Word: imam
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...expected to recite after meals asks God to "grant us relief from all our troubles. May we never find ourselves in need of gifts or loans from flesh and blood, but may we rely only upon your helping hand, which is open, ample and generous." Says Shamsi Ali, imam of the huge Islamic Cultural Center on 96th Street in Manhattan: "In this kind of situation, Muslims turn their face to God and say, 'Almighty God, we submit ourselves fully to you, heal us and strengthen us. What you give, no one can prevent, and what you prevent...
...itemize their sins, is that "repentance, prayer and charity can annul" God's harshest judgment. Charity, he notes, can come even from those hit hard by economic blight: "There's a belief that charity from a poor person might be more meaningful than a grand gesture from the wealthy." Imam Ali cites a hadith (a saying of the Muslim prophet) in which Mohammed, in the face of persecution, prays to God, both admitting that his troubles may result from his own mistakes and asking him to "forgive my people because they are ignorant...
...city's star attraction is Imam Square. One of the largest in the world, it was originally built as a polo ground for Shah Abbas the Great, a charismatic tyrant who initiated Isfahan's Golden Age in the 16th century with his patronage of the arts. The south side of the square is dominated by the huge Imam Mosque complex, but it's the smaller Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque with its intricately patterned dome that awes visitors into silence. Look up and you may see a shimmering peacock in the center - a visual effect created by sunlight hitting the blue, white...
...Imam Square is also where you'll find Isfahan's bazaar. Save your rials for miniature paintings, decorative tiles and - if you're feeling flush - a rug or two. When retail overload hits, head deep into the market and get a table at the delightfully clandestine Azadeghan teahouse for a pot of brew and a plate of sweets. Try the nabat (saffron rock candy) or the Moorish zulbia (twirly, deep-fried dough in syrup...
...hills have echoed with the wails of women walking in from the fields. They gather on a patch of open grass before a stretcher made from freshly cut bamboo, bound and laid with banana leaves. On it is a small bundle wrapped in a red and blue blanket. An imam calls the crowd together, asks them to take off their shoes and arranges them in two lines, women behind men, facing east. "Allah Akbar," he says twice. Then four men pick up the bier, easily handling its weight with one arm, and walk a short way to a freshly...