Muslims in "critical thinking 101"

[ahmed.younes]

Bismillah
​

​

​

Salam alikum brothers and sisters
I am in desperate need of advice regarding some issues that I am facing. In my American university, in uae, we are being taught "critical thinking", and how to perceive the world in essence. Alhamdulilah, we do know that these courses are used to instill doubts in the minds, and hearts of the youth inorder to bring them

away from the truth, and islam​

​

​

, and closer to their western ideologies, and taghut. May all protect us all...
I need help. How do I tackle this course without letting any doubt into my heart? She, the professor, always brings up the need to question things, questioning your parents, and how people tend to have no spine, and I have no problem with that. Rather I am ALL for it.. But it is an issue when there is no sense of direction. It is obvious, and inevitable that this

questioning ​

​

​

is directed against, or

​

is attacking​

islam, because of the state of our globalized world, and the
​

​

​

socio-political atmosphere

,which demonizes islam at every opportunity​

She especially tends to bring up the topic of gay marriage, and how the gay are born with the a gay gene, and it is scientifically proven. I've done some research regarding this matter, and have failed to find any reliable source support her claim, rather it seems to be a mere hypothesis, and another form of an attempt to attack islam. And just for arguments sake, even if the gay gene existed, this does not make homosexuality morally correct...
Allah (swt) says in quran kareem; The kufar are a clear enemy to you.. and that you should wait in ambush for them in every corner. So how do I imply this here? Obviously I'm not going to physically attack her, but in from an argumentive manner
​

​

​

per​

​

​

haps,​

​

​

Should I try to​

​

​

open debate discussions in the class, as it is a small class of around 20 people.
On a side note, there is a hadeeth, which talks about how being etiquette, and charming, can be a form of magic, and it is often the case with these professors. They seem charming, and intelligent, when in reality they are shaytan. so maybe that is something to take into consideration
Jazakallah ​

​

​

​

​

​

​

 

[Eric H]

Greetings and peace be with you ahmed.younes;

Something had to have no beginning, or something did not come from anything. Both these options defy all logic and reason; yet we are here asking questions, what had no beginning?

People love to argue about things that there is no real evidence for, so stand by your ground, everything was created by Allah. You have no final scientific proof to back this argument, but you have faith and trust. They have no scientific evidence to prove there is no God, they just have their biased logic and reason.

Marriage is for life and it should be between a man and a woman; and before God for the procreation of children. Whatever can be said of gay people, they are not able to procreate children naturally. ( Yes, it can also be said that not all heterosexual couples can conceive naturally).
There is a lot to be said for modesty and not flaunting your body in the ways of western culture. Sadly in the UK, by the time children reach fifteen, about half of them are not with both their biological parents. Partnerships are temporary, and when the going gets tough, relationships break down.

In theory; today's culture seems to suggest that as long as we are not hurting anyone else then all things are acceptable. It seems acceptable to have children with two or three partners, and we are suffering the emotional fall out, with people turning to drink and drugs to relieve their sorrows.

We all sin, and whilst we might not be gay, we have our own faults, so we might not be the best people to pass judgement on gay people, that is between them and God. We shall also have to stand before God with all our own faults.

The bottom line seems to be that you may not be able to win arguments, with people who have tunnel vision. But you can still stick to your beliefs and faith, argue all the time with kindness and compassion, do not be drawn into loosing your cool when things seem to go against you.

In the spirit of praying for a greater trust in Allah,

Eric

 

[ahmed.younes]

What are you talking about?

It seems that you have misunderstood me. I am seeking consultation on how to react in a secular environment, and avoid any influence that could affect my religion. Praise be to god, I don't know about you, but I know that there is substantial evidence for the existence of god, and if​

you're too ignorant to realize that, that is your problem. Undoubtedly, it is the realm that we live in, which testifies for the existence of god. By deriving information based on logic, and reasonable deduction it is inevitable to come to a conclusion that the intelligent design, and the fine tuning of this universe testifies for it. And then you go off on another tangent and start talking about the legitimacy of homosexuality, and go into cultures, and the fact that we all sin.

Brother, you should start your own topic instead of going on tangents and confusing young people. Please do not continue to argue with me on this topic, as it was made for a different reason. I would gladly discuss with you

anything​

on different thread.
Thanks anyway for your help

 

[99sobi]

Debating is a very good activity that allows us to develop our analytical and critical skills. Sometimes, we may be in a situation where we will have to defend our religion from opposing views and criticisms, and this is a test that Allah puts us through. He wants to see if we will back down to these criticisms or if we will uphold and defend our beliefs.

If you don't take part in the debate, then there may not be anyone to defend Islam, in which case you should try to get involved in the debate and counter those criticisms against Islam, especially if you feel that the purpose of the debate is to attack, rather than criticise, Islam.

As a side-note, you quote 9:5. I don't think you understand the context of that verse, it is referring to the battle between the Muslims and the non-Muslims after the peace treaties were broken. It would be unwise to use that verse for reference in this situation.

[FONT=&quot]وَٱللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ[/FONT]

 

[Misbah-Abd]

The concept that people are born gay is nonsense from the allies of the shaytan. It is not Divine Justice that Allah would create somebody this way and then punish him on the Day of Judgement for it. This is an attempt to make the haram halal by their beautifully flawed logic. Allah says:

If you obey most of the people on earth, they will lead you away from the Way of Allah, for they follow nothing but guesswork and preach nothing but falsehood.[6.116]

 

[Scimitar]

In an age of scientific advancement people have been led to chase an intellectual mirage. An illusion constructed by the atmospheric conditions of an incoherent philosophy and false assumptions about reality. The denial of the Divine, is this mirage. It is the result of an existential thirst that can only be quenched by the Islamic intellectual and spiritual tradition. The Divine Reality: God, Islam & The Mirage of Atheism is not just a book about atheism.

It is the first book in the English language to address universal and Islamic arguments for God's existence, oneness and worship, while thoroughly addressing popular and academic objections.

The book also provides a compelling case for the Qur an as Divine revelation and a persuasive argument for why the Prophet Muhammad is the final messenger of God. Do hope, happiness and human value make sense without the Divine? Can we have consciousness and rational minds without God? Is God s existence necessary? Has scientific progress led to the denial of God? Did the universe come from nothing? Does God explain our sense of morality? Can there be more than one creator? Was the universe the product of chance or design? Does evil and suffering negate Divine mercy? Can we prove revelation and Prophethood? Why does God deserve our worship? To find out how the Islamic intellectual and spiritual tradition answers these questions and more - as well as responses to key objections - then this is the book for you.

In The Divine Reality, Hamza Andreas Tzortzis provides a compelling case for the rational and spiritual foundations of Islam, whilst intelligently and compassionately deconstructing atheism. Join him on an existential, spiritual and rational journey that articulates powerful arguments for the existence of God, the Qur’an, the Prophethood of Muhammad and why we must know, love and worship God. He addresses academic and popular objections while showing how contemporary atheism is based on false assumptions about reality, which leads to incoherent answers to life’s important questions.
If you want to know how the Islamic intellectual and spiritual tradition answers these questions then this is the book for you.

[h=3]About the Author[/h][FONT=&quot]

Hamza Andreas Tzortzis is an international speaker, writer and instructor. He has a postgraduate degree in Philosophy and is currently continuing his postgraduate studies in the field. Hamza has studied Islamic thought and theology under qualified scholars. He has delivered workshops and courses on topics related to Islamic thought and philosophy. Hamza has debated prominent academics and thinkers on Islam and atheism, his interlocutors have included Professor Lawrence Krauss, Professor Peter Simons and Professor Simon Blackburn. He has over a decade of experience in articulating a compassionate and rational case for Islam. Hamza loves reading, travelling and training in the gym. He is a trained Boxer and Wing Chung Kung Fu practitioner. You can contact me here or follow me on Twitter @hatzortzis, Instagram @hatzortzis and Facebook [MENTION=5040]hamzaa[/MENTION]ndreastzortzis.[/FONT]

Review by Dr Yasir Qadhi

Hamza Tzortzis’s work is a much needed and welcome addition to the field of modern Islamic thought. It engages with the rising tide of atheism from an Islamic paradigm, and responds, in an erudite yet easily comprehensible manner, to the primary arguments espoused by the leading figures of New Age Atheism. It is clear that Hamza has spent much time in reading the works of many intellectuals, past and present, and compiling these arguments and counter-arguments. I found the book highly useful, and have no doubt that it will be well received by contemporary Muslims. {Dr Yasir Qadhi, Dean of Al-Maghrib Institute and professor at Rhodes College, Department of Religious Studies}




Review by Dr Mohamed Ghilan

The Divine Reality is a much needed resource for Muslims to tackle the contemporary issues on atheism, science, and belief in God from an Islamic perspective. Tzortzis provides a clear and philosophically coherent analysis of arguments that on the surface appear new but in fact have been asked since time immemorial. Intertwined with personal experience and reflections, The Divine Reality is not dry philosophical reading. Tzortzis brings a spiritual and an intellectual combination to his writing that makes for a captivating read. {Dr. Mohamed Ghilan, PhD Neuroscience, Founder of Andalus Online}




Review by Shaykh Omar Suleiman

The Divine Reality takes you through the world of Islamic theism in a systematic and coherent fashion. It is a pioneering effort which will hopefully guide the reader, and other writers, on how to answer the questions related to God’s existence and worship from the perspective of Islamic thought. {Shaykh OmarSuleiman, President of the Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research and Professor of Islamic Studies at Southern Methodist University.}


Review by Shaykh Muhammad Nizami

The Divine Reality is a valuable contribution to the ongoing exchange between Muslims and atheists. Those interested in the field will benefit from the accessible way Hamza Tzortzis infuses both God and godliness into the conversation, all the while courageously willing to tackle the philosophical issues head on and in an interesting way. A key resource to have access to. {Shaykh Muhammad Nizami, Islamic Scholar & Co-director of Averroes.}


You can buy The Divine Reality book on Amazon!

 

[Mustafa16]

In an age of scientific advancement people have been led to chase an intellectual mirage. An illusion constructed by the atmospheric conditions of an incoherent philosophy and false assumptions about reality. The denial of the Divine, is this mirage. It is the result of an existential thirst that can only be quenched by the Islamic intellectual and spiritual tradition. The Divine Reality: God, Islam & The Mirage of Atheism is not just a book about atheism.

It is the first book in the English language to address universal and Islamic arguments for God's existence, oneness and worship, while thoroughly addressing popular and academic objections.

The book also provides a compelling case for the Qur an as Divine revelation and a persuasive argument for why the Prophet Muhammad is the final messenger of God. Do hope, happiness and human value make sense without the Divine? Can we have consciousness and rational minds without God? Is God s existence necessary? Has scientific progress led to the denial of God? Did the universe come from nothing? Does God explain our sense of morality? Can there be more than one creator? Was the universe the product of chance or design? Does evil and suffering negate Divine mercy? Can we prove revelation and Prophethood? Why does God deserve our worship? To find out how the Islamic intellectual and spiritual tradition answers these questions and more - as well as responses to key objections - then this is the book for you.

In The Divine Reality, Hamza Andreas Tzortzis provides a compelling case for the rational and spiritual foundations of Islam, whilst intelligently and compassionately deconstructing atheism. Join him on an existential, spiritual and rational journey that articulates powerful arguments for the existence of God, the Qur’an, the Prophethood of Muhammad and why we must know, love and worship God. He addresses academic and popular objections while showing how contemporary atheism is based on false assumptions about reality, which leads to incoherent answers to life’s important questions.
If you want to know how the Islamic intellectual and spiritual tradition answers these questions then this is the book for you.

About the Author

Hamza Andreas Tzortzis is an international speaker, writer and instructor. He has a postgraduate degree in Philosophy and is currently continuing his postgraduate studies in the field. Hamza has studied Islamic thought and theology under qualified scholars. He has delivered workshops and courses on topics related to Islamic thought and philosophy. Hamza has debated prominent academics and thinkers on Islam and atheism, his interlocutors have included Professor Lawrence Krauss, Professor Peter Simons and Professor Simon Blackburn. He has over a decade of experience in articulating a compassionate and rational case for Islam. Hamza loves reading, travelling and training in the gym. He is a trained Boxer and Wing Chung Kung Fu practitioner. You can contact me here or follow me on Twitter @hatzortzis, Instagram @hatzortzis and Facebook @hamzaandreastzortzis.

Review by Dr Yasir Qadhi

Hamza Tzortzis’s work is a much needed and welcome addition to the field of modern Islamic thought. It engages with the rising tide of atheism from an Islamic paradigm, and responds, in an erudite yet easily comprehensible manner, to the primary arguments espoused by the leading figures of New Age Atheism. It is clear that Hamza has spent much time in reading the works of many intellectuals, past and present, and compiling these arguments and counter-arguments. I found the book highly useful, and have no doubt that it will be well received by contemporary Muslims. {Dr Yasir Qadhi, Dean of Al-Maghrib Institute and professor at Rhodes College, Department of Religious Studies}




Review by Dr Mohamed Ghilan

The Divine Reality is a much needed resource for Muslims to tackle the contemporary issues on atheism, science, and belief in God from an Islamic perspective. Tzortzis provides a clear and philosophically coherent analysis of arguments that on the surface appear new but in fact have been asked since time immemorial. Intertwined with personal experience and reflections, The Divine Reality is not dry philosophical reading. Tzortzis brings a spiritual and an intellectual combination to his writing that makes for a captivating read. {Dr. Mohamed Ghilan, PhD Neuroscience, Founder of Andalus Online}




Review by Shaykh Omar Suleiman

The Divine Reality takes you through the world of Islamic theism in a systematic and coherent fashion. It is a pioneering effort which will hopefully guide the reader, and other writers, on how to answer the questions related to God’s existence and worship from the perspective of Islamic thought. {Shaykh OmarSuleiman, President of the Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research and Professor of Islamic Studies at Southern Methodist University.}


Review by Shaykh Muhammad Nizami

The Divine Reality is a valuable contribution to the ongoing exchange between Muslims and atheists. Those interested in the field will benefit from the accessible way Hamza Tzortzis infuses both God and godliness into the conversation, all the while courageously willing to tackle the philosophical issues head on and in an interesting way. A key resource to have access to. {Shaykh Muhammad Nizami, Islamic Scholar & Co-director of Averroes.}


You can buy The Divine Reality book on Amazon!

Hamzah tzortzis has too often lost debates on YouTube to such people as Richard dawkins, however bad people like him may be. Ustaz Shaykh Bediuzzaman Said Nursi, of the final years of the Ottoman Empire, and also much of the occupation and Republican period of the Turkish republic, never lost a debate, and too often was tortured or exiled for his authentic beliefs. Try reading his books the Risale-i-Nur, translated into English. he completely destroys atheism and materialism and disbelief better than tzortzis ever did, no disrespect to Tzortis, mashaAllah he strives to spread the dawah.

 

[Eric H]

Greetings and peace be with you ahmed.younes;

What are you talking about? It seems that you have misunderstood me.

I am so sorry for any misunderstanding on my part, sincere apologies.

I am seeking consultation on how to react in a secular environment,

Tricky, we have had threads go to a thousand posts arguing about the existence of God or evolution, they go round in circles.

Praise be to god, I don't know about you, but I know that there is substantial evidence for the existence of god,

Allah chooses whom he wills, so you have been given all the evidence you need. And there lays the problem, Allah does not seem to have chosen your secular friends. In the long term, the best argument you may have is to strive to be the best possible Muslim that you can be, your manners and character may win them over.

May you be blessed in your endevours
Eric

 

[Scimitar]

Hamzah tzortzis has too often lost debates on YouTube...

...you're funny in your ignorance

 

[OmAbdullah]

Bismillah
​

Salam alikum brothers and sisters
I am in desperate need of advice regarding some issues that I am facing. In my American university, in uae, we are being taught "critical thinking", and how to perceive the world in essence. Alhamdulilah, we do know that these courses are used to instill doubts in the minds, and hearts of the youth inorder to bring them

away from the truth, and islam​

, and closer to their western ideologies, and taghut. May all protect us all...
I need help. How do I tackle this course without letting any doubt into my heart? She, the professor, always brings up the need to question things, questioning your parents, and how people tend to have no spine, and I have no problem with that. Rather I am ALL for it.. But it is an issue when there is no sense of direction. It is obvious, and inevitable that this

questioning ​

is directed against, or

is attacking​

islam, because of the state of our globalized world, and the
​

socio-political atmosphere

,which demonizes islam at every opportunity​

She especially tends to bring up the topic of gay marriage, and how the gay are born with the a gay gene, and it is scientifically proven. I've done some research regarding this matter, and have failed to find any reliable source support her claim, rather it seems to be a mere hypothesis, and another form of an attempt to attack islam. And just for arguments sake, even if the gay gene existed, this does not make homosexuality morally correct...
Allah (swt) says in quran kareem; The kufar are a clear enemy to you.. and that you should wait in ambush for them in every corner. So how do I imply this here? Obviously I'm not going to physically attack her, but in from an argumentive manner
​

per​

haps,​

Should I try to​

open debate discussions in the class, as it is a small class of around 20 people.
On a side note, there is a hadeeth, which talks about how being etiquette, and charming, can be a form of magic, and it is often the case with these professors. They seem charming, and intelligent, when in reality they are shaytan. so maybe that is something to take into consideration
Jazakallah ​

​

​

​

​

​

​

Assalaamo alaykum.


May Allah help you in your sincere attempts. For your information, I must tell you that these things are strictly prohibited and the law is strongly against it. You should quietly give the information to the Ministry of Education, then insha-allah you will see what they do.


A short true story that happened in front of me in Abu-Dhabi is:

A teacher used to give tuition to some students of the American School. The book of Islamic studies was correct, nothing was disturbed. But in the history book, pictures of statues were given and lessons were taught about shirk in the past. The mothers of the students were also present there. The Muslim teacher showed surprise and anger on those lessons. One of the mother noted the pages in the history book and went away. After a few days the students told their tutor that some workers from the Ministry of Education came to their class and took all books of history from the students. After a week their books were returned to them. They opened the books and saw the chapters about idolatry cut off from the books.



You should note /record the lecture for evidence and give it to the authorities in the Ministry of Education. That is all you have to do and tawakkal alAllah.

​

​

 

[ahmed.younes]

Debating is a very good activity that allows us to develop our analytical and critical skills. Sometimes, we may be in a situation where we will have to defend our religion from opposing views and criticisms, and this is a test that Allah puts us through. He wants to see if we will back down to these criticisms or if we will uphold and defend our beliefs.

If you don't take part in the debate, then there may not be anyone to defend Islam, in which case you should try to get involved in the debate and counter those criticisms against Islam, especially if you feel that the purpose of the debate is to attack, rather than criticise, Islam.

As a side-note, you quote 9:5. I don't think you understand the context of that verse, it is referring to the battle between the Muslims and the non-Muslims after the peace treaties were broken. It would be unwise to use that verse for reference in this situation.

وَٱللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ

Excuse my ignorance, but i think it's relevant considering the professor is attacking us with her ideologies when she is not supposed to.. And I think it is a relevant tactic to anticipate her moves and ambush her in terms of arguments Jzk

 

[Mahir Adnan]

big brother, wa alaikumus salam
Allah said in the quran to leave the place where people make fun of islam.
My advice is,do not attend those classes. just attend the exam and pass someh
Listen to Ustadh Nouman Ali Khan regularly.

 

[Karl]

Critical thinking is very ancient. The ancient philosophers through critical thinking, more or less came to a point of absolute nihilism, which is the disbelief in reality and existence. In effect too much thinking can drive people to lose faith in everything and even their own existence. As people are simple animals, it is best for their sanity to feel rather than think too much. Also the sophists like your professor maybe skilled at manipulating any nonsense to sound like the truth.

 

[Misbah-Abd]

Critical thinking is very ancient. The ancient philosophers through critical thinking, more or less came to a point of absolute nihilism, which is the disbelief in reality and existence. In effect too much thinking can drive people to lose faith in everything and even their own existence. As people are simple animals, it is best for their sanity to feel rather than think too much. Also the sophists like your professor maybe skilled at manipulating any nonsense to sound like the truth.

Which is why the philosophers in kalaam went off the Straight Way.