Syrians banned from their rite of Islamic passage: Saudi bars Shamis from Hajj

Many Syrians need this trip to Mecca now more than ever but the Saudi government seems to be saying no; the latest news from Syria; the Islamist Theology of Protesting; and keeping interfaith bridges from being burned down.

There may not be a Syrian contingent among the Muslim faithful making the Hajj this year.

A BLOG BY THE EDITOR OF THE MIDDLE EAST JOURNAL [2]

Syrian Media says Saudis Block Syrians from Hajj

Syrian state media is reporting that Saudi Arabia will not allow Syrians to make the hajj this year, because the routine approval was not forthcoming: The tensions over the conflict in Syria are presumably to blame, but the move is highly unusual.

Syria Comment [3]

News Round Up (19 Sept 2012)

“The Syrian government promised that everything would be O.K., that they will finish the ‘criminal gangs’ before the beginning of the educational year,” said a teacher at a school in a Damascus refugee camp, using a term the government uses to describe its opponents. “What happened is the opposite,” she said. The fighting grew worse and rolled through the neighborhood and surrounding areas, sending more and more families to shelter in the schools.

A Sense of Belonging [4]

The Islamist Theology of Protesting

‘For any offence against Islam,’ he said, ‘the Muslim has the right to defend himself against the one who says it, and shouting “our lives and our blood” displays his love of his religion. ‘It does not mean to kill an embassy employee, but if the filmmaker comes to Egypt, he will be torn limb from limb. This is permitted in Islam.’

American Bedu [5]

Saudi Arabia/GCC/Muslim World: Where do We go from Here?

How do we get back on track to building bridges? Can we? Everyone will have to dig down deep to recapture tolerance. We can’t allow those without any common sense or those who want to be destructive take the rest of us down.