An summarised text detailing the rules governing the Criticism of Hadeeth. From its introduction -'A hadith (pl. ahadith) is composed of two parts: the matn (text) and the isnad (chain of reporters). A text may seem to be logical and reasonable but it needs an authentic isnad with reliable reporters to be acceptable; 'Abdullah b. al-Mubarak (d. 181 AH) is reported to have said, "The isnad is part of the religion: had it not been for the isnad, whoever wished to would have said whatever he liked." During the lifetime of the Prophet (SAS) and after his death, his Companions (Sahabah) used to refer to him when quoting his sayings. The Successors (Tabi'un) followed suit; some of them used to quote the Prophet (SAS) through the Companions while others would omit the intermediate authority - such a hadith was known as mursal (loose). It was found that the missing link between the Successor and the Prophet (SAS) might be one person, i.e. a Companion, or two persons, the extra person being an older Successor who heard the hadith from the Companion.'
Author: Mahmood Al-Tahaan
The Importance of the issue of ijtihad, who has the right to make it, and caution of speaking about the religion without knowledge
Author: Salman Bin Fahad al-Awdah
Publisher: http://www.islamtoday.net - Islam Today Website
Source: http://www.islamhouse.com/p/1403
In this book, Dr. Saleh As-Saleh explains only seven foundations out of sixty mentioned in the book of Sh. Abder-Rahman As-Se'di "The Basic Rulings and Principles, and the Beneficial and Eloquent Classifications and Differentiations". The importance of this book stems from the nature of its content. This is because the scholars of Islam gave great importance to the study of the basic rulings and principles of fiqh so that they are able to encompass the various cases and refer these cases to the basic rulings and principles in order to deduct and apply the judgment in a comprehensive, yet precise manner.
Author: Abdur-Rahman Bin Nasir as-Sadi
Translators: Dr. Saleh As-Saleh
Publisher: http://understand-islam.net - Understand Islam Website
A short but influential admonition regarding death.
Publisher: Daar Al-Watan
Source: http://www.islamhouse.com/p/1323
The Fatawa's of Shaikh-ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (Rahimahullah). Though he preferred the Hanbali school of jurisprudence, he was never biased in favor of it, he frequently quotes the opinions of all four of the well-known schools of jurisprudence, even others. In a number of matters, he himself held opinions different from those of the four schools.
Author: Sheikh-ul-Islam ibn Taymiyyah
The annual Religious Freedom Reports released by US State Department often include sections about religious freedom in Saudi Arabia. These reports are officially distributed by the State Department and then circulated amongst the centers of research in the West as well as the international media outlets and other channels. Saudi Arabia comes on top of concern of those involved in these reports, due to its religious and political significance. Accordingly, it becomes incumbent on us, as Saudis, to discuss the sections in these reports which cover religious freedom in our country and provide facts that are not included in these reports. While discussing these reports, we should explain to the world our view point vis-à-vis these reports. We should also allow the reader to discover the truth as stated therein and according to criteria upon which many fair-minded, rational people agreed with us.