Coffeehouses

We all learn from each other. We all teach each other. The internet, coffee houses and the middle east The issues associated with coffee house hot spots and web connectivity has an interesting history in countries of the Near and Middle East. In centuries past, some countries in the region followed strict Muslim law regarding coffee consumption, though today, coffee shops are now commonly accepted as part of the cultural fabric of these diverse societies. In many countries, drinking coffee was once thought to run counter to Islamic law because it is an intoxicant and, thought by some, to harm the body. Today, coffee houses are common, popular gathering places in large urban centers and small, countryside villages. Qahwa has been used throughout the Middle East for more than 00 years, starting in Yemen and spreading throughout the region. In fact, hundreds of years ago, the use of qahwa in Mecca was well known, and therefore, an accepted beverage according to strict Islamic law. Prohibitions on the use of qahwa have never been successful. In 144, the Ottoman Sultan banned coffee and when word spread from Damascus, “The prohibition was observed for all of one day and then use returned to normal.” The simple fact is, qahwa has, for centuries, been a part of the societal fabric of the Near and Middle East, and coffee houses have been popular gathering places, demonstrating that people will engage in activities they enjoy despite government and religious edicts.The fact that coffee houses in this region have flourished for centuries indicates that prohibitions have never been an effective means of controlling human activity. When governments attempt to prohibit natural, human activity, people simply ignore laws and change the way they access these activities.  www.digitaldaya.com