Moon Sighting & Calculations

A simple explanation of why the ‘ulemā’ adhere to sighting the moon over calculations in determining the lunar months.

There are two ḥadīth of Saḥīḥ al Bukhārī wherein it states: 

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ يَقُولُ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَوْ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو الْقَاسِمِ صلى الله عليه وسلم  " صُومُوا لِرُؤْيَتِهِ، وَأَفْطِرُوا لِرُؤْيَتِهِ، فَإِنْ غُبِّيَ عَلَيْكُمْ فَأَكْمِلُوا عِدَّةَ شَعْبَانَ ثَلاَثِينَ

“I heard Abū Hurayrah (ra) saying that The Prophet (s) - or he said, Abu al-Qāsim said - fast due to seeing it [the crescent] and break your fast due to seeing it [end the month], and if it is obscured, then complete 30 days of Sha’bān.” (ḥadīth 1909)

عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ الشَّهْرُ تِسْعٌ وَعِشْرُونَ لَيْلَةً، فَلاَ تَصُومُوا حَتَّى تَرَوْهُ، فَإِنْ غُمَّ عَلَيْكُمْ فَأَكْمِلُوا الْعِدَّةَ ثَلاَثِينَ 

“The month is 29 nights, so do not fast until you see it [the crescent], and if it is obstructed from you, then complete 30 [days].” (ḥadīth 1907)

There are further variations of the same aḥādīth in Saḥīḥ al Bukhārī as well as other compilations.  These two narrations are clear in what the instruction to the ummah regarding beginning and ending the lunar months is.  The famous muḥaddith, commentator, and author of Fatḥ al Bārī bi Sharḥ Saḥīḥ al Bukhārī, Ibn Ḥajr al Asqalānī (rah) clarifies that this is not only for the month of Ramadān but also for all lunar months.  The actual sight of the moon is a prerequisite to both beginning and ending the lunar months because of the verb تَرَوْ which is derived from ru’yah and means to see.

Ibn Ḥajr (rah) mentions that the most apparent meaning in such aḥādīth is the prohibition of beginning the month of Ramadān prior to sighting the crescent and on days that are cloudy, hazy, or have any other such obstructions in the sky, the ummah will simply count the month as 30 days.

There is another ḥadīth which also comes in Saḥīḥ al Bukhārī in the same chapter and it is as follows:

عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ذَكَرَ رَمَضَانَ فَقَالَ لاَ تَصُومُوا حَتَّى تَرَوُا الْهِلاَلَ، وَلاَ تُفْطِرُوا حَتَّى تَرَوْهُ، فَإِنْ غُمَّ عَلَيْكُمْ فَاقْدُرُوا لَهُ 

“Do not fast until you see the crescent. Do not stop fasting [ending the month] until you see it. If it is obstructed from you, then estimate it.” (ḥadīth 1906)

This is the ḥadīth that is used as evidence by those who determine the lunar months according to calculations. On the outset it seems to leave the door open for calculating because of the last words transliterated as faqdurū lahu.  So the question is: how do we understand this ḥadīth?  

Imām Bukhārī (rah) brings six narrations in this chapter.  The ḥadīth on estimating (faqdurū lahu #1906) being the first followed by another five.  The remaining five aḥādīth are the first two we have quoted above as well another three that state: 

“‘The month is such-and-such” and he (s) withheld his thumb the third time.’” — He (s) by way of his blessed hands indicated 10 fingers, 10 fingers, and then 9 fingers. (ḥadīth 1908)

The final two ḥadīth in the chapter are variations of the Prophet (s) saying that the month is 29 days. (ḥadīth 1910 & 1911)

There were some scholars who understood that the actual sighting of the moon is a prerequisite only when the skies are clear. The jamhūr (majority of scholars) however, understand that the ruling is the same whether the skies are clear or not.  In other words, if it is clear, and the moon is not sighted, the month will extend to 30 days, and if it is unclear, then because the moon has not been sighted, the lunar month will also extend to 30 days.  The mention of what to do on unclear days is simply an emphasis for actually sighting the moon. 

As all things in our blessed sharī’ah, there must be a basis for making a claim and evidence for the interpretation we choose.  What then is the evidence of the jamhūr for choosing this interpretation?  Ibn Ḥajr (rah) says that the ḥadīth previously mentioned (see ḥadīth 1909) gives preference to the interpretation of the jamhūr.  He goes on to state that the best method of interpreting ḥadīth is by explaining it with other aḥādīth.  Those who have studied Saḥīḥ al Bukhārī are well aware that this is in fact what the great Imām does.  Imām Bukhārī (rah) speaks very little with his own words and typically speaks through the narrations.  Many times he brings a ḥadīth first, and then follows it up with other aḥādīth to either show the latter as an abrogation of the former, or to clarify the former.  Knowing where a ḥadīth is placed in regards to other aḥādīth is of utmost importance in understanding how to interpret it. Not considering this can lead to a misled understanding. This is highlighted by scholars of all generations including Ibn ‘Uyaynah (rah) who said: “aḥadīth are misleading, except for the jurists.” As such, the following is a ḥadīth that Imām Bukhārī (rah) brings under the chapter of fasting, and he cites it immediately after the discussion of sighting the moon.

سَعِيدُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ ابْنَ عُمَرَ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَّهُ قَالَ " إِنَّا أُمَّةٌ أُمِّيَّةٌ، لاَ نَكْتُبُ وَلاَ نَحْسُبُ الشَّهْرُ هَكَذَا وَهَكَذَا ". يَعْنِي مَرَّةً تِسْعَةً وَعِشْرِينَ، وَمَرَّةً ثَلاَثِينَ 

“Sa’īd bin ‘Amr heard ibn ‘Umar (ra) narrate from the Prophet (s) that he said: Indeed we are an unlettered nation, we neither write nor do we calculate, the month is such-and-such — meaning either 29 days or 30 days”(ḥadīth 1913).

Ibn Ḥajr (rah) explains that the Messenger of Allāh (s) said: “When it is obstructed then complete 30 days” whereas he could have said, then ask the people of calculation, but he did not.  Rather we find this ḥadīth (#1913).  He further expounds, that by counting out 30 days on such occasions will actually remove differences of opinion and disputes.

It is common practice nowadays to chant the mantra of “Islam is easy and simple.” This is true. Our beautiful religion is very simple. Yet, the claim is often misplaced. It is in matters such as these where we must remember that Islam is simple. A very small number of people know the science of astronomy and calculation; thus the masses would be required to trust their calculations and not rely on what they themselves can see.  Seeing of course, is believing, and results in the highest levels of conviction.  By adhering to moon-sighting, it removes difficulty from the people as they are only required to step outside and look up in the sky to see the moon.  The simplicity of Islām lies in its rulings and practices being generally possible to perform by all people, in all places, and at all times.  Finally, Ibn Ḥajr (rah) explains that even if a time comes when the knowledge of calculating moon cycles and astronomy becomes common, the ruling of sighting the moon will remain constant as ultimately calculations leave room for error.

Imām Nawawī (rah) in Sharḥ al Muhadhdhab also uses this ḥadīth (#1913) as evidence to reject the opinion of calculations in determining the lunar months.  The fact of the matter is that all four respective schools of jurisprudence issue a ruling against calculation and in favor of sighting the moon.

Finally, to conclude the matter of what “faqdurū lahu” means, there is a supporting and explanatory ḥadīth in Saḥīḥ Muslim that states:

عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، رضى الله عنهما أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ذَكَرَ رَمَضَانَ فَضَرَبَ بِيَدَيْهِ فَقَالَ  " الشَّهْرُ هَكَذَا وَهَكَذَا وَهَكَذَا - ثُمَّ عَقَدَ إِبْهَامَهُ فِي الثَّالِثَةِ - فَصُومُوا لِرُؤْيَتِهِ وَأَفْطِرُوا لِرُؤْيَتِهِ فَإِنْ أُغْمِيَ عَلَيْكُمْ فَاقْدِرُوا لَهُ ثَلاَثِينَ

“RasūlAllāh (s) mentioned the month of Ramadān and gestured with his hand then said: The month is such-and-such - then he held back his thumb on the third gesture - so fast when you see it, end your fast when you see it, if it is obstructed from you then estimate thirty.” - Faqdurū lahu thalāthīn is precisely mentioned.

In my formal study of Islām since 2009, one thing has been very clear to me: there will always be valid differences of opinion.  There will also be invalid opinions.  However, there will also always be erudite scholars holding a variant opinion; this is classified as nawādir, shādh, or tafarrud, in other words, isolated opinions.  The beauty of sticking to a madhhab is that the framework is built, established, and sustained by centuries of thousands upon thousands of ‘ulemā’.  One or a few scholars might make mistakes and conclude differently, but the legal verdict of the entire madhhab (muftā bihi or mu’tamad) will be a filter against errors and will ultimately protect the masses from following such missteps.  Hence, we are obliged to adhere to the ruling of the madhhab and not go looking for minor opinions to follow.

Shaykh Awwāmah (May Allāh preserve him) cites a few scholars of the past on this issue in Athar al ḥadīth:

• ‘Allāmah al Kawtharī (rah) referencing Ibn Abī ‘Ablah that “Whoever follows the peculiar opinions of the scholars has gone astray”(page 138).

• Ibn ‘Abd al Barr referencing Sulaymān at-Taymī that: “If you followed the concession granted by every scholar, all of evil would assemble in you!”  Thereafter Ibn ‘Abd al Barr commented saying: “There is consensus on this, to which I am aware of no contradiction”(page 138).

• Imām Aḥmad (rah) referencing Muḥammad ibn al-Imām Yaḥyā al-Qattān that “If a person were to follow all the concessions that are in the ḥadīth, he would be a sinner(fāsiq)”(page 139).

• Al-Hāfiz [ibn Ḥajr] referencing ‘Abd ar-Razzāq from Ma’mar saying: “If a man were to follow [all the concessions of Madīnah, Makkah, and Kūfa]… then he would be the worst of Allāh’s servants”(page139).

The majority of ulema do not consider calculations as part of the sunnah, and as such, throughout the ages, they have adhered to sighting the moon rather than calculations to determine the lunar months. Unfortunately, many people are calling for calculations on the basis of unity or having a national day off for Muslims, claiming that unity is more important than what’s correct.  However, we must do what is correct and unity will result from this adherence, as Allāh ta’āla indicates in “hold fast together to the rope of Allāh, and do not be divided”(3.103). Commencing and concluding Ramadān on the same day is not a matter of unity.  Actual unity is in bringing the hearts together.  If our basis of choosing the method of calculation is to have a day off, then we are creating an environment of practicing a cultural Islām which is highly problematic.  Such a discussion is not the purpose of this article but it suffices to say, that if this is our approach we will become just like followers of other faiths in this country who resemble their religion without actually practicing it.  The dīn does not change because it crossed the Atlantic.  It does not change because we are a Muslim minority.  Nor is this the first time Muslims have been a minority in a country.  Our responsibility is to stick to what is right and to the sunnah of the Messenger of Allāh (s).

Allāh knows best.

We ask Allāh ta’āla to guide us on the straight path. Āmīn.

Ramadan: An Economic Perspective

Ramadan: An Economic Perspective

We’ve all thought the same thing while shuffling out the masjid doors after another late night of Tarawih: how can those trash bags be filled to the brim just from plastic water bottles? Do we really consume that much in one night? How much extra waste is going to the landfill this month on behalf of our masjid, much less the community as a whole? How many gallons of drinking water are going down the drain from hundreds of unfinished bottles?

Whether or not we feel bothered by such thoughts, it should be a pertinent concern of every Muslim in the Western hemisphere to take a second look at our relationship to Earth’s scarce resources during this sacred month.

The most fundamental rule in economic theory is that the world’s resources are scarce – meaning that they are not sufficient or sufficiently accessible to satisfy the extent everyone desires for them. While in principle and on economists’ terms this rule remains consistently true, however, we must assert that to define our relationship with these resources based on the individual’s valued interest in acquiring them (known to economists as ‘utility’) is inherently problematic to us. The opening verses of Surat al-Baqarah are especially enlightening in this sense: “He is the one who created everything in the Earth for you,”[1] that is, for your benefit in your worldly and spiritual lives. Any blessing provided to us from Allah is not meant to be vainly exploited, and certainly not wasted wantonly. It should not be used as a tool to oppress others nor feed our Satanic whisperings to hoard wealth and seek profit through avenues unsanctioned by the Sacred Law.

When Allah Almighty created Adam (upon him and upon our Prophet be peace and blessings), He informed the Angels that, “I have made in the Earth a successor”[2]. This met with the astonishment of the Angels and their seeking to learn the wisdom of Allah Most High in His decision to put in their place a creature with the potential for great sin and excess. But Allah Almighty reassured them that “I know what you do not know,” alluding to the secret of Allah’s creation of Mankind: that among them would be those who use the blessings present in this Earth responsibly for His obedience, worship and gratitude, and call others to do likewise. Thus, we recognize that the realization of this purpose in placing Mankind as a successor on Earth is not for him to consume endlessly and unthinkingly, but to strike a particular relationship with the scarce resources we are blessed with: one that allows us to willingly behave, to the best of our abilities, in a manner resemblant of the perfect obedient nature of the Angels. In short, we are called to be grateful for this enormous, incalculable blessing. A gratitude which actionably means utilizing every blessing for its highest possible use.

Returning to Ramadan, the spiritually transformative nature of this month is beyond words or explanation. It must be experienced in full for one to understand. In forgoing the callings of our most basic physical needs and desires, we undergo a month-long physical constriction: one that, if undergone in a manner acceptable to Allah Most High, leads to a spiritual expansion that continues to provide for us throughout the year. But while we fast throughout the day, as soon as the Adhan is called for Maghrib, many of us instinctively seek to ‘make up’ for the missed calories and foregone desires until morning. We prepare the most delectable foods, some which are rarely eaten outside of Ramadan, and follow it with an array of sweets before marching off to pray Tarawih, loosening our belts to avoid the discomfort. If we were to scrutinize the groceries coming into our homes during Ramadan, and the trash leaving them (including the thousands of plastic water bottles entering the masjid and leaving half-full), it should not be surprising to notice that many of us are expanding or at least meeting our consumptive behaviors compared with outside of Ramadan. Likewise, while we could be busying our free time during the day with Qur’an and remembering Allah Most High, we frequently find ourselves browsing online or on-site marketplaces, looking for something to fill the dopamine gap we are feeling. We are simply unsatisfied with less, due to our infatuation with the dunya, that being the very problem Ramadan is meant to address.

Imam Ghazali (may Allah have mercy on him) mentions that he who eats as much as his regular dinner meal upon breaking his fast is deprived of its benefit. Outside of necessity, there should be a net lull in our collective consumption and economic activity during Ramadan, not just adjustment of its scheduling. By doing so, we make room to reintroduce various acts of worship into our lives, and we learn to differentiate in our intake of resources between what is necessary for a fulfilling, God-conscious life, and what is superfluous. We are trained to accept that resources are scarce, and their valuation is not merely a calculation of utility and cost, but to see the opportunities for displaying gratitude to Allah Most High made possible by putting them to their highest use. After all, Allah is the Provider, and He alone can determine whether we will truly benefit or lose out from His blessings. It is He who brought forth twelve gushing wellsprings from the rock to satisfy each tribe of Bani Isra’il, He who sent down the Manna and Salwa while they wandered in the wilderness, He who fed around eighty Sahabah through one pot of food and multiplied the output of food and drink through mere interaction with His chosen Messenger ﷺ. Do we not see how quickly we are satisfied with a handful of dates and fruits after a full day of fasting? Do we not taste the sweetness of water that was previously unnoticeable? This is the barakah Allah provides us without asking anything in return beyond mere gratitude.

As long as we continue to focus on consuming and maximizing worldly pleasures, we will continue to miss out on these subtle moments of blessed satisfaction. We will be like the Sahabi who investigated the pot of meat wondering how it fed so many people, to find it suddenly empty, or the Bedouin who ate from the dish that seemed unending without saying bismillah and consumed it all in two bites.[3] Rather, let us learn from Ramadan not to focus on the means and the input, but on the output of gratitude we can embody. If we do so, we will be like those who Allah provides for in the end times not on food or drink, but on subhanAllah, alhamduliLlah, and Allahu akbar alone. And Allah gives tawfiq.

[1] Quran, 2:29

[2] Quran, 2:30

[3] Tirmidhi, 1858

Tolerance & Taqwa

"O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allāh is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allāh is Knowing and Aware" [Quran 49:13]. 

In this verse, Allah addressed humanity which includes Muslims and non Muslims, and He said that He created us differently. He made us males and females, and nations and tribes which have different cultures, colors, languages, and foods. The reason for this is not that we harm, force, or kill one another. Rather, it is so that we may get to know one another. It is these differences that make the difference in the human family. 

We must learn to tolerate each other with all of our differences. This tolerance includes those we disagree with because we can agree to disagree with them and still coexist peacefully. We can include and tolerate others as human beings even though we may not support, promote, or condone their actions or beliefs. It is especially important today that we are able to civilly sit and talk with those we disagree with without immediately canceling them or shutting them down. It is a sign of one who is tolerant that he or she tolerates those who do not tolerate him or her. 

Allah concludes the verse by saying that the most noble of all people in the sight of God are not those who are just rich, famous, powerful, beautiful, a certain race or color, or how many degrees they have. Rather, the most noble to Allah are those who have the most righteousness/piety (taqwa). Imam Abdullah Al-Haddad defined taqwa as obeying Allah's commandments and avoiding His prohibitions inwardly and outwardly. It is this internal state of taqwa that manifests externally on the limbs that makes the difference between people to Allah. May Allah make us of the people of taqwa.

Duality of the Shahādah

﷽

Among the most famous words spoken by our beloved Messenger, Muhammad ﷺ, are those he most aptly delivered in reply to the inquisitions made by the angel Jibrīl, in which the latter requested that Allah’s Chosen inform him on the concepts and contents of Islām (specifying the fundamental actions required of Muslims), Īmān (specifying articles of faith), and Iḥsān (spiritual excellence). 

The first of these three includes what are known as the Five Pillars of Islam: uttering the Testimony of Faith, upholding the ritual prayer, giving specified alms to poor Muslims, fasting Ramaḍān, and attending the Ḥajj pilgrimage if one is able do so. While each of these ‘pillars’ can be understood independently of the others, in reality the latter four are only achievable when preceded by the most important, the Testimony of Faith, or Shahādah. It is useful to imagine the metaphor of Islam not as a house constructed on five equal pillars, but one built on the four pillars of Ṣalāh, Zakāh, Ṣawm, and Ḥajj, all of which are atop a singular, mighty foundation: the Shahādah. 

This phrase, as one the ḥadīth’s many commentators Sa’d ad-Dīn Taftāzānī expounds, consists of two parts. The first, “I testify that there is no god but Allah”, expresses the utterer’s belief in the Oneness of Allah Most High: absolute exclusivity from all others in His Essence, Attributes, and Actions. The second, “and, [I testify that] Muḥammad is the Messenger of Allah”, expresses one’s belief in Prophethood. 

Imam Taftāzānī says, “[Testimony towards the Oneness of Allah and in Prophethood] are two inseparable foundations in upholding the religion, by necessity of Islām being dependent on the two halves of the testimony.” Inseparable here can correctly mean that both parts are required to validate one’s belief; one alone does not suffice. But if we are to analyze this word further, in the language of the scholars of logic, it may further import that belief in each singular half of the Testimony leads one by necessity to the belief in the other. Thus, a thinking person’s belief in God should necessarily lead them to belief in Prophethood, and specifically to that of Muḥammad ﷺ. Likewise, one’s belief in Muḥammad ﷺ as a Messenger would lead them to believe in the Oneness of Allah Most High.

This latter half of this claim is clear: How could someone truly recognize the Messengership of Muḥammad and still claim divinity for other than Allah, with a fundamental, in fact the most fundamental component of the Message he preached and recited being the likes of, “So, be assured there is no god but Allah” (Qur’an, 47:19) and “Say, [the truth is] that Allah is One. Allah is Besought of all, needing none. He neither begot anyone, nor was He begotten. And never has there been an equal to Him” (Qur’an, 112:1-4).

However, it remains obscure, to many, how belief in Allah’s Oneness should lead us to accepting the prophethood of Muḥammad ﷺ, or any others among His noble Prophets, Allah grant mercy and peace to them and to our beloved Messenger, āmīn. Thus, the relation between the two concepts, God’s Oneness, and Prophethood, is worthy of further exploration.

Thankfully for us, authors of our illustrious Islamic inheritance, like Imam Taftāzānī, have authored an entire genre of works expounding their thoughts on this very subject, known as Uṣūl ad-Dīn, the Foundations of the Religion. While the scrupulous details of the science may be saved for a formal study of ‘aqīdah, which every Muslim is encouraged to embark on to know the beliefs fundamental to their religion, we hope here to take the holistic route of reflecting on the Qur’an as a guide to making our intended connection. Let us, then, turn our attention to the beginning verses of Sūrah al-Insān:

“There has come unto mankind a moment of time in which he was nothing worth mentioning.” (Qur’an, 76:1)

With this verse, we are instantly alerted to the most fundamental rule of not only our own existence, but the universe as a whole: change. Human beings, like all things, only came to exist through a process of continuous change and transformation. Reaching far back into the depths of time, we know that not only did humans not exist, but the universe itself cannot possibly have developed to what it is now via an infinite chain of similarly contingent events. To believe the opposite leads to a logical absurdity. It must thus have a beginning, and there must be a pre-existing actor capable of initiating that beginning. That actor, existing independently and eternally with no beginning nor end, is what we designate with the word God, Allah in the Arabic language.

This argument is summarized succinctly with the following assertions and conclusion:

The universe changes. Everything that changes is in need of an unchanging Creator. Thus, the universe is in need of an unchanging Creator.

So far, we have established God’s existence alone. But what of His qualities that we know of from the Qur’an, like Life, Power, Will, Knowledge, etc.? If we have established that the universe has a Creator, it is thus fundamental that these attributes be ascribed to Him. Else, the act of creating the universe would not be possible were the Creator nonliving, powerless, unwilling, and unknowing of His creation. As for His Oneness, it is absurd to imagine that God’s absolute Will to do a particular thing be even potentially rivaled by the contrary absolute Will belonging to any other being posited as a ‘god’. Thus, the only being capable of possessing that said Will and similar qualities of perfection and eternality is the One God. 

Let us proceed to the next verse:

“We have created Mankind from a mixed sperm-drop to put him to test; then we made him able to hear, able to see.” (Qur’an, 76:2)

What, thus far, is still missing in the creation of the universe as we know it, with all its complexity, beauty, terror, and specifically in the creation of Mankind, furnished not only with the physical components of life, but beautified further with an intellect capable of investigating difficult questions about the universe, his own place therein, and innovating solutions to solve many of life’s material and philosophical challenges? For all this to be the outcome, the Creator must be attributed with a quality necessitating assignment of order and ultimate purpose in all His actions. This attribute can be called Wisdom, and its opposite, an impossibility for God, is called foolishness.

The verse above illustrates the physical process of human development. By what intent did God carve out for us a notch in this universe, carefully nurturing us through the various stages of conception, embryo development, then emerging from the womb a fully formed human being? “To put him to test.” That is the purpose of our creation, exemplified also in Qur’an 51:56: “I did not create the Jinn and Mankind except for the purpose that they should worship me.” 

Further, Allah Most High made Mankind “able to hear, able to see”; he gifted us not only with the physical senses by which we experience His creation, but with the potential for insight necessary to draw conclusions regarding the universe’s absolute dependance on God and the purposefulness behind our own creation. Our beloved Messenger ﷺ informed us that, “there is no man born except upon his primal nature (i.e., that of recognizing his Creator)”. We are all born with the inherent ability to reason many essential truths about God and our subservience to His Majesty. While that ability does not necessarily go away, those of us who were not born amongst the Muslims are led down a path of spiritual blindness until those guided few of us, ultimately, may find our way back to reunite with the warmth of God’s intent for us through Islam. All praise be to Allah!

We must, somehow, figure out a way back to God. Yet there are various realities that are imperceptible to us. What other qualities belong to God? What is our purpose? How do we fulfill it? How can we gain real, lasting peace and felicity? Allah the All-Wise answers thus:

“We have shown him the way to be either grateful or ungrateful.” (Qur’an, 76:3)

Following the same idea of Divine Wisdom explained earlier, we recognize there are matters of reality and morality which cannot be explained with intellect alone. Thus, if we are to discover and fulfill the purpose of our creation, we need more information. Anticipating this in His infinite Knowledge, God inspired certain individuals with the message requisite to attain human perfection and the eternal felicity sought by all. This message is called Revelation, as it is dispatched from the realm of the unseen to God’s chosen prophets (upon them and upon His Final Prophet be peace), who then pass it on to their people to steer them towards God’s intent for them. Revelation teaches us to fulfill our place in the universe by willingly showing gratefulness to God, and it also shows us the ugliness of its opposite.

Here, we may encounter a problem: how can one differentiate between true and false claimants of Prophethood? This was also anticipated, and thus God supported every prophet with miracles: occurrences defying the laws of nature tied to their claim towards Prophethood. These occurrences are aptly called mu’jizah in Arabic, meaning that they rendered anyone’s denial of the divine nature of these occurrences utterly impotent. Mūsā silenced the influential magicians of his time when his staff turned into a living snake, ‘Īsā effortlessly cured ailments even the skilled doctors of the Roman Empire were clueless to handle, and finally, our Beloved Messenger Muḥammad ﷺ came reciting a scripture that astounded the most eloquent poets of the most illustrious language, bringing ocean-depths of meaning, masterful rhetoric, impossible accuracy regarding past and future and subtle events, and upright guidance for every person who walks this Earth. Being the Seal of Prophethood and culmination of God’s dispatching revelation to the entirety of mankind, his miracle is the one prophetic miracle we can continue to bear witness to over a thousand years later, and thus do we recognize the magnitude of his noble station among all of Mankind.

It is due to the perfection of his sublime message and person that his blessed name will forever be next to that of God’s, in the phrase, “I testify that there is no god but Allah, and I testify that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.”

Tadabbur to Redemption

كِتَـٰبٌ أَنزَلْنَـٰهُ إِلَيْكَ مُبَـٰرَكٌۭ لِّيَدَّبَّرُوٓا۟ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦ وَلِيَتَذَكَّرَ أُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلْأَلْبَـٰبِ 

“This is a blessed Book which We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], that they might deeply reflect (tadabbur) upon its verses and that those of understanding would be reminded”(38.29).

There lived a man, Imam al Haram-Rabbani, Shaykh al Hijaz, who was considered by all accounts to be of the highest caliber from knowledge, spiritual, and practical standpoints. However, as the famous Oscar Wilde quote goes, “Every saint has a past, and every sinner has a future.” Thus, before his illustrious rise, he spent many years as a shaatir, a highway robber, one of the most dangerous ones at that, between Sarakhas and Abyrd in Samarqand in the second century! His name was synonymous with evil. Born to a father who had traveled to Iraq and died when he was very young, he was part of a gang that ambushed caravans crossing his territory. His name and reputation as their terrorizing leader had spread far and wide. This young man was named Fudayl Ibn Iyad At Tamimi. He was also in love with a young woman. One night, he decided to scale the high walls of her dwelling and see her at midnight when suddenly he heard a verse of Surah al Hadid being recited.

أَلَمْ يَأْنِ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ أَن تَخْشَعَ قُلُوبُهُمْ لِذِكْرِ ٱللَّهِ وَمَا نَزَلَ مِنَ ٱلْحَقِّ وَلَا يَكُونُوا۟ كَٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ مِن قَبْلُ فَطَالَ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْأَمَدُ فَقَسَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ ۖ وَكَثِيرٌۭ مِّنْهُمْ فَـٰسِقُون 

"Has the time not yet come for believers’ hearts to be humbled at the remembrance of Allah and what has been revealed of the truth, and not be like those given the Scripture before—˹those˺ who were spoiled for so long that their hearts became hardened. And many of them are still rebellious"(57.16).

A man who had negatively affected so many was suddenly paralyzed and in awe of what he had just heard. Something within him caused immediate and deep reflection. Muhasabah, an act Imam Ghazali (rah) mentions one should engage in daily, prompted him to start climbing down the wall and say, “قد انا" - "Yes, my Lord." He began looking for a dark place to sit and ponder. While in seclusion, he overheard people nearby mentioning the danger of staying in the area longer, as it was Fudayl's notorious domain. Fudayl ibn Iyad was deeply moved. He made his tawbah and, in his repentance, promised to live in the House of Allah in Makkah. It is mentioned that when he emerged, he reassured the people of the caravan not to fear and, in some traditions, even fed them.

After his tawbah, he immediately changed his location and embarked on his journey for 'ilm. Having newly returned to Islam, he learned from the greatest Tabi'een, including A’mash (rah), Muhammad Ibn Ishaq (rah), and Imam Jafar as-Sadiq (rah). He became a renowned 'alim, and his knowledge was sought by figures like Sufyan Ibn ‘Uyaynah (rah), Abdullah Ibn Mubarak (rah), Bishar Al Hafi (rah), and Imam Shafi (rah). His hadith can be found in Sahih Bukhari and Muslim. Known for his balanced gatherings, Abdullah ibn Mubarak called him a teacher of goodness. Reflecting on the numerous accounts of transformation and redemption seen in the lives of believers throughout Islamic history is not only unsurprising but also greatly astounding and motivating.

The redemption of Fudayl (rah) was sparked by a few moments of deep reflection over a single verse. When will such a moment arrive for us? I pray it is before the appointed time of meeting our Lord arrives. Ameen.