Magical Moments

I haven't blogged in a long time. A conversation with my colleague Jerry reminded me of it. Not sure what to write about but I have many things to talk and think about after my summer trip to England, Zanzibar, Lebanon and Dubai, where, in each, I spent fabulous time.

I can't recommend Zanzibar enough. It tops my list of favorite places so far, and the Mzab valley in Algeria comes right next on that list. I don't feel like talking politics or history now but because Zanzibar is what it is in terms of a meeting place of several cultures, traditions.. it is amazing. And, like the Mzab, lacks signs of religious radicalism. My theory is that the less modernization and modernity have had an impact on any Muslim society (but it can also be applied to other non-Western societies), the more relaxed and tolerant it is. I am not saying there is no religious conservatism; but there is no radicalism and the two are far apart from each other.

Lebanon: Reconnecting with Beirut, especially Ras Beirut, was the best part of this trip. It was a unique visit this time and I enjoyed every moment. Ras Beirut is a fascinating place indeed. I visited Dr. Kamal Salibi and he still insists that Ras Beirut has no match in the whole world. And people seem to know really well how to enjoy their time, day and night. I had a couple of visitors while there and it was interesting to see how strangers to Lebanon see it, especially in comparison to other places. They seem to really appreciate the joie de vivre that they encounter there, the excellent service they get as visitors, the convenience of everything and mostly, the very liberal ambiance in many parts of the country. I had an interesting conversation with a friend about the difference between Beirut and Cairo; Cairo, which I visited in 1995, seems to have lost some, if not most, of its charm and Beirut is the place where one can still feel much at ease. Yes, of course, it has its horrible sides, but I am just relaying others' impressions. I personally love Ras Beirut, where I lived for six years. But it is mostly the company we have that makes the places feel even more beautiful than they are!

Dubai: yes, it is crazy but interesting. I just would like to know to whom all those high rises are being built! It is funny how, at night, most of those places look empty. They are indeed empty. I visited the Palm Tree Island and Oh my God (or as my brother says, Oh my Allah!): Was it worth it? It is a monstrous project. But I came to the conclusion (with the aid of my friend Nahla, whom I visited there) that one can live in Dubai only if he/she has a large social network there and if he/she is making lots of money. There are two things to do in Dubai: entertainment but most of it is pricy, and shopping; and you need money for both.

Manchester: the Canal Street was lovely and the Egyptian Shisha place near Manchester University did a good job. I was attending a conference and now I want to attend more conferences in Europe.

Debza: Groupe Musical

Here is a link to a song by the Algerian band, Debza. The band was formed in the Kabyle in the early 1980s. It is leftist and anti-establishment. One of their songs is dedicated to Palestine and the Palestinians.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZQr57XY8S4&feature=related

Brave Souls

I just got back from a public talk by Jeff Halper, the head of the Israeli Committee against House Demolitions. People like him make you feel so small and insignificant! What a brave thing to oppose your state, expose its racial policies, call things by their real names (I am referring to Apartheid here), and transform your anger into positive action. I wish I could have the privilege of rebuilding the houses of the Palestinians the way he does! The talk was certainly informative and inspiring to many in the audience. The room where he gave his talk can accommodate 400 people. It was packed and there was an overflow. He was a guest in my class in the afternoon as well. If there is anything that one cannot escape observing during this savage attack on Gaza is that Israel, so far, has lost so much. The most important loss, beside not being able so far to make it up for its big-time loss in Lebanon, is the international sympathy for the Palestinians its attack on Gaza has generated or renewed. Between my CTV interview, participation in a demonstration, class discussion and this talk, I can safely conclude that Israel has lost the PR stuff with the general public opinion. It is a different story with governments and many media outlets... but that is the point: it is a very different story with them.

Muhammad Qutb

I am writing a paper on Muhammad Qutb's views on slavery in Islam. And is he a dull and boring writer! I read his stuff in my late teens but am revisiting it now. What were we thinking when we thought he was worth reading? Make no mistake about it. He was influential and his writings are still popular among many Muslims. You will like his writings if you decide to be a very superficial person, hiding behind a wall of illusions and fantasies about the past and the present. His style and approach are different from those of his brother, Sayyid Qutb. But the latter was not as superficial and shallow (but definitely more extreme in his views than the former).

A Clownish Position

I was not sure what my first posting would be about but here it is:
Canada votes against the UN Human Rights Council's resolution condemning Israel of "massive violations" of the human rights of Palestinians. And Canada is the ONLY country that voted against it. Ok.. I understand that the Harper government believes that the Palestinians do not have human rights in the first place, but did this government have to look so idiotic and clownish? Here is one thing to remember: the Palestinians do not care about what the Canadian government thinks, let alone what the whole world thinks, because they know very well no government can stop or has ever stopped the Israelis from violating human rights. The Canadian government's position was just an embarassment and a further damage to the reputation of Canada.