Irshad, for those of you who may know some Arabic Morphology, is a form four verbal noun (masdar). The root word is ra – sha – da which means to be rightly-guided or to follow the right path. This idea is something oft-repeated in the Qur’an, most famously by the People of the Cave when they prayed, “Our Lord! Grant us mercy from Yourself and guide us rightly through our ordeal.” (Sura al-Kahf 18:10) The Blessed Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) also instructed us to follow the “rightly guided” successors. (Abu Dawud)
Irshad is the idea of guidance, instruction and simply showing the way. Our religion itself is about sincere well-wishing (nasiha) for ourselves and others, both the commonality and the leadership, in every time and in every place. Keeping this in mind, Irshad is an educational portal which seeks to provide a holistic curriculum of study for seekers of knowledge, study-intensives, ongoing classes for both the beginner and advanced student, and sincere counsel and legal directives which are both uplifting and wholesome. The guidance found here centres around the Hanafi legal tradition.
All of the above is in the hope that sincere believers may be able to learn, live and work in a manner pleasing to Allah Most High and in accordance with the beautiful guidance of the Beloved Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) until the day they leave this world.
“My success comes only through Allah. In Him I trust and to Him I turn.” (Sura Hud 11:88)
NB: Irshad works and collaborates with various scholars and organisations as part of its goal in reviving and transmitting the Hanafi tradition. This should not be otherwise understood implicitly as general support for their personal religious positions, affiliations or character.