Applied Spirituality is a lifelong commitment to self-scrutiny, character development, and worshipful devotion that yields increasing degrees of nearness to Allah. It emphasizes the practical implementation of spiritual teachings, moving beyond theoretical knowledge to actionable steps and embodied practices for personal growth.

We have a widespread problem of child sexual abuse in our community with an estimated 1 in 10 children, or 7-12% of children are sexually abused before the age of 18. What I aim to do in this essay is to clarify some of the core issues at stake related to religious teachings, ethics, and community accountability that have been raised in the community’s discussion of the recent scandal.

In this short essay, I offer four correctives to the approach, framing, and content of the contemporary Muslim discourse about secret marriages, and about Islamic law more broadly, apparent from the online debate.  

I want to share three reasons why I think exploring and renewing our practice of dua can be a transformative spiritual inquiry to engage in during the blessed days of dhul-hijjah.

Whatever work you’re engaged in, you’ve probably asked yourself some version of the question: “Does the work make any real difference in addressing the injustices in our world? Does it make a meaningful contribution to creating healthier communities and a better world?”