Khaled Abou El Fadl inaugurates The Usuli Institute | Part 2 of 5

Part 2 of 5: Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl inaugurated the grand opening of the Institute for Advanced Usuli Studies this Saturday, Dec 9, 2017. This session begins a new monthly halaqa series and the efforts to build this new Islamic think tank. In this introduction, Dr. Abou El Fadl presents an honest and critical assessment of the current state of Islam nationally and globally. We encounter a term new for most of us: Usuli. He offers his vision and dream for this effort, a forum for bringing together our most talented individuals to push intellectual and creative boundaries in addressing humanity's most pressing problems. And we take our first step towards reclaiming a beautiful, reasonable and moral Islam, the final chapter of a continuing divine message to all the Abrahamic prophets, from Prophets Abraham to Moses to Jesus and Muhammad. Recorded on 12 September 2017. Part 2 Time Index: 0 – 1:25 The difference between Jesus and Muhammad, peace be upon them. 1:30 – 4:00 Creative impulses, ritualism, being at the forefront of humanistic thought, i.e. the call for justice. "God cannot be equal to stupidity and ignorance…and if you find a formula in which the religious manifests itself in a lack of intelligence and creativity, you immediately notice that there is something instrinsically wrong with their practise of religion" 4:00 – 5:20 Today’s Islam will not produce Rumi, Ibn Tufayl, Hafiz or Ibn Rushd, etc. 5.30 – 7:50 The phenomenon of Islamophobia, which is racism at its heart. Discussion on Jerusalem. 7.50 – 10:00 Islam and patriarchy. 11:30 – 16:25 The dream of the Usuli Institute: to discuss issues that Muslims do not discuss dynamically. Finding the intellectual minds to discuss these issues. Issues such as patriarchy, hijab and the role of migrants, etc. 16:30 – 20:45 Racism and whiteness within our communities, externally through Islamophobia. 21:00 - 24:00 The ethical and truthful imperative of Islam 26:00 – 28:00 The nature of life and Iman: we must testify in the context of where we exist in time and place. 28:00 – 35:00 The concept of jihad in Islam. The consistent protest of our messengers and Prophets against unjust situations. Jihad doesn't mean you are waging war, it means constant struggle and discomfort. Your life on this earth is supposed to be hardship. The more you speak out against injustice, the tougher your life will be.