Today, genocide has almost entirely lost its meaning. Either its occurrence is denied into oblivion, or its frequency allows it to fall on stone-deaf ears in a world on fire. As our newsfeeds inundate us with the agony of the Palestinians, the Rohingyas, the Uighurs and a seemingly endless list of minority, marginalised communities, where does one draw the line? Even the UN Convention on Genocide has its own murky past. While endless committees and talking heads get lost in the technicalities, we experience global numbness in the face of others’ suffering, and genocide becomes no more than a word whose definition can be negotiated. This issue of Critical Muslim asks: can we learn the lessons demanded by our past; and can we find a new, open approach to this destructive devastation, for the sake of all our futures?

About Critical Muslim: A quarterly publication of ideas and issues showcasing groundbreaking thinking on Islam and what it means to be a Muslim in a rapidly changing, interconnected world. Each edition centers on a discrete theme, and contributions include reportage, academic analysis, cultural commentary, photography, poetry, and book reviews.