News and Analysis on Islam in Europe and North America
“How much do you get paid?” This is the first question I am asked by many of the A-level students I meet as part of a Muslim mentoring programme for schools in underprivileged areas of North London. Although they ask with a cheeky smirk, in the eyes of many of the students a satisfactory answer
The month of Ramadan and the virtues of generosity, sacrifice and sympathy that Ramadan emphasise are of enormous importance to me. Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection and prayer. The fasting is intended to help teach self-discipline, generosity and appreciation of what we have, while empathising with those who have much less. It is
Schools in Québec are now required to note the passage of holidays like Eid al-Adha, Hanukkah, Diwali and the birth of Sikh guru Nanak. These dates are part of a controversial new course on ethics and religious culture making its debut in classrooms this fall. One school, Loyola High School in Montreal, is going to
After having been taken away in January, the Belgium Executive is once again receiving subsidies. A Royal Order in the Belgian Official Journal granted 150,000 Euro to the Muslim Executive; the money was taken from the federal budget for religions. Minister of Justice Jo Vandeurzen, who is responsible for the administration of religions, postponed the
Cologne’s city council has approved building plans for what is slated to be Germany’s largest mosque. Politicians hope the structure’s glass design and bilingual program will help integrate the Islamic community. Cologne’s Social Democratic Party (SPD), the Greens, the Free Democratic Party (FDP) and the Left Party all voted for the construction of the mosque,