The night Iran struck Qatar
Al Jazeera Arabic Digital newsroom has gone behind the scenes – breaking down the events of that night, second by second.
On the night of June 23rd, Iran launched the largest missile attack in Gulf history when it struck Qatar. Al Jazeera's Arabic Digital newsroom looks at crucial timings- including the 120 seconds it can take for a missile to breach airspace to impact.
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Al Jazeera
an hour ago
- Al Jazeera
Decolonising knowledge: A call to reclaim Islam's intellectual legacy
Over the last century, both Muslim and non-Muslim thinkers have centred their reformist discussions on decolonisation. The sheer volume of books, articles, and seminars on this subject has become overwhelming to the point of saturation. Muslims entered this debate seeking to understand how to regain global relevance, if not influence. They struggled to pinpoint exactly where and how the Muslim agenda went off course. The colonisation of Muslim countries became the nearest and most convenient target to criticise and demonise. As a result, Muslim thinkers of the 20th century were deeply absorbed in the process of decolonisation. Analysing the root causes of our decline and disintegration is undoubtedly an essential step towards self-correction and revival. The question, however, is how much progress have we made as an Ummah by endlessly repeating age-old analyses that leave behind only a bitter aftertaste? Where has all this talk of decolonisation actually taken us? I dare say it has led us to pursue aggressive efforts to further secularise Muslim values and promote misplaced priorities, such as pushing for a nation's entry into the World Cup, building the tallest skyscraper, hosting music festivals, spending billions to recruit the world's top football players, and staging Formula One races. As an afterthought, there is also an appreciation for education, often reduced to importing Western universities into the Muslim world. The significant contribution of Ismail al-Faruqi, a prominent Muslim philosopher who championed the concept of the Islamisation of knowledge, defined as the integration of Islamic principles into all fields of learning to realign modern knowledge with a monotheistic worldview, has quietly faded from focus. It has been increasingly overshadowed by an apologetic stance towards liberalism. In striving to regain global standing, we seem to have replaced meaningful reform with superficial displays of progress. In Western academia, discussions on decolonisation began with examinations of Jean-Jacques Rousseau's paradox of founding and later expanded to ideas such as Frantz Fanon's theory of spontaneity, Sukarno's concept of guided democracy, and Ali Shariati's paradox of colonisation. With Ismail al-Faruqi's call for the Islamisation of knowledge, Muslims came to recognise that true self-determination must also involve a revival of Muslim epistemology. This aligns with the Peruvian scholar Anibal Quijano's argument that decolonisation requires a critical challenge to Eurocentric control over knowledge. The Eurocentric and Western dominance over global knowledge, particularly in areas where they have little legitimacy to lead, is evident in many examples. Curators who oversee vast collections of Muslim manuscripts often claim the authority to narrate their history according to their own interpretations, which frequently diverge from the perspectives of the original authors and traditional commentators. As the founder and director of Darul Qasim, an Islamic seminary dedicated to advanced studies in the classical Islamic sciences, I witnessed this here in Illinois in the United States at an exhibition of rare Qur'anic manuscripts, where a non-Muslim woman had been appointed to 'tell the stories' of the texts. When a student from Darul Qasim corrected several inaccuracies in her account, her only reply was a dismissive: 'I'm in charge here.' Another example involves a scholar from Darul Qasim who submitted a manuscript on classical Arabic grammar to a prominent Western publisher who refused to publish it, stating: 'We cannot accept this work as you have not cited any Western sources.' Such incidents highlight how Western academic gatekeeping continues to reinforce Eurocentric control over knowledge. Ismail al-Faruqi sought to rescue Muslim knowledge from Western dominance. His vision was to 'Islamicise' knowledge by cleansing the sciences of concepts that are fundamentally incompatible with Islam. His theories were grounded in a monotheistic approach that integrated all sciences with the worldview of the Ummah. The concept gained traction and was promoted by the International Institute of Islamic Thought, a research organisation founded to advance the Islamisation of knowledge and embed it within academic discourse. While al-Faruqi's call to reevaluate our system of knowledge was undoubtedly a step in the right direction, it does not fully lead us to the ultimate goal of comprehensive decolonisation. What is needed is a theory that goes beyond the Islamisation of knowledge. I propose digging deeper into what scholars call the coloniality of knowledge, the persistent dominance of Eurocentric frameworks that continue to shape global intellectual thought, and advancing a theory of the desecularisation of knowledge. This requires realigning knowledge at the level of its epistemology, not merely in terms of politics or economics. Muslim scholars must take on the task of presenting and representing a coherent and effective theory of our epistemology. In summary, Islamic epistemology recognises three primary sources of knowledge: that which comes through the five senses, that which is derived from human intellect, and that which is conveyed through authentic and true reports, such as revelation to a Prophet. These three encompass every source of knowledge known to humankind, with intuition and dreams also understood as products of the intellect. Historically, Muslims played a leading role in mastering these sources of knowledge and disseminating them across the world. In Islam, knowledge is never separated from Allah, who is the original source of all knowledge. Unlike Western intellectual traditions that sought to separate knowledge from God in pursuit of modernity and prosperity, Islam affirms that true creativity flows from Allah, and that inventions and innovations arise from honouring Allah's knowledge of the world. Unfortunately, there is today a deep tension in the Muslim world over how to distinguish between Islamic and secular knowledge. Many seem to believe that Muslims must undergo a Western-inspired renaissance to reclaim past glory, doing so without regard for the afterlife, or akhirah. The problem is that Muslims do believe in the akhirah, and this has created a self-imposed and false dichotomy, born of misunderstanding Islamic principles, that suggests Muslims must compete with the West while simultaneously upholding the rules of salvation. This perceived conflict forces an artificial wedge between what is considered Islamic and what is considered secular. I believe this dichotomy is false, and anyone familiar with Islamic law, or fiqh, would recognise that. Islamic law governs how Muslims act, react, and interact with the mundane world in ways that have direct implications for their afterlife. Human actions in this world have consequences in the next. While this is not a treatise on Islamic law, this observation alone should address the doubts of sceptics. Muslims are generous not only because it helps those in need, but because they believe such acts bring immense reward in the akhirah. Charity, therefore, is not merely a humanitarian value, but a profoundly religious one. Belief in the akhirah desecularises even the simplest acts of kindness, reaffirming how Islamic thought integrates the material and spiritual. I propose that Islamic epistemology views all knowledge not as secular or sacred, but as either beneficial (nafi') or more beneficial (anfa'). Any knowledge that benefits an individual, human or non-human, in this world is considered beneficial. The Quran itself provides examples of such knowledge: Allah taught Nuh (Noah) the craft of building an ark from wooden planks that withstood a massive storm, and taught Dawud (David) the skill of forging armour from iron. In both cases, the knowledge is described as coming directly from Allah, and therefore, cannot be considered secular. Building bridges, highways, hospitals, and schools also falls into this category of beneficial (nafi') knowledge, as these works serve human welfare in this life. Knowledge that benefits human beings in the akhirah is anfa', or more beneficial. This includes knowledge of reciting the Quran, understanding ritual worship, and knowing how to serve Allah. Establishing religious schools (madrassas), mosques, and zakat foundations, for instance, belongs to this category of anfa' knowledge. Muslims do not need to create a false dichotomy in knowledge, for tawheed, the oneness of Allah, also encompasses the unity of knowledge. With this understanding, there is no need to desecularise knowledge; rather, we must appropriate it correctly according to its utility in this world and the next. The key lies in affirming the existence of the other world. I dare say that, in an age where belief in parallel universes is entertained, life beyond this world is not as far-fetched as secularists might have us believe. The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera's editorial stance.
Al Jazeera
11 hours ago
- Al Jazeera
Call for end to forced starvation, targeted killing of journalists in Gaza
To Governments, International Organisations, Media Institutions, and Civil Society: We, the undersigned press freedom organisations, media organisations, journalists' unions, and advocates of truth and transparency, demand an end to the forced starvation and targeting of journalists in Gaza by Israel. Journalists in Gaza are being starved to death. Not metaphorically. Not slowly. But deliberately, and in real time, while the world watches. One in three people in Gaza now goes days without food. Among the starving are journalists, the last independent voices still reporting from inside Gaza. These are the individuals whose courage keeps the world informed of the sheer humanitarian impact of Israel's war on Gaza. Now, they are being forced to die from hunger. This is not incidental. This is a tactic. The suffering of journalists is not an accident; Israel is employing deliberate tactics to silence the truth by starving them. Since October 2023, over 230 journalists and media workers in Gaza have been killed. Those who remain, and their families, are subjected to constant targeting, intimidation, and denied their basic needs, and are now forced to choose between death by air strike or starvation. Their situation is dire and worsening day by day. Without immediate intervention by the international community, their lives are under serious threat, and they may not be able to continue reporting; their voices may fall silent. The journalistic community and the world bear an immense responsibility; it is our duty to raise our voices and mobilise all available means to support our colleagues in this noble profession. If the international community fails to act, the death of these journalists will not only be a moral catastrophe, but it will also be the death of truth itself in Gaza. Our inaction will be recorded in history as a monumental failure to protect our fellow journalists and a betrayal of the principles that every journalist strives to uphold. We, the undersigned, demand: Immediate Food and Medical access: Urgent delivery of food, clean water and medical supplies to all journalists in Gaza through protected humanitarian corridors. International Media Access: End the blockade on foreign press entry into Gaza and allow global journalists to operate freely and independently. Accountability: Investigate and prosecute those responsible for the starvation and killing of journalists in accordance with international law. Sustained Protection and Aid: Commit to long-term protection mechanisms for journalists operating in conflict zones, with specific support for those reporting under siege. We refuse to stand by while truth dies. We refuse to let our colleagues perish from hunger. Signed: Al Jazeera Media Network Arab Organisation for Human Rights in the UK Aidan White, Founder, Ethical Journalism Network Center for Defending Freedom of Journalists (CDFJ) Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor Federation of African Journalists Geneva Global Media Center (GGMC) International Press Institute (IPI) International Media Support (IMS) Index on Censorship James Foley Foundation John Williams, Executive Director, The Rory Peck Trust National Press Club (NPC) & NPC Media Freedom Center National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) Reporters Without Borders (RSF) We call for immediate action. Now. #justice4journalists
Al Jazeera
16 hours ago
- Al Jazeera
Syria signs $14bn infrastructure deals, will revamp Damascus airport
Syria has signed a series of investment deals with international companies, covering 12 major strategic projects in infrastructure, transportation and real estate valued at a total of $14bn, the latest lifeline aimed at reviving its war-ravaged economy. The plans included a $4bn investment project for Damascus airport signed with Qatar's UCC Holding and a $2bn deal with the United Arab Emirates national investment corporation to establish a metro in the Syrian capital, Talal al-Hilali, head of the Syrian Investment Authority, said during the ceremony at the presidential palace in Damascus on Wednesday. It's a welcome development for President Ahmed al-Sharaa's new government as it has been grappling with the heavy fallout from sectarian violence that broke out on July 13 in the southern province of Suwayda between Bedouin and Druze fighters. Government troops were deployed to quell the conflict. The bloodshed worsened, and Israel carried out strikes on Syrian troops and also bombed the heart of the capital Damascus, under the pretext of protecting the Druze. Other major developments on the investment front destined for Damascus include the $2bn Damascus Towers project signed with the Italian-based company UBAKO, a $500m deal for the Baramkeh Towers project and another $60m agreement for Baramkeh Mall. Since the overthrow of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December in a lightning rebel offensive, Syria's new authorities have worked to attract investment for the reconstruction of infrastructure destroyed in the country's devastating, nearly 14-year-long civil war. The projects 'will extend across Syria and represent a qualitative shift in infrastructure and economic life', al-Hilali said on Wednesday, adding that the agreements were 'a turning point' for Syria's future. Al-Sharaa and United States special envoy for Syria Tom Barrack were both present at the signing ceremony, Syria's official SANA news agency reported on Wednesday. Barrack congratulated Syrian authorities on 'another great accomplishment', saying they will witness the rise of a 'new hub' in 'trade and prosperity'. The United Nations has put Syria's post-war reconstruction costs at more than $400bn. Several deals have already been announced. Last month, Saudi Arabia signed major investment and partnership deals with Syria, valued at $6.4bn. Also in July, Syria signed an $800m deal with UAE-based company DP World to develop the port of Tartous, state media reported. In May, Syria signed a $7bn energy deal with a consortium of Qatari, Turkish and US companies as it seeks to revive its crippled power sector. The US and European Union have recently lifted sanctions on Syria in the wake of al-Assad's ouster, opening the nation to further investment and trade deals.
