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Are there more than five pillars of Islam?

Common parlance has that there are but five pillars of Islam: the testimony of faith, establishing the prayer, paying the obligatory charity, fasting in the month of Ramaḍān and making the pilgrimage.  The famous traditions carrying that wording are reported in almost all notable collections of ḥadith . When it comes to the citation, usually it is the narrations reported on the authority of Ibn Umar, son of Umar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb (may Allah be pleased with them both). It is a continuously recurrent tradition ( mutawātir ) from Ibn Umar and has been reported by a large number of the trustworthy narrators from the successor generation to the companions, the Tābi’een . Curiously though, the actual word pillar (Arabic:  rukn , pl.  arkān ) is noticeably absent from all the reported texts through which this has come.  Furthermore, the word ‘only’ (Arabic: faqaṭ ) is not part of any reported text.   Usually in the English translations it is either inserted into the main body of the t

There is no king but Allah | Professor al-Massari

Presented here is a short translated excerpt entitled ‘There is no king but Allah’.  This is taken from chapter six (Significant issues concerning Ruling in Islam) from the book entitled Ḥakimiyah & the Sovereignty of Sharī’ah by Professor Muhammad al-Massari .  There is a substantial number of evidences from the Prophetic Sunnah that discuss matters pertaining to kingship/monarchy, ruling, and the political trajectory of the Muslim Ummah . The article therefore begins by examining the ḥadith that talk about kingship in general, thereafter examining the issue of kingship as it emerged for the Children of Israel.   What is also noteworthy, is how the Prophet (peace be upon him) himself interacted with the rulers of his time, as well as the understanding that he bequeathed to him companions.  Each of the narratives that detail this are set out and evaluated in turn.  Given that kingship has been a pervasive feature of political ruling within the Muslim world for many ce

The Transition to the Gold Standard

Download the book  The Transition Introductory Remarks In his tract on monetary reform, John Maynard Keynes referred to gold as a barbarous relic, whose rigidity had fettered the world from economic freedom and prosperity. He spoke at a time when the Occident were suffering from macroeconomic anaemia and were yearning for a solution. In sheer desperation, fiat money became the drug that gave growth-addicts what they craved for in the short-run. However, years after its introduction, the fiat system has induced far more volatility than it sought to resolve. In truth, Keynes failed to realise that barbarity was a trait not of gold but of fiat, insofar as it has plagued the world with monetary anarchy. In fact, the very system he consigned to history has never been more relevant than it is today. Islam’s imminent arrival as a political entity has necessitated a vital discourse, in which its ability to purge the world of its monetary woes by way of bimetallism must be explicated.

New book: The Muslim's Handbook to Understanding Islamic Economics & Financial Transactions

The Muslim's handbook to understanding Islamic Economics & Financial Transactions  - Compilation of Q&A answered by Sheikh Ata bin Khaleel abu Rashta Istinarah Press Paperback, 430 pages This book has been compiled as a result of a need to have a handy guide to understand various issues related to Economics & Financial Transactions from the Shari’ perspective. Running over 430 pages, the subjects covered in the book include the  Ahkam  related to Zakah, Trade & Commerce,  Riba , Insurance, Employment, Hiring,  Muamalat , Loans & Debts, Land, Agriculture, Public & Private Property , currency, economic crisis and funds in the Khilafah.  And as time progresses and with the ever increasing call among the Muslims to reunite under a Khilafah where Islamic is implemented In a comprehensive manner, there is an increasing need for books to be written on crucial subjects so as to be to able to build within the Ummah, the right awareness and depth. Having