Society

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
Human rights in Lebanon

Kafala and its ʹcommoditiesʹ

"Where is your bint from?" is not an unusual question in Lebanon. 'Bint' means girl in Arabic, but here refers to housekeepers, maids or nannies working in Lebanon under kafala sponsorship. It is a loaded term that refers to thousands of African and Asian workers arriving in Lebanon every year. By Antoine Abou-Diwan
By Antoine Abou-Diwan
Indigenous rights in the Maghreb

An uphill struggle for Tunisiaʹs Amazigh

The Amazigh claim that the regimes of Bourguiba and Ben Ali stole their finest asset, namely their culture. Is Tunisiaʹs Jasmine revolution on the way to restoring their rights? By Lina Shanak
By Lina Shannak
"Contemporary Muslim Fashions" exhibition

Muslim fashion – a material controversy

Frankfurtʹs Museum for Applied Art is currently hosting an exhibition on Muslim fashion. Heavily criticised for going ahead with the show, curator Matthias Wagner K explains how political fashion can be. Interview by Stefan Dege
By Stefan Dege
Post-Christchurch debate on religion and terrorism

Who is responsible for the violence?

The question of whether religious texts are interpreted in a tolerant or a hostile way is closely tied to the historical context in which the interpretation takes place. The responsibility for terrorism lies first and foremost with people and not with the religious texts themselves, says Assem Hefny, a lecturer at Al-Azhar University
By Assem Hefny
Germanyʹs integration debate

"Your homeland is our nightmare"

A recently published anthology – "Eure Heimat ist unser Albtraum" – edited by Fatma Aydemir and Hengameh Yaghoobifarah is both accusatory and motivational. Ceyda Nurtsch read the declaration and attended the launch
By Ceyda Nurtsch
After the Christchurch mosque attacks

Time for non-Muslims everywhere to take a stand

Following last Friday's attacks, German Muslims are worried that their places of worship may be targeted too. Christoph Strack writes that there is a simple way for non-Muslims to show solidarity
By Christoph Strack
The "Syrian Heritage Archive Project"

Syria's cultural landscape lives on – in Berlin

Countless cultural assets were destroyed by the Syrian Civil War. The Syrian Heritage Archive Project in Berlin contributes to preserving their memory with an exhibition showing what has been lost – and what remains. By Christina Kufner
By Christina Küfner
Azerbaijanʹs struggle to promote the value of girls

Imams against sex-selective abortion

Azerbaijan is struggling to change the mind-sets of families aborting female foetuses. Imams who have weighed in on the issue have become indispensable in up-ending this practice. Experts say the country urgently needs to implement an action plan or it will face dire consequences. Ayse Karabat reports from Baku
By Ayşe Karabat
“New Istanbul” in Berlin

Turkish brain drainers versus guest workers

Ever since the 2016 attempted coup in Turkey, an increasing number of well-educated people are leaving the country and settling in Berlin. However, they do not want to have anything to do with the so-called "guest worker Turks". Ceyda Nurtsch on a relationship informed by prejudice, aversion and ignorance
By Ceyda Nurtsch