One of the things I do is teach young people science, one to one. I tell them the whole universe was once contained within a single particle smaller than an atom. They are gob smacked, especially those who are Muslim. It is well worth thinking about. The first point is that there is nothing in the Qur’an that should lead us to be ...

Boundaries are fundamental to the physical universe and to our social and emotional lives. The Universe is divided sharply between particles and anti-particles and positive and negative. In families we talk about young, and sometimes older people, pushing at boundaries. Arundathi Roy in the God of Small Things talks of the rules of "who ...

With the help of a very generous gift to Cardiff University, the Jameel Scholarships have been established to enable the very best students to come to Cardiff – those who have the intellect and determination to apply their knowledge for the benefit of Muslim communities in the UK, and to promote better understanding of Islam in wider ...

While I highly admire young Muslims who are enthusiastic enough to organise Islamic Society (ISOC) events, I feel that sometimes their lack of familiarity with the cultural mosaic that is Islam leads to them being somewhat cliched in their preferences. They go for the most visible Islam without the awareness that perhaps there are a diverse ...

This blog is by way of a response to Ziauddin Sardar’s excellent book Reading the Qur’an. I begin with Al Baqarah 25: “But give good tidings to those who believe and do deeds of righteousness, that their portion is Gardens, graced with flowing streams”. Ziauddin Sardar summarises this as “those who spend will ...

At recent meetings of the Institute several people have drawn attention to the need to engage with the young. Before discussing the form any engagement might take I think it’s a good idea to introduce myself, to set the context. I am a Christian but am developing a huge respect for Muslims. St Augustine of Hippo who lived 1200 ...

Child abuse claims at UK madrassas 'tip of iceberg' By Fran Abrams BBC News Britain's madrassas have faced more than 400 allegations of physical abuse in the past three years, a BBC investigation has discovered. But only a tiny number have led to successful prosecutions. The revelation has led to calls for formal ...

My interest in the world of Islam is new and it forms a part of two very different agendas. The first is geo political. Whatever you think about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan you have to conclude that both were an intelligence debacle; certainly at the governmental and military level but also at the level of the media and the electorate. ...

If you haven't already noticed it, a debate is raging in streets, homes, mosques and universities across the western world, writes Aftab A Malik. It’s about the identity of Islam, what that actually means and who speaks for Islam. If you look for it, you will find young Muslims fully engaged, self-reflective and asking piercing ...

Citizenship values and social cohesion mean different things to different people. These concepts could be viewed as a soft form of integration with the emphasis on conforming to certain ideals, argues Alex Moore, as he questions whether social cohesion is the answer to problems that may not even exist. Concepts like ...