In Conversation

with Dr Umar
Abd-Allah. A
Reader
Contents & Scheduling
[1] One God, Many Names
Theme: How to talk about God, Islam, and Spiritual Matters
Saturday 3rd December
7 - 9pm
[2] Islam & the Cultural Imperative
Theme: Cultural Identity, Authenticity--and What is Needed for True
Cultural Expression
Saturday 10th December
7 - 9pm
[3] Living Islam with Purpose
Theme:
Friday 16th December
7 - 9pm
Additional Reading
For additional reading visit:
http://www.nawawi.org/courses/index_reading_room.html

n rle ruimoil o cuiienr evenrs anu ralk o clasling civilizarions,

eole oren vanr ro knov vlar Nuslims voisli. Nany ]evs,
Cliisrians, anu Nuslims coiiecrly asseir rlar eacl o rleii ieligions
invokes rle Gou o ALialam, Lur many among Ameiica`s ieligious
iiglr incieasingly make a oinr o uenying rlis common giounu. Ioi rle
Cliisrian Coalirion`s Par RoLeirson, rle voilu`s riouLles ruin on rle
quesrion o vlerlei HuLal, rle moon gou o Necca knovn as Allal,

is suieme oi vlerlei rle ]uueo-Cliisrian ]eloval, Gou o rle BiLle, is
suieme. Iianklin Gialamson o Billy Gialam anu iominenr evan-
gelical vlo leu rle invocarion ar Geoige W. Busl`s iesiuenrial in-
auguiarioninsisrs rlar Cliisrians anu Nuslims voisli uieienr Gous.
In rle same vein, William Boykin, a ro Penragon geneial, Liouglr lim-
sel inreinarional noroiiery Ly ioclaiming lis Gou ro Le a ieal Gou
anu Liggei rlan rle Nuslim Gou, vlom le ueemeu a meie iuol,
inlammaroiy iemaiks oi vlicl rle Busl-Cleney auminisriarion las
ieuseu ro lolu lim accounraLle.

1le acr rlar anu rle BiLlical Gou aie iuenrical is eviuenr iom
BiLlical erymology.

Iiom rle sranuoinr o Islamic rleology anu salva-

rion lisroiy,

ir is simly unacceraLle ro ueem rle BiLlical Gou anu

rlar o rle Qui`an ro Le anyrling Lur rle same, uesire rle acr rlar, in
iecenr yeais, many Lnglisl-seaking Nuslims lave ueveloeu an ill-au-

Nany ames
A iwwi rooibrioi r=ea
s- La. U:a raoo Asb-ALLi

All rights reserved.

Oa CJ 1.aj N.o

Oa CJ 1.aj N.o
viseu convenrion o avoiuing rle voiu Gou unuei
rle misraken assumrion rlar only rle AiaLic voiu
Alll caiiies a linguisric guaianree o rleological
aurlenriciry.
Beauriul names oi Gou aie nor unique ro rle
BiLle oi rle Qui`an noi ro any ieligion oi giou o
luman rongues. Semiric languageslike HeLiev,
Aiamaic, anu AiaLicossess iicl glossaiies o ui-
vine names, Lur rlose vlo invoke rlem lave nevei
ossesseu a monooly on Gou. Ar a mosr unuamen-
ral level, all lumaniry slaies in a legacy o knoving
rle Suieme Being anu Leing aLle ro uesignare lim Ly
aioiiare names, vlicliom an Islamic oinr o
vievielecr lumankinu`s inLoin knovleuge o Gou,
Lolsreieu Ly irs iemore associarion virl rle iimeval
legacy o univeisal iolecy. As oi oui Lnglisl voiu
Gou, ir ielecrs sucl iimoiuial ioors, Lelongs ro
rle rieasuiy o ancienr uivine names, anu is among rle
mosr exiessive uesignarions o rle Suieme Being.
1le conrinueu aveision on rle air o many Lnglisl-
seaking Nuslims ro aumir Gou inro rleii vocaLu-
laiy seives only ro ieinoice rle giounuless claims o
rle ieligious iiglr. Ir is uigenr oi Lnglisl-seaking
Nuslims ro communicare coleienrly, anu emLiacing
rle voiu Gou is an imoiranr sre in rlar uiiec-
rion.
Syhjcsiuh cf Abralahic aitls
1ouay, ir las Lecome air o rle geneially accereu
ecumenical lexicon ro seak o rle ALialamic
airls, since rle exiession accuiarely ielecrs rlar
]uuaism, Cliisrianiry, anu Islam invoke rle Gou o
ALialam anu slaie a losr o monorleisric Lelies
anu values. 1le Qui`an calls Islam rle ieligion o
ALialam (hillat Ibrlh): 1len ve ievealeu unro
you (Nulammau) rlar you ollov rle ieligion o
ALialam, vlo uiu nor Lelong ro rlose associaring
alse gous virl Gou.

1le rlesis rlar Nuslims voi-

sli rle Gou o ALialam is so cenrial ro Islam rlar
even Nuslim sclool cliluien knov ir vell. Nuslims
invoke salurarions uon ALialam anu lis amily in
rleii uaily iayeis, anu rle annual iires o ilgiimage
ro Necca anu rle House o ALialam (rle Kaba) aie
rieu ro rle ALialamic sroiy ar eveiy oinr. Islamic
sciiruie ieeareuly asseirs rle Lelie rlar Islam ie-
iesenrs a iisrine mouel o rle ALialamic uisensa-
rion.

Ir insriucrs Nuslims ro ueclaie rleii allegiance

ro ALialam`s Gou anu lis iimoiuial reacling: Say
(all o you): 'We Lelieve in Gou anu vlar vas ie-
vealeu ro ALialam, Islmael, Isaac, ]acoL, anu rle
riiLes o Isiael anu vlar vas given unro Noses anu
ro ]esus anu vlar vas given ro all rle iolers iom
rleii Loiu. We uiav no uisrincrions Lerveen any o
rlem, anu ve aie a eole vlo suLmir rlemselves
(villingly) ro Gou.

Iiom rle Qui`anic sranuoinr, Nuslims, Cliis-

rians, anu ]evs sloulu lave no uinculry agieeing
rlar rley all ruin ro rle Gou o ALialam, uesire
rleii rleological anu iirual uieiences. Hisroiical
aigumenrs Lerveen rleii airls lave nevei Leen ovei
vlar name ro call ALialam`s Gou. As oi Nuslims,
rle Islamic concer o salvarion lisroiy is iooreu
in rle convicrion rlar rleie is a lasring conrinuiry
Lerveen rle uisensarion o Nulammau anu rle
eailiei ones o ALialam, Noses, ]esus, anu rle BiLli-
cal anu exria-BiLlical iolers. 1le Qui`an insriucrs
Nuslims ro acknovleuge oenly anu oirliiglrly rlar
rleii Gou anu rle Gou o rle olloveis o BiLlical
ieligion]evs anu Cliisriansis rle same: Do nor
uisure virl rle eole o rle BiLle (rle Book]evs
anu Cliisrians) Lur in rle Lesr o manneis, excering
rlose o rlem vlo commir oiession, anu say (ro
rlem): 'We Lelieve in vlar vas ievealeu ro us anu
vlar vas ievealeu ro you. Oui Gou anu youi Gou is
one, anu ve aie a eole in (villing) suLmission ro
lim.`

Oa CJ 1.aj N.o

Oa CJ 1.aj N.o
Alll anJ iblical Nahes cf CcJ
1le AiaLic voiu Alll is rle mosr common uivine
name in rle Islamic sciiruies anu las unique sancriry
nor jusr oi Nuslims Lur also oi AiaLic-seaking
]evs anu Cliisrians, vlo lave useu Alll oi
Gou iom rime immemoiial. Ioi Nuslims, Alll is
rle mosr inclusive o Gou`s names, emLiacing all
lis orlei names anu arriiLures. In accoiuance virl
convenrional AiaLic usage, Alll can Le alieu only
ro rle Ciearoi anu cannor Le assigneu ro any orlei
Leing, angelic, luman, animare oi inanimare, ieal oi
imaginaiy.
Lven in iuolarious ie-Islamic AiaLia, Alll vas
ieveieu as rle ciearoi o rle leavens anu rle eairl
anu loiu o rle voilus. In uisrincrion ro rle culrs o
lunuieus o lessei agan gous, ie-Islamic AiaLian
voisli o Alll vas nevei associareu virl an iuol,
incluuing HubalPar RoLeirson`s moon gou o
Necca, vlom le eiioneously associares virl Alll.
Hubal vas rle clie iuol o agan Necca Lur lau
no lisroiical oi rleological connecrion virl Alll
oi, oi rlar marrei, even virl rle moon. Hubal vas
veneiareu as a gou o uivinarion, anu irs culr vas
ielarively nev, laving Leen inriouuceu ro Necca
only a ev geneiarions Leoie Nulammau`s rime,
ioLaLly oiiginaring among rle ancienr NoaLires oi
Nesooramians.
AiaLic is an ancienr anu excerionally iicl oim
o Semiric seecl, closely ielareu ro BiLlical HeLiev,
Aiamaic, anu Syiiac.

Lrymologically, Alll comes

iom rle same ioor as rle BiLlical voius lc lih,
l-lc lih, anu l-lcl (all meaning Gou) in-
vokeu Ly rle HeLiev iolers anu rle Aiamaic anu
Syiiac All (Gou) useu Ly ]oln rle Barisr anu
]esus. lc lih ueiives iom elcl (HeLiev oi gou),
anu All is an emlaric oim o all (Aiamaic/
Syiiac oi gou), vlile Alll is connecreu ro ill
(AiaLic oi gou). All rliee o rlese Semiric voius
oi gouelcl, all, anu illaie erymologically
equivalenr. 1le sliglr mouincarions Lerveen rlem
ielecr uieienr ionunciarions conoiming ro rle lis-
roiical arrein o moilological slirs in eacl rongue.
1ley aie akin ro rle vaiiarions ve nnu, oi examle,
Lerveen rle Larin, Sanisl, anu Iralian voius oi
Gou (Deus, Dics, anu Dic) oi rle Lnglisl anu Gei-
man (CcJ anu Cctt). lc lih, All, anu Alll aie
all cognaressisrei voiusueiiving iom a common
ioro-Semiric ioor, vlicl, accoiuing ro one sranuaiu
viev, vas rle ioor IH, conveying rle iimaiy sense
o ro voisli. 1le unuamenral linguisric meaning
o rle rliee ALialamic cognares oi Goulc lih,
All, anu Alllis rle one vlo is voislieu.
lc lih occuis ovei rvo rlousanu rimes in rle
Olu 1esramenr anu is cusromaiily ienueieu Gou
in Lnglisl rianslarion. Like rle Qui`an, rle BiLle las
a luialiry o uivine names: Gou o ieexisrence
(lcli qeJeh), Living One o ereiniry (Hay
l-'clah), Gou o ereiniry (

l 'clah), Holy One

o Isiael (_aJcsl Yisrael), Giear King (Melel
Bab), Gou All-Poveiul (

l SleJJai), Gou rle

Oveivlelming (

l Cebbcr), Gou rle Nosr Higl

(

l 'lycn), anu so oirl. 1le 1eriagiammaron

(Gieek oi oui lerrei voiu), YHVH, is rle mosr
common voiu oi Gou in rle HeLiev BiLle Lur is
geneially ienueieu in rianslarion nor as Gou Lur as
rle Loiu anu occasionally as ]eloval.
1le insisrence among elemenrs o rle ieligious
iiglr on rle ]uueo-Cliisrian ]eloval as a ui-
cloromous oosire ro rle AiaLic Alll is, ar Lesr, a
aioclial inreiierarion o rle ]uueo-Cliisrian riaui-
rion, since ev ]evs anu ceirainly nor all Cliisrians
voulu Le conrenr virl ienueiing rle BiLlical Loiu
as ]eloval. ]eloval, as sucl, uoes nor occui in rle
BiLle Lur is a renrarive lilological consriucr o rle
1eriagiammaron, YHVH, vlicl mouein sclolai-
sli geneially ienueis as Yaluelle vlo is, oi
le vlo gives Leingiom an Olu HeLiev veiL
ro Le. RaLLinic riauirion, lovevei, iegaiueu rle

Oa CJ 1.aj N.o

Oa CJ 1.aj N.o
1eriagiammaron as so saciosancr rlar ir vas glosseu
as Loiu virlour Leing soken alouu oi consigneu a
given ionunciarion.

In any case, rle BiLle ueclaies

rlar YHVH is limsel l-lc lih (Deur. :), so,
iom rle sranuoinr o rle BiLle, rleie is no rleologi-
cal uisrincrion Lerveen YHVH anu lc lih, vlicl, as
slovn, is a linguisric cognare o rle AiaLic Alll.
eautiful Nahes cf tle CcJ cf Abralah
Ir is axiomaric in Islamic sciiruie rlar rle Gou o ALia-
lam las many names: Gou: rleie is no gou Lur lim.
His aie rle mosr Leauriul names.

His many names

lave giear encacy anu consrirure a secial clannel o
siiirualiry. In congiegare, rley anim Gou`s suieme
eiecrion anu culrivare ueeei unueisranuing o lis
Leaury anu majesry. 1ley aie oveiul insriumenrs o
invocarion anu acilirare one`s aioacl ro rle uivine:
Gou`s aie rle mosr Leauriul names. So call uon lim
Ly means o rlem.

His Leauriul names consrirure an

ereinal rleological rieasuie:
He is Gou, orlei rlan vlom rleie is no gou: Knovei
o rle unseen anu rle maniesr. He is rle All-Neici-
ul, Besrovei o secial meicy. He is Gou, orlei rlan
vlom rleie is no gou: rle King, rle Holy One, rle
Peiecr Peace, Gianrei o secuiiry, Givei o iorecrion,
rle Omniorenr, rle Oveivlelming, rle Imeiious:
Gloiy Le ro Gou againsr vlarevei is (alsely) associ-
areu (virl lim). He is Gou: rle Ciearoi, rle Oiiginaroi
(o all rlings iom norling), Givei o oims. His aie rle
mosr Leauriul names. All rlar is in rle leavens anu
eairl ioclaims lis gloiy, anu le is rle All-Poveiul,
rle All-Wise.

Ir is commonly iemaikeu rlar Nuslims Lelieve

Gou las ninery-nine names, Laseu on an aurloiirarive
saying o rle Pioler Nulammau: Gou las ninery-
nine namesone lunuieu less onevlicl anyone
vlo iorecrs (rleii sancriry) vill enrei rle Gaiuen.
Gou is singulai anu loves vlar is singulai.

Bur
rle aurlenrically arresreu names o Gou in Islamic
sciiruie aie many moie rlan ninery-nine. 1iauirional
commenrarois nore rlis acr anu oinr our rlar rle
ioleric 1iauirion o rle ninery-nine names vas nor
inrenueu ro uelimir rle uivine names ro a airiculai
numLei Lur ro inuicare rlar, among Gou`s innumei-
aLle names, rleie aie ninery-nine uisrincrive ones,
vlicl, i leaineu Ly leair anu guaiueu in sancriry,
aie a key ro salvarion. Anorlei Pioleric 1iauirion
ieveals unequivocally rlar Gou`s names aie nor nu-
meiically iesriicreu Lur incluue unuiscloseu names anu
orleis knovn only ro Gou oi ro secial segmenrs o
lis ciearion. Accoiuing ro rlar 1iauirion, rle Pioler
voulu invoke Gou, saying: I ask you Ly eveiy name
rlar is youis, Ly vlicl you lave nameu youisel, senr
uovn in youi Look, rauglr any o youi ciearion, oi
ker irs knovleuge exclusively in youi iesence in rle
knovleuge o rle unseen rlar you make rle Qui`an
rle siingrime o my leair, liglr o my siglr, lealing
o my leair, anu rle iemoval o my anxiery anu sau-
ness.

Huhanitys Iegacy cf Ccuntless Diiine Nahes

In rle Qui`anic concerion o rle voilu eveiyrling in
rle leavens anu on eairl is imLueu virl knovleuge
o Gou anu ioclaims lis gloiy, similaily insrincrive
knovleuge o rle Suieme Being is emLeuueu in eacl
luman soul as an inLoin air o luman naruie.

Noieovei, all eoles on eairl lave ieceiveu uivine
messengeis ar some rime in rle couise o luman
lisroiy oi ie-lisroiy.

Consequenrly, Gou anu lis

names aie air o a univeisal luman legacy. 1ley aie
laiuly unique ro anyone, noi aie rle ALialamic ieli-
gions rle sole iesiuuaiies o uivine names exiessing
rle Ciearoi`s eiecrion anu gloiy.
1le voilu`s many micio-ieligions (i.e., iimirive
ieligions) conrain lunuieus o names oi Gou, Leai-
ing virness ro lis oneness, ieexisrence, ereiniry, om-
niorence, omniscience, omniiesence, goouness, anu
jusrice. 1leie is an oLseivaLle arrein in rle micio-
ieligions ro iegaiu rle Suieme Being as rle souice

Oa CJ 1.aj N.o

Oa CJ 1.aj N.o
o all viral knovleuge, moial noims, anu essenrial
social convenrions. Like ie-Islamic AiaL aganism,
micio-ieligions associare ueineu luman Leings, lessei
siiirs, anu inreimeuiaiies virl Gou, alrlougl rley
consisrenrly lack rle ull-Llovn anrleons ryical o
rle olyrleisric ieligions o many ancienr civilizarions.
umeious micio-ieligions commemoiare a iimeval
rime o rle olu ieligion, vlen laimony exisreu Le-
rveen rle Suieme Being anu rleii oieLeais, an age
o iisrine lainess vlicl vas Liouglr ro an enu
rliougl vionguoing, esriangemenr, anu alienarion.

1le micio-ieligions ielecr insrincrive common-

sensical knovleuge o Gou virlour rle inriicare
meralysical rleologies o civilizeu eoles. As virl
rle ie-Islamic AiaL culr o Alll, micio-ieligions
ieiain unioimly iom associaring rle Ciearoi Gou
virl iuols, images, oi icruies, oi rley insisr rlar le
cannor Le seen virl lysical eyes noi roucleu Ly lu-
man lanus. 1le iloric riiLes o sourlein Suuan, oi
insrance, slaie an ancienr Lelie in rle Giear Gou,
vlo cieareu lumankinu, anu, alrlougl rley associ-
are inreimeuiaiies virl lim, rley acknovleuge rlar le
is ereinal, virlour oiigin oi likeness, all-knoving anu
all-oveiul, uloluing rle moial oiuei.
Aiounu , a Luioean anrlioologisr sruuieu
rle Slilluk, one o rlese iloric riiLes, anu once askeu
a six-yeai olu Loy iom rle riiLe vlo lau cieareu lim.
Wirlour lesirarion, rle lirrle Loy ansveieu, Dyucl
(Gou) cieareu me. 1le anrlioologisr iesseu ui-
rlei, asking vlar Dyucl vas like anu vleie le came
iom. Wirl clilulike sel-assuiance, rle Loy quickly ie-
lieu rlar le uiu nor knov, Lur lis arlei suiely voulu.
1o lis asronislmenr, neirlei lis arlei noi immeuiare
kin lau an ansvei, Lur rle clilu ker inquiiing unril
le nnally Liouglr rle quesrion Leoie lis riiLal elueis.
1ley ielieu:
Dyucl, ve only knov rlar le exisrs. We knov le
maue rle sky rlar you see aLove, rle srais, all rle
animals, anu even eoleLorl Llack anu vlireLur
vlo Dyucl acrually is, no one in Slilluk can say. Ioi
no one las seen lim. Wlar ve knov is rlis: Dyucl is
rleie anu maue eveiyrling. Lven i you cannor see lim,
yer le is rleie.like rle Lieeze rlar Llovs. Lven i no
one can see rle Lieeze, yer ir Llovs. o one las uouLrs
aLour rlar.

1le micio-ieligions aie nlleu virl relling names o

Gou. Ciearoi anu Nakei aie viirually univeisal.
arive Ameiicans lau many names oi Gou. 1le
Cleyenne calleu lim Ciearoi o rle univeise anu
Loiu o rle enriie leaven anu eairl. 1le Calioinian
Naiuu calleu lim Rulei o rle voilu. 1le Iox calleu
lim rle Guiue anu rle Goou Siiir. 1le Lenae
calleu lim Oui Ciearoi, You ro vlom ve iay,
Puie Siiir, anu You ro vlom ve Lelong. Some
Sourl Aiican Buslmen anu rle ygmies o GaLon
calleu lim rle Loiu o all rlings. 1le SiLeiian
Samoyeus knev lim as rle Ciearoi o lie. 1le Ainu
o ]aan calleu lim rle Divine Nakei o rle voilus,
rle Divine Loiu o leaven, rle Insiiei, anu rle
Piorecroi. 1le Wiiuyuii o Ausrialia calleu lim rle
Lreinal, anu seveial ALoiiginal riiLes uesignareu
lim as rle Giear Builuei anu rle Giear Nakei,
alrlougl ceirain ALoiigines anu Aiican Buslmen
lelu rle Ciearoi`s name ro Le inviolaLle (raLoo)
anu imaireu ir only ro auulr male iniriares, vlile
concealing ir iom vomen, cliluien, anu oursiueis.
Ancienr civilizarions also Leai virness ro a
iimoiuial knovleuge o rle One. Alrlougl rle
laiaonic Lgyrians veie liglly olyrleisric, rleii
language conraineu aLunuanr names anu arriiLurions
oi rle Suieme Being uisrincr iom rle eisonineu
gous o rleii anrleon. Ancienr Lgyrian vas ielere
virl seemingly enuless synonyms oi Gou (Neter,
Sla', Klabllab, Hejlej, Slesa, SeJga, Saj, Netlraj,
Nellbaj, Kletraj, Itnuu, anu so oirl). 1leie veie
names oi rle Ciearoi (Keuen, Kun, Nelef),
Ciearion`s Gou (Nebirut), anu rle Givei o oims
(Nebi). 1ley invokeu rle Higl Gou (Neter 'A), rle

Oa CJ 1.aj N.o

Oa CJ 1.aj N.o
Loiu (Nebu), rle Diviniry iom ieexisrence (Nun,
Halu), rle Divinely Neiciul (Hete), rle Divine
Desrioyei (Heteh), rle Gou o riurl anu Lalance
(Seha Ma'at), rle Gou o lumankinu (Ithu), anu
rle Loiu o all (NeberJler).

1le ancienr Clinese voislieu a eisonalizeu

Ciearoi (Tsac uu cle), rle Rulei o leaven
(Slang Ti), Heaven`s Loiu (Tien Ti), anu rle
Loiu (Ti), alrlougl Heaven (Tien) larei Lecame
rle mosr common Clinese name oi Gou anu some-
rimes ielecreu asrial Lelies. Bur an ancienr Clinese
uicrionaiy says o Heaven (Tien): 1le exalreu in
rle liglesr o lis exalrarion. His iueogiam comLines
rvo symLols, vlicl mean 'rle One, vlo is rle mosr
giear.` Some ancienr Clinese sclolais viore rlar
Heaven (Tien) lau Leen suLsrirureu oi rle Rulei
o leaven (Slang Ti) in rle ancienr asr, Lecause ir
is nor eimissiLle rlar rle name Slang Ti Le raken
liglrly. 1leieoie, ve call lim Ly rle name o rle lace
vleie le aLiues, vlicl is 'leaven,` rlar is, tien on rle
analogy rlar 'rle couir` signines 'rle emeioi.`
1le Sanskiir Veuas o ancienr Inuia conrain a no-
raLle vocaLulaiy oi rle Suieme Being: rle Ciearoi
(Dlatr), rle Loiu o rle ciearuies (rjajati), rle
Nakei o all rlings (Vislialarhan), rle Regularoi
o rlings (ViJlatr), rle Naniesr One (Dlartr),
rle Piorecroi (Tratr), rle Guiue (Netr), rle Givei
o oims (Tiasltr), anu rle Animaroi oi Revivei
(Saiitr). One o lis names vas simly Wlo (Ka),
signiying rle one vlo is ulrimarely unarlomaLle anu
Leyonu nnire uesciirion. In larei rimes, Ka vas ie-
quenrly useu ro uesignare rle Suieme Being.
CcJ, tle Mcst eautiful VcrJ in nglisl
1le Lnglisl voiu Gou is a unique linguisric anu
rleological rieasuie. Ir is ie-lisroiic, exrenuing inro
rle eolirlic eiiou anu ueiiving iom rle ioro-Inuo-
Luioean ioor gleu(), meaning ro invoke oi ro
sulicare. Gou is a asr airiciial consriucrion,
meaning rle one vlo is invokeu oi rle one vlo
is calleu uon. Like Sanskiir, Peisian, Uiuu, anu
mosr o rle Luioean languages, Lnglisl Lelongs ro
rle Inuo-Luioean amily. Oui voiu Gouioro-
Inuo-Luioean Clutccoiiesonus linguisrically ro
rle Sanskiir asr airicile lta (invokeu oi calleu
uon), vlicl aeais in rle Inuic Veuas in rle uivine
eirler jurulta (mucl invokeu). Lrymologically,
Gourle one vlo is invokeu in iayeiis ie-
maikaLly close in meaning ro rle BiLlical lc lih anu
All anu rle Qui`anic Alll, vlicl, as ve lave seen,
convey rle sense o rle one vlo is voislieu.
Gou is also viirually iuenrical in connorarion ro
rle arive Ameiican Lenae voiu oi rle Suieme
Being You ro vlom ve iay. Sulicarion anu
voisli aie closely inreiielareu. 1le Pioler saiu in
a vell-knovn 1iauirion: Sulicarion is rle essence
o voisli.
1le Lnglisl voiu Gou in irs iesenr oim is an-
cienr anu ie-Cliisrian, laving no liuuen oi imlicir
link virl 1iiniraiian rleology. Irs eailiesr uocumenreu
lisroiical use is in rle oem ecuulf, rle oluesr oem
in rle Lnglisl language anu rle eailiesr Luioean
veinaculai eic. ecuulf ielares ie-Cliisrian evenrs
iom rle eaily sixrl cenruiy, a geneiarion oi so Leoie
rle Liirl o rle Pioler Nulammau. Wesrein sclolais
oren nnu ecuulf aiauoxical, Lecause ir lacks uis-
rincrive Cliisrian ieeiences Lur seaks consranrly o
Gou`s gianueui, raking eveiy occasion ro iaise Gou
anu give lim rlanks. Gou in irs iesenr oim is rle
mosr common voiu oi rle Ciearoi in rle eic, Lur rle
oem also conrains scoies o orlei magnincenr uivine
names, vlicl aie so ueely emLeuueu in irs aLiic rlar
rley cannor lave Leen inreiolareu larei Ly meuieval
monks.

Alrlougl ecuulf ieeis ro rle ciearion,

Auam, oal, rle Iloou, rle iesuiiecrion, juugmenr,
leaven anu lell, ir conrains no ieeiences ro Nosaic
oi osr-Nosaic BiLlical evenrs oi ro Cliisr, rle ciuci-
nxion, 1iiniraiian uogma, sainrs, ielics, oi similai ele-

Oa CJ 1.aj N.o

Oa CJ 1.aj N.o
menrs rlar one voulu execr ro nnu, i rleie lau Leen
any suLsequenr meuieval euiring. 1le oem ueclaies
Gou`s oneness exlicirly anu exrols lis vise anu mei-
ciul goveinance o rle voilu anu irs eole, ir iejecrs
anu iiuicules aganism as rle voik o rle uevil, anu
rle eic`s leio, Beovula Liave anu miglry Lur riu-
ly lumLle man o Gouengages in consranr comLar
virl rle uiaLolical oices o evil anu uesriucrion.
or jusr in irs many voius oi Gou Lur in geneial,
rle ieligious vocaLulaiy o ecuulf exiesses virl
exacriruue rle ciux o rle siiirual anu rleological vi-
sion vlicl Nuslims nnu so iecisely exiesseu in rle
AiaLic language. ecuulf is a resrimony ro rle Lng-
lisl language`s unique iiclness anu sloulu insiie us,
as Lnglisl-seaking Nuslims, virl a ueeei iesecr
oi oui language anu irs inleienr ovei ro exiess nor
only oui concer o rle uivine Lur rle enriie ieeiroiie
o iimoiuial ioleric reacling.
Ccnclusicn
Ir is naruial oi Lnglisl-seaking Nuslims ro lave
a secial arraclmenr ro rle voiu Alll, virl vlicl
ve lave an inrimare connecrion, invoking ir uaily in
AiaLic iayei oimulas anu iecirarion o rle Qui`an.
Ioi us, Alll las a uiiecr emorional anu siiirual en-
cacy vlicl no orlei voiu oi Gou can ielace. Bur ir
iaiely las rlar same eecr on non-Nuslim, non-AiaL
lisreneis, anu ev o rlem vill uevelo oui sensiriviry
oi rle voiu meiely Ly Leing consranrly LomLaiueu
Ly ir. Ioi some, even uesire lonesr eoirs ro iemain
oen-minueu, Alll conrinues ro evoke a viue
iange o ueely ingiaineu culruial iejuuices anu neg-
arive associarions, conscious oi suLconscious. On rle
orlei lanu, Gou cieares an immeuiare associarive
iesonse in mosr non-Nuslim narive seakeis o Lng-
lisl rlar voulu Le viirually imossiLle oi Alll ro
evoke even arei yeais o osirive exosuie.
]usr as oui arraclmenr ro Alll uoes nor uisriacr
us iom invoking Gou`s orlei Leauriul names in Aia-
Lic, so sloulu oui love o rle voiu anu rle AiaLic
language nor imel us ro uegiaue rle ancienr Lnglisl
voiu Gou virl irs unique anu illusriious lisroiy
among lumaniry`s legacy o uivine names. oi, oi
Peisian oi Uiuu-seakeis, sloulu nueliry ro rle use o
Alll leau rlem ro uisaiage rle ancienr Inuo-Luio-
ean KlcJ (Gou), vlicl, like Gou, las monorle-
isric ioors anu vlicl giear Nuslim sclolais, mysrics,
anu oers lave ounu eiecrly suiraLle oi moie rlan
a rlousanu yeais.

Wlen ve seak Lnglisl, ler us seak ir inrelligenr-

ly, iesecrully, anu ieveienrly. Oui virness o airl,
oi examle, is eecrively anu concisely rianslareu as:
1leie is no gou Lur Gou, anu Nulammau is Gou`s
messengei. Some insisr, lovevei, on rianslaring
eveiyrling Lur rle mosr imoiranr voiu: 1leie is
no gou Lur Alll.. 1lis airial rianslarion is likely
ro cieare unvaiianreu Laiiieis oi rle non-Nuslim
lisrenei anu inuuce a mulriruue o negarive connora-
rions. Sucl a rianslarion vill ineviraLly iequiie ui-
rlei exlanarion rlar rle voiu Alll acrually means
Gou anyvay. Yer slunning Gou, even in rle
liglr o sucl commenraiy, neeulessly gives rle imies-
sion rlar Gou is somelov inauequare.
Cliisrians anu ]evs aie jusrineu in vonuei-
ing vlyi Alll anu Gou uo mean rle same
rlingNuslims sysremarically avoiu using Gou,
an oinamenr ro rle Lnglisl language, vlicl Lorl
Cliisrians anu ]evs lave nrringly useu oi geneia-
rions ro rianslare rle BiLlical lc lih anu All. We
lave no one Lur ouiselves ro Llame, i, as rle iesulr
o a mislaceu arraclmenr ro oui sacieu language, ve
cieare rle imiession rlar ve uo nor ieally voisli
rle same Gou, arei all, oi rlar ve Lelieve oui Alll
riums rle BiLlical Gou, rle Gou o ALialam, Isl-
mael, Isaac, ]acoL, rle riiLes o Isiael, Noses, ]esus,
anu all rle iolers.
Use o Gou emlasizes rle exrensive miuule
giounu ve slaie virl orlei ALialamic anu univeisal

Oa CJ 1.aj N.o
,
Oa CJ 1.aj N.o
riauirions anu ioviues a simle anu cogenr means Ly
vlicl Nuslims may acr uon rle Qui`anic injunc-
rion ro sriess rle similaiiries Lerveen us. Iailuie ro
use Gou conceals oui common Lelie in rle Gou o
ALialam anu rle conrinuiry o rle ALialamic riaui-
rion, vlicl aie unuamenrals o oui airl. We musr
oveicome oui misgivings aLour Gou Lorl Lecause
o rle voiu`s inriinsic, lisroiical meiir anu Lecause
ir emoveis us ro communicare virl oui ]evisl,
Cliisrian, anu orlei Lnglisl-seaking neiglLois in a
meaningul vay.
Nctes
i. As uiscusseu Lelov, Hubal Loie no rleological oi lisroii-
cal connecrion ro Alll.
z. 1lese anu similai ieeiences aie ieauily accessiLle on rle
Inreiner. I am inueLreu, lovevei, ro an excellenr Neu
Ycrl Tihes euiroiial (]anuaiy z, zoo) Ly ]oln Keai-
ney, viirren on rle occasion o rle Nuslim ilgiimage,
an Islamic iirual inrimarely linkeu virl ALialam. ]oln
Keainey ieLukeu rle ieligious iiglr`s uenial o rle slaieu
ALialamic Lelie in rle BiLlical Gou anu rleii uisaiage-
menr o Nuslim rleology anu insisreu rlar sucl oLscu-
ianrism vas as uangeious as ir vas inexcusaLle.
j. Lrymology is rle sruuy o rle linguisric lisroiy o voius,
riacing rleii uevelomenr in a airiculai language anu
oren using comaiisons virl cognare voius in ielareu
rongues anu uialecrs. 1le Semiric voius Alll (Gou in
rle Qui`an), rle Olu 1esramenr lc lih (Gou), anu rle
Aiamaic/Syiiac ev 1esramenr All (Gou) aie erymo-
logical cognares, as ]oln Keainey`s euiroiial noreu anu as
is uirlei illusriareu Lelov.
. I use salvarion lisroiy ro ieei ro rle ieligious conce-
rion o lov Gou Liings aLour salvarion in rle couise o
luman lisroiy. Ioi ]evs, salvarion lisroiy cenreis on rle
iamincarions o Gou`s secial covenanr virl rle Cliluien
o Isiael. In Cliisrian rleology, salvarion lisroiy culmi-
nares in Cliisr`s ciucinxion. Islamic salvarion lisroiy
is ieuicareu on rle Lelie in rle iimoiuial message o
univeisal iolecy, culminaring in rle iolerloou o
Nulammau, eluciuaring anu vinuicaring all rlar came
Leoie.
j. Qui`an i6: izj.
6. See Qui`an 6:i6i, i6:izj, zz:;, z:ijo, ijz, ijj, j:6;-
6, ,j, :izj.
;. Qui`an z:ij6.
. Qui`an z,:6.
,. Linguisrs classiy AiaLic as ancienr Semiric anu HeLiev,
Aiamaic, Syiiac, anu Lrlioic as miuule Semiric, even
rlougl rle larrei languages veie viirren uovn long Le-
oie AiaLic. 1le ieason oi rlis linguisric classincarion is
rlar AiaLic ieseives viirually all rle uisrincrive earuies
o ioro-Semiriclike inlecrion, sysremaric uual enuings,
anu ull consonanral uisrincrionsvlicl lave geneially
Leen losr oi meigeu in miuule Semiric.
io. Oirlouox ]evs caieully avoiu vocalizing rle 1eriagiam-
maron anu suLsrirure AJcnai (my Loiu) insreau. ]uuaic
riauirion ieeis ro YHVH as tle ame (lsl-Sleh),
since ir vas Lelieveu ro ieiesenr Gou`s mosr loly name,
rle ionunciarion o vlicl vas a saciosancr anu caie-
ully guaiueu secier. Knovleuge o rle ame vas a
uisrincrive legacy ieseiveu oi rle ligl iiesr. On rle Day
o Aronemenr, le voulu invoke rle 1eriagiammaron ar
rle 1emle, anu, ar irs menrion, rle congiegarion o Isiael
voulu all uovn in iosriarion Leoie Gou.
ii. Qui`an zo:.
iz. Qui`an ;:io.
ij. Qui`an j,:zz-z.
i. 1iansmirreu in Buklaii anu Nuslim, Islam`s mosr iigoi-
ously aurlenricareu laJtl collecrions. 1le veiL rians-
lareu leie as iorecrs (rleii sancriry) is laza in rle
oiiginal anu als in orlei naiiarions. Ir means ro kee
rlem in memoiy anu nor neglecr oi oiger rlem Lur also
ro Lelieve in rlem, lave knovleuge anu unueisranuing o
rlem, anu ro live in accoiuance virl rlar avaieness: ro
lave Gou-consciousness, uoing vlar rle seivanr o sucl a
Gou ouglr ro uo anu avoiuing vlar ouglr ro Le slunneu.
1le acrual ninery-nine names aie lisreu in an accer-
aLle (lasan) riansmission Ly 1iimiuli anu orlei souices
virl sliglr vaiiarions.
ij. 1iansmirreu in rle MusnaJ o Imam Almau iLn HanLal.
i6. See Qui`an j,:zz-z anu jo:jo.
i;. See Qui`an jj:z.

Oa CJ 1.aj N.o
,
Oa CJ 1.aj N.o
i. Ny ieeiences ro rle micio-ieligions aie raken iimaiily
iom Willelm Sclmiur, Der Ursjrung Jer CcttesiJee, iz
vols., (Nunsrei i. W.: Asclenuoiscle VeilagsLucllanu-
lung, i,,).
i,. Willelm Sclmiur, Der Ursjrung Jer CcttesiJee, :i,j-
i,.
zo. See Auol Limann anu Heimann Giaov, Vcrterbucl
Jer gyjtisclen Sjracle, ij vols., (Beilin: Akauemie
Veilag, i,;i). In all, I vas aLle ro collecr ovei one lun-
uieu anu rvenry Olu Lgyrian names anu arriiLurions oi
Gou, rle Ciearoi, iom rlis uicrionaiy.
zi. 1le olloving aie among rle names o Gou in ecuulf:
Gou, Holy Gou (lalig CcJ), Wise Gou (uitig CcJ),
Niglry Gou (hiltig CcJ), Higl Loiu (Drilten), Higl
Loiu Gou (Drilten CcJ), Lreinal Higl Loiu (ece Drilten)
(Drilten also occuis virl rle aujecrives loly, vise, anu
miglry), Ciearoi (ScyjjenJ), rle Loiu o lie (Iiffrea),
Regularoi o uesriny (MetcJ), Pieexisrenr Regularoi
o uesriny (alJhetcJ), Gloiious Regularoi o uesriny
(scir MetcJ), 1iue Gou, Loiu o uesriny oi 1iue Gou
(scJ MetcJ), Loiuly Nasrei o all (AluealJa), rle One
Loiu anu Nasrei (AnualJa), Poveiul Loiu (VealJenJ),
Poveiul Loiu o Gloiy (uulJres VealJenJ), Loiu o men
(ylJa ValJenJ), Loiu o lumankinu (ValJenJ fira), Loiu
o vicroiies (sigcra ValJenJ), King o majesry (Cyninga
uulJcr anu VulJurcyning), 1iue King (ScJcyning), 1iue
King o vicroiies (sigcra ScJcyning), rle Iarlei anu rle
Iarlei Omniorenr (Jer anu Jer AlualJa), Loiu
o all rlings (rea ealles), rle Piorecroi o mankinu
(hanna CelylJ), Gloiy`s Guaiuian (uulJres HyrJe), rle
Almiglry (se lhiltiga), ]uuge o ueeus (JJa DehenJ),
Heaven`s Guaiu (lecfena Helh), anu rle Wieluei o rle
leavens (rcJera IJenJ). See Ii. KlaeLei, ecuulf anJ
tle iglt at innsburg, (Bosron: D. C. Hearl, i,jo), .
xlviii-li anu i-izo.
zz. KlcJ comes iom rle Olu Iianian (Inuo-Luioean)
Hua-Tau, meaning lireially sel-aLle oi sel-ovei-
ul, rlar is, Rulei anu Loiu. Ir is a name o maj-
esry, inuicaring rlar Gou is sel-suncienrly omniorenr.
Alrlougl rle Lnglisl Gou anu Peisianare KlcJ
aie Lorl Inuo-Luioean anu give rle aeaiance o Leing
cognares, rley aie acrually ueiiveu iom uieienr ioors.
I
oi cenruiies, Islamic civilizarion laimonizeu inuigenous oims o
culruial exiession virl rle univeisal noims o irs sacieu lav. Ir
sriuck a Lalance Lerveen remoial Leaury anu ageless riurl anu
anneu a Liillianr eacock`s rail o uniry in uiveisiry iom rle leair o Clina
ro rle sloies o rle Arlanric. Islamic juiisiuuence leleu acilirare rlis cie-
arive genius. In lisroiy, Islam sloveu irsel ro Le culruially iienuly anu, in
rlar iegaiu, las Leen likeneu ro a ciysral cleai iivei. Irs vareis (Islam) aie
uie, sveer, anu lie-giving Lurlaving no coloi o rleii ovnielecr rle
Leuiock (inuigenous culruie) ovei vlicl rley lov. In Clina, Islam lookeu
Clinese, in Nali, ir lookeu Aiican. Susraineu culruial ielevance ro uisrincr
eoles, uiveise laces, anu uieienr rimes unueilay Islam`s long success as
a gloLal civilizarion. 1le ieligion Lecame nor only uncrional anu amiliai
A iwwi rooibrioi r=ea
s- La. U:a raoo Asb-ALLi

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!sIan anu Ic uIuvaI !ncvaIvc

I/.o .aJ // Ca//a./ Ioo.//.

I/.o .aJ // Ca//a./ Ioo.//.

ar rle local level Lur uynamically engaging, osreiing
sraLle inuigenous Nuslim iuenriries anu alloving
Nuslims ro ur uovn uee ioors anu make lasring
conriiLurions vleievei rley venr.
By conriasr, mucl conremoiaiy Islamisr

ileroiic
alls ai sloir o Islam`s ancienr culruial visuom, as-
suming ar rimes an unmirigareu culruially ieuaroiy
arriruue. Sucl ileroiic anu rle movemenr iueologies
rlar sranu Lelinu ir lave Leen ueely inluenceu Ly
Wesrein ievolurionaiy uialecric anu a uangeiously
selecrive ieriieval anu ieinreiierarion o Islamic
sciiruie in rlar liglr. Ar rle same rime, lovevei,
rle Islamisr lenomenon is, ro no small uegiee, a Ly-
iouucr o rle giave culruial uislocarion anu uysunc-
rion o rle conremoiaiy Nuslim voilu. CulruieIs-
lamic oi orleiviseioviues rle Lasis o social
sraLiliry Lur, aiauoxically, can irsel only louiisl in
sraLle socieries anu vill ineviraLly Lieak uovn in rle
conusion o social uisiurion anu ruimoil. 1ouay,
rle Nuslim voilu ierains iiceless ielics o irs oimei
culruial slenuoi, Lur, in rle conusion o oui rimes,
rle visuom o rle asr is nor alvays unueisroou anu
many o irs esraLlisleu noims anu oluei culruial ar-
reins no longei aeai ielevanr ro Nuslims oi seem
ro oei solurions. Wleie rle eacock`s rail las nor
long since olueu, ir ierains lirrle o irs oimei uazzle
anu ullness, vleie rle culruial iivei las nor uiieu u
alrogerlei, irs vareis seluom iun cleai.
Human Leings geneiare culruie naruially like si-
ueis sin silk, Lur unlike siueis` veLs rle culruies
eole consriucr aie nor alvays auequare, esecially
vlen geneiareu unconsciously, in conusion, unuei
unavoiaLle conuirions, oi virlour ioei uiiecrion.
Unsuiiisingly, Nuslim immigianrs ro Ameiica ie-
main arracleu ro rle lanus rley ler Lelinu Lur laiuly
i evei Liing virl rlem rle ull arrein o rle once
lealrly culruies o rleii asr, vlicli rley lau
iemaineu inracrvoulu lave ieuuceu rleii incenrive
ro emigiare in rle nisr lace. Conveirsoveivlelm-
ingly Aiican-Ameiicanaie oren alienareu iom
rleii ovn uee inuigenous ioors anu narive culruial
sensiLiliry rliougl rle uesriucrive imacr o culruially
ieuaroiy Islamisr iueologies iom aLioau.
All rle same, Nuslims in Ameiica lave Leen silenr-
ly oiging suL-culruial iuenriries ovei iecenr uecaues
aiounu oui mosques, in Islamic sclools, ar lome, anu
on college camuses.

Some o rlese uevelomenrs aie

iomising. 1le ucoming geneiarion las iouuceu a
numLei o noraLle Nuslim Ameiican viireis, oers,
ia airisrs, anu sranu-u comeuians. We exeiimenr
virl uiess (secial uiesses iom uenim, oi examle)
anu coin voius (like -uamenralisr) as airs o oui
uaily seecl. Cioss-culruial anu inreiiacial maiiiages
lave incieaseu anu slov rlar many Nuslim Ameii-
cans nov nnu rlemselves moie Nuslim anu Ameiican
rlan Inuian, Pakisrani, Syiian, Lgyrian, oi anyrling
else. In orlei vays roo, rle young geneiarion slovs
signs o culruial maruiiry anu is connecring on osi-
rive levels oren unrlinkaLle ro rleii aienrs. Nany o
rlem aie comoiraLle virl rleii Ameiican iuenriry,
vlile culrivaring a lealrly unueisranuing o rleii ie-
ligion, iiue in rleii asr, connecrion ro rle iesenr,
anu a osirive viev o rle uruie.
Bur, uesire osirive signs, mucl o rle culruial
ciearion raking lace ovei iecenr yeais aiounu rle
mosque, sclool, lome, anu camus las Leen virl-
our uiiecrion, conuseu, unconscious, oi, voise yer,
suLconsciously comelleu Ly iiiarional eais iooreu
in ignoiance o rle uominanr culruie anu a slallov,
aioclial unueisranuing o Islam as a counrei-culrui-
al iuenriry ieligion.

1le iesulrsesecially i mixeu

virl culruially ieuaroiy Islamisr iueologymay
look moie like a culruial no-man`s-lanu rlan rle
makings o a successul inuigenous Nuslim iuenriry.
Develomenr o a sounu Nuslim Ameiican
culruial iuenriry musr Le iesolurely unueiraken as a
conscious uisuir anu one o oui communiry`s viral
iioiiries. Ir is nor a ioLlem rlar vill soir our irsel

I/.o .aJ // Ca//a./ Ioo.//.

I/.o .aJ // Ca//a./ Ioo.//.

virl rime anu cannor Le ler ro uevelo on irs ovn Ly
ueaulr. Islam uoes nor meiely encouiage Lur iequiies
rle ciearion o a successul inuigenous Islamic culruie
in Ameiica anu sers uovn sounu aiamereis oi irs
oimarion anu giovrl. As ve rake on rlis commir-
menr, ve musr unueisranu rlar oui ievealeu lav anu
long lisroiy as a voilu civilizarion uo nor consrirure
Laiiieis in rle iocess Lur oei riemenuous iesouices
anu lariruue.
Vlat Is Culture:
Ir is commonlace ro iuenriy culruie virl ienneu
rasre oi ligl culruie like rle nne airs anu lumani-
ries. In rlis vein, Narrlev Ainolu soke o culruie as
rle Lesr rlar las Leen knovn anu saiu in rle voilu
anu rle lisroiy o rle luman siiir. Hovevei,
culruie as a mouein anrlioological concer anu as
rieareu in rlis aei ieeis ro rle enriie inregiareu ar-
rein o luman Lelavioi anu is immeasuiaLly Lioauei
rlan irs liglesr exiessions.

Beyonu vlar is uiely

insrincrive anu unleaineu, culruie goveins eveiyrling
aLour us anu even molus oui insrincrive acrions anu
naruial inclinarions. Ir is culruie rlar makes us riuly
luman, seaiaring eole iom animals, vlicl ie-
quenrly exliLir leaineu Lelavioi Lur lack oui caaciry
oi rle ciearion anu auararion o nev culruial oims.
Humankinu las Leen uenneu as rle seaking ani-
mal, rle olirical animal, rle ieligious animal,
anu so oirl. Bur seecl, olirics, ieligion, anu all es-
senrially luman riairs aie unuamenral comonenrs o
culruie, anu, vlarevei else ve may Le, lumankinu is,
nisr anu oiemosr, rle culruial animal.
Culruie veaves rogerlei rle aLiic o eveiyrling
ve value anu neeu ro knovLelies, moialiry, ex-
ecrarions, skills, anu knovleugegiving rlem unc-
rional exiession Ly inregiaring rlem inro eecrual
cusromaiy arreins. Culruie is iooreu in rle voilu o
exiession, language, anu symLol. Bur ir ielares also
ro rle mosr iourine acers o oui acrivirieslike uiess
anu cookinganu exrenus ai Leyonu rle munuane
inro ieligion, siiirualiry, anu rle ueeesr uimensions
o oui sycles. Culruie incluues socieral unuamen-
rals like rle iouucrion o oou anu uisriiLurion o
goous anu seivices, rle mannei in vlicl ve manage
Lusiness, Lanking, anu commeice, rle culrivarion o
science anu reclnology, anu all Liancles o leaining,
knovleuge, anu rlouglr. Iamily lie anu cusroms
suiiounuing Liirl, maiiiage, anu uearl immeuiarely
come ro minu as oLvious culruial elemenrs, Lur so roo
aie genuei ielarions, social laLirs, skills oi coing
virl lie`s ciicumsrances, roleiarion anu cooeiarion
oi rle lack o rlem, anu even socieral sueisriucruies
like olirical oiganizarion. A voiking uemociacy, oi
examle, is as mucl rle iuir o airiculai culruial
values anu civic laLirs as ir is rle ourgiovrl o con-
srirurions oi auminisriarive Louies. In oui mosques,
sclools, anu lomes, many uay-ro-uay aggiavarions
aie arenr examles o culruial uiscoiu anu conu-
sion. Oren, rley lave lirrle ro uo virl Islam jer
se Lur eveiyrling ro uo virl rle clasl o olu voilu
arriruues anu execrarionsoren aurloiiraiian anu
ariiaiclalvirl rle veiy uieienr luman comlexi-
ries, iealiries, anu neeus o oui sociery.
A key measuie oi evaluaring culruie is irs caac-
iry ro imair a unineu sense o sel anu communiry
anu consisrenr, vell-inregiareu arreins o Lelavioi.
A culruie is successul vlen ir imairs an oeia-
rive iuenriry, iouuces social colesion, anu gives irs
memLeis knovleuge anu social skills rlar emovei
rlem ro meer rleii inuiviuual anu social iequiiemenrs
eecrively.

Iuenriry anu social colesion aie unua-

menral ourgiovrls o culruie. Communiry anu sel-
uereiminarion also lang in rle Lalance o aclieving a
successul culruie. In rle aLsence o an inregiareu
anu uynamic Nuslim Ameiican culruie, ro seak o
ouiselves as consriruring a riue communiryuesire
oui immense inuiviuual ralenr anu laige anu gioving
numLeisoi Leing aLle someuay ro lay an eecrive

I/.o .aJ // Ca//a./ Ioo.//.

I/.o .aJ // Ca//a./ Ioo.//.

iole in civic lie oi olirics is lirrle moie rlan ileroiic
oi vislul rlinking.
By serring rle Lounuaiies o rle sel anu imair-
ing a sriong, unineu sense o iuenriry, a sounu Nuslim
Ameiican culruie voulu allov oi uynamic engage-
menr virl ouiselves anu rle voilu aiounu us. Ir voulu
also culrivare rle aLiliry ro coe virl comlex social
iealiries anu negoriare iouucrively rle vaiious ioles
vlicl lie in mouein sociery iequiie us ro lay, vlile
mainraining a unineu, uignineu, anu sel-assuieu sense
o vlo ve aie anu a consisrenr commirmenr ro rle val-
ues oi vlicl ve sranu. Peole can ieenr iom Lioken
iules Lur nor iom Lioken sycles. 1le ciearion o a
lealrly Nuslim Ameiican sycle is conringenr on rle
ciearion o a successul, vell-inregiareu inuigenous
culruie. A vell-inregiareu sycle anu unineu sense o
iuenriry make aurlenric Islamic ieligiosiry, riue siii-
rualiry, anu moial eiecrion a noimarive ossiLiliry
virlin rle Ameiican conrexr.
Besjecting Otler Cultures: A Sujrehe rcjletic
Sunna
1le Pioler Nulammau anu lis Comanions veie
nor ar vai virl rle voilu`s culruies anu erlniciries Lur
enreiraineu an lonesr, accommouaring, anu geneially
osirive viev o rle Lioau social enuovmenrs o orlei
eoles anu laces. 1le Pioler anu lis Comanions
uiu nor look uon luman culruie in reims o Llack anu
vlire, noi uiu rley uiasrically uiviue luman socieries
inro sleies o aLsolure goou anu aLsolure evil. Islam
uiu nor imose irselneirlei among AiaLs oi non-
AiaLsas an alien, culruially ieuaroiy voiluviev.
Rarlei, rle Pioleric message vas, iom rle ourser,
Laseu on rle uisrincrion Lerveen vlar vas goou,
Lenencial, anu aurlenrically luman in orlei culruies,
vlile seeking ro alrei only vlar vas cleaily ueriimen-
ral. Pioleric lav uiu nor Luin anu oLlireiare vlar
vas uisrincrive aLour orlei eoles Lur souglr insreau
ro iune, nuiruie, anu nouiisl, ciearing a osirive Is-
lamic synrlesis.
Nucl o vlar Lecame rle Pioler`s sunna (Pio-
leric mouel) vas maue u o acceraLle ie-Islamic
AiaL culruial noims, anu rle iincile o roleiaring
anu accommouaring sucl iacricesamong AiaLs
anu non-AiaLs alike in all rleii uiveisirymay Le
reimeu a suieme, oveiiiuing Pioleric sunna. In rlis
vein, rle noreu eaily juiisr, ALu Yusu unueisroou rle
iecognirion o goou, local culruial noims as alling
unuei rle iuLiic o rle sunna. 1le nreenrl-cenruiy
Gianauan juiisiuuenr ILn al-Navq airiculareu a
similai ourlook anu sriesseu, oi examle, rlar ir vas
nor rle uiose o Pioleric uiess coues ro iminge
uon rle culruial inregiiry o non-AiaL Nuslims,
vlo veie ar liLeiry ro uevelo oi mainrain rleii ovn
uisrincrive uiess virlin rle Lioau aiamereis o rle
sacieu lav.

1le Qui`an enjoineu rle Pioler Nulammau ro
auleie ro eole`s sounu cusroms anu usages anu rake
rlem as a unuamenral ieeience in legislarion: Ac-
cer |iom eole] vlar comes naruially |oi rlem].
Commanu vlar is cusromaiily |goou]. Anu ruin avay
iom rle ignoianr |virlour iesonuing in kinu].

ILn Ariyya, a ienovneu eaily Anualusian juiisr anu
Qui`anic commenraroi, asseireu rlar rle veise nor
only ulelu rle sancriry o inuigenous culruie Lur
gianreu sveeing valiuiry ro eveiyrling rle luman
leair iegaius as sounu anu Lenencial, as long as ir is
nor cleaily ieuuiareu in rle ievealeu lav. Ioi classical
Islamic juiisrs in geneial, rle veise vas oren cireu as
a majoi ioo-rexr oi rle animarion o sounu cul-
ruial usage, anu ir vas noreu rlar vlar eole genei-
ally ueem as ioei renus ro Le comariLle virl rleii
naruie anu enviionmenr, seiving essenrial neeus anu
valiu asiiarions.
1le sroiy o rle sons o Ainuaa amiliai
AiaLian linguisric ieeience ro Lrlioiansioviues
a relling illusriarion o rle lace o culruie (leie, o
couise, Black Aiican culruie) virlin rle Pioleric

I/.o .aJ // Ca//a./ Ioo.//.

I/.o .aJ // Ca//a./ Ioo.//.

uisensarion. In celeLiarion o an annual Islamic
ieligious esrival, a giou o Black Aiican conveirs
Legan ro Lear learlei uiums anu uance virl seais in
rle Pioler`s mosque. Umai iLn al-KlarrLone o
rle clie Comanionselr comelleu ro inreieie anu
sro rlem, Lur rle Pioler inreiveneu on rleii Lelal,
uiiecring Umai ro leave rlem alone anu noring ro lim
rlar rley veie rle sons o Ainua, rlar is, nor lis
eole. 1le Pioler invireu lis vie `isla ro varcl
rle uance, rook lei inro rle ciovu, anu lireu lei ovei
lis Lack, so rlar sle coulu varcl rlem cleaily as sle
eageily leaneu oivaiu, lei cleek iessing againsr lis.
1le Pioler maue ir a oinr ro uisel rle Lrlioians`
misgivings aLour Umai`s inriusion anu encouiageu
rlem ro uance vell anu, in one accounr o rlis aurlen-
ric sroiy, ieassuieu rlem ro kee u rleii uiumming
anu uancing, saying: Play youi games, sons o Ainua,
so rle ]evs anu Cliisrians knov rleie is lariruue in oui
ieligion.

1le Pioler`s inreivenrion ro sro Umai maue

ir cleai rlar rle Lrlioians veie nor ro Le juugeu Ly
Umai`s inuigenous AiaLian sranuaius oi maue ro
conoim ro rlem. 1le sons o Ainua lau rleii ovn
uisrincrive culruial rasres anu convenrional usages.
1le acr rlar rley lau emLiaceu Islam uiu nor mean
rley veie also iequiieu ro commir culruial aosrasy
oi Lecome suLseivienr ro AiaL cusroms. 1le Pioler
alloveu Nuslim AiaLs agency in rleii social exies-
sion anu exrenueu a similai iiglr ro non-AiaLs. By lis
animarion o rle sons o Ainua, le esraLlisleu an
oveiiiuing sunna anu aLiuing legal ieceuenr oi ie-
secring uieienr erlnic anu culruial riauirions anu ac-
knovleuging rle emorional neeus, rasres, anu culruial
inclinarions o all vlo emLiaceu lis reacling.
1le Pioler culrivareu oenness anu oLjecriv-
iry rovaiu orleisrlis vas also air o lis lesson ro
Umaianu sucl oenness enaLleu lis Comanions ro
acknovleuge rle goou in orlei culruies even vlen, as
vas rle case virl rle Byzanrine Cliisrians (al-Bh),
rley veie nor only losrile ro rle iise o Islamic ovei
on rleii sourlein lank Lur consrirureu Islam`s mosr
oimiuaLle enemy. Wlen ir vas ielareu ro Ami iLn
al-sa Comanion o rle Pioler anu vicroiious
commanuei in rle Byzanrine vaisrlar rle Pioler
lau iolesieu rlar al-Bh (secincally rle Byzan-
rines Lur unueisroou, in rlis conrexr, as a geneial ie-
eience ro Luioeans) voulu ieuominare ar rle enu o
rime, Ami iesonueu ro lis inoimei:
I, rlen, you lave ielareu rlis lonesrly, knov rlar rley
lave oui excellenr qualiries. 1ley aie rle mosr oiLeai-
ing o eole in rimes o uiscoiu. 1ley aie rle quickesr o
eole ro iecovei iom calamiry. 1ley aie rle mosr likely
o eole ro ienev an arrack arei ieriear. Anu rley aie
rle Lesr o eole rovaiu rle ooi, rle oilan, anu rle
veak. Ami rlen auueu: Anu rley lave a nrl arriiLure
vlicl is Lorl Leauriul anu excellenr: 1ley aie rle Lesr o
eole in clecking rle oiession o kings.

Ami uiev arrenrion ro rlose Luioean culruial

riairs vlicl le knev anu iegaiueu as Lorl comariLle
virl Islam`s erlos anu univeisally uesiiaLle as luman
qualiries. His iesonse uemonsriares lis unueisranu-
ing rlar rle uruie iominence o Wesreineis voulu
Le an ourgiovrl o rleii excerional culruial riairs,
vlicl lis minu immeuiarely Legan ro seaicl our arei
leaiing rle Pioler`s iolecy. Ioui came ar once
ro lis minu, anu rle nrl (rley aie rle Lesr o eole
in clecking rle oiession o kings) occuiieu as an
areirlouglr Lur vas cleaily iegaiueu among rle mosr
imoiranr (ir vas vieveu as Leauriul anu excel-
lenr).
Tle Cultural Ihjeratiie in Classical Islahic
]urisjruJence
Classical Islamic lav uiu nor seak o culruie jer
se, since ir is a mouein Lelavioial concer. Insreau,
rle lav ocuseu on vlar ve may call culruie`s mosr
rangiLle anu imoiranr comonenrs: cusrom (al-urf)
anu usage (al-Ja), vlicl all legal sclools iecognizeu
as essenrial ro rle ioei alicarion o rle lav, al-

I/.o .aJ // Ca//a./ Ioo.//.

I/.o .aJ // Ca//a./ Ioo.//.

rlougl uieiing on uennirions anu rleii measuie
o aurloiiry.

In Islamic juiisiuuence, al-urf anu

al-Ja connore rlose asecrs o local culruie vlicl
aie geneially iecognizeu as goou, Lenencial, oi meiely
laimless. In no sclool uiu iesecr oi culruie amounr
ro Llanker accerance.

Local culruie lau ro Le a-

iaiseu in reims o rle rianscenuenr noims o Islamic
lav, vlicl meanr rle iejecrion o aLloiienr iacrices
like rle ancienr Neuireiianean cusrom o lonoi kill-
ingsnov ieasseiring irsel in rle conrexr o conrem-
oiaiy culruial Lieakuovnoi, ar rle orlei exrieme,
rle sexual iomiscuiry ievalenr in mouein culruie.
One o Islamic lav`s nve univeisal maxims ue-
claieu: Culruial usage slall lave rle veiglr o lav.

1o iejecr sounu cusrom anu usage vas nor only coun-
reiiouucrive, ir Liouglr excessive uinculry anu un-
vaiianreu laim ro eole. Anorlei vell-knovn iin-
cile o Islamic juiisiuuence emlasizeu rlis acr anu
auviseu: Culruial usage is seconu naruie, Ly vlicl
ir imlieu rlar ir is as uinculr oi eole ro go againsr
rleii esraLlisleu cusroms as ir is oi rlem ro uey rleii
insrincrive naruies. Consequenrly, vise alicarion o
rle lav iequiieu Lioau accommouarion o local noims,
vlicl sloulu Le alreieu oi oLsriucreu only vlen aLso-
lurely necessaiy. Being arrenrive ro local noims imlies
meering eole lalvay anu leaus necessaiily ro Lioau
culruial iesemLlance. In rlis iegaiu, Islamic juiisiu-
uence uisringuisleu Lerveen suLseivienr imirarion o
orleis (taslabbul), vlicl ielecrs a ioLlemaric sense
o one`s ovn iuenriry anu vas geneially iegaiueu as
oiLiuuen oi ieielensiLle, anu rle meie acr o our-
vaiu iesemLlance (huslbala), vlicl vas iequiieu,
iecommenuaLle, oi simly neurial as rle case may
Le.

ALu al-WallL al-Bagluu, a amous juuge anu

legal aurloiiry o rle elevenrl cenruiy, ueclaieu: 1le
iejecrion o culruial usage las no meaning ar all. 1o
ollov sounu cusrom is an oLligarion. Al-Saiakls,
a noreu juiisconsulr o rle same eocl, emlasizeu:
Wlarevei is esraLlisleu Ly sounu cusrom is equally
vell esraLlisleu Ly sounu legal ioo, meaning rlar
Islamic lav imlicirly enuoises all goou asecrs o local
culruie. 1le amous ouireenrl-cenruiy Gianauan ju-
iisconsulr, al-SlriL unquesrionaLly one o rle mosr
Liillianr minus in Islamic legal lisroiycaurioneu rlar
juiisric incomerence coulu imose no uinculry uon
a eole laislei rlan ro iequiie rlem ro ieuuiare
rleii sounu local cusroms anu convenrional usage. By
conriasr, le insisreu rlar rle air o lanuing uovn legal
juugmenrs in laimony virl rle goou asecrs o local
culruie ulnlleu rle unuamenral Islamic legal oLjecrive
o Lurriessing sociery`s geneial vell-Leing. In rle same
siiir, a larei juuicial aurloiiry, al-1usul, asseireu:
Alloving rle eole ro ollov rleii cusroms, usages,
anu geneial asiiarions in lie is oLligaroiy. 1o lanu
uovn iulings in oosirion ro rlis is gioss ueviarion
anu ryianny.
1imes clange, anu viaLle culruies auar. Ir vas a
marrei o consensus among Islamic legal rlinkeis rlar
rle legal juugmenrs o eailiei rimes lau ro Le Liouglr
unuei consranr ieviev ro insuie rlar rley iemaineu in
keeing virl rle rimes. A sranuaiu legal aloiism ue-
claieu: Ler no one ieuuiare rle clange o iulings virl
rle clange o rimes. By rle same roken, Islamic legal
consensus ienounceu meclanical alicarion o rle
lav rliougl unrlinking ieireiarion o sranuaiu rexrs.
1le eminenr ninereenrl-cenruiy Syiian legal sclolai
ILn Liun vaineu rlar any juiisr vlo lelu unLenu-
ingly ro rle sranuaiu legal uecisions o lis sclool virl-
our iegaiu ro clanging rimes anu ciicumsrances voulu
necessaiily oLlireiare unuamenral iiglrs anu exrensive
Lenenrs, Liinging aLour laim ai exceeuing any goou
le miglr ossiLly aclieve. ILn Liun asseireu uirlei
rlar sucl Llinuness consrirureu norling less rlan o-
iession anu gioss injusrice.
Al-Qai, a ienovneu rliireenrl-cenruiy juiisr,
ueclaieu similaily:
Peisons lanuing uovn legal juugmenrs vlile auleiing

I/.o .aJ // Ca//a./ Ioo.//.

I/.o .aJ // Ca//a./ Ioo.//.

Llinuly ro rle rexrs in rleii Looks virlour iegaiu oi rle
culruial iealiries o rleii eole aie in gioss eiioi. 1ley
acr in conriauicrion ro esraLlisleu legal consensus anu aie
guilry o iniquiry anu uisoLeuience Leoie Gou, laving no
excuse uesire rleii ignoiance, oi rley lave raken uon
rlemselves rle air o issuing legal iulings virlour Leing
voirly o rlar iacrice.. 1leii Llinu auleience ro vlar
is viirren uovn in rle legal comenuia is misguiuance in
rle ieligion o Islam anu urrei ignoiance o rle ulrimare
oLjecrives Lelinu rle iulings o rle eailiei sclolais anu
giear eisonages o rle asr vlom rley claim ro Le imi-
raring.
1lese voius iesounueu vell in rle eais o ILn
Qayyim, a giear juiisconsulr anu sclolai o rle olloving
cenruiy, vlo commenueu al-Qai Ly saying:
1lis is uie unueisranuing o rle lav. Wloevei issues
legal iulings ro rle eole meiely on rle Lasis o vlar
is riansmirreu in rle comenuia uesire uieiences in
rleii cusroms, usages, rimes, laces, conuirions, anu rle
secial ciicumsrances o rleii siruarions las gone asriay
anu leaus orleis asriay. His ciime againsr rle ieligion is
giearei rlan rle ciime o a lysician vlo gives eole
meuical iesciirions virlour iegaiu ro rle uieiences o
rleii climes, noims, rle rimes rley live in, anu rleii lysi-
cal naruies Lur meiely in accoiu virl vlar le nnus viir-
ren uovn in some meuical Look aLour eole virl similai
anaromies. He is an ignoianr lysician, Lur rle orlei is
an ignoianr juiisconsulr Lur mucl moie ueriimenral.

Beecting cn Islahic Cultural Histcry

Uniry in culruial uiveisiry vas rle lallmaik o ria-
uirional Islamic socieries. ILn Barura, rle ienovneu
ouireenrl-cenruiy Noioccan voilu riavelei, ria-
veiseu ovei rvice as mucl reiiiroiy as Naico Polo, lis
oluei Luioean conremoiaiy, vlo, in lis celeLiareu
exeuirion, ounu limsel in an essenrially alien voilu
only a ev-uays` uisrance iom lis narive Venice. ILn
Barura, Ly conriasr, laiuly evei ler Lelinu rle Islamic
culruial zone amiliai ro lim. Lven vlen lis riavels
rook lim as ai anelu as rle leair o Clina, rle Inuian
Ocean islanus, anu suL-Salaian Aiica, le geneially
elr ar lome. Desire rleii uisrincrive local coloi, rle
Nuslim socieries le virnesseu ielecreu riauirional
Islam`s culruial insrincr oi Lalancing iegional uivei-
siry virlin rle oveiiiuing iamevoik o rle ievealeu
lav`s rianscenuenral uniry.
On rle mareiial lane, Islamic aiclirecruie exem-
lines rle same siiir o uniry in uiveisiry. 1le Piol-
er`s mosque vas mouesr anu iusric virl neirlei uome
noi minaierLorl larei iegional accierionsLur ir
ioviueu rle unueilying iueas anu Lasic uioses
inoiming rle siiir so eleganrly exiesseu in rle
mosques o larei Islamic civilizarion. In all iegions,
rle giear mosques o Islam rianslareu uncrionaliry
inro Leaury in a mannei suiraLle ro rleii lysical en-
viionmenrs anu culruial conrexrs. 1ley gave ullness
ro srone, voou, anu orlei mareiials Ly Loiioving
Lasic moris iom local riauirions anu riansoiming
rlem inro eilanies o liglr anu easily iecognizaLle
iecincrs o sacieu sace. Anualusian anu oirl
Aiican mosques giaceully comLineu elemenrs o
rle narive Roman Lasilica virl Visigorlic elemenrs
like rle loisesloe aicl. 1le Orromans auoreu rle
lory uomeu sriucruies anu Lasic ourlay o inuigenous
Gieek cluicles along virl encil-rlin, oLelisk-like
minaiers Laseu on narive Anarolian rlemes. In Clina,
rle mosque Liillianrly incoioiareu ancienr Clinese
symLolism o rle sacieu, vlile rle mosques o Lasr
anu Wesr Aiica caruieu a uisrincrly Aiican siiir in
local mareiials. In a similai vein, rle mosque-like 1aj
Nalal lavlessly Llenueu Inuian anu Peisianare ele-
menrs ro Lecome one o rle mosr successul culruial
sraremenrs o Nuslim Inuia, so eecrively exiessing
rle suL-conrinenral erlos rlar ir Lecame rle symLol o
Inuia aiounu rle voilu.
1le ancienr Islamic culruie o erlnic Clinese
Nuslims (rle Hui) is esecially insriucrive oi us in
Ameiica rouay, since ir louiisleu virlin rle connnes
o a consummarely Liillianr non-Nuslim civilizarion.
Clinese Nuslim culruie emoveieu rle Hui syclo-
logically, alloving rlem ro mainrain a unineu sense
o sel, rake inreiierarive conriol o rleii airl, anu

I/.o .aJ // Ca//a./ Ioo.//.

I/.o .aJ // Ca//a./ Ioo.//.

voik our an aurlenric Islamic sel-uennirion, vlicl
vas ar once aurlenrically Nuslim Lur oen ro rle Cli-
nese erlos aiounu rlem. Clinese Nuslim culruie uiu
nor uevelo Ly clance Lur enlisreu some o rle mosr
ciearive o Clinese Nuslim minus. Ir rook rle iicl ria-
uirions o Ancienr Clina ully inro accounr, uenning
Nuslims anu airicularing Islam in a mannei inrelligiLle
anu iesecraLle ro rlose aiounu rlem.
Clinese civilizarion culrivareu calligialy, anu Cli-
nese Nuslims rook caie ro ieseive rlar legacy, vlile
ueveloing rleii ovn Liusl-ainreu anu ieeu-viirren
AiaLic calligialic sryles, oren using Clinese on rle
same insciirion ro rianslare rle AiaLic. Uon enreiing
a Clinese mosque, oi examle, one may encounrei
a iominenr insciirion virl rle iueogiams li tin
gu jiac (rle iimoiuial ieligion iom rle voilu`s Le-
ginning). Insreau o calling rleii airl yisilan jiac (rle
ieligion o Islam)a oieign sounuing anu essenrially
meaningless consriucrion ro narive Clinese eaisCli-
nese Nuslim culruie close ro name Islam in a mannei
Lorl inrelligiLle anu inriiguing oi orlei Clinese: qng
zle n jiac (rle ieligion o rle uie anu ieal). 1le voius
imlieu rlar Islam vas nor alien ro rleii eole`s leg-
acy Lur Lelongeu ro rle veiy erlos o Ancienr Clina,
ieiesenring rle Lesr o irs ieligious anu lilosolical
riauirions. _ng (uie) imlieu rlar Islam vas luciu
anu uie, ieuicareu uon ourvaiu uiiry anu invaiu
uiincarion, sel-uisciline, anu rle iemoval o selnsl
uelusion anu uesiie. Zle n (ieal) asseireu rlar Islamic
reaclings emLouieu ereinal, unclanging riurlsrle
rimeless univeisals rlar lau ieoccuieu rle Clinese
riauirion oi millenniaanu rlar Nuslims culrivareu
rle naruial sel anu souglr ro live Ly sucl riurls in a
mannei rlar vas genuine anu uneigneu.
Unlike Clina, Nuslims along rle Lasr Aiican coasr
uiu nor encounrei an ancienr civilizarion virl an esraL-
lisleu lireiaiy riauirion Lur riiLes anu eoles veuueu
ro rle Leaury o rleii narive Banru rongue, vlicl Lasr
Aiican Nuslims auoreu as rleii ovn anu voikeu
inro a oveiul culruial velicle oi Islam, ciearing rle
Svalili language (al-saulliyya: rle language o rle
coasral aieas). Ovei rle cenruiies, Svalili-seaking
Nuslims iouuceu a voluminous anu srunning lireia-
ruie, ianking as one o rle voilu`s iiclesr, vlicl ro
rlis uay las nor yer Leen ully caralogueu.
Like orleis, Svalili-seaking Nuslims rook iiue
in classical AiaLic, culrivareu ir ully, anu gave ir
ueseiveu iominence, esecially in rle reacling anu
iecirarion o rle Qui`an. Bur rley caieully emloyeu
Svalili oi all ieligious knovleuge anu orlei culruial
uioses, ciearing a Svalili inrelligenrsia rliouglour
rle coasral iim, vlicl cauglr ILn Barura`s arrenrion
uuiing lis visir. 1o Le a Nuslim in Lasr Aiica meanr
ro masrei rle Svalili rongue, rake on Svalili Nuslim
culruie, anu enrei inro Svaliliuom (Usull). Iacil-
iry in Svaliliesecially ar rle lireiaiy levelLecame
cenrial ro ull social inregiarion anu rle quinressence
o Leing civilizeu. Nuslims iom aLioau vlo lau
nor masreieu Svalililike ILn Baruraveie vel-
comeu as lonoieu guesrs Lur veie nor uenye j (among
rlose vlo Lelong), alrlougl rley coulu quickly eain
rlar uisrincrion uon masreiy o rle Banru rongue.
Svaliliuom inregiareu ceirain moues o Lelavioi inro
local Nuslim iuenriry, esecially eisonal uigniry ex-
iesseu in olireness anu goou comoirmenr. Svali-
liuom ensliineu qualiries like arience, kinuness, anu
unueisranuing. Imarience, quickness ro angei, anu
gieeuqualiries rlar rle Svalili Nuslims ieauily iuen-
rineu in Poiruguese sailois uon rleii nisr sixreenrl-
cenruiy colonialisr encioaclmenrsveie iuenrineu as
juvenile, uncivilizeu, anu un-Svalili, roleiaLle in
cliluien Lur ouious in auulrs.
Inrelligenr use o inuigenous language las Leen an
asecr o Nuslim culruie vleievei ir louiisleu. One
nnus rle arrein ieeareuly in Wesr Aiica, vleie Is-
lamic culruie, in irs eailiesr srages, oimeu aiounu rle
iesilienr culruial insrirurion anu agiaiian-Laseu coio-
iare enriry o rle Nanuingo (Nanue-Dyula) riauing

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I/.o .aJ // Ca//a./ Ioo.//.

village. Like rle Nuslims o rle Svalili Rim, rlose o
Wesr Aiica culrivareu classical AiaLic Lur uiev conn-
uenrly uon rle iicl rieasuiy o iegional rongues like
Nanuingo, IulLe, anu Hausa, riansoiming rlem inro
oveiul socio-culruial meuiums.
Hausa-seaking Nuslims culrivareu rleii language
ar all levels iom olkloie anu oulai song ro eleganr
oeriy anu ienneu acauemic language. Oui inuigenous
rales o B`iei RaLLir anu B`iei Iox, arei laving miiac-
ulously suiviveu rle Niuule Passage o rle rians-Arlan-
ric slave riaue, leaiken Lack ro rle uLiquirous animal
sroiies o Wesr Aiican olkloie. 1lese olkrales veie
ancienr, somerimes uaring Lack ro rle eolirlic eiiou,
rlousanus o yeais Leoie Cliisr. Consequenrly, rley
conraineu ciearion myrls anu cosmologies imLueu
virl animisric values anu Lelies. Insreau o iejecring
rle rales, Nuslims ierolu rlem Ly auoring Auta (rle
LaLy o rle amily), a iimaiy claiacrei vlo, like rle
Iicn King, is ryically rle oLjecr o envy Lur ulrimarely
vins our ovei lis enemies Ly viirue o Lasic goouness,
Llessing, anu goou oirune. 1ley riansoimeu rle
LaLy o rle amily inro an Islamic culruial leio, vlo
consrirureu a iole mouel, ieiesenreu Islamic noims,
anu leleu ioneei rle consriucrion o an inregiareu
vision o an inuigenous Wesr Aiican Nuslim culruie.
Poulai sroiies anu simle uiuacric oems like 1le
Song o Olu Reu Iion Legs viviuly oiriayeu rle rleo-
logical iealiries o rle Resuiiecrion, ]uugmenr, rle Iiie,
anu rle Gaiuen. Hausa-seakeis urilizeu orlei oeric
genies ro sing rle iaise o rle Pioler Nulammau.
A luciu Hausa iuiom vas useu oi secial legal rexrs,
vlicl veie sruuieu in auuirion ro sranuaiu AiaLic
comenuia anu conraineu iesonses ro unuamenrally
Wesr Aiican culruial conceins nor rieareu in AiaLic,
vlile a moie liglly ienneu Hausa vas ueveloeu ro
airiculare rle ienneu concers o Islamic rleology anu
rleosolical mysricism.
niisicning a Viable Muslih Aherican Culture
As along Aiica`s Svalili Rim anu elsevleie in rle ria-
uirional Nuslim voilu, Islam in Ameiica musr Lecome
uenye j, somerling Lelonging leie. Ir musr Le inuig-
enousnor in rle sense o losing iuenriry rliougl roral
assimilarion oi o Leing rle exclusive ioeiry o rle
narive-LoinLur in rle voiu`s oiiginal sense, namely,
Leing naruial, envisioneu, anu Loin iom virlin. Re-
gaiuless o Liirllace, Nuslim Ameiicans Lecome in-
uigenous once rley riuly Lelong. Islam in Ameiica Le-
comes inuigenous Ly aslioning an inregiareu culruial
iuenriry rlar is comoiraLle virl irsel anu uncrions
naruially in rle voilu aiounu ir.
Builuing a successul inuigenous Nuslim culruie
cannor Le ler ro occui lalazaiuly, unconsciously, oi
virlour uiiecrion. 1le iocess iequiies uee knovl-
euge o Islam, lisroiy, rle lumaniries, anu social sci-
ences anu musr Le Laseu on cognizance o lov viaLle
culruial riauirions aie oimeu. Ir musr enlisr rle mosr
gireu anu iesouiceul men anu vomen in oui com-
muniry anu liLeiare oui Islamic culruial imaginarion.
Consriucring a sounu Nuslim Ameiican culruie ie-
quiies raking inro accounr vlar is alieauy esraLlisleu,
esecially rle communiry`s successul iniriarives.
Piomising uiiecrions musr Le iuenrineu anu misrakes
iecrineu. Nanaging rle mosque suL-culruie is rle Lig-
gesr clallenge, since ir las alieauy Lecome seconu
naruie oi a vocal minoiiry anu uinculr ro ieoiienr,
uesire rle acr rlar ir alienares a suLsranrial air o rle
communiry.
We musr Le iouuceis o culruie, nor assive con-
sumeis o ir. A successul Nuslim Ameiican culruie
musr ioviue syclological sace oi all consriruenrs
o oui liglly lereiogeneous communiry, raking on a
cosmooliran casr iom rle ourser like a narionviue
eacock`s rail ielecring oui iicl inreinal uiveisiry. One
size uoes nor nr all. Culruially seaking, vlar is iiglr
oi rle suLuiLs may nor Le iiglr oi rle innei ciry.
Wlar suirs Aiican-Ameiican oi Asian-Ameiican iuen-

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I/.o .aJ // Ca//a./ Ioo.//.

riry may nor alvays suir orleis. Bur ro emLiace all
anu osrei a riue sense o conrinuiry anu communiry
among us, oui culruie musr auuiess Islam`s rianscen-
uenr anu univeisal values, vlile consriucring a Lioau
narional mariix rlar nrs all like a masrei key, uesire
erlnic, class, anu social Lackgiounu. 1lis oveiaicl-
ing culruial remlare musr allor geneious suL-giou
sace oi eacl inuiviuual enriry ro osrei irs ovn
sel-image anu unique culruial exiession. Ir musr
acilirare uynamic inreinal uiveisiry, vlile iomoring
murual unueisranuing among gious, cioss-culruial
communicarion, anu inreiairl cooeiarion virl rle
laigei Ameiican sociery. In uiaving uon rle eirile
iesouices o rle Ameiican culruial legacy, ve musr ay
secial leeu ro rle iicl anu oren neglecreu leiirage o
arive Ameiicans anu Hisanics as vell as Anglo- anu
Aiican-Ameiicans.
A successul Nuslim Ameiican culruie voulu
iouuce mosques vlicllike rlose o rle riauirional
Islamic voiluexiess ully rle univeisal iuea o rle
mosque in consonance virl Islamic rianscenuenral
noims vlile ciearing Ameiican sacieu sace in laimo-
ny virl an inuigenous erlos anu noimarive aesrleric
sense. We sloulu esraLlisl secial clinics anu losirals
in rle Lesr riauirion o rle meuical enuovmenrs o Is-
lamic civilizarion anu orlei insrirurions rlar meer oui
communal neeus anu ieacl our ro Ameiican sociery
rliougl Lenencial social anu civic seivices. Counsel-
ing is cenrial ro rle Islamic riauirion, anu ve sloulu
Lecome acrive airicianrs in rle seaicl oi solurions
ro suLsrance aLuse, syclological uisoiuei, uomesric
violence, anu similai enuemic ioLlems in mouein so-
ciery. We musr uevelo a solisricareu culruie o uiiecr
olirical involvemenr, esecially ar rle giass ioors level
anu voiking uvaiu. Oui gioving euucarional insri-
rurions sloulu osrei sounu culruial exiession, vlile
Leing uesigneu ro meer all oui euucarional neeus. We
musr iogiess Leyonu oui oren myoic ocus on io-
essional caieeisgeneially scienrinc anu meuicalro
assuie rle iouucrion o aurlenric Islamic sclolais anu
qualineu ieligious leaueis.
1le Islamic legal riauirion musr nor Le seen as a
iogiam o ueraileu ioliLirions anu inliLirions Lur
maue ielevanr ro rle uay-ro-uay imeiarives o oui
lives virl an eye ro osreiing osirive iuenriry anu uy-
namic inregiarion inro Ameiican sociery. We cannor
iemain riue ro rle sacieu lav, i ve aie unaLle ro see
rle oiesr oi rle riees. Wlile culrivaring solisricareu
knovleuge o rle AiaLic rongue, velike orlei non-
AiaL Nuslim culruies Leoie usmusr emLiace oui
inuigenous rongue, rle Lnglisl language, anu make ir
rle iimaiy velicle o oui culruie. We musr conrinue
ro uevelo lumoi anu vaiious lireiaiy anu musical
oims Lur also culrivare nlmesecially lisroiical nc-
rionrlearei, anu air, incluuing inreiioi uecoiaring
anu aslion uesign. Nuslim Ameiicans lave alieauy
maue a name oi rlemselves in soirs anu sloulu con-
rinue ro ioviue excellenr iole mouels oi ouiselves
anu orleis. 1le ull Lieaurl o oui ieligion, lisroiy,
anu inrellecrual riauirion musr Le maue accessiLle in
skilleu Lnglisl rianslarions virl commenraiies anu
caieully ieseaicleu seconuaiy sruuies. Nuslims al-
ieauy conriiLure ro Ameiican acauemic lie, vlicl
musr conrinue in all nelus Lur esecially Islamic sruu-
ies, anrlioology, sociology, syclology, rle lumani-
ries, anu orlei uiscilines rlar ioviue rle vleievirlal
oi rle ciearive uevelomenr o inuigenous culruie.
Culruial uevelomenr musr Le inrenrional anu io-
acrive, ocuseu on cleai anu valiu goals virl a conciere
vision o lov ro arrain rlem. We aie inunuareu Ly lan-
guage, symLols, iueas, anu reclnology, none o vlicl
is neurial. We musr uenne vleie ve sranu virl iegaiu
ro rlem anu auor aioiiare inrellecrual anu Lelav-
ioial iesonses, i ve aie ro Le clamions anu nor vic-
rims. Beyonu rle Luiluing o moie mosques anu insri-
rurions, oui iimaiy oLjecr musr Le rle consrirurion o
a unineu sel, congenial anu sel-assuieu, culruially anu
Islamically lireiare, caaLle nor jusr o Leing a iouuc-

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I/.o .aJ // Ca//a./ Ioo.//.

rive cirizen anu conriiLuroi ro sociery Lur a leauei o
rle culruial vanguaiu in Ameiica. Culruie is inregiareu
Lelavioi, anu a viaLle Nuslim Ameiican culruie musr
iouuce ully inregiareu arreins o rlouglr anu Le-
lavioi rlar eimir a unineu culruial eisona, aLle ro
negoriare moueiniry anu riauirion ieely anu move e-
ecrively among rle comlexiries o rouay`s sociery. A
successul culruie goes ro Lar oi irs airicianrs Ly
imairing social skills anu a oveiul caaciry ro ie-
sonu ro nev siruarions. (A eison ieaieu in a culruie
valuing geneiosiry, oi examle, knovs lov ro ieceive
guesrs even i rley aiiive ar rle miuule o rle niglr.) By
enaLling us ro auvance Leyonu uay-ro-uay ioLlems
anu issues o iuenriry, a successul Nuslim Ameiican
culruie voulu geneiare geneious syclological sace,
ieeing us ro ocus on rle mosr imoiranr conceins o
exisrence anu civilizeu uevelomenr.
Culruie enaLles us ro Le comoiraLle virl vlo,
vleie, anu vlar ve aie. Nuslim Ameiicans vlo aie
comoiraLle virl Leing rlemselves lave raken rle nisr
majoi sre in Lecoming iole mouels oi rleii cliluien
anu orleis anu iauiare a sense o uiiecrion anu cieui-
Liliry. Iuenriries rlar aie iooreu in uee culruial conria-
uicrion aie easily rliovn inro srares o conusion anu
uouLr. 1iue ieligiosiry anu uee siiirualiry iequiie
innei consisrency anu sraLiliry, vlicl aie only os-
siLle virlin a sounu culruial nexus. Wlen auulrs aie
conuseu aLour rlemselves anu live conriauicroiy lie-
srylesone eisona ar voik, anorlei ar lomerley
can lave lirrle o value ro imair ro rleii cliluien, vlo
aie likely ro Le even moie conuseu aLour vlo rley
aie, a eiilous srare o aaiis in rouay`s yourl culruie.
Beyonu iuenriry oimarion, a successul Nuslim
Ameiican culruie voulu seive as rle Lasis o social
uevelomenr anu communal sel-uereiminarion. Bur
rlis iequiies nor only raking inreiierive conriol o oui
ieligion, ouiselves, anu oui communiry Lur uevelo-
ing a lealrly social-syclology rlar ioviues aurloi-
iry virlour aurloiiraiianism, conrinuiry anu riauirion
virlour Llinu conoimiry. A successul Nuslim Ameii-
can social-syclology musr Le ar rle cenrei o oui cul-
ruie jusr as ir is ar rle coie o rle mosr successul social
classes aiounu us. Oui social-syclology musr allov
oi rle ull anu uynamic airiciarion o Lorl genueis
on an equal ooring. Ir musr Le genuinely riansaienr,
iuenriy ioLlems lonesrly, acilirare uiscouise, anu
seek ieal solurions on rle Lasis o murual iesecr, co-
oeiarion, anu collecrive rlinking, lealrlily iooreu in
rle asr virl an inrelligenr vision o rle uruie.

Nany in oui communiry rouay look askance ar culruie

Lur virl only rle vaguesr norions o vlar culruie acru-
ally is anu rle unuamenral iole ir lays in luman exis-
rence. Ioi rlem, culruie is a loaueu voiu, somerling
uangeious, inleienrly ioLlemaric, anu un-Islamic
(a ueely ingiariareu Islamisr neologism). Culruie,
oi rlem, is a roxic olluranr rlar musr necessaiily Le
uigeu, since Islam anu culruie aie murually exclusive
in rleii minus. Some oolislly oi alisroiically iegaiu
Islamic culruielegacies like rle 1aj Nalal, oi ex-
amlero lave Leen clie causes o Nuslim uecline
anu all in lisroiy. 1leii minuser ielecrs rle geneial
malaise o rle mouein eiiou anu rle Lieakuovn o
riauirional Nuslim culruies, leaving clionic exisrenrial
alienarion anu culruial uysuncrion in irs vake. Sucl
culruial loLia is unrenaLle in rle liglr o classical
Islamic juiisiuuence anu is anrirlerical ro moie rlan
a millennium o successul inuigenous Islamic culruies
anu gloLal civilizarion.
We musr insisr uon rle riauirional visuom o
Islamic lav anu ueconsriucr rle counrei-culruial aia-
noia among us. Bur, i rle counrei-culruial iuenriry
ieligion unconsciously ueveloing aiounu many o
oui mosques, sclools, lomes, anu college camuses is
nor Liouglr unuei conriol anu ieuiiecreu, ir vill im-
eiil rle giovrl o Islam in Ameiica. As oi rlose im-
meiseu in rlis counrei-culruial aiauigm, exlicarion

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I/.o .aJ // Ca//a./ Ioo.//.

o Islam`s culruially iienuly juiisiuuence anu ralk
o ciearing a Nuslim Ameiican culruie oren avakens
uee anxieries, suLconscious eais, anu imlacaLle
misgivings. Assuiance rlar Islamic lav sers uovn a-
iamereis oi inuigenous culruial giovrl iaiely allays
rleii aielensions, Lecause rley aie iooreu nor in ia-
rionaliry Lur a suLsriarum o rle suLconscious rlar las
Leen riaineuoren since cliluloouin rle ueecrive
iueas anu alse univeisals o an alien iueology.
Ciearing a sounu Nuslim Ameiican iuenriry is a
uinculr anu lazaiuous unueiraking anu iequiies ei-
sonal inregiiry as vell as knovleuge anu unueisranu-
ing. Bur rleie can Le no sae ieriear iom rle rask, anu
rle uangeis o ailuie aie uevasraringly giear. Iailuie
ro osrei a successul Nuslim Ameiican culruie voulu
nor only rliearen oui conrinueu exisrence Lur consri-
rure an inexcusaLle Leriayal o rle uivine riusr anu
unique lisroiical ooiruniry ve lave ro make Islam
voik in Ameiica. Oui sacieu lav iequiies us ro unuei-
rake rle rask. 1le voik Leoie us is a marrei o riue
ijtilJ, moial commirmenr, anu uynamic cieariviry. In
rle siiir o rle giear juiisrs o rle asr, any ailuie on
oui air voulu consrirure iniquiry anu uisoLeuience
Leoie Gou, excer rlar, in oui case, rle gioss ei-
ioi ve commir eirains nor ro an isolareu legal iuling
anu a ev inuiviuual cases Lur rle iuin o an enriie
communiry. A amous Nanuingo auage srares: 1le
voilu is olu, Lur rle uruie siings iom rle asr. We
musr engenuei a Nuslim Ameiican culruie rlar gives
us rle ieeuom ro Le ouiselves. Anu ro Le ouiselves, ve
musr lave a ioei sense o conrinuiry virl vlar las
Leen, is, anu is likely ro Le. Only in rle conrexr o a vi-
aLle culruial iesence can ve loe oi a Liiglr Nuslim
Ameiican uruie ro siing oivaiu iom rle iiclness o
oui asr.

NOTS
Islamisr sloulu nor Le conuseu virl Islamic oi
exriemisr. I use ir ro ieei ro vaiious liglly oliricizeu
rvenrierl-cenruiy ievivalisr movemenrs virl essenrialisr
inreiierarions o Islam, geneially auvocaring airiculai
srare anu airy enus as Islam`s clie oi viirually unique
ocus. Islamisrs renu rovaiu lireialism Lur selecrively
ieriieve rle rexrs rley ollov, oren conriavening vell-
esraLlisleu inreiierarions virlin Islam`s sclolaily riaui-
rion. As culruially ieuaroiy as rley oren aie iegaiuing
riauirional Islamic anu mouein lumanisric culruie, rleii
geneial arriruue rovaiu culruie enrails rle giave oveisiglr
o looking uon mouein reclnology as culruially neu-
rial virlour auuiessing irs sociological unueiinnings,
esecially rle imlicarions o rle skills, assumrions, anu
execrarions iequiieu ro iouuce ir.
. 1le uevelomenr o suL-culruies virlin rle Lioau
culruial mariix is naruial, anu mainsrieam culruies oren
iouuce viaLle suL-culruies. Ioi some eole anu cei-
rain gious, a lealrly culruial iuenriry is only ossiLle
rliougl Lelonging ro an aioiiare suL-culruie oi aili-
aring virl a giou o suL-culruies virlin rle mainsrieam.
In liglr o rle giear lereiogeneiry o oui communiry, rle
oveiall icruie o a uncrional Nuslim Ameiican culruie
iequiies sounu cooiuinarion Lerveen an oveiaicling cul-
ruial mariix anu a vaiiery o inregial suL-culruial moues.
. Counrei-culruie is likely ro Liing ro minu rle s`
Ameiican counrei-culruie. 1le counrei-culruie I lave
in minu, lovevei, is moie like rlar o rle meuieval ILe-
iian liJalgc (lireially, son o somerling)lovei Cas-
rilian noLiliryvlicl layeu an imoiranr iole nor only
in rle uesriucrion o rle ]evs anu Nuslims o ILeiia anu
arive Ameiicans o rle ev Woilu Lur in rle uevelo-
menr o Wesrein iacism anu narionalism. HiJalgc iuen-
riry vas iooreu in rle negarion o rle Orlei, esecially rle
]evisl anu Nuslim Orlei in Nuslim Sain anu Poirugal.
1le liJalgc class ueineu irsel nor so mucl in reims o
vlar ir uas as vlar ir uas nct. A liJalgc vas inriinsi-
cally noLle Lecause le vas neirlei ]ev noi Nuslim anu
slunneu occuarions anu ciars associareu virl rlem.
Ameiica`s s` counrei-culruie vas osirive in rlar ir
asseireu rle lumaniry o rle Orlei, oi examle, Blacks,
arive Ameiicans, anu rle Viernamese. HiJalgc coun-
rei-culruie, on rle orlei lanu, vas ieuicareu uon rle
iz
I/.o .aJ // Ca//a./ Ioo.//.
ij
I/.o .aJ // Ca//a./ Ioo.//.
uenial o rle Orlei`s lumaniry anu, consequenrly, vas
culruially ieuaroiy anu orenrially genociual.
. 1leie is no univeisal agieemenr among anrlioologisrs
on rle meaning o culruie. Given culruie`s genesis in
rle conrexr o Wesrein colonialism, rle reim las lau
a cleckeieu lisroiy anu oren uuLious associarion virl
issues o ovei anu uisaiiry, culruial uominarion, iace
anu iacism. 1iauirionally, rle anrlioological enreiiise
venr lanu in lanu virl colonial exansion ar rle exense
o inuigenous eoles, vlicl vas oren acilirareu Ly rle
sruuy o rleii culruies, anu rlis Lecame a unuamenral
concein o rle ielu uuiing rle i,6os anu i,;os. 1ouay,
mainsrieam anrlioologisrs aie caurious aLour invoking
culruie in issues ielareu ro ovei, uisaiiry, anu similai
marreis.
j. Culruie jer se can Le anyrling anu las no seciic con-
renr. A culruie sloulu Le juugeu on irs ovn reims anu
is successul in reims o vlar ir vanrs ro aclieve. I, oi
examle, oui goal as Nuslims in Ameiica is ro uncrion
eecrively in Ameiican sociery virl a uniieu sense o
iuenriry, rlen rle success o oui culruie vill Le measuieu
in reims o lov vell ve accomlisl sucl uioses.
6. I am inueLreu ro my oimei colleagues anu reacleis
Slaykl ALuallal Len Bayyal anu Di. Klaluun al-AluaL,
mosr classical ieeiences aie raken iom my iienu,
colleague, anu oimei sruuenr, Di. uil ALu al-Quii
Qura, Al-Urf, z vols., (Necca: al-NakraLa al-Nakkiyya,
i,,;). Nosr suLsequenr cirarions may Le locareu in rleii
iimaiy souices Ly consulring rle olloving ieeiences in
Qura: i:j-;;, iz,, ij-ii, io-ii, zo-zii. I voulu
also like ro exiess my inrellecrual inueLreuness anu
uee giariruue oi rle Lesr iueas anu exiessions in rlis
aei ro Dis. Sleiman ]ackson, 1imorly Winrei, Ingiiu
Narrson, Sulayman yang, anu orleis.
; Qui`an, ;:i,,. Nulammau Asau rianslares rle veise:
Nake uue allovance oi man`s naruie, anu enjoin rle
uoing o vlar is iiglr, anu leave alone all rlose vlo
cloose ro iemain ignoianr.
1le sroiy is ielareu in ullr anu Muslih, Islam`s
mosr aurloiirarive souices o rle Pioleric 1iauirion,
rle concluuing ieeiences is raken iom MusnaJ al-
HuhayJ.
, 1iansmirreu in Muslih.
io 1le Hana anu Nlik sclools gave culruie giearesr
ieign, anu mosr o rle cirarions in rlis aei aie raken
iom juiisrs o rlose sclools. In rle Nlik sclool, rle
aurloiiry o culruial noims may Le invokeu ro seciy oi
iesriicr rle alicarion o conriaiy, geneial legal iecers
on giounus o juuicial ieeience (istilsn). In Lasrein
Islamic lanus uuiing rle classical eiiou, a man`s going
aLour in uLlic virl an uncoveieu leau inuicareu lack o
ioLiry, anu lis legal resrimony vas geneially iejecreu in
couir. 1le culruial noim in rle Nuslim Wesr (Anualusia),
lovevei, vas rlar men cusromaiily venr aLour in uLlic
Laie-leaueu. In viev o rlar cusrom, Nlik lav in rle
ILeiian Peninsula uiu nor iegaiu uncoveiing rle leau in
uLlic as iminging on one`s inregiiry.
ii Blinu accerance o culruial noims is nor only conriaiy ro
Islamic juiisiuuence Lur aveise ro rle culruial ciearion
ve musr engage in. Borl in Islamic lav anu mouein
anrlioology, rle accerance o nev culruial moues
cannor Le uone virlour a ciirical analysis o rlem Laseu
on lov ve unueisranu culruie anu rle goals ve inrenu ro
aclieve rliougl ir.
iz. 1le ive maxims (al-qauiJ al-lulliyyt al-llahs) veie
marreis o consensus among all sclools anu aie lisreu as
ollovs:
Narreis slall Le juugeu Ly rleii oLjecrives (al-uhr
bi-haqsiJil).
Ceirainry slall nor Le iemoveu Ly uouLr (al-yaqn la
yazl bi-'l-slall), oren invokeu virl secial ieeience ro
Islamic iinciles like rlings aie ueemeu eimissiLle unril
ueinirively slovn orleivise, rlar innocence is assumeu
unril ioo o guilr, anu so oirl.
Haiusli slall Liing alleviarion (al-haslaqqa tajlib
al-taysr), meaning rlar rle lav slall nor valiuly iequiie
anyrling vlicl eole aie incaaLle o ulilling virlour
unuue uiiculry.
Haim slall Le iemoveu (al-Jarar yuzl), vlicl
invaliuares iulings rlar leau ro laim, even i reclnically
valiu.
Culruial usage slall lave rle veiglr o lav (al-
Ja hulallaha). 1le maxim is also ieau as al-Ja
hullaha, culruial usage is ueinirive, imlying rlar
cusromaiy usage las aurloiiry similai ro unuamenral
rexrual iecers o le lav.

I/.o .aJ // Ca//a./ Ioo.//.

. Injuncrions iegaiuing Leing uieienr iom ]evs anu
Cliisrians all unuei rlis caregoiy anu lau a airiculai
lisroiical conrexr. Reeience las alieauy Leen maue ro
rle viev o ILn al-Navq. As iesumrive ioo rlar ir
is urile oi Nuslims ro arremr iaioclemenr virl ]evs
anu Cliisrians, one may oren leai Nuslims rouay ciring
rle veise: 1le ]evs anu Cliisrians vill nevei Le conrenr
virl you, |O Pioler,] unril you ollov rleii ieligious
communiry (Qui`an :). 1le veise vas auuiesseu
ro rle Pioler eisonally in rle oimarive eiiou o
rle ievelarion anu ieeiences rle eelings o rle AiaLian
]evisl anu Cliisrian communiries rovaiu lim anu rleii
insisrence rlar le ollov rlem anu nor esraLlisl a nev
univeisal uisensarion. Geneializing aLour rle veise ro
excluue all osirive ielarions Lerveen rle ALialamic
airls in all ossiLle conrexrs is misraken anu also Lelies
rle laimonious ielarions rlar oren exisreu in Islamic
civilizarion Lerveen rle rliee airl communiries.
. Borl quorarions aie iom uil Qura, , :-.
1
nr vicvnr1 UnnnL vn: n:xrL vnicn vrcvLr
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.
i
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.
z

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

zoo;. nLL iicn1: ir:rivrL.

Ieter Sanders Ihotography rom the book Ir :lc Slcc cj :lc 1rcc.
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:
1iU1iNc irncN
irvrc1iNc iirN1
1iriNc ccir1n cvicn1icN
r11iNc viicii1ir
rvinciNc nxi
1lese nve oeiarional iinciles aie age-olu
Islamic guiuelines. Lacl o rle iinciles is nimly
Laseu on rle Qui`an anu Sunna anu suoireu Ly
rle geneial consensus o riauirional Islamic sclolai-
sli. ILn Rlavayl, a ienovneu sclolai o Hauirl
j

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 Qui`an 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
( ) is rle visuom rlar guiues a vise
eison ro Lenenr iom lis knovleuge.
j
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.
6
1le vay rlar rlings Legin ielecrs lov
rley aie likely ro enu. A goou Leginning iomises a
living islam with purpose

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:
i. iricicN
z. rr
j. irncN
. cniiirN
j. vrn1n
1le coie maxims aie:
i. n11ri vi vr ]Uicri v. 1nrii
vUivcr.
z. cri1niN1. vi Nc1 vr cvri1UiNri
v. icUv1.
j. nni U1 vr ircvri.
. nniiniv U1 vr nrvin1ri.
j. cU1c nn 1nr vricn1 cr nv.
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-
living islam with purpose

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 Qui`an 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 (Qui`an,
:).
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: (Qui`an,
:).
CcJ uill jut a lcatlsche clastisehent ujcn
tlcse ulc Jc nct use tleir reascn (Qui`an
:).
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
living islam with purpose

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 Qui`anic 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
living islam with purpose

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 Qui`an
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.
living islam with purpose

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 Qui`an 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.
living islam with purpose

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 Qui`an 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
living islam with purpose

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 () 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
living islam with purpose

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.
living islam with purpose

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-
living islam with purpose

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.
living islam with purpose

Ir vas rle sclolais rlemselves vlo askeu
eacl orlei rle mosr uinculr quesrions. 1ley maue
ciirical inquiiies inro rle aaienr conriauicrions in
rle Qui`an 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 Qui`an 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 Qui`an
uesciiLes Saran as a uisLelievei (lr) (Qui`an
:). Accoiuing ro Islamic reacling, Saran lau in-
living islam with purpose

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 Qui`an 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 Qui`an 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.
living islam with purpose

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
living islam with purpose

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
living islam with purpose

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
living islam with purpose

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-
living islam with purpose

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),
j
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.

Pirrivn1icN cr 1nr iricicN 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.

Pirrivn1icN cr 1nr rr 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.

Pirrivn1icN cr irncN 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.

Pirrivn1icN cr cniiirN 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.
Pirrivn1icN cr vrn1n 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-
living islam with purpose

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
living islam with purpose

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
Qui`an 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.
living islam with purpose

rlar some communiries lace on riaining cliluien
in rle viiruous acr o memoiizing rle Qui`an 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 Qui`anic 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 Qui`an srares: Gou vills ro make
rlings easy oi you, oi luman Leings veie cieareu
veak (Qui`an :). 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 (Qui`an,
:). 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
living islam with purpose

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.
1nr rvr ccir nxi
1le nve coie maxims (al-qauiJ al-lulliyya al-
llahs) sranu ar rle veiy cenrei o rle lunuieus o
orlei maxims in Islamic lav.
jj
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:
i. Narreis vill Le juugeu Ly rleii uioses (al-
uhr bi-haqsiJil).
z. Ceirainry vill nor Le oveiruineu Ly uouLr
(al-yaqn la yazl bi-al-slall).
j. Haim musr Le iemoveu (al-Jarar yuzl).
. Haiusli musr Le alleviareu (al-usr yajlib
al-taysr).
j. 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
living islam with purpose

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 (ro imirare) insreau o a ielareu
veiL iom rle same ioor Lur virl a uieienr
vovel arrein, (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 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
living islam with purpose

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 Qui`an ioclaimeu rle aimisrice a maniesr
vicroiy (Qui`an, :). 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 Qui`anic veise: Anu uo nor
ollov rlar o vlicl you lave no riue knovleuge
(Qui`an :). 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
living islam with purpose

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 ().
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.
living islam with purpose

() 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 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
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
living islam with purpose

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
living islam with purpose

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 Qui`anic veises incluuing: Do nor lolu
youi vives in Lonuage, seeking ro laim rlem, rlar
voulu Le riansgiession (Qui`an :). 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 (Qui`an, :). 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
living islam with purpose

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 Qui`an srares: Ir is nor Gou`s vill ro
cause you uisriess, iarlei, ir is Gou`s vill ro make
you uie (Qui`an :). Ir says elsevleie: Gou
vills ro make rlings easy oi you, oi luman Leings
veie cieareu veak (Qui`an :). 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
living islam with purpose

(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 ().
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.
living islam with purpose

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 Qui`an 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 (Qui`an,
:). 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 Qui`an
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
living islam with purpose

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.
living islam with purpose

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.
living islam with purpose

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 Leauriul anu
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
living islam with purpose

ielecrs rleii oiiginal culruial uncrion, in AiaLic
(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.
living islam with purpose

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.

ACKOWLLDGLNL1S: 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
i. 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, :oo;), ,-io. Comaie rle moie con-
seivarive esrimares o rle Pev Reseaicl Cenrei
suivey: lrr://eole-iess.oig/ieoirs/uislay.
ljReoirID=j:,.
j. 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,
:oo:), ;o.
living islam with purpose

j. ALu al-Kaim iLn ILilm al-]l, Al-Insn al-
Khil f Marifat al-Aullir ua al-Auil (Caiio:
NarLaar al-HalaL, i,;o), i:.
6. Almau iLn Nulammau iLn Ar`-Alll al-
Sakanuai, Al-Hilah al-Atiyya ua al-Munjl
al-Illiyya (Damascus: al-NarLaar al-Hslimiyya,
n.u.), 6;.
;. 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.
io. Nulammau iLn Nulammau al-Glazl, Ily
Ulh al-Dn, vols. (Damascus: NakraLar ALu
al-Wakl al-DuiuL, nu.), i:;j.
ii. Accoiuing ro Al iLn Nulammau al-Bassm,
rle ren elemenrs o moial claiacrei aie: i) ieason
(aql), :) sounu ieligious iacrice (Jn), j) knovl-
euge (ilh), ) oiLeaiance (lilh), j) magnanimiry
(jJ), 6) riurlulness (siJq), ;) ulnlling moial oL-
ligarions (birr), ) arience (sabr), ,) rlankulness
(slulr), anu io) lenience (ln).
i:. 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
living islam with purpose

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).
ij. ]Lii iLn Hayyn, Kitb al-Sabn (Iiankuir:
Nalau 1ikl al-Ulum al-AiaLiyya, i,6).
i. 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, i,,:), j:ji.
ij. See al-Ziiikl, Al-Alh, 6:jij.
i6. See Umai I. ALu-Allal, Innovarion anu Cieariviry
in Islam, ar lrr://vvv.navavi.oig/uovnloaus/
airicle.u
i;. 1le mosr iequenrly cireu ieasons oi emLiacing
Islam aie: i) simliciry o uocriine, :) iarionaliry
(ieasonaLleness), j) aLsolure monorleism, ) rlis-
voiluly ocus, j) anu lack o a iiesrloou. See
Laiiy Posron, Islahic Daual in tle Vest (ev
Yoik: Oxoiu Univeisiry Piess, i,,:), i;6-;.
i. 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 Qui`anic
anu Pioleric reacling. As sucl, rley musr Le
acknovleugeu as valiu Ly anyone vlo claims ro
Lelieve in rle Qui`an anu rle Pioler.
i,. 1lese numLeis aie Laseu on conriaiy Hauirl
o iesumrive aurlenriciry. One srares rlar rle
numLei o Piolers rlar Gou senr rliouglour
luman lisroiy vas i:,ooo, anorlei riansmission
sers rle numLei ar ::,ooo. Because rle numLeis
aie conjecruial, Nuslim may accer eirlei numLei
oi uisiegaiu rlem Lorl.
:o. See Umai I. ALu-Allal, 1le Piincial Imams anu
1leii Sclools, i CDs (Clicago: 1le avavi
Iounuarion, :oo), also see iLiu., Nlik`s Concer
o Amal in rle Liglr o Nlik Legal 1leoiy, :
vols. (Univeisiry o Clicago Pl.D. uisseirarion,
i,;), i:i:i-:;,.
:i. 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-Basl`ii al-
Islmiyya, i,,j), ,,, io,-ii.
::. ALu al-Kaim al-Ri anu orleis, Slarl ]aularat
al-TaulJ li-al-Ihh al-Allha al-Slayll Ibrlh
al-jr (n..: n.., i,;:), i-,:.
:j. 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 :oo. 1le
museum conraineu an exliLirion on rle rleiaeuric
use o loLLies anu music in riauirional Islamic
meuicine.
:j. Al-Ziiikl, Al-Alh, i:,-,j, 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,
i,,;), i:i-:.
:6. 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,
living islam with purpose

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,
i,), 6-66.
:;. Al-Ajlun, Kaslf al-Klaf, 6-66.
:. See Al iLn al-Qassi, Al-MuqaJJiha f al-Usl,
(Beiiur: Di al-GlaiL al-Islm, i,,6), ii-ij,
ALu al-Walu al-Bj, Illh al-usl f Allh al-
Usl, : vols. (Beiiur: Di al-GlaiL al-Islm, i,,j),
::;i-i6, 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, i,,o), ::-:,, see also iLiu., Tle
Bise cf Cclleges: Instituticns cf Iearning in Islah
anJ tle Vest (LuinLuigl: LuinLuigl Univeisiry
Piess, i,i), io-ii, i-jo.
jo. 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.
ji. 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.
j:. Sall Muslih, Sunan al-Nis, Sunan Ibn Mjal,
anu MusnaJ al-Imm Almau iLn HanLal.
jj. Wollair Heiniicls, _auiJ as a Genie o Legal
Lireiaruie, j;:.
j. 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.
jj. 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
living islam with purpose

iincial souices oi mosr o rle ielevanr Qui`anic
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, i,,6), YaquL iLn ALu al-WallL
al-BHusayn, _iJat al-Uhr bi-MaqsiJil:
Dirsa Nazariyya ua Tasliyya (Riyaul: NakraLar
al-Ruslu, i,,,), Slaykl ALuallal Lin Bayyal,
1le Legal Plilosoly o Islam, ij CDs (San
]ose: AllamLia Piouucrions, :ooo), Al Almau
al-auav, Mausat al-_auiJ ua al-Daubit
al-iqliyya al-Hliha li-al-Muhalt al-Mliyya
f al-iql al-Islh, j vols. (n. .: Di lam al-
Naiia, i,,,), Wollair Heiniicls, Sriucruiing
rle Lav: Remaiks on rle urq Lireiaruie, in Ian
Riclaiu erron, eu., StuJies in Hcncur cf CliffcrJ
JhunJ csucrtl, vol. i: Hunter cf tle ast: Ara-
bic anJ Sehitic StuJies (Leiuen: Biill, :ooo), .
jj:-, iLiu, _auiJ as a Genie o Legal Lireia-
ruie, in Beinaiu G. Weiss, eu. StuJies in Islahic
Iegal Tlecry (Leiuen: Biill, :oo:), . j6j-,
|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, :ooo), anu Almau iLn al-Slaykl
Nulammau al-Zaiq, eu. Nusra al-Zaiq, Slarl
al-_auiJ al-iqliyya (Damascus: Di al-Qalam,
i,,).
j6. 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.
j;. ILn 1aymiyya, Al-_auiJ al-iqliyya, i::.
j. Akiam Diy` al-Ami, Al-Sra al-Nabauiyya al-
Salla, : volumes (Neuina: NakraLar al-Ulum va
al-Hikam, i,,), :: jo-ji.
j,. ILn 1aymiyya, Al-_auiJ al-iqliyya, :i;.
o. See al-auavi, Al-_auiJ ua al-Daubit, 6o.
i. ILn 1aymiyya, Al-_auiJ al-iqliyya, :o6, :ii-
i.
:. 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, :oo:), i:.
j. See Umai I. ALu-Allal, Iamous Women in Is-
lam, i CDs (Clicago: avavi Iounuarion,
:oo).
. 1le amily name Samaiqanu means iom Sa-
maiqanu. Hei amily vas Syiian Lur oiiginally
laileu iom Cenrial Asia.
j. Umai Riu Kallla, Alh al-Nis lahay al-
Arab ua al-Islh, j vols. (Beiiur: Nua`ssasar al-
Risla, i,,i), :,-,j, see also Umai I. ALu-Allal,
Iamous Women in Islam, i CDs (Clicago:
avavi Iounuarion, :oo).
6. See Umai I. ALu-Allal, Islam anu rle Culruial
Imeiarive, lrr://vvv.navavi.oig/uovnloaus/
airiclej.u
;. Islam anu rle Culruial Imeiarive, . j.
. 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.
jo. ILn 1aymiyya, Al-_auiJ al-iqliyya, ::6-:.