The Justice Department today announced a settlement with Henrico County, Va., resolving allegations that the county violated the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000 (RLUIPA) when it denied the application of a Muslim organization to rezone property to construct a mosque.

A recent public opinion survey conducted by Brookings non-resident senior fellow Shibley Telhami sparked headlines focused on its conclusion that American views of Muslims and Islam have become favorable. However, the survey offered another important finding that is particularly relevant in this political season: evidence that the cleavages between supporters of Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, respectively, on Muslims, Islam, and the Israeli-Palestinians peace process are much deeper than on most other issues.

Muslims represent only around 1% of the American population, yet today they find themselves playing an increasingly important public role. For instance, two of the most prominent congresspeople are the first two Muslim congresswomen in American history, Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib. Like African Americans and Jews, Muslims are disproportionately Democrats. But what did they…

A recent public opinion survey conducted by Brookings non-resident senior fellow Shibley Telhami sparked headlines focused on its conclusion that American views of Muslims and Islam have become favorable. However, the survey offered another important finding that is particularly relevant in this political season: evidence that the cleavages between supporters of Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, respectively, on Muslims, Islam, and the Israeli-Palestinians peace process are much deeper than on most other issues.

Days after the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation expressed concern over alleged incidents of "Islamophobia" in India, Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Tuesday said India is heaven for Muslims and those trying to vitiate the atmosphere of prosperity cannot be their friends. Asserting that the social, economic and religious rights of Muslims are secure in India, Naqvi said "secularism and harmony" is not a "political fashion", but a "perfect passion" for India and Indians.

His remarks come after the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Sunday urged India to take "urgent steps" to protect the rights of its minority Muslim community and stop the incidents of "Islamophobia" in the country. Asked about the OIC's criticism, Naqvi said, "We are doing our job with conviction. The prime minister whenever he speaks, he talks about the rights and welfare of 130 crore Indians." "If somebody cannot see this, then it is their problem. India's Muslims, its minorities, all its sections of the society, are prosperous and those people trying to vitiate this atmosphere of prosperity, they cannot be friends of Indian Muslims," he told reporters.

On criticism of India by scholars in Gulf nations, Naqvi said, "India is a heaven for Muslims and minorities." The social, economic and religious rights of Muslims are more secure and stronger in India than in other countries, he said. "If somebody is saying something with a prejudiced mindset, then he should look at the ground reality of this country and accept it," the minister said. "In this country, there is such a large population of Muslims. An analysis of their educational, social and economic conditions in the last five years should be looked at, their share in government jobs has increased and they have been educationally and economically empowered," Naqvi said. Muslims ave had an equal share in the progress of all sections and if India is progressing, the community is also progressing, he asserted.

"We should ensure that our strength of unity in diversity' is not get weakened under any circumstances, he said. "Professional bogus bashing brigades" are still active and conspiring to spread misinformation, Naqvi said. "We should remain cautious of such evil forces and we need to work unitedly to defeat their nefarious misinformation propaganda," Naqvi said. He also cautioned against fake news and conspiracies aimed at spreading misinformation, he said. The authorities have been working for safety and well-being of all citizens of the country and such type of rumours and conspiracies are a "nefarious design" to weaken the fight against coronavirus, Naqvi said. "Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the entire country is united in fight against coronavirus by breaking all barriers of caste, religion and region," he said.

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Thousands of people on Saturday defied the countrywide lockdown to attend the funeral of a Muslim cleric in Bangladesh, triggering fears of rapid spread of the Coronavirus pandemic.

The news media in Bangladesh reported that thousands of people, without masks and in clear violations of social distancing, participated in the funeral prayers of Khelafat Majlish's 'Nayeb-e Amir' Maulana Zubayer Ahmad Ansari, held at a madrasa in Bertola village under Sorail Upazila of Brahmanbaria district. The cleric had passed away at his home last night.

The gathering was large and the authorities did not stop it, media reports said. Noted Bangladeshi author, Taslima Nasreen, who lives in exile in Sweden, tweeted that 50,000 people had attended the funeral prayers, defying the ban on mass gatherings during the lockdown. "Stupid government didn't even try to stop these stupid people," she tweeted.

Like many other countries where religious congregations are turning out to be a major multiplier in the pandemic, the Saturday funeral gathering could become Bangladesh's hotspot for the outbreak. So far, over 2,100 people have tested positive and 84 have died due to Coronavirus in Bangladesh.

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These family members belong to the Dom caste, were forced to embrace Islam under pressure during the time Mughal ruler Aurangzeb.

Growing a beard, praying in public and calling someone overseas. These are some of the 'offences' for which Uighur Muslims have been sent to internment camps in the Xinjiang region of China, according to a leaked document known as the Karakax list. Adrienne Klasa talks to the FT reporters who discovered the document, Christian Shepherd and Laura Pitel. Read the FT story here

Contributors: Adrienne Klasa, creative producer, Christian Shepherd, Beijing correspondent, and Laura Pitel, Turkey correspondent. Producers: Persis Love and Fiona Symon

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Louis Smith's two-month ban from gymnastics for appearing to mock Islam risks fuelling religious hate, according to a leading Muslim lawyer.

According to The Sun, the 27-year-old Olympian is reportedly already in training for the winter sports show in Austria - just weeks after being banned from gymnastics for offensive video.

Sonny Bill Williams has expressed his disappointment at a picture of himself and fellow Muslim Ofa Tuungafasi praying before a World Cup match being taken down from Instagram.  

A Chinese website has angrily mocked rugby union and league star Sonny Bill Williams for speaking out against the Communist superpower's treatment of its Muslim Uyghur minority.

Sonny Bill Williams, 34, has refused to wear the Betfred logo on his Toronto Wolfpack kit as he follows Islam, which forbids any form of gambling or betting.

Sonny Bill Williams said he doesn't fear backlash for his latest comments supporting the Uyghur Muslim community in China and said his only regret is he hadn't spoken out sooner.

The 31-year-old woman, who is 38 weeks pregnant, was with friends at Bay Vista cafe on Church Street, Parramatta, at 10.30pm on Wednesday when she was set upon.

The 31-year-old woman was 38 weeks pregnant when she was set upon by a stranger while with friends at Bay Vista cafe on Church Street, Parramatta.

The devices were hidden inside inside motorbikes and cars and detonated by mobile phones.

Oksana Voevodina, 27, insists the child is the Sultan's - conceived on a holiday in Australia - and vowed to go to court in Moscow to demand a DNA test in a bid to prove the then king's paternity.

The Prince of Wales also sent a message of support to the British Muslim community as part of a virtual Iftar to mark the start of Ramadan.

The central courtyard of the Great Mosque of Mecca has been deserted as Muslims are forced to celebrate Ramadan in isolation, leaving the holy site practically empty.

The Germany international, who is of Turkish descent, made the generous donation to provide food and aid for 16,000 Muslims throughout the holy month.

In the 12 months to November, the number of Islamophobic crimes recorded was 818 - 63.9 per cent higher than the 499 crimes recorded in the year to November 2014.

The woman who gave French police the vital tip-off about the secret hiding place of the mastermind of the Paris attacks has revealed the terrifying moment she met Abdelhamid Abaaoud.

Business Secretary Sajid Javid, pictured wiuth his wife Laura, and Baroness Sayeeda Warsi have been named as targets in the terror group's glossy propaganda magazine Dabiq.

Sinead Wooding, 26, was found dead in woodland in Leeds earlier this year. Her husband, Akshar Ali, is on trial for her murder

Hanaa Ben Abdesslem, 28, who has walked for the likes of Chanel and Oscar de la Renta, married fiancé Amerpal Lamba in her hometown of Nabeul, Tunisia, last month after a whirlwind engagement.

Sahar Nowrouzzadeh (pictured), who had worked on the Iran nuclear deal under Barack Obama, was demoted in April 2017 shortly after Trump took office as US President.

Police and military personnel will be deployed to secure Christmas and New Year's Eve celebrations across the country and focused on predominantly Christian regions like Papua.

Walid Phares, a top national security adviser for Donald Trump, is quietly talking to Muslims on behalf of the presumptive Republican nominee.

At least one delegate took issue with prayer by Sajid Tarar, founder of American Muslims For Trump, and reportedly shouted 'No Islam' at the stage before being hushed by the crowd.

Marcus Dwayne Robertson, also known as Abu Taubah, is serving time at John E. Polk Correctional Facility in Seminole County, Florida, and the Muslim extremist has been spending his days converting others.

On the afternoon of September 21, 2019, three Muslim families who were wearing discernible religious garb and who spoke with accents were allegedly denied ferry service at Wall Street pier.

'Jeb doesn't really believe I'm unhinged,' Trump said. 'He said that because his campaign has failed, and nobody cares.' The two talked over each other constantly as The Donald mugged and grimaced.

Avraham Mintz and Zoher Abu Jama, two members of Israel's emergency response service, realised it might be their only break of the day in the Israeli city of Be'er Sheva and so decided to pray.

The claim has been made by Princess Diana's former butler Paul Burrell in a new documentary called 'Princess Diana's Wicked Stepmother' that focuses on Countess Raine Spencer.

Rushan Abbas is calling for China to be stripped of its 2022 Winter Olympics and 2021 FIFA Club World Cup hosting rights.

Hairdresser and former model Tonie Bond (pictured ) has won more than £20,000 after being ordered by her boss to pick up dog mess from the salon car park when they found out she was Muslim

The Citizenship Amendment Bill was introduced by the Hindu nationalist-led government but its approval has triggered fury in the states of Assam and Tripura in north east India.

Mahmoud Amirat and took his two sons out of Adelaide Secondary School of English every Friday for 60 to 90 minutes to attend a mosque for Friday prayer in 2017.

The incident is believed to have happened at a supermarket in Dagenham, east London and was shared by thousands of people online today.

Retired Nomads president Moudi Tajjour took to Snapchat saying Allah 'created' the killer virus which has reached an international death toll of 41 and four confirmed cases in Australia.

Muslim theologists in Sri Lanka have urged the government to reconsider its decision on cremating the Muslims who died due to the coronavirus, saying the revised rule goes against the Islamic tradition. Sri Lanka has made cremations compulsory for coronavirus victims, ignoring protests from the country's Muslims, who make up 10 per cent of the 21 million population. In a letter to the Director General, Health Services, the All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama (ACJU) claimed that more than 180 countries in line with the guidelines of the World Health Organisation have allowed burials for Muslims who die of COVID-19. It is our moral and ethical duty to abide by the law of the country and to guide people towards it. But it does not imply that we endorse or give consent to this ruling as it is against our religious principles, the letter said. They urged the health authorities to reconsider the decision. The Muslim clerics in Sri Lanka had earlier also made an appeal regarding their opposition ..