Canada
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Pakistan and sectarianism
The enemy within
Pakistan′s generals blame their country′s cycle of political violence, including a recent bombing in the Baluch capital of Quetta, on groups in Afghanistan. The focus on external enemies complicates efforts to reduce political violence, ease inter-communal strains and facilitate easing of tensions with Pakistan′s neighbours. By James M. Dorsey
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Interview with the Egyptian poet Iman Mersal
Crossing a universal threshold
Iman Mersal, part of Egypt′s 90s generation, is one of the most interesting voices in contemporary Arabic poetry. Her work has been translated into more than a dozen languages, with poems from her much-awaited ″Until I Give Up the Idea of Houses″ (2013) currently being rendered into English by Robyn Creswell. Interview by Marcia Lynx Qualey
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Chronicle of a war foretold
Redefining the "Syrian" conflict
The war waging in Syria, hijacked by opposing ideologies just months after it began, has had an irrevocable impact on the Syrian people. Although not much is heard of Syrians outside the refugee camps, Americans, Europeans, Russians, Turks, Iranians, and Arabs hold meeting after meeting to agree and disagree, coalesce and collide, in an attempt to halt the ″Syrian conflict″. By Hakim Khatib
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Interview with Ingrid Mattson
″Muslim youngsters need genuine role models″
Muslim youngsters are often unsure as to the real nature of Islam. They need role models within their own communities who are prepared to stand up with self-confidence to extremist ideologies. Ingrid Mattson, a Canadian scholar in Islamic Studies and former president of the largest Muslim organisation in Northern America, spoke to Claudia Mende
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Islamic banking
Seattle's initiative has Muslims hopeful
Seattle’s city council is launching a programme of Sharia-compliant loans with the aim of improving the long-term prospects of the local Muslim community. Those forced to live in high-cost rental property are now in a position to consider the alternatives. By Joseph Mayton
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Juergen Habermas awarded Kluge Prize for Philosophy
″Asylum is a human right″
What holds society together and what's our role in it? Philosophers Juergen Habermas and Charles Taylor have recently been honoured in the US for their work on these issues. By Klaus Kraemer and Stefan Reccius
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Combatting Islamic State
Foreign fighters ″crusade″ against IS
IS may have proved adept at attracting foreign nationals to its cause, but many have also joined up to fight the pseudo caliphate. And there′s no lack of religious fervour among the ranks either – some see it as their Christian duty. By Manar Ammar
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Eco-Islam: Noor al-Hussein speaks out
Islam, faith and climate change
The Islamic Declaration on Climate Change, endorsed in August by Islamic scholars from around the world, calls on countries to phase out greenhouse gas emissions and switch to 100% renewable energy. With 1.6 billion Muslims worldwide, the collective statement sends a strong signal ahead of the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit later this month, and the UN Climate Change Conference in Paris in December. By Noor al-Hussein, Queen of Jordan
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Anti-Muslim sentiment in Canada and the US
Playing on people's fears
North America has seen an alarming number of anti-Muslim attacks in recent months. With elections coming up in both Canada and the US in the next two years, Richard Marcus takes a look at the context of these attacks and the reactions to them