Continuing the Islamic Legacy: Upholding Rigorous Knowledge for a Peaceful World

Introduction:

In a world of rapid change and complex challenges, our faith provides an unchanging compass. This week (05^th – 11^th Nov 2025), two distinct occasions invite us to reflect on the Islamic legacy of intellectual rigour and the imperative of fostering peace, guiding us to be better leaders for our communities.

20^th Jumada al-Awwal: The Birth of Fakhr al-Muhaqqiqin al-Hilli (682 AH)

This day marks the birth of the renowned Shi’a scholar, Fakhr al-Muhaqqiqin. The son of the great Allamah al-Hilli, he was a prodigy who mastered Islamic jurisprudence (Fiqh) and its principles (Usul) under his father’s tutelage, becoming a leading authority and a pillar of religious scholarship in his time.

In an era of information overload and superficial understanding, his life reminds us of the profound Islamic emphasis on deep, rigorous, and principled knowledge. Islam elevates the pursuit of verified knowledge as a form of worship. The Quran instructs:

فَسْـَٔلُوٓا۟ أَهْلَ ٱلذِّكْرِ إِن كُنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ

“So ask the people of knowledge if you do not know.” (Quran, Al-Anbiya, 21:7)

Message for Today:

To invest in and uphold the highest standards of religious scholarship, ensuring our communities are guided by profound, authentic understanding, not mere opinion.

9^th – 15^th November: International Week of Science and Peace

Designated by the United Nations, this week promotes the role of science in fostering peace and sustainable development globally. It highlights how scientific cooperation can be a bridge for international understanding and a tool for solving humanity’s shared challenges.

The “knowledge” (Al-Ilm) in Islam is holistic, encompassing both revealed and acquired sciences. When pursued with the intention of benefiting humanity and understanding God’s creation, science becomes a means to achieve peace, justice, and the stewardship (Khilafah) of the earth that mankind is entrusted with. Imam Ali (as) says:

زَكَاةُ اَلْعِلْمِ بَذْلُهُ لِمُسْتَحِقِّهِ وَ إِجْهَادُ اَلنَّفْسِ فِي اَلْعَمَلِ بِهِ (مستدرک الوسائل، ج ۷، ص ۴۶)

Imam Ali (as): “The Zakat of knowledge is to bestow it upon those who are worthy of it, and to strive one’s self in acting upon it.”

Message for Today:

To actively engage with and contribute to the sciences as a form of worship, channelling innovation towards peaceful purposes and the betterment of all creation, in fulfilment of our trust as Allah’s stewards on earth