Al-Azhar University in Cairo is one of the oldest and most respected Sunni religious institutions in the world. It works hard to uphold the image of Islam by supporting tolerance, urging Muslims to avoid extremism and rendering edicts on the proper behaviour for Muslims—such as respect for one’s nei

Educating children in a conflict zone is no simple matter. More often than not, those responsible for the curricula succumb to the masters of war and adopt a pedagogical approach that exacerbates rather than diffuses strife. Israel, unfortunately, is no exception.
Consider the way Jewish and Pales

Egypt has a long-standing history of feminism, but gender-related problems in the country are far from resolved. Issues affecting society as a whole, including corruption, poverty and illiteracy, affect women in particular.
Egyptian women suffer in different ways. Marriage is sometimes imposed on

This month saw the launch of a report authored by a theologically diverse group of leading British Muslims entitled "Contextualising Islam in Britain". The scholars and practitioners who contributed to the report, published by Cambridge University, sought to answer a deceptively simple question: Wha

One of the most pressing dilemmas facing Afghanistan today is the gap between Afghan and Western views on what constitutes an effective political system and a functional nation-state. For the majority of Afghans, life revolves around their immediate community. Authority is exercised by local leaders

In mid-August, just prior to the start of Ramadan, the Yemeni government launched an all-out offensive on rebel positions in the northern governorate of Sa'ada. Leaving no doubt as to its intentions, the government dubbed the campaign “Operation Scorched Earth”. The fighting between the government a

Every Friday, Muslims, especially men, gather in their local mosques for the noon prayer and a sermon known as the khutba. When attending these prayers in different mosques around Jakarta—the capital of a diverse and largely tolerant country—I sometimes hear preachers deliver sermons expressing hatr

The place: "somewhere in Afghanistan or elsewhere". The setting: a small room with a black-and-white photo on the wall and a mattress on the floor. Lying on it is a motionless man, paralysed by war injuries and fed intravenously through a tube. Next to him, a woman who holds his hand in one of hers

It was a gasp of surprise that the Nobel Peace Prize has gone to president of the United States of America who has served his nation not even for a year and who has not demonstrated anything worthwhile, except in his statements for disarmament. The question is why the Academy was in a rush to hono

What necessitated Pakistan to give ‘greater political autonomy’ to Northern Areas, when such a move was urgently needed in Balochistan, where normal life is almost paralyzed after recent surge in violence and instability?
Islamabad’s recent maneuver to give “greater political autonomy” to the North

Pakistani Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani told the media last week that US drone strikes will not be allowed in the province of Balochistan, where the United States is reportedly turning to fight the militant group, Quetta Shura, which allegedly provides much of the leadership of th

The man on the television appears enraged, talking fast, yelling and demanding Muslims follow the "right path of faith." Not too far, at a nearby table, two young Egyptian girls, shrouded in their colourful hijabs, or headscarves, watch the white-clad sheikh speak. They turn to each other and their

James 5: 13-20
The Letter of James says, “Are any cheerful?” Our town this week has plenty of cheerful dudes. The hustle and bustle of thousands celebrating Oktoberfest makes our city buzz. We may ask, “Pray when you are cheerful, but why? Is beer and bratwurst not enough to cheer my spirit?”

A growing outrage is palpable from the civil society against the abuse of media's credibility to arrest Chhatradhar Mahto, the leader of Lalgarh movement in West Bengal, India.
The West Bengal police and authorities disguised as a fake media representative and with the assistance of a local media p

When the European Commission announced in October 2004 that Turkey had met the criteria for starting membership negotiations, it became front-page news worldwide. Turkey attracted international attention because of its geo-strategic importance, and because it is the first Muslim-majority EU candidat