It is well said, in every sense, that a man’s religion is the chief fact with regard to him. A man’s, or a nation of men’s. By religion I do not mean here the church-creed which he professes, the articles of faith which he will sign and, in words or otherwise, assert; not this wholly, …
Monthly Archives: June 2008
A Statesman
A statesman is an easy man, He tells his lies by rote. A journalist makes up his lies, And takes you by the throat. So stay at home and do your prayer, And let the neighbours vote. (With apologies to W. B. Yeats)
Real Sufism
“Real Sufism” a talk by Hajj Abdalhaqq Bewley, 3pm Sunday 29th June at the Piano Room (The Playhouse Theatre), Norwich. Reflections: “The Path Less Travelled – a discussion about community against the backdrop of an emerging world state.” 8pm Sunday 29th June at the Workshop, Earlham Road, Norwich.
Celtic Christianity – The Galatians
The first Celtic community to emerge in recorded history as accepting Christianity was Galatia in modern Turkey Christianity arrived in Galatia in the person of Paul of Tarsus who visited Pessinus, on the Galatian frontier, which was the tribal capital of the Tolistobogii, sometime between 40 and 50AD. Paul was apparently sick when he arrived …
Noblesse – D. H. Lawrence
Some men must be noble, or life is an ash-heap. There is natural nobility, given by God or the Unknown, and far beyond common sense. And towards this natural nobility we must live. The simple man, whose best self, his noble self, is nearly all the time puzzled, dumb and helpless, has still the power …
Mysterious Force – D. H. Lawrence
And meanwhile, there is one mysterious Force which is under no control. A mysterious Force, like a Secret Society spreading through all nations and controlled by no nation. This is the Force of Finance. A few hundred men on the face of the earth, with huge sums of money behind them, exert their wills and …
Amirate – Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali
Al-Hasan said about amirs, “They take charge of five of our affairs: the Jumu’ah and the congregational prayer [jama’ah], the ‘Id, the frontiers, and the hadd punishments. By Allah! the deen will only be straight and effective by them, even if they are tyrannical and wrongdoing. By Allah! that which Allah puts right by means …
The Festival of Life
The Norwich Festival of Life, Saturday 21st June – Sunday 29th June, 2008
Freedom of Speech
Menneskene ere dog urimelige. De bruge aldrig de Friheder, de har, men fordre dem, de ikke har; de har Tænkefrihed, de fordre Yttringsfrihed. People are completely unreasonable. They never use the freedoms they have, but demand those they don’t have; they have freedom of thought but they demand freedom of speech. (Kierkegaard, Either-Or)
The New Bedouins
The New Bedouins An Islamic Odyssey The Society of Islam in England presents a multi-faceted exhibition that provides a unique insight into Europe’s longest standing community of new Muslims and their journey from sixties London and Morocco to their arrival in Norwich and ongoing impact on national and international perceptions of Islam The Forum Atrium …