Society

Gisbert Baarmann's Ring for Peace in the Luitpold Park, Lindau, Germany (photo: DW/C. Strack)

Interreligious dialogue

Like a UN General Assembly of religions

The Religions for Peace 10th World Assembly is the biggest meeting of religions taking place this year. Representatives of religious communities from 100 countries are currently meeting in the German town of Lindau at Lake Constance. The symbolism is huge. But the expectations are possibly even greater. By Christoph StrackMore

German president warns against using religion for political gains Interfaith dialogue: World Assembly of Religions comes to Lindau Abrahamic Teams and interfaith dialogue: Conquering prejudice face-to-face Qantara dossier: Dialogue of Religions

German-Iranian artist Parastou Forouhar

What it means to be Iranian these days

Whether in the news or on social media, what is currently penetrating the outside world from Iran depicts an all-encompassing crisis. For Iranians observing from the diaspora, this constitutes a scarcely tolerable new banishment into impotent speechlessness and helplessness. By Parastou ForouharMore

Economic policy in Iran: Rouhani′s inevitable failure Child trafficking in Iran: The agony of the destitute Interview with the Iranian artist Parastou Forouhar: "Their audacity leaves me speechless"

Jews and Muslims are not enemies (photo: Getty Images/AFP/J. F. Monier)

Jews and Muslims in dialogue

"Jews are being used to create anti-Muslim feeling"

Through their "Dialogue Perspectives" programme, the Ernst Ludwig Ehrlich and Avicenna academic foundations promote discourse between Jewish and Muslim scholarship holders. In an interview with Ursula Russmann, Rachel de Boor and Hani Mohseni talk about new alliances between their communities – and why the majority of society wants to see devout Jews, but liberal MuslimsMore

Abrahamic Teams and interfaith dialogue: Conquering prejudice face-to-face Germany appoints an anti-Semitism commissioner: Moving in the right direction Anti-Semitism: There is no tradition of anti-Semitism in Islam

African migrants crowded into a room in a refugee detention centre in Libya (photo: Getty Images/AFP/T. Jawashi)

Migration in North Africa

Refugees in Libya face "catastrophic" conditions

Facing the risk of exploitation, violence and torture, aid groups warn Libya is not a safe country for refugees. They argue that is reason enough for the EU not to send asylum-seekers back to the country. By Jeannette CwienkMore

Civil war in Libya: U.S. undermining "any hope for a successful political process"European-Libyan relations: Whom to trust when it comes to Tripoli?Internecine struggles: Libyaʹs free for all

The mountainside on the outskirts of Marib reads "IDPs camp – Sanaa Consortium for Relief" (photo: Ahmed Nagi)

A city like Marib

Rising above the Yemen conflict

With the Yemen conflict now in its fourth year, Ahmed Nagi, a Yemeni scholar visited the city of Marib and found that, against all odds, people are using their resilience and ingenuity to survive the devastation of warMore

Bearing the brunt of the war: Yemeni families in dire straits Bushra al-Maqtariʹs "Voices from a forgotten war-torn country": Yemenʹs chronicles of death and destruction untold Helping the Middle Eastʹs war-wounded: The hospital for all wars

South Korean boy group Super Junior (photo: picture-alliance/dpa)

Music and human rights in Saudi Arabia

To perform or not to perform?

International pop artists like K-pop group Super Junior are hugely popular in Saudi Arabia. But should international stars shun the Gulf monarchy because of its poor record on human rights? And if they do choose to perform there, are they indirectly supporting the country's repressive policies? By Nermin IsmailMore

Saudi Arabia's hip-hop scene: Rapping the Kingdom Saudi Arabia′s entertainment offensive: Not to be taken lightly Saudi Arabia: Janadriyah Festival of Culture: A population ruled by fear

Muslims gather at the Sharif Dargah shrine in the Indian pilgrimage town of Ajmer (photo: AFP/Getty Images)

India, Modi and the Muslim minority

"Not yet a Hindu Pakistan"

Many regard Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist policies as an attack on India's pluralism. But does that mean they must be completely discounted? Marian Brehmer reports from AjmerMore

Hindu nationalist election victory in India: Modiʹs credo of divide and rule Interview with writer Rahman Abbas: Overcoming Indiaʹs social divide Freedom of speech under threat in India: An army of Hindutva trolls

Cover of Monika and Udo Tworuschka's book "Der Islam. Feind oder Freund? 38 Thesen gegen eine Hysterie" (source: Kreuz Verlag)

Islam in Germany

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 on The politicisation of Islam scholarship in Europe: Muslims under scrutiny Non-fiction: Ferda Atamanʹs "Iʹm from here. Stop asking!": Less strident, more empathetic, please!

Sufism in Iran

Finding joy in times of trouble

Islamic mysticism from the Sufi tradition is experiencing a renaissance in Iran – much to the irritation of the Mullahs. In recent years, tensions between Sufis and the orthodoxy have escalated into tangible enmity. By Elisabeth KiderlenMore

Qantara dossier: Topic: Mysticism | Sufism Sufism: Lifting the lid Interview with Islamic scholar and philosopher Abdolkarim Soroush: "The Sufis were prophets of pluralism"

ABAAD demonstration at the Beirut International Marathon (photo: ABAAD)

Women's rights in Lebanon

Campaign exposes "victim-blaming" attitudes to rape

Most abusive and discriminatory acts against women and girls in Lebanon are the direct result of unequal treatment of men and women within the Lebanese law and the influence of a patriarchal society that thrives on the control and oppression of women. By Narod HaroutunianMore

Women′s rights in the Arab world : No house room for criminals Domestic violence against women in Lebanon: Protection, yes, but not enough Human rights in Lebanon: Kafala and its ʹcommoditiesʹ

Postcard showing the Hotel Majestic in Tunis in the 1930s (source: Wikipedia)

Book review: Daniel Speck's "Piccola Sicilia"

Little Sicily in North Africa

With "Piccola Sicilia", Daniel Speck proves himself to be a great storyteller and intercultural bridge builder. This family saga also spotlights a little-known chapter of Tunisian history: the German occupation of the country in 1942/1943 and the fate of Tunisia's Jews. By Martina SabraMore

The Jewish community in Tunisia: "Everything is ok; we don't have any problems"Book review: Cecile Oumhaniʹs "Tunisian Yankee": Life is elsewhere Muslims who saved Jews during World War II: The forgotten Schindlers

Operation in a hospital run by Medecins sans Frontieres in Amman (photo: Philipp Breu)

Helping the Middle Eastʹs war-wounded

The hospital for all wars

In a Jordanian clinic, doctors have been treating patients from across the Middle East for more than a decade. It's a place that has seen the suffering caused by five wars. Philipp Breu paid the hospital a visitMore

Disabled refugee children in Jordan: The lesser-known victims of war Syria's civil war: The emotional scars of the refugee children Bushra al-Maqtariʹs "Voices from a forgotten war-torn country": Yemenʹs chronicles of death and destruction untold

Visiting the Jewish Musazadeh family in Tehran (photo: Jan Schneider)

The Islamic Republicʹs Jewish minority

Celebrating Sabbath in Iran

Iran is home to the largest Jewish community in the Muslim world. Jan Schneider visited the Jewish Musazadeh family in Tehran to share in their Sabbath celebrationsMore

Judaism in Iran: The minority perspective: ″Jews and Muslims respect each other″Uneasiness among Iran's Jews: The dilemma of choosing between integration and emigration Exhibition: "The Story of Iran and the Jews": Light and shadows

Religions for Peace festival in Osnabruck in September 2017 (photo: DW/C. Strack)

Interfaith dialogue

World Assembly of Religions comes to Lindau

This August nine hundred representatives from 17 religions will attend a major conference in Lindau on Lake Constance. The goals: foster dialogue and promote peace initiatives. By Christoph StrackMore

Qantara dossier: "Dialogue of Religions"Abrahamic Teams and interfaith dialogue: Conquering prejudice face-to-face Berlinʹs House of One: Offering a triune solution

Iraqis celebrate the re-opening of the Green Zone, home to government buildings and Western embassies, on 10 December 2018 in the capital Baghdad (photo: Getty Images/AFP/A. Al-Rubaye)

Iraq post-Islamic State

Baghdadʹs new era of freedom

With Islamic State out of the picture, the people of Iraq are breathing a sigh of relief. The recent re-opening of Baghdadʹs Green Zone to all traffic is just one indication that times are changing. Judit Neurink reports from Baghdad.More

Birgit Svensson's biographical account "Murderous Freedom": Between heaven and hell – fifteen years in Iraq Baghdad City of Peace Carnival: Grassroots, green shoots A new quality of civil unrest: Is Iraq steering towards post-sectarianism?

Church of Saint Merry, Paris (photo: Mbzt; Wikimedia.org, Creative Commons 3.0 Unported Licence)

Nuit Sacree 2019 in Paris

"No-one has a monopoly on transcendence"

On Pentecost weekend – for the fourth year in a row – numerous musicians and religious leaders of various faiths came together in the Parisian parish of Saint Merry to send out a message of peace in the face of religious fundamentalism. Zahra Nedjabat reportsMore

La Nuit Sacree official website Abrahamic Teams and interfaith dialogue: Conquering prejudice face-to-face Berlinʹs House of One: Offering a triune solution Qantara dossier: Dialogue of religions

Protest in Tunis in spring 2012 against the conservative Islamic Ennahda party (photo: Aya Chebbi)

Women's rights in the Middle East

Feminists in Tunisia claim civic space

In 2011, the Tunisian people overthrew their authoritarian regime after decades of oppression. The fact that women were at the forefront of this movement was soon noticed by the international community, challenging the widespread preconception of a region devoid of womenʹs activism. By Aya ChebbiMore

Islam and women's rights in Tunisia: Equality in danger Qantara dossier: "Women in the Islamic world"Souad Abderrahim: Mayor of Tunis: The "Sheikha", the city and its problems

Participants in a minute of silence to commemorate the fifteenth anniversary of the NSU Keupstrasse nail bomb attack in Cologne, during which 22 people were injured, four of them seriously (photo: Roberto Pfeil/dpa)

15 years since the neo-Nazi NSU attack in Cologne

Germanyʹs constitution turns 70 – sorry, what happened on Keupstrasse?

Anyone mentioning Cologneʹs Keupstrasse and radicalisation in the same breath cannot simply brush the matter of NSU terrorism under the carpet. Commentary by Sonja HegasyMore

Verdict in neo-Nazi NSU trial: The shredding of Germanyʹs democracy The victims of the neo-Nazi NSU murder spree Qantara dossier: "NSU trial"

Slogans relating to the Atheist Moroccan Republic (source: YouTube screenshot)

Atheism in the Arab world

Moroccoʹs atheists find a home on the Internet

The Internet has made it possible for some to declare and even to promote their atheism by criticising Islam and other religions. Ismail Azzam spoke to some young Moroccans who have left their Muslim faith behindMore

Atheism in the Arab World: The dictators' scourge: Of 'heresy' and humanists Atheism in Saudi Arabia: God's own country Islam in the Middle East: The curse of religiosity

Journalist and author Ferda Ataman (photo: private)

Non-fiction: Ferda Atamanʹs "Iʹm from here. Stop asking!"

Less strident, more empathetic, please!

"I'm from here. Stop asking!" is the title of a recently published book in German by journalist Ferda Ataman. It contains quite a lot of appeals, summarises the latest debates on migration – and ignores the problems faced by an open society. By Canan TopcuMore

Non-fiction: Aladin El-Mafaalani's "Das Integrationsparadox": Demanding a seat at the table The integration litmus test: Success for some means failure for others Integration in Germany: Finally growing up

Re-educating the Uighurs in Xinjiang

The BBC gains rare access to the vast system of highly secure facilities thought to be holding more than a million Muslims in China’s western region of Xinjiang.More

Asma Afsaruddin: Contemporary Muslims and the challenge of modernity

Muslim worshippers perform Eid ul-Fitr prayers at the Grand Mosque in the Saudi holy city of Mecca on 4 June 2019 (photo: Getty Images/AFP)

Contrary to popular belief, Muslims are firmly a part of the modern world and are grappling with the challenges of modernity in myriad ways. Many of them are navigating modernity’s sometimes uncharted waters with creativity and imagination, re-engaging with their tradition and revisiting their history.More

Citizenship and belonging in Germany

From the academic research of Naika Foroutan to people’s opinions off the street, we went on a hunt to figure out who is a “real German.” Listen to this array of voices talk about identity in a way that you may even be able to relate to personally.More

Female architects on the rise in the Middle East

Taking inspiration from the success of star architect Zaha Hadid, who died in 2016, a new batch of ambitious female architects is hoping to take the region by storm.More

What does it mean to be a Muslim woman?

Mariam Khan, editor of "It's Not About The Burqa", and three of the book's contributors answer questions from 'Which Muslim woman inspires you the most' to 'What is one thing people need to know about being a Muslim woman?'More

BBC Reel: The synagogue cared for by Muslims

Still from "The Synagogue cared for by Muslims" (source: BBC)

In India after World War Two, the city of Calcutta was home to 5,000 Jews. Muslims there have been the caretakers of synagogues in India for generations. Kalpana Pradhan reports.More

"Eco-mosque" opens for prayers in Cambridge, UK

The architects behind the UK's "first green mosque" say the building will be a "cultural bridge" for Islam in Britain in the 21st century. Cambridge Central Mosque, in Mill Road, cost £23m and has capacity for 1,000 worshippers. The mosque opened for prayers after more than a decade in the planning.More

Sermon given by Imam Gamal Fouda of the Al Noor mosque in Christchurch

Imam Gamal Fouda addresses Friday prayers at Hagley Park in Christchurch, New Zealand, on 22 March 2019 (photo: picture-alliance/AP Photo/M. Baker)

It is one week since the deadly attacks on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand. Imam Gamal Fouda of the Al Noor mosque gave this sermon during Friday prayers held in Hagley Park.More

Jose Casanova: The principles of religious pluralism

Specifying three principles, religious sociology expert Jose Casanova from Georgetown University argues that tolerance needs to begin with the recognition of religious diversity and plurality.More

Berlin's first public Arabic library

Meet the Syrian student keeping Arabic culture alive in the heart of Berlin.More

Iran's dating revolution

In a country bound by strict Islamic law, more Iranians than ever before are staying single. The government is so concerned that it has set up an online dating agency. Shaunagh Connaire went to Tehran in 2016 to find out about dating, Iranian style.More

Palestinian-American chef Reem Assil: "Creating a sense of belonging"

In this episode of Cooking in America, Sheldon Simeon is in the kitchen with chef Reem Assil, sampling some typical Palestinian cuisine at Dyafa in Oakland, California.More

The once mighty Tigris and Euphrates

For thousands of years, two famous rivers, the Tigris and Euphrates, made Iraq one of the most fertile regions in the Middle East. These days, the future of both rivers is in danger.More

Salafism in Germany: What you need to know

Salafists prepare to demonstrate at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin (photo: picture-alliance/dpa/W. Steinberg)

Salafism has a long history, with a path stretching from the Prophet Muhammad and the first three generations of Muslims all the way to present-day Germany. We take a look at this multifaceted movement of Islam.More

"Us and them: Diversity, division and a world of difference"

Open societies and liberal democracies are no longer merely ideas: they have become reality, argues Aladin El-Mafaalani in his lecture on "Open society and social closure".More