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Palestinians in EgyptTo stay or to return to Gaza?
In Egypt, Palestinians displaced by war in Gaza face a painful dilemma: return to their families and a devastated homeland or remain in limbo without residency. Medical needs, financial hardship and border fears make the decision fraught.
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Syed Muhammad Naquib al-AttasA life rethinking the foundations of knowledge
Malaysian philosopher and polymath Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas has died aged 94. A lifelong critic of Western intellectual dominance, his work has shaped debates on modernity and education across the Muslim world.
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Ramadan TV specialsSyrian drama after Assad
Television dramas are a Ramadan staple in Syria. This year, for the first time, viewers watched series written in a post-Assad era, some confronting past trauma, others offering satirical critique, sparking fierce debate over how the country's stories should be told.
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Culture in GermanyThe politics of neutrality
This year’s Berlinale highlighted the tensions between art and supposedly neutral institutions. But state-funded cultural bodies don't operate outside politics; they set the terms of debate. Greater transparency about how boundaries are drawn could strengthen trust.
Politics
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Iran WarWill the Gulf states stand together?
Hard hit by Iranian attacks, the business model of the Gulf states is under attack. Yet they are far from defenceless: with coordination—and unity—they could establish themselves as powerful agents of change.
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Attacks on IranDid the Saudis want this war?
Saudi Arabia's calculations in the Iran war may be different from what many assume. Rockets and drones are flying towards Doha, Dubai and even Riyadh—yet the kingdom could still see opportunities in the conflict.
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Interview with Indian author Rahman AbbasThe Nazis and India's Hindutva, united in hate
Award-winning Indian author Rahman Abbas spent time in Europe last year researching "the Holocaust and the future of minorities in India and Pakistan". To mark VE Day on 8 May, he discusses India's alarming shift towards Hindutva nationalism with Dominik Muller
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Humanism as a universal and humane conceptFrom Syria to Germany – the unifying struggle for democracy
Repression and despotism takes many forms. Yet as varied as these phenomena are, they all share a common core, argues Tarek Azizeh. Revolutions accompanying the struggle for democracy – wherever they occur – are all different manifestations of one and the same fight
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Stealth wealth from the Middle EastHow Assad's family and others have filled their European coffers
Dubbed the "Butcher of Hama", Syria's Rifaat al-Assad is accused of embezzling millions in European real estate. Like him, many regional rulers have preferred to keep their European properties quiet. Tom Allinson reports
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COVID-19 and the Gulf StatesDonald Trump has the Saudis over an oil barrel
With the coronavirus pandemic slashing oil demand as consumers and industry the world over entered lockdown, President Donald Trump presented Saudi leaders with an ultimatum. Reuters reports
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Assad's crimes against his own peopleSyrian ex-secret police stand trial in Germany
For the first time anywhere, Syrian intelligence officers are facing trial – in Germany. The court aims to probe the defendant's alleged crimes, as well as cast light on Bashar al-Assad's system of torture and oppression. By Matthias von Hein
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Politics, inequality and a lack of transparencyCoronavirus and the Middle East's ongoing state of emergency
Plagued by troubled state-citizen relationships on the one hand and conflict on the other, states in the Middle East could discover new uses for COVID-19 lockdown measures. By Abdalhadi Alijla
Society
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Damascus book fairA new benchmark for freedom
Syria has held its first book fair since the fall of Assad. The landmark event sets a new standard against which the government and its cultural policy will be judged.
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Research on Jew-hatred in Germany"Antisemitism cannot be deported"
The concept of "imported antisemitism" is widespread in German politics but remains poorly researched. A new study provides nuance, context and data on antisemitism among both migrants and non-migrants. An interview with co-author Neta‑Paulina Wagner.
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Coronavirus and press freedom in TurkeyErdogan's crusade against "all media and political viruses"
Is the Turkish president Erdogan using the fight against coronavirus to silence the few remaining critical press voices in the country? Opposition and journalists fear a new wave of censorship. By Daniel Derya Bellut
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COVID-19 pandemicCoronavirus breeds domestic violence in Turkey
Countries under coronavirus lockdown have seen a marked rise in domestic violence. Women's rights activists in Turkey criticise that existing laws are not being applied and the government is not doing enough to protect victims. By Pelin Unker and Daniel Derya Bellut
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Muslims and the COVID-19 pandemicNo pilgrims in times of coronavirus?
Saudi Arabia has called on Muslims across the world to put their hajj preparations on hold for the time being. The corona pandemic is impacting one of the central pillars of Islamic life. But how can Saudi Arabia’s cancellation of the hajj be justified theologically? By Lena-Maria Moeller and Serdar Kurnaz
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COVID-19 pandemicCoronavirus takes no account of Ramadan
According to the latest Reuters tally, more than 2.54 million people are now reported to have been infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 177,004 have died. As Muslims prepare for a very different Ramadan this year, here are the latest developments from across the region
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COVID-19 pandemicRamadan during coronavirus – with a virtual community
Ramadan begins this week even as the coronavirus pandemic up-ends life around the world. The crisis is forcing Muslims to re-think traditions and find new approaches to one of Islam's most important religious rituals. By Siham Ouchtou and Kersten Knipp
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COVID-19 in the Middle EastWomen talk under coronavirus lockdown: "I want my life back"
How are people in the Middle East and North Africa dealing with the new coronavirus pandemic? Women from countries across the region, some of them war zones, share their worries – and hopes. By Diana Hodali
Culture
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Author Taleb AlrefaiA window into the Kuwaiti soul
Does the German literary scene have a blind spot when it comes to Arabic literature? Abdulrahman Afif makes the case for the works of Kuwaiti writer Taleb Alrefai, whose socially critical literature deftly side-steps orientalist expectations.
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Mukabela in Bosnia and HerzegovinaA distinctive and enduring Ramadan tradition
For Bosnian Muslims, mukabela, the daily communal recitation of the Qur'an, is an essential part of Ramadan. The tradition dates back to the Prophet Muhammad, was popularised under Ottoman rule and has survived dictatorship and war.
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Bachtyar Ali's novel "Die Stadt der weißen Musiker"Poetry and truth
Bachtyar Ali, probably the best known contemporary novelist and poet from the autonomous region of Iraqi Kurdistan, has produced a major novel about art and reconciliation. It has recently been translated into German and is proving a major success. By Stefan Weidner
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Book review: "Istanbul Istanbul" by Burhan SönmezLaughing in the face of death
In his novel "Istanbul Istanbul", Burhan Sönmez describes the fate of four political prisoners, for whom telling stories in their shared cell becomes a passion. It enables them to retain a scrap of dignity in the face of torture and inhumanity. By Volker Kaminski
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Syrian pianist Aeham AhmadHow music can open doors
He came to fame as the pianist who played in the rubble of war-torn Syria, but there is so much more to Aeham Ahmad than that. He's now a popular musician and has made a home for himself and his family in the German city of Wiesbaden. By Annabelle Steffes-Halmer
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Ali Soozandeh's film "Tehran Taboo"Nothing but taboos
German-Iranian director Ali Soozandeh says that he made the film "Tehran Taboo" in order to "break the silence". In doing so, however, he has sketched a portrait of Iran that is almost unbearable, especially for the critical viewer with a knowledge of Iran, says Massoud Schirazi
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Album review: Jon Balke and Siwan – "Nahnou Houm"Chasing an elusive heritage
Juxtaposing songs in Arabic with others in Spanish and Ladino, Norwegian composer and musician Jon Balke has spent the last ten years experimenting with the music of Muslim Andalusia. Releasing their first album in 2009, he and Siwan are now back with "Nahnou Houm". Review by Richard Marcus
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The Jewish Museum Berlin's Jerusalem exhibitionThe majesty and the misery
Shortly after Trump said the US would recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital, the Jewish Museum Berlin opened a long-planned exhibition about Jerusalem, a city saturated with religion, politics, conflict and beauty. By Werner Bloch
750th anniversary of Rumi's death
750th anniversary of Rumi's death - Qantara.de
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