“Seeking European Imams Desperately” : An Assessment of the Ongoing National and EU Initiatives

The function of imam is often considered the most effective entry point to organise Muslim communities, as Prof. Welmoet Boender, from the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, points out in a recent article in the journal Religions. In Europe, imams are often considered a potential bridge builders between Muslim communities and secular-majority societies… if they possess the…

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The potential ban of halal chicken in France : a misinterpretation by some imams and a generational gap between Muslims?

Last week in a joined statement by – the Great Mosques of Paris, Evry and Lyon – announced that it would not be possible anymore to get halal poultry in France. They condemned the French government for planning to ban halal slaughtering by the summer 2021.  These three mosques historically benefit from a legal agreement to certify…

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Supreme Court allows 3 Muslims put on no-fly list to seek damages against federal officials

The Supreme Court of the United Sates allowed three Muslims who had been placed on no-fly lists, to sue for financial damages against FBI officials under a federal law meant to protect religious liberty. Writing for an 8-0 court, Justice Clarence Thomas said that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, passed in 1993 to prohibit the federal…

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Muslim Chaplains in the UK Military and Prison services

Military For serving personnel, life in the British armed forces is both rewarding and challenging. Not least for the hundreds of Muslims who help defend our country and safeguard its interests overseas. The Armed Forces Muslim Association was set up in 2009 to recognise the contribution Muslim personnel make across all three services, both in…

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How the mandatory mask in the time of COVID19 makes Muslim women feel

Yasmin Bakkar, 26, is a practicing Muslim and a cover teacher in secondary schools across Leicester. Bakkar has worn the niqab [a face veil that covers everything but the eyes] since she was 14-years-old. Her choice to do so has been religiously important to her, but this has resulted in occasions where she has been…

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