Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with islam

Is there such thing as Islamic Caroling?

small_ruminant — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 16:43:43 -0800

What non-Christian religions and cultures have traditions comparable to Christmas carols and caroling? I'm looking for holiday traditions in which everyone sings along. Bonus points for anything Muslim.

This is a general question, but what brought it up is that an adult education class a friend teaches sings Christmas carols as an optional, after-class activity. Some of the students are Muslim or Black Muslim and they either come along for the fun or just don't stay for the carols.

Book explaining Islam?

edbyford — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 17:10:41 -0800

What's the best book for obtaining an overview of Islam (and its attitudes towards 'Western' culture)? My girlfriend has recently been reading a book about Muslims and the effects of their westward migration. It's sparked some really interesting debates between us, but I do think that the book she's reading is a little one-sided.

The book in question is Hurra, wir kapitulieren! (my girlfriend is German). The main argument of the author seems to be that we in the west compromise our ideals to suit Islamic beliefs (he cites a German orchestra who had to make their women wear burqas for a concert in Iran) but that Muslims would not compromise theirs if put in a similar situation. He also seems to assert that no Muslim leaders have denounced terrorist attacks. I am not posting this here to incite a discussion, rather to give you an idea of what issues the book raises.

For Christmas I would like to give my girlfriend a better, more balanced book, which could act as counterpoint to the above.

Any suggestions? It would be great if the book were in German (as this makes it less stressful for my gf to read) but all suggestions are gratefully received.

Paper Topic on Iran?

howgenerica — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 11:14:12 -0800

What's an interesting aspect of Iranian society/ Shi'i Islam that would lend itself well to a 10 page expository essay? Nothing too controversial - my professor is Iranian. Just something interesting to write/ learn about. It has to be pretty specific. Thanks for suggestions!

The Truth about Honor Killings?

madmamasmith — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 02:03:48 -0800

I am looking for some truth about honor killings...and some insight or clarification rather on Obama's agenda concerning Islam. I am not that well read or educated. I don't have the patience for print and can't sit through a news program without feeling ill and switching it to a 30 Rock rerun. However, I am a googler and a stumbler by trade. I stumbled upon a website called atlas shrug

by blogger Pamela Geller today and read page after page about "Honor Killings" that are happening as we speak, right here in my home state of Texas. I was baffled and bewildered and outraged. As I read on I discovered that Ms. Geller is a conservative, right wing, "anti-feminist" in her own words). She goes on and on about Obama and his worldwide Muslim conversion etc. When I googled "honor killing" to find out more, all the sites were conservative, talking about how the leftists are letting the muslims get away with murder for fear of being called racist etc. So I am just a little confused as to why the conservative right has latched on to the "honor killing" tragedy and is there some truth to Obama's preoccupation with Islam?
Let me end with saying that regardless of her political affiliation Ms. Geller's blog about honor killing was an eye opener and whether she is using it as a ploy to push her conservative agenda or not, this is a horrible horrible epidemic and I am shocked I haven't heard more about it. I had not heard of the killing of those two texas teenagers until tonight. Lewisville is practically in my backyard. But wherever is it, It needs to be addressed as a serious and horrific issue

Book about Islam and intellectualism, what's the title?

divabat — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 20:13:10 -0800

I'm trying to find a book about Islam and intellectualism. I can remember the cover, and the content - but not the title or the author. Gah! The book was written by a Pakistani based in the UK. The book starts off with him explaining how he often has to fend off the people from the nearby mosque that always want to recruit him and a family member, but one time he decides to say "Yes" to see what they're about.

This leads him to an international journey about different ways Islam manifests itself around the world. He's more concerned with how people use their interpretations of Islam for political gain. There's a section about how Saddam Hussein was part of a political party that wanted Arab unity without concern for religion, and an encounter with a friend/relative in Iran who gets frustrated with his questions.

Later on in the book he details his experience of running an Islamic intellectualism magazine/organisation in Kuala Lumpur that lasted a few years, but then things like race riots and 9/11 made it really difficult to push through a more rational and intellectual view of Islam. There was some talk of revisiting questions about science, humanism, and so on through the eyes of Islam. Anwar Ibrahim gets a mention.

The cover is white; it may have had a mosque and some greenery on the bottom border. The title (which probably didn't have the word "Islam") was likely
vertically
aligned
like
so.
It was published sometime after 2002-2003. It's non-fiction but not a textbook.

I got this book from our local library last year but they don't keep borrowing histories and I couldn't find it on their catalogue. Amazon, Google Books, Barnes and Noble, and even Twitter friends can't find it. It was originally meant to be just a throwaway cite, but now I've become even more motivated to find the book. Can you help?

Islam and Evolution?

scrute — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 05:23:10 -0800

I've recently started learning more about Islam, and it intrigues me. But I had a conversation today with my muslim boyfriend in which he was adamant that he can't be muslim and believe in evolution. I'm okay with agreeing to disagree, but it's got me thinking. I've known many muslims who are scientists, and who would take no issue with evolutionary biology - how do they reconcile the two? For the record, my feeling is that the two aren't mutually exclusive, but I don't yet know enough about Islam to explain how it's possible to believe both.

I'm a bit worried that this might become a bigger issue. I don't expect to change his mind, but I need to show him that just because I believe in evolution doesn't mean I'm an atheist - probably the worst thing I could be in his eyes and something I am definitely not.

Help me understand how to explain this!

Is it okay for an athiest to be a Muslim?

dydecker — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 11:54:05 -0800

My close friend is converting to Islam. Do you think he's doing the right thing? This is a sticky situation. Basically it's a shotgun marriage. He got his girlfriend pregnant, and now he has to get married, which is understandable given the circumstances I suppose (although it's not really ideal because he's really a liberal Westerner who wouldn't mind bringing up the kid out of wedlock). Okay, so that's one compromise, and I have no problem with it, but he's also living in an Islamic country which has a law which says that Muslim women cannot marry non-Muslim men so he has also agreed to publically convert to Islam to please the inlaws.

My problem with this is that he's actually an athiest, and so it seems hypocritical of him to publically come out and say he's a Muslim, when in fact he is nothing of the sort. Aside from the ideal of standing up for what you (don't) believe in, my gut feeling is that this is a bad idea because it will have weird consequences down the road for his family, kids, etc. It seems like it's one compromise too far and he should make a stand - say to his girlfriend "okay, let's keep the baby. I'll even get married, but I'm not going to pretend to believe in anything just for the sake of appearances."

His fiance knows it's a sham but his inlaws don't.

Anyway, he asked me what I thought and I told him, but I wasn't very convincing. Obviously I'm concerned about him screwing up his life by doing something which seems to solve his short term problems and meet social obligations, but in the longterm might be a recipe for unhappiness.

Am I right to be worried about this? I feel very sorry for him, and wonder whether he's doing the right thing.

metafilter, how does Eid work?

clockzero — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 12:36:15 -0800

How does Eid work? For my girlfriend, who is a photographer: I would like to know more about the practice of observing Eid. If Eid is officially Tuesday of this year, does this mean people go to mosques on Tuesday morning, Tuesday evening, or Wednesday morning? I'm sure many people go to pray more than once, but I want to take photos of the moment when most people are going to the mosque. Any additional information about Eid - especially about how Eid is observed in Africa - would be very appreciated.

Should I stay or should I go?

Anonymous — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 10:19:56 -0800

Two people like each other, but never at the same time. Is it worth waiting for her? I'm from South Asia, as is the girl I'm interested in.

We first met in 2004. After that, we IM'ed and talked on the phone quite a bit. She was really into me, but I was dealing with major depression at the time and didn't feel like I would be a good husband to her.

In 2006, she got engaged to another guy, and they got married in July 2007. Her ex-husband was abusive and a cheater, and they separated in August 2007. I had a fiancee at that time too, but that relationship broke up in February of 2008.

After my breakup, I called this girl and we picked up right where we left off. We'd talk on the phone for hours. I broached marriage to her (we're both Muslims and can't culturally date). She says she's not ready to be married again (understandable), but that when she is ready, I'm her first choice.

So, my question is: Should I wait?

I'm going to be 30 this year and feel like time is slipping away. She's only 25, so she has a while. I really like this girl. We're compatible. We have great conversation. My mom loves her. I just don't want to end up sitting around for 10 years waiting for her to get ready. It's a real dilemma.

Religious MeFites: help educate a nonbeliever.

Anonymous — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 05:25:19 -0800

After living most of my life in a secular bubble, I've been asked to fill in as a producer for a religion-focused public radio show. Religious folk: please help me to do the best job I possibly can. What's going on in your religion or faith community right now? And what should I, as a secular humanist journalist, know in order to broadcast respectfully about your faith? (anonymous because my question relates to my job and employer, which could be identified from my posting history) The show I'll be working on isn't quite religious broadcasting - it's journalism directed in the general direction of all religions and their effects on society. I have a decent grasp of comparative religion and philosophy, but I have no personal experience of religious faith and my knowledge of current religious issues could use a boost.

So please, educate me.

What is it like to be religious where you live? What are members of your religion discussing amongst themselves? What are they concerned about, arguing over, celebrating or commemorating? What mistakes do you wish dumb journalists would stop making about your faith?

I don't want this question to devolve into chatfilter, so let's try to stick to identifying current religious issues rather than actually debating them. I'm interested in everything from the biggest of church schisms to the smallest of local initiatives. Atheists are welcome to chip in, but I'm most interested in hearing the personal experiences of religious people.

I'd also rather not discuss whether I should be doing this at all - I've taken it on as a responsibility and I intend to make sure I do a damn good job.

What should I eat in the morning?

reenum — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 08:50:06 -0800

RamadanFilter: I'm fasting and I need to know what to eat so I'm not ravenous and faint by the sunset. I've been fasting for the last week and have been able to keep it up pretty well.

The one problem I'm having is with what I should eat in the morning. I've been trying to eat what I would normally eat during the day, but I find it's not enough. I drink plenty of water, but my blood sugar seems to dip really low by the end of the day.

I've been eating roast beef sandwiches, waffles, grapes, and turkey bacon. Sometimes I switch out the waffles for oatmeal.

So, I need suggestions as to foods that will keep my blood sugar up, or at least not make me feel as hungry.

Muslim life in the USA

McBearclaw — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 21:08:00 -0800

What are the best films and books on the Muslim experience in America? My girlfriend is taking a class in which she is supposed to pair off with a culture other than her own for a couple of months - get to know the culture, get to know members of said culture, etc. She's chosen Muslims - specifically, Muslims living in America.

Phase One is just watching a couple of films about that culture. What are some of the best films and books (and frankly, any other media I'm not thinking of here) about the experiences of Muslims living in America? Could be Arab, Iranian, Bosnian, Asian, plain old American gringos - the only critical part is that they need to be Muslim. Come to think of it, a work that explores the differences between the different ethnicities of Muslims would be ideal.

I bow to your wisdom. Thanks in advance.

First Ramadan Single - what now?

burhan — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 23:33:54 -0800

Single Muslim Father. First Ramadan without wife to help make food in the morning or with 'fun' ideas for the kidlets. Help! After 13 years of marriage, I find myself in the position of being single and having sole custody of my three children, and facing my first Ramadan.

We always had some traditions - decorations, etc. that we'd do. Now, half a year after the separation, and Ramadan is upon us.

I have no idea what to do to make Ramadan fun - honestly, after 13 years alone, I'm not sure how I'm going to get through this. What traditions can I start? What can I make for breakfasts for my kids (all under 11) that will fill them up, but not grind the morning to a halt?

Ideas?

Where can I get the Islamic equivalent of Jewish Literacy?

parkbench — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 18:45:37 -0800

Where can I get the Islamic equivalent of Jewish Literacy? I've been working my way through some literature on Abrahamic religions and I've found Jewish Literacy indispensable. Now I'm wondering if I can find a similar sort of thing about Islam--quick deconstruction of notable events in the Qur'an and breakdown of important historical figures/movements.

Any suggestions?

What does (swt) stand for?

deadmessenger — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 13:48:12 -0800

Recently, I left a job. One of the responses I got to my "goodbye" email was a beautiful and touching message I received from one long-time colleague, an American-born Muslim. In his email, he said "May Allah (swt) bless you and your family. I will keep you guys in my prayers." In this context, what does the (swt) stand for? And, what would be a culturally-appropriate response? I was thinking something along the lines of "Assalam Aleikum, my friend.", but didn't know if that was really appropriate coming from a non-Muslim (raised Catholic, now more of an agnostic). This person is someone I've mentored for many years now, and his email really moved me. I really want to make sure I get this right.

Regions of the world that have only recently converted to Islam?

thewalrus — Mon, 26 May 2008 15:56:04 -0800

IslamFilter: I'm looking for examples of regional cultures/ethnic groups within the present-day Ummah that were bypassed by the expansion of Islam. For example, most of the people of the mountainous and hard to access Nuristan province of Afghanistan only converted to Islam ca. 1890. Prior to that it was known to everyone outside Nuristan as "Kaffirstan" (land of the unbelievers/infidels). This could be due to geographic reasons, like Nuristan, a pre-existing particularly strong local animistic religion, or other factors. Can anyone offer links to research papers or other analysis of regions where this phenomena has occurred?

Does anyone have information on how the practice of the faith differs in regions that have only recently converted to Islam en masse?

I've read that some local customs and cultures have been incorporated into South American / Upper Amazonian Catholic rites. There's murals of Jesus eating a dinner of roast Guinea Pig at some churches in Peru. Is there a parallel phenomena at work in other parts of the world?

Why would a Muslim man use henna to dye his beard orange?

The Straightener — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 19:22:42 -0800

Why would a Muslim man use henna to dye his beard orange? I've googled on this a little but the responses are so varied and the sources so specious that I'm hesitant to trust them. Specifically, I met with the head of a local black Muslim Masjid today and his beard was dyed bright orange around the fringe. What is the significance? I wasn't certain if it was a means of setting himself apart from other members in order to display his leadership role or if there was some more spiritual purpose.

Drinking alcohol in Saudi?

Anonymous — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 08:05:54 -0800

How easy is it for a Westerner to obtain and drink alcohol in Saudi Arabia? I have been offered a 4 month contract in Saudi Arabia. The job sounds good, and, it will be interesting work, however, I am wondering about how difficult it is to obtain/consume alcohol there.

Whilst not a big drinker, I do like to have a few beers to unwind on my days off. I am interested in people who have had practical experience of living and working in Saudi.

I have read the Wiki page on Saudi law and so understand how it stands legally. I don't need anyone to explain to me their views on why it might be a good/bad idea to abstain for a few months. As I said above, I am really interested in views from people who have practical experience of this.

Thanks.

Good introductory books about Islam and Middle-Eastern geo-politics?

aheckler — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 15:21:05 -0800

As a student of international relations, I'm trying to acquire a broad understanding of Islam and Middle-Eastern culture. I'm looking for a few books to read in my spare time that touch on these subjects. More specifically, I'd like to read a few books that offer a broad introduction to Islam, Islamic culture, Middle-Eastern geo-politics, and perhaps U.S. foreign policy in that area of the world. They need not be extremely detailed, just well-written, informative, and not too dry. Ideally, the books I'm looking for are similar to this, but of course much lengthier.

Reza Aslan's No God But God was recently recommended by a friend, but I want to know what the Hive Mind thinks.

Shariamerica

yclipse — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 15:03:55 -0800

The Rowan Williams fiasco brought to mind a book that I read within the last year, but I cannot retrieve it now. In it, a Republican presidential candidate surprises everyone by calling for the adoption of sharia law in the United States. Can anyone help to identify it?

What makes Fridays different in Iraq?

thrako — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 17:54:33 -0800

How would a typical Iraqi's activities on Friday differ from their activities on other days of the week? I understand that mosque attendance will be higher on Fridays, but would trips to markets, restaurants, or other places be more or less common on Friday? Are there major differences between Sunnis and Shiites in this regard? Background: I am studying the Iraq Body Count data, and it looks like there are fewer attacks against civilians on Fridays. This could be because people don't want to carry out attacks on Fridays, or it could be that attacks on Fridays don't make it into the data because the Saturday newspaper is smaller. I am wondering if there is something else that could make attacks on Fridays less likely, such as people staying home with their families after going to the mosque. The trip to the mosque could make Friday a better time for attackers, but if people stay home the rest of the day it might counteract the effect

Brokeback Desert

xanthippe — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 03:36:28 -0800

Help me convince the man I love that he doesn't have to marry someone else. I have been in a very satisfying relationship for a year now. I love him intensely and have no doubts that the feeling is mutual. We are a perfect match in every way; I am certain that if we stayed together in the future, we would have a very happy life together. The trouble is that, despite all of this, my boyfriend insists that there is not and will never be a future for us, and it has nothing to do with love.

This relationship is happening in Oman, an Arab country whose culture is extremely traditional in many ways. Marriages continue to be arranged here; love comes afterwards. The enforcement of social norms can be extreme (in my Western view); it’s not Saudi Arabia, but is far closer to Saudi than, say, Syria or Lebanon. One’s status, first in the family, and secondly in the community, is determined largely by perceived conformance to socially mandated ethical laws, which in turn are basically Islamic. In practice, adultery is rife and the only things that matter are money and family/political connections, but my boyfriend is one of the few who are innocent and genuinely good enough to refuse to acknowledge this in spite of not being ignorant of it; he has a strong set of personal ethical values and is truly disappointed that others don’t live up to them, as they mostly appear to coincide with the cultural and religious expectations that apply to everyone here.

Some background about my boyfriend: he comes from a lower-class family and is not very educated; consequently he is very near the traditional end of the narrow cultural spectrum that exists here. Because the culture in Oman is quite anti-individualistic, he does not separate his personal values from culturally-imposed norms, and it is hard for him to understand this notion just because it is so philosophically foreign. Therefore, he conflates his personal desire to be good, honest, and morally sound in every aspect of life with conforming his behavior to rules and ideas that have been enculturated in him. He is not religious at all; although he will still explain that something is “good/bad in Islam”, insofar as he follows Islamic rules, it is because his family and community do, and this is the social interpretation of ‘good’ that has been firmly impressed upon him for his entire life. (He has an intelligent, inquisitive mind which has been conditioned to keep itself well away from these particular areas, and I don’t wish to threaten that security; if I query any of these issues in conversation, I do not present it as a challenge and always do it as slowly and gently as possible.)

In other words, having a girlfriend is a Very Bad Thing for him, despite the fact that he is very happy with me, clearly loves me, and generally acknowledges our ‘haram’ status as often as he prays (which is very close to never). Though he devotes himself to me as much as he is able to, the top priority in his life is concealing our relationship from his family – and finding a wife so that he will please everyone by following the proscribed path in his life. Love marriages are becoming increasingly common among young, educated and/or upper class Omanis, but tradition still has a strong hold on the majority, which definitely includes him and his family. I have casually mentioned mixed couples that I know of, but this does not influence him.

His mother is eager for him to marry, and he would also like to do that soon; however, for this he needs a dowry of about US$10,000 and a furnished home. He has no savings and a tiny monthly salary; I make about 6 times as much as he does and often support him. This imbalance is not an issue for either of us; the point is simply that for economic reasons, he isn’t prepared to marry an Omani woman anytime soon. It would also obviously be to his benefit to marry me for financial gain, but he is utterly unmotivated by this – indeed, this is one of the many reasons I consider him to be a such a catch. He has more integrity than anyone I’ve ever met, and even if I did try to tempt him into staying with me using less-than-honorable means, it would have the opposite affect; I would also never want to do anything manipulative with him, as the trust we share is the foundation of our relationship. Neither of us are very materialistic, and if we did marry, I would happily support him and his family. My love for this man would also compel me to live according to local tradition as much as necessary, including conversion to Islam.

It is a testament to the strength of our connection that we have sustained a serious relationship in this context. He has also shown his trust in me by gradually introducing me to friends and members of his family; the biggest milestone of our relationship was when he invited me to his home to celebrate Eid with his parents and siblings (as his “English teacher”, of course). I now have good relationships with some members of his extended family and visit them on my own, and have started spending time at his family’s home on a regular basis. His sisters, aunts, and most importantly, his mother, all welcome me and give him lots of positive feedback about me. (I am fairly certain that these women are not idiots and therefore have some intuition regarding our actual relationship, though it is not spoken of; for his part, a few uncles and cousins are in on it, but being a man, he inclines to believe it’s only between men and the women are clueless.) I strongly suspect that his family would be accepting and welcome me with open arms if we became engaged.

He still insists that it would be Not Good for him to marry me; he feels he must marry an Omani woman, and that his life would be ruined if anyone ever knew he had a girlfriend. Marriages between Omanis and foreigners – and love-marriages – are not nearly as uncommon as his worldview suggests they should be; however, he thinks that having a traditional wedding, to a bride chosen by his family, is paramount to his success in life and to pleasing his mother. He also says this has nothing to do with whether he loves me or not; he believes his life must follow a fixed course that he has known since childhood, and that he is powerless to change this without losing his moral self-respect.

Thus, he doesn’t allow for even the possibility of a shared future, despite the fact that we share our lives and depend on each other closely. We communicate extremely well, trust each other completely and have had open conversations about these issues, though they became so painful that we have agreed not to discuss it further. One of the reasons I am so convinced of his utter goodness and moral superiority is the fact that he has respected me from the beginning, warning me that there is no prospect for a future with me and telling me that if I cannot handle this, he will insist on letting me go rather than hurting me. I have said that I would rather spend what time I have with him than end our relationship before it's necessary, but the fact that eventually he will get engaged, probably without any warning to me beforehand, is a constant dark cloud over the ecstasy that otherwise defines our relationship.

So, in short, we love each other, I want to continue sharing my life with him, and I think he would realize that he might want the same if he could get past these real or imagined ideas of How Life Must Be according to Islam/his mother/his culture (though it might be the case that none of the above would actually condemn our marriage).

Finally, the question: what can I say or do to change his mind? (I am not trying to trick him into proposing next week and I do not wish to selfishly manipulate him; I just want him to be open to the possibility that eventually he may want to, because I truly believe that neither of us would be happier apart than we are together.)

To clarify, I am NOT asking your opinion on whether it is possible or likely to change his mind. I realize that the answer to that question is probably negative; please don’t fill this page with responses insisting that is the case, as I’m not aiming to increase my level of despair when reading replies to this post. I am also not asking whether you think he will, or should, marry me. What I am asking is, IF there is a way to change his mind about the mere possibility of our future, what might that be? Is there any (ethically acceptable) strategy I can use to reduce my chances of losing the man I love and want to spend the rest of my life with to some anonymous woman he feels he has to marry to fulfill social expectations that may not lead him to a happier life, and that he may not fully believe in or understand his reasons for wanting to conform to?

Who wrote the book of love?

Pants! — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 19:43:26 -0800

Has there been higher criticism (such as the documentary hypothesis) or textual criticism of religions other than Christianity and Judaism?

Haj activities - open all year, 24/7?

Meatbomb — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 15:17:21 -0800

Haj activities - open all year, 24/7? Going around the Kaaba, throwing the stones at the pillar, camping out in the desert - are these things ONLY done during the Haj, or can / do people do this anytime, as the mood strikes them? Would you seem like a heretical freak doing these activities at the wrong time of the year?

If you went and did these things out of season, could you still say you completed the Haj?

religious and capitalist violence in theory

Anonymous — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 17:57:07 -0800

Can you refer me to sophisticated discussions of violence that is driven by hybrid forms of capitalism and religion? You may think it's odd that I'd ask this anonymously; however professionally I'm supposed to know about this, and I'm on the job market. Best, I think, to keep my ignorance under wraps.

Many books (whether you agree with them or not) discuss the propensity of capitalism to engage in violence, as a means or even an end (violence that ranges from subtle alienation effects to global wars of empire).

There are also plenty of books that discuss religious motivations towards violence.

But what books or articles discuss these both? I'm interested primarily in academic publications rather than, say, popular accounts of the subject that you might find in books such as Ben Barber's _Jihad vs. McWorld_.

I really liked Tom Frank's popular _One Market Under God_, and I'm looking for something slightly more scholarly that extends Frank's observation that postmodern neo-liberalism tends to see elements of the divine in market forces, and that discusses how theism and capitalism sometimes (or always) work together to justify violence.

Please cite particular works, rather than just saying "Marx talks about this" or etc. Books or articles that start from or mention Weber's _Protestant Ethic_ might be especially useful. Thanks very much.