L’aspect esthétique de la loi islamique
In English Lorsqu’il est question de la loi islamique, en particulier dans un contexte propice à la polémique, elle est habituellement abordé d’un angle moral ou pratique. Ceux qui embrassent ses vertus tiennent un discours de ce genre : Dieu étant notre créateur, nous lui devons obéissance (aka argument moral); et ses injonctions sont celles qui conviennent le mieux à notre nature humaine (aka, observation … Continue reading L’aspect esthétique de la loi islamique
Hindu Nationalism: History, Ideology, Nation
The Scourge of Indian Islamophobia In an age of unprecedented anti-Muslim lynching and violence against minorities in India, Islamophobic bigotry extends its arms into modern Indian State figures. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Yogi Adityanath—who stated in 2015 that he would (if given the chance) install Hindu idols in every Indian Mosque—is a key example of this. In an undated video from 2014, he stated “if … Continue reading Hindu Nationalism: History, Ideology, Nation
The Coronavirus: A Muslim’s Perspective
This current pandemic and global crisis brought about by the novel Coronavirus strain has been a source of panic and worry for many, but it is also an opportunity for great reflection. There are important parallels between the necessary steps to combat the spread of COVID-19 and our Islamic tradition. God-willing, we can take advantage of social distancing to deeply appreciate our religion in ways … Continue reading The Coronavirus: A Muslim’s Perspective
The Stumblings of Stoicism
A Muslim Critique The ancient Greek philosophy of Stoicism has been making headway over the past decade as a new-age movement of sorts. Founded by the merchant Zeno of Citium in the third century BC, this alternative to organized religion for “living in the moment” has been the topic of Ryan Holiday’s writings (The Obstacle is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into … Continue reading The Stumblings of Stoicism
Ethics and Reproductive Technology
A Book Review of Ethics of Assisted Reproductive Medicine: A Comparative Study of Western Secular and Islamic Bioethics by Dr. Sharmin Islam In the summer of 2019, I had the privilege to spend a few weeks attending the International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT) summer program. There, I chose gene-editing as my topic of interest and in an effort to find relevant English-language works was … Continue reading Ethics and Reproductive Technology
Minority Educational Issues in India
India is globally known as a diverse country. Diversity is its chief characteristic. Thousands of languages, countless cultures and practices, different religions and faiths; every state and every district in the country boasts its uniqueness. The slogan “unity in diversity ” is a badge of honor especially given to India. Yet with all its uniqueness and elegance, there are many serious crises that need to … Continue reading Minority Educational Issues in India
البحث عن التوازن بين النسوية ومنتقديها
In English كوني إمرأة، انجذبت لدعوات العدالة والمساواة بين الجنسين و احسستها مسؤوليتي أن اتخذ رأيًا عن الحركة النسوية. قالوا النسويون و .النسويات: كيف يستطيع أحد أن يدعم الظلم وعدم المساواة؟ وطرحت النسوية كالحل الوحيد، مع تبقي فقط إنتمائي إليها لكن بحثت عن النسوية وقواعدها وأفكارها، ووجدت أسئلة أكثر من الإجابات. وجدت غموض في تعاريف المصطلحات، رأي سطحي للتاريخ، واختلافات بين القادة. كل هذا اضطرني … Continue reading البحث عن التوازن بين النسوية ومنتقديها
Art as a Reflection of Civilization
“Islamic art” is broadly understood as all the arts that have been produced in the Muslim world. However, it does not simply denote the crafts of Muslim patrons. “Islamic art” is qualified as “Islamic” because its contents often refer explicitly or implicitly not just to scripture but religious values as a whole. Orientalist art historians in the 19th century began to treat “Islamic art” as … Continue reading Art as a Reflection of Civilization
The Spiritual Crisis of Man and Nature
A Book Review of Man and Nature: The Spiritual Crisis of Modern Man by Seyyed Hossein Nasr It is often said that the first step to quitting a personal addiction is to acknowledge that one has an addiction. The corporations in charge of our carbon-based global economy are fixated on drilling and guzzling away the Earth’s natural resources in direct defiance to the Quranic verse … Continue reading The Spiritual Crisis of Man and Nature
Religion and the Posthuman Discourse
The proliferation of transhumanist thought beyond science fiction and into the public space seems, at first, a minor ideological and physical threat. Numerous concerns about the implications of transhumanism have been raised, but few regarding religious implications. Cultural anthropologist Chris Toumey notes in his article in Nature Nanotechnology the small body of literature grounded explicitly in Christian values, remarking “I would like to see religious … Continue reading Religion and the Posthuman Discourse
