He (Muhammad) does not speak of his own desire. It is no less than an Inspiration sent down to him. (Surah Najm, 53:3-4) The Quran repeatedly commands every Muslim to follow the Prophetic example. The Traditions (Ahadith) of the Prophet, often more than the Quran, govern Muslim life in their ability to articulate practice of the faith. The Hadith provide the information to follow the example of the Prophet as a spouse, a parent, a neighbour, a leader, and when needed, a warrior. In sum,...

2016 Pearls of the Quran

This is the first in three pieces on the question of Islam and slavery. It demonstrates that the very term slavery is so ambiguous as to be functionally useless for the purposes of discussing extreme domination and exploitation across history. It should be conditions of extreme exploitation that are focused on, not shifting terms. The second essay will lay out the understanding of slavery in the Shariah and Islamic civilization. The final part will examine the abolition of slavery in Islam.

Challenges of Campus Life for Muslim Students Professor Jonathan AC Brown speaks on the Challenges of Campus Life for Muslim Students during a panel discussion held by the International Institute of Islamic Thought

Centrepiece of Confessional Ambiguity The confessional ambiguity between the spheres of Sunnism and Shiaism at various points in Islamic history is well known. But what is surprising is to see it appear among those Sunni scholars most known for antipathy towards Shiaism, such as the Ahl al-Hadith of the eighth-twelfth centuries CE. This presentation will look at how the persona and Hadith collection of Ali Reda served as a centrepiece for such confessional ambiguity, particularly in Persia...

Verifying and Understanding Hadith

Princeton Muslim Life Program

Defining the Boundaries of Political Satire

Dr. Brown gave the talk on December 26th, 2016 at the 15th MAS ICNA Convention (Chicago, Illinois) "Islam respects the law of the land and the local cultures and traditions, but are there restrictions? Are all man-made laws violating shariah law? What should Muslims do when the law of the land and shariah come into conflict?