About
This is a blog on all things related to Islamic studies. It is maintained by me, Abu Ihsan, based in al-Hijaz. My training has been in the various disciplines of Islamic studies, with a focus on hadith and fiqh. I have travelled and studied with teachers in several continents.
Islamic Studies 
Sajjad
November 3, 2013 at 10:32 am
Salam –
Great resource mashaAllah. JazakAllah for your effort. Please check your links for the Maknaz Musnad Imam Ahmad. I don’t see any links on the archive website except for a torrent.
Al-Asiri
November 22, 2013 at 8:31 am
Wa ‘alaykum salam. The Musand Ahmad page has been updated.
Sajjad Chowdhry
November 23, 2013 at 8:32 pm
Thank you. I’m referring to Taj al-‘Arus, the lexicon by Maulana Al-Zabidi (r)
Husein Abdul-nafiu
April 9, 2019 at 8:58 am
Assalamu alaikum
I trust you are in a good state of health and increasing Eeman
I shall be obliged to have your advice on the books for beginners in seeking knowledge in all aspects of Islamic science.From beginner level to intermediate and higher.
Thanks
Al-Asiri
May 31, 2019 at 9:49 pm
Wa ‘alaykum al-salam! You may follow the advice in a number of articles on the site.
Sajjad
November 3, 2013 at 5:42 pm
Salam – Can you suggest a right editions of Mizan al-‘Amal and Taaj al-‘Aroos
Al-Asiri
November 22, 2013 at 7:41 am
Wa ‘alaykum salam. I would suggest Dar al-Ma’arif for Mizan al-‘Amal. As for Taj al-‘Arus, there are many books by that title? Which author are you intending?
Al-Asiri
November 30, 2013 at 10:39 am
The only copy I am familiar with is the Kuwait edition, which can be found here. This is the one readily available in the markets. I will have to ask our scholars which edition is preferred.
. https://archive.org/details/alhelawy09
Abu Isa
April 12, 2014 at 9:33 pm
Slm, your article regarding the best editions of books states that the best available print of al-Minhaj by Imam al-Nawawi is by Dar al-Ma’rifah. Are you referring to the one edited by Shaykh Khaleeel Maun Shehab ? what is your opinion regarding the al-Mihaj edition?
Al-Asiri
April 14, 2014 at 2:44 pm
Wa ‘alaykum salam. I think you may have misread what is written. The best editions are Dar al-Basa’ir, then Dar al-Minhaj. The former has excellent footnotes whereas the later has more dabt.
Abu Isa
April 14, 2014 at 3:25 pm
Assalamu ‘alaykum. Sorry it may be my fault. When i said al-Minhaj i meant Al-Minhaj li Sharh Sahih Muslim li al-Nawawi (Al-Ma’rifah) not Minhaj al-Talibeen, the Shafi’ee fiqh manual.
Is it the edition edited by Shaykh Kaleel Maun Shehab?
Also, what is your opinion regarding the Dar al-Hadith’s print of Fath al-Bari which has been edited by by Abd al-Aziz bin Abdillah bin Baaz and Muhammad Fu’aad Abd al-Baqi?
Khalid Khaldoun
January 17, 2015 at 1:04 am
Are you Ash’ari or Maturidi? – I haven’t seen many of their Aqidah works on your list, it would be useful if you could provide some for us students.
Al-Asiri
January 17, 2015 at 7:33 am
I am a Sunni and have studied, for example, al-Tahawiyyah seven times with teachers from the three main Sunni schools of aqidah: Athari, Ash’ari, and Maturidi. However, my focus is on hadith and fiqh. I thank Allah for allowing me to study with shaykh Akram when I was in Oxford. His iman-focused approach to aqidah resonates with me. See here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7gA-SAXN-g
Yahya
May 1, 2015 at 9:55 pm
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullāhi wa barakātuh.
I hope you are doing well, brother, bārakallāhu fīk.
I’d like to know which ‘Ulamā/teachers have you studied under,akhī? And also if you have any recommendation from the ‘Ulamā.
Hafizakallāh.
Yahya
May 1, 2015 at 9:56 pm
I ask this in order to follow the advice of Muhammad bin Sirin, rahimahullāh, to beware of who we take knowledge from.
Bārakallāhu fīk.
Al-Asiri
May 11, 2015 at 10:27 am
I don’t mind being asked. Your caution is necessary. I don’t consider myself to be a shaykh. I am but a mere student of knowledge who has been blessed with opportunities to study and recieve licenses in hadith and fiqh. Anything written on this site can be tested by experience of the topic, and we try to veer away from overly contentious issues. We basically write what we would like to read.
Al-Asiri
May 11, 2015 at 10:19 am
Wa alaykum salam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh. Alhamdu lillah I have studied with many teachers – too many to list them all. Some of whom you may or may not know are the shaykhs Abdullah al-Ghudayan (may Allah have mercy on him), Abdullah b. Bayyah, Muhammad al-Amin al-Shanqiti, Abdullah al-Maliki, Abdullah al-Qahtani, and Muhammad al-Nadwi. I have ijazat in hadith and fiqh and personal recommendations from the two shaykhs Dr. Abdullah al-Maliki and Dr Abdullah al-Qahtani, who have known me since I was young. May Allah protect and guide us all.
Mehdi Sheikh
April 14, 2016 at 10:26 pm
You studied with THE Muhammad al-Amin al-Shanqiti, of Adwa Wa’l Bayān fame? Man you’re a much older brother than I thought.
Al-Asiri
April 17, 2016 at 2:59 pm
It’s a different Muhammad al-Amin al-Shanqiti, though of the same family based in al-Madinah. He is presently teaching ulum al-hadith and tafsir after maghrib in a mosque near my house.
Iram
July 18, 2015 at 11:23 pm
as Salaamu Alaykum wa Rahmatullaah,
I came upon this blog and found it to be full of benefit, ما شاء الله لا قوة إلا بالله. I ask Allah to help you to continue writing and that it is a means of making your scales heavy on the Day of Judgement. Barak Allahu Feeka.
Is there a way to “follow” your blog so that a person can keep up with the posts in sha Allah?
Ishaq
September 6, 2015 at 12:59 am
Are you “justabro” on IA forum?
Al-Asiri
April 8, 2016 at 7:27 am
Al-salamu ‘alaykum,
No I am not really an active poster on forums or social media. This is my main outlet, but I do collaborate and post articles on behalf of others. I have had a number of questions about whether I am so-and-so and it is rather bemusing. Is there anything in particular that I have written that leads you to that assumption?
Ali
April 17, 2016 at 1:10 am
Assalamu alaykum,
I hope you are doing well :). I am just curious to know if you would be open to offering any Hanbali fiqh class over Skype?
BarakAllahu fikum
Al-Asiri
April 17, 2016 at 3:08 pm
Wa ‘alaykum salam wa rahmatullah! At the moment, we are working on a project to teach fiqh through audio/visual recordings and texts. The main text has been completed in a draft and is almost complete in revision. More details are to be added regarding evidences (quite important as it’s rare in English to have fiqh with evidences). The final goal is to have a readily available multi-media reference available to meet the needs of average English-speaking Muslims in sha Allah. It is progressing slowly, with some intense periods followed by lulls. But it is in the pipeline in sha Allah. It will be released complete and free, but I cannot put a precise date. We want everything to be in place, rather than come out in drips and drabs. This is partly why this site has been a bit inactive, combined with periods of travel. Your prayers please that we get it completed!
Ali
April 17, 2016 at 3:41 pm
May Allah increase baraka in your work and give you tawfeeq! It is a beautiful project you are working on MashaAllah. What about for Arabic speakers? 🙂
JazakumAllah
Al-Asiri
April 17, 2016 at 3:45 pm
Ma sha Allah Arabic speakers are spoiled for choice. Are you Arab?
Ali
April 17, 2016 at 5:38 pm
Yes al hamdoulillah 🙂
Al-Asiri
April 17, 2016 at 6:00 pm
Very good! For Hanbali fiqh, there are many resources. Search on the Internet Archive for shaykh Muhammad Ba-Jabir. You can begin with Dalil al-Talib.
Ali
April 21, 2016 at 3:52 pm
BarakAllahu fikum,
I have a small question about studying in Medina inshaAllah. Is there a way to study there while not complying with the Salafi ideology?
Al-Asiri
April 21, 2016 at 4:16 pm
Of course there is! There are a number of students at the university who follow other schools of thought outside the university. Some use the university as a means to stay in the city to study with other scholars. There are scholars of all backgrounds teaching in the city, albeit not in the main mosque. There is a Shanqiti neighbourhood not far from the mosque wherein you can study texts of the Maliki tradition. There is a sizeable indigenous and Yemeni Shafi’i scene. Shaykh Maqrami even unofficially teaches in the mosque. There are small pockets of Syrian Hanafis, and a believe there are a number of South Asian Hanafis but I don’t know much about them. I have heard of a number of Hanafis of South Asian origin (usually Deobandis) who come to the university already as scholars (sometimes more learned than teachers) and basically pass all the courses whilst making their main focus studying with scholars outside of the university.
Al-Asiri
April 21, 2016 at 4:21 pm
I would say that one should seek to learn from scholars of all backgrounds as much as possible. The exposure to different strains of thought will broaden one’s horizons. Our religious tradition is vast and there are treasures to be found for those who dig deep.
Ali
April 21, 2016 at 10:15 pm
SubhanAllah…that is very encouraging. I have to say, free living is really a big advantage al hamdulillah:D
Al-Asiri
April 24, 2016 at 9:00 am
Indeed it is alhamdu lillah!
Sajjad
April 21, 2016 at 4:56 pm
Assalamu Alaikum-I travel to and from Jeddah very frequently and am looking for a teacher here to start studying with privately. How can aid contact you to discuss my background and get some recommendations?
Al-Asiri
April 24, 2016 at 9:00 am
How frequently do you go to Jeddah and for how long are your stays?
Sajjad
April 24, 2016 at 9:09 am
Assalamu Alaikum
I travel usually once a month and my stays can be up to 2 weeks… sometimes 3. If I can find someone for a sitting 2 to 3 times a week this would be helpful. I am currently working with a UK based Maliki scholar to review and strengthen my Arabic AlhamdulilLah. Can you ping me at my email directly for the next?
Wassalam.
Al-Asiri
April 24, 2016 at 9:01 am
Wa alaykum Salam!
kaunas456
June 6, 2016 at 11:29 am
Dear Sir,
I have two questions. How do I subscribe to your Blog, and are there any book dealers in the larger cities in Saudi Arabia willing to send books in Arabic to a professor in the USA?
Sukran Katheeran,
Ikhlasan
Dr Richard
Al-Asiri
June 7, 2016 at 4:59 pm
Greetings of peace!
I think you can subscribe at the about page. I’ll have to check though as I’m not entirely sure.
As for book dealers shipping outside the Kingdom, I believe there is one in Madinah but cannot recall which one. If I cannot find a book here I usually order from http://www.neelwafurat.com
Abdullah
June 8, 2016 at 5:11 pm
Salam. I’ve been reading your blog since a few months ago and I have to say it’s a gem. I’ve even been reading the comments under each post. I am a high school student who aspires to eventually work in the field of academic islam. My specific interest is in the intellectual revival of Muslims and the revitalization of the Islamic tradition.
Now that I have introduced myself there is a question I’d like to ask. I have been studying Arabic in my spare time for the past couple of years and alhamdullilah my nahw and sarf have reached an acceptable level(Although they’re not quite at the level of mastery). Now I am working on increasing my vocabulary to a level where I can read basic arabic texts as well as learning to read without harakat. I have begun with reading the Qur’an with a dictionary(the dictionary I use is the Hans-Wehr dictionary) where I look up each and every word I don’t know as I’m reading in the dictionary. The only problem is that it’s taking forever. I can’t complete a single page in a 1-2 hour session. At this rate it’ll take years for me to just complete one reading of the Qur’an and I won’t be able to move on in my studies. My question is if I’m approaching increasing vocabulary correctly by reading the Qur’an with a dictionary and if so is the way I am looking up each and every word in the dictionary an efficient approach? Also, are there in any tips you have for me regarding attaining fluency in reading Arabic?
Al-Asiri
June 30, 2016 at 6:33 am
Wa alaykum salam! May Allah make your path easy. In your case I would recommend the following resources to assist you. The first is the 80% Quranic vocabulary list. Google it. These are the high frequency words that you absolutely must master. The second is the Quranic Arabic Corpus run by some brothers in Leeds. This will help with the grammar and translations. Finally, the Bayan Quran app is excellent for breaking down words and grammar. Please note that Hand Wehr is for contemporary Arabic and is not always useful for the Quran. A more appropriate dictionary for the Quran is the Arabic-English Dictionary of Quranic Usage by by two distinguished Egyptian professors of Arabic and the Quran. PDF copies are available online. May Allah bless you dear brother. Please correct your intention in your studies and pray for the well-being of the Muslims! I hope this helps.
Al-Asiri
June 30, 2016 at 6:40 am
As for reading fluency, there is a New Zealand professor called Paul Nation who has excellent advise for language learners regarding reading fluency. Although he writes and speaks from the perspective of learning English, his advice is equally applicable for Arabic and other languages.
I would add that you should always remember that Classical Arabic is unfortunately only a written language today. It is rarely used to converse. Even in al-Azhar some shaykhs teach in colloquial Arabic. So focus your reading skills in Classical Arabic.
Emran (Florida)
June 25, 2016 at 9:21 pm
Assalamu Alaikum, Sheikh I was wondering if you can have all of your works archived as pdfs so it can be easy to download. I just discovered this website and I wish to read everything but converting everything might take some time.
Al-Asiri
July 23, 2016 at 8:47 am
Wa alaykum salam. It is something that I have wanted to do for a while but haven’t yet got round to it. In sha Allah I’ll get to it one day when time permits.
Abdullah
September 8, 2016 at 9:44 am
Assalamu alaykum,
Brother Al-Asri, I wanted to ask you a few questions about Hadith studies. Can you kindly post your email address so that I can PM you.
JazakAllah
Al-Asiri
September 15, 2016 at 7:30 am
Wa ‘alaykum salam. You may ask here so others can benefit too. I don’t give out my email address anymore after receiving some impolite messages in the past.
ahmed
July 22, 2016 at 9:02 pm
Brother please contact me
Ahmed
October 4, 2016 at 3:47 am
Assalaamu alaykum brother
Please elaborate the most just opinion on Abdullah al-Judai. Is he truly a mujtahid mutlaq? Do you think his odd opinions have any merit? Do you consider his fiqh al-tayseer approach correct? If the use of masalah is such a well established concept then why is there so much controversy surrounding such people as shaykh al-Judai. Lastly, please share Shaykh Akram Nadwi’s thought of him.
Al-Asiri
October 19, 2016 at 6:22 pm
Wa ‘alaykum salam wa rahmatullah!
Whether shaykh Abdullah is a mujtahd mutlaq or not is not for me the decide. His scholarship is, however, first class and he has a mastery over usul that is rare today.
I do personally find his research to be excellent whilst being difficult with which to disagree. Read for yourself and form your own opinions. His reasoning is clear and well-explained. There are no gaps. Controversy surrounds his views because they take on long and well-established positions. He has rocked the boat a bit.
I don’t actually ever recall shaykh Akram mentioning shaykh Abdullah (even when we were in Leeds!) but it wouldn’t surprise me if he too respected his scholarship. They both certainly are difficult to pigeon-hole, and the UK is blessed to host them among the other gems resident there.
Muhammad
October 20, 2016 at 10:45 pm
Assalamu alaykum brother,
I hope this reach you well and may Allah bless you for your works.
I have some questions regarding studying sacred knowledge. When I was younger I had the opportunity to study some basic maliki texts but nothing more after that. As a college student who wants to continue studying and have higher degrees how could I blend in studying the sacred knowledge. I’m interested in studying fiqh and tafsir but don’t have much opportunities to do so. Also I can read arabic, write and do understand very little, what would you advise so I can study arabic and improve my language ability?
Thank you very much,
Take care,
Wa salamu alaykum.
Al-Asiri
October 24, 2016 at 4:21 am
Wa alaykum salam wa rahmatullah!
In your case you should try to develop the essential vocabulary of fiqh and tafsir. You’ll find that each science has its own nomenclature and that learning the essentials early on will help your progression.
Two books that will help you are Safwat al-Tafasir by shaykh al-Sabuni of Makkah and Fiqh al-Maliki fi Thawbihi al-Jadid by shaykh Shafqat. These are both modern books written in very clear Arabic which shouldn’t trouble you too much. Please be keen on studying these two books thoroughly, going through them completely at least three times. Your Arabic reading skills will improve through this in sha Allah.
Muhammad
October 26, 2016 at 7:55 pm
assalamu alaykum
Thank you very much for your advice. I’m getting those books as soon as possible.
Pray for me.
May Allah reward you.
Muhammad
October 26, 2016 at 8:07 pm
Assalamu alaykum
I have one more question (sorry for the many messages)…
What publishing house you recommend I buy the book from?
Thank you
Al-Asiri
October 28, 2016 at 7:53 am
Wa alaykum salam and may your studies be fruitful. As both are modern works, any edition should suffice. No editing is necessary as they don’t rely on old manuscripts.
Muhammad Salim
November 5, 2016 at 6:35 pm
Salam, brother do you have a contact email?
You could email me on ibnalmufti at hotmail . com
Hungryforilm
January 14, 2017 at 5:09 pm
Alhumdulilah! An amazing resource for knowledge.
Al-Asiri
February 28, 2017 at 5:25 am
May your hunger for ‘ilm never cease!
Amidu Sanni
January 21, 2017 at 11:53 am
Salam alaykum, I am a Professor of Arabic and Middle Eastern studies from Lagos State University Nigeria. I found your blog very enlightened and enlightening. I am writing on Manuscripts and Online as sources of Islamic history. I already found your list of sources from Ibn Ishaq useful. Do you have any suggestions on studies on manuscripts and digital humanities as sources of Islamic history? Jazakum llahu khayran
Al-Asiri
February 28, 2017 at 5:29 am
Wa ‘alaykum al-salam wa rahmatullah,
As an academic, your institution might have access to Brill’s Journal of Islamic Manuscripts:
http://www.brill.com/journal-islamic-manuscripts
This is an excellent resource for contemporary studies in manuscripts.
Ahmed
February 25, 2017 at 5:58 pm
Assalaamu alaykum
Brother, I’ve a question about Arabic reading. For a few years now it seems like I’m stuck with my Arabic studies (have made some progress). I can only afford to do online courses as I cannot travel outside the country nor do I’ve resources available where I live.
I’ve learned enough Arabic where I can read without a dictionary let’s say 70% of ibn Kathir (because its language really simple). I’ve studied all three books of al Arabiyatu bayna yadayk (this gives you an idea of my sarf and grammar level, but I know a few more details in grammar than what’s covered in these three books).
I’ve read most of qasas an-nabiyeen of al-Nadwi also. And, whatever book I pick up I can read at least 50% of it without a dictionary…may be sometimes more than 50% or some times less than that depending on the difficulty of the book.
My question is: Without having the benefit of having a teacher to read with what books should I use to take myself from my current level of reading comprehension to an advanced level? Can you list a series of books that I should read to get to where I can read, for example, Kalilah wa Dimna. See, there are man simplified version of Kalilah wa Dimna now and I can read them without much difficulty but when I try to read the original book then my comprehension of it is only may be 40% or so.
So, can you provide my a list of books, starting with the least difficult to most difficult so that I can systemically increase my reading comprehension.
JazakumAllahu khaira
Al-Asiri
February 28, 2017 at 8:15 am
Wa ‘alaykum al-salam wa rahmatullah!
We’ve had a number of requests on Arabic study and a post is forthcoming in sha Allah.
Arabic is a rich and deep language that is difficult even for natives, let alone foreigners. For the vast majority of students, I advise being efficient. That means deciding which fields in which one wants to focus and then building up one’s lexicon within that field. So, if you want to pursue tafsir or hadith, extensively read in those fields.
It’s the same with English to some extent. A non-expert will not fully understand legal, medical, scientific, or philosophical works until becoming familiar with the technical terms and idiosyncrasies of each field.
Literature (especially poetry) is very difficult and has a much wider lexicon than other branches of learning in Arabic. You need a lexical base of around 10,000 lemmas just to have a grounding.
Our future post will try to cover the steps in sha alLAH.
Ahmed
February 28, 2017 at 11:04 am
Assalaamu alaykum
JazakumAllahu khairan for your response, but please bear with me here for a bit. It seems like I’m stuck at the same level for some time due to lack of guidance. I gave you the example of some of the books I want to read as a goal. It’s not like that’s the only thing I want to focus at.
What I want to achieve is that if I pick up most of the books on Islamic sciences then I should be able to read them (of course excluding technical terms and concepts that require a teacher). Put it in other way, how do I get to the level of an above-average student who graduates for al Azhar or Nadwi or Madeenah? We can exclude poetry because I know it will not be easy to self teach it.
Like I said in my first post if I pick up any book today I can probably read 50% of it. How do I get to 90-95%, I guess is my question? I completely understand what you’re saying about literature and probably it was a bad way for me to put it but my line of thinking was if someone is good at classical literature he will be good at reading other books.
Please answer to this post and/or keep these points in mind for your next blog.
Husain Haffejee
February 28, 2018 at 8:30 am
Has there been any update to the release of the Arabic post?
Al-Asiri
August 20, 2018 at 8:04 am
Wa ‘alaykum al-salam. Sorry about the delay. My family and I have been unwell alhamdu lillah.
Abu Ramin
March 8, 2017 at 7:05 am
Assalaamoalaikum.
Jazak Allahu khairan for your crisp and informative posts. I request you to enlighten me on two of the following aspects:
1. Are there examples from each sunni school where the opinion of respective Imam is not considered the mash’hur of the school. I would specifically be interested in examples from Maliki school.
2. Can you suggest how an adult can self-study Maliki fiqh to gain enough mastery to be a student of knowledge?
Al-Asiri
March 8, 2017 at 9:09 am
Wa ‘alaykum al-salam wa rahmatullah,
Yes there are examples in each school where opinions of their founding imams are not the mashur but the process through which this is achieved is quite complex and this section would not be the place to expound it.
As for Maliki fiqh, the outline below would be a good place to start, but mastery cannot be attained without the aid of a teacher’s input.
Abdurrahman
March 19, 2017 at 4:37 am
Assalamualaikum Sayyidi,
God bless you for your efforts with this site. The content seems to indicate study in a traditional setting as well as in an academic (‘Western’ academia) setting. What would you advise a student graduating from an undergraduate institution in the West, who studied Arabic and Islamic Studies in said institution, and would like to gain a thorough and deep understanding of the Islamic tradition; should he pursue a PhD in Near Eastern studies or Religious Studies, or should he pursue traditional studies? Rephrased: what does the PhD offer that traditional studies do not, in terms of knowledge (not careers, etc.), if anything?
God protect and preserve you
Al-Asiri
March 19, 2017 at 5:38 am
Wa alaykum al-salam!
There are many contingencies that would affect outcomes here. It would depend on where and with whom you would study in both setups. Academia has some real gems who can shed light and bring perspectives that one rarely encounters in traditional studies. People like Walid Saleh in Toronto, Christopher Melchert in Oxford, Jonathan Brown at Georgetown, Scott Lucas at Arizona, Ahmad El Shamsy at Harvard, and others.
Their work however, for me at least, is supplementary to a solid traditional background, rather than a substitute. So, studying postgrad at Chicago, let’s say, would give you some excellent research skills and critical tools, but they would be better utilised when grounded in the tradition.
All of the aforementioned are so penetrating in their insight because they have combined traditional and academic study. Ideally, you should do both at a place like Oxford, Cambridge, or SOAS, where you have top traditional scholars like Akram al-Nadwi, Afifi al-Akiti, Abd al-Hakim Murad, etc. alongside top notch academics.
Failing that, since one in the case you mentioned already has some academic study, I would advise a period of traditional study of at least a few years. That could be in Egypt, Yemen, Jordan, Turkey, India, Pakistan, or elsewhere with a traditional setup.
As an analogy, I would say make your roots traditional and your branches academic. We have seen in Madinah a number of students come from India or Russia or Somalia, for example, having already studied traditionally back home, who are much more insightful than those without such a grounding.
You can have your cake and eat it, as the Brits often say.
I hope this helps. All the best with your path!
Ahmed
March 19, 2017 at 11:40 am
Assalaamu alaykum brother
Would you mind expanding on your reply. What do you think a person with only a traditional training will lack compared to a person who has both traditional and academic knowledge, other than acquiring research skills?
Also, do you think my observation is correct that there are many Muslim academics, not necessarily the ones you mentioned, who act as mutjahid mutlaq in their views on many topics. Do you this is a reality or just figment of my imagination?! Do you think there is a strong desire among many, even laypeople, to select easy opinions due to ‘fiqh of reality’? And, I’m not suggesting they’re wrong. Just want to know where the truth lies in this matter. I do realize this is a wide and a deep topic, btw.
Al-Asiri
March 19, 2017 at 11:46 am
Wa alaykum al-salam. You are right – that’s a bit too deep and wide for now. But back to the main point. A combination of both brings breadth enriches perspective. Academia by its nature addresses issues rarely covered in traditional studies and so brings breadth. Traditional studies, on the other hand, bring depth due to the detail and focus therein.
Abdurrahman
March 19, 2017 at 12:38 pm
God bless you and your quick response!
What aspect of traditional study are you referring to when you say “a few years of traditional study” and “a solid traditional background?” As in, what does that solid traditional grounding consist of?
Is it a syllabus of specific texts (if so, would you be willing to provide even a list, if not a plan of study)?
Is it a broad taste of all the ‘essential’ sciences (if so, what do you consider essential)?
Is it experiencing traditional pedagogy?
All of the above? None of the above?
Forgive me for bombarding you 😦
BarakAllahu feek habeeb
Al-Asiri
March 19, 2017 at 4:29 pm
Assuming the one already knows the basics, I would recommend mastering tajwid; getting a decent grounding with tafsir; becoming proficient with ‘ulum al-hadith (esp. ‘ilm al-rijal al-mukhthirin and ‘ilal) and using Tuhfat al-Ashraf; studying segments of major hadith commentaries (Fath al-Bari, Sharh al-Nawawi, Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi, etc.); gaining a solid grounding in the fiqh and usul of at least one madhab. In sum, extensively study the Qur’an, hadith corpus, and fiqh. These should be the focus and traditional teachers will be able to take you through these steps. Follow whatever the teacher recommends. All the best!
Abdurrahman
March 19, 2017 at 7:38 pm
The basics being…?
Thank you!
Abdurrahman
March 19, 2017 at 11:04 pm
Never mind, I read your comment wrong.
BarakAllahu feek
Mustafa
August 16, 2017 at 2:52 am
Assalamu Alaikum Ustadh,
I pray that your are well.
What an absolutely wonderful site! I am eagerly awaiting your post on Hanafi Usul. I have greatly benefited from all of your posts. Baaraka Allahu Feek.
Mustafa
Al-Asiri
August 20, 2018 at 7:36 am
Wa ‘alaykum al-salam. Sorry about the delay. My family and I have been very unwell alhamdu lillah. In sha Allah more work will come once we manage our ailments.
huzzy786
January 5, 2018 at 5:15 pm
As Salaamu Alaykum,
I pray you are well In Sha Allah.
I was wondering if you would allow posts from your blog to be shared elsewhere, and how you would like it being referenced back to yourself. Jazak Allah hu Khayran.
Al-Asiri
August 20, 2018 at 8:02 am
Wa ‘alaykum al-salam. Sorry about the delay. My family and I have been unwell alhamdu lillah. I don’t mind at all, as long as the original link is included (as I often amend and edit older posts). Knowledge must spread.
Al-Asiri
May 31, 2019 at 8:40 am
Wa alaykum al-salam. Please feel free to share posts as long as you include a link to the original page. I sometimes update the content.
Fuseini Abdul-nafiu
May 10, 2018 at 7:44 am
Assalamu alaikum
Thanks so much for the effort you’ve been putting daily to enlighten the world onf Islam .May Allah reward you with a never ending good.Please I want a recommendation of books for students of knowledge on the following subjects:
Fiqh
Tafseer
Aqidah
Hadith
Seerah
Grammar
Tawheed
Fatwa
Your response will be much appreciated insha’Allah
Al-Asiri
August 20, 2018 at 8:08 am
Wa ‘alaykum al-salam. Sorry about the delay. My family and I have been unwell alhamdu lillah. Recommendations in each of these fields are scattered throughout the site. I’ll probably combine them all in a single post in fututre in sha Allah.
Ismail
May 13, 2018 at 4:10 am
Assalamu ‘alaykum
I was wondering if you could suggest for us a Mantiq curriculum, as well as any books in English that may aid one in one’s study of Mantiq.
Jazak Allahu khayran
Al-Asiri
August 20, 2018 at 8:08 am
Wa ‘alaykum al-salam. Sorry about the delay. My family and I have been unwell alhamdu lillah. Watch this space. It’s on my to-do list in sha Allah.
Adam Patel
March 6, 2019 at 1:46 pm
can you do an article on hanfi usul fiqh
Al-Asiri
June 1, 2019 at 9:54 am
I apologise. I thought I already had!
Tahmid
May 24, 2019 at 4:53 am
Assalaamu Alaikum.
I hope your family is well and your Ramadan is going great so far. I’ve benefited greatly from your blog posts and hope that you are able to continue to share knowledge us.
I had a couple questions regarding travelling to seek knowledge. Where would you recommend for someone to travel to seek knowledge these days? Also, what’s a good country to travel to learn the shafi’i madhhab in particular?
Jazaak Allahu Khairan
Al-Asiri
May 31, 2019 at 4:09 pm
Wa ‘alaykum al-salam and thank you for your kind words. Right now, I’d say travelling for knowledge depends on which subject(s) you intend to study. I’d also advise one to exhaust the local resources and scholars. Thereafter, seek abroad. In general though, for hadith study, Indian Deobandi institutes are still good. Cairo is still quite good for tajwid and general studies in fiqh and Arabic. Morocco is another option. Syria and Yemen right now are too dangerous. I pray Allah makes your journey felicitous!
Muhammad
June 25, 2019 at 3:41 am
Assalamu alaykum brother,
Having been studying for some years the Maliki madhab and still going on with advanced texts with local scholars, I’m now planning to go aborad to advance in my studies. I’m thinking about Morocco (Al Qarawiyyin) and Egypt (Al Azhar). You having more experience, I’d like to know what between traditional studies and universities like Al Azhar would you recommend?
My plan is to have a broad understanding of various Islamic sciences and also study another madhab. It’s one of the reasons I’m more drawn by Egypt as I think it’ll be easier to study another madhab there.
I’m also considering a PhD In Shaa Allah. Will a PhD in western universities like Oxford and others be more beneficial than a PhD at universities like Al Azhar or do you recommend to complete the graduate studies there?
Thank you 🙂
Al-Asiri
January 23, 2020 at 1:44 pm
Wa alaykum al-salam. I pray you have great success in your studies. In your case, Egypt would be a good choice. Syria used to be brilliant for getting a rounded education but alas…
Graduate studies depends on many factors. Some Western institutes are excellent for learning how to throughly research. Ask me after you have gained your masters degree because the decision depends on who is where and when, if you know what I mean.
Arman
August 25, 2019 at 9:23 pm
Assalaam alaykum Shaykh Asiri,
Is it possible to contact you via private email?
I have some questions I have for you inshallah!
Al-Asiri
January 23, 2020 at 1:55 pm
Wa alaykum al-salam. Feel free to ask here. I gave out my personal email address before and got abused.
AR
October 7, 2019 at 9:36 pm
Assalamu Alaikum
I am currently studying in Madinah and would like to study Hanafi Fiqh but I do not know any shuyukh in the city who teach it. I also want to be fluent enough in Arabic to be able to read with no problem. I would greatly appreciate any advice you have to offer, JazakAllahu Khair for your time
Al-Asiri
January 23, 2020 at 2:15 pm
Wa alaykum al-salam! I pray your studies go well in sha Allah. Hanafis aren’t well established in the city right now, unfortunately. There are some small circles but those in the know have moved on. It’s a shame because Hanafi fiqh is amazing. How good is your Arabic now?
Muadh
December 3, 2019 at 2:23 pm
alsalaam alykum,
I will be coming to Saudi for Umrah this month. Can you verify if these bookstores are still your best recommendations and do you have any other bookstores that you would recommend in Makkah and Medina?
oghani97
December 5, 2019 at 4:43 am
Asalaam Alayk,
Brother from UK here, is there an easy way to privately contact yourself? Email perhaps?
Keep up the good work,
BarakAllah Feek
Al-Asiri
January 23, 2020 at 2:42 pm
Wa alaykum al-salam to you and the UK brothers. Ma sha Allah there are some top people over there. Abdullah al-Juday’ in Leeds and Akram al-Nadwi in Oxford. Abdal Hakim Murad in Cambridge. Riyadh al-Haqq in Leicester. Haitiam al-Haddad in London. Abu Eesa in Manchester. Shaykh Ibrahim in Liverpool. Many more too ma sha Allah. You must learn from them all and others. Don’t restrict yourself.
I don’t give out private contact info as I’ve been burnt before. You can ask here.
Ahmad
February 20, 2020 at 8:12 am
Assalamu alaykum shaykh
I noticed that, throughout this site, you have alluded to the rarity of mastery over usul *today*. Can I ask, why is that the case, that is different from the past? What can someone with such mastery achieve that a person without will not be able to? Do you have any particular advice in this regard?
Abu Safiyya
March 3, 2022 at 5:27 pm
Assalamu alaykum,
I would like to kindly ask your permission to translate some of your articles (especially “How to study X and Y”) into Russian and Uzbek languages.
I will include the link to original articles and to yourself as an author in translations.
Thank you very much in advance
Abu Safiyya
Al-Asiri
April 25, 2022 at 10:32 pm
Wa ‘alaykum al-Salam!
Yes, please feel free to translate. May Allah bless our Russian and Uzbeki brothers and sisters!
haruni
December 26, 2022 at 10:57 am
As-salamu ‘aleykum ustadh. I have learnt a lot from your website and it was very useful when writing my book. Please take a look here: https://a.co/d/ciLRXqI