activism
-
Syria: Rulers, Righteous Outrage & Rethinking Revolutions
Initially, Aleppo never witnessed the large scale anti-government protests that kicked-off in other parts of Syria, in March 2011. A year later, though, and Aleppo too became a bloody battleground when rebel fighters tried to drive government forces from the city. The offensive was not decisive and Aleppo ended up divided: government forces controlling the west, rebel fighters the east. For… Continue reading
conditions for revolting against Muslim ruler, difference between pre-modern and modern states, Hasan al-Basri on rebellion, how to help Aleppo, how to help Syrian refugees, is khuruj allowed in Islam?, Islamic ruling on rebellion against unjust rulers, Muslim political theory, Muslim theory about the state, reason for Syrian civil war, ruling on Arab springs, three conditions for khuruj, what to do about Aleppo?, what to do about Syria -
While We Question Charlie, Let’s Question Ourselves Too!
While righteous anger when the Prophet ﷺ is mocked or insulted is integral to faith, we Muslims need to invest greater efforts into adhering to the actual obligations and duties instated by faith – be it in our acts or worship; our ethics and behaviour; our relationships; or our social contracts and transactions. The Prophet ﷺ said: ‘All my followers… Continue reading
-
Political Violence & the End Days
One of the enormous achievements of our Prophet, peace be upon him, is that in less than twenty years he managed to bring law and order to a land that had hitherto been plagued with lawlessness and the absence of any political organisation whatsoever. In the event of a crime or injustice being committed, the norm was for… Continue reading
-
Uhud & Hunayn: Lessons from the Frontline
In The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien puts these words into the mouth of the brave though modest Faramir (younger brother to the brave but impulsive Boromir): ‘War must be, while we defend our lives against a destroyer who would devour all; but I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the… Continue reading
-
Western Muslims: Prophetically-Inspired Voices of Dissent
This is a companion piece to the previous blog I wrote, called: British Muslims & their Strategies for Living in the UK (which can be read here). Here, I will discuss a few of the principles which ought to animate our engagement with wider society and our fellow citizens; and how, in the time honoured… Continue reading
-
The Arab Spring & the Need for Change
The following article was first published at www.islamicate.co.uk and is reposted here with kind permission and addition. Wherever we look in the world today, particularly in what is called the Arab world, it’s all about people wanting change: change that brings about better governance, social justice, individual freedom, better job prospects, brighter future. Decades of tyranny, repression and authoritarian rule… Continue reading
-
Islam’s Earth Ethics: Are We Healers or Corrupters?
The current state of our planet is one wherein there is huge imbalance and pollution; where the equilibrium of our Earth has been greatly corrupted. Armed conflicts and wars are increasing across the globe; the economies of an ever-increasing number of countries are in meltdown as global capitalism spirals out of control; and we continue… Continue reading
-
Terrorism is to Jihad as Adultery is to Marriage
For the past four days I had been working on the following article, which I intended to post yesterday evening. However, I then heard about the vile and sadistic act of violence carried out by two men with knives and a meat cleaver in Woolwich. So I thought it best to review the blog post in… Continue reading
-
The Conditional Promise: When Will Allah’s Help Come?
That Muslim social and political well-being is the result of sure faith and obedience to God, and not visa-versa, is borne out by the Qur’an in many a verse. Whilst analysing the verse, God will surely help those who help Him, [22:40] Shaykh Muhammad al-Amin al-Shanqiti (d.1393H/1972CE), the highly acclaimed Mauritanian scholar of Islamic legal theory (usul… Continue reading