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On the Caliphate

Tony had mentioned something about the Caliphate in the comments of an earlier post. And it got me thinking about the whole issue of what a call to a “Caliphate” could mean to OBL. Chapati Mystery has a really good post about the contemporary meanings of that term, and it really is a must read. My take was, and is, going to be slightly more historical. However, since they have filled in some of the contemporary background, my post will be abbreviated. [Just one criticism on the line “ some linear descendan[t] of the Fatimids found in a derelict bookstore…

In a Muslim State, Fear Sends Some Worship Underground – NYTimes.com

I remain convinced that a country that cannot embrace the diversity within Islam, cannot understand what it means to be “Islamic.” In a Muslim State, Fear Sends Some Worship Underground – NYTimes.com. While sectarian divisions are associated more with countries such as Iraq and Pakistan, Islamic experts say Malaysia is a rare example of a Muslim-majority country where the Shiite sect is banned. They say the recent raid reflects the religious authorities’ reluctance to accept diversity within Islam, and was part of the authorities’ continuing efforts to impose a rigid interpretation of the religion.

Coming Out Twice: Sexuality and Gender in Islam | @rdispatches

Coming Out Twice: Sexuality and Gender in Islam | (A)theologies | Religion Dispatches. As scholar Scott Kugle knows well, to be both Muslim and gay means the possibility of having to “come out twice”—with the likely chance of encountering either homophobia or Islamophobia (or both), depending on the context.