Tolstoy and Prophet Muhammad

Tolstoy and Prophet Muhammad

The Russian novelist and moral philosopher Leo Nikolayevich Tolstoy (1828-1910) ranks as one of the world’s great writers, and his “War and Peace” has been called the greatest novel ever written.

Although he was born into nobility, Tolstoy spent much of his life as a champion of Russia’s peasant class, notably in the field of education.

He began his literary career in the 1850s, publishing a trilogy about his own life: Childhood (Detstvo, 1852), Boyhood (Otrochestvo, 1854) and Youth (Yunost’, 1857).

Investing our time wisely Part II (one of life’s most precious assets)

Last week’s article discussed the importance of using one’s limited time on earth wisely. It cited various excerpts from the Quran that highlighted the importance of living a full and fruitful life, including investing in the right beliefs, doing good deeds and exhorting truth and endurance. You can either consume or invest your time. When one consumes time they engage in activities that are not of benefit to themselves or others – essentially ‘killing time’ […]

Investing our time wisely Part I (one of life’s most precious assets)

God said that to be human is to be in a general state of loss. With the passing of time our life on earth is gradually consumed. Consequently, time is one of mankind’s most precious assets since it can never be replaced or renewed once it has passed. When we squander our time it is much like someone investing his capital unwisely and not using it to generate profit. However, when we invest our time wisely, we can avoid this inevitable loss. When we invest our time in that which is right and just, using it to uphold right beliefs, perform good deeds, offer honest advice and speak the truth we are making a wise investment.

Love for Children

One day the Prophet was in one of the markets of Medina. He left the market and so did I. Then he asked thrice, “Where is the small child?” Then he said, “Call Hasan.” So Hasan got up and started walking with a necklace of beads around his neck. The Prophet stretched his hand out like this, and Hasan did the same. The Prophet embraced him and said, “O Allah! I love him, so please love him and love those who love him.” Since Allah’s Apostle said that, nothing has been dearer to me than Hasan.”

The Jewel of Medina

While some might assume by the title, that this is an article about a magnificent, precious jewel that was recently discovered by a famous archaeologist, the title is actually a reference to a far more valuable jewel that exceeds the richness of the material world. The Jewel of Medina refers to Lady Aisha, the youngest wife of Prophet Muhammad. Many people, who are unfamiliar with the Prophet Muhammad’s life, are critical of his marital choices, […]

Goethe and Islam

Few in our modern world are those, who never heard of Germany’s greatest man of letters, Johan Wolfgang von Goethe, nor his magnum opus, Faust, an insurmountable peak of world literature. Fewer, however, are those, who ever heard that the 23 year old Goethe wrote a poem in praise of the Prophet of Islam, nor that the 70 year old Goethe celebrated the night in which the Quran was revealed. Between the two landmarks in […]

The Best in West About Islam

Oscar-winning actor and screen legend Sir Ben Kingsley has taken the starring role in a short feature film about the scientific heritage of Muslim civilization. The mini-movie, entitled “1001 Inventions and the Library of Secrets”, accompanied a global touring exhibition which was previously open to the public at the Science Museum in London. The 1001 Inventions exhibition completed its record-breaking residency at London’s Science Museum with 400,000 visitors in June 2010 and a block buster residency at the iconic and historic Sultan Ahmed Square in Istanbul with 390,000 visitors. The exhibition is now open at the New York Hall of Science till April 2011.
In the movie, Sir Ben takes on the role of a mysterious and cantankerous librarian who takes a group of school children on an enlightening journey to meet pioneering scientists and engineers from the history of Muslim civilization. The librarian is then revealed to be 12th century engineering genius Al-Jazari.

The Call of Muhammad (p.b.u.h.)

Rainer Maria Rilke (1875-1926)

Rainer Maria Rilke (1875-1926) is considered one of the German language’s greatest poets. His haunting images focus on the difficulty of communion with the ineffable in an age of disbelief, solitude and profound anxiety – themes that tend to position him as a transitional figure between the traditions and the modernist posts.

Muhammad and Jesus Two great Prophets of God

The relationship between Christianity and Islam throughout history has been often characterized by misunderstanding, rivalry, and frequently hostility. These tensions reached their pinnacle of ugliness in the Crusades. In today’s post 9-11 world, these same misunderstandings, rivalries, and hostilities are in danger of being ignited again as extremists on both sides attempt to persuade us […]

Disneyland in veil compromise

Disneyland, the renowned theme park in the Californian city of Anaheim, has allowed a Muslim employee to wear a specially designed headscarf in a compromise after initially prohibiting her veil. Noor Abdallah sought the legal assistance of an attorney after she was told she could not wear the hijab at work because the Disney dress code does not allow for religious apparel of any kind. Abdallah, although not fully satisfied with the compromise, says the scarf approved by Disney is a “good first step” in letting her dress in compliance with her beliefs.