Al-Quran – Stories of Prophets and Emotional Intelligence
In our daily lives, we regularly encounter challenges affecting our emotions: We feel sad and happy, we may express ourselves by crying or laughing, or we may hide our true feelings behind a smile. Our emotions sometimes bring us to tears, yet we find ourselves comforted and serene in their aftermath. Memories of the past that bring joy to one person may bring heartache to … Continue reading Al-Quran – Stories of Prophets and Emotional Intelligence
Christmas and Why the ‘Petty’ is Powerful
celebrating Christmas in different capacities. While this may be more understandable for those new to the faith, or for those who have non-Muslim family members with whom participating in this holiday may be tricky to navigate, there are also an increasing number of Muslims who have jumped on the bandwagon of celebrating Christmas with really no compelling reason to do so – putting up decorations in their homes, Christmas trees, giving Christmas presents to their children, etc. Continue reading Christmas and Why the ‘Petty’ is Powerful
Traversing Tradition Book Recommendations 2021
Commuting to and from work, hours have been freed for us to use at our discretion. A common complaint by those who don’t read is not necessarily that they don’t have time, it’s that they don’t know what to read. For some, it has been so long since they last picked up a book that they’ve forgotten what genres they used to enjoy. An easy way around this is to think about what you currently enjoy watching. Whether it’s shows on Netflix, video essays on YouTube or anime on your mate’s Crunchyroll, think about the subject matter and the overarching genres. Continue reading Traversing Tradition Book Recommendations 2021
Religion and Pork: Issues With Alternative Meats
In a previous article, I outlined some issues ‘ulema have discussed with cultured (also known as lab-grown) meat. One is the impossibility of a blanket replacement of meat with lab-grown meat in light of religious obligations and recommendations of slaughter on certain occasions. The American Fiqh Academy’s fatwa (ruling) from Mufti Abdullah Nana, Abrar Mirza, and Sohail Bengali also note the current procedure’s use of impermissible animal products (mainly Fetal Bovine Serum [FBS]) and the source cells (derived from living animals), which constitutes maytah (carrion) and is haram for consumption. Continue reading Religion and Pork: Issues With Alternative Meats
In the Spirit of Fatima Al-Fihri
n recent years, Fatima al-Fihri, may Allah be pleased with her, has acquired a mythological, folklore-like status as the “founder of the world’s oldest university.” The magazine Girlboss credits her with “establishing the university as we know it today.” Oxford Reference and UNESCO recognize University of al-Qarawiyyin as “the oldest operating university in the world.” Blog posts and news sources alike continue to embellish parts of her story, crediting her institution as the first to grant “academic degrees.” Continue reading In the Spirit of Fatima Al-Fihri
Parallels in Sacred Texts: A Closer Look at the Miracles of Jesus ﷺ and Muḥammad ﷺ
Throughout the world, children and adults alike eagerly await the advent of December every year. The season of happiness and joy, our Christian neighbors enjoy the spirit of Christmas by singing carols and reminding one another of the birth, teachings, parables, miracles and other stories related to the life of Jesus Christ ﷺ . Continue reading Parallels in Sacred Texts: A Closer Look at the Miracles of Jesus ﷺ and Muḥammad ﷺ
Islamic Fiction in Malaysia: Q&A with Hilal Asyraf
The story is about a Malay Muslim warrior committed to helping the oppressed but remains nameless because he has never shared his name with others. At that time, the Malay Peninsula is ruled by a powerful Sultan that uses sihr (demonic magic) to stay young, invulnerable and possesses many superpowers. The story will lead readers to follow the journey of this nameless warrior, and how he will fight this Sultan. The legend, despite being action-packed, will honour practical Islamic messages, especially aqidah (creed), iman (faith), honour, and so on. Continue reading Islamic Fiction in Malaysia: Q&A with Hilal Asyraf
Colonialism and Gender Discourse: A Case Study on the Unique Case of the Ulema
The respectful attentiveness that has ever characterized the traditional attitudes of Muslims students before their teachers, male or female, is derived from the example of women as from the men who attended and served him [the Prophet ﷺ]. Shahr ibn Hawshab has narrated from Asma’ bint Yazid that she said: “I was holding the rein of ‘Adba, the she-camel of the Prophet ﷺ when [verses of the] surat al-Ma’idah [were] to him. Because of the heaviness of the revelation the camel’s leg (‘adud) was on the point of buckling (daqqa)”. [3] Continue reading Colonialism and Gender Discourse: A Case Study on the Unique Case of the Ulema
The Bond Between Islamic Civilization and Japanese Civilization: Manga
This is an English translation of an interview Dr. Naoki Yamamoto gave to Merve Yiğit for a Turkish magazine. It has been republished with the permission of Dr. Naoki Yamamoto and the magazine. Continue reading The Bond Between Islamic Civilization and Japanese Civilization: Manga
The Corrupt British Parliament and the Umayyad Caliph ‘Umar ibn ‘Abdul ‘Aziz – A Comparison
At the Cop26 conference in Glasgow on November 10, 2021, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “I genuinely believe that the UK is not remotely a corrupt country.” This was in response to the furor surrounding the latest allegations of sleaze, following the resignation of former British cabinet minister Owen Paterson. Mr. Paterson had used his position and office to earn a total of £500,000 by lobbying for two corporations, which the Standards Committee described as “an egregious case of paid advocacy”. [1] Johnson’s comments addressed public outcry over Conservative MPs voting to prevent Mr. Paterson’s 30-day suspension for breaking parliamentary rules, as well as to change the procedures for how MPs are taken to task.
This latest controversy struck at the very heart of the UK’s system of government and the ethical base of Western liberal democracies. Johnson argued that liberal democracy is the best system of government because of its moral grounding. [2] Abuses of authority, in cases such as that of Owen Paterson and the parliamentary vote in his favour, undermine the moral foundations of this system that the UK government claims to follow. Continue reading The Corrupt British Parliament and the Umayyad Caliph ‘Umar ibn ‘Abdul ‘Aziz – A Comparison
Traversing Tradition 