#hajj explained

[bipolarman2022]

**Title: "The Transformation of Miguel"**

**Chapter 1: A Chance Encounter**

Miguel, a young Spaniard from a well-to-do family, had spent his life pursuing knowledge in the cloisters of academia. He had always been curious, seeking answers in books of philosophy and theology, but lately, nothing seemed to satisfy his thirst for understanding. The life he led, filled with Western studies and family traditions, felt incomplete to him, lacking the spiritual depth he yearned for within.

One day, while walking through the bustling streets of Córdoba, Miguel came across a bazaar full of colors and sounds he had never experienced before. There, among the stalls of spices and fabrics, he saw a sign that read: “Classes on the Quran and Islamic Philosophy.” Intrigued by the idea of learning about a culture and religion so foreign to his life, Miguel decided to attend one of these classes, driven by his insatiable curiosity.

**Chapter 2: The Arab Teacher**

The class was held in a small madrasa located in a quiet alley. Upon entering, Miguel was greeted by Ahmed, an Arab teacher with an imposing presence and an air of deep wisdom. Ahmed was known throughout Córdoba not only for his vast knowledge of the Quran but also for his ability to convey the essence of Islam with patience and clarity.

Miguel, with his expression of wonder and naivety, began attending the daily lessons. At first, he didn’t understand much about the Quranic verses or the Muslim customs that Ahmed taught with such passion. But little by little, Ahmed’s enthusiasm and devotion began to awaken in Miguel a genuine interest in understanding Islam beyond its stereotypes.

**Chapter 3: The First Steps in Islam**

Miguel was fascinated by the teachings of the Quran and the wisdom contained in its words. He marveled at how Ahmed explained the importance of inner peace, submission to Allah’s will, and brotherhood among believers. The teacher taught him about the Five Pillars of Islam: Shahada (the profession of faith), Salat (prayer), Zakat (charity), Sawm (fasting during Ramadan), and Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca). Each lesson drew him deeper into a state of awe and respect for this new way of life.

Miguel, naive in many aspects of Muslim life, would ask questions that seemed obvious to Ahmed. But the teacher, with infinite patience, always answered, not with mockery but with a sincere desire to share his faith. Gradually, Miguel began to participate in prayers, fast during Ramadan, and learn Quranic verses in Arabic, something he never would have imagined doing before.

**Chapter 4: The Growing Fascination**

As the months passed, Miguel felt increasingly drawn to Ahmed, not just because of his wisdom but also for his charisma and deep sense of inner peace. Ahmed spoke to him about the ways of the Prophet Muhammad, explaining how Islam was not just a religion but a way of life that embraced justice, compassion, and equality. Miguel felt he had finally found something that filled the void in his heart.

Ahmed also noticed something special in Miguel. He saw not just a student eager for knowledge but someone with the potential to be a great defender of the faith. He taught Miguel to recite the Quran, interpret its meanings, and live according to the principles of Islam. Each lesson was an open door to a new world, full of meaning and purpose.

**Chapter 5: A New Path**

One day, after an intense study session, Miguel approached Ahmed with a decision he had been contemplating for weeks. "I want to convert to Islam," he declared with determination. "I want to follow the path of Allah and be like you, someone who lives with purpose and inner peace."

Ahmed smiled with a mix of pride and affection. He knew that Miguel was ready to take this important step. He took him to the mosque, where Miguel recited the Shahada with tears in his eyes, surrounded by his new teacher and his new brothers in faith.

**Chapter 6: Leaving Everything Behind**

Miguel, now known as Jamal, decided to leave behind his previous life, his old beliefs, and his family, who never understood his fascination with Islam. He left everything for this new life, for his new brothers, and above all, for Ahmed, who had become more than a teacher to him. Ahmed was now his mentor, his spiritual guide, and the reflection of everything Jamal wanted to be.

Every day, Jamal learned more about Muslim customs. He helped those in need, participated in philosophical debates at the madrasa, and dedicated himself to memorizing the Quran. His transformation was complete; he was no longer the naive young man who had first entered the bazaar in Córdoba but a man with a mission: to live fully in Islam.

**Epilogue: A Devoted Disciple**

Jamal's story became a legend in Córdoba, an example of how faith and devotion can transform even the most skeptical of hearts. Under Ahmed's guidance, Jamal not only found a new purpose but also became a teacher in his own right, teaching others about the beauty of Islam, always with the memory of his own transformation in his heart.

And so, Ahmed's library remained a beacon of light and wisdom in Córdoba, a place where seekers of knowledge, regardless of their origin, could find the path to true peace and understanding.

[olderthannetfic]

I definitely think there are people who use those "diverse reading challenges" to show off, but I also think you can have a truly genuine desire to diversify your reading habits, and challenges can be a good way to incentive yourself to do that and keep track of it. And I'm not sure there's a go-to standard for who is "tryhard" beyond if they act cringey and show-offy about it on social media. I was going to say something like "do they genuinely seem like they're trying to branch out, or just reading the same things as they usually do but with a black lead" - but honestly, I want the people who are "just reading YA" or "just reading romance" or whatever to read more diversely, too. Like for romance readers specifically: Read more romance with COC or written by POC, read more M/M and/or F/F if you primarily read het, read more stuff written by people from outside of North America and Western Europe, etc. And if you primarily read serious "classic" literature, try reading one from Africa beyond the lit-class staples like Things Fall Apart rather than another white British author, just to give an example. I think everyone should do more of that. I think those can all come from a genuine desire to try new things, not just show off to your followers about how open-minded you are.

Actually, I think the big way to tell if someone's being "tryhard" is, yes, their reaction on social media, but particularly how they talk about the book when they're done. The one big Tell I see on Goodreads about people who want to be seen as "reading diversely" but don't really appreciate diversity is when they read a book about, say, Muslim characters and then leave a 2-star reviewing whining that they didn't like that the book expected them to know 101-level things about Islam like what Ramadan or the hajj is. (Or alternately, are mad that it DID explain that stuff "too much," oblivious to the fact that in Christian-majority cultures, that's a publisher expectation that you do that with any other religion, because of ignorant readers who will whine if you don't spend a paragraph teaching them what Ramadan is because apparently these supposed "diverse readers" can't be assed to learn literally anything about the best-known Muslim holiday.) I saw someone complain on Tumblr about Goodreads reviewers getting mad at all the "Jewish stuff they were expected to know" to read Naomi Novik's Spinning Silver, and this person was like "I'm a goy and I understood all of it because it's stuff you would know just from having seen Fiddler on the Roof. If all the Judaism you need to know for a book is stuff that you can get from watching Fiddler on the Roof, then maybe the issue is not the book, it's you for not having such basic information about a major world religion and then reading a book about it."

Or as another example, when people complain about how the particular set of lingo this person who is oppressed in a way you are not used to describe their oppression is not the exact thing that Twitter discourse has told you is "correct" to use or that it is offensive. When they get mad that a book where a black person is talking about their life experience with police brutality has "too many descriptions of violence" and "I'm rating this lower because it might be triggering." (In general, when people seem to conflate "this triggered me" with the kind of "productive discomfort" that relatively privileged people NEED to confront in fiction about marginalizations they don't experience in order to grow as humans. But also it's just like... there are some topics where it would be doing readers a disservice not to describe them graphically. Not everything can be communicated in a way that would earn a G rating on AO3. That might mean the book is inaccessible to you, but that's on you to deal with, not on the author to censor themselves.) Or when they, as in the American Fiction example, expect it to fit some stereotypical ideas of "authenticity" and are mad that this POC or LGBTQ+ or disabled person's lives are more like their own rather than feeling like a museum exhibit about an exotic Other culture.

To me, "tryhard" is when you don't actually value diversity FOR diversity. If you're going to read diverse media, you can't get mad when it actually is diverse. If you want to read about stuff about/from other cultures and identities, then a) you need to be okay with being challenged, b) you need to not expect the author to hold your privileged hand all the time. You can look up unfamiliar words like "hajj" or "Purim." It's 2024. You have a tiny computer in your hand that is several times more powerful than the big computers that put astronauts on the moon. You can use it to go to Wikipedia when you see a word you don't understand, it's not that hard! Expecting authors from other cultures and identities to patiently explain every aspect of that to you like an elementary school teacher is the ultimate sign of entitlement and privilege, especially if you're reading, say, a book by a Congolese author about the Congo, not one that they wrote specifically for Western audiences!

When people make a big show of reading "diversely" but then seem to be upset that those books are actually, you know, DIVERSE, that's a big flashing sign that it's performative tryhard nonsense to me.

--

It's pretty sad when we'll go google some xianxia thing to watch The Untamed, but we can't manage to look at a ten thousand times more commonplace wikipedia article on a major world religion.

[the-garbanzo-annex-jr]

by Martin Kramer

So why did the Mufti fade into obscurity? (By 1951, he was on his way out.) Many mistakenly believe his collaboration with Hitler and the Nazis discredited him. It didn’t. Not only did the Arabs not care, but Western governments eyed the Mufti with self-interest. The general view in foreign ministries held that he had picked the wrong side in the war, but not more than that.

The above-quoted American report expressed this view perfectly: “While the Zionists consider him slightly worse than Mephistopheles and have used him as a symbol of Nazism, this is false. He cared nothing about Nazism and did not work well with Germans. He regarded them merely as instruments to be used for his own aims.” If so, why not open a discreet line to him and let him roam the world unimpeded?

Nakba stigma

What finally discredited the Mufti in Arab opinion, where it mattered most, was his role in the 1948 war. It was a war he wanted and believed his side would win. In late 1947, the British sent someone to see if there might be some behind-the-scenes flexibility in his stance on partition, which he had completely rejected. There wasn’t. He explained:

As regards the withdrawal of British troops from Palestine, we would not mind. We do not fear the Jews, their Stern, Irgun, Haganah. We might lose at first. We would have many losses, but in the end we must win. Remember Mussolini, who talked of 8,000,000 bayonets, who bluffed the world that he had turned the macaronis back into Romans. For 21 years he made this bluff, and what happened when his Romans were put to the test? They crumbled into nothing. So with the Zionists. They will eventually crumble into nothing, and we do not fear the result, unless of course Britain or America or some other Great Power intervenes. Even then we shall fight and the Arab world will be perpetually hostile. Nor do we want you to substitute American or United Nations troops for the British. That would be even worse. We want no foreign troops. Leave us to fight it out ourselves. 

This underestimation of the Zionists proved disastrous, even more so than his overestimation of the Axis. He later wrote his memoirs, blaming “imperialist” intervention, Arab internal divisions, and world Zionist mind-control for the 1948 defeat. To no avail: his name became inseparable from the Nakba, the loss of Arab Palestine to the Jews. His reputation hit rock bottom, along with that of the other failed Arab rulers of 1948.

Upon his death in 1974, he received a grand sendoff in Beirut from the PLO. In 1970, Arafat had transferred the PLO headquarters from Jordan to Lebanon, and the funeral finalized his status as the sole leader of the Palestinian people. Four months later, Arafat addressed the world from the podium of the UN General Assembly, achieving an international legitimacy that the Mufti could never have imagined.

[humanbeanvitaminsea]

The complete and utter ignorance of all these naive LGBTQ people "and allies" (really?) blindly supporting Hamas (whilst saying they're not supporting Hamas) is mind boggling.

They honestly believe they're "on the right side of history" by saying Israel doesn't have the right to exist. By using the language of Nazi Germany to describe Jews, using DARVO gaslighting tactics to de-legitimize Israel. Whatever "the right side of history" means to them is beyond my comprehension. Calling the survivors of the October 7th massacre "nazis" and saying "Israel hasn't even suffered any damage during this "war": they're just enjoying themselves in cafés and dancing to celebrate the deaths of Palestinians" really isn't it.

Hamas, on October 7th, alongside Palestinian Islamic Jihad and even Gazan civilians, aimed for total annihilation of the Israeli people. Hamas even called for an "International Day of Rage" against all Jews, worldwide. And they call Jews "Nazis"?

They think they are supporting LGBTQ whilst they're simultaneously calling for Israel's annihilation. They spout tired anti-Semitic tropes without even understanding what they're saying. Have they forgotten already about the LGBTQ victims of the Holocaust? Have they failed to notice the extreme intolerance Islamists have against LGBTQ people? Have they zero knowledge of the historical ties Hajj Amin Al Husseini had with Hitler? They've probably not even heard of him. Yet still they use language designed to shame Israel into putting their weapons down, not thinking to mention that Hamas have had over four months to surrender and to release the hostages.

Hamas still have Kfir Bibas, who turned one in captivity, and three of his family members, held hostage since October 7th.

If these "well meaning", naive fools care about Palestinian lives, why aren't they demanding Hamas' immediate surrender and immediate return of the hostages? Instead, they accuse Israel of genocide.

Are these spreaders of Islamist propaganda against Israel simply self hating? Is that it?

I actually think they sincerely believe their own nonsense, that they've fallen hook, line and sinker for the Islamists' international campaign against Jews.

Then they say they don't understand how they could possibly be upsetting LGBTQ people, when they share Islamist propaganda. They don't even seem to have the intelligence to understand that they're sharing Islamist propaganda. They don't seem to understand that Islamists would happily murder them, given half the chance.

They call Israelis "Settler colonialist nazis" whilst sharing Encyclopedia Brittanica definitions of "Philistines" in order to "explain" why Israelis, specifically Jews, don't deserve a country, but why "Palestinians" should have the entire land, Judenrein. They explain their views as being "Justice for Palestine".

I wonder who's more confused: them, when they support terrorists who would murder them for being gay or trans- or me, wondering why comfortable Western LGBTQ people would spend their time and energy on DARVO gaslighting, calling the IDF "Terrorists" for fighting terrorists, calling Jews "Nazis" for daring to inhabit the Jewish national homeland and being the only nation in the Middle East where LGBTQ rights are even a thing, and why they don't bother to do actual research outside the memes and blogs they are so fervently reblogging.

THEY DON'T EVEN UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENED ON OCTOBER 7th.

They don't even realise that they're simping for Islamist jihadis who believe LGBTQ people should be given the death penalty, that women shouldn't be allowed to go outside without permission from a man.

If an October 7th style attack happened in their hometown, would they still be simping for Islamist terrorists?

I feel sick.

[head-post]

Over 550 Hajj pilgrims die in Saudi Arabia

This year’s pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia is once again taking place amid scorching temperatures, resulting in mass deaths, ABC News reports.

Saudi diplomats specified that at least 323 of the dead were travellers from Egypt. The country’s foreign ministry said Cairo is co-operating with Saudi authorities in the search for Egyptians “missing” during the Hajj.

Diplomats explained that the reason for so many deaths was the huge number of unregistered pilgrims, whose arrival caused chaos in camps to help the faithful.

At least 60 pilgrims from Jordan also died. Tehran officially reported the deaths of five Iranian pilgrims without specifying the cause, while Dakar said three Senegalese pilgrims had died.

A diplomat confirmed that the death toll had risen due to the large number of unregistered Egyptian pilgrims. An Egyptian official overseeing the Hajj mission in the country said:

“They caused great chaos in the pilgrims’ camps, which led to the cessation of services. Pilgrims went without food, water and air conditioning for a long time and died from the heat because most people had nowhere to take shelter.”

Illegal pilgrims

Earlier in June, Saudi officials said they had expelled hundreds of thousands of unregistered pilgrims from Mecca even before the Hajj. According to Saudi authorities, some 1.8 million pilgrims have taken part in the Hajj this year, including 1.6 million from abroad.

Saudi authorities reported as late as Sunday that they were providing aid to more than 2,000 pilgrims suffering from heat stress. On that day alone, they said more than 2,700 cases of “heat exhaustion” had been reported.

Last year’s Hajj also saw mass tragedy with at least 240 deaths recorded, most of whom were Indonesians.

The Hajj is a pilgrimage to the holy sites in Mecca in Saudi Arabia associated with the life of the Prophet Muhammad. Every Muslim, if he or she has the opportunity, should perform the Hajj.

Read more HERE

[basicsofislam]

ISLAM 101: Belief in The Hereafter: Part 2

Stages of Life in the Hereafter

4. Resurrection after death

During the history of mankind, the question of “death” occupied people’s minds in the past, it is occupying today and it seems that it will occupy in the future too. Man has the desire to live forever and does not want to die. However, no one can resist death and everybody becomes helpless against death.

The Quran informs us that resurrection is possible by reason and that it will definitely take place in various ways:

a. A being that creates something out of nothing can create it again a second time.

The Quran proves this creation by the following verses:

“And he(man) makes comparisons for us, and forgets his own (Origin and) Creation: He says "Who can give life to (dry) bones and decomposed ones (at that)?” Say “He will give them life Who created them for the first time! For He is well-versed in every kind of creation!” (Ya Seen, 78-79).

In another verse Allah states the following:

“O mankind! if ye have a doubt about the Resurrection, (consider) that We created you out of dust, then out of sperm then out of a leech-like clot, then out a morsel of flesh, partly formed and partly unformed, in order that We may manifest (Our Power) to you; and We cause whom We will to rest in the wombs for an appointed term, then do We bring you out as babes, then (foster you) that ye may reach your age of full strength; and some of you are called to die, and some are sent back to the feeblest old age, so that they know nothing after having known (much)” (Al-Hajj, 5).

In this verse, Allah first mentions the course of man’s first creation concisely for the people who deny resurrection after death. Then He explains the stages of his first creation beginning from the stage of sperm to his coming to the world. Then with these statements He reminds man his miraculous creation out of nothing and makes man think logically about his second creation in the hereafter following his death. In addition He emphasizes that it should not be seen as far from being rational.

b. A being that creates something difficult can definitely create something easy. 

The creation of the earth and heavens is more difficult than the creation of man. Allah, who created the earth and heavens and holds them in the spaces without any support, is definitely capable of creating man again after his death. Furthermore, the first creation of man is more difficult than his second creation. Allah, who is capable of creating man for the first time, is more capable of creating him for the second time. This meaning is stated in the Quran through the following verses:

“See they not that Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth, and never wearied with their creation is able to give life to the dead?” (Al-Ahqaf, 33.)

“It is He Who begins (the process of) creation; then repeats it; and for Him it is most easy.” (Ar,Room, 27.)

“Were We then weary with the first Creation, that they should be in confused doubt about a new Creation?” (Qaf, 15.)

A verse:

“(O ye people!) And your creation or your resurrection is in no wise but as an individual soul: for Allah is He Who hears and sees (all things).” (Luqman, 28).

It is explained in these verses that Allah, who created the heavens and the earth can create man more easily. It is also stated that since He was not incapable in the first creation, He will definitely not be incapable in the second creation, which is easier than the first one. Attention is attracted to the fact that men will be resurrected and come out of their graves. It is also emphasized that the creation of men out of nothing and their resurrection after death is as easy as the creation and resurrection of one man.

Difficulty and easiness depend on men

As a matter of fact concepts like difficulty and easiness are relative concepts. They are difficult or easy for us, for Allah there is nothing like difficult or easy. Everything is easy for him. We are weak beings created with a limited power, knowledge, will and all other things. Allah is eternal in all aspects and He is the supreme creator, who is omnipotent over all things. Since Allah’s power, knowledge, will, all of his attributes and names are endless, there is no difference for Him between few and many, big and small in creation. Therefore there is no difference for Him between the creation of an atom and the sun, creation of billions of men and one man. Nothing is difficult for Him. For Him to create a spring is as easy as to create a flower.

Allah addresses us in the Quran so that we can understand; therefore He uses those statements. As a matter of fact there is no difference for Him between the creation of an atom or the whole universe.

c. Allah, who revives the earth that is dead, can revive man too.

Verses:

“And We send down from the sky Rain charged with blessing, and We produce therewith Gardens and Grain for harvests; And tall (and stately) palm-trees, with shoots of fruit-stalks piled one over another― As sustenance for (Allah’s) Servants;― and We give (new) life therewith to land that is dead: Thus will be the Resurrection” (Qaf, 9-11.).

The sultans that have the power of state and other groups that have the power reward people who obey the laws that they made and punish people who disobey them. Similarly, Allah, who has a magnificent sultanate of divinity, will reward those who obey Him and punish those who disobey Him. However, the rewards and punishments in this world are not applied sufficiently. So, there is another world where they will be applied completely. That world is the hereafter. Therefore everybody will be sent there willy-nilly.

The names of Allah necessitates the existence of the hereafter

The names of Allah show and want the hereafter and the resurrection there. Allah is eternal. Therefore His names and the manifestations of these names will be eternal. For instance the manifestations of Allah’s names, the Generous and the All Compassionate, are seen in the universe in the maximum way.

Allah is generous. That is, He has endless generosity. We see it in his granting various fruit and vegetables in the universe. He fills the laps of the trees with fruit and sends presents to the heads of plants. The world of plants seems to be servants. They carry Allah’s grants in convoys to men. The world of animals becomes another convoy. They bring grants like milk and meat. They are all evidences for an endless generosity and the owner of that generosity.

However, the fact that man’s life is short shows that man could not and will not obtain the endless generosity in a short time. However, endless generosity wants to grant endlessly. Since the world is mortal, the manifestation of this name of Allah’s necessitates the existence of an eternal world where men will receive endless grants.

Similarly, Allah is All Compassionate. That is, He has endless compassion. One of its evidences is that He put compassion in the hearts of all mothers and ensured the protection of babies through compassion. For instance; a hen feeds its chick when it is young but takes its grain from it by hitting it when it gets old. This shows that it is not the mother that is compassionate towards the chick. It is Allah, who gives the mother the feeling of compassion and takes it back when its function ends. The protection of all young animals and babies through the compassion that is given to all mothers in the universe is the evidence for an endless compassion.

Through this compassion, mothers take pleasure in looking after their babies. A mother even sacrifices her life for her baby. However, the thought of parting from her baby without returning again makes the mother think of parting from her baby eternally; so this time compassion torments the mother. The owner of an endless compassion does not allow this eternal parting; because it is contrary to real compassion. So the evidences of the endless compassion seen in the universe want an eternal togetherness. He does not allow eternal disappearance. This shows the existence of life in the hereafter and that it is eternal.

Allah is also perfectly wise. That is, He has endless wisdom. We understand this wisdom by seeing that everything in the universe is created in accordance with a wisdom and purpose. For instance, when we are asked “Why are our ears like bowls?”, we say “so that they will collect the sounds”. When we ask “Why are leaves green?” a purpose or a benefit is stated. All sciences examine the universe. They discover wisdom, purpose or a benefit in everything and tell us about it. That is, they prove that the administrator of the universe operates with endless wisdom. Wise creation is opposite to unnecessariness, purposelessness, immoderation and planlessness. That is, a Wise being does not waste a being that operates wisely. So, the maker of the universe, who makes the whole universe a servant for man, does not put man into the ground so that he will not resurrect again, wasting all of the outcomes of the universe. So the wisdoms in the universe prove the existence of an eternal world.

We see that Allah gives each being the most suitable food and drink and that He feeds each being in the nicest and most affectionate way as a necessity of his name, the Sustainer. Since this world is mortal and transitory, His names are not manifested fully here. The manifestation of these names completely, fully and eternally necessitates the existence of the hereafter world and the resurrection of those who die here. Therefore Allah will bring the hereafter and revive us there again.

It should not be forgotten that when we, men, came to this world found everything at our disposal, like a newborn baby. A newborn baby does not prepare its cradle and the living environment that is necessary for it; similarly man did not prepare the living environment necessary for him when he came to this world. He found everything at his disposal when he came to this world. The Being that brought us here did not ask us before we came to this world whether we wanted to come here or not and did not consult us.

That Supreme Creator does not ask us when he takes us from childhood to youth, from youth to the old age and from old age to death whether we want them to happen or not. That is, he did not ask or consult us when He created us out of nothing and brought to this world; He does not ask or consult us when he takes us from this world; nor will he ask us when resurrecting us and gathering us.

The fact that a baby in the uterus denies the other world because it cannot perceive the world does not negate the world; similarly the fact that we cannot see the hereafter and that we deny it because we do not know its true nature does not negate the hereafter world, Paradise and Hell. To deny the hereafter does not prevent its existence. It prevents us from entering Paradise. What we should do is not to deny the hereafter but to believe that after death the gathering morning will come and the resurrection will take place as definitely as we believe that winter comes after autumn and morning comes after night and prepare ourselves for the hereafter with belief and good deeds.

With our denial we will be deprived of the happiness of the eternal Paradise life and will suffer from a great and irreparable harm. We will not revive by our own will and power in the hereafter. Allah will revive us just as we did not come to this world by our own will and power and Allah brought us by His power. Creation and resurrection are Allah’s deeds, not ours. What is impossible in terms our limited power is very easy for Allah’s power, and He will do it when it is due.

On the other hand, when we have a look at the baby in the uterus, we see that organs like hands, feet, eyes and ears are not necessary for the baby there and that it does not use them there. We understand by reason that the creator that gave it these organs gave them to the baby to use them in the world outside the uterus and that He created it for the outside world. Similarly, we cannot use some of the feelings that were given to us in this world sufficiently here.

What is more, our feelings like living eternally and the desire of immortality have no corresponding feelings in this world. So the place to satisfy these desires is not here but the hereafter. This world is transitory for man like the uterus, as for the hereafter, it is the place to live eternally. The feelings of man and the spiritual and material instruments given to him do not fit in this world, and they want the hereafter.

Resurrection after death will take place both bodily and spiritually. This is very easy for Allah. As it is possible to give light to all of the lamps in the world from one center, the dead bodies will be given life in an instant. Just as the members of an army that take a rest come together at once, so will the souls come to the bodies and man will be resurrected in the twinkling of an eye.

[thoughtlessarse]

Temperature records are being broken around the world as a global heat wave grips four continents, putting the world on track for the hottest summer in over 2,000 years. Cities around the world are suffering through temperatures above 40° C (104° F), with excessive heat in Mecca alone killing at least 1,000 people attending the Hajj pilgrimage. Through this dangerous heat, millions of workers are forced to continue laboring in sweltering temperatures. Workers in the United States who spoke with the WSWS reported working through temperatures reaching well over 100° F (37.7° C) without air conditioning or even fans. The heat wave is partially attributable to El Niño, a warming cycle that brings hotter temperatures around the world. But climate scientists have noted that the extreme heat has been made far more likely by climate change. Last year, 2023, was the hottest year on record, with 2024 already exceeding last year’s temperatures. The past 11 months were the hottest recorded in history, reaching more than 1.5° Celsius above pre-industrial averages. A warming planet, even by just a few degrees on average, has massive effects on the environment. The threshold of 1.5 degrees is a critical milestone. Scientists have projected that if average global temperatures remain 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels, climate change may become irreversible and fuel even more severe natural disasters. Johan Rockström, joint director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research in Germany, told Earth.org in April: [W]hat happened in 2023 was nothing close to 2016, the second-warmest year on record. It was beyond anything we expected, and no climate models can reproduce what happened. And then 2024 starts, and it gets even warmer. We cannot explain these [trends] yet, and it makes scientists that work on Earth resilience like myself very nervous. Already, global warming has had devastating consequences throughout the world. The World Meteorological Organization reported last year that a staggering 489,000 people died from heat-related causes every year between 2000 and 2019—or nearly 10 million people over two decades. In the face of runaway global temperatures, capitalist governments are moving to abandon their meager and insufficient climate pledges altogether. Scotland, which pledged to reduce emissions by 75 percent by 2030, scrapped the entire program in April. On June 3, Germany’s climate adviser declared that the country’s limited climate goals of 30 percent reductions for 2030 were out of reach. In the United Kingdom, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak criticized climate goals as “unaffordable eco-zealotry,” while UK Labour leader Keir Starmer dropped his proposal for a 28 billion pound ($35.3 billion) per year green energy program. These developments follow the COP 28 climate summit last December, when government officials and corporate executives met in the United Arab Emirates. The event was chaired by Sultan Ahmed al-Jaber, the CEO of the state-owned Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), effectively turning it into a trade show for the fossil fuel industry.

continue reading

[lifeofresulullah]

The Life of The Prophet Muhammad(pbuh): Calling the Tribes to Islam, the Allegiances of Aqaba and Migration to Madinah

Aqaba Pledges and the Spread of Islam in Madinah

It was the twelfth year of the Islamic calendar (621 AD.)

During the eleventh Islamic year, the six individuals who had come from Madina and converted to Islam in a place called Aqaba, promised our Holy Prophet (PBUH) that they would return the following year and meet at the same place.

When it was time for the next hajj, which came a year after their first encounter with our Holy Prophet (PBUH), the six individuals set off in a caravan of twelve people towards Mecca. One night they met with our Holy Prophet (PBUH) in secret in the small and narrow valley named Aqaba. At the end of this meeting, they pledged their allegiance to Allah’s Apostle (PBUH) on the following conditions:

a) To not associate any partners with Allah,

b) To not steal,

c) To not commit adultery,                                          

d) To not kill their children,

e) To not slander anyone,

f) To not oppose an auspicious cause. 

After this allegiance was made, our Holy Prophet (PBUH) said to them:

“Allah has prepared Paradise and guarantees rewards for those of you who fulfill his pledge. If someone commits one of these misdeeds out of human error and is punished in this world, that punishment will be considered atonement. And whoever commits one of these out of human error and conceals what he has done and does not reveal it, then it is left to Allah to decide to forgive or punish him.” 

Furthermore, these Muslims made the following agreement with our Holy Prophet (PBUH):

“Obedience and submission come first and foremost during times of distress, pressure, prosperity, and happiness. We are under your command. We will not disobey you in any way.” 

The above-mentioned issues that those who were present in the first Aqaba Pledge promised not to do are the things that form a peaceful community life. There would definitely be no law and order in a community where those ugly deeds were prevalent.

The place where the Aqaba Pledge took place and the Aqaba Mosque

Islam, which came to make humanity attain peace and bliss and to base the community life on law and order, would definitely adopt those principles as indispensable and would obtain a promise from its followers regarding the issue.

Those who were present at the Pledge

These were the first 12 Muslims of Medina who were present at the First Allegiance:

1) As'ad bin Zurara (r.a.), 2) Awf bin Harith (r.a.), 3) Muadh bin Harith (r.a.), 4) Rafi’ bin Malik (r.a.), 5) Zakwan bin Qays (r.a.), 6) Ubada bin Samit (r.a.), 7) Yazid bin Sa'laba (r.a.), 8) Abbas bin Ubada (r.a.), 9) Qutba bin Amir (r.a.), 10) Uqba bin Amir (r.a.), 11) Uwaym bin Saida (r.a.), 12) Abu'l-Haytham Malik bin Tayyihan (r.a.). 

The Muslims of Medina returned to their homeland after this meeting. There, they continued to have their voices heard and spread the light of Islam.

Mus’ab b. Umayr is sent

Some time later, the Muslims of Madina requested from our Holy Prophet (PBUH) that a teacher of the Quran be sent to teach them Islamic manners and rules of conduct. Our Holy Prophet (PBUH) immediately fulfilled their request in the most kind and civil way by sending Hazrat Mus’ab bin Umair, a young man with a handsome face from among the Quraysh. 

The Light of Islam Shines in Medina

Asad bin Zurara was the leader among the Muslims of Madina for some time. For that reason, when the young Quran instructor, Musab bin Umair (RA) came to Madina, he began to stay in Asad bin Zurara’s home; this home became the center in which the Muslims gathered.

Hazrat Musab had learned the Quran directly from our Holy Prophet (PBUH) ; he would make excellent use of opportunities and time. He devoted all of his efforts and work to spreading Islam in Madina. He would talk and meet with the esteemed figures of other tribes and explain Islam to them in a soft manner.

Usayd B.Khudayr and Sa’d B. Muadh adopt Islam

The Quran teacher of Madinah Muslims, Hazrat  Mus’ab b. Umayr, stayed in the house of As’ad b. Zurara (may Allah be pleased with him), who was their leader; he carried out the service of conveying and spreading the message of Islam there.

Many people in Madina had become Muslims; however, there were some obstacles to disseminating Islam more quickly. The chieftain of the Aws tribe, Sa’d bin Muadh, and another chieftain, Usaid bin Khudayr, had not yet become Muslims and this was affecting the community in turn.

Sa’d bin Muadh was the nephew of Hazrat As’ad bin Zurara’s paternal aunt.

One day Mus’ab and Hazrat Asad were sitting next to a well in the garden of a home that belonged to the Bani Zafar. There were many Muslims around them.

During this time, Usaid bin Khudayr came next to them with a spear in his hand. In a rageful tone he said, “Why did you come to us? You are fooling and leading several ignorant and weak people astray! If you do not want to be killed, then leave here immediately!”

Hazrat Musab answered very politely, “Wait a bit and sit down. Listen to what we have to say and understand our purpose; if you like what we have to say, then you’ll accept it and if not, you can oppose.”

Usaid replied, “You are correct,” thrust his spear into the ground, and sat down.

Hazrat Musab made a speech describing Islam and recited the Holy Quran.

Usaid was unable to contain himself, “This is such a beautiful and nice message.” He then asked, “How can one enter this religion?”

Mus’ab (r.a.) explained Islam to him in more detail. Usaid bin Khudayr then recited the oath of faith and joined the ranks of the privileged who accepted Islam. 

Following his conversion he said, “I’m going to go but I will send someone to you. If he testifies, then there will be no one left who has not converted,” and left. He went to Sa’d bin Muadh and his tribe.

Sa’d asked, “What did you do?”

Usaid replied:

“I told the two men what I had to say. By God, I did not see any stubbornness or noncompliance from them.”

Sa’d bin Muadh then said, “By God, you did not bring any satisfying news” and went straight to Mus’ab and As’ad (r.a.) He angrily reproved and threatened them, “O As’ad! If we were not relatives I would not tolerate nor show any patience towards the ugliness you have instilled into our tribe.”

In the same sweet manner, Hazrat Mus’ab (r.a.) said, “Please wait. Sit down and rest. Understand what we have to say; if you like our words then you can accept them, and if you do not like them then we will refrain from proposing what you deem as being ugly.”

Upon this Sa’d sat down and began to listen to Hazrat Mus’ab’s words.

Hazrat Mus’ab explained to him what the religion of Islam meant and recited the beginning of Surah az-Zukhruf.

While Hazrat Mus’ab was reciting the Quran, the expression on Sa’d’s face immediately changed. The mark of faith suddenly appeared on his face. He had never heard nor known such things till that moment. Upon hearing the incomparable eloquence and sweet wording of the Quran, he immediately said, “What must one do to join this faith?”

Mus’ab (r.a.) explained the fundamentals to him. He testified right there and became a Muslim. 

Afterwards he turned to his own tribe, the Bani Abdu’l-Ashhal and addressed them: “O Community! “What do you know of me?”

They answered, “You are our elder, our superior.”

Upon this Hazrat Sa’d said, “In that case, you must testify to Allah and His Apostle” and added:  “As long as you do not convert, may it be haram (prohibited) for me to speak with your men and women!

Upon these words, every single person from the Bani Abdu’l Ashhal converted that day.

Hazrat As’ad bin Zurara and Mus’ab (r.a.) returned to back Hazrat As’ad’s home together.

From then on, Hazrat Mus’ab was not alone in delivering Islam’s message. The chieftains of the Aws and Khazraj tribes had joined ranks with them. They tried spreading Islam with their utmost efforts.

Once again, the center through which Islam would be disseminated was Hazrat As’ad bin Zurara’s home. Here, Hazrat Mus’ab and Sa’d bin Muadh were occupied with inviting people to Islam.

In a short time, Islam greatly expanded in Madina, to such an extent that the only house that did not convert within the Aws and Khazraj tribes was Bani Umayya bin Zaid. Some time later, Islam began to shine in that house as well.

The Second Aqaba AllegianceIt was the 13th year of the Islamic calendar (622 A.D.)

During the Hajj season of this year, Hazrat Mus’ab bin Umayr came to Mecca with 75 people, two of them were women, of the Aws and Khazraj tribes.

This group went to our Holy Prophet (PBUH) who was sitting at the Masjid-al-Haram with his uncle Hazrat Abbas, and made the following offer:

Oh Allah’s Apostle! We are a rather big group. We agree to take you amongst us, to help you, to sacrifice ourselves for your sake, and to protect your inner-being as we do your physical being. Where should we meet with you to further discuss this matter?”

Our Holy Prophet (PBUH) again deemed it suitable to meet at Aqaba.

This meeting was to be held at night and no one else was to know. In fact, in order not to attract any attention they would leave from their encampment in very small groups to go to Aqaba. 

As instructed, the Muslims from Medina gathered in the valley near Aqaba at nighttime without attracting anyone’s attention and without letting anyone else know.

Our Holy Prophet (PBUH) came with his uncle Hazrat Abbas who had not become a Muslim yet. Hazrat Abbas’ purpose was to not leave his nephew alone in this important matter and to hear the given promises himself.

At first, Hazrat Abbas began to speak. He made a speech saying that if the Muslims of Madina were confident they could protect our Holy Prophet (PBUH) that they should proceed and if they were not confident then they had to abandon this plan at once.

However, the Muslims of Medina wanted our Holy Prophet (PBUH) to speak: They said, “O Messenger of Allah! You talk, too! Obtain the promise that you want for you and for your Lord from us.”

At that moment As’ad bin Zurara, the leader of the Muslims of Medina, received permission from our Holy Prophet (PBUH) to speak and said, “O Allah’s Apostle, every invitation has a way. That way can be either be or difficult! The invitation you make is a difficult one for the people of today to accept. You invited us to your religion and to abandon the religion we used to follow. This was a very difficult task. Despite this, we accepted your invitation. We were a community that protected our homeland with honor and against all kinds of invasion; nobody could dare to dominate us except us let alone a person who abandoned his tribe and whose uncles wanted to surrender him to his enemies. Although this was very difficult, we accepted your offer on this path! However, unless Allah bestows the resolve to discover the true path and the hope to reach beneficence, then none of this will appeal to the people. However, we accepted this by avowing with our tongues, testifying with our hearts, and reaching out our hands. We testify to you by knowing and believing all that you bring from Allah. We testify to our Lord and your Lord. Allah’s powerful hands are upon our own hands. Our blood is with your blood, our hands are you with your hands. We will protect you as we protect ourselves, our children, and our wives. If we break our promise, then let us be grief-stricken people who have broken Allah’s promise.”

Hazrat As’ad bin Zurara completed the final portion of his speech:

“O Allah’s Apostle! Take whatever promise from us that you desire for yourself and for the sake of Allah.”

Our Holy Prophet (PBUH) first recited some verses from the Holy Quran. Afterwards, he listed the conditions he wanted for himself and His Lord’s sake:

My request for the sake of Allah, the Exalted, is that you;

“Worship Him without associating any partners to Him, you perform your salah (daily prayers) and to pray your zakat (alms.)

“As for myself;

“Testify that I am Allah’s Messenger and protect me as you would yourselves, your children, and your wives.” 

This time Abdullah bin Rawaha received permission to speak; he said, “O Allah’s Apostle! If we fulfill what you say, then what is in it for us?”

Our Holy Prophet (PBUH) replied, “Paradise.”

Happiness brightly shone in their eyes as they all testified and said, “In that case this is a rewarding and beneficial exchange.” 

Afterwards, they asked our Holy Prophet (PBUH), “How should we pledge our allegiance to you?”

Our Holy Prophet (PBUH) answered, “You must promise me that you will testify to there being no god but Allah and that He sent me as His Apostle, to pray your salah (daily prayers), to pay your zakat (alms,) to obey me in times of joy and sorrow, to completely submit to my commands, to help me in every way, and when I go there, to protect me from the same things from which you would protect yourselves, wives, and children!” 

Twelve Representatives

Upon this, our Holy Prophet (PBUH) declared, “Choose 12 individuals from among yourselves who will stand by me in every matter as the representatives of their tribes. Moses also had 12 representatives from the Sons of Israel.” 

The Muslims of Madina chose nine representatives from the Khazraj tribe and three from the Aws.

The chosen individuals from the Khazraj were as follows:

1) Abu Umama As'ad bin Zurara, 2) Sa’d bin Rabi’, 3) Rafi’ bin Malik, 4) Abdullah bin Rawaha, 5) Abdullah bin Amr, 6) Bara’ bin Ma'rur, 7) Sa’d bin Ubada, 8) Ubada bin Sâmit, 9) Mundhir bin Amr.

The representatives chosen for the Aws were:

1) Usaid bin Khudayr, 2) Sa’d bin Haythama, 3) Abu'l-Haytham Malik bin Tayyihan. 

All of these representatives were the leading figures of Madina, esteemed individuals, and literate scholars.

Our Holy Prophet (PBUH) said to these representatives, “Just as the disciples vouched for Isa (Jesus,) Son of Mary, against their tribes, you too are the disciples of yourselves. And I am the disciple of the immigrants from Mecca.” 

They confirmed by saying, “Yes.”

Furthermore, after the 12 representatives were chosen, our Holy Prophet (PBUH) appointed Hazrat As’ad bin Zurara as the head of the 12 representatives.

These representatives spoke to the groups they represented, explained the importance of the allegiance, and prepared their respective groups to also pledge their allegiance to our Holy Prophet (PBUH.)

Afterwards, our Holy Prophet (PBUH) extended his holy hand. The Muslims of Madina all pledged their allegiance one by one. Only the two women did not give their hands but he accepted them as having pledged.

In a sense, this allegiance was an alliance made between the Muslims of Madina and Mecca.

The Polytheists Sense Things!

The Allegiance took place in the darkness of the night in a secluded place that nobody other than those invited could see.

Despite this, as soon as the allegiance was complete, they all heard a sound: “O Quraysh! Muhammad and the Madinans who have left the religion of their fathers, have gathered and agreed to wage war on you!”

Where could this voice that tore the silence of the night be coming from? Concern and worry overcame everyone.

This voice resembled the voice of Munabbih bin Hajjaj. Our Holy Prophet (PBUH) commanded: “Immediately return to your camps!”

At that time, Abbas bin Ubada said, “O Allah’s Apostle, if you would like, as soon as morning comes, we can sharpen our swords, tread upon the community of Mina, and slay them.”

However, our Holy Prophet (PBUH) was commanded to use his sword of patience, he declared,

“No, no. We are not yet commanded to act in this way. Everyone, return to your spots.” 

Upon this, the Muslims of Madina returned to their camps.

When the morning came, the polytheists began to investigate this incident whose purpose was yet unknown to them. At first, they asked the polytheists of Madina. However, they swore they were uninformed of this matter, “Such a thing did not happen. We do not know of such a thing.”

The Muslims of Madina thought silence was the best way; and for that reason they did not say one word.

This time, the polytheists went to Abdullah bin Ubai bin Salul and asked him. He said, “That is a grand work. Such a thing must not have happened. These must be empty words. The tribe did not consult with me. When I was in Yathrib they did not do anything without first consulting with me.”    

The polytheists then determined that the polytheists of Madina knew nothing about this matter.

If our Holy Prophet (PBUH) had not said, “Do not let anyone else know about this incident” and if the Muslims of Madina had not concealed this matter from their polytheist compatriots, then of course, this matter would have been heard by the polytheists of Mecca and a great trouble would have befallen upon the Muslims.

When the Season of Hajj came to a close, the Muslims of Madina set off to return to their homeland.

A short time after the Muslims of Madina had left, the polytheists learned what had happened. They immediately planned to keep a close watch on the Muslims from Madina. However, it had been a long time since they had left; thus, they were only able to capture two people: Sa’d bin Ubada and Mundhir bin Amr. These two individuals had somehow stayed behind when the caravan set off. Much later, Hazrat Mundhir was able to find a way and escape from their hands. The polytheists only brought Sa’d bin Ubada to Mecca. They took their anger and resentment out on him by torturing and subjecting him to all kinds of cruelty. At last, Hazrat Sa’d bin Ubada was released from this torture when he received the protection of two polytheists he had known from long before and who had been his guests in Madina.

Madinah Muslims who returned to their homeland were looking forward to welcoming muhajirs and the Messenger of Allah!

[jurakan]

Do you have a Fun Fact, this last Friday of the year?

Alright, I didn’t know if I’d have time today, but I’m going to try. Today You Learned about Mansa Muhammad ibn Qu.

Alright, perhaps you’ve heard of Mansa Musa. Arguably the wealthiest person in history, the sovereign of the Empire of Mali quite famously shook up the world by going on his hajj (that is, the pilgrimage to Mecca that faithful Muslims are expected to try to take at least once in their lifetimes) and carrying a butt-ton of gold. He was the most famous ruler of Mali, and all-around A Big Deal.

Anyway this is not about him.

Mansa Musa’s predecessor, as explained by the man himself, was Mansa Muhammad. The guy was interested in exploring the world, so he commissioned sailing expeditions all over. Before his reign ended, he decided to lead one of them himself, and put Mansa Musa in charge while he was out. So he hopped on a ship to sail into the Atlantic… and promptly never came back.

Mansa Musa took that opportunity for what it was, and put his household as the new royal one for Mali.

So what happened to Muhammad ibn Qu? [shrugs] We don’t know. He went west from Africa with his ship and we have no record of where he went after that. Of course, running on a theme that you may notice if you dig through the Fun Fact Friday tag, the fact that we don’t know where this guy went means plenty of people think he discovered America. 

It’s far from the craziest theory out there, but… no. No we don’t have evidence that Mansa Muhammad ever made it that far west. Likely he got lost or died in a storm or something. 

It’d make a great story, though.

[dailytafsirofquran]

Tafsir Ibn Kathir: Surah Al-Nahl Ayah 71

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

16:71 And Allah honored some of you over others with wealth and properties. Then, those who are so honored will by no means hand over their wealth and properties to those (captives of war) whom their right hands possess, so that they may be equal with them in that. Do they then deny the favor of Allah!

There is a Sign and a Blessing in Matters of People's Livelihood

Allah says,

And Allah honored some of you over others with wealth and properties. Then, those who are so honored will by no means hand over their wealth and properties to those (captives of war) whom their right hands possess, so that they may be equal with them in that.

Allah explains to the idolators the ignorance and disbelief involved in their claim that Allah has partners while also admitting that these partners are His servants. In their Talbiyah for Hajj, they used to say, "Here I am, there are no partners for You except Your own partner, You own him and everything he owns.''

Allah says, denouncing them: `You would not accept for your servant to have an equal share in your wealth, so how is it that Allah would accept His servant to be His equal in divinity and glory As Allah says elsewhere:

He sets forth a parable for you from yourselves: Do you have partners among those whom your right hands possess (i.e. your servant) to share as equals in the wealth We have granted you, those whom you fear as you fear each other! )30:28(

Al-Awfi reported that Ibn Abbas mentioned this Ayah, saying,

"Allah is saying - `If they did not want their servant to have a share with them in their wealth and wives, how can My servant have a share with Me in My power!'

Thus Allah says:

Do they then deny the favor of Allah! According to another report, Ibn Abbas said:

"How can they accept for Me that which they do not accept for themselves!''

Do they then deny the favor of Allah!

meaning, they assign to Allah a share of the tilth and cattle which He has created. They denied His blessings and associated others in worship with Him.

Al-Hasan Al-Basri said:

"Umar bin Al-Khattab wrote this letter to Abu Musa Al-Ash`ari:

`Be content with your provision in this world, for the Most Merciful has honored some of His servants over others in terms of provision as a test of both. The one who has been given plenty is being tested to see if he will give thanks to Allah and fulfill the duties which are his by virtue of his wealth...'''

It was reported by Ibn Abi Hatim.

[msanonymous]

If someone were to ask me to name the places I hate. Airports will be the first on the list. I hate airports, weird right? I hate when someone I love decides to travel, via a plane. Maybe because of my fear of them, or maybe because I'll have to pay a visit to the airport again. I hate that dreadful ride to that place, the car's trunk heavy, occupied with the baggage. And more the one back home, the car being empty, short on few passengers, but my heart feeling heavy, filled with what if's. What if I didn't say a good-bye, good enough? I hate good-byes. And the ones wrapped with uncertainty more. I hate how that place is supposed to be the one I have to say my temporary good-bye at. I hate how for a few days or months, the place of that person will be empty in my life. I hate how airports always succeed in making me cry. I hate how that place bustling with people makes me anxious and my thoughts go spiralling down. Because what if their departure is not just from home, but from this world? What if I'm seeing my favourite person for the last time? What if they're seeing me for the last time? How do I word my 'last words'? I'm bad with words, what if I'm worse with the last ones? The things they're telling me are not the last ones I'll hear right? The gentle touch of their hand on my head is not the last one right? This can not be the end right? I'll be back here after a few days, right? To get my reunion hug? What if I don't get to be back? What if instead of getting my reunion hug, I'll get a call?

And I know airports are supposed to be a place for reunions too. And it makes me happy, it does give space to that too. The place where people stand with signs in their hands to meet the people they don't remember the features of the faces of, because years have passed since their last visit. For the ones divided by countries but tied with blood. The place where people run to each other to embrace them. The place where people hold onto each other and are held by each other. The hugs and kisses. Whenever I witness that I wonder if someone will ever do that for me? No, I guess. The mother, crying tears of joy and kissing her son's forehead. The little daughter, running to her father and him dropping to his knees, embracing her, him caressing her face and thinking how much she has grown from the last time he saw her. The friends, laughing all together, again. Family members returning from their Hajj/Umrah, other family members eager to shake their hands, hug them and ask about their experience of seeing that holy place. The person eager to tell the stories about all their adventures, the other one more eager to listen. The place is not so bad I guess. And I've read that human brains have a tendency to give more importance to negative things than to the positive ones. So I guess that explains it alot better. But if someone were to ask me to name the places I hate. Airports will be the first on the list. And probably the last one too. Because the grief of losing something will always be bigger than the joy of finding something again right? 

~ms.anonymous (via Instagram)

[deborahdeshoftim5779]

Israeli-American journalist Caroline Glick gives her take on the recent controversy concerning Yad Vashem director Dani Dayan. In this video, she explains the key role that Jerusalem Mufti Hajj- Amin al-Husseini played in the Nazi Holocaust and subsequently as a leader of the Palestinian national movement.

Caroline Glick points to Dani Dayan's refusal to hang a picture of al-Husseini meeting with Adolf Hitler in 1941 in the Yad Vashem museum, as he confirmed during an interview with Haaretz in 2022. This refusal, she argues, is political-- even though Dayan claimed he would not hang the picture because that request was political.

This is information that western pro-Palestinian self-described allies will never mention (nor will the mainstream media), as it exposes precisely why Palestinian terrorists and leaders (who are often one and the same) have consistently rejected peace in favour of war, even if their own people suffer as a result.

When you understand the depth of al-Husseini's hatred for the Jewish people (he condemned groups of European Jewish children to death by preventing them from being transferred to Mandatory Palestine) and the admiration with which he is held by subsequent Palestinian leaders, there's simply no way to heap the blame on Israel, or even the territorial dispute over the West Bank, for there being no Palestinian state. There's also simply no way to separate anti-Zionism from antisemitism either, once you understand why al-Husseini is revered to this day by Palestinian leaders and presumably many Palestinian civilians.

And, unfortunately for UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese, there's no way to equate Arab suffering during the 1948 War with the Holocaust by claiming they are both defining events. The displacement of Arabs between 1947-1949 came as a direct result of the Arab desire to destroy the Jewish State and kill its citizens, and al-Husseini was one of those who urged that desire, which is precisely why he was supportive of Hitler's extermination plan in 1941.

There's also no way to accuse European Jews of colonialism, either. While al-Husseini was in Iraq, he incited a massacre of the Jews in Farhud in 1941, the very year Hitler planned his 'Final Solution'. Glick says that around 900 Iraqi Jews were murdered. Over the next few decades, over 800 000 Jews would be persecuted and violently expelled from Arab lands in plain violation of the Balfour Declaration. Many of those Jews naturally moved to Israel. This is why today, a slight majority of Israelis are descendants of Jewish exiles to neighbouring lands.

Holocaust education can only succeed if the whole truth is told. While we live in an age where people are constantly demanding that such-and-such a history be re-examined in light of modern views, it's strange to see the director of Yad Vashem conceal vital facts for fear of causing offence.

Glick says that Dayan isn't even a scholar of the Holocaust; it appears his appointment was political.

Perhaps it is time for Yad Vashem to find a director who will tell the truth without fear.

[questionsonislam]

Will you explain the order of prayer, fasting, zakah and hajj being rendered fard?

Prayer was rendered fard on the night of Miraj (Ascension), about one and a half years before the Migration as five times a day. It is stated that prayers were performed two times a day before Miraj. Then, it was increased to five times in Miraj.

Ramadan fasting was rendered fard one month after the qiblah was changed as the Kaaba, 18 months after the Migration of the Prophet (pbuh) to Madinah, in the month of Shaban.

Zakah was rendered fard in the second year of the Migration, after Ramadan fasting was rendered fard and giving fitrah was rendered wajib.

Hajj, which is one of the five pillars of Islam, was rendered fard in the ninth year of the Migration.

Accordingly, the order is as follows: prayer, fasting, zakah and hajj.

[jordanianroyals]

2 February 2023:  Queen Rania called for incorporating the values and postures of prayer into “the rest of our lives and the rest of the world”, affirming that religion is not “a shelter for hiding,” but “a launch pad for living.”

Her Majesty made her remarks in Washington, D.C., while delivering the keynote speech at the 2023 National Prayer Breakfast (NPB) Gathering’s International Luncheon. Earlier in the day, King Abdullah II delivered the keynote speech of the gathering’s flagship breakfast event, which was attended by Crown Prince Hussein, guests from more than 140 nations, and leading U.S. figures from across the political and religious spectrums.

“Like hundreds of millions of Muslims, my day began before sunrise, with the first of our five daily prayers,” Her Majesty said, adding that the dawn, suspended between dark and light, is “a time that underscores the sacred that we find in the shades of grey and the beauty inherent in nuance and texture.”

“This moment stands in dismaying contrast with so much of what we’re seeing all around us,” the Queen said. “In this polarized environment, people feel increasingly obliged to commit to one side: left or right, in or out, for or against, idolize or cancel. And, rather than spurring productive engagement, it’s forcing false political choices.” (Source: Petra)

Queen Rania explained that, in response to the different challenges of modern life, many have found refuge in clinging to religious identity. However, she countered that “religion isn’t just about who we are, but what we do and how we do it,” adding that faith is meant to help guide our way in the world and center our lives.

“In one day of prayer, Muslims ask God to guide us to the path at least 17 times – which, of course, is to admit 17 times every day that we need help to find it,” she said. She suggested that prayer itself can lead us toward a better path that “rises above the binary,” which she described as “the third way.”

Her Majesty stated that in order to walk this path it is essential to recognize that each person represents a blend of sometimes conflicting attributes, and resist applying sweeping generalizations. “Our win doesn’t need to be someone else’s loss. And being right doesn’t mean that the other side is wrong — only that we need other points of view to see a multi-dimensional picture,” she said.

“The third way is the only path we can walk together, with our full selves, and without prejudice, polarization, or preconceived battle lines,” Queen Rania emphasized. “We won’t see it on a map, but prayer invites us to embody postures that we’ll need in order to find it.”

Naming “humility” as the first posture of prayer, Her Majesty explained that, when Muslims pray, they bow. “When we lay ourselves down, we restore our sense of scale. We accept that our power and perspective are small,” she said, adding that this allows us to see ourselves and others more clearly.

Her Majesty termed “unity” the second necessary posture, citing the example of the Muslim pilgrimage of Hajj, the world’s largest annual human gathering, which brings together worshippers from all walks of life as equals before God.

“Each time I make this journey around the Kaaba – the same journey as countless pilgrims before me and countless to come after me – I find myself weeping as I walk, overwhelmed to be part of a story so much bigger than myself,” Queen Rania said. “Unity is what helps us zoom out and see that we’re all circling the same desires: safety, belonging, [and] a future for our children.”

Queen Rania identified the final posture as “hope,” which she described as inherent in the act of prayer itself. Her Majesty noted that, in order to hope and pray for a better world, we must have faith “that each new dawn is our chance to make it so.”

Highlighting the role that each posture – humility, unity, and hope – plays in guiding us to the third way, the Queen affirmed that, while we will stumble from the path, we always have the chance to return, whether “on a prayer mat, at the communion table, in a synagogue, a temple, in the privacy of our home,” or even “walking in nature, or in a simple moment of quiet contemplation.”

The NPB Gathering is an annual event attended by religious and political figures from the United States and around the world. Following the event’s flagship breakfast event in the morning, the International Luncheon honors members of the U.S. Diplomatic Corps, and is attended by ambassadors to the United States, United Nations representatives, and international guests.

Queen Rania accompanied King Abdullah and Crown Prince Al Hussein this week on a working visit to the United States. She was joined at the International Luncheon by Her Royal Highness Princess Iman bint Abdullah II.

[187days]

Day Forty-Eight

The quarter ended today! That went by really fast!

As a thank-you, our admins bought coffee and breakfast treats, which was nice. I started the day by grabbing some from the main office. Then I went about cleaning my classroom, making photocopies, grading work as it came in, all of that.

When my first Global Studies students arrived, I took attendance and got them ready to finish the video about that hajj they'd started watching yesterday, but then Mrs. R came over to cover for me while I went to a meeting.

The meeting was heavy, but mercifully short.

I returned to my classroom before the bell, and did my best to shake it off. By that time, my students had finished the video and moved on to an assignment about how Judaism, Christianity, and Islam have impacted different aspects of culture. That went incredibly well in all four sections of the class, and it's especially fun because one of the questions in the assignment uses a picture of my older brother (showing terrible manners while deployed to Iraq because he didn't know any better). Students always like that.

In APGOV, we discussed the Bill of Rights because the SCOTUS cases they're learning about in this unit are all related to civil liberties. Initially, students did have many questions, but the more we discussed, the more they asked, which was cool. When we got into looking at specific cases, I started off by introducing them to Tinker v. Des Moines with a couple video clips from PBS and the ACLU. Then I had them read the Oyez explainer about that case and six other cases: Engel v. Vitale, Wisconsin v. Yoder, Schenck v. United States, Gideon v. Wainwright, New York Times Company v. United States, and Mcdonald v. Chicago. More lessons involving those next week.

I went bounding through the halls at 2:40 to get my cacophonous friends because we'd made plans for celebratory pizza and stuff since we all survived a quarter. Some of the newbies joined us, but not Mr. C, so he and I will have words on Monday. This job is way easier if you have back-up, and if you have fun together, rather than working too late at your desk and then going home.

[bintadnan]

WHY ARABIC?

Scholars have often explained that Allah made it in Arabic because the original audience was Arab – this is based on reading the plural pronouns “you” here as referring to the Arabs who were being addressed directly. Of course, it was necessary for them to hear the message in their language. But there's a larger question here: Allah knew that when He says “so all of you understand”, and we read this in 2020 as a global community, it is not just the people of Makkah and Madinah who need to understand, but “all of you” in Asia, Africa, Europe, Australia, America, and across the planet. Isn't this a book for all of humanity? So how come it’s in one language? It’s not my fault that I'm Asian, or somebody else's fault that they're European, or somebody else's fault that they're African. Should it have come in different languages and dialects for each group of people?

This is actually a deep question. The answer, for me, is a few things. First, that Allah prepared the Arabic language for the final revelation. The story begins with Isma'il (as) as you can find in the books of Seerah… but basically, Allah chose the Ka'bah to be in the desert, in an isolated place with no natural resources whatsoever until the coming of the Prophet ﷺ. So the Arab people were just herding sheep, and taking their camels across the desert for trade, but they were isolated, and the great empires of the world – such as the Roman Empire and the Persian Empire – nobody was interested in the Arab lands to extend their empire, because what are they going to do in the desert? What are they going to get from it? Trees? Agriculture? Are they going to get gold? Oil hasn't been discovered yet. They're just left alone, to their own devices, and their language becomes isolated for the most part. They do pick up some words from Persian and Greek, and when they do trade here and there, they pick up words and they incorporate them into their language, but not like what happens to the great international languages. Ironically, an easy example of the opposite nowadays is Makkah: when you go for Hajj or Umrah, and you visit the marketplace, you've got some Senegalese guy selling the prayer rugs and he's selling it to some Indonesian woman and he's telling her words in Urdu and she's responding in Bahasa Indonesia and he's speaking back in some mixture of English and Urdu. When cultures mix, language changes and deteriorates. You didn't have that phenomenon in pre-Islamic Arabia. They are isolated for the most part. When they go out at night, they just look at the stars because they’ve got nothing on earth to look at.

The upshot of this is that they became very imaginative people, and their language full of imagery and expressiveness. In fact, if you look into the etymology of the word “Arabic” عربي one of its meanings is to express yourself and all of your feelings in the most elaborate way. Arabic is a very expressive, rich and loaded language. The word عربة also meant a river that's overflowing. This is why they also used it for a guy who's got too much in his stomach and about to throw up; they use it for that too, why? When something is so rich, it's going to overflow. When you become a student of Arabic, one word in Arabic has so much meaning it's like a river gushing and overflowing, that's what it feels like. Allah made this language that way.

Here’s another remarkable thing about Arabic. ‘Umar (ra) said تعلموا العربية فإنها تزيد في العقل, “Learn Arabic because it enhances your ability to think.” That’s interesting, since ‘Umar was an Arab talking to Arabs; but during his rule, Islam was becoming internationalized, and Arabic was deteriorating already. When this happens, our ability to contemplate the richness of the words of Allah deteriorates. When Muslims took this duty seriously, Arabic became the language of the believers wherever they were. We didn't abandon the other languages, but rather the Persian kept Farsi and mastered Arabic; the Indians kept their local languages but mastered Arabic. Wherever Islam landed, Arabic went with it. So, Arabic was no longer the preserve of the Arabs. You consider the German language for the Germans, Urdu for the Indians… but the Arabic language is for the people of the Quran. It no longer belongs to an ethnicity. In fact, many of the most remarkable works on the grammar and rhetoric of the Arabic were written by non-Arabs, such as Sibawayh, Zamakhshari, Fakhruddin ar-Razi. The pivotal works in Tafseer that we lean on to understand the grammatical nuances of the Quran are non-Arabs, one after the other. And this is not to denigrate the Arabs, as those non-Arabs came to the Arabs and internalized it: وَآخَرِينَ مِنْهُمْ لَمَّا يَلْحَقُوا بِهِمْ in the spirit of “others of them that haven't yet joined them” (62:3).

By Nouman Ali Khan (read the full explanation here).