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My Key Terms and Concepts
Aaqilah: Mutual Help, which was an arrangement of mutual help or indemnification customary in some tribes at the time of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). This is a foundation doctrine based on which Islamic insurance practices, known as Takaful, have been developed.
Adl: A general term which conveys the meaning of justice, equity and fairness.
Ahad: One. Inherently one (God).
Ahkam: Plural of Hukum.
Ajr: A payment or compensation such as commission, fees or wages charged for services.

Al-Ghurm bil Ghurm: The principle that one is entitled to a gain only if one agrees to bear the responsibility for the loss. Earning profit is legitimised only by risk-sharing and engaging in an economic venture. This provides the rationale and the principle of profit-sharing in Shirkah (partnership) arrangements.
Al-kharaj bil daman: Link of exposure to risk, one can claim profit only if one is ready to bear the business risk, if any. The principle in Islamic jurisprudence that entitlement to return or yield (al-kharaj) is for the one who bears the liability (daman) for something, say an asset, and one who does not bear the liability has no claim to the yield.
Al-Sar-al-Adl: The just price.
Al-Wakala al Mutlaqa: Absolute power of attorney.
Alim: One who knows.
Amanah: Trust. Lit.: reliability, trustworthiness, loyalty, honesty. Technically, an important value of Islamic society in mutual dealings; it also refers to deposits in trust. A person may hold property in trust for another, it entails the absence of any liability for loss, except for breach of duty. By extension, the term can also be used to describe different financial or commercial activities such as deposit taking, custody or goods on consignment. Deposits in current accounts (usually non-interest bearing) with Islamic banks are regarded as Amanah. If the bank obtains authority to use the funds in the current accounts to invest in its business, Amanah transforms into a loan from the depositor to the bank and the bank is liable to repay the full amount in the current account, irrespective of profit or loss made by the bank.
Amil: Literally it means worker. One who performs a task, an agent. One who deserves compensation for performing a task, such as the mudarib (manager) in a mudarabah contract or a zakat collector.However, in Fiqh it also refers to the working partner in mudarabah contract. Under this contract, one partner provides the capital and the other provides the labour who is called amil or mudarib.
Amin: One who holds honestly the trusts of other people; trustworthy.
Amwal: Plural of Mal which means worldly possessions including both property and money (wealth).
Aqd: Contract, Agreement, Bond. Synonymous with the word “contract” in modern law.
Aqd-al-Bay: A contract of sale.
Aqd-al-Muawadah: A contract of exchange in which compensation is given against the goods or services received.
Aqd-al-Qard: A loan contract. Also known as Qard.
Aqd Ghair Lazim: A contract in which any one of the parties has a unilateral right to revoke it with the consent of the other(s).
Aqd Lazim: A contract in which none of the parties has a unilateral right to revoke it without the consent of the other(s).
Aqidah: Belief, faith.
Aqilah: Kin or persons of relationship who share responsibility.
Aql: Intellect.
Ariya: Loan, which means to give any non-fungible commodity to another for use, without taking any return for its use.
Arbun: A non-refundable down payment or deposit paid by a buyer for the right to purchase goods at a certain time and certain price in future; if the right is exercised, it becomes part of the purchase price. If the buyer does not complete the purchase or backs out for any reason, the seller has the option to forfeit the deposit. Also known as Urboun and Bai al-Arbun. Also see Hamish Jiddiyah.
Assets: Anything of value. Any interest in real or personal property which can be appropriated for the payment of debt.
Awqaf: Plural of Waqf, meaning trust.
Ayn: Monetary wealth. A tangible (physical) asset. Also, refers to currency or ready money. Ayn is often contrasted with Dayn.
Bai: Stands for “sale” or contract of sale. It is often used as a prefix in referring to different sales-based modes of Islamic finance, such as Murabaha, Istisna’a, and Salam.
Bai Al Amanat: Fiduciary sales like murabaha and wadi’ah.
Bai al Inah: Buying an object for cash then selling it to the same party for a higher price whose payment is deferred so that the purchase and sale of the object serves as a ruse for lending on interest. It equates to a double sale by which the borrower and the lender sell and then resell an object between them, once for cash and once for a higher price on credit, with the net result of a loan with interest. Used by some Islamic banks, it refers to selling of an asset to the customer through deferred payments. At a later date, the bank will repurchase the asset and pay the client in cash terms.  Thus, Bai al Inah comprises two agreements; in the first agreement, the bank sells an identified asset to the customer at an agreed price and the customer can complete the purchase of bank’s asset by payment in installments over an agreed period; in the second agreement, the bank re-purchases the same asset from the customer at a lower price and on completion of the second transaction, the bank will pay the lump sum amount in immediate cash at the price agreed between them. The difference in the price is the bank’s profit, which is determined in advance. This arrangement is prohibited by the majority of Shari’ah scholars as it also equates to a sale and buy-back arrangement. Also known as Bay-al Inah or Inah. Similar to tawarruq however, in tawwaruq a third party is involved as an intermediary.
Bai´ al khiyar / Kiyar: Option to rescind the sale.
Bai´ al Mutlaq: Conclude a sale without any option to rescind.
Bai´ al Muqayaza: Exchange of goods with goods is called barter.
Bai Bithaman Ajil (BBA): This contract refers to the sale of goods on a deferred payment basis; a deferred payment sale.  Islamic banks use it as a mode of   financing for purchase and sale or deferred payment of consumer goods. Technically, this financing facility is based on the activities of buying and selling.   There is no interest charged. Equipment or goods required by the customer are purchased by the bank which subsequently sells the goods to the customer at an agreed higher price; payment is deferred and the customer is allowed to settle payment either by instalments or in a lump sum within a pre-agreed period. The deferred payment price which is the bank’s sale price includes a profit mark-up for the bank agreed by both parties.   Similar to a Murabaha contract, but with payment on a deferred basis known as Murabaha Muajjal.
Bai Mu’ajjal: Lit.: a credit sale or deferred payment contract. Technically, a financing technique adopted by Islamic banks, It is a contract in which the seller allows the buyer to pay the price of a commodity at a future date in a lump sum or in installments. The price fixed for the commodity in such a transaction can be the same as the spot price or higher or lower than the spot price. The concept is the same as Bai Bithaman Ajil (BBA).
Bai wafa: Buy-back, sale and repurchase, a contract with the condition that when the seller pays back the price of goods sold, the buyer returns the goods to the seller.
Barakah: Blessing.
Bay’al ayan: Sale of tangible objects such as goods (as  opposed to sale of services or rights).
Bay al-dayn: Sale of debt. According to a large majority of fuqaha’, debt cannot be sold for money, except at its face value, but can be sold for goods and services.
Bayu al-Gharar: Trading in risk, where the Arabic word gharar is taken to mean “risk”. See Gharar.
Bay al-kali bil kali: A sale in which both the delivery of the object  of sale and the payment of its price are delayed. It is similar to a modern forward  sale contract.
Bay al-mudaf: A sales contract in which delivery of both the commodity and the payment is deferred – for example forward sales in modern times. Such contracts are not permitted by the Shari’ah.
Bay muzayadah: Sales by auction.
Bayt-al-Mal: Public Treasury in the Islamic State.
Batil: Null and void. Invalid sale or contract. One that does not fulfil the conditions relating to offer and acceptance, subject matter or the consideration and possession or delivery of the subject matter or involves some contravention of the Shari’ah, such as the involvements of riba, gharar or qimar.
Bad Debt: A debt that is not collectible and is therefore worthless to the creditor.

Balance Sheet
Capital Markets: Those financial markets, including institutions and individuals, that exchange securities, especially long-term debt instruments.
Collateral: Assets pledged to secure the repayment of a loan.
Commutative: Relating to, involving, or characterised by substitution, interchange, or exchange. Legal term in which one in which each of the contracting parties gives and, receives an equivalent. The contract of sale is of this kind. The seller gives the thing sold, and receives the price, which is the equivalent. The buyer gives the price and receives the thing sold, which is the equivalent.
Covenant: An agreement or promise to do or not to do a particular thing; to enter into a formal agreement; a promise incidental to a deed or contract. The following are functional objectives guiding most covenants: full disclosure of information, preservation of net worth, maintenance of asset quality, maintenance of adequate cash flow, control of growth, control of management, assurance of legal existence and concept of going concern, provision for lender profit or program goals.
Current Asset: Assets that will normally be turned into cash within a year . Current Liability Liability that will normally be repaid within a year
Current Ratio: Current assets divided by current liabilities. A measure of liquidity. Generally, the higher the ratio, the greater the “cushion” between current obligations and a firm’s ability to meet them.
Dalil: A scientific argument based on reason.
Daman: Guarantee, security. Taking responsibility.
Daman Khatar Al-Tariq: Guarantee against the travel hazards.An arrangement of mutual assistance in which losses suffered by traders during journeys due to hazards were indemnified from jointly pooled funds.
Darurah: Darura Necessity, overriding necessity. Adopting a ruling, even one that may contravene a Shari’ah rule, when one is compelled by extreme necessity, usually life or death (Usually used for the “Doctrine of Necessity,” whereby something otherwise prohibited becomes temporarily permissible).
Dayn: Debt. A dayn comes into existence as the result of any contract or credit transaction. Debt An amount owed for funds borrowed. The debt may be owed to an organization’s own reserves, individuals, banks, or other institutions. Generally, the debt is secured by a note, bond, mortgage, or other instrument that states repayment and interest provisions. The note, in turn, may be secured by a lien against property or other assets. Debt Service Reserve Term used to refer to cash reserves set aside by a borrower, either by internal policy or lender covenant, to repay debt in the event that cash generated by operations is insufficient. Default A failure to discharge a duty. The term is most often used to describe the occurrence of an event that cuts short the rights or remedies of one of the parties to an agreement or legal dispute, for example, the failure of the mortgagor to pay a mortgage installment, or to comply with mortgage covenants.
Dhimmah: Responsibility, term used in Takaful.
Dinar: Currency in the form of gold coins that was used in the past. The term is still used in some Muslim countries, like Iraq.
Dirham: Name of a currency unit, usually a silver coin, used in the past in several Muslim countries. The term is still used in some Muslim countries, such as Morocco and United Arab Emirates.
Duyoon Haalah Dayn: Debts that have become due or can be called back at any time.
Duyun Mu’ajjalah: Time of payment settled between the creditor and the debtor and the debt is not yet due.

Due Diligence Refers to the task of carefully confirming all critical assumptions and facts presented by a borrower. This includes verifying sources of income, accuracy of financial statements, value of assets that will serve as collateral, the tax status of the borrower and any other material facts presented by the borrower.
Equity: The value of property in an organisation greater than total debt held on it. Equity investments typically take the form of an owner’s share in the business, and often, a share in the return, or profits. Equity investments carry greater risk than debt, but the potential for greater return should balance the risk.
Equity Participation An ownership position in an organisation or project or venture taken through an investment. Returns on the investment are dependent on the profitability of the organisation or project.
Fadl Excess, additional, surplus, as in Takaful.
Fadl-al-Allah: The bounties bestowed by the Almighty Allah.
Falah Success, to thrive. Technically, it implies success both in this world and in the Hereafter ( Akhirah).
Faqih Jurist who gives rulings on various juristic issues in the light of the Qur’an and the sunnah.
Faraid:The section of Islamic law that deals with the distribution of the estate of a deceased persons among his/her heirs accordance with Allah’s decree in the Qur’an and the Hadith.
Fasid: Voidable. A forbidden term in a contract, which consequently renders the contract invalid. A voidable or defective contract due to non-fulfillment of any condition required for valid contracts.
Fatwa: A religious decree. A ruling made by a competent Shari’ah scholar on a particular issue, where fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) is unclear. It is an opinion, and is not legally binding. It may address either a specific problem of interest to a particular person or a matter of public concern.
Fictitious Assets: Asset having no tangible existence.
Fiqh: Refers to the whole corpus of Islamic jurisprudence. In contrast to conventional law, fiqh covers all aspects of life – religious, political, social, commercial, and economic. Fiqh is based primarily on interpretations of the Qur’an and the Sunnah and secondary sources that are supported by the Qur’an and the Sunnah. Fiqh may also be understood as the jurists’ understanding of the Shari’ah.
Fiqh al-mua’malat: Islamic commercial jurisprudence, jurisprudence of financial transactions or the rules of transacting in a  Shari’ah-compliant manner.
Fitrah: Law of nature
Gharam: Damage, Loss, as in Takaful.
Ghaban: Misappropriation or defrauding others in respect of specifications of the goods and their prices.
Ghaban-e-Fahish: Excessive profiting with deception, exorbitant price.
Gharar : Lit: uncertainty, hazard, chance or risk.  Technically, sale of a thing which is not present at hand; or the sale of a thing whose consequence or outcome is not known; or a sale involving risk or hazard in which one does not know whether it will come to be  or not, such as fish in water or a bird in the air. It is an exchange in which one or more parties stand to be deceived through ignorance of an essential element of the exchange. Thus it refers to an element of absolute or excessive uncertainty in any business or contract. Gambling (qimar) is a form of gharar because the gambler is ignorant of the result of the gamble. ( gharar one of the three fundamental prohibitions in Islamic finance, the other two being riba and maysir).  The Hanafi  school of Islamic jurisprudence defined gharar as “that whose consequences are hidden.” The Shafi’i school defined gharar as “that whose nature and consequences are hidden” or “that which admits two possibilities, with the less desirable one being more likely.” The Hanbali school defined it as “that whose consequences are unknown” or “that which is undeliverable, whether it exists or not.” Ibn Hazn of the Zahini school wrote ” Gharar is where the buyer does not know what he bought, or the seller does not know what he sold.’
Gharar-fil-Sifah: Uncertainty with respect to characteristics of the goods.
Gharar-fi-al-Ajal: Uncertainty with respect to time of the delivery.
Gharar-fi-al-Miqdar: Uncertainty with respect to quantity of goods.
Gharar-fi-al-Taslim: Uncertainty with respect to delivery of the goods.
Gharar Yasir: A small amount of gharar that may be unavoidable.
Gharim: A debtor who does not possess the fund with which to repay his/her debt. According to the Hanifi jurists, a gharim is one who whose funds, after repayment of his debt, would not to equal the nisab. The Shafi and Maliki jurists divide gharim into two types: i) those whose debts were incurred in their own benefit and 2) those whose debts were incurred benefiting others. The gharimun (pl. for gharim) are one of the eight groups mentioned in the Qur’an as legitimate recipients of the Zakat funds.
Guaranteed Loan: A pledge to cover the payment of debt or to perform some obligation if the person liable fails to perform. When a third party guarantees a loan, it promises to pay in the event of a default by the borrower.
Hadith: A record of the sayings and living example of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), referred to as the Sunnah.
Halal: That which is permissible by the Shari’ah, valid earnings.
Hamish Jiddiyah: Token money, down payment by a party intending to purchase certain goods who wishes to confirm the intention to do so by paying an amount to the seller as token money or down payment to secure the goods.
Haram: Unlawful in Islam. Activities which are explicitly prohibited by The Qur’an or the Sunnah.
Hawala: Literally, it means transfer; legally, it is an agreement by which a debtor is freed from a debt by another becoming responsible for a debt or the transfer of a claim of a debt by shifting the liability for payment from one person to another, such as a contract for assignment of debt.
Hikmah: Rationale, Wisdom behind any course of action or injunction.
Hila: A forbidden structure used for the purpose of attaining a desired legal outcome, something done to deceive others. Using permissible or a combination of permissible means to reach forbidden ends. Tricks or ruses employed in structuring transactions to give the appearance that they are in compliance with the Shari’ah when the real intention is to circumvent the basic prohibitions.
Hisbah: A term used by the classical Muslim jurists to describe the function carried out by the state or appropriate Islamic authority to regulate the market place. It includes whatever steps may be needed in order to maintain a fair and orderly market place.
Hukum: In Fiqh, the Shari’ah ruling associated with any action; rules, provisions and laws includes Allah’s command’s/norms/values for individual believer.
Husah: Lit: pebbles. A type of sale that was practiced by the Arabs in the Jahiliyyah in which the sale was determined by casting of pebbles. This practice was prohibited by Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) because of the uncertainty ( gharar) which characterised the contract which governed it.
Ibaha: Permissibility. Ibaha refers to the rule that every economic transaction is mubah (permissible) unless expressly and specifically forbidden by the Shari’ah.
Ibnu Sabil: Ibnu sabil is an expression for musafir. Musafir are people who are travelling. Although an ibnu sabil has living means, the person can receive zakat in case of problems in accessing provisions during travelling.”
Ihtikar: Hoarding. The prohibited practice of purchasing essential commodities, such as food and storing them in anticipation of increase in prices.
Ijarah Muntahia-bi-tamleek: A lease ending in the transfer of the ownership to the lessee in such a way that the lease and sale are kept separate and independent transactions. Use of the this term for leasing is better known as  ljarah wa iqtina, as the latter tends to give the impression that the Ijarah and the sale are working side by side when actually they have to be two separate deals to fulfil the Shari’ah requirement. See ljarah wa iqtina.
Qard: Loan. It is so called because the property cut off – transferred to the borrower.   An interest-free loan which the borrower must return on or before the agreed date; repayment is obligatory.
Rahn: Pledge. Collateral; technically and legally, it means to pledge or lodge a real or tangible property of material value as security for a debt or pecuniary obligation so as to make it possible for the creditor to recover the debt, in case of non-payment or default, by selling the pledged property
Salaf: In a wider sense, it refers to a loan which draws forth no profit for the creditor and is slightly different from Qard in that an amount given as Salaf cannot be called back before it is due; it includes loans for specified periods, i.e. short, intermediate and long-term loans. See Qard.
Suftajah: A type of banking instrument used for the delegation of credit during the early Muslim period, especially the Abbasides period (749 to 1258 AD). It was used to collect taxes, disburse government dues and transfer funds by merchants and was commonly used by travelling merchants.
Tabarru: Act of charity out of one’s own free will without any compulsion or obligation. A donation covenant in which the participants agree to mutually help each other by contributing financially should a fellow participant suffer a loss. A contract to provide somebody any good or service without compensation in return.
Tawarruq: Reverse Murabaha , for the purpose acquiring cash through trade activities.  Technically, according to the Muslim jurists, tawarruq can be defined as: a person who buys a commodity at a deferred price, in order to sell it in cash at a lower price. Usually, the sale is to a third party, with the aim to obtain cash. This is the classical form tawarruq , which is permissible, provided that it complies with the Shari’ah requirements on sale ( bai ).
Ujrah: The financial charge for using services (wage, salary, allowance, commission, fee).
Ushr: Ten percent (in some cases five percent) of the agriculture produce payable by the Muslim as a part of his religious obligation, like Zakah, mainly for the benefit of the poor and the needy.
Wa’ad: Promise, undertaking. A promise, such as is found in purchase and sale undertakings used in certain Islamic finance transactions; a promise to buy or sell certain goods in a certain quantity at a certain time in future at a certain price.
Zakat: Blessing, purification, increase or cultivation of good deeds. An obligatory contribution or tax which is prescribed by Islam on all Muslim persons having wealth above an exemption limit at a rate fixed by the Shari’ah.
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2 thoughts on “My Key Terms and Concepts”
Adam Jacobs says:
May 7, 2011 at 8:37 pm

Very useful list, many thanks. Could you possibly recommend me any articles and books, by yourself and others, on contract, tort and equity in Islamic law? I’m especially interested in contract law and translating contracts from Arabic and Persian into english. Thanks in advance.

Reply

SANI says:
November 29, 2014 at 8:43 pm

al mal means wealth or property

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 GEORGE BERNARD SHAW

AND THE
ISLAMIC SCHOLAR

Text and commentary of their historic conversation in 1935

Commentary and editing by
Imran N. Hosein

EDITOR'S PREFACE

The following is the text of a conversation between the famous European
playwright and intellectual, George Bernard Shaw, and the famous Islamic
scholar and missionary, Maulana Abdul Aleem Siddiqui. They met in Mombasa,
in British-occupied Kenya, 65 years ago on April 17, 1935.

Shaw, the literary genius, rationalist and intellectual, was a perfect
representative of the new essentially godless Euro-world order that had cloaked
itself in the mantle of 'humanism'. That world order emerged in the wake of the
transformation of Europe from Christendom into a 'one-eyed' secular society,
and the empowerment of Europe through the scientific, technological and
industrial revolutions. By 1935 it had already imposed its godless rule upon the
rest of mankind 'at the point of the sword', and had made considerable progress
in its new crusade of globalization to establish one global godless world.

Maulana, on the other hand, through his spiritual magnetism, his
intellectual brilliance and integrity, and his winsome personality, was an equally
perfect representative of that sacred model of society that was established in the
world for the last time by Prophet Muhammad (s). It was destined to survive the
godless storm and to triumph over all rivals at the end of the Last Age when
godless globalization would have lost all its steam.

These two worlds, — representing the sacred and the secular models of
society, were locked in a universal rivalry which would dominate the Last Age
and would eventually culminate in the triumph of one model and the destruction
of the other. It was yet possible, however, for their two representatives to meet
with each other in conditions of mutual respect, and to conduct their discussions
in a civil and courteous way. There are lessons in this today for representatives of
both those worlds. I have made minor editorial changes to the text in such
mundane matters as sentence construction. The reason for this is, of course, the
difference between spoken and written language. But the substance of the
dialogue, the language of the speakers (including the sometimes antiquated
language of Maulana), and the ideas that were exchanged, have remained
unchanged in this revised text.

More importantly I have also ventured, from time to time, to insert critical
comments in which I attempt to analyze certain questions and responses in the
text. My comments are always in a smaller type and are also separated from the
text with brackets. I do hope that these comments prove beneficial to the reader
and that they do not detract from the treasure that lies within the text itself.

The reader will find a biographical description of Maulana Abdul Aleem
Siddiqui, the Islamic scholar, at the end of the document.

Imran N. Hosein

On tour at Freemont Masjid in the East Bay Area of San Francisco December 2000

GEORGE BERNARD SHAW
AND THE

ISLAMIC SCHOLAR

It was the morning of Wednesday April 17 1935 when Maulana
Muhammad 'Abdul 'Aleem Siddiqui al-Qaderi, the eminent Indian Islamic

scholar and Sufi Shaikh who was on a visit to Mombasa, met with George
Bernard Shaw, world-renowned Irish playwright and savant, who was passing
through the city on his way to (White) South Africa on a holiday. Shaw was
travelling by the Union Castle liner, Linlithgow, when it made a stop for three
days at the island. During this time he was a guest of the resident British
Magistrate of Mombasa who was a distant relative he had never met before.

There was drama at that moment when the Islamic scholar arrived at the
residence of the Magistrate and Shaw himself came out at once to receive him.
Shaw was well built, of medium stature, and with an erect and imposing figure,
— an elderly gentleman of noble mien. He was smiling too, — not the smile of
the sceptic that flickers just round the corners of the lips, but a smile of real
welcome, and it suffused his face. There was nothing Shavian about him, if the
phonetic pun were to be permitted, for even his chin was not shaved. Rather, a
long flowing beard imparted a serene dignity to his falsely represented Freudian
features. Full of vim and vigour, were it not for the gray colour of his hair, beard,
and eyebrows, he could scarcely be credited with the four-score years that he
carried with youthful buoyancy.

Maulana 'Abdul 'Aleem Siddiqui, on the other hand, was a venerable
figure dressed in dignified Arab robes. He was comparatively young, just forty-
three. Chronic catarrh and unceasingly intense mental strain had turned his hair
gray and it made him look much older than he actually was. He, also, was
smiling. It was the sparkling smile of those whose hearts radiate with innocence
and purity. When Truth enters the heart then such a smile appears on the lips!

Maulana stepped out of the car. There was a hearty exchange of greetings
between the two men. Maulana expressed his great pleasure at meeting Shaw.
The 'grand old man' immediately rejoined that having heard about Maulana's
missionary exploits and his novel way of preaching Islam, he himself was very
eager to know him, and it was indeed a very happy coincidence that they were
able to meet each other for the first time in Mombasa.

The conversation was very interesting, and quite devoid of Shavian shafts
and sarcasms. Perhaps this was because the usual roles of interviews with

George Bernard Shaw were reversed. It was Shaw himself who kept on
questioning his guest, and who listened attentively to the prompt, lucid and
informative replies.

The following is the (edited) text of that memorable conversation:

TEXT AND COMMENTARY OF
CONVERSATION

George Bernard Shaw: I regret I was unable, on account of a previous
engagement, to attend your lecture last night, although I was very keen on doing
so. You spoke on the 'Philosophy of Peace', but as a Muslim it would have been
more appropriate if you had delivered a lecture on the 'Philosophy of War', for
Islam, doubtless, has spread at the point of the sword!

[Shaw's opening statement was meant to test the Islamic Scholar and to probe
him in a matter that was so very sensitive. Modern European scholarship
considered this subject to be the very 'Achilles heel' of Islam. But Shaw was
already alive to the possibility that Islam was being misrepresented and
demonized by Euro-Christian writers. Would the Islamic Scholar rush to offer an
apologetic answer, or would he summon the courage to 'take the bull by the
horns' and deliver a forthright repudiation of the charge without being
overawed, and without fear? Shaw's abrupt opening 'brutal thrust' was not
uncharitable. Rather it was made for the purpose of discovering the
psychological profile of his guest. Was he made of iron and steel, or recycled
paper? Western scholars have continued to do this over the years in their
interaction with Islamic scholars. Indeed this has been, and still is, the method of
Western civilization as a whole in its overall relations, - political, economic,
strategic, etc., with the Muslim world in particular, and with the rest of non-
European humanity in general. My own spiritual insight has allowed me to
recognize it as the method of Gog and Magog.

Maulana replied in an extraordinarily courageous and forthright way, and in
doing so he set a magnificent example for those who would follow in his
footsteps. The Qur'an itself, in al-Ahzab: -33:1, had commanded the believers to
speak in precisely such a straightforward way. Maulana politely yet effectively
put Shaw on guard that he would not be intimidated, and that he did not deal in
apologetics. Maulana did not confine himself to a simple exposition of Islamic
theory pertaining to the subject. Instead he proceeded to promptly dismiss the
charge against Islam as a 'myth', and he then offered a daring comparison with
the conduct of both early Christian civilization and modern European
civilization. That was brilliant!

Maulana could have responded with an equally brutal psychological trust that
would have put Shaw on the spot. After all George Bernard Shaw was an icon
and a celebrity of a modern Western civilization that had just accomplished its
colonization of most of the earth through the use of brute force. And Shaw was
himself bound for a white man's holiday in the very land where 'apartheid' was
established without as much as a fig leaf to cover its abominable shame. But
Maulana restrained himself and chose to remain faithful to the command of the
Qur'an in which Allah declared: "Invite (all) to the Way of thy Lord with wisdom and
beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious: for thy
Lord knows best, who have strayed from His Path, and who receive guidance." (Qur'an:
al-Nahl: -16:125). He also remained faithful to the Sunnah (example) of Prophet
Muhammad (s) who was most respectful and gracious in his language. Maulana
based his response on Truth and on facts, and it was presented so respectfully
and so brilliantly that Shaw was satisfied with it and probed no further. That was
no mean achievement].

Maulana Siddiqui: This is a common misunderstanding regarding Islam. I was
dealing with this problem only last night, and I am really surprised that this
myth, which has been thoroughly exploded by now, should receive any notice
from a scholar of your calibre. However, I may briefly tell you now that the
literal meaning of the very word 'Islam' is 'peace'.

An authentic record of the teachings of Islam in their pristine purity has
been preserved intact in the Qur'an and the Traditions. They go to establish,
beyond the shadow of a doubt, that Islam permits the use of the sword only
when wantonly attacked and compelled to ' defend itself. Besides there is an
explicit injunction in the Holy Qur'an in which Allah, Most High, declares: "There
should be no coercion in religion' (Qur'an: al-Baqarah -2:256). This clearly forbids the
use of force or compulsion in matters of religion. As a matter of fact, I entertain
the same conviction regarding the teachings of genuine Christianity, for our
sense of reasoning tells us that if they are divine revelations and their source of
emanation is consequently divine, they cannot but emphatically veto any manner
of violence in respect of belief and enjoin its inculcation by means of arguments
and rational discourses. As far as Islam is concerned the Qur'an distinctly says:
“So that he who perishes hereafter may perish after demonstrative evidence, and that he
who lives may live by the same evidence.” (Qur'an: al-Anfal: -8:42)

Islam has enjoined a specific method for its propagation. It was this
method that yielded such positive results. The spread of Islam around the world
and its acceptance by all reasonable men is solely due to Muslim adherence to
the Qur'anic injunction which declared: “Invite people to the way of your Lord with
wisdom and graceful exhortation, and dispute with them in the most conciliatory
way."(Qur'an: al-Nahl: -16:125)

History bears testimony to the fact that “Christ was declared consubstantial
with the Father" (Gibbon) by the Council of Nicea, convened by Constantine in

Bithynia in the year 325 A.C. An effort was then made to enforce belief in the
divinity of Christ. Christians refused to submit to this belief, not only in Europe,
but even in the sacred city of Jerusalem as well. This resulted in a most horrid
and inhuman slaughter of thousands of innocent people. But in spite of it all I
can never hold the real Christianity responsible for it. On the contrary it is those
representatives of the Church who wanted to impress the hearts of the people
with their power and greatness and who wanted to perpetuate their priestly
authority, who can be rightly saddled with all the blame.

Similarly, the sanguinary wars known as Crusades were the outcome of
the Machiavellian machinations of precisely such interested ecclesiastical groups
of men. They realized that the uncompromising preaching of the oneness of God
by Islam was a great obstacle in their path and their self-fabricated divine
authority was at stake. So they launched an unscrupulous campaign against
Islam and Muslims. They instigated the credulous medieval Europe to wage the
so-called 'holy wars' against Islam and Muslims by circulating blood-curdling
tales of imaginary atrocities by Muslims on Christians. They described the
Muslims as infidels and inveterate enemies of the Christian religion, property
and persons. Obviously, therefore, it is these Church dignitaries who alone can
be held accountable for the cruel, protracted, futile wars. The blame cannot be
attributed to the original teachings of Christianity or Islam, nor for that matter, to
Muslims.

Furthermore, if we grant as a supposition that some Muslim rulers and
tribes were actuated by the lust of conquest and, in consequence, became
aggressors, long after the advent of Islam of course, and let slip the dogs of war
for self-aggrandizement, we can, to be fair, condemn those individuals for the
reprehensible acts, and surely not Islam.

I made certain remarks recently, in one of my speeches at Durban, and as
they are very pertinent, I would like to repeat them to you. (So saying, His
Eminence read out the following passage from a booklet which he was carrying
with him):

“If certain nations, immersed in. paganism and superstition and ignorant of the real
teachings of religion, wage wars in its name, the crime is theirs, and no blame can be
ascribed to religion. Were not millions of human beings killed during the Great War in
the name of peace, justice and the laudable object of safeguarding the rights of weaker
nations? Should we then condemn these humane and noble qualities because some
statesman abused these terms and sanctioned the inhuman slaughter for the attainment
of their own selfish ends?”

George Bernard Shaw: There is no doubt that fanatics of the Roman Church
were, to a great extent, responsible for the sad events, and the pure teachings of
Christianity have no concern with their occurrence. It may also be admitted that
a great many misunderstandings prevail regarding Islam, and that it is being
widely misrepresented. But do the Muslim masses agree with your
interpretation? Do they believe that Islam was not, and should not, be spread by
force?

[Shaw had got the answer he wanted. Here was a scholar who commanded his
respect. And so he now seized the opportunity that had come his way to get as
much information on Islam as was possible 'from the horse's mouth'. In its
confrontation with Islam, the Western world was more concerned about a
Muslim's resort to force than it was of any other subject. The modern West
would marshal all its resources to ensure that Jihad never took place again. The
Prophet (s), on the other hand, had prophesied that one section of his followers
would never abandon Jihad until the Last Day. "Fighting for Islam' and
'spreading Islam by force' were not synonymous. What was the thinking of
contemporary Muslims on the subject of fighting? Shaw may not have been
'fishing' for an answer to question of 'fighting for Islam'. But that 'fishing'
expedition continues to this day]

Maulana Siddiqui: Every Muslim is bound to endorse it, for whatever I say is
precisely what the Qur'an says, and my own views or conceptions have nothing
to do with it. Many books have been written on this subject. Syed Amir Ali, Sir
Syed Ahmed Khan, Allama Shibli and other learned doctors of Islamic theology
have exhaustively dealt with all the aspects of this subject in their books.

[Maulana Siddiqui correctly avoided expanding on his reply. There was no need
for him to inform Shaw, at this stage of the conversation, of specific conditions
that require Muslims to fight. Such, for example, would be the obligation to fight
in order to liberate the oppressed, particularly so when the oppressed were
themselves crying out for such help (Qur'an: al-Nisa -4:75; al-Hajj -22:39-40; etc).

Even the very 'stones' of the Holy Land are crying out to Muslims today to fight
to liberate the Holy Land*. In replying in this brief and prompt way he provided
an opportunity for Shaw to turn to another subject. And this is precisely what he
did.]

George Bernard Shaw: I know that there is a considerable amount of concord
between Islam and Christianity!

Maulana Siddiqui: The correspondence is not merely nominal or superficial, for
the Qur'an expressly predicates that when the ultimate source or origin of an
inspired or revealed and divine religion is the Being of God, unanimity in such

revelations is indispensable. Islam has been conceived as a new religion. But
according to the Qur'an the religion preached by Muhammad (peace be upon
him) is the same that was promulgated by all the true Prophets from Abraham
right up to Jesus (peace be upon them all). God deputed them one and all for the
dissemination of much the same teachings.

It was only when their original teachings were tampered with and
corrupted, and their authenticity became dubious, that Almighty God sent the
last Prophet, and the last book, to re-state, confirm and complete His original
Message. The Holy Qur'an has made this quite clear by saying that:

“We ordained for you the religion with which We commanded Noah and which We have
revealed unto thee (O Muhammad) and with which We commanded Abraham and Moses
and Jesus, saying: Observe this religion and be not divided therein.” (Qur'an: al-Shura: -
42:13)

George Bernard Shaw: The translation of the Qur'an that I have read certainly
substantiates your statements. I very much prefer the translation made by one
who has adopted a different variation of the arrangement of the verses to that
which is generally followed by other translators. I had it always with me during
my tour of Morocco and Algeria, and my occasional references to its contents
proved to be a perennial source of diversion and curious amusement to the
Muslims of those lands. It is one of the editions of 'Every Man's Library', and I
have commended its wider publicity to some of the publishers.

[We now learn that Shaw had not only read an English translation of the Qur'an,
but that he had also studied it to advantage, and had quoted from it from time to
time. This was an important demonstration of the absence of bias in his heart.]

Maulana Siddiqui: The translation you allude to is that of Mr. Rodwell!

George Bernard Shaw: Yes.

Maulana Siddiqui: There is no doubt that Mr. Rodwell has expended a great
deal of energy and industry in translating the chapters of the Qur'an in their
chronological order of revelation, but as his knowledge of the Arabic literature
and Islamic history was not sufficiently wide and profound, a considerable
number of translated passages are so misleading and contain such flagrant
mistakes (which I by no means attribute to a deliberate intent on his part, but as I
have already said, they may be the result of his limited knowledge in the said
spheres) that they are likely to create wrong impressions about Islam.

As far as the translations of the Qur'an are concerned, I would recommend
you to read: 'The Meaning of the Glorious Koran' by Mr. Marmaduke Pickthall, and

I am sure that its perusal will enable you to appreciate considerably more of the
exquisite beauty, the sublime transcendence and the appealing and impressive
style of the Qur'anic guidance. However, I do not imply that it is a perfect
version of the original. You are yourself a splendid writer and so you can easily
recognize that in spite of a translator being the ablest and the best, he can never
transmit the force and brilliance of your original writings when he translates
them into another language.

George Bernard Shaw: It is quite true that the spirit of the original cannot be
transplanted into its translation in another language, and the same is the case
with the translations of the Bible. But they have now achieved a very high
standard, and the process of raising it still higher is being continued.

[In making this reference to the Bible Shaw presented an opportunity for
Maulana to elaborate on a theme on which he had previously commented, i.e.,
changes that were made to the word of God in the Torah, the Gospel etc.
Maulana promptly and courageously seized the opportunity that was
presented.]

Maulana Siddiqui: Although the translations of the Bible may attain the highest
stage of perfection from the standpoint of language, one cannot say, under any
circumstances, that they contain the original message of Christianity, or are the
genuine versions of the teachings of Jesus Christ. You know that the pure
original message of the Gospel, as delivered by Jesus, is no more extant. There is
no original manuscript of the Gospel and numerous corruptions have produced
numerous conflicting texts. And so confusion was worse confounded, and a
seeker of truth could not quench his thirst at its hydroid font. The Qur'an, in
contrast, has been preserved in such a manner that there has not been the
slightest change, not even to the extent of a letter or a dot. Hence, if we want to
know the real teachings of Christianity, we must look for them in the Qur'an.

George Bernard Shaw: Has there really been no alteration in the Qur'an? Is it
absolutely preserved in its original form? Did Prophet Muhammad know how to
write, and is his writing in existence?

[We must assume that these questions were all posed in sincerity. They reveal a
lot concerning the ignorance of the questioner on basic matters pertaining to
Islam and to the Prophet (s), an ignorance that has mysteriously persisted in the
western mind to this day. But they also imply Shaw's tacit acceptance of the
charge of the Qur'an that the Torah and the Gospel were rewritten by human
beings who proceeded to change the Word of God.]

Maulana Siddiqui: There is a complete and authentic record of each and every
chapter, nay, even of every verse, or I might say, of every word of the Qur'an.
Immediately following the revelation of a verse or verses to him the Prophet
used to send for the special scribes appointed for the purpose of recording the
revelations. He would then dictate the same to them. And they would record it.
When transcribed, he would ask them to recite what they had written and, after
listening to and verifying it, would explain to them its meaning.

The manuscripts in the handwriting of one of the most honoured and
trusted among the scribes, Zaid bin Thabit, are preserved intact in the archives of
Constantinople and Medina. Today's Qur'anic text is the exact copy of the
original, and the copies of the Qur'an in the world today do not differ with each
other even in point of a comma or a dash.

George Bernard Shaw: What! Are there punctuation marks in the Qur'an?

Maulana Siddiqui: The punctuation marks in the English language comprise
commas, colons, semi-colons, periods, etc, but the principles of Qur'anic
elocution comprehend numerous signs of a different kind. For instance, a stop is
compulsory in certain places, whilst it is optional in others; some endings are
fully pronounced, whilst others are quiescent, etc. The correct accents,
pronunciations, accurate halts, etc., are so intricate and difficult of acquisition,
that the Qur'anic elocution has been evolved into a distinct art, and copious
volumes have been written on its theory and practice.

George Bernard Shaw: All this is rather astonishing and new to me. I was also
surprised to learn that you delivered a speech on `Islam and Science' in Nairobi.
What I find difficult to understand is how you can possibly present the picture of
Heaven and Hell, which is portrayed in the Qur'an, in a manner convincing to
persons conversant with science, whose minds are inured to accept nothing
without visible or palpable proof?

I hold the Prophet of Arabia in great esteem and I can quite understand
that it would have been impossible to restrain and wean that illiterate, ignorant
and perverse race, sunk in the miasma of utter moral depravity, from committing
the most heinous of crimes. And it would have been equally impossible to imbue
its people with enthusiasm to strive after righteousness and to assimilate high
morals and virtues, without projecting these awesome images of heaven and hell.
It was, perhaps, for this reason that such a terrible and intensely awe-inspiring
spectacle of Hell and an equally captivating and enticing image of Heaven as a
land flowing with milk and honey had to be presented before their vision.

I also very much admire the forcible and striking diction of the Qur'an.
What elegant grace and beauty characterizes that passage which depicts the
dreadful scene of the doomsday field, and, when dealing with infanticide,
dramatically leaves off at the question: “For what crime were you slain?” (Qur'an:
al-Taqwir -81:8)  to the innocent child that was buried alive or put to death. In my
opinion, it is the most effective way of creating an abiding impression on the
minds of the people. But I am afraid I am digressing, for I would very much like
to know how the problem of Heaven and Hell could possibly be elucidated in the
light of science.

[Again it is Shaw who was leading the conversation. He changed the subject of
conversation again and again in order to maximize the benefit he could derive
from the opportunity of speaking with an authority on Islam. After questioning
Maulana on the Qur'an Shaw now turned his attention to the psychology of
religion. He assumed that the Qur'an has come from the Prophet (s) himself, for
he had not as yet been challenged to think otherwise. But his comments
concerning the nature of the description of heaven and hell in the Qur'an reveal
some understanding of the Qur'anic psychology of religion. Maulana was careful
to explain that the Qur'anic description was meant for temporal human
understanding but could never actually describe the transcendental reality of
heaven and hell.

It was when Shaw turned to the epistemological challenge involved in the
defence of belief in heaven and hell that Maulana was led to that battleground
which witnessed the most dangerous of all attacks ever launched against the
religious way of life. The modern West saw with only `one' eye, the external. The
'internal' eye was blind. So, the West insisted that knowledge came only from
external observation and experimentation. Whatever could not be observed
could never be known. If a thing could never be known, then, for all intents and
purposes, it did not exist. Thus, there was therefore no reality beyond material
reality. The epistemology that produced western materialism could not
accommodate belief in heaven and hell! How would the scholar of Islam respond
to this profound epistemological challenge?]

Maulana Siddiqui: You are a master of the art of writing, and your enchanting
and novel literary productions with your magical pen revolutionize the
mentality of the readers. I am sure you will agree with me on this point that
material language cannot possibly act as an apt vehicle with which one can
accurately convey the significance and reality of spiritual problems and
phenomena. In fact this is not possible without the help of metaphors and similes
that are used analogously.

One must, therefore, bear this fact in mind and make due allowance for
the mode of expression with which the Qur'an describes Hell and Heaven.
Simultaneously with such illustrations that confine their appeal to physical
senses, God Almighty stipulates however, and in the clearest terms, that we
should not to be too inquisitive regarding the true nature of the blessings of
Heaven: “So no one knows what is in store for them of that which will refresh the eyes.”
(Quran: al-Sajda -32.-17) According to the Traditions, we should not, under any
circumstances, think of them in any way comparable to the objects of this world:
“The reality of their constitution has been neither witnessed by any human eyes, nor have
the ears listened to words capable of expressing it; it is, indeed, beyond the pale of human
imagination, and even a perfunctory surrogate of it cannot be visualized."

How can it be asserted in the face of this pronouncement and explanation
that the blessings of Heaven resemble in any way whatsoever that which pleases
us or contribute to our happiness in this world? The truth of the matter lies
elsewhere. In fact material progress and comfort commensurate with the degree
of comprehension and execution follow as a matter of course from our
compliance with natural or physical laws. So too one attains the utmost possible
spiritual bliss and beatitude in proportion to allegiance or adherence to moral
and spiritual laws and their translation into practice. Conversely their violation
entails spiritual torture and tribulation.

If, according to the law of progress, everything is heading for advance,
there must naturally be a zenith of it, and beyond that there must be no point of
further progress. Comfort or happiness and grief or suffering are two states
which a person experiences in this life, - hence there must be an extreme point
for both of these states. This very extreme point of pleasure or bliss is called
Heaven, and the extreme point of sorrow is called Hell.

Just as there are material media that are either conducive to happiness or
instrumental in inflicting suffering in this world, so must there be some kind of
media to procreate that state of bliss or generate pain and suffering in the other
world. A metaphorical word-picture of the former has been sketched to portray
Heaven, and the tremendously appalling and dreadful portrait of torments has
been drawn to symbolize Hell. Now this other world, which we call spiritual or
celestial, is neither like this material world, nor is it purely spiritual, having no
connection, whatsoever, with matter, and where there are only souls utterly free
from matter.

The human being, body and soul together, is responsible or accountable
for his or her activities. Hence, the soul in partnership with the quintessence of
this very physical organism will meet with the kind of happiness or grief suitable
to the conditions obtaining in the world.

Now it only remains to define matter. But as you know this is not possible
even at the present stage of scientific progress. For what matter really is
constitutes a conundrum that has not been solved in spite of the attempts made
by the best human brains. Far from succeeding in analyzing it chemically, the
greatest scientists have not been able even to picture its reality. The culminating
point of scientific research up to date is the establishment of the `Theory of
Protons and Electrons', according to which the wave radiations of these are the
basis of the universe, and every physical body in its solid form is the result of
those very radiations.

This is what the magazine The World of Wonder says about matter: "Matter
seems very solid, but men of science tell us that if all the spaces in the atoms that
make up our bodies were done away with, and the nucleus and electrons of the
atoms were concentrated into a mass, the whole matter of a grown man's body
would be so small that it could not be seen with the naked eye."

Hence, if it is possible for a scientist to accept with out positive proof that
an average electron flies round its nucleus several thousand million times every
second, and base the formation of solid physical organisms on their wave
radiations, there should be no difficulty for him to imagine the soul and body in
a form suitable to the conditions of the kind of happiness or grief to be met with
in the 'great beyond'. A very hazy picture of those states can be said to reflect
itself in those weird experiences of ours which we call dreams.

[The Islamic Scholar was well versed in modem thought. He had kept himself
abreast with the latest advances in physics. He had also drunk profoundly from
the fountain of Islamic scholarship through the ages. He was thus able to meet
the considerable challenge which Shaw had summoned him to respond to when
he invited him to present the case for belief in transcendental religious verities in
an age which recognized observation as the only means of acquiring knowledge.
Regardless of what the modern philosopher might think of Maulana's answer the
important fact to note is that it satisfied Shaw. This was Islamic scholarship 65
years ago. Modern physics has made considerable advance since 1935. Scholars
of Islam in this age would profit greatly from emulating the example set by
Maulana.]

George Bernard Shaw: This is really a very beautiful, eloquent and gratifying
explanation, but will the present day Muslims be prepared to accept it?

Maulana Siddiqui: This description is by no means a concoction of my brain.
Rather, as I have already said, the Qur'an itself propounds it. I cannot claim any
credit, even for the manner of description, because my great predecessors,
Imams Fakhruddin Razi, Ghazzali, and Mohiuddin ibn Arabi, when addressing

enlightened philosophers like you, expressed themselves in similar terms. If I
may say it in the oriental style, I have only gathered a few crumbs from their
tables of magnificent feasts.

[The reader would be fascinated to learn that Maulana Dr. Ansari, student and
disciple of Maulana Siddiqui, published in 1973 a masterpiece of Islamic
scholarship. It was a 2-volume work entitled The Qur’anic Foundations and
Structure of Muslim Society**, and in it he expounded in some detail precisely the

conception of heaven and hell that his distinguished teacher here presented to
Shaw. Dr. Ansari was, in turn, the beloved teacher and spiritual guide of the
humble editor of this text]

All the teachings of Islam are rational. There are no mysteries and dogmas. They
only require to be explained in a proper light to transfuse their correct sense. It is
difficult to understand the literature of any art with which we are not conversant.
Hence, in order to grasp and assimilate the problematic points related to any art,
we must first acquire knowledge and cultivate intimate acquaintance with that
particular art. If we then seek their solution in the light of this knowledge we
shall easily understand them.

(At this stage Mr. Shaw's hostess came in, and Mr. Shaw introduced Maulana Siddiqui
to her. Addressing Mr. Shaw, she said that it was almost time for him to leave for the
docks. Mr. Shaw said he must certainly make a move then, and, turning to His
Eminence, said):

George Bernard Shaw: Your conversation is so very interesting and informative,
that I would like to have the privilege of enjoying your company for years. But,
unfortunately, I have to leave now.

Maulana Siddiqui: I also ardently desire to have the benefit of exchanging views
with such a cultured and learned scholar as yourself. This is particularly since I
found that even an inadequate acquaintance with the teachings of Islam from
unauthentic and perhaps tainted sources has evoked such a positive and
optimistic statement from you regarding Islam, that: “The future religion of the
educated, cultured and enlightened people will be Islam. “

I would like to speak to you about the profound philosophy and
psychological truths the Qur'an expounds, so that a gifted and erudite savant of
your parts and genius, perfectly familiar with the tastes and mental tendencies of
the civilized world, can present that truth to them in an effective and desirable
manner.

George Bernard Shaw: I am really very sorry that I could secure such a short
time for speaking to a learned sage like your self.

Maulana Siddiqui: I am, however, grateful even for this opportunity and avail
myself of the occasion to present to you the printed copies of two of my lectures
on 'Religious and Scientific Progress of the World', and 'Spiritual Culture in
Islam', which I recently delivered at Durban. I also give you this booklet on
`Islam' by my friend, Mr. Elias Burney, M.A., Professor of Economics at the
Usmania University, Hyderabad, Deccan. (This is now in India) He has made a
classified collection of the Qur'anic verses under various heads with explanatory
notes. I hope you will find these books to be of some benefit. Please feel free to
communicate with me on any point connected with these books or with any
other book on Islam. It will be an honour for me to respond to your enquiries to
the extent that my own knowledge permits.

George Bernard Shaw: There is no doubt that your way of presenting the Islamic
teachings is very fascinating, but will the orthodox section of the Muslims agree
with you?

[Maulana responded to the question by expressing his confidence that even the
most orthodox of Muslims would agree with his views. Maulana Dr. Ansari
deleted the actual text of the answer for reasons that are not clear to this editor.
He may, perhaps, have done so because his teacher and mentor, Maulana
Siddiqui, may have subsequently changed his opinion on a matter he addressed
in his answer].
George Bernard Shaw: I have been very pleased to make your acquaintance, and
it will be the most precious of all memories of this trip of mine.

(Bidding farewell to each other, His Eminence wished Shaw bon voyage and they parted.
George Bernard Shaw was seen standing on the veranda waving his hand till the car that
took away the scholar of Islam went out of sight.)

[What is most remarkable about this conversation is the fact that Shaw was not a
hostile critic of Islam. Yet he was, perhaps, the most famous western intellectual
of his age. On the contrary he showed remarkable respect for Prophet
Muhammad (s) and there was manifest sincerity in the courteous way in which
he greeted, met and parted from the eminent scholar of Islam. Today's sad reality
is that such westerners as Shaw have become almost extinct. It is almost
impossible to find any such outstanding personality in today's secular western
intellectual elite, or in its non-European progeny, who can share with George
Bernard Shaw his view that: “The future religion of the educated, cultured and
enlightened people will be Islam." The world is not experiencing progress. On the
contrary, it is the scum of humanity who now control the world, and who are
also hell-bent on controlling the minds of all of mankind! Mankind must choose
to follow Muhammad (s), or to follow godless modernity. There is no other
choice!]

INTRODUCING

Maulana Muhammad Abdul Aleem Siddiqui al-Qaderi

Every religion and every ideology has in every age its great exponents who
personify in a distinguished manner the cause they cherish and uphold and
whose labours for that cause form landmarks in human history. One such great
personality of the first half of the twentieth century was Maulana Shah
Muhammad Abdul Aleem Siddiqui Al-Qaderi (ra). Born in the South Asian sub-
continent, his noble soul soared beyond the limitations of territory and race.
Imbibing Islamic as well as Western education, he rose to combine the best in
ancient and modern disciplines and became a distinguished exponent of the
message of orthodox Islam to modern humanity. But the most distinctive aspect
of his personality was the spiritual magnetism that he radiated and which
captivated the minds and hearts of all who crossed his path.

With these great qualities of head and heart, he travelled continuously for forty
years from town to town, country to country, and continent to continent in the
noble mission of Da'wah and Tableegh, until his labours of love for the spiritual

reform and upliftment of humanity covered a major part of the world. Millions
of human souls belonging to diverse races and nationalities in Asia, Africa,
Europe and America received spiritual blessings through his dynamic and
refulgent personality. And numerous Islamic missionary societies, mosques,
schools, hospitals, libraries, infirmaries, orphanages and periodicals sprang up in
the wake of his immortal missionary labours. He worked with single-minded
devotion for the cause of Islam and humanity until his noble soul returned to
Allah's Mercy at Madina in 1954.

The Aleemiyah Institute of Islamic Studies was established in Karachi, Pakistan,
in 1964 as a tribute to the memory of Maulana Siddiqui.

See our book: 'Jerusalem in the Qur'an', published in the Ansari Memorial Series.

** The great two-volume work of Maulana Dr. Ansari entitled: 'The Qur'anic
Foundations and Structure of Muslim Society', as well as the above book and other

books in the Ansari Memorial Series, can be ordered through email to the
following address: inhosein@hotmail.com .

 See also the website: www.imranhosein.org

A Comment

The (edited) document looks perfect. I must admit that the commentary has
really brought it alive. I have read it before, but never realized how these few
words from the great Shaikh mirror his immense personality - his knowledge, his

wit, his delivery, his poise, his dignity. I am no less amazed at his English. Think
of an ordinary man of the (Indian) subcontinent with a degree from a local
University during the first half of this century - what was his English like? -
bookish at best, and hilarious, if not atrocious, at worst. And here is a man who is
not just talking on the streets of London, he is stupefying the 'brain of Britain'
with his length; breadth and depth of knowledge as much as with his English.

Subhanallah!

Muhammah Almagir

Sydney, Australia


கிலாஃபா-ஹிஜாஸ்-மற்றும்-சவூதி-வஹாபி-தேசிய-அரசு.pdf

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de elop e s m  b nkng nd na c  v m nt of I la ic a i  a  fi n e

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T ALHUDA CIBEABOU

OUR SERVICES

Advisory and Consultancy

Educa�on and Training

Shariah Advisory

General Awareness

Publica�ons

Conferences/Workshops

ALHUDA

Services

OUR SERVICES

AlHuda offers a wide range of services in the field of Islamic Banking & Finance
Industry:

Advisory and Consultancy
AlHuda CIBE is specialized to provide  advisory & consultancy in the field of
Islamic banking, Takaful, Islamic Microfinance, Sukuk, Islamic Funds and so on.

Educa�on and Training
AlHuda CIBE play major role in Training & Capacity Building by offering
specialized Training Program, Distance Learning Programs on Islamic Banking
& Finance, Takaful, Sukuk, Islamic Funds and Islamic Microfinance.

Shariah Advisory
Islamic Financial Modeling, Feasibility Studies, Strategic Planning, Debt
Advisory and Islamic Microfinance Product Development are core parts of
AlHuda CIBE.

General Awareness
AlHuda CIBE has organized various awareness road show programs for the
promo�on of Islamic Banking & Halal Industry.

Publica�ons
AlHuda CIBE offers a wide range of publica�ons i.e. True Banking, Islamic
Banking and Finance News (Online),Halal Blog, Sukuk Portal and Takaful
Blog.

Conferences/Workshops
AlHuda CIBE ha s succe ssfully organized  many  interna�onal
conferences and above 300 workshops & trainings on Islamic Banking
& Finance round the Globe.

Brands

OUR BRANDS

Sukuk Research Portal

www.sukuk.com.pk

Islamic Microfinance Network

www.imfn.org

Centre of Excellence in
Islamic Banking

www.alhudacibe.com/imhd

Takaful Consultancy Wing

www.alhudacibe.com/takafulindustry

Halal Research Council

www.halalrc.org

True Banking Magazine

www.truebanking.com.pk

Training
Solu�on

ALHUDA TRAINING SOLUTIONS

AlHuda Centre of Islamic Banking and Economics offers a wide range of the state-of-
the-art training workshops in order to produce the right manpower for the banking
and finance industry to equip the right employees so that they could serve with the
right spirit leading to the sublime of success of Islamic Finance all over the world.

Customizes Training Services
For the last 8 years, AlHuda has been offering customized training services designed
and developed to the specific performance goals outlined by each customer/client
of the Economics, banking and finance industry on need base analysis.

Dedicated Training Services
Due to increasing need for training on issues rela�ng to fast growing Islamic
Financial Service Industry, AlHuda ini�ated demand-based training programs to
banking and finance Ins�tu�ons. The purpose of this training service is to provide
a clear sense of direc�on for the banking and finance ac�vi�es, to complement
exis�ng works and ini�a�ves, to chart future course and responsibili�es, and to
take into account external challenges that could impact their mission and
opera�ons.

Major Areas of Training
The major areas covered in our Calendar of Training Programs include:
   Fundamentals of Islamic Banking and Finance
   Risk Management for Islamic Finance
   Islamic Financial Instruments
   Islamic Fund and Investment
   Islamic Micro/Rural Finance
   Takaful (Islamic Insurance)
   Sukuk
   Housing & Real Estates

Note: We also provides specific trainings on need bases and on demand of specific organiza�ons.

DLP

ALHUDA DISTANCE LEARNING PROGRAMS

AlHuda offers highly s tructured and innov a�vely designed Distance Learning
Program with an In terac�ve methodology, under the supervision of pr omising
Academicians, Shariah Scholars and Professionals to ensure high quality
deliverance of knowledge and learning Techniques. These programs are available in
Pakistan and all around the world.
Programs in Distance Learning include:

Execu�ve Diploma in Islamic Banking & Finance
   Cer�fied Islamic Microfinance Manager
   Cer�fied Takaful Professional
   Cer�fied Islamic Funds Manager
   Cer�fied Sukuk Professional

Seminars and Conferences

Glimpse of various Interna�onal Programs organized by AlHuda CIBE
  South Africa
  Afghanistan
  Kazakhstan
  Nigeria

For the promo�on of Islamic Banking and Finance, AlHuda CIBE has taken up the
charge of conduc�ng numerous awareness seminars and interna�onal
conferences not only in P akistan but also in dif ferent other c ountries like
Afghanistan, South Africa, Kazakhstan, Russia, Sri Lanka and Malaysia etc.

Mauri�us
Pakistan
Sri Lanka
Kenya

OUR TRAINING APPROACH

Training
Approach

1. Iden�fy Training needs
Firstly, we complete a tr aining Needs Analysis which wi ll enable us t o fully
understand the training objec�ves of our client.

2. Mapping the Training Plan & Building Consensus
We believe that involvement builds commitment. So, by talking to our client about
the specific training needs allows us to build commitment and design the training
plan.

3. Training Program Addi�ons, Altera�ons & Refinement
This stage is ba sed on the r esults from the T raining Needs Analysis and
communica�on with client. It will help us to add, refine and finalize the training
program contents and produce effec�ve learning tools as well as inden�fy the best
suited Course Leader.

4. Prac�cal Implementa�on
Our highly qualified Course Leader will deliver the training Program at designated
venue at a mutually agreeable �me.

5. Conduc�ng Test & Awarding Cer�ficate
At the end of the training session, a General Ap�tude Test about the topic of the
training program will be conducted which wi ll facilitate and reinforce the
transfer of learning in the par�cipants.
On successful comple�on of the c ourse, cer�ficates will be a warded to
par�cipants.

6. Training Feedback & Course Leader Observa�on Report
In order to monitor and main tain the quality of the t raining session
par�cipants give their feedback through Training Evalua�on Form. Client
will receive a Course Leader Observa�on Report with detailed feedback
about the transfer of learning.

Clients

Islamic Financial Ins�tu�ons including Banks, Micr ofinance ins�tu�ons, Islamic
insurance, conven�onal insurance companies, Islamic finance regulatory
authori�es, associa�ons, networks, manpower and Islamic finance prac��oners
around the globe etc.

WHOM WE SERVE

OUR CLIENTS

and many more....

Form

TRAINING NEED ASSESSMENT FORM (TNA)

This form is designed to get a comprehensive insight to determine the training needs. Based on the informa�on gathered, a specialized
training proposal will be designed for the effec�ve implementa�on of the training in order to assist the organiza�on to achieve ul�mate
objec�ves efficaciously.

Ins�tute/Bank

Respondent’s Designa�on

Address:

Contact Number:

Email:                                                                                Date:

Instruc�on for filling out this form:
Please specify (if any) other choice than the ones men�oned in the list in the empty space provided.
Please contact the AlHuda CIBE staff for any assistance in filling the form.
The form is also available on our website i.e. www.alhudacibe.com

Q.1: In which of the following categories of Islamic Finance you wish to train  Your Staff?

Islamic Banking

Sukuk

Takaful Islamic Microfinance

Others:

Q.2: Specify the par�cular area of focus from the category of Islamic Finance Chosen in Q1?

Q.3: What are the major objec�ves for conduc�ng the training?

Q.4: Who will be the target audience for this specific training?

Board of Directors

Senior Management

Middle Management

Field Officers

Q.5: Current level of knowledge of the par�cipants regarding the Topic/subject?

Nil

Limited

Average

Advance

Q.6: Assign the percentage to the following modes of learning as per your Requirement.

Lectures/Slideshows/Mul�media presenta�ons     (______ %)

Class discussions and experience sharing                 (______ %)

Case Studies                                                                   (______ %)

Individual and group presenta�ons                           (______ %)

Others: __________________________________ (______ %)

Q.7: Apart from English as a medium of instruc�on, which of the following language will you prefer for the
transla�on?

Arabic FrenchRussian

Urdu No need of transla�on

Q.8:  Which of the following evalua�on methodology will you prefer?

Verbal Wri�en Both

Q.9: Your preferred frequency of evalua�on will be?

Daily End of Training

Q.10: Expected number of par�cipants for the training:

Q.11: Dura�on of the training (in Days):

Q.12: Time dura�on of daily session:

Q.13: Date of commencement of training:

Q.14: Number and dura�on of Tea & Lunch Break (s):

                  Tea          Number________________ Dura�on (minutes) _________________

                  Lunch     Number________________ Dura�on (minutes) _________________

HR Department Directly to the par�cipants

Q.16: To whom should the cer�ficates be given a�er the successful comple�on of Training?

Q.15: Any sugges�on to conduct a successful training for your Ins�tute/Bank?

UALITY PRODUCTS
All our services meet the required standards and offer you compe��ve pricing and
strict regulatory compliance.

TRICT SHARIAH COMPLIANCE
Our services are carefully designed for strict adherence of the principles of Shariah. Every
product, we offer is reviewed, approved, and overseen by highly respected and independent
Shariah scholars.

ERVICES EXCELLENCE
We are commi�ed to the highest level of professionalism and strive to be respec�ul,
responsive and reliable.

Q

S

S

Hotline:  +92 331 936 0000

AlHuda CIBE FZ LLE - U.A.E
(Advisory, Consulting &
Capacity Building)
P.O. Box. 120867, Dubai
United Arab Emirates.
Ph: +971 56 928 6 664

AlHuda CIBE - Uganda
Plot 81, Kampala Road,
3rd Floor, E-M Plaza
Opp. Fido Dido - Kampala.
Ph: +256 414 233 870
       +256 772 874 004

AlHuda CIBE - Pakistan
98A Sunflower Society,
J1 Johar Town, Lahore - Pakistan.
Ph: +92 42 3591 3096 - 98
Fax: +92 42 3530 3096

LLC AlHuda CIBE - Uzbekistan
Mirabad District, Afrasieb Street,
House #29, Apartment 4,
Uzbekistan, Tashkent.
Ph: +998 90 116 1785