Islamic Khitbah (A Comparison of Madzhabs in Islam)

Journal of Near Eastern Studies, Volume 82, Number 2 (October 2023): 377-380.

Dissertation , 2021

Prof Timothy Winter is also known as Abdul Hakim Murad is one of Europe’s most prominent scholars and well-known British Muslim converts. He is concerned as the leading proponent of neo-traditionalism and dean of Cambridge Muslim College. To the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre (RISSC), which is based on the Royal Aal al- Bayt Institute for Islamic thoughts in the Jordan capital, Murad is “one of the well-respected western theologians” and his accomplishments place him amongst the significant Muslims in the world. As a Muslim convert his books, articles and lectures are unimpeachable and comprehensive. Rather than an Islamic theologian and influential scholar who deal with Anglo-Muslim relations and conventional Islam, Sheikh Abdul Hakim Murad is a Sunni who adheres to mystical traditions of Islam. Both English man and Muslim convert, Abdul Hakim Murad is positioned to bridge the gap between Islam and the west and to mould good and archetypal British Muslim scholars and imams. He has written deliberately on religious endeavors of the Muslim world and his works impact all fields of work particularly traditional Islam and Anglo-Muslim relations. he has translated lots of key Islamic texts of charismatic leaders like Imām al Būsiri, Imām Ibn Asqlāni, Imām al Bayhaqi, Imām Ghazāli, etc. his academic publications also comprise many articles on Islamic theology and Muslim Christian relations as well as two books in Turkish on political theology. And hundreds of YouTube videos of his lectures and Friday sermons form an important source of knowledge for English speaking Muslims. However, his famous book, ‘Understanding four madhhabs: The facts about ijtihad and taqlid’ has a necessary role in this modern period. This book outlines the internal clashes and factionalism derived over the past millennium. Nonetheless, today as well as in past the questions on Islamic jurisprudence and Sunni Islamic law is prevalent. Among them, the incessant discourses and arguments on whether the door of ijtihad closed or not, what is the role of four schools of Sunni Islamic law, how did they originate and is it enough to follow Qurān and Hadīth, are rife in the Islamic intellectual world. Therefore, this book bears profound significance over others. At this juncture, the study over the methodology of this book and the emergence and expansion of four madhhabs are essential and indispensable. This short and yet phenomenal work of Sheikh Abdul Hakim Murad drags and stretches the answers to the aforementioned questions. There are numerous works and studies of different scholars and Ulamās from various aspects of madhhabs, the four schools of Sunni Islamic law. Those works and endeavors concede its narration and modus operandi to deliver about four schools and other related discussions like Ijtihad, Taqlīd, Anti-madhhabism and etc. However, the study on the methodology of understanding four madhhabs: the facts about Ijtihad and Taqlīd along with the history of madhhab formation and its unequivocal influence in the Islamic world are very important. So it’s extremely notable to conduct emphatic research over this subject and it's exceedingly seminal to study Sheikh Abdul Hakim Murad who is known as the living Ghazāli of the west.

Ilahiyat Studies, 2017

First Paragraph: The present book, a revised version of the author’s doctoral thesis at Princeton University, presents a new study of the history of the Ẓāhirī madhhab of Islamic law. In Part I, the author gathers all available information on the scholars who have been counted as adherents of the Ẓāhirī school beginning with the founder Dāwūd ibn ʿAlī al-Iṣbahānī (d. 270/884) to the latest recorded representative in the 10th/16th century.

Editors: Zafar Ishaq Ansari and Isma'il Ibrahim Nawwab. Islam’s rise was so spectacular that within a few decades after the Prophet’s demise, one of the two existing super-powers that had set out to impede the spread of Islam lay shattered. As for the other, it was to a great extent crippled by losing some of the richest territories under its occupation. The dramatic character of these developments do not detract from the fact that the conquests proceeded smoothly, that the reforms which Islam sought to bring about met with the willing acceptance of the conquered populace; in fact, a fair section of them welcomed the new regime. Those who held the reins of power also exhibited a rare maturity in dealing with the populace under their control and were generally inclined not to change things unnecessarily lest they caused inconvenience to people. ~ Zafar Ishaq Ansari

Iyāḍ b. ʿAwāna, 2022

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, translated, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission from the publisher. Requests for re-use and/or translations must be addressed to Koninklijke Brill NV via brill.com or copyright.com. This book is printed on acid-free paper and produced in a sustainable manner.

Arabic-into-English translation of section on Prayer from Ibn Qudama's al-Mughni. Islamic Legal Texts translated by Nikola Dukas Sardelis © for Jonathan Ercanbrack, to inform his authored chapters in 'Islamic Contract Law' (Ilias Bantekas, Jonathan G. Ercanbrack, Umar A. Oseni and Ikram Ullah, Oxford University Press, 2023). Translations copyrighted to Nikola Dukas Sardelis. Please therefore ensure to clearly and explicitly cite Nikola Dukas Sardelis as the translator whenever the aforementioned translations are referred to, directly or indirectly, in any book, book chapter, article, thesis or other publication. Thank you

Al-Quran Society, 2023

CONTEMPLATING THE QUR’AN FOLLOWING THE QUR’AN AND SUNNAH: BENEFITING FROM THE MADHHABS HOLISTICALLY AND NOT FOLLOWING ONE MADHHAB RIGIDLY Shaykh Muhammad al-Amin al-Shanqiti An abridged translation of the author’s tafsir of an ayah of the Qur’an (Surah Muhammad, 47:24) from his Adwa’ al-Bayan (Lights of Eloquence) with an INTRODUCTION by Shaykh Suhaib Hasan 1st Rabi’ al-Awwal 1445 H / 16th September 2023 © Al-Qur’an Society, 1445 H / 2023 CE – All rights reserved. Contemplating the Qur’an is a treatise on following the Qur’an and the Sunnah, benefiting from the codified Madhhabs holistically whilst not following any one Madhhab rigidly or blindly, by Shaykh Muhammad al-Amin al-Shanqiti (1325-1393 H / 1907-1973 CE) of Mauritania and Saudi Arabia, one of the greatest authorities on the Qur’an of the 20th century CE and the 14th Islamic century. The treatise is an abridged translation of the author’s tafsir of an ayah of the Qur’an (Surah Muhammad, 47:24) from his monumental tafsir, Adwa’ al-Bayan (Lights of Eloquence). In this treatise, the author covers the following topics: Muslims must contemplate the Qur’an, learn it, understand it and act by it There is no basis for those who say that the above is only for the mujtahids A muqallid is not an ‘alim: a follower of opinions does not have knowledge Saying that we cannot follow the Qur’an and Sunnah but must follow the codified Madhhabs, is one of the greatest falsehoods A critique of Sawi’s view that holding to the apparent meanings of the Book and the Sunnah is one of the principles of kufr (blasphemy) On Ijtihad, Taqlid and Madhhab; permissible and impermissible taqlid He concludes with eleven “Important Notes About This Issue,” including: the Four Imams were united in forbidding their blind taqlid; Haram/Halal cannot be stated on the basis of taqlid; the difference between taqlid & ittiba’; our stance towards the Imams; every Imam has been criticized for going against the Sunnah in particular matters (with examples); muqallids must distinguish between their Imam’s actual views and those added to his Madhhab after him; it is impermissible for a Muslim to believe that the era of ijtihad is closed, and that only four Madhhabs must be followed; turning away from the Qur’an and Sunnah in favour of the Four Madhhabs is one of the greatest problems that has beset Muslims over recent centuries. We have added five important Appendices. Firstly, an earlier, concise fatwa from the Shaykh about following Madhhabs, given in 1385 H (1964/5 CE). The Shaykh moved on from this fatwa somewhat, but we include it for the sake of integrity. Secondly, we mention the Shaykh’s broadening out from his basis of the Maliki Madhhab after becoming exposed in Mecca and Medina to diverse views and schools from around the Muslim world. Thirdly, we correct a contemporary misquote from Imam Ibn al-Qayyim, whom the Shaykh quotes extensively in his full discussion. The misquote attempts to portray Ibn al-Qayyim as saying the opposite of his actual position, so we are happy to set the record straight. Fourthly, we show how Imam Shatibi also presented a holistic approach to the Madhhabs. Finally, we include Zamakhshari’s classic, educational and entertaining poem about Madhhabi sectarianism.

Islamic Law and Society, 2003

Muḥammad Majdhūb was one of many Muslims who in the nineteenth century argued against strict adherence to the established madhhab system and sought ways to overcome it. This case study, based on an examination of Majdhūb’s writings and contemporary documents, analyses what this position meant in practice, how it was expressed, and what it signified in a given social context. The challenge to madhhab affiliation appears to have been more radical in theory than in practice. While dismissing fiqh rationality and basing himself on Prophetic Tradition and inspiration, Majdhūb’s practical conclusions consistently—if implicitly—agree with the Shāfiʿī school. In the context in which such views were propagated, however, we find interesting social and political factors that contributed to their attractiveness. Here, they served to transcend a politicised deadlock between proponents of different madhhabs while lending ‘Prophetic’ support to the local as opposed to the ruling Ottoman party.

The framing of Islamic law in the first four centuries of Islam is of great significance to scholars. During this period, the Islamic diaspora was in the earliest part of its development, establishing its identity and developing the foundations of its knowledge principles. These times were tumultuous; yet, at the same time, what occurred during these early centuries formed the bedrock upon which a further millennium of growth has taken place in this global religion. Many forces were interplaying during these early years in the context of Islamic law. "Independents," who formed a majority of Islamic theorists, gradually disappeared and gave way to "Muqallidȋn" and there was discourse and allegiance amongst "Rationalists" and "Traditionalists." There was a shift away from early regional schools (of thought) to personal schools and tremendous debate raged about Ijtihȃd and Taqlȋd. In more recent times, over the past century, orientalist commentators on the period, who have painted a picture of these early centuries of the Islamic legal system and jurisprudence as being somewhat cut and dry, have begun to be challenged. Schacht for example, who wrote in the early to mid-twentieth century, later had his views nuanced by scholars such as Hallaq and others. This paper thus examines the early formation of the four schools of Islamic law, recounts brief biographical accounts of their founders, and discusses the challenges faced during those early years of Islamic legal history, which are a source of disagreement among contemporary scholars.