Mind Soup

I would like to wish all my readers, on Behalf of all the Mind Soup authors, Eid Fitr Mubarak and May the guidance and blessings of God be with you and your families. Dar al Fatwa in Beirut announced on Wednesday night that Eid el Fitr will fall this year on Friday the 10th, making Ramadan this year 30 days. For more information about Eid el Fitr, you can find it here (wikipedia).

MIND SOUP : For weeks now, a minute church by the name of "Dove World Outreach Center" in Gainesville, Florida, has been advertising for an event it calls "International Burn a Qur'an Day". Pastor Terry Jones is insisting to hold this "event" on September the 11th "to honor those killed in the 2001 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington." He says the burning of the Qur'an will "send a message to violent Islamic extremists like al-Qaida, which carried out the attacks against the United States." The second day of Eid el-Fitr falls this year on the same day. As many world leaders and institutions, including the Vatican, US President Barack Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and  others , have denounced this act, this pastor is insisting on carrying out this event. This is as much facts as I am willing to give about this issue. Below in ten points is my opinionated response. First of all, as a Muslim, I don...

I was getting my daily fix of news from google reader this afternoon and I fell upon this inspirational blog post about religious tolerance in Lebanon from Seif and his Beiruti Adventures  and I thought I'd share it with my readers, especially after the journalist incident  last week. I sure hope that Ali Seif doesn't mind the repost. [...] Ramadan seems to have passed by very quickly this year with 10 days or so left of fasting (depending on where you are). Ramadan is one of my favourite months, as I really enjoy the days of fasting, prayer, forgiveness, and blessing associated with this month. It’s a break from the 11 other months of hectic busy schedules, anger, and nagging. I may have mentioned this before, but my family has never been “all that religious” in the past, as is the case with many Sunni Muslim families of the Bekaa Valley (specifically in the Zahle province). I was taught how to pray, fast, and the basic necessities of Islam, but not muc...

On behalf of the Mind Soup team I would like to wish you a happy thanksgiving and Adha Moubarak :)

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is extending greetings to Muslims celebrating Eid al-Fitr (ayd ahl-FIH'-tur), which marks the end of the holy monthlong fasting time known as Ramadan. The president on Saturday issued a statement saying he and his wife, Michelle, congratulate Muslims in the U.S. and around on the world on a "blessed day." Obama said even at this festive occasion, Muslims remember the less fortunate, those suffering in poverty, hunger, conflict and disease. In her own statement, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said the occasion is a reminder that the values of Islam — "charity, community, cooperation, compassion are values which we hold dear as Americans."