Lifestyle
MALAYSIA: Halal Is More than A Way to Slaughter Animals
The saying goes, "Strike the iron while it is hot." Similarly, when it comes to teaching a child, it is better to start cultivating good values at an early and impressionable age. This is applicable in many aspects, particularly when one wishes to inculcate a habit or impart some knowledge, such as educating Muslim consumers on Halal-related matters. Realising the importance of early Halal education, the Halal Industry Development Corporation (HDC) has published a book under its "Halal Discovery for Young Leaders" programme, aimed at providing Halal education to children.
Filed Under: Books
UNITED KINGDOM: Faith Travels, Cultures Don’t!
Transcript of part of an interview conducted by Dr. Tariq Ramadan with sister Sarah Joseph, Editor of Emel Magazine, UK, in the weekly TV program “Islam and Life.” The topic of this episode was Muslim Women, Hijab and Fashion, and the central question of the interview is in view of the anti-hijab campaign in several countries, how are Muslim women in the west today tackling their visibility crisis with the help of fashion?
Is Muslim fashion finally 'on trend'?
For Muslim women hoping to combine stylish clothes with modest dressing, Vivienne Westwood protégé Barjis Chohan may have the answer. And with Muslim fashion worth an estimated £59 million globally, the rest of the fashion world is sure to follow
Filed Under: Fashion
CANADA: Canada’s Midnight Sun Mosque
The fascinating story of the Midnight Sun Mosque, the world's northernmost mosque, is now being made into a documentary film by Canadian filmmakers, Saira and Nilufer Rahman. The film, to be called Arctic Mosque, will tell the story of the 4,000 km journey the mosque took in 2010 from the prairie city of Winnipeg in the province of Manitoba where it was built, to Inuvik, the most northern town in Canada's Arctic. The documentary will also offer a revealing portrait of Islamic life in the far north.
Filed Under: Entertainment
In defence of obscure words
We are living in a risk-averse culture - there's no doubt about that. But the risk that people seem most reluctant taking is not a physical but a mental one: just as the concrete in children's playgrounds has been covered with rubber, so the hard truth about the effort needed for intellectual attainment is being softened by a sort of semantic padding. Our arts and humanities education at secondary level seems particularly afflicted by falling standards - so much so that universities are now being called upon to help write new A-level syllabuses in order to cram our little chicks with knowledge that, in recent years, has come to seem unpalatable, if not indigestible - knowledge such as English vocabulary beyond that which is in common usage.
U.A.E: In love of the ‘written’ art
In the heart of Sharjah, more than 300 Islamic artworks in a growing collection of calligraphy ensure that the legacy of Islamic arts will continue and it encourages artists to pursue mastering the art in Arabia. On display in the Sharjah Calligraphy Museum, these artworks attract a large number of school children and families as well as tourists from various countries. Currently the only museum dedicated to Arabic and Islamic Calligraphy in the Arab World, the Sharjah Calligraphy Museum enriches the current cultural scene in the UAE. It also gives an opportunity for local and resident calligraphers to have a place to showcase their art. In 2011, visitors to the museum increased by 15 per cent, but its aim are to have a larger rise this year as a result of exhibitions and programmes.
Filed Under: Art
Byzantium and Islam: Age of Transition, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Byzantium and Islam, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, addresses two of history’s most amazing developments. This landmark exhibition, organized by Helen C. Evans, the Metropolitan curator responsible for two previous presentations of Byzantine art, brilliantly surveys historical themes of vital interest to the contemporary world.
Filed Under: Art
Praying on the plane
Devout Muslims, who pray five times a day at set hours, often run into problems trying to meet their religious obligations when flying across time zones. The Koran, which was written down in an age before air travel, offers little guidance on the issue. But now, fortunately, there's an app for that.
Filed Under: Travel
In-cosmetics Europe: male grooming, mobile commerce and Halal makeup to be in focus
While solar beauty will be one of the biggest themes at the 22nd edition of leading beauty fair In-cosmetics Europe when it kicks off in Barcelona April 17, other rising trends to be in focus include Halal makeup, male grooming and the rise of mobile commerce. In-cosmetics event director Lucy Gillam explained to Relaxnews that along with growth opportunities in naturals and home skincare devices, cultural factors are having an increasing influence on the industry.