Fasting is a practice that according to the Quran has been prescribed upon Muslims as it has been prescribed upon those who have come before. At the external superficial level, it's described as the abstaining from eating, drinking, and having intimate sexual relations from the break of dawn until sunset. However, there is much more to this practice that one must be mindful off lest they risk being included in the Hadith stating that many who fast get nothing from it other than hunger and thirst. This 5-part series explores the inner dimensions of fasting through covering two texts from Imam Abu Hāmid al-Ghazaālī's magnum opus "Ihya' Uloom ad'Deen" (Revivification of the Religious Sciences". The first text covered was "The Book of Breaking the Two Desires", and the second was "The Book of the Secrets of Fasting".  Become a Supporter through Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MohamedGhilan Website http://www.andalusonline.org JOIN Andalus Book Club http://www.andalusonline.org/andalus-book-club Facebook Page http://www.facebook.com/drmohamedghilan Twitter https://twitter.com/MohamedGhilan iTunes Podcast https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/mohamed-ghilan/id1093009815  

Ep 56. The Inner Dimensions of Fasting (Part 2 of 5)

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Ramadan is a special time of the year in which we as Muslims engage in an act of worship that's like no other. In contrast to all other acts of worship, fasting is an intimate act that cannot be witnessed or confirmed by anyone other than Allah. It's a secret between the servant and their Lord. Being granted permission by Allah to engage in this intimate act of drawing nearer to Him should bring us all to a pause to reflect on what that means in terms of our status with Allah. Join Al-Andalus Academy at https://al-andalus-academy.thinkific.com  Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mohamed_ghilan/  Facebook https://www.facebook.com/drmohamedghilan Twitter https://twitter.com/mohamedghilan 

Post Ramadan Reflections

As Muslims have become increasingly integrated into social justice movements and the entertainment industry, many prominent figures are taking actions that align with the dominant ideology in these spheres. Despite their apparent unrelatedness, a common theme runs through Muslim hijabi Instagram influencers taking off their hijabs, comedians mocking Islamic practices like the dua, and political allegiances made in the name of combating Islamophobia. In this episode, the distinction made by the late Algerian sociologist and philosopher Malek Bennabi between aesthetic and moral sensibilities as they manifest in the lived experience of the Western European and the Muslim is used as a framework to understand the current trends observed among Muslims in the West. Join Al-Andalus Academy at https://al-andalus-academy.thinkific.com  Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mohamed_ghilan/  Facebook https://www.facebook.com/drmohamedghilan Twitter https://twitter.com/mohamedghilan 

Imanophobia and the Adoption of Aesthetic Sensibility by Muslims

What is Jerusalem worth? What kind of attachment does being a Muslim entail to the Holy Land? The recent announcement from U.S. President Donald Trump that recognizes Jerusalem as the official capital of Israel has created massive outcries and lamentations over the grim prospects for peace. However, from a spiritual and Quranic standpoint, much good has come out from this announcement. We just need to have the right perspective to see it. Topics discussed in this episode include the status of Jerusalem in Islam and the attitude a Muslim should adopt with regards to their relationship to the Holy Land. Hamas: Resistance, Terrorism, & Anti-Semitic Charters  https://alandalusacademy.com/hamas-resistance-terrorism-anti-semitic-charters/ Join Al-Andalus Academy at https://al-andalus-academy.thinkific.com  Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mohamed_ghilan/  Facebook https://www.facebook.com/drmohamedghilan Twitter https://twitter.com/mohamedghilan 

Jerusalem is Worth Nothing…and Everything!

At the time of recording this episode, Gaza has been undergoing an assault by the Zionist colonizer entity that can only be described as a genocide. The attacks on Gaza come as a response, we're told by the Zionists, to an operation carried out by the Resistance on October 7th, 2023. The official narrative of the events on that day has been constructed by the Zionist colonizer and adopted by the mainstream, including Muslims in the West. However, this narrative is not corroborated by the publicly available evidence, which in contrast supports the Resistance's account of what happened.  In this episode, I read and comment on a post I published on this issue, highlighting the problematic nature of dissociating from the Resistance based on a narrative sold to us by the Zionist colonizer.  Original post https://www.instagram.com/p/Cy5cgXprrzq/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== Hamas: Resistance, Terrorism, & Anti-Semitic Charters  https://alandalusacademy.com/hamas-resistance-terrorism-anti-semitic-charters/ Join Al-Andalus Academy at https://al-andalus-academy.thinkific.com  Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mohamed_ghilan/  Facebook https://www.facebook.com/drmohamedghilan Twitter https://twitter.com/mohamedghilan 

Moral Clarity in the Fog of War

The Reliever (al-Munfarijah) is a poem composed by the great Tunisian scholar Yusuf ibn Muhammad at-Tawozari at-Tilimsanī (d. 1119 AD/513 AH). He was known for his mastery of the various Islamic sciences but his erudition and rhetorical abilities became his defining feature to the degree that he was known as ibn an-Nahawi (Son of the Grammarian). al-Munfarijah is one of the most famous poems recited in North Africa and generally in the Islamic world. ibn an-Nahawi composed it in response to a request from his family who were living under an oppressive ruler. Ever since this poem has been taken up by Muslims and it became widely known for its efficacy. The poem is a combination of applied theology, spiritual counseling, and prayer. Reciting this poem in times of difficulty with a proper understanding of its meanings is known to bring relief. This 3-part series was recorded at Mīzān Avenue in Sydney, Australia on August 12, 2018. Join Al-Andalus Academy at https://al-andalus-academy.thinkific.com  Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mohamed_ghilan/  Facebook https://www.facebook.com/drmohamedghilan Twitter https://twitter.com/mohamedghilan 

Ep 56. The Inner Dimensions of Fasting (Part 2 of 5)

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