[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.]
A New Streetwear Line For Muslim Women Takes the Frills Out of Modest Fashion
Religion News Service
Seek Refuge, a streetwear brand for Muslim women, finds a balance between modesty and fashion for it’s customers, while also giving a percent of profit to Refugee organizations.
Where the Books Weren’t Burned: Baghdad’s Ancient Library
Middle East Eye
Surviving recent conflicts and burnings across Iraq, the al-Qadiriyya library holds historic copies of the Quran and early scientific texts and manuscripts.
What Does A ‘Leb’ Look Like?
The Conversation
A special case for Lebanese-Australian teenagers, the ‘Leb’ counter-culture lends itself as an interesting case in the study of young migrants, who are infamous for their vandalism, style, and more.
A Third of UK Muslims Report Abuse Or Crime While Studying
The Guardian
A U.K. study finds that many Muslim students report discrimination, abuse, and crimes while at their place of study.
Ban on Face Veils at Indonesian University Lasted Just a Week
The New York Times
After protests and backlash, a prominent school in Indonesia rescinded it’s ban on face-covering niqabs, citing it as both non Islamic and non Indonesian.
Founder of German Far-Right Group Pegida Denied Entry To UK
The Guardian
The Home Office said it had stopped the chair of the anti-Islam, anti-immigration group at Stansted airport on Saturday and deported him the next day, adding that his presence in the UK was ‘not conducive to the public good.’
Donald Trump's Pick to Lead UN Agency Says Has Trust of Muslim States
The New Indian Express
Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the UN migration agency said Monday that he has convinced member states that he holds no anti-Muslim views, after a series of reports accused him of prejudice against Islam.
Netherlands: PVV Anti-islam Campaign Video Sparks Outrage, Charges
NLTimes
Geert Wilders and the PVV sparked outrage and anger from politicians and various organizations with an anti-Islam campaign video broadcast on NPO. A number of politicians and organizations announced that they will be pressing charges of incitement to hatred and violence against the PVV leader as well as the broadcaster.
Jakarta Eager to Become Halal Tourism Destination
Global Islamic Economy Gateway
Already with a number of halal hotels, many halal cafes and restaurants, and religious tourist destinations such as graves of Muslim saints, Jakarta is looking improve it’s halal status by eliminating crime and illegal activities.
Bibliotheca Alexandrina Publishes 'Islamic Art in China'
Egypt Today
The Bibliotheca Alexandrina Islamic Civilization Studies Program has joined with the House of Wisdom in China to publish a book on the history of Islamic Art in China, titled ‘Islamic Art in China.’
Mike Pompeo Is An Anti-Muslim Bigot. Shouldn’t Jewish Leaders Condemn Him, Too?
Forward
Noting a double standard from professionals and other influential groups, Mike Pompeo should be held to the same standards of condemnation for his anti-Muslim rhetoric.
A Muslim Leader Honored in the US
Fair Observer
On March 14, the governor of Georgia presented a state proclamation to Prince Shah Karim al-Hussaini, the Aga Khan, the spiritual leader of Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims. The proclamation recognizes the Aga Khan as the 49th hereditary imam, tracing direct lineage to Prophet Muhammad through his daughter Fatima.
Staging Muslims: Identity Angst In American Theater
NPR
An emerging wave, Muslim-American theatre, provides a medium for Muslims to express their emotions, experiences, and struggles in light of the cultural ‘awokening.’
Raising My Kids to Be Unapologetic American Muslims
The Atlantic
In contrast to her quiet upbringing in Midwestern U.S., Dilshad Ali argues that her kids will be raised to be public and proud over their faith and character as Muslim Americans.
Saudi Arabia Says Revamping Education to Combat 'Extremist Ideologies'
U.S. News Today
Saudi Arabia is revamping its education curriculum to eradicate any trace of Muslim Brotherhood influence and will dismiss anyone working in the sector who sympathizes with the banned group, the education minister said.
India: Anti-Muslim Riots in Sri Lanka
Ummid
The recent anti-Muslim riots in Kandy, Sri Lanka, once again demonstrate that religion is becoming more salient in public domain, including politics, in South Asia, where demonstrations were held against Musli-run shops.
Living in Fear as a Muslim-American Veteran
The Nation
As both a veteran and Muslim in the U.S., Nate Terani voices his fear in the increasingly intolerant, nationalist, and authoritarian character of the country he once served.
The Number of Ex-Muslims in America Is Rising
The Economist
According to the Pew Research Centre, almost a quarter of Americans raised as Muslims no longer identify with the faith, and face backlash from their Muslim communities both home and abroad, as well as their families.
Israel: Study: Interfaith Activities Improve Ties Between US Jews and Muslims
The Times of Israel
The more that American Jews and Muslims interact with each other, the more likely they are to see the two faiths as more similar than different, a comprehensive study of Muslim-Jewish relations in America has found.
Venice and Islam: A Story of Architectural Influence
Islamic World of Art
Diving into medieval geo-politics, we can explore the relationship between Venetian buildings and their apparent Islamic influences from cultural and commercial contact between the 2 civilizations.
Opinion: What It’s Like To Watch A Viral Video Of Vandals At Your Mosque
The Huffington Post
Expressing grief and sorrow to watch his beloved mosque, his place of worship and solitude, be demonized through vandalism, Ahmad Abojaradeh speaks on the hardship he and his community faced after their Tempe, Arizona mosque was attacked.
Two Sides To Every Story
The Times Literary Supplement
To help better understand the Middle East, Islam, and the modern situation, the often neglected Shi’a story of Islamic history should also be understood and considered.
Higher Levels of Islamic Expertise are Needed in Counter-Terrorism
The London Economic
To best tackle the constant uproars and complexities of Islamic terrorism, more Islamic-inspired understandings and assessments of terrorisms must be used by foreign actors.
Women's Bodies in Islam
International Policy Digest
Given the complicated social and cultural dynamics of Islam and hijab in the modern day, the various approaches for a woman’s dress code, whether Hollywood or ISIS, should be understood in variety of ways.
May Ziade: The Life of an Arab Feminist Writer
Al Jazeera
Remembering Marie Elias Ziade, or May, a key Lebanese-Palestinian figure in the Arab literary scene in the early 20th century who firmly established herself as a vibrant female voice in what was clearly a man’s world at the time.
Is Mike Pompeo As Islamophobic As His Spiritual Adviser?
Lobe Log
Reporting on much of Mike Pompeo’s Islamophobic content, there is website that refers to Islam having ‘plagiarism from the Old Testament’ as well as other derogatory comments about the faith.
Islam in Football: The Profound Effect The Religion Has Had on the Premier League
iNews
In several elite soccer clubs, Muslim players have become beloved, household names in the English Premier League, making the faith more broadly accessible and understood than before. However, challenges remain at the community level in regards to xenophobia and player entry barriers.
Effort Seeks to Build Bonds Between Muslims, Latinos, One Taco Truck At A Time
Houston Chronicle
An outreach effort seeks to connect local Muslim and Latino communities, such as through the recent meal courtesy of a food truck in Houston, Texas. A Taco Truck at Every Mosque is a national grassroots movement that began two years ago in California.
RPT-INSIGHT-Police, Politicians Accused of Joining Sri Lanka's Anti-Muslim Riots
Reuters
Police and politicians backed by the country’s former strongman President Mahinda Rajapaksa joined anti-Muslim riots that rocked Sri Lanka’s Kandy district this month, according to witnesses, officials and CCTV footage reviewed by Reuters.
How Islamism Drives Muslims to Convert
The New York Times
Through increasingly authoritarian, repressive, and coercive means, the increase in leaving Islam can be undone by an adherence to more civil traditions, as once practiced in the Golden Age of Islam.