Stumblings of Stoicism: A Muslim Critique

The ancient Greek philosophy of Stoicism has been making headway over the past decade as a new-age movement of sorts. Founded by the merchant Zeno of Citium in the third century BC, this alternative to organized religion for “living in the moment” has been the topic of Ryan Holiday’s writings (The Obstacle is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph in 2014), the Daily Stoic Twitter page, and numerous meet-up groups. While a synopsis of what this philosophy entails is beyond the scope of this article, it suffices to say that Stoicism is a method of “cultivating self-control and self-awareness” through certain meditative practices and deep reflection over the ups and downs of life.