WHAT'S NEW

In response to numerous inquiries about the requirement of wearing the hijab (head-covering) given the rise of Islamophobia and hate crimes against Muslim women post the election of Donald Trump in America, Dr. Abou El Fadl issues a lengthy and more detailed fatwa to supplement and elaborate upon the first fatwa he issued previously about the hijab.

Dr. Abou El Fadl responds to a question on the slaughter of animals for the Eid al-Adha, and if it is permissible to donate money instead of slaughtering an animal, especially in light of the cruel and unIslamic treatment and killing of animals today that are contrary to prophetic directives of mercy and compassion towards animals.

Dr. Abou El Fadl delivers a public lecture of Islam and the Rule of Law, Stanford University Law School. Includes lecture and Q&A.

Keynote Lecture: "Religious Authority in the 21st Century," at “Speaking in God’s Name: Gender and Islam,” a conference named in honor of Dr. Abou El Fadl’s book, “Speaking in God’s Name: Islamic Law, Authority and Women.” Hosted by Inspire, “an award winning consultancy helping Muslim women to reach their full potential in life.” London, June 4-5, 2011.

Dr. Abou El Fadl discusses his latest book, Reasoning with God: Reclaiming Shari'ah in the Modern Age," at The Pacifica Institute, Westwood, Los Angeles, CA, November 17, 2014.

Dr. Abou El Fadl discusses his views on what is and is not "Islamic," most notably that Islam was sent as a message for all of humanity, which demands that Islamic conceptions of mercy, compassion, justice, ethics and morality must be accessible, reasonable and compelling to all of humanity. Of note, this is the fundamental reason why ISIS, al-Qaeda and other extremist groups are not Islamic--their actions and conceptions do not reflect mercy, justice, compassion or any other Islamic virtues in a way that speaks to the hearts of all of humanity.

Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl talks about the historical precedents of how immigrant/minority populations of Muslims have succeeded or failed in various environments in history, and what lessons we can draw for American Muslims seeking to establish a successful Islam here. Delivered at the Islamic Center of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA on March 28, 2010. Second audio recording is the luncheon discussion after the lecture.

In his Friday khutbah (sermon) at the Islamic Center of Southern California, Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl discusses the concept of Taghut, or transgression, the opposite of Godliness, and the necessity of coming to God's truth without compulsion.

A full discussion of the covering of women, and more specifically, how God's Book has been corrupted in the modern day to become a message of misogyny and injustice against women.

A chapter from "The Search for Beauty," which tells the story of a woman who wanted to take the Shahadah (the testament of faith to convert to Islam) but who was turned away because of the insistence by some that she needed to wear the hijab, or promise to do so, before she could convert.

Dr. Abou El Fadl responds to the question of the question of the permissibility of interfaith marriage, particularly for Muslim women marrying outside of the faith. Updated to include two letters.

In light of the San Bernardino shootings, the Paris attacks and the rise of ISIS, Muslim scholar and jurist Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl, Professor of Law at the UCLA School of Law, meets with students to shed light on what the religion of Islam is about and how to understand the recent acts of ugliness committed in Islam's name given its tenets and theology. Dr. Abou El Fadl explains how the fanatic fringe differs from mainstream Muslims and how to tell the difference. He discusses how radicalization takes place, how ISIS recruits its followers and how Western countries can move from being part of the problem to part of the solution. An important accelerated short course for understanding what Muslims believe and how to put current events in perspective.

Since the development of ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) in 2014, there has been much debate within the media about whether ISIS is “Islamic” or not. Stories about ISIS policies towards women and slavery and statistics of women leaving their home countries to join ISIS as “jihadi brides” have proliferated in the news media. Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl, who is one of the world’s leading authorities on Islamic law, will be analyzing the salient issues of ISIS’s enslavement of and trafficking in women in the context of the normative discourses of Islam and will demonstrate that ISIS ideology and practice is not only considered anathema in Islam, but directly contravenes the ethical pulse and purposes of Islamic law.

Seeking Beauty: Travels in Islam is a weekly halaqa series in which Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl shares his knowledge on and experience with the Qur’an as Islam’s “primary ethos”. Available weekly, insha’Allah, this series is widely accessible and impactful across the spiritual spectrum, and for all levels of learning.

Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl responds to panelists at the Religion, Democracy and the Arab Awakening Conference on the panel on "The Democratic Ideal Among Islamist Groups", April 25, 2014. Panelists include Shadi Hamid, Brookings Institute; Steven Simon, International Institute for Strategic Studies; Moderator, Laurie Brand, USC.

Dr. Abou El Fadl delivers the keynote lecture at the University of Washington Symposium on Islam and Forgiveness: Reflections on Justice and Conflict Resolution in Muslim Contexts, February 6-7, 2014. Dr. Abou El Fadl discusses different conceptions and approaches to forgiveness in the Islamic juristic tradition.

Dr. Abou El Fadl discusses why hadith are important and how hadith must be consistent with the moral message of the Qur'an to be authentic. He addresses the role of hadith and the problematic issue of accepting hadith wholesale or not at all. He discusses the hadith that are harsh towards women and why they are not consistent with faith. He speaks to the issue of gender equality.

From "The Search for Beauty in Islam: A Conference of the Books." Dr. Abou El Fadl delves into the controversy of the "beating verse."

From "The Search for Beauty in Islam: A Conference of the Books." A weighty, thought-provoking and thorough discussion on the moral approach to this and other versus, which call for a deeper understanding of what the Qur'an and Shariah demand to achieve a superior moral existence.

Excerpt: "The qualifications for inclusion on our list are twofold: (1) Intellectual brilliance, evidenced by a very high level of achievement, whether in the natural sciences, the social sciences, the humanities, literature, the fine arts, or public service; and (2) Religious faith, evidenced either through explicit personal witness or through publicly professed respect for religion."

Dr. Abou El Fadl's opinion on the Egyptian Military's decision to close over 50,000 independent mosques across Egypt.

Dr. Abou El Fadl tracks the money trail behind the Military Coup in Egypt.

Excerpt: "Anyone following the Egyptian media since President Morsi's overthrow would get a very quick education in how to invent the twilight zone, and then live in it."

In both 1952 and 2013, the Army remained the ultimate arbiter of power. By celebrating the coup of 2013, as they did in 1952, the Egyptian secular intelligentsia show they have learned nothing.

Dr. Abou El Fadl on the passing of Egypt's short-lived democratic experiment.

Double standards abound in post-coup Egypt, where the Islamists suffer from the very abuses secularists claim to revile.

EXCERPT: "...This time, the military agreed with the protesters. But next time, when protesters call for something that isn’t in the army’s interest, they will meet a very different fate. Today they are called “the people”; tomorrow they will be labeled seditious saboteurs. A year from now, the dreamy youth who celebrated and danced when Mr. Morsi was overthrown may well find themselves in the cell next door to the Brotherhood."

Excerpt: "...Yet another woman attracted to the religion and repulsed by the followers—validated by the Qur’an and voided by Muslims. “When I first visited the mosque, believe me, I was dressed modestly. But a man ran yelling at me,” she insists. My first lesson in Islam was that men have bodies, women only have ‘awras (private parts). In fact, I am nothing but an ‘awra."

Excerpt: "...But for me, and may God forgive me, your Sunna is a moment of unadulterated beauty spent in your love. Your Sunna is your beauty, and beauty cannot be mimicked. It must be felt and loved. All the descriptive manuals of the world cannot teach an ugly heart about beauty. And all the reports and transmissions of the world cannot teach the obstinate heart the Sunna of the beloved."

"The Modern Ugly and the Ugly Modern: Reclaiming the Beautiful in Islam" in the book "Progressive Muslims," edited by Omid Safi (Oxford: Oneworld Publications, 2003) pp. 33 – 77)

Dr. Abou El Fadl's keynote lecture entitled, "Mystifying Shari‘a in the 21st Century" at the Muslim Law Students Association Annual Symposium on "The Changing Political Face of the Middle East and the Role for Islamic Law,” University of Pennsylvania Law School, Philadelphia, PA, March 17, 2012. Dr. Abou El Fadl discusses the very idea of Shari‘a briefly covering some of its history and main conceptual debates. He examines the notion of the rule of law in Shari‘a compared to this notion in other legal systems. He places the legal system of Shari‘a in context with other legal systems in the world and explores the possible future of the Shari‘a legal system in the twenty-first century.

Dr. Abou El Fadl analyzes, word by word and line by line the meaning of the surah Al-Fatiha, providing various points of view provided by Islamic jurists throughout history. The depth of knowledge and history provided in these lectures will help listeners appreciate the richness of the Islamic juristic heritage, the grave responsibilities associated with the pursuit of knowledge, and the beauty of what is often referred to as “the key to the Qur’an”—what is contained in this first chapter known as Al-Fatiha.

In this three-part series, Dr. Abou El Fadl discusses the conception and role of women in Islamic jurisprudence and how the law addresses and treats women according to these conceptions. Halaqas are intimate circles of learning with students and teacher akin to the Socratic method of teaching.

Free download. UCLA Law School event honoring Khaled Abou El Fadl on March 21, 2012. Features speeches by Prof. Cheryl Harris, Prof. George Bisharet, Prof. Sherman Jackson, Prof. Susan Slyomovics and Dr. Amir Boozari.

Free download. Conference convened to honor the work of Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl and Dr. Sherman Jackson. This is Dr. Abou El Fadl's keynote lecture on models of Shariah law.

Free download. Dr. Abou El Fadl discusses Shariah in the modern context including its manifestations in Egypt and misrepresentations in the West. Dr. Abou El Fadl delivered this lecture, the 2011 Kenner Annual Lecture at Lehigh University on September 13, 2011.

Dr. Abou El Fadl is often interviewed in Arabic. Here is a collection all things Arabic.

Free Download. Dr. Abou El Fadl sets out the Islamic values and principles that govern the Islamic State.

EXCERPT: "...In short, the Egyptian Revolution marks the return to a long-rooted humanistic tradition in Islam in which religion plays a prominent role in civil society, but without suffocating and dominating it..."

Free Download. In the third and final installment of the series, Dr. Abou El Fadl discusses Shariah Law, Islamophobia and the controversies around the growing movement to adopt anti-Shariah legislation in the U.S.

Free Download. In Part 2 of the series, at the time of the Egyptian Revolution, Dr. Abou El Fadl discusses Egypt, the revolution and the role of Shariah. With extended Q&A.

Free Download. In the first of the series, he answers the question, "Does it matter?" when it comes to Islamophobia and its real impacts domestically and internationally. He lays the foundation for understanding the basis of Islamophobia and the real costs paid.

Dr. Abou El Fadl discusses Sharia Law on Thinking Aloud, Brigham Young University Radio, April 8, 2011. Excellent!

Free Download. The most concrete and transformative insights on what is at the core of Islam and how Muslims today can put ideas into practice in countering the rise of Islamophobia today. A must-listen for every Muslim.

Free Download in 2 Parts. Lecture on how Muslim minorities have succeeded in non-Muslim environments in the past, and lessons learned for Muslims living in America today. Delivered at the Islamic Center of Southern California on 3.28.2010. Second part is luncheon discussion after the lecture.

Dr. Abou El Fadl is often asked to address groups of Muslim youths (aged 18 to 30) about issues especially relevant for younger generations of Muslims and the specific challenges that confront them as they navigate their place and identity in the modern age, particularly in the West. While these discussions are addressed to a younger audience, they are also extremely relevant for Muslims of all ages.

Free Download in 3 Parts. Dr. Abou El Fadl holds a Q&A with a group of Muslim youth exploring issues of Muslim identity, finding faith, and other challenges confronting the young generation of Muslims today.

Dr. Abou El Fadl met with Muslim and non-Muslim undergraduates from Stanford University on the theme of Exploring the Muslim-American identity. Insightful discussion on the dynamics of what happens when youth are expected to sit in the "witness box" and testify as to what Islam is and isn't given the current climate in the West.

Links to the video recording of Dr. Abou El Fadl's complete master course discussing his school of thought in Islamic law and its applications to the current state of Islam and Muslims.

Free Downloads on Dr. Abou El Fadl's Commentaries on Surahs Al-Fatiha; Al-Alaq; Al-'Asr; Al-Fil; Al-Quraish; Al-Ma'un; Al-Kauthar; Al-Kafirun; Al-Lahab; Al-Ikhlas; Al-Falaq; and An-Nas

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6 Free Downloads including Muslim Women Jurists in Islamic History; Philosophy and Theology; Shariah; American Muslims and Postmodernism; and Discourse: The Process of Knowledge

Free Download. Delivered at Harvard University Center for Middle Eastern Studies on March 5, 2008. The famous lecture that Daniel Pipes, Campus Watch, Andrew Bostom and other Islamophobes love to misrepresent. Hear it for yourself!

Free Download in 4 Parts. Dr. Abou El Fadl examines the legal evidence and history for and against the Islamic position on women wearing the hijab.

Free Download. On the dynamics of investing in a partnership with God, and what it means to build a partnership with God.

Free Download. Khaled Abou El Fadl lectures at the Annual Meeting of Seicho-No-Ie on the topic of "What is Islam?" A lecture delivered to a non-Muslim audience, which discusses the beginnings of Islam, the Prophet Muhammed and the moral and ethical teachings of the religion. Excellent for every audience!

Regarding the US Commission on International Religious Freedom

Part of the challenge that both Muslims and non-Muslims confront is to develop a coherent way of speaking about the differences between what we intuitively know to be the mainstream of Islam and another form of Islam that shocks and disturbs a lot of people.

Excerpt: "The qualifications for inclusion on our list are twofold: (1) Intellectual brilliance, evidenced by a very high level of achievement, whether in the natural sciences, the social sciences, the humanities, literature, the fine arts, or public service; and (2) Religious faith, evidenced either through explicit personal witness or through publicly professed respect for religion."

From "The Search for Beauty in Islam: A Conference of the Books." Dr. Abou El Fadl delves into the controversy of the "beating verse."

In response to numerous inquiries about the requirement of wearing the hijab (head-covering) given the rise of Islamophobia and hate crimes against Muslim women post the election of Donald Trump in America, Dr. Abou El Fadl issues a lengthy and more detailed fatwa to supplement and elaborate upon the first fatwa he issued previously about the hijab.