October 2-8

'We Don't Like Islamic Invasion': The Leader of Germany's Rising Right Speaks Out

'We Don't Like Islamic Invasion': The Leader of Germany's Rising Right Speaks Out

The Atlantic

In an interview with AfD co-founder Alexander Gauland, the AfD’s anti-Islamic platform is discussed as a protection of German culture and democratic values. 
Read More

Saudi fund to expand investments in Mecca, Medina holy sites

Saudi fund to expand investments in Mecca, Medina holy sites

Associated Press

Two new companies have been founded by the Saudi government as part of an effort to increase the number of pilgrims the country can accommodate to between 25 and 30 million.
Read More

Hijabi Monologues: Dating, the Weather and Islamophobia in Frank, Funny Tales

Hijabi Monologues: Dating, the Weather and Islamophobia in Frank, Funny Tales

The Guardian

Taking to theatre, 3 Muslim American women created a series of monologues to depict the public and private nature of wearing the Hijab.
Read More

Islam is the Official State Religion in 27 Countries: Survey

Islam is the Official State Religion in 27 Countries: Survey

The Express Tribune

A report from the Pew Research Center finds that Islam is the most popular official religion of state in the world.
Read More

Belgium Withdraws Residence Permit of 'Salafist' Saudi Imam

Belgium Withdraws Residence Permit of 'Salafist' Saudi Imam

Reuters

Belgian authorities have taken action to expel a Saudi Imam who has been accused of preaching Salafi Islam and is linked with the Islamic State.
Read More

Can’t We Talk About This?: More anti-Muslim propaganda from Pamela Geller

Can’t We Talk About This?: More anti-Muslim propaganda from Pamela Geller

Southern Poverty Law Center

Pamela Geller’s recent documentary, Can’t We Talk About This, is an anti-Islamic film featuring a cast of Islamophobic leaders who denounce Islam and Muslim immigration.
Read More

Muslim Professor in Orlando Sues UCF

Muslim Professor in Orlando Sues UCF

Orlando Sentinel

Professor Vibert White at UCF is suing the University based on the claim that UCF discriminated against him based on his faith and race.
Read More

How Two Moms and a Teacher are Helping Toronto Celebrate Islamic Heritage Month

How Two Moms and a Teacher are Helping Toronto Celebrate Islamic Heritage Month

TheStar.com

The Toronto District School System and 2 local mothers have teamed up to raise cultural awareness by sharing the stories of 12 prominent Canadian Muslims.
Read More

Many Countries Favor Specific Religions, Officially or Unofficially

Many Countries Favor Specific Religions, Officially or Unofficially

Pew Research Center

Pew Research Center data analyses show more than eighty countries have state religions or preferred religions, Islam being the most common state religion and Christianity the most common preferred religion.
Read More

Birmingham imam can be extradited to stand trial in Spain, court rules

Birmingham imam can be extradited to stand trial in Spain, court rules

The Guardian

A Moroccan born, Belgian imam is facing charges of collaborating with an armed group for producing videos encouraging young men to go fight in Syria.
Read More

A Fifth of Globe's Nations Officially Endorse One Religion, with Islam Ranking as the Most Common State Faith

A Fifth of Globe's Nations Officially Endorse One Religion, with Islam Ranking as the Most Common State Faith

The Salt Lake Tribune

Forty-three countries have a state religion, Islam the state religion in twenty-seven, while forty countries have a preferred religion and ten countries are considered hostile towards religion.
Read More

White American Men are a Bigger Domestic Terrorist Threat than Muslim Foreigners

White American Men are a Bigger Domestic Terrorist Threat than Muslim Foreigners

Vox

In the US, 2017 has witnessed more and deadlier attacks by white American men than by foreign Muslims.
Read More

Muslim Feminism beyond driving

Muslim Feminism beyond driving

AlJazeera

Rafia Zakaria argues that real advancements for women in Saudi Arabia, beyond the superficial issues like the ability to drive, are impossible, as the Kingdom remains opposed to any semblance of gender equity.
Read More

Malaysia's Slide Toward More Conservative Islam

Malaysia's Slide Toward More Conservative Islam

The Diplomat

In an attempt to gain votes and outside funding from Saudi Arabia, the Malay government has taken to enforcing more conservative Islamic policies, such as arresting moderates and stricter social codes.
Read More

How America Changed Its Approach to Political Islam

How America Changed Its Approach to Political Islam

The Atlantic

 As the Muslim world has taken a rightwards lurch on the political spectrum, the change in U.S. administration must recalculate and work on implementing more protections for women and minorities.
Read More

Rohingya Crisis Splits Asean on Religious Lines

Rohingya Crisis Splits Asean on Religious Lines

Asia Times

Myanmar’s crisis and conflict stirs divisions amongst ASEAN’s Buddhist, Christian, and Muslim communities.
Read More

Ghribi: Don’t Fall for the Tunisian President’s Fake Feminism

Ghribi: Don’t Fall for the Tunisian President’s Fake Feminism

The Washington Post

Journalist Asma Ghribi argues that despite legislative measures to increase women’s rights, Tunisian President Essebsi working behind the doors to consolidate his own power in a common route many Arab dictators have taken.
Read More

Communities Must Unite to Combat Extremism: DPM Teo

Communities Must Unite to Combat Extremism: DPM Teo

The Straits Times

The Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore urges communities of different ethnic, lingual, and religious lines to unite in a stand against the rise of Islamism and prejudices.
Read More

Mosques hold open day for non-Muslims in Germany

Mosques hold open day for non-Muslims in Germany

The International News

900 mosques across Germany hold “Open Mosque Day” to invite non-Muslims for the chance to learn about Islam and meet Muslims.
Read More

If the Gunman was Muslim, Would we be Talking about Las Vegas ‘Terrorism’?

If the Gunman was Muslim, Would we be Talking about Las Vegas ‘Terrorism’?

The Washington Post

How the media frames an attacker’s identity and motivations significantly changes the likelihood that an incident is characterized as terrorism, including cases when the full details have not yet been parsed through.
Read More

French Muslims enraged by passage of Macron’s version of Patriot Act

French Muslims enraged by passage of Macron’s version of Patriot Act

The Washington Post

A piece of anti-terrorism legislation that allows for stop-and-frisk measures and for closing places of worship that disseminate hate has received strong backlash from Anti-Islamophobic organizations.
Read More

Nouman Ali Khan Shows Us that We Need More Women Religious Leaders

Nouman Ali Khan Shows Us that We Need More Women Religious Leaders

Patheos

After recent controversies involving promiscuous Shaykhs, Shabana Mir argues that communities would benefit from more female leaderships.
Read More

America’s ‘Largest Anti-Muslim Hate Convention’ Proceeds Despite Concerns from Rights Groups

America’s ‘Largest Anti-Muslim Hate Convention’ Proceeds Despite Concerns from Rights Groups

Newsweek

ACTCon 2017 Will take place in Arlington, VA despite protests from groups such as the Council on American-Islamic Relations, who feel that the event promotes hate and bigotry.
Read More

When Do We Get to Call Someone a Terrorist?

When Do We Get to Call Someone a Terrorist?

The Atlantic

A look at the statistics involving mass attacks on the public show that Non-Muslim White men pose a bigger threat to the population, despite the popular narrative.
Read More

U.N. Fears 'Further Exodus' of Muslim Rohingya from Myanmar

U.N. Fears 'Further Exodus' of Muslim Rohingya from Myanmar

Reuters

Officials count thousands of more Rohingya Muslims escaping into Bangladesh for asylum, and raise concerns over housing, supplies, and food for the refugees.
Read More

Viking Age script deciphered – mentions ‘Allah’ and ‘Ali’

Viking Age script deciphered – mentions ‘Allah’ and ‘Ali’

Uppsala University

Swedish historians find grave relics, mainly fine garments made of silk, to be inscribed with ‘Allah’, which suggest an Islamic influence on Viking burial tradition.
Read More

Maydan editors selected some of the most thought-provoking news items on issues around Islam, religion and public-life for you. Let us know what you have been reading. Drop us a line at mediaroundups@themaydan.com!