Al-Azhar
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Preaching Ban for Islamists in Egypt
Controlling the Message
The interim government appointed by the Egyptian army is banishing Islamist preachers from mosques. But imams who are loyal to the regime are still allowed to combine religion and politics. By Markus Symank
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Muslim Art
The ''True'' Aesthetic of Islam
Does art have to be consonant with the religious dictates of Islam? In Egypt, orthodox and secular Muslims cannot agree on whether and what extent art should serve a moral purpose. By Joseph Croitoru
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Al-Azhar and Pan-Islamic Rationalism
The Demise of Islamic Centres of Moderation
The spread of extremism in Muslim societies in the past century can be attributed to a largely overlooked trend: the demise of religious institutions that once had global reach. Focusing on Egypt's Al-Azhar university, Hassan Hassan takes a look into the matter
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The decline of Islamic scientific thought
Don't blame it on al-Ghazali
Academics are correct in pinpointing the exact period in which Muslims began turning away from scientific innovation – the 11th century – but in Abu Hamid Al Ghazali they have identified the wrong person. By Hassan Hassan
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Controversy Surrounding the Al-Zaytuna Mosque in Tunis
The Ambivalent Revival of Islamic Traditions
Among the signs of a gradual cultural turnaround in the countries of the Arab Spring is the conflict that has been simmering for several months regarding the revival of the old Islamic school at the Al-Zaytuna Mosque in Tunis. By Joseph Croitoru