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September 23, 2018 |
Law, Religion, and Disorder in the Arab States
The law in the contemporary Arab states is an amalgamation of statutes, codes, and regulations put in place over the past 100-150 years in the process of forming the modern nation-state project. Often, the “Islam” or “Sharia”, to be more precise, is the primary source cited in the first few articles in almost every constitution…
Islam Islamic Law Islamic Politics Islamic Thought -
October 2, 2017 |
Humanizing the human is dehumanizing! Preforming Muslimness
The proclivity of governments and civil society institutions across the globe to engage the Muslim subject has created a set of discourses that seek to humanize the Muslim in the face of Islamophobia and rising tide of bigotry. While the discourses were produced by diverse forces and interests, the running thread is nevertheless rooted in…
Islam Islamophobia Muslims in America Race/Racism -
May 28, 2017 |
Ramadan: A Time of Renewal and Reducing Our Carbon Footprint!
Attaining “Taqwa” is the purpose given in the Qur’an for fasting the month of Ramadan. The Arabic term “Taqwa” or the root basis of it, is very difficult to translate into a single word in English but among the possibilities are: Protection, Shield, Fear of God and Consciousness of God. In this essay, I will…
Islam Islamic Thought Muslim History -
January 5, 2017 |
Islam Vs. Islam: What is the way forward?
Any observer of unfolding events in the Muslim world will have to conclude that a major conflict is afoot, pitting one interpretation of Islam against another with each claiming to “defend” the true tradition. The intensity of the conflict is getting bloodier by the day and no end is in sight to this calamitous period….
Islam Islamic Politics Islamic Thought Muslim History -
October 26, 2016 |
The Metaphysical and the Crisis of Spiritual Materiality
The word “spiritual” — frequently used in increasingly non-descriptive and narrowly understood ways in the modern and post-colonial period — is a term that postulates a new relationship between the human and God that is no longer regulated by existing “tradition” or normative religious discourses. Just as modernity, post-modernity, or neo-liberal world order defined every…
Colonialism De-Colonial Islam Islamic Thought -
September 13, 2016 |
The Meaning of Eid for the Ummah
The Hajj, the fifth pillar in Islam, rightly serves as the culminating experience for a Muslim’s spiritual journey in life and the struggle with which it is associated. Following the rights of Hajj, believers all around the world celebrate Eid al-Adha, the Festival of Sacrifice, meaning that which regularly returns. What is the meaning of…
De-Colonial Islam Islamic Education Islamic Politics Islamic Thought -
September 7, 2016 |
Muslim Intellectuals and America’s Imperial Project!
The role of the intellectual in these difficult times is paramount as debates on every issue abound in contemporary society. Nothing from the economy to the environment, race relations to healthcare, and migration to outer space exploration escape the debates and are all in contestation and in flux. At the outset, let’s not posit that…
De-Colonial Islam Islamic Politics Islamic Thought Muslims in America Politics Race/Racism -
August 31, 2016 |
France’s Burkini Ban: the Theater of the Absurd “an Outfit Respecting Good Morals and Secularism.”
The attempt by a number of French coastal mayors to ban the burkini is a clear sign that Islamophobia has entered into the theater of the absurd. How else can we explain this new attack on Muslim women in civil society other than absurdity that is backed up by law and power? When the police…
Islam Islamophobia Race/Racism -
June 16, 2016 |
Islam is Responsible Mantra
The blame Islam mantra, a favorite pastime for the media and political talking heads, got a new lease on life after the horrific attack at the Pulse Club in Orlando, Florida. Immediately after news of the attack spread, media talking heads and political pundits began to pontificate on Islam’s supposed responsibility and the homophobic nature…
Islam Islamophobia Muslims in America Politics Race/Racism -
June 2, 2016 |
Ramadan: A De-Colonial Centering Moment
The month of Ramadan is approaching and with it a deliberate shift occurs in the daily life and practice of every Muslim. Islamic sources offer extensive commentaries on the divine wisdom behind the month of Ramadan. Discussions abound on the numerous benefits in this world and the hereafter for those observing the fast, as well…
De-Colonial Islam Islamic Politics Islamic Thought