Ramadan is a special time of the year in which we as Muslims engage in an act of worship that’s like no other. In contrast to all other acts of worship, fasting is an intimate act that cannot be witnessed or confirmed by anyone other than Allah. It’s a secret between the servant and their […]
Author Archives: Mohamed Ghilan, M.D, Ph.D.
24
Aug
Aug
This episode is a sneak peak into our weekly live sessions at Al-Andalus Academy’s Halaqa series where we’re currently engaging in the study of Sidi ibn ‘Atā-illah’s Kitab at-Tanwīr (The Book of Illumination). In this session, wel delve into three reasons that should compel us to dropping the measure alongside Allah ﷻ. These revolve around the […]
11
Aug
Aug
Humans spend one third of their lives sleeping. It’s one of the most conserved behaviours in nature, which speaks to a crucial role it plays in survival. Yet, much of the popular discussion on sleep follows a reductive approach that focuses on its import in the physical realm whilst completely ignoring the metaphysical realities behind […]
14
Jun
Jun
The Illumination in Dropping the Measure is a text by Sidi ibn ‘Atā-illah in which he expounds on the belief in the Divine Decree. In a way, it can be viewed as a commentary on the Hadith of ibn ‘Abbās RA where the Beloved ﷺ affirms for him that what is written will pass, regardless […]
30
Apr
Apr
۞ يَسْـَٔلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلْأَهِلَّةِ ۖ قُلْ هِىَ مَوَٰقِيتُ لِلنَّاسِ وَٱلْحَجِّ ۗ وَلَيْسَ ٱلْبِرُّ بِأَن تَأْتُوا۟ ٱلْبُيُوتَ مِن ظُهُورِهَا وَلَـٰكِنَّ ٱلْبِرَّ مَنِ ٱتَّقَىٰ ۗ وَأْتُوا۟ ٱلْبُيُوتَ مِنْ أَبْوَٰبِهَا ۚ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ “They ask you ˹O Prophet˺ about the phases of the moon. Say, ‘They are a means for people to determine time and pilgrimage.’ […]
24
Sep
Sep
وَٱللَّهُ فَضَّلَ بَعْضَكُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ فِى ٱلرِّزْقِ ۚ فَمَا ٱلَّذِينَ فُضِّلُوا۟ بِرَآدِّى رِزْقِهِمْ عَلَىٰ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَـٰنُهُمْ فَهُمْ فِيهِ سَوَآءٌ ۚ أَفَبِنِعْمَةِ ٱللَّهِ يَجْحَدُونَ God has given some of you more provision than others. Those who have been given more are unwilling to pass their provision on to the slaves they possess so that they […]
18
Sep
Sep
A recent article written by Emma Green in The New Yorker explores the underworld of secret marriages among American Muslim college students. Needless to say, it had quite the ripple effect in various Muslim social media circles discussing the crisis. Reading the article, I found myself smelling a familiar scent in its tone that got […]
13
Apr
Apr
One of the early memories I have studying Fiqh (Islamic law) that made an impression on me was during the section on prayer while travelling. My teacher, Ustadh Adel, noted that if the conditions are met to shorten the prayer, it’s Sunnah to do so, and praying the full version performed by a resident is […]
29
Mar
Mar
The following excerpt comes from William Cavanagh’s The Myth of Religious Violence. We covered this book as part of the 2018 booklist at Al-Andalus Book Club. I found myself thinking about this book recently as I go through Syed Naquib al-Attas’ Prolegomena to the Metaphysics of Islam for this year’s booklist. Cavanaugh’s remarks on the historical development […]
01
Mar
Mar
The following excerpt comes from Neil Postman’s Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business. When I first read it I found myself thinking of the Beloved ﷺ’s invocation, “O Allah, I seek refuge with You from knowledge that does not benefit. _ _ _ _ _ Only four years after […]
03
Feb
Feb
In an age consumed by obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and cancer, many people have shifted towards what is known as “Prophetic Medicine” as an alternative to conventional medicine. But what does Prophetic Medicine mean and does it even exist? I was invited on the Ahmed Khan Podcast recently to discuss the origins of Prophetic […]
22
Jan
Jan
The following excerpts come from the introduction chapter to Syed Naquib al-Attas’ Prolegomena to the Metaphysics of Islam. He defines the term adab and explains how it manifests in the life of the Muslim who observes it in their internal and external engagements. Unlike most major religions of the world, Islam is not named after a particular person. […]
19
Jan
Jan
Dr. Mutaz al-Khatib is currently Assistant Professor of Methodology and Ethics at the Research Center for Islamic Legislation and Ethics, as well as the first-of-its-kind MA program in Applied Islamic Ethics at the College of Islamic Studies at Hamad Bin Khalifa University. He holds a BA in Islamic Studies from Damascus (1997) and in Arabic […]
01
Jan
Jan
I read a post by my dear brother Mazen Atassi, a naturopathic doctor in the US, addressing the place of Vitalism in Islam. He took issue with my characterization of Vitalism as a repackaging of pantheism and paganism in Islamic medicine. Although he and I disagree on some fundamental issues, we agree on an essential […]
27
Dec
Dec
From time to time I engage with a subject that creates some unrest with a cohort of Muslims who feel like I’m attacking them. As Allah ﷻ is my witness, I only mean to benefit my Muslim brothers and sisters, strengthen our community and prevent harm from entering our practices. At the last Al-Madina Institute’s […]
24
Dec
Dec
I noticed that some readers of my recent posts insist on misreading them. Nowhere do I deny the spiritual dimension or that the reality of the human being goes far beyond what the materialist conception wants to assert. I also don’t demand that the soul be measured under a microscope. As I said in my […]
22
Dec
Dec
A couple of things to highlight about “Islamic” medicine: 1. The historical record of Islamic medicine doesn’t refer to the practice being rooted in religious teachings. In fact, most physicians in the Islamic civilization were not even Muslim or Arab for that matter. Ibn Sina was a Persian Muslim. Abu Bakr ar-Rāzī was a Persian […]
01
Dec
Dec
‘Abd al-Laṭīf al-Baghdādī (1162-1231) was a major figure in medicine when the Islamic civilization was leading the world in the production of knowledge about…well, everything. Among the many books he wrote in a variety of fields is one titled al-Ifada wal I’tibar fil Umūr al-Mushahada wal Hawadith al-Mu’ayana bi-Arḍi Misr, which in English was boringly […]
28
Sep
Sep
The collective Muslim psyche has yet to properly come to terms with the trauma of the destruction of Baghdad in 1258, the loss of Al-Andalus in 1492, or the abolition of the Ottoman Caliphate in 1924. Part of our inability to engage in a healthy critical self-reflection to understand how and why we are in […]
18
Sep
Sep
Vaccination certificate in the Ottoman Empire against a pandemic during the period of Sultan Abdul Hamid-ll in 1908 (1326 AH) Infectious diseases and pandemics leading to mass deaths are a reminder of how intimately connected we are. Even with those who we have no social relationships, the simple act of being present in relatively close […]
16
Aug
Aug
The Beloved ﷺ described prayer as the “pillar of the religion”. As Muslims, we’re commanded to establish the five daily prayers. For many of us, the routine of it can lead us to becoming absent-minded as we perform them. Without presence, we fail to grasp the true significance of what it means to be in […]
19
May
May
The greatest weapon in modern warfare is the media, which Malcolm X warned us can make the oppressed appear as the oppressor and the oppressor appear as the oppressed. Nothing demonstrates this so clearly as in the case of Palestine. At the time of recording this episode Israel’s terrorist army was entering its 8th day […]
15
Mar
Mar
As we enter the month of Sha’bān we must use this time in the way the Beloved ﷺ taught us – to prepare for the month of Ramadan. Sha’bān is a blessed month in which our deeds for the entire year are raised up to be presented to the Lord of the Worlds. Our Beloved […]
24
Feb
Feb
Alhamdulillah, we’re now moving into our fifth year at Al-Andalus Book Club and with that comes our fifth booklist. My tongue is incapable of expressing how grateful I am for this blessing; the conversations we’ve had and the ideas we’ve been able to develop over the years with each book we read. 2020 was a […]
08
Feb
Feb
Illustrations from a 1460 adaptation, printed by Schneider Ausgabe XII. On the left, the dying person is tempted by pride, and on the right they find salvation through humility. __________________________________________________________________________ I read Atul Gawande’s 2014 book Being Mortal just before I started medical school. I was really struck by Gawande’s vivid description of the way […]
01
Dec
Dec
It doesn’t take long for one sitting on the sidelines observing the state of Muslim scholarship and its engagement in the political arena to note the widening abyss between two camps. On the one side, are scholars wedded to the state’s apparatus, issuing edicts that align with visions of the ruling (dictator) class and maintenance […]
29
Nov
Nov
Death is the transition from this ephemeral world to the eternal abode. It’s an inevitable part of this life. Yet, many of us live as if we’re going to be here forever and get stunned when this calamity befalls us. Topics addressed in this episode include the response to death, the proper perspective this world […]
15
Nov
Nov
I was invited on November 14th, 2020 by Northwestern University’s MSA to give a talk to their cohort. Given the current travel restrictions, we had to do it over Zoom. Topics addressed in this talk include Cartesian dualism contrasted with Islamic dualism, building a stronger connection with Allah, and spiritual cultivation through everyday tasks and […]
17
Sep
Sep
The following is an excerpt from The End of Education by the culture critic Neil Postman (1931-2003). We covered other works by Postman in Al-Andalus Book Club, including Amusing Ourselves to Death and Technopoly. In this particular book, Postman reflects on the state of public education in the United States, which can arguably apply across the world […]
15
Sep
Sep
The following is an excerpt from The Death of Expertise by Tom Nichols, which was published in 2017. We covered this book in Al-Andalus Book Club in 2018. I found myself thinking about this work again recently. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues with various forms of lockdowns and restrictions in different major cities around the world, many are […]