The intellectual hermit crab
When the 9th century scholar Imam Maalik stopped his magnum opus, al-Muwattaa, from leaving Medina’s borders, he probably understood the danger of exposing ordinary people to what seemed like conflicting information.
"People [in various parts of the Muslim lands] already possess a body of knowledge based on reports they have received and sayings of the [...]
Al Qaeda & What It Means to be Modern (John Gray)
The title caught me off-guard. I thought it was a Dummy’s Guide to Jihad kind of deal, written by none other than ’shaykh’ Usama bin Laden himself. But cursory leafing soon banished that fancy. Little did I expect that with it would go all my pompous impressions on al-Qaeda. The book is roughly divided into two [...]
Orwellian drama in Saudi society
On the one hand, Saudi Arabia’s religious authorities condemn Christians as cross-worshippers, on the other hand, the House of Saud is intimately intertwined with one of the most fundamentalist Christian nations in the world; America. George Bush, who swears off alcohol, condemns the teaching of evolution in state schools and believes God plays an active [...]
Shape up or ship out!
Yesterday afternoon, Home Secretary Charles Clarke issued a much-anticipated list of “unacceptable behaviour”, legally empowering the UK government to kick out those accused of:
• Fomenting, justifying or glorifying terrorist violence • Seeking to provoke terrorist acts • Fomenting other serious criminal activity • Fostering hatred that might lead to inter-community violence
Oddly enough, The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) [...]
Was the Pope ever in Mecca?
During his lifetime, the late Pope John Paul II made more than a hundred pastoral visits overseas. Amongst the controvosial ones included Cuba and the Occupied Territories in Palestine. He was also known for his efforts at inter-faith relations, sealing strong bonds with both Judaism and Islam.
But here’s something odd. While Pope John Paul [...]
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