WE ARE LIVING through a remarkable technological transformation. Artificial intelligence can now generate images, voices and videos increasingly indistinguishable from reality. A photograph of a child at school can be manipulated into something sexualised, causing very real humiliation, bullying and psychological harm. Schools, pupils and parents are being told not to share pictures on social … Continue reading When Technology Outruns Morality
THE QUR’AN HAS a remarkable way of teaching profound lessons through seemingly ordinary words. One such example appears in the story of Prophet Ṣāliḥ (as). Allah says: وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَآ إِلَىٰ ثَمُودَ أَخَاهُمْ صَـٰلِحًا أَنِ ٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ فَإِذَا هُمْ فَرِيقَانِ يَخْتَصِمُونَ Indeed, We sent to Thamūd their brother Ṣāliḥ, saying, ‘Worship Allah.’ Then at once they … Continue reading Their Brother
TWO YEARS AGO today, Bangladesh witnessed a moment few believed possible. After fifteen years of increasingly authoritarian rule, Sheikh Hasina fled the country following a month-long uprising led largely by students and young people. The price was immense. Hundreds lost their lives. Thousands were injured. Families continue to carry wounds that will never fully heal. … Continue reading Two Years On: Why Removing a Tyrant is Not Enough
WHEN DONALD TRUMP accused oil companies of ‘making too much money’ from his war on Iran, he highlighted a contradiction at the heart of modern capitalism. With fuel prices rising and households struggling with the cost of living, Trump argued that companies such as ExxonMobil and Chevron should lower prices and show greater responsibility towards … Continue reading Oil, Capitalism and the Forgotten Question of Ownership
ONE OF THE delights of reading the Qur’an is noticing how its stories speak to one another. While reflecting on the account of Sulaymān (as) and the Queen of Sheba in Sūrah al-Naml, I found myself thinking about another famous scene from the Qur’an: the magicians in Pharaoh’s court. At first, they seem to have … Continue reading The Recogniser, the Seeker and the Rejecter
A WEEK INTO my daughter’s summer holidays, she said the thing every parent has heard. “I’m bored. What do I do?” I answered her as a parent. But the more I thought about it, the more I realised it wasn’t really about boredom. Almost every hour of her day has already been accounted for. That’s … Continue reading The Free Time We Waste
A BBC ARTICLE quoted a woman explaining her decision not to have children: “It’s just not a very nice world to bring people into, and why would I consciously do that when I can choose not to?” The statement warrants consideration. Not to mock it, and not to dismiss it as mere selfishness, but because … Continue reading “Why Would I Bring Children Into This World?”
BRITAIN HAS NOW had seven Prime Ministers in just ten years. That statistic alone says a great deal about the state of British politics. For a country that proudly describes itself as the “mother of democracies” and the birthplace of parliamentary government, it is a sobering record. Andy Burnham becoming the latest occupant of Downing … Continue reading Seven Prime Ministers in Ten Years: Is Britain’s Political System Broken?
IMAGINE THE SCENE. Egypt versus Argentina. A penalty shootout. Millions watching. The Egyptian team stands on the pitch. One kick will decide history. The impossible happens. Egypt defeat Argentina. The Arab world erupts. Social media explodes. Flags wave. Streets fill with celebrations. Commentators speak of one of the greatest moments in Egyptian history. Then imagine … Continue reading What Makes a Nation Great?
IN SURAH AN NUR, Allah makes a promise to the believers: وَعَدَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مِنكُمْ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُمْ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ كَمَا ٱسْتَخْلَفَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ وَلَيُمَكِّنَنَّ لَهُمْ دِينَهُمُ ٱلَّذِى ٱرْتَضَىٰ لَهُمْ وَلَيُبَدِّلَنَّهُم مِّنۢ بَعْدِ خَوْفِهِمْ أَمْنًا ۚ يَعْبُدُونَنِى لَا يُشْرِكُونَ بِى شَيْـًٔا ۚ وَمَن كَفَرَ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْفَـٰسِقُونَ Allah has promised those … Continue reading The Purpose Behind the Promise
