A recent rise in activism in Iran has added a new chapter to the country’s long-standing history of murals and other public art. But as the sentiments being expressed in those works have changed, the government’s view of them has shifted, too.
Read MoreOn the morning of Aug. 7, 1998, two powerful explosions ripped apart the U.S. embassy in Nairobi, sending debris and glass shrapnel across the central business district and beyond. In the end, some 200 Kenyans lay dead and another 4,000 people injured as a result of the attack. At the same time, another attack at the U.S. embassy in Dar es Salaam in neighboring Tanzania killed 11.
Read MoreMosques will no longer need a permit to publicly broadcast the Muslim call to prayer under a new rule announced by New York City Mayor Eric Adams as part of an effort to foster inclusivity. Adams said the guidelines make it easier for mosques to broadcast on Fridays, a traditional Islamic holy day, and at sundown during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
Read More(EXPLAINER) French officials said they will bar children in public schools across the country from wearing the “abaya,” a full-length robe used by some Muslim women to convey modesty. The rationale for the ban, they said, was to stem a growing number of disputes in its secular schools.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Minneapolis recently became the first major U.S. city to allow the “adhan,” or Muslim call to prayer, to be broadcast from mosques five times a day. In April 2023, the Minneapolis City Council unanimously approved a change to the city’s sound ordinance, effectively eliminating time constraints that previously prevented the pre-dawn and evening prayer calls from being broadcast.
Read MoreSandwiched between a laundromat and an appliance shop, is the only halal store in the southeastern Washington state and central Idaho area known as The Palouse. Until June, PNW Halal Meats, LLC had been hidden away on the northeast side of town in Pullman, Washington, close to the Washington State University campus. The store was cramped with a confined parking lot, easy to miss if one wasn’t looking for it.
Read More(REVIEW) Martin Doblmeier’s documentary, “Sabbath” explores how each of the monotheistic faiths have tackled the restlessness and consistent hurry of modern culture through adopting some variation on what the weekly Sabbath or time of rest looks like in their respective faith cultures.
Read MoreSome Muslims, Jews and other religious minorities in Thessaloniki also believe the city has found harmony between Abrahamic faiths in the past and can do so again. And one such olive branch toward religious understanding is taking root at the School of Theology in the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, which is the first Greek university to implement an academic program on Islamic studies.
Read MoreRecognizing the power of spiritual guidance, religious leaders in Kashmir are playing a pivotal role in the fight against drug addiction. They advocate for the establishment of local committees tasked with monitoring substance abuse in residential and business areas. They say that these committees comprised of community members can serve as guardians against the spread of addiction.
Read MoreThis week, the next step of our Talking to Tech series was a “conversation” with ChatGPT, one of today’s most popular AIs. This was the first in a multi-part series exploring the depth of ChatGPT’s knowledge of and skillset concerning religion and religious topics.
Read MoreReligious leaders in Uganda have condemned the Allied Democratic Forces rebels June 16 attack and massacre of 42 students in a secondary school in southwestern Uganda.
Read More(OPINION) North America’s Christian and Jewish leaders have long been active, politically and legally, in taking differing sides on same-sex and transgender issues. Authorities in Islam are comparatively disengaged. That changes in dramatic fashion with a new declaration of alarm from a broad group of 59 authorities, quickly joined by 150 further endorsers from Muslim organizations and local mosques.
Read MoreEdna Adan Ismail sold her car and poured her life savings into turning a former landfill into one of the better hospitals in Somalia that has a fraction of the mortality rates elsewhere in the country. Her Templeton Prize is the latest chapter for one of the most remarkable women on the planet.
Read MoreAt least 25 Iranian citizens face death sentences since Iranian authorities started dealing with the cases of the 1,401 citizens detained during the 2022 protests that swept the country.
Read More(OPINION) Members of religious minorities — especially Ahmadi Muslims, Sufis, Baha’is and converts to Christianity — may be accused of fomenting “sectarian strife,” spreading “misinformation,” “insulting a heavenly religion” or threatening “national security.” In regions controlled by Sunni Islam, rival Shia Muslims may face similar accusations, with that equation being reversed in lands controlled by Shia clerics, such as Iran.
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According to the latest figures given in the Parliament, the region with a population of 14 million has almost 1 million drug addicts. The consequence of such a massive upswing in drug addiction has taken a heavy toll on a society pounded by conflict and political uncertainty.
Read More(Religious Liter-AI-cy): In comparison with Siri, Alexa’s answers were very winsome and detail oriented. She elaborates more on the answers to the questions asked, often without making a reference to a specific web source, making the interview more seamless and in depth. Alexa seems more intelligent and, dare I say, personal.
Read MoreCanon India uploaded a picture from Kashmir on its social media handles last year. As soon as it reached the audience in Muslim-dominant region, a wave of anger and outrage swept across people after they saw a couple posing for a memorable picture in the backdrop of Hazratbal shrine, which is believed to be the most revered religious place in Kashmir.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Since 2008, the PTA has repeatedly banned or taken steps to ban online Ahmadi content inside Pakistan. However, the PTA has now extended its efforts to block or remove content that is hosted outside of Pakistan in the U.S., U.K., Australia, Singapore and Switzerland.
Read More(ANALYSIS) On April 14, United Nations experts warned that the repressive enforcement of Iranian hijab laws, as announced by the state authorities, would result in additional restrictive and punitive measures on women and girls who fail to comply with the country’s compulsory veiling laws.
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