AsSalaamu Alaikum Shaykh El Gawhary, This post and the post regarding the passing of Shaykh Kabbani are my introduction to your RUclips channel. I find your content in this post quite interesting. I am currently listening to an Audible course titled “ The Western Canon in Context”, taught by Professor John H. Bowers of the University of Nevada. As an American, a person born and raised in the “West”, I felt that in order to understand my society, I should try to understand foundational narratives and literary underpinnings of my society. It seems that you have come to a similar conclusion with understanding the rhetoric of the English language in Shakespeare.
I really love you for the sake of Allah Ta'ala, Sheikh. May you be among the honoured, and may you and your family be saved from the trails of the Last Day 🤲🕊️❤️💗
Shakespeare poems over Thanksgiving sounds wonderful! Thank you for this fascinating discussion. The parallels to Arabic/Islamic literature is especially interesting.
First time I read Shakespeare as an adult (Coriolanus) I came to very similar conclusions. I noticed straight away my language facilities were improved, almost like they had been treated with good hygiene. Made me realize... many things. But one that SHAKESPEARE is the kind of literature that does this for you, it feels like he may have been conscious, it's literature that feels like mind medicine, and for another that yes, you can literally expand your grasp and usage of English itself to imbibe this work. I saw it was posted 3 days ago and got the sense of urgency in the title and thumbnail 😂 and thought there must be something interesting here. Affirming to hear a similar perspective. I think caring about life and the future via art is 1000% reasonable 🙏
need more Imams familiar with Western literature. Aside from Shaykh Hamza Yusuf and Shaykh Abdul Hakim Murad, I haven't heard of any other Shaykh referencing Shakespeare's works
Mashallah I love Sheikhs reading western literature *and even far eastern literature* Edit: btw you should go on Blogging Theology and discuss these topics with brother Paul *he’s very interested and loves western literature* it would be very interesting
What a fascinating perspective that converges the value offered by a founding tradition of the English language with that of a Muslim scholar. May many more Muslim scholars drink from the sweetness of traditions other than that of Islam. It can only enrich us in our understanding and appreciation of the beauty and diversity of Allah's creation. وَمِنْ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦ خَلْقُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَٱخْتِلَـٰفُ أَلْسِنَتِكُمْ وَأَلْوَٰنِكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَـَٔايَـٰتٍۢ لِّلْعَـٰلِمِينَ (Sura Rum, 30:22) يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ إِنَّا خَلَقْنَـٰكُم مِّن ذَكَرٍۢ وَأُنثَىٰ وَجَعَلْنَـٰكُمْ شُعُوبًۭا وَقَبَآئِلَ لِتَعَارَفُوٓا۟ ۚ إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ أَتْقَىٰكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِيرٌۭ (Sura Al-Hujurat, 49:13) وَلَوْ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ لَجَعَلَكُمْ أُمَّةًۭ وَٰحِدَةًۭ وَلَـٰكِن لِّيَبْلُوَكُمْ فِى مَآ ءَاتَىٰكُمْ ۖ (Sura Al-Ma’idah, 5:48)
@@mohamedyusuf4777 both have their quality but I can’t get over Dante’s treatment of the Prophet. I’ve of course read Dante in high school and later, but my bias prevents me from really taking from him. Aside from Shakespeare, I’m partial to Proust.
Salaam shaykh, which works would you recommend a beginner to start with? Also, do you know of editions that have some kind of explanation of olden vocabulary?
@@hatidjesabri7326 if you mean Shakespeare, the easiest and cheapest way is to read each play’s overview/synopsis on Wikipedia then get one of the slim volumes that print one play at a time. That’s a start
Absolutely, part of the problem in the rhetoric that we have (as you mention) is the speech is just not correct. In fact, it's often incoherent. I watched your video now several days after the election. For some reason, I stayed up late election night and ended up watching the acceptance speech. I couldn't imagine, while hearing that speech, that he'd read any Shakespeare or, frankly, read much of anything at all. I am beginning the process of rectifying a Shakespeare deficiency in my own reading and am very excited about that. Thank you for this wonderful video.
Shaykh, to fully understand Western Thought, read Infinite Jest.. That said, this is why the biography of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) from Shaykh Martin Lings surpasses all other biographies in quality.
AsSalaamu Alaikum Shaykh El Gawhary,
This post and the post regarding the passing of Shaykh Kabbani are my introduction to your RUclips channel. I find your content in this post quite interesting. I am currently listening to an Audible course titled “ The Western Canon in Context”, taught by Professor John H. Bowers of the University of Nevada. As an American, a person born and raised in the “West”, I felt that in order to understand my society, I should try to understand foundational narratives and literary underpinnings of my society. It seems that you have come to a similar conclusion with understanding the rhetoric of the English language in Shakespeare.
I really love you for the sake of Allah Ta'ala, Sheikh.
May you be among the honoured, and may you and your family be saved from the trails of the Last Day 🤲🕊️❤️💗
@@logodaedalus1884 Allah bless you
Shakespeare poems over Thanksgiving sounds wonderful! Thank you for this fascinating discussion. The parallels to Arabic/Islamic literature is especially interesting.
First time I read Shakespeare as an adult (Coriolanus) I came to very similar conclusions. I noticed straight away my language facilities were improved, almost like they had been treated with good hygiene. Made me realize... many things. But one that SHAKESPEARE is the kind of literature that does this for you, it feels like he may have been conscious, it's literature that feels like mind medicine, and for another that yes, you can literally expand your grasp and usage of English itself to imbibe this work.
I saw it was posted 3 days ago and got the sense of urgency in the title and thumbnail 😂 and thought there must be something interesting here. Affirming to hear a similar perspective. I think caring about life and the future via art is 1000% reasonable 🙏
Yes its good to understand the evilnes of europian soul
need more Imams familiar with Western literature. Aside from Shaykh Hamza Yusuf and Shaykh Abdul Hakim Murad, I haven't heard of any other Shaykh referencing Shakespeare's works
western is not important, need more imams familiar with literature either it be western or eastern or indian or middle eastern
Excellent vid. Thank you for efforts, inspiring others to read Shakespeare. I wish we emphasized this more!
Mashallah I love Sheikhs reading western literature *and even far eastern literature*
Edit: btw you should go on Blogging Theology and discuss these topics with brother Paul *he’s very interested and loves western literature* it would be very interesting
@@MohamedShou great suggestion.
@@MakingSenseofIslam It is an amazing idea!
@ so let’s set up a time for November. I will be Washington DC throughout the month. Let’s move convo to email: info@makingsenseofislam.com
Thanks very much for the informative video.
What a fascinating perspective that converges the value offered by a founding tradition of the English language with that of a Muslim scholar. May many more Muslim scholars drink from the sweetness of traditions other than that of Islam. It can only enrich us in our understanding and appreciation of the beauty and diversity of Allah's creation.
وَمِنْ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦ خَلْقُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَٱخْتِلَـٰفُ أَلْسِنَتِكُمْ وَأَلْوَٰنِكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَـَٔايَـٰتٍۢ لِّلْعَـٰلِمِينَ (Sura Rum, 30:22)
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ إِنَّا خَلَقْنَـٰكُم مِّن ذَكَرٍۢ وَأُنثَىٰ وَجَعَلْنَـٰكُمْ شُعُوبًۭا وَقَبَآئِلَ لِتَعَارَفُوٓا۟ ۚ إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ أَتْقَىٰكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِيرٌۭ (Sura Al-Hujurat, 49:13)
وَلَوْ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ لَجَعَلَكُمْ أُمَّةًۭ وَٰحِدَةًۭ وَلَـٰكِن لِّيَبْلُوَكُمْ فِى مَآ ءَاتَىٰكُمْ ۖ (Sura Al-Ma’idah, 5:48)
What do you think of the epic poems in the canon? Paradise Lost and The Divine Comedy in particular.
@@mohamedyusuf4777 both have their quality but I can’t get over Dante’s treatment of the Prophet. I’ve of course read Dante in high school and later, but my bias prevents me from really taking from him. Aside from Shakespeare, I’m partial to Proust.
@@mohamedyusuf4777 but on the epic poem side for me it’s the Iliad then the odyssey which I do my best to read periodically.
@@MakingSenseofIslam I have always wondered what is the Islamic literature tradition look like? How does that compare against the western canon?
Salaam shaykh, which works would you recommend a beginner to start with? Also, do you know of editions that have some kind of explanation of olden vocabulary?
@@hatidjesabri7326 if you mean Shakespeare, the easiest and cheapest way is to read each play’s overview/synopsis on Wikipedia then get one of the slim volumes that print one play at a time. That’s a start
@MakingSenseofIslam yes, I meant Shakespeare. Thank you!
Absolutely, part of the problem in the rhetoric that we have (as you mention) is the speech is just not correct. In fact, it's often incoherent. I watched your video now several days after the election. For some reason, I stayed up late election night and ended up watching the acceptance speech. I couldn't imagine, while hearing that speech, that he'd read any Shakespeare or, frankly, read much of anything at all.
I am beginning the process of rectifying a Shakespeare deficiency in my own reading and am very excited about that. Thank you for this wonderful video.
New subscriber, that sonnet book for 5 bucks is a fantastic buy, what a beautiful book. Who is the publisher?
@@Fruitjellyy I believe it is heritage press. I say believe because I’m away from home at the moment
@MakingSenseofIslam thank you !
mashalla brother 👍
The King James Bible was published in 1611. So mostly after Shakespeare.
@@Tolstoy111 good point. It seems he would have a read of it towards the end of his life but the common book of prayer was around, no?
@@MakingSenseofIslam the book of prayer was a half century earlier. But by 1611, he was pretty much done.
Shaykh, to fully understand Western Thought, read Infinite Jest..
That said, this is why the biography of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) from Shaykh Martin Lings surpasses all other biographies in quality.
Spelling “canon” correctly might be a start. “Cannon” is a weapon of war.
OMG, nice catch!!!