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Karl-Josef Kuschel's "Goethe and the Koran"
Islam for the 21st century? Look no further than Goethe
No other Western poet was arguably so well-versed in the Koran or so fascinated by Islam as Germany's national hero, Goethe. In a new publication that examines all Goethe's writings relating to Islam, theologian Karl-Josef Kuschel shows that the poet's message is still highly relevant today. Stefan Weidner read the book
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The West and Islam 20 years after 9/11
Paranoia, now
A deluge of books, movies, series and cover stories: ever since the events of 9/11, the West has seemed almost manically preoccupied with Islam. Yet this has rarely led to deeper understanding. Instead, what has been reinforced is the concept of Islam as fate. By Sonja Zekri
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9/11 twenty years on
Muslims in the West – the cultural go-betweens
Twenty years after 9/11, the world is faced with the dual challenge of Islamophobia and anti-Westernism. Ahmet Kuru argues that Muslims in the West, well versed in both Western and Muslim cultures, are key to resolving the mutual antipathy felt by many
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9/11 twenty years on
How the 'War on Terror' destabilised the Middle East
Two decades after the attacks of 11 September 2001, the West faces the shattered debris of its failure – not only in Afghanistan, but also in Iraq, Syria, Libya and Yemen. What went wrong in the war on terror? And what lessons can Europe learn from it? Essay by Kristin Helberg
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20 years after 9/11
U.S. war on terror is still omnipresent
Twenty years after 9/11, the United States is recalibrating its war policy. However, its assertions that the era of endless wars is over are a myth, writes Maha Hilal
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The West's neo-colonialism
Why nation-building failed in Afghanistan
Although the United States clearly could have done a better job of managing its departure from Afghanistan, the tragedy playing out this month has been 20 years in the making. From the outset, America and its allies embraced – and never reconsidered – a top-down state-building strategy that was always destined to fail. Commentary by Daron Acemoglu
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Migration policy
Europe's migrants are part of the solution
Migrants are often maligned as being responsible for Europe's problems. Yet their integration is in Europe's interest. Michael Thaidigsmann believes that a long-term vision is overdue
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Islamic law in Afghanistan
Sharia – nightmare or ticket to salvation?
The Taliban, Islamic State, al-Qaida – for most Muslims their understanding of sharia is a nightmare. But what is sharia law really? Answers by Mathias Rohe
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Amina Wadud's "Qur'an and Woman" revisited
"Inequality between men and women is contrary to Islam"
Penned by pioneering American female imam and champion of gender equality within Islam, Amina Wadud, "Qur'an and Woman: Rereading the Sacred Text from a Woman's Perspective" (1999) had a huge impact on academic thought across the Muslim and non-Muslim world. Now it has finally been translated into French – reason enough to re-examine her groundbreaking premise. By Malika Hamidi
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ECJ headscarf ruling problematic for Germany
When it comes to headscarves, commerce trumps God
The European Court of Justice has given its backing to companies that don't allow female Muslim staff members to wear headscarves – as long as they don't permit the wearing of even small crosses and other religious symbols either. This is a problem for Germany in particular. By Wolfgang Janisch
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Exclusive: Investigating Syria's civil war
How hardline rebels turned on activist Razan Zeitouneh
The disappearance of Razan Zeitouneh and her colleagues has been one of the greatest mysteries of the Syrian war – until today. DW's investigative unit hunted clues across six countries to track down the perpetrators
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Islamophobia in Germany and Europe
European Muslims face increased online and physical attacks
Muslims in Europe regularly experience threats, witness attacks and are the target of hate across national borders. Now the Council of Europe, the continent's leading human rights organisation, is to examine the problem and make recommendations to policymakers on how they can better tackle Islamophobia. By Christoph Strack