#also that mostly for ramadan respect | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

yjhariani · 2 years ago

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hii, i've an idea. can you write something about the 141 team trying to fast for one day bc reader is also fasting and they're curious abt how it feels etc. thank you in advance :)

“I was thinking maybe we all try,” Soap said.

“Try what?” Ghost asked.

“Fasting,” Soap answered.

“Never once I thought such an idea would come out of you, Soap,” you chuckled.

“It’s not a bad idea either,” Ghost commented.

“I’m an amazing friend, how could you say that?” Soap protested. “Are we doing this or not?”

“Fuck yeah, I’m in,” Gaz nodded.

“When are we gonna do it?” Soap asked.

“Tomorrow sounds good,” Ghost said.

“Excuse me, tomorrow is cleaning day, my guys,” you pointed out.

“So, what? If you can do it, then, I can do it,” Ghost stated.

“Yeah, why not?” Soap supported. “You’re doing fine, we’ll do better than fine.”

“I already said I’m in,” Gaz shrugged.

“Fine,” you nodded. “I’ll wake you up for suhoor and you’ll eat and drink before dawn. After that you practise chastity, you can’t eat, drink, or smoke until dusk.”

There was a pause where everyone was looking at Ghost.

“I can survive without smoking,” Ghost said. “Been trying to quit anyway.”

“You said that like twelve times already in the span of one year,” you said.

“Still trying,” Ghost said.

Soon the time came. It was not that hard getting them out of the bed. However, getting them to wake up took a little bit more time and a lot of food.

The mess was not as full as how it would have been for breakfast, but still more people than it would have been any other month. Mostly, the people here were the ones who participated in Ramadan with their friends who were challenged to fast or simply curious to know what it felt like, maybe as a sign of respect to their friend.

It all went quite well, but after all it was only the beginning of the day.

Dawn came a few minutes after everyone was done eating and drinking. Everyone was oddly in a good mood. Maybe you were in a better mood than most of them because yesterday you did this all by yourself.

Then, fast forward to about hours later, it was about midday, and you were mopping the barrack floor with Ghost’ help. Gaz was asleep in the most uncomfortable position. Soap was nowhere to be seen, but Price did tell him to wash one of the cars.

“Hey, LT,” you called.

“Shut up,” Ghost said, more harshly than he intended.

“Okay,” you said as you turned around, hiding a smile—knowing that Ghost would be snapping at everyone soon if you kept pushing to talk to him.

Sometime later, you walked outside and found König holding up a hose downwards to Soap who was sitting underneath it, face up, eyes closed.

“Is he okay?” you mouthed at König.

König gave you a light shrug for an answer.

“Soap, are you okay?” you asked.

Soap opened his eyes and saw you.

“I’m,” Soap said, but he got water poured into his mouth and he moved his head off the water to talk to you, “I’m fucking thirsty.”

“Dude, you don’t have to force yourself. That’s literally part of the religion. I mean, that’s referring to sick people, pregnant and breastfeeding people, and elderly, but, really, you don’t have to force yourself,” you said.

“No,” Soap whined.

“Well, a lot of kids fast only up to midday,” you brought up.

“Why, because I’m a big baby?” Soap questioned.

You looked at König who slightly tilted his head in amusement.

“I’m just gonna leave you to it,” you decided.

About three hours before dusk, everyone was miserable. However, at least the cleaning was done.

Everyone sort of had their own way of killing time. They had way less energy than usual, but still kept themselves busy.

Around the last hour of fasting, everyone was a little more spiritful again. They were excited about iftar and a lot of the conversation you were having was food related.

The four of you ordered a lot of food and plated everything in the common area of the barrack. There were warm drinks, cold drinks, savoury snacks, sweet snacks, portions of meals, but seemed to be lacking some water that no one realised would be necessary.

Hours came down to minutes before dusk. Everyone was sitting around the small coffee table where you put the food on. You put your phone on the table as well, waiting for it to announce the time to break your fast.

Your phone soon blared out as a sign that it was time to break your fast. Right away, the four men around you went to take their drinks and food and chugged everything in. However, they took a pause when they noticed that you only had one cup of warm beverage in your hands and you silently prayed before taking a sip. They slowed down then.

Regardless, after drinking a little bit of liquid and eating barely a few finger foods, everyone just sort of sat there and looked at each other.

“We’re never gonna be able to finish all these, are we?” Ghost questioned.

“Not even half,” you chuckled.

“This morning, I pissed seven times in the span of an hour because I drank three jugs of water,” Soap said, “and I’m still fuckin’ thirsty at noon.”

#simon riley x reader #simon ghost riley x reader #ghost x reader #gaz x reader #kyle garrick x reader #soap x reader #john mactavish x reader #könig x reader

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j-saying · 10 months ago

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To my fellow jews -

I'm going to be very careful about it, but this is something that needs to be said:

Brace yourself, Ramadan is coming.

What is Ramadan?

Ramadan starts soon (March 10th), and as I'm going to greet my Muslim friends with "Ramadan Kareem" and "Ramadan Mubarak", it's important to be careful. This isn't, by any means, to say that Ramadan is a bad thing, or "all Muslims are evil" or anything like that.

Ramadan is the 9th month of the Muslim calendar (Hijra). During the month, Muslim fast during the day (dawn to sunset). There's a special dinner at night (Iftar) with family and friends. Ramadan is considered a month of holiness, unity/community and joy in Muslim culture. It ends with Id AlFiter (10-12/04, this year), which is a 3-days holiday.

It's also considered a month of battles. Historically speaking, some of it tends to be a rise in anti-jewish violence, especially on Fridays - after people come back from the mosque (but not only). Mostly fuelled by the sentiment to "protect al-aqsa from the dirty jews!"

Again - this is not to, at any way, to say any Muslim is going to be violent. I try to say that some extremists Muslims sees it as a good chance to spread hate. They might even believe it, but it doesn't change the fact that this is harmful in many ways. And this spreads to others, and can end up in violence.

And hi, you know what does not help people get well-considered and calm decisions?

Being hungry.

Why do I mention it?

In this year, as anti-jewish violence is already at highest levels, I think it's important to be aware and risk management. It's important to be even more careful and aware.

I also see a lot of talking about the political suicide, and I feel like it is a serious concern. Please stop glorifying death.

Please stop praising suicide.

Idk what to do. Idk what to say exactly. I want to believe everything is going to be safe. I want to believe nothing's going to happen.

But I've read the history books. And I'm being realistic. Respect and suspect, as once said.

כבדהו וחשדהו.

So watch out, be careful. Both Diaspora and Israel Jews.

Be safe.

Safety advices I know for individuals:

SELF DEFENSE CLASSES - in case of attack, you are very likely to freeze. Practicing and preparing for attack can turn into instinct reactions like fighting back or running

If you listen to music/talk on the phone, keep one ear free.

Don't sleep on public transportation.

Walking on the sideways, stay on the inside part of the sideway, away from the road. (That way, if someone coming to drive gou over, you may get the chance to get out of the way.

Going twice for kids/strollers.

Same for standing in bus stops - if there are benches, stand a little behind the stop (while still visible), so there's something between you and a coming car.

Safety in numbers - walk as a group

Especially walking to/from Jewish places.

Feel free to share any other safety tips - for individuals, communities, or anything.

#jumblr #ישראבלר

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collegetennisoriginstory · 2 years ago

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Ooh u mentioned Rayyan is a non practising muslim, do they fast for ramadhan? Because I myself am a non practising muslim but given that ramadhan comes once a year and its such a momentous occasion where Im from (indonesia), I do fast the whole month! Its sort of a festive thing almost!

I dont know how hard fasting is for athletes, but I suppose if youre not physically able to fast you can opt out, I do know some muslim pro athletes still fast on tournaments though!

Ahh!! I love this ask and it's something I think about with athletes a lot, mostly because in Singapore where I come from (hello neighbour 🥰), I grew up with a lot of athletes who fasted while playing/competing and I have the utmost respect for them!

Rayyan does not quite fully subscribe to Islam, but they still join their family in celebrating the festivals when they're home, and they also fasted growing up--and have continued that into college. For them, it's about being part of the culture/community that they grew up with, and about doing something momentous with their family!

As for fasting in college while competing specifically, it is the one time in the year that they really feel connected to their culture/family, and reminds them of home. It takes some sacrifice, like waking up earlier and adjusting their schedule in order to eat before the sun rises, and going to bed earlier, but they've been fasting their whole lives and can't imagine not doing it. In a way, fasting makes them feel more disciplined in other aspects of their life too (this references an interview I saw with Egyptian squash players talking about fasting and Ramadan. Squash because it's one of the sports that I follow with a huge Egyptian (hence muslim) base of players.)

Hope that answers your question!

#ct:os #college tennis: origin story #if #interactive fiction #rayyan #muslim

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darlin-djarin · 1 year ago

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Ive seen muslim ppl saying that dins helmet + creed is not at all similar to the hijab and their religion?? "non-muslims going out of their way to compare mandalorians and muslims only because "they both cover up" is teetering on pretty clear orientalism and is something we shouldn't encourage" thots? i wanna know if i should knock it off or nah

oh man this just sent me back to pre-mando s3 ramadan 💀💀 i was fighting for my LIFE on this topic

i personally, as a muslim, find din’s creed regarding the helmet and the hijab as very similar. i’ve drawn many comparisons between them, and i actually find a lot of comfort to see that din and the covert also wear a religious head covering. it’s really fucking cool to see a character, beloved by many, wearing a religious head covering, especially when it’s oriented towards the western audience, who is not familiar with that kind of stuff. even though it’s not the same religion or the same kind of head covering, it’s still special to see someone so similar on screen. it actually gave a ton of people representation, not just muslims, but other religions and cultures who have head coverings as well. i have SO many friends and mutuals who span from so many different backgrounds who felt seen when they saw din and his covert. it felt like. “wow. so many people with religious head coverings. just like me!! and look, they struggle with the same kind of stigmas as me! and they are all regarded with a bit more respect too!” and it just- it was really great to see that sort of representation on screen. it may not be the exact same, obviously, but it was still cool to see that kind of thing. seeing a main character on screen and going “hey! just like me!” feels really special.

i personally draw comparisons just because the helmet and the hijab both protect. they are a form of modesty that protects the person wearing it. i have some muslim mutuals who also say that it’s also an identifier, showing that the person who wears it belongs to a certain religion/race. you see the helmet and you go “oh! that’s a mandalorian” and you see the headscarf and go “oh! that’s a muslim” etc etc. there may be a couple other comparisons as well, but it’s definitely interesting to see religious head coverings that are so similar but so different.

that being said, they helmet and hijab are OBVIOUSLY not the same. they have different rules, different circumstances, different religions, etc. while they are similar, it’s important to keep in mind that some people may not see it that way. i’ve seen those arguments, the ones saying the helmet and hijab shouldn’t be compared, and that’s totally valid as well, but i personally compare them because i feel represented on screen. fiction reflects reality in many ways, and star wars reflects many aspects of reality as well, so there is absolutely no harm in comparing an aspect of fiction to an aspect of real life, especially if it can bring about more interesting topics and discussions to explore. isn’t that what fandom is all about? mandalorians are inspired by polynesian culture. tuskens are inspired by the bedouin, etc etc. fiction takes from reality, so there’s no harm in comparing it back to reality anyway.

i absolutely understand that some people may not agree, and that’s fine. this is more about me feeling represented on screen rather than actually comparing the two religions side by side. plus i totally understand the argument and why. mandalorians are seen a dangerous, and their religion is full of weapons and warriors. clearly insisting that mandos are just like muslims is… yk.. bound to get some clearly fucking racist and islamophobic ideals going on. and obviously the two religions are different, but comparing just one aspect, the head covering, i feel, is totally fine.

if i’m being honest, i haven’t seen any non-muslims talk about this stuff. it’s mostly muslims (and often jewish people too!!) who draw comparisons. i have many mutuals and friends who have all had this conversation before, and they all LOVE seeing religious head covering representation on screen, even if it’s not the exact same. about that “orientalism” …. i get it. but also?? i don’t actually see much harm or stereotypes going on actually. if anything, it just opens the discussion more towards people who aren’t familiar, and it can help people learn more about religious head coverings irl! they DO both cover up. the helmet and hijab ARE both identifiers. and yes there may be some stereotypes here and there but it’s nothing that we can’t have civil discussions about and try to expand on.

whether you should “knock it off” or not is up to you. if you feel like you are educated enough to have a good discussion about islam and fictional creeds, then by all means, there is absolutely no harm in doing so. if anything, i absolutely encourage it!! it’s so validating to see people coming in and learning about ways of life that are different to them, and drawing comparisons between a fiction that reflects on reality. if you feel like you may not hold enough information about a certain topic, i suggest you stray away from speaking, since you may or may not offend people who are already having the conversation. if you have any questions, i urge you to find a muslim, or just anyone who knows more, and start educating yourself about these things, so you can hold a more meaningful conversation without drawing comparisons that may be stereotypes or just straight up offensive.

in the end, i absolutely love seeing din’s head covering on screen. i like drawing comparisons, i like reflecting fiction off of reality, and i like holding deeper conversations about topics like these, since so many people stray away from that stuff because they’re too scared to. we’ll never grow as a society if we constantly stray away from certain topics that could educate us on many things. censoring yourself from topics and discussions that a couple other people say “no you can’t talk about that stuff” is never gonna get you anywhere. open the discussion. draw more comparisons. be respectful while you’re at it, too.

thanks for asking!! i just KNOW people are gonna get so mad at this post 💀 i’ve made so many others like it, it’s insane. please be respectful when responding or expanding.

#star wars #the mandalorian #din djarin #oil.

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amberlynnmurdock · 2 years ago

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New Love, New Haven

CHAPTER SEVEN: The Ordinary Houses a Red Coat

Pairing: Ben Tallmadge x Original Female Character

Summary: As red coats trickle in, new problems arise.

A/N: I'm sorry for the delay! I am trying to not let more than a week and a half go by without updating. I actually meant to update this weekend but forgot it was Easter! Happy Easter! And if you don't celebrate, happy Ramadan, Passover,... happy happy!! Hope you all had a lovely weekend. I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Archive of Our Own Link

November 1772

The end of October also brought on plenty of beginnings, too. The beginning of November—the beginning of autumn: the leaves on the trees were fully changed in color: red, yellow, orange, and brown leaves covered the cobblestone of downtown New Haven, and people hustled a bit more getting to and fro their destinations. It was colder now, that’s for sure. People began to bring out their wool coats and hats. The days got darker faster—and Sadie was really beginning to fall for Ben.

Of course, if she wasn’t already smitten with him, he had to go and do everything perfectly right for Sadie: throwing rocks up at her window late at night, sneaking outside when Sadie took out the rubbish at the tavern and kissing her before going back inside, and the secret notes didn’t stop. She was getting more and more of Ben’s notes from class, and learning a lot.

Of course, her notes from Nathan didn’t stop either, and out of respect for her brother, she asked Ben to give her notes on the topics that Nathan didn’t cover. And Ben delivered. His notes were very detailed and tedious. Besides Sadie being absolutely taken by Ben, she had to admit the way he wrote, you would think he was a professor himself. She wondered if Ben would ever become one—he’d lectured to her when he could and Sadie was always captivated by the way he spoke. It made her fall for him even more, how knowledgeable he was. She loved to learn from him. And she specifically loved that he gave her a chance to explore her own perspectives on ideas whether it be about philosophy or an interpretation of a poem.

And besides the school notes, and the private lessons—she truly felt safe in his presence. She longed to be in it again the moment she had to sneak back home. He was like her escape from the world: when it was just Ben and Sadie, it was just the two of them.

Sadie thought of all of this as she wiped and polished plates, staring absentmindedly at the floor of the tavern, smiling to herself.

“Sadie!” Richard’s voice shook Sadie out of her trance. “Are you almost done with those plates?”

“Yes, Pa,” Sadie quickly finished wiping the last plate and placed it on top of the stack before her. She lifted them from the bottom and put them around the bar, in front of the glasses.

“We’ve got some…visitors…coming in tonight, y’know,” Richard muttered under his breath, placing his hands on the bar top.

Ah…yes, Sadie thought. That was another thing that was beginning to happen in New Haven. The red leaves on the trees weren’t the only red things that suddenly appeared quietly. It was the small trickle of British soldiers—redcoats—that came to town, and everyone suddenly stood up a bit straighter and felt the sweat form on their foreheads. There was no particular reason as to why they were here—passing through from Boston, on their way to Philadelphia. Their presence didn’t bother Sadie, as long as they didn't infringe on her everyday life. But she knew her father was feeling a certain way about the whole thing. He’s never made her double-polish plates and glasses before.

“The soldiers, you mean,” Sadie said casually. She wasn’t going to let them make her feel a certain way. Mostly, because one of them had to be calm. And it clearly wasn’t her father.

“Yes, the soldiers,” Richard repeated. “Oh, Sadie, could you please also make sure the chairs are all aligned—“

“Pa, they are not going to notice if a chair is slightly off-center,” Sadie argued with a sigh.

“Please do it,” Richard pleaded, turning around to go into the basement for ale.

Sadie huffed and turned on her heel, reluctantly pushing and moving chairs around. This is so silly. And very unnecessary.

Their presence wasn’t overwhelming. And so far, none of the other businesses had any trouble with the soldiers that did come in. But it weighed heavy on her mind that like the weather, things could change quickly.

☆☆☆☆

Ben walked thoughtfully on the grounds of Yale, notebook in one hand, the other clutching the strap of his bag. He loved the fall. He loved the way the grass smelt after a fresh rain, and the cold dampness of the air as he walked. Summers were brutal—it was nice to have cool air again. The new year was just around the corner. Ben knew it would come fast.

He wondered what the coming weeks would bring for him and Sadie. Perhaps, she would want to tell Nathan about what they were doing, or perhaps not. Despite Ben being uncomfortable with lying to his best friend, he agreed to let her make that decision.

“Benny!” Nathan’s loud voice came from a few feet behind Ben. Ben stopped in his tracks and turned to greet his friend.

“If it isn’t Mr. Hale,” Ben greeted with a smile. “Was wonderin’ if you’d make it to class at all.”

“Ha,” Nathan scoffed, “I just wanted to walk with you and—talk to you about something,” Nathan caught his breath.

Ben paused a moment—could it be Sadie? No, he pushed the thought away.

"What is it?” Ben asked as they began to walk together.

“Not here,” Nathan hushed. “Come with me.” Nathan nodded his head to the left. Ben followed him down a narrow path of the yard that lead them to an abandoned part of the building Ben hadn’t seen before.

Nathan’s blonde hair was so bright, even on a gloomy day like today. The top of his head stood out like a gold coin on gray gravel. They entered a dusty, half-finished room. Ben looked at his friend confused as Nathan looked outside the door of the room and shut it.

“I’m sure you’ve noticed the sea of red that’s come to town, aye?” Nathan inquired in a low voice. Ben tensed a bit—he had noticed, of course. It was hard to not notice it.

“Yes,” Ben answered and nodded his head. “Why?”

And this was where Nathan didn’t know where to start. He ran a hand through his golden locks and laughed nervously.

“Well,” Nathan clapped his hands together, “tell me how you feel about it.”

Ben straightened his shoulders uncomfortably, “how do you mean, how I feel about it?”

“C’mon, Tallmadge,” Nathan tittered.

Ben looked over Nathan’s shoulder at the window of the door, as if to make sure no one was there. He shifted uncomfortably and looked at his friend again with hard eyes.

“I’m not too keen on it, to be quite honest,” Ben simply stated under his breath. Nathan’s eyes lit up when Ben spoke.

“Ah-ha!” Nathan exclaimed, “I knew you were my best friend for a reason!”

Ben laughed. He was starting to catch onto what Nathan meant by all this.

“Well, how do you feel about it?” Ben asked in return, lightly hitting Nathan’s right shoulder.

“It’s bloody annoying,” Nathan replied, “you know what happened in June, right?” Nathan asked in a low voice.

June…Ben racked his thoughts and suddenly a bell rang in his head—the Gaspee, of course, Ben had heard of it. A British customs schooner was attacked and burned by colonists once it set sail. The Sons of Liberty had been behind the attack and bravely showed their faces. The British wanted more control over the trade in Rhode Island. More so, rage ensued when the men were taken over to England to face trial.

“The Gaspee, Sons of Liberty? Of course,” Ben replied.

Nathan snapped, “yes.”

“It was remarkable,” Ben said honestly, “and terrible when they were taken from their homes.”

“Don’t you see what’s happening, Tallmadge?” Nathan asked.

Ben was quiet. He did see it.

“It’s only a matter of time before something happens here in New Haven,” Nathan stated.

Ben nodded in agreement. “You’re right.”

“I don’t know…now they are all here, at least some of them, and for how long? What is their agenda for this?”

Ben shook his head. “I don’t know. I don’t like it—that’s for sure.”

Nathan clapped his hand on Ben’s shoulder. “I wanted to make sure that I and you were on the same page. That’s all.”

Ben couldn’t help but laugh, realizing his friend had dramatically pulled him into this room to make sure they agreed on current affairs.

“Now can we get to class?”

☆☆☆☆

It was busy for a Thursday night and Sadie felt like she was running all across the tavern pouring ale for guests and bringing food out for them as well. The soldiers hadn’t even arrived yet; it was the normal tavern guests that were taking up space. The tavern guests didn’t seem concerned about who would soon be joining them, unlike Richard, who brought out another barrel of ale.

“Father, this is entirely too much! We can’t use up all of our stock before the weekend,” Sadie exclaimed, trying to move the barrel back to the basement door. She understood her father’s worries, but this was ridiculous.

“It’s just a precautionary measure, Sadie. Help me move it behind the bar,” Richard demanded. Sadie exasperated, huffed out a breath and helped her father move the barrel behind the bar.

When she turned the corner of the bar to grab the pitchers of ale, the door of the tavern opened and a shockingly cold breeze entered the warm tavern. What was once a loud and rambunctious atmosphere was now silent as six British soldiers walked slowly inside. Sadie immediately loosed her grip on the pitchers and brought her hands in front of her, straightening her back.

Although there were more guests in here than the soldiers that walked in, the soldiers seemed to be twice everyone’s size, making it seem like giants had just walked in. All of them were clad in red, black, and gold—it was hard to ignore the large muskets and swords at either of their sides. Sadie gulped as she looked at the weapons—she’d never seen them in person. She was entranced by the sight of them, knowing what they were capable of doing.

At the forefront of the group was a tall, slender man, with mousy brown curls. He had a narrow nose and red lips—he looked very fair and quite handsome, but there was still something unnerving about his presence.

As if forgetting their manners, everyone in the tavern, including Sadie, bowed to them.

“We heard this tavern serves the best ale in town,” the man with mousy brown hair spoke. He spoke very concisely, pronouncing every syllable in his words. “Whom is the owner?”

“That would be me,” Richard, suddenly losing all of his nerves, spoke confidently from behind the counter.

“Do come over here, sir,” the man replied. Richard walked to the British officer and everyone watched, their eyes following Richard’s movements.

“Major William Howe, at your service,” Major Howe announced, taking off his hat. Sadie was surprised at the Major’s gesture; she’s heard before that some British soldiers were cruel to colonists. “And what might be your name?”

“Richard Hale,” Richard stated.

“Well, Mr. Hale, my men and I are terribly parched and could use a few pints of your ale,” Major Howe said, gesturing to the men behind him.

Richard nodded and looked at the men behind Major Howe. Most of them, if not all, didn’t look over the age of twenty. Richard nodded his head.

“Very well. Sadie,” Richard called Sadie’s name. Sadie jumped at his voice and nodded immediately. Major Howe’s expression softened when he saw her.

“And whom is this lovely lady? The bar maiden?” Major Howe asked, giving a soft smile to Sadie. Sadie smiled nervously in return and walked over to greet him.

“This is my daughter, Sadie Hale,” Richard introduced. Sadie curtsied and smiled at the Major and soldiers.

“It’s a pleasure to have you all here at the Ordinary,” Sadie stated.

Major Howe took Sadie’s hand and pressed a kiss on her knuckles.

“Quite the name—it’s anything but ordinary,” Major Howe chuckled.

Well, it was certainly a relief to Sadie that Major Howe wasn’t as scary as she’d heard other British officers were. After the introductions, some of the bar guests moved tables so the Major and his comrades could sit in the center of the tavern. Conversations resumed and normalcy filled the air again.

Major Howe and his team were passing through New Haven and were to stay for a week or so. His other officers were elsewhere in town, finding their lodgings and visiting other taverns. Major Howe was actually quite nice and charming. She felt more relaxed in their presence—what was she so afraid of?

Oh, Sadie thought. The muskets and swords. She purposefully hovered around them whenever she brought more ale over to their table. Although they weren’t being used, it was still an unsettling sight.

☆☆☆☆

When the last guests left, Sadie took a deep breath. The night had finally caught up to her and she was exhausted. But still, Major Howe and his men lingered a bit, even though the tavern did technically close about half an hour ago. It finally seemed like they were about to leave.

“Oh, Mr. Hale,” Major Howe called for Richard who walked around the bar to meet the Major. Sadie began to take their plates away as Major Howe continued to speak.

“I meant to ask earlier, but Ensign John Alby is the only one left of us who has yet to find boarding in town. Do you happen to have a spare room for Ensign Alby to sleep in?” The way the Major asked the question made it seem like he already knew the answer. Of course, a colonist couldn’t say no to lodging a British soldier—it was necessary. There was no choice involved.

Sadie nearly dropped the plate she was holding on the table. Quickly composing herself, she took the plates away and set them down behind the bar, pretending to wash them there.

“Yes, we do,” Richard replied, to Sadie’s dismay, although Sadie knew there was only one outcome of this situation. Sadie glanced at the table, wondering which of them was Ensign Alby. She hoped he wasn’t one of the older soldiers she saw.

“Brilliant!” Major Howe exclaimed with a snap, anticipating that answer. “Ensign Alby will bring his luggage from the carriage outside. Sadie, darling, you will prepare his quarters, right?” Sadie was caught off guard, and nodded her head in response, forcing a smile at the Major.

“Of course. As soon as we all turn in for the night, I will surely prepare his quarters,” Sadie replied in a more shaky voice than she wanted.

“Oh, there’s no need to wait, why not get started on it immediately?” Major Howe asked.

“I’ll get on it now, then,” Sadie replied, noticing the lack of interjection by her father, who was glaring at Sadie. “Which one of your men is Ensign Alby?”

“I,” a young man to Sadie’s left raised his hand. The man had chocolate brown hair and eyes—Sadie was relieved to see it wasn’t any of the slightly older men. At least this one looked closer to her age. He smiled at her and Sadie returned it.

“I’ll get started on your quarters right away, sir.”

☆☆☆☆

Sadie made sure the bed in the spare room upstairs was clean and made for Ensign Alby. She tried to push her thoughts of the worst away as much as she could, but the thought of housing a British soldier loomed over her like a heavy rain cloud. At least, they were only passing through to get to Philadelphia, but it would be the longest week and a half of her life, Sadie thought.

And there was the question of Ben—when would she have a lone moment with him? How would she tell him this?

Begrudgingly, Sadie moved her own desk into his spare room. Before she had gone up, Ensign Alby requested one and said he enjoyed reading in his spare time. Sadie had to restrain from rolling her eyes—she enjoyed reading too, reading Ben’s notes. She supposed she could give it up for a week, but she would have to make time during the day to read. There’d have to be a pause on reading by candlelight at night, which was her favorite time to read them.

Sadie looked at what she had done and laughed to herself.

What was this nonsense?

They didn’t run a hotel. Sadie wasn’t a housekeeper.

Why was this required?

Although Ensign Alby was nice, from what Sadie could tell…

Why was this his right?

☆☆☆☆

Sadie walked down the stairs to rejoin her father, Major Howe, and the other soldiers. She yawned—it was quite past her bedtime, and wondered when they would leave. She steadied herself on the handrail as she suddenly felt lightheaded. She couldn’t remember the last time she had water.

As she walked around the corner, the front doors of the tavern came bursting open.

“Father! Father I—“ Nathan’s voice boomed in the tavern and slowly lowered as he saw the British soldiers standing around the table now. Ben followed right behind him and locked eyes with Sadie. Sadie took a deep breath and walked slowly toward them all, unlocking eyes with Ben.

“Oh,” Nathan pressed his lips together, “apologies, gentlemen.”

“And whom might you be? This tavern is about to close up for the night,” Major Howe inquired, crossing his arms.

Nathan looked at his father, Sadie, and then back to Major Howe.

“This tavern actually closed about an hour ago,” Nathan began, ignoring the death glare from his father, “and I am the owner’s son, Nathan Hale.”

Major Howe raised an eyebrow and then motioned toward Ben.

“And you?”

“Benjamin Tallmadge, sir,” Ben replied, slightly bowing his head.

“Well, Nathan, we have acquainted with your lovely father and charming sister, already, but I am afraid our meeting must be cut short. We will be here for the next week or so, and I do hope we can get to know each other until then,” Major Howe smiled, seemingly genuine. Sadie watched as the men all looked at each other. Nathan smiled, but Sadie knew it was fake. Ben’s expression was hard to read.

“Likewise,” Nathan replied. “Benjamin and I will help you and your men out.”

“Oh, that won’t be necessary, but I appreciate your good intentions. Besides, Ensign Alby has found residence here. Sadie has prepared his quarters,” Major Howe informed them. That was when Sadie’s world turned black, and she heard someone shout her name.

☆☆☆☆

Sadie first heard distant murmuring. Her eyes were shut, and for a moment, she thought it was the start of the day again. Well, technically it was, but it was a new day. She moved on what she recognized to be her own bed, and the murmuring got louder. There was a slight throbbing in the front of her head.

“Oh, she’s awake,” an earthy, feminine voice spoke. Sadie opened her eyes at the stranger’s voice and saw a young woman lean over her—she had olive skin, very dark brown hair, and a beautiful, full smile.

“Mornin’, tot. You were out for a while,” the woman said again. Sadie furrowed her brows and looked at her confusedly.

“Who…” Sadie whispered.

Suddenly, Nathan appeared behind the woman and smiled down at his sister.

“Finally, Sadie. You really can sleep. You had us all worried,” Nathan placed a hand on Sadie’s shoulder. Sadie tried to sit up but the woman gently pushed her back down.

“Nathan, shouldn’t you be in class?” Sadie asked her brother.

Nathan smiled, “let me worry about that. Besides, Ben said he would take notes for what I missed.”

The mention of Ben made Sadie’s heart beat faster. All she wanted was to speak with him, to see him, but with everyone here, she knew it wasn’t possible. When would she have a moment with him? When would she see him again? A week?!

“I’m sorry,” Sadie said, feeling her voice dry. The woman handed her a cup of water which Sadie gulped in seconds. “Who are you?” Sadie asked.

“I’m Genevieve,” the woman said, “but you can call me Genny.”

“Genny? I’m Sadie,” Sadie said. Genny smiled, her nose crinkling.

“Genny is uh—,” Nathan began, “well, she’s a friend, but also helps at the druggist in town. I thought of her first when you passed out, and Genny came right away to see what happened,” Nathan explained.

Sadie nodded her head and smiled at her brother—Genny was a friend? She wished he brought her around earlier; it would have been nice to have a female friend.

“You had a lack of water,” Genny explained, “when you work these shifts, you have to remember to take care of yourself, Sadie.”

Sadie nodded. She never passed out at the tavern before. It must have been a mix of the long night, the news of the quartering, and seeing the men in the same room as Nathan and Ben. It was overwhelming, just like how she felt now.

And then Sadie had a moment of realization.

“Well, where are Ensign Alby and the Major?”

Nathan’s expression hardened at their names. He paced her room and looked out the window.

“Doin’ whatever it is they do. But the Ensign will be back before supper,” Nathan told Sadie. She nodded in understanding.

“Oh, she’s awake,” Richard said in the doorway. “Quite the impression you made on the Major, Sadie.”

Sadie tried to hide the embarrassment on her face by looking out the window. Nathan’s jaw clenched when he heard his father’s voice from behind him.

“Ben is here, Nathan,” Richard stated. Nathan ignored his father as he walked back downstairs. Sadie shifted her attention to the door, awaiting Ben’s arrival, but she was quickly disappointed to see Nathan meeting Ben downstairs.

“They’ve been fighting all day,” Genny whispered to Sadie, “Nathan doesn’t like that he’s letting the Ensign stay here.”

“Well, he has no choice,” Sadie explained, shrugging her shoulders. Genny pressed her lips together.

“At least it’s not for a long time,” Genny smiled. Sadie hoped she would have the impression on people the way Genny has had on her—she was truly breathtaking in every sense of the word.

“That’s true,” was all Sadie could say.

“Well, the good news is, the British aren’t staying here long. The bad news is, they’re staying here for a week,” Nathan announced, entering Sadie’s room again. Sadie looked over Nathan’s shoulder, expecting to see Ben, but was disheartened to see any empty doorway. Then again, why would he come up here anyway? It would look strange to Nathan. Plus, she wouldn’t want Ben to see her like this, anyway.

“Sadie, do you feel comfortable with a British officer being a door away?” Nathan asked his sister.

“I don’t quite like it but there isn’t much I can do about that,” Sadie said.

“Well, what if I suddenly wanted to move in here and then that forced you to move out?” Nathan suggested—Sadie knew he was thinking of all possible scenarios, but there was no use. She might as well just tough it out until they left.

“And where will I go, brother?” Sadie asked him incredulously—it’s no surprise Nathan came up with the most outrageous ideas with seemingly no explanation.

“Well, Genny said you could stay with her, for the time being,” Nathan replied. Sadie looked at Genny who had a soft expression on her face. While Sadie liked the idea, it would be far too suspicious, and suddenly Sadie felt overwhelmed by everyone’s concern.

“I would appreciate it if you just let me think of this on my own,” Sadie snapped, her exhaustion hitting her suddenly. Sadie gave an apologetic look at Genny. “I’m sorry, Genny. Nathan, please, there is too much going on right now and I’d like to rest before I have to prep for dinner,” Sadie huffed. She felt like he was treating her like a child… she knows how to handle herself!

“She won’t be doing that and you won’t be giving her ideas,” Richard appeared again in the doorway, his fists on his hips. Nathan whipped around, ready to say something, but Richard held up a finger, silencing his son. Sadie crossed her arms and fell back onto her pillow.

“I’ll make some tea for you and leave you be,” Genny gave Sadie a small smile. Sadie nodded and thanked her, glaring at Nathan and her father. She knew Nathan was just concerned, but she didn’t like the intrusiveness of his ideas. Why couldn’t she just deal with it herself? She may not like it, but she’s capable of dealing with tough situations, she thought.

“I’d like to talk to you two. Now,” Richard demanded Nathan and Genny. The two of them shared a look and reluctantly walked downstairs. Genny gave one last look at Sadie before disappearing behind Nathan.

Sadie, finally alone, lay on her side and closed her eyes. There was only one person she wanted to be with right now, and there was no way to reach him.

#ben tallmadge #nathan hale #ben tallmadge x reader #ben tallmadge fanfic #benjamin tallmadge #ben tallmadge x ofc #ben tallmadge x original female character #benjamin tallmadge x reader #benjamin tallmadge fanfic #benjamin tallmadge fanfiction #seth numrich #amrev #american revolution #history #new love new haven #turn: washington's spies fanfic #AMC TURN #turn universe

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disgruntled-detectives · 4 months ago

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I’m not frum by any real standards. I drive/use electricity on Shabbat, (though I do try to make an effort to lessen these things and only do things that fill my cup rather than empty it) I don’t keep kosher save for mostly not eating non-kosher animals (I avoid pork/shellfish but I look the other way at oyster sauce) I celebrate the big holidays and stuff but I don’t avoid working the whole time like I will take the first day of Pesach off but work the others. My friends are pretty much all respectful of these things. Save one.

My husbands friend finds it absolutely *baffling* that I altered my diet in any way for religious reasons. He was raised Muslim in name only. (Legit as secular as you can get. He celebrated Christmas his entire life for example, and never once fasted for Ramadan, or celebrated Eid, and eats non halal foods, And is basically no different than the other culturally Christian people I’ve known) and is an ardent anti-theist.

He also finds it ridiculous that my husband celebrates religious holidays and Shabbat and yet is also an atheist. And he has been openly derisive about it to both him and myself. “You REALLY think G-d’s gonna be mad about pork?” And I’ve explained that no, I avoid pork because I am a Jew. G-d has very little to do with my decision. I do it because it helps me connect to my Judaism. And My husband has explained it to him that in Judaism is completely possible to be an atheist and religious. That they are not mutually exclusive.

But he refuses to try and understand. Because to him that’s how it works in his worldview. Because despite his Muslim immigrant parents, he is culturally Christian.

Anyway, it’s incredibly annoying to have to keep justifying my religious choices to anti theist goyim that refuse to try and understand.

At least he’s been more respectful lately.

you have to be normal about religious jews you have to be normal about religious jews you have to be normal about religious jews you have to be normal about religious jews

#jumblr #jewblr #judaism #jewish #frumblr #antisemitism

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amberfaber40 · 2 years ago

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HOW TO MAKE CHINESE TEA

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Introduction Flashcards

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CHINESE TEA What do I have to do with Chinese Tea? "When in Rome be a Roman" & "When in Rome do as a Roman do." Living in Malaysia - a food haven with multicultural reflections, the region is open to Chinese Culture in its unique form. And here I got the chance of tasting Chinese Tea. While dining in Chinese Restaurants, they serve their unique tasting Chinese Teas. I was literally fancied by the Tea sets and the Tea making equipment that long back I collected a few items along with a huge Antique Dragon-Turtle Tea Pot big enough to brew Chinese Tea for a crowd. Well, I am not a tea person, but still, I love to drink these Chinese Teas when dining out. Especially I love the Jasmine & Rose flavoured Chinese Teas prepared with dried flowers and Tea Leaves. Mildly flavoured and rejuvenating to the senses. Tea has a history of its own. In China, drinking tea is mostly a cultural thing, with the majority of people drink tea throughout the day. Chinese Teas can be traced back all the way to the Tang Dynasty and is believed to have been first discovered in 2737 BCE, by the legendary founder of herbology, Shen Nong. He contributed to the development of Chinese medicine with his extensive knowledge of herbs. In Chinese Culture, Tea was considered as an Elixir in ancient China & one of the 7 necessities of life. There are 5 basic categories of teas in China - White, Green, Oolong, Black and Post-fermented (Pu’erh Tea). Chinese Tea has become a part of Chinese Culture, where the tea is drunk more frequently for healthy living than to quench the thirst.CHINESE TEA CHINESE TEA Different types of Chinese Tea:White Tea - White Tea is made from steeping the dried immature leaves of the Camilla Sinensis Tea Bush. White tea is frequently consumed for its presumed health benefits as an anti-ageing and promotes healthy and smooth skin.Green Tea - Green Teas are made from leaves of Camilla Sinensis Tea Bush and are put through a very short fermentation process.Oolong Tea - Oolong Teas are made by using a unique process of withering the leaves of Camilla Sinensis Tea Bush and using a special drying and oxidation process. Like other Chinese Teas, it has widely accepted health benefits.Black Tea - Black Tea leaves are put through the oxidation similar to several other types of tea, but it goes through the process longer and therefore the teas are much darker.Post-fermented/Pu’erh Tea - Post-fermented (e.g. Pu'erh) Teas are dark variety teas that are made from leaves that have gone through a unique process that exposes the freshly picked leaves to humidity and oxygen for an extended period, even longer than that of black teas. Puerh Tea is highly regarded in traditional Chinese medicine for its wide range of health benefits. Health Benefits of Chinese Tea: Chinese Teas have been consumed by people in China and all over the world in centuries. While some people drink the tea for enjoyment, others drink it for one or more of the healthy benefits that come from drinking one or more cups of hot or even cold tea every day. Tea has both sweet and bitter flavours and possesses cooling properties. Tea helps to refresh the mind, enhance alertness and boost concentration. Tea can also promote body fluid production, quench thirst, clear heat and phlegm, promotes digestion and urination. It is good to drink Tea unsweetened or only lightly sweetened. Anti-inflammatory - Chinese Teas are loaded with Polyphenols which have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties which help to reduce the risk of heart diseases. Weight Loss - Tea, when consumed hot, is believed to be the best weight loss agent.Increased Muscle Endurance - The antioxidants in Green Tea help to fuel your energy and helps your body burn fat. It also helps in increasing the stamina.Cancer Protection - The high quantity of antioxidants have shown to be effective at warding off certain forms of Cancers like Breast Cancer, Prostate Cancer, Ovarian Cancer and Colon Cancer.Fights Free Radicals - The antioxidants found inside Chinese Teas helps to fight off the free radicals that are responsible for several health disorders like Cancer, Alzheimer's, Heart Diseases etc.,.Defends Bone Loss - Green Teas helps to improve bone strength and bone density.Regulates Blood Sugar levels - Several compounds found in Tea helps the body to metabolize sugars in a better way, which is excellent for people with type 2 Diabetes. Boost Brain Power - Chinese Tea is believed to help ward off the effects of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Dementia. Healthy Teeth and Gums - Teas contain a naturally occurring Fluoride which helps to prevent plaque build-up which helps promote healthy gums and teeth.Anti-ageing Benefits - The compounds in Chinese Tea are believed to slow down the ageing process.HOW TO BREW CHINESE TEA CHINESE TEA Few basic knowledge of Tea Brewing, a decent quality Tea & a bit of patience is all you need for a good Chinese Tea, any Tea as a matter of fact. The best Tea in the world can taste horrible if prepared incorrectly, but even an inexpensive Tea can be more satisfying if prepared in the best possible way. So remember these 7 little facts before brewing any type of Teas.The quality of the Tea The quality of the Water Correct measurement Correct steeping temperature Correct steeping time Allowing the tea-leaf to expand fully Separating the leaf from the liquid at the end of the steeping process TEA CHINESE TEA Use the best tea that is available to you. Scoop the loose tea leaves from the tea canister. Measure the correct amount of tea & add it into the Teapot. This step is called "The black dragon enters the palace."WATER:When making any tea, try to use fresh & good quality water. Water quality reflects greatly on the taste of the Tea. Always start with fresh water out of the tap, not water that has been previously boiled or has been sitting around. First, use a small amount of heated water to warm the Tea Pot and Tea Cups before beginning to make your tea. To prepare the Chinese Tea, heat water in a kettle. CORRECT MEASUREMENT: The amount of Tea and Water will vary on the type of tea, its quality, and the size of the teapot, but generally, 1 Teaspoon of tea leaves for every six ounces/3/4 Cup of water will do. RIGHT WATER TEMPERATURE FOR TEA: Different teas require different steeping temperatures. Using the wrong steeping temperature is probably the most common error people make when preparing tea. You can buy a thermometer to gauge temperature or if you are experienced enough can look for visual clues. Heating water to the proper temperature is important when making Chinese tea, and ideal temperatures vary by tea type.White and Green Tea - 77-85 °Celsius/172–185° Fahrenheit Black Tea - 99 °Celsius/210 °Fahrenheit Oolong Tea - 85 - 100 °Celsius/185–212 °Fahrenheit Pu’erh Tea - 100 °Celsius/212° Fahrenheit BREWING THE TEA CHINESE TEA Raise the kettle at shoulder-length, and pour the hot Water into the Teapot over the tea leaves. The water should be poured just above the teapot to not remove the flavour from the tea leaves too quickly. After pouring the water, scoop away any excess bubbles or tea leaves. Place the lid on the teapot.BREWING TIME: The size of the tea leaves and their quality determine the length of the steeping time. A whole-leaf tea is steeped longer and high-quality tea has a shorter brewing time. Green Tea - 30 Seconds to 3 Minutes Black Tea - 3 to 5 Minutes Oolong Tea - 30 Seconds to 10 Minutes Pu’erh Tea - 45 Seconds to 10 Minutes ROOM FOR THE TEA LEAF TO EXPAND: All teas require room for the leaf to expand greatly in size as it steeps. Make sure there is enough room for the leaf to expand up to 3-5 times in size. SEPARATING THE LEAVES: After the tea has steeped the proper length of time, separate the leaves from the brewed Tea. Most teas will turn bitter if steeped too long. SERVING THE CHINESE TEA CHINESE TEA Gently transfer the brewed Teas from the Tea Pot or from a jug into the Tea Cups.It's finally time to drink the tea. Good etiquette dictates that tea drinkers cradle the cup with both hands and enjoy the tea’s aroma before taking a sip. Traditionally, the cup should be drunk in three sips of different sizes. The first sip should be small; the second sip is the largest, the main sip; the third is to enjoy the aftertaste and empty the cup. Enjoy The Pure Goodness of Chinese Teas!!!Wishing all my Chinese Friends a Happy Chinese New Year!"Gong Xi Fa Chai" Newer Post Older Post

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tsaritza-mika · 3 years ago

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Helloooo can u do a mc who is Muslim w the main six plzzzz

I certainly can ^--^

I will be very upfront tho, I am largely a secular person outside of my literal mish-mash of random beliefs. I also tend to see most characters that way, unless otherwise specified within their respective canon universe, so this will be done as if the Main 6 either have their own beliefs, or none at all. This is not meant to offend anyone in particular who see otherwise. Ok, disclaimer over XDDD

~~~~~***~~~~~

The Main 6 w/ a Muslim MC

Asra

Is thrilled if you invite him to join you in practicing. He’s learned little bits and pieces of a ton of other religions during his travels, even joined in a few celebrations here and there, but this time it’s special. This time it’s with you

Absolutely adapts his cooking for your religious dietary restrictions. As a total foodie, he’ll even go the extra mile to try finding the most delicious versions of anything to fit your needs as well

Need to set aside time for prayer while traveling? Need or desire privacy? Of course you have it. He’ll be just a short walk away, ready to go whenever you are

Has no trouble at all fasting with you during Ramadan. Stocks up on a bunch of stuff for crafts to help pass the time so you aren’t thinking of food when the last few hours start to really sink in

Would love to help you add a few things of significance to the shop if you wanted

If you cover your hair/head, Asra will be all about making special ones for you. Tie-dye, fabric paints, needlepoint designs, even a few colorful beads if you let him.

Nadia

Familiar with the religion and its practices, but please, do tell her more

She’s had to both visit and entertain various officials and special guests who practice, so she’s happy to join in if you wish for her to

Has a great appreciation for Arabic calligraphy, and makes sure to put your favorite Quran passages into true works of art just for you

Though in the past it's been so people don’t recognize her, she’ll gladly join you in covering her hair now and then. Who knows? Maybe she’ll come to like it as a norm

Helping you through those last few hours of fasting for Ramadan is a breeze. Nadia is nothing if not determined, so as if she would allow herself to fail in this

Please tell her more. She wants to know more, and she loves seeing your face when you speak about things that you are passionate about and are important to you

Julian

“Oh, so that’s why you cover your head? Thank goodness, darling, I was worried you might not love your beautiful hair as much as I do...”

Likely knows a bit of conversational Arabic from his travels, but doubtful he could read any of it. But please teach him, he’s an eager baby when it comes to sharing knowledge

Really gets into the stories you tell him from the Quran, and can also go off on tangents about similar ones he’s heard from all over

Totally fine with your dietary restrictions and that you don’t drink. Drinking has mostly been a social thing in the past, and unfortunately he’s used it to help cope with difficulties, so he could really stand to pull it back a little

You will get constant questions about how things work within your faith and if there are any details he needs to know. What’s the right way to interact, if there are any special ways? Has he been unknowingly disrespectful in the past due to his ignorance? What are the rules?

He tries daily to make sure you know he wants to know all of you, faith and everything included. But keep an eye on him, because we know he can sometimes go overboard trying to please <3

Portia

She is determined to learn how to wrap/cover your hair perfectly, and is very into the idea of trying so herself. Never know if it could end up being her new thing if she never tries~!

Totally all over the food part of things. She goes the extra mile to take any dietary needs/preferences, and making them tastier than the originals

Will go out of her way to surprise you with Arabic script embroidery she’s done herself on some of your clothes and/or head coverings. Sometimes she’ll even get daring and add a few beads for some extra sparkle

Not gonna lie, Ramadan is tough the first time around, but she powers through it because no one can stop Portia Devorak when she’s on a mission!

Please teach her some Arabic so she can read with you. She’s an adventurous soul, and wants to learn more about everything

Invite her to perform your daily prayers with you! Of course she’ll respect it if you want privacy, but she’ll be over the moon if you want her there with you

Muriel

Very chill with everything, most chill of all of them, let’s be honest

Fasting with you for Ramadan goes over easily enough. He’s gone without a meal here and there before, so doing it with you as a simple show of support for your beliefs is easy

Literally the easiest to work with dietary and drinking restrictions based on your faith. He doesn’t mind not doing any of that, and he doesn’t even miss any of it

The easiest alongside Nadia when it comes to your daily prayers. Invite him if you wish, he’s not hurt if you’d rather have privacy. The important thing to him is you always come back, and hopefully happier and a little more peaceful in the process

Nobody even considers being disrespectful and removing your head wear when he’s with you. His past aside, Muriel is a huge dude, and that alone is enough of a deterrent

He will ask you about things, but it’s better if you offer the first few times. He doesn’t want to pester you, but he also wants to know more about you and how your faith has shaped you

Lucio

He... ok look, Lucio adores you; loves you to the ends of the Earth and back, but things like religion and religious practices have never been his forte. You’re gonna have to be patient with him, but the effort is definitely there.

Tries so hard to learn what everything means and why it’s significant to you, but he does struggle

The one part he gets without issue is that it’s a ‘dry religion’, so you both can sit down and talk about things. He doesn’t really ‘need’ to drink, so he’ll at least try to abstain to show you support, but he might still end up having a few if it’s for things like fancy dinners or important gatherings

Never really understood things like ‘prayers’, but is more than fine with giving you a special room in the palace so you can have your privacy during

If you cover your hair/head, it’s just another fabulous accessory to gift you from the best artisans and tailors he can find

Enjoys the stories and passages you tell him from the Quran, tries to remember your favorites

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psalms-and-spells · 18 days ago

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Woah. So this post broke containment! Let me clarify a few things.

@atheostic

1. I actually agree with you on a lot of this actually. I believe Christmas has gotten too commercialized and this can 100% be traced back to Christian Colonialism and forcing people to celebrate Christmas (Certain Christian Colonial efforts tried very hard to make Christmas as secular as possible) I will be the first to say that Christian Evangelism and Colonial efforts are quite literally rotting Christianity from the inside out.

2. I didn’t mean for this to come across as exclusionist or anything. I don’t truly want to ban anyone from Christmas. It was mostly a rant post about people who simply see it as an excuse to decorate and participate in consumerism while not acknowledging the ‘harder’ or ‘religious’ stuff. Especially because Christianity is a very anti-capitalist religion so to see what one of our Major holidays has become is very saddening. I am more than happy to have others celebrate the holiday respectfully in whatever way they are comfortable with. (I give Muslim friends a gift and card every year. Just like how I often go to Ramadan Celebrations with them. I don’t see anything wrong with non-Christians celebrating Christmas as long as it’s respectful. )

3. This is just a clarification. When I say ‘Secular’ I am meaning essentially ‘without religion’. My main point here is you can’t really celebrate without religion, it’s a religious holiday at its core, and if you try too then you will be left with just a glorified capitalism holiday. ( I could go further and say that I do, to a certain extent, think that non-Christians should probably stay away from Christmas for a whole bunch of anti-colonialist reasons but that’s my thoughts for another day)

4. Again, I want to reiterate. The post wasn’t meant to be that deep. Like I was specifically thinking of people who will decorate their house to high heaven, go to Starbucks to get a peppermint mocha everyday, buy a truly glutinous amount of gifts, and then claim they don’t believe in Christianity. I’m talking about people who view christmas as a time to keep up with the Jone’s. Not people who aren’t religious who grab their close friends and family a gift and go look at Christmas lights.

5. This is where I will also tag @phinarei . I want to make it clear I wasn’t talking about Yule celebrations. I love Yule. I’m a Christian Witch, it’s great. (Idk if y’all were implying this but I just wanted to make it clear)

6. This is now gonna be be more debunking. Like I said I’m a Christian Witch who tries to incorporate traditions of my ancestors into my craft. So I was used to also believe that a lot of Christianity came from paganism and was open to that idea. (And there is no doubt that some traditions are, but many pagan traditions came from willfully converting pagans celebrating holidays in ways that they knew and bringing new life to traditions. Take wreaths for example. To act like Christianity purposefully stole traditions from pagans all over Europe is just factually incorrect. It also simultaneously takes away a lot of the agency of old European pagans as well as watering down what colonialism actually did to their culture.) BUT a lot of what we believe to be pagan actually comes from Nazi propaganda.

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/nazis-fought-original-war-christmas-180961513/#:~:text=According%20to%20Nazi%20intellectuals%2C%20cherished,shortest%20day%20of%20the%20year.

It’s a lie that’s really ingrained in our society, but it a lie that’s rooted in white supremacy and antisemitism. So it’s something that I take note of and actively try to inform about. Things like the Christmas Tree originated in 16th Century Germany (and actually didn’t start off as a tree which was interesting) There is no evidence that it was a Norse-Pagan tradition and is a rumor started by people who didn’t respect pagans (essentially they were calling them tree worshipping hippies) and then further perpetuated by the Nazi’s.

I didn’t expect to have to write this much. I just wanted to clarify. I understand that Christmas and the language around it used by some Christians can be really hurtful and frustrating, so I should have chosen my words better. So sorry about that.

Anyway I hope y’all have a good day! And however you celebrate, or don’t celebrate, the winter season I hope you have a good time.

I hate to say it but I do fear we need to take Christmas away from non-Christians.

‘Secular Christmas’ babes that’s just capitalism…

#christianity #christian witchcraft #progressive christianity #christian #religion #tw antisemitism #tw anti paganism #tw nazis #christmas

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nolabballgirl · 3 years ago

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Eid 2022: Muslim Books Wrap-up and Review Part ii

so in part i here, i focused on recently published contemporary literature/poetry, fantasy, and graphic novels (2017 to present) with muslim main characters i've read over the year. now i'm going to turn to young adult and lgbtq muslim fiction. frankly i was impressed by how many books have come out in the last few years alone in these categories. now i wish the quality of the writing was just as amazing (but that’s another story 🌙)

these books represent a wide spectrum of the muslim experience. from practicing, non-practicing, or questioning one's faith, to spanning cultures, nationalities, and ethnic origins from across the globe. and we're only scratching the surface. without further ado:

ya:

all my rage (2022/sabaa tahir *tw: abuse, addiction) - this book fully wrecked me. it's so heartbreaking and yet hopeful at the same time. a lovely friends to lovers story of two pakistani american kids living in the mojave desert in california, whose respective families are just trying to live out "the american dream." p.s. tahir's "an ember in the ashes" is an awesome fantasy series!

salaam with love (2022/sara sharaf beg*tw: gun violence) - good post ramadan read as it follows a pakistani american teen from a small town who visits relatives in nyc for the entire month of ramadan. it's a coming of age story but also about the main learning more about the religion and ramadan in general. there's an unnecessary subplot involving gun violence that took away from the tone mid-story, and the ending was slightly unbelievable, but otherwise a fun read.

misfits in love (2021/s.k. ali) - this is a sequel to saints and misfits but you don't really need to have read the first one to read this. we follow our egyptian-indian hijabi protagonist at her brother's wedding and like all weddings, there's lots of drama (especially boy drama!) this was light-hearted and fun, but also did a good job in addressing intra-muslim racism (especially anti-black racism) and how to cope when it occurs amongst family members.

all american muslim girl (2019/nadine jolie courtney) - despite the cheesy title, i thought this was a fresh take on the muslim teen experience. it's a coming of age story of a white passing Circassian girl from a non-religious muslim family near atlanta, georgia. in exploring her heritage, racism, and fitting in, she comes to islam and decides to be muslim. so it's all about her finding her faith and making sense of it all, with some really layered intra-faith explorations amongst her friend group too.

love, hate, and other filters (2018/samira ahmed*tw: terrorism) - okay, this book was a mess. ostensibly a coming of age story about an indian muslim girl living in the midwest us. but it was full of cliches (brown girl pining for the white crush; oppressive indian parents, etc.) structurally, the author drops a mass casualty/terrorism event in the middle of the book, but then picks up with the "romance" like nothing happened. very little grappling with the main's cultural and religious identity. and the ending is incomprehensible given the 200 pages that came before it.

a very large expanse of sea (2018/tahereh mafi) - a coming of age story set in 2002 (right after 9/11) of a hijabi persian breakdancing teen. i enjoyed the subversion of stereotypes and the realistic depiction of racism and double standards in that time. i could have done with a little less romance but overall the main's conflicting emotions felt very real.

lgbtq lit (mostly wlw):

note: there aren't too many books with practicing queer muslim rep yet. most have mains that fall into the category of culturally muslim/raised in a muslim household but marginally practicing or not at all. for practicing rep, in addition to one book below, i would highly recommend watching "we are lady parts" on peacock (wlw hijabi who regularly prays!)

the henna wars (2020/adiba jaigirdar) - wlw high school rivals romance between a bengali girl and brazilian irish classmate in ireland (not exactly enemies to lovers but eh, close enough). so this isn't the most well-written book, but it was cute. props to an interracial woc couple and complicated sibling dynamics.

hani and ishu's guide to fake dating (2021/adiba jaigirdar) - fake dating and grumpy/sunshine tropes galore between muslim and hindu (?) bengali high school girls in ireland. kudos for a practicing muslim bisexual co-main! a nice exploration of culture and religion overall with both girls, who are quite well-developed on their own. i just wish we got more of their relationship together which felt the most underdeveloped of the whole novel so i wasn’t as invested in their relationship as i was in them separately. but overall, cute.

the love and lies of rukhsana ali (2019/sabina khan *tw: intense homophobia; sexual assault; death) - okay, i really disliked this book. setting aside the writing style which i did not care for, this book verged on trauma porn for me by taking the kitchen sink of homophobia, misogyny, racism, etc. and throwing it all at this poor bengali girl. yes, life is not all sunshine and roses but this was bleak. and don't get me started on the ending! the book would have benefitted from sticking with 2-3 topics and exploring them well.

zara hossain is here (2021/sabina khan *tw:islamophobia) - so i liked this better than her first book (love lies of rukhsana ali). but this author still has the propensity of putting her queer characters through harrowing situations so be warned. this novel is about a bisexual pakistani teenager in texas and the racism and islamophobia she and her family face. again i think focusing on a few major themes would have helped focus the storyline.

you exist too much (2020/zaina arafat *tw: addiction) this was a hard book, not only for the subject matter but because the main, a bisexual palestinian woman, is pretty unlikeable. but the writing is honest and there's something to be said for rooting for a woman to overcome her addictions, tackle her mental health issues, and stop her self-destructive behavior. i also enjoyed the vignettes of self-discovery from her childhood in palestine/jordan.

honorable mention: darius the great is not okay (2018/adib khorram) - this is cheating because the main isn't muslim; he's a persian, zoroastrian boy. but this book is so good and really deftly tackles the subject of mental illness, loneliness, family pressures and trying to fit in. it mostly takes place in iran with some gorgeous descriptions of the architecture/mosques in yazd too.

#muslim books #muslim authors #eid 2022 #young adult #wlw books #lgbtq literature #ya books #book reviews #book recommendations #post ramadan reading

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makoandharu · 4 years ago

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Inquiring minds would love to know more about your Muslim Makoto AU 🥰

OH GIRL OKAY it's more of a Muslim Tachibanas AU, and these are so all over the place bc this just something I think about all the time incoherently but they're mostly Ramadan related bc it's Ramadan rn and I've been having FEELINGS

When they were little (and even now honestly, bc Makoto is hopeless) Haru would often wake Makoto for Fajr prayer whenever they had a sleep over and his mum wasn't there to wake him, and Tahajjud prayer eventually when he's a bit older [Fajr prayer is one of the 5 compulsory prayers, and is offered just before sunrise. Tahajjud prayers are voluntary prayers offered before Fajr, but you have to have slept and then woken up to offer them, bc it's a sign of devotion to Allah that you disturbed your sleep to pray to Him. Which i think is extra nice for Makoto bc he really does have a hard time waking up; i feel like Makoto would start praying Tahajjud more once he's in Tokyo and has had his journeys of connecting to his faith and God]

After-school swim practice starts 5-7 minutes later than it says on the timetable bc Makoto has to pray Asr [another compulsory prayer]. They keep a prayer mat in the club room in it's own cubby, and everyone knows not to put gross things like dirty towels on it. The first time Rei catches Makoto washing his foot in the sink whilst performing Ablution before prayer he's like UM???????? But is very respectful and understanding when everyone explains.

Makoto's everyday Qur’an cover is green!! But he takes a smaller one - without translation - with him when they travel (the training camp in s1, nationals in s2 etc) that Haru's grandma got him on his Ameen [celebration for completing the Qur’an for the first time] and everyone knows not to put his bag on the floor bc it has the Qur’an in it!

Makoto's family always send iftari meals [food to break your fast; consists usually of dates and other sweets traditional to whatever country you're from] to all the neighbours at least a few times during Ramadan. Makoto always tries to help but usually gets given the task of cutting the dates and putting almonds in them

Pls imagine the first time Haru hears fasting means "not even water" and he's so worried for Makoto bc he thinks it means he can't even touch water. Mama Tachibana explains that they're just not allowed to drink it, and it's only from sunrise to sunset.

In Tokyo, Haru makes chocolate coverd dates for Makoto to break his fast with. For suhoor (closing the fast in the morning) Haru will always wake up and eat with Makoto once they live together bc Makoto once told him that you get blessings just for eating the suhoor/iftar meals even if u don't fast, and Haru just really likes the thought of that.

His first Ramadan in Tokyo and living alone, Makoto ends up always waking up at Suhoor in the nick of time and feels super bad about it. Haru would ask him casually what he had for suhoor one day and he'd sheepishly reply that only some water and a quick handful of cereal. Haru starts calling him every morning after that so he wakes up on time.

Haru and Makoto's family always always celebrate Eid together bc Eid is for family 😇

Haru always gives Ren and Ran Eidi (Eid present usually money), even when he moves away from Iwatobi

Eid-Ul-Fitr is Makoto's favourite bc there's a lot of sweets, Eid-Ul-Adha is Ren and Ran's favourite bc there's a lot of meat!

PLEASE imagine Ren in a topi his mum knitted and Ran in a lil hijab ok i love them sm

Also Makoto leading congregational prayer at home!! Ren doing Adhan [call to prayer]!!!!!!!! I loVE THEM

Makoto isn't gonna lie and say he offers Nawafil every day [voluntary prayers, can be offered during the day p much at any time] but he really tries to before big races and even before Haru's big competitions, just for that extra little help. Even if they don't do well at least he feels like he really did everything he could've done.

He's saving up to go to Hajj [pilgrimage]!!! It's been his dream to be able to take his parents at least once!

He FINALLY gets on anti-anxiety medication after years of thinking he should "just prayer more" when his mum tells him about a saying of the Holy Prophet PBUH that although prayer is a must, you must always tie your camel if you don't want it to run away i.e. obviously pray but Allah has given you resources and you have do your bit as well as praying. So now he's on meds and coincidentally can concentrate much better on prayer anyway! Win-win!

In Iwatobi he used to have a difficult time connecting to prayer and didn't really see how he could just "talk" to Allah, especially outside the compulsory prayers where there are set things to pray about. He would often cry in prostration when he was in his early teens, bc he just felt so lost and didn't know who to talk to in life except Allah but he also felt like he didn't know how to even talk to God about it. When he looks back at it now as an adult he realises crying to God about his problems was exactly how he was talking to Him, and that if he hadn't then maybe he wouldn't have had the connection with Allah that he has now. He's forever grateful for all the hurdles he faced back then bc he really wouldn't be the person he is without them.

Thank u sm for indulging me ily sorry these are so long i just have a lot of emotions

I hope these make sense i tried to explain each term as best as i could!

#the cereal/water thing is something my husband does cos he's a noooooooob #also yes the last two are extra self indulgent but what's the point of having fictional characters if u can't project all your nasty #little problems on them 😇#free!#tachibana makoto #makoto tachibana #mako #headcanons #ask #caffernnn

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bowieexaminprogress · 4 years ago

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I do wonder if Elias already drinks or smokes weed and that’s why Yasmina was asking about it and he didn’t answer clearly? What are your thoughts if they go in this direction? On a side note, I really am curious about Yasmina’s parents and the sibling’s relationships with them because that’s how we usually see how the Sanas feel the pressure of being a Muslim woman

👋 nonnie. First of all I love this question because it has so many layers. Thank you for this anon.

We know from season 4 that generally Elias and at least some of his friends are smoking weed sometimes. We have no indication about alcohol. Now I think the question is does Elias smoke weed or consumes alcohol during Ramadan?

From the clips so far we have seen the difference between Yasmina and Elias and how they practice their religion. Yasmina seems to play more by the rules than Elias. So Elias engaging in alcohol and weed consumption might not be out of character but also us making assumptions about that might not be right either. It will pose a good question inside the audience’s mind about if there is actually one way to practice your religion and is there a right way to do so. At the end of the day is it about the deep values or the practice, or both?

Yasmina is the more analytical, structured child and Elias is the more rebellious and emotional child. We see how his first reaction to the Aaron/Jens situation is very emotional whereas Yasmina’s is filtered through her mind. I love this dynamic exactly because I think this season the emotional side in Yasmina will challenge her extremely prominent cerebral side. Her duality will come into play. And it is nice to have by her side someone who is more comfortable with embracing that emotional side as a guide through her inner exploration.

Regarding the parents I don’t know what their dynamic with their kids will be yet but I think so far we have seen how much both of the kids respect them. I think Elias’ request to Yasmina to not say anything to the parents about him fighting came from a place of respect and not from a place of fear of their reaction. Respect for the elders is also very important in Islam.

Lastly regarding the pressure of being a Muslim woman and Yasmina I have a feeling that that pressure might be something Yasmina will mostly bring upon herself in combination with everything she will experience around her from her friends and her society and not so much from her parents. We see how Yasmina values her God and the way she chooses to practice religion so I think when that will get challenged she will struggle.

#wtfock #sibling love #season 5 theory

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ianworthy · 4 years ago

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Israel vs Palestine

What is really happening? And the bloody solution…

First off, I'm from a small town on the other side of the planet so I don't have any kind of agenda. If you want that B.S. there's lots of options. I realized more than ever over the last year that we are being lied to and manipulated on the daily, which led me down many rabbit holes. I've been "re-educating" myself and started writing in an effort to make some sense of the craziness.

History made shorter…

We should start around when the Ottoman Empire ended for some context, which was in the early 1920s in case you slept through History. If you rely on the ‘news’ you'd think this started a couple of weeks ago. Reality, if you go back far enough no one "owned" anyone, nor the land they occupied or any of the land you’re on right now. Humanity and its entire existence has involved one tribe/country trying to annihilate the other. It never works out, but here we are 200000 years later, give or take 194000 years, depending on whether your belief in Science transcends beyond vaccines and masks. In case you didn't catch that I’m referring to the 6000 year timeline outlined in the Bible. Breaking this down to the core revolves around religion used to create unnecessary animosity, so a relatively small proportion of a population can benefit. Isn't that every war ever?

After the Ottoman collapse, the land that's in dispute aka Israel and Palestine was given to the British. Interesting fact, if you look at all the atrocities and wars currently going on in the world, they are all countries that were "occupied" some way or another by the British or to a lesser extent, the French. Aren't we all curious for Harry's hot take on how he's the product of ruthless colonization of his great grandparents that its impact on global society is ever present? These former colonies are humanitarian disasters enslaved by whichever military coup at the time provides corporations with the most resources. But hey, as long as the Old B of England got the right biscuits to accompany her afternoon Tea that's all that matters, right?

When the British, or most powerful Army at the time called the shots, there was a movement referred to as Zionism that began to gain support from the Jewish people throughout Europe. Zionism basically means the nationalist movement to create a state for the Jews, not the jam by Damien Marley, which is my first exposure to the word Zion. I'm sure this rise was foreshadowing of what was to come. Not to get all conspiracy theory on you but none other than the Rothschilds (wealthiest family in history that created the global money supply that are apparently no longer wealthy) created a proposal that involved divvying up the land for a state in the future, which was after the war. Google the ‘Balfour Declaration’ if you don't believe me. From that point the amount of land occupied by the Palestinians has steadily decreased, according to the last map I checked it was looking pretty bleak. The land was divided not because they are physiologically different but because one group of parents parents parents were raised to believe in Abraham and the other a linkage to Abraham.

Up to the current point…

I'm sure that Jared Kusher's involvement in recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and the Trump peace plan of supplying the middle east with more missiles played a supporting role, but more current, Ramadan. The Israelis like all of the World Leaders during the last year have been flexing too much during the lockdowns of COVID, which carried over to yet another Ramadan and evicted some families for further settlements. In addition to the evictions the Israelis broke up a Mosque gathering on Eid, Antifa style. Eid for Muslims is like Christmas for Christians, but instead of getting toys and gifts from Jesus swap, Santa Claus, you get to eat during daylight after a month of starving yourself. This Mosque is Islam's third holiest site, conveniently Jerusalem is Judaism and Christianity holiest site as well, coincidence? To relate, for Christians, if Jerusalem is the holiest, and the Vatican is the Second then probably a Church like Notre Dame would be third, or up there at least. I feel that the MSM coverage of the Notre Dame burning was little different than the burning of the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

In retaliation to the Israeli raids, Hamas, the awful military leadership of Palestine launched missiles that had no real threat of reaching their target, being shot down half way by the Rafael Advanced Defense System (Iron Dome) that the US taxpayer supplied batteries for under Obama. In response to a “potential” desert storm attack from Palestine a bunch of USA made Lockheed Martin F-16s equipped with M61 Vulcans and Raytheon AIM-9 Sidewinder heat-seeking missiles launched an Airstrike killing a bunch of innocent civilians, including kids. According to the death toll I just looked at, it was 241 dead Palestinians, including 5 top Hamas commanders, the media and a bunch of kids to 12 Israelis, no executives, consultants, shareholders or politicians were killed.

The Solution Is…

Two solid states, and no longer decreasing the amount of land occupied by the Palestinians and increasing of Jewish settlements. Palestinians and Jews both have the right to a home. With the help of the greedy boomers (worst leadership class in history) and the media making the next couple of generations hate each other, the rift is super deep. Every war is sustained by the industrial military complex. Lockheed Martin Raptors or Raytheon Heat Seeking Missiles do not magically appear in the Israeli Air Force. The corporations that run the United States are in the business of making money at all costs, in this case innocent lives mostly Palestinians. Humans need to stop providing the means to commit such acts of horror.

It also seems pretty convenient that Benjamin Netanyahu was recently unable to form a new government and is facing criminal corruption charges. Party leaders are always guilty of something, it’s just a matter of if they follow the most profitable line or not. He's obviously not the right person to run Israel, taking it in the extreme right position that’s trendy right now in politics. Extreme either way is no solution to anything, and the sooner Netanyahu goes the better. His father was an Ivy League Professor active in the Zionist movement, who's father was also a Zionists. Point here is people that grow up entitled with an unwavering ideology and no life experience make for horrible leaders. That applies to a lot of world "leaders", even the countries that don't have nonsensical inbred Royals in charge. Any peaceful long-term resolution involves leadership that recognizes that Jews and Palestinians have a right to a home. There also needs to be more fair coverage. I guess it doesn't help that the people running Sony Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox, Lionsgate, Universal, NBC, The New York Times, The Tribune, Discovery, CNN, Google and Facebook are all Jewish. In Palestine, the Israeli Air Force blew up one of the main media buildings that housed Al Jazeera News and the Associated Press. No press or opinion vs all the colluding press and opinions.

As for Hamas, or any of these military coups that emerge are the result of instability and no leadership for its people, present more of a challenge. Israel can and hopefully soon, will function just fine with new leadership. My entire adult life, the Industrial Military Complex has been at war with the Middle East. The defense contractors that have been defending America from an “evasion” always seem to find some action. It's purely about Oil(Money) and strategic power, but we can leave that for another time. From the West perspective Hamas is a terrorist organization, which they are, but if you're living in Palestine having dinner with your family and a Raytheon heat seeker comes through the window and blows up your family into pieces. Wouldn’t that be a terrorist act? In order to have any kind of sustainable solutions the counties and corporations that pillage these places killing innocent people need to find a way to structure these de facto coups into a legit military that can serve as a National Army. At the end of the day these kids are just fighting for what they think or are forced to think is right. Given the option, and right identity, kids can redirect their frustration and hatred towards a national unity that respects and values its citizens. Not that I have much faith in non-secular rule, but I think as a starting point a country that can be run more or less by its people is better than this apartheid situation that’s going on now.

The ceasefire has been called, which is the necessary short-term solution, however not going to change much going forward. This game is being played with a zero-sum, and I think that they were premeditated targets that were going to be fired at some point in the future regardless of what the spark was. My position at the end of the day is that a handful of countries produce all the weapons used to blow everyone up, so it should start at the source and those who benefit the most. Which obviously isn't the everyday people of Palestine or Israel. The upside, with the media fighting for relevance the corporate narrative is being challenged. We just haven't figured out the right way. I have some thoughts, subscribe or follow please.

#israel vs palestine #news #tumblr #israel #palestine #war #peace #ramadan #mosque #zion

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barnesandco · 5 years ago

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Nikah: May

Story Masterlist

Nikah: noun, Arabic, meaning the contract of marriage.

Bucky marries Peter’s former tutor because her student visa’s about to expire and the government isn’t granting her a green card. Can she find a way to permanent residence by marriage, and if so, will it be at the cost of their hearts?

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Reader

Warnings: Angst.

A/N: Written under the Arranged/Accidental Marriage trope for @mermaidxatxheart ‘s writing challenge.

The scent of spices and tea slides like silk into his bedroom, a thief in the night rousing him from his slumber. It's a quarter to three, and he can hear sizzling from the kitchen, adding to the comfortable heat of an early summer night. He curses himself as he scrambles to get up, untangling the maze of sheets around his legs. Almost trips over her prayer mat on the floor on his way out, the lights in the living area blinding, but he has now identified the scent. Lentils. She's reheating the daal maash from last night for her sehri, and a peek over her shoulder from several paces behind her shows him a paratha on the pan.

"You didn't wake me," He laments, noting how the situations have been reversed since the first time they woke up together. It isn't morning now, but the principle remains. One upset that the other is cooking alone, albeit for different reasons entirely.

"To no avail, evidently," She answers, sunflower smile wilting on her tired face, although her spirit is anything but. Not a morning person in the first place, this preparation for the day's fast is an exhausting ordeal for his wife, and that's why he wakes up with her.

To tell the truth, he’s still in awe over the phenomenon of Ramadan, and how she not only survives, but thrives in it. Eating and drinking nothing as long as there is daylight, and yet going about her day as if it is ordinary, with no change in her routine except for a brief nap in the afternoon.

He knows hunger, too, the Depression one of the few things he recalls before everything else. Hunger out of obligation, not choice. Not out of the will to rid yourself of all material needs, not out of the will to sympathize with the unfortunate, and become more grateful for your own fortune, as she says she is. Fasting is a sacred, beautiful ritual, even though he does not like that she is suffering.

Even in preparation for said suffering, she is calm. Tired, but content, elbow grazing his as they set the table together. Sehri is peaceful, but he will not appreciate that until he looks back upon it in time from an iftaari that is anything but.

He’s beside himself with worry by the time she gets back from her job interview, in spite of her regular texts informing him of her delay. Perhaps it’s because he’s sent too many I’m fine messages to not recognize someone else’s. And indeed, he knows for certain that everything is very much not fine the moment she enters the apartment. The storm in her eyes is a brutal warning, even though she uses a brief hug to umbrella him from it before heading into their bedroom to change in preparation for dinner.

His friends have invited themselves to iftaari, on the condition that they bring the food. It’s something she’s been looking forward to, cautiously, hesitantly, but it seems that whatever happened today has eliminated even that. Bucky assumes the interview didn’t go well, and this suspicion is strengthened when she brushes past him to start removing bits and bobs of a busy household - tea coasters, pens and pencils, loose notes - from sight. No further comment on how the day went.

“How did the interview go?” Bucky takes the initiative.

“I didn’t get the job?” She answers, stopping her neat-freak cleaning in front of the hallway mirror at the sight of her hair. The dark locks fall down her back as she opens the bun.

“Why not?”

“Guess they had a better candidate.” She shrugs, refusing to meet his eyes in the mirror as he stands behind her.

“Darlin’,” Bucky presses as she ties off the braid, letting it fall across her shoulder. It swings over and like a pendulum in front of her back as he follows her to the living room.

“Dearest,” She teases, the joke not reaching her eyes as she begins to fold a throw blanket.

“I’m serious.”

“So am I.”

“What happened?” He persists, pressing the pillow he’s adjusting into the back of the couch. She spares him a glance over her shoulder while she puts the drying dish towels back in their drawer.

“Nothing happened, Bucky. Job rejections are a part of life. This isn’t my first and it sure as he- heck won’t be the last,” She says, back still to him, stumbling over what could be considered a swear word. Apparently, anger and swearing is also off-limits.

“Then what’s the matter?” Bucky gets up from the couch while she comes to sit on it, Quran in her hands.

“Nothing.”

“Yeah, right, and I’m the damn President.”

“What’s your problem, Buck?” She sighs, closing the book she has just opened, face worn and torn.

“My problem? Honey, you walk in here pissed off like Sam after a bad mission and ask me what my problem is?”

“I’m not arguing with you now,” She says dismissively, looking down again, beginning to read, and Bucky respects her, he does, really, but he can’t let this one go. Not now, not like this. Too many problems arise from a communication gap, from not talking, from leaving people to their own devices. He can’t deal with that.

“Like hell you won’t. I’m not tryin’ to start a yelling match here, sweetheart, but we have to communicate.”

“You sound like a therapist.” She doesn’t look up.

“Maybe you should listen to one,” He retorts, turning his back. This gets her attention. Rising from the couch, she walks around to face him, face livid and tears already ready.

“Fine. You want to know what happened? Yeah, I didn’t get the job. Apparently, I’m too “high profile”, and-”

“Oh, so this is my fault?” Bucky asks, voice tempered and low.

“No. It’s B.S. is what it is. They said my high profile would raise controversy, and reader might not trust reviews I write because of my background,” She finishes, arms flailing agitatedly, brow furrowed and furious. Bucky’s confused.

“You’re overqualified, doll. I don’t know why you’re applying for these jobs when you’re already a lecturer,” He says. Book critics aren’t PhDs, not usually, and she deserves more.

“I’m visiting faculty. On a contract, which can be renewed, but a visiting job doesn’t provide me with enough basis for a work visa.”

“Work visa? What about the green card you’re doing all this for?” He asks, not realizing he’s using the word you, instead of we. Somewhere along the line, sometime in the past five months, this has become more than a favor. She has become more than someone in need.

“Those things expire. Have to be renewed, and mine won’t be once this is-” She stops, face falling.

“What? This is what?”

“Nothing.” The anger resurfaces as he understands what she’s alluding to.

“Once this is over, right? That’s what you were about to say? Why’d you stop? You think I don’t know? You think I’m deluded into thinkin’ you could want to stay with me?” Every question mark is another step forward, three steps back.

“Bucky, I-” Saved by the bell. She wipes her eyes with a corner of her dupatta, and goes to answer the door. Bucky steels himself, the anger now a resting mass of resentment in his stomach, pasting a rubber smile on his face as they enter. Sam, Peter, Sharon, Wanda, and Vision, all come in and greet them with noise and the mouth-watering scent of achari chicken. Bucky hopes, for their sakes, that they went easy on the spices, until she reappears in front of him, and he remembers he has bigger problems.

Of course, there is no space to hash it out in a houseful of guests, so they do what they must. The show must go on. Bucky convinces himself they’re doing well at keeping up the pretense with silver tongues and iron smiles, until he overhears a sliver of conversation from the kitchen, where she and Peter have just gone to retrieve cutlery and glasses.

“You fought, didn’t you?” Peter asks, and he curses the kid’s brightness.

“It’s nothing, Pete.”

“You’d tell me if it were though.” It’s a statement, but the question hangs, suspended in the air, until she shoots it down.

“Of course.” A smile, and they return to help the others set the table.

Peter’s concern, the idea that he, Bucky, could be a cause of concern, tugs the carpet out from under his feet and he feels like he’s falling. Down into his memories like the Harry Potter movies she will stop her channel surfing on, even though she insists she doesn’t like them all that much. Down into the memory of Peter’s first show of brotherly caution.

Bucky had insisted on wearing a suit. Nothing fancy, a simple black two-piece, the collar of his white dress shirt undone. He feels like he’s preparing for a funeral instead of a wedding, tying the laces on his dress shoes. Peter only reinforces this sentiment, grave face set to mourn the fact that one of his mentors is being tied to a ticking time bomb.

Bucky knows that isn’t fair to Peter, the boy has never treated him with anything other than respect - it’s the nerves talking, mostly. It appears that they aren’t the only ones with something to say today. Peter shuffles awkwardly, gusto evaporating at Bucky’s undivided, intimidating attention.

“Spit it out, son,” He tries to help things along, and Peter’s eyes widen.

“Look, I know you’re doing this because you want to help, and you have no idea how grateful I am,” Peter begins, wringing his hands at his sides. Bucky leans back, raises an eyebrow.

“But?”

“But you have to be careful with her,” Peter rushes out, looking at him anxiously as he gets up to comb back his hair one more time.

“I thought this was the 21st century. Let women do their own thing and all. I mean, I always believed in letting them be, but it wasn’t the norm the way it is now,” He says, putting the brush back in the drawer and turning to Peter.

“Yeah, I know, but still. She’s been through a lot,” Haven’t we all, Bucky thinks, tightening his watch around his wrist. “ And she needs your support. Be careful with her, Mr. Barnes, please,” Peter urges, eyes appealing for his sympathy. Bucky walks up to him, puts a hand on his shoulder and tells him:

“Alright, kid. Alright,” And he hopes this is enough to convey his promise.

He’s let Peter down. Bucky sees it in his eyes as he’s the last to leave, stomachs full and happy, the other Avengers already halfway down the corridor to the elevator. Peter doesn’t say anything. He doesn’t need to. The look in his eyes is enough of a knife in Bucky’s heart, too clear an image of the one he seems to have planted in Peter’s back.

She’s in the kitchen, quiet, silent, dark. He stands next to her for several long, tense minutes until she exhales, and the room holds it breath for whatever she’s about to say. Except, she decides not to. Leaves the kitchen, heads for the foyer and pulls on her shoes until Bucky asks her where she’s going.

“Out. I need air,” Is her only answer, and he can’t stop her, doesn’t know how to as she leaves. The aftermath of the fallout envelopes him and he thinks: now what?

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