Halal Consumption and Our Spiritual Health

We must be scrupulous in what we eat because the rest of human civilization depends on us. The actions of non-Muslims are not as important as the actions of Muslims — it is the actions of Muslims that govern the welfare of the entire planet. We are responsible for what happens in the world. Our good deeds have a good impact and our bad deeds have a bad impact — not only on the physical environment but on people. Continue reading Halal Consumption and Our Spiritual Health

From Principles to Patients: Darul Qasim College’s Approach to Islamic Bioethics

What is the ‘Muslim’ response to June 24th, when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, allowing states to develop their own standards for abortion laws? How can shifāʾ — the all-encompassing cure mentioned in the Quran — inform the modern drug development pipeline? Where can Muslim physicians draw on their desire for ihsān (excellence) to improve care for patients, be they Muslim or not? Muslim physicians likely account for at least 4.5% of all practicing physicians in America, but beyond our strength in numbers, what else can we offer to the broader society that is informed by our Islam? Continue reading From Principles to Patients: Darul Qasim College’s Approach to Islamic Bioethics

Al-Sha’rawi and the Neglect of Judgment Day

It is clear from the words of al-Sha’rawi that discussion and observance of the signs of Judgement Day are an essential component of a healthy Muslim consciousness. Most Muslims who have made a slight effort to learn a thing or two about their religion have heard the narration known as Hadith Jibril, wherein the Messenger of Allah ﷺ dedicates a significant portion of his moments in a physical sit-down with the Messenger-Angel to emphasize the importance of knowing the signs of Judgment Day’s approach.  Continue reading Al-Sha’rawi and the Neglect of Judgment Day

Shaykh Amin Kholwadia on Theology and Ontology in Medical Ethics

I’m going to try and explain the terminologies so it becomes easier for us to explain what we hope to do with bioethics or Islamic bioethics. Theology as the owner: the study of God and what God wants, God’s will, and what God wants us to believe in. That is the Islamic outlook. Ontology is the study of being and existence: the different layers and levels of being, not of God but of creation. God’s existence does not flow into the existence of creation. There is a separation there according to Islamic metaphysics. We have to be clear from the outset that when we are talking ontology and the theory of being in Islam, we are about not God’s being, but about how God has created being in layers. Continue reading Shaykh Amin Kholwadia on Theology and Ontology in Medical Ethics

Re-examining Evolution Through the Theological Lens of Ḥujjatul Islām

Having emerged from a particular European intellectual milieu, Darwin’s ideas have influenced the world in a way nobody could have imagined. In disciplines ranging from science to theology, Darwinism and later Neo-Darwinism continue to widen their reach. Religious traditions, particularly Islam, are no exception. There exists a long history of tension and attempted reconciliation between Islamic belief and the modern evolutionary paradigm. Continue reading Re-examining Evolution Through the Theological Lens of Ḥujjatul Islām