Sculpture of Muhammad in Supreme Court

See this link about Karamah, a Muslim legal firm, which has recently represented various Muslim organizations in the US about a sculpture of Muhammad in the Supreme Court.

Obama Administration Reaching out to Muslim-Americans

The New York Times published an interesting article on Monday about how the Obama Administration is reaching out to the Muslim community in the US on a variety of issues and causes (here).

Planet of the Arabs

Here is a video on yotube that has mashup clips from American cinema about Arabs/Muslims:


 

Muslim Community Center near Ground Zero

NPR recently conducted an interview about the development of a YMCA type community center for Muslims near Ground Zero, as a symbolic gesture of Muslim-American solidarity against terrorism and in support of enhancing community bonds through recreation and worship.

UK Internet Surveillance of Muslims (Part 2)

Last week the UK Guardian newspaper published an article (here) on police training internet cafe owners to conduct surveillance on Muslims who could be using the anonymity of such spaces to conduct illegal activities (i.e. terrorist plots). This comes just weeks after a report was released about police surveillance of bloggers on islam-related issues in order to classify them as pro- or anti-Islamic. It is clear that public safety and security is teh basis for such activities, but it also raises questions about the specific practices of security professionals in their attempts to identify and assess security threats. See my previous post for context and questions concerning this issue.     

Islamic Art Pieces

Muslim Matters blog has published some interesting pieces of Islamic art. It's nice to see cultural products that fall outside of discussions on Islam and politics/warfare.


Islamic Arts Feature: Pick of the Week 4/3/10: "

Welcome to the another edition of MuslimMatters.org’s regular Islamic Art feature. If you want to see your work on MM, then either email us your images to art[@]muslimmatters[.]org or submit them to our Flickr group.

Click on the images below to view the original.

The kalima (Islamic profession of faith) written on a paper fan in Chinese. The calligraphist was one of the Imams of the Great Mosque. By nabil.s

In my heart, by Fouad EA. Calligraphy Style Diwani. Translation - Your name is on my lips, your image is in my eyes, your memory is in my heart. To whom thus did I write? - Al Hallaj

Medina Masjid Nabawi, by a2portfolio

Cartoon, by Abu Ilyas

Visit the MuslimMatters Flickr group to view the other entries…

—

Note: all the images presented in our Islamic Art feature are copyrighted to the original producers. Do not reproduce them without seeking their prior consent."

Sufi women showcased in Tunisian ballet

Below is an interesting piece on an upcoming Ballet in Montreal about hitsorical Sufi Arab Muslim women.

Sufi women showcased in Tunisian ballet: "
'Ballet showcases gallery of outstanding Arab women personalities' (original title), published in Tunisia Online News

TUNISIAONLINENEWS- In order to change the image of Arab-Muslim women as passive recipients of history, Leila Aziz , a young woman from a Tunisian father and a French mother has endeavored by dint of an arduous research carried out in Tunisia and in France to carve out a “manifesto” in tribute of 9 well known Arab-Muslim women, including “Khansa” the famous poet, “Rabiaa al Adawiya”, a Sufi who was able to enter the temple of “Waly” ,the Egyptian “Nefissa” and the Tunisian “Mannoubiya” one of the few women to be found in the Sufi hierarchy.

However, unlike other manifestos this one is presented as a ballet, gathering nine exceptional Arab –Muslim women, reunited through the centuries by the creative craft of the young Tunisian choreographer.

Leila Aziz’s gallery also comprises “Fatima Al Fihria”, a woman from Kairouan known for her wisdom and who built with his sister a Mosque and the “Karawan of Fez” University, as well as the Yemeni “Arwa”, also known as the “Little Queen of Sheba” who ruled Yemen in the 11th century, in addition to the Andalusian “Wallada”.

“Razia Sultana” from Delhi and “Roxelane” from Turkey complete this unique artistic gallery signed by the French choreographer Magalie Lesueur.
The ballet was selected at the “Montreal Arab World Festival” which is due to be held from October 30 to November 15, 2010. The festival is the only event of its kind in North America, dedicated to Arabic culture. With its three components, Arts de la scène (stage art), Salon de la culture (Cultural meeting place) and Cinéma, the festival aims at throwing bridges between the arts in Québec (Canada) and the Arab world through various forms of artistic expression.

"