The Beginning of Guidance for Muslim Women

MISK Women
  • 5.0 (3)
  • ISLAM
The Beginning of Guidance for Muslim Women

The Beginning of Guidance (Bidayat al-Hidayat) is one of the last books written by the great 12th century Persian scholar, Imam al-Ghazali. It is intended to be a guidebook for structuring daily activities and rectifying the state of your heart as you strive to be a worshipful servant of God. The book covers three sections: acts of worship, avoiding misconduct and advice on keeping company with others. It begins with the intentions of seeking knowledge, the etiquettes of waking in the morning, the basics of ritual purification, prayer, the etiquettes of the mosque and congregational worship, preparing for sleep and fasting. Advice is given on the illnesses of the heart and how to purify oneself of them, and on the etiquettes of choosing friends, mixing with people and social life in general. This book is often the first classical text that new Muslims, students of sacred knowledge and older children study. It is taught in English using the translation published by Whitethread Press. The meanings of Imam al-Ghazali's words are enriched with a close reading of the classical commentary, Maraqi al-’Ubudiyyah by Shaykh Muhammad Nawawi al-Jawi. MISK Women has a fascinating new podcast called Women on the Straight Path, in which the lives and legacies of a wide range of women from our sacred Islamic history are studied and discussed in light of contemporary times. Please join us on https://women-on-the-straight-path.captivate.fm We also present a podcast for Muslim women in which the origins and genealogies of the ideas and concepts of our modern times are traced and discussed from a traditional Islamic perspective which helps us understand the contemporary context in which we live. Please join us there on the following link: https://left-or-right-the-straight-path-please.captivate.fm Please subscribe to all three podcasts from your preferred podcast distribution platform. Links are provided on the website for each show. Jazakum Allahu khairan If you wish to contact us for questions, comments, discussion or anything else, please find us on the following: Instagram: @miskwomen Email:miskwomen@gmail.com Facebook: Our private, women only group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/miskwomenhalaqa Telegram: Please contact for the private group link.

  1. 12/04/2021

    The Middle Way with Acquaintances and Final Advice

    Alhamdulillah, All Praise is for Allah, Lord of the Worlds, The Most Merciful, Gracious and Generous. May His peace and blessings be upon our beloved Prophet and Messenger, Muhammad and his noble family and companions. We have reached the end of our presentation of Imam al-Jawi's commentary Maraqi al-'Ubudiyyiah on Imam al-Ghazali's Bidayat al-Hidayat, The Beginning of Guidance. This book is 395 pages long, and for the majority of listeners, will have been the first time they have studied a full classical text with commentary. Anything that you have found to be good is only from Allah and I ask you for your forgiveness for my shortcomings and errors throughout the presentation and study of these texts. May our time spent studying be a witness for us on the Day of Judgment, and may we attain the intercession of the two noble and distinguished authors for the time and effort that each and every person has spent seeking to learn and benefit from their knowledge, Ameen. In this final episode, Imam al-Ghazali counsels us on how to deal with acquaintances, warns us of the pitfalls of seeking what they appear to have and directs us towards suitable conduct in their company. In conclusion, he reiterates what he mentioned at the beginning of the book about being inclined to want to act on and implement the knowledge in the text, and that the desire to seek what it calls to is a tremendous Divine favour and blessing and is indeed, the beginning of guidance. Please keep in touch with us on Instagram, Telegram and via email, for updates on more from MISK Women podcasts, classes and courses. Jazakum Allahu khairan and may Allah bless you and your loved ones abundantly. Your sister, Umm Abdullah.

    49 min

  2. 10/04/2021

    The Duties of Friendship

    In this episode, Imam al-Ghazali explains the characteristics and qualities you should look for in a companion, then he advises on how to uphold your duties and responsibilities to that person as their friend. In summary, seek to be in the company of those who remind you of God and help keep you firm on the Straight Path,. If you are blessed with such company, treat them with the best manners and prefer them and their needs over your own. Finally - remember that in the next life you will be with whomever you love...so choose wisely and treat them how you would want them to treat you.

    43 min

  3. 02/04/2021

    He Is With You Wherever You Are

    The final section of the Beginning of Guidance on Etiquette with the Creator and Creation begins with advice on how conduct oneself and be in the presence of the One Who never leaves you, Mighty and Majestic is He. Then we discuss the advice of our Master and Guide, Imam al-Ghazali and the significant contributions of Imam al-Jawi, on the best comportment of: The scholar The student Children with parents, and The appropriate etiquette one should maintain with the general public. This is the first part of three episodes on the most beautiful and pleasing Adab / Etiquette that Islam cultivates and refines in the believer.

    42 min

  4. 24/03/2021

    The Hadith of Sayyidna Mu'aath bin Jabal RA

    In this episode, we discuss the blessed Hadith of the great Companion, Sayyidna Mu'aath bin Jabal, may Allah be pleased with him, which summarises the transgressions of the heart and the journey of one's deeds towards Divine acceptance. As this is the conclusion of the second section of the book, Imam al-Ghazali offers his final advice to the student of knowledge about purifying the heart and warns sternly against using religious knowledge for worldly gain.

    41 min

  5. 17/03/2021

    Cleansing the Heart of Ostentation, Conceit, Arrogance & Pride

    Assalamu alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu Welcome back to the MISK women podcast series on Imam al-Ghazali's "Beginning of Guidance"! After a longer break than expected, we are back to complete the book, seeking to benefit from the great knowledge, wisdom and advice of the author and our noble and beloved commentator, Imam al-Jawi, may Allah have mercy and be pleased with them both. This episode is the recording of the last class we did on Zoom in October 2020. At about 53 mins the statement "Whoever knows himself knows his Lord" is briefly mentioned. As a confirmation of the status of the statement, please note that the great scholar Imam Jalaluddin al-Suyuti wrote a short treatise on this statement and confirmed that it is NOT a Prophetic hadith, and is in fact attributed to a Sufi named Yahya ibn Mu'ath al-Razi. Jazakum Allahu khairan.

    59 min

  6. 21/10/2020

    Online Class Recording # 7: Guarding Against Transgressions of the Heart - Introduction and Envy

    Imam al-Ghazali begins the next section on guarding against the three transgressions of the heart addressed in this book; envy, ostentation and conceit. The introduction looks briefly at the animalistic qualities inherent in a human being and how they are overcome by developing angelic qualities, through knowledge, wisdom and certainty. Two extremely important points are also mentioned for their relevance to the ideologically dominated time in which we live. Thereafter, the first of the three transgressions, envy, is discussed in detail with the comprehensive commentary of Imam al-Jawi.

    56 min

  7. 14/10/2020

    Online Class Recording # 6: Avoiding the Transgressions of the Hands and Feet and Conclusion of the Section

    This section on transgressions of the limbs ends with Imam al-Ghazali's advice on guarding the hands and feet from unlawful and unpraiseworthy acts. This part of the book is concluded by reminding people of the need to act positively and constructively to seek knowledge and sustenance, and to know that God's blessing upon you is facilitating that for you. The question and answer session at the end of the class has been edited out.

    55 min

  8. 12/10/2020

    Online Class Recording # 5: Breaking the Two Desires

    This week's class continued with the study of the transgressions of the limbs with a focus on the stomach and private parts - the two desires or two carnal appetites. Imam al-Ghazali approaches the topic of eating with a perspective based on consuming pure and halal food, and avoiding products about which one is doubtful. The topic of al-War' / scrupulousness regarding one's consumption was then discussed by looking at the famous hadith: "The halal is clear and the haram is clear and between them are doubtful matters, which few people know...". The class finishes with a discussion on sexual relations within the context of the Maqasid al-Shari'ah / Objectives of the Shari'ah, of which the preservation of the means of reproduction and producing the next generation is one of the five central goals. The question and answer session at the end of the class has been edited out for brevity.

    55 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

The Beginning of Guidance (Bidayat al-Hidayat) is one of the last books written by the great 12th century Persian scholar, Imam al-Ghazali. It is intended to be a guidebook for structuring daily activities and rectifying the state of your heart as you strive to be a worshipful servant of God. The book covers three sections: acts of worship, avoiding misconduct and advice on keeping company with others. It begins with the intentions of seeking knowledge, the etiquettes of waking in the morning, the basics of ritual purification, prayer, the etiquettes of the mosque and congregational worship, preparing for sleep and fasting. Advice is given on the illnesses of the heart and how to purify oneself of them, and on the etiquettes of choosing friends, mixing with people and social life in general. This book is often the first classical text that new Muslims, students of sacred knowledge and older children study. It is taught in English using the translation published by Whitethread Press. The meanings of Imam al-Ghazali's words are enriched with a close reading of the classical commentary, Maraqi al-’Ubudiyyah by Shaykh Muhammad Nawawi al-Jawi. MISK Women has a fascinating new podcast called Women on the Straight Path, in which the lives and legacies of a wide range of women from our sacred Islamic history are studied and discussed in light of contemporary times. Please join us on https://women-on-the-straight-path.captivate.fm We also present a podcast for Muslim women in which the origins and genealogies of the ideas and concepts of our modern times are traced and discussed from a traditional Islamic perspective which helps us understand the contemporary context in which we live. Please join us there on the following link: https://left-or-right-the-straight-path-please.captivate.fm Please subscribe to all three podcasts from your preferred podcast distribution platform. Links are provided on the website for each show. Jazakum Allahu khairan If you wish to contact us for questions, comments, discussion or anything else, please find us on the following: Instagram: @miskwomen Email:miskwomen@gmail.com Facebook: Our private, women only group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/miskwomenhalaqa Telegram: Please contact for the private group link.

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