A drinker's guide to Islam
The Guardian / Khaled Diab
09-Oct-2011 (4 comments)

If I said that we went to an Oktoberfest last weekend, readers may wonder why I am writing about it. If I added that the beer festival in question was in the West Bank and there we encountered a couple of self-deprecating young Germans dressed in lederhosen, some may start asking themselves what I've been drinking, or perhaps smoking.

 

To add to the bizarreness of the situation, this Oktoberfest, the seventh of its kind, took place not in hip Ramallah but in the remote village of Taybeh, perched picturesquely at 850m above sea level and with a population of just 1,500. Moreover, readers in western countries may wonder why thousands upon thousands of revellers had trekked all that way to attend a beer festival with only one beer on tap.

 

Secular Palestinians, expats and even leftist Israelis equipped with glasses of Taybeh beer wandered around food and handicraft stands, watched traditional Dabke dancers, modern music, come... >>>

Simorgh5555

Beer-fest in Palestine!

by Simorgh5555 on Sun Oct 09, 2011 03:26 AM PDT

Good for them. Drink and be merry!

It seems even in Palestinian occupied West Bank has more social freedoms than Iran. I wonder what Ayhatoilet Khamenei will make of Palestinian muslims enjoying a tipple or two? No wonder the IR is opposed to Mahmoud Abbas declaring a Palestinian state in the West Bank; they want to turn it in into an Islamist Shariah hell hole.

To all Palestinians: Cheers. Salam!  



Balatarin
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Veiled Prophet of Khorasan

Alcohol

by Veiled Prophet of Khorasan on Sun Oct 09, 2011 07:29 AM PDT

 

is and has been  a pretty controversial thing all over the world. I am sure you folks know about prohibition. It turned America into a giant organized crime society. Banning it has destroyed a great industry and tradition in Iran.

What you may not know is that Zoroastrian priests banned is for a period of Sassanids. Then decided to allow it in moderation. That is what America also did. Of course it is impossible to impose moderation since once you get alcohol you may drink all you want. But that is really a personal matter and best left to people. What is a shame is Shiraz grapes are from Iran but we don't get to make it. Now it is made in California and Australia. The city of Abarshahr was known for its wine: but no more.  Thankfully Armenians; Jews and Zoroastrians are keeping the tradition alive. The grapes survived, One of the fringe benefits of religious minorities :-) I really hope to see the day wine making is back. In Iran and to enjoy a glass of real Shiraz wine from Shiraz!


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Simorgh5555

Pendar Jan

by Simorgh5555 on Sun Oct 09, 2011 06:58 AM PDT

That is precisely the point. Why should you be deprived of drinking of your beer and I be drinking my champagne in Iran or Palestine because some desert arabs were not able to control their drink 1,400 years ago?


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پندارنیک

Of halal booze

by پندارنیک on Sun Oct 09, 2011 06:48 AM PDT

Had it not been for some misbehaving Beduins in the early days of Islam who went blotto inside the mosque , the moderate consumption of alcohol could have been allowed; then we could have debated the divine meaning of moderation while enjoying my beer and your champagne....

 


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