Society

Hajj pilgrimage

Egypt family keeps alive kiswah tradition

Under the steady hum of a ceiling fan, Ahmed Othman weaves golden threads through black fabric, creating Koranic verses, a century after his grandfather's work adorned the Kaaba in Mecca's Grand Mosque. A ceremonial hanging of the kiswah over the cubic structure symbolises the launch of the hajj annual pilgrimage
Baggage of despair

Iraqi Kurd plans new escape to Europe

Iraqi Kurd Haresh Talib says he struggles to get paid and his children's schooling is disrupted in his conflict-riddled country, so he wants to try to flee with his family to Europe – again. "There is no future here," says the 36-year-old from the autonomous Kurdistan region in Iraq's north
Femicide in Egypt

"If you say no, you'll be in trouble"

The murder of a female student at Mansoura University in the Nile Delta has sparked a long overdue debate on femicide in Egypt. Karim El-Gawhary reports from Cairo
By Karim El-Gawhary
Middle East

How cybercrime laws are used to silence dissent

Syria, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE are among those countries increasingly misusing cybercrime legislation to silence dissent and curb freedom of speech. Could a new global cybercrime framework under UN supervision save regime critics? Jennifer Holleis reports
By Jennifer Holleis
LGBTQ+ Pride

Being queer and Arab

As Pride Month draws to a close, Richard Marcus delves into Saqi Books’ latest publication, "This Arab is Queer". Edited by Elias Jahshan, this anthology of essays is remarkable for its honesty in addressing what is still a dangerous and controversial subject in many of the writers’ countries of origin
By Richard Marcus
Europe’s contempt for refugees' human rights

Draconian punishments for boat people

At the EU's outer borders, the right of migrants to a fair asylum procedure continues to be systematically disregarded. Take Greece, for example: in the worst case scenario, those shipwrecked may even face a lengthy prison sentence. Alexandra Senfft reports for Qantara.de from Syros
By Alexandra Senfft
Emancipation in the MENA region

The patriarchy is crumbling

With regard to gender justice, things look bleak in the Arab world. Laws typically discriminate against women, while national legislation all too often does not comply with the international agreements governments have signed. By Mona Naggar
By Mona Naggar
The hidden treasures of Sufism

In the footsteps of Rumi

Rumi's poems, though generally stripped of their Islamic symbolism, are hugely popular around the world. Yet Islamic mysticism is still very much at the heart of these verses. Marian Brehmer has spent more than ten years exploring the form Sufism assumes today. By Lisa Neal
By Lisa Neal
Palestine, Jordan and Syria

The woman preserving handwoven history

Women in the Levant have long used needlework to depict the region’s history, its landscapes, customs and traditions. Intricately embroidered panels, varying in style, colour and pattern reflect the different cultural, religious and family affiliations. One woman, Widad Kawar, has made it her quest to ensure this heritage is not forgotten. Marta Vidal reports from Amman, Jordan
By Marta Vidal
Djinns, migration and racism

"You don't have to be Huseyin or Emine to understand"

Columnist and editor Fatma Aydemir is one of the most scintillating voices in new German literature. In her latest novel, "Djinns", she tells a migrant family story from six different perspectives. Interview by Schayan Riaz
By Schayan Riaz
Gobekli Tepe

The Turkish hilltop where civilisation began

On a sun-blasted hillside in southeast Turkey, the world's oldest known religious sanctuary is slowly giving up its secrets. Gobekli Tepe, which means "Potbelly Hill" in Turkish, is arguably the most important archaeological site on Earth
Syrian civil war

Bashar al Assad's killing machine exposed

A leaked video shows scenes of a grisly Damascus massacre by Assad forces. Six minutes of horror from the war in Syria that were never intended to be made public. By Luisa von Richthofen and Khaled Salameh
By Luisa von Richthofen, Khaled Salameh