Category: General

On Socratic Ignorance, Double Ignorance, and the Dunning-Kruger Effect

A lot of people nowadays think that what they know is the extent of what can be known.Ustadh Ubaydullah Evans Socrates was known for many things. He rejected the gods of the Greek pantheon and was a monotheist. He held contempt for Athenian democracy and supported the idea of a technocracy. And he was known … Continue reading On Socratic Ignorance, Double Ignorance, and the Dunning-Kruger Effect →

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Two Types of People Often Targeted by Jinn

It's notable that many people in the world have never experienced jinn, and may even disbelieve in their very existence. Other folks have several stories to share. Why the different experiences? On a basic level, there's two types of people who are often targeted by jinn: The first is the most obvious (to Muslims at … Continue reading Two Types of People Often Targeted by Jinn →

Obscenity in Art and Media

These answers are from a Q&A session from a panel of scholars whom I will keep anonymous. Scholar 1: In film, the amount of images out there desensitize us, even Muslims, to sex and violence. Sometimes I see in my news feed people talking about the latest Game of Thrones episode and they're enamored with … Continue reading Obscenity in Art and Media →

The Italian Takeover of Kufra

The Frankfurter Zeitung reporter and author Muhammad Asad interviewed a man from Kufra after its seizure by the Italians in his book The Road to Mecca. "How did Kufra fall?" With a weary gesture, Sidi Umar [al-Mukhṭār] motioned to one of his men to come closer: "Let this man tell thee the story…He is one … Continue reading The Italian Takeover of Kufra →

The Hippie Trail: Afghanistan Before the War

Back in the mid-1950s to the late 1970s, Afghanistan was, in fact, a major tourism destination. A variety of folks would be found in the plethora of hotels and tourism agencies in Kabul and other cities. The "hippie trail," as it was known in Europe, crossed a multitude of Muslim countries, causing a boom in … Continue reading The Hippie Trail: Afghanistan Before the War →

THE QUR’AN’S CHALLENGE: A LITERARY & LINGUISTIC MIRACLE

By Hamza Andreas Tzortzis “Read! In the Name of your Lord Who has created. He has created man from a leech-like clot. Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous. Who has taught (the writing) by the pen. He has taught man that which he knew not.” Surah Al-’Alaq (The Clot) 96: 1-5 These were the … Continue reading THE QUR’AN’S CHALLENGE: A LITERARY & LINGUISTIC MIRACLE →

The Civil War & The Rise of the Taliban: A Brief History of Afghanistan, pt 2

Part 1 | Part 2 Afghanistan has always been a country of valleys. Only 12% of Afghan soil is arable, just half of which is actually cultivated due to water scarcity, making Afghanistan one of the driest, roughest patches of territory in the world. What water can be had is usually sourced from the mountains, … Continue reading The Civil War & The Rise of the Taliban: A Brief History of Afghanistan, pt 2 →

From the Soviets to the Civil War: A Brief History of Afghanistan, pt 1

Part 1 | Part 2 Mostly taken from No Good Men Among the Living by Anand Gopal. This is part 1 explaining the context of the Soviet invasion and its resulting civil war which led to the rise of the Taliban, coming up in pt 2. In the 1950s a wave of reforms swept Afghanistan … Continue reading From the Soviets to the Civil War: A Brief History of Afghanistan, pt 1 →

The Hypocrisy Behind Islamophobia

"Islam is violent" says the American soldier shooting an innocent Iraqi child. [13]"Islam is unjust" says the Colombian working on an American-owned coffee plantation for petty wages. [4]"Islam is evil" says the Han Chinese who's ancestors fought the British in 2 opium wars."Islam spread by the sword" says the Portuguese conquistador giving natives a choice … Continue reading The Hypocrisy Behind Islamophobia →