#islamic prayer in english

[maihonhassan]

"The distance between dreams and reality is called Tahajjud."

[azkar95]

[hafizsenadbrkic-blog]

You marvel at it, while they mock it

Peace and God bless to all believers and I don’t divide us like hypocrites do into Christians, Jews, Muslim or any other sects. We are just simply called believers, disbelievers or hypocrites. All these religious sects have brought nothing except hate and violence because we are not supposed to be divided. Now I don’t want to get into politics because like Jesus Christ said: “My Kingdom is not of…

[fairuzfan]

I've seen you posting a lot about Palestine and i wanted to ask something. I'm doing what i can wrt spreading awareness and boycotting (unfortunately do not have the funds to be donating at the moment) but this is all so terrifying and it doesn't feel like enough. Idk if this is overstepping or unnecessary or anything, but i was wondering if there's any sort of Muslim prayer i can do on behalf of the people in Palestine. It might not mean anything coming from someone who's not religious but i know people take their faith very seriously and if it means something to them it feels like the least i can do. I would do the same thing for any Christian friends or family going through a difficult time, the only difference is i have no idea how to go about it in this case (I don't really have any Muslim friends, and it's primarily Christian in the area i live). Do you have any suggestions on how i could do this? Or is it not something i should do at all?

Hey thanks for this. Its very kind of you to ask. Honestly, prayers are quite appreciated and I, and other Muslims, would never turn down such a sweet request, nor would we look down on this.

Prayers (or duaa as we call it in this instance) are definitely welcome no matter any religious affiliations. There are also many Christian Palestinians in Gaza as well.

In Islam, duaa, or supplication, is when we ask God (Allah, in Arabic) for things both material and ideological. You cup your hands together and hold them in front of you while you say the prayer. Here is an English version of a prayer you can do:

“O Allah! I complain to You of my weakness, my scarcity of resources, and the humiliation I have been subjected to by the people. O Most Merciful of those who are merciful. O Lord of the weak and my Lord too. To whom have you entrusted me? To a distant person who receives me with hostility? Or to an enemy to whom you have granted authority over my affair? So long as You are not angry with me, I do not care. Your favour is of a more expansive relief to me. I seek refuge in the light of Your Face by which all darkness is dispelled and every affair of this world and the next is set right, lest Your anger or Your displeasure descends upon me. I desire Your pleasure and satisfaction until You are pleased. There is no power and no might except by You.”

Though even putting your hands together and asking for the safety of the Gazans or any other wishes you might have are also acceptable. You don't have to do a formal prayer in which you recite something—as long as it's a genuine wish, then it's more than accepted in Islam.

You can do this anywhere and anytime. Even if you're unable to use your hands, you can still do this as long as your intention is for it to be a Duaa.

I'm not sure how Christians pray so I can't speak on that if someone else wants to provide insight.

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

Hitchens: People want to pray, you can’t stop them. But we cannot have state subsidized prayer. We cannot have state subsidized preachers or chaplains.

Give it up, or give it to your deadliest enemy and pay for the rope that will choke you.

This is very urgent business, ladies and gentlemen, I beseech you: resist it while you still can and before the right to complain is taken away from you, which will be the next thing.

You will be told, you can’t complain – because you’re Islamophobic. The term is already being introduced into the culture, as if it’s an accusation of race hatred or bigotry, whereas it’s only the objection to the preachings of a very extreme and absolutist religion.

Watch out for these symptoms. They are not just symptoms of surrender, very often ecumenically offered to you by men of God in other robes, Christian and Jewish and smarmy ecumenical. These are the ones who hold open the gates for the barbarians. The barbarians never take a city until someone holds the gates open to them. And it’s your own preachers who will do it for you, and your own multicultural authorities who will do it for you.

Resist it while you can. And if you wonder what will happen if you don't, look and see how a cricket team in Middlesex in England had to change its name by force last week because it was called, and had been for years, the Middlesex Crusaders. Look and how stories about little pigs can’t be taught to children in English schools anymore, lest offense be taken by the religions of peace.

Resist it while you can.

-

Starmer: One of the things that's coming up over and over again is Islamophobia and well, you can see by the stats, you can see the numbers rising, particularly since October the 7th, although we shouldn't fall into the trap of thinking that before October the 7th, this was all heading in the right direction. It's been far too high for far too long. Clearly, we need to just say over and over again, Islamophobia is intolerable. It can never, ever be justified and we have to continue with a zero-tolerance approach, and I think there's more we can do in government. There's certainly stuff online, which I think needs tackling much more robustly than it is at the moment.

Q: What I'm hoping, Keir, is your experience as a prosecutor means you'll be thinking about the strategy we can use to make sure we take action against those who break the law.

==

The UK is in very big trouble. There are weekly antisemitic parades through London calling for the eradication of Israel and the Jews, but Starmer's big concern is the imaginary dragon of "Islamophobia." That you are not allowed to oppose or even question Islam or its tenets or its unending and ever escalating demands. That disagreeing with and opposing Islam is itself - or should be - a criminal offence.

Reminder: opposing the imposition of Islamic demand and concessions to fragile Islamic sensibilities is not "bigotry." It's completely reasonable, sensible and necessary.

[tu-es-gegg]

untuk hari bahasa ini, saya cubalah mengajarkan semua tentang sikit budaya melayu dan berkongsi kosa kata juga (ENG TRANSLATION)

(for this language day, I will try to teach a little about Malay culture and share vocabulary as well)

i made the original post detailing some fun stuff abt my culture of being malay (specifically from perspective living as a Malay from Singapore), i want to do an english translation so its more accessible to those who don't speak malay. This isnt an exact translation (plus im adding mroe additonal info) so keep that inmind

FIRST, what is the Malay language? This is an Austronesian language, also the national language in Brunei, Malaysia and Singapore. Malay is usually written in Latin script, also known as Rumi. There is also Jawi script based on Arabic writing. If you want to know (most) letters in Jawi, this is a video stuck in my head from Andalus (I'm bad at writing in Jawi and Arabic too, even though I study, I don't know much;;;)

Malay culture is deeply connected with Muslim culture, that's why a lot of malay festivities and celebrations revolve around the islamic calender. one such celebration is Hari Raya. there are two ceremonies; Aidilfitri and Haji, I will talk about Hari Raya Aidilfitri only because it is close this year and most well known (for context, its litterally in april this year).

The previous month is Ramadan where we fast/puasa. We do not eat from Subuh (around sunrise) to Maghrib (around sunset) (these are two of the names of the prayer times, in Islam we are supposed to pray around 5 times a day during different intervals. it goes Subuh, Zohor, Asar, Maghrib, Isyak). Before dawn, want to eat Sahur and then pray. At Maghrib, want to eat to break the fast/ berbuka puasa (usually say "buka" for short). Also in this month before Aidifilti, the family will prepare by cleaning the house for visitors, buy new baju kurung, get kuih, etc etc.

aaaa there are a lot of kuih, here's anything I can name (many are from Singapore); kuih lapis, kuih salat? ondeh ondeh, kuih bahulu, kuih dadar, BISKUT CORNFLAKES OMG does that count?. there are many more lol.

ALSO! In Singapore, during Ramadan, there is a huge Night Market in Geylang. Not only in Geylang there is a night market but this is very popular. There are MANY stalls selling food. Everyone who buys from geylang night market knows Ramly Burger, deep-fried Oreos, vadai, KEBAB, DENGDENG. (I like to buy rolled ice cream and chicken kebab mmmm)

In Geylang too, they will buy traditional clothes to visit family. Baju kurung (ehh for traditional clothes, women wear baju kurung, men wear baju melayu but the names are the same anyway) is the normal clothing. Often, one household will choose to coordinate colors together (but it's not mandatory, lmao my family doesn't care)

For men, they wear songkok (that flat black hat) and samping (the long scarf wrapping around the waist)

For women, wear a sarong (skirt) with a long top. If desired, will also wear a tudung (type of hijab) (i should also clarify for muslim women its their choice whether they want to habitually wear hijab. its not just specific to just baju kurung. for example i have lots of aunties that dont wear hijab at all meanwhile i have a lot of aunts who do)

Baju kurung is also worn at other festivities, such as weddings

(my whole childhood I attended so many weddings, this is another topic lmaooooo)

On Hari Raya Aidifilti but before going to raya (this is what we generally call going out to see family), close family in will ask for forgiveness. (it's important the forgiveness is not one-sided, the adults will also ask forgiveness from the younger family members too). Usually this is when people start crying. After that, we go RAYA!!! When in someone else's house, if you are not working now, you can get duit raya! (because I grew up in singapore surrounded by chinese influence, I also call this "angpao" too)

OHHHH THERE IS A LOT OF FOOD;;;; My grandmother would cook a lot during Ramadan and Hari Raya. Rendang, lontong, KETUPAT OHHH KETUPAT, CHICKEN CURRY (my mother every aidifitri cooks green chicken curry, FOR HARI RAYA AIDIFITRI ONLY, ohhhhh that's my favorite part, ASBFKASB I'M HUNGRY.)

(theres also like way more cuisine than this, iu havent even mentioned nasi goreng and nasi lemak and briyani and FUCKIGN BEGEDIL;;;;)

ketupat is kind of icon to represent Aidifilti holiday, for example:

other icons of hari raya include: bunga api, neon string lights, bamboo torches, etc.

I love Hari Raya even thoug my feet hurt ALOT after visiting LOTS OF FAMILY AND FRIENDS OH MY GOD:;; it's okay if you take your shoes off in the house somehow your FEET WILL HURT at the end of the day;;;;;;

uhhhh others about malay culture? we have art! A martial art is silat melayu! I don't know much about this but it's great

there is performance art: one example is dikir barat

juga ada permainan, ada yang terkenal ialah wau (kite)

and congkak (like that one club penguin game, mancala, im not kidding)

there are many malay cultures that are also from indonesian culture because of its influence. (Mainly malay culture was influenced by its neighboring cultures such as from Thailand, Sumatra, Java. Malay culture were from Hinduism before then converting to Islam) That's why we have wayang kulit (natively from Java) (a lot of indonesian culture and malay cultures share similar things because of kinda their similar roots and their spread of their own culture, hence why we also have similar dishes, traditonal clothes, even our language is kinda 70% the same)

Do you know; Singapore was discovered by Sang Nila Utama and was originally Malay kingdom (at that time the island was called Temasek before it was owned by the British) (the original indigenous of Singapore are called Orang Laut, litterally translated to "people of the sea"). That is why in Singapore, the language and the national anthem (Majulah Singapura) is in Malay. Singapore is not only for Chinese people, we Malays and Indians are also here;;;

(and im not at all from malaysia god please none of my relatives are. Malaysian is referring to the country, Malay is the language and the ethnic group)

There's a whole lot more I haven't even touched on, like lmao there's a whole thing about weddings and a whole baby shower thing.

theres also a lot of singaporean stuff i want to share i haven't even mentioned singlish but thats a post for another time

[halscafe]

Ramadan Mubarak! ☾

Ramadan Mubarak to all who are observing this beautiful month! InshAllah all your fasts, duas, and prayers are accepted!

However, if you are unsure of what Ramadan is, and/or what is done during it, I have a lil infographic that may help you out (* ^ ω ^).

Sources Ramadan information sheet. Islamic Networks Group (ING). (2023, March 20). Retrieved from https://ing.org/resources/for-all-groups/calendar-of-important-islamic-dates/ramadan-information-sheet/  Ramadan. LearnEnglish. (2023, March 21). Retrieved from https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/general-english/magazine-zone/ramadan 

[eretzyisrael]

By Deborah C. Tyler

Gazan Arabs are the political undead because of the falsity of calling them Palestinians.  The origins of the name “Palestine” are disputed, but it is not disputed that the unbordered desert once called Palestine no longer exists.  The 1948 Israeli War for Independence is not called the Palestinian-Israeli War; it is the Arab-Israeli War.  Arab-Israeli citizens are not called Palestinian-Israelis; they are Arab-Israelis.  The pseudo-national identity of Palestinian was reborn and weaponized in the 1960s, when it became clear the Jews were not going away.  Even when a region called Palestine in English existed, which included Jerusalem, it had no unifying political organization.  (God likes to put sacred sites in dry, difficult places so believers won’t be rushing through prayers to get to the beach.)  In addition to making a few terrorist leaders rich, affixing the defunct identity Palestinian to Gazans guarantees they have no functional political governance, nor do they need one because their special purpose is death to Jews.

Another term that may have outlived its usefulness is the political label “Zionism.”  The connection between Islam and Mecca is not Meccaism; it is Islam.  The connection between the Jews and the biblical Zion is not Zionism; it is the essence of Judaism.

Judaism is the world’s longest running book club.  While Jews don’t do violent conquest, they have enough book-learning to use the right words.  In this heartbreaking moment of never again again, the Israeli government needs to decree that it will officially terminate the use of the term “Palestinian,” will not recognize Palestinian anything, nor enter into agreements, accords, or associations with any entity or persons calling themselves Palestinians.

Post-scarcity abundance resulted in control-by-crumbs socialism and the compensated victimhood of Gazan Dependistan.  There is no God-given right to any material possession, nor an unalienable right for people to live on any land.  All inhabited land has been claimed, conquered, and controlled many times.  The very study of world history is more or less a chronology of military conquest.  Until very recently, life on Earth for most people was a daily struggle for sustenance and survival.  When a people were conquered and their wealth and lands seized, they were neutralized through mass killing or enslavement.  Conquered people who were not considered a threat might be allowed to survive as exploited undesirables among the conquering people.  This has been radically altered by scientific progress, which allowed billions of people to rise above struggling for daily bread.

Among the great advances provided by scientific post-scarcity, one negative is that many able-bodied adults no longer need to work at all.  The Gazans are the first national identity group living off other people’s money in the “Death to Israel” gig economy.

[kodieskhalwa]

It's ironic that I got into Islam right before Ramadan.

Anyways, I've been spending Ramadan by learning more about Islam at my own pace.

There's a free podcast of an English translation of the Quran that I've been listening to. Though, I am most definitely going to have to go back and read the Quran and take notes, as listening has only allowed me to memorize so much (as in only "don't be a disbeliever")

I have not been fasting BECAUSE I actually have a problem with starving myself due to my disabilities.(I do not have an eating disorder) I tend to only eat one meal a day before bed time.

Instead I've been really mindful about eating, and finding myself having an easier time with eating. I can't say I'm eating all that many calories, but I am eating more frequently. I've also gotten a routine down with drinking carnation breakfasts, a meal supplement drink, at least once a day so that's an extra ~220 calories I wasn't getting before. I'm very grateful for all this. I've been struggling for 2 years with not eating. It's just... interesting that during Ramadan I'm starting to gain some footing with eating(which wasn't planned)

If anyone has any.... hmmm.... I'll use the word "liberal" books on Islam, or Queer Islam books they can recommend, I'd love to read them. Anything explaining how Islam can fit into my life without the talks of punishment and fear is really what I'd like to read. Oh and especially a guide on prayer. I'm told there are certain things I have to say for each prayer session, but no one will link me to what those things are!

[maihonhassan]

Two raka’at when you need something and Two raka’at thanking Allah when you get it.

“It will change your life.”

[ritchiepage2001newaccount]

Project2025 #CorpMedia #Oligarchs #MegaBanks vs #Union #Occupy #NoDAPL #BLM #SDF #DACA #MeToo #Humanity #FeelTheBern

JinJiyanAzadi #BijiRojava Rosaries and rifles: Syria Christians take on IS in Raqa [UPDATES]

An ivory-coloured rosary swings from the rearview mirror of Abboud Seryan's pickup truck as he speeds through Syria's Raqa, inspecting the positions of fellow Christian fighters taking on the Islamic State group…

RELATED UPDATE: Seven Days, a Gun, and a Prayer: The Pentagon’s Plan to Pacify Raqqa

RELATED UPDATE: American foreign fighter says he can't cross Iraqi border to come home due to Iranian-backed militias

RELATED UPDATE: Turkey conducts first airstrikes against Efrin in Syria after Russia withdraws troops

RELATED UPDATE: Syriac Military Council plans imminent deployment to defend “our democratic project” in Efrin

RELATED UPDATE: Syriacs celebrate Martyrs' Day in Tirbespiyê

RELATED UPDATE: Syriac Military Council: We are ready to protect our land

RELATED UPDATE: Turkish army and allied mercenaries carried out 91 attacks on Efrin-Shehba in April

RELATED UPDATE: Escalating violations in Syria’s Afrin – 2024 update

FURTHER READING:

[hafizsenadbrkic-blog]

Quran chapter 11 Hud with a new English translation

Translated, written and read by: Sinead Brick Hassen A book of important signs explained by the wise and aware: that you serve no one but God, and I am here to remind you and give you good news. And ask for forgiveness from the lord, then repent to him and he will provide you well until a certain time and will give a blessing to everyone who is blessed. And if they turn away, know that I fear…

[qualcosadelgenere]

A "DESERT LION" NAMES ANALYSIS + name meanings related hcs PT.1

And PT.2 here:

DISCLAIMER: if any of the information reported here is wrong or even just partially incorrect/imprecise, feel free to let me know; as my main sources for this analysis were Wikipedia and baby names sites (lol).

Nasser Mustafa <English Wiki> (Nasir Mustafa/Nasir Mustafà <alternative dub names>):

Nasser Mustafa

The Arabic name Nasser (and his alternative spelling Nasir), means  "granter of victory".

Mustafa is one of the names of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and it means 'chosen', 'selected', 'appointed', 'preferred'. It's used both as a name and a surname.

Headcanons:

From the moment Nasser was born, his parents, family, and tribal clan had great expectations of him. As the only male son of the chief, his name perfectly reflects the high expectations his father and everyone else has for him.

As a result, Nasser's parents' frequent verbal criticism, whenever their unrealistic expectations didn't quite meet reality, began to take a major toll on his psychological well-being from an early age. He began to link his self-worth to his efficiency and capabilities so much that soon negative self-talk, anxiety, and burnout became recurring struggles for him.

Whether it's in school, sports, personal relationships, or generally just life, failing is his worst fear.

He has a complicated relationship with Messer, but other than that he (tries and) gets along with everyone (probably due to his desperate need to be liked and fulfill the expectations his family has, or perhaps because he feels extremely lonely and vulnerable).

___________________________________________ ___ __ _

Far Farouk <English Wiki> (Faraz Farooq <alternative dub names>):

Faraz Farouk

Faraz is a Persian gender neutral name that means “elevation”, and figuratively “one whose condition in life is improving”.

Farouk is an alternative spelling of the Arabic surname Farooq, which literally means "the one who distinguishes between right and wrong."

Headcanons:

He's quite equilibrated in his way of living life.

His parents are kind and generous, as sharing what they have is their biggest joy-bringer. They're proud and supportive of their son's talent in making date cakes and encourage him to explore this culinary passion he possesses.

His father is a doctor and his mother a lawyer and both couldn't care less if their son chooses to pursue a high-status career like their own. They love him and his little sister so much that whatever brings a smile to their children's faces brings a smile to their own.

He was raised to be very objective, not easily swayable by illogical thinking and common opinions.

He's friendly with anyone, but he specifically enjoys hanging out with Musa, Djamel, Messer, and Seiyd.

___________________________________________ ___ __ _

Bjorn Kyle <English Wiki> (a super random name choice imo) (Bilal Kalil/Bilial Kalil <alternative dub names>):

Bilal Kalil

Bilal is both a name and a surname of Arabic/African origin. It's meaning varies from site to site, but the main are "full moon", "moist", "water" and "refreshment". Bilal is also linked to the name of a companion of the prophet Muhammad who became the first person to call Muslims to prayer.

Kalil is a less common variant of the Arabic name/surname Khalil, which means "friend", "companion".

Headcanons:

Bilal is not the friendliest and most approachable guy per se, but once you gain his trust and friendship, you can be sure to have a loyal friend.

His parents are affluent and successful Qatari and they have high expectations for their older son (he has younger twin siblings, a sister, and a brother).

He received the best care while growing up, attended prestigious schools, ate high-quality food, and wore refined clothes. Everything was designed to be perfect, except for one crucial element absent from his flawless lifestyle: his parents' support and unconditional love.

Bjorn always feels like a burden and believes he never lives up to his parents' expectations. Their cold and distant parenting left Bjorn feeling insecure and introverted, and he craves love more than he'd care to admit. The few friends he had growing up were carefully chosen by his family to align with their ambitious and success-driven social circle. They were sons of doctors, politicians, lawyers, etc., and didn't share any of Bjorn's interests or hobbies.

To add fuel to the fire, Bjorn realized early on that he didn't quite have an eye for the opposite sex like his so-called friends had, but needless to say, his environment was far from safe and supportive.

He knows very well what his family's stance on homosexuality is and he's already given up the prospect of living a happy domestic life with someone he actually loves a long time ago. He's terrified of what kind of consequences his eventual coming out would bring and prefers to behave under what he thinks is cowardice, rather than die at his parents' hands.

If he were to choose who he's closer to he'd probably pick Nasser and Zack.

He sympathizes deeply with the first, due to how similar their parents are in terms of how fake they are in loving and caring for them.

He thinks of him and Zack as like the moon and the sun. Zack is the sun in Bjorn's eyes because he's a whirlwind of pure warm energy, easy to be around, and genuine, as opposed to the kids he was forced to befriend. Whenever the darkness threatens to eat Bjorn alive, Zack becomes a beacon of light capable of leading the way out with his uninhibited optimism.

When he's with the Moroccan, the Qatari-born has finally the fleeting sensation of being free and safe.

___________________________________________ ___ __ _

Djamel Djammadu <English Wiki> (Jamila Wali/Jamel Jamald <alternative dub names>):

Djamel Jammal

Djamel is the North African variant of the Arabic given name Jamil, which means "beauty", "radiant" and "handsome".

(Jamila is the feminine form of the masculine Arabic given name Jamil, and Jamel is very likely another variation or transliteration of the latter.)

Wali is a name based on Arabic short form of Wali Allah "friend of God", "protector". However, this surname is more common in Kashmiri Pundits than in Muslims.

(The surname Djammadu doesn't even exist on the internet, and Jamald, again, is possibly just another variation of the name Jamil. The only other surname I could find something about is Jammal; from the Arabic personal name Jammāl meaning "camel driver").

Headcanons:

Djamel, the youngest of five siblings, has been spoiled rotten by his family and neighbors. His cuteness has definitely played a part, but he is also a very social kid, as he enjoys interacting with people.

Adults around him are always surprised when he engages in conversations about their country's economy and tourist industry, with extreme ease. He dislikes it so much when people automatically assume that just because he's young, he doesn't have the ability to talk confidently about certain matters.

Camels are his favorite animals, and because of this preference, he and Zack quickly became friends. Djamel is greatly interested and fascinated by his teammate's knowledge of such creatures, even though they don't get to speak about it often as Zack usually cuts the whole conversation short, as if embarrassed to be overheard talking about such things. Weird.

The teammates he's closer to are Zack, Far, Rajab, and Majidi.

___________________________________________ ___ __ _

Musa Sirer <English Wiki> (Musa Sylla/Musa Saila <alternative dub names>):

Musa Sylla

Musa is a male name of Semitic origin, it's associated with the biblical Hebrew name Moses. In Arabic it takes the meaning of "saved from drowning".

Sylla is a surname prevalently found in Guinea, from the name of the Sylla clan of the Soninke people, it can be interpreted as meaning 'horse people'.

Headcanons:

He can't swim for shit, lol. His parents tried when he was a toddler, but he just couldn't bring himself to stay calm when surrounded by water up to his ears.

On the other hand, he loves horses and knows a scary amount of facts about them. Just make the mistake of asking him about it, it's basically a hyperfixation.

When he was little and went to visit his grandparents every few months, his grandad would happily let him ride one of the most beautiful Arabian horses on their farm, as his grandparents used to own a stable for equestrian purposes. Musa never forgot his equine best friend once he passed away and that's how his love for these animals began growing. He'd love to have a stable of his own someday.

He considers Khalfan his best friend on the team. Another good friend of his is Yusuf, along with Far, and Seiyd.

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Yusuf M'hadi <English Wiki> (Yusuf Massoud/Yusuf Mahadei <alternative dub names>):

Yusuf Massoud

Yusuf is a male name meaning "God increases". It's the Arabic equivalent of the Hebrew name Yosef and the English name Joseph.

Massoud is an Arabic/Persian given name and surname meaning "happy", "fortunate", "lucky" and "prosperous".

Headcanons:

Yusuf is a happy-go-lucky person known to have disarming luck in everything he does.

He gets homesick very easily and can get quite anxious when change is involved.

His parents rooted in him a deep connection with Qatari cultural traditions, and sometimes that can lead to high expectations he holds for those around him (especially con-nationals) that don't get met.

Such misunderstandings bring some issues as he relates to others, especially with free-spirited and more Western-oriented teammates. More than once he feels the pull to "correct" the behavior of some of them when they act in a way that by his standards (often religious driven) is wrong and borders on being immoral.

But then again, he knows better than to do that (on one occasion he said the wrong thing to the right person, at the wrong moment, and by the end of the whirlwind of carefully crafted insults and harsh accusations of hypocrisy his comment triggered, Yusuf ended up crying his eyes out in his room out of embarrassment).

He's really close to Khalfan, Seiyd, and Far. He also enjoys the company of Nasser and Musa. He doesn't enjoy the infamous teammate's company anymore, but they used to be on good terms.

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Sulai Sulaiman <English Wiki> (Sulayk Sulaiman/Sly Salomon/Sly Sulayman <alternative dub names>):

Sulayk Sulaiman

Sulayk is an Arabic given name that means "traveller" and "walker".

(Sulai and Sly are not even actual names according to what little information I could find about them. Other smilar Arabic names I've found are Sulay and Suli, but apparently they're both female given names.)

Sulaiman is one of the many English transliteration of the Arabic name/surname Suleiman. It means "peaceful" and "man of peace" and corresponds to the Jewish name, Shlomoh, and the English one, Solomon.

Headcanons:

He's the sweetest guy you'll ever meet, always generous and considerate. He's non-confrontational, often trying to mediate or defuse fights when they break out.

He dreams of traveling around the world and plans to go on an exchange program abroad during his last year in preparatory school (Qatari public school service from age 13 to 15) and who knows; if he really likes the place maybe even for uni.

The sea has always fascinated him since he was a toddler, and whenever he can, he likes to spend his days at Khor Al Adaid (Inland Sea), a renowned tourist attraction located in the southeast of Qatar, where the sand dunes meet the sea.

I also have a hc about his ethnicity that I developed a few years ago when I first started to get into Desert Lion.

In my setting, he is originally Palestinian, born in Nazareth, and his family is of Arab-Christian descent. However, that never stopped him from befriending Adel, whose family is devoted to Islam. Even though their families follow different beliefs, they bonded quickly.

Zack is hilarious, but annoying when he bypasses boundaries for the sake of a joke. Nasser is super nice but also too stressed out and Bjorn is a good friend, yet sometimes he turns cold and ignores you for no apparent reason. That kinda hurts, but oh well!

Sulai gets along well pretty much with everybody on the team.

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Seiyd Armand <English Wiki> (Sayid Armand/Seid Armand <alternative dub names>):

Sayid Armand

Sayid is an alternative spelling of the name Sa'id, which means "blessed", "good luck", "joy" or "happy" and "patient".

Armand (Armand is a French name/surname, the closest Arabic (Persian) name/surname is Arman, meaning “wish” and “hope.”).

Headcanons:

He is a patient person and usually maintains a good mood that is hard to spoil, tending to see the bright side of things, and having a very positive attitude toward life.

The relationship with his family, namely with his French-born father, is strained due to how contrasting their outlooks on life are. That is, much to his dismay because Seiyd's family is well-known around their hometown for their chronic pessimism.

Seiyd spends most of his time arguing with his overly dramatic father over daily events and how much his apparent bad luck influenced them.

If there's one thing Seiyd is not neutral about is how much he dislikes fatalistic individuals. However, it's not like he can just get rid of his own family, especially because despite all that negativity they seem to possess, he loves them to the moon and back.

Seiyd and Talal are really close friends. He also has a strong bond with Far, Bjorn, and Musa.

[islamiccareer]

Today is World Arabic Language Day.

Today is December 18. World Arabic Language Day. Since 2012, the day is celebrated every year on 18 December under the initiative of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, or UNESCO. 

 This year the theme of the day is 'Arabic Language and Artificial Intelligence: Advancing Innovation in Cultural Heritage Preservation.'.

 On this day in 1973, Arabic became the sixth official language of the United Nations. The day is designated to celebrate Arabic Language Day, like the other official languages of the United Nations (English, French, Spanish, Chinese, Russian).

 Every year UNESCO headquarters organizes discussions, cultural programs, and exhibitions on the occasion of the day. In continuation of this, it is being held at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, the capital of France, in collaboration with the Saudi charity Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Foundation.

 The Arabic language is one of the most spoken languages in the world today. In addition to 25 countries of the Arab world, it is used as an official language in many countries of the world. It is used as the language of the Holy Quran of Islam, Hadith, and the writings of Muslim thinkers and scientists. Even after thousands of years, the Arabic language is shining in its glory till today.

Also read:

- The sin of not performing the obligatory prayers.

- How to be happy.

- Fajr prayer is most beneficial prayer.

[pinene]

ok so. question about Islam/translation!

i feel like whenever I encounter Islamic texts or prayers in English they always say Allah but not God, but also I've read on here that Allah just means god in Arabic and like, Arabic-speaking Christians would use the same word.

does anyone know why it's predominantly transliterated? i'm very curious!

[pillarboxed]

One of Those Days When Hemme Dies (2024) Review

Director: Murat Fıratoğlu

Runtime: 82 minutes

Language(s): Turkish audio; English subtitles

Certification: PG13 (Singapore; some coarse language)

One of Those Days When Hemme Dies feels very much like an adaptation of Abbas Kiarostami’s Where is the Friend’s House?

In Kiarostami’s film, young Ahmad goes on a mission to return a misplaced school notebook to his friend. If this friend doesn’t present his completed homework in the notebook tomorrow, he’ll be expelled. Other than the village, Ahmad doesn’t know where his friend lives. So, he runs around asking others, mostly adults, for help. Nobody manages to provide much of it. Even if they do give some clues as to where his friend might be, Ahmad still ends up wandering through long, winding paths and up and down inclines and slopes. Most frustratingly, the adults barely seem to be listening to him.

In Fıratoğlu’s film, Eyüp (played by Fıratoğlu himself) sets off to shoot his eponymous supervisor, Hemme. Despite repeatedly reminding Hemme about wages, it’s been fifteen days since Eyüp and his fellow tomato harvest workers have received any. One of the workers reminds Eyüp that Hemme is just an employee too, so the wages aren’t in his control, but Eyüp is desperate. He has one last day to repay a debt. I get the sense that unlike Ahmad, Eyüp knows where to go. The issue is about actually getting there.

Eyüp’s motorbike is the first obstacle in getting to Hemme. It keeps dying. So, Eyüp is forced to dismount every so often and run with the bike. He eventually gives up on it, leaving it by the side of a road as the adhan, the Islamic call to prayer, sounds from a distance.

The adhan is a repeating motif throughout the film. In Islam, there are five obligatory daily prayers, and the start of each prayer period is announced with the adhan. These prayers act as reminders of God; as reminders to obey Him. Which entails not taking a life unjustly.

The first time we hear the adhan is during the scene in which he leaves his bike by the side of the road. But before doing this, he pauses, just standing there on barren land, framed in an extreme wide shot. (This is one of the film’s many long takes.) Though we never see Eyüp pray, I like to think that hearing the adhan still gave him pause.

The people that Eyüp meets along his journey is the second obstacle in getting to Hemme. However, Eyüp’s situation is almost the opposite to Ahmad’s in Friend’s House. While Ahmad is usually treated coldly or harshly—especially by adults he knows—Eyüp is often smothered with hospitality, not only by acquaintances but strangers too.

Over and over again, Eyüp is invited to join others: for a meal, for a snack, for some conversation. Over and over again, he insists that he’s “late for work” (is he actually?) but somewhat gives in to their hospitable demands in the end. When an elderly man sitting in an alley asks for help with carrying a watermelon back home, Eyüp keeps walking on at first—then returns, unable to ignore the request. The two then shuffle on to the old man’s house with the heavy fruit and linked arms. At the house, the old man insists that Eyüp have some watermelon.

The sequence with the old man strikes me as the most reminiscent of Friend’s House, which also contains a sequence featuring an old man winding through alleys with the protagonist.

With respect to mise en scène, both sequences use wide shots containing leading lines formed by the sandy-hued walls of the winding alleys. With respect to narrative technique, both use the event of accompanying the old man to build tension. Naturally, he can’t walk fast, so the protagonist must slow down despite the urge to race ahead.

And sure enough, Semih Yıldız mentions Kiarostami in IndieWire’s survey of cinematographers with films screening at the Venice Film Festival 2024: “When I first read Murat Fıratoğlu’s script […], the world in which the story takes place reminded me of the minimal cinematic language of Abbas Kiarostami”.

However, the tension that builds in One of Those Days feels more comedic than in Friend’s House. For someone who seems quite determined to shoot a person, it’s ironic that Eyüp can’t bring himself to be impolite to others. It’s somewhat absurd. So, the tension in Fıratoğlu’s film was enjoyable while it was frustrating in Kiarostami’s.

One of Those Days When Hemme Dies feels very much like an adaptation of Abbas Kiarostami’s Where is the Friend’s House?: a Turkish, more adult, and more entertaining adaptation. 

Rating: 4/5

Thank you to SGIFF for the Cinephile Pass and for the screening of One of Those Days When Hemme Dies.