Extreme drought in Iraq has given German and Kurdish archaeologists the unique chance to examine an ancient Bronze Age city that was hidden beneath the water of a reservoir for decades. Experts believe the ruins could be those of the ancient city of Zachiku. It was a race against the clock to complete work before the city was once again covered by the reservoir's rising water level. By Alexander FreundMore
The Sufi Trail is a long-distance hiking route from Istanbul to Konya that seeks to revive the ancient tracks used by foot pilgrims on their way to Mecca. Marian Brehmer spoke to the trail's founder and hiking route developer Sedat CakirMore
Rumi's poems, though generally stripped of their Islamic symbolism, are hugely popular around the world. Yet Islamic mysticism is still very much at the heart of these verses. Marian Brehmer has spent more than ten years exploring the form Sufism assumes today. By Lisa NealMore
On a sun-blasted hillside in southeast Turkey, the world's oldest known religious sanctuary is slowly giving up its secrets. Gobekli Tepe, which means "Potbelly Hill" in Turkish, is arguably the most important archaeological site on EarthMore
Welcome to the underground! In Midyat, Turkey, the gateway to a huge underground city has been discovered. It was used for over 1900 years and could accommodate up to 70,000 people. Hannah Fuchs has the detailsMore
For over fifty years, British photographer Peter Sanders travelled across the Middle East and further afield, seeking out the saints of Islam. His work uncovers a little-known world. By Marian BrehmerMore
War has been raging in Yemen since 2015. Now some fear that Yemeni culture is also being hijacked by the warring parties. Whether it's coffee, particular species of bird or dragon trees, Yemenis have a lot to lose. By Dunja RamadanMore
No other Western poet was arguably so well-versed in the Koran or so fascinated by Islam as Germany's national hero, Goethe. In a new publication that examines all Goethe's writings relating to Islam, theologian Karl-Josef Kuschel shows that the poet's message is still highly relevant today. Stefan Weidner read the bookMore
Iran is far more modern than many people realise: our view is clouded by media distortion and the overriding political narrative. The nation’s historic and cultural riches are often overlooked. A declaration of love for Iran by Marian BrehmerMore
Report from a disintegrating world: the early Islamic buildings of Sanaa are suffering from the effects of climate change and war. This world heritage site could be lost forever. By Paul-Anton KrugerMore
Musicians from Morocco to Iraq have been crossing paths at the Oriental Summer Academy in south-western Germany for ten years. Matthias Wagner, who founded and directed the academy, recently passed away after a brief serious illness at the age of 68. An obituary by Stefan FranzenMore
Now that the COVID-19 crisis in Tunisia has abated, the government has lifted almost all restrictions. But the social consequences of the lockdown are still hitting the country hard. While social protests and strikes put pressure on the government, an increasing number of people are starting to see escape to Italy as the only way out. Sofian Philip Naceur reports from TunisMore
With "Holy Quarter" by Monira al-Qadiri, Munich’s Haus der Kunst gallery is showing a work by one of the Gulf region’s most significant contemporary artists, in an exhibition that runs until the beginning of June. By Claudia MendeMore
Two hundred years of the "West-Eastern Divan": "North and West and South shatter, thrones burst and empires tremble" – why Islam is part of German literature. By Heinrich DeteringMore
Timbuktu, the ancient desert city in Mali, has always been shrouded in myths. Charlie English’s "The book smugglers of Timbuktu" proves that the city has not lost its magic. By Dagmar WolfMore
In her book Susannah Heschel investigates the role of Islam in the emergence of a Jewish identity and seeks to pay tribute to the academic legacy of Jewish-German scholars of Islam of the 19th and 20th centuries. But the romantic narrative of a somewhat different kind of Orientalism has its pitfalls. By Ozan KeskinkilicMore
Those travelling to Iran will encounter a history and culture thousands of years old, impressive buildings, breath-taking nature – and overwhelming hospitality. By Felix Schlagwein
