The literalist obsession of the Taliban with criminal law violates basic Islamic mandate for egalitarianism based on kindness, mutual respect, and forgiveness
Category: World
Why Anti-Intellectual, Xenophobic Politics Makes Oppenheimer Story Relevant
Witch-hunters of J Robert Oppenheimer in the 1950s represented the demagoguery that has come to characterize the politics of the likes of former US President Donald Trump—paranoid, anti-intellectual, and xenophobia
How Linked Events That Fueled Upheavals In Kashmir Sparked My Fascination For Germany
The Inter-linked events lead to peaceful German unification as well but my fascination has been not linked to that alone but also to deep admiration for Germans for their rise literally from the ashes along with Japan post-Second World War
How People Drew Strength From Imam Hussain In War-Torn Iraq
Residents of a refugee camp in Karbala appeared confident that the strength they draw from Prophet Muhammad's grandson Imam Hussain, who laid down his life fighting an unjust ruler there in the seventh century, will see them through
How Pashtun Nationalism, Most Stiff Challenge Pakistan Faced, Lost Steam
Pashtun nationalism was a serious challenge Pakistan faced in its infancy long before losing its eastern wing, which is now Bangladesh
Srebrenica Massacre: Scenes From Hell On Darkest History Pages
Bosnian Serb commander Ratko Mladic oversaw Srebrenica Massacre, Europe's worst since the Second World War, in July 1995 when over 8,000 Muslim men and boys were either shot, tortured to death, hanged, or left to die with booby traps
Hookah: The Heart Of Middle East’s Café Culture
Once considered unsophisticated, hookah, whose origins are disputed with some claiming it originated in India, has become integral to the Middle East’s café culture, and gained popularity in the West, too
How Iraq Decimated ISIS By Also Taking It On Ideologically
Iraq’s religious leaders issued a statement in March 2020 repudiating and condemning the violence of ISIS while underscoring the terror group's crimes impacted members of all religions
How Faith Helped Build Resistance Against, Defeat ISIS
The Iraqi clergy effectively tapped into the doctrine of martyrdom in the fight against ISIS by invoking the Battle of Karbala in which the Prophet's grandson Hussain and 72 of his companions and family members laid down their lives resisting an unjust ruler
Arbaeen: Why Millions Gather In Karbala For World’s Largest Annual Pilgrimage
Millions of devotees march through Iraq to reach the holy city of Karbala to mark the end of the 40-day mourning period of Prophet Muhammad's grandson Hussain, making Arbaeen the world's biggest annual pilgrimage