Osama and Contemporary Reasoning: A Duel Assassination

The storming of Osama bin Laden’s compound, his subsequent execution, and the joyous triumphalism on behalf of his enemies is troubling on innumerable levels. If we scan through our memory files back to that dreadful morning of September the 11th, we will find a gaping hole in the case against bin Laden as the prime suspect in what was by definition, an international crime (lest we forget, thirteen percent of the victims were foreign nationals). On the face of the allegations made against him firstly is his denial of involvement. If, as the popular line suggests, his motive was driven by faith, it should be understood that people of faith do what they do with the intention of pleasing the Divine. This is particularly true in Islam. To deny an act after having committed it for the sake of God, would serve to nullify any heavenly reward.  For bin Laden to repudiate what his accusers have dubbed his “pinnacle achievement," should initiate a reanalysis of the possible motives attributed to his role in the 911 attacks.  Opponents argue he denounced any involvement only to avert being bombed into oblivion. Interestingly, these same individuals claim the ultimate aim of his ideology was predicated on martyrdom. Such an argument is severely flawed.

The Obligation of Environmental Stewardship in the Shari‘a

‘We offered the Trust to the heavens, the earth, and the mountains, yet they refused to undertake it and were afraid of it; mankind undertook it–they have always been inept and foolish.’ (33:72)[1]

Among the innumerable mercies Allah ta'ala has bestowed upon His creation in the Shari’a is the relationship between humanity and the natural environment. The Qur’anic narrative establishing a khalifat Allah fi’l-ard or vicegerent is fundamentally unique within the monotheistic tradition in which humanity’s relationship to earth is described as steward rather than an owner. Both in the passages of the sacred text and the prophetic traditions pertaining to creation demonstrate an inherent harmony ingrained within the core dimensions of Islam. As with many Qur’anic injunctions, there is an infinite revealing of knowledge taking place with the unfolding of time and our increased understanding of creation through the evolution of the sciences. As modernity illustrates, however, it is only by the Grace of Allah that the seeker of knowledge strives to comprehend revelation utilizing the blessing of the intellect. Dismissing the Divine element in the quest for understanding is to our spiritual peril as environmental degradation is to our existence.

Politics and the Other

Throughout the history of the modern nation state, politicians and agenda-driven media personalities, have maligned ethnic and religious minority communities.  In most cases, race has been the trigger used in marginalization.  During times of economic prosperity, calls to politically disenfranchise or define minorities as “unworthy” of equal protection under the law are reduced to a murmur and occasionally being in association with such views even become a political liability.  When an economic or political downturn begins to spiral, however, the murmurs hovering just below the surface gradually begin to fester and amass sympathetic listeners.  As the audience grows, the frequency of these messages begins to reverberate and zero in on those persons, who for some reason or other, are viewed outside acceptability.  Distrust can be aroused from something as minor as a foreign tongue.  Suspicions about what the other believes turn to fear, and fear to animosity; in its most insidious manifestation: hate.

"Christopher Hitchens Destroys Another Terrorism Apologist" −Not exactly.

Rencently, I was spurred into watching a "debate"  between Christopher Hitchens and Chris Hedges, as posted within this entry.  I am familiar with the participants and have gleaned useful information from each of their works on occasion.  The editing is rather choppy and it is evident any rebuttal has been deleted so I am not in a position to defend Mr. Hedges, however, Mr. Hitchens' understanding of Islam and what it represents reduces him to the level of an ignoramus, insofar as his knowledge of Shari’ah and jihad are concerned... 

A Tree Has Fallen in the Forest

The following is a reprint from New Islamic Directions, reproduced here by permission. It begins with an allegory drawn between the modern phenomenon of silencing popular movements simply by ignoring them, the tree that falls silently in the forest, presumeably because no one is around to hear it come crashing down. In today's popular climate of hatred toward and fear of all things Islamic, political spin doctors in the likes of Bill O'Reilly and Newt Gingrich are doing their best to paint the Muslim world population with the stain of a terrorist threat or, at the very least, willing sympathizers to acts considered abhorrent to our Islamic prophetic tradition. One of the better portrayals of what this can lead to was exhibited in Author Miller's Focus. As it pertains to the following, it should be well understood nine years after the events of September 11th, 2001 that those responsible have repeatedly been condemned by representatives across the Muslim spectrum, yet...

The Founders and Religious Exclusivity

Around every fourth of July, Americans are encouraged to reflect on their country’s struggle for independence−a struggle largely inspired by those values we, as a people, take a great deal of pride in espousing, perhaps none more than those guaranteed in the First Amendment: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press...”[1]

An Open Letter to a Taxi Company

In recent weeks, the adult entertainment industry has leaped into a propagation campaign to promote itself via taxi cab advertisements.