Secularism in the Islamic world
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Lebanese thinker Martin Accad
"Lebanon's tragedy is political sectarianism"
With no end to Lebanon's crisis of statehood in sight, Qantara.de met up with leading Lebanese thinker and theologian Martin Accad to discuss the country's current difficulties and explore ongoing efforts to find a way out of the morass. Interview by Erik Siegl
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Execution for a Facebook post?
Why blasphemy is a capital offence in some Muslim countries
The Prophet Muhammad never executed anyone for apostasy, nor encouraged his followers to do so. Nor is criminalising sacrilege based on Islam’s main sacred text, the Koran. In this essay, Ahmet Kuru exposes the political motivations for criminalising blasphemy and apostasy
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Authoritarianism and underdevelopment in the Islamic world
Islamic clerics and statesmen in an unholy alliance
U.S. political scientist Ahmet T. Kuru from San Diego State University traces historical developments in the region and seeks the causes behind today's problems. Kuru received the American Political Science Association Award for his book in 2020. Musa Bagrac read it for Qantara.de
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Middle East
DW Documentary: Lebanon in the stranglehold of Hezbollah
The huge explosion in the port of Beirut this month killed and injured many. It also plunged Lebanon into an even deeper political crisis. Hezbollah, meanwhile, continues to wield extensive power, reaching into almost every area of life in Lebanon.
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Discourse and our terms of reference
Politics and religion in Islam – one world or two?
A heated debate is raging in the Islamic world about whether the religious and political spheres in Islam are one and the same. Before this matter can be settled, the terms "religion" and "state" have to be clarified, says Syrian writer Morris Ayek. This, he says, is the only way to avoid misunderstandings
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Popular uprisings in the Islamic world
Algiers, Khartoum… that trembling moment
In the midst of palpable political fatigue in Europe, it does good to look to Algiers and Khartoum, where for the past several weeks hundreds of thousands of citizens have been fighting on the public stage for self-empowerment. By Charlotte Wiedemann
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Abusing blasphemy legislation
Indonesia's slide towards identity politics
Indonesiaʹs much vaunted Pancasila system appears to be faltering. Recent years have seen a spate of blasphemy convictions, most notably that of Ahok, ex-governor of Jakarta. Amending existing legislation is not, however, on the agenda of electioneering politicians keen to mobilise conservative Muslim voters. By Rafiqa Qurrata Aʹyun
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Burkhard Hofmann's "And God created fear"
A psychogram of the Arab soul
In "Und Gott schuf die Angst: Ein Psychogramm der arabischen Seele", psychologist Burkhard Hoffmann draws on his own caseload to present some of the uniquely Arab hang-ups plaguing individuals in the Gulf region, highlighting the urgent need of Islamic societies to recognise the value of psycho-anaylsis. Gunther Orth read the book
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Fighting Western reductionist perceptions
Arab, Muslim – whatʹs the difference?
Writer and activist Myra Al-Rahim examines the nature of her own Arab identity, the prejudices of her American peers and why religion is not the last word
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Non-fiction: Stefan Weidner on the future of the West
Next-level cosmopolitanism
With this major work, Stefan Weidner presents an impressive historical and philosophical canvas depicting the battle for the West. His aim is to help us bid farewell to the West as we know it and attentively curate its legacy. By Reginald Grunenberg
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Islam and democracy
What the Arab world can learn from Indonesia
Since 1945, Indonesia has pursued its own state ideology of Pancasila, characterised by religious tolerance and social justice. Following the failure of the Arabellion, it could serve as a role model for democratic re-birth in many Arab states, writes Abhishek Mohanty
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Khalifa Haftar's role in the Libyan civil war
The fight against political Islam
The news that General Khalifa Haftar had been rushed to the military hospital in Paris on 5 April 2018 for the treatment of a serious health problem caused a variety of reactions in Libya: shock and anxiety on one side; jubilance and rejoicing on the other. To his supporters, he is the "Saviour of Libya"; to his adversaries, the "new Gaddafi". Farag Al Esha provides a portrait of this controversial figure