A Grape by Any Other Name

On Faith: Salman Ahmad: Grapes By Any Other Name

The Washington Post is hosting a rather interesting debate on communication among different faiths. I was particularly struck by Salman Ahmad's parable of the grapes, which he begins with the observation that "Wine is a commonly used metaphor for truth and knowledge in Muslim Sufi poetry and folklore." Ahmad continues by recounting a story in which members of different faiths and nationalities are seeking the same "wine" in different guises.

Ahmad is South Asian, from Pakistan, but Sufi mystical traditions have played an important role throughout the Islamic world, including Morocco. I have only scratched the surface, but I am persuaded that it is a tradition that would repay further study.