Society
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Michael Muhammad Knight's "Muhammad: Forty Introductions"An arba'in for non-Muslims
In his latest work, Michael Muhammad Knight – the enfant terrible of American Muslim writers – has sifted through the thousands upon thousands of Islamic hadiths to find 40 he feels best serve as an introduction to the Prophet Muhammad. Richard Marcus read the book
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Introducing the Key Concepts projectFrom religious tolerance to acceptance
A new project launched by the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg is working out key concepts from Judaism, Christianity and Islam with the aim of promoting interreligious dialogue. Presenting solid academic findings on similarities and differences, scholars will attempt to disarm agitators on all sides. Claudia Mende spoke to its director Professor Georges Tamer
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Interfaith initiatives from Morocco to JerusalemDialogue by design
Landscape architecture is a field that grapples with social inequality and spatial complexity – two characteristics that Jerusalem embodies. Sarah Turkenicz compares the Museum of Tolerance in Jerusalem with the Akrich tree nursery in Morocco and argues for a more sympathetic design approach when dealing with interfaith relations
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The language of migrantsBeing a stranger in a second language
Kurdish writer and translator Nabaz Samad Ahmed reports on his ambivalence towards second languages as a result of his socialisation in Iraq
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Interview with Islamophobia researcher Linda Hyokki"Europe has a problem with religion"
Researcher Linda Hyokki – herself a convert to Islam – discusses the causes of discrimination, ways of combatting Islamophobia, the divisive topic of veiling and how to debunk the common narrative. Interview by Marian Brehmer
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Salafism in GermanyLeft-wing terrorist turned Islamist
Bernhard Falk is no stranger to prisons. A convicted left-wing terrorist, he spent 12 years behind bars. Now he looks out for imprisoned Islamists. Germany's domestic intelligence agency considers him a danger to society. By Matthias von Hein and Esther Felden
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Iranian societyThe Islamic Republic has a drug problem
Headlines about Iran usually focus on its nuclear deal with the global powers, its controversial missile programme, not to mention international sanctions. The deep-rooted domestic challenges that the country faces get less attention. One of them is a drastic rise in narcotics consumption in the past ten years. By Mitra Shahrani
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From Germany to "Islamic State"The metamorphosis of Christian L.
To Sabine Lappe, Christian was a dream child. But her beloved son became an IS terrorist who died in Syria. The bereaved mother shared her story with Esther Felden
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Interview with the French-Turkish sociologist Nilufer GoleEurope's homegrown Turkish ethno-nationalists
According to prominent Turkish sociologist Nilufer Gole, many European countries have failed to integrate their Muslim and Turkish citizens. In interview with Luca Steinmann, Gole argues that this has served to deepen social polarisation in Europe
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Integration German-style?Blood sausage at Islam conference stirs controversy
Germany's Interior Ministry has apologised for serving pork sausage at an Islam conference in Berlin last week. The "#BloodSausageGate" scandal has sparked a debate over integration and tolerance. By Chase Winter
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Afghanistan's opium tradeA nice little earner – for everyone
Afghanistanʹs drug economy provides a regular income to rural communities in this extremely unstable country. With eighty-five percent of villages in the countryʹs south cultivating opium poppies, yield fluctuations have more to do with the weather than government policy. By Janet Kursawe
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Islam in GermanySome Muslims do indeed celebrate Christmas
As a Muslim I like to go to Christmas markets, eat Stollen and as a child I even got presents. Surprised? That's not the half of it. By Said Rezek