Muslims
What is Ramadan and how do Muslims observe the Islamic holy month?
By Mariam Fam — March 11, 2024
CAIRO (AP) — Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar; the month cycles through the seasons.
Hajj pilgrims perform final rituals in Mecca before heading to Mina
By Riazat Butt — June 26, 2023
MECCA, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Saudi Arabia has restored full pilgrim capacity for this year’s Hajj, following three years of dramatically reduced numbers due to the pandemic, with more than 2 million Muslims expected to take part
The Muslim prayer hall that may spark the next Israeli-Palestinian battle
By Daoud Kuttab — May 4, 2023
(RNS) — In Jerusalem, small frictions can escalate quickly if the causes are not addressed.
Amid threats, California lawmaker calls bill barring caste discrimination ‘right thing to do’
By Alejandra Molina — April 25, 2023
(RNS) — Groups such as the Hindu American Foundation and the Coalition of Hindus of North America say the bill targets Hindus and Indian Americans who are commonly associated with the caste system.
Celebrate that it’s over: Why Eid al-Fitr matters to Muslims
By Haroon Moghul — April 21, 2023
(RNS) — Ramadan strengthens us to bring our values into the hard work of ordinary life.
Across the country, a push to observe Muslim holidays in school calendars
By Alejandra Molina — March 17, 2023
(RNS) — Efforts to designate Eid as a school holiday are driven by students, and not just in schools with large Muslim populations.
Hamline University faculty call on president to resign over handling of Islamic art
By Yonat Shimron — January 25, 2023
(RNS) — The faculty council voted 71-12 to ask the president to step down, saying its members no longer have faith in her ability to lead the St. Paul, Minnesota, school.
Mufti’s talk of women’s duties angers some Turkish Cypriots
By Menelaos Hadjicostis — January 19, 2023
NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — A Muslim religious leader’s instruction to women to dutifully accept a husband's 'invitation to bed' to procreate has sparked outrage among many Turkish Cypriots.
The veil in Iran has been an enduring symbol of patriarchal norms – but its use has changed depending on who is in power
By Amy Motlagh — December 9, 2022
(The Conversation) — The veil as a symbol of oppression has once again moved to center stage in Iran, but it’s important to know about the history of veiling – and mandatory unveiling.
Rainbow struggle playing out on sidelines of World Cup
By Mariam Fam — November 26, 2022
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — The emirate, where gay sex is illegal, faced intense scrutiny in the run-up to the tournament regarding the safety and inclusion of LGBTQ visitors.
Qatar bans sale of beer at World Cup stadiums in about-face
By Graham Dunbar — November 18, 2022
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Qatar banned the sale of beer at World Cup stadiums on Friday, a sudden U-turn on the deal it made to secure the soccer tournament — only two days before the opening game.
Why most Muslims – but far from all – celebrate Mawlid, the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday
By Deina Abdelkader — October 5, 2022
(The Conversation) — The Wahhabi school of Islam has spread throughout the world, along with its disapproval of the holiday.
I wear hijab. I also respect any woman who chooses not to.
By Dilshad Ali — September 28, 2022
(RNS) — Iran’s ‘morality police’ focus on the hijab not to enforce Islam but to target vulnerable women.
Saudi Arabia expecting 1 million in largest hajj since virus
By Amr Nabil — July 6, 2022
MECCA, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Saudi Arabia’s decision to allow some 850,000 Muslims from abroad to make the annual pilgrimage marks a major step toward normalcy after two years of a drastically scaled-down hajj restricted to Saudi residents.
America’s religious communities are divided over the issue of abortion: 5 essential reads
By Kalpana Jain — June 29, 2022
(The Conversation) — Scholars explain why many see abortion access as a religious freedom issue and what the views of different faiths are on ‘ensoulment,’ the point at which the soul is believed to enter the fetus.
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