The Clergy and the Modern Middle East
Shi’i Political Activism in Iran, Iraq and Lebanon
M Kalantari
Bloomsbury, 2021

‘Iraq’s Marsh Arabs battle drought and pollution
Posted October 14, 2021
On an island surrounded by the narrow waterways of the Chebayesh Marshes in southern Iraq, Raad Hamid Hashem rises with the sun to milk his herd of water buffalo. But thanks to drought, this summer has been tough for Hashem. Soraya Ali reports.’

‘Dynamic Quietism and the Consolidation of the ḥawza ʿilmīyya of Qum during the Pahlavi Era’
Mohammed Mesbahi,
British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies,
20 October, 2021

A Self-Fulfilling Prophecy The Saudi Struggle for Iraq
K Harvey
Hurst, 2021

‘Divine Sovereignty, Morality and the State: Maududi and His Influence’
H Iqtidar, O Scharbrodt
Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society
doi: 10.1017/S1356186321000766, 17 pages

‘Reducing Middle East tensions potentially lessens sectarianism and opens doors for women
Two separate developments involving improved relations between Sunni and Shiite Muslims and women’s sporting rights demonstrate major shifts in how rivalry for leadership of the Muslim world and competition to define Islam in the 21st century is playing out in a world in which Middle Eastern states can no longer depend on the United States coming to their defence.’
James M Dorsey
9 October 2021

Amwaj Media:
Daily Briefing | Exclusive: Grand Imam of Al-Azhar set for historic meeting with top Shiite cleric in Iraq Amwaj.media has learned that the top Sunni scholar will meet with the Shiite supreme religious authority and pray at the holy shrine in Najaf.
See: <https://us7.campaign-archive.com/?e=c16528989a&u=bad46ac1df2d13e609949e861&id=5f37ed5e00>

‘Shia leader Grand Ayatollah Mohammed Saeed al-Hakeem dies in Iraq
Funeral ceremonies for top Shia leader expected to be held in holy city of Najaf and its twin city of Karbala.’
alJazeera
3.9.21
See also France24
See also Bloomberg, 3.9.21

‘In Pictures: Muslims worldwide mark Ashura
Worshippers mark the anniversary of the Battle of Karbala and mourn the death of Imam Hussein, the Prophet’s grandson.’
alJazeera
19.8.21