By Layla Azmi Goushey ʿIlm: Religious and Scientific Knowledge University scholars in the Arabian Gulf region recently convened the Online Conference on Islamic Perspectives on Exotheology, Muslim theological viewpoints regarding extraterrestrial intelligence. According to one of the co-organizers, the conference had more than 50 registered participants from at least 18 different countries across Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Europe. Participants were affiliated with a variety of Islamic, Christian, and secular institutions, including the Vatican Observatory.  Experts on Islam, science, history,... Read more

By Hadia Mubarak During my freshman year in public high school, my English literature teacher took me aside after class and asked me, “Did your parents force you to wear that?” referring to my headscarf. I distinctly remember the feelings of confusion, surprise, and anger I felt, wondering why she would assume that I was being forced to cover my hair. Twenty-five years later, I am no longer surprised by my high school teacher’s assumption. I now understand her question... Read more

Ramadan, the Islamic holy month, begins this week. While many Americans know that it involves fasting, what most don’t know is that the holiday also essentially flips day into night. During Ramadan — which commemorates the Prophet Muhammad’s receiving of the Quran — Muslims stay up late praying more than usual, reading the Quran, eating and socializing. Together, all of these disrupted routines create a physical shift — and, ideally, spiritual shift — that helps them transcend the self and... Read more

As Muslims in America, we should recognize this unique chance to make good on this moment and the fight against racism. Read more

It’s a historic evening at the Viatorian Province Center. Beyond the gently rolling lawn and tree-lined drive, the center’s customary calm is pervaded with a hum of excitement. A peek into the building’s meeting room reveals a flurry of dinner preparations. As the sun begins to dip below the horizon, guests of all faiths filter inside to a filled-to-capacity event, to join their Muslim friends and neighbors for a Ramadan iftar – a meal marking the end of a day... Read more