Mysticism | Sufism
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Sufism and Bollywood
A glittering antidote
Bollywood pop songs are currently fostering an Indian Sufi revival. Adored by millions, the music, spearheaded by A. R. Rahman, promotes a message of love and tolerance in the tradition of the Islamic mystics. By Marian Brehmer
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Africa's Muslims
Pawns of the Saudis
Rich Saudis are investing millions in building mosques in Africa. And they are being accused of using radical preachers to destabilise the region. But there has long been much more at stake on the African continent than proselytising. By Gwendolin Hilse
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Mosque attack in northern Sinai
Targeting the peacemakers
Openly critical of the culture of violence, the Sufis in northern Sinai have long been a thorn in the side of IS jihadists in the region. This begs the question as to why the Egyptian security forces did not take seriously the threats that were made against the Sufis and the mosque targeted in the recent attack. By Karim El-Gawhary
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Christoph Peters′ short story collection ″Selfie mit Sheikh″
Closer to the unknown
With great attention to detail and understated humour, Christoph Peters′ new short story collection revolves around Western Europe′s well-known longing for wisdom and spiritual experiences from the East. By Volker Kaminski
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Album review
″Love Party″ by Ya Tosiba: Sufi in the house
A wonderfully subversive and witty album, Ya Tosiba′s ″Love Party″ slyly pokes fun at authority and present day life in Azerbaijan. With electronics simulating traditional instruments from the region, it draws on the Sufi ′meyknana′ tradition for its lyrics. Review by Richard Marcus
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Album review
Ya Tosiba′s ″Love Party″: Sufi in the house
A wonderfully subversive and witty album, Ya Tosiba′s ″Love Party″ slyly pokes fun at authority and present day life in Azerbaijan. With electronics simulating traditional instruments from the region, it draws on the Sufi ′meyknana′ tradition for its lyrics. Review by Richard Marcus
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Interfaith dialogue in Albania
Loving their neighbours
Three houses of worship stand in close proximity – a mosque, a Catholic church and an Orthodox church: Elbasan's old town is a veritable symbol of religious tolerance in Albania. Extremists do not appreciate this image. By Lindita Arapi
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Sufi music under attack in Pakistan
As the sea of love recedes
In parts of modern Pakistan, being a qawwali musician is now a high-risk occupation. By intimidating those who play, listen or even dance to this devotional music, puritan hardliners in Pakistan are insulting and violating an indigenous culture that for centuries has celebrated love both earthly and divine, says Jurgen Wasim Frembgen
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India's resistance to the appeal of IS
No traction
In the international statistics documenting terror attacks inspired or orchestrated by the IS terror militia, India is nowhere to be found. And this despite the fact that owing to its demography and socio-economic conditions, the country with its 180 million Muslims should be fertile ground for foreign-controlled Islamist terrorism. By Ronald Meinardus in New Delhi
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″Touba″ – a film documentary
Pilgrimage to Sheikh Bamba
Director Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi's documentary film "Touba" is a chronicle of the largest Sufi pilgrimage in sub-Saharan Africa. A review by Marian Brehmer
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Islamists in Africa
The ever-present threat
Boko Haram in Nigeria, Al-Shabab in Somalia: Islamist groups dominate the image of Islam in Africa. Yet it is too simplistic to assert that Islam south of the Sahara is becoming more conservative as whole. By Daniel Pelz
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Copenhagen′s mosque led by women
When the muezzina calls
Friday prayers are regularly held in Europe′s first female-led mosque. In a further innovative step, a new Islamic academy for the training of female imams for Denmark is about to open its doors. Ulrike Hummel reports from Copenhagen