يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ ٱتَّقُوا۟ رَبَّكُمُ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَكُم مِّن نَّفْسٍ وَٰحِدَةٍ وَخَلَقَ مِنْهَا زَوْجَهَا وَبَثَّ مِنْهُمَا رِجَالًا كَثِيرًا وَنِسَآءً ۚ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ ٱلَّذِى تَسَآءَلُونَ بِهِۦ وَٱلْأَرْحَامَ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَيْكُمْ رَقِيبًا
Oh mankind, be mindful of your Lord, who created you from a single soul, and from it created its mate, and from the pair of them spread countless men and women far and wide; be mindful of God, in whose name you make requests of one another. Beware of severing the ties of kinship: God is always watching over you.
[4:1]
Welcome to The Qarawiyyin Newsletter!
We pray you are all well and keeping warm in this winter period.
November at TQP saw us publish the first article from our internship and a brand new episode of our podcast. Spotify Wrapped have additionally informed us that our podcast is now listened to in 24 different countries! We are truly grateful for our audience, and pray this medium is a means for us to spread khair and mutually benefit.
In other news, London held one of the biggest protests for the Uyghur cause this month - with a series of passionate speeches outside the Chinese embassy, it was a true sign of unity. May Allah hasten the liberation our Uyghur brother and sisters and we remind our reader to remember them in their prayers.
Navigating the ‘scientific miracles of the Qur’an’ narrative
"This approach has become increasingly popular in mainstream Islamic discourse. But upon scrutiny, do such arguments hold water? And more importantly, is this the best strategy to convey the truth of Islam?"
In our latest article, Rushda N. evaluates the use of science-based apologetics by Muslim intellectuals.
Healing with Faith: The Misrepresentation of Integrative Medicine
Afnan Abusheikha introduces the discussion of ‘Integrative Medicine’. Often placed diametrically opposite to science which is almost seen as synonymous with the truth, misrepresentation in the media means it is frequently undermined and mocked, discrediting not only it’s value but also that of religion in these spheres.
Podcast Ep. 19: The Feminine Critique
Facing conflicting standards and blurred lines, Muslim women often struggle to understand femininity and what Islam has to say about it. Is there an ideal we should strive or fulfill, or an archetype by which to measure ourselves? What role does culture play in defining gender? Can we be ourselves while pleasing Allah, or are our personalities up for consideration?
On Episode 19, the team sits down to discuss gender norms, what fiqh rulings (don’t) say about the nature of women, feminine role models, and how to move towards a better understanding of the feminine.
Schoolmates at the college of Qur'an in Tanta, Egypt. One is blind and the other a paraplegic, unable to walk. The blind friend carries his schoolmate all the way to their class on the sixth-floor and when asked how, he responded: He is my eyes to see with, and I am his legs to walk on.
As well as periodically updating our resource bank, here we share some other insightful contributions from prominent Muslim figures and organisations.
RESOURCE: Ummatics Colloqium The Ummatics Colloquium is a series of ongoing seminars that bring together scholars, experts, and thought leaders, as well as leaders of Muslim communities and movements, facilitate serious and critical conversation, and produce and elevate ummatic political thought.
RESOURCE: Tarteel With the power of AI, the Tarteel app provides tooling that completely transforms the way one engages with the Qur'an. It assists with Qur'an recitation, comprehension and memorisation. An invaluable resource to strengthen our relationship with the Qur'an. You can download it here.
ARTICLE: Subordinate Beings: The Orientalist Beginnings of Western Feminism Zara Choudhary engages in some much needed myth-busting to unpack the roles of orientalism and imperialism is the foundations of western feminism.
ARTICLE: The Bond Between Islamic Civilization and Japanese Civilization: Manga, Traversing Tradition Dr. Qayyim Naoki Yamamoto aims to navigate Sufism through the world of Manga, where he believes there are shared values between the Japanese and Islamic culture. Could watching Naruto actually be a lesson in Islamic ethics?
FUNDRAISER: Give Warmth 15 - Molham Team The Molham team are providing needy families in Syria and in neighbouring countries with warmth and winter essentials. A donation of $20 will gift winter clothes for a displaced child and $50 will secure winter supplies for a family for a whole month.
If you have any questions, feedback or would like to feature in our next newsletter, let us know. Email us at contact@qarawiyyinproject.co or visit our website to find out more about our article submission process.
For all our latest content, visit our website and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Until next time, Assalaamu Alaykum.