Semerkand English Magazine - December 2024

In this issue

Semerkand English Magazine welcomes its readers in the December issue with the feature article “Servitude in Wealth and Poverty.”

We live in difficult times; many struggle merely to make ends meet. With every passing day, poverty deepens, and the chasm between rich and poor grows ever wider. To speak of wealth and poverty today is to touch upon a web of critical issues that weigh heavily on both. Poverty often carries with it a hidden peril: a quiet discontent, a subtle resentment toward destiny, an inner bitterness that erodes the heart’s devotion. This dissatisfaction is more than simple rebellion — it is a temptation, a trial that lures one away from patience and submission, testing the resilience of faith. Yet, we must also ask: is wealth truly free from this same peril? For even lawful wealth will one day be accounted for. While we recognize the hardship of poverty, we must not forget that wealth, indulgence, and luxury may just as easily veil the truth and blind the heart to divine wisdom.

In this month’s “Reflections From the Age of Bliss,” the life of the generous Companion Adi b. Hatim is recounted, together with the instructive lessons drawn from his remarkable experiences.

Hadith scholar Abu Bakr Sifil contributes “Where Does Useless Knowledge Lead Us?” — a striking piece that challenges both students of religious sciences and seekers of worldly knowledge to rethink their pursuits.

In his article “The Relationship Between Religion and Science in Islam,” Turkish intellectual Halil Akgün responds to the modern perception that portrays Islam and Muslims as estranged from science or hostile to it, offering a refreshing counter-perspective.

Finally, Muhamed Emin Turan pens the article “Ithar,” reminding readers of a forgotten yet indispensable virtue — the selfless preference of others over oneself, a moral quality every Muslim ought to uphold.