Sharia
All topics-
The introduction of Sharia in Brunei
The sultan's new laws
The tiny sultanate of Brunei is the first country in South-East Asia to officially impose Islamic Sharia law at national level. Roxana Isabel Duerr considers what this means for Brunei and the development of Islam in the region
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Interview with Islam scholar and legal expert Mathias Rohe
No cultural or religious "rebates" in German courts
On 24 March 2014, a court in Wiesbaden sentenced a 23-year-old German of Afghan origin to life in prison for the murder of his pregnant ex-girlfriend. In their ruling, the judges made reference to the cultural background of the accused. Eren Güvercin spoke to legal scholar and expert on Islamic law Prof Mathias Rohe about this controversial case
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Interview with Angelika Neuwirth
"The claim that Islam lacks an Enlightenment is an age-old cliche"
In this interview with Anna Alvi and Alia Hübsch, Prof. Angelika Neuwirth says that the claim that Islam lacks an Enlightenment is an age old cliché, and that it is pride in the Enlightenment that continues to lead people to believe that Western Culture is superior to Islam
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Islamic environmentalism
The call to eco-jihad
Gradually – and unnoticed by most Muslims – Muslim intellectuals and scholars have, since the late 1960s, been developing an Islamic environmental theology. Their aim is to examine green principles such as sustainability, environmental protection, animal welfare, and biodiversity in terms of their compatibility with Islam. By Monika Zbidi
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Muslims in Germany
Nice and Mild Sharia
Muslims should engage and transform this society. This would require them, however, to overcome the fear of being liked by some. Or is the only good Muslim a rejected Muslim? An essay by Charlotte Wiedemann
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Turkey
Growing Popularity of Islamic Banks
Can religious faith, God and money ever be brought into a harmonious co-existence? Yes, they can, say the acolytes of Islamic banking. Islamic banks are becoming ever more popular in Turkey, even if not everyone is particularly enthusiastic about the development.
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Christians in Egypt
Persecuted and Forgotten
Anti-Christian violence is on the rise in Egypt. Although 45 churches and buildings were burned to the ground just a month ago, the Egyptian state is doing little to protect the country's Christians. By Markus Symank
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Interview with Egyptian Novelist Alaa al-Aswany
''Mubarak's Regime Remains Intact''
According to Egypt's renowned novelist Alaa al-Aswany, the Muslim Brothers' rule was a lesson for the country. "The idea of political Islam is now falling apart," al-Aswany asserts in this interview with Jannis Hagmann. But now, he warns, Mubarak's regime may try to take power again
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Islam and Democracy
Why 72 Per Cent of Indonesians Want Sharia
A Pew report states that 7 out of every 10 Indonesians want sharia law to be implemented. However, says Jennie S. Bev, author and columnist from Indonesia, there is no cause for alarm, considering the semantic differences in the use of the term sharia among Indonesians
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Interview with Medical Ethicist Ilhan Ilkilic
Inter-religious Dialogue on Matters of Health
Ilhan Ilkilic, a doctor, medical ethicist and scholar of Islam of Turkish descent, is the first Muslim to sit on Germany's National Ethics Council and regards this institution as an experiment that can boost inter-religious dialogue within German society. He spoke to Julie Schwannecke
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The Islamic Month of Ramadan
A Test of Willpower
In her reflective article, Kristiane Backer describes Ramadan as not only a period of renunciation and self-discipline, but also as a process of physical and spiritual cleansing. The Islamic fasting month of gives her a sense of closer proximity to God, writes the former MTV and NBC presenter, who converted to Islam
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Forced Marriage in Afghanistan
Suicide as a Final Resort
Up to 80 per cent of marriages in Afghanistan take place without the consent of the bride, who is often a minor. Many of these brides – particularly those who live in cities – see killing themselves as the only way out. Waslat Hasrat-Nazimi reports on this tragic state of affairs