British Museum Blogs about Hajj

Read the experiences of a British Museum worker and his wife as they prepare to perform hajj.

http://blog.britishmuseum.org/2011/10/28/altafs-hajj-preparation/

A great introduction to Hajj and in advance of the special Hajj exhibition opening in January 2012.

http://www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/exhibitions/hajj.aspx

As a British Muslim living in london -I love this!

Now here's an idea...Ethical banking, anyone?

Why this suggestion? Do you know where interest comes from? Look it up - the guilt should be just about horrific enough to make you pick up a placard like this yourselves..

Live Traffic

Have you noticed the "Live Traffic Feed" widget at the bottom of my blog homepage? I love it. I always look at it and wonder about the people who visit my blog...I'm going to go ahead and insult you all by saying I think it's extremely rude of you those of you who visit my blog but do not leave comments. There, I said it. Therefore, due to the aforementioned rudeness committed by yourselves, I shall not be offering you tea and biscuits, which are available to my blog visitor-commentators. Here's a snapshot of the people who visit Hijabi in the City and where they are from (and even what they were looking at!)

FEEDJIT LIVE TRAFFIC FEED
A visitor from Solihull
viewed "City Hijabi: I want to Work in a Bookstore!" 3 hours 32 mins ago

A visitor from Dudley
viewed "City Hijabi: Dua for Distress" 11 hours 31 mins ago

A visitor from Leeds
viewed "City Hijabi: **Updated** Where to Buy Hijabs and Jilbabs" 1 day 7 hours ago

A visitor from Groningen
viewed "City Hijabi: Dua for Distress" 1 day 8 hours ago

A visitor from Mumbai, Maharashtra
viewed "City Hijabi: Dua for Distress" 1 day 9 hours ago

A visitor from Omaha, Nebraska
viewed "City Hijabi: Playing with the Tube Maps-if place names were emotions.." 2 days 6 hours ago

A visitor from Malaysia
viewed "City Hijabi: Rain Rain Go Away" 2 days 11 hours ago

A visitor from Kuwait, Al Kuwayt
viewed "City Hijabi" 2 days 18 hours ago

A visitor from Singapore
viewed "City Hijabi: Dua for Distress" 2 days 22 hours ago


Malaysia, Nebraska, India, Singapore wow. I am a keen traveller but I haven't been to any of these countries...Please send for me. I am tidy and don't take up much space. I like tea and books and I will write nice things for you in return for a place to stay and a tourguide. RSVP.

PS where is Groningen?!

I Hate London

Ah, London. I never wanted to live here. You read that correctly. Noisy, dirty, busy, full of rude and pushy people, far too expensive...I never considered London as a place to live. But I found myself moving here without rhyme or reason, and I can honestly say I am now madly in love with London.

I love everything about it! I love the noise, the rush, the underground system. I love the people (who truly are generous, open-hearted, kind and welcoming). I love the sights, sounds and smells and I love the opportunities. London is like no other city in the world.

More on my London-crush later. In the meantime, because I like juxtaposition, here is William Blake's take on London in the 1700s. Blakes poem is a condemnation of a dark and tragic London. Some elements still exist - others not quite in the same form - but read and enjoy. Just remember, the poem is devoid of the immense beauty contained in London, which my blog will detail in due course.

London by William Blake

I wander thro’ each charter’d street,
Near where the charter’d Thames does flow,
And mark in every face I meet
Marks of weakness, marks of woe.

In every cry of every Man,
In every Infant’s cry of fear,
In every voice, in every ban,
The mind-forg’d manacles I hear.

How the Chimney-sweeper’s cry
Every black'ning Church appalls;
And the hapless Soldier’s sigh
Runs in blood down Palace walls.

But most thro’ midnight streets I hear
How the youthful Harlot’s curse
Blasts the new-born Infant’s tear
And blights with plagues the Marriage hearse.





William Blake, 1757-1827

Ramadan Kareem