THE INTERVIEW: Host Malik Jones of Gambia with Dr. Bilal Philips

TL;DR

Dr. Bilal Phillips, a Jamaican-Canadian Islamic scholar, discusses his journey from communism to Islam and his work in founding the Islamic online university.

Transcript

hello and welcome to the interview my guest tonight is Dr Abu Amina Bilal Phillips a Jamaican Canadian Islamic scholar who converted to Islam in the early 70s but before that he got into communism but consequently to Islam in the early 70s and now he is not only a lecturer at the Islamic online university but he is the founder of the Islamic online... Read More

Key Insights

• 👨‍🔬 Dr. Bilal Phillips' journey from communism to Islam highlights the search for a solution to societal inequalities and injustices.
• 🥺 The shortcomings of communism and capitalism led him to explore Islam as a more holistic and just system.
• 🎓 Islam emphasizes the importance of education and understanding to bring positive change to society.
• 🎓 The Islamic online university aims to provide free, comprehensive Islamic education to students worldwide, promoting knowledge and understanding of Islam.

Questions & Answers

Q: What inspired Dr. Bilal Phillips to move away from Christianity and explore communism?

Dr. Bilal Phillips became aware of societal injustices and the world situation during his university years, which led him to question and search for ways to change the world for the better.

Q: Why did Dr. Bilal Phillips eventually reject communism as an answer?

Dr. Bilal Phillips found that communism had its own flaws, including harshness and an inability to compete economically with Western systems. The shortcomings of communist countries led him to be open to exploring Islam.

Q: How did Dr. Bilal Phillips discover Islam?

Dr. Bilal Phillips became interested in Islam after a fellow member of his communist organization converted to Islam. He started reading and studying Islamic texts, which convinced him that Islam was what he had been searching for.

Q: What motivated Dr. Bilal Phillips to establish the Islamic online university?

Dr. Bilal Phillips wanted to provide an alternative to existing online Islamic education platforms, which he believed had deviant teachings. He aimed to offer free courses and diplomas in Islamic studies to make education accessible to everyone.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Dr. Bilal Phillips grew up in a Christian family in Canada but became interested in communism during his university years.

• He later realized the shortcomings of communism and began exploring Islam after a fellow member of his communist organization converted to Islam.

• Dr. Bilal Phillips pursued education in Islamic studies and founded the Islamic online university, offering free courses and diplomas in Islamic studies.