Latest essays
The Blue Yonder: The Search for a Shared Horizon is Available on Amazon Order the hardcover or Kindle version of “The Blue Yonder” on Amazon, available now. “The Blue Yonder: The Search for a Shared Horizon” is an anthology of articles on Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Hindu, and Confucian themes written by a variety of scholars[...]
Anwit Shahi uses the case of the Ghūrids to show how Muslim rulers became part of the Indian political hierarchy, demonstrating that they took part in the continuity of the Indian ruling classes. [...]
Reaching our Political Potential ristotle begins Politics by invoking the concept of nature. In Physics, Aristotle identifies the nature of a thing above all with its end or final cause.[1] An acorn has the potentiality (telos) to become an oak tree. Given the proper conditions, an acorn can develop into a tree. To flourish, an[...]
Slavery, Women, and Society in Aristotle’s Politics: A Muslim Perspective ristotle held that there were natural distinctions between male and female,[1] free and slave,[2] and civilized and barbarian.[3] He is usually characterized as a more earthy, practical philosopher who took precedents from his observations of politics and history. Plato [...]
odern science has shown that some species of organisms have a high degree of sociality. Individuals in these animal populations express complex behaviours, and they tend to associate in social groups and form cooperative societies. Examples include packs of wolves and schools of fish, which cooperate to perform many tasks. Ants and bees [...]
Planting a Tree in the End Times: An Analysis of an Islamic and Jewish Saying It is reported in the Musnad of Aḥmad b. Ḥanbal (d. 855 AD) and in the Musnad of Al-Bazzar (d. 905 AD) that the Prophet Muḥammad (s) said: “If the [Day of] Resurrection were established upon one of you, and[...]
Annotated Bibliography of Neo-Confucianism One of the most interesting fields in Islamic Studies is Chinese Muslim, or Han Kitab studies. I can tell you right now that the barrier of entry is high – dishearteningly high. You must learn Chinese, maybe Japanese, and a new system of philosophy. I can provide a guide to the[...]
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Academic RESEARCH
Despite the influence of Sharīf al-Murtaḍā’s Amālī, the paratextual features of its manuscript copies are seldom discussed. This paper compares such features in two 17th and 19th-century manuscripts. Abstract A number of Sharīf [...]
Numerous studies of Mamlūk books congeal around luxury manuscripts. Doris Behrens-Abouseif’s monograph offers a new window into the production and reception of ordinary books in the Mamlūk world.[...]
The relationship between Malcolm X and the Twelve Imams of Ahl al-Bayt has so far been little-known even though it may have shaped a significant aspect of Malcolm's religious and political worldview.[...]