The Biography of Ameer-e-Millat; Pir Syed Jamaat Ali Shah: Saint, Scholar, and Socio-Political Activist of Indo-Pak Subcontinent: Dr.Musharraf Hussain

 YouTube Video:

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In this video, I have the honour of speaking about one of the greatest spiritual luminaries of our time Ameer-e-Millat, Hazrat Pir Jamaat Ali Shah (R.A).
I share reflections on his remarkable life, unwavering faith, and extraordinary services to Islam a true Man of Allah whose love for the Muslim Ummah left an everlasting legacy that continues to inspire us to this day. I pray this brings benefit to your heart and soul. Dr.Musharraf Hussain

Amazon:The Biography of Ameer-e-Millat; Pir Syed Jamaat Ali Shah: Saint, Scholar, and Socio-Political Activist of Indo-Pak Subcontinent: Dr.Musharraf Hussain

https://www.amazon.com/Biography-

Ameer-Millat-Syed-Jamaat-ebook/dp/B0GHPC7CJX

This comprehensive biography of Pir Syed Jamaat Ali Shah (Ameer-e-Millat) offers a profound insight into one of the most influential spiritual and political figures of 19th and early 20th-century South Asia. Beginning with a reflection on the Divine purpose of human life, the book traces his early upbringing, education, and spiritual formation before exploring his pivotal role in reviving Sufism and guiding the Muslim community.
Through detailed chapters, readers discover his contributions to the Pakistan Movement, his unwavering support for Quaid-e-Azam Jinnah, and his leadership in landmark events such as the Khilafat and Shaheed Ganj movements. The book also highlights his establishment of mosques, madrasas, and welfare institutions, as well as his international efforts in service of Islam.
Rich with historical context and spiritual depth, this well-structured biography captures Ameer-e-Millat’s compassion, wisdom, and devotion to the Prophet Muhammad. It stands as an essential resource for students of Sufism, history, and the spiritual heritage of the Indo-Pak subcontinent.

Dr Musharraf Hussain is a distinguished scholar and visionary. He is the Chief Executive of Karimia Institute (Nottingham, UK). He was born in Pakistan and settled in the UK in 1966. Dr Hussain demonstrated exceptional academic talent from a young age, memorising the Quran and mastering Tajweed and Quranic Arabic.
He completed a Degree in Biochemistry and a Science Doctorate before dedicating his life to serving the Muslim community. Dr Hussain’s pursuit of Islamic knowledge led him to study under renowned scholars in Pakistan and Egypt. He has received numerous accolades for his outstanding services to community relations in Britain, including an OBE in 2008.
Dr Hussain has held leadership positions in various organisations and continues to inspire and contribute to the intellectual and spiritual growth of the Muslim community in the UK and beyond.

Dr Musharraf Hussain's Website:

Sharing the Life, Works & Achievements of A Man of Allah: 

https://www.musharrafhussain.com/the-biography-of-ameer-e-millat/

The Biography of Ameer-e-Millat
Three years ago, I was asked by Pir Syed Munawar Hussain Jamati to translate the biography of his great-grandfather, Ameer-e-Millat (Leader of the Community) Pir Syed Jamaat Ali Shah. I am pleased to tell you that we are launching this significant book this week, Alhamdu-lillah. This book shows how a spiritual leader responded to political turmoil, social fragmentation, moral confusion, and challenges that strongly resemble our own time.
Every generation faces its own challenges:
The nineteenth and early twentieth centuries in the Indo-Pak subcontinent were marked by profound upheaval. The last Mughal emperor, Bahadur Zafar Shah, was removed. Muslims were facing the brutality of the British Raj as they were creating intellectual confusion and internal divisions. Century-old Islamic institutions were weakened, confidence was shaken, and people looked for a guide. It was in this unstable environment that Pir Syed Jamaat Ali Shah (widely known as Ameer-e-Millat) emerged as a figure of stability, wisdom, and moral leadership. His life reminds us that religious leadership is not simply about preserving tradition, but about renewing faith and reconnecting people with the deeper purposes of religion, even under harsh conditions.
In many ways, the challenges he faced mirror our own. Today, Muslims around the world continue to wrestle with questions of identity, authenticity, social responsibility, and spiritual depth. This book speaks clearly to our time; it demonstrates how spiritual authenticity and social engagement can coexist harmoniously. The life of Ameer-e-Millat offers a profound answer. It reflects the life of an authentic Muslim, a simple lifestyle characterised by pure living, consisting of healthy habits from the Sunnah. It invites us to adopt Islamic values to remain spiritually grounded.
Who was Ameer-e-Millat?
Saints and religious leaders, we imagine, are individuals who withdraw from society and focus solely on personal devotion. What makes Pir Syed Jamaat Ali Shah remarkable is that he represented a different model of spirituality. He was committed to inner purification and spiritual discipline but engaged with the social, educational, and political realities of his time.
His spirituality was not isolated from the world. Rather, it was expressed through service to humanity. He established educational institutions, schools and Madrassas, built Masajid, and supported community development through establishing civic societies. He demonstrated that closeness to Allah should translate into compassion for people.
Another remarkable aspect of his life was his emphasis on nurturing people. That’s obvious from the fact that a quarter of the biography is about his 100 deputies, highly trained and adept disciples. Therefore, his legacy is not only institutions and movements, but the individuals he mentored and inspired. They carried forward his teachings across all regions of India, from Sialkot to Srinagar and from Alipur to Ajmer. Therefore, his life reminds us of a timeless Islamic principle that spiritual excellence is not isolation but the ability to uplift and serve others.
Why does this book matter:
My primary responsibility was to ensure that the author’s voice (Syed Akhtar Hussain Shah Jamati) remained authentic. The goal was to make the work accessible to a broader English-speaking audience. The book is important for younger generations growing up in the English-speaking world, who may not have direct access to classical Urdu literature. They are prone to being colonised by the powerful consumerist culture of hedonism and are gullible.
Ameer-e-Millat was a critic of British imperialism and its materialistic approach to life. The book also offers important historical and spiritual perspectives for non-Muslim readers, scholars, and researchers interested in understanding the intellectual and spiritual traditions of Islam in South Asia. The translation, therefore, serves as a bridge. It connects generations. It connects cultures, and most importantly, it allows timeless wisdom to travel beyond linguistic boundaries.
Lessons we can draw:
The life of Ameer-e-Millat teaches us several lessons. Firstly, it reminds us that knowledge and spirituality must walk together. He combined scholarship with devotion, intellect with humility, and learning with action. He believed that revival must begin with correct creed and culture, which is connected to the divine revelation and the sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him); it is grounded in historical consciousness.
Secondly, it teaches us the importance of resilience. Despite political and social upheavals, he remained steadfast in his faith and community service. His life illustrates that moral leadership demands patience, courage, and unwavering conviction. Thirdly, his example highlights the importance of mentorship and personal development. He invested deeply in people, recognising that the strength of any community lies in the character of its individuals.
Finally, his life encourages us to view Islam not merely as a set of rituals or doctrines, but as a way of living that nurtures the inner self and the material needs of society. Working on this translation was not simply an academic or literary exercise for me. It was a journey of reflection. Reading and translating the events of his life repeatedly forced me to ask myself how we measure success in religious leadership and scholarship today. His life challenged me to think beyond titles, positions, or public recognition. It invites us to measure success through devotion to Allah and service to humanity.
Closing reflection:
As we celebrate the publication of this book and admire this wonderful saint, we are encouraged to ask ourselves: What does genuine spiritual leadership look like in our time? How can I contribute to building a community rooted in Islamic values? The biography makes accessible the intellectual legacy of one of the prominent Muslim thinkers of the 20th century. JazakAllah to all those who contributed to bringing this important work to a wider audience. May this book serve as a source of knowledge, inspiration, and guidance for generations to come. Click HERE to get your copy.

The Art of Remembrance – Baraka Blue & Abdallah Rothman: Cambridge Muslim College: May 7,2023

 YouTube Video:

https://youtu.be/w7TL-jcdSW8?si=WURJT7QiReRZcRj8

Join renowned author and spoken word artist Baraka Blue as he kicks off his UK book tour at Cambridge Muslim College. In this captivating interview, Dr. Abdallah Rothman explores Baraka Blue's latest publication, "The Art of Remembrance." Delve into spirituality, poetry, and the power of remembrance as they discuss the profound insights within this enlightening work. Purchase Book Here: https://www.rumicenter.love/shop/the-...

Rumi Center for Spirituality & Arts: The Art of Remembrance: Baraka Blue

https://www.rumicenter.love/remembrance

In the great tradition of Rumi and Hafez, Baraka Blue’s poetry is at once ecstatic and humorous, insightful and amorous, joyful and nostalgic.
In flashes of the visionary, the playful, the passionate, the lyrical, and the profound, Baraka Blue's words serve as a lively spiritual companion to all seekers, lovers and people of heart.

Praise for the art of remembrance:

“Baraka Blue has taken his place as the leading exponent of Sufi inspired verse in the English language and the clear successor to the late Daniel Abdal Hayy Moore who virtually invented the genre. The poet Caroline Forche called Moore “a rarity among his contemporaries - a surrealist of the sacred.”
By contrast, the younger poet might be called “a realist of the sacred.”
His poetry invokes the immediacy of the Divine Presence as a constant, contemplative reality. He looks for God in everything, never deviating from this essential vision. The Art of Remembrance is another tour de force from the American Muslim poet, a rich collection of verse steeped in the metaphysical language of Islamic spirituality, with a subliminal Hip-Hop heartbeat.” Michael Sugich- Author of Signs on the Horizon & Exemplar for our Time.

“Baraka Blue's poetry is not only beautiful, powerful, lyrical and profound, it also has this unique ability to awaken something deep within the reader, to help us remember ancient wisdom that many of our species have forgotten. This is more than art, it is alchemy." Adeyinka Muhammad Mendes- Poet, Teacher,Translator & Founder of the Nibras Foundation

“In these moving lines, the call of the eternal reverberates in the rhythms of the present. In Baraka Blue one hears the teachings of Rumi, Ibn Ata'allah and others in a form that echoes the voice of Walt Whitman.” Joseph Lumbard- The Study Quran, Translator, Commentary Writer, General Edidtor

“Baraka Blue’s [writing] is a brilliant and profound contemporary reflection on the very best of Sufi poetry, and itself an extension of that tradition. A thousand years ago, Sufi poetry found sublime expressions in Persian, and then Urdu and Turkish among other languages. Today, we are witnessing the emergence of Sufi poetry in English.
What a joy to witness this birth.” Omid Safi,Duke University- Author of Radical Love: Teachings from the Islamic Mystical Tradition

“As Emerson wrote to Whitman upon first reading Leaves of Grass,
so I write...
Baraka Blue, 'I greet you at the beginning of a great career.” Daniel Abdal-Hayy Moore: Poet,Essayist,Playwright & aouthor of Dawn Vision (City Light Books)

“As with other languages in the past, the fecundating rains of the Quranic revelation have begun to coax forth blossoms of profound spiritual poetry from the English language.
Like the first blooms of spring, the appearance of this garden of verses is cause for celebration—not only of the timeless wisdom and beauty reflected therein—but of the coming flood of English Sufi poetry of which this collection is a harbinger.” Olduamini Ogunnaike, Author of Poetry in Praise of Priphetic Perfection: A study of West African Madih Poetry & its Precedents

“Baraka Blue’s poems are the songs of a soul suffused with devotion to the Prophet, the boundaryless horizons of Revelation, and echoes of hip hop.” Kabir Helminski- Author of Living Presence & Pocket Rumi, sufism.org

“In The Art of Remembrance contemporary Sufi poet Baraka Blue offers a window into his soul by sharing the majestic and creative ways in which the world of English forms can give voice to and crystallize for seekers the primordial silence and spiritual meanings that reside in the world of the Formless.” Mohammed Rustom- Author of Inrushes of the Heart: The Sufi Philosophy of Ayn Al Qudat

A Note from the Author:
Dear reader,
The Holy Prophet, peace be upon him, said, “God is beautiful and loves beauty.” One of the definitions of beauty (ihsan) he gave us is, “to worship God as if you see Him, and if you don’t see Him, He sees you.” The way he called us to is a way of presence with the Source of Beauty who is behind all forms and a way of beautifying the soul to reflect this Beauty. This is the Art of Remembrance. We pray this book is a doorway to joy, insight, beauty, and remembrance.
—Baraka Blue

Amazon: The Art of Remembrance – Baraka Blue:

https://www.amazon.com/Art-Remembrance-Baraka-Blue/dp/B0C2RFTT66

Baraka Blue is one of the most widely read Sufi poets in the world today. In the great tradition of Rumi and Hafez, his poetry is at once ecstatic and humorous, insightful and amorous, joyful and nostalgic. In flashes of the visionary, the playful, the passionate, the lyrical, and the profound, Baraka Blue's words serve as a lively spiritual companion to all seekers, lovers and people of heart.The Art of Remembrance includes new and unreleased poems, as well as his most celebrated poems from previous collections. Designed by renowned artist Mukhtar Sanders, each poem in the collection is accompanied by stunning works of Arabic calligraphy featuring the 99 Divine Names.

YouTube Video: 

https://youtu.be/CVWnv913Kbc?si=ri9f0Yoaq3YwpnNU

How Rumi’s Poetry Led Me to Islam: Baraka Blue- Rumi Center for Spirituality & Arts: May 7, 2026

In this clip, Baraka Blue reflects on his journey through different spiritual paths and how the words of Rumi slowly opened something deeper for him. As a poet, his connection to language and meaning made that encounter even more personal. This was filmed at our retreat at Azahara International in Andalusia. If you’d like to be part of future gatherings, you can find more at rumicenter.love

Oludamini Ogunnaike:The transcendent ethics of tarbiya: Ibrahim Niasse’s maqāmāt al-dīn al-thalāth (Islam,Iman,Ihsan): Islam, African Publics, and Religious Values-

 YouTube Videos: Oct 4, 2022

https://youtu.be/zOSU9jD5w1E?si=LMX1Sqo9zU1uDA4_

A 2014 Pew Charitable Trust study found that Sufism is more popular in West Africa than any other region in the world, and this fact is due in large part to the efforts of Shaykh Ibrahim Niasse (d. 1975), the founder of the largest branch of the Tijāniyya, the most popular Sufi order in Sub-Saharan Africa. Current estimates put membership of Niasse’s branch of the Tijānī order, called the Fayḍah, around 100 million, making it one of the largest Sufi movements in the world. The popularity of this movement is largely due to its unique method of spiritual training, or tarbiya, which is supposed to bring disciples to the realization of ma‘rifat Allāh (direct knowledge of God) much more rapidly and with less difficulty than other regimens. While the exact process and litanies of this method are kept secret, Niasse has described the process in several works—one of the most influential of which is the short treatise entitled “The Three Stations of Religion” (Maqāmāt al-dīn al-thalāth). In this paper, I briefly present the way in which this treatise is used in contemporary tarbiya among Niasse’s disciples and what this tells us about the relationship between ethical texts and ethical practice and the relationships among ethics, epistemology, and ontology in Sufi anthropology. I will conclude with a brief discussion of Tijānī (and broader Sufi) ma‘rifa-based moral epistemology, contrasting the ethical paradigm exemplified in Niasse’s treatise with contemporary virtue, deontological, and consequentialist ethical paradigms.

PDF: Oludamini Ogunnaike:The transcendent ethics of tarbiya: Ibrahim Niasse’s maqāmāt al-dīn al-thalāth 

https://aub.edu.lb/aubpress/PDF%20Embed%20Files/

Mysticism%20and%20Ethics%20in%20Islam/28%20

Oludamini%20Ogunnaike.pdf

Shaykh Ibrahim’s “Three Stations of Religion” describes the ternary from the ḥadīth of Jibrīl—Islām, Īmān, and Iḥsān—as three consecutive stations (maqāmāt) of the spiritual path. Islām: repentance (tawba) , integrity (istiqāma), reverence (taqwā),; Īmān: sincerity (ṣidq) , pure devotion (ikhlāṣ) , serenity (ṭumaʾnīna); Iḥsān: observing (murāqaba), witnessing (mushāhada), and Knowledge (maʿrifa).

Amazon: The Stations of The Religion: A Description of the Steps of Spiritual Wayfaring (Suluk): Ibrahim Baye Niass, Ibrahim Dimson, Zachary Wright (Translator) amazon.com

A concise explanation of the Hadith of the Angel Jibril. This explanation was sent as a letter to one of the students of Shaykh Ibrahim Niasse, after requesting that the Shaykh explain it to him. A description of the steps of Spiritual Wayfaring (Suluk)

The Imam & The Atheist (Islam & Atheism) | Imam Mohamed Abdul Azeez- MCC East Bay- Jul 30, 2024

 YouTube Video:

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Imam Mohamed Abdul-Azeez is the Co-Founder and Senior Imam of the Tarbiya Institute in Sacramento, California. He has a diverse medical, social sciences and Islamic theology background. He has also authored multiple books and a variety of articles and essays on a multitude of subjects. About the Book: Inspired by true events, this book is a conversation between two men: a man whose nephew has lost his faith, and an Imam who sits at the heart of his community to set a moral and ethical compass. The imam is challenged by questions surrounding faith, and tries to aid the uncle in how best to provide guidance to his struggling nephew. What follows is an open and honest dialogue, which examines the most philosophical arguments to make a case for the existence of God.

Imam Dr. Abdul Azeez spoke about "Raising Atheism-Proof Children" at the South Bay Islamic Center (SBIA) in San Jose, California on December 8, 2023. This talk was delivered via the Muslim Community Center - East Bay (MCC East Bay) in Pleasanton, California.

Amazon: The Imam & The Atheist: Imam Mohamed Abdul Azeez

 https://www.amazon.com/dp/1800110030?... 

Inspired by true events, this book is a conversation between two men: a man whose nephew has lost his faith, and an Imam who sits at the heart of his community to set a moral and ethical compass. The imam is challenged by questions surrounding faith, and tries to aid the uncle in how best to provide guidance to his struggling nephew. What follows is an open and honest dialogue, which examines the most philosophical arguments to make a case for the existence of God.

Tarbiya Institute, I'MAR: The Institute for Muslim Advancement & Renewal

https://www.tarbiya.org/imar

Imam Mohamed Abdul Azeez Website:

https://www.imamazeez.com/

Fakhr Al-Din Razi's Tafsir, The Great Exegesis-Vol 1:The Fatiha - Book Review Discussion with Dr Sohaib Saeed-Islamic Circles- Apr 10,2021

 YouTube Video:

https://youtu.be/Y2TrwuqPlKo?si=9Xk1IYjG2WKefsek

Fakhr al-Din Razi’s Tafsir, The Great Exegesis, also known as Mafatih al-Ghayb, is one of the great classics of Arabic and Islamic scholarship. Written in the twelfth century, this commentary on the Qur’an has remained until today an indispensable reference work. The Great Exegesis is a compendium not only of Qur’anic sciences and meanings, but also Arabic linguistics, comparative jurisprudence, Aristotelian and Islamic philosophy, dialectic theology and the spirituality of Sufism. The present volume is the first ever translation into English from The Great Exegesis and focuses on the first chapter of the Qur’an, the Fatiha. This scholarly yet accessible translation gives readers a thorough understanding of the most commonly recited chapter of the Qur’an; it also opens up for readers a window into the thought and practice of one of Islam’s greatest theologians. Fakhr al-Dīn al-Razi (d. 1210) was a leading Islamic scholar of the twelfth century. He was a prolific author on theology and jurisprudence but is best known for his commentary on the Qur’an, The Great Exegesis.

Speaker:Dr Sohaib Saeed [Founder-Director of the Centre for Advanced Study of the Quran and its Interpretation (CASQI), Freiburg University, Germany

Dr Sohaib Saeed is director of the Centre for Advanced Study of the Quran and its Interpretation (CASQI). He is a graduate of philosophy (University of Edinburgh) and Islamic theology (Al-Azhar), with specialism in Qur’anic studies. He took his PhD at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London.

Host:Salman Nasir- Umm al Qura University, Instructor for Legacy Institute

Mecca Books: The Great Exegesis:Tafsir Al-Kabir-Vol1: The Fatiha- Dr.Sohaib Saeed

meccabooks.com

About The Book
Al-Tafsir al-Kabir: This is the work of Imam Fakhr al-din al-Razi (died 606 Hijrah). Its real name is Mafatih al-Ghayb, but is popularly known as Tafsir Kabir'. He is an imam of the theology of Islam, therefore, great emphasis has been laid in his Tafsir on rational and scholastic debates and on the refutation of false sects'.

But, the truth is that this Tafsir is, in its own way, a unique key to the Qur'an as well. Furthermore, the pleasing way in which the meanings of the Qur'an have been clarified and the mutual link of the Qur'anic verses established, is all too praise-worthy.
Most likely, Imam Razi himself wrote down his Tafsir as far as Surah al-Fath. Onwards from there, he could not complete. So, the remaining part of the tafseer, from Surah al-Fatiha to the end, was completed by Qadi Shihab al-Din ibn Khalil al-Khawli al-Dimashqi (died 639 Hijrah) or Shaykh Najm al-Din Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Qamuli (died 777 Hijrah). (Kashaf al-Zunun v. 2, p. 477)
This work gives a thorough understanding of the most commonly recited chapter of the Qur’an - "Al-Fatiha".
The Great Exegesis, also known as Mafatih al-Ghayb is a famous classical book written by Fakhr Al-Din Razi in sixth century AH (twelfth century AD). It is a well-known tafsir of Qur'an which is widely used for reference till today by the scholars and students alike.
The present work is the first ever translation into English from Mafatih al-Ghayb and deals with "Surah Fatiha", the first chapter of the Holy Qur'an. It is a compendium of Qur’anic sciences and meanings, Arabic linguistics, comparative jurisprudence, Aristotelian and Islamic philosophy, dialectic theology and the spirituality of Sufism.

About Fakhr Al-Din Al-Razi
Muhammad ibn 'Umar ibn al-Hasan ibn al-Husayn Abu 'Abd Allah al-Qurashi, al-Bakri, al-Taymi, al-Tabaristani al-Shafi'i, known as Ibn al-Khatib and as Fakhr al-Din al-Razi (543-606), Shaykh al-Islam, the imam of the learned scholars of kalam and the foundations of belief, a major jurist of the Shafi'i school, specialist of usul, Commentator of the Qur'an, Philologist, genealogist, heresiographer, logician, Mathematician, Astronomer and physician.
'An ocean that contains more pearls than the ocean.' The principal spokesman of Ahl al-Sunnah in his time, he refuted all the sects with which he came into contact, particularly the multifarious groups of the Mu'tazila, Shi'a, and Hashwiyya as well as the Jews and Christians. A student of his father Khatib al-Rayy Diya' al-Din 'Umar and Majd al-Din al-Jili al-Maraghi principally, then Abu Muhammad al-Baghawi and Kamal al-Din al-Simnani, he memorized early on Imam al-Haramayn's work in kalam entitled al-Shamil.
He began his scholarly career in poverty and died at sixty-three at the height of fame and wealth, poisoned, it is said, by the Karramiyya of Herat who were envious of his great following among the princes of Khurasan.
He travelled widely before settling in Herat ​(in modern Afghanistan). The author of more than 100 books (on subjects as diverse as medicine, mineralogy, and grammar), he gained fame and wealth through his scholarship and skill in debate, in which he often presented unorthodox views fully and favourably before refuting them.
Though this led to accusations of heresy, it has preserved information about little-known sects. His works include one of the major commentaries on the Qur'an, The Keys to the Unknown (or The Great Commentary), and Collection of the Opinions of Ancients and Moderns.

About The Translator:
Sohaib Saeed is director of the Centre for Advanced Study of the Quran and its Interpretation (CASQI). He is a graduate of philosophy (University of Edinburgh) and Islamic theology (Al-Azhar), with specialism in Qur’anic studies. He took his PhD at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London.

YouTube Videos Playlist:

https://youtu.be/AcGw11ISzow?si=G0Fc0e113oUafeJ3

Al-Tafsir al-Kabir: This is the work of Imam Fakhr al-din al-Razi (died 606 Hijrah). Its real name is Mafatih al-Ghayb, but is popularly known as Tafsir Kabir'. He is an imam of the theology of Islam, therefore, great emphasis has been laid in his Tafsir on rational and scholastic debates and on the refutation of false sects'. But, the truth is that this Tafsir is, in its own way, a unique key to the Qur'an as well. Furthermore, the pleasing way in which the meanings of the Qur'an have been clarified and the mutual link of the Qur'anic verses established, is all too praise-worthy.
Instructor Ustaad Sulayman Van Ael delivers the class in his unique style , summarising this huge work in a relatable manner, one which can be implemented in our daily lives


Amazon: The Prophetic Jewels of al-Shaykh Fakhr al-Din al-Razi:A Quranic Exegesis on the Prophet's Virtues- Muhammad Zulhikam Jameel (Translator)

amazon.com

This book is a translation of an extract from Jawahir al-Bihar fi Fada'il al-Nabi al-Mukhtar ﷺ by al-Shaykh Yusuf ibn Isma'il al-Nabhani who had compiled in it the Quranic exegesis of 16 sets of Quranic verses on the virtues of the Chosen Prophet ﷺ cited from al-Tafsir al-Kabir by al-Shaykh Fakhr al-Din al-Razi – with foreword by Dr. Iskandar Abdullah, Director of Arabic Language & Cultural Consultancy Service LLP.
Al-Tafsir al-Kabir is an extensive 32-volumebook of Quranic exegesis. Being both a philosopher and a theologian, much of al-Fakhr al-Razi’s perspectives with regard to the virtues of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ revolve around his Prophethood, including the evidences of his Prophethood, his noble characteristics as a Messenger, the benefits of sending him to mankind as a Messenger, the superiority and eminence of his religion, and the obligation to have faith in him, glorify him, support him and follow him ﷺ.
On top of that, this book highlights the evidences that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is better than all the other Prophets, his great moral characters of gentleness, compassion and mercy, and the abundant gifts and abundant goodness granted by Allah ﷻ to him ﷺ.
The ease of access to information in this digital age has helped ordinary Muslims be motivated to read translations of the Quran since the glorious Quran is the most primary source of Islamic knowledge alongside the Prophetic Hadiths. Nevertheless, one of the best ways for a Muslim to understand the Quran is in fact by studying the books of Quranic exegesis by the great scholars of the Muslim Ummah.
Therefore, this book serves to aid readers in understanding the Quran with regard to the virtues of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ by studying the exegesis of just some of its noble verses through the lens of al-Shaykh Fakhr al-Din al-Razi.
The author, al-Shaykh Fakhr al-Din al-Razi (544H-606H), was an established scholar in various fields of knowledge; Islamic jurisprudence, principles of Islamic jurisprudence, Islamic theology, philosophy, medicine and Quranic exegesis. He was said to have surpassed the scholars in his era particularly in the fields of Islamic theology and philosophy, though his extensive 32-volume book of Quranic exegesis has been regarded as his most renowned writing.
The compiler, al-Shaykh Yusuf ibn Isma'il al-Nabhani (1849-1932), was from the Levant, graduated from Al-Azhar, Egypt and was a very learned scholar in many disciplines such as Islamic Jurisprudence and Sufism. He was also a glorious poet who mastered in Arabic knowledge and literary arts. For most of his adult life, al-Shaykh al-Nabhani worked within the judicial positions in various courts in several places until he was promoted to Chief Justice of the Court of Human Rights in Beirut, and held this position for a period of over 20 years. Al-Shaykh al-Nabhani was devoted to knowledge, literature, composing poems and writing books, especially in defence of his beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.

Rectifying God’s Name: Liu Zhi’s Confucian Translation of Monotheism and Islamic Law:James D. Frankel:Book Review: Islamic Circles-Feb 9,2021

 YouTube Video:

https://youtu.be/Dd_8VlEsSbI?si=Xh8WNxC2aK0uULO2

Amazon:Rectifying God’s Name: Liu Zhi’s Confucian Translation of Monotheism and Islamic Law: James D. Frankel - amazon.com

Islam first arrived in China more than 1,200 years ago, but for more than a millennium it was perceived as a foreign presence. The restoration of native Chinese rule by the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), after nearly a century of Mongol domination, helped transform Chinese intellectual discourse on ideological, social, political, religious, and ethnic identity. This led to the creation of a burgeoning network of Sinicized Muslim scholars who wrote about Islam in classical Chinese and developed a body of literature known as the Han Kitab. Rectifying God’s Name examines the life and work of one of the most important of the Qing Chinese Muslim literati, Liu Zhi (ca. 1660–ca. 1730), and places his writings in their historical, cultural, social, and religio-philosophical context. His Tianfang danli (Ritual law of Islam) represents the most systematic and sophisticated attempt within the Han Kitab corpus to harmonize Islam with Chinese thought.
The volume begins by situating Liu Zhi in the historical development of the Chinese Muslim intellectual tradition, examining his sources and influences as well as his legacy. Delving into the contents of Liu Zhi’s work, it focuses on his use of specific Chinese terms and concepts, their origins and meanings in Chinese thought, and their correspondence to Islamic principles. A close examination of the Tianfang dianli reveals Liu Zhi’s specific usage of the concept of Ritual as a common foundation of both Confucian morality and social order and Islamic piety. The challenge of expressing such concepts in a context devoid of any clear monotheistic principle tested the limits of his scholarship and linguistic finesse. Liu Zhi's theological discussion in the Tianfang dianli engages not only the ancient Confucian tradition, but also Daoism, Buddhism, and even non-Chinese traditions. His methodology reveals an erudite and cosmopolitan scholar who synthesized diverse influences, from Sufism to Neo-Confucianism, and possibly even Jesuit and Jewish sources, into a body of work that was both steeped in tradition and, yet, exceedingly original, epitomizing the phenomenon of Chinese Muslim simultaneity.
A compelling and multidimensional study, Rectifying God’s Name will be eagerly welcomed by interested readers of Chinese and Islamic religious and social history, as well as students and scholars of comparative religion.

James D. Frankel, Ph.D., a native New Yorker, holds his bachelor's degree in East Asian studies and doctorate in religion from Columbia University in New York City. His expertise is in the history of Islam in China, a field that draws upon and informs his scholarly interests in the comparative history of ideas, and religious and cultural syncretism. As a member of the faculty of religion at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Dr. Frankel teaches courses in comparative religion, Islam, and mysticism. He has lived in China and traveled extensively in Asia and Europe for research and to meet with fellow scholars and religious leaders of Muslim minority communities. Rectifying God's Name is his first book.

Fons Vitae: The Harmonious Unity: Liu Zhi's Sino-Islamic Interpretation of the Five-Fold Path:Translation by Naoki Yamamoto fonsvitae.com

This is an English translation of Liu Zhi’s The Exposition of the Five Pillars of Islam, which remains the most influential Chinese-language Islamic work, regarded by Chinese Muslims (Islam arrived in China as early as 618 CE) as a fundamental textbook for learning and comprehending the divinely ordained duties of Islam. Liu Zhi (1660-1739), was a prominent Chinese Sunni Hanafi-Maturidi scholar of the Qing dynasty and a leading figure in the Han Kitab tradition.
“The Exposition of the Five Pillars of Islam” (Wugong Shiyi) by Liu Zhi is a profound treatise on the meaning of the Five Pillars of Islam (Shahada, Salah, Sawm, Zakat, and Hajj), framed within a metaphysical structure that draws on the language and lens of Chinese civilization and philosophy. The work provides both a theological and spiritual explanation of the Five Pillars as well as a moral framework that connects them to broader philosophical ideas about the nature of existence, ethics, and personal cultivation.
Besides its innate metaphysical and philosophical value, the text is invaluable for understanding how the masters of Chinese Islam straddled religious and civilizational frontiers and created harmony between two different intellectual worlds. Liu Zhi’s approach, however, is distinguished from that of other Muslim scholars in that he addressed the basic articles of Islamic thought with Neo-Confucian terminology and categories. The lens of Chinese civilization includes concepts derived from Taoism, Confucianism & Buddhism.
Professor Wang Genming explains in the Foreword that: “Although the Five Pillars are the foundational rites of Muslim life, the author approaches them not merely as ritual obligations, but as a profound gateway into the doctrines and spiritual philosophy of Islam. Through multi-faceted analyses of their origin, function, requirements, and religious significance, Liu Zhi offers a deep and nuanced exposition of Islamic teachings.The result is a text of exceptional conciseness and philosophical depth, where each line offers clarity at a glance and insight upon reflection.”
Many editions have been produced over the centuries, including a wood block edition in 1768. To have such a work giving insights into the way Islam was presented and understood in China is extremely valuable. It opens up a profound, refreshing and exciting approach to thinking about the 5 pillars of Islam whose deeper meanings some Muslims might take for granted.

Amazon: amazon.com The Sage Learning of Liu Zhi:Islamic Thought in Confucian Terms:Sachiko Murata,William C. Chittick, Tu Wei-ming, Seyyed Hossein Nasr

Liu Zhi (ca. 1670–1724) was one of the most important scholars of Islam in traditional China. His Tianfang xingli (Nature and Principle in Islam), the Chinese-language text translated here, focuses on the roots or principles of Islam. It was heavily influenced by several classic texts in the Sufi tradition. Liu’s approach, however, is distinguished from that of other Muslim scholars in that he addressed the basic articles of Islamic thought with Neo-Confucian terminology and categories. Besides its innate metaphysical and philosophical value, the text is invaluable for understanding how the masters of Chinese Islam straddled religious and civilizational frontiers and created harmony between two different intellectual worlds.
The introductory chapters explore both the Chinese and the Islamic intellectual traditions behind Liu’s work and locate the arguments of Tianfang xingli within those systems of thought. The copious annotations to the translation explain Liu’s text and draw attention to parallels in Chinese-, Arabic-, and Persian-language works as well as differences.

A history of Islam and science:Timothy Winter(Shaykh Abdal Hakim Murad): The Royal Institution:Mar 19, 2024

 YouTube Video:

https://youtu.be/7EKtVx2A6d4?si=2iZbMqmALpyAHcTX

Explore the rich history intertwining Islam and Science, with the esteemed scholar and University of Cambridge lecturer Tim Winter (Shaykh Abdal Hakim Murad).In this enlightening lecture, we delve into the profound contributions made by Muslim scholars to the realms of science, astronomy, mathematics, medicine, and philosophy throughout the centuries. Travel back in time to a Golden Age of Islamic civilisation, when knowledge flourished, and scholars pushed the boundaries of human understanding. Discover the ground-breaking discoveries of luminaries such as Ibn al-Haytham, Al-Khwarizmi, and Ibn Sina, whose works helped to lay the foundation for modern scientific thought. With meticulous detail and deep reverence, Winter illuminates the intricate connections between Islamic principles and the pursuit of scientific knowledge. Gain a deeper appreciation for the Islamic worldview that fostered an environment of intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, and empirical investigation. The lecture also presents a Muslim reflection on the current global threats posed by the irresponsible use of science and technology in areas including climate change, artificial intelligence, and genetic manipulation. What does Islamic theology have to contribute to these urgent contemporary debates? Join us for this captivating lecture as we walk through the corridors of history, highlighting the often-overlooked but profound contributions of Islamic scholars to the scientific landscape. Prepare to be challenged by the unusual but dynamic relationship between Islam and science and its enduring relevance to today's world.

Timothy Winter (Shaykh Abdal Hakim Murad) is an English academic, theologian and Islamic scholar who is a proponent of Islamic neo-traditionalism. His work includes publications on Islamic theology, modernity, and Anglo-Muslim relations, and he has translated several Islamic texts. He is the Founder and Dean of the Cambridge Muslim College, Aziz Foundation Professor of Islamic Studies at both Cambridge Muslim College and Ebrahim College, Director of Studies (Theology and Religious Studies) at Wolfson College and the Shaykh Zayed Lecturer of Islamic Studies in the Faculty of Divinity at University of Cambridge.

Amazon: Islamic Science and making of the European Renaissance: George Saliba

https://www.amazon.com/Islamic-Science-European-Renaissance-Transformations/dp/0262516152

The rise and fall of the Islamic scientific tradition, and the relationship of Islamic science to European science during the Renaissance.
The Islamic scientific tradition has been described many times in accounts of Islamic civilization and general histories of science, with most authors tracing its beginnings to the appropriation of ideas from other ancient civilizations—the Greeks in particular. In this thought-provoking and original book, George Saliba argues that, contrary to the generally accepted view, the foundations of Islamic scientific thought were laid well before Greek sources were formally translated into Arabic in the ninth century. Drawing on an account by the tenth-century intellectual historian Ibn al-Naidm that is ignored by most modern scholars, Saliba suggests that early translations from mainly Persian and Greek sources outlining elementary scientific ideas for the use of government departments were the impetus for the development of the Islamic scientific tradition. He argues further that there was an organic relationship between the Islamic scientific thought that developed in the later centuries and the science that came into being in Europe during the Renaissance.
Saliba outlines the conventional accounts of Islamic science, then discusses their shortcomings and proposes an alternate narrative. Using astronomy as a template for tracing the progress of science in Islamic civilization, Saliba demonstrates the originality of Islamic scientific thought. He details the innovations (including new mathematical tools) made by the Islamic astronomers from the thirteenth to sixteenth centuries, and offers evidence that Copernicus could have known of and drawn on their work. Rather than viewing the rise and fall of Islamic science from the often-narrated perspectives of politics and religion, Saliba focuses on the scientific production itself and the complex social, economic, and intellectual conditions that made it possible.

YouTube Video: George Saliba: The Legacy of Islamic Science- afikra- Jan 23,2023

https://youtu.be/JEAfHGBQlkc?si=WFWsZKdtmAvtpDmf

Amazon:Pathfinders: The Golden Age of Arabic Science:Jim al-Khalili 

https://www.amazon.com/Pathfinders-Golden-Age-Arabic-Science/dp/0141038365

In Pathfinders: The Golden Age of Arabic Science, Jim al-Khalili celebrates the forgotten pioneers who helped shape our understanding of the world. For over 700 years the international language of science was Arabic. Surveying the golden age of Arabic science, Jim Al-Khalili reintroduces such figures as the Iraqi physicist Ibn al-Haytham, who practised the modern scientific method over half a century before Bacon; al-Khwarizmi, the greatest mathematician of the medieval world; and Abu Rayhan al-Biruni, a Persian polymath to rival Leonardo da Vinci. 'Jim Al-Khalili has a passion for bringing to a wider audience not just the facts of science but its history ... Just as the legacy of Copernicus and Darwin belongs to all of us, so does that of Ibn Sina and Ibn al-Haytham'
Independent 'He has brought a great story out of the shadows'
Literary Review 'His command of Arabic and mathematical physics invests his story with sympathy as well as authority'
Guardian 'A fascinating and user-friendly guide'
Sunday Telegraph 'This captivating book is a timely reminder of the debt owed by the West to the intellectual achievements of Arab, Persian and Muslim scholars'
The Times :Jim Al-Khalili OBE is Professor of Physics at the University of Surrey, where he also holds the first Surrey chair in the public engagement in science. He was awarded the Royal Society Michael Faraday Prize for science communication in 2007, elected Honorary Fellow of the British Association for the Advancement of Science and has also received the Institute of Physic's Public Awareness of Physics Award. Born in Baghdad, Jim was educated in Iraq until the age of 16 and it was there, being taught by Arabic teachers in Arabic that he first heard and learnt about the great Arab scientists and philosophers.

Amazon:The Routledge Handbook on the Sciences in Islamicate Societies: Sonja Brentjes

https://www.amazon.com/Routledge-Handbook-Science-Islamicate-World/dp/1138047597

The Routledge Handbook on the Sciences in Islamicate Societies provides a comprehensive survey on science in the Islamic world from the 8th to the 19th century.
Across six sections, a group of subject experts discuss and analyze scientific practices across a wide range of Islamicate societies. The authors take into consideration several contexts in which science was practiced, ranging from intellectual traditions and persuasions to institutions, such as courts, schools, hospitals, and observatories, to the materiality of scientific practices, including the arts and craftsmanship. Chapters also devote attention to scientific practices of minority communities in Muslim majority societies, and Muslim minority groups in societies outside the Islamicate world, thereby allowing readers to better understand the opportunities and constraints of scientific practices under varying local conditions.
Through replacing Islam with Islamicate societies, the book opens up ways to explain similarities and differences between diverse societies ruled by Muslim dynasties. This handbook will be an invaluable resource for both established academics and students looking for an introduction to the field. It will appeal to those involved in the study of the history of science, the history of ideas, intellectual history, social or cultural history, Islamic studies, Middle East and African studies including history, and studies of Muslim communities in Europe and South and East Asia.

YouTube Video:Science and Islam, Jim Al-Khalili. BBC Documentary

https://youtu.be/chEjJ5uYlSs?si=hcsyAa1HnfFlt-KU

Part 1: The Language of Science: Physicist Jim Al-Khalili travels through Syria, Iran, Tunisia and Spain to tell the story of the great leap in scientific knowledge that took place in the Islamic world between the 8th and 14th centuries. Its legacy is tangible, with terms like algebra, algorithm and alkali all being Arabic in origin and at the very heart of modern science - there would be no modern mathematics or physics without algebra, no computers without algorithms and no chemistry without alkalis. For Baghdad-born Al-Khalili this is also a personal journey and on his travels he uncovers a diverse and outward-looking culture, fascinated by learning and obsessed with science. From the great mathematician Al-Khwarizmi, who did much to establish the mathematical tradition we now know as algebra, to Ibn Sina, a pioneer of early medicine whose Canon of Medicine was still in use as recently as the 19th century, he pieces together a remarkable story of the often-overlooked achievements of the early medieval Islamic scientists. 

Part 2: The Empire of Reason: Physicist Jim Al-Khalili travels through Syria, Iran, Tunisia and Spain to tell the story of the great leap in scientific knowledge that took place in the Islamic world between the 8th and 14th centuries. Al-Khalili travels to northern Syria to discover how, a thousand years ago, the great astronomer and mathematician Al-Biruni estimated the size of the earth to within a few hundred miles of the correct figure. He discovers how medieval Islamic scholars helped turn the magical and occult practice of alchemy into modern chemistry. In Cairo, he tells the story of the extraordinary physicist Ibn al-Haytham, who helped establish the modern science of optics and proved one of the most fundamental principles in physics - that light travels in straight lines. Prof Al-Khalili argues that these scholars are among the first people to insist that all scientific theories are backed up by careful experimental observation, bringing a rigour to science that didn't really exist before. 

Part 3: The Power of Doubt: Physicist Jim Al-Khalili tells the story of the great leap in scientific knowledge that took place in the Islamic world between the 8th and 14th centuries. Al-Khalili turns detective, hunting for clues that show how the scientific revolution that took place in the 16th and 17th centuries in Europe had its roots in the earlier world of medieval Islam. He travels across Iran, Syria and Egypt to discover the huge astronomical advances made by Islamic scholars through their obsession with accurate measurement and coherent and rigorous mathematics. He then visits Italy to see how those Islamic ideas permeated into the West and ultimately helped shape the works of the great European astronomer Copernicus, and investigates why science in the Islamic world appeared to go into decline after the 16th and 17th centuries, only for it to re-emerge in the present day. Al-Khalili ends his journey in the Royan Institute in the Iranian capital Tehran, looking at how science is now regarded in the Islamic world.

Amazon: Science and Islam: A History: Ehsan Masood

https://www.amazon.com/Science-Islam-History-Ehsan-Masood/dp/1848310811

From Musa al-Khwarizmi who developed algebra in 9th century Baghdad to al-Jazari, a 13th-century Turkish engineer whose achievements include the crank, the camshaft and the reciprocating piston, Science and Islam tells the story of one of history's most misunderstood yet rich and fertile periods in science: the extraordinary Islamic scientific revolution between 700 and 1400 CE.