May 21-27- Islam in Media Roundup

A New History of Arabia, Written in Stone

A New History of Arabia, Written in Stone

The New Yorker

With the newest discovery of inscriptions in rocks and stones across Arabia, historians and academics now have access to once inaccessible narratives and stories of the region both before and after Islam.
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South Africa: #MosqueAttack: Understanding the Shia-Sunni Divide in Islam

South Africa: #MosqueAttack: Understanding the Shia-Sunni Divide in Islam

IOL

To understand the recent attack on a Shia community in South Africa, the historical and modern divisions fueling sectarian conflict around the world must be addressed.
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Why Islamic Symbols Added To Irish City's Coat of Arms

Why Islamic Symbols Added To Irish City's Coat of Arms

Vestnik Kavkaza

In mid-nineteenth century Ireland, an unlikely ally in one of Turkey’s Sultans came to aid the Irish in their time of need, resulting in one city’s adoption of Islamic symbols in their coat of arms to commemorate their generosity.
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Despite Fatwa, Transgender People In Iran Face Harassment

Despite Fatwa, Transgender People In Iran Face Harassment

AP News

Transgender people in Iran often face overwhelming social pressure and harassment, despite government attempts to condone and fund gender-altering surgeries.
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Once Hated by U.S. and Tied to Iran, Is Sadr Now ‘Face of Reform’ in Iraq?

Once Hated by U.S. and Tied to Iran, Is Sadr Now ‘Face of Reform’ in Iraq?

The New York Times

Despite leading militia forces against the U.S. and ties to Shi’a clerics in Iran, the ‘Iraq first’ nationalist Moqtada Al-Sadr is at the helm of Iraqi politics, offering a distinct new path for reform and rebuilding the war-torn state.
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In Photos: Hidden Away On A Halal Holiday

In Photos: Hidden Away On A Halal Holiday

Politico EU

The Muslim-friendly tourism industry is the fastest growing global travel sector, with several luxury destinations in Turkey offering halal, religiously endorsed vacation spots.
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Danish Govt: Minister’s Views On Fasting Muslims Are Her Own

Danish Govt: Minister’s Views On Fasting Muslims Are Her Own

AP News

Assertions by Denmark’s immigration minister that Muslims fasting for Ramadan pose a safety hazard in some jobs do not represent the views of the country’s government, a spokeswoman for the ruling coalition said.
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Under Jokowi, Conservative Groups Start To Condemn Terrorism

Under Jokowi, Conservative Groups Start To Condemn Terrorism

The Conversation

Moving away from their past ambiguous stance on violent Islamic extremism, Indonesian conservative Muslim organisations are taking a more assertive position against terrorism under the current government.
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Danish Minister Stojberg Provokes Ramadan Row

Danish Minister Stojberg Provokes Ramadan Row

BBC News

Denmark’s immigration minister has been widely rebuffed after she suggested Muslims should take time off work during Ramadan because of potential safety risks to the rest of society.
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Policy Adviser For Trump-Linked Group Called Obama 'Islamchurian Candidate,' Joked About 'crack whore Dem voter

Policy Adviser For Trump-Linked Group Called Obama 'Islamchurian Candidate,' Joked About 'crack whore Dem voter

CNN

John Loudon, a pro-Trump policy advisor, made several demeaning and offensive remarks towards former President Obama, and democratic voters in general, with using derogatory language about Islam and Muslims.
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Far-Right Activists Who Invaded Mass Would Be Charged With Terrorism if Muslim, Rector Says

Far-Right Activists Who Invaded Mass Would Be Charged With Terrorism if Muslim, Rector Says

The Guardian

The rector of Gosford Anglican church has said a group of far right activists who marched into a service carrying a whip and a toy sword would be charged with terrorism if they were Muslim.
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Tajik Clerics Recommend Dam-Builders Skip Ramadan

Tajik Clerics Recommend Dam-Builders Skip Ramadan

The News

Muslim clerics in ex-Soviet Tajikistan have advised workers building what will become the world’s tallest hydroelectric dam not to observe Ramadan, echoing comments from the country’s secular authoritarian ruler.
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Muslims Disproportionately Excluded From Cryptocurrency

Muslims Disproportionately Excluded From Cryptocurrency

Crypto Briefing

Due to a number of obstacles in access and religious legitimacy of cryptocurrency, Islamic financial institutions are lagging behind in the growing trend of using cryptocurrency as a medium for value and money.
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Coveted Exemptions From Trump’s Travel Ban Remain Elusive For Citizens of Muslim-Majority Countries

Coveted Exemptions From Trump’s Travel Ban Remain Elusive For Citizens of Muslim-Majority Countries

The Washington Post

Despite political promises to provide exemptions the travel ban, many people with dire conditions from Muslim-majority countries find themselves still unable to come to the U.S. for health-based or persecution reasons.
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What Islamophobic Politicians Can Learn From Mormons

What Islamophobic Politicians Can Learn From Mormons

The New York Times

With a strong history of persecution in the U.S., Mormon groups stand firmly in support of U.S. Muslims being targeted by the Trump administration, despite their ‘crimson-red’ voting status.
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What Malcolm X Taught Me About Muslim America

What Malcolm X Taught Me About Muslim America

Religion and Politics

From studying the work and life of Malcolm X, much can be learned about the racialization of Muslims and their internal relationships and dynamics with race, especially among South Asians, Arabs, and African Americans.
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Turkey's Muslim-Friendly Holidays Find A Modest Place In The Sun

Turkey's Muslim-Friendly Holidays Find A Modest Place In The Sun

Reuters

Turkey’s multi-billion tourism industry has been battered by security fears and political disputes in recent years but one corner of the market is quietly growing – beach holidays for conservative Muslims.
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Rights Group: Rohingya Insurgents Massacred Myanmar Hindus

Rights Group: Rohingya Insurgents Massacred Myanmar Hindus

AP News

Myanmar’s army was not the only group that slaughtered civilians in the country’s volatile west last year, Amnesty International said in a new report accusing ethnic Rohingya insurgents of massacring dozens of Hindus during an escalation of a long-running communal conflict in Rakhine state.
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US Bill Conflates Criticism of Israel With Anti-Semitism, Rights Advocates Say

US Bill Conflates Criticism of Israel With Anti-Semitism, Rights Advocates Say

Middle East Eye

A new bill, dubbed the Anti-Semitism Awareness Act of 2018, is being criticized for lumping together criticisms of the Israeli state into a broader definition of anti-Semitism in what opponents call a clear attack on free speech.
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LACMA’s Islamic Art Curator on How Her Ambitious New Exhibition Reveals Another Side of Iran

LACMA’s Islamic Art Curator on How Her Ambitious New Exhibition Reveals Another Side of Iran

Artnetnews

In an interview with Linda Komaroff, Iranian art, both present and past, is explored and discussed in light of its religious, political, and cultural developments in the Islamic Republic.
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Pakistani Mob Destroys 100-Year-Old Minority Ahmadi Mosque

Pakistani Mob Destroys 100-Year-Old Minority Ahmadi Mosque

Reuters

A mob led by right-wing Muslim clerics tore down the dome and minarets of a hundred-year old Pakistani mosque belonging to the marginalized Ahmadi community, officials and the community report.
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Muslim Inmates Sue Alaska Corrections Officials Over Policy

Muslim Inmates Sue Alaska Corrections Officials Over Policy

AP News

Muslim inmates are suing state corrections officials, arguing that they are not provided adequate nourishment as they break their daily fasts during Ramadan at an Alaska jail.
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Islamists Are losing Support In Jordan

Islamists Are losing Support In Jordan

The Washington Post

With declining political support for Islamist parties across Jordan beginning to unfold, a number of new parties that capture youth mobilization and political cynicism are on the rise.
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Spying on Linda Sarsour

Spying on Linda Sarsour

Haaretz

A Haaretz investigation revealed that a secretive Israeli firm collected intelligence on American citizen Linda Sarsour and her family, in effort to combat her appearances on campus’.
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Taming The Muslim Woman

Taming The Muslim Woman

The Immanent Frame

In understanding how different cultural or social frameworks of understanding dictate our narratives surrounding Muslim women, it is paramount to study this in light of racial and social inequalities.
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Video: How Advent of Islam Paved The Way For Astronomy, Scientific Thinking

Video: How Advent of Islam Paved The Way For Astronomy, Scientific Thinking

Al Arabiya English

The advent of Islam paved the way for astronomy and condemned astrology, which led to scientific thinking thereby affecting entire civilizations, Hasan al-Hariri, Chief Executive of the Dubai Astronomy Group, has said.
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Protecting Human Rights of Ecuadorian Muslim Minorities

Protecting Human Rights of Ecuadorian Muslim Minorities

Andalou Agency

Dr. Yahya Suquillo speaks on the efforts Ecuadorian Muslims have been exerting in their country to achieve the goal of protecting and promoting the rights of Muslim minorities.
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German Rightist Calls For Fasting Muslims To Be Banned From Work During Ramadan

German Rightist Calls For Fasting Muslims To Be Banned From Work During Ramadan

Reuters

A lawmaker from the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) called for Muslim doctors, nurses, pilots, bus and train drivers to be banned from working during Ramadan if they are fasting.
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Radicalized Loyalties: Becoming Muslim in the West, by Fabien Truong

Radicalized Loyalties: Becoming Muslim in the West, by Fabien Truong

Times Higher Education

A study stresses how foolish it is to pin all the blame for radicalisation on religion, as underscored by the results of a sociological study conducted on Parisians.
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Some Sunnis Voted For A Shiite –And 3 More Takeaways From The Iraqi Election

Some Sunnis Voted For A Shiite –And 3 More Takeaways From The Iraqi Election

The Conversation

The results of the May Iraqi parliament election shocked many, finding a number of conclusions found in voter turnout, preferences, and of society at large.
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IMF To Add Islamic Finance To Market Surveillance In 2019

IMF To Add Islamic Finance To Market Surveillance In 2019

Reuters

The International Monetary Fund will incorporate Islamic finance into its financial sector assessments of select countries starting next year, aiming to improve regulation in the growing sector.
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Judge Set To Order Proper Meals For Muslim Inmates In Alaska

Judge Set To Order Proper Meals For Muslim Inmates In Alaska

AP News

A judge plans to issue an order requiring that an Alaska jail provide suitable meals to Muslim inmates as they break their daily fasts during Ramadan.
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'I don't fear death': Pioneering Egyptian Feminist Defies Threats

'I don't fear death': Pioneering Egyptian Feminist Defies Threats

Reuters

Throughout a life of activism to protest a number of injustice against Muslim women in Islamic societies, Egyptian feminist Nawal El Saadawi speaks out, claiming to not ‘fear death.’
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Conversion Marriages: Rethinking Categories of Religion In Colonial India’s Courtrooms

Conversion Marriages: Rethinking Categories of Religion In Colonial India’s Courtrooms

The Immanent Frame

In between complicated legal and religious laws for marriage, a number of people find themselves transforming the social landscape of India by converting for the sake of marriage.
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'They are our brothers': Rohingya Refugees Find Rare Welcome In Aceh

'They are our brothers': Rohingya Refugees Find Rare Welcome In Aceh

The Guardian

Nearly one hundred Rohingya refugees fleeing conflict from their native Myanmar have found refuge in the strongly conservative, Islamist city of Aceh, Indonesia.
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US Liberal Islamophobia Is Rising – And More Insidious Than Rightwing Bigotry

US Liberal Islamophobia Is Rising – And More Insidious Than Rightwing Bigotry

The Guardian

Liberal Islamophobia is rising, in the United States and beyond, and rapidly metastasizing in the shadows while its tentacles on the right extend in the form of presidential rhetoric, state-sponsored travel bans and expanding surveillance.
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The Rise of the Muslim Woman Tech Entrepreneur

The Rise of the Muslim Woman Tech Entrepreneur

The New York Times

The rapid increase in globalization and access to education and technology is quickly changing the appearance of tech workers, finding that the next ‘big shot’ of Silicon Valley could easily be a young woman in a hijab.
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Liverpool F.C.’s Mohamed Salah, an Arab Muslim Sports Star Subtly Confronting Racism and Islamophobia

Liverpool F.C.’s Mohamed Salah, an Arab Muslim Sports Star Subtly Confronting Racism and Islamophobia

The New Yorker

Becoming universally admired and adored across Britain for his soccer prowess, Egyptian Arab, practicing Muslim, and Liverpool player Mohamed Salah lends himself as a case to help mitigate the ongoing Islamophobia in the U.K.
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Is Ramadan Easier In Nigeria Than New York?

Is Ramadan Easier In Nigeria Than New York?

The Guardian

Due to differences in solar timing and schedules as well as the religious landscape, immigrant Muslims can find it hard to adapt to lack of consistency in Ramadan they once grew up with.
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During Ramadan, Read These 3 Books by Muslim Authors

During Ramadan, Read These 3 Books by Muslim Authors

The New York Times

As Muslims around the world celebrate Ramadan, fasting from dawn till dusk to commemorate the month in which the first verses of the Quran were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad, here are two books that highlight Muslim families — and one fantastical tale based on Islamic folklore.
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Egypt Blocks YouTube Over Film Denigrating Prophet Muhammad

Egypt Blocks YouTube Over Film Denigrating Prophet Muhammad

The Guardian

Egypt’s top administrative court ordered authorities to block video-sharing website YouTube for a month over a film denigrating Islam’s prophet Muhammad.
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In Mosul, Young Volunteers Help Bring City Back To Life

In Mosul, Young Volunteers Help Bring City Back To Life

Reuters

A group of Iraqi university students have found a cause in the ruins of Mosul. They are salvaging what is left of its rich heritage, clearing rubble and distributing aid in a city crying out for help after the war against Islamic State.
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Ed Husain: From Islamist Radical … To Champion Of Liberal Muslims

Ed Husain: From Islamist Radical … To Champion Of Liberal Muslims

The Guardian

In his new book, author Ed Husain addresses the systemic issues surrounding global Islamic history and how they result in the widespread exercise of extremism and violent ideologies.
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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!