Is Toxic Masculinity Islamic?
A standout moment from early Islamic history is that of Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) who upon being challenged by a woman in a public place, famously declared, “The woman is right, and Umar is wrong.” Muslims, when affirming the position of women in Islam, often repeat this event, which took place when Umar was the Khalifa. The pre-colonial Muslim world is littered … Continue reading Is Toxic Masculinity Islamic?
A Case for Moral and Emotional Intelligence
A Book Review of With the Heart in Mind by Mikaeel Ahmed Smith In addressing the concept of aql’ (intellect), extensive scholarship has attempted to answer the questions of what is intellect and what is its purpose? Shaykh Mikhaeel Ahmed Smith begins his book, With the Heart in Mind, by outlining the paradigms that have shaped modern understanding of intelligence as being removed from, often … Continue reading A Case for Moral and Emotional Intelligence
Eid through the Looking Glass
With the birth of a new moon marking Shawwal, the tenth month in the Islamic calendar, the time for Ramadan has waxed and waned, and it is now the holiday of Eid ul-Fitr or Celebration of the Feast. The words themselves conjure scenes of joy and festivity, with tables adorned with aromatic, mouthwatering treats and animated by a carousel of loved ones. These scenes are … Continue reading Eid through the Looking Glass
Faithless Fasting: Ramadan in the Modern Political Economy
One of the biggest challenges for corporate America today is diversity: racial, religious, ethnic, sexual, etc. The holy trinity of corporate professions–management consulting, investment banking, and corporate law–make substantial effort to hire “underrepresented” minorities and portray themselves as more “inclusive” to potential clients and the public. Undoubtedly, there are sincere concerns about improving the kinds of people that are hired as a way to grow … Continue reading Faithless Fasting: Ramadan in the Modern Political Economy
L’importance de la mémorisation
In English Bismillahi ar-Rahmani ar-Rahîm, al Hamdoulillahi rabbi-l-‘alamîn Une fois, l’imam Ghazali (rahimahullah) était en voyage et alors qu’il se faisait voler par des bandits. Il leur a demandé de lui laisser ses cahiers et ses notes, affirmant qu’ils ne seraient d’aucune utilité pour les voleurs et qu’ils contenaient des informations pour lesquelles il avait déployées de nombreux efforts [pour les obtenir]. Un des voleurs … Continue reading L’importance de la mémorisation
Ramadán como antídoto al consumismo materialista
In English Los musulmanes se han acostumbrado a vivir en perpetuo estado de defensa como precio por su existencia, desplegando fácilmente explicaciones para sus prácticas religiosas y culturales. Esta puede ser una transacción aceptable e incluso recomendable para mantener la paz en diversas sociedades modernas, pero con el mes del Ramadán en marcha, no se puede ignorar los matices claramente modernos en las explicaciones que … Continue reading Ramadán como antídoto al consumismo materialista
Ramadán: el mes del Corán
In English ﷽ Es el mes de ramadán, en que fue revelado el Corán como dirección para los hombres y como pruebas claras de la Dirección y del Criterio… [2: 185] Mientras presenciamos un otro Ramadán y recibimos sus numerosos obsequios – tanto tangibles como intangibles – nos incumbe a nosotros reflexionar sobre la centralidad del glorioso Corán en este mes sagrado y esforzarnos por … Continue reading Ramadán: el mes del Corán
God is not a Bank
One of the pitfalls of contemporary religiosity is a misunderstanding of God’s relationship with human beings. Our conception of God is essential to how we treat religious obligations and life in general. Understanding God as an indifferent “clock maker,” who doesn’t care about our daily lives, breeds apathy towards the question of whether He even established commands for humans to follow, leading one to live … Continue reading God is not a Bank
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
