#Islam's first pillar

[a-journey-to-true-self]

Unveiling the Puzzle: Understanding Islam in Today's World

[draxofoy]

i haven't posted anything here omg kinda nervous... but here's zutara in traditional javanese wedding attire 🙇🏻‍♀️ commissioned this from my friend she's amazing 😖❗️

some facts about the attire! ☺️😙

The headwear these babies are wearing are called Blangkon and Cunduk Mentul, Blangkon is a traditional headwear worn by men usually in Central Javanese and Yogyakarta (especially the one Zuko is wearing!) The word Blangkon itself is said to came from the word 'blanco' referring to the blank cloth used to make the headwear, tho there are soo many theories about the origin of both the headwear and the name itself cause sadly there aren't many records about it :(

The headwear is also used to represent wisdom and class because back then, these were used to differentiate the nobilities from the commoners (wr don't really do that anymore dw). The Javanese people believe that your hair, head, and face are the most important and treasured parts of your body, so these Blangkon are used to protect those parts. We also believe that Blangkon represent self-control, since Javanese men tend to keep their hair long back then and keep them loose when they're in a state of 'conflict' such as battles or war, representing uncontrollable flow of emotions so keeping their hair up and covered is seen as an act of self control.

As for the Cunduk Mentul, these pretty headpieces are typically worn by brides on their wedding day! They represent 'the sun that shines over the universe' and also... well, it depends on the number of the pieces they use, usually it's 1, 3, 5, 7, or 9, each representing a different value. 1 is used as a symbol of God's singularity, usually worn by muslim brides, 3 is for the Trimurti or the Trinity of Hindu Gods that deeply rooted in Javanese values, 5 is for the five pillars of Islam, 7 symbolizes 'help' or 'aid'- the Javanese believe that 7 is a lucky number since 7 is 'pitu' in Javanese, so, yeah, 'pitu' for 'pitulungan' or help and aid in Javanese language. 9 represent the Nine Saints/Wali Sanga, 9 saints that have a major impact on the growth of Islam in the island of Java.

Their clothing respectively are called Beskap and Kebaya 🤩 Beskap is more of a modern version of Javenese traditional clothing, for it was adopted from the modern suits worn by the Deutsch during the colonization era. The word Beskap came from the word 'beschaafd', meaning civilized (oh!)

Kebaya, on the other hand, has no specific area origin cause each region has their own styles and versions! The one Katara is wearing is a Central Java Kebaya tho, famous for the velvety fabric and dark colors along with the gold motifs. The history of 'modern' Kebaya itself started in the 15th century when Dutch first settled in Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia!) The clothing had taken inspirations from different cultures (like Chinese and Indian) along the way since Indonesia was (kinda still is!) One of the centers of trade routes for both Hindia and Pacific Oceans.

Damn I'm getting tired of writing this, but next 😭 is Kain Jarik! A piece of fabric with Batik motives wrapped around the legs :))) these babies have RANGE, like they could be used daily, for traditional dance attire, sacred rituals, weddings, even used in funerals 😀 they're usually 2 to 3 meters in length and more variations in width, easy to customize! They also usually have dark colors like dark brown and light brown motives, but i asked my friend to draw them with red and blue and gold motives cause why not 😝

Anyways I think i went a little overboard cause my fingers are hurting from typing this lol.

[cryptotheism]

One Bad Gloop if it was translated like the Emerald Tablet:

Original text, now lost to history:

1) “One bad gloop, and she do what I yoinky 2) Two big splurgs and a big ass gloopy 3) Three more yoinks, then I buy me a smoothie 4) Poured up a gloop, that's a gloop and a splurgy”

From the Jabirian Corpus, of legendary islamic alchemist Jabir Ibn-Hayyan, 8th-9th century:

1) A single bad gloop! What I yoinky, done! 2) They number among this: Two teaming splurgs, and a donkey-drawn cart of gloopy 3) The yoinks number three, at which point, one must acquire for themselves a smoothie 4) Poured up a gloop, that is a gloop and a splurgy”

Notes: Earliest extant translation is notably corrupt.

Secondary Arabic translation by an unknown author. 9th century:

1) One gloop of malicious character, and what I yoinky is done of her 2) Attested are two great splurgs and a gloopy of great magnitude 3) Of yoinks, three! A smoothie follows shortly after. 4) Upon the pouring of a gloop comes another gloop, and a splurgy.

Notes: This version is as corrupt as the Jabirian corpus edition.

From the Book of the Composition of Alchemy, 12th century Latin:

1) One bad gloop, a yoinky be done 2) Two great splurgs, a gloopy of a strong mule 3) Three yoinks, a smoothie 4) A poured gloop, a gloop, a splurgy

Notes: This was the earliest translation into Latin. However, it was not widely circulated.

From Roger Bacon’s Secretum Secretorum, 1445:

1) One badde gloope, and what I yoinkie hath been done of her 2) Two greate splurgges, and the gloopie of a strong asse is produced 3) Add upon this three yoinks, and the purchase of a smoothie 4) From this is distilled a gloope, another gloope, and a splurgie

Notes: This translation was the most widely read in Europe for the time. This form was the basis for several centuries of translations.

From Giorgio Beato’s Aurelium Occultae, 1613:

1) Only a single gloop is required for them to yoinky 2) Whatever splurgs are needed, they are half that a mule's gloopy 3) Where yoinks number three, this will result in a smoothie 4) Also, a gloop, when added to the mixture, will be doubled, along with a splurgy

From Roscrucian mage William Kriegsmann, allegedly from Phonecian 1633:

1) I speak of a gloop, and all I yoinky shall be done 2) I speak of two great splurgs, and their gloopy most tenacious 3) I speak of three more yoinks, and smoothies 4) I speak of a gloop upon the chalice, for it is but a gloop and no more.

Notes: There was no phonecian. Kriegsmann was likely working from the Secretum Secretorum Latin.

From Sir Issac Newton, 1680:

1) Tis a single impure gloop, and from this a yoinky is born 2) Fore is added a grande gloopy, comes a pair of splurgges 3) Purchase of wane smoothie tis built, upon the three pillars of yoink 4) Ye gloop poured, tis but a gloop and a splurgy

Notes: Newton was an accomplished polyglot, his translation is based in one of the Arabic originals, though which is unclear.

From Rosicrucian mage Sigmund Bacstrom, allegedly from Chaldean, 1802

1) Tis from CHIRAM ONE of the GLOOPY 2) Of two SPLURGS and a great GLOOPY 3) Of three YOINKS and a SMOOTHIE 4) Upon the chalice, a GLOOP and a SPLURGY

Notes: Though many translations claim to be from a Chaldean original, this is unlikely to be true. The Bacstrom translation is notably corrupt.

From Madame Helena Blavatsky, unknown date, mid 19th century.

2) Two splurgs and a gloopy conjoin to form The One 3) All things are produced by conjunction of Splurgs and Gloopy 4) Poured up a gloop, a gloop and a splurgy are Complete.

Notes: It is not known why Blavatsky omitted the first line.

From Fulcanelli, translated from the Sieveking french, 18th century.

1) One malicious gloop, and what is yoinky shall be done by her. 2) By divine conjunction, two big splurgs produce gloopy most grand 3) Upon three additional yoinks, the ONE sires the smoothie 4) Here, a gloop and and a splurgy are poured upon the chalice

From Fulcanelli, revised translation, early 19th century

1) One bad gloop, and what is yoinky be done 2) Two big splurgs, to this, a big ass gloopy 3) Upon three yoinks a smoothie is sired 4) Upon pouring of the gloop, a splurgy and a gloop are produced

I had fun writing this. If you want my actual alchemy research you can find it here.

[talonabraxas]

☩ Michael - Archangel of the First Ray ☩

Michael is the Archangel of the First Ray - the Ray of Protection, Faith and the Will of God. He is the Prince of the Archangels and the Angelic Hosts, the Defender of the Faith, the Angel of Deliverance.

Archangel Michael is head of the “Lord of Hosts” and fights with any manifestation of corrupt and negative energy.

He serves the interests of the Lord in this universe and does His work in the manner commanded by His honor.

His name means “ Nobody like God.” Archangel Michael is so transparent that He lets the Divine Light come through us, through which we discover God.

The divine complement of Michael - Archea Faith.

Archangel Michael is considered the greatest and most revered Angel in Jewish, Christian and Islamic traditions and Scriptures.

He comes to Earth when the intervention of the power of the Lord is required.

For over a thousand of years He is the keeper of the Russian lands. Orthodox people recognize in Him their protector from the dark forces. Many times Archangel Michael saved our Fatherland from the encroachment of the enemy. For example, the case mentioned in the "Volokolamsk Paterikon", when in 1239 the Tatar Khan Batu wanted to seize Veliky Novgorod. The Archangel forbade the Khan to attack the city. From that time on, on the military banners of the Russian soldiers could be found images of the Archangel of God's army. When in the city of Kiev, Batu had a chance to see a mural depicting Michael, the Khan noted that it was Him who forbade him to touch Novgorod.

In the spirit of the Holy Scriptures, some Church Fathers see Archangel Michael as a participant in other important events in the life of the people of God, where He is not called by name. For example, He is identified with the mysterious pillar of fire that marched in front of the Israelites during their escape from Egypt and destroyed the military hordes of Pharaoh at sea. He is also credited with defeating a huge Assyrian army, who besieged Jerusalem under the prophet Isaiah (see: Exod. 33, 9, 14, 26-28; 4 Kings. 19, 35).

Archangel Michael helps Joshua (one of Moses chief assistants and his successor) when the Israelites conquered the Promised Land (Josh. 5: 13-15).

Archangel Michael and His legions, dressed in powerful Blue Armor, with shields and swords of the Blue Flame, descend daily into the astral plan. There They cut free those who have passed from the screen of life and who are unable to rise to higher octaves of service and the Retreats of the Masters. Michael and His Angels of deliverance work twenty-four hours a day on these levels rescuing souls from the accumulation of their own human creations over the centuries. They have served there for many ages, and Michael says that He is determined to never give up until the last of the children of Light on this planet have risen to the God Source in the ritual of Ascension.

To assist in cutting the light bearers free from astral entanglements, Archangel Michael has a Sword of Blue Flame that has been fashioned from pure light substance. This Sword is God’s Sword. It has come from the Great Central Sun, a gift from the very Heart of God Himself, and has been passed to Him from the mighty Elohim Hercules. When this sword of Blue Flame blazes into a negative manifestation, nothing can stand against it.

Archangel Michael is a very special Angel to us. He, with His Legions of Light, has dedicated himself for thousands and thousands of years to the safety, security, protection and perfection of our souls; caring for us, sponsoring us, rebuking us, teaching us the way of God’s Holy Will, helping us to understand that there is a Divine plan for each of us.

God loves us so dearly that He lets us know about it in a very personal way - by sending His Angels.

In the 21st century, Beloved Archangel Michael came to humankind on Earth seven times through the Messenger of the Great White Brotherhood, Tatyana Nicholaevna Mickushina. He brought His Teaching on the feeling of selfless Faith and all-consuming Love!

In His first Message, “Your Love and Faith are the only things you need to implement your Divine plan “. Beloved Archangel Michael gave His Teaching, His guidance on how we can move towards God and fulfill our Divine plan. He explained that this is the first step in our progress on the Path to God:

“ I AM Michael, Archangel of the First Ray, which is the Ray of Faith. And I must tell you that your Faith is a pledge of your first step forward on your Path. You will not be given help from the heavens and you will not be able to make a step on your Path to God without your Faith.

Without your Faith in God, none of your actions in the physical plane will be able to succeed, they will be like a house built on sand.

It is your Faith that is your guiding star, and it will show you the way through the storms of life you will face while in the physical plane “.

Then Archangel Michael told us what the next step will be if our Faith is strong, and He came to confirm our Faith!

“… the success of your next step depends on the depth of your Faith.

If you trust in God and your Faith is unshakeable, you can ask for God’s guidance in your life. You will receive such guidance but its level will correspond to the strength of your Faith.

I AM Michael, Archangel! I have come to affirm your Faith and your devotion to God ”

He also indicated what needs to be done in order to get signs and confirmation of the correct choice.

“You ask for signs and guidance for you on your Path. You will be sent signs and guidance but not until you demonstrate your Faith and devotion to God and the Ascended Hosts.

You have to give up your human ego and show your obedience to the Will of God, and only after that will you be sent signs and confirmation of the correctness of your choice.

This is a Law, and neither you nor I can change it.

That is why all of you who are in embodiment now need Faith. Only if you have your Faith, will you be sent hope and guidance “.

Next, Saint Michael the Archangel explains what the manifestation of our Faith is:

“ ... In the physical plane your Faith will be manifested through Love. It is impossible to make a mere step in the right direction without Love, which penetrates through you and inspires you to act in the physical plane.

Initially, you begin to trust and soon you start feeling all-consuming Love, and this Love becomes the guide of your life and leads you through all your trials and tests.

Your Love and Faith are the only things you need to implement your Divine plan”

Archangel Michael warns against mistakes on the way:

“…If you need something else to realize your Divine plan, you should scrutinize your wishes and aspirations attentively. As a rule, these will be the very things you should get rid of initially.

If you need money, power, or any other things of the illusory world and believe that without them you will not be able to serve God, you are on the wrong path.

You will always have everything necessary to implement your Divine plan and to serve God and people, if Faith, Hope, and Love become your constant companions in life.

But Wisdom, the Divine Wisdom, will be the very attribute you acquire when you trust and love wholeheartedly.

God endows you with His Wisdom, and not only with it but with other gifts of the Holy Spirit that descend on you in response to your asking and even when you do not ask for them.

In your wholehearted service to God, your heart is enriched by qualities that in their turn draw to our world everything necessary to make your service more effective.

If you are on the right Path, the further you follow it, the more Divine features and perfection you will be endowed with ”.

At the conclusion of this Message, Archangel Michael assured us:

“... all the light-bearers, even if they are in the minority now, are protected unfailingly!

The odds are always in favor of those who are with God. And it has always been so.

Those changes on Earth that were to take place in due time in accordance with the plan of God were made not by numbers but by faith and devotion.

Therefore, do not be confused by this temporary predominance of the forces in the physical plane that you have become used to calling the forces of darkness. In reality their time has expired. No matter how violently they behave at the end of the day their power is nearing the end.

I and my legions are fully at your disposal. And if you appeal to us, we are ready to give you all the help that can be given according to your Faith… ”

In His Message of January 5, 2007, Saint Michael the Archangel gave the most important Teaching on replacing fear with Divine Love. He has come to put end to our fears!

“A large number of people feel fear. Fears are actually a scourge of your time. Fear exists where there is lack of Divine Love. And there is lack of Love everywhere in your world.

You cannot fight with your fears. The energy you will direct to that fight will only strengthen your fears. But you can dissolve your fears with a universal solvent, which is the Love of your hearts. Therefore, all that you need to do in the nearest future is to open your hearts to Love, Divine Love. And as your world is filled up with Divine Love, your fears will vanish like the mist clears away with the beginning of a new day ”.

Here, Archangel Michael says that the fear of death is the prevailing fear in our world. He explains:

“You are afraid of something that does not exist in nature. You are afraid of something you created by your imperfect consciousness. You are afraid of death, but death does not exist. Death exists only in your consciousness. There is only eternal life and eternal bliss in the Divine World. Death is, in fact, only the transition of your soul from one life form to another “.

Archangel Michael assures us: "... death does not exist ... all your fears are generated by your consciousness. When you let Love in your consciousness, it will dissolve all your fears including the fear of death ”.

In the Message “On protection against the lowest levels of the subtle plane ”, Saint Michael the Archangel speaks of the approach, and, therefore, of the influence of the astral layers on the inhabitants of Earth:

“I have come with my Legions of the Blue Flame of Protection. I have come to tell you that despite the whole complexity and unpredictability of the situation formed on Earth, we carry on our service and bear the responsibility for guarding everyone who turns to us for help and protection.

The Higher planes have cleared the unusual penetrations, and all of those who are unfriendly toward Earth’s evolution and do not want to cooperate with us, the Ascended Masters, are pressed close to Earth’s physical plane. Therefore, the influence of not the best layers of the subtle world on the inhabitants of Earth is increasing at this time ”.

Archangel Michael further explains:

“This stage of evolution is natural, and you will have to learn to live under conditions when the astral plane and the lowest layers of the mental plane are approaching.

While you are keeping your consciousness concentrated on the Divine world and experiencing a sense of invincibility, you have nothing to fear. Most inhabitants of the astral plane tremble at the fieriness of your chakras. You are a source of danger to them, and indeed, those of you who let the fire into your physical world can clear the astral plane with the fire of Kundalini or with the sword of Kundalini. An unconscious ascension of Kundalini energies neutralizes hordes of inhabitants of the astral plane ”.

He warns us:

“ You are invincible to the astral plane. However, if you allow imperfect states such as sadness, melancholy, fear, hatred, or hostility to enter your consciousness, then your vibrations get lower and you become vulnerable to the astral plane. Therefore, we come again and again and ask you to pay attention to the hygiene of your consciousness and to cleanse it from everything low-vibrational and everything incompatible with the Divine world.

Each of you is responsible for the state of your own consciousness ”.

Beloved Archangel Michael reminds us that when we seek help, we need to make Calls:

“ My Angels and I are always at your service, particularly at difficult moments of your life when you lose control over yourself and become vulnerable to the dark forces. You can always turn to us for help. Whole legions of my guardian angels are ready to give you help and protection 24 hours a day. Do not hesitate to ask us for help; it is our duty and obligation to help people. We cannot start fulfilling our duties until you call us; however, your call makes us respond and come to you to help in a difficult situation “.

The Message of Archangel Michael “ I am calling you into the future!” is a warning. It is a fiery Call, a guide to action, so that we can climb to the next level of consciousness, and, together with the Ascended Hosts, take responsibility for everything happening on our beloved planet :

“ Now and for the coming days, the time has come when we must focus our efforts on helping the planet. And this is my Message and my warning to you.

... you have reached the time when you have to share the responsibility for everything that happens on the planet along with the Ascended Hosts.

And this is the next level of consciousness to which you should rise.

... The time is coming when you should follow the direction that you get from your hearts.

... if you are honest with yourself, if you enter your heart and feel the vibrations of a more subtle plane, then you will undoubtedly hear the disturbing alarm that is ringing on planet Earth. And this alarm is a danger signal. It is an indicator of the trouble of the planet.

Much is at stake at this moment. Most human individuals are not ready for a change of consciousness. And volunteers are needed to demonstrate a new level of consciousness, the consciousness that is not tied to the physical or astral plane but is ready to cooperate with the Higher Worlds.

You all are interconnected in more subtle planes of being. And there is a necessity for a higher frequency of consciousness to resonate like a tuning fork in space, so that the souls of those people who are stuck in the illusion rise again and cast their glances toward Heaven.

I envy those of who are incarnated at this very difficult time because the future of the planet and of millions of souls who are caught in the illusion and do not see that daylight depends on your ability to keep your consciousness pure, Heavenward, and in accordance with the Higher Worlds.

Lead by example! Be brave, be enduring, and be inventive. Invent the ways that will carry millions of people to a new level of consciousness. Do sound on the top note. Do set the pattern!

I am calling you into the future!

I AM Archangel Michael! ”

Temple of Faith and Protection -

Retreat of the Archangel Michael and Faith

The Temple of Faith and Protection located in the etheric realm over Banff and Lake Louise in the Canadian Rockies in Alberta, Canada.

Archangel Michael and Faith are the Hierarchs of this Retreat, the Home of Legions of Blue- Lightning Angels who come from all ends of the Universe to serve the planet Earth in its travail. Bands of Angels serving under the Archangels of the other six rays also gather here, where great conclaves of the angelic hosts are held under the sponsorship of Michael, the Prince of the Archangels.

The Temple is round, inlaid with gold, diamonds and sapphires. There are four entrances marking the twelve, three, six and nine o’clock lines of the focus, forming a square platform beneath the Temple.

Each entrance has a forty-foot golden door, approached by forty-nine steps. Blue sapphires adorn the golden doors and the golden dome in a radial pattern. Beautiful gardens, fountains and white marble benches surround the Temple.

The pyramid-shaped altar is made of white and blue diamonds; the color of the flame ranges from a deep sapphire blue to a pastel, almost white hue. The seats that surround the altar in concentric rings accommodate thousands of Angels. Two large balconies form circular rings inside the Temple. The flame in the center rises toward the golden dome, which is studded with blue sapphires on the outside and blue diamonds on the inside.

After the coming of the First Root Race to the planet, when the Archangels acted as Lords of the Rays until the time when they were appointed from among mankind, a Retreat was hewn out of the mountain, a physical focus to which all might come to renew their energies, their Faith in the Divine Plan for their lifestreams and their enthusiasm to serve the Will of God. After the descent of mankind’s consciousness into duality, the physical temple was destroyed, but the etheric focus lived on, as tangible as a physical temple ever was to those who travel there in their finer bodies.

When men departed from their original state of innocence and perfection, they lost their own innate protection.

Archangel Michael and Archea Faith invite unascended lifestreams to come to Their Retreat during their night sleep to strengthen their Faith and grasp of the power of God's Will.

Archangel Michael charges us with Faith so that we can fulfill our inner vows, our Divine mission. Each of us, before coming to incarnation, stood before the Karmic Board and promised to carry out his ministry.

The keynote of Archangel Michael is - “The Navy Hymn” by John Bacchus Dykes. The music of the “Bridal Chorus” from the opera” Lohengrin “- by Richard Wagner magnifies the radiation of the Archangels and the angelic hosts. Archangel Michael is the sponsor of police departments and other law enforcement agencies around the world.

[warningsine]

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers have issued a ban on women’s voices and bare faces in public under new laws approved by the supreme leader in efforts to combat vice and promote virtue.

The laws were issued Wednesday after they were approved by supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, a government spokesman said. The Taliban had set up a ministry for the “propagation of virtue and the prevention of vice” after seizing power in 2021.

The ministry published its vice and virtue laws on Wednesday that cover aspects of everyday life like public transportation, music, shaving and celebrations.

They are set out in a 114-page, 35-article document seen by The Associated Press and are the first formal declaration of vice and virtue laws in Afghanistan since the takeover.

“Inshallah we assure you that this Islamic law will be of great help in the promotion of virtue and the elimination of vice,” said ministry spokesman Maulvi Abdul Ghafar Farooq on Thursday.

The laws empower the ministry to be at the frontline of regulating personal conduct, administering punishments like warnings or arrest if enforcers allege that Afghans have broken the laws.

Article 13 relates to women. It says it is mandatory for a woman to veil her body at all times in public and that a face covering is essential to avoid temptation and tempting others. Clothing should not be thin, tight or short.

Women should veil themselves in front of all male strangers, including Muslims, and in front of all non-Muslims to avoid being corrupted. A woman’s voice is deemed intimate and so should not be heard singing, reciting, or reading aloud in public. It is forbidden for women to look at men they are not related to by blood or marriage and vice versa.

Article 17 bans the publication of images of living beings, threatening an already fragile Afghan media landscape.

Article 19 bans the playing of music, the transportation of solo female travelers, and the mixing of men and women who are not related to each other. The law also obliges passengers and drivers to perform prayers at designated times.

According to the ministry website, the promotion of virtue includes prayer, aligning the character and behavior of Muslims with Islamic law, encouraging women to wear hijab, and inviting people to comply with the five pillars of Islam. It also says the elimination of vice involves prohibiting people from doing things forbidden by Islamic law.

Last month, a U.N. report said the ministry was contributing to a climate of fear and intimidation among Afghans through edicts and the methods used to enforce them.

It said the ministry’s role was expanding into other areas of public life, including media monitoring and eradicating drug addiction.

“Given the multiple issues outlined in the report, the position expressed by the de facto authorities that this oversight will be increasing and expanding gives cause for significant concern for all Afghans, especially women and girls,” said Fiona Frazer, the head of the human rights service at the U.N. mission in Afghanistan.

The Taliban rejected the U.N. report.

[lemedstudent2021]

books & stuff!!

i have been meaning to make this post for months now lol oops :') have been asked to recommend books and stuff so here i am finally, i will update with more as i go along and link what i can find. enjoy!

--

Islam

made a list of reads and resources for sisters looking into islam on reddit, indeed this blog was first made with the purpose of sharing things abt islam & muslim daily life & med stuff. so by popular request (a beloved moot lol) i present to u

*:･ﾟ✧ links to playlists:

5 pillars made plain (a playlist going through the foundation upon which Islam is built. Islam 101 if you will)

My moment of conviction (when reverts realised they were on the right path)

Jesus in Islam (learn how Muslims see Isa peace be upon him)

Keys to prophetic parenting (parenting from the perspective of the best of mankind!)

*:･ﾟ✧ resources in general:

Quran.com (listen to the Quran, read the tafsir (exegesis), and peruse reflections left by users)

Sunnah.com (books of Hadith (narrations of the prophet peace be upon him) categorised according to authenticity, the best of which belonging to Sahih Muslim and Sahih Bukhari may God be pleased with them both)

and:

Yaqeen institute (website & youtube)

Mufti Menk (scholar and speaker, passionate, sometimes funny, always informative) & my favourite dad joke of his lol

*:･ﾟ✧ books i have:

Islam for younger people (i reread this often ^-^)

Islam beliefs and teachings (this ones in my dads office lol)

answers to non muslims' common questions about islam (direct and satisfactory)

in the early hours (a book gifted to me and is dear to my heart)

islamic manners (another gift, a must read for everyone really)

God bless! *throws sparkles*

--

my library

sadly i am not as well read as i would like to be lol, my lil library is limited to the books i grew up with; a few older children novels and some non-fiction. i mainly want to read classics, literature and poetry alike, like shakespeare, the bronte sisters, jane austen, edgar allan poe and the like. ive been meaning to expand for years, but alas, i have yet to find the time (and motivation) to do so. not really into ya, id love to read crime and mystery though (like agatha christie) one day. wow just remembered my sherlock holmes phase while writing this :D

*:･ﾟ✧ currently reading (and i use the term reading very loosely lol):

the posthumous memoirs of bras cubas (download link)

the iliad - homer

the odyssey - also homer

probably more i forgor

*:･ﾟ✧ on my shelf (physical and metaphorical):

the black death - philip ziegler

hagakure - yamamoto tsunetomo

the ones who walk away from omelas (rec from a moot :3)

as long as the lemon trees grow - zoulfa katouh

there will come soft rains - ray bradbury

*:･ﾟ✧ favourite & most beloved reads:

the anne series (esp anne of the island)

children of the new forest

the secret garden

companions of the prophet (comfort reads of mine. also i have the revised edition and i only found my book 2, heres a pdf tho)

*:･ﾟ✧ others:

toxic childhood - sue palmer (was reading parenting books at 15 lol. tbf its a great read. i also had no friends so)

theres a sequel too (detoxing childhood)

a short history of the ottoman empire - erhan afyoncu (this is the only link i found beside amazon :'))

living in the ottoman lands: identities, administration & warfare (turkiye was beautiful & i still feel guilty abt not reading these two)

probably more i also forgor

--

thank u for reading this far and being patient with me i really appreciate it lol. happy reading!!

for my beloveds @notsolonedesert & @sporadicallyanenthusiast <3

[regulusrules]

Yo, I saw your post about orientalism in relation to the "hollywood middle-east" tiktok!

How can a rando and university dropout get into and learn more about? Any literature or other content to recommend?

Hi!! Wow, you have no idea how you just pressed a button. I'll unleash 5+ years on you. And I'll even add for you open-sourced works that you can access as much as I can!

1. Videos

I often find this is the best medium nowadays to learn anything! I'll share with you some of the best that deal with the topic in different frames

• This is a video of Edward Said talking about his book, Orientalism. Said is the Palestinian- American critic who first introduced the term Orientalism, and is the father of postcolonial studies as a critical literary theory. In this book, you’ll find an in-depth analysis of the concept and a deconstruction of western stereotypes. It’s very simple and he explains everything in a very easy manner.

• How Islam Saved Western Civilization. A more than brilliant lecture by Professor Roy Casagranda. This, in my opinion, is one of the best lectures that gives credit to this great civilization, and takes you on a journey to understand where did it all start from.

• What’s better than a well-researched, general overview Crash Course about Islam by John Green? This is not necessarily on orientalism but for people to know more about the fundamental basis of Islam and its pillars. I love the whole playlist that they have done about the religion, so definitely refer to it if you're looking to understand more about the historical background! Also, I can’t possibly mention this Crash Course series without mentioning ... ↓

• The Medieval Islamicate World. Arguably my favourite CC video of all times. Hank Green gives you a great thorough depiction of the Islamic civilization when it rose. He also discusses the scientific and literary advancements that happened in that age, which most people have no clue about! And honestly, just his excitement while explaining the astrolabe. These two truly enlightened so many people with the videos they've made. Thanks, @sizzlingsandwichperfection-blog

2. Documentaries

• This is an AMAZING documentary called Reel Bad Arabs: How Hollywood Villifies A People by the genius American media critic Jack Shaheen. He literally analysed more than 1000 movies and handpicked some to showcase the terribly false stereotypes in western depiction of Arab/Muslim cultures. It's the best way to go into the subject, because you'll find him analysing works you're familiar with like Aladdin and all sorts.

• Spain’s Islamic Legacy. I cannot let this opportunity go to waste since one of my main scopes is studying feminist Andalusian history. There are literal gems to be known about this period of time, when religious coexistence is documented to have actually existed. This documentary offers a needed break from eurocentric perspectives, a great bird-view of the Islamic civilization in Europe and its remaining legacy (that western history tries so hard to erase).

• When the Moors Ruled in Europe. This is one of the richest documentaries that covers most of the veiled history of Al-Andalus (Muslim Spain). Bettany Hughes discusses some of the prominent rulers, the brilliance of architecture in the Arab Muslim world, their originality and contributions to poetry and music, their innovative inventions and scientific development, and lastly, La Reconquista; the eventual fall and erasure of this grand civilization by western rulers.

3. Books

• Rethinking Orientalism by Reina Lewis. Lewis brilliantly breaks the prevailing stereotype of the “Harem”, yk, this stupid thought westerns projected about arab women being shut inside one room, not allowed to go anywhere from it, enslaved and without liberty, just left there for the sexual desires of the male figures, subjugated and silenced. It's a great read because it also takes the account of five different women living in the middle east.

• Nocturnal Poetics by Ferial Ghazoul. A great comparative text to understand the influence and outreach of The Thousand and One Nights. She applies a modern critical methodology to explore this classic literary masterpiece.

• The Question of Palestine by Edward Said. Since it's absolutely relevant, this is a great book if you're looking to understand more about the Palestinian situation and a great way to actually see the perspective of Palestinians themselves, not what we think they think.

• Arab-American Women's Writing and Performance by S.S. Sabry. One of my favourite feminist dealings with the idea of the orient and how western depictions demeaned arab women by objectifying them and degrading them to objects of sexual desire, like Scheherazade's characterization: how she was made into a sensual seducer, but not the literate, brilliantly smart woman of wisdom she was in the eastern retellings. The book also discusses the idea of identity and people who live on the hyphen (between two cultures), which is a very crucial aspect to understand arabs who are born/living in western countries.

• The Story of the Moors in Spain by Stanley Lane-Poole. This is a great book if you're trying to understand the influence of Islamic culture on Europe. It debunks this idea that Muslims are senseless, barbaric people who needed "civilizing" and instead showcases their brilliant civilization that was much advanced than any of Europe in the time Europe was labelled by the Dark Ages. (btw, did you know that arabic was the language of knowledge at that time? Because anyone who was looking to study advanced sciences, maths, philosophy, astronomy etc, had to know arabic because arabic-speaking countries were the center of knowledge and scientific advancements. Insane, right!)

• Convivencia and Medieval Spain. This is a collection of essays that delve further into the idea of “Convivencia”, which is what we call for religious coexistence. There's one essay in particular that's great called Were Women Part of Convivencia? which debunks all false western stereotypical images of women being less in Islamic belief. It also highlights how arab women have always been extremely cultured and literate. (They practiced medicine, studied their desired subjects, were writers of poetry and prose when women in Europe couldn't even keep their surnames when they married.)

4. Novels / Epistolaries

• Granada by Radwa Ashour. This is one of my favourite novels of all time, because Ashour brilliantly showcases Andalusian history and documents the injustices and massacres that happened to Muslims then. It covers the cultural erasure of Granada, and is also a story of human connection and beautiful family dynamics that utterly touches your soul.

• Dreams of Trespass by Fatma Mernissi. This is wonderful short read written in autobiographical form. It deconstructs the idea of the Harem in a postcolonial feminist lens of the French colonization of Morocco.

• Scheherazade Goes West by Fatma Mernissi. Mernissi brilliantly showcases the sexualisation of female figures by western depictions. It's very telling, really, and a very important reference to understand how the west often depicts middle-eastern women by boxing them into either the erotic, sensual beings or the oppressed, black-veiled beings. It helps you understand the actual real image of arab women out there (who are not just muslims btw; christian, jew, atheist, etc women do exist, and they do count).

• Letters of Lady Mary Wortley Montagu. This is a feminist travel epistolary of a British woman which covers the misconceptions that western people, specifically male travelers, had recorded and transmitted about the religion, traditions and treatment of women in Constantinople, Turkey. It is also a very insightful sapphic text that explores her own engagement with women there, which debunks the idea that there are no queer people in the middle east.

---------------------

With all of these, you'll get an insight about the real arab / islamic world. Not the one of fanaticism and barbarity that is often mediated, but the actual one that is based on the fundamental essences of peace, love, and acceptance.

[whencyclopedia]

Key Numbered Lists in History

Throughout history, societies and traditions have used numbered lists to categorize and structure key concepts, figures, and beliefs. These lists often serve as mnemonic devices, aiding in the transmission of cultural, religious, and political knowledge across generations.

From the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, which celebrated human architectural achievements, to the Five Pillars of Islam, which define core religious practices, such lists provide insight into the values and priorities of different civilizations. They can represent divine principles, as seen in the Eightfold Path of Buddhism and the Nine Muses, or political structures, such as the First Triumvirate of Rome and the Three Estates of pre-revolutionary France. Whether symbolic, philosophical, or historical, these enumerations continue to shape our understanding of the past.

Continue reading...

[girlactionfigure]

Tonight, Israel attacked (for the first time) the Palestinian refugee camp of Al Bas in Tyre.

Fatah Sharif, chairman of the UNRWA teachers' association, was killed in the attack .

Hamas publishes an official proclamation in which it announces that the fresh elimination is none other than:

الشهيد القائد فتح شريف أبو الأمين قائد حركة المقاومة الإسلامية حماس في لبنان وعضو قيادة الحركة في الخارج

Commander of the Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas in Lebanon and Member of the Movement's Leadership Abroad

Hamas is a central pillar of UNRWA, as it was in Gaza, so it is in Lebanon.

I circled in red in the attached photo the logo of UNRWA behind Sharif.

And here is the chairman of UNRWA's teachers association on an official Hamas proclamation with the special title: commander in Hamas in Lebanon.

Fatah Sharif, commander of Hamas in Lebanon, according to the official definition of the movement, receives a letter of appreciation from UNRWA, for his work (2019)

[eretzyisrael]

by Phyllis Chesler

Jordan's King, Abdullah II, is not only deceptive, he is an out-and-out liar. In a speech he delivered yesterday in Strasbourg to the European Parliament, he claimed credit for what Jordan never did, i.e. protect the holy places of non-Muslim religions under Jordan's jurisdiction. The Hashemite Kingdom kept the area around the Western Wall as a stable and a garbage dump. They did not interfere with Yasser Arafat's continuous desecration of churches in Israel and on the West Bank better known as Yehuda and Shomron.

Although the King mentioned, in passing, the "raging war in Ukraine," described what's going on in Gaza as a "cruel (war)," and warned that the "attacks on Iran threaten a dangerous escalation of tensions," his primary focus was...Palestine!

Of course, Palestine. For those who do not know: The Hashemite Kingdom is an entirely fake monarchy, one awarded to Meccan-based Arab tribes by the British as a reward for having supported the UK in overthrowing the Ottoman Empire. Many of you may know this from the film Lawrence of Arabia, whose subject was also known as an Arab-lover and the author of the "The Seven Pillars of Wisdom."

King Abdullah II is also the son of the previous King, Hussein, who, at first funded the PLO under Yasser Arafat, but then organized a massacre of the Arabs who fled Israel in 1948. Fled--not forced out. This blood bath took place in 1970, was known as "Black September," and involved the estimated slaughter of anywhere from 3,000–25,000 "Palestinians."

King Abdullah II is the son of King Hussein's second wife, Toni Avril Gardner, born in Britain. He subsequently married Lisa Halaby, who was of Syrian-Lebanese descent and born in Washington D.C. She was his fourth wife, had to convert to Islam, and was known as Queen Noor.

What in God's name is authentically and indigenously royal about this bunch?

[a-journey-to-true-self]

Unveiling the Puzzle: Understanding Islam in Today's World

[asma-al-husna]

Allah calls Himself Al-Badee’— The incomparable Originator— on two occasions in the Quran. He is the One who initiates and creates in amazing and original ways that have no precedent, without any model or example. Al-Badee’ is the incomparable, the unique, and only One who originates, commences, invents, and creates in a perfect way!

The incomparable originator, the wonderful inventor and innovator

Badee’ comes from the root baa-daal-‘ayn which points to three main meanings. The first main meaning is to originate, innovate, or start. The second main meaning is to start something, to uniquely contrive without any similarity to anything pre-existing. And the third main meaning is to be incomparable, superlative and amazing.

This root appears four times in the Quran in three derived forms. Examples of these forms are ibtada’oohaa (“they innovated”) and bid’an (“a new (one)”).

Linguistically, bid’ah means an innovation or something new, something not done or said by anyone before.

Al-Badee’ refers to the one and only Originator who time and time again does something new, unlike anything else, originating its existence without the use of any tool and without being limited to time or space.

Al-Badee’ Himself says: [He is] Originator of the heavens and the earth. How could He have a son when He does not have a companion and He created all things? And He is, of all things, Knowing [Quran, 6:101] ..Originator of the heavens and the earth. When He decrees a matter, He only says to it, “Be,” and it is. [Quran, 2:117]

Bida’h: the concept of innovation in religion

According to Islamic teaching bid’ah is any invented or innovated way in religion that is aimed at worshipping or drawing closer to Allah ‘azza wa jall. This means that this act, saying, or distancing from something, has no proof—or daleel— in the Quran and Sunnah and was not known at the time of the Prophet salallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and the companions. (These unaccepted religious inventions and innovations don’t include worldly inventions, like technology.)

The Prophet salallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam would start a khutbah (sermon) saying: …The best of speech is the Book of Allah and the best of guidance is the guidance of Muhammad. The worst of things are those which are newly-invented, and every innovation is a going astray … [Muslim] This shows us it is forbidden to innovate something in Islam or to follow an innovation someone else started.

He salallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam kept repeating: Every newly-invented thing is a bid’ah (innovation), every bid’ah is a going astray, and every going astray will be in the Fire. [An-Nasaa’i] He also explained that when you invent something in Islam this deed will be rejected from you: Whoever innovates something in this matter of ours that is not a part of it will have it rejected. [Al-Bukhaaree]

This shows how important it is to gain correct Islamic knowledge, as any innovation will not be accepted from the believers and can lead to the Hellfire. Examples of bid’ah are denying any of the five pillars of Islam or of the six pillars of emaan (faith), celebrating non-Islamic events and declaring that which is haraam (forbidden) halaal (accepted) and that which is halaal, haraam.

How Can You Live by This Name?

1. Stay away from innovation in your religion.

Study the Quran and the sunnah from trustworthy sources so you equip yourself with knowledge on what is commanded, recommended, forbidden and discouraged in Islam. Gain knowledge about the ways of the prophet and his companions as these are key to implementing Quranic knowledge in your life. The prophet salallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said: If anyone introduces an innovation in the religion, he will be responsible for it. If anyone introduces an innovation or gives shelter to a man who introduces an innovation (in the religion) he is cursed by Allah, by His angels and by all the people. [Abu Dawood] Ask Al-Badee’ to protect you from innovation.

2. Follow the prophet.

The prophet said: Leave me as I leave you, for the people who were before you were ruined because of their questions and their differences over their prophets. So, if I forbid you to do something, then keep away from it. And if I order you to do something, then do of it as much as you can. [Al-Bukharee]

And: … we were with ‘Umar and he said: We have been forbidden to undertake a difficult task beyond our capability (i.e. to exceed the religious limits, e.g., to clean the inside of the eyes while doing ablution).[Al-Bukhaaree] Never change or twist the meaning of the Quran or Sunnah to suit your desires. Be honest and take responsibility for your choices. Be careful with cultural activities; if they don’t contradict the Quran and sunnah there is no harm, but if they contradict Islam, avoid them.

3. Revive a sunnah.

The prophet salallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said: He who starts a good sunnah will be rewarded for it, in addition to receiving rewards equal to the rewards of those who follow him into it. Whereas he who starts a bad sunnah will be burdened with it, in addition to receiving burdens equal to the burdens of those who follow him into it. [Muslim] The only good sunnah is a revived sunnah and not a newly-invented one!

5. Present Islam in a correct way.

When presenting Islam to someone, present the Quran and Sunnah and not your opinion.

6. Ask Al-Badee’.

… Originator of the heavens and the earth. When He decrees a matter, He only says to it, ‘Be,’ and it is. [Quran, 2:117] Know there is no problem too big, no situation too challenging, and no difficulty too hard as long as you call upon Al-Badee’ to ask for His support and for your every need.

O Allah, Al-Badee’,we know that You are the incomparable Originator. Make us of those who follow Your rope, gain correct knowledge of Your Book and the sunnah and protect us from bid’ah. Guide us in reviving the ways of Your prophet correctly, make us convey the message of Islam to others as You revealed it and adorn us with complete faith and trust in Your power to create and originate, ameen!

[bipolarman2022]

PARTE 1: In a small town in the south of Spain, there lived a man named Andrés. He was a devout Christian, raised in a deeply religious family. The church had been his refuge since childhood, and his faith had been his guide through the darkest moments of his life. He was involved in all the activities of the parish and was known for his fervent love of God.

Andrés led a quiet and solitary life, dedicated to his work as a history teacher at a local high school. His days were spent between the lessons he taught and the masses he religiously attended. For him, Christianity was not just a religion, but the pillar on which he had built his entire existence.

However, Andrés' routine was interrupted when, one day, he met Karim, a Muslim immigrant who had come to the city looking for a new life. Karim was a charismatic man, with a soft voice and deep eyes. His presence was magnetic, and Andrés was immediately intrigued by him. Karim opened a small tea and spice shop in the neighborhood, and soon began to attract the attention of the locals, not only for the quality of his products, but for his wisdom and serenity.

Andrés, driven by curiosity and an inexplicable desire to know more about Karim, began to visit the shop regularly. At first, their conversations were limited to trivial topics: the weather, politics, cultural differences. However, over time, they began to talk about deeper topics. Karim, although respectful, did not hide his faith. He spoke with a calmness that contrasted with Andrés's fervor, and his words, loaded with meaning and metaphors, began to find a place in Andrés's mind.

One afternoon, while sharing tea, Karim spoke about Islam with a calm passion. He spoke of the prophet Muhammad, of submission to the will of Allah, of the importance of prayer and of the inner peace he found in his faith. Andrés listened attentively, amazed by the depth and beauty of what he heard. It wasn't the first time he had heard about Islam, but something about the way Karim explained it resonated within him in a way he had never experienced before.

Andrés began to doubt. For the first time in his life, he questioned whether his Christian faith, which had been the center of his life, was enough. He was drawn to the purity of Karim's devotion, to the simplicity and peace that seemed to emanate from his being. He didn't know how to reconcile these feelings with his life of Christian devotion. He began to read about Islam, to study the Quran in secret. His visits to Karim's shop became more frequent, and their conversations deeper.

Karim never pressured Andrés. He knew that faith was something that had to spring from within, that it couldn't be imposed. But every conversation they had, every passage of the Quran they discussed, every story about the prophet that Karim told, planted a seed of doubt in Andrés that grew with each passing day.

Finally, Andrew’s internal struggle reached a point of no return. One night, after hours of sleeplessness and prayer, he made the decision to talk to Karim. He confessed his confusion, his internal struggle between the faith he had been raised in and the new truth he had begun to discover. Karim listened in silence, letting Andrew vent all his doubts and fears.

When Andrew finished speaking, Karim simply told him: “The truth cannot be forced. Allah guides whom He wants to guide. If you feel your path changing, follow your heart. But remember, whatever your decision, you must find peace in it.”

That night, Andrew knelt in his room, as he had done so many times before, but this time he did not pray to God as he usually did. Instead, he recited, with a trembling voice, the words he had learned from Karim: “La ilaha illallah, Muhammadur rasulullah.” He did so not out of fear, nor out of coercion, but because deep within him, he felt that he was following the truth he had found.

Andrés left his Christian life behind, not without pain, not without the suffering of losing that which had been his guide for so long. But in his new faith he found a peace he had not known before. Karim became his brother in Islam, and though he never forgot his roots, Andrés knew that he had found his true path.

Andrés’ decision was not easy, and the consequences were not mild. He lost friends, he was misunderstood by many, but he knew that he had followed his truth, a truth that Karim had helped to awaken. And in that truth, Andrés found a new spiritual home, where he could finally rest his soul.

[realitycheckin]

All praise is due to Allah, the Most Merciful, the One who guides whom He wills. We ask Him to send peace and blessings upon the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, the best of creation, the one who perfected faith, character, and submission to Allah.

We, as an Ummah, need to do something about our mindset, especially the way we think, the way we reason, and the way we make decisions when it comes to our religion. I’m tired, truly tired, of the excuses. Why don’t we learn? There is reward in both listening to the Qur’an and in gaining knowledge for the sake of Allah. Both are acts of worship. But what good is listening when the heart is closed? What good is learning when we lack the foundation of faith?

Today I watched a lecture by Sheikh Hashim Abu Yusuf, may Allah be pleased with him, and he said something so powerful. He said, “Learn iman, learn faith, and then learn the Qur’an.” And this is exactly what the Prophet ﷺ did. He would teach the Sahaba about iman before the Qur’an. He taught them to know their Lord first. And then, through that, they were able to understand and live the Qur’an.

They didn’t neglect the pillars of Islam. They didn’t overlook them. They lived them. But they also knew what iman was. They knew Who Allah is. And through this knowledge of their Lord, they developed fear, love, trust, and awe.

So what is iman? It is taqwa, consciousness of Allah. And it is tawakkul, complete reliance upon Him. These are not just pretty words. They are a way of life. They are the lens through which we make choices, seek help, and react to hardship.

But today… today we speak to Allah the way we would speak to a stranger we stop on the road, only when we need help, only when we are lost. “Excuse me, can you tell me where to go?” we say, and as soon as we’re back on track, we walk away and never turn back. We speak to Allah like that. We call upon Him in hardship but live the rest of our lives as if we’ve never met Him. And this is killing us. This mindset, this modern disease of hyper-independence, it is severing our bond with the One who created us. It is building a wall between our ruh and our Rabb.

This dunya is eating us alive, and worse, it’s dulling our souls. We chase what the eyes can see and forget that the heart was made to see what the eyes cannot. We indulge in arrogance, in ignorance, and in comfort, and then wonder why our hearts feel dead.

And I say this because I’ve witnessed it. I've seen it in people I know, people who once were upon guidance. People who once reminded me of Allah. But now, they laugh when the decree of Allah is mentioned. I said to someone recently, “Don’t giggle when you speak of Qadr. Since when was the power of Allah a joke?” And all they said was, “Yeah yeah, for sure, for sure.”

It broke my heart. This was a person who once taught me how to pray. And I don’t claim to know their hearts, only Allah knows that, but I fear for them. Because I can see how far they’ve fallen. They speak of self-awareness, but they’re unaware of their ruh. They are boastful in their ‘growth’ but disconnected from the soul.

So I say this with sincerity: Protect your ruh. That is your connection with Allah. That is the part of you that longs to return to Him. Allah loves us , and He loves when we come back to Him.

As Allah says in Surah Al-Ahzab:

“Indeed, We offered the Trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, but they declined to bear it and feared it; but man [undertook to] bear it. Indeed, he was unjust and ignorant.” [33:72]

The tafsir of this ayah explains, the "Trust" (al-amānah) refers to the responsibilities of free will, to obey or disobey, to carry the burden of accountability and religious obligation. The heavens, the earth, and the mountains recognized the enormity of this responsibility and refused it out of fear, not weakness. But mankind accepted it, not out of bravery, but out of ignorance and injustice to his own soul.

And in the very next verse, Allah explains why He allowed this:

“[It was] so that Allah may punish the hypocrite men and hypocrite women, and the men and women who associate others with Him, and that Allah may accept repentance from the believing men and believing women. And Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” [33:73]

So fear Allah. Take your religion seriously. This is not a game. This life is not random. The trust we carry is not light. We are not here to mock the reminders, or shrug off the truth, or laugh when Allah is mentioned.

No one, no one, can protect you from the decree of Allah except Allah. And wallahi, if we do not return to Him , who will save us?

[straynoahide]

the zenith of antisemitism: the Samson Option conspiracy and western foreign policy

as much as antisemitism is based in old tropes that took off with the diaspora in europe, esp during the middle ages, it is important to keep up with the new iterations of old conspiracies. not every piece of antisemitism is as consequential in scale - some things are local, others are regional; others are unprecedented and global.

lately and since oct 7th, antizionism is becoming the main productive engine of antisemitism because through western disinformation and propaganda, islamic-country apologists of terror and jihad can use the western progressive movements to dress up antisemitism in the rhetoric of anticolonialism, anti-liberalism, anti-imperialism.

then, these movements do the exact opposite of the values they purport, promoting islamofascism, arab imperialism and theocracy - economically and through international institutions (like UNRWA and the ICC) - these groups seek first and foremost to hurt israelis. as a side-effect, it also makes western jews and israelis more reactionary, from xenophobic trauma reactions and personal/demographic isolation. even the internet is becoming a place of 'online ghettos'.

the jewish democracy is held to a double standard that dehumanizes jews among any other group of people. every human group can have a national existence, but jews. every human group can have a religion or patriotism while being loyal to a republic, but jews. when it is the most vulnerable, the antisemites attacks grow more vicious. when jews and israelis are stronger, they play dumb and harmless.

antisemitism surges when jewish populations are in peril or literally hostage to a sworn enemy. when "ceasefire" becomes, 'keep the hostages', full-out war becomes the only existential choice, but at the same time war is demonized as aggression.

an old enemy rises too. in america, the country with the largest christian population, the christian right with white nationalist and christofascist groups (both protestant and catholic) are more than willing to take advantage of this moment of confusion and plausible deniability, with the left having normalized 'anti-zionist' slurs.

they are now doing so by accusing israel of plotting to nuke not iran or palestine, but the west, in line with canards of jewish power in government and 'double loyalties'. phrases like "israel first" are used to describe the establishment by right-wing groups that are no longer that fringe.

The Sampson Option refers to a strategy attributed to Israel, where, in the event of an existential threat or imminent destruction, Israel would retaliate with its nuclear arsenal, causing catastrophic damage not only to its enemies but potentially risking global repercussions. The term is derived from the biblical story of Samson, who, in his final act, brought down the pillars of a Philistine temple, killing himself and his enemies.

why? why does anyone say an enemy is going to destroy them first?

well, to justify obliteration. not of israel but of "zionists", of course. obviously so that (left-leaning) western governments can become persuaded to cripple israel first, and to cripple it hard (economically, militarily, technologically), and to tolerate first deplatforming 'zionist support' and ultimately, down the line, marginalizing the jewish identity in politics.

i.e. it is not the world/"us" (americans, westerners, the international institutions) that conspire against jews - it is jews that conspire against the entire world - this is the ultimate form of the antisemitic canard in the nuclear era, before the shadow of wwiii

genocide of jews becomes "self-defense". this is the zenith of antisemitism in human history. something that has no precedent, the ultimate form of holocaust reversal conspiracy aimed to have the international community not just exclude but fight israel and, ultimately, neutralize jewish agency altogether.

[techmomma]

Giving and charity is such a fundamental aspect of Islam that it's literally a core tenet (one of the 5 Most Important Pillars, in fact). Some of you may know about daily prayer, but donating and charity is considered as important. The very culture is built around donating and charity. If you've ever had a Muslim friend, like, you know how quickly most will give you the shirt off of their back at the first hint you might be chilly no matter their own economic standing or how much money they have. It's fundamental and critical to their faith.

Now imagine the sheer cultural humilation of knowing that if you do not ask for charity, you AND your family may die. It's already humiliating in many cultures, now imagine it multiplied a couple of times. But they are doing so to help their families escape slaughter en masse. For the tiniest chance to fucking live with dignity. To live, AT ALL. People who have already survived multiple wars before this, who have been living in a fucking concentration camp for decades.

And then some people on here have the fucking gall to accuse them of being scammers because they didn't want to use their thinking brain or be inconvenienced for two seconds instead of just keeping their mouths shut.