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Arguing Over Aqeeda in Black Muslim America, a Disaster in the Making, Imam Abu Laith Luqman Ahmad
Actually it’s more like a disaster already made. Our obsession with aqeeda inquisition and aqeeda wrangling is not something we came up with on our own. In fact, the role that aqeeda plays in our division, in our domestic dialogue, in our masjid politics, and in our priority assignment, is not organic; it is totally…
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An Introduction to the Different Types of Books of Hadith by Imam Abu Laith Luqman Ahmad
There are many ways to approach hadith study. Primarily as Muslims, we want to know and understand what the Prophet ﷺ did and said so we can obey him and follow him.
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Real Talk: The Dilemma of the Muslim Mental Health Practitioner in the Modern Age, Imam Luqman Ahmad
Let’s keep it real with each other: for a Muslim mental health practitioner today, walking into the clinic every day can feel like standing at a major, existential crossroads. This isn’t just a niche issue for a single demographic; it is a profound dilemma facing Muslim professionals and believers across the globe, particularly those living…
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Spiritual Abuse: A Flawed Terminology That Muslims Should Retire, Here’s why, Imam Luqman Ahmad
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم و به نستعين In recent years, a new phrase has quietly woven its way into the vocabulary of the Western Muslim community: “spiritual abuse.” Borrowed from modern psychology and Christian theological discourse, this quasi-psychological term is increasingly popularized to describe situations where religious authorities, such as Imams, community leaders, Islamic teachers,…
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Ruling on Sneezing and a person responding “yar’hamuka Allah” during the Friday khutba (sermon), by Imam Luqman Ahmad
When a person sneezes while the Friday sermon (khutba) is being delivered, the rulings regarding saying ‘Alhamdulillah’ and responding with Yarhamukallah are as follows: Saying Alhamdulillah: The person who sneezes should say Alhamdulillah (Praise be to Allah) quietly to himself (silently). He should not raise his voice. Saying Yarhamukallah: If someone hears him sneeze and…
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The Notion of Single-Gender Accountability in Islam, Kufr in Disguise, by Imam Abu Laith Luqman Ahmad
A troubling double standard has permeated parts of the modern Black American Muslim dialogue. While a man is rightly condemned for fornicating, the woman involved is frequently absolved of blame, treating the sin as if it were exclusively his responsibility. This asymmetric view mirrors ideological frameworks that frame the man as the sole perpetrator and…
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The Islamic ruling regarding a Muslim woman being uncovered before her stepson/father in law. By Imam Abu Laith Luqman Ahmad
Question: Can a Muslim woman leave her hair uncovered in the presence of her stepson, or father in law? Answer: Yes, a Muslim woman is permitted to uncover her hair, neck, and forearms in front of both her stepson (her husband’s biological son) and her father-in-law (her husband’s father). Both individuals are considered permanent mahrams…
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Scholarship Versus Entertainment: A Historical and Modern Crisis, Imam Luqman Ahmad
In the classical Islamic tradition, scholarship (Ilm) and public oratory (Khatabah / Wa’z) were treated as distinct, often separate specializations. While many major jurists possessed deep linguistic competence, not all engaged in public preaching or were historically celebrated as orators. Understanding this distinction illuminates a profound irony in how the Muslim community approaches religious leadership…
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Beyond the Therapy Room: Finding the Ultimate Blueprint for Life in the Book of Allah, Imam Luqman Ahmad
In an age dominated by self-help podcasts, therapy culture, and endless streams of psychological frameworks, humanity is constantly searching for a manual on how to live. We look everywhere for guidance on how to set boundaries, fix our relationships, navigate marriage, and correct toxic behaviors. Yet, in our pursuit of modern clinical solutions, we often…
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Beyond the Screen: AI, the “Terminator” Scenario, and the Ultimate Control of Allah, by Imam Abu Laith Luqman Ahmad
If you have ever watched Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines or Terminator Salvation, you likely remember the chilling turning point. It is not just about a single cyborg assassin sent back in time; it is the broader, terrifying realization of Judgement Day. In those films, humanity hands over its defense grid to an advanced…
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What’s going on in the earth? This is a time for Reflection: Signs in the Storm, Imam Luqman Ahmad
From the towering plumes of Canadian wildfire smoke that darken skies thousands of miles away, and here at home, to the scorched earth left in the wake of relentless flames, and wild fires, from catastrophic, nation-spanning floods that swallow highways and homes, to torrential rains that turn Philadelphia streets into surging rivers, to the tornadoes…
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Imam al-Bayhaqi’s Defense of the Shafi’i Madhhab, by Imam Abu Laith Luqman Ahmad
Imam al-Bayhaqi (d. 458 AH) is widely regarded by scholars not merely as a high level scholar in his own right and a follower of the Shafi’i school, but as one of the madhhab’s most important architects and defenders. His contribution was so profound that the great Shafi’i jurist Imam al-Haramayn al-Juwayni famously stated: “There…
Imam Luqman Ahmad Mosque Without Borders 