The Importance of Memorization
En Français One time, Imam Ghazali (rahimahullah) was traveling when he was robbed by highway bandits. He asked them to leave his books and notes, saying that they would be of no use to the robbers and that they contained knowledge he had spent a lot of effort in obtaining. One of the robbers replied, “How can you claim that you obtained their knowledge when … Continue reading The Importance of Memorization
استعادة التراث الإسلامي السياسي: تدبرات بعد داعش
In English الإسلام يواجه عدة تحديات في هذا العصر، ومنها العلاقة بين الدين والدولة. ”الدولة“ صنعٌ سياسي حديث وهي لا تقبل بأي منافس في السلطة والنفوذ. إقامة ما يسمى الدولة الإسلامية في العراق والشام (داعش) سلطت الضوء على تلك الأزمة، لأن العالم الإسلامي ما زال في حالة فشل سياسي، ولم يثمر منه إلا الإستبداد والعنف. كل العلماء المسلمين استنكروا داعش بإجماعٍ ووصفوها بأنها ليست دولة … Continue reading استعادة التراث الإسلامي السياسي: تدبرات بعد داعش
Countering the Assault of Secularization
This piece is the final part of a three part policy report on the secularization of the Muslim mind. You can read part one here and part two here. The battle for the hearts and minds of Muslims comes while the Muslim world stands at a crossroad between liberation from authoritarian regimes and a continuation of corrupt neoliberal and neocolonial rule. If the Muslim community is … Continue reading Countering the Assault of Secularization
The US State and the Making of a Secular Islam
This piece is part two of a three part policy report on the secularization of the Muslim mind. You can read part one here and part three here. Fear and the “Bad Muslim”: Identity and Radical Islam Islamic fundamentalists… [are determined] to restore the superiority of the Islamic civilization by resuscitating the past. They seek to impose the Sharia, a code of law based on … Continue reading The US State and the Making of a Secular Islam
The Secularization of the Muslim Mind
This piece is part one of a three part policy report on the secularization of the Muslim mind. You can read part two here. This report aims to highlight a subtle yet existential threat to the Muslim community in America: an assault on the Muslim mind, in other words, the Secularization of the Muslim mind. In contrast to the right-wing’s physical and verbal attacks on … Continue reading The Secularization of the Muslim Mind
Deconstructing Western Representations of Political Islam
Introduction There is a spectre haunting the Muslim world, by the name of political Islam. Whether in the form of violent terrorist groups or in the guise of political parties pragmatically using the democratic process to gain power, it seems that everywhere behind the stunted development of Muslim-majority societies is the troublesome presence of political Islam. Observers of contemporary affairs will note Islamic politics as … Continue reading Deconstructing Western Representations of Political Islam
Le Bitcoin et le progrès technique
In English La montée des cryptomonnaies en 2017 a attiré l’attention sur la technologie sur laquelle toutes ces monnaies virtuelles s’appuient : La “blockchain” ou “La chaîne de blocs”. Cette article propose une analyse des raisons pour laquelle elle est devenue si populaire, des problèmes qu’elles résoud mais aussi de ceux qu’elle crée. Qu’est-ce que la Blockchain? On explique mieux la Blockchain en utilisant l’analogie. … Continue reading Le Bitcoin et le progrès technique
Bitcoin and Technological Progress
En Français The rise of cryptocurrencies in 2017 brought attention to the technology powering them, called “blockchains” or “the blockchain.” This article will assess why this technology became popular and what kinds of problems it both solves and creates. What is Blockchain? Blockchain is best explained through analogy. Think of the website of a newspaper like The New York Times. The contents of the site … Continue reading Bitcoin and Technological Progress
The Selfie Epidemic
For centuries, we have measured ourselves against Greco-Roman standards of perfection. While the tendency to live up to powerful cultural expectations predates Ancient Greece, the historical foundations of western individualism is often traced back to this period, where ecological factors helped nurture a proto-entrepreneurial guile amongst citizens, eventually contributing towards a culture of self-sufficiency where people viewed themselves as individuals rather than part of a … Continue reading The Selfie Epidemic
Gene Editing: The Problem of Progress
In November 2018, biophysics researcher He Jiankui rattled the realms of biotechnology, molecular biology, and the rest of the world and faced a series of condemnations. Headlines like “Genetically edited babies – scientific advancement or playing God?” and “Chinese scientist responsible for Designer Babies is facing Death Penalty” proliferated across mainstream media, as two distinct sides, one excited by the prospects by such technology and … Continue reading Gene Editing: The Problem of Progress
