MuslimMatters.org Discourses in the Intellectual Traditions, Political Situation, and Social Ethics of Muslim Life

A few weeks ago I was scheduled for endoscopic sinus surgery and a septoplasty. Since moving to Houston I have suffered from chronically clogged sinuses and allergy symptoms and finally decided to see an ENT specialist, who ordered a CT scan and on the next visit showed me the films, ... Read More »

Oznik.com has exposed us to yet another example of inhuman behavior perpetrated by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). Apparently, while occupying Lebanon during the Civil War it was all the rage to photograph the enemy dead as trophies with Israeli soldiers sporting broad self-congratulatory smiles and arms around shoulders which ... Read More »

I've realized something unsettling as I've read about the fate of the West Texas FLDS families. You'll note I didn't use the word “sect.” It's a judgmental word, one that minimizes the legitimacy of a religion. Who's to say what a sect is versus a branch versus a practice? When ... Read More »

By Irum Sarfaraz What is the legacy of Pakistan? Pakistan is in the throes of severe and aberrant conflict and the center of world attention at the moment. Stuck in a precarious geographical location with the medal of being a nuclear state around its neck, it has put the US ... Read More »

By Irum Sarfaraz 'We will show them our signs in the furthest regions (of the earth) and in their souls, until it becomes clear to them that this is the truth'. [41:53] I read the story of the earth's humming on Yahoo this morning and could only say 'Subhan Allāh! ... Read More »

An older version of the article was mistakenly posted. The correct version is posted now. Sorry for any inconvenience. By Irum Sarfaraz It would be an understatement to say that the escalating wave of suicide bombings in Pakistan is an acute threat to peace and a critical concern to the ... Read More »

I belong to a book discussion group whose members are predominantly converts. We are currently reading Even Angels Ask by Jeffrey Lang. I've struggled through the book, disliking some of his broad generalizations about people and feeling concern about some of his ways of deriving knowledge. Yesterday, however, we got ... Read More »

I believe that the call to the American Muslims is to influence and change the culture of the community around us as past Muslims have done. Part of our challenge is to become a vital part of our neighborhoods by convening and encouraging formation of future culture that serves the common good. We must become connoisseurs of an alternative way, recognizing and celebrating the good, true and beautiful way of Islam in our communities as an example to all others. Nowhere else does this potential for synergy exist except with the Muslims of America. Read More »

So Geert Wilder's video Fitna has finally been released onto the internet. And what a reaction there has been. Network Solutions pulled the site that was supposed to be hosting the film. Techcrunch is worried that Google might experience a “Muslim backlash”. Live Leak, who originally hosted the film, have ... Read More »

Among the few situations that would amount to 'million dollar questions' is “what do the Muslims really mean to the current presidential contenders”? Reading between the lines of the current rhetoric of the major three candidates, Muslims are little more than a pestiferous condition of the society where the mere ... Read More »