It is truly encouraging to have stumbled upon this website and its the insightful articles. I am especially appreciative of the self-reflective, commentary on issues and challenges facing the Islamic world. Most encouraging is the nuanced and complex way in which these issues are engaged. No broad generalisations are made, and critical comments are made without whitewashing the many virtues of the Islamic world.

It is important for members of ethnic communities to feel comfortable to engage in reflective self-analysis and self criticism without feeling that negative commentary represents a rejection of their culture in its entirety. Most importantly, members of those culture should feel comfortable to engage in such dialogue ...More

on Across Continents, exchange of letters between Charlotte Wiedemann and Ghazala Irfan

Dear Editor,

What inspires me to write these lines is the very interesting discussion between Charlotte Wiedemann and Ghazala Irfan.

Responding to Charlotte's astonishment about the two extremes that can be notices in the women of Pakistan, Ghazala has particularly mentioned two factors:

1. Education
2. Uneven distribution of wealth (hence lack of education in the poor)

Although I agree with Ghazala's opinion but would like to add a few words.

It is not much different in the West when it comes to the gulf between the 'haves' and 'have nots', but the actual difference is that in the West, there exists a policy in education.

The ...More

on Evolution under Pressure, by Dorian Jones

It seems that in this struggle to understand how we humans got here, and what we should teach about it, Turkey has much in common with the U.S. State of Nebraska. There they presently have a law forbidding the teaching of evolution, but rather promote the teaching of "intelligent design". In that state a political struggle continues to try to liberalize educational thinking in order to pay cognizance to the Darwinian explanations.

I have been the beneficiary of both a devout theistic education and an in-depth science education so I can speak to those in the opposing groups with confidence. Scientists of limited theology often are attracted to atheism because the religionists (of ...More

on "We Should Take the Path of Religious Enlightenment", Interview with Hachem Saleh

I read your interview with Hachem Saleh with much interest and pleasure.

In a sense, Islam already has the seeds for its further development, namely the Sunna as well as Sharia, which would allow it to go beyond the Koran. Jurists have the foundations in disciplines such as theology that would enable them to interpret the Koran in light of contemporary situations.

Therefore I would like to expand the approach mentioned in the article for Sunna and for legal life (Sharia). Perhaps the possibility exists for the development of a new legal school with a religious enlightenment and reformation.

I experience Sharia more as the moral obligation of ...More

on Heritage of the Past and Chaos of the Present, by Ahmad al-Saadawi

Unfortunately, the article reported only on the university culture in Baghdad and in the Arab part of Iraq. I hope that this was not motivated by Arab nationalism! Everything functions in Kurdish universities as Arab students wish. They are politically mature and can demonstrate and express their opinions in public in order to realize their right to study. Due to the lack of religious "hypocrisy," there is more freedom and room for change in Kurdistan than in Baghdad or anywhere else in Iraq. Your pages should report a little more on what has succeeded in Iraq and not only on the disasters that existed in the ...More

on Mission of the Reformed, by Abdul-Ahmad Rashid

Dear neighbor in faith,

I gather from your article that the new organization of ex-Muslims wants to reform and enlighten.

I would like to say (as a Protestant Christian) that this modest undertaking will probably not be very successful, for reformations are only possible from within. That religions develop and have to discover themselves anew is quite normal.

This behavior of trying to provoke something by leaving reminds me of defiant children who hope to get affection or attention by walking or running away. This has happened to me even in an artists' organization over which I preside. You can only leave once, and then you have less influence than before. But if I value my ...More

on Green Light Is Signaled with an Export Credit Guarantee, by Antje Bauer

The Ilisu project is dubious not only on archaeological and political grounds. Much more serious is the fact that the region lies in a highly active earthquake zone; dams put a strain on the bedrock, and the resultant pressure also pushes water into the crevices of the rock. This increases the likelihood of slippage and, in turn, the risk of an earthquake.

That this is being secured with a Hermes guarantee is socially not very meaningful in this region of Kurdistan. Farmers are being resettled; they will probably migrate to the cities and increase social problems in the large eastern cities. ...More