Society

Uncovering Portugalʹs Islamic roots

Where Christians pray facing Mecca

Archaeologists in Mertola have spent the last 40 years looking for traces of Portugalʹs Islamic past. What they found shows that Islam is not alien to Europe and has in fact deeply influenced Portuguese history and culture. By Marta Vidal
By Marta Vidal
Remembering victim Hatun Surucu

"A Regular Woman" – the story of an honour killing

Feature film "A Regular Woman" by director Sherry Hormann tells the true story of Hatun Aynur Surucu, shot was dead in 2005 by her own brother to "protect the family honour". The haunting work gives a voice to the victim. By Ceyda Nurtsch
By Ceyda Nurtsch
The demise of Modern Standard Arabic

Tongue-tied Arabs

It is one of the most important Semitic world languages. One of the six official languages of the UN. The language of Ibn Arabis – and of the Koran. And yet Modern Standard Arabic is not very popular with native speakers. Why? Mona Sarkis has some of the answers
By Mona Sarkis
Religion and media in Turkey

Reviving Sufism with Yunus Emre

The TV series "Yunus Emre: The journey of love" was a massive hit in Turkey when it was first aired four years ago. But this popular television spectacle is not the only evidence of a renewed interest in Sufi spirituality in Turkey. Marian Brehmer reports from Istanbul
By Marian Brehmer
Western Sahara conflict

The Sahrawis are fed up with waiting

The dispute over Western Sahara has been smouldering for over 40 years. In the refugee camps in Algeria, resignation is spreading among many people who have been hoping for a solution by the United Nations for decades. By Hugo Flotat-Talon
By Hugo Flotat-Talon
Interview with writer Rahman Abbas

Overcoming Indiaʹs social divide

More and more Indian writers are picking up on the right-wing theme in response to the growing strength of India's Hindu nationalists. Among them, Bombay-based author Rahman Abbas, who writes in Urdu and who scooped India's highest literary accolade in 2018 for his novel "Rohzin". Interview by Dominik Muller
By Dominik Müller
Rana Sweisʹ "Voices of Jordan"

A realistic snapshot of Jordanian society

Journalist Rana Sweis spent a period of nearly two years interviewing people of different backgrounds in Jordan. "Voices of Jordan" is a fascinating compilation of the portraits she penned during this time. By Martina Sabra
By Martina Sabra
The politicisation of Islam scholarship in Europe

Muslims under scrutiny

Muslims are facing intense scrutiny by academic researchers. A wide variety of disciplines are involved. But are contexts and outcomes being reflected upon with a sufficiently critical eye? By Joseph Croitoru
By Joseph Croitoru
Abrahamic Teams and interfaith dialogue

Conquering prejudice face-to-face

Overcoming prejudice and clearing up misunderstandings through direct encounters: thatʹs the goal of Abrahamic Teams. A Christian, a Jew and a Muslim inform people together about their different faiths. Claudia Mende spoke to the projectʹs initiator, Jurgen Micksch
By Claudia Mende
The drive towards "home-grown" imams

Islam in, from and for Germany

In an effort to curb foreign influence and foster integration, the German government is pressing for imams to be educated locally, in Germany. But will its Muslim communities back the idea? By Seda Serdar & Deger Akal
By Seda Serdar & Deger Akal
"Godʹs Revelation in the Word of Men"

A Koran for the 21st century

With the first in a series of 17 planned commentaries on the Koran, editor Mouhanad Khorchide from the University of Munster builds a bridge between traditional readings of the Koran and modern scholarly interpretation. Musa Bagrac read the book
By Musa Bagrac
Iraq post-Islamic State

The surprising survival of Mosulʹs Jewish quarter

Mosul's Jewish quarter miraculously survived three years of occupation by the Islamic State terror group and the battle to evict it. Judit Neurink and Eddy van Wessel went there to find out how
By Judit Neurink & Eddy van Wessel