Islamic Revival

Question: What is the reporting concerning the following ḥ adith and is it authentic? The Prophet peace be upon him said: ‘I wish I could meet my brothers.  The companions of the Prophet peace be upon him said: Are we not your brothers?  He (the Prophet) said: You are my companions, but my brothers are those who have faith in me although they never saw me’ [Aḥmad].     Answer:  Answer The narration is purportedly from the companion Anas ibn Mālik, may Allah be pleased with him, and is reported outside of the commonly known books or famous books of ḥ adith . Primarily, the tradition appears in three different collections: the Musnad of Aḥmad, Musnad Abu Ya’la and in Mu’jam al-Awsa ṭ of al-Ṭabarāni. As far as can reasonably be discerned, it doesn’t appear that any of the notable scholarly authorities declared this outright to be Ṣaḥīḥ .  At best seems to be the comment of Shu’ayb al-Arnā’uṭ, giving the assessment ‘ ḥ asan li’ghayrihi ,’ as a follow...

Are we witnessing one of the portents relating to the final hour? The aḥādith of the ‘ Ruwaybiḍah’ is often mentioned in various contexts and has been feature of traditional Islamic works of ‘ Fitan ,’ relating to signs before the day of judgment, including before the arrival of the cursed false ‘messiah’ – the Dajjāl . Textually, the traditions do not relate to a legal topic. As such, when cited they are not utilised in relation to developing or substantiating jurisprudence ( fiqh ). Rather, depending upon authenticity, the text relates to a possible description of a future state of events, where deception reigns. A fixed moment in time is not specified, but rather a period prior to the coming of the Dajjāl . Some in the contemporary era have given a rating of fair or good ( ḥ asan ) to a particular narration that mentions the ‘ Ruwaybiḍah ,’ others to the set of traditions overall. Partly this seems to be on the basis that there are other channels of reporting which it is h...

As much as some may behave to the contrary, there is no priestly or rabbinical order that is textually sanctioned in Islam.  The Qur’ānic text is replete with examples of censure given to the previous nations that descended into an abyss through their scholarship [e.g. 5: 44, 63; 9: 31, 34].  Whether that was altering the rulings for a miserly price, to taking the diktats of the priestly order above and beyond the revealed law. Scholarship underpinned by piety is neither conferred by virtue of holding any particular office, the mere presence upon a state-sanctioned committee, nor even by means that are inherited. Enchantment with or outright sycophancy towards those despotically holding political office is also not a sign of scholarship, let alone scholarly conduct.   Indeed, as we move inexorably towards the end of days, it is worth reminding ourselves of the words that the Prophet peace be upon him furnished us with concerning the ‘deceitful jurists.’...