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
A Slumbering Sojourn Toward the City of Lights
I stand alone, on the edge of an abandoned campground, stupefied by the sight of ashes once bright. Shrouded in sheets of iron and shackles of pyrite, imprisonment has led to an all-consuming ache that has since seeped into the rivulets of my palms. Continue reading A Slumbering Sojourn Toward the City of Lights
Tomorrow
“The world is but three days: As for yesterday, it has vanished. As for tomorrow, you may never see it. As for today, it is yours, so work on it.” – Imam Hasan Al Basri Tomorrow is a traitor full of deceit, who promises the hopeful an epitaph sweet, it swears that our troubles can be made obsolete, as if it’s guaranteed that we’ll ever … Continue reading Tomorrow
A Reflection on Sacrifice
To characterize this as a book review would be unbecoming of the nature of the content. Rather, Shaykh Tameem Ahmadi’s commentary on 67 select ahadith in “Sacrifice: The Legacy of Our Beloved Prophet ﷺ” necessitates reflection, especially so in this month of Rabi’ al-Awwal, the month in which Allah ﷻ sent the Prophet ﷺ as a favor for mankind: Continue reading A Reflection on Sacrifice
To Arrakis and Back: Frank Herbert’s Dune in Retrospect
It’s not uncommon to hear Herbert’s name alongside other pioneers in modern genre fiction, the likes of J.R.R Tolkien and C.S Lewis.
The book, however, is not lauded on all fronts. It has its critics as well as its fans and even so, much of what people tend to enjoy about the novel has to do with the wider project of Herbert’s literary Universe and the depth of craft in his worldbuilding, as opposed to the narrative alone. Continue reading To Arrakis and Back: Frank Herbert’s Dune in Retrospect
Sociology and Modern Education with Dr. Recep Şentürk of Usul Academy
The following is a transcript of a Traversing Tradition Q&A with Dr. Recep Şentürk about his work and the recent launch of Usul Academy. Continue reading Sociology and Modern Education with Dr. Recep Şentürk of Usul Academy
The Activist Economy
A number of celebrities, including Indian actress Priyanka Chopra, were recently invited onto a new TV series named “The Activist” where six individuals compete against one another to promote a particular cause. These include health, education and the environment. Online engagement was one of the metrics by which the impact of different causes was to be measured; however, after backlash, CBS announced changes to the format. Despite this, the existence of such a show raises questions about the way celebrities and major brands use social media activism to boost their profile. Continue reading The Activist Economy
Social Constructs and The Politics of Shame
emotional impulse to do so is reasonable. Shame is distinguishably uncomfortable and brings us to the miserable realization of our own weakness. The harsh reality is that shame, though unpleasant, is a vehicle for order that seeks to maintain certain morals, some of which are deemed unimportant in the modern world. However strong the push is to dismantle the need for inhibition, shame rarely evaporates. The escape people have found is to broadcast their embarrassments and preen themselves while doing so. The hope is that, the more vulgarity diffused, the less taxing shame will be for all. The collective swims in their open cesspool of unfettered satisfactions in perfect mutual distraction. Continue reading Social Constructs and The Politics of Shame
Why the Likes of Naseeruddin Shah Are in the Wrong
Muslims under the rule of the Indian state are perhaps facing their worst crisis in the seven decades of the country’s existence. India has not only failed to put an end to massacres of it’s religious minorities, it has doubled down and democratically awarded a pogromist with the most powerful office in the land. Since Prime Minister Narendra Modi took power in the summer of 2014, dozens of Muslim men have been lynched. Laws and policies that threaten the statehood of Muslims have been enacted (National Register of Citizens and Citizenship Amendment Act). In addition, abolition of article 35 (a) has enabled settler-colonialism in the Muslim-majority Kashmir, part of a UN-recognized disputed region. Continue reading Why the Likes of Naseeruddin Shah Are in the Wrong
Scriptural Reasoning: Healing the Divide Between the Self and the Other
The purpose of this piece is to bring attention to the field of scriptural reasoning which, among other approaches, proposes the use of logic of relations and a constructive-critical engagement with the Other. These approaches help curb the colonial instinct, or what has been identified as the subsuming nature of the Western philosophical thought, that stems from Enlightenment prejudices. The healing nature of these approaches can lead to possibilities of mediation and peaceful coexistence in the contemporary world order and the interaction between Islam and the West. It will help understand the needs of both the Other and the Self without delegitimizing or oppressing either one, because upon losing sight of the aim of peaceful coexistence one is bound to fall into the colonial instinct — as is the case with Enlightenment reasoning. Continue reading Scriptural Reasoning: Healing the Divide Between the Self and the Other
Traversing Tradition 