Research › Psychology, grief and wellbeing
31 answers in 25 recordings, 2015 to 2024. 25 with a checked position in his own words.
Indexed so far: 259 of 1,859 recordings (1,904 answers, 2014 to 2025). Anything below may change as the rest are indexed. Limits of the data
Oldest first. A checked position shows what he holds, then the sentence he says, word for word from the transcript, with its moment. Years without one list the answers that have not been checked yet. Recordings not yet indexed may hold more.
· How did Abu Hanifa deal with his drunkard neighbour?
Mufti Abu Layth says that good character carries a message further than one can imagine, as Abu Hanifa's gesture towards his drunkard neighbour shows.
“good character people it takes people it takes messages so far that you can't imagine beyond your imagination”
4:30TranscriptCite 2015-03-07-S01corrected
· How can I help someone stop drinking without pushing them away?
Mufti Abu Layth says that with someone who drinks there has to be wisdom and encouragement to good, giving them an alternative rather than only telling them to stop.
“there has to be wisdom there has to be more than wisdom encouragement to good don't focus on the bad give people an alternative”
1:08:52TranscriptCite 2016-12-21-S10corrected
· Is cyberbullying and attacking someone's honour haram in Islam?
Mufti Abu Layth holds that harming the honour of a Muslim is graver than destroying the Kaaba, as the hadith he cites says, and that bullying, cyberbullying and maligning people's character are haram.
“recognize that bullying is haram cyberbullying is haram maligning people's character is haram destroying the honor of other muslims is haram stay away from all of this”
45:43TranscriptCite 2017-09-29-S13corrected
· We are all seeking the truth: disagree without takfir
Mufti Abu Layth says Muslims who disagree on interpretation should treat each other gently as fellow seekers of the truth, without labels or takfir.
“disagree all you like but we as Muslims can at least talk about Islam amongst ourselves don't kind of insult throw labels try to declare each of the kaffir”
31:06TranscriptCite 2018-03-13-S08corrected
· Give glad tidings, make things easy: the hadith behind his approach; do not intimidate
Mufti Abu Layth says the Prophet's instruction to give glad tidings and make things easy is the pillar of his understanding of Islam, and that intimidating people into beliefs contradicts the Prophet's way and Imam Malik's.
“this hadith that I learned I must have been seventeen i memorize that hadith that became the backdrop and the kind of pillar upon which my understanding of Islam has been”
1:44:53TranscriptCite 2018-03-13-S27corrected
· Can people with very different religious views still talk with respect?
Mufti Abu Layth says that people holding very different positions can and should sit together, talk with respect and enjoy each other's company, and that this is the conduct Muslims need to return to, in keeping with the Prophet's great character.
“and yet you can sit and talk with respect and you can enjoy each other's company walk away thinking you know what that was a solid kind of sitting even though we disagree on so many things”
5:08TranscriptCite 2018-04-20b-S02corrected
· Is my prayer valid if I pray in a bikini or swimwear?
Mufti Abu Layth says he personally feels Qadi Isma'il and the Malikis have a strong point in holding that covering oneself in salah is a separate obligation, not a condition of the prayer.
“i personally do feel that ismail and the malikiah the school of medina have a strong point on what they've said that covering yourself in salah is a separate obligation”
8:22TranscriptCite 2019-03-04-S01corrected
· How should Muslims respond to an ex-Muslim who criticises the Quran?
Mufti Abu Layth holds that people who are genuine in their search should be left to search wherever it takes them, and that Muslims should not attack an ex-Muslim critic as a person.
“if people are genuine in this search then let them let them search wherever that search takes them”
5:07TranscriptCite 2019-07-25-S02corrected
· Can people be moral without religion?
Mufti Abu Layth says human beings knew killing was wrong without scripture, and the commandment came only to reinforce it.
“of course they knew that to kill was wrong the commandment simply came as a reinforcement”
21:37TranscriptCite 2019-08-04-S04corrected
· How should Muslims respond to ex-Muslims who hate God?
Mufti Abu Layth says that if someone hates God, Muslims need not attack or abuse them but can extend a hand of humanity and remain friends.
“I can extend a hand of humanity a bridge of compassion”
20:38TranscriptCite 2019-09-19b-S06corrected
· Why are people angry at a hijabi influencer who removed her hijab if it is her choice?
Mufti Abu Layth holds that the problem is not removing the hijab but presenting a religious image one does not believe in to gain money or status, and that such a double life inevitably collapses.
“so the problem isn't that whether you want to wear hijab or don't wager don't worry who cares and the problem is not that is it an obligate it's your private choice the problem is presenting a fake image”
7:28TranscriptCite 2020-07-02-S02corrected
· Why does the Quran talk about something as small as the Prophet's dinner guests?
Mufti Abu Layth says the verse on the Prophet's dinner guests shows that micro-transgressions such as imposing on people are not to be disregarded, and that these etiquettes are building blocks of a healthy society.
“he also mentions micro transgressions that don't harass people don't become a burden on people unnecessarily don't kind of impose yourself that these etiquettes two are the building block of a healthy society”
1:12:58TranscriptCite 2020-07-14-S17corrected
· How do I stop hating people who hurt me?
Mufti Abu Layth says life will always be better with the least amount of hate one carries around.
“Trust me that life will always be better with the least amount of hate you carry around.”
2:44:40TranscriptCite 2020-10-27-S25corrected
· Does Islam teach us to show affection?
Mufti Abu Layth says there are countless hadith about showing shafaqa, compassion and affection.
“where does it say in islam you should show affection that's an easy one i mean you know this comes in a son there's so many hadith about shafaka about being showing shafakar which is compassion affection”
2:27:28TranscriptCite 2021-02-16-S43corrected
· How often does Mufti Abu Layth change his views, and is that a weakness?
Mufti Abu Layth says that when compelling evidence comes he changes his view, that developing one's opinions over life is a hallmark of intelligence, and he advises everyone to investigate and do the same.
“I've changed views and opinions where I found counter evidence. I've investigated uh topics and research them. And I advise you all to do the same.”
1:39:31TranscriptCite 2021-04-06-S17corrected
· What is the most important thing to get right in life?
Mufti Abu Layth says that living one's life trying never to be hurtful or hateful is what validates one's Islam as a human being, and that disliking what people do is different from hating them.
“as far as being a human being is concerned that is your islam validated as long you know you have lived to the best of your capacity to not be hurtful and not be hateful”
1:46:22TranscriptCite 2021-04-13-S28corrected
Mufti Abu Layth says he does not think debates really yield results, since humiliating someone in an argument only makes them hate you more.
“if it's a debate i don't think these really uh yield results”
8:24TranscriptCite 2021-10-25-S03corrected
· How did Abu Hanifa die, and what was he known for among people?
Mufti Abu Layth says the feature that most made Abu Hanifa's legacy glow and won people's hearts was his compassion and generosity towards students, teachers and people in need.
“the thing about Imam one of that that really stands out was his compassion for people you know this is what really won the heart of so many people around him was his compassion”
42:15TranscriptCite 2022-12-10-S09corrected
· What did Abu Hanifa do about his neighbour who drank and sang at night?
Mufti Abu Layth draws from the story of Abu Hanifa's drunkard neighbour that doing kindness to people conquers their hearts.
“but you know that you you do kindness to people it conquers the hearts this person was so he had like an existential profound moment”
54:43TranscriptCite 2022-12-10-S10corrected
· Is worship or how I treat people the real sign of faith?
Mufti Abu Layth says that how you behave amongst people is your true sign of faith.
“you have been put on this Earth to be amongst people as well so how do you behave amongst them that's your true sign of Faith”
8:22TranscriptCite 2022-12-16-S02corrected
· Is it my duty as a Muslim to preach to others?
Mufti Abu Layth says Muslims have a duty to be an example, not a duty to preach.
“we have a duty to be an example there's a difference not a duty to preach”
38:19TranscriptCite 2023-02-22-S08corrected
· What should Muslims focus on in confusing times?
Mufti Abu Layth says the best possible thing a person can do is focus on themselves and be an example of light.
“the best possible thing you could do is focus on yourself be an example of”
40:42TranscriptCite 2023-02-22-S09corrected
· Was the Prophet harsh with people?
Mufti Abu Layth says the Prophet did not come from intimidation but from mercy and compassion for the world.
“even if they do work they work from a fear angle an intimidation the prophet came from a mercy a compassion for the world”
8:46TranscriptCite 2023-05-09-S02corrected
· How did the Prophet balance gentleness and strength?
Mufti Abu Layth says the Prophet combined compassion with firmness, being firm for the well-being of people and not in an intimidating way.
“it's not about you have the compassion but where the time comes a person is firm firm for the well-being of people not in a thugly intimidation kind of way”
12:30TranscriptCite 2023-05-09-S03corrected
· Spread love, and take account of the damage our words have done
Mufti Abu Layth says that all Muslims, himself included, have to take themselves to account for the damage their past words may have done.
“include myself in this that what damage we may have done already with our words you know I I we all have to take ourselves into account for that”
21:34TranscriptCite 2024-09-29-S05corrected
How many of these answers cite each (guest speech left out). Cited means named as evidence or discussed, not necessarily accepted: open the answers to see which.
Cite a statement by its id: Mufti Abu Layth Archive, segment id, with the date and the address of its page. Citation formats
