elevating ethics, critical thinking, and dignity through education

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LATEST FRIDAY KHUTBAHS (SERMON)

"'ALLAHU AKBAR', "POLITICAL ISLAM" AND THE RADICAL LIBERATION OF FAITH"

20 November 2020

Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl delivers the Friday khutbah and jumu'a prayer at The Usuli Institute (www.usuli.org). He begins by breaking down the theology of "Allahu Akbar" ("God is Greatest") as the key premise of Islam, and how Islam came as a radical liberation for human beings from the oppression of other human beings or other forms of oppression. He develops the idea through numerous examples and applies it to the notion of "Political Islam," a concept which has taken hold around the world but which derives from political opportunism.

LISTEN TO THE AUDIO ON SOUNDCLOUD!

 USULI CONVERSATION SERIES:

RAMY YOUSSEF AND THE SHAYKH

A Beautiful Engagement Between Artist and Scholar

RAMY YOUSSEF AND THE SHAYKH

A Beautiful Engagement Between Artist and Scholar

14 September 2019

As part of The Usuli Institute Conversation Series, we were honored to host Ramy Youssef in conversation with Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl and Grace Song about the challenges and opportunities for artistic expression in advancing faith, understanding, and the human side of being Muslim. Ramy Youssef is best known for making TV's first Muslim American sitcom, Hulu's millennial comedy series entitled, "Ramy." He also recently released his HBO Original stand-up comedy special entitled, "Feelings." Both shows jump headlong into uncharted on-screen territory when it comes to the challenges confronting Muslim millennials attempting to navigate the grey areas of faith and religion, society and culture, expectation and acceptance, and ultimately, humanity in all of its forms. An honest, raw and fascinating discussion. Hosted at the Usuli Institute, 14 September 2019. 

LISTEN TO THE AUDIO ON SOUNDCLOUD!

Latest Circle of Learning (Halaqa):

Surah 89: Al FAJR (Conclusion)

Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl concludes his line-by-line original commentary (tafsir) on Surah 89 Al Fajr. After a brief review, he continues from Verse 17. In the introduction, Executive Director Grace Song gives an update on the New Quran Project (https://www.usuli.org/new-quran-project/) and shares reflections on the topic of the Signs of God raised in the New Quran Halaqa on Surah al Jathiya through two events in her life in the past week. Part 2 is Q&A.

love to our friends in australia!

We are so grateful to receive beautiful messages and pictures from our friends around the world! This heartwarming picture features a reading group in Australia that has been discussing Dr. Abou El Fadl's book, Reasoning with God: Reclaiming Shari'ah in the Modern Age. If you have pictures you would like to share, email us! Love to our friends in Australia!

"...To win this very real war that has done inestimable damage to so many Muslims and to the truth of the Islamic faith, it is absolutely imperative that moderates declare a counter-jihad against the puritan heresy. This is not a call for the shedding of blood; it is a call for matching the zeal of puritans through unrelenting intellectual activism. This is a counter-jihad to reclaim the truth about the Islamic faith and win the hearts and minds of Muslims and non-Muslims all around the world..."

Khaled Abou El Fadl, The Great Theft: Wrestling Islam from the Extremists