Al-Burhān
In 2010, Dr. Muhammad Amin began contemplating the launch of a periodical to convey his intellectual vision. Yet, two primary obstacles stood in the way: the lack of financial resources, and the perception among colleagues that in a country already saturated with numerous religious journals, carving out a distinct identity for a new publication would be nearly impossible.
Another suggestion was that the journal should be quarterly, so as to maintain a scholarly tone and present well-researched articles to its readership. However, after due deliberation, it was decided that the journal should be published monthly, combining rigorous academic and intellectual depth with an engagement with the pressing issues of contemporary society—ensuring that religion and religious thought remain relevant to social realities.
Dr. Amin began by saving from his own salary and financed the journal out of pocket for the first six months. As Al-Burhān gradually gained recognition, friends and well-wishers stepped forward to share the burden. Among them, the late Bashir Ahmad ‘Ārif deserves special mention; he became a lifelong admirer of Al-Burhān and consistently contributed towards its finances.
The first issue was published in August 2010, after the formal declaration had already been secured. The title Burhān had previously been used by Mawlānā Ahmad Sa‘īd Akbarābādī in Delhi; to give the journal both distinctiveness and depth of meaning, Dr. Amin added the definite article, thus making it Al-Burhān.
In its inaugural issue, Al-Burhān declared its editorial policy, built around four principal themes:
Distinctive Features of Al-Burhān
Feature # 1
The journal has been published with uninterrupted regularity since its inception; not a single issue has been delayed—al-ḥamdu lillāh.
Feature # 2
Since 2022, each issue has carried an English-language article at the end.
Feature # 3
Al-Burhān does not publish supplements or special numbers, although on certain occasions multiple articles on a single theme have been included (e.g., in 2013 and 2018 on the electoral failure of religious-political parties).
Feature # 4
It is not the mouthpiece of any religious or political school of thought or party.
Feature # 5
It is an independent journal; modernism and Westernism have not influenced it. While upholding tradition, it fosters a spirit of critical thinking rather than intellectual stagnation.
Feature # 6
It supports religious forces, though many of them remain critical of its independent editorial stance.
Feature # 7
Education and training have always been its foremost priority.
Feature # 8
Its motto, from the very first day, has been the Qur’ānic verse:
اِنْ اُرِيْدُ اِلَّا الْاِصْلَاحَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ
“I desire no more than reform to the best of my ability” (Qur’ān 11:88) – signifying reform in thought, action, and both individual and collective life.
Feature # 9
All issues of Al-Burhān are available online, and each year a comprehensive index of articles is also published.