Who do you think had this to say about global warming?
“In fact, the life of all of mankind is in danger because of the global warming resulting to a large degree from the emissions of the factories of the major corporations, yet despite that, the representative of these corporations in the White House insists on […]

Since this is my first Ramadan in Jordan since 2000, I thought I’d share a thought or two. First of all, I’ve been having difficulties reconciling with this new environment where religion interacts with culture. West Amman is like an odd sample in the petri dish. Nothing about this place adds up or makes sense. […]

So a few weeks back I made a wise ass remark on my blog about Pulp Magazine. Now the record should show that I did in fact dedicate the bulk of my post towards a positive review of the publication. Nevertheless, I think they were annoyed with one particular remark which they chose to […]

What
Do sad people have in
Common?
It seems
They have all built a shrine
To the past
And often go there
And do a strange wail and
Worship.
What is the beginning of
Happiness?
It is to stop being
So religious…
Like
That.
- Hafiz
The mosque of this affluent neighborhood is crowded. My father lives here and prays here but is not from here; not of here. His spirit […]

AMMAN - The Criminal Court has sentenced a 22-year-old man to 6 years and 8 months in prison after convicting him of engaging in consensual sex with a minor in November 2006 in an Amman neighbourhood.
The tribunal declared Khalid I., a Zarqa resident, guilty of engaging in sexual activities with his 17-year-old female relative 83 […]

I have the pleasure of working with one of the best photographers and graphic designers in Jordan, Faridon Abida. He’s not only the friendliest person you’ll ever meet, but also the warmest and funniest. It’s been great watching him design away these past few months, often times burning the midnight oil as he clicks away […]

Would you think it odd if Hafiz said,
“I am in love with every church
And mosque
And temple
And any kind of shrine
Because I know it is there
That people say the different names
Of the One God.”
?
Would you tell your friends I was a bit strange
if I admitted I am indeed in love with every mind
And heart and body.
?
O, […]

Emad Hajjaj does, what I personally consider, the best social commentaries on Ramadan in the Arab world, especially in Jordan. They portray Jordanian society in all its aspects. From the workplace environment with the angry boss who hasn’t had a cigarette, to setting new working hours according to who’s fasting and who’s not, to the […]

“There’s hidden sweetness in the stomach’s emptiness.
We are lutes.
No more, no less.
If the soundbox is stuffed full of anything…
no music.
If the brain and belly are burning clean
with fasting, every moment
a new song
comes out
of
the
fire.
- Jelaluddin Rumi (1207 - 1273)

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Mark Glaser recently interviewed our friend Ramsey from 7iber, which was quite an honor I think. However, the piece got me thinking about the state of citizen journalism in Jordan; both in terms of its successes and failures. In the comments section of Marks’ post, Ethan Zuckerman co-founder of Global Voices, noted that 7iber is […]

It seems Ramadan is on Thursday! So, to all the readers of The Black Iris, Ramadan Mubarak to you and your families! May Allah (swt) accept your fasting!
I have a few interesting posts on Ramadan coming out both on this blog and on 7iber, so watch out for them this month!
p.s. easy on the qatayef!
p.p.s […]

Elections just got a bit more interesting…
Jordan’s first woman MP to run in November vote
AMMAN — Jordan’s first woman MP said Sunday she would stand in November’s parliamentary election, five years after a military court sentenced her to jail for accusing officials of corruption.
Tujan Faisal, 58, who served in parliament from 1993 to 1997, […]

It’s strange.
The whole world marks 9/11 like an international day of tragedy.
For me, every year, 9/11 has come to mean a feeling of sympathy for the 3,000 innocent lives that were lost on that day.
But as the years pass on, that feeling has been eroded, if not almost entirely replaced, with the overwhelming sympathy […]

Global Voices: It’s September. The weather is still wonderfully warm, while the cool air moves swiftly between trees that are preparing to shed their leaves. Ramadan is just around the corner and there’s a lot to talk about on the Jordanian blogosphere. However, it’s only right to start with the biggest story; the one that […]

It’s a complex formula, but nevertheless, it has constantly come up in various political debates on the social level. Let me pose it in the form of a question: with all that’s happening in the Arab world, why don’t the Gulf countries do something with all that oil money they have? From Palestinians under […]

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