April 24 – 30

Should France Have Its Own Version of Islam?

Should France Have Its Own Version of Islam?

The Atlantic

Tareq Oubrou is an Imam in France who preaches a message of Islam that is ‘progressive’ and in keeping with French secularism. He discusses his views here in an interview.
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Pope Francis in Egypt: A voice of reason

Pope Francis in Egypt: A voice of reason

Al Jazeera

Pope Francis has stood up against Islamophobia claiming that acts of violence done in God’s name are profane. He has also pushed back against far-right rhetoric scapegoating Islam and Muslims for the recent attacks against Copts on Palm Sunday.
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China bans Islamic baby names in Muslim majority Xinjiang province

China bans Islamic baby names in Muslim majority Xinjiang province

Independent

The Chinese government has produced a document called “Naming Rules for Ethnic Minorities” that forbids explicitly “Islamic” names for children and bars them from access to social services for those who ignore the law.
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 A surprise from Trump’s first 100 days: His first international rescue was a Muslim woman

A surprise from Trump’s first 100 days: His first international rescue was a Muslim woman

The Washington Post

Aya Hijazi was released from Egyptian prison after spending 3 years in jail after negotiations between the Trump Administration and the Egyptian government.
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In America, Does More Education Equal Less Religion?

In America, Does More Education Equal Less Religion?

PEW Research Center

According to a PEW Research Center survey, higher levels of education are linked with lower levels of religious commitment, such as belief in God, how often people pray and how important they say religion is to them. However the survey also found that college educated Americans attended religious services as often as Americans without degrees.
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What Does It Mean to Be a ‘Secular Muslim’?

What Does It Mean to Be a ‘Secular Muslim’?

The Atlantic

Two Italian Somali women, Maryan Ismail and Layla Yusuf, founded the Movement of Secular Muslims, which aims to get a seat at the table during conversations between the Italian government and religious leaders.
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Quebec: Uniting to fulfil mosque attack victim's dream

Quebec: Uniting to fulfil mosque attack victim's dream

Al Jazeera

The Muslim community in Quebec seeks to honor the dreams of those who died in January’s attack on a local mosque. Heightened security measures are being taken to safeguard the community from continued hateful rhetoric and acts targeting Muslims.
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 More young Republicans know a millionaire than a Muslim, and just 4 in 10 young Dems are close to a Trump backer

More young Republicans know a millionaire than a Muslim, and just 4 in 10 young Dems are close to a Trump backer

The Washington Post

According to a new poll from the Harvard Institute of Politics, more young Republicans know a millionaire than a Muslim.
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 The Chibok Girls by Helon Habila review – a portrait of resilience

The Chibok Girls by Helon Habila review – a portrait of resilience

The Guardian

Helon Habila has documented the kidnapping of Nigerian girls by Boko Haram in a “short and powerful” narrative.
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Is Sufism answer to extremism in Egypt?

Is Sufism answer to extremism in Egypt?

Al Monitor

A conference convened at the Azamiya Sufi Order in Cairo to discuss how Sufism might be the antidote to extremism and fundamentalism.
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 Meet Hasan Minhaj: The Muslim comedian who roasted Trump in front of reporters

Meet Hasan Minhaj: The Muslim comedian who roasted Trump in front of reporters

The Washington Post

Hasan Minhaj, a senior correspondent for The Daily Show, was the first Muslim and the first South Asian American to headline the annual the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner.
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The case for gender equality in the Muslim world

The case for gender equality in the Muslim world

Al Jazeera

Maha Akeel argues that supporting women’s empowerment in education and job training will create opportunities to overcome barriers to economic development.
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Can Sisi protect Egypt's endangered Christians?

Can Sisi protect Egypt's endangered Christians?

Al Monitor

Egyptians question whether the Sisi government is doing all that it can to protect Egypt’s Coptic minority from security threats such as ISIS. Egyptian Christians remain skeptical of the Sisi government despite its claim to protect citizens from extremist political ideas.
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The Writer Behind a Muslim Marvel Superhero on Her Faith in Comics

The Writer Behind a Muslim Marvel Superhero on Her Faith in Comics

The New Yorker

G. Willow Wilson, the author of Ms. Marvel, a DC comic focused on a Muslim female superhero, speaks out about how her faith has played a role in her journey to write comics.
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 Ukip MEP's 'death cult' remarks spark new Islamophobia row

Ukip MEP's 'death cult' remarks spark new Islamophobia row

The Guardian

One of the leading MEP’s from Ukip claims that Islam was a “death cult” and that non-Muslims “should have a perfectly rational fear” of Islam. Opposition to the party has condemned these statements as anti-Muslim bigotry.
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We're all Muslims: How Christians, Jews, Muslims and atheists united against Donald Trump in Detroit

We're all Muslims: How Christians, Jews, Muslims and atheists united against Donald Trump in Detroit

Independent

Fatima Salman, a Muslim social worker, describes how the people of Detroit have responded to the Muslim ban and the Trump administration as a whole.
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Why Muslims are marching for climate

Why Muslims are marching for climate

CNN

Nana Firman, an Indonesian-American, shares why her faith compels her and other Muslims to march for climate change.
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 Ukip under fire for choosing candidate who called Islam evil

Ukip under fire for choosing candidate who called Islam evil

The Guardian

Anne Marie Waters, member of anti-Islam group Pegida, has been selected by Ukip as a parliamentary candidate. Waters is known for calling Islam “evil.” Opposition members complain that this shows a “hard right” tilt in Ukip’s positions.
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Muslim men lynched for 'trying to steal cows' in Assam

Muslim men lynched for 'trying to steal cows' in Assam

Al Jazeera

Two Muslim men died as a result of injuries from being beaten after they were accused of trying to steal cow by local villagers in the Indian state of Assam.
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Maydan editors selected some of the most thought-provoking news items on issues around Islam, religion and public-life for you. Let us know what you have been reading. Drop us a line at mediaroundups@themaydan.com!