Research Made Audible: a Yaqeen Papers Podcast

The way we imagine God affects how we relate to Him, ourselves, and to the world. Having a healthy and balanced perception of God, based on scripture and prophetic guidance, is essential for thriving. This paper introduces the topic of “God image” and attachment. What is your spiritual attachment style? Explore how our belief in divine love can affect our attachment to God, and how our image of God influences how we relate to Him.

The Qur'an engages with the Bible and Torah in what is known as "intertextuality". How does the Qur'an both affirm and correct Christian and Jewish literature? The exploration of intertextuality in the Qur’an elucidates how it interacts with Jewish and Christian texts, highlighting its role as the final divine revelation and ultimate guidance for humanity. The Qur’an’s narratives, often familiar to Jewish and Christian audiences, serve to impart moral and spiritual lessons through stories tha...

Images of the yearly Hajj (annual pilgrimage to Makkah) continue to capture the attention of the world. As people witness the synchronization of actions and purpose of millions of pilgrims, they experience amazement and wonderment. People often ask, “Why is the Hajj important?” or “What is the purpose of pilgrimage rituals in this day and age?” In this paper, we discuss the power of rituals in general and focus on the various benefits and significance of the Hajj rituals in particular. I...

Explore how the Qur’an, in particular, encourages us to be grateful by looking at the various contexts in which the concept of shukr arises. In doing so, we hope that you will not only walk away with divinely-rooted motivation to express shukr in your own life, but to reflect on how the Qur’an offers us truly comprehensive guidance in living our most satisfying lives.

Ḥayāʾ (healthy shame) is without doubt from among the foundational moral qualities, so much so that the Prophet ﷺ deemed it the very hallmark of Islam by saying, “Every religion has its signature character trait, and the signature character trait of Islam is ḥayāʾ.” Note: The audio files are generated using AI technology. As such, the intonations and pronunciation of certain words may not reflect human speech patterns. For the original written research paper check out https://yaqeeninstitute....

If the Qur’an is truly one timeless, unchanged book, how can it be read in multiple ways? What is the meaning behind these multiple readings (qirāʾāt), and how many are there? This paper introduces the concept of multi-formic Qur’anic modes of recitation and provides a brief account of the origins and canonization of the qirāʾāt, the nature of their differences, and their number and geographical distribution. Note: The audio files are generated using AI technology. As such, the intonati...

The key to servitude to Allah is by loving Him, and we love Him by coming to know Him, and we come to know Him by reflecting on His names and attributes. This paper endeavors to reflect upon the names contained within the last verses of Sūrat al-Ḥashr, particularly in terms of their sequence and relationship to one another, in an attempt to increase our knowledge and love of Allah and thus better our relationship with Him. Note: The audio files are generated using AI technology. As such, the ...

Worship is an art. It is an art that every worshipper must master. Yet few ever do. Parents and preachers, shaykhs and masters, groups and spiritual orders, books and lessons all may play a role. But it is you who must learn to make your connection to God a thing of beauty. In this paper, Dr. Ovamir Anjum explores the art of worship and how to make the most of your Ramadan nights by seeking a deeper connection with Allah. Here are five practical tips on how to achieve this, and God-will...

In this Ramadan guide for new and newly-practicing Muslims, learn about the virtues of fasting, why we fast, and what we hope to gain through our acts of worship in Ramadan. Note: The audio files are generated using AI technology. As such, the intonations and pronunciation of certain words may not reflect human speech patterns. For the original written research paper check out https://yaqeeninstitute.org

Why do some people accept Allah’s sovereignty intellectually, but not spiritually? Why do they struggle to surrender to His decrees and commands? We believe that at the core of this spiritual struggle is a distortion in people’s perceptions of Allah. A distorted image of God fosters misunderstandings of the intent behind His commands and decrees, and subsequently rebellion. The aim of this paper is to unpack how divergent understandings of God develop and, in turn, impact our worship...

Allah does not send us trials without also giving us the means to seek relief and to make our success easy. The real test of hardship goes beyond worldly concern and discomfort and extends to how we choose to respond to it. So, how do we overcome what seems beyond our comprehension and control? How do we overcome anxiety, fear of the unknown, and feeling isolated, while finding purpose and solace? Note: The audio files are generated using AI technology. As such, the intonations and pron...

There are a myriad of criticisms against Islam propagated by non-Muslims in today’s age. One of these criticisms accuses the Prophet ﷺ of marrying a child because of the ḥadīth mentioned in Bukhārī and Muslim. This paper focuses on two questions. First, are the claims that she was actually in her teens when she married accurate and are they strong enough to make us discard ʿĀʾisha’s ḥadīth? Second, why did this become an issue in modern times when it was not an issue at the time the marriag...

Is Islam the final form of Allah’s guidance, meant to replace everything before it? Or is Islam, as is understood through the lens of perennialism, merely one valid religion amongst others? This paper on Islam and the False Promise of Perennialism contextualizes perennialism as a response to the problem of religious diversity and evaluates this response in light of Islam’s own solution. Note: The audio files are generated using AI technology. As such, the intonations and pronunc...