Category Archives: Islam

Praying and Fasting in Northern Norway

These days I have met several non-Muslims who wonder how Muslims pray and fast during the holy month of Ramadan when living beyond the Arctic Circle. Two years ago, SaudiAramco World had published an article about the pretty large Muslim … Continue reading

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By Compass and Straightedge

Update below. Readers may have noticed that I have attributed considerable recreational time on this blog to conceive and convey quasi-periodic patterns on ancient Islamic buildings. Following a first visit of Esfahan’s Darb-i Imam shrine in the old city in … Continue reading

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Strong Beliefs

When recently reading with growing interest Patricia Crone’s latest book about The Nativist Prophets of Early Islamic Iran – Rural Revolt and Local Zoroastrianism (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 2012) I came across a most unlikely reference, Reinhold Loeffler’s interviews of Boyer … Continue reading

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An Iranian Blend

Up to the so-called Sunni Revival long after the conquest of much of the Islamic World, and foremost Iran, by the Seljuqs in the first half of the 11th century, the religious denomination of Iranians has never been so clear. … Continue reading

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Three Thousand Years

Two years ago, I had written a brief essay on Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) mystic Night Journey to Jerusalem and then further into Heaven which is commemorated by many Muslims today, 27 Rajab, al-’Isrā’ wal-Mi‘rāj. According to the Holy Qur’an (Q17:1) … Continue reading

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