Ibadi Hadith and the Reliability of its Transmitters

Despite being a school that began its formalization process in the second half of the first century AH, the Ibāḍī school remains under-appreciated and often misunderstood by mainstream Islamic scholarship. A limited understanding of its early sources, foundational figures, and guiding principles has led both Muslim and non-Muslim researchers to unevidenced conclusions and has denied Ibāḍī scholars a voice in detailing the history of their own school.

In order to offer a corrective perspective, Terron and Roxanna from the Real Talk Podcast are very pleased to have the opportunity to talk to Shaykh Al-Muatasim Said Al-Maawali of Sultan Qaboos University, who is currently completing his PhD on Ibāḍī ḥadīth literature at the University of Birmingham. His previous work includes an extended comparative study of Ibāḍī and Ḥanafī jurisprudence, a seminal article that takes a multidisciplinary approach to examining the distinction between the Ibāḍīs and the Khawārij, and a seven-volume series on Ibāḍī Jurisprudence called al-Mu‘tamad. The first volume, "The Reliable Jurisprudence of Prayer," he has translated into English himself. In his PhD work, he is seeking to carry out a codicological and jurisprudential study of the rarely studied manuscripts of the Ibāḍī ḥadīth collection Musnad ar-Rabīᶜ b. Ḥabīb, addressing key questions regarding its early provenance, the historical existence of its compiler, and the reliability of its transmitters and the ittiṣāl between them. The project will then focus on a case study of one of the collection’s unique narrations and its current application in the growing Islamic banking industry in the Sultanate of Oman.

 

Eid

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The Ibadi Works on the Methodology of Qur’anic Exegesis

In recent times, research on the Ibadi tradition by both Muslim and non-Muslim scholars has increased, but has not yet shed light on the wider significance of this tradition. While the primary focus of researchers has been on the Ibadi tradition as a school of thought, its important contribution to various Islamic disciplines is still neglected. For this reason, there is a serious need for a comprehensive study of the Ibadi works on Islam, especially as new manuscripts are continually being discovered.

When we look at Ibadi Islamic literature in general and compare Ibadi jurisprudence and theology, we realise that the poorest and most unexplored field of study consists of the Ibadi works on exegesis (tafsir). The once inaccessible and insufficient amount of Ibadi sources and materials may have accounted for this lack of interest; however, today, materials related to Ibadi exegesis and understanding are becoming available. In this article, we focus on the methodology of Qur’anic exegesis with reference to commentators from the Ibadi tradition.

As far as we know, this paper is a first in this field of research, and will discuss the primary features of the Ibadi method, its similarities to and differences from other exegetical approaches, and its original contributions.

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The Spiritual Benefits of Fasting in Ramadan

Here is the first episode of Seeking Guidance with Sheikh Dr. Kahlan Al Kharusi, the Assistant Grand Mufti of the Sultanate of Oman. 

On this episode, he discusses the importance of Ramadan and its significance in Islam. The discussion centers around whether fasting enhances a human being's ability to reach the level of spirituality and guidance in addition to piety. Sheikh Dr. Kahlan explains that fasting is a human necessity for reaching righteousness and fighting the ego, and it has been commanded to nations before the Nation of Islam.

Ramadhan Mubarak!

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Islam and Christianity as seen in the Bible

Christianity and Islam are two great religions of the world, each with over a billion followers. Though they have many things in common, practically speaking, there is a wide gulf separating them. One of the main reasons is lack of knowledge and proper understanding of each other's views. We need to explore the possible avenues that can bring them together so as to be able to mutually benefit from their common heritage.

One such approach could be for a Muslim to explain to his Christian brother or sister that Islam is not an alien religion as he might think; but is very much Biblical, in the sense that what was taught by all the prophets of God (as we find them in the Bible) is being followed today by Muslims.

This booklet is an attempt to put together certain relevant verses and passages from the Bible that substantiate the Muslim claim that Islam is not a new religion, unfamiliar in its outlook and fundamental principles. References are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version and the New International Version of the Bible. "Mohammed (peace be upon him) in the Bible" is a complementary topic and two articles on the subject (originally published elsewhere) are appended.

It is hoped that this will not only help to erase various misconceptions that some Christians may have but will also equip Muslims with tools for better communication with their Christian brothers and sisters.

Please click on the image to read the booklet.