Aysha Khan
Aysha Khan is a Boston-based journalist reporting on American Muslims and millennial faith for RNS. Her newsletter, Creeping Sharia, curates news coverage of Muslim communities in the U.S. Previously, she was the social media editor at RNS.
All Stories by Aysha Khan
‘A long time coming’: These Muslims are bringing sex abuse by sheikhs out of the shadows
By Aysha Khan — January 15, 2020
(RNS) — Over the past two to three years, scholars and advocates say, North American Muslims have risen up in an unprecedented movement to openly confront sexual and spiritual abuse perpetrated by Muslim religious leaders.
Tech company CEO faces backlash over participation in Hindu nationalist event
By Aysha Khan — January 8, 2020
(RNS) — Facing online backlash, the California-based CEO of enterprise software company Zoho has doubled down on plans to attend an event hosted by India's RSS paramilitary group.
Caught in crossfire: After US strike, border stops leave Iranian Americans feeling vulnerable
By Aysha Khan — January 6, 2020
(RNS) — Iranians in America have been caught in the crossfire of US-Iran tensions for decades. Advocates say things are likely about to get a whole lot worse.
Sikh holy site in Pakistan mobbed by locals, trapping worshipers
By Aysha Khan — January 3, 2020
(RNS) — The demonstration may have been sparked by a local dispute between Muslim and Sikh residents.
Where will the next decade take religion? Experts predict the future of faith
By Aysha Khan — January 2, 2020
(RNS) — We asked experts to reflect on some of the biggest shifts in religious landscapes over the last 10 years and what themes they expect to see emerge in the 2020s.
In Toronto, Muslims offer ‘shelter bus’ for the homeless
By Aysha Khan — December 24, 2019
(RNS) — Since the bus launched this month, the Muslim volunteers have served over 1,000 people experiencing homelessness in the Toronto area.
Federal Bureau of Prisons loosens limits on Muslim inmates’ prayer
By Aysha Khan — December 18, 2019
(RNS) — The agency has issued new national guidelines recommending accommodation of group prayer for Muslim prisoners after a Muslim inmate’s lawsuit challenging restrictions at a Kentucky prison.
‘You’ve got to call out evil,’ says pastor of church with Nativity scene separated in cages
By Alejandra Molina and Aysha Khan — December 13, 2019
CLAREMONT, Calif. (RNS) — Claremont United Methodist Church is taking security measures after its Nativity scene showing Jesus, Mary and Joseph as refugees in cages has garnered widespread attention.
Over 10,000 Christians petition Boston College to reject Koch grant
By Aysha Khan — December 13, 2019
BOSTON (RNS) — More than 10,080 Christians have signed a petition urging officials at the Jesuit university to reject a potential donation from the Koch Foundation toward the school's political science department.
China accuses US of double standards on anti-Muslim bigotry, counterterrorism
By Aysha Khan — December 12, 2019
(RNS) — Chinese officials are seeking to turn the tables on the White House, accusing the U.S. of hypocrisy due to its own long history of anti-Muslim discrimination.
‘Mission accomplished’: How one woman built the mosque of her dreams in Vegas
By Aysha Khan — December 10, 2019
LAS VEGAS (RNS) — Four years after becoming the first woman to build a U.S. mosque, Masjid Ibrahim’s 74-year-old founder says she’s still amazed by the community she has created.
Muhammad breaks into top 10 US baby names list in 2019
By Aysha Khan — December 6, 2019
(RNS) — The name, popular among Muslims as an act of devotion to honor Islam’s founder, has long been climbing parenting website BabyCenter’s annual list. This year, it made the cut.
China blasts passage of US bill ordering sanctions over Uighur detention
By Aysha Khan — December 4, 2019
(RNS) — The House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly in favor of a bipartisan bill that would call for Trump to impose sanctions against Chinese officials responsible for abuses in Xinjiang.
Melissa Rogers envisions a better way forward for faith in the public square
By Aysha Khan — December 3, 2019
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (RNS) — Prompted by what she sees as a new push toward rewriting church-state laws and historic hostility to religious minorities, Rogers’ new book seeks to define the relationship between the government and religion.
Film follows ‘honest struggle’ of formerly incarcerated Muslims reentering society
By Aysha Khan — November 27, 2019
(RNS) — The documentary follows Sadiq Davis’ journey to build a new life as a faithful Muslim in the South Side of Chicago after 24 years behind bars.
