"As al-Ghazzali has said, he who fears the Creator runs towards Him and loves Him, and who loves Him knows Him."

-Islam and the Plight of Modern Man Revised and Enlarged by Seyyed Hossein Nasr, pg. 86

'O Lord, what is the best act through which those near to You draw nearer?'

[Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal] said, "I saw the Lord of Power in my sleep, and said, 'O Lord, what is the best act through which those near to You draw nearer?' and He answered, 'Through [reciting] my word, O Ahmad.' I asked, 'With understanding, or without?' and He answered, 'With understanding and without.'

-Related in the biographical notes of Reliance of the Traveller: The Classic Manual of Islamic Sacred Law Umdat Al-Salik, pg. 1035.

Ill Fares the Land by Tony Judt

http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2010/apr/29/ill-fares-the-land/

Azeem Ibrahim: Is France Leading Europe Towards a Future When Discrimination Against Minorities Is the Norm?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/azeem-ibrahim/is-france-leading-europe-_b_740632.html?ref=fb&src=sp

via Haroon

Interview with Abdal-Hakim Murad

http://gulfnews.com/life-style/people/cultural-investment-is-the-way-forward-1.696524

Thanks Rich

Robert Reich: Why Democrats Should Not Join In Economic Scapegoating

http://robertreich.org/post/1285369087

America's Anti-Islam Hysteria by Reza Aslan

http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2010-10-12/sharron-angle-and-the-anti-muslim-scare-about-sharia-law-in-america/

John Gray: A shattering moment in America's fall from power

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/sep/28/usforeignpolicy.useconomicgrowth

Imam Zaid: We Are All in This Together

http://www.newislamicdirections.com/nid/notes/we_are_all_in_this_together/

via Ammar

(What) Can You Read and Write?

http://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/university_of_venus/what_can_you_read_and_write

via Professor Moosa