14 Jun The Hidden History of the Qur’an (video)
The Qur'an tells a 'hidden history' about its own origins, which is different from the conventional account....
20 May Islam, COVID-19, and the Divine Decree
Natural disasters can raise pressing questions for religious believers who believe in a sovereign God. One question which inevitably arises is, “What is God doing in this?” For the almost 2 billion Muslims who make up a quarter of the world’s population, this is an...
07 Jun The Qur’an’s Turn to Violence
The Problem of Peace vs. Violence It is widely recognized that, on the topic of violence, the Qur’an speaks with more than one voice. Some verses speak for peace, and others for war. The conventional explanation is that the difference hinges on the migration of the...
10 Mar Managing Sharia Marriages in Britain
This post first appeared with the Interface Institute. In May 2016 Theresa May, then Home Secretary, commissioned an Independent Review of shariah law in the UK, to inquire whether the activities of British shariah councils, sometimes called shariah courts, are incompatible with British law. Included in the terms of reference was the treatment of women, specifically arrangements for divorce, domestic violence, and children. The Review, led by Mona Siddiqui, Professor of Islamic and Interreligious Studies at Edinburgh University’ Divinity School, was released in February 2019.
06 Mar Ishmael is not the Father of the Arabs
The commonly held view that Ishmael was the father of the Arab nations is not supported by the Bible, nor by other historical evidence.
04 Apr Calling for Violent Jihad in Australia
For at least four years, a copy of the Noble Qur’an was placed for public use in Canberra Airport's prayer room. This particular edition of the Qur’an, printed in the millions by Saudi Arabia, has very disturbing footnotes, which promote an aggressively radical interpretation of Islam not very different from the doctrines and practice of ISIS. It is disturbing that this particular Qur’an was selected for the prayer room. (After this article was published, the Qur’an was removed.)
17 Jun Excuse Me, Your Cognitive Dissonance Is Showing
On June 5 in Brighton, Melbourne, at a spot I have driven past countless times, there was a terrorist incident. An armed Muslim, Yacqub Khayre, crying out support for the Islamic State and Al-Qaeda, took a hostage, killed a hotel worker, and engaged police in...