Hamdard Islamicus

Images of the Prophet Muhammad in English Literature

Md Mursalim — 2025-09-26

This essay serves as a personal reflection on the book, rather than a formal review, with the goal of extracting insights to navigate the current pressing issue of Islamophobia, which is a growing concern at the global level, including in India.

The book under discussion is authored by Abdur Raheem Kidwai, a former Professor of English at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), who currently serves as the Honorary Director at the K.A. Nizami Centre for Quranic Studies at the same university.

The book draws primarily from the works authored by scholars like Norman Daniel (1919-1992), Fredrick Quinn (b. 1935), Mathew Dimmock (b. 1975), Adnan Muhammad al-Wazzan (1951-2024), Abdul-Settar Abdul-Latif Mal-Allah, and others. Notably, the first three are Christian scholars, while the latter two are Arab Muslim scholars. Prof. Kidwai draws from these works, especially al-Wazzan’s Surat al-Islam fi’l-Adab al-Inklizi, to achieve his goal of encouraging “the study of literary Orientalism, especially among the budding Muslim scholars of English studies.” (p. xii).

Editorial

Editor — 2025-09-26

Editorial

Editor — 2025-09-26

Table of Contents

THE EVOLUTION OF URDU SĪRAH LITERATURE IN DECCAN BEFORE 1857: AN OVERVIEW

DR. JAVEED AHMAD MALIK — 2025-09-26

This study aims to explore deeply the historical development of Urdu Sīrah literature in Deccan during the pre-colonial period up to the first half of the 19^th century. It commences by figuring out the origins of the Urdu language, highlighting the vigorous role played by Ṣūfiyā’ in fostering its development as a medium for cultural and spiritual connection among the masses. Additionally, the study attempts to examine the early literary endeavours, particularly the genre of Maulūd Nāmahs. Such literature, written in both Naẓm (poetry) and Nathr (prose) forms, primarily commemorated and delineated different aspects of the Prophetic Sīrah, particularly his birth and Mu‘jizāt, reflecting a profound devotional commitment of the authors. However, while employing descriptive cum analytical methods, an attempt shall be carried out to critically analyze such initial writings. Notably, some significant early Sīrah works authored during the 18^th century and the first half of the 19^th century in the region shall be reviewed, highlighting their literary style, structure, impact and academic contribution. Therefore, this study aims to explore how the Deccan region contributed to the Prophetic Sīrah and how its unique religious and cultural context shaped Sīrah writing while offering a thorough understanding of the evolution of Urdu Sīrah literature in the region prior to 1857.

THE CONCEPT OF EDUCATOR CHARACTER: A THEO-LEGALISTIC STUDY BASED ON THE QUR'AN, HADITH, AND INDONESIAN NATIONAL EDUCATION LAW

DR. NURHASNAWATI — 2025-09-26

This article aims to describe the Conception of Educator Character in National Education from a Theo-Legalistic Approach based on the Holy Qur’an, Hadith, and the Law on the National Education System in Indonesia. This study is a library-based research. Library research involves collecting data from various literature sources. The primary data sources in this study are the Holy Qur’an, Hadith, and the Law on the National Education System in Indonesia. Data collection techniques include observation, documentation, and triangulation. Data analysis is conducted using content analysis, following the stages of data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawing. The results of this study indicate that the conception of educator character has been explained in the Holy Qur’an, Hadith, and Law No. 20 of 2003. For example, Surah Ar-Rahman (verses 1–4), Surah An-Najm (verses 5–6), and Surah An-Nahl (verses 43–44), along with several Hadiths, outline the characteristics that an educator must possess. Among the qualities highlighted are: embodying ar-raÍmÉn (compassion and mercy), sincerity in educating students, competence in public speaking, the ability to design optimal lesson plans, professional qualifications as an educator, readiness both physically and spiritually, being a source of knowledge for students, and understanding the duties, functions, and roles of an educator. Furthermore, according to various Hadiths, an educator should emulate the Prophet (Øal Allah-u-‘alaihe wa sallam) in teaching activities. This principle is also reflected in Law No. 20 of 2003 and is further elaborated in the Regulation of the Minister of National Education (Permendiknas) of 2010. Therefore, an educator who embodies these principles can effectively fulfill their role in national education.

POLITICAL LOYALTY AND THE ETHICAL TURN IN ISLAMIC LAW: THE CASE OF THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL FOR FATWA AND RESEARCH

ABDESSAMAD BELHAJ — 2025-09-26

The European Council for Fatwa and Research, the authoritative Sunni reformist scholarly institution (based in Dublin, Ireland), has so far published three fatwas and legal declarations concerning Muslims' allegiance to European states; these were released in 2006, 2007 and 2015, mainly by ʿAbdallāh b. Bayya and Yūsuf al-Qaraḍāwī. I suggest studying each of these discourses' arguments and theses in chronological order. Next, the resources and limitations of loyalty in the ECFR’s fatwas will be examined in relation to the idea of multiple loyalties, liberal citizenship, and allegiance to non-Muslim states. Specifically, emphasis will be placed on how, in the European setting, loyalty to secular states and Islam can coexist, complement each other, or conflict. The legal statements on political loyalty issued by the European Council for Fatwa and Research are analyzed to show the organization's dedication to the ideas of multiple loyalties and the harmony and complementarity of political citizenship with religious loyalty to Islam. It is argued here that the ECFR's fatwas take an ethical turn in Islamic law and consider virtues, the public interest, human rights, and higher goals of law as a framework for their legal statements, as opposed to just repeating strict rulings of traditionalist fiqh.

MUSLIM AND BUDDHIST GRATITUDE PRACTICES: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF PSYCHOLOGICAL BENEFITS FOR CULTURALLY SENSITIVE MENTAL HEALTH INTERVENTIONS

MUHAMMAD ABUZAR — 2025-09-26

Gratitude practices in religious contexts have been shown to improve psychological well-being, but little is known about these practices among a variety of cultural and religious groups. The objective of this systematic review is to fill in this gap by examining the gratitude practices within two distinct religions Muslim and Buddhism. This is the first review comparing gratitude practices in these two religions and examining their psychological benefits, while providing recommendations for mental health professionals that are culturally sensitive. We carried out literature search in the databases of PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science from years 2015 to 2024. Search terms were "Buddhist gratitude practices," "Muslim gratitude practices", "psychological benefits", and "gratitude interventions." Out of 480 identified records, 23 studies met the inclusion criteria. Results indicate that Buddhist practices involving thankfulness, which in turn are related to mindfulness and meditative aspects, significantly improve the emotional stability, strengthens personality and reduce stress. Muslim gratitude practices are instrumental in reinforcing mental health, elevating happiness, and building resilience. These findings provide a schema for the implementation of culturally informed gratitude interventions into therapy, particularly within multicultural contexts where Western approaches may be less effective. Future research should explore gratitude practices across broader cultural contexts including comparisons between secular and religious approaches.

CLARIFYING THE CONFLICTING AHADITH ON CAUTERIZATION AS A MEDICAL TREATMENT

DR. FARAZ UL HAQ — 2025-09-26

This article studies the practice of cauterization (al-kay) in the light of Prophetic traditions and the explanations of classical scholars, with attention to its link with tawakkul (reliance upon Allah). The method followed is a textual study of the relevant ahadith together with the views of jurists. The findings show that preventive cauterization, before the onset of illness, was discouraged as it could weaken reliance on Allah. Therapeutic cauterization, after the appearance of disease, was generally permitted but considered disliked due to the use of fire; however, this dislike is lifted in necessity. It is also reported that the Prophet (Øal Allah-u-‘alaihe wa sallam) used cauterization in certain cases, which confirms it as a valid form of treatment. The conclusion is that the ahadith can be understood together in a balanced way, affirming both medical permissibility when genuine need arises while upholding the higher virtue of trust in Allah.