Global Voices Online

Saudi Jeans reports on a sheikh who has spoken about the permissibility of celebrating birthdays and anniversaries, viewed by more conservative religious leaders as un-Islamic.

Bahraini blogger Garden of Sands, currently living in the USA, is surprised to discover from a co-worker that Bahraini women do not work: ‘Nope, not a single one of us. Not only do we not want to, we surely don't need to. Why? Because we are all sitting on oil fields.'

Egyptian blogger Whisper of Madness explains an absence from blogging, and reflects on the Middle East blogosphere: ‘Believe me, the faults and flaws of the Middle East are staunchly reflected in our blogging community, often times by the same people who speak out against them. The politics, the backstabbing, gossiping, bigotry, jealousy, extremism, cynicism, and even the tribal mentality are all well represented.'