Lighthouses, Wreckers and Sirens

Written by Karima Hamdan

As Muslims we navigate our intellectual world secured in our ship of faith in waters that are rough and treacherous, with sharp rocks lurking beneath brewing storms. Shuddering at the numerous wrecks of those who sailed too close to the reefs or in ships too flimsy to withstand the waves – we pray that this is not our end. Above all we keep our eyes planted firmly on our maps, our astrolabes, our moral compasses - sure in the knowledge that these will guide us.

"Emel-Land" and the Rise of the London Haskalah

Written by Karima Hamdan

In our media-driven society, a new strand of democracy has become widespread, in which community leaders are no longer selected by a transparent electoral process but rather self-appointed or anointed to the role merely because of their high profiles on television, computer screens or the radio.

All Change in Tunisia: Beware of Israel

Written by Muhammad Tahir

This week's events in Tunisia have reminded us that when it's time for change, no one can predict how rapidly events will unfold. Just like the collapse of the Soviet Union: even though there was general consensus that Soviet influence across Eastern Europe was on the wane, who would have imagined civilians with sledgehammers pulling down the Berlin Wall while East German soldiers impassively looked on? The way ahead will be perilous, but not entirely without precedent or prediction.

Identity Politics

Written by Karima Hamdan

This week Muslims have again featured prominently in the media. It began with a religious look forward to the events of the coming year on Radio 4's religious programme "Sunday". There was Stephen Pollard, editor of the Jewish Chronicle representing our Semitic brethren; Paul Vallely, a columnist for the Independent on Sunday speaking for Christianity; and Sarah Joseph was the Muslim representative.

2010: The Disquiet that Troubles the Soul

Written by UmmahPulse Team

As 2010 ends in damp, foggy squelchiness, the greyness of the sky seems a metaphor for an uneasy feeling that something is not quite right. The 21st century is a celebration of how to live in the moment, with every whim immediately satisfiable, every instant filled with beguiling distraction. The days when information and audiovisual entertainment were only available from a small brown box in the corner of the living room are over and we can now browse "content" on anything from our iPads, netbooks, smartphones or (even if it's a bit old fashioned) desktop PCs.