Essays in Series

This sections of the Collection includes essays from a series of talks that were given at the ʾIslāmic Study Center. Each series focused on a particular topic or theme.

The books in the Nights of Light section highlight the blessings of Rajab, Sḫaʿbān and Ramaḍān and the special blessed nights within these months. Included in the books are supererogatory acts of worship recommended for these nights and months.

The integral elements of taṣawwuf, such as the sḫaykḫ and the student, sincerity in both, and the means of teaching (ṣuḥbah and tarbiyyah), are closely examined in the 5 Sundays, on Elements of Taṣawwuf series.

The essays in 5 MORE Sundays series discuss the intimate relationship between peace, justice, mercy, love and freedom, foundational values and principles in ʾIslām. There is no peace without justice, no justice without mercy, no mercy without love and no love without freedom. Each builds on the the other; we need them all to achieve personal and communal peace.

Building on the 5 Sundays series, the WAW - و - WOW lectures trace in great detail the origins of taṣawwuf from the Prophet ﷺ through his mawla ʿAli (ʿalayhi-s-salām) to the ʾawliyā-llāh. The series seeks to answer questions such as: WHO is the teacher; WHAT is taṣawwuf; WHY do we need to seek out a Sufi teacher; WHERE is the truth to be found; WHEN can we expect something to change.

The ʾŪlu-l-ʿĀzim series deals with the historical and the eternal dimensions of ʾŪlu-l-ʿĀzim, the five distinguished prophets - Nūh, ʾIbrāhīm, Mūsa, ʿIsā and Muḥammad, may Allāh have mercy upon them all. The seven part series starts with ʾĀdam and Hawāʾ (ʿalayhumu-s-salām) and finishes with al-Mahdi (ʿalayhi-s-salām), as they mark the beginning and the end of the current Cycle in the history of humankind.

Finally, the essays in the Strangers series bring to light the hidden or less known figures that preserve(d) and disseminate(d) spiritual knowledge throughout time and worlds. They are and were strangers to this world and the people around them, a mark of honor, as the Prophet ﷺ once noted that ʾIslām began as something strange and it will return as something strange, and blessed are the strangers.