Author: Editor

In his well-known book, Al-Hikam (Words of Wisdom), sheikh Ahmad Ibn `Ataa’illah As-Sakandari says: A sign of following one’s whims is to be active with optional good deeds while being lazy with required obligations. The next step in our journey to Allah requires sound knowledge and deep understanding. The Prophet (Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “If Allah wishes good for someone, He grants him knowledge (fiqh) of the faith”. (Al-Bukhari) Knowledge (fiqh) is not only about the judicial rulings pertaining to the practical rituals and social aspects. In principle, fiqh means the deep understanding and full comprehension of the Islamic law and its different rulings. This deep understanding of the Islamic law is very important in our journey to Allah.In Islamic law, there are principals (usul) and secondary issues (furu`). Principals have priority over secondary issues. There are required obligations and optional good deeds. Obligations have priority over optional deeds. There are major sins and minor sins. Major sins take priority, in terms of avoiding them, over minor sins. The action of the heart is more important than the action of other organs of the body, and thus has higher priority. The sin committed in the heart is more dangerous than the sin committed by the other organs. And so on. One should be aware of those differences and their implications; otherwise, he/she will be following whims and not a...