Category: Published Work

Islam, Published Features, Published Work, The Friday TimesLeave a comment

Questions are never indiscreet: answers sometimes are

imadahmed

The Friday Times | Feb 22, 2006 Imaduddin Ahmed “Desperately Seeking Paradise: Journeys of a Sceptical Muslim” By Ziauddin Sardar; Granta Books (2004); Pp 356; Rs 445  Islam is all the rage. The charade Hudood laws debate continues in parliament as I write, taking prime media space. Scholars and politicos are discussing how Islamic the Hudood laws are. The Islamist politicos in favour of the Hudood laws say they are defending the Shariah. Yet how often do you hear ‘the Shariah’ being questioned as a valid basis for law?. . . I thought so. Want to see how it is questioned? In his book … Continue reading Questions are never indiscreet: answers sometimes are

Lahore, Pakistan, Published Features, Published Work, The Friday Times, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Preaching to Osama

imadahmed

I was at my biweekly Urdu class before work with Dr. Safia at a fly and police-infested canteen next to my office. Batting away a fly from her left eye, her lip, her cup of tea, Dr. Safia turned her eyes slowly to me. She gave me the stern look that a discontent anthropologist gives paying students when she wants to scuttle off for a cigarette and spend the rest of the day in the depths of her own mind. She pointed to an adolescent with a fluffy beard. “Speak to that one. He will give you good practice.” I … Continue reading Preaching to Osama