Category: The Q and A

  • Establishing Deep Roots

    In a phone conversation today with Dr. Sherman Jackson we exchanged thoughts on Andalus (Muslim Spain) and that despite its architectural beauty, it was unable to firmly establish roots such that, when the tide of adversity came at them, they were washed away. This is in comparison to the Muslims in the former Soviet Republic,… Continue reading

  • Perceptions

    Perceptions are so important and yet, are also so fallible. Are we seeing “what is”, or can our perceptions be fooled? This question arose recently in the bi-weekly class I teach, Understanding Islam. One young man asked what should he think of when it comes to “dark thoughts”: The kind you have when you are… Continue reading

  • Omnipotence For Dummies

    The following is an account from one of the many counseling sessions I do in my role as imam. In this session we discussed some questions regarding qadr (often translated/understood as “predestination” but whose root is much closer to “measuring”) and God’s omnipotence, particularly in the face of human tragedy. The results from the session were… Continue reading