#usman malik

[have-you-read-this-short-fiction]

"City of Red Midnight: A Hikayat" is available to read here (NOTE: Submitter has added TWs for depictions of spousal abuse and misogyny in this text. Read at your own risk.)

[brokehorrorfan]

The End of the World As We Know It: New Tales of Stephen King's The Stand will be published in hardcover and e-book on August 19, 2025 via Gallery Books.

Edited by Christopher Golden and Brian Keene, the anthology features 34 short stories based on The Stand. It includes an introduction by Stephen King, a foreword by Golden, and an afterword by Keene.

Contributors include Wayne Brady & Maurice Broaddus, Poppy Z. Brite, Somer Canon, C. Robert Cargill, Nat Cassidy, V. Castro, Richard Chizmar, S.A. Cosby, Tananarive Due & Steven Barnes, Meg Gardiner, Gabino Iglesias, Jonathan Janz, Alma Katsu, Caroline Kepnes, Michael Koryta, Sarah Langan, Joe R. Lansdale, Tim Lebbon, Josh Malerman, Ronald Malfi, Usman T. Malik, Premee Mohamed, Cynthia Pelayo, Hailey Piper, David J. Schow, Alex Segura, Bryan Smith, Paul Tremblay, Catherynne M. Valente, Bev Vincent, Catriona Ward, Chuck Wendig, Wrath James White, and Rio Youers.

Since its initial publication in 1978, The Stand has been considered Stephen King’s seminal masterpiece of apocalyptic fiction, with millions of copies sold and adapted twice for television. Although there are other extraordinary works exploring the unraveling of human society, none have been as influential as this iconic novel—generations of writers have been impacted by its dark yet ultimately hopeful vision of the end and new beginning of civilization, and its stunning array of characters. Now for the first time, Stephen King has fully authorized a return to the harrowing world of The Stand through this original short story anthology as presented by award-winning authors and editors Christopher Golden and Brian Keene. Bringing together some of today’s greatest and most visionary writers, The End of the World As We Know It features unforgettable, all-new stories set during and after (and some perhaps long after) the events of The Stand—brilliant, terrifying, and painfully human tales that will resonate with readers everywhere as an essential companion to the classic, bestselling novel.

Pre-order The End of the World As We Know It.

[goosemixtapes]

max's favorite short stories & articles!

to be updated as i read new things! "articles" could be anything from political points to philosophical musings to fascinating stories. obligatory statement that i don't necessarily agree with everything in every one of these stories/articles, but i think about them a lot and want to share :)

short stories

Avi Cantor Has Six Months To Live by Sacha Lamb (@kuttithevangu) (novella) (so says the writing on the bathroom mirror. of gender & judaism & magic and t4t trans guys. cw for suicidal ideation and bullying)

Epistolary by Sascha Lamb ("The [stuffed] frog you are selling on your blog is MINE and he is NOT HAUNTED and his name is MOSHE not BILLY HOPPER.")

Chokechain by Andrew Joseph White (a trans man discovers his parents have replaced him with a robot version of his pretransition self. cw for transphobia and violence)

Sandrine by Alexandra Munck (the tagline for this one is "I dated a sun god in college" but that doesn't do justice to the sheer concept here please read this)

You Wouldn't Have Known About Me by Calvin Gimpelevich (set in a hospital ward where patients are recovering from gender-confirming surgery)

No Flight Without the Shatter by Brooke Bolander (novella) ("After the world’s end, the last young human learns a final lesson from Earth’s remaining animals." cw for climate change/extinction)

And You Shall Know Her By The Trail Of Dead by Brooke Bolander (what if you had to death-match-fight a virtual version of yourself at your meanest made by your boyfriend whose life you're trying to save would that be fucked up or what. cws for guns and violence)

Hell is the Absence of God by Ted Chiang (stories that clock you in the fucking teeth in the religious trauma.)

A Serpent for Each Year by Tamara Jerée (microfiction) ("Our relationship is almost a year old when I ask Nal why she is covered in snakes." cw for animal death)

The Front Line by W.C. Dunlap (microfiction) (cited as one of the world's finest attention-grabber openings. cws for police brutality, racism, and SA)

Welcome to Your Authentic Indian Experience by Rebecca Roanhorse (step into the simulation and gain an authentic experience! cws for anti-Native racism and alcohol)

The Husband Stitch by Carmen Maria Machado (one of the best stories ever written. once there was a girl with a green ribbon around her neck...)

City of Red Midnight by Usman T. Malik (a chronicle of nested stories-within-stories, set in old fantasy pakistan, inverting a myth from the one hundred and one nights)

We Work In Miraculous Cages by Brenda Peynado (following a college grad drowning in loans through the nightmare of neverending work)

Other Worlds and This One by Cadwell Turnbull (a brotherly relationship collides with a theory about atomic particles, space, and time)

And Then There Were (N-One) by Sarah Pinsker (a convention of alternate-universe selves--all Sarah Pinskers--becomes a murder mystery)

Fandom For Witches by Ruoxi Chen (fuck every other thing ever written about fandom)

Haunted Home by Conrad Loyer ("The ship features a recreation of a slave ship’s hold. The cruise prides itself on it. It is not a good recreation, if the metric is realism.")

articles & essays

Lockhart's Lament (on how math is taught in schools. that is, badly. one of the most cathartic essays i've ever read on education)

Against Cop Shit by Jeffrey Moro (on adversarial education)

Debunking "Trans Women Are Not Women" Arguments by Julia Serano (comprehensive, well-written, good to have as a reference point)

On Liking Women by Andrea Long Chu (and on the politics of desire)

Turning a Unicorn Into a Bat by Josh and Lolly Weed (on Mormonism, love, and whether a gay man and a straight woman can marry happily. cw for homophobia)

Laziness Does Not Exist by Devon Price (musings on motivation from a social psychologist and professor)

How Millennials Became the Burnout Generation by Anne Helen Peterson (how come everything happens so much?)

White Women Drive Me Crazy by Aisha Mirza (on the harm caused by white women. cw for racism)

Everything You Know About Obesity Is Wrong by Michael Hobbes (should be required reading for everyone at this point. cw for fatphobia and eating disorders)

Becoming Anne Frank by Dara Horn (on the cultural fascination with Anne Frank. cw for antisemitism)

The Ecstasy of Influence by Jonathan Lethem ([on/a] plagiarism)

On the Ethics of Boinking Animal People by Patricia Taxxon (video essay) (ostensibly what the title says, but actually a detailed musing on the essential properties of furry media and the freedom of dehumanization; changed my life a bit)

[gebo4482]

THE GLASSWORKER | Official English Trailer

Dir: Usman Riaz Star: Art Malik / Sacha Dhawan / Anjli Mohindra

Website

[briankeene]

F.A.Q. The End Of The World As We Know It: Tales From Stephen King’s The Stand

What follows are the Frequently Asked Questions for THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT: TALES OF STEPHEN KING’S THE STAND — a forthcoming anthology edited by myself and Christopher Golden. Please bookmark this page and check back from time to time, as I will update things as they develop.

Q: What is this, exactly?

A: An original short story anthology based on master storyteller Stephen King’s #1 New York Times bestselling classic The Stand!

Since its initial publication in 1978, The Stand has been considered Stephen King’s seminal masterpiece of apocalyptic fiction, with millions of copies sold and adapted twice for television. Although there are other extraordinary works exploring the unraveling of human society, none have been as influential as this iconic novel—generations of writers have been impacted by its dark yet ultimately hopeful vision of the end and new beginning of civilization, and its stunning array of characters.

Now for the first time, Stephen King has fully authorized a return to the harrowing world of The Stand through this original short story anthology as presented by award-winning authors and editors Christopher Golden and Brian Keene. Bringing together some of today’s greatest and most visionary writers, The End of the World As We Know It features unforgettable, all-new stories set during and after (and some perhaps long after) the events of The Stand—brilliant, terrifying, and painfully human tales that will resonate with readers everywhere as an essential companion to the classic, bestselling novel.

Q: Who is in the book?

A: Featuring an introduction by Stephen King, a foreword by Christopher Golden, and an afterword by Brian Keene. Contributors include Wayne Brady and Maurice Broaddus, Poppy Z. Brite, Somer Canon, C. Robert Cargill, Nat Cassidy, V. Castro, Richard Chizmar, S. A. Cosby, Tananarive Due and Steven Barnes, Meg Gardiner, Gabino Iglesias, Jonathan Janz, Alma Katsu, Caroline Kepnes, Michael Koryta, Sarah Langan, Joe R. Lansdale, Tim Lebbon, Josh Malerman, Ronald Malfi, Usman T. Malik, Premee Mohamed, Cynthia Pelayo, Hailey Piper, David J. Schow, Alex Segura, Bryan Smith, Paul Tremblay, Catherynne M. Valente, Bev Vincent, Catriona Ward, Chuck Wendig, Wrath James White, and Rio Youers.

Q: Who is the publisher?

A: Gallery Books, a division of Simon & Schuster, are publishing the hardcover, paperback, eBook, and audiobook editions in North America. Various foriegn language editions will be published by various foreign publishers.

Q: So there will be hardcover, paperback, eBook, and audiobook editions?

A: Yes. The hardcover and the eBook are already up for preorder via Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and all other booksellers. (Note: as of 10/16/24 Amazon’s hardcover link does not yet work, so check back often or use a different bookseller). You can also preorder from Overlook Connection and get a limited edition dust jacket by Glenn Chadbourne, as well as other cool collectibles.

Q: What’s the cost?

A: The hardcover is listed at $35. The eBook is listed at $16.99. The hardcover that comes with the extra dust jacket from Overlook is $69.95.

Q: Will there be a signed limited edition or a special collector’s edition of some kind?

A: Probably, but it is too early to say for sure.

Q: You listed the contributors above. Anything more you can tell us about the actual stories?

A: Sure. The book is split into four parts. Part One takes place during the initial spread of Captain Trips and the dreams. Part Two takes place between the migrations to Boulder and Las Vegas and the Hand of God moment. Part Three takes place after the conclusion of the novel, detailing the world in the decades that follow. And Part Four takes place… well, that would involve major spoilers.

Here is the finalized Table of Contents:

Foreword by Christopher Golden

Introduction by Stephen King

PART ONE: DOWN WITH THE SICKNESS

Room 24 by Caroline Kepnes The Tripps by Wrath James White Bright Light City by Meg Gardiner Every Dog Has Its Day by Bryan Smith Lockdown by Bev Vincent In A Pig’s Eye by Joe R. Lansdale Lenora by Jonathan Janz The Hope Boat by Gabino Iglesias Wrong Fucking Place, Wrong Fucking Time by C. Robert Cargill Prey Instinct by Hailey Piper Grace by Tim Lebbon Moving Day by Richard Chizmar La Mala Horla by Alex Segura The African Painted Dog by Catriona Ward Till Human Voices Wake Us, And We Drown by Poppy Z. Brite Kovach’s Last Case by Michael Koryta Make Your Own Way by Alma Katsu

PART TWO: THE LONG WALK

I Love The Dead by Josh Malerman Milagros by Cynthia Pelayo The Legion of Swine by S.A. Cosby Keep The Devil Down by Rio Youers Across The Pond by V Castro The Boat Man by Tananarive Due and Steven Barnes The Story I Tell Is the Story of Some of Us by Paul Tremblay The Mosque at the End of the World by Usman T. Malik Abigail’s Gethsemane by Wayne Brady and Maurice Broaddus

PART THREE: LIFE WAS SUCH A WHEEL

He’s A Righteous Man by Ronald Malfi Awaiting Orders In Flaggston by Somer Canon Grand Junction by Chuck Wendig Hunted to Extinction by Premee Mohamed Came The Last Night of Sadness by Catherynne M. Valente The Devil’s Children by Sarah Langan

PART FOUR: OTHER WORLDS THAN THESE

Walk On Gilded Splinters by David J. Schow The Unfortunate Convalescence of the SuperLawyer by Nat Cassidy

Afterword by Brian Keene

[witchyfashion]

With a breathtaking array of original stories from around the world, P. Djèlí Clark, Amal El Mohtar, Garth Nix, Darcie Little Badger, Sheree Renée Thomas, and two dozen other fantasy and science fiction geniuses bring a new and exciting twist to one of the most beloved figures in fiction, witches, in never-before-seen works written exclusively for The Book of Witches, compiled by award-winning editor Jonathan Strahan and illustrated by award-nominated artist Alyssa Winans.

Witches! Whether you know them from Shakespeare or from Wicked, there is no staple more beloved in folklore, fairy tale, or fantasy than these magical beings. Witches are everywhere, and at the heart of stories that resonate with many people around the world. This dazzling, otherworldly collection gathers new stories of witches from all walks of life, ensuring a Halloween readers will never forget. Whether they be maiden, mother, crone, or other; funny, fierce, light and airy, or dark and disturbing; witches are a vital part of some of the greatest stories we have, and new ones start here!

Bringing together twenty-nine stories and poems from some of the greatest science fiction and fantasy writers working today, including three tales from a BIPOC-only open submission period, The Book of Witches features Linda Addison, C.L. Clark, P Djeli Clark, Indrapramit Das, Amal El Mohtar, Andrea Hairston, Millie Ho, Saad Hossain, Kathleen Jennings, Alaya Dawn Johnson, Cassandra Khaw, Fonda Lee, Darcie Little Badger, Ken Liu, Usman T. Malik, Maureen F. McHugh, Premee Mohamed, Garth Nix, Tobi Ogundiran, Tochi Onyebuchi, Miyuki Jane Pinckard, Kelly Robson, Angela Slatter, Andrea Stewart, Emily Teng, Sheree Renée Thomas, Tade Thompson, and E. Lily Yu—and contains illustrations from three-time Hugo award-nominated artist Alyssa Winans throughout. This extraordinary anthology vividly breathes life into one of the most captivating and feared magical sorceresses and will become a treasured keepsake for fans of fantasy, science fiction, and fairy tales everywhere.

https://amzn.to/48Loftf

[yousaythatsooften]

From the Vaporization Enthalpy of a Peculiar Pakistani Family by Usman T. Malik

[ash-and-books]

Rating: 4/5

Book Blurb: With a breathtaking array of original stories from around the world, P. Djèlí Clark, Amal El Mohtar, Garth Nix, Darcie Little Badger, Sheree Renée Thomas, and two dozen other fantasy and science fiction geniuses bring a new and exciting twist to one of the most beloved figures in fiction, witches, in never-before-seen works written exclusively for The Book of Witches, compiled by award-winning editor Jonathan Strahan and illustrated by award-nominated artist Alyssa Winans.Witches! 

Whether you know them from Shakespeare or from Wicked, there is no staple more beloved in folklore, fairy tale, or fantasy than these magical beings. Witches are everywhere, and at the heart of stories that resonate with many people around the world. This dazzling, otherworldly collection gathers new stories of witches from all walks of life, ensuring a Halloween readers will never forget. Whether they be maiden, mother, crone, or other; funny, fierce, light and airy, or dark and disturbing; witches are a vital part of some of the greatest stories we have, and new ones start here!Bringing together twenty-nine stories and poems from some of the greatest science fiction and fantasy writers working today, including three tales from a BIPOC-only open submission period, The Book of Witches features Linda Addison, C.L. Clark, P Djeli Clark, Indrapramit Das, Amal El Mohtar, Andrea Hairston, Millie Ho, Saad Hossain, Kathleen Jennings, Alaya Dawn Johnson, Cassandra Khaw, Fonda Lee, Darcie Little Badger, Ken Liu, Usman T. Malik, Maureen F. McHugh, Premee Mohammed, Garth Nix, Tobi Ogundiran, Tochi Onyebuchi, Miyuki Jane Pinckard, Kelly Robson, Angela Slatter, Andrea Stewart, Emily Teng, Sheree Renée Thomas, Tade Thompson, and E. Lily Yu—and contains illustrations from three-time Hugo award-nominated artist Alyssa Winans throughout. This extraordinary anthology vividly breathes life into one of the most captivating and feared magical sorceresses and will become a treasured keepsake for fans of fantasy, science fiction, and fairy tales everywhere.

Review:

A collection of witchy stories from various authors all taking their own spin on a witch. This was a fun collection of stories, perfect for anyone who enjoys a witchy read. This anthology is packed with stories and will definitely keep you entertained as you go through them. Some of my favorite stories from the books were written by Cassandra Khaw, Fonda Lee, Angela Slatter and Andrew Stewert!

*Thanks Netgalley and Random House Children's, Random House Books for Young Readers for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

[setiawan-dot-blog]

Tafsir Al-Fātiḥah Ayat 1

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ

Tafsir Ringkas Kemenag

Aku memulai bacaan Al-Qur'an dengan menyebut nama Allah, nama teragung bagi satu-satunya Tuhan yang patut disembah, yang memiliki seluruh sifat kesempurnaan dan tersucikan dari segala bentuk kekurangan, Yang Maha Pengasih, Pemilik dan sumber sifat kasih Yang menganugerahkan segala macam karunia, baik besar maupun kecil, kepada seluruh makhluk, Maha Penyayang Yang tiada henti memberi kasih dan kebaikan kepada orang-orang yang beriman. Memulai setiap pekerjaan dengan menyebut nama Allah (basmalah) akan mendatangkan keberkahan, dan dengan mengingat Allah dalam setiap pekerjaan, seseorang akan memiliki kekuatan spiritual untuk melakukan yang terbaik dan menghindar dari keburukan.

Tafsir Tahlili

Surah al-Fātiḥah dimulai dengan Basmalah (بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم).

Ada beberapa pendapat ulama berkenaan dengan Basmalah yang terdapat pada permulaan surah Al-Fātiḥah. Di antara pendapat-pendapat itu, yang termasyhur ialah:

1. Basmalah adalah ayat tersendiri, diturunkan Allah untuk jadi kepala masing-masing surah, dan pembatas antara satu surah dengan surah yang lain. Jadi dia bukanlah satu ayat dari al-Fātiḥah atau dari surah yang lain, yang dimulai dengan Basmalah itu. Ini pendapat Imam Malik beserta ahli qiraah dan fuqaha (ahli fikih) Medinah, Basrah dan Syam, dan juga pendapat Imam Abu Hanifah dan pengikut-pengikutnya. Sebab itu menurut Imam Abu Hanifah, Basmalah itu tidak dikeraskan membacanya dalam salat, bahkan Imam Malik tidak membaca Basmalah sama sekali.

Hadis Nabi saw:

عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ قَالَ: ḍصَلَّيْتُ خَلْفَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَأَبِي بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ وَعُثْمَانَ فَكَانُوْا يَسْتَفْتِحُوْنَ بِالْحَمْدِ للهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِيْنَ لَا يَذْكُرُوْنَ بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ فِي أَوَّلِ قِرَاءَةٍ وَلَا فِي آخِرِهَا». (رواه الشيخان واللفظ لمسلم)

Dari Anas bin Malik, dia berkata, “Saya salat di belakang Nabi saw, Abu Bakar, Umar dan Usman. Mereka memulai dengan al-ḥamdulillāhi rabbil ‘ālamīn, tidak menyebut Bismillāhirraḥmānirrahīm di awal bacaan, dan tidak pula di akhirnya.”(Riwayat al-Bukhārī dan Muslim).

2. Basmalah adalah salah satu ayat dari al-Fātiḥah, dan pada surah an-Naml/27:30, اِنَّهُ مِنْ سُلَيْمَانَ وَاِنَّهُ بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ (النمل/27:30) yang dimulai dengan Basmalah. Ini adalah pendapat Imam Syafi'i beserta ahli qiraah Mekah dan Kufah. Sebab itu menurut mereka Basmalah itu dibaca dengan suara keras dalam salat (jahar). Dalil-dalil yang menunjukkan hal itu antara lain Hadis Nabi saw:

عَنْ ابن عباس قال: كانَ رَسُوْلُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَجْهَرُ بِبِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ (رواه الحاكم فى المستدرك وقال صحيح)

Dari Ibnu ‘Abbās, ia berkata, Rasulullah saw mengeraskan bacaan Bismillāhirrahmānirrahīm. (Riwayat al-Ḥākim dalam al-Mustadrak dan menurutnya, hadis ini sahih)

عَنْ اُمِّ سَلَمَةَ قَالَتْ كَانَ رَسُوْلُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يُقَطِّعُ قِرَاءَتَهُ بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ، اَلْحَمْدُ ِللهِ رَبِّ اْلعَالَمِيْنَ، الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ، مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّيْنِ. (رواه أحمد وابو داود وابن خزيمة والحاكم وقال الدار قطنى: سنده صحيح)

Dari Ummu Salamah, katanya, Rasulullah saw berhenti berkali-kali dalam bacaanya Bismillāhirrahmānirrahīm, al-Ḥamdulillāhi Rabbil- ‘Ālamīn, ar-Raḥmānir-raḥīm, Māliki Yaumid-dīn. (Riwayat Aḥmad, Abu Dāud, Ibnu Khuzaimah dan al-Ḥākim. Menurut ad-Dāruquṭnī, sanad hadis ini sahih).

Abu Hurairah juga salat dan mengeraskan bacaan basmalah. Setelah selesai salat, dia berkata, “Saya ini adalah orang yang salatnya paling mirip dengan Rasulullah.” Muawiyah juga pernah salat di Medinah tanpa mengeraskan suara basmalah. Ia diprotes oleh para sahabat lain yang hadir disitu. Akhirnya pada salat berikutnya Muawiyah mengeraskan bacaan basmalah.

Kalau kita perhatikan bahwa sahabat-sahabat Rasulullah saw telah sependapat menuliskan Basmalah pada permulaan surah dari surah Al-Qur’an, kecuali surah at-Taubah (karena memang dari semula turunnya tidak dimulai dengan Basmalah) dan bahwa Rasulullah saw melarang menuliskan sesuatu yang bukan Al-Qur’an agar tidak bercampur aduk dengan Al-Qur’an, sehingga mereka tidak menuliskan ‘āmīn’ pada akhir surah al-Fātiḥah, maka Basmalah itu adalah salah satu ayat dari Al-Qur’an. Dengan kata lain, bahwa “basmalah-basmalah” yang terdapat di dalam Al-Qur’an adalah ayat-ayat Al-Qur’an, lepas dari pendapat apakah satu ayat dari al-Fātiḥah atau dari surah lain, yang dimulai dengan Basmalah atau tidak.

Sebagaimana disebutkan di atas bahwa surah al-Fātiḥah itu terdiri dari tujuh ayat. Mereka yang berpendapat bahwa Basmalah itu tidak termasuk satu ayat dari al-Fātiḥah, memandang:

غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوْبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّاۤلِّيْنَ

adalah salah satu ayat, dengan demikian ayat-ayat al-Fātiḥah itu tetap tujuh.

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ

“Dengan nama Allah” maksudnya “Dengan nama Allah saya baca atau saya mulai”. Seakan-akan Nabi berkata, “Saya baca surah ini dengan menyebut nama Allah, bukan dengan menyebut nama saya sendiri, sebab ia wahyu dari Tuhan, bukan dari saya sendiri.” Maka Basmalah di sini mengandung arti bahwa Al-Qur’an itu wahyu dari Allah, bukan karangan Muhammad saw dan Muhammad itu hanyalah seorang Pesuruh Allah yang dapat perintah menyampaikan Al-Qur’an kepada manusia.

Makna kata Allāh

Allah adalah nama bagi Zat yang ada dengan sendirinya (wājibul-wujūd). Kata “Allah” hanya dipakai oleh bangsa Arab kepada Tuhan yang sebenarnya, yang berhak disembah, yang mempunyai sifat-sifat kesempurnaan. Mereka tidak memakai kata itu untuk tuhan-tuhan atau dewa-dewa mereka yang lain.

Hikmah Membaca Basmalah

Seorang yang selalu membaca Basmalah sebelum melakukan pekerjaan yang penting, berarti ia selalu mengingat Allah pada setiap pekerjaannya. Dengan demikian ia akan melakukan pekerjaan tersebut dengan selalu memperhatikan norma-norma Allah dan tidak merugikan orang lain. Dampaknya, pekerjaan yang dilakukannya akan berbuah sebagai amalan ukhrawi.

Seorang Muslim diperintahkan membaca Basmalah pada waktu mengerjakan sesuatu yang baik. Yang demikian itu untuk mengingatkan bahwa sesuatu yang dikerjakan adalah karena perintah Allah, atau karena telah diizinkan-Nya. Maka karena Allah dia mengerjakan pekerjaan itu dan kepada-Nya dia meminta pertolongan agar pekerjaan terlaksana dengan baik dan berhasil.

Nabi saw bersabda:

كُلُّ أَمْرٍ ذِيْ بَالٍ لَمْ يُبْدَأْ فِيْهِ بِبِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ أَقْطَعُ (رواه عبد القادر الرهاوي)

“Setiap pekerjaan penting yang tidak dimulai dengan menyebut Basmalah adalah buntung (kurang berkahnya).” (Riwayat Abdul-Qādir ar-Rahāwī).

Orang Arab sebelum datang Islam mengerjakan sesuatu dengan menyebut al-Lāta dan al-‘Uzzā, nama-nama berhala mereka. Sebab itu, Allah mengajarkan kepada penganut-penganut agama Islam yang telah mengesakan-Nya, agar mereka mengerjakan sesuatu dengan menyebut nama Allah.

[queer-book-society]

Title: Other Terrors

Author(s): Tananarive Due, Jennifer McMahon, S.A. Cosby, Stephen Graham Jones, Alma Katsu, Michael Thomas Ford, Ann Dávila Cardinal, Christina Sng, Denise Dumars, Usman T. Malik, Annie Neugebauer, Gabino Iglesias, Hailey Piper, Nathan Carson, Shanna Heath, Tracy Cross, Linda D. Addison, Maxwell I. Gold, Larissa Glasser, Eugen Bacon, Holly Lyn Walrath, Jonathan Lees, M. E. Bronstein, Michael Hanson

Description: In Other Terrors, horror writers from a multitude of underrepresented backgrounds have created stories of everyday people, places, and things where something shifts, striking a deeper, much more primal, chord of fear. Are our eyes playing tricks on us, or is there something truly sinister lurking under the surface of what we thought we knew? And who among us is really the other, after all?

[have-you-read-this-short-fiction]

"#Spring Love, #Pichal Pairi" is available to read here

[lightdancer1]

Usman dan Fodio is a fairly typical kind of figure in Islamic history:

It should be noted further on those same lines that Usman dan Fodio is a very typical figure in Islamic history. The self-proclaimed reformer renewing the state against the loathsome semi-godless hedonists of the settled cities with all the wealth, proclaiming himself the renewer and restorer of the Ummah. He builds an army from a group of otherwise-divided tribal structures, creating states more or less ex nihilo, and proving a highly efficient warlord, if somewhat limited in any other factor of state-building. This pattern of states ex nihilo sees the newly empowered army smash and butcher and burn everything in its path, creating a new domain and a new dynasty atop the legacy of older ones.

This, in so many words, is the history of how the Sokoto Caliphate was formed, and its mirrors are legion, including ISIS in modern times, Tamerlane in Central Asia, Shah Ismail I and his equivalents in the Ottoman Empire's earliest days, Malik-Shah and Alp Arslan of the Seljuk Sulanate, and so on.

[goosemixtapes]

max's may 2024 reads

they let me out of finals so i went fucking crazy this month

fiction

#Spring Love, #Pichal Pairi by Usman T. Malik

Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado (review)

City of Red Midnight: A Hikayat by Usman T. Malik (review)

the first half of The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman

The Rock Eaters by Brenda Peynado (review)

Other Worlds and This One by Cadwell Turnbull

Two Truths and a Lie by Sarah Pinsker

Piranesi by Susanna Clark (review)

Ambient and Isolated Effects of Fine Particulate Matter by Emery Robin

nonfiction

the latter half of Cultish by Amanda Montell (review)

Napoleon: A Very Short Introduction by David A. Bell (reread)

the first half of Why Does He Do That? by Lundy Bancroft

On Writing and the Business of Writing by Carmen Maria Machado

In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado (review)

A Suspense Novelist's Trail of Deceptions by Ian Parker

plays i read at my girlfriend's house

Iphigenia and The Furies (On Taurian Land) & Antigone by Ho Ka Kei (review)

As You Like It: A Radical Retelling by Cliff Cardinal (review)

Beautiful Man & Other Short Plays by Erin Shields (review)

If We Were Birds by Erin Shields (review)

misc

episodes 3.20-3.31 of Mike Duncan's Revolutions podcast

[kelcipher]

"Qualia Nous" by Michael Bailey, Usman T. Malik, Rena Mason, Gary A. Braunbeck, Lucy A. Snyder, Emily B. Cataneo, Patrick Freivald, Elizabeth Massie, Gene O'Neill, William F. Nolan.

Start reading it for free: https://a.co/aJH0O3K

[briankeene]

The End of the World as We Know It: Tales of Stephen King’s The Stand

I am pleased to finally be able to announce THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT: TALES OF STEPHEN KING'S THE STAND, edited by myself and Christopher Golden -- an original short story anthology based on the highly influential and seminal work of apocalyptic fiction and good versus evil; featuring an introduction from Stephen King himself and new fiction from a world ravaged by the virus "Captain Trips" and the minds of Josh Malerman, Paul Tremblay, Richard Chizmar, S. A. Cosby, Tananarive Due, Alma Katsu, Caroline Kepnes, Michael Koryta, Joe R. Lansdale, Maurice Broaddus and Wayne Brady, Bryan Smith, Somer Canon, Hailey Piper, Jonathan Janz, V. Castro, Bev Vincent, David J. Schow, Gabino Iglesias, Meg Gardiner, Usman T. Malik, Cynthia Pelayo, Catriona Ward and many, many, many others. (Chris and I had the idea to make the anthology as big as the novel — I’m not going to list everyone because I want you guys to have more surprises between now and the release).

Thanks to Stephen King for entrusting Chris and I with this task. Honestly, we didn’t think you’d say “Do it!” nor did we think you’d say it so enthusiastically. You rock.

Now, since this announcement there have been many questions. With the understanding that for most of this past year, Chris and I have been working behind the scenes to make this happen, there is still a lot that we can’t say. But I will try to answer some of the more common questions here — from one Constant Reader to the other Constant Readers — and at more length than I have on social media.

Q: Who is the publisher? A: Gallery Books - a division of Simon & Schuster

Q: When will the book be available? A: Too early to give a firm date. My best guess is that it will be up for preorder around this time next year, with an early 2025 release date? But that is only my guess and should not be taken as gospel. Could be earlier. Could be later.

Q: If it won’t be out until then, why announce it now, you jerks? A: Because it’s been a crap year for many, and we thought perhaps horror fans and Stephen King fans could use a little bit of good news to brighten their days. Our apologies for trying to make things better.

Q: Will there be foreign language editions? A: Almost certainly.

Q: Will there be a signed, limited edition? A: It is too early to say. Keep in mind, we have not released the full list of contributors, but this is going to be a BIG book. Signature sheets would be a massive undertaking, as would production and printing costs. There are several small presses who could handle that. But that’s not something that is currently in the works. It has taken us most of the year just to get the line-up and the initial contracts sorted out.

Q: Are you open to submissions? A: We are not. And sadly, for those of you who sent us stuff yesterday when you saw this announcement, those were all deleted unread, for legal reasons. Our sincere apologies.

Q: Will you and Chris have stories in the book? A: No. Like we did with THE DRIVE-IN: MULTIPLEX, Chris and I don’t want to take up slots and space that could go to one of our peers. As we did on that anthology, we will simply serve as editors, and will guide and shape the overall project. Sure, we’d kill to write a story set in the world of THE STAND, but that wouldn’t be the right thing to do.

Q: Wayne Brady the comedian? A: Yes, Wayne Brady the comedian.

I think that takes care of most of the common questions. And now you all know why I’ve been singing “Among the Living” by Anthrax for most of 2023…

[reach2world-uae]

Canada Success Story - Visit Visa - Malik Usman - Pakistan National - No Travel History - Single

In this video, we will share the success story of Mr. Malik Usman, who recently got their visit visa with the help of Reach2World. He is from Pakistan and for a few months ago he was searching for the best consultant for a visa but after so many searches finally he got their visit visa with the help of Reach2World.