Abstract Human civilization advances through gradual cultural evolution: simple forms mature into complex ones through iterative refinement, failure, and learning. Every masterwork—from the Great Pyramid to the Divine Comedy—rests upon centuries of predecessors and prototypes. Yet the Quran appears to violate this iron law. Emerging from seventh-century Arabia, a culture with no tradition of written … Continue reading The Quran’s Anomalous Emergence: A Monument Without Scaffolding
The Many Incoherencies of Ibn Hanbal
Few figures in Islamic history embody incoherency as completely as Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal (780 – 855 CE). He is venerated as the purest defender of prophetic tradition, a martyr of the Mihna who resisted the Abbasid Caliph al-Maʾmūn’s demand to declare the Quran “created.” Yet beneath that saintly veneer lies a theology built on suspicion … Continue reading The Many Incoherencies of Ibn Hanbal
Why Sunnis Perpetuate the Myth of Aisha’s Age
The hadith of ʿĀʾishah’s marital age—claiming that the Prophet Muhammad married her at six and consummated the marriage at nine—has long stood as one of the most disturbing reports within the Sunnī hadith corpus. In his groundbreaking Oxford PhD thesis, The Hadith of ʿĀʾishah’s Marital Age: A Study in the Evolution of Early Islamic Historical … Continue reading Why Sunnis Perpetuate the Myth of Aisha’s Age
Why Don’t Sunnis Advocate Mass Illiteracy?
A standard narrative among traditionalists is that the Prophet Muhammad was illiterate. They claim he could not read or write during the ~63 years he was on this planet. In other words, over the span of twenty years, he was delivering the Quran; he either never took the time to learn to read or write, … Continue reading Why Don’t Sunnis Advocate Mass Illiteracy?
Light, Wisdom, and the Choice of Darkness
"You cannot wake someone who is pretending to be asleep." The old adage captures a distinction worth examining: between ordinary ignorance and willful ignorance. The first is innocent—a gap in understanding that instruction can fill. The second is something different, a deliberate turning away from what could be known, a refusal to see what has … Continue reading Light, Wisdom, and the Choice of Darkness
Cultivate Your Garden: Lessons from Voltaire and the Quran
In 1759, at the height of the Enlightenment—when European philosophers preached that reason would perfect humanity and history marched inevitably toward paradise—Voltaire published a novel called Candide to serve as a scathing critique of this naive optimism. In this book, the hero is dragged through every conceivable horror—war, plague, earthquakes, and executions—yet ends not with … Continue reading Cultivate Your Garden: Lessons from Voltaire and the Quran
Why Transmit Abrogated Hadith Without Clarification?
There are multiple Sahih narrations claiming the Prophet commanded ablution (wudu) after eating food touched by fire: Abu Hurairah reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Perform ablution after eating anything which has been cooked by fire. حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، عَنْ شُعْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ حَفْصٍ، عَنِ الأَغَرِّ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ … Continue reading Why Transmit Abrogated Hadith Without Clarification?
Did the Prophet Ever Cite His Own Hadith?
It is a common practice for leaders, teachers, legislators, and judges to typically reference their own prior words. Individuals in these roles often remind their audience: "As I said before…" or "Remember what I told you last time…" This practice not only reinforces authority but also demonstrates continuity of teaching. Given this very natural human … Continue reading Did the Prophet Ever Cite His Own Hadith?
Most Christians Do Not Understand the Trinity
Ask the average Christian about the Trinity, and many will respond with confidence: "There is one true God in three persons—God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit." The statement rolls easily off the tongue for most devotees, and surveys show that a strong majority would affirm it if asked directly. But … Continue reading Most Christians Do Not Understand the Trinity
Knowledge Over Power: Lessons from Solomon’s Court
A vast army marches through a valley—legions of humans, jinn, and birds mobilized under the command of Solomon, a king whose authority spans the visible and invisible worlds. The ground trembles beneath their advance. And then, from somewhere in the dust and chaos, a single ant cries out a warning to her colony: "Go into … Continue reading Knowledge Over Power: Lessons from Solomon’s Court
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