ISLAM, SIRAT UL MUSTAQEEM

Updated on 21 Sep, 2026 Al-I‘tidal by Maulana Zakariyya Kandhlawi: Ulama and Politics in 1938 **What is Al-Itidal by Maulana Zakariyya?** Al-Itidal is an Islamic book written by Maulana Zakariyya (RA). This post covers a complete summary, important lessons, and key topics discussed in the book. *Introduction* The year 1938 was a turning point in the history of British India. Political parties were becoming stronger, Muslims were worried about their future, and the atmosphere was full of tension. In this critical period, a short but impactful booklet was written by one of the greatest scholars of Deoband, Maulana Muhammad Zakariyya Kandhlawi RA.  The name of that booklet was *"Al-I‘tidal "*.  The word "I‘tidal" means moderation, balance, and adopting the middle path. In "Al-I‘tidal", Maulana Zakariyya RA gave very important advice to the Ulama about how they should behave in politics. His message was not to completely stay away from politics, nor to become ...

* Al-I'tidal: The Middle Path in Judging People - Part 2* _Inspired by the teachings of Shaykh Muhammad Zakariyya Kandhlawi (RA)_ * Introduction : Why Balance Matters Today More Than Ever* In Part 1 we spoke about the meaning of _I'tidal_ - to be upright, to be just, to avoid both extremes when speaking about the scholars, du'at, and public figures of the Ummah. Today the world is noisy. Social media, group chats, YouTube comments, and Friday khutbahs have become battlefields. One group calls everyone a deviant. Another group calls every criticism "fitnah". The average Muslim is confused. "Who should I listen to? Who should I trust?" Shaykh Zakariyya (RA) wrote _Al-I'tidal_ not to defend individuals, but to protect the Ummah from two diseases: *Tashaddud* - harshness, and *Tafreet* - negligence. Both destroy unity. Both close the doors of guidance. This second part will focus on 5 practical principles of _I'tidal_ that we can apply in our daily l...