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The Qur'an Is for People Who Think... "The Qur'an is for people who think and are active. It is not for lazy people who do not use their God-given faculties" - Shaykh Dr Mohammad Akram Nadwi In case you did not get an opportunity to join the first of the seminars of The Magnificent Journey Series the following video by Shaykh Dr Mohammad Akram Nadwi gives the introduction to the series and goes through part of Surah Al-Mulk. It is just amazing, you must watch it. This is also a reminder for the next seminar of the series coming up tomorrow, InshaAllah on Surah Al-Haqqah which is a mind-blowing Surah in The Qur'an and the subject matter of which is the Hereafter. No doubt we will not be the same after this seminar! "Animals live for the present. The humans live for the future. But the real future is the never-ending future which is the Hereafter. Every other 'future' will become present and then disappears into the past." - Shaykh Dr Mohammad Akram Nadwi Please register now for the remaining places available. The Inevitable Reality - Surah Al-Haaqqah The Magnificent Journey An Amazing Journey Through The Last Two Parts (Juzz Tabaarak and Juzz 'Amma) of the Qur'an, From Surah Al-Mulk to Surah An-Naas, by one of the foremost Islamic Scholars and Thinkers of the Western World today By Shaykh Dr Mohammad Akram Nadwi (Oxford University) Date: Saturday 17th November 2012 Time: 10AM - 6PM Venue: Cambridge University and Live Online Amazing Special Offer: Annual Pass - 12 sessions for the price of 5 http://courses.meoc.org.uk << Click Here To Register Wassalaam Muslim Education & Outreach Cambridge Tel: 07736 779448 / 01223 655223 ---------------------------------------------------- Previous Posts Why Is The Hereafter More Obvious Than The Present Life? Why Doesn't This World Make Any Sense? The Inevitable Reality - Al-Haaqqah Testimonials "Jazakumullah khair for the efforts of the MEOC for arranging these blessed gatherings of knowledge. The seminars I've attended so far have several elements that make them very special, starting from the choice of topics themselves which cater to the more profound needs of the people rather than addressing some superficial issues that seem to be more fashionable today. Even the content of the seminars and the manner of teaching by Shaikh Akram Nadwi are directly focussed towards developing a deeper understanding of these issues. In these seminars, one gets a glimpse of the years of learning that have gone into the brilliant scholarship of Shaikh Nadwi. Furthermore his knowledge seems to be blessed by an acute understanding of the needs of the Ummah. The seminar on the 'Legacy of Ibrahim (a.s.)' was exceptionally beautiful, wherein, the Shaikh in his own words confessed that he was attempting to transmit, not knowledge, but the state of his heart, to the others present. While the knowledge and the insight that one gains into the Qur'an, the Sunnah and the history of Muslims through these seminars is invaluable, I personally feel that these sessions are more than just one-day courses. I am inclined to call them gatherings of Remembrance of Allah, and we all know the blessings of such gatherings!" - Mohini Verma, PhD Student, Cambridge University "Alhamdulillah I've attended 3 seminars of Sheikh Akram's so far, and Insha Allah I will keep coming back for more! He was introduced to me by my brother who attends his study circles regularly in Oxford. I loved the seminar on Women scholars in Islam, it was a total eye opener into what a Muslim woman's role in society is, which surprisingly (or not) goes against many cultiural and conventionally held notions of Muslim women. My other favourite one was the tafseer of Surat al Fatiha and the last ten surahs, I will not be exaggerating when I say that I truly found it mind blowing. Sheikh Akram is an absolute treasure trove of knowledge but Masha Allah he always carries himself with the utmost humility. I have already had a look at the list of future seminars and I think MEOC is doing a great job in giving the layman an opportunity to have an exciting insight into the world of Muslim scholarship with its choice of highly intellectual topics. Last but not least, its a great opportunity to meet new people of diverse backgrounds. Well done all of you and may Allah reward you for your efforts." - Dr Fathima Shyma Fazal, Boston, Lincolnshire "Of all the scholars I have had the opportunity to study with, I have found Shaikh Akram Nadwi to be the closest, in knowledge, manners and teaching, to how I would imagine some of the great Hadith scholars of the past would have been. He has a vast knowledge of Hadith and Fiqh, a down-to-earth, humble, approachable style, and great teaching ability. His classes are not just beneficial from a learning perspective, but also to marvel at the awe-inspiring wealth of knowledge of our scholars masha Allah. His 40 volume work going through the biographies of some 8,000 women scholars of Hadith is a monumental endeavour. The mere fact of its existence can be a major talking point in discussion with Muslims and non-Muslims, and is almost a stand-alone proof of Islam's unparalleled wealth of female scholarship." - Dr Omar Mahroo, Cambridge/London More Testimonials at: http://courses.meoc....stimonials.html Send SMS Add to Skype You'll need Skype CreditFree via Skype

Why Is The Hereafter More Obvious Than The Present Life? "The Hereafter (Aakhirah) is more obvious than the present life although people don't realise it. Everything in this life points to The Aakhirah - it is more obvious than ones own existence. Allah (SWT) has called the resurrection and afterlife 'The Reality' and called the present life 'delusion', 'play', 'conjecture', 'diversion', 'amusement' and 'deception'..." Today many people think that the Resurrection and the Afterlife are tales made up by the ancients to keep the society in check and to exert their authority on the general masses, and that these are superstitions in which the people should no longer believe. No doubt that the abuse of some religions have led people to this conclusion. However if one looks at the Qur'an, the Hereafter is expressed in such terms that one will have no doubt whatsoever that it is the Reality and that without it, nothing has any meaning and also that the whole universe points to that Reality. Our birth, life and death points to that reality; so is our speech; vegetation and animals; rain, thunder and storm; our self-reproaching souls; the sun, the moon, the earth and the stars; oceans and mountains - everything points to the Creator and to the Reality - The Resurrection and The Hereafter. "But how (will they fare) when we gather them together against a day about which there is no doubt, and each soul will be paid out just what it has earned, without (favour or) injustice?" [Qur'an 3:25] "Allah! There is no god but He: of a surety He will gather you together against the Day of Judgement, about which there is no doubt. And whose word can be truer than Allah's?" [Qur'an 4:87] "Look, then, at the imprints of God’s mercy, how He restores the earth to life after death: this same God is the one who will return people to life after death – He has power over all things" [Qur'an 30:50] We, Muslims are reminded of this Reality in every prayer when we recite Surah Al-Fatiha and say "Master of The Day of Judgement". However our outlook, attitude, thinking, behaviour, aspirations and actions are not very dissimilar to the people around us who deny the Reality and say "There is nothing except our life on this earth, and never shall we be raised up again" [Qur'an 6:29]. Why is this so? The forthcoming seminar on Surah Al- Haqqah - The Inevitable Reality - deals with the question of Resurrection and Hereafter that every human being must confront. It also gives us valuable clues as to why we Muslims today are seemingly not focused on the Hereafter despite being told that "Verily the Hereafter will be better for you than the present" [Qur'an 93:4] This is an unmissable seminar for anyone hoping to have a greater insight in to the Hereafter and achieving inner balance that would reflect in their day-to-day life. Only 5 days to go, please register now. The Magnificent Journey An Amazing Journey Through The Last Two Parts (Juzz Tabaarak and Juzz 'Amma) of the Qur'an, From Surah Al-Mulk to Surah An-Naas, by one of the foremost Islamic Scholars and Thinkers of the Western World today The Inevitable Reality - Surah Al-Haaqqah By Shaykh Dr Mohammad Akram Nadwi (Oxford University) Date: Saturday 17th November 2012 Time: 10AM - 6PM Venue: Cambridge University and Live Online Video Testimonials: http://courses.meoc.org.uk/p/testimonials.html Amazing Special Offer: Annual Pass - 12 sessions for the price of 5 http://courses.meoc.org.uk << Click Here To Register

Why Doesn't This World Make Any Sense? “Nothing of the Dunya (this world) makes any sense without the Aakhirah (Hereafter)” - Shaykh Dr Mohammad Akram Nadwi Today people live in a very confused state - confused about themselves, confused about their surroundings and even confused about their own religion. Muslims are no exception. Why are people, including us Muslims, in such a confused state? Everybody knows that there is no real justice in this world, nor is there real fairness or equality. For example, people get away after committing serious crimes, the poor are exploited by the rich and powerful, wealth and resources are unequally distributed, natural disasters strike defenseless people. Similarly those who do good are not always recognized or rewarded. From a worldly point of view, nothing seems to make sense. Yet this is how this world is meant to be because it is but a part that will only be complete with the Aakhirah. Allah (SWT) has created the Dunya and Aakhirah as a pair, like He has created everything else in pairs. Therefore people who neglect this fact and think only of this world are bound to be confused, even if they claim to adhere to a religion. No doubt that this is one reason why there is so much emphasis in the Qur’an about the Hereafter, because this world and whatever we do has no meaning without it. "And the worldly life is not but amusement and diversion; but the home of the Hereafter is best for those who fear Allah , so will you not reason?" [Qur’an 6:32] If we Muslims do not focus our attention on the Hereafter then we will also become people who are confused and distracted - those who see the reality as crooked and the crookedness as reality - "Those who would hinder (men) from the path of Allah and would seek in it something crooked: they were those who denied the Hereafter" [Qur’an 7:45] and"Indeed, for those who do not believe in the Hereafter, We have made pleasing to them their deeds, so they wander blindly" [Qur'an 27:4]. But the true believers are those who have certainty of the Hereafter - "And who believe in that which is revealed unto thee (Muhammad) and that which was revealed before thee, and are certain of the Hereafter" [Qur’an 2:4] How do we become people who are certain of the Hereafter and people who think straight? There is nothing more powerful and effective to answer this question than the Qur'an itself. It revolutionized a people who were steeped in ignorance, materialism and barbarism to become the best of people the world has ever seen. In this regard Surah Al-Haqqah is a very powerful Surah which reminds us of the inevitable reality of the Hereafter. The Magnificent Journey An Amazing Journey Through The Last Two Parts (Juzz Tabaarak and Juzz 'Amma) of the Qur'an, From Surah Al-Mulk to Surah An-Naas, by one of the foremost Islamic Scholars and Thinkers of the Western World today The Inevitable Reality - Surah Al-Haaqqah By Shaykh Dr Mohammad Akram Nadwi (Oxford University) Date: Saturday 17th November 2012 Time: 10AM - 6PM Venue: Cambridge University and Live Online Video Testimonials: http://courses.meoc.org.uk/p/testimonials.html Amazing Special Offer: Annual Pass - 12 sessions for the price of 5. http://courses.meoc.org.uk << Click Here To Register

SURAH AL-HAAQQAH AND SURAH AL-MA’AARIJ Surah Al-Haaqqah and Al-Ma’aarij are the third and fourth Surahs following on from Surah Al-Mulk (dealing with At-Tawheed and Al-’Uboodiyyah - servitude to Allah) and Surah Al-Qalam (dealing with Al-Risalah - Prophethood). Surah Al-Haaqqah and Al-Ma’aarij deal with the third major theme of the Qur’an which is Al-Akhirah - the Hereafter. The Makkans used to deny the Hereafter like the majority of people do today. Therefore these surahs draw attention to the fate in this world of earlier people who denied the Day of Judgement before them as well as the consequences they face in the Hereafter itself. These Surahs are so relevant for the modern materialistic context as people do not see beyond what is physically visible in front of them. The use of the language and argument presented in the Surahs go deep into the hearts of people such that they simply cannot ignore them. Unfortunately, Muslims themselves have become very materialistic, losing their spirituality. Therefore these are Surahs that can not only shake non-Muslims but Muslims alike to remind them of the purpose of this life and the Inevitable Reality - the day of judgement and the life after. This is amazingly powerful. The Magnificent Journey An Amazing Journey Through The Last Two Parts (Juzz Tabaarak and Juzz 'Amma) of the Qur'an, From Surah Al-Mulk to Surah An-Naas, by one of the foremost Islamic Scholars and Thinkers of the Western World today The Inevitable Reality - Surah Al-Haaqqah and Al-Ma'arij By Shaykh Dr Mohammad Akram Nadwi (Oxford University) Date: Saturday 17th November 2012 Time: 10AM - 6PM Venue: Cambridge University and Online http://courses.meoc.org.uk << Click Here To Register

In Defence of The Prophet - Surah Al-Qalam - The Magnificent Journey It appears to be a time of the year when some ridicule is trying to be hurled at the Prophet (SAW) and the Muslims. This is not a new occurrence but is as old as the advent of the Prophet (SAW). It is a coincidence that Surah Al-Qalam is to be explored this weekend together with Surah Al-Mulk in the first of a year-long series of seminars. Surah Al-Qalam is the response of Allah (SWT) to the ridicule and abuse made towards His Messenger - Muhammad (PBUH) by the disbelievers and the hypocrites. Like Surah Al-Mulk which starts by powerfully exalting Allah (SWT), Surah Al-Qalam starts by Allah (SWT)'s exaltation of the Messenger (SAW). Nun. By the pen! By all they write! Your Lord’s grace does not make you [Prophet] a madman: you will have a never-ending reward–– truly you have a strong character–– and soon you will see, as will they, which of you is afflicted with madness. Your Lord knows best who strays from His path and who is rightly guided. So do not yield to those who deny the truth–– they want you to compromise with them and then they will compromise with you–– do not yield to any contemptible swearer, to any backbiter, slander-monger, or hinderer of good, to anyone who is sinful, aggressive, coarse, and on top of all that, an imposter. [surah Al-Qalam 68:1-13] Oaths are often used in the Qur'an. They are connected to what follows in that Surah. In this instance, Allah (SWT) swears by the pen and what is written by the pen. Is there a relationship between the pen and what is written here in this Surah? According to Shaykh Dr Mohammad Akram Nadwi and others there is a very strong relationship. The oath is there to make people understand that men of letters (those who write) know for sure that what the Prophet (SAW) came with (the Qur'an) is not something a mad person or a liar or a lunatic could come up with and that the Prophet (SWT) could never be a mad person or a lunatic or liar because "you are on an exalted standard of character" (ayah #4). The rest of the Surah then elaborates on this argument. The Surah ends with: The disbelievers almost strike you down with their looks when they hear the Qur an. They say, ‘He must be mad!’ but truly it is nothing other than a Reminder for all peoples. [surah Al-Qalam 68:51-52] This Surah is as if it has been revealed to us fresh from the heavens with regards to the incidents of the past weeks. What better opportunity can we have to explore this Surah in detail and have a greater understanding of the Prophet (SAW) than to study it with one of the foremost Islamic scholars and thinkers of the Western world today? Furthermore, if one cannot attend the seminars in person they can access it live online from anywhere in the world and follow it with their family and friends. In these seminars you will study the intricate and subtle but very important connections between words and ayahs within the surahs to gain a well rounded and deep understanding of the Qur'an, which is very rare these days to find. No amount of reading books or listening to talks can compare to studying with a qualified scholar and a teacher of this calibre even for a short time. So please sign up without delay to begin Your Magnificent Journey with the Qur'an. This is an opportunity one can hardly miss. Please watch what the attendees say about these seminars: . The Magnificent Journey An Amazing Journey Through The Last Two Parts (Juzu Tabaarak and Juzu 'Amma) of the Qur'an, From Surah Al-Mulk to Surah An-Naas, by one of the foremost Islamic Scholars and Thinkers of the Western World today Surah Al-Qalam By Shaykh Dr Mohammad Akram Nadwi (Oxford University) Date: Saturday 20th October 2012 Time: 10AM - 6PM Venue: Cambridge University Schedule: Sunday 23rd September 2012 - Anglia Ruskin University 67. Surah Al-Mulk - Completed Saturday 20th October 2012 - Cambridge University 68. Surah Al-Qalam [69. Surah Al-Haaqqah to 70. Surah Al-Ma'aarij] Saturday 17th November 2012 - Cambridge University 71. Surah Nuh to 72. Surah Al-Jinn Saturday 22nd December 2012 - Cambridge University 73. Surah Al-Muzammil to 75. Surah Al-Qiyaamah Saturday 26th January 2013 - Cambridge University 76. Surah Al-Insaan to 77. Surah Al-Mursalaat Saturday 23rd February 2013 - Cambridge University 78. Surah An-Naba' to 80. Surah 'Abasa Saturday 23rd March 2013 - Cambridge University 81. Surah Ath-Thakweer to 84. Surah Al-Inshiqaaq Saturday 20th April 2013 - Cambridge University 85. Surah Al-Buruj to 89. Surah Al-Fajr Saturday 18th May 2013 - Cambridge University 90. Surah Al-Balad to 96. Surah Al-'Alaq Saturday 22nd June 2013 - Cambridge University 97. Surah Al-Qadr to 114. Surah An-Naas Sunday 21st July 2013 - Anglia Ruskin University Bonus: 1. Surah Al-Fathiha and 2:255 Aayat Al-Kursi Sunday 25th August 2013 - Anglia Ruskin University Bonus: Miracle of The Qur'an There will be a minimum of 10 sessions in this year long course. They can be booked individually or as a whole. http://courses.meoc.org.uk <<<<<< Click Here To RegisterPrice: Individual Sessions: Advance Tickets: Adults £25, Dual Ticket £20, Children £12.50, Half-Day £15 Live Online Web Access £49.50 Crèche Facilities - £15 per child for whole day. Annual Pass: Magnificent Journey Attendance Pass - £147 (less than £13 per session) Magnificent Journey Online Pass - £297 (less than £25 per session) Features of the Magnificent Journey Pass: Attending just 5 or 6 sessions covers the cost of the pass. Accompanying children can attend the seminar for free. Reduced price for crèche facilities at only £10. Payment in 2 or 3 instalments if required Guaranteed places Limited number of passes available! Testimonials Video Testimonial: Hammad Buriname (France) Tariq Pandor (Birmingham) "I want to thank your organisation for arranging these series of lectures by Dr Nadwi. I have attended two of these lectures and have found them immensely enlightening. Dr Nadwi is a rare scholar of our times and although he is knowledgeable enough to talk at length on issues of philosophy, literacy or poetry, he is always keen to emphasise the practical implications of his teachings - that Islam in essence is a religion to be practiced with real actions and not confined to theory written in textbooks. MEOC has done an excellent job in the way they have taken care of all the details required of organising such events. I pray that Allah rewards all those involved in all aspects of these courses." - Dr Atiqul Baree, Portsmouth"Alhamdulillah I was fortunate enough to attend the first of the Cambridge Islamic Sciences Seminars which attracted many from within Cambridge and without, both young and old. Sheikh Akram Nadwi is a true gem within the Muslim community here in the UK; with such a wealth of knowledge, he kept us engaged and gave us a sound introduction into the Sciences of Hadith. I came away from the course reignited in my pursuit for knowledge. I look forward to attending most, if not all, future courses throughout the year inshaAllah and would highly recommend it to anyone wishing to get acquainted with the Islamic sciences. " - Maria Alfaradhi, PhD Student, Cambridge University More Testimonials: http://courses.meoc.org.uk/p/testimonials.html Muslim Education & Outreach Cambridge (MEOC) 23 King Street, Cambridge CB1 1AH Tel: 07736 779 448 or 01223 655223