Movie Theaters and Women Driving Won’t Placate Saudi Shiites

After generating some positive press earlier this summer by lifting the ban on women driving, Saudi Arabia is once more the target of reproach. In August, the country’s notorious terrorism court sought the death penalty against Israa al-Ghomgham, a female activist.

The Renaissance of Shiʿi Islam in the 15th-17th Centuries: Facets of Thought and Practice | The Institute of Ismaili Studies

Introduction The 15th century marked the renaissance of the Ismaili and Twelver Shiʿi traditions after centuries of marginalization. It was with the commencement of the imamate of Mustanṣir biʾllāh II around 868/1463- 1464, that the Anjudān revival of the Nizārī Ismailis began.

Saudi-UK media tie-up: Targeting the non-Arabic-speaking Middle East

Long satisfied to attempt to dominate pan-Arab media and battle it out with Qatar’s state-owned Al Jazeera television network, Saudi Arabia has now set its hegemonic sights on influencing the media landscape of the non-Arabic speaking greater Middle East.

Safavid Tile Project I: The Technology

Some of the most noticeable objects in the ROM’s Wirth Gallery of The Middle East are two friezes of tiles that would have been in the spandrels of arches. These were made in Iran in the last third of the 17th century under the Safavid dynasty, probably for a palatial building in Isfahan.

Safavid cuerda seca tile arch spandrels from Isfahan

We invite you to read our blogs about a new exciting project related to the two Safavid tile arches in the Royal Ontario Museum.
https://www.rom.on.ca/en/blog/safavid-tile-project-i-the-technology
https://www.rom.on.ca/en/blog/safavid-tile-project-ii-rebuilding-the-friezes
A dozen or so such arches sold from the Kevorkian collection were made known through the publications of the late Dr. I. Luschey-Schmeisser. Our hypothesis is that these and many more, done in the same technique and style (c. 1670), came from a single palatial building in Isfahan. We are currently assembling panels from the hundreds of “orphaned tiles” that were collected from the ruins of the site, probably c. 1900, and now exist in museums and private collections. Our new project will deal with the technique of cuerda seca and the creation of these spandrels as well as attempting to reconstruct as much of the original cycle of themes. We are hoping that colleagues who may know of the existence of such tiles in small museums and collections will tell us about them. We welcome feedback to our blogs.
Dr. Robert B. Mason, Materials Scientist, Royal Ontario Museum
(robm@rom.on.ca)
Dr. Lisa Golombek, Curator Emeritus, Royal Ontario Museum
(lisag@rom.on.ca)

The Making of a Marjaʿ: Sīstānī and Shiʿi Religious Authority in the Contemporary Age ” Brill Online

Anyone considering the question of religious authority among the contemporary Shiʿa not least in Iraq will recognize the paramount significance of Ayatollah Sīstānī, described as the most important marjaʿ in the world.

Muslim Cultures in the Indian Ocean

Explore the diversity of Muslim cultures prevalent in the Indian Ocean region where, historically, Muslims have interacted for centuries.

Israel adopts abandoned Saudi sectarian logic

Amid ever closer cooperation with Saudi Arabia, Israel’s military appears to be adopting the kind of sectarian anti-Shiite rhetoric that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is abandoning as part of a bid to develop a national rather than a religious ethos and promote his yet to be defined form of moderate Islam.

Saudi effort to isolate Iran internationally produces results

Saudi efforts to isolate Iran internationally are producing results in North Africa and Central Asia. Authorities and religious leaders in Tajikistan and Algeria have in recent weeks accused Iran of subversive activity and propagating Shiism while Morocco last month announced that it was breaking off diplomatic relations with the Islamic republic.

Some Aspects of Conversion Narratives in Late Safavid Iran and their Circulation: The Case of ʿAlī Akbar Armanī : Eurasian Studies

This study focuses on a conversion narrative from the late Safavid period, the Iʿtirāf-nāma, written by an Armenian merchant known after his conversion as ʿAlī Akbar Armanī. The study addresses questions on the transmission of texts, the conventions of the genre of convert literature, and the socialization of converts into Muslim scholarly families.

Mahathir’s reforms could put Saudi Arabia and the UAE on the spot

Newly elected Malaysian Prime Minister Mohammed Mahathir is adopting policies that could reshape the Southeast nation’s relations with powerful Gulf states. A series of anti-corruption measures as well as statements by Mr. Mahathir and his defense minister, Mohamad (Mat) Sabu, since this month’s upset in elections that ousted Prime Minister Najib Razak from office, are sparking concern in both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.