What are the basic teachings of Islam, and what does it mean to be a Muslim? Continue reading “Five Pillars to Hold Myself Up: What do Muslims Believe?”
Tag: religion
Muhammad, the Prophet of Islam
Who was Muhammad, and how did the Arab world of the seventh century shape his teachings? Continue reading “Muhammad, the Prophet of Islam”
November 22, 2016: Haram in Qatar, or How I Learned Not to Cast the First Stone
According to The Qatar Tribune, Qatari customs officials destroyed some 31,000 bottles of wine seized after routine inspections of incoming shipping containers in the nation’s port. Continue reading “November 22, 2016: Haram in Qatar, or How I Learned Not to Cast the First Stone”
November 20, 2016: Living History in the UAE
If you look around Openendedsocialstudies.org, you’ll find that I love history. Continue reading “November 20, 2016: Living History in the UAE”
November 19, 2016: Grand Mosques and Grand Desert Adventure in Abu Dhabi
The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is located in Abu Dhabi, and is the largest mosque in the United Arab Emirates. It holds up to 40,000 worshippers, has four massive minarets, each 106 meters tall with designs incorporating elements from major periods in Islamic history, and 82 domes, each inscribed in gold with verses from the Holy Quran. Continue reading “November 19, 2016: Grand Mosques and Grand Desert Adventure in Abu Dhabi”
November 17 and 18, 2016: The Burj, the Palm, and the Dubai Brand
I haven’t been able to write much since I arrived in Dubai. This place is a sensual onslaught of glamour – colored lights and stunning views, rich food and richer cars, hot sun and cool AC, full burka and lots of leg. I’ve been overwhelmed. Continue reading “November 17 and 18, 2016: The Burj, the Palm, and the Dubai Brand”
November 16, 2016: Opening Eyes in Dubai
After bidding Bahrain a fond adieu, our TEACH Fellowship delegation proceded to the global crossroads of the region – Dubai, the richest of the United Arab Emirates. On first blush, the city itself is sprawling and urban and at the remove of the airport gives no sense of the opulance and glamor with which it has branded itself. Though it definitely seems prosperous. Continue reading “November 16, 2016: Opening Eyes in Dubai”
November 15, 2016: Bon Voyage, Bahrain!
It’s been a wild whirlwind through Bahrain, a country of 1.3 million, half of whom are guest workers and not really Bahraini at all. This is a country that is at its core a conservative, traditional Muslim country – at once eager and willing to accommodate its many resident aliens, who range from American and British expats to Filipino nannies and Indian laborers. Continue reading “November 15, 2016: Bon Voyage, Bahrain!”
November 13, 2016: Alive and Well in the Kingdom of Bahrain
After a truly heroic 24 hours of travel – from Florida to Atlanta, Atlanta to Amsterdam, Amsterdam to Qatar, and Qatar to Bahrain – I am proud to report that I am alive and well in the Kingdom of Bahrain. I’m here with a dozen other teachers on the TEACH Fellowship sponsored by the Bilateral US-Arab Chamber of Commerce. Continue reading “November 13, 2016: Alive and Well in the Kingdom of Bahrain”
Preparing for Departure with the Bilateral US-Arab Chamber’s Teachers Educating Across Cultures in Harmony (TEACH) Fellowship.
Proud to be participating in the Bilateral US-Arab Chamber’s Teachers Educating Across Cultures in Harmony (TEACH) Fellowship. I leave for Bahrain, UAE and Qatar in just over two weeks, and I’ve been reading up on the history of the Middle East and Islam with the following books: Continue reading “Preparing for Departure with the Bilateral US-Arab Chamber’s Teachers Educating Across Cultures in Harmony (TEACH) Fellowship.”
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