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More on Women and the Veil

This one is an interesting take on a non-Muslim woman who has to wear the veil in Saudi Arabia. I’m curious about somethings. Towards the end, she is on the sidewalk unattended by a male. Is that not a problem? She can’t be in the bank with her male escort, so she’s left unescorted outside? Also, isn’t the abaya supposed to be the thing that hides women? Are they be veiled and separated in a different room? I know all these things intellectually, but to read her story helps to highlight the contradictions. Technorati Tags: veil, Saudi Arabia, women in…

Slideshow: Ashura, the Unique Face of Shia Islam | Religion | FRONTLINE | PBS

Slideshow: Ashura, the Unique Face of Shia Islam | Religion | FRONTLINE | PBS. The holy day of Ashura marks the martyrdom of Hussain ibn Ali, the grandson of Prophet Mohammad, in a historic seventh century battle. The Battle of Karbala, as it’s known, cemented the schism between Sunni and Shia Muslims that arose from a succession dispute after the prophet’s death.  Every year around Ashura, the media is flooded with images of blood-soaked Shias self-flagellating. But Shias around the world — who make up between 10 to 13 percent of Muslims – observe the month in a myriad of ways.…

Weep not

What do you call someone who doesn’t follow the tradition of Prophet Muhammad? Who in fact does the opposite of the tradition of the Prophet? What do you call someone who relishes in the death of the Prophet’s family? Who celebrates the murder of the Prophet’s grandson by killing those who believe it to be a sorrowful event? Muslims (not most, all) would call him a murderer. To everyone else they are Muslims. We Muslims are more than a nationality, an ethnicity, a collection of people who speak the same language. We are those who have promised to submit ourselves…