Articles
The Madrasa of Gaza al-‘Izza
What is ‘izza? English translations of the Qur’an typically translate ‘izza as glory, might and honour. And therefore: To Allah, His Messenger ﷺ and the believers belongs all glory, might and honour. But the etymology of the word ‘izza denotes many meanings: strength and power; rarity and preciousness; and even difficulty and unattainability.
The Ailment's Elixir
Is the coronavirus, in its deeper spiritual reality, a reflection of all we have crowned in our lives apart from Him? Is it not a message from Him to me? Is He not constricting through it every passageway, except the pathway to Him? If I cannot reach the Divine’s door now, in this trial, then when?
Chivalry as a Basis of Muslim Manhood
With so many secular based frames from the Right and the Left about what does and does not constitute a healthy expression of manhood, it is important for Muslims in the West to be grounded in the Islamic tradition about what constitutes healthy manhood while not taking others’ entire paradigms as our own.
Transformational Teaching: Prophet Muhammad as a Teacher and Murabbi (Part 2)
Dr. Zainab Alwani discusses the transformative role of Prophet Muhammad as a murabbī, and presents the Prophet’s mission as a roadmap, a model that envisions a holistic relationship between the Qur’an and the Sunna as its final goal.
Transformational Teaching: Prophet Muhammad as a Teacher and Murabbi
Dr. Zainab Alwani discusses the transformative role of Prophet Muhammad as a murabbī, and presents the Prophet’s mission as a roadmap, a model that envisions a holistic relationship between the Qur’an and the Sunna as its final goal.
Taking the Prophet as Your Spiritual Guide: Celebrating and Passing into the Prophetic Reality
Indifference to the celebration of the Prophet ﷺ denies the community the opportunity to unite upon his character and spirituality, in the face of so much pressure to move away from him. What are the tried and true methods to bring the Prophet ﷺ into our daily lives?
10 Points of Counsel for Students of Sacred Learning
There will obviously be obstacles and challenges, that come on the path of sacred learning. In whatever institution or program we are enrolled in, or teacher we are studying with, we may find flaws or problems. To help overcome them, here are 10 points of counsel for students who pursue sacred learning.
Sayyidah Nafisah: The Saintly Lady of Egypt
Often underdiscussed among Muslim circles in the West are the righteous and scholarly women among the pious early Muslims. Out of the many other stellar women from early Islamic history worthy of mention, Sayyidah Nafisah (may Allah be pleased with her), already adored by millions of Egypt, was a shining star that should be known by all.
How Should Rationalists Deal With Dogmatism?: The Case of the Birmingham Quran Pages
The Quran does not bear traces of any significant alteration over time, and the latest studies by Western scholars have made it clear that, barring some new, astounding discovery, the Muslim version of how and when the Quran was written should be accepted