In the cause of Allah

Muriel Maufroy has masterfully crafted the transformations in Kimya's life. A Christian by birth, she became the daughter of a renowned Muslim saint and philosopher of her time, Mawlana Jalal-ud-Din Rumi. From a young age, Kimya was a curious girl with a strong inclination towards mystical paths. This restlessness led her to the ocean of mysticism, where she found nourishment and companionship. In her village, her father, Christopher, recognized her unique personality. He advised her parents to take her to Konya and enrolled her in a church where she could study religion. However, fate had other plans for her. During her life in the village, she explored her deep love for mysticism through a mystic who had come from Konya. This mystic had abandoned his life in the city to seek meditation and solitude in the distant mountains. Along with her sister, she brought food, and through their interactions, she learned different languages and gained answers to her many questions. He spoke to...

The internationally best-selling novel "The Reluctant Fundamentalist" is beautifully written by Pakistani author Mohsin Hamid. It has received acclaim from both critics and readers for its brilliance. The story unfolds through a series of events and memories that draw you in, making your curiosity grow with every turn of the page. The narrator, who calls himself Changez, is a citizen of Lahore, Pakistan, and comes from a middle-class family. At the age of 16, he was admitted to Princeton University in the United States, where he studied Finance and Accounting, fulfilling his dream. He graduated at 22 and secured a position at a reputable supply chain firm in the U.S. Throughout the narrative, Changez recounts his experience of falling in love with an American girl named Erica, who became an integral part of his life. He also reflects on the impact of significant events, such as the World Trade Center attacks, as well as the discrimination and insecurity he felt as a Pakistani...

Mahatma Gandhi once said, “Poverty is the worst form of violence.” When poverty is combined with hunger, it worsens the situation and adds insult to injury. Poverty is a lack of food, shelter, and clothing. It is often manifested through hunger, malnutrition, and limited access to education and basic necessities such as healthcare and infrastructure. Additionally, poverty encompasses social discrimination and exclusion from decision-making processes. Organizations like the United Nations, the United Nations Development Program, and the World Bank claim to have lifted half of the world's population out of poverty, measuring the poverty rate as living on one dollar per day. However, these same organizations acknowledge the persistence of acute poverty and hunger among more than 11 percent of the global population who live in extreme poverty, facing malnutrition and struggling to obtain basic necessities like education, healthcare, safe drinking water, and sanitation. Why are many cou...

Brexit refers to Britain’s departure from the European Union (EU). On June 23, 2016, the people of the UK voted in a referendum to leave the EU, which means the UK is abandoning the Single Market economy, customs unions, free movement of goods and people, and the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice. The UK joined the European Economic Community (EEC) in 1973, and just two years later, in 1975, it held its first referendum, in which 68% of voters chose to remain a part of the EEC (renamed as the EU in 1993). In the 2015 general elections, the Conservative Party promised to hold a referendum if they won. Prime Minister David Cameron followed through on this commitment in 2016, resulting in 51.9% of votes for leaving the EU and 48.1% for remaining.   Today, the EU serves as an economic, political, and security partnership among 28 member states in Europe. This multilateral coalition was established to prevent future wars in Europe through increased trade, with its foundation...

The project of modernity that began in the West has profoundly impacted Islam, particularly Shia Islam. Modernization has transformed Shia political ideology and the role of the Shia clergy. Shia scholars, such as Dr. Ali Shariati, Murtaza Mutahhari, Ruhollah Khomeini, Mirza Mahdi al-Shirazi, and Baqir Al-Sadr, have not only redefined Shia political ideology and the role of the clergy but have also staunchly defended Western influences while providing an indigenous socio-political and economic understanding of Islam.  Their efforts contributed significantly to strengthening Shia political ideology and the institution of the Shia clergy, leading to various institutional and ideological developments. For instance, Ali Shariati exposed the threats of Westernization and emphasized the need for a revival of cultural, spiritual, and religious independence within Shia Islam. Similarly, Mutahhari provided a viable alternative to the growing influence of Marxism and socialist interpretation...

The worldview and history of Shia Islam differ significantly from those of other Islamic denominations. Shia Muslims emphasize a forward-looking perspective, particularly regarding the reappearance of Imam Mahdi, who is believed to be in occultation. According to Shia theology, the Mahdi is a figure who will return in the future to avenge the injustice, oppression, and brutality of the past. His reappearance is expected to occur during a time when the earth is engulfed in chaos, evil, falsehood, and a degeneration of religion. This event, which is anticipated to happen at the end of human history, will fulfill the divine authority established by the prophets and represent the final hope for Shia Muslims (Ayoub, 221). Additionally, a Sunni source, Sahih Tirmidhi (74-75), records a tradition regarding Imam Mahdi in which the Prophet Muhammad stated, "Even if the entire duration of the world's existence has already been exhausted and only one day is left before Doomsday, Allah wi...

Throughout history, philosophers have sought to understand the world, proposing various theories along the way. From the early Greeks to Aristotle, there was a predominant belief in supernatural elements such as water, air, and fire. This intellectual journey continued through renowned philosophers like Plato, Aristotle, and Socrates, who advanced the field of philosophy. However, progress in physics, ethics, morality, science, and philosophy faced stagnation with the rise of Christianity and Judaism. During this time, asceticism and altruism began to overshadow reason and logic. Influential philosophers like Augustine and Thomas Aquinas worked to integrate Platonic and Aristotelian ideas with Christian faith, helping to preserve the principles of reason, logic, and empiricism within the religious context of the Middle Ages. During medieval times, thinkers from Jewish, Christian, and Muslim backgrounds were focused on the challenge of harmonizing philosophy with religion. The Neo-Pla...