Tossing Pebbles in the Stream

This blog is my place to sit and toss pebbles into the stream. The stream of Life relentlessly passing before us. We can affect it little. For the most part I just watch it passing and follow the flow. Occasionally, I need to comment on its passing, tossing a pebble at it to enjoy the ripple affect upon Life's surface.

Friday, October 07, 2005

Imam Ali Mosque in Najaf

Yesterday I wrote some comments on Islam and Ramadan suggesting that non-muslims should familiarize themselves with this world faith as muslims have become an increasing larger minority in our Canadian society, both to understand our neighbours and fellow citizens and to perhaps learn something more about our own religiosity.

For some fascinating careful reading I suggest looking at Iman Sistani's website http://sistani.org/. He is the leading Shia cleric in Iraq who exercises both political and moral power in that war torn country. Even the occupying forces listen when he speaks. He lives in Najaf, the spiritual center of Shia Islam where the mosque of Iman Ali is located. Here is buried the martyred founding leader of Shia Islam, after the death of the Prophet Mohammed. This website is a wonderful source of information on Islam from the sublime to the mundane. Here you will find information on all the intricacies with which one must struggle to be a good muslim. It must be hard to be a good muslim as it is to be a good christian, good jew and even a good secular religious humanist, like myself.

Iman Sistani is a very important person in Iraq. While he holds no political position he has much influence on the shape of the emerging Republic dominated by the majority Shia Muslims in that tortured country.