In an effort to curb religious extremism in Egypt, the new Sisi government takes the other extreme by trying to limit freedom of religion, faith and expression, controlling mosques and granting a monopoly on Islam to al-Azhar and prohibiting Imam’s from preaching without a government license:
- Manipulating the Minarets (Economist)
“We want to teach what the Koran actually says in a language they understand…“A lot them don’t have much Islamic knowledge, so they tend to believe what the mullahs say,” said Fatima Akilu:
- Nigeria Fights Back Against Boko Haram’s Radical Islam Through the Power of Learning (The Independent)
For Hamas, a “ceasefire at this stage … would mean acknowledging the worst possible defeat. I believe this is the point at which the ground maneuvers should be brought to an end. Hamas can be hit as much as will be required in response to firing” — Israeli Deputy FM:
- Israel Signals Gaza War Winding Down (Reuters)
The Living Islam festival at Lincolnshire “represents an opportunity for the expected 4,500 attendees to discuss the issues pertinent to them in contemporary Britain” …
- ‘Muslim Glastonbury’ Challenges Perceptions of Islam in Britain (The Guardian)
… and hosted the archbishop of Canterbury, who said that Islam is “rejuvenating ‘British values’” …
- ‘Islam is Reviving British Values’, Says Former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams (The Independent)
… and the festival also highlights the fact that “Many British Muslims won’t know that hundreds of thousands of Muslims served in both world wars”:
- The Muslims Who Fought for Britain in the First World War (The Guardian)
“[Y]oung American Muslims work to reshape the faith they grew up with so it fits better with their complex, dual identity, with one foot in the world of their parents’ immigrant beliefs and one foot in the ever-shifting cultural landscape of America”:
- Muslim Movement Accepts Once-Taboo Causes (AP / abc News)
The American Civil Liberties Union has challenged the Controlled Application Review and Resolution Program which allows the US Citizenship and Immigration Service to delay the citizenship application process:
“Arab American Institute (AAI) released its third biannual poll of American attitudes toward Arabs and Muslims.” From 2010 to 2014, favorable ratings for Arabs dropped from 43 percent to 32 percent. “For Muslims, the ratings dropped from 36 percent … to 27 percent”:
- Arab Americans and American Muslims Are at Risk (Huffington Post)
“Rebels fighting in Syria’s civil war crossed into Lebanon and raided a border town Saturday, killing and capturing security force members in the most serious incursion into the tiny country during its neighbor’s 3-year-old conflict”:
- Syria Rebels Raid Lebanese Town, Capture Soldiers (AP /abc News)
Several Virginia Republican leaders asked for the resignation of the State GOP official who made remarks to Obama’s comment on the role of Muslims in the American society, calling it “Pure nonsense,”:
Leave a Reply