Islamist rebel apologises for wrecking Timbuktu shrines in landmark trial

A former Islamist rebel admitted wrecking holy shrines during Mali’s 2012 conflict and apologised at the start of his trial at the International Criminal Court on Monday – its first case to focus on cultural destruction as a war crime. Mahdi asked for forgiveness and said he had been swept up in an “evil wave” […]

Who is an extremist? UK faces legal challenge over strategy to stop radicals

To his detractors, including the British government, Salman Butt is an extremist whose views on Islam fly in the face of Britain’s values and help foster an atmosphere where young Muslims can be radicalised by militants. Even though he is not accused of supporting militant groups or violence, the British authorities believe it is only […]

Radical Islamist preacher Anjem Choudary guilty of inviting support for IS

Anjem Choudary, Britain’s most high-profile Islamist preacher whose followers have been linked to numerous militant plots across the world, has been found guilty of inviting support for Islamic State. Choudary, 49, was convicted at London’s Old Bailey court of using online lectures and messages to encourage support for the banned group which controls large parts […]

Scholar’s corner: how do Abul A’la Maududi and Fazlur Rahman position Jews and Christians in the Quran?

Dr. Imam Mamadou Bocoum is a holder of two Masters and a PhD from The Muslim College, and Heythrop College, University of London. He is a lecturer in Islamic Studies; a Board member of the Muslim Law Council UK and an interfaith consultant. He is currently a consultant at Faith Matters and Tell Mama. Mamadou has authored a number of written works which have included: The Position of Jews and Christians in the Qur’an; Faith and Citizenship in Islam; The status of Women in Islam; Islamic Fundamentalism and the Qur’an. He can be reached at mbocoum@yahoo.com; Mamadou@tellmamauk.org. Jews and Christians are referred to as Ahl al-Kitab (People of the Book), and are characterised in the Qur’an as those to whom divine revelations have been given prior to the advent of Islam. The Qur’anic reference Ahl al-Kitab indicates that they possess divine scriptures in much the same way Muslims do. The term Ahl al-Kitab made 32 appearances in the Qur’an. Some Muslims, however, and a number of Muslim commentators mainly with a literalistic reading of the Qur’an, argue that Muslims should have nothing to do with the Ahl al-Kitab. The latter, some Muslims argue, should convert to Islam because their religions [...]

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