The University of South Australia holds a mirror up to ourselves, our bigotry and our Islamophobia.

This report will provide interesting reading for Australia's inhabitants. It pinpoints how they feel about their Muslim neighbours.

For people of faith, or those interested in religion,  the statistics on attitudes among faith communities is enlightening but not surprising.

Women of Islam - 4



Sultan Raziyya (India, 1205-1240)

Sultan Raziyya was the Sultan of Delhi from 1236 to 1240. She refused to be addressed as Sultana because it meant "wife or mistress of a sultan" and only answered to the title "Sultan." As she solidified her power, she believed that appropriating a masculine image would help her maintain control. So she dressed like a man and wore a turban, trousers, coat and sword. Contrary to custom, she appeared unveiled in public. Sultan Raziyya was known for her belief that the spirit of religion is more important than its parts. She established schools, academies, centers for research and public libraries. 

Photo: Students of Sultan Razia Girls School in 2002.

From Huffington Post

Religion and Public Affairs research: the Arab Spring and its impact upon religion

For Creekers who are not familiar with the Pew Research Center, I have included some details about them below.  Pew has been around for quite a while and for those with serious faith interests it is good to be familiar with the work it has done and is doing.

 



 

The article Arab Spring adds to global restrictions on religion is most informative and certainly widens our horizons on world affairs and, in particular, their impact on people of faith.

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The Pew Research Center’s Religion & Public Life Project, launched in 2001 as the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, seeks to promote a deeper understanding of issues at the intersection of religion and public affairs.

The project conducts surveys, demographic studies and other social science research to examine a wide range of issues concerning religion and society in the United States and around the world – from shifting religious composition to the influence of religion on politics to the extent of government and social restrictions on religion.

The project also covers a range of issues that often have a religious component – from abortion and gay marriage to stem cell research and church-state controversies.

The Religion & Public Life Project is directed by Luis Lugo and is part of the Pew Research Center, a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping America and the world. The centre conducts public opinion polling, demographic studies, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research does not take positions on any of the issues it covers or on policy debates.