Kambaiz Rafi, UCL and Scott Lucas, University of Birmingham In late August 2021, the US completed its withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, ending a 20-year occupation. The Taliban retook the country with shocking speed. The Islamic fundamentalist political group was … Continue reading What’s next for Afghanistan? Two experts make predictions
Alex Farnsworth, University of Bristol; Michael Farnsworth, University of Sheffield, and Sebastian Steinig, University of Bristol Dune, the epic series of sci-fi books by Frank Herbert, now turned into a movie of the same name, is set in the far … Continue reading Dune: we simulated the desert planet of Arrakis to see if humans could survive there
M Niaz Asadullah, University of Malaya Sejak Taliban kembali berkuasa, ada kecemasan dari berbagai pihak bahwa masyarakat Afganistan akan mengalami “Islamisasi” – termasuk sektor pendidikan. Banyak orang khawatir bahwa sekolah-sekolah akan ditutup atau perempuan tidak diizinkan bersekolah. Hal ini dapat … Continue reading Taliban bisa belajar dari sistem madrasah di Indonesia untuk memperluas akses sekolah bagi perempuan di Afganistan
Execution for a Facebook post? Ahmet T. Kuru, San Diego State University ( @prof_ahmetkuru ) Junaid Hafeez, a university lecturer in Pakistan, had been imprisoned for six years when he was sentenced to death in December 2019. The charge: blasphemy, … Continue reading Why blasphemy is a capital offense in some Muslim countries
Sariya Cheruvallil-Contractor, Coventry University The two first British mosques were established in 1889 in Liverpool and Woking, and women played a major contribution to the communities that helped to set up these mosques. But you wouldn’t necessarily know it. Indeed, … Continue reading The forgotten women who helped to build British Islam
How two Islamic groups fell from power to persecution. Ahmet T. Kuru, San Diego State University Mohammed Morsi, Egypt’s first-ever democratically elected president, died unexpectedly during a trial in June 2019. He was a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, an … Continue reading Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood and Turkey’s Gulenists
Hossam Metwally case: how exorcism can become a cover for domestic abuse Helen Hall, Nottingham Trent University The sentencing of Hossam Metwally for poisoning his partner, Kelly Wilson, in a series of “exorcisms” was always likely to attract attention. The former … Continue reading How exorcism can become a cover for domestic abuse
Ahmet T. Kuru, San Diego State University After its return to power in Afghanistan, the Taliban are again imposing their religious ideology, with restrictions on women’s rights and other repressive measures. They are presenting to the world an image of Islam that is intolerant and at odds with social changes. Islam, however, has multiple interpretations. A humanitarian interpretation, focusing on “rahmah,” loosely translated as love and compassion, has been emphasized by a group I have studied – Nahdlatul Ulama, which literally means “Reawakening of the Islamic Scholars.” Nahdlatul Ulama, or NU, was founded in 1926 in reaction to the Saudi … Continue reading How the world’s biggest Islamic organization drives religious reform in Indonesia – and seeks to influence the Muslim world
but few know about it Michael Vicente Perez, University of Memphis and Matthew Ingalls, American University in Dubai Nora is a rare sight at the Universidad de Chile. Dressed in a long abaya, or Islamic robe, that covers all but her hands and face, her outfit distinguishes her from other students on campus. In between classes, she’ll often seek a quiet, sheltered space to lay out a small carpet and pray. If one were to ask Nora, as we did, about her distinct appearance on campus, she would say she doesn’t mind. She’s content with her dress, her prayers and the … Continue reading Chile has a growing Muslim community
Jeremy Stoddard, University of Wisconsin-Madison and Diana Hess, University of Wisconsin-Madison The phrase “Never Forget” is often associated with the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. But what does this phrase mean for U.S. students who are too young to … Continue reading What schools teach about 9/11 and the war on terror
Mohammed Abbasi 