Related Posts

Iraq and the return of the Hidden Imam

The Revealer has been doing a section on religion in Iraq. It’s a necessary thing because I think many of the mistakes we are making there relate to the fact that we don’t understand the religious issues at play. Even better news is that I think they are doing a great job, particular on the Muqtada as-Sadr mayhem as witnessed by this recent post.

Eating Your Own

In the last month three articles have come out regarding the Muslim attack on Islamist ideologues. Chris Dickey came out in Newsweek with a few good examples in the Muslim majority world. My two (minor) gripes are that he didn’t mention the stuff happening here in the US, for example, that’s been going on much longer, and the gates of ijtihad never closed for the Shi’ah, so the debate is very different. Lawrence Wright has a wonderful piece in The New Yorker that highlights the nuances involved in the ideological dispute happening in AQ now. Most importantly what emerges is…

What is an appropriate response?

Over 120 dead today. Pray for the victims and their families. I hope this doesn’t turn the insurgency into a Sunni-Shi’ah civil war. The country is in bad enough condition as it is. Hopefully Sistani will issue a call for peace, and will be allowed and encouraged to do so. Hopefully Sadr won’t get any ideas in his head to launch the end of the world. Pray for peace.