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
CNN Middle East: Traditional lanterns light up the holy month of Ramadan
(CNN) — Countless streets across the Islamic world are currently alight with ornate festive lanterns. Part of a tradition dating back over 800 years, the Ramadan lanterns, or “fanoos,” have become one of the most popular and enduring symbols of the month-long festival. Believed to have originated in Egypt — where the lanterns are most prevalent — it is almost impossible to know how the tradition began. Legends are numerous and varied, but one of the most popular features Egyptian Al Hakim Bi-Amr Illah who ruled over the North African Shiite Moslem Fatimid dynasty in the 10th century. He was…
A Conversation in a Mosque
A friend recently went to Turkey and the tour guide started explaining Islam. It’s actually pretty good, and the guide is funny. Of course, I have objections to both a five pillar definition of Islam and linking of religious acts as dependent on science, but overall it is fun. It’s also nice to have a Muslim, from a Muslim-majority country, explain Islam in a way that resonates with the way many of us understand our own faith. Turkey
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.…