Monday, January 30, 2023

19.4 Million Afghan Women Struggling to Survive Under Taliban


Women banned from schools and colleges. Women flogged in markets with dozens of spectators. Girls, as young as 15, mandated to wear complete body covering: These are the horrifying reality Afghan women are forced to live in every day. 

Rules of Sharia on Every Moment

Women’s freedom of movement and access to their bodies continue to be restricted in Taliban-run Afghanistan. The draconian group imposed huge barriers on women’s even basic needs: health, education, migration, and expression, depriving thousands of many of their right to earn a livelihood. 

Women in Afghanistan have already suffered the most significant losses due to the war and militarization. However, with the control of the Taliban over the nation, the future and dreams of Afghan women are collapsing drastically. 

Afghan Women: The Future Looks Dark 

The Taliban treat women and girls brutally, and they are forbidden from attending secondary and higher education. Migration and independent travel for women is prohibited. They are not even permitted to migrate or travel without a male chaperone. Girls as young as 13 are forced into marriage.

The Taliban administration has abolished the Ministry of Women Affairs in Afghanistan due to its extreme depravity. There are now no female cabinet members in the Afghan government, thereby ending political participation of 50% of the population.

Lost Careers & Starving Families

Women-founded business is facing the worst time under Taliban.

Women investors have left their positions or hired males to do their business Women entrepreneurs claim they have invested thousands of Afghanis in the previous government but are currently compelled to close their firms.

The current environment prevents women from freely engaging in small-scale business or employment. Even when women are the only source of income for their families, Afghan women no longer dare to start their businesses.

If these conditions persist, many Afghan families will go hungry.

In Afghanistan, the handicraft industry thrived before the Taliban’s leadership, giving thousands of women jobs. Clothing, goods, and handicraft products were exported to Australia and New Zealand.

However, after the Taliban seized control, the industry went bankrupt due to a policy that discriminated against women and flying restrictions that reduced trade and affected the business adversely.

The Silver Line But a Long Way Ahead 

UNICEF and NGOs are defending Afghan women and trying to help them as much as possible. The United Nations has repeatedly emphasized that it is committed to carrying out its mission in Afghanistan and promoting the rights of women and girls in the region.

UNFPA is enhancing its existence and helping women through Afghanistan socialism and is collaborating with national partners. UNICEF assumes responsibility for paying the teachers’ monthly salaries and providing them with the necessities for survival. UNFPA is also contributing its share to expand the provision of sexual and reproductive health services, again, for women in rural areas.

The Taliban should be put under pressure by international organizations and governments to fully implement gender equality and defend the human rights of all Afghan women and girls.

Organizations must quickly realize that women should be given the reins for recovery, peace, stability, and basic rights. Unless that is, the lives of Afghan women continue to deteriorate, and their dreams continue to collapse EVERY SINGLE DAY!

Sunday, January 29, 2023

The Humanitarian Crisis in Syria 2023: A Forgotten War


Has the World Forgotten Syria?

2023 marks almost 12 years since the peaceful uprising in Syria turned into an aggressive conflict provoking a regional humanitarian crisis. Since the offset, parties to the conflict have flagrantly violated human rights and international human rights law protections. 15.3 million people are expected to require humanitarian aid in 2023. This is a 1.9 million increase from 2021.

The estimated death toll is 400,000 people. However, reports suggest that this number underestimates the actual death toll. 12.3 million have been forced to flee the country, according to United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, with 6.7 million currently internally displaced in Syria. As a result, Europe and neighbouring countries have endured significant pressure.

What is happening in Syria in January 2023?

Authorities Unlawfully Violate Civilian’s Rights

Syrian security forces and government-affiliated militias continue to detain, disappear, and mistreat civilians arbitrarily. Vulnerable groups such as children, people with disabilities, and the elderly living in retaken areas have signed so-called “reconciliation agreements”. However, their rights continue to be violated. Moreover, authorities unlawfully confiscate property and restrict freedom of movement to areas of origin for returning Syrian refugees.

In September 2022, the chair of the United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry (COI) on Syria warned that larger-scale fighting might return.

Syria is Unsafe For Returning Refugees

Syria remains unsafe for returning refugees. Even though intelligence services are not bombing some parts of Syria daily, at any moment, the regime can attack any house and kill, arrest, rape, torture or steal money from any family.

Syrians cannot fight back as the regime will not be held accountable for their actions. Despite this, countries such as Turkey and Lebanon began advocating for large-scale returns of Syrian refugees in 2022.

Millions Face Starvation and Denied Basic Human Rights

Currently, Idlib stands as the last anti-government territory in Syria. Despite a ceasefire, the Syrian-Russian military alliance still poses a threat to over 3 million civilians trapped in this territory. The anti-government armed groups continuously restrict their freedoms and deny the people their fundamental human rights.

Throughout 2022 the government diverted humanitarian aid from civilians as Syrians faced the worst economic crisis since the conflict began in 2011. Thus, millions face starvation and are malnourished with minimal access to food and clean water. Shockingly, an estimated 90% of Syrians lived below the poverty, and more than 600,000 children were chronically malnourished in 2022. A deadly cholera outbreak spread across northern Syria, leading to fears that it may reach other parts of the country.  

Furthermore, electricity and fuel shortages resulted in millions of people without access to essential healthcare services. Moreover, the Syrian pound fell to record lows resulting in many state agencies being closed for several days at a time.

ISIS’s Territorial Defeat

Turkey and local factions continuously violate human rights in Turkish-occupied territories with impunity. Following ISIS’s territorial defeat in northeast Syria, Kurdish-led authorities and the US-led coalition have yet to provide compensation for civilian casualties, offer support for identifying the fate of those kidnapped by ISIS, or address the tens of thousands of former ISIS family members that are trapped in camps and prisons. Consequently, this has led to a deteriorating security situation and higher risks of re-radicalization of those who escape.

Bashar al-Assad Continues to Violate Human Rights

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, backed by Iran and Russia, has emerged militarily victorious from the ongoing war. In May 2021, Bashar al-Assad secured a fourth term as president, meaning he will serve until 2028.

Moreover, the presidential elections did not occur under the auspices of the United Nations-led political process. Thus, the elections failed to adhere to standards for free and fair elections.

The Assad regime caused brutal repression, war crimes and crimes against humanity. Assad has used chemical weapons such as chlorine gas against civilians and conducted torture and extrajudicial killings. Assad used disproportionate aerial bombardment and shelling, resulting in millions of civilian casualties and trauma. There are ongoing international condemnation and widespread calls to convict Assad in the International Criminal Court (ICC). However, Syria has become a forgotten conflict in which the Assad regime’s crimes go unpunished.

Pederson’s “Six-Point Agenda”

Geir O. Pedersen of Norway, the UN Special Envoy for Syria, has appealed to the UN Council to shift these worrying dynamics by outlining a “six-point agenda” moving forward in 2023.

  • Point 1: Stepping back from escalation and restoring relative calm on the ground.  
  • Point 2: Renew its framework to provide unfettered humanitarian access to all Syrians who require assistance.
  • Point 3: Resume the meetings of the Syrian Constitutional Committee.
  • Point 4: Pushing for the release of detained, disappeared and missing persons.
  • Point 5: Improving and increasing dialogue towards identifying and implementing initial step-for-step confidence-building measures with Syrian stakeholders and international actors. 
  • Point 6: Increasing engagement with Syrian civil society, including the Syrian Women’s Advisory Board. 

Western Media’s Selective Empathy to Humanitarian Crises

The Western media portrayed “selective empathy” towards various countries facing war and violence. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is classified as “different”. Europeans considered Ukrainians as more “civilized” than those suffering in countries like Yemen, Libya, Ethiopia, Palestine and Syria. People on social media are now classifying the 2015 “refugee crisis” as a “racist crisis”.

The despicable selective empathy, double standards and discrimination have uncovered a deep-rooted undertone of injustice across Western media. The West has ethnicity, “whiteness” and location as driving forces behind the amount of empathy shown.

International Actors Influencing Syria’s Humanitarian Crisis

Russia, Turkey, the United States, and Iran willingly provide military and financial aid to warring factions and allow the hostilities to continue with impunity across Syria 2023.

Israel frequently conducted aerial strikes in Syria, in places such as Aleppo and Damascus airports, in 2022. According to the UN, the Israeli attack on Damascus International Airport in June 2022 disrupted the UN aid supply for approximately two weeks.

Concluding Thoughts

After nearly 12 years of conflict, Syrians need hope for the future. Syria’s forgotten conflict must be addressed before a catastrophic deterioration is reached in 2023.

Millions are desperately in need of humanitarian aid and are suffering. Syria is on the verge of another “flare-up” that could lead to the return of a large-scale war. Millions are dying in displacement camps as resources are becoming scarcer. Furthermore, donor fatigue is rising as other conflicts, and wars like Ukraine dominate media headlines.

We must continue to support UN cross-border humanitarian assistance in Northwest Syria and urge the members of the UN Security Council to renew the cross-border resolution. Moreover, as mentioned above, Pederson’s six-point agenda is imperative in alleviating the desperate humanitarian disaster that has been unfolding in Syria for many years.

Syria’s forgotten conflict must be of top international concern, and international human rights protections must be respected.

Monday, January 23, 2023

The US and Israel: The dog versus the wagging tail

 


It is an open secret that the United States has been the only country in the world that can prevent Israel from carrying out a holocaust against the Palestinians. Otherwise, the Zionist entity has absolutely no qualms against a full or partial extermination of the Palestinian people. Indeed, the very concept of “Ashmada” (annihilation or extermination) is well-established in the Talmudic literature.

Openly-Nazi Rabbis at the helm of  power in Israel

Several years ago, a Rabbi by the name of  Dov Lior, who holds a Judeo-Nazi ideology advocating the extermination of Palestinian civilians, co-authored a hair-raising book titled “Torat ha’Melekh” (the “Torah of the King”). In the book, he pointed out that there was no such a thing as “enemy civilians” during time of conflict.

 “The law of our Torah is to have mercy on our soldiers and to save them.

This is the real moral behind Israel’s Torah and we must not feel guilty due to foreign morals,” he was quoted as saying by the Hebrew newspaper Ma’ariv in 2004.

“A thousand non-Jewish lives are not worth a Jew’s fingernail.”

Lior is not a marginal figure in the Zionist religious establishment.

According to the late rabbi Menachem Froman, Lior “is considered among the most learned sages of the Torah in Israel..”

Another Rabbi, David Batzri, told followers that “it is impossible to mix the pure with the impure. They (the Arabs) are a blight, a devil, a disaster.  The  Arabs are donkeys, and we have to ask ourselves why God didn’t create them to walk on all four. Well, the answer is that they are needed to build and clean. They don’t have any place in our schools.”

In May 2007,  Mordechai  Elyahu, a former Chief Rabbi of  Israel, issued an edict that would permit the Israeli army to murder hundreds of thousands of Palestinians .

“If they don’t stop after we kill 100, then we must kill a thousand. And if they don’t stop after 1,000, then we must kill 10,000.  If they still don’t stop we must kill 100,000. Even a million. Whatever it takes to make them stop.”

Interestingly, these and like-minded rabbis are the actual rulers in Israel today, especially following the formation of the latest government, headed by Benyamin Netanyahu.

How the US sought to restrain Israeli bellicosity

Successive U.S. administrations have always sought to restrain Israel’s genocidal propensity, hoping that the Zionist state would not embark on wholesale genocidal massacres of Palestinians.

Normally, the US would give Israel state-of-the-art of the American technology of death. For example, Israel usually receives some of the latest and most lethal war systems before NATO  members and in some cases before the US armed forces themselves. Thanks to this policy, the Israeli air-force is now only second to the US air-force.

Thus, the Israeli air-force can easily defeat the Royal British air-force, The US and Israel the French air-force, the Russian air-force, and the Chinese air-force.

The US consistently calculated that by aggrandizing the Israeli army, especially its air-force, the Jewish state would adopt relatively moderate policies in the region and be more willing to reach peace agreements with the Palestinians.

However, to the chagrin of the Americans, the political-military establishment in Israel, emboldened by its military might, became ever more extremist, recalcitrant and inflexible as far as the prospects of peace were concerned. Not only that, the Israeli leadership became more disobedient and even more contemptuous of the American government.

Some Israeli political and religious leaders even gasconaded about the tight Jewish domination of the American government, Congress and the two main political parties.

There have been two main consequences of this de facto Israeli defiance of its former master and guardian-ally.

First, the US. Leverage on Israel has never been as low and ineffective as it is today. This is despite America’s unfaltering strategic commitment to Israel’s security and military superiority (qualitative edge) overall Arab-Muslim nations combined). 

In fact, one wouldn’t exaggerate much by arguing that within the frame of the American-Israeli alliance, Israel, not the U.S., now constitutes the centre of gravity.

This observation is vindicated by recent developments following the formation of the most openly-fascist government in Israel’s history, which has effectively scrapped all alleged shared values between the two countries. Thus statements by American officials voicing a modicum of US reservation over the new fascist dawn in Israel have been quite restrained, parsimonious, reluctant, and somewhat bashful.

Second,  Israeli officials, including Benyamin Netanyahu, and broader Likud circles have been quite defiant and contemptuous of American officials, such as President Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who reiterated U.S commitment to the two-state solution strategy.

Netanyahu retorted to Biden, saying “Israel doesn’t occupy foreign land.” A pro-Netanyahu writer advised the Americans “to take care of their crumbling democracy before lecturing Israel on occupied territories. More contemptuous is likely to be used by people like Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich in reference to the Americans.

Who is the dog and who is the wagging tail?

The dog versus the wagging tail analogy is used to describe a situation in which a powerful entity like the US is being controlled by someone that is much less important or powerful like Israel. Today, the tail is entrenched in the driver’s seat like never before. The Wagging tail is the State of Israel, and the dog is, or should be, the United States of America. Small, isolated, dependent Israel no more dictates to the imperialist U.S. giant than a tail wags a dog. 

In the past, Israel bullied the governments of the US to abandon erstwhile US policy vis-à-vis Jewish settlements in the West Bank. In the 1970s, for example, the US viewed the settlements as illegal and contravening the rule of international law. Eventually, however, the US came to view these criminal facts as mere “controversial” and incompatible with the aspiration for peace.”  

Now, with the likes of Ben Gvir and Smotrich at the helm of power in Israel, it is more likely that the fascist clique in the Jewish state will eventually pull  American leaders off to the Judeo-Nazi home-turf, not the other way around.

American leaders, whether Trump or Biden,  simply lack the moral immunity to tell Netanyahu, who is merely Ben-Gvir’s and Smotrich’s public relations officer, “enough is enough”! These two words would be sufficient to put an end to the political career of any American president.

Sunday, January 22, 2023

Finding the Right Market Research Company in Dubai


Finding the right market research agency in Dubai can be daunting, but doing your due diligence can help you find a company that offers quality services and delivers valuable insights into your target audience. This guide will provide helpful information about selecting the best market research agency for your business.

Research the Agency

It’s essential to research any potential market research agency you might work with to make sure they are reputable, experienced, and can provide you with the services you need. Look for reviews on their website, or read case studies of successful projects that were completed for other businesses. Identify how long the company has been in operation, as well as its areas of expertise, and check out the type of clients it currently works with. Doing this homework helps guarantee that you will be selecting a reliable partner for your business needs.

Check Their Previous Work & Portfolio

When selecting a market research agency in Dubai, take the time to review their previous work and portfolio. It’s important to get an idea of the kind of results they are capable of achieving and what services they offer. Ask them directly if they have worked with companies similar to yours, as well as whether or not they can conduct research in the areas you need. Make sure to evaluate any reports or other deliverables that were provided to previous clients and gauge your level of satisfaction with those materials.

Look for Professional Accreditations

When choosing a market research company in Dubai, it’s essential to look into their professional accreditations and awards. These can be a good indication of the quality of service they offer. Market research agencies in Dubai may display their professional qualifications on their website or social media profiles. Professional accreditation includes certifications by organizations like The Market Research Society (MRSI) or The European Society for Opinion and Market Research (ESOMAR).

Explore What Services They Offer 

It's also important to evaluate the services that the market research company in Dubai offers. Most agency packages include qualitative and quantitative services, along with data gathering and analysis. The best companies will be able to offer tailored services that fit your needs, from focus groups and interviews to market segmentation and evaluation studies. Different agencies take different approaches, so comparing a range of providers can help you find the perfect fit for your project.

Your Trusted Market Research Partner In UAE

Find out what works in your market with Research Konnection, Dubai's premier market research company. We use the latest research methods to drive success for our clients.

Saturday, January 21, 2023

Sopore Massacre 1993- When 57 Civilians Were Killed in Kashmir


The Sopore Massacre refers to the shooting of at least 57 civilians (according to some reports 45 civilians) in Kashmir, in the town of Sopore on 6 January 1993 by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF). The BSF 94 Battalion set five Sopore neighborhoods on fire in broad daylight while opening fire from all directions. 48 people died from gunshot wounds, nine people were burned alive, and hundreds more were hurt, leaving them as the only witnesses to the horrifying, inhumane massacre. The Sopore town, then known as the “militancy capital,” experienced numerous killings and arsons in the 1990s.

However, January 1993 massacre carried out by the BSF scarred the town painfully after coffins of burned citizens were lowered into graves, numerous others were injured, and residential houses and business units burned down and destroyed. 

Justice has eluded the relatives of the victims of the brutal Kashmir Sopore Massacre 1993 for the past 30 years now. The loved ones of the people in Sopore were shot at and burned indiscriminately in Apple Town Sopore in North Kashmir at the hands of the troops of the BSF. On that tragic day, the BSF went on a rampage after a militant allegedly stole a rifle from a trooper, after which they killed at least 57 innocent Kashmiri civilians. 

While Gawkadal, Handwara, Kunan Poshpora, Kupwara, and Bijbehara are only a few of the numerous bloody atrocities that have happened in Kashmir. The Sopore massacre is one of the uncommon handful that has also been recognized by the Government of India. The first sign of acknowledgment was the approval of a First Information Report submitted in Sopore in 1993 by Muhammad Ilyas, president of Anjaman-i-Munir-ul-Islam and registered as “FIR Number 8/1993.” The BSF was charged in the FIR with burning down 400 homes and businesses in addition to killing 57 civilians.

Survivors Recount the Horrors of the Sopore Massacre

An eyewitness on the condition of anonymity told The Kashmiriyat, “I spotted the BSF Soldiers at a distance who stopped an SRTC Bus (JKY-1901) and pulled out the driver and went inside the bus, then the BSF men fired bullets mercilessly at 20 people, killing them all on the spot. “After the bus was filled with a pool of blood, the troopers started spraying gunpowder, kerosene, and petrol on the surrounding buildings and torched them.”

After a militant allegedly snatched a riffle from a BSF trooper, the soldiers from the 94th Battalion slaughtered innocent Kashmiris shortly after the incident. Even today, while recounting that horrific carnage, many who witnessed it shudder.

“Among the 57 dead civilians, 48 died due to bullet shots and 9 were burnt alive. More than 400 commercial establishments and 75 residential houses were set ablaze in five localities of Sopore- Armpora, Muslimpeer, Kralteng, Shallapora, Shahabad, and Bobimir Sahab. Among the gutted buildings, there were some landmark buildings like Women’s Degree College and Samad Talkies.” Said the witnesses.

“I still have the haunting images in my mind, there was a shopkeeper who rushed out of his shop in flames and shouting for help, but there was no help on offer,” said the survivor of the massacre.

A 57-year-old witness said that it was only after Sopore had buried its people that the BSF came up with a theory that a local Militant had decamped with a rifle, somewhere in the township.

What led to the Massacre?

Despite 30 years having passed by, nobody quite still understands nor has there been any official record of what caused the BSF men to carry out such a heinous crime and kill people indiscriminately on that chilly January morning of 1993. There were only two options available to helpless people trapped in the horrible event, and both decisions ultimately proved to be very costly. Stepping outside of their shops meant being immediately shot at. While those who took refuge in their shops were burned to death. Many of the victims who died on January 6, 1993, were buried without their loved ones having the chance to bid farewell to them or participate in the funeral rites.

Justice Denied

Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society Chairman and renowned Human Rights activist Parviz Imroz told CNS that 24 days after the massacre government set up a one-man Commission of Inquiry on 30 January 1993 comprising of Justice Amarjeet Choudhary. “Between, 30 January 1993 and 30 April 1994, the Commission visited Jammu and Kashmir only once. The government described the inquiry as a “farce” and chose not to extend the term of the Commission. No report was therefore submitted by the Commission. Simultaneously the CBI was tasked with the investigation in January 1993 itself and took 20 years (January 1993 to July 2013) to carry out investigations, only to seek closure of the case citing lack of evidence.”

The “farcical” actions of the State, continued Parviz Imroz, are in contrast to the evidence that is readily available and might be utilised to bring charges against troops of the 94th Battalion, BSF. “The CBI record itself has names of ten BSF officers/personnel who could be indicted in this case, including the then DIG R.S. Jasrotia, Sector Headquarters, BSF, Baramulla and Commandant S. Thanggapan, 94th Battalion, BSF. Instead, the CBI has sought to rely on a BSF court-martial to close investigations (despite never seeing the court-martial file as the BSF refused to share the same.”

The CBI purposefully withheld providing the record despite earlier court orders to that effect in order to prolong the proceedings.

Also, read The BJP Enforcing Patriotism By Instilling Fear- “Har Ghar Tiranga” Campaign in Kashmir and Other Schemes

No Closure for the Victims and their Family Members

Imroz claimed that the evidence obtained through RTI made it abundantly evident that the BSF’s court-martial process was just an attempt to obscure the killings, as the seven BSF men accused were ultimately convicted only guilty of one charge. “Mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to destroy houses, etc”, and the maximum punishment awarded was “3 months rigorous imprisonment in force custody”.

The Sopore massacre survivors had opposed the case’s closure, and on January 20, 2014, the TADA court in Srinagar was ordered by the CBI to provide over the entirety of the investigation’s file.

“Massacres like the Sopore one continues to haunt Kashmiris because there has been no closure. No one has been punished and the case has been hanging since 30 years. If a young Kashmiri child reads about it today, he will be provoked,” said a Srinagar-based senior journalist Sheikh Mushtaq. The Valley was hit after the incident, said observers.

The case was handed over to the CBI, who sought a closure on the investigations in December 2013. In order to refute the State’s lies and attempts to cover up  the Sopore massacre of 1993, the survivors sought to challenge the CBI in the court. 

Saturday, January 14, 2023

Islamophobia in France: the Worst Country to Be a Muslim?


 Islamophobia in France on the Rise

Prejudice against Muslims in France has increased explicitly since the country held presidential and legislative elections. Muslim populous are banned from wearing burqas and headscarves in public places, stating it violates the secular republic’s principles.

The contention of Islam and the French government holds conservative views on religion and diversity in the past. The ideology of the French government and citizens of France have shown xenophobia and hatred toward Muslims.

The discrimination laws, such as the 2004 law that banned the burka and niqab in all public places, including schools, are fueling Islamist separatism in France. At the same time, the government asserts that this legislation aims to support France’s secular system.

The Root Causes that Escalate Dispute

Freedom of speech and blasphemy in France is legal. Blasphemy translates to making fun of, abusing, or defaming any religion. It also includes abusing the gods of any religion or any other sacred thing related to religion. 

In 2021, French President Emmanuel Macron drafted the law stating Islamist separatism, an ideology that describes Islam as the “Enemy of the Republic.” The largest Muslim population in Europe with 5.3 million members, critics claim that France’s so-called “separatism law” is discriminatory and highlights the rising Islamophobia in France.

However, the law drafted by the president talks about the freedom of speech, blasphemy, and freedom of expression, which was under threat due to terrorism in France.

Since 2015, more than 129 people were killed in France, mostly the attackers recruited by or inspired by ISIS or Al-Qaida. The Charlie Hebdo attack, in which 12 satirical magazine employees were killed. It released a cartoon of the Prophet Muhammad, whose portrayal is firmly against Islamic law.

The Bataclan attack killed 90 people in the Bataclan theater; a truck driving through crowds; a Christmas market shooting; and everything that happened in 2020. Charlie Hebdo republished the Prophet Muhammad caricature that killed two people outside the magazine’s old building.  

That’s when President Emmanuel Macron announced that he was drafting the “separatism law” bill. In his most high-profile speech on Islam and secularism, he stated that Islam religion is in crisis today, not only in France but worldwide. 

In October 2021, a French teacher exhibited the Prophet Muhammad caricature to his class as part of a lesson on free expression. He was the target of a social media campaign, found, and beheaded. And then, a week ahead later, several people were killed inside a church. 

So President Macron went ahead and proposed his bill. He gave the problem a name — Islamist Separatism. 

What was in Macron’s proposed law? 

The law explains stricter penalties for people who threaten or attack public workers in the name of religion. More power to go after hate speech online, freedom of speech, blasphemy, and limits on significant foreign donations to religious institutions. 

Additionally, the will includes more power to stop forced marriages, polygamy, and anyone issuing “virginity certificates” for women about marriage. There are even restrictions on religious private schools like Madressa and homeschooling. 

Muslim Hatred in France  

Three people were killed, and three others were hurt when a 69-year-old shooter opened fire. The assassination was at a Kurdish cultural center and hair salon in the heart of Paris on Friday, December 23, 2022.

Three Kurdish community members were shot and killed in Paris, which brought back memories of a previous tragedy. It happened over ten years ago. On January 9, 2013, three members of the Kurdish PKK movement—Sabine Cansiz, 54, co-founder of the organization; Fidan Dogan, 30, and Leyla Saylemez, 25, who oversaw the group’s youth program—were fatally shot inside an apartment in Paris’ 10th arrondissement.

Police reports described the shooter who killed three people in a Kurdish cultural center as “Caucasian,” of French nationality, and known for two prior attempted killings in 2016 and 2021.

His motivations are still unknown, but given who he was and who he was shooting at, there was an instant concern that the shooting might have been racially motivated.

The hard-left France Unbowed political party’s parliamentary leader, Mathilde Pinot, instantly blamed the extreme right and referred to it as a “racist attack.”

The members of the Kurdish center are scared; they feel unprotected and unsafe – Crying to nearby police, they stated it started again, and we are being killed.  REcently the Kurdish protestors stormed French street protesting in the memories of the murdered community members.

Islamophobia in France: How do Muslims in France feel about all this? 

Well, religious leaders are split. One Muslim association said, “separatism is a reality that must be faced.” At the same time, many people feel this bill reinforces a feeling that French Muslims are never French enough. 

“Separatism is a reality that must be faced.”

Many French Muslims believe Macron’s separatism bill is more likely to adopt Islam in a French way, which is impossible for any Muslim community. 

It is difficult enough for Muslims to escape France’s constitution, which includes blasphemy law and practice. In contrast, the prohibition on burqas and headscarves appears to be a tyranny.

In this situation, the government and French Muslim leaders must sit together and have open discussions to protect French nationals and maintain national harmony.

Thursday, January 12, 2023

Turkey-israel Relations: Erdogan is Using the Palestinian Cause for Electoral Gains

 

Turkish president recep tayyip erdogan recently claimed that portuguese football star cristiano ronaldo was subjected to a “political ban” at the fifa world cup qatar 2022 for his purported support for the palestinian cause. “they have wasted ronaldo. Unfortunately, they have imposed a political ban on him,” erdogan was reported to have said on sunday while speaking at a youth event in turkey. The president added, “ronaldo is someone who stands for the palestinian cause.” 

It is not clear what was the basis of erdogan’s claim. Ronaldo has never publicly issued a statement in favour of palestinians. However, there are several doctored videos which are viral on social media in which ronaldo is seen supporting the palestinian cause by expressing solidarity with palestinians or avoiding handshaking with israeli officials.

Since the elections in turkey will be held this year in june, this was yet another attempt by erdogan to appropriate the palestinian cause for his electoral gains. 

Erdogan’s desperate attempt to restore relations with israel 

It is pertinent to mention that erdogan recently lobbied desperately with israeli president isaac herzog to restore diplomatic relations between the two countries. The diplomatic relations between the two countries were recently normalized in november last year with turkey appointing an ambassador to israel after a gap of four years. 

A week before erdogan appointed his ambassador to israel, he had sent a congratulatory letter to netanyahu for winning the israeli elections. “I congratulate you on your victory in the elections and believe that the new government will continue the cooperation between the countries in all fields in a way that will bring peace and stability to our region,” he wrote. 

Erdogan’s desperation to restore relations with israel came because of the economic woes and the isolation it had felt in the region. It is also a calculated move as turkey’s relations with the us have deteriorated. Erdogan seems to be banking on the strong jewish lobby in the us to lobby for turkey. Even though turkey is a nato member, the us recently imposed caatsa sanctions on turkey over the purchase of the russian s-400 missile system. There is also a history of jews lobbying for turkey in the us.

A deep freeze in turkey-israeli relations

Turkey-israel relations went into a deep freeze in 2010 when israeli commandos stormed and killed 10 turkish citizens on board the mavi marmara, a ship that was part of an aid flotilla trying to breach the blockade of gaza. Israel later apologized and provided compensation to the families of those killed. Subsequently, the two countries normalized the bilateral relations in 2016. However, when the us recognized jerusalem as the capital of israel in 2018, the relations between the two countries again deteriorated after israeli forces killed 60 palestinian protestors in gaza. Turkey expelled the israeli ambassador from ankara and withdrew its ambassador from tel aviv.

Turkey-israel relations based on realpolitik

Turkey was the first muslim-majority country to recognize the existence of the state of israel. The country formally recognized israel barely nine months after it came into existence in march 1949. Turkey was also the first country in the middle east and asia to recognize israel. The relationship between the two countries was based on mutual interests and common strategic goals. The circumstances in which israel came into existence and its quest for legitimacy made it important for israel to have relations with turkey.

Therefore, israel viewed the non-arab muslim majority turkey in the vicinity, as a key to breaking its isolation. For turkey’s rulers also, relations with israel were based on realpolitik. At that time, the relations with israel were the bellwether of its commitment to western orientation. Hence, the reasons for the establishment of relations with israel included help in turkey’s relations with the west and access to american credit mechanisms.

Bilateral trade between the two countries

Despite all these confrontations, israel holds an important position in turkey’s politics and economy. The two countries have decoupled the bilateral trade from politics.

As is evident from the chart on bilateral trade, the political issues between the two countries did not affect the trade. Politically, turkey’s relations with israel are based on political expediency. When turkey feels it has something to gain from its friendship with israel, it normalizes ties and when it thinks it can profit from snapping ties with israel, it downgrades relations with israel.

There is an inherent tension that has always defined turkish-israeli relations. On the one hand, turkey used israel’s leverage in corridors of power, particularly in the united states, to accrue benefits for state interests, strategic priorities and security. On the other hand, the turkish public has always been sympathetic to the cause of palestine. Therefore, due to domestic pressure, the politicians in ankara cannot ignore the palestinian issue completely.

Right now, as erdogan reaches out to israel for mending relations, the leaders in israel are wary that erdogan wants to leverage the normalized relations to improve the economy of the country as well as his image. After achieving these goals, erdogan may do with the relations whatever he wishes depending on the kind of issues he would be facing. In the case of domestic politics, normal ties with israel will not be helpful but in the case of international issues, friendship with israel can always pay off. Hence, when it comes to elections erdogan is right now using the palestinian cause for his electoral gains while at the same time, he is improving ties with israel to promote turkey’s interests.

Palestinian cause and elections in muslim majority countries

Like turkey, the palestinian cause is an issue that is a major electoral issue in most of the muslim-majority countries around the world. However, it is a shame that political leaders like erdogan appropriate a just cause for their electoral gains but forget it once the elections are complete. Muslim populations around the world must ensure that their leaders are not only using the palestinian cause for electoral gains but are also taking credible action towards supporting the palestinian population in their just cause.


Wednesday, January 11, 2023

Time to Talk About Tawakkul –”tie Your Camel First, Then Put Your Trust in Allah.”


 Placing your trust in allah (swt) is tawakkul, and it’s about the complete faith you have in him. Regardless of the situations that unfold, you still believe that allah (swt) will show the rope.

Tawakkul is the core of every muslim. Our spiritual connection with allah (swt) is tied to tawakkul. If you have it in your heart, life becomes less stressful and happier. I wouldn’t say that you’d lead a happy life; rather, problems or burdens will not overwhelm you. The trust in allah (swt) will provide the strength to keep moving.

It’s human nature to worry about the unseen and stress over things they have no control of. But above all these, it’s tawakkul that leads our path and strengthens our minds. Beyond the problems we face daily, we still believe that there’ll be good, and allah doesn’t burden a soul more than it can handle.

When you understand the power of placing your trust in allah, you realize that the things that that didn’t work as you planned happened for a reason. You feel contentment and comfort when you realize that allah (swt) provides what’s good for you and takes away what’s not good for you.

It’s vital to think about your relationship with allah (swt) and to evaluate the level of trust that you have placed in him.

Increase your understanding about allah (swt)

To have tawakkul, you must understand and develop your connection with allah (swt). When you are reciting the quran or saying allah’s (swt) names, you must take some time and think about them.  

When you understand allah’s names, you become more aware of them, and the definitions strengthen your tawakkul in allah.

He is in control of his creations, and as muslims, we should understand this to realize what tawakkul is. When our love for allah grows, we automatically develop the connection with him that gives us the security needed.

It’s not as if your life will be a bed of roses if you trust allah. Instead, your problems and issues will not make you feel low or underproductive to engage in daily activities. When you have tawakkul, it gives you the strength to go forward in life regardless of the hurdles on your way.

Anyway, how to put your trust in allah? Here are some tips to rely upon your creator even if things aren’t going as you planned.

Make it happen

Relying upon allah does not mean you can sit back and let everything happen on its own. Of course, allah will handle all your affairs, but he wants you to do what it takes. Having faith also means acting upon it.

Similarly, tawakkul doesn’t entirely depend on leaving all affairs to allah. Rather it requires your effort. You should give your best to the task or goal you are trying to achieve and trust allah. You must have a proactive attitude because that’s a part of tawakkul.

The prophet muhammad (pbuh) said, “tie your camel first, then put your trust in allah.”

Stay humble and kind

If you are succeeding, it’s because of allah. He has given you the ability or skills to get things done so you can do it. Even the knowledge, thoughts, and intelligence that you have is given by allah.

While you utilize these blessings, you should be thankful to allah for providing them. It shouldn’t make you feel proud or become arrogant that you have the skills and abilities. Instead, you should be kind and stay humble. If possible, try to spread your skills and knowledge to others, which will benefit you now and in the hereafter.

Learn to accept

We are humans, and denial is human instinct. When something happens in a way that we didn’t plan, our initial response is denial. But worry not, it is human nature.

It is also vital to understand that we must overcome the phase of denial because nothing happens without reason. You must rely upon allah as he is fully aware of the things that you don’t know.

When you accept allah’s decree, you become stronger and calmer. It gives the ability to move from the phase of denial to acceptance. Al-qadr is part of your faith. Even if certain circumstances like losing a loved one could be tormenting, you will get through it. Allah will help you get through it if you rely upon him.

There could be times that crumble you into pieces, but you reshape stronger. If you believe in allah, the healing process gets more comfortable because you know that you have allah (swt).

Take necessary measures

This is one of the things that I often see in our community. People don’t take necessary measures, but they say they rely upon allah.

Prophet muhammad (pbuh) has said to tie your camel and then put trust in allah. You must understand that it’s important to take measures while putting your trust in allah.

Similarly, you shouldn’t forget about allah (swt) just because you have taken the necessary measures.

One of the prime examples is the muslims’ behaviors during the pandemic. Some people don’t follow the health measures because they say they have tawakkul, while others follow the health measures but don’t trust allah or make dua.

These aren’t the approaches that islam suggests. Instead, it’s about having tawakkul while following the health measures.

So think about it. Aren’t we blessed to have allah by our side? No matter what happens, how bad we fall, or what comes our way, we can turn to the almighty for help.

“allah—there is no god ˹worthy of worship˺ except him. So in allah let the believers put their trust.” (at-taghabun –64:11)

Israel’s Intense Practices to Uproot the Palestinians in Jerusalem

 

Palestinians experienced the bloodiest and most brutal year of all time in 2022. They witnessed an unprecedented increase in the number of settlers, settlement expansion, martyrs, and confiscation of lands, especially in jerusalem. The occupation’s relentless endeavours aim at uprooting the palestinians in jerusalem by controlling more palestinian lands. They try to impose facts on the ground by building and expanding settlements and legitimizing building settlements, especially in jerusalem.

Jerusalem is like no other city in palestine. Israel’s ideology puts more greed in jerusalem than any other city in palestine. The focus on jerusalem pictures a conflict between two histories, two geographies and two very different identities. It includes the palestinian arab native and the trespassing zionist. Accordingly, israel’s ideology directs at eliminating the cultural landmarks of the capital or the holy city. In addition, it aims to fake history aimed at reshaping the city with its exclusive jewish output. They make it after erasing the arab historical identity and its expression of christian and islamic diversity. Consequently, taking into consideration all intense practices to uproot the palestinians in jerusalem. 

Geographical and demographical judaization

Israel’s jewdization ideology plan started its first steps in jerusalem by initially cutting off jerusalem from its perimeter. Their point was isolating arab jerusalemites from their civil, national and administrative institutions and from any activity that would maintain their interdependence. Their first planned step was initiating a vast campaign to isolate jerusalem from its palestinian surroundings, politically, geographically, economically, socially and demographically. They also erected the apartheid wall around the holy city as well as settlement belts around it entirely. Israel also constructed and strengthened settlements in the heart of arab neighbourhoods to Practice to uproot the Palestinians in Jerusalem

Land confiscation

Moreover, since israel’s occupation of jerusalem in 1967, israel has begun confiscating lands inside jerusalem, and other palestinian cities until it expanded to the ghetto of the old town which arabs inhabited and had no trace of jews. Land confiscation expanded until it reached the mughrabi neighbourhood, beit safafa village, beit jala, al-nabi ya ‘qub, and sheikh jarrah area lands. Land confiscation has been happening and still happening until this day under israel’s false pretexts. Israel has also promulgated legislation and laws prohibiting construction in large areas covering various areas of the city. In addition, they have announced other areas as “green areas” for no building. 

To this day, the israeli occupation exploits the classification of palestinian lands according to the oslo accord (a, b and c) to tighten control over palestinians, especially in areas classified as (c) under its full control over security, planning and construction. Israel’s occupation directly exploits 76% of the total area classified as (c); 63% of which regional colonial councils control. Equally important, the areas confiscated for military bases and military training sites represent about 18% of the west bank area, as well as the apartheid wall and expansion that isolated more than 10% of the west bank area. 

Shamelessly, israel’s military forces forcibly expel palestinian citizens from their homes, inhabit them by jewish settlers arriving from abroad, and transfer palestinian properties to the settlers. For example, sheikh jarrah’s neighbourhood has been suffering from this issue. In 2008, the occupation authorities forcibly expelled the first palestinian families from the neighbourhood and were repatriated by jews. They expelled the al-ghawi family by force of arms from their homes in the sheikh jarrah neighbourhood. To date, 28 palestinian homes remain threatened with expulsion and transfer of their homes to settlers. 

Demolishing “unauthorized construction”

In order to build homes in east jerusalem and area c, palestinians must apply for a permit from the israeli authorities, who control these areas. The vast majority of demolition orders are issued because a home or structure has been built without an israeli permit. Every year israel demolishes hundreds of palestinian homes under the pretext of what zionists call illegal construction in east jerusalem (unauthorized construction).

Zionist authorities impose doubled penalties on jerusalemites such as high financial fines reaching tens of thousands of shekels, actual imprisonment, and instructions requiring jerusalemites to prove ownership of their land by highlighting the land registry. They would also oblige palestinians to obtain the consent of their neighbours including the mukhtar of the village or the village chief. Generally, demolition orders are based on false pretexts that israel considers demolishing their homes itself or even making the situation harder by issuing self-demolition for the palestinians.

Residence, mariage, and family reunion

In order to maintain its grip over jerusalem, israel took racist judaizing uprooting practices for the palestinians in jerusalem. They included the withdrawal of jerusalemites’ identities, based on a series of racist regulations, laws and judgments. This policy abolished the residence right of palestinians living in jerusalem, on the outskirts of jerusalem, and outside palestine. In that case, when the families of the banned palestinians from entering jerusalem apply for permission to visit them, they grant them an exit permit without returning, nonetheless.

Israel has also applied a compulsory approach to students studying outside jerusalem. It requires them to renew their identity cards in a manner that disrupts their studying. The right of residence is revoked for those who spend seven years outside jerusalem for the sake of education. Israel can, under its laws, easily deprive any palestinian of residence in the city. Internal staff shall apply these instructions automatically without referring to any other reference.

Apart from this, israel prohibits palestinians from marrying or reuniting with their spouses from the west bank and gaza. As racial discrimination reflects the demographic conflict between israel and the palestinians. Consequently, all these tyrannical practices serve the interest of israel to forcibly uproot the palestinians in jerusalem.

General view

Psychological warfare is israel’s best-known ideology for uprooting palestinians to clamp down on palestinians compelling them to leave their lands.  Palestinians will never forget israel’s true face. They will never forget the execution of the veteran journalist shirin abu akleh. They will never forget the illegal assassinations, willful injuries, arbitrary arrests, torture and other ill-treatment, persecutions and collective punishments against palestinians, including many children. Violence has always been a key feature of israel. Palestinians will never forget. And they will never forgive.

Monday, January 9, 2023

“age to Consent to Sex in France: 15 Age to Consent to Hijab: 18” – a Ludicrous Statement is Up for Debate!


 France’s attempt to make the lives of muslims harder by bringing up so many restrictions targeting only muslims is not new. Muslims are facing so many restrictions already, mainly in europe, and it seems like even more is heading our way. This is why we shouldn’t stop raising our voices in all possible ways. 

These attempts affect the 5 million muslims who live in france and those who wish to travel the country too. The idea to ban the hijab for girls under the age of 18 is staggering. We need to talk about it.

What is a hijab and why do muslim women wear it?

A hijab is a cloth worn by muslim women to cover their heads as a religious practice of modesty. As the quran states :

“and tell believing women that they should lower their glances, guard their private parts, and not display their charms beyond what [it is acceptable] to reveal; they should let their headscarves fall to cover their necklines and not reveal their charms except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands’ fathers, their sons, their husbands’ sons, their brothers, their brothers’ sons, their sisters’ sons, their womenfolk, their slaves, such men as attending them who have no sexual desire, or children who are not yet aware of women’s nakedness; they should not stamp their feet so as to draw attention to any hidden charms. Believers, all of you, turn to god so that you may prosper.” ( quran 24: 31)

At what age can a woman start wearing hijab?

A girl should begin wearing the hijab once she starts to get her first period. Usually, girls attain puberty at the minimum age of 11, so the ban on wearing the hijab for girls under the age of 18 does pose a threat to muslims. what age do muslim wear hijab If a girl cannot follow what she is supposed to do at the given age and is forced not to, it is totally unfair.

If a woman wants to cover, let her cover. No one has a say on what a woman should and shouldn’t wear. Wearing a hijab is related to one’s faith, so the french government’s take on banning the hijab is ridiculous. 

How the world reacted 

Women from all over the world started protesting and showing concern about the ban on their social media accounts.

“it seems freedom of choice is only acceptable when it is used to break away from decency and moral uprightness. You are free to parade the street in a bikini but not a hijab? There will be no real freedom unless we respect each other’s faith.”

Many social media influencers rightly pointed everything happening in france. The government’s attempt to ban the hijab isn’t one thing. Instead, it’s a step for an ongoing process. Banning the hijab will then lead to banning halal food. Therefore, this is just another step to make life difficult for muslims, mainly for muslim women in france. When a government makes an effort to restrict things for a particular faith or individual, it’s evident that it’s more than a concern for safety. Or in simple words, it’s islamophobia.

The only best thing for all muslims to do during these trying times is to remain patient.

"And seek help through patience and prayer; and indeed, it is difficult except for the humbly submissive [to allah]" ( quran 2: 45 )

"Except for those who are patient and do righteous deeds; those will have forgiveness and great reward."(quran 11:11 )

"But for your lord be patient." ( quran 74: 7)

Apart from all these, muslims in france face more issues like unemployment and racism.

The muslims in france are often the subject of debate and hatred hijab. Certain misconceptions about islam are building so much hate towards muslims, leading to a rise in islamophobia. The increasing number of muslims in europe adding to the population has also become a concern for the world. Muslims are perceived as a threat in european countries. They are looked down on for their faith. Despite how much the muslims face from wherever they are in the world, they are only becoming more faithful every day.

As the quran says: "Believers, be steadfast, and vie in steadfastness, stand firm in your faith, and hold allah in fear that you may attain true success." ( quran 3: 200 )

Is Chutzpah a National Feature in Israel?


To Israel’s deep chagrin, Palestine, though visibly raped,  constantly violated, savaged and grievously wounded by decades of brutal Zionist occupation, has more or less emerged as an ultimate winner at Qatar’s gargantuan world cup carnival. And, although the victory was completely symbolic, its psychological and allegorical impact has been truly universal and overwhelming.

True, this moral victory has not reduced the number of Palestinian children,  slaughtered callously and mercilessly by the trigger-happy grand-children and great grand-children of the holocaust, nor is it expected to mitigate the protractedly harsh Israeli blockade of the thoroughly-tormented Gaza Strip. So, the rape of Palestine and persecution of its people continue unabated.

In fact, the collective Palestinian pain has significantly increased, especially after the election of a purely fascist government in Israel, a government comprising hard-core Talmudic gurus of hate. 

The World Cup Carnival gave supporters of the just Palestinian cause a rare opportunity to tell billions of viewers around the world that Israel’s intimidation, bullying and mendacity will not make them swerve from calling the spade a spade and identifying with the nearly helpless victims of Israel-American oppression and racism. So, Is chutzpah a national feature in Israel?

Zionist disappointment

Israeli journalists are being shunned at the World Cup Carnival in Qatar, with many fans yelling at them and refusing to conduct interviews once they find out which country they are from.

Stunned by the unprecedented overflow of support for their victims, Zionists supremacists felt their magic was failing them at a crucial time Israeli chutzpah.

They regurgitated decades of tales, canards,  and sheer lies in order to turn black into white as they have been doing for many decades.

 Moreover, desperate Zionists sought to invoke the convenient mantra of anti-Semitism to cover up their evilness and barbarianism, but to no avail.

The World Cup fans, even those hailing from countries traditionally considered supportive of Israel, like Britain,  were not deterred or intimidated by the scary  Jewish Golem, as they shouted rather casually “Free Palestine.”

Moreover, the Zionists,  consistent with their timeless shamelessness and pristine chutzpah, , had expected a prodigal son’s reception in Qatar, ignoring the clarion murderous crimes of their fellow soldiers and Gestapo-like settlers, shown live on al-Jazeera TV.

Indeed, in their depraved mindset and racism, the Zionist  thought that they had all rights and privileges to use filthy propaganda,  disinformation and sly prevarication to keep the murderous oppression meted out to the Palestinian people confined to parochial and esoteric circles.

This is because these Zionists, not only took “their right” to torment and savage their victims for granted but actually believed they have every right to silence,  suffocate and besiege every Palestinian and pro-Palestinian voice to prevent it from communicating the Palestinian plight to the world, especially western peoples.

In other words, the self-absorbed Zionists are so eager to maintain the “sanctity” of the big lie in order to proceed as “naturally” as possible with their genocidal designs against a people whose only “crime” is its enduring steadfastness and being non-members in the “Chosen People’s Club.”!  Intoxicated by their characteristic insolence and arrogance of power, the Zionists forgot that warm hospitality is not granted to rapists and child killers! The two just don’t go hand in hand.

Now,  we too are joining the chorus and we will shout in unison,   as loud as possible, Free  Palestine! No to the occupation, No to hatred, and No apartheid.

Chutzpah: The Shameless Zionist


There is no doubt that  Zionist Jews are a shameless people. By the way, the very word Chutzpa, or shamelessness,  is Yiddish- Jewish! Thus, Israeli tourists and hotel customers, wherever they go, are notorious in their anti-social behaviour. They routinely steal objects from their hotel rooms, vandalize furniture, and are quite filthy, given what they leave behind after departing.  There might be certain psychological factors behind this widespread morbid phenomenon, which make these people behave this way, including an intrinsic contempt for non-Jews, the Chosen-people superiority complex and a certain innate collective desire to inflict harm on Goyem (derogatory for non-Jews).

Alan Dershowitz wrote about ” Israeli Chutzpah” :

To the perpetrator of chutzpah, it means boldness, assertiveness, a willingness to demand what is due, to defy tradition, to challenge authority, to raise eyebrows. To the victim of chutzpah, it means unmitigated gall, nerve, uppityness, arrogance, hypocritical demanding.”

THE JERUSALEM POST
JESSICA STEINBERG wrote about ” Israeli chutzpah”:

It’s hard to truly translate Israeli chutzpah, that combination of audacity, nerve and boldness that characterizes the Israeli identity, but there’s no doubting its ubiquity.

As to Qatar, It is well known that Zionist  Jews display condescending attitudes toward  Arabs, including citizens of Arabian Gulf states. This is despite the fact that the autocratic regimes of most of these Emirates behave quite obsequiously toward Israel, mainly to endear themselves to the American government and the powerful American Jewish lobby.

 Israeli media lamentation


As Israeli fans were received in Qatar as “pariahs and unwanted guests, ” some Israeli writers lost their composure and mental equanimity, hurling all sorts of insults, accusations, canards, and insinuations at the Qatari government and people as well as  Arabs and Muslims in general.

Writing in the pro-settler site, Ynet, under the title  “Erratic Arab rage at Qatar World Cup is not a death sentence for Israelis,” Ben Dror Yemeni claimed that the Arabs couldn’t display their joy without expressing their hatred for Israel!

He admitted there was a deep feeling of frustration among Israelis at the hostile reception they encountered in Qatar:

“Israelis flocked to Qatar for the tournament thinking they would be able to reap the fruits of the Abraham Accords. Instead, Israelis were confronted upon their arrival with barrages of hate speech and abuse.”

The fascist-minded writer lamented the fact that despite Qatar’s de facto recognition of the Jewish state,  Israel was still known in the small Gulf state  as “the colonialist apartheid entity.” Resigned to this anti-Zionist reality, Yemeni  said “maybe some Israelis were a bit naïve in thinking a Muslim Brotherhood-run state would welcome us with open arms and “ahlan wa sahlan.”(ed-welcome in Arabic).

You see,  these despicable paragons of racism forgot easily  that by the time Israeli fans arrived in Doha, their trigger-happy soldiers were gleefully murdering the Palestinian children and civilians in the streets of the West Bank.

Talmudic racism triumphs


Moreover, the World Cup carnival coincided with the latest round of Israeli elections, which brought to power a racist-terrorist clique of Politicians, universally considered as the most virulent proponents of Talmudic fascism under the sun.

Needless to say, these contemptible racist terrorists, such as Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich,  can be compared with KKK in America, the Hitler Youth movement and similar evil groups. For example, Ben- Gvir is demanding the adoption of Talmudic laws as the Law of the Land. As an expert in Talmudic Judaism knows, these laws teach, inter alia,  that the lives of non-Jews have no sanctity and that raping a Goya (non-Jewish woman) should not be viewed as a real crime, only a minor “sin of bestiality,” since the woman is not really a human being! In, light the Zionists would insist on receiving utmost respect and exemplary hospitality, and at the same time maintain their toxic racism and murderous behaviour. It is a gargantuan oxymoron.

Friday, January 6, 2023

The Connection Between Muslim Prayers (Namaz/salah) and Yoga Poses


 Islam isn’t only about religious supplications; instead, it is also about human well-being. Some of us, Muslims, can also be unaware of Salah’s benefits and connection to yoga. People do yoga to stay fit and healthy, but most Muslims don’t understand how Islam promotes healthy living through prayers.

According to many case studies and researches, it is founded that Muslim prayers and Yoga poses have direct connections. Most mental health care clinics treat Muslim prayers as a basement to treat Muslim patients. In a stress-ridden world, it is not easy to stay mentally healthy or fit.

 People often need the right amount of counseling and therapy. Therapists search for novel ideas and strategies to treat patients. They try to implement new things to cater to patients’ problems. Reiki, Yoga, etc. are some of those methods that therapists attend to. Apart from these methods, religion, as a whole, plays a significant role in healing the mental illness of patients.

There’s therapeutic efficacy when the religious patients are connected with religious belief. Several research pieces concerning this new order have brought the direct connection between salah and Yoga to light. People have started looking for the reason why Muslim prayers have so much significance. Well, let me tell you why and how Yoga poses resemble Muslim prayers. 

How Does Yoga match With the Muslim Prayers?

Yoga is an ancient style of meditation and physical acts that was initiated by Hindus. There are so many scientific proofs concerning the healthy benefits of Yoga. Today, people around the world follow prayer Yoga pose despite its religious connection. It has become one of the famous fitness programs in the world. 

However, Muslims have got the chance to enjoy similar benefits as Yoga through their prayers, which has been practiced for fourteen hundred years. It is a daily activity that Muslims around the world practice.

The Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him) has said “إن فى الصلاة شفاء” means “There is a cure in prayers.”

The word “Chakras” is used by Yogis, and it is attainted only when all the yoga poses are performed flawlessly. This is similar to the “feeling” that Muslims get when they perform all the salah postures. When salah is performed five times a day, it gives tremendous energy and stamina to run the day effectively. This is similar to the boost that you get when you perform yoga poses.

Top Three Yoga Poses That Are Similar to the Postures of Muslim Prayers

  • Qiyam vs. Namaste

Both Namaste and Qiyam require keeping both feet evenly distributed; thus, it balances the body and eases the nervous system. The body gets positive energy when the posture is maintained perfectly. In Muslim prayers, certain Quran verses recited while the individuals are in Qiyam position. According to research, it is stated that sound vibrations from the Quran verses stimulate the thyroid, heart, adrenal glands, pituitary, and lungs. It also uplifts and purifies them.

In a prayer, Qiyam begins with recitals while keeping the body straight in a standing position. While the person remains in the position, he/she will make sure to keep the back, and the overall body straightened. This will not only help steady blood flow but also increase the focus. According to Muslims, this position increases self-awareness and the health of the overall body. Next, when the person engages in dua (prayers), the chakra is activated. This is how the feelings of harmony, love, and peace play a role in the prayer.

In Yoga, Namaste isn’t very much different to Qiyam rather, and it’s just the same posture with a slight difference in what we say and how we move. Namaste means “I bow to you or Bow me you.” If you see the way how Yogis perform this movement, you will witness a slight difference. Instead of placing one hand over the other as Muslims do in prayer, they will place the hands at heart to enhance the divine love. Along with this, they will also close their eyes and bow their head to increase the flow of love.

During Namaste, Yogis come to a standing position in which their body muscles tighten. Yoga helps your body’s metabolism and blood flow, so you don’t have to engage in an intense workout. Also, the motions involved in Yoga will develop flexibility and efficiency.  

  • Ruk’u vs. Ardha Uttanasana

Both the positions support the muscles in the lower back, thighs, front torso, and calves. When engaging in these positions, your upper torso will receive adequate blood. The muscles in the stomach, kidneys, and abdomen will also be toned when you follow these positions.

In a prayer, Ruk’ u is performed by bending forward to portray the submission to Allah. It shows how a Muslim let go of his/her pride and lowers down to Allah. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) has advised to lower oneself in Ruk’ u with much calmness and come to a standing position only when the body gets relaxed.

In Yoga, Ardha Uttanasana is a forward fold that in a half-standing position. This Yoga pose promotes relaxed breathing and increases the mind’s calmness. However, both the poses strengthen the spine and back while promoting body posture. When you perform the poses correctly, the muscles get stretched, resulting in ease of pack pain.

Besides, the positions send pressure to the abdomen; thus, it helps relieve peristaltic movements and constipation.

  • Sujud vs. Balasana (child pose)

This is the most critical position of Muslim prayer. Sujud stimulates the frontal cortex of the brain. When Muslims perform sujud, their heart gets placed in a top position than the brain, so the upper part of the body gets enough blood flow. Mainly, your lungs and head. According to hadith, it is mentioned that Muslims are closer to Allah when they are in sujud.

The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said, “The nearest a servant comes to his Lord is when he is prostrating himself, so make supplication (in this state)” [Sahih al-Bukhari]

The belly fat can be controlled with Balasana and Sujud positions. Knees, forehead, and feet are on the ground, which means there’s more pressure for the abdomen’s muscles to get stronger.

In Yoga, a similar pose to sujud is called child post (Balasana). This is also treated as a famous stretching exercise that can be added to his/her daily routine. This pose relieves tension in the chest, shoulders, and back. As per certain researches, this pose activates crown chakra that deals with a spiritual connection with the world and spiritual pursuits. It also clears mental toxins.

Wrapping Up

People around the world perform Yoga to increase mental peace, stamina, and calmness. When they engage in Yoga, they chant the mantras in a low tone to increase efficiency. However, this is also similar to what Muslims do when they engage in prayers. Quran verses that are recited serve as a guidance and good deed.

Just like Yoga, salah serves as enlightenment and a source of peace. According to Islam, peace and guidance are promoted through five-times prayers. Through prayers, meditation is encouraged, so for example, whenever a Muslim feels worried or disturbed, they can easily get rid of it through prayers.

On the other hand, Quran verses deal with a lot of sociological and psychological benefits. I believe now it’s safe to say that we, Muslims, have been following Yoga since 1,400 years!.Five-time prayers is the Muslim version of Yoga!

Will the West Embrace Kosher Nazism Following the Instalment of the New Israeli Government?

 


Major western powers have reacted almost indifferently to the formation of the new israeli government. The united states, israel’s-guardian-ally,  said it was looking forwards to working with the returning veteran prime minister benyamin netanyahu.

In a telephone call to netanyahu, ostensibly to congratulate him on the swearing-in of his new coalition government, president biden half-heartedly reaffirmed u.S. Commitment to a two-state solution for the palestinian issue. However, it is absolutely clear that this type of political settlement is irreversibly dead given the intensive jewish colonization of the west bank, which has left no room for establishing a credible, sovereign and territorially-contiguous palestinian state worthy of the name.

Biden’s helpless disenchantment with israel

The apparently helpless disenchantment of the biden administration with the ascendency of talmudic fascism to the helm of power in israel shows that the indecisive us approach to the palestinian crisis has effectively reached a dead-end, as israeli recalcitrance is thwarting all american peace efforts in the region.  

Predictably,  just a few hours after his telephone conversation with biden, netanyahu wasted no time telling the american president that israel is not occupying anyone’s land and that 100% of the west bank was an exclusively jewish territory!

On sunday, secretary of state antony blinken reiterated the same message during a conversation with the new israeli foreign minister eli cohen. However, there was a general agreement that the discrepancy over the two-state solution wouldn’t impact the core alliance between israel and the U.S

Also on sunday, a group of jewish americans held a rare protest vigil outside the israeli embassy in washington, calling for peace, democracy and equality. The protesters who are members of the american branch of peace now called the current israeli government racist, homophobic and promoting apartheid.

Europe and israel: ambivalence and hypocrisy

Biden reportedly remained quite reticent as he obviously lacked the will and inclination to challenge netanyahu’s insolence or confront his characteristic intransigence. A careful reading into biden’s behaviour shows that his administration will never seek to pressure israel to give genuine concessions for peace. Instead, he is more likely to continue cajoling and coaxing  the increasingly irrelevant pa to wait for a miracle that would never happen

The european union issued a general statement, calling on “all parties” to exercise self-restraint and refrain from escalation.

Germany, whose current chancellor got visibly mad this past year when visiting pa president mahmoud abbas used the word holocaust to describe mounting israeli atrocities against palestinians, issued a rare criticism of israel after public security minister ben gvir paid a provocative visit to the holy islamic sanctuary, the aqsa mosque in jerusalem. The visit drew a wave of criticisms and condemnations  from many quarters around the world, although it was not expected that the new israeli government would pay the slightest attention to these negative reactions.

Self-censored western media refrain from calling the spade by its name

The bulk of the international, especially western media described the new israeli government in virtually innocuous terms, calling it, inter alia, “most rightest, most nationalist and most-extremist.” however, it is amply clear that these banal labels served as euphemistic epithets intended to mitigate the brutal ugliness of the new judeo-nazi government, headed by benyamin netanyahu.

As expected, some newspapers of record, like new york times, washington post,  le mond, and times of london, meticulously refrained from using the term “fascist” as if three were still doubts as to whether the use of that epithet to describe the new israeli government was too hyperbolic and grossly unfair.

We must call the spade by its name

Undoubtedly, this monstrous government already deserves the strongest condemnations from every honest man and woman in this world. The world doesn’t have to wait weeks and months to ascertain the true credentials of that evil entity.

The  israeli media has already published appalling excerpts of statements by the government of murderers, thugs and child-killers,  who seem quite convinced that the tight  jewish domination of the american government, including congress,  grants them a perfect right to carry out a partial or full holocaust against millions of palestinians, languishing under talmudic cruelty and barbarianism.

Some israeli pr experts have warned that statements about “jewish domination” in america could boomerang on israel and embarrass israel’s supporters in the u.S. Another point of possible contention between the u.S. And the new israeli government is the venomous aversion by the haredi ultra-religious parties such as shas and agudat yisrael towards jesus christ. Toxic anti-jesus literature, like hesronot shas, is taught widely in talmudic colleges all over israel.

Ultimate game-changer

Viewed as the worst and most racist, most fascist and murderous israeli government ever, the new rulers of israel are expected to put into effect a plethora of racist laws including the following:

  • Passing new laws in the knesset that would seriously reduce or even revoke legal punishments for jews convicted of murdering non-jews.  Needless to say,  successive israeli governments have been observing, de facto,  such laws for decades. However, israeli official agencies used to indulge in such crimes behind the curtain, obviously for public relations purposes.  Human rights groups operating in the west bank have documented numerous cases where innocent palestinians were murdered in cold blood by jewish settler terrorists, and the perpetrators were not even interrogated by the police, let alone imprisoned or even arrested.
  • Israel is expected to instate the “death penalty” against palestinians convicted of killing jews, including heavily-armed israeli soldiers. Of course, the capital punishment doesn’t apply to jews convicted of murdering non-jews, including children.
  •  According to cultic talmudic laws the religious parties would submit for ratification, jewish doctors may refuse to provide medical care to non-jewish patients, or even saving their lives on shabat (saturday). Thus a non-jew injured in a car accident on the jewish sabbath would have to bleed to death as emergency services offering first aid to goyem contradict the jewish religious law. 
  • There are certain talmudic laws that do not  recognize the sheer humanity of non-jews in general. It is uncertain whether netanyahu’s coalition partners will seek to activate such manifestly laws. In some cases, the ultimate ramifications of such laws could be quite embarrassing for jews everywhere.  
  • Israel is adopting the desecration and attempted judaizing of the aqsa mosque as official policy. In the past, israeli governments blamed fringe fanatic groups for “acts of agitation and provocation” at the haram el-sharif of jerusalem . Now, however, these fringe groups  are more or less in control the israeli government.

The holocaust didn’t start with auschwitz

For those who might accuse me of being unduly hasty in passing a judgment on the new government that is less than one-week old,  I say it is you who are being blinded by your gullibility, naivety and ignorance about that government.

I must remind the world that the holocaust did not start with auschwitz-birkenau, treblinka, dachau, mauthausen, etc. These death concentration camps and the sheer evil they came to represent were only the final or ultimate outcome of  nazi policies. Thus, the holocaust was by no means a huge winter storm occurring on a beautiful,  clear, sunny day.

The holocaust started much earlier,  with the sort of things occurring these days  before our eyes in palestine, like the publication of mein kampf (torat ha’melekh), the nazi-citizenship aw of 1936-37 (the israeli nationality law of 2o9), kristalnacht (settler vandalism in nablus, elsewhere),! So, should the world give people like ben gvir and bezalel smotrich the benefit of the doubt in order to  enable the4m perfect their holocaustal  designs against a people who rely  mostly on the goodwill of people like you and me to save them from the gloomy clouds of israeli, zionist-jewish nazism flying over the horizons

World passively watching as Israel perpetrates open-ended massacre in Gaza

The Israeli army, which can be called the Jewish Wehrmacht given its Nazi-like behavior, continues to pound the Gaza Strip from ground, sea ...