WHY WOULD PRINCE CHARLES COMMISSION JOHN TAVERNER TO COMPOSE A WORK ON THE "BEAUTIFUL NAMES" OF ALLAH?

In a 1997 Middle East Quarterly article titled "Prince Charles of
Arabia," Ronni L. Gordon and David M. Stillman looked at evidence
that Britain's Prince Charles might be a secret convert to Islam. They shifted
through his public statements (defending Islamic law, praising the status of
Muslim women, seeing in Islam a solution for Britain's ailments) and actions
(setting up a panel of twelve "wise men" to advise him on Islamic religion and
culture), then concluded that, "should Charles persist in his admiration of
Islam and defamation of his own culture," his accession to the throne will
indeed usher in a "different kind of monarchy."

All this comes to mind on reading an article titled "Charles Breaks Fast with the Faithful in Muscat"
in today's Dubai-based Gulf News, which reports on some of Charles' activities
during his current five-day visit to Oman:

He toured the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque for almost two hours and
"took keen interest in studying various sections at the mosque, including the
main prayer hall." As his spokesman put it, "The Prince was particularly keen to
come to the mosque today to see the fantastic building and remarkable
architecture which Prince was fascinated with. The Prince has a great love for
Islamic architecture and I can't think of finer example than this mosque."

He "spent a considerable time at an exhibition of Islamic
calligraphy and held meetings with Sheikha Aisha Al Siaby, Head of Public
Authority for Craft Industries and Taha Al Kisri, the Head of Omani Society for
Fine Arts to discuss various aspects of Islamic art."

He "broke fast with a large congregation of people from different
nationalities as he sat with folded legs on the floor in the open. He ate date
and drank juice at the call of Iftar."