Mysticism | Sufism
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Spain and Ibn Arabi′s heritage
The great master of Murcia
Ibn Arabi was born 850 years ago in Murcia. The influence of this mystic on Islamic spirituality was second to none. Nevertheless, few in modern-day Spain have even heard of him. An account by Marian Brehmer
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Islam in Pakistan
The myth of the Muslim monolith
In Pakistan, a radical minority of Muslims has usurped the definition of "Islam". Since the 1980s, government policies have supported their radical and violent ideology, and the judiciary confirmed that trend. The bitter irony is that the militant groups that benefited from state action are now not only terrorising the people, but rising up against the state itself. By Maryam S. Khan
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Goethe and the Orient
Why did the poet's mind wander to far-off climes?
When Goethe compiled over 200 poetic works to create his West-East Divan in 1814 and 1815, the 60-year-old had already been fascinated with the Orient his whole life. But what made the poet's mind wander to far-off climes? By Melanie Christina Mohr
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Sufis in Afghanistan
The forgotten mystics of the Hindu Kush
Sufism has shaped Afghan society and politics for much of the country's history. Today, very few are aware of this legacy. Might the Sufis now provide an important contribution to the stability of the country? By Marian Brehmer
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Mercan Dede's album "Dunya"
Earth as an acoustic notebook
One man has changed the face of the Turkish music scene for good: Arkin Ilicali alias Mercan Dede. His new album, "Dunya", completes his cycle on the elements. Stefan Franzen introduces an exceptional musician and his latest work
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Interview with Vladimir Ivanoff of Ensemble Sarband
Creating a community of mindfulness and acceptance
Vladimir Ivanoff is the head of Ensemble Sarband. In this interview with Adelheid Feilcke, Ivanoff explains the motivation behind the ensemble's musical project "Passio – Compassio", which could be summed up as a call to each individual to try and overcome East–West differences and make relations between the two more bearable
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Book review: Jürgen Wasim Frembgen on Kohistan
With the wild men of Kohistan
Very few foreigners have ever ventured into Kohistan in the north of Pakistan, where the locals have a reputation of being barbarians. In his book "Das verschlossene Tal" (The Sealed Valley), the German ethnologist Jürgen Wasim Frembgen paints an exhilarating portrait of this mountain region. By Marian Brehmer
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Exchange between Christian, Jewish and Muslim Scholars
Exploring a Shared Heritage
Prof. Sabine Schmidtke, head of the Research Unit for the Study of Intellectual History in the Islamicate World at the Freie Universität Berlin, has a passion in life: working with ancient manuscripts. In the course of her work, she discovers common threads in the thinking of Christian, Jewish and Muslim scholars. Arnfrid Schenk takes a closer look at her work and its significance outside the academic world
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10th Anniversary of the Death of Annemarie Schimmel
Searching for the Inner Life of Islam
As one of the most eminent western scholars of Islam, Annemarie Schimmel is still held in high esteem in the Islamic world. But despite being a kind of a mystic herself, the German got entangled in the fraught relations between East and West. Ten years after her death, Stefan Wild takes stock of her life and work
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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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Islam in Bosnia
''We belong to the West, culturally and mentally''
Bosnia is entering a new phase in its history: the post-war era is over; communities and mosques have been rebuilt. But where are Bosnian Muslims heading in these turbulent times? Charlotte Wiedemann spoke to Ahmet Alibašić, lecturer at the Faculty of Islamic Studies in Sarajevo
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Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
The Voice of Unity
On the 15th anniversary of the death of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, the world can look back on an extraordinary musician. The "King of Qawwali" was a source of light in the often dark history of Pakistan. By Marian Brehmer