Islam

Pope Francis arrives at Baghdad International Airport on Friday for the first-ever papal visit to Iraq.

'I Come As A Pilgrim': Pope Francis Begins Historic Visit To Iraq

3:03pm March 05, 2021

by Alice Fordham

The pontiff arrived at Baghdad International Airport where he was greeted by the prime minister. During his four-day visit, Francis will focus on Iraq's ancient but dwindling Christian community.

Gruesome Attack Puts Schools On Front Line Of France's Fight To Stop Extremism

8:32am February 13, 2021

by Eleanor Beardsley

After the beheading of a teacher in in a Parisian suburb last year, France is on the verge of a campaign against "separatist Islam." Some aren't sure how that fits with the country's secular ideals.

An ethnic Hui Muslim man stands in front of Laohuasi Mosque in Linxia, Gansu province, in 2018. Chinese Muslims are most densely clustered in the northwestern regions of Gansu, Ningxia and Xinjiang, but live across the country, as they have for more than

China Targets Muslim Scholars And Writers With Increasingly Harsh Restrictions

7:56am November 21, 2020

by Emily Feng

The intellectual heart of China's Muslim community is under threat as scholars, writers, religious leaders and their families are under constant state surveillance.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (center) performs the groundbreaking ceremony of a temple dedicated to the Hindu god Lord Ram in Ayodhya, India, on Wednesday.

At Site Of Razed Mosque, India's Modi Lays Foundation For Controversial Hindu Temple

5:25pm August 05, 2020

The 1992 destruction of the Babri mosque in Ayodhya by Hindu extremists sparked riots that killed thousands of Muslims, leaving a deep rift between the country's religious communities.

Yaseen Khan, 6, throws stones at a homemade pillar, meant to evoke the ritual of driving away the devil during the hajj.

Unable To Travel To Mecca, Muslim Community Holds Drive-Thru Hajj

12:02pm July 30, 2020

by Daniella Cheslow

Religiously speaking, it was not a substitute for the real pilgrimage, which all Muslims must try to make in their lifetime. But it inspired many to go once it's possible again.

Volunteers disinfect a mosque ahead of prayers during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in Peshawar, Pakistan, on Friday.

Muslims Around The World Face A Different Kind Of Ramadan

1:50pm April 24, 2020

by Scott Neuman

Observance of the Muslim holy month of fasting, prayer and festivities is being curtailed in many parts of the world due to COVID-19. But in some countries, the pandemic hasn't dissuaded the faithful.

On April 3, Iraqi volunteers in full hazmat gear prayed over the coffin of a 50-year-old who died of COVID-19. She was buried at a cemetery specifically opened for such deaths, some 12 miles from the holy city of Najaf.

Coronavirus Is Changing The Rituals Of Death For Many Religions

5:21pm April 07, 2020

The virus is upending burial traditions across cultures, from the washing of the body of a loved one in Iraq to the gathering of mourners in Israel.

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A government worker disinfects the Kılıç Ali Pasa mosque in Istanbul last week. Turkey is just one of a host of countries across the Muslim world where Friday prayers have been banned or curtailed to stem the spread of the coronavirus.

Coronavirus Fears Derail Friday Prayers For Muslims Across The World

3:22pm March 19, 2020

by Colin Dwyer

"Islam doesn't permit practices that would put human life in danger," said the head of religious affairs in Turkey, one of a host of Muslim-majority countries to curtail gatherings at mosques.

World News

When Militants Took Mecca: A Short Siege With An Immense Legacy

5:10am November 29, 2019

by Ramtin Arablouei

Forty years ago, militants held one of Islam's holiest sites — Saudi Arabia's Grand Mosque — and thousands of pilgrims hostage for two weeks. Though they failed, they shaped the future of the region.

Tour participants listen to guide Katie Merriman (center) outside the Malcolm Shabaaz Mosque as she speaks about the influence of Malcolm X on the Harlem community.

Religious Walking Tour Maps Out The History Of Muslims In New York City

8:12am October 12, 2019

by Farah Dosani

As she leads free walking tours through Harlem, Katie Merriman highlights the ways in which the history of Muslims is part of the history of New York City.

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