Stories from Quick Reads and Religion
Central Asia’s unique tradition of singing during Ramadan keeps evolving
Jaramazan’s growing popularity has taken it to restaurants, parks, roads, and offices, where it is performed by professional singers, small children, and youngsters alike.
Teenager with Muslim background saved over 100 people in Moscow concert hall terrorist attack
Fifteen-year-old Islam Khalilov, who works part-time as a cloakroom attendant, led more than a hundred people out of Crocus Concert Hall during the terrorist attack
Kyrgyzstan’s blockbuster film is a moving tale of the bond between a mother and son
According to the film’s director Ruslan Akun, its main goal is encouraging people to be merciful towards each other and do good deeds.
Uzbekistan's recent anti-religious measures present a worrisome trend for its Muslims
This is not the first time Muslims in Uzbekistan, who make up 94 percent of the population, face persecution due to their beliefs.
Kyrgyzstan’s self-proclaimed ‘new God’ and former presidential candidate found dead in prison
Abdyldaev’s death is another incident of the alarming trend that has been unfolding under the rule of the current president Sadyr Japarov.
In Georgia, controversy over a Stalin icon makes headlines at home and abroad
Georgia was thrown into controversy when worshipers found a painting of Saint Matrona of Moscow, a 20th-century Russian Orthodox Church saint, with a man who appears to be Joseph Stalin.
Kyrgyzstan's highest court sides with a female activist and allows the use of the matronymic
People in Kyrgyzstan can now add an appendage to their first names that derive from their mothers’ names.
In Guatemala, Mayan families ask for wisdom, health, and strength for 2023
"This Mayejak is carried out to ask permission from our Mother Earth, the hills and valleys that surround us and the 20 Nahuales that represent the days of the Mayan month."
Roundup of Shia figures continues in Azerbaijan
Rustamov is the latest Shia figure targeted by the authorities in an apparent roundup of prominent Shia figures in the country.
Muhammadiyah Wants Indonesia be a Key Player in the World
With a large population and abundant resources, the Islamic group Muhammadiyah wants to push Indonesia to emerge as a key player in the world.
‘Films for Action’ Website Shares List of Top 100 Documentaries ‘We Can Use to Change the World’
After years of promotion and reviews of documentaries devoted to social change, the site Films for Action released a list of what they consider to be the 100 most influencial and provocative. From critiques to manistream media to the corporate world, passing through the ideas and solutions proposed in and by...
Pope Francis in Latin America: ‘Ideologies End Badly, They Serve No Purpose’
Pope Francis Lashes out against Ideologies: http://t.co/EiiH1kqntX pic.twitter.com/NzaCiraLbS — El Universo (@eluniversocom) July 11, 2015 Pope Francis concluded his eight day tour of South America, where he held mass in the three countries he visited: Ecuador, Bolivia and Paraguay. The pontiff's message centered on peace and the most needy. He...
Herve Cornara's Relatives Want Him to Be Remembered as a Great Guy, Not the Beheaded Victim of a Lunatic
Herve Cornara was the manager of ATC, a delivery company in Chassieu in the suburbs of Lyon, France. More importantly, he was a father of a young man and loved by his relatives and colleagues. Cornara was killed and beheaded by Yassin Salhi next to a ISIS flag at a factory in...
Malaysian Lawyer's Viral Post Criticizing the Proposal to Require Non-Muslims to Fast During Ramadan
Malaysian lawyer Azhar Harun criticized the suggestion of some local leaders to require non-Muslims not to eat when Muslims fast during Ramadan. Why the need to close school canteens during Ramadhan? Why must non-Malay pupils be asked to drink behind closed doors and even in the toilet? Just because our...
Candlelight Vigil for the 23 Victims of Boko Haram Suicide Bombings in Chad
Two suicide bombings killed at least 23 people Monday (June 15) in Chad's capital N'djamena. Chad government stated that four attackers belonged to extremist group Boko Haram and were killed by the blast which targeted police. More than 100 people were also injured in the incidents. Chad has committed his...
Second Shia Mosque Attacked by ISIS in Saudi Arabia
On Global Voices Checkdesk, a collaboration project between Meedan Checkdesk, an online news verification tool, and Global Voices Online, Joey Ayoub charts the initial reactions on the bombing of a second Shia mosque in Dammam, in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, for the second Friday in a row. Three...
Preparations are Underway for Ramadhan in Jerusalem
Preparations are underway at the Masjid Al Aqsa in Jerusalem for the holy month of Ramadhan, expected to begin on June 17 or 18 this year. Muslims fast from dawn to sunset during the month, the start of which is decided by sighting the new moon. The mosque is the...
France Launchs National Campaign to Curb Racist and Anti-Semitic Acts
On April 17, the French government unveiled a national campaign to combat racism and anti-Semitism in France. The objective of the campaign is to fight all prejudices, raise awareness and get citizens engaged in the conversation. One hundred euros will be allocated over three years to educate and promote cultural diversity. The...
#JesuisKenyan Trends in Francophone Social Media to Show Support for Garissa Victims
147 people were killed by gunmen on the campus of Garissa University in Kenya. The world and specifically the french speaking world after Charlie Hebdo, shows support to the victims
‘Western Women Don't Care If They Are Raped on the Roadside,’ Says Saudi Historian
Saudi historian Dr Saleh Al-Saadoon says women in the West drive because they “don't care if they get raped on the roadside.” He made the remarks in an interview with Rotana Khalijia, a Saudi-owned television channel aimed at Gulf countries, in his defense of a Saudi prohibition that bans women...
Looking for Books on Islam, Feminism and Racialisation?
Blogger Royayah Chamseddin, a Sydney based Lebanese-American journalist and commentator, shares a list of books on Islam, feminism and racialization in this blog post on her blog Letters from The Underground. The list, which will continue to be expanded, includes links to some books which are available for free download...
