Planet.Syriamirror.net - In the Axis

Layers of Belief

Fri, 14 Apr 2006 16:36:41 +0300

Dome over the shrine of Habil, the Biblical Abel, forty-five minutes west of Damascus in Zabadani. This Old Testament son of Adam is considered a prophet in orthodox Islam, the first wasiyy or Successor amongst the Shiites, and the very manifestation of the light divine according to the Druze sect who administer this holy site.

Hitler, Hitler Everywhere

Fri, 14 Apr 2006 10:48:39 +0300

Nazism has become the most convenient and abused metaphor applied to the baddies we don't like. Remember Rush Limbaugh's term 'feminazi' which he popularized in the 90s? As if university feminists were clandestinely stacking gassed bodies of males, heterosexuals, and Christians in the basements of America's colleges.

All Dressed Up

Thu, 13 Apr 2006 00:36:37 +0300

Hamidiyyeh Souk, the famous traditional market in Old Damascus, is all dressed up for the Mawlid al-Nabawi, the Birthday of the Prophet Muhammed. For the next couple months, mosques and private residents will be sponsoring commemorations of the Prophet's birth in which they recite the Qur'an, devotional poems and other religious works.

The Judas of Islam

Mon, 10 Apr 2006 14:14:35 +0300

In religion news, the Gospel of Judas has appeared on the scene, one of the many original Gnostic gospels that didn't make the cut for the actual Bible. For centuries, Judas has played the role of the reviled betrayer whose evil deeds led to the death of Jesus. A similar role is played in Shiite Islam by Muwawiyah ibn Abi Sufyan, who fought against Imam Ali and created the first irreparable rift in Islam. This is the resting place of Muwawiyah in Bab al-Saghir Cemetary in Damascus. Locals try to keep the location secret for fear that Shiites will vandalize his grave. You can't see it in this picture, but the word 'Lanat', or damnation, is spray-painted in large letters to the left of the door.

Dr. Sultan's Fifteen Minutes

Mon, 10 Apr 2006 11:51:33 +0300

A number of American news outlets have been cheering Dr. Wafa Sultan's feisty appearance on Al-Jazeera a couple weeks back. The show featured Sultan opposite one Ibrahim Khouly, lecturer at the famous Egyptian Islamic university, Al-Azhar. Sultan characterized Islam as a medieval ideology pretending to compete with modern civilization. In America's imaginary Middle East, Sultan's performance caused a major disturbance in the Islamosphere. In the actual Middle East, it was barely noticed.

All the Ancient World in One Convenient Location

Wed, 5 Apr 2006 10:52:32 +0300

True to its reputation, Dubai is showcasing another of its over-the-top projects, the Ibn Battuta Mall, 'The World Under One Roof'. The mall includes six sections based on various destinations in the 14th century Ibn Battuta's travels: China, India, Persia, Egypt, Tunisia, and Andalusia. Maybe we should have a Marco Polo Mall or a Daniel Boone Mall?

Top Tens II

Sun, 2 Apr 2006 00:15:31 +0300

Uncool things in the Middle East, as promised:

1) Conspiracy Theories: Arabs have conspiracy theories for everything. There must be some scientific psychological way to explain this kind of mass neurosis. Princess Diana was killed because the Queen refused to risk having Muslim grandchildren, for instance.

In the Crac

Fri, 31 Mar 2006 23:18:30 +0200

Apparently, the locals used to live in huts between the walls of the Crac des Chavalliers during the times when it wasn't occupied. I visited the castle on Syrian Mother's Day while I was staying in Homs, just a short hour or so microbus ride away.

On High

Fri, 31 Mar 2006 23:14:29 +0200

A view from the world-famous Crac des Chevalliers an hour west of Homs, Syria. Originally built by the Kurds, the castle was occupied, built up, renovated, and used by various armies, from the Crusaders to Saladin to the Turks to the French.

Top Tens

Fri, 31 Mar 2006 23:11:28 +0200

In an idle moment, I was thinking: what would be my Top Ten list for the coolest things, and the uncoolest things, I've seen in the Middle East.

Particularly Cool Things, in no particular order:

Holy Relic

Fri, 24 Mar 2006 14:04:27 +0200

A relic at the Church of Umzinar in Homs. Within the golden vessel you can make out what is said to be a girdle worn by the Blessed Virgin. Though the church was under heavy renovations, a steady flow of foot traffic came through while we were visiting, believers lighting votive candles and pleading intercessions on the way home from work or school.

Gone But Not Forgotten

Fri, 24 Mar 2006 13:58:26 +0200

A statue of the late Syrian president Hafez al-Assad in academic mode, from the campus of Baath University in Homs. At one time ubiquitous, statues and pictures of the former president and his deceased son Basel are still quite common. Though images of Bashar al-Assad are seen in public, the government has largely abandoned the cult of personality approach and plays up more patriotic themes.

Love of Country

Thu, 16 Mar 2006 23:31:25 +0200

I love my country dearly. But, after years in the Middle East, after watching and listening to the devolution of post-9/11 American politics from afar, seeing the real-life affects of American foreign policy on the region day to day, it is rather like the love one would feel for a sibling with Tourette's Syndrome. America just keeps on farting and bellowing at the picnic table of the world community, and for all my love, my stomach turns and I wince.

Have White Board Marker, Will Travel

Thu, 16 Mar 2006 20:04:24 +0200

Just spent one out of two scheduled weeks in Homs teaching at Baath University for the British Council. I am teaching IELTS test preparation, an international exam for people who want to study in or emigrate to English speaking countries like the UK, Canada, and Australia.

Famous Resident

Wed, 15 Mar 2006 19:51:23 +0200

The Mosque of Khalid ibn al-Walid, revered by Sunni Muslims as a great warrior of early Islam who is said to have never lost a battle. He expired in his bed in Homs and was buried here. This is a great example of Turkish mosque-building, with the trademark domes. I have asked several people what there is to do in Homs. The response I usually get is, "Well, there's lots to do in Homs. You can visit the Khalid ibn al-Walid Mosque, and then you can visit Hama," a more tourist friendly city a half hour to the north.