Author: Dr. Raida Jarrar

Dr. Raida Jarrar is a Palestinian American who holds a Doctorate of Engineering from Cleveland State University. Following a career of over twenty-five years in the fields of engineering and aviation IT, she worked as a volunteer at one of the largest Islamic centers in the Middle East, where she interacted with visitors of different religious backgrounds and diverse cultures. The series she writes for Al-Jumuah analyzes and encapsulates her discussions with the atheist visitors, presented in a question and answer format for clarity and ease of reference. The answers are sourced from research, discussions with colleagues and mentors, and personal thoughts. Dr. Jarrar also volunteers as a translator for Islamic content and hosts the Aslamt youtube channel, which is dedicated to answering common questions about faith. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiUK0Tcqdb2GNeoqnxIcXtw

ATHEISM: A Giant Leap of Faith | Part 7

Has science been hijacked by atheism? Because of some very vocal contemporary atheists, science has somehow become associated with atheism. This is a fallacious association. In the Middle Ages, most scientific activity originated in the Muslim world and the world’s leading scientists…

ATHEISM: A Giant Leap of Faith | Part 6

What about good atheists? Does our discussion (in Part 5) mean that all theists are moral and all atheists are immoral? No, that is not what we are saying. Morality is actually a crossover from one world (the non-material) to another (the…

ATHEISM: A Giant Leap of Faith | Part 5

No, it is not enough to be good. Some people say we do not need to believe in God; we just need to be good ethical people. Honestly, to a believer, this seems like such a waste. Why would anyone turn their…

ATHEISM: A Giant Leap of Faith | Part 4

How can God allow bad things to happen? (continued) We know from experience that things are never good or bad in an absolute sense but are always related to a purpose. We often make decisions to choose temporary suffering for some higher…

ATHEISM: A Giant Leap of Faith | Part 3

If God created us and the universe, then who created God? Even if we treat this as a valid question, it changes nothing. If we have a Creator, we owe him the reverence and worship that are rightfully His, as our divine…

ATHEISM: A Giant Leap of Faith | Part 2

How did it all start? There are three possibilities for explaining the beginning of our existence: First Possibility: We are created, or came into being, without the agency of a creator. Our innate knowledge tells us that every previously non-existing effect must…

ATHEISM: A Giant Leap of Faith | Part 1

Who has blind faith? Often, what turns people away from religion is an incorrect or inadequate concept of God. The discussion of [the true] God in this series is based on the Islamic monotheistic concept of God: The One and Only God,…

Ramaḍan: Month of the Qur’an

Ramadan is the (month) in which the Qur’an was sent down, as a guide to mankind and a clear guidance and judgment [so that mankind will distinguish right from wrong]. [Sûrah Al-Baqarah, 2:185] Imagine a man in a desert receiving a nail…