Audiobook: Vision of Islam (Hamza Yusuf, 2004)How do I explain it? I consider myself an atheist, but it seems that I am more interested in Islam (and other religions) than most of my fellow non-atheist peers. I went from a normal Muslim kid, to uncomfortable doubtfulness, to agnostic, to angry atheist, and then presently, to an atheist with leanings towards religion. Does that make sense?
Let me try to make more sense. I do not think there is a God, but I probably would like there to be one. I’m like the wonder of it. I know, there is something fascinating about being a chemical accident, but there is something even more fascinating about being a greater being’s creation. And I do not know how other atheists are so comfortable with the lack of any post-death existence. It is not an eternal sleep, it is the complete loss of ego. That is terrifying to me. I want to exist. I want to be.
But I can’t force myself into faith. Atheism to me is not about comfort. To me being an atheist and not liking it is an integral part of atheism, and I have a disdain of proud atheists. Liking it and being one has nothing to do with each other. If I have AIDS, I will believe that I have it, knowing it is a disadvantage in my life does not come into play. I am not an atheist because I like the role it plays in my life, but because it is the only thing that I can accept, given the information I have. And it’s not a set state for me. I could change one day, if I ever find something beyond it.
Hamza Yusuf’s is an excellent lecturer, one of those Islamic scholars (unfortunately, rare) that appeals to people like me. He acknowledges his bias towards Islam and does not believe a topic like this can be thought well if the person is not biased, and I agree. Let there be some subjectivity in education. I, as the student, am smart enough to wade through it. Carl Sagan’s works on space is exciting because he’s in love with it, and the passion shows.
The lectures are based on a book called “Vision of Islam”. The book is not written by Yusuf but he gives lectures based on them. The main interesting part of Yusuf’s lectures is his diverse knowledge. He sprinkles his lectures with different religions (Buddhism is discussed alongside Islam), Greek philosophers, and ancient Arabic scholars. I find generally Muslims and Islamic cultures have recently been a bit anti-intellectual, and it is a shame, because both the religion and the cultures that shaped and were shaped by it were very progressive.
Yusuf’s lectures are interesting to listen to and ponder on, showing us a layer of complexity about the religion, most of us are not familiar with. It fuels my desire to jump in even deeper, and discover more about not only Islamic teachings but other religious teachings. Even if you don’t believe in its claims of a deity, it would be foolish to not derive some teachings from them.
4/5
