Tawhid, in the sense of monotheism, is the realization that this existence has a Maker, an Owner; someone responsible for it that is not the product of chance. The one God, which is the core of Tawhid, can have no partners precisely because it is a God who is not subject to the laws of human beings, nor the laws of physics, nor the laws of time and space, nor the logic of human beings, physics or mathematics. Islam is the only religion on this earth that is firmly anchored in the theology of...
"YOUR EXISTENCE IS NO COINCIDENCE" 22 November 2019 Dr. Abou El Fadl reminds that all of the Prophets of God taught the moral lesson of meaning. Meaning means knowing that our existence as individuals is not the result of a coincidence or accident. From the moment of inception, there is an intentionality to our existence, we exist because of a Divine intent for us to exist. Human beings often forget the monumental importance of that. If we believe that humans are the result of happenstance, it...
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl begins by reminding us of the meaning, import and implications of the "straight path," al-siratal mustaqim, the phrase that Muslims recite more than any other as they recite the first chapter of the Quran, al-Fatiha, in every prayer and with a multitude of occasions. Despite reciting it frequently, Muslims infrequently reflect upon the depths of meaning the phrase contains. In seeking the divine path of justice, beauty, compassion and mercy, human beings have been given...
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...