Posts tagged Islam
Is Malaysia Failing To Keep Women Away From Islamist Extremism?

(ANALYSIS) A recent report by U.N. Women revealed that female empowerment has been a top priority in Malaysia, the southeast Asian country of 35 million people. From running tech startups, costume and jewelry businesses to driving public buses, women in Muslim-dominated Malaysia are largely economically, socially and culturally independent.

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Imam’s Fight For Kids’ Education Following Mosque Demolition

Zakir Hussain, the imam of the ancient Akhunji Mosque in Mehrauli, a section of South Delhi, has a vivid memory of Jan. 31, 2023. He described the terrible events of that morning, when the Delhi Development Authority destroyed not only the centuries-old mosque — but also the nearby Madrasa Bahrul Uloom and the cemetery next to it.

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ISIS Fighters Must Not Escape Justice In The UK

(ANALYSIS) On May 13, 2025, the Joint Committee on Human Rights in the U.K. Parliament, a committee consisting of members of the upper and lower houses of the U.K. Parliament, published a report looking into the U.K.’s responses to Daesh — also known as the Islamic State group — atrocities, and in particular, to the Daesh fighters who returned to the U.K.

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USCIRF Highlights Growing Violence Against Christians In Nigeria

Nigeria’s size, population and underdeveloped infrastructure make full and accurate data on such attacks difficult to obtain, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom said at a Capitol Hill hearing on religious freedom in Nigeria, but the country is the deadliest in the world for Christians.

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In Hostage Edan Alexander’s NJ hometown, months of fear give way to joy

A newscast from Israel streamed on a large screen, and a woman speaking into a microphone translated updates into English: “Hamas announces it has released Edan Alexander.” “The Red Cross says it’s on the scene but does not yet have Alexander.” “We have confirmation that Alexander has been released.” “Alexander is officially in the hands of the IDF.” “Alexander has had a first conversation with his mother and is telling jokes.”

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From Sacred Space To Suspect Place: Mahtab Hussain Puts A Focus On British Islam

(REVIEW) With its central dome and minarets, Birmingham Central Mosque is a notable example of Islamic architecture in the U.K. It is one of 160 places of Muslim worship in the city that artist Mahtab Hussain photographed over a two-year period starting in 2023. But, as his photographic installation “Mosque City: Birmingham’s Spiritual Landscape” reveals, not all of these mosques are as conspicuous.

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Amid India-Pakistan Tensions, What International Law Says About War

(EXPLAINER) As tensions rise between India and Pakistan, questions about what constitutes a lawful war are once again in focus. International law makes a clear distinction between jus ad bellum (the right to go to war) and jus in bello (the rules governing conduct in war). These are framed by the United Nations Charter, customary international law and treaties such as the Geneva Conventions, all of which define what states and their leaders can — and cannot — do during conflict.

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An Imam, Rabbi And Pastor Break Bread In Berlin To Build Interfaith Bridges

Three men from different faiths sit side by side on a stage. It’s nearly sundown just outside Berlin, with more than 100 people gathered for an interfaith iftar — the fast-breaking evening meal of Muslims during Ramadan. Each religious leader speaks about the power of fasting in their tradition, their words framed by the clatter of Turkish food being prepared in the kitchen.

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Why Birthrates (And Not Beliefs) Are Shaping Global Faith

(ANALYSIS) This may be unsettling to those who’ve invested in the idea of a steadily secularizing globe, but the numbers don’t lie. In the long run, the groups that reproduce tend to shape the narrative. If religion continues to dominate global culture through the 21st century, it won’t be because it won a war of ideas. It’ll be because believers have more babies.

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How These Supreme Court Cases Could Reshape The Law Regarding Religion

(ANALYSIS) The big U.S. Supreme Court decisions due in the coming two months include three cases on the religion clauses in the Constitution’s Bill of Rights. At issue: Can a state deny a tax benefit to religious charities it thinks are not “religious” enough, can parents withdraw public elementary children from classes on gender identity and whether the state can fund a religious charter school.  

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Lynching In Mangaluru: The Story Of An Indian City Haunted By Hate

(ANALYSIS) Ashraf, a Muslim and daily wage labourer from Wayanad, Kerala, had arrived in this coastal Karnataka city just weeks earlier. On the evening of April 27, he was found dead near a temple in Kudupu — barely six miles (10 kilometers) from Mangaluru city’s centre. Reportedly killed on the sidelines of a cricket match, his death was a brutal act that felt grimly familiar.

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China’s Outlaw Minorities: Journalist Emily Feng Documents The High Cost Of Non-Conformity

(REVIEW) The strength of her book is that, for the most part, she does not feature dissidents who consciously oppose the government. Instead, she focuses on ordinary, law-abiding people who consider themselves to be loyal Chinese citizens but who unwittingly cross the CCP’s constantly changing redlines. The people Feng features find ways to live with dignity and integrity in the crucible of China’s dictatorship. 

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Fallen Soldier’s Heroism Echoes On Israeli Memorial Day

Why was Segev Schwartz the only casualty in his battalion of 30 Israeli soldiers when a terrorist tossed a hand grenade in a cafeteria on Oct. 7, 2023? That was his mother Sara’s question. The answer she found completed a picture of Segev she and her husband shared on the eve of Israel Memorial Day, the commemoration of the fallen in Israeli wars and acts of terrorism since 1948.

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Why Iranians Are Rejecting Islam And Embracing Christianity

(ANALYSIS) Although the Ayatollahs have responded with bullets, prison cells, and executions, sheer force can only do so much against an idea whose time has come. The regime is losing its grip. The Islamic Republic has long ruled through force and fear. Yet, as disillusionment spreads, hope takes root. In this context, Christianity is not just a religion. It is an act of defiance.

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How Ramadan TV Dramas Serve As A Conduit For Cultural And Social Change

For the past few years, many TV dramas that air during Ramadan have tackled women's issues triggering public discussions that have led to cultural, social and legal changes. Dramas about women this Ramadan include “Hezbet Omri” (“The Sum of My Life”), which  highlights the financial difficulties of the protagonist as she seeks alimony after divorce; and “Ikhwaati” (“My Sisters”), which features an all-female cast who face challenges outside traditional norms.

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Iran Ramps Up Efforts To Target Women And Girls By Using Technology

(ANALYSIS) The Iranian regime continues to ramp up efforts to restrict the rights of citizens across the country, and this is to crush dissent. According to a new report of the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran, Iranian authorities have committed gross human rights violations, some of which amount to crimes against humanity.

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How Violence Has Impacted Religious Gatherings In Nigeria

In recent years, Nigeria has seen a surge in kidnappings and violent attacks. Christians living in the country’s five southeast states of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo have said violence has affected their religious lives.

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Praying For A Better Future In Syria — Without Jihadis

(ANALYSIS) In recent days, a horrifying surge of violence and bloodshed has swept across Syria, leaving a civilian death toll of nearly 1,400. Most of the victims were part of the Alawite sect, former Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad’s religious community. A number of Christians who live in close proximity to Alawite communities have also been killed.

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Schumer Says Antisemitism On The Left ‘Much Harder’ To Fight Than On The Right

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has long warned about antisemitism on the right — from neo-Nazis in Charlottesville to white nationalist conspiracy theories on the campaign trail. But in his new book, set to go on sale Tuesday, he argues that the antisemitism coming from the left can be just as insidious — and, in some ways, harder to fight.

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