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Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his final two Quranic commentaries on Surah 112: Al Ikhlas and Surah Al Fatiha, concluding the Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 30 April 2023.Project Illumine is a three-year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. Surah Al Ikhlas is the 113th surah in the series; Surah Al Fatiha is the 114th. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song shares her thoughts on the journey and reads Thank You letters to Shaykh from around the world, testifying to the impact of these Project Illumine halaqas.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 97: Al Qadr, Surah 113: Al Falaq, and Surah 114: Al Nas as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 15 April 2023.Project Illumine is a three-year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. Surah 97: Al Qadr is the 110th surah in the Project Illumine journey, Surah 113: Al Falaq is the 111th, and Surah 114: Al Nas is the 112th. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Research Fellow Rami Koujah raises some interesting questions and offers some comic relief.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 109: Al Kafirun and Surah 111: Al Masad as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 9 April 2023.Project Illumine is a three-year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. Surah Al Kafirun is the 106th surah in the series; Surah Al Masad is the 107th. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Research Fellow Rami Koujah raises some interesting questions and offers some comic relief.
Surah 103: Al-Asr and Surah 108: Al-Kawthar | Original English Commentary | Project Illumine by The Usuli Institute
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 91: Al Shams and Surah 104: Al Humazah as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 18 March 2023.Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. Surah Al Shams is the 104th surah in the series; Surah Al Humazah is the 105th. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song calls attention to the khutbah, "The Wellsprings of Islamophobia: It's Not Where You Think," and shares another song from WITNESS by Wietske Merison, "Hardship."
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 100: Al 'Adiyat and Surah 101: Al Qari'ah as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 11 March 2023.Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. Surah Al 'Adiyat is the 102nd surah in the series; Surah Al Qari'ah is the 103rd. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song calls attention to the conversation between Professor Aminah Al-Deen and Dr. Abou El Fadl on her show Critical Talk on Muslim Network TV: Critical Talk
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 90 Al Balad and Surah 95 Al Tin as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 4 March 2023.Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. Surah Al Balad is the 100th surah in the series; Surah Al Tin is the 101st. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song calls attention to the full album launch of WITNESS by Wietske Merison (https://wietskemerison.hearnow.com/); her podcast discussion with Wietske Merison about WITNESS ( • "WITNESS" by Wietske Merison: A Conve... ); and the podcast "The Malcolm Effect," in which Dr. Abou El Fadl was interviewed by Momodou Taal (https://open.spotify.com/episode/3fyw....
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 98: Al Bayyinah and Surah 99: Al Zalzalah as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 25 February 2023.Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. Surah Al Bayyinah is the 98th surah in the series; Surah Al Zalzalah is the 99th. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song clarifies the Usuli publication process and highlights the next major Usuli project on the horizon - Project Illumine II: The Light of the Prophet Muhammad ("Decolonizing the Sirah in the Age of Islamophobia: A Master Class")
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 105: Al Fil and Surah 106: Quraysh as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 18 February 2023.Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. Surah Al Fil is the 96th surah in the series; Surah Quraysh is the 97th. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song discusses the next major Usuli project on the horizon - Project Illumine II: The Light of the Prophet Muhammad ("Decolonizing the Sirah in the Age of Islamophobia: A Master Class") along with its fundraising campaign (www.launchgood.com/projectilluminesirah); and share another new song by Wietske Merison titled, "City of Angels": • "City of Angels" by Wietske Merison .
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 102: Al Takathur and Surah 107: Al Ma'un as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 11 February 2023.Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. Surah Al Takathur is the 94th surah in the series; Surah Al Ma'un is the 95th. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song previews the next major Usuli project on the horizon - Project Illumine II: The Light of the Prophet Muhammad (The Sirah Halaqas) with more to come.Please support the Usuli Institute at https://www.usuli.org/donate to help us continue in our endeavors. Your donation to The Institute for Advanced Usuli Studies will help fund important work to combat extremism and ignorance. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity dedicated to research and education to promote humanistically beautiful and morally elevating interpretations of Islam. We seek to support our brightest minds to advance knowledge and to build a community of individuals founded on dignity, respect and love for all of God's creation. For quick links to all previous Project Illumine halaqas, go to: https://www.usuli.org/project-illumin... Visit https://linktr.ee/usuliinstitute for more resources.
Wietske Merison and Grace Song, Executive Director of The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org) discuss Wietske' first music album, WITNESS, and her reflections on music, the process of writing her music, and the story behind her songs on the album. WITNESS was sponsored by The Usuli Institute. For all songs, visit: wietskemerison.hearnow.com/ Full album and podcast released 1 March 2023.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl answers questions on Surah 5: Al Ma'idah and presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 110: Al Nasr as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 4 February 2023.Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. Surah Al Ma'idah is the 92nd surah in the series; Surah Al Nasr is the 93rd. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song shares the background of a special project six months in the making - sponsoring the recording of a music album by Wietske Merison - and presents the first single, "Shahada," in advance of the full album's release set for 1 March 2023.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 5: Al Ma'idah as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 28 January 2023.Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the 92nd surah in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song shares key updates and a new CJ Werleman episode based on The Prophet's Pulpit, Volume I chapter entitled "Resisting the Colonization of Muslim Minds," and highlights Dr. Abou El Fadl, The Usuli Institute, and The Prophet's Pulpit.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 5: Al Ma'idah as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 21 January 2023.Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the 92nd surah in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song shares a story about Shaykh's relationship with the word.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 5: Al Ma'idah as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 4 January 2023.Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the 92nd surah in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song talks about the publication of Volume 2 of The Prophet's Pulpit.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 5: Al Ma'idah as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 7 January 2023.Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the 92nd surah in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song talks about hopes for 2023 and never being able to go to Mecca.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 5: Al Ma'idah as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 31 December 2022.Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the 92nd surah in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song shares her top ten list for the best things that happened at The Usuli Institute in 2022.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 5: Al Ma'idah as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 24 December 2022.Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the 92nd surah in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 5: Al Ma'idah as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 17 December 2022.Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the 92nd surah in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song shares reflections on the tafsir journey now that Dr. Abou El Fadl will be covering the final chapter of the Qur'anic revelation.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 89: Al Fajr and Surah 92: Al Layl as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 10 December 2022.Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. These are the 90th and 91st surahs in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song commemorates the 5th year anniversary of The Usuli Institute and shares highlights from the previous five years.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 93: Al Duha and Surah 94: Al Sharh, as well as Q&A for these and Surah 9: Al Tawbah, as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 3 December 2022.Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. These are the 88th and 89th surahs in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song calls attention to the previous day's khutbah and the guest artist performing the recent adhans from the previous two khutbahs.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 9: Al Tawbah as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 26 November 2022.Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the eighty-seventh chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song shares reflections on gratitude juxtaposed against the realities of vulnerable convert women who are told they must obey an ugly version of Islam.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 9: Al Tawbah as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 19 November 2022.Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the eighty-seventh chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song introduces a furry friend.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 9: Al Tawbah as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 6 November 2022.Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the eighty-seventh chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song shares reflections on moving from the losing team to the winning team.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 9: Al Tawbah as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 22 October 2022.Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the eighty-seventh chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song shares learning from her personal reminders journal from the year 2006.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 9: Al Tawbah as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 15 October 2022.Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the eighty-seventh chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song talks about the hijab and clarifies her position.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 9: Al Tawbah as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 8 October 2022.Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the eighty-seventh chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song talks about the campaign to share The Prophet's Pulpit.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 9: Al Tawbah as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 1 October 2022.Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the eighty-seventh chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song shares their experience with being part of the Ramy Season 3 Aftershows. Ramy Season 3 is now available for streaming on Hulu!
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 9: Al Tawbah as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 25 September 2022. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song shares recent reports about wealth and power, and talks about the passing of Oso, the husky.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 60: Al Mumtahana as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 17 September 2022.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 60: Al Mumtahana as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 10 September 2022.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl answers questions regarding his Quranic commentary on Surah 22: Al Hajj and Surah 48: Al Fath as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 3 September 2022.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 48: Al Fath as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 26 August 2022.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 22: Al Hajj (Day 3) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 20 August 2022.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 22: Al Hajj (Day 2) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 16 August 2022.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 22: Al Hajj (Day 1) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 13 August 2022.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl answers questions after his original English language commentary (tafsir) on Surahs Ahzab and Tahrim, part of the Project Illumine: The Light of the Quran series. This comprehensive chapter-by-chapter intensive study of the Quran is the result of this scholar's lifelong relationship with the Quran in which he tries to recapture the ethical message that sparked the passion of early Muslims and apply those lessons to our modern day challenges. Recorded at the Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org) on 10 August 2022. The topics discussed in this Q&A include, but are not limited to: Shaykh’s personal journey with the chapters; advice in dealing with relationships anchored around God; more on marital relationships or marriages that rise to the level of eternity; eschatology; the problem with people allowing for law to define ethics — with the example of adoption and breast-feeding; the wives of the Prophet; on multiple marriages for pragmatic purposes; how the male-ego lives out its frustrations on the bodies of women; the sophistication of divine texts; Ashura; Modesty and hijab in Islam; and more.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 66: Al Tahrim as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song talks about dogs and draws attention to our latest Khutbah, It's a Dog's Life: Reflecting on Rights to Life and Mercy, Usuli Institute Khutbah, 5 August 2022
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 33: Al Ahzab (Day 4) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song discusses the recent Jordan Peterson “Message to Muslims”. Additionally, Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl shares a list of resources on the history Native Americans and settler colonialism in Western Civilization, while commenting on his recent Khutbah: Murder, Suicide and Death by Abrahamic Accords, Usuli Institute Khutbah, 15 July 2022
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 33: Al Ahzab (Day 3) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). Notice, the very ending of the clip includes comments the Shaykh made once the livestream ended.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 33: Al Ahzab (Day 2) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org).
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 33: Al Ahzab (Day 1) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org).
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl answers questions after his original English language commentary (tafsir) on Surah Hashr and Surah Nur, part of Project Illumine: The Light of the Quran series. This comprehensive chapter-by-chapter intensive study of the Quran is the result of this scholar's lifelong relationship with the Quran in which he tries to recapture the ethical message that sparked the passion of early Muslims and apply those lessons to our modern day challenges. Recorded at the Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org) on 2 July 2022. The topics discussed in this Q&A include, but are not limited to: the sin of Hajj; the Shaykh’s personal journey with the surahs; practices of bashfulness and shame in relation to Allah, and the bashfulness of the Prophet; hikmah and izza; necropolitics; theories of justice and honesty in such discourses; studying Arabic in countries like Saudi Arabia; question of awra and zina, especially in relation to men; going beyond physical appearances; suspending judgement; and more.The article that the Shaykh mentions from the first question on the sin of Hajj is: Prohibiting the Pilgrimage: Politics and Fiction in Mālikī Fatwās https://brill.com/view/journals/ils/2... Please support the Usuli Institute at https://www.usuli.org/donate to help us continue in our endeavors. Your donation to The Institute for Advanced Usuli Studies will help fund important work to combat extremism and ignorance. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity dedicated to research and education to promote humanistically beautiful and morally elevating interpretations of Islam. We seek to support our brightest minds to advance knowledge and to build a community of individuals founded on dignity, respect and love for all of God's creation. For quick links to all previous Project Illumine halaqas, go to: https://www.usuli.org/project-illumine. Visit https://linktr.ee/usuliinstitute for more resources.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 24: Al Nur (Day 4) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org).Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the eightieth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song draws attention to the latest Usuli Institute Khutbah on Hajj. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 25 June 2022. Please support the Usuli Institute at https://www.usuli.org/donate to help us continue in our endeavors. Your donation to The Institute for Advanced Usuli Studies will help fund important work to combat extremism and ignorance. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity dedicated to research and education to promote humanistically beautiful and morally elevating interpretations of Islam. We seek to support our brightest minds to advance knowledge and to build a community of individuals founded on dignity, respect and love for all of God's creation. For quick links to all previous Project Illumine halaqas, go to: https://www.usuli.org/project-illumin... Visit https://linktr.ee/usuliinstitute for more resources.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 24: Al Nur (Day 3) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org).Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the eightieth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song contrasts the beauty and light of a dog that communicates through buttons with the dark and evil treatment of dogs at the Yulin Dog Festival in China. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 21 June 2022. Please support the Usuli Institute at https://www.usuli.org/donate to help us continue in our endeavors. Your donation to The Institute for Advanced Usuli Studies will help fund important work to combat extremism and ignorance. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity dedicated to research and education to promote humanistically beautiful and morally elevating interpretations of Islam. We seek to support our brightest minds to advance knowledge and to build a community of individuals founded on dignity, respect and love for all of God's creation. For quick links to all previous Project Illumine halaqas, go to: https://www.usuli.org/project-illumin... Visit https://linktr.ee/usuliinstitute for more resources.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 24: Al Nur (Day 2) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org).Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the eightieth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song shares reflections on the khutbah entitled "The Calculus of A Moral Decision" and shares Usuli stats to date. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 18 June 2022. Please support the Usuli Institute at https://www.usuli.org/donate to help us continue in our endeavors. Your donation to The Institute for Advanced Usuli Studies will help fund important work to combat extremism and ignorance. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity dedicated to research and education to promote humanistically beautiful and morally elevating interpretations of Islam. We seek to support our brightest minds to advance knowledge and to build a community of individuals founded on dignity, respect and love for all of God's creation. For quick links to all previous Project Illumine halaqas, go to: https://www.usuli.org/project-illumin... Visit https://linktr.ee/usuliinstitute for more resources.
Day 1 of 5: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 24: Al Nur (Day 1) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org).Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the eightieth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song reflects on the aftermath of her response to the Jordan Peterson and Hamza Yusuf talk. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 11 June 2022. Please support the Usuli Institute at https://www.usuli.org/donate to help us continue in our endeavors. Your donation to The Institute for Advanced Usuli Studies will help fund important work to combat extremism and ignorance. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity dedicated to research and education to promote humanistically beautiful and morally elevating interpretations of Islam. We seek to support our brightest minds to advance knowledge and to build a community of individuals founded on dignity, respect and love for all of God's creation. For quick links to all previous Project Illumine halaqas, go to: https://www.usuli.org/project-illumin... Visit https://linktr.ee/usuliinstitute for more resources.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 59: Al Hashr (Day 2) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org).Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the seventy-ninth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song offers her own answers to the Jordan Peterson and Hamza Yusuf talk. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 4 June 2022. Please support the Usuli Institute at https://www.usuli.org/donate to help us continue in our endeavors. Your donation to The Institute for Advanced Usuli Studies will help fund important work to combat extremism and ignorance. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity dedicated to research and education to promote humanistically beautiful and morally elevating interpretations of Islam. We seek to support our brightest minds to advance knowledge and to build a community of individuals founded on dignity, respect and love for all of God's creation. For quick links to all previous Project Illumine halaqas, go to: https://www.usuli.org/project-illumin... Visit https://linktr.ee/usuliinstitute for more resources.
Day 1 of 2: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 59: Al Hashr (Day 1) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the seventy-ninth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song draws attention to the latest Usuli Institute Khutbah, some stats on Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl’s Halaqas, and comments on the recent discussion between Jordan Peterson and Hamza Yusuf. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 28 May 2022. Please support the Usuli Institute at https://www.usuli.org/donate to help us continue in our endeavors. Your donation to The Institute for Advanced Usuli Studies will help fund important work to combat extremism and ignorance. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity dedicated to research and education to promote humanistically beautiful and morally elevating interpretations of Islam. We seek to support our brightest minds to advance knowledge and to build a community of individuals founded on dignity, respect and love for all of God's creation. For quick links to all previous Project Illumine halaqas, go to: https://www.usuli.org/project-illumin... Visit https://linktr.ee/usuliinstitute for more resources.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 61: Al Saff as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). There is a Q&A at the end. (This is a corrected version from an earlier upload)Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the seventy-eighth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song shares critical news items including the right wing Israeli group's call to tear down Al Aqsa Mosque on Jerusalem Day. She shares reflections as a convert connecting to Al Aqsa and reads an email from a long-time Usuli follower and convert. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 21 May 2022. Please support the Usuli Institute at https://www.usuli.org/donate to help us continue in our endeavors. Your donation to The Institute for Advanced Usuli Studies will help fund important work to combat extremism and ignorance. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity dedicated to research and education to promote humanistically beautiful and morally elevating interpretations of Islam. We seek to support our brightest minds to advance knowledge and to build a community of individuals founded on dignity, respect and love for all of God's creation. For quick links to all previous Project Illumine halaqas, go to: https://www.usuli.org/project-illumin... Visit https://linktr.ee/usuliinstitute for more resources.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 62: Al Jumu’ah as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). There is a Q&A at the end.Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the seventy-seventh chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song discusses recent events transpiring in Palestine as well as a few news sources. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 14 May 2022. Please support the Usuli Institute at https://www.usuli.org/donate to help us continue in our endeavors. Your donation to The Institute for Advanced Usuli Studies will help fund important work to combat extremism and ignorance. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity dedicated to research and education to promote humanistically beautiful and morally elevating interpretations of Islam. We seek to support our brightest minds to advance knowledge and to build a community of individuals founded on dignity, respect and love for all of God's creation. For quick links to all previous Project Illumine halaqas, go to: https://www.usuli.org/project-illumin... Visit https://linktr.ee/usuliinstitute for more resources.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 63: Al Munafiqun (Day 2) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). There is a Q&A at the end.Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the seventy-sixth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song shares a few headlines and updates including the must-watch latest Usuli Institute Khutbah from Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 7 May 2022. Please support the Usuli Institute at https://www.usuli.org/donate to help us continue in our endeavors. Your donation to The Institute for Advanced Usuli Studies will help fund important work to combat extremism and ignorance. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity dedicated to research and education to promote humanistically beautiful and morally elevating interpretations of Islam. We seek to support our brightest minds to advance knowledge and to build a community of individuals founded on dignity, respect and love for all of God's creation. For quick links to all previous Project Illumine halaqas, go to: https://www.usuli.org/project-illumin... Visit https://linktr.ee/usuliinstitute for more resources.
Day 1 of 2: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 63: Al Munafiqun (Day 1) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the seventy-sixth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song shares a few messages she’s received. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 30 April 2022. Please support the Usuli Institute at https://www.usuli.org/donate to help us continue in our endeavors. Your donation to The Institute for Advanced Usuli Studies will help fund important work to combat extremism and ignorance. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity dedicated to research and education to promote humanistically beautiful and morally elevating interpretations of Islam. We seek to support our brightest minds to advance knowledge and to build a community of individuals founded on dignity, respect and love for all of God's creation. For quick links to all previous Project Illumine halaqas, go to: https://www.usuli.org/project-illumin... Visit https://linktr.ee/usuliinstitute for more resources.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 58: Al Mujadilah (Day 2) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). There is a Q&A at the end.Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the seventy-fifth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song announces the first release from Usuli Press, “The Prophet’s Pulpit: Commentaries on the State of Islam” along with some history. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 23 April 2022. Please support the Usuli Institute at https://www.usuli.org/donate to help us continue in our endeavors. Your donation to The Institute for Advanced Usuli Studies will help fund important work to combat extremism and ignorance. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity dedicated to research and education to promote humanistically beautiful and morally elevating interpretations of Islam. We seek to support our brightest minds to advance knowledge and to build a community of individuals founded on dignity, respect and love for all of God's creation. For quick links to all previous Project Illumine halaqas, go to: https://www.usuli.org/project-illumin... Visit https://linktr.ee/usuliinstitute for more resources.
Day 1 of 2: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 58: Al Mujadilah (Day 1) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the seventy-fifth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song discusses our progression with the Qur’an under Project Illumine and the singularity of what we have been doing at The Usuli Institute, along with reflections on an Article. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 16 April 2022. Please support the Usuli Institute at https://www.usuli.org/donate to help us continue in our endeavors. Your donation to The Institute for Advanced Usuli Studies will help fund important work to combat extremism and ignorance. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity dedicated to research and education to promote humanistically beautiful and morally elevating interpretations of Islam. We seek to support our brightest minds to advance knowledge and to build a community of individuals founded on dignity, respect and love for all of God's creation. For quick links to all previous Project Illumine halaqas, go to: https://www.usuli.org/project-illumin... Visit https://linktr.ee/usuliinstitute for more resources.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl answers questions after his original English language commentary (tafsir) on Surah 4: Al Nisa’ (11 day series). Part of the Project Illumine: The Light of the Quran series. This comprehensive chapter-by-chapter intensive study of the Quran is the result of this scholar's lifelong relationship with the Quran in which he tries to recapture the ethical message that sparked the passion of early Muslims and apply those lessons to our modern day challenges. Recorded at the Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org) on 9 April 2022. The topics discussed in this Q&A include, but are not limited to: on supplication and dua; Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl’s personal journey in approaching Surah Al Nisa’; orientalist discourses on the Prophet; on disempowerment of creation — human or animal; the legacy of colonialism; the entitlement to dignity; compulsory drafts and gaining political clout; Please support the Usuli Institute at https://www.usuli.org/donate to help us continue in our endeavors. Your donation to The Institute for Advanced Usuli Studies will help fund important work to combat extremism and ignorance. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity dedicated to research and education to promote humanistically beautiful and morally elevating interpretations of Islam. We seek to support our brightest minds to advance knowledge and to build a community of individuals founded on dignity, respect and love for all of God's creation. For quick links to all previous Project Illumine halaqas, go to: https://www.usuli.org/project-illumine. Visit https://linktr.ee/usuliinstitute for more resources.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 4: Al Nisa’ (Day 11 - final day) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). The verses covered in Day 11 are roughly, one hundred fifty to one hundred seventy-six (the conclusion, including an ending overview of the entire chapter).Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the seventy-fourth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song draws attention to a number of recent programs at the Institute including: the latest Khutbah; a class in Muslim, Race, and Law; a library tour; and the latest LaunchGood campaign. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 2 April 2022. Please support the Usuli Institute at https://www.usuli.org/donate to help us continue in our endeavors. Your donation to The Institute for Advanced Usuli Studies will help fund important work to combat extremism and ignorance. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity dedicated to research and education to promote humanistically beautiful and morally elevating interpretations of Islam. We seek to support our brightest minds to advance knowledge and to build a community of individuals founded on dignity, respect and love for all of God's creation. For quick links to all previous Project Illumine halaqas, go to: https://www.usuli.org/project-illumin.... Visit https://linktr.ee/usuliinstitute for more resources.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 4: Al Nisa’ (Day 10) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). The verses covered in Day 10 are roughly, one hundred thirty to one hundred fifty.Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the seventy-fourth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song discusses a few of the past programs here at The Usuli Institute including the Dispelling Myths Q&A, yesterday’s Khutbah, and the keynote speech the National Muslim Law Student Association. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 26 March 2022. Please support the Usuli Institute at https://www.usuli.org/donate to help us continue in our endeavors. Your donation to The Institute for Advanced Usuli Studies will help fund important work to combat extremism and ignorance. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity dedicated to research and education to promote humanistically beautiful and morally elevating interpretations of Islam. We seek to support our brightest minds to advance knowledge and to build a community of individuals founded on dignity, respect and love for all of God's creation. For quick links to all previous Project Illumine halaqas, go to: https://www.usuli.org/project-illumin.... Visit https://linktr.ee/usuliinstitute for more resources.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 4: Al Nisa’ (Day 9) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). The verses covered in Day 9 are roughly, one hundred twenty-two to one hundred twenty-nine.Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the seventy-fourth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song discusses a donation matching program during Ramadan, upcoming events at the Usuli Institute, and more! Please visit our website to donate to our endeavors! Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 19 March 2022. Please support the Usuli Institute at https://www.usuli.org/donate to help us continue in our endeavors. Your donation to The Institute for Advanced Usuli Studies will help fund important work to combat extremism and ignorance. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity dedicated to research and education to promote humanistically beautiful and morally elevating interpretations of Islam. We seek to support our brightest minds to advance knowledge and to build a community of individuals founded on dignity, respect and love for all of God's creation. For quick links to all previous Project Illumine halaqas, go to: https://www.usuli.org/project-illumin.... Visit https://linktr.ee/usuliinstitute for more resources.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 4: Al Nisa’ (Day 8) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). The verses covered in Day 8 are roughly, one hundred one to one hundred nineteen. Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the seventy-fourth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song draws attention to our latest Khutbah: The Elixir of Faith and How to Change the World, https://youtu.be/IGKg-Zf52dM and her recent conversation with her friend, Cameron (38) about life, death, and more (https://youtu.be/3WrEqavxT_Q) . Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 12 March 2022. Please support the Usuli Institute at https://www.usuli.org/donate to help us continue in our endeavors. Your donation to The Institute for Advanced Usuli Studies will help fund important work to combat extremism and ignorance. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity dedicated to research and education to promote humanistically beautiful and morally elevating interpretations of Islam. We seek to support our brightest minds to advance knowledge and to build a community of individuals founded on dignity, respect and love for all of God's creation. For quick links to all previous Project Illumine halaqas, go to: https://www.usuli.org/project-illumin.... Visit https://linktr.ee/usuliinstitute for more resources.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 4: Al Nisa’ (Day 7) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). The verses covered in Day 7 are roughly, eighty-eight to one hundred. Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the seventy-fourth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song draws attention to our latest Khutbah — perhaps the best one yet: Intimacy With God and the Truth of the World Laid Bare, Usuli Institute Khutbah, 4 March 2022 https://youtu.be/TjmMG3Guw1I. She also shares three meaningful correspondents from the past week. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 5 March 2022. Please support the Usuli Institute at https://www.usuli.org/donate to help us continue in our endeavors. Your donation to The Institute for Advanced Usuli Studies will help fund important work to combat extremism and ignorance. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity dedicated to research and education to promote humanistically beautiful and morally elevating interpretations of Islam. We seek to support our brightest minds to advance knowledge and to build a community of individuals founded on dignity, respect and love for all of God's creation. For quick links to all previous Project Illumine halaqas, go to: https://www.usuli.org/project-illumin.... Visit https://linktr.ee/usuliinstitute for more resources.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 4: Al Nisa’ (Day 6) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). The verses covered in Day 6 are roughly, seventy-five to eighty-eight.Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the seventy-fourth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song draws attention to Dr. Abou El Fadl’s latest powerful Khutbah, remembers a dedicated Muslim advocate, Jennifer Bennetch, and draws attention to the website https://israelpalestinenews.org/. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 26 February 2022. Please support the Usuli Institute at https://www.usuli.org/donate to help us continue in our endeavors. Your donation to The Institute for Advanced Usuli Studies will help fund important work to combat extremism and ignorance. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity dedicated to research and education to promote humanistically beautiful and morally elevating interpretations of Islam. We seek to support our brightest minds to advance knowledge and to build a community of individuals founded on dignity, respect and love for all of God's creation. For quick links to all previous Project Illumine halaqas, go to: https://www.usuli.org/project-illumin.... Visit https://linktr.ee/usuliinstitute for more resources.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 4: Al Nisa’ (Day 5) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). The verses covered in Day 5 are roughly, fifty-four to seventy-six.Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the seventy-fourth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song shares a few of our upcoming events on Islam and the public life and sexual abuse in religious communities, and draws attention to an organization, https://www.solaceuk.org/. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 19 February 2022. Please support the Usuli Institute at https://www.usuli.org/donate to help us continue in our endeavors. Your donation to The Institute for Advanced Usuli Studies will help fund important work to combat extremism and ignorance. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity dedicated to research and education to promote humanistically beautiful and morally elevating interpretations of Islam. We seek to support our brightest minds to advance knowledge and to build a community of individuals founded on dignity, respect and love for all of God's creation. For quick links to all previous Project Illumine halaqas, go to: https://www.usuli.org/project-illumin.... Visit https://linktr.ee/usuliinstitute for more resources.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 4: Al Nisa’ (Day 4) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). The verses covered in Day 4 are roughly, forty-two to fifty-four.Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the seventy-fourth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song draws attention to the latest Khutbah, Learning Not to be Selfish and the Legacy of Killing the Prophet's Grandson: https://youtu.be/d9QEtI6TgV4 and shares a beautiful message from a viewer. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 12 January 2022. Please support the Usuli Institute at https://www.usuli.org/donate to help us continue in our endeavors. Your donation to The Institute for Advanced Usuli Studies will help fund important work to combat extremism and ignorance. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity dedicated to research and education to promote humanistically beautiful and morally elevating interpretations of Islam. We seek to support our brightest minds to advance knowledge and to build a community of individuals founded on dignity, respect and love for all of God's creation. For quick links to all previous Project Illumine halaqas, go to: https://www.usuli.org/project-illumin.... Visit https://linktr.ee/usuliinstitute for more resources.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 4: Al Nisa’ (Day 3) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). The verses covered in Day 3 are roughly, numbers thirty to forty-two. Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the seventy-fourth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song draws attention to the plight of Uyghurs in China, and shares resources for further reading (https://www.theatlantic.com/internati..., https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports..., https://www.npr.org/2022/02/03/107379..., https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/2..., https://usuli.us17.list-manage.com/tr.... Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 5 February 2022. Please support the Usuli Institute at https://www.usuli.org/donate to help us continue in our endeavors. Your donation to The Institute for Advanced Usuli Studies will help fund important work to combat extremism and ignorance. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity dedicated to research and education to promote humanistically beautiful and morally elevating interpretations of Islam. We seek to support our brightest minds to advance knowledge and to build a community of individuals founded on dignity, respect and love for all of God's creation. For quick links to all previous Project Illumine halaqas, go to: https://www.usuli.org/project-illumin... Visit https://linktr.ee/usuliinstitute for more resources.
First single by Wietske Merison from her album titled, WITNESS. For more, visit www.usuli.org/music/wietske. Also available on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/DvOG3qce5Ko Full album release date: March 1, 2023.Lyrics:I testifyBy heart and eyeBy the tears I cryI no longer denyThe blessings in my life that are too numerous to countMy heart I thought was lost but in your mercy it was foundSo from this moment onward, ya Hadi be my guideTill even my darkest darkness is just a shadow of your lightAshaddu an la ilaha illa Allah, la ilaha illa Allah,La ilaha illa Allah, la ilaha illa AllahLa ilaha illa Allah, la ilaha illa AllahLa ilaha illa Allah, wa ashaddu anna Muhammadan Rasul UllahI witnessI see you are the sight beyond my eyesI witnessTruth has become apparent beyond liesI witnessThe many different names have become oneI witnessReturning back to where we had begunAshaddu an la ilaha illa Allah, la ilaha illa Allah,La ilaha illa Allah, la ilaha illa AllahLa ilaha illa Allah, la ilaha illa AllahLa ilaha illa Allah, wa ashaddu anna Muhammadan Rasul Ullah
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 4: Al Nisa’ (Day 2) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). The verses covered in Day 2 are roughly, numbers thirteen to twenty-nine.
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the seventy-fourth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song expresses her gratitude to our donors and shares a sweet message from a supporter. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 29 January 2022.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 4: Al Nisa’ (Day 1) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). The verses covered in Day 1 are roughly, numbers one to twelve.
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the seventy-fourth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song brings attention to how Uyghurs are ignored in media discussions today, while advocating that Muslims unite to combat Islamophobia. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 22 January 2022.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 49: Al Hujurat (Day 2) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org).
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the seventy-third chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song directs attention to the latest Usuli Institute Khtubah (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Qbbagjk...) while making a call for Muslims to spend their wealth on principled causes while combatting the multi-million dollar industry of Islamophobia. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 15 January 2022.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 49: Al Hujurat (Day 1) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org).
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the seventy-third chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song directs attention to the latest Usuli Institute Khtubah (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Qbbagjk...) while making a call for Muslims to spend their wealth on principled causes while combatting the multi-million dollar industry of Islamophobia. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 15 January 2022.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 47: Muhammad as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org).
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the seventy-second chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song calls attention to the Usuli khutbah the previous day that addresses the crisis of addiction, suicide and impacts of Islamophobia among Muslims and the disproportionate impact on Muslim communities versus Jewish and Christian communities in America. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 8 January 2022.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 8: Al Anfal (Day 2) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org).
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the seventy-first chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song discusses the singularity of Project Illumine, describing why the halaqas the Shaykh presents are so special. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 4 January 2022.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 8: Al Anfal (Day 1) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org).
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the seventy-first chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song talks the reflective power of crime shows. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 1 January 2022.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl answers questions after his original English language commentary (tafsir) on Surah 3 Al Imran (5 day series). Part of the Project Illumine: The Light of the Quran series. This comprehensive chapter-by-chapter intensive study of the Quran is the result of this scholar's lifelong relationship with the Quran in which he tries to recapture the ethical message that sparked the passion of early Muslims and apply those lessons to our modern day challenges. Recorded at the Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org) on 28 December 2021.
The topics discussed in this Q&A include, but are not limited to: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl’s personal journey in approaching Surah Imran; inclusion and shurah (consultation) in the Islamic tradition; the centrality of the Qur’an in preserving the Islamic civilization; what it means to truly love the Prophet; about the jizya; how the message in these Halaqas can be preserved and make and make a lasting impact; and more!
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 3: Al Imran (Day 5 out of 5) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org).
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the seventieth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song commemorates the 4th anniversary of The Usuli Institute and talks about a recent personal test as a reminder of what is important in life. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 11 December 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 3: Al Imran (Day 4 out of 5) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org).
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the seventieth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song commemorates the 4th anniversary of The Usuli Institute and talks about a recent personal test as a reminder of what is important in life. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 11 December 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 3: Al Imran (Day 2 out of 5) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org).
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the seventieth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song commemorates the 4th anniversary of The Usuli Institute and talks about a recent personal test as a reminder of what is important in life. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 11 December 2021.
Please support the Usuli Institute at https://www.usuli.org/donate to help us continue in our endeavors. Your donation to The Institute for Advanced Usuli Studies will help fund important work to combat extremism and ignorance. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity dedicated to research and education to promote humanistically beautiful and morally elevating interpretations of Islam. We seek to support our brightest minds to advance knowledge and to build a community of individuals founded on dignity, respect and love for all of God's creation.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 3: Al Imran (Day 3 out of 5) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org).
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the seventieth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song commemorates the 4th anniversary of The Usuli Institute and talks about a recent personal test as a reminder of what is important in life. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 11 December 2021.
Please support the Usuli Institute at https://www.usuli.org/donate to help us continue in our endeavors. Your donation to The Institute for Advanced Usuli Studies will help fund important work to combat extremism and ignorance. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity dedicated to research and education to promote humanistically beautiful and morally elevating interpretations of Islam. We seek to support our brightest minds to advance knowledge and to build a community of individuals founded on dignity, respect and love for all of God's creation.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 3: Al Imran (Day 1 out of 5) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org).
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the seventieth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song commemorates the 4th anniversary of The Usuli Institute and talks about a recent personal test as a reminder of what is important in life. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 11 December 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 65: Al Talaq as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). There is a Q&A at the end.
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the sixty-ninth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, a guest speaker shares the reasons why the work we do resonates with her. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 27 November 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl answers questions after his original English language commentary (tafsir) on Surah 2 Al Baqarah (13 day series). Part of the Project Illumine: The Light of the Quran series. This comprehensive chapter-by-chapter intensive study of the Quran is the result of this scholar's lifelong relationship with the Quran in which he tries to recapture the ethical message that sparked the passion of early Muslims and apply those lessons to our modern day challenges. Recorded at the Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org) on 24 November 2021.
The topics discussed in this Q&A include, but are not limited to: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl’s personal journey in approaching Surah Baqarah; the modern-day Jihad of knowledge; challenges in entering the field of Islamic Studies; the Qur’anic imperative of caring for the destitute and orphans; on modern-day psychology and philosophy; a commentary on verse two hundred fifty-nine; coercion and religion; riba, crypotcurrency, exploitative practices; and more!
Please support the Usuli Institute at https://www.usuli.org/donate to help us continue in our endeavors. Your donation to The Institute for Advanced Usuli Studies will help fund important work to combat extremism and ignorance. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity dedicated to research and education to promote humanistically beautiful and morally elevating interpretations of Islam. We seek to support our brightest minds to advance knowledge and to build a community of individuals founded on dignity, respect and love for all of God's creation.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 2: Al Baqarah (Day 13) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). The verses of Baqarah covered in day five are roughly, numbers seventeen to one hundred twenty-one, which have also been touched on previous days. Watch the previous days on our YouTube channel, starting with Day 1 here: https://youtu.be/rCKnt_S8I5U
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the sixty-eighth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song shares a message she received about the transformative nature of Project Illumine and talks about how Project Illumine has even affected the vocabulary and world of meaning among those who have been engaged with the Quran through the halaqas. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 23 October 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 2: Al Baqarah (Day 12) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). The verses of Baqarah covered in day five are roughly, numbers seventeen to one hundred twenty-one, which have also been touched on previous days. Watch the previous days on our YouTube channel, starting with Day 1 here: https://youtu.be/rCKnt_S8I5U
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the sixty-eighth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song shares a message she received about the transformative nature of Project Illumine and talks about how Project Illumine has even affected the vocabulary and world of meaning among those who have been engaged with the Quran through the halaqas. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 23 October 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 2: Al Baqarah (Day 11) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). The verses of Baqarah covered in day five are roughly, numbers seventeen to one hundred twenty-one, which have also been touched on previous days. Watch the previous days on our YouTube channel, starting with Day 1 here: https://youtu.be/rCKnt_S8I5U
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the sixty-eighth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song shares a message she received about the transformative nature of Project Illumine and talks about how Project Illumine has even affected the vocabulary and world of meaning among those who have been engaged with the Quran through the halaqas. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 23 October 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 2: Al Baqarah (Day 10) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). The verses of Baqarah covered in day five are roughly, numbers seventeen to one hundred twenty-one, which have also been touched on previous days. Watch the previous days on our YouTube channel, starting with Day 1 here: https://youtu.be/rCKnt_S8I5U
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the sixty-eighth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song shares a message she received about the transformative nature of Project Illumine and talks about how Project Illumine has even affected the vocabulary and world of meaning among those who have been engaged with the Quran through the halaqas. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 23 October 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 2: Al Baqarah (Day 9) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). The verses of Baqarah covered in day five are roughly, numbers seventeen to one hundred twenty-one, which have also been touched on previous days. Watch the previous days on our YouTube channel, starting with Day 1 here: https://youtu.be/rCKnt_S8I5U
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the sixty-eighth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song shares a message she received about the transformative nature of Project Illumine and talks about how Project Illumine has even affected the vocabulary and world of meaning among those who have been engaged with the Quran through the halaqas. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 23 October 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 2: Al Baqarah (Day 8) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). The verses of Baqarah covered in day five are roughly, numbers seventeen to one hundred twenty-one, which have also been touched on previous days. Watch the previous days on our YouTube channel, starting with Day 1 here: https://youtu.be/rCKnt_S8I5U
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the sixty-eighth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song shares a message she received about the transformative nature of Project Illumine and talks about how Project Illumine has even affected the vocabulary and world of meaning among those who have been engaged with the Quran through the halaqas. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 23 October 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 2: Al Baqarah (Day 7) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). The verses of Baqarah covered in day five are roughly, numbers seventeen to one hundred twenty-one, which have also been touched on previous days. Watch the previous days on our YouTube channel, starting with Day 1 here: https://youtu.be/rCKnt_S8I5U
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the sixty-eighth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song shares a message she received about the transformative nature of Project Illumine and talks about how Project Illumine has even affected the vocabulary and world of meaning among those who have been engaged with the Quran through the halaqas. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 23 October 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 2: Al Baqarah (Day 6) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). The verses of Baqarah covered in day five are roughly, numbers seventeen to one hundred twenty-one, which have also been touched on previous days. Watch the previous days on our YouTube channel, starting with Day 1 here: https://youtu.be/rCKnt_S8I5U
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the sixty-eighth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song shares a message she received about the transformative nature of Project Illumine and talks about how Project Illumine has even affected the vocabulary and world of meaning among those who have been engaged with the Quran through the halaqas. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 23 October 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 2: Al Baqarah (Day 5) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). The verses of Baqarah covered in day five are roughly, numbers seventeen to one hundred twenty-one, which have also been touched on previous days. Watch the previous days on our YouTube channel, starting with Day 1 here: https://youtu.be/rCKnt_S8I5U
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the sixty-eighth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song shares a message she received about the transformative nature of Project Illumine and talks about how Project Illumine has even affected the vocabulary and world of meaning among those who have been engaged with the Quran through the halaqas. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 23 October 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 2: Al Baqarah (Day 4) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). The verses of Baqarah covered in day four are roughly, numbers one hundred thirty-three to one hundred forty-six. Watch the previous days on our YouTube channel, starting with Day 1 here: https://youtu.be/rCKnt_S8I5U
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the sixty-eighth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song shares a message she received about the transformative nature of Project Illumine and talks about how Project Illumine has even affected the vocabulary and world of meaning among those who have been engaged with the Quran through the halaqas. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 20 October 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 2: Al Baqarah (Day 3) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). The verses of Baqarah covered in day three are roughly, numbers seventy-four to one hundred twenty-four. Watch the previous days on our YouTube channel, starting with Day 1 here: https://youtu.be/rCKnt_S8I5U
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the sixty-eighth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song shares ways to engage with our content if you have limited time, like subscribing to our mailing list and following us on social media. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 16 October 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 2: Al Baqarah (Day 2) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). The verses of Baqarah covered in day two are roughly, numbers forty to seventy-three. Watch Day 1 here: https://youtu.be/rCKnt_S8I5U.
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the sixty-eighth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song shares some heartfelt messages from supporters of the Usuli Institute. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 9 October 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 2: Al Baqarah (Day 1 out of 13) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). The verses of Baqarah covered in day one are roughly, numbers one to thirty-five.
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the sixty-eighth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song gives a behind the scenes look into Project Illumine and the commencement of Surah Al Baqarah at this stage of the project. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 6 October 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 64: Al Taghabun as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). There is a Q&A at the end.
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the sixty-seventh chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song introduces the start of covering the Medinan surahs and highlights the short summary of Surah Al Taghabun in the Abdel Haleem English translation of the Quran as a comparison to the richness and insight of the Project Illumine approach to the same surah. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 2 October 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 83: Al Mutaffifin as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). There is a Q&A at the end.
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the sixty-sixth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song discusses the response after Shaykh Abou El Fadl's powerful khutbah on "The Unspoken Truth (Haqq) About Sexual Abuse and the Rights of Victims. Watch it here: https://youtu.be/kxXwCjONZUg. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 29 September 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 76: Al Insan as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). There is a Q&A at the end.
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the sixty-fifth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song reflects on a powerful Jumu'a Khutbah delivered by Shaykh Abou El Fadl, watch it here: https://youtu.be/kxXwCjONZUg. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 25 September 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 56: Al Waqi’ah as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). There is a Q&A at the end.
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the sixty-fourth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our guest speaker Rameen Javadian makes a call to young Muslims, while highlighting just a few of our call to actions. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 18 September 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 82: Al Infitar as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). There is a Q&A at the end.
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the sixty-third chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction our Executive Director Grace Song shares three communications that she recently received, examples of communications which require humor, patience and heart to respond. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 15 September 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 30: Al Rum as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). There is a Q&A at the end.
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the sixty-second chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction our Executive Director Grace Song congratulates and honors the young scholars at Usuli for their academic publications and shares an emotional email from a convert. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 11 September 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 6: Al An'am (Day 3) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). There is a Q&A at the end.
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the sixtieth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song shares her Note-to-Self about the challenges of turning inward to confront oneself, determining what is holding oneself back from "flying" or elevating, and ultimately transforming. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 4 September 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 78: Al Naba as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). There is a Q&A at the end.
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the sixty-first chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction a special guest, Alaine, who has been attending the Shaykh's Halaqas since they first started in the 1990's shares her personal story with the Usuli Institute. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 9 September 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 6: Al An'am (Day 2 of 3) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). There will be a Q&A at the end of Day 3.
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the sixtieth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song shares a personal lesson from her conversion on choosing one's inner circle of friends and on the power of choice in changing one's life when seeking the light over darkness. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 31 August 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 6: Al An'am (Day 1 of 3 for this longer surah) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). There will be a Q&A at the end of Day 3.
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the sixtieth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Dr. Josef Linnhoff reflects on his journey with the Usuli Institute and shares reflections as a convert to Islam. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 28 August 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 12: Yusuf as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). There is a Q&A at the end.
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the fifty-ninth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song compares the plight of the Muslim scholar with that of the Jewish and Christian scholars when it comes to community support. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 21 August 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 11: Hud (Day 2) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). There is a Q&A at the end.
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the fifty-eighth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song reflects on the Islamic ethic of giving and service. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 17 August 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 11: Hud (Day 1) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). There will be a Q&A at the end of Day 2 of this halaqa, on 17 August 2021.
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the fifty-eighth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song shares a story about helping a close friend through addiction. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 14 August 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 10: Yunus (Day 2) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). There is a Q&A at the end.
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the fifty-seventh chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song reflects on the power of conviction and knowing the Truth of the path you are pursuing as a Muslim, while sharing parts of her convert story and sacrifices on this journey. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 10 August 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 10: Yunus (Day 1) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). The Q&A for this Halaqa is combined with the one at the end of Day 2.
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the fifty-seventh chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song offers advice to newcomers to the journey of Project Illumine and Usuli. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 7 August 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 71: Nuh as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). There is a Q&A at the end.
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the fifty-sixth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song shares a heart warming message from a supporter and discusses the transformative power of the cumulative effect of Project Illumine halaqas. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 3 August 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 23: Al Mu'minun as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). There is a Q&A at the end.
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the fifty-fifth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song reflects on the personal learning and growth that can come from illness and pain. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 31 July 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 87: Al Ala as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). The Q&A at the end includes Q&A for both Surah 18: Al Kahf and Surah 87: Al Ala.
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the fifty-fourth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song discusses the opportunities of learning from pain and illness, and the Islamic ethics of caring for those who are ill. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 27 July 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 18: Al Kahf as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). The Q&A for Al Kahf can be found at the end of the Surah 87: Al Ala Original English Commentary video.
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the fifty-third chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song shares personal stories on the impact of pain and illness on growth. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 25 July 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 88: Al Ghashiyah as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). There is a Q&A at the end.
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the fifty-second chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song gives moving remarks on the Professor's sacrifices to reach the position he is in as a scholar, and recent challenges in delivering each halaqa that Project Illumine has produced. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 20 July 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 21: Al Anbiya' as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). There is a Q&A at the end.
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the fifty-first chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song discusses the nexxus between learning tafsir at Project Illumine and real world challenges including climate change, being part of the 1%, and addressing the Uyghur holocaust. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 17 July 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 70: ////al Ma'arij as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). There is a Q&A at the end.
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the fiftieth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song discusses the impact of merging theoretical belief into lived reality and embracing the truths that God is constantly with you while Satan is truly your avowed enemy. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 13 July 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 14: Ibrahim as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). There is a Q&A at the end.
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the forty-ninth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song reflects on the power of passive versus active decision making in resisting the bad. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 10 July 2021.
Day 1: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 7: Al A'raf as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org).
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the forty-eighth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song discusses the last khutbah on Bill Cosby and Britney Spears as examples of countering colonialism. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 3 July 2021.
r. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 79: Al Nazi'at as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org).
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the forty-seventh chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song reflects on how Project Illumine halaqas have transformed her perceptions of nature and her responsibilities towards interacting with creation. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 29 June 2021.
Part 2: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl answers questions after his original English language commentary (tafsir) on Surah 42, Al Shura, at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org) on 26 June 2021.
Part of the Project Illumine: The Light of the Quran series. This comprehensive chapter-by-chapter intensive study of the Quran is the result of this scholar's lifelong relationship with the Quran in which he tries to recapture the ethical message that sparked the passion of early Muslims and apply those lessons to our modern day challenges.
Part 1: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his original Quranic commentary on Surah 16: al Nahl, as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org).
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the forty-sixth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song marks the one year anniversary of the Project Illumine journey and looks back on the past year. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 26 June 2021.
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the forty-fifth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song reflects on leaving the Usuli bubble, her trip to California and the anchor of God given the fragility and transitory nature of life. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 19 June 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 6: Al An'am (Day 3) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). There is a Q&A at the end.
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the sixtieth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song shares her Note-to-Self about the challenges of turning inward to confront oneself, determining what is holding oneself back from "flying" or elevating, and ultimately transforming. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 4 September 2021.
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Day 2: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl concludes his Quranic commentary on Surah 7: Al A'raf (Day 2) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). There is a Q&A at the end.
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the forty-eighth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song reflects on a visitor's experience at the Usuli Library (www.usuli.org/the-usuli-library). Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 6 July 2021.
Part 2: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl answers questions after his original English language commentary (tafsir) on Surah 44, Al Dukhan, at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org) on 27th March 2021. At the end, he comments on the issue of the hijab as Grace raised in her introduction. Part of the Project Illumine: The Light of the Quran series. This comprehensive chapter-by-chapter intensive study of the Quran is the result of this scholar's lifelong relationship with the Quran in which he tries to recapture the ethical message that sparked the passion of early Muslims and apply those lessons to our modern day challenges.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his original Quranic commentary on Surah 77, Al Mursalat, as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org).
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the thirty-fourth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song shares some more book history on the Professor's book, The Search for Beauty in Islam: A Conference of the Books. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 4 May 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 83: Al Mutaffifin as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). There is a Q&A at the end.
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the sixty-sixth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song discusses the response after Shaykh Abou El Fadl's powerful khutbah on "The Unspoken Truth (Haqq) About Sexual Abuse and the Rights of Victims. Watch it here: https://youtu.be/kxXwCjONZUg. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 29 September 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 76: Al Insan as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). There is a Q&A at the end.
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the sixty-fifth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song reflects on a powerful Jumu'a Khutbah delivered by Shaykh Abou El Fadl, watch it here: https://youtu.be/kxXwCjONZUg. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 25 September 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 56: Al Waqi’ah as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). There is a Q&A at the end.
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the sixty-fourth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our guest speaker Rameen Javadian makes a call to young Muslims, while highlighting just a few of our call to actions. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 18 September 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 82: Al Infitar as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). There is a Q&A at the end.
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the sixty-third chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction our Executive Director Grace Song shares three communications that she recently received, examples of communications which require humor, patience and heart to respond. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 15 September 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 30: Al Rum as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). There is a Q&A at the end.
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the sixty-second chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction our Executive Director Grace Song congratulates and honors the young scholars at Usuli for their academic publications and shares an emotional email from a convert. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 11 September 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 78: Al Naba as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). There is a Q&A at the end.
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the sixty-first chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction a special guest, Alaine, who has been attending the Shaykh's Halaqas since they first started in the 1990's shares her personal story with the Usuli Institute. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 9 September 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 6: Al An'am (Day 2 of 3) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). There will be a Q&A at the end of Day 3.
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the sixtieth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, our Executive Director Grace Song shares a personal lesson from her conversion on choosing one's inner circle of friends and on the power of choice in changing one's life when seeking the light over darkness. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 31 August 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 6: Al An'am (Day 1 of 3 for this longer surah) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). There will be a Q&A at the end of Day 3.
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the sixtieth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Dr. Josef Linnhoff reflects on his journey with the Usuli Institute and shares reflections as a convert to Islam. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 28 August 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 12: Yusuf as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). There is a Q&A at the end.
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the fifty-ninth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song compares the plight of the Muslim scholar with that of the Jewish and Christian scholars when it comes to community support. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 21 August 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 11: Hud (Day 2) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). There is a Q&A at the end.
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the fifty-eighth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song reflects on the Islamic ethic of giving and service. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 17 August 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 11: Hud (Day 1) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). There will be a Q&A at the end of Day 2 of this halaqa, on 17 August 2021.
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the fifty-eighth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song shares a story about helping a close friend through addiction. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 14 August 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 10: Yunus (Day 2) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). There is a Q&A at the end.
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the fifty-seventh chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song reflects on the power of conviction and knowing the Truth of the path you are pursuing as a Muslim, while sharing parts of her convert story and sacrifices on this journey. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 10 August 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 10: Yunus (Day 1) as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). The Q&A for this Halaqa is combined with the one at the end of Day 2.
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the fifty-seventh chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song offers advice to newcomers to the journey of Project Illumine and Usuli. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 7 August 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 71: Nuh as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). There is a Q&A at the end.
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the fifty-sixth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song shares a heart warming message from a supporter and discusses the transformative power of the cumulative effect of Project Illumine halaqas. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 3 August 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 23: Al Mu'minun as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). There is a Q&A at the end.
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the fifty-fifth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song reflects on the personal learning and growth that can come from illness and pain. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 31 July 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 87: Al Ala as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). The Q&A at the end includes Q&A for both Surah 18: Al Kahf and Surah 87: Al Ala.
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the fifty-fourth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song discusses the opportunities of learning from pain and illness, and the Islamic ethics of caring for those who are ill. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 27 July 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 18: Al Kahf as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). The Q&A for Al Kahf can be found at the end of the Surah 87: Al Ala Original English Commentary video.
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the fifty-third chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song shares personal stories on the impact of pain and illness on growth. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 25 July 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 88: Al Ghashiyah as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). There is a Q&A at the end.
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the fifty-second chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song gives moving remarks on the Professor's sacrifices to reach the position he is in as a scholar, and recent challenges in delivering each halaqa that Project Illumine has produced. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 20 July 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 21: Al Anbiya' as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). There is a Q&A at the end.
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the fifty-first chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song discusses the nexxus between learning tafsir at Project Illumine and real world challenges including climate change, being part of the 1%, and addressing the Uyghur holocaust. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 17 July 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 70: ////al Ma'arij as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). There is a Q&A at the end.
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the fiftieth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song discusses the impact of merging theoretical belief into lived reality and embracing the truths that God is constantly with you while Satan is truly your avowed enemy. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 13 July 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 14: Ibrahim as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). There is a Q&A at the end.
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the forty-ninth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song reflects on the power of passive versus active decision making in resisting the bad. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 10 July 2021.
Day 1: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 7: Al A'raf as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org).
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the forty-eighth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song discusses the last khutbah on Bill Cosby and Britney Spears as examples of countering colonialism. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 3 July 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his Quranic commentary on Surah 79: Al Nazi'at as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org).
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the forty-seventh chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song reflects on how Project Illumine halaqas have transformed her perceptions of nature and her responsibilities towards interacting with creation. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 29 June 2021.
Part 2: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl answers questions after his original English language commentary (tafsir) on Surah 42, Al Shura, at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org) on 26 June 2021.
Part of the Project Illumine: The Light of the Quran series. This comprehensive chapter-by-chapter intensive study of the Quran is the result of this scholar's lifelong relationship with the Quran in which he tries to recapture the ethical message that sparked the passion of early Muslims and apply those lessons to our modern day challenges.
Part 1: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his original Quranic commentary on Surah 16: al Nahl, as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org).
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the forty-sixth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song marks the one year anniversary of the Project Illumine journey and looks back on the past year. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 26 June 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his original Quranic commentary on Surah 69: Al Haqqah as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org).
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the forty-fifth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song reflects on leaving the Usuli bubble, her trip to California and the anchor of God given the fragility and transitory nature of life. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 19 June 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his original Quranic commentary on Surah 37: Al Saffat as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org).
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the forty-forth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, one of our students, Marwa, gives a quick pitch on fundraising. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 19 June 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his original Quranic commentary on Surah 41: Fussilat, as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org).
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the forty-second chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song discusses our ongoing projects and goals. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 12 June 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his original Quranic commentary on Surah 67: Al-Mulk, as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org).
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the forty-third chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, one of our students, Marwa reflects on her journey with Usuli. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 15 June 2021.
Part 1: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his original Quranic commentary on Surah 51: Al Dhariyat, as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org).
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the forty-first chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song shares some messages of encouragement. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 8 June 2021.
Part 2: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl answers questions after his original English language commentary (tafsir) on Surah 16, Al Nahl, at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org) on 5 June 2021.
Part of the Project Illumine: The Light of the Quran series. This comprehensive chapter-by-chapter intensive study of the Quran is the result of this scholar's lifelong relationship with the Quran in which he tries to recapture the ethical message that sparked the passion of early Muslims and apply those lessons to our modern day challenges.
Part 1: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his original Quranic commentary on Surah 16: al Nahl, as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org).
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the fortieth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song discusses her tactics for maintaining positivity and focus when confronted with whisperings and darkness. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 5 June 2021.
DAY 2: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his original Quranic commentary on Surah 43: Al Zukhruf, as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). This is the conclusion of the tafsir on Surah Al Zukhruf and includes Q&A at the end.
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the thirty-ninth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song shares the brief history of three websites: www.scholarofthehouse.org; www.searchforbeauty.org; and www.usuli.org. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 1June 2021.
DAY 1 of 2: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his original Quranic commentary on Surah 43: Al Zukhruf, as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). The conclusion of Surah Al Zukhruf takes place on 1 June 2021.
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the thirty-ninth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song recommends a book on how to better understand and address the challenges confronting teenagers through learning about neuroscience and brain research on "The Teenage Brain" (by Frances E. Jensen). Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 29 May 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his original Quranic commentary on Surah 54: Al Qamar, as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org).
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the thirty-eighth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song addresses the fine line between sharing an opinion and speaking on behalf of Islam or God, especially as a relatively new convert. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 25 May 2021.
Part 2: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl answers questions after his original English language commentary (tafsir) on Surah 31, Luqman, at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org) on 22 May 2021.
Part of the Project Illumine: The Light of the Quran series. This comprehensive chapter-by-chapter intensive study of the Quran is the result of this scholar's lifelong relationship with the Quran in which he tries to recapture the ethical message that sparked the passion of early Muslims and apply those lessons to our modern day challenges.
Part 1: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his original Quranic commentary on Surah 31: Luqman, as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org).
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the thirty-seventh chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song recaps two pivotal events at Usuli covering Palestine, Al Aqsa, Jerusalem and Israel - the Usuli conversation with Lara Elborna (aka @gazangirl) and Dr. Abou El Fadl's Friday khutbah on Why Jerusalem Matters. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 22 May 2021.
DAY 2: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his original Quranic commentary on Surah 17: Al Isra', as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). This is the conclusion of the tafsir on Surah al Isra' and includes Q&A at the end.
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the thirty-sixth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song shares more updates about Usuli activities and announces an Usuli conversation with Palestinian-American International Human Rights Lawyer and Activist, Lara Elborno (aka @gazangirl on Instagram). Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 18 May 2021.
DAY 1 OF 2: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his original Quranic commentary on Surah 17: al 'Isra, as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). The discussion is continued to a second meeting on 15 May 2021.
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the thirty-sixth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song shares about recent activity in support of Palestine and introduces the guest speaker, Jana al Akhras, a Palestinian American activist and immigration lawyer, who gives personal insight into the tragedies taking place. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 15 May 2021.
DAY 2: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his original Quranic commentary on Surah 13: Al Ra'd, as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). This is the conclusion of the tafsir on Surah al Ra'd and includes Q&A at the end.
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the thirty-fifth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song shares some more book history on the Professor's books, The Great Theft: Wrestling Islam from the Extremists; and The Conference of the Books: A Search for Beauty in Islam (Original version). Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 11 May 2021.
AY 1 OF 2: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his original Quranic commentary on Surah 13: Al Ra'd, as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). The discussion is continued to a second meeting on 11 May 2021.
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the thirty-fifth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song shares some more book history on the Professor's book, The Great Theft: Wrestling Islam from the Extremists. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 8 May 2021.
Part 2: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl answers questions after his original English language commentary (tafsir) on Surah 34, Saba', at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org) on 1 May 2021.
Part of the Project Illumine: The Light of the Quran series. This comprehensive chapter-by-chapter intensive study of the Quran is the result of this scholar's lifelong relationship with the Quran in which he tries to recapture the ethical message that sparked the passion of early Muslims and apply those lessons to our modern day challenges.
Part 1: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his original Quranic commentary on Surah 34, Saba', as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org).
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the thirty-third chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song shares some book history on some of the Professor's published works. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 1 May 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his original Quranic commentary on Surah 72, Al Jinn, as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org).
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the thirty-second chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song shares reflections on moments of clarity and the awareness that death brings. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 27 April 2021.
Part 2: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl answers questions after his original English language commentary (tafsir) on Surah 27, Al Naml, at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org) on 24 April 2021.
Part of the Project Illumine: The Light of the Quran series. This comprehensive chapter-by-chapter intensive study of the Quran is the result of this scholar's lifelong relationship with the Quran in which he tries to recapture the ethical message that sparked the passion of early Muslims and apply those lessons to our modern day challenges.
Part 1: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his original Quranic commentary on Surah 27, Al Naml, as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org).
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the thirty-first chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song asks for prayers for members of the Usuli community who lost loved ones to COVID. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 24 April 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his original Quranic commentary on Surah 68, Al Qalam, as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org).
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the thirtieth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song marks the 30th Project Illumine surah and asks for prayers for members of the Usuli community who lost loved ones to COVID. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 20 April 2021.
Part 2: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl answers questions after his original English language commentary (tafsir) on Surah 28, Al Qasas, at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org) on 17 April 2021.
Part of the Project Illumine: The Light of the Quran series. This comprehensive chapter-by-chapter intensive study of the Quran is the result of this scholar's lifelong relationship with the Quran in which he tries to recapture the ethical message that sparked the passion of early Muslims and apply those lessons to our modern day challenges.
Part 1: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his original Quranic commentary on Surah 28, Al Qasas, as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org).
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the twenty-ninth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song pays tribute to Imam Sohaib Sultan, asks for prayers for 12 year old Raya Zaman and others, and discusses Ramadan Fundraising. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 17 April 2021.
Part 2: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl answers questions after his original English language commentary (tafsir) on Surah 26, Al Shu'ara, at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org) on 10 April 2021. In the beginning of the segment, he shares a Sufi commentary of interest.
Part of the Project Illumine: The Light of the Quran series. This comprehensive chapter-by-chapter intensive study of the Quran is the result of this scholar's lifelong relationship with the Quran in which he tries to recapture the ethical message that sparked the passion of early Muslims and apply those lessons to our modern day challenges.
Part 1: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his original Quranic commentary on Surah 26, Al Shu'ara, as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org).
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the twenty-eighth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song speaks about the loneliness of Ramadan and the blessing of uniting at Usuli over knowledge and the search for the Divine. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 10 April 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his original Quranic commentary on Surah 86, Al Tariq, as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute. Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the twenty-seventh chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song and Marwa Biltagi, aka Mademoiselle Meme, discuss the impact of the latest anti-hijab legislation in France. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 6 April 2021.
Part 2: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl answers questions after his original English language commentary (tafsir) on Surah 19, Maryam, at The Usuli Institute on 3rd April 2021. In the beginning of the segment, he shares a Sufi commentary of interest. Part of the Project Illumine: The Light of the Quran series. This comprehensive chapter-by-chapter intensive study of the Quran is the result of this scholar's lifelong relationship with the Quran in which he tries to recapture the ethical message that sparked the passion of early Muslims and apply those lessons to our modern day challenges.
Part 1: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his original Quranic commentary on Surah 19, Maryam, as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute. Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the twenty-sixth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song shares an email she received from a convert of 2 years, who converted after the age of 60, and addresses the backwards messages this convert received from a new Muslim class. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 3 April 2021.
Part 1: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his original Quranic commentary on Surah 75, Al Qiyamah, as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute. Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the twenty-fifth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song shares two probing questions from the reflection group intended for deep self-reflection; and addresses an email she received asking how she can be a credible voice when she does not wear hijab. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 30th March 2021.
Part 1: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his original Quranic commentary on Surah 44, Al Dukhan, as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute. Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the twenty-fourth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song shares two probing questions from the reflection group intended for deep self-reflection; and addresses an email she received asking how she can be a credible voice when she does not wear hijab. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 27th March 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his original Quranic commentary on Surah 85, Al Buruj, as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute. Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the twenty-third chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song shares insight on the etiquette of presenting Islamic knowledge while mindful of your accountability before God. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 23rd March 2021. This recording includes the tafsir and Q&A.
Part 2: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl adds additional commentary and then answers questions after his original English language commentary (tafsir) on Surah 20, Ta Ha, at The Usuli Institute on 20th March 2021. Part of the Project Illumine: The Light of the Quran series. This comprehensive chapter-by-chapter intensive study of the Quran is the result of this scholar's lifelong relationship with the Quran in which he tries to recapture the ethical message that sparked the passion of early Muslims and apply those lessons to our modern day challenges.
Part 1: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his original Quranic commentary on Surah 20, Ta Ha, as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute. Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the twenty-second chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song shares two reflections related to dignity: 1) on learning the power of sitting in silence; and 2) parenting while respecting the dignity of your child(ren). Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 20th March 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his original Quranic commentary on Surah 53: Al Najm, as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org).
Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the twenty-first chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song addresses those who write to Usuli who are Heritage Muslims who wish to reconnect with God as converts but do not know where to begin. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 16th March 2021.
Part 1: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his original Quranic commentary on Surah 40, Ghafir as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series. Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the twentieth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song shares an exercise that was given to their reflection group. She gives some history to the tafsir halaqas of Dr. Abou El Fadl and a view behind the scenes of what goes into Project Illumine preparations. Recorded at The Usuli Institute on 13th March 2021.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl answers questions after his original English language commentary (tafsir) on Surah 80: Al Abasa at The Usuli Institute. As part of the Project Illumine: The Light of the Quran series, this comprehensive chapter-by-chapter intensive study of the Quran is the result of this scholar's lifelong relationship with the Quran in which he tries to recapture the ethical message that sparked the passion of early Muslims and apply those lessons to our modern day challenges.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his original Quranic commentary on Surah 80, Al Abasa as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the nineteenth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song shares a reflection on a verse from Surah 39: Al Zumar that was particularly powerful in her early convert days.
Part 2: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl answers questions after his original English language commentary (tafsir) on Surah 39: Al Zumar at The Usuli Institute. As part of the Project Illumine: The Light of the Quran series, this comprehensive chapter-by-chapter intensive study of the Quran is the result of this scholar's lifelong relationship with the Quran in which he tries to recapture the ethical message that sparked the passion of early Muslims and apply those lessons to our modern day challenges.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his original Quranic commentary on Surah 39: Al Zumar as part of the ongoing Project Illumine: Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). Project Illumine is a year-long intensive immersion into the unique moral messages in each of the 114 surahs (chapters) of the Quran, the fruit of this scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran. This is the eighteenth chapter in the series. This is not the traditional line-by-line exegesis, but a chapter-by-chapter thematic approach that seeks to rediscover the original meaning received by the early Muslims that sparked their passion such that they transformed from desert dwellers to civilization builders. It is an investigation of the timeless moral and ethical lessons of the Quran then applied to our modern day. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song talks about disciplining the soul through service that does not serve the purpose of feeding one's ego, and shares a few stories and examples.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his original English commentary on Surah 84, Al Inshiqaq. As part of the Project Illumine: The Light of the Quran series at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org), this deep investigation into the meaning of the Quran as the early Muslims understood it, arises from Dr. Abou El Fadl's lifetime study and relationship with the Quran. This is not a traditional line-by-line exegesis, but rather a study into the unique meaning of each individual chapter of the Quran as part of a whole, taking into account the details of how the early Muslims received and understood the Islamic message at the time of revelation, and how that moral understanding applies to our modern context and challenges today. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song shares memories and reflections from her early convert days on the occasion of her Muslim birthday. This session includes the commentary (tafsir) and Q&A.
Part 1: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his original Quranic commentary on Surah 35, Fatir, at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). As part of the Project Illumine: The Light of the Quran, this series captures the fruit of a scholar's lifetime relationship with the Quran, and the conviction that every single chapter of the Quran holds a unique moral message for humankind. This is the sixteenth surah in the series. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song shares a reflection about the challenge of incremental change on the journey to the Divine.
Part 1: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents the illuminated meaning of Surah 81, Al Takwir, from his lifelong journey with the Quran. This is not the traditional line-by-line approach of Quranic commentaries (tafsir), but an exposition of the unique message of each chapter of the Quran as its own distinct part of a whole.
Part 1: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents the illuminated meaning of Surah 38, Saad, from his lifelong journey with the Quran. This is not the traditional line-by-line approach of Quranic commentaries (tafsir), but an exposition of the unique message of each chapter of the Quran as its own distinct part of a whole.
Part 2: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl answers questions regarding his original Quranic commentary on Surah 73: Al Muzzammil, one of the earliest revealed chapters of the Quran. As part of the Project Illumine: The Light of the Quran series, this presentation of the chapter-by-chapter meaning of the Quran is the fruit of a lifelong dedication to the study of every tafsir of the Islamic tradition coupled with intense dhikr to open the deeper meanings of the surahs. This is the thirteenth surah that has been covered in this unique approach to covering the Quran, driven by the desire to understand the message that ignited the passion of the early Muslims during the time of the Prophet Muhammad.
Part 1: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his original Quranic commentary on Surah 73: Al Muzzammil, one of the earliest revealed chapters of the Quran. As part of the Project Illumine: The Light of the Quran series, this presentation of the chapter-by-chapter meaning of the Quran is the fruit of a lifelong dedication to the study of every tafsir of the Islamic tradition coupled with intense dhikr to open the deeper meanings of the surahs. This is the thirteenth surah that has been covered in this unique approach to covering the Quran, driven by the desire to understand the message that ignited the passion of the early Muslims during the time of the Prophet Muhammad. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song answers the question of where to start on the journey to come closer to God.
Part 2: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl answers questions from the halaqa on his original Quranic commentaries on Surah 50, Qaf. As part of the Project Illumine: The Light of the Quran series, this presentation of the chapter-by-chapter meaning of the Quran is the fruit of a lifelong dedication to the study of every tafsir of the Islamic tradition coupled with intense dhikr to open the deeper meanings of the surahs. This is the twelfth surah that has been covered in this unique approach to covering the Quran, driven by the desire to understand the message that ignited the passion of the early Muslims during the time of the Prophet Muhammad.
Part 1: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his original Quranic commentaries on Surah 50, Qaf. As part of the Project Illumine: The Light of the Quran series, this presentation of the chapter-by-chapter meaning of the Quran is the fruit of a lifelong dedication to the study of every tafsir of the Islamic tradition coupled with intense dhikr to open the deeper meanings of the surahs. This is the twelfth surah that has been covered in this unique approach to covering the Quran, driven by the desire to understand the message that ignited the passion of the early Muslims during the time of the Prophet Muhammad. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song shares a reflection about coming together with your spouse on Islamic values over ethnic, culture or material grounds.
Part 1: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents the illuminated meaning of Surah 74, Al Muddaththir, from his lifelong journey with the Quran. This is not the traditional line-by-line approach of Quranic commentaries (tafsir), but an exposition of the unique message of each chapter of the Quran as its own distinct part of a whole.
Part 2: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl continues his original Quranic commentaries on Surah 25, Al Furqan, "The Criterion." As part of the Project Illumine: The Light of the Quran series, this presentation of the chapter-by-chapter meaning of the Quran is the fruit of a lifelong dedication to the study of every tafsir of the Islamic tradition coupled with intense dhikr to open the deeper meanings of the surahs. This is the eleventh surah that has been covered in this unique approach to covering the Quran, driven by the desire to understand the message that ignited the passion of the early Muslims during the time of the Prophet Muhammad. Q&A is included. Presented at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org) on 6 February 2021. For a list of all previous classes, visit: https://www.usuli.org/project-illumin...
To learn more and support this most important tafsir project of our times, visit www.usuli.org/project-illumine and www.launchgood.com/projectillumine.
Part 1: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his original Quranic commentaries on Surah 25, Al Furqan, "The Criterion." As part of the Project Illumine: The Light of the Quran series, this presentation of the chapter-by-chapter meaning of the Quran is the fruit of a lifelong dedication to the study of every tafsir of the Islamic tradition coupled with intense dhikr to open the deeper meanings of the surahs. This is the eleventh surah that has been covered in this unique approach to covering the Quran, driven by the desire to understand the message that ignited the passion of the early Muslims during the time of the Prophet Muhammad. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song invites Muslims to become converts.
Part 3: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl answers questions from Surah 52 al Tur. Presented at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org) on 30 January 2021. For a list of all previous classes, visit: https://www.usuli.org/project-illumine/quick-links/
In the first official session of Project Illumine: The Light of the Quran, Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his personal journey with the Quran. Dr. Abou El Fadl has spent the last thirty years building a relationship with the Quran - reading every tafsir he could find and spending countless hours and nights in dhikr (the remembrance of God). In this series, he shares his conviction that every chapter of the Quran has a unique moral message that the early Muslims understood in a way that modern Muslims have lost. He reinvigorates our understanding of God's word and message of the Islamic faith by delving into the deeper meanings of the Quran. He discusses chapter 52, Surah al Tur. Part 3 is Q&A. Presented at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org) on 30 January 2021. For a list of all previous classes, visit: https://www.usuli.org/project-illumine/quick-links/
Part 2: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl continues his Quranic commentary of Surah 52: Al Tur, delving into the deeper meaning of the chapter from his lifelong journey with the Quran. This is not the traditional line-by-line approach of Quranic commentaries (tafsir), but an exposition of the unique message of each chapter of the Quran as its own distinct part of a whole. Part 3 is Q&A. Presented at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org) on 30 January 2021. For a list of all previous classes, visit: https://www.usuli.org/project-illumine/quick-links/
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl delivers the Friday khutbah and jumu'a prayer at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). He begins by breaking down the theology of "Allahu Akbar" ("God is Greatest") as the key premise of Islam, and how Islam came as a radical liberation for human beings from the oppression of other human beings or other forms of oppression. He develops the idea through numerous examples and applies it to the notion of "Political Islam," a concept which has taken hold around the world but which derives from political opportunism.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl delivers the Friday khutbah and jumu'a prayer at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). He presents powerful lessons on how Muslims are perceived by others and by themselves through the nuances, omissions and characterizations through history and in our modern day, and how that has affected the psychology, social status and confidence of Muslims themselves - and education in itself. For example, he contrasts the perceived heroism of Jews fighting alongside the Allies in World War II and the legacy of that elevated perception in contrast to the perception of absolute non-existence of the Muslim role in World War II despite the truth to the contrary. He highlights again the history, service, treatment and perception of Muslims in France that arise from a long tradition of racism and opportunism.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl delivers the weekly Friday khutbah and jumu'a prayer at The Usuli Institute. He reminds what it means to be Muslim and living a life of Godliness, particularly when it comes to treating rulers effectively like the divine; speaks to the transfer of power in a democracy and its relationship to Godliness; and delves deeper into the motivations of French domination over Muslims given the recent new laws proposed by Macron in France, targeting Muslims.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl delivers the weekly Friday khutbah and jumu'a prayer at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). On the occasion of the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad, Dr. Abou El Fadl reminds us of the simple facts that defined the greatness of the human that was the Prophet Muhammad, a man that changed the face of the planet. Dr. Abou El Fadl explains the recent events in France leading to the murder of a teacher by a 16 year old Muslim student, and provides the context and history and continuing legacy of racism that fuels such acts of hatred in France.
Part 1: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his original Quranic commentaries on Surah 29: Al Ankabut, "The Spider." As part of the Project Illumine: The Light of the Quran series, this presentation of the chapter-by-chapter meaning of the Quran is the fruit of a lifelong dedication to the study of every tafsir of the Islamic tradition coupled with intense dhikr to open the deeper meanings of the surahs. This is the eight surah that has been covered in this unique approach to covering the Quran, driven by the desire to understand the message that ignited the passion of the early Muslims during the time of the Prophet Muhammad. To learn more and support this most important tafsir project of our times, visit www.usuli.org/project-illumine and www.launchgood.com/projectillumine.
Part 2: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his original Quranic commentaries on Surah 29: Al Ankabut, "The Spider." As part of the Project Illumine: The Light of the Quran series, this presentation of the chapter-by-chapter meaning of the Quran is the fruit of a lifelong dedication to the study of every tafsir of the Islamic tradition coupled with intense dhikr to open the deeper meanings of the surahs. This is the eight surah that has been covered in this unique approach to covering the Quran, driven by the desire to understand the message that ignited the passion of the early Muslims during the time of the Prophet Muhammad. To learn more and support this most important tafsir project of our times, visit www.usuli.org/project-illumine and www.launchgood.com/projectillumine.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl delivers the Friday khutbah and jumu'a prayer at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). He discusses the weighty responsibility of taking the Prophet's pulpit - literally every pulpit from which any Friday khutbah is delivered around the world - and the qualifications required of those who take the pulpit. He discusses the recent Islamophobic developments in France driven by its president, bolstered by the silence of Muslim leadership.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl delivers the Friday khutbah and jumu'ah prayer at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). This week, he addresses the issue of Muslim women being forced to marry or stay married to men they do not love nor wish to stay with due to pressure from the family, the community, or the local imam. In the second part, he discusses the history of female reciters of the Quran in Islamic history. He closes with a detailed explanation of the conflict taking place between Azerbaijan and Armenia, and why the Los Angeles city government has taken a position on this foreign dispute. For more, visit www.usuli.org.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl delivers the weekly Friday #VirtualKhutbah and Jumu'a prayer at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). Dr. Abou El Fadl presents a long, illuminating, authentically sound tradition taught by the Prophet Muhammad on the centrality and foundational importance of the intellect in the Islamic tradition. Dr. Abou El Fadl applies this hadith to the question of whether women can recite the Quran in public or perform the public call to prayer (adhan). For more, visit www.usuli.org.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl delivers the Friday khutbah and jumu'a prayer at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). In this khutbah, Dr. Abou El Fadl presents the history, development and ultimate acceptance of the doctrine of "the legitimacy of the usurpers", which argues that the Prophet Muhammad supposedly supported the idea of obedience to unjust rulers - those who can usurp power by any means have the legitimate power to rule by tyranny and despotism without the consent of the governed. He demonstrates the immorality and irrationality of this popular argument, which has currency in our modern times.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl delivers the Friday khutbah and jumu'a prayer at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). He discusses the Trump Administration banning of Critical Race Studies and the impact on the future of racism and white supremacy in America, particularly in law enforcement. He covers privilege, power, colonialism, normalization of relations between Israel and Muslim countries, Yemen and the point of departure between Muslims who stand for ethics and principle versus those who do not; leading up to the ultimate question of "What is the Point of Religion?"
Part 2: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl continues sharing his personal journey and original methodology and dhikr with the Quran on Surah 46: Al Ahqaf. Part 2 includes Q&A. For more, visit: www.usuli.org/project-illumine.
Part 1: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl shares his personal journey and dhikr with the Quran in this new series of halaqas named Project Illumine: The Light of the Quran (https://www.usuli.org/project-illumine/), an original methodology for determining the unique message each chapter of the Quran brings. In this session, he presents his finding on Surah 46: Al Ahqaf. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song talks about the passing of their dog, Lucci, and learning and performing the Islamic call to prayer (adhan). Recorded September 12, 2020. For more, visit www.usuli.org.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl delivers the Friday khutbah and jumu'a prayer at The Usuli Institute. He addresses the current state of Muslim affairs in light of the recent normalization agreements between Muslim countries and Israel, and the consequent impacts on long-standing issues that concern Muslims. He discusses the Muslim response to injustice. For more, visit www.usuli.org.
From Dr. Abou El Fadl's original halaqas on the Qur'an, these were more traditional than the current halaqas under Project Illumine. For more information on Project Illumine: The Light of the Qur'an visit
www.usuli.org/project-illumine
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl delivers the Friday khutbah and jumu'a prayer at The Usuli Institute. Dr. Abou El Fadl blasts the use of the phrase, "All Lives Matter," as a means of using a divine ideal to deny the reality on the ground that Black Lives are not equal to that of others; using rhetoric to undermine principle. He further elaborates on the recent controversies over the UAE - Israel normalization accords and its backing by prominent American Muslim figures of leadership. For more, visit www.usuli.org.
Help us bring this program to life! Donate today! www.usuli.org/project-illumine
Part 1: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents the illuminated meaning of Surah 15, Al Hijr, from his lifelong journey with the Quran. This is not the traditional line-by-line approach of Quranic commentaries (tafsir), but an exposition of the unique message of each chapter of the Quran as its own distinct part of a whole. For more, visit: www.usuli.org.
Help us bring this program to life! Donate today! www.usuli.org/project-illumine
Part 2: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl continues his Quranic commentary of Surah 15 Al Hijr, delving into the deeper meaning of the chapter from his lifelong journey with the Quran. This is not the traditional line-by-line approach of Quranic commentaries (tafsir), but an exposition of the unique message of each chapter of the Quran as its own distinct part of a whole. Part 2 includes Q&A.
8/29/20
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl delivers the Friday khutbah and jumu'a prayer at The Usuli Institute. Addressing the persistent misperception that voting is not allowed in Islam, Dr. Abou El Fadl walks the audience through the rise of this misperception, which intensified after the Arab Spring. He explains why autocrats and dictatorial Muslim governments pushed for this conception, how it is counter to Islamic principles, and how scholars who gain benefit are complicit in this narrative. He walks through the convoluted arguments put forward to undermine notions of democracy or other means for holding Muslim leadership accountable for their injustices. For more, visit www.usuli.org.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl delivers the Friday khutbah and jumu'a prayer at The Usuli Institute. Dr. Abou El Fadl begins by explaining the significance and sacrosanct month of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar, and applies the moral lessons of the history of the month to our current day. He brings to bear the current state of affairs in a time driven by Islamophobia, and what happens when so-called Muslim leadership allow politics to trump our Islamic virtues. He advises on what ethical Muslims must do to resist and take a stand against the unethical actions of those who seek to represent the voice of Muslims in America. For more, visit www.usuli.org.
Help us bring this program to life! Donate today! www.usuli.org/project-illumine
Part 2: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl answers questions related to Surah Ya Sin and more. For more: https://www.usuli.org/new-quran-project/
8/15/20
Help us bring this program to life! Donate today! www.usuli.org/project-illumine
Part 1: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents the essence of Surah 32: Ya Sin in this new series of Quranic Commentaries. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song speaks about her virtual "Coffee and Question" international tour to meet with Usuli Enthusiasts and the latest on the New Quran Project. For more information, visit: https://www.usuli.org/new-quran-project/
8/15/20
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl delivers the Friday khutbah and Jumu'ah prayer at The Usuli Institute. In the first khutbah, Dr. Abou El Fadl expands on the state of the health of Jerusalem as a measure of the state of Muslims in light of recent events. In the second khutbah, he tells the story of Thalaba, who asked the Prophet Muhammad to pray for him to become wealthy. For more, visit www.usuli.org.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl delivers the Friday khutbah and jumu'a prayers at The Usuli Institute. Dr. Abou El Fadl begins with the understanding that all human beings are created by God as individuals with equal human rights to dignity, life and the full array of associated privileges by virtue of being human. From there, he presents the shameful report just released by The Commission on Unalienable Rights regarding the American version of human rights. He unpacks what the report says, its significance and implications, details all of the committee members that were appointed to the commission who signed off on the report, including the one Muslim representative, and explains where this leaves Muslims. For more, visit www.usuli.org.
https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Draft-Report-of-the-Commission-on-Unalienable-Rights.pdf
From Dr. Abou El Fadl's Commentary on the Qur'an. Sura 108: Al-Kawthar. This is from a halaqa in the 90's in Austin, TX
In Part 3, Dr. Abou El Fadl answers Q&A about Surah 32, Al Sajdah and others. Timestamps forthcoming.
Help us bring this program to life! Donate today! www.usuli.org/project-illumine
In Part 2, Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl begins his original tafsir on Surah 32: Al Sajdah. Part 3 is Q&A. For more info: https://www.usuli.org/new-quran-project/
8/1/20
Help us bring this program to life! Donate today! www.usuli.org/project-illumine
Part 1: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents the fourth in a new series on mining the deeper meanings of the chapters of the Quran based on his lifelong engagement, dhikr, prayers and supplications for illumination. In this halaqa, he discusses Surah 32: Al Sajdah. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song shares some updates and stories. Before the tafsir begins, Dr. Abou El Fadl discusses the central importance of a relationship with the Quran to understanding the message of the Quran, without which a relationship with God becomes merely wishful thinking. He discusses the topics of what defines consciousness, the role of free will, and shares his engagement with another chapter, Surah Maryam, which he had considered for this halaqa. He discusses why he chose not to cover Surah Maryam, and the significance of the layers of meaning in Surah Maryam. In Part 2, he begins the tafsir of Surah Al Sajdah. Part 3 is Q&A.
8/1/20
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl delivers the Friday khutbah and jumu'a prayer at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). On the occasion of Eid Al Adha, he discusses the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and his last sermon on Mount Arafat before his death in the coming year. In it, the Prophet leaves his last will and testament to Muslims, imparting the core teachings of the faith. Dr. Abou El Fadl emphasizes that with each Eid al Adha, Muslims must ask themselves, "How are we doing?" on these principles the Prophet left with us. He asks those questions of where we are as Muslims today. For more visit www.usuli.org.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl delivers the Friday #VirtualKhutbah and Jumu'a prayers at The Usuli Institute. In the first khutbah, discusses two seeming unrelated circumstances, which are in fact related. First, with regard to the state of the affairs in the Muslim world in these first ten days of the month of Dhu'l Hijjah, and the condition of Mecca now versus in the past decades; also the prospects of Hajj in the age of the pandemic. Second, Dr. Abou El Fadl reads from a harrowing report about the brutality that Chinese Uyghur Muslims face both inside and outside of concentration camps that exist TODAY: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-8542485/EDWARD-LUCAS-harrowing-evidence-Beijings-concentration-camps-aimed-educating-Muslims.html
He powerfully implicates Islamophobes and the Islamophobic industry, and the complicity of Muslim countries in painting all Muslims as a dangerous threat with one brush stroke, and draws the connection between the two seemingly unrelated events and their connection with the pandemic.
In the second khutbah, Dr. Abou El Fadl relates a story of a famous Quran copyist and the lessons to be learned about hope and redemption. For more, visit: www.usuli.org.
More resources on Global Brands that take advantage of forced Muslim labor in China: https://enduyghurforcedlabour.org/news/402-2/?fbclid=IwAR0BB1FpCHlwATjg2SgehR7DTrqSnX2fp3vjh6oB7kJyxcYrssInmq8egAU
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Part 2: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl answers questions about Surah al Rahman. Timestamps forthcoming. For more info: https://www.usuli.org/new-quran-project/
7/18/20
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Part 1: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl shares the ground-breaking results of his lifelong engagement with the Quran in this new tafsir halaqa. He shares his personal journey in discovering the meaning of Surah al Rahman, Chapter 55 of the Quran. This is the third example of the application of Dr. Abou El Fadl's original methodology. Part 2 is Q&A.
7/18/20
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl delivers the Friday khutbah and jumu'a prayer at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). Dr. Abou El Fadl receives countless questions by email each day from people he does not know. From their questions, he can immediately know their level of awareness, knowledge, biases and intellectual influences. He explains the critical importance of asking the right questions and presents the example of the companion of the Prophet Muhammad asking the Prophet Muhammad how he would describe himself. In a beautiful recounting of this forgotten hadith, we learn the entire philosophy of existence in a paragraph.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl concludes his line-by-line original commentary (tafsir) on Surah 89 Al Fajr. After a brief review, he continues from Verse 17. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song gives an update on the New Quran Project (https://www.usuli.org/new-quran-project/) and shares reflections on the topic of the Signs of God raised in the New Quran Halaqa on Surah al Jathiya through two events in her life in the past week. For more, visit www.usuli.org. Part 2 is Q&A.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl continues his original Quranic commentaries (tafsir) on Surah 89 Al Fajr, verses 4 to 16. In her introduction, Director Grace Song discusses the concluding chapter of the 30 Nights in The Search for Beauty journey of reading and what it reveals. She discusses how the trust of Islamic scholars has deteriorated among Muslims. This recording includes the introduction, tafsir and Q&A. For more, visit www.usuli.org.
0:00 - Advice from Dr. Abou El Fadl
8:30 - On loyalty to one’s spouse I am an unmarried person who is trying to understand marriage. One matter is still disturbing me and, as a female, I feel betrayed about love between spouses. It seems that spousal love is only for good times. If bad things befall a married couple, for example a wife has become chronically ill, terminally ill or her body is disfigured/changed due to disease, accident or other reasons, and as a side effect of treatment, her value is decreased in the eyes of the husband. People may suggest polygamy for the husband in these cases or the husband may cheat or leave her. All of these matters breaks a wife’s heart. What is the Islamic ruling about these situations? Does a wife deserve loyalty from her husband, even if her beauty is lost?
24:07 - On the importance of kindness In the Quran, Allah says, “Believe in me and be kind to your parents”. Is the concept of kindness a concept that takes precedence over other virtues in Islam? Does the importance of being kind extend and apply to others beyond parents too? For example, is it better in Islam to be kind than to be right or correct?
30:43 - On art in Islam I am a writer of short stories. As someone who deeply believes in art’s ability to push dialogue and furthermore create experiences that change how one engages the world, I think a lot about issues justice, ethics and Islam. I often write in a genre called speculative fiction, which is like science fiction or other genres that use non-mundane realities. My stories specifically involve Muslims, politics, spiritual practices, but also mix the speculative. In all my stories of this kind, the speculative elements serve as metaphors of vehicles to explore issues of ethics, justice and the human condition as per my life experiences and understanding of Islam. I obviously make no claim that the stories reflect the physical laws of reality. These are, after all, works of imaginative fiction. It’s also worth noting that these stories offer an interpretation that the more magical parts are psychological, something that’s quite common in fiction. My intention in all of this is to articulate an Islamic consciousness that explores all of the Usuli Institute is interested in and to do so as richly and evocatively as possible using the tools of fiction. What is the Professor’s opinion on this kind of art? Is it okay to use speculative elements in this way?
40:29 - On evolution My question concerns the scientific theories of evolution versus creationism and the relationship between them through the lens of Islam.
1:03:42 - On beards Is it mandatory for men to keep a beard in islam?
1:10:29 - On COVID-19 & Qurbani meat Regarding the threat of contracting COVID-19 via the distribution and handling of Qurbani meat, is it allowed this one time only to give money equivalent to the Qurbani shared to deserving people so that no one gets exposed to the deadly disease?
1:12:31 - On masturbation The Professor said that masturbation is allowed in a previous Q&A. This may get too personal, but what are the boundaries allowed in doing it? I know, of course, that stuff like porn is banned. But say someone has a particular fetish, like attractive feet or pregnant women, and looks at, say, images of fake feet or fake pregnant women. Would that go over the boundaries?
1:05 - Grace Song’s introduction
7:15 - Dr. Abou El Fadl’s introduction
25:30 - On men wearing gold I’m aware of the hadith regarding the impermissibility of men wearing gold. Are you aware of the rationale and purpose? In other words, should this hadith be understood literally as gold metal; is it because the gold is valuable? In other words, are platinum and titanium, which are more valuable, permissible simply based on a literal reading? The reason why this is also important is because it affects how a new convert understands how we approach our religion.
55:32 - Follow up questions about zakat & jewelry What about if you pay zakat on the jewelry? Can I pay off any unpaid zakat for my parents? My mother had no money to pay zakat for her jewelry and she couldn’t let go of her jewelry due to financial hardship. But now my mom passed away, can I pay off any zakat that was due on her jewelry?
59:12 - On finance Is it permissible to deposit money in high interest bank accounts for the purpose of collecting interest over time to pay off tuition fees for personal education, children, university education, personal debt or even support academic institutions? There is a long, enduring debate in my local community regarding the permissibility of bank loans to buy a house, start a business or engage in other financial activities. There are different legal opinions on this issue & I find the debate lacking in clarity. If I work in a context in which I help people in the financial sector improve their businesses & some of these companies are not Muslim & deal in interest, is it okay to work in a business where I’m helping these companies as a consultant?
1:23:18 - Dr. Abou El Fadl on the logic of his answers
1:32:08 - On the characteristics of a jurist; on Muslim intellectual life What is the role & function of the Muslim intellectual & the intellectual activism that is needed to revive & contribute to our shared intellectual landscape? What qualifies a person to be a Muslim intellectual? What is the role of the scholar & the intellectual?
2:09:51 - On data & legal opinions The unprecedented advancements in technology have allowed us nowadays to collect data on a societal level. This has allowed researchers & scholars to better understand people’s opinions, attitudes & preferences on a macro-level & how they change over time. Is it a valid methodological approach for a jurist to leverage data, to guide the formulation of his or her legal opinion about a subject related to individuals in society? If so, should this approach be the norm moving forward?
2:22:58 - On social norms My question pertains to social norms & behavior that evolve over time in a society, such as hugging & kissing during greetings. I have an understanding of the subject from a sociological perspective, but not from an Islamic one. How does Islam reconcile social norms governing modern society & the moral acceptance of these norms in Islam?
Part 2 of 2: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl answers questions from around the world.
0:01 - On paranormal abilities A few years ago, I woke from sleep, sitting straight up in bed, heart pounding, having heard, not in a dream, a voice saying, “Your death age is 63”. I’m using the word ‘voice’, but the quality of this was unlike anything I’ve ever known or heard. I’ve thought of this everyday since then. What do you make of that? Also, is there an explanation for an intoxicating, beautiful scent or perfume in the presence of a dying person in their last days and hours? I should add that it seems among the many people surrounding the dying person, only I was aware of it.
7:42 - On what happens after death What happens to the body and soul after death, what happens when we die? When we visit our dead in the cemetery and we say “As Salaam Alaikum” to them, does that mean they can hear us? What relief, if any, can we provide them in the grave?
21:46 - On how to deal with the recently deceased How should modern western Muslims bury their dead? What is the best hadith practice for burial and what is the process? Some areas of the west may face enormous county restrictions on abiding to that best practice, and if someone finds themselves in that situation, what are the implications for the dead? For example, I am contemplating western situations like mixed-faith cemeteries versus mono-Muslim burial without a coffin versus in a tomb or in a coffin and autopsies.
30:13 - On destiny If I’m not mistaken, Islam, perhaps in the Quran, propagates that our destinies are set or written. But on the other hand, I’ve heard hadith that say that du’a changes destiny. I fail to understand how is that possible if destinies are set? Allah gave us the capacity to do good or evil, how do we deal with the concepts of predestination and destiny versus what Allah wills? In general and also in the context of natural disasters, in specific. If God is all-merciful and all-knowing, why would He create people that would end up suffering eternally, for example, that would get into Jahannam? I fail to understand the concept of eternal reward or punishment, as I assumed that a finite time is spent on doing good or bad, then a finite reward would be expected.
1:08:20 - What is the Usuli Institute? What does “usuli” mean in the context of Professor Khaled Abou El Fadl’s work? How does the term “usuli” apply to the Professor’s methodology and how does that differ from other things described as “usuli”, such as Usuli Shiism? Could you talk about the history of the Usuli approach? Who were some of the other scholars in our tradition that would be identified as usuli? How much of the Professor’s approach were taught by his teachers, and how much of it did he develop?
1:32:48 - Grace Song’s reflections Grace Song, the Usuli Institute’s Executive Director, reflects on this Q&A session and the Usuli Institute.
1:37:10- Dr. Abou El Fadl’s reflections Dr. Abou El Fadl offers his reflections on his past teachers and what he hopes for his students.
1:44:35 - The miraculous nature of the Quran Dr. Abou El Fadl has mentioned two halaqas ago that the Prophet’s miracle was the Quran and it stands as a distinct proof apart from the miracles of other prophets. I understand that different scholars debated what it was that made the Quran miraculous, for example, whether it was the prose, the content, etc. The typical explanation that we hear today is that the Quran’s miracle is linguistic and it is the Quraysh’s failure to answer its challenge that demonstrates its power to incapacitate. What are your thoughts on the miraculous nature of the Quran as a timeless quality and how it is a proof for all times and places?
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl answers questions from around the world in this second Q&A on the last day of Ramadan 2020.
3:59- On Tattoos ** Answer begins at 17:54 As a new Muslim, I have to admit that, from before I was a Muslim, I have several visible tattoos on my arms and even one on my hand. And on top of that, also stretched earring holes. And I’d like to ask two questions: What should or could I do about it now, what is your idea about this? And do I need now to always feel ashamed and cover myself? How can this be a problem for my life and integration for my Muslim identity from now on, for example in Muslim communities? Tattoos in general are also touched upon.
11:49 - More on nail polish fatwa Dr. Abou El Fadl delves further into the fatwa he delivered in his previous Q&A regarding the wearing of nail polish and the validity of prayer.
24:20 - On Eid prayer during a pandemic People are asking about the permissibly of joining Eid prayer remotely, so Dr. Abou El Fadl talks about that. Also, some people have asked if Dr. Abou El Fadl would be willing to do Eid prayer.
29:30 - On medicine usage while fasting I do not have asthma, but I do suffer from allergies and occasionally have trouble breathing. Today I was struggling to breath and I used my inhaler. I know that most people say using one’s inhaler breaks one’s fast and I usually abide by that, but when I was having trouble breathing, that just seemed so unreasonable. Using my inhaler will not quench my thirst nor satisfy my hunger and God says in His Holy Book that He desires ease for us and not hardship, but now I’ve become worried that I invalidated my fast because many Islamic websites say that I did. I was curious what your thoughts on this were at The Usuli Institute, because I’ve long respected your positions on a variety of issues. If I did invalidate my fast, how might I make it up?
37:06 - On pregnancy and fasting What are the rulings for pregnant women fasting? Does one have to pay fidya and complete the fast later? I’m getting many opinions, please help. Also, what about breastfeeding women?
41:18- On wudu and prayer Dr. Abou El Fadl always says that salat starts with wudu. Does this mean that you have to do wudu every time that you perform salat?
44:46 - On combining prayers Can we combine zuhr and asr prayers, even when we are not travelling and just at home?
49:31 - On menses, prayer and fasting ** Answer begins at 1:07:30 My 14 year old daughter asked me recently, why is it that women aren’t allowed to pray or fast during their periods? And if this is true, what differentiates it from the women-hating cultures that isolate and ostracize women during menses and lochia? Specifically, if Allah doesn’t think it's unclean, then why is praying or fasting not an option? What is the legal basis for women having to stop the actual ritual act of prayer and fasting during their menses? I’m trying to figure out if it’s something that was made up by male theologians, or crept in from other traditions, for example, the Jewish tradition, or if it’s the byproduct of incorrect medical thought, or based on some precedent and the Prophet discussed it as a general rule and not a specific rule for a specific person. For the medical aspect, I’m a physician and from Hippocrates to about the 19th century, medical doctors considered blood to be impure, hence cupping and bleeding were medical techniques used for millennia to treat disease. We obviously don’t do that now to cure or treat infection, we know now that blood is sterile usually and not impure, and we know now that infection is from bacteria and viruses. So, can a woman pray and fast when menstruating? Can a woman read Quran while menstruating?
1:20:21 - On smoking while fasting If inhaling gaseous substances does not break fast, why would smoking break one’s fast? In other words, why do cigarettes, but not inhalers, break one's fast?
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl delivers the Friday #VirtualKhutbah and Jumu'a prayer at The Usuli Institute. He recounts that in the Quran, when God speaks to the Prophet Muhammad, the first prophet God ever mentions to the Prophet Muhammad is the Prophet Yunus. Dr. Abou El Fadl recounts a detailed version of the story of Prophet Yunus, of which most modern Muslims are unaware, and explains why this is a moral lesson against despair. Dr. Abou El Fadl recounts two additional forgotten stories from the Sirah of the Prophet Muhammad as powerful reminders of justice, mercy and the divine presence of God. For more, visit www.usuli.org.
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In Part 1 of the second New Quran Halaqa, Dr. Abou El Fadl gives last details of Surah 57: Al Hadid (Iron) in a continuation of the previous "Pilot Halaqa" from 27 June 2020. In Part 2, he presents his same new Quran methodology as demonstrated in the previous halaqa to understanding another chapter of the Quran: Surah al Jathiya. Part 3 is Q&A. For more information, visit: https://www.usuli.org/new-quran-project/
7/4/20
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In Part 2 of the second New Quran Halaqa, Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl presents his original commentary on Surah al Jathiya using the same methodology he presented in the previous halaqa on Surah al Hadid. Part 3 is Q&A. For more info: https://www.usuli.org/new-quran-project/
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl delivers the Friday #VirtualKhutbah and Jumu'a prayers at The Usuli Institute. He discusses the case of a woman in Egypt who appears in a YouTube video begging for help from Muslims around the world because she and her sister have been assaulted by the local police who have since arrested her sister and taunt her that unless she submits herself sexually to the policeman, that they will not release her sister. She is appealing to Al Azhar, to the President of Egypt, to anyone who will help her. Dr. Abou El Fadl calls attention this horrific situation and compares and contrasts the state of this woman and so many like her to that of Umm Salamah, before she became the wife of Prophet Muhammad. He shares the story of Umm Salamah at the time of the Prophet, revealing many morally insightful lessons and calling out the moral apathy of our day and age. For more, visit www.usuli.org.
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Part 1: Introduction and Tafsir. Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl introduces a new approach to understanding the Quran, chapter by chapter, the fruit of a lifelong engagement with the holy text of Islam. In this pilot halaqa, he explains how his journey with the Quran developed and evolved over the years and the questions that he engaged from the time of his youth. He presents the methodology he developed and demonstrates it in delving into the meaning of one sample chapter. www.usuli.org
6/27/20
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Part 2: Q&A. Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl introduces a new approach to understanding the Quran, chapter by chapter, the fruit of a lifelong engagement with the holy text of Islam. In this pilot halaqa, he explains how his journey with the Quran developed and evolved over the years and the questions that he engaged from the time of his youth. He presents the methodology he developed and demonstrates it in delving into the meaning of one sample chapter. www.usuli.org
6/27/20
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl delivers the weekly Friday #VirtualKhutbah and Jumu'a prayer at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). Dr. Abou El Fadl explains how as human beings, our character is built on the stories that we experience, hear and that form us from an early age and at all times throughout our lives. Especially as Muslims, this underscores the importance of knowing and learning moral lessons from the stories of our tradition. Most Muslims today do not hear or know the rich and nuanced stories from the Islamic tradition that build a person's moral character, which is why his recent khutbahs have increasingly integrated stories from the Early Muslims at the time of the Prophet Muhammad. In this khutbah, he recounts two stories which Muslims are not taught or familiar with, which demonstrate the passion and character of the early Muslims. Detailed description forthcoming. For more weekly khutbahs by Dr. Abou El Fadl, visit www.usuli.org.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl delivers the Friday khutbah at The Usuli Institute. He places our world's current events in the context of history and presents the same from an Islamic moral and ethical lens. Muslims choose the ethical path or the opposite, even through non-action. Understanding the impact of ethical choices, one must reflect and assess if they are on the right side of history. Detailed summary forthcoming. www.usuli.org.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl delivers the Usuli Institute weekly #VirtualKhutbah and Jumu'a prayer. He gives a rich and nuanced description of the context surrounding the very first khutbah delivered by the Prophet Muhammad to the first Muslims as they prepare to migrate from Mecca to Medina. Further, he explains the four points of advice that the Prophet sets forth to his followers at the most tumultuous time in which the entire Muslim project was at risk of failure. The lessons for our current times are striking. www.usuli.org.
Part 2 of 2: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl answers questions from around the world. YouTube video is at: https://youtu.be/4jKyRwjlKv4
0:01 - On paranormal abilities A few years ago, I woke from sleep, sitting straight up in bed, heart pounding, having heard, not in a dream, a voice saying, “Your death age is 63”. I’m using the word ‘voice’, but the quality of this was unlike anything I’ve ever known or heard. I’ve thought of this everyday since then. What do you make of that? Also, is there an explanation for an intoxicating, beautiful scent or perfume in the presence of a dying person in their last days and hours? I should add that it seems among the many people surrounding the dying person, only I was aware of it.
7:42 - On what happens after death What happens to the body and soul after death, what happens when we die? When we visit our dead in the cemetery and we say “As Salaam Alaikum” to them, does that mean they can hear us? What relief, if any, can we provide them in the grave?
21:46 - On how to deal with the recently deceased How should modern western Muslims bury their dead?
30:13 - On destiny If I’m not mistaken, Islam, perhaps in the Quran, propagates that our destinies are set or written. But on the other hand, I’ve heard hadith that say that du’a changes destiny. I fail to understand how is that possible if destinies are set? Allah gave us the capacity to do good or evil, how do we deal with the concepts of predestination and destiny versus what Allah wills? In general and also in the context of natural disasters, in specific. If God is all-merciful and all-knowing, why would He create people that would end up suffering eternally, for example, that would get into Jahannam? I fail to understand the concept of eternal reward or punishment, as I assumed that a finite time is spent on doing good or bad, then a finite reward would be expected.
1:08:20 - What is the Usuli Institute? What does “usuli” mean in the context of Professor Khaled Abou El Fadl’s work? Foundationalism? Principalism? How does the term “usuli” apply to the Professor’s methodology and how does that differ from other things described as “usuli”, such as Usuli Shiism? Does an Usuli approach have an overlap in meaning with the maqasidi approach discussed by others, like Jasser Auda? What about usulism in particular distinguishes the approach from those of other Muslim scholars today? Could you talk about the history of the Usuli approach? Who were some of the other scholars in our tradition that would be identified as usuli? How much of the Professor’s approach were taught by his teachers, and how much of it did he develop?
1:32:48 - Grace Song’s reflections Grace Song, the Usuli Institute’s Executive Director, reflects on this Q&A session and the Usuli Institute.
1:37:10- Dr. Abou El Fadl’s reflections Dr. Abou El Fadl offers his reflections on his past teachers and what he hopes for his students.
1:44:35 - The miraculous nature of the Quran Dr. Abou El Fadl has mentioned two halaqas ago that the Prophet’s miracle was the Quran and it stands as a distinct proof apart from the miracles of other prophets. I understand that different scholars debated what it was that made the Quran miraculous, for example, whether it was the prose, the content, et cetera. The typical explanation that we hear today is that the Quran’s miracle is linguistic and it is the Quraysh’s failure to answer its challenge that demonstrates its power to incapacitate. Alhamdulillah, I am personally content with this answer but I do not think it would persuade many today, especially non-Arabic speakers. What are your thoughts on the miraculous nature of the Quran as a timeless quality and how it is a proof for all times and places?
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl answers questions from around the world in this second Q&A on the last day of Ramadan 2020. YouTube video is at: https://youtu.be/MiD613-8KdQ
3:59- On Tattoos ** Answer begins at 17:54 As a new Muslim, I have to admit that, from before I was a Muslim, I have several visible tattoos on my arms and even one on my hand. And on top of that, also stretched earring holes. And I’d like to ask two questions: What should or could I do about it now, what is your idea about this? And do I need now to always feel ashamed and cover myself? How can this be a problem for my life and integration for my Muslim identity from now on, for example in Muslim communities? Tattoos in general are also touched upon.
11:49 - More on nail polish fatwa Dr. Abou El Fadl delves further into the fatwa he delivered in his previous Q&A regarding the wearing of nail polish and the validity of prayer.
24:20 - On Eid prayer during a pandemic People are asking about the permissibly of joining Eid prayer remotely, so Dr. Abou El Fadl talks about that. Also, some people have asked if Dr. Abou El Fadl would be willing to do Eid prayer.
29:30 - On medicine usage while fasting I do not have asthma, but I do suffer from allergies and occasionally have trouble breathing. Today I was struggling to breath and I used my inhaler. I know that most people say using one’s inhaler breaks one’s fast and I usually abide by that, but when I was having trouble breathing, that just seemed so unreasonable. Using my inhaler will not quench my thirst nor satisfy my hunger and God says in His Holy Book that He desires ease for us and not hardship, but now I’ve become worried that I invalidated my fast because many Islamic websites say that I did. I was curious what your thoughts on this were at The Usuli Institute, because I’ve long respected your positions on a variety of issues. If I did invalidate my fast, how might I make it up?
37:06 - On pregnancy and fasting What are the rulings for pregnant women fasting? Does one have to pay fidya and complete the fast later? I’m getting many opinions, please help. Also, what about breastfeeding women?
41:18- On wudu and prayer Dr. Abou El Fadl always says that salat starts with wudu. Does this mean that you have to do wudu every time that you perform salat?
44:46 - On combining prayers Can we combine zuhr and asr prayers, even when we are not travelling and just at home?
49:31 - On menses, prayer and fasting ** Answer begins at 1:07:30 My 14 year old daughter asked me recently, why is it that women aren’t allowed to pray or fast during their periods? And if this is true, what differentiates it from the women-hating cultures that isolate and ostracize women during menses and lochia? Specifically, if Allah doesn’t think it's unclean, then why is praying or fasting not an option? What is the legal basis for women having to stop the actual ritual act of prayer and fasting during their menses? I’m trying to figure out if it’s something that was made up by male theologians, or crept in from other traditions, for example, the Jewish tradition, or if it’s the byproduct of incorrect medical thought, or based on some precedent and the Prophet discussed it as a general rule and not a specific rule for a specific person. For the medical aspect, I’m a physician and from Hippocrates to about the 19th century, medical doctors considered blood to be impure, hence cupping and bleeding were medical techniques used for millennia to treat disease. We obviously don’t do that now to cure or treat infection, we know now that blood is sterile usually and not impure, and we know now that infection is from bacteria and viruses. So, can a woman pray and fast when menstruating? Can a woman read Quran while menstruating?
1:20:21 - On smoking while fasting If inhaling gaseous substances does not break fast, why would smoking break one’s fast? In other words, why do cigarettes, but not inhalers, break one's fast?
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl delivers the Friday #VirtualKhutbah and Jumu'a prayers at The Usuli Institute. He discusses the larger picture of what led to this moment in history as protests erupt across America over racism and the evolution, growth and impact of global white supremacy. He explains the extreme threat to American democracy in light of these events, and what happens when police become militarized. He discusses the Islamic obligation upon Muslims under these circumstances and the significance of Muslims taking part in protest. He explains how all is interconnected, especially evil. www.usuli.org.
Part 2 of 2: Dr. Abou El Fadl answers the following questions:
First Question: On Challenges for Muslim Women finding marriage over age 30; Interfaith Marriage, Sexual Desire, Masturbation, the Importance of a Blessed Marriage I would like Dr. Abou El Fadl's opinion about difficulties to get married for Muslim ladies who are aged 30 and over. Many Muslim men marry non-Muslim women and, as we know, Muslim women are only allowed to marry Muslim men. I remember Dr. Abou El Fadl saying that if someone doesn't pray as a couple, that half of the blessings (baraka) at home is lost. However it is very difficult to be single and over 30 because there are fewer opportunities and time is flying to have children. Also, this is often a taboo topic but women do have desire and it is a challenge to stay away from zina and other sins. What is the Dr.'s advice for this situation?
Question 2: On Having Children (25:13) What is the point of having children? I feel so blessed by this endeavor, but what does my daughter get out of it? I don’t know if this is how life works, but I imagine that before birth her spirit lived in happiness with God. Then I facilitated her creation and I helped bring her to the pains, fears, and screams of life. What about her? Why did I help take her from the bliss she was in before she was born? What about her afterlife? I worry about her existence on this earth because she will die and she will face judgement and she may face punishment - why have I done this to her? What if she doesn’t make it back to Allah? Why do we have children?
Question 3: On Perennialism (Muslim salvation versus the salvation of others and whether Islam is an exclusive method of salvation) and why Islam is presumptively the straight path to God (38:15). "I was wondering if it would be possible for the professor to give us his thoughts on the debate on perennialism. I know from the professor's material that salvation is a matter between the person and Allah, and that diversity is stated to be part of the divine plan, but I also often read orthodox Muslim positions that lean more on the "exclusivist" side, citing other Qur'anic passages that appear like harsher condemnations of "unbelievers". Are these positions irreconcilable or does the answer lie in an understanding of Islam as a "moral and divinely engaged method" of life, in which belief and unbelief are to be interpreted as "moral categories" rather than simple tribal affiliations?"
Question 4: (1:11:00) On the issue of Halal meat and the various implications given the Quranic injunctions, animal cruelty and environmental considerations.
Question 5: (1:26:38) On Muslim Identity. "In a society where muslims are a numerical minority and in a time of widespread nationalism, individualism, islamophobia and sectarianism, how does one construct a muslim identity that is both unifying and sensitive to ethnic, social, cultural and historical diversity among muslims? What is the difference between being a Muslim and proclaiming a Muslim identity? Or is there any difference at all? What is the role, function and purpose of the community/ummah in the age we are in?"
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl answers questions from around the world. In part 1, he answers the following questions:
Question 1: On Zakat (Charity) (4:40) On where to give zakat (charity).
Question 2: On the Hadith concerning the Chaining of Devils during Ramadan (25:00) I had some queries regarding the narration of the Prophet pbuh. Would love some insights. Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "When Ramadan begins, the gates of Paradise are opened, and the gates of Hell are closed, and the devils are chained up." Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3277; Muslim, 1079. According to al-Nasaa’i: "The most evil jinn are chained up.” A) Is this an authentic narration? Is it metaphorical? As in Muslims will experience increased guidance, more aligned with the angelic realm and a state of expanded consciousness or do we understand it to mean the entire demonic realm is closed off? How do we understand the evil in our world if this hadith is sahih? B) So what does that mean for the Satan worshipers and people who are into black magic (real or perceived), clairvoyants, also child abusers, domestic violence...? C) could it have only applied to the time of the Prophet when the doors of revelation were open or is it throughout time?
Question 3: On Fasting and Prayer Times in certain Time Zones (40:02) My first question is about timings of fasting and prayer. I live in northern Europe, Sweden. The times for fasting are quite long here. The fasts can become almost 22 hours in the summer. On the other hand, winter time has very short fasts, A little more than 6 hours. What are the rulings in such situations? What about prayer timings in general. During summer, the prayers are far apart Magrib at 2100hrs and isha at 00:00hrs. And its the opposite during winter time. The prayers are so close together that Zohr and Asr are almost joined together. By 1700hrs all 5 prayers are done.
Question 4: On Kinship Ties (silat al-rahim) (47:15) I was wondering if I could make a request for a specific topic: silat al-rahim (kinship ties). Specifically, what exactly does it entail, to which family members, and how would it apply to kin who might do you harm, e.g., narcissists, etc. This includes any degree of physical violence, as well as verbal/emotional abuse, threats of any kind, damage to property, or other forms of retaliation, e.g., when you resist their attempts at dominance. Also, what to do if they marry or befriend people that are dangerous, including violent people and scam artists, thereby exposing you or other family members to risk. Finally, what to do if they actively rob you, family members, or society, or have done so in the past and might be at risk of doing it again.
Question 5: On Nail Polish (1:07:17) This may not be the most pressing question today but it is important to me and to so many women. I've read and heard many different responses to this that I don't know what to believe. My question is regarding the permissibility of nail polish and prayer. Does it matter if it’s artificial or just a paint? I’ve heard some say that if someone has polish on (prior to ablution), one should still make ablution and pray without necessarily having to remove it while others have went as far as to say that prayer is completely rejected if one has nail polish on prior to performing ablution. I know that Muslim businesses are capitalizing on this idea of breathable polish. Does it matter if it is breathable but not permeable. Is there something to this concept?! I am asking for myself and for my friends who feel at times, a little anxious to be seen with manicured nails in muslim spaces especially in the mosque.
Continued in Part 2.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl delivers the Friday #VirtualKhutbah at The Usuli Institute. He discusses how Islam came as a message to distinguish between jahiliyya (ignorance, darkness) and the opposite. He elaborates of a well-known story of the Prophet and how he was reprimanded by God in an entire surah (chapter) of the Quran for turning his attention away from a poor blind man who called upon him as the Prophet was in the midst of speaking to the powerful elite of Mecca. Dr. Abou El Fadl illuminates the moral lessons from that story that Muslims do not usually hear. He discusses the jahiliyya of racism and injustice in our day, particularly in regard to the murder of George Floyd this past week and the ensuing public protests, as well as other victims of police brutality. He presents the jahiliyya of modern Muslims who promote inaction and ritual practice in the face of injustice. He poses the question of whether one is a Muslim by name and commitment to action against injustice; or whether one is a Muslim by name only, believing their best course in the face of injustice is to focus on patience, passivity and perfecting one's own ritual practice. A powerful commentary on how Muslims, as the Prophet taught, should never be silent in the face of injustice. www.usuli.org
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl reflects on the lessons of Ramadan under pandemic and shares two stories of the Prophet and early Muslims that illustrate the foundation of building dignity and justice with God. Detailed summary description available at www.usuli.org
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl delves deeper into the meaning of the first chapter of the Quran, Surah Al Fatiha, and elaborates on the powerful covenant renewed by Muslims as agents of God every time they say "Bismillah" (In the name of God). Detailed summary description forthcoming on www.usuli.org.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl reflects on the lessons of Ramadan under pandemic and shares two stories of the Prophet and early Muslims that illustrate the foundation of building dignity and justice with God. Detailed summary description forthcoming. www.usuli.org
In her second interview with Adee Simon Macdowell for his podcast "Becoming Muslim," Grace Song, Executive Director of The Usuli Institute, answers questions and gives advice to new converts and those interested in becoming Muslim. This is the full interview. The edited podcast version is here: https://untoislam.com/podcast/extremely-beautiful-version-of-islam. In her first interview, she tells her conversion story.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl tells another fascinating story of the time of the Prophet Muhammad, which demonstrates the strength and social justice orientation of the early Muslims despite horrific persecution. It is a yardstick by which to measure our own spirit and personality. He answers the question of why Islam was revealed to the Arabs as opposed to another group of people.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl begins his original Quranic commentary on Surah 89 Al Fajr, completing the first three verses. In the introduction, Grace Song discusses strategies for standing out online in our new world of communications and talks about her project of 30 Nights in The Search for Beauty during the month of Ramadan. There was no Q&A session for this meeting.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl tells a powerful story from the life of the Prophet Muhammad and the role of Bilal, a well known early Muslim to teach a lesson of ethics, the purpose of Ramadan and what the expression "casting ourselves unto ruin" actually means. Detailed summary description forthcoming.
On the first day of fasting for the month of Ramadan 2020, Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl elucidates on the inherent power of the month that comes from an understanding of the deeper meaning of fasting combined with the guidance of the Quran and knowledge of The Criterion (al Furqan) of discernment. Detailed summary description forthcoming.
With Mecca and Medina and the holy sites of Islam empty for the first time in centuries, what remains for Muslims and their prospects for the coming month of Ramadan? Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl centers on the notions of 'adl (justice) and ihsan (goodness/beauty) as the defining characteristics of Muslims from the time of the Prophet before there were books of law or collections of hadith and traditions of the Prophet. He presents an early story of the Prophet Muhammad as a powerful example of living by 'adl and justice that hold countless lessons and wisdom for Muslims today. www.usuli.org.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl speaks out against the brutal killing of Abd al-Rahim al-Huwayti in Saudi Arabia, who was murdered yesterday by the Saudi security forces for resisting the forceable seizure of his native home for the NEOM project, part of "The Deal of the Century" in the Middle East. Al-Huwayti, part of the major Huwaytat Tribe of Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt, chronicled the takeover of his native city of Khuraybat in the Province of Tabuk, and posted numerous YouTube videos to draw world attention to the injustices taking place from the highest levels of power. This killing was as egregious as that of Jamal Khashoggi.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl elaborates on the khutbah he delivered during Friday prayers earlier the same day, entitled "Addressing the Generational Divide Among Younger and Older Muslims," 10 April 2020, presenting the geopolitical landscape of the powers and influences that have shaped the current state of the Muslim world today. The original khutbah can be found on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/jVjdQMzjfJQ and on SoundCloud.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl honestly and directly speaks to the unspoken gap between younger and older generations of Muslims and the confusion, angst and discontent between the two as the older generation hands down Islam to the younger generation and both generations are unhappy with the state of Islam and Muslims in the modern world. He addresses the confusion and discontent and gives perspective, insight and comfort through a reexamination of the very first verses revealed to the first Muslims from Surah al Baqarah. We live in a time which is so similar to that of the first Muslims because of the level of hatred of Islam and Muslims from without and within; there is much to reflect on in the similarities. He draws parallels between that early time for Muslims and today. He opens the door for shared understanding, dialogue and bonding in identifying the reasons for discontent and what goes on geopolitically in our world that have defined the Islamic world we live in today. A critical exposition for addressing the generational divide among younger and older Muslims. www.usuli.org
Dr. Abou El Fadl begins with a reminder that this pandemic, like every hardship, is a challenge and an opportunity to return to God, reflect upon oneself, and to find the place of God within ourselves.
In Surah Al-Baqarah, God teaches us our core belief as Muslims and the knowledge of ethics. In Islam, to love is to not take for granted. In the same way that we are not expected to take God for granted, we must not take each other for granted, as one cannot truly love someone if they take that being for granted. God teaches reciprocity in the Quran, telling us, "Be mindful of me and I will be mindful of you.” In modern times, human beings have become so self-centered that they have created a god who loves them unconditionally; a god that willingly dies out of an act of devotion, requiring nothing in return other than mere belief and recognition. Unethical love does not know the relationship of reciprocity and is indeed an ugly love.
If we are ethical in our relationship with God, we will be ethical in our relationship with ourselves. God will test us, send us fear, hunger and loss of wealth; but those who are blessed are those who endure and persevere.
The path to God is anchoring oneself in sabr – perseverance and endurance – and persistent prayer; so that when hardship comes, one does not despair, become convinced that God does not care about them or view life as pointless with no hope of getting better.
Many Muslims, when faced with hardship, mutter, “To God we belong and to God we return" (“Inna li ’llah wa inna ‘ilayhi raji ‘un”). There are many miserable, immoral, cowardly humans, humans who will sit passively watching injustice happen, that mutter this expression as their sole response to hardship. It is a statement that has become a form of moral cowardliness, a way to evade responsibility. But this statement, if properly understood and properly believed, could revolutionize one’s existence. If we truly believe that we will return to God and remind ourselves of this every time there is a hardship, then this statement should serve to underscore that during hardship, we are never absolved of moral responsibility and accountability.
The first thing hardship does is challenge us with the illusion of exceptionalism. When faced with a challenge, the first response brought by Shaytan is to believe that immoral actions, such as mistreating loved ones, is acceptable. Or, at a higher level, that hardships excuse the need for ethical obligation. Looking at the nature of ethics, it is easy to believe we have a moral order when no difficulty exists. But this order truly matters when there is hardship. For example, when war occurs, Muslims who may otherwise live as good Muslims may suddenly excuse the killing of fellow Muslims, civilians or children.
The scarcity of resources is a test, presenting us with an ethical choice. If we choose to take care of the young over the old and the healthy over the sick, we fail the ethical challenge from a lack of sabr. Sabr does not come from passively waiting for God to end the hardship, true sabr is to persevere with the ethical choice when confronted with hardship. Everyone, regardless of capability or productivity, has the same rights to life. In fact, in Islam, seniors have rights that exceed the rights of those who are young.
To say, "To God we belong and to God we return," is to affirm that we live life with principles. Sometimes, this requires that we not just sacrifice efficiency, but our own lives. We cannot use our own lives as an excuse to fail in our moral obligations. It is easy to use the excuse of safety to become selfish. But to fail to take care of our family, our neighbors, our senior citizens and our handicapped is a huge moral failure on a societal level. To remember God's presence in our lives is to know that every issue is an ethical issue and therefore an issue of Godliness. www.usuli.org
The Quran manifests the power of words. Words make a great deal of difference because of way that God created existence. God created humans as intelligent animals capable of reason and reasoning. Intelligent and rational animals respond to words. The Quran persistently reminds and calls humanity to reason, through the power of words. The more human beings stop responding to words, the more that words lose their place and role in the life of human beings and the more de-humanized the human factor becomes.
God effects creation through words. The most miraculous thing about humans is their ability to decide their path, having comprehended the power of words. What makes us accountable before God is our willingness, refusal or obstinance to respond to words. Without words, there would be no accountability. The way that God reaches us and creates the entire mechanism of responsibility and accountability is through the medium of words, and words are revelation. If God speaks and puts us on notice through the power of words and humans no longer respond or the words no longer have impact, then the entire mechanism of discharging our covenant before God, and the very logic and reason behind the entire process of creation, responsibility and accountability fall apart.
In Surah Al-Shura, God describes the state of a people who exist fully aware of their covenantal relationship with God and who are successfully discharging this covenantal relationship; rational animals who are in a state of grace with their Lord.
It is as if God is saying that a fully engaged society conducts their affairs through a system of shura. Shura is the power of words; a fuller meaning for the word shura than “consultation” is “deliberation”. They share words – deliberate – with each other. If this deliberative process becomes formalistic, meaning people get together, listen to each other talk, and then thoroughly ignore each other, they are not discharging the obligation of shura.
Critically, in the verse immediately following, God reminds that in a society that is in a state of grace with God, it is as if this active, deliberative process also leads to the circulation of wealth. Money is not hoarded and coveted, but circulates, such that there are not sharp inequities between the poor and rich. Wealth is distributed justly.
Further, in the social, ethical order, there must be a way to address injustice. If a society violates rights and there is no way to address or conquer injustice, they will not exist in a state of grace with God. A society in which there is no deliberative process, where wealth is not distributed justly and there is no way to address injustice cannot be an Islamic, moral society.
Surah Al-Shura also reveals that as a principle of justice, a wrong must be addressed proportionately and measuredly. In other words, the mechanisms of justice must result in the ability to address injustices with logical proportionality and consistency to count as true justice. God makes it plainly clear, whether you call it democracy or something else, that a state of grace with God can only be if your affairs are deliberative (deliberative justice); if there is distributive economic justice; if there are mechanisms to address injustice (procedural justice) and compel the powerful and empower the powerless (substantive justice) with proportionality. With God’s word so clear, how is injustice, political cowardliness, despotism, and nepotism so prevalent in Muslim countries? It is as if God is speaking and no one is listening.
As long as we do not realize that Islam is, heart and soul, a rebellion against injustice, oppression, despotism and suffering, then we have betrayed Islam itself.
Knowing God is impossible without love and without loving God. Strict obedience, if unthinking and unfeeling, is a form of hypocrisy towards God. That obedience is a form of deception and lying; you are obeying because you are calculating the costs and benefits for entirely selfish, idiosyncratic and narcissistic purposes. While that obedience is better than disobedience, it is not a lofty objective on the moral plane. If you do not learn to be truthful towards your Lord, you do not learn to be a truthful human being. A person who obeys solely out of fear is someone who lacks truthfulness and honesty, and who will not come to know the Lord.
To have a loving relationship with God, you must first commit yourself to transparency and honesty about your relationship with God; you must commit to something other than simple, blind, unthinking, unfeeling obedience. As an Ummah, that is supposed to be our aspiration. If we are diligently working towards that aspiration, we learn to be truthful human beings and the bonds between the Ummah itself grow to become sincere and truthful bonds. The Ummah becomes accustomed to being truthful about itself and with itself.
One cannot engage in self-determination without being honest with oneself about themselves, others, and God. One of the most often-quoted and misrepresented Quranic verses that disempowers Muslims and robs them of their sense of self-determination is taken from Surah An-Nisa (58-59) and states in part, “All believers, obey Allah, obey the Prophet, and obey your rulers…”. The implication is that obedience to rulers is the equivalent or equal to obeying God and the Prophet, and basically conveys that the way you practice your faith should be subservient to those in power; that those in charge should decide all material matters that affect your life, and that your job is to simply do rituals without turning the rituals into a means of empowerment; that self-determinative autonomy is left to those in power, not you.
This is a complete and total corruption of God’s revelation. Every imam that cites this Quranic passage to justify injustice, suffering, inhumanity, narcissism, self-interest or the destruction and deconstruction of the Muslim Ummah is corrupting God’s word.
First, God gives us a penultimate statement: your guide and objective is justice. Second, in principle, you should aspire to obey God, the Prophet, and whoever is in charge. However, if there are disagreements – not disagreements with God or with the Prophet, but disagreements among the people, which includes the rulers, then there must be a method, procedure, or instrumentality to resolve such disputes so that taghut (injustice, despotism, oppression, corruption, lies and deception) will not prevail.
Rulers are considered to be among the people and must represent the will of the people. God made it clear in Surah An-Nisa that those who rule over you must in fact represent you, but beyond that, your compass in life must be justice.
Ours is the religion that 1400 years ago, the Prophet said, “If you are in a place, in a town, in a city that becomes afflicted by the plague, neither enter nor leave.” In other words, quarantine. This if not remarkable for our day and age, but it is remarkable that the Prophet was teaching the procedure for quarantine 1400 years ago. When the Prophet was asked, “But if we stay in the city, we might die,” his response was, “Yes, you might die. But then you are sacrificing yourself for the good of others and you die a martyr.” This religion taught the ethics of humanity before philosophical ethics matured to what it claims to be today.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl gives his original Quranic Commentary (tafsir) on Surah 106 Al Quraish. Originally recorded on audio cassette and digitized.
Part 2 of 2: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl gives his original Quranic Commentary (tafsir) on Surah 105 Al Fil. Originally recorded on audio cassette and digitized.
Part 1 of 2: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl gives his original Quranic Commentary (tafsir) on Surah 105 Al Fil. Originally recorded on audio cassette and digitized.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl gives more detail about the importance and validity of virtual khutbahs given certain conditions in Muslim minority countries in light of the pandemic. Further, he discusses the steps that Muslims should take in understanding both the universal and personal nature of a pandemic with regard to the relationship with God.
Dr. Abou El Fadl begins with the reason for the previous jumu'a’s cancellation - the loss of his hearing. He sees it as both a challenge and a blessing, as we should view everything we are dealt in life. If we reflect upon ourselves, we will see that everything that we enjoy, even the most minor coordination, the simplest thought, the way that we interpret every desire is a clear indication of God’s existence. However, the nature of human beings often is to not reflect until we experience loss, taking blessings for granted. Our ability to speak, to see, to perceive the world around us are experiences we engage in constantly but never pause to reflect upon the miraculousness of the act. It is immoral to take God out of our lives to enjoy our existence as if we owe nothing, as if we are not interconnectedly an extension of God. Seeing, hearing, thinking, and tasting are all divine marvels, but what is critical is how we choose to navigate those marvels, whether we navigate towards a fulfillment of the Divine or navigate away, towards the ungodly. Humans are masters of distraction, diverting our attention to avoid reflecting upon the constant marvels of divinity that we are intimately involved in.
Your hearing stops, the world goes silent, and suddenly you notice what has been taken away from your life. The sound of the adhan is missed, and you reflect upon the times you were busy, so you turned off the adhan. You ponder, if your hearing returns, will you be more attentive to the adhan? Will it be given priority, or will old habits return and the adhan will once again be taken for granted? You miss your family calling for you. If your hearing returns, will you be more attentive to your family?
When something is taken from us, we are willing to promise God the world, if only God would give us back what has been taken. But we must be honest with ourselves to avoid being liars, as many of us will fail to uphold our promises, ultimately breaching whatever commitments were expressed at a time of need. A wise person does not need to experience loss to reflect upon their relationship with Allah, but much of humanity exists in a state of oblivion.
Every challenge is a blessing, because every blessing is an opportunity to think, reflect, reform, change and grow. Many people when struck by a challenge ask God, ‘Why?’. Instead of asking 'why', we should use the opportunity to reflect upon the ways that we may have failed ourselves and consider that loss as a moment to grow before time runs out and we have no more opportunities to work with. We should ask God to grant us the strength of consistency and to steer us away from hypocrisy, because our own hubris gives us a false strength of immunity. Sincerity reminds us that there are losses that we may be unable to bear, but God will stand by us as we persevere through any challenge or loss. We are in a constant state of grace and blessings, yet we are often not cognizant of it until something is drastically taken away from us.
Dr. Abou El Fadl begins with the reminder that because humans are often oblivious and forgetful, we take much for granted. The Prophet Muhammad was a moral example of how we should live our lives, and those who fail to understand this guidance lose so much because they cannot truly be guided to the path of Islam.
Last week, Dr. Abou El Fadl shared the news that he had become functionally deaf and reflected upon his thoughts as he coped with this life change. Like most humans, he did not reflect upon the blessing of hearing until he lost it. The nature of human beings is to take blessings like our senses, safety and stability for granted until these blessings are threatened. Loss educates and humbles. Upon loss, some become angry and ask the question that will never be answered, “Why me?”. This is a selfish question, why does someone else deserve the loss? What truly matters is what one chooses to do with their loss.
An interesting thing happens when the world becomes eerily silent. There is a voice that cannot be shut off, that continues to speak in one’s head, a voice that must be listened to, and that is the voice of the self. There are no longer distractions, so one must confront this voice. When you confront the self, you start reflecting upon what you are made of. That is the blessing of what God gives and takes; it becomes an amazing educational opportunity. In this case, it is an opportunity to listen to what is going to testify against you or for you in the Hereafter before it does. If the world going silent opened the door for the voice of God to come through more purely, then there is no loss or loneliness, only beauty. Do not wait until blessings are lost to appreciate, reflect and be grateful now. Think about every sense that God has given you and how you are using it. When it testifies in the Hereafter, will it elevate or degrade you?
That is the power of religion. Those who think everything is by chance, when diagnosed with an affliction, will question, “Why me?” and often attempt to spread their misery. Religion teaches us that nothing is by happenstance and that there is an entity who sees us and holds us accountable. We cannot allow ourselves to devolve to barbaric behavior, we are elevated by the reality of the Divine. If a religion fails to elevate one into beauty and make loss an opportunity for elevation, not degradation, then it is not religion.
Thank God for what God has given and taken. Repeat “Alhamdulillah” constantly because when you acknowledge your gratitude, you become cognizant of your own faults and aspire to be better, and that is what God wants for us.
Reminding ourselves of the essence of what Islam is – a mercy unto humankind - is so critical, particularly now, as Islam has been demonized around the world and Muslims have become confused about the message of Islam. The threat of “Islamic jihadis,” “political Islam” and terrorism has become a common defense to justify the murder of Muslims in numerous territories. The problem is not just these governments, but that they are served by an army of imams that justify their murderous, Islamophobic behavior. Colonialism confronted an ideology of resistance within the Islamic civilization, and this ideology of resistance was often called jihad. Colonialism’s propaganda said, ‘resistance is wrong’, even if the resistance was for a just cause. Any despot is a corrupter of the earth because despotism is shirk (associating partners with God). When a despot says, "Listen to me and me alone," they negate divinity. Two types of Islam emerged from colonialism: a non-confrontational, pacifist Islam; and a resistant, justice-based Islam. The first logics that obeying the ruler is obeying God, making this Islam favorable among despots. God has given us a brain, so we do not fall victim to following these despots. Dr. Abou El Fadl concludes by praying Allah puts us in the Hereafter with those whom we love, whether it be the Prophet or the despots.
Dr. Abou El Fadl begins with the reminder that if God truly allowed humans to suffer the consequences of their own actions, nothing would remain on earth. Divine grace intervenes in our lives constantly, saving us from our own follies and giving humanity infinite opportunities in the hope that we will do good. God has also blessed humanity with a beautiful, true moral example: The Prophet Muhammad. Yet, no prophet has been vilified throughout history as much as the Final Prophet. The Prophet was a man of great ethics, making him fit to bear the enormous task of carrying the Quran to humanity. His moral character was the Quran. He was sent as a mercy unto mankind and is dearly loved by God. God told the Prophet, "You are in Our eyes”, an Arabic expression that means, "I love you to the point that it is as if you are the core of my heart”. We should pray to be among those who would be included in that statement, to be like the Prophet in God’s eyes.
The same man who was so dearly loved by God also experienced much tragedy, losing his beloved wife, his paternalistic uncle, and witnessing two of his sons die. This shows that it is not an indication of God's love if God spoils us on this earth. One could have terrible losses in life, but the way that these losses are handled is what will determine if one is close to God. What is remarkable about the Prophet is that this is a man who experienced one loss after another throughout his life, but always remained free of bitterness and hate. It is not that the Prophet did not experience heartbreak or grief, but what is key is how he dealt with hardship. It would have been very easy for him to think, "God does not love or care about me”, a thought many people feel after loss. The Prophet went through all of this to provide us with a moral education. We may go through a great deal of hardship, but we must strive to keep our hearts pure. What brings tranquility and comfort to one’s heart and keeps it truly pure is dhikr (remembrance of God). We must continue doing dhikr until God sends the strength to be a solid human being that does not turn tragedy into an excuse for evil.
Dr. Abou El Fadl regularly receives emails from Muslims inquiring about negative reports about the Prophet Muhammad. Because Islam spread very quickly, there were many people who entered Islam for purely political or opportunistic reasons, who did not understand Islam or remained hostile to Islam. A great deal of hadith traditions were invented by people who pretended to be Muslim but were hostile to Islam. Over the centuries, such anti-Muhammad traditions were recognized by scholars and put into a cultural quarantine. Islamophobia, Wahhabism, Puritan Islam, extremist Islam, Daesh Islam and ISIS Islam took these hadiths out of quarantine and circulated them among Muslims again. But there is a big difference: in the past, Muslim institutions were strong and could keep such traditions in quarantine.
Without the moral example of the Prophet, Muslims have very little. Today, our Muslim institutions are so weak, that we no longer control the discourse on Islam. We do not have the ability to quarantine things that should be quarantined. However, what we do have is our mind and conscience. When you find that God describes the Prophet as a man of great ethics; that God tells him, "You are a mercy unto humankind"; that God tells him “You are so beautiful that you are in God’s heart”, then that should be the yardstick as to what to believe – or what not to believe – about your Prophet.
The coronavirus pandemic teaches us a great deal about ourselves and the morality and immorality of our modern condition. It is a book of philosophical wisdom for those who reflect on it. Whether it is through direct intervention or through the laws of nature, there will be hardship. But the response to this hardship is what truly matters. www.usuli.org
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl further explains the jurisprudence of the virtual khutbah. He discusses the many lessons of the Coronavirus and their implications on understanding God's love. Detailed summary description forthcoming.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl gives his original Quranic Commentary (tafsir) on Surah 108 Al Kauthar. Originally recorded on audio cassette and digitized.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl provides original Quranic Commentary on Surah 111 Al Masad. Originally recorded on audio cassette and converted to digital.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl provides original Quranic Commentary on Surah 111 Al Masad. Originally recorded on audio cassette and converted to digital.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl provides original Quranic Commentary on Surah 111 Al Masad. Originally recorded on audio cassette and converted to digital.
Our anchor in our existence is revelation. This is, in principle, what defines a believing Muslim. A Muslim is the person who believes that this world has an Owner, and that this Owner is All-Knowing, All-Seeing, and purposefully and meaningfully engaged with the existence that the Owner owns. This existence has not come by accident or coincidence. Further, a Muslim believes that God has spoken, which is very critical in the existence of a consistent Muslim. The speech of God is what we refer to as revelation.
Revelation has its most direct and indisputable form in the text of the Quran, taken as a whole, and in any other source that informs us about God’s revelation and what that Owner intended to reveal to us. Revelation is of a quintessential role for a consistent Muslim who believes that God created existence for a purpose and that God cares about what God created. Muslim belief is not akin to old beliefs in which gods create humanity and are not further invested in their creations. For a Muslim, God continues to be not just knowing, but interested, vested and involved.
Being anchored in this principle and mindful of God’s revelation draws us back to a conscientious journey to comprehend and effectuate God’s speech. If God speaks and you are disinterested or not engaged, you have a problem as a Muslim. Imagine if you live in a home, and this home has an owner, and that the owner speaks about his or her household, but you are agnostic about the speech of the owner in the owner’s home. That is an ethical problem. That would make you a bad guest; an unethical guest. If you function in this household as if it does not have an owner and are only interested in your own comforts, again, this is an ethical problem.
Throughout time, Allah has told us that iman (faith) is a transformative engagement. The transformative power of the words of the Quran – that revelation or speech of the Divine – can be demonstrated just using a small passage from Surah al-Ra‘d, which is itself an entire philosophy of existence in a few words. Allah reminds us not to be fooled by the physical appearance of things, as it is not the claims of knowledge that tell us who is knowledgeable or not, but the truth of things. There are many people who philosophize but who are fundamentally blind to the ethical failure of existing in a space where they do not honor the true Owner.
Allah also reminds us that he gave us a sense of reason, the miraculous ability to think, reason and decide. Reason, like all other instruments given by God, can be used for goodness or the opposite. How that reason is used to interact with, unpack, or allow revelation to occupy its ethical space in existence is the challenge.
The further challenge is to employ reason correctly, using it to honor our covenant with God, to live within the terms of God’s revelation, and to remind us that we cannot exist in this space without a purpose. Reason reasonably applied to revelation leads to an ethical existence. God expects us to apply intellect to His revelation, therefore gaining the ability to distinguish between what is ethical and unethical.
We live in an age of constant ethical and moral challenges, where many Muslims feel they need a specific hadith or revelation before knowing if they have an ethical or moral obligation. We do not need an instruction sheet, but instead need to understand the ethics of belief and the imperative of a moral life. One can have all of the Quran and hadiths memorized, but if their ethical engine has not been activated, they will still fail ethically.
Surah al-Ra‘d reminds us that to live a moral, rational existence, we need perseverance and patience. Failure to understand the importance of perseverance or favoring immediate satisfaction and gratification, one will fail at an ethical existence. Those who persevere in prayer will have a far greater chance of persevering in patience and in upholding the bonds that God wants to be upheld.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl details why Islam is the only true monotheism and delves deeper into the text of the Bible on the issue of Trinity and the divinity of Jesus. Delivered at The Usuli Institute, 17 January 2020. www.usuli.org
Dr. Abou El Fadl begins with the caveat that he will deliver a different kind of khutbah. The modern age of information comes at a time in history when Muslims are at one of their weakest points. Information is power, and power negotiates information. Information is not simply an objective reality that is presented, or data that you either take or leave. Information is intimately connected with power. The flow of information disempowers the disempowered and augments the power of the already powerful. An example is the way the Islamophobia industry uses the information age to its advantage. The realm of social media is a marketplace that has many dangers. It is best that people do not engage Islamophobic sites and steer away from them. Islamophobia is rooted in a racist colonial enterprise that has been developing and adapting itself for centuries. Islamophobic sites today present information that the average Muslim is not equipped to respond to or deal with. Unless they are well educated or well anchored in their tradition, Muslims in the West can easily fall prey. This situation is compounded by the fact that Muslims in the West do not have the institutional infrastructure that allows for a solid education for the average Muslim. Islamophobes – whether of the evangelical breed or the Israeli right-wing breed – will lie quite strategically, relying on Muslims’ ignorance of the Islamic tradition to cast doubt. If a Muslim is not morally, ethically and spiritually firm from within, it is much safer to not engage with Islamophobic material. Institutions of Muslim learning in our day and age are so weak that they are unable to respond to even the most simple arguments. For instance, Islamophobes will raise the issue of the marriages of the Prophet Muhammad, but they will not talk about the marriages of the Prophets of the Bible. According to the Bible, the Prophet Solomon married 1,000 wives and concubines. Prophet David had 100. The evangelical Islamophobes never mention this, but rather focus on the areas of Muslim vulnerability. In their literature, evangelical Islamophobes instruct to not start by preaching to Muslims about the Christian faith, but rather to start by casting doubt in their hearts about their own religion. Then they provide sample questions to pose to Muslims under the guise of seeking the Truth. Once doubt sets in and it appears the Muslim is thoroughly confused and lost, then they will introduce them to the “good news” of the love of Jesus Christ. This methodology is as old as colonialism in Islamic world. In this khutbah, Dr. Abou El Fadl demonstrates what the powerless must do with the powerful. The powerless remain powerless unless they learn to return the gaze, a lesson Muslims have not yet learned. He engages in some Bible study, using the New Oxford Bible, and gives an illustration of what an educated Muslim can do if they are proud of who they are, confident, and able to return the gaze. Often the best defense is a good offense. It is important to respect and honor Christians, but Muslims must return the gaze. To do so takes years of study, which is exactly why Muslims should support our educated, so that they can return the gaze. Muslims should either not engage this material or educate themselves before ignorance destroys their Hereafter. The Bible confirms the One and Only God, who has sent the son of man, as Jesus called himself. We are all sons and daughters of God, as we are all bonded to God with love and passion. The difference is that in Islam, we don't need someone to die for our sins, or need to see someone suffer for us to feel God's love. We feel God’s love without God suffering. The age of social media has turned the world into a place of noise. We must learn to purify our ears, so we can listen only to what is worth listening to.
NEW!! Check out REAL TALK WITH MIDO AND BABA! The Shaykh and his teenage son in conversation about faith, Islam and growing up Muslim in America!
In this new series as part of The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org), Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl answers candid questions from his teenage son, Mido, about faith, Islam and growing up Muslim in America. In this first episode, Mido asks: 1) Why was the Prophet Muhammad decided to be the last Prophet? 2) (9:30) Since we don't believe Jesus is the "Son of God," if Jesus was born a prophet, isn't that unfair because he already had a ticket to Heaven before he was born?; 3) (16:20) Are dates a holy food? What is the significance of dates?; 4) (18:45) There is a debate about the first prophet; was Adam not considered a prophet? Dr. Abou El Fadl talks about Adam and Eve in the Islamic tradition. At 23:35, Dr. Abou El Fadl shares his thoughts on worship, prayer and becoming great friends with God. Originally recorded 25 August, 2019.
Dr. Abou El Fadl reminds that Allah directed us to create divinity on this earth. Allah tells us it is impossible for the Divine to be unjust because God will never allow Godself to be unjust. Injustice, oppression, and tyranny (zulm) is forbidden for God and by God, and thus, apriori, justice is an obligation for human beings as well. God warns us that the consequences of injustice are disastrous.
In Surah Hud, Allah promises that when people collectively fail in the obligation of justice, Allah allows the natural consequences of injustice to befall them. The results of injustice are sweeping and comes in like negative energy, tearing apart the very fabric of an unjust society.
Contemporary Muslims are unfamiliar with the buzz and attraction that the Islamic revelation created among the people of the Near East. The possibility of individual salvation without the intercession of another human power (ie. a priest or a soothsayer or witchdoctor) was a very powerful idea. The second very powerful impulse that Islam brought was that it was a faith of dignity and justice. The aspiration for a just society was a dream that created energy and excitement in people, so much so that women of the first century of Islam emerged very visibly and actively as poets, theologians and jurists. The ideals of justice, dignity and countering zulm inspired explosive developments in Islamic art and architecture and animated Islamic poetry and music. The desire to lessen suffering and illness, seen as a form of zulm, led to great discoveries in the fields of medicine, physics and mathematics.
When Allah tells us that people of zulm are doomed, many Muslims think Allah is talking about some natural disaster coming as punishment. That is not necessarily what the Quranic verse is talking about. The death of a hopeless, dreamless society is in itself an agonizingly slow and painful death, as if it is a curse from God. It is like, you have given up on yourself, so has God has given up on you.
Often, people abandon hope and simply give up. If one does not believe in the possibility of justice, before long, one abandons the ideal of justice. If one does not believe in ideals, then before long, one abandons all idealism. If one abandons idealism, then one accepts statism—that things cannot be improved upon. Injustice digs in and becomes a permanent part of society. This is what Allah is warning about—societies that curse themselves by their own injustice.
If one abandons hope in making change, then one has also abandoned the presence of the Divine. As long as Allah exists, nothing is impossible. That is the passion of iman (faith) and what iman means—the insistence that mercy and a higher state is always possible because the Divine is always present.
One tradition often repeated by the companions of the Prophet (pbuh) was: “A people who have not preserved justice are a cursed people.” Iman (faith) means hope, and hope means insistence on an ideal. One should never give in to what is wrong because the path to changing what is wrong appears insurmountable. Hope and aspiration keep a human soul healthy, and despair kills the soul.
Reflect upon Surah Al-A’raf, verse 164. The Quran is talking to us: “Some people say, why do you speak amongst the people where there is no hope? There is so much injustice that these people are already doomed. There is no point, so why even bother?” The Quran answers: “We do it because of our relationship to Allah; because Allah expects us to do it, whether we think anyone is listening or not.”
Imam Ali (ra) said, “Don’t you dare, as you walk in the path of truth, look around to see that no one is walking with you and stop marching forward, because the only thing that Allah expects from you is to continue marching forward, even if no one accompanies you along that path.”
Dr. Abou El Fadl reminds us that Allah in the Qur’an gave us Shariah, a path that we are instructed to follow. There are many people who think that Shariah is something as simple as a group of positivistic laws. However, laws that lead to practices are only half the process, because any practice decreed by law must have a purpose. If one is not following these laws with an understanding of why, how it fits in within the Shariah of Allah, then there is a fundamental breakdown. If it was simply following these laws with no greater purpose, Islam would have been a failed project a long time ago. Allah gave us the same Shariah that he gave all the prophets, and there is a common theme: Allah's message is a message of liberation and moral progress. It is a moral vision of human dignity, and human liberation. The Islamic message was an equalizing, liberating message in an abusive social structure. In the Qur’an, Allah tells us to not coexist with injustice, to protest unjust rulers. To do this, to follow this path, is difficult. It requires moral courage and persistence. But every prophet came with a revolutionary message: Fear Allah, don't fear anyone else but Allah, and you are responsible for justice in your society. To speak truth before an unjust ruler; that is the greatest jihad. In the modern age, one can practice the greatest jihad through social media, print, publications—the modern mechanisms of discourse. But most Muslims instead slump back with moral and ethical lethargy, forgetting what the path of God is about, and instead believing that God’s message is only about ritualistic practice. As a result, a study recently found that by the third generation, Islam, in many cases, is lost in immigrant Muslim families. Because we don't understand what our Shariah is about, we can't offer our children something to get excited about. Scholars have the primary responsibility to think and talk about the path of God in a way that presents moral vision and moral leadership. What happens when scholars are moral cowards? The entire ummah becomes exactly like them—they become cowards. Among the biggest disasters inflicted upon modern Islam was the Orientalist dogma of the idea of “political Islam.” Today, what is often meant by political Islam is that scholars should not speak up against injustice. But, if a scholar’s position is silence before injustice, then that scholar has lost the very reason for their existence. The main role of a scholar is not to tell you how to do your salat correctly, what are the rules of fasting, how to pay zakat, etc. The main role of a scholar is to be an example for how a human being can establish justice through fearing Allah and no one else; and to practice the greatest jihad, testifying to the truth. Dr. Abou El Fadl returns to the example of the video of Hamza Yusuf mocking the Syrian revolution and the weak hadith cited as support--all that was discussed at length in a previous khutbah. He addresses the alarming phenomenon of moral cowardice. After this video was posted, there was an effort to take down the video every time it appeared. However, it was not because Hamza Yusuf changed his ideas, but rather that it was easier to teach the same ideas of quietism, political cowardliness and lack of moral vision behind closed doors. A scholar must be brave, and if you say something, you must know what you are saying and stand to defend it. To say it and then have it be taken down so you can still say it in private is moral cowardice. This is an example of exactly what is wrong with our institutions. The fate of our Islam is up to us. If we continue teaching only the rituals of Islam, if scholars continue to show moral cowardliness, if we do not raise our children with any moral vision or purpose, or even with the cause of standing up for justice, we will lose future generations of Muslims, and we will have to answer to that before Allah on the Final Day.
Dr. Abou El Fadl reminds that the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in his persona sums up the entire legacy of the entire line of prophets. He has embodied all of them in his single being as the last and final prophet. All of the prophets came with a singular message to humanity, and it was perfected over a long, protracted educational process about the implications of creation and being God’s creatures. Muslims are told that the Prophet Muhammad perfected the message, and that after the death of the Prophet Muhammad, the Muslim nation or ummah, are the necessary inheritors of the entire legacy. They bear the heavy responsibility of carrying this message. If no one bears the responsibility for this message, then it is as if the prophecy of Muhammad and that of all the previous prophets are extinct. The Muslim Ummah is not a tribal, ethnic, racial or nationalistic category but a moral and ethical category. God reminds in the Quran that Muslims are the best of nations because of ethics; and also in direct proportion to the command to enjoin the good and resist the evil. In order to fulfill this command and take the responsibility seriously, Muslims must first be able to recognize what is good and the opposite of good in the first place. There are two parts to this process. First, is substantive: it is analytical, critical, and philosophical--being able to investigate and understand goodness in the first place. The second is determining how to actually implement or make effective the results of that inquiry. The prophets were the embodiment of Islam - both in the recognition of the maker of the universe, and in living a life worshipping the maker of the universe, which meant not being subservient or slave to anyone or anything else other than Allah - not even personal desires. Allah tells us to turn our compass towards a higher purpose and higher reason. The common bond that unites all is the pursuit of good and the avoidance of what is not good. At a minimum, this means goodness should fulfill the objectives of Sharia: the preservation of life, the intellect, honor, etc. In addition, as are apparent in the laws of nature and creation, every living being wishes to avoid pain, and to live in freedom, justice and dignity. These God-given intuitive states of being should also be affirmed, protected and elevated as a matter of the responsibility of pursuing good and avoiding evil. So how is it that this nation of Muslims could fall so far behind when it comes to principles of social and political justice, and upholding the rights of the poor and destitute, and human rights at large? How could it be that the Muslim world suffers from the most genocides, and has the highest percentage of political prisoners in the world? Muslim theologians and imams defend despotism, authoritarianism and injustice, and justify unjust imprisonment, torture and rape. Every imam or theologian that does this is effectively saying there is no more philosophical justification for the Prophet Muhammad to be the last prophet.
As the line of prophecy concluded with the Prophet Muhammad, Muslims have inherited the Islamic legacy and the Islamic message from Prophet Ibrahim to Prophet Muhammad. It is their responsibility to carry the torch of the Prophet. What happens if Muslims fail to do so? Muslim leaders today have instituted dictatorship, despotism and suffering. If Muslims accept this, then what is the Ummah about?
Usuli Institute Khutbah: More Lethal than Islamophobes- The Modern Day Murji'ah 20 September 2019 by The Usuli Institute
Dr. Abou El Fadl begins with a reminder that the quintessential truth of being a Muslim is to walk in the path of light in order to attain light, live in light, die in light, and be resurrected in light. So much of the Quran warns us about the darkness within us and that human beings are capable of creating. Darkness is the absence of God or the corruption of the divine. The Quran portrays to us the difference between the path of light and the path of darkness in two powerful parables. In Surah Al-Baqarah (2:16), one of the most powerful parables of the Quran calls us to ourselves: “Those who purchased error at the price of guidance” tells of those who start out with an aspiration toward guidance, but become distracted, confused and lost. The Quran explains, “Their parable is like that of a person who lit or kindled a fire; and when that fire lit up what is around them, God took away their light and left them in darkness, unseeing.” (2:17) A person may have the intention or intuitive desire for light. Yet, the fire they light in fact results in blindness. The fire one lights could be that of religious rhetoric, material wealth, law, public adoration, or prestige. Human beings often forget that true light comes from inner light, and true guidance only comes from one’s intimacy and relationship to God. God does not take away one’s light unless they are responsible for it. God tells us that God is closer to us than ourselves, but we don’t know. Allah comments on people who fail to build an intimate relationship with God. Despite this fire they lit to give them the blessing of light, they exist in darkness as if deaf, dumb and blind (2:18). For every trial and tribulation in their life, they are gripped by anxiety and metaphorically put their fingers in their ears, exactly like a person who loses sight of Allah. However, no human being is left without grace and the possibility of light. Allah sends signs of Allah’s blessings on a person’s path. Every time there is lightning, one can see for a bit and might start walking towards the divine. However, if one’s inner light is not developed where they see through the heart rather than through the physical senses, they may walk in the light and be close to God for a short while only to fall back into the darkness and old habits when the hardship wears off. Why be a Muslim? Because Muslims are the people of light, and a true Muslim emits light. This light manifests itself in everything that is characteristic of the Divine. If a Muslim doesn't manifest the attributes of the Divine, then they are like the person who lit the fire, but exists in darkness. To be a truly guided Muslim, the inner light should emanate from us, and characteristics of the Divine should be visible in our behavior. We should leave on the world an imprint of mercy, kindness, beauty, justice and equity. Another powerful parable in Surah al-Nur are the verses 24:39-40. We live in existence, oblivious to the inevitability that we will die, and that the only truth that will remain after the death of generations to come, is God. It is as if God is telling us, believe whatever you want. All of it is like a mirage in the desert; it has no inner truth to it. When all is said and done, God will be there. God will receive you, whether you believe or not. Those who do not want to think about death, who distract themselves, and who ignore the truth exist within layers of false perception get to the point that one doubts their own reality as if they can’t even see their hands in the darkness. The only way out of the darkness is to be touched by Allah's hand so that the light grows within and your heart is with Allah. Seek the light, not the mirage. Don't light the fire and then become blind because you are distracted, resentful, hopeless or angry. The fire itself could be a deception because you though the light would come from the fire and not from Allah.
Dr. Abou El Fadl reminds that Allah has given us the Shari’ah, a path, a guidance, like a map. So follow it and do not follow the whims of those who do not know. If you enter into a relationship with the Divine, you will feel the Divine and the Divine will guide you.
The unjust are supported by the unjust. The nature of injustice is like an infection. It starts small but grows and extends, and when supported, results in further injustice. This is precisely why Allah warns us that if you support injustice, you are unjust; and if you aid the unjust, you are unjust.
A professor from Zaytuna, who holds the great responsibility of teaching many of our Muslim youth, wrote an article defending the Muslim ban, enumerating why Muslims are wrong in their negative reaction to the ban; and arguing that it is important to not just speak truth to power, but to speak “truth to pain”, an unclear concept. This professor compares the family separation caused by the Muslim ban to the family separation that Allah (SWT) ordered of prophets; argues that the ban is not specifically targeted towards Muslims; justifies the ban’s policies; and urges Muslims to be patient for the eventual lift of the ban. This professor also defends the incarceration of children in the same article. This is the relationship of some people to power--that they equate between Trump and Allah (SWT)--this is the level of twisted thinking.
Dr. Abou El Fadl quotes and criticizes the article by elaborating on the Supreme Court decision itself; various circuit court opinions; the evolution of the Muslim ban legislation from the first to the last iteration; the manipulations of the technicalities of law used to get the ban passed; and conventions of international law, human rights law, civil rights law, and even American law that answers whether or not immigration to America is a human or civil right. It is clear that the author is not well versed in any of these critical areas.
The Supreme Court is clear that there was overwhelming evidence that Trump’s executive order was motivated by anti-Muslim animus. The inclusion of Venezuela and North Korea in the ban was solely to protect the Muslim ban from being declared unconstitutional. America has the right to regulate immigration but does not have the right to do so on the basis of religion.
This professor ignores the overwhelming Islamophobic rhetoric that Trump used to get elected as well as to pass the Muslim ban and calls it a mere inconvenience. If this is Muslim compassion; if Islam doesn’t lead to justice and if justice doesn’t lead to Islam, then who wants to be Muslim? An Islam that tells a victim that is suffering beyond endurance to suffer in silence is not a morally upright or ethical Islam.
In recent weeks, Israeli settlers have repeatedly violated the sanctity of the Aqsa mosque, most recently on Yom Kippur. Israel razed to the ground new homes of Palestinians, confiscated new farmlands, decreased the amount of water Palestinians can use to irrigate their lands. India is finishing its concentration camps for Kashmiris. Amidst these and the ongoing devastations in China, Myanmar, and elsewhere, the Muslim response has been absolute silence. The allies of the unjust are the unjust. Philosophizing injustice is worse than any other crime, because it's a crime against history and generations.
Pray for Sheikh Salman al-Ouda who is in a Saudi prison for his beliefs and writings, suffering injustice, and awaiting a possible death sentence on October 30th. Every minute this man and others like him are in prison suffering, is a dishonor upon us all. If he is put to death, his blood will haunt us for eternity.
A just non-Muslim is more respectable than an unjust Muslim. An ethical religion of any name is superior to an Islam that teaches passivism before injustice and suffering. Delivered at the Usuli Institute, 11 October 2019. www.usuli.org
Dr. Abou El Fadl reminds that in the age of information, when we live in a frenzy of data, and claims and counterclaims, the anchor of one’s life is one’s relationship with God. It is often difficult to navigate through the seismic activities of data that come like endless floods. If one’s relationship with God is built on sound foundations, then one has the ability to stand strong in the face of trends, fashions and intellectual pretenses that human beings are prone to engage in. If one’s relationship with God is flawed, then the impact of the opinions and whimsies of human beings falls upon you in a very different way.
In this khutbah, Dr. Abou El Fadl focuses on Surah Al Nur (The Light), one of the chapters in the Quran that deserves to be studied and reflected upon.
One can read endless volumes about Surah al Nur and Ayat al Nur in particular. Dr. Abou El Fadl relates that his own journey with understanding these verses did not come from an understanding of the countless texts he read on these verses over the years, but rather from developing his own relationship with God. He counsels that one does not get a sense of what “Allah is light upon light” means until one worships Allah and pleads with Allah for Allah's love, meaning that one should ask God for love with all sincerity and with all of one’s heart. He references Ibn Arabi’s writings on this surah and discusses Ibn Arabi’s point that everything that comes to its true divine nature becomes true light. And as it travels away from its divine nature, as it distances itself from its divine nature, it becomes something other than light.
Dr. Abou El Fadl shares his own understanding (tafsir) of the structure and verses in this surah, and why the surah begins with regulations and laws that arose from specific problems, which is then immediately followed by an extremely nuanced and sophisticated lesson about where and what God is. It is as if to say that one can study the laws of God, but that is not God nor the path to enlightenment. The path to God is not through laws. Similarly, the path to God is not through a detailed understanding of history, as many modern Muslims seem to believe. Laws and history, like reality, are often a construct.
The path to God is through light. The surah ends by bringing the reader back to the example of the Prophet, which is the path to light, enlightenment and God. One can best understand the example of the Prophet through understanding his love for God through his dhikr (remembrance of God); his salat (prayer and supplications); and his intimate relationship with Allah. Dr. Abou El Fadl gives examples of those who have God as an anchor and those who do not. He provides tangible actions to take for developing one’s relationship with God, and seeking light upon light with God. Delivered 6 September 2019.
Khaled Abou El Fadl reminds that every generation of Muslims confronts their own set of challenges. Allah gave us the intellect and the word, and this intellect can either elevate us to the greatest heights, or it can in fact take us to the lowest levels.
He reminds that Allah does not change the condition of the people until they first change what is in themselves. This is a very heavy burden and responsibility. He explains that recently, there has been a tendency for Muslims in the West to experience a state of moral and ethical regression, exhibiting all the symptoms that one finds among a defeated, colonized people.
He posits that the reason is directly related to Middle Eastern, and particularly Gulf money. When it became noticed that Muslims in the West could be an ethically progressive and pioneering force that could constitute a threat to despots and dictators around the world, Gulf money directly started controlling the institutions, and even the very discourse of Muslims in the West.
For example, the sinister doctrine or idea that has existed for centuries in the Islamic civilization that those in power are not in power because they are supported by their constituency, but because they are Allah's destiny. So, if you rebel against those in power, then you are rebelling against Allah's destiny. This is a very old idea known as the “divine right to rule”--it was also common in Christianity, Judaism, and in the ancient world.
Human beings engaged in a long struggle to liberate the human mind from the idea of the “divine right to rule”; to in effect say, "There is nothing divine about you. You are an employee serving me as a citizen." All of humanity progressed morally and ethically to that position. When humanity got rid of the notion of the “divine right to rule,” societies and cultures were liberated to get rid things like indentured service and slavery. Further, it discovered the ideas of human rights, civic rights, and civil society. None of these could have existed if the notion of “divine right to rule” still existed.
In Islam, the Prophet ruled by divine right because he was the Prophet of God. In Sunni Islam, among the most revolutionary inventions for its time and age was that Abu Bakr ruled without a divine right to rule. In other words, Muslims were ahead of the entire world. Yet now, like a defeated people, the jargon and the discourse of divine right to rule has reared its ugly head once again among Muslims in America.
He presents the example of the recent viral video in which Hamza Yusuf references a hadith that claims that those who degrade a ruler, Allah will degrade them. He explains in detail the context, authenticity and relevance of this hadith, and explains why this is an example of moral regression, which effectively places the blame on the victim and further, are the same ideas that fueled colonialism and the White Man’s Burden.
Currently, the UAE and Saudi Arabia are investing enormous amounts of money on promoting an Islam in the West that emphasizes blind obedience to the ruler. These governments have bought many scholars and imams in the West, and have restored very reactionary and backwards ideas.
He emphasizes the importance and centrality of morality and an ethical approach to the tradition. He closes by reminding that Allah gave us the intellect to pick the light and shun away the darkness. Muslims must research the tradition and say, ‘This is beautiful. This is more consistent with what divinity is, and what the modern moment is,’ and then elevate it to great heights. And then they must go to the darkness and say, ‘This cannot be part of Islam. This has to be forgotten in the trash bin of history.’ But instead, he notes that convert Muslims are doing the opposite. "They go and they search around in the Islamic past, and they bring the trash and put it out again. And they leave us all confused.” Delivered 13 September 2019.
RAMY YOUSSEF AND THE SHAYKH--a beautiful engagement between artist and scholar. As part of The Usuli Institute Conversation Series, we were honored to host Ramy Youssef in conversation with Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl and Grace Song about the challenges and opportunities for artistic expression in advancing faith, understanding, and the human side of being Muslim. Ramy Youssef is best known for making TV's first Muslim American sitcom, Hulu's millennial comedy series entitled, "Ramy." He also recently released his HBO Original stand-up comedy special entitled, "Feelings." Both shows jump headlong into uncharted on-screen territory when it comes to the challenges confronting Muslim millennials attempting to navigate the grey areas of faith and religion, society and culture, expectation and acceptance, and ultimately, humanity in all of its forms. An honest, raw and fascinating discussion. Hosted at the Usuli Institute, 14 September 2019. For more on The Usuli Institute, visit www.usuli.org.
Grace Song, Executive Director of the Usuli Institute, a convert to Islam of 25 years, explains how she came to find and love Islam. Recorded for the Shahada Pillar, Ummah Exhibit at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts (UMFA), University of Utah, scheduled to run August - December 2019.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl reminds us of our covenant with God, as representatives on this earth, to uphold justice. He discusses the verses in the Quran that equate justice with divinity, and divinity with justice, and explains the covenant and its implications. He discusses the Quranic verses where God states unequivocally what happens to Muslims who kill other Muslims unjustly, and those who kill those who uphold God's justice. He calls Muslims to their conscience and action to stand up for justice, particularly in light of the scores of Muslims being tortured, killed, executed, disappeared around the world, especially the three prominent Saudi scholars, Salman al-Odah, Awad al-Qarni and Ali al-Omari, who have been recently slated for execution after Ramadan. Dr. Abou El Fadl gives an impassioned defense of their right to live and speak without fear of retribution. He distinguishes between those Muslims who are concerned primarily with pietistic affectations versus those who heed the call for action and stand for justice for the sake of the divine covenant with God. Delivered 24 May 2019.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl explains why fasting for Ramadan is much more than simply learning to empathize with those who have less than us during this holy month. He reminds us that we are not simply animals that consume, but we have a covenant of action and purpose with God on this earth. He elaborates on the Qur'anic verse that tells us we are poor and in need of God, but how this is easily forgotten when our stomachs are full and our needs are met. In fact, those who have the most in this life are the most easily vulnerable to the temptations before us and the most prone to forgetfulness towards the Divine. He points out that God promises to be with us as we develop through the "school of fasting" that is Ramadan. Delivered at the Islamic Center of Southern California, 17 May 2019.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl reminds us of a prayer of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) that the Prophet regularly recited asking God to grant him the love of God, the love of those who love God and the love for those deeds that God loved, and how the theme of love was central to being Muslim. He discusses the vast difference between seeking the love of God and building a loving relationship with God versus the act of coping with being Muslim and meeting requirements only to avoid punishment or earn paradise. He argues that it is the passion of love for God and all that God loves (justice, mercy, beauty, compassion) that is ultimately what humans are seeking. He addresses the recent corruptions and tragedies in the world and emphasizes that the way to earn God's love is not through acts of murder, oppression, despotism or ugliness, but only through love. Delivered 26 April 2019.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl delves deeper into the theme of love in Islam. He addresses negative responses to his recent khutbahs, which demand dalil (evidence) and juristic references to justify the centrality of love in the Islamic tradition--demands that arise from obstructionism and an insistence on legalistic details over obvious moral and ethical fundamentals of the faith. He explains why Islam is the only religion that makes sense, and how God calls upon followers to understand that to love God is to love beauty and justice and to live in a constant state of resistance to oppression and despotism. He discusses a number of important Quranic verses and hadith (Prophetic traditions) that describe the reciprocal love between God and God's beloved; that the path of Islam is the path of love; and the promise that God will replace those who do not love God with those that do love God and that God loves. He shares traditions that emphasize the centrality and importance of love, and the non sequitur of being Muslim and not being in love with God. He asserts that Muslims are at a crossroads--Muslims must choose whether to follow the Islam of ugliness, colonialism, harshness, despotism, oil and gas, big money, bitter hearts and angry souls; OR the Islam of justice, equity, love, beauty, and light. A powerful and passionate khutbah. Delivered 3 May 2019.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl discusses the true meaning of kufr (an act of ingratitude) and what it means when we do not believe or act as if we are an extension of divinity. He explains why kufr is not just about atheism or violating laws, but about what happens when things like prayer and fasting do not increase one's faith or awareness of the umbilical relationship between a human being and his or her Creator. He elaborates on how Islam is being emptied of substance and how this is causing a crisis of faith among so many, especially Muslim youth. He talks about the threat of oppression upon the faith, and reminds us of the story of Moses, who was called by God to confront Pharoah, the oppressor and tyrant of his time. We live in a time full of oppression and tyrants, and we are reminded of the call to confront all tyrants and oppressors. What would have happened if Moses did not confront his tyrant? What is happening today, when Muslims will not confront their own modern-day tyrants? Delivered 10 May 2019.
In this month of Shaban, preceding Ramadan, Dr. Abou El Fadl reminds us of the preparations of the Prophet Muhammad for the month of Ramadan. He discusses the deeper meaning of the word "ibadat," often translated as "worship" but which is much more than just ritual worship. He explains what it means to be in a state of ibadat, which goes much farther and deeper than simply the physical acts, but which encompasses love, knowing the other, knowing the Creator, knowing the truth of oneself: pure unadulterated Truth. It is possible to engage in the physical acts of ibadat but still not achieve the fuller meaning of the word, which is to love God. He elaborates on what it means to be in a state of loving God and the power of existing in the state of reciprocal love with God. He calls on Muslims to fulfill their role as the manifestation of Divine love on this earth--to manifest beauty and justice--in the face of the many abominations of God facing Muslims and humanity in our times. Delivered 19 April 2019 at the Islamic Center of Southern California, Los Angeles. For more, see www.usuli.org and www.searchforbeauty.org.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl powerfully addresses the evil acts of murder committed against Muslims in New Zealand. He addresses how this history of massacres committed against Muslims have been ongoing since the Bosnian Genocide through today and is grounded in the well-funded Islamophobia industry campaigns of our day. He talks about the impact of racism in acts of terror against Muslims and how similar acts of terror by white extremists are addressed by comparison. He discusses the manifestos of both this New Zealand shooter and Anders Brevik, who wrote a 600+ page manifesto of hate, both drawing deeply from the American Islamophobes such as Daniel Pipes, Robert Spencer and Steven Emerson. Dr. Abou El Fadl read each of these manifestos in full. The insights from these hate tracts were not those of simply deranged human beings, but the dark fruit and lethal consequence of massive, steady investments in the Islamophobia hate industry. He calls on Muslims to step up and do the necessary work to match if not exceed their investment in actively countering the American Islamophobia hate industry. Delivered at the Islamic Center of Southern California, Los Angeles, 15 March 2019. For more learning, see www.usuli.org and www.searchforbeauty.org.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl addresses questions arising from his previous khutbahs regarding how to receive and assess knowledge and develop and trust one's own intuition or native instinct (fitrah) in determining what is authentically Islamic. He elaborates on the example of pure water entering a clean vessel versus a dirty vessel in understanding the impact of a divine message on the soul (vessel) receiving that message. He discusses how to evaluate the moral character of religious authority, be it an imam, faqih, shaykh or other religious teacher. He reminds us that leadership and authority must be judged according to conduct and action rather than words and the willingness to judge others before oneself. He discusses the fundamental building blocks of morality and ethics that God has given every human being. To elaborate by example, he brings all of the above to bear upon the real-life current tragedy of Uighur Muslims being imprisoned and tortured in concentration camps in China and the lack of moral response from global Muslim leadership. Delivered 1 March 2019. For previous khutbahs, visit www.usuli.org and www.searchforbeauty.org.
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl reminds Muslims of the "obvious" and forgotten basics of ethics of our faith. He illuminates why Islamophobia has permeated every part of our existence in subtle and unseen ways. He shares why the new Crusades in our day and age are fought with weapons of information, data and knowledge, and how it is incumbent upon Muslims to recognize and appropriately address the challenges facing them in this age. He calls upon Muslims to "clean their own house" first. Delivered 8 March 2019.
In this transformative moment in human history, Dr. Abou El Fadl recounts the ways in the last three decades since the publication of his book, The Authoritative and Authoritarian in Islamic Discourses, that the methodology of justice, beauty and reason he advocated came under attack as a source of "fitnah" (creating discord and dissent). As Muslims, we learned from well known shuyukh that many things like music, art, pictures, relations with non-Muslims and other things identified as "from the West" were haram (forbidden). Suddenly, overnight, the same shaykhs who claimed such "incontrovertible truths" have reversed their positions without any evidentiary basis, nor any reference to Islamic law or jurisprudence. He reminds us that God gave us a religion of fitrah (intuition, innateness and natural instinct), and that messages of Islam from the lands of despotism and hypocrisy in the Middle East have become intolerable. It is time for Muslims in the West to liberate themselves from the Islam coming from the colonized, dominated and subjugated Middle East, and rethink anew what the Islam of justice and beauty should entail as pioneers in our current times. He encourages Muslims to become pious and trust in the intuitive attraction to goodness, justice and beauty that God gave all human beings. Delivered 15 February 2019.
Timestamp: Islam is the religion of intuition and instinct (fitra) and should appeal to morally sound hearts, and should seem unappealing to evil ones. 5:20 - Remembering the social dynamics 30 years ago when "The Authoritative and Authoritarian in Islam" was released and received negative criticism, because music was called totally haraam, and art, and friendship with non-Muslims, and Muslims were encouraged to resist adopting any of the cultural practices of the west. 11:33 - Remarking on the ways in which the same scholars from 30 years ago who called Dr. El Fadl "westernized" and "liberal" are now totally ok with worse things than he himself would ever be ok with, they changed their opinions overnight without explanation. 17:06 - Remarking on the ways Mecca is being destroyed to appeal to rich westerners, and the ways Islamic laws are being modified to appeal to Islamophobes. 22:31 - Thank God, the hypocrisy and the despotism of these foreign Islams (from places like Egypt and Saudi) is crumbling. 27:43 - Remarking on the hypocrisy of the Pope coming to meet with despotic, evil Muslim leaders who are authorizing and justifying the murder and torturing of innocents. 35:33 - Final dua.
Dr. Abou El Fadl discusses the context, issue, evidence and nature of the discussion on the topic of hijab from a historical and juristic perspective, providing the tools and the methodology for understanding the place of hijab in our modern context. Although the halaqa was given in 1996, all of the topics covered are still relevant today, if not more so. Chapter 1 of 4.
Timestamps: Introduction to Dr. Abou El Fadl’s chosen method of delivery on this topic, and why 13:45 - Historical-cultural context of female dress and sexual mores in pre-Islamic Mecca and Medina 23:18 - Islam's gradual introduction of the prohibition of prostitution 25:44 - The introduction of women as equals into Meccan and Medinan society, and background of Quran verses specifically addressed to women (“oh you believing women” verses) 34:41 - Sexual morality and marriage in pre-Islamic and ante-Islamic Mecca and Medina 39:15 - Islam’s revolutionary deconstruction of Meccan and Medinan social norms surrounding women
Khaled Abou El Fadl presents the lives of Muslim women jurists--highly learned women scholars as documented from the original Arabic bibliographic texts--and discusses what the facts of their lives reveal about their position as women, jurists and teachers in Islamic history as well as what their achievements mean for our current age. Fascinating!
Khaled Abou El Fadl presents the lives of Muslim women jurists--highly learned women scholars as documented from the original Arabic bibliographic texts--and discusses what the facts of their lives reveal about their position as women, jurists and teachers in Islamic history as well as what their achievements mean for our current age. Fascinating!
Khaled Abou El Fadl presents the lives of Muslim women jurists--highly learned women scholars as documented from the original Arabic bibliographic texts--and discusses what the facts of their lives reveal about their position as women, jurists and teachers in Islamic history as well as what their achievements mean for our current age. Fascinating!
Khaled Abou El Fadl presents the lives of Muslim women jurists--highly learned women scholars as documented from the original Arabic bibliographic texts--and discusses what the facts of their lives reveal about their position as women, jurists and teachers in Islamic history as well as what their achievements mean for our current age. Fascinating!
In an emotionally and powerfully moving khutbah, Dr. Abou El Fadl speaks directly and forcefully about the prohibition of humans torturing other human beings--an abomination in Islam--and further, about Muslims supporting or downplaying of the use of torture by governments around the world. He also clearly defines sexual assault, sexual abuse and sexual violence as torture, and addresses the ignorant assertion that was recently made in public that victims of sexual assault must bring forth four witnesses. This is patently false according to Islamic law. Rape and sexual assault is a crime of hiraba (terror); not a crime of zina (fornication). He calls on those who have NOT been trained in Shariah and Islamic law to refrain from speaking from a place of ignorance. He reminds Muslims that God commands upholding justice; that injustice leads to destruction; and that Muslims will each be held to account by a just God for their positions, statements, knowledge, ignorance, and actions. Delivered at the Islamic Center of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA on 12 October 2018.
Last extra bits from the Ikhlas halaqas. These are additional answers to questions. Unfortunately the questions were not recorded, but there is benefit in the answers Dr. Abou El Fadl provides.
From the Q&A following the discussion on Ikhlas. Dr. Abou El Fadl's commentaries on the Qur'an.
In this powerful khutbah, Dr. Abou El Fadl talks about the purpose of Hajj as a school of Islam and justice, and learning that before the eyes of God, all humans are equal. He also discusses how the first rebellion and sin in Islam was that of the racism of Iblis (Satan). This racism caused God to cast Satan out. Delivered at the Islamic Center of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA on Friday, July 20, 2018.
From Dr. Abou El Fadl's halaqas commenting on chapters of the Qur'an. This one discusses sura #112 - Al-Ikhlas
From Dr. Abou El Fadl's halaqas on the Qur'an during the mid 90's. These cover the 112th chapter of the Qur'an.
From Dr. Abou El Fadl's halaqa series on the Qur'an from the mid 90's. These dive into the 112th chapter of the Qur'an: Al-Ikhlas
Dr. Abou El Fadl answers a question from the LA Muslim Latino event regarding the verse in the Qur'an mistakenly interpreted to allow husbands to beat their wives. Also regarding another verse mistakenly interpreted to make men the "keeper" of women.