Circles of Learning (Halaqas) · 11. July 2020
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl concludes his line-by-line original commentary (tafsir) on Surah 89 Al Fajr. After a brief review, he continues from Verse 17. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song gives an update on the New Quran Project and shares reflections on the topic of the Signs of God raised in the New Quran Halaqa on Surah al Jathiya through two events in her life in the past week.
Circles of Learning (Halaqas) · 06. June 2020
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl continues his original Quranic commentaries (tafsir) on Surah 89 Al Fajr, verses 4 to 16. In her introduction, Director Grace Song discusses the concluding chapter of the 30 Nights in The Search for Beauty journey of reading and what it reveals. She discusses how the trust of Islamic scholars has deteriorated among Muslims. This video includes the introduction, tafsir and Q&A.
Circles of Learning (Halaqas) · 02. May 2020
Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl begins his original Quranic commentary on Surah 89 Al Fajr, completing the first three verses. In the introduction, Grace Song discusses strategies for standing out online in our new world of communications and talks about her project of 30 Nights in The Search for Beauty during the month of Ramadan. There was no Q&A session for this meeting.
Circles of Learning (Halaqas) · 04. April 2020
Part 1 of 2: Intro and Tafsir. Grace Song begins by giving an update on life after the professor's hearing loss and the pandemic, and the adjustment to a new reality of life. Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl concludes his original Quranic commentary on Surah 90 Al Balad (The City). Part 2 is Q&A.
Circles of Learning (Halaqas) · 15. February 2020
Part 1: In the introduction to the halaqa (circle of learning) on the continuation of original Quranic commentary (tafsir) on Surah 90, Al Balad (The City), Director Grace Song reflects on her recent birthday, the remembrance of death, and life lessons from her journey as a Muslim convert. In the segment after her talk, Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl adds some commentary on death and the remembrance of death as a Muslim, and more. Part 2 is the tafsir. Part 3 is the Q&A.
Circles of Learning (Halaqas) · 11. January 2020
Part 1: Introduction to halaqa on Surah 90 Al Balad (The City). In the introduction, Director Grace Song shares stories and talks about the wealth of content that the Usuli Institute has created in the past year to provide education, strength and empowerment to survive the dark times confronting Muslims today. After the introduction, Dr. Abou El Fadl gives a powerful commentary on Islamophobia as a colonial project.
Circles of Learning (Halaqas) · 14. December 2019
In the introduction to the halaqa completing the Quranic commentary (tafsir) on Surah 91, Al Shams (The Sun), Director Grace Song commemorates the two-year anniversary of the launch of The Usuli Institute by highlighting the development, dreams and achievements of the Institute's first two years. She continues her discussion from the previous halaqa intro on the state of Muslims' offerings to attract and engage Muslim youth about the faith. In response, she introduces a new Usuli offering...
Circles of Learning (Halaqas) · 09. November 2019
Part 1: In the introduction to the halaqa to conclude Surah 92 Al Layl (The Night) and begin Surah 91 Al Shams (The Sun), Director Grace Song reacts to a recent Facebook post about the state of communicating with Muslim teens, and shared some personal stories, insights and ideas about how she approached parenthood and the challenge of teaching her kids to love God, Islam and being Muslim.
Friday Khutbahs (Sermons) · 18. October 2019
Dr. Abou El Fadl begins with a reminder that we remain committed to the truth that everything is from Allah, and everything will return to Allah. One of the central narratives of the Quran, that many Muslims learn and often repeat, is Ayat Al Kursi (Chapter 2, Verse 255). It is a monumental reminder of the truth of our existence and our relationship to our Maker. The wisest of Muslims are the ones who reflect even just on this verse, for the amazing amount of insight it yields into our Maker...
Circles of Learning (Halaqas) · 12. October 2019
Part 1 of 3: In the introduction to the halaqa on Surah 92, Al Layl (The Night), Director Grace Song talks about her early experiences and expectations as a new convert entering the Muslim community for the first time, in light of the increase in attention on stories of trauma and healing among new Muslim women converts. She shares stories of her own journey of healing along with important lessons learned along the way. Dr. Abou El Fadl elaborates further on the topic of his khutbah from Friday...