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In her book The Great Transformation: The World in the Time of Buddha, Socrates, Confucius and Jeremiah (2006), Karen Armstrong asserts that religion is a factor that cannot be ignored in public discourse. This assertion is particularly true in the […]

The slaying of Imam Husain along with dozens of his family members and followers at Karbala on 10 Muharram, 61 A.H. (Ashura) is an event that has the greatest of significance for humanity for several reasons. Here, I would like […]

Dr Ahmad Farouk Musa || 25 September 2013 The Islamic Renaissance Front (IRF) from its inception has its main agenda in promoting reform – islah – and renewal – tajdid. Now what is meant by reform and renewal or islah […]

One of the emerging trends that may influence the trajectory of contemporary political Islam is the intrusion of Literal Islam. Obviously this worrying trend could be seen more clearly with the Arab Spring although the literalists were not initially at […]

Dr Ahmad Farouk Musa calls upon the government to stop the intimidation and persecution of Shias and to allow them to practise their faith. We, at the Islamic Renaissance Front, were dismayed and horrified by the statement made by a […]

June 17, 2013 The Islamic Renaissance Front observes the protests in Turkey very closely. We believe there is much at stake in how AKP (The Justice and Development Party) will engage with the demonstrators at this point, especially with regards […]

Over the weekend US President Obama’s decision to provide lethal aid to Syrian rebel forces has gained bipartisan support among American lawmakers. But will this move result in an escalation of the conflict or could be a way of bringing […]

Let me start by quoting a line from the song Sout al-Hurriyah – Song of Freedom, a song from a video produced at the same time of the Arab Uprising in Tahrir Square, Cairo. In the video, the lines of […]

Ahmad Farouk Musa || 21 October 2013   “There should exist among the citizens neither extreme poverty nor, again, excessive wealth, for both are productive of great evil” [Plato, The Republic] Any move for a more robust democracy and the […]

As darkness hastily falls on the heart of Madura Island, uniquely shaped traditional wooden houses and hamlets begin to throw long shadows in an eastward direction. Traffic, which during the day is extremely light by Indonesian standards, is now ceasing […]