Al-Hidayah 2025 (Day 2, 3rd August): A compelling second keynote lecture delivered by His Eminence Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri on the topic, “Analytical Study of the Western Critical Method.”
This session followed directly from the opening keynote lecture, building upon the themes introduced by Shaykh-ul-Islam. It offered an in-depth examination of how the Western Historical Critical Method (WHCM) has been used to question, devalue, and misrepresent Islamic sources, particularly the Hadith.
Over 1,300 attendees gathered once again at the University of Warwick, with participants from across the globe, including Europe, North America, the Middle East, and South Asia. The audience listened attentively as Shaykh-ul-Islam traced the ideological roots of the WHCM, exposing its underlying biases and colonial motivations. Developed in 17th and 18th century Europe during the Enlightenment, the method was initially applied to biblical texts, which were already undergoing internal theological criticism. Over time, this method was deliberately extended to Islamic texts by Orientalist scholars who lacked the scholarly rigour and sincerity to appreciate the Islamic tradition on its terms.
Shaykh-ul-Islam explained that the WHCM was never a neutral academic tool. Instead, it was driven by a secular, Eurocentric ideology to discredit Prophethood, diminish the sanctity of Islamic law, and equate Islam’s textual heritage with the fragmented and historically unreliable nature of biblical texts. He listed several prominent figures and their works which contributed to this distortion. These included Ignaz Goldziher, who denied the authenticity of the entire Hadith corpus; Joseph Schacht, who falsely claimed that Islamic law was derived from pre-Islamic tribal customs; and Aloys Sprenger, whose work The Life of Muhammad maliciously portrayed fabricated narratives as historical fact. Edward Sell’s The Life of Muhammad, Gustav Weil’s Mohammed: Der Prophet, and William Muir’s four-volume Life of Mahomet were all highlighted as heavily biased works built on conjecture, mistranslation, and ideological hostility.
Shaykh-ul-Islam made it clear that these Orientalists dismissed the Islamic sciences of Hadith transmission, such as ‘Ilm al-Rijāl (biographical evaluation), al-Jarh wa al-Ta‘dīl (narrator criticism), and Mustalah al-Hadith (classification and methodology). He dismantled their claims by referencing authentic Islamic scholarly contributions from the earliest generations. He noted that Hadith transmission began in the Prophet’s ﷺ lifetime and was carefully preserved by his companions, whose love for the Sunnah was so profound that they would mimic even his optional actions. Imam Malik and Imam al-Shafi‘i played foundational roles in documenting and systematising Hadith authentication, building upon a living tradition that had already existed for decades.
In contrast to the Western approach, Shaykh-ul-Islam emphasised that Islamic epistemology is rooted in divine instruction and sacred transmission. The Qur’an commands believers not only to follow Allah but also to obey the Prophet ﷺ. He cited the verse, “We have revealed to you the Reminder so that you may explain to the people what has been revealed to them” (Al-Nahl 16:44), and reiterated that this explanatory role was divinely assigned to the Prophet ﷺ. The Sunnah is therefore not a secondary reference; it is a primary judicial source and an interpreter of revelation. The Qur’an tells us what to do, but it is through the Sunnah that we learn how to do it.
He warned the audience of the dangers of adopting foreign critical methods that were designed to sow doubt rather than discover truth. The WHCM, he said, is a project of intellectual colonisation. It was never intended to serve Muslims or support truth-seeking. Instead, it aimed to reframe Islamic tradition according to secular Western standards and remove spiritual authority from the Prophet ﷺ. These critiques were not based on sincere enquiry but on assumptions and ideological agendas.
Shaykh-ul-Islam also introduced the concept of suhbah in an intellectual sense, explaining that we are shaped not only by the physical company we keep but also by what we read, listen to, and absorb online. He recalled advice from his father, who cautioned him as a young boy not to read books beyond his understanding, reminding him that knowledge, when misapplied or prematurely consumed, can do more harm than good. Exposure to flawed and hostile literature, even in academic or digital form, constitutes a type of company that can influence one’s heart and thinking.
He returned to the Qur’an to explain the divine process of guidance, citing Surah Ash-Shura (42:51) to show that Allah speaks to humankind only through revelation to His chosen messengers. This means the path of Prophethood precedes Tawheed. You cannot access divine guidance by bypassing the Prophet ﷺ. Those who reject the Sunnah and rely solely on the Qur’an repeat the error foretold by the Prophet ﷺ, who warned that people would one day say, “Between us and you is the Book of Allah”, ignoring the Sunnah and falling into misguidance as a result.
In closing, Shaykh-ul-Islam urged the Muslim Ummah to build their understanding of Islam not through the lens of foreign critique, but through the framework of Islamic scholarship. He encouraged attendees to learn the traditional sciences, seek out sound knowledge, and protect their faith from external distortions. The Sunnah is not an optional complement to the Qur’an – it is its practical manifestation and divine explanation.
This fundamental point, emphasised by Shaykh-ul-Islam, underscores that belief in Allah alone is not sufficient unless one recognises and follows the Prophethood of Sayyiduna Muhammad ﷺ. Divine guidance reaches humanity through the Messenger, and it is through his Sunnah that the meanings and intentions of the Qur'an are fully understood. As the lecture clarified, Risalah (Prophethood) precedes Tawheed in practical acceptance, and denying the Prophetic role severs the path to proper understanding of divine revelation. This principle is central to the Islamic epistemology of faith. It refutes the flawed premise of Western historical critical methods that attempt to isolate the Qur'an from the Sunnah or diminish the authority of the Prophet ﷺ.
Accompanying Shaykh-ul-Islam once again were Professor Dr Hassan Mohiuddin Qadri (Chairman Supreme Council, MQI), Shaykh Hammad Mustafa al-Madani al-Qadri, Shaykh Ahmad Mustafa al-Arabi al-Qadri, Dr Faisal Iqbal Khan, Dr Hamza Ansari, Syed Faizi Ali Shah, Syed Saad Ali Faizi, Dr Ghazala Qadri (President of Minhaj-ul-Quran Women League International), Baji Khadija Qurat-ul-Ain Qadri, and Baji Basima Hassan Qadri – all representing the breadth and depth of leadership across Minhaj-ul-Quran International, serving the Ummah.
The lecture was described by many as deeply eye-opening. It unveiled the roots of modern scepticism toward Hadith and equipped attendees with the clarity to respond with confidence and knowledge. With great anticipation, participants now look forward to the final session of the series on 4 August, titled “The Islamic Epistemology of Hadith Verification.” Al-Hidayah 2025 continues to enlighten, uplift, and prepare a new generation to face modern challenges with faith, knowledge, and pride in the Prophetic legacy.
This lecture reaffirmed Al-Hidayah’s enduring mission, now in its 20th year, to combine spiritual renewal with intellectual resilience in the face of evolving ideological challenges.
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