Published in the Journal of Islamic Faith and Practice.
The article, Zainab Alwani’s “Kafāla: The Quranic-Prophetic Model of Orphan Care,” explores how Americans of all religions, or of no religion, can use the traditional Islamic foster care system (kafāla) to benefit orphaned or abandoned children. This is especially important for those children who happen to be Muslim, for there are not enough Muslim foster families to take all of them in.
Islam, as God’s final message to humanity, came to light in a brutal and cruel environment. Violence was a common practice in pre-Islamic Arabic, and the weak and the needy, orphans and widows, and slaves and servants, both there and around the world, had no defined rights. Islam came to establish justice and mercy in the heart of a cruel world. The Qur’an emphasizes that all people are created equal as regards their inherent worth and value, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, or class. Islam prohibited any oppressive behavior that violates justice, mercy, equality, and freedom. Read More
As Muslims, we regard the Qur’an as the last divine speech revealed by God. It came with a message that is universal and to an audience that comprises all of humanity. Islam yields a set of peace-building values that, if constantly and systematically applied, can transcend all levels of conflicts. These values include justice (‘adl), beneficence (ihsan), and wisdom (hikmah), which constitute core principles in peacemaking strategies and conflict resolution. Read More
For well over three decades, Muslim scholars and legal experts residing in Europe and elsewhere have been engaged in a concerted effort to employ classical legal frameworks and principles to formulate religious rulings appropriate to the European sociopolitical and cultural milieu. Read More
Emotional, verbal, spiritual, financial, physical, and sexual abuse have existed in various forms in every society throughout recorded history. Yet it was not until the nineteenth century that domestic violence became a social issue in the United States. Read More
Islam emphasizes the belief that the family is the cornerstone of human civilization. This article explains that Islamic teachings regarding family structure are unique in providing theoretical and practical answers to modern challenges and have the ability to reform any deviation. Read More
The essence of the Islamic paradigm is grounded in the concept of tawhid, the Oneness and Uniqueness of God. The coherence of the central belief system in Islam is based on the relationship between the act of submission (to God) and its consequences in a state of peace. At the core of this relationship is the concept of tawhid (oneness of God), by virtue of which submission is transformed into a dynamic and ongoing act. That is the meaning of ‘ibada (devotion or worship[1]).
Islam, as the final message from God to humankind, came to light in a brutal and cruel environment. Violence was a common practice in Arabia and practically around the world at that time. The weak and needy, orphans and widows, and slaves and servants had no defined rights in such a world. Islam came to establish justice and mercy in the heart of a cruel world. Any oppressive behavior that violates justice, mercy, equality and freedom was prohibited in Islam. Consequently, most of the first followers of Islam were among the poor, the slaves, and the women. Shortly, a justly balanced community evolved; enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong.
