Islam, like most religions, imposes centuries-old dogma on women and demands their submission. Their role is as silent servants first and individuals second—and their treatment in Islamic states reflects this fundamental inequality. In too many of these states, women are explicitly denied rights afforded to men—freedom of movement, freedom to work, and freedom to wear what one pleases.
More broadly, troubling patterns in Islamic scripture and custom exacerbate gender inequality. It is women who bear the guilt and shame of “modesty culture,” not men. In many countries, women cannot initiate the process of divorce and are not entitled to any of the couple’s shared possessions, nor can they seek meaningful justice if they are raped by their husbands. And in the most extreme cases, a woman who fails to remain chaste and in her place risks honor violence.
Human rights—to blaspheme, speak, and live freely—are universal and do not discriminate by sex. No woman’s freedom or agency should be impeded for the sake of a religious text, and a religious culture that perpetuates inequality should not command deference.
Another Week, Another “Honor” Killing
This week’s stories reveal how religion is still used to justify violence—often within families, often against women, and too often met with silence.
Unbelief Brief
Ready For Your Updates?
This week’s Unbelief Brief dives into the dark undercurrents of “honor” and control—both abroad and at home. EXMNA Insights also examines the religious reasoning behind cousin marriages in Muslim societies. Plus, a heads-up for our Denver readers: Saudi activist Jasmin Faulk is speaking out about Western complicity in propping up extremist narratives. Don’t miss it!
Unbelief Brief
Your Updates Are Here
This week in the Unbelief Brief we cover India’s latest “anti-sacrilege” bill, as well as a Washington state trial of parents accused of an attempted honor killing. And on our Persecution Tracker, we’ve provided updates on cases in Turkey and Pakistan.
Unbelief Brief
We’re Back
This week, we examine two stories at the intersection of free expression, human rights, and accountability. In the UK, the government’s revived push to define “Islamophobia” threatens to conflate legitimate criticism of Islam with bigotry against Muslims—an alarming precedent for free speech. Meanwhile, the International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Taliban leaders over their persecution of Afghan women, though the move is unlikely to bring justice. Below, we unpack both developments and what they signal for the future.
Unbelief Brief
Welcome
This week, we reflect on the tragic story of Shakil Ahmed, a young Bangladeshi student reportedly driven to suicide after a months-old Facebook post deemed offensive to Islam resurfaced—triggering mob threats and public outrage. Meanwhile in Pakistan, modest legal progress on child marriage faced fierce resistance from Islamic clerics defending the Prophet’s own example. And a new Human Rights Watch report details how Pakistan’s blasphemy laws continue to be weaponized against the poor and marginalized.
Unbelief Brief
Welcome to Our Latest Issue
Welcome! This week’s newsletter explores a fortuitous Supreme Court deadlock in favor of secularism in Oklahoma, alarming death threats by a UK imam, and the unwavering bravery of Iranian women defying the hijab mandate despite intensifying state crackdowns.
Unbelief Brief
Welcome to This Week’s Dissent Dispatch
Religious belief may be waning across much of the Western world, but America remains stubbornly devout. Meanwhile, in Britain, Qur’an-burning has nearly become a theological crime—until prosecutors recently walked back an alarming charge against protestor Hamit Coskun. And in Belgium, a misguided headscarf ban risks trading one kind of coercion for another. Plus: it’s your last chance to enter our 2nd Annual Draw Muhammad Day Contest—details below.
Unbelief Brief
Happy May, Dissenters
This week, we’re examining the fine line between religious identity and ideological excuse-making—from Mohammed Hijab defending terror in Kashmir, to Harvard confusing critique with bigotry. We break down Amnesty’s chilling report on the Taliban’s stranglehold over Afghanistan, keep watch on a looming SCOTUS decision that could open the door to publicly-funded religious schools, and unpack why treating Islam as above criticism does no favors to Muslims—or to truth. Plus: Draw Muhammad Day is back! Let the blasphemy begin 😈.
Unbelief Brief
Welcome Back
This week, we’re tracking a global tug-of-war over the hijab—one that’s testing the boundaries of religious freedom, secularism, and state power. In Iran, the regime is cornered, pressured by both defiant citizens and outraged hardliners. In France, new legislation threatens to sideline Muslim women in the name of laïcité. And in the UK, Mubarak Bala calls on lawmakers to practice what they preach by ending their own blasphemy laws.