Papers by Ahmad Sanusi Azmi
Global Journal Al-Thaqafah (GJAT), 2018
A good ruler is the basic rule for finding good government, and the Prophet (peace and blessings ... more A good ruler is the basic rule for finding good government, and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is the example and ideal of the good Islamic ruler throughout the ages. The problem of research lies in how to combine Islamic missionary behavior, conscious leadership, and management of political positions to achieve the desired goals. The research aims to show the interaction of the behavior of the Muslim ruler between advocacy, leadership and management in political positions through the study of the Treaty of Hudaibia peace model to provide a model in practice in our time. The researcher used the analytical method through exploration in the books of the Biography of the Prophet and the Hadiths and explanations in the analysis and statement of some of the positions of the Prophet peace be upon him and his companions in the reconciliation Treaty of Hudaibia . Through research, it turns out that the Prophet's biography and especially the positions in the Treaty of Hudaibia peace process are full of good behavior for the good ruler, and it is useful for researchers to take care of research and exploration in the biography and Sunnah. Through this modest research, the researcher wishes to contribute to the presentation of a vision of the good ruler integrated religiously, politically and administratively by the Prophet peace be upon him.
The Muslim World, 2019
Persistent disputation from non‐Muslim communities arguing against the veracity of Muḥammad’s pro... more Persistent disputation from non‐Muslim communities arguing against the veracity of Muḥammad’s prophethood has undoubtedly served to contribute to the steady growth of Dalāʾil literature at the formative period of Islam. Besides intensifying Dalāʾil works with evidentiary miracles to prove the authenticity of Muhammad’s prophethood, one of the popular styles of argument employed by the scholars of Islam is adducing Qurʾānic and Biblical verses and its hermeneutic to substantiate the prophethood of Muhammad. In the ninth century, Ibn Qutayba composed his Dalāʾil Nubuwwa with a unique approach in which he utilised the content of the Qurʾān to explore the meaning of the Bible. This study seeks to explore the novelty of his approach in utilising the Qurʾān to elucidate Biblical passages. The study employs a descriptive, comparative and critical approach, in which it analyses and extracts the author’s original approach in explaining the legitimacy of Muḥammad’s prophethood. The study in its finding affirms that Ibn Qutayba invented an innovative approach, exploring the meaning of scripture previously understood exclusively through Judaeo‐Christian theological methodology alone. This is where the novelty of his approach is distinguished.
Katha Journal of Dialogue of Civilisations, 2018
Sīrah Nabawiyyah has been the most widely used name for the traditional account of life and backg... more Sīrah Nabawiyyah has been the most widely used name for the traditional account of life and background of Prophet Muḥammad (PBUH). In the ninth century, Islamic literature and biographies of the Prophet Muḥammad (PBUH) were actively developed as a reflection on the needs of the Muslim community. Among the famous of the extant texts composed in the medieval Islamic genre is Sīrah Nabawiyyah by Ibn Hishām (d. 218/833 or 213/828) who rests mainly on his selection from the work of Ibn Isḥāq and Kitāb al-Ṭabaqāt al-Kubrā by Ibn Saʿd (d. 230/845) who compiled it from the works of his predecessors, especially al-Wāqidī and al-Kalbī. There are some studies conducted by Muslim and western scholars on the background of Ibn Hishām and Ibn Saʿd's works. However, the differences in the approach of writing Sīrah Nabawiyyah between them are hardly found. Thus, the present study aims to explore the style or pattern of historical approach applied by these two scholars on the biography of Prophet Muḥammad (PBUH). The study is qualitative, in which the researcher employed descriptive, comparative and source-critical approaches where it analyses and extracts the approach used by the authors in writing Sīrah Nabawiyyah. The study in its finding infers that there are two opposing patterns of historical approach employed by Ibn Hishām and Ibn Saʿd in writing Sīrah Nabawiyyah.
KEMANUSIAAN The Asian Journal of Humanities, 2018
The present study aims to explore the narrative of the Prophet's birth, analyse the historical co... more The present study aims to explore the narrative of the Prophet's birth, analyse the historical connection between the occurrence and sūrah al-Fīl and examine hermeneutical responses of Muslim exegetes on the verse, especially al-Jāḥiẓ. The study is qualitative in nature in which the researcher employed both critical and analytical approaches to the works of tafsīr and sīra. Findings of this study assert that conviction and zeal to authenticate the story of the People of the Elephant seems to have influenced al-Jāḥiẓ to adduce sūrah al-Fīl as a solid basis of evidence of the whole truth of this narrative.
Dalam al-Quran, Allah menyifatkan Rasulullah sebagai rahmatan lil alamin (rahmat buat sekalian al... more Dalam al-Quran, Allah menyifatkan Rasulullah sebagai rahmatan lil alamin (rahmat buat sekalian alam), satu istilah yang kemudiannya diperbahaskan dan dikembangkan menjadi salah satu konsep dalam hubungan kemanusiaan serta interaksi sosial. Pun begitu, konsep rahmatan lil alamin ini telah melalui pelbagai proses penafsiran dan perkembangan makna. Kepelbagaian fahaman dan penafsiran berhubung konsep rahmah ini terus menjadi perbahasan sehingga hari ini. Di Malaysia, kempen memperkenalkan Islam sebagai agama rahmah telah dimulakan. Konsep ini dijadikan sebagai asas dalam membangun teras serta mencorak polisi urustadbir yang berasaskan al-Quran. Keadaan Malaysia yang unik sebagai sebuah negara berbilang bangsa adalah konteks yang menarik untuk dibincangkan. Kajian ini meneroka hadith-hadith yang mempunyai hubungan dengan konsep rahmatan lil alamin, mengamati pemahaman sarjana Muslim terhadapnya serta menilai pengamalan konsep ini di Malaysia. Melalui analisis tekstual yang dijalankan, kajian mendapati bahawa sifat belas-kasih dan ketegasan Rasulullah adalah elemen yang tidak boleh dipisahkan dalam memelihara dan memartabatkan Islam. Dua elemen tersebut adalah prinsip utama yang perlu diterapkan dalam pembangunan kerangka serta perlaksanaan konsep rahmatan lil alamin di Malaysia.
Modern studies of the origin of sīrah nabawiyyah have traced and suggested the existence of influ... more Modern studies of the origin of sīrah nabawiyyah have traced and suggested the existence of influence of previous scriptures and their elements within the sīrah narrative. The extraordinary speed and marks of physical maturity in Prophet Muḥammad's wet-nurse period with Halimah, which, according to Raven, indicates a parallel occurrence with Jesus' precocity in the Gospels of the Infancy. Besides, Muslim scholars such as Ibn Hishām was found to consistently make parallel comparison between Muḥammad and Moses in his work. This study aims to explore the narratives of Prophet Muḥammad's early life, with special focus to his period with Ḥalīmah al-Sa'diyyah and analyse the use of Quranic reference in the narrative. The study is qualitative in nature in which the researcher employed critical and textual analysis to examine the story. The present study in its finding proposes that there are two possible reasons which lead Ibn Hishām to adduce verse 28:12 of the Quran as his reference to the account of Muḥammad’s time as a suckling infant. The first is to elucidate lexical obscurity in the narration of Ibn Isḥāq. And the second is to give credence to the similarity between the accounts of two prophets, Muḥammad and Moses.
This study analyses the factors that stimulate the inception of dalail literature in early Islam.... more This study analyses the factors that stimulate the inception of dalail literature in early Islam. Indeed, the lack of early textual sources on dalail literature obscures the debate considerably and have led to assertions that the nature and conventions of dalail arise from internal and external influences. This study investigates meticulously the factors that could be considered as reasons that lead to the emergence of dalail literature. It also scrutinizes possible reasons that trigger the development of this literature in its socio-religious contexts. This research is qualitative in nature in which the researcher will employ both descriptive and source-critical approaches. The present study in its findings argues that there are clear and established references in Hadith literature which suggest strongly that the dalail arose spontaneously out of a Muslim context. In particular, the early Muslim scholars were fired by a deep spiritual need to acquire details about their beloved prophet. It also asserts that the external challenges from non-Muslims in their interreligious dialogue contribute significantly to the development of systematic arguments in the later work of dalail.
Qur’ānic Sīra in the Diplomatic Letter of Ibn Al-Layth to the Byzantine Emperor
The Byzantine Empire was reported to have stopped paying tribute to the Abbasid Empire, which the... more The Byzantine Empire was reported to have stopped paying tribute to the Abbasid Empire, which they had previously paid twice annually. For this reason, according to ‘Abd Al-Jabbār (d.415/1025), the Caliph decided to put pressure on Byzantium by sending them a letter. This letter is however full of Qur’ānic references and biographical information about Muammad (sīra nabawiyya), rather than dealing with the issue of tribute. The present study seeks to explore, Ibn al-Layth’s (d. c.203/819) letter to the Byzantine Emperor that contains biographical information about the Prophet Muhammad. It will also analyse the authors’ hermeneutical responses to and understanding of Qur’ānic references to Muammad’s early life. The study is qualitative in nature, and is one in which the researcher will employ both descriptive and source-critical approaches. The study in its finding argues that being embedded with Qur’ānic biographical information of Muslim’s prophet, the letter was not intended solely for the Byzantine emperor; it also, alluded the message to the emperor’s ecclesiastical authorities and religious advisors, which are likely to have had a considerable influence upon Constantine’s decision. It also avows that, based on the phrasing and terms he uses, the author might possibly be following the style and conventions of the early Muslim court’s writing that bolstered their letter with appropriate verses from the Qur’ ān. The first letter of the Prophet to the Heraclius and the letter of ‘Umar II to Leo III are salient exemplars of this practice.
Narratives of the Prophet’s Early Life in Ṣaḥīḥ Al-Buḫārī: An Analytical Study of Qurʾānic References in Sīra Nabawiyya
Research into early Muslim sources has demonstrated that some verses of the Qurʾān have been seen... more Research into early Muslim sources has demonstrated that some verses of the Qurʾān have been seen by Muslim scholars as containing direct references to the events of the Prophet’s early life. Modern scholars, however, have questioned the appropriateness and authority of these Qurʾānic references as being accurate sources of information for the Prophet’s biography. Since the ḥadīṯ are regarded as an authoritative exegetical tool for understanding the meaning of Qurʾānic verses, the ḥadīṯ and scholars’ views on the scripture and its relationship to the narratives of sīra nabawiyya must be undertaken. The objectives of this present study are to explore the narratives of the Prophet’s early life as found in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Buḫārī and analyse al-Buḫārī’s perspective on the role of ḥadīṯ as an exegetical tool for Qurʿānic references in sīra nabawiyya. The study is qualitative in nature, as it utilises both critical and analytical approaches for its methodology. The study suggests that al-Buḫārī employed innovative and novel approaches when presenting narratives of the Prophet’s early life. At certain places in his al-Ṣaḥīḥ, by adducing certain ḥadīṯ in detail, al-Buḫārī endeavours to convey one distinctive and irrevocable message to the reader.
The depth focus of mufassirun on linguistic sciences creates the pattern and nature of Qur'anic d... more The depth focus of mufassirun on linguistic sciences creates the pattern and nature of Qur'anic discourse in the ninth century. However, it was not only mufassirun who appeared to direct their focus on lexical explanation in their tafsir, the massive production of Qur'anic works that concentrate on literary analysis indicates clearly the nature and tenor of Qur'anic discourse within this period. This includes the works of ahl al-hadith of the early century. This study aims to (1) explore ahl al-hadith methodology in Quranic discourse, particularly of Ahmad ibn Hanbal and al-Bukhari,(2) extract their idiosyncratic approaches and (3) elucidate their personal style on certain issues regarding the Quran. The study is qualitative in nature in which the researcher employed both critical and analytical methods. The study in its finding asserts that Ahmad and al-Bukhari provide a different explanation of the Qur'anic verses from that of the mufassirun and sira's authors. For instance, in the interpretation of 94:1, Ahmad ibn Hanbal and al-Bukhari clearly demonstrates his arrival at a different interpretation and perspective.
At the time of Abbasid Empire, the Caliph's court seems to give serious attention in safeguarding... more At the time of Abbasid Empire, the Caliph's court seems to give serious attention in safeguarding the prophethood of Muḥammad and supporting the development of ḥadīth literature. Not only had the Muslims scholar, his own Caliph also produced a work on Islamic Prophetology. Caliph al-Ma'mūn (d. 218/833) has been documented as one of the Abbasid Caliph that produced a work known as Risāla fī Aʿlām al-Nubuwwa. In fact, the Abbasid ruler were also identified as participating in ḥadīth discourse and praising for the ḥadīth colloquy. This actions clearly exhibit the court's patronage of ḥadīth discourse. In his account, Ibn al-Samʿānī records that al-Manṣūr (d. 158/775), al-Rashīd (d. 193/809) and al-Ma'mūn (d. 218/833) were among the Abbasid Caliphate's supporters who extolled the ḥadīth colloquium. This study aims to explore the Abbasid's court and community influence on the development of ḥadīth discourse and Islamic Prophetology. The study is qualitative in nature, in which the researcher employed both critical and analytical analysis on Islamic sources related to the subject. It is indeed an arduous task to sift the enormous amount of Islamic sources, thus, this study is focuses on works produced within the ninth century as its parameter of study. The study in its finding confirms that the Abbasid court appears as playing significant role to safeguarding the prophethood of Muḥammad and expanding ḥadīth literature. The study also ascertains salient evidences bearing witnesses to Muslim and non-Muslim encounters concerning the prophethood of Muḥammad that contribute to the development of Islamic discourse on the subject.
Reviews of early Muslim sources confirm that some verses of the Qur'ān have been perceived by Mus... more Reviews of early Muslim sources confirm that some verses of the Qur'ān have been perceived by Muslim scholars as direct references to the narratives of the Prophet's early life. These selected verses are deemed to contain information about Muḥammad's genealogy, birth, childhood and other aspects of his youth. Modern scholars have, however, argued about the appropriateness and authority of these Qur'ānic references as being the true bearers of information of the Prophet's biography. Since the ḥadīth is regarded as an authoritative exegetical tool employed to explore more deeply the meaning of the Qur'ān, and one of which contains a vast source of information about the Prophet's life, it is indispensable to analyse the works of ḥadīth and its scholars' views on the narratives of sīra nabawiyya. This study aims to explore the narratives of the Prophet's early life in Musnad of Aḥmad and analyse Aḥmad's perspective regarding Quranic references to the Prophet's early life. The study is qualitative in nature in which the researcher utilised both critical and analytical approached as its methodology. The study in its finding espouses that the rarity of Qur'ānic reference to Muḥammad's early life in Musnad of Aḥmad, an enormous inventory of ḥadīth of the ninth century, indicates one scholar's views about Muḥammad's early life. It is obvious that Aḥmad make no connection between the Quran and the narratives of the Prophet's early life, even though verses that are widely used by the author of sīra as an allusion to Muḥammad's early life. Abstrak Kajian terhadap sumber-sumber awal Islam mengesahkan bahawa Muslim percaya al-Quran adalah sumber utama yang dijadikan rujukan terhadap peristiwa yang berlaku dalam kehidupan awal Rasulullah. Ayat-ayat tersebut dilihat sebagai mengandungi maklumat penting berhubung perkara nasab, kelahiran, zaman kanak-kanak serta beberapa aspek daripada kehidupan Baginda Nabi. Kajian sarjana moden walaubagaimanapun mempersoalkan ayat-ayat al-Quran yang digunakan oleh penulis biografi Nabi ini. Ketepatan serta keabsahan ayat al-Quran yang digunakan di dalam sirah nabawiyyah sering dipersoalkan oleh mereka. Antara persoalan yang acapkali ditimbulkan adalah apakah benar ayat ini mengandungi maklumat sejarah tentang kehidupan awal Nabi? Oleh kerana hadith adalah sumber yang paling berautoriti dalam mengolah kandungan al-Quran, adalah tidak dapat dinafikan bahawa, kajian terhadap sumber hadith ini penting dalam memahami maksud yang cuba disampaikan oleh al-Quran. Justeru kajian ini dijalankan bertujuan untuk meneroka naratif kehidupan awal Nabi di dalam Musnad Ahmad, dan menjalankan analisis terhadap pandangan Imam Ahmad berhubung isu ayat Quran yang digunakan dalam penyampaian sirah Nabi. Kajian ini bersifat kualitatif di mana penyelidik menggunakan pendekatan kritikal dan analitikal sebagai metodologi asas kajian ini. Kajian ini menerusi dapatannya mengesahkan bahawa, sekalipun karya Imam Ahmad ini dilihat sebagai memiliki sumber hadith yang sangat besar, keasingan (rarity) ayat Quran yang digunakan dalam Musnad Ahmad ini menunjukkan pandangan sarjana awal Islam tentang hubungkait penulisan sejarah Nabi dan penggunaan ayat-ayat al-Quran. Hasil kajian jelas menunjukkan bahawa Imam Ahmad tidak menggunakan sebarang ayat al-Quran dalam menghuraikan atau meriwayatkan naratif awal kehidupan Baginda Nabi.
In defending the authenticity of Muḥammad's prophethood, miracles (muʿjizāt) were regarded as one... more In defending the authenticity of Muḥammad's prophethood, miracles (muʿjizāt) were regarded as one of the main instruments to measure and verify the veracity of his prophethood. The Qurʾān has been employed as auxiliary apparatus to render this idea in early Islamic discourse. This article aims to explore the concept of miracle in early Islamic literature, and analyse Qurʾānic verses that have been utilised in Sīrah Nabawiyyah as supporting evidence in the narratives. The study is qualitative in nature in which the researcher will focus on textual and comparative analysis. In its finding, the present study suggests that the use of Qurʾānic references in this context appears as related to the personal style and approach of each author of Islamic works. Introduction: Significance of the Study In Sīrah literature, miracle elements have been grasped as one of the importance characters in the narratives of Prophet Muḥammad's early life. Early Muslim scholars frequently recorded in their works the connection between the Prophet's miracles and the Qurʾān. By linking the Prophet's miracle with Qur'ānic reference, the scholars appear to give a symbol of divine intervention in Muhammad's life. This aspect has been argued by modern studies. They argued that some verses that are used as references to Muḥammad's miracle seem not to have had a literal connection with the story of the Prophet's life. This is where the significance of the study lies, where it seeks to scrutinise further information about the conceptual aspect of miracle in Islam and its role with the Sīrah of the Prophet life and the Quran especially the Qur'ānic references that have been perceived as sources of evidence of Muḥammad's early life.
With the expansion of Muslim territory in the ninth century, non-Muslim communities' reactions to... more With the expansion of Muslim territory in the ninth century, non-Muslim communities' reactions to the denials of the prophethood of Muhammad created an impact on the development of Islamic prophetology. Vigorous refutations from non-Muslim community, specifically the Jews, Christians and Brahmins urged Muslims to develop a solid mechanism in defence of the status of their beloved Prophet. One of the works that has been recognized as an apparatus to defend the Prophet Muhammad veracity is al-Din wa al-Dawla composed by Ibn Rabban, a physician of the Caliph's court. This study analyses the novelty of his approaches in exploring Sira Nabawiyya and defending the prophethood of Muhammad. The study employed a descriptive, comparative and critical approach where it analyses and extracts the author original approach in explaining the legitimacy of Muhammad's prophethood and enlightening the Prophet's biography. The study argues that most of Ibn Rabban arguments in this work are actually developed from the foundations of Biblical scripture. His style of interpreting Biblical passages indicates a possible dependence on Ibn al-Layth's letter. However, the way in which he presents Quranic references seems not to be in accordance with Ibn al-Layth's perspective. This is where the novelty of his approach is distinguished. As a result, the study also affirms that Ibn Rabban imposes his own standards of selection and interpretation of Quranic verses when he applies it as reference to the Prophet's life.
Antara kitab yang masih digunakan sebagai bahan pengajian di zaman moden adalah Kitab Munyatul Mu... more Antara kitab yang masih digunakan sebagai bahan pengajian di zaman moden adalah Kitab Munyatul Musolli. Kitab ini bukan sahaja menjadi bahan rujukan di masjid-masjid malah ianya juga dijadikan sebagai bahan pembelajaran utama di beberapa institusi pondok yang masih wujud sehingga sekarang. Hakikatnya ramai di antara masyarakat kita di zaman ini masih menerima kitab ini sebagai asas pembelajaran mereka tentang feqh solat, namun masih ramai lagi yang tidak mengetahui tentang kedudukan hadith yang terkandung di dalamnya. Justeru kertas kerja ini akan cuba memberikan pendedahan tentang kedudukan serta kajian hadith yang dilakukan terhadap kitab ini yang mana di dalamnya terkandung hadis yang sahih, hasan, dhaif dan maudu' disamping kajian ini juga akan dapat memberikan pendedahan umum tentang pengarang serta kitabnya ini. Kajian yang dilakukan lebih berbentuk penyelidikan perpustakaan. Kajian ini dapat membantu masyarakat di dalam memberikan pendedahan tentang ilmu hadith, kedudukannya serta penggunaannya di dalam kitab ini.
Books by Ahmad Sanusi Azmi
Ulum Hadith Research Centre, 2021
Buku ini menghimpunkan 40 hadis yang menyentuh perihal larangan dan ancaman terhadap jenayah rasu... more Buku ini menghimpunkan 40 hadis yang menyentuh perihal larangan dan ancaman terhadap jenayah rasuah serta keutamaan sifat amanah. Ia adalah sebagai bimbingan asas dan panduan buat masyarakat khususnya para pemimpin, pegawai kerajaan mahupun petugas swasta agar kita menghayati panduan yang diberikan oleh Rasulullah SAW dalam menghindarkan diri dari terlibat dalam segala kegiatan jenayah dan korupsi. Himpunan hadis-hadis ini serta pengajaran mengenai jenayah rasuah adalah sangat penting untuk disemaikan dalam jiwa dan minda masyarakat sebagai salah satu usaha kita untuk memerangi dan menghapuskan jenayah rasuah.
Ulum Hadith Research Centre, 2020
Buku ini menghimpunkan 40 Hadis yang dilihat mempunyai pengajaran dalam perkara yang melibatkan d... more Buku ini menghimpunkan 40 Hadis yang dilihat mempunyai pengajaran dalam perkara yang melibatkan dakwah dan tarbiah. Kebanyakan hadis dipilih berdasarkan kandungannya yang disampaikan dalam bentuk penceritaan. Ini bagi memudahkan pembaca memahami serta mengingati mesej yang ingin disampaikan.
40 HADIS TENTANG WABAK PENYAKIT , 2020
Karya ini menghimpunkan 40 Hadis berkaitan wabak penyakit serta perkara-perkara yang berkaitan de... more Karya ini menghimpunkan 40 Hadis berkaitan wabak penyakit serta perkara-perkara yang berkaitan dengannya. Hadis-hadis ini amat sesuai untuk dibaca dan ditekuni dalam situasi penularan wabak virus Covid-19 pada hari ini agar kita mendapat panduan serta pengajaran daripada hadis yang pernah disabdakan oleh Rasulullah.
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Papers by Ahmad Sanusi Azmi
Books by Ahmad Sanusi Azmi