New Islamic Gadgets
Digital Korans, automatic prayer reciters and
headphones dispensing religious advice are all part of the growing wave of
outward religiosity that is increasingly defining daily life in
Egypt.
Digital Korans, automatic prayer reciters and headphones dispensing religious advice are all part of the growing wave of outward religiosity that is increasingly defining daily life in Egypt.
“The idea came to me on a plane when I was listening to my iPod,” said developer Sherif Danesh, an Egyptian living in California’s Silicon Valley.
“Many people of all religions are hungry for information on their religion these days,” he told AFP by e-mail. “The availability of small portable inexpensive audio and video devices is making it very easy to access such information anywhere, anytime.”
Sociologist Saad Eddin Ibrahim…thinks the trend is more indicative of the “naivety of the consumers and the intelligence of the merchants.”
“It also says a lot about how quickly the Chinese economy reacts and adapts to the desires of the consumers — whoever they are,” he said with a smile.
This parallels the experience of fundamentalist Americans. I used to work for a 7th Day Adventist who wouldn’t part with his old car - because it was the only place he could still play 8-track tapes of his favorite sermons.
Posted: Fri - April 20, 2007 at 07:07 AM