The top ten countries for persecuting Christians over the last year were ranked: North Korea, Somalia, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Maldives, Pakistan, Iran and Yemen, according to Open Doors USA, an organisation that monitors and exposes Christian persecution around the globe. Particularly, the “2014 World Watch List”, a rather nuanced report, has highlighted these Read more
Posts Tagged ‘Islam’
Auckland Mosque to host an open day
Tuesday, February 25th, 2014Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at NZ are hosting an Open Mosque Day on 1 March 2014. The Baitul Muqeet Mosque in Wiri, Auckland was opened in November 2013 and is New Zealand’s largest purpose-built mosque. The day will include guided tours, an exhibition and literature, as well as refreshments and hospitality from the Ahmadiyya Muslim community. Continue reading
Muslim superhero vs real-life Islamophobia
Friday, December 6th, 2013
When Marvel Comics announced the debut of its latest superhero — a 16-year-old Pakistani-American Muslim from Jersey City, N.J. — it was correctly seen as a positive development. Created and written by two American Muslim women, Kamala Khan (aka Ms. Marvel) holds promise. But while Khan is a comic book character, she should not become Read more
Why Sonny Bill Williams converted to Islam
Friday, November 29th, 2013
On Wednesday Sonny Bill Williams became the first Kiwi to be named the Rugby League International Federation player of the year He says his Muslim Faith has helped him to become the man he is today. He grew up a Christian but meeting a Tunisian family who lived with their five children in a one-bedroom Read more
Meat industry representatives attend World Muslim Forum
Friday, November 29th, 2013Meat industry representatives were busy at the World Muslim Forum in Auckland at the weekend. Meat Industry Association chief executive Tim Ritchie says he was there to show people at the forum how seriously New Zealand takes the halal – and that we have good systems and processes to ensure the meat is prepared as Read more
Islamic Centre opens in Suva
Tuesday, November 19th, 2013
An Islamic Centre has been opened in in Suva. “This centre is purposely for those iTaukei people that want to learn the basics of the Islam faith in the iTaukei language,” says Mohammed Ismail, who is a teacher at the new centre “Another reason we opened this centre is because it is easily accessible to Read more
Brunei moves to introduce national Sharia code
Friday, October 25th, 2013The Sultan of Brunei says his country will begin enforcing a tough Islamic penal code in six months’ time. Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah said authorities had been considering the new Sharia Penal Code for years and it will be enforced in ‘phases’. Punishments under the Hudud code may include stoning for adultery, amputation for theft and Read more
Islam’s pilgrimage to Mecca – the Hajj
Tuesday, October 15th, 2013
What is Hajj? The annual Hajj pilgrimage is one of the world’s largest gatherings, as hundreds of thousands of people flock to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, to participate in one of Islam’s five pillars of faith. Muslims from all over the world will gather together for five days to pray as one community, celebrating their history Read more
Anti-Muslim rant MP builds bridges
Friday, October 11th, 2013Eight months after his notorious “Wogistan” anti-Muslim rant NZ First MP Richard Prosser says he received more messages of support than of criticism during the resulting furore – something he now has mixed feelings about. Continue reading
Stories of new converts
Friday, September 20th, 2013
This is not a particularly successful season for converts to Christianity. Often more respect is shown to those who “dialogue” from outside of the Church than to those who embrace the Christian faith and ask for baptism. But it is also true that conversions to Catholicism are more numerous than one might think. Departing from Read more