Green-domed mosques still dominate the skyline of China’s “Little Mecca”, but they have undergone a profound change — no longer do boys flit through their stone courtyards en route to classes and prayers. In what locals told AFP they fear is a deliberate move to eradicate Islam, the atheist ruling Communist Party has banned minors…

If you don’t vote, it goes is against the faith, says Mufti Zubair. He was speaking on SAMAA TV’s special election transmission on Monday ‘The Big Decision’. It is akin to not doing your duty as a citizen. Such a person is answerable to Allah Almighty. They are a criminal in some respects to their…

Muslims in many parts of the world celebrated Eidul Fitr on Friday. Eid is observed a day after the Shawwal moon is sighted, marking the end of the holy month of Ramazan. The Shawwal moon was seen in Saudi Arabia on Thursday. A large number of people offered the Eid namaz at the Grand Mosque…

A Frenchman has committed suicide by throwing himself off the roof of the Grand Mosque in Islam’s holiest city of Makkah, Saudi and French officials said Saturday. “A foreigner threw himself from the roof of the Grand Mosque in Makkah” to the courtyard below, “resulting in his instant death,” Saudi police told the official SPA…

Austria said Friday it could expel up to 60 Turkish-funded imams and their families and shut down seven mosques as part of a crackdown on “political Islam”, triggering fury in Ankara. “The circle of people possibly affected by these measures – the pool that we’re talking about – comprises around 60 imams,” said Interior Minister…

Lal Hussain saunters through Rawalpindi’s empty streets at 1:00 am shattering the silence with syncopated drum beats, awakening startled Pakistanis so they can sleepily eat one last meal before the day’s Ramadan fasting begins. “Wake up and eat your morning meal!” he howls along with the Bhangra-inspired beats emanating from his dhol drum. Hussain has…

Mr Zahid Hussain has created an ingenious new application named Islam 360. He talks to the host of Awaz Shahzad Iqbal about the application and what it can do.  “The app has different features. The most prominent feature is the recitation of the Holy Quran by more than 16 Qaris with audio and text translation in English…

Hundreds of enslaved and free West African Muslims in Brazil planned a rebellion in the Ramazan of 1835. The rebels gathered in a rented house for sehri, right before Fajr when their plan was to be materialised, says a report published by Yaqeen Institute. State authorities foiled the revolt after discovering the house. While the…

What are the interpretations of Islamic scholars on the issue of photographs or say, selfies? SAMAA TV programme Subah Sehri Samaa ke Sath set out to seek a few answers. Host Bilal Qutb began the discussion by asking Mufti Muhammad Zubair to discuss what the Shariah says about pictures and music. Mufti Muhammad Zubair: Digital images are…

Paris: France’s highest administrative court has upheld a decision to deny a French passport to an Algerian Muslim who refused to shake hands with officials during her citizenship ceremony, according to a ruling seen by AFP Thursday. The woman argued that her “religious beliefs” prevented her from shaking hands with a senior official presiding over…

ISLAMABAD: Malala Yousafzai said that Islam had taught her the value of education and said that her message to the world was only of peace.  “The first ayat that was revealed from the Holy Quran is named Iqra, which means read,” she said. Malala was speaking to a foreign news agency in Islamabad where she…

KARACHI: Mohammed bin Salman, the powerful Saudi crown prince has said that the investments in mosques and madrassas overseas were rooted in the Cold War, when allies asked his country to use its resources to prevent inroads in Muslims countries by the Soviet Union. In an interview with the Washington Post, the Saudi crown prince…

Reported by: Noor-ul-Arifeen QUETTA: A fine arts student of Quetta’s I.T University has won hearts with his knowledge and expertise in the art of Islamic calligraphy. Abdul Qadar discovered his artistic capabilities eight years ago when he started painting, sketching and calligraphy. Soon, he started Islamic calligraphy. Abdul Qadir said that he has written 17…

NEW YORK: The city of New York has agreed to pay $180,000 to three Muslim women forced by police to remove their headscarves to have mug shots taken, officials said Wednesday. Each of the women is to receive $60,000 after the settlements were finalized in a Brooklyn federal court earlier this week, their lawyer Tahanie…

NEWS DESK: The Danish government is poised to become the next European country to introduce a ban on Islamic full-face coverings in public places, reported The Independent with additional input by Reuters. The government said it planned to fine people who wore items including the burqa and the niqab which are worn by some Muslim…

BERLIN: The far-right, anti-Islam Alternative for Germany (AfD) party confirmed reports in the German media that one of its politicians, Arthur Wagner, has converted to Islam. He was a prominent member of the party known for its virulent anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant stance. Arthur Wagner said he had resigned his party membership after deciding to become…

NEW DELHI: In a big move, the Indian government Tuesday announced to withdraw subsidy for Hajj pilgrims, and use the funds for girls’ education and minority women. Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi made this announcement. The minister added that “Hajj subsidy funds will be used for educational empowerment of girls and women of minority…

LE CAIRE: Egypt’s grand mufti has said that bitcoin is forbidden in Islam, warning the digital currency could be used for criminal purposes. Bitcoin, launched in 2009 and based on a peer-to-peer payment system, poses “high risks to individuals and states,” Shawqi Allam said in a published ruling. It could provide “stable and secure financial…

NEWS DESK: Amidst protests from a few political parties, including those close to the BJP, the Lok Sabha on Thursday passed by voice vote the Bill that makes instant triple talaq or talaq-e-biddat a criminal offence, with a jail term of up to three years, reported The Hindu. The proposed law would be applicable to…

British-Pakistani boxer Amir Khan received death threats and abuses from followers on Instagram after he posted a picture of a Christmas tree that he had set up in his house to surprise his daughter, on Wednesday.  Amir Khan is one celebrity who quite regularly posts on Instagram to let fans have a peek inside his…

BEIRUT: Air strikes by a US-led coalition killed 23 civilians Wednesday in a village held by the Islamic State group in Syria’s eastern Deir Ezzor province, a monitor said. “At least 23 civilians, among them eight children and six women, were killed Wednesday before dawn by air strikes carried out by the US-led coalition, targeting…