Technological developments are reshaping our environments - and therefore our minds and souls - at an alarming rate. In this chat, Fahad Tasleem wonderfully makes the case for why a return to natural beauty is vital to preserve our connection with the divine.
This conversation was originally intended to be a private one for Fahad Tasleem and I to get to know each other for the very first time. He kindly allowed it to be recorded, and afterwards we both agreed it was interesting enough to be released into the public domain as an In Good Faith episode!
Fahad is a research fellow and instructor at The Sapience Institute, where his research focuses on Islamic Theo-Philosophy & Spirituality. He is the author of the book, "No Doubt: Finding Certainty in an Age of Uncertainty". He is also at the tail end of his PhD in Islamic Thought.
Fahad's channel: @FahadTasleemOfficial
Follow Fahad: https://www.instagram.com/fahadtasleem/
Find out more: https://www.fahadtasleem.com
(0:00) Being proactive and universal
(8:20) Othering and dehumanisation
(14:49) Engaging with empathy
(27:46) How colour influences us
(34:04) How natural beauty affects us
(41:45) Different types of perception
(50:41) Connecting sound and meaning
(58:16) How natural beauty points to God
(1:03:19) Appreciating beauty is the default
(1:11:50) Salvation and legal categories
(1:16:51) How technology erodes our souls
(1:32:51) Reflecting on Quran 35 : 27-28
(1:38:24) Concluding remarks