This collective is dedicated to celebrating the rich tapestry of Islamic culture - from the Moorish heritage of Andalusia to the Sufi traditions of China. It is a place for celebrating the languages, cultures, traditions, musics, and arts of all Islamic peoples. It hopes to show the other side of Islamic countries like Iran, Palestine, Syria, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia - the side rarely shown by Western media. It also aims to dispel the oft-repeated myth of a 'clash of civilizations' and expose those in politics and media who cultivate this myth in order to achieve certain political objectives. Finally, it is a place for discussing the key theological, social, and political issues which dominate the Islamic world: Palestine, Iraq, Chechnya, Kashmir, US foreign policy, British foreign policy, imperialism, democracy, sectarianism, 'terrorism', oil, the Islamic state, Islamic law - interpretation and legal authority, women's rights, minorities' rights, Islamic identity in the West, the public image of Islam, the future of Islam.

From time to time I'll post some important news stories from/concerning the Islamic world which will appear in the comments section of the collective.

If you are interested in joining - and I haven't already invited you - then leave a comment on my page.