind attests to their validity and authenticity.

Reading nourishes the mind and nurtures the faculties:


The first verse that was revealed of the Holy Qurʾān is the
statement of Allah, i :
]1 :‫ﱫ ﭻ ﭼ ﭽ ﭾ ﭿﱪ [العلق‬
1. iqraʾ bi-smi rabbika lladhī khalaqa “Countries are built on the
Read in the Name of your Lord Who created (Sūrat al-ʿAlaq: 1) minds of their people not on
This signifies the paramount importance of reading, for it is the wealth and resources they
considered to be one of the most important channels for developing possess.”
the mind. Reading enables us to interact and be in contact with the
Quotes of H.H. Sheikh
experience and expertise ofof other nations and conmmunities and
Muhammad bin Zayed, may
to access and engagewith the work of scientists and researchers Allah protect him
in a wide array of areas. Reading develops the mind by expanding
the reader's imagination, generating new ideas and improving the
memory due to the effect reading has on stimulating the brain.
This makes the reader less liable to contracting Alzheimer's
Disease and Dementia.

Allah, i, says:
]‫ﱫ ﭻ ﭼ ﭽ ﭾ ﭿ ﮀ ﮁ ﮂ ﮃ ﮄ ﮅ ﮆ ﮇ ﮈ ﮉ ﮊ ﮋ ﮌ ﮍ ﮎ ﮏ ﮐ ﮑ ﮒ ﮓ ﱪ [العلق‬
I distinguish 1. iqraʾ bi-smi rabbika lladhī khalaqa
2. khalaqa l-ʾinsāna min ʿalaqin
3. iqraʾ wa-rabbuka l-ʾakramu
4. alladhī ʿallama bi-l-qalami
5. ʿallama l-ʾinsāna mā lam yaʿlam
1. Read! In the Name of your Lord, Who created (all that exists),
2. Created man from a clot of congealed blood
3. Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous
4. Who taught (man) the use of the pen
5. (Who) taught man that which he knew not (Sūrat al-ʿAlaq).
I give the meaning of ‘reading’ (qirāʾah) in the first and third verses.
.............................................................................................................................................................................................
.....................................................................................................................................................................

31
3 Lesson Three

I organize my concepts

Instances of Islam's veneration of the


Benefits of reading to the intellect
intellect
The intellect is with the locus of legal One of the most important means of
responsibility and obligation (taklif) developing the intellect

The high rank of those who possess intellect


..................................................................
and reason

.................................................................. ..................................................................

.................................................................. ..................................................................

Student Activities

I answer by myself:

1. I summarize, in my own words, Islam’s veneration of the intellect.

....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

....................................................................

2. . I advance evidence showing the concordance between Sharīʿah and the intellect.

....................................................................................................................................................................
3. . I identify certain areas of reading that strengthen the intellect.

....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

....................................................................

I enrich my experience
I choose from the following:

1. I design an awareness-raising e-bulletin showing that Islam strongly forbids attacking the intellect
and undermining its benefits in any shape or form.
2. I design a PowerPoint presentation on the importance and benefits of reading in building the
personality and character of a Muslim.
3. I search for a good and beneficial book. I read it and then summarize it according to the table below:

32
The Mind in Islam

Title of the Book

Author

Overall Topic

Main Ideas

My Opinion of the Book

I assess myself

Level of Achievement
SN Area of Application
Average Good Excellent

I avoid everything that nullifies the benefits


1
of the intellect and is harmful to it

In my discussions with others, I am very


2 keen to use rational and logical arguments
and proofs.

I accept everything mentioned in the Holy


3 Qurʾān and Authentic Sunnah and do not
object to it intellectually.

I pay thoughtful attention to what is


4 transmitted via social media and verify its
auntenticity.

I make sure of reading good and beneficial


5
books because they nourish the intellect.

33
4 Lesson Four

Islamic Juristic (Fiqhī) Schools (Madāris Fiqhiyyah)

I learn from 1.explain the concept of Islamic juristic schools (madāris fiqhiyyah).

this lesson 2. analyze the causes behind the emergence of the Islamic juristic schools.
to: 3. compare between the various juristic schools.

I take initiative to learn:


‫صلِّي‬
َ ‫ض ُه ْم الَ ُن‬
ُ ْ‫يق َف َقا َل َبع‬
ِ ‫الط ِر‬ ُ ْ‫‏ َفأ َ ْد َر َك َبع‬.‫ْظ َة‏"‏‏‬
َّ ‫ض ُه ُم ْال َعصْ َر فِي‬ َ ‫ "الَ ي‬:ِ‫ َي ْو َم األَحْ َزاب‬d ‫هللا‬
َ ‫ُصلِّيَنَّ أَ َح ٌد ْال َعصْ َر إِالَّ فِي َبنِي قُ َري‬ ِ ‫ْن ُع َم َر َقا َل َرس ُْو ُل‬ ِ ‫َع ِن اب‬
] ُّ‫ َف َل ْم ي َُع ِّنفْ َوا ِح ًدا ِم ْن ُه ْم‏" [رواهُ البخاري‬d ِّ‫‏ َف ُذك َِر لِل َّن ِبي‬.‫ِك‬
‫ َل ْم ي َُر ْد ِم َّنا َذل َ‏‬،‫صلِّي‬ ُ ْ‫ َو َقا َل َبع‬،‫َح َّتى َنأْ ِت َي َها‬
َ ‫ض ُه ْم َب ْل ُن‬

ʿʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar reported: “On the day of (the Battle of) al-Aḥzāb (Confederates) Allah’s Messenger
d said, ‘None of you Muslims should offer the ʿAsr prayer but at Banū Qurayẓah's place.’ The 'Asr prayer
became due for some of them on the way. Some of those said, ‘We will not offer it till we reach the place of
Banu Quraiza,’ while some others said, ‘No, we will pray at this spot, for the Prophet did not mean that for
us.’ Later on, it was mentioned to the Prophet and he did not berate any of the two groups.” (Narrated by al-
Bukhārī)
ʿʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar reported: “On the day of (the Battle of) al-Aḥzāb (Confederates) Allah’s Messenger
d said, "None should offer the ʿAṣr prayer except at Banū Qurayẓah." Some of them got f ʿAṣr prayer on the
way. So, some of them said: 'We do not offer prayer until we get to Banū Qurayẓah,' and some of them said:
No, we will offer prayer (here and now) instead. That is not what was desired of us. Sothis incident was told to
the Prophet d and he did not reprimand anyone of them. (Narrated by al-Bukhārī)

I analyze and infer:


In cooperation with the members of my group, I analyze the respective ijtihād (independent
reasoning) of the Companions ! in this situation as per the table below:

The Prophet d ordered them to perform ʿAṣr prayer at Banū Qurayẓah; however, on
their way there the time of the prayer became due. If they pray on the way, they would
Explaining the problem go contrary to the apparent and literal interpretation of the command of the Prophet d
and if they delayed the prayer until they reached Banū Qurayẓah, the time of the prayer
would lapse.

Position (1) Position (2)


Respective Ijtihad they delayed ʿAṣr prayer until after its
(independent reasoning) of they performed ʿAṣr prayer inside its
prescribed time such that they offered
the Companions prescribed time such that they offered it on
it at Banū Qurayẓah (rather than on the
the way (rather than at Banū Qurayẓah).
way).

)2( )1(
Proof of each party

Cause of disagreement
between the two parties ................................................... ...................................................

Cause of disagreement
between the two parties .............................................................................................................

Point of similarity between


the two parties .............................................................................................................
34
Islamic Juristic (Fiqhī) Schools
(Madāris Fiqhiyyah)

Outcome
- ...........................................................................................................
- ...........................................................................................................
How can I benefit from
this situation?
- ...........................................................................................................

I use my skills to learn:


The Ijtihād (Independent Reasoning) of the Companions and their Dispersal to Various Cities
The Prophet d
did not leave this world only after the Sharīʿah had been completed and perfected.
Allah, i , says:

]‫[املائدة‬ ‫ﱫ ﭻ ﭼ ﭽ ﭾ ﭿ ﮀ ﮁ ﮂ ﮃ ﮄ ﮅﮆ ﮇ ﮈ ﮉ ﮊ ﮋ ﮌ ﮍﮎ ﮏ ﮐ ﮑ ﮒ ﮓﱪ‬
3. … al-yawma ʾakmaltu lakum dīnakum wa-ʾatmamtu ʿalaykum niʿmatī wa-raḍītu lakumu l-ʾislāma
dīnan fa-mani ḍṭurra fī makhmaṣatin ghayra mutajānifin li-ʾithmin fa-ʾinna llāha ghafūrun raḥīmun
“This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favour upon you, and have chosen for you
Islām as your religion. But as for him who is forced by severe hunger, with no inclination to sin (such can eat
these above-mentioned meats), then surely, Allāh is Oft­Forgiving, Most Merciful” (Sūrat al-Māʾidah: 3).

There did not exist in the time of the Prophet d


a written and recorded body of fiqh (jurisprudence).
Instead, the Companions set themselves the task of spreading and teaching this religion as they
understood it from Allah’s Messenger d
as he was their source of reference and authoritative guide
to whom they would have recourse in every matter whether small or big. The Companions would
not decide and deliberate on a matter without knowing the truth about it from the Prophet . After d
the demise of the Prophet d the Companions set out calling and inviting people to Islam, and
spread across the Islamic World. Each Companion would set out with the (particular) knowledge of
Sharīʿah proofs he carried with him and the (particular) competencies and capabilities he possessed for
independent reasoning, and they would mix with the people and begin disseminating their knowledge.
With the passage of time the increasing numbers of people and the ever expanding lands and
territories of the Muslims, new issues began to emerge and unprecedented incidents started to appear-
incidents that were not prevalent during the time of the Prophet . Hence, there arose the need to d
know the Islamic ruling on these issues and to find solutions to them. It was the scholars from among
the Prophet’s Companions, their Successors ! and those who came after them who rose to this task.
Moreover, it was rin these new circumstances, that what is known as al-ijtihād bi al‑raʾy
(independent reasoning based on personal opinion) emerged and became one of the sources of
Sharīʿah legislation. By al-raʾy (personal opinion) is meant what the intellect opines after reflection
and consideration and searching for the truth in the new issue at hand. Scholars later on agreed
by way of convention to give (‫ )الرأي‬opinion the technical designation of (‫‘ )قياس‬Qiyās’ (analogical
reasoning analogy), ‘Istiḥsān’ (juristic preference) ‘al-Maṣāliḥ al-Mursalah’ (public interests considered
neither valid nor invalid by the Sharīʿah) and Sadd al-Dharāʾiʿ (blocking the means to evil).

Some of the jurists among the Companions made maximal use of raʾy (personal opinion) like ʿAlī bin
Abī Ṭālib and ʿAbdullāh ibn Masʿūd , while others made minimal use of raʾy like ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar,
ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀṣ and al-Zubayr ibn al-ʿAwwām !.
The Successors (al-Tābiʿūn) followed the method and approach of the Companions in determining
the legal rulings (aḥkām) and completed the process through seessions of knowledge and circles of
learning (majālis al-ʿilm) which spread to the eastern and western corners of the Islamic World. The
people of every city would take and receive knowledge from their respective teachers and be influenced
by their legal opinions. This is how disagreement in legal opinion (raʾy) began and subsequently spread.35
After this there emerged what is known as the two schools of Madinah and Iraq.
4 Lesson Four

I think and infer:


The reason for the spread of juristic disagreement after the era of the Companions.
.................................................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................................................

The emergence of juristic schools (madāris fiqhiyyah):

By juristic school (madrasah fiqhiyyah) is meant a method or approach which a a particular


Muslim jurist (faqīh) follows and which others adopt from him and follow him in it until they eventually
become known by it. The most prominent among these juristic schools were:

First: the Madinah School:


This was the first juristic school as Madinah was the capital city of Islam and the abode in which the
Prophet d
and his Companions lived and dwell. ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb used to prohibit the senior l
Companions from leaving Madinah so that he could seek their legal advice and consult with them on issues
and matters of exigency.
The most prominent among the fuqahāʾ (jurists) of this school were ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb, Zayd ibn Thābit ,
ʿʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar and the Mother of Believers, ʿĀʾishah bint al-Ṣiddīq !. Among the Successors (al-tābiʿūn)
there are seven jurists (fuqahāʾ) who became renowned; they are grouped by a poet in the following couplets:

‫لَيْ َس ْت خَا ِر َج ْه‬ ِ‫رِوايَتُ ُه ْم لِلْ ِعلْم‬ ‫قيل َم ْن في الْ ِعلْمِ َسبْ َع ُة أَبْ ُح ٍر‬
َ ‫إذا‬
‫َسعي ٌد أَبو بَ ْك ٍر ُسلَيْما ُن خا ِر َج ْه‬ ِ ‫فَق ُْل ُه ْم ُعبَ ْي ُد اللّ ِه ُع ْر َو ُة‬
‫قاس ٌم‬
Translation:
If it is said: who, in knowledge, are (like) the seven oceans; whose transmission exceeds not (authentic)
knowledge,
Then say: they are ʿUbaydullāh, ʿUrwah, Qāsim, Saʿīd, Abū Bakr, Sulaymān and Khārijah

،‫ وسالم بن عبد هللا بن عمر بن الخطاب‬،‫ وخارجة بن زيد‬،‫ والقاسم بن محمد‬،‫ وعروة بن الزبير‬،‫ سعيد بن المسيب‬:‫[وكان المفتون بالمدينة من التابعين‬
‫ وعبيد هللا بن عبد هللا بن عتبة بن‬،‫ وسليمان بن يسار‬،‫ وأبا بكر بن عبد الرحمن بن حارث بن هشام‬،‫ وأبو سلمة بن عبد الرحمن بن عوف‬،‫وأبان بن عثمان‬
.‫ وهؤالء هم الفقهاء السبعة‬،‫مسعود‬
I search and arrange:
I search on the Internet for the names of the Seven Jurists (al-Fuqahāʾ al-Sabʿah)
and arrange their names in order of year of death.

SN Name of Faqīh (Jurist) Year of death

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
36
Islamic Juristic (Fiqhī) Schools
(Madāris Fiqhiyyah)

The Madinah School was characterized by its large-scale reliance on Prophetic Ḥadīth and a paucity of rationally
derived legal deductions (tafrīʿāt) and personal opinion in comparison to the Iraqi School for the following
reasons:
Abundance of established Prophetic practices (sunan) and traditions (āthār), and that being so in the City of
Madinah where most of the Companions stayed particularly the senior Companions ! and what they knew of
the Prophetic Sunnah;
Paucity of new events faced by them compared to the new events and developments that appeared in Iraq
because of its relationship and co-existence with ancient civilizations;
the fact that Madinah was free and protected from the ideas and philosophies which the Iraqi School was
exposed to.
In addition, the Madinah School was the first to record and write down the Prophetic Sunnah; they gathered
and collected the ḥadīths, wrote them down and rid them from defects and blemishes. Likewise, they compiled
the recorded statements and sayings of the fuqahāʾ (jurists) of every city from amongst the Companions and
Successors and formulated the rules of the science of Ḥadīth and Personality Criticism as regards attesting to
the unreliability (‫ )الجرح‬or reliability (‫ )التعديل‬of ḥadīth transmitters.

Second: the Iraqi School:


This school was established due to the migration of a number of Companions to Iraq more than to any of the
other Islamic territories where more than three hundred Companions settled in Iraq in addition to the fact that
the Caliphate moved there after Madinah and al-Sham (the Levante).
The most prominent among the fuqahāʾ (jurists) of this school were ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib, ʿAbdullāh ibn Masʿūd
and Anas ibn Mālik !. The Successors who attained prominence comprised Masrūq ibn al-Ajdaʿ al-Hamadānī,
al-Aswad ibn Yazīd al-Nakhaʿī, Shurayḥ ibn al-Hārith al-Qāḍī and Imām Abū Hanīfah. The Iraqi School was
characterized by its reliance on personal opinion (raʾy), analogical deduction (qiyās) and hypothetical fiqh (fiqh
iftirāḍī) for the following reasons:
The paucity of established Prophetic practices (sunan) and traditions (ḥadīths) as a result of the small number
of Companions in comparison to Madinah;
Large scale occurrence of new events and developments because Iraq was mixed and culturally diverse
society and much more complex than the society of Madinah;
Numerous acts of unrest (fitan) and the emergence of factions and sects (firaq); some of which resorted to
the fabrication of of ḥadīth (waḍʿ al-ḥadīth). This required, on the part of the scholars, the utmost degree of
verification and authentication in the acceptance of ḥadīth while at the same time adhering to sound and
authentic ḥadīths and giving them precedence over personal opinion (raʾy).

The Iraqi School stood out for delving deep into the meanings of Sharīʿah texts,expanding the scope of their
semantic signification and extracting the rational and effective causes (ʿilal) behind the rulings and deducing
(a legal judgment) by drawing an analogy from one case (on which the Sharīʿah has pronounced a judgment)
to another case that is similar (but on which the Sharīʿah is silent). Similarly is the case with laying the basis
for what is known as hypothetical fiqh (fiqh iftirāḍī), which is indicative of a fiqh that is far-sighted and future
oriented in its outlook. Modern scholars have benefited greatly from hypothetical fiqh in the determination of
legal rulings pertaining to some cotemporary developments and emerging issues.

I reflect and anticipate:


1. the causes behind the extensive and elaborate use of qiyās (deductive analogy) and ijtihād (independent reasoning) by
the Iraqi School to the extent that it earned itself the title of "the school of personal opinion" (madrasat raʾy).
..................................................................................................................................................................................................
2. The causes behind the fabrication of ḥadīth (waḍʿ al-ḥadīth).
..................................................................................................................................................................................................
3. The hazards of circulating lies and rumors.
..................................................................................................................................................................................................

Mutual Love and Respect between the Adherents of the Two Schools

When we speak about the differences between the juristic schools, it should not immediately be thought that
these controversies between them are due to private ulterior goals, narrow personal interests or the pursuit of
name and fame. Not at all, for Imām Abū Ḥanīfah was offered the position of a judge, and he declined, and
the Caliph proposed to Imām Mālik to unify the people on the basis of his madhhab (juristic school), and he 37
4 Lesson Four

rejected the idea.


From this we find that public interest (al-maṣlaḥah al-ʿāmmah) is the foundation and that the desire for truth
and what is good for the country and its people is the essential basis that no one transgresses aside from the
fact that these disagreements were not in the realm of al-uṣūl (the primary principles and foundations – "roots")
but rather in the realm of al-furūʿ (the secondary rulings and laws – "branches"). This reflects the flexibility and
leniency of this religion. Consequently, the disagreement was of a scholarly and intellectual nature basd on
evidence and logic in an arena where dialogue and discussion prevailed.
Despite the disagreement between the Iraqi and Madinah Schools, they continued to respect each others's
views and heap praise on . When they disagreed among themselves, they would do so with the ethical
character traits of scholars such as tolerance (samāḥah), having a good opinion of the other person (ḥusn
al-ẓann), refraining from backbiting (ijtināb al-ghībah), from breaking-off relations (ijtināb al-qaṭīʿah) and from
hurling accusations at the other person (ijtināb ittihām al-ākhar). Imām al Shāfiʿī - used to say: “People are (all)
dependent with regard to fiqh on Abū Ḥanīfah”. Shuʿbah, one the Scholars of Ḥadīth, said at the time of Abū
Hanīfah's death I“Gone with him is the (entire) fiqh of Kūfah, may Allah have mercy on us and on him”.
Imām Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal would say (of Isḥāq ibn Rāhawayh): “There is none who has crossed the bridge
to Khurāsan like Isḥāq. Even if he disagreed with us on some matters, it is in the nature of people to differ with
one another” [Siyar Aʿlām al-Nubalāʾ (Biographies of Noble Personalities)].

I investigate and suggest:


I identify the most notable negative scenes that occur among football fans and propose suitable
solutions to them.

Negative Scene Proposed solution

I criticize:
I analyze the following statement and form an opinion:
“there can be no ijtihād (independent reasoning) alongside the existence of an explicit text (naṣṣ)”.
- .................................................................................................................................................................
- .................................................................................................................................................................

I organize my concepts

I complete the following diagram:


- a method and approach that a particular
a Muslim jurist (faqīh) follows, and other - the Spread of the Companions to the
jurists afterwards adopt it from him and
follow him in it such that they become
- Juristic Schools - causes behind Various Regions
known by it (madāris their emergence - the Emergence of New Events
fiqhiyyah)

- the Distinctive - the Distinctive


- Features of the Features of the -
Iraqi School Madinah School
- -
38
Islamic Juristic (Fiqhī) Schools
(Madāris Fiqhiyyah)

Student Activities

I answer by myself:
- the Distinctive Features of the Madinah School

Aspects of
The Madinah School The Iraqi School
comparison

Causes for Their


Development

Distinctive
Features

Methodology

I enrich my experience
1.I choose one of the personalities mentioned in the lesson and write a brief report on him.
2. I look up some fiqhī (juristic) issues on which the Companions differed and write them up in a
report.

I assess myself

Level of Achievement
SN Area of Application
Average Good Excellent

I respect the other’s opinion when


1
diasgreeing.
I make sure that I know the evidence and
2 arguments of the various viewpoints when
there is disagreement.
I respect all the Muslim scholars when
3
there is disagreement.
I follow the position based on logical
4 argument and evidence even if it conflicts
with my personal whim and fancy.
I ascertain the validity and authenticity of
5 ḥadīths by asking specialized scholars
before putting them into practice . 39
5 Lesson Five

Sakīnah bint al-Ḥusayn - m

1. explain the lineage of Sakīnah bint al-Ḥusayn m.


I learn from 2. deduce the impact of religious upbringing in the life of Sayyida
this lesson Sakīnah bint al-Ḥusayn m.
to:
3. summarize the ethical character traits in the personality of
Sayyida Sakīnah bint al-Ḥusayn m.

I take the initiative to learn

I answer by myself
Throughout Islamic history there have emerged pioneering examples of women who have
performed an active role – alongside men – in the advancement of Islamic civilization, and hence
contributed in a large way to shaping the events in the Muslim world and positively influencing its
civilizational trajectory motivated by their strong sense of responsibility towards building society.
Leading these exemplary models were personalities who were in the forefront of taking initiative and
hard work in the cause of raising and uplifting Islam. The Mother of Believers Khadījah " assumed the
lead pioneering role followed by ʿĀʾishah, Umm Salamah, Fāṭimah and Ṣafiyyah and many others#.
From the successors of this blessed household another pioneering woman came to prominence- the
Blessed Sayyida Sakīnah bint al-Ḥusayn, the devout worshipper and memorizer of the Qurʾān (al-
ʿābidah al-ḥāfiẓah).
- I mention some of the roles through which women can contribute to building society.

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

I use my skills

Lineage:

She was Āminah, daughter of al-Ḥusayn ibn ʿAlī !. She was born in the fourth decade from
the time of the Prophet’s migration. Her mother was al-Rabāb, from the Banū Kalb tribe. She
was named after her grandmother Āminah bint Wahb, the mother of the Prophet r. However, her
mother nicknamed her Sakīnah (which means ‘tranquility’ in English) when she realized that people
experienced tranquility and affinity in her presence because of her kind and generous soul and her
cheerful and light-hearted nature..

40
Sakīnah bint al-Ḥusayn
- m

I think and find a link:

- How the nickname ‘Sakīnah’ reflects on her moral character traits m?


...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Her upbringing:
Sayyidah Sakīnah d
grew up in the spaciousness of the Prophetic home, the home of the Prophet’s
grandson, al-Ḥusayn ibn ʿAlī I. She was very close to her father, who found tranquility and peace of mind in
her company, such that she would clear and rid his mind from worries and make him feel at peace. Sayyidah
Sakīnah was blessed with a unique personality shaped and formed by having been raised in a house filled with
sacred knowledge and virtuous deeds. Her father would not settle down in an area except people would throng
around him to drink from the fountain of his knowledge and hear from him the hadīths of the Messenger of Allah
d . When she reached womanhood, she became one of the respectable ladies of the Quraysh society and
earned a her high reputation owing to her outstanding qualities such as graciousness, knowledge and good
character. Moreover, she was one of the female Successors (tābiʿiyyāt) who had memorized and narrated the
hadīth of Allah’s Messenger . d
I think and infer:
the effect that upbringing has on a person's personality and give an example of this from the
contemporary world.

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Her marriage:

Sayyidah Sakīnah m
married Muṣʿab ibn al-Zubayr ibn al-ʿAwwām -, and what a good wife she was to
her husband and what a good mother she was to her children. She performed her house chores and reared
her children in accordance with the Prophetic guidance, which she had inherited from her father. After her
marriage to Muṣʿab ibn al-Zubayr, her star shone even more brilliantly in the universe of virtuous women and
earned widespread fame in the Islamic territories for her knowledge, gracious morals and the kind of care she
accorded her children and husband.

I think and infer:

I infer the outcome that follows from the fact that Sayyidah Sakīnah joined between sacred m
knowledge on the one hand and the responsibility of fulfilling the rights owed to her husband and
children on the other hand.

41
5 Lesson Five
...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

I identify:
the role of a Muslim woman in family building.
..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Her attributes and knowledge:

Sayyidah Sakīnah m
was blessed with a sharp intellect, enlightened mind, and a broad perspectiveShe
was also a person of profound insight who memorized the Qur’an and acted according to its dictatesShe would
devote herself wholly to Allah i
body, mind and soul, and humble and subdue herself to Him through
worship. She devoted her mind to sacred knowledge through learning and teaching. Students of knowledge
would seek her out in order to narrate from her (Prophetic ḥadīth and sacred knowledge).
Sayyida Sakinah m
was awe-inspiring, strong in character, steadfast and patient in facing crises, never
giving in to despair. She was renowned for her poetic taste and literary appreciation as she was one the
eloquent women of Quraysh and Banū Hāshim. She inherited her flair for poetry from her father D. Her mother,
al-Rabāb bint Imriʾ al-Qays al-Kalbiyyah, was regarded as one of the eloquent women and Arab poetesses.
Sakīnah m
was fluent, eloquent and well-spoken, mentally alert and she used words appropriately and in
their proper contexts. Sakīnah m
was renowned for the respect that she showed towards the scholars of
her time and for her veneration of the Companions ! acknowledging their right and status in conformity with the
statement of Allah : i
]10 :‫ﱫ ﭑ ﭒ ﭓ ﭔ ﭕ ﭖ ﭗ ﭘ ﭙ ﭚ ﭛ ﭜ ﱪ [الحشر‬
10. wa-lladhīna jāʾū min baʿdihim yaqūlūna rabbanā ghfir lanā wa-li-ʾikhwāninā lladhīna sabaqūnā …
” And those who came after them say: "Our Lord! Forgive us and our brethren who have preceded us …” (Sūrat al-
Ḥashr:10).
Because of her veneration of the Companions, she named one of her sons ʿUthmān

I reflect and investigate:

Based on the biography of Sayyidah Sakīnah I mention the qualities that are necessary for the m
type of personality that a female leader must possess

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Her death:

Sayyidah Sakīnah m
was approaching eighty – having reached a level of knowledge and
excellence that set her apart from women of her time – when she passed away in the City (Madīnah)
of the Messenger of Allah d
on a Thursday in year 117 A.H. Her funeral prayer was attended by a
large number of Muslims may Allah have mercy on her and on her forefathers

42
Sakīnah bint al-Ḥusayn
- m

I form an opinion:

I mention the aspects in which Sayyidah Sakīnah is deemed an exemplary leader explaining my
viewpoint

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

I organize my concepts

I mention the aspects in which Sayyidah Sakīnah is deemed an exemplary leader


explaining my viewpoint
Lineage Upbringing Marriage

............................................................. ............................................................. .............................................................

............................................................. ............................................................. .............................................................

............................................................. ............................................................. .............................................................

............................................................. ............................................................. .............................................................

............................................................. ............................................................. .............................................................

Attributes knowledge death

............................................................. ............................................................. .............................................................

............................................................. ............................................................. .............................................................

............................................................. ............................................................. .............................................................

............................................................. ............................................................. .............................................................

............................................................. ............................................................. .............................................................

43
5 Lesson Five

Student Activities

I answer by myself:

1. I enumerate three causes that influenced the personality of Sayyidah Sakīnah E explaining the
influence of each cause on her life.

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

2. I write down what I know of the way Sayyidah Sakīnah mrevered scholarship and scholars.
...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

3. I explain the scholarly rank of Sayyidah Sakīnah m.


...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

44
Sakīnah bint al-Ḥusayn
m
-

I enrich my experience

In collaboration with the members of my group, we design a practical project for emulating the
example of Sayyidah Sakīnah E clarifying in it:-
the most important aspects in which she must be emulated, manner of emulation, things aid in the
application of these aspects, potential obstacles during application, and how to overcome these
obstacles according to the table below:

Things
Aspects to be Manner of Potential Proposed
assisting in
emulated emulation obstacles solutions
application

I assess myself

I assess the impact of the lesson on Sakīnah bint al-Ḥusayn m on my conduct and worship.

Level of Achievement
SN Area of Application
Average Good Excellent

I am keen on acquiring knowledge and


1
applying what I have learnt.
I revere my teacher, respect him and
2
recognize his prestigious status.
3 I always strive to serve the Qurʾān.

4
I emulate Sayyidah Sakīnah m in her her
attributes and character traits.
I recognize the prestigious status of the
Companions of Allah's Messenger, and
5
therefore I show respect to them and pray for
them.

45
Unit Two

2
46
Unit Contents

No. Domain Theme Lesson

Divine Revelation The Holy Qurʾān and The Companions


1 (Waḥy) Its Sciences of the Cave”

Stages of the
Divine Revelation The Holy Qurʾān and
2 (Waḥy) Its Sciences
Collection of the
Qurʾān
The Methodology
Islamic Creed
3 (ʿAqīdah)
Faith-Based Intellect of Thinking in
Islam
Islamic Values and Endowments:
Islamic Values
4 Manners (Qiyam wa
(Qiyam)
Giving and
Ādāb) Growth
Contemporary Issues Human
Contemporary Issues
5 and Identity (Qaḍāyā
(Qaḍāyā)
Development in
wa Huwiyyah) Islam

47
1 Lesson One

The Companions of the Cave


1. recite the Qurʾānic verses 3. summarize the story of the
I learn from observing the rules of tajwīd. Companions of the Cave.
this lesson 2. explain the meanings of 4. analyze some of the scenarios
the words contained in the in the story.
to:
relevant Qurʾānic verses.

I take the initiative to learn


The delegation of Quraysh had returned from Madinah and they were posing
Illuminations
questions to the Messenger of Allah d as the Jewish Rabbis had told them to.
“The Messenger
The Messenger of Allah d said to them: “Tomorrow I will answer your questions”.
d said:
All of Makkah was waiting in anticipation for Muḥammad's response. What answer
“Whoever
will Muhammad give? What if he does not give an answer? What will happen if he memorizes ten
does give an answer? Conflicting emotions filled the houses of Makkah. These verses from the
were matters that Makkah had not heard of before. What would Muhammad d beginning of
say about the youths who have gone by in earlier times - what was their affair? Sūrat al-Kahf will
In this tense atmosphere Sūrat al-Kahf was revealed, and the answer to the be protected
first question came, namely, that they were the Companions of the Cave. Allah’s from al-Dajjāl (the
Messenger d recited what was revealed to him and the entire of Quraysh was Anti-Christ and
silent. Why was Quraysh silent and why did they not argue with Muhammad d ? False Messiah).”
(Narrated by
Muslim).

I use my skills to learn- I recite and memorize:

‫سو َر ُة الكهف‬
‫ﭧ ﭨ ﱫﮃ ﮄ ﮅ ﮆ ﮇ ﮈ ﮉ ﮊ ﮋ ﮌ ﮍ ﮎ ﮏ ﮐ ﮑ ﮒ‬
‫ﮓﮔﮕﮖﮗﮘﮙﮚﮛﮜﮝﮞﮟﮠﮡﮢﮣﮤﮥ‬
‫ﮦ ﮧ ﮨ ﮩ ﮪ ﮫ ﮬ ﮭ ﮮ ﮯ ﮰ ﮱ ﯓ ﯔ ﯕ ﯖﯗ ﯘ ﯙ ﯚ‬
‫ﯛﯜﯝﯞﯟﯠﯡﯢﯣﯤﯥﯦﯧﯨﯩﯪﯫﯬ‬
‫ﯭﯮﯯﯰﯱﯲﯳﯴﯵﯶﯷﯸﯹﯺﯻﯼﯽﯾﯿﰀﰁ‬
‫ﰂﰃﰄﰅﰆﰇﰈﭑﭒﭓﭔﭕﭖﭗﭘﭙﭚﭛﭜﭝ‬
‫ﭞﭟﭠﭡﭢﭣﭤﭥﭦﭧﭨﭩﭪﭫﭬﭭﭮﭯﭰ‬
‫ﭱﭲﭳﭴﭵﭶﭷﭸﭹﭺﭻﭼﭽﭾﭿﮀﮁﮂﮃﮄﮅﮆﮇﮈﮉ‬
‫ﮊﮋﮌﮍﮎﮏﮐﮑﮒﮓﮔﮕﮖﮗﮘﮙﮚﮛﮜ‬
‫ﮝﮞﮟﮠﮡﮢﮣﮤﮥﱪ‬
48
The Companions of the
Cave

Sūrat al-Kahf
9. ʾam ḥasibta ʾanna ʾaṣḥāba l-kahfi wa-r-raqīmi kānū min ʾāyātinā ʿajaba
10. ʾidh ʾawā l-fityatu ʾilā l-kahfi fa-qālū rabbanā ʾātinā min ladunka raḥmatan wa-hayyiʾ lanā min ʾamrinā rashada
11. fa-ḍarabnā ʿalā ʾādhānihim fī l-kahfi sinīna ʿadada
12. thumma baʿathnāhum li-naʿlama ʾayyu l-ḥizbayni ʾaḥṣā li-mā labithū ʾamadan
13. naḥnu naquṣṣu ʿalayka nabaʾahum bi-l-ḥaqqi ʾinnahum fityatun ʾāmanū bi-rabbihim wa-zidnāhum hudan
14. wa-rabaṭnā ʿalā qulūbihim ʾidh qāmū fa-qālū rabbunā rabbu s-samāwāti wa-l-ʾarḍi lan nadʿuwa min dūnihī
ʾilāhan la-qad qulnā ʾidhan shaṭaṭan
15. hāʾulāʾi qawmunā ttakhadhū min dūnihī ʾālihatan law-lā yaʾtūna ʿalayhim bi-sulṭānin bayyinin fa-man ʾaẓlamu
mimmani ftarā ʿalā llāhi kadhiban
16. wa-ʾidhi ʿtazaltumūhum wa-mā yaʿbudūna ʾillā llāha fa-ʾwū ʾilā l-kahfi yanshur lakum rabbukum min raḥmatihī
wa-yuhayyiʾ lakum min ʾamrikum mirfaqa
17. wa-tarā sh-shamsa ʾidhā ṭalaʿat tazāwaru ʿan kahfihim dhāta l-yamīni wa-ʾidhā gharabat taqriḍuhum dhāta
sh-shimāli wa-hum fī fajwatin minhu dhālika min ʾāyāti llāhi man yahdi llāhu fa-huwa l-muhtadi wa-man yuḍlil
fa-lan tajida lahū waliyyan murshidan
18. wa-taḥsabuhum ʾayqāẓan wa-hum ruqūdun wa-nuqallibuhum dhāta l-yamīni wa-dhāta sh-shimāli wa-kalbuhum
bāsiṭun dhirāʿayhi bi-l-waṣīdi lawi ṭṭalaʿta ʿalayhim la-wallayta minhum firāran wa-la-muliʾta minhum ruʿban
9. Or deem you that the Companions of the Cave and the Inscription are a wonder among Our portents?
10. When the young men fled for refuge to the Cave and said: Our Lord! Give us mercy from Your presence and
shape for us right conduct in our plight
11. Then We sealed up their hearing in the Cave for a number of years.
12. And afterward We raised them up that We might see (i.e. witness or reveal Our knowledge) which of the two
parties would best calculate the time that they had tarried.
13. We narrate unto you their story with truth. Lo! they were young men who believed in their Lord, and We
increased them in guidance.
14. And We made firm their hearts when they stood forth and said: Our Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the
earth. We cry unto no god beside Him, for then should we utter an enormity.
15. These, our people, have chosen (other) gods beside Him though they bring no clear warrant (vouchsafed) to
them. And who does greater wrong than he who invents a lie concerning Allah?
16. And when you withdraw from them and that which they worship except Allah, then seek refuge in the Cave;
your Lord will spread for you of His mercy and will prepare for you a pillow in your plight.
17. And you might have seen the sun when it rose move away from their cave to the right, and when it set go past
them on the left, and they were in the cleft thereof. That was (one) of the portents of Allah. He whom Allah
guides, he indeed is led aright, and he whom He sends astray, for him you will not find a guiding friend.
18. And you would have deemed them awake though they were asleep, and we caused them to turn over to the
right and the left, and their dog stretching out his forelegs on the threshold. If you had observed them closely
you had assuredly turned away from them in flight, and had been filled with awe of them.
49
1 Lesson One

I learn the interpretation of the Qurʾānic terms:

Qurʾānic Term Interpretation


‫( الرَّ ق ِِيم‬ar-raqīmi)- Inscription The name of a valley
‫( أَ َم ًدا‬ʾamadan)- time duration

‫( َو َر َب ْط َنا‬wa rabaṭnā) - We made firm Strengthened their hearts

‫( آلِ َه ًة‬ʾālihatan) - gods object of worship

‫( َش َط ًطا‬shaṭaṭan) - enormity guessing


‫( َّت َز َاو ُر‬tazāwaru) - move away Incline towards
ُ ‫( َّت ْق ِر‬taqriḍuhum) - go past them
‫ض ُه ْم‬ Become horizontal
‫( ِب ْال َوصِ ي ِد‬bil-waṣīdi) – threshold door

I grasp the significations and implications of the verses

The mercy of Allah is close to us:

Allahi addresses Muhammad saying: “Do not think what happened to the Companions
of the Cave is something marvelous when conceived of in terms of the Power of Allah i .
His Power is boundless and infinite. In fact, everything around you as regards the signs (āyāt)
of Allahi , and the manifestations of His Power- such as the creation of the heavens and
earth, subjugation of the sun and moon, the creation of people themselves is more marvelous and
magnificent than what you have been asked of. All the signs of Allah are marvelous and wonderous.
These youths lived in a city whose inhabitants worshipped idols and made offerings and sacrifices
to them. These youths found that what their people were doing was devoid of any intellect and logic.
Their hearts opened up to faith and belief and they stood up and said: “Our Lord is the Creator of the
heavens and earth, the Lord and the King of everything and we shall never worship anyone other
than Him nor will we ask help from anyone other than Him”. As for the idols which the inhabitants of
the city worshipped and which they made with their own hands and then turned into gods which they
would worship without any rational argument or proof, all of this is no more than total excessiveness
, blatant falsehood fabricated against Allah i, complete deactivation of the intellect and gross
injustice against one's own self.

These youths dedicated themselves sincerely to Allah iand thus Allah increased them in
guidance and certainty, strengthened their hearts and granted them enduring patience. When their
affair became known and news of them spread, they feared for their lives and escaped from the city
in haste without taking with them any food and water supplies while invoking Allah's Help and calling
upon Allah to take care of them and guide them to the path of rectitude. When night fell, they found
themselves next to a cave. They said: “Let us enter this cave so that Allah i
may provide us
with a means of subsistence and plenty of resources”. They slept in the cave with the idea of working
50 out the following day what it is that they were going to do.
The Companions of the
Cave

I cooperate:
One of the indicators of true reliance on Allah is taking the necessary causal measures (al-akhdh bil-asbāb).
With the help of my group, I identify the causal measures that the youths have taken in relation to the events
that have occurredup to this point in the sūrah.
............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................

I analyze:
the events in the story to identify the motives that drove the youths to take refuge in the cave.
............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................

Confidence and Trust in Allah i (al-thiqah bil-lāh)


The youths slept with their last words being: ‫( ﱫﭚ ﭛ ﭜ ﭝ ﭞ ﭟ ﭠ ﭡ ﭢ ﭣ ﱪ‬yanshur
lakum rabbukum min raḥmatihī wa-yuhayyiʾ lakum min ʾamrikum mirfaqan) “…Your Lord will unfold
His mercy for you, and He will help you on to ease in your affair …”. They resigned their affair to
Allah and did not know that Allah i
had preordained that they sleep for three hundred and nine
years during which Allah protected them from hearing any sounds at all so that they the sounds did
not disturb them cutting their sleep short and waking them up. Allah subjected the sun to i
them twice everyday day providing them with sunlight - when it rose it would turn away from the cave
inclining towards the right before its heat became intense in order that its rays not burn them and
when it set it would be vertically opposite to them such that the amount of sunlight that they needed
would reach them all the while they were sleeping in the open space of the cave and their dog lying
in front of the cave entrance. Anyone who saw them would think that they were awake as their eyes
were open. Allah i
would turn them over to the right and to the left so that their clothes do
not get spoiled and their bodies do not develop sores due to prolonged contact with the earth. Allah
i also made their appearance look frightening such that if an observer were to look at them he
would be utterly horrified such that he would not dare return to that place again or speak to others not
even himself about what he saw. They were in a desolate place that no human would contemplate
going to nor any beast would pass through. Thus, Allah kept away from them every danger that had
the potential to threaten their welbeing or disclose their secret, for He has power over everything.

I anticipate:
if a person were to sleep for a whole year, the many changes will happen to him.

................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
..........................................................

I analyze:
the events that took place in the story and explain their significations and implications as per the
table below:
Power ............................................................................
Greatness ............................................................................
Mercy ............................................................................
51
Preservation and protection ............................................................................
1 Lesson One

I find the difference:


ْ َ‫' أ‬Aṣḥāb al-Kahf' (‘the Companions
ِ ‫ص َحاب ْال َكه‬
We say: ‫‘ َغار ِح َرا َء‬Ghār Ḥirāʾ (the Cave of Hira) and ‫ْف‬
of the Cave); I explain the difference in Arabic between (‫‘ )غار‬ghār’ and (‫' )كهف‬kahf'.

‫سو َر ُة الكهف‬
‫ﭧﭨﱫﮦﮧﮨﮩﮪﮫﮬﮭﮮﮯﮰﮱﯓﯔﯕﯖ‬
‫ﯗﯘ ﯙ ﯚ ﯛ ﯜ ﯝ ﯞ ﯟ ﯠ ﯡ ﯢ ﯣ ﯤ ﯥ ﯦ ﯧ‬
‫ﯨﯩﯪﯫﯬﯭﯮﯯﯰﯱﯲﯳﯴﯵﯶ‬
‫ﯷﯸﯹﯺﯻﯼﯽﯾﭑﭒﭓﭔﭕﭖﭗﭘﭙ‬
‫ﭚ ﭛ ﭜ ﭝ ﭞ ﭟ ﭠ ﭡﭢ ﭣ ﭤ ﭥ ﭦﭧ ﭨ ﭩ ﭪﭫ ﭬ ﭭ ﭮ‬
‫ﭯﭰﭱﭲﭳﭴﱪ‬

Sūrat al-Kahf
19. wa-ka-dhālika baʿathnāhum li-yatasāʾalū baynahum qāla qāʾilun minhum kam labithtum qālū
labithnā yawman ʾaw baʿḍa yawmin qālū rabbukum ʾaʿlamu bi-mā labithtum fa-bʿathū ʾaḥadakum
bi-wariqikum hādhihī ʾilā l-madīnati fa-l-yanẓur ʾayyuhā ʾazkā ṭaʿāman fa-l-yaʾtikum bi-rizqin minhu
wa-l-yatalaṭṭaf wa-lā yushʿiranna bikum ʾaḥadan
20. ʾinnahum ʾin yaẓharū ʿalaykum yarjumūkum ʾaw yuʿīdūkum fī millatihim wa-lan tufliḥū ʾidhan
ʾabadan
21. wa-ka-dhālika ʾaʿtharnā ʿalayhim li-yaʿlamū ʾanna waʿda llāhi ḥaqqun wa-ʾanna s-sāʿata lā rayba
fīhā ʾidh yatanāzaʿūna baynahum ʾamrahum fa-qālū bnū ʿalayhim bunyānan rabbuhum ʾaʿlamu
bihim qāla lladhīna ghalabū ʿalā ʾamrihim la-nattakhidhanna ʿalayhim masjidan

19. And in like manner We awakened them that they might question one another. A speaker from
among them said : How long have you tarried? They said: We have tarried a day or some part of a
day, (Others) said: Your Lord best knows what you have tarried. Now send one of you with this your
silver coin unto the city, and let him see what food is purest there and bring you a supply thereof. Let
him be courteous and let no man know of you.
20. For they, if they should come to know of you, will stone you or turn you back to their faith; then you
will never prosper.
21. And in like manner We disclosed them (to the people of the city) that they might know that the
promise of Allah is true, and that, as for the Hour, there is no doubt concerning it. When (the people
of the city) disputed of their case among themselves, they said: Build over them a building; their
Lord knows best concerning them. Those who won their point said: We verity shall build a place of
worship over them

52
The Companions of the
Cave

I learn the interpretation of the Qurʾānic terms:

Vocabulary item Interpretation

‫( ﯠ‬Biwariqikum ) - silver coins Silver dirhams

‫( ﯳ‬yaẓharū) - know of you Know where you are

‫( ِملَّت ِِه ْم‬millatihim) - their faith Their religion

Three centuries:
Allah i woke them up just as He had put them to sleep; they did not lose any weight; nor did their
features change. This attests to the Power of Allah i and His Ability to resurrect the dead and bring
about the Day of Judgment.
When they woke up, one of them asked: ‘How long did we sleep?’ Some of them said: a day; others
said: part of a day. Then they realized that the matter was not as they had thought. One of them said: “
‫( ﱫﯚ ﯛ ﯜ ﯝﱪ‬rabbukum ʾaʿlamu bi-mā labithtum) ‘Your Lord best knows what you have tarried’, so
leave this matter to Allah i and take care of yourselves and you affairs and preoccupy yourselves with
what will benefit and improve your lives”. They said: “Well, send one of you to the city to bring food and let
him look for the best ḥalāl (lawful) food and let him be kind and gentle in his interaction with the people as that
would be more conducive so as not to attract any attention to himself. I he fails to do so, they will discover who
we are, and then either kill us or force us back to their way of worshipping which is worshipping idols and all
our deeds will be futile and in vain”.
However, there is absolutely nothing that can avert Allah's command and decree. When their messenger
entered the market-place, people looked at him in a strange way because of the silver dirhams which he had
with him and which were used as the currency over three centuries ago. So, they took him to the ruler, who
was a pious believer.
He asked the man what his story was and learned that he
was one of the youths who fled persecution due to their faith
during the reign of a previous king. Thus did Allah disclose
their matter to the people in order that they may know that it Sūrat al-Kahf is the center of the
is true that the Final Hour will come to pass. Then the man Holy Qurʾān. The word ‫( َو ْل َي َتلَ َّط ْف‬wa-l-
showed them the location of the cave and the king and the
people of the city all set out to see the youths. When they
yatalaṭṭaf) ‘be courteous’ is the center
entered upon them, Allah caused them to die a true death. most word of the Holy Qurʾān. The
The people of the city wanted to build a mere structure letter ‘‫( 'ت‬t) in this word is the center
over them; but the majority of them said: “Rather we should
most letter of the Holy Qurʾān
build over them a mosque in which to pray and which is in
agreement with this great sign”.

I explain why:

‘the Companions of the Cave’ woke up


......................................................................
from their sleep
their secret was revealed to the people
of their time ......................................................................

their story is narrated in the Holy


Qurʾān ...................................................................... 53
1 Lesson One

I explain logically:
the features of the youths did not change after three hundred years.

Allah’s Messenger dsaid: “Be keen on what is beneficial to you and do


not be weak and give up” (Narrated by Ibn Mājah). In light of the dialogue
I discuss: that occurred between the Companions of the Cave, I discuss the ḥadīth
providing practical examples from my own life.

- I recite and memorize:

‫سو َر ُة الكهف‬
‫ﭧ ﭨ ﱫ ﭵ ﭶ ﭷ ﭸ ﭹ ﭺ ﭻ ﭼ ﭽ ﭾﭿ‬
‫ﮀ ﮁ ﮂ ﮃﮄ ﮅ ﮆ ﮇ ﮈ ﮉ ﮊ ﮋ ﮌﮍ ﮎ ﮏ ﮐ ﮑ ﮒ ﮓ‬
‫ﮔ ﮕ ﮖ ﮗ ﮘ ﮙ ﮚ ﮛ ﮜ ﮝ ﮞ ﮟ ﮠ ﮡ ﮢ ﮣ ﮤ ﮥﮦ ﮧ‬
‫ﮨﮩﮪﮫﮬﮭﮮﮯﮰﮱﯓﯔﯕﯖﯗﯘﯙﯚﯛ‬
‫ﯜ ﯝ ﯞ ﯟ ﯠ ﯡ ﯢ ﯣﯤ ﯥ ﯦ ﯧ ﯨﯩ ﯪ ﯫ ﯬﯭ ﯮ ﯯ ﯰ‬
‫ﯱ ﯲ ﯳ ﯴ ﯵ ﯶ ﯷ ﯸ ﯹ ﯺ ﯻ ﯼ ﯽ ﯾ ﯿ ﰀﰁ ﰂ ﰃ ﰄ‬
‫ﰅﰆﰇﰈﰉﰊﱪ‬

Sūrat al-Kahf
22. sa-yaqūlūna thalāthatun rābiʿuhum kalbuhum wa-yaqūlūna khamsatun sādisuhum kalbuhum rajman bi-l-
ghaybi wa-yaqūlūna sabʿatun wa-thāminuhum kalbuhum qul rabbī ʾaʿlamu bi-ʿiddatihim mā yaʿlamuhum
ʾillā qalīlun fa-lā tumāri fīhim ʾillā mirāʾan ẓāhiran wa-lā tastafti fīhim minhum ʾaḥadan
23. wa-lā taqūlanna li-shayʾin ʾinnī fāʿilun dhālika ghadan
24. ʾillā ʾan yashāʾa llāhu wa-dhkur rabbaka ʾidhā nasīta wa-qul ʿasā ʾan yahdiyani rabbī li-ʾaqraba min hādhā
rashadan
25. wa-labithū fī kahfihim thalātha miʾatin sinīna wa-zdādū tisʿan
26. quli llāhu ʾaʿlamu bi-mā labithū lahū ghaybu s-samāwāti wa-l-ʾarḍi ʾabṣir bihī wa-ʾasmiʿ mā lahum min
dūnihī min waliyyin wa-lā yushriku fī ḥukmihī ʾaḥadan
27. wa-tlu mā ʾūḥiya ʾilayka min kitābi rabbika lā mubaddila li-kalimātihī wa-lan tajida min dūnihī multaḥadan

22. (Some) say they were three, the fourth among them being their dog; (others) say they were five, the sixth
being their dog, making idle conjectures at the unseen; (yet others) say they were seven, the eighth being
their dog. Say: "My Lord knows best their number; It is but few that know their (real case)." Dispute not
concerning them, except on a matter that is clear, nor consult any of them about (the affair of) the Sleepers.
(Some) will say: They were three, their dog the fourth, and (some) say: Five, their dog the sixth, making idle
conjectures at the unseen; and (some) say: Seven, and their dog the eighth. Say (O Muhammad): My Lord
is best aware of their number. None knows them save a few. So contend not concerning them except with
an outward contending, and ask not any of them to pronounce concerning them.

54
The Companions of the
Cave

23. And say not of anything: Lo! I shall do that tomorrow,


24. Except if Allah will. And remember your Lord when you forget, and say: It may be that my Lord guides me
unto a nearer way of truth than this.
25. And (it is said) they tarried in their Cave three hundred years and add nine.
26. Say: Allah is best aware how long they tarried. His is the Invisible of the heavens and the earth. How clear
of sight is He and keen of hearing! They have no protecting friend beside Him, and He makes none to share
in His government.
27. And recite that which has been revealed unto you of the scripture of your Lord. There is none who can
change His words, and you will find no refuge beside Him.

I interpret the Qurʾānic vocabulary:

Vocabulary item Interpretation

‫( َرجْ مًا‬rajman) - making idle conjectures engaging in sheer speculation and


guesswork
ِ ‫( ُت َم‬tumāri) - dispute
‫ار‬ argue
ٍّ‫( َولِي‬waliyyin) - protecting friend who takes care of their affairs
‫ِّك‬ ِ ‫( ِك َتا‬kitābi rabbika) - the Book of your Lord
َ ‫ب َرب‬ The Holy Qurʾān
‫( م ُْل َت َح ًدا‬multaḥadan) - refuge Safe haven
What Allah wills will be:
The noble verses inform us of the disagreement amongst people with respect to the number of the youths.
Some people maintained that they were three and the fourth one their dog. Others maintained that they were
four and the fifth one their dog. There were still others who maintained that they were five and the sixth one their
dog.” All this was sheer speculation and guesswork and not based on any definitive knowledge or evidence.
There were even others who maintained that they were seven and their dog the eighth”. Allah i then
orders His Prophet to refer the matter to Allah i as He is the One Who knows best their number, and
a few of those whom Allah has endowed with knowledge. He then orders His Prophet not to argue about them
with anyone, nor ask anyone concerning them except telling people what Allah has made clear to him about
their affair and nothing more. Ibn ʿAbbās would say: “I am of the few who know them; they were seven and
their dog the eighth ”. The Prophet d when Quraysh asked him,would say: “Tomorrow I will tell you’. The
revelation delayed and people started to talk about it. Then the revelation came with the answer. Allah i
says instructing His Messenger dand as a way of teaching the people: 'Do not say I shall do something
in the future without saying inshāʾ Allāh (‘If Allah wills) because no one knows what one is going to earn
tomorrow; so remember Allah and mention His Name and ask Him for guidance and direction.
Allahi said that the ‘People of the Cave’ slept in the cave for three hundred and nine years.
Yet Allahi addresses His Prophet d
saying: “Tell them that no one knows the duration that they
slept for except Allah i and those of His creation whom He has given access to this knowledge. He
knows the unseen in the heavens and on earth. Then Allah i says: ‫(ﱫ ﯪ ﯫ ﯬﱪ‬ʾabṣir bihī wa-
ʾasmiʿ) "How perfectly and completely He sees and hears"”. This is a form for expressing wonderment and
amazement (taʿajjub) used to magnify Allah's praise and glorification of Himself, that is to say, "How perfectly
and completely He sees and hears everything that exists, and created beings have none but Allah to take care
of them and to manage and take charge of their affairs. He has no partner who shares in His Divine Essence,
Attributes and Actions. So, recite the Holy Qurʾān and what it has made clear to people as regards the matter
of the ‘Companions of the Cave’, as there is absolutely no change in the Divine Word of Allah i because
it is the Truth, and you will not need a refuge wherein to find safe haven in because Allah i is your
Guardian Protector and He is Sufficient for you and for all the believers.
55
1 Lesson One

I reflect:

On the words of Allah, i:


‫ﱫﭵ ﭶ ﭷ ﭸ ﭹ ﭺ ﭻ ﭼ ﭽ‬
‫ﭾﭿ ﮀ ﮁ ﮂ ﮃﱪ‬
"sa-yaqūlūna thalāthatun rābiʿuhum kalbuhum wa-yaqūlūna
khamsatun sādisuhum kalbuhum rajman bi-l-ghaybi wa-yaqūlūna
sabʿatun wa-thāminuhum kalbuhum".  
“…(Some) say they were three, the fourth among them being
their dog; (others) say they were five, the sixth being their dog,
making idle conjectures at the unseen; (yet others) say they were
seven, the eighth being their dog.…”
- I collaborate with the members of my group on the following:
- we infer from the holy verse the effect of companionship on the
individual.
..................................................................................

..................................................................................

..................................................................................

...................................................................................
- we deduce evidence from the holy in support of the viewpoint of Ibn ʿAbbās: “They were seven, the
eighth being their dog”.

...............................................................................................................................................................

.................................................................................................................................................................

I work out the possible scenarios:


A person says: “I shall go on pilgrimage (ḥajj) next year”.
In collaboration with the members of my group, I work out the possible scenarios which this person
may encounter.

................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................

.............................................................................................................................................

On the basis of the possible scenarios we arrived at, we accentuate the importance of saying ُ‫إِنْ َشــا َء هللا‬
“If Allah wills”.

................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................

.............................................................................................................................................
56
The Companions of the
Cave

Organizing my information

The People
of the Cave

The wisdom
Reason behind behind making
them taking refuge their affair known:
in the cave: Their number:
.............................. ..............................
..............................
.............................. ..............................
..............................
.............................. ..............................
..............................
.............................. Duration of ..............................

.............................. their sleep: ..............................


..............................
.............................. ..............................
..............................

..............................

Student Activities

I answer by myself:
First: I explain what is meant by the words of Allah, i:
‫ﱫﯟ ﯠ ﯡ ﯢ ﯣ ﯤ ﯥ ﯦ ﯧ ﯨ ﯩ ﯪ ﯫ ﯬ ﯭﯮ ﯯ ﯰ ﯱ ﯲﱪ‬
"wa-rabaṭnā ʿalā qulūbihim ʾidh qāmū fa-qālū rabbunā rabbu s-samāwāti wa-l-ʾarḍi lan
nadʿuwa min dūnihī ʾilāhan la-qad qulnā ʾidhan shaṭaṭan"
“We gave strength to their hearts: Behold, they stood up and said: "Our Lord is the Lord of
the heavens and of the earth: never shall we call upon any god other than Him: if we did, we
should indeed have uttered an enormity!”
Second: I mention the reason behind the delay in revelation to the Prophet dafter he had said
to Quraysh: “Tomorrow I shall tell you”.

...............................................................................................................................................................

...............................................................................................................................................................

57
1 Lesson One

Third: I adduce evidence from this event that demonstrates the truthfulness of Allah’s Messenger d.

...............................................................................................................................................................

...............................................................................................................................................................

Fourth:I explain the meaning of the following terms and expressions:

SN Word Meaning

‫ض َر ْب َنا َع َلى َآذان ِِه ْم‬


َ ‫( َف‬fa-ḍarabnā ʿalā ʾādhānihim)
1 .........................................................................
We sealed up their hearing

2 ‫( أَ َم ًدا‬ʾamadan) time .........................................................................

ِ ُ‫( َو َر َب ْط َنا َع َلى قُل‬wa-rabaṭnā ʿalā qulūbihim) We


‫وب ِه ْم‬
3 .........................................................................
strengthened their hearts

4 ‫( َش َط ًطا‬shaṭaṭan) .........................................................................

5 ِ ‫( َرجْ مًا ِب ْال َغ ْي‬rajman bi-l-ghaybi)


‫ب‬ .........................................................................

ِ َّ ‫( ا ْف َت َرى َع َلى‬ʾiftarā ʿalā llāhi kadhiban)


‫للا َك ِذبًا‬
6 .........................................................................
invents a lie concerning Allah

‫( َل ُم َب ِّد َل لِ َكلِ َما ِت ِه‬lā mubaddila li-kalimātihī) none


7 .........................................................................
can change His words

Ibn ʿAbbās narrated: “We were with Muʿāwiyah D in the Baḥr al-Rūm (Sea
of Byzantium). We arrived at the cave in the ‘Companions of the Cave’
were. Muʿāwiyah said: ‘I would like to enter and look at them. I said to
him: ‘Allah has prevented one who is better than you from doing so.” Allah

I enrich my
i says: ‫ﱫﮜﮝﮞﮟﮠﮡﮢﮣﮤﱪ‬
"lawi ṭṭalaʿta ʿalayhim la-wallayta minhum firāran wa-la-muliʾta minhum
information ruʿban"
“…if you had come up on to them, you would have certainly turned back
from them in flight, and would certainly have been filled with terror of
them”. lawi ṭṭalaʿta ʿalayhim la-wallayta minhum firāran wa-la-muliʾta
minhum ruʿban
“…if you had come up on to them, you would have certainly turned back
from them in flight, and would certainly have been filled with terror of
them”.
58
The Companions of the
Cave

I assess myself

Level of Achievement
SN Area of Application
Average Good Excellent

I make special effort to recite the Qurʾān


1
according to the rules of tajwīd.

I memorize the relevant Qurʾānic verses and


2
constantly revise what I have memorized.

I express in my own words the meaning of


3 the Qurʾānic terms and use them in my day-
to-day living and interaction with others.

I understand the overall meaning and apply the


4
lessons contained in it

I make special effort to observe the (legal)


5
rulings contained in the verses

I make my mark

I make sure of saying ُ‫' إِ ْن َشا َء هللا‬If Allah wills' whenever I intend doing something in
the future.

59
2 Lesson Two

Stages of the Gathering and Compilation (Jamʿ) of the Holy Qurʾān

1.explain the stages of the gathering and compilation (jamʿ) of


the Holy Qurʾān
2.compare between the efforts of Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq l and
those of ʿUthmān ibn ʿAffān l in the service of the Holy
I learn from Qurʾān.
this lesson 3. explain the roles of Abū Bakr l and ʿUthmān ibn ʿAffān D in
to: serving the Holy Qurʾān.

I take an initiative to learn

I read and answer:

Throughout history, humankind has never known a book that has received so much attention, interest and
concern for its preservation like what the Holy Qurʾān has. Notwithstanding the fact that Allah Himself i
has guaranteed its preservation and protection against distortion and corruption for Allah, , says: i
]9 :‫ﱫ ﮗ ﮘ ﮙ ﮚ ﮛ ﮜ ﮝ ﱪ[الحجر‬
9. ʾinnā naḥnu nazzalnā dh-dhikra wa-ʾinnā lahū la-ḥāfiẓūna
“Verily We: It is We Who have sent down the Dhikr (i.e. the Qurʾān) and surely, We will guard it (from
corruption)” (Sūrat al-Ḥijr: 9).
d
we still find the Messenger and the Companions ! receiving and transmitting it with the care and consideration.
In fact, the Companions ! competed with one another in learning and teaching it and in putting it into practice.
In addition to this utmost care and consideration for the Holy Qurʾān on the part of the Messenger and the d
Companions ! the Archangel Jibrīl (Gabriel) would go over it with the Messenger every year in the d
Month of Ramaḍān. After the death of the Messenger d
Muslims gave themselves over wholeheartedly to the
service of the Holy Qurʾān by memorizing it, writing it down and applying it in their daily lives.

- I suggest to my classmates a method that will enable us to


memorize the Holy Qurʾān.
............................................................................................
............................................................................................

- I mention three reasons that motivated the Companions to


memorize the Holy Qurʾān.
............................................................................................
............................................................................................
............................................................................................

60
Stages of the Gathering and Compilation
(Jamʿ) of the Holy Qurʾān

I use my skills to learn


First: : Jamʿ (gathering and compiling) the Holy Qurʾān in the time of the Prophet d.
The Meaning of Jamʿ (Gathering and Compiling the Qurʾān) in the Prophetic Era:
Jamʿ (gathering and compiling the Qurʾān) in the time of the Prophet has two senses in d
which it is used:
The first of the two senses: jamʿ meaning memorization (ḥifẓ), that is to say learning the Qurʾān
by heart; Allah, i , says: ]17 : ‫ﱫ ﯿ ﰀ ﰁ ﰂ ﱪ [القيامة‬
17. ʾinna ʿalaynā jamʿahū wa-qurʾānahū
“It is for Us to gather and collect it (i.e. the Qurʾān)” (Sūrat al-Qiyāmah: 17).
that is, to gather and collect it in the heart of the Prophet d
and the hearts of the Companions !.
The second of the two senses: jamʿ meaning written compilation (kitābah). The Prophet used d
to order some Companions ! to write down the revelation and compile it (in the form of a book or
scripture). Allah i says: ]‫ﱪ [البينة‬Í ‫ﱫ ﮁ ﮂ ﮃ ﮄ ﮅ ﮆ ﮇ ﮈ ﮉ ﮊ‬
2. rasūlun mina llāhi yatlū ṣuḥufan muṭahharatan
3. fīhā kutubun qayyimatun
2. A Messenger from God, rehearsing purified pages
3. in which there are scriptures (compiled writings) true and right (Sūrat al-Bayyinah).
ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar said: “Allah’s Messenger d
prohibited travelling with the Qurʾān to the land of
the enemy” (Narrated by al-Bukhārī). The prohibition here relates to travelling to the land of the enemy with
with the Qurʾān in written form not the Qurʾān memorized (in the bosoms of men).

I reflect and argue:


- I formulate my answer in response to someone who claims that the jamʿ of the Qurʾān in the
Prophetic era was restricted to memorization only and did not include writing.

............................................................................................................................................................

Permission to write down the Holy Qurʾān:


The Prophet d permitted all the Companions to write down the Holy Qurʾān as mentioned in
the ḥadīth of Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī: “Do not write anything from me; whoever has written anything
from me other than the Quʾrān let him erase it” (Narrated by Muslim). However, the Prophet d
did not rely on the writings of the Companions; rather, he appointed special scribes to write down
the revelation; they would write down the Qurʾān as soon as it was revealed. It has been reported
on the authority of al-Barāʾ ibn ʿĀzib that he said: “When the verse ]95 :‫ﱫ ﭑ ﭒ ﭓ ﭔ ﭕﱪ [النساء‬
(lā yastawī l-qāʿidūna mina l-muʾminīna … )“Not equal are those of the believers who sit (at home)”
(Sūrat al-Nisāʾ: 95) was revealed, the Prophet called Zayd and had it written down. Then Ibn Umm
Maktūm came and complained about his handicap, and Allah revealed ]95 :‫“ ﱫﭖ ﭗ ﭘ ﱪ [النساء‬except
those who are handicapped” (Sūrat al-Nisāʾ: 95)” (Narrated by al-Bukhārī). The entire the Qurʾān
was written down in the presence of the Prophet d
and by order from him and under his supervision
since the beginning of the revelation and until the very last verse of the Holy Qurʾān was revealed.

61
2 Lesson Two

I think and prove:


- That the Prophet permitted the Companions to write down the Qurʾān notwithstanding the fact that
he had prohibited them from writing down anything taken from him when he said: “Do not write
anything from me…”.
- ..............................................................................................................................................................
- If I had been among the Companions ! and heard the Prophet d permit the writinging down of Divine
Revelation. I state what I would have done to serve the Holy Qurʾān.
- ..............................................................................................................................................................
The Qurʾān was not compiled into a single volume (Muṣḥaf) in the Prophetic era
Divine revelation continued to descend in successive fasion upon the Prophet such that some of verses of a
sūrah would descend, and then stop with the descension of other verses before or after that sūrah, afterwhich
revelation resumes with the verses of the first sūrah, and it continued in this way until the revelation reached
completion just before the death of the Prophet . This made it difficult for the Qurʾān to be compiled into d
a single codex (muṣḥaf). Nevertheless, the Holy Qurʾān was completely written down in the presence of the
Prophet d
; but it was not compiled and placed between the two covers of a single codex (muṣḥaf) nor was it
arranged in written in the same order as it was arranged in the hearts of those have memorized it.

I infer:
I give three reasons why the Qurʾān was not compiled into a single volume (muṣḥaf) during the
time of the Prophet . d
- ..............................................................................................................................................................
- ..............................................................................................................................................................
- ..............................................................................................................................................................
Second: Jamʿ (gathering and compiling) the Qurʾān during the reign of Abū Bakr l
In the Battle of Yamama, many Companions were martyred; among them were seventy of the
Holy Qur’an hafizes (Companions who memorized the Qur’an). One of them was Salim Mawla (non-
Arab Muslim) Abu Hudhayfa, who was one of those to take the Qur’an from according to the order of
the Prophet, peace be upon him. Owing to this Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, hurried to Abu
Bakr aṣ-Ṣiddīq and advised him to collect the Qur’an and write it in one book (Mus-haf).

I reflect and ponder:


the possible scenarios and outcomes had Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq not taken the advice of ʿUmar ibn al-
Khaṭṭāb presenting my own viewpoint on the matter.
- ..............................................................................................................................................................
- ..............................................................................................................................................................
- ..............................................................................................................................................................
The method of compiling the Holy Qurʾān during the reign of Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq l:
When Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq l
made the decision to compile the Holy Qurʾān, he charged ʿUmar ibn
al-Khaṭṭāb l
and Zayd ibn Thābit l
with this great task. One of the most important reasons for
choosing Zayd ibn Thābit l
was that he had witnessed the final reading or review (by Jibrīl) of the Qurʾān
62 (al-ʿarḍah al-akhīrah) in addition to the credentials mentioned in Abū Bakr's commendation of him when he
Stages of the Gathering and Compilation
(Jamʿ) of the Holy Qurʾān

said to him: "You are a young and intelligent man, we know nothing to your discredit, and you used to record
the revelations for the Messenger of Allah d
, so go out in in pursuit of the Qurʾān and compile it (into a
single book)"
ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb and Zayd ibn Thābit, may Allah be pleased with them, followed a defintive
methodology by relying on two sources:
1. What was written in the presence of the Prophet and under his supervision; d
2. What was preserved in the memories of people (who knew it by heart).
Zayd ibn Thābit said: “So I went out in pursuit of the Qurʾān compiling and collecting it from parchments,
scapula, leaf-stalks of date palms and from the memories of men (who knew it by heart).”. The compilation
of the Qurʾān took fifteen months and it was completed before the death of Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq D and it was
called ‘al-Muṣḥaf’(Qurʾānic Codex).

I infer and decide:


- I mention the decision that I would have taken if I were in the position of Zayd ibn Thābit l and
give reasons for my decision.
- ..............................................................................................................................................................
- ..............................................................................................................................................................
- ..............................................................................................................................................................
- I mention what I conclude from the fact that it took Zayd ibn Thābit l one year and three months
to compile the Holy Qurʾān.
- ..............................................................................................................................................................
- ..............................................................................................................................................................
- ..............................................................................................................................................................
The main features characterizing the compilation of the Holy Qurʾān during the reign of Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq l
The compilation of the Holy Qurʾān during the reign of Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq it was charactrised by l
several features, the most important of which were:
It was compiled in a single codex (muṣḥaf) with the verses and chapters arranged in order.
It conformed to what was confirmed in the final reading or review (al-ʿarḍah al-akhīrah) of the Holy Qurʾān
with Jibrīl '.
It included the Seven Modes (al-Aḥruf al-Sabʿah) which were confirmed in the final review.
Its validity and accuracy were unanimously agreed on by the Companions (ijmāʿ al-ṣahābah).

I think and infer:


- I give four reasons that led to the Companions ! agreeing unanimously to on the validity and
accuracy of the muṣḥaf which was compiled during the reign of Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq . l
- ..............................................................................................................................................................
- ..............................................................................................................................................................
- ..............................................................................................................................................................
- ..............................................................................................................................................................

63
2 Lesson Two

Third: Copying (naskh) the Holy Qurʾān during the reign of ʿUthmān ibn ʿAffān l

Reason for copying the Qurʾān


The Islamic conquests expanded during the reign of ʿUthmān ibn ʿAffān and the Companions were m
scattered in the new territories. The inhabitants of each territory took the recitation of the Qurʾān from those of
the Companions ! who travelled to and settle in their territory. This was so because each Companion taught
the particular ḥarf (mode) which he had received from the al-Aḥruf al-Sabʿah (Seven Modes) revealed to the
Messenger d
. Therefore, there were differences in the modes (ḥurūf) of Qurʾānic rendition and ways of
Qurʾānic recitation between the various Muslim territories. People began to differ in the way they recited the
Qurʾān until it led to a situation where they would reject one another's recitation

I read and summarize:


- In my own style, I summarize the reason that had prompted ʿUthmān ibn ʿAffān l to copy the
Holy Qurʾān.
- .....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................

Methodology of copying
Caliph ʿUthmān ibn ʿAffān l specified the steps to be taken in compiling the Holy Qurʾān, namely:
1. Appointing the committee that will compile the Qurʾān headed by Zayd ibn Thābit l because he was
the one whom Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq D had charged previously with the task of compiling the Holy Qurʾān.
2. Taking the codex (ṣuḥuf) which Zayd ibn Thābit compiledduring the reign of Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq D as l
the basis for making the official copies of the Qurʾān (Muṣḥafs).
3. Direct supervision of the compilation and copying process by ʿUthmān ibn ʿAffān l.
4. The Qurʾānic script be written in a form that incorporates that which has been authentically established of
the al-Sabʿah al-Aḥruf (Seven Modes) in the final revision (al-ʿardah al-akhīrah).
5. That the committee refer to Caliph ʿUthmān ibn ʿAffān before writing down anything that requires checking.
6. When the committee members differed on how to write down a particular word they would write it down
according the Ḥarf (Mode) of Quraysh.

I analyze and anticipate:

- What, in my view, would have changed in the methodology of copying the Holy Qurʾān during the
reign of ʿUthmān ibn ʿAffān if modern technology was available to him?l
- .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................... .............................................................................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

64
Stages of the Gathering and Compilation
(Jamʿ) of the Holy Qurʾān

Dispatching the Muṣḥafs to the various Muslim cities:

ʿUthmān ibn ʿAffān l


ordered that the Muṣḥafs be dispatched to the various Muslim cities to
put an end to the conflict and controversies in reading the Holy Qurʾān. He sent a Muṣḥaf to every
city, ordered all other copies to be burned and kept one copy with himself, which came to be known
as the al-Muṣḥaf al-Imām (the Master Copy Muṣḥaf). The Muslim Ummah took great care of these
ʿUthmānī Muṣḥafs and took them as master copies for writing and preparing duplicate Muṣḥafs
generation after generation. Allah i says:
]42 : ‫ﱫ ﮓ ﮔ ﮕ ﮖ ﮗ ﮘ ﮙ ﮚ ﮛﮜ ﮝ ﮞ ﮟ ﮠﱪ [ف ُِّصل َْت‬
42. Lā Ya’tīhi Al-Bāţilu Min Bayni Yadayhi Wa Lā MinKhalfihi  Tanzīlun Min Ĥakīmin Ĥamīdin
“Falsehood cannot come to it from before it or behind it (it is) sent down by the All-Wise, Worthy
of all praise (Allāh)” (Sūrat Fuşşilat: 42).

I prove:
- that ʿUthmān ibn ʿAffān's copying of the Holy Qurʾān into Muṣḥafs prevented conflict and strife

from occurring among the Muslims 

....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

................................................................

- In cooperation with the members of my group I complete, the following table of comparison:

Aspect of Compilation of the Qurʾān during the Copying of the Qurʾān during the
comparison reign of Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq l reign of ʿUthmān ibn ʿAffān l

................................................................. .................................................................

................................................................. .................................................................
Cause
................................................................. .................................................................

................................................................. .................................................................

................................................................. .................................................................

Resultant ................................................................. .................................................................


Outcome
................................................................. .................................................................

................................................................. .................................................................

65
2 Lesson Two

I organize my concepts

Copying of the Qurʾān


Compilation of the Qurʾān during the Caliphate of Dhū
Compilation of the Qurʾān
during the Caliphate of Abū al-Nūrayn ("the Possessor
during the Prophetic Era
Bakr al-Ṣiddīq l of the Two Lights"), ʿUthmān
l
Meaning of compilation (jamʿ) Meaning of compilation (jamʿ) Meaning of copying (naskh) in
in this context: in this context: this context:

................................................... ................................................... ...................................................

................................................... ................................................... ...................................................

Method of writing (kitābah): Reason for compilation (jamʿ): Reason for copying (naskh):

................................................... ................................................... ...................................................

................................................... ................................................... ...................................................

Student Activities

I answer by myself:
1. The compilation of the Holy Qurʾān during the Prophetic reign assumed two forms. I specify these
two forms explaining the importance of how they mutually complement one another.

....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

....................................................................

2. I compare between the respective efforts of Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq ʿUthmān ibn ʿAffān in terms of their
service to the Holy Qurʾān as per the table below:

During the reign of Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq l During the reign of ʿUthmān ibn ʿAffān l
.................................................................   .................................................................  

................................................................. .................................................................

................................................................. .................................................................

................................................................. .................................................................

................................................................. .................................................................

66
Stages of the Gathering and Compilation
(Jamʿ) of the Holy Qurʾān

3. I mention the reason for the order issued by ʿUthmān ibn ʿAffān to burn all the Muṣḥafs and l
endorse only the Muṣḥaf which he had sent to the Muslim territories despite the fact that the other
Muṣḥafs were sound and authentic and free from disrtortion and corruption.

...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

I enrich my experience

4. One of the merits of the al-Muṣḥaf al-Imām (Master Copy of the Qurʾān) endorsed by ʿUthmān
ibn ʿAffān l
was that it incorporated the Seven Modes (al-Aḥruf al-Sabʿah) in which the Holy
Qurʾān was revealed. I look up the meaning of the al-Aḥruf al-Sabʿah and the difference between
them and the Ten Qirāʾāt (Canonical Readings).

...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

I assess myself
I assess the effect that the lesson “Stages of Compiling the Holy Qurʾān” has had on my conduct
and acts of worship:

Level of achievement
SN Aspect of Application
Average Good Excellent

I recite my ‘wird’ (fixed portion) of the Holy


1
Qurʾān daily and regularly.
I make sure that I don not utter except what pleases
2
Allah i.
I always seek to serve the Holy Qurʾān according
3
to specific and well-planned ideas.
I emulate Zayd ibn Thābit D in the determination and
resoluteness (himmah) he showed in preserving the
4
Book of Allah i
and raise my own determination
and resoluteness as regards my studies.

I take my teacher as my role model, show him


5
respect and acknowledge his worth.
67
3 Lesson Three

The Methodology of Thinking in Islam

1. explain the concept of ‘the methodology of thinking’.


I learn from
2. identify the characteristics of methodological thinking in Islam.
this lesson
3. infer the effect of methodological thinking on the individual and
to:
society.

I take the initiative to learn


Every day scientists are discovering more and more secrets of the human mind. The mind has massive
potential and every human being has huge mental capacities that emerge whenever he believes in their
potential, stimulates them properly and puts them to good and positive use. These capabilities may disappear
and fade away due to neglect and preoccupation with trivial matters. Scientists say that memory related
problems stem from misuse.
The importance of the mind is evidenced in the functions it is meant to perform in our lives, such as
distinguishing between right and wrong, repelling harm, securing benefit, acquiring knowledge and science,
and many other functions. Hence, we find that Islam has accorded the mind a sutiable and worthy status;
such that in many Qur'ānic verses it addresses itself directly to those who endowed with minds and intellects.

Allah i says: ]12 :‫ﱫﮤ ﮥ ﮦ ﮧ ﮨ ﮩﱪ[النحل‬


12. ʾinna fī dhālika la-ʾāyātin li-qawmin yaʿqilūna
“…Surely, in this are proofs for people who use their intellects…” (Sūrat al-Naḥl: 12)
drawing attention to the role that people endowed with minds and intellects should assume and calls upon
us to respect the strides made by the intellect and appreciate the knowledge, expertise and the conclusions
reached by people of sound mind and intellect..
Moreover, Islam granted the intellect freedom of thought by calling people to engage in contemplation
and reflection for the purpose of benefitting from all that Allah has made subservient in the universe and
to enable man to perform his role in life and achieve that will cause him to realize his happiness. In view
of this sublime end, it is neccesary to avoid things that weaken the intellect or waste its energies because
the f man's welfare is linked to the intellect being inthe best of conditions. Therefore, Islam has layed out a
methodology for thinking, which regulates its course, ensures that it reaches findings with which the mind
is satisfied and in which people have confidence.

I express myself:

Under the teacher's supervision , I speak about the difference between the mind (ʿaql), brain (‫الدماغ‬
dimāgh) and cerebrum (mukhkh) .

I use my skills to learn:

The methodology of thinking in Islam:

It comprises intellectual and systematic, steps encompassed by Divine direction to ensure that thinking reaches
sound and valid conclusions. These steps begin as soon as the mind is exposed to a stimulus that excites it
into actionwhich starts with sense perception and conceptual awareness.
This step consists in gathering information and grasping the problem while at the same time respecting
68
The Methodology of Thinking in Islam

the feelings, privacy and dignity of others . The Prophet would not d
explicitly name someone who held a particular standpoint; rather, he would
say using non-explixit language: “What is wrong with an employee who …,
or he would say “What is wrong with folks who …”.
This is followed by the second step, which consists in finding possible
solutions, in other words, stating hypotheses. This is effectively a desire to
engage in positive participation and proceed to the best course of action.
This is followed by the third step, which is ensuring the viability of the
solutions and singling out the best solution based on complete rationality and
objectivity. We may call this stage ‘hypothesis verification’ (i.e. verifying the
validity of hypotheses). It is here that we find that methodological thinking
in Islam is thinking that is scientific and intellectual and is concerned with
the means as it is with the end results because noble ends require noble
means as well.

I compare:
between methodological thinking and random thinking in the table below:

Aspect of comparison Methodological thinking Random thinking

the aim of this kind of thinking .................................................... ...............................................

Clarity of methodology ..................................................... ...............................................

its end results .................................................... ...............................................

Characteristics of methodological thinking in Islam:


Methodological thinking In Islam has its own special characteristics; when Muslims abide by them,
they achieve excellence in various fields, and great scientists in different fields appear from their
midst. The contemporary world continues to be indebted to them appreciate and value their efforts.
The most significant of these special characteristics are:

1) Thinking is a form of worship in the general sense:


Allah i has commanded us to think and contemplate in many verses. Allah i says:
]191 : ‫[آل عمران‬ ‫ﱫ ﮜ ﮝ ﮞ ﮟ ﮠ ﮡ ﮢ ﮣ ﮤ ﮥ ﮦ ﮧ ﮨ ﮩﱪ‬
191. … wa-yatafakkarūna fī khalqi s-samāwāti wa-l-ʾarḍi rabbanā mā khalaqta hādhā bāṭilan
subḥānaka fa-qinā ʿadhāba n-nāri
“…and they think deeply about the creation of the heavens and the earth, (saying): "Our Lord! You
have not created (all) this without purpose, glory to You! (Exalted be You above all that they associate
with You as partners). Give us salvation from the torment of the Fire…” (Sūrat ʾĀl ʿImrān: 191)
69
3 Lesson Three

A Muslim when he is engaged in thinking he is engaged in


worshiping Allah i
and as such he will be rewarded for
it. It is not possible for a Muslim to worship Allah and earn his
reward except through that which Allah
loves and through that which is good and beneficial to
people. It is for this reason that thinking in the Islamic spirit is
regarded as one of the ways that lead to knowing Allah i
and fearing Him. Allah says: i
28. … ʾinnamā yakhshā llāha min ʿibādihi l-ʿulamāʾu …
]28 :‫[فاطر‬ ‫ﱫﯝ ﯞ ﯟ ﯠ ﯡ ﯢ ﯣﱪ‬
“ … Only those of His servants who are knowledgeable truly fear Allah…” (Sūrat Fāṭir: 28).

The thought of a Muslim stems from his belief in Allah, , and his belief in the mission of i
Allah’s Messenger, d
. Hence, a Muslim controls himself in thinking by adhering to a framework
within the whole Divine Sharia.
A Muslim's thinking stems from his belief in Allah i and his belief in the mission and message
of Allah’s Messenger d , thus controlling and regulating himself in his thinking through a framework
governed by the complete and holistic Divine Sharīʿah.
The Messenger d says: in a ḥadīth in which narrates from His Lord (this is called ḥadīth qudsī):
‫ْف َوإِ َذا هَ َّم ِب َسيِّ َئ ٍة َولَ ْم َي ْع َم ْل َها لَ ْم‬ ٍ ‫للاُ عَ َّز َو َج َّل إِ َذا هَ َّم عَ ْب ِدي ِب َح َس َن ٍة َولَ ْم َي ْع َم ْل َها َك َتبْتُ َها لَ ُه َح َس َن ًة َفإِ ْن عَ ِملَ َها َك َتبْتُ َها عَ ْش َر َح َس َن‬
ِ ‫ات إِلَى َس ْب ِع ِما َئ ِة‬
ٍ ‫ضع‬ َّ ‫ال‬َ ‫"ق‬َ
ِ ‫أَ ْكتُ ْب َها عَ لَ ْي ِه فإِ ْن عَ ِمل َها ك َتبْت َها َسيِّ َئة َو‬
ً"‫اح َدة‬ ً ُ َ َ َ
““Allah i says ‘Whenever My servant intends to do a good deed, but does not actually do it, I
record it for him as a single good deed. And if he actually does it, I record it as ten good deeds up to seven
hundred fold (in his account). If My servant intends to do a bad deed, but does not actually do it, I do not
record it against him. And if he actually does it, I record it as a single bad deed” (Narrated by al-Bukhārī
and Muslim).

I reflect on the ḥadīth qudsi (divine ḥadīth) above and infer the extent to which
Islam values positive thinking.
I reflect and
infer: .................................................................................................................................................................................................................

..................................................
2) Thinking is governed by morals:
Morals in Islam are constant because they derive from a firmly established creed and not from narrow
or temporary and transient interests. Thinking in Islam respects the knowledge of others, appreciates
their efforts and builds on them. Moreover thinking in Islam is based on dialogue and respect for the
other. As such it is flexible and complies with scientific integrity and intellectual honesty. Thus, no one
is to ascribe to himself what is not his. Allah i says:
]188 :‫ﱫ ﭨ ﭩ ﭪ ﭫ ﭬ ﭭ ﭮ ﭯ ﭰ ﭱ ﭲ ﭳ ﭴ ﭵ ﭶ ﭷ ﭸﭹ ﭺ ﭻ ﭼ ﱪ [آل عمران‬
188. lā taḥsabanna lladhīna yafraḥūna bi-mā ʾataw wa-yuḥibbūna ʾan yuḥmadū bi-mā lam yafʿalū
fa-lā taḥsabannahum bi-mafāzatin mina l-ʿadhābi wa-lahum ʿadhābun ʾalīmun
“Do not think that those who rejoice in what they have done (or brought about), and love to be
praised for what they have not done,- do not think them secure from chastisement; for them
awaits a painful chastisement” (Sūrat ʾĀl ʿImrān: 188).
Morals regulate the course of thinking such that it does not cause harm to others, deprive them of
their rights or forfeit their wellbeing and interests. Hence, it is a thinking that is moral and ethical in
70 nature.
The Methodology of Thinking in Islam

Allah’s Messenger
I think and
said: d
"‫س َفإِ َذا ُه ْم ُي ِغ ْيلُ ْو َن أَ ْوالَدَ ُه ْم َفالَ َيضُرُّ أَ ْوالَدَ ُه ْم َذل َِك َش ْي ًئا‬ ُ ْ‫ت أَنْ أَ ْن َهى َع ِن ْالغِي َل ِة َف َن َظر‬
ِ ‫ت فِي الرُّ ْو ِم َو َف‬
َ ‫ار‬ ُ ْ‫" َل َق ْد َه َمم‬
apply:
“I intended to prohibit sexual intercourse with a suckling woman (ghīlah), but
then looked into what the Romans and the Persians were doing, and found
that they engaged in sexual intercourse with women suckling their children
and that did not cause any harm to their children” (Narrated by Muslim).
I analyze the noble ḥadīth in terms of the characteristic expressed in the precept: “Thinking in Islam
is governed by morals” identifying the following:
- the thinking of Prophet r as regards the welfare of the Muslim community (ummah).

......................................................................................................................................................................
- the respect showed by the Prophet r for the experience and expertise of others

......................................................................................................................................................................
- accepting the findings and thinking of others

......................................................................................................................................................................
3) Thinking in Islam is objective in that it observes accuracy and pursues truth:
Islam commands us to take wisdom and make it one's own no matter where it is to be found because wisdom
is the lost property (ḍāllah) of the believer. Part of the objectivity of a believer when passing judgment on issues
is to avoid falling under the sway and influence of his desires and emotions because they may cause one's

thinking to derail and veer off course like someone who clings fanatically to his opinion. Allah i says:
]23 :‫[الجاثية‬ ‫ﱫ ﭑ ﭒ ﭓ ﭔ ﭕ ﭖ ﭗ ﭘ ﭙﱪ‬
23. ʾa-fa-raʾayta mani ttakhadha ʾilāhahū hawāhu wa-ʾaḍallahu llāhu ʿalā ʿilmin …
“Have you seen him who has taken his desires as his god, and Allah has let him go astray, despite having
knowledge, …” (Sūrat al-Jāthiyah: 23).
Therefore, Islam warns against delusive conjecture and speculation because this does not lead to truth;

instead it orders us to rely on evidence and demonstrative proofs. Allah isays:


]36 :‫ﱫ ﮆ ﮇ ﮈ ﮉ ﮊﮋ ﮌ ﮍ ﮎ ﮏ ﮐ ﮑ ﮒﱪ [يونس‬
36. wa-mā yattabiʿu ʾaktharuhum ʾillā ẓannan ʾinna ẓ-ẓanna lā yughnī mina l-ḥaqqi shayʾan …
“Most of them follow nothing but conjecture. Assuredly conjecture avails naught against truth” (Sūrat Yūnus:36).
A person says to his friend, “What is right remains right even if it infuriates us;
and what is wrong remains wrong even if it pleases us”. His friend belittled
I discuss his opinion.
and form In cooperation with the members of my group, we reflect on the above
scenario and form a opinion that is well-justified.
an opinion:
.........................................................................................................................................................................................................

...................................................
4) Thinking in Islam is positive:
Islam assigned every individual in society a role to perform and to work towards realizing it, which represents
his goal and purpose in life. By doing so he becomes a productive element in society being a benefit to
himself and to others. For this reason, it is necessary that the one abandon negative thinking and avoid the
obstacles and impediments to sound thinking and hence no toleration for dispair, frustration and dependency.

Allah i says:
71
]53 :‫[الزمر‬ ‫ﱫﮤ ﮥ ﮦ ﮧ ﮨ ﮩ ﮪ ﮫ ﮬ ﮭ ﮮﮯ ﮰ ﮱ ﯓ ﯔ ﯕﯖ ﯗ ﯘ ﯙ ﯚ ﱪ‬
3 Lesson Three

53. qul yā-ʿibādiya lladhīna ʾasrafū ʿalā ʾanfusihim lā taqnaṭū min raḥmati llāhi ʾinna llāha yaghfiru dh-
dhunūba jamīʿan ʾinnahū huwa l-ghafūru r-raḥīmu
“Say: "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)!
Despair not of the Mercy of Allāh, verily Allāh forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful”
(Sūrat al-Zumar: 53)
Likewise, one must also distance oneself from jealousy as a type of negative behavior that stirs animosity and
destroys the energies and capabalities of society
Allah’s Messenger d said:
ُ ‫ال أَ ُق‬ ُ ‫َب إلَي ُْك ْم دَا ُء‬
َ ‫ال َت ْد ُخلُوا ْال َجنَّ َة َحتَّى تُ ْؤ ِمنُوا َو‬
َ ‫الشع َْر َولَ ِك ْن َتحْ لِ ُق ال ِّدينَ َوالَّ ِذي َن ْف ِسي ِب َي ِد ِه‬
َّ ‫ول َتحْ لِ ُق‬ َ ،‫ضا ُء ِه َي ْال َحالِ َق ُة‬ َ ‫األ َمم َقبْلَ ُك ُم؛ ْال َح َس ُد َو ْال َب ْغ‬
‫ال‬
ُ ِ ِ َّ ‫"د‬
ُ َ ُ ْ َ ُ َ ُ َ ُ َ ُ ُ َ
"‫تُ ْؤ ِمنُوا َحتى ت َحابُّوا أفال أنبِّئك ْم ِب َما يُثبِّت ذاك ْم لك ْم أفشوا السَّ ال َم َب ْينك ْم‬
َ َ َ َ َ َّ
“There has come to you the disease of the nations before you, jealousy and hatred. This is the ‘shaver’
(destroyer); I do not say that it shaves hair, but that it shaves (destroys) faith. By the One in Whose
Hand is my soul, you will not enter paradise until you believe, and you will not believe until you love one
another. Shall I not tell you of that which will strengthen love between you? Spread (the greeting of)
salam amongst yourselves” (Narrted by al-Tirmidhī).
The Prophet d
even changed the names of some people in order to keep them away from all that is negative
and transfer them to all that is positive. Thus, he changed the name of a woman from ʿĀṣiyah (disobedient)
to Jamīlah (beautiful). In like fashion, Islam calls towards optimism, hope and having a good opinion of Allah

i. When a man came to the Prophet d asking him for help, the Prophet d ordered him to sell some
of his possessions, divide half of the sale proceeds between the members of his family and buy an axe with the
other half. The man did so. Some days later, the man came with money enough to avail him from having to beg
from people. In this incident, the Prophet d
transferred this man from a state of negativity, dependency and
despair to a state of positivity, productivity, hope and optimism. This example is representative of the methodology
of thinking in Islam.
5) Thinking is holistic and balanced:
This means that thinking encompasses all aspects of material and spiritual life, such that no one aspect
dominates over another. As we need thinking in Sharīʿah sciences, we also need it in physical sciences so that
the progress becomes balanced and all aspects of life flourish at the same time. Salman said to Abū l
al-Dardāʾ,
"ُ‫ َفأَعْ طِ ُك َّل ذِي َح ٍّق َح َّقه‬،‫ْك َح ًّقا‬
َ ‫ َوإِنَّ ِلَهْ ل َِك َع َلي‬،‫ْك َح ًّقا‬
َ ‫ِك َع َلي‬ َ ‫ َول‬،‫ْك َح ًّقا‬
َ ‫ِض ْيف‬ َ ‫ َول َِرب‬،‫ْك َح ًّقا‬
َ ‫ِّك َع َلي‬ َ ‫"إِنَّ لِ َن ْفسِ َك َع َلي‬
'Your soul has a right over you, your Lord has a right over you, your guest has a right over you and your
family has a right over you; so give each right holder its right'. Later, the two of them visited the Prophet d
and mentioned that to him. The Prophet said, " ُ‫ــل َمان‬ d
ْ ‫"صــدَ قَ َس‬ َ
"Salman has spoken the truth" (Narrated by al-Bukhārī). Just as Islam encourages worship, it also
encourages work and production, so much so that it elevated work to the level of worship. All this frees a
Muslim's inner capacities and unleashes his latent energies for thinking, working and producing.

I analyze and identify:


There are many notable natural reserves in the United Arab Emirates, including terrestial and marine
natural reserves. These projects all have their respective plans and goals.
In collaboration with another group, we analyze the idea and then specify aspects of how
comprehensive and well-balanced these projects are.

.........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

.................................................................

72
The Methodology of Thinking in Islam

The effect that methodological thinking in Islam has on society:


There are many positive effects that methodological thinking has on society. These effects include:
1) the unity and protection of society by unifying its vision and efforts. Every member in society has
a role to perform. This in turn requires a high degree of awareness of the members' respective
responsibilities and the goals that their society aspires towards. Moreover, it requires a high level
of systemization in thinking based on the characteristic properties of Islamic methodological
thinking.
2) the progress of society in all walks of life such that it occupies its place among nations and
preserves its national identity and unique character without isolating itself from others.
3) disseminating a culture of dialogue and building bridges of communication between nations.
4) embracing the other and respecting his opinion, and this serves to create a climate of cooperation
and coexistence between nations and communities.
5) thinking that is global and universal in nature, such that (scientific) findings become a joint right
shared by all and serve all of humanity and not the sole right of any particular society at the
exclusion of all other societies.
I anticipate:
In collaboration with my group, we anticipate other effects that systematic and methodological
thinking generate

.........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

.................................................................

I organize my concepts

Methodological thinking in Islam

Definition Characteristics Effect

It comprises intellectual - it is a form of worship in - unity of society and


and systematic, steps the broader sense. preservation of its security.
encompassed by Divine - ............................................................... - .................................................................
direction to ensure that
................. ...................
thinking reaches sound
and valid conclusions. - .............................................................. - .................................................................
.................. ...................

- .............................................................. - .................................................................
.................. ...................

- .............................................................. - .................................................................
.................. ...................
73
3 Lesson Three

Student Activities

I answer by myself:

1. I summarize in my own words the characteristics of methodological thinking in Islam.

...................................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................................
2. I criticize the following positions:
- Someone helps his fellow student in the examination because he regards this as an act of mutual
assistance and cooperation.

...................................................................................................................................................................
- Someone disagrees with the viewpoint of his fellow student and accuses him of ignorance and lack
of knowledge.

...................................................................................................................................................................
- Someone resends everything that he receives from his fellow student on social media before
veridying its authenticity.

...................................................................................................................................................................

I enrich my experience

1. I write an article on “Critical Thinking in the Holy Qurʾān”.

2. I design a PowerPoint presentation on Positive Thinking in Islam.

74
The Methodology of Thinking in Islam

I assess myself

Level of Achievement
SN Area of Application
Average Good Excellent

The clarity of the concept of methodological


1
thinking in Islam.

Summarizing the characteristics of methodological


2
thinking in Islam.

I make wisdom my own no matter where it's


3 found and benefit from it even if it comes from
my enemy.

I make sure that my thinking is always positive and


4
avoid being negative.

Exploring the effect of methodological thinking on


5
the individual and society.

75
4 Lesson Four

Waqf (Establising an Endowment) is Giving and Growth

1. 1.explain the concept of waqf (establishing an endowment).


I learn from 2. illustrate the virtue of waqf.
this lesson 3. distinguish between the various types of waqf.
to: 4. explain the role waqf plays in serving the community.

I take the initiative to learn

The General Authority of Islamic Affairs &


Endowments (Awqaf) in the United Arab Emirates
launched an endowment project under the motto
of ‘Mafhas al Qatah’ (‫)مفحص القطا ِة‬
ُ ('sandgrouse
nest' referred to in a Prophetic ḥadīth). The
Awqaf set the value of one ‘mafhas’ (nest) at two
hundred dirhams with the aim of investing the
amount paid (for every mafhas), and using the
proceeds to build and maintain mosques in all of
the emirates comprising the UAE.

The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments


I think:
In collaboration with one of my fellow students, I identify the goals that the Awqaf endeavors to
achieve by launching the endowments project under the motto ‘Mafhas al Qatah’.

- .................................................................................................................................................................
- .................................................................................................................................................................
- .................................................................................................................................................................

I use my skills to learn:


Islam is committed to spreading a spirit of solidarity among the members of society, and in order
to achieve this, it has legislated and instituted many channels of charitable giving, such as: Zakāh
(obligatory annual tax), Ṣadaqah (voluntary charity), Hibah (gift giving) and Waqf (endowment).

76
Waqf (Establising an Endowment) is
Giving and Growth

Definition of waqf (endowment):


Waqf literally means ‘restricting and ‘preventing’. Thus, the Arabic sentence ‫ت َك َذا‬
ُ ‫( َو َق ْف‬waqaftu kadhā) means
"I restricted such and such"; what is meant by waqf is for a person dedicate something which he owns for the
benefit of people, such that he does nor sell it, give it away as a gift to anyone or let it be inherited after his
death. The benefit is reaped either from the endowed item or property itself or from the proceeds and returns
generated by it, of which some is spent in charitable and benevolent causes.

I enumerate:
within three minutes, as much as possible of the types of items and property
established as waqf nowadays

Waqf is a means of drawing near to Allahi:


Allah i legislated for us the institution of waqf, urged people to practice it and made it one of the many types of
voluntary charity (ṣadaqāt) through which a Muslim draws near to Allah i Allah’s Messenger d says:
"ُ‫ أَ ْوعِ ْل ٍم ُي ْن َت َف ُع ِب ِه أَ ْو َو َل ٍد صَ ال ٍِح ي َْدعُو َله‬،ٍ‫ار َية‬
ِ َ‫ مِنْ صَ دَ َق ٍة ج‬:ٍ‫"إِ َذا َماتَ اإلِ ْنسَ انُ ا ْن َق َطعَ عَ ْن ُه عَ َملُ ُه إِالَّ مِنْ َثالَ َثة‬
“When a man dies, his deeds come to an end except for three things: ṣadaqah jāriyah (ongoing charity); knowledge
which is beneficial; or a virtuous child who prays for him (the deceased).” (Narrated by Muslim). He also says:
‫ أَ ْو َن ْهــرً ا‬،ُ‫يل َب َنــاه‬ ِ ‫ أَ ْو َب ْي ًتــا الِ ْبـ‬،ُ‫ أَ ْو َمسْ ـ ِج ًدا َب َنــاه‬،ُ‫ َومُصْ حَ ًفــا َورَّ َثـه‬،ُ‫ َو َو َلـ ًدا صَ الِحً ــا َترَ َكـه‬،ُ‫ـق ْالم ُْؤ ِمــنَ ِمــنْ عَ َملِـ ِه َوحَ سَ ـ َنا ِت ِه َبعْ ــدَ م َْو ِتـ ِه عِ ْل ًمــا عَ لَّ َمـ ُه َو َن َشــرَ ه‬
ِ ‫ـن ال َّسـ ِـب‬ ُ ‫"إِنَّ ِم َّمــا ي َْلحَ ـ‬
"ِ‫ـة أَ ْخرَ جَ َهــا ِمــنْ مَالِـ ِه ِفــي صِ حَّ ِتـ ِه َوحَ يَا ِتـ ِه ي َْلحَ قُـ ُه ِمــنْ َبعْ ـ ِد م َْو ِتـه‬
ً ‫ أَ ْو صَ دَ َقـ‬،ُ‫أَجْ ــرَ اه‬
“Verily, among the good and virtuous deeds that will join a believer after his death are: knowledge which he taught and
spread, a righteous child he left behind, a copy of the Quran he left for inheritance, a mosque that he built, a house that he
built for travelers, a river he caused to flow, and charity that he gave from his wealth while he was healthy and alive. These
deeds will join him after his death” (Narrated by Ibn Mājah).

I cooperate and compare:


In collaboration with the members of my group, I explain the similarities and differences between
ṣadaqah (giving voluntary charity) and waqf (establishing an endowment) .
Aspect of
Ṣadaqah (Giving Voluntary Charity) Waqf (Establishing an Endowment)
comparison

-.............................................................. - ..............................................................
Points of
Dissimilarity
-.............................................................. -..............................................................

-.............................................................. -..............................................................

-.............................................................. -..............................................................
Points of
Similarity
-.............................................................. -..............................................................

-.............................................................. -..............................................................

77
4 Lesson Four

Waqf of the Early Muslims:


The Companions ! competed amongst one another in dedicating a lot of their wealth to waqf and devoting
it to various charitable and benevolent causes, so that the benefit of this wealth could encompass all members
of society, so much so that Jābir l
said: “I do not know of anyone from the Muhājirīn (Emigrants) and the
Anṣār (Helpers) but has endowed some of his wealth as a perpetual and neverending (inalienable) ṣadaqah,
which is never to be bought, given as a gift or inherited”. Here are some examples of this practice:
ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb l
dedicated a piece of land which he owned in Khaibar to waqf. Ibn ʿUmar l
relates to us: “ʿUmar acquired a piece of land in Khaibar. “He came to Allah’s Messenger and sought his d
advice in regard to it, saying: O Messenger of Allah, I have acquired a piece of land in Khaibar. I have never
acquired any wealth more valuable in my estimation than this, so what do you instruct me to do with it?”
Thereupon Allah’s Messenger said: "‫ص َّد ْقتَ ِب َها‬ d
َ ‫"إِنْ شِ ْئتَ َحبَّسْ تَ أَصْ َل َها َو َت‬
If you wish, you may dedicate the original property as inalienable endowment, and give it (i.e. the proceeds
and produce coming from it) as ṣadaqah (charity). So ʿUmar gave it as a (permanent and inalienable) ṣadaqah
declaring that the property must not be sold, given away as gift, or inherited : Ibn ʿUmar said, he gave it (i.e. the
proceeds and produce coming from it) as ṣadaqah to the poor, next of kin, for the emancipation of slaves, in
the cause of Allah, to wayfarers and guests. There is no sin on the one who administers it if he eats something
from it in a reasonable manner, … (Narrated by al-Bukhārī and Muslim, and the wording is that of Muslim).

I identify the integrals (arkān) of waqf in the waqf established by ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb l:

Endower or Founder of the Waqf (Wāqif)


Endowed Object or Property (Mawqūf)
Beneficiary of the Endowment (Mawqūf ʿalayh)
Declaration (Verbal/Written) (Ṣīghah)
ʿUthmān ibn ʿAffān D bought the well of Rūmah with the aim of endowing it for charitable causes. As such, endowments
were not restricted to the building of mosques. Thus, the Companions ! would engage in various types of waqf for the
purpose of earning reward and satisfying the needs of society.
d
ُ‫َق ِد َم ْال َمدِي َن َة َو َل ْيسَ ِبهَا مَا ٌء يُسْ َتعْ َذب‬ ِ َّ ‫الل َو ِباإلِسْ الَ ِم َه ْل َتعْ َلمُونَ أَنَّ رَ سُو َل‬
‫للا‬ ُ ‫ت ال َّدارَ حِينَ أَ ْشرَ فَ عَ َلي ِْه ْم ع ُْثمَانُ َف َقا َل أَ ْن‬
ِ َّ ‫ش ُد ُك ْم ِب‬ ِ ‫"عَ نْ ُثمَا َم َة ب‬
ُ ‫ َقا َل َش ِه ْد‬، ِّ‫ْن حَ ْز ٍن ْالقُ َشي ِْري‬
ْ
" َ‫ت دَ ل ِوي فِيهَا مَعَ ِدالَ ِء المُسْ لِمِين‬ ْ ْ
ُ ‫ب مَالِي َفجَ عَ ل‬ ْ ُ َّ ْ ْ َ ْ ْ
ِ ‫‏ َفاش َترَ ْيتهَا مِنْ صُل‬.‫غَ ْيرَ ِب ْئ ِر رُو َم َة َف َقا َل‏"‏ َمنْ َيش َت ِري ِبئرَ رُو َمة َف َيجْ عَ ُل فِيهَا دَ ل َوهُ مَعَ ِدالَ ِء المُسْ لِمِينَ ِب َخي ٍْر ل ُه ِمنهَا فِي الجَ ن ِة؟‏"‏‏‬
ْ َ ْ ْ
It was narrated on the authority of Thumāmah ibn Hazn al-Qushayrī said: "I was present at the house when ʿUthmān
looked out over them and said: 'I adjure you by Allah and by Islam, are you aware that when the Messenger of Allah came
to Madīnah, and it had no water that was considered sweet (suitable for drinking) except the well of Rūmah, he said:
"Who will buy the well of Rūmah and dip his bucket in it alongside the buckets of the Muslims, in return for a better one in
Paradise?" and I bought it with my capital and dipped my bucket into it alongside the buckets of the Muslims” (Narrated by
al-Nasāʾī). The original version was narrated by al-Bukhārī without the full chain of narrators (he only mentions ʿUthmān)
in the Book of Drinking and Watering Crops: The Chapter on Drinking and ‘he who regards it permissible to give water as
charity, a gift or a bequest ….
ʿUthmān ibn ʿAffān called on the Prophet d and the Companions to witness his endowment when declared that he
dedicates the well of Rūmah as waqf to serve as a water supply for the Muslims.

78 A picture showing the well of Rūmah in al-Madīnah al-Munawarah


Waqf (Establising an Endowment) is
Giving and Growth

I issue a ruling: in collaboration with one of my fellow students, I explain the ruling on the following providing rational justification:

• the endower or founder benefits from a portion of the endowment proceeds

.............................................................................................................................................................
• recording in writing and having witnesses for endowments nowadays

.............................................................................................................................................................

Women contributed immensely and played a huge role in the flourishing of endowments and their
utilization in the service of the community under Islam. The Mother of Believers, Umm Ḥabībah Ramlah
bint Abī Sufyān " donated a piece of land which she owned to her mawālī (non-Arab Muslims under
her patronage) and relatives. Likewise, Ḥafṣah bint ʿUmar " bought jewelry and endowed it to the
House (Family) of al-Khaṭṭāb.

I search:
for other examples of endowments established by women in Islamic civilization, in the fields of
education, care and patronage, with the help of the Internet or library, and then I read my findings
to my classmates.

The Conditions of Establishing a Waqf:


Islam systematized the institution of waqf and stipulated for it conditions such that ensure the
sustainability of both the endowed object and the utility (that it yields) in order that the benefit be
widespread so as to encompass all members of society. These conditions include:
• that the wāqif (endower and founder) be capable of handling financial matters, i.e. he must be an adult,
sound of mind, acting freely out of his own accord and not under compulsion and must own the property
that he intends to establish as an endowment,
• that the mawqūf (property established as a waqf) be property that is (a) valued, i.e. it has value from the
perspective of the Sharīʿah, (b) known, such that it is defined and specific, so as to prevent any discord
and dissension among people, and (c) perpetual in yielding benefit and extracting usufruct,
• that the mawqūf ʿalayh (beneficiary) be a good and benevolent cause (jihat birr) and not an evil and
malevolent cause (jihat sharr), and that it be cause that does not cease i.e. it does not terminate,
• for the ṣīghah (declaration) it is stipulated that it be decisive and mandatory (in its formulation), such
that the establishment of a waqf cannot be concluded via a promise nor is it valid that it be made to
hinge on a condition.

I discuss and provide rational justification for:


the ruling as regards enodowments in the form of electronic books and websites, such as as the
online Waqfeya Library that makes available books in the form of electronic (digital) copies.

................................................................................................................................................................

................................................................................................................................................................

79
4 Lesson Four

Types of endowment:
There are several types of endowment according to the party benefiting from the endowment; on
the basis of this, endowment is divided into three types, which are:
Family (Ahli) endowment: here benefit is initially for the relatives of the endower or particular individuals;
it is also called waqf ‘dharri’ (family) or private waqf (endowment).
Charitable endowment: it is called public endowment; this is where benefit is intended for one
or more perpetual charity foundations, whether these are particularly
described, such as the poor, or public charity institutions.
Joint Endowment: this type combines charitable endowment and family endowment; the
endower (al waqif) specifies a portion of the benefits of the endowment for
his family and leaves the other portion to charitable deeds. An instance of
this is when an endower makes his house a trust to different beneficiaries
such as his family and the poor.

I clarify:
the type of waqf in the following:

waqf Type

ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb dedicating a piece of land in Khaibar as waqf for


......................................
the poor, the next of kin, and the emancipation of slaves
ʿUthmān ibn ʿAffān l bought the well of Rūmah and dipped his bucket
......................................
into it along with the buckets of the Muslims.
Ḥafṣah bint ʿUmar " bought jewelry and dedicated it as waqf for the House
......................................
(Family) of al-Khaṭṭāb.

Waqf is a service to the community:


Since the time of the Prophet d and through the ages, Muslims have become increasingly
sophisticated in innovating diverse aims and areas for establishing waqf. Thus, awqāf (endowments)
witnessed growth and diversity as Muslims have not left a single domain of charity without founding
a waqf in it to guarantee its perpetuity and the continuity of its benefit in the quest for realizing social
solidarity among the members of society. Examples of waqf include:
The awqāf relating to mosques, their utilities and their supplies where Muslims embarked upon the
construction of mosques, illuminating them, supplying them with muṣḥafs and digging wells for these
mosques so that people can take ablution;
The awqāf relating to schools and school facilities such as dorms for foreign students, study and
reading rooms, research and writing rooms and health utilities;
The awqāf relating to academic and cultural libraries;
The awqāf relating to health services such as hospitals, clinics, nursing homes and agencies spending
on behalf of patients and doctors;
The awqāf relating to social services for taking care of the poor, children, women, servants and the
unemployed;
The awqāf relating to the environment such as maintaining water channels, aqueducts and rivers
The awqāf relating to birds and cats.
The institution of Waqf, throughout the passage of time, adequately covered the higher purposes of
80 the Sharīʿah through the diversity of its categories and variety of its domains.
Waqf (Establising an Endowment) is
Giving and Growth

I collaborate and infer

A the positive effects that the institution of Waqf has on close relatives or on benevolent causes.

Positive effects on close relatives Positive effects on benevolent causes

........................................................................ ........................................................................

........................................................................ ........................................................................

........................................................................ ........................................................................

........................................................................ ........................................................................

B The role of the Islamic waqf system in achieving the essential higher purposes of the Sharīʿah as
per the diagram below:

The role of the waqf system in


achieving the essential higher
purposes of the Sharīʿah

Preservation Preservation Preservation Preservation Preservation of


of religion of the intellect of the self/soul of weatlh lineage

The UAE and Waqf:


Our wise leadership fully understand the value and virtue of waqf and its role in developing
society in all walks of life. Our father and leader, the founder of the United Arab Emirates, the late
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan - was well ahead of time through his prescient, proactive and
forward-looking approach to waqf. He founded many awqāf (endowments) in diverse charitable and
benevolent causes both inside and outside the UAE so as to encompass all members of society
regardless of religion or material and financial standing; in fact, his charitable work extended beyond
human beings to include plants and birds. Rulers and merchants followed in his footseps; and
even more than that, ordinary individuals hurried to make contributions to a collective waqf whose
operational processes and procedures are facilitated by widespread waqf foundations which serve
to organize, develop and take care of the awqāf in different parts of the country.

81
4 Lesson Four

I search and express:


I search for various examples of awqāf in the UAE and express what my duty is towards the awqāf
that are spread throughout the different parts of my country.

Examples of awqāf in the UAE:

.................................................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

I express what my duty is towards awqāf that are spread throughout various parts of the Emirates

...................................................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................

The Benefits of
Waqf

for the individual for the community

- .............................. - ..............................
- .............................. - ..............................
- ..............................

Student Activities

First: I answer by myself:


1) How do you respond to someone who alleges that waqf involves freezing the endowed
property (mawqūf) and taking it out of the circle of beneficial property?
...............................................................................................................................................................

...............................................................................................................................................................

82
Waqf (Establising an Endowment) is
Giving and Growth

2) I explain the concept of waqf.

• I explain the value and excellence of waqf.

.............................................................................................................................................................

• I distinguish between the various types of waqf.

.............................................................................................................................................................

• I clarify the role of waqf in serving society.

.............................................................................................................................................................

Second: I enrich my experience


1. I visit the Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation and then write a
report on the efforts of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founding father of the United Arab
Emirates - in founding and supporting waqf projects inside and outside the country.
2. In cooperation with my classmates, I draw up a program for a project on the role of Waqf in serving
society under the motto “Emirates Endowment” and then present it to my teacher.

I assess myself
To what extent have I achieved the learning outcomes in this lesson?

Level of Achievement
SN Learning Area
Average Good Excellent

1 I explain the concept of waqf.

2 I explain the value and excellence of waqf.

3 I distinguish between the various types of waqf.

4 I clarify the role of waqf in serving society.

I make my mark
I read the following statement and fill the blank lines according to the pattern in the statement:
- I am very keen to make members of my community aware of the role of waqf in developing the
the country

- .............................................................................................
- ............................................................................................. 83
5 Lesson Five

Human Development in Islam

1. explain the concept of human development.


I learn from 2. analyze the relationship between development and the
this lesson vicegerency (khilāfah) of man on earth.
to: 3. infer the characteristics of human development in Islam.
4. explain the goals of human development.
5. summarize some experiments in human development.

I take the initiative to learn

Human resource development is considered a basic pillar of all


other areas of development; As such, it is not possible for development
in any field to occur without recourse to the human element. For this Illuminations
reason, the focus on human resource development began in order to
achieve the inclusive development of society. The concept of human
development centers around the releasing a human being's energies
The Messenger d says:
ْ َ َ َ ُ َ
‫إِ ْن َقا َمت السَّ اعَ ُة َو ِف ْي َي ِد أ َح ِدك ُم ف ِسيلة فل َي ْغ ِرسْ َها‬
ٌ
and capabilities in order to realize his needs and attain to a higher
level. It is totally in concordance with the concept of development in “If the Hour starts to happen
general, which is the transition of society from a lower to a higher level,
and in the hand of one of you
from a traditional mode of living to another, more advanced mode of
living. is a palm shoot or seedling,
The discourse on development began in the latter half of the let him plant it”. (Majmaʿ al-
twentieth century in light of the new and emerging needs of man,
specialization of the various areas of science and the increase Zawāʾid).
in population numbers. Is this really the beginning of human
development?

I use my skills to learn:

Human development is a form of worship:

Allah i revealed the Holy Qurʾān to His Messenger, Muhammad d


, as a seal serving as the final
of Divine Books and as a confirmation of their truth. The person who ponders over the Holy Qurʾān will find that

its subject-matter is the human being and that everything in it is directed and addressed to him. Allah i
has made the Qurʾān a light and guidance for humankind to bring them out from the darkness of ignorance into

the light of knowledge, from confusion and deviance to guidance and success. Allah i says:
]16 :‫ﱫ ﮅ ﮆ ﮇ ﮈ ﮉ ﮊ ﮋ ﮌ ﮍ ﮎ ﮏ ﮐ ﮑ ﮒ ﮓ ﮔ ﮕ ﮖ ﱪ [المائدة‬

16. yahdī bihi llāhu mani ttabaʿa riḍwānahū subula s-salāmi wa-yukhrijuhum mina ẓ-ẓulumāti ʾilā n-nūri bi-
ʾidhnihī wa-yahdīhim ʾilā ṣirāṭin mustaqīmin
Wherewith Allāh guides all those who seek His Good Pleasure to ways of peace, and He brings them out
of darkness by His Will unto light and guides them to a Straight Path (Islāmic Monotheism) (Sūrat al-Māʾidah:
16).The first word in the Qurʾān is: ]1 :‫( ﱫ ﭻ ﱪ [العلق‬Aqra’) “Read!” “Read!” (Sūrat al-ʿAlaq: 1), in order that the
84
Human Development in Islam

development of man be started from the very first moment, and that it
becomes obligatory on him to develop his capacities and capabilities
it is has become man’s duty to develop his energies and capabilities,
constantly and continuously so as to be transformed from a traditional
mode of living to another, quantitatively and qualitatively more advanced
mode of living.
From here we find that the Holy Qurʾān had laid down the foundation
of human development, which is science and knowledge, and
determined for it its goals in numerous holy verses centuries ago. Thus,
the Muslim’s integration into human development is an Islamic duty and
Sharīʿah obligation. This is in order that he ascend to higher ranks in
religious devotion, worship and self-realization, be able to keep abreast
of the spirit of the age, safeguard his his wellbeing, the wellbeing of his
community and the wellbeing of all people, and realize the true meaning

of vicegerency (khilāfah) on earth. Allah i says:


]30 :‫ﱫ ﭑ ﭒ ﭓ ﭔ ﭕ ﭖ ﭗ ﭘ ﭙﭚ ﱪ [البقرة‬

30. wa-ʾidh qāla rabbuka li-l-malāʾikati ʾinnī jāʿilun fī l-ʾarḍi khalīfatan …

And (remember) when your Lord said to the angels: "Verily, I am going to

place on earth a vicegerent (khalīfah)" (Sūrat al-Baqarah: 30).

I analyze:
In collaboration with the members of my group, we analyze the relationship between the
vicegerency of the human being on earth and the concept of human development.

Elements Elaboration

The wisdom behind the


........................................................................................................
creatiin of man

The goal of man’s


........................................................................................................
vicegerency

The goal of realizing


........................................... Duration .........................
man's vicegerency

Goal of human
........................................... Duration .........................
development

Hence the relationship


........................................................................................................
between human
development and ........................................................................................................
vicegerency on earth

85
5 Lesson Five

The characteristics of human development in Islam:


First: universal and comprehensive (shumūl):
Islam’s view of development is universal and comprehensive, that
is to say, it encompasses man, the universe and life and explains the
nature of the relationship of each one with the other. Allah says: i
]29 :‫ﱫ ﯬ ﯭ ﯮ ﯯ ﯰ ﯱ ﯲ ﯳ ﯴ ﯵ ﯶ ﯷ ﯸ ﯹ ﯺﯻ ﯼ ﯽ ﯾ ﯿﱪ[البقرة‬
29. huwa lladhī khalaqa lakum mā fī l-ʾarḍi jamīʿan thumma stawā ʾilā s-samāʾi fa-sawwāhunna
sabʿa samāwātin wa-huwa bi-kulli shayʾin ʿalīmun
He it is Who created for you all that is on earth, then He turned to the heavens and made them
into seven heavens, and of all things He has perfect knowledge.” (Sūrat al-Baqarah: 29)
The Universe, together with everything in it, is subjected to the service of man; man in turn is
tasked with investing, developing, maintaining and sustaining its natural resources. Allah i
says: 61 :‫ﱫ ﯳ ﯴ ﯵ ﯶ ﯷ ﯸ ﯹﯺ ﯻ ﯼ ﯽ ﯾ ﯿ ﰀ ﰁ ﰂ ﰃ ﰄﰅ ﰆ ﰇ ﰈ ﰉ ﱪ[هود‬
61. … ʾuʿbudū llāha mā lakum min ʾilāhin ghayruhū huwa ʾanshaʾakum mina l-ʾarḍi wa-
staʿmarakum fīhā fa-staghfirūhu thumma tūbū ʾilayhi ʾinna rabbī qarībun mujībun
“Worship Allāh, you have no other deity but Him. He brought you forth from the earth and settled
you therein, then ask forgiveness of Him and turn to Him in repentance. Certainly, my Lord is Ever-
Near, Responding [to the call of whoever calls unto Him]” (Sūrat Hūd: 61).
In doing so, man will maintain the continuity of life in all its forms. However, this will not be
achieved unless man develops himself intellectually and behaviorally in order to be capable of
developing other fields- social, economic, environmental, financial and cultural - and realizing his
spiritual needs in a balanced and moderate way without giving one field preference over the other.

I anticipate:
- In collaboration with my classmates and under the supervision of the teacher, we determine the
expected outcomes in each of the cases below.

a person eats voraciously ........................................................................................................


arguing that he wants to
enjoy himself. ........................................................................................................

A person devotes himself


totally to worship and gives ........................................................................................................
up work permanently.

I assess critically:
- In conversation with the members of my group, we discuss the following statement and pass a
judgment on it (correct or incorrect):

Statement The end justifies the means

Judgment ........................................................................................................

Reason ........................................................................................................

86
Human Development in Islam

Second: divine (rabbāniyyah):


As explained before, the Holy Qurʾān was revealed to bring about man's happiness in both this
life and the Afterlife, guide him and help him manage his affairs in the best way possible. This is the
highest level of human development. Allah i says:
]96 :‫[األعراف‬ ‫ﱫﭑﭒﭓﭔﭕﭖﭗﭘﭙﭚﭛﭜﱪ‬
96. wa-law ʾanna ʾahla l-qurā ʾāmanū wa-ttaqaw la-fataḥnā ʿalayhim barakātin mina s-samāʾi wa-l-ʾarḍi
“And if the people of the towns believed and feared Allah, We would have opened for them blessings from
the heavens and the earth …” (Sūrat al-ʾAʿrāf: 96).
This is a promise of Allah, Who created all creatures and knows what is good and wholesome for them and
what is bad and harmful for them; hence, the outcome of this is sound and guaranteed.
On the other hand, the knowledge that humanity has arrived at is subject to testing, continuous modification
and improvement, fine-tuning in the quest for truth. In the course of this, man might pay a dear price for
possible errors. Yet there is nothing to prevent the carrying out of research, or the mutual exchange of
expertise, experience and benefit, or collaboration among all of humanity in order to realize common human
interests. Allah isays: ]2 :‫ﱫﯭ ﯮ ﯯ ﯰﯱ ﯲ ﯳ ﯴ ﯵ ﯶﯷ ﯸ ﯹﯺ ﯻ ﯼ ﯽ ﯾﱪ [المائدة‬
3. wa-taʿāwanū ʿalā l-birri wa-t-taqwā wa-lā taʿāwanū ʿalā l-ʾithmi wa-l-ʿudwāni wa-ttaqū llāha ʾinna llāha
shadīdu l-ʿiqābi
“…Help each other in righteousness and piety, and do not help each other in sin and aggression. And fear
Allāh. Verily, Allāh is Severe in punishment” (Sūrat al-Māʾidah: 2

Third: humanitarian (insāniyyah):


Allah i says: ]70 :‫ﱫ ﮏ ﮐ ﮑ ﮒﱪ [اإلسراء‬
70. wa-la-qad karramnā banī ʾādama …
“And indeed We have honoured the Children of Ādam…” (Sūrat al-ʾIsrāʾ: 70)
Honoring here is general, to all “the children of Adam”; it is not restricted to place and time. The
bestowal of honor here is general and all-encompassing, to include all of “the children of Ādam”; it is
not limited to time and place. This means that man, in general, is the center of human development
in the Holy Qurʾān. As such, he has to look after this bestowal of honor (from Allah) and raise his rank
with respect to it. Allah says: ]11 :‫ﱫ ﰈ ﰉ ﰊ ﰋ ﰌ ﰍ ﰎ ﰏ ﰐﰑ ﰒ ﰓ ﰔ ﰕ ﱪ [المجادلة‬
i
11. … yarfaʿi llāhu lladhīna ʾāmanū minkum wa-lladhīna ʾūtū l-ʿilma darajātin wa-llāhu bi-mā
taʿmalūna khabīrun
“…Allāh will raise in rank those of you who believe, and those who have been granted knowledge.
And Allāh is Well-Acquainted with what you do…” (Sūrat al-Mujādilah: 11)
By having his rank raised, man realizes his role in life and lives a dignified and happy life filled with
virtuous deeds, motivated by the desire for sincerity, knowledge and perfection.
I apply:
I reflect on the following noble ḥadīth and then answer:
The Messenger of Allah d said:
"‫ار‬ َ
‫ن‬ ‫ن‬ْ ‫م‬
ِ ‫ام‬ ‫ج‬َ ِ ‫ل‬‫ب‬ ‫ة‬
ِ ‫م‬
َ ‫َا‬
‫ي‬ ‫ق‬
ِ ‫ال‬ َّ ‫" َم ْن َك َت َم ِع ْلمًا أَ ْل َج َم ُه‬
ْ ‫للاُ يَوْ َم‬
ٍ ٍ ِ
“Whoever holds back knowledge and hides it from others, then Allah will tie around his mouth on
the Day of Resurrection a bridle made of fire” (Narrated by Ibn Ḥibbān).
- I link the ḥadīth to what is suitable from the aforementioned characteristics.
..................................................................................................................................................................................
87
5 Lesson Five

I design:
- I sketch a plan for human development as per the table below:

Name of plan I develop myself Expected Difficulty

Method of solving difficulty:


My goal ...............................................
...............................................

Duration ............................................... .................................................

Expected Outcome:...............................................
Procedure ...............................................

Goals of human development:

Based on the concept of human development, we elucidate its goals in the following way:
1-Advancing man intellectually and behaviorally.
2-Releasing the energies and capabilities of man and utilizing them in the best way.
3-Self-reliance and making man productive, active and effective in society and capable of fulfilling and satisfying
his needs.
4-Transition of individuals and society to a better standard and affording both the individual and society a
dignified life.
5-Realizing both public and private interests while giving priority to public interest.
6-Making man capable of continuous self-development without limits

I form an opinion:
Through discussion with my group, we form a certain idea of the following cases as per the table:

Case My opinion Reason


................................................. .................................................
a person says: I have
developed myself; but I do not ................................................. .................................................
want to work.
................................................. .................................................

a person says: I have ................................................. .................................................


developed myself; but the jobs
................................................. .................................................
I have been offered are not in
accordance with my level. ................................................. .................................................
a person likes the textile ................................................. .................................................
industry and purchases a
weaving machine but knows ................................................. .................................................
absolutely nothing about it and
how to operate it. ................................................. .................................................
88
Human Development in Islam

Experiences in human development:

Some scholars started their quest for knowledge when they were ad-
vanced in age; however, age did not deter them from pursuing knowl-
edge. As a result, they acquired prestige and stature among scholars
and their status among people became elevated. One such scholar
was al-ʿIzz ibn ʿAbd al-Salām -. He started his quest for knowledge
after he surpassed fifty years of age. He showed diligence in his
pursuit for knowledge until he became one of the most renowned
scholars of his age. He taught people language (lughah), grammar
(naḥw), jurisprudence (fiqh) and Qurʾānic exegesis (tafsīr). He also
wrote books. His books can still be found in university libraries, and
students of knowledge continue to quench their thirst for sacred
knowledge from these books and this will continue for as long as
Allah i
wills

I discuss:
Reports on human development indicate that one of the results of human development is a marked
decrease in the rates of infection of certain diseases.

- In a discussion session with my classmates, we identify two reasons for this.

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

I search:
for a story of one of the scholars who pursued knowledge while at an advanced age and summa-
rize it for the students in the class.
...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

89
5 Lesson Five

I organize my information

Human development in Islam:

Development is a form of Its characteristics Its goals


worship

Its meaning: ................................. ............................................. .............................................

...................................................................... ............................................. .............................................

........ ............................................. .............................................

............................................. ............................................. .............................................

...................................................................... ............................................. .............................................

.................... ............................................. .............................................

............................................. ............................................. .............................................

Its beginning:................... ............................................. .............................................

............................................. ............................................. .............................................

............................................. ............................................. .............................................

............................................. ............................................. .............................................

............................................. ............................................. .............................................

............................................. ............................................. .............................................

Its evidence: .................................. ............................................. .............................................

............................... ............................................. .............................................

............................................. ............................................. .............................................

............................................. ............................................. .............................................

............................................ ............................................. .............................................

............................................. ............................................. .............................................

90
Human Development in Islam

Student Activities

I answer by myself:

First: I explain the ruling on human development in Islam and give an evidence in support of it.

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Second: I explain what is meant by the characteristic of universality and comprehensiveness (shumūl)
in human development.

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Third: I identify the relationship between human development and natural resource development.

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Fourth: I enumerate the goals of human development.

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

91
5 Lesson Five

I enrich my information

َ
:‫قــال تعالَــى‬
]‫[نــوح‬
Allah, i , says:
10. fa-qultu staghfirū rabbakum ʾinnahū kāna ghaffāran
11. yursili s-samāʾa ʿalaykum midrāran
12. wa-yumdidkum bi-ʾamwālin wa-banīna wa-yajʿal lakum jannātin wa-yajʿal lakum ʾanhāran
10. "So I said, 'Ask forgiveness from your Lord; for He is Oft-Forgiving;
11. "'He will send rain to you in abundance;
12. "'Give you increase in wealth and sons; and bestow on you gardens and bestow on you rivers
(of flowing water). (Sūrat Nūḥ)

‫ﯼﯽﯾﯿﰀﰁ‬ Repenting and reverting from what


fa-qultu staghfirū rabbakum ʾinnahū kāna is wrong to what is right, and this
"So I said, 'Ask forgiveness from your Lord; for He is Oft- constitutes human development.
Forgiving

Here there is a reference to the


‫ﭑﭒﭓﭔ‬ cause of life and the predominant
yursili s-samāʾa ʿalaykum midrāran favors of Allah i, and this
"'He will send rain to you in abundance secures for them comfort, relief and
peace of mind

‫ﭖﭗﭘﭙﭚﭛﭜﭝﭞ‬ Here there is a reference to natural


wa-yumdidkum bi-ʾamwālin wa-banīna wa-yajʿal lakum resources and children which in turn
jannātin wa-yajʿal lakum ʾanhāran is a reference to the rights of future
'Give you increase in wealth and sons; and bestow on you generations.
gardens and bestow on you rivers (of flowing water)

I assess myself

Level of Achievement
SN Learning Area
Average Good Excellent

1 The concept of human development

2 The Concept of development

3 Islamic Ruling on human development

4 Characteristics of human development


Significations and implications of the characteristics of
5
human development
92 6 Goals of human development
Human Development in Islam

I make my mark

I have confidence in myself and my capabilities. I develop myself. I am productive and take part
in the national development plans and advance the interest and welfare of my country.

I conduct a research:
- I write a report on human development in the United Arab Emirates.

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93
Unit Three

3
94
Unit Contents

No. Domain Theme Lesson

Divine Revelation The Holy Qurʾān and The Owner of the


1 (Waḥy) Its Sciences Two Gardens

Divine Revelation The Noble Ḥadīth The Prophetic


2 (Waḥy) and Its Sciences Sunnah
Islamic Values and
Islamic Manners
3 Manners (Qiyam wa
(Ādāb)
Dressing Etiquette
Ādāb)
Islamic Rulings
and their Higher Maxims of Islamic Juristic Diversity
4 Purposes (Aḥkām Rulings (Qawāʿid) and Disagreement
wa Maqāṣid)
Life of the Prophet
(Sīrah) and
The Prophetic Method
Prominent Muslim Life of the Prophet
5 Personalities (Sīrah)
of Propagation
(Daʿwah)
(Shakhṣiyyāt)

95
1 Lesson One

The Owner of the Two Gardens

1-recite the holy Qurʾānic verses observing 4-analyze some of the situations depicted
the rules of tajwīd. in the story.
I learn from 2-explain the meanings of the words 5-infer the significations and implications
this lesson contained in the relevant Qurʾānic of some of the verses.
to: verses. 6-apply the values that are mentioned in
3-summarize the story of the Owner of the these Qurʾānic verses.
Two Gardens.

I take the initiative to learn


The demands of Quraysh made to the Prophet d
continued
unabated. Here is an instance of Umayyah ibn Khalaf asking the
Prophet r to expel the poor believers from his assembly (majlis) so Illuminations
that the nobles and elders of Makkah could join the majlis and listen
to him. This was because Ummayyah thought that it was unbecoming The Messenger d
for these nobles and elders to sit together with the poor and weak says:
in the same gathering. Allah i commanded the Prophet d "‫َات ِم ْن أَو َِّل‬
ٍ ‫َم ْن َح ِف َظ عَ ْش َر آي‬
to endure patiently and align himself with these poor Muslims who ‫ال‬ َّ
ِ َّ‫ص َم ِمنَ الدج‬ ِ ‫ور ِة ْال َكه‬
ِ ُ‫ْف ع‬ َ ُ‫"س‬
believed in Allah out of their own free will and desire never ceasing “Whoever memorizes
to mention and invoke the Name of Allah day and night. This was ten verses from the
despite the fact that the Prophet dso much desired that these beginning of Sūrat al-
nobles and chiefs would embrace Islam, which would then result Kahf will be protected
in the entire Quraysh and all the people embracing Islam. So Allah from the al-Dajjāl”
i revealed (Narrated by Muslim).
‫ﱫ ﭑ ﭒ ﭓ ﭔ ﭕ ﭖ ﭗ ﭘ ﭙ ﭚﱪ‬
wa-ṣbir nafsaka maʿa lladhīna yadʿūna rabbahum bi-l-ghadāti
wa-l-ʿashiyyi yurīdūna wajhahū
“And restrain yourself whole-heartedly with those who pray to
their Lord morning and evening, seeking His Countenance…”

I use my skills to learn:


I recite and memorize:

‫سو َر ُة الكهف‬
‫ﭧ ﭨ ﱫﭑ ﭒ ﭓ ﭔ ﭕ ﭖ ﭗ ﭘ ﭙ ﭚﭛ ﭜ ﭝ ﭞ ﭟ‬
‫ﭠ ﭡ ﭢ ﭣﭤ ﭥ ﭦ ﭧ ﭨ ﭩ ﭪ ﭫ ﭬ ﭭ ﭮ ﭯ ﭰ ﭱ ﭲ ﭳ ﭴ ﭵﭶ ﭷ‬
‫ﭸ ﭹ ﭺ ﭻ ﭼﭽ ﭾ ﭿ ﮀ ﮁ ﮂ ﮃ ﮄﮅ ﮆ ﮇ ﮈ ﮉ ﮊ ﮋ‬
‫ﮌﮍ ﮎ ﮏ ﮐ ﮑ ﮒ ﮓ ﮔ ﮕ ﮖ ﮗ ﮘ ﮙ ﮚ ﮛ ﮜ ﮝ ﮞ‬
‫ﮟﮠﮡﮢﮣﮤﮥﮦﮧﮨﮩﮪﮫﮬﮭﮮﮯﮰﮱﯓﯔ‬
‫ﯕ ﯖ ﯗ ﯘﯙ ﯚ ﯛ ﯜ ﯝﯞﱪ‬
96
The Owner of the Two
Gardens

Sūrat al-Kahf
28. wa-ṣbir nafsaka maʿa lladhīna yadʿūna rabbahum bi-l-ghadāti wa-l-ʿashiyyi yurīdūna wajhahū
wa-lā taʿdu ʿaynāka ʿanhum turīdu zīnata l-ḥayāti-dunyā wa-lā tuṭiʿ man ʾaghfalnā qalbahū ʿan
dhikrinā wa-ttabaʿa hawāhu wa-kāna ʾamruhū furuṭan
29. wa-quli l-ḥaqqu min rabbikum fa-man shāʾa fa-l-yuʾmin wa-man shāʾa fa-l-yakfur ʾinnā ʾaʿtadnā
li-ẓ-ẓālimīna nāran ʾaḥāṭa bihim surādiquhā wa-ʾin yastaghīthū yughāthū bi-māʾin ka-l-muhli yashwī
l-wujūha biʾsa sh-sharābu wa-sāʾat murtafaqan
30. ʾinna lladhīna ʾāmanū wa-ʿamilū ṣ-ṣāliḥāti ʾinnā lā nuḍīʿu ʾajra man ʾaḥsana ʿamalan
31. ʾulāʾika lahum jannātu ʿadnin tajrī min taḥtihimu l-ʾanhāru yuḥallawna fīhā min ʾasāwira min
dhahabin wa-yalbasūna thiyāban khuḍran min sundusin wa-ʾistabraqin muttakiʾīna fīhā ʿalā l-ʾarāʾiki
niʿma th-thawābu wa-ḥasunat murtafaqan

28. And restrain yourself whole-heartedly with those who pray to their Lord morning and evening,
seeking His Countenance; and let not your eyes overlook them, desiring the pomp of the life of the
world; and obey not him whose heart We have made heedless of Our remembrance, who follows his
own lust and whose case has been abandoned.
29. Say: The truth is from your Lord. Then whosoever will, let him believe, and whosoever will, let
him disbelieve. Lo! We have prepared for disbelievers Fire. Its fence encloses them. If they ask for
showers, they will be showered with water like burning oil which scalds the faces. Calamitous the
drink and ill the resting place!
30. Lo! as for those who believe and do good works, Lo! We suffer not the reward of one whose work
is goodly to be lost.
31. As for such, theirs will be Gardens of Eternal Delight, wherein rivers flow beneath them; therein
they will be given armlets of gold and will wear green robes of fine and thick silk, reclining upon
couches therein. Blessed the reward, and fair the resting place!

- I learn the interpretation of the Qurʾānic vocabulary:

Qurʾānic Vocabulary Explanation


‫ ﭗ ﭘ‬- bi-l-ghadāti wa-l-ʿashiyyi “morning The first and last part of the day
and evening””
‫ﭡﭢﭣ‬ zīnata l-ḥayāti d-dunyā “the pomp the pomp of the life of the world such as:
of the life of the world” wealth, children, status and power

‫ – ﭰ‬furuṭan “abandoned” deserted, forsaken and deep regret

‫ – ﮄ‬surādiquhā “its fence” its wall

‫ﮊ‬ – ka-l-muhli “boiling oil” residue of burning oil

‫ – ﮑ‬murtafaqan “resting” place” residence

‫ ﯓ‬sundusin “fine silk” soft and fine silk

‫ ﯔ‬- wa-ʾistabraqin “thick silk” thick silk, that is to say, heavy and dense

‫ ﯘ‬- al-ʾarāʾiki “couches” beds


97
1 Lesson One

I understand the signification and implication of the verses:

A honorable person is the one whom Allah has honored


Allah i clarifies for the Prophet d
the truth, and thus commands him not to keep the poor and weak away from
his gathering, but rather to go out of his way to sit and be with them. Hence, Allah i
honors them by them being able
sit in the company of the Master of Creation and forbids the Prophet d
from letting his eyes look beyond them to others
such as Umayyah. Umayyah was one to follow to his desires and lusts and allowed himself to be deceived by enduring
hope such that his heart became heedless paying no attention to worship. This led to his end being one of regret and loss.
Therefoe, Prophet did not listen to what he had asked of him.
However, it is not required that all people be like the poor and weak and like the Aṣḥāb al-Ṣuffah (People of the Porch),
who devoted their lives to worship and adoration in the Prophet’s Mosque (al-Masjid al-Nabawī), for the Messenger d said:
‫ َخيْرٌ ِمنَ ْال َي ِد السُّ ْفلَى‬،‫“ اَ ْل َي ُد ْالع ُْليَا‬The upper hand is better than the lower hand” (Narrated by al-Bukhārī). Therefore, Allah made them a
minority; so if they exist, no one should despise them or be annoyed with them. Yet people should not be deceived by those
who pretend to be meek and poor in order to stir people’s empathy and extort money from them.‫( ﱫ ﭲ ﭳ ﭴ ﭵﭶ ﱪ‬wa-quli
l-ḥaqqu min rabbikum…) “Say: The truth is from your Lord …” i.e. Inform them, O Messenger of Allah, that the path to truth
is what their Lord, Allah i , has revealed. So whoever wants to follow the truth, let him believe in Allah and whoever
wants to disbelieve, then let him do so, because the deeds of every human being return and go back to him so that in the final
analysis he is held responsible. So let him choose for himself what he wants, but whoever wrongs himself by disbelieving in
the Truth that was revealed, Allah i has indeed prepared for him a fire that will completely envelop him, so that there
is no escape, no relief, and no end. Everytime they plead for help from the punishment, they are given help with thick greasy
water like oil which scalds their faces because of the intensity of its heat, and how still when they drink it.
Yet for whoever chooses to do injustice to himself by disbelieving in the truth that has been revealed by Allah, Allah
i has kept in wait a fire that will envelop them; there is no escaping this fire, no relief from it, no end to it. Whenever
they call for help; hot, heavy, oily water will be poured on them to burn their faces- but how about drinking such water?

I reflect and infer:


In collaboration with the members of my group, we infer some significations and implications in the
Statement of Allah i:‫ﱫﭷﭸﭹﭺﭻﭼﱪ‬
"fa-man shāʾa fa-l-yuʾmin wa-man shāʾa fa-l-yakfur"
“…Then whosoever will, let him believe, and whosoever will, let him disbelieve…”
1. Freedom of belief; or ‘there is no compulsion in religion’; or no one should be forced to be believe.
2. It is a warning (taḥdhīr) and not a matter of choice (takhyīr).
3. Every human being is held accountable for his action, or responsible for his choice.

The reward of believers:

The mere fact that one is saved from the punishment that will meted out to those who have wronged
themselves is a great victory in and of itself; but Allah i
is generous towards the one who believes and
performs righteous action, purifying his intention, doing his work to perfection and refraining from what His Lord
has made unlawful. Such will not have their reward diminished at all, instead they will find more in store for
them from their Lord. For them there will be Gardens of Perpetual Bliss, with rivers, adornments and delight.
Their attire will be of silk, their adornments of gold and their sitting chambers are places of comfort, ease and
solace free of distress, hardship and suffering. Indeed, for them in Paradise there is that which no eye has
98
The Owner of the Two
Gardens

seen, no ear has heard and no human heart has ever imagined.
wHILE Allah i condemns the final outcome of disbelief ad rejection (kufr) He praises the final
outcome of belief and faith (īmān)? Allah i gives priority and precedence to the account relating
to the retribution of those who have wronged themselves, because He loves for His servants to have
belief and faith (īmān), and hence warns them against the danger of doom and destruction first and
foremost since the mere deliverance from punishment is a victory in and of itself. Allah i says:
]185 :‫ﱫﮩ ﮪ ﮫ ﮬ ﮭ ﮮ ﮯ ﮰﱪ [آل عمران‬
. …" fa-man zuḥziḥa ʿani n-nāri wa-ʾudkhila l-jannata fa-qad fāza" …
“…And whoever is kept away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise, he indeed is victorious…” (Sūrat ʾĀl
ʿImrān: 185).

I discuss:
with my classmates and under the supervision of the teacher, the following observation:
“A person is more fearful of punishment than his eagerness for acquiring and securing benefits for
himself.”
‫سو َر ُة الكهف‬
‫ﭧﭨ‬

Sūrat al-Kahf
32. wa-ḍrib lahum mathalan rajulayni jaʿalnā li-ʾaḥadihimā jannatayni min ʾa-ḍrib lahuḥafafnāhumā
bi-nakhlin wa-jaʿalnā baynahumā zarʿan
33. kiltā l-jannatayni ʾātat ʾukulahā wa-lam taẓlim minhu shayʾan wa-fajjarnā khilālahumā naharan
34. wa-kāna lahū thamarun fa-qāla li-ṣāḥibihī wa-huwa yuḥāwiruhū ʾana ʾaktharu minka mālan wa-
ʾaʿazzu nafaran
35. wa-dakhala jannatahū wa-huwa ẓālimun li-nafsihī qāla mā ʾaẓunnu ʾan tabīda hādhihī ʾabadan
36. wa-mā ʾaẓunnu s-sāʿata qāʾimatan wa-la-ʾin rudidtu ʾilā rabbī la-ʾajidanna khayran minhā
munqalaban

99
1 Lesson One

37. qāla lahū ṣāḥibuhū wa-huwa yuḥāwiruhū ʾa-kafarta bi-lladhī khalaqaka min turābin thumma min
nuṭfatin thumma sawwāka rajulan
38. lākinna huwa llāhu rabbī wa-lā ʾushriku bi-rabbī ʾaḥadan
39. wa-law-lā ʾidh dakhalta jannataka qulta mā shāʾa llāhu lā quwwata ʾillā bi-llāhi ʾin tarani ʾana
ʾaqalla minka mālan wa-waladan
40. fa-ʿasā rabbī ʾan yuʾtiyani khayran min jannatika wa-yursila ʿalayhā ḥusbānan mina s-samāʾi fa-
tuṣbiḥa ṣaʿīdan zalaqan
41. ʾaw yuṣbiḥa māʾuhā ghawran fa-lan tastaṭīʿa lahū ṭalaban
42. wa-ʾuḥīṭa bi-thamarihī fa-ʾaṣbaḥa yuqallibu kaffayhi ʿalā mā ʾanfaqa fīhā wa-hiya khāwiyatun ʿalā
ʿurūshihā wa-yaqūlu yā-laytanī lam ʾushrik bi-rabbī ʾaḥadan
43. wa-lam takun lahū fiʾatun yanṣurūnahū min dūni llāhi wa-mā kāna muntaṣiran
44. hunālika l-walāyatu li-llāhi l-ḥaqqi huwa khayrun thawāban wa-khayrun ʿuqban
32. Coin for them a similitude: Two men, unto one of whom We had assigned two gardens of grapes,
and We had surrounded both with date palms and had put between them tillage.
33. Each of the gardens gave its fruit and did not withhold anything thereof. And We caused a river to
gush forth therein.
34. And he had (varieties of) fruit. And he said unto his comrade, when he spake with him: I am more
than you in wealth, and stronger in respect of personnel.
35. And he went into his garden, while he (thus) wronged himself. He said: I think not that all this will
ever perish.
36. I think not that the Hour will ever come, and if indeed I am brought back unto my Lord I surely shall
find better than this as a resort.
37. And his comrade, while he disputed with him, exclaimed: Disbelieve you in Him Who created you
of dust, then of a mixed drop, and then fashioned you a man?
38. But He is Allah, my Lord, and I ascribe unto my Lord no partner.
39. If only, when you entered your garden, you had said: That which Allah wills (will come to pass)!
There is no strength save in Allah! Though you seest me as less than you in wealth and children.
40. Yet it may be that my Lord will give me better than your garden, and will send on it a chastisement
from heaven, and some morning it will be smooth land,
41. Or some morning the water thereof will be lost in the earth so that you can not make search for it.
42. And his fruit was beset (with destruction). Then began he to wring his hands for all that he had
spent upon it, when (now) it was all ruined on its trellises, and to say: Would that I had ascribed no
partner to my Lord!
43. And he had no troop of men to help him as against Allah, nor could he save himself.
44. In this case is protection only from Allah, the True. He is best for reward, and best for consequence.

100
The Owner of the Two
Gardens

I learn the explanation of the relevant Qurʾānic vocabulary:

Term Explanation

‫‘ ﯲ‬- ʾukulahā (its fruit) Its yield and produce


its yield was complete and was not diminished
‫ ﯳ ﯴ‬- wa-lam taẓlim (and did not withhold) and reduced in anyway

‫ – ﰈ‬nafaran (personnel) children, servants, attendants and folk

‫ﭩ‬ – munqalaban (a resort) a place of return


the ovum after it has been fertilized by sperm
‫ ﭷ‬- nuṭfatin (a mixed drop) (zygote)

‫ﮣ‬- ḥusbānan ( chastisement ) punishment

‫ ﮧ ﮨ‬- ṣaʿīdan zalaqan (leveled ground) smooth and barren land

‫ ﯵ‬- al-walāyatu (protection help and succour

To Allah belongs the Most Sublime Similitude:


Allahi sets forth similtudes in His Glorious and Illustrious Book in order to bring closer to
our understanding that which that cannot be easily grasped and to reveal that which allurements and
enticements conceal. Thus, He relates to the people the story of two brothers, each of whom inherited
wealth. The first of them bought a piece of land, cultivated it, produced on it grapevines and surrounded
i
it with palm trees. He grew on it all that Allah i
wished for him to grow and all that Allah
endowed him with as regards the varieties of trees and fruits, and made a river flow through the land until
the all the gardens became ripe and abounded in fruits of all kinds. He ended up having many laborers
and servants. As for the second brother, he spent his inheritance money in the service and obedience
of Allahi . So, when the two of them met and started conferring together, the first one said to
his brother:‫(ﱫ ﰃ ﰄ ﰅ ﰆ ﰇ ﰈﱪ‬ʾana ʾaktharu minka mālan wa-ʾaʿazzu nafaran) “: I am more than
you in wealth, and stronger in respect of personnel”, priding himself in his abundant wealth, children and
bands of personnel. Conceit and self-delusion began to fill his heart, such that he looked at his wealth
and his gardens, forgetting the bounties that Allahi had bestowed on him, and forgetting the
Power of Allah i and His Ability to provide for others as He provided for him, or to withhold from
him as He withheld from others. Thus, He said: “I do not think this wealth will ever perish’, and became
misguided even to the extent that he doubted the coming of the Hour. He had the audacity to say: (
‫(ﱫﭞ ﭟ ﭠ ﭡ ﭢ ﭣ ﭤ ﭥ ﭦ ﭧ ﭨ ﭩﱪ‬wa-mā ʾaẓunnu s-sāʿata qāʾimatan wa-la-ʾin rudidtu
ʾilā rabbī la-ʾajidanna khayran minhā munqalaban) “I think not that the Hour will ever come, and if indeed I
am brought back unto my Lord I surely shall find better than this as a resort”. He thought he deserved better
than this even in the Hereafter.
His brother reminded him of the greatness of his Lord and of how He had created him from dust, then
from a mere fertilized egg that is invisible to the naked eye. So, how can he forget all this and give into to
arrogance, vainglory and delusion after Allah i had made him into a man, granted him health and
wellbing in body and mind and will. Had Allah i deprived him of any of these bounties, he would not
have been able to do anything at all.
He also reminded him of Allah’s Generosity towards him, for Allah i made him greater in wealth
and children and stronger in manpower. Thus, it became incumbant on him to remember Allah's Generosity
and thank Him for it:‫( ﱫﮊ ﮋ ﮌ ﮍ ﮎ ﮏ ﮐﱪ‬mā shāʾa llāhu lā quwwata ʾillā bi-llāhi) “That which Allah wills
(will come to pass)! There is no strength save in Allah!

101
1 Lesson One

He also reminded him of Allah’s Power in Him sustaining the weak and poor one and destroying the
garden of the mighty and strong one by way of a chastisement from heaven, transforming it into a level,
slippery stretch of land, or causing its water to seep deep under the ground, making it impossible for anyone
to retrieve it.
The two gardens were destroyed and Allah i
does not tell us how they were destroyed
because Allah i is capable of destroying them with or without a cause. Allah says: i
]31 :‫[المدثر‬ ‫ﱫﯞ ﯟ ﯠ ﯡ ﯢ ﯣﱪ‬
… wa-mā yaʿlamu junūda rabbika ʾillā huwa …
And none can know the hosts of your Lord but He. (Sūrat al-Muddaththir: 31)
It is as though you are looking at the man and he is completely enveloped in powerlessness, he together
with all his manpower, and he is looking at his gardens crumbling and collapsing from their tall arbors and
trellises, causing them to perish at both their roots and branches, such that he begins to slap his hands in
agony and regret, “and say: Would that I had ascribed no partner to my Lord” : ‫ﱫﯡ ﯢ ﯣ ﯤ ﯥ ﯦﱪ‬
"wa-yaqūlu yā-laytanī lam ʾushrik bi-rabbī ʾaḥadan) Everything was lost and became just like his brother.
The truth became evident which is that victory belongs to Allah alone, and that Allah is the Best in i
rewarding compared to anyone else, and the best in bestowing the supreme end which He has ordained for
the Believers.

I link:
I reflect on the story of the two men and find a link between the story and the words of Allah, i:
‫ ﱫﭷ ﭸ ﭹ ﭺ ﭻ ﭼﱪ‬fa-man shāʾa fa-l-yuʾmin wa-man shāʾa fa-l-yakfur"
Then whosoever will, let him believe, and whosoever will, let him disbelieve

1 Each of the two men choose his own way ......................................................................

2 Each human beign is responsible for the choice he makes .............................................

The link: the story is an elaboration of the outcome of belief (īmān) and disbelief (kufr)
3 as mentioned in the verse.
..................................................................................................................

I analyze:
In cooperation with the members of my group, we analyze the story and complete the following table:

Elements Owner of the two gardens His brother


Way in which the money was
Invested in land and Spent in acts of obedience to
spent
agriculture Allah
Cause for the wealth
finishing ................................................. .................................................

Profit and loss ................................................. .................................................

Psychological effects ................................................. .................................................


The truth arrived at by the
102 ....................................................................................................
two brothers
The Owner of the Two
Gardens

I critically asses:
I discuss with my classmates under the supervision of the teacher the following statement:
“Investing money, building and developing the earth (iʿmār al-arḍ) and agriculture are noble and
lawful practices, but in the story of the two men above they departed from their true nature and
character.”

I hypothesize:
In an open discussion with my classmates and under the supervision of the teacher, we put down
the possibilities that would prevent the likes of the owner of the two gardens from meeting with the
same end that he had met with

I organize my information

Owner of the two


gardens

The stance of the The stance of his poor


Messenger brother
d
towards Umayyah’s ..............................
request: The claims of the
.............................. owner of the two ..............................
gardens:
.............................. ..............................
.............................. .............................. ..............................
.............................. .............................. ..............................
..............................

..............................

103
1 Lesson One

Student Activities

I answer by myself:
First: What is meant by the words of Allah : ‫( ﱫﭲ ﭳ ﭴ ﭵﭶ ﭷ ﭸ ﭹ ﭺ ﭻ ﭼﱪ‬wa-quli i
l-ḥaqqu min rabbikum fa-man shāʾa fa-l-yuʾmin wa-man shāʾa fa-l-yakfur) “Say: The truth is from your
Lord. Then whosoever will, let him believe, and whosoever will, let him disbelieve”.

..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Second: What was it that the poor man reminded his rich brother with?
..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Third: What is the significance in not mentioning the way in which the two gardens were destroyed

..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Fourth: explain the meaning of the following words:

SN Word Meaning

1 ‫ َزرْ عًا‬- zarʿan (tillage)

2 َ‫ – َت ِبيد‬tabīda (perish)

‫ َغ ْورً ا‬- ghawran (lost in the


3
earth)

4 ‫صعِي ًدا‬
َ - ṣaʿīdan (smooth land)

5 ‫ – س َُرا ِدقُ َها‬surādiquhā (its wall)

‫ – َك ْال ُمه ِْل‬ka-lmuhli (molten


6
lead)
104
The Owner of the Two
Gardens

the difference between the following:


(‫( )ال َوالية‬al-walāyah) with the wāw vowelled with a fatḥah (wa):
................................................................................................................................................
(‫)الوالية‬
ِ (al-wilāyāh) with the wāw vowelled with a kasrah(wi):
I search for .......................................................................................................................................................

When the man persisted in his arrogance, conceit and self-delusion, he denied
that the Hour will come to pass, and then his fiṭrah (primordial disposition) is
triggered and he wants to make up (for his folloy) saying: ‫ﱪ‬..‫ ﭢ ﭣ ﭤ ﭥ‬...‫ﱫ‬
(wa-la-ʾin rudidtu ʾilā rabbī) “… and if indeed I am brought back unto my Lord …”,
but Satan did not leave and desert him, and he retrogressed once more, saying:
Enriching my ‫ ﭢ ﭣ ﭤ ﭥ ﭦ ﭧ ﭨ ﭩﱪ‬....‫( ﱫ‬wa-la-ʾin rudidtu ʾilā rabbī la-ʾajidanna
khayran minhā munqalaban) “and if indeed I am brought back unto my Lord I surely
information
shall find better than this as a resort”. He counts it as having done Allah a favor by
him being worthy of better than his then current condition.

I assess myself

Level Achieved
SN Learning Area
Average Good Excellent

1 Reciting the relevant Qurʾānic verses.

2 Memorizing the relevant Qurʾānic verses.

3 Meanings of the relevant Qurʾānic vocabulary.

4 The overall meaning.

5 The particular rulings mentioned in the Qurʾānic verses.

Reciting the relevant Qurʾānic verses according to the


6
rules of tajwīd.

I make my mark

I thank My Lord for the blessings He has bestowed upon me: by granting
me health and strength in my body, supplying me with sustenance from His
Generosity, and providing me with security in my country. I praise You, My
Lord and thank You for Your Generosity.

105
2 Lesson Two

The Prophetic Sunnah

1- define the Prophetic Sunnah. 4-summarize the Muslim's duty


explain the place of the Sunnah in towards the Prophetic Sunnah.
Islamic Legislation (tashrīʿ). 5-refute those who deny the legal
2-adduce evidence for the legal authority of the Prophetic Sunnah.
I learn from authority of the Prophetic Sunnah.
3-clarify the stances of the Prophetic
this lesson Sunnah vis-à-vis the Holy Qurʾān.
to:

The Prophetic Sunnah: the Second Source of Sharīʿah

I take the initiative to learn

The Messenger d is our role model (qudwah) in all aspects of human life. Allah isays
]21 :‫اب‬
ُ ‫[األحز‬ ‫ﱫﯯ ﯰ ﯱ ﯲ ﯳ ﯴ ﯵ ﯶ ﯷ ﯸ ﯹ ﯺ ﯻ ﯼ ﯽ ﯾ ﯿﱪ‬
"la-qad kāna lakum fī rasūli llāhi ʾuswatun ḥasanatun li-man kāna yarjū llāha wa-l-yawma l-ʾākhira
wa-dhakara llāha kathīran"
“Indeed in the Messenger of Allāh (Muhammad SAW) you have a examplary model to follow for
him who hopes in (the meeting with) Allāh and the Last Day and remembers Allāh much…” (Sūrat al-
ʾAḥzāb: 21). Role model (qudwah) comprises behavior and action, and it is not just a word that we
utter. As such it is necessary that we know his Sunnah in order to emulate him in our words, actions
and interactions with all that Allah i has created in this vast universe.

I link and specify:

- I mention the greatest possible number of areas in which the Messenger d can be emulated based
on my study of his ḥadīths and sīrah (biography) in previous years.
- ..........................................................................- ..........................................................................
- ..........................................................................- ..........................................................................

I use my skills to learn:

the definition of Sunnah


Linguistically speaking, it means ṭarīqah and minhāj (both of which mean way, path or method). Allah
isays: ]62 :‫اب‬
ُ ‫[األحز‬ ‫ﱫﯳ ﯴ ﯵ ﯶ ﯷ ﯸ ﯹﯺ ﯻ ﯼ ﯽ ﯾ ﯿﱪ‬
"sunnata llāhi fī lladhīna khalaw min qablu wa-lan tajida li-sunnati llāhi tabdīlan"
“That was the Sunnah (Way) of Allāh in the case of those who passed away of old, and you will not
find in the Sunnah (Way) of Allāh any change” (Sūrat al-ʾAḥzāb: 62).
that is to say, you will not find in the Ṭarīqah (Way) of Allāh any change .
Technically speaking, it means what has been transmitted from the Prophet in terms of sayings, d
actions, tacit approvals or attributes
106
The Prophetic Sunnah

Divisions of the Prophetic Sunnah


The Sunnah is divided into four types:
Sunnah relating to Sayings (Qawliyyah) : this is everything that emanated from the Prophet
َ ‫إنَّ َما‬
ُ ‫األعْ َم‬
in terms of sayings, d
such when he said: ‫َّات‬ ِ ‫ال بالنِّي‬ ِ
“Verily, deeds are (judged) only by intentions” (Narrated by al-Bukhārī and Muslim).
Sunnah relating to Actions (Fiʿliyyah): this is everything that has been transmitted to us as regards the actions of the
Prophet d in his different circumstances such as his actions during prayer, performing the Ḥajj rites, and so on and
so forth. These actions are compulsory and must be followed, because they emanated from the Prophet with the d
intention of being passed as Sharīʿah legislation.
Sunnah relating to Tacit Approvals (Taqrīriyyah) : this refers to everything that the Prophet saw or knew about d
but remained silent about or agreed to it. An example of this is that the Companions ate a lizard (iguana) at the dinner
table of the Prophet d
and he did not reproach them for eating it.
Sunnah relating to Attributes (Waṣfiyyah), and comprises two categories:
• Moral/Ethical Attributes (ṣifāt khuluqiyyah): these are the virtuous and praiseworthy traits and the noble and lofty
qualities that Allah has created in the Prophet d
as part of his natural and innate disposition. Of this category is the
ḥadīth of ʿĀʾishah " when she described the character of the Prophet and said:" َ‫"كانَ ُخلُ ُق ُه ْال ُقرْ آن‬
َ d
“His character is the Qurʾān” (Narrated by Muslim).
• Physical/Bodily Attributes (ṣifāt khuluqiyyah): these attributes pertain to his physique that Allah created him with as
well as his bodily features. Of this category is the following description:
‫ير‬ ِ ‫اه ِب َو َل ِب ْال َق‬
ِ ‫ص‬
َّ
َّ ‫الطويل‬
ِ ‫الذ‬ ِ ِ ‫ْس ِب‬َ ‫ َوأَحْ َس َن ُه ْم َخ ْل ًقا َو ُخلُ ًقا لَي‬،‫اس َوجْ هًا‬ َ
ِ َّ‫أحْ َسنَ الن‬ ِ‫للا‬ ُ ُ‫َكانَ َرس‬
َّ ‫ول‬ d
“Allah’s Messenger d
was the most beautiful of them in countenance; the best of them in physical stature; he was
neither overly tall nor short” (Narrated by al-Bukhārī).

I cooperate and identify:


- in cooperation with the members of my group, I reflect on the following ḥadīths and identify the type of
Sunnah it refers to:

Type of
Prophetic Ḥadīths
Sunnah
On the authority of ʿUrwah ibn al-Zubayr that ʿĀʾishah " said: m
"ْ‫يَسْ تُرُ ِني ِب ِردَا ِئ ِه أَ ْن ُظرُ إِلَى لَ ِع ِب ِهم‬ d
ُ ُ‫ َو َرس‬،‫ َو ْال َحب ََش ُة ي َْل َعبُونَ ِفي ْالمَسْ ج ِد‬،‫يَوْ مًا عَ لَى بَاب حُ جْ َر ِتي‬
ِ‫ول هللا‬ ِ ِ
َ ُ‫"لَ َق ْد َرأَي ُْت َرس‬
ِ‫ول هللا‬ d
“One day I saw the Messenger of Allah d
at the door of my room and the Ethiopian boys were playing in the
mosque. The Messenger of Allah d
screened me with his garment while I was watching them” (Narrated by al-
Bukhārī).
The Messenger of Allah said:" َ‫اس أَجْ َم ِعين‬ َ d َ َ ُ َ َّ ُ َ َ
ِ َّ‫"ل ي ُْؤ ِم ُن أ َح ُدك ْم َحتى أكونَ أ َح َّب إِل ْي ِه ِم ْن َوالِ ِد ِه َو َول ِد ِه َوالن‬
"None of you becomes a believer until I am dearer to him than his parents, his children and all mankind” (Narrated
by al-Bukhārī).
On the authority of Anas ibn Mālik : l
َ ‫ول‬
" ‫ " َما لَ ُه َت ِر َب َج ِبينُ ُه‬: ‫ل َح ِد َنا ِع ْن َد ال َم ْع ِت َب ِة‬ِ ُ ‫ َو َكانَ ي َُق‬،‫ال لَعَّا ًنا‬ ً َّ‫ال َفح‬
َ ‫ َو‬،‫اشا‬ َ ‫ َو‬،‫َسبَّا بًا‬ ‫"لَ ْم ي َُك ِن النَّ ِب ُّي‬ d
“The Prophet d
did not swear, cuss, use profane language, curse others, or spread obscenity. He
would say to one of us when reprimanding: “What’s wrong with him, may his forehead be covered in
dust?” (another way of saying, may he make prostration to Allah) (Narrated by al-Bukhārī).
On the authority of Anas ibn Mālik : ‫ال َة َوي ُْك ِملُ َها‬
َ ‫الص‬ ِ ‫َكانَ النَّ ِب ُّي ي‬
َّ ‫ُوج ُز‬ l
“The Prophet d
would keep his prayer short yet perfectly complete.” (Narrated by al-Bukhārī).

On the authority of Abū Sa'id al-Khudri l who said:


d ِ‫للا‬ َ ُ‫ ثُ َّم أَ َتيَا َرس‬، ُ‫ُضو َء َولَ ْم يُ ِع ِد ْال َخر‬
َّ ‫ول‬ َّ ‫ َفأَعَ ا َد أَ َح ُد ُه َما‬،‫ ثُ َّم َو َجدَا ْال َما َء ِفي ْال َو ْق ِت‬،‫ َف َت َي َّم َما َص ِعي ًدا َطيِّبًا َف َصلَّيَا‬،ٌ‫الص َل ُة َولَي َْس َم َع ُه َما َماء‬
ُ ‫الص َل َة َو ْالو‬
َ ْ ‫ "لَ َك‬:َ‫ال لِلَّ ِذي َت َو َّضأَ َوأَعَ اد‬
َّ ‫ َف َح َض َر ِت‬،‫" َخ َر َج َرجُ َل ِن ِفي َس َف ٍر‬
َ ‫ َو َق‬."‫ َوأَجْ َزأَ ْت َك َص َلتُ َك‬،‫ "أَ َصب َْت السُّ نَّ َة‬:‫ال لِلَّ ِذي لَ ْم يُ ِع ْد‬
َ ‫َف َذ َك َرا َذلِ َك لَ ُه َف َق‬
"‫الجْ رُ مَرَّ َتي ِْن‬
'Two men went out on a journey, and when it was time for prayer, and having no water with them, they performed tayammum and
prayed. Then they found some water during the time of the same prayer. One of them repeated his prayer with ablution and the
other did not. When they saw the Messenger of Allah d they asked him about the proper procedure in such a case. He said to
the one who did not repeat his prayer, 'You have acted according to the Sunnah and your prayer is valid for you.' He said to the
other, 'You will get a double reward.' (Narrated by Abū Dāwūd and al-Nasāʾī). 107
2 Lesson Two

Evidence for the Legal Authority of the Sunnah:

The (Prophetic) Sunnah is one of the sources of religion (uṣūl al-dīn); it is the second source of Sharīʿah
legislation in terms of hierarchical order. However, in terms of legal authority, the Qurʾān and Sunnah are
equal in rank. The proofs for that from the Holy Qurʾān, Sunnah, ijmāʿ (scholarly onsensus) and reason
are abudant.
1. Allah i says: )32 :َ‫ﱫ ﭾ ﭿ ﮀ ﮁﱪ (آل عمران‬
32. qul ʾaṭīʿū llāha wa-r-rasūla
Say (O Muhammad): "Obey Allāh and the Messenger” (Sūrat ʾĀl ʿImrān: 32).
2. Allah, , says: )80 :‫ﱫ ﭑ ﭒ ﭓ ﭔ ﭕ ﭖﱪ (النسا ُء‬
i
80. man yuṭiʿi r-rasūla fa-qad ʾaṭāʿa llāha
“Whoso obeys the Messenger obeys Allah…” (Sūrat al-Nisāʾ: 95).
3. Allah, , says: )44 :‫ﱫﭥ ﭦ ﭧ ﭨ ﭩ ﭪ ﭫ ﭬ ﭭ ﭮﱪ (النحل‬
i
44. … wa-ʾanzalnā ʾilayka dh-dhikra li-tubayyina li-n-nāsi mā nuzzila ʾilayhim wa-laʿallahum yatafakkarūna
“…And We have also sent down unto you (O Muhammad) the reminder and the advice (the Qur'ān), that
you may explain clearly to the people what is sent down to them, and in order that they may reflect …”
(Sūrat al-Naḥl: 44)
4. The Messenger, , said: d ُ ُ‫"أَ َل َوإ َّن َما َحرَّ َم َرس‬
َّ ‫ِم ْث ُل َما َحرَّ َم‬
ُ"‫للا‬ َّ ‫ول‬
ِ‫للا‬ ِ d
“Verily, whatever the Messenger of Allah has prohibited is like that which Allah has prohibited.” (Narrated by
Aḥmad and Ibn Mājah).
5. The scholars of the Muslim Ummah are unanimously agreed that the Prophetic Sunnah constitutes a
source of Islamic Sharīʿah legislation.
6. Allah i chose His Prophet, Muhammad to convey His message to humanity and commanded d
him to explain it to them so that learn the Sharīʿah of Allah and abide by it. Furthermore, Allah i
informs us that our Master Muhammad d
does not speak out of his own accord. Hence his explanation
and discourse must be Sharīʿah legislation for us and that we are obliged to follow.

I contemplate and infer:


In cooperation with the members of my group, I contemplate the following proofs and explain how
they are furnished as evidence supporting the legal authority of the Sunnah.
• Allah, , says: ]36 :‫ﱫﭑ ﭒ ﭓ ﭔ ﭕ ﭖ ﭗ ﭘ ﭙ ﭚ ﭛ ﭜ ﭝ ﭞ ﭟ ﭠﱪ [األحز ُاب‬
i
"wa-mā kāna li-muʾminin wa-lā muʾminatin ʾidhā qaḍā llāhu wa-rasūluhū ʾamran ʾan yakūna lahumu
l-khiyaratu min ʾamrihim …"
“It is not for a believing man nor a believing woman, when Allāh and His Messenger have decreed
a matter that they should have any option in their decision…” (Sūrat al-ʾAḥzāb: 32).

...................................................................................................................................................................
• Allha, glory be to Him, says: ]65 :‫ﱫﯜ ﯝ ﯞ ﯟ ﯠ ﯡ ﯢ ﯣ ﯤ ﯥ ﯦ ﯧ ﯨ ﯩ ﯪ ﯫ ﯬ ﯭ ﯮﱪ [النسا ُء‬
65. fa-lā wa-rabbika lā yuʾminūna ḥattā yuḥakkimūka fī-mā shajara baynahum thumma lā yajidū fī
ʾanfusihim ḥarajan mimmā qaḍayta wa-yusallimū taslīman
“But nay, by your lord, they will not believe (in truth) until they make you judge of what is in dispute
between them and find within themselves no dislike of that which you decide, and submit with full
submission” (Sūrat al-Nisāʾ: 65).

......................................................................................................................................................

108
The Prophetic Sunnah

• Allha, , says: ]63 :‫ﱫﮍ ﮎ ﮏ ﮐ ﮑ ﮒ ﮓ ﮔ ﮕ ﮖ ﮗ ﮘ ﱪ [النو ُر‬


i
"fa-l-yaḥdhari lladhīna yukhālifūna ʿan ʾamrihī ʾan tuṣībahum fitnatun ʾaw yuṣībahum ʿadhābun ʾalīmun"
“…So, those who violate his order (i.e. the Messenger’s order) must beware, lest they are visited by a trial
or they are visited by a painful punishment.” (Sūrat al-Nūr: 63)

..................................................................................................................................................................
The Messenger d said: "‫ ِك َت َاب َّللاِ َوسُ نَّ َة َن ِبيِّ ِه‬:‫" َت َر ْك ُت ِف ُيك ْم أَم َْري ِْن لَ ْن َت ِضلُّوا َما َتمَسَّ ْكتُ ْم ِب ِه َما‬
"I have left behind me two things, you will never go astray as long as you cling to them. They are the book
of Allah and the Sunnah of His Prophet." (Narrated by Aḥmad and Mālik in the al-Muwaṭṭaʾ)

...................................................................................................................................................................

I explain, in my own words, what a Muslim's duty is towards the Prophetic Sunnah:

- ..........................................................................
- ..........................................................................
- ..........................................................................
- ..........................................................................

The Place of the Sunnah in the Sharīʿah:

i gave the Prophets the task of delivering His Message to the people and commanded
Allah
them to explain His message and guide people to the Strtaight Path. Allah i addresses our
Prophet, Muhammad d saying:
)44 :‫(النحل‬
ُ ‫ﱫ ﭥ ﭦ ﭧ ﭨ ﭩ ﭪ ﭫ ﭬ ﭭ ﭮﱪ‬
“…And We have also sent down unto you (O Muhammad) the reminder and the advice (the
Qur'ān), that you may explain clearly to the people what is sent down to them, and in order that
they may reflect …” (Sūrat al-Naḥl: 44)
The explanation that the Prophet d
gives of His Lord's Message is the very essence of his task
and mission. The Sharʿīah will never be complete except with the Sunnah of the Prophet . So d
the Purified Prophetic Sunnah has explained to us the acts of worship (ʿibādāt) and the legal rulings
(aḥkām) mentioned in the Book of Allah i:
)7 :‫ﱫ ﮠ ﮡ ﮢ ﮣ ﮤ ﮥ ﮦ ﮧ ﱪ(الحش ُر‬
7. … wa-mā ʾātākumu r-rasūlu fa-khudhūhu wa-mā nahākum ʿanhu fa-ntahū …
“And whatsoever the Messenger (Muhammad) gives you, take it, and whatsoever he forbids you,
abstain (from it)” (Sūrat al-Ḥashr: 7).

109
2 Lesson Two

I compare:
The Prophetic Sunnah connstitutes Revelation from Allah just like the Holy Qurʾān. This is i
evidenced by the fact that Alla i
says: ) ِ‫ﱫﭛ ﭜ ﭝ ﭞ ﭟ ﭠ ﭡ ﭢ ﭣ ﭤﱪ (سور ُة النجم‬
3. wa-mā yanṭiqu ʿani l-hawā
4. ʾin huwa ʾillā waḥyun yūḥā
3. He does not speak of (his own) desire
4. It is no more than a Revelation that has been revealed (Sūrat al-Najm)
- I show the similarities and differences between the Holy Qurʾān and the Prophetic Sunnah in the
diagram below:
Matters specific to the Matters shared between the Matters specific to the
Qurʾān Qurʾān and Sunnah Sunnah

............................................. - ............................................. - ............................................. -

............................................. - ............................................. - ............................................. -

............................................. - ............................................. - ............................................. -

............................................. - ............................................. - ............................................. -

I critically assess and provide justification:


- Some maintain that it suffices to use the Holy Qurʾān as a source of Sharīʿah rulings without
recourse to the Prophetic Sunnah.

My view Reasons

- ......................................................................... .........................................................................

- ......................................................................... .........................................................................

- ......................................................................... .........................................................................

- ......................................................................... .........................................................................

The relationship between the Prophetic Sunnah and the Holy Qurʾān

The relationship between the Prophetic Sunnah and the Holy Qurʾān is manifested in the following way:
First: it serves to reinforce what is mentioned in the Holy Qurʾān:
Here the Sunnah came to confer greater emphasis and give more attention to particular rulings; an instance
of this is the statement of the Messenger :"‫"إِ َّن ِد َما َء ُك ْم َوأَ ْم َوالَ ُك ْم عَ لَي ُْك ْم َح َرا ٌم‬
d
“…your blood and wealth are inviolable …” (Narrated by Mulsim), which is in agreement with the verses
pointing to the prohibition of spilling the blood of others and seizing their wealth unlawfully, as stated in the
110
The Prophetic Sunnah

words of Allah i :
)29 :‫ﱫﭩ ﭪ ﭫ ﭬ ﭭ ﭮ ﭯ ﭰﱪ (النسا ُء‬
29. yā-ʾayyuhā lladhīna ʾāmanū lā taʾkulū ʾamwālakum baynakum bi-l-bāṭili …
“O you who believe! Do not devour one another’s possessions wrongfully…” (Sūrat al-Nisāʾ: 29).
And the words of Allah, i: ): 93‫ﱫﮓ ﮔ ﮕ ﮖ ﮗ ﮘﱪ (ال ِّنسا ُء‬
93. wa-man yaqtul muʾminan mutaʿammidan fa-jazāʾuhū jahannamu
“Whoso slays a believer intentionally, his requital is Hell…” (Sūrat al-Nisāʾ: 93).
it serves to explain and clarify what is mentioned in the Holy Qurʾān, and comprises three types:
1. Sunnah explaining the details of what is mentioned only synoptically and generally in the Qurʾān; an example
of this is the ḥadīths in which the rules of prayer are detailed, for the Prophet َ ُ‫"صلُّوا َك َما َرأَيْتُمُو ِني أ‬
said:"‫صلِّي‬ d َ
“Pray as you have seen me pray.” (Narrated by al-Bukhārī and Muslim).
2. Sunnah specifying the generality of the Holy Qurʾān; an example of this is the ḥadīth explaining
that what is meant by the word ẓulm (‫ – )ظلم‬wrongdoing – in the Statement of Allah : i
]82 :‫ﱫ ﭑ ﭒ ﭓ ﭔ ﭕ ﭖ ﱪ [األنعا ُم‬
"alladhīna ʾāmanū wa-lam yalbisū ʾīmānahum bi-ẓulmin … "
“It is those who believe (in the Oneness of Allāh and worship none but Him Alone) and confuse not their
belief with ẓulm (wrongdoing)…” (Sūrat al-ʾAnʿām: 82).
is shirk (polytheism), for some of the Campanions understood the word ẓulm in the general sense (of
wrongdoing rather than the more specific sense of polytheism). This prompted them to say: ‘Who amongst
us does not wrong himself?’ Thereupon, the Messenger d said:
ْ ُ َ َ ِّ َّ ْ ْ ُ َ َ ُ ْ ُ َ َ ُ َ ‫"لَي‬
"‫ {يَا بُن َّي ال تش ِرك ِباهللِ إِن الشرْ ك لظل ٌم عَ ِظي ٌم‬:‫ ك َما قال لق َمان ِل ْب ِن ِه‬،‫ إِن َما ه َو الشرك‬، َ‫ْس َك َما تظنون‬
َ ُ َّ ُّ َ
‘The meaning is not as you presume (namely wrongdoing), rather the meaning is shirk (polytheism), like what
Luqman says to his son: “O my son! Join not in worship others with Allāh. Verily! Joining others in worship
with Allāh is a mighty ẓulm (wrong) (Narrated by al-Bukhārī)
3. Sunnah qualifying what is mentioned in an absolute and unrestricted sense in the Holy Qurʾān. An example
of this is that Allah i has ordered that the bequest (waṣiyyah) be taken out and its payment made.
Allah i says: )12 :‫(النساء‬
12. … min baʿdi waṣiyyatin yūṣā bihā …
“…after payment of bequest has been made …” (Sūrat al-Nisāʾ: 12).
and the Sunnah determined that the value of the bequest be one third (of the deceased's estate). The Messenger of
Allah i ُّ ‫ث َو‬
ُ ُ‫الثل‬
says: "ٌ‫ث َكثِير‬ ُّ
ُ ُ‫"الثل‬
“A third and a third is a lot”. (Narrated by al-Bukhārī)
Third: it serves to introduce and highlight new rulings on which the Holy Qurʾān is silent:
Examples of this are:
forbidding a man to combine in marriage a woman and her paternal aunt or a woman and her maternal aunt at the
same time; the Messenger d said:
"‫ َوالَ َبي َْن ال َمرْ أَ ِة َو َخا َل ِت َها‬،‫"الَ يُجْ َم ُع َبي َْن ال َمرْ أَ ِة َو َع َّم ِت َها‬
“A man cannot marry a woman and her paternal aunt, or a woman her maternal aunt” (Narrated by al-Bukhārī and
Muslim),
forbidding the eating of every predatory animal with canines/fangs; the Messenger of Allah d said:
"‫اع َح َرا ٌم‬ ‫ب‬َ ِّ
‫س‬ ‫ال‬ ‫ِن‬
َ ‫م‬ ٍ
‫ب‬ ‫ا‬ َ
‫ن‬ ‫ِي‬ ‫ذ‬ ِّ
‫ل‬ ُ
‫ك‬ ُ
‫ل‬ ْ
‫ك‬ َ‫"أ‬
ِ
“Eating of predatory animals with canine teeth is unlawful” (Narrated by Mālik), forbidding the eating of donkeys,
making obligatory the paying of ṣadaqat al-fiṭr and, rendering permissible the wiping over leather socks (masḥ al-
khuffayn).

111
2 Lesson Two

I collaborate and specify: the type of relationship between the Holy Qurʾān and the Prophetic Sunnah in the following:

The Holy Qurʾān The Prophetic Sunnah Type of relationship

Allah, i, says:
]11 :‫ﱫﮓ ﮔ ﮕ ﮖﮗ ﮘ ﮙ ﮚ ﮛﱪ [النسا ُء‬
11. yūṣīkumu llāhu fī ʾawlādikum li- Allah’s Messenger said: d ‫ ﱫﮓ ﮔ‬:‫قال تعالَى‬
َ
dh-dhakari mithlu ḥaẓẓi l-ʾunthayayni "‫"ال َقا ِت ُل َل ي َِر ُث‬
ْ
… “The killer does not inherit.” ‫ﮕ ﮖﮗ ﮘ ﮙ‬
“Allah charges you concerning (the (Narrated by al-Tirmidhī and Ibn
provision for) your children: to the :‫ﮚ ﮛﱪ [النسا ُء‬
Mājah).
male the equivalent of the portion of ]11
two females…” (Sūrat al-Nisāʾ: 11).

On the authority of Abū Mūsā al-


Ashʿarī:
‫ور أُ َّم ِتي‬ ُُ َ
ِ ‫ير َوالذهَ ِب عَ لى ذك‬
َّ
ِ ‫الح ِر‬
َ ‫َاس‬
ُ ‫"حُ رِّ َم لِب‬
"‫ل َنا ِث ِه ْم‬ َّ ‫َوأُ ِح‬
‫ل‬
ِِ
The Prophet d said wearing silk
and gold is prohibited for Muslim
males and permitted for Muslim
)females” (Narrated by al-Bukhārī

Allah, i, says:
]97 :َ‫ﱫﮬ ﮭ ﮮ ﮯ ﮰ ﮱ ﯓ ﯔ ﯕ ﱪ [آل عمران‬
97. … wa-li-llāhi ʿalā n-nāsi ḥijju The Messenger said: d
l-bayti mani staṭāʿa ʾilayhi sabīlan … "‫"لِ َتأْ ُخ ُذوا َم َناسِ َك ُك ْم‬
“…And Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah) “Take from me your rites of Hajj”
to the House (Kaʿbah) is a duty (Narrated by Muslim).
that mankind owes to Allāh, those
who can afford the expenses (for
one's conveyance, provision and
residence)…” (Sūrat ʾĀl ʿImrān: 97).
The Messenger of Allah d said:
ُ ْ
،‫ان عِ ندَ ك ْم‬ َّ َ ِّ
ٍ ‫ فإِنهُنَّ َع َو‬،‫هللا فِي الن َسا ِء‬ َ ‫"ا َّتقُوا‬
Allah, i, says: ‫ُوجهُنَّ ِب َكلِ َم ِة‬ ُ ُ ْ َ
َ ‫ َواسْ َتحْ للت ْم فر‬،‫للا‬ِ ‫أَ َخ ْذ ُتمُوهُنَّ ِبأ َما َن ِة‬
َّ َ
]19 :‫[النسا ُء‬ ‫ﱫﯢﯣﱪ‬ ِ َّ
"‫للا‬
“Fear Allah regarding women.
19. wa-ʿāshirūhunna bi-l-maʿrūfi Verily, you have taken them as a
“…But consort with them in trust from Allah, and intercourse
kindness…” (Sūrat al-Nisāʾ: 19). has been made permissible by
the word of Allah...”(Narrated by
Muslim).

112
The Prophetic Sunnah

I organize my concepts

- I complete the diagram below:

The Prophetic Sunnah as a source of Islamic Sharīʿah Legislation

Rank of the In relation to the Holy


Legal Authority of
Types of Sunnah Sunnah in Sharīʿah Qurʾān the Sunnah is
the Sunnah
Legislation divided into:

..................................... .....................................
The Sunnah is a It is the second
Legal Authority source of Sharīʿah.
Sunnah Relating to (Ḥujjah) for
Actions (Sunnah .....................................
Muslims which
Fiʿliyyah):
they are obliged
to follow and this
..................................... ..................................... .....................................
is evidenced from
numerous Qurʾānic .....................................
verses.
..................................... ..................................... .....................................

113
2 Lesson Two

Student Activities

First: : I answer by myself:


1- I identify the type of Sunnah in the following examples:
• (………..) Amr ibn al-ʿĀṣ D performed dry ablution (tayammum) out of fear for the cold and the
Messenger d
concurred with him on this.
The following ḥadīth was transmitted from the Messenger : "‫ار‬ ِ ‫ض َر َر َو َل‬
َ ‫ض َر‬ َ “Let there
َ ‫"ل‬ d
be no harm nor the reciprocation of harm” (Narrated by Ibn Mājah).
ِ ‫ص َل ًة عَ لَى النَّاس‬ َّ َ ‫َكانَ الرَّ سُ وْ ُل‬ d
ِ َّ‫أ َخف الن‬
َ ‫اس‬
The Messenger d
was the lightest of people in prayer with people. (Narrated by al-Suyūtī in the
al-Jāmiʿ al-Ṣaghīr).
2- I explain the reasons for not taking the Holy Qurʾān as the only source of Sharīʿah legislation
without referring to the Prophetic Sunnah.

- .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

3- I identify the position of the Prophetic Sunnah towards the Holy Qurʾān in the following examples
by placing a check (√) in the appropriate column:

Sunnah’s Position towards


the Holy Qurʾān
Sunnah Sunnah
SN Examples Muʾakkidah Mubayyinah Sunnah
(reinforces and (explains introduces
corroborates the and clarifies new rulings
Qurʾān) the Qurʾān)

ِّ ُ َ َ ُ‫"عَ ْن عبد هللا بْن عُ َم َر أَ َّن َرس‬


َ ‫ض َز َكا َة ْال ِف ْط ِر ِم ْن َر َم‬
َ ‫َف َر‬ d
ٍ ‫ضانَ عَ لى كل َن َف‬
‫س‬ ِ‫ول هللا‬ ِ
" َ‫ِمنَ ْالمُسْ لِ ِميْن‬
1 ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar k
said: "Allah's Messenger ordered d
Zakāt al-Fiṭr (i.e. Zakāt of breaking fast) from Ramaḍān on every
single one of the Muslims." (Narrated by Muslim)
The ḥadīth which states:
َ ‫ َو َل َف َر ِس ِه‬،‫ْس عَ لَى ْالمُسْ لِ ِم ِفي عَ ْب ِد ِه‬
"‫صد ََق ٌة‬ َ ‫"لَي‬
“There is no ṣadaqah on a Muslim for a slave nor a horse
2 belonging to him” (Narrated by Abū Dāwūd), in relation the
Statement of Allah i : ]110 :ُ‫ﱫ ﯕ ﯖ ﱪ [البقرة‬
110. … wa-ʾātū z-zakāta …
“…and give Zakāt…” (Sūrat al-Baqarah: 110)
The ḥadīth which states: "‫"أَم ِْس ْك عَ لَي َْك لِ َسا َن َك‬
"Control your tongue” (Narrated by Aḥmad and al-Tirmidhī) in
relation to the Statement of Allah i :
}12 : ُ‫ﱫ ﭤ ﭥ ﭦ ﭧ ﭨ ﭩ ﭪ ﭫ ﱪ {الحجرات‬
3 … ʾa-yuḥibbu ʾaḥadukum ʾan yaʾkula laḥma ʾakhīhi maytan fa-
karihtumūhu …
“…Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You
114 would hate it (so hate backbiting)…” (Sūrat al-Ḥujurāt: 12).
The Prophetic Sunnah

Second: I enrich my experience

In collaboration with those of my fellow students who are outstanding, I design an awareness-
raising bulletin on the effect of the Prophetic Sunnah on the life of Mulims. I then present it to my
teacher and post it on the Internet.

I assess myself

To what extent have I realize the outcomes of learning in this lesson?

Level of Achievement
SN Learning Area
Average Good Excellent

1 I define the Prophetic Sunnah.

I explain the rank of the Prophetic Sunnah in


2
Sharīʿah legislation.
I furnish evidence that proves the status of
3 the Prophetic Sunnah as a legal authority and
a legislative source for Sharīʿah rulings.
I explain the various positions of Sunnah
4
towards the Holy Qurʾān.

I explain a Muslim’s duty and obligation


5
towards the Prophetic Sunnah

I I oppose those who deny the Sharīʿah and


6
Legislative Authority of the Sunnah.

I make my mark

-I plan a project together with my classmates and under the supervision of my teacher for
the revival of the Prophetic Sunnah in our school.

-I derive from the Prophetic Sunnah the art and etiquette of dealing with others in order
to improve the way I communicate with members of my community.

115
3 Lesson Three

Islamic Dress Code


1-explain the importance of clothes for human beings.
2-determine what is permissible in terms of dressing and adornment for both men and
women.
3-explain the importance of being economical in dressing and adornment.
I learn from 4-recite from memory the duʿāʾ (supplication) for wearing clothes.
this lesson 5-summarize the benefits of observing proper Islamic etiquette and manners of
to: dressing and adornment.

I take the initiative to learn


Clothing in all its types and forms is a blessing from Allah that He has endowed and privileged i
human beings with from amongst all created beings. Essentially, all types of clothing are permissible
to wear except for those items for which prohibition has been proven by Sharīʿah evidence. This is
due to the Statement of Allah : ]32 :‫ﱫ ﭣ ﭤ ﭥ ﭦ ﭧ ﭨ ﭩ ﭪ ﭫ ﭬ ﭭﭮ ﱪ [األعر ُاف‬
i
32. qul man ḥarrama zīnata llāhi llatī ʾakhraja li-ʿibādihī wa-ṭ-ṭayyibāti mina r-rizqi …
Say (O Muhammad): "Who has forbidden the adornment of Allah which He has brought forth for
His servants, and the things, clean and pure, (which He has provided) for sustenance?" (Sūrat al-
ʾAʿrāf: 32).

I think:
In cooperation with one of my fellow students, I mention the
greatest possible number of ways to thank Allah i
for the blessing of clothing.
..............................................................................................
..............................................................................................
..............................................................................................

I use my skills to learn:


Clothing fulfils the essential needs of man, for it covers his nakedness, protects him from heat and
cold and gives him a good appearance. Allah, i, says:
ِ ‫ﱫ ﭴ ﭵ ﭶ ﭷ ﭸ ﭹ ﭺ ﭻ ﭼﭽ ﭾ ﭿ ﮀ ﮁﱪ[ سور ُة األعر‬
]26 :‫اف‬
"yā-banī ʾādama qad ʾanzalnā ʿalaykum libāsan yuwārī sawʾātikum wa-rīshan wa-libāsu t-taqwā
dhālika khayrun … "
“O Children of Adam! We have bestowed garments upon you to cover yourselves (screen your
private parts, etc.) and as an adornment, and the garment of righteousness (taqwā), that is better
(than all of them) …” (Sūrat al-ʾAʿrāf: 26)..

116
Islamic Dress Code

I cooperate and compare:


The above verse mentions two types of clothing (garment). In collaboration with the members of my
group, I distinguish between these two types explaining the relationship that holds between them.

The two types of clothing Physical Garment Spiritual Garment

Meaning ................................................. .................................................

Importance ................................................. .................................................

Relation between the two types ................................................. .................................................

Wearing clothes that cover one’s private parts is an obligatory duty, according to the
Covering Statement of Allah i : ]26 :‫ﱫ ﭴ ﭵ ﭶ ﭷ ﭸ ﭹ ﭺ ﭻﱪ [األعر ُاف‬
"yā-banī ʾādama qad ʾanzalnā ʿalaykum libāsan yuwārī sawʾātikum wa-rīshan wa-
the privae
libāsu t-taqwā dhālika khayrun …
body parts: “O Children of Adam! We have bestowed garments upon you to cover yourselves
(screen your private parts, etc.) and as an adornment, and the garment of righteousness
(taqwā), that is better…” (Sūrat al-ʾAʿrāf: 26).
The ʿawrah (private parts of the human body) comprises everything that Allah has
prohibited to be shown in front of those for whom it is not permissible to look at it.
The ʿawrah of a man is the area between his navel and knee. Covering this area with
clothing is obligatory. The ʿawrah of a woman is her entire body except the face and the
hands. Allah i says: ]31 :‫ﱫ ﮗ ﮘ ﮙ ﮚ ﮛ ﮜ ﮝﱪ [النو ُر‬
… "wa-lā yubdīna zīnatahunna ʾillā mā ẓahara minhā …"
“…and not to show off their adornment except that which is apparent thereof…” (Sūrat al-
Nūr: 31)
A woman is permitted to adorn herself as she wishes in her house and in front of her
non-marriageable relatives, as long as it conforms with the morals and manners of
Islam.

I discuss and identify:


The design of the clothing that covers the ʿawrah of every man and woman and the benefits of
conforming to them in table below:

Design of the clothing that Benefits of


covers a man’s ʿawrah conforming to them

Loose clothes that do not show the ................................


outline of his ʿawrah.
................................
..................................................................
................................
..................................................................
.................................................................. ................................

117
3 Lesson Three

Design of the clothing that Benefits of


covers a woman’s ʿawrah conforming to them

.................................................................. ................................

.................................................................. ................................

.................................................................. ................................

.................................................................. ................................

I anticipate:
The dangers of not conforming to the required designs of clothes.

...................................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................................

The type of clothing and adornment that is prohibited for men and women:

�Islam allows women to wear gold and silk; but prohibited men from doing so.
The evidence for this is what was reported on the authority of ʿAlī D who
said:

‫ "إِنَّ َه َذي ِْن َح َرا ٌم َع َلى‬:‫ ُث َّم َقا َل‬،ِ‫ َوأَ َخ َذ َذ َهبًا َف َج َع َل ُه فِي شِ َمالِه‬،ِ‫ َف َج َع َل ُه فِي َيمِي ِنه‬،‫أَ َخ َذ َح ِريرً ا‬ d ‫"إِنَّ ُ َرسُو َُل اللَّ ِه‬
ِ ‫ذ ُك‬
"‫ور أ َّمتِي‬

“The Prophet d
took some silk in his right hand and some gold in his left,
declaring, "These two are haram for the males among my followers"
(Narrated by Ahmad and Abū Dāwūd).

�Islam permitted men to wear silver, due to it being established that the Prophet
d
had a ring made of silver (Narrated by Abū Dāwūd).

� Islam prohibits men and women from imitating one another in their clothing.
It was narrated from Ibn ʿAbbās who said: l
ِ ‫ت م َِن ال ِّن َسا ِء ِبالرِّ َج‬
"‫ال‬ ِ ‫ َوال ُم َت َش ِّب َها‬،‫ال ِبال ِّن َسا ِء‬ َ ‫ال ُم َت َشب ِِّه‬
ِ ‫ين م َِن الرِّ َج‬ d ‫" َل َع َن َرسُو ُل اللَّ ِه‬
“the Prophet d
cursed men who imitate women and women who imitate
men” (Narrated by al-Bukhārī).

118
Islamic Dress Code

Islam prohibits men from wearing silk and gold and permits them both for
women.
I explain:
................................................................................................................................................................................................................

....................................................

I find a solution:
To the phenomenon of men and women imitating one another in appearance and clothing.
.........................................................................................................................
Description of the
problem

.................................................................................................................................................................................................
Causes of the
phenomenon .................................................

.................................................................................................................................................................................................
Suitable solutions
.................................................

Islam prohibits the wearing of capricious and unrealistic clothing, meaning clothing that is abnormal
or unfamiliar, or excessively luxurious and expensive, for the sake of attracting attention, boasting
or looking pompous before people. In so far as clothing and adornments are concerned, Islam has
urged people to use reasonable adornments and maintain a respectable appearance, especially on
occasions that bring together large numbers of people such as the two ʿĪds (Eid festivals) and Fridays.
Allah i loves to see the effect of His blessings on His servants provided that moderation is
observed. Allah i says:
]67 : ِ‫ﯹ ﯺ ﯻ ﯼ ﯽ ﯾ ﯿ ﰀ ﰁ ﱪ [ســور ُة الفرقان‬ ‫ﱫﯷ ﯸ‬
67. wa-lladhīna ʾidhā ʾanfaqū lam yusrifū wa-lam yaqturū wa-kāna bayna dhālika qawāman
“And those, who, when they spend, are neither extravagant nor niggardly, but hold a medium
(way) between those (extremes)” (Sūrat al-Furqān: 67).

I make a judgment:

I express my view on the following behaviors and give reasons.

Behavior View Reason

.............................................. ..............................................

Some youths go out in public .............................................. ..............................................


places in their sleepwear.
.............................................. ..............................................

.............................................. ..............................................
119
3 Lesson Three

.............................................. ..............................................

Some people pray in mosques .............................................. ..............................................


in clothing with animal images
printed on them. .............................................. ..............................................

.............................................. ..............................................
.............................................. ..............................................

Some people buy clothing and .............................................. ..............................................


accessories at exorbitant prices.
.............................................. ..............................................

.............................................. ..............................................
.............................................. ..............................................

Your classmate saw a young man .............................................. ..............................................


wearing indecent clothes and
informed the authorities concerned. .............................................. ..............................................

.............................................. ..............................................

I study and discover:


Other types of dress etiquette in the following ḥadīths:
Prophetic Ḥadīths Dress Etiquette

On the authority of Muʿādh ibn ʾAnas l who ...........................................................................


said: the Prophet said:
...........................................................................
‫ال ْال َح ْم ُد ِ َّلِ الَّ ِذ ي َك َسا ِني هَ َذ ا الثَّوْ َب َو َر َز َق ِني ِه ِم ْن َغي ِْر‬ َ ‫س َثوْ بًا َف َق‬
َ ‫" َم ْن لَ ِب‬
" ‫ال ُق َّو ٍة ُغ ِف َر لَ ُه َما َت َق َّد َم ِم ْن َذ ْن ِب ِه َو َما َتأَ َّخ َر‬
َ ‫َحوْ ٍل ِمنِّي َو‬
...........................................................................
“Whoever puts on a garment and says ‘Praise be to
Allah Who has clothed me with this and provided me ...........................................................................
with it through no might and power on my part," will
be forgiven his previous and latter sins” (Narrated
by Abū Dāwūd).
The Prophet d
when wearing a new dress used to ...........................................................................
mention it by name – a qamīṣ (shirt), izār (upper garment),
ʿimāmah (turban) – and then say:
...........................................................................
ُ ُ‫ َوأَع‬، ‫"اللَّ ُه َّم إنِّي أَسْ أَلُ َك ِم ْن َخيْر ِه َو َخيْر َما ُه َو لَ ُه‬
"‫وذ ِب َك ِم ْن َشرِّ ِه َو َشرِّ َما ُه َو لَ ُه‬ ِ ِ ِ
...........................................................................
“O’ Allah, I ask You the good associated with it and the good
it is intended for; and I take refuge in you against the evil ...........................................................................
hidden in it and the evil it has been made for” (Narrated by
Abū Dāwūd).
...........................................................................
ُ َ ِّ ُ ْ َ َّ
ِ ‫ َوطه‬،‫ َو َت َرجُّ لِ ِه‬،‫ ِفي َنعْل ْي ِه‬،‫ي ُِح ُّب الت َي ُّمنَ ِفي شأ ِن ِه كل ِه‬
"‫ُور ِه‬ d ِ‫َ"كانَ َرسُ ُول هللا‬
...........................................................................
“The Messenger of Allah used to like to begin from
the right hand side in all of his affairs: in wearing his
d
sandals, dismounting his riding animal, and cleansing ...........................................................................
and purifying himself (wuḍūʾ, ghusl, etc.)” (Narrated by
al-Bukhārī). ...........................................................................
120
Islamic Dress Code

I organize my concepts

I summarize the dress etiquette in the following conceptual diagram:

....................

....................

.................... ....................

.................... ....................

Wearing Dress ....................


clothes that etiquette
cover the ....................
ʿawrah

Student Activities

First: I answer by myself:

1. I justify the following:

- Clothes are considered one of Allah’s blessings to have been conferred on humankind.

.............................................................................................................................................................

2. I explain the Sharīʿah rulings on the following and give reasons:

- A man put on a silver ring given to him as a present by his mother.

.............................................................................................................................................................

- A woman went to work wearing tight clothing

.............................................................................................................................................................

121
3 Lesson Three

3. I distinguish between a woman’s ʿawrah in front of her unmarriageable relatives (maḥārim) and
the limits of her ʿawrah in front of strange men in the table below:

A woman’s ʿawrah

In front of unmarriageable relatives


In front of strange men
(maḥārim)

............................................................................ ............................................................................

I enrich my experience

I design an awareness raising bulletin on Islamic dress etiquette, show it to my teachers and post it
on the Internet.

I assess myself

To what extent do I adhere to the required Islamic dress etiquette?

Level of Achievement
SN Area of Application
Average Good Excellent

1 I make sure that I wear modest clothing.

I avoid wearing clothing that Allah has decreed is


2
impermissible.
I adhere to standards of cleanliness and
3 adornment in my appearance inside and outside
the house.
I buy clothing that fulfills my needs and is within my
4
budget.

I supplicate and mention Allah’s name whenever I wear


5
my clothes.

6 I begin dressing myself from my right hand side.

122
Islamic Dress Code

I make my mark

I read the statement below and complete what is required in the space.

- I strive to preserve an acceptable, public standard in my


appearance and portray an honorable image of my society
and homeland.

- ...........................................................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................................

123
4 Lesson Four

Scholarly Disagreement of the Muslim Jurists (Ikhtilāf Fuqahāʾ)

1- infer the reasons for jurisprudential (fiqhī) disagreement between


the four Madhhabs (Schools of Islamic Legal Thought)
2-prove that disagreement is a universal law out mercy to the people
I learn from
3-explain the position of Muslims towards the scholarly disagreement
this lesson among Muslim jurists (ikhtilāf al-fuqahāʾ)
to:

I take the initiative to learn


Ever since the very inception of Islam, Muslims have been concerned and preoccupied with knowledge and science
in general which included the Sharīʿah sciences (Islamic Sacred Knowledge). Many scholars rose to prominence in the
various fields of scientific endeavor such as Medicine and Astronomy. Some of these scholars were pioneers in some
sciences such as Chemistry and Algebra. Muslims scholars and scientists left behind a wealth of scientific knowledge
in different fields, which laid the foundations for scientific progress in the subsequent ages. Among those who became
famous and prominent in the Sharīʿah sciences were the Scholars (Founders) of the Four Madhhabs (ʿulamāʾ al-madhāhib
al-arbaʿah), who came to have disciples and students who spread their madhhabs and scholarly opinions in vast regions of
the Islamic World. This was at a time in which many other mujtahids (scholars endowed with independent juristic reasoning
and original thinking) existed whose madhhabs did not achieve renowned status. It is inconceivable – given this huge
number of erudite scholars – that they will agree and have consensus on all the issues. Rather, they agreed on certain
issues and disagreed on others. This scholarly disagreement among the Muslim jurists was reasonable and acceptable
because it was disagreement that existed in the area of the detailed branches and secondary offshoots (furūʿ) of the dīn
and not in the area of the fundamental roots and principles (uṣūl) and cardinal beliefs (ʿaqāʾid) of the dīn.

I strike a balance:
I compare between ikhtilāf (disagreement and difference) and khilāf (conflict and clashing) as per the
table below:
Ikhtilāf (Disagreement and
Aspect of comparison Khilāf (Conflict and Clashing)
Difference)

Concept

Ruling

There are some who maintain that there is no difference between the two concepts.

I use my skills to learn:

Reasons of scholarly disagreement among Muslim Jurists (Asbāb Ikhtilāf al-Fuqahāʾ):

The Muslim jurists, whenever they disagreed on the ruling of a particular legal (fiqhī) issue, would
each explain his particular viewpoint by presenting the evidence and legal argument on which he bases
his legal ruling and scholarly judgment. Some of them might even resort to one another’s viewpoints.
This did not lead them to mutually shun one another, harbor animosity and bear gridges towards
one another and be divided amongst themselves. There are many causes for scholarly and juristic
124 didagreement. The following are some of the causes:
Scholarly Disagreement of the Muslim
Jurists (Ikhtilāf Fuqahāʾ)

1) Variation in the ability to understand the evidentiary texts and extrapolate the rulings
from them
Some jurists were endowed with a high capacity for understanding while the capacities of other jurists were manifested
in memorization. Some of them combined these two capacities. As a result of this variation in capacity differences and
disagreements occurred in the extrapolation of legal rulings. The Prophet d says:
"ٍ‫" رُبَّ حَ ام ِِل ِف ْق ٍه إِ َلى َمنْ ه َُو أَ ْف َق ُه ِم ْن ُه َورُبَّ حَ ام ِِل ِف ْق ٍه َل ْيسَ ِب َفقِيه‬
“It may perhaps be that many a carrier and transmitter of fiqh (sacred knowledge and understanding) passes it on to
someone more adept and learned in fiqh than him and it may perhaps be that many a carrier and transmitter of fiqh is not
a faqīh (someone of great legal acumen and juristic skill) at all” (Narrated by Abū Dāwūd and al-Tirmidhī).
An Instance of this is the following two statements of the Prophet d ُ ‫" َمنْ جَ رَّ َث ْو َب ُه ُخ َيالَ َء َل ْم َي ْن‬
َّ ‫ظ ِر‬
: "ِ‫للاُ إِ َل ْي ِه ي َْو َم ْال ِقيَا َمة‬
"Allah will not look on the Day of Judgment at him who drags his robe (behind him) out of pride."
Abū Bakr k then said ‘One side of my robe slacks down unless I get very careful about it.’
Upon which Allah's Messenger d
said, "َ‫‘ " َلسْ تَ ِممَّنْ َيصْ َن ُع ُه ُخ َيالَء‬You are not of those who do that with pride (khuyalāʾ)"
(Narrated by al-Bukhārī).
ِ ‫" "مَا أَسْ َف َل مِنَ ْال َكعْ َبي‬Whatever of the izār (lower garment) is below the ankles is in the Fire" (Narrated by
"‫ْن مِنَ اإلِزار َففِي ال َّنار‬
al-Bukhārī).
Scholars differed in the understanding and interpretation of the above two ḥadīths. Some of them understood the
prohibition as absolute and unrestricted (muṭlaq) whereas others restricted the prohibition to pride (khuyalāʾ).

2) Wide semantic scope of the Arabic language and multiplicity of textual significations and
implications:
An instance of this is when a homonym (lafẓ mushtarak) occurs in Sharīʿah discourse, which is a word
that was coined to signify several diverse meanings, such that the Muslim jurists disagree on the construal
of this word in terms of what is really intended by it (from amongs its several possible meanings). This is like
their disagreement on what the Sharīʿah intends through the word ‫( ْال َقرْ ء‬qarʾ plural form: ‫ – ْال ُقرُ وْ ء‬qurūʾ) in the
Statement of Allah : ]228 :ُ‫ﱫﭸ ﭹ ﭺ ﭻ ﭼﱪ [البقرة‬
i
228. wa-l-muṭallaqātu yatarabbaṣna bi-ʾanfusihinna thalāthata qurūʾin …
“And divorced women shall wait (as regards their marriage) for three menstrual periods” (Sūrat al-Baqarah: 228)..
The word ‫ ْال َقرْ ء‬is homonymous whose meaning is shared equivocally between ṭuhr (period of purity in-
between two menstrual cycles) and ḥayḍ (menstruation). As a result, the Muslim jurists differ on the waiting
period (ʿiddah) of a divorced woman: is it to be calculated on the basis of menstruation or purity?

3. Different ways in which the ḥadīth has reached the jurist:


An example of this is that a ḥadīth does not reach a particular jurist, and therefore is unable to act on it, or it reaches
him but with a weak chain of transmitters (isnād ḍaʿīf), or the ḥadīth reaches one jurist with a (completely) different wording,
such that the ḥadīth signifies a different meaning for him.

I explain why:
a ḥadīth might not reach some scholrs

...................................................................................................................................................................
4. Difference in qawāʾid uṣūliyyah (uṣūlī maxims i.e. maxims pertaining to uṣūl al-fiqh or Islamic legal
theory) and ḍawābiṭ al-istinbāṭ (the rules of legal interpretation and extrapoloation):
A lot of juristic disagreement can be reduced to this cause because it is multifaceted. An example of this is
the uṣūlī maxim on which Muslim jurists disagree, namely: Does a command (amr) signify immediate or delayed
performance?
The majority of jurists maintain the view that an absolute (unqualified) command signifies immediate
performance; but the Ḥanafī jurists disagree with them, saying that it signifies delayed performance. Allah i
says: ]184 :ُ‫ﱫ ﮫ ﮬ ﮭ ﮮ ﮯ ﮰ ﮱ ﯓ ﯔ ﯕﱪ [البقرة‬
183. wa-man kāna marīḍan ʾaw-ʿalā safarin fa-ʿiddatun min ʾayyāmin ʾukhara …
“…but if any of you is ill or on a journey the prescribed number (Should be made up) from days later. …”
(Sūrat al-Baqarah: 184)
This verse informs us about the command to make up fast (qaḍāʾ al-ṣawm) in the case of the one who
breaks his fast during Ramaḍān. As a result of their disagreement on the aforementioned uṣūlī maxim
concerning the absolute command, the Muslim jurists also disagree on a certain fiqhī (legal) issue, which
concerns the ruling on nafl (supererogatory) fasting in the case of someone who has to make up (qaḍāʾ) 125
missed days of Ramaḍān.
4 Lesson Four

I reflect and infer:


I explain the effect of the disagreement between the Muslim jurists on the uṣūlī maxim concerning
the absolute command as it relates to above issue in the following table:

Madhhab of the Majority of Scholars Ḥanafī Madhhab

I reflect and infer:


On the authority of ʿAbdul-Wārith ibn Saʿīd who said: “I went to Kūfah and asked Abū Ḥanīfah -
about a man who sold a commodity and stipulated a condition. He said: ‘The Messenger of Allah d
prohibited selling and the stipulation of a condition; the sale is invalid and the stipulated condition is
invalid. Then I went to Abū Laylā and told him about this. He said ʿĀʾishah " said ‘The Messenger
of Allah d
ordered me to buy Barīrah, stipulate a condition and then free her’ (Narrated by Abū
Dāwūd), the sale is valid and the condition invalid. Then I went to Ibn Shubrumah and he said on
the authority of Jābir ibn ʿAbdillāh who said: ‘I sold the Prophet k
a camel; but made the d
stipulation that I should be allowed to ride it back to Madīnah.’ The sale valid and the condition is
valid” (Narrated by al-Haythamī).
• I deduce from this situation one of principles of juristic disagreement.

.............................................................................................................................................................

The fruits of difference:


� Mercy and latitude for people: The variety and diversity of scholarly opinions on different issues provides
Muslims with latitude in choosing the most suitable and beneficial opinion for sorting out issues based on
Sharīʿah proofs, as a way of realizing the principle of removing difficulty and hardship. Therefore, when
the Companions and jurists after them disagreed on matters, they did not feel dismayed and uneasy about
the disagreements and differences. ʿUmar ibn ʿAbdil-ʿAzīz said: “It would not have pleased me that the
Companions of Allah’s Messenger d
did not disagree, because had they not disagreed, we would not
have had permission (rukhṣah) to do so”.
�richness and vastness of Islamic juristic knowledge: Due to the fact that scholars held different viewpoints and
the attempt of each group to prove the validity and soundness of its viewpoint and defend what it considers
to be the correct viewpoint, juristic richness came about in the various fields of fiqh (jurisprudence), lughah
(linguistics), ḥadīth and uṣūl al-fiqh (the principles of jurisprudence).
�Promoting research, creativity and innovation: as a result of scholarly disagreement, each party sought to
prove the validity of its opinion by more than one method, which required scholars to increase scholarly and
intellectual output.

I critically assess:
• the following statement with justification: “The preferred action group is one which consists of members with
heterogeneous, disparate and divergent ideas”.
.............................................................................................................................................................

126
Differences among Islamic Jurists (Fuqahā)

Categories of people in terms of ‘fiqh’ (jurisprudence):


If a Muslim wants to know the ruling on a particular matter on which there exists scholarly disgareement, he
falls into one of three categories:-
The first: a scholar who has attained to the rank of ijtjhād (independent legal reasoning), such that he
exercises independent reasoninginvestigating and inquiring into the various proofs and evidentiary
principles.
The second: a student of knowledge who has not attained to the rank of ijtjhād (independent reasoning); he
has no recourse but to follow the learned mujtahids and conduct research to ascend gradually
in the ranks of scholarship and acquire expertise and competence to conduct tarjīḥ between the
various proofs from their sources, that is to say, he is competent to make comparisons between
the various proofs and evidence and able to distinguish the preferred one.
The third: an ordinary lay person who has not studied fiqh; he has no recourse but to ask scholars that he
trusts their religiosity and knowledge without resorting to evidential support as Allah i
says: ]43 :‫ﱫﭚ ﭛ ﭜ ﭝ ﭞ ﭟ ﭠﱪ [النحل‬
… fa-sʾalū ʾahla dh-dhikri ʾin kuntum lā taʿlamūna
“…ask of those who possess Knowledge if you do not know” (Sūrat al-Naḥl: 43)

A Muslim’s position as regards the differences between scholars:


- benefiting from the rich and vast legacy of juristic knowledge left behind by scholars in the form of fawās, ijtihādāt (independent
legal judgments), opinions and Qurʾānic interpretations of ḥadīth commentaries.
- respecting the views of credible and reliable scholars, asking Allah to have mercy on them by saying ‫ َر ِح َم ُه ُم هللا‬raḥimahumu
Allāh (may Allah have mercy on them) when they are mentioned, and find reasons and excuses for them if they err.
- giving precedence to authentic and sound proofs from the Qurʾān and Sunnah over human opinion if the two conflict; this has
always been the practice of scholars. Imam Mālik - said: “I am only a human being, sometimes I am right and sometimes
I am wrong; examine what I say in light of the Qurʾān and Sunnah”. However, this is addressed to scholars, and not just
anyone who reads a religious text, takes its surface and apparent meaning without any knowledge and comprehension,
discards the views of the scholars and renders their scholarly methodologies and intellectual traditions null and void.
- emulating the morals and character traits of scholars when differences arise, such as magnanimity, tolerance, having a
good opinion, asking Allah to have mercy on them, talking only good and mentioning only positive things about them, and
maintaining contact and communication with them. Yūnus al-Ṣadafī says in this regard: “I have never met someone who
is more reasonable and rationally-minded than al-Shāfiʿī. One day I debated him on a particular matter and then we went
our separate ways. I then met him, and he held my hand and said: ‘O Abū Mūsā, can’t we be brothers even if we disagree
on a matter?”

I reflect and deduce:


Mālik ibn Anas - said when al-Mansūr went on piligrimage (ḥajj) he said to me: “I intend to issue an order that
the books you have written be made copies of and then I send to each of the Muslim territories a copy and order
them to act on what is written in it, and not to refer to any other source over and above it”. I said: “O Commander
of the Muslims, do not do this. People have already been exposed to prior viewpoints, heard (other) ḥadīths and
transmitted (other) narrations, such that each community of people took that which came to them before and
worship Allah thereby from the disagreement of the people. So let the people be and leave them and what the
inhabitants of every city (territory) have chosen for themselves thereof.”
• I deduce from the stance of Imām Mālik one of the morals from Morals and Ethics of Disagreement.
.............................................................................................................................................................

I critically assess:
•the following scenarios and point out the error in each and the right action that is required:
• A person heard a fatwā one of the learned scholars that did not agree with his opinon, so he verbally attacked the learned
scholar.
- Error: ..........................................................................................................................
- Correct action:..................................................................................................................
A person lodged a complaint against the imām of a mosque because he does not read the al-basmalah (‫[ )بسملة‬to say:

127
4 Lesson Four

‫حي ِْم‬ ِ ْ‫هللا الرَّ ح‬


ِ َّ‫من الر‬ ِ ‫( ِبسْ ِم‬In the name of -"Allah, "the Most Gracious, "the Most Merciful)] in an audible voice when reading al-
Fātiḥah nor does he invoke the duʿāʾ al-qunūt (Qunūt supplication) during the Dawn (Fajr) prayer.
- Error: ..........................................................................................................................
- Correct action:..................................................................................................................
Someone asks more than one scholar for a fatwā on a controversial matter until he is given the fatwā that suits and wants to hear.
- Error: .........................................................................................................................
- Correct action:..................................................................................................................

People and Fatwā:


Many people have the nerve and audacity to issue fatwā on religious matters whether they have religious
knowledge or not. Some of them might read a book, attend a lecture, listen to an interview or a fatwā given by
one of the scholars, and based on that designates and appoints himself as a mujtahid (a scholar who is able
to exercise independent legal reasoning) and starts issuing fatwās thus misguiding many people and causing
harm to many others. Such a person has indeed done a great wrong and injustice to himself by setting himself
a task he is not equal to. Allah says: i
]25:‫[النحل‬ ‫ﱫﯛ ﯜ ﯝ ﯞ ﯟﯠ ﯡ ﯢ ﯣ ﯤ ﯥ ﯦﯧ ﯨ ﯩ ﯪ ﯫﱪ‬
25. li-yaḥmilū ʾawzārahum kāmilatan yawma l-qiyāmati wa-min ʾawzāri lladhīna yuḍillūnahum bi-ghayri ʿilmin
ʾa-lā sāʾa mā yazirūna
“They will bear their own burdens in full on the Day of Resurrection, and also of the burdens of those whom
they misled without knowledge. Evil indeed is that which they shall bear!” (Sūrat al-Naḥl: 25)..
Fatwā is a huge and serious matter and it must be received and taken from those qualified people to do so and
from trustworhty and credible sources, especially in matters that concern society and relate to the lives of individuals
and the future of generations.
The United Arab Emirates established a fatwā center (Officicial Fatwa Center) in which people’s questions are
answered by qualified scholars who have been authorized by the Ruler. The UAE has made calls to the center toll free
so that people do not hestitate to ask the questions they want answers to.
In addition to this center, there are official authorities, foundations and departments which represent the UAE and
which specialized in matters pertaining to this matter. This protects and prevents individuals and society from into the
traps and snares of people of malicious intents and ulterior motives, and similarly dubious and suspicious websites and
some media channels with no clear definable goals and identity.

I organize my concepts - I complete the table below:

• Variation in the ability to understand proofs and evidence and extrapolate


Causes of differences rulings from them.
amongst fuqahāʾ • ....................................................................................................
(jurists) • ....................................................................................................
• ....................................................................................................

• Mercy and facilitation to people.


Benefits of difference • ....................................................................................................
• ....................................................................................................
• Benefiting from the rich and vast legacy of juristic knowledge left
A Muslim’s position behind by scholars.
towards differences * Great mercy to people..................................................................
amongst fuqahāʾ • ....................................................................................................
(jurists) • ....................................................................................................

128
Differences among Islamic Jurists (Fuqahā)

Student Activities

I answer by myself:
I explain what is meant by the following terms:
* Ikhtilāf (Disagreement and Difference): .................................................................................................

* Jumhūr al-ʿUlamāʾ (Majority of Scholars): .............................................................................................

* Fiqh Branches (Detailed Legal Rulings): ................................................................................................

2) I mention four of the ethics of difference between the fuqahāʾ (jurists)


................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
3) I respond to someone who maintains that disagreement beween the scholars is an unhealthy phenomenon.
................................................................................................................................................................

I enrich my experience
1. Allah, i, says:
]43:‫[النساء‬ ‫ﱫﯘ ﯙ ﯚ ﯛ ﯜ ﯝ ﯞ ﯟ ﯠ ﯡ ﯢ ﯣ ﯤ ﯥ ﯦ ﯧ ﯨ ﯩ ﯪ ½ ﯬﱪ‬
43. … wa-ʾin kuntum marḍā ʾaw ʿalā safarin ʾaw jāʾa ʾaḥadun minkum mina l-ghāʾiṭi ʾaw lāmastumu n-nisāʾa fa-lam tajidū
māʾan fa-tayammamū ṣaʿīdan ṭayyiban …
“…And if you be ill, or on a journey, or in travel, or if one of you has come after relieving himself, or you have touched
women, and you and not water, than go to high clean soil and rub your faces and your hands (therewith)…” (Sūrat al-
Nisāʾ: 43).
Scholars disagree on the meaning of ‫( َل َمسْ ــ ُتم‬lāmastum) ‘touched’. What is the effect of their disagreement
on the meaning considering the differences in their viewpoints?
2. I write research paper in which I discuss a particular Islamic legal (fiqhiyyah) issue, explaining the cause
of the scholarly disagreement on this issue and highlighting the preferred view.
3. I compile the sayings of some scholars in them praising one another in spite of their differences in
viewpoint

I assess myself
Level of Achievement
SN Area of Application
Average Good Excellent
1 I accept difference of viewpoints and benefit from the views of others.
2 I respect the views of others even if I am not convinced by them
I give precedence to sound ecidence from the Qurʾān
3
and Sunnah over human opinion if the two conflict.
I emulate the manners of the scholars during disagreement
4
such as tolerance and having a good opinion of others.
I make sure when seeking for a fatwā to ask trustworthy and credible scholars
5
who are renowned for their knowledge and religiosity.
129
5 Lesson Five

The Daʿwah Methodology of the Prophet d

1- define the concept of the Prophetic Daʿwah Methodology


(Prophetic Method of Doing Daʿwah)
I learn from 2-explain the characteristics of the Prophetic Daʿwah
this lesson Methodology
to: 3-mention the approaches and styles of the Prophetic Daʿwah
Methodology
4-explain the effect of the Prophetic Daʿwah Methodology on a
Muslim’s life

I take the initiative to learn

I read and infer:


Muʿāwiyah ibn al-Ḥakam al-Sulamī reported: I was praying with the Messenger of Allah while a man d
among the people sneezed, so I said, ُ‫“ َر ِح َم َك هللا‬May Allah have mercy on you!” The people began to glare at
me in disapproval, so I said, “Woe to me! Why are you staring at me?” They struck their hands on their thighs
telling me to be quiet, so I said nothing even though I was upset, and the Prophet finished the prayer. Let
my father and mother be ransomed for him, for I have not seen before or after him another teacher better at
instruction. By Allah, the Prophet did not scold, strike, or revile me. The Prophet said: d
"‫آن‬ ْ‫ر‬ ُ ‫ إنَّ َما ُه َو التَّسْ بيحُ َوالتَّ ْكبيرُ َو ِق َرا َء ُة ْال‬،‫َصلُحُ ِفي َها َش ْي ٌء ِم ْن َك َلم النَّاس‬
‫ق‬ ْ ‫ي‬ ‫ل‬َ َ
‫ة‬ ‫ل‬َ ‫الص‬
َّ ‫ه‬
ِ ‫ذ‬
ِ َ‫ه‬ َّ
‫ن‬ ‫"إ‬
ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ
“Verily, it is not fitting for this prayer to have anything of human speech, but rather only the glorification
and exaltation of Allah and the recitation of the Quran.” (Narrated by Mulsim)

- On the basis of the above ḥadīth, I identify the qualities that I would like to see in Muslim dāʿiyah (caller to Islam or

Muslim daʿwah worker).

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

I use my skill s

The Concept of the Prophetic Daʿwah Methodology

The Prophetic method (manhaj) of doing daʿwah is a broad term more general and is more comprehensive
and encompassing than the term style or approach (uslūb) and way (ṭarīqah). It is a complete and
holistic process of building and constructing the way of calling, inviting and propagating (daʿwah) to Allah
i which incorporates the ways (ṭarāʾiq), approaches, styles, (asālīb), rules (qawāʿid)and principles

(uṣūl) that lead to daʿwah ʾilā Allah i (calling and propagating to Allah i) . Allahi says:
ُ ُ‫ﱫ ﮀ ﮁ ﮂ ﮃ ﮄ ﮅﮆ ﮇ ﮈ ﮉ ﮊ ﮋﮌ ﮍ ﮎ ﮏ ﮐ ﮑ ﮒ ﱪ [ي‬
]108 :‫وس ُف‬
"qul hādhihī sabīlī ʾadʿū ʾilā llāhi ʿalā baṣīratin ʾana wa-mani ttabaʿanī wa-subḥāna llāhi wa-mā ʾana mina
l-mushrikīna"
Say (O Muhammad): "This is my way; I invite unto Allāh with sure knowledge, I and whosoever follows me
with sure knowledge. And Glorified and Exalted be Allāh (above all that they associate as partners with Him).

130
The Daʿwah Methodology of the
Prophet d

And I am not of the Polytheists (Sūrat Yūsuf: 108).


The Prophet d , in his daʿwah, followed a number of approaches, styles and techniques that took into
consideration the diversity of people’s faculties of understanding as as well as their natural dispositions,
aptitudes, positions and class. Allah says: i
]125:‫[النحل‬ ‫ﱫ ﮦ ﮧ ﮨ ﮩ ﮪ ﮫ ﮬﮭ ﮮ ﮯ ﮰ ﮱﱪ‬
125. udʿu ʾilā sabīli rabbika bi-l-ḥikmati wa-l-mawʿiẓati l-ḥasanati wa-jādilhum bi-llatī hiya ʾaḥsanu …
“Invite (mankind, O Muhammad) to the Way of your Lord with wisdom and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way
that is better” (Sūrat al-Naḥl: 125)

I think and express myself:


- I describe in my own words the concept of the Muslim’s methodology in doing daʿwah.

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The Characteristics of the Prophetic Daʿwah Methodology:

The methodology that the Prophet d


employed in doing daʿwah was marked by several
characteristics that highlight the greatness of calling, propagating and inviting (daʿwah) to Allah i
and that Islam is the Religion of the Truth. Allah says: ]19:‫ﱫﭸ ﭹ ﭺ ﭻ ﭼﱪ [آل عمران‬ i
19. ʾinna d-dīna ʿinda llāhi l-ʾislāmu …
“Truly, the religion with Allāh is Islām…” ” (Sūrat ʾĀl ʿImrān: 19).
The most important of these characteristics are:
First: Clarity (Wuḍūḥ)
The methodology of the Prophet d
was clear in goal, creed and style. No one among the
polytheists and idolators found any difficulty in understanding the purpose and intention of the
Prophet d in calling and inviting to Allah . The Prophet i
did not conceal or hide anything d
pertaining to his caling and inviting people to Islam. When the Prophet r climbed the top of Mount
al-Ṣafa and summoned the Quraysh until they assembled round him, he said: ,” Tell me! What would
you be thinking if I were to inform you that the enemy will be raiding you by day or by night, would
you believe me?” They answered, “We have never known you to tell a lie.” Muhammad said, “Know
that I am a warner and that I warn you of a severe punishment”. He sent letters to the kings in which
he called them to worship Allah, the One, at that time. This was by Allah’s Order and Command. Allah
i says: ]32 :‫[المؤمنون‬ ‫" ﱫ ﭽ ﭾ ﭿ ﮀ ﮁ ﮂ ﮃ ﮄﱪ‬ʾani ʿbudū llāha mā lakum min ʾilāhin ghayruhū…"
"Worship Allāh! You have no other Ilāh (God) but Him” (Sūrat al-Muʾminūn: 32).

The Prophet d was a harbinger of good to all humankind. Allah i says


‫ﱫ ﮗ ﮘ ﮙ ﮚ ﮛ ﮜﮝ ﮞ ﮟ ﮠ ﮡ ﮢ ﮣ ﮤ ﮥ ﮦ ﮧ‬
]36 :‫ﮨ ﮩ ﮪ ﮫ ﮬ ﮭ ﮮ ﮯﮰ ﮱ ﯓ ﯔ ﯕ ﯖ ﯗ ﯘ ﯙﱪ [النساء‬
36. wa-ʿbudū llāha wa-lā tushrikū bihī shayʾan wa-bi-l-wālidayni ʾiḥsānan wa-bi-dhī l-qurbā wa-l-
yatāmā wa-l-masākīni wa-l-jāri dhī l-qurbā wa-l-jāri l-junubi wa-ṣ-ṣāḥibi bi-l-janbi wa-bni s-sabīli
wa-mā malakat ʾaymānukum ʾinna llāha lā yuḥibbu man kāna mukhtālan fakhūran
“Serve Allah, and join not any partners with Him; and do good- to parents, kinsfolk, orphans, those
in need, neighbours who are near, neighbours who are strangers, the companion by your side,
the wayfarer (you meet), and what your right hands possess: For God loveth not the arrogant, the
131
5 Lesson Five

vainglorious;” (Sūrat al-Nisāʾ: 36).


This is what caused the polythesists puzzlement in rejecting the Prophet as they could not d
find holes or weak points in his daʿwah style and approach such as lying, cheating or even flattery,
and could therefore only accuse him (falsely) of sorcery. Allah says: i
]4:‫[سور ُة ص‬ ‫ﱫ ﭩ ﭪ ﭫ ﭬ ﭭﭮ ﭯ ﭰ ﭱ ﭲ ﭳﱪ‬
"wa-ʿajibū ʾan jāʾahum mundhirun minhum wa-qāla l-kāfirūna hādhā sāḥirun kadhdhābun"
“And they marvel that a warner from among themselves has come unto them, and the disbelievers
say: This is a sorcerer, a charlatan.” (Sūrat Ṣād: 4)
Thus, the daʿwah approach of the Prophet was distinguished by its clarity and opnenness. d

I think and critically assess


I critically assess the following statement: “People with suspicious goals and dubious motives

operate in a cloud of secrecy”.

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Second: Gradual Progression (Tadarruj)


The Prophet progressed gradually in his daʿwah to Allah without i
burdening and overloading people. He started with his household, and Lady
Khadījah " believed in him. Then he directed his call to those closest to him,
for out of all the people they would be the most deserving of the good that
he is bringing and the most acquainted with him. Then he invited hs his
kinsmen (clan) and thereafter he started presenting himself to the tribes
during the Ḥajj seasons. He was not hasty in his daʿwah until people started
accepting it and becoming more open to it. He taught Muʿādh ibn Jabal this
same methodology. When he sent Muʿādh to Yemen he said to him: “You
will be coming to a community who constitute People of Sacred Scripture.
So when you come to them, then call them to testify that there is no Deity
but Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. If they accept and obey
you in that, then tell them that Allah has prescribed for them five prayers every day and night. If they accept
and obey you in that, then tell them that Allah has prescribed for them a charitable tax to be taken from the rich
and given to the poor. If they accept and obey you in that, then beware of taking from them the best of their
wealth, and fear the supplication of the oppressed person who has been unfairly wronged (maẓlūm), for there
is no barrier between it (his supplication) and Allah” (Narrated by al-Bukhārī).

I reflect and apply:

- How do you apply the principle of gradual progression in daʿwah with respect to the following case:
You have friends who commit lots of sins and you want to give them daʿwah calling them to stop
committing these sins?

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132
...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................
The Daʿwah Methodology of the
Prophet d

Third: Total Trust in the Help of Allah i and that He will grant victory (Thiqah bi-
Naṣrillah)
The Messenger d said:
َّ ‫ َو ُذ ًّل ُي ِذ ُّل‬،‫للاُ ِب ِه ْالِسْ َل َم‬
" َ‫للاُ ِب ِه ْال ُك ْفر‬ َّ ‫ عِ ًّزا ُيع ُِّز‬،‫ِيل‬
ٍ ‫يز أَ ْو ِب ُذ ِّل َذل‬ َّ ‫للاُ َبيْتَ مَدَ ٍر َو َل َوب ٍَر إِ َّل أَ ْد َخ َل ُه‬
ٍ ‫ ِبع ِِّز عَ ِز‬، َ‫للاُ ه ََذا ال ِّدين‬ ُ ‫ َو َل َي ْت ُر‬،ُ‫" َل َي ْبلُغَ نَّ ه ََذا ْالَ ْم ُر مَا َب َلغَ اللَّ ْي ُل َوال َّنهَار‬
َّ ‫ك‬
“This matter will certainly reach every place touched by the night and day. Allah will not leave an urban house nor a rural
house except that Allah will cause this religion to enter it, by which the honorable will be honored and the disgraceful will
be disgraced. Allah will honor the honorable with Islam and he will disgrace the disgraceful with unbelief’.
The Prophet r set out going about and doing his daʿwah being fully confident and totally trusting that Allah would help
him and grant him victory, that this religion would extend to the eastern and western parts of the earth by the Will of Allah
i and that even if the whole world join together to form a coalition waging war on Islam, Allah i will make
it emerge triumphant and victorious.
On the authority of Thawbān D who reported that the Messenger of Allah d said:
"‫ َوإِنَّ م ُْلكَ أ ُ َّمتِي سَ َي ْبلُ ُغ مَا ُز ِويَ لِي ِم ْنهَا‬،‫ار َبهَا‬
ِ َ‫ار َقهَا َو َمغ‬ ِ ‫ْت َم َش‬ ُ ‫ َفرَ أَي‬، َ‫للا َز َوى لِي ْالَرْ ض‬ َ َّ َّ‫"إِن‬
“Allah has unfolded for me the earth to the extent that I saw its eastern and western parts. The kingdom of my community
(ummah) will reach as far as what has been unfolded to me (Narrated by Muslim).

I infer:

- I infer two pieces of good news from the two ḥadīths above.

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

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...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

The Prophet’s d Styles and Approaches in Doing Daʿwah:


The daʿwah style of the Prophet d was marked by wisdom (ḥikmah) proceeding from the words of Allah
i: ]125 :‫ﱫ ﮦ ﮧ ﮨ ﮩ ﮪ ﮫ ﮬﱪ[النحل‬
125. udʿu ʾilā sabīli rabbika bi-l-ḥikmati wa-l-mawʿiẓati l-ḥasanati wa-jādilhum bi-llatī hiya ʾdḥsanu
“Invite to the Way of your Lord with wisdom and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better”
(Sūrat al-Naḥl: 125)
This was clearly reflected in the way people were embracing Islam individually and collectively in groups.
On the authority of Abū Hurayrah l
who is reported to have said: al-Ṭufayl ibn ʿAmr al-Dawsī (who was
from the clan or tribe of Daws) came to the Prophet and said: ‘Daws have engaged in disobedience and d
refused (to listen), so call and supplicate to Allah to bring destruction upon them. The Messenger turned d
himself to face the direction of the qiblah and raised his hands to the sky. So they said: ‘These people (i.e.
Daws) are doomed’. But (instead) the Messenger said: d
ْ ‫ اللَّ ُه َّم‬،‫ات ِب ِه ْم‬
ِ ‫اه ِد َدوْ سً ا َو‬
"‫ات ِب ِه ْم‬ ْ ‫"اللَّ ُه َّم‬
ِ ‫اه ِد َدوْ سً ا َو‬
“O Allah, guide Daws and bring them (to us) as rightly guided Muslims; O Allah, guide Daws and bring them
(to us) as rightly guided Muslims” (Narrated by al-Bukhārī). Thereafter, they all embraced Islam.

I think and infer:


- Where in the story of al-Ṭufayl ibn ʿAmr al-Dawsī do you find wisdom being exemplified in the
Daʿwah Methodology of the Prophet . d
...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

- In your view, what changed in the lives of the Companions after witnessing this scenario?

........................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 133
5 Lesson Five

Fair Exhortation (Mawʿiẓah Ḥasanah):


The Messenger d
went to great pains to instill in his Companions the methodology
of leniency and gentleness in doing daʿwah for he used to address people with that which
was suitable and appropriate to their circumstances, contexts and levels of understanding
excercising leniency and kindness and avoiding harshness and roughness. Allah says: i
]159 :‫ﱫ ﭙ ﭚ ﭛ ﭜ ﭝ ﭞﭟ ﭠ ﭡ ﭢ ﭣ ﭤ ﭥ ﭦ ﭧﭨ ﭩ ﭪ ﭫ ﭬ ﭭ ﭮ ﭯﱪ [آل عمران‬
159. fa-bi-mā raḥmatin mina llāhi linta lahum wa-law kunta faẓẓan ghalīẓa l-qalbi la-nfaḍḍū min ḥawlika fa-ʿfu
ʿanhum wa-staghfir lahum wa-shāwirhum fī l-ʾamri …
“And by the Mercy of Allāh, you dealt with them gently. And had you been severe and harsh­hearted, they would
have broken away from about you; so pass over (their faults), and ask (Allāh's) Forgiveness for them; and consult
them in the affairs…” (Sūrat ʾĀl ʿImrān: 159).The Messenger said to ʿĀʾishah ": d
ِّ ُ َ َّ
"‫"إِ َّن للاَ ي ُِح ُّب الرِّ ْف َق ِفي األم ِْر كل ِه‬
“Allah loves kindness in all matters” (Narrated by al-Bukhārī). Allah said to Mūsā (Moses) and Hārūn i
(Aaron) when He sent them to the Pharaoh (Firʿawn): ]44 :‫ﱫ ﮨ ﮩ ﮪ ﮫ ﮬ ﮭ ﮮ ﮯ ﱪ [طه‬
"fa-qūlā lahū qawlan layyinan laʿallahū yatadhakkaru ʾaw yakhshā"
"And speak to him mildly and gently, perhaps he may accept admonition or fear Allāh." (Sūrat Ṭāhā: 4)

I respond with proof and rational argument (ḥujjah):

How do you respond to someone who claims that the current generation
has changed because societies have opened up to one another via the
Internet. Hence, it is fine to adopt sterness and harshness in doing daʿwah
until the youth are deterred and restrained and adhere to their religion

....................................................................................................................................................................

....................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Arguing with what is best and constitutes best practice (Jidāl bil-Ḥusnā):
Allah, i , says: ]125 :‫ﱫﮮ ﮯ ﮰ ﮱﯓ ﯔ ﯕ ﯖ ﯗ ﯘ ﯙ ﯚ ﯛﯜ ﯝ ﯞ ﯟﱪ [النحل‬
125. … wa-jādilhum bi-llatī hiya ʾaḥsanu ʾinna rabbaka huwa ʾaʿlamu bi-man ḍalla ʿan sabīlihī wa-huwa
ʾaʿlamu bi-l-muhtadīna
“…and argue with them with that which is best. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His
Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided…” (Sūrat al-Naḥl: 125).
The Messenger d would not get angry or become emotional when someone argued with him about the
dīn (Islam and relion in general). Even if he did get angry, his anger would not influence and impact on his
discussion with his adversary. On the contrary, he would argue with them in the best of ways. Allah i
says: ]46 :‫ﱫﭒ ﭓ ﭔ ﭕ ﭖ ﭗ ﭘ ﭙ ﱪ [العنكبوت‬
"wa-lā tujādilū ʾahla l-kitābi ʾillā bi-llatī hiya ʾaḥsanu …"
“And argue not with the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians), unless it be in (a way)
that is better …” (Sūrat al-ʿAnkabūt: 46).
This was also the way the Messenger d behaved towards the Companions. It was reported by Abū
Umāmah l who said:
:‫س َقا َل‬ َ ‫ َف َج َل‬:‫ َقا َل‬.»‫ َفدَ َنا ِم ْن ُه َق ِريبًا‬،ْ‫«اد ُنه‬ ْ :‫ َف َقا َل‬.ْ‫ َمه‬.ْ‫ َمه‬:‫ َفأ َ ْق َب َل ْال َق ْو ُم َع َل ْي ِه َف َز َجرُوهُ َو َقالُوا‬،‫الز َنا‬ ِّ ‫ ا ْئ َذنْ لِي ِب‬،ِ‫للا‬ َّ ‫ َيا َرسُو َل‬:‫إِنَّ َف ًتى َشا ًّبا أَ َتى ال َّن ِبيَّ َف َقا َل‬
َّ
‫للا َج َع َلنِي للاُ فِدَ ا َء َك‬ َّ
ِ ‫للا َيا َرسُو َل‬ ِ َّ ‫ َو‬.‫ َل‬:‫ِك؟» َقا َل‬ َ ُ
َ ‫ «أ َف ُت ِح ُّب ُه ِل ْب َنت‬:‫ َقا َل‬.»‫«و َل ال َّناسُ ُي ِحبُّو َن ُه ِل َّم َهات ِِه ْم‬ َ :‫ َقا َل‬.‫للاُ فِدَ ا َء َك‬ َّ ‫للا َج َع َلنِي‬
ِ َّ ‫ َو‬.‫ َل‬:‫ِّك؟» َقا َل‬ َ ‫«أَ ُت ِح ُّب ُه ِلُم‬
:‫ِك؟» َقا َل‬ َ َ
َ ‫ «أ َف ُت ِح ُّب ُه ل َِع َّمت‬:‫ َقا َل‬.»‫«و َل ال َّناسُ ُي ِحبُّو َن ُه ِل َخ َوات ِِه ْم‬ َ :‫ َقا َل‬.‫ك‬ َّ
َ ‫للا َج َع َلنِي للاُ فِدَ ا َء‬ َّ
ِ ‫ َو‬.‫ َل‬:‫ِك؟» َقا َل‬ ُ َ
َ ‫ «أ َف ُت ِح ُّب ُه ِل ْخت‬:‫ َقا َل‬.»‫«و َل ال َّناسُ ُي ِحبُّو َن ُه لِ َب َنات ِِه ْم‬َ :‫َقا َل‬
.»‫«و َل ال َّناسُ ُي ِحبُّو َن ُه ل َِخ َالت ِِه ْم‬ َ :‫ َقا َل‬.‫للاُ فِدَ ا َء َك‬ َّ ‫للا َج َع َلنِي‬ِ َّ ‫ َو‬.‫ َل‬:‫ِك؟» َقا َل‬ َ ‫ «أَ َف ُت ِح ُّب ُه ل َِخا َلت‬:‫ َقا َل‬.»‫«و َل ال َّناسُ ُي ِحبُّو َن ُه ل َِعمَّات ِِه ْم‬
َ :‫ َقا َل‬.‫للاُ فِدَ ا َء َك‬ َّ ‫للا َج َع َلنِي‬
ِ َّ ‫ َو‬.‫َل‬
ُ ‫ َو َحصِّنْ َفرْ َجهُ» َف َل ْم َي ُكنْ َبعْ ُد َذل َِك ْال َف َتى َي ْل َتف‬،ُ‫اغفِرْ َذ ْن َب ُه َو َطهِّرْ َق ْل َبه‬
.ٍ‫ِت إِ َلى َشيْ ء‬ ْ ‫ «اللَّ ُه َّم‬:‫ض َع يَدَ هُ َع َل ْي ِه َو َقا َل‬َ ‫ َف َو‬:‫َقا َل‬

134
The Daʿwah Methodology of the
Prophet d
A young man came to the Prophet d
and he said, “O Messenger of Allah, give me permission to commit
adultery (zinā).” The people turned to him and rebuked him saying, “Quiet! Quiet!” The Prophet said, “Come
closer.” The young man came closer to him and he told him to sit down. The Prophet said, “Would you like that
for your mother?” The man said, “No, by Allah, may I be sacrificed for you. People would not like it for their
mothers.” The Prophet said, “Would you like that for your daughter?” The man said, “No, by Allah, may I be
sacrificed for you. People would not like it for their daughters.” The Prophet said, “Would you like that for your
sister?” The man said, “No, by Allah, may I be sacrificed for you. People would not like it for their sisters.” The
Prophet said, “Would you like that for your aunts?” The man said, “No, by Allah, may I be sacrificed for you.
People would not like it for their aunts.” The Prophet placed his hand on him and he said, “O Allah, forgive his
sins, purify his heart, and guard his chastity.” After that, the young man never again turned to anything sinful.

I think and propose:


- What is the suggestion that you are making to your classmates to protect and safeguard

themselves from adultery?

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................
- What will you do to ensure that your advice reaches the hearts of your classmates and is acted
upon?

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

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Being a Good Example (Qudwah Ḥasanah):
Many of the polythesists and idolators embraced Islam and found peace in the heaets and
minds when they saw the words of the Prophet exemplified in his action and embodied in his d
personality. He was the example and a role model par excellence for his Companions ! to the extent
that Allah i
described him being an Uswah Ḥasanah (Good and Exemplary Model) saying:
]21 :‫[األحزاب‬ ‫ﱫﯯ ﯰ ﯱ ﯲ ﯳ ﯴ ﯵ ﯶ ﯷ ﯸ ﯹ ﯺ ﯻ ﯼ ﯽ ﯾ ﯿﱪ‬
"la-qad kāna lakum fī rasūli llāhi ʾuswatun ḥasanatun li-man kāna yarjū llāha wa-l-yawma l-ʾākhira wa-dhakara
llāha kathīran"
“Indeed in the Messenger of Allāh (Muhammad SAW) you have a good and exemplary model to follow for him
who hopes in (the Meeting with) Allāh and the Last Day and remembers Allāh much…” (Sūrat al-ʾAḥzāb: 21).
Lady ʿĀʾishah " described him saying: َ‫َكانَ ُخلُ ُق ُه ْال ُقرْ آن‬
“The moral character of the Prophet was the Qurʾān” (Narrated by Muslim). So, when the Prophet would d
order Muslims to observe truthfulness, trustworthiness, good neighborliness, fearing Allah‫تعالى‬, etc. the
Companions did not have exert effort and go to great pains to find out what the Prophet meant and intended d
in that regard; rather they would only have to look at his action and follow his example. The Messenger , d
whenever he charged people with a task he would be the first to execute it. Here is an example of him carrying
bricks and blocks with his his noble hands in order to participate in the building of the Prophetic Mosque (al-
Masjid al-Nabawī) and another example of him taking an axe to help in the digging of the trench (al-khandaq).
I specify:
the distinctive features of a ‘good exemplary model’ that you would like to see in yourself.

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........................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 135
5 Lesson Five

Seeking Facility and Ease (Taysīr) and Giving Good News (Tabshīr):
The Prophet d instilled in the hearts and minds of his Companions ! facility and easement (yusr). This is
because whenever he was given a choice between two matters, he would choose the easier of the two as long as
it did not constitute a sin. When he sent Abū Mūsā al-ʾAshʿarī and Muʿādh ibn Jabal to Yemen, he advised them
saying:
َ ‫ال ُت َن ِّف َرا َو َت َطا َوعَ ا َو‬
"‫ال َت ْخ َتلِ َفا‬ َ ‫ال ُتعَسِّ َرا َوب َِّش َرا َو‬
َ ‫" يَسِّ َرا َو‬
“Facilitate and make things easy and don't complicate and make things difficult; give good news and don’t
scare and drive (people) away; Be united and work together collaboratively and don't be divided” (Narrated by
Muslim). Facilitation (taysīr) goes hand-in-hand with giving good news (tabshīr); the Prophet used to give his d
Companions good news of reward from Allah i . In this regard, he said:
"‫ور التَّا ِّم يَوْ َم ْال ِقيَا َم ِة‬ ُّ ْ َ َ ُّ َّ ْ ِّ
ِ ‫"بَش ِر ال َمشا ِئينَ ِفي الظل ِم إِلى ال َم َس‬
ِ ‫اج ِد ِبالن‬
“Give those who walk to the mosque in darkness, the good news of a complete and full light on the Day of
Resurrection” (Narrated by al-Tirmidhī ).

I infer:
through dialogue and discussion, the qualities that a Muslim must possess in order for him to be
characterized by the two qualities of taysīr (facilitating matters) and tabshīr (giving good news).

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

The Prophetic Method of a Muslim’s life:


The Companions were schooled and trained in the methodology of Allah’s Messenger until it became for d
them a mode of behavior that is deeply ingrained in them by which they lived and upon which they reared and
raised their children. They followed this methodology after the Prophet generation after another until Islam d
spread by virtue of this methodology. In East Asia, entire communities and nations embraced Islam due to the
conduct and behavior of Muslim merchants and their benevolent treatment of these indigenous communities and
nations both in word and deed.
I design:
a presentation clarifying the true image of Islam as I understand it from the methodology of Prophet
d in doing daʿwah.

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

I summarize:
the dangers of tashaddud (execessive strictness) on Islamic Daʿwah.

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

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136
...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................
The Daʿwah Methodology of the
Prophet d

I organize my concepts

Styles and Approaches of Characterisrtics of the The concept of the


the Prophetic Methodology of Prophetic Methodology of Prophetic Methodology of
Doing Daʿwah Doing Daʿwah Doing Daʿwah

.............................................................. .............................................................. ..............................................................

.............................................................. .............................................................. ..............................................................

.............................................................. .............................................................. ..............................................................

.............................................................. .............................................................. ..............................................................

.............................................................. .............................................................. ..............................................................

.............................................................. .............................................................. ..............................................................

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.............................................................. .............................................................. ..............................................................

.............................................................. .............................................................. ..............................................................

.............................................................. .............................................................. ..............................................................

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137
5 Lesson Five

Student Activities

I answer by myself:

1. What is the concept of the Prophetic Methodology of Doing Daʿwah?

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

2. I classify the characteristics of the Prophetic Methodology and styles and approaches of the
Prophet d
in the doing daʿwah in the table below:

Characteristics of the Prophetic Styles and Approaches of the Prophetic


Methodology Methodology of Doing Daʿwah

............................................................................................... ...............................................................................................

............................................................................................... ...............................................................................................

............................................................................................... ...............................................................................................

............................................................................................... ...............................................................................................

............................................................................................... ...............................................................................................

............................................................................................... ...............................................................................................

............................................................................................... ...............................................................................................

3. I find a solution: You received a message wherein someone says that he has seen the Prophet
d in a dream and he commanded a certain thing, and now this person wants people to circulate
this message.

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

138
The Daʿwah Methodology of the
Prophet d

I enrich my experience

4. I design a project in which I explain the methodology of a Muslim student: How he can be a dāʿī
(caller) to Allah i through his moral character being guided by the Prophetic Methodology
of doing daʿwah.

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

I assess myself

5. I assess the effect that the lesson on the Prophetic Methodology of doing daʿwah has on my
behavior and worship.

Level of Achievement
SN Area of Application
Average Good Excellent

I am clear with everyone in both what I say


1
and do.

I am keen on representing and exemplifying


2
Islam in my behvior.

I strive to serve the dīn (religion) of Allah


3
i.
I am serious and hardworking in my studies
4
and not negligent and lazy.
I regard my teacher as my exemplary model and
5 therefore, I respect him and acknowledge his value
and true worth.

139
Hybrid education in the Emirati school
Within the strategic dimension of the development
plans in the Ministry of Education, and its endeavor
to diversify education channels and overcome all the
challenges that may prevent it, and to ensure continuity
in all circumstances, the Ministry has implemented a
hybrid education plan for all students at all levels of
education.

Pre-
Study Plan kindergarten/ Cycle 1 Cycle 2 Cycle 3
kindergarten

School
learning

e-learning
Direct - -
Self

Channels for obtaining a textbook:

Electronic units
Doctorate Degree / Applied Sciences

(3-5 Years)

Master’s Degree / Applied Sciences

(2 Years)

Education System in the United


Arab Emirates

Postgraduate Diploma / Applied Sciences


(1-2 Years)

Bachelor’s Degree / Applied Sciences

(3-4 Years)

Diploma / Postgraduate Diploma

(2-3 Years)

Joining Bridging
Work Program
Continuous Education

Home General & Applied Literacy


Vocational Qualification Schooling Academic Stream Stream

Vocational Education and


Development Centre

142
Doctorate Degree

UAE National Qualifications


Classifications

Framework Level 10
International
24
(3-5 Years)

Master’s Degree Dual Degree Master’s Degree

UAE National Qualifications


Classifications
Bachelor’s/Master’s

International

Framework Level 9
22
(2 Years) (2 Years)

Postgraduate Diploma Postgraduate Diploma


(1-2 Year) (1 Year)

UAE National Qualifications Framework


Classifications
International
(4-5 Years)
18

Level 7-8
Bachelor’s Degree / Applied Sciences Bachelor’s Degree
Advanced University
(3-4 Years) Enrollment
(3 Years)

The Ministry coordinates with national higher education institutions to admit students in various majors in line with the needs of the labour

UAE National Qualifications Framework


market and future human development plans. Higher Education institutions also determine the number of students that can be admitted
according to their capabilities, mission and goals. They also set the conditions for students’ admission to various programmes according

Classifications
International
to the stream they graduated from, the levels of their performance in the secondary stage, and their results from the Emirates Standard

Level 5-6
Assessment Test. 18
Integration and coordination between General and Higher Education systems allow for the approval and calculation of school
study courses within university studies according to the school stream and university specialisation, which reduces the duration of
university studies.

Technical & Vocational Streams Academic Streams Cycle 3 / Secondary Stage

UAE National Qualifications Framework


Applied Specialised Technical Technical General Advanced Elite
Academies General Advanced

Classifications
International
Top 10 percent

Level 1-4
12
Applied Technology of students in
Secondary School Program national test scores
Grades 9-12 Ages 14-18 (4 years)

Cycle 2
Classifications
International

Elite Program (Grades 5-8)


Grades 5 - 8 12
Top 10 percent of students in national test scores
Basic Education

Ages 10-14 (4 Years)


Ages 10-14 (4 years)

Cycle 1
Classifications
International

Grades 1 - 4 6
Ages 6-9 (4 Years)

Early Childhood
Classifications
International

Kindergarten Ages 4-6 (not compulsory) 3


Nursery/ Care Ages 0-4 (not compulsory) Theoretical
Starting Age

143
End of Book
Praise be to Allah

144
Attended the event
Choose which events you
volunteer at

145

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