Category Archives: religion

Rumi, Rihlas and Other Considerations

Posted on August 11, 2013 by Ian Whiteman

If you are Turkish, Afghan or Iranian, most likely you would consider your ‘bard’ to be Jalaluddin Muhammad Rumi the great poet and Imam who is buried in Konya, the capital of central Anatolia, Turkey. He was born in Balkh, … Continue reading →

Posted in language, miscellaneous, religion, sacred knowledge, tassawuf, Uncategorized | 3 Comments

Translation, Lost and Found

Posted on May 2, 2013 by Ian Whiteman

Above: A page from an as yet unpublished edition of the Shama’il of Tirmidhi. Part One Although my work is principally typesetting books, something previously done by men in inky overalls composing metal type, I do actually read some of … Continue reading →

Posted in architectural, language, miscellaneous, Publishing, religion, typography / design | 1 Comment

Life is Transistory

Posted on December 20, 2012 by Ian Whiteman

The title of this post, a malapropism by an old buddy of mine many years ago, has now strangely become a reality. Little switching devices (ie transistors) like the ones on the left, millions of which are embedded in all … Continue reading →

Posted in language, miscellaneous, religion, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

A Worm in Your Ear

Posted on November 10, 2012 by Ian Whiteman

Ear worms crawl in your ear when you least expect and when you suddenly find yourself singing a melody in your head you didn’t really want to, over and over again. Apparently it is worse if you are musical. Worse … Continue reading →

Posted in miscellaneous, music, religion, tassawuf | 2 Comments

More from Sarajevo 1997

Posted on September 11, 2012 by Ian Whiteman

Bosnian Hafiz Alili recites here (mp3s below) some opening ayats of Sura Rahman which opened the Yusuf Islam concert put on in Sarajevo in 1997 to help promote Bosnian culture in war-wracked Bosnia two years after the war finished. Maybe … Continue reading →

Posted in language, miscellaneous, music, religion, tassawuf, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Flight from the Actual

Posted on July 20, 2012 by Ian Whiteman

I am one of the many who embraced each new technology as it presented itself over the last 50 years. It included multi-track analogue audio recording and phototypesetting in the 1960s, digital audio recording, digital cameras and mobile phones in … Continue reading →

Posted in miscellaneous, music, Publishing, religion, typography / design | 1 Comment

A Complete Dip in the Ocean (and how to get it)

Posted on June 11, 2012 by Ian Whiteman

“Some of the great spiritual music of the world, rarely heard but strangely familiar – its thousand year-old tradition must have influenced a Northern Europe coming out of the dark ages -played and sung here by today’s greatest exponents,this is … Continue reading →

Posted in miscellaneous, music, religion, tassawuf | 7 Comments

Not About Typography

Posted on May 6, 2012 by Ian Whiteman

This isn’t about typography, or music. File under personal jottings. As a confirmed expat, my umbilical link to the old country is through my computer, like probably millions of other expats. Whilst tapping on my laptop a few days ago, … Continue reading →

Posted in miscellaneous, religion, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Ancient Prophets of Arabia

Posted on April 21, 2012 by Ian Whiteman

Following my tradition of announcing books I have worked on, here is a big one. Dr. Mostafa Badawi, (a medical doctor of Egyptian origin), practices as a psychiatrist in a hospital in Medina and is hidden away in that wonderful … Continue reading →

Posted in architectural, language, miscellaneous, music, Publishing, religion, typography / design | 4 Comments

Chocolate Bunnies

Posted on April 12, 2012 by Ian Whiteman

Easter is a strange time of year in Spain. As a puzzled young mother said to me: How do you explain what all the chocolate bunnies, crucifixions and fireworks mean to a two year old boy. How do you? I suggested … Continue reading →

Posted in miscellaneous, religion, tassawuf, Uncategorized | 1 Comment