James 5: 13-20
The Letter of James says, “Are any cheerful?” Our town this week has plenty of cheerful dudes. The hustle and bustle of thousands celebrating Oktoberfest makes our city buzz. We may ask, “Pray when you are cheerful, but why? Is beer and bratwurst not enough to cheer my spirit?”

A growing outrage is palpable from the civil society against the abuse of media's credibility to arrest Chhatradhar Mahto, the leader of Lalgarh movement in West Bengal, India.
The West Bengal police and authorities disguised as a fake media representative and with the assistance of a local media p

When the European Commission announced in October 2004 that Turkey had met the criteria for starting membership negotiations, it became front-page news worldwide. Turkey attracted international attention because of its geo-strategic importance, and because it is the first Muslim-majority EU candidat

Under US President Barack Obama's Administration, the United States has vigorously re-engaged in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and made commitment to Palestinian statehood a national security and foreign policy priority. Obama has said that it is "absolutely crucial" to American interests to

The announcement that Turkey and Armenia have decided to establish diplomatic relations is a significant measure, the importance of which goes beyond the relationship between the two countries: it could also catalyse Turkey's accession bid to the EU and improve Armenia's standing in the region.
In

The nation of Indonesia is blighted by Islamists who desire to destroy moderate versions of Islam because militants desire to install a new society based on dhimmitude and Islamic supremacy. Therefore, Islamic clerics like Abu Bakar Bafasyir support the implementation of Islamic Sharia law and his

Is US President Barack Obama's Administration providing less support for human rights and political reform in the broader Middle East—or is it merely adopting a different tone about promoting democracy?
A number of recent reports and studies demonstrate that there is a perception in the United Sta

As the holy month of Ramadan comes to a close, Muslims all over the world prepare for the joyous occasion known as Eid ul-Fitr, the three-day-long feast that marks the culmination of the month of fasting. Muslims celebrate two main holidays each year: the first, Eid ul-Fitr, follows the month of Ram

Salman Ahmad, Pakistani rock musician and founder of the popular band Junoon (as well as doctor, author and film maker) explained last Saturday night to the standing-room-only crowd in the General Assembly of the United Nations that it was a video which pushed him into action. The video, of two men

It is in India and neighbouring countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh, alone, where Muslim women are oppressed, rest of the Muslim dominated nations give equal status and rights to women. This is how the Muslim minorities feel in this Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. These Muslim minorities also feel

This year, 11 September was proclaimed the National Day of Service and Remembrance, symbolically concluding a nationwide summer of service movement, United We Serve. This programme was launched by US President Barack Obama to encourage Americans to volunteer in their communities, and Muslim American

As young Pakistanis, my friends and I often sit and discuss the country's political and developmental issues. With some dismay, we acknowledged one day that Pakistanis generally wait for others to get things accomplished because they feel hopeless after having voiced their concerns for over 60 years

Ramadan, which began on 22 August, offers an opportunity to reflect upon the surge in religious observance and ritual across the Muslim and Arab worlds and what the future might bring. For the last three decades, an Islamic revival has held the Muslim and Arab worlds in its grip. Although religious

The Founder of Pakistan the Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah in his presidential address to the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan on August 11, 1947 said, “You are free; you are free to go to your temples, you are free to go to your mosques or to any other place or worship in this State of Pakistan.

Eight years into what was once called the "Global War on Terror", Western policymakers show a growing recognition that combating violent extremists requires more creative tools. In struggles of this sort, military solutions can have the unintended consequence of exacerbating radicalisation rather th