By Irfan Jalil

“The media” eh? God bless it. It’s normally a popular subject at the sheesha joints. We can blame it for all the ills of the world.

We’d love to have a good old bash, but someone realised that we, “The Revival”, are part of the media too. The magazine. The website. The interviews. It’s all a part of the media. So we toned it all down and decided to concentrate on other media outlets.

The media has a strong influence on public opinion. It provides not only information but ways of looking at the world. It informs and influences. Issues about Muslims are very often shaped by the media. (Read More and comment)

Questions answered by Shaykh Abdal Hakim Murad

What is jihad? How does Islam define apostasy? What are the rights of women in Islam?

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When I first heard that someone had shot and killed 32 people on an American university campus, the first thought that came to mind was: Please God, let it not be a Muslim! By the time the full details of the horrific tragedy unfolded, it was clear that he wasn’t, although a brief moment of dread emerged when the shooter was described as Asian.

Of course to the victims of that massacre on that campus in Virginia and to those who loved and knew them, it wouldn’t have mattered one way or another what faith the killer followed, which nationality he belonged to or what ideology, if any, he subscribed to. (more…)

Hamza Yusuf was born in Washington State and grew up in Northern California, where he lives with his wife and five children. He converted to Islam in 1977 and spent 10 years studying Islam in the Middle East where he followed a more classic interpretation of the religion. After the attacks of 9/11, Yusuf emerged as a respected Islamic scholar, advising both the White House and the Arab League.

In recent years, he has focused his teachings on bridging the widening gap between the West and the Muslim world. In this interview, he talks about “tyranny” and “incompetence” on both sides and offers his prescription for creating more common ground. This is an edited transcript of an interview that took place in September 2006

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Watch this hard hitting and highly informative lecture by Shaykh Muhammad Tahir ul Qadri on the topic ‘Terrorism has no Religion’. Shaykh Qadri makes it clear that Islam totally condemns and prohibits any acts of terrorism. This lecture is a MUST for everyone to watch.

“Terrorism has no religion. It is a social and criminal phenomenon caused by various reasons. Islam is based on plurality rather than individuality. It demands harmonization and integration.”

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Anyone who is familiar with the Koran and the traditions of the prophet Muhammad knows that kidnapping civilians and harming them is absolutely prohibited. Those who do kidnap civilians defy the Islamic code of ethics.

This ethos applies to every kidnapped civilian, including Jill Carroll, the freelance journalist on assignment for The Christian Science Monitor, who worked in Iraq until she was kidnapped early last month. I appeal to her kidnappers to immediately release her and to stop kidnapping civilians altogether. (more…)

By Sajid Iqbal. Editor, The Revival

There are almost 2 billion Muslims in the world. Yep…that means 1 in every 4 person in the world is a Muslim. Did you know that?

And guess what…. Islam is the fastest growing faith in the world (1) but why is it that Islam is the most misunderstood faith today? (more…)

Q.How can Islam be called the religion of peace when it was spread by the sword?

It is a common complaint among some non-Muslims that Islam would not have millions of adherents all over the world, if it had not been spread by the use of force. (more…)

It is not true that two female witnesses are always considered as equal to only one male witness. It is true only in certain cases.

There are about five verses in the Qur’an that mention witnesses, without specifying male or female. There is only one verse in the Qur’an, that says two female witnesses are equal to one male witness. This verse is Surah Baqarah, chapter 2 verse 282. This is the longest verse in the Qur’an and deals with financial transactions. (more…)

The Glorious Qur’an contains specific and detailed guidance regarding the division of the inherited wealth, among the rightful beneficiaries. The Qur’anic verses that contain guidance regarding inheritance are: (more…)

Q.When Islam is against idol worship why do the Muslims worship, and bow down to the Kaaba in their prayer?

A.Kaaba is the Qibla i.e. the direction Muslims face during their prayers. It is important to note that though Muslims face the Kaaba during prayers, they do not worship the Kaaba. (more…)

Why a nun can be covered from head to toe and she’s respected for devoting herself to God, but when a Muslimah does that, she’s “oppressed”?

Why a jew can grow a beard and he’s just practicing his faith, and when a Muslim does that, he’s an extremist? (more…)