{"title":"Dr. Hatem al-Haj","description":"\u003cp\u003eDr. Hatem al-Haj Ibrahim is an American Muslim jurist and physician. Egyptian by origin, he trained and practised as a paediatrician in the United States and holds a doctorate in comparative fiqh, with his specialisation in the Hanbali school. He serves as Dean of the College of Islamic Studies at Mishkah University and has long been associated with the Assembly of Muslim Jurists of America (AMJA), where he has sat on and chaired the fatwa committee.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHis principal contribution in English is his translation of and commentary on Ibn Qudamah al-Maqdisi's 'Umdat al-Fiqh, published as 'Umdat al-Fiqh Explained. The commentary sets out Ibn Qudamah's rulings with their evidence from the Qur'an and Sunnah, notes where the other schools differ, and applies the classical text to questions facing Muslims living as minorities in the West. His work is jurisprudential rather than creedal, and is written for students working through a classical fiqh manual in English.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBelow is our full collection of Dr. Hatem al-Haj's works translated into English, available at The Islamic Book Cafe.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"umdat-al-fiqh-explained-a-commentary-on-ibn-qudamahs-the-reliable-manual-of-fiqh-2vol","title":"Umdat Al-Fiqh Explained | A Commentary on Ibn Qudamah's The Reliable Manual of Fiqh (2Vol)","description":"\u003cp\u003e'Umdat al-Fiqh by Ibn Qudamah al-Maqdisi is a concise summary of Islamic jurisprudence in the Hanbali tradition that has been used as a teaching manual for centuries. \u003cstrong\u003e'Umdat al-Fiqh Explained\u003c\/strong\u003e presents a complete English translation of this text together with a detailed commentary by Dr. Hatem al-Haj — expanding on Ibn Qudamah's rulings, noting the positions of the other major schools of fiqh, and addressing contemporary questions that arise for Muslims living in the modern world.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eWhat This Book Covers\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003ch3\u003eActs of Worship (Ibadat)\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe foundational acts of worship — purification, prayer, zakah, fasting, and Hajj — are covered with their conditions, pillars, and obligatory acts in the precise, structured manner of classical fiqh manuals. The commentary expands each ruling with its Qur'anic and hadith evidence and notes where the Hanbali position aligns with or differs from the other schools.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eTransactions and Family Law (Muamalat)\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eMarriage, divorce, inheritance, commercial transactions, and related areas of Islamic law are addressed with the same precision — giving the reader a complete picture of the Shari'ah's framework for the Muslim's social and economic life.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eContemporary Applications\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe commentary specifically addresses issues facing Muslims living as minorities in non-Muslim societies — making this edition particularly relevant for English-speaking Western Muslim audiences who need classical fiqh applied to contemporary situations.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eVisual Aids and Structure\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eDr. al-Haj has supplemented the text with charts, tables, and a clear symbol system to make the material more accessible — an approach that makes this two-volume set usable both as a learning text and as a reference.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eAbout the Authors\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe original text, 'Umdat al-Fiqh, is by \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/ibn-qudamah-al-maqdisi\"\u003eIbn Qudamah al-Maqdisi\u003c\/a\u003e (541–620 AH \/ 1147–1223 CE), who was born in Jama'il, Palestine, and educated in Damascus. A Hanbali jurist, he wrote the nine-volume \u003cem\u003eAl-Mughni\u003c\/em\u003e, a principal reference in Hanbali fiqh, alongside this shorter teaching manual. The accompanying commentary is by Dr. Hatem al-Haj. Published by International Islamic Publishing House (IIPH).\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eWho This Book Is For\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eSerious students of Islamic knowledge seeking a classical fiqh manual in English with full commentary. Particularly suited to those studying the Hanbali school or wanting a structured, evidenced fiqh reference that addresses both classical and contemporary questions.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eContinue Reading\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eBrowse more works by \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/ibn-qudamah-al-maqdisi\"\u003eIbn Qudamah al-Maqdisi\u003c\/a\u003e — his shorter works on the heart and character are a very different side of the same scholar. To see where this manual sits among the other options, see our guide to the \u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/islamic-book-recommendations\/best-fiqh-books-where-to-start-with-islamic-rulings\"\u003ebest fiqh books on Islamic rulings\u003c\/a\u003e and browse the full \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/fiqh\"\u003efiqh and Islamic rulings collection\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"International Islamic Publishing House","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44153626820921,"sku":"TIBC0178","price":69.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0669\/9306\/2201\/files\/20250605-135829.jpg?v=1749160355"}],"url":"https:\/\/theislamicbookcafe.com\/collections\/dr-hatem-al-haj.oembed","provider":"The Islamic Book Cafe LLC","version":"1.0","type":"link"}