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Interview on NPR on Riyaaz Qawwali

I was recently interviewed on NPR about Riyaaz Qawwali, a group out of Austin, TX. Hussein Rashid, a professor of religion at Hofstra University, says that many qawwaliartists working in South Asia today have limited themselves. He believes this American group is bringing the music back to its roots.  “You know, I think there’s been so much concern about what is Islam, and what isn’t, politically speaking and artistically speaking,” Rashid says, “that there’s been a push in modern qawwali to actually sanitize it and make it very sterile — and almost rule-bound — rather than ecstatic and devotional. For me, I think…

Rudy Ain’t No Saint

New Yorkers have known this for a while. Glad to see the DNC realizes other people need to realize that “9/11” Rudy was around as “’93” Rudy. New Yorkers generally dislike the man, and if he’s America’s mayor because of New York, you’d think we know best. (h/t Atrios) Election 2008, terror[ism][ists], 9/11

Q&A: Anwar Ibrahim discusses trial, Muslim issues – CNN.com

Interview is conducted by my friend Wajahat Ali from Goatmilk. Malaysia’s opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, who is on trial in Kuala Lumpur on sodomy charges for a second time, speaks to journalist Wajahat Ali about the controversy and discusses the country’s ethnic and religious conflicts as well as issues facing the Muslim world. Q&A: Anwar Ibrahim discusses trial, Muslim issues – CNN.com.