Date of source: Monday, October 31, 2005
Egyptian writer, Nasr Hāmid Abu Zayd has been awarded this year’s Ibn Rushd Prize for Freedom of Thought.
Date of source: Sunday, September 25, 2005
Radical Islamists have not only settled for censorship in their fight against intellectuals, but have issued fatwas, sentencing to death thinkers with whom they disagree. Intellectuals across the Muslim world have been attacked or assassinated in accordance with these fatwas.
Date of source: Saturday, October 12, 2002
The meaning of apostasy is not limited to renouncing Islam. A Muslim could be accused of apostasy if s/he suggests new thought that is contradictory to what has been set as rules ages ago. From this, the issue of freedom of belief is considered apostasy, which should be punished by execution.
Date of source: Sunday, July 14, 2002
Dr. Sufi Abu Taleb, the former president of the People’s Assembly, clarifies the realities and advantages of Islam. He said that Islam has nothing to do with religious dogmatism and discrimination because it recognizes the other religions as valid. He added that it is unfair for Western researchers...
Date of source: Friday, March 19, 2004
In an interview with his Eminence Dr. Muhammad Al-Mokhtar Muhammad Al-Mahdy, Director General of Shariya [Shari’a-based] NGOs, and professor in Al-Azhar University, talked about many issues of concern to Muslims. Among these issue are the crisis of the Islamic world, the concept of jihad , the...
Date of source: Thursday, June 3, 2004
Dr. Youssef Al-Qaradawi objected to future Jewish participation in the Islamic-Christian Dialogue Conference that took place in Doha. “We have witnessed a lot of oppression from the Jews,” Al-Qaradawi said, “how could there be a meeting between us while the problem [of Palestine] is still ongoing?...
Date of source: Saturday, July 3, 2004
The term of “religious freedom” still triggers debate and disagreement. What about religious freedom concerning conversion from Islam and embracing another religion?
How Islamic fiqh [jurisprudence] deals with rida [apostasy from Islam]? All these question and others are answered by the moderate...
Date of source: Monday, January 20, 2003
The author argues that the punishment for apostasy is part of the terrorist political heritage in Islam. It is a result of political disputes that has nothing to do with religion. So it should be rejected and condemned.
Date of source: Saturday, July 10, 2004
The dilemma of Riddah
[apostasy] occupied the Muslim society in the past and present. Some people believe that there is
no punishment for apostasy at all. Others believe that the punishment for apostasy should be
harsh, citing the single hadith in the Prophetic Sunna about apostasy [if anyone...
Date of source: Tuesday, November 2, 2004
Renowned writer Usama Anwar Okasha, in
an interview with an independent weekly newspaper, dwelt on the reasons why he declined to
venture into historical figures in the scripts he wrote for TV series.