Turkey Strives for 21st Century Form of Islam
Feb 27, 2008
Turkey is engaged in a bold and profound attempt to rewrite the basis for Islamic sharia law while also officially reinterpreting the Qur'an for the modern age. The UK Guardian newspapers reports on how the modernising and mildly Islamic government of the Turkish prime minister seeks to establish a 21st century form of Islam, fusing Muslim beliefs and tradition with European and western philosophical methods and principles.
New Book examines Islam and the Secular State
Feb. 21, 2007
A new book by Emory Law Professor Abdullahi Ahmed An-Na`im opposes the idea of an Islamic state and calls for constitutionalism, human rights, and secularism as necessary principles from an Islamic point of view, and not as western concepts.
Young Muslims fight for the right to abandon faith
Sep 11, 2007
The UK Times highlight a campaign to make it easier to renounce Islam, launched on the 6th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on America. The provocative move reflects a growing rift between traditionalists and a younger generation raised on a diet of Dutch tolerance. Is this a trend or just an outlier?
Muslims Issue Call to Dialogue with Christians
Oct 14, 2007
Muslim leaders have issued an open letter inviting Christians to work toward peace based on core teachings of their respective faiths: the unity of God, love of God, and the love of neighbor. Coordinated by the Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute of Islamic Thought in Jordan, the letter includes a large number of Grand Muftis, Fiqh Council members, and others responsible for Islamic law and its interpretation.
The Battle for Islam - Documentary
Jul 29, 2007
Writer Ziauddin Sardar takes an epic journey to discover how Muslims in five different countries are trying to win back the soul of Islam from extremists, in a special documentary. 'I want to discover what Muslims themselves are doing to rescue their faith from those bent on abusing it,' he says. View a 60-minute version of this film online through the BBC.
Thinly Veiled Humour
Sept 14, 2004
Iranian-American Tissa Hami is a rarity - a female Muslim stand-up comic who's not afraid to confront stereotypes. Hami only wears a headscarf when she performs - it's all part of her comedy with a message. Read a Dateline transcript on why one comedian is scratching at the raw nerves exposed by terrorist attacks and receiving rave reviews. [ Visit Website ]
The Trouble with Islam Today
Dec 21, 2006
The Trouble with Islam Today is an open letter from Irshad Manji, a Muslim voice of reform, to concerned citizens worldwide -- Muslim and not. It's about why her faith community needs to come to terms with the diversity of ideas, beliefs and people in our universe, and why non-Muslims have a pivotal role in helping them get there. [ Visit Website ]
Islamic Science and the European Renaissance
Oct 19, 2006
How did scientific ideas pass from the Islamic world to the European Renaissance during the 15th and 16th centuries? Did Copernicus make use of the achievements of Arabic/Islamic scholars? Professor George Saliba argues that mathematical innovations produced in the Islamic world stimulated mathematical astronomy during the European Renaissance. [ Visit Website ]
Islam: Negotiating the future
May 31, 2006
In a new book, Islam: Negotiating the future, Dr. Rashid Shaz of India, describes an Islam desperate to regain the lost glory of bygone days. He challenges fellow Muslims to use their own minds to look into the Qur'an for fresh guidance.
The Future of Muslim Democracy
Dec 1, 2005
View a 53-minute presentation by Anwar Ibrahim, former deputy Prime Minister of "The Future of Muslim Democracy," New York Democracy Forum, 1 December 2005. Ibrahim discussed the need for progressive Muslims and pro-demoracy supporters around the globe to unite in support of democratic institutions, to condemn terrorism and engage with leaders who "continue to work to increase the store of ideas...support democracy and...support freedom and free markets" in the Muslim world. [ Visit Website ]
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