Arif Mohammed Khan

The Cairo speech has been described as a promise of the dawn of a new age, but one aspect of the speech is particularly disturbing. Muslims the world over are projected as one single monolithic identity. It appears that President Obama has unwitting

When LK Advani says that terrorists have no religion and no religion or community should be blamed for their barbaric acts, it carries a significant political meaning. When terrorists use Quranic verses in their emails threatening violence, their ass

The police can fight terrorists, not terrorism. Terrorism can be contained only by a strong political will that identifies and isolates individuals and organisations promoting a violent mindset and does not favour them with political patronage.

Sir Syed held that rulers like Mahmoud Ghaznavi and Aurangzeb who oppressed people, did so in breach of Islam; their accountability is personal and individual and their evil deed must not be attributed to Islam.

India, with its age-old tradition of religious pluralism and social diversity, became the destination of all those who fled from religious and political persecution. Today while there are very few families in the Arabian Peninsula claiming descent f

The issue at stake is not some facilities for the pilgrims or lack thereof. The crucial question is whether governments will take their decisions on merit or vacillate whenever faced with communal threats.

Contrary to popular perception, early Muslim society produced women who came to symbolise an explosive mix of beauty, critical intelligence and caustic wit.

Is Muslim morality inimical to the promotion of music and other fine arts? The story of the early Arab Muslim society shows that the Caliphs and the commoner were not only fond of poetry and music but actively patronised them.

Take what the Europeans came to call the "Arab numerals" which replaced the cumbersome Roman numerals. The Arabs call them Hindsa (Indian numerals) giving credit where it is due...

While the Deoband declaration saying "there is no place for terrorism in Islam" and further decision to organize more such meetings to mobilize people against terrorism has been generally welcomed, questions remain...