Gott ist keine Bank
Einer der Fallstricke der gegenwärtigen Religiosität ist ein Missverständnis gegenüber Gottes Beziehung zu den Menschen. Unser Verständnis von Gott ist wesentlich dafür, wie wir mit religiösen Verpflichtungen und dem Leben im Allgemeinen umgehen. Gott als einen gleichgültigen „Uhrenmacher“ zu verstehen, der sich nicht für unser tägliches Leben interessiert, führt zu Apathie gegenüber der Frage, ob er überhaupt Gebote aufgestellt hat, denen die Menschen folgen sollten, … Continue reading Gott ist keine Bank
Towards An Islamic Theory of Culture Part I: On Culture & The West
While the term “cultural studies” would not emerge as a distinguished academic discipline until the 1960s (with the establishment of the Centre for Cultural Studies in Birmingham), culture as an aspect of social life was first given serious consideration in the nineteenth century. During this period, many of the thinkers occupying the academic sphere of Europe — and by extension America — observed what they believed to be distinct and radical shifts in the social and intellectual currents of their respective societies. By the early twentieth century, these observations of “culture” were explained as symptoms of a new historical era. Continue reading Towards An Islamic Theory of Culture Part I: On Culture & The West
La cultura de representación: Negociando el musulmán del televisión
Este artículo es una parte de serie que estudia la representación de los musulmanes y el islam en distintos terrenos de: los medios, la política y la cultura. Los autores discutirán las deficiencias de la representación e invitarán a los lectores a cuestionar a qué objetivo sirven en primer lugar. Durante su entrenamiento, en el tercer episodio del programa 911 Lone Star, se cayó el … Continue reading La cultura de representación: Negociando el musulmán del televisión
Dearborn Schools and the Protests Against LGBT Books
Books like This is Book Gay by Juno Dawson and Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston sat atop library shelves in Dearborn Public Schools, Michigan, until last week, when the schools pulled them for review after parents complained of their sexual nature. Many of the books discussed LGBT relationships; This is Book Gay is a non-fiction title with instructions on how to use apps for casual sex, descriptions of sex toys and how to engage in anal sex. Other fiction titles contain numerous explicit sex scenes. While it is not a shock that most Americans view pre-marital sex as acceptable, the outrage stemmed from the portrayal of this material as innocuous and acceptable for young people. Continue reading Dearborn Schools and the Protests Against LGBT Books
Seerah Book Recommendations 2022
We are nearing the end of the blessed month of Rabi al-Awwal, the 3rd month in the Islamic calendar. This month has a special connection to the Noble Messenger of God ﷺ: both his arrival into and departure from this temporal world occurred in this month. Surely, it is most appropriate to devote ourselves to learning about the Beloved of God ﷺ in Rabi al-Awwal. The following compilation of English works on the Prophetic life and personality have been thoughtfully selected to help readers cultivate an intimate sense of knowledge and reverence for the Messenger ﷺ. Continue reading Seerah Book Recommendations 2022
Ilhan Omar, Representation and Muslim Political Organizing in the West
Ilhan Omar’s recent invite to a prominent Muslim convention in America sparked an intense debate around representation calling into question the successes or failures of Muslim activists who have allied themselves with the left in the West. While these are two separate discussions, Omar, as a Muslim political figure represents, the overlap between these two debates. As someone who has been involved with political organizations in the UK, although Omar is a figure on the American left, I will use the politics of the UK as my primary reference point in this piece. Continue reading Ilhan Omar, Representation and Muslim Political Organizing in the West
7 Modern Deadly Sins and Misunderstandings: Inequality
In any given society, there are certain common sense moralisms ingrained within that culture. Certain aspects of ethical life and sentiments may be universal in nature and span multiple countries and continents, as part of a generalized weltanschauung. Yet, the particular way in which that ethic is practiced is always subject to cultural conditions and specifics. The key part to this common-sense morality is that you do not think much about these things: they are simply the immediate ethical context one engages with and considers as obvious. As a result, one of the main arenas where we see a stark shift from pre-modern to modern societies, and from religious to liberal societies, is in ethical sentiments and “common sense.” Continue reading 7 Modern Deadly Sins and Misunderstandings: Inequality
Tuhan bukan Bank
Antara masalah yang wujud dalam soal keagamaan seseorang pada masa kini ialah salah faham tentang hubungan antara Tuhan dan manusia. Pehaman kita tentang Tuhan ialah faktor utama yang mempengaruhi cara kita melihat kewajiban dalam agama dan kehidupan secara amnya. Continue reading Tuhan bukan Bank
Dowry Among Muslims in India
Dowry (jahez or tilak) – referring to the gifting of land, wealth, or gifts from the bride and her family to the groom – has an ugly and long history. It was a custom practiced in the time of the Code of Hammurabi, and in the Roman and Greek empires. In English common law, the doctrine of coverture viewed a woman’s legal existence to be merged with that of her husband, so all wealth and property would be held by him; during the Victorian era, upper-class families viewed dowries as a replacement for inheritance. While the practice of dowry was historically and today less common than payments from grooms to brides, dowry in India remains a social epidemic. Continue reading Dowry Among Muslims in India
The Historical Nursing Event: Rufaidah bint Sa’ad
As October is Islamic Hertiage Month, it is befitting to discuss an important Muslim figure in the history of nursing: Rufaidah bint Sa’ad. Muslim civilization boasts a rich tradition of medicine; the science of medicine, known in Arabic as Al-Tibb Al-Nabawi (Prophetic Medicine), began with the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and continues to be practiced today. Due to Islam’s emphasis on ethics such as taking care of others, altruism, cleanliness, seeking cures, and holistically taking care of one’s body and health as it is a trust from God, it is no surprise that women also took to learning methods of healing and care. Continue reading The Historical Nursing Event: Rufaidah bint Sa’ad
Traversing Tradition 