Online Islamic courses in Arabic, Fiqh, Hadith, Qur'an & history — plus beneficial blogs and other services. Taught by Shaykh Yaquob Ahmed.https://oceanofislam.uk/en-gbhttps://oceanofislam.uk/blog/twelve-insights/https://oceanofislam.uk/blog/twelve-insights/Al-Imām Fakhr al-Dīn al-Rāzī's twelve principles for those pursuing knowledge, drawn from the encounter of Mūsā and al-Khiḍr in Sūrah al-Kahf.Wed, 03 Jan 2024 00:00:00 GMTQur'antafsirSurah KahfMusaKhidrknowledgeetiquettesstudents of knowledgeYaquob Ahmedhttps://oceanofislam.uk/blog/ibn-taymiyya/https://oceanofislam.uk/blog/ibn-taymiyya/How one 12th century scholar challenged the status quo and reshaped Islamic theology — the life and legacy of Ibn Taymiyyah.Sat, 11 Mar 2023 00:00:00 GMTHistorybiographyhistoryIslamic theologyscholarshipbid'ahsufismtawhidYaquob Ahmedhttps://oceanofislam.uk/blog/e-numbers/https://oceanofislam.uk/blog/e-numbers/Complete guide to E numbers for Muslims — which additives are Ḥarām (E120, E441), which depend on source (E471, E322), and which are doubtful. Updated for 2026.Sun, 26 Feb 2023 00:00:00 GMTFiqhhalalharamfood additivese numberse120 haramfiqhcochinealgelatinUK Muslimsmashbuhfood guideYaquob Ahmedhttps://oceanofislam.uk/blog/explaining-weak-hadith/https://oceanofislam.uk/blog/explaining-weak-hadith/A scholarly guide to Ḥadīth Ḍaʿīf — what makes a narration weak, how scholars classified degrees of weakness, the conditions for transmitting weak narrations, and why contemporary scholars urge caution.Sun, 19 Feb 2023 00:00:00 GMTHadithhadithdaifweak hadithhadith daifisnadhadith sciencesmustalahal-hadithhadith terminologyfabricated hadithmawduhadith criticismfiqhshariahusul al-hadithscholarshipM. Y. Ahmedhttps://oceanofislam.uk/blog/hadith-traditions-of-the-prophet/https://oceanofislam.uk/blog/hadith-traditions-of-the-prophet/What Ḥadīth is, why it ranks second only to the Qur'an, and how the science of isnād and matn determines a narration's reliability.Sun, 19 Feb 2023 00:00:00 GMTHadithhadithisnadmatnclassificationsunnahProphet MuhammadYaquob Ahmedhttps://oceanofislam.uk/blog/legacy-of-the-final-prophet/https://oceanofislam.uk/blog/legacy-of-the-final-prophet/Muhammad ﷺ, the final prophet of Islam, was born in Mecca in 570 CE. An introduction to his life, message, and the legacy he left for all of humanity.Sun, 19 Feb 2023 00:00:00 GMTMessengerProphet MuhammadseerahbiographyIslamlegacyYaquob Ahmedhttps://oceanofislam.uk/blog/classification-of-hadith/https://oceanofislam.uk/blog/classification-of-hadith/A scholarly introduction to Ḥadīth terminology — grades of authenticity, the conditions of Ṣaḥīḥ, and how scholars resolved contradictory narrations.Sun, 19 Feb 2023 00:00:00 GMTHadithhadithmustalahal-hadithclassificationsahihhasandaifmawdumutawatirahadisnadmatnhadith sciencesusul al-hadithYaquob Ahmedhttps://oceanofislam.uk/blog/tackling-sectarianism-in-islam/https://oceanofislam.uk/blog/tackling-sectarianism-in-islam/The need for education, qualified leadership, and accepting plurality — a frank look at the root causes of sectarianism and how to tackle it.Sun, 19 Feb 2023 00:00:00 GMTOthersectarianismunityfiqhikhtilafummahscholarshipeducationYaquob Ahmedhttps://oceanofislam.uk/blog/what-is-fiqh/https://oceanofislam.uk/blog/what-is-fiqh/Fiqh is Islamic jurisprudence — its sources (Qur'an, Sunnah, ijmāʿ, qiyās), the four schools, and the five categories of every human act.Sun, 19 Feb 2023 00:00:00 GMTFiqhfiqhjurisprudenceshariaintroductionIslamic lawYaquob Ahmedhttps://oceanofislam.uk/blog/the-birmingham-manuscript/https://oceanofislam.uk/blog/the-birmingham-manuscript/The University of Birmingham Qur'an manuscript dates to AD 568–645 with 95.4% accuracy — among the earliest written textual evidence of the Islamic holy book in existence, held in the Mingana Collection.Tue, 14 Feb 2023 00:00:00 GMTQur'anhistorymanuscriptspreservationBirminghamMingana Collectionradiocarbon datingearly IslamHijazi scriptYaquob Ahmedhttps://oceanofislam.uk/blog/who-was-he/https://oceanofislam.uk/blog/who-was-he/An in-depth profile of Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ — his names, appearance, character, and his immense love for his ummah.Tue, 14 Feb 2023 00:00:00 GMTMessengerProphet MuhammadseerahnamescharacterummahYaquob Ahmedhttps://oceanofislam.uk/blog/maktabah-shamelah-guide/https://oceanofislam.uk/blog/maktabah-shamelah-guide/How to download, install and use al-Maktabah al-Shāmilah (Shamela) — the free Arabic Islamic library with 29,000+ books — on Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android.Mon, 13 Feb 2023 00:00:00 GMTOthermaktabah shamelahmaktaba shamelaarabic libraryislamic booksdownloadinstall guidedigital libraryfree softwareresearch toolswindowsarabicguideYaquob Ahmedhttps://oceanofislam.uk/blog/preserving-the-word-of-allah/https://oceanofislam.uk/blog/preserving-the-word-of-allah/How the Qur'an was collected under Abū Bakr, standardised by ʿUthmān's committee, and preserved through an unbroken chain to today.Mon, 13 Feb 2023 00:00:00 GMTQur'anQuranpreservationhistoryUthmanAbu BakrisnadYaquob Ahmedhttps://oceanofislam.uk/blog/the-preserved-quran/https://oceanofislam.uk/blog/the-preserved-quran/The Qur'an is a unique scripture preserved in its original form since revelation — written and memorised in an unbroken chain for over 1,400 years.Mon, 13 Feb 2023 00:00:00 GMTQur'anQuranpreservationguidancenew MuslimintroductionYaquob Ahmedhttps://oceanofislam.uk/blog/timeless-gems-of-surah-al-asr/https://oceanofislam.uk/blog/timeless-gems-of-surah-al-asr/A commentary on Sūrah al-ʿAṣr: why Imām al-Shāfiʿī said this chapter alone would suffice, and the four qualities that save humanity from loss.Mon, 13 Feb 2023 00:00:00 GMTQur'antafsirSurah AsrtimeQurancommentaryYaquob Ahmedhttps://oceanofislam.uk/blog/five-pillars-of-islam/https://oceanofislam.uk/blog/five-pillars-of-islam/Shahādah, Ṣalāh, Zakāh, Ṣawm, and Ḥajj — the five foundational acts of worship that form the framework of a Muslim's life.Sat, 11 Feb 2023 00:00:00 GMTPillarsfive pillarsIslamintroductionshahadasalahzakahsawmhajjYaquob Ahmedhttps://oceanofislam.uk/blog/hajj-pilgrimage/https://oceanofislam.uk/blog/hajj-pilgrimage/The fifth pillar of Islam: the annual pilgrimage to Makkah, its rites, its spiritual significance, and who is obligated to perform it.Sat, 11 Feb 2023 00:00:00 GMTPillarshajjfive pillarsMakkahpilgrimageritesihramYaquob Ahmedhttps://oceanofislam.uk/blog/quran-final-testament/https://oceanofislam.uk/blog/quran-final-testament/An introduction to the Qur'an — its revelation over 23 years, its role in Islam, and why Muslims consider it the living miracle of the Prophet ﷺ.Sat, 11 Feb 2023 00:00:00 GMTQur'anQuranintroductionguidancerevelationhafiztajwidYaquob Ahmedhttps://oceanofislam.uk/blog/salah-the-daily-prayers/https://oceanofislam.uk/blog/salah-the-daily-prayers/The five daily prayers — Fajr, Ẓuhr, ʿAṣr, Maghrib, ʿIshāʾ — and why Ṣalāh is Islam's most important expression of connection with Allah.Sat, 11 Feb 2023 00:00:00 GMTPillarssalahprayerfive pillarsworshipFajrDhuhrAsrMaghribIshaYaquob Ahmedhttps://oceanofislam.uk/blog/six-articles-of-faith/https://oceanofislam.uk/blog/six-articles-of-faith/The six pillars of Īmān from the Ḥadīth of Jibrīl: belief in Allāh, angels, books, prophets, the Last Day, and Divine Decree.Sat, 11 Feb 2023 00:00:00 GMTPillarsimanfaithaqeedahsix pillarshadith JibriltawhidYaquob Ahmedhttps://oceanofislam.uk/blog/sawm-fasting/https://oceanofislam.uk/blog/sawm-fasting/The fourth pillar of Islam: the obligation, purpose, and spiritual dimensions of fasting in the month of Ramaḍān — and what Muslims gain from it.Sat, 11 Feb 2023 00:00:00 GMTPillarssawmfastingRamadanfive pillarsworshiptaqwaYaquob Ahmedhttps://oceanofislam.uk/blog/zakah-charity/https://oceanofislam.uk/blog/zakah-charity/Zakāh — the third pillar of Islam: the 2.5% annual wealth tax, who must pay it, who receives it, and how it purifies both wealth and soul.Sat, 11 Feb 2023 00:00:00 GMTPillarszakahcharityfive pillarswealthpurificationnisabYaquob Ahmed