“When will it be right to be Muslim and gay?”
Background The above question has been the subject of a lingering controversy over the last few weeks, spawning heated, emotional…
“We only die once” – Turkey’s Call to Arms to protect Jerusalem
Turkey says it has been rallying together an international peacekeeping force as the world looks on in horror at the…
“Vote Today; Be Kafir Tomorrow”: The Issue of Voting
That season of jostling for space to express a view on voting has once again descended upon the population here…
More Stories
The Undetected Poison
When people look around the world they see it full of problems and calamities, war, destruction, famine, poverty, people in therapy, people complaining of illnesses, death and misery. Many people question why this seems to be true today perhaps more than ever before. However, most do not look to the…
Ed’s Pic ‘n’ Mix & Other Assortments
I have, in the past, worked with many British-Asian women, many of whom were free and liberated, women of the Muslim faith donning the hijab and at times the face veil. Fortunately, my understanding of the liberation of women is not based on how little a women wears nor how…
The Brothers of Bal’aam
This article is an adapted translation of its original, Ikhwan Balʿām, written in Arabic by Dr. ʿAbdul ʿAzīz ʿAbdul Laṭīf. Balʿām changed from being a righteous man whose supplications were accepted into an iniquitous heretic who reneged on his faith. He was an individual who altered his righteous ways for…
In Quest of Equity? The Muslim Marriage Contract
Abstract: This paper provides an Islamic critique of the recent Muslim Marriage Contract and reform of Islamic law in general. Given the plurality of Islamic law, it asks whether we can ever establish what is and what is not Islamic. It argues that what makes one position Islamic and another…
Playing with Maqasid
Ijtihad (previous article can be found here) is closely associated with the aims and objectives of the Shari’ah (maqasid). When speaking about the conditions for making Ijtihad, Imam Al-Shatabi included at its forefront, ‘to be able to understand the goals of the Shari’ah in totality’1. Hence, with the advent of…
A White Islam
Although the title may suggest otherwise, this has nothing to do with the colour of many people in the UK who, despite the unyielding negative media stereotyping, still amaze us by becoming Muslim. It has more to do with the coloured cards on my niece’s wall, that when combined…
Playing with Ijtihad
Abstract: This paper discusses the concept of Ijtihad and seeks to highlight some observations concerning its correct role and usage. Attachments: File Description File size playing_with_ijtihad.pdf 359 Kb
Tafsir Surah al-Ikhlas
Abstract: Drawing on more than thirty five works of Qur'anic exegesis and related sciences, this commentary comprehensively explains Surah al-Ikhlas (The Purity of Faith), also called Nuru'l-Qur'an (The Light of the Qur'an). Revealed in response to a question posed to the Prophet (SAW) asking him to explain the lineage…
Middle People hear Echoes
I recently received an email asking me what the purpose was of my writings and how I felt these helped the Muslims in Britain and the Ummah more broadly. The writer’s scepticism is not unique to him alone. Indeed many people (Muslim and non-Muslim) regard theoretical musings as sheer bombast…
Finding Fault
Last week, Dr Farhan Nizami was quoted by the Telegraph1 as saying that Muslim parents are to blame for leaving their children open to the lure of ‘Islamic extremism’. However, any individual who actually has grown up, lived amongst, and engaged in discourse with ‘Islamic extremists’ will inevitably come to…
Most Popular
Why are new Muslims leaving Islam?
“I don’t know if you can help me; I don’t even know where to start.…
Attractive Hijabs & Shari’ah
Living in the west, the hijab has become a potent indicator of identity with many…
A James O’Brien masterclass in how to deal with people demanding Muslims apologise for #Charliehebdo
http://audioboom.com/boos/2784684-a-james-o-brien-masterclass-in-how-to-deal-with-people-demanding-that-muslims-apologise-for-charliehebdo/ Read today's post: In response to last night's shocking BBC Panorama by Dr Salman Butt Read…
Reply from Dr. Haitham Al-Haddad to allegations made in the Daily Mail & Sunday Times newspaper
I was deeply saddened on Sunday morning to see the article in your newspaper maligning…
