Muslim prayer at St. Croix County board meeting stirs controversy with some residents
In St. Croix County, Wisconsin, residents are speaking out over the invitation of a local Islamic Society representative to deliver the opening invocation at the county’s board meeting. The county administrator asked for an invocation from the Muslim...
Building bridges with Arabic from Korea to Cape Town
After discovering the beauty of Arabic script, eL Seed has taken his art to the world’s most recognizable places. "I am an artist with a humanist intention," said eL Seed, as he opened his TED talk in Banff, Alberta, Canada. Choking back tears, he...
How the generation gap affects religions around the world
In the United States, religious congregations have been graying for decades, and young adults are now much less religious than their elders. Recent surveys have found that younger adults are far less likely than older generations to identify with a...
Turkish Festival creates positive impact on local Milwaukee community for second year
The Turkish American Society of Wisconsin (TASWI) hosted a Turkish Festival with food, live music, dance, and entertainment on July 21. The event was also very family focused, with pony rides, henna tattoos, face painting, and a bounce house. All proceeds will go...
Inventions by Muslims that have shaped the modern world
Think of the origins of that staple of modern life, the cup of coffee, and Italy often springs to mind. But in fact, Yemen is where the ubiquitous brew has its true origins. Along with the first university, and even the toothbrush, it is among surprising...
Connecting believers with Hajj and Kabah
In every religious universe created by God through revelation, there exists a center for the followers of that religion, a center where Heaven and earth touch each other. For Islam, this center is the Kabah, where the vertical and horizontal axes of...
What American culture can learn from Turkey’s example of welcoming the stranger and the oppressed
"In Turkey, we do not call them refugees, they are our guests!" - Turkish government official referring to the more than 2 million Syrian refugees now in Turkey This year, the Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS) held its annual conference in Istanbul, Turkey....
IRC Book Review: Zillij – The Art of Moroccan Ceramics
Elise Bellin, MLIS is the IRC Librarian and this book review is part of an ongoing series that focuses on a range of books within the IRC collection as a service to the community. Zillij: The Art of Moroccan Ceramics by John Hedgecoe nda Salma Samar...
Report finds American Muslims are running for political office in record numbers
As many as 90 Muslim-American candidates ran for statewide or national office this election cycle, the most since at least Sept. 11, 2001, The Associated Press reported on July 16. Roughly 50 of those candidates remain after primaries, according to the AP....
Baker Al-Qudsi: The business benefits of social engagement
With a background in business development and marketing, Baker Al-Qudsi is proud to invest his time and life in the city he calls home, Milwaukee. The son of Palestinian immigrants who taught him to persevere and succeed despite obstacles and hardships,...
