Two major exhibitions about Christianity and Islam form the backbone of the British Museum’s plans for late 2011 and early 2012, it was announced today. The museum will also borrow more than 200 objects from the recently rebuilt National Museum in the Afghan capital, Kabul, for a one-off show exploring the city’s historical background as…
President Obama sends greetings to Muslims celebrating Eid al Adha and on the Hajj pilgrimage on behalf of him and his family. He describes both ceremonies as “reminders of the shared Abrahamic roots of three of the world’s major faiths.”
This year, as he does every year, Dr. Munir El-Kassem, a professor of Dentistry at the University of Western Ontario, is escorting a group of 450 pilgrims – the largest Canadian contingent – to the Hajj. He said the pilgrims he leads receive an intensive Islamic course in the field. “I go over to provide…
An H1N1 outbreak among 200 French military personnel and their families has meant they are unable to perform the Hajj. The spokesperson, Abdelkader Arbi noted that, “The pilgrimage reflects demand among Muslims military personnel and that the number of Muslims within the army.”
For this year’s hajj, Muslims in the French army who will go on the journey to Saudi Arabia will not have to travel on private commercial flights with ordinary civilians. In a break from tradition, the Defense Ministry will provide its Muslim soldiers a plane to fly them and organize their stay. The new hajj…
