Challenging Fatwas: Interpreting The Quran
CROSSROADS ARABIA: Certain interpretations of the Quran go unchallenged which causes immense problems
‘Destroy All Churches’: Will The Edict Be Followed?
AMERICAN BEDU: The Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia has made a startling call. What will King Abdullah do?
Muslims – No Joke, We’re Funny
SHELINA ZAHRA JANMOHAMED: Such developments are the hidden gems of Muslim cultures today. The most powerful thing is its universality…
Red Bull Ad: A ‘Mote’ or a ‘Beam’ In the Eye?
DANIEL M. VARISCO: A recently published ad seems to have united both Muslims and Christians in condemnation.
Jack Daniels In Arabia: No Thank You
ABU MOHAMMED: Alcohol is banned in most Islamic countries but it still wreaks considerable damage since it can still be accessed relatively easily
To Tunisia: The Arab Spring’s ‘Bellwether’
MICHAEL J. TOTTEN: Largely forgotten in the West, Tunisia is where the great movements and ideas of the Arab Spring are fighting a huge battle.
‘High on Victory’: Saudi Conservatives on the March
AHMED AL OMRAN: A new force is making itself felt at social events in the Kingdom The mohtasbeen are an unofficial muttawaeen who have a clear agenda.
‘What I’ll Miss About Islam’: A Dubai Expat’s View
THE HEDONISTA: When the day inevitably arrives and I wave goodbye to the Middle East I’ll miss many aspects of life here.
Thoughts of a Pilgrim: Always a Second Chance
SHELINA ZAHRA JANMOHAMED: We don’t have to wait for a life-changing event to give ourselves a second chance.
Hajj Exhibition: ‘Standing in Another’s Shoes’
SHELINA ZAHRA JANMOHAMED: A major exhibition in the British Museum is attempting to recreate the experience of Hajj.
What Happens If Syrian’s Christians Leave?
STEPHANIE SALDANA, CGNEWS: There is a very real possibility that the Christians in Syria will leave as conflict escalates. What will be the consequences?
The Dangerous Tightrope that Saudi Women Walk
ROB L. WAGNER: There is no proscription in the Quran of women in the workplace but the existing guardianship laws are a major obstacle.
Being a Muslim Feminist: Yes, It Is Possible
FATEMEH FAKHRAIE, CGNEWS: I see no contradiction in being both a Muslim and a feminist. Unfortunately, many other people do…
Stop Blaming Women, Start Blaming ‘Perverted’ Males
SHELINA ZAHRA JANMOHAMED: If you are a man from a society that isn’t Muslim, don’t look smug. There is plenty of oppression in all societies.
The Problem I Have With the Term ‘Islamism’
DANIEL M. VARISCO: The right-wing media in the United States, in particular, has worked itself into a frenzy about the term ‘Islamism’. They need to chill and think straight.
Saudi Arabia: “The Female Body is a Battleground in the War to Stem Reform”
ROB L. WAGNER: An online battle between conservatives and reformers following the Saudi Intellectual Forum illuminates their diverging opinions…
‘All Praise to George W. Bush’: The Top Ten Myths of the Arab Spring
JUAN COLE: So much that is misinformed, over-hyped and simply plain wrong has been written about the Arab Spring. So let’s sort the wheat from the chaff.
“The Devil’s Seeds”: Life’s Grim For Illegitimate Saudis
ROB L. WAGNER: It wasn’t always this way – illegitimate children were in times past absorbed. The stigma today inflicts generations of damage.
All American Muslim: An Alternative ‘Reality’
SHELINA ZAHRA JANMOHAMED: The problem right-wingers have with ‘All American Muslim’ is that it doesn’t play to the usual stereotypes.
PM Elect: No Islamic Dress Code for Moroccan Women
THE VIEW FROM FEZ: The leading Islamic party’s announcement that it’s not interested in imposing a dress code on women has been welcomed.
