Blogger: Point of no return
Article: What caused the Jews to leave Iraq?
Originaly Posted On: 2007-03-21 08:36:50

Blogger: Chaldean Thoughts
Article: Taxing The Iraqi Christians
Originaly Posted On: 2007-03-20 05:55:00

I have heard from different media sources that some Iraqi Christians have started paying protection tax (jizya) to Muslim groups in Iraq. Australian CathNews reports:

As the number of Christians in Iraq continues to dwindle, reports are emerging that those who remain are being forced to pay Ottoman Empire-style poll taxes in order to be guaranteed protection and religious freedom.

AsiaNews

Blogger: View from Iran
Article: Norooz for sale
Originaly Posted On: 2007-03-19 21:54:00

Goldfish have been on sale for awhile, but a couple of days ago the stores started really pushing their Norooz wares. On Norooz, families place displays in their homes that include 7 items starting with the Persian “S” along with items that represent spring and rebirth (eggs, for instance).

 

Oh how the mighty Persians have fallen! From empire to chia pet!

 

Fish, candles, eggs, sprouts, and candles all for sale at the fruit market.

 

Boys eagerly eyeing the fish.

Blogger: Mideast Youth - Thinking Ahead
Article: Interfaith zikr
Originaly Posted On: 2007-03-19 19:32:33

Over at Eliyahu’s again in Jerusalem. This time I couldn’t make it because my boss had gotten us tickets to a benefit concert of Idan Reichel. We went backstage for photos and fake champagne and chocolate (real chocolate). But meanwhile, this was happening .

Blog, General, Good news, Interviews, Israel

Blogger: Baha’i Faith in Egypt
Article: BBC World Service on the Baha’is of Egypt
Originaly Posted On: 2007-03-19 18:04:00

On Sunday, 18 March, BBC World Service aired its broadcast regarding the Baha’is of Egypt in its half hour program named Heart & Soul. One can listen to the program using Real Player at this link.

The following is an introduction to the program, published on the BBC website:

“There are about seven million Bahais living in more than two hundred countries around the world. The faith first arrived in Egypt in the 1860s, and was recognised as a religion. But now the Bahais are struggling to assert their rights as Egyptian citizens. As the small community of Bahais prepare to celebrate their New Year this week, Eva Dadrian finds out about their religion, and why they are facing daily discrimination.

When the Egyptian government introduced new computerised Identity Cards, it forced its citizens to choose from only 3 religions - Judaism, Christianity and Islam. To get ID cards, followers of Bahai are now having to lie about their religion. Heart and Soul finds out how they are trying to fight to gain recognition for their Bahai faith.”

Comment: it is important to stress that the statements made by those individuals opposing the Baha’is later in the program, reflect expressions that were simply their own personal opinions and interpretations. They had no theological foundation or supporting scholarly proofs to their claims–they were only personal judgments. For example, when they stated that the “Baha’i Faith is not a religion,” one must realize that it is not up to these individuals to make that dogmatic determination or judgment, and wrap it to the audience in the guise of a known–taken for granted–fact.

Near the end of the program and voiced from the courtroom, an argument was made by an Islamist fundamentalist who attempted to make a case that, since the Supreme Court had ruled against the Baha’is then it was fait accompli, and he implied it as a final judgment on the Baha’i case. Again, the facts before us demonstrate that the court had not addressed the case before it, i.e. the civil right of the Egyptian Baha’is to be issued ID cards, but rather attempted to rule on the legitimacy and the divine origin of the Baha’i Faith. This was neither under its jurisdiction nor what the court was asked to decide on in the appeal before it. Instead of hearing the merits of the current case, the court had simply repeated–verbatim and without even minor editing–previous statements made, decades earlier in older court rulings, on unrelated cases brought before the Egyptian courts regarding the struggle of the Egyptian Baha’i community in its quest for equal treatment and justice.

Blogger: Baha’i Faith in Egypt
Article: Egypt: Freedom of Expression & Freedom of Religious Beliefs
Originaly Posted On: 2007-03-15 05:34:00

The US Representative from Arizona, Congressman Trent Franks wrote a letter to the Washington Post regarding the issue of freedom of expression and religious freedom in Egypt, citing the case of imprisoned Egyptian blogger Abdelkareem Nabil Soliman as well as the Supreme Administrative Court Case regarding the Baha’is of Egypt.

He argues that although Egypt states: speech defaming religion can be limited for “not just Islam but all religions.” Yet Egyptian law protects only the three “heavenly religions,” and Egypt’s Supreme Administrative Court has refused to recognize the Bahais, who were declared incompatible with Egypt’s nature as an Islamic state. No action has been taken to protect faiths other than Islam, including the Christian Copt minority, a move Mr. Soliman called for.

The entire letter is posted below as well as in the copy of the Washington Post article linked in this post.

Free This Egyptian Blogger

Saturday, March 10, 2007; Page A18

The sentencing of Egyptian blogger Abdelkareem Nabil Soliman [editorial, Feb. 28] seriously threatens freedom of expression and religion throughout Egypt.

While Mr. Soliman was critical of extremism within Islam, the ability to discuss one’s religious beliefs is an important aspect of freedom of religion and expression, both of which are essential in democratic societies and should not be prohibited in legislation. The U.N. Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief has stated that “defamation of religions may offend people and hurt their religious feelings, but it does not necessarily or at least directly result in a violation of their rights, including their right to freedom of religion.”

In a March 5 letter, the Egyptian Embassy stated that speech defaming religion can be limited for “not just Islam but all religions.”

Yet Egyptian law protects only the three “heavenly religions,” and Egypt’s Supreme Administrative Court has refused to recognize the Bahais, who were declared incompatible with Egypt’s nature as an Islamic state. No action has been taken to protect faiths other than Islam, including the Christian Copt minority, a move Mr. Soliman called for.

Egypt is an ally of the United States in the struggle for freedom, receiving nearly $2 billion in foreign aid annually. However, Congress is concerned with Egypt’s stifling of basic human rights. I call on Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to immediately pardon Mr. Soliman.

TRENT FRANKS

U.S. Representative (R-Ariz.)

Washington

Blogger: Hakim Abdullah
Article: Islamic Art and Architecture
Originaly Posted On: 2007-03-14 20:40:47

Blogger: Point of no return
Article: Iranian Jew triumphs in Beverly Hills
Originaly Posted On: 2007-03-13 09:01:38

Blogger: islamicate
Article: SXSW 2007 - Blogging Where Speech Isn’t Free
Originaly Posted On: 2007-03-12 14:33:42

Really good panel with: Jon Lebkowsky Partner, Polycot Consulting LLC Shahed Amanullah Founder, Halalfire Media LLC Robert Faris Harvard Law School - Berkman Center Shava Nerad Exec Dir, The Tor Project Ethan Zuckerman Co-Founder, Global Voices Jasmina Tesanovic Blog B92 Good links snagged from panel: Sept. 11 info. (supplied by…

Blogger: Cherguis’ whispers
Article: Rose Festival in Kelaa M’Gouna
Originaly Posted On: 2007-03-11 03:55:00

We finally officially know will the Rose Festival (or moussem) take place, in the first week-end of may, from Friday the 4th to Sunday the 6th. At least this is what Tourism Office told us, and I hope this information will be more accurate than the one about Erfoud last summer !

Practically, that means one more “institutionnalized” moussem (or festival). At the beginning, Roses Festival was linked to the harvest, and took place when the latest roses where cut. People could relax and celebrate.
To fix the date so long time in advance means the moussem will happen whatever the state of the harvest.. (Do you know farmers able to tell you three months in advance the exact day they will finish the harvest ?)

On one hand, it is quite logical, for such a touristic event, attracting so many people, it is quite hard to leave tourists and travel agency in the unknown: “you can come for a week and book your plane, but we can’t promise you you’ll see what you want, and come for.”

This moussem was quite officialized already, with sponsors like Maroc Telecom, covering with advertisment boards the walls around the stage where the traditionnal dancing and singing takes place. And officials, all decorated and aligned, in the main stand. A Gouvernor has an agenda as hard to manage as a tourist booking, that cannot bear roses fantasies…

But, after Erfoud, after Imilchil, it is once again a piece of real tradition which fades away, pushed by the demands of tourist development…

Whatever, it is a beautiful time. The key point is undoubtedly on Saturday, with gnawa, ahwach, music,sabre dancing…

Kelaa’s streets are covered with people, children are ckimbing on the lamp-posts, and people come from everywhere around to take part and sell something. The moussem is at the same time a huge souq, many people offer a few trinkets on a blanket on the ground. I often found there beautiful berber jewels… and many fake ones.

My advice would be to plan large around. The visit of the roses gardens is better made in the week, before every one is busy with the moussem. One has to loose himself in the small labyrinths, enter the gardens and take time to discuss with the people, that’s the best way to enjoy Morocan hospitality.