Oludamini Ogunnaike

What better topic for discussion than beauty, muses Oludamini Ogunnaike, a regular contributor to Renovatio and a scholar of Islam in north and west Africa. Beauty is inseparable from truth, goodness, and justice, yet reference to it is missing from many of our most important discussions on those matters. The neglect of beauty has been detrimental to communities everywhere, notes Ogunnaike; it’s often seen as superfluous, compartmentalized from other values, or reserved for the elite when, in fact, beauty remains an existential need for every human being. Ubaydullah Evans engages with Ogunnaike on the quiddity of beauty, beauty as it relates to a fuller understanding of God, and the correlation between beauty and spiritual maturity. Oludamini Ogunnaike is assistant professor of African religious thought at the University of Virginia.Ubaydullah Evans is the scholar-in-residence of the American Learning Institute for Muslims (ALIM) and an instructor with the Ta’leef Collective.For show notes, visit our website: 

Expert Oludamini Ogunnaike and guests discuss the silent theology of Islamic art, its profound beauty, and the role in inspiring early conversions to Islam. They explore traditional arts, calligraphy, poetry, and music, highlighting the challenges and evolution in creating meaningful art. The podcast delves into the significance of language, artistic expression, mosque design, and blending Western and Islamic artistic influences in music.