Honour Thy Martyrs: Resistance is Not a Crime

Aaminah Y. Last year, a friend of mine in Jerusalem told me that he felt a tension lingering in the air, a sense of impending doom as Ramadan was approaching. Like clockwork, the Israeli occupying forces launched their attacks on worshippers in Al Aqsa Mosque, with reports of increased aggression throughout the region. And right on cue, a deafening silence from world leaders who not … Continue reading Honour Thy Martyrs: Resistance is Not a Crime

Double-Tap Strike: Muslims in the Defence Industry

Amirah Chati On the 28th of September 2015, in the remote Yemeni village of Al-Wahijah, wedding celebrations were taking place when a double-tap strike — targeting civilians and thereafter emergency responders — killed 131 people.[1] “The corpses were scattered among the trees,” recounted the father of the groom, Mohammed Busaibis. “Why did they attack us? There is nothing around here. No military camps, not even … Continue reading Double-Tap Strike: Muslims in the Defence Industry

Qatar 2022: Football, Politics and Cultural Production

Rushda N. and Aisha Hasan As Lionel Messi walks up to the podium to claim the one major footballing award that has eluded him so far, the roar of the crowd reaches a crescendo. The moment marks the culmination of a stellar career for the world’s greatest footballer, and the crystallisation of Qatar’s cultural and sporting ambitions. Moments earlier, Shaykh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, … Continue reading Qatar 2022: Football, Politics and Cultural Production

Makkah: The Commodification of a City

Aisha Hasan Home to the most sacred mosque on Earth, the city of Makkah holds a special place in the hearts of all Muslims. Throughout Islamic history it has a held a nostalgia, not only as the beloved homeland of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, but also as home to the Prophets Ibrahim and Ismail. For centuries, pilgrims have flocked to Makkah during the Hajj season, … Continue reading Makkah: The Commodification of a City

Islamo-leftism: The making of new vocabularies in the liberal world

Huda Mohamed Shareef  ‘Islamo-leftism’ is the latest islamophobic accusation to be levelled at French universities by the French Minister for Higher Education, Frédérique Vidal: “Islamo-leftism is plaguing the entire society. I am going to call for an investigation into all the currents of research on these subjects in the universities, so we can distinguish proper academic research from activism and opinion.”[1] Despite its recent appearance, it … Continue reading Islamo-leftism: The making of new vocabularies in the liberal world