Category: Iran

Persian Heroes of the Past: Hafez and the Rise of Mystical Islam

December 20, 2019

Two of my closest friends in college became Sufis after graduating.  This was during a period in the late sixties when religious exploration was at its height, especially religions from the East and Middle East.  Famously, Cat Stevens converted to Islam, after several near-death experiences, in 1977. Although I have never been a religious seeker … More Persian Heroes of the Past: Hafez and the Rise of Mystical Islam

Persian Heroes of the Past: Cyrus the Great and His Wannabees

December 7, 2019

Preface: How many of us have traveled to storied places, like the Egyptian pyramids, the Great Wall of China, the Colosseum, and crossed them off our bucket list, without knowing a lot about their historical or current context?  I must admit to some of that when I went to Ephesus in Turkey.  Even without much … More Persian Heroes of the Past: Cyrus the Great and His Wannabees

Gender in Iran

November 30, 2019

Note:  This second post about my two week trip to Iran is about my impressions of special rules for women under Islamic law in Iran.  I make no claims to be expert in these matters, but since I am female and subject to most of these rules as a tourist, I paid special attention. At … More Gender in Iran