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.
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.