Be careful what you pray for

Anthropology/Sociology, Bible and Holy Land, Humor and Satire, Islam and Christianity


Today’s New York Times contains a commentary by Timothy Egan on “Rick Perry’s Unanswered Prayers.” Perry, who today is declaring his bid for the Republican presidential nomination, has been governor of Texas since his predecessor George W. Bush left that office to become president. Despite the fact that both Bush and Perry wear religion on their sleeve, the front of their chest, indeed on just about every bit of clothing (I am not sure about tattoos), both seem to have a poor record of getting their God to do their bidding. Unless this God west of the Pecos has a wicked sense of humor, I think the debacle of the Iraq War is an answer only to the prayers of arms dealers and Blackwater International. But Perry has no problem putting the ball (like the economy or the drought in Texas) in Jehovah’s court. Last April he declared a three-day prayer for rain. Not a drop has fallen since. Now he thinks the time is ripe for another Texas governor to run for president. Let us all hope he does not have a prayer.

I mention this goobernatorial prayer fiasco as a contrast to an istisqā’ (Islamic prayer for rain) that I witnessed in the highlands of Yemen in the spring of 1979. At that time, when I was conducting ethnographic fieldwork in a highland valley full of tribesmen and women (with nary a terrorist in sight, as is the case today), the usual spring rains were late in coming. There is within Islam a specific prayer that the community can offer up to Allah in times of drought. I have no way of knowing whether Allah has a better track record of sending rain than Jehovah does in Texas, but here is my own experience. Continue reading Be careful what you pray for →

History of the Fayyum in 1245 CE

Agriculture, Egypt, Islamic History, Islamic Texts, Scholars, Teaching Resources


I note the presence of a fabulous new website devoted to the history of the Fayyum.

Rural society in Medieval Islam: ‘History of the Fayyum’

The ‘History of the Fayyum’ is a unique tax register, in Arabic, listing revenues from 130 villages and hamlets in one Egyptian province for AD 1245. It is the most detailed tax survey to have survived from any region of the medieval Islamic world, a Domesday Book for the medieval Egyptian countryside.

This website offers the tools for a quantitative and qualitative micro-study of society, economy, and agriculture of medieval Fayyum. It gives access to:

* Full fiscal and demographic data set, presented in 17 Microsoft Office Excel spreadsheets.
* Spatial representation of the data, presented in 14 Geographical Information System (GIS) maps.
* Extracts from the English translation and Arabic edition of the work.

It also includes resources for teaching the rural history of the Middle East, and a forum area for postings on the history of the Fayyum (available from September 2011). Continue reading History of the Fayyum in 1245 CE →

Drones down the drain

Afghanistan, Pakistan, Terrorism Issue, Yemen


Former Intel Chief: Call Off The Drone War (And Maybe the Whole War on Terror)

by Noah Shachtman, Wired.com, July 28, 2011 |

Colorado — Ground the U.S. drone war in Pakistan. Rethink the idea of spending billions of dollars to pursue al-Qaida. Forget chasing terrorists in Yemen and Somalia, unless the local governments are willing to join in the hunt.

Those aren’t the words of some human rights activist, or some far-left Congressman. They’re from retired admiral and former Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair — the man who was, until recently, nominally in charge of the entire American effort to find, track, and take out terrorists. Now, he’s calling for that campaign to be reconsidered, and possibly even junked.

Starting with the drone attacks. Yes, they take out some mid-level terrorists, Blair said. But they’re not strategically effective. If the drones stopped flying tomorrow, Blair told the audience at the Aspen Security Forum, “it’s not going to lower the threat to the U.S.” Al-Qaida and its allies have proven “it can sustain its level of resistance to an air-only campaign,” he said. Continue reading Drones down the drain →

Taking a chance on a democratic Yemen

Yemen


The Yemeni youth movement represents the country’s best chance for democracy – but it needs outside support to succeed.
by Abubakr Al-Shamahi, Al Jazeera, Aug 8, 2011 1

Yemen finds itself in the fifth month of mass anti-government protests that have left the country with a severely injured President seeking treatment abroad, an economic and humanitarian disaster, and a seemingly intractable stalemate. The youth, who comprise the vast majority of a population whose average age is 18, are increasingly divided, yet increasingly adamant that all the corrupt remnants of the old regime should be replaced by a fully-functioning democratic system.

This wish, in line with the aspirations of millions of Arabs inspired by the events of the “Arab Spring”, may appear to be idealistic and even naïve in a country like Yemen. Poor education levels, the lack of an established middle class, the prevalence of qat, and, perhaps most importantly, various armed uprisings, secessionists, and militant activity, are seen as roadblocks preventing any realistic democratic enterprise. However, the events of the past few months have given hope that a new, more democratic, Yemen might emerge out of the ashes of the current crisis.

There is no denying that the current anti-government movement is supported by the majority of the Yemeni people, especially in the restive areas of Taiz, Aden, Saada, Ibb, and Hodeida. Even in the capital Sanaa, where pro-Saleh sentiment is seen as strongest, the biggest and most regular rallies have been those calling for his removal from power. Continue reading Taking a chance on a democratic Yemen →

Picturing Aden a Century Ago

Aden, Animals, Orientalism, Photography, Travel, Yemen


“Water carts used at Aden to bring water from the wells to the city.”

In a previous post I published a chapter from the 1911 book Zigzag Journeys in the Camel Country by Samuel and Amy Zwemer. The book has several photographs of Aden and the surrounding area, which are well worth a look a century later.


“The Big Camel market in the crater at Aden where we preached our first sermon in 1891.”

Continue reading Picturing Aden a Century Ago →

Interview with Abu Bakr al-Qirbi

"Arab Spring", Journalism and Media, Yemen


Asharq Al-Awsat talks to Yemeni Foreign Minister Abu-Bakr al-Qirbi

By Mohammed Jumaih, Asharq Al-Awsat, July 31, 2011

London, Asharq Al-Awsat-
During the visit by Yemeni Foreign Minister Abu-Bakr al-Qirbi to the British capital, London, Asharq Al-Awsat met him and interviewed him on the latest developments on the Yemeni scene. Al-Qirbi spoke about the regional and international roles in helping to resolve the Yemeni crisis. Al-Qirbi spoke about the efforts of the vice president and his discussions with the UN secretary general’s envoy in this regard. Al-Qirbi pointed out that the Gulf Initiative is the appropriate grounding for the solution while taking into consideration the views of the United Nations. Al-Qirbi stressed that if matters proceed in the right direction then they are heading toward announcing early elections in the country. Al-Qirbi spoke about the Al-Qaeda file in Yemen and other issues during this meeting.

Following is the text of the interview:

[Asharq Al-Awsat] First, what is the nature of your visit to the United Kingdom?

[Al-Qirbi] As you know, many British, German and American envoys visited us in Yemen and there is communication with European and Gulf decision-makers. We in Yemen prefer that meetings be held at the highest levels with the officials in these countries in order to explain the picture in a more detailed way and to discuss views that are close to reality regarding the Yemeni issue.

As a journalist you know that what is written about Yemen has been exaggerated to the point an expert analyst finds it difficult to follow, let alone a minister who is busy with other matters. Above all, the decision-makers in these countries are receiving a kind of simplified synopsis that does not reflect the picture fully and accurately. This is why we in Yemen want to hold such meetings with brotherly and friendly officials so we can portray a clear picture of the true situation in Yemen in a balanced way despite what is being said in the media which often lack accuracy and objectivity.

[Asharq Al-Awsat] What is the nature of the European and American role toward what is witnessed on the Yemeni scene today in terms of popular movements, which the opposition calls a revolution and you call a political crisis? Continue reading Interview with Abu Bakr al-Qirbi →

Lithographica Biblica

Bible and Holy Land, Lithographs

In the latter part of the 19th century there were many illustrated Bibles. One of these was a 35-part series (25 cents each) called The Child’s Bible with 220 New and Original Illustrations and published by Cassell, Petter & Galpin of New York in the 1870s. A fuller version of the illustrations was sold as a single book and parts of that are documented online. My grandmother ended up with several of the series and I reproduce above and below two of the illustrations.