The comment of the present Pope Francis in the aftermath of the attacks on the Paris offices of Charlie Hebdo is a reminder of the deep contradiction between religion and freedom of speech. Pope Francis remarked, in simple layman terms, that if someone were to say something offensive about the Pope's mother then he could expect to receive a punch in the face. Speech, in other words, has serious consequences…

Tafseer Al-Baqarah 2: 120-123 From the Book, Introduction to the Tafseer of the Quran, by the Ameer of Hizb ut Tahrir, the eminent jurist and statesman, Sheikh Ata Bin Khalil Abu Al-Rashtah:

الم * غُلِبَتِ الرُّومُ * فِي أَدْنَى الأَرْضِ وَهُم مِّن بَعْدِ غَلَبِهِمْ سَيَغْلِبُونَ ‏*‏ فِي أَدْنَى الأَرْضِ وَهُم مِّن بَعْدِ غَلَبِهِمْ سَيَغْلِبُونَ * فِي بِضْعِ سِنِينَ لِلَّهِ الأَمْرُ مِن قَبْلُ وَمِن بَعْدُ وَيَوْمَئِذٍ يَفْرَحُ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ [الروم‏: 1‏ـ4].‏ "Alif Lam Mim. The Romans have been defeated. In the nearest land, and they, after their defeat, will be victorious. In Bid`i years. The decision of the matter, before and after is only…

"Women were naturally regarded as inferior and not many would dare to assert their rights, even if they knew what they were. Furthermore, no practical recourse was available to a woman who wished to do so..." ("Political Change in Rural Turkey" (1966) by Joseph Szyliowicz, Anthropologist) "The women knew nothing of the law, and the men have no motive for taking any notice of what little they may happen to…