Why resort to bans on specific religious practices, when we live in an age and a form of society where one can open oneself to permanent processes of education? If piety and self-determination are to be brought into line with a liberal, democratic society, argues Emel Zeynelabidin, then other measures must be appliedMore
Amid the increasing complexity of the Syrian conflict, a growing number of "critical citizens" are assigning greater credibility to conspiracy theories on the Internet than to UN investigations that are required to meet scientific standards. Essay by Kristin HelbergMore
In the new Cold War between the USA and the Islamic Republic the theocracy is taking on the status of the defunct Soviet Union, writes Ali Sadrzadeh. Tehranʹs powerbrokers have, however, come up with several strategies to counter Trump's tightened sanctions policyMore
Principled leaders on the world stage need to reinforce the rules on which we all depend, sending a clear signal that what happened in Istanbul is not acceptable. Otherwise, we will effectively be giving up the discourse of values and rules – a decision that could well leave us with no coherent and stabilising discourse at all, argues Ana PalacioMore
The constant state of denial that is a feature of the Egyptian urban middle class and the Sisi regime shores up a deeply paradoxical ideological construct, argues Maged Mandour, where repression is deemed necessary, yet must remain covertMore
Syrian historian Nasser Rabbat argues that the Arab Spring resulted mainly from social imbalance and the misery of large sections of the population within the Arab world. Moreover, as long as economic inequality persists, these states will continue to be plagued by instabilityMore
A destabilised Turkey is the last thing Europe needs. Regardless of what one thinks about Erdogan, more important things are at stake: peace and stability in south-eastern Europe and the future of Turkish democracy. Essay by Germanyʹs former foreign minister Joschka FischerMore
The mob in Chemnitz had a lot in common with the neo-Nazis, Ku Klux Klan followers and other extremists who caused mayhem a year ago in Charlottesville, Virginia, writes Ian BurumaMore
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
Anti-Semitism continues to be a serious problem. But it is also being used as a blanket rebuke of anyone who criticises Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories, says Ofer WaldmanMore
A militia mentality has gripped many Arab states. Today it seems that the regionʹs authoritarian regimes are resorting to methods more commonly associated with gangs and armed clans, says Kuwaiti analyst Shafeeq Ghabra.More
The bias against Muslims is growing. In Europe they are increasingly seen as interlopers, against whom people must defend themselves. This pattern is not entirely new, as Stefan Buchen reveals in his essayMore
Since 1945, Indonesia has pursued its own state ideology of Pancasila, characterised by religious tolerance and social justice. Following the failure of the Arabellion, it could serve as a role model for democratic re-birth in many Arab states, writes Abhishek MohantyMore
The criticism of Ilkay Gundogan and Mesut Ozil for meeting with Erdogan is justified, but the debate is about more than just human rights in Turkey. The real question is: how diverse does Germany want to be? Essay by Rene WildangelMore
Some are suggesting that Muslims are bringing anti-Semitism to Europe. However, it was in fact Europeans who took anti-Semitism to the Arab world in the first place. Diplomats in particular played an contemptible role. An essay by Professor Peter WienMore
According to essayist and media scientist Khaled Hroub, the United States may be talking to North Korea, but it is actively seeking war between Saudi Arabia and IranMore
Saudi Arabiaʹs decision to allow women to serve in the military has been widely celebrated as a step forward for gender parity in the notoriously unequal kingdom. Yet the battle for real equality within the military is just beginning. By Quratulain FatimaMore
In this essay, Libyan author Faraj Alasha explains how Arab autocrats use tribal logic to run institutions of state, turning political parties into family clubs and loyalty to the country into loyalty to the head of the ruling clanMore
Fifteen years ago, on 20 March 2003, the United States and its allies invaded Iraq. Iraqi novelist and poet Sinan Antoon describes the pain of watching his country disintegrate in the aftermath, made all the more acute since the perpetrators of this "colossal mistake" are still at largeMore
The protests in Iran, like those elsewhere, express the populationʹs grave socio-economic concerns and discontent over the regimeʹs reform plans. Report by Iranian sociologist Amin BozorgianMore
Behind a suffocating political system and inquisitive cliches, Iranian youth dream of a break with the system while proudly defending their culture. By Gwenvaël Engel
The people who shaped Islamic civilisation
Chase Robinson's new book "Islamic Civilisation in Thirty Lives" is an elegant digest of the many colourful, creative and technologically innovative manifestations that the Prophet Muhammad inspired from his seventh-century oases in the Arabian peninsula, reminding us that Islam is less a nihilistic creed than a global civilisation.More
Qantara dossier: Islamic State
What are the ideological goals of "Islamic State"? And what recruitment and media strategies does the terror militia use in the Islamic region and in the West? In our dossier, we provide information about these strategies through numerous interviews, analyses, background articles and videos.More
Neheda Barakat: Let's banish the term 'Arab world'
Labelling 381 million people from 22 countries as monolithic ‘Arabs’ is misleading and inaccurate. With conflicts raging on in Syria, Palestine, Yemen and Iraq and a diaphanous calm in the rest of the Middle East, the language we use is not only hindering our understanding of the issues in the region, it is also misguiding strategic policies.More
Online magazine Jadaliyya
Featuring contributions by writers from the Islamic world, the independent online magazine "Jadaliyya" is published by the Arab Studies Institute.More
Sadiq Khan speaks out against Islamist terror: "You will not divide us"
On Saturday, Mayor Khan addressed an audience of thousands at London′s 11th annual Eid ul-Fitr celebration in Trafalgar Square for the first time since taking office. He called for peace, unity and an embrace of religious freedom and diversity, describing this as one of London′s great strengths. He pledged zero tolerance of hate crimes, reports of which have risen in the wake of the EU leave vote, and he denounced ″criminals who do bad things and use the name of Islam to justify what they do″.More
Muslims: in defence of religious freedom and the German constitution
Muslims in Germany have launched a petition calling on all citizens of Germany to support the German legal system, especially the German constitution and its protection of religious freedom.More
Fethullah Gulen: from partner to arch-enemy
Moderate or radical? Fethullah Gulen's followers inside Turkey were once widely regarded as a critical force in aiding Erdogan and his moderate Islamist Justice and Development Party in bringing the military firmly under civilian control and in weakening the firm barrier between mosque and state.More
The first colour photos of the Middle East
These images of Middle Eastern cities, towns and attractions were taken during the 1890s. Colour was added manually to the black and white negatives using the Photochrom technique pioneered by Photoglob Zurich AG.More
Bosnia Herzegovina: Mosque of hope
It is over twenty years since the end of the war in Bosnia, yet many Muslims in Bosnia still feel alienated. A mosque destroyed by the civil war reopened recently.More
Jihad and homosexuality: a history of entanglement
At the heart of jihadist political violence are specific conceptualisations of gender and sexuality. Jihadism imagines a glorified militant masculinity that protects the Muslim world from the European threat and purifies its societies of internal decay.More
D+C Development and Cooperation
D+C Development and Cooperation is a website and a monthly print magazine that seeks to provide a credible forum of debate, involving governments, civil society, the private sector and academia at an international level. It contains interesting articles and reports on politics and society all over the world.More
The German Islam Scholar Lamya Kaddor
Why I as a Muslim Woman Don't Wear a Headscarf
Jordan and the influx of refugees
The true Samaritans
Muslims in Liberal Democracies
Why the West Fears Islam
The decline of Islamic scientific thought
Don't blame it on al-Ghazali
The Media and ''The Innocence of Muslims''
Against the Islamisation of Muslims
Turning away from Shia in Iran
''A Tsunami of Atheism''