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Last viewed: 10 hrs ago
Uploaded: 02 Oct 2025 (1 year ago) · Shared: 04 Mar 2026
Duration: 18:17
Uploaded: 02 Oct 2025 (1 year ago) · Shared: 04 Mar 2026
Duration: 18:17
Youtube Description
Khaled Abou el Fadl: 'Islamic institutions are at their weakest point ever. The Islamic civilization has not just deteriorated but crumbled. Seeingthe Islamic tradition hijacked and co-opted and leveraged in so many thoroughly ugly ways is a betrayal of divinity.
The human soul is from God’s breath. The human soul is divine, and so a human being is an ongoing revelation. And when this ongoing revelation hunts contact with the text, it is divinity coming into contact with divinity. That engagement is what makes the Qur'an an ongoing and never-ending revelation. If the text of the Qur'an is approached as a text only to regurgitate it, then it becomes a closed book. There’s no longer ongoing revelation. It’s just a word on a text, and that’s it. We’re done. That’s how the voice of God dims and becomes silent.
If there is a key to understanding the Islamic civilization, it is the search for beauty. But you cannot sit back and just expect God to do what is beautiful for you. It won’t happen. You must play an active role. God wants mercy to manifest in creation. And God has charged me as a human being, as a student of the Qur'an, to manifest His mercy..”
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Khaled Abou El Fadl is one of the world’s leading authorities on Islamic law and theology. A distinguished legal scholar and public intellectual, he serves as the Omar and Azmeralda Alfi Distinguished Professor of Law at UCLA and is the founding director of the UCLA Islamic Studies Program. His work spans Islamic jurisprudence, human rights, political theory, and ethics, and he is widely respected for his nuanced, deeply moral approach to Islamic tradition and reform.
A prolific author, his scholarship challenges authoritarian interpretations of Islam and insists on a return to beauty, reason, and mercy as central to the Islamic moral tradition. His legal expertise has been sought by the U.S. Department of Justice and other institutions, and his writings have shaped debates on Islamic law both within Muslim communities and in global academic and policy circles.
In recognition of his commitment to justice, religious ethics, and interfaith understanding, Abou El Fadl was awarded the University of Oslo Human Rights Award in 2007, joining the ranks of other global figures who have made substantial contributions to the field of human rights.
Fluent in classical Arabic and trained as both a Western legal scholar and a traditional Islamic jurist, he continues to speak and write with clarity and courage—calling for an Islam that resists tyranny and honors the divine dignity of every human soul.
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Who is Khaled Abou El Fadl?Building upon the foundations of the rich and nuanced Islamic jurisprudential tradition, we apply God's timeless moral imperatives to our current world to advance human knowledge, challenge the status quo, and set a new standard for beauty, reasonableness and goodness in the world. Under the guidance of Islamic scholar and jurist, Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl, we are a team of dedicated academics, professionals and volunteers that are passionate about the beauty of the Islamic tradition. The Islamic tradition once inspired Muslims to be at the forefront of human discovery and knowledge. Today, Muslims have been left behind in virtually all global conversations and play no role in the moral leadership of our times. By returning to the foundational virtues of the Islamic tradition, we seek to rekindle the spirit of exploration, renew the commitment to knowledge, and represent a moral message that inspires the world.
What is a Documentary?A documentary film or documentary is a non-fiction motion picture intended to document reality. This is primarily intended for instruction, education or maintaining a historical record.
What is Islam?One of the major religions of the world, Islam literally translates to "submission," as a follower of Islam (Muslims) devotes their life to that of their God. The religion began with the teachings of Muhammad in the 7th century. The theology of Islam is based on the Qur'an, which was given to Muhammad by God. Some of the major fundamental principles of Islam include the Five Pillars, which hope to unite all Muslims into a community. Two different factions of Muslims exist - the majority are known as Sunni, with a small percentage known as Shi'a - both predominantly reside throughout the Middle East. Muhammad died in 632 AD and the religion of Islam formally started after his death. The Quran was formally compiled and finalised in 650 AD, prior to which it was 'memorised' and written across many parchments.
