Society Archives - Page 2 of 14

What Does it Mean to Become Muslim? (1)

MANY CONVERT STORIES are to be found in cyberspace, giving testimony to how and why a growing number of persons are discovering Islam and committing themselves to its Guidance. Endless media headlines in the West feature “Islam” or “Muslim”–usually together with “terrorist”…

The Rights of the Poor in Islam

In the 2016 US Presidential Election Cycle, progressive candidates have taken to making the case for supporting the poor by taking back the earnings of the wealthy and helping support the poor. From the social standpoint of Islam, supporting society’s poor is…

Manufacturing Islamophobia in the Media

WHEN IT COMES to Islam and Muslims, the Western world by and large has turned on the news to learn about this faith and its people. The danger of this kind of education is manifesting in the actions of Americans, with hate…

(Mis)Understanding Transgender (2) | Outdated Fatawa, Scholarly Disengagement, and Lack of Tarbiyah

IN PART 1 we noted the critical lack of up-to-date fatâwa on the current issues concerning LGBTQ affairs—stemming from a general absence of engagement in the social context of non-Muslim majority countries. The average Muslim’s understanding is thus hindered, and very possibly…

Parents in a School Daze over Islam

LECTURES ABOUT WHAT Buddhists believe and how their faith spread to China, Burma, and beyond whizzed past my unlistening ears. A bad student, I dozed through discussions about what Martin Luther nailed to the door of All Saints’ Church and why he…

Misunderstanding Transgender (1)

WITH EVERY PASSING year – indeed, with every passing month – Muslims are faced with new intellectual and societal challenges to their faith. Whether it’s atheism, scientific claims about evolution, or social matters related to gender and sexuality, many Muslims (especially in the West)…

The Sound Mind

MIND AND ITS reasoning function are an essential part of Islamic thought and legislation. One could not exist without the other. What exactly do we refer to when we talk about the mind? There are two kinds of reasoning by the mind…

The Discipline of Allah

SOMETIMES MANY PARENTS express their mixed feelings about discipline by telling their child: “This is for your own good.” And if they resort to spanking a child, they sometimes say: “This hurts me a lot more than it does you.” Allah’s discipline, like…

Men Are Babies and Other Jokes

“MEN ARE JUST babies.” “Women are so emotional.” “Your husband is your first child.” “Don’t try to understand women.” In lectures and articles, from popular Muslim speakers and well-meaning aunties, these phrases are passed on as part and parcel of marriage advice…

What Converts Wish Raised Muslims Knew: We Want To Be Good Muslims, But …

OUR UMMAH IS seeing a huge surge in newcomers to Islam. It is perhaps a surge in conversion that has not been seen since Islam spread from China to Spain. According to the 2003 edition of the Guinness Book of World Records,…