Blogger: jerusalem wanderings
Article: Sulha
Originaly Posted On: 2007-08-20 07:57:00

The yearly Sulha was underway last week and here are some photos from it. It’s an amazing feeling to be there. I would sit in my chair for hours telling hubby who accompanied me, that THIS is how I want to live. This is how I want to see my country. Full of people of different faiths getting along so beautifully. It was like a messianic vision. I attended one workshop when I just wasn’t taking in the atmoshere. It was the relationship between Sufis and Kabbalah, although it tended to be more on the relationship between Sufis and Rabbis through the centuries.

Simply fascinating to hear that Maimonides studied with Sufis and his son was considered a Sufi Jew. Other stories - the Chief Rabbi of Ramat Gan in Tel Aviv related that his grandfather was the chief rabbi of Libya, when Libya had Jews living there. So well-versed in the Koran was he, that he was called the Sheikh Rabbi.

Another story related was that in Chechnya, someone called Alex Fagin researched the Chabad Lubavitch Chassidim. He found the source of one of their very popular songs called the “Rebbe’s Nigun” or “Shmil’s Nugun”. Who is Shmil? Most people think of Shmil as a Russian peasant. But that isn’t so. Apparently, the Alter Rebbe, Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, the founder of Lubavitch in the late 18th century, was jailed as his Chassidic teachings were considered going against the Czar. In jail, he met up with a Sufi Sheikh who ended up being executed, while the Alter Rebbe’s life was spared. The sufi sang his melody to the Rabbi, saying his one wish was to preserve this melody. The Rebbe came out of jail and with it the melody, known to so many Lubavitch Chassidim today. I would love to have this story confirmed by another person….as I couldn’t find this when I “googled”.

Safed in Israel was once a center of both Sufism and Kabbalah.

And it just seemed that for a while, it was okay for Jews to study Islam (and vice-versa) and many rabbis living in Arab countries did study the Koran. Now there seems to be a revival where some rabbis are looking for that special spiritual relationship with their Moslem brothers - the children of Abraham….

Blogger: Baha’i Faith in Egypt
Article: Yes or NO for Religion on ID Cards: Controversy Continues in Egypt
Originaly Posted On: 2007-09-13 15:52:00

Egypt’s National Council for Human Rights (NCHR) met on the 10th of September 2007, to debate the question of religious classification in ID cards. This controversy continues as it had before when the NCHR met in its symposium of August 2006. There are those who continue to call for the elimination of religious classification, while others insist on leaving this section in identity documents. This time, the Council even proposed to remove the section on religion from the card, but to leave it in the non-visible magnetic (smart) component of the card in order to appease both sides of the argument.

Those that oppose removing religious classification claim that it is the only way to know who belongs to which religion so that laws of inheritance, marriage and divorce can be applied. They ignore the fact that religious identification can be easily accomplished through other means, such as separate documents issued by the religious authorities to their respective adherents. This option did not seem to appear in any of the debates, statements or reports emerging from these symposia. Those who support the removal of religious classification affirm that it would ensure equality in Egypt and would assist in the elimination of extremist views and divisiveness in a society so plagued with multiplicities of serious problems. They see it as one of the roads towards an improved and tolerant Egyptian society.

This workshop (symposium) was attended by several prominent figures representing all sections of society, governmental agencies and authorities that are in positions of decision-making and power. Representatives of the Egyptian Baha’i community (see link) were invited to speak at the workshop in order to express their needs and views. Additionally, Mr. Ahmed Ezzat, the independent documentary filmmaker was invited to show his film “Identity Crisis” regarding the Baha’is of Egypt.

The upshot of this development is that the NCHR is now proposing that religion should continue to be indicated on ID cards, but that all religious denominations (not only Islam, Christianity or Judaism) should be allowed to be entered in these documents, regardless of whether or not the State recognizes these religions. The council insists that this is a matter of citizenship. An individual must be entirely free to choose his or her own belief. All three major Christian Churches (Orthodox, Catholic & Engeleiah [Biblical]) in Egypt also refuse the elimination of religious classification, but stress that the matter of citizenship rights must be enforced. On the other hand, the Ministry of Interior and the Muslim Brotherhood movement oppose both the elimination of religious classification and any mention of religions other than Muslim Christian or Jewish.

News of this symposium were widely covered in prominent Egyptian media outlets, such as the attached Al-Masry Al-Youm newspaper. The ruling party’s Al-Watany Al-Youm newspaper showed a front page headline, on 11 September 2007, written by Ahmed Kamal Abul-Magd (see link) which stated “it is the right of the Baha’is to indicate their religion on ID Cards.” The independent weekly Nahdet Misr newspaper also wrote, on the 11th of September, an extensive article reporting on the symposium, and clearly expressing the views that the government cannot interfere with citizen’s freedom to choose their own religion or belief (see link). The entire coverage was extensive, objective and well balanced.

Blogger: View from Iran
Article: Liberal Islam…
Originaly Posted On: 2007-09-12 00:38:00

Last night I spoke at the Champaign Public Library where a member of the audience told me that in Champaign Shia and Sunni pray side by side. “Well that’s really American,” I replied. “We forget our pasts quickly here. We don’t hold centuries-long grudges.”

Once again, I spoke to a really attentive and curious, albeit small, group. I am amazed by the way many Americans are trying to understand Iran.

Today, I read this great article from Borzou Daragahi, An American Muslim in Cairo. The article reinforces what the anonymous man told us last night. Here’s an excerpt:

“In college we’re all one big group,” he said. “In the mosque we’re all together. Where I come from, there’s no, ‘that’s the black mosque and that’s the Pakistani mosque.’ “

Often under the tutelage of liberal-minded clerics, he was also encouraged to question the Koran and its teachings. He found himself leery of the ways of coreligionists with roots abroad, especially the older generation. Often, he said, they tried to impose their own cultural habits as religion.

“They say a tattoo is haram,” or sinful, he said. “Why? Where is that in the Koran? They say, ‘Well, the prophet never had tattoos.’ I say, ‘Oh, do you drive a car? Did the prophet drive a car? I don’t see you riding around on no camel.’ “

Btw… L’shana Tova and Successful fast to my readers who celebrate Rosh HaShana or Ramadan…

Blogger: Baha’i Faith in Egypt
Article: Youth Want Peace: the rest is up to us!
Originaly Posted On: 2007-09-11 19:41:00

Here is a wonderful example of a constructive strategy, from which the rest of the world can learn. This amazing video, emerging from the planet’s most volatile spot, produced by OneVoice movement and presented to Kings and Prime Ministers in Davos, Switzerland, clearly illustrates the yearning for peace. It describes a systematic approach to solving conflicts in a region plagued with hostilities, hatred and long history of wars. The youth took it upon themselves to initiate a transformation that might lead, at least, to a political solution of this long-lived dispute. Who else can project this dire need better than the youth who hold the key to the future?

Blogger: Point of no return
Article: About 250 Israelis travel to Iraq every year
Originaly Posted On: 2007-09-05 07:20:00

About 250 Israelis have been traveling to Iraq every year, most of them businesspeople, who include a number of defense industry representatives, Haaretz reports (with thanks: Lily).

Most of the Iraq-bound travellers fly through Amman on Royal Jordanian Airlines, according to confidential figures from the airline that TheMarker has obtained.

Some of the Israelis hold dual citizenship and enter Iraq on non-Israeli passports.

None of the travelers, though, are tourists. There are also no groups of Israelis born in Iraq returning to visit their birthplace (although some had plans for a visit - ed).

Others traveling from Israel include journalists, and employees of the UN and other international organizations.

Many Israelis fly Royal Jordanian through Amman on their way to the Far East, and now also to Europe.

Read article in full