Notes from the SeekersGuidance Winter 2010 General Assembly
By Beenish Akhtar

SeekersGuidance held its first ever General Assembly for the Winter 2010 semester. Students from over 15 countries tuned in to listen to inspirational messages from Shaykh Faraz Rabbani and Shaykh Yahya Rhodus. The following notes on Shaykh Faraz Rabbani’s portion of the program were taken by [...]

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Who is Muhammad (God bless him and grant him peace)?
Sayyid Naquib al-Attas

The following excerpt is from “Prolegemona to the Metaphysics of Islam: An Exposition of the Fundamental Elements of the Worldview of Islam” by Sayyid Naquib al-Attas. In it, he challenges the modern portrayal of man as a rational agent with independent creative capabilities [...]

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Man’s Indebtedness to Allah (exalted be He)
by Sayyid Naquib al-Attas

The following excerpt is from “Prolegemona to the Metaphysics of Islam: An Exposition of the Fundamental Elements of the Worldview of Islam” by Sayyid Naquib al-Attas. In it, he challenges the modern portrayal of man as a rational agent with independent creative capabilities and powers. al-Attas uses [...]

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In the Name of Allah, the Benevolent, the Merciful. May Allah’s blessings and peace be upon His Beloved Messenger, his companions and folk.
Imam Abdallah ibn Alawi al-Haddad (Allah have mercy on him) (d.1132 Hijri) said,
‘The aim and spirit of spiritual routines (awrad) is presence with Allah.
Aim for it; you will reach it only if you [...]

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“Imam al-Ghazzali in his book “al-Arba’in fi Usul al-Deen” has enumerated ten forms which worship can take:

1. Prayers.
2. Prescribed Alms-giving.
3. Fasting.
4. Haji or pilgrimage to Makkah.
5. Reciting the Holy Qur’an.
6. Remembrance of Allah in all possible situations.
7. Earning one’s livelihood in accordance with the regulations of the Shari’ah
8. Fulfilling one’s obligations towards one’s companions and [...]

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Should Muslims be concerned about Haiti?
by Shaykh Jihad Hashim Brown
(The National, Abu Dhabi)

Shaykh Jihad Hashim Brown is director of research at the Tabah Foundation. He delivers the Friday sermon at the Maryam bint Sultan Mosque in Abu Dhabi
Eleven-year-old Anna St Louis was going to be a lawyer. For three days she lay trapped beneath the rubble [...]

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The following excerpt is from the book “Islamic Manners” by Shaykh Abdul Fattah Abu Ghuddah (may Allah shower His mercy upon him). Although the book is short and concise, one can nonetheless acquire very deep meanings by reflecting upon its structure and themes. It is unlike other works of adab (etiquette) which often go into [...]

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Being Muslim - “Welcome to the Reading Room”
This following excerpt is from the forthcoming book “Being Muslim”. It is suitable for those who are simply curious about Islam, newly practicing, or lifelong Muslims who would like a refresher. It assumes no background knowledge in Islam and systematically covers some of the most essentials aspects needed to begin [...]

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Malik ibn Dinar

He was a companion of Hasan of Basra. Dinar was a slave, and Malik was born before his father’s emancipation. His conversion began as follows. One evening he had been enjoying himself with a party of friends. When they were all asleep a voice came from a lute which they had been playing: [...]

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Justice and Its Relationship to Knowledge

By Sayyid Naquib al-Attas
The modern era has witnessed three significant developments that have created unprecedented challenges to the Muslim community: (1) public education, mass media, and mass literacy, (2) the disintegration of Islamic polities, and (3) the formation of learning institutes based on Western concepts, values, and processes. The first [...]

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