Society

Teaching Islam in German Schools

Religion Must Not Be Regarded as an Integration Problem

If it wants to be authentic and relevant to practice, religious education along denominational lines should not become an instrument of integration and should take the expectations of Muslims seriously. Nimet Seker takes a stand
By Nimet Seker
The Tradition of Ramadan

Which Image of God Determines the Ritual Behaviour?

The Islamic month of fasting began last Monday – in Europe too, where the majority society still knows far too little about the holy practice, which is a religious duty of all Muslims and one of the "five pillars of Islam". Emel Zeynelabidin says that for this reason, posing questions that are free of fear and born of interest is now a matter of great urgency
By Emel Zeynelabidin
Interview with Minister of Social Affairs Aygül Özkan

''Diversity Is Better Than Closed-Mindedness''

Improved German skills, increasing numbers of immigrants in responsible positions: "Integration is progressing", deems Aygül Özkan. In this interview, the minister of social affairs for Lower Saxony demands that we not lose sight of what's been achieved in spite of all the critical debate
By Hans-Martin Schönherr-Mann
Interview with Uri Avnery

''Israel Was Also Proclaimed Unilaterally''

The Palestinian leadership wants the United Nations to recognise them as an independent state. In an interview, Israeli human rights activist Uri Avnery says that this could lead to progress in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
By Diana Hodali
After the Massacre in Norway

Critics of Islam Face a Dilemma

The massacre in Norway reveals just how wrong critics of Islam have been: it wasn't a Muslim who went to war against the West – it was one of their own, someone who shared many of their views. That has made it clear: the true enemies of the anti-Islam movement are not the Muslims, but its own supporters. By Stefan Weidner
By Stefan Weidner
Libya after Gaddafi

The High Price of Freedom

For years, the autocrats of the Middle East have terrified their people. Libya's Muammar al-Gaddafi is no exception. Omar Ashour examines the prospects for democratisation and possible outcomes of the uprising in Libya
Cologne's New Central Mosque

Open to All

Just a few months before the completion of Cologne's new central mosque, the debate about the building continues unabated, although the debate now circles more around its architecture and location than around political or social issues. Zulfikar Abbany has the details
By Zulfikar Abbany
Stefan Meining's Book on the History of the Islamist Scene in Germany

A Mosque in Munich

In his book Eine Moschee in Deutschland (A Mosque in Germany), Stefan Meining claims that the Islamist scene in Germany was systematically nurtured by the intelligence services. At the centre of the story is a mosque in Munich. But is there any truth behind the alleged connections to al-Qaeda and the terrorist attacks of 11 September? A review by Claudia Mende
By Claudia Mende
British Women's Jihad against Violence

جهاد المرأة البريطانية ضد العنف

Open any newspaper in the UK today and the two topics that govern any discussion on Muslims are women and extremism. Unsurprisingly, writes Sara Khan, Muslim women feel these topics are inadequately addressed by Muslims themselves. Two British organisations recently decided that the time had come to take action
By Sara Khan
Interview with Rana Husseini

''Arabs Were Never Passive – They Were Oppressed!''

The Jordanian journalist and human rights activist Rana Husseini has made a significant contribution to fundamentally changing the way Jordanian society deals with the issue of honour crimes. In this interview, she talks about her work and the impact of the Arab Spring
By Rigien Bagekany
Syria: The Opposition and the Church

A Slap in the Face for the Pro-Democracy Movement

While church leaders pledge their support for the Assad regime, Christians in Syria are backing the protest movement for democratic change. The endorsement of the regime's propaganda slogans by the representatives of the churches puts them in an increasingly precarious position, as Claudia Mende reports
By Claudia Mende
German-Turkish Professionals in Istanbul

Highly Prized in Turkey, Ignored in Germany

Many well-educated German-Turks emigrate to Turkey. In Germany, where there is a shortage of qualified personnel, the effects of this loss are making themselves felt. But the trend is the consequence of a disregard that has been practised for decades. Semiran Kaya reports from Istanbul
By Semiran Kaya