Qantara Startseite Englisch - Dialogue with the Islamic world
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Palestinian critique of HamasReclaiming the narrative of resistance
Palestinians have the right to defend themselves against Israel's occupation. But that doesn't have to mean following Hamas—a group whose political vision has resulted in Gaza's systematic destruction. It's time to envision a different future.
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Iranian civil societySilenced under the pretext of war
Iran and Israel are engaged in an unprecedented open military conflict. The regime is using the threat of war as a weapon against its own population. Activists from the "Women, Life, Freedom" movement are branded "soldiers of Israel".
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Science fiction from TurkeyA spark of reality in literary dystopia
Above the clouds lies not just boundless freedom, but also dystopian visions of the future. With his collection "Über den Wolken und andere Geschichten" (Above the Clouds and Other Stories), editor Ünver Alibey shows that science fiction is no longer a solely Western genre.
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Jewish composer Brigitte SchifferFleeing the Nazis and thriving in Cairo
Many Jewish musicians fled Nazi Germany in the 1930s and 1940s. Composer Brigitte Schiffer was one of the few who put down roots in Egypt. In this interview, the German music professor Matthias Pasdzierny charts her unusual story.
Politics
More about Politics-
Turkey's Gülen movementThe promise of Islamic moral governance
Though often portrayed as unique, the teachings and tactics of the Gülen movement have generally aligned with those of Turkey's Sunni mainstream. The movement's fraught relationship with the AKP reveals deeper tensions within the country's religious-political landscape. With both camps failing to establish a more ethical, Islam-based politics, a critical reassessment is overdue.
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Sudanese refugees in ChadAn uncertain future
More than half a million people have fled war in Sudan into neighbouring Chad. Humanitarian workers are scrambling to provide support amid overcrowding, limited funding and widespread trauma.
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Protests in IranOn the eve of a new world era?
Just as the Islamic Revolution fundamentally changed Iran 43 years ago and had an impact far beyond the country's borders, the current wave of protests sweeping the country is set to change more than just Iran. The era of political Islam is coming to an end. By Ali Sadrzadeh
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Saudi ArabiaDo billion-dollar investments overseas hide a political agenda?
Saudi Arabia is using its oil wealth to invest huge sums in other countries, apparently to diversify its own economy. Critics are concerned that the build-up of financial muscle abroad could be used for political ends. Cathrin Schaer reports
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2022 Iran protestsCan the Iranian system survive?
Political scientist and German-Iranian Ali Fathollah-Nejad discusses the protests in Iran and the long-term prospects for post-revolutionary political order. Interview by Michael Young
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Scholz in Saudi Arabia and the EmiratesThe autocrats' finest hour
Chancellor Olaf Scholz's recent trip to the Persian Gulf underlines Germany's need for consistency in its dealings with the region's assertive rulers, writes Loay Mudhoon
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Mahsa Amini's deathIranians unite in rage and mourning
The violent death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini has achieved something the entire opposition has failed to do during the 43-year rule of the ayatollahs in Iran: almost the entire Iranian people are united on one issue, only the regime supporters are divided. By Parvin Irani
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FIFA, France and QatarQatar Airways' own goal
While the ongoing legal dispute between Qatar Airways and European aircraft manufacturer Airbus has sent shockwaves across the entire global aviation sector, it may also threaten preparations for the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. By Stasa Salacanin
Society
More about Society-
Northern Gaza under siege"Either we survive together or we all die together"
As the Israeli encirclement of North Gaza continues, the humanitarian situation is becoming increasingly dire. Trapped residents share their stories of daily life under siege.
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Reform of Iraq's Personal Status LawAre Shiite forces on the verge of victory?
The Personal Status Law in Iraq encompasses regulations on marriage, divorce, child custody, inheritance and more. It could soon be amended, with dramatic consequences for women's and children's rights. Feminists and left-leaning political parties have mobilised to defend it.
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Climate change in the MENAWill North Africa's beaches disappear?
The southern shores of the Mediterranean Sea are losing sand faster than almost anywhere else. The ecological and economic damage is immense. The good news is, there are ways to cope. By Cathrin Schaer and Tarak Guizani
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Rahman Abbas' "Zindeeq"Who's learning lessons from the Holocaust?
Set in a dystopian future, Rahman Abbas’ new novel “Zindeeq” draws on the Indian author’s worries about recent trends in his home country, where aggressive identity politics have been – and still are – gaining momentum. Almuth Degener read the book
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Islamic mysticismUnderstanding the Sufis
To understand Islamic mysticism, we must first clear up a number of misconceptions, as Marian Brehmer writes in his essay – part 1 of a new series on Sufism
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Lives swept awayRescued tourists recount Pakistan flood horror
It was midnight when Yasmin and her family were ordered to urgently evacuate their room at the Honeymoon Hotel, perched above the picturesque ice-blue waters of the Swat river. Swapping the sticky Lahore summer for the cooler climes of the northeastern mountains last week, they became embroiled in one of Pakistan's worst disasters
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Ibn Rushd Fund for Freedom of ThoughtIbn Rushd Prize 2022: Religious Freedom
This year's Ibn Rushd Prize, focusing on religious freedom, goes to Nayla Tabbara (Lebanon) and her organisation Adyan Foundation and Saad Salloum (Iraq) with his organisation Masarat.
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One year of Taliban ruleHow life has changed for Afghans
On 15 August 2021 the Taliban overthrew the government in Afghanistan and seized power. One year later, the country is facing multiple challenges that demand immediate global attention. Ahmad Hakimi reports
Culture
More about Culture-
Çiğdem Akyols's novel on Germany’s guest workersClear-eyed and unsentimental
In her debut novel, Çiğdem Akyol tells the story of a family caught between Germany and Turkey. The journalist offers an unvarnished portrait of the guest-worker generation and their children and sheds light on their ruthless exploitation in Germany.
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Book “111 Places in Berlin That Teach Us About Islam”Searching for traces of Muslim life in Berlin
The historic Şehitlik cemetery in Kreuzberg, the queer-friendly Ibn Rushd-Goethe mosque in Moabit, the Muslim community's poetry slam i-Slam: Islam is part of Berlin's history, politics and everyday life.
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Turkey five years after the attempted coup"Witch hunt" focuses on Turkish artists and intellectuals
Artists and intellectuals in Turkey are coming under massive pressure. Since the attempted coup against Erdogan by parts of the military in 2016, the government has intensified its crackdown on critical voices. Now the coronavirus pandemic is proving the final nail in the coffin. Ceyda Nurtsch reports
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Berlin: "bê welat – the unexpected storytellers" exhibitionTaking a tender look at life through the Kurdish lens
How can the various realities of Kurdish life, shaped by depression, resistance and war, be depicted in art? This is the question addressed by the “bê welat – the unexpected storytellers” exhibition in Berlin. Ceyda Nurtsch reports for Qantara.de
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Film review: Marianna Kakaounaki’s "Invisible"Turkish refugees in Greece – out of sight, out of mind
Turkish refugees are for the most part invisible in Greece. In her film debut, the Greek journalist and filmmaker Marianna Kakaounaki portrays the fate of Turkish followers of the preacher Fethullah Gulen forced to flee their country after the coup attempt against Erdogan in 2016. Rene Wildangel caught a screening at the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival
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Leila Slimani's "The Country of Others"Dreams in times of crisis
Bestselling author Leila Slimani's latest novel tells the story of her grandmother’s arduous life in rural Morocco during the immediate post-war period. Married to a Moroccan officer, the French woman struggles with the differences between their cultures, while both encounter growing hostility from the French settlers, and from the nationalists agitating for Moroccan independence. Volker Kaminski read the book
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Album review: Ben Aylon's "Xalam"More than a one man tribe
Ben Aylon’s debut international album sees him elevate the traditional music and instruments of Senegal and Mali into a fresh contemporary setting. Seven years in the making, "Xalam" features the late, great Malian diva Khaira Arby and sabar drumming legend Doudou Ndiaye Rose. By Richard Marcus
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Hit streaming series "Fatma's Revenge"Netflix takes on the Turkish macho
Since the end of April, a Netflix series has been broadcast in Turkey about the cleaner Fatma, who searches for her missing husband in six episodes and ends up in a murderous odyssey. The series celebrates the woman as a hero who defends herself against humiliation, threats and sexual harassment, writes Jochen Menzel
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Building Bridges Across Religions
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