From the inception of the twenty-first century there have been risings of economic discontinuities, shifting balances of power, and ever increasing cultural and religious confrontations and terrorism. We are engulfed in a state of chronic insecurity and deepening gloom. Old techniques of force and domination are still being employed to resolve problems, which belong to…
Democracy, as an ancient and evolving system of governance to this day, has achieved general acceptance and recognition as a universal value. However, when it comes to the democratization process, every nation must play its own instrument in the symphony of its unique culture. All nations are consciously to undergo the evolutionary stages of human…
At this point in time, more than ever before, the “synthesizing of thesis and antithesis” of all things is clearly taking place including the spiritual and intellectual history of humankind following simultaneously the two currents. One current is that of prophethood and religious beliefs and the other is the human philosophical/scientific tradition._ When these two…
The social movement called Hizmet or Gülen Movement is based on philosophy and values preached by Fethullah Gülen, his thought and practice including his insights on Renaissance and a Globalizing Civilization of love, tolerance and Empathy presently in the making. Gülen philosophy is most importantly rooted in the prophetic and civic Islam, it embraces educating…
Turkey’s political Image over the last decade had been built on promised servant political leadership, AKP being a clean political party backed by transforming hizmet civil society movement since 1960s. The comparison of Erdogan’s own leadership and his party’s first two terms with the present third term are made The democratic reforms made by him…
The world to this day indeed owes a tremendous amount to the Muslim world for the many groundbreaking scientific and technological advances that were pioneered during the Golden Age of Muslim civilization (particularly between the 9th to the 13th centuries) and overall between the 7th and 16th centuries. The world had overlooked these achievements and…
Wow, a Shaykh ul-Islam who attracts populace with his thunderous socio-political oratory and a religious doctrine! Wow, a revolution through a mass public movement supported by a Cricketer Tsunami Khan! But wait …… and let us think this through in the context of Pakistan’s checkered political history and ambiguities over the decades, its ongoing internal…
In the 18th century, Goethe (1749 – 1832)) had recognized that the “East and the West” were inseparable. Iqbal (1877-1938), an Indo-Pak thinker and philosopher in the early part of 20th century had said, “the East has the heart and the West had the head and they must wed in order to make this a…
“Moreover, I came to realize that the idea of an Islamic state was completely historically fabricated. There is no authentic sharia basis for that claim [of Islamic state]”. By Syafii Maarif Chairman, Muhammadiyah movement 1998-2005. AbstractSeveral faith-based Muslim organizations in the world have been transforming into more progressive socio-religious movements. What are the factors that…
وَاعْتَصِمُوا۟ بِحَبْلِ اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُو Hold firmly to the Rope of Allah (Surah Al-Imran—Quran3: 103) Crown Prince Salman delivered an annual speech on-behalf of the Saudi King at the reception for the leaders of Islamic countries, dignitaries, guest pilgrims of the king and heads of Hajj missions at Mina Palace on Wednesday October 16,…
