by Editor (Editor's Desk, Crescent International Vol. 46, No. 1, Jumada' al-Akhirah, 1438)
With its new outlook more in keeping with contemporary times, the Crescent International has taken another step on its long and often difficult journey. But there will be no compromise in its bold and cutting edge analysis.
With this issue of Crescent International, we enter the 46th year of publication. This is a remarkable achievement in a long struggle waged over many years. We have not only existed in very hostile circumstances, but also weathered sabotage from within. Perhaps, that story must wait for another day.
For now, we want to explain the changes we have made to the magazine from its humble beginnings as a tabloid serving the local Pakistani community in Canada. In the beginning, it did not even serve the Muslim community.
We decided to refashion the layout so as to reflect the enduring quality of Crescent, in publication now for nearly half a century. The previous format, serving its purpose for 14 years, has been styled now for a more institutional look and feel. Still, our readers would notice that we have not gone for gloss; we prefer to remain simple but effective.
We specialize in content, not fluff; and on cutting-edge analysis rather than riding on the wave of popular fads. We are not afraid to take a stand for truth where others would demur even if it makes us unpopular with some people. We are not in the business of winning popularity contests: sticking to principle while risking losses is part of the job.
This is what distinguishes Crescent from other magazines. This also explains why we have survived all these years on a shoestring budget when others have gone belly up. And for this, we are thankful to Allah (swt).