Best Five Biographies of Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ)

Best Five Biographies of Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) by Western Scholars. In this Khanversation Dr. Muqtedar Khan ranks the top five and discusses five others that could have made the list. Authors reviewed include, Karen Armstrong, Annemarie Schimel, Juan Cole, Martin Lings, and Tariq...

A Self-Critical Society Based on Ihsan

https://youtu.be/xQL8TQKPtOU This is a paper presented at the Muslim Philanthropy Symposium on November 12, 2020. The paper argues that a self-critical Islamic society based on the two elements of Ihsan — Muraqaba and Muhasaba — can foster a society of Muhsins that...

O Muhammad, O Muhammad

By Muqtedar Khan O Muhammad, O Muhammad, Peace and Blessings upon you, O Muhammad O beloved of the One, O confidant of the One The One and his many send blessings upon you O Muhammad, O Muhammad You were a Prophet before Adam You were the light before the dawn Love and blessings...

The Best Kind of Wealth is a Thankful Heart

This article was first published in The News Journal on November 24th, 2017. “Remember Me, I will remember you, Be thankful to Me, and do not be ungrateful to Me.” [Qur’an 2:152] When some companions of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) asked him, “What...

Khanversations about The Holy Quran

Khanversations about The Holy Quran is a Ramadan series since 2020.  In these series I speak to scholars and students of the divine text who seek to translate it, to write commentaries on it and to teach it. I also want to flush out the breadth and depth of Muslim understanding...

Welcome to Khanversations on Religious Perspectives on Pandemics

In these Khanversations I speak to scholars and students of different faiths to understand their scriptures and teachings that can help people find some meaning in these catastrophic times. These Kannversations also allow us to get a better sense of our own faith teachings...

Live Life As If You have Made Eye Contact With God

This article was published in the Islamic Horizons, March-April issue, 2020.

Four Khans Everyone Must Read

By Prof. Muqtedar Khan This article was published by The Maydan, a forum on Islam Thought hosted by George Mason University on Feb 17, 2020. The name Khan is trending. One Khan – Imran Khan – is now the PM of Pakistan, another, Sadiq Khan, is the Mayor of London, and in the US,...

Progressive Turn and Conservative Backlash: The New Twist in American-Muslim Politics

By: Muqtedar Khan | January 23, 2020 The article is published by the Berkley Forum, a research center for Religion at World Politics at Georgetown University in Washington DC.  For American Muslims, it is the best of times, and it is the worst of times. It is the age of...

  ISLAM AND FOUR ESSENTIAL FREEDOMS

This article was first published by The Maydan at George Mason. University By Dr. Muqtedar Khan The state of freedom has steadily declined all over the world since 2005. This growing freedom deficit is most emphatic in the Muslim World; the group of nations with Muslim...

Five Reasons Why I Wrote Islam and Good Governance

For awards, articles, videos, podcasts and reviews about the book click here, Different versions of this article were published in The News Journal and on Informed Comment. In writing Islam and Good Governance: A Political Philosophy of Ihsan  my goal was nothing short of...

Ramadan is the Month of Jihad

And struggle for Allah with the struggle due to him (Quran 22:78). The Quran says that fasting has been commanded to Muslims as it was commanded to all other faith communities prior to them (2:183) in order that the believer becomes God-conscious. The purpose of fasting is to...

Future of Islam in America: A Uniquely American Sufism

American Islam will be increasingly marked by two trends: the embracing of the American through enhanced engagement in politics and service, and a shift in theological orientation toward a more spiritual Islam. Islamophobia reaching a manageable equilibrium The future of Islam in...

American Muslims should welcome same-sex marriage ruling

On June 26, 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court extended marriage rights to same-sex couples in all 50 states. The shift toward acceptance of gays and lesbians has generated a muted debate among American Muslims. That there has been no knee-jerk reaction to the ruling is a testimony to...

Racism in America and Islam: Remembering Bilal

“I heard your footsteps in front of me in Paradise.” Slavery is America’s original sin. It was there from the beginning. While the civil war eventually abolished it, what remains is an insidious, institutionalized and pervasive racism that has persisted in spite of the triumph of...

Ramadan Fasts: Four Levels of Spirituality

Indeed, only through the remembrance of God, do hearts find contentment (Quran 13:28). The holy month of Ramadan is once again upon us and those Muslims who are fortunate to witness it are obligated to fast for the entire month, unless, they are old, traveling, ill or unable....

Contemplating Islamic Reform

“Whoever starts a good practice in Islam he will be rewarded for it and whoever starts evil practice in Islam he will be burdened with it.” (Prophet Muhammad pbuh from Sahih Muslim) The concomitant usage of the two terms Islam and Reform constitutes a major trope in the discourse...

Five Islamic Philosophers Every Muslim Must Read

Islamic intellectual culture suffers from a philosophy deficit. While there are a few philosophical thinkers in the Muslim World today none of them enjoys the rock star status that many pedestrian preachers and YouTube stalwarts enjoy. What this tells us is that people are...