This is the second of four Ramadan Special essays published by Jama Masjid, San Fernando, and written by Islamic scholars Imran N. Hosein and Siddiq A. Nasir, that turn to the blessed Qur’an in an attempt to respond to rampant crime. Rallies, marches, calls to change Ministers of Government and Police Commissioners, etc., are never a substitute for knowledge. The …
The Qur’an, Crime and the Economy
This is the first of four Ramadan Special essays published by Jama Masjid, San Fernando, and written by Islamic scholars Imran N. Hosein and Siddiq A. Nasir, that turn to the blessed Qur’an in an attempt to respond to rampant crime. Rallies, marches, changing Ministers of Government and Police Commissioners, etc., can never be a substitute for knowledge. The next …
‘Hanging’ as a Deterrent — A view from Islam
The demand for ‘hanging’ of condemned murderers has provoked many to respond negatively. The basic argument raised by the critics is that capital punishment does not function, or no longer functions, as a deterrent to the crime of murder. They argue that even if all those on death row were to be ‘hanged’, the killings and murders would still continue, …
A Muslim Response to Anti-Terrorism Legislation
In the summer of 2002 . . . I had a meeting with a senior adviser to Bush. He told me something that at the time I didn’t fully comprehend—but which I now believe gets to the very heart of the Bush presidency. The aide said that guys like me were ‘‘in what we call the reality-based community,’’ which he …
REFLECTIONS ON ?EVIDENCE?
Justice demands that individuals and groups in a society be given their due rights. And God’s final revelation to mankind, the Holy Qur’an, makes the establishment of justice an unconditional, absolute, and universally binding imperative. For the pursuit of justice to be seriously undertaken at both the individual and collective levels, it is a sine qua non that we be able to distinguish truth from falsehood and facts from opinions, biases and allegations. What guidelines has the Ever-Bountiful Creator given to help us in this essential task? These definitely need to be carefully examined and followed.