Culture: It’s A Declining Currency in East and West
ABU MOHAMMED: ‘Salvador Dali. Who’s he?’ You would have thought a basic knowledge of 20th century art was required of college grads.
Packed Malls and Road Rage: Hajj Break in Kingdom
ABU MOHAMMED: Many of us on the Hajj break are slaves to our cars, busy transporting our loved ones from beach to mall to play center
A Yemeni Adventure: Wet Aden Heat, Smell of the Sea
ABU MOHAMMED: I went with a friend on a quixotic search for money owed. It proved to be a more adventurous trip than I had anticipated
Better Than The West: An Immigrant’s View of Saudi Arabia
ABU MOHAMMED: Sometimes life in the Kingdom can be more than a little testing but it has unqualified advantages.
Outdated: Rote Learning Is Wrecking GCC Childrens’ Future
ABU MOHAMMED: It’s an open secret that the education of the majority of nationals in GCC countries is a disaster. What’s to be done about the situation/
Academic Pacing: It Simply Doesn’t Work in the Middle East
ABU MOHAMMED: It’s a system of teaching that creates more problems than it solves. It’s time to call time on ‘academic pacing’.
The Good, Bad and Interesting of Life in Jeddah
ABU MOHAMMED: Life’s more expensive than the capital, Riyadh, but Jeddah provdes a haven of outdoor art and it’s close to the sacred sites.
‘Time’s Wing’ed Chariot’: Moves Slowly in Jeddah
ABU MOHAMMED: Resign yourself to time spent doing nothing apart from sweating gently in uncomfortable seats as you follow the visa process
Opportunity U.S.A: Has ‘The Melting Pot’ Boiled Dry?
ABU MOHAMMED: It’s supposed to be society where everyone can ‘pull themselves up by their bootstraps’. Not now, according to research
‘Critical Thinking’: The Missing Link in Saudi Education
ABU MOHAMMED: As one who has been closely involved in Saudi education for some time I’ve observed, at first hand, a recurring major flaw
Definitions: What Exactly Is Islam and What Is It Not?
ABU MOHAMMED: There is a great deal of misunderstanding concerning the nature and practice of Islam. Here are some key points.
‘Erasing Idolatry’ or ‘Making Way for Five Star Hotels’?
ABU MOHAMMED: The destruction of several historic buildings in and around Mecca is being justified in religious terms. But what will replace them?
My First Hajj: It’s ‘Your Whole Life In Microcosm’
ABU MOHAMMED: There will always be some little detail from your first Hajj that will stay with you as the years roll by.
Arabs Have Potential to be ‘Best or Worst’ Muslims
ABU MOHAMMED: For me the opportunity to be close to the ‘Kaba’ is a huge privilege, for many of my Saudi acquaintances it’s taken for granted.
Race in Arab World: Is There a ‘$1 Million Advantage?’
ABU MOHAMMED: Skin colour, according to Jesse Jackson, conferred a significant financial benefit. Is the same true in the Arab World?
“Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor…’ Or Perhaps Not.
ABU MOHAMMED: Witnessing the plight of a once popular actress reminded me of my own time spent on the streets. The American promise doesn’t always deliver.
Islam and America: There’s Always Been A Problem
ABU MOHAMMED: If you look back over the last thirty years or so you’ll see that Islam has always been a problem for Americans.
Challenge of the Faithful: Sacrifice and Fortitude
ABU MOHAMMED: The fear of losing everyday comforts induces fear and leads to hypocrisy among those who claim to live a good, faithful life
The Post-Assange Era Looks Bleak for Media Freedom
ABU MOHAMMED: It’s clear that a lesson is being taught to Julian Assange and anyone else who believes in true freedom of the media
‘A White Wife and A White Life’: The Goal of the Colonised?
‘In recognizing the humanity of our fellow beings, we pay ourselves the highest tribute.’ Thurgood Marshall A recent article on the Al Jazeera News website by Sudha G. Tilak titled Whitening Cream: Fair deal for India’s Women? —took me back to the days growing up black in the US; years before the hay days of […]
