Ibn 'Abd al-Barr on the Virtue of Reading Books

http://attalib.blogspot.com/2010/03/virtue-of-reading-books.html

via Aziz

Andrew March: Who's Afraid of Tariq Ramadan?

http://www.prospect.org/cs/articles?article=whos_afraid_of_tariq_ramadan

bookstore tour

I did a quick tour of the Barnes and Noble at Union Square this afternoon.

Highlight in books relating to Islam:

-I got to see Jonathan Brown's Hadith: An Introduction. It looked good. I hope to buy and read through one day iA.

-I was really excited to see this new book in what's really becoming my area of interest: A History of Islam in America: From the New World to the New World Order. Just published by Oxford University Press ma sha Allah.

Reza Aslan's How to Win a Cosmic War is now in paperback under the title Beyond Fundamentalism: Confronting Religious Extremism in the Age of Globalization

In other news...:

Ayan Hirsi Ali has a new book Nomad: From Islam to America: A Personal Journey Through the Clash of Civilizations [featuring blurbs from Hitchens, Harris (and Bruce Brawer) and starts with a quote of praise from Richard Dawkins...]

as does Bernard Lewis Faith and Power: Religion and Politics in the Middle East

I  also got to see Paul Berman's The Flight of the Intellectuals book (basically against Tariq Ramadan - see previous post) and this article in the American Prospect by Andrew March)

Shaykh Yasir: "Sex and the Ummah Series: The Hadith of Jabir"

http://muslimmatters.org/2010/05/27/sex-and-the-ummah-series-the-hadith-of-jabir/

Wajahat Ali on Salon: "Sex and the City 2's" stunning Muslim clichés

http://www.salon.com/entertainment/movies/film_salon/index.html?story=/ent/movies/film_salon/2010/05/26/sex_and_the_city_cultural_tone_deafness

CNN "Ads on NYC buses target those wanting to leave Islam"

http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/05/27/new.york.islam.ads/

via Aliya

Imam Zaid: Congratulations To Our Recent Graduates

http://www.newislamicdirections.com/nid/articles/congratulations_to_our_recent_graduates/

via Sumaya

NYC bus ads asking 'Leaving Islam?' cause a stir

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/26/AR2010052603645.html

via Faiza

Jahiz on books :)

"The book is silent as long as you need silence, eloquent whenever you want discourse. He never interrupts you if you are engaged, but if you are lonely he is a good companion. He is a friend who never deceives or flatters you, and he is a companion who never grows tired of you."

-Al Jahiz, Muslim philosopher and man of literature, 8th century, Basra, Iraq

via Juan

Ex-Principal of Arabic School Won’t Sue City

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/26/nyregion/26principal.html