On education
There’s a difference between respect and blind agreement There could be many definitions of being educated, but one that often goes unappreciated is the ability to differ with the views of one’s…
On ‘isaal-e-sawaab’
With a brief survey of ‘good’ and ‘evil’, reward and punishment This is one of the most misunderstood concepts among Muslims, especially in the Indian sub-continent and its diaspora in the West.…
Life after Corona
The good, the bad and the ugly Coronavirus is without doubt the scariest thing faced by man in living memory, barring the people of Iraq, Libya, Syria, Yemen, Afghanistan, Mexico and many…
On madness
It’s a matter of degrees When it comes to subjects one doesn’t quite have a grip on, there is a time-honoured tradition to announce upfront that one is not an expert in…
Reading without understanding
On guidance and blessing It’s always disturbing when a fellow Muslim, apparently in all sincerity, says things that are explicitly prohibited by the Quran. For example, the Quran makes it abundantly clear…
Sadiq memories
Where have all those men gone? A colleague recently visited Sadiq Public School. Listening to him talk about the old school; the feelings were not very different from what Ghalib’s must have…
On scientific enthusiasm
And rather charming lies You would have encountered science enthusiasts who have let their enthusiasm get the better of themselves. This type of a person believes that science, even if it hasn’t…
What would we do without latest studies?
Thank God for science One of the negatives of living in the age of science is that it is very easy not to appreciate our immense debt to scientists and the studies…
Humble submissions to feminist countrymen
And countrywomen too, of course This week I had intended to write on a topic closer to my heart, but the ongoing feminism hoo-ha has put paid to that. So much for…
What does the seventh blade do?
On the evolution of safety razors It’s not clear when and who shaved his face for the first time in history. And why. Since most everything has a habit of starting in…
The new national pastime
Political correctness gone overboard Taking offence is the new national pastime. And desi liberals are every bit as nauseating as fundamentalists in this respect. In fact, the more one looks at the…
FAQs about the Muslim marriage
Addressing them on a fundamental level You have doubtlessly heard or asked these questions at one time or another: Why a Muslim man may take a Christian wife, but a Muslim woman…
Mere Paas Tum Ho
Some observations regarding its immense popularity Whether you were a fan of the recently concluded Mere Paas Tum Ho, hated its guts or were simply indifferent to it, there’s no denying that…
Mysticism in university education
The devil is in the details Prime minister Imran Khan has directed the HEC to add mysticism to university curricula. Khan attributes his famous transformation to spirituality, and there’s no reason to…
Quoting religious texts out of context
Never goes out of fashion While there are countless ways to mislead oneself (and others), arguably the easiest one is to quote a part of the scripture out of its context and…
On Islamic economy, Islamic sports and Islamic nuts
Fictions, all In a discussion on economy a few years ago, a colleague had passionately announced that the universal solution to all economic woes was the ‘Islamic economic system’. When I asked…
A year in retrospect
The good, the bad and the ugly from 2019 The year 2019 had many things in common with past years. As usual, it was a year replete with mutually contradictory conspiracy theories.…