Chennai: The Makkah Masjid on Chennai’s busy Anna Salai road is like any other mosque as you approach it. But enter and walk up the stairs, and you find 40 young men listening to a lecture or thumbing through reference books. They are all preparing for the civil services examination. The mosque doubles as a…
Do not indulge in exhibitionism through bidding on sheep and goats for fancy rates and going for its publicity through the media. By A Staff Writer Idul-Azha or Bakrid will be upon us at the end of the first fortnight of October. It is time we prepare the community for pollution-free festivities. Besides environmental…
The awful terrorist attack in Kenya, against innocent civilians who just happened to be in Westgate shopping centre in Nairobi, first deserves the strongest condemnation. It is a barbaric, inhumane and an evil crime. By Mustafa Akyol More than 62 people have been killed in cold blood, which can have no justification of any sort.…
Shutting the Scope for Debate By Maqbool Ahmed Siraj The University of Madras cancelled the lecture by American Islamic scholar Amina Wadud, perceiving a threat of violent disruption of the programme by some elements who had threatened to stage protest. The lecture was to be held at the Centre of Islamic Studies on January 29. Merely an sms to…
Although Islam and Buddhism may be divided by complex theological questions, inter-religious dialogue focused around morality, ethics and values can be an extraordinary avenue for intercultural exchange. By Aamir Hussain Given the shifting geopolitical landscape and the rising economic power of South and East Asia, it is becoming increasingly necessary to open new channels of…
Can the 1,000-year Muslim civilisation make an original contribution to the concert of cultures and civilizations? By Tariq Ramadan From Asia to North America, by way of the Middle East, Africa and Europe, the conclusion is inescapable : The contemporary Islamic conscience is in deep crisis. How to be a Muslim today? How to be…
It is not Islam that is wrong, it is the Muslims who are damaging a religion because they stopped paying attention to their spiritual growth, basking in the superiority of preaching. By Masarat Daud Religion is my way of staying connected to my spiritual self, a way for me to constantly update and assess my…
Far from judging others, far from dogmatism, Muslims today must keep silent, must examine themselves. Superstition of the masses and the elitist attitudes of scholarly circles have poisoned the contemporary Muslim conscience. By Tariq Ramadan What more can we say about the malaise of the Muslims, their crises and their shortcomings, their inability to meet…
Dr. K. Javeed Nayeem With a Union Minister announcing that the centre would start a separate university for the minorities at Tipu Sultan’s capital, Srirangapatna and name it after him, a controversy seems to be gaining momentum with new entrants passing comments each day. Whether this university sees the light of the day or not…
It is essential for Muslims to analyse the setback in Gujarat and decide policy options for the 2014 general elections. In Gujarat we are often questioned about our role in the freedom movement and hence our patriotism. Few Hindus are aware that Gandhiji’s original trip to South Africa was sponsored by a Gujarati Muslim, Dada…
