Wellington’s Kilbirnie Mosque has confirmed plans to broadcast the Islamic call-to-prayer three times a year, putting to rest claims that it would occur five times a day. The request includes broadcasts on the anniversary of the Christchurch mosque attacks and during two major Islamic festivals, Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr. The decision comes after Mayor Read more
Secularism has been brought into the international spotlight by the ban on hijabs for French athletes at the upcoming Paris Olympics. France’s unique approach to “laïcité” — loosely translated as “secularism” — has been increasingly stirring controversy from schools to sports fields across the country. The struggle cuts to the core of how France approaches Read more
When Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau heard Wellington’s mosques were seeking permission to broadcast the Call to Prayer, her response was offensive and irreligious. Whanau was on air at the time talking to The Platform’s Sean Plunkett. “The Platform has received quite a bit of feedback regarding the district plan vote Thursday on the broadcast of Read more
A longtime critic of Islam and an outspoken atheist has become a Christian convert. “There are a number of reasons,” Ayaan Hirsi Ali said when she announced her new spiritual direction. She’s been a Muslim, a lapsed Muslim, an atheist and – now – a lapsed atheist. The vacuum left by the vanishing of a Read more
Pope Francis will visit predominantly Muslim Bahrain from November 3-6 to attend an international conference. The Vatican said the pope would visit the Gulf island country off the Arabian peninsula to take part in the Bahrain Forum for Dialogue: East and West for Human Coexistence. In 2019, Francis visited Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Read more
Three years on from a terror attack on Christchurch’s Muslim community, the community is helping build understanding. Rather than Remembrance services, this year the Muslim community decided to mark the occasion differently. Whānau Trust spokesman Rashid Bin Omar said Islamic Awareness Week aimed to spread peace, unity and love as opposed to the attacker’s aim Read more
Global Catholic charity, Caritas, joined other Catholic agencies and faith community pilgrims heading to Glasgow this week. Caritas NZ says the pilgrims are in Glasgow to pray and to press world leaders for strong action at COP26 – the 26th Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Religious leaders representing Read more
One of the most interesting developments of the social media age is that people are able to find like-minded individuals easily and anonymously. While that anonymity is not without its downsides, one of its real benefits is that people can express who they really are and what they really think about a variety of issues. Read more
A new e-prayer rug is being offered as an educational tool for use by Muslims concerned they may make errors in their daily prayers. Read more
Canadian faith communities and politicians are united in strongly condemning a hate attack on a Muslim family in which several people died. Four members of the family were killed by a driver on 6 June and a nine-year-old boy was seriously injured. Police say killing the family was a deliberate act. They believe the family Read more