Mideast Culture

Divine Will and Human Freedom

Shakespeare writes: “Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and others have greatness thrust upon them." This pretty much sums up the role of the three groups of factors that shape human destiny: heredity, human effort, and environment. This also echoes what Scriptures would tell us.

Influenced by Muslim traditions and Muslim and Christian scholars and theologians, Muslims and Christians widely believe that God predestines the fate of human beings – how long they live, how they live, what fortune or misfortune they enjoy or suffer in life — no matter what they actually do during their time on earth. But if this were true, as I concluded in an earlier article, the whole case for religion that makes man responsible for his actions would crumble. Destiny plays a part in human life, but man largely shapes his own destiny.

Ramadan in Style: Dubai Dazzles with Local Designers

With Eid ul-Fitr being just a few weeks away, Dubai buzzed with activity as fashion fanatics prowl the malls for designer clothing, limited edition bags, and timeless jewelry pieces. Fortunately, their quest was pleasantly rewarded with the launch of the Eventra Ramadan Fair on July 25th. Located at the newly opened Sunset Mall, the annual three-day event hosted exclusive designs from Dubai’s favorite local designers and brands, including The Ahlis, Neon Edge, The Puppet Show, and Garderobe.

Style, Translated: Neon Pop

Neon jolted the runway last year and is still going strong in 2012. High fashion designers weren’t afraid to show couture and sportswear in dizzying hues of highlighter colors on the ramp, sometimes even going overboard with pairing sharp contrasts of neon together for a full-on look. The versatility of this trend is that there is no threshold of it being over the top, or being too understated. You can wear a neon statement necklace for a pop of color, or dress head to toe in striking hues of neon for maximum impact. The neon trend can also be incorporated with other trends this season, color blocking, floral, and peplum.

Style, Translated: Summer’s Bottoms are in Full Bloom

We are excited to launch our coverage of Mideast related Style here at Aslan Media.  Just as Art and Music are undeniable markers of culture, world perspective, and individual experience, so, too, does Style function as an outward expression of internal life. It blends a variety of stories and visually builds bridges. We want to make this everyday carrier of self-expression and creativity an ongoing conversation for our readers. “Style, Translated,” is a weekly new feature that will take a look at international fashion trends and how Middle Eastern countries are translating these trends into their fashions.

From colored denim to printed pants, it’s bottoms up for 2012. On and off the runway and around the world, floral pants are quickly becoming the season’s hottest item, with designer collections such as Prabal Gurung, Richard Chai Love, Alexander Wang and others incorporating the trend in silhouettes ranging from cigarette pants to wide-leg trousers.

Green Muslims: Nurturing Faith and Nature

Environmentalism has taken root in many Muslim communities but it remains a marginal issue for discussion at the pulpit. Most imams in America, pressed about the importance of ecological themes in Islam, usually offer a polite nod: “Of course brother, Islam respects nature; God’s creation must be valued; Cleanliness is essential and part of our ritual.” Such vacuous platitudes are very common but when it comes to the serious task of educating our children about ecological ethics, there is rarely any attention given.