#Islam's first pillar

[quransunnahdawah]

Declare Shahadah to enter Islam

. "Ashhadu an la ilaha illallah wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan abduhu wa rasuluh" Is. 1) Allah is One and Unique and none is worthy of worship except Allah. 2) Muhammad PBUH is.Allah''s servant and messenger.

ইসলামে প্রবেশের জন্য শাহাদাহ ঘোষণা করুন

"আশহাদু আন লা ইলাহা ইল্লাল্লাহ ওয়া আশহাদু আন্না মুহাম্মাদান আবদুহু ওয়া রাসুলুহ"। 1) আল্লাহ এক ও অদ্বিতীয় এবং আল্লাহ ছাড়া কেউ ইবাদতের যোগ্য নয়। 2) মুহাম্মদ সা. আল্লাহর বান্দা ও রসূল।

Shahada from holy Qur'an

"Allah Himself bears witness that there is no God but He; and likewise do the angels and the men possessed of knowledge bear witness in truth and justice that there is no God but He, the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.." Al Qur'an,Surah Ale Imran, Ayat 18

#কোরআন থেকে শাহাদা

"আল্লাহ নিজেই সাক্ষ্য দিচ্ছেন যে তিনি ছাড়া কোন মাবুদ নেই; এবং একইভাবে ফেরেশতা ও জ্ঞানী ব্যক্তিরা সত্য ও ন্যায়ের সাথে সাক্ষ্য দিচ্ছেন যে, তিনি ব্যতীত কোন মাবুদ নেই, তিনি সর্বশক্তিমান, সর্বজ্ঞানী...।" আল কুরআন, সূরা আলে ইমরান, আয়াত ১৮

Declare Shahadah to enter Islam

Shahada from holy Qur'an

কোরআন থেকে শাহাদা

ইসলামে প্রবেশের জন্য শাহাদাহ ঘোষণা করুন

[tawhidrisalatakhirah]

Declare Shahadah to enter Islam

. "Ashhadu an la ilaha illallah wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan abduhu wa rasuluh" Is. 1) Allah is One and Unique and none is worthy of worship except Allah. 2) Muhammad PBUH is.Allah''s servant and messenger.

ইসলামে প্রবেশের জন্য শাহাদাহ ঘোষণা করুন

"আশহাদু আন লা ইলাহা ইল্লাল্লাহ ওয়া আশহাদু আন্না মুহাম্মাদান আবদুহু ওয়া রাসুলুহ"। 1) আল্লাহ এক ও অদ্বিতীয় এবং আল্লাহ ছাড়া কেউ ইবাদতের যোগ্য নয়। 2) মুহাম্মদ সা. আল্লাহর বান্দা ও রসূল।

Shahada from holy Qur'an

"Allah Himself bears witness that there is no God but He; and likewise do the angels and the men possessed of knowledge bear witness in truth and justice that there is no God but He, the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.." Al Qur'an,Surah Ale Imran, Ayat 18

#কোরআন থেকে শাহাদা

"আল্লাহ নিজেই সাক্ষ্য দিচ্ছেন যে তিনি ছাড়া কোন মাবুদ নেই; এবং একইভাবে ফেরেশতা ও জ্ঞানী ব্যক্তিরা সত্য ও ন্যায়ের সাথে সাক্ষ্য দিচ্ছেন যে, তিনি ব্যতীত কোন মাবুদ নেই, তিনি সর্বশক্তিমান, সর্বজ্ঞানী...।" আল কুরআন, সূরা আলে ইমরান, আয়াত ১৮

Declare Shahadah to enter Islam

Shahada from holy Qur'an

কোরআন থেকে শাহাদা

ইসলামে প্রবেশের জন্য শাহাদাহ ঘোষণা করুন

[ilyforallahswt]

Declare Shahadah to enter Islam

. "Ashhadu an la ilaha illallah wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan abduhu wa rasuluh" Is. 1) Allah is One and Unique and none is worthy of worship except Allah. 2) Muhammad PBUH is.Allah''s servant and messenger.

ইসলামে প্রবেশের জন্য শাহাদাহ ঘোষণা করুন

"আশহাদু আন লা ইলাহা ইল্লাল্লাহ ওয়া আশহাদু আন্না মুহাম্মাদান আবদুহু ওয়া রাসুলুহ"। 1) আল্লাহ এক ও অদ্বিতীয় এবং আল্লাহ ছাড়া কেউ ইবাদতের যোগ্য নয়। 2) মুহাম্মদ সা. আল্লাহর বান্দা ও রসূল।

Shahada from holy Qur'an

"Allah Himself bears witness that there is no God but He; and likewise do the angels and the men possessed of knowledge bear witness in truth and justice that there is no God but He, the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.." Al Qur'an,Surah Ale Imran, Ayat 18

#কোরআন থেকে শাহাদা

"আল্লাহ নিজেই সাক্ষ্য দিচ্ছেন যে তিনি ছাড়া কোন মাবুদ নেই; এবং একইভাবে ফেরেশতা ও জ্ঞানী ব্যক্তিরা সত্য ও ন্যায়ের সাথে সাক্ষ্য দিচ্ছেন যে, তিনি ব্যতীত কোন মাবুদ নেই, তিনি সর্বশক্তিমান, সর্বজ্ঞানী...।" আল কুরআন, সূরা আলে ইমরান, আয়াত ১৮

Declare Shahadah to enter Islam

Shahada from holy Qur'an

কোরআন থেকে শাহাদা

ইসলামে প্রবেশের জন্য শাহাদাহ ঘোষণা করুন

[myreligionislam]

Declare Shahadah to enter Islam

. "Ashhadu an la ilaha illallah wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan abduhu wa rasuluh" Is. 1) Allah is One and Unique and none is worthy of worship except Allah. 2) Muhammad PBUH is.Allah''s servant and messenger.

ইসলামে প্রবেশের জন্য শাহাদাহ ঘোষণা করুন

"আশহাদু আন লা ইলাহা ইল্লাল্লাহ ওয়া আশহাদু আন্না মুহাম্মাদান আবদুহু ওয়া রাসুলুহ"। 1) আল্লাহ এক ও অদ্বিতীয় এবং আল্লাহ ছাড়া কেউ ইবাদতের যোগ্য নয়। 2) মুহাম্মদ সা. আল্লাহর বান্দা ও রসূল।

Shahada from holy Qur'an

"Allah Himself bears witness that there is no God but He; and likewise do the angels and the men possessed of knowledge bear witness in truth and justice that there is no God but He, the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.." Al Qur'an,Surah Ale Imran, Ayat 18

#কোরআন থেকে শাহাদা

"আল্লাহ নিজেই সাক্ষ্য দিচ্ছেন যে তিনি ছাড়া কোন মাবুদ নেই; এবং একইভাবে ফেরেশতা ও জ্ঞানী ব্যক্তিরা সত্য ও ন্যায়ের সাথে সাক্ষ্য দিচ্ছেন যে, তিনি ব্যতীত কোন মাবুদ নেই, তিনি সর্বশক্তিমান, সর্বজ্ঞানী...।" আল কুরআন, সূরা আলে ইমরান, আয়াত ১৮

Declare Shahadah to enter Islam

Shahada from holy Qur'an

কোরআন থেকে শাহাদা

ইসলামে প্রবেশের জন্য শাহাদাহ ঘোষণা করুন

[allahisourrabb]

Declare Shahadah to enter Islam

. "Ashhadu an la ilaha illallah wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan abduhu wa rasuluh" Is. 1) Allah is One and Unique and none is worthy of worship except Allah. 2) Muhammad PBUH is.Allah''s servant and messenger.

ইসলামে প্রবেশের জন্য শাহাদাহ ঘোষণা করুন

"আশহাদু আন লা ইলাহা ইল্লাল্লাহ ওয়া আশহাদু আন্না মুহাম্মাদান আবদুহু ওয়া রাসুলুহ"। 1) আল্লাহ এক ও অদ্বিতীয় এবং আল্লাহ ছাড়া কেউ ইবাদতের যোগ্য নয়। 2) মুহাম্মদ সা. আল্লাহর বান্দা ও রসূল।

Shahada from holy Qur'an

"Allah Himself bears witness that there is no God but He; and likewise do the angels and the men possessed of knowledge bear witness in truth and justice that there is no God but He, the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.." Al Qur'an,Surah Ale Imran, Ayat 18

#কোরআন থেকে শাহাদা

"আল্লাহ নিজেই সাক্ষ্য দিচ্ছেন যে তিনি ছাড়া কোন মাবুদ নেই; এবং একইভাবে ফেরেশতা ও জ্ঞানী ব্যক্তিরা সত্য ও ন্যায়ের সাথে সাক্ষ্য দিচ্ছেন যে, তিনি ব্যতীত কোন মাবুদ নেই, তিনি সর্বশক্তিমান, সর্বজ্ঞানী...।" আল কুরআন, সূরা আলে ইমরান, আয়াত ১৮

Declare Shahadah to enter Islam

Shahada from holy Qur'an

কোরআন থেকে শাহাদা

ইসলামে প্রবেশের জন্য শাহাদাহ ঘোষণা করুন

[mylordisallah]

Declare Shahadah to enter Islam

. "Ashhadu an la ilaha illallah wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan abduhu wa rasuluh" Is. 1) Allah is One and Unique and none is worthy of worship except Allah. 2) Muhammad PBUH is.Allah''s servant and messenger.

ইসলামে প্রবেশের জন্য শাহাদাহ ঘোষণা করুন

"আশহাদু আন লা ইলাহা ইল্লাল্লাহ ওয়া আশহাদু আন্না মুহাম্মাদান আবদুহু ওয়া রাসুলুহ"। 1) আল্লাহ এক ও অদ্বিতীয় এবং আল্লাহ ছাড়া কেউ ইবাদতের যোগ্য নয়। 2) মুহাম্মদ সা. আল্লাহর বান্দা ও রসূল।

Shahada from holy Qur'an

"Allah Himself bears witness that there is no God but He; and likewise do the angels and the men possessed of knowledge bear witness in truth and justice that there is no God but He, the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.." Al Qur'an,Surah Ale Imran, Ayat 18

#কোরআন থেকে শাহাদা

"আল্লাহ নিজেই সাক্ষ্য দিচ্ছেন যে তিনি ছাড়া কোন মাবুদ নেই; এবং একইভাবে ফেরেশতা ও জ্ঞানী ব্যক্তিরা সত্য ও ন্যায়ের সাথে সাক্ষ্য দিচ্ছেন যে, তিনি ব্যতীত কোন মাবুদ নেই, তিনি সর্বশক্তিমান, সর্বজ্ঞানী...।" আল কুরআন, সূরা আলে ইমরান, আয়াত ১৮

Declare Shahadah to enter Islam

Shahada from holy Qur'an

Shahada from holy Qur'an

কোরআন থেকে শাহাদা

ইসলামে প্রবেশের জন্য শাহাদাহ ঘোষণা করুন

[a-journey-to-true-self]

Unveiling the Puzzle: Understanding Islam in Today's World

[islamgazaaccount3]

Islam Al-Najjar I hesitated and delayed for a long time in writing these words and creating an account on GoFundMe, but the need has become very urgent because of what I see of the approaching death of myself and my family. I insisted on detailing and explaining more and more about my family in order to show you the whole picture and for you to know the extent of my suffering and need.

To begin our story, it is important for me to know my family, which is the core of my existence and the source of my strength during these difficult times: We are a family of six people who have been suffering for more than 10 months from a brutal war that does not spare people or stones.

We were living quietly in our wonderful and humble house with trees and nature around us. However, the war destroyed everything and we have nothing left. Unfortunately, we are still searching for a suitable shelter to continue living

A picture of our house before and after the war

Mother: The heart of our home My mother

embodies generosity and kindness as a devoted housewife, and always gives priority to the well-being of her family. My mother was a school teacher who did what she had to produce an educated generation. She is now unable to continue her work due to the war

Father: Pillar of strength My father, Marwan, faced the real pain of being the first responsible for protecting us, but there is no protection in light of this war. He lost more than 35 kilograms due to grief, oppression, and lack of food.

This is a picture of my family- my mother, father and sisters

The only brother: Aser My brother Aser, an engineer, graduated from the university a few days before the war and was not happy about his graduation because the war ended his dreams that he had and was in the process of building. He cannot work now because of the war.

My picture with my brother Aser

As for myself,

I am Islam As for me, the eldest of my sisters, I was on the cusp of a new beginning after I finished university, majoring in physical therapy. I obtained an honors degree, as a 27-year-old person looking forward to independence and work to continue my career in physical therapy. After I graduated from university, I worked specifically to help people with disabilities who needed a physical therapist, and I had the tools in the picture before you. The war came and destroyed all of these tools. It not only destroyed my professional dreams, it destroyed my home, which I was trying to beautify. The war consumed everything I had collected. I saved it from my work. I dreamed of traveling abroad and developing myself in the field of physical therapy, but unfortunately this has not happened yet.

This is my picture before and after the war

This is my grandfather. He was injured by the occupation many years ago and is still suffering from this injury. We are taking care of him because he cannot carry out his duties alone.

Now we hope to escape death, we hope the war will end, we hope to leave the Gaza Strip to continue our lives in all calm and peace, we hope to live a decent life away from bombing, occupation and destruction.

Today, my family and I are suffering from a lack of medicine, food, and health care. We are losing a lot of weight due to the lack of food. Everything here is expensive and we cannot buy it. Other than that, we are now homeless and without a place to shelter us. Insects are everywhere and rodents are too. This is very terrible.

The cost of rebuilding the house requires ,It costs a lotand the eviction fees are expensive, especially since I do not have any source of income. Once we are able to evacuate, your donations will cover the construction of our home,  our travel expenses and help us get immediate support Within the GoFoundMe link are details of expenses there will be meal expenses, wardrobe expenses, emergency expenses, etc., but no generous contribution will go to waste.

Those who have the authority to add my family names to the list for travel abroad are asking for astronomical amounts per person! They will not add names until we can prove that we have the funds ready

I ask for your help because this is not only my battle alone, but a battle in which we ask for your help in order to survive and preserve my families. Any donation, big or small, will make a huge impact on my life and the lives of my family. I am grateful to everyone who donated, and I will forever be grateful for giving me and my family hope and the opportunity to survive and build a better future.

Thanks for reading my story. To share my story with your friends and family. I hope there will be a ceasefire, and we can get the comfort and security we deserve to build our lives again. My hope is in all of you, without exception, who can help me with all of this

Thank you for reading what I wrote with my mind, and thank you again for your support and participation

This campaign is verified by people, and the link is here

here

here

here

here

[probablyasocialecologist]

The idea that all criticism of Israel is antisemitic extends a view of Palestinians, Arabs, and Muslims as inherently suspect; agents of antisemitism until they explicitly say otherwise. Since October 7, Palestinian journalists have faced unprecedented suppression. A Palestinian citizen of Israel was fired from his job at an Israeli hospital for a Facebook post from 2022 that quoted the first pillar of Islam. European leaders have banned pro-Palestine protests and criminalized displays of the Palestinian flag. In London, a hospital recently took down artwork by children from Gaza after a pro-Israel group claimed it made Jewish patients feel “vulnerable, harassed and victimized.” Somehow, even artwork by Palestinian children was accompanied by a hallucination of violence.

A Dangerous Conflation An open letter from Jewish writers

[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.

[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 Fatema 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 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.

[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.

[snowfelledayah]

How to Muslim

So, you are ready to become a Muslim, but there's some confusing information. Let's talk about that.

How do I officially become a Muslim once I'm ready?

You state your belief in God alone.

That's it?

That's it.

Are there special words?

The first pillar of faith in Islam is Shahada or Testimony of Faith. The Qur'an outlines this testimony in 3:18

God bears witness that there is no god but He; as do the angels, and those with knowledge; He is standing with justice. There is no god but Him, the Noble, the Wise.

And the words we speak are as follows:

I bear witness that there is no god but God أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا ٱللَّٰهُ (Ash hadu an lâ elaha elâ Allah)

What about the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)?

Many mainstream Muslims expand the Shahada to include the following:

I bear witness that there is no God but God, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of God.

This version of the Shahada is not only unnecessary, but it is in fact incorrect. The Qur'an states we assign no partners or additions to God, and so we are not called to utter anything about the Prophet(pbuh) in the Shahada. This was a man-made invention that came later and goes against the spirit of the Qur'an: if any other name was meant to be in the statement of faith, then the Qur'an would not have left it out.

The Shahada is an act of submission and worship to God, not to the Prophet.

Do I have to go to a masjid / mosque?

No.

Do I need to sign any paper indicating I have converted?

Nope.

Is there any other specific ritual?

Absolutely not.

Do I need witnesses?

You don't! But some may want to have supportive friends or family present when you do, which is great.

Do I need an Arabic name?

No, and you should think twice about taking one. I may talk about this at a later date, but for now the short version is: there is no such thing as an "Islamic" name, you do not need to absorb a language or culture which is not your own, and Islam is a universal religion not restricted to any language or culture.

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

In my posts, I make an effort to speak for Quran-centered Islam and elevate the words of God above the words of man. You will find this results in differences from mainstream Islam -- and that's a good thing.

[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.

[eretzyisrael]

The Jewish refugees put a wholly different spin on geopolitics

The Palestinian nakba is an antisemitic myth, portraying Jews as land-grabbers and Palestinians as victims. Firmly excluded from the myth is that Jews lived in Palestine continuously, and  that 900,000 Jews were driven out of Arab lands. This second inconvenient truth puts a completely different spin on geopolitics and history, argues Jan Shure in her hard-hitting Times of Israel (Jewish News) blog aimed at useful idiots and fellow travellers.

Jan Shure

“Their perception of Israel is erroneous. It is based on their unexamined, uncritical acceptance of the Palestinian narrative of victimhood that was set down in roughly 1948 and has, through the years, been carefully enhanced, embellished and gilded by an assortment of willing hand-maidens, from BBC journalists to UN officials, politicians and so-called human-rights groups.

So for all the anti-Zionist Jews, for all the hand-maidens plus the stand-up comedians, academics, trade-union officials, doctors, KCs and luvvies who are bewitched by the narrative; and for every gullible Ivy League under-graduate and every climate “champion” who has deluded him- or herself into thinking he/she/they are on the right side of history when calling for the annihilation of the world’s one Jewish state as it defends itself from existential threat; and for every person who believes that the slaughter, butchery and rape of Oct 7 is “justified” by the version of history they have heard or thinks that that version of reality “excuses” Palestinian terrorism, let’s examine the narrative. In particular, let’s take a hard look at the origin story and the myth underpinning the narrative, Naqba (“the catastrophe”). Naqbahas been the key plank of the myth, driving hate for Israel for 76 years. Let’s bust the myth.

The first thing to know about Naqba is that it is essentially antisemitic. In fact as most Jews know – and in truth, anyone with an IQ higher than their shoe-size should know – the entire Palestinian narrative is antisemitic, playing strongly into (and carefully feeding off) millennia-old antisemitic tropes. But Naqba, the gigantic grievance at the core of the narrative, digs deep into racist tropes to portray Jews as usurpers and land-grabbers and Palestinians as the “victims” of Jewish “wealth,” “power” and “control.”

The second thing to know about Naqba is that it is a myth. Though containing a few grains of truth and failing to feature multi-headed creature, its absurd refusal to acknowledge Arab territorial dominance and its cavernous omissions make it about as useful as a record of real events as Norse mythology would serve as a guide to Sweden’s history.

At almost the exact same time as the Palestinian Arabs left/fled/were driven out of Palestine, some 900,000 Jews left/fled/were driven out of Arab lands.

While it is undeniable that 700,000 Arab Palestinians left/fled/were driven out (choose your preferred verb), two crucial and equally undeniable facts are always conveniently ignored in this “myth” that’s the main supporting pillar of the narrative: the first undeniable fact is that – as proved by every population census, every archaeological dig and every genuine historian – Jews lived continuously in Palestine (known at different times as Israel and Judea) from Bible times onwards, making it demonstrably false (and, frankly laughable given the slightest knowledge of the Old or New Testament) that Palestine was “exclusively” Islamic/Arab/Muslim and Jews were “colonisers”–as claimed in the narrative.

The second undeniable fact that is always firmly excluded from the myth is the inconvenient truth that would put a completely different spin on the geo-politics and history, which is that at almost the exact same time as the Palestinian Arabs left/fled/were driven out of Palestine, some 900,000 Jews left/fled/were driven out of Arab lands.

This was equally catastrophic for the those 900,000 Jews. But as they were not “encouraged” to stay in refugee camps set up on the Egyptian or Iraqi borders (or on the borders of any of the other dozen or so Arab states which drove out their Jews), they were not able to fulfil their potential propaganda value as visual-aids to the persecution of Jews by Arabs and the reason why a Jewish homeland is so vital.

But they dispersed to diaspora communities or were absorbed into Israel because, if not, using the same statistical methods that the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) used to determine that there are now 14.3 million Palestinian “refugees,” we would find that those 900,000 Jews expelled from Arab lands now number some 18 million – or perhaps 10-12 million if we adjusts for social and economic factors.

Maybe with hindsight, it was somewhat foolish to encourage all those Jewish refugees to make new lives in new countries, or they might have shown a deluded world that the Palestinian narrative is built on a deeply flawed myth while also pointing out that Jews are being persecuted and demonised for wishing to remain in their ancestral homeland.”

Read article in full

[dailydemonspotlight]

Alilat - Day 44

Race: Entity

Arcana: Empress

Alignment: Light-Chaos

June 13th, 2024

A personal favorite kind of demon throughout the series has to be the ones that are completely alien- demons that look like they originated from a psychological study, or living beings that, by all means, look like they shouldn't be real. Demons of this kind are surprisingly few and far between, with most appearing as rather standard depictions of monsters or humanoid beings, but when the artists dip their toes into the strange, almost beyond this world, I fall in love with the designs the instant I lay my eyes on them. One of these, of course, is today's Demon of the Day, and a strange outcast even among the strangest demons throughout the series- the ill-known Mother Goddess of the Arabian Peninsula, Alilat.

Mostly known by one of her many names, al-Lat, Alilat is a relatively obscure goddess in the grand scheme of history. As a pre-islamic goddess worshipped in Arabia, a lot of history surrounding her is hard to parse, even down to the exact areas that her reign was present within, but the general consensus appears to be that she was mainly worshipped in several widespread cults throughout Arabia during its pre-islamic days. Another name of hers, Allat, has actually been the name of several goddesses throughout several different areas in history as well, making her story even more confusing to dig through. The tangled webs of tales and future conflations between her and other deities make her an incredibly confusing deity to sift through the facts about.

Our first recorded mention of Alilat actually comes in the form of a retelling from Greek scholar Herodotus, who, in his book 'Histories' wrote,

"They believe in no other gods except Dionysus and the Heavenly Aphrodite; and they say that they wear their hair as Dionysus does his, cutting it round the head and shaving the temples. They call Dionysus, Orotalt; and Aphrodite, Alilat."

I will admit to copying that passage from Wikipedia, but I'm not about to sift through a copy of such a massive transcript to search for a single line. Interestingly, this transcription by Herodotus actually has a conflict with how most other people drew comparisons- it was commonly believed, and still is today, that Alilat was actually the ancient Arabian's version of Athena. As a goddess of motherhood and fertility, as well as peace, she shares some similar traits to Athena in greek myth, as they also both share a trait as a goddess of war. Where this came from is described in several Safaitic inscriptions, as she used to be invoked by travelers through the region in order to guarantee peace, prosperity, and protection, while warriors at the time would invoke her name to ensure good loot and those attacked would invoke her for vengeance. As one of two principal deities, she seemed to be stuck working overtime a lot.

This is also proven by how scattered her inscriptions are throughout Africa- there are only few given, and most of them are in vastly different areas, giving light to the idea that her cult was widespread but decentralized. And yes, it was a cult, not a formalized religion, as her worship was incredibly sparse. She was revered by many names and even more traditions, including a northern Arabian tribe known as the Qedarites, the widespread peoples of the Nabataeans, and even those residing within the largest Parthian city of its time, Hatra. A lost city known as Iram of the Pillars was also a home of Alilat worship, with them having erected a temple that has now been buried beneath the sands- tragically, all that has been left was a few pillars and a crumbled statue of a lion, but accounts and some small inscriptions on the inside of the temple revealed that it originally had a gorgeous statue of Alilat inside, resembling none other than Athena.

Unfortunately, as time went on, the temple fell into disrepair, having been the target of an attack from Greek forces, then utterly demolished in the fourth century by Christian mobs. You can read more about it on the blog I linked above. However, in terms of Mythology, there's still a bit more to go. Al-Lat wasn't just the deity of a cult, but also appears in Islamic tradition as well, fulfilling a similar purpose to Ba'al in some respects as a false god, though one depicted far more sympathetically. In some retellings, she's not even that, and is instead a daughter of Allah, or even a consort of his in others. Alilat was also the subject of the infamous Satanic Verses incident, something that is beyond the scope of this post, but is an incredibly interesting (and kinda hilarious) rabbit hole to dig through.

In the Book of Idols, an encyclopedia on pre-islamic religion in Africa written by scholar Hisham ibn al-Kalbi, it's written that a group of the Quraysh would chant a set of verses celebrating al-Lat, al-'Uzza, and Manat, of which al-Lat is our subject of interest. A common translation purports the word used to refer to them as a collective, gharaniq, to mean "Most exalted females," but this is hotly debated. Again, see the Satanic Verses incident. Lastly, she is mentioned in the Quran, albeit rarely, and, again, as the subject of the Satanic Verses incident. This is starting to feel like the noodle incident of this post.

I wish I could've shown her uncensored design, but alas, I have no idea if it'd pass the 'Female presenting nipple' guideline, but take it from me when I say that Alilat has an amazing design. Combining her esoteric and hard to sort through lore with her role as a mother goddess was a great call, as it makes her both unique and almost unsettling, even in this series rife with body horror. Even the titties, which I normally see no real point in having on a lot of designs and just feel like gratuitous fanservice (cough cough LAMIA) serve a purpose, as what does a mother do but breastfeed? The idea to portray her almost like a piece of art on a bizarre, floating obelisk was such a cool concept, and it was done perfectly.

I also love how the imagery associated with Alilat on the stone itself resembles stone-age portraits of how a body would look, more specifically the Venus of Willendorf, a famous sculpture that is typically used to represent fertility, tying it all together. Given that this inscription was also carved into stone in Alilat's design, and it ties everything together. Not only does her design look unique even for the series, not only does it tie so many ideas together in neat little bows, not only is it glowing, but it's all also brought together in representing one of the most mysterious and interesting gods in history, and demons in the series.