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On the ‘Contact’ page I recommend that anyone seeking a fatwa can not only contact the Australian National Imams Council (ANIC) www.anic.org.au, which is the peak Islamic body in the country, but also islamqa.org .
On that page I stress that islamqa.org is a reputable site staffed by qualified Shaykhs, predominantly from the Deobandi school of thought.
They are Hanafi scholars from the Chishti Tariqah who follow the teachings of the Darul Uloom Deoband, www.darululoom-deoband.com , a strictly orthodox Islamic Sunni madrasah, based in the town of Deoband in Uttar Pradesh, India.
I should explain that the Chishti Tariqah is a Sufi order, or school if you wish, in Tasawwuf. The latter is commonly known in the West as Sufism. There are several such orders in Islam including the Naqshbandī Tarīqah and Qadiriyya Tariqah. There is an interesting introduction to the topic on islamqa.org .
I do not describe myself as a Sufi because I do not have a Shaykh from any of the Tasawwuf orders.
If you hit the above link for Darul Uloom Deoband it will open on the home page. There is a Tab for those who speak only English. It opens on to a site which offers wide-ranging advice for those seeking guidance.
The Deobandis are not a cult and to the best of my knowledge do not espouse any heretical beliefs. Obviously, Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala - Glory be to Him, the Most High) knows best, but as far as I am aware they adhere strictly to the traditional teachings of Islam, including the Sunnah.
As Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala - Glory be to Him, the Most High) well knows I have the deepest of respect for these Shaykhs and follow them in all matters pertaining to Islam.
MA'ARIFUL QUR'AN
One of those I admire greatly is the late Maulana Mufti Muhammad Shafi (Rahmatullah Alayhi – May the mercy of Allah be upon him), the former Grand Mufti of Pakistan. Mufti Muhammad Shafi was the author of an excellent Tafsir called Ma'ariful Qur'an which is available in English in an eight-volume set.
His Tafsir holds pride of place upon my bookshelves, along with the English translations of other noble works such as Tafsir Ibn Kathir.
It is available from Darussalam Islamic Bookstore in Lakemba, Sydney, and their store in Coburg, Melbourne.
Mufti Muhammad Shafi’s son, Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani, is still alive and lives in Karachi. He has his own website. It is muftitaqiusmani.com.
He has authored several books, including Radiant Prayers, which I have found invaluable over the years. Some of his books are available from the Darussalam Bookstore.
He also supervised the English translation of his father’s Tafsir, Ma’ariful Qur’an, and made some footnotes to clarify certain issues.
Another Deobandi Shaykh of note is Shabbir Ahmad Usmani, the author of Tafsir-Usmani. Originally written in Urdu, it is very popular among the Muslims of the Sub-continent and is available in English in a three-volume set.
Probably one of the most renowned of the Deobandi Shaykhs, someone who is well known among many reverts in the West, is Shaykh Ashraf Ali Thanvi.
He wrote a book in Urdu called Bahishti Zewar which was an excellent handbook of Hanafi Fiqh – the rules relating to the practise of Islam. Even though the Shaykh died in 1943 Bahishti Zewar is still widely used on the Sub-continent today.
It has been translated into English several times – not always as eloquently as one would wish.
The title is commonly translated in English as Heavenly Ornaments. I use a copy translated by Maulana Muhammad Mahomedy, published by Zam Zam Publishers, who are based in Urdu Bazar, Karachi, Pakistan. My copy is the second edition published in February 2005.
It is the best translation I have found so far and would recommend it, especially if you are new to Islam. However, you may have trouble finding a copy in Australia. I bought mine years ago in Melbourne but have never seen a copy since.
The copyright is held by Madrasah Arabia Islamic in South Africa, so they may have authorised other printings since mine was published.
Zam Zam Publishers have a website so you may be able to contact them to see if they know of any Australian distributors. The address is zamzampublishers.com.pk .
Following my reversion to Islam in 1983 in Melbourne as a Sunni Muslim I lived in Pakistan for more than five years from April 1985 to September 1990 under my Muslim name, Yahya Abdullah. Please note that for personal reasons I no longer use my Muslim name. As such if you write to me please address me as Ian.
Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala - Glory be to Him, the Most High) in His infinite Wisdom and Mercy guided me rightly about how I should practise Islam and by His leave I used to sit in Islamabad, at a mosque in Aabpara, with the murids (disciples) of Deobandi Shaykhs from the Chishti Tariqah and also murids from the Qadiriyya Tariqah.
QUR’AN LESSONS
It was one of the Deobandi murids from the Chishti Tariqah who taught me to recite Qur'an. May Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala - Glory be to Him, the Most High) bless him and his family in this life and the next for his righteous conduct. A pious man whom I believe had only the best of intentions.
Sadly, I had to cut my ties with him and the other murids because while I was living in Islamabad I was repeatedly harassed by somebody and I feared that he could come to harm and I would be blamed.
The harassment on occasions was pretty severe. Among other things my name was blackened with lies. For example stories were spread that I was a Communist, a Qadyani, an imposter – a spy. None of these claims were true.
I come from a right-wing family, my father actually stood for parliament as a right-wing candidate in the 1952 state elections in Victoria. I have never been a Qadyani or Ahmadi – I utterly reject any claims that there has ever been another prophet after Rasoolullah SAW – and I most certainly am not an impostor or spy.
Later in Karachi, one brother even said he had been told I was a paedophile – a claim that was utterly false. I have never touched a child wrongfully in my life.
I was assaulted about half-a-dozen times – twice so viciously I had to flee for my life. Needless to say the assaults affected me, particularly one in Islamabad in which a policeman raised his rifle butt to hit me in the face because I was slow to produce identity papers.
I don’t doubt that the encounter was a set up. I believe that the policeman and another one were lying in wait for me as I was walking home from working at The Pakistan Times at Zero Point.
On realising that I was the target of a vicious attack I fled the scene and ran to the home of an Imam I knew who lived opposite shouting out for Allah’s help. If it wasn’t for the Imam’s intervention I could have come to serious harm or even been killed.
It was only by Allah’s SW Grace that I wasn’t shot in the back by the policeman as I fled to the Imam’s house.
On another occasion when I was living in Islamabad I went for a stroll one evening intending to walk from my flat at G7 Markaz to Aabpara to have a meal. It was a beautiful evening – warm and pleasant – so I thought that instead of taking the main road to Aabpara I would take a back road that led to the Rose Garden, which was opposite the shopping centre.
As I expected the road was deserted, but as I was wandering along enjoying the starlit sky I realised that a car was keeping apace with me a short distance behind.
I grew uneasy and stepped up my pace. The car picked up speed so fearing now that I may be about to be robbed I broke into a run. The car accelerated towards me so I ran off the road into the bush only to see as I looked back a hand appear from a back window with a pistol. The occupant then fired a shot into the air and the car sped off.
I do not know what the incident was about – whether it was just ruffians trying to scare me or something even more sinister – but it frightened me and left an indelible impression on my mind.
Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala - Glory be to Him, the Most High) is my witness that I have told the truth to the best of my recollection about the above incidents –He well knows I would not lie about such matters.
I was comparatively new to Islam in those days and failed to appreciate the importance of placing my trust in Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala - Glory be to Him, the Most High), and in Allah alone (Subhanahu wa ta’ala - Glory be to Him, the Most High) and nobody else but Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala - Glory be to Him, the Most High).
If I had taken that path in Islamabad I probably would have stood my ground, but I failed unfortunately and broke under the pressure of what really amounted on occasions to little more than persecution. Who was responsible? I don't know. I certainly have my suspicions, but in Islam suspicion is not enough. If you can't prove an allegation then you should remain silent.
In saying this, I want to stress that the harassment was coming from individuals whom I suspect had nothing to do with Islam – or very little. Judging by their behaviour they seemed to show little more than contempt for the teachings of the religion.
And, I stress it was only a few. I liked the Pakistanis – the ordinary people – the Shaykhs and the murids. They were good, righteous people and I was shown compassion and understanding by many.
I recall with nothing but affection the Imam at the mosque in Aabpara. His name was Ghulam Rasool. He showed true brotherly spirit in that he allowed me to live in the mosque on several occasions. May Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala - Glory be to Him, the Most High) reward him and his family in this life and the next for his piety, his mercy.
It isn't easy, when you are alone upon the earth, with nobody but Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala - Glory be to Him, the Most High) as your only Friend, Helper and Protector, to make such a journey.
As such, please reader, don’t take my comments as being any reflection upon Pakistan, nor any reflection on Islam. It wasn’t the religion that was the problem, nor the vast majority of the people. Unless I am mistaken it was Shaitan and his friends and helpers.
For further details about my stay in Pakistan, please see my page headed ‘Living in Pakistan’.
FALSE BELIEFS
In recommending islamqa.org I want to draw attention to an issue that can perplex and mislead reverts to Islam.
Aside from the Deobandis there are other Muslims on the Sub-continent some of whom are alleged to hold questionable beliefs. In commenting below about them I have chosen my words carefully. It is dangerous to generalise and in so doing innocent people can be defamed.
However, it has been alleged that some Muslims hold heretical beliefs.
Those beliefs include claims that the Prophet Muhammad (sall-Allahu alayhi wa-sallam - may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) is Alimul Ghaib.
Alimul Ghaib means one who has complete knowledge of the unseen. To make such a claim about Rasoolullah (sall-Allahu alayhi wa-sallam - may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) is wrong. It is not correct and can lead to disbelief.
Only Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala - Glory be to Him, the Most High) and Allah alone, has compete knowledge of the unseen.
For a refutation of the claim that Rasoolullah (sall-Allahu alayhi wa-sallam - may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) has complete knowledge of the unseen see islamqa.org [https://islamqa.org/?p=53911].
As well as clicking on the above link, a complete copy of the full text of the Shaykhs comments refuting such claims can be read on my page entitled ‘islamqa org texts 2’.
It is also alleged that some people claim that Rasoolullah (sall-Allahu alayhi wa-sallam - may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) is Haadhir-Naadhir.
The words Haadhir-Naadhir mean one who is Omnipresent – one who is present everywhere at the same time.
To claim that Rasoolullah (sall-Allahu alayhi wa-sallam - may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) is Omnipresent is wrong. It is not correct and can lead to disbelief.
Only Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala - Glory be to Him, the Most High) and Allah alone, is Omnipresent.
Once again, for a refutation of the claim that Rasoolullah (sall-Allahu alayhi wa-sallam - may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) is present everywhere at the same time see islamqa.org [https://islamqa.org/?p=53911].
As well as clicking on the above link, a complete copy of the full text of the Shaykhs comments refuting such claims can be read on my page entitled ‘islamqa org texts 2’.
Allegations have also been made that some people believe that Rasoolullah (sall-Allahu alayhi wa-sallam - may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) is made of Nur – light. In other words that he is not a human being.
If those claims are correct then it must be stressed that the Prophet Muhammad (sall-Allahu alayhi wa-sallam - may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) is a human being, just like the rest of us.
Rasoolullah (sall-Allahu alayhi wa-sallam - may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) is not made of light, but it is true that he is a light for mankind in the sense that he is a guide for mankind, who lights the way to true beliefs and righteousness.
The claim that Rasoolullah (sall-Allahu alayhi wa-sallam - may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) is made of light – that he is not a human being – is refuted by Islamqa.org [https://islamqa.org/?p=136267] . A complete, unedited copy of the answer by the Shaykh is available on my page ‘islamqa org texts 3’.
Other allegations have been made that some people believe they are allowed to call upon Rasoolullah (sall-Allahu alayhi wa-sallam - may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) – in short to invoke him as an intermediary with Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala - Glory be to Him, the Most High).
Once again, if those allegations are correct then it must be emphasised that such beliefs are wrong. In praying, seeking Allah’s Love, Mercy, Kindness and Forgiveness, His Guidance, His Help – for whatever reason - one can only call upon Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala - Glory be to Him, the Most High), and Allah alone and nobody else but Allah.
To do otherwise is to court disaster. Unless Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala - Glory be to Him, the Most High) shows such a person mercy and forgiveness they run the risk of Jahannam – Hell.
Having said that, it is important to note that the matter of calling upon Rasoolullah (sall-Allahu alayhi wa-sallam - may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) needs clarification.
If you read islamqa.org [https://islamqa.org/?p=53911] you will see that at the end of the answer the Shaykh notes:
“Durood containing the words Yaa Rasoolullah can be read if the person does not have the belief that Nabi (SAW) is present and he is listening when he is reading it. When Durood is read, the belief that the Angels will convey it to Nabi (SAW) on behalf the person should be kept. (Fataawaa Haqqaniyyah Vol. 1, Page 162,163).”
The full text can be viewed on my page ‘islamqa org texts 2’.
I again want to stress that I cannot give my own opinion about the teachings of Islam. It is strictly forbidden in Islam for any unqualified person to give their own opinion about the religion. If a person does so then, unless Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala - Glory be to Him, the Most High) forgives them, they run the risk of being punished.
As I have stated previously I can only refer anyone interested in Islam to authoritative sources. Insha'Allah, I will attempt at all times to do so.
One of the reasons why I have set out above my unqualified support for the Deobandis and islamqa.org is that I think it is only fair to readers that they know I rely heavily on the Deobandi school of thought for guidance.
Even though I do quote from other reputable sources I try to always be cautious and ensure that whoever I recommend is following the teachings of Islam.
Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) knows best.
Ian C. Calderwood:
Newcastle, NSW. 22 December 2021 but then deleted awaiting rewrite.
RESTORED at LAKEMBA, NSW, 11 February 23 with changes then taken down for editing.
RESTORED at LAKEMBA, NSW, 14 July 23 to quran-e-hakim.com without change except to correct spelling of starlit and add words ‘as a Sunni Muslim’.
This page needs to be expanded and rewritten, but I am too sick and weak to do so at present.
Ian C. Calderwood 14 July 23.