Topic: Sharia

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Islamists protest the release of Asia Bibi in Pakistan (photo: AFP/Getty Images/A. Hassan)

Human rights in the Islamic world

Battle cry "blasphemy"

Many predominantly Muslim countries have penal laws against "blasphemy", "defamation of religion" and "apostasy". In practice they serve as highly effective weapons to settle personal animosities, family vendettas and land disputes. By Thomas KrapfMore

Abusing blasphemy legislation: Indonesia's slide towards identity politics'Finally free!' – Asia Bibi on Pakistan prison and life in exileInterview with the Islamic scholar Ebrahim Moosa: The reinvention of Islam
Palestinian studies the Koran in Khan Younis (photo: dpa/picture-alliance)

The Prophet and Sharia

Islamic family law reform – a question of interpretation

Equality in divorce, a ban on polygamy: reformers of Islamic family law have a clear agenda. They are exploiting the ambiguity of traditional jurisprudence. By Joseph CroitoruMore

Marriage, divorce and inheritance: Who should reform Egypt's personal status law, and how?Women's rights in Morocco: Gender equality on paper onlyBook review: Zahra Ali's "Islamic Feminisms": Female emancipation based on the spirit of Sharia
Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, grand imam of al-Azhar University (photo: picture-alliance/AP Photo/N. El-Mofty)

Marriage, divorce and inheritance

Who should reform Egypt's personal status law, and how?

"Personal status" is a modern category of Middle Eastern law grounded in Islamic religious teaching. Legislative authorities dip into centuries of religious scholarship to decide which interpretations of Sharia will be enforced by the state. Understandably, how it is done is as important as who does it. By Nathan J. BrownMore

President Sisi and Al-Azhar: Wresting religious authority from the Grand ImamIslam, Al-Azhar and the terrorists′ ideology: If the cap fitsInterview with Egyptian activist Nawal El Saadawi: "We are a hundred years behind"
Women belonging to the All India Muslim Personal Law Board protest against the triple talaq or instant divorce bill in 2018 (photo: picture-alliance/Pacific Press/S. Saha)

Instant Islamic divorce in India

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Triple talaq ban divides Muslims

Lawmakers have passed a bill to outlaw the centuries-old Muslim practice of instant divorce in India. While conservative Muslim sections slammed the move, liberal groups hailed it. Murali Krishnan reports from New DelhiMore

Islamic divorce law in India: Trouncing triple talaqIslam in India: Triple talaq: Goodbye and good riddanceMuslim talaq law in India: Divorce by email
Cover of Monika and Udo Tworuschka's book "Der Islam. Feind oder Freund? 38 Thesen gegen eine Hysterie" (source: Kreuz Verlag)

Islam in Germany

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Countering the Islamisation hysteria

Cliches, prejudices and half-truths shape the public image of Islam today. Published in German, "Islam. Friend or foe? 38 theses against hysteria" penned by religious scholars Monika and Udo Tworuschka counters the increasingly hysterical debate with sound argument. Interview by Lucy JamesMore

Germanyʹs Islam debate: The need to meet Islam critics head onThe politicisation of Islam scholarship in Europe: Muslims under scrutinyNon-fiction: Ferda Atamanʹs "Iʹm from here. Stop asking!": Less strident, more empathetic, please!
The discussion panel hosted by the ZMO with – from left to right – Bekim Agai, Charlotte Wiedemann, Ulrike Freitag, Mamadou Diawara and Claudia Derichs (photo: Anika Bussemeier)

Germanyʹs Islam debate

The need to meet Islam critics head on

At a recent Berlin event, researchers talked about how to achieve a more nuanced discussion on Islam and Muslims. Were academics more proactive about presenting their empirical findings in the public arena, Rene Wildangel argues, they could play a major role in countering populist disinformationMore

The politicisation of Islam scholarship in Europe: Muslims under scrutinyThe Reform Islam debate: Islam doesn′t need a Martin Luther!Reforming Islam: Show me the Sharia
French-Moroccan film director Nabil Ayouch (photo: picture-alliance/dpa)

Nabil Ayouchʹs "Razzia"

Soaked in sorrow

With his new film "Razzia", the French-Moroccan filmmaker Nabil Ayouch has once again turned to social criticism. Yet, his multi-perspective narrative about five misfortunate Moroccans never really takes off. By Schayan RiazMore

Nabil Ayouch's film "Much Loved": Sinner or saint?Nabil Ayouch's film ''God's Horses'': Ostracised and forgottenArab auteur film art: An authentic image of the Arab youth
Psychologist Burkhard Hofmann, author of "Und Gott schuf die Angst: Ein Psychogramm der arabischen Seele", And God created fear: A psychogram of the Arab soul (source: YouTube)

Burkhard Hofmann's "And God created fear"

A psychogram of the Arab soul

In "Und Gott schuf die Angst: Ein Psychogramm der arabischen Seele", psychologist Burkhard Hoffmann draws on his own caseload to present some of the uniquely Arab hang-ups plaguing individuals in the Gulf region, highlighting the urgent need of Islamic societies to recognise the value of psycho-anaylsis. Gunther Orth read the bookMore

Trauma in contemporary Arab literature: Translating oblivionTerrorism and repression in the Arab world: On Islam, anti-terrorism and fascismTyranny in the Islamic world: Keeping the tribe alive
Islam scholar Tariq Ramadan (photo: AFP/Getty Images)

Accusations against Tariq Ramadan

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Yet to be proven

Following allegations of sexual assault, police in France took renowned Islam scholar Tariq Ramadan into custody for questioning last Wednesday. Two women say he raped them. By Bachir AmrouneMore

Tariq Ramadan on the Swiss 'minaret ban': "Islam is a European religion"Interview with Tariq Ramadan: ''We Are Europeans''Tariq Ramadan: Europe's Muslim of choice
A woman stands at a barbed wire fence, in the background on the other side stands a crowd of people (photo: Benjamin Haas/Fotolia)

Islamic debate about human rights

The erroneous 'cultural distinction'

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

Political discourse in the Arab world: Last ditch democracyPolitical discourse in the Arab world: Defaming democracyThe Arab Spring in historical perspective: Revolutions take timeLiberalism in the Arab world: Merely treading water
Reporters wait outside the Supreme Court in New Delhi for the verdict on triple talaq (photo: Reuters)

Islam in India

Triple talaq: Goodbye and good riddance

India′s Supreme Court recently declared the Islamic practice of "instant divorce" to be anti-constitutional. The judges argued that since ″triple talaq″ is not an integral part of the Muslim faith, it is not subject to protection under the principle of religious freedom. Ronald Meinardus reports from New DelhiMore

Muslim talaq law in India: Divorce by emailIslamic divorce law in India: Trouncing triple talaqNearly all India's Muslim women reject "triple talaq" and polygamy
Abdullahi Ahmed An-Na'im (photo: scholarblogs.emory.edu/aannaim)

Interview with Abdullahi Ahmed An-Na'im

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"We are in the middle of a transformative process"

Islamic scholar Abdullahi Ahmed An-Na'im of the Emory University School of Law in Atlanta, USA, has done extensive research into the ways in which Sharia can be reconciled with the modern secular state. Claudia Mende spoke to him about the different faces of the secular, the separation of state and religion in early Islamic history and why he feels Muslims are in the middle of a reformation processMore

Abdullahi Ahmed An-Na'im: "The future of Sharia is the secular state"Interview with Islamic studies scholar Armina Omerika: "Muslims need new ways to approach their religious heritage"Qantara dossier: Reform Islam
Sunni clerics attend a ″Fighting Extremism and Terrorism″ conference at Al-Azhar in Cairo in 2014

Islam, Al-Azhar and the terrorists′ ideology

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If the cap fits

Whenever a country is the target of a terrorist attack, the issue of whether the perpetrators were linked to Islam rears its head. As Assem Hefny argues, questions regarding the relationship between Egypt′s Al-Azhar mosque and university, terrorism and ideological extremism – though hurtful – should not be dismissed out of handMore

Qantara.de dossier: Reform IslamThe Reform Islam debate: Islam doesn′t need a Martin Luther!Islam and religious freedom: Coercion leads to hypocrisy
Iranian women's rights activist and filmmaker Mahboubeh Abbasgholizadeh (photo: Facebook)

Interview with Iranian women's rights activist Mahboubeh Abbasgholizadeh

″No woman can be worse than Ahmadinejad″

On 19 May, Iranians will elect their next president. Once again, it will be a man. In interview with Mitra Shodjaie, women's rights activist Mahboubeh Abbasgholizadeh says this has to changeMore

Science in Iran: Headscarves and nanotechSexuality in Iran: Facing a "sex putsch"Iran following the death of Rafsanjani: On a knife edge
″Street Punk! Banda Aceh″ (source: mariabakkalapulo.com)

″Street Punk! Banda Aceh″ – a film documentary

Stage-diving from Mecca′s verandah

The acclaimed documentary ″Street Punk! Banda Aceh″ is the work of film-maker and journalist Maria Bakkalapulo and her producer partner Niall Macaulay. This heart-breaking yet empowering film reveals how young people are striving to hold on to their identities and fight for freedom in the face of religious stricture and fierce opposition. Interview by Richard MarcusMore

Radical Islam in Indonesia: Pluralism as provocationTeaching religious tolerance: Indonesia's "multicultural laboratories"Islam in Indonesia: Democratisation from below
Muslim women waiting to vote in India, 10.04.2014

Islamic divorce law in India

Trouncing triple talaq

Victims of what they regard as archaic family law, many of India's Muslims are fed up. With their cause now being championed, rather ironically, by the Hindu nationalist BJP, they are hoping for an end to what critics refer to as "religious apartheid″. By Ronald MeinardusMore

″Angry Indian Goddesses″: Fighting backMuslims in India: Nothing like equal opportunitiesIndia and Islamic State: Everything under control?

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