Biographies

In an era of fanaticism and polarisation, Dr Bari’s life is an example of a prominent Western Muslim rejecting extremes and finding balance

In this memoir, Dr. Muhammad Abdul Bari asks us to look beyond the extremism and violence that all too often defines the Muslim community toward those, like himself, navigating a middle-way life. A path defined in Islam as the “natural way,”

Nana Asma’u (1793 -1864) was a prolific Muslim scholar, poet, historian, and educator. Daughters are still named after her; her poems, read and recited privately and in public, still move people profoundly; the memory of her remains a vital source of inspiration and hope. She was a devout, learned Muslim, courageous, independent-minded, and able to observe, record, interpret and influence the major public events that happened around her. Her example as an educator is still followed: the system she set up in the first quarter of the nineteenth century, for the education of rural women, has not only survived in its homeland through the traumas of the colonization of West Africa and the establishment of the modern state of Nigeria, but is also being revived and adapted elsewhere, notably among Muslim women in the USA.

Umar Ibn al-Khattab, the second of the Four Rightly-Guided Caliphs, was tough against injustice but gentle when it came to matters related to religion. The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said:

Harun al-Rashid, the legendary caliph reigned for a quarter of a century, his empire spreading over south-west Asia and into north Africa. He waged war on the Byzantine Empire, and dealt ruthlessly with the religious and social insurrections which threatened his kingdom

Exploring the birth period of Islam, this biography focuses on one of the most prominent and respected Muslim women in history, Khadija, the wife of the Prophet Muhammad.

Abdul Zaeef describes growing up in a rural province, after the Russian invasion of 1979. Zaeef joined the jihad in 1983. Zaeef was one among the former mujahidin who were closely involved in the emergence of the Taliban, in 1994. He had a role as ambassador to Pakistan during 9/11. In early 2002 Zaeef was handed over to American forces in Islamabad and spent four and a half years in prison in Bagram and Guantanamo before being released without charge. My Life with the Taliban offers insights into the Pashtun village communities that are the Talibans bedrock and helps to explain what drives men like Zaeef to take up arms against the foreigners who are foolish enough to invade his homeland.

Over the fourteen centuries of its existence, Islamic scholarship has produced numerous individuals who have distinguished themselves by acquiring broad knowledge and deep insight. However, true distinction is only achieved through a lasting influence, particularly when the area of scholarship is a religion that presents itself as being suited to all communities at all times. The selection has to start with the founders of the eight schools of jurisprudence who have had a continuous following over the centuries up to the present day. This book introduces nine scholars from these schools and adds two more from a much later era whose influence extended far beyond the area of pure scholarship. In simple language, this book gives a clear picture of how the Islamic schools of jurisprudence differ in their methodologies, showing at the same time how much interaction they project. It serves as a primary source for those who wish to follow a course in Islamic studies, this book is indispensable for others who wish to have a fair but concise idea about the most important personalities who have shaped Islamic scholarship for centuries.