This paper aims to analyze the debate over political violence in contemporary Islam from the viewpoint of its historical roots. At the heart of the matter are two currents that have existed in the Muslim community since its very beginning: a dialectic between the intellectual and the martial, and competing

Islamic Courts Union was Better Placed to Pacify Somalia Author: Dominic Pkalya Originally Published at Peace and Conflict Monitor on: 04/17/2007 When the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) was driven out of Mogadishu in December 2006 by a combination of Ethiopian and the Transitional Federal Government forces, many pundits were quick

The author was recently asked how she felt as a Muslim regarding the cartoon issue and was asked to put her religious beliefs aside and expound on it in the context of freedom of speech and civil rights. Following is an excerpt from her email in response.

Speaking at an Iftar party (the supper to break fast during the holy month of Ramadan) last week, Pakistan’s ruler Gen. Parvez Musharraf opened a Pandora’s box. He suggested that India and Pakistan should consider the option of identifying ‘’some regions’’ of Kashmir on both sides of the Line of