Ziauddin Sardar and Merryl Wyn Davies attempt to locate the sources of power. Barnaby Rogerson deconstructs the dreams of Caliphate. Malise Ruthven highlights Islam's problems with the nation state. Kecia Ali revisits Prophet Muhammad's marriage to Khadija, Jeremy Henzell-Thomas explores the power of education, Rahel Fischbach and Rachel Friedman have an enlightening engagement in Rabat, Mohamed Bakari struggles with power struggles in Turkey, Nazry Bahrawi is concerned with the emergence of racialism in Malaysia and Indonesia, Sejad Mekic unties the complex governing structures in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Hussain Ahmed comes face-to-face with military power in Pakistan, Najah Kadhim is exasperated with the Salafi puritans, Hassan Mahamdallie is unimpressed by tribal power, Abdelwahab El-Affendi suggests that Islamists live in a time warp, and Boyd Tonkin traces the history of the power of the Word.

Also in this issue: a powerful story by Laksmi Pamuntjak, five notes on rootlessness by Andre Naffis-Sahely, Salim Nafar 'celebrates' Eid in Gaza under Israeli bombardment, Avaes Mohammad remembers Bhopal, Nader Hashemi praises Khaled Abou El Fadl, Aamer Hussein wrestles with the complex personality of the Turkish Sufi Samiha Ayverdi, and our power list that is not a list.