#islamic fragility

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

By: Jacob McHangama

Published: Aug 9, 2023

In 2005 a Danish newspaper published a number of cartoons depicting the prophet Muhammed, which led to a global battle of values over the relationship between freedom of expression and religion. Despite multiple terrorist attacks—one of them deadly others thwarted—and concerted diplomatic pressure from the 57 Muslim-majority member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) led by countries like Pakistan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Iran, the Danish government held firm and refused demands to impose Islamic blasphemy norms.

However, recent events have shattered this resolve. Following months of of public Quran burnings in Denmark and Sweden, as well as renewed and increased pressure from the OIC and attacks on the Swedish embassy in Iraq and a Danish non-governmental organization in Basra last month, Scandinavian democracies are retreating from their liberal principles.

On July 30, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen announced that the government will seek to enact legislation for "special situations where other countries, cultures, and religions could be insulted, potentially resulting in significant negative consequences for Denmark." Sweden is mulling over similar actions. These capitulations have forced these countries to debate how far they are willing to go to defend their freedoms in the face of violence and international backlash.

On the one hand, there are good reasons to be critical of book burnings. It is a poor substitute for reasoned debate and one that will forever be associated with totalitarian states, such as Nazi Germany, in our collective history. But however noxious the ideas of the far-right protestors who torch Qurans, they are not state agents, they are not speaking for the government, nor do they have the power to censor or discriminate. They are private individuals whose non-violent symbolic expressions are intended to convey a message, which however, offensive to those who disprove, is part and parcel of free expression.

The violence that accompanies these events stems both from terrorist groups as well as from counter protestors who insist that religious taboos can only be enforced through mob intimidation and violence, but they are mistaken.

In July, an Iranian citizen burned the Danish and Swedish flags as well as the Bible and Torah in front of the Israeli embassy in Copenhagen, praising Ayatollah Khomeini in the process. But few Danes cared about this deliberate attempt to provoke. No one threatened to use violence, and the protester was not arrested. Rather than demonstrating Danish hypocrisy, the protester managed to show how a secular society committed to both free speech and tolerance can handle offensive ideas, and also how these values serve as the antithesis to violence.

Despite these and other demonstrable merits of free speech, the recent steps taken by Denmark and Sweden reveal a concerning trend. Bowing to intimidation from politically authoritarian and religiously oppressive states sets a perilous precedent and gives oppressive regimes potential leverage to further undermine democratic principles. To sweeten this bitter pill the Danish government has been less than factual in its messaging. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said that burning “sacred books” does not constitute an expression, despite established case law to the contrary. The government has also said that Denmark and Sweden are global outliers when it comes to permitting the desecration of “sacred books” even though both Norway and the Netherlands protect such symbolic expression. There are already also strong reasons to believe that the OIC will not be appeased by the proposed Danish legal restrictions, however rationalized.

The next day after the Danish government´s promise to explore legal remedies against Quran burnings, the OIC released a strongly worded statement admonishing Denmark and Sweden for failing to immediately criminalize them and pledging to continue to pursue the matter. The Turkish ambassador to Denmark also warned that the proposed Danish efforts were "insufficient." In other words, once democracies yield from principle, authoritarian states will not respond with gratitude and conciliatory attitudes but demand that the self-imposed restrictions on free speech be expanded more broadly. This is not only true in Scandinavia but also on the global stage.

Earlier this month, the OIC managed to secure a crucial win at the U.N.´s Human Rights Council with a resolution that calls on member states to, among other things, “address, prevent and prosecute acts and advocacy of religious hatred” as a direct response to the Scandinavian Quran burnings. The OIC argues that defamation of religious ideas and symbols constitutes incitement to religious hatred—a category of speech prohibited under international human rights law and in most European democracies. This would not just legitimize but also give legal teeth to the suppression of religious dissent, and would remove the stigma from countries where blasphemy and apostasy is severely punished.

This marks a radical departure from back in 2011, when the Obama Administration rallied democracies around the world and spearheaded a pivotal Human Rights Council Resolution to halt the OIC´s long-standing efforts to internationalize blasphemy laws. The 2011 resolution advocated education and counter-speech against religious intolerance, asserting the protection of people, not ideologies, under human rights law. It called for the penalization of "incitement to imminent violence based on religion or belief," underlining that free speech restrictions should shield individuals from tangible harm, not defend abstract religious ideas from criticism or mockery, however offensive. As then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the resolution was a step to overcome “the false divide that pits religious sensitivities against freedom of expression.”

While this broader, international perspective is critical, it is also important to consider the domestic implications of the laws Denmark and Sweden have on the table. The Danish government´s proposed legal remedy against insulting other countries doesn’t only threaten to restrict criticism of Islam. In fact, Danish Muslims protesting U.S. or Israeli foreign policy, or the mass internment of Uighur Muslims by China, could end up on the wrong side of the law, if they protest in ways deemed “insulting” to the U.S., Israel, or China and detrimental to the broad and nebulous concept of “Danish interests.”

Moreover, the Danish and Swedish governments’ misguided attempt to foster tolerance through censorship could inadvertently exacerbate social divisions within their own borders. Hard-nosed critics of Islam and Muslim immigration frequently argue that Islam is incompatible with democracy and freedom, painting Muslims as a fifth column. The external pressure from Islamic states, coupled with support for restrictive measures among some Danish Muslims, risks emboldening these divisive narratives. This stands to harm the many Scandinavian Muslims who appreciate the freedoms and equality that Denmark and Sweden offer, and which sets these countries apart from the Muslim-majority states of the OIC.

Free speech is a difficult principle to uphold consistently. Governments and citizens of democracies alike are frequently tempted to sacrifice this principle when faced with threats or adverse consequences of unpopular or extremist speech. But one only has to compare the vibrant democracies of Denmark and Sweden to the authoritarian regimes of Iran and Saudi Arabia to realize that, for all its flaws, free speech makes the world more tolerant, democratic, equal, and free. Denmark and Sweden’s defection from this core liberal principle is a dark day for the global fight for free speech.

==

You don't surrender or capitulate to bullies. Not even when they're pretending to be the victim.

[atopcat]

The more I learn about “benevolent misogyny” the more I realise how much gaslighting Muslim women have been exposed to, indoctrinated to believe everything Muslim men do is actually in benefit for them.

[warningsine]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Taliban rejected the U.N. report.

[family-aya]

Read and enjoy a real story

With the breeze blowing every morning, there is a man named Islam, who is 20 years old. He works day and night to earn a living for his parents (the elderly). During the day, he works as a worker in one of the industrial stores (selling shoes). He works hard and does not tire. He endures hardship and fatigue in order to buy... All that his parents need is food, treatment, and care, even though he receives a small amount of money. However, he endures hardship, and at night he works as a guard for one of the residential homes.... He returns in the morning to take care of his parents and then returns to work...

Many years passed and that man grew up and became a mature and distinguished man. One day, while the man was inside the store, a beautiful girl named (Aya) entered upon him. She wanted to buy one of the shoes. She was 20 years old. Islam was impressed by that girl because of her beauty, commitment, and respect. Whenever she entered the place, his heart would beat and he did not know what to do. He just looked at her with his charming eyes, heart beating, and hands trembling. Islam fell in love with Aya,,

One day, Islam saw a verse by chance in a café. She laughed at him, greeted him, and asked him if there were new shoes to buy, and he was in shock and shame 😅 Finally, Islam was encouraged to talk to Aya, took her phone number, and began speaking in an official capacity, for example: Today there are new shoes, so come and visit the store 😅😅 After a while, he started talking over and over again to Aya. Aya liked Islam’s personality and his words. She fell in love with him and confessed to him. Aya and Islam became lovers, in love with each other. Aya Islam helped him overcome his ordeal with work and is now He owns a shoe store bearing their name, and he earned money and bought a new house and a car.... Islam proposes to Aya and they become a happy couple Years passed, and due to their intense love for each other, Aya gave birth to her first and second children, and after that her child, Muhammad, and the love grew and grew between them. They lived the most beautiful days of their lives with love, contentment, happiness, and peace. Aya became pregnant again with her fourth child, but... ......

One day we woke up to the sounds of bombing, destruction, fear and panic about what was happening. We left our home to a safe place. We were displaced more than once, and my wife was in the last months... (the story is in the other post) I lost everything, my child, my workplace, my home, my car, and everything I owned. Our life became hell Now I, my wife Aya, and my children are in your hands. We do not have the same mercy as God

We live in a torn and fragile tent that does not protect against the cold of winter, the heat of summer, or the constant bombing...

Therefore, I hope that you will support me and help me to preserve Aya and Islam’s family and for their love to continue Your donations can make a huge difference in our lives. It can give us hope for a better day. Can you help us?

@timetravellingkitty @meaganfoskin @socalgal @briahyu @briahrogersss-blog @catchymemes @timetravellingkitty @meaganfoskin @socalgal @briahyu @briahrogersss-blog @chilewishlist @aces-and-anime @ghelgheli @mahoushojoe @mahouprince @northgazaupdates2 @rhubarbspring @sayruq @schoolhater @pcktknife @transmutationisms @sawasawako @terroristiclyscreaming @irhabiya @commissions4aid-international @wellwaterhysteria @deepspaceboytoy @kibumkim @neechees @mangocheesecakes @kyra45-helping-others @marnot-blog @7bittersweet @tortiefrancis @toile @fromjanna @omegaversereloaded @vague-humanoid @criptocromo @aristote @komsomolka @neptunerings @hotvampireadjacent @jenbekmanprojects @pukicho @questbedhead @viscerella @melia-an2fa @littlegermanboy

please help my family 😞

please help my family 😞

[secular-jew]

The Iranian-backed Houthi Islamists, attacked and sunk a Belize-flagged commercial ship in the Red Sea. The ship was carrying 21,000 metric tons of Ammonium Phosphate Sulfate, and untold quantities of heavy fuel oil, which is now polluting and destroying the diverse ocean and coral life.

This cynical Iranian Islamic attack on global shipping increases all our costs, and is an affront to our natural environment.

The Islamists could care less who they kill, hurt, or how they damage our fragile ecosystems.

[a-shade-of-blue]

Masterlist of Vetted Fundraisers from the Palestinians who directly contacted me (3-12 November)

12 November

Hanan Mahmoud (@hananmahmoud1): Hanan has a 3-year-old daughter Dana and a son called Adam who was born only a few months ago in this genocidal war. She is fundraising to buy basic neessities for the children. (https://gofund.me/032d0dc0) (#270 on @/gazavetters vetted list) (€153 raised of €50K goal)

Rana Sobhi (@ranafamily7, @ranafamilygaza): Rana is 14 years old. She, her mother and her sisters are now living in Northern Gaza. Her mother is suffering from osteoporosis, cartilage fragility and needs treatment. Her father is in Southern Gaza and does not even have a tent to live in. (https://gofund.me/d22a0a2f) (vetted by @/gazavetters and #250 on their vetted list) 

Sama (@samatatari1999): Sama has 4 children: Qusay (15), Sama (14), Firas (10), and Seela (5). They lack basic necessities and they wish to evacuate from Gaza. They need money to buy a tent. (https://gofund.me/1c042325) (vetted by @/gazavetters and #268 on their vetted list) (€195 raised of €80K target)

11 November

Khaled Ismael, Mariam (@khaledismael): Khaled and his wife Rasha have 3 children: Walid (12), Karim (10), and Mariam (5). They have been displaced and the wish to escape to a safe place. (https://gofund.me/357b9170) (shared by 90-ghost, shared by bilal-salah0) ($204 CAD raised of $30K target)

Ammar Hammad (@amaar-hamaad): Ammar was born a few months ago in this genocidal war. His father suffers from a cruciate ligament injury and thus cannot work. His mother Samah suffers from asthma and cannot produce milk for him. They are fundraising to buy necessities like milk for Ammar. (https://gofund.me/b1cd8b73) (shared by 90-ghost)

10 November

Hanan Al-Salout (@hanan-fomily3): Hanan is 24 years old and is a psychological counselor. She and her husband have a 2-year-old child. Her elderly mother-in-law suffers from chronic illnesses, and has almost lost her life due to anemia from lack of food. (https://gofund.me/9af14850) (#152 on @/gazavetters vetted list)

8 November

Sahar (@saharalajrami): Sahar has 4 children: Hala, Rital, Odai, and Talin. Odai has an injury in his leg because he was shot by a drone. They are a family of 9 and they wish to evacuate from Gaza. (https://gofund.me/b3afa42b) (Vetted by bilal-salah0, shared by 90-ghost, shared by @/gaza-evacuation-funds) (€349 raised of €50K goal)

Saeed (@saeid19): Saeed is 19 years old. Their house has been destroyed, and he and his family wish to evacuate from Gaza. (https://gofund.me/a86f5657) (Shared by 90-ghost) (€480 raised of €50K goal)

7 November

Nour & Dana (@danafamilysblog): Nour has lost 3 children, her sister, in-laws, nephews and nieces. Her 9-year-old daughter Dana lost her arm when the Israeli forces bombed their building. She also has a brother named Yayha. Nour’s husband has been seriously injured. Nour is also taking care of her orphaned 7-month-old nephew Mohammed who has lost his entire family. They wish to get a prosthetic arm for Dana. (https://gofund.me/dba55fdd) (shared by 90-ghost, shared by bilal-salah0) (£235 raised of £15K goal)

Islam Al-Najjar (@islamgzacc4): Islam is 27 years old. His 85-year-old grandfather lost his arm in a bombing and suffers from severe injuries. They are fundraising to buy basic necessities and evacuate from Gaza. (https://gofund.me/c6604c3d, https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/mido87ss) (#332 on vetted fundraiser list by el-shab-hussein and nabulsi)

Laila & Sally (@laylaayman24): Laila is 24 years old and have a one-and-a-half-year-old baby called Sally. She is now pregnant with her second child Omar, who is due in a few months. They have been displaced more than 10 times. Her family house was bombed with them inside it. Her cousin and her cousin’s daughter Maria were martyred in the bombing. They are fundraising to buy basic necessities. (https://gofund.me/b0441c7d) (shared by 90-ghost, vetted by bilal-salah0) ($421 USD raised of $20K goal)

6 November

Anas, Baraa (@helpanas): When Anas went to inspect their home after he and his family were displaced, the Israeli forces fired at him from planes, burying him under the rubble and causing severe injuries to his legs. While he received reconstructive surgeries, he could not receive treatment to his damaged nerves and tissues to to a lack of medical resources. He requires extensive treatment and possibly an ankle transplant abroad.  (https://gofund.me/433864df) (vetted by 90-ghost) ($395 USD raised of $20K target)

Shorouq Eldrimly (@shoroa91): Shorouq have 3 children: Qusai (7), Eileen, (5), and Hisham (2). Qusai has a heart condition since birth but they cannot provide him the medication and treatment he needs. Hisham is suffering from malnutrition. They wish to evacaute from Gaza. (https://www.gofundme.com/f/shorouqs-story-a-mothers-cry-from-the-heart-of-war) (#240 on @/gazavetters vetted list)

5 November

Hala Mushtaha (@halamushtaha): Hala has 4 children: Abdul, Jaber, Mohammed, and Lian. They are fundraising to evacuate from Gaza.  (https://gofund.me/ae46eed6) (#1 on @/gaza-evacuation-funds vetted list here)

Hala (@hala-15): Hala’s baby son Abdul Aziz was born during this genocidal war. Abdul Aziz was diagnosed with hirschsprung's disease, which meant that his colon cannot move and he cannot pass waste, resulting in severe swelling in his belly. Hala is raising funds to pay for Abdul Aziz’s surgeries and medication. (https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=XUL966VBH88NC) (shared by 90-ghost, but gfm has closed her campaign without reason so she is using paypal instead now)

Aya Alanqar (@ahmadalanqar99, @ayaayman95): Aya used to be a content creator. She wishes to evacuate her family (consisting of herself, her brother (25), her parents and her elderly grandma (85)) out of Gaza. (https://gofund.me/47c55aba) (#217 on @/gazavetters vetted list)

3 November

Mounir Raed Alanqar (@amani-raed): Mounir is 19 years old. He has 4 siblings: Rasha (22 and married), Rana (21 and married), Mohamed (16), and Sham (4). He is raising funds to buy basic necessitiese and to evacuate from Gaza. (https://gofund.me/f3b1439b) (#8 on @/gazavetters vetted list)

Reem Al ajrami (@reem-alajrami): Reem is a widow with 3 children: Diana, Issam and Abdullah. They are displaced and have run out of money to buy basic necessities. (https://gofund.me/78efc923) (vetted by bilal-salah0) (€292 raised of €5K goal)

Ghada Nabil Al-Anqar (@ghadanabil2): Ghada and her family have been displaced. Her 23-year-old brother is now responsible for providing basic necessities for the family. She is also living her two married brothers Mohamed and Ahed and their children. Each of the brothers have 3 children. (https://gofund.me/b43baaaf) (#6 on @/gazavetters vetted list)

Click here for my Google Doc with my complete masterlist of all the Palestinian gfm asks I've received, updated daily (along with other verified ways to send aid to Gaza).

How are gfm campaigns vetted?  See here, here, here and here.

See post here for other verified ways to send aid to Gaza.

Don't forget your Daily Clicks on Arab.org, it's free!!! and Every click made is registered in their system and generates donation from sponsors/advertisers.

See links below for my Masterlists of Vetted Fundraisers from the Palestinians who sent me asks for if you want to help more people! As well as resources for palestinian students if you are a palestinian student

Masterlists of Vetted Fundraisers

Click here for my Masterlist for fundraisers from 13 - 25 July.

Click here for my Masterlist for fundraisers from 26 -29 July.

Click here for my Masterlist for fundraisers from 30 July - 1 August.

Click here for my Masterlist for fundraisers from 2 - 5 August.

Click here for my Masterlist for fundraisers from 6 - 10 August.

Click here for my Masterlist for fundraisers from 11 - 14 August.

Click here for my Masterlist for fundraisers from 15 - 18 August

Click here for my Masterlist for fundrasiers from 19 - 21 August

Click here for my Masterlist for fundrasiers from 22 - 24 August

Click here for my Masterlist for fundraisers from 25 - 28 August

Click here for my Masterlist for fundraisers from 29 August - 1 September

Click here for my Masterlist for fundraisers from 2 - 5 September.

Click here for my Masterlist for fundraisers from 6-10 September.

Click here for my Masterlist for fundraisers from 11-14 September.

Click here for my Masterlist for fundraisers from 15-18 September.

Click here for my Masterlist for fundraisers from 19-22 September.

Click here for my Masterlist for fundraisers from 23-26 September.

Click here for my Masterlist for fundraisers from 27-30 September.

Click here for my Masterlist for fundraisers from 1-4 October.

Click here for my Masterlist for fundraisers from 5-9 October.

Click here for my Masterlist for fundraisers from 10-14 October.

Click here for my Masterlist for fundraisers from 15-21 October.

Click here for my Masterlist for fundraisers from 22-26 October.

Click here for my Masterlist for fundraisers from 27 October - 2 November.

Resources for Palestinian Students!

Initiatives and resources to support Palestinian students, academics and universities:

This is a list of initiatives and resources for Gazan students seeking to complete their studies, including initiatives, resources, training and scholarships. See list here.

Scholarships for Displaced Palestinian students:

Putting this here for the palestininans who follow me: If you are a displaced Palestinian student looking to fund your education, this document lists the scholarships available around the world for displaced Palestinian students.

[mariacallous]

Hi Ms Callous!! I hope you’re having a lovely weekend. I was wondering if you had any recommendations for books that could help lay out the history of/situation in Syria? You had a post generally referring to this subject a few days ago but I can’t find it. I’ve found your recommendations so helpful in the past!! Thank you!!!! 🥰

Thank you for the compliment!

Destroying a Nation: The Civil War in Syria by Nikolaos Van Dam

Fragile Nation, Shattered Land: The Modern History of Syria by James Reilly

Assad or We Burn the Country: How One Family's Lust for Power Destroyed Syria by Sam Dagher

The Syrian Jihad: Al-Qaeda, the Islamic State and the Evolution of an Insurgency by Charles Lister

Syrian Requiem: The Civil War and Its Aftermath by Itamar Rabinovich and Carmit Valensi

[violet-hearth]

Blessing Bouquets

Blessing bouquets are bouquets of flowers made using Victorian flower language or cultural flower associations. They make excellent gifts, are great for home blessings, an can be made either fresh or with dried flowers.

Some deities also have flowers associated with their stories and folktales such as paeonia and hyacinths for Apollon, and anemones and violets for Aphrodite. They also make excellent offerings to ancestors and spirits in most western practices (exceptions are Judaism and Islam)

Adapt to make flower crowns, wreaths, press flowers and hang in garlands etc.

Prep your stems and greenery, if fresh remove the bottom leaves and snip the stems at an angle

Build the base by adding flowers at an angle one by one, turning your bouquet after every flower added. The base should be the bulk of your greenery and flowers

Add in your focal flowers, these may the the larger blooms or brighter colours, you can feed them into the middle of the bouquet

Work in the smaller blooms and greenery, you can feed them into any part of the bouquet

Secure with twine, ribbon, paper or an ecstatic band

Some Flower Meanings:

Rose - love, passion beauty

Lily - purity, virtue, devotion,

Peony - prosperity, good fortune

Daffodil - rebirth, new beginnings

Poppy - sleep, rest, mourning

Anemone - anticipation, fragility

Primrose - youth, love, fidelity

Iris - faith, wisdom hope

Chrysanthemum - longevity, love

Resources (links):

Floriography

Flowers in greek myths

Flower in different religions

Funeral flower etiquette

[battyaboutbooksreviews]

[ x ]

🦇 Heir Book Review 🦇

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

❓ #QOTD What's your favorite fantasy book?❓ 🦇 An orphan. An outcast. A prince. And a killer who will bring an empire to its knees. An old tragedy fuels Aiz's need for vengeance, while love of her people that propels her. Sirsha agrees to use her magic to hunt a killer who is murdering children across the Martial Empire. And Quil is the Empire's crown prince, though he's loath to take the throne. Sabaa Tahir interweaves the lives of these three young people as they grapple with power, treachery, love, and the devastating consequences of unchecked greed, on a journey that may cost them their lives—and their hearts. Literally.

💜 *Insert a plethora of creative curses here* For fig's sake. I can't even begin to describe the pure AWE I have, not only for this story, but for Sabaa Tahir, fantasy and Muslim-American literary goddess, in general. I honestly can't think of a story I've read that was so well intertwined, so fully conceptualized, while respecting roots of the series that came before it. Earlier this year, I had the fortune to read The Fragile Threads of Power by VE Schwab, which continued her Shades of Magic series. Reading Heir sparked that same feeling; the sensation of returning home after a long journey through other vast worlds. I'm grateful that Penguin Teen hosted the Ember in the Ashes read-along this summer. While Heir introduces us to new characters, 20 years after the Ember in the Ashes series ends, each mention and emergence of a familiar character provided a sweet taste of nostalgia I didn't know I needed. These books have seeped themselves deep within my marrow since 2015, and Sabaa Tahir has been on my favorite/auto-buy author for just as long. She's the first Muslim-American to win the National Book Award for Young People's Literature; a feat that gives me hope and inspiration as a Muslim-American writer.

💜 Reading Heir, you can see how much Tahir's prose has flourished over the past decade. Despite stepping back into this familiar world, it's richer, more vivid. The action is just as intense and ruthless, the characters undeniably unique. The underlying themes resonate deeply. I loved every nod to South Asian, Pakistani, and Islamic culture. It's always the five-star book reviews I struggle with the most. I could talk about this story for hours, but I'd spoil so much that I want you to experience for yourself.

💙 Don't worry: if you haven't read the An Ember in the Ashes quartet, you can still enjoy Heir. The three main characters have their own vivid story to tell, and while there are mentions of many beloved characters from the original series, they're supporting cast to Aiz, Sirsha, and Quil. I will say that the first part of the story took a moment to adjust to, and there's the lingering question of HOW these characters are connected, but once you realize how the breadcrumbs were laid out for you, you'll realize the execution is FLAWLESS. The fast pace keeps you on your toes, the ever-growing tension driving you to the last page. As for the underlying romantic story, AH! It was perfectly built, the sass and chemistry playful without stealing from the main plot, yet heart-wrenching; that kind of painful that keeps you invested long-term. OH! And can we talk about our villain? That BUILD?! I love a villain with reason--a character who doesn't realize they're the villain at all, someone with a mission that goes about it in all the wrong ways. This story had EVERYTHING and then some. I'll be recommending it for the next 20 years.

🦇 Recommended for fans of The Red Queen series, The Lunar Chronicle series, and The Throne of Glass series.

✨ The Vibes ✨ 🫀First in a Duology ✨ Young Adult High Fantasy/Romantasy 👑 Political Intrigue ⛏ Enemies to Lovers 💓 Found Family 👁 Multi POV

🦇 Major thanks to the author and publisher for providing an ARC of this book via Netgalley. 🥰 This does not affect my opinion regarding the book. #Heir

💬 Quotes ❝ Get what you need. Forget the rest. ❞ ❝ "You are a daughter of the evening star. You are not meant to be caged." ❞ ❝ “I give my heart unto her keeping, a gift with no compare.” ❞ ❝ "The past will distract you from the now. And it’s the now that matters.” ❞ ❝ “You seek to understand the fibers that make the world,” Loli Temba said, “but not your own pain, nor that of others. You’d be better served understanding the latter.” ❞ ❝ He looked at her like her secrets were the sea, and he was at home in dark water. ❞ ❝ “Quil—” His name rolled off her tongue, a prayer. “Please—” “Mmm,” he said. “You should say that more, Sirsha. I’d give you whatever you wanted.” ❞ ❝ “Care about yourself as much as you care about those you love. As much as— as we care about you.” ❞ ❝ Sirsha grabbed his hand, wishing she could articulate the desire suffusing her, something more than I need you and I wish I didn’t. ❞

[fuckyeahmarxismleninism]

Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine: The Iranian response to the zionist entity is a pivotal event that will establish new rules of engagement in the region.

The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine praised the Iranian Revolutionary Guard's targeting of zionist military sites with dozens of missiles and drones in response to the entity's aggression against the Iranian consulate in Damascus, describing the Iranian response as a significant pivotal event that will establish new rules of engagement in the region.

The Front confirmed that the legitimate Iranian response broke the prestige of the zionist entity, revealing its fragility and inability to defend itself or restore its deterrence power. At the same time, it confirmed the ability of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the resistance factions to deliver painful strikes to the zionist entity, deepening its internal crisis due to its inability to achieve any of its goals in eliminating the resistance in the Gaza Strip, or stopping the strikes directed at it by the resistance in Lebanon, Yemen, and Iraq.

The Front explained that the rush of the American administration and its partners in Britain, France, Germany, and some of their Arab tails in the region to use all their defensive weapons to try to protect the zionist entity from the Iranian missiles and drones confirms the involvement of these parties in the zionist crimes in the region, especially in Gaza. It also reveals that this zionist entity has suffered a strategic defeat, has become humiliated and weak, and is unable to protect itself, now imploring its allies to take on this role.

The Front concluded its statement by affirming that the unprecedented Iranian strikes, the first of their kind in history against the zionist entity, represent an important turning point in the battle of the Al-Aqsa Flood and in favor of the resistance factions. The repercussions of this strike will have pressing effects on the zionist entity to stop its genocidal war on the Gaza Strip, after the American administration and its allies realized that any escalation in the region would lead to a regional war where their bases and interests will not be safe, nor will the zionist entity be able to defend itself after the collapse of its deterrence power and its humiliating defeat in front of the resistance in Gaza and other fronts.

Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine

Central Media Department

April 14, 2024

https://t.me/PalestineResist/35985

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

[ruhachari]

The Forgotten Legend of Unugai

Post written by Anar Turangi

Imagine yourself as a traveller in ancient times, riding your horse through the hushed darkness of a graveyard. As expected, the cemetery lies still and empty in the late night hours. Suddenly, your attention is drawn to an unexpected sight—a stray goat perched by a gravestone.

While you were pondering, the goat has already made eye contact with you. You would like to look away, but something draws your gaze to the goat. In a bizarre twist, the goat rises onto its hind legs, its hooves rapidly growing in size, elevating it almost to human height. Without hesitation, the transformed goat rushes at you, lightning-fast covering the distance between you. The roar of the frightened horse brought you out of your daze and you tried to run away from the demonic creature, but it was faster. With astonishing agility, the creature leaps onto your horse and clings onto you from behind. The horse immediately weakened under the influence of the new rider, and so did you. With each passing second you feel your strength leaving you, and your resistance is futile.

However, the first rays of sunlight glimmered on the horizon, and the creature's grip began to weaken quickly. The colossal goat swiftly dismounts the horse and vanishes from your sight in the blink of an eye.

Once you come to your senses, you make your way to the nearest village, hoping to uncover an explanation for the harrowing encounter. You recount your story to the village elders, known as ağsaqqallar, who listen attentively.

After careful consideration, the elders identify the demonic creature that assaulted you last night as Unugai. The elders express sympathy for your plight, explaining that the limp you acquired from the incident will be joined by a speech impediment. The duration of these afflictions remains uncertain, leaving you with an unsettling sense of uncertainty.

AI art concepts of Unugai

Unugai, also known as Unuqai in Azerbaijani folklore, is a captivating and enigmatic entity. Its original manifestation takes the form of a lone stray goat that seeks solace amidst the eerie stillness of moonlit cemeteries. In these sacred grounds, it lies in wait, patiently selecting its prey from the ranks of solitary travelers who dare to lock eyes with its otherworldly gaze.

With an unsettling intent, Unugai often seeks to ensnare its chosen victim in an eerie embrace, a chilling touch that inflicts torment and sends shivers down the spine. The aftermath of such a sinister encounter often leaves the unfortunate traveler plagued by sickness, an affliction that manifests as an unsettling limp and an unsettling stutter.

As tales of Unugai weave through the tapestry of legends, whispers of its vulnerabilities emerge. The creature is rumored to cower in fear at the sight of iron needles and pins, particularly when aimed at its most vulnerable points—the fragile junctures where a well-placed needle can pierce the neck or the lumbar vein.

In more diabolical incarnations, Unugai preys upon pregnant women, luring them to the eerie embrace of the cemetery, where it snatches their unborn offspring for a gruesome feast.

The sunlit sanctuary Unugai retreats to during daylight remains an unsolved mystery. One can only speculate that it may visit its maternal figure, Al-Ana, a progenitor of various dark entities in Turkic myths.

Much like its mother, Unugai possesses the uncanny ability to ride a horse. However, this dread-inspiring talent casts a shadow of terror and suffering wherever it roams.

Mentions of Unugai were found mainly in the Sheki region of Azerbaijan, where tales of his ominous presence were once deeply rooted in local folklore. Yet, the passage of centuries, marked by the influence of Islamic beliefs, has nearly erased Unugai from the collective consciousness. Nowadays, the mere mention of cemeteries at night sends chills down the spines of children, who, in their fear, cry out not "Unugai!" but rather "jin," invoking the spirits of Islamic legend.

Intriguingly, archaeological discoveries in present-day Azerbaijan have unveiled enigmatic, smiling idols, thought to have been placed in cemeteries by the ancient tribes of Caucasian Albania. Their purpose remains shrouded in mystery, but a tantalizing connection emerges when exploring the legend of Unugai and its transformation into the genie narrative. It beckons us to consider that in bygone eras, similar legends may have pervaded these lands, and people, through the guardianship of idols, sought to shield their sacred resting places from malevolent forces.

[sylvia-on-the-run]

The Lebanese Resistance's Drones Confuse the zionist Entity and Reveal the Collapse of Its Defense System.

The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine praises the qualitative operations carried out by the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon through a squadron of attack drones that targeted zionist military sites, resulting in a large number of deaths and injuries among zionist officers and soldiers.

During these qualitative strikes, the Lebanese Resistance reveals a small part of its qualitative capabilities, as it was able to easily penetrate the zionist defenses, and using deception and misleading methods, it targeted sensitive military sites of the enemy via drones.

The arrival of the drones deep into the zionist entity without being detected by zionist radars is a severe blow that confused the occupation's calculations, revealed the fragility of its defense system, and exposed its increasing inability to confront these aircraft.

The zionist enemy has not learned its lesson yet, and has not absorbed from the lessons of history that the armed resistance, with the justice of its cause, which has a sacrificial leadership and a solid will for its fighters, cannot be defeated or broken by any force on earth.

These strikes are only the beginning, and the enemy must expect more qualitative strikes coming from Lebanon, Gaza, and all other resistance and support fronts.

Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine Central Media Department 13 October 2024

[the-rainbow-lesbian]

The trends, behaviors, and beliefs that led to the disastrous Iranian Revolution threaten to repeat themselves today in the West. We have already begun to see early glimpses. The most prominent example is the ongoing wave of mass anti-Israel and/or pro-Hamas protests following the Oct 7th attacks. Not only has Hamas been a disaster for women, LGBT people, and their own civilians, but the Palestinian “one state” solution would result in a country as unfree as Iran — and one equally antithetical to left-aligned values. Other warning signs include the case of Hamtramck, Michigan, where a progressive-backed Muslim-majority town council voted to ban Pride flags, or the spate of young TikTokers siding with Osama bin Laden’s 21-year-old “Letter to America.” This goes beyond Islamism. Segments of the far-left and Christian far-right are more than willing to team up, as we’ve seen in recent years with European populist movements, the opposition to defending Ukraine from Russian conquest, and radical lefties voting for Donald Trump to “let the empire burn.” The question is: why?

There is a particular strain within leftist thought that often exhibits a fascination with revolution and a drive to dismantle and disrupt, sometimes indiscriminately. Young (and some not-so-young) radicals see the problems that exist today, and with no appreciation for how far we’ve come, pronounce society to be irredeemably flawed. The only solution is to tear it all down. Whatever rises from the ashes, this dubious logic goes, cannot help but be better than the status quo. This perspective, while rooted in a desire for human betterment, usually leads to the precise opposite. Such revolutionary zeal is not just a desire for change, but an impulse to break the existing order, often “by any means necessary”, as so many recent anti-Israel protest signs can attest. This includes allying with any group or ideology that opposes the current power structures. This “enemy of my enemy is my friend” approach leads to alliances that are, at best, ideologically inconsistent, and at worst, counterproductive to the values that many leftists traditionally uphold.

In their pursuit of anti-establishment goals, many leftist factions find common ground with Islamist movements, not because of shared values, but because of a shared opposition to perceived imperialist or colonialist forces. The fact that Islamic fundamentalists oppose women’s rights, secular governance, and basic freedoms; the fact that they criminalize homosexuality and bisexuality in every society they control, is willfully overlooked by the far-left in the pursuit of a common adversary. But the blanket romanticizing of perceived underdogs, often without a critical assessment of their values or intentions, risks empowering forces that, given requisite power, could establish regimes far more oppressive than those they replace. In their quest for a radical overhaul, they’re willing to discard tangible progress in the pursuit of an idealized, hypothetical future. In Iran, decades of progress in economic development and women’s rights were thrown away in the revolution. The West today, which is so much further along, has even more to lose.

The Western world as we know it has been sculpted by liberal ideals such as democracy, individual freedom, LGBT rights, women’s rights, civil liberties, secularism, and the rule of law. Two hundred years ago, three-quarters of the world lived in extreme poverty. Today, this figure has decreased to less than 10%. Over this same span, life expectancy has soared in parallel with the expansion of liberal democracies.

There's a misconception that our current state of well-being is a permanent, fixed baseline that we can take for granted. Instead, progress can be fragile and temporary. The rights and freedoms we enjoy today are not guaranteed tomorrow. They are recent gifts of history, not immutable laws of nature. The potential to regress is real. While the champions of illiberal ideas fight tooth and nail for their beliefs, the guardians of liberal values seem to slumber. They need a wake-up call.

Despite facing myriad external adversaries, the greatest threat to liberal values comes from within. In their misguided quest to dismantle the liberal order, radical elements can act as a Trojan horse, surreptitiously opening the gates to any destructive force that aligns with their anti-liberal agenda. The unholy alliance between the Western left and the Islamist right has happened before. Let’s learn the lessons of history.

[musht-e-khaak]

What exactly prevents us from following our faith? Why do our steps falter when we try to walk the path of truth? Why does standing up for justice scare us? Why do we perceive being a Muslim as being backward? Why, after all? Do you know why? Because we prioritize others' opinions over our own. In simple terms, we worry about "what will people think?" How will people view me if I wear a hijab? What will people say if I grow a beard? What will people think if I refuse to attend parties? It’s always about people, people, and people.This has led our society to adopt the mentality that those who adhere to religion are the ones who have forsaken the world, who have no dreams, and who hold outdated beliefs. Consequently, the majority eventually excludes religion from their lives. Do you consider your faith so fragile that anyone's thought can lead you astray from your true purpose? Do you ever realize that our steps cannot be firm until we internalize and embrace the mindset that there is nothing stronger than the path we follow, and there never can be. Islam does not separate you from the world; rather, it teaches you how to live within it.

"never let your principles be overshadowed by your emotions, never ever."

- musht-e-khaak. 🦋

[beardedmrbean]

SOLINGEN, Germany (AP) — German Chancellor Olaf Scholz vowed to toughen knife laws and step up deportations of rejected asylum-seekers Monday as he visited the scene of the knife attack in which a suspected Islamic extremist from Syria is accused of killing three people.

Scholz, speaking after he joined regional officials in laying a white rose at a makeshift memorial in the western city of Solingen, said he was “furious and angry” about the attack, in which eight people also were wounded.

The suspect turned himself in to police on Saturday evening, a day after the attack at a festival marking the city's 650th anniversary. Federal prosecutors said Sunday that he shared the radical ideology of the Islamic State group, which he joined at a point that remains unclear, and was acting on those beliefs when he stabbed his victims repeatedly from behind in the neck and upper body.

The 26-year-old had had his asylum application rejected and was supposed to be deported last year to Bulgaria, where he first entered the European Union, but that failed because he disappeared for a time, according to German media reports.

That has revived criticism of the government on migration and deportation, an issue on which it has long been vulnerable. It has taken steps to defuse the issue, for example with legislation intended to ease deportations of unsuccessful asylum-seekers that was approved by lawmakers in January. It also has launched legislation to ease the deportation of foreigners who publicly approve of terrorist acts.

“We must do everything to ensure that such things never happen in our country, if possible,” Scholz said of the attack. He said that would include toughening knife laws in particular “and this should and will happen very quickly.”

Interior Minister Nancy Faeser earlier this month proposed allowing only knives with a blade measuring up to 6 centimeters (nearly 2.4 inches) to be carried in public, rather than the length of 12 centimeters (4.7 inches) that is allowed now.

“We will have to do everything so that those who aren't allowed to stay in Germany are sent back and deported,” he said, adding that “we have massively expanded the possibilities to carry out such deportations."

Scholz said there had been a 30% increase in deportations this year already, but “we will look very closely at how we can contribute to raising these figures even further.” He said measures including border checks on Germany's eastern frontiers have reduced the number of migrants arriving “irregularly,” but there's room for improvement there too.

Following a knife attack by an Afghan immigrant in Mannheim at the end of May that left one police officer dead and four more people injured, Scholz vowed that Germany will start deporting criminals from Afghanistan and Syria again.

Germany does not currently carry out deportations to those countries. The government has no diplomatic relations with the Taliban in Kabul, and so far considers the security situation in Syria too fragile to allow deportations there. But Scholz said in June that his government was working on solutions to enable the deportation of convicted Afghans to Afghanistan’s neighboring countries, and there has been discussion in Germany about allowing deportations to Syria.

Critics say there has been little movement since. Interior Ministry spokesperson Sonja Kock said Monday the government is still working “intensively” on that.

Scholz spoke alongside Hendrik Wüst, the governor of North Rhine-Westphalia state and a member of Germany's mainstream conservative opposition, which has long criticized the government on migration. He said was “thankful” that more action had been announced but “announcements alone won't be enough.”

“Action must follow,” Wüst said.

Opposition leader Friedrich Merz, the leader of Wüst's Christian Democratic Union, complained on ARD television Sunday evening that “we have been discussing the consequences of Mannheim for three months ... it's enough. We must now do something together.”

“We have people in Germany we don't want to have here, and we must ensure that we don't have even more coming,” Merz said, arguing that such migrants should be turned back at the country's borders.

The Solingen attack came ahead of state elections this weekend in two eastern regions, Saxony and Thuringia, in which the far-right Alternative for Germany party is very strong and the parties in Scholz's three-party coalition already looked set for dismal results.