10 Shaʻban, 1444 AH
وَلَوْ يُؤَاخِذُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلنَّاسَ بِمَا كَسَبُوا۟ مَا تَرَكَ عَلَىٰ ظَهْرِهَا مِن دَآبَّةٍۢ وَلَـٰكِن يُؤَخِّرُهُمْ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٍۢ مُّسَمًّۭى ۖ فَإِذَا جَآءَ أَجَلُهُمْ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ بِعِبَادِهِۦ بَصِيرًۢا ٤٥1
If Allah were to punish people ˹immediately˺ for what they have committed, He would not have left a single living being on earth. But He delays them for an appointed term. And when their time arrives, then surely Allah is All-Seeing of His servants.
35:45
Assalamu alaykum, Welcome to The Qarawiyyin Newsletter!
February has been a heavy month with the devastating earthquakes in Turkiye and North Syria claiming thousands of lives. To Him we belong and to Him we shall return. May Allah have mercy on the departed, and aid all those who must deal with the aftermath. We have shared links below to reliable and trustworthy charities who are on the ground providing urgent relief. Please donate generously.
We are less than a month away to Ramadan, so the time to consolidate good habits is now! Prepare by strengthening your relationship with the Quran, organising your ibadah and cutting down on the caffeine! Episode 21 of The Qarawiyyin Podcast discusses the passing of time, and looks at the private and communal nature of worship in Ramadan. Listen to the full episode below.
The next newsletter will be mid-Ramadan so we ask you to keep The Qarawiyyin Project in your duas.
If you are interested in submitting an article or have an idea you want to pitch us, please fill out the submission form on our website.
Book Review: Rediscovering the Islamic Classics
“Faced with the reality of colonialism and Western attempts to instil a sense of inferiority among the colonised, Muslim scholars and investors acquired a new zeal for the preservation, printing & redistribution of classical manuscripts.”
In our latest release, Ayah A. reviews “Rediscovering the Islamic Classics” by Ahmed El Shamsy.
Podcast Ep. 21: Mind the Gap
In preparation for Ramadan, the team shares reflections on the passing and usage of time, the rows of tarawīḥ, and the nature of communal worship. What does it mean to exit our private sphere of spirituality and see Ramadan as a time for ummah-wide transformation? How can we take heed of Allah’s ﷻ reminders about the passing of time?
Podcast Ep. 25: The Art of Dying
There are a myriad of ways to reflect on death, both on our own death and that of others. How do we engage in periodic remembrance of our final abode? Why does death feel far away, and why do we shy away from discussing it? On Episode 25, the team explores the physical and spiritual realities of dying, and how we can benefit from its remembrance.
Listen to The Qarawiyyin Podcast on your favourite platform — including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and more — here on Anchor.
You can find all previous book lists in the literature section on TQP website.
Active Reading: Knowledge as Power — How do we engage in active reading? In this session, Ali Harfouch provide grounds for both why we read and how we can engage critically and actively with any text.
VIDEO: How To Engage With The Quran & Sunnah | Imam Tom Facchine
In prep for Ramadan, Imam Tom Facchine discusses how to engage with the Quran and Sunnah for spiritual strength, guidance and conviction. He looks at the Quran and the Sunnah as ‘source vs. paradigm’, the role of reason, reading in between the lines and archetypes.
VIDEO: Ummatics Colloquium: An Ummatic Approach to Refugee Ethics
Dr. Rajai Jureidini and Dr. Hossam El Din Mohammed present their paper, “Umma and the Nation-State: Dilemmas in Refuge Ethics.” They examine the extent to which Muslim-majority nation-states have undermined Muslim unity and solidarity through their policies and political priorities. Finally, they consider how these states can better address the ongoing refugee crises using Islamic ethics, law, and ummatic principles.
BLOG: The Ummah’s “Hollywood”: On American Muslim Exceptionalism, Mobeen Vaid
Mobeen Vaid looks at the idea of an ‘American Islam’, where ones conception and practice of Islam is tethered to American social and political realities. Like American culture itself, American Islam possesses a certain global “power” which is difficult for others to escape.
DONATE:
Molham: Currently on the ground helping displaced families in Turkey and Syria who have been affected by the earthquake.
The White Helmets: The White Helmets team are on the ground in Northwest Syria — a region deliberately abandoned by the Syrian regime — searching for survivors and removing the dead from the rubble.
As Ramadan is not too far away, and many of you are surely planning your Zakah distribution. Here is a short guide by Shaykh Joe Bradford on Zakah criteria, eligibility and obligations.
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.