IN recent months, Kabul, Washington and the Taliban have made overtures to work out a negotiated settlement for Afghanistan and plan the impending exit of foreign troops from the country. Yet those gestures have not been followed through and the prospects are not getting any better -- as the spate of recent violent episodes and perverse behaviour of some American soldiers over the war dead have shown......... Download the full article in pdf attachment (below)

 

Al-Maqasid al-Shari’ah, or the higher objectives of Shari’ah, is a manifestly important and yet somewhat neglected discipline of the Shari’ah. The Shari’ah generally is predicated on benefits to the individual and the community, and its laws are designed to protect these benefits and to facilitate the improvement and perfection of the conditions of human life. The Qur’an is expressive of this when it points to the main purpose of the prophethood of Muhammad (SAW): “We have not sent you but as a Mercy to the worlds” (Qur’an 21:107). This can also be seen in the Qur’an’s characterization of itself as “a healing to the (spiritual) ailments of the hearts” and “a Guidance and Mercy” for the believers and mankind (Qur’an 10:57). The objectives of rahmah (mercy or compassion) mentioned in these two verses are further substantiated by other provisions in the Qur’an and Sunnah (the Traditions of the Prophet) that seek to establish justice, eliminate prejudice, and alleviate hardship. The laws of the Qur’an and Sunnah also seek to promote cooperation and support within the family and the society at large.)........ Download the full article in pdf attachment (below)

THE untimely death of Ashraf Hafiz Abdul Aziz at 26 and the difficulties he faced put many in a reflective mood as to what could have been done better to address his suffering when he was alive. By refusing to grant Ashraf his plea to change and register his name as Aleesha Farhana, the courts may have adhered to the letter of the law but it is questionable whether they were compassionate enough. If one were to learn a lesson, it would be to find better answers through suitable legislation and grant of flexibility in the adjudication of intensely humanitarian cases such as Ashraf's.......... Download the full article in pdf attachment (below)

The centrality of peace in Islam is manifested by its nomenclature: Islām signifies peace, and then also in the daily greeting of Muslims: “as-salām alaykum / peace be upon you.” As-Salām is also one of God’s Most Excellent Names (al-asmā’ al-ḥusnā); while God praises those who act with humility and peace: “the servants of The All-Merciful are those who walk the earth with humility, and when the ignorant address them, they reply: peace!” (al-Furqān 25:63). On the other hand, instigators of violence and war are condemned: “Whenever they kindle the fire of war, God extinguishes it. They strive to create disorder on earth and God loves not those who create disorder” (al-Mā’idah 5:64)........ Download the full article in pdf attachment (below)

 

The Arab uprising is still unfolding and uncertainties exist that may yet be clarified in the course of time. But one question that arises is over the relative absence of Islam in what has been seen so far.

 

Islam has been closely aligned with most of the reform movements in the Arab world during the independence and post-independence periods. Two other themes that have also featured, with varying degrees of consistency, are Arab nationalism (qawmiyyah Arabiyyah) and, for a brief period in the era of Egypt's Gamal Abdel Nasser, socialism........ Download the full article in pdf attachment (below)

This essay provides a brief introduction to legal maxims, an evidently important chapter of the juristic literature of Islam, that is particularly useful in depicting a general picture of the nature, goals and objectives of the Shari‘ah. Yet, for reasons that will presently be explained, legal maxims represent a latent development in the history of Islamic legal thought. A brief explanation of the background history of legal maxims will be followed by a discussion of developments in three other related areas ....... Download the full article in pdf attachment (below)

A SYARIAH High Court judge suggested at a seminar in Kuantan early last month that Malaysia should criminalise black magic and introduce a law to that effect, adding that the practice of black magic was becoming rampant, especially among the Malay community. This was not the first time such a proposal was made as a similar suggestion was advanced by the mufti of Selangor last December........ Download the full article in pdf attachment (below)

SORCERY or witchcraft (sihr) is often equated with trickery aimed at conflating falsehood with the rational association of causes and effects.

Sorcery is difficult to define. Our knowledge of sihr and what is not within reach of our sense perception is also limited.

 

The available information in the scriptural sources of Islam also falls short of elaboration ondetail. Sihr may aim at inflicting harm on its object or at realising a benefit, and the sorcerer often resorts to irrational and impermissible means. Muslim scholars have differed on the reality of sihr........ Download the full article in pdf attachment (below)

The introductory  remarks  that appear at the outset of this article draw attention to  the planetary crisis humanity is facing due to  the degradation and disturbance of its living environment. The succeeding discussion expounds the human- earth relationship in two parts, the first of which draws attention to a set of principles, beginning  with that of Divine Oneness (tawhid) and the vision it conveys of the common predicament of man with the rest of the created world. Then follows a review of  the Qur’anic principle of vicegerency of man (khilafah) in the earth which designates  humankind as a trustee and custodian of  its natural  environment. This is followed by a discussion of the principle of trust (amanah) in Islam which is closely related to khilafah......... Download the full article in pdf attachment (below)