Category Archives: sacred knowledge

New Publications & Reprints

Posted on March 15, 2016 by Ian Whiteman

The Mainstay, a hardback translation of the complete commentary by Ibn Ajiba of The Burda of Busiri, was printed at the end of last year having been designed here in Spain. It was translated by Abdal Aziz Suraqah and published by … Continue reading →

Posted in Comment, language, miscellaneous, Publishing, religion, sacred knowledge, science, tassawuf, typography / design, Uncategorized | 4 Comments

The Wird of the Diwan

Posted on January 10, 2016 by Ian Whiteman

The Wird of the Diwan of Muhammad ibn al Habib, may Allah be pleased with him To anyone who obtained the Diwan of Muhammad ibn al Habib in the last 9 months, published by Editorial Qasida, the pdf freely downloadable here … Continue reading →

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Heterophony and Polyphony

Posted on January 2, 2016 by Ian Whiteman

Heterophony and Polyphony (and the loss of it.) The wholesale and loving embrace by Morocco of the amplified musical event has shattered my illusion that Morocco was a place which understood its traditions. Clearly not. That said, it hasn’t actually … Continue reading →

Posted in Comment, miscellaneous, music, religion, sacred knowledge, typography / design, Uncategorized | 3 Comments

The Diwan: a new translation

Posted on March 16, 2015 by Ian Whiteman

Editorial Qasida is pleased to announce the publication, of  a new translation of the famous Diwan of the great Moroccan Alim and Sufi master, Sidi Muhammad Ibn al-Habib, may God be pleased with him, whom a small group of us first met in … Continue reading →

Posted in miscellaneous, music, Publishing, religion, sacred knowledge, tassawuf, typography / design | 14 Comments

Deadly Typos

Posted on September 30, 2014 by Ian Whiteman

A typo, or typographical error, is a fairly commonplace thing and an inherent danger of the printed word. Historically such errors have at times produced catastrophic and very costly results. The lack of a hyphen in some computer coding cost NASA hundreds of millions … Continue reading →

Posted in language, miscellaneous, Publishing, religion, sacred knowledge, typography / design | 10 Comments

The Sweetest of Music

Posted on August 24, 2014 by Ian Whiteman

       then…..  … and now This post is on a musical subject, so for those whom music is proscribed then look away now. Or maybe not, as you might learn something. I was recently on the west coast … Continue reading →

Posted in miscellaneous, music, religion, sacred knowledge, Uncategorized | 7 Comments

Moronic Iconic

Posted on July 29, 2014 by Ian Whiteman

  I have always thought Jonathan Meades’ scathing criticism of the casual use of the word iconic amply justified. I suspect there are many things he, a well known British writer, critic and film maker, and me, would disagree on, … Continue reading →

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A Meaty Subject

Posted on May 11, 2014 by Ian Whiteman

I’ve given up writing comments on newspaper web sites as a waste of time. It’s just a way of readers, me included, venting their spleen and as currently I can’t think of anything to contribute on my chosen subject of … Continue reading →

Posted in miscellaneous, religion, sacred knowledge | 1 Comment

Mending fences, chasing demons.

Posted on December 17, 2013 by Ian Whiteman

I have just returned from a few days filming in Morocco which was an attempt to revisit the time myself and a bunch of young white English and American men and women first visited a venerable Sufi master and his … Continue reading →

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From Mods to Mecca

Posted on October 25, 2013 by Ian Whiteman

Nostalgia has always been big business. Look how the Victorians ached for a romantic gothic past and the Edwardians for a rapidly disappearing bucolic world with the arts and crafts revival. To find my own past the subject of a … Continue reading →

Posted in music, Publishing, religion, sacred knowledge, tassawuf, Uncategorized | 6 Comments