consider Islam
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Rethinking Our Da‘wah in Post-Monotheistic Britain
Given that the knowledge the ‘ulema and du‘at teach and convey is sacred, majestic and noble: That this is indeed a noble Qur’an [Q.57:77], then they too are expected to exemplify nobility and dignity in terms of character and how they carry themselves. The message is noble, its carriers must be noble too. It’s as short and Continue reading
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Is Din ‘Private’ Religion & Is Iman ‘Blind’ Faith?
This article revolves around three questions: (1) Does translating din as ‘religion’ imply that it is only a private matter, having nothing at all to do with the public sphere – which is what people usually associate with the term religion? (2) If iman is translated as ‘faith’, does that not suggest it is ‘blind Continue reading
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The Soul of Islam is a Vigilant and Mindful Heart
Revelation tells us that muraqabah, vigilance of Allah, is one of the sublimest spiritual stations. We are told too that habituating our heart to such vigilance requires training the heart gradually and step-by-step. Masters of the heart instruct us to accustom ourselves to being mindful and shy of Allah, even if it be for short periods at a time Continue reading
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Man, Universe & Macro Theology: Created in God’s Image
Apart from being story-telling creatures, we humans are also meaning-seeking creatures. Once we’re fed, clothed and sheltered, we have an inner tendency to want to find purpose and meaning in things. No matter how much we’re surrounded by comforts, or how much our needs and wants are catered for, we have an innate drive and Continue reading
adoring g yourselves with the attributes of God[liness], al-Suyuti on Man’s theomorphic nature, explaining the hadith of man being created in God’s image, hadith about beginning of creation, how was the Big Bang discovered?, human hearts are mirrors for God’s attributes, Ibn al-Qayyim on adorning ourselves with Allah’s attributes, Ibn Taymiyyah on Man being a small universe or microcosm, is the Hidden Treasure hadith sound?, islam and Man’s theomorphic nature, takhalluq bi akhlaqillah -
The Veiling of Islam & Modern Muslimness
With everyone offering their opinion about what Islam is really about, with even far-right voices cashing in on the furore, Muslims are in danger of allowing the essential message of their religion to be drowned out in all the hullabaloo. And while it’s not always easy to essentialize the faith, to sort out Islamic principles Continue reading
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Most Comprehensive Verse in the Qur’an: A Brief Reflection
This Five Minute Meditation is a short reflection on, possibly, the most comprehensive, all-inclusive verse in the Qur’an. It touches upon the meaning of justice and what Islam sees as the greatest and most obligatory act of justice, as well as its opposite: injustice and oppression. It also deliberates on the Islamic obligation to show Continue reading
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Limericks to Engage the Faith-Based Mind: 1
Here are a collection of limericks, short and snappy, through which a variety of religious themes and faith-based issues are served-up as quirks, curiosities and, of course, food for thought: I A lad who watched Starsky & Hutch, Then got the Khawarij-like touch. As his raged unfurled, He said: ‘I must change the world. ‘I Continue reading
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The Kaʿbah, the Abrahamic Call & the Spirit of Hajj:
The Qur’an relates to us this duʿa of the Holy Prophet Abraham: رَبَّنَا إِنِّي أَسْكَنتُ مِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِي بِوَادٍ غَيْرِ ذِي زَرْعٍ عِنْدَ بَيْتِكَ الْمُحَرَّمِ رَبَّنَا لِيُقِيمُوا الصَّلاَةَ فَاجْعَلْ أَفْئِدَةً مِنْ النَّاسِ تَهْوِي إِلَيْهِمْ وَارْزُقْهُمْ مِنَ الثَّمَرَاتِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَشْكُرُونَ ‘Our Lord! I have settled one of my offspring in a barren valley near Your Sacred House Continue reading
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Jihad & Martyrdom, War & Peace
Is Islam a conquest ideology more than an actual religion, as some now claim? Is Jihad identical to ‘perpetual war’ in Islam’s grand political scheme of things? And is the life of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ mostly about blood and gore and body counts? These are the issues addressed here. Muslim scholars have long identified two types of jihad Continue reading
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The Natural & Primordial Faith
During the 4th century B.C., or thereabouts, a series of dialogues or discussions were penned by Plato, one of the greatest of the Ancient Greek philosophers, which dealt with a number of profound existential themes: the origins of moral virtue, the value of justice, the nature of love, the reality of the soul, what defines good governance. Many Continue reading