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The Tactics of Bigotry
Bigotry has asserted a strong presence in the public realm as negative characterizations of Islam and Muslims are repeated daily. But how do you convince people to hate one fifth of the world’s population? Does it make sense to tell people that a true Muslim is a...
An Axe to Grind – Does Religion Cause Violence?
Who is to blame for all the violence in the world? Haven’t there been countless wars waged in the name of religions? Wouldn’t humanity be better off without any religion at all? One of biggest controversies surrounding religion has been the charge that religions have...
Evil (2) – Opportunities for growth
By M. Nazir Khan and M. Faisal Abideen Human suffering is a part of life, but why? What is its value? Is there any way in which it can be positive? How can suffering develop us morally and spiritually and bring us closer to God? Human suffering and the...
Evil (1) – Why must we suffer?
By M. Nazir Khan and M. Faisal Abideen Why does evil exist? This is a question that has haunted every human being. Torture, rape, murder, cruelty, disasters, poverty, disease – it all seems too much and too pointless. Personal tragedies are frequently met with the...
Scholars (2) – Do we really need them?
This is a continuation of the discussion on the role of scholars. Please read the preceding part 1. What is a scholar? Muslims growing up in the modern culture often face difficulties understanding how to deal with scholars. For the sake of simplicity, the term...
Scholars (1) – Differences of opinion
What does it mean to follow Islam? Islam means submitting to the way of God, and striving to do what God has asked of us. That means following the guidance which God has revealed in the two foundational sources of Islamic teachings – the Qur’an and the Sunnah...
Stasis or Spiritual journey?
Does every day in life start to feel like a replay? If ten years from now I’m still the exact same person doing the exact same things, what have I gotten out of life? Should our lives have a direction that we are progressing towards? What is religion? For many...
Akhlaq – The Value of Values
What is the relationship between faith and values? Does God care what label we call ourselves or how we behave with others? Is it better to be a good person or a religious person? Shouldn’t society just do away with religious doctrine? Many people would assume that...
Fitrah – The Primordial Nature of Man
Is the mind of a baby a blank slate or are there certain concepts ingrained in the human mind? Can human nature be demonstrated in infants from birth? Do thoughts about God and moral values naturally occur to a human growing up or are they fabricated ideas invented by...
The Prophet of Mercy (1) – Forgiving Foes
Who was Prophet Muhammad? How did he embody the Islamic message of mercy, compassion and forgiveness? What was so incredible about this man that he is loved dearly by almost two billion Muslims around the world, despite the fact that he passed away fourteen hundred...
Top Five Misquotations Of The Qur’an
The recent surge in negative sentiments towards Islam and Muslims has resulted in many attempts to depict the religion as inherently violent. This has also resulted in absurd accusations against the Qur’an. What are the five most frequently misquoted passages in the...