[This is a roundup of news articles and other materials circulating about Islam and reflects a wide variety of opinions and approaches. It does not reflect the views of the Critical Currents in Islam page or of Jadaliyya. You may send your own recommendations for inclusion in each week`s roundup to cci@jadaliyya.com by Saturday night of every week.]
Why Is Louis Farrakhan Back in the News?
The New York Times
Louis Farrakhan,, has been back in the headlines after a previously unreleased photo of him with President Barack Obama was published in January and Mr. Farrakhan gave an anti-Semitic speech at his organization’s annual convention last month.
Chinese Official Warns Against Creeping Islamisation
Reuters
Chinese Muslims need to guard against creeping Islamisation, including mosques that copy foreign styles, and strive to practice their faith in a more Chinese way, a senior Chinese Islamic official said.
In Blow To Minorities, Pakistani Court Orders Citizens To Declare Religion
Reuters
A Pakistani court ruled that all citizens must declare their religion when applying for identity documents, a move human rights advocates say is another blow for the country’s persecuted minority communities, particularly the Ahmadi community
U.S. Foreign Policy and America’s Global Standing, Islam and Violence, NAFTA
Pew Research Center
In their newest study of generational gaps, the Pew Research Center finds that younger groups are much less likely to associate Islam with violence.
How Muslim Americans Are Defending Themselves and Their Communities Against Bigotry
Pacific Standard Magazine
In light of increasingly dangerous rhetoric and racism towards Muslims, non-profit organizations are helping to provide self-defense lessons and more for Muslim communities.
Sri Lanka Declares Emergency Amid Anti-Muslim Violence
AP News
Sri Lanka’s president declared a state of emergency amid fears that anti-Muslim attacks in several central hill towns could spread.
By Rewriting History, Hindu Nationalists Aim To Assert Their Dominance Over India
Reuters
Indian authorities have assembled a committee to reconstruct the narrative of India’s history, aiming to make the country and its rich history more Hindu-Centric.
‘These are the keys of this paradise’: How 700 Years of Muslim Rule In Spain Came To An End
The Coversation
From a historical discussion of the Muslim presence in Spain, Elizabeth Drayson, professor from the University of Cambridge, argues that the beginning of modern day Spain was also the end of a more cohesive, multicultural society under Islamic rule.
The Muslims Who Want to Save Octopuses
The Atlantic
In the Muslim-majority island Mislai in Zanzibar, the local Muslim community is taking word of the Qur’an to help regulate and restore the octopus population from overfishing and commercialization.
Mosques Consider Sanctuary For Immigrants
NPR
Officials at a mosque in Cincinnati announced they intended to become a sanctuary congregation, ready to shelter asylum seekers or migrants in need — whether Muslim or not.
'I was crying with unbearable pain': Study Reveals Extent of FGM In India
The Guardian
In a study of the Bohra Muslim community of India, the shocking rates of FGM are prompting several humanitarian and government groups to take action against the practice.
Georgia Sheriff To Host Controversial Training Featuring Anti-Muslim Activist David Bores
Southern Poverty Law Center
Georgia’s Barrow County Sheriff’s Office is sponsoring a course titled “Islam in America” presented by David Bores, an anti-Muslim conspiracy theorist who has a history of giving problematic seminars.
Sri Lanka: Police Inaction As Muslim Shops Torched By Buddhists
AlJazeera
After their initial inaction, police in Sri Lanka have taken measures to protect communities from further conflict after a mobs attacked Muslim owned shops and a mosque.
A Hard Sell? Saudi Crown Prince Goes West To Woo Allies
Reuters
Saudi Arabia’s crown prince wants to persuade his British and U.S. allies that “shock” reforms have made his country a better place to invest and a more tolerant society on his first foreign tour as heir apparent.
Police Association Pulls Approval For 'Islam in America' Course
11 Alive
After suspending approval for the ‘Islam in America’ seminar, the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police said they are not ‘pulling for either side.’ They just want to make sure the training is given in an impartial fashion.
Linda Sarsour Arrested At Paul Ryan's Office
AlJazeera
Muslim-American leaders have been arrested at the US Capitol while urging Congress to stand against President Donald Trump’s effort to end a programme that protects certain young immigrants.
It’s Virtually Impossible To Get A Waiver From Trump’s Muslim Ban, According To New Data
ThinkProgress
Data from the U.S. State Department shows that despites President Trump’s ‘robust waiver provision,’ the current Travel Ban denies nearly every single waiver request.
France’s Secular Ayatollahs
Politico EU
In contrast to President Macron’s attempts to negotiate Islam and French society, a variety of philosophers, leaders, and pundits are furthering the divide between the already disenfranchised Muslim communities.
How European Scholars First Encountered the Arab World
The Economist
In Alexander Bevilacqua’s new book, he explores the rich intellectual engagement from Europeans as they first encountered the Middle Eastern civilization and its broad philosophies, sciences, and humanity, and how that initial engagement has transformed into the patronization seen today.
Sri Lanka Blocks Social Media As Anti-Muslim Rioting Flares
AP News
In response to mob attacks on Muslim villages, communities, and shops, the government ordered popular social media networks blocked in an attempt to stop the violence from spreading.
Suicide Bomber Kills Muslim Official In Afghan City
Reuters
A suicide bomber in the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad killed a senior religious official and his bodyguard, with the Islamic State claiming responsibility.
Saudi Crown Prince Winds Up Trip To Egypt With Mosque Visit
AP News
Saudi Arabia’s crown prince ended his visit to Egypt with a symbolically significant visit to Al-Azhar, the world’s foremost seat of learning for Sunni Muslims, hoping to strengthen ties between the Arab nations.
Buddhist Mobs Target Sri Lanka's Muslims Despite State Of Emergency
Reuters
Buddhist mobs attacked mosques and businesses belonging to Sri Lanka’s minority Muslims, police said, despite the imposition of a state of emergency to restore peace in the bitterly divided island.
Britain First Leaders Convicted Of Anti-Muslim Hate Crimes
The Guardian
The leaders of the far-right group ‘Britain First’ have been jailed for a series of hate crimes against Muslims, being charged with religiously aggravated harassment.
Indonesian Islamic University Bans Burqas On Campus
Reuters
An Indonesian state Islamic university faced criticism from Muslim groups and activists after it banned female students from wearing full-face veils citing fears over the spread of radical ideology on the campus.
An Ex-Deputy Rammed A Truck Into A Store Because He Thought The Owners Were Muslim, Police Say
The Washington Post
Believing a Sikh-owned shop to be Muslim-owned, a man drove his pickup truck through the window, citing his distress at his economic situation.
Why More Hair Salons Now Offer Hijab-Friendly Services So Women Can 'feel normal'
CBC Radio-Canada
By providing the privacy necessary for women that wear the hijab, salons across Canada are creating more inclusive, friendly atmospheres for Muslim women.
Cubs of the Caliphate: Rehabilitating Islamic State's Child Fighters
Reuters
Treating over one hundred children who were either fighters or aided the Islamic State’s forces, a rehabilitation camp is working to transition these children back into normal life.
Buddhist Mobs Sweep Through Sri Lanka’s Muslim Neighborhoods
AP News
Buddhist mobs swept through Muslim neighborhoods in Sri Lanka’s central hills, destroying stores and restaurants and setting homes on fire despite a curfew, a state of emergency and a heavy deployment of security forces, residents said Thursday.
Saudi Crown Prince Commits To Interfaith Tolerance, Says Anglican Church
Reuters
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met the head of the Anglican church in London and promised to promote interfaith dialogue as part of his domestic reforms.
Third Rape Case Filed Against Muslim Scholar Ramadan
Reuters
A woman filed a new rape case in France against Swiss academic Tariq Ramadan, the third against the Islamic studies professor, judicial sources said.
Iranian Woman Who Removed Headscarf Jailed For Two Years
The Guardian
An Iranian woman who publicly removed her veil in protest against Iran’s compulsory headscarf law has been sentenced to two years in prison, the judiciary said.
Why Women’s March Leaders Are Being Accused of Anti-Semitism
Vox
The Women’s March movement has been embroiled in controversy after a member of its leadership team attended a speech by the Nation of Islam’s Louis Farrakhan.
India: Orthodox Muslim Sect to Issue Fatwa Against Islamic State Terror Group
The Hindustan Times
Ahle Hadith, a large Sunni Muslim sect that emulates the ultra-orthodox Salafist brand of Islam, is set to declare ‘terror tactics’ and the Islamic State (IS) as ‘un-Islamic’ through a fatwa or a religious edict at an Islamic conference.
'How dare you complain?' University of Cincinnati Professor Out After Comments To Muslim Student
Cincinnati.com
A University of Cincinnati professor is no longer teaching after making anti-Islamic comments toward a Muslim student regarding ‘safety’ in the Middle East.
Calm Returning To Muslim Neighborhoods In Sri Lanka
AP News
Calm was beginning to return to violence-hit Muslim neighborhoods in Sri Lanka’s Kandy region, with many shops reopening as army reinforcements largely put an end to Buddhist mob attacks that hit the area.
Women Should Be Allowed To Wear The Niqab In Court – Here’s Why
The Conversation
Arguing that the niqab does not hinder in providing legal testimony, we should aim to better establish our legal practices to be more inclusive and open to different faiths and marginalised groups.
No Dancing, No Swaying: Saudi Pop Concert Comes With Warning:
The New York Times
In Saudi Arabia, where public concerts were once prohibited, the regulations for an upcoming concert regulate against dancing and swaying, and are receiving a social media backlash.
Pakistani Court Allows Islamist Party To Enter Elections
AP News
A Pakistani court has ordered the country’s elections oversight body to register an Islamist party backed by a radical cleric who carries a U.S. bounty on his head for alleged involvement in terror attacks in India.
Afghan Taliban Urge Religious Scholars To Boycott Peace Conference
Reuters
The Taliban urged Islamic scholars not to take part in a conference due to take place in Indonesia aimed at building agreement and support for possible future peace talks in Afghanistan.
United States of Anti-Muslim Hate
CityLab
A new non-partisan project finds that the national rhetoric has played a significant role in the rise of hate against Muslims in America.
Hope Amid Europe’s Ticking Time Bomb
The Islamic Monthly
On philosophic, political, and cultural levels, Islam is central to the discussion about Europe. And in light of this, understanding Muslims in Europe is key to solving the deep social and cultural ills in European societies for all.
Tunisian Women March For Equal Inheritance Rights
The Washington Post
Tunisian women have demonstrated to demand equal inheritance rights, amid national debate over the issue that has reverberated around the Muslim world.
“An Ordinary Muslim” And The Cliches of Culture Clash on Stage
The Intercept
The play, ‘An Ordinary Muslim,’ reflects how the British and American security apparatus have come to understand the ‘problem’ posed by Muslim men and women, and how this reflects onto public perception of the private lives of Muslims.