Oh boy! Was the US so confident of Allawi’s victory that they didn’t think what would happen if the Shi’i religious party won the elections? It’s not so much that they won, I think everyone but this administration saw them winning a plurality if not a majority, but it dawned on me today that they won the elections during Muharram. The first ten-days were when the Prophet’s grandson Husayn was tortured and killed. It’s one of the formative moments of Shi’ah identity and remains incredibly important for the Ithna’ashari, the type of Shi’ah in Iraq. The symbology of Imam Husayn…
The pilgrims came with honour and reverence, thanking God for His compassion and mercy, having escaped the toil and trial of the Hijaz and saved from the painful punishment of hell. They came to Mecca from ‘Arafat proclaiming “Labbayka! Here I am, at your service, O Lord!” They had performed all the rites of the pilgrimage and were now returning home, safe and healthy.
Al Gore was on fire last night. Speaking at the function arranged by MoveOn PAC, Gore blasted the Bush administration for various crimes. It was a compelling speech that showed Gore’s conviction and passion. It came four years too late for Gore, but I hope that Kerry was taking notice. Gore claimed that America had lost its moral compass, that its ideals and foundations were being systematically undermined, and that the current administration were incompetent at best and criminally negligent at worst. It was a rousing performance that will probably be re-shown on CSPAN. Ghostdog says “four stars and two…
I wish