On April 22, a group of armed terrorists stormed the Baisaran Valley near Pahalgam, a scenic stretch in South Kashmir popular among tourists. The attackers, armed with assault rifles, singled out men based on their religion before shooting them at…
Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world, new study shows
A new Pew Research Center study measuring the evolution of the global religious population shows Muslims are the fastest-growing faith group, followed by the religiously unaffiliated. Though it remained the world’s largest religion, the Christian population declined between 2010 and…
A study found Black Christians often distrust American Muslims. A new program hopes to change that
When he remembers the sermon given at his grandmother’s funeral service, Tariq El-Amin describes feeling surprised as the Baptist minister preached. While El-Amin expected a sermon about death and the afterlife, he said the pastor mostly talked about how salvation…
The first openly gay Muslim imam is killed in South Africa, prompting claims of an assassination
A man regarded as the first openly gay Muslim imam has been fatally shot while sitting in a car in South Africa in what many are calling an assassination because of his teachings.
Unseen and unheard: Syrian women in the shadow of change
The fall of a government always ushers in uncertainty, and in Syria such a transition could have profound implications for women, particularly if a more conservative Islamic regime comes to power. Women usually get the short stick in political turmoil….
Framing the conflict: How religion is a factor of Hamas war
After the International Criminal Court recently issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as well as Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar for their crimes against humanity, it is becoming clearer that the war between Israel and Hamas since the Oct. 7 attacks has reached…
Understanding Ramadan: Self-denial as a spiritual discipline
Sunday evening, March 10, opened the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Observed during the ninth month of the Muslim calendar every year, it is a period intended for self-denial, which enables more opportunity for prayer, reflection and devotion, according to The…
Excluding LGBTQ people is not the Muslim way
Recently, a group of Muslim Americans issued a statement asserting that same-sex relations and being transgender are forbidden in Islam. They claim that there is “universal consensus” on the issue. As a Muslim ally to the LGBTQ community, I want to…
In Mozambique, Saudi Muslim scholarships for Christian students win hearts
Paulos Do Manuere, a staunch Catholic, doesn’t forget the Thursday in 2013 when he received a fully funded scholarship from the kingdom of Saudi Arabia to study civil engineering at King Abdulaziz University in Saudi Arabia. “I was astonished to…
The Hateful Faithful are a threat in every religion and every country
In the past week, followers of Jesus observed Maundy Thursday and Good Friday rituals followed by Easter Sunday. The same week, adherents of Judaism were preparing for Passover. Meanwhile, followers of Islam were observing daily fasts during the month of…
Panelists discuss how the Hamline University controversy could have been handled better in a diverse culture
Institutions of higher learning must hone flexibly to respond to campus divisions over religion and race that can escalate into the kind of public controversy currently embroiling Hamline University, a panel of experts said during a Jan. 31 webinar hosted…
Jesus and Muslim students at prayer
Jesus took a whip and drove the money changers from the temple. This doesn’t suggest he would have interrupted Muslim students at prayer. A teacher at Franklin Academy Charter School in Pembroke Pines, Fla., however, interrupted Muslim students during prayer…