Muhammad bin Jamil Zeno
Encyclopedia
Sheikh
Muhammad bin Jamil Zeno (born 1925 - died October 8, 2010) was a highly respected yet controversial, in Western English speaking countries, Islamic scholar and prolific author.
His name has also been transliterated differently in the English speaking world. Whilst his publishers Dar-Us-Salam in Riyadh translate it as 'Muhammad bin Jamil Zeno', it is also rendered as Muhammad Bin/Ibn Jamal/Jamaal/Jameel Zeeno/Zaino/Zayno/Zaynoo/Zeenoo/Zino/Zainu.
, Syria
in 1925 (1344 AH
). At the age of 10 he attended a boarding school
for 5 years, during which he became a Hafiz.
He then went on to study forensic science at the University of Aleppo
, which was part of the Islamic Waqf
. He became a Sheikh and joined the House of Teachers in Aleppo where he taught for 29 years before leaving to teach in a madrasah
in the Grand Mosque
in Mecca
. Later he traveled to Jordan
to give Dawah
where he became an Imam
, teacher and influential preacher.
In 1979/1980 (1400 AH) he went onto teach in Dar-ul-Hadith al-khairiyah in Mecca
, Saudi Arabia
where he was a teacher for many years.
Earlier in his life, Zeno was a Sufi of the Hanafi
Madhhab
and Shadhili
Tariqah
who later left these practices for Salafism.
His work is widely recognised but is also controversial, especially in prisons.
, the New York-based human rights organization.
Zeno’s book, ‘Islamic Guidelines for Individual and Social Reform’, featured in the 2007 PBS Frontline documentary Homegrown: Islam In Prison, which was part of the America at a Crossroads
television series. The documentary states that his books were distributed to prisons by the controversial Al-Haramain Islamic Foundation.
One such criticism that was expounded on was that on Page 167 of his 1996 book, 'Islamic Guidelines for Individual and Social Reform', Zino lists Ahadith which Muslims are obliged to “act upon”. Chapter 73, 'Act Upon These Ahadith:' The first one in his list reads, and I quote: "The Last Hour will not appear unless the Muslims fight the Jews and kill them." which is referenced as being Sahih Muslim
. The issue was that it was a direct statement as to something to act upon with no additional commentary or explanation, no context is included and no other information. It was written as a general statement as something to act upon, with the lack of any other reference, explanation, etc. This was referenced in the article ‘Radical Indoctrination in the U.S. Prisons’ by Daveed Gartenstein-Ross
.
Zeno featured heavily a study by the right-leaning Centre for Social Cohesion
, 'Hate on the State: How British libraries encourage Islamic extremism' by James Brandon
and Douglas Murray
, in which he has been described as "One of the most virulent Wahhabi clerics whose books are stocked in the Tower Hamlets libraries." which BBC News
also reported on.
Zeno was also featured in 2007 in the now widely discredited Policy Exchange
report, ‘The Hijacking of British Islam’
's, My Year Inside Radical Islam: A Memoir. The review of Ross' book in a Philadelphia newspaper, The Bulletin
, by Joseph Puder on March 13, 2007 also covers Zeno.
Gartenstein-Ross also writes extensively on Zeno in his article 'Prison Jihad?' which appeared in the Daily Standard on October 12, 2006, and his Frontpage Magazine article on September 20, 2005, entitled 'Wahhabi Prison Fellowship'
Sheikh
Not to be confused with sikhSheikh — also spelled Sheik or Shaikh, or transliterated as Shaykh — is an honorific in the Arabic language that literally means "elder" and carries the meaning "leader and/or governor"...
Muhammad bin Jamil Zeno (born 1925 - died October 8, 2010) was a highly respected yet controversial, in Western English speaking countries, Islamic scholar and prolific author.
His name has also been transliterated differently in the English speaking world. Whilst his publishers Dar-Us-Salam in Riyadh translate it as 'Muhammad bin Jamil Zeno', it is also rendered as Muhammad Bin/Ibn Jamal/Jamaal/Jameel Zeeno/Zaino/Zayno/Zaynoo/Zeenoo/Zino/Zainu.
Biography
Zeno was born in AleppoAleppo
Aleppo is the largest city in Syria and the capital of Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Syrian governorate. With an official population of 2,301,570 , expanding to over 2.5 million in the metropolitan area, it is also one of the largest cities in the Levant...
, Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
in 1925 (1344 AH
Hijri year
The Hijri year is year numbering system used in the Islamic calendar. It commemorates the Hijra , or emigration of Muhammad and his followers to the city of Medina in 622 CE. In Arabic, AH is symbolized by the letter هـ...
). At the age of 10 he attended a boarding school
Boarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
for 5 years, during which he became a Hafiz.
He then went on to study forensic science at the University of Aleppo
University of Aleppo
University of Aleppo is a public university located in Aleppo, Syria. It is the second largest university in Syria after the University of Damascus....
, which was part of the Islamic Waqf
Waqf
A waqf also spelled wakf formally known as wakf-alal-aulad is an inalienable religious endowment in Islamic law, typically denoting a building or plot of land for Muslim religious or charitable purposes. The donated assets are held by a charitable trust...
. He became a Sheikh and joined the House of Teachers in Aleppo where he taught for 29 years before leaving to teach in a madrasah
Madrasah
Madrasah is the Arabic word for any type of educational institution, whether secular or religious...
in the Grand Mosque
Masjid al-Haram
Al-Masjid al-Ḥarām is the largest mosque in the world. Located in the city of Mecca, it surrounds the Kaaba, the place which Muslims worldwide turn towards while performing daily prayers and is Islam's holiest place...
in Mecca
Mecca
Mecca is a city in the Hijaz and the capital of Makkah province in Saudi Arabia. The city is located inland from Jeddah in a narrow valley at a height of above sea level...
. Later he traveled to Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
to give Dawah
Dawah
Da‘wah or Dawah usually denotes the preaching of Islam. Da‘wah literally means "issuing a summons" or "making an invitation", being the active participle of a verb meaning variously "to summon" or "to invite"...
where he became an Imam
Imam
An imam is an Islamic leadership position, often the worship leader of a mosque and the Muslim community. Similar to spiritual leaders, the imam is the one who leads Islamic worship services. More often, the community turns to the mosque imam if they have a religious question...
, teacher and influential preacher.
In 1979/1980 (1400 AH) he went onto teach in Dar-ul-Hadith al-khairiyah in Mecca
Mecca
Mecca is a city in the Hijaz and the capital of Makkah province in Saudi Arabia. The city is located inland from Jeddah in a narrow valley at a height of above sea level...
, Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
where he was a teacher for many years.
Earlier in his life, Zeno was a Sufi of the Hanafi
Hanafi
The Hanafi school is one of the four Madhhab in jurisprudence within Sunni Islam. The Hanafi madhhab is named after the Persian scholar Abu Hanifa an-Nu‘man ibn Thābit , a Tabi‘i whose legal views were preserved primarily by his two most important disciples, Abu Yusuf and Muhammad al-Shaybani...
Madhhab
Madhhab
is a Muslim school of law or fiqh . In the first 150 years of Islam, there were many such "schools". In fact, several of the Sahābah, or contemporary "companions" of Muhammad, are credited with founding their own...
and Shadhili
Shadhili
The Shadhili Tariqa is a Sufi order of Sunni Islam founded by Abul Hasan Ali ash-Shadhili. Followers of the Shadhiliya are known as Shadhilis....
Tariqah
Tariqah
A tariqa is an Islamic religious order. In Sufism one starts with Islamic law, the exoteric or mundane practice of Islam and then is initiated onto the mystical path of a tariqa. Through spiritual practices and guidance of a tariqa the aspirant seeks ḥaqīqah - ultimate truth.-Meaning:A tariqa is a...
who later left these practices for Salafism.
Career
Because of his simple style, his books gained popularity in the Islamic world, especially in Western countries. He uses authentic sources while writing the books, which is why they are appreciated by scholars. Generally in the Islamic world, the authenticity of a book is judged by its author's name and his name has acquired such position.His work is widely recognised but is also controversial, especially in prisons.
Controversy
Zeno (as Zainu) features heavily in the 2005 report 'Saudi Publications On Hate Ideology Invade American Mosques'., by Freedom HouseFreedom House
Freedom House is an international non-governmental organization based in Washington, D.C. that conducts research and advocacy on democracy, political freedom and human rights...
, the New York-based human rights organization.
Zeno’s book, ‘Islamic Guidelines for Individual and Social Reform’, featured in the 2007 PBS Frontline documentary Homegrown: Islam In Prison, which was part of the America at a Crossroads
America at a Crossroads
America at a Crossroads is a documentary miniseries concerning the issues facing the United States of America as related to the War on Terrorism. It aired originally on PBS television....
television series. The documentary states that his books were distributed to prisons by the controversial Al-Haramain Islamic Foundation.
One such criticism that was expounded on was that on Page 167 of his 1996 book, 'Islamic Guidelines for Individual and Social Reform', Zino lists Ahadith which Muslims are obliged to “act upon”. Chapter 73, 'Act Upon These Ahadith:' The first one in his list reads, and I quote: "The Last Hour will not appear unless the Muslims fight the Jews and kill them." which is referenced as being Sahih Muslim
Sahih Muslim
Sahih Muslim is one of the Six major collections of the hadith in Sunni Islam, oral traditions relating to the words and deeds of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad. It is the second most authentic hadith collection after Sahih Al-Bukhari, and is highly acclaimed by Sunni Muslims...
. The issue was that it was a direct statement as to something to act upon with no additional commentary or explanation, no context is included and no other information. It was written as a general statement as something to act upon, with the lack of any other reference, explanation, etc. This was referenced in the article ‘Radical Indoctrination in the U.S. Prisons’ by Daveed Gartenstein-Ross
Daveed Gartenstein-Ross
Daveed Gartenstein-Ross is an American counter-terrorism expert and attorney living in Washington D.C. He is the Director of the Center for the Study of Terrorist Radicalization at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a Washington-based think tank. He frequently consults on counter-terrorism...
.
Zeno featured heavily a study by the right-leaning Centre for Social Cohesion
Centre for Social Cohesion
The Centre for Social Cohesion is a British think tank headquartered in London and founded in 2007.-Foundation and constitution:CSC was established with funding of circa £275,000 from Civitas. The organisation is constituted as a company limited by guarantee, and was incorporated and registered...
, 'Hate on the State: How British libraries encourage Islamic extremism' by James Brandon
James Brandon
James Brandon is a British journalist, most recently working in Iraq freelance on assignment from the Sunday Telegraph and The Scotsman, covering the occupation and insurgency...
and Douglas Murray
Douglas Murray (author)
Douglas Murray is a British writer and commentator who was the director of the Centre for Social Cohesion from 2007 until 2011 and is currently an associate director of the Henry Jackson Society. Murray appears regularly in the British broadcast media, commentating on issues from a conservative...
, in which he has been described as "One of the most virulent Wahhabi clerics whose books are stocked in the Tower Hamlets libraries." which BBC News
BBC News
BBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
also reported on.
Zeno was also featured in 2007 in the now widely discredited Policy Exchange
Policy Exchange
Policy Exchange is a British conservative think tank based in London. The Daily Telegraph has described it as "the largest, but also the most influential think tank on the right"...
report, ‘The Hijacking of British Islam’
Daveed Gartenstein-Ross
In 2007 Zeno features heavily in Daveed Gartenstein-RossDaveed Gartenstein-Ross
Daveed Gartenstein-Ross is an American counter-terrorism expert and attorney living in Washington D.C. He is the Director of the Center for the Study of Terrorist Radicalization at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a Washington-based think tank. He frequently consults on counter-terrorism...
's, My Year Inside Radical Islam: A Memoir. The review of Ross' book in a Philadelphia newspaper, The Bulletin
The Bulletin (newspaper)
The Bulletin was a newspaper that serves the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, metropolitan area of the United States. The newspaper, which until 2009 was a daily, was founded in 2004 as a modern iteration of the Philadelphia Bulletin, originally founded in 1847....
, by Joseph Puder on March 13, 2007 also covers Zeno.
Gartenstein-Ross also writes extensively on Zeno in his article 'Prison Jihad?' which appeared in the Daily Standard on October 12, 2006, and his Frontpage Magazine article on September 20, 2005, entitled 'Wahhabi Prison Fellowship'
Works
- Islamic Creed (Questions and Answers) / Islamic Creed Based on Quran and Sunnah
- Pillars of Islam and Iman
- What a Muslim Believes / What A Muslim Should Believe
- Islamic Guidelines for Individual and Social Reform
- How to Understand the Qur'an
- Methodology of the Saved Sect
- Al-Shamail Al-Muhammadiyyah
See also
- Abd-al-Hamid SiddiquiAbd-al-Hamid SiddiquiAbd-al-Hamid Siddiqui is a Sunni Islamic scholar who translated the Sahih Muslim into English. This translation became well known and is a part of the USC-MSA Compendium of Muslim Texts.-Works:...
- Sheikh Abd Al-Aziz Fawzan Al-FawzanAbd Al-Aziz Fawzan Al-FawzanSheikh Dr. Abd Al-Aziz Fawzan Al-Fawzan, born, is a well known scholar in Saudi Arabia and prolific author.He is also known as Sheikh Dr. Abd al-Aziz b. Fawzan al-Fawzan and Abd Al-Aziz Al-Fawzan.-Background and education:...
- Sheikh Jamaal al-Din M. ZarabozoJamaal al-Din M. ZarabozoSheikh Jamaal al-Din M. Zarabozo, born 1960 is a Spanish parented, French-born, and American based Islamic scholar, lecturer, and author of numerous books on Islam and speaker of many lectures on Islam.-Biography:...
- Dr. Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din al-HilaliMuhammad Taqi-ud-Din al-HilaliMuhammad Taqi-ud-Din Al-Hilali, , born 1311AH -1408 Hijrah , is a contemporary Islamic scholar from Morocco, most notable for his English translations of Sahih Bukhari and, along with Muhammad Muhsin Khan, the Qur'an, entitled The Noble Qur'an.-Biography:Al-Hilali was born in Al-Fidah, Morocco, in...
- Dr. Muhammad Muhsin KhanMuhammad Muhsin KhanMuhammad Muhsin Khan born 1345 Al-Hijri is a contemporary Islamic scholar of ethnic Afghan origin, most notable for his renowned English translations of Sahih Bukhari and the Qur'an, entitled The Noble Qur'an, which he completed along with Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali.-Biography:Muhammad Muhsin...
- Sheikh Saleh Al-FawzanSaleh Al-FawzanSheikh Saleh Al-Fawzan, born 1933, is a well known scholar in Saudi Arabia and prolific author.His surname is also rendered Fozan or Fawzaan.He is also known as Sheikh/Shaykh Dr...
- List of Muslim educational institutions
External links
- Islamic discussion on the author
- http://abdurrahman.org/audio/JamilZeeno/index.html