Islam

An immigrant Muslim finds his model of empowerment in Black American Islam

By Joshua Stanton and Benjamin Spratt — May 10, 2022

(RNS) — One in a new series of interviews with contemporary faith-based leaders reinventing American faith.

Even abortion foes will help friends who choose to end a pregnancy

By Bob Smietana — May 9, 2022

(RNS) — Americans hold complicated views on abortion — with many seeing it as immoral but necessary. And they often help out friends who choose abortion.

Taliban divisions deepen as Afghan women defy veil edict

By Kathy Gannon — May 8, 2022

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) —Hardliners and pragmatists among the Islamist rulers have avoided open confrontation but sharper restrictions, such as a recent decree that all women must be entirely covered, are deepening divisions.

Survey: White evangelicals oppose abortion; all other religious groups support it

By Yonat Shimron — May 6, 2022

(RNS) — US religions have wide-ranging opinions on legality of abortion. But most support legal abortion.

Israeli police enter tense holy site as Jewish visits resume

By Joseph Krauss — May 5, 2022

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli police entered the Al Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem to clear away Palestinian protesters after controversial visits by Jews that had been paused for the Muslim holidays resumed.

Caste doesn’t just exist in India or in Hinduism – it is pervasive across many religions in South Asia and the diaspora

By Aseem Hasnain and Abhilasha Srivastava — May 5, 2022

(The Conversation) — Several US universities now recognize caste as part of nondiscrimination policies. Two scholars of South Asian studies explain how caste-based violence isn’t limited to Hinduism, or to India.

National Day of Prayer observances to feature in-person worship, online petitions

By Adelle M. Banks — May 4, 2022

(RNS) — Proclaimed by Congress in 1952, the prayer day has been observed since 1988 on the first Thursday in May, with a more diverse array of participants in recent years.

Roe v. Wade: Faith leaders react to leaked SCOTUS opinion

By Emily McFarlan Miller — May 3, 2022

(RNS) — Religious views of abortion are not as monolithic as many may believe.

Ramadan and Eid came back to mosques this year, but home prayer rooms are here to stay

By Tasmiha Khan — May 2, 2022

(RNS) — During the pandemic, many Muslim families set aside special areas in their houses for prayer and decorated them accordingly.

Mother’s Day gift guide: Something for everyone who mothers

By Emily McFarlan Miller — May 2, 2022

(RNS) — There are many thoughtful ways that individuals, churches and other houses of worship can celebrate those who do the work of mothering.

How race and religion have always played a role in who gets refuge in the US

By Laura E. Alexander, Jane Hong, Karen Hooge Michalka, and Luis A. Romero — May 2, 2022

(The Conversation) — Four scholars of race, religion and immigration explain how US refugee and asylum policy has long been racially and religiously discriminatory in practice.

Muslims mark Eid al-Fitr holiday with joy, worry

By Kathy Gannon, Mariam Fam, and Niniek Karmini — May 2, 2022

CAIRO (AP) — This year, Muslims around the world are observing Eid al-Fitr in the shadow of a surge in global food prices exacerbated by the war in Ukraine.

Second gentleman Doug Emhoff touts ‘critical’ interfaith collaboration

By Adelle M. Banks — April 29, 2022

(RNS) — Emhoff spoke about how his interfaith marriage reflected the observance of major Jewish and Christian holidays in quick succession.

Jewish, Muslim groups voice concerns over Musk Twitter takeover

By Jack Jenkins — April 28, 2022

(RNS) — ‘Musk’s takeover threatens to make Twitter an even more dangerous place for Muslims and other marginalized people — and that includes the very real possibility of allowing Trump back on the platform,’ said Sumayyah Waheed of Muslim Advocates.

French Muslims vote for ‘whoever spits in their face least’

By Tom Heneghan — April 27, 2022

PARIS (RNS) — France’s Muslim minority, estimated at about 8% of the 68 million population, became one of the main issues in the presidential election.