Mehdi Hasan

Political director of The Huffington Post UK

As a supporter of secularism, I am willing to accept same-sex weddings in a state-sanctioned register office, on grounds of equity. As a believer in Islam, however, I insist that no mosque be forced to hold one against its wishes.

Sara Khan

Director of Inspire, a human rights organisation which works to address the inequalities facing British Muslim women

We don't ask whether Cameron, Hazell, Hall or Savile, were motivated by white culture or their religion yet every newspaper I've read or news item I've watched, has consistently referred to the Oxford groomers' culture and religion.

Ajmal Masroor

Broadcaster, Imam and relationship counsellor

I believe that British Muslim community in general and Pakistani community elders, leaders, Imams and ordinary members in particular must take an uncompromising stance in condemning such people. It is time we all made a pledge to stand together to rid our society of sexual exploitation of all kinds.

Benedict Rogers

East Asia Team Leader at Christian Solidarity Worldwide, Deputy Chair of the Conservative Party Human Rights Commission

Intelligent people can be staggeringly unintelligent at times. In recent weeks, two respectable international organisations working in the fields of...

Shohana Khan

London-based freelance writer

Don't agree with the title? Well you are not alone, as neither do I. But student equality rights group, Student Rights, believes segregation of men and women is a cause for deep concern in University events. But not in toilets, or in society. In particular in Muslim university events.

Endeavour Press

London-based digital publisher

Last time we had a global depression the American President Franklin D. Roosevelt tried to buck people up by announcing: "We have nothing to fear but fear itself". The trouble is that fear itself can be very frightening.

Gabriel Byng

Historian, writer and director of ChurchGuides.co.uk

Churches are not only of interest to worshippers, just as Titian is not only of interest to lovers of Greek mythology. They are the physical expression, in stone and mortar, of Britain's communal past, built not only by the wealthy but also by ordinary local people.

Ian Linden

Senior Advisor at the Tony Blair Faith Foundation

There is a growing amount known about the role of religion in the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Africa. Or, at least, this has been a privileged area in the thin research available on religion and health. But the framing, in the mass media and contemporary debates, of religious interventions in prevention and stigma has meant that very little of it has trickled out of specialist publications.

Andrew Copson

Chief Executive of the British Humanist Association

The Church of England tried to put a brave face on it but the Anglican church attendance figures for 2011 published this week pose a serious challenge for any church defending its position as the national, established, top religious organisation.

Preetam Kaushik

Freelance journalist

Oh how I wish I were a woman to benefit from your words of wisdom in Lean In. But I am man enough to let you know that I am on your side, not because I sense victory but because the issue that you have raised is close to my heart.

His Holiness Karmapa Thaye Dorje

His Holiness the 17th Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje is the spiritual head of the Karma Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism

The so-called war of words involving North Korea, South Korea and the United States, raises an important question for our time: how do we define violence? Many people have pointed to the threat of violent conflict, but I believe that it has already taken place. In Buddhism, violence is thought of not just as physical action, but in terms of our thoughts and words as well.

Jon Ashworth

Labour MP for Leicester South and an Opposition Whip

One of the most exciting things about representing Leicester is being part of city of so many faiths. We have our splendid churches, our mosques, hindu temples, synagogues, a Jain temple and of course our Gurdwaras. I'm proud that we are city that celebrates every major religious festival.

Ana Tzarev

International artist based in both Monaco and Thailand

Meaning can be lost between tongues and translations, but art is understood instantly. The eyes, the mind, and the heart are fluent in its extraordinary language.

Jonathan Romain

Rabbi and writer

Until now, Chinese Jews caught in a discrepancy between identity and status, have undergone individual conversion procedures, but as more and more such Jews emerge, it begs the question of whether world Jewry needs to reassess their situation and give them blanket recognition.

Azeem Ibrahim

Executive Chairman, The Scotland Institute

Radicalisation of Muslim youth can no longer be seen as an isolated UK problem when it is funded by wealthy Wahhabis who are continuously supporting groups to further their ideology. It is clear that Wahhabism isn't Islam - it is a cult movement which uses Islamic terminology and has hijacked the religion using Saudi petro-dollars.

Stephen Evans

Campaigns Manager, National Secular Society

Minority faith groups are now starting to see the appeal. We've recently seen a flurry of new free schools with a Sikh ethos being proposed. This is unfortunate, because in many ways, Sikhs have been the most successful at fully integrating themselves into British society. The fear is that with a proliferation of single faith schools, this could now be put at risk.