12/23/2005

Brass Crescent Awards nominations thread

UPDATE 1/30/06: Nominations are now closed. Please visit brasscrescent.org for the voting, which begins Friday, Feb 3rd.


On behalf of City of Brass and AltMuslim.com, the nominations thread for the second annual Brass Crescent Awards is now open!

What are the Brass Crescent Awards? They are named for the Story of the City of Brass in the Thousand and One Nights. Today, the Islamsphere is forging a new synthesis of Islam and modernity, and is the intellectual heir to the traditions of philosophy and learning that was once the hallmark of Islamic civilization - a heritage scarcely recognizable today in the Islamic world after a century's ravages of colonialism, tyrants, and religious fundamentalism. We believe that Islam transcends history, and we are forging history anew for tomorrow's Islam. These awards are a means to honor ourselves and celebrate our nascent community, and promote its growth.

The Awards will take place in two phases. First, the nominations phase, where all of you nominate your favorite blogs for each of the categories below. Then, we will have a Finalists' round of voting, to distill the list. Finally, we will have the final voting round.

What is also new this year is that we also would like to solicit your opinion on a new category. In addition to your initial nominations, please also suggest a Category for a Brass Crescent Award that you would like to see. We will add the most popular suggested Category to the Finalist round and invite nominations at that stage.

Here are the revised categories for this year's Awards:

BEST MIDDLE-EAST/ASIAN BLOGGER - The Islamsphere is truly a global phennomenon. In Iraq, despite the chaos and uncertainty, there is a sea change of free speech and expression, the vanguard of which are blogs. There are also bloggers in India, in Pakistan, in Jordan, and most other countries that host muslims, all of whom have their own perspectives on faith, culture, and politics.

BEST GROUP BLOG - which multiple group blog in the Islamsphere has the best diversity of writers and the most interesting debate on Muslim issues?

MOST DESERVING OF WIDER RECOGNITION - Which blog is a true diamond in the rough, one that everyone should be reading but who most just haven't heard of (yet) ?

BEST THINKER - Who is the most stimulating, insightful, and philosophically wise among us? This category is intended to highlight a blogger who may not post daily, but when they do post, they really make an impact.

BEST FEMALE BLOG - The woman's voice in Islam is equal to the man's, and in the Islamsphere we seek to make sure the female perspective is highlighted and given its rightful due. Which muslim woman's blog has done the most to explore the role that women play within Islam and society?

BEST POST OR SERIES - Which single post or group of posts in the Islamsphere was the most original and important, above all the others?

BEST NON-MUSLIM BLOG - Which blog writen by a non-muslim is most respectful of Islam and seeks genuine dialog with muslims?

BEST BLOG - the most indispensable, muslim-authored blog there is. Period.

Note that except for the last two categories, any blog is eligible for any category, including blogs authored by non-muslims. In defining the Islamsphere, we are not relying solely on adherence to the faith, but an affinity for parts of the diverse cultural fabric that Islam embraces and is embraced by worldwide. Please also note that neither altmuslim.com nor City of Brass may be nominated for any category.

Please leave some descriptive text about why you nominate a blog, rather than just leave the URL. Also, please note that we can't really accept a nomination for a blog unless you specify a category.

Link to this nominations page from your own blogs to help promote the Brass Crescent Awards! You can use either logo below, by cutting and pasting the associated HTML code.





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38 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'd like to nominate a rather new blog for Best Female Blog

Pearls of Iraq

Aziz P. said...

BEST MIDDLE-EAST/ASIAN BLOGGER - Aunt Najma, of A Star from Mosul. There are many Iraqi blogs that give a first-hand perspective of what life is like in the most interesting (in the Chinese curse sense) country on Earth. But A Star from Mosul just has a voice that I think most can relate to.

BEST GROUP BLOG - American Footprints, formerly known as Liberals Against Terror. This blog, run by famed blogger/commentator praktike, and mysterious sage mentor Nadezhda, also features contributions from Brian Ulrich and Eric Martin. This is a truly excellent resource for those interested in a truly liberal, freedomist, and honorable American foreign policy. Their analysis of the Iraqi elections has been a superb group effort, with the latest entry by Nadezhda a rich vein of links to previous entries.

MOST DESERVING OF WIDER RECOGNITION - Hujefa Vora MD, and his new blog Around Midnight in the ICU. Hujefa and his wife got some unwanted attention last year during a Cowboy's game, and that incident gave him his first excuse to write. Since then his new blog has only five posts but each one is a gripping and amazing read.

BEST THINKER - Thabet of Muslims under Progress. He's been blogging for years and simply always has something that makes me think, learn, and speculate. He isn't a short essayist by any means - his latest post/book review In Defense of Religion is a scroll-fest of ever there was one. But Thabet takes his time, because good thinking doesn't come in factoid size. There's always a serious and thoughtful disccussion with high SNR on most of his posts as well.

BEST FEMALE BLOG - Umm Yasmin of Dervish blog. Umm Yasmin has not blogged since her State of the Ummah links roundup a few months ago, and hopefully she is well. Her essay on Tampering with the Text, a response to Irshad Manji's assertion that the Qur'an requires editing, was a masterpiece. Hopefully recognition of Umm Yasmin will entice her to return to blogging more actively :)

BEST POST OR SERIES - sepoy at Chapati Mystery, whose series labeled That Terror Thing was the best analysis I have yet seen on the issue of Islamic terror, triggerred by the London bombings. The installments are: London 2005, That Terror Thing II, III, IV.

BEST NON-MUSLIM BLOG - Dean Esmay of Dean's World. Dean is a staunch and principled advocate of freedom - that's why I label him a neo-liberal, not a neo-con. He's always been honorable about encouraging muslims in the West to engage in dialouge and defending muslims from accusations of perfidy, recognizing that the average muslim is an average person first and foremost.

BEST BLOG - Avari/nameh. Of course! He's just too good :) Haroon would be a great pick for most of the Categories above (and in fact last year won a sizable fraction of them). Maybe this year we can just accept that he's the best and leave the other categories for some fresh blood? :)

As for New Category nomination, I choose Person of the Year, which shoudl be a recognition of a single man or woman who has influenced Islam and Islam's relationship to the world the most this year. The Person of the Year need not be a muslim. And the influence need not have been positive!

Aziz P. said...

well, the only gendered category is Best Female; I was worried that without it we wouldnt see any female blogs nominated. Especcially since Haroon is going to kick ass again on the Best Blog category, hands down :)

Please do submit more nominations for teh other categories! you can nominate more than one blog per category, too of course.

thabet said...

salaams

If you don't mind I'll nominate one or two blogs for each category...

BEST MIDDLE-EAST/ASIAN BLOGGER
Asian:
The 3rd World View
There's a lot of excellent South Asian blogs out there, but I like Rezwan's blog; short, sharp jabs from TAFKAEP (The Area Formerly Known As East Pakistan).

Middle-East:
Riverbend
For me, still the best of the various Iraqi blogs that sprouted everywhere. Though does she need a Brass Cescent Award when she has her own publishing deal?

BEST GROUP BLOG
Tabsir
Group blog from academics with experience of research in the ME or Muslim societies.

MOST DESERVING OF WIDER RECOGNITION
Indigo Jo Blogs
Deserves recognition for his detailed responses to any number of hacks in the British print media.

Anarcho Akbar
An ex-anarcho-punk rocker, with a dislike for injustice and authority, a love for goodness and poetry, and a very sharp wit.

BEST POST OR SERIES
Sepoy's "That Terror Thing": London 2005, That Terror Thing II, III, IV. Part III was the best, without question...

I'm glad Haroon re-started his flag-fest: The Colo[u]rs of Algeria.

BEST THINKER
Synaptic Cartography.

SAFSpace.

Both blogs disproving various memes about religious Muslim women. Intelligent blogs both of them.

Yakoub Islam (Anarcho Akbar)
Don't always agree with him, but he's an original and lively blogger.

BEST BLOG
Apart from the obvious nomination for avari/nameh, I would nominate:
Synaptic Cartography. Thoughful and perceptive. Intelligent conversation.

Truth & Beauty
Outstanding. Charming. Delightful. A pleasure to read.

I would agree with Sepoy over the gender distinction. Don't really need it, but I've voted for those categories anyway.

I also think there should be a category for best Arabic or Urdu (or Farsi) blog (or blog which uses said languages alongside English). Perhaps you could call it the Squiggle Award?

There might also be a category for best non-English European language blog; though admittedly entries for these might be few and far between. But anything to try and get away from Muslim Anglophones :-)

And thanks for your nominations, folks.

Leila M. said...

Mkay, here's my nominations:

Best mideast/asian blog: http://shabnamah.blogspot.com/ Night letters from Afghanistan
and also
http://chanad.weblogs.us/ Chanad Bahraini

Best group blog: Ihsan or Hot Coals

Most deserving of wider recognition: Truth and Beauty http://rickshawdiaries.blogspot.com

Best thinker- Me (no, not really). Ok, I suggest Yakoub over at anarcho akbar http://anarchomuslim.blogspot.com/ and Lucky Fatima http://luckyfatima.blogspot.com/.

Best female blog- I'd put Dervish, but she's on hiatus. So I suggest Hu http://hu-islam.blogspot.com/

Best post/series: Baraka's post about HAIR at truth and beauty. For God's sake, we need some humor, and this nearly made me choke on my falafal: http://rickshawdiaries.blogspot.com/2005/10/cheveux.html

Best non-Muslim blog- Juan Cole, again, of course

Best Blog: Sunni Sister (because I can't NOT read it every day, unlike most of the others) http://www.sunnisisters.com/sunnisister/

Suggestions for blog categories, stars next to my favs:

**Best Light/Humor blog or entry
Best writing
**Most creative blog
**Best personal blog
Best political blog
Best organizational blog
**Best youth blog (ie under 18)
Strangest blog

Leila M. said...

oops, also for most deserving of wider recognition- planet grenada http://planetgrenada.blogspot.com/

Brian Ulrich said...

This is more suggested category revision than suggestion, but why not toss West African into the Middle East/Asian category, or even make it a "Muslim-majority nation" category.

thabet said...

A few more nominations:

BEST NON-MUSLIM BLOG
Steve's Pub
Doesn't strictly deal with Muslim issues, but does deal with The Big Questions relating to God, faith, belief, etc (which I hope are Muslim issues). He does so in a thought provoking manner.

Islamophobia Watch
For documenting derogatory and downright stupid claims about Muslims.

There should also be a category for best blog design, so we can all nominate and then vote for Chapati Mystery. And what happened to the best commentator category?

And, err, I obviously didn't actually vote for anything as I said in my earlier post.

B said...

http://munthasir.b-logging.com/

for the following two categories

MOST DESERVING OF WIDER RECOGNITION

&

Best Thinker

Faisal ... said...

Best Middle-Eastern/Asian Blog definitely goes to A star from Mosul

Baji said...

I have not had the opportunity to explore many of these, which I will be sure to after having read these nominations. For best blog, I would suggest Baraks http://rickshawdiaries.blogspot.com/

editor said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Yusuf Smith said...

For best female: Izzy Mo's blog - http://izzymo.blogspot.com

Because this was a Muslimah at the centre of *the* top story of 2005. First hand reporting, that's what blogging is supposed to be about. And great commentary on the US media and academia, from a traditional-progressive Muslim perspective.

For most deserving of wider recognition: Ginny's Thoughts & Things - http://quickgm28.blogs.com/

Because she's posted some very interesting material on such subjects as the Ramadan moon controversy and, most recently, on the subjects of white and disabled "privilege", which nobody bothered to comment on.

For best post: Riots in Cronulla: What's Going On? by Amir Butler: http://www.amirbutler.com/archives/2005/12/14/65

I wouldn't nominate AB for Best Thinker because I disagree with his Salafi perspective, but it's a great analysis (ma sha Allah) of that situation.

Best blog: Sunni Sister - http://www.sunnisisters.com/sunnisister/

What really needs to be said? I had a post of hers for the best post as well (Pops - http://www.sunnisisters.com/sunnisister/?p=838 - about the Arab corner store issue) but there's just so many stand-outs on her blog.

Best Non-Muslim blog: Islamophobia Watch - http://www.islamophobia-watch.com/

Posts links and brief replies to attacks on Muslims in the media from both left and right, and exposing the hypocrisy behind a lot of it. I get a lot of material for Indigo Jo Blogs from there.

JDsg said...

Best Female: Izzy Mo
Best Non-Muslim: Juan Cole's Informed Comment
Best Deserving: Me, me! I want the hits! ;) (And if I can't get at least an honorable mention, I'll also nominate Jihad of Umar.)

Yusuf Smith said...

For best thinker, I'd like to jointly nominate Abu Iman Squires (AKA Mere Muslim) and Qadeeb al-Ban Harris of Mere Islam - http://www.mereislam.info/ - because of their infrequent, but hard-hitting, work in debunking Christian missionaries' and Islamophobes' claims. On counter-missionary work Abu Iman has been in it for well over a decade and he really knows what he is talking about.

Mujahid said...

BEST MIDDLE-EAST/ASIAN BLOGGER
-Abdusalaam
Al-Hindi

-Avari/Nameh

BEST GROUP BLOG
-Sepia Mutiny

MOST DESERVING OF WIDER RECOGNITION
-Steven's Pub
-SAFspace
-Abdusalaam
Al-Hindi


BEST THINKER
-Steven's Pub
-SAFspace
-Abdusalaam
Al-Hindi

-Avari/Nameh

BEST FEMALE BLOG
-SAFspace

BEST POST OR SERIES
-Chan'ad Baharaini

BEST NON-MUSLIM BLOG
-Steven's Pub
-Sepia Mutiny
BEST BLOG
-Abdusalaam
Al-Hindi

-Avari/Nameh

BEST INTROSPECTIVE BLOG (added catagory)
-Dictator
Princess

-Aisha's Blog
-Clearout
-Avari/Nameh

Aaminah Shakur said...

Best Female Blog - http://izzymo.blogspot.com - I don't know how to tell you why. She just rocks. Read it and see.

Best Blog overall - www.sunnisisters.com/sunnisister - In my opinion, really it's the very best blog out there. I read it several times a day and it is absoultely indispensible when it comes to news, thought, debate, links to other things, etc.

MLL said...

I'd just like to add Bannos for "Best Thinker," largely because she typically expresses herself in bright, lucid, and non-confrontational writing.

Mujahid said...

MOST DESERVING OF WIDER RECOGNITION
-Dr Maxtor

BEST POST OR SERIES
-Dr. Maxtor (Honest interviews : Asra Nomani)

Baraka said...

BEST MIDDLE-EAST/ASIAN BLOGGER

Riverbend

Of course.

BEST GROUP BLOG

Ihsan

Wonderful group effort highlighting social justice issues & providing insightful reflections on the Muslim community.

MOST DESERVING OF WIDER RECOGNITION

Ali Mattu

Burning Blue Soul

Intermittent bloggers, but when they post it is always thought-provoking & powerful.

BEST THINKER

Muslims Under Progress

Mind.Body.Soul

I think the question summarizes it all – both of these blogs are ‘stimulating, insightful, and philosophically wise’.

BEST FEMALE BLOG

Moz Boondoggle

Excellent writer & journalist!

Dictator Princess

Because we need to laugh for heaven's sake.

Sister Scorpion

She’s a dynamic, original, funny, intellectual blogger. Incomparable.

BEST POST OR SERIES

Ethincally Incorrect’s series on adoption.

Becoming O-lan Part 1,
Becoming O-lan Part 2 , and
Becoming O-lan Part 3

& my series on faith & illness at Truth & Beauty:

Reflections on Living with Illness

There are few Muslim blogs that deal with deeply personal issues such as illnesses/disabilities, race/class issues, & their impact on faith (or the way they are impacted by faith). I think these series are original, emotionally compelling, & honest.

BEST NON-MUSLIM BLOG

Velveteen Rabbi

Rachel explores faith issues within Judaism so beautifully & probingly, & always extends a respectful & curious hand to Muslims/Islam.

BEST BLOG

SUNNI SISTER

As Leila & others have said - I can't not read it everyday, often a few times a day. She covers every topic out there with opinionated, informed insight & intelligence. She amazes me with the depth & breadth of her knowledge & her blogging diva ways.

***

As for suggestions for other categories - Best Design, Most Humorous, & Most Controversial.

Zahir said...

best blog
Shenaaz.com
Check out her current entries about her relief work efforts in Pakistan. She has a raw emotion to her writing that is refreshing in the blog-o-sphere.

Best non-Muslim blog
www.poplicks.com
This blog by two Asian-Americans dissects the news, culture, and hip-hop, all with a heavy dose of humor.

best thinker:
Avari-Nameh
he is the deepest thinker out. I doubt anyone will debate with that.

best blog deserving of wider recognition:
Svend's White's Blog (http://akramsrazor.typepad.com/)
great commentary on the intersection btw Islam and society and more

best Middle East/Asian blogger
Sepia Mutiny
Is any blog as prolific? This blog is a bona fide power house that can make or break a new musician, artist, etc

best female blog
Shenaaz.com

best post or series
Shenaaz' posts about working in Pakistan

Baraka said...

When does the nomination period close?

Also:

Best Group Blog
http://hu-islam.blogspot.com/

Smart women explroing Islam? It doesn't get much better than this.

Best Post/Series

I concur with Sepoy's nomination for That Terror Thing.

And perhaps a division between personal & political blogs as Leila suggested would be worthwhile, since the latter often outweighs the former on the societal "importance" scale.

Fertile Soul said...

I'd like to nominate From Clay for BEST THINKER Blog. I'd tell you why, but i think it's rather obvious.

http://fromclay.blogspot.com

Yusuf Smith said...

And for best Mid-East/Asian blog, I nominate Nzingha's Soapbox - http://nzinghas.blogspot.com/

Because of its interesting and insightful commentary on Saudi issues from the perspective of a western convert married to a local.

MAHAGURU58 said...

Nomination for MOST DESERVING OF WIDER RECOGNITION:

http://blog.menj.org

He is sharp and critical, I like it.

Nominations for BEST BLOGS:

http://www.bismikaallahuma.org/
http://www.bukanliberal.org

I can't make up my mind which, so I am submitting both :)

MAHAGURU58 said...

I also forget, MENJ's Critical Thoughts (http://blog.menj.org) should also be nominated for Best Middle Eastern/Asian blog. He's Malaysian :)

Unknown said...

i second the suggestion of adding a humour category. Maniac Muslim would be my pick.

Danesh said...

Best blog:
Abdusalaam Al-Hindi

Razib Khan said...

BEST GROUP BLOG - i nominate sepia mutiny because they discuss islam with a respectful if outsider's perspective.

Quest said...

Check out my blog about my quest to find my wife: Muslim Marriage is an unsolved problem in the west. I'm trying to solve it..

Yusuf Smith said...

As-Salaamu 'alaikum,

I propose that "The Religious Policeman" is disqualified, because his blog is not believed to be a real mid-eastern or Asian blog at all. He purports to be a Saudi, but his local knowledge is poor - no Arab would think a person called Farah is a man, for example, as he did. Abu Sinan and a few Arab bloggers have been doing a demolition job on him, to which I have some links here.

Aziz P. said...

Enough.

We wont be getting involved in that blog argument.

If teh writer is not presently writing from the Middle East or Asia, then that is indeed a disqualification for the category in question. The controversy over his identity is irrelevant, and I will delete any further reference to it in this thread.

Yusuf Smith said...

If teh writer is not presently writing from the Middle East or Asia, then that is indeed a disqualification for the category in question.

When he posted as "Sol Rosenblum" to Little Green Footballs, the site owner traced the IP address of the system he posted from to the UK. Discussion of the RP/Rosenblum affair here.

izzymo said...

Salaam alaikum folks and thanks to those who nominated me! :-)

I pick...

Best Female Blog: Sister Aaminah http://writeoussisterspeaks.blogspot.com/

Best Blog: Duh! Like Umm Zee over at http://www.sunnisisters.com/sunnisister/

Best Non Muslim blog: http://www.islamophobia-watch.com/

Best Group Blog: http://hijabimadness.blogspot.com/

Best Entry or Series: Sunni Sister's entries on the Shining Stars of Islam-- http://www.sunnisisters.com/sunnisister/?cat=3

Best Thinker: Mind, Body and Soul--http://www.yursil.com/blog/

Wider Recognition--http://abusinan.blogspot.com/

Best Middle East blog-http://nzinghas.blogspot.com/

Some possible categories for next year--best male blog, best blog template, best Muslim poetry, most artistic Muslim blog (sorry, I gotta represent the visual artists)

Hermit said...

dear all ,

BEST THINKER
MOST DESERVING OF WIDER RECOGNITION
www.silentspring.diaryland.com

this writer has moved many thru his amazing masterpieces, not only that he has a great observation but he pens it all down so well that one can easily relate to every word he writes..

not only that he talks abt personal life , he speaks his mind on everything that constitutes his surroundings, at times making u feel like a true TIME travel.

there is only one liner abt silent spring..."Straight from the Heart"

you would want to know more and more every time u read his post..

Hermit said...

dear all ,

BEST THINKER
MOST DESERVING OF WIDER RECOGNITION
silentspring.diaryland.com

this writer has moved many thru his amazing masterpieces, not only that he has a great observation but he pens it all down so well that one can easily relate to every word he writes..

not only that he talks abt personal life , he speaks his mind on everything that constitutes his surroundings, at times making u feel like a true TIME travel.

there is only one liner abt silent spring..."Straight from the Heart"

you would want to know more and more every time u read his post..


*************************
my apologies to all ,the correct LINk IS ..
silentspring.diaryland.com

Baraka said...

Best Post/Series

A Heavy Truth's Courting Kufr (Pt 1 & 2)

http://aheavytruth.blogspot.com/2005/07/courting-kufr.html

http://aheavytruth.blogspot.com/2005/07/courting-kufr-ii.html

A fanatstic examination of losing your religion & finding your faith.

thabet said...

A late nomination:

Best Thinker
Unwilling Self-Negation

Probably not everyone's cup of tea.