[This is a roundup of news articles and other materials circulating about Islam and reflects a wide variety of opinions and approaches. It does not reflect the views of the Critical Currents in Islam page or of Jadaliyya. You may send your own recommendations for inclusion in each week`s roundup to cci@jadaliyya.com by Saturday night of every week.]
Avant-garde Mosque Angers Hard-Liners In Iran
AP News
A newly built mosque in Tehran angers religious conservatives who claim the building’s architecture disrespects the Islamic Republic’s religious values.
Months After Exodus Began, Rohingya See No End To Suffering
AP News
In interviews with Bengali authorities and Rohingya refugees, the majority report that no sufficient repatriation efforts are being made for the displaced Muslims.
Poland Considers Educating Refugee Children Apart From Public Schools
Reuters
Citing educational gaps and an inability to learn, the Polish government is considering sending teachers to educate at refugee camps, outside of public schooling.
Jakarta's Christian Ex-Governor Challenges Blasphemy Conviction
Reuters
Jakarta’s former governor, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, convicted of insulting Islam, sought a judicial review of his case, as several hundred of his supporters and hardline Islamist protesters gathered outside a court in Jakarta.
After The Niqab: What Life Is Like For French Women Who Remove The Veil
The Conversation
From the stories of two women who chose to stop wearing the conservative Islamic niqab, they account their emotions, the backlash of others, and even regret in their decision.
#MosqueMeToo Gives Muslim Women A Voice About Sexual Misconduct At Mecca
NPR
Using the platform of #MosqueMeToo, women who have experienced sexual assault at Mecca can counter the taboo nature of sexual harassment in the Middle East and Arab cultures.
The Complex Truth About Being an Immigrant in ‘Flight’ and ‘An Ordinary Muslim’
The Daily Beast
Two new plays, ‘Flight’ and ‘An Ordinary Muslim,’ explore the immigrant experience, from xenophobia and abuse through to personal identity and one’s sense of home.
Indonesia Brings Convicted Militants And Victims Together
AP News
The Indonesian government is bringing together dozens of convicted Islamic militants and survivors of attacks in what it hopes will be an important step in combating radicalism and fostering reconciliation.
Sri Lanka Shops, Mosque Damaged In Buddhist-Muslim Clash
Reuters
In light of renewed tensions, Sinhalese Buddhists and minority Muslims in eastern Sri Lanka clashed in what results in injuries and damages to local shops and a mosque.
Muslim Radio Station Fined For Broadcasting 'Hate Speech'
Nottingham Post
A radio station broadcasting to Nottingham’s Muslim community has been fined £2,000 after a Nasheed with insults targeted at non-Muslims played on the radio was found to constitute ‘hate speech’.
Jordan Underwater Survey Finds Parts of Islamic-Era Port
AP News
Officials say Jordan’s first underwater archaeological survey has detected the outlines of a stone barrier, believed to be part of the centuries-old Red Sea port of Ayla, near the modern city of Aqaba.
Pakistan Suspends Sentences In Blasphemy Case Pending Appeal
AP News
An appellate court in Pakistan suspended the three-year jail terms handed down to suspects over the lynching of a university student who was falsely accused of blasphemy, a lawyer said.
India: Jordan King To Talk On Islamic Heritage, PM Modi To Attend Event
Times of India
Jordan’s King Abdullah II, who is known for his global initiative to fight radicalisation, will deliver a lecture on Islamic heritage and promoting understanding and moderation at a conference in Delhi.
India: UP Shia Waqf Board Chair Asks AIMPLB to Hand Over Nine Muslim Religious Places to Hindus
United News of India
An Uttar Pradesh Shia Central Waqf Board chairman wrote to the All India Muslim Personal Law Board to hand over the occupied land of mosques which were once Hindu temples to the majority community of the nation.
Czech Man Attacked Trains, Blamed It On Islamic Militants
AP News
Claimed to incite fear towards Muslims, a Czech man who cut trees to disrupt train tracks is being detained while blaming the attack on Islamic militants.
Misinterpreting Islamic Law Robs Muslim Women of Land: Experts
Reuters
In a new report on women and land in the Muslim world, the misinterpretation of Islamic law and a lack of knowledge about inheritance rights are major hurdles in improving women’s access to land in Muslim countries, experts said.
Bill Banning Circumcision in Iceland Alarms Religious Groups
The New York Timex
A bill in Iceland that could make it a crime to circumcise infant boys for nonmedical reasons is drawing strong support from hundreds of doctors and nurses there, and criticism from religious leaders.
Singer Wows ‘Voice’ Judges But Social Media Mob Pushes Her to Quit Show
The Conversation
On The Voice France, Mennel Ibtissem, melted the hearts of the judges, audience and viewers with her heartwarming rendition of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah, but left the stage as social media communities brought up her old tweets regarding attacks in France.
Religion and Politics In The Middle East: Is Kuwait Showing the Way Ahead?
France 24
In an interview with Shaikha Binjasim, a Kuwaiti academic and human rights activist, she speaks on the coordination of constitutional law and religious doctrine in Kuwait.
Senate Confirms Trump's OMB Deputy
The Hill
The Senate confirmed Russell Vought as deputy White House budget chief, a critic of Islam who claims ‘Muslim do not know God.’
How To Overcome Religious Prejudice Among Refugees
The Conversation
In refugee camps in both Germany and Jordan, tolerance and mixing are the best ways to combat prejudices amongst refugees and their hosts.
Political Appointee At Interior Resigns After KFile Inquiry Into Birther, Anti-Muslim Comments
CNN
A political appointee at the Department of Interior resigned after CNN’s KFile flagged inflammatory comments she made on Facebook and Twitter regarding Muslims, political parties, and the LGBT community.
Muslim Officer Works With Immigrants In Ohio Capital City
AP News
In light of growing asylum-seekers and foreign populations, a Muslim police officer is reaching out to communities to help them feel connected to their societies.
Almost 1,000 Attacks On Muslims Reported In Germany in 2017: Report
Middle East Eye
German authorities registered over nine-hundred attacks on Muslims and their institutions, against mosques, in 2017, the Neue Osnabrueckner Zeitung, citing data provided to lawmakers by the Interior Ministry.
UK Man Convicted of Running Over Muslim Woman In Hate Attack
AP News
A British man was convicted of attempted murder for running over a Muslim woman in a hate crime he saw as revenge for Islamic extremist attacks.
Teacher Tried To Create 'Army of Children' to Launch Terror Attacks in London
Reuters
A British supporter of Islamic State was found guilty of trying to recruit children he was teaching into an ‘army’ of jihadists to help carry out a wave of attacks across London
Waqt Al-Tagheer: Time of Change Explores The Diversity of Muslim Australian Identities
The Conversation
Waqt Al-Tagheer’s ‘Time of Change’ exhibition is a visually striking case that explores and highlights the complexities and levels of identity for Muslim Australians.
'Are You Concerned by Sharia Law?': Trump Canvasses Supporters For 2020
The Guardian
Forecasting the themes of the next election, Trump’s survey includes questions that marginalize Muslims among other things, such as immigration.
China Accused of Arresting Dozens of Muslim Women Married to Pakistani Men
VOA News
China has allegedly detained dozens of Muslim women in its restive Xinjiang province for marrying men in a northern border region of neighboring Pakistan.
Anti-BDS Bills Expected To Feature Prominently At AIPAC
AlJazeera
Israel supporters in the US are gearing up for AIPAC’s much-vaunted annual policy conference, with measures to counter the widening campaign to boycott Israel and its West Bank settlements expected to feature prominently in the powerful lobbying group’s agenda.
It is Wrong to Say That Black Panther is Islamophobic
Middle East Eye
In Marvel’s newest film, Black Panther, scenes showing vulnerable young women are to be interpreted as signs of increasing feminism and inclusivity of minorities, Muslims, and women.
France’s Marine Le Pen Charged over Islamic State Photos
Bloomberg
French prosecutors filed preliminary charges against Marine Le Pen for tweeting brutal images of Islamic State violence.
Excessive Force
The Intercept
In interviews with Somali detainees being deported, they share their horror stories of being abused and violated by ICE authorities all throughout the deportation process.