it’s a basic rule of journalism that any possible connection to pre-Islamic culture or beliefs be played up to the fullest extent possible. It is relentless in Malaysia/Indonesia coverage – usu pretty rare for Gulf news.
It makes me shudder when a serious journalist (if that’s not an oxymoron) translate jinn or djinn as “genie” – there are so many ludicrous Western notions associated with the English term, it barely counts as a serious translation. Perhaps we should exact revenge – I hereby declare that the Urdu translation for Tony Bliar is bay waqoof.
Shams al-Nahar, 
bingregory 6:35 am on July 12, 2009 Permalink
it’s a basic rule of journalism that any possible connection to pre-Islamic culture or beliefs be played up to the fullest extent possible. It is relentless in Malaysia/Indonesia coverage – usu pretty rare for Gulf news.
plimfix 12:22 pm on July 12, 2009 Permalink
It makes me shudder when a serious journalist (if that’s not an oxymoron) translate jinn or djinn as “genie” – there are so many ludicrous Western notions associated with the English term, it barely counts as a serious translation. Perhaps we should exact revenge – I hereby declare that the Urdu translation for Tony Bliar is bay waqoof.
Willow 12:36 pm on July 12, 2009 Permalink
“Lingering belief”? Given that it’s in, you know, the Quran, I suspect this belief will ‘linger’ for quite some time…
When did basic knowledge of the people you’re expected to cover become gauche in journalism?
Shams al-Nahar 12:52 pm on July 12, 2009 Permalink
Indeed.