The Maghreb covers the politics, history, literature, and culture of The Maghreb. Robin Yassin-Kassab has an enlightening sojourn in Morocco; Hicham Yezza examines the role of the Berbers in the Arab Spring; Marcia Lynx Qualey is dazzled by the transformative power of Maghrebi poetry; Louis Proyect spends some time with the Jews of the Maghreb; Cecile Oumhani provides a daily account of the Tunisian revolution; Paul Mutter tangles with al-Qaeda in Mali; Robert Irwin wonders if Ibn Khaldun had a mystical vision of history; Julia Melcher explores the absurd world of exiled western writers in...

In the inaugural issue of Critical Muslim: Ziauddin Sardar tries to understand the significance of what just happened in the Middle East, Robin Yassin-Kassab spends some quality time in Tahrir Square, Ashur Shamis dodges the bullets of Gaddafi's henchmen, Abdelwahab El-Affendi traces the roots of the uprisings, Anne Alexander tunes into the digital revolution, Fadia Faqir joins women protestors, Shadia Safwan asks how long could Assad last, Jamal Mahjoub contemplates futures of the Sudan, Jasmin Ramsey joins the activists in Tehran, and Jerry Ravetz ponders the significance of Ibn Khaldun to...

Ziauddin Sardar argues why Islamic reform is necessary, Bruce Lawrence sees Muslim cosmopolitanism as the future, Parvez Manzoor declares jihad on the idea of 'the political', Samia Rahman gets to the root of Muslim misogyny, Michael Muhammad Knight explains his taqwacore beliefs, Soha al-Jurf has problems with orthodoxy, Carool Kersten suggests that critical thinkers and reformers are often seen as heretics, and Ben Gidley on what keeps Muslims and Jews apart and what can bring them together.
Also in this issue: Stuart Sim takes a sledgehammer to the 'profit motive', Andy Simons argues...

AbdelWahab El-Affendi on Islamophobia and Orientalism in the age of liberal paranoia, Arun Kundnani on English Defense League and the rise of the far right in Europe, Vinay Lal on Hindus who love Hitler, Gordon Steffey on Christian fundamentalism, Fanar Haddad on the sectarian schisms in the Arab world, Gary McFarlane on Tottenham Riots, Farouk Peru on self loathing Muslims, Claire Chambers on 'Four Lions', Peter Clark on Bernard Lewis and Peter Moray on Irshad Manji.
Plus a short story by Suhel Ahmed, six poems by Stephane Chaumet, Anita Sethi's dangerous bus ride through Iran, Ten Top...

Aamer Hussein takes love to its logical conclusion, Robert Irwin traces the origins of the ghazal (love lyric), Christopher Shackle recites epic Panjabi poems of sacred love and lyrical death, Imranali Panjwani mourns the massacre of Karbala, Martin Rose istaken hostage by Saddam Hussein, Jalees Rahman reflects on Nazi doctors who took delight in deathly experiments, Ramin Jahanbegloo is incarcerated in the notorious Evin prison, Hamza Elahi visits England's Muslim graveyards, Shanon Shah receives valuable guidance on love and sex from the "Obedient Wives Club," Samia Rahman sets out in...

Malaysia and Indonesia are seen as bastions of liberal Islam. Is this really true or simply a widely held misconception about south-east Asian Muslims? What is the contribution of the Muslim archipelago to the world of Islam? What can we learn from Malaysian and Indonesian experiments in democracy? This issue of Critical Muslim addresses these questions by examining the politics, history, culture and religious traditions of Malaysia and Indonesia. Contributors include Merryl Wyn Davies on Malaysian multiculturalism, Luthfi Assyaukanie on Indonesia politics, Carool Kersten on the struggles of...

Ziauddin Sardar sides with the philosophers of al-Andalus in their struggle with orthodox theologians, Robin Yassin-Kassab goes on a poetic journey, Nazry Bahrawi reveals how the Andalusi philosophers tamed the secular, Gema Martin Munoz is dismayed by the works of the Spanish Orientalists, Emilio Gonzalez-Ferrin argues that al-Andalus is not just a time past also a time present, Matthew Carr explores the plight of Muslims who were forced to convert to Christianity, David Shasha describes the achievements of Sephardic Jews, Cherif Abderrahman Jah tunes into the musical legacy of al-Andalus,...

A great deal has been said and written about 'women in Islam' - from how they should behave and dress to their 'duties' and position in society. Muslim men, on the other hand, have escaped all scrutiny. With contributions from leading Muslim women scholars and writers, including Amina Wadud, Kecia Ali, Sheikhah Halima Krausen, Ziba Mir Hosseini, Asma Afsaruddin, Mohja Kahf, Alev Adil and Leyla Jagiella, this issue of Critical Muslim balances the equation. There are essays too from men on their role in the plight of women, including Amanullah De Sondy, Shanon Shah and Mark Gonzales. Plus Canon...

Reads the Qur'an in the context in which the verses were revealed, and, in doing so, highlights the relevance of its teachings today

Jeremy Henzell-Thomas goes for a long walk in the woods; Hester Koning argues that it is time we cherished nature; J. E. Montgomery reads Al-Jahiz's Book of Animals; Laura Hassan examines the concept of nature in Muslim philosophy; Mohammed Hashas explores the geopoetics of nature; Munjed M. Murad investigates Ibn Arabi's thoughts on nature; Michael Wolfe visits St Francis of Assisi; Charles Upton looks at nature as symbol; Robert Crane suggests natural law is the way of Allah; Naomi Foyle discovers nature in Palestine; Shanon Shah is excited by nature and sexuality; Emma Clark is delighted...