The reality of the Arab invasions – from non-Islamic sources – 2
THIS WAS THE CONJUNCTION between the Byzantine succession crisis in Constantinople that erupted in 638 AD, and the outbreak of…
The reality of the Arab invasions – from non-Islamic sources – 1
THE FAMOUS IRAQI HISTORIAN Jawād ‘Alī in his book Al-Mufaṣṣal fī Tārīkh al-‘Arab says: “It may be that Muslim historians…
How al-Bukhari opposes the Qur’ān
THE QUR’ĀN CONFIRMS the need to speak and dialogue with the ‘People of the Book’[2] in the best possible way:…
The nature of the Muslim’s relationship with his Lord
WE HAVE BEEN PROGRAMMED since childhood to fear this God, and His mercy to is depicted as a favour and…
Josef van Ess and the diagnosis of the Islamic problem – 2
THIS CURRENT PREVAILING image, however, should not deceive us, as we labour under the illusion that the entire history of…
Josef van Ess and the diagnosis of the Islamic problem – 1
THERE IS A DIFFERENCE between two disciplines: the ‘ilm al-kalām, and the ‘ilm al-fiqh. They are not the same thing,…
The Islamic triumphalist approach to history
THE SUBJECT OF ISLAM and how to handle the Qur’ān has remained the preserve of traditional jurists and scholars (the…
The radicalism of Mahmoud Muhammad Taha
IN MY PERSONAL ESTIMATION, had Professor Mahmoud not been radical and true to his thoughts and writings, to his will…
Islam between fiqh and hadith – which comes first?
DISAGREEMENT AMONG the hadith narrators was a constant and at times reached the point of mutual insults and takfīr.[2] The…
Opening up ijtihād – opening up the mind – 2
FUNDAMENTALIST REVIVALISTS have been exaggerating and emphasizing their claims to the point that you now see and hear people who…