News

An esoteric Muslim Vatican could become the world’s next country
Despite their small number, the Bektashis are set to form the world’s newest country — a first-of-its-kind Islamic microstate ...
Smithsonian Magazine16h
The Hidden City of Myanmar
Hermis / Alamy Stock Photo It is said that Man Pa ... the ordination hall, consecrated for ritual ceremonies such as the upasampada, the undertaking of an ascetic life in the manner of the ...
La Croix2d
What happens during the last 10 nights of Ramadan?
(Photo: Daoud Riffi / Facebook ... and marital relations from dawn to sunset. According to the Sufi scholar Sarrâj (who died in 988), this allows a sincere faster to participate in God's ...
Hebdo Ahram4d
Alexandria — the City of Saints
The holy month of Ramadan was typically high season for thousands of devotees flocking from Alexandria and other governorates to visit the shrines of Sufi saints in quest of blessings in a ritual ...
China Daily Global Edition38m
Four Xinjiang festivals for travelers
Also called the Sacrifice Festival, the Corban Festival is the second of the two main festivals Muslims celebrate alongside ...
The Hindu6d
A sacred grove that is a storehouse of rare fauna and its strong bond with residents
The deity, Veeranan, is very powerful and to keep the place where he resides sacred, various rituals and taboos are being followed, they say. “We have kept the place safe for ages and we will ...
Photos of vivid Buddhist celebration in Thailand that’s a rite of passage for Shan boys
The Poy Sang Long celebration is a vibrant three-day ritual before boys of Myanmar's Shan people enter monastic life for up ...
Udupi Sri Krishna Math bans wedding photoshoots around temple to uphold sanctity
Udupi Sri Krishna Math bans wedding photoshoots to maintain temple sanctity amid rising concerns over inappropriate conduct of spiritual atmosphere.
Associated Press of Pakistan2d
Artists perform a Sufi dance during Punjab Culture Day’s celebrations organized by the Punjab Arts Council Faisalabad Division
Serving the nation since 1947 by providing an accurate, objective, uninterrupted flow of news to the people, the national news service is pursuing a comprehensive strategy to transform the existing ...
Associated Press of Pakistan6d
The shrine of Sufi saint Madhu Lala Shah Hussain in Lahore was decorated with colorful lights to mark his 437th birth anniversary
Serving the nation since 1947 by providing an accurate, objective, uninterrupted flow of news to the people, the national news service is pursuing a comprehensive strategy to transform the existing ...
Staten Island Advance5d
Staten Island’s Jewish community observes pre-Passover bread burning ritual at 2 bonfire sites (20 photos)
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — The drizzle didn’t douse the flames as hundreds of members of the borough’s Jewish community came out for the pre-Passover tradition of bread burning, or Biur Chametz ...
familydestinationsguide4d
The Tiny But Mighty Town In Illinois That Most People Don’t Know About
Local markets transform Marion’s parks into bustling community crossroads where handmade crafts and just-picked produce create the perfect Saturday morning ritual. Photo credit: Enjoy Illinois The ...