Qantara.de - Dialog mit der islamischen Welt

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 Marcus

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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. DorseyMore

There is violence in the name of Sharia, yet assertions by Muslims that this has nothing to do with genuine Islam seem fated to fall on deaf ears. A contribution to the debate by Cefli AdemiMore

With curricula still focusing on fighting Christians, the torments of the grave, not to mention children being burnt in Hell, a revolution in Islamic religious education would appear to be long overdue. Mousa Barhouma argues in favour of teaching pupils noble Islamic ideas and humane values without overtaxing their intellectual maturityMore

The clash between secular human-rights standards and Muslim religious doctrine mirrors the broader conflict between Islam and the West. An emerging school of Muslim thought is, however, demonstrating just how compatible Islam can be with modern society. An essay by Mohammad Fazlhashemi, professor of Islamic theology at Uppsala University in SwedenMore

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 More

Hassan al-Turabi is a man of many faces and one of the most dazzling personalities active in the sphere of political Islam. Over the course of his more than 40-year-long political career, he has surprised both supporters and critics alike with his frequent policy shifts. By Claudia MendeMore