Lead story
Editor's note:
Every Christmas season as her neighborhood sparkled with festive lights, a Muslim mother of two faced the same question: “Mama and Baba, why don’t we decorate for Christmas?”
This year, many Muslim families have an answer, with Ramadan-themed inflatables, string lights and a growing retail ecosystem eager to meet the demand. From big-box chains like Target to small Muslim-owned shops, Ramadan offerings now include everything from outdoor inflatables to well decorations to children’s books.
Some mosques have also opted to hang lights or signs to mark the month when Muslims fast from dawn to sunset. And in the city of Dearborn, Michigan – where the large Muslim population has sometimes been a flash point – street lights are decorated with the crescent moons and stars for Ramadan.
RNS national reporter Ulaa Kaziz reports on Ramadan’s new Christmas treatment, and Muslims’ growing desire to show their communities – and their children – the joy they take in their faith.
Religion News
As antisemitism rises, Josh Shapiro turns toward his Jewish faith
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro is attempting to straddle an almost impossible chasm as both a Jewish progressive and a Zionist as he marches toward a dominant reelection this fall. By Steve Peoples/The Associated Press
In Boston, US Jews envision a Judaism beyond Zionism
At a ‘Jewish Left’ conference, attendees set out to build new institutions that they consider more ethically grounded in Judaism post-Oct. 7, 2023. By Yonat Shimron/Religion News Service
Students say the Vivekananda House is contributing to 'a major push in how Hindus are represented on campus.' By Richa Karmarkar/Religion News Service
Supporters of jailed Ugandan opposition figure pray for him after president tries to stop it
Hundreds of supporters of detained Ugandan opposition figure Kizza Besigye held a defiant prayer service to press authorities to free him after more than a year without trial on treason charges. By Rodney Muhumuza/The Associated Press
Pope Leo will visit 4 African countries as part of his packed 2026 travel plans
The Vatican has announced a packed early-2026 travel schedule for Pope Leo XIV, with trips to Monaco, Spain, Algeria, Angola, Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea. By Nicole Winfield/The Associated Press
Commentary and Analysis
Accompaniment, rooted in modern Catholic social thought, calls for putting the needs of the most vulnerable first. By Kristy Nabhan-Warren for The Conversation
Who ultimately defines the boundaries of acceptable academic discourse within a Catholic institution? By Karen E. Park/Religion News Service
Love and hate seem like obvious opposites – but for philosophers of virtue, it’s not so simple. By Tucker Jonah Gregor for The Conversation
The phrase ‘separation of church and state’ dates back to a letter from Thomas Jefferson to a Baptist congregation. By Christopher Schelin for The Conversation
Exiled Tibetan Buddhist monks play cymbals as they conduct ritual prayers at the Tsuglakhang Temple to usher in the Tibetan New Year, or Losar, in Dharamshala, India, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Ashwini Bhatia)
Did a friend or colleague forward this to you? Click here to subscribe.
- This Week in Religion is a publication of the Global Religion Journalism Initiative, a collaboration among the Religion News Service, The Associated Press and The Conversation U.S.
- The three news organizations work to improve general understanding and analyze the significance of developments in the world of faith.
- The Associated Press Newsletter Hub
- Religion News Service newsletter sign-up page
- The Conversation U.S.'s daily and weekly newsletters
No comments:
Post a Comment