Demand too much conformity of a population and you may end up with the exact opposite. Forcing people to adhere to a common identity, as in the case of the burkini ban, fosters a rebellious insistence on difference. By Ian BurumaRead more
A writing project has turned young refugees from Afghanistan into poets. The creative talents read their work at the International Literature Festival in Berlin, where many listeners found themselves fighting back the tears. By Sabine Peschel Read more
The well-known Saudi analyst Khaled al-Dakhil posits that if it was secularism that led the West out of the Dark Ages and into the Enlightenment and if, at the same time, secularism means atheism and a lack of religious faith, then it was the latter, rather than faith, which paved the way to science, insight and freedomRead more
Our country needs to respect and value minorities more and to empathise with them more. It also needs an honest debate about what we – not they – must bring to the table, writes Lamya KaddorRead more
Our country needs to respect and value minorities more and to empathise with them more. It also needs an honest debate about what we – not they – must bring to the table, writes Lamya KaddorMore
Egypt's activists were once the heroes of Tahrir Square. Then the world forgot them – and all other Arab democrats along with them. Authoritarian states and Salafists are not giving them any leeway. By Mey DudinMore
9 September marked the 15th anniversary of the death of Ahmad Shah Massoud, revered as a war hero not only in his homeland, but also in the West. This is astonishing in view of the fact that he – just like all other Afghan warlords – can justifiably be described as a war criminal. By Emran FerozMore
When poor countries started producing oil, they thought that was the key to economic growth and prosperity. Since then, the impact of resource wealth on producing countries has been the subject of endless debate. By Nassir DjafariMore
Demand too much conformity of a population and you may end up with the exact opposite. Forcing people to adhere to a common identity, as in the case of the burkini ban, fosters a rebellious insistence on difference. By Ian BurumaMore
In June this year, Beirut′s largest green space, Horsh Beirut, re-opened to the public after an extended period of closure. Thanks to a strong campaign led by the NGO Nahnoo, citizens are once more able to enjoy strolling under the pines. By Changiz M. Varzi More
The well-known Saudi analyst Khaled al-Dakhil posits that if it was secularism that led the West out of the Dark Ages and into the Enlightenment and if, at the same time, secularism means atheism and a lack of religious faith, then it was the latter, rather than faith, which paved the way to science, insight and freedomMore
Imam Mohamed Tahi Sabri deplores the rise in Islamophobia in Germany. With state elections in Berlin scheduled for this weekend, he has been trying to mobilise the Muslim vote – no easy task. By Chris CottrellMore
A writing project has turned young refugees from Afghanistan into poets. The creative talents read their work at the International Literature Festival in Berlin, where many listeners found themselves fighting back the tears. By Sabine Peschel More
Idealistic, cosmopolitan and full of heroic courage. It is almost 75 years since the death of Sufi princess Noor Inayat Khan, who served as a secret agent in France during the Second World War and was ultimately murdered by the Nazis in Dachau concentration camp. A portrait by Eric SchumacherMore
Afia Nathaniel's first full-length feature film "Dukhtar", has been enjoying a great deal of success on the international festival circuit – and causing quite a stir in her home country too. By Marian BrehmerMore
Naz Osmanoglu makes crowds roar with laughter on Britain's comedy circuit. But not everyone realises that he is an Ottoman prince. By Sertan SandersonMore
Gustaf Dalman (1855-1941) is viewed as the founder of Palestine studies in Germany. As the first director of a German archaeological institute in Jerusalem, he amassed a substantial collection of photographs. The glass slides capture the Holy Land around 1900 and provide a unique insight into Palestine before its modernisation. By Marcel Serr
"We're Canadian and we're here to help"
Canada's prime minister, Justin Trudeau, adopts a strong pro-refugee stance in a speech to the United Nations General AssemblyMore
BBC Radio: Sunni and Shia Islam
Melvyn Bragg and guests Amira Bennison, Robert Gleave and Hugh Kennedy discuss the split between the Sunni and the Shia.More
Historian Bettany Hughes delves into Europe's Islamic heritage
British historian Bettany Hughes examines a long-buried chapter of European history - the rise and fall of Islamic culture in what is now Spain and Portugal.More
"International Crisis Group": What's driving the global refugee crisis?
A record 65 million people have been displaced from their homes, mostly by war. Half are children. Most of them come from the Middle East and Somalia. Crisis Group examines what is causing the exodus and which are the main countries of origin of those arriving in Europe.More
Islam in China - Picture Gallery
Der Fotojournalist Sean Gallagher hat im Herbst 2005 den islamischen Teil Chinas bereist. Seine Fotos zeigen eine lebendige islamische Gemeinschaft, die sich jedoch stets durch die chinesische Zentralmacht bedroht sieht. More ... More
The German Islam Scholar Lamya Kaddor
Why I as a Muslim Woman Don't Wear a Headscarf
Jordan and the influx of refugees
The true Samaritans
Muslims in Liberal Democracies
Why the West Fears Islam
The Media and ''The Innocence of Muslims''
Against the Islamisation of Muslims
The Decline of Islamic Scientific Thought
Don't Blame It on al-Ghazali
Junaid Jamshed
"I Was a Sinner for Years"