'''' ( '''', , "doctrine"; pl. '''', ; transliterated Urdu: ''mazhab'' or ''mezheb'') is a Muslim school of law or ''fiqh'' (religious jurisprudence). In the first 150 years of Islam, there were many such "schools". In fact, several of the ''Sahābah'', or contemporary "companions" of Muhammad, are credited with founding their own. The prominent Islamic jurisprudence schools of Damascus in Syria (often named ''Awza'iyya''), Kufa and Basra in Iraq, and Medina in Arabia survived as the Maliki ''madhhab'', while the other Iraqi schools were consolidated into the Hanafi ''madhhab''. The Shafi'i, Hanbali, Zahiri and Jariri schools were established later, though the latter two schools eventually died out.

Established schools

The four mainstream schools of Sunni jurisprudence today, named after their founders (sometimes called the ''A’immah Arba‘a'' or four Imaams of Fiqh), are not generally seen as distinct sects, as there has been harmony for the most part among their various scholars throughout Islamic history.

Generally, Sunni Muslims prefer one ''madhhab'' out of the four (normally a regional preference). but also believe that ''ijtihad'' must be exercised by the contemporary scholars capable of doing so. They rely on ''taqlid'', or acceptance of religious rulings and epistemology from a higher religious authority in deferring meanings of analysis and derivation of legal practices instead of relying on subjective readings as prescribed by such modern sects as Wahhabism . Taqlid is the correct methodology of traditional Islam amongst the majority of Sunni Muslims in the world account for 96% of the global Muslim population. .

Experts and scholars of ''fiqh'' follow the ''usul'' (principles) of their own native madhhab, but they also study the usul, evidences, and opinions of other madhhabs. This is the strongest opinion of Sunni Muslims. The Sunni concept of Madhdhab is opposed by the Wahhabi sect of Islam which began in the 18th century.

Amman message

The Amman message, a three-point ruling issued by 200 Islamic scholars from over 50 countries, recognises legal schools of thought (''madhāhib'') viz. #Sunni Hanafi #Sunni Hanbali #Sunni Maliki #Sunni Shafi'i

See also

Islamic law

Sunni view of the Sahaba

Shia view of the Sahaba

Footnotes

Further reading

Branon Wheeler, Applying the Canon in Islam: The Authorization and Maintenance of Interpretive Reasoning in Ḥanafī Scholarship, SUNY Press, 1996

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Coordinates	39°44′21″N104°59′5″N
name	Zaid Shakir
birth name	Ricky D. Mitchell
birth date	May 24, 1956
birth place	Berkeley, California, U.S.
occupation	Islamic Scholar, Professor, Author
religion	Sunni Islam
website	New Islamic Directions.com Zaytuna College.org
footnotes	}}

Zaid Salim Shakir is a prominent American Islamic Scholar, and Writer, who is a co-founder and faculty member of Zaytuna College in Berkeley, California, United States, where he teaches courses on Arabic, Law, History, and Islamic Spirituality. He is one of the signatories of ''A Common Word Between Us and You'', an open letter by Islamic scholars to Christian leaders. It has become an important interfaith dialogue initiative between Christians and Muslims.

Early life

Born in Berkeley, California and with his formative years in Connecticut, he accepted Islam in 1977 while serving in the United States Air Force and shortly after changed his name to Zaid Salim Shakir.. A summa cum laude graduate, he obtained a BA in International Relations at American University in Washington, D.C. and later earned his MA in Political Science at Rutgers University. . While at Rutgers, he led a successful campaign for disinvestment from South Africa, and co-founded a local Islamic center, ''Masjid al-Huda''.

After a year of studying Arabic in Cairo, Egypt, he settled in New Haven, Connecticut and continued his community activism, co-founding ''Masjid al-Islam'', the ''Tri-State Muslim Education Initiative'', and the ''Connecticut Muslim Coordinating Committee''. As Imam of ''Masjid al-Islam'' from 1988 to 1994 he spearheaded a community renewal and grassroots anti-drug effort, also accepted the position as Professor and taught political science and Arabic at Southern Connecticut State University. and developed the ''Chaplaincy Sensitivity Training'' for physicians at Yale New Haven Hospital. Zaid Shakir participates as a speaker at Islamic Society of North America annual conferences.

Years Abroad

Zaid Shakir then left for Syria to pursue his studies in the traditional Islamic Sciences. For seven years in Syria, and briefly in Morocco, he immersed himself in an intense study of Arabic, Islamic law, Quranic studies, and spirituality.. In 2001, he was the first American graduate from Syria's Abu Nour University and returned to Connecticut, serving again as the Imam of ''Masjid al-Islam'', and writing and speaking frequently on a host of issues.

Recent work in the United States

In 2003, as a scholar-in-residence at Zaytuna Institute located in California, Zaid Shakir began to teach Arabic, Law, and Islamic Spirituality. And, in 2008, he co-founded the Berkeley, California based Zaytuna College dedicated to the revival of Islamic Sciences and the preservation of traditional teaching methods.

He has traveled all over the world lecturing about Islam and contemporary issues. Zaid Shakir has translated several classical texts from Arabic. He has been a special quest and interviewed twice on Bill Moyers on January 18, 2002 and June 22, 2007, a prime time TV station network PBS. In 2007, Zaid Shakir participated in a lively conversation entitled, ''Can We Talk About God? Devotion and Extremism in the Modern Age'' with the foremost conservative thinker in Britain, writer and philosopher Roger Scruton. These two thinkers with some common ground and some sharply differing perspectives, the discussion was moderated by award-winning journalist, documentary-maker, Sandy Tolan of the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism.

He is the first Islamic Scholar to spearhead a nationwide initiative Bite The Bug, along with many partners who are passionately concerned about matters plaguing Muslims regardless of culture, geography, language or race. This mission is to raise national awareness and demonstrate that the American Muslim community is compassionate, empathetic and action-oriented about basic maladies within the world.

As an American Muslim who came of age during the civil rights struggles, he has brought both sensitivity about race and poverty issues and scholarly discipline to his faith-based work. In the spirit of the great scholars of the past, Zaid Shakir embodies the rationality, spirituality and breadth of traditional knowledge, as well as cutting-edge academic intellect. He leaves a lasting impression; his ability to move hearts and minds enlightens all walks of life. He is married and has one adopted son.

Zaid Shakir was a participant at the 9th annual 2010 seminar with The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams who chaired the ''Building Bridges Christian-Muslim Seminar on Tradition and Modernity'', which brought together leading Muslim and Christian scholars from around the world to explore issues at the heart of the two traditions. Shakir has also been featured on the Washingtonpost.com and Newsweek blog, ''On Faith''. He is a frequent speaker at local and national Muslim events and has emerged as one of the nation’s top Islamic Scholars and a voice of conscience for American Muslims and non-Muslims alike.

Zaid Shakir stated in a 2009 interview with USA Today, "as a faith community our needs aren't any different than the needs of any other faith community. As Muslims, we need to develop institutions to allow us to perpetuate our values."

Zaid Shakir has expressed a hope that the people of the United States convert to Islam, "Every Muslim who is honest would say, I would like to see America become a Muslim country. I think it would help people, and if I didn't believe that, I wouldn't be a Muslim. Because Islam helped me as a person, and it's helped a lot of people in my community."

According to CNN blog This Just In, an article entitled ''"Today's Intriguing People"'' states, The New York Times has reported that Zaid Shakir is one of nine influential Muslim scholars who has appeared in a You Tube video denouncing militant Islam."

In a September 8, 2010 NPR interview, ''"Listen to The Story: New College Teaches Young American Muslims"'' reported that Zaid Shakir informed the inaugural class that they are "pioneers, charting the future course of American Islam — which is not for the faint of heart. Literally, the whole world is looking at you. The whole world is listening to you. You will be put under a microscope by a lot of people, and you will have to perform.".

Criticism

While many have cited Zaid Shakir as example of Islamic moderation, his critics have questioned his moderate credentials. In his book ''America Alone'', Mark Steyn challenges the characterization of Shakir as a moderate Muslim, citing Shakir's expressed hope for the conversion of America to Islam and adoption of Islamic law in America.

On November 13, 2009 Zaid Shakir issued a lengthy statement regarding the Fort Hood shooting with this introduction:

I begin by expressing my deepest condolences to the families of all of the dead and wounded. There is no legitimate reason for their deaths, just as I firmly believe there is no legitimate reason for the deaths of the hundreds of thousands of Iraqi and Afghani civilians who have perished as a result of those two conflicts. Even though I disagree with the continued prosecution of those wars, and even though I believe that the US war machine is the single greatest threat to world peace, I must commend the top military brass at Fort Hood, and President Obama for encouraging restraint and for refusing to attribute the crime allegedly perpetrated by Major Nidal Malik Hasan to Islam. We pray that God bless us to see peace and sanity prevail during these tense times.

This statement was praised by the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) but criticized by Dr. M. Zuhdi Jasser, President of the American-Islamic Forum for Democracy and a former lieutenant commander in the United States Navy. Jasser said that "as an American Muslim," he was offended by these comments which he believes reflect Shakir's "disdain for our military." However, Ingrid Mattson, the President of the Islamic Society of North America supported Zaid Shakir's response to the Fort Hood tragedy as "solidly grounded in the Islamic legal, ethical and intellectual tradition."

Commendation

A 200 page report entitled, “The 500 Most Influential Muslims” edited by noted professors John Esposito and Ibrahim Kalin was published November 20, 2009 by ''The Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre'' (Jordan) and the ''Prince Alwaleed Bin-Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding'' (Georgetown University) describes Imam Zaid Shakir as “one of America’s most influential global Scholars”. Dr. Cornel West states that “he is one of the towering principle voices not only in contemporary Islam, but in American society.” The New York Times describes him as "a leading intellectual light". Tikkun Daily states that he is "one of the most thoughtful and dynamic teachers about the true nature of Islam in America today".

Publications

Books authored

Where I'm Coming From: A Year In Review, 2010

Agenda To Change Our Condition, (Co-authored with Sheikh Hamza Yusuf), 2007

Scattered Pictures: A Reflection of An American Muslim, 2005

Books translated with additions

Treatise For The Seekers of Guidance, (translation and commentary of Al-Muhasibi's Risala Al-Mustarshidin), 2008

Heirs of the Prophets, 2000

Books which include his foreword or note

Green Deen: What Islam Teaches About Protecting the Planet, (editorial review), 2010

Ascent to Felicity, (editorial review), 2010

The War within Our Hearts: Struggles of the Muslim Youth, (wrote introduction), 2010

Living With Blindness: Lessons from the Life of Imran Sabir, (wrote introduction), 2009

Faith and Beauty, (Co-edited with Sheikh Hamza Yusef), 2008

A Gathering of Voices on Caring For Creation, (contrib. article)''The Zaytuna Ruku Tree'', 2008

Dear Self: A Year In The Life of A Welfare Mother, (wrote foreword), 2006

The Empire and The Crescent, (contributed article ''Jehad as Perpetual War''), 2004

Papers

Crescentwatch Position Change

Zaytuna Seasons Journal

Caesarean Moon Births

External links and further reading

Websites

Zaytuna.org - Imam Zaid Shakir co-founder and faculty member of College

ZaidShakir.com - List of books, audios, videos, and biography

Correct Islamic Faith International Association (CIFIA)

Lectures of Imam Zaid Shakir

Articles and Interviews

Media Articles Profile

See also

Abd al-Rahman al-Shaghouri

Hamza Yusuf

References

Category:Muslim scholars Category:Islamic studies scholars Category:Muslim reformers Category:American University alumni Category:Living people Category:1956 births Category:American motivational speakers Category:American Sunni Muslims Category:People from Berkeley, California Category:People from New Britain, Connecticut Category:Converts to Islam from Christianity Category:African American Muslims Category:Converts to Islam Category:Muslim apologists Category:Muslim activists

ar:زيد شاكر

Coordinates	39°44′21″N104°59′5″N
Name	Tank
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Durrell Babbs
Born	January 01, 1976Milwaukee, Wisconsin, US
Origin	Washington, DC, US
Genre	R&B;, pop, hip hop, dance, crunk&B;, reggae
Occupation(s)	Singer, dancer, actor, model, musician
Instruments	Vocals, keyboard, piano, drums
Years active	1996–present
Label	Blackground (2000-2009), Atlantic (2010-Present)
Associated acts	TGT, Tyrese, Ginuwine, The Underdogs, Aaliyah, Omarion
Website	www.TheRealTank.com }}

Tank (born Durrell Babbs on January 1, 1976 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin) is an American R&B; singer, songwriter and producer.

Career

Tank was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and moved with his family as a child to the Washington, D.C. suburb of Clinton, Maryland. He was a multi-sport athlete at Crossland High School and was offered the opportunity to play college football. However Tank decided to focus on music and his talent eventually led him to an opportunity to sing background vocals for Ginuwine during one of Ginuwine's tours. In 2001, following Ginuwine's successful tour Tank released his debut album ''Force of Nature'' which spawned the ''R&B; Top Ten''-single "Maybe I Deserve".

In 2002, Tank released his second album ''One Man'' and a single of the same name.

Tank released his third solo album entitled "Sex, Love & Pain" on May 15, 2007. The lead single was intended to be "I Luv Dem Girls", but for unknown reasons the song was given to Marques Houston who renamed it "Strip Club" (intending to place it on his third solo album "Veteran"). However, "Strip Club" did not make "Veteran," and "Sex, Love & Pain"'s last track is the Timbaland remix to "I Luv Dem Girls". The first single from Tank's third album was "Please Don't Go". Later in the year Tank, Ginuwine and Tyrese Gibson formed a group called TGT. Their first single was a remix of "Please Don't Go" with an international tour entitled "The Shirts Off Tour" and search for a fourth member to follow. Tank released his fourth studio album, ''Now or Never'', on December 14, 2010. Tank collaborated with other artists on this project like Chris Brown, Drake, Letoya Luckett and many other artists.

Tank's song writing and production credits include working with Dave Hollister, Marques Houston, Omarion, Jamie Foxx, Donell Jones and Monica amongst others. As an associate of production team The Underdogs, also Harvey Mason and with his team, Song Dynasty. He has worked with many different artists over the years and was also a contributor to the score of the film adaptation of the musical ''Dreamgirls'', in which he also had a cameo. He was also featured in the movie "The Preacher's Kid."

Personal life

Tank is the father to four children listed here in birth order: Jordan & Ryen Babbs, Zoey Babbs and Durrell Babbs Jr..

Discography

Albums

Year	Album	Chart positions		!align="center" rowspan="2" width="150"
		!width="60"	!width="60"
	align="left" valign="top"

¹Copies shipneeds

Singles

Year	Title	Chart positions			Album
! width="40"	! width="40"	! width="40"
align="left"
	align="left"
	align="left"
align="left"
	align="left"

Awards

Grammy Award Nominations

*2008, Best R&B; Male Vocal Performance: "Please Don't Go"

*2008, Best R&B; Album: ''Sex, Love & Pain''

*2010, Best R&B; Song: "Under"

*2011, Best R&B; Performance by a Duo or Group: "Take My Time" with Chris Brown

References

External links

Official website

French Group dedicated to Tank on SoulRnB.com (Photos, Videos, Discussions, Etc.)

Category:African American singers Category:American rhythm and blues singers Category:American male singers Category:Living people Category:People from Milwaukee, Wisconsin Category:People from Washington, D.C. Category:1976 births

es:Tank (cantante norteamericano) fr:Tank (chanteur) it:Tank (cantante statunitense) pl:Tank (wokalista)

Coordinates	39°44′21″N104°59′5″N
region	Islamic scholar
era	Modern era
color	#B0C4DE
name	Mufti Muhammad ibn Adam al-Kawthari
birth place	England
religion	Islam
citizenship	British
school tradition	Hanafi
main interests	Islamic law, Islamic finance, Lecturing
notable ideas	}}

Mufti Muhammad ibn Adam al-kawthari is a public speaker and author of Islamic books and translator of several Arabic works to the English language.

Early Life and Education

Born in Leicester, UK, al-Kawthari started learning about Islam from a very young age and memorized the Qur’an at the age of nine. He initially studied the Arabic language and various other traditional Islamic sciences including Qur’anic exegesis (tafsir), Hadith and Fiqh at Dar al-Uloom, Bury, UK, under Shaykh Muhammad Yusuf Motala and the late Shaykh al-Hadith Islam ul Haq. He also received Ijazah in Hadith from the late Grand Mufti of India, Shaykh Mahmud al-Hasan Gangohi and underwent a one year course of specialization in the science of issuing religious verdicts (Fatwa).

Career

al-Kawthari is a teacher of various traditional Islamic sciences at Jamiah Uloom al-Qur’an and Director and Researcher at the Institute of Islamic Jurisprudence. He is a Board Member of the Al-Qalam Shari’ah Scholars Panel, established for Muslim consumers and businesses for Shari’ah-based guidance. He is also an Advisory Member of the Islamic Medical Ethics Forum (IMEF). He is also a Shari’ah Advisor for Habib Bank AG Zurich, UK - Islamic Banking department and gives lectures on various subjects around the world.

Works

His authored books include ''Islamic Guide to Sexual Relations'', ''Birth Control & Abortion in Islam'', and ''The Issue of Shares and Simplified Rules of Zakat''. He has also published Shaykh Zakariyya Kandahlawi’s Wujub I’fa’ al-Lihya (the obligation of growing a beard) and Shaykh Khalil Ahmad Saharanpuri’s Mabahith fi Aqa’id Ahl al-Sunna aka: Al-Muhannad ala‘l-Mufannad (Discussions in the beliefs of the Ahl al-Sunna), both with critical analysis and footnotes in Arabic.

Controversy

In February 2011, University of York student media reported on the controversy surrounding al-Kawthari's visit. Various campus groups launched an official complaint on the grounds of social cohesion, focusing on a recent report by Civitas. Key criticisms included allegations that al-Kawthari's views "legitimis[ed] rape," and accusations that his opposition to women traveling more than 48 miles without their husbands was inherently sexist. The Member of the UK Parliament for York Outer, Julian Sturdy also weighed in on the debate, stating, "I believe in the absolute importance of freedom of speech, but I am not happy that this vile speaker is using the university as a platform to create tension in the community."

Defenders of al-Kawthari, including the University of York Islamic Society, stated that his views were taken "bizarrely out of context" and accused the campaigners of hypocrisy in selectively defending free speech. A statement by al-Kawthari responding to the allegations was read on BBC York. Following the controversy, al-Kawthari delivered the talk entitled "Misconceptions of Islam" on February 16, 2011 without incident.

References

Muhammad ibn Adam's Biography

http://www.whitethreadpress.com/authors/muhammad_adam.htm

http://www.turath.co.uk/tp/index.php?option=com_content&task;=view&id;=69&Itemid;=28

http://www.sunnipath.com/about/shaykhmia.aspx

http://www.lamppostproductions.com/node/189

*

External links

Darul Iftaa

Darul Iftaa Youtube Channel

Sunni Path

SeekersGuidance

Islamic Manners

Imaam Abu Hanifa and Hadith

Category:British Muslims Category:Living people Category:Muslim scholars Category:Muslim scholars of Islam