Muslim theologians differed for centuries in dealing with the concept of categorical verses (muḥkam) and ambiguous verses (mutashābih), giving rise to questions such as: What method should be applied when reason seems to contradict revelation? Continue reading Finding a Balance Between Reason and Revelation
A few hundred kilometers northwest of Medina lies the valley of Al-Hijr, where Thamud, the tribe of Saleh (pbuh), once dwelt. All that remains of the land they once inhabited is marvelous architecture — towering, ornately carved stone outcrops that survive to this day. When the Prophet ﷺ and his Companions passed through this valley on their way to the Battle of Tabuk, he instructed them saying, “Do not enter the ruined dwellings of those who were unjust to themselves unless (you enter) weeping, lest you should suffer the same punishment as was inflicted upon them.”[1] Continue reading Of Pharaoh and Thamud
The cosmos held its breath in anticipation. The fabric of the Unseen dilated and grew infinitely thin. Rip! It irrupted with the Divine Command, Iqra’! Continue reading The Qur’an: An Aesthetic Treasure Trove
God has arranged the human heart like a fiery stone: its warmth inspires the soul to a new state. Its aesthetic world of sublime inner echoes is called the world of consciousness. The recitation of the Holy Qur’an touches the hearts of its readers in this way. The wonderful supernatural power of the Qur’an is that it removes the worries of the mind and gives comfort to the soul. The Qur’an affects human life through more than its textual meanings. In this article, I refute arguments that discourage reciting the Quran without knowing its meaning. Continue reading Quranic Soundscapes: Bonding Beyond the Meanings
With the devils chained away, their assault on the kingdom of the soul is put on hold. The transcendental effects of fasting on our metaphysical anatomy allows our spirituality to come forth; the soul is restored as the rightful sovereign – order is reinstated across the kingdom. Continue reading Exploring Spirituality within Ramadan
El símil de la tela de araña que aparece en la sura Al-‘Ankabut del Corán se refiere a los destinatarios del mensaje de Dios antes de la época del Profeta Muhammad ﷺ. Continue reading El secularismo y el símil de la telaraña de la sura al-’ankabut
In our daily lives, we regularly encounter challenges affecting our emotions: We feel sad and happy, we may express ourselves by crying or laughing, or we may hide our true feelings behind a smile. Our emotions sometimes bring us to tears, yet we find ourselves comforted and serene in their aftermath. Memories of the past that bring joy to one person may bring heartache to … Continue reading Al-Quran – Stories of Prophets and Emotional Intelligence
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
The spiderweb simile found in Surah Al-‘Ankabut of The Qur’an occurs in reference to the recipients of God’s message before the time of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Continue reading Secularism and The Spiderweb Simile of Surah Al-’Ankabut
The Kunta federation played an important political and economic role in Maghribi history. Shaykh Bāy al-Kuntī founded a great number of zawiyas (religious schools) and sent missionaries to preach Islam in the Middle Niger and Western Saharan regions. Bāy al-Kuntī called people to jihad against the carnal soul, which the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ designated the greater jihad, as well as the return to the fundamental sources of Islamic jurisprudence. He believed he was the mujaddid (one who brings renewal) of the thirteenth century whom Allah called upon to restore the umma to its glorious past not only in West Africa but throughout the whole Muslim world. [1] The wide range of territories that encompassed his influence is said to be the largest area ever to come under the wing of an African Muslim without military conquest. Continue reading Islamophobic Narratives: Meccan and Medinan Resistance
