Julian Barnett
Hidden Islamic Sects of Jerusalem, Part 1
Summary
Julian Barnett begins a discussion on the Islamic sects of Jerusalem, focusing on architectural and topographical features. Part 1 of 2.
Julian Barnett
Julian Barnett is a teacher, collector, tour guide, and writer with a specialist interest in ultra-orthodoxy within the various faiths. For the last 35 years, he has been investigating and documenting the most extreme sects of the Christian, Jewish, and Muslim worlds. His experiences and travels were serialized in the Jerusalem Report and also broadcast on BBC Radio Four Religion. Outside of his full-time history teaching post at Southbank International School, Portland Place, London, Julian lectures at numerous venues around the UK and beyond. In 2013 Julian was a joint winner of the National Teacher of the Year Award.
Ooh, difficult question. On paper, yes. But it has all become so political now, that acceptance … that if Muslims publicly accept, that Jerusalem is important to Jews, then Muslims feel that, that then inhibits their claim on Jerusalem. So it’s all been incredibly politicized, since the advent of Zionism, and particularly the state of Israel. And I’m not saying that as a judgement on Zionism, or otherwise. It has become more, and more, and more political as the decades have moved on. On saying all that, on paper, Muslims always recognize, that Jerusalem was a holy Jewish city. And they all, they recognize that Ibrahim … that Judaism is the original monotheistic faith. But it’s all become very, very messy, politically-wise now. So the answer will be, to you Ron, a massively complex question. A wonderful question. And yes and no, in answer to it.