Islam and Hip-Hop

CNN is reporting that there have been several people detained for the Spain bombings, and it appears more likely now that they are killing in the name of Islam. Since they have chosen to use a thin veneer of religion to justify their blind, ignorant hate, allow me to respond to them with religious language. Damn them! May God take the people responsible for these attacks and burn them in the hottest hell-fires. May they feel the fear, pain and anguish they have inflicted upon others a thousandfold. Damn them! If they want to use religious language, let them. True…

Islamoyankee gave me the opening by speaking of urbanism, so I am going to commence by walking through the door of architecture. It is probably apparent to those who have read my previous postings that I am not a scholar of Islam. I am infact an architect by training and an project administrator by profession. It is through my affiliation with architecture that my understanding of the problems that afflict and affect the Muslim world are framed. I would like to share with you some readings on architecture that may also help the reader understand the current crisis in the…

1. God creates and sustains all of creation at all times 2. Intellect makes Man unique and exhalted from amongst creation (2:30-34) 3. With the great power of this intellect, comes great responsibility (spider man fans should recognize this mantra) 4. This responsibility is a sacred moral trust (amaana) 5. To the extent we have any power over any other person, or any part of creation, it is within the confines of this amaana. 6. Therefore, by not seizing on every opportunity to do good, you are abusing God. (I borrowed this line from someone else, but I like it…