Living Islam - Dr. Umar F. Abdullah

i
]Zegde]Zibj]VbbVYlVhVh`ZYl]^X]eZdeaZ
were the best. He replied: You will nd that people are mines
of gold and silver. The best of you in the time of ignorance be-
fore Islam will be the best of you in Islam if they gain understanding of
the religion.
&
This Hadith implies that Islam requires both belief and
understanding to bring out intrinsic human goodness, even in the best of
people. However great the native goodness of Muslims may be, they can
only realize their potential as individuals and members of communities
through an adequate understanding of their faith. The need for a deeper
understanding of Islam in order to achieve excellence clearly applies to
Muslims in America. They have exceptional potential. They are intelli-
gent, industrious, and uniquely promising, yet, like undiscovered mines
of gold and silver, their promise remains largely untapped due to insuf-
cient acquaintance with their faith, its resources, and legacy.
'

1le neeu oi ueeei unueisranuing o Islam oi eisonal anu
communiry giovrl is nor losr on mosr Ameiican Nuslims, noi uo
A Nawawi Foundation Paper
by Umar Faruq Abd-Allah, Ph.D.
Living Islam with Purpose
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EZiZgHVcYZghE]did\gVe]n[gdbi]ZWdd`>ci]ZH]VYZd[i]ZIgZZ#
living islam with purpose
*
'
rley lack rle vill ro gain ir. Wlar seems ro Le miss-

ing is an oeiarional iamevoik ro acilirare rle ac-
quisirion o ueeei unueisranuing anu ur ir ro use.
1lis aei ocuses on nve oeiarional iinciles
rlar ioviue sucl a iamevoik. 1ley aie:
V igjhi^c\gZVhdc
V gZheZXi^c\Y^hhZci
V higZhh^c\hdX^ZiVadWa^\Vi^dch
V hZii^c\eg^dgî^Zh
V ZbWgVX^c\bVm^bh
1lese nve oeiarional iinciles aie age-olu
Islamic guiuelines. Lacl o rle iinciles is nimly
Laseu on rle Quiàn anu Sunna anu suoireu Ly
rle geneial consensus o riauirional Islamic sclolai-
sli. ILn Rlavayl, a ienovneu sclolai o Hauirl
(

anu close comanion o Imam Almau iLn HanLal,
uesciiLeu legal maxims rle nrl oeiarional
iincile o rlis aei as osirions aiiiveu ar Ly
ieasoning on rle Lasis o rle geneial sraremenrs o
rle Pioler.
)
1lis uesciirion alies equally ro
rle oui orlei oeiarional iinciles uiscusseu, eacl
o rlem consrirures a univeisal riurl iooreu in rle
coius o rle Quiàn anu Hauirl as a vlole.
Ir is nor an exaggeiarion ro say rlar rle nve
oeiarional iinciles ser oirl in rlis aei em-
Louy rle visuom anu consummare sensiLiliry o
rle Pioleric reacling. 1ley engenuei Lalance anu
moueiarion, vlile insrilling iacrical unueisranu-
ing anu rangiLle guiuelines. By emlasizing coie
values anu univeisal iinciles, rle nve oeiarional
iinciles consrirure a Liiuge Lerveen Islam anu rle
iueals anu values o orlei culruies anu ieligions.
Nuslims vlo unueisranu rlem can seak coleienr-
ly aLour rleii airl in any serring. 1ley can make
rlemselves ielevanr in uiveise culruial suiiounuings,
esecially rlose o rle Wesr, anu lay rle ounua-
rions o a viLianr inuigenous Nuslim iesence
vleievei rley may Le.
Ir is necessaiy ro emlasize rle oLvious:
1lese nve oeiarional iinciles uo nor consrirure
eveiyrling a Nuslim neeus ro knov aLour Islam.
1ley aie nor a suLsrirure oi rle sruuy o Islamic
rleology, lav, oi siiirualiry. Wlar rley uo ioviue
aie geneial iules oi giasing anu visely alying
rle Lioauei riauirion. 1le ienovneu sage ALu
al-Kaim al-]l srareu: Oeiarional knovleuge
(al-ilh al-ahal) is rle visuom rlar guiues a vise
eison ro Lenenr iom lis knovleuge.
*
1lese nve
iinciles aie examles o unuamenral oeiarional
knovleuge anu ioviue Nuslims virl a necessaiy
skill ser ro urilize orlei oims o knovleuge e-
ecrively. Lacl o rle nve oeiarional iinciles is
ciirically imoiranr, Lur, i rle ieauei veie ro come
avay iom rlis aei virl only one iuea, ir sloulu
Le rlis: Islam musr make sense, Lur, ro make sense,
ir iequiies inrelligenr olloveis virl sounu unuei-
sranuing.
Wlile rlis aei is viirren virl rle Ameiican
Nuslim communiry in minu, irs nve oeiarional
iinciles aie ielevanr oi Nuslims eveiyvleie,
esecially rlose in Canaua, Biirain, anu Wesrein
Luioe. 1lese iinciles Lelong ro a iicl communal
leiirage. 1ley aie alicaLle ro all Nuslims anu aie
nor jusr oi sclolais. As al-]l inuicares aLove in lis
ieeience ro rle vise use o oeiarional knovleuge,
alicarion o oeiarional iinciles sucl as rlese
is a riusr anu sloulu Le unueiraken virl inregiiry
anu visuom, vlicl is rle case virl all ryes o
knovleuge.
Because o rleii uriliry in unueisranuing Islam,
rle nve oeiarional iinciles ouglr ro consrirure
an essenrial comonenr o Nuslim unueisranu-
ing. ILn Ar`-Alll, rle ienovneu juiisr anu sage,
srareu: 1le Leginnings aie rle maniesrarions o
rle enus.
+
1le vay rlar rlings Legin ielecrs lov
rley aie likely ro enu. A goou Leginning iomises a
*
(
Liiglr uruie, a soliu ounuarion suoirs a sriong

anu lasring sriucruie. 1lese nve iinciles oei rle
Ameiican Nuslim communiry an excellenr lace ro
Legin a iomising uruie. 1ley sloulu consrirure
one o rle essenrial elemenrs o Islamic euucarion ar
all levels. Lven rlougl rleii iesenrarion may seem
somevlar aLsriacr, rley aie nor uinculr ro com-
ielenu, anu euucarois can make rlem easily acces-
siLle ro uieienr eole in aioiiare vays.
Islam iesenrs an aiiay o orenrially conus-
ing sers o nve: nve illais,
,
nve iirual iayeis, nve
acr classincarions,
-
nve majoi oLjecrives o lav, anu
nve coie legal maxims. I lave comlicareu marreis
Ly selecring nve oeiarional iinciles, Lur only rvo
o rle orlei sers o nve iequiie arrenrion in rlis a-
ei, rley aie rle nve majoi oLjecrives o Islamic lav
anu irs nve coie maxims.
Ioi easy ieeience, rle nve majoi oLjecrives o
rle lav aie rle ieseivarion o:
&#gZa^\^dc
'#hZa[
(#gZVhdc
)#X]âYgZc
*#lZVai]
1le coie maxims aie:
&#bViiZghlâaWZ_jY\ZYWni]Z^g
ejgedhZh#
'#XZgiV^cinlâacdiWZdkZgijgcZY
WnYdjWi#
(#]VgbbjhiWZgZbdkZY#
)#]VgYh]êbjhiWZVaaZk^ViZY#
*#Xjhidb]Vhi]ZlZ^\]id[aVl#
1le nve coie maxims make u rle giearei air
anu rle iimaiy ocus o rlis aei. 1o unueisranu
rleii uriliry, rle ieauei sloulu kee in minu rlar
rley aie nor meiely useul guiuelines, rley emLouy
rle essenrial siiir o rle ieligion. In rle eyes o
riauirional Nuslim sclolais, rle nve coie maxims
consrirure a concise summarion o eveiyrling Islam
ieiesenrs. 1o unueisranu rle nve coie maxims is
ro unueisranu rle essence o Islam in nve sloir sen-
rences.
1le Pioler saiu: 1le essence o rle ieligion
o Islam is giving goou counsel.
.
I viire rlis aei
virl rle loe rlar ir vill ioviue goou counsel.
Ir ielecrs my unueisranuing anu inreiierarion o
rle Islamic riauirion. I close rlese nve iinciles
among many orleis, sucl as lonoiing knovleuge,
animing luman uigniry, anu Leing commirreu ro
social jusrice. I selecreu rlese airiculai nve Lecause
o rleii iacricaliry anu immeuiare ielevance ro rle
Ameiican Nuslim communiry, orlei oeiarional
iinciles inregial ro Islam miglr seive jusr as vell
oi even Lerrei. 1lis aei arremrs ro exloie nev
giounu. Ir oeis a meaningul eisecrive anu solic-
irs ciearive uiscussion.
operational principle one

TRUSTING REASON
acl o rle iinciles uiscusseu in rlis aei

sranus as inueenuenr ioo o rle iimacy o
ieason in Islam. Reason lies ar rle leair o Islam`s
voiluviev. Gou enuoveu luman Leings virl
uigniry, anu rle caaciry ro ieason is one o rle
iincial giounus o rleii unique uisrincrion among
Leings. 1le iarional oiuei o rle univeise makes ir
accessiLle ro luman ieason anu riansoims ir iom
a voilu o ianuom lenomena inro a maivelous
sign o Gou anu an oLjecr o secularion anu
scienrinc invesrigarion.
1le iorecrion, ieseivarion, anu culrivarion
o rle ovei ro ieason counr among rle majoi oL-
*
)
jecrives anu giearesr socieral oLligarions o Islamic

lav. Noial iesonsiLiliry (tallf) is rle nisr ieieq-
uisire oi oLligaroiy Islamic iacrice anu nevei las
legal valiuiry in rle aLsence o rle aculry o ieason.
Because rley lack rle caaciry ro ieason anu ro
ully comielenu munuane iealiries, rle menrally
incaacirareu, insane, anu cliluien aie nor accounr-
aLle Leoie Gou, noi aie rley oLligeu ro oLey His
commanus. 1le Quiàn ieeareuly ieeis ro rle
excellence o ieason anu ueems ir a iincial souice
o guiuance. 1le olloving veises reacl rlar ieason
leaus ro vellLeing anu ereinal eliciry, vlile ruining
one`s Lack on ieason leaus ro calamiry anu loss:
In tlis hanner, CcJ hales His signs clear fcr
ycu tlat, jerlajs, ycu hay reascn (Quiàn,
':')').
CcJ is tle cne ulc giies life anJ Jeatl anJ tc
CcJ belcng tle alteraticn cf tle niglt anJ tle
Jay. Dc luhan beings nct reascn: (Quiàn,
'(:-%).
CcJ uill jut a lcatlsche clastisehent ujcn
tlcse ulc Jc nct use tleir reascn (Quiàn
&%:&%%).
Imam al-Glazl, one o rle mosr acclaimeu
sclolais in Islamic lisroiy, lelu ieason`s lory srarus
in Islam ro Le Leyonu uisure:
Knov rlar rle quesrion o ieason`s ieeminence
is somerling rlar uoes nor iequiie mucl riouLle
ro claiiy, esecially since rle eminence o knovl-
euge irsel only Lecomes cleai Ly viirue o iea-
son. Reason is rle souice o knovleuge, rle lace
vleie ir nisr maniesrs irsel, anu rle ounuarion
uon vlicl ir sranus. Knovleuge lovs iom iea-
son like iuir comes iom a riee, like liglr iom
rle sun, anu siglr iom rle eye. Anu lov coulu
somerling like rlis nor lave ieeminence vlen
ir is also rle means ro eliciry in rlis voilu anu
rle nexr Hov coulu rleie Le any uouLr aLour
rlis
&%
In rle Islamic riauirion, ieligion virlour
ieason is a uisasrei, anu lisrening ro rle voice
o ieason is imeiarive. 1le noreu sclolai al-
RgliL al-Isaln, a conremoiaiy o al-Glazl,
srareu: evei Le sarisneu virl a eison`s Islam
unril you lave resreu lis ieason. Islamic erlics
uesignares ieason as rle nisr necessaiy elemenr o
moial claiacrei.
&&
In rle aLsence o ieason, goou
claiacrei is like a seemingly sraLle Luiluing on a
veak ounuarion.
1le aurloiiry o ieason oims rle ounua-
rion o Islamic rleological anu legal rlouglr. Unril
iecenrly, mosr Wesrein acauemics viongly lookeu
uon rle Nurazil sclool o rleology as rle sole
examle o Islamic iarionalism. In iealiry, irs iivals,
rle Aslai anu Nruiu sclools, vlicl make u
rle mainsrieam o Sunn oirlouoxy, aie no less ia-
rionalisric, anu rleii secularions consisrenrly uem-
onsriare oiiginaliry anu inrellecrual uerl.
&'
Piag-
maric ieason is cenrial ro rle Islamic legal riauirion.
Lven rle HanLal sclool o lav, vlicl is knovn oi
rexrual lireialism, is liglly iagmaric anu ceues a
signincanr iole ro ieason in Lorl rleology anu lav.
In acr, rle sclool vas uiviueu iom an eaily eiiou
Lerveen rvo vings, one o vlicl ielieu moie leav-
ily on ieason rlan rle orlei. ILn 1aymiyya, one
o rle giearesr HanLal sclolais, anu lis uiscile
ILn al-Qayyim Lelongeu ro rle sclool`s iarionalisr
ving. Anorlei sclool o lav, rle exriemely lireial-
isr Zliis iejecreu rle use o ieason in rleology
anu lav Lur nevei von a signincanr olloving, rley
uieu our eaily, in air, Lecause o rleii iejecrion o
ieason.
Conlicr Lerveen ieligion anu science vas
viirually unknovn in Islamic inrellecrual lisroiy.
1le laimony Lerveen rle rvo is eiromizeu in rle
lie anu voik o rle Liillianr ninrl-cenruiy Nuslim
clemisr ]Lii iLn Hayyn, vlo ieuuiareu alclemy
as a valiu science anu laiu rle emiiical ounuarions
o clemisriy. His ieligious uevorion eaineu lim
*
*
rle siiirual uesignarion o rle Sun. ILn Hayyn

Legan one o lis ienovneu voiks on clemisriy,
Tle ccl cf Seienty (Kitb al-Sabn), virl rle
voius: Ceirainly rle menrion o Gou is moie
noLle, majesric, anu giear rlan vlar ollovs. He
oeneu rle Look virl a lengrly uiscussion on rle
imeiarive o uiiying rle soul iom osrenrarion
anu orlei siiirual ueecrs as a ieiequisire ro rle
uisuir o scienrinc leaining.
&(
Islam iouuceu an aiiay o ieligious sclolais
vlo also excelleu in rle iarional anu emiiical
sciences. ILn Ruslu (Aveiioes), rle leaineu Anua-
lusian juuge anu legal sclolai, ler an inluence on
Islamic lav rlar is elr even rouay. His commenrai-
ies on Aiisrorle aecreu rle couise o Luioean
inrellecrual lisroiy. He comoseu moie rlan nry
voiks ianging iom lis iimaiy nelus o lav anu
lilosoly ro meuicine, syclology, zoology, anu
asrionomy. Ir is saiu rlar lis meuical oinions veie
as eageily avaireu in Nuslim Sain as lis inreiie-
rarions o rle lav.
&)
Likevise, Iakli al-Dn al-Rz,
a noreu Quiànic commenraroi, rleologian, anu
legal rleoiisr, masreieu rle iarional anu emiiical
sciences o lis age anu comileu Tle Ccnsuhha-
ticn cf Ancient anJ McJern IJeas (Mulassal Aflr
al-MutaqaJJihn ua al-Mutaallllirn), in vlicl
le summaiizeu rle lilosolical, rleological, anu
scienrinc rlouglr o iominenr ancienr anu larrei-
uay rlinkeis.
&*
Islamic legal rlouglr uiviues rle iulings o
rle ievealeu lav inro rvo caregoiies accoiuing ro
rleii connecrion virl ieason. 1le nisr caregoiy is
immuraLly nxeu (tauqf). Irs iulings aie accessiLle
ro inrellecrual conremlarion, Lur rley aie nor
conringenr on uisceiniLle iarionales anu conuirional
uioses anu, rleieoie, cannor Le clangeu.
ImmuraLly nxeu iulings musr Le oLseiveu jusr as
rley veie oiiginally ievealeu anu aie nor oen
ro legal inreiierarion. Designarion o Ramauan
as rle monrl o asring is immuraLly nxeu. 1le
seconu caregoiy is iarionale-Laseu (huallal). Irs
iulings lave iarionales (ilal) anu rangiLle uioses
(haqsiJ), vlicl make rlem accessiLle ro ieason
anu rle suLjecr o ongoing legal inreiierarion
(ijtilJ). Naiiiage anu mosr o rle lavs ielaring ro
ir aie iarionale-Laseu.
1le immuraLly nxeu iulings o Islamic lav
eirain mosrly ro rle uerails o ieligious iires. Com-
aieu ro iarionale-Laseu iulings, rley consrirure
an essenrial Lur ielarively small air o rle lav.
1le iimacy anu ieuominance o iarionale-Laseu
iulings in rle lav give ir lexiLiliry anu ielevance
in clanging rimes anu uiveise laces. Because ia-
rionale-Laseu iulings consrirure rle oveivlelming
majoiiry o Islamic juiisiuuence, eveiy iuling in
rle lav is iesumeu ro Le iarionale-Laseu unril rle
conriaiy is ioven. A ielevanr legal maxim srares:
1o lave iarionales is rle Lasic iemise o rle lav
(al-asl al-tall). o ioo is iequiieu ro lolu rlar
an Islamic iuling las a iarionale, rle ull Luiuen o
ioo alls exclusively on rle sloulueis o anyone
making rle claim rlar a iuling las no iarionale anu
is immuraLly nxeu.
Ceirain asecrs o iirual iayeis ioviue
an illusriarion o immuraLly nxeu anu iarionale-
Laseu iulings occuiiing in comLinarion. Islamic
iayeis aie uiviueu inro rvo ryes: auuiLle anu
inauuiLle. 1le uesignarion o vlicl iayeis aie
silenr anu vlicl aie iecireu alouu is immuraLly
nxeu anu is nor conringenr on a iarionale. Bur rleie
is a iarionale Lelinu rle iayei leauei`s liring lis
voice in auuiLle iayeis: ir is ieeiaLle rlar rlose
iaying Lelinu lim Le aLle ro leai rle iecirarion.
In keeing virl rlis iarionale, ir is legirimare
ro amliy rle iayei leauei`s voice in uieienr
vays so rlar giearei numLeis o voislieis can
*
+
leai rle iecirarion. In rle asr, Nuslims uesigneu

acousrically innovarive aiclirecruial sriucruies oi
rlis uiose, rouay, rley use miciolones.
1le inriinsic iarionaliry o rle Pioleric lav
slovs rlar Gou maue rle lav oi luman Leings
anu rlar luman Leings veie nct maue oi rle lav.
Since mosr Islamic legal iulings lave uisceinaLle
iarionales, rley iequiie ongoing sciuriny anu legal
inreiierarion ro ensuie rlar rleii alicarion
iemains consisrenr virl rleii iarionales.
&+
Lacl
rexr las a conrexr, anu rle ieligious sclolai musr
unueisranu Lorl, rle lav cannor Le alieu
meclanically oi Ly iore. In acknovleugemenr o
rle iarional insiglr anu visuom iequiieu oi rle
ioei alicarion o rle lav in uieienr rimes
anu laces, comerenr legal sclolais aie knovn
as eole o unueisranuing (fuqal). 1le same
skills aie nor iequiieu oi commirring rle Quiàn
anu Hauirl ro memoiy, rlose vlo masrei rlese airs
aie iesecrully calleu memoiizeis (luffz).
Nuslims rake iiue in rle acr rlar Islam is a
ieligion o ieason anu iouuceu a gloLal civiliza-
rion Laseu on rle laimonious culrivarion o rle
ieligious, iarional, anu emiiical sciences. In iac-
rice, lovevei, many Nuslims rouay seem ro lave
losr rle gir o sounu inruirion anu rle connuence ro
riusr in ieason. Oren, rley aie unnecessaiily roin
Lerveen vlar rley insrincrively knov ro Le iiglr
anu Lerveen comering aurloiiraiian claims maue
in Islam`s name rlar uo nor make sense anu may
even conlicr virl Lasic luman values. As Laiiy
Posron slovs in lis sruuy o Wesrein conveirs ro
Islam, mosr conveirs cire Islam`s comariLiliry virl
ieason anu irs consisrence virl common sense as
one o irs majoi arriacrions.
&,
Yer rley roo musr
guaiu againsr alling vicrim ro counreiinruirive
reaclings rlar invaliuare rle veiy iarionaliry rlar
inirially arriacreu rlem ro rle airl.
In rle enu, Islam musr make goou sense. As
al-RgliL al-Isln lelu, a Nuslim`s comerence in
Islam cannor Le riusreu Leoie resring lis oi lei iea-
son. 1le same alies ro Nuslim communiries anu
rle iueas anu ourlooks rley reacl, any aioacl ro
Islam rlar uoes nor culrivare anu iesecr rle iee
anu canuiu use o ieason is inauequare anu cannor
lay rle ounuarions oi a viaLle uruie.
operational principle two

RESPECTING DISSENT
slam only seaks virl a monolirlic voice on

ounuarional Lelies anu iacrices. In orlei mar-
reis, ir seaks virl mulrile voices anu iecognizes
rle legirimacy o uissenr anu comering inreiiera-
rions. Alrlougl Islamic lisroiy las lau eiious o
giearei anu lessei roleiarion, acknovleugemenr o
uiveigenr oinions is a cenrial air o irs leiirage.
Nuslim sclolais veie riaineu in rle iorocol o uis-
senr (aJab al-illtilf), vlicl enaLleu rlem, oi rle
mosr air, ro Lenenr iom oosing oinrs o viev
anu live civilly virl rlose vlo lelu rlem.
Resecr oi uissenr is a naruial elemenr in
lealrly socieries, ir is essenrial ro luman uigniry
anu inrellecrual uevelomenr. Ir nuiruies a culruie
o roleiance rlar allovs oi oenness ro nev vays
o rlinking anu ro orlei communiries virl uieienr
voiluvievs. Hisroiically, Islam`s ieceriviry ro nov-
el anu oren conlicring iueas vas an inregial air o
irs culruial anu inrellecrual success. 1lis iesecr oi
uissenr lay ar rle ounuarion o rle ieligion`s caac-
iry ro osrei an inreinarional uiscouise o iueas, ir
enaLleu Nuslims ro Lecome leiis ro rle giear inrel-
lecrual legacies o rle asr.
*
,
1le iiglr o uissenr anu rle iequiiemenr ro

iesecr ir aie ancloieu in rle mannei in vlicl
Nuslim sclolaisli aioacleu sciiruial inrei-
ierarion. Sclolais agieeu rlar ieligious rexrs lave
uieienr uegiees o conclusiveness anu oren con-
vey mulrile meanings. Islamic sclolaisli uiviueu
ieligious rexrs inro rvo caregoiies: &) rlose vlicl
aie caregoiically aurloiirarive (qat) anu ') rlose
vlicl aie iesumrively aurloiirarive (zann).
1o Le caregoiically aurloiirarive, a ieligious
rexr musr ass rvo resrs. 1le nisr eirains ro
aurlenriciry o riansmission, rle seconu eirains
ro rle numLei o meanings ir conveys. In
Islamic sclolaisli, rle enriiery o rle Quiàn is
caregoiically aurlenric (qat al-tlubt). Hauirl, on
rle orlei lanu, lave uieienr levels o veiinaLle
aurlenriciry. 1lus, rle issue o rexrual aurlenriciry
alies in iealiry only ro Hauirl. 1lose Hauirl
rlar meer rle liglesr sranuaius o veiincarion (al-
alJtl al-salla) aie caregoiically
aurlenric iom rle sranuoinr o
riansmission, alrlougl rley aie nor
necessaiily caregoiically aurloiirarive
iom rle sranuoinr o meaning.
Hauirl virl lessei uegiees o
veiinaLiliry (al-alJtl al-lasana
ua al-Jafa) aie iesumrively
aurlenric as iegaius riansmission
(zann al-tlubt). 1ley may ioviue
legirimare suoiring eviuence Lur
cannor consrirure conclusive ioo in
isolarion no marrei lov cleai rleii
meanings may aeai.
Once rle aurlenriciry o a rexr
las Leen esraLlisleu, rle nexr ques-
rion iegaiuing meaning musr Le an-
sveieu. In many vays, rlis seconu
quesrion is moie imoiranr rlan rle
nisr Lecause mosr uissenr among Nuslims ovei ieli-
gious quesrions is Laseu on uiveigenr inreiierarions
o aurlenricareu rexrs, ir is sucl rexrs rlar consrirure
rle iimaiy aiena o ieligious uissenr among ieli-
gious sclolais.
1exrs rlar aie caregoiically aurloiirarive in
meaning (qat al-Jalla) allov oi only one os-
siLle inreiierarion. Bur rexrs rlar allov oi moie
rlan one ieasonaLle inreiierarion aie saiu ro Le
iesumrively aurloiirarive in meaning (zann al-
Jalla). Sucl rexrs cannor logically Le iesriicreu ro
a single meaning, uesire rle acr rlar one o rleii
meanings may aeai sriongei rlan rle orleis. An
alicaLle legal maxim srares: 1leie can Le no
conclusive ioo as long as rle ossiLiliry o a con-
riaiy aigumenr iemains (l lujja haa al-iltihl),
virl iesumrively aurloiirarive rexrs, rle os-
siLiliry o a legirimare conriaiy aigumenr alvays
iemains.
Belie in Gou`s oneness, rle
Lasr ]uugmenr, anu rle ioliLirion
o muiuei aie Laseu on caregoiically
aurloiirarive rexrs, rley consrirure
iimaiy ounuarions o rle Islamic
ieligion anu aie univeisally Linuing
on Nuslims.
&-
Wlerlei oi nor rle
Gaiuen o Paiauise comiises oui
oi seven leavenly uomains is a ques-
rion Laseu on iesumrively aurloii-
rarive rexrs, as aie quesrions aLour
vlerlei Gou senr &'),%%%, ''),%%%,
oi some orlei unuereimineu numLei
o Piolers.
&.
Likevise, rle uiscus-
sion aLour lov Nuslims ouglr ro
lolu rleii lanus vlen sranuing in
iayei ievolves aiounu rexrs o ie-
sumrive aurloiiry.
Belies anu iacrices Laseu on
Although the
protocol of
Islamic thought
agrees to disagree
on presumptively
authoritative
matters, it should
be emphasized that
dissenting views
must be held to
high standards
and sound
methodologies.
*
-
iesumrively aurloiirarive rexrs may Le saiu ro

lave seconuaiy srarus, rley cannor consrirure rle
ounuarional Lelies anu iacrices rlar all Nuslims
aie oLligeu ro accer. eveirleless, rlese seconuaiy
Lelies anu iacrices aie o viral imoirance in Islam
anu aie nor ro Le iegaiueu as renrarive oi unriue.
Alrlougl rley Lelong ro rle iealm o oimal uissenr
anu cannor Le imoseu on orleis, rley consrirure
valiu Lelies anu iacrices oi rlose sclools anu
rle inuiviuuals vlo accer rlem. In essence, eacl
sclool o Islamic lav consrirures a voiking merl-
ouology oi ieacling valiu conclusions aLour ie-
sumrively aurloiirarive quesrions.
'%
1le sclools
agiee on caregoiically aurloiirarive marreis, rleii
uieiences concein iesumrively aurloiirarive
ones. Alrlougl eacl sclool claims ro Le a ieliaLle
guiue in iesumrive marreis, rley acknovleuge
rle iiglrs o orleis ro uissenr anu uo nor claim con-
clusive aurloiiry oi rlemselves in rle aLsence o
caregoiical ioo.
One o rle mosr imoiranr iinciles in
rle uennirion o Islamic oirlouoxy, leiesy, anu
secraiianism ielares ro rlis uisrincrion Lerveen
caregoiically aurloiirarive (iimaiy) anu
iesumrively aurloiirarive (seconuaiy) Lelies anu
iacrices. As inuicareu aLove, rle ounuarional
conrenr o Islam, vlicl all Nuslims aie iequiieu ro
acknovleuge, musr Le iesriicreu ro iimaiy Lelies
anu iacrices Laseu on caregoiically aurloiirarive
ioo. Wlile ir is valiu oi eisons anu sclools
ro auor iesumrively aurloiirarive elemenrs o
airl oi rlemselves, ir is nor eimissiLle ro iegaiu
rlem as oLligaroiy oi rle Nuslim communiry as
a vlole, ro uo so is leierical anu secraiian. Ir is
equally unacceraLle Ly rle sranuaius o oirlouoxy
ro insisr rlar Nuslims ienounce rleii uissenring
seconuaiy Lelies anu iacrices simly Lecause orlei
Nuslims may iegaiu rlem ro Le alse. By uenning
oirlouoxy in rlis mannei, rle uicloromy Lerveen
caregoiically aurloiirarive anu iesumrively
aurloiirarive ioo ioviues a iorecreu sace oi
inria-Nuslim uissenr anu uiscouise. Ir esraLlisles
ieeuom o uissenr as an inriinsic anu necessaiy
ieligious iiglr anu ielegares Nuslims vlo ueny
rlar iiglr ro rle maiginal srarus o leierics anu
secraiians.
Alrlougl rle iorocol o Islamic rlouglr
agiees ro uisagiee on iesumrively aurloiirarive
marreis, ir sloulu Le emlasizeu rlar uissenring
vievs musr Le lelu ro ligl sranuaius anu sounu
merlouologies. 1ley aie nor voirly o iesecr
meiely Lecause rley consrirure uissenr. Resecring
uissenr uoes nor imly lonoiing veak anu aiLiriaiy
aigumenrs oi rlose ounueu on ignoiance o rle
Islamic sciences. Resecring uissenr means iejecring
aurloiiraiianism, ir uoes nor mean iejecring
aurloiiry. on-caregoiical ioos musr Le as
aurloiirarive as ossiLle. 1ley iequiie ieasonaLle
eviuence, sounu merlouology, anu cogenr
ieasoning.
In vlar ollovs, I vill give a ev illusriarions
o iesumrively aurloiirarive rexrs anu legal
inreiierarions. Nany assages in rle Quiàn anu
Sunna aeai ar nisr ro convey only one ossiLle
meaning Lur, uon closei examinarion, ruin our ro
Le oen ro orlei inreiierarions. 1oo oren Nuslims
seak our o ignoiance on marreis o inreiierarion
as i rley alloveu oi only one oinr o viev anu
veie closeu oievei ro uirlei uiscussion.
In rle one iesumrively aurloiirarive rexr,
rle Pioler srareu: Wloevei Liings ueau lanu
ro lie slall ovn ir. Legal sclolais accer rle
Hauirl as an aurlenric riansmission anu agiee rlar
irs voiuing is cleai. Srill, rley classiy rle Hauirl
as iesumrively aurloiirarive. Dissenr ovei rle
Hauirl`s imlicarions is Laseu on consiueiarion
*
.
o irs oiiginal conrexr, nor quesrions o giammai

anu semanrics. 1le Pioler uncrioneu in uieienr
iivare anu uLlic caaciries, le vas a univeisal
lavgivei, a goveinoi anu leau o srare, rle leau
o a amily, a eisonal iienu, anu so oirl. Nany
Hauirl cannor Le ioeily unueisroou virlour
esraLlisling rle conrexr in vlicl rley veie soken,
anu rlar is rle case virl rlis Hauirl.
Imam ALu Hana iegaiueu rle Hauirl
vloevei Liings ueau lanu ro lie slall ovn ir
as an auminisriarive iovision rlar rle Pioler
maue as goveinoi o Neuina. 1lus, rle Hauirl
ielares ro agiaiian conuirions secinc ro Neuina
ar a airiculai rime. ALu Hana uiu nor ueny rle
valiuiry o acquiiing aLanuoneu lanus Ly Liinging
rlem unuei culrivarion, as menrioneu in rle Hauirl,
Lur, given rle Hauirl`s oiiginal auminisriarive
conrexr in lis viev, irs alicarion iequiies
oncial eimission ro ensuie rlar ir is suiraLle
oi alicarion in a viue vaiiery o conuirions in
uiveise rimes anu laces.
Imam Nlik lelu a similai viev, le iequiieu
goveinmenral eimission oi allov lanus lying
virlin rle gieenLelrs (larh) rlar suiiounueu
riauirional Nuslim rovns anu ciries. Since rlese
aieas veie rle ioeiry o rle eole, Nlik
exemreu any lanu virlin rlem iom acquisirion
rliougl culrivarion uesire rle acr rlar sucl lanus
veie reclnically allov. Nlik uiu nor iequiie
goveinmenral eimission, lovevei, oi lanus lying
Leyonu rle gieenLelrs.
Imam al-Sln`s merlouology is Laseu on
rle iemise rlar eveiy Hauirl vill Le rieareu as a
univeisal sraremenr o lav unless rle conriaiy is
ioven rliougl anorlei exlicir rexrual ieeience.
Al-Sln lelu, rleieoie, rlar rle Pioler maue
rle sraremenr in rle Hauirl in lis caaciry as
a univeisal lavgivei. 1lus, oi al-Sln, no
iesriicrions aly ro rle acquisirion o ieviveu
lanus, anu no goveinmenral aioval is necessaiy.
'&

1le rliee Imams agieeu on rle valiuiry o rle
same Hauirl Lur inreiiereu ir in rliee signincanrly
uieienr vays. Lacl o rleii ieauings las a claim ro
valiuiry, alrlougl some may aiguaLly Le sriongei
rlan orleis.
1le seconu iesumrively aurloiirarive Ha-
uirl iecounrs rlar a ceirain Comanion`s morlei
askeu lim ro iee a Nuslim slave arei lei uearl.
1le manumission o slaves is an acr o voisli anu
aronemenr in rle Pioleric lav. 1le man close ro
emanciare a non-AiaL giil on lis morlei`s Lelal
Lur coulu nor asceirain i sle vas a Nuslim. He
Liouglr lei ro rle Pioler ro veiiy rlar sle Le-
lieveu in Islam. 1le Pioler askeu lei: Wleie is
Gou Sle morioneu virl eirlei lei leau oi lei in-
uex nngei rovaiu rle sky. 1le Pioler rlen askeu
lei: Wlo am I Sle oinreu lei inuex nngei
rovaiu lim anu rlen rovaiu rle sky. 1le Pioler
ueclaieu lei ro Le a Nuslim, anu sle vas ser iee.
Some Nuslims cire rlis Hauirl as caregoiical
ioo rlar Gou las a lysical locarion in leaven.
Nuslim rleological sclools, Lorl Sunn anu Sl,
iegaiu sucl as viev as leierical anu veiging on uis-
Lelie, Lecause ir conriauicrs caregoiical ioo anu
is Laseu on conjecruie. Wlen rlis Hauirl is conrem-
lareu in conjuncrion virl aiallel riansmissions o
rle same naiiarive, irs iesumrively aurloiirarive
naruie anu inconclusiveness as a rleological aigu-
menr Lecome cleai.
Anorlei naiiarion o rle same Hauirl auus
rlar rle giil vas mure anu coulu nor seak ar all,
vlicl exlains lei gesruies anu rle Pioler`s
ieauiness ro accer rlem as a ioo o airl. Ir
voulu also claiiy vly rle Comanion vas unaLle
ro asceirain rlar sle vas a Nuslim. Since rle giil
vas a non-AiaL, sle may nor lave knovn AiaLic
*
&%
vell oi ar all, vlicl voulu give an alreinarive

exlanarion oi rle naruie o rle inreiclange
Lerveen rle Pioler anu lei. Anorlei riansmission
srares rlar rle Pioler uiu nor ask lei: Wleie
is Gou Lur Wlo is Gou Borl voiuings aie
unusual, lovevei, Lecause ir vas rle Pioler`s
cusrom vlen asking eole i rley Lelieveu in Islam
ro say: Do you Leai virness rlar rleie is no gou
Lur Gou Anorlei naiiarion makes no menrion o
rle giil`s inaLiliry ro seak. In ir, rle Pioler askeu
lei rle cusromaiy quesrion: Do you Leai virness
rlar rleie is no gou Lur Gou Anu sle ielieu:
Yes virlour making gesruies rovaiu rle sky.
''

1le accounr o rle giil is aurlenric Lur con-
jecruial in meaning. 1le meie acr rlar rle sle may
lave Leen mure oi may nor lave knovn AiaLic
makes leis an excerional case, anu excerional
cases cannor esraLlisl rleological oi legal noims.
1le Hauirl las norling ro uo virl uesignaring a lo-
carion oi Gou in leaven, ir is, lovevei, a resrimo-
ny ro rle Pioler`s oenness rovaiu
accering ueclaiarions o airl.
1le nexr rvo examles roucl
on rle legal srarus o insriumenral
music anu iouucing rvo anu rliee-
uimensional images o living rlings.
Ir is commonlace ro leai rlar Is-
lam unconuirionally oiLius Lorl.
Yer rleie aie norevoirly osirions
eimirring rlem unuei ceirain conui-
rions, as rle olloving examles inui-
care. In any case, vlerlei music anu
images aie juugeu ro Le ioliLireu
oi eimissiLle in rle lav, eacl iuling
iegaiuing rlem is ieuicareu uon
ieauings o iesumrively aurloiira-
rive eviuence. Islam`s osirion rovaiu
Lorl quesrions is nor immuraLly nxeu
like iires o voisli, Lorl issues aie Laseu on iario-
nales anu lave rangiLle uioses, vlicl leave rleii
srarus oen oi uiscussion.
1le majoiiry o legal sclolais oiLaue music,
geneially rley uiu so on rle giounu rlar music
vas closely associareu virl uiinking, uancing
giils, anu licenriousness, vlicl vas oren rle
case in Niuule Lasrein anu Sourl Asian culruie.
Bur rleie veie noraLle uissenring vievs on music
vlen eioimeu in orlei conrexrs. 1le amous
Anualusian juuge ALu Baki iLn al-AiaL anu rle
noraLle sclolais ILn Hazm anu ALu al-Glan al-
Llus viore legal oinions in ueense o music.
Al-Karrn, a conremoiaiy Noioccan sclolai, cires
rvenry Nuslim juiisrs vlo viore on vaiious ryes
o musical insriumenrs anu rle airs o auuirion
(sah).
'(
In many Nuslim lanus, losirals maue
iegulai use o musicians, comeuians (hularrijn),
anu reacling loLLies ro cuie rle sick anu rle
clinically insane. As a iule, Nuslim losirals
veie ious enuovmenrs unuei rle
sueivision o Islamic juuges, rleii
allovance o music, lumoi, anu
loLLy rleiay consrirureu legal
valiuarion o eacl.
')
Similaily, mosr Nuslim
sclolais ulelu rle ioliLirion o
iouucing rvo oi rliee-uimensional
images o animals anu luman
Leings. 1ley Laseu rleii osirions on
numeious Hauirl, iom vlicl rley
ueiiveu iarionales sucl as ievenring
iuolariy, iecluuing luman Leings
iom iivaling rle ciearive ovei o
Gou, anu avoiuing rle sriong rlis-
voiluly ocus rlar sucl images may
insrill. Bur virlour violaring rlese
iarionales, mouein Nuslim juiisrs
Receptivity
to dissent
counteracts
rigidity and
dogmatism;
familiarity with
competing
interpretations
and different
points of view
leads to flexibility
and intellectual
maturity.
*
&&
aurloiize rle use o loro iuenrincarion caius anu

eimir rle use o anaromically coiiecr mouels o
rle luman Louy ro reacl anaromy, meuicine, anu
ielareu sciences.
1le rliireenrl-cenruiy Lgyrian sclolai al-
Qai, one o rle mosr Liillianr anu liglly iegaiu-
eu juiisrs in Islamic lisroiy, masreieu many reclni-
cal skills anu sclolaily airs. He vas knovn oi lis
exeirise in Luiluing asrionomical insriumenrs anu
orlei meclanical uevices, ro vlicl le oren ar-
racleu rliee-uimensional moLile nguies. Al-Qai
viires in lis voik Tle riceless rincijles (Nafis
al-Usl), a comenuious voik on legal rleoiy, rlar
le once uesigneu a canulesrick loluei ro rell rle
louis o rle niglr. 1le main canule clangeu col-
ois virl eacl assing loui, rle nxruie conraineu a
nguie slaeu like a lion vlose eyes also clangeu
coloi. Duiing rle nisr loui o rle niglr, rle lion`s
eyes voulu Le jer Llack. Ar rle seconu loui, rley
ruineu Liiglr vlire, rle nexr loui rley Lecame in-
rensely ieu, anu rley conrinueu ro rake on uieienr
colois unril rle Lieak o uavn. Ar uavn, rle ngu-
iine o a lirrle man, rle iayei callei (huaJlJlin),
emeigeu ar rle canuelaLium`s liglesr oinr virl lis
nngei laceu ro lis eai, inuicaring rlar rle rime oi
iayei lau come. Al-Qai iegierreu nevei laving
uiscoveieu lov ro make rle lirrle man acrually call
rle iayei.
'*
1iauirional Islamic air vas uncrional, ir
invaiiaLly seiveu iagmaric uioses. One sees rlis
exemlineu in calligialy, mosque aiclirecruie,
sclools, Liiuges, iugs, orreiy, anu so oirl. Al-
Qai`s canuelaLium, as le inuicares, vas also
airisrically uncrional, ir vas meanr ro seive as
a clock oi sraying avake ar niglr unril uavn.
All rle visual elemenrs o rle lion clock veie
calculareu ro Lieak u monorony anu kee one
aleir. Alrlougl rleie vas norling iiglrening
aLour rle nguiine o a lion virl eyes rlar gloveu
in uieienr colois, ir seiveu as a somevlar amusing
uiveision rlar seems ro lave linreu: imagine rlar
a lion like rlis uere sranuing in rle ioom, voulu
you all aslee 1le lion anu rle iayei callei in
al-Qai`s canuelaLium veie nor iivolous oLjecrs,
rle uiose Lelinu rlem vas akin ro rlose Lelinu
mouein loro iuenrincarion caius anu anaromically
coiiecr mouels o rle luman Louy.
Resecring uissenr means iesecring rle riurl
anu iecognizing rlar ir oren rakes uieienr arls
anu iesulrs in comering visions o iealiry. Because
uissenr is inuisensaLle in rle quesr oi knovleuge,
Islamic sclolaisli iegaiueu rle comilarion anu
sruuy o uissenring oinions as an essenrial oim
o leaining. ILn Umai, vlo vas among rle mosr
leaineu o rle Pioler`s Comanions, vas viuely
knovn oi rle giear value le laceu on lis exrensive
knovleuge o uissenring oinions, le oren saiu rlar
le voulu nor exclange rlar knovleuge oi rle mosr
valuaLle ossessions on eairl.
Receriviry ro uissenr counreiacrs iigiuiry anu
uogmarism, amiliaiiry virl comering inreiiera-
rions anu uieienr oinrs o viev leaus ro lexiLiliry
anu inrellecrual maruiiry. Ioi ieasons sucl as rlese,
Islamic sclolaisli lookeu uon vell-ieasoneu
uissenr as a uivine gir anu a secial meicy ro lu-
mankinu. Nuslim juiisrs oren alluueu ro a veakly
riansmirreu Lur viuely knovn Hauirl: 1le uis-
senr o my communiry is a secial meicy.
'+
1le
Umayyau calil Umai iLn ALu al-Azz, vlo vas
knovn oi lis iiglreousness anu ioLiry, com-
menreu on rlis Hauirl: Ir voulu nor lease me i
rle Comanions o Nulammau lau nor uieieu, i
rley lau nor uieieu, rleie voulu Le no ioom oi
license in rle ieligion. Al-KlarrL, one o rle mosr
iominenr Hauirl sclolais, noreu rlar rle rye o
uissenr ieeiieu ro in rle Hauirl is uissenr iegaiu-
*
&'
ing iesumrively aurloiirarive iulings o lav. 1le

oosing oinions rlar occui on sucl quesrions, al-
KlarrL exlaineu, aie a secial meicy iom Gou
anu a unique lonoi (larha) rlar uisringuisles rle
sclolais vlo nnu ansveis ro rlem.
',
As iegaius
sclolaily eoir in iesumrively aurloiirarive ques-
rions, ir vas lelu in rle Islamic riauirion rlar Gou
voulu ievaiu sclolais oi rleii uissenring oinions
even i rley veie viong. ]uiisrs oren cireu rle
Hauirl: I a juuge (llih) inreiiers rle lav anu
nnus rle coiiecr ansvei, le ieceives rvo ievaius
iom Gou. I le is lonesrly misraken, le ieceives
one.
'-
Because mosr legal osirions in Islam aie
Laseu on conjecruie anu leau ro uissenr, classical
acauemies oi Islamic lav maue rle air o ueLare
a iequiieu suLjecr in rleii cuiiicula. In nelus like
Hauirl, iore leaining vas suncienr, Lur rlis vas
nor rle case in lav. Auvanceu sruuenrs o juiisiu-
uence lau ro acquiie comielensive unueisranuing
o rle ioos anu legal aigumenrs rlar unueilay
Islamic lav. Like uocroial canuiuares rouay, a lav
sruuenr arraineu rle uegiee o an accieuireu juiisr
(faql, hujtaliJ, huft) arei ieaiing an inueen-
uenr rlesis in suoir o an oiiginal legal oinion,
vlicl lau rlen ro Le ueenueu successully Leoie
qualineu juiisrs. Accoiuing ro Geoige Nakuisi,
rle Islamic legal riauirion o ueLare, inueenuenr
ieseaicl, anu ueenuing a rlesis conriiLureu ro rle
iise o univeisiries in meuieval Luioe anu auorion
o rle uisseirarion anu uocroiare as an essenrial air
o auvanceu sclolaisli.
'.
Some Nuslims rouay conuse inria-Nuslim
uissenr virl uiscoiu anu iegaiu quesrions anu
uissenring oinions as a rliear ro uniry. Uniry
giovs our o geneial agieemenr Laseu on uiscussion
anu iee cloice. Uniry musr nor Le conuseu
virl unioimiry. 1iauirional Islamic socieries uiu
nor iomore unioimiry, rley iomoreu uniry
in uiveisiry. Unioimiry can only Le imoseu Ly
inrimiuarion anu social iessuie, ir cannor exrenu
Leyonu rle iange o rle oice rlar imoses ir.
Imosing unioimiry uoes nor sriengrlen socieries,
ir veakens rlem. Resecr oi uissenr, on rle orlei
lanu, ioviues a Lasis oi riue social colesion.
By iomoring sel-iesecr anu luman uigniry, rle
oeiarional iincile o iesecring uissenr osreis
murual unueisranuing anu cieares rle Lasis uon
vlicl a lealrly communiry can Le Luilr.
1le value o iesecring uissenr lies nor in
rle acr rlar ir las Lecome olirically coiiecr Lur
Lecause ir Liings uieienr eisecrives ro liglr
anu iomores leaining. A common uicrum o
Islamic euucarion says: Goou quesrions aie lal
o leaining. 1le iorocol o uissenr requires rlar
quesrions Le askeu, anu ir anims rlar quesrioning
is valiu no marrei lov saciosancr a marrei may Le.
1lings aie nor ueemeu saciosancr in Islam virlour
uemonsriaLle ioo, anu eacl Nuslim las a iiglr
ro ask aLour rlar ioo. Wlen rle iiglr ro quesrion
is iesecreu, aigumenrs cease ro Le voirly o
consiueiarion unless rley aie Laseu on convincing
ieasons anu can sranu u ro iank uiscussion anu
lonesr uiscouise.
Nany Nuslims Lelieve rlar asking eilexing
quesrions aLour Islam is nor alloveu. Ioi some,
ir is slameul ro ask sucl quesrions oi ro exiess
uouLrs. 1iauirional Islamic sclolaisli uiu nor
iegaiu ir an imioiiery ro iaise uinculr quesrions
aLour rle ieligion oi ask aLour one`s uouLrs, iarlei,
ir vas a sin nct ro ask. One o rle inrellecrual
iesonsiLiliries o rle Nuslim sclolai vas ro
ieaie cogenr ansveis oi sucl inquiiies. In oiuei
ro iesonu eecrively ro rle ryes o quesrions rlar
miglr Le askeu, vlole genies o sclolaily lireiaruie
veie comoseu in quesrion/ansvei oim.
*
&(
Ir vas rle sclolais rlemselves vlo askeu

eacl orlei rle mosr uinculr quesrions. 1ley maue
ciirical inquiiies inro rle aaienr conriauicrions in
rle Quiàn anu Sunna, rley iaiseu quesrions aLour
rle giearesr sancriries o rle airl anu rle mosr
unuamenral iecers o rle lav. 1le Comanions
occasionally askeu sucl quesrions rlemselves uuiing
rle rime o rle Pioler. 1le Comanion ALu Razn
askeu lim: Wleie vas oui Loiu Leoie He cieareu
ciearion 1le Pioler ansveieu: He vas in a
srare o comlere liuuenness (ah), Lenearl vlicl
rleie vas no armosleie anu aLove vlicl rleie
vas no armosleie. 1len He cieareu His rlione
ovei rle varei.
(%
Social jusrice is one o rle coie values anu
liglesr iueals o Islam. 1oleiance anu oenness ro
quesrioning anu uissenr cieare an amLience vleie
commirmenr ro social jusrice can Le meaningul. Ir
is a conriauicrion in reims ro seak o social jusrice
in communiries rlar neirlei velcome uissenr noi
allov oi quesrions.
Denying rle iiglr ro uissenr anu ro ask ques-
rions uiives eole avay, uisemoveis rle commu-
niry, anu conuemns irs memLeisli ro Leing assive
onlookeis. 1le oeiarional iincile o iesecring
uissenr anu rle imeiarive ro uevelo uynamic com-
muniries necessirare an armosleie in vlicl uiveise
oinions can Le exiesseu anu vleie seiious ques-
rions can ieceive iesecrul ansveis. 1le iiglr ro
inquiie anu ro uissenr cieares an oiganic sysrem o
clecks anu Lalances rlar lels guaiu againsr excess.
Ulrimarely, rle ieeuom ro quesrion anu ro uis-
agiee Lenenrs rle enriie communiry, ir lolus Lorl
irs memLeis anu irs leaueisli accounraLle anu
iequiies rlem ro meer ieasonaLle sranuaius o sensi-
Liliry anu uiscierion.
operational principle three

STRESSING SOCIETAL OBLIGATIONS
lrlougl socieral oLligarions aie a unuamen-

rally legal concein, rle iinciles rley emLouy
aie iooreu in rle naruie o Islamic erlics anu Lelie.
Socieral oLligarions aie Laseu on iecognizing rle
sancriry o orleis anu rle imoirance o sociery.
Iiom an Islamic sranuoinr, goou claiacrei anu
Lelie in Gou slaie a veiy similai concerual iame-
voik.
Goou claiacrei is ieuicareu uon alriuism:
acknovleuging rle Orlei, Leing magnanimous
rovaiu rle Orlei, anu iesecring rle Orlei`s
iiglrs. 1le iimaiy erlical qualiries riurlulness,
riusrvoirliness, giariruue, arience, geneiosiry,
lumiliry, couiage, anu so oirl giov our o rlis
imlicir iegaiu oi orlei eole anu animarion o
rleii uigniry, meiirs, anu iiglrs.
In Islam, Lelie is essenrially rianscenuenr al-
riuism, Gou Leing rle ulrimare Orlei. 1le essence
o Lelie in rle Quiàn is giariruue (slulr). In Aia-
Lic, slulr comes iom a ioor meaning ro iecognize
rle goou o orleis anu ro iesonu ro ir oenly anu
aioiiarely. DisLelie (lufr), vlicl is rle seman-
ric oosire o slulr, comes iom anorlei ioor
rlar means ro knov rle goou o orleis secierly Lur
ro ueny ir oenly. Somevlar like goou claiacrei,
Lelie signines acknovleugemenr o tle Orlei (in
rlis case, Gou), Leing giareul ro Him, anu sloving
Him rle lonoi anu gloiy He is uue. DisLelie, on
rle orlei lanu, means ro aielenu Gou secierly
Lur ueny Him oenly anu ieuse ro rlank Him
oi ay Him lomage. Ioi rlis ieason, rle Quiàn
uesciiLes Saran as a uisLelievei (lr) (Quiàn
':()). Accoiuing ro Islamic reacling, Saran lau in-
*
&)
rimare knovleuge o Gou Lur ieLelleu againsr Him

our o aiiogance. In Islam, rleie can Le no Lelie oi
uisLelie virlour essenrial knovleuge, rle uieience
Lerveen Lelie anu uisLelie is essenrially lov one
iesonus ro rlar knovleuge.
1le Quiàn links Lelie virl goou claiacrei
anu rle sense o moial oLligarion, ir emlasizes rle
noLle claiacrei anu moial inregiiry o rle Pioler
anu lis Comanions anu inuicares rlar rleii erlical
qualiries consrirureu rle ounuarion o rleii Lelie
in Gou anu commirmenr ro goou ueeus anu rle
velaie o orleis. 1le Quiàn ieeareuly connecrs
uisLelie virl Lau claiacrei, uisiegaiu oi orleis,
anu callousness rovaiu luman sueiing, esecially
as exemlineu in rle aiiogance anu oiession o
rle Neccan oligaicly.
1le oeiarional iincile o socieral
oLligarions is Lackeu Ly rle consensus o Nuslim
sclolais anu is rieareu ar lengrl in voiks on
Islamic legal rleoiy, ir consrirures one o rle
ounuarional elemenrs o rle Islamic
airl. Sriessing socieral oLligarion is
essenrial oi Luiluing rle Ameiican
Nuslim communiry. Ir ioviues
a oveiul ieligious imerus oi
social commirmenr anu communiry
uevelomenr. Ir iomores civic
consciousness anu iequiies Nuslims
ro iuenriy virl rle Lioauei
communiry, auuiess irs neeus, anu
enlisr rle luman iesouices necessaiy
ro meer rlem.
In Islam, Lasic ieligious uuries
all inro rvo caregoiies: inuiviuual
oLligarions (farJ al-ayn oi ujib al-
ayn) anu socieral oLligarions (farJ al-
lifya oi ujib al-lifya). Inuiviuual
oLligarions aie Linuing on eveiy
Nuslim vlo is moially iesonsiLle (hulallaf).
1ley aie exclusively eisonal anu cannor Le
eioimeu Ly someone else on anorlei`s Lelal. 1le
nve uaily iayeis, asring rle monrl o Ramauan,
anu earing vlar is lavul anu clean aie inuiviuual
oLligarions. Lrlically, Nuslims vlo ail ro eioim
inuiviuual oLligarions aie iniquirous anu iisk uivine
ieriiLurion.
Socieral oLligarions aie manuaroiy oi rle
entire Nuslim oularion raken as a vlole, rley
ieiesenr rle oularion`s giou iesonsiLiliry ro
consrirure an oiganic anu iesonsiLle communiry. Ir
is a socieral oLligarion, oi examle, ro ensuie rlar
eole lave Lasic necessiries like oou anu lealrl
caie. 1le iincile o socieral oLligarion sriulares
rlar suncienr numLeis (al-lifya) o qualineu
men anu vomen Le moially iequiieu ro caiiy our
socieral oLligarions on rle communiry`s Lelal.
By rleii naruie, socieral oLligarions necessirare
cooeiarion anu call oi rle uevelomenr o
communiries rlar aie uncrional, sel-
avaie, anu vell oiganizeu.
Socieral oLligarions geneially
cannor Le eioimeu virlour giou
eoir Lecause rley aie ai moie ue-
manuing rlan rle inuiviuual caaciry
o eisons voiking alone. Ioi rlar
ieason, eacl socieral oLligarion ie-
quiies a suncienr numLei o eole
virl communiry suoir ro see rlar
ir is caiiieu our. Ir is rle communi-
ry`s iesonsiLiliry as a vlole ro en-
lisr sucl numLeis o qualineu eole
anu assisr rlem in rle rask. I rle
Nuslim communiry neglecrs irs soci-
eral oLligarions, eacl Nuslim Leais
rle moial iesonsiLiliry oi rleii ail-
uie as a giou. acl memLei o rle
For the American
Muslim community,
societal
obligations
require the
proactive
development of
needed resources
that address real
issues on the
ground.
*
&*
communiry is iniquirous anu eisonally iisks uivine

ieriiLurion. Once a socieral oLligarion las Leen
auequarely auuiesseu, rle coiiesonuing giou ie-
sonsiLiliry o Nuslims alls iom rleii sloulueis,
anu rle orenrial Luiuen o communal sin is lireu.
1le oeiarional iincile o sriessing socieral
oLligarions slovs rlar Islam is mucl moie rlan a
ieligion o eisonal ieries anu rlar ir cannor Le
naiiovly iesriicreu ro rle acriviries o mosques
oi Islamic cenreis. 1le eioimance o inuiviuual
oLligarions like iayei anu asring nevei iemoves
a Nuslim`s moial uury ro meer socieral ones. 1le
mosr seemingly uiiglr o Nuslims aie liaLle oi
uivine ieriiLurion i rley ignoie socieral oLligarions
anu conrenr rlemselves virl eisonal iery alone.
Ar rle same rime, rleie musr Le no conusion, ei-
sonal ueuicarion ro rle communiry`s neeus uoes nor
iemove a Nuslim`s inuiviuual oLligarion ro eioim
acrs o eisonal iery.
Inuiviuual oLligarions (iayei, asring, anu rle
like) can Le ieauily iuenrineu anu aie eioimeu ar
ser rimes accoiuing ro nxeu oims. Wlen misseu,
inuiviuual oLligarions can Le maue u larei. A Nus-
lim vlo is unaLle ro asr comensares Ly asring ar
anorlei rime oi making aronemenr (laffra). So-
cieral oLligarions, lovevei, aie moie exacring anu
comlex. 1ley aie oren uinculr ro iuenriy anu
even laiuei ro ulnll. Socieral oLligarions aie siru-
arional anu iequiie inrimare knovleuge o rle com-
muniry anu irs immeuiare anu uruie neeus. Socieral
oLligarions uo nor lave ieuereimineu rimes, lac-
es, oi ioceuuies. 1le numLei o eole iequiieu
ro caiiy our a airiculai socieral oLligarion anu rle
naruie o qualincarions rlose eole musr lave aie
alvays uereimineu Ly iealiries on rle giounu anu
aie conrinuously liaLle ro clange. Unlike inuiviuual
oLligarions, socieral ones cannor Le maue u once
rleii rime las asseu, rley musr Le eioimeu ar rle
rime anu in rle mannei eacl siruarion iequiies. I
a eison is uying iom sraivarion, ir is o no use ro
Liing oou arei rlar eison las uieu. I a louse is
Luining, rle eoir ro exringuisl rle nie cannor Le
uelayeu unril romoiiov.
Nuslim legal rleoiisrs exlain rle iimacy
o socieral oLligarions in Islam Ly viirue o rleii
inseaiaLle connecrion ro sociery`s velaie Lecause
rley secuie sociery`s Lenenrs (haslil) anu iorecr
ir iom ueriimenrs (hafsiJ). Ioi rle same ieason,
ceirain socieral inreiesrs rake ieceuence ovei orleis
vlen rle rvo clasl. As a iule, inuiviuual inreiesrs
may nor Le iomoreu ar rle exense o giou inrei-
esrs. Bioauei socieral inreiesrs rake ieceuence ovei
naiiovei giou inreiesrs. Ioi examle, sociery`s
long-reim neeu oi aoiuaLle uiugs rakes iece-
uence ovei rle naiiovei eisonal anu coioiare in-
reiesrs rlar aie mer Ly selling rlem ar unieasonaLle
iices.
Socieral oLligarions allov no Nuslim ro ie-
main a assive secraroi in rle communiry. 1leie
is alvays voik ro Le uone, vlerlei ir eirains ro
uigenr neeus oi moie geneial iequiiemenrs. 1lose
vlo aie nor aLle oi qualineu ro eioim socieral
oLligarions musr give mareiial anu moial suoir
ro rlose vlo aie eioiming rlem. Nuslims vlo
aie qualineu ro ulnll socieral oLligarions musr rake
air in rlem ro rle exrenr rlar rley aie aLle, Lur as
Leoie, rle communal iesonsiLiliry oi ailing ro
meer socieral oLligarions alls uon Lorl rle quali-
neu anu rle unqualineu alike.
Basic socieral oLligarions aie exanueu uon
so rlar rley incluue all ielareu communiry ieson-
siLiliries rliougl rle Islamic iincile: Wlarevei
is necessaiy ro ulnll an oLligarion is an oLligarion
irsel (h l yatihh al-ujib ill bil fa-luua
ujib). Ir is one o rle ulrimare oLligarions o Islam
ro iorecr luman lie (al-nafs), Lur rle iorecrion o
*
&+
lives cannor Le aclieveu virlour oou, slelrei, anu

secuiiry. 1le neeu ro ieseive lie, rleieoie, gives
iise ro rle socieral oLligarions o ioviuing oou,
slelrei, secuiiry, anu similai necessiries. 1lus, soci-
eral oLligarions exrenu iom Lasic necessiries ro in-
cluue eierytling rlar is essenrial ro rle communiry`s
Lesr inreiesr.
In eailiei Islamic socieries, rle uury ro imle-
menr mosr socieral oLligarions ell on rle sloulueis
o rle srare, alrlougl rle moial iesonsiLiliry oi
rleii ulnllmenr srill incluueu rle enriie communiry.
1ouay, seculai narional anu srare goveinmenrs
meer many Lasic socieral oLligarions, alrlougl rley
may nor meer rlem equally vell oi all social anu
economic classes. 1le seivices rley ioviue Lenenr
Nuslims as vell as orleis, rley exemr Nuslims
iom rle airiculai socieral oLligarions rlar aie cov-
eieu Lur nor iom orlei socieral oLligarions rlar rle
srare ails ro covei.
In ie-colonial Nuslim socieries, iivare ei-
sons esraLlisleu viue vaiieries o Lenencial ious
enuovmenrs (auqf, albs), oren virl socieral
oLligarions in minu. 1leii enuovmenrs mer sucl
geneial conceins as caiing oi viuovs anu oilans,
looking arei rle lysical anu menral lealrl o iis-
oneis, anu even ioviuing oi rle velaie o injuieu
anu uecieir animals. In rle Wesr rouay, Nuslims
lave rle communal uury ro iuenriy anu imle-
menr socieral oLligarions necessaiy oi communiry
giovrl, civic engagemenr, anu enviionmenral io-
recrion. Ir musr Le sriesseu rlar socieral oLligarions
aie nct rle sole uomain o acrivisrs anu volunreeis.
1ouay as in rle asr, Nuslim communiries cannor
meer rleii socieral oLligarions virlour aisiglreu
insrirurional uevelomenr, incluuing rle esraLlisl-
menr o ieligious enuovmenrs anu rle emloymenr
o vell-riaineu ioessionals.
Socieral oLligarions aie laigely oigorren in
iesenr-uay Nuslim lanus anu aie iaiely unuei-
sroou in ueveloing Nuslim communiries like ouis.
eglecr o socieral oLligarions, eilas as mucl
as anyrling else, accounrs oi rle geneially lam-
enraLle srare o rle Nuslim voilu rouay. Wlen
Nuslims ocus exclusively on inuiviuual oLliga-
rions anu inreiesrs, rley lose siglr o Islam`s social
mission. 1ley Lecome rle vicrims o an aromisric,
one-uimensional minuser rlar is viirually incaaLle
o ciirical consciousness anu social avaieness. As
sucl, many Nuslims lave lirrle aLiliry ro comie-
lenu anu lave minimal incenrive ro airiciare in
rleii communiry`s ieseivarion anu giovrl, mucl
less rle conceins o rle voilu Leyonu rlem.
Ioi rle Ameiican Nuslim communiry, soci-
eral oLligarions iequiie rle ioacrive uevelomenr
o neeueu iesouices rlar auuiess ieal issues on rle
giounu, among vlicl aie Lerrei social seivices,
ioessional maiiiage counseling, nnancial insriru-
rions, anu rle esraLlislmenr o auvanceu Islamic
seminaiies. Oui socieral oLligarions also iequiie us
ro auuiess uigenr issues rlar lave suiaceu in rle
Ameiican Nuslim communiry ovei iecenr uecaues.
1le oeiarional iincile o socieral oLligarion
naruially iequiies canuoi in iuenriying ioLlems,
orleivise rley cannor Le solveu. I vill auuiess rliee
issues Lelov rlar uemanu arrenrion anu consrirure
socieral oLligarions o rle nisr oiuei: caieei cloices,
maiiiage, anu liquoi ianclises.
Career Clcices
All ioessions anu nelus o leaining rlar seive rle
communiry`s mareiial anu culruial neeus all unuei
socieral oLligarions. 1leie can Le no lace in rle
communiry oi elirism, any lonesr ioession is a
goou ioession. Wlerlei a eison is uiiving a raxi
oi voiking in a losiral emeigency ioom, eacl
liveliloou lels seive a viral socieral uncrion. 1oo
*
&,
oren, lovevei, oui communiry`s arriruues rovaiu

caieei cloices anu ioessions lave eveiyrling ro
uo virl money anu social srarus anu lirrle ro uo
virl oui oveiall socieral neeus as a ueveloing
Nuslim communiry in Ameiica.
Neuicine, engineeiing, anu a numLei o orlei
vell-aying nelus aie vell ieiesenreu, i nor ovei
ieiesenreu in rle Ameiican Nuslim communiry.
1ley lave inuisuraLle value, Lur rle communiry`s
renuency ro socially comairmenralize uesiiaLle
caieeis virlin rlis limireu iange srulrines oui
uruie. Social sciences like syclology, sociology,
anu anrlioology aie oren misrakenly iegaiueu
as less voirly Lecause rley aie nor as luciarive
anu uo nor aoiu elire srarus in oui communiry.
In iealiry, rle social sciences lay a ciirical iole in
mouein sociery anu consrirure key iioiiries oi
Ameiican Nuslims. 1ley seive rle communiry`s
essenrial inreiesrs in aieas sucl as menral lealrl,
social velaie, anu culruial uevelomenr. Oui
aLiliry ro uncrion eecrively as Nuslims in mouein
sociery iequiies a nuanceu unueisranuing o
moueiniry. Sucl an unueisranuing alls squaiely
virlin rle comerence o rle social sciences. Ir is a
iimaiy socieral oLligarion oi Ameiican Nuslims
ro uevelo suncienr cauies o vell-riaineu social
scienrisrs vlose ieseaicl is nor only o use ro rle
Nuslim communiry Lur is valuaLle ro rle giearei
sociery ar laige.
Secializarions in rle lumaniries like lisroiy,
mouein rlouglr, lilosoly, anu lireiaruie aie
viuely consiueieu in oui communiry as maiginal,
Lur rley roo aie necessaiy anu meer essenrial
socieral oLligarions similai ro rlose o rle social
sciences. 1ley imair a viuei viev o rle voilu,
lov irs asr ielares ro irs iesenr anu uruie, anu
rle seminal iueas o oui rimes. 1ley give uiiecr
access ro eecrive cioss-culruial unueisranuing anu
inrellecrual uevelomenr anu enaLle rle communiry
ro rake inreiierarive conriol o irsel anu irs
ieligion in a conremoiaiy conrexr.
Marriage
Among rle mosr seiious ciises rlar ace laige seg-
menrs o rle Ameiican Nuslim communiry rouay
aie rle luiules anu unjusrinaLle uinculries rlar
many Nuslim vomen anu men o maiiiageaLle
ages conionr vlen looking oi suiraLle souses.
1le ioLlem is esecially acure oi vomen. Ir is
amiliai ro vomen iom immigianr amilies Lur
is no less seveie oi Aiican-Ameiican Nuslim
vomen. 1le ciisis is unuouLreuly comlex. One
o irs majoi causes is rle limireu ool iom vlicl
Nuslim souses aie selecreu. Orlei ieasons incluue
ioLlems rlar ielare ro economic class, erlniciry,
anu culruial Lackgiounu. In auuirion, Nuslims uo
nor geneially allov uaring, vlicl oi many eole
in rle Wesr is a ieluue ro maiiiage. Ameiican
Nuslims lave yer ro uevelo eecrive culruial alrei-
narives rlar allov rlem, virlin Islamic noims, ro
negoriare genuei inreiacrion anu acilirare maiiiage
rliougl iacrices sucl as couirsli. 1le ieal anu
orenrial laims likely ro iesulr iom rle maiiiage
ciisis ar rle inuiviuual anu communiry level aie un-
imaginaLle. Iacing rle ioLlem riurlully, as many
Nuslims alieauy uo, anu nnuing solurions oi ir is
an uigenr socieral oLligarion.
Iiqucr ranclises
One o rle mosr seiious social ills aecring rle
Ameiican Nuslim communiry ar iesenr is rle
exisrence o rlousanus o liquoi sroies ovneu Ly
immigianr Nuslims in rle narion`s innei ciries.
1leii iesence rliearens ro unueimine rle gains
rlar Aiican-Ameiican Nuslims maue uuiing rle
rvenrierl cenruiy rliougl social engagemenr in
*
&-
rlese communiries. In Clicago anu orlei Ameiican

ciries, rle uLiquirous iesence o Nuslim-ovneu
liquoi ianclises las Leen a souice o rension anu
conlicr.
(&
Ioi Nuslims ro oeiare sucl sroies oi
ro ignoie rleii iesence is mucl moie rlan a viola-
rion o rle Islamic coue. 1le liquoi sroies laim rle
neiglLoiloous anu amilies vleie rley aie locareu
anu geneially casr all Nuslims in a negarive liglr.
In rle eyes o iominenr Nuslim anu non-Nuslim
civic leaueis, rle Nuslim-ovneu liquoi Lusinesses
in rle innei ciries aie a socioeconomic Lliglr. Ir is a
ro-iioiiry socieral oLligarion rlar Ameiican Nus-
lims auuiess rlis ioLlem moie eecrively anu nnu
a juuicious solurion.
operational principle four

SETTING PRIORITIES
/
le Pioler Nulammau saiu: 1leie vas no
Pioler Leoie me Lur rlar ir vas a uury oi
lim ro guiue lis narion ro vlar le knev vas Lesr
oi rlem anu vain rlem aLour vlar le knev vas
voisr oi rlem.
('
Asiiing oi vlar is Lesr anu
avoiuing vlar is voisr aie rle rvo iimaiy goals o
rle Pioleric lav. 1le eminenr legal sclolai al-Izz
iLn ALu al-Salm summeu u rle enriiery o Islam
in one liase: 1o secuie Lenenrs anu vaiu o uer-
iimenrs (jalb al-haslil ua Jar al-hafsiJ).
((

Iocusing on Lenenrs anu ueriimenrs is air
o rle univeisal Pioleric legacy anu, rleieoie,
consrirures a caregoiical Islamic oLligarion. Unuei-
sranuing rle imoirance o serring iioiiries is a
necessaiy oeiarional iincile in Islam, Lur, as oL-
vious as rle iincile may seem, many Nuslims aie
oLlivious ro ir in iacrice.
1o lel secuie sociery`s vellLeing, Islamic
lav sers rliee uescenuing levels o iioiiry, vlicl
iank Lenenrs anu laims accoiuing ro rleii magni-
ruue: necessities (Jarriyyt), neeJs (ljiyyt), anu
cchjlehents (talhiliyyt). Lacl o rlem vill Le
uiscusseu in ullei uerail Lelov arei nisr uiscussing
rle nve majoi oLjecrives o rle lav, uon vlicl
rley aie Laseu. 1le rliee levels o iioiiry uiav uis-
rincrions Lerveen rle vaiious asecrs o Pioleric
lav, rley give liglesr iioiiry ro vlar is essenrial
ro sociery`s vellLeing anu lovei iioiiry ro vlar is
nor. By serring iioiiries, Nuslims aie aLle ro voik
rovaiu rleii Lesr inreiesr in goou rimes anu Lau Ly
allocaring rime anu iesouices ro majoi neeus virl-
our Lecoming ieoccuieu virl minoi conceins oi
virl alse iioiiries.
1le AiaLic voius haslil (Lenenrs) anu
hafsiJ (ueriimenrs) lave a sliglrly uieienr em-
lasis rlan rleii Lnglisl counreiairs, Lenenrs
anu ueriimenrs. In Lnglisl, Lenenrs may nisr
Liing ro minu nonessenrial auvanrages anu con-
veniences. Likevise, rle voiu ueriimenrs oren
Liings ro minu uisauvanrages anu inconveniences.
1le AiaLic voiu, haslil lireially ieeis ro vlar
Liings aLour vloleness, lealrliness, anu vellLeing.
Ir immeuiarely Liings essenrial anu useul neeus ro
minu, alrlougl ir incluues nonessenrial auvanrages
anu conveniences as vell. MafsiJ is rle semanric
aii o haslil. Like goou anu evil in Lng-
lisl, menrion o rle one Liings rle orlei ro minu.
Linguisrically, hafsiJ ieeis ro vlar causes coi-
iurion anu uecay. Ir immeuiarely Liings ro minu
unuamenral laims anu uamages, incluuing uisau-
vanrages anu inconveniences.
Benenrs anu ueriimenrs aie neirlei unioim
noi aLsriacr, rley aie inseaiaLly rieu ro conciere
ciicumsrances anu iealiries. Likevise, rle imeia-
rives o Islamic lav aie nor equal iegaiuing rle im-
*
&.
oirance o rleii uioses anu iarionales. Wirlour

serring iioiiries, rle ulrimare uioses o Islam
Lecome oLscuieu anu uisconnecreu iom rleii social
uiose. Dereimining iioiiries iequiies making
uinculr juugmenrs aLour rle magniruues o uiveise
Lenenrs anu ueriimenrs in uieienr conrexrs anu
rle iioiiry in iank o coiiesonuing elemenrs o
rle lav. In Islamic lav, rle legal uisciline rlar
sruuies lov ro make sucl evaluarions is calleu rle
Science o CounreiLalancing (ilh al-huuzana).
Hisroiically, rle ienovneu juiisrs al-SlriL anu ILn
1aymiyya veie oiemosr in rlis nelu.
Islamic lav sers rle rliee iioiiries accoiuing
ro a lieiaicly o legal goals. 1le liglesr o rlem
aie rle nve majoi oLjecrives (al-haqsiJ al-llahsa
al-lubr). 1ley aie rle ieseivarion o: ieligion
(Jn), sel (nafs), ieason (aql), cliluien (nasl/nas-
ab),
()
anu vealrl (hl). Some sclolais auu eisonal
anu amily lonoi (irJ) as a sixrl oLjecrive, Lur all
agiee on rle main nve. 1lese nve majoi oLjecrives
consrirure rle gianu, all-enveloing iarionales o
Islam. 1ley aie rle ivor oinr aiounu vlicl rle
mosr Linuing inuiviuual anu socieral oLligarions
ievolve. 1le iimaiy goal o Islamic juiisiuuence
is ro secuie rlese oLjecrives nisr oi as eecrively as
ossiLle Leoie ruining ro lessei iioiiries. In Islam-
ic legal rleoiy, rle nve majoi oLjecrives aie ciirical
ro rle velaie o all luman socieries, iegaiuless o
ieligion, Lecause rle eiosion o even a single one o
rlem rliearens rle conrinueu exisrence o rle soci-
ery as a vlole.
VEgZhZgkVi^dcd[i]ZgZa^\^dc enrails ev-
eiyrling rlar is necessaiy oi sounu Islamic unuei-
sranuing anu iacrice. Lacl o rle nve oeiarional
iinciles in rlis aei alls unuei rle imeiarive
o ieseiving rle ieligion. 1lis majoi oLjecrive in-
cluues, oi examle, rle ciearion o a viue vaiiery
o ieseaicl anu viiring eiraining ro Islam sucl as
excellenr Lnglisl rianslarions, commenraiies, anu
lireiaruie ielevanr ro oui rime anu lace. In Ameiica
rouay, rle ieseivarion o rle Islamic ieligion cleai-
ly necessirares rle ounuarion o oursranuing inuig-
enous Islamic euucarional insrirurions.
VEgZhZgkVi^dcd[i]ZhZa[means ro
iorecr luman lie iom violence, sickness,
sraivarion, anu anyrling else rlar rliearens ir.
Auequare lousing, secuiiry, anu lealrl seivices
aie among rle many iioiiries associareu virl rlis
oLjecrive.
VEgZhZgkVi^dcd[gZVhdc iequiies
iorecring rle luman minu iom sucl laims as
ignoiance, insaniry, anu alcolol anu uiug auuicrion.
On rle osirive siue, ir enrails rle ull uevelomenr
o rle luman minu, vlicl iequiies exosuie ro
osirive srimularion anu goou euucarion.
VEgZhZgkVi^dcd[X]âYgZc ocuses
on cliluien Lur enrails eveiyrling essenrial ro
rle velaie o rle amily. Ir rakes in maiiiage,
aienring, caiing oi rle uisaLleu, anu so oirl. Ir
necessirares guaiuing againsr social evils like rle
aLuse o cliluien, souses, anu rle elueily.
VEgZhZgkVi^dcd[lZVai] iequiies
rle ciearion o lavul vealrl, irs giovrl, anu
iorecrion. Ir laces economic uevelomenr ar rle
cenrei o Islam`s social iojecr. Ir also necessirares
iorecring vealrl iom vasre, uesriucrion, anu loss
rliougl rler, ioLLeiy, iauu, emLezzlemenr, anu
orlei ciimes.
Like socieral oLligarions, rle nve majoi oLjec-
rives exrenu ro orlei conceins rliougl rle ievi-
ously menrioneu iincile, vlarevei is necessaiy
ro ulnll an oLligarion is an oLligarion irsel. As il-
lusriareu aLove, ieseivarion o rle ieligion iequiies
rlar rle ieligion Le ioeily rauglr, vlicl cannor
Le uone virlour comerenr ieligious sclolais. Com-
erenr sclolais cannor Le iouuceu virlour sue-
*
'%
iioi euucarional aciliries. 1leieoie, ir is a majoi

iioiiry ro cieare excerional Islamic euucarional
insrirurions.
As inuicareu aLove, Islamic lav las rliee lev-
els o iioiiry: necessities, neeJs, anu cchjlehents.
Necessities, rle liglesr iioiiry, aie inseaiaLly
linkeu ro rle nve majoi oLjecrives. 1ley aie uiiecrly
rieu ro rle acquisirion o inuisensaLle Lenenrs anu
rle iemoval o ciirical laims. Necessities aie mar-
reis virlour vlicl inuiviuuals anu socieries cannor
conrinue ro exisr, rle mosr imoiranr o rlese Leing
rle nve ulrimare oLjecrives. Ir is a necessiry in colu
climares, oi examle, ro lave Lasic slelrei virl
lear anu lor varei. As menrioneu, rle aiena o
necessities exanus ro incluue eveiyrling iequiieu
ro meer rle nve majoi oLjecrives. Claiiying vlar a
communiry`s necessities aie makes ir ossiLle ro ue-
reimine rle mosr uigenr socieral oLligarions.
NeeJs consrirure rle nexr level o iioiiries.
1ley eirain ro rle acquisirion o lessei Lenenrs anu
rle ievenrion o lessei ueriimenrs. NeeJs aie close-
ly ielareu ro necessities Lecause rley Lurriess rlem
anu make ir easiei ro meer rlem anu kee rlem
inracr. Unlike necessities, neeJs lave seconuaiy im-
oirance anu aie uisensaLle, a sociery rlar ails ro
meer irs seconuaiy neeus can suivive, Lur rle qual-
iry o lie ir ioviues vill Le less rlan sarisacroiy. Ir
is a necessity ro lave Lasic slelrei virl lear anu lor
varei in colu climares, ir is a neeJ ro ioviue rle
slelrei virl imoiranr nonessenrial aliances like
uislvasleis.
Cchjlehents aie also ieeiieu ro
as Leaurincarions (talsniyyt) anu
oinamenrarions (tazyniyyt). 1ley eirain ro
minoi Lenenrs anu ueriimenrs. Cchjlehents aie
closely ielareu ro neeJs in a mannei similai ro
rle ielarion o neeJs ro necessities, cchjlehents
make ir easiei ro secuie neeJs. Cchjlehents
aecr rle qualiry o lie Ly auoining ir virl
elegance anu solisricarion, rley also involve rle
iemoval o minoi ueriimenrs like imolireness.
Cchjlehents aie rle iennemenrs o a civilizeu
sociery, rley maniesr iivare, amily, anu social
lie in rleii mosr excellenr oims. Basic slelrei
is a necessity, imoiranr nonessenrial aliances
sucl as uislvasleis aie a neeJ, arriacrive inreiioi
uecoiarion anu a leasanr viev consrirure a
cchjlehent.
Because necessities aie aLsolurely essenrial,
rley musr alvays rake ro iioiiry, anu rle Lesr
iesouices anu giearesr eoirs musr Le exenueu ro
secuie rlem. As ve lave seen, necessities aie rle
mainsray o sociery, neeJs suoir necessities, anu
cchjlehents suoir neeJs. 1leieoie, rle arremr
ro meer neeJs musr nor Le alloveu ro sranu in rle
vay o meering necessities, anu cchjlehents musr
nor Le emlasizeu ro rle exclusion o neeJs. Serring
iioiiries in Islamic lav means oiueiing necessities,
neeJs, anu cchjlehents so rlar rle lovei iioiiries
suoir anu uo nor voik againsr rle liglei ones.
In iueal siruarions, necessities, neeJs, anu
cchjlehents exisr siue Ly siue, Lur rle iealiries
o lie anu rle naruie o communiry uevelomenr
oren make ir imossiLle ro secuie all rliee rogerlei.
In sucl cases, lovei iioiiries musr Le riaueu o
oi liglei ones. Ir is alvays imeiarive rlar rle
lieiaicly o iioiiries Le oLseiveu, neeJs anu
cchjlehents musr Le saciinceu oi necessities vlen
ir is imossiLle ro secuie rlem all simulraneously.
Likevise, cchjlehents musr Le saciinceu oi neeJs
vlen iealiries on rle giounu uo nor allov oi
rlem Lorl. Ioi examle, ir is a necessity ro lave
Islamic seminaiies, a neeJ ro ioviue sclolaislis,
anu a cchjlehent ro nnu rle Lesr locarions anu
ioviue aesrlerically leasing aciliries. Yer rle Lasic
seminaiy iojecr comes nisr, ir musr nor Le lelu
*
'&
Lack Lecause o uinculry in secuiing sclolaislis

oi nnuing an arriacrive camus.
Human acriviries iaiely occui virlour rle
orenrial oi Liinging aLour simulraneous Lenenrs
anu laims. Wlen Lenenrs anu laims occui
rogerlei, rle lieiaicly o iioiiries in Islamic lav
ioliLirs an acr i irs orenrial Lenenrs aie less
rlan oi equal ro irs orenrial laims. 1le ielevanr
legal maxim srares: Waiuing o ueriimenrs rakes
iioiiry ovei rle acquisirion o Lenenrs (Jar
al-hafsiJ aul hin jalb al-haslil). Diiving
somevleie quickly may Le Lenencial, Lur ir is
oiLiuuen in Islamic lav i ir involves seeuing anu
iisking a cai acciuenr, rle suoseu Lenenrs o
seeuing uo nor ourveigl rle orenrial laims o
an acciuenr. Bur vlen orenrial Lenenrs aie giearei
rlan ossiLle laims, rle acr is eimissiLle anu, in
some cases, iecommenueu oi oLligaroiy. Wlen an
amLulance seeus ro rle losiral ro save rle lie o
someone in ciirical conuirion, ir iuns rle iisk o an
acciuenr, Lur rle Lenenr o saving rle
arienr`s lie giearly ourveigls rle
ueriimenr o a ossiLle acciuenr.
Somerimes, rleie is no vay
ro avoiu a giearei laim excer Ly
incuiiing a lessei one, anu rleie
may Le no vay ro avoiu a giearei
ioliLirion excer Ly uoing a lessei
one. Wlen rlis is rle case, ir Lecomes
allovaLle anu somerimes oLligaroiy
ro cloose rle couise o acrion rlar
iequiies uoing rle lessei laim oi
rle lessei ioliLirion uesire rle
acr rlar neirlei is alloveu. Laring
caiiion is ueriimenral ro rle lealrl
anu sriicrly oiLiuuen in Islamic lav,
Lur sraivarion is a giearei laim anu
a giearei ioliLirion. 1leieoie, rle
Quiàn uiiecrs rle sraiving eison ro ear caiiion oi
similai unclean suLsrances ro sray alive i rleie is
norling clean anu eimissiLle ro ear.
1le lenomenon o Nuslim coneiences anu
convenrions in rle Unireu Srares anu Canaua oeis
an examle o vaiious Lenenrs anu ueriimenrs anu
lov rley may Le iankeu Ly iioiiry. Oiganizing
sucl garleiings consrirures a iioiiry Lecause rley
seive necessities sucl as leling ro ieseive rle
ieligion anu uevelo rle communiry. 1ley ulnll
many orlei inuiviuual anu communiry neeJs sucl
as ioviuing access ro sclolais anu nev iueas. 1ley
ioviue oi numeious cchjlehents sucl as meering
iienus. Like mosr laige garleiings, lovevei, rle
coneiences also all sloir o execrarions in ceirain
iegaius. 1ley may nor Le vell oiganizeu, rley may
ail ro give aii ieiesenrarion ro all erlnic gious,
anu rleii iogiams may Le sueincial anu ieeri-
rive. As a iule, lovevei, rle Lenenrs o rle conei-
ences ourveigl rleii ueriimenrs, anu rley iemain a
communiry iioiiry anu an imoi-
ranr socieral oLligarion.
Nislaceu iioiiries aie a
common srumLling Llock in rle
Ameiican Nuslim communiry.
Oren, rley giov our o simle
unavaieness rlar iioiiries aie
a air o rle Islamic ieligion. In
some cases, rley iesulr iom rle
rianseial o olu voilu vays ro rle
Wesr virlour evaluaring rleii uriliry
in a nev conrexr. 1le allegarion
rlar seaking iankly aLour rle
communiry`s ioLlems is slameul
oi consrirures an arrack uon Islam
is ueely iooreu in olu voilu norions
o slame anu lonoi. Anorlei
culruial rianseial is rle emlasis
Actions and
activities are not
done for their
sake alone; it is
not enough to
go through the
motions. Works
must have direction
and be carried out
in a manner that is
likely to achieve
the rationales and
objectives behind
them.
*
''
rlar some communiries lace on riaining cliluien

in rle viiruous acr o memoiizing rle Quiàn yer
virl lirrle oi no concein oi reacling rlem AiaLic
anu Lasic commenraiy so rlar rley can Lenenr
ully iom vlar rley memoiize. Some imams uo
auuiess rle ieviously menrioneu issue o Nuslim-
ovneu liquoi ianclises in rle innei ciries. Orleis
may iail againsr alse iioiiries like rle suoseu
evils o Halloveen anu vomen veaiing nngeinail
olisl Lur avoiu menrioning rle Nuslim-ovneu
liquoi Lusinesses uesire rle acr rlar some o rleii
Liggesr ioiierois may Le sirring Leoie rlem in
rle congiegarion.
operational principle five

EMBRACING MAXIMS
acl o rle oui ieceuing oeiarional iinciles

consrirures a single ser o closely ielareu
concers. 1le nexr oeiarional iincile, vlicl
is rle clie concein o rlis aei, is somevlar
uieienr. Naxims aie concisely srareu iinciles o
Islamic lav anu iacrical iules o rlumL. Naxims
numLei in rle lunuieus anu ieiesenr an enriie
lireiaiy riauirion in Islamic lav. As an oeiarional
iincile, emLiacing maxims uoes nor mean
leaining rlem all, ir is suncienr ro knov ielarively
ev. Bur Nuslims sloulu Le avaie rlar rlis
valuaLle iesouice exisrs anu ouglr ro make goou
use o ir. Naxims ioviue an invaluaLle souice
o Islamic euincarion anu guiuance, vlicl makes
maxims a key comonenr in rle communiry`s
ieligious insriucrion.
Naxims aie ielarively easy ro unueisranu
anu lave uiiecr alicarion ro oui lives. 1ley
aie aurloiirarive sraremenrs o Islamic lav anu
consrirure one o rle mosr useul exiessions o rle
iueals anu geneial lilosoly o Islam. Seveial o
rlem lave Leen cireu in rlis aei alieauy, sucl as
vlarevei is necessaiy ro ulnll an oLligarion is an
oLligarion irsel. Naxims ioviue sranuaius oi
making juugmenrs, serring iioiiries, anu ueciuing
on couises o acrion. Lacl o rlem las numeious
imlicarions anu alicarions, vlicl may nor Le
immeuiarely aaienr. In vlar ollovs, I ioviue
a sloir inriouucrion ro maxims. Areivaius, I
uiscuss rle nve coie maxims, vlicl sum u rle
unuamenral uioses o Islam.
Some Quiànic veises anu ceirain Pioleric
Hauirl aie exiesseu in a summaiy oim similai
ro rlar o maxims, lisroiically, rlese assages
consrirureu rle oinr o ueairuie oi maxim
lireiaruie. 1le Quiàn srares: Gou vills ro make
rlings easy oi you, oi luman Leings veie cieareu
veak (Quiàn ):'-). 1le meaning o rle veise
is exiesseu in rle coie maxim: Haiusli musr
Le alleviareu. Anorlei veise commanus: Accer
iom eole vlar comes naruially. Commanu
vlar is goou Ly cusrom. Anu ruin avay iom rle
ignoianr virlour iesonuing in kinu (Quiàn,
,:&..). Ir is a rexrual ioo oi rle coie maxim
cusrom las rle veiglr o lav. 1le Pioler saiu:
Acrs aie juugeu only Ly inrenrions. Ir is ielecreu
in rle maxim: Narreis vill Le juugeu Ly rleii
uioses. He saiu: Haim vill nor Le uone ro
orleis, noi vill laim Le ieciiocareu virl laim.
Ir is a iimaiy ieeience oi rle coie maxim: Haim
musr Le iemoveu.
Nuslim juiisrs lave ielieu on maxims iom
rle eailiesr cenruiies o Islam rill rle iesenr, anu
conremoiaiy Nuslim sclolais lace giear emlasis
on rlem. Legal maxims aie an inregial elemenr
in all sclools o lav, Sunn anu Sl alike. All
*
'(
Nuslim sclolais give legal maxims Lioau geneial

enuoisemenr, anu, alrlougl rley uo nor agiee on
eacl one o rlem, mosr maxims aie suoireu
eirlei Ly consensus oi geneial agieemenr. PioLaLly,
no orlei signincanr Louy o rleological oi legal
iinciles in Islam enjoys sucl a ligl uegiee o
aurloiiry anu consensus as legal maxims.
i]ZkZXdgZbVm^bh
1le nve coie maxims (al-qauiJ al-lulliyya al-
llahs) sranu ar rle veiy cenrei o rle lunuieus o
orlei maxims in Islamic lav.
(*
Nany iominenr
Nuslim juiisrs lolu rlar rlese nve maxims emLouy
rle siiir o Islamic lav in irs enriiery. As inuicareu
in rle inriouucrion, ro gias rle ull uriliry o rle
nve coie maxims, rle ieauei sloulu conrinually Leai
in minu rlar rley consrirure a succincr summarion
o rle oeiarive visuom o Islam. Ir is rle uiose
o rle nve oeiarional iinciles in rlis aei ro
lel Nuslims iealize rleii orenrial as inuiviuuals
anu communiries rliougl ueeei unueisranuing
o rleii airl. 1le nve coie maxims consrirure rle
Leuiock o rlar unueisranuing.
Lacl o rle nve coie maxims is enuoiseu Ly
rle consensus o Lorl Sunn anu Sl sclolais.
1leieoie, rley rianscenu all sclools anu secrs anu
consrirure a ieliaLle Lasis oi Luiluing a luialisric
anu enliglreneu Nuslim communiry. 1le nve coie
maxims aie:
&. Narreis vill Le juugeu Ly rleii uioses (al-
uhr bi-haqsiJil).
'. Ceirainry vill nor Le oveiruineu Ly uouLr
(al-yaqn la yazl bi-al-slall).
(. Haim musr Le iemoveu (al-Jarar yuzl).
). Haiusli musr Le alleviareu (al-usr yajlib
al-taysr).
*. Cusrom las rle veiglr o lav (al-Ja
hulallaha).
Maxih One: Matters uill be juJgeJ by tleir
jurjcses.
1lis maxim emlasizes inrenrion anu uiose.
Acrions anu acriviries aie nor uone oi rleii sake
alone, ir is nor enougl ro go rliougl rle morions.
Woiks musr lave uiiecrion anu Le caiiieu our in a
mannei rlar is likely ro aclieve rle iarionales anu
oLjecrives Lelinu rlem. As menrioneu aLove, rle
maxim`s voiuing is Laseu on rle Hauirl: Acrs
aie juugeu only Ly inrenrions. 1le voiuing o rle
maxim is Lioauei. Narreis (al-uhr) incluues
inrenrion-Laseu eisonal acrions, Lur rle voiu also
rakes in geneial acriviries, insrirurions, olicies,
anu rle like, vlicl aie nor Laseu on inrenrions,
Lur on uioses. 1le AiaLic voiu oi uioses
(haqsiJ) alies ro inrenrions as vell as oLjecrives
anu goals sucl as aie eirinenr ro geneial acriviries,
insrirurions, anu olicies.
1le maxim emlasizes rle imoirance o
inrenrions in rlose luman acrions rlar iequiie
rlem. Ir immeuiarely calls ro minu acrs o
voisli, Lecause rley aie invaliu virlour coiiecr
inrenrions. Cusromaiy acrions, on rle orlei lanu,
aie valiu virlour inrenrions, Lur goou inrenrions
can riansoim rlem inro erlical ueeus anu even
uevorional acrs. HaLirual Lelavioi like earing,
uiinking, anu sleeing is moially neurial Lur may
Lecome erlical oi uevorional i uone virl rle
aioiiare inrenrions. 1o iesr is moially neurial,
raking iesr virl rle inrenr o ienev one`s sriengrl
ro eain a liveliloou ro suoir a amily is an
erlical acr. Running a legirimare Lusiness is moially
neurial, i ir is uone virl rle morive o leling ro
suoir a voirly siiirual enu, ir Lecomes an acr
o voisli. Bau inrenrions lave rle oosire eecr.
Ioi examle, ir is iaisevoirly ro visir Necca anu
Neuina, Lur rle inrenrion ro go rleie in oiuei ro
Leg oi sreal ruins rle ourvaiuly commenuaLle acr
*
')
inro a ueloiaLle one. Some acrions aie amLiguous

anu can only Le juugeu Ly rle morives Lelinu
rlem. 1le Pioler saiu: Wloevei imirares a
eole Lelongs ro rlem.
(+
1le Hauirl uses rle
veiL taslabbala (ro imirare) insreau o a ielareu
veiL iom rle same ioor Lur virl a uieienr
vovel arrein, taslbala (ro iesemLle). 1le
oimei veiL, ro imirare, sriesses syclological
morivarion, esecially rle neeu ro imirare a giou
orlei rlan one`s ovn in oiuei ro Le acceraLle in
rleii eyes. Ir ielecrs lack o sel-esreem, eelings o
ineiioiiry, anu a conuseu sense o iuenriry.
As sclolais lave oLseiveu, ir is noraLle
rlar rle Hauirl uoes nor use rle larrei oim o
rle veiL, ro iesemLle, Lecause ir voulu lave
unuamenrally clangeu rle meaning. 1le veiL ro
iesemLle voulu lave inuicareu rlar rle meie acr
o Leing similai ro orleis is uisalloveu, vlicl is rle
misraken inreiierarion rlar some Nuslims give ro
rle Hauirl. By avoiuing rle larrei veiL, rle Hauirl
slovs rlar rleie is no laim in meiely looking like
orleis, as long as rle acr is nor associareu virl
rle negarive invaiu qualiries inuicareu Ly rle veiL
ro imirare. I a Nuslim is morivareu ro veai rle
clorling o anorlei eole anu imirare rleii cusroms
our o a sense o ineiioiiry, ir is ieielensiLle. Ir
is a uieienr marrei alrogerlei vlen one veais rle
same clorling virl sel-esreem anu rle inrenrion o
Leing a uncrional memLei o sociery.
Ioi mosr luman acriviries anu unueirakings,
inrenrions aie nor essenrial Lur iarionales anu
uioses aie. Wlen rle maxim marreis vill Le
juugeu Ly rleii uioses is alieu uiiecrly ro
acrions rlar aie nor inrenrion-Laseu, ir emlasizes
rle imoirance o rle iarionales, ulrimare
oLjecrives, anu even uninrenueu consequences.
Acrions musr Le juugeu Ly rle uioses rley
veie meanr ro aclieve. Any acrion, lovevei vell
inrenueu, alls sloir o vlar ir ouglr ro Le i ir
is caiiieu our incomerenrly oi ails ro meer irs
oLjecrive oi some orlei ieason, acrs aie srillLoin
vlen uone as meie oimaliries.
As ve lave seen, goou inrenrions riansoim
munuane inuiviuual acrs inro erlical oi uevorional
ones. Likevise, acrions anu acriviries may aeai
o lirrle value Lur rake on immense imoirance i
rley aie uiiecreu rovaiu Lenencial enus. Simle
amusemenrs, like Lovling airies anu casual ger-
rogerleis ro varcl soiring evenrs, miglr lave Leen
consiueieu iivolous in ceirain riauirional Islamic
serrings. In rle Ameiican Nuslim communiry
rouay, lovevei, rley consrirure osirive alreinarive
asrimes. 1le maxim marreis vill Le juugeu Ly
rleii uioses uoes nor signiy rlar goou enus
jusriy evil means. Accoiuing ro Islamic lav, rle
means anu rle enus musr bctl Le legirimare. Ir
uoes emlasize, lovevei, rlar lauuaLle means aie
nor lauuaLle in anu o rlemselves. 1ley musr Le
consciously uiiecreu rovaiu rleii uioses.
ILn 1aymiyya inuicares rlar rle scoe o
rlis maxim incluues rle moial iesonsiLiliry
rlar eisons anu gious Leai oi rle uninrenueu
consequences o orenrially ueriimenral acrions
vlen rlose consequences aie ieuicraLle anu coulu
lave Leen avoiueu. 1le Comanion Samuia iLn
]unuuL lau an oLese son, vlo voulu nor ollov lis
auvice ro ear in moueiarion. 1le Pioler inuicareu
ro Samuia rlar i lis son uiu nor conriol lis earing
laLirs anu uieu iom oLesiry, lis uearl voulu Le
ranramounr ro suiciue.
(,
1le Aimisrice o HuuayLiyya, vlicl rle
Pioler concluueu virl rle Neccan iuolareis
in rle sixreenrl yeai o lis iolecy, ioviues
a useul illusriarion o lov marreis can only Le
ully evaluareu in rle conrexr o rleii uioses
anu ourcomes. 1le ieceuenr ser Ly rlis accoiu
*
'*
conriasrs slaily virl rle luman riageuy common

ro many aimeu conlicrs vlen iesisrance anu
inriansigence Lecome enus in rlemselves anu ievail
againsr ieason, eace, anu rle ieseivarion o
uLlic velaie.
Inirially, rle Aimisrice o HuuayLiyya
aeaieu ro Le a ueear oi rle Nuslims anu an
incomielensiLle serLack oi rleii cause, Lur irs
ourcome soon ievealeu rle Pioler`s uiose
anu sloveu rle rieary ro Le one o lis giearesr
aclievemenrs. Ar rle rime o rle rieary, rle Neccan
iuolareis lau Lecome veak, anu rle Pioler vas
in an uniivalleu osirion o sriengrl, le coulu
lave easily ueeareu rle Neccans miliraiily.
Insreau, le concluueu a ren-yeai acr o eace
virl rlem. 1le Neccans insisreu, lovevei, uon
urring uisiesecrul language anu uemeaning
concessions in rle rieary. Ioi many o rle Pioler`s
Comanions, lis accerance o rle rieary came
as an immense slock. 1ley rook ir ro Le an
insueiaLle insulr ro rle Pioler anu Islam, oi
many o rlem, rle rieary seveiely riieu rleii airl.
Bur rle Quiàn ioclaimeu rle aimisrice a maniesr
vicroiy (Quiàn, )-:&). One o rle Comanions
aioacleu rle Pioler anu askeu: Nessengei
o Gou, is ir riuly a vicroiy He ielieu: Yes. By
Gou, in vlose lanu is my soul, ir is a vicroiy.
1le Aimisrice o HuuayLiyya cieareu an
armosleie o ieconciliarion anu ieleaseu all clans
iom eailiei riiLal alliances. 1le AiaLs veie nov
iee as inuiviuuals ro lisren ro rle Pioler`s message
anu assess rleii eisonal srances rovaiu ir virlour
rle uangei o violaring kinsli loyalries. 1le rieary
also gianreu rle Nuslims access ro Necca, vlicl
gave rleii airl giearei legirimacy in AiaL eyes.
Wirlin monrls, rle consequences o rle aimisrice
ievealeu rle aisiglreuness o rle Pioler`s
uecision. Ir esraLlisleu a jax islahica in AiaLia anu
Legan Islam`s mereoiic iise. Al-Zuli, one o rle
reacleis o Imam Nlik, viore:
o vicroiy in Islam iioi ro HuuayLiyya vas
anyrling like ir. Beoie, eole voulu nglr
vlenevei rley mer. Arei rle aimisrice, vai vas
susenueu. Peole veie no longei aiaiu o eacl
orlei. 1ley voulu meer, seak, anu aigue ar
giear lengrl. o one virl rle ovei ro ieason
vas soken ro aLour Islam Lur rlar le emLiaceu
ir. In rlose rvo yeais Leoie rle Neccans Lioke
rle aimisrice, rle eole vlo enreieu rle airl
veie equal ro rle numLei o all rlose vlo lau
emLiaceu ir uuiing rle ieceuing sixreen yeais.
(-
As mucl as any orlei oeiarional meclanism,
rle maxim marreis vill Le juugeu Ly rleii
uioses consrirures a cleai uiiecrive rlar Nuslims
live Islam virl uiose. Ir sers a sranuaiu Ly vlicl
iesenr acriviries in rle Nuslim communiry musr
Le ieassesseu anu uruie unueirakings lanneu anu
caiiieu our.
Maxih Tuc: Certainty uill nct be cierturneJ by
Jcubt.
1lis maxim means rlar knovleuge Laseu on
valiu exeiience anu sriong eviuence musr nor Le
oveiruineu Ly veakei consiueiarions. Ir emLouies
rle iincile in rle Quiànic veise: Anu uo nor
ollov rlar o vlicl you lave no riue knovleuge
(Quiàn &,:(+). Ir is also illusriareu in rle Hauirl:
I any o you las uouLrs uuiing lis iayei anu no
longei knovs vlerlei le las iayeu rliee oi oui
iayei unirs (ralat), ler lim casr uouLr asiue anu
comlere rle iayei Ly auuing ro vlar le is ceirain
rlar le uiu.
1le maxim ceirainry is nor oveiruineu Ly
uouLr emLouies rle nisr oeiarional iincile
srareu in rlis aei: riusring ieason. Ir is also in
laimony virl rle seconu oeiarional iincile
o iesecring uissenr Lecause ir iecognizes rle
iioiiry o sriongei ioos ovei veakei ones. 1le
*
'+
maxim sers a Lasic iule oi lov ro use rle minu in

making sounu juugmenrs. 1lis maxim lones rle
ovei o ieason anu Lieaks rle lolu o illusions
anu unounueu secularions. Iailuie ro live Ly
rlis maxim uoes a uisseivice ro rle luman minu
anu evenrually laims ir. Ulrimarely, ceirainry is
nor oveiruineu Ly uouLr emLouies rle Islamic
convicrion rlar riurl, as vaiieu as irs arls aie,
is nor a uncrion o aiLiriaiy vill oi suLjecrive
eicerions anu musr Le uisceineu rliougl
oLjecrive ciireiia.
Ceirainry is nor oveiruineu Ly uouLr is
moie aLour Lasic ioo anu rle iesolurion o con-
licring claims rlan ir is aLour caregoiically aurloii-
rarive ceirainry sucl as vas uiscusseu unuei rle
seconu oeiarional iincile on iesecring uissenr.
Ceirainry in rlis maxim incluues Lur is nor ie-
sriicreu ro caregoiical ioo. In rlis maxim, cei-
rainry is Lioauei anu incluues iea-
sonaLle oinions Laseu on iesum-
rive aurloiiry oi sriong conjecruie. In
irs alicarion, rle maxim ceirainry
is nor oveiruineu Ly uouLr iequiies
rlar ieasonaLle anu vell-esraLlisleu
convicrions Le iesecreu anu nor uis-
iegaiueu unless rleie is sriongei evi-
uence ro rle conriaiy.
One o rle maxim`s mosr
imoiranr alicarions is rle
iesumrion o conrinuiry (istislb).
1le iesumrion o conrinuiry lolus
rlar rlings musr Le iesumeu ar
iesenr ro iemain in rleii oimei
srares unril rle conriaiy is ioven.
Heie again, ceirainry uoes nor
jusr aly ro caregoiical knovleuge
Lur rakes in marreis o iesumrive
aurloiiry oi sriong conjecruie. Lven
rlougl a ieasonaLle oinion may nor Le conclusive,
ir musr Le rieareu as i ir veie conclusive unril rle
conriaiy is uemonsriarively ioven.
Like many orlei legal sysrems, Islamic lav
ulolus rle iincile rlar eole aie innocenr
unril ioven guilry. Ioi Nuslims, rle iesumrion
o innocence is a coiollaiy o ceirainry is nor
oveiruineu Ly uouLr. Noie secincally, rle
iesumrion o innocence is a veision o rle
iesumrion o conrinuiry, vlicl alls unuei rle
coie maxim. 1le Islamic ievelarion reacles rlar
luman Leings veie cieareu in a srare o naruial
innocence anu Lasic goouness. 1leii oiiginal
conuirion o innocence makes guilr rle excerion
ro rle iule. 1leieoie, eole musr Le iesumeu
ro iemain ar iesenr in rleii oimei srare o
innocence unril rle conriaiy is ioven. Likevise,
rle ieurarions o eole musr Le ueenueu againsr
iumois unless valiu eviuence ioves
rlem riue.
Anorlei common alicarion
o ceirainry is nor oveiruineu
Ly uouLr is rle iesumrion o
eimissiLiliry. 1le iesumrion
o eimissiLiliry lolus rlar rlings
musr Le iesumeu ro Le eimissiLle
unless rle conriaiy is ioven. ILn
1aymiyya asseirs rlar none o rle
eaily aurloiiries o Islamic lav
is knovn ro lave quesrioneu rle
valiuiry o rle iesumrion o
eimissiLiliry.
(.
Anorlei closely
ielareu maxim lolus rlar rlings
musr Le iegaiueu as eimissiLle
unless ioven laimul. A similai
maxim, rle iesumrion o
cleanness, srares rlar all rlings vill
Le iesumeu ro Le iirually clean
A religious
psychology
narrowly molded
by lists of dos and
donts is greatly
handicapped.
Muslims with
such an identity
struggle not
to feel alien or
out of place in
surroundings
where their list of
dos and donts is
not shared.
*
',
(tlir) unless rle conriaiy is ioven.

)%
1lese anu
ielareu maxims aie Laseu on rle Islamic Lelie rlar
rle voilu vas cieareu oi luman srevaiusli.
1lus, rle voilu anu all rlar ir conrains aie
geneially goou, Lenencial, anu iirually clean. As
a naruial consequence, eimissiLiliry is rle iule,
anu imeimissiLiliry, laimulness, anu iirual
uncleanness aie excerions.
1le iesumrion o eimissiLiliry is ciucial oi
rle eisonal giovrl anu communiry uevelomenr
o Nuslims in rle Unireu Srares. Some Nuslims
iegaiu Islam as lirrle moie rlan a lisr o uo`s anu
uon`rs, anu, geneially, rle uon`rs ournumLei rle
uo`s. Wlen Islamic iuenriry is Lelavioially uenneu
in rlis aslion, ir osreis a syclology eimeareu
virl ueLilirarions, inliLirions, anu naiiov cognirive
iames, ioliLirion is maue Islam`s ueaulr osirion,
anu rle ieligion is given rle aeaiance o eimir-
ring veiy lirrle anu ioliLiring eveiyrling else.
1le iesumrion o eimissiLiliry emlasizes
rlar rle ieveise is riue, Islam`s ieal ueaulr osirion
is one o geneial eimissiLiliry virl an animarive
arriruue rovaiu rle voilu. 1le Lasic iule o
geneial eimissiLiliry uoes nor mean rlar rle
cleai ioliLirions o Islamic lav aie uiscaiueu. In
acr, ir lays sriess on rle acr rlar ioliLirions in
Islam aie giave marreis anu musr nor ro Le raken
liglrly. Because ioliLirions are giave marreis, rley
uemanu cogenr ioo Laseu on sounu knovleuge,
nor on leaisay, misgivings, oi inliLirions. ILn
1aymiyya auus in lis uiscussion o rle iesumrion
o eimissiLiliry rlar ir is ieielensiLle oi a
Nuslim ro Le ieoccuieu virl rle minuriae
o vlar may oi may nor Le oiLiuuen oi ro Le
oLsesseu virl consranrly asking aLour rlem.
)&

Since iesumrion o eimissiLiliry is rle
uominanr iule, Nuslims aie nor iequiieu ro
iove rlar rlings aie eimissiLle, only claims o
ioliLirion uemanu ioo. 1ouay, many Nuslims
rake ir liglrly ro ueclaie rlings oiLiuuen, rle
oosire vas riue oi rle Comanions anu rle
aurloiirarive voices o Islamic lav. 1leii inliLirion,
ro rle exrenr rlar rley may Le uesciiLeu as laving
inliLirions, vas ro ionounce rlings oiLiuuen
unless rley veie nor alieauy cleaily knovn ro Le so.
Wlen rle giear legal sclolais o rle asr rook rle
uecision ro classiy somerling as oiLiuuen Laseu on
eisonal inreiierarion, rley Laseu rleii aigumenrs
on conclusive eviuence, anu even rlen rley maue
rleii uecisions virl maikeu lesirarion.
A ieligious syclology naiiovly molueu Ly
lisrs o uo`s anu uon`rs is giearly lanuicaeu.
Nuslims virl sucl an iuenriry sriuggle nor ro eel
alien oi our o lace in suiiounuings vleie rleii lisr
o uo`s anu uon`rs is nor slaieu. 1ley nor only lave
ioLlems ielaring ro non-Nuslims, iionically, ir is
oren even moie uinculr oi rlem ro inreiacr virl
orlei Nuslims vlo uo nor conoim ro rleii vay
o rlinking. In iealiry, lavs, Lelavioial sranuaius,
anu even ieasonaLle lisrs o uo`s anu uon`rs are
air rle Islamic erlos, Lur rley musr lave rleii
ounuarion in sounu knovleuge, coie values, anu
univeisal iinciles like rlose eiromizeu in rle
nve oeiarional iinciles. Wlen Islamic iuenriry
is Laseu on coie values anu univeisal iinciles
virlin rle aiamereis o acceraLle Lelavioi, ir
is emoveieu ro uncrion virl sel-connuence
anyvleie anu virl anyone: ir ceases ro Le
syclologically vulneiaLle in uiveisiry anu Lecomes
iecerive ro rle Lioauesr cognirive iames.
Issues sucl as iecognizing rle Consrirurion,
voring, oi accering vomen as communiry leaueis,
seakeis, anu acrive airicianrs in rle mosque
anu orlei uLlic venues aie conrioveisial in some
communiries. 1lese marreis aie ioLaLly nor
ioLlemaric oi mosr Nuslims in Ameiica, Lur rleie
*
'-
aie rlose vlo iegaiu rlem as quesrionaLle oi even

oiLiuuen. 1le iesumrion o eimissiLiliry makes
ir cleai rlar enuoisemenr o marreis sucl as rlese
iequiies no ioo o eimissiLiliry. 1le Luiuen o
iouucing uennirive sclolaily ioo alvays alls
exclusively on rle sloulueis o rlose vlo quesrion
rleii eimissiLiliry. LmLiacing rle Ameiican
Consrirurional legacy, emoveiing vomen, anu
iemoving rle iemnanrs o ariiaicly,
)'
lovevei,
aie nor acrually quesrions o eimissiLiliry, rley aie
socieral oLligarions o rle liglesr oiuei.
1le quesrion o genuei anu ariiaicly iaises
Lioauei conceins. Islamic euucarional insrirurions
in rle Unireu Srares anu elsevleie musr cieare
rle meclanisms neeueu oi iouucing Nuslim
vomen vlo aie ully qualineu Islamic sclolais.
Genuei ielareu quesrions incluuing rlose menrioneu
aLove sloulu nor Le uelegareu exclusively ro male
aurloiiry, moie signincanrly, nc quesrion sloulu
Le uelegareu ro men alone. Nuslim vomen musr
lave ooiruniries equal ro rleii male counreiairs
in all conceins. 1le uisemoveimenr o Nuslim
vomen is a majoi ieason oi rle ieriogiession o
many Nuslim socieries. Degiauarion o rle srarus
o vomen las rle same ueLiliraring eecr on
Wesrein Nuslim communiries rlar counrenance ir,
anu ir musr Le coiiecreu. Islam las a iicl legacy
o accomlisleu anu acrively engageu vomen.
Giear Nuslim vomen excelleu as olirical anu
miliraiy leaueis, oers, sclolais, lilanrlioisrs,
siiirual guiues, anu in orlei caaciries. Reneval
o rleii legacy is essenrial oi rle uruie o Nuslim
communiries eveiyvleie.
)(

An excellenr examle o an emoveieu
anu emoveiing Nuslim voman is rle eleganr
rvelrl-cenruiy sclolai Irima Linr Nulammau al-
Samaiqanui
))
o Syiia. Hei arlei vas a ieeminenr
Hana juiisr anu rook acrive air in lis uauglrei`s
euucarion. Irima Lecame viuely ienovneu oi lei
ovn knovleuge. Sle masreieu Hana juiisiuuence
anu rle sciences o Hauirl, lei legal juugmenrs
(fatus) anu riansmissions o Hauirl veie lelu in
rle liglesr iegaiu. Irima also excelleu as a reaclei
o rle vaiious Islamic sciences. Sle insriucreu
men as vell as vomen, anu sruuenrs riaveleu ro
Syiia ro leain iom lei anu ieceive rleii sclolaily
cieuenrials.
Irima al-Samaiqanu vas a eisonal
counseloi o ui al-Dn Zang. ui al-Dn is
counreu among rle mosr signincanr iuleis in Islamic
lisroiy, le is iememLeieu iimaiily oi ieaiing
rle giounu oi rle success o lis vassal Sall al-
Dn (Salauin) a ev yeais arei lis uearl. Irima
vas ienovneu oi lei Leaury anu vas viuely
iegaiueu as rle mosr Leauriul voman o lei rime.
Kings anu iinces unsuccessully souglr lei lanu
in maiiiage. Sle close insreau ro maiiy one o lei
arlei`s sruuenrs, al-Ksn, vlo is iankeu rouay
among rle mosr Liillianr Hana juiisrs. Irima
close lim Lecause o a commenraiy le viore
on one o lei arlei`s iincial legal voiks. Al-
Ksn`s commenraiy, Tle Mcst Marielcus cf
enecial Tlings (aJi al-Sani), consrirureu lis
maiiiage gir anu is one o rle classics o Islamic
juiisiuuence. Iev i any voiks in rle Hana
sclool slov giearei arrenrion ro rle iarionales anu
ulrimare uioses o rle lav. Alrlougl al-Ksn
ianks among rle mosr comerenr o juiisrs, ir vas
Irima vlo coiiecreu anu euireu lis legal oinions.
His esreem oi lei vas so giear rlar le voulu nor
sign rle legal oinions le issueu unril Irima signeu
rlem nisr.
)*
Maxih Tlree: Harh hust be rehcieJ.
1lis maxim is cenrial ro rle oeiarional iincile
o serring iioiiries. As noreu eailiei, rle essence o
*
'.
Islam is ro secuie Lenenrs anu vaiu o ueriimenrs.

By only menrioning laim anu nor Lenenr, rle voiu-
ing o rlis maxim sriesses rle iioiiry o iemoving
laim, as inuicareu eailiei, rle imeiarive ro vaiu
o ueriimenrs rakes iioiiry ovei rle acquisirion o
Lenenrs vlen rle rvo aie murually incomariLle.
Consiueiarions o laim anu Lenenr aie alvays mu-
rually linkeu in Islamic legal ieasoning, rleieoie,
alrlougl rle voiuing o rle maxim laim musr
Le iemoveu uoes nor menrion Lenenr secincally,
rle concer o Lenenr is srill imlicirly unueisroou.
Omission o rle voiu Lenenr nor only emla-
sizes rle imoirance o vaiuing o laim, ir imlies
rlar rle acquisirion o ieal anu lasring Lenenrs is
nor ossiLle unril laims aie iemoveu nisr.
1le iincile unueilying rlis maxim is ie-
lecreu in Quiànic veises incluuing: Do nor lolu
youi vives in Lonuage, seeking ro laim rlem, rlar
voulu Le riansgiession (Quiàn ':'(&). Anorlei
veise emlasizes: o voman Leaiing a clilu slall
Le causeu laim Lecause o lei clilu, noi slall any
arlei ro vlom a clilu is Loin Le causeu laim Le-
cause o lis clilu (Quiàn, ':'((). 1le Pioler
saiu: Haim vill nor Le uone ro orleis, noi vill
laim Le ieciiocareu Ly laim. Anorlei Hauirl
srares: Haim vill nor Le iemoveu Ly a similai
laim. Anu rle Pioler rauglr: Iulnll rle riusrs
rlar you lave Leen given, uo nor ueceive a eison
vlo las ueceiveu you.
1lis maxim laim musr Le iemoveu oLliges
Nuslims, in rle name o rleii ieligion, ro iuenriy
laims anu iemove rlem. Ir leaves Nuslims no jus-
rincarion oi ignoiing oi roleiaring laim anu injus-
rice in rleii miusr. By emlasizing rle necessiry o
iemoving laim, rle maxim gianrs iioiiry ro rle
vicrims o laim, injusrice, anu oiession. 1le iiglr
o vicrims is alvays legirimare, anu rle laim rlar
alicrs rlem musr Le ieuiesseu.
In rle Pioleric lav, all rlar is laimul,
iom laim`s giearesr ro irs leasr maniesrarions,
is unacceraLle anu musr Le iemoveu. Nuslim
legal sclolais uenne laim in Lioau reims, i rle
lav sloulu eii vlen uereimining vlar consrirures
laim anu vlar uoes nor, ir musr eii on rle siue o
leniency anu inclusiveness. Anorlei ielevanr maxim
srares: eeu vill Le ur on rle level o necessiries
(al-lja tunzal hanzilat al-Jarrt). Wlen alieu
ro rle uennirion o laim, rlis iincile imlies rlar
lessei laims, rle iemoval o vlicl reclnically alls
unuei rle leauing o neeJs, aie ro Le iegaiueu as
giearei laims, rle iemoval o vlicl alls unuei
necessities. 1leieoie, vlen rleie is uouLr aLour
rle seveiiry o a airiculai laim, ir is nor iequiieu
rlar rle vicrim o rlar laim iove lov seveie rle
laim acrually is anu vlerlei oi nor ir is acrually a
necessity ro iemove ir oi a neeJ. I a souse is Leing
aLuseu, oi examle, rle souse is nor iequiieu ro
esraLlisl rlar rle uegiee o aLuse is giearei anu nor
lessei. Lven i rle laim veie acrually o a lessei
uegiee, ir musr Le rieareu as a giearei laim, anu ir
musr Le iemoveu.
Nany clallenges cuiienrly acing rle
Ameiican Nuslim communiry consrirure ieal oi
orenrial laims, rleii iemoval is a uennire socieral
oLligarion. Ir is laimul ro rle communiry vlen,
oi examle, mosques iomore armosleies rlar
aie naiiov-minueu anu uninviring. As ieviously
menrioneu, rle uinculry many Ameiican Nuslims
ace in nnuing suiraLle souses is a giear laim, as
aie uysuncrional maiiiages anu uomesric aLuse. Ir
laims rle communiry vlen solurions aie nor ounu
oi uisauvanrageu Nuslims vlo lave no access ro
goou euucarion, cannor nnu auequare emloymenr,
oi vlose communiries lack viaLle economic
iniasriucruies.
1lis maxim laim musr Le iemoveu las
*
(%
oLvious alicarions in rle vake o rle ariociry

o ./&&, vlicl Liouglr virl ir nev uangeis anu
ieviveu olu ones. On rle one lanu, rle maxim
oices Nuslims ro acknovleuge lonesrly rle ieal
anu iesenr uangei o exriemism anu ensuie rlar
rleii communiries iemain iee o ir. On rle orlei
lanu, rle maxim makes ir imeiarive oi Ameiican
Nuslims ro inciease ourieacl iogiams anu oige
sriongei alliances virl suoirive inuiviuuals
anu gious vlo lave concein oi luman iiglrs.
1le maxim also iequiies ioacrive sres rliougl
civic engagemenr, meuia, anu orlei means ro
give Nuslims a luman ace, Liing ro liglr rleii
conriiLurions ro Ameiican sociery, anu ro lel aveir
rle orenrial laims rlar aiise iom uelumanizarion
anu misinoimarion.
Maxih cur: HarJslij hust be alleiiateJ.
1o unueisranu rlis maxim, ir is necessaiy ro knov
rlar rle voiu laiusli useu in ir is nor rle same
as uinculry. Unlike laiusli, uinculry is nor
necessaiily Lau, success in lie uoes nor come virl-
our uinculry anu laiu voik. Noial iesonsiLiliry
(tallf), vlicl is rle Lasis o Islamic ieligious oLli-
garion, lireially means in AiaLic imosirion o a
leavy Luiuen uue ro rle acr rlar acrs o voisli
anu orlei ieligious uuries iequiie some uegiee o
uinculry.
Haiusli, as ieeiieu ro in rlis maxim, ex-
cluues benecial uinculry like rlar iequiieu oi
riaining, sruuy, voik, anu voisli. Islam laces
ligl value on uioseul exeirion Lur iequiies rle
alleviarion o ueriimenral uinculry. 1le ieceu-
ing maxim, laim musr Le iemoveu, emlasizes
eliminarion, laim musr Le eliminareu, nor neces-
saiily ielaceu virl somerling else. 1le ocus o
rlis maxim is uieienr, laiusli musr nor jusr Le
eliminareu, ir musr Le ielaceu virl somerling Ler-
rei. Haiusli musr Le alleviareu oren iequiies
rle ciearion alreinarives, Lecause alreinarives aie
rle means Ly vlicl alleviarion rakes lace. In many
cases, ir may nor Le uesiiaLle ro eliminare com-
lerely a rye o Lelavioi rlar is causing laiusli,
ir may Le Lerrei ro mouiy rlar Lelavioi oi cieare
alreinarives, so rlar ir oi somerling Lerrei rlan ir
may Le uone in a mannei rlar is easiei anu moie
ievaiuing.
1le Quiàn srares: Ir is nor Gou`s vill ro
cause you uisriess, iarlei, ir is Gou`s vill ro make
you uie (Quiàn *:+). Ir says elsevleie: Gou
vills ro make rlings easy oi you, oi luman Leings
veie cieareu veak (Quiàn ):'-). 1le Pioler
srareu: Nake rlings easy, anu uo nor make rlem
laiu. Give eole voius o goou nevs, anu uo
nor uiive rlem avay. He also saiu: 1le essence
o rlis ieligion o Islam is ease, no one goes ro ex-
riemes in rlis ieligion Lur rlar ir vill ger rle Lerrei
o lim. Seek ro uo vlar is iiglr. 1iy ro ger as close
ro vlar is iiglr as ossiLle, anu give eole goou
nevs. A rliiu Hauirl ielares rlar rle Pioler saiu:
I I commanu you ro uo somerling, uo o ir vlar
you aie caaLle o uoing.
Ioi some Nuslims, Islam uoes nor seem au-
rlenric i ir is nor laiu. Occasionally, rley auor un-
necessaiily iigoious osirions rlar usl rleii sycles
ro rle Lieaking oinr. Yer rle Pioler maue ir cleai
rlar Islam is a ieligion o ease anu rlar sueiing oi
rle sake o sueiing is nor lauuaLle anu uoes nor
lease Gou. 1le Pioler ieeiieu cloosing rle easi-
esr vay ro uo rlings, an aurlenric Hauirl ieoirs
rlar: 1le Pioler vas nevei given rle cloice Le-
rveen rvo goou rlings, one o vlicl vas easiei rlan
rle orlei, Lur rlar le close rle easiei o rlem. 1le
Pioler saiu: Ceirainly, rle Lesr air o youi ieli-
gious iacrice is vlar is easiesr oi you.
1le uieience Lerveen iemoving laim
*
(&
(rle ievious maxim) anu alleviaring laiusli

(rlis maxim) is essenrially a marrei o uegiee.
As uemonsriareu in rle maxim laim musr Le
iemoveu, Islamic lav uennes laim ro incluue
lessei laims. Wlen rle Lioau uennirion o laim
is alieu ro lessei laims, rle rvo maxims renu
ro oveila. 1aken rogerlei, rley resriy ro Islam`s
commirmenr ro ieasonaLle noims rlar aie iee o
laim anu nlleu virl Lenenr as mucl as ossiLle.
1le olloving examles illusriare lov rle
alleviarion o laiusli anu rle iemoval o (lessei
anu giearei) laim may oveila. 1le illusriarions
eirain ro rle allovances Islam makes oi Nuslims
ro Lieak rle oLligaroiy asr o Ramauan. Nuslims
aie nor iequiieu ro asr vlen riaveling, alrlougl
in some cases asring uuiing riavel is easy, in sucl
cases, rle lav`s alleviarion o laiusli is exriemely
Lioau anu rakes in even rle mosr minimal oims o
uinculry. Islam iemoveu rle oLligarion o asring
iom eole vlo lack rle caaciry ro asr uue ro
innimiry, iegnancy, anu similai ieasons. In saei
cases, rle license ro Lieak rle asr
unuei rlese conuirions consrirures
an alleviarion o laiusli, in moie
seiious ones, ir consrirures rle
iemoval o (lessei oi giearei) laim,
ueenuing on rle uegiee o seveiiry.
In rle olloving case, allovance ro
Lieak rle asr vas cleaily an insrance
o iemoving giearei laim. Wlen
one o rle Pioler`s Comanions
voulu arremr ro asr rle monrl o
Ramauan, le voulu all unconscious
anu iorl ar rle mourl, rle Pioler
exemreu lim alrogerlei iom
asring anu uiiecreu lim ro eeu one
ooi eison oi eacl uay o rle asr.
Islamic lav insrirureu
numeious orlei ieligious licenses ro liglren
laiusli, rle iinciles unueilying eacl o rlem
uemonsriares rle liaLiliry o rle lav anu rle
unueilying iincile rlar laiusli oi irs ovn sake
is unuesiiaLle. In exrieme colu oi rle aLsence o
varei, Nuslims aie alloveu ro uiiy rlemselves
iirually Ly conracr virl clean eairl (tayahhuh).
1iaveleis aie alloveu ro comLine iayeis, anu
rle Pioler gave secial eimission ro eioim
rle sunser anu niglr iayeis rogerlei on iainy
niglrs oi vlen rle srieers aie muuuy olloving
iains, alrlougl oiuinaiily eacl iayei musr Le
eioimeu ar seaiare rimes. 1le Pioler gave rvo
o lis Comanions secial eimission ro veai silk
(alrlougl silk is orleivise oiLiuuen oi men) in
oiuei ro alleviare skin iiiirarions. Unuei noimal
ciicumsrances, Nuslim men aie nor eimirreu ro
veai golu, Lur Islamic lav gave men eimission ro
nll uenral caviries virl golu ro alleviare rle laiusli
o using orlei mareiials, vlicl, in eailiei rimes, uiu
nor make goou nllings.
Ioi cenruiies, iayei rimes
veie uereimineu Ly rle movemenrs
o rle sun anu rle inuicarions in rle
sky o uusk, niglr, anu uavn. 1o-
uay, uiLan aieas aie lir ar niglr anu
Luiluings oren Llock our rle sky.
1iauirional merlous o uereimining
iayei rimes aie no longei easy, in
some cases, rley lave Lecome im-
ossiLle. 1o alleviare rlis laiusli,
mosr Nuslims rouay iely on iayei
rimeraLles. Wlen lying, ir is viuely
iegaiueu as eimissiLle ro iay in
one`s sear Ly making minimal ges-
ruies inuicarive o iayei anu virl-
our neeuing ro ace rovaiu Necca.
Given rle lengrl o uiLan commures
Islam is not
culturally
predatory, and it
teaches Muslims
to look upon all
cultural heritages
with an open mind,
especially those
where they live
and to which they
belong.
*
('
in laige ciries, some sclolais allov commureis ro

comLine iayeis, alrlougl rle uisrances rley uiive
may all sloir o rle uennirion o riavel in Islamic
lav. Iinally, rle maxim laiusli musr Le allevi-
areu sers a ciirically imoiranr sranuaiu oi nev
oi laseu Nuslims, only rle mosr Lasic oLligarions
sloulu Le execreu o rlem, anu rle riansirion
sloulu Le giauual anu unuemanuing.
Maxih iie: Custch las tle ueiglt cf lau.
1lis maxim is rle rleme o rle avavi Iounua-
rion Paei Islam anu rle Culruial Imeiarive,
vlicl illusriares rle imoirance o culruie in Islam
anu rle imeiarive rlar Nuslims in Ameiica cie-
are rleii ovn uisrincrive inuigenous culruie.
)+
1le
maxim cusrom las rle veiglr o lav anims rlar
Islam is nor culruially ieuaroiy, anu ir reacles
Nuslims ro look uon all culruial leiirages virl an
oen minu, esecially rlose vleie rley live anu ro
vlicl rley Lelong.
Once, a giou o Lrlioian conveirs Legan
ro uance virl uiums anu seais in rle Pioler`s
mosque in celeLiarion o an annual Islamic esrival.
1le Comanion 'Umai arremreu ro sro rlem, Lur
rle Pioler inreiveneu anu uigeu rlem ro conrinue.
In one Hauirl, le saiu ro rlem: Play youi games,
sons o Lrlioia, so rlar rle ]evs anu Cliisrians
knov rlar rleie is lexiLiliry (fusla) in oui ieli-
gion. By rlis anu similai acrs, rle Pioler ser rle
ieceuenr o animing culruial uieiences anu maue
ir cleai rlar, oi non-AiaLs, enreiing Islam uiu nor
iequiie rlem ro give u rleii ovn culruial noims
oi rlose o rle AiaLs.
),
1le Quiàn ievealeu rle olloving veise ro
rle Pioler on rle eve o lis migiarion ro Neuina,
vleie lis legislarive acriviry Legan. Ir esraLlisles
seveial iimaiy legal iinciles, accerance o
culruie Leing one o rlem: Accer iom eole
vlar comes naruially oi rlem, commanu vlar
is goou Ly cusrom, anu ruin avay iom rle
ignoianr virlour iesonuing in kinu (Quiàn,
,:&..). 1le Pioler`s arriruue rovaiu erlnic
anu culruial iuenriry ioviues an examle o rle
alicarion o rlis veise. He uiu nor uesrioy rle
inuigenous culruies anu suLculruies o ie-Islamic
AiaLia,
)-
iarlei le liveu in laimony virl rlem,
coiiecring vlar vas unsounu anu ieealing vlar
vas uegeneiare. Peilas, rle Lesr examle o rle
Pioler`s accommouarion o AiaLian suLculruial
noims vas lis iacrice o ioagaring rle Quiàn
in rle seven iincial uialecrical vaiiarions (alruf)
o AiaLic. 1liouglour AiaLia, rle AiaL riiLes
unueisroou rle Neccan uialecr o rle Pioler`s
riiLe, Quiaysl, vlicl seiveu as rle linguisric
sranuaiu oi all. 1le Pioler`s use o rle seven
uialecrical vaiiarions vas nor a necessiry, ir vas a
iesecrul gesruie rovaiu rle AiaL riiLes, vlicl
acknovleugeu rle inregiiry o eacl riiLe`s culruial
iuenriry.
1le Pioler`s arriruue rovaiu rle culruial
noims o rle AiaL riiLes anu orlei erlnic gious
consrirures a majoi ieceuenr anu a Lasic sranuaiu
in Islamic lav. Because rle Pioler gave Lioau
enuoisemenr ro uiveise culruial convenrions anu
uiu nor alrei rlem excer vlen necessaiy, ALu
Yusu, rle iincial sruuenr o Imam ALu Hana,
iegaiueu Islam`s oenness rovaiu orlei culruies as
rle Pioler`s Sunna. ALu Yusu`s osirion conriasrs
slaily virl ceirain Nuslims rouay vlo iegaiu rle
Sunna (naiiovly uenneu as ceirain uerails o uiess
anu eisonal Lelavioi) as a suLsrirure oi culruie.
Islamic legal rleoiy iegaius sounu culruial
noims as consriruring an inueenuenr anu
aurloiirarive souice o Islamic lav. 1le noreu
Hana juiisr al-Saiakls srareu: Wlarevei
is esraLlisleu Ly goou cusrom is equally vell
*
((
esraLlisleu Ly sounu legal ioo. Al-1usul, a

iominenr Nlik juuge anu legal sclolai, viore:
Ir is oLligaroiy ro ler eole ollov rleii cusroms,
usages, anu geneial asiiarions in lie. 1o lanu
uovn iulings in oosirion ro rlem is gioss
ueviarion anu ryianny.
).
1le voiu cusrom (Ja) as useu in rle
maxim cusrom las rle veiglr o lav ieeis ro
acceraLle culruial noims. ]uiisrs uenne rleii usage
o rle voiu cusrom as marreis rlar aie nimly
esraLlisleu in iacrice anu iequenrly ieeareu in
eole`s lives anu acceraLle ro sounu naruies (al-
tib al-salha). Reeience ro sounu naruies is
linkeu ro rle Islamic Lelie rlar luman Leings aie
cieareu virl sounu naruies, lumans aie inriinsically
goou anu enuoveu virl Lasic inruirive knovleuge
o Gou, goou anu evil, Lenenr anu laim. In a
noimarive srare, luman Leings auor culruial
noims suiraLle oi rlemselves anu rle airiculai
ciicumsrances, rimes, anu laces in vlicl rley live.
1lus, rle Lasic uiose o culruial convenrions
is ro oLrain Lenenrs anu vaiu o laims ro rle
uirlesr exrenr ossiLle in viuely uiveigenr
conrexrs. Iiom rle eisecrive o Islamic lav,
rle naruie o inuigenous culruies anu suLculruies
is unuamenrally linkeu ro rle vellLeing o rle
social gious rlar lave auoreu rlem. Ioi rlis
ieason, Nuslim juiisrs iegaiu Islam`s enuoisemenr
o uiveise culruial noims as an insrance o irs
oveiiiuing commirmenr ro acquiiing Lenenrs anu
iorecring iom laims.
Culruial convenrions make u a unuamenral
air o iuenriry anu lave a sriong lolu ovei eole
accusromeu ro rlem. Islamic lav acknovleuges
rlis iealiry anu exiesses ir in rle oim o rle
legal maxim: Cusrom is seconu naruie (al-Ja
taba tlniya). Cusroms aie so ueely ingiaineu
in eole rlar ir is uinculr ro uisringuisl rlem
iom rleii inriinsic naruies. 1leieoie, ir is all rle
moie vise, iom rle sranuoinr o rle lav, ro leave
cusroms unclangeu in so ai as ossiLle. Clanging
cusromaiy convenrions unnecessaiily is ueriimenral,
Lecause o rle sriong connecrion Lerveen cusroms
anu socieral neeus. Wlen unlealrly cusroms musr
Le alreieu oi ieealeu, rle iocess iequiies vise
sriaregies anu musr Le given rime. Heie again, rle
Pioler`s examle sers rle ieceuenr, le Liouglr
lis Comanions inro ull comliance virl Islamic
noims giauually rliougl a iocess rlar lasreu moie
rlan rvo uecaues.
Some Nuslims clallenge rle valiuiry o
inuigenous cusroms Ly ciring rle Hauirl menrioneu
eailiei: Wloevei imirares (taslabbala) a
eole Lelongs ro rlem. As noreu, rle Hauirl
conuemns rle seivile imirarion o orleis, ir uoes
nor conuemn lealrly culruial inreiacrion oi rle
meie acr o iesemLling (taslbala) orlei eole.
1le value o sucl inreiacrion is esecially cleai
vlen ir is uone oi lauuaLle ieasons like living
virl orleis laimoniously anu Luiluing Liiuges o
unueisranuing anu cooeiarion. Iuirleimoie, ir
is inuisuraLle in rle liglr o a Louy o aurlenric
Hauirl rlar rle Pioler limsel oren voie vaiious
ryes o non-Nuslim clorling rlar veie given ro
lim as girs iom Byzanrium, Yemen, anu orlei
uisranr iegions.
Wlen inriouuceu ro rlis maxim, cusrom
las rle veiglr o lav, some Ameiican Nuslims
lave anxieries aLour vlicl inuigenous cusroms aie
acceraLle anu vlicl aie nor. In ceirain cases, rleii
iesonse ielecrs rle culruie o inliLirion in vlicl
many o rlem giev u anu rle geneial iesumrion
o ioliLirion common ro rlar culruie. Ir sloulu
also Le noreu rlar rle voiu culruie las raken on
a ejoiarive meaning oi many Nuslims in Ameiica,
esecially rlose vlo come iom immigianr amilies.
*
()
Ioi rlem, rle voiu culruie is oren associareu

virl rle olu voilu olkvays o rleii aienrs,
ceirain asecrs o vlicl rley may ueem ro Le
un-Islamic, in conlicr virl Ameiican noims, oi
orleivise unacceraLle.
Cusrom las rle veiglr o lav cannor
Le invokeu ro ieeal vlar is cleaily oLligaroiy
oi ioliLireu in rle Pioleric lav, anu rle lav
caregoiically ieuuiares ueriimenral anu uegeneiare
cusroms. Bur, as las Leen seen, Islamic lav rakes an
oen-minueu arriruue rovaiu cusroms in geneial,
anu, vlen juuging culruial noims, ir ieeis ro
eii on rle siue o leniency anu nor iigiuiry. 1le
iesumrion o eimissiLiliry also alies ro
inuigenous cusroms, cusroms roo musr Le iesumeu
acceraLle unril ioven orleivise. A ielevanr
maxim srares: PeimissiLiliry is rle Lasic iule in
cusroms (al-asl al-Jt al-ibla).
As Leoie, rle Luiuen o ioo rlar
a airiculai cusromaiy convenrion
is imeimissiLle alls exclusively
on rlose vlo ieuuiare ir, nor on
rlose vlo anim ir. eveirleless,
in Loiueiline cases, rle lav ieeis
ro eii on rle siue o lenience. 1le
alicaLle maxim in rlis iegaiu
srares: 1le Lasic iule in cusroms
is exemrion (al-asl f al-Jt al-
afu), meaning rlar rley aie exemr
iom Llame.
*%
Accommouarion o inuigenous
culruies maue ir ossiLle oi Islam
ro lay inuigenous ioors vleievei ir
sieau on rle conrinenrs o Aiica
anu Luiasia. Nuslims leaineu nev
veiglrs anu measuiemenrs. 1ley au-
oreu anu eniicleu local languages.
In auuirion ro rle Islamic lunai calen-
uai, Nuslims auoreu solai anu asrial calenuais ro
uereimine rle seasons anu rle Lesr rimes oi lanr-
ing anu laivesr. 1ley uesigneu uisrincrive sryles
o uiess, rle long one-iece gaimenr (tlaub) anu
many orlei irems o clorling rlar some Nuslims
rouay call Sunna aie laigely culruial iouucrs
anu uiei signincanrly iom rle uiess o rle Pioler
anu lis Comanions. Nuslim culruial genius is srill
ielecreu in simle rlings like rle vays rley ieceive
guesrs anu ieaie oou anu in gianuei aclieve-
menrs like rle iouucrion o iegional sryles o air
anu aiclirecruie.
1liouglour rle ie-mouein eiiou, local
exiessions o Islam Loie virness ro inuigenous
culruial cieariviry. Wlen Islam enreieu Inuonesia,
Nuslims ounu rlar rle sranuaiu Islamic call ro
iayei (aJln) uiu nor alvays seive irs uiose.
1le luman voice coulu nor caiiy vell
in rle uense Inuonesian iain oiesrs.
Nuslims auoreu rle local culruial
convenrion o communicaring
rliougl ralking uiums. 1ley
ieseiveu rle Sunna o making rle
iayei call Lur comlemenreu ir
Ly using enoimous uiums, vlicl
rley lung loiizonrally oursiue rleii
mosques anu Lear louuly ro call
eole ro iayei. 1le uee, lollov
sounus o rle uiums iesonareu
rliougl rle oiesrs. 1le uium Lears
signineu rlar rle lace iom vlicl
rleii sounu came vas emry anu
neeueu ro Le nlleu, eole sroeu
vlar rley veie uoing anu came ro
iayei.
In many airs o Inuonesia,
Nuslims voikeu in iice auuies anu
came ro rle mosques virl muuuy
Islam is a religion
of humane
rationales
and practical
objectives.
Application of the
religion in practice
must be consistent
with them. Islam
must make sense,
but, to make
sense, it requires
intelligent
followers
with sound
understanding.
*
(*
eer. Insreau o ieeareuly ieminuing rle iice aim-

eis ro clean rleii eer Leoie enreiing rle mosques,
inuigenous aiclirecrs consriucreu slallov ools in
ionr o rle mosque enriances. 1le aimeis coulu
nor enrei rle mosques virlour valking rliougl
rlem, vlicl cleaneu rleii eer. Bur rle sranuing
varei in rle ools cieareu rle orenrial lazaiu o
Lecoming laLirars oi mosquiroes anu orlei insecrs.
So rle ools veie also useu ro Lieeu cai, rle nsl
are rle insecr laivae, anu rle eole are rle nsl.
In seaking aLour ciearing an inuigenous
Nuslim culruie in rle Unireu Srares, ir musr Le
emlasizeu rlar sucl a culruie voulu nor Le a
single, monolirlic vlole, noi voulu ir necessaiily
uevelo along rle lines o rle uominanr culruie oi
any airiculai suLculruie. Ameiican culruie, like
luman culruies eveiyvleie, is nor a single unioim
enriry. Ir is a comlex o many uiveise culruies anu
suLculruies coexisring. 1ley comlemenr anu com-
ere againsr eacl orlei anu lave rle same ielarion
virl rle uominanr culruie o rle mainsrieam. Ln-
uoisemenr o Ameiican culruie means Leing oen-
minueu rovaiu all rle mulrile exiessions o rle
inuigenous culruial leiirage. As emlasizeu Leoie,
rle maxim culruie las rle veiglr o lav uisal-
lovs ouriiglr iejecrion o any o culruial oi suLcul-
ruial legacy, rle maxim allovs Ameiican Nuslims
ro auor oi ro auar vlar rley like iom vlar rley
like as long as ir is nor ueriimenral. Oui arriruue
sloulu iemain consisrenr virl Islam`s ueaulr osi-
rion rlar cusroms aie iesumeu ro Le eimissiLle,
Lenencial, anu goou unril ioven orleivise, in Loi-
ueiline cases, ve lave iecouise ro rle maxim rle
Lasic iule in cusroms is exemrion.
In riauirional Nuslim socieries, ciearive aua-
rarion o inuigenous noims vas consicuous anu
oren moie Lenencial rlan meie auorion o rlem.
Likevise, Ameiican Nuslims neeu nor Le conrenr
virl jusr auoring goou culruial noims, ir is o-
ren Lerrei ro auar rlem imaginarively in oiuei ro
iouuce iesulrs rlar aie hcre Leauriul anu hcre
Lenencial rlan vlar exisreu Leoie. In rlis iegaiu,
norevoirly aclievemenrs lave alieauy Leen maue
in aieas like music, oeriy, comeuy, jouinalism, nc-
rion, non-ncrion, aslion, anu inreiioi uesign.
One o rle mosr signincanr culruial clallenges
Leoie Ameiican Nuslims is ro uesign riuly inuig-
enous sryles o Ameiican mosques. 1le Ameiican
mosque sloulu nor lave a single ser oim. As srareu
aLove, Ameiican culruie is mulrilex, Ameiican
mosques musr ielecr rlar comlexiry anu suir rle
localiries anu neiglLoiloous vleie rley aie Luilr.
Seveial oirl Ameiican Nuslim communiries lave
maue lauuaLle eoirs in rlis uiiecrion alieauy.
1liouglour lisroiy, Nuslim mosques lave
Leen rle iouucrs o iegional culruies anu suL-
culruies. Islam uoes nor uicrare a ser uesign oi
mosques, rle only necessaiy aiclirecruial elemenr
in a mosque is rlar ir lave an aiea oi iayei. Some
Nuslims iegaiu uomes anu minaiers as essenrial
earuies o rle mosque. 1le Pioler`s mosque uiu
nor lave a uome oi minaiers uuiing lis lierime.
Domes anu minaiers veie osr-Pioleric culruial
innovarions in rle Nuslim voilu. 1le uome vas
a ielarively lare uevelomenr in Islamic aiclirec-
ruie, irs uesign vas cieareu ro allov oi exansive
iayei aieas rlar veie nor raken u Ly illais in an
age vlen Luilueis uiu nor lave access ro iion anu
sreel Leams. Ninaiers veie also larei uevelomenrs.
1ley veie iueal oi making rle call ro iayei in
an age virlour miciolones, Lur rley also lau a
seconu iimaiy uiose. ]usr as liglrlouses aie
Leacons oi slis, minaiers veie oiiginally Lea-
cons oi caiavans. Bonnies veie lir on rle ros o
rle minaiers arei rle niglr iayei ro give uisranr
caiavans a oinr o ieeience. 1le name minaier
*
(+
ielecrs rleii oiiginal culruial uncrion, in AiaLic

hinra (minaier) means lace o nie. Nuslims in
Clina, Anualusia, anu oirl anu Wesr Aiica uiu
nor auor uomes oi minaiers, in air, Lecause rley
uiu nor suir rleii enviionmenrs.
A mosque sloulu nr in laimoniously virl irs
suiiounuings. Hisroiically, rle uesign, sriucruie,
anu lanuscaing o mosques veie suireu ro local
anu iegional aiclirecruial noims, roogialy, anu
climare. Nosques sloulu nor clasl virl inuigenous
rasres anu sryles, rley sloulu nor aeai our o
lace oi give rle imiession o Leing oieign rians-
lanrs. Like all aiclirecruial aclievemenrs, ciearion
o Ameiican mosque sryles iequiies airisric, reclni-
cal, anu culruial genius. Ar a rime vlen seculai
aiclirecruie is rle uominanr noim, rle Wesrein
mosque musr Le arriacrive anu inviring Ly rouay`s
sranuaius yer ieauily iuenrinaLle as sacieu sace.
CONCLUSION
slam is a ieligion o lumane iarionales anu

iacrical oLjecrives. Alicarion o rle ieligion
in iacrice musr Le consisrenr virl rlem. Islam
musr make sense, Lur, ro make sense, ir iequiies
inrelligenr olloveis virl sounu unueisranuing. 1le
nve oeiarional iinciles uiscusseu in rlis aei
riusring ieason, iesecring uissenr, sriessing socieral
oLligarions, serring iioiiries, anu emLiacing
maxims lel imair sucl an unueisranuing
anu ioviue rle Lasic guiuelines oi living Islam
virl uiose. 1lese nve iinciles leave no uirlei
jusrincarion oi inacrion, uysuncrion, anu meie
oimaliries. 1ley iequiie oui communiry ro ser
iioiiries, unueisranu rle clallenges Leoie rlem,
anu voik ar ulnlling rleii iivare anu socieral
oLligarions as eecrively as ossiLle.
Islam in Ameiica las uee lisroiical ioors
rlar go Lack ar leasr as ai as rle colonial eiiou.
Irs iesenr uevelomenr is ielarively iecenr anu las
occuiieu ovei rle couise o rle rvenrierl cenruiy.
Because rle Ameiican Nuslim communiry is srill
young, ir las nor raken uennire slae oi auoreu
laiu anu asr oinrs o viev. As srareu in rle inrio-
uucrion: 1le Leginnings aie rle maniesrarion o
rle enus. Goou Leginnings iomise goou uruies,
urring uovn a sounu ounuarion makes ir ossiLle
ro Luilu an enuuiing euince. Bur rle oosire is
also riue. Ir is ciirical oi Ameiican Nuslims, as ve
move oivaiu, ro lay sriong ounuarions anu make
nev Leginnings. Dereimining rle vay oivaiu can-
nor Le ler ro orleis anu cannor Le ler ro clance.
Ar iesenr, uieienr gious anu uieienr
visions o Islam comere oi rle Ameiican Nuslim
communiry`s allegiance. 1le conresr o iueologies
vill ioLaLly conrinue oi yeais ro come, Lur
ulrimarely a airiculai vision o Islam is likely ro
ieuominare. Once a uisrincrive vision o Islam
las Leen eecrively esraLlisleu among Ameiican
Nuslims, a nev clarei in rleii lisroiy vill Legin.
1lar vision, once esraLlisleu, vill Lecome Islam`s
ueaulr osirion in rle Unireu Srares anu uicrare
oi geneiarions lov rle Nuslim communiry
unueisranus irsel anu rle voilu aiounu ir. Ir vill
auromarically ser irs ovn iioiiries anu oLjecrives.
Ulrimarely, rle vision o Islam rlar comes ro ievail
leie vill Le rle iimaiy uereiminanr o vlerlei
Islam succeeus in rle Unireu Srares oi ails. I rle
vision o Islam rlar nnally ieuominares in Ameiica
is aurlenric anu vise, ir vill consrirure a voirly
ieceuenr anu an enuuiing mouel oi uirlei
uevelomenr. I ir is uencienr, ir vill iemain a
consranr oLsracle oi uruie geneiarions.
*
(,
Oui geneiarion o Ameiican Nuslims vill

likely lay rle ivoral iole in rle nisr eecrive
esraLlislmenr o Islam in rle Unireu Srares. 1lis lor
is unlikely ro all ro oui cliluien oi gianucliluien.
1ley vill eirlei Le rle Lenenciaiies o oui success
oi rle vicrims o oui ailuie. Inuieience rovaiu rle
uruie o Nuslims in Ameiica is nor jusr an oense
ro rle communiry, sucl inuieience vill leau ro
iiiemeuiaLle lisroiical misrakes. 1le suieme
socieral oLligarion rlar alls uon oui geneiarion
in Luiluing rle Ameiican Nuslim communiry o
rle uruie is ro iuenriy rle iioiiries anu iimaiy
socieral oLligarions rlar concein us anu ro acquiie
rle means ro meer rlem. 1le nve oeiarional
iinciles aie among rle giearesr o oui iesouices
anu consrirure a necessaiy comonenr o evenrual
success.
V68@CDLA:9<:B:CIH: I am ueely inueLreu
ro all vlo assisreu me virl rlis aei, esecially (in
allaLerical oiuei): ILialim ALuslaii, Aunan Aiain,
Aan Aiain, Nazen AsLali, Cima Daiianiel, Issam
Daiianiel, Ayar Llnooiy, Zaieena Gieval, Asim Kamal,
Hislam Nalmouu, AraL Nalik, Pieaclei Noss, Omei
Nozaai, auial Nolajii, 1aiiq Nolajii, Rami
aslasliLi, Asia Quiaisli, Omai Quiesli, Iaklia
Rasliu, Huma Rasliu, Kaieem Salama, Hina Soula,
Rooli Younus, anu Asia Yousuuuuin.
O1LS
&. 1iansmirreu in Sall ullr, Sall Muslih, anJ
MusnaJ Ibn Hanbal. ore: All rianslarions o
AiaLic rexrs in rlis aei aie rle aurloi`s. AiaLic
makes exrensive use o ellisis anu las uisrincrive
reiminology, vlicl imly meanings rlar aie nor
srareu in rle oiiginal rexr oi ieauily unueisroou in
rianslarion. Ir is common ro use Liackers ro claiiy
rlese meanings anu inuicare rlar rley aie nor lirei-
ally exiesseu in rle oiiginal. I Liackers veie useu
in rle rianslarion aLove, ir voulu ieau: You vill
nnu rlar eole aie mines |o golu anu silvei]. 1le
Lesr o you |Leoie Islam] in rle rime o ignoiance
aie rle Lesr o you in Islam i rley lave unuei-
sranuing |o rle ieligion]. I lave avoiueu rle use
o Liackers rliouglour rlis aei ro make ir easiei
ro ieau.
'. In geneial, Ameiican Nuslims aie vell euucareu
anu laiuvoiking. Pei caira, rley aie one o rle
mosr euucareu anu ioseious Nuslim commu-
niries in rle voilu. A laige eicenr lave college
uegiees anu rleii eicenrage is signincanrly giearei
rlan coiiesonuing nguies oi rle Ameiican ou-
larion ar laige. Ameiican Nuslims lave a ligl iare
o emloymenr anu voik in almosr all ioessions
iom raxi uiiveis anu coinei gioceiy sroie ovneis
ro lysicians, engineeis, anu lavyeis. 1le avei-
age Ameiican Nuslim income is ielarively ligl,
making rlem among rle moie aluenr segmenrs
o rle Ameiican oularion. See Paul Baiierr,
Aherican Islah (ev Yoik: Iaiiai, Sriaus, anu
Giioux, '%%,), .-&%. Comaie rle moie con-
seivarive esrimares o rle Pev Reseaicl Cenrei
suivey: lrr://eole-iess.oig/ieoirs/uislay.
l(ReoirID=('..
(. ore: I use rle voiu Hauirl rliouglour rlis a-
ei oi Lorl rle singulai anu luial oims.
). Susan Secroisky, Sunnal in rle Resonses o
Islq iLn Rlavayl, in Beinaiu G. Weiss, eu.
StuJies in Islahic Iegal Tlecry (Leiuen: Biill,
'%%'), ,%.
*
(-
*. ALu al-Kaim iLn ILilm al-]l, Al-Insn al-

Khil f Marifat al-Aullir ua al-Auil (Caiio:
NarLaar al-HalaL, &.,%), &'.
+. Almau iLn Nulammau iLn Ar`-Alll al-
Sakanuai, Al-Hilah al-Atiyya ua al-Munjl
al-Illiyya (Damascus: al-NarLaar al-Hslimiyya,
n.u.), +,.
,. 1le nve illais aie rle resrimony o airl, iayei,
asring, alms, anu ilgiimage.
-. 1le nve acr classincarions aie: oLligaroiy (ujib,
farJ), iecommenueu (hanJb), eimissiLle
(hubl), ieielensiLle (halrl), anu oiLiuuen
(larh). 1lese nve acr classincarions ielecr rle
nuances o Islamic erlics. 1ley can Le uiviueu inro
rvo uisrincr counreiairs suiiounueu Ly vaiying
slaues o giay. 1le counreiairs aie rle oiLiuuen
anu rle oLligaroiy. 1le iemaining rliee classinca-
rions consrirure vaiying uegiees o erlical sriengrl
anu veakness. 1le oiLiuuen is caregoiically
viong, moially iniquirous, anu musr nevei Le uone.
Irs counreiair, rle oLligaroiy, is caregoiically
goou, moially Linuing, anu musr alvays Le uone.
As oi rle rliee maiginal caregoiies, ir is allovaLle
ro eioim any o rlem, alrlougl rleii erlical mei-
irs uiei giearly. 1le ieielensiLle ouglr nor Le
uone. Yer ir is neirlei caregoiically viong noi iniq-
uirous, rleieoie, ir may Le uone virlour incuiiing
iniquiry oi ueseiving Llame. 1le eimissiLle is neu-
rial, ir lacks erlical uisrincrion anu may oi may nor
Le uone, as one clooses, virlour ueseiving iaise
oi Llame. 1le iecommenueu is lauuaLle anu goou,
one ouglr ro uo ir anu ueseives iaise oi uoing so,
yer ailuie ro eioim vlar is iecommenueu incuis
no iniquiry oi Llame.
.. 1iansmirreu in Sall ullr, Sall Muslih, anu
orlei aurloiirarive Hauirl souices.
&%. Nulammau iLn Nulammau al-Glazl, Ily
Ulh al-Dn, ) vols. (Damascus: NakraLar ALu
al-Wakl al-DuiuL, nu.), &:,(.
&&. Accoiuing ro Al iLn Nulammau al-Bassm,
rle ren elemenrs o moial claiacrei aie: &) ieason
(aql), ') sounu ieligious iacrice (Jn), () knovl-
euge (ilh), )) oiLeaiance (lilh), *) magnanimiry
(jJ), +) riurlulness (siJq), ,) ulnlling moial oL-
ligarions (birr), -) arience (sabr), .) rlankulness
(slulr), anu &%) lenience (ln).
&'. Rarionalism in Islamic rleology ieeis ro any
merlouology rlar makes ieason a iincial uevice
oi ieacling rle essence o ievelaroiy riurl. 1le
Nurazil, Aslai, anu Nruiu sclools veie all
iarionalisr in rlis sense anu ielieu uon ieason ro
inreiier ievelarion, esecially vlen rle rvo a-
eaieu ro conlicr. Lacl o rle sclools uemonsriar-
eu inrellecrual consisrence anu solisricarion. In
some iegaius, Nurazil iarionalism vas less oiigi-
nal anu moie lireial rlan rle orlei rvo sclools. In
rle vell-knovn conrioveisies ovei rle ereiniry o
uivine seecl anu rle Learinc vision, rle Nurazils
insisreu on lireial uennirions o seecl anu siglr as
rle naruial lenomena rlar luman Leings call Ly
rlose names. 1le Aslais anu Nruius, on rle
orlei lanu, aigueu rlar iesriicrion o rlese anu
similai voius in ieligious language ro rleii lireial
meanings vlen ralking aLour Gou consrirureu alse
analogies Lerveen rle urreily uisaiare voilus
o rle luman anu rle uivine, rle cieareu anu rle
uncieareu, anu rle seen anu rle unseen, vleie no
knovn analogies aly. 1le Aslais anu Nruius
aigueu rlar ieligious language rook on uieienr
meanings in uieienr meralysical conrexrs. Wlile
rle Nurazil anu Aslai sclools aie liglly uialec-
rical, rle rleology o rle Nruius sranus our oi
irs sysremaric merlouology anu inueenuence o
rlouglr. Wesrein acauemics lave oren aigueu rlar
rle uemise o rle Nurazil sclool among Sunns
(ir conrinues ro Le rle iincial rleological sclool
o rle Sls) seveiely limireu rle iole o ieason in
Islamic lav. 1lis norion giovs our o a conusion
Lerveen rle rleological iarionalism o Nurazil
erlics anu rle unuamenrally uieienr iagmaric
moue o ieasoning in Islamic lav, vlicl vas
laigely unaecreu Ly rle giear rleological ueLares
anu conrinueu unaLareu long arei rle Nurazils.
1le Nurazils lau lirrle eecr on rle uevelomenr
o Islamic osirive lav. Nosr o rlem olloveu rle
*
(.
Hana sclool o lav anu sav no conriauicrion

Lerveen rleii rleological anu legal osirions. See
Umai I. ALu-Allal, 1leological uimensions o
Islamic lav in Tle CahbriJge Cchjanicn tc Is-
lahic Tleclcgy, eu. 1. ]. Winrei (CamLiiuge: Cam-
Liiuge Univeisiry Piess, oirlcoming).
&(. ]Lii iLn Hayyn, Kitb al-Sabn (Iiankuir:
Nalau 1ikl al-Ulum al-AiaLiyya, &.-+).
&). See Klayi al-Dn al-Ziiikl, Al-Alh: _hs
Tarjih li-Asllar al-Bijl ua al-Nis hin al-Arab
ua al-Mustaribn ua al-Mustaslriqn, - vols.
(Beiiur: Di al-Ilm li-al-Nalyn, &..'), *:(&-.
&*. See al-Ziiikl, Al-Alh, +:(&(.
&+. See Umai I. ALu-Allal, Innovarion anu Cieariviry
in Islam, ar lrr://vvv.navavi.oig/uovnloaus/
airicle).u
&,. 1le mosr iequenrly cireu ieasons oi emLiacing
Islam aie: &) simliciry o uocriine, ') iarionaliry
(ieasonaLleness), () aLsolure monorleism, )) rlis-
voiluly ocus, *) anu lack o a iiesrloou. See
Laiiy Posron, Islahic Daual in tle Vest (ev
Yoik: Oxoiu Univeisiry Piess, &..'), &,+-,-.
&-. ore rle acr rlar Lelie in Gou`s oneness, rle
Lasr ]uugmenr, rle ioliLirion o muiuei, anu
many orlei Lelies anu iulings aie caregoiically
aurloiirarive uoes nor mean rlar rley aie on a
ai virl eacl orlei in reims o rleii rleological
imoirance. Ir means rlar rleie can Le no uouLr
rlar eacl o rlem is an esraLlisleu air o Quiànic
anu Pioleric reacling. As sucl, rley musr Le
acknovleugeu as valiu Ly anyone vlo claims ro
Lelieve in rle Quiàn anu rle Pioler.
&.. 1lese numLeis aie Laseu on conriaiy Hauirl
o iesumrive aurlenriciry. One srares rlar rle
numLei o Piolers rlar Gou senr rliouglour
luman lisroiy vas &'),%%%, anorlei riansmission
sers rle numLei ar ''),%%%. Because rle numLeis
aie conjecruial, Nuslim may accer eirlei numLei
oi uisiegaiu rlem Lorl.
'%. See Umai I. ALu-Allal, 1le Piincial Imams anu
1leii Sclools, &) CDs (Clicago: 1le avavi
Iounuarion, '%%)), also see iLiu., Nlik`s Concer
o Amal in rle Liglr o Nlik Legal 1leoiy, '
vols. (Univeisiry o Clicago Pl.D. uisseirarion,
&.,-), &:&'&-',..
'&. SlilL al-Dn Almau iLn Iuis al-Qai, Al-Illh
f Tahyz al-atu an al-Allh ua Tasarruft
al-_J ua al-Ihh (Beiiur: Di al-Baslìi al-
Islmiyya, &..*), .., &%.-&&.
''. ALu al-Kaim al-Ri anu orleis, Slarl ]aularat
al-TaulJ li-al-Ihh al-Allha al-Slayll Ibrlh
al-jr (n..: n.., &.,'), &---.'.
'(. See Nulammau ALu al-Hayy al-Karrn, Nizh
al-Hulha al-Nabauiyya al-Musahh bi al-
Tartb al-IJriyya, ' vols. (Beiiur: Di al-Aiqam,
n.u.), ':,.--..
'). Ny ieeience oi rle use o comeuians oi menral
anu meuical rleiay is Di. Nolameu Seiag,
ioessoi o Islamic lav ar rle Ameiican Univeisiry
o Caiio. 1le rleiaeuric use o music goes Lack
ro rle ancienrs anu is vell arresreu in Islamic
civilizarion. Anualusian Nuslims lelu rlar ceirain
musical keys veie moie eecrive rlan orleis in
riearing airiculai menral illnesses. 1le avavi
Iounuarion visireu an Islamic meuical museum
in 1uikey oursiue rle ciry o Luiine in '%%). 1le
museum conraineu an exliLirion on rle rleiaeuric
use o loLLies anu music in riauirional Islamic
meuicine.
'*. Al-Ziiikl, Al-Alh, &:.)-.*, Almau iLn Iuis al-
Qai, Nafis al-Usl f Slarl al-Malsl, uil
ALu al-Navjuu anu Al al-Nuavvau, eus., .
vols. (Nakka: NakraLar azzi Nusra al-Bz,
&..,), &:))&-)'.
'+. Ir las Lecome cusromaiy oi ceirain Nuslims ro
iejecr ouriiglr rlis anu similai Hauirl on giounus
o veakness. A veak Hauirl is nor a alse Hauirl,
a veak Hauirl is a iesumaLly aurlenric Hauirl,
rle aurlenriciry o vlicl cannor Le veiineu. 1lis
ieoir Lelongs ro rle caregoiy o oulai Hauirl,
Lecause mosr Nuslims lave leaiu o ir anu oren
ieei ro ir. 1le Hauirl is iecoiueu in iesecraLle
collecrions like rlose o al-Baylaq, al-1aLain,
*
)%
anu al-Daylam. A numLei o ienovneu sclolais,

among rlem al-KlarrL anu al-avav, ueenueu
ir. Al-Baylaq riansmirs a aiallel riansmission,
vlicl ieaus as ollovs: Wlarevei las Leen given
you o rle Book o Gou, no one is excuseu iom
nor urring ir inro iacrice. I rleie is norling in rle
Book o Gou, rlen ollov a vell-esraLlisleu Sunna
iom me. I rleie is no Sunna iom me, rlen ollov
vlar my Comanions lave saiu. Ny Comanions
aie like rle srais in rle sky, vliclevei o rlem
you ollov, you vill Le iiglrly guiueu: 1le uiei-
ences o my Comanions aie a meicy oi you.
Al-KlarrL saiu in lis uiscussion o rlis Hauirl:
1leie aie rliee ryes o uissenr in rle ieligion.
1le nisr eirains ro animing rle exisrence o rle
Nakei anu His oneness. 1o ueny ir is uisLelie.
1le seconu eirains ro rle naruie o His arriiLures
anu His vill. 1o ueny rlem is an innovarion. 1le
rliiu eirains ro iulings iom vaiious eisec-
rives in rle conjecruial (hultahila) ueiivarions
(fur) o rle lav. Gou las maue rlis a meicy anu
uisrincrive lonoi (larha) oi rle sclolais. 1lis
is vlar is meanr Ly rle Hauirl: '1le uieiences
o oinion o my narion aie a meicy`. See Isml
iLn Nulammau al-Ajlun, Kaslf al-Klaf ua
Muzl al-Ilbs ahh Isltalara hin al-AlJtl al
Alsinat al-Ns (Beiiur: Di al-KuruL al-Ilmiyya,
&.--), +)-++.
',. Al-Ajlun, Kaslf al-Klaf, +)-++#
'-. See Al iLn al-Qassi, Al-MuqaJJiha f al-Usl,
(Beiiur: Di al-GlaiL al-Islm, &..+), &&)-&*,
ALu al-Walu al-Bj, Illh al-usl f Allh al-
Usl, ' vols. (Beiiur: Di al-GlaiL al-Islm, &..*),
':,&)-&+, anu Umai I. ALu-Allal, Cieariviry anu
Innovarion in Islam ar lrr://vvv.navavi.oig/
uovnloaus/airicle).u.
'.. Geoige Nakuisi, Tle Bise cf Huhanish in Clas-
sical Islah anJ tle Clristian Vest: uitl Sjecial
Beference tc Sclclasticish, (LuinLuigl: LuinLuigl
Univeisiry Piess, &..%), ''-'., see also iLiu., Tle
Bise cf Cclleges: Instituticns cf Iearning in Islah
anJ tle Vest (LuinLuigl: LuinLuigl Univeisiry
Piess, &.-&), &%--&&, &)--*%.
(%. 1le Hauirl is riansmirreu Ly al-1iimiul, ILn
Njal, anu Almau iLn HanLal. Al-1iimiul classi-
nes irs uegiee o aurlenriciry as goou. 1le Hauirl`s
naiiaroi uennes oLscuiiry (ah), vlicl also
means Llinuness, as soliraiy exisrence virlour
rle exisrence o any orlei rling. 1le AiaLic voiu
ah also ieeis ro a rye o leavy clouu coveiing.
Commenrarois say rlar rle Pioler`s ieeience ro
rleie Leing no armosleie aLove oi Lelov rle liu-
uenness vas meanr ro iemove rle ossiLle misei-
cerion rlar Gou lau Leen in a Lank o clouus.
(&. 1le Innei-Ciry Nuslim Acrion ervoik (INA)
las iecenrly reameu u virl rle Alieu Reseaicl
Cenrei (ARC) ro uLlisl a communiry-uiiven ie-
seaicl uocumenr on rlis suLjecr. Ioi moie uerails,
lease see: lrr://vvv.imancenrial.oig.
('. Sall Muslih, Sunan al-Nis, Sunan Ibn Mjal,
anu MusnaJ al-Imm Almau iLn HanLal.
((. Wollair Heiniicls, _auiJ as a Genie o Legal
Lireiaruie, (,'.
(). I ieei ro rianslare rle AiaLic voiu nasl as clil-
uien, Lecause o rle alaLle naruie o rle voiu
anu rle cenrialiry o cliluien in Islam anu in rle
vellLeing o amilies anu socieries. Cliluien is a
valiu rianslarion o rle voiu nasl in irs unuamen-
ral lexical sense o al-ualaJ, nasl is oren ienueieu
as iogeny, vlicl is anorlei valiu rianslarion o
rle voiu in rle lexical sense o al-Jlurriyya. In
AiaLic, rle seconu meaning, iogeny, essenrially
means geneiarions o cliluien. As a majoi oLjec-
rive o Islamic lav, iorecrion o cliluien is closely
rieu ro rle insrirurion o rle amily. Nuslim sclol-
ais iequenrly use rle voiu nasab (lineage) in irs
lace.
(*. Lirrle mareiial on Islamic legal maxims exisrs in
Lnglisl. 1le Lesr availaLle souices aie rle CD
ser o Slaykl ALuallal Lin Bayyal anu rle rvo
acauemic airicles o Wollair Heiniicls, men-
rioneu Lelov. 1le maxims srareu rliouglour rlis
aei anu many o rle oLseivarions ielareu ro
rlem come iom a vaiiery o ieeiences. 1le mosr
imoiranr aie rle olloving, vlicl aie also rle
*
)&
iincial souices oi mosr o rle ielevanr Quiànic

veises anu Hauirl cireu in conjuncrion virl rle
maxims: ALu-Alll iLn ALu al-Azz al-Ajln,
Al-_auiJ al-Kubr f al-iql al-Islh (Riyaul:
Di 1ayLa, &..+), YaquL iLn ALu al-WallL
al-BHusayn, _iJat al-Uhr bi-MaqsiJil:
Dirsa Nazariyya ua Tasliyya (Riyaul: NakraLar
al-Ruslu, &...), Slaykl ALuallal Lin Bayyal,
1le Legal Plilosoly o Islam, &( CDs (San
]ose: AllamLia Piouucrions, '%%%), Al Almau
al-auav, Mausat al-_auiJ ua al-Daubit
al-iqliyya al-Hliha li-al-Muhalt al-Mliyya
f al-iql al-Islh, ( vols. (n. .: Di lam al-
Naiia, &...), Wollair Heiniicls, Sriucruiing
rle Lav: Remaiks on rle urq Lireiaruie, in Ian
Riclaiu erron, eu., StuJies in Hcncur cf CliffcrJ
JhunJ csucrtl, vol. &: Hunter cf tle ast: Ara-
bic anJ Sehitic StuJies (Leiuen: Biill, '%%%), .
(('-)), iLiu, _auiJ as a Genie o Legal Lireia-
ruie, in Beinaiu G. Weiss, eu. StuJies in Islahic
Iegal Tlecry (Leiuen: Biill, '%%'), . (+*--),
|1aq al-Dn Almau iLn 1aymiyya], Al-_auiJ
al-iqliyya al-Klahs al-Kubr ua al-_auiJ al-
MunJarija Taltal: ]ah ua Dirsa hin Majh
atu Slayll al-Islh Ibn Tayhiyya, Isml iLn
Hasan iLn Nulammau Alvn, eu. (Riyaul: Di
iLn al-]avz, '%%%), anu Almau iLn al-Slaykl
Nulammau al-Zaiq, eu. Nusra al-Zaiq, Slarl
al-_auiJ al-iqliyya (Damascus: Di al-Qalam,
&..-).
(+. Sunan Ab DuJ anu MusnaJ al-Ihh AlhaJ
ibn Hanbal. Al-1iimiuli riansmirs rle Hauirl virl
a sliglrly uieienr voiuing: Wloevei imirares
orlei rlan us is nor o us.
(,. ILn 1aymiyya, Al-_auiJ al-iqliyya, &''.
(-. Akiam Diy` al-Ami, Al-Sra al-Nabauiyya al-
Salla, ' volumes (Neuina: NakraLar al-Ulum va
al-Hikam, &..)), ': )*%-*&.
(.. ILn 1aymiyya, Al-_auiJ al-iqliyya, '&,.
)%. See al-auavi, Al-_auiJ ua al-Daubit, +%.
)&. ILn 1aymiyya, Al-_auiJ al-iqliyya, '%+, '&&-
&-.
)'. I am using ariiaicly in rle sense uenneu Ly
Asma Bailas as: A olirics o sexual uieienriarion
rlar iivileges males Ly 'riansoiming Liological
sex inro oliricizeu genuei, vlicl iioiirizes rle
male vlile making rle voman uieienr (unequal),
less rlan, oi rle 'Orlei`. See Asma Bailas, e-
lieiing Vchen" in Islah: UnreaJing atriarclal
Interjretaticns cf tle _urn (Ausrin: Univeisiry o
1exas Piess, '%%'), &'.
)(. See Umai I. ALu-Allal, Iamous Women in Is-
lam, &) CDs (Clicago: avavi Iounuarion,
'%%)).
)). 1le amily name Samaiqanu means iom Sa-
maiqanu. Hei amily vas Syiian Lur oiiginally
laileu iom Cenrial Asia.
)*. Umai Riu Kallla, Alh al-Nis lahay al-
Arab ua al-Islh, * vols. (Beiiur: Nua`ssasar al-
Risla, &..&), ):.)-.*, see also Umai I. ALu-Allal,
Iamous Women in Islam, &) CDs (Clicago:
avavi Iounuarion, '%%)).
)+. See Umai I. ALu-Allal, Islam anu rle Culruial
Imeiarive, lrr://vvv.navavi.oig/uovnloaus/
airicle(.u
),. Islam anu rle Culruial Imeiarive, . *.
)-. 1leie vas no monolirlic AiaL culruie in ie-Is-
lamic AiaLia. Like culruies ovei rle voilu, ie-
Islamic AiaLian culruie vas uiveise anu maue u
o numeious suLculruies. 1le culruial noims o
rle ie-Islamic AiaLs as vell as rleii uialecrs ui-
eieu noraLly iom iegion ro iegion anu iom riiLe
ro riiLe. One o rle imoiranr consequences o rle
Pioler`s migiarion ro Neuina is rlar ir enmesleu
lim anu lis olloveis in rle culruial noims o Ne-
uina, vlicl vaiieu noraLly iom rlose o Necca.
).. See ALu-Allal, Islam anu rle Culruial
Imeiarive.
*%. ILn 1aymiyya, Al-_auiJ al-iqliyya, ''+-'-.

Living Islam - Dr. Umar F. Abdullah

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i

living islam with purpose

rley lack rle vill ro gain ir. Wlar seems ro Le miss-

Liiglr uruie, a soliu ounuarion suoirs a sriong

operational principle one

acl o rle iinciles uiscusseu in rlis aei

jecrives anu giearesr socieral oLligarions o Islamic

rle siiirual uesignarion o rle Sun. ILn Hayyn

leai rle iecirarion. In rle asr, Nuslims uesigneu

operational principle two

slam only seaks virl a monolirlic voice on

1le iiglr o uissenr anu rle iequiiemenr ro

iesumrively aurloiirarive rexrs may Le saiu ro

o irs oiiginal conrexr, nor quesrions o giammai

vell oi ar all, vlicl voulu give an alreinarive

aurloiize rle use o loro iuenrincarion caius anu

ing iesumrively aurloiirarive iulings o lav. 1le

Ir vas rle sclolais rlemselves vlo askeu

operational principle three

lrlougl socieral oLligarions aie a unuamen-

rimare knovleuge o Gou Lur ieLelleu againsr Him

communiry is iniquirous anu eisonally iisks uivine

lives cannor Le aclieveu virlour oou, slelrei, anu

oren, lovevei, oui communiry`s arriruues rovaiu

rlese communiries. In Clicago anu orlei Ameiican

operational principle four

oirance o rleii uioses anu iarionales. Wirlour

iioi euucarional aciliries. 1leieoie, ir is a majoi

Lack Lecause o uinculry in secuiing sclolaislis

rlar some communiries lace on riaining cliluien

operational principle five

acl o rle oui ieceuing oeiarional iinciles

Nuslim sclolais give legal maxims Lioau geneial

inro a ueloiaLle one. Some acrions aie amLiguous

conriasrs slaily virl rle luman riageuy common

maxim sers a Lasic iule oi lov ro use rle minu in

(tlir) unless rle conriaiy is ioven.

aie rlose vlo iegaiu rlem as quesrionaLle oi even

Islam is ro secuie Lenenrs anu vaiu o ueriimenrs.

oLvious alicarions in rle vake o rle ariociry

(rle ievious maxim) anu alleviaring laiusli

in laige ciries, some sclolais allov commureis ro

esraLlisleu Ly sounu legal ioo. Al-1usul, a

Ioi rlem, rle voiu culruie is oren associareu

eer. Insreau o ieeareuly ieminuing rle iice aim-

ielecrs rleii oiiginal culruial uncrion, in AiaLic

slam is a ieligion o lumane iarionales anu

Oui geneiarion o Ameiican Nuslims vill

*. ALu al-Kaim iLn ILilm al-]l, Al-Insn al-

Hana sclool o lav anu sav no conriauicrion

anu al-Daylam. A numLei o ienovneu sclolais,

iincial souices oi mosr o rle ielevanr Qui`anic

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