· October, 2009

Stories about Religion from October, 2009

Trinidad & Tobago: Death Penalty

  30 October 2009

“The term ‘death penalty’ is a literary iceberg – two words that hide a huge amount of detail beneath the surface”: Know TnT.com examines the issue.

Guadeloupe, Martinique: Soccer & Religion

  28 October 2009

A video showing an interview of the famous French soccer player Thierry Henry in which he expresses his affiliation to Islam, has caught the attention of Martinican blogger Bondamanjak [Fr/Fr Cr] and triggered impassioned comments from readers.

Haiti: No Justice?

  23 October 2009

As an ex-priest is extradited to Canada to face charges of sexual abuse of minors in Haiti, The Haitian Blogger says: “The international community has evidently concluded that there is no justice in Haiti. Sexual predators who have been operating with impunity in Haiti are being extradited to their countries...

Pakistan: Abuse Of Religion

  21 October 2009

“The trend of moulding religion to suit one’s needs instead of amending ones own behavior to suit the needs of religion is a symptom prevalent even amongst the so called liberal and educated classes of our country,” comments Pakistani blogger Tayyab at Deadpan Thoughts.

USA: Interracial couple denied marriage license

  21 October 2009

Last week, in Hammond, Louisiana, a couple applied for a marriage license and were refused on the basis of their different races. The justice of the peace claimed that "interracial marriages do not last long" and stated that he was "doing it for the children."

Pakistan: The Strategy To Win Against The Attackers

  19 October 2009

“For the people of Pakistan, however, the worst aspect of the attacks is that attackers belong to us. It is the trauma of being hit by our near and dear ones,” comments Azhar Aslam at Teeth Maestro on the recent suicidal attacks in Pakistan. He proposes some strategies to win...

Morocco: Praise for Islamic Finance

  16 October 2009

In a recent blog post, Paris-based Moroccan blogger Larbi (Fr) takes a closer look at Islamic finance. He writes: “While global finance has collapsed and the world was plunged into a financial crisis like no other, a little village still resists to this wave. It is called: “Islamic Finance”. Crisis?...

Trinidad & Tobago: Celebrations

  15 October 2009

This is a busy week for Trinidad and Tobago, according to Repeating Islands, as the country celebrates both Amerindian Heritage Week and the Hindu festival of Divali.

Pakistan: The Ideology Of The Army

  13 October 2009

Ayesha Siddiqa at Pak Tea House comments on the ideology of the Pakistan army and the civil society at large: “the country’s ruling elite and the military have traditionally used a particular aspect of religion to gain strategic dividends. While they can conveniently claim to have retained their secularism and...

Russia: 1994 Zikr in Grozny

  11 October 2009

Photographer Oleg Klimov posts photos (RUS) of Chechen men performing a zikr ceremony in summer 1994 in Grozny, Chechnya: “Some six months before the war. Most of these people are no longer alive.”

India: Bigamy On The Rise

  9 October 2009

Bigamy is outlawed in India with some exceptions. However the Bigamy law has been twisted and milked through the gate of exceptions and the practice is on the rise in the country. Deepali Gaur Singh has details.

Egypt: Niqab Ban Stirs Controversy

Egypt's top leading Islamic leader, Sheikh Mohammed Tantawi told a 13-year-old student to uncover her face, saying it was not part of the religious obligations of Muslim women. A few days later, Egypt banned female undergraduates from wearing the niqab in the country's public universities. Bloggers join in the debate.