South Africa

Country: South Africa

Riyad Mahrez of Algeria scoring against Nigeria in the semi final of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (photo: Getty Images/AFP/J. Soriano)

Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt

Politics casts a long shadow

This evening, Algeria will play Senegal in Cairo International Stadium in the final of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations. Joseph Hammond takes a look at how the football championship has unfolded for Egypt and its relevance for the country, which was not originally slated to host the competition at allMore

Qantara dossier: Football Egyptian football star Mohammed Aboutreika: Bridging a deep divide Egyptian football: Sun god, star, Mo Salah Moroccoʹs football star Mehdi Benatia: No defence against an own goal Iran at the 2018 FIFA World Cup: Battling on several fronts Marwa Zein's "Khartoum Offside": Football, film and freedom in Sudan

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (photo: Reuters/T. Berkin)

Turkey and the Gulen movement

Erdogan seizes the school initiative

Since the attempted coup in Turkey, President Erdogan has been pressing foreign nations to hand over schools run by the Gulen movement. Although many countries have entrusted control of the schools to the Turkish Maarif Foundation, the controversial movement continues to enjoy protection. By Ulrich von SchwerinMore

The restructuring of Turkey: Filling the gap left by Gulen The Gulen movement and the failed coup in Turkey: Harmless is not the word The Gulen movement in Turkey: Creating an elite to lead the state

Muslim theologian Farid Esack

More than just an "Israel critic"

Some German commentators have labelled the South African theologian Farid Esack an "anti-Semite". But this over-simplification of his views on Israel does little justice to the intellectual and activist, who champions human rights and a liberal reading of Islam, says Daniel BaxMore

Interview with Farid Esack: "Pluralist societies are about give and take"Western involvement in the Middle East: A rotten legacy Qantara dossier: "Reform Islam"

Islamic scholar Ebrahim Moosa (photo: private)

Interview with the Islamic scholar Ebrahim Moosa

The reinvention of Islam

Concepts like apostasy or blasphemy reveal that Islamic theology is caught in a mode of imperial Islamic political thinking, says US-based scholar Ebrahim Moosa. What is needed is a process of critical appraisal. Moosa asks that Muslims rediscover the great lessons of diversity in their history rather than following the reductionist versions that masquerade as Muslim theology today. Interview by Claudia MendeMore

″Islamic State″: lessons learnt: What chance a Muslim reformation?Islamic theology: Turning over a new page Reforming Islam: Islam′s path to modernity Interview with Mouhanad Khorchide: "Religion seeks to touch people′s hearts"

Muhsin Hendricks (photo: Jannis Hagmann)

Interview with the South African imam Muhsin Hendricks

"Islam does give us leeway to think"

Muslim and gay? Most scholars consider homosexual acts unlawful – not so Muhsin Hendricks, who says that the Koran does not say that homosexuality is a sin. Jannis Hagmann spoke to the South African imam about Islam, homosexuality and Koranic interpretationMore

LGBT asylum seekers: A silent revolution Gay rights in Tunisia: Not illegal, but taboo Attitudes to sexuality among Muslim students in Germany: Challenging homophobia

Prof Farid Esack (photo: University of Johannesburg)

Interview with Farid Esack

"Pluralist societies are about give and take"

Farid Esack is a Koran scholar and Islamic liberation theologian from South Africa. He is one of the most renowned Islamic thinkers of our time. Claudia Mende spoke to him at the recent international "Horizons of Islamic Theology" conference in FrankfurtMore

Dispute about Prof Mouhanad Khorchide: A conflict of many layers Interview with Turkish theologian Ihsan Eliacik: The Koran and social justice Reformist theologians in Iran: The search for Montazeri's heirs Topic: Reform Islam

Country: South Africa

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