In this 4-part series lecture, Under the Shade of Scrolls, Muhammad Alshareef gives us snap shots of the lives of the four imams and the recurring themes in their lives. The lecturer encourages us to model ourselves after them so that we may also come close to their legacy. Imam Abu Hanifah In this lecture, Muhammad Alshareef talks about the different ways Islam has been attacked through the ages. One of these ways was to defame the scholars of Islam. It is for this reason that Imam Abu Hanifa was criticized the most, and despite that, Allah has blessed him with his legacy of Fiqh. Muhammad Alshareef discusses the teaching styles of Imam Abu Hanifa such as establishing think tanks. In these think tanks issues are discussed by his legendary students of knowledge, by which rulings of Fiqh were derived. Imam Abu Hanifah was the first to develop an index for Fiqh, and it is through these achievements, Allah has blessed him to go the furthest in Fiqh which were eventually adopted by so many nations. Imam Malik Muhammad Alshareef, in this lecture calls Imam Malik a reviver of the Sunnah for his steadfastness in establishing the Sunnah in the city of Madina. He begins the lecture with Imam Malik's childhood and how his mother brought him to Masjid An-Nabawi to gain knowledge from the scholars of Madina. Imam Malik took what he learned, used it and went forward with it. His teaching techniques left no room for argumentation, debates or rhetoric. Muhammad Alshareef emphasized the Haybah of Imam Malik as a scholar, whereby when people would see him they would be in awe and in respect of him. It was through his demeanor his students would not only carry his legacy of Islamic knowledge but also his legacy in his manners and actions as a scholar. Imam Ash-Shafi'ee In this lecture, Muhammad Alshareef describes Imam Ash-Shafi'ee's uniqueness as a powerhouse thinker who carried the knowledge of Islam. He begins by telling the story of how Imam Ash-Shafi'ee came with the opinion on the concept of Ijma'a. He discussed what Imam Ash-Shafi'ee went through to get the proof for his opinion, by praying all night and reciting the Qur'an for three days searching for the proof. In this process of combining out proofs, Imam Ash-Shafi'ee focused on understanding Allah's words, not just finishing the recitation of the Qur'an. Muhammad Alshareef emphasizes Imam Ash-Shafi'ee's confidence and honesty in spreading the knowledge to his students and to his society in general. He made many reforms, and as a student, he had a brilliant mind. At one point, he reached a level of popularity like those of the kings. And, his legacy lives on until today. Imam Ahmad Muhammad Alshareef gives us insight of the life of Imam Ahmad from his childhood, raised by a single mother in Baghdad, to adulthood. His mother's strong character had a massive influence over his life as she used to go through great lengths to take him to gatherings of knowledge. At a time when everyone was seeking dunya, Imam Ahmad was raised to seek the knowledge of Islam. Imam Ahmad would work odd jobs to sustain his efforts to seek knowledge. When other students rode to their classes, he walked, and sometimes worked carrying luggage for people. He later developed a strong bond with Imam Shafi'ee, and from east to west, he traveled to compile hadith. It is through this sincerity, that he became a marvel in the annals of Islam. In his famous quote, he said, "There was not a single hadith except that I tried my best to practice it." |
