Podcast: What do Cats Have to do with Interfaith Work?
Taking the Spirit out of Spirituality
Recently I have been reflecting on a series of internal discussions that I have been part of within a Muslim email group. A lot of the argument has centered about the practice of halal certificati... Read More
Please Stop Making God an Accomplice to the Newtown Massacre
No one knows what to say in moments like this. But we utter many things about God. Do we really mean these things? The divine love is not complicit in their deaths. The divine love does not call the... Read More
A Muslim Prayer for Victims by Quaiser Abdullah
In Islam, when we hear tragic news, we say, “From God we come and to Him is our return.” I pray for the well-being of the survivors of the horrendous tragedy and that as a national and global comm... Read More
After Newtown, a Divine Name for Right Now
The tragic events of last week occurred while Jews were reading a section of the story of Joseph and his brothers which is bursting with bereavement. As I read it through the lens of midrash, this anc... Read More
“The Prophet of Islam: Muhammad and Environmental Activism” by Ozgur Koca
Muhammad, like every other important controversial historical figure, is what we choose to remember of his legacy. Current studies on the Prophet of Islam “choose” to remember the highlights of hi... Read More
End of the Year, Beginning of the Year
As everyone gets ready for the holidays, I’m on a slightly different schedule. Friday marked the end of the first month of the Muslim lunar calendar, the month of Muharram. The first 10 days of Muha... Read More
The Triple Goddess: the Mother in the Ganges, Mother Theresa, and Kali
My spiritual journey in India reached its second stage: the Mother, who manifests the potential of the Maiden. The seed growing into a mature tree, the full moon marking the greatest point of lunar in... Read More
Where was God in Newtown?
Where was God in Newtown? Omid Safi attempts to give an answer. I agree with one half of his argument, that prayer is not what some folks think it is. However, I disagree on the nature of God. I think... Read More
Why, God? Grasping for Control, Praying for Grace
A man armed with guns walked into an elementary school and killed many people, most of whom were children. My hands shake even just typing such words. The news reports are still being updated, and the... Read More