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Articles on Prophet Muhammed

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A painting showing the Prophet Muhammad raising his hands in prayer while standing on the Mountain of Light in Mecca. Siyer-i Nebi (Biography of the Prophet), Istanbul, Ottoman lands, 1595-96. Topkapı Palace Library, Istanbul, H. 1222, fol. 158v. Photograph by Hadiye Cangökçe.

Islamic paintings of the Prophet Muhammad are an important piece of history – here’s why art historians teach them

An art historian describes the two historical representations of Prophet Muhammad that led to a controversy at Hamline University.
Supporters of a Pakistani religious group burn an effigy depicting the former spokeswoman of India’s ruling party, Nupur Sharma, during a demonstration in Karachi, Pakistan. AP Photo/Fareed Khan

Why Muslim countries are quick at condemning defamation – but often ignore rights violations against Muslim minorities

A scholar of Islam writes about how widespread authoritarianism in the Muslim world shapes governments’ foreign policy toward Muslim minorities abroad.
Shiite Muslims attend a mourning ritual during the Islamic month of Muharram, in the central shrine city of Karbala. Photo by Mohammed SAWAF / AFP) (Photo by MOHAMMED SAWAF/AFP via Getty Images

The largest contemporary Muslim pilgrimage isn’t the hajj to Mecca, it’s the Shiite pilgrimage to Karbala in Iraq

Millions of Muslims travel to Karbala in Iraq for one of the largest annual pilgrimages. The pilgrimage has adapted and changed over its centuries-old history.
Muslims of all backgrounds pray during the 2019 Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca. Fethi Belaid/AFP via Getty Images

Islam’s anti-racist message from the 7th century still resonates today

The Quran recognizes ‘no superiority of a white person over a black person.’ That notion, radical in 7th-century Arab society of slavery and tribal divides – remains unrealized 1,400 years later.
Supporters of Shiite Houthi rebels attend a rally in Sanaa, Yemen, in 2017. AP Photo/Hani Mohammed, File

Who are Yemen’s Houthis?

The Houthis belong to the Shiite branch of Islam. The Houthi insurgency began in the early 1990s, spurred in part by growing influence of different Sunni branches of Islam.
Muslim pilgrims pray at the Grand Mosque, ahead of the annual Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, in August 2017. AP Photo/Khalil Hamra

What is the Hajj?

Each year, Muslims from all over the world go on a pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia, known as Hajj. A scholar explains its spiritual significance.
Students at a madrasa in the Assaba region of southern Mauritania in May 2014. Michal Huniewicz

What are madrasa schools and what skills do they impart?

Madrasas, or Islam-centered schools, have long spread knowledge and literacy throughout the Muslim world. However, can they prepare students for today’s tech-based economies?
A mourner reads a sympathy card left for Anthony Bourdain at a makeshift memorial in New York. AP Photo/Mary Altaffer

Why religions of the world condemn suicide

Most religions have a fundamental belief that all human life belongs to God.
Entrance to the Shrine of Bahá’u’lláh, burial place of the founder of the Bahá’í faith, near Acre, Israel. Bahá’í World News Service © Bahá'í International Community

Who are the Baha'is and why are they so persecuted?

The Baha'i faith originated in Iran and today has 100,000 communities across the globe, including the United States. Here is their history.

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