Free Speech à la française
The tragic attack on the offices of Charlie Hebdo should prompt sincere reflection.  For many Muslims, the incident raises once again the question of how and if the dictates of their religion should be lived and understood in a world constantly in flux, a world in which many of the assumptions and hopes of Islam’s moral and legal vision can seem outdated.  As in the case of other attacks carried ...

Dr. John Andrew Morrow
The traditional sources for knowing and understanding the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) include the Qur'an, the Hadith, and to a lesser extent, the Sirah. Dr. John Andrew Morrow has brought attention to what may be considered another foundational set of source material. As the result of research that took him to churches and monasteries across the Middle East, Dr. Morrow has collected a set of writ...

Tour Turkey with Omid Safi
Dr. Omid Safi is one of the leading voices for Islam today. An accomplished scholar, he is a Professor of Islamic Studies at Duke University, and serves as the Director of the Duke Islamic Studies Center. LastProphet.info had the honour to receive Dr. Safi at our offices in Istanbul last year and talk with him about his book, ‘Memories of Muhammad: Why the Prophet Matters’. Dr. Safi w...

Director Muhammad Bayazid
How can the life of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) be relevant to our own lives today? The miniseries ‘Inspiration’ explores the timeless nature of the Prophet’s message by telling the story of a young American Muslim who draws on the example of the Prophet to help confront the personal, professional and spiritual challenges he faces in his daily life. Muhammad Bayazid is a Syrian ...

Mosque attacks in Sweden
On Thursday December 25, 2014 - Christmas Day - an arson attack was carried out on a mosque in Eskilstuna, Sweden, while a group of Muslims were gathered inside for prayer, injuring five people. The Expo Foundation, a Swedish non-profit co-founded by writer Stieg Larsson that raises awareness of discrimination, claims at least 12 mosques were attacked in Sweden this year, and as this article was ...

Albanian Mawlid
Together with frequent contributor Abdal Hakim Murad LastProphet.info is honoured to present a short clip from the recording of a mawlid performance filmed at the Fatih mosque in the city of Durrës, Albania. The mawlid is sung in Albanian from a translation written by Hafiz Ali Ulqinaku in 1873 of Suleiman Chelebi’s famous 15th century mawlid. Hafiz Ulqinaku was an extraordinary figure whose...

The last living 'Sahibi'
In the deserts of northern Jordan there is a tree that stands alone within hundreds of miles of emptiness. It is believed that over fourteen hundred years ago under the shade of this tree a meeting took place between the young Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and the Christian monk Buhira. The story about the rediscovery of this living link to the Prophet is recorded in the documentary 'The ...

Majid Majidi Launches Promo For New Film
Filmmaker Majid Majidi, in the finishing stages of making his new film “Muhammad” got interviewed recently and promoted his film’s message, saying, “I wanted to share and spread the right understanding of Islam.” With an unheard-of budget and entire city sets built for the occasion, “Muhammad” has a lot riding on it. Majidi gave a massive promotional push for his film during the interview. Thi...

Calligraphy Exhibition Opens in Washington
A new Islamic calligraphy exhibition commemorating the 1443rd year of prophet Muhammad's birth opened here Friday.   Islamic Culture and Art Platform, in cooperation with Yildiz Holding, a Turkish multinational, and the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA), exhibited pieces by famous calligraphers, including Turkish. They include verses from the Qur’an, deeds of prophet Muhammad and...

Love of the Prophet Muhammad Exhibition
Growing alongside Islamic civilization, the art of calligraphy flourished for centuries. In April, the birth of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was celebrated with special programs all around the country. As a part of the celebrations, the calligraphy exhibition "Hicaz'dan Istanbul'a Hz. Peygamber Sevgisi: Aşk-ı Nebi" (Love of the Prophet Muhammad from Hejaz to Istanbul) was held a...

If You Don't Like the Mawlid, Watch Out!
The birthday of the Prophet, God’s peace and blessings be upon him, is a great blessing for our community and, indeed, for all believers. So if we know the day, it should renew our joy manifold times. The Mawlid (his birthday) has traditionally been a time to reflect on – and be grateful for – our Prophet, peace be upon him, and his life, miracles, and the sacrifices he made on behalf of his comm...

Rare Portrayal of Muhammad’s Youth in Upcoming Iranian Film
In October 2011, under a complete media blackout, the most ambitious and expensive cinematic project in Iranian history was launched. There had been no leaks regarding the production. The first news came the following month with two announcements: Famed director Majid Majidi declared that he was shooting a film that would “bring pride to Iran and Iranians.” And minister of culture an...