The Review of Religions

A personal story showing how even the smallest of deeds can draw the pleasure of God.

Let’s set the record straight: if a woman wishes to wear the veil (i.e. the hijab), she is free to do so. The veil does not make her more or less French, since it is above all, a religious choice and not a political one.

The sooner we see the beauty in suffering, the sooner we will realise its cruciality in self development and growth. For tireless effort is a necessity of life otherwise one remains static and lifeless.

The superiority of humans is determined by God solely based on moral achievements judged by the way we fulfill our obligations and duties toward God and God’s creatures.

Over ten centuries before Jefferson drafted this bill, one of the greatest movements for the establishment of religious freedom was started… by Islam.

Our societies have immersed us for centuries in a capitalist system, a capitalist culture and a capitalist existence. Far from being a set of economic rules and mechanisms, the ubiquity of capitalism offers us an intimate relationship with ourselves, a vision of direction and also of running beyond it.

I first found out that I couldn’t just walk down the street to a local government office to submit my visa application; I had to go to a Czech embassy in another country and submit the application there.

With the onset of COVID-19 religious affiliations, like many aspects of life, changed notably. In March 2020, Google searches for prayer reached the highest levels ever recorded in history.

We had very little gas left in the car. Just before we arrived at the Sherpao Bridge, the fuel metre went red and the “E” sign started to flash. We still had the bridge to cross.

The choice of the German women’s gymnastics team to wear full-body suits in the qualification round as a stand against sexualisation, according to The German Federation. One of the competitors, Sarah Voss, said she wished to be, ‘a role model for young gymnasts who don’t feel safe in every situation.’

In many societies today, a handshake, hug or even a kiss on the cheek is seen as nothing out of the ordinary and is even viewed as part of everyday good manners. Nevertheless, a Muslim would be uncomfortable with sharing such physical gestures with members of the opposite gender unless they were close family or a spouse.

The upcoming trajectory of events in Afghanistan appears to be horrific. Violence, murder, bloodshed, and anarchy appear inevitable. The human cost of war in Afghanistan is immense. Does it have to be this way? Would the unfortunate land of Kabul always remain a seat of violence and murder and stay deserted, ruined, dangerous, and destitute?

I find this particular misconception interesting for any time I have received a question of this nature, you can be assured that I have encountered the questioner outside of my house in some public space.

Have you ever watched a perfume commercial and wondered why half-naked women feature in almost all of them? Have you ever wondered why most of the music video clips choose to objectify women with unnecessary close-ups on their body? Well, that is what we call the ‘male gaze’.

In a country where the flag of mullah-ism is ubiquitous – at mosque podiums, loudspeakers in busy marketplaces, rallies all across the country – is the title of ‘Islamic Republic’ at all pertinent?

Friday is considered by many to be the best day of the week, as it marks the begins the weekend. For young people, Friday signifies freedom for the next few days, and for the parents, Friday signifies the beginning of a break from a full week’s work. But did you know that Friday carries a spiritual significance as well?

‘And perhaps no voice in history has been so tempered with, muted and modified than the voice of the Muslim woman.’ Our Law & Human Rights Section responds to a divisive BBC News article about women's access to mosques during Ramadan.

A snapshot of the remarkable lessons taught by the Holy Prophet (sa) and his daughter, Hazrat Zainab (ra) of love and forgiveness.

Fatima al Zahra (ra) was the youngest of the four daughters of the Holy Prophet (sa) and was much loved by all her family. She was pious, compassionate and generous. Her personal qualities reflected the beauty of her name ‘Zahra’, meaning a ‘blossoming flower’.

As the world races towards modernity and as some Muslims continue to display heedlessness towards the grandeur of the Holy Qur’an, some may wonder why we should recite a 7th-century archaic text revealed in the deserts of Arabia. Here are five reasons why you should read the Holy Qur’an.

How will we act on lessons learnt from the pandemic? Do we just return to where we were, or do we try and envision a new world order based on justice and equality, compassion and kindness?

An Ahmadi Missionary posted in Paraguay relied on the Power of God to help with a seemingly impossible request relating to residency in a new country.

Where all his best efforts had failed him, and material means showed nothing but dead ends, he decided to put the matter before a Higher Power.

Across the world many countries are in lockdown as a result of the Covid19 pandemic. Whilst this has had an impact at all levels of our lives, there has been considerable concern about the potential impact of lockdowns on the mental health of children who have had their schooling online and have been separated from their peer networks. So, what does the evidence suggest and what can we do about it...

If you ask any practising Muslim woman in Britain what subject most strangers broach with her, I am convinced that she will respond ‘my hijab‘ or ‘my purdah (veil).’ [1] The questions which such women, including myself, are invariably asked by perplexed voices are: ‘Why do you cover your head?’ ‘Has your family forced you to wear that?’ ’Don’t you get hot?’