Islamic Studies Archives - Lamppost Education Initiative

Retaining Spiritual Insights-Dr. Abdullah bin Hamid Ali

Sat, 01 Mar 2025 04:13:16 +0000

Session 7

Session 6

Session 5

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Session 3

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Session 1

Join us this Ramadan for an inspiring live series exploring the wisdom of Imam Ibn al-Jawzi’s classic work Sayd al-Khatir (“Captured Thoughts”). Enrich your spiritual journey with timeless insights and uplifting reflections that have guided hearts for centuries

Who was Ibn al-Jawzi? A renowned 12th-century Muslim scholar celebrated for his deep knowledge and eloquence , Ibn al-Jawzi (d. 1201) wrote Sayd al-Khatir as a personal journal of spiritual gems. This beloved book is filled with thought-provoking quotations and maxims that reveal profound insights on religion, ethics, and self-improvement.

Each session will delve into these short but powerful reflections – perfect for the reflective atmosphere of Ramadan.

Your Instructor: Dr. Abdullah bin Hamid Ali – Professor of Islamic Law at Zaytuna College and Founder of the Lamppost Education Initiative.

Dr. Abdullah will guide us through selected readings, helping us retain and apply these spiritual insights in our daily lives. Known for making classical knowledge accessible, he will connect Ibn al-Jawzi’s wisdom to our modern context, with a focus on the spiritual aspects of Islam (tasawwuf).

These live sessions will take place during the blessed month of Ramadan beginning on Wednesday, March 5th, 2025 at 3pm PST, 5pm CST, and 6pm EST. You can watch the sessions directly on this page of our website, as well as on our YouTube channel, Facebook page, or Twitter.

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The School of Imam Ahmed Ibn Hanbal in Aqeedah: Ustadh Nuh Saunders

Sat, 23 Dec 2023 16:30:06 +0000

The madhab of Imam Ahmed is the madhab of the salaf which is complete tafwid

Nuh Saunders Tweet

Are the Hanbalis a part of ‘ahl us-Sunnah wa Jama’at? Are they aligned with the beliefs of the salaf? Ustadh Nuh Saunders provides a brief, yet fascinating discourse on this topic in this exclusive talk for the Lamppost Education Initiative.

Ustadh Nuh Saunders was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is the grandson of converts to Islam who were sure to instill in him a love of Islam.

As an aspiring Student of Knowledge, he began his studies in Arabic and Quranic studies at the Quba Institute in Philadelphia. He then began an in-depth study of Aqidah and Dawah with Shaykh Abdur Rahman Sondalani privately. During this time, he was privileged to study Shafi Fiqh with Imam Muhammad Amin of Atlantic City, New Jersey.

At the advice of Imam Amin and many others, Ustadh Nuh set out to the Islamic world to further his pursuit of knowledge. At first, this led him to Egypt where he had the opportunity to study Arabic grammar and Tajweed with scholars of Al Azhar University. After that, he moved to Tarim, Yemen to enroll in the world-famous Dar Al Mustafa Islamic Seminary. He has studied the various Islamic sciences including fiqh, hadith, seerah, and tassawuf.

His main area of study is Quranic recitation. He was given the opportunity to study privately with such great Quran reciters such as Sayyid Ali Ba Alawi of Tarim Hadramawt and Shaykh Bashar al Riz, who is one of the great reciters of Damascus and a direct student of Abul Hassan al Kurdi. He has memorized the main text in the science of Tajweed and received ijaza. He has been been in Tarim for the past six years where he is studying full time with the intention of specializing in Dawah, and Quranic recitation, along with the variant modes of recitation under the tutelage of great scholars such as Habib Umar Bin Hafidh and many others.

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Talking With Teachers: A New Podcast With Dr. Abdullah bin Hamid Ali

Sun, 10 Dec 2023 15:20:08 +0000

Talking With Teachers Podcast

Join us every week as we explore the world of Islamic education with leading Muslim-American educators, sharing their insights, experiences, and expertise with you.

Welcome to the “Talking With Teachers” Podcast, hosted by Dr. Abdullah bin Hamid Ali. Join us as we delve into the unique contributions of famous and lesser-known scholars and teachers. Our guests primarily consist of Muslim scholars, imams, and other notable figures from the community. Some of our episodes will include non-Muslims who we believe may offer needed insights for our Muslim community. Each episode will explore a particular thinker’s key intellectual and cultural contributions, providing valuable insights into their academic journey. Please be sure to sign up for our newsletter and subscribe to our YouTube channel for updates.

Season 6-Episode 10: Talking With Teachers: Shaykh Jamal ud-Deen Hysaw

Season 6-Episode 9: Talking With Teachers: Shaykh Khalil Abdur-Rashid

Season 6-Episode 8: Talking With Teachers: Imam Mujahid Abdus-Salaam

Season 6-Episode 7: Talking With Teachers: Imam Rasul Suluki

Season 6-Episode 6: Talking With Teachers: Shaykh Mohammad Akram Nadwi

Season 6-Episode 5: Talking With Teachers: Dr. Joseph Lumbard

Season 6-Episode 4: Talking With Teachers: Imam Qasim Khan

Season 6-Episode 3: Talking With Teachers: Dr. Zachary Wright

Season 6-Episode 2: Talking With Teachers: Mobeen Vaid

Season 6-Episode 1: Talking With Teachers: Dr. Hadia Mubarak

You can view this upcoming episode on this page. Bookmark this page to see our upcoming episodes during Season Three. To see full episodes of Season One and Season Two. Please click the links below.

Please join us for the upcoming season of the ‘Talking With Teachers’ Podcast. This fascinating conversation will feature some of the foremost scholars and teachers of English-speaking Muslims in the world. This project is made possible by your support of the Lamppost Education Initiative. Please support our efforts by donating to Lamppost, a 501 c3 non-profit Islamic organization. Please click the link to find out more.

We are excited to announce the release of the Second Edition of “The ‘Negro’ in Arab-Muslim Consciousness” by the distinguished scholar Dr. Abdullah bin Hamid Ali. This comprehensive work delves into the intricate dynamics of race and cultural perceptions within pre-modern Arab-Muslim societies, offering readers a profound understanding of historical racial hierarchies and their lasting impacts.

Now available: A Return To Purity In Creed, the latest book by the renowned Islamic scholar Imam Abu Hamid al-Ghazzali. Translated into English by Dr. Abdullah bin Hamid Ali with commentary, it’s a guide for Muslims seeking to understand the aqidah of the salaf. This classic work is available on Amazon for readers in the UK, Canada, and the US. Click the link for details and to begin your journey towards knowledge.

A fascinating new work published by the Lamppost Education Initiative.

Dr. Abdullah bin Hamid Ali

He holds a Ph.D. in Cultural and Historical Studies in Religion (2016) and an M.A. in Ethics and Social Theory (2012) from the Graduate Theological Union. He obtained his B.A. (ijaza ‘ulya) in Islamic Law (Shariah) from the prestigious Al-Qarawiyin University of Fes, Morocco in 2001. He served as full time Islamic chaplain at the State Correctional Institute of Chester, PA from 2002-2007, and is the founding director of the Lamppost Education Initiative. He currently serves as an Associate Professor of Islamic law and Prophetic Tradition at Zaytuna College in Berkeley, California. His research interests include the interconnection between law and identity formation, comparative Islamic law, and Islam’s role in the modern world.
Click HERE to see more articles, videos, and more from Dr. Abdullah Ali

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Interfaith Discourse: Who is Christ?-Dr. Ali Ataie and Rev. Andrew Lobban

Tue, 28 Nov 2023 06:27:15 +0000

Remember when the angels proclaimed, "O Mary! God gives you glad tidings of a word from Him, his name will be the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary; honored in this world and the Hereafter, and he will be one of those nearest to God

Qur'an 3:45 Tweet

In one of the best interfaith sessions since the days of Shaykh Ahmed Deedat, Dr. Ali Ataie provides a powerful exploration of the history of Christ in the Bible. From close examinations of shifts in Christian belief about Isa (as), the Council of Nicea, the meaning of Hebrew words in the Bible, and so much more-Dr. Ali Ataie masterful defense of the Islamic tradition as it relates to Prophet Isa (as) should be apart of our Islamic literacy in the West.
In the first part of this discourse, Rev. Andrew Lobban explains general Christian belief about Jesus (as) as the ‘son of God’ and part of a trinity.
This video is from a presentation at MCC East Bay

Please support our End of the Year Fundraising Drive. We are able to provide critically important content with the support of Muslims like you. Find out more and donate today

Dr. Ali Ataie

Dr. Ali Ataie is undoubtedly one of the foremost leading scholars in comparative religions today.
He is currently a teacher and researcher of the Islamic Sciences and specializes in theology and biblical interpretation. Additionally he is also the President and Founder of Muslim Interfaith Council and has been heavily involved in interfaith activities for the past 15 years. He earned his undergraduate degree in Accounting from Cal Poly State University in 2000, during which time he served as the President of the Muslim Students’ Association . He has been both a guest lecturer and guest instructor at several colleges and universities such as Cal Poly State , UC Davis , UC Berkeley, and Cal State East Bay . He studied various Islamic sciences under local Bay Area scholars and has dialogued and debated with several Christian scholars on a variety of topics ranging from the historicity of the resurrection of Christ (upon whom be peace) and the Prophet hood of Muhammad (upon whom be peace and blessings).

He is a graduate of the Badr Arabic Language Institute in Hadramawt, Yemen and studied at the prestigious Dar al-Mustafa under some of the most eminent scholars in the world. He holds a Masters’ Degree in Biblical Studies from the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, (the first Muslim seminarian in the 143 year history of the school to do so), and he has a PhD in Islamic Biblical Hermeneutics.

The post Interfaith Discourse: Who is Christ?-Dr. Ali Ataie and Rev. Andrew Lobban appeared first on Lamppost Education Initiative.

Muslims, Freedom, and The GOP: A Conversation with Bruce Fenton and Dr. Abdullah bin Hamid Ali

Fri, 29 Sep 2023 12:21:20 +0000

The Lamppost Education Initiative is pleased to present a conversation with Bruce Fenton and Dr. Abdullah bin Hamid Ali.
Bruce Fenton is a special adviser to the Republican Presidential candidate, Vivek Ramaswamy. He serves as Ramaswamy’s New Hampshire campaign state co-chair. He recently came under harsh fire for his statement:
“Israel is an apartheid state”
Bruce Fenton is an expert in Bitcoin, Economics, and technology. He has appeared in articles & publications all around the globe, from CNBC interviews in Saudi Arabia, discussions about bitcoin/blockchain & financial articles in the Wall Street Journal. He has also written articles for Coindesk and other leading blockchain and financial publications. Mr. Fenton will be speaking with our very own Dr. Abdullah bin Hamid Ali, the Founding Director of the Lamppost Education Initiative and an Associate Professor at Zaytuna College

A fascinating new work that defends the use of the dhikr beads against the long-standing assertion by Shaykh Muhammad Nasiruddin Al-Albani that the dhikr beads are a reprehensible innovation (bid’ah).
Order your copy today.

Join us for this live, online discourse that you can view live on our YouTube channel, Facebook, or right here on our website. The event takes place on Monday, October 16th, 2023, at 3 pm EST.
Please click HERE and sign up for our newsletter to receive updates and reminders on this event.

Dr. Abdullah bin Hamid Ali

The post Muslims, Freedom, and The GOP: A Conversation with Bruce Fenton and Dr. Abdullah bin Hamid Ali appeared first on Lamppost Education Initiative.

Significance & Lessons of Muharram and Ashura-Dr. Abdullah bin Hamid Ali

Tue, 25 Jul 2023 23:13:35 +0000

"...It is said that this Day of Ashura is the day that Allah forgave Adam (AS) so it reminds us that we are here on this Earth for a short time and our true home is jannah"

Dr. Abdullah bin Hamid Ali Tweet

Dr. Abdullah bin Hamid Ali gives spiritual insights about the significance of the Day of ‘Ashura from Hadith and the significance of events that occurred after the life of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and what it means to the community today.

A powerful work from the Lamppost Education Initiative. Find out more by clicking the link below

Dr. Abdullah bin Hamid Ali

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Money Matters: IMF, Petrodollar, and Crypto-A Two Day Online Seminar with Dr. Abdullah bin Hamid Ali and Zeeshan Mukhtar

Fri, 09 Jun 2023 09:37:33 +0000

'O you who believe! Eat not up your property among yourselves in vanities; But let there be among you tariff and trade by mutual good will'

Qur'an 4:29 Tweet

Man is a social creature. Nothing contributes more to this claim than the pursuit of wealth, the exchange of goods, and the relationships built upon property ownership and transfer. This two-part series seeks to provide an overview of money, economics, debt, and riba along with practical ways to survive financial crises. It will summarize the various scholarly opinions on riba, its rules, analogues, and the perils of credit and debt. Economics, monetary theory, banking, and cryptocurrency will also be discussed. Please join us for this important series and a down to earth conversation between friends.

This presentation will be LIVE online on Saturday, June 24 and Sunday, June 25th at 1:30 pm PST and 4:30 EST.

Saturday, June 24 Day 1: Riba

Sunday, June 25th Day 2: The IMF, Petrodollar, and Crypto

You can access this FREE, two-day online session on our YouTube channel or our Facebook page. Please subscribe to our YouTube Channel, join our Facebook page, and sign up for our email newsletter for reminders on this special program.

A powerful work published by the Lamppost Education Initiative. Click the link below for more details

Dr. Abdullah bin Hamid Ali

Zeeshan Mukhtar is an Economist. He has worked in energy and business for 30 years. He provides financial coaching in the community and serves on the board of several organizations.

He keeps tabs on energy, banking, demographic, and economic trends. He is a father of 3 boys that he has raised in the SF Bay Area with his wife Hina Khan-Mukhtar.

The post Money Matters: IMF, Petrodollar, and Crypto-A Two Day Online Seminar with Dr. Abdullah bin Hamid Ali and Zeeshan Mukhtar appeared first on Lamppost Education Initiative.

The Sunna of Dhikr Beads: In Response to Shaykh Al-Albani-Shaykh Mahmud Said Mamduh

Wed, 31 May 2023 21:12:37 +0000

AVAILABLE NOW

Shaykh Mamdūḥ exposes the flaws in Al-Albani’s research and reasoning. He also reveals how his views contravene that of the overwhelming majority of scholars throughout Islamic history including many of those who Al-Albānī himself admired and emulated in a number of areas, like Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiya, Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziya, and Imam ‘Alī al-Shawkānī.

Dr. Abdullah bin Hamid 'Ali Tweet

I can personally relate many stories of how I personally witnessed this improper application of understanding bid'ah from people who follow Shaykh al-Albani in this (and how harmful it has been), so to see this clarification from the viewpoint of the science of hadith is truly refreshing.

Imam Faheem Lea Tweet

The Lamppost Education Initiative is pleased to present this fascinating work that responds to the claim by the famed hadith scholar, Shaykh Muhammad Nasir Al-Albani, that the dhikr beads are an innovation (bid’a) of the Deen.

This is a translation of the book entitled Wuṣūl at-Tahānī bi ithbāti sunniyyati al-subḥati wal-raddu ‘alā Al-Albānī, or ‘Achieving Enjoyment by Establishing that Dhikr Beads are Sunna and the Rebuttal of Al-Albānī
Dr. Abdullah bin Hamid Ali has translated this work of the hadith scholar Shaykh Mahmud Sa’id Mamduh which provides a detailed defense of the use of dhikr beads by directly responding to the hadith based arguments of Shaykh Al-Albani.
This work is now available on Amazon in paperback and for your Kindle reader. Please click the links below to order your copy of this unique work today.

AVAILABLE NOW

Recommended Courses:
Introduction To The Hadith Science by Dr. Abdullah bin Hamid Ali
‘The Sunna of Dhikr Beads In Response to Shaykh Al-Albani ‘ is a technical work that utilizes the hadith science (‘ulum ul-hadith). We highly recommend that you take this introductory course from Lamppost as a reference for this amazing work from Shaykh Mahmud.

Please stay tuned. Sign up for our email list for updates on this exciting new book from Lamppost.

Shaykh Mahmud Sa’id Mamduh

Shaykh Mahmud Sa’id Mamduh is the author of our new work: “The Sunna of Dhikr Beads: In Response to Shaykh Al-Albani”
Born in 1952 in Cairo, Egypt. He obtained his Ph.d from Al-Azhar and then began his study with many other shaykhs and scholars.
Among his notable Shaykhs were:
Shaykh ‘Abd Allah b. Al-Siddiq Al-Ghumari
Shaykh ‘Abd Al-‘Aziz b. Al-Siddiq Al-Ghumari
Shaykh Muhammad Al-Fadani
Shaykh Muhammad Najib Al-Mati’i
Shaykh Isma’il Uthman Al-Yamani
Shaykh Mahmud has studied with over 50 Shaykhs and scholars and he specializes in the school Imam Shafi’i, seerah, the Qur’anic sciences, the hadith sciences, usul-ul-fiqh, and other disciplines.
Shaykh Mahmud is the author of more than 30 books on the Islamic sciences.

Dr. Abdullah bin Hamid Ali

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Islamic and Christian Concepts of Forgiveness and Mercy-Dr. Ali Ataie

Wed, 19 Apr 2023 20:37:28 +0000

"The Prophet (saws) is the greatest manifestation of the compassion of 'rahma'-the indiscriminately compassionate-Ar-Rahman-it is our Master Muhammad (saws)"

Dr. Ali Ataie Tweet

Dr. Ali Ataie In this moving video, Dr. Ali Ataie provides powerful reflections and some comparative assessments on forgiveness and mercy in Islamic and Christian traditions. He also takes a close look at post-modern constructs of morality in contradistinction to our traditional Islamic values

A powerful new work from the Lamppost Education Initiative. For details please click the link below

Dr. Ali Ataie

Ali Ataie is undoubtedly one of the foremost leading scholars in comparative religions today. He is currently a teacher and researcher of the Islamic Sciences and specializes in theology and biblical interpretation. Additionally he is also the President and Founder of Muslim Interfaith Council and has been heavily involved in interfaith activities for the past 15 years. He earned his undergraduate degree in Accounting from Cal Poly State University in 2000, during which time he served as the President of the Muslim Students’ Association .

He has been both a guest lecturer and guest instructor at several colleges and universities such as Cal Poly State , UC Davis , UC Berkeley, and Cal State East Bay . He studied various Islamic sciences under local Bay Area scholars and has dialogued and debated with several Christian scholars on a variety of topics ranging from the historicity of the resurrection of Christ (upon whom be peace) and the Prophet hood of Muhammad (upon whom be peace and blessings).

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A Perspective of Early Islam in the Americas-Shaykh Muhammad Sa’id Hunafa

Sun, 26 Feb 2023 14:06:59 +0000

"February marks a month in which Americans of African descent pause to reflect on our achievements. Unfortunately, most of these annual commemorations exclude the mention of Muslim scholars, teachers, noblemen, scientists, and more...

Shaykh Muhammad Sa'id Hunafa Tweet

In this brief presentation, Shaykh Muhammad Sa’id Hunafa provides a fascinating look at the history, contributions, and stories of Muslims in the Americas and West Africa. According to Shaykh Muhammad, Black History month is not complete without acknowledging Islam in our historical contemplations. Please listen carefully to this excellent presentation.

Limited Copies are now available of this fascinating work. For more details visit click the link below

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