Category Archives: Islam

Ash Wednesday and 1 Ramadan On the Same Day

At the hight of the carnival season, I noticed that the holy month of Ramadan starts this year, provided moon sighting, on 18 February, that is Ash Wednesday. This seems to be a remarkable coincidence. Both Catholics and Muslims start … Continue reading

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Insights Into Shi’ite Islam

I have come across this book by photographer Hans Georg Berger, Einsicht – Drei Reisen in die innerste Welt des schiitischen Islam (Insight – Three Journeys Into the Innermost World of Shi’a Islam, edited by Boris von Brauchitsch and Saeid … Continue reading

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Peace in the Qur’an

In his latest book on Muhammad, Juan Cole, Professor of History at Michigan University in Ann Arbor, has suggested interesting theories about the overall peaceful intent of the Qur’an. In times of intensified Islamophobia not only in the US his … Continue reading

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Martin Luther and Islam

Germany is celebrating 500 years of Reformation of Christianity these days. On 31 October 1517 it is said that monk Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to Wittenberg’s church calling for some change. It was the beginning of the Protestant … Continue reading

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Qur’an in Context

The above picture from a famous 14th century manuscript, celebrated as one of al-Biruni’s (d. 1048) major works, shows two determined riders approaching a watchtower with a fearful looking guard. One rider has mounted a camel while the other is … Continue reading

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