A heated debate is raging in the Islamic world about whether the religious and political spheres in Islam are one and the same. Before this matter can be settled, the terms "religion" and "state" have to be clarified, says Syrian writer Morris Ayek. This, he says, is the only way to avoid misunderstandingsMore
However they may appear in their early stages, Arab civil wars are wars between kinsfolk. The social group becomes partisan, whether sectarian, tribal, party political or ethnic. Whatʹs more, argues Morris Ayek, Arab civil wars have no endMore
Syrian writer Morris Ayek is critical of those who claim that when it comes to human rights, Islamic countries are "culturally distinct" from the rest of the world. In his opinion, this discourse directly contradicts the universality of Islamic valuesMore
On the Indonesian island of Java, one librarian has started a mobile library, lending books to children in exchange for plastic rubbish. The idea is that they will learn to take pride in their environment and read more at the same time. By Julie Huehnken
