The Aasia Bibi case: A sip of water

The existence of Pakistan’s blasphemy laws institutionalises the persecution of religious minorities and allows anyone wishing to target them an avenue through which all manner of personal or political vendettas can be avenged [Read more...]

WikiLeaks: Exposing the hypocrisy of Muslim governments

Perhaps lost in the embarrassment felt by the US government over leaked cables by the website WikiLeaks are revelations that Muslim nations – from Yemen to Afghanistan, Pakistan to Egypt – have been deceiving their own people about the their own policies. [Read more...]

The haj: From Mecca, a promising speech

A haj speech by the Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia calling for moderation and condemning violence and terrorism may not seem groundbreaking, but gains tremendous significance when considering his traditionalist background. [Read more...]

Oklahoma SQ 755: The unintended consequences of anti-sharia legislation

Critics of Shariah in Oklahoma argue that they oppose it because it is against freedom of religion. In this age, when ignorance and bigotry are being celebrated in America, I am sure that most observers missed the irony in the situation. [Read more...]

Foreign policy: Mr. Obama goes to India


Education: Religious bias in US textbooks?

Backlash against improvement in the coverage of religions – not only Islam – has resulted in claims that coverage is too positive. But efforts to improve accuracy are confused with proselytising or whitewashing, which is neither the intent nor the outcome of teaching about religions in public school. [Read more...]

Human rights: Sakineh’s case &amp; beyond

The presence of stoning punishments for sexual crimes in the law books of Muslim countries and the lack of challenges posed to them from within Islam are a cause for urgent concern for all Muslims. [Read more...]

Zaytuna College: The first Muslim college in America

Zaytuna College’s very existence in America repudiates notions of Islam as an exclusively Eastern ideology. Its presence instead indicates that Islam and Muslims can be authentically American, and can contribute to the nation’s sociological, political and cultural advancement. [Read more...]

Flood relief: Students mobilize for Pakistan

With international support for victims of the devastating floods in Pakistan coming in at lesser amounts than expected, some Pakistani and American students studying in the United States have stepped in, using social media and charity events to fill the gap. [Read more...]

Afghanistan: What are we fighting for?

By investing heavily in a strategy of rapid progress and counterinsurgency before next summer, we lose sight of the bigger picture in Afghanistan. Development and stabilization there will be slow and should begin with a small but enduring commitment to an Afghan state. [Read more...]