Badshahi masjid: B & W Perspective

While visiting unmedia, I saw a link on deconstructing Daniel Pipes’ latest peace writings. This particular rambling was on identifying oneself as a moderate Muslim. From unmedia, I got to Zack’s detailed criticism of Pipes, and I don’t want to reinvent the wheel. Zack in-turn lead me to a beliefnet quiz on what type of Muslim I am. Good fun. I came in as a “spiritual seeker,” but I found so many of the questions hard to answer because they pre-supposed a particular understanding of Islam, which is not mine. I’m still working on that Shi’ism post.

Introduces panelists: moderator: Jocelyne Cesari – Harvard – works with EC on Islam, religions, race and rights Charles Dunbar – prof. of int’l relations at simmons college – former ambassador to yemen and qatar – writing book on whether western sahara would be independent or part of morocco while working for UN – charge d’affaires in afghanistan Muqtedar Khan – Brookings Institute Fellow – US Foreign Policy towards Muslim World – VP of Assoc. of Muslim Social Scientists Amaney Jamal – Asst. Prof. at Princeton – Arab-American community in Detroit – dissertation on Palestinian Americans [didn’t get all the details]

Key selection from the linked article reads: Bananas on pizza? Well, in the Islamic tradition the fallen Adam and Eve covered themselves with banana leaves rather than those of figs. Plus, bananas have a certain shape to them. Who knew?