Most recent articles by Hakim Khatib
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Turkish televangelist Adnan OktarAmbassador of Islamic Creationism
The incarceration of televangelist Adnan Oktar has made headlines in Turkey. Since the early 1980s, Oktar, a controversial figure in his native Turkey, has been spreading his views of Islam, a brand of Islamic Creationism. He has promoted his theories by distributing thousands of copies of his book "The Atlas of Creation" and, until recently, on his own television channel. Hakim Khatib takes a closer look at an outlandish character who has been described as the "most notorious cult leader in Turkey"
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Atheism in Saudi ArabiaGod's own country
Atheism remains one of the most extreme taboos in Saudi Arabia. It is a red line that no one may cross. Regarded on a par with terrorists, atheists in Saudi Arabia suffer imprisonment, marginalisation, slander, ostracisation and even execution. Efforts at normalisation between those who believe and those who don′t remain bleak. By Hakim Khatib
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Assad and the rise of ISMy enemy's enemy
Willing to co-operate with terrorists as and when it suits him, Assad has intentionally shaped the course of the Syrian conflict. Nor does IS have the monopoly on committing atrocities against civilians, as the regime's repeated use of chemical weapons, most recently near Idlib, reveals. By Hakim Khatib
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″Naqsh″ – the Arabic cultural cafeAmman's bridge builders
Cultural cafes like Naqsh in the centre of Amman are prime examples of innovative grassroots projects that help promote cultural dialogue between east and west. Hakim Khatib visited the Jordanian cultural cafe and spoke to its initiators
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Political transformation in the Arab worldForget the people
Revolutions rarely meet the expectations and hopes of those in the Arab world. The chance of transforming political impotence into collective agenda-setting power remains slim while repressive authoritarian regimes persist. By Hakim Khatib
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Politics and religionThe instrumentalisation of religion
Since time immemorial, religion has not only been used as an inspiration and a guide for life, but also as a way of furthering interests and achieving specific political ends. This instrumentalisation can be either intentional or unintentional. In this essay, Hakim Khatib looks at a number of countries where Islam has been instrumentalised in the recent past and examines the various different forms this instrumentalisation can take
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Terrorist attacks in BrusselsA clash of what?
Culture, religion – or merely politics? Recent terrorist attacks against another European capital city in less than a year have once again shaken world politics to the core. Are we playing into the hands of Daesh? By Hakim Khatib
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″Islamic State″: lessons learntWhat chance a Muslim reformation?
Muslims who describe IS as un-Islamic and declare that it has nothing to do with genuine Islam cannot deny that many of their fellow believers identify with the image of Islam promoted by the jihadists and their ideology. A thorough examination of the Muslim faith is long overdue. By Hakim Khatib
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Atheism in EgyptBreaking the taboo
Atheists claim to hold no religious beliefs whatsoever: though some find that hard to accept, freedom of speech dictates that everyone should be entitled to express their ideas and thoughts without intimidation. Challenging religious oppression and outdated social mores, many Egyptians risk their lives to uphold and protect freedom and tolerance. By Hakim Khatib
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Chronicle of a war foretoldRedefining the "Syrian" conflict
The war waging in Syria, hijacked by opposing ideologies just months after it began, has had an irrevocable impact on the Syrian people. Although not much is heard of Syrians outside the refugee camps, Americans, Europeans, Russians, Turks, Iranians, and Arabs hold meeting after meeting to agree and disagree, coalesce and collide, in an attempt to halt the ″Syrian conflict″. By Hakim Khatib