"muslim" news and stories

Muslims in three British cities can take Domino's off their speed-dial. It seems the pizza company thought that it could transform this Middle-East-meets-West culture clash into gold, but its plans failed miserably.

A year and a half ago, the pizza chain began offering halal-only menus at three of its outposts in predominantly Muslim neighborhoods of Birmingham, Bradford and Blackburn, according to London's Daily Telegraph.

But Domino's apparently overestimated the gusto with which Muslims would welcome the opportunity to order American-style pizzas topped with ingredients whose processing and preparation conform with Islamic law, while the absolute banishment of one Quranic taboo -- pork -- seemed to have alienated the stores' native British clientele.

The story ends (as so many of these stories do) with a corporate press release: "[The halal menu] hasn't had the impact expected and the company has reluctantly decided to return to a conventional Domino's menu in all three stores," quotes the Daily Telegraph.

Photo: pixelens/Flickr.

When a Malaysian night club was busted and 32-year-old Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno was caught with a beer, she knew she was in trouble. Not because alcohol is illegal in the country -- it's not -- but because Kartika is a Muslim.

Under Sharia law -- which regulates the day-to-day life of Muslims, including politics, business, sexuality and hygiene -- consuming alcohol is a major offense. Though non-Muslim in Malaysia would be prosecuted under civil law, Kartika had to face Islamic courts.

"I accept the punishment," she said, according to a Daily Telegraph report. "I am not afraid because I was ready to be punished from day one. [The authorities] hope to use my case as a way to educate Muslims. So go ahead. I want to move on with my life."