Does The Quran Really Permit Child Marriage?

March 18, 2014 By Ro Waseem

One of the biggest misconceptions about Islam is that it permits child marriage, and is therefore looked down upon as medieval, oppressive and illogical by non-Muslims. Shockingly, instead of viewing this as a downright tarnation and disgrace to Islam, Muslims in complete ignorance of the Quran actually defend and support this point of view! If Muslims, themselves, are going to portray such an image of their religion, then I really don’t see why they would get agitated with the criticism... Read more

The Fall And Rise Of Adam: How It Speaks To Me!

March 15, 2014 By Ro Waseem

Disclaimer: I feel that this post has the potential to be misinterpreted, so let me clarify my position beforehand. I am not suggesting that this perspective reflects the true account of what happened. And, for the conservatives, this is not a “modern re-interpretation.” This, simply, is one of the ways I personally resonate with Adam’s account mentioned in the Quran. Adam is the very first figure we come across in the Quran (Ch2 V30). We are told of the origin of... Read more

Let’s be honest: Do you really believe in the Day of Judgment?

March 7, 2014 By Ro Waseem

Over the years, belief has become a problematic word for me. Religious people are too fixated on scoring brownie points with God by exhausting all their efforts into believing this and believing that, all the while, failing to utilize that belief into something productive that makes them grow. It seems to me that people have made religion into a document that supposedly leads them to heaven just by signing on it (proclaiming they believe in it). What a shameful way... Read more

United Sects Of Islam: Why Muslims Should Shun Sectarianism & Embrace Diversity!

February 28, 2014 By Ro Waseem

A very popular argument atheists and non-religious people often bring up when discussing religion is that religion seeks to divide & rule. It divides people, sometimes causing a lot of bloodshed, and therefore religion is evil and must be abolished. True, religion has indeed caused a lot of bloodshed, but so has nationalism. Hence, blaming all of mankind’s woes on religion is quite biased, I would think. It’s not religion, exclusively, that divides people; rather people fight over all sorts of... Read more

“Salih”: One Of The Least Understood Attributes Of A Muslim

February 21, 2014 By Ro Waseem

You open up a traditional translation of the Quran, and you will find that it would usually translate characteristics of believers such as “Saliheen” (For ex. 2:62) and “Muttaqeen” (For ex. 2:2) as “Righteous people”. My problem with “righteous” is that it is too bland – too generic. Righteousness is a broad term. What aspect of righteousness, I would ask? Just as God has several attributes, each attribute revealing a specific characteristic; similarly there are also numerous attributes of a... Read more

Blasphemy And Apostasy Laws: Islam or Hislam?

February 14, 2014 By Ro Waseem

In January 2011, the governor of Punjab, Salman Taseer, was gunned down by one of his own security guards over a controversial move — opposing the blasphemy law in Pakistan. Although thousands of Pakistanis condemned this by attending his funeral and showing support on social media, religious fanatics hailed his murderer as a hero, recently naming a mosque after him. As a Muslim, I stand firmly against blasphemy laws. My faith demands that I do so, for it repeatedly asks... Read more

Musings on Chapter 1 of the Quran: The Perfect Introduction?

February 6, 2014 By Ro Waseem

Chapter 1 (Fatiha) is possibly the most read chapter of the Quran. It is an integral part of Muslim prayers and is repeated tens of times in a day. Yet, we must ask ourselves, what purpose does it serve? Why is it the very first chapter of the Quran? For some reason, I just did; and had an epiphany! I think the answers to those questions lie in Ch2 V2: Quran as a revealed message will only serve as a... Read more

Does A Woman’s Clothing Really Make Men Want To Rape Them?

January 31, 2014 By Ro Waseem

“Oh, that pork looks yummy! Guess I can’t control myself now, better have a bite at it!” Assuming you’re a Muslim, do you realize how stupid and preposterous this sounds? Yeah, I thought so. But, wait a minute. I’ve heard something similar: “If a woman is not dressed ‘properly’, she is inciting rape.” And this is popular opinion in the society I live in. Right. So, a few months ago, I was completely taken by surprise when a person tried... Read more

Oh, Maulana Tariq Jameel…

January 30, 2014 By Ro Waseem

Just a while ago, I was listening to a talk given by Mr.Tariq Jameel (revered by many) and found out some very interesting things. Let me begin by saying that his lectures are somewhat better than what is usually propagated by other clergymen. As you might be aware, I am not against scholars. Rather, I am of the opinion that before listening to anyone speaking about Islam, read the Quran for yourself. And I will demonstrate why: I will add... Read more

To Sleep, Or Not To Sleep – That Is The Question

January 26, 2014 By Ro Waseem

The hardest thing about entering an unknown territory is taking the first step. I suppose, that explains why people find it more convenient to believe whatever the society teaches them. Researching and thinking for yourself is an arduous task, but it pays. And boy, does it pay well? It completely changes your perspective on things, and you no longer see things the way other people do. This has it’s advantages and disadvantages, as do all things. The biggest advantage is... Read more