Book Release: The Etiquette of Dialogue in Allah’s Book

 Alhamdulillah, the book is now available from Nawa Books

 

Two Timely Essays by Imam al-Būṭī on Language, Dialogue, and the Qurʾān

In this powerful and timely volume, Imam Muḥammad Saʿīd Ramaḍān al-Būṭī, one of the foremost scholars of our time, presents two profound essays on the Qurʾān’s guidance concerning speech, dialogue, and the preservation of language.

The first essay, The Etiquettes of Dialogue in Allah’s Book, explores how the Qurʾān instructs believers to engage in respectful, wise, and principled dialogue. Drawing directly from Qurʾānic verses, Imam al-Būṭī demonstrates that the believer’s approach to discussion — whether with fellow Muslims or with those who reject faith — must be rooted in clarity, logic, compassion, and ethical integrity. Far from encouraging polemics or verbal conquest, the Qurʾān lays out a framework for inviting others to the truth with sincerity and dignity.

The second essay, Preserving the Arabic Language and Its Literature, is a stirring defence of the Arabic language and its central role in the life of the Muslim ummah. Imam al-Būṭī exposes the ideological agendas — both historical and modern, colonial and internal —  that have sought to weaken or displace Arabic, arguing that such efforts threaten the Ummah’s direct connection to the Qurʾān and thus, by extension, their relationship with Allah Himself.

Both essays are presented with fully vocalised Arabic text alongside precise English translations, offering timeless guidance for seekers of knowledge, Arabic students, educators, those engaged in daʿwah, and all who are committed to preserving the integrity of Islam.

Deeply rooted in love for Allah, His Book, and the language in which it was revealed, this volume is a call to reflection, revival, and action.

The book is also available from Lulu. 

Why is it called 'al-Muqaddasah'?

)يَٰقَوْمِ ٱدْخُلُوا۟ ٱلْأَرْضَ ٱلْمُقَدَّسَةَ ٱلَّتِى كَتَبَ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ وَلَا تَرْتَدُّوا۟ عَلَىٰٓ أَدْبَارِكُمْ فَتَنقَلِبُوا۟ خَٰسِرِينَ(

“My people! Enter the Holy Land (al-Arḍ al-Muqaddasah) that Allah ordained for you. Do not turn back in your tracks and thus become losers.” [al-Māʾidah 5:21]

Imam ʿAbdur Raḥmān ibn al-Jawzī (d.597 AH) : ‘Regarding the meaning of al-muqaddasah there are two positions. The first is that it is purified (muṭahharah), which was stated by Ibn ʿAbbās and az-Zajjāj, who said, “A bucket (saṭl) is called qadas because one purifies oneself from it”. It was called Bayt al-Maqdis because one purifies oneself of sins therein.  It has also been said that it was called muqaddasah because it was purified of idolatry and made an abode for the Prophets and the believers. The second is that it is blessed (mubārakah), which was stated by al-Mujāhid.’ [Zād al-Masīr fī ʿIlm at-Tafsīr (Beirut: Dār Ibn Hazm, 1423/2002), 370. See also Faḍāʾil Bayt al-Maqdis by the same author (Beirut: Dār Ibn Hazm, 1400/1980), 67]

For further knowledge from this tafsīr, listen from 58:10 of this video.

What are the Mufaṣṣal in the Qurʾān?

What should you be reciting in each prayer? (an extract from the upcoming translation of Al-Fiqh al-Manhajī ʿalā Madhhab al-Imām ash-Shāfiʿī)

8. Reciting Some Portion of the Qurʾān after the Fātiḥah:

The sunnah is realised by reciting a sūrah of the Qurʾān, however short it may be, or by reciting three consecutive verses.

It is only recommended in the first two units of any prayer, whether one be the imam or praying alone. As for the one praying behind an imam, it is recommended in quiet prayers or when he is too far away to hear the imam’s recitation.

In the ṣubḥ and ẓuhr prayers, it recommended to recite the sūrahs that are known as ṭiwāl[1] al-mufaṣṣal, such as al-Ḥujurāt (49) and ar-Raḥmān (55). In the ʿaṣr and ʿishāʾ prayers, it is recommended to recite the awāṣit[2] al-mufaṣsāl, such as ash-Shams (91) and al-Layl (92). In the maghrib prayer, the qiṣār[3] al-mufaṣṣal are recommended, such as al-Ikhlāṣ (112).[4] This is due to the ḥadīth of an-Nasāʾī (2/127) on the authority of Sulaymān ibn Yasār from Abū Hurayrah t, who said, ‘I have not prayed behind anyone whose prayer resembled that of Allah’s Messenger e more than that of so-and-so. We prayed behind him and he would make the first two units of ẓuhr long and the later two light. He would make ʿasr light and he would recite the qiṣār al-mufaṣṣal in maghrib. In ʿishāʾ he would recite Wa sh-shamsī wa ḍuḥāhā[5] and similar sūrahs and in ṣubḥ he would recite two long sūrahs’.

 

It is also recommended to recite Ālif Lām Mīm Tanzīl, i.e. Sūrat as-Sajdah (32) in the first unit of the dawn prayer on Friday and Hal Atā[6] in the second unit.

This is due to what has been related by al-Bukhārī (851), as well as Muslim (880), on the authority of Abū Hurayrah t, who said, ‘In the fajr prayer on Friday, the Prophet e would recite Ālif Lām Mīm Tanzīl – i.e. as-Sajdah – and Hal Atā ʿAlā l-Insān.

It is recommended to make the first unit longer than the second in all prayers, due to what has been related by al-Bukhārī (725) and Muslim (451): ‘The Prophet e…would recite at length in the first and shorten his recitation in the second.’

[Translated from Al-Fiqh al-Manhajī ʿalā Madhhab al-Imām ash-Shāfiʿī (Damascus: Dār al-ʿUlūm al-Insāniyyah, 1410/1989), 1:152-153]

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[1] (tn): i.e. long.

[2] (tn): i.e. medium length.
[3] (tn): i.e. short.

[4] (tn): these sūrahs are called mufaṣṣal for a few reasons. According to Imam an-Nawawī, it is because there are frequent breaks (fuṣūl) between the sūrahs (i.e. the sūrahs are shorter), while it has also been said that there are very few abrogated verses therein. The imam also states that they start from Sūrat al-Ḥujurāt and continue through to the end of the Qurʾān. See Daqāʾiq al-Minhāj (Beirut: Dār Ibn Ḥazm, 1416/1997), 43. Imam Shams ad-Dīn ar-Ramlī says that mufaṣṣal means mubīn, i.e. made clear, and he quotes Sūrat Fuṣṣilat: “A Book whose verses have been made clear (fuṣṣilat).” [41:3] That is, the details of different meanings have been brought about. See Nihāyat al-Muḥtāj ilā Sharḥ al-Minhāj (Beirut: Dār al-Kutub al-ʿIlmiyyah, 1424/2003) 1:495. As for which sūrahs therein are long, medium length, or short, Imam Ibn Ḥajar al-Haytamī says that the ṭiwāl are from Sūrat al-Ḥujurāt to Sūrat an-Nabaʾ, the awāsiṭ (or awsāṭ) are from an-Nabaʾ to Sūrat ad-Ḍuḥā, and the qiṣār are from ad-Ḍuḥā to the end. This is the dominant position. See Tuḥfat al-Muḥtāj bi Sharḥ al-Minhāj (Cairo: Dār al-Ḥadīth, 1437/2016) 1:246.

[5] (tn): i.e. Sūrat ash-Shams (91).
[6] (tn): i.e. Sūrat al-Insān (76).

Book Release: A Unique Pedagogical Approach in the Qurʾān

 Alhamdulilah, the book is now available

The book is available from Nawa Books and they ship worldwide. Insha'Allah, bookstores in Europe, North America and elsewhere will be stocking it soon.


And with Allah alone is every success!

The Importance of Ḥadīth

From the translation of Imam an-Nawawī's biography by Sheikh ʿAbdul Ghanī ad-Daqr

 

An-Nawawī the Muḥaddith

The scholars of the Revealed Law have made consensus that the best science after the Book of Allah is the science of ḥadīth. Indeed, the rulings in the Qurʾān have many aspects that are brief and comprehensive and can only be expounded by way of the ḥadīth of Allah’s Messenger, and the same goes for the general and the specific as well as the abrogating and the abrogated. Allah the Exalted says: “And we have sent down the Reminder to you so that you can make clear to mankind what has been sent down to them so that perhaps they will reflect.” [an-Naḥl 16:44] Thus, the ḥadīth are an exposition and a source of legislation, and after the Noble Qurʾān, they are the greatest tool for the faqīh, the theologian, the preacher, the one who is concerned with the Arabic language, and so on and so forth. The sun does not take notice of the own who points out its existence and its immense benefit.

[Translated from Al-Imām an-Nawawī: Shaykh al-Islām wa al-Muslimīn wa ʿUmdat al-Fuqahāʾ wa al-Muḥaddithīn wa Ṣafwat al-Awliyāʾ wa as-Ṣāliḥīn (Damascus: Dar al-Qalam, 1415/1994), p.54]

 

Reading the Qurʾān from Tablets and Smartphones

A translation of this fatwa from Naseem al-Sham

Question:

Dr Muḥammad Saʿīd Ramaḍān al-Būṭī, assalām ʿalaykum. Does one have to have wuḍūʾ in order to read the Qurʾān from an iPad or iPhone??? Or are these devices not considered a muṣḥaf such that one should be in a state of purity when reading the Qurʾān from them?????

Answer (Imam Muḥammad Saʿīd Ramaḍān al-Būṭī):

None of these devices is the same as the Qurʾān in terms of the ruling for carrying it, whether one is muḥdith[1] or junub.[2] In other words, there is nothing wrong with carrying them, whatever state one is in. It is permissible to read from them if one is muḥdith but not if one is junub.

Related:
For the Ḥanbalī position, please click here.

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[1] (tn): i.e. one does not have wuḍūʾ
[2] (tn): i.e. one needs to perform ghusl

 

UPDATE: You can now subscribe to The Foreword on Telegram for updates regarding new blog posts and videos: https://t.me/TheForeword

What Is True Knowledge?

 By Imam Muhammad Saeed Ramadan al-Bouti, may Allah have mercy on him

The book is available from the following online retailers:

Wondrous Islam (Canada)

Nawa Books (Singapore)

Madani Propagation (United Kingdom)

More details can be found here, and with Allah alone is every success.

Remember Me and I will Remember You

By Imam ʿAbdul Ḥalīm Maḥmūd, may Allah have mercy on him

The tafsīr of the Exalted’s statement:

“Remember Me and I will remember you. Be grateful to Me and do not be ungrateful.” [al-Baqarah 2:152]

This noble ayāh means whoever remembers Allah with his heart, by pondering on Allah’s signs, the manifestations of divine perfection in this unique creation and the organisation that forces doubters to yield and submit while increasing those who are guided in their guidance.

It means whoever remembers Allah with his tongue, with the various form of dhikr that have reached us, such as subhān Allah, la ilāha illa Allah, Allahu Akbar[1] and sending blessings upon the Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.

It is also means whoever remembers Allah with his limbs, by carrying out his Lord’s commands and refraining from what He has prohibited, emanating from a heart that is alive and feelings that are awake.

Allah will reward all of the above by raising their rank and improving their standing, and other elevated stations that are beyond bounds and limits. Allah expressed this with the word ‘remember’ because when one remembers something one knows its truth and understands what is for it and what is against it. Because of this, a human being must always, and especially a Muslim, remember Allah in every circumstance and in every moment, so that he is not denied Allah’s grace and bounty.

The ayāh thus encourages remembrance and calls to it based on what we’ve mentioned.

And after commanding to remembrance and explaining its benefit comes the command to be grateful. The command to remember takes precedence over the command to be grateful because the one who remembers is preoccupied with Allah the Exalted while the one who is grateful is preoccupied with Allah’s blessings, and being preoccupied with Allah is more important than being preoccupied with blessings.

And whoever doesn’t thank Allah is ungrateful for His blessings, and Allah’s blessings are many…they cannot be counted: “If you tried to number Allah’s blessings, you could never count them.” [an-Naḥl 16:18], and whoever is persistent in thanking Allah, Allah, Glorified is He, will increase him in blessings.

“If you are grateful, I will certainly give you more.” [Ibrāhīm 14:7]

The one who is grateful and remembers is content, and thus he is happy in this life until he meets Allah the Glorified, and then he rejoices at meeting his Lord.

[Translated from Fatāwā al-Imām ʿAbdul Ḥalīm Maḥmūd (Cairo: Dār al-Maʿārif, 1979, 5th edition), v.1, p.178]

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[1] (tn): The imam uses the word taqdīs, the noun of the verb nuqaddisu, which is found in Surat al-Baqarah 2:30. One of the meanings of taqdīs, according to Ibn ʿAbbās, may Allah be pleased with both of them, is takbīr. Please see Zād al-Masīr fī ʿIlm at-Tafsīr by Imam ʿAbdur Raḥmān ibn al-Jawzī (Beirut: Dār al-Kutub al-ʿIlmiyyah, 1422/2002), v.1, p.30.