From Muslims for Progressive Values:

We at MPV have issued a statement in support of gay marriage (along with other people of faith) which will be featured in the press release as well as in the application to file an amici brief by the California Faith for Equality. Our statement is:
 

... lives.

That’s the first reaction I had to a piece a young friend of mine who lives and works in Hyderabad sent me. I have been wondering what I can say about recent events in that city, and just as when "my city" was burning, or when a sister city burnt across the sea, I was in pain, this young writer has had to deal with what he has always described as a stab to the heart of the place he loves dearly. And now, he has captured his feelings in a way that is too beautiful not to reproduce in full here; it is the same spirit that has led to great and noble things in that region of the world—from the Taj Mahal, to the deepest, most profound sufi poetry in the world. And it is uplifting to see it alive in those younger than oneself. Here is Manzoor‘s piece:

The Sultan’s Prayer
Hyderabad is a multi-religious and multi-cultural abode for millions of people, and this is not any recent phenomenon. Multiculturalism is the very foundation of this great city. It is said that some 400+ years back, Prince Quli Qutub Shah of the Qutub Shahi dynasty fell for the beautiful Bhagyamati and rebelled against his father, the King, to marry her. On becoming King himself, he bestowed upon his beloved Bhagyamati the title of ‘Hyder Mahal’. It was this romantic and chivalrous king who—like the emperor who created the more famous monument to love in Agra—built a whole city on the banks of river Musi, and named it after his beloved wife.

That is how Hyderabad happened.
...

I have to admit, I have always thought that the opening lines of the "The Lord's Prayer" often repeated by a lot of Christians (or is just a Catholic thing?) have a very elegant sound to them—especially when chanted gently and in unison by a bunch of people—kinda like the "Ameen" one hears at the end of the Fatiha in congregations with enough Malikis in it (who tend to say it out loud, unlike most Urdu speakers, who usually follow the Hanafi school of Islamic practise):

Holy Father, who art in heaven
Thy kingdom come
Thy will be done
On Earth
As it is in heaven…

So, don't ask me how, but I stumbled on this a littel while ago and have been meaning to post it here; it's a page with the The Lord's Prayer in Urdu, together with a translation of "Ave Maria", the Catholic prayer to Bibi Maryam, The Virgin Mary, the formulation of the Trinity, and a couple of other things:

http://www.christusrex.org/www1/pater/JPN-urdu.html

Here's the prayer itself:

I have never actually heard it being chanted in Urdu. I wonder if it sounds anywhere near as sonorous; Urdu is a rather mellifluous language generally, so maybe it does…maybe some of the folks who were pillorying me on a list I am on for (they thought) being averse to any mention of Christianity and Pakistan in the same breath can help with that…

Technorati tags applicable to this post: Urdu – Christianity – [Pakistan] – India

I regularly watch Fareed Zakaria on

foreignexchange.tv

A diplomat from Saudi Arabia joins us to discuss the state of reform in his country.

We’ll show you a story you have to see to believe: A Mexican theme park is turning border-jumping into tourist dollars.

And Bjørn Lomborg of the Copenhagen Consensus argues that the environment is not where we should be spending our money. He tells us what we should focus on instead.

and also

Religion and Ethics in World News on PBS television

I had a meeting with the khatib (preacher) whom I criticized two Fridays ago after he said we had to give da'wa to stay in American. Problem solved and I think we understand each other better. We're actually more alike than otherwise and despite the Salafiness of that statement, he's anything but that. Don't worry; I know enough not to be hoodwinked and he's sincere in what he does.

Anyway… one of the other guests at his home today does a lot of interfaith work, especially with the local Jewish community. My wife likes this sort of interfaith work, and I'm fine leaving her as the family representative for such functions. I think I'm more secularist: let's all get along under the shared rubric of a secular society. I'm willing to let everyone do thier own faith; I'm not necessarily interested about learning thier faith since I already have one I like. Shortsighted? Maybe, but I got my own bubble to maintain.