Al-Milal: Journal of Religion and Thought

ازدواجی تنازعات میں نظامِ ثالثی (حکمین): تفسیر التحریر والتنویر کا مقاصدی و سماجی تناظر

Majid Ullah, Dr. Ilyas Ahmad — Mon, 30 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000

This study explores the Islamic arbitration system (hakamayn) in marital disputes through the teleological (maqasid) and social perspective of Sheikh Muhammad al-Tahir ibn Ashur’s seminal exegesis, Tafsir al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir. Marital discord (shiqaq), when unresolved by domestic remedies, necessitates external social and legal intervention to protect the familial unit. While classical Islamic jurisprudence remains divided on whether the arbitrating judges (hakamayn) act merely as agents (wakil) of the spouses or as independent judges (hakam) with the authority to enforce separation, Ibn Ashur strongly advocates for their judicial status. By prioritizing the higher objectives of Shari'ah (maqasid al-shari'ah)—such as maintaining social harmony, ensuring familial privacy, and preventing harm—this paper analyses how the arbitration framework serves as an effective, out-of-court dispute resolution model. The research employs a qualitative, comparative hermeneutical method, contrasting Ibn Ashur’s views with those of classical commentators like al-Razi, al-Qurtubi, and al-Alusi. The findings demonstrate that conceptualizing the arbitrators as judges rather than mere agents provides a more pragmatic and legally binding mechanism for conflict resolution. Ultimately, this paper highlights the contemporary relevance of Ibn Ashur's teleological framework in reforming family courts, reducing divorce rates, and establishing community-based arbitration committees in modern Muslim societies.

جامع الاوصاف نبئ مکرم ﷺ کے اُمی ہونے کافلسفہ

Muhammad Naqibullah Razi, Dr. Aftab Ahmad — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Among the distinctive attributes of the Noble Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ is his designation as Nabī al-Ummī (the Ummi Prophet), an attribute explicitly mentioned in the Holy Qur’an. The Qur’an also establishes that the Prophet ﷺ did not speak from his own desire concerning divine revelation but conveyed what was revealed to him by Allah Almighty. These two dimensions—his Ummi attribute and his adherence to divine revelation—provide an important framework for understanding his Prophetic mission. Nevertheless, his being Ummi and his reliance upon revelation did not preclude the exercise of judgment, reasoning, and ijtihād in matters where such deliberation was applicable. The Ummi attribute is also significant in understanding the miraculous nature of the Prophet’s ﷺ mission. Despite not having received conventional instruction in reading and writing, he conveyed a message characterized by extraordinary eloquence, wisdom, guidance, and linguistic excellence. The Qur’an, revealed through his blessed tongue, represents an unparalleled form of divine discourse and constitutes a fundamental sign of the truthfulness of his Prophethood. Thus, the Ummi attribute may be understood not as a deficiency but as an aspect of divine wisdom and Prophetic distinction. Classical and contemporary Muslim scholars have offered various interpretations of the term Ummī, including its association with the absence of formal literacy and its broader Qur’anic usage. This study examines these interpretations and analyses the theological, philosophical, and epistemological significance of the Ummi attribute within the broader context of the comprehensive qualities of the Prophet ﷺ. It further examines how an attribute may signify perfection in one context while indicating deficiency in another. Accordingly, the Ummi attribute, although ordinarily associated with a limitation in other contexts, assumes a distinctive and honourable significance in relation to the Noble Prophet ﷺ. The study concludes by highlighting its relationship with divine revelation, Prophetic knowledge, and the perfection of his Prophetic mission.

معاشرے کے منظم جرائم کی روک تھام کے لیے اسلامی سزاؤں کا کردار

Hidayat Ullah, Muhammad Ishaq Alam — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Organized crime poses a significant threat to social stability, public security, and the rule of law. Crimes such as financial fraud, terrorism, human trafficking, theft, and murder not only cause individual and material harm but also undermine social harmony and public confidence in legal institutions. Effective prevention of such crimes therefore requires a comprehensive legal framework that combines deterrence, justice, accountability, and social reform. Within the Islamic legal tradition, the penal system encompasses Ḥudūd, Qiṣāṣ, and Taʿzīr, each serving distinct but complementary purposes within Islamic law's broader objectives. This study examines the role of Islamic punishments in preventing organized crime, with particular emphasis on the underlying philosophy of Islamic penal legislation. It explores how the principles of justice, deterrence, accountability, rehabilitation, and moral reform help protect individuals and society. The study also highlights the preventive and reformative dimensions of Islamic punishments, arguing that their purpose is not merely punitive but also includes protecting fundamental rights, preventing harm, restoring justice, and promoting social order. Drawing on relevant Qurʾānic injunctions, Prophetic traditions, classical Islamic jurisprudence, and selected historical examples, the study argues that the Islamic penal framework seeks to balance the rights of victims, offenders, and the wider community. It concludes that, when understood and implemented within their proper legal, evidentiary, and ethical framework, Islamic punishments constitute part of a broader system of crime prevention and social protection. The study therefore advocates a balanced approach to criminal justice that integrates deterrence, accountability, rehabilitation, and the preservation of social peace.

پاکستانی معاشرے میں خاندانی تنازعات کا حل ( سیرت نبوی ﷺ کی روشنی میں تجزیاتی مطالعہ)

sabah Naz — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This article focuses on resolving family disputes within the social structure of Pakistani society, with particular emphasis on a detailed analysis of the Seerah of Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him). The research will aim to address key questions such as: How can the principles of justice, equity, and reconciliation demonstrated by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) be applied to contemporary family conflicts in Pakistan? What are the similarities and differences between the Prophetic approach to resolving family disputes and the prevailing societal norms in Pakistan? How can the Islamic teachings on family relations offer practical solutions to the conflicts often witnessed within Pakistani families? The study will explore key principles from the Seerah related to family disputes, such as communication, fairness, respect, and conflict resolution. It will also examine how these principles apply in Pakistani society's traditional and modern family structures. By analyzing how Islamic teachings can guide the resolution of family conflicts, this research will offer valuable insights for addressing issues related to marriage, inheritance, child upbringing, and intergenerational relationships. The article aims to provide a comprehensive framework for using the Seerah to resolve family disputes, thereby contributing to a more harmonious and just social fabric within Pakistan.

دلالة الإطناب وأثرها في تفسير الآلوسي

Ammarah Maryam, Sadia Gulahmed — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This study examines the rhetorical phenomenon of iṭnāb (elaboration) in the Holy Qur’an and its interpretive significance in Rūḥ al-Maʿānī fī Tafsīr al-Qurʾān al-ʿAẓīm wa al-Sabʿ al-Mathānī by Imām Shihāb al-Dīn Maḥmūd ibn ʿAbd Allāh al-Ḥusaynī al-Ālūsī (d. 1270 AH). It focuses on selected Qur’anic examples to investigate the forms of iṭnāb, its rhetorical purposes, and the manner in which al-Ālūsī identifies and interprets its semantic and stylistic dimensions. The study proceeds from the premise that Qur’anic iṭnāb is not redundant verbal expansion; rather, it constitutes an intentional increase in wording that produces a particular rhetorical or semantic benefit, including emphasis, affirmation, clarification, specification, glorification, precaution, reinforcement through tadhyīl, and other functions recognized in Arabic rhetoric. The study further demonstrates that al-Ālūsī does not discuss iṭnāb as an isolated rhetorical phenomenon detached from the broader process of Qur’anic interpretation. Instead, he employs an integrated exegetical methodology in which rhetorical analysis interacts with grammar, syntax, morphology, variant readings, textual context, transmitted reports, intertextual relationships, and the subtle dimensions of meaning. His treatment of iṭnāb therefore provides insight into how rhetorical structures contribute to the interpretation and appreciation of Qur’anic discourse. The study concludes thatoffers insight into how rhetorical structures shape Rūḥ al-Maʿānī represents a significant model of integrating the sciences of Arabic rhetoric with Qur’anic exegesis. Al-Ālūsī’s analysis of iṭnāb demonstrates that apparent elaboration in Qur’anic expression is purposeful and contributes to precision, emphasis, coherence, and depth of meaning. The study of this rhetorical device consequently reveals an important dimension of the Qur’an’s linguistic inimitability (iʿjāz) and distinctive eloquence.

The Neglected Verse: Potentialities of Al-Rāzi’s Reading of 4:128

Saniyyah Eman — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This study examines the interpretive potential of Fakhr al-Dīn al-Rāzī’s exegesis of Qur’anic verse 4:128, which addresses marital discord arising from a husband’s nushūz (recalcitrance) or iʿrāḍ (estrangement). Challenging the tendency to regard classical Qur’anic exegesis as an exclusively patriarchal interpretive tradition, the article argues that its internal methodological resources can provide a sound basis for fresh readings responsive to contemporary concerns. Employing descriptive and analytical methodologies, the study investigates al-Rāzī’s treatment of the principal interpretive questions surrounding the verse, particularly the distinction between nushūz and iʿrāḍ, the implications of khawf (apprehension), and the nature of ṣulḥ (reconciliation). The analysis demonstrates that al-Rāzī conceptualizes these terms as distinct yet related expressions of marital discord, recognizes a woman’s capacity to respond to indications of impending estrangement, and presents reconciliation as a negotiated arrangement rather than an exclusively unilateral concession by the wife. Furthermore, his interpretation extends the ethical and interpretive implications of verse 4:128 to the husband’s response to a wife’s nushūz or iʿrāḍ, thereby establishing a significant connection with Qur’anic verse 4:34. His discussion also raises important questions concerning conjugal rights, mutual accommodation, and the role of mediators in resolving marital conflict. The study concludes that al-Rāzī’s exegetical method reveals underexplored possibilities within the classical tafsīr tradition.