A changing Middle East: Leaving Saladin behind

Last updated on: March 4, 2011 at 1:58 am By Guest Contributor

Young people across the Middle East rewrite the Arab narrative focusing on the future, embracing a new wave of interfaith cooperation and civic engagement along the way Read more

Middle East: Bahrain bleeds for liberty

Last updated on: March 2, 2011 at 4:00 am By Guest Contributor

Despite concerns about Sunni-Shiite tensions and the possible influence of Iran, a free and democratic Bahrain should be good news for the people of the region, the people of Saudi Arabia and even the people of United States. Read more

Congressional radicalization hearings: Putting Muslim Americans on trial moves the US back

Last updated on: February 27, 2011 at 11:40 pm By Guest Contributor

The upcoming congressional hearings on radicalization convened by Rep. Peter King will subject Muslim Americans to potential humiliation and undermine their extant collaboration with American law enforcement officials. Read more

Black History Month: Reflect and reunite

Last updated on: February 25, 2011 at 11:02 am By Hesham Hassaballa

As we reflect over this sad state of affairs in the Muslim-American community, we must ask ourselves: Have other communities been the subject of marginalization, threats, and suspicion? Have other communities had their houses of worship attacked? Have other communities had to fight for their rights? The answer is an unequivocal yes. Read more

Food and culture: It’s not the halal you expected

Last updated on: February 23, 2011 at 9:45 am By zahedamanullah

Some allege that the increasing prevalance of halal foods in the West is a campaign to implement sharia law by stealth. But in reality, its an example of the kind of integration that everyone has been dreaming of. Read more

Lara Logan assault: Abuse of women is sadly endemic

Last updated on: February 21, 2011 at 9:15 am By Parvez Ahmed

Amidst all the euphoria about Egypt's peaceful revolution, the news of CBS news reporter Lara Logan being sexually assaulted fell like a ton of bricks. The people of Egypt, especially its youth, have been such an inspiration that any hint of deviant behavior understandably elicits gasps and should provoke soul searching. Read more

Books about the Muslim Brotherhood: Who’s afraid of the big bad brotherhood?

Last updated on: February 18, 2011 at 9:39 am By Guest Contributor

Expect instead debate about the Brotherhood to ignite in coming years as Egypt stumbles from one military tyranny to who-knows-what. This makes two recently published books on the Brotherhood especially useful. Read more

Film "Mooz-lum": “Mooz-lums” have been here for a long time

Last updated on: February 16, 2011 at 6:00 am By Guest Contributor

The new film "Mooz-lum," by writer/director Qasim Basir, might seem preachy at times, but the only message it seems to preach is that through embracing our common humanity, struggling through our own hopes, fears, strengths, and wounds, redemption is always possible. Read more

The new Egypt: Since when has democracy been the antithesis of stability?

Last updated on: February 14, 2011 at 8:16 am By Guest Contributor

When dictators, whether secular or religious, coercively rule a nation, mass revolt becomes the only means to pursue needed reform. As our own history demonstrates, there is a way to seek reform without paralyzing the economy or starting a civil war. It is called democracy. Read more

Fall of Hosni Mubarak: Rage against the regime

Last updated on: February 13, 2011 at 8:00 pm By Guest Contributor

Photojournalist Ghazala Irshad offers us an exclusive look at the people and protests from Cairo's Tahrir Square that brought down the 30 year old regime of Hosni Mubarak and ushered in the prospect of a new Middle East Read more

What was the main language of Jesus’ daily speech?