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Sep ,20

17 September 2020

The ‘Ulamā’ and Political Rulers

The Islamic New Year is an event filled with great stories, meanings, and blessings. It is a time for renewal, reflection, and restoration. In this article, however, you will find special prayers and devotional acts to mark this occasion and get your New Year started right!

Sep ,20

10 September 2020

Three Questions that Help me Focus

Aug ,20

18 August 2020

Hijri New Year

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August 18, 2020

Hijri New Year

April 6, 2020

The Eve of the 15th Sh’aban

The eve of the 15th of Sh‘aban is one of the most significant and spiritually important times in the Muslim liturgical calendar. It is a night that the salaf used to seek out and honor with intense devotion and sweet supplication.

January 13, 2020

Devotional Acts for Ashura (10th of Muharram)

This is a short, convenient list of devotional acts for the occasion of ‘Ashura, the 10th day of the month of Muḥarram: 1. Fast the ninth and tenth of Muḥarram.1 2. Expand on yourself and your family by way of making some extra food, buying small presents, inviting family over for dinner, etc.

April 7, 2020

The Birth (Mawlid) of the Prophet

Celebrating the birth of our beloved Prophet ﷺ has been a custom of Muslim communities ever since the time of the Companions. To celebrate and commemorate his birth is to ultimately show thanks and gratitude to God for sending him ﷺ to us as a mercy.

January 13, 2020

Devotional Acts for the month of Safar

Ṣafar is the second month of the Islamic lunar calendar. There is a weak hadith narrated by Ibn ‘Abbās that states, “On the last Wednesday of the month [of Ṣafar] there is a continual calamity.”

August 14, 2020

Thoughts on Zakat

One of the unique features of Islam as an intellectual system is that it possesses a mechanism for renewal and revival within itself. This mechanism is the instrument of ijtihād- independent legal reasoning- that allows a trained and licensed jurist to develop new rulings and judgements for situations that are unprecedented, nuanced, and, in a way, of a troublesome nature. There is a lot of literature within Islamic legal tradition that explains the vast contours of ijtihād. Familiar discussions outline the common set of must-know legal rules and principles, interpretive tools used to unlock meanings within the primary texts, and auxiliary disciplines needed in order for one’s ijtihād to be effective and within the broad limits of orthodoxy. These are standard in any work that discuss the instrument of ijtihād. There are other discussions, however, that one comes across from time to time that shed a little more light on the phycology and mindset behind the person engaging in ijtihad, namely the mujtahid. One interesting description, courtesy of Imam Ghazali (d. 505/1111), is the need for the mujtahid to have vast amounts of creativity. The more creativity a mujtahid has, the more creative thinking they can bring to bear on a particular issue, the better they will be able to come up with right solutions and right answers; especially solutions that will last the test of time. To be creative in this context, therefore, is to think outside the box and dare to be innovative. It is to ask the right questions, not just memorize standard answers.

July 29, 2020

Truth, Lies, and Social Media

July 9, 2020

Innovation & Creativity: How to Get Islam Moving Forward

June 18, 2020

Islam is Greater than the Muslims

What role, if any, does and should religion play in politics? In an age when we see many, many religious leaders linked with politics and political parties, I make the argument that this is dangerous and a misuse of religion.

May 20, 2020

Expressing Gratitude

May 2, 2020

God & Caesar

April 15, 2020

On Keeping a Ramadan Journal

Ramadan is the biggest event in the Muslim liturgical calendar. It lasts an entire month (the 9th lunar month), and there are extra devotional acts performed every day and every evening. It is the month in which we commemorate the revelation of the Quran, providing a special evening (the Night of Power) sought out in the last ten days-a mega event inside a mega event. It is the month of great spiritual benefits, forgiveness, and opportunities for renewal.

April 9, 2020

Time in the Age of COVID-19

There is a well-known quote by the famous jurist and polymath Imam al-Shāfi‘ī (d. 204/820): “I learned from the Sufis that time is like a knife. If you don’t cut it first, it will cut you.” This quote, perhaps more than any, was always a source of fascination for me.

January 13, 2020

A Framework for Understanding Violence and Extremism within the Family of Islam

Since I first confronted the subject of violence and extremism as a research topic about two years ago, I noticed that there was no coherent framework dealing with extremism arising from within the “family of Islam.” It has been difficult to wrap my head around this topic due to a lack of clear definition of terms, boundaries, etc.

September 17, 2020

The ‘Ulamā’ and Political Rulers

September 10, 2020

Three Questions that Help me Focus

July 25, 2019

What is Usuli Islam?

In The Clock of the Long Now, Stewart Brand argues that religion is one of the most durable institutions of civilization that helps ground us all in timeless values. In his concept of the forces of innovation (rapidly changing) and durability (slow changing) of civilization, religion would definitely be amongst the more slow adapting forces.

April 7, 2020

The Birth (Mawlid) of the Prophet

December 23, 2019

Islam is More than Just the Muslims

One of the most important things I learned throughout my studies is that religion as a concept and discipline is much greater and more expansive than what practitioners make it out to be. This is certainly true for Islam and Muslims.

Articles

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The ‘Ulamā’ and Political Rulers

Three Questions that Help me Focus

Hijri New Year

Search Content

How-To

Islam Today

Principles

Results

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Hijri New Year

The Eve of the 15th Sh’aban

Devotional Acts for Ashura (10th of Muharram)

The Birth (Mawlid) of the Prophet

Devotional Acts for the month of Safar

Thoughts on Zakat

Truth, Lies, and Social Media

Innovation & Creativity: How to Get Islam Moving Forward

Islam is Greater than the Muslims

Expressing Gratitude

God & Caesar

On Keeping a Ramadan Journal

Time in the Age of COVID-19

A Framework for Understanding Violence and Extremism within the Family of Islam

The ‘Ulamā’ and Political Rulers

Three Questions that Help me Focus

What is Usuli Islam?

The Birth (Mawlid) of the Prophet

Islam is More than Just the Muslims

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