Amid global anti-Muslim hysteria and the clash of civilizations narrative, the lived reality tells a different story: Hindus, Christians, and other minorities thrive in Muslim-majority societies like Indonesia and the Gulf, where Islamic traditions coexist with mutual respect, defining social and political life
China is reclaiming its over two millennia-long influence as a global center of trade, culture, and power after a period of decline under colonialism, thanks to economic growth, diplomacy, and strategic partnerships, positioning itself as a key shaper of the emerging world order
Centenarian Mahathir Mohamad, Malaysia’s longest-serving Prime Minister who returned to politics at 92 after retiring in 2003, transformed his country over his 22-year rule through pragmatic policies that spurred economic growth and development, transforming a commodity-based economy into a high-tech industrial hub
Reagan and economist Arthur Laffer used Ibn Khaldun’s ideas to build modern conservative tax policy, although the Islamic roots of supply-side economics and the influence of the Islamic Golden Age remains largely forgotten
Arab Muslim polymath Ibn Khaldun’s supply-side economic theory that tax cuts stimulate the economy and generate greater revenues influenced Ronald Reagan’s economic policies, and the Laffer Curve, which shaped modern conservative tax policy
The American strikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities sparked a fresh sense of emergency that Iran has repeatedly found itself in, and contributed to the survival of the establishment that took power post-1979 revolution, with the same Western hegemony and interferences among the contributing factors
Persian poet Saadi, who influenced thinkers such as French Enlightenment writer-philosopher Voltaire, was among the stalwarts who studied in Baghdad at iconic educational institutes such as Nizamiya College and Mustansiriya University, known for their structured teachings and diverse student body, during the Islamic Golden Age
A nuanced understanding of historical Jewish experiences under Muslim rule, include the refuge and respect Jews found in the Ottoman Empire in sharp contrast with their persecution in Europe, and thriving of Jews in Muslim societies for centuries before the rise of Zionism and tensions over Palestine disrupted the historical harmony could help improve Jewish-Muslims relations and aid the Israel-Palestine conflict resolution
Rabbi Benjamin of Tudela documented the flourishing Jewish life under the Abbasid Empire during Islam’s Golden Age, highlighting the stark contrast between the prosperity of Jews in Baghdad compared to their persecution in Europe, centuries before the rise of the Zionist movement disrupted historical Jewish-Muslim coexistence
MBS’s reforms have ushered in a social revolution in Saudi Arabia by empowering women and expanding industries such as tourism, even as challenges remain in diversifying the economy away from oil dependency and ensuring sustainable growth as part of an ambitious vision for transformation
