Society

Controversial study about Muslim kindergartens in Vienna

The unwelcome glare of publicity

According to a report in the Austrian weekly ′Falter′, Professor Ednan Aslan is said to have allowed civil servants working for the Austrian Foreign and Integration Minister Sebastian Kurz to manipulate his findings for political ends. Allegations he vehemently denies. A commission has now been set up to investigate. By Canan Topcu
By Canan Topçu
Non-fiction: ″Stolen Girls″ by Wolfgang Bauer

What hides in the woods

Satellite images of Duhu, Gubla or Gulak reveal little. A road flanked by scattered settlements runs through sparse terrain. Somewhat further away, the Sambisa forest. North-eastern Nigeria – home to the Islamist terrorist organisation Boko Haram, described by Wolfgang Bauer in his shocking and poignant reportage ″Stolen Girls″
By Jutta Person
Egyptian photojournalist Mahmoud Abu Zeid

Innocence incarcerated

Mahmoud Abu Zeid, known as Shawkan, took some photographs at a Muslim Brotherhood demonstration. As a result he has spent almost four years in prison – without any verdict having been passed. By Karim El-Gawhary
By Karim El-Gawhary
The nature of Islam

Neither violence nor peace

The holy scriptures contain passages that can be used to justify both violence and peace. It depends entirely on us religious people what we do with this heritage, writes Armin Langer
By Armin Langer
Iran and Saudi Arabia

Chalk and cheese

Iran and Saudi Arabia are more than just two regimes, they are also two societies. And these are fundamentally different. Charlotte Wiedemann assesses the differences, from their fundamental attitude to life, to the pace and scale of modernisation
By Charlotte Wiedemann
Sunnis in Iran

The Zahedan network

Zahedan, the capital of Sistan and Balochistan Province, is one of the few Iranian cities with a Sunni majority population. Here, Sunnis can still practise their faith in relative freedom. Recently, however, the city has become a focus for radical Sunni groups. Philipp Breu reports from Zahedan
By Philipp Breu
Islamic State′s destruction of Mosul

Razed to the ground

Islamic State recently blew up Mosul′s landmark Al-Nuri mosque. The extent of the damage is only likely to be fully revealed when the jihadists are finally driven out of the city. By Joseph Croitoru
By Joseph Croitoru
Berlin′s new mosque

Liberal Islam is a chimaera

The hostile reactions to the opening of a "liberal mosque" in Berlin are no great surprise. They are not, however, evidence that Islam is incapable of reform, says Loay Mudhoon
By Loay Mudhoon
DITIB Central Mosque in Cologne

A place to pray, a place to meet

For many Muslims in western Germany, a dream has finally come true. Years behind schedule, the Central Mosque in Cologne finally opened its doors in the middle of Ramadan. The faithful can now pray there every day. Ulrike Hummel went along to see it
By Ulrike Hummel
Negotiating with the Taliban for girls′ education

Treading carefully

More than 16 years after the fall of their government, the Taliban say they are willing to allow girls to study, but residents on the ground say the group has done little, if anything, to re-open girls′ schools in areas under their control. Ali M. Latifi reports from Afghanistan
By Ali M. Latifi
Controversial documentary on anti-Semitism

"Bibi" TV

An anti-Semitism documentary that aired recently on the German public channel ARD has come under fire for distorting the truth. To date, the ensuing debate has focused on censorship in public television broadcasting, poor communication and a commitment from the BILD tabloid newspaper to investigate the matter. But little attention has been paid to the nub of the issue: the film and its weaknesses. Commentary by Stefan Buchen
By Stefan Buchen
Interview with Islamic studies scholar Armina Omerika

"Muslims need new ways to approach their religious heritage"

The German Evangelical Church′s relationship with Luther shows Muslims that it′s possible to find and develop a way of engaging critically with your own religious tradition, says Islamic studies scholar Armina Omerika in interview with Canan Topcu
By Canan Topçu