Saudi Women Do Pole Dancing

Pole dancing has been tainted by its association with the seedy strip clubs and burlesque houses in Hollywood films When yoga instructor Nada took up pole dancing, the backlash in Saudi Arabia was both harsh and quick, and she has struggled to overcome the fallout ever since. Family and friends in the capital Riyadh told

People Like Fatima Daas Didn’t Exist in French Novels. Until She Wrote One.

Fatima Daas’s debut book explores the writer’s conflicted identities as a lesbian, Muslim woman with an immigrant background. In France, it was an unlikely literary hit. Fatima Daas in Clichy-sous-Bois, the Paris suburb where she lives. The name is a pseudonym, one shared with her novel’s main character. By Julia Webster Ayuso/ Nov. 19, 2021

Farida Khelfa Wants to Challenge the Image of Middle Eastern Women

One of fashion’s first top Arab models has a new documentary about the creative class in Dubai, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. By Jessica Testa/ July 15, 2021 It came as no surprise to see Farida Khelfa sitting in the front row at last week’s fashion shows in Paris, with her signature chopped haircut and wide smile. Two

Transgender Woman Flees Malaysia After Prison Threat for Wearing Hijab

The Islamic authorities want to imprison her for wearing female clothing at a religious event and threatened to put her in a rehabilitation camp where she could “return to the right path.” By Hannah Beech and Hadi Azmi/ Oct. 20, 2021 In February 2018, on her birthday, Nur Sajat put on a demure hijab and attended

Women Rights in Iran

Faisal Saeed Al Mutar interviewed Masih Alinejad on the status of women’s rights in Iran. Masih Alinejad is an Iranian journalist, author, and activist who is the founder of the My Stealthy Freedom campaign, which protests Iran’s compulsory hijab laws. Faisal is an Iraqi-born satirist, writer, and human rights advocate. He is also the founder

Prophet Muhammad’s Burial Place

Prophet Mohammad’s tomb exists in Medina, where he spent the last 10 years of his life. It is in Masjid Nabawi. His grave is on the right, which is the front of the chamber in relation to the Qiblah, and the one next to him is Abu Bakr’s, the first Caliph R.A. The last one,

Rights of Saudi Women

The West Is Kidding Itself About Women’s Freedom in Saudi Arabia Aug. 19, 2022/ NYT/ By Megan K. Stack Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia is officially back in good standing, having spent his summer putting the finishing touches on a wildly successful reputation rehabilitation. The kingdom’s de facto ruler bumped fists with President

She Was a Star of New Palestinian Music. Then She Played Beside the Mosque.

Sama’ Abdulhadi helped build the Palestinian electronic music scene. Now she is at the center of a debate about Palestinian cultural identity. Until the showdown beside the mosque, Sama’ Abdulhadi believed she was a flag bearer for contemporary Palestinian culture. A 30-year-old D.J. from Ramallah, Ms. Abdulhadi is a rising star of global electronic music.

Death Rituals in Islam

Religious Muslims in many nations are finding their sacred rituals of mourning disrupted. By George Yancy Mr. Yancy is a philosopher, professor and author.How various religious traditions deal with death? Leor Halevi, a historian of Islam, and a professor of history and law at Vanderbilt University explores the interrelationship between religious laws and social practices in

Blood Money: Where the Powerful Can Kill the Weak, as Long as They Pay

The Quran introduced blood money as a path to “mercy” and to end tribal conflicts — not as impunity for the rich. By Mustafa Akyol/ NYT June 30, 2020 In October 2018, the world was shocked by news of the gruesome murder of a prominent Saudi journalist: Jamal Khashoggi, a critic of Saudi Arabia’s ambitious crown

Ashwaq Haji Hamid Talo Got Her ISIS Rapist Sentenced to Death

For the first time, an Iraqi court has held the Islamic State accountable for its atrocities against the Yazidi religious minority. Ashwaq Haji Hamid Talo visiting a temple near Sinjar in 2018 to pay tribute to ISIS victims from her village. By Alissa J. Rubin March 2, 2020 Iraq has held thousands of trials for members

Segregation No Longer a Requirement in Saudi Arabia

As the government relaxes restrictions on men and women working and socializing together, coffeehouses are on the front lines of change. At Medd Café, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The Saudi government announced in early December that businesses would no longer be required to segregate customers. For insight into these head-spinning times in Saudi Arabia, where