Islam in Media Roundup | 6 January – 12 January

United States

7 Americans on the Islamophobia They Faced at Home Because of War Abroad

Vibe

To better understand how conflict with Iran might lead to a spike in domestic hatred, I asked other young Muslims about their personal experiences of bigotry during wartime.
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How Anti-Terrorism Laws Equip Law Enforcement to Crack Down on Iranian Americans

The Washington Post

Since 9/11, courts have granted the government broad leeway to label people and groups “terrorists.”
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U.S. Border Agency Says It’s Not Singling out Iranians. This Family Waited 11 Hours and Was Asked About Iranian Heritage.

The Intercept

In an interview with The Intercept on Sunday, Crystal, who asked that her last name not be used for fear of retaliation, described how she and her family were held for nearly half a day while subjected to questions about their relationship to Iran.
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U.S. to Start Collecting DNA From People Detained at Border

Detroit News

The information would go into a massive criminal database run by the FBI, where it would be held indefinitely.
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Christians Pray at a Discount: Muslim Inmates Charged More for Religious Texts

Pennsylvania Post

A PA Post review of county jails’ commissaries finds that Muslim inmates meet financial barriers to practicing their religion.
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Donald Trump Jr Shows off an Ancient ‘Symbol of War With Islam’ as His Father Puts America on the Warpath With Iran

Raw Story

As his father was doubling down on his threat to destroy Iranian religious and cultural sites Donald Trump Jr. was proudly posting photos of his assault rifle featuring a symbol of a Christian religious war against Islam reportedly now used by white supremacists.
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Marco Rubio Urges US Congress to Pass Uygur Bill to Counter China’s Crackdown in Xinjiang

South China Morning Post

Republican senator says human rights issues should not be overlooked for the trade deal or ‘intermingled’ with geopolitical issues.
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'Muslims in my House': A Tribute to a Beloved Centenarian

Religion News

“I would like to have you Muslims in my house and have your school here, because what you’re teaching and how you’re teaching is what all people need to learn.”
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Muslim Comedians Open up About Their Faith on the Stand-Up Circuit

Detroit News

Did you hear the one about the Muslim who walked into a comedy club? It’s no joke. These comedians are talking openly about their Islamic faith in stand-up routines that mine previously untapped material while shattering stereotypes about an often misunderstood religion.
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At Cemeteries, the Sunni and Shia Say the Same Prayers

Al Jazeera

As sectarian sentiment flares, it is important for Muslims in the US and beyond to refuse to feed the dogs of war.
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Iran

Iran's Cultural Treasures Have Been Threatened by Trump. Here Are Some of Its Most Important Sites

CNN

This raised warnings from the United Nations that an attack on such sites would constitute a war crime. UNESCO chief Audrey Azoulay said Monday there were several legal agreements ratified by the US and Iran, which bar attacks on cultural locations.
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Trump's Twitter Threats Against Iran Cultural Sites Borrow From the ISIS Playbook

NBC

Driven by fear, those who go to war with art always lose in the end. Being Iranian American is like being the child of divorced parents who refuse to get along, not even for the kids.
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Rumi, Caught Between the U.S. and Iran

Sojourners

On April 27, 2019, Tiffany Trump posted a picture of herself on Instagram captioned with a quote attributed to Rumi, the 13th-century Persian poet and mystic. It read: “Raise your words, not voice. It is rain that grows flowers, not thunder.” Later that summer, Donald Trump, Tiffany’s father and the president of the United States, tweeted, “Iran cannot have Nuclear Weapons!”
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Oman

Sultan Qaboos, Who Built Oman Into a Prosperous Oasis of Peacemaking, Dies at 79

The New York Times

The longest-serving Arab ruler, Qaboos pulled his nation from poverty and brokered quiet talks between global foes.
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Oman Names Culture Minister as Successor to Sultan Qaboos

AP

Oman announced Saturday culture minister Haitham bin Tariq Al Said as the new ruler of the Gulf Arab country, ending speculation over the mystery of who would succeed longtime ruler Sultan Qaboos bin Said.
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Malaysia

Muslims Should Unite After Iran Commander's Killing: Malaysian PM

Reuters

The world’s oldest premier, who has in recent months stoked diplomatic tensions by speaking out on issues concerning the Muslim world, also said the U.S. drone attack on Soleimani was against international laws.
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Singapore

Singapore Muslims to Have New Mufti From March 1

The Straits Times

Muslims here will have a new religious leader from March 1, when Mufti Mohamed Fatris Bakaram, 49, retires after nine years in office.On that day, Dr Nazirudin Mohd Nasir, 43, who is currently deputy to Dr Fatris, will take over as the Mufti, who is Singapore’s highest Islamic authority and oversees key religious rulings for Muslims here.
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Impossible Pork: In Muslim Southeast Asia, an Impossible Sell?

South China Morning Post

The company behind the Impossible Burger is hoping to gain halal certification for its new products Impossible Pork and Impossible Sausage. But in a region where four in 10 people are Muslim, even the name may be unpalatable.
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India

Muslims in Fear as Police Crack Down in India’s Heartland

AP

The government, saying the protests are orchestrated by its opponents, has responded by banning gatherings of more than four people, partially shutting down the internet to make it more difficult to organize and detaining activists. Police have used baton charges, tear gas and sometimes live ammunition against protesters, leaving at least 23 dead nationwide.
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Students In India Protest After University Attacked By Masked Assailants

NPR

A fresh wave of protests spread across India’s biggest cities Monday, hours after masked assailants invaded dormitories on an elite university campus in the capital New Delhi and beat up students and faculty.
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Shaheen Bagh: The Women Occupying Delhi Street Against Citizenship Law

BBC

On 31 December, Delhi experienced its coldest day in more than a century. But that did not deter the women of the Shaheen Bagh neighbourhood. Armed with thick blankets, warm cups of tea and songs of resistance, they have not left their spot under a tent on a public street since 15 December.
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China

Trump Administration’s Actions in Middle East Complicate Its Criticisms of China

The New York Times

President Trump’s use of military force against Iran gives Beijing ammunition to highlight failures of American policy, even as the Communist Party represses Muslims in China.
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Dismantling China’s Muslim Gulag in Xinjiang Is Not Enough

The Economist

The Communist Party must undo decades of sowing ethnic division.
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Burkina Faso

Islamic Extremism Wracks Burkina Faso, Spreading East

US News and World Report

Islamic extremists carried out a record number of attacks last year in Burkina Faso and the instability has now spread to the country’s east. Nearly 1,000 civilians were killed last year in the West African nation by local militias and militants linked to Islamic extremists.
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France

France Summit: Sahel Crisis in Danger of Slipping out of Control

BBC

France’s president and his counterparts from the Sahel region are due to meet to discuss military operations against Islamist militants in West Africa. We look at the figures behind the conflict, which is slipping out of control.
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International

Why Muslim Leaders Like Building Grand Mosques

The Economist

In the early days of Islam, mosques were modest affairs. The first ones had neither domes nor minarets. The Prophet Muhammad used his courtyard as a prayer hall. But Arab autocrats now see things differently. Many hope to leave a legacy in stone in keeping with their proclaimed grandeur.
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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!