Muslims
A profitable ‘mismatch’ pairs strict Islamic islanders and partying Western tourists
By Alexandra Radu — May 16, 2019
(RNS) — On Gili Trawangan in Indonesia's Nusa Tenggara Barat Province, year-rounders accommodate the several thousand tourists that flood the island every day out of necessity, while sticking to their religious lifestyle.
A stand-up comedian tackles his Muslim upbringing and the world of uncertainty
By Yonat Shimron — May 16, 2019
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (RNS) — Andrew Aghapour follows in the footsteps of comedians who grew up Muslim, such as Aziz Ansari, Kumail Nanjiani and Hasan Minhaj. But his one-man show gives religion the starring role.
Javanese Muslims hold a Nyadran ritual to welcome Ramadan
By Agoes Rudianto — May 7, 2019
CENTRAL JAVA, Indonesia (RNS) — Every year as Ramadan approaches, those who live on the slopes of Mount Merapi and Mount Merbabu honor the dead in a deeply rooted Javanese tradition called Nyadran, bringing food offerings to their families’ burial sites and visiting relatives and friends, Christian or Muslim.
How evangelicals can support Muslims this Ramadan
By Kevin Singer — May 7, 2019
(RNS) — For too long, we have lived in fear of our Muslim neighbors, though the vast majority are eager to meet us.
China is punishing Muslims for fasting. So US Muslims are fasting from China.
By Aysha Khan — May 2, 2019
(RNS) — While leaders of Muslim-majority nations have largely been silent on the Uighur persecution, the Fast From China campaign has caught on with U.S. Muslims.
Asma Uddin: If we deprive Islam of its status as a religion, all religion is threatened
By Simran Jeet Singh — April 30, 2019
(RNS) — The argument against Islam, says legal scholar Asma Uddin in a Q&A, has nothing to do with a philosophical interrogation of 'religion,' and everything to do with depriving Muslims of their rights.
In Chicago, one mosque charts its own path
By Aysha Khan — March 26, 2019
CHICAGO (RNS) — Masjid al-Rabia is part of a growing global movement toward ensuring mosques are accessible and friendly toward women worshippers. But 'women-friendly' means something a little different for director Mahdia Lynn.
Evangelicals and Muslims see similarities in faiths and favor closer ties, survey says
By Aysha Khan — March 20, 2019
(RNS) — As a growing movement of evangelical Christian leaders is working to improve Christian-Muslim relations, a new study finds that more than 3 in 4 U.S. evangelicals say they never or infrequently interact with Muslims.
‘This is about equality’: Muslim couple produces braille Quran in English
By Aysha Khan — March 11, 2019
(RNS) — In the past three years, Islam By Touch has sent more than 150 braille renderings of English translations of the Quran to U.S. mosques and Muslims.
New play ‘American Griot’ explores blues music’s Muslim and African roots
By Aysha Khan — March 5, 2019
PALOS HILLS, Ill. (RNS) – A musical play explores the shared history of Islam, Africa and blues music through the eyes of an enslaved storyteller-musician.
Somali sheikh leads a seven-year campaign to end female genital mutilation
By Doreen Ajiambo — February 27, 2019
MOGADISHU, Somalia (RNS) — With sermons and through local media, Sheikh Ibrahim Hassan has made it his mission to convince parents and girls in his country that FGM is a cultural practice, not a religious one.
Jews and Muslims say Belgian animal cruelty law trammels religious freedom
By Elena Berton and Jabeen Bhatti — February 26, 2019
PARIS (RNS) — A ban on slaughtering livestock without stunning them first is seen as a direct attack on kosher and halal practices.
Why some young Muslim women are leaning into arranged marriages
By Aysha Khan — February 13, 2019
(RNS) — Halal dating apps are gaining traction among young Muslims. But dating often comes with its own set of headaches, so many young Muslim women say they are bypassing the drama by leaning into their family’s traditions of arranged marriage.
Pope in historic UAE visit urges faith leaders to reject war
By The Associated Press — February 4, 2019
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Francis' speech to the gathering of faith leaders was the highlight of a 40-hour visit that concludes Tuesday with the first papal Mass on the Arabian Peninsula.
Why Sikhs don’t throw Muslims under the bus
By Simran Jeet Singh — January 28, 2019
(RNS) — Why do Sikhs like me challenge anti-Muslim hate when our religion is completely distinct? The answer starts with fairness but extends to our communities' long history of mutual regard.
