بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

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Author: Abu Zayd M.D.

  • Al-Khateeb Al-Baghdadi – The Last Great Hadith Scholar of Baghdad

    Al-Khateeb Al-Baghdadi – The Last Great Hadith Scholar of Baghdad

    Being the son of a prominent scholar of Baghdad, the heart of the Islamic intellectual world, Abubakr b. Ahmad was blessed with the most scholarly of environments. His father provided him with a pious and learned upbringing, and from him, he earned the title al-Khateeb al-Baghdadi.

    Born in 392H in Baghdad, he memorized the Quran by the age of 11 and was schooled in the Islamic sciences under the watchful tutelage of his father, who introduced him to the circles of knowledge. At the age of 20 he began traveling the Muslim world in the pursuit of had?th and other sciences. He visited Basrah, Damascus, Naysapur, Isfahan, Makkah, Madinah and other centers of the Muslim world, and learned from renowned scholars of that age. Baghdad was always dear to him, and in Makkah after drinking Zamzam water, he prayed that Allah bless him to teach in the Mansurah Mosque of Baghdad. He soon returned from his travels to begin teaching in Baghdad, and his prayer was fulfilled. He spent years teaching had?th, with a resounding voice which was heard throughout the entire masjid as described by his students and peers. In 451H, a Fatimid revolt in Baghdad led to the killing of many scholars, and al-Khateeb himself was forced to flee for his life. He fled to Damascus where he remained teaching for 11 years, before eventually returning to his homeland when the political climate had turned. There, he began teaching had?th once again in his beloved Mansurah Masjid.

    Al-Khateeb was a prolific writer who, by the end of his life, had written a total of 10,000 pages, in a legacy of 104 written works. He never wasted time, and was often found dictating had?th to his students while traveling. His students who observed him during the Hajj noted that he was continually reciting the Qur?n and would finish the entire Qur?n every day. After about one year in Baghdad, he fell ill, gave away all his worldly possessions in charity and passed away in 463H. Though he had no children or heirs, he left behind generations of students and scholars who carried on his legacy and remember him to this day.

    The Text: The History of Baghdad

    Undoubtedly his greatest work, Tareekh Baghdad, reflects a labor of love and passion for his beloved homeland. Although meant to be a history of Baghdad, it actually is a detailed biographical reference work of Islamic scholars and narrators of had?th based in Baghdad. It is also at the same time a valuable collection of more than 4,000 had?th. It is a massive work of approximately 21 volumes, and many prominent scholars such as Ibn Mandhur and al-Dhahabi, have attempted to compile summarized versions of the work. It is a hugely influential work that has been cited and utilized by countless scholars since its authorship.

    The Era

    Al-Khateeb was a beneficiary of the thriving Abbasid Caliphate, and both location and timing were instrumental to his success. Having been born and raised in the Abbasid capitol of Baghdad, he was squarely positioned at the intellectual heart of the Muslim world. Moreover, he lived during their intellectual golden years before their eventual decline, and centuries before the Mongol destruction that brought an end to their rule.

    From the perspective of his specialty of had?th, he lived a century or so after the canonical had?th texts were compiled and the formal documentation of the Prophet’s legacy had pinnacled with the rich corpus of had?th literature. As the literature was well-established, scholars like al-Khateeb were free to take had?th scholarship to its next stages of analysis and further consolidation. Al-Khateeb al-Baghdadi was referred to as the Seal of the Hadith Masters, and one historian remarked that the science of had?th died with the demise of al-Khateeb.

  • Imam Bukhari – Custodian of the Prophetic Legacy

    Imam Bukhari – Custodian of the Prophetic Legacy

    His is a name forever etched near that of the Prophet of God, hallmarking the noble words, deeds, and tacit approvals or disapprovals that are embodied in the rich corpus of hadith. He is undoubtedly the primary custodian of the Prophetic legacy, and there is hardly a speech delivered anywhere in the Muslim world, even in its remotest corners, that does not mention his esteemed name.

    Muhammad b. Ismail, more popularly known as Imam Bukhari, was a veritable genius with an aptitude for memorizing massive amounts of information. This exceptional ability led him to memorize the entire Quran by the tender age of nine, and then thousands of traditions of the Prophet. His father passed away when Bukhari was an infant and, being a man of learning, left behind a vast library which absorbed much of the young orphan’s time and interest. Bukhari quickly eclipsed the scholarship of his region, correcting his teachers on many an occasion and authoring his first written works in his late teens. He then travelled widely through all the centers of learning in the Muslim world collecting knowledge and hadith from over 1,000 teachers. The fact that he had become blind (his sight was miraculously restored in his later years) did not deter him from his scholarly pursuits.

    After hearing his teacher, Ishaq b. Rahawayh, remark in one of his lessons, “I wish one of you would dedicate [yourself to] a compilation devoted to authentic hadith.” Bukhari was intrigued and committed himself to the endeavor. When he later saw himself in a dream fending off flies from the person of the Holy Prophet, he took it as a sign and redoubled his efforts. All in all, Imam Bukhari spent almost two decades travelling the world to research and gather hadith, which served as the foundation for a definitive compilation that would ultimately achieve canonical status in the Muslim world.

    The Sahih of Bukhari

    Imam Bukhari’s Sahih, the popular name extracted from an expansive title, was completed in the year 232H, when he was 38 years of age. It was a colossal effort whose worth and impact was immediately felt. The author presented the finished product to three of his teachers who were great masters of hadith in their own right: Yahya b. Main, Ali b. al-Madini, and the renowned Imam Ahmad b. Hanbal. Needless to say, he received their unanimous approval. Imam Bukhari spent the next 24 years of his life teaching this book to a large body of students whose numbers are indicated in various sources as between 1,000 and 90,000. The last of his students was Muhammad al-Farabri, and it is upon his transmission of the Sahih that almost all the modern printings are based.

    Imam Bukhari divided his book into 97 chapters that he referred to as kitabs, and 408 subchapters called babs. The total number of hadith in his compilation equals 7,397—according to the dominant view—many of which are repetitions, sometimes with alternate chains of transmission. The total number of hadith without repetition is 2,762. These were selected from more than 600,000 narrations that he had managed to compile and memorize!

    Imam Bukhari’s effort was innovative in many respects. First, choosing to depart from a characteristic of his forerunners, he gathered exclusively the hadith of the Prophet, excluding all additional material such as the statements and opinions of the Companions and early authorities.

    Second, he introduced more stringent standards for accepting narrations than any of his predecessors had adopted, effectively reducing the size, and arguably the scope, of his work to only the most rigorously authentic material from the Prophet. Naturally, this generated some controversy, as he was accused of excluding much material that was worthy of consideration. Bukhari was undeterred, confident in his mission of safeguarding and authenticating the Prophet’s legacy from all spurious or even suspect material. In fact, he never claimed to have compiled the entirety of the Prophetic traditions, but rather his collection was meant to be an authentic selection from a greater body of material, as indicated by the term mukhtasar in the full title of the Sah?h.

    Third, the collection was utterly comprehensive, covering a broad array of legal topics, aspects of belief, history, inspirational material, and commentary on the Quran. Previously, the first historical stage of hadith works (known as the musannaf collections) were topically arranged works that combined all types of source material, while the second stage had consisted of the musnad works, focusing on producing storehouses of Prophetic narrations with supporting chains of narration irrespective of their authenticity. Bukhari and his students, such as Imam Muslim, on the other hand, spearheaded the Sahih (authenticity) movement which sought to combine the previous two stages and purge them of inauthentic elements. Thus, they began to compile authentic Prophetic hadith works that were arranged by subjects. In the end, Bukhari compiled not just a hadith collection but a wide-ranging manual that captures his penetrating insight and understanding of Islamic law, theology, and history.

    In the final analysis, the greatest honor for an author is to be remembered and read by others. For modern authors, bestseller lists and awards for literature serve as benchmarks of success. But to be read by millions of people for over a thousand years, a number continually increasing, is a literary success unparalleled in the annals of human history.

  • Abu Firas Al-Hamdani – The Last Great Arab Poet

    Abu Firas Al-Hamdani – The Last Great Arab Poet

    Through the medium of poetry, humans express what is most meaningful and memorable. A good poem can call us to deeper awareness, give voice to the delights and tragedies of our human condition, motivate to action or soothe our pain; and sometimes, through its verses, a civilization is memorialized. Abu Firas al-Hamdani was the last great poet of the Arab Islamic tradition, ending a line of great lyricists that began before the advent of Islam and continued into Islam’s golden ages.
    Of Persian origin, Abu Firas was a member of the Hamdanid dynasty which ruled over northern Iraq and Syria under the later ‘Abbasid empire, an era of fragmented kingdoms, great intrigue and political instability. His cousin and mentor was Sayf al-Dawlah, the famous ruler known as the “Sword of the State” who was the most significant opponent of the Byzantine empire at the time.
    Abu Firas lived an extraordinary, colorful life, the stuff of legends. Had he never been a poet, he would have still left a lasting imprint in the annals of history. In fact, it can be argued, quite rightfully so, that his intriguing life enhanced his words and gave his poetry authenticity and meaning.

    Born in Mausul in Iraq, Abu Firas was a small child of two or three years of age when his father was killed by his cousin, Nasir al-Dawlah (d. 967CE), and the ruler of the Hamdanid dynasty who considered him a rival. Abu Firas’ mother then settled in Aleppo where she raised her son and had him mentored by his cousin, Sayf al-Dawlah, the ruler’s brother. Al-Dawlah was a strong, local prince whose power, fame and fortune quickly eclipsed that of his brother. At the time, the two brothers were considered the wealthiest and most powerful princes in the entire Muslim world.

    Under the tutelage of Sayf al-Dawlah, Abu Firas led a distinguished political and military career under the Hamdanids, including being governor of several cities, taking part infrequent military campaigns against the Byzantines and Greeks, as well as enduring periods of capture and imprisonment, and carrying out daring escapes. After capture by the Byzantines on one such expedition, he escaped by leaping onto horseback and jumping into the Euphrates River.

    Sayf al-Dawlah became one of the acclaimed medieval military leaders but was also a patron of the arts and surrounded himself in his court by some of the Muslim world’s most renowned figures, such as the philosopher al-Farabi (d. 950CE), the historian Abu’l-Faraj al-Isfahani (d. 967CE) and poets like Abu Firas and another renowned poet, al-Mutanabbi (d. 965CE).

    Abu Firas was ultimately captured and killed in 357/968 during a failed revolt against the successor to Sayf al-Dawlah.

    The Rumiyyit

    Abu Firas was renowned for his literary and poetic skills, and many of his verses are filled with deep emotion and yearning, having been written in captivity. Of these, the most celebrated work is al-Rumiyyit, written during an extended period of captivity under the Romans (hence the title).

    It was a period of betrayal, longing, and reflection, all of which are represented in its lines. The following is from the translation by Nizar F. Hermes:

    In captivity, a lover suffers in disgrace
    And tears flood down his lonely face
    In Byzantine land, his body must reside
    Though in Syrian land his heart does still abide
    A lonesome stranger and out-of-place!
    Where none with love may him embrace.

    Abu Firas is considered by some to be the last great Arabic poet, and today his writing is scattered throughout the rich corpus of our literature in tafsir, hadith, poetry and the arts, and has been kept alive by singers, poets, and nasheed artists. The scholar al-Tha’?lib? (d. 429/1039) described him as “unequaled in his time, in literature, virtue, nobility, eloquence, valor and bravery.”

    When God aids you not in what you ask
    No other creation then can find a way
    And if He steers you not in every task
    Lost you are, though Arcturus*himself lead your way.

    *Arcturus is the brightest star in the northern hemisphere and fourth brightest in the night sky, referred to as al-simak, “the uplifted one.”

  • Lessons in Public Safety

    Lessons in Public Safety

    If a man who is walking along the road finds a thorny branch and removes it, God thanks him for that and forgives him. (Bukhari 2305, Muslim 4750, Riyad al-Salihin 127)

    Streets and public places would appear at first glance to be an unlikely concern for a Prophet of God. But it was all part of a comprehensive plan on the part of the Prophet Muhammad to establish a sound and prosperous Islamic society. And ensuring the public welfare, which included the safety of public places, was an inevitable part of that plan. And so, the Prophet spent a considerable amount of time safeguarding the public road.

    “The Prophet was asked to curse the infidels. He said, ‘I have not been sent to curse people but as a mercy to all mankind’” (Muslim).

    To begin with, it was made an inseparable part of belief and faith. In the celebrated tradition on the branches of faith, the Prophet declared that, “Faith has over sixty branches, the best of them the testimony that there is none worthy of worship but God, while the least of them is to remove an obstacle from the road” (Bukhari and Muslim).On another occasion, he likened it to an act of charity: “Removing harmful things from the road is charity” (Bukhari and Muslim).And on yet another, he declared this simple act to be a means of eternal salvation: “God created three hundred and sixty joints in every one of the children of Adam. Whoever declares the Glory of God, praises God, declares God to be One, glorifies Him, seeks His forgiveness, and removes a stone or thorn or bone from the people’s path, or commands something right or forbids something wrong, has accounted for the whole three hundred and sixty. In the evening of that day, he has rescued himself from the Fire” (Bukhari and Muslim).In a survey of all the good deeds performed by his nation, the Prophet chose to highlight removing obstacles from the road: “The actions of my community, both good and bad, were displayed before me and I found among their good actions removing obstacles from the road and among their bad actions spittle in the mosque which is not buried” (Muslim).Finally, he described an individual in Paradise: “I saw a man going about in Paradise because of cutting down a tree in the middle of the road which had been a nuisance to the Muslims” (Muslim).

    This attention to the safety of public streets and roadways is not surprising, given the history of the Prophet’s early days in Makkah. Bitter opposition to the message of monotheism prevailed, and more than one neighbor took it upon himself to throw thorns, trash, and other items outside the Prophet’s home, and on the paths that he walked. Even the Quran references his aunt, described as “the bearer of firewood,” who participated in this harmful behavior (Quran 111:4). When the Prophet went about the city preaching, his opponents would often cast debris and stones wherever he walked, causing his feet to bleed. One notable example took place in the city of Taif, where the Prophet suffered considerable physical injuries, mostly involving his feet. He himself described that as the most difficult time in his entire life. Finally, he fell unconscious on the side of the road and upon awakening, was presented a choice by the angel Jibril: let God destroy the people or spare them. The Prophet chose, not surprisingly, to spare them. As Allah SWT says in the Qur’an, “And We have not sent you except as a mercy to mankind”(21:107).Abu Huraira reports: “The Prophet was asked to curse the infidels. He said, ‘I have not been sent to curse people but as a mercy to all mankind’” (Muslim).

    In those early days as the head of a persecuted minority, the Prophet quietly cleared the debris from the roads and kept walking. Later, as the head of an organized and growing community, this mission to ensure the safety of roadways and public places didn’t stop. The Prophet instructed his followers not to hinder walkways, not to relieve themselves in public places or stagnant bodies of water, and forbade the poisoning of wells and the destruction of trees and public property even in wartime.

    Contemporary applications of this Prophetic teaching include observing speed limits on highways, removing fallen trees and other debris after storms, sponsoring highway cleanup programs, properly securing vehicle loads, and participating in campaigns against drinking or texting while driving. Statistics show that texting while driving causes 1.3 million accidents in the United States each year and 11 teen deaths each day (textinganddrivingsafety.com).Road debris is recognized as an increasing danger on roads, causing 25,000 crashes per year and nearly a hundred fatalities (AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, seewww.aaafoundaton.org). Addressing these issues is a moral imperative and we can all contribute to the cause of ensuring safer roads and public places. Indeed, let us remember that the individual who does his part, “God thanks him for that and forgives him.”

  • Charity and Service to Others

    Charity and Service to Others

    The Prophet stated: “Every Muslim should give charity.” He was asked, “What if one cannot?” He replied, “Then he should go find work and help himself and others.” He was asked, “What if one cannot?” The Prophet replied,“Then he should help someone in need.” He was asked, “What if one cannot?” He replied, “Then he should command what is right or good.” The Prophet was asked, “What if one cannot?”He replied, “Then at least he should refrain from evil, and that would be charity for him” (Bukhari, Muslim).

    The spirit of charity, volunteerism, and service to others is a hallmark of Islam and among its greatest teachings. The Prophet never lost an opportunity to convey this message to others, and on this foundation he built a prosperous and charitable society oriented to public service.

    Prophet Muhammad exhibited this generosity of character in his own life in a marvelous way. Before he became a Prophet, he earned the greatest respect and regard from his contemporaries by being al-Sidiq (the truthful) and al-Amin (the trustworthy). People confided in him, went to him to arbitrate differences, sought his advice, and even entrusted their valuables to his safekeeping. It was these ethical qualities in his early life that enabled him to be a successful Messenger later on. And so, when the first revelations came down to anoint him as a Messenger of the Divine and he rushed home fearful and full of great distress, his wife Khadijah, beloved supporter and confidante, consoled him and gave him confidence by reminding him of his impeccable character and service to others: “No, rejoice! By God, He would never disgrace you! For you uphold the ties of kinship, always speak the truth, bear the people’s burdens, help the destitute, honor guests, and serve those whose rights are due.”

    This tradition of service continued throughout his prophet-hood and became an integral part of his mission and message. When he arrived in his adopted home of Madinah to establish the first Islamic society, his very first words to the people summed up that message: “People, spread peace among yourselves, uphold family ties, feed each other, and pray during the night while the rest of the people sleep, and you shall enter Paradise in peace!” The formula was simple. Build a peaceful society which consists of service to others (your families and those who are needy) and service to God (in the form of prayers). That, in essence, is the road to salvation. The balance between the body and spirit, between personal and civic responsibilities, and between spirituality and the mundane affairs of life is wonderful guidance bequeathed by Islam to humanity.

    As part of this prophetic lesson, Prophet Muhammad emphasized the need for financial independence so that one can be in a position to help others. Charity, primarily in the form of donations, is a responsibility of every believer. This can be monetary donation or other type of material provision, depending upon the need. And for those unable to afford such, the Prophet strongly urged them to find work to earn something with their own hands so that they could help themselves and then others. In other words, tangible donations are among the greatest forms of charity and financial independence is, therefore, a desirable value in Islam.

    Yet, for those who truly are not in a position to give material assistanceto others, then the Prophet recommended they find some other means to help someone in need. Financial assistance takes precedence but if that is simply not possible, then service to others is a priority. The principle of charity is so important that no single person is exempt from practicing it, even those who cannot afford it.For those who are neither in the position to give nor in a position to help, then they were urged to at least enjoin something that is good or virtuous. That could entail, for example, teaching someone something beneficial, speaking out for social justice, or promoting some worthy cause. Finally, those not in a position to practice any of these approaches must, at the very least, stay away from wrongdoing of any sort which indirectly protects people from that potential harm.

    So charity and public service should involve everyone in a sound and healthy society. There are no exceptions because there are many forms of giving and helping. In our current political atmosphere where public assistance and providing for those in need have been assailed by some in the public discourse, these lessons on charity are very timely. There are, indeed, hopeful signs as the majority has rejected a selfish and self-serving political agenda—as the recent elections have shown. And in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, we recognize once again that we live in difficult times; and that the tenuousness of this life is best dealt with by engaging and cooperating with those whose spirit of charitableness is ever ready to provide support and relief to those in need.

  • Sh. Al-Husary – Spotlight on Islamic Traditions

    Sh. Al-Husary – Spotlight on Islamic Traditions

    In the narrative that chronicles the preservation of the Qur’an, Shaykh Mahmud Khalil al-Husari occupies a unique position. He was born in 1917 in the center of Tanta, Egypt, with an excelling aptitude for learning the Qur’an. He began his journey at the age of four with local Qur’an teachers and finished memorizing the Qur’an by the age of eight. Too young for admission to any of the Qur’an schools, he began to recite in the village mosques and quickly became a local sensation. As his voice matured, he was invited to gatherings and events to recite the Qur’an. When he reached the age of 12, he entered formal studies at the renowned al-Azhar University schools and completed formal degrees as well as attaining proficiency in the Ten Readings of the Qur’an.

    In 1944, Shaykh al-Husari became nationally known when he won first place in a radio competition, and thereafter became a familiar voice in Egypt. He held various positions in the region’s mosques and religious institutions, as well as serving on several academic and government councils to advance the cause of the Qur’an.

    His passion turned global as he became one of the first Qur’an scholars to travel widely throughout the world as an informal “Ambassador of the Qur’an.” He travelled to India in 1960 to recite at a conference in the presence of Egypt’s president Gamal Abdul Nasir and India’s Nehru, and went to Kuwait in Ramadan of 1963. He frequently visited the major Muslim nations, including Saudi Arabia and Pakistan where he was chosen as the head of an International Reciters Forum at a conference in Karachi in 1966.

    His passion to spread the voice of the Qur’an did not exclude the West. He visited France in 1965 where ten individuals embraced Islam upon hearing his recitation. He visited the U.S. on multiple occasions in the 1970s, met President Jimmy Carter, and visited some of the oldest Islamic centers in the country. On one occasion, it is said that 18 men and one woman embraced Islam after hearing him. He was the first individual ever to recite the Qur’an in the U.S. Congress, the first to recite at the United Nations, in 1977, and in London’s Buckingham Palace in 1978.

    A Rich Legacy

    In addition to being a reciter, Shaykh al-Husari left behind a dozen written works on the Qur’an and its sciences, including a textbook on the science of Tajweed. His greatest legacy, however, is one that placed his name squarely on the historical roadmap of pioneers in preserving the Qur’an and advancing its status in the world. Shaykh al-Husari has the distinction of being the first person in history to record the entire Qur’an in audio media and preserve it for posterity. Although there were others who did partial recordings before his time, and many who did recordings after him, his work became preeminent for a number of reasons.

    To begin with, he was simply the first to record the entire Qur’an. The story behind this project reveals a glimpse into his visionary spirit as well as the workings of destiny. Shaykh al-Husari was greatly concerned about the efforts of Christian missionaries, particularly in Africa, to spread confusion and doubts about the Qur’an. Moreover, this was the dawn of the age of electronic communication and the world was just beginning to take shape as a global village. Shaykh al-Husari used his influence and position to raise awareness of the need to preserve the Qur’an, in the spirit of its early pioneers, this time in an audio format.

    The project had initially been presented to a number of reciters but never came to fruition due to disputes about monetary compensation and related issues. After exhausting these avenues, the matter returned to Shaykh al-Husari, who reluctantly agreed to do it. But he did it as a service to the ummah, without any monetary compensation. He did the same for all his written works, preferring charitable distribution rather than selling for profit.

    Most importantly, his complete mastery and precision in articulating the letters and words of the Qur’an were undeniable. After the project’s completion, the recordings were presented to numerous scholarly experts, and it was only after all of them testified to its precision that the project was allowed to proceed. And to this day, with the unanimous and universal approval of the leading experts of Tajweed, Shaykh al-Husari’s crystal clear voice continues to resonate with divine beauty and power from schools, cars, audio players, and computer software throughout the world.

    Finally, the ambitious nature of the project was also a key factor in its success. After recording the entire Qur’an in the rendition of Hafs in 1961, Shaykh al-Husari’s work was not over. He proceeded to do another entire recording in the Reading of Warsh in 1964 and additional ones in Qalun and Duri in 1968. He also produced another recording in Mujawwad form, a slower style of recitation, as well as one in a teaching style (Muzallam). These recordings have all been widely available since, and continue to our times.

    In 1980, Shaykh al-Husari began suffering from a heart condition and ultimately passed away on November 24, 1980 after completing the last prayer of the day. Upon his death, he left a third of his wealth for charitable works for advancing the cause of the Qur’an.

  • Ibn Sina: The Prince of Physicians

    In a relatively obscure village in the outskirts of Bukhara, the renowned capital of the Samanid dynasty, a Persian empire in Central Asia, a child was born in 370H/980CE. He was recognized early as a prodigy and was destined to become one of the world’s greatest minds. Abu Ali al-Husayn ibn Abd Allah ibn Sina, popularly known as Ibn Sina in the Muslim world and Avicenna in the West, lived in the fourth Islamic century which represented the cultural peak of the Abbasid intellectual era. Dubbed the “leader of Islamic philosophy” by the historian Imam al-Dhahabi, al-Shaykh al-Rais (the Scholar-Leader) by his contemporaries, and, alternately, the “Father of Modern Medicine,” “Prince of Physicians,” and the “Doctors’ Doctor” by authorities in the West, his name to this day bears universal recognition and instant admiration.

    Ibn Sina began his journey, like many of his peers, by studying the Arabic language and memorizing the Quran. He completed that by the young age of ten. His father, a local governor under the Samanid rulers, invested greatly in his son’s education and took him to some of the prominent teachers of his region. He studied, for instance, fiqh and spirituality under the Hadith scholar Ismail al-Bukhari and the Arabic language under the Hanafi jurist Abubakr al-Khwarizmi. It was, however, when his father took him to meet a visiting scholar, Abu Abdullah al-Natili, that Ibn Sina discovered his lifelong passion for philosophy, which then led him to the study of logic, the various physical sciences, and medicine. In line with his prodigious intelligence, Ibn Sina was known to rapidly master every discipline he applied himself to and memorize every book he read. When he studied medicine, for instance, as he remarks in his autobiography, he found it particularly unchallenging, so much so that he began practicing medicine by the age of sixteen and discovering new forms of treatment!

    He treated many patients for free, and reputation of his intellectual abilities and medical skills quickly spread far and wide. When the local Samanid ruler Nua b. Mansur fell ill, Ibn Sina was called and successfully treated him, earning him exclusive access to the prized royal libraries, where he avidly studied and absorbed some of the world’s greatest works. In his words, “I saw books whose very names are as yet unknown to many—works which I have never seen before and have not seen since. I read these books, taking notes of their contents.” He also turned to writing, authoring his first book at the age of twenty-one, and then turning his productive pen and insightful mind to a broad variety of disciplines, producing major references in diverse fields.

    With the death of his father when he was twenty-two, and the collapse of the Samanid dynasty, Ibn Sina was forced to leave his native Bukhara, and became, to some extent, a casualty like so many of the instability caused by the region’s political turmoil. Despite the setbacks, he continued to maintain a vigorous lifestyle wherever he went, treating patients, writing expansive volumes, teaching large circles of students, corresponding with other scholars of his time such as the renowned scientist Muhammad al-Biruni, and maintaining some form of political involvement. After being advised to slow down his lifestyle in order to protect his ailing health, he famously remarked, “I prefer a short life with width to a narrow one with length.” This active regimen precluded him from getting married and settling down, and he eventually passed away on a Friday in Ramadan 428H/1037CE in the Persian city of Hamadan, where he is
    buried.

    Today, numerous schools, universities, hospitals, and institutions across the world bear his name. His philosophy and acclaimed practice of medicine live on in every medical program throughout the world. The renowned European physician De Poure remarked that “medicine was absent until Hippocrates created it, dead until Galen revived it, dispersed until Rhazes (al-Razi) collected it, and deficient until Avicenna completed it.”

    The Canon of Medicine

    Among his prominent works, al-Qanun fil-Tibb (The Principles of Medicine) was a massive encyclopedia of the medical knowledge of his time. Consisting of over a million words, producing over five volumes, it represented a grand synthesis of all extant medical traditions, including that of Hippocrates and Galen, and Indian, Persian, and Prophetic medicine traditions, as well as Islamic principles on health and related subjects. This magnum opus was translated into Latin in the 12th century and became the standard reference in medicine in universities throughout Europe for the next 500 years.

    In this work, Ibn Sina listed 142 properties of herbal medicine and described 760 drug preparations, including their properties, actions, and indications. He wrote about the importance of treating cancer in its early stages, the spread of disease by water and soil, the impact of climate on health, the importance of a public health system, the emphasis of prevention over remedial treatment, and the need for testing new drugs on animals and humans before making them publically available. Many of his concepts and ideas are in vogue in modern medicine today, and others are just being rediscovered, such as holistic medicine and the impact of spirituality on health and disease.

  • Help the Laborer!

    “Help the skilled laborers and serve the disabled” (Bukhari 2382, Muslim 250). From the treasured Prophetic lessons for human society come these important moral instructions concerning public service. The Prophet instructed his followers to be committed to the service of others. It is a basic ethical value, recognized by all cultures and by all faith traditions. Yet, the genius of the Prophet of Islam lay not only in the advice, but in his choice of words and in his ability to diagnose and prescribe—in the most precise ways—the most effective solutions for the problems faced by people.

    These particular instructions were given to Abu Dharr al-Ghifari, a devoted Companion, who was interested in prioritizing his deeds and discovering those that were the most valuable and pleasing to Allah. Among the advice given to him was this lesson in public service. Those who were interested in maximizing their rewards and being the truest believers must serve others. For this reason, the Prophet stated on another occasion, “The best of people are those who benefit others.”

    The Prophet taught that public service extends to all. Believers serve everyone, not just those who are overtly needy. And so the Prophet mentioned first the skilled laborers. This may appear counter-intuitive. Why help those who are able to work? The answer to that, as we shall see, points precisely to the Prophet’s genius.

    The disabled, handicapped, and those obviously in need of help definitely deserve our help. And we must help them. But at the same time, they are the ones who are most likely to be assisted and supported. For this reason, you will find everywhere that people go out of their way to open the door for those who are in wheelchairs and using crutches. You will find people lending a hand to a mother carrying bags while pushing a baby in a stroller, and cars stopping at green lights for senior citizens slowly crossing the road.

    The reality is that the segments of the population that tend to be overlooked are those who have some skills, who are able to work, who are not overtly disabled. The greater part of charity, public assistance, and governmental aid policies and programs apply to the obviously poor, and in some countries, tax and monetary policies favor the wealthy. The rest are left to fend for themselves.

    It is for this reason that the issue of the rights of workers has been of historical interest. This issue led to the rise of certain political movements that profoundly impacted the world stage—often in negative ways—such as communism and socialism. The issue of workers’ rights has kept labor unions alive and labor laws operative in our country. There still exists a general neglect for the interests of the working class, with only sporadic attention to this very real issue. And this issue takes center stage in the political debate in the countdown to the presidential election.

    The recession has drastically reduced available funds for welfare and other social safety-net programs, and this has adversely affected both the poor and the working middle class. The disabled and unemployed still qualify for assistance, which—depending on your political persuasion—is either too little or too much. And so Romney famously attacked the 47%—those who are out of work or work so little that they pay no income taxes at all. Low-income wage earners receive subsidies mainly in the form of food assistance and health coverage, although Medicaid is being slashed in many states. The very wealthy are also taken care of in the form of tax breaks and Federal Reserve policies such as the current QE3 (quantitative easing #3) which really only boosts the stock market and the housing market, both of which favor those at the high end of the wealth-distribution spectrum. And corporations are supported through bailouts and subsidies, widely supported by legislators on both sides of the political aisle. Those in the middle class are left to fend for themselves. There is a growing recognition that many in the middle class are sliding below the poverty line. And despite the current modest increase in jobs, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports, “Most of the 10 largest occupations in May 2011 were relatively low-paying occupations, such as retail salespersons, cashiers, and general office clerks.”

    With the above-cited hadith, the Prophet reminds us that everyone benefits when there is collaborative effort, mutual help and assistance in creating a healthy, prosperous, just, and compassionate society. In a practical, contemporary sense, helping the skilled laborer can take the form of providing opportunities for continuing occupational training and improvement of skills. But the symbolism of the Prophetic advice to “help the skilled laborer” could be that we are all to contribute to the “building” of a good society, offering whatever abilities and resources we have to enhance the lives and ensure the welfare of all sectors of the society. We are to be committed to “serving the disabled.” But we are also to commit to help (i.e., enhancing their lives, ensuring their security, providing opportunities for advancement) for those who are considered able-bodied, of sound mind, and capable of work. Those who have abilities and aptitudes should be augmented in those skills, and those who have potential abilities should be assisted to realize them. This is the clear moral priority, as conveyed by the age-old adage “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach him to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”

    “Help the skilled laborers and serve the disabled” tell us, in the final analysis, that we are to devote ourselves to creating the greatest possible good for the greatest possible number of people. That is our moral obligation. Anything less would be a betrayal of the Prophetic legacy.

  • The Racial Divide Deepens

    Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him said, “God does not look at your bodies nor your physical forms, but rather He looks at your hearts and your actions” (Related by Abu Hurayrah in Muslim, Riyad al-Salihin #7). In a world that is still largely driven by prejudices based upon race, color, and appearances, this teaching could not be timelier. Renowned Harvard biologist E.O. Wilson, in his 2012 The Social Conquest of Earth, writes about tribalism — the need to belong to or join groups and affiliations, usually ethnically based — as an abiding human instinct. When coupled with the need to feel superior to others, this ethnocentrism gives rise to prejudice, conflict, and war.

    A recent Newsweek poll confirms that the race divide is not only still existent, but deepening within American society, amplified by the election of a black president. Our country is dissevered over this issue and the reactionary far-right simply isn’t ready or willing to see past the color of a person’s skin. I have long maintained that the political upsurge from middle America, with everything that it has spawned, from the Tea Party to Islamophobia to anti-immigration legislation, is the same old swagger of the beast of racism. America, and the rest of the world, have not yet solved the problem of race, and have much to learn from the Islamic tradition.

    The only valid basis for superiority — for honor — is moral excellence, not race, not nationality

    Physical appearance or outward aspect has no value with God, according to Islamic teaching. What matters are the internal states of mind and heart, as well as the individual’s deeds and contributions to the human fund of goodness and well-being. Tribalism is neither inevitable nor predeterminate. The Quran emphatically asserts the common origin of all human beings: “O mankind! We created you from a single male and female, and made you into nations and tribes, so that you may know one another. Verily the most honored of you in the sight of God is the most righteous of you” (Qur’an 49:13). Race and ethnicity exist as identifiers and bounties of diversity granted out of the munificence of God. Nothing more. And the only valid basis for superiority — for honor — as the above verse tells us, is moral excellence, not race, not nationality.

    Prophet Muhammad solved the race problem in his own society in an incisive manner. His words and teachings reflect a heightened passion for perceiving and interacting with people with tolerance and appreciation of the diverseness of the human species. Few things irritated him more than people conflicting over race or tribal affiliations. In Makkah, his early followers included former black slaves and those from many different tribal and ethnic affiliations, including those who were scorned in the proudly tribal society of Arabia. Among his dearest Companions was the African, Bilal, who was to become the official caller to prayer. The Prophet continued the egalitarian tradition in his new-found home of Madinah, where he unified the various warring tribes into brothers and sisters in faith, teaching them that pride based on tribal identity or venerated ancestry was condemned. He, pbuh, said, “Let people stop boasting of their ancestors who are gone, otherwise they will stand more degraded with God than the dung-beetle that rolls dung with its nose” (At-Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud). The simile used compares the one who venerates his ancestors to the lowliest imaginable creature — the dung-beetle which thrives on the excrement of other creatures!

    After one of his Companions of prominent lineage expressed some disparaging remarks towards another in a crowded gathering, the Prophet asked him to look around and then said, “What do you see?” He replied, “I see people of all colors, white, black and red.” The Prophet informed him, “And you are not better than any of them, except by piety.” On another occasion, he told another close Companion, “Look, you’re not better than a white or black person, except by reason of your piety.” Once, heated words between individuals escalated into full-scale tribal threats and counter threats  which earned the fury of the Prophet. He remarked, “Leave these calls, for they are abhorrent! You still call to the ways of ignorance?”

    In his momentous return to Makkah, with his remaining foes humbled and surrendering, he ordered the ultimate symbolic display of egalitarianism, a sounding denunciation of racism once and for all. He directed Bilal to climb the Ka’bah in front of thousands to sound the call to prayer. One of the proud Arabs remarked, “Thank God my father did not live to see this day” and another asked, “Couldn’t Muhammad find other than this black crow to be the caller?” On this same occasion, as an inspired confutation to their ignorance, the Prophet delivered a sermon in which he reiterated the lesson on human fraternity: “There are only two types of people: the righteous, who are honorable in the sight of God; and the wicked, who are disgraced in the sight of God. In fact, all men are the children of Adam, and Adam was created from dust.”  Then he recited the verse mentioned above on the common origins of humanity (49:13).

    The Prophet never ceased his mission to eradicate the bonds of tribalism and racism. His final public address included the same lesson about egalitarianism and the only criterion for honor: “People, know that your Lord is One, and your father was one. No Arab has any superiority over a non-Arab, nor a non-Arab over an Arab; nor a white person over a black person, nor a black person over a white person — except by piety. The most honorable of you in the sight of God are the most pious and righteous of you.”

    Muslims in the U.S. possess a vibrant egalitarian tradition that continues to inform our values and our experience, as it has for the Muslims who have resided over the generations in this country. We would do well to share the Islamic wisdom that can help heal the wounds still plaguing this nation; and Americans would be well-served to open their ears and hearts to those lessons from their fellow, well-wishing, Muslim citizens.

  • The Strong Believer

    The Strong Believer

    The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: The strong believer is better and more beloved to God than the weak believer, while there is good in both. So always pursue that which is beneficial, always seek God’s assistance and never be incapacitated. If something happens to you do not say, ‘If only I had done this or that,’ but rather, say, ‘It is the decree of God, and He does what He wills.’ The phrase ‘if only’ opens the doors to the actions of the devil. (Narrated from Ab? Hurayrah in Muslim 4816, Ibn M?jah, Musnad Ahmad and others.)

    The great master Ibn al-Qayyim describes these golden words as containing lessons “which no single person can afford to live without.” This important tradition speaks volumes to improving the quality and states of our personal lives. Its lessons apply equally to matters that are faith-based and worldly. The late Shaykh Uthaym?n remarked, “This is a great tradition that every human being should place before him as a shining lamp to illuminate one’s religious as well as worldly affairs.”

    The Prophet, in this tradition, affirms strength as a great virtue and suggests some formidable measures to foster it in our lives. Although scholars have debated the type of strength intended, a review of the wording and context of the tradition lends support to the view of Ibn al-Qayyim and Im?m Nawaw? that it primarily refers to mental resolve and determination. For it is mental resolve that drives one to action, while its converse—mental irresoluteness—renders one lazy and incapable. The strong believer is thus more virtuous because of his/her greater ability to increase in works that engender closeness to God.

    There is Good in Both

    After establishing the virtue of strength, the Prophet added an important clarification —“there is good in both” — lest his words be misrepresented. Although a strong believer is better than a weaker one, let no one assume that there is no good in the lesser, for weak faith is better than no faith at all. So, let no one belittle others. Recognize and honor another person’s faith whatever its degree. The purpose of understanding virtues and merits in religious discourse is not to look down on or judge any one, but to establish moral principles and encourage believers. All texts of the Qur’?n and Sunnah that delineate virtues are intended to provide incentives for greater good, not to be cause for envy, arrogance, or divisiveness. Unfortunately, this principle is lost on many. We should, therefore, keep in mind that the Islamic teachings always aim to bring benefit.

    Always Pursue that Which is Beneficial

    In the above tradition, the Prophet gave specific andpractical instructions on cultivating strength in our lives. The first step is wide-ranging and applies to both worldly and otherworldly matters. Believers, especially strong ones, always seek out beneficial matters and conversely, abstain from those things which are not beneficial, or even harmful. The Prophet alluded to this important dictum on another occasion by saying, “Part of the perfection of faith is leaving things which don’t concern us.” If practiced, this principle would make for lives that are more fulfilling and less prone to conflict. As Ibn al-Qayyim aptly noted, “Happiness for human beings lies in guarding what benefits them in this world and the next.”

    Always Seek God’s Assistance

    What is mentioned next is quite profound in its sequence. Strength is a personal quality that is nurtured by our own efforts. Even the first means suggested by the Prophet, seeking out benefit, is related to our own efforts and choices. This has the potential to make a person arrogant and proud of his own efforts and qualities; hence the reminder to call upon God. How timely and appropriate! For the one who is strong and full of resolve, who volitionally seeks out beneficial matters, might forget God due to the delusion of self-sufficiency. So an apt reminder is to call upon Him always, even when we are strong! God is truly in charge of everything, and all else is a delusion, as the poet Ab? Fir?s al-Hamd?n? [d 357/968] said:

    When God aids you not in what you ask
    No other creation then can find a way.
    And if He steers you not in every task
    Lost you are, though Arcturus himself lead your way.
    (Arcturus is the brightest star in the Northern Hemisphere.)

    The lesson is to be strong and take concrete steps to help yourself, but at the same time to never forget to seek God’s assistance, for He is truly the source of strengthand every other resource.

    Never Be Incapacitated

    The third advice has to do with the absence of strength. Too many people become passive, lazy or weak in the name of relying on God. Therefore the instruction is to never adopt an attitude of incapacity or powerlessness. Be strong and assertive, practically seeking out benefit and then calling upon God, all the while acting in a proactive manner. This mirrors the Prophet’s famous instructions to the Bedouin who wanted to leave his camel outside of the mosque in the name of relying on God: Tie your camel and then trust in God.

    Do Not Say ‘If Only I Had Done This or That’

    Human affairs often don’t proceed as planned, and life is full of surprises. After you have adopted a position of strength, having done all that you can, seeking benefit, calling upon God, and being proactive, and still things don’t go as planned, do not indulge in empty lamentation. Rather, know that God is in charge and controls the destiny of all things. We remind ourselves of the higher purpose and wisdom in everything. “And you cannot will it, except as God wills, for He is full of Knowledge and Wisdom (Qur’?n 76:30).Excessive dwelling on the past is unhealthy and leads to regret, sadness, and mental insecurity. Consider that the Qur’?n, after relating the long story of the Prophet Ibr?h?m, remarks:“But that was a nation that is gone. For them is what they earned and to you is what you earn. And you will not be asked about what they used to do”(Qur’an 2:134).

    The words “if only” have been aptly described as “the two saddest words in the world,” and the Prophet ended the above tradition by teaching us that these words open the door to Satanic whisperings and great insecurity in the mind. Dwelling on the past can lead to feelings of blame, regret, sadness, anger, frustration, insecurity, etc. Rather than dwelling on the past, let us cultivate strong faith and mental resolve, always seek that which is beneficial for ourselves as well as others, call upon Allah SWT for assistance while guarding ourselves against any manner of incapacity, and foster within ourselves a proactive and forward-leaning orientation. The golden words of the above tradition are an invitation to strengthen our belief and faith in every way possible. We will be well-served to heed its advice.