Mysticism | Sufism
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Introducing Sufism
A longing deep within us
Islam thrives on diversity, something that is particularly apparent within its body of mystic practice, known as Sufism. In his new book, Marian Brehmer introduces us to the many forms of Islamic mysticism. By Lisa Neal
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Dialogue of cultures
Tarapzade – "Seek it in yourself"
Tayfun Guttstadt’s debut album “Tarapzade” is a cultural voyage of self-discovery through two seemingly opposite musical worlds. Marian Brehmer had a listen
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750th anniversary of Rumi’s death – Part 2
A message of love, tolerance and peace
How is Rumi’s legacy preserved in the Mevlevi order today? An interview with Sufi Master Hayat Nur Artiran from Istanbul. By Marian Brehmer
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750th anniversary of Rumi’s death – Part 1
Seeking the essence of life
Seven-and-a-half centuries after the death of Muslim mystic poet Rumi, his verse has lost nothing of its profundity and transformative power. By Marian Brehmer
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"Sufi Hotel" by Juergen Frembgen
Karachi's hidden underbelly
Juergen Wasim Frembgen's new book "Sufi Hotel" is a milieu study of Karachi's underworld that shines a light on a totally unfamiliar side of Pakistan. Marian Brehmer read it for Qantara.de
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Freedom of speech in Pakistan
Islamabad's shift towards Islamism
By curtailing free speech and doubling down on blasphemy laws, Islamabad is endangering its relationship with Europe and the United States, argues Kunwar Khuldune Shahid
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The future of Islamic mysticism
Is Sufism under threat?
Sufis today are under attack from fundamentalists and modernists alike. At the same time, a new form of Sufism is emerging in the West. By Marian Brehmer
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Sufism in Egypt
Cairo's mystic revival
Egyptian Sufis have been on the defensive against the country's Islamists for decades. Meanwhile, interest in mysticism is growing among the young members of Cairo’s middle and upper classes. By Marian Brehmer
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Forced marriage in Turkey
Turkish state fails child bride in sect marriage
All eyes in Turkey are on a court hearing scheduled for January 30 into a child abuse case that allegedly occurred with the knowledge of one of Istanbul's most powerful Islamic sects. The little girl was failed by the state not once, but several times. Ayse Karabat reports
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Marking the anniversary of Rumi's death in Konya
From traditional to lifestyle Sufism
In 1925, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk had the Sufi orders shut down. In modern-day Konya, the city council uses whirling dervishes in its marketing campaigns. Marian Brehmer on Islamic mysticism in Turkey
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New release to mark 750th anniversary of Rumi's death
Complete edition of the "Masnavi" in German
For the first time ever, a complete edition of Rumi's "Masnavi" has been published in German in verse. At the Sufi Festival in Hamburg in late November, Marian Brehmer met translator Otto Hoeschle and spoke to him about the significance of this masterpiece of Islamic mysticism
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Hasan al-Banna and the Muslim Brotherhood
Who was the architect of Islamism?
Renowned scholar of Islamic Studies Gudrun Kramer has just published the first well-founded biography of Hasan al-Banna, founder of the Muslim Brotherhood. Joseph Croitoru read the book