#Eman Abbas

[arablit]

Summer Reads: 12 Arab Authors Recommend

By Essayed Taha The twelve authors from nine countries who recommended books for our list of 2023 summer reads had different ideas about what you need in a summer book. While some went short, others went long. (Some went both.) Some suggested a light, fast-paced book to relax with on the beach while others looked to reads for a balcony. Some recommended biting humor while others suggested…

[thetravelingtyper]

Our Shattered Heart Interlude (Part 2.50) JP (GN! 'Heart' Reader x Taskforce 141)

Loading Track 2 - Gimme Gimme Gimme (A Man After Midnight) by Abba (Johnathan Price One Shot). Called to base to finish up paperwork, you and your Captain spend some time together.

Warning: Possible OOC, Suggestive Content, fluff

Part 1, Part 2, Part 2.25, Part 2.75 Masterlist

Half-past twelve

And I'm watching the late show in my flat all alone

How I hate to spend the evening on my own

Autumn winds

Blowing outside the window as I look around the room

And it makes me so depressed to see the gloom

It was dark on base by the time you got there. Price had called you to base to discuss some things with Laswell, trying to close up the intel work before you got back into missions. In common clothes, you padded into the rec room. The few people who were awake gave you nods and then went back to their activities. You felt good being back on base, even if it was just for the night. 

You made it to your room around 11:00 pm. Johnny and Kyle had wanted to come back to base with you but Simon pulled them into intel work. You smile, you and Simon had fallen asleep in your bed and the man for once slept heavily, past your 9 am alarm and through your call with Price. 

There's not a soul out there

No one to hear my prayer

Soft words passed his mouth every once in a while causing you to giggle quietly. Price questioned you.

“Simon is asleep John.” The man on the other side of the phone chuckled, he turned in his work to lean back against his chair. He was happy he realized then. With you, his Lieutenant, Laswell for assigning this mission, hell even the intel for a moment. Your rushing out that night just cemented the boys' attachment to and claim of your heart.

“That's good, can you come to base tonight love? I want to finish up some work with you here.”

You hum an affirmative and John lets you go, waiting eagerly for you to arrive. 

You are sorting through stuff when there is a knock at your door. You open it to find a Corporal, a woman a little younger than you, who had served a few missions under your command. She holds a bouquet with a Welcome Back! Ribbon and a bag. You cock your head but she gives you a hesitant smile before offering you the flowers. You then smile and step aside, inviting her in.

“Corporal Jennings.”

She eyes your room in wonder, knives (clearly) from the famous lieutenant are embedded in a target board. There are other souvenirs from your service both in America and with the 141. Truth be told, she thought you were one of the favorite Sergeants on base. When she heard about your injury she was worried but word got out you were returning soon, her friend had sent a message that night that Heart had returned so she was quick to bring something. 

You go to your joined bathroom with Gaz and fill a vase with water. Returning, you find Jennings waiting by the table nervously. You nod to her to sit down.

“I don’t bite Corporal, I promise.” At that she exhales with a stuttered laugh, the tension finally draining from her body. You set the flowers at the center of the table, you take a seat across from her, and speak.

“How can I help you, Jennings?”

“You can call me Amanda, Sergeant,” she says “if you like!” You nod to her. You are happy she is comfortable with you. You enforce command when leading troops but comradery is important to you. 

“Have you eaten?” She asks then. You shake your head and she excitedly pulls out some food. The smell emanates throughout the room and you take it in. There is a subtle spice that has your mouth watering.

“I heard you might be back today so I made some curry. I remembered you ordering some after the last mission.” She says it shyly and offers you one of two containers. You nod a smile quirking on your face as you take the container opening it to find a generous portion of rice and homemade curry. 

She opens her own and offers you a spoon which you take with a hearty thanks. You take a bite and are in heaven. You hum a delightful note and Amanda smiles, her eyes brightening in a way. You smiled, she was really pretty but you shook the thought from your head.

“This is wonderful!”

“It is my wife’s recipe!”

You look at her nodding your pleasure.

“She's lucky to have you.” You say. It reminded you of Kyle’s cooking. The man often would cook for the five of you on missions. 

Gimme, gimme, gimme a man after midnight

Won't somebody help me chase the shadows away?

Gimme, gimme, gimme a man after midnight

Take me through the darkness to the break of the day

She smiles brightly at the statement. She seems to think a moment before nodding.

“Thanks to you! The first mission I ran under you when you first came she and I met. It was you who partnered us together!” 

You thought for a moment then it hit you! On that mission, you had paired Amanda with a dark-haired woman named Corporal Smith. The two had been eyeing each other and when they talked they got along swimmingly. You return her smile.

“I remember.” You say and she nods.

“It's been a few months and I have never been happier.” She says with a fond sigh, hand reaching to her dog tags to show you a silver and gold ring. You nod in appreciation and congratulate her. 

Movie stars

Find the end of the rainbow with a fortune to win

It's so different from the world I'm living in

Tired of TV

I open the window and I gaze into the night

But there's nothing there to see, no one in sight

You spend most of the following hour just talking and enjoying her company. But as 12 soon hits she yawns and you pause the conversation. 

“Time for bed?” You ask humor lacing your voice.

Amanda nods, collecting the empty container before standing. She gives another glance around your room, then sees a photo of you and the 141. She approaches it and examines it with a soft, knowing look. She then turns to you with that look. 

“You and them huh?” She smiles, eyebrows raising in suggestion while you are put on the spot. However surprised, you don't sense anything but acceptance from her and you smile. 

“Something like that.” Is all you manage while she nods.

“I understand, I am happy for you Sergeant!” She says it then turns to the door. You walk her to the door of your room and offer her a side hug. She takes it happily before opening the door and leaving with a fond ‘good night Sergeant.’

There's not a soul out there

No one to hear my prayer

You stretch, wondering where your captain was, he had mentioned getting you. You admire the flowers. Sunflowers, a sign of loyalty, and yellow roses, meaning friendship. The smell of them is sweet as you take a sunflower and lay down in bed staring at the ceiling. 

Gimme, gimme, gimme a man after midnight

Won't somebody help me chase the shadows away?

Gimme, gimme, gimme a man after midnight

Take me through the darkness to the break of the day

You hadn’t realized you'd dozed off until there was a knock at your door. You open your eyes, slip out of bed, and to the door, sunflower still in hand. You open the door to find Price. You open the door and step aside for him to enter but he just stares down at your hand, eyes tracing the golden orange hue of the sunflower. His eyes then scan your room, seeing the chairs moved and the bouquet. 

Your eyes follow his and there is a sudden pit in your stomach when he wordlessly steps in and closes your door. He then looks down at you, eyes swirling. You reach for him but he grabs your hand instead, his other gently going to the small of your back to pull you closer. He leans into your ear.

“Who was here.” His voice is even, quiet. He wasn't happy but his feelings were more controlled than Simon's. You tuck your head against his chest and answer him.

“Corporal Jennings John, don’t worry she is married.” You look up to him, he holds you close for a second longer before pulling away. His fingers take the sunflower, eyes looking from it to you. He then walks over to the table returning the flower to the others. He then turns back to you.

“Can you work tonight or do we need to sleep.” He asks eyes taking in your room. You shake your head, a little shy with him in your room. 

“I can work tonight.” 

He nods and then notices your bag. He reaches for and shoulders it.

“Come on dear.”  

He leads you out of the room, softly shutting your door and passing down the hall. You walk in comfortable silence before reaching his office. He unlocks the door and allows you to enter the familiar space. Locking the door behind him he offers you his shower. You nod and enter the connected bedroom. 

Captain Price’s room is neat, expectidly, and like yours, there are little bits of him scattered around. You drop your guard here smiling at the photos of you and the others next to his bed. He enters after you, setting your stuff on the couch at the other end of the room. He then noticed you in Simon’s shirt. You had taken one and tied it up after Simon and the boys left, finding the cotton and smell of him comforting. You approach your bag and ruffle through your stuff, grabbing a toiletries bag and letting John show you the bathroom.

As you shower John takes a seat in his office. His eyes catch the transfer forms and he frowns something rearing in his chest. 

Gimme, gimme, gimme a man after midnight

Gimme, gimme, gimme a man after midnight

John sat with a glass of Brandy as Simon lounged in a chair across from him. You, Gaz, and Soap were back at the apartment running sources while Ghost slipped away to tackle the real threat, your transfer. 

Laswell had put him in contact with someone in America Marine intelligence, where your intel was being shared. The man had regarded Price with high honor after all the 141 had done. 

“What can I do for you, Captain.” John stands, and Simon, looks up, unmasked. 

“Please call me John. It’s about Sergeant Heart.” 

The line goes quiet then he gives an affirmative, listening.

“I want them to remain on the task force,” John says like an order and the line is quiet.

“Their intel has been invaluable but the orders are coming from higher up than I can reach.” 

John grits his teeth. The other man seems to sense it and returns with a quick,

“I understand, Laswell explained the situation, John. She has saved my ass so many times, I will see what I can do. I’ll be in touch.” With that the line ends and John’s tense shoulders draw back a little bit.

Simon stands up and rounds the desk, he pulls John in for a steady kiss. Parting Simon speaks,

“Have some faith in Laswell, Captain.”

Price’s thoughts are interrupted by you entering the office in shorts and a sleep shirt. His eyes take in your legs with a light. He shuffles the transfer form under the stack, eyes meeting yours. Your hair is wet and skin dewy from your skincare and the steam from the shower. He turns to some of the intel forms from the village and you both sit down and begin to work in silence. 

There's not a soul out there

No one to hear my prayer

The clock reaches an early 4:23 am when John looks up from his work studying your focused face. He calls your name softly and you look up. The moment reminds you of other nights and you stand. You turn to the coffee machine and start to habitually make tea. The moment hits John then. When had he realized he loved you?

A moment like this, he thinks with a fond smile. He stands as you soon bring two glasses of Chamomile tea, his lightly sweetened like he likes it. He takes it from you but sets it and your glass aside. You cock your head at him but he takes you and turns you around to sit you on the desk. Your head comes up to about his shoulder and he then leans into you his hands bracing on either side of you. 

You take in his face, between your wild night and now he had shaved. You run a hand over the remaining stubble and John’s eyes darken.

“I love you.” It is you who whispers it like a guarded secret and John's heart hammers in his chest. 

“Love, I -” He hadn’t expected it, but steps between your legs and finally kisses you. The kiss is sweet, his hands reaching into your hair. You hook your arms around his neck deepening the kiss. You both part breathless before a soulful laugh leaves your lips and you tuck into John’s neck inhaling the smell of smoke and his cologne. Many late nights you wanted nothing more than to embrace him and now here you were. 

His mind drifts back to the transfer and his hold on you tightens. He runs a hand down your body and over your leg, you rumble at the contact.

“Is this ok Love?” John asks as his right hand sits on your thigh, you nod against his chest, cherishing the contact. His hand spreads out engulfing your thigh and he holds himself up with his left. 

“Pretty thing.” He mutters it into your shoulder, the sleep shirt exposes some of your neck and collarbone. John brushes a kiss there as you wrap your arms around him. He can almost feel your sleepiness as he chuckles. 

“Come on Lovie.” His hands brace under your thighs before he gently lifts you and carries you against his chest into his bedroom. His ability to swipe you up does something to you, and you press an appreciative kiss to his neck. He groans, settling you down on the edge of the bed and kneeling in front of you. He fondly your jaw as you pull your head back. You look at him with half-lidded but mirthful eyes.

“See something you like.” His head turns down towards you a sharpish look in his eye. He is humored but aware of your effect on him.

“Watch it.” He warns half-heartedly, but you instead choose to trace your hand up the arms that hold yours feeling his muscle flex under your touch. He looks at you longingly and pulls back to stand up, your eyes following then widening as John removes his shirt. You take him in as he runs a hand through his hair. He wears his dog tags, the metal gleaming in the lamplight. But it is his form that catches your eye. Not unlike all of the men Price has muscle, abs etched into his skin but it is the body fat that has you sighing appreciatively. You run a hand to his chest as John’s eyes glitter in the low light. You want to drown in them.

Gimme, gimme, gimme a man after midnight

Won't somebody help me chase the shadows away?

Gimme, gimme, gimme a man after midnight

Take me through the darkness to the break of the day

John’s control is legendary, with rage, sorrow, or jealousy. But the sight of you in his bed works its way through him and his heart. Your eyes softly on him he surges forward and meets your lips in a heated kiss. You move backward as he stands then joins you on the bed. His knee goes between your thighs as he traces open-mouthed kisses to the side of your mouth and down your jaw. 

“John,” his name comes out as a whisper and it only fuels the fire in the pit of his stomach, he nips then at your jaw, smirking when you gasp underneath him. He parts from you with a breathy, deep laugh. 

“Always imagined you ending up here.” You blush at his comment before a smart smirk, You wrap your arms around his neck and yank him down, and he stumbles falling onto your body. You press a heated kiss to his neck then bite, John curses under his breath. Arousal pooling, he feels you kiss the hollow of his neck tenderly before you tuck your head underneath his. John rolls you both over onto your sides. He pulls the covers up and wraps an arm around you. You look up into his eyes to find him with the softest look you have ever seen from him.

He kisses the side of your head then murmurs into your ear,

“I love you too dear.”

Gimme, gimme, gimme a man after midnight

Won't somebody help me chase the shadows away?

Gimme, gimme, gimme a man after midnight

Take me through the darkness to the break of the day

End Track - Taglist:

@ghostlythots, @00ops1e, @rafaelacallinybbay, @iloveslasher, @character---obsessed

, @ashy-kit, @fruitymoonbeams-blog, @my-amazing-nerdyness, @star-struck-universe, @br0ken-rec0rds

, @buckysjuicyplums, @cod-z

[dilanmoodboards]

The Winner Takes It All (Hartbreak)

Paring: Bret Hart/Shawn Michaels

Summary: Bret visits Shawn while he is recovering from his back surgery in 1999

Tags: Hurt/Comfort; Fix-It of sorts; Major Character Injury; Implied/Referenced Drug Use; Pining; First Kiss

Notes: I was listening to "winner takes it all" by ABBA and had the idea for this fic. So the rain really does make badly healed injuries flare up (I know from expirience). English is not my first language and I'm dyslexic af, so feel free to correct anything. Comments are always welcome.

Word Count: 1,706

I don't wanna talk

If it makes you feel sad

And I understand

You've come to shake my hand

I apologize

If it makes you feel bad

Seeing me so tense

No self-confidence

But you see

The winner takes it all

Shawn groaned as he felt a stabbing pain go through his knee. He was currently lying on his couch, having left the hospital only three days ago, meaning his back was killing him. At least in the hospital they were shooting pain meds straight through his veins, so the pain was bearable, but here at home… he didn’t know how much longer he could take. He could try and take more meds, but with his mom coming to visit everyday he didn’t want to risk her seeing him high out of his mind. 

But today he was really regretting this choice, the buzzing pain he felt emanating from his back, along with the sharp discomfort coming from his hip was only exacerbated by the stabbing pain that would come and go due to the rain. And to make matters worse his badly healed knee, due to years of wrestling, decided to join the party by hurting along with the rest of his body. 

Ever since his first big injury he learned to hate the rain, it seemed that the moment the weather shifted his entire body would decide to remind him of every bump, every botch, every badly healed wound. The rain was now a reminder of all his mistakes.

Shawn was so busy wallowing in his own self pity he didn’t hear the knock on the door. But whoever was on the other side seemed to be determined to talk to him as the knock went from a light tap to an insistent knocking. Shawn was confused to say the least, his parents had a key to his home, and Kev, Scott and Sean were all busy working. It could be Hunter, but his last few days with the man had been tense at best, he had acted like an insufferable prick during the months leading up to his match with Austin, he didn’t blame Hunter for not contacting him after that. There was also the fact that he was probably busy as the new leader of DX.

“Just a second!” Shawn shouted as he slowly moved from the couch, whoever was knocking was almost breaking his damn door down. He took one of his crutches and started the slow walk to his front door. The doctor had told him walking would help and for shorter distances he was trying to use only one of the crutches, his mother wasn’t really happy about it, she wanted him to use a wheelchair at least for the first week of his recovery, but he had told her it was either the crutches or nothing, so she begrudgingly agreed. 

Once he finally reached the door it felt like he had just finished an Iron Man Match, he leaned on his crutch and opened the door. To his surprise, standing on the front porch was a very wet Bret Hart, Shawn tried to close the door on the Hitman’s face, but his shock gave Bret enough time to maneuver his foot and stop the door from closing. “Come on Shawn, I just want to talk.” Shawn stared at the older man in disbelief. “What could you possibly want to talk about?” 

“Come on Shawn, don’t act like a child.” Shawn let out an exacerbated huff. “A child! A child! Look at me Hitman, I’m retired! I’ll be lucky if I heal completely from my injuries! And you come into my house, for what? To talk?” Shawn gave one step forward, his anger distracting him from the pain he had been feeling. “You know what Hitman, I think you’re here to gloat, so go on. Say that this is karma, that it was obvious I would hurt myself with, what do you call it, my disgusting Mexican style fighting.” 

“Shawn that’s not…” Bret wasn’t able to finish before being cut off by Shawn. “Oh so that’s not why you’re here? Give me a break!” Now Bret had always prided himself in his patience, but Shawn seemed to have the special talent of running it thin. “I don’t know why you’re angry at me! Last time I checked you were the one who screwed me, not the other way around!” Bret took a step forward, entering Shawn’s personal space. “I was also not the one who broke your fucking back!” 

Shawn knew Bret was right, but right now he was just frustrated and in pain, he was angry and the Hitman showing up at his door just gave him the perfect person to let out all his frustrations on. Shawn had never been an example when it came to his temper, and it got even worse when he was in pain. That is probably why he did what he did.

Letting go of his crutch Shawn tried to push Bret away, but Bret saw the move coming from a mile away and dodged which led to Shawn losing his balance and falling. But before he could hit the floor and completely fuck up his recovery a pair of strong arms caught him, managing to pull him into Bret’s strong chest.  

And in that moment, with his hands curled on Bret’s shirt and his face pressed against his chest something cracked inside Shawn. Tears sprang from his eyes as days, or rather years, of pent up emotion finally came out. Everything, from the pressures of being the champion during one of the company worst financial times, losing Marty, losing his only friends to WCW, the locker room hating him, Bret hating him, the constant pain from his body, the drugs, losing Hunter, the screwjob, being forced to retire. He couldn’t hold it in anymore. He had given his entire life for this fucking business that throwed him out like trash the moment he was no longer useful and he was honestly tired.

Bret was a little surprised, but he held onto Shawn as the younger man broke down crying on his chest. In that moment Bret allowed himself to finally forget all the years of animosity between him and Shawn, and remember the old times, when they were friends. Before the business ruined them. He held Shawn close and stroked his blonde hair as he whispered what he hoped were consoling words in his ear.

It took a while but Shawn finally calmed down, allowing Bret to maneuver the both of them to the couch. Bret knelt in front of Shawn and stroked his tear stained cheeks, even through the clothing Bret could tell Michaels had lost a considerable amount of weight, a fact that was confirmed when he carried Shawn to the couch noticing the blonde was way lighter than he had been. Shawn also had bags under his eyes, that looked even more pronounced now that his eyes were red from crying. Bret felt the urge to kiss the younger man, something that he had suppressed for years. But here kneeling in front of Shawn, the urge was stronger than it had ever been.

“There, are you feeling better now?” Bret asked, brushing a strand of Shawn’s hair from his face and placing it behind his ears. Shawn nodded. “Why are you here? And please be honest with me.” Bret stared at Shawn's eyes. “To be fair I wasn’t certain, I guess I was worried about you.” “Why?” Shawn asked with a meek voice. “Because there was only one person who ever truly understood me and my love for wrestling, and knowing that, I knew you needed someone.” Shawn looked at him for the first time since they got to the couch, tears filling his eyes once again. “I’m sorry Bret.”

Bret couldn’t bear to watch Shawn cry, so he hugged the younger man once again. “I know.” Shawn weakly pushed at his chest, separating the two of them. “No you don’t… I was an asshole with you for years… you have every right to hate me, forever. I just… I wanted you to like me, to notice me and…” Bret cut Shawn’s rambling. “Hey, I know. I don’t blame you for that, I was an asshole too. Said some real fucked up shit, made fun of you, of your sexuality.” “But what about the screwjob? You didn’t deserve that!” Shawn raised his voice, he needed Bret to understand. “Maybe I did, maybe I didn’t.” Shawn started to protest, but Bret continued. “Tell me Shawn, if you had said no to Vince, do you really believe he wouldn’t have found a way of screwing me out of the title?” “That’s not the point Bret!” “Answer me Shawn.” Shawn deflated at that and shook his head. “There is only one person I blame for that, and it’s Vince. So stop apologizing”  

Shawn wanted to argue, but kept his mouth shut. “Still I wish we could have remained friends.” Bret hummed. “Yeah, me too. But it wasn’t just you, I had my reasons as to why I drifted away from you.” Bret had always been attracted to Shawn, and that terrified him. But right now looking at Shawn, his fears didn’t matter anymore, it was time to stop running. “I was scared…”. “What?” Shawn looked at Bret, confusion clear on his face. Once again he felt the urge to kiss Shawn, his bright blue eyes and plump lips calling him in. And this time he let go.

[mariacallous]

Someday, probably later rather than sooner, Israel and Hamas will stop shooting at each other. Relieved U.S. officials could claim there is a cease-fire and the worst is behind us, even if limited violence continues. More good things might follow. The Houthis would be reluctant to fight a war on behalf of Hamas that Hamas itself is not fighting, returning their focus to Yemen. The fighting in Lebanon, which surged after Israel killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, might eventually subside.

All this would be a dramatic improvement over the deadly and devastating conflict in Gaza. Yet even a successful cease-fire would not put the Middle East back on the path it was on before Hamas’s attack on Oct. 7, as dismal as that seemed at the time.

Predicting the future in the Middle East is usually a fool’s game; nevertheless, I’ll propose five major changes that will shape regional dynamics—for the worse, of course—in the years to come.

First, Israel will likely have less tolerance for risk from Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran, or other enemies. Israelis have long known that a variety of states, militant groups, and in-between organizations that combine aspects of both—like Hamas and Hezbollah—see Israel as anathema and will target its people and institutions around the world. Before Oct. 7, however, the Israeli government could confidently tell its people that the Hamas leadership in Gaza seemed deterred, that Israeli intelligence could detect any large-scale attack emanating from there, and that the Israeli military could easily defeat any Hamas incursion into Israel. All three assumptions were proven wrong on the day Hamas attacked a year ago—a painful intelligence and policy failure.

Past intelligence failures are never dead—they’re not even past. The risk of another surprise attack looms over Israel, and it will be hard for future Israeli leaders to promise that, this time, the military and intelligence services will detect and stop any danger, whether the foe is Hezbollah, Hamas, or someone else. Intelligence agencies will be less confident in their own assessments, particularly those predicting peace, and the Israeli people will trust them less. As a result, the Israeli government is more likely to act with limited information, fearing that a failure to do so could result in another surprise attack. Similarly, it will be less tolerant of what would have been limited provocations in the past. Israeli leaders will also feel the need to restore deterrence, which they believe, probably correctly, was damaged by Hamas’s success on Oct. 7. The assault showed that Israel could be hit hard by a determined organization. Restoring deterrence means doing your own hitting before any threat can manifest.

Second, the Palestinian Authority, which, in theory, governs part of the West Bank, is even less relevant than it was before Oct. 7—and that is a low bar. Before Hamas’s attack, the PA was widely seen as corrupt and ineffective, but PA security forces played a critical role in keeping Hamas down in the West Bank. The PA was also at the center of any vision for a two-state solution. Even as the idea of negotiations became more and more of a farce, no U.S. official was quite willing to claim the peace process was completely dead.

Since the attacks, support among Palestinians for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and his Fatah organization have fallen even further, going from low to abysmal, although this hasn’t led Abbas to step down. Israel’s military operation in Jenin and other West Bank areas in September illustrate that it no longer trusts the PA as a partner for security. The Israeli attacks and the rampant settler violence against ordinary Palestinians further discredited the PA, creating a vicious cycle, and violence on the West Bank is likely to continue at high levels. To further complicate this mess, Abbas is 88 years old, and he has no clear successor. A power struggle, even a peaceful one, would further weaken the PA.

As a result, Israel will no longer have a partner for security and negotiation in the West Bank. The latter is of little concern in the short-term—no one expects peace talks to resume anytime soon—but it may matter over time. U.S. pressure on this issue may increase, and countries like Saudi Arabia have claimed they will not formally make peace with Israel until there is a Palestinian state. The lack of a Palestinian security partner is an even bigger blow. This will require Israel to conduct more raids in the West Bank and impose more border crossing and other restrictions, all of which are probably less effective than Palestinian self-policing and more costly to Israel.

Third, Hamas may have new allies in future wars—or at least Israel must worry it will. The Hezbollah-Israel, Iran-Israel, and Houthi-Israel conflicts that grew out of the Hamas war all stretch Israeli forces, create dangers and headaches for the United States and its Arab allies, and otherwise worsen an already dangerous situation. In a future conflict, Hamas may expect these allies to join in again, at least in a limited way, making it more likely for the group to attack because these allies serve as a force multiplier. Even if Hamas is mistaken and these potential allies intend to do little, Israel may fear that they will attack, creating incentives for preemptive strikes. Thus, future versions of the more minor Israel-Hamas conflicts that marked the time before Oct. 7 may involve more actors and be a constant regional headache.

One caveat to this point: Oct. 7 and the Israeli response were off the charts compared to past Israel-Hamas clashes in Gaza, so it is possible that Hezbollah and the Houthis may choose to ignore smaller-scale conflicts, declaring solidarity with Hamas but doing little in practice. But the risk of regional escalation by design or accident is high.

Fourth, Gaza is likely to be a failed state. All the proposals for governing Gaza after a cease-fire, ranging from PA control to a return of Hamas rule to long-term Israeli occupation, seem to be nonstarters. Some are unacceptable to Israelis or Palestinians, while others, such as an Arab or international force to serve as peacekeepers, are largely infeasible. The default result is that no one really governs Gaza, which would at best have a few pockets of stability but also areas of constant violence. In such a scenario, Hamas would wage a low-level insurgency against Israeli forces and their local allies, and Israeli forces would repeatedly strike Hamas leaders and fighters to prevent the group from reconstituting (and, while doing so, kill many civilians). The likely result is that Gaza will be a perpetual source of regional strife, with frequent small crises and low-level violence. The people of Gaza would continue to suffer, though with less international attention, while the humanitarian situation ranges from bad to disastrous.

Fifth, the United States will need to do more in the Middle East to enhance stability but is likely to do less. To prevent small conflicts from becoming regional wars requires energetic training and aid programs to bolster the PA, diplomatic intervention to help secure new and competent leadership as Abbas leaves power, pressure on Israel to avoid unnecessary preemptive strikes, and other difficult steps. These are time-consuming and politically difficult, and many will fail even with the most skilled officials and high-level attention. Not surprisingly, few administrations will be eager to try to shape the region, and crisis management will be the order of the day.

None of these possible changes are certain, and, at times, crises and horrible conflicts can lead to caution and peace. The 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war’s end was inconclusive, and the situation seemed rife for renewed conflict. In fact, although both sides prepared for war, they preferred to avoid another round of disastrous conflict, leading to almost 20 years of shaky but real stability—an eternity in the Middle East. As we hope for the best, we should prepare for the worst. The risks of renewed war and worsening regional conditions are real, and even if a cease-fire is reached, we should temper our hopes for a return to normalcy in the Middle East.

[santoschristos]

Of Primordial Sophia we shall say: “She is nameless and unknowable, and yet she is the very essence and nature of all that appears.” Of Cosmic Sophia we shall say, “She is the All and she has many names and many faces, the Great and Supreme Mystery, the Great Enigma – the Great Goddess, whom we call Sophia.”

Womb of God: Primordial & Cosmic Sophia

In the oral tradition of our Sophian/Magdalene lineage there is a more radical view of the Sophian Gnostic thought, which speaks of the co-equality of the Divine Masculine and Divine Feminine in creation, but places the Divine Feminine (as Sophia) primary and central to creation and salvation story. It open the way to the vision of Sophia as the Savioress Goddess, of which the Magdalene becomes the living avatar in our Gnostic tradition of the Holy Bride. It enters into the subject of the many faces or aspects of Sophia, so I thought perhaps I’d share a basic sketch of this Sophian cosmology, going beyond what has been published of our oral tradition.

In the Kabbalah the first act at the outset of creation is the Divine withdrawing into the Divine, creating the space for creation – and of this we may say, God creates God’s womb. Then, into this infinite space of the Primordial Womb, God emanates Godself – the True Light restricting Itself, setting a measure upon Itself, one gradation to another, one dimension to another, in the generation of the Pleroma of Light.

At the outset there is the One, Divine Being, the True Light – the Infinite (Ain Sof), within which is infinite Divine Potential, the potential of all Divine Principles, all Being-Consciousness-Force. “Father,” “Mother,” “Son,” “Daughter,” and all emanation, creation, formation and making in the Great Unmanifest. When the Divine generates the Divine Womb of creation and generates the Light-emanations, then Father, Mother, Son and Daughter appear – God, Goddess, Logos and Sophia, all as Thought in the Divine Mind of the One, and so also all of creation, all in Sacred Unity.

The First Emanation is Divine Being, inseparable from the Light of the Infinite (Or Ain Sof), and in Divine Being, the Divine Mind, is the Mother (Imma-Elohim) and Father (Abba-Yahweh)), and in the Mother and Father are the Daughter and Son – Sophia and Logos. Yet, before the First Emanation comes into being, the Primordial Womb is present, the space of creation, Primordial Sophia; and in her all is conceived in her self-generation and self-begetting: in her Divine Being (Eheieh), the Bornless One self-arises, and the Father-Mother, Son-Daughter, all of the Light-emanations, and all that follows.

Primordial Mother Sophia, the First Cause, who in truth is the Causeless; for she is the Infinite and Light of the Infinite, and she is the Infinite Space in which the Light shines and all of the play of Light and Shadow transpires – the very essence and nature of the Divine Mind, the very essence and nature of all that is. Though all appears with, in and through her, yet like the mirror in which objects are reflected, in herself, in her essence and nature, she never changes, but is ever the same – the Great Virgin Mother.

Eheieh, Yahweh, Elohim – these are all principles in her, all emanations of her; she is in them and they are in her; she is they and they are her; she is within them, yet ever beyond them, and all are contained by her, but nothing contains her, the Infinite and Eternal Sophia.

Mind, Thought, Intelligence, the Logos and Sophia, are these not all the radiant display of Primordial Sophia, the bornless nature of Pure Being?

Though we may speak of the Divine “creating” the Womb of the Divine, which is Primordial Sophia; yet all the while, if such may be said of timeless eternity, this Infinite Spaciousness was in the Divine, and is the very nature of the Divine: Spacious Radiant Awareness, the nature of Divine Mind. Primordial Sophia, in truth, is not created, but is revealed – she is Uncreated Sophia, bornless Divine Being, revealed through emanation, creation, formation and making.

The principle of restriction is Cosmic Ignorance, which gives rise to dualism and the Divine Play of Light and Shadow in creation; and as every mother knows and understands, giving birth is a tumultuous, rending and shattering experience – one body of Sacred Unity breaking to become the Two, and all of the generations that follow when there is the appearance of Two, female and male, and all of the polarities contained in them. Thus, when the Father and Mother, arise from Bornless Being, Yahweh Elohim emerging from Eheieh, by the Divine Power that is in her, the Mother conceives creation from the Light Seed of the Father – Pure Thought that becomes Understanding, the Divine Consciousness-Force (or Energy-Intelligence) self-arises as the radiant display of Divine Being. Yet, in this conception there is the most subtle and sublime restriction of the One becoming Two and Many; the most subtle and sublime dualism of Cosmic Ignorance; from Primordial Sophia, Cosmic Sophia arises – the Great Goddess, and she gives birth to the Entirety, including the Divine Powers, as well as the demiurgos and archons, and even the dark and hostile forces, the demons. All is in her and she is in all – she, the all in all: Mother Sophia.

If you inquire into the Living Father we shall say this: “The Face of the Living Father is revealed by our Divine Mother – he is known with, in and through her, for he is she and she is he, Yahweh Elohim, Father-Mother God (or God-Goddess).”

If you inquire into El Elyon, God Most High, the True Light, we shall say this: “That is the Holy One of Being, the Infinite and Eternal; beyond all dualism of male or female, the essence and nature of which is Primordial Sophia – Pure Radiant Being.

God the Mother, she is transcendent and she is immanent; she is within and all around, yet ever beyond all that appears – the Great Goddess. In her True Essence she is inseparable from Primordial Sophia, yet as the Cosmic Sophia she is the Created Sophia, or more truly the Sophia of Creation. She is the Great Matrix, the Pleroma of Light and the Entirety all together; she is Maiden, Mother and Crone – beginning, middle and end of the Great Aeon, and all of the Aeons, and of all that appears in the Great Aeon and the Aeons that are within it; she is Light and Darkness, and is the entire spectrum of Rainbow Glory – Cosmic Sophia, the radiant display of Primordial Sophia.

Of Primordial Sophia we shall say: “She is nameless and unknowable, and yet she is the very essence and nature of all that appears.” Of Cosmic Sophia we shall say, “She is the All and she has many names and many faces, the Great and Supreme Mystery, the Great Enigma – the Great Goddess, whom we call Sophia.”

Primordial Sophia is called the Eternal Virgin, but Cosmic Sophia is called Virgin and Whore; for in her essence and nature she is changeless, yet she is ever changing, and though she is Pure Divinity, yet she is in one and all alike – divine, admixed and demonic. She is transcendent, yet ever near – she withholds herself from no one, not even the darkest of demons. She is manifest as Sophia Stellarum, and she is manifest as Sophia Nigrans – Bright Mother and Dark Mother.

Of her Daughter, the Holy Bride, we may say this: “She is the image of her Divine Mother; Sophia Stellarum and Sophia Nigrans – Eve and Lilith.”

In giving birth Divine Sparks fly forth – there is a great tumult, rending and shattering, and Cosmic Ignorance comes into play. All manner of beings-forces are created, formed and made. As every mother knows and understands, a child begins in the Ignorance, having emerged from the unconscious unity, and must individuate in order to mature and become self-aware, and to enter into the conscious unification that is the Perfection of Love. The sorrow and suffering of giving birth passes with the joy of new life received; and, likewise, the sorrow and suffering of separation is as a passing shadow – all for the sake of the Eternal Delight of Conscious Union.

The Great Mother orchestrates the perfect conditions necessary for her children to grow and mature, and to develop and evolve into their divine destiny – the Supernal and Divine Being that is their True Nature; the Divine I Am (Eheieh).

The key for the recognition and realization of Divine Being is experience, and the Divine Mother is the realm of all experience, whether the Pleroma of Light or Entirety, space-time or the eternal realm; the key for Coming Into Being is individuation and freedom to choose, which necessitates the entire range of possibilities, from Light to Darkness, good and evil, and all that lies in between. Yet, as every dear mother knows and understands, young children are not left unattended or without the necessary assistance in their education; thus, the Great Mother is present with us all along the Way, and she ensures that we have assistance – this we call Divine Grace, the Mother’s Force.

The Virgin of Light and the Whore of Babylon in the Apocalypse, is this not Mother-Daughter Sophia becoming what she must to teach and initiate her children – and so with the entire array of her Bright and Dark Faces? Save through life-experience (Sophia Zoe) how shall her children grow and mature and acquire their education, to be and become all that they are as her image and likeness – the image and likeness the Father-Mother, Yahweh Elohim?

It is akin to the Gnostic view of Sophia becoming the Serpent in the Garden, teaching and initiating Eve, so that she might teach and initiate Adam; Sophia joining herself to souls in creation and invoking her consort, Christ the Logos, for the fulfillment of all creation – hence, the realization of the Pleroma of Light in the Perfect Human Being.

Mother Sophia gives birth to the Living Logos – emanating the Logos, and the Logos is actualized and realized through Daughter Sophia; Daughter Sophia (Christ the Sophia) in us receives Christ the Logos, and through him she is united with Mother Sophia, for in union with her consort she becomes the Holy Mother giving birth to the Perfection of Creation, the Perfect Human One – Supernal and Divine Humanity.

This is the interplay of the Upper and Lower Shekinah, or of Pistis Sophia above and Pistis Sophia below – she who remains ever beyond, yet she who is within, having descended: because the Fiery Intelligence of Sophia is involved in creation, the evolution of creation to its fruition becomes possible – all in the Great Mother, Sophia. Ave Sophia!

May we be blessed to acquire the Gnosis of Mother Sophia in all of her forms and to realize the supreme truth of Primordial Sophia – the Great Goddess of the Grail King; Amen.

Blessings & shalom!

Post by Tau Malachi

Image:

“Salvator Mundi” (the savior of the world) V. Whitmill Art

[the-garbanzo-annex-jr]

2. The Iranian Role

As CAMERA’s Sean Durns wrote nearly a year ago, “The decline of the PA’s influence, and the commensurate rise of Iranian-sponsored rivals, is newsworthy.”

With the PA unable to exert its authority over parts of the West Bank, Iran’s proxy forces have filled the vacuum, and the Iranian regime has exploited the situation to wage war against the Jewish state. Yet these significant trends have been left largely unreported by international media outlets.

Iran isn’t trying to hide its nefarious actions in Israel. Just a few days ago, Palestinian Islamic Jihad’s leader, Ziyad al-Nakhalah, confirmed that Iran was arming terrorists in the West Bank, and that this was at the direct instruction of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Last year, the commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps, Hossein Salami, boasted of Iran’s efforts in “arming the West Bank … to defeat Israel.” Further demonstrating Abbas��� inability to exert control, according to a PA official, terrorists belonging to Fatah — Mahmoud Abbas’ own party — are “on the payroll of Iran and its Palestinian proxies.”

3. The Growing Threat of IEDs

The danger that has been emanating from Jenin is not just a matter of quantity, but also quality. A new threat has been emerging: that of improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

Just last month, one such explosive device — planted by the Iranian proxy group Islamic Jihad — wounded eight IDF soldiers.

This deadly tactic that American soldiers once faced in places like Iraq — which the Iranian regime also had a role in — has now become an increasingly common and serious threat to Israelis. But instead of the IED threat being in a foreign theater on the other side of the world as it was for Americans, this IED threat is in Israel’s own home, threatening its soldiers and civilians alike.

Since the operation began in Jenin, the IDF has captured “explosives manufacturing facilities” containing “hundreds of explosive devices, along with a guidebook on how to make additional explosive devices.”

[etaali]

Hz. Ebâebdillâhi'l İmam Huseyin (ع) tek başına kalmıştı, etrafında O'na yardım edecek birini bulamadı ve şöyle seslendi: "Helmîn nâsirin yensurnâ Ehl'el-Beyt!" [Yok mu, biz Ehlibeyt'e yardım edecek kimse?!

Râviler der ki:

‎Öyle ki İmam Huseyin (ع) bu sözü söyledi, çadırlardan bir ağlama sesi yükseldi.. Bu ağlama sesi İmam Huseyin (ع)'ın 6 aylık yavrusu Bâbülhevaic Hz. Ali Asgar (ع)'ın sesiydi. Bu ağlaması ile şöyle diyordu:

‎"Baba! Sana yaver ve yardımcı olarak ben varım!.." O küçük şahsiyet ağlamasıyla babasına 'Lebbeyk!' diyordu. İmam Huseyin (ع) bu ağlama sesine dayanamayıp çadırlara yöneldi, O'nu kucağına alıp öptü ve O'na bir damla su vermeleri umuduyla savaş meydanına götürdü..

O'nu gören zalimler topluluğu şöyle dediler: "Huseyin kucağında beyaz bir örtüyle geliyor herhalde kur'â'na sığınıp eman dileyecek." İmam Huseyin (ع) yaklaşınca gördüler ki küçücük bir bebek!..

Hz. Ebâebdillâhi'l İmam Huseyin (ع) 6 aylık yavrusunu havaya kaldırarak şöyle seslendi:

‎"Bu yavrum kaç gündür susuzluktan ellerimde çırpınıyor! Hiçbir dinde çocukların günahı yoktur, bizlere reva görmediğiniz sudan bir damla da olsa yavruma su verin!.."

Râviler der ki:

‎"Hermâle, Kerbelâ'ya üç adet, üç başlıklı ok getirmişti. Bu okun biri Hz. Ebulfaz'l Abbas (ع) gibi komutanı attan yere düşürdü, bir diğeri Hz. İmam Huseyin (ع)'ı attan katligâha düşürdü ve diğerini ise Hz. Ali Asgar (ع)'a doğru attı ve ok, o nâzenin boğazı biçti!"

‎6 aylık Hz. Ali Asgar (ع)..

‎Hz. Ebâebdillâhi'l İmam Huseyin (ع)'ın hak davasının canlı kanıtıdır. Kerbelâ'yı anlamak ve yaşamak bugünün bebek katillerine baş kaldırmak demektir!

[inallhernames]

I am trying not to cry at the drag show on Halloween. I avert Eman's eyes. The familiar melodies and words of ABBA echo through the room at Crews and Tangos while kids half my age belt out the lyrics around me.

Suddenly I can picture my father in the seventies, in communist Romania, at the disco, as these same songs (illegally) blast through speakers in the deep night. He is learning to dance for the first time. He is learning to be joyful, something he never is these days, while my mother battles cancer and he quietly settles into television, music or whiskey, avoiding any new experiences.

The drag queen, with towering white hair, black eyes and black lipstick mouths the words to each song, as the remix combines many different ones in rapid succession - all so familiar. They call up moments from the past into my body, moments I can feel but cannot see.

Even though my father doesn't understand me, my life, my queerness, we are connected for a split second - through music, through dance, we are both forever alive, both joyful.

[shahananasrin-blog]

[ad_1] UNITED NATIONS: The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is causing "a lot of bad blood" with Afghanistan, said Interim Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani on Thursday urging the latter's incumbent government to take "solid practical steps" against the proscribed militant organisation. In conversation with TRT World on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Jilani said it was unfortunate that attacks within Pakistan continue to emanate from Afghanistan. The interim FM urged the neighbouring country to fulfil its commitments regarding terrorism. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKgXZzmqz7Q[/embed] “They committed to not allowing Afghan soil to be used against other countries,” he said, adding that TTP attacks in Pakistan stemming from Afghanistan “remain a major concern for us”. Jilani asserted that Pakistan would like to see Afghanistan as a stable and prosperous country but "then the presence of a large number of terrorist groups whether it’s TTP or ISIS-K...and many other organisations which are based in Afghanistan,” cause a dilemma. “They are a major concern not only for Pakistan but other regional countries as well.” The FM added that the Pakistani government has held a dialogue with the interim Afghan Taliban government telling Kabul to "fulfil the commitments that they have made to Pakistan as well as the international community whereby they are committed to not allow Afghan soil [to be used] against other countries”. Economy, inflation, fuel prices With regards to the economy, Jilani said that economic prosperity is linked to everything, including the welfare of the people and a stable political environment. Referring to the Special Investment Facilitation Council and various measures being taken by the government, he expressed hope that these efforts would lead to economic and political stability. Read Sino-Pak ties not at expense of other relations: FM “And the kind of reforms being introduced by Pakistan in different sectors is also something that offers a promising future for the people of Pakistan,” said Jilani. Commenting on fuel price hikes creating an inflationary pressure, he opined that no government could do anything to resolve it. “But at the same time, people do realise that the fuel price is also linked to international gas prices. Obviously, when world gas prices come down that benefit will obviously be passed on to the people.” Russia-Ukraine war To a question, Jillani stated that Pakistan's position on the crisis was very clear. "We feel that war is not an option for anything. Issues need to be settled through a peaceful negotiation." “That’s something we have always advocated... with regard to this specific conflict which has been going on for almost two years. This is something that has created nervousness in almost every country. In terms of the economic crisis being faced by many countries... in terms of fuel shortages, food shortages, etc.” Foreign investment Expressing confidence in the SIFC and its "main purpose to attract investments", Jilani boasted about the "tremendous and close cooperation" of the Gulf states, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Bahrain with Pakistan in political, economic and defence matters as well as people-to-people contact. “It’s like facilitating the investors and this is the kind of initiative taken by the government and the GCC [Gulf Cooperation Council] countries that you mentioned have shown a lot of interest in Pakistan under the SIFC.” Read more POL price hike adds to people’s misery There are five major areas of investment, including agriculture, the IT sector and mine and minerals sector, which have garnered interest among the Gulf states, said Jilani. “As a matter of fact, we have already received expressions of interest from GCC countries about investment in energy, mines, and minerals. We are sitting on the seventh largest reservoir of shale gas in Pakistan which is again something.” FM Jilani termed the investment climate bright and said Pakistan was expecting visits from representatives of Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia and the UAE, this month. “A number of MOUs are likely to be signed. From that point of view, the situation looks extremely good. It is certainly going to be a great partnership between Pakistan and GCC countries.” The atmosphere looks conducive for all stakeholders, he said, referring to Pakistan's efforts towards ensuring good governance and an end to smuggling and corruption within the country. Interim government When asked whether Pakistan was currently undergoing a "political crisis", FM Jilani replied in the negative and said that the country has a democratic process under which an interim set up was installed after the parliament's tenure ended. Further read Pakistan to face highest inflation “Our main task is to hold free and fair elections and that is something that will take place when the Election Commission of Pakistan announces the date for polls,” he said. UN reforms and India Jilani observed that reforms have been on the United Nations' agenda for a very long time. “Our position remains constant, consistent, there should be a criteria-based approach according to which this membership should be enlarged and it should be through a democratic process,” he said. However, he emphasized that the emergence of an elite member of the UNSC would not be tolerated as "India has violated most of the UNSC [UN Security Council] resolutions including the one on Kashmir, which is a long-standing issue on the UNSC agenda”. Pakistan would like to see the implementation of UNSC resolutions calling for "a free and fair plebiscite", he said, regretting that it has not taken place yet. “And Kashmir as you are aware has been turned into a prison for the last several years. Massive human rights violations are taking place. That is something that we would expect the world community to take notice of.” [ad_2]

[paperlovesadness]

Stopppp I can't handle all of the good we just got.

• A Mama Kane appearance (she's a legend!)

• The fact they went to Abba Voyage together 😭

• WE'RE GONNA GET MILES KANE SINGING THE WINNER TAKES IT ALL???? (I'm not original at all but it's one of my very favorite Abba songs 🥲)

• turtle power ??? 😩❤️

• The sheer joy emanating from this whole post 😩😭

I love seeing him happy

Miles Kane Instagram [05-03-2023]

[thetimelordbatgirl]

So uh, thought I'd make a overall aesthetic here for Ninja's Unite at the least....since despite sometimes giving me writers block, it pretty much still remains on my mind and so far has 23 chapters overall with all the characters here in the aesthetic introduced but another character has yet to be introduced due to his FC issues and naming issues and planning issues when he gets introduced in volume 1.

So anyway....Ninja's Unite if no one knows....which is really my fault for not talking much about my fanfiction outside of Thunderbirds next generation....

Anyway....its a sort of next generation....and by that I mean, the characters/OCs aren't related to canon, they still the next generation, just not in a related way- but the next gen kinda starts with the main 6 (the team) who are students being trained by Leonardo in order to defend New York from Kraang...and itself. The team are later joined by Luke's twin sister, Leia, who was adopted when Luke was younger and only just was found due to Mack joining Casey's hockey club...that Leia was apart off- who is currently being trained by Casey Jones and later works with Eman Abbas, her best friend who discovers her secret soon enough after a failed school trip. All the while, they discover the pieces of why the turtles broke apart after Splinters death....

And as before with the aesthetics of the characters (found here)- Neo's FC is still being found due to her being a trans girl and therefore, trying to find a FC around her age of 12-13 that is a trans girl like her and as a result, two FCs currently....but again, if anyone can help here, it would be fantastic- and for Eman's FC, her FC is still being fully found as she is Islamic but is also 13 and its hard to find FCs around that age while being Islamic....that isn't on a sexualising list that Google suggests it- and again, help would be fantastic here!

As for the Leo picture....this is cause I cant be bothered to draw Ninjas Unite!Leonardo...I can barley draw humans, let alone turtles!- so its either 2007 or 2014-2016 pictures of Leo being used for now for Ninjas Unite him.

More about the characters/OCs overall under read more

From top to bottom on the Aesthetic:

*Aki Tomani (FC: Mana Ashida)- the leader of the new team who is the eldest of the team at 14 currently and has been living in New York since her grandma moving the pair from Japan to New York when she was 2- often the one who enjoys reading books fully and painting now and then when she has free time from training- user of two Katana's that is often teased by Vitani for being 'Leo. Jr'.

*Vitani Andrews (FC: Alexys Nycole Sanchez)- the member of the new team who at 13, has been born in New York and moved throughout the care system up till the start of the story- the likely to lose her temper a lot, but often calms down with ease and enjoys reading Goosebumps and plays the old arcade game a lot- user of two Sai's who half the time gets protective of Mack and flustered around Leia.

*Luke Miles (FC: David Mazouz)- the movie nerd of the new team who enjoys Star Wars and at the age of 13 currently, is only just starting to get into photography but currently struggles to return to Jewish Traditions due to care homes holding him back from them up till meeting Leia again- user of the weapon Flail Morning Star, but often has to rely on basic combat when it comes to fighting non-robot bad guys.

*Neo/Nina Parker (FC: Dakota Goyo/Mackenzie Foy)- the inventor of the new team who enjoys working on her inventions a lot and reading both DC and Marvel comics in her free time, at age 12 currently but struggles to come out as a trans girl due to fathers abuse prior to being taken into care- user of a sword but prefers to use technology in battle and often or not prefers to not physically fight but so far, has to drag Luke from his ass being kicked....

*Mackenzie 'Mack' Kilman (FC: Quvenzhané Wallis )- the member of the team who is often or not very childish and often enjoys mythology and skateboarding in her free time, being 11 though she is often considered the baby of the team much to her frustration, mostly when Vitani gets protective- user of the Bo-Staff due to not being allowed to use sharper weapons yet due to being the youngest team member and often or not skateboards into battle...somehow.

*Artemis McCoy (FC: Brighton Sharbino)- the student who unlike the other 5, didn't come from a care home and came from...Kraang. Among the child soilders taken as babies by Kraang, Artemis, named Agent 1050 then, quickly turned to the team and so far is struggling to adapt into being a non-kraang 13 year old agent but enjoys music so far- user of bow and arrows who is very much a attacker and doesn't always think her actions through.

*Leia Miles (FC: Clare Foley)- the twin sister of Luke who only became a vigilante at first due to Eman being in danger around the time Leia reunited with Luke but afterwards became a student to hockey club-coach Casey Jones in being a vigilante- enjoys star wars like her brother but mostly enjoys sports but mainly hockey which she has to sneak out to play due to strict adoptive mother- 13 like her twin brother, user of a hockey stick, bat and hockey pucks who often or not lashes out when someone she cares about is in danger and struggles to help brother with jewish traditions a lot of the time.

*Eman Abbas (FC: Tarlan Parvaneh)- the best friend of Leia Miles who comes across Leia's secret first during their school trip to O'Neil industries and later the teams secret when Leia asks her for help to save the team from Kraang- a expert in technology and currently in her older brothers custody due to her mother being deported when Eman was younger and their father remaining when they fled to New York when Eman was younger, and as a result, struggles with her brother to deal with what happened and what can happen still- user of technology and often or not, considered the second smartest person on the team at age 13, with Nina being the first still which leads the pair to compete a lot.

[ectonuritez]

Magnus Chase illustration set! I only ended up coloring Magnus and Sam for my assignment, but I thought the other three should get to see the light of day too.

ID: A set of 5 black and white illustrations, each depicting a Magnus Chase character drawn from the waist up.

The first drawing is of Hearthstone Alderman. He is a slim, white elf man with a sharp jaw and spiky hair. He is wearing a t-shirt, leather jacket, and scarf. His right hand is closed in a fist, his left raised and open as he casts a spell. The “pethro” rune is behind him. He is staring determinedly at the viewer.

The second drawing is of Magnus Chase. He is a black teen boy with chin-length locs that fade from dark at the roots to light at the tips. He is wearing a hoodie and his fehu rune necklace. His arms are crossed in front of his chest, palms facing upwards. A light emanates from his heart. His eyes are closed and he is smiling peacefully.

The third drawing is of Blitzen Freyason. He is a stout black dwarven man with a defined jawline, thick brows, a short but styled beard, and hair in small locs tied back in a half-up-half-down fashion. He is wearing a suit with a waistcoat and bolo tie, a carnation in his lapel. He is smiling, fixing the cuff on his right hand.

The fourth drawing is of Alex Fierro. She is a thin Mexican-American teen with shaggy, curly hair that is dark at the roots. He is wearing an oversized argyle sweater vest, a button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up over his elbows, and fingerless fishnet gloves. She is in profile, facing to the left as her garrotte whips around her. He is smiling confidently.

The final drawing is of Samirah al-Abbas, a thin Arab-American teen girl. She is wearing a lantern-sleeve sweater with patches on the elbows, a skirt, and a hijab. Raven wings sprout from her back. She is smiling confidently, looking over her shoulder with determination as she swings a hand-axe. End ID.

[malusart]

This is “The Sacred Tree of the Sephiroth” from A.E. Waite’s The Holy Kabbalah (1924), showing the emanation of the Divine Principles through the Four Worlds of Kabbalism from their Hidden Source in Ain Soph. The “Ain Soph” means “without end” or “infinite”, the ineffable, unknowable divinity beyond the comprehension of us finite human beings. Instead we can try to comprehend the emanations of divinity.

By the Four Worlds are meant:

1. Atziluth (Emanation) - Archetypal World

2. Beriah (Creation) - Creative World

3. Yetzirah (Formation) - Formative World

4. Assiah (Action) - Material World (the one we live in)

Waite’s diagram shows a strong influence from the most important work of the traditional Kabbalah, the 13th-century Sefer ha-Zohar (Book of Splendour). Waite explains the full-length human figure represents ‘created or generated intelligence on the male side, from which is produced the female side, originally latent therein.’

So it represents Adam Kadmon (Primordial Man) with the Shekinah located in the lowest of the Sephiroth, Malkuth, that closest to humanity, being ‘the Path of Liberation’ symbolizing ‘the Traditional or Oral Law, through which man returns by realization into Divine Union’.

We see some of the Partzufim or Divine Faces, personifications and family relationships of some of the sephiroth as found in the Zohar: Kether as ‘Macroprosopus’ (The ‘Long Face’ or ‘Extended Countenance’), Chokmah (Wisdom) as ‘Abba’ (Father), Binah (Understanding) as ‘Aima’ (Mother’ and Malkuth (Kingdom) as ‘Nukvah’ (Female), the immanent Shekinah or Feminine Divine Presence within Creation. 

I should point out that Waite has flipped the traditional diagram - Wisdom is normally on the right, Understanding on the left.

[ahlulbaytnetworks]

▪️◾From the words of Ayatullah Sayed Ahmad Al-Najafi, may Allah Last his blessings:

I hope that we'll be among those who receive the spiritual emanations of grace and inner providences of Sayeda al-Zahraa, peace be upon her. Here, we have been able to hold mourning gatherings in these "Fatimiya days", and to take the reward and the prize from the hand of her sublime son, Abi Al-Fadl Al-Abbas, peace be upon him.

📚Mishkat al-Nour, p.706.

[albertfinch]

1 Corinthians 2:16   -  "For who has known or understood the mind (the counsels and purposes) of the Lord so as to guide and instruct Him and give Him knowledge?  But we have the mind of Christ, the Messiah, and do hold the thoughts (feelings and purposes) of His heart. "

If you feel weary and discouraged, in need of wisdom and direction, simply ask for God's grace and guidance.

As we seek His PURPOSE FOR OUR LIFE and not just the benefits of "His hand," we will find that the more we know Abba Father, the more His love and compassion will emanate through us.

The light and wisdom we seek from above are not to be found in human programs of education and psychology, or even in our common sense and good intentions, but only, exclusively, in the Person of Christ Jesus.

"He has been made unto us wisdom." - 1 Corinthians 1:30.

                             Affirmations:

GOD WANTS ME TO BE SO IN TUNE WITH HIS SPIRIT THAT I AM ABLE TO FEEL HIS HEART OF COMPASSION TOWARD THOSE AROUND ME WHO ARE HURTING OR AFFLICTED WITH SICKNESS AND PAIN.

SINCE HE IS ONE WITH ME, HE CAN REACH OUT THROUGH MY HANDS AND FULFILL HIS PURPOSES IN THE EARTH.

[islamicrays]

Can a jinn stop you from getting married? A moulana confirmed that my mother has a jinn, probs has it since she was a child and it’s gotten stronger since she got divorced from my dad 22 years ago - since then she’s tried to get married again but they’ve all just failed. What can she do to get rid of it ?

Assalamu Alaikum

Yes it may happen. These things will create problem but if something is meant to happen; it will happen. It can be jin and also black magic. Some magics are done with the help of jin. I don't know the exact situation but if your mother follow the following instructions. It will help your mother in shaa Allah. So be in His rememberance; only Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala can protect her. Abstain from haram things when we have low eman; it will have more effect. Following are some acts that will help her in shaa Allah

1) Fix your prayers; don’t leave salah.

“Recite what has been revealed to you of the Book, and perform the Salah. Verily, the Salah prevents from Al-Fahsha’ (immoral sins) and Al-Munkar (evil deeds) and the remembering (praising) of Allah is greater indeed. And Allah knows what you do.”

Surah Al-Ankaboot (29:45)

2) Implement sunnah in your life. Must read dua before going to the toilet.

It was narrated from Zayd ibn Arqam (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “These toilets are haunted (inhabited by devils), so when anyone of you goes to the toilet let him say, ‘A’oodhu Billaahi min al-khubthi wa’l-khabaa’ith (I seek refuge Allaah from the male and female devils).” Narrated by Abu Dawood, 6; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood.

3) If ever one fears any evil from any quarter, the guidance of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) dictates that one recite the Muawwidhaat (Surahs 113 Al-Falaq and 114 An-Naas), seeking refuge and putting their complete trust and faith in the Power and Strength and Protection of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala Alone; it is expected that their Lord Most High will protect them from any and all evil, and no evil or harm will be able to approach them from any quarter.

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 4563        Narrated by Abu Sa’id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him)

Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) used to seek refuge in Allah from jinn and the evil eye in men till the Mu’awwidhatan (Surah 113 Al-Falaq and Surah 114 An-Naas) were revealed, after which he (peace be upon him) made use of them and abandoned everything else.

The practice of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was to recite the Surah Al-Ikhlas, Surah Al-Falaq, and Surah An-Naas at least three times in the mornings and the evenings, and also when he (peace be upon him) retired for the night to sleep…..

Abdallah b. Habib reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Speak.” I asked, “O Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), what should I say?” He (peace be upon him) replied, “Recite Surat Al-Ikhlas, and the two last Surahs (i.e. Surah al-Falaq and Surah an-Nas) in the morning and evening three times, and it will suffice you for everything.”

4) Recite surah baqara last two ayah before sleeping.

In a hadith narrated by Abu Mas’ud, the Prophet (ﷺ) said, “If somebody recited the last two Verses of Surat Al-Baqara at night, that will be sufficient for him.” (Bukhari)

5) Recite “Hasbunallahu wa Ni’mal Wakeel” all the time

“Allah (Alone) is Sufficient for us, and He is the Best Disposer of affairs (for us).”Surah Al ‘Imran (3:173)

Ibn ‘Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them) said: When (Prophet) Ibraheem(عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم) was thrown into the fire, he said: “Allah (Alone) is sufficient for us, and, He is the Best Disposer of affairs.” So did Messenger of Allah, Muhammad (ﷺ), when he was told: “A great army of the pagans had gathered against him, so fear them”. But this (warning) only increased him and the Muslims in Faith and they said: “Allah (Alone) is sufficient for us, and He is the Best Disposer of affairs (for us)”. [Al-Bukhari].

6) Recite surah kausar when you feel black magic/jin symptoms.

7) Recite ya qaharroo; its the name of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. 11 hundred times in fajr and in magrib with 11 times salawat in begining and in the end. (This was told by the imam for the black magic and jin)

8) Recite this dua 7 times in morning and in evening time and if possible all the time.

May Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala make things easier for her.

Allahumma Ameen