By AY Mol on 26-4-2009 12:56

Theologist and Physic professor John Polkinghorne has a discussion with atheist Physic professor Steve Weinberg, who just commented that if God existed he would impale Steve with a sword from the sky, then there would be no doubt God existed, Polkinghorne gives some very interesting answers:

 

Polkinghorne: May I just say that, God forbid, if a flaming

sword were to come and decapitate Steve before our very eyes

that would pose a very big theological problem. Because that

would be the capricious act of a magical, vengeful god and that’s

not the God of my belief. You see the problem with miracles . . .

Weinberg: . . . it is the god, however, of your religious tradition.

Polkinghorne: I wouldn’t say that the religious tradition is unsullied,

but it’s certainly not the sole strand within that belief.

The problem with miracles is the problem of divine consistency.

God is not capricious, but God is not condemned equally...

Read More »

By AY Mol on 20-4-2009 20:01

Critical Thinkers for Islamic Reform: A Collection of Articles from Contemporary Thinkers on IslamThis important book is a collection of writings of more then 30 modern writers on Islam. From professional Islamic scholars to individuals writers and thinkers, this collection is groundbreaking and unique as a serious collection of 21st century Islamic thought on critical research, reform and renewal in Islamic and Qur'anic interpretation. With diverse subjects on the interpretation and message of Qur'an and its relation to human rights, freedom and wellfare. History of Islam, society and thought. Modern experience of being a Muslim, the concept of gender and needed actions for reform.To purchase the book, go to:Critical Thinkers for Islamic Reform by Edip Yuksel, Arnold Yasin Mol, Farouk A Peru (Editors)Authors...

Read More »

By Kamran Cheikh on 4/18/2009 3:20 AM

Quite possibly one of the greatest humanist and scientists of our times Al Jahiz (al-Jahiz = the goggle-eyed) established himself as a renowned scholar throughout the 9th century Muslim world.  As a politio-religious polemic, literary author, theologian, biologist and zoologist he became a revolutionary figure in the Abbasid Caliphate era that sparked a movement of science that would have an immense impact in the realm of biology and zoology for centuries to come. Al-Jahiz produced more than 200 works, of which approximately 30 survive, and was one of the first Muslim scholars to write on scientific subjects in the language of laymen.  Inspired by the statements in Qur'an about the origin and devolpment of life , he composed his most famous work Kitab al-hayawan (Book of animals) and recieved credit for establishing the first theory of human evolution and natural selection , 1000 years before Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection a fact which is not widely known.  Among the topics addressed in this seven-volume...

Read More »

By Kamran Cheikh on 4/14/2009 2:06 AM

 

      The question of whether Islam is compatible with democracy has been a highly debated issue for both the West and the Muslim majority world since the beginning of the 20th century. Scholars of history have often argued that there has been a clash of civilizations between Western and Muslim civilizations throughout history and that Islam will always be in conflict with secular democratic principles. The increase of globalization has also made this issue more important as coherent relations between Western and the Muslim majority societies have become increasingly vital in maintaining global prosperity.

 

 

  Despite, the commonly held view by historians that Islam is incompatible with democracy, scholars of Islam in Western societies have been able to argue the contrary, and that the relationship between Islam democracy goes back farther than most historians have recognized. In Professor John Esposito’s work Islam and Democracy he states that the notion of Islam being incompatible...

Read More »

By AY Mol on 12-4-2009 1:33

12:108 قل هذه سبيلي ادعو الي الله علي بصيرة انا ومن اتبعني وسبحان الله وما انا من المشركين     Say: This is my Way: I call on Allah resting upon reason and . I and whosoever followeth me - Glory be to Allah! - and I am not of the Mushrikeen. قل/Qul/Say: هذه سبيلي/hadihi sabilia/This is my Way ادعو/adh3ua/I call الي الله/ila Allah/to Allah علي/a3la/resting upon, based on  بصيرة/basiraht/mental perception, insight, reason, understanding, evidence based argumentation.  انا/ana/I   و من اتبعني/wa min atittab3ani/and from those that follow/pursue و سبحان الله/wa subhana Allah/ and sancrosanct, above all is Allah و ما انا من/wa ma ana min/and I am not of/from المشركين/mushrikeen/those that associate (illusions to reality)/are ensared/trapped (by superstition and wrong perception of reality). This very important verse explains that the Guidance/huda to the Way/Sabil of the Qur'an, its message and its explanation of Reality, is based on evidence based argumentation/basiraht. Basirah are things...

Read More »

By Kamran Cheikh on 4/11/2009 1:23 AM

With the current global economic crisis, many nations have been reconsidering their current philosophy of economic policies. Additionally, ethical theorists of economics have recognized that the current form global capitalistic economy needs to be reconstructed with more emphasis placed on global social welfare. This rising form of economic thought has led many theorists to views that are drawing quite closely to the Qur’anic view of economic and social welfare. One of the biggest proponents and developers of this line of thought is world renowned Australian Philosopher Peter Singer, who has written numerous works on issues of global poverty and the need for the affluent nations to change their current economic policies. In his most famous work, “Famine, Affluence and Morality” he argues that affluent persons and nations are morally obligated to donate far more resources to humanitarian causes than is considered normal in modern capitalistic societies. The essay was inspired by the starvation of Bangladesh Liberation...

Read More »

By AY Mol on 10-4-2009 12:43

 

 During a crisis it is an ancient human tradition to rethink our spirituality, as the human mind is used to the idea of being punished by the Divine, thus we reflected on our relationship with the Divine to see of we can restore the balance. But this approach to a crisis and our relationship with the Divine is an inheritance from our ancestors who lived in times when nature and cause and effect were chaotic looking and thus without a system, and this approach  is deeply imbedded in our cultures, religions and subconciousness.

 

55:8-9 Do not transgress in the balance. Observe the weight with equity, and do not fall short in the balance.

 

Read More »

By General on 4/6/2009 12:47 PM

Romanes Lecture at Oxford University, held on December 2, 2008

Vice Chancellor Dr John Hood, members of the faculty, students, distinguished ladies and gentlemen : I am very honored to be invited to deliver the Romanes Lecture at the world famous Sheldonian Theater at Oxford.   It is indeed a privilege for me to become a part of this great, hundred- year old tradition at Oxford University. Thank you for inviting me here. I have chosen today as the title of my speech "A Poverty Free World-  When? How?"  because I believe that not only is poverty  the most pressing issue of our time, I also believe, at the same time, that it is a problem that we have fully the capacity to tackle and overcome  within the first half of this century - if only we choose to do so. I am a compulsive optimist as far as poverty is concerned. I am an optimist because I am convinced that poverty is not as difficult or complex an issue as we are constantly told it is.  After all, poverty is about people.  I have always said that the ingredients for ending poverty comes neatly packaged within each person.  A human being is born in this world fully equipped not only to take care of him or herself, but also endowed with the ability to enlarge the well being of others in the world....

Read More »

By AY Mol on 4-4-2009 21:55

1. gain control over the forces of the physical world and keep open his achievements (3:190-191, 45:13), according to the laws of God, for the good and well-being of mankind at large (anything that benefits mankind remains on earth 13:17);
2. should have all that is required to maintain life (20:118-119), and
3. should lead a corporate life and establish a social order in which the physical needs of each and every individual shall be fully met and he shall have full opportunity and means for the development of his Personality (2:195, 92:18).

Read More »