Something had always puzzled me. Why do Muslims consider the Kaaba so sacred when it functioned as a pagan temple before Mohammed conquered Mecca? So I asked some Muslim friends. They informed me the Kaaba held the status it did amongst Muslims because (according to their history) it was built by Ibrahim and Ishmael inContinue reading “Who do archaeologists think built the Kaaba?”
Tag Archives: muslim
Why is female circumcision practiced by some Muslims and not others?
Female circumcision is widely associated with Muslims in Western consciousness, but in truth the practice of female circumcision varies widely between different Muslim communities. Why is this? Well, I came across an intriguing explanation for this in “The Third Choice: Islam, Dhimmitude and Freedom” by Mark Durie. Mark writes: “The modern distribution of female circumcisionContinue reading “Why is female circumcision practiced by some Muslims and not others?”
Burkas or Bikinis?
Non-discrimination means accepting (or not accepting) burka-clad women and bikini-clad women on the same basis. Discuss (but keep it civil).
What is your favourite story about Mohammed?
This is a question I like to ask of Muslims, “What is your favourite story about Mohammed?” It is true, isn’t it, that most stories we Christians hear about Mohammed are negative. This is understandable. Negative stories help us Christians feel comfortable with our rejection of Islam as a way of life. But if we hopeContinue reading “What is your favourite story about Mohammed?”
A Muslim Shares His Story
Are you ever curious about the world beyond your own backyard? About religions other than your own? About spiritual journeys unlike your own? If so, you may be interested to hear that I have invited a number of friends to guest post on Curious Christianity and share some of their stories with us, to giveContinue reading “A Muslim Shares His Story”
Islamic Iconoclasm and Facebook Selfies
From what I have read and seen I am under the understanding that Islamic art forbids lifelike portraits. So I asked some Muslims, how does that square with apparent Islamic acceptance photography, including Facebook selfies? One said, “It forbids anything that could be used as an idol, a prohibition against polytheism. Photographs and such thatContinue reading “Islamic Iconoclasm and Facebook Selfies”
Hell no, says baby Jesus
This cartoon of baby Jesus walking on water at bath time reminds me of some of the fanciful stories from the Infancy Gospels, which were later recounted in the Quran. In them the young Jesus comes across as very precocious.
Is the Quran more like the Old Testament or New Testament?
Reading through the Quran as I was finding the author sounded a lot more like the Old Testament prophets than Jesus or the apostles. So I asked some Muslims if they had shared a similar experience, after reading both the Bible and the Quran. It prompted a very interesting discussion. My experience was echoed byContinue reading “Is the Quran more like the Old Testament or New Testament?”
How is the Christian church different?
How is the Christian church different from the Jewish synagogue, or the Muslim ummah, or the Buddhist Sangha, or the Wiccan coven? They are all words which refer to community after all. Is there any difference in your experience? Should there be any difference?
How to Understand Islamic Art
Seeking to understand Islam, not just on a theological level, but on multiple levels, I have developed an interest in exploring the art and aesthetics of Islam as well, considering what Christians could learn from Muslims and what Muslims could learn from Christians. Nada Shabout makes the following observations in “Understanding Islamic Aesthetics“: What is important in IslamicContinue reading “How to Understand Islamic Art”
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