ZamZam Academy is offering a new course taught by Mufti Abdur-Rahman ibn Yusuf

Nahlawi’s Uncovered Pearls on the Lawful and Prohibited (Kitab al-Hazar wa ‘l-Ibaha)
A Truly Beneficial and Inspiring Manual on Ethics, Character, and Creed

By Khalil ibn ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Shaybani al-Nahlawi (d. 1350/1931)
Chapter 5: On Character, Vile Traits & Their Consequences

Register Now, Starts on October 1 2012

Imam Nahlawi’s fascinating work expounds upon the lawful and prohibited related to food and drink, clothing, gender relations, earning a living, and general sins of the tongue, heart and limbs. However, far from being just a fiqh text, it discusses the ethics and virtues related to these issues, providing a well-rounded understanding. Many of the questions you have about daily life will be answered through this manual; you will be exposed to those areas of fiqh rarely looked at, but that govern our everyday actions; and most importantly, you will gain confidence in your every act of worship.

Most of the major fatw? collections contain a chapter on the lawful and prohibited (hazar wa ’l-ibaha). This manual draws from the major works and is supplemented with ample evidence from the Qur’an and hadith. It has been used as a scholarly reference for decades and is now being offered to you with commentary by Shaykh Abdur-Rahman. The rulings in this work are relevant to all Muslims seeking an authoritative Sunni manual on the halal and haram in Islam.

Although the class will be taught from the original Arabic text, understanding of Arabic is not a requirement as a thorough translation will be provided. Students will be able to circumvent the extensive study of classical Arabic that would normally be required to approach a high-level text such as this. Inaccessible on your own, the commentary provided by Shaykh Abdur-Rahman will open the subtleties of what is found in numerous larger works of jurisprudence.

Additionally, classes are to be LIVE each week, followed by a Q&A session in real-time. In the current climate of pre-recorded course offerings, the physical presence of a teacher is of the greatest value. Although we strongly encourage students to attend the live sessions, a recording of each class will be available for the duration of the course. Recordings will be available for online playback; they will not be available for download.

Classes are to begin on September 24 and will meet weekly for approximately 16–17 weeks until February 11, 2013. Students will be given one week for Eid ul-Adha, as well as a 2-week winter break. Prices have been kept comparable/lower to other courses of this nature, as to not make it prohibitive.  If you have been contemplating a course such as this, register now!

View a sample of the Chapter on Vice.

***Attendance/registration for the previous course is not a requisite as the classes are independent.

Class Details

Register Now (USD – $140)	Register Now (GBP – £80)
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Class Format

The course will be taught online using a virtual classroom through WiZiQ. Students will be expected to follow the lectures as well as any key principles highlighted through an online whiteboard. Questions can be asked using the chat feature and students will need either headphones or speakers to listen to the class.

Testiomonials from Last course

“Courses with Mufti Abdur-Rahman have been truly remarkable. His immense knowledge ranks him as one of the greatest scholars of our age. He has an innate ability to analyze and comprehend the most difficult issues within Islamic jurisprudence. Moreover, he teaches in a way that opens the complexities and knowledge enters the heart. In the courses I have taken with him, I have walked away completely impressed by his ability to combine the traditional methods of learning within a modern system” – Khadija Hyder

“Studying under a scholar of such caliber has been a privilege. Shaykh Abdur-Rahman’s vast knowledge of the Qur’an, hadith and classical texts allows him to explain things comprehensively and decisively. While teaching, he takes the time to clearly answer each and every question. In this day and age, I consider myself fortunate to study under such an authentic and traditional scholar” – Mona Mirza

“Classes with Shaykh Abdur-Rahman are beneficial on many levels. His style of teaching is informative, insightful and spiritually uplifting. It was so much more than I had expected” – Sarah Husain

“Knowledge is not something that can be learned from simply reading a book; it is a gift passed down by the ulema to those willing to receive it. The benefit of studying under a scholar, such as Mufti Abdur-Rahman, cannot be quantified. Rather, I would say with the utmost conviction that as a result of his abilities and knowledge, I have seen a great increase in my understanding of the din, as well as a clearer perspective on issues. Mufti Abdur-Rahman’s teaching style is one that makes you think critically and one that forces you to apply what you are learning. The results are far sweeter than anything one could have cultivated himself” – Abu Adam

“Mufti Abdur-Rahman is an articulate communicator with a wealth of experience and knowledge. His classes take students to an ocean of wisdom, allowing them to gather pearls along the way. His level of teaching is challenging, yet attainable and practical. We are blessed to have a teacher of his abilities and talents. Each of us should avail the opportunity to learn from him” – Omer Imtiaz

Assalamu alaykum

Welcome to the White Thread Press blog.

We hope to use this blog to provide you with updates about things happening at White Thread Press. This blog will also feature interviews and updates from our authors, interesting news and beneficial links related to the Islamic publishing, and also posts by Mufti Abdur-Rahman ibn Yusuf.

This book is a concise and immensely satisfying historical account of the first four caliphs of Islam, Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali, who because of their rectitude, became known as the “Rightly Guided Caliphs” (may Allah be pleased with them).

The author provides a clear and fast-paced account of the battles and internal struggles of the four caliphs, as well as that of the fifth, Hasan ibn Ali. He avoids long excursions into the technical intricacies and obscure historical detail found in longer books. However, he refreshingly puts forward a balanced and convincing analysis of the contentious issues involving the four caliphs, such as Ali ibn Abi Talibs .delay in giving the pledge, the insurgency against  Uthman, the battles of the Camel and Siffin, and the disputes between Ali and Muawiya. (may Allah be pleased with them all).

The author’s analysis leaves the reader with a clear understanding and helps to increase the love and respect for the Prophet of Allah and his Companions.

This book will surely satisfy your curiosity about the immediate period after the Prophet’s (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) departure from this world. It will relieve your heart of any confusion you feel about the events of that time. This is a book written for readers of any age, hence an inspiring read for the young and old alike.

About the Author

He is Muhammad ibn Afifi al-Bajuri, popularly known as Shaykh Khudari Bak. He was a scholar of Shariah, literature and Islamic history. He was born in Egypt in 1289/1872 and lived in Zaytun, a suburb of Cairo. He graduated from Madrasah Dar al-Ulum and surpassed his contemporaries as a scholar, researcher, orator, educator and reformer. During the course of his life he was an Islamic judge in Khartoum, an educator in the Islamic Judicial School in Cairo for a period of twelve years, a Professor in Islamic history at the University of   Egypt (now named The University of Cairo), the Deputy-Head of the Islamic judicial school and an inspector for the Ministry of Education.

This book, which is a lesser known work of Imam Ibn Kathir, seeks to present the circumstances surrounding Quraysh and ‘Abd al-Muttalib, the grandfather of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), some of the premonitory dreams and oracular announcements of his coming, and the birth itself and early years of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), some of his outstanding merits and noble qualities of character, and traditions relating to his high position as the Chosen One (Mustafa) and Beloved (habib) of Allah and Seal of the Messengers of Allah. The author’s careful choice of traditions and his sifting the original material from the earliest sources is here reinforced by the modern editors of the text and their judicious checking and assessment of the traditions cited.

Ibn Kathir: The Imam, hafiz and historian ‘Imad ad-Din Abu’l-Fida’ Isma’il ibn ‘Umar ibn Kathir was born in 701/1301 near Busra in Syria, and grew up in Damascus where he studied the traditional sciences of Islam with a wide variety of teachers, among the most famous of them being Shaykh ‘Alam ad-Din al-Qasim ibn Muhammad al-Barzali and Hafiz Jamal ad-Din Abu’l-Hajjaj Yusuf ibn ‘Abd ar-Rahman al-Mizzi. However, it is as a student of Shaykh al-Islam Taqi ad-Din Ahmad ibn ‘Abd al-Halim ibn Taymiyah that he is best remembered. He is well known for his historyal-Bidayah wa’n-nihayah, his work on the biography of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) as-Sirat an-nabawiyyah and his work on Qur’anic commentary Tafsir al-Qur’an al-‘Azim. He died in Damascus on Thursday 26th Sha’ban 774/1373 and is buried there by the side of his shaykh Ibn Taymiyah, may Allah have mercy on them both, in the Sufi Graveyard.