Introduction The Qur’anic term “awliyā’” is among the most frequently misunderstood concepts in contemporary religious discourse. Much of this confusion stems from fragmentary readings of isolated verses or from the projection of later political and social meanings onto the Qur’anic text without due attention to its internal coherence. As a …
Taqwa (God-consciousness) in the Qur’an is not a marginal virtue, nor a fleeting spiritual state. Rather, it is the central axis around which the entire divine message revolves. It is the ultimate goal of Qur’anic guidance, the intended outcome of all acts of worship, and the true measure of success …
The Thematic Method in Understanding Qur’anic Concepts A thematic (objective) approach to the Qur’an rests on a foundational principle: the Qur’an explains itself. No central concept can be faithfully understood through a single verse isolated from the rest of the divine discourse. Meaning emerges only through collective, contextual, and comparative …
Introduction: Discovering a Hidden Coherence Many readers of the Qur’an sense deep meanings without immediately finding a single conceptual thread that ties them together. Over time, however, careful and patient reflection can reveal recurring structures, patterns that quietly shape the Qur’anic worldview. One such pattern is the bridge between divine …
For centuries, Christians and Muslims have stood apart, often convinced that their differences are too deep to reconcile. Yet when we examine the teachings of Jesus himself, rather than later theological developments, an unexpected convergence emerges, particularly with the Qur’an’s portrayal of God, humanity, sin, and forgiveness. This article revisits …
I come to you this morning with a heavy heart and with little confidence left in international institutions or the promises they make. Experience has taught us how fragile those structures are, and how often they fail the most vulnerable. My only true hope, now as always, is in Allah …
Abstract This essay examines the post‑war Middle East through the lens of strategic learning, rather than battlefield outcomes. It argues that the recent war connecting Israel, Iran, Lebanon, Yemen, and the United States constitutes a systemic shock[1] that has altered the conditions under which security, order, and agency are understood …
Executive Synthesis The post‑war Arab world will not be shaped by a single outcome victory or defeat, regime collapse or survival—but by a convergence of forces that together redefine what security, sovereignty, and agency mean in the region. When Netanyahu’s war on Iran and the openly articulated Greater Israel vision …
Executive Summary The Lebanon front has emerged as the strategic hinge of the current U.S.–Israel–Iran war, transforming what began as a campaign against Iran into a multi‑theater conflict with deep political consequences across the region and beyond. Far from being a secondary arena, Lebanon now functions as the stress test …
Abstract This paper examines the central semantics of al‑rajʿ in the Qur’ānic clause “By the sky of returning” (Q 86:11). It offers a structured survey that integrates classical tafsīr, Arabic lexicography, and contemporary scientific readings that relate the Qur’ānic description to known functions of the Earth’s atmosphere. The study concludes …
