Custodian of the two holey socks
Posted in Uncategorized on Aug 30th, 2008
Salaams all. See I said Salaams. That is part of my Preparing for the Big R, which Muslims around the world are doing. Some are frying bits of meat occasionally encased in pastry but undoubtedly spiced. Some are going jogging. Others are furiously and desparately memorising the Qur’an because they have to lead the nightly [...]
Posted in Uncategorized on Aug 27th, 2008
Volatile India-Pakistan Standoff Enters 11,680th Day Volatile India-Pakistan Standoff Enters 11,680th Day Following on from previous post of Kashmir/India/Pakistan
Posted in Uncategorized on Aug 27th, 2008
My last post got picked up by metafilter, (hello metafilterwalas), but I am not Pakistani-British, I am born in the UK from Gujarati parents, who arrived here via East Africa. However, my wife is Punjabi. A fortnight or so ago, it was Pakistani Independence day, adjacent to Indian Independence day. We had a two day [...]
Posted in Uncategorized on Aug 20th, 2008
I was first introduced to the concept of ‘qat’ on my first visit to Yemen. We were travelling with family, and my father was approached by a rather enthusiastic taxi driver. As he drove around at fantastic speeds, he explained he was chewing qat and he hadn’t slept for two days. I was quite worried. [...]
Posted in Uncategorized on Aug 20th, 2008
Over at sunnisisters is a splendid post about how to handle the younglings once they start being targeted by marketeers. There is a lack of alternative activities for Muslim teenagers, especially the young men. I know some families who are from a very sheltered background – meaning they are not allowed out to see friends [...]
Posted in Uncategorized on Aug 18th, 2008
There is a fundamental streak of decency that surrounds us. I firmly believe that. My father, who I talk about often, said it regularly. He said it in the context of travelling in Muslim countries, and having to struggle to get the basics done, especially when dealing with bureaucracies. He compared that with living in [...]
Posted in Uncategorized on Aug 8th, 2008
I am writing up a short series of posts on the Muslim Birmingham website on the funding of projects in Birmingham through the local Council. For those looking for farce, satire, Muslims being silly, it is there in droves, though not in the manner one expects. The title is a reference to Lord of the [...]
Posted in Uncategorized on Aug 5th, 2008
Dear wife/fiance/female-whom-I-am-attached-to-yet-our-relationship-is-not-in-bounds -of-a-shariah-definition-yet-as-a-slightly-guilty-person-I-am-loathe-to-apply-any-of-the-more-vulgar-terms-for-what-we-have. [delete as appropriate] I am writing to remind you that I am there for you, and I have been doing all I can to support. I am forced to write this in response to the latest request from you for us to –Please select option from menu below– drive the car an [...]