Traversing Tradition

Society & Culture

Navigating Defilement: Thoughts on the Navigating Differences Statement

On May 23, 2023, a public statement was released titled, “Navigating Differences: Clarifying Sexual and Gender Ethics in Islam.” Traditionally studied scholars, post-Salafi preachers, celebrity imams, small-town masjid imams, Muslim academics, well-known bloggers, and a slew of people from other diverse backgrounds signed onto the statement. The signatories are not names that you would expect to find on one page, as they have their differences, but they all united on this one issue. This is not a common occurrence in our modern context, and it deserves to be acknowledged as a milestone in some ways.  Continue reading Navigating Defilement: Thoughts on the Navigating Differences Statement

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Politics

رمضان: شهر مناهضة الإمبريالية

لقد عتاد المسلمون على العيش في حالة دفاع دائمة كثمن لوجودهم، ونشروا بسهولة تفسيرات لممارساتهم الدينية والثقافية. قد تكون هذه صفقة مقبولة وحتى مستحسنة للحفاظ على السلام في المجتمعات الحديثة المتنوعة، ولكن مع حلول شهر رمضان المبارك، لا يمكن للمرء أن يتجاهل الصبغات الحديثة المميزة في التفسيرات المتداولة لفوائدها العديدة. يتجاهل الخطاب المعاصر حول هذه الفوائد بشكل متزايد جوهرها الأخلاقي والميتافيزيقي، ويقدم تفسيرات مادية بدلاً … Continue reading رمضان: شهر مناهضة الإمبريالية

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Arabic

علماء المسلمين في اليابان: التفكر في الإسلام في مجتمع غير مسلم

ما يلي مقتبس من محاضرة الدكتور قييم ناوكي ياماموتو ، العلماء المسلمون في اليابان: التفكير في الإسلام في مجتمع غير مسلم. وهو جزء من سلسلة محاضرات من ثلاثة أجزاء بعنوان “شرق آسيا والإسلام: الحاضر والماضي والمستقبل” في مركز الدراسات الآسيوية والشرق أوسطية (CAMES). تم اختصار النص وتحريره للتدفق مع بعض التعليقات الإضافية من قبل الدكتور ياماموتو. أظن أن معظم الناس ليسوا على دراية بالتاريخ الإسلامي … Continue reading علماء المسلمين في اليابان: التفكر في الإسلام في مجتمع غير مسلم

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Science

From Principles to Patients: Darul Qasim College’s Approach to Islamic Bioethics

What is the ‘Muslim’ response to June 24th, when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, allowing states to develop their own standards for abortion laws? How can shifāʾ — the all-encompassing cure mentioned in the Quran — inform the modern drug development pipeline? Where can Muslim physicians draw on their desire for ihsān (excellence) to improve care for patients, be they Muslim or not? Muslim physicians likely account for at least 4.5% of all practicing physicians in America, but beyond our strength in numbers, what else can we offer to the broader society that is informed by our Islam? Continue reading From Principles to Patients: Darul Qasim College’s Approach to Islamic Bioethics

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Book Reviews

Critiquing Modernity: Book Recommendations 2022 

The twentieth century and the rise of nation-states and commensurate isms, have propelled societies into an era that is driven by abandonment of God, ethic, and a cohesive worldview that perpetuates meaning. The following list was prepared to give readers the tools to better understand, critique, and provide solutions for the malaise of modernity. Continue reading Critiquing Modernity: Book Recommendations 2022 

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German

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

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Politics

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

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Book Reviews

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

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Politics

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

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