Source: Facebook post of Hamza Tzortzis
My dear brothers and sisters, please do not conflate Islamophobia with legitimate criticism of Islam. The inability to understand the difference will only make things worse. Please remember, we are standing on the shoulders of giants. Our traditional and classical scholars were the first to pose challenging questions and criticisms about their own faith, yet they presented profound answers and articulated well formed arguments. If people are censored or silenced when they have a legitimate question or criticism they will seek answers from biased sources that do not represent our intellectual tradition. We can't escape the modern world. It is time to pull our intellectual sleeves up and get to work.
My dear brothers and sisters, please do not conflate Islamophobia with legitimate criticism of Islam. The inability to understand the difference will only make things worse. Please remember, we are standing on the shoulders of giants. Our traditional and classical scholars were the first to pose challenging questions and criticisms about their own faith, yet they presented profound answers and articulated well formed arguments. If people are censored or silenced when they have a legitimate question or criticism they will seek answers from biased sources that do not represent our intellectual tradition. We can't escape the modern world. It is time to pull our intellectual sleeves up and get to work.
A good place to start online is by visiting Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research's website, the Renovatio journal by Zaytuna College and my website (www.hamzatzortzis.com).
I have spent some time upgrading most of my essays and articles, which include new writings on various topics. I will be posting more in the future God-willing. Here are few legitimate questions with the answers:
If God is loving and merciful why is there so much evil and suffering in the world?
http://www.hamzatzortzis.com/is-god-merciful-islams-respon…/
Can good exist without God?
http://www.hamzatzortzis.com/know-god-know-good-god-object…/
Does God exist?
http://www.hamzatzortzis.com/the-qurans-argument-for-gods-…/
Does God need our worship? Why did He create us to worship Him?
http://www.hamzatzortzis.com/does-god-need-our-worship-why…/
How do you know God is one?
http://www.hamzatzortzis.com/divine-singularity-the-onenes…/
Some physicists argue the universe came from nothing, is this true?
http://www.hamzatzortzis.com/on-professor-lawrence-krauss-…/
Are ISIS Islamic?
http://www.hamzatzortzis.com/isis-are-not-islamic/
http://www.hamzatzortzis.com/on-the-deplorable-act-of-kill…/
Here are some of my favourites from Yaqeen Institute's website:
The myth of an antisemitic genocide in Muslim scripture
https://yaqeeninstitute.org/…/the-myth-of-an-antisemitic-g…/
Islam and the golden rule
https://yaqeeninstitute.org/…/justin-parro…/the-golden-rule/
Islam and the accusation of violence and terrorism
https://yaqeeninstitute.org/…/forever-on-trial-islam-and-t…/
https://yaqeeninstitute.org/…/jihad-as-defense-just-war-th…/
Although the Renovatio journal is new, here is one of my favourite essays:
Can materialism explain the mind?
https://renovatio.zaytuna.edu/…/can-materialism-explain-the…
I pray this has sparked something within you to start to articulate a compassionate and intelligent case for Islam. I pray we all become vessels of love, mercy, reason, tolerance and compassion.
(Note: Legitimate in this context means justified, valid and genuine. Their criticisms are wrong and unfounded but they cam still be justified, valid and genuine from the point of view that they are misinformed and lack knowledge. I hope this clarifies. It is our job to educate and inform people.)
I have spent some time upgrading most of my essays and articles, which include new writings on various topics. I will be posting more in the future God-willing. Here are few legitimate questions with the answers:
If God is loving and merciful why is there so much evil and suffering in the world?
http://www.hamzatzortzis.com/is-god-merciful-islams-respon…/
Can good exist without God?
http://www.hamzatzortzis.com/know-god-know-good-god-object…/
Does God exist?
http://www.hamzatzortzis.com/the-qurans-argument-for-gods-…/
Does God need our worship? Why did He create us to worship Him?
http://www.hamzatzortzis.com/does-god-need-our-worship-why…/
How do you know God is one?
http://www.hamzatzortzis.com/divine-singularity-the-onenes…/
Some physicists argue the universe came from nothing, is this true?
http://www.hamzatzortzis.com/on-professor-lawrence-krauss-…/
Are ISIS Islamic?
http://www.hamzatzortzis.com/isis-are-not-islamic/
http://www.hamzatzortzis.com/on-the-deplorable-act-of-kill…/
Here are some of my favourites from Yaqeen Institute's website:
The myth of an antisemitic genocide in Muslim scripture
https://yaqeeninstitute.org/…/the-myth-of-an-antisemitic-g…/
Islam and the golden rule
https://yaqeeninstitute.org/…/justin-parro…/the-golden-rule/
Islam and the accusation of violence and terrorism
https://yaqeeninstitute.org/…/forever-on-trial-islam-and-t…/
https://yaqeeninstitute.org/…/jihad-as-defense-just-war-th…/
Although the Renovatio journal is new, here is one of my favourite essays:
Can materialism explain the mind?
https://renovatio.zaytuna.edu/…/can-materialism-explain-the…
I pray this has sparked something within you to start to articulate a compassionate and intelligent case for Islam. I pray we all become vessels of love, mercy, reason, tolerance and compassion.
(Note: Legitimate in this context means justified, valid and genuine. Their criticisms are wrong and unfounded but they cam still be justified, valid and genuine from the point of view that they are misinformed and lack knowledge. I hope this clarifies. It is our job to educate and inform people.)
