Publications | Hafs Maktab

Here are some of our publications

FIQH Series

“Whomsoever Allah wants good for, He gives him a deep understanding of the religion (Fiqh) ” [Bukhari. Book no1, hadith no 71]

Learning about Allah’s law and how to implement it in one’s life is the business of Fiqh. Imam Abu Hanifa (ra) defined fiqh as, “understanding the Self, of all the things which are beneficial for it and things which are detrimental to it”. Elementary fiqh is to focus on the most immediate and practical of the divine ordinances: salah, sawm, hajj, zakah etc, what it refers to as “individual obligations” (fardh ‘ayn). They provide the visible embodiment of faith, a proclamation which is otherwise invisible. Without these rituals one cannot truly be said to profess faith, nor can one’s faith be vouched for. Thus, the job of fiqh in this sense is to simplify divine ordinances for general consumption and facilitate a steady process of learning through which one can practice easily. This is the purpose of this Fiqh Series

AQEEDAH Series

Allah (swt) says: If they believe the way you have believed then they would achieve guidance. (Baqarah 2:137)

In the very beginning of the Quran Allah (swt) describes the people of taqwa as those who have faith in the ghayb (the unseen). But have we ever explained to our children what is meant by ghayb? Without firm grounding in belief, we are lost, meaningless, prey to a host of forces and bound for the route of destruction. Sound belief is the only guarantee for our success and God’s pleasure - it is the purpose behind our creation and the reason for which Prophets were sent.

It is paramount/crucial, therefore, to realise the importance of sound upbringing and belief and to provide Muslim youth with good instruction from a young age. It is the only effective manner which helps them navigate through the ups and downs of life and face the challenges it throws at them.

To this end, Hafs Academy presents a revised syllabus on various Islamic sciences/subjects (Aqeedah, in this case) with a bias towards student age/maturity, relevant topic selection and detail. In this compilation, emphasis is placed on iman-building over crude theological formulations by compounding elementary beliefs with exhortative and descriptive data found in the rich sources of Hadith literature, in addition to heart-softening anecdotes and parables of wisdom.

It is hoped this revised format will make the subject more engaging, pique further interest, provoke action and yield the much anticipated results. Wa ma dhalika ‘ala Allah bi Ba’eed - and with Allah alone rests assistance.

QURAN Series

“And recite the Quran carefully with tarteel.” Allah (swt) has bestowed countless blessings on this ummah.

One of the greatest of these blessings is, without doubt, the Book of Allah (swt), the Quran. Since it is His book, He requires from us that we recite the Quran in the same beautiful way in which it was revealed. For this purpose, we at Hafs have developed a special course which aims to teach the recitation of the Quran in the most effi cient manner.

Qawaid Hafs Level 1 puts particular emphasis on huroof and harakaat (letter and mark recognition). The book is divided into parts; each part focusing on a different aspect of recitation and building on previous knowledge. Huroof and harakaat are the tools for learning Arabic. We must become familiar with the tools fi rst before we proceed to put them to any good use. Therefore, based on their importance, we have dedicated our fi rst level to get a grasp of these tools. Our goal with this book is to create independent learners.

We want our students to tap into their own special skills and potentials so that they become active learners and not simply dependant on spoon feeding. When students take ownership of their own learning and challenge themselves to achieve their goal, that’s when we will see true talent.

Arabic Language Series

Almighty Allah says in the Quran, (Surah Sad 38:29)

[This is] a blessed Book which We have revealed to you,

[O Muhammad], that they may ponder over its verses, and so that those with understanding may be mindful.

We learn from this verse that Allah(swt) wants us to reflect on the meanings of the Quran, to understand it and take lessons from it. Since Arabic is the language of the Quran, it goes without saying that one must first be initiated in the language before one can reach the level of understanding. So our primary aim is to understand the Book of Allah. In addition, Muslims also supplicate to Allah (swt) through the Arabic medium as this was the practice of our beloved Prophet (pbuh). The benefit of this is that one can make duas that are comprehensive yet succinct.

Thus, in order engage with the Quran and to make our supplications meaningful we need to study the Arabic language. To achieve this, Hafs Academy is producing its very own Arabic Series to aid the learning of students in a structured and lucid manner. Before you is the first book of this series. Other books will follow which will build the foundations of learning Arabic.

DUA Series

Almighty Allah says in the Quran, (Surah Ghafir 40:60)

وَقَالَ†رَبُّكُمُ†ادْعُوْنِْ†أَسْتَجِبْ†لَكُمْ

And your Lord has stated, make Du’a to me, I will respond to you.

From this Quranic verse we understand that Du’a is a commandment of Allah . A person can make Dua in any language he wishes. However, since Du’a is an act of Ibadah, as the Prophet said that Du’a is worship, it is important for us to learn how to worship and supplicate to Allah like His beloved Prophet . Almighty Allah has blessed His Prophet with Jawami al-Kalim, which means ‘speech that was concise and comprehensive’. In a few words the Prophet would supplicate to Allah by mentioning His beautiful names and qualities and at the same time demonstrate his slave hood to Him. This is why it is important for us to memorise these prophetic Dua’s so that we can also become recipients of divine blessing and reward. Before you, dear reader is the first edition of ‘My daily supplications’. All the Dua’s are translated into English. In translation the author has chosen simple words to ease the process of memorisation. In-sha-Allah, more books on Dua’s will soon be released.

ADAAB Series

This statement itself affirms that pre-Islamic Arabia had good manners and so did non-Muslims. Having good manners is nothing special, it’s a requisite of humanity which the sound intellect and natural disposition can readily grasp. Faith goes beyond this. It seeks to perfect the art of good manners, and our Prophet is the best testimony to it. Living in times of moral degeneration and corruption, good manners have come under direct attack and its repercussions have been far and wide. Even in the households of the faithful, moral erosion is having devastating effects and has led to widespread unrest and unease. Where good manners were once naturally “picked up” in Muslim households, sadly today books are having to be written on the topic to educate believers on how the righteous behave and conduct themselves. Perfect character and faith are intrinsically linked, which means the quality and strength of one’s faith is dependent on one’s character and manners. It is imperative, therefore, to wage a crusade against moral corruption and since there is no better time to internalise this blessed and noble art than childhood, when the slate is clean, Hafs Academy presents this unique child friendly “adab” series. The series hopes to fill/address some of the current much felt need and it is hoped parents will welcome it with much interest.