#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

[with-a-martyr-complex]

With A Martyr Complex: Reading List 2024

Adapted from the annual list from @balioc​, a list of books (primarily audiobooks) consumed this year. This list excludes several podcasts, but includes dramatizations and college lecture series from The Great Courses, which I consume like a somewhat normal person this time around, but normally I'm a weirdo about them.

Myth in Human History by Grant L. Voth, from The Great Courses

Lud-in-the-Mist by Hope Mirrlees

Augustine: Philosopher and Saint by Phillip Cary, from The Great Courses

The Broken Sword by Poul Anderson

A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin

Democracy and Its Alternatives by Ethan Hollander, from The Great Courses

Sex in the Middle Ages by Usman T. Malik, from The Great Courses

The Pauper Prince and the Eucalyptus Jinn by Usman T. Malik

The Fellowship of The Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien

The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien

The Return of The King by J.R.R. Tolkien

Tibet: History, Culture, Religion by Constance Kassor, from The Great Courses

Maoism: A Global History, by Julia Lovell

The Three-Problem by Cixin Liu, translated by Ken Liu

Doppleganger: A Trip Into The Mirror World by Naomi Klein

The Dark Forest by Cixin Liu, translated by Joel Martinsen

Would You Baptise an Extraterrestrial?...and Other Questions from the Astronomers' In-Box at the Vatican Observatory by Guy Consolmagno SJ and Paul Meuller SJ

Death's End by Cixin Liu, translated by Ken Liu

Other Minds: The Octopus, THe Sea, and The Deep Origins of Consciousness by Peter Godfrey-Smith

Ugaritic Texts: Ba'al Cycle, translated by the Scriptural Research Institute

The Gambler by Fyodor Dostoevsky, translated by Constance Garnett

Propaganda and Persuasion by Dannagal G. Young, from The Great Courses

Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh

War in the Modern World by David R. Stone

Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carreyrou

Fancy Bear Goes Phishing: The Dark History of the Information Age, in Five Extraordinary Hacks by Scott J. Shapiro

Ninefox Gambit by Yoon Ha Lee

The Great Gamble: The Soviet War in Afghanistan by Gregory Feifer

The Unbroken by C. L. Clark

Norse Mythology by Jackson Crawford, from The Great Courses

She Who Became The Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan

The Field of Blood: Violence in Congress and the Road to Civil War by Joanne B. Freeman

All Systems Red by Martha Wells

The Man Who Broke Capitalism: How Jack Welch Gutted The Heartland and Crushed The Soul of Corporate America--and How to Undo His Legacy by David Gelles

Monstrous Regiment by Terry Pratchett

God against the Gods: The History of Monotheism and Polytheism by Robert Garland, from The Great Courses

Raven Stratagem by Yoon Ha Lee

A Desolation Called Peace by Akrady Martine

The Autobiography of Benvenuto Cellini by Benvenuto Cellini, translated by John Addington Symonds

The Monster Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson

Moby Dyke: An Obsessive Quest to Track Down the Last Remaining Lesbian Bars in America by Krista Burton

When the Clock Broke: Con Men, Conspiracists, and How America Broke Up in the Early 1990s by John Ganz

Anything For A Vote: Dirty Tricks, Cheap Shots, and October Surprises in US Presidential Campaigns by Joseph Cummins

The Wicked and The Willing by Lianyu Tan

Perfume: The Story of a Murderer by Patrick Suskind

America after the Cold War: The First 30 Years by Patrick N. Allitt, from The Great Courses

The Aldo Moro Affaire by Jacopo Pezzan and Giacomo Brunoro, translated by a robot who could have done a better job quite frankly

Collapse: The Fall of the Soviet Union by Vladislav M. Zubok

The Shadow of The Torturer by Gene Wolf

Economics, 3rd Edition by Timothy Taylor

The Poetic Edda, translated by Jackson Crawford

Evgenii Onegin by Alexander Pushkin, translated by Mary Hobson (alternately titled Eugene Onegin)

Incomplete books: The Dragon: Fear and Power, Pilgermann, What Makes This Book So Great, Midnight's Children, Deng Xiaoping and the Transformation of China, Heaven and Hell, Maya to Aztec: Ancient Mesoamerica Revealed, The Last Emperor of Mexico, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, Autumn in the Heavenly Kingdom, Emperor of Japan

---

Great Courses consumed: 7

Non-Great Courses Nonfiction consumed: 19

---

Works consumed by women: 14 or 15 (C.L. Clarke uses both they and she pronouns, counting is hard)

Works consumed by men: 35 or 36

Works consumed by men and women: 1

Works that can plausibly be considered of real relevance to foreign policy (including appropriate histories): 10

---

With A Martyr Complex’s Choice Award, fiction division: Perfume: The Story of A Murderer

>>>> Honorable mention: The Dark Forest, Lud-in-the Mist, The Lord of The Rings, Ninefox Gambit, The Shadow of the Torturer, She Who Became The Sun, The Broken Sword, The Wicked and The Willing, All Systems Red

With A Martyr Complex’s Choice Award, nonfiction division: Collapse: The Fall of the Soviet Union

>>>> Honorable mention: War in the Modern World, Norse Mythology, The Man Who Broke Capitalism, The Autobiography of Benvenuto Cellini, Economics, When The Clock Broke

>>>> Great Courses Division: Tibet: History, Culture, Religion

The Annual “An Essential Work of Surpassing Beauty that Isn’t Fair to Compare To Everything Else” Award: Evgenii Onegin

>>>> Honorable mention: The Gambler

The “Reading This Book Will Give You Great Insight Into The Way I See The World” Award: The Gambler

>>>> Honorable mention: The Field of Blood: Violence in Congress and the Road to Civil War

Yes, okay? It IS Good After All and I was wrong to be a Hater: The Lord of The Rings

Best "Lesbian War Crimes" Book: Ninefox Gambit

Best Lesbian: Ma Xiuying (She Who Became The Sun)

Best War Crime: Mutually Assured Destruction by Antimatter Bullets (Death's End)

---

This year I got a bit better at reading non-audiobooks, thought not as much as I had hoped, but I feel as though if I were putting more time into it the divide could be overcome. However, I also read far fewer audiobooks this year, in part due to that same promotion at work, in part due to The Election, in part due to falling into bad habits. An easy goal for next year is just working on getting out of that habit. I did manage to hit my target at the end, at least.

I took up the intellectual project of reading "Lesbian War Crimes" Science Fiction/Fantasy books, which had a pretty dramatic effect on the layout of my books for the year. Suffice to say, picking up a contemporary genre is not as Good For Me as reading from wide sources which include international literature and The Classics. Some were real hits though.

My own creative output was not as large as I wanted but it was consistently of relatively high quality and originality, which I think was good. My attempt at a novel failed out of the gate, but I can take a stab at another one in the new year.

Goals for next year: learn some econ, more literary fiction, get a novel down

[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*

[iwan-setiawan]

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 قَال��: 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.

[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 favorite online reads* of 2024

*instructions unclear; included burrow's end

started cataloguing the short stories/articles i read online this year, so have a companion to the top ten books post! in vague order of reading:

On Sensitivity, Sadness, and Noticing Things by Charlie Squire (nonfiction essay) ("I’m very sensitive. I wouldn’t even say I’m particularly empathetic or understanding, just very sensitive. Everything seems so excruciatingly full of detail that I can never wholly take in or fully express that it leaves me impossibly frustrated, sometimes to the point of tears.")

Dropout's Burrow's End (DND show) (i fucking LOVE a talking animal story i fucking LOVE a xenofiction and the horror in this series is so fantastic. aabria iyengar the woman that you are)

Why Don't We Just Kill the Kid in the Omelas Hole by Isabel J. Kim (speculative short story) (what it sounds like. isabeljkimheads stand UP)

Haunted Home by Conrad Loyer (speculative short story) ("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." one of my clarion west friends wrote this & i do firmly believe he's one of the most talented emerging writers out there)

Freedom of Sex by Angela Long Chu (nonfiction essay) (on why trans kids should be allowed to change their sex. one of the best pieces of trans journalism i've read)

City of Red Midnight: A Hikayat by Usman T. Malik (fantasy novella) (NESTED STORIES! TRICKSTER CHARACTERS! QUESTIONABLY EVIL WOMEN!)

Other Worlds and This One by Cadwell Turnbull (sci-fi short story) (on alternate universes and brothers. made me cry)

And Then There Were (N-One) by Sarah Pinsker (sci-fi novella) (a murder mystery set at a convention for dozens of alternate-universe versions of sarah pinsker)

Fandom For Witches by Ruoxi Chen (speculative short story) (the best and, dare i say, only work out there about fandom culture. i can't say what it is without spoilers but chen wrote this story in like 2019 and predicted something VERY very funny)

Umberto Eco's Ur-Fascism (nonfiction essay) (for some reason i thought this was going to be much denser/less accessible, but it's quite straightforward and worth a read for everyone imo)

Twenty-Seven, Genius Loci by B. Pladek (sci-fi short story) (idk about you, but if i created a serum that let me revisit past years of my life in synesthetic symbolism, i would definitely get really weird about it.)

[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

[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.

[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…