3 Dhuʻl-Hijjah 1443 AH
لَيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ جُنَاحٌ أَن تَبْتَغُوا۟ فَضْلًا مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ ۚ فَإِذَآ أَفَضْتُم مِّنْ عَرَفَـٰتٍ فَٱذْكُرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ عِندَ ٱلْمَشْعَرِ ٱلْحَرَامِ ۖ وَٱذْكُرُوهُ كَمَا هَدَىٰكُمْ وَإِن كُنتُم مِّن قَبْلِهِۦ لَمِنَ ٱلضَّآلِّينَ
There is no blame on you for seeking the bounty of your Lord during this journey. When you return from ’Arafât, praise Allah near the sacred place and praise Him for having guided you, for surely before this guidance you were astray.
[2:198]
Welcome to The Qarawiyyin Newsletter!
The blessed month of Dhul Hijjah is upon us, and there are no days more beloved to Allah than the first 10 days. We pray that Allah allows us to make the most of this virtuous time and increase us in goodness.
This month offers the perfect opportunity for us to reinvigorate our du’a, which our Ummah is in dire need of right now. The past month has seen severe flooding in Bangladesh and a monstrous earthquake in Afghanistan, leaving thousands dead and many more in troubling conditions. May Allah have mercy on their souls. We have shared a few reliable fundraisers below for emergency aid.
We have also seen the Indian regime continue to crack down on Muslims, including prominent female activists such as Afreen Fatima and Ayesha Renna; we shared more details about recent events on social media. Although mainstream media remains largely silent on recent events, it is important that we stay alert and conscious the challenges Muslims are facing globally.
Amid sudden changes and continued restrictions this Hajj season, please keep those performing Hajj in your du’as. May Allah grant us all the opportunity to perform perform the pilgrimage and protect the sanctity of the holy sites. Ameen.
Makkah: The Commodification of a City
"Whilst no expense has been wasted on ensuring that shoppers & hotel guests are afforded every extravagance, the haram has been made more inaccessible & uncomfortable for many."
Our latest article examines concerning trends in the development of Makkah.
From Virtue to Vice: The Deception of Spiritual Arrogance
“Every Qur’anic story of doom carries a warning against arrogance. But spiritual arrogance, in particular, is perhaps the worst kind. Because it wears the garb of righteousness, and presents itself as virtue.”
Rushda N. reflects on the fragility of faith and provides practical steps towards spiritual humility.
Ep. 20: “Islam and the Arab Revolutions” | Book Talk
On Episode 20, we take a look at Dr Usaama al-Azami’s latest release, unpacking the idea of ‘Islamism’, the role of ulama in politics, and how to navigate their problematic stances. We also feature the title in our first book list of the year.
You can find all previous book lists in the literature section on TQP website. Our June Reading Recommendations from 2019 features titles on politics, society and spirituality.
Article: Reading with a pencil - Austin Kleon
“The writing I enjoy doing most, every year, is marginalia: spontaneous bursts of pure, private response to whatever book happens to be in front of me.”
As well as periodically updating our resource bank, here we share some other insightful contributions from prominent Muslim figures and organisations.
VIDEO: The Case Against 'Islamism' | Ummatics colloquium The most recent Ummatics Colloqium saw Dr. Asim Qureshi presenting his essay, ‘The Case against Islamism’, with responses from Dr. Shadi Hamid, Dr. Khadijah Elshayyal, and Dr. Usaama Al-Azami. A very rich and insightful conversation featuring a variety of perspectives. Please spare a few moments to fill out the Ummatics Survey.
VIDEO: Islam and Abortion | DoubleTake, Yaqeen Institute The latest episode of the podcast discusses the Islamic perspective on Abortion, discussing issues such as permissibility, exceptions and the sociopolitical context in which it all takes place.
ARTICLE: The Unsung Heroines Of Islamic History | Hassam Munir, Muslim Matters A well researched and much needed article on female figures in Islamic history, exploring how many of these unsung heroines are often overlooked in discussions of “influential Muslims in history.” May Allah (swt) allow us to follow in their footsteps.
FUNDRAISERS: > Earthquake response in Afghanistan | Ummah Welfare Trust > Bangladesh Flood Appeal | Ummah Welfare Trust > Qurbani Appeal | Ummah Welfare Trust > In the footsteps of Hajar, Appeal for Mothers | HHUGS
If you have any questions, feedback or would like to feature in our next newsletter, let us know. Email us at contact@qarawiyyinproject.co or visit our website to find out more about our article submission process.
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Until next time, Assalaamu Alaykum