Spring

The winter has finally broken. It is great to spend time outdoors. I am finishing up my paper on Harith al-Kadhdhab, the first charlatan to be executed in Islam. I really feel there is something to be said about notions of a proto-prophetology from 'Abd al-Malik onward. I think the arguments for this can be located in the changing conceptions of the what the prophet meant in Sufyanid and Marwanid political theory. It wasn't until Marwanid times that we have the first numismatic and papyrological references to Muhammad as rasul Allah. Anyway, it is yet to be seen if my arguments are any good. I just came back from the library and these things will be on my mind as I go to bed tonight.

I am finishing up my coursework this quarter. It is sort of anti-climatic, actually. I complain about my coursework, but in many ways it is quite fulfilling and it is really a luxury to be a perpetual sponge (in the sense of learning, not otherwise :) Now the real work begins. I hope to take my exams in December. I have lofty goals for the timeframe in which I will defend, but we'll see. The lack of structure is quite daunting. I am looking forward to spending lots of time with S and S.

S and S are doing well. We spent the whole weekend outdoors which was a change of pace. We took pictures on Saturday night. Suraya had her second birthday which passed uneventfully. If she doesn't care, I don't care. Susu, on the other hand, is going to be getting her hair "braided" for the occasion. I will be sure to post pictures.

No summer plans yet. I have funding to go to Iran, but Iran has other plans for us Americans.

Here are a few shots of the girls