January 22-28

The Share Of Americans Who leave Islam Is Offset By Those Who Become Muslim

The Share Of Americans Who leave Islam Is Offset By Those Who Become Muslim

Pew Research Center

From a 2017 study, the Pew Research Center finds unlike some other faiths, Islam gains about as many converts as it loses, resulting in a net wash.
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Muslim Refugees Team Up With Anarchists in an Effort To Shame Greece

Muslim Refugees Team Up With Anarchists in an Effort To Shame Greece

The Atlantic

Operating out of City Plaza Hotel in Athens, Muslim refugees from across the Middle East and North Africa are working alongside left wing anarchist groups to protest and denounce the Greek government for their lack of initiative in helping the refugees’ situation.
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Rohingya Muslim Refugee Return To Myanmar Likely Delayed

Rohingya Muslim Refugee Return To Myanmar Likely Delayed

AP News

The gradual repatriation of more than Six Hundred Thousand Rohingya Muslim refugees back to Myanmar from Bangladesh, has been delayed amid widespread fears that they are being forced to return, Bengali officials said.
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The Best Way to Combat Anti-Muslim Bias

The Best Way to Combat Anti-Muslim Bias

Pacific Standard Magazine

A new study led by Emile Bruneau, a researcher at the University of Pennsylvania, suggests that the best way to lower anti-Muslim feelings is to ‘gently’ show individuals the hypocrisy of their stance.
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American Religious Groups Vary Widely In Their Views of Abortion

American Religious Groups Vary Widely In Their Views of Abortion

Pew Research Center

In a comparative religious study on opinion regarding abortion law, the Pew Research Center finds that Fifty-five percent of Muslims say abortion should be legalized, among other views.
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Tiny, Wealthy Qatar Goes Its Own Way, and Pays for It

Tiny, Wealthy Qatar Goes Its Own Way, and Pays for It

The New York Times

In the past several years, Qatar has experienced a massive bloom in its economic power. Now, we are seeing the fruits of Qatari investment in every sector as the Gulf country aims to cement itself in the international arena.
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'We're stepping out of a binary' – Celebrating The Art of Marginalized LGBT Muslims

'We're stepping out of a binary' – Celebrating The Art of Marginalized LGBT Muslims

The Guardian UK

Using art to reconcile their LGBT and Muslim identities, fourteen artists are working to integrate their sexuality and faith into the mainstream in light of the attacks on both Islam and homosexuality.
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Exclusive: Looted Cash, Gold Help Islamic State Recruit In Philippines

Exclusive: Looted Cash, Gold Help Islamic State Recruit In Philippines

Reuters

Islamist insurgents looted cash, gold and jewellery worth tens of millions of dollars when they occupied a southern Philippines town last year, treasure one of their leaders has used to recruit around two-hundred new fighters.
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Hijab-Wearing Model Pulls Out of L'Oreal Campaign Over 2014 Tweets

Hijab-Wearing Model Pulls Out of L'Oreal Campaign Over 2014 Tweets

CNN

Amena Khan, the model making history by being featured in a headscarf for a hair care advertising campaign is pulling out of it due to controversy over alleged tweets from 2014 over tweet expressing ‘anti-Israeli’ views.
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Whither Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s ‘Moderate’ Islam?

Whither Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s ‘Moderate’ Islam?

Centre for Research on Globalization

Starting to see the repercussions from their widespread backing of Islamist mosques and ultra-conversatism, the Saudi Cr
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School District Decides Not To Add Muslim Holy Days To Calendar

School District Decides Not To Add Muslim Holy Days To Calendar

Newsday

After petition to add 2 Islamic Eid holidays to their school calendar, officials in the Hewlett-Woodmere system join in condemnation voiced by CAIR-NY of derogatory remarks directed at Muslim students and residents.
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How It Feels To Be A Muslim In Trump’s America

How It Feels To Be A Muslim In Trump’s America

NewStatesman

More than one year since the beginning of the Trump presidency, Mehdi Hasan remarks on the dynamics of the socio-political environment he and his family live in since moving to the U.S. from the U.K.
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Minnesota DFLers Say Raheel Raza, Affiliated With 'hate groups,' Should Not Speak At Capitol

Minnesota DFLers Say Raheel Raza, Affiliated With 'hate groups,' Should Not Speak At Capitol

Star Tribune

Minnesota House DFLers are calling on Republican Rep. Roz Peterson to rescind an invitation to Raheel Raza, a Pakistani-Canadian activist who is associated with two organizations the Southern Poverty Law Center lists as ‘anti-Muslim hate groups.’
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Leading Member Of German Far-Right Party Resigns After Converting to Islam

Leading Member Of German Far-Right Party Resigns After Converting to Islam

CNN

Arthur Wagner has resigned from the anti-European, anti-Islam AfD, citing ‘personal reasons’ after his conversion to Islam.
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One year After The Travel Ban, I Am Not Your American Muslim

One year After The Travel Ban, I Am Not Your American Muslim

CNN

Remembering one year since the instatement President Trump’s travel ban, Imam Omar Suleiman reflects on the character and delicacy of the problematic rhetoric and attitudes of the Presidential administration.
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Millions Attend World's Second-Largest Muslim Gathering

Millions Attend World's Second-Largest Muslim Gathering

AlJazeera

Over a three-day gathering, Muslims from across the globe attended the annual Biswa Ijtema (‘world congregation’) in Bangladesh to learn about and hear recitations of the Quran.
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With More Islamic Schooling, Erdogan Aims To Reshape Turkey

With More Islamic Schooling, Erdogan Aims To Reshape Turkey

Reuters

Looking to create a ‘pious generation,’ Turkish President Erdogan is increasing spending and the budget for the Islamic education of Turkish children and young adults.
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Bloomington Mosque Celebrates 'amazing' Renovation In Wake Of Bombing

Bloomington Mosque Celebrates 'amazing' Renovation In Wake Of Bombing

Star Tribune

After raising nearly a hundred thousand dollars in the aftermath of a attack on their mosque, the Bloomington Mosque was able to open its doors to show their newly renovated building.
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How Much Does Scripture Influence The Political Behavior of Islamists?

How Much Does Scripture Influence The Political Behavior of Islamists?

Brookings Institution

In a recent study from the Brookings Institution in rethinking Political Islam, survey results find that scripture (Quran and Hadith) play a very marginal role in the behavior of Islamist political authorities.
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The Strange Cases of Anti-Islam Politicians Turned Muslims

The Strange Cases of Anti-Islam Politicians Turned Muslims

The Atlantic

In a study of identity, belonging, and social norms, we are finding that some politicians who were once staunchly anti-Islam, are now converting to Islam in part due to similar patterns of appeal in both institutions.
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Vladimir Putin Says Muslim Schools Can Help Stop ‘Destructive’ Ideas

Vladimir Putin Says Muslim Schools Can Help Stop ‘Destructive’ Ideas

Newsweek

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced at a meeting with Muslim clergy that he supported a ‘revival of Islamic education in Russia,’ as a way to tackle radicalization and ‘destructive’ ideas.
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Trump Says He’s Sorry For Tweeting Far-Right British Group But Didn’t Know Who They Were

Trump Says He’s Sorry For Tweeting Far-Right British Group But Didn’t Know Who They Were

Newsweek

U.S. President Donald Trump has told a British television show that he didn’t know a far-right group in the country was run by ‘horrible, racist people’ when he retweeted their messages last November.
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Reclaiming Blackness and Islamic Identity

Reclaiming Blackness and Islamic Identity

African American Intellectual History Society

Looking at a diverse picture of Muslims across the world, from Africa to East Asia, the faith cuts through racial and ethnic lines. However, in negotiating this aspect with the reality of Western social structure, we must become more inclusive and aware of Muslims of African descent.
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Trump’s Xenophobic Vision of America Is Inciting Racist Violence

Trump’s Xenophobic Vision of America Is Inciting Racist Violence

The Nation

Through sharp rhetoric and divisive legislation, President Trump has incited an array of violence and prejudices against Muslims and minorities in SALT’s forthcoming report.
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Czech Republic Re-Elects Far-Right President Miloš Zeman

Czech Republic Re-Elects Far-Right President Miloš Zeman

The Guardian UK

Winning from a thin margin, the Czech have re-elected far-right, anti-immigrant, and anti-Islam President Zeman.
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Egypt: Evidence of protecting Christians’ rights, churches in Islam

Egypt: Evidence of protecting Christians’ rights, churches in Islam

Egypt News Today

Following allegations made by the U.S. Congress regarding violations committed against Coptic Christians in Egypt, Egypt Today provides evidence of Islam’s preservation of Christians’ rights, finding that in both scripture and reality, Islam provides protections to the churches and houses of worship of other faiths.
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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!