British Blogger, Desi Dreamer, Mad Muslimah
// December 31st, 2008 // 10 Comments » // Blog
The first episode of a new three-part documentary on Science and Islam comes out next Monday, 5th January 2009, on BBC4, at 9pm (if you miss it, catch it on BBC iPlayer):
Physicist Jim Al-Khalili travels through Syria, Iran, Tunisia and Spain to tell the story of the great leap in scientific knowledge that took place in the Islamic world between the 8th and 14th centuries.
// November 22nd, 2008 // 19 Comments » // Blog
Whilst a budding Biology undergraduate, I wasted many an afternoon in the computer room, filling out pointless online personality tests, such as: “Which Icecream Flavour Are You?”. I think I was Raspberry Ripple – whatever that means. Or is that my favourite flavour? I forget.
Thus I was quite keen to visit a site I just discovered via Marahm’s blog, called Typelyzer, which – simply put – is a personality quiz that requires you to answer just one question:
What’s your blog address?
Obviously, it’s a service that is only open to the blogging ‘elite’ (all several million of us).
This is what it had to say about moi:
// February 27th, 2008 // 9 Comments » // Blog
After spotting several cheesy status messages on Facebook just now, reading: “Did the Earth move for you last night?” , I suddenly realised that the wobbly, side-to-side motion I experienced on the floor of my friend’s room in the wee hours, was in fact an earthquake – and not just a passing tube train, as I originally thought!
// November 8th, 2007 // 7 Comments » // Blog
Arial and her sisters roasting over the BBQ… the Islamic ending to The Little Mermaid?
Many of the fuqaha’ mentioned mermaids and differed on the ruling concerning them. Some of them said that they are permissible (to eat) because of the general meaning of the evidence which says that whatever is in the sea is permissible. This is the view of the Shaafa’is and Hanbalis, and is the view of most of the Maalikis and of Ibn Hazm and others. And some of them regarded it as haraam because it is not a kind of fish. This is the view of the Hanafis and of al-Layth ibn Sa’d.
I’m not taking the mick out of the blessed fuqaha’… but mermaids… mermaids? Is there an Islamic version of April Fools Day that i am unaware of?! Maybe it’s a mistranslation of an Arabic word? Definitely makes for interesting reading!
// October 4th, 2007 // No Comments » // Blog
This looks interesting:
Intelligence Squared Presents:
RELUCTANCE TO ASSERT SUPERIORITY OF WESTERN VALUES
Date: Tuesday 9th October 2007
Time: 6.30 pm – 8.30 pm
Venue: Royal Geographical Society, 1 Kensington Gore, London, SW7 2AR
This month’s debate will put discuss the statement: We should not be reluctant to assert the ‘superiority’ of Western values. As usual we will have a distinguished panel of guests who will speak ‘for’ or ‘against’ the motion.
For the motion: Douglas Murray, David Aaronovitch, Ibn Warraq
Against the motion: Tariq Ramadan, William Dalrymple, Charles Glass
The debate will be chaired by Edward Lucas and will be available by web-cast the following afternoon on our website. Tickets are £20 each. All welcome to participate.
For more information and bookings please contact:
Tel: 020 7494 3345
E-mail: info[at]intelligencesquared[dot]com
Website: www.intelligencesquared.com
// October 3rd, 2007 // 4 Comments » // Blog
Or in this case, South Kensington.
Gosh, i missed London. Not smelly East London, where i live. Real London… the beautiful architecture, the museums, the universities, the posh folks, the suits, the random tourists… I missed it all! So, after i submitted my thesis (i’ve written that phrase so many times today, in numerous e-mails and text messages!), i popped into the Victoria & Albert Museum on my way home, to check out their Islamic Middle Eastern art exhibit.
I apologize for the poor photo quality. It was an unplanned visit, so i only had my camera phone, and add to that low lighting = noisy, grainy pics… but maybe it’ll inspire you to see the real thing for yourself! Entry to the museum is free, alhamdulillah. Except for my foreign readers, who may have to pay for the airfare to come over to London. {wink}
// September 4th, 2007 // No Comments » // Blog
BBC News: Religion not race segregates city
“The Jews, Hindus and Sikhs seem to be better off in areas that are dominated by their own religion, except for the Muslim-dominated areas which get progressively worse off as they become more segregated.
“Any government plan that talks about ‘parallel lives’ and a lack of integration being a bad thing is missing the point – it’s not bad for everybody.
“But for one group, the Muslims, they seem to be trapped in a spiral where they can’t seem to move out of high deprivation areas.”
I repeat the title: that’s interesting, but why? Why is it the case, that segregration is beneficial for other religious minority communities, but not ours?
// May 23rd, 2007 // 20 Comments » // Blog
Word of the Day for Wednesday, May 23, 2007
redolent \RED-uh-luhnt\, adjective:
1. Having or exuding fragrance; scented; aromatic.
2. Full of fragrance; odorous; smelling (usually used with ‘of’ or ‘with’).
3. Serving to bring to mind; evocative; suggestive; reminiscent (usually used with ‘of’ or ‘with’).
I am really liking this word, and i thought that i would share this random thought with you all. It’s such a beautiful word, don’t you think? In both sound and meaning. It kinda makes me happy! Strange me.
Has anyone noticed my Dictionary.com Word of the Day RSS widget in the side-bar? I have been subscribed to their e-mail service for years, yet i’m not certain that i have learnt one single word in all that time! I do read the e-mails, but unless you make sure to use a new word on a regular basis, it won’t be stored in your memory. Words are like men – they have commitment issues! *badoom tish*
Another word that i liked recently, but one that is not so nice in sound or meaning:
Word of the Day for Wednesday, May 2, 2007
termagant \TUR-muh-guhnt\, noun:
1. A scolding, nagging, bad-tempered woman; a shrew.
2. Overbearing; shrewish; scolding.
Don’t ask why i kept this e-mail… i just can’t seem to delete it! I think it’s like a small reminder to myself: do not become such a person. No idea. Maybe i’m looking for some cool put downs: how to insult people without them realising it. Evil genius me.
// February 21st, 2007 // 2 Comments » // Blog
I came across a very interesting publishing site today, via a post at Umm Yusuf’s blog, called Lulu.
Basically, LuLu allows you to publish your own work, on your own terms. As the site says: You retain all rights to your work. You decide on design and layout. You set the price and creator revenue. Lulu’s not the publisher — you are.
Sounds pretty nifty to me. It almost makes me want to write a book, just to see who buys it! Hmm, i don’t think my thesis will be a best-seller. Not unless people are running low on firewood/ toilet paper (i’m so mean to myself).
So, does anyone fancy a go? It looks too good to be true… but you don’t know until you try. [Two proverbs for the price of one - bargain!]
// February 13th, 2007 // 6 Comments » // Blog
Tihs is jsut a tset of a tehroy taht has been dinog the ruodns on the e-mial. It syas taht the oedrr of ltetres wtiihn a wrod deos not mtetar as lnog as the fsrit and lsat lteters of the wrod are in the crorcet palce. I’m srue you hvae all cmoe arcsos this e-mial at smoe pinot. It’s qitue facsnitanig waht the hmaun mnid is cpaalbe of. Sblhunlaaah! Taht lsat wrod mhgit olny be lleibge to the Mlisum/ Aarb rardees…
The fnuny tinhg is taht i’m uualsly afuwl at slvonig aangarms, but i’m ok wtih tihs!
I wndoer wehhetr it is the smae for all laaggnues?
I tlel you waht tohguh; it’s a begugr to witre out!
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