So when I had to make a decision whether I would like to do honors degree course in Islamic studies and Malay studies too, so I thought Islamic studies would be good.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
My career divides in two: before and after 9/11. In the first part I was trying to show that Islam is relevant to political concerns. If you want to understand Muslims, I argued, you need to understand the role of Islam in their lives. Now that seems obvious.
Early Islam was a time of great creativity. Scholars excelled in sciences and literature.
I preferred to study those subjects that were of interest to me.
My studies are important to me. I made the honor role just recently, with 2 A's and 2 B's.
It don't make much difference what you study, so long as you don't like it.
Early Islam was a time of great creativity. Scholars excelled in sciences and literature. Our religion should not be a shield behind which we hide from the world but a driving force that inspires us to innovate and contribute to our surroundings. This is the true spirit of Islam.
I would love to study cultures and people.
I am a scholar of religions with four degrees, including one in the New Testament and fluency in Biblical Greek, who has been studying the origins of Christianity for two decades, who also happens to be Muslim.
So I went to English school, secondary English school, so forget going to Mecca for my religious education.
I'm not a scholar of Islamic history or jurisprudence or anything.