Sheikh Atabek Nasafi, one of the foremost scholars in Europe

Sheikh Atabek Shukrov Nasafi: Born in Uzbekistan while it was still part of the Union of Socialist Soviet Republics, or as we called it here, the ‘USSR’ Sheikh Atabek Nasafi began his religious studies at the age of ten, in secret, which was the only way the heritage of a land which produced such luminaries such as Abu Laith As-Samarqandi, At-Tirmidhi, Imam Al-Bukhari and Imam Abu Mansur Al-Maturdi, to name a few could be preserved during the Communist era.

He completed his studies aged 21 in various subjects including Arabic Language, Hadith, Fiqh, Tafsir and Tajweed at Madrasa Abul Qasim and Jamia Islamia in Uzbekistan. Thus, he was already considered a scholar when he arrived in the Middle East for higher studies.

Along the way he studied under an unusually eclectic series of teachers, including Uthaymeen, Anwar Badakhshani and

By 1998 he was residing in the historic city of Damascus where he continued his studies with some of the finest scholars of our time. Enrolling on the four year Al-Ijaza Al-Alimiyya programme at the Takhassus Institute affiliated to Al-Azhar University Egypt, his studies included: Sharh Ibn Aqeel with Sh. Atiyya, Sharh Fiqh al-Akbar with Sh. Adeeb Al-Kallas, Lubab fi Sharh Al-Kitab (also known as Quduri) with Sh. Abdullah Rabiah, Aqida with Sh. Saeed Ramadan al-Buti, Risala Qushariyyah with Sh. Abdul Fatah Bizm, Hadith with Sh. Sadiq Darwish, Da’wa with Sh. Tawfiq al-Buti as well as intensive private lessons with Shaykh Muhmd Adnan Darwish and covered Fath Bab Al-Inaya and Muwatta of Imam Malik. He also studied Shudhoor al-Dhab, Sharh Qatr Al-Nidah, Thufat Al-Mureed and Mukhtasar Al-Bukhari with Shaykh Rushdi Al-Qalam.

He graduated in 2003, spending the final year at Al-Azhar University, gaining certification from the Faculty of Theology and Philosophy. He went on to teach in prestigious universities across the Middle East before gracing these shores.

He is the founder of the Afiya Institute and Academy which seeks to promulgate authentic traditional Islamic teaching in Europe and is also affiliated with the Deen Institute which is an English apologetics and Dawah organisation.

Shaykh Atabek supervised one of his student’s translations of The Initiation of Abu Laith As-Samarqandi and its commentary.

Intriguingly, Sheikh Atabek is also a herbalist with a chain of teachers stretching back to none other than the iconic Ibn Sina.

For more information:

visit http://www.avicennaacademy.com or http://www.deeninstitute.com

The Jews of Banu Qurayza: Were All The Men Killed?

In my experience, this question is very poorly answered by Muslim apologists (with the exception of people like Shabir Ally). What makes this all the more unacceptable is that it is a complete straw man allegation against Islam. See for yourself.

The accusation that the tribe of Banu Qurayza received ‘collective punishment’ by having all it’s adult males killed, has been so oft – repeated that even Muslims have started to believe it.

But what is the proof that all the males, even non-combatants, were in fact killed?

As you will see, this is merely a fantasy of both Islamophobes and ignorant Muslims…

Part 1:

Part 2:

That’s what happens when you let dumb people with a political agenda run the Dawah…This guy is a traditionalist scholar, he doesn’t care one way or the other, and even HE doesn’t think they were all killed, so I don’t know what the hell Muslim ‘scholars’ in the English speaking world were smoking when they insist that they were…

The Age Of Hadrat Aisha (RA): A Detailed and Balanced Answer

In my sadly long experience with Muslim scholars in the U.K, he is the only one I have found who adheres to the traditional positions of Islam and does not introduce prejudiced and puritanical innovations into the religion.

His talk on the ‘massacre’ of the Jews of Banu Qurayza was superb and showed the inadequacy of many of the Dawah carriers and here he gives a detailed and nuanced answer on this other favourite topic of Islamophobes and modernists.

Where else will you find a near two hour lecture just on this topic? And that’s just part one.

This guys talks are ‘bespoke’ for Islamic apologists. I hope you guys pay heed instead of spamming the same old stuff.

The spiel:

Whenever this topic is brought up it seems to elicit strong reactions from Muslims, with the differing views calling each other ‘modernists’ or ‘backward’ and so on. Some see it as an ‘open and shut’ case not worthy of discussion and not accommodating of dissent.

But what was the REAL position of the early Muslims on this issue?

Did they even make such a big deal out of it?

Why are both sides so determined to prove their case?

Is there another agenda here?

This talk is balanced and detailed and transcends mere polemics and cultural biases and highlights the actual strength of Muslim theologians vis – a – vis other religious functionaries: the ability to engage in critical thinking.

Part 1:

Part 2:

Aqeeda

A brilliant set of five lectures by Sheikh Atabek Nasafi clarifying points on this oft mis-understood issue. I was reluctant to get involved in this kind of stuff  but it is important to have clarity, especially if we are to call people to Islam, as is our duty. It is also an issue that has repeatedly (and unnecessarily) brought to the fore by the Salafi/Wahhabi brothers who unfortunately tend to make a big issue out of this and tend to get themselves and others confused in the process.

Part 1; Introduction to The Waseeya of  Imam Abu Hanifa (RA)

Part 2: The Waseeya of Abu Hanifa (RA) 

Part 3: The Isnad of the Waseeya of Abu Hanifa (RA)

Part 4: The Prophet (PBUH) On The Right Hand Of God?

Part 5: Where Is Allah?

Superiority of Arabs In Islam?

Towards Understanding Hadith

Part 1:

Part 2:

Understanding Principles of Hadith: What Does It Mean That Bukhari Is ‘The Most Authentic Book After the Quran’ and What Does Imam Bukhari Say About This?

How exactly should Muslims approach Hadith literature? Do we act upon all Sahih Hadith? Are all ‘Sahih’ Hadith ‘true’? Is Bukhari Sharif ‘perfect’? Who is qualified to use Hadith? Is a Hadith ‘Proof’ in an argument? Is ‘Hadith spamming’ allowed? Who or what are ‘Ahlal Hadith’?

This part deals with the issue of Bukhari being the ‘most authentic book after the Quran’. Is it? What does this statement mean? And are you in trouble if you deny a Hadith from Bukhari? Does a Sahih chain mean you must act on a given Hadith? What do the pious predecessors say?

The biography and ideas of Imam Bukhari are explained as well as the relative position of Fiqh and Hadith, Imam Bukhari visiting graves, and the rank of Imam Malik relative to Imam Bukhari as a Muhaddith.

All this and more in YET ANOTHER brilliant talk, tackling this oft misunderstood subject. Detailed and indispensable as always.

Sheikh Atabek is really becoming the premier scholar as far as Dawah and apologetics responses go in the U.K by addressing all of these misconceptions about Islam that both non-Muslims, and sadly Muslims bring to the fore.

Towards Understanding Hadith 3 – Are All Authentic Hadiths Accepted?

Well, ARE they?

Does being in Bukhari mean that a Hadith is superior to those in other collections? Are you still Muslim if you don’t believe in a Hadith from Bukhari? Are you sinful?

What about the Hadith in Bukhari where Abdullah Ibn Masud is allegedly questioning the number of Suras in the Quran?

It also addresses some of the immensely troubling and controversial attitudes to Hadith exemplified by the Salafi/Wahhabi movement, including the common practice of anathematising and harassing people who question Bukhari as Hadith rejecters – however, they seem to openly reject Hadith from Bukhari and then there is the issue of Ibn Taymiyyah rejecting the famous Hadith of Bukhari ‘There was Allah and nothing else besides him’ (Bukhari 3091)…the stance of Alabani is also addressed.

This clarifies many of the almost universal misconceptions amongst Muslims who have perhaps become confused by all the different voices in the community claiming to use the ‘Sunnah’.

A brilliant introduction to the Usool of Hadith.

Are All Weak Hadith Rejected?

People nowadays often try to settle an argument by bringing forth Hadith and if one of them is found to be ‘weaker’ than the other, then it’s case closed.

Really?

Towards Understanding Hadith 5: Who are the Ahlul Hadith?

There are many today who claim to be ‘the people of Hadith’. But how do they measure up?

Divorce In Islam:

Gender Segregation In Islam?

When…and how much?

A one day intensive course by renowned Islamic scholar Sheikh Atabek Nasafi

Caught between permissive liberals and watchful puritans?
Don’t know where to get the truth regarding Islamic injunctions about ‘mixing’?
Don’t know how to act at College? Uni? Home?!
Then watch this one — day intensive course and learn about the traditional Islamic position…with plenty of chances to question openly (for boys and girls!)

Part 1:

Part 2:

 

Does Islam Allow Forced Sex With Slaves?

 

Many Christians and Islam haters would just love it if it did.

Islamophobes love to assert this, along with holding Islam accountable for slavery in general. This absurdity has been refuted even by Orientalists but the refuge of Evangelicals nowadays is to assert that Muslims ‘rape their captives’.

Sheikh Atabek refutes this stupidity comprehensively. He takes the approach that even bad manners to a captive, let alone wounding, are strictly prohibited in the classical schools. Rape is not mentioned explicitly as it is obviously far in excess of both of these prohibitions. He also addresses the favourite of Islamophobes, the alleged battlefield rapes, where captives had intercourse on the night of capture and shows how there is an unjustified leap from ‘sex’ to ‘rape’ (i.e, whenever Muslims have sex, they are assumed to be raping someone)

Sadly, the haters have not ultimately evolved from the whole ‘they want to kill us all and rape our women’  story (so they just do it to us first).