Qatar 2022: Football, Politics and Cultural Production

Rushda N. and Aisha Hasan As Lionel Messi walks up to the podium to claim the one major footballing award that has eluded him so far, the roar of the crowd reaches a crescendo. The moment marks the culmination of a stellar career for the world’s greatest footballer, and the crystallisation of Qatar’s cultural and sporting ambitions. Moments earlier, Shaykh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, … Continue reading Qatar 2022: Football, Politics and Cultural Production

Podcast Ep. 19: The Feminine Critique

Facing conflicting standards and blurred lines, Muslim women often struggle to understand femininity and what Islam has to say about it. Is there an ideal we should strive or fulfill, or an archetype by which to measure ourselves? What role does culture play in defining gender? Can we be ourselves while pleasing Allah, or are our personalities up for consideration? On Episode 19, the team … Continue reading Podcast Ep. 19: The Feminine Critique

The problem with Vernacular Islam

Nayla Majestya In contemporary public discourse on Islam, the emergence of revisionist approaches is widely noticeable. Historically speaking, within the intellectual tradition of Islamic theology, the efforts to change Islamic principles has been well-documented and well-countered. The writings of classical Islamic ulama like Ibn Taymiyyah and Al-Ghazali have provided ample counter-arguments to theologically-deviated propositions. However, every generation claims to face specific cultural problems that need specific … Continue reading The problem with Vernacular Islam