A Backlash of Patriarchy in Egypt
The targeting of women in the Egyptian revolution – to make them know "their place" – was among the first shots fired by the counter-revolution. Yet they fight on. A viewpoint by Margot Badran More »
Germany's Disputed Dual Citizenship Law
The German government's Commissioner for Human Rights, Markus Löning (FDP), is critical of citizenship laws that force young Turks to choose between German and Turkish nationalities. His view breaks with government policy to date. Daniel Brössler spoke to him More »
Syriac Orthodox Christians in Turkey
In recent years, around 60-100 Syriac Orthodox families have returned from central Europe to Turkey. Encouraged by changes in the political atmosphere, the minority nonetheless faces a host of problems, from the expropriation of land belonging to a monastery, to a ban on special schools and kindergartens, and also a lack of places of worship in Istanbul. By Ekrem Eddy Güzeldere More »
Islamic Archaeology in Israel
A group of Israeli historians and archaeologists is calling for a radical rethink in the way the region's past is viewed. They want a stronger focus on Palestine's Islamic eras, which have in the past been neglected in favour of its Jewish history. By Joseph Croitoru More »
Interview with Amina Wadud
Amina Wadud is an American scholar of Islam with a progressive focus on Koran exegesis. In 2005, she led Friday prayers in the US, which not only broke with tradition, it also triggered debate and Muslim juristic discourse on the issue of female imams. Interview by Abderrahmane Ammar More »
Al-Azhar and and Pan-Islamic Rationalism
The spread of extremism in Muslim societies in the past century can be attributed to a largely overlooked trend: the demise of religious institutions that once had global reach. Focusing on Egypt's Al-Azhar university, Hassan Hassan takes a look into the matter More »
Syrian Refugees in Lebanon
The crisis of the Syrian refugees is growing day by day in neighbouring Lebanon. State institutions are neither able nor willing to deal with the situation. Bjorn Zimprich talked to Guita Hourani, Director of the Lebanese Emigration and Research Center, about the plight of the refugees and the social problems the refugee crisis is creating for Lebanon More »
Women in Saudi Arabia
With the recent appointment of women to the Saudi Shura Council, journalist Maha Akeel delves into the growing advancements of women in Saudi Arabia More »
Turning away from Shia in Iran
Iran's moral guardians are concerned: while Islam is increasing in political importance throughout the Arab world, people in the Islamic Republic of Iran are leaving the mosques in droves. As Ali Sadrzadeh found out, young people seem especially susceptible to the attractions of sects or Christianity More »
Islamic Jurisprudence in Qatar
The small emirate of Qatar is extremely ambitious – and wants to position itself as a motor for the region, also in the field of jurisprudence. Laura Overmeyer spoke to the German legal expert Günter Frankenberg, who is aiming to set up an innovative legal research institute in Doha More »
