Culture

Ramadan TV specials

Syrian drama after Assad

Television dramas are a Ramadan staple in Syria. This year, for the first time, viewers watched series written in a post-Assad era, some confronting past trauma, others offering satirical critique, sparking fierce debate over how the country's stories should be told.
By Sham al-Sabsabi
Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas

A life rethinking the foundations of knowledge

Malaysian philosopher and polymath Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas has died aged 94. A lifelong critic of Western intellectual dominance, his work has shaped debates on modernity and education across the Muslim world.
By Muhammed Nafih Wafy
Author Taleb Alrefai

A window into the Kuwaiti soul

Does the German literary scene have a blind spot when it comes to Arabic literature? Abdulrahman Afif makes the case for the works of Kuwaiti writer Taleb Alrefai, whose socially critical literature deftly side-steps orientalist expectations.
By Abdulrahman Afif
Mukabela in Bosnia and Herzegovina

A distinctive and enduring Ramadan tradition

For Bosnian Muslims, mukabela, the daily communal recitation of the Qur'an, is an essential part of Ramadan. The tradition dates back to the Prophet Muhammad, was popularised under Ottoman rule and has survived dictatorship and war.
By Davud Muminović
New Arab cinema

A reality that calls for the surreal

Arab filmmakers have long adopted a social realist view of everday life. A new wave is now emerging, says Amin Farzanefar, marked by fantasy, uncanny symbols and repressed memories.
By Amin Farzanefar
"The Fruit of Fire" by Haneen Al-Sayegh

Fear and rebellion in the lives of Druze women

In her novel "The Fruit of Fire", a follow-up to the award winning "The Women's Charter", Haneen Al-Sayegh follows four generations of Druze women in rural Lebanon as they navigate religious authority, isolation, community and love.
By Najat Abed Alsamad
Palinale film festival Berlin

A politically engaged alternative

As the Berlinale faces renewed criticism over its handling of Palestine, a parallel festival, Palinale, returns for a second year with an expanded programme of international films, exhibitions and talks. Schayan Riaz shares impressions from its opening night.
By Schayan Riaz
Cairo's Ramadan lanterns

More than decoration

For lantern maker Mohamed Fawzi, the traditional Egyptian lantern, a familiar sight during Ramadan, is a key part of the country's cultural identity. But a flood of cheaper imports now threatens his craft.
By Mahmoud El Tabakh
Afghan cinema

An international coming of age

For the first time, the Berlinale film festival is opening with a film from Afghanistan: "No Good Men." Germany is home to many Afghan filmmakers who fled war and Taliban rule and whose work has long been overlooked.
By Martin Gerner
Islamic history

The critic of Sufism who became its archivist

In the 12th century, the scholar Ibn al-Jawzi wrote "Talbis Iblis" or "The Devil's Deception" to expose Sufism as heresy. Today, his text is read in two ways: as a critique and as a captivating snapshot of Sufi teachings.
By Abdulrahman Afif
"Archiving Gaza" anthology

A vivid record of life before the war

"Archiving Gaza in the Present" brings together essays on Gazan art, literature, music and archaeology. By preserving the memory of a once-vibrant cultural world while confronting the scale of its loss, it stands as one of the most important recent books on Gaza.
By Asmaa al-Ghoul
Films on Sudan

Stories from elsewhere

The war in Sudan has made displacement a fact of life for millions. Two new films, with Sudanese women at their core, reflect this reality through very different lenses. A review of "Aisha Can't Fly Away" and "Cotton Queen".
By Schayan Riaz