Qantara.de - Dialog mit der islamischen Welt

The wealth of cultural sites strewn throughout present day Syria and Iraq bear ample witness to the fact that this area was once revered as the cradle of civilisation – sadly, many of these sites have fallen victim to war, violence and looting. By Mey DudinMore

Some regard the fanatical and raging tide currently sweeping through Arab societies as variations of a "latent Daesh-isation". Indeed, argues Khaled Hroub, despite falling short of the use of violence or arms, in its most extreme form, its ideological principles and convictions share common ground with the heinous beliefs of Islamic StateMore

It has been said that ignorance is the fuel of animosity. Indeed, over the years the historical rift between Sunnis and Shias, heightened by various misconceptions relating to a number of key Shia tenets, has served to exacerbate existing tensions in the Middle East. In his article, Mohamed Yosri attempts to de-bunk some of the mythsMore

What role did homoeroticism play in Islamic poetry written between the 13th and 15th centuries? We need look no further than Rumi and Babur. By Melanie Christina MohrMore

Mathias Enard has written a magnificent novel about Europe’s fascination with the Orient. Awarded France’s prestigious Prix Goncourt, the multi-layered and astounding book is the story of a great unfulfilled love, but above all a plea for cultural dialogue. Ulrich von Schwerin read the bookMore

In the second part of his essay on secularism in the Islamic world, Saudi analyst Khalid al-Dakhil addresses the ready confusion, found particularly in Islamic writings, of secularism as a concept and separating religion and the state as a legal-political reality. What is the difference?More

In his essay, the renowned Shia theologian and philosopher Hasan Yousefi Eshkevari considers the significance of political power and violence in Islamic systems of governmentMore