|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
National Geographic Magazine
October 2003 |
|
| Not normally banned in Saudi Arabia, the
October 2003 issue of the National Geographic Magazine was banned from Saudi
news racks for publishing a full length article that the Saudis considered
uncomplimentary to the nation. Speculation was that the glaring contrasts
between the grinding poverty of the nation as compared to the decadent
lifestyles of the 5,000 princes of the House of Saud was too great an exposure
for them to countenance. Even though the Saudi government gave express
permission for the article, the final state approval was withdrawn. The Saudis
also banned a 1987 issue for showing a Saudi female aerobics instructor in her
leotard while conducting a class. |
|
| Related Links: |
 Read it! (National Geographic.com) |
| Saudi Arabia bans issue of National Geographic with article
on country | | |
|
|
|
| | | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Stoning of Soraya M.
by Friedoune Sahebjam |
|
| Friedoune Sahebjam’s novel about the stoning of an Iranian woman by her village for adultery is banned in Iran. According to the book, Soraya’s husband falsely accused her of adultery, which she did not protest, and was sentenced to death by stoning. Soraya’s aunt gave her eyewitness description of the stoning to Mr. Sahebjam. |
|
| Related Links: |
 Buy It! | | |
|
|
|
| | | |
|
|
|
|
| The Bible |
|
| Greatest work of the Jewish and Christian
religions and divided into the Old and New Testaments. Christianity's Bible
contains both sections while the Jewish faith only recognizes the Old Testament.
The Old Testament contains histories and stories of man's interactions with God
and prophesies foretelling the coming of the Messiah. The New Testament
chronicles the birth, life, death, and resurrection of the Christ as related by
his four Apostles, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. It also contains the Acts of
the Apostles, Letters of the Apostles, and the Book of
Revelations. |
|
| Related Links: |
| Buy
It! | | |
|
|
|
| | | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Satanic Verses
by
Salman Rushdie |
|
| Banned in India, South Africa, Egypt,
Saudi Arabia and Iran, Salman Rushdie's The Satanic Verses set off a
firestorm of protest within the Islamic world and a book burning in Bradford,
Yorkshire. According to the New York Times, "Mr. Rushdie's character the Prophet
Mahound resembles the portrayal of Jesus Christ in Martin Scorsese's film 'The
Last Temptation of Christ,' in that Mahound is depicted as having a human nature
and wrestling with temptation. The work is clearly perceived as offensive to
Islam, but what exactly is regarded as insulting has not been spelled out." His
comments on Islam resulted in Ayatollah Khomeini's 1989 fatwa (according to
Merriam-Webster a fatwa is "a legal opinion or decree handed down by an
Islamic religious leader") that called for the death of Rushdie and all those
who published his book. He was eventually forced to go into hiding in London to
escape potential assassins. Although Rushdie now makes public appearances, the
fatwa has never been lifted. |
|
| Related Links: |
| Notes on Salman Rushdie The Satanic Verses
(1988) |
| Buy
It! | | |
|
|
|
| | | |
|
|
|
