Title: The Beginning of Guidance – Bidāyah al-Hidāyah

Author: Imām Abū Hāmid al-Ghazālī (May Allāh have mercy on him)

Translator: Dr. Mashhad al-Allaf

Publisher: White Thread Press

This is a brief description of two prominent modern-day Muslim scholars. One is an Egyptian trained at al-Azhar, while the other is Indo-Pak trained at Deoband. The Azhari scholar has a legal approach and legal opinions that categorically contradict those of his Deobandi counterpart. Compare them and witness how they end up speaking about each other. Some of you may find it shocking.

Rasulullah ﷺ was neither too tall nor too short. He was of average height. He had a large head which was in proportion to his body. He had a thick beard. His head and beard had about 25 grey hairs. His face was luminous and handsome. Whoever saw his blessed face described it to be luminous like the full moon.

Have patience in your lesson. If the teacher doesn’t move on as fast as you’d like and you start to feel you’ll never finish the book, remember that you’re there to learn, not to finish the book.

This is a portion from the Hadīth al-Jibraīl – in which Jibraīl عليه السلام asks the Prophet ﷺ a few questions which the Prophet ﷺ responds to.

Darul Ulūm Deoband is located in the city of Deoband in India. Prior to the construction of the madrasah, Deoband only had a small masjid known as the Chatte Wala Masjid. The community would often get together in that musjid and discuss amongst themselves that they had to find a way to help the future generations from the teachings that the British had introduced.

During his old age, Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal رحمه الله was travelling, when he stopped by a town.

After Isha salah, he wanted to stay the night, in the Masjid. Owing to his humility, he hadn’t introduced himself to anyone, thinking that if he did, he would be welcomed by many people.

Do you remember the times when you knew nothing and cried behind the imam because you were so moved by his recitation and the moment of prayer in congregation?

The Day of Judgement is the day appointed by Allāh to recompense good or evil deeds. The world is only the field of action, the place where one is required to perform one’s duty and not the place of receiving one’s reward. The mere fact that man happens to be healthy and wealthy or powerful does not necessarily mean that he has won the pleasure and favour of Allāh. Similarly, the mere fact that a man happens to be ill, poor or weak does not indicate that he is the object of Allāh’s wrath.

Qasas al-Nabiyeen is a pivotal book consisting of five volumes taught in the beginning stages of studying the Arabic language to improve a student’s understanding of the sentence structure and vocabulary.