Category: Shorts
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The Mazhar-e-Alam Library: Dying a Slow Death
Urdu in India faces existential challenges despite its rich literary heritage, particularly in Lucknow. The author recounts his visit to the historic Mazhar-e-Alam Library, once a vibrant hub, now struggling against neglect and technology’s impact on reading habits.
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How to Make It Halāl: Getting to the Meat of a Muslim Romance
This short explores the nuances of halal romance in Islam, highlighting the importance of marriage as an act of worship and the need for careful adherence to Islamic principles in contemporary narratives and fictional portrayals.
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An Analogy and Apology for Mysticism
Let us imagine that a thoroughly modern man is transported many centuries back in time.
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Beyond Function: Art in the Muslim Community
If you’ve ever visited an art museum with a gallery devoted to Islamic art, you probably saw many commonplace objects behind glass. Things like vases, plates, incense holders, and ink pots can be found in these galleries, adorned with intricate patterns and calligraphy. For the modern-day viewer, a question may arise when examining these highly…
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The Ramadan/Eid Bazaar
The Ramadan/Eid bazaar exemplifies the integration of morality within economic activities, fostering community connections while honoring religious values. By navigating the tension between secular and sacred realms, these bazaars help Muslims embody their ideals through practical engagement in economic life.
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Muslim Characters in Media: A Response to Inclusion Initiative Report
Ultimately, industries operating in this framework herald change and representation whilst establishing no ideal to evolve towards. This means religious values—or any sort of system of ethic—are bent to ‘to modernity’s will’. It is negotiated in the public space, an issue I discussed previously here. That means far from showing hijab or praying five times…
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Symbolism and Spirituality of the Turkic Carpet
The tropes of rug design can be observed in traditional Turkish and Turkic inspired prayer mats: borders enclosing labyrinthine floral patterns and vegetation can be equated to Paradise, the ultimate abode shielded from the vicissitudes of life, saturated with greenery and lusciousness. The sustained stylistic usage of flowers infuses them with spiritual lustre, signifying fertility and…
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Barriers to Understanding the Qurʾān: Insights from Imam Al-Ghazali’s Ihyāʾ Ulūm al-Dīn
During my travels, I found myself immersed in Imam Al-Ghazali’s Iḥyāʾ Ulūm al-Dīn, and as I reflected on his profound insights into the barriers that prevent us from truly understanding the Qurʾān, I was struck by how these obstacles are not merely intellectual but deeply spiritual. Al-Ghazali identifies two primary barriers that hinder our comprehension: 1)…
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Unveiling the Depth of Imām Bukhārī’s Scholarship: A Reflective Encounter in Oxford
Imām Bukhārī is most celebrated for his rigorous compilation of “Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī,” revered within Islamic studies. Yet, the significance of his methodology and its implications for historical scholarship often remain overshadowed by his religious achievements. Our conversation, enriched by the expertise of Dr. Bekir Kuzudisli, a well-known research scholar of Ḥadīth at İstanbul University, highlighted…
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American Failure of “Lesser of Two Evils”
Palestine was and remains the red line, but Biden and his allies have decided to draw “no red lines for Israel.”The political class has taken to writing think pieces and downtrodden essays about how their party, and by extension their wallets, will suffer if we retract our votes. The White House is “scrambling to repair…