Hanif Kureishi has turned his own vibrant 1995 novel into a play. The result is a busy, hectic affair that raises all kinds of issues about religious and political faith, fatwas and censorship and the purpose of art. But, as so often with adaptations, you get the bones without the thickness of texture that was…
The world’s most popular Islamic hotline, the Egyptian based ‘dial-a-sheikh’, is launching in Britain to help the nation’s 1.6 million Muslims deal with everyday dilemmas. At just 75 pence a minute, British Muslims will be able to access scholars from Egypt’s al-Azhar University through al-Hatef al-Islami helpline where they can call in and seek help…
German Muslims and politicians are demanding that imams in Germany speak German and remain acquainted with the country’s political, social and cultural norms so that they can provide context-specific religious guidance. Imam Ferid Heider, who grew up in Berlin and serves as imam at two of the city’s mosques, believes that only those who are…
Imams have a strong influence on Muslims living in Germany. One of their tasks is the issuing of fatwas — religious opinions on Islamic law which can serve as behavioral guidelines for Muslims in specific situations. For years now, the teachings of imams in Germany have been hotly debated. The vast majority (90 percent) are…
