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Discussion points for Snow
SnowAs a returning exile, Ka’s nostalgia for the homeland puts him in an optimistic state of mind. Does he remain in this mood throughout his stay in Kars?Is his involvement in the affairs of Kars a miscalculation on his part?In Snow, Orhan…
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Discussion points for The Conference of the Birds
Conference of the BirdsHow does the hoopoe become leader of the birds?Is he a competent leader?How do you interpret the excusesthe birds come up with for avoiding the perilous journey to find the Simorgh?Which of the hoopoe's stories do you most…
Discussion points for The Arabian Nights
The Arabian NightsHow would you categorize these stories: moral tales, fables, fantasies, adventure, or a mix of these?Which aspects of these stories most interests you: the human or the supernatural?Describe the roleswomen play in these stories.…
Discussion points for The Butterfly Mosque
The Butterfly Mosque Based on your reading of G. Willow Wilson’s memoir, what doyou think are some of the key difficulties in cross-cultural understanding. Based on your personal experiences with cultural differences, how do you assess…
Discussion points for Acts of Faith
Acts of Faith: The Story of an American Muslim, the Struggle for the Soul of a Generation In Acts of Faith, Patel writes about the personal struggles associated withreconciling multiple identities. What are some of thediscoveries in Patel's life…
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Discussion points for A Quiet Revolution
A Quiet Revolution: The Veil’s Resurgence from the Middle East to America In A Quiet Revolution, Leila Ahmed complicates politicized understandings of “the veil.” Based on your reading of her text, what do you think hijab means…
Discussion points for The Columbia Sourcebook of Muslims in the United States
The Columbia Sourcebook of Muslims in the United States Scholar’s note: The suggested selections from this sourcebook address varying aspects of the history of Islam in America during the first half of the twentieth century. While there are…
Discussion points for Prince Among Slaves
Prince Among Slaves: The True Story of an African Prince Sold into Slavery in the American South Scholars estimate that there were tens of thousands of African Muslims who came to antebellum America through the transatlantic slave trade. The…
Discussion points for In an Antique Land
In an Antique Land One of the most difficult topics addressed in Amitav Ghosh’s book is the issue of slavery in the medieval Muslim world. How does the slavery experienced by Bomma differ from the system of chattel slavery known to us from…
Discussion points for Leo Africanus
Leo Africanus What do you think about the opening paragraph of Leo Africanus? In what ways does this particular statement of identity—or perhaps “anti-identity”—inform the rest of the book?How does it relate to the overall…
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Discussion points for The Ornament of the World
The Ornament of the World In the history of al-Andalus, there seems to be a surprising correlation between rising political disunity (following the dissolution of the Caliphate) and rising cultural florescence.Why might this be?Can you think of…
Discussion points for The House of Wisdom
The House of Wisdom Having read Al-Khalili’s book, what would you identify as the most critical elements that led to the florescence of Islamic science?In what ways are these the same as other moments of great intellectual creativity in world…
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Folk Art Hajj Paintings in Luxor, Egypt
Successfully completing the hajj, or pilgrimage to Mecca, is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. Any Muslim whose circumstances permit is required to make hajj at least once in a lifetime. In earlier centuries, it was a dangerous and lengthy journey,…
Tags: Egypt, folk art, Hajj, Islam, Luxor, material culture, Mecca (Makka), migration, pilgrimage, religious ritual, travel
Ibn Jubayr Describes the Standing at Arafat during the Hajj
The hajj, or pilgrimage to Mecca, during Dhu’l Hijjah, the twelfth lunar month in the Islamic calendar, takes place at locations in and around Mecca, including the circumambulation of the Kaaba, the running between Safa and Marwa hills, and…
Ibn Jubayr Describes a 12th Century Hajj Caravan
Khulays has a spring of abundant waters to which are joined underground conduits whence water is drawn... At these men renew their supplies of water, for there is little of it upon the way on account of the continuous drought. May God send rains in…
'Textiles' from Oxford Islamic Studies Online
The achievements of the weavers, dyers, embroiderers, and pattern designers in the lands of Islam have been acclaimed for more than fifteen hundred years. Textiles were the mainstay of many premodern societies, and they continue to be important in…
Tags: art, Oxford Islamic Studies Online, textiles
'Sunni Islam' from Oxford Islamic Studies Online
After the death of the Prophet Muhammad in 632 , strong differences arose over the method of choosing the leader of the Muslim community. These disagreements ultimately resulted in the division of Muslims into two major groups—Sunni and Shi'i.…
'Science' from Oxford Islamic Studies Online
The mathematical sciences occupy a prominent place in Islamic intellectual history. Historically called ʿulūm riyāḍīyah (mathematical sciences) or ʿulūm taʿlīmīyah (pedagogical sciences), they comprised the four main…
'Medicine' from Oxford Islamic Studies Online
Because of its immediate social significance, medieval sources provide a wealth of information on the theory and practice of Arabic medicine. In addition to numerous medical treatises, many sources also shed light on the lives of scientists, the…
'Islamic Art' from Oxford Islamic Studies Online
The art made by artists or artisans whose religion was Islam, for patrons who lived in predominantly Muslim lands, or for purposes that are restricted or peculiar to a Muslim population or a Muslim setting. This article discusses the definition of…
'Bazaars' from Oxford Islamic Studies Online
The Persian word for “market” (bāzār) refers to a range of economic and architectural forms from covered bazaars, periodic rural markets, and small neighborhood strips of shops in alleys to abstract understandings of markets as sectors…
'Gardens and Landscaping' from Oxford Islamic Studies Online
Traditional Forms Islamic gardens from India to Morocco have fascinated architects, historians, and travelers since the fifteenth century C.E. and have been the subject of exuberant descriptions and representations. Today, unfortunately, few of the…
'Cordoba' from Oxford Islamic Studies Online
Capital city of the Spanish province of the same name, on the north bank of the River Guadalquivir. It has a population (2005) of c. 321,000. As the capital of Islamic Spain, it became perhaps the most civilized city in medieval Europe, renowned for…
'Transnational Connections on the Old Silk Road' from Oxford Islamic Studies Online
Transnational Connections on the Old Silk Road Although scholars once believed that the early civilizations of the Eurasian continent were fairly isolated from each other, recent archaeological, textual, and historical evidence suggests that the…
'Africa' from Oxford Islamic Studies Online
Islam in Africa to 1800 Islam moved into Africa from three directions. It came from North Africa across the Sahara to Bilad al-Sudan (The Lands of the Black People), which is between the Atlantic Ocean and Lake Chad. Despite six centuries of…
"What is the Kaaba?" from Oxford Islamic Studies Online
The Kaaba is seen as the most sacred space in the Muslim world, the site to which hundreds of millions of Muslims throughout the world turn each day when they pray. Located inside the compound of the Grand Mosque at Mecca, the Kaaba (literally,…
"Qur'an Verse Lookup" from Oxford Islamic Studies Online
The "Qur'an Verse Lookup" provides side-by-side translations by A. J. Arberry and M. A. S. Abdel Haleem for comparison, searchable by numbered Qur'anic chapter and verse. It is a feature of the Oxford Islamic Studies Onlinethat requires access to the…
Orhan Pamuk's 2006 Nobel Lecture: "My Father's Suitcase"
Orhan Pamuk delivered the lecture "My Father's Suitcase" at the ceremony awarding him the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2006. The New Yorker Magazine reprinted the lecture by permission.
Tags: literature, Nobel Prize, Orhan Pamuk, Snow, Turkey
Interview with Leila Aboulela
Leila Aboulela, Sudanese-born author of Minaret, was interviewed by Anita Sethl for the Guardian newspaper in London, June 2005. She discusses the relative importance of national and religious identity.
Interview with Marjane Satrapi
Marjane Satrapi, author of the graphic novel Persepolis, was interviewed for an article by Simon Hattenstone in the London Guardian newspaper in March 2008, just before release of the film version of Persepolis.