Thoughts Archives - Page 2 of 31

King David, the Prophet

Muslims understand David as one of the major prophets sent by God —while Jews have emphasized David as the great foundational King of historical Israel. Why the difference in Islamic and Jewish orientations? Who Was David? Before David was a Prophet or…

What is the Meaning of Pilgrimage? Why Makkah?

PILGRIMAGE (Hajj) –like Prayer (Salah)– in Islam is a sequence of physical acts performed at a distinctive destination and designed to channel and to develop mankind’s innate longing to come “close’ to their Creator-Sustainer. Pilgrimage is common to the world’s religions. Central…

Jewish Scholars Who Admired Islam

Ignác/Ignaz [Yitzhaq Yehuda] Goldziher (June 22, 1850 – November 13, 1921), was a Hungarian scholar of Islam and is considered one of the three founders of modern Islamic studies in Europe. Goldziher was educated at the universities of Budapest, Berlin, Leipzig and…

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…

A Ramaḍan in Quarantine: Enrich Your Akhira through Correct Leadership at Home

A Ramaḍan in lockdown comes with its own tests and trials. For many it will be a calamity and others a blessing. A true believer will take utmost benefit out of it with patience and perseverance. You will find him grateful to…

Stance of a Muslim in Times of Epidemics

Humanity has been facing epidemics, suffering crises, enduring adversity, struggling with pandemics, and wrestling with plagues since its inception. No era has been free from one or another type of these calamities. Test and trial are the norm in this worldly life.…

Profit Maximization and Hoarding: An Islamic Corrective

Hoarding is a process of stocking goods in a warehouse or shop for selling them when the price has gone up due to scarcity. Sometimes this stocking up is done for the welfare of the family and community, but this humanitarian motive…

Nine Signs Or Ten Plagues?

Still being used in the 21st century are anti-Islamic polemical arguments from 18th and 19th century Christian Missionaries who claimed that Muhammad made lots of mistakes in the Qur’an when he refers to events that occur in the Bible. In reality, these…

Mi’raj For Reform Jews

At the annual commemoration of Isra and Mi’raj (March 22 this year) many Muslims will remind themselves of the well-known Hadith about why Muslims pray five times daily. The Qur’an itself does not explicitly state that there should be five distinct daily…

Why Some Jews Supported Prophet Muhammad And Others Didn’t

Rabbi Allen S. Maller offers Aljumuah readers his insight on early Jewish relationships with Prophet Muhammad on a day when Muslim World League leaders have just joined with Jewish leaders to visit Auschwitz, It is hard for me as a Reform Rabbi to…