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Conflict in Mecca: The Prophet Muhammad and Soft Power
Featured

Conflict in Mecca: The Prophet Muhammad and Soft Power

Juan Cole

I believe that the earliest source we have for the life of the Prophet is the Quran itself. And I believe the Quran is early.

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“Into this Universe:”  Heidegger and FitzGerald’s The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám 1:29

“Into this Universe:” Heidegger and FitzGerald’s The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám 1:29

12/14/2025 By Juan Cole

“Identity is never fixed:” Interview with Iranian-American Artist Soraya Sharghi

“Identity is never fixed:” Interview with Iranian-American Artist Soraya Sharghi

12/14/2025 By Global Voices

More Stories

Iraq
A Tale of Two Insurrections:  Syria, Iraq, and American Security

A Tale of Two Insurrections: Syria, Iraq, and American Security

Both Iraq and Syria saw massive violence on Sunday. But there is a key difference between the two, and therein lies a cautionary tale for […]

Juan Cole

Omar Khayyam
Omar Khayyam (307) “clerics drink the people’s blood”

Omar Khayyam (307) “clerics drink the people’s blood”

I am busier than you are,  cleric of the faith! And, despite my drunkenness,  I’m soberer than you. I drink the blood of the vine, […]

Juan Cole

Afghanistan
Dear Mitt: *You* Don’t Get to Say That

Dear Mitt: *You* Don’t Get to Say That

Dear Mitt Romney: Your so-called Medicare reform is just a way of shifting health expenses from millionaires (whose taxes you want to lower) to middle […]

Juan Cole

Omar Khayyam
Omar Khayyam (233) “The sun has lassoed rooftops with its rays”

Omar Khayyam (233) “The sun has lassoed rooftops with its rays”

The sun has lassoed rooftops  with its rays, and  the king has splashed  the light of day into my glass. Have some wine, for passionate love  […]

Juan Cole

Uncategorized
NASA Explains how We Caused the Hottest Decade and are generally screwing ourselves over (Video)

NASA Explains how We Caused the Hottest Decade and are generally screwing ourselves over (Video)

NASA’s 5-minute video explains why the last decade has been the hottest ever (we did it) and what climate change means for our hot, thirsty […]

Juan Cole

Libya
Libyans say CIA Tortured Them (Ross)

Libyans say CIA Tortured Them (Ross)

Alice Ross writes at the Bureau of Investigative Journalism President Bush and his CIA director Michael Hayden have each claimed that the US has in […]

Juan Cole

Omar Khayyam
Omar Khayyam (172) “A passion for heavenly goddesses”

Omar Khayyam (172) “A passion for heavenly goddesses”

I hope my mind will always be consumed  by a passion for heavenly goddesses, and that my hand will always  cradle the juice of the grape. They […]

Juan Cole

Uncategorized
Dear Democrats:  If you do That you have to do This

Dear Democrats: If you do That you have to do This

Dear Democratic Party: If you bring Gabby Giffords to say the Pledge of Allegiance, you have to bring up the issue of gun control somewhere […]

Juan Cole

Uncategorized
Top Ten Ways we are Better off than in January 2009

Top Ten Ways we are Better off than in January 2009

It is breathtaking impudence that Republicans should try to campaign on whether we are better off than were were in the last six months of […]

Juan Cole

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