Nahiem Ajmal (born ), commonly known by the Abu Layth, is a British Islamic scholar of a Pakistani background based in Birmingham.
Early life and education
Ajmal was born in and is of a British Pakistani background. He studied Islamic theology first at the Damascus University and then at Jamia Darul Uloom, Karachi, where he memorised the Qur'an. Besides this, he has studied psychology. He speaks five languages, including Arabic and Urdu. He is based in
Birmingham.
Views
Jurisprudence (Fiqh)
Despite his conservative education, he prefers to choose what he believes is a more logical understanding about many of the more traditional codes by which
are expected to abide by. He is known to employ a satirical approach to Islamic jurisprudence that appeals to many Muslims, shunning mainstream, widely held positions. In particular, he is known for issuing (Islamic legal opinions) on social media where he has a large following.
Some of his more famous verdicts include: that Muslims are permitted to draw figures and the permissibility of celebrating non-Muslim holidays such as Christmas and Halloween. Other verdicts ascribed to him are that beards can be groomed and that it is permitted to have tattoos.
Theology
In his sessions he also answers theological questions, such as, "Do we accept hadith if they contradict the Qur'an?" He rejects the Second Coming of Jesus and the belief in the Antichrist, as well as the concepts of evil eye, black magic, and jinn possession. Theologically, he does not align with literalist schools of thought that believe in
anthropomorphism. He also adopts an allegorical approach towards the Quran's miracle stories.
His hermeneutical approach is similar to that of other modernist scholars, in that laws were designed to reflect the day and age in which they came, and do not need to be the same in every era.
Politics
Ajmal supports peaceful relations between
Israel and
Palestine via a two-state solution. He suggests the two-state solution, arguing that such a pragmatic attempt at resolution is not un-Islamic. He argues to this effect that Islam has for a long time had the goal of mitigating suffering and establishing justice, even at times with compromise. On 17 May 2021, Ajmal's house in Birmingham was invaded by a mob, accusing him of supporting Israel, which Ajmal denied.
Ajmal was invited to the White House in recognition of his anti-terror work. He has also been described as a key figure locally in the UK's counter-extremism Prevent strategy.
Criticism, controversy and criminal conviction
Abu Layth's views has caused criticism and denunciations. British Islamic scholar Muhammad Yasir al-Hanafi labelled him a ("deceiver") due to Ajmal's satirical approach and boldness in front of fundamentalist preachers. Others accuse him of "mocking the " and have stated he has "no ", with some criticising in particular his choice of topics in his live streams, especially when he covers topics with a rational point of view. In addition, he has been criticised for his alleged advisory role with the now defunct Quillium Foundation.
During the Park View School Trojan Horse scandal, Ajmal was a part-time tutor at the school. In a statement, the police revealed however that Ajmal was involved in Prevent. After this was revealed, Ajmal was promptly suspended by the school. The police's statement, Ajmal argued, had jeopardised his safety.
In 2014, while working as a religious teacher at Park View school he was arrested by West Midlands Police for possessing extreme pornography under the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008, but the outcome of this case has not been reported. In 2015, he was jailed for six months for his role in a plot which saw a police officer try to access restricted information about a woman who had fled her husband. Ajmal asked the officer if he could “pull any slippery strings” in order to locate the woman.
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