Is It Really Kosher? is an interesting article by Aaron MacLean on the rise of Islamic Financing around the world. Some of the article’s better points: …“money always looks for the best deal.†if Islamic finance couldn’t provide results close to those of secular institutions, it wouldn’t exist. … The rational profit motive never lost […]
Category Archives: Islam
Datuk Hakim Keramat
By Abu Muhammad English Translation and Photography by Bin Gregory Productions Datuk Hakim Keramat, or the Miraculous Judge, was the title given to a religous scholar of Sarawak well known for his miracles and mystic knowledge. His real name was Abang Haji Abdul Rahman bin Abang Haji Brahim. He was born in Kuching, Sarawak and […]
Masjid Maktab Perguruan
Kota Samarahan, Sarawak Large government institutions will often have suraus or masjids built on their grounds, particularly if the institution has a resident population. The mosque where I most often make my Friday prayers is one such mosque, built on the grounds of a nearby maktab perguruan. It’s a lovely building, a modern rendition of […]
The Masjids and Musallahs of Jalan Rungkup
or My Bagan Datoh Vacation, Final Installment My five children weren’t the only ones sick over the vacation. The wife was busy vomiting all over the place too. The problem: Penyakit buatan orang. That literally means a man-made illness but refers to a hex or voodoo curse placed on someone. Black magic is alive and […]
Masjid Jamek Jawiyyah
In the heart of our kampung in Bagan Datoh lies the Masjid Jamek Jawiyyah, a beautiful mosque built entirely from wood over one hundred years ago. There have been a few expansions since then, but the original timbers of the structure are still intact and unchanged. Since it was built before running water, the ablution […]
Learning from immigrants
Me and Omar and some other folks were flogging a horse to death over at Umar Lee’s website on the topic of immigrant muslim culture in the US. We managed to agree that [American] muslims should be accepted as authentic Muslims without having to turn away from our cultural heritage, and there is plenty in […]
Selections from the Hikam
Selections from The Hikam of Ibn Ata’Allah al-Iskandari: If you want the door of hope opened For you, then consider what comes to you from your Lord, but if you want The door of sadness opened for you, Then consider what goes to Him from you. || One of the signs of relying on one’s […]
Journey to Ihsan: looking back
Alhamdulillah, I was able to fly to Singapore to attend the conference Journey to Ihsan last weekend. It was my first time in Singapore, and I came in the hard way, landing in Johor Bahru, then taking a three hour combination of trains and buses before arriving at my hotel, across the street from Dar […]