Category Archives: Blog

Know that the traveler should have a master as a guide and instructor, to rid him of bad traits through his instruction and replace them with good ones. The significance of instruction is comparable to the work of the farmer who uproots thorn-bushes and removes weeds from the midst of the crops, so that his plants are in proper condition, and his yield is brought to perfection.

— al Ghazali

While strolling through the Old City of Damascus, I spotted this sign on a crepe stand–and took a picture for my series on (mis)transl(iter)ations…

“Excuse me,” I said, pointing to the sign.

But before I could utter another word, the young man behind the counter just nodded his head, and said, “We know, we know…”

There is only One Light, and ‘you’ and ‘I’ are holes in the lamp shade. — Rumi

This afternoon, my friend needed to find a present for a relative, so I tagged along…while she shopped, I snapped some photos around the store…

While running errands today in Beirut, I watched the light of the setting sun paint this wall–still riddled with bullet marks from the civil war–a bright golden hue…

Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may God be pleased with him) said,
‘These bodies are a cage for birds or a stable for beasts.’
Think about yourself–which of them are you?

— al Ghazali

This morning, over a cup of coffee, a colleague from the sciences and I contemplated various ways in which knowledge can be married with action. While he was arguing that the humanities have made themselves irrelevant, he said, “Even Rumi says you need to keep digging your ditch…”

The quest to wed knowledge and action–be it through rigorous self-development or selfless service to others–is a theme which features prominently in the poems of Rumi–who left his own prestigious academic post behind–to seek experiential knowledge of the “heart” instead…

Work. Keep digging your well.
Don’t think about getting off from work.
Water is there somewhere.

— Rumi

For those who can read Cyrillic, you’ll see that this stone was erected in Karakalpakstan by President Islam Karimov of Uzebekistan–in the early days of the country’s independence from the Soviet Union. When the internet is up and running again, I’ll try posting more photos from the road to Karakalpakstan…

This week, in a faculty meeting, someone brought up al Ghazali (d. 1111)–considered by Sufis to be one of the greatest Islamic philosophers that ever lived (his brother Ahmad was a celebrated Sufi scholar). Coincidentally, I spent all last week re-reading a wonderful book by al-Ghazali. So maybe I’ll start sharing some selections from his writings and sayings in a few upcoming posts…

O disiciple, knowledge without action is madness,
and action without knowledge is void.

— al Ghazali

It is the natural right of every Iranian to be able to visit his or her homeland.

— President Rouhani

President Rouhani is discussing resuming direct flights between Tehran and Washington, D.C. To look into the possibility of resuming this flight pattern–which was abandoned 34 years ago–he has appointed a top presidential aide. Not only would tourism help promote understanding between the U.S. and Iran, but it would also provide a boost to the struggling Iranian economy…

Swam with the most spectacular turtle today–its green shell was over a foot in diameter.  With such smooth and graceful strokes far under the surface of the water, it really looked like it was flying…

The spirit sees astounding beings, turtles turned to men,
men turned to angels, when sleep erases the banal.

— Rumi

Apologies for the delay in posting today…internet has been down all day…and is still not fully functioning…