PBS is showing a National Geographic special entitled Inside Mecca: The rites and rituals of Muslims' pilgrimage to the Saudi Arabian city of Mecca. Extremely interesting, especially the thread that tracks the pilgrimmage of a U. of Texas academic named O'Leary. Raised a Catholic she is asked about how she feels concerning the requirement that she obtain "permission" from her son to embark on the pilgrimmage, and about all the other dress requirements, etc. Incredibly, her response is that she accepts it as a manifestation of the exortation: "When in Rome, do as the Romans do." Of course, this doesn't exactly come from the Shari'a does it?
The irony, oh the irony. God bless her rebellious Irish heart.
Posted by Demosophist at October 22, 2003 08:39 PM | TrackBackTHE DOCUMETARY INSIDE MECCA IS ONE OF THE MOST
INTERESTING DOCUMENTARY I'VE EVER WATCH. THE PROGRAM
SHOWS HOW AN ANCIENT RITUALS THAT WAS STILL POTRAYED
TO THE PRESENT DAY. NOT ONLY THAT BUT IT ALSO SHOWS NON
BELIEVERS ON HOW ISLAM STRESS ON UNITY NO MATTER WHAT ETHNICITY
U BELONGS TO. I WAS REALLY TOUCHED ON THE PROBLEM FACE BY
ONE OF THE PILGRIM FROM SOUTH AFRICA DEALING WITH FITTING
IN WITH HIS FELLOW COUNTRYMEN WHO WERE FROM A DIFFERENT
ETHNIC GROUP. I HOPE THE INCIDENT THAT HAPPENED WOULD OPEN
UP THE EYES OF ALL THE MUSLIM UMMAH.
AS A MUSLIM MYSELF THAT HAVEN'T PERFORM THE HAJ, THE DOCUMENTARY
REALLY ENHANCE MY KNOWLEDGE OF THE RITUALS PERFORMED.
Iszman:
I too thought it very interesting. My point is that the precept of toleration and adjustment that Dr. O'Leary cites came from her Roman Catholic experience, not Islam. Although, of course, Jesus (the author of the statement) is regarded with some reverence in Islam as well. And as far as I know that precept may have made it into Islam in some form. But I also thought the comparison of Mecca with Rome was rather ironic. I would not expect religious observances to be accomodating on a pilgrimage, of all places, but I would not have compared Mecca with the center of paganism. The whole statement seemed pretty silly, which I'm afraid reflected rather badly on Dr. O'Leary, if not Islam.
Posted by: Scott at December 10, 2003 11:35 AM