30 mosques in 30 days

[cristina]

I read about this duo a few weeks ago on CNN, but then failed to follow up on their blog. Two young American Muslims took a road trip across the US, covering 30 mosques in 30 days for Ramadan. It is a very refreshing blog, and, I thought, a splendid report on the faith for those who are unfamiliar.

As always, I am not sure where to post this, but thought I would start here. Even if it does have a "postcards" vibe to it.

Sadly, after they visited the mosque in Phoenix, the new replacement mosque still under construction was vandalized.

30 mosques in 30 days

[bixaorellana]

Hey, this is really nice, Cristina. My eye immediately fell on the part about Zeitoun, since I'm reading the Eggars book right now.

But the whole thing is exceptional, especially in the keen interest taken by the followers of the blog, which really helped me understand the pervasiveness of that faith in everyday lives, especially in trying to live in a good way. As you say, refreshing.

Re: the vandalizing -- you can only shake your head at the fear and ignorance that would cause people to trash something that meant so much to others.

[Jazz]

Thanks , Christina, this is a very intriguing blog. The photos offer a glimpse into a world that I understand little and are fascinating. There is so much content here, both with the original posts and the comments. I am slowly working my way through and enjoying it thoroughly. The only mosques that I have visited were in Turkey. Whether modest or grand, I was very affected by being in each of them.

[cristina]

Thanks Jazz and Bix,

I thought this was a thoughtful blog as the young men are really normal young Americans who happen to be Muslim. Their whole point of view is very youthful American and that is what struck me as refreshing.

While I don't adhere completely to organized religion, I was raised Catholic in an ethnic environment (meaning, you can't totally separate the religion from the ethnicity), I think if if blogs had existed when Kennedy was running for president...what a difference!

So now we have, 40 years later, a redux on religion. Not commenting on Obama as a leader, but simply on perception. In the land of religious freedom, we still have some trouble understanding what religious freedom actually means.

[Deleted]

We have been groaning under pastries for the Eid for the past several days, and we all sick of sugar and honey now, but it is impolite to refuse. Today, the company driver Abdelhamid brought the entire ornate tea set and glasses from home today and served us mint tea. I think he takes comfort in the fact that we enjoy the various ceremonies, because his own children prefer Christmas. He takes pride in how French his children are, though, because he took French citizenship about 15 years ago (he is Tunisian) and wants to be more French than the French.

[lagatta]

I've often enjoyed Christmas in Paris with nominally Muslim and Jewish friends, as well as franchouillard ones whose families have been atheist for 100 years.

Some soundbites from 30 mosques were broadcast on CBC today, and while I loved most of them, I was annoyed when one of the young men commented proudly about a niqabi meter maid, saying her attire meant "We're here, we're Muslim, get used to it". I don't want to weigh in about laws about niqad - it does strike me as heavy-handed but I'm not up on situations in each country to make an informed comment - but to my mind it is certainly nothing to celebrate. I have no problem with women wearing a headscarf - women in the "Christian" Mediterranean traditionally did so also - but the niqab is really a theft of identity, and an extreme interpretation of Islamic scriptures.

Not long after the terror attacks on the World Trade Center, a small Turkish mosque near my house was firebombed. I was so sad; I'd seen the congregation carefully sprucing up what had been a dilapidated storefront and making it a beautiful, peaceful space. They had nothing to do with those shitheads, who alas exist in all religions.

I was touched by the little story about believing Muslims in Vegas working in casinos, and also by those attempting to turn around slum neighbourhoods where drug crime and the most abusive forms of prostitution are the main career choices for youth. I'm not remotely religious, but in that respect they have a most positive impact.