Ajaz Patel, the 29-year-old India-born left-arm spinner, is believed to be the first Muslim to play for the Black Caps. He doesn’t see himself as a role model for young Muslims but said if he can inspire anyone to follow their dreams and stick to their beliefs then he would be proud of that. He says Read more
In a country where the news is often about incidents of religious intolerance, Muslims and Catholics have been coming to each other’s aid. Last Sunday over 3,500 people joined a charity run organized by Indonesia’s Jakarta Archdiocese to raise money to build churches in various parts of the country. Most were Catholics but Muslims also Read more
Permanent, women-only swimming sessions have been requested in a submission to the city’s council by members of the Islamic community keen to hit the water. It’s a way of embracing the New Zealand lifestyle while adhering to religious requirements that prevent men seeing their bodies, Esra Qatarneh said. Continue reading
New Zealand has been named in new research as the Commonwealth member country where people enjoy the greatest religious freedom. The Council of Christians and Jews (CCJ) statistics were unveiled ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting which took place on April 19 and 20 in the United Kingdom. The figures show that the 53-state Read more
People from all backgrounds will get the chance to feel what it is like to wear a turban at a special event aimed at educating Kiwis about Sikhism. The Auckland Turban Day will be held at the Aotea Square on Saturday afternoon. Continue reading
The spirit of Deepawali unites families, friends and neighbours, enabling people to cross boundaries of ethnicity and religion. says the Catholic Archbishop of Suva, Peter Loy Chong. He has sent a message of greeting to “all our Hindu brothers and sisters as you celebrate one of the most important and brightest celebrations, “Deepawali” or “festival Read more
A meeting of Manawatū women from different faiths provides a chance to talk about both their differences and similarities. A prayer mat is spread, a candle lit and the colourful robes of a bronze deity are smoothed. The door of an old church is opened. A moment of meditation is observed. Continue reading
In Jakarta, a modern 9000 square metre mosque and a colonial-era Christian church sit across the road from each other. Despite their different faiths, the two houses of worship are friendly, helpful neighbours — and an example of pluralism in the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation at a time of heightened fears over religious intolerance. Read more
A far-right party’s success in Germany’s national elections on Sunday will need to be handled with dignity, the German bishops conference says. Cardinal Reinhard Marx is urging “verbal disarmament” and says the German parliament (Bundestag) has a special dignity which must take priority in political confrontations. The Alternative for Germany (AfD) is the first far-right Read more
Nightly candlelight vigils have been held in cities across Indonesia since Tuesday when the governor of the capital Jakarta, Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama, was found guilty and sentenced to two years prison. Indonesians abroad also held vigils in cities including Amsterdam, Toronto and Melbourne, Australia. Months of huge protests against Ahok by Islamic hardliners and Read more