About the Title: Illuminate

1. to light up.

   “a flash of lightning illuminated the house”

   decorate (a building or structure) with lights for a special occasion.
2. to decorate (a page or initial letter in a manuscript) with gold, silver, or colored designs.
3. to help to clarify or explain (a subject or matter).

   “a most illuminating discussion”

I felt that the title of this blog was fitting for a number of reasons — for its association with light and divinity, with decorated religious manuscripts, and with the idea of finding clarity through knowledge. I added the shahada — the Islamic declaration that there is no God but Allah and that Muhammad is His messenger — in Arabic, below the title as a way to encompass the idea of this testimony as the foremost marker of being a muslim, as well as a sort of homage to the calligraphic inscription which encircles the outside of some mosques, such as the Dome of the Rock. I find that it is interesting to consider the significance of a bound digital space dedicated to a study of Islamism, such as this blog which is hosted on a finite website domain, in relation to the significance of a bound physical space used for this same study, as in the case of a traditional mosque.

Through this website I hope to explore the major themes and minor intrigues captured by the teachings of professor Ali Asani and his course team for AI54: For the Love of God and His Prophet. I hope you enjoy!