Islam

The word “jihad” has become pervasive in English. The Western Right wing is trying to use the term to replace the Communist Manifesto as the ultimate in the threatening Other. It figures prominently in FBI charges against militants. It is often glossed as “holy war.” People, especially those who dislike Islam, think that it means […]

Buddhism

Army of Buddhist Burma made ‘Systematic’ Crackdown Plan for Muslim Rohingyas

AFP

Bangkok (AFP) – Myanmar’s military engaged in “extensive and systematic” preparations for a bloody crackdown on Rohingya Muslims, a rights group said Thursday, in a damning new report that it says justifies a genocide investigation. A bloody military campaign that started last August forced some 700,000 of the effectively stateless minority over the border into […]

Featured

New Light on the Arabian Religious Background of Islam?

Juan Cole

There is a key problem with our sources on early Islam. Aside from the Qur’an itself, all the sources we have were written down after the Abbasid Revolution of 750 against the Umayyads. The first author to compile a complete biography of Muhammad (d. 632), the chronicler Muhammad ibn Ishaq of Medina, was born around […]

Antisemitism

On how there is no Tradition of anti-Semitism in Islam

Peter Wien

College Park, Md. (Qantara.de) – Some are suggesting that Muslims are bringing anti-Semitism to Europe. However, it was in fact Europeans who took anti-Semitism to the Arab world in the first place. Diplomats in particular played an contemptible role. Holy books are what people make of them: after all, even the word of God needs […]

Featured

Muslim Clerics condemn Suicide Bombing, Targeting Civilians as Violations of Islamic Law

Juan Cole

The Associated Press reports that Indonesian President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo hosted a conference of 70 prominent Muslim clergymen from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Indonesia at the presidential palace in Bogor just south of Jakarta to combat extremism. The clergymen issued a joint fatwa or reasoned jurisprudential ruling declaring that suicide bombing is contrary to Islamic law. […]

Music

Pakistan’s Sufi music fights to be heard after singer’s Killing

AFP

By David STOUT | – – Karachi (AFP) – Nearly two years after Pakistan’s foremost qawwali singer Amjad Sabri was gunned down in Karachi, the devotional music of Islam’s Sufi mystical sect is struggling to survive, as fears of sectarianism and modern pressures slowly drown out its powerfully hypnotic strains. Thousands poured into the streets […]

Judaism

Tunisia: Muslim Religious Right endorses Jewish Candidate for Parliament

AFP

By Kaouther Larbi | – – Monastir (Tunisia) (AFP) – Decked out in a striking blue suit and white shirt, matching his political allegiance, Simon Slama rubs shoulders with fellow candidates ahead of Tunisia’s municipal elections. Nothing unusual about that — except he is the only Jewish candidate, standing for the Islamist Ennahdha party. AFP […]

Islam

Peace in Islam: Qur’an 73:10 on Patience as Tolerance

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Chapter 73 of the Qur’an, “The Robed” (Al-Muzammil), contains what is probably the earliest Islamic injunction to turn the other cheek. 8 Remember the name of your Lord and devote yourself to Him wholeheartedly– 9 the Lord of the East and the West. There is no god save He, so […]

Featured

Ultimate Hypocrisy: Saudi Crown Prince touts Religious Tolerance in NYC

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s charm offensive in New York allegedly involved meeting Oprah Winfrey, which may be the only canny thing I’ve ever heard of him doing. He also had some religious leaders over to his condominium in NYC to stress the importance of […]