[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.]
The American Optimism of a Kansas Muslim
Bloomberg View
In the aftermath of a killing in Kansas, local cardiologist Moussa Elbayoumy works extensively to bridge Muslim and American communities through discrete acts of kindness and outreach.
Istanbul’s Acclaimed Modern Art Museum Enters New Era
Pakistan Today
The Istanbul Modern, or Antrepo No. 4, will be demolished and relocated to another area of historic Istanbul, signaling a new era in the museums cultural mission.
Islamic Scholars Debate Validity of Cryptocurrencies
Nasdaq
The world’s top Islamic finance scholars are scrutinizing the validity of cryptocurrencies, as debate grows in the industry as to whether such fast emerging financial tools can be deemed sharia compliant.
The Arab World’s Star Student
Foreign Policy
Understanding Tunisia’s relative political success can be partially traced back to it’s stellar education system which pushes a dynamic, secular teaching that allows for the crucial ‘why’ to be asked.
Islamist Parties Re-Create Coalition to ‘establish sharia’ In Pakistan
Asia Times
Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA), a coalition of Islamist parties in Pakistan, has announced its revival with a focus on implementation of sharia in the country along with defeating secularism and eradicating corruption.
Hopeful Signs For Religious Reform In the Arab World
The Hill
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman’s visit to the U.S. generated much press and excitement about the future monarch, a leader who appears to be committed to religious, socio-economic and political reforms, which might inspire struggling Arab rulers to follow in path.
Is Saudi Arabia Turning Against Wahhabism?
Albawaba
Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman’s push for a more ‘moderate Islam’ in his kingdom is signaling a shift away from Wahhabism, the religious thought that has dominated of Saudi politics.
HHS Staffer Described Islam As A F**King Cult And Believed Pizzagate Conspiracy Theory
Newsweek
A deputy at the Dept. of Health and Human Services has been placed on administrative leave after it emerged she was a PizzaGate conspiracy theorist who described Islam as a ‘f**king cult.
State And Local Republican Officials Have Been Bashing Muslims. We Counted.
BuzzFeed News
A BuzzFeed News analysis found that Republican officials in forty-nine states have openly attacked Muslims with words and proposed legislation since 2015, and few have faced repercussions.
Nigeria: Shiites’ Protest: Intensifying Protests Against Perceived Injustice
New Telegraph
In the last couple of weeks, members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), popularly known as the Shiites, have raised the tempo of their protests, raising fears that the group is running out of patience and might, one day, become violent.
America's Next Generation Of Muslims Insists On Crafting Its Own Story
NPR
In one of the most racially and nationally diverse groups in the U.S., Muslim American youth insist on both consuming and producing their own unique brand of culture into fashion, communities, and beyond.
Islamic Scholar Says Bitcoin is Compliant With Sharia Law as Price Surges
CCN
A recent declaration by an Islamic scholar that Bitcoin is compliant with Sharia law could be the cause behind today’s One thousand dollar price surge, opening the market to Muslim investors who were previously unsure if the cryptocurrency qualified as money under the strict definitions outlined by scholars.
Uzbek Government Eases Restrictions on Muslims
The Jamestown Foundation
Under new political authority, Uzbek authorities are pulling back on restrictions on the practice of and access to Islamic traditions, hallmarked by a scheduled Quran recitation competition.
The Queen May Be A Child of the Prophet Muhammad
The Times UK
A Moroccan newspaper has declared that the Queen is a direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad, claiming to have traced her lineage back more than forty generations.
India: Muslim Groups Call Protest Rally to ‘save religion, save country’
Times of India
Imarat Shariah and the All India Muslim Personal Law Board have jointly organized a mega protest titled Deen Bachao, Desh Bachao (Save Religion, Save Country) to protest the increasing political strife faced by Muslims in India.
Amid Growing Interest in Halal Food, Navy Pier Festival to Celebrate Muslim Lifestyle
Chicago Tribune
Thousands of Muslims and non-Muslims alike are expected to attend the inaugural I Heart Halal festival on Navy Pier this weekend, an event that’s billed as the first halal lifestyle festival in America.
The Koran According to the Israeli Army: A Good Palestinian Woman Stays Away From Protests
Haaretz
In an interview with an IDF spokesperson, he questionably draws from the Quran in an attempt to morally detract from women’s participation in the recent politically charged protests.
Swiss Woman Files Rape Complaint Against Islamic Scholar Tariq Ramadan
Straits Times
A Swiss woman has filed a criminal complaint in Geneva for rape against the Islamic scholar Tariq Ramadan – already being held in custody in France on similar allegations.
Multiculturalism Has Failed, Believe Substantial Minority of Britons
The Guardian UK
A new study finds that a large minority of Britons appears to believe that multiculturalism has failed and different communities generally live separate lives, drawing worrying conclusion about integration with Muslim communities.
How Islam Shaped the Enlightenment
The New Republic
In his new book, The Republic of Arabic Letters: Islam and the European Enlightenment, author Alexander Bevilacqua highlights the contributions of Islam and Muslims in the emerging philosophies and thought of the Enlightenment era.
How Muslims, Often Misunderstood, Are Thriving in America
National Geographic
In this story by National Geographic, several cases of Muslim American communities that are excelling in tradition, community building, and culture are brought to show a clear progress despite the heavy prejudice.
Muslims Find Jews Standing Behind Them In Opposition To Pompeo’s Confirmation
Religion News Service
As members of the Senate begin hearings on whether to confirm Mike Pompeo as secretary of state, they will consider dozens of objections from Muslim groups and a number from prominent Jewish ones.
A Mosque For LGBTQ Muslims
SDPB Radio
In her reporting about Muslims in America, reporter Leila Fadel is interviewed on a local Chicago mosque for LGBTQ Muslims, where the community can gather to worship in spite of discrimination from traditional mosques.
The Blue Muslim Wave: American Muslims Launch Political Campaigns, Hope to Deliver ‘sweet justice’ to Trump
The Washington Post
Muslim candidates are running for a wide range of offices across the country, from local school boards to the U.S. Senate, making their Muslim identity central to their campaigns, as a broad response to the Presidency of Donald Trump.
Professor Tariq Ramadan and France's Islamophobia
Daily Sabah
The current imprint on Western society is a function of latent Islamophobia, which worked to produce the manifest Islamophobia that professor Ramadan is currently experiencing