Abrogation is the act of canceling, nullifying, or repealing something, almost always in a legal context. A new law can repeal an old rule. For example, Muslims believe the Qur’an abrogates all the holy books which precede it. Also, Muslim theologians use abrogation as a way of explaining the inconsistencies of the Qur’an. If verses seem to contradict each other, the scripture's chronology determines their significance and proper interpretation. Later verses abrogate earlier

In October 1765, the Virginia Gazette, the local newspaper in Williamsburg, Virginia – which also served as the only bookseller in what was a British colony at the time – sold to Thomas Jefferson a two-volume set of the Qur'an. Back then, it was titled The Alcoran of Mohammed. George Sale had translated it in 1734 from Arabic to English, and law professors of that time considered the Qur'an a book of the law, as well as religion. At the time of purchase, Jefferson was 22 year

On Thursday, August 12, 2021, I signed a book contract with John Hunt Publishing out of the UK to publish my manuscript, "Muslim Mechanics". The articles posted on this website are representative of the content found in the manuscript. This book will not be about Muslim mechanics who work on automobiles, although some good ones undoubtedly do. This book is about the study of Islam as a religion, as an organization, as a social institution, and the rules that make it unique.

Jihadis, "holy warriors," are some of today's most prominent terrorists. The use of "jihadi" to designate Salafis of a militant stripe is controversial. Jihad has positive connotations in Islam, and those who fight to further the cause think of themselves as "holy warriors." The term was first used in the Arab media in 2013. These players can be part of the broader Salafi Movement, but most Salafis are not jihadis. Jihadi-Salafism is a unique ideological combination in Sunni

According to Lexico.com, a player is a person or group involved and influential in an area or activity. I am covering in this blog who are the leading influencers in Islam and what they do. In Islam, a religion with 1.8 billion adherents, I surmise that there are only five types of players. Last week, I discussed the Islamists. This week, I will cover the Salafis. Salaf, in Arabic, means “ancestor.” Salafism is a branch of Sunni Islam, and Salafis are pious Muslims who want t