This is a decent article in the NYT about Arabs, specifically Muslims, and modernity. I’m saddened that they only focused on males, because there is another half of the population. Also, it seems like the issues they are investigating would benefit with a comparison as to what is happening in the US and how we are negotiating the same issues.
Related Posts
On Sufis
Here’s a wonderful piece on looking for Sufis in Central Asia. Go find some grapes. However, I think it’s important to note that Sufism is not the touchy-feely part of Islam – although it is often used to create a Good Muslim/Bad Muslim dichotomy – it is much more. Read about the politicization of a Sufi group in Iraq here. Technorati Tags: Iraq, Sufism
Milad un-Nabi 1432/2010
This week was the Prophet Muhammad’s (ﷺ) birthday. The celebration was formalized under the Fatimids. You can see some of my earlier posts on the Milad here 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Items 3 and 4 are devotional poems by Nasr Khusraw. This year, based on a question from a colleague, I am posting a collection of YouTube videos that are songs in praise of Muhammad. All have percussion, but no other instruments. Rather than embed them and slow down the site, I am simply giving links and a short description. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2NNPQhNVYs&feature=related – Bosnian http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_7hDq3HfNo – Turkish http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXFMvfxOmS8&feature=related – Arab?…
Savage Thoughts
Check out this post at Savage Minds. I had a similar post a while ago myself. The other thing that is not mentioned in either post is that it’s more than likely that at least one of Columbus’ navigators was an Arab Muslim, fleeing the reconquista. Technorati Tags: Andalusia, Muslims in the West