From the Front: An Encounter with Libyan Rebels
EILEEN BYRNE, TMND: Now that Qaddafi’s regime has been unseated thoughts of the men who did the fighting are turning to the nation’s immediate priorities.
The End of Eid, The Start of the Beginning
DAVID WESTLEY: This year, the return to ‘normality’ will be significantly harder to achieve for those countries that have gone through their Arab spring; the pathway to success is still far from clear.
Some of the ‘Less Boring’ Saudi Wikileaks Cables
SAUDI JEANS: A weekend spent in the company of Hurricane Irene allowed me plenty of time to sift through the latest release of Wikileaks cables on Saudi Arabia.
The Call to Prayer – An Unholy Row Amplified
THE VIEW FROM FEZ: Each year the Moroccan Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs receives hundreds of complaints about the noise level…
Flash Mobs: The Changing Tactics of Syria’s Protesters
THE AJNABI: With the sustained and brutal crackdown on opposition protests continuing, Syrian activists have had to adopt new tactics.
The Return to the ‘Normal’ Life, and The First, Joyful Cappuccino of Eid
SHELINA ZAHRA JANMOHAMED: Eid marks a transition from spirituality to every day life. One Eid tradition, though, holds a special place in my heart.
Libya: The Battle for Credibility Has Just Begun
LUCY EMMERSON: The Libya that emerges from this conflict will be in dire need of rebuilding and there are those who doubt the NTC is up to the job…
Saudi: Scramble to Meet New Labor Deadlines
ROB L. WAGNER: “We find ourselves sometimes forced to hire Saudis who aren’t qualified,” Jaad says, noting that some Saudis simply walk off the job without finishing their contract…
‘Roll Up for Assad’s Magical Mystery Buses’
CUPOFCARDAMOM: Buses are a common, unremarkable sight in virtually every city in the world but in Damascus recently they’ve become a signal of fear and impending violence.
Kick It: Women’s Football On the Rise in Kingdom
ROB L. WAGNER: ‘Unseemly’, ‘undignified’ and ‘a threat to players’ virginity’ in the eyes of religious conservatives but women’s football is making major strides in Saudi Arabia.
Ramadan Slackers – KSA Workers Fail to Show Up
CROSSROADS ARABIA: Over 6 percent of the Kingdom’s public servants, including heads of departments, were absent from work during the first 10 days of Ramadan…
Tariq Jahan: Dignity & Respect Teaching Us All A Lesson
SHELINA ZAHRA JANMOHAMED: These events must make us think differently about our approach to Muslims. They are not demons of our society.
Dubai Gets its Blue Mosque
I heard ‘Uthman bin ‘Affan saying, when people argued too much about his intention to reconstruct the mosque of Allah’s Apostle, “You have talked too much. I heard the Prophet saying, ‘Whoever built a mosque, Allah would build for him a similar place in Paradise’.”
MICH CAFE: The closer you get, the more splendid the mosque looks. The size is breathtaking and I had difficulty getting the four 60-meter-high minarets in one frame.
Should There Be A ‘Standard Ramadan Time’?
IBN WARRAQ, THE VIEW FROM FEZ: With Ramadan times varying hugely around the world is it time, for the sake of individuals’ health, to adopt a standard time?
A Green Ramadan: Five Ways to Achieve It
MUAZ NASIR, SUHAIBWEBB: Ramadan provides an opportunity to adopt green practices serving individuals and their community throughout the rest of the year.
Gazans Respond Generously to Somali Disaster
RAMZY BAROUD: There has been much criticism of the paltry response by the Muslim world to the famine in Somalia. Gazans show the way forward.
Vimto – The Drink of Choice for Ramadan
MICH CAFE: No-one seems to know how it has happened but a modest, cordial drink from a small village in England is a firm Ramadan favourite.
Ramadan Reading: As Recommended by Mahfouz
M. LYNX-QUALEY: So what was on the Ramadan reading list of the great Naguib Mahfouz? A little of what you would expect and a few surprises.
Egypt’s Youth: Losing Touch With the People
JACO STOOP: Demonstrators need to develop a new strategy to achieve their goals. Without grassroots support, demonstrations will not be tolerated
The Shame and Pain of this Sorrowful Ramadan
MAI ABDUL RAHMAN: Whenever I finish my fast I cannot help thinking of the plight of Somali mothers, fellow Muslims, who have no food for their children.
