No Way Through, a short film that asks the question what would happen if the British capital was filled with Israeli-style checkpoints. Thanks to Syria News Wire for posting this.
Sunday, 20 December 2009
Wednesday, 9 December 2009
When there is no one to turn to..
أغيب وذو اللطائف لا يغيب وأرجوه رجاء لا يخيب
وأسأله السلامة من زمان بليت به نوائبه تشيب
وأنزل حاجتي في كل حال إلى من تطمئن به القلوب
فكم لله من تدبير أمر طوته عن المشاهدة الغيوب
وكم في الغيب من تيسير عسر ومن تفريج نائبة تنوب
ومن كرم ومن لطف خفي ومن فرج تزول به الكروب
ومن لي غير باب الله باب ولا مولا سواه ولا حبيب
كريم منعم بر لطيف جميل الستر للداعي مجيب
حليم لا يعاجل بالخطايا رحيم غيث رحمته يصوب
فيا ملك الملوك أقل عثاري فإني عنك أنأتني الذنوب
وأمرضني الهوى لهوان حظي ولكن ليس غيرك لي طبيب
فآمن روعتي واكبت حسودا فإن النائبات لها نيوب
وآنسني بأولادي وأهلي فقد يستوحش الرجل الغريب
ولي شجن بأطفال صغار أكاد إذا ذكرتهم أذوب
ولكني نبذت زمام أمري لمن تدبيره فينا عجيب
هو الرحمن حولي واعتصامي به وإليه مبتهلا أتيب
إلهي أنت تعلم كيف حالي فهل يا سيدي فرج قريب
فيا ديان يوم الدين فرج هموما في الفؤاد لها دبيب
وصل حبلي بحبل رضاك وانظر إلي وتب علي عسى أتوب
وراع حمايت وتول نصري وشد عراي إن عرت الخطوب
وألهمني لذكرك طول عمري فإن بذكرك الدنيا تطيب
وقل عبد الرحيم ومن يليه لهم في ريف رأفتنا نصيب
فظني فيك يا سندي جميل ومرعى ذود آمالي خصيب
وصل على النبي وآله ما ترنم في الآراك العندليب
وأسأله السلامة من زمان بليت به نوائبه تشيب
وأنزل حاجتي في كل حال إلى من تطمئن به القلوب
فكم لله من تدبير أمر طوته عن المشاهدة الغيوب
وكم في الغيب من تيسير عسر ومن تفريج نائبة تنوب
ومن كرم ومن لطف خفي ومن فرج تزول به الكروب
ومن لي غير باب الله باب ولا مولا سواه ولا حبيب
كريم منعم بر لطيف جميل الستر للداعي مجيب
حليم لا يعاجل بالخطايا رحيم غيث رحمته يصوب
فيا ملك الملوك أقل عثاري فإني عنك أنأتني الذنوب
وأمرضني الهوى لهوان حظي ولكن ليس غيرك لي طبيب
فآمن روعتي واكبت حسودا فإن النائبات لها نيوب
وآنسني بأولادي وأهلي فقد يستوحش الرجل الغريب
ولي شجن بأطفال صغار أكاد إذا ذكرتهم أذوب
ولكني نبذت زمام أمري لمن تدبيره فينا عجيب
هو الرحمن حولي واعتصامي به وإليه مبتهلا أتيب
إلهي أنت تعلم كيف حالي فهل يا سيدي فرج قريب
فيا ديان يوم الدين فرج هموما في الفؤاد لها دبيب
وصل حبلي بحبل رضاك وانظر إلي وتب علي عسى أتوب
وراع حمايت وتول نصري وشد عراي إن عرت الخطوب
وألهمني لذكرك طول عمري فإن بذكرك الدنيا تطيب
وقل عبد الرحيم ومن يليه لهم في ريف رأفتنا نصيب
فظني فيك يا سندي جميل ومرعى ذود آمالي خصيب
وصل على النبي وآله ما ترنم في الآراك العندليب
Thoughts: What are we certain of?
The initial quote talking about 'the truth' on Maysaloons' latest post got me thinking what is truth in the sense of something that we are all very certain of whether muslim or non-muslim. Only one thing came to my mind, (apart from scientific facts or truths) one truth that no one can deny, that we can all be very certain of, it is death. No human being has ever escaped death, and in one way or another we will all eventually die. It is inevitable, it is a truth.
Death makes people, or at least myself, think of the things that I have done in this life, the things that are according to me have been mistakes and the things that I should be doing more of that I am not currently doing. It unveils to a person their own hypocrisies and makes them think about the irrelevance of this life that we live no matter who you are because if you are rich, poor, handsome, famous, etc, death will get to you. The thought of this truth humbles a person. It makes a person a little bit more prepared for what is to come and provides a form of notice that that person needs to amend any wrong they have done before the day of judgment. The Holy Quran says alot about death and what happens to those who have forgotten and decided not to remember:
And the stupor of death will come in truth: "This is what you have been avoiding!" (19) And the Trumpet will be blown — that will be the Day whereof warning (had been given) (i.e. the Day of Resurrection). (20) And every person will come forth along with an (angel) to drive (him), and an (angel) to bear witness. (21) (It will be said to the sinners): "Indeed you were heedless of this, now We have removed your covering, and sharp is your sight this Day!" (22) (Chapter 50; verses 19-22)
And also in chapter 75 verses 26-35
Nay, when (the soul) reaches to the collar bone (i.e. up to the throat in its exit), (26) And it will be said: "Who can cure him (and save him from death)?" (27) And he (the dying person) will conclude that it was (the time) of parting (death); (28) And one leg will be joined with another leg (shrouded)[] (29) The drive will be, on that Day, to your Lord (Allâh)! (30) So he (the disbeliever) neither believed (in this Qur'ân, and in the Message of Muhammad SAW) nor prayed! (31) But on the contrary, he belied (this Qur'ân and the Message of Muhammad SAW) and turned away! (32) Then he walked in conceit (full pride) to his family admiring himself! (33) Woe to you [O man (disbeliever)]! And then (again) woe to you! (34) Again, woe to you [O man (disbeliever)]! And then (again) woe to you! (35)
Subhanallah. We are given signs, and we are then told what those signs are, yet we still walk away refusing to think.
Death makes people, or at least myself, think of the things that I have done in this life, the things that are according to me have been mistakes and the things that I should be doing more of that I am not currently doing. It unveils to a person their own hypocrisies and makes them think about the irrelevance of this life that we live no matter who you are because if you are rich, poor, handsome, famous, etc, death will get to you. The thought of this truth humbles a person. It makes a person a little bit more prepared for what is to come and provides a form of notice that that person needs to amend any wrong they have done before the day of judgment. The Holy Quran says alot about death and what happens to those who have forgotten and decided not to remember:
And the stupor of death will come in truth: "This is what you have been avoiding!" (19) And the Trumpet will be blown — that will be the Day whereof warning (had been given) (i.e. the Day of Resurrection). (20) And every person will come forth along with an (angel) to drive (him), and an (angel) to bear witness. (21) (It will be said to the sinners): "Indeed you were heedless of this, now We have removed your covering, and sharp is your sight this Day!" (22) (Chapter 50; verses 19-22)
And also in chapter 75 verses 26-35
Nay, when (the soul) reaches to the collar bone (i.e. up to the throat in its exit), (26) And it will be said: "Who can cure him (and save him from death)?" (27) And he (the dying person) will conclude that it was (the time) of parting (death); (28) And one leg will be joined with another leg (shrouded)[] (29) The drive will be, on that Day, to your Lord (Allâh)! (30) So he (the disbeliever) neither believed (in this Qur'ân, and in the Message of Muhammad SAW) nor prayed! (31) But on the contrary, he belied (this Qur'ân and the Message of Muhammad SAW) and turned away! (32) Then he walked in conceit (full pride) to his family admiring himself! (33) Woe to you [O man (disbeliever)]! And then (again) woe to you! (34) Again, woe to you [O man (disbeliever)]! And then (again) woe to you! (35)
Subhanallah. We are given signs, and we are then told what those signs are, yet we still walk away refusing to think.
While in Syria..
I've been contemplating while I sat here tonight, on what I should write about today. Its been a while and even though I have so much time to be sitting and writing (since I am still technically jobless - no surprises there considering where I'm currently living) I still don't, maybe its a lack of motivation or maybe its just the lazy in me?
As I said, this post could have been about the Copenhagen Summit on Climate Change, or on Islam or even on government silliness (not restricted to any country) in whatever matter, But I choose to write about ignorant, selfish, unbelievably stupid and inconsiderate things that Syrian people (not everyone) usually do in public. Ofcourse this will require at least an essay that is 27 pages long so I will be talking about one thing every week - just so that I do not shock people who are reading this that live in a more civilized country. So for today, I shall talk about my favourite topic (which I usually complain about every single day): Driving in Syria. I really do get excited when I talk about driving in Syria and seriously become extra motivated, I am right now grinning at my laptop screen as the clicks of the keyboard gradually get louder.. I shall split this into subsections so that you don't get confused:
Rules.. really?:
Rules while driving in Syria are non existing. You can virtually stop where ever you want if your man enough you can even stop on a high way but that will just be pushing your luck; you can drive between lanes; you can go into a roundabout at a speed of approximately 165 Km/second (as long as there are no cameras); you can drive counter-flow; you can babysit your child while driving or you can even drive without any lights on (this one is for those military vehicles). Don't get me wrong people do stop on traffic lights just because they really hate paying those fees if a damn traffic policeman or camera gets them.
High beam headlights, Syrians' favourite:
Wherever you drive, be sure to be blinded by the high beam headlights (or more commonly known as 'Highlights') from cars driving 5 meters behind you, or cars coming from the other side. In some cases you can't blame some people since the roads might not be fully lit or lit at all, but come on people, Damascus is full of signs saying something along the lines of "driving requires manners and that driving properly shows how civilized a person is".. all in vein.
The Mezzeh Autostrade.. or is it?:
The Mezzeh autostrade is not really an autostrade (Italian for highway). First of all there is approximately 27 traffic lights. Secondly you are restricted to a speed of 60 Km/hour in whatever lane your in. And finally, although there are underpasses for pedestrians everyone crosses the road on the 'autostrade', there are even zebra crossings in front of the traffic lights, which brings me to the next point.
Crossing Roads:
A pedestrian may cross from where ever they want. A pedestrian can at times consider him/herself a moving vehicle and walk between cars until there is an opening between the traffic that would enable him/her to move on a lane closer to the side they wish to be on. Pedestrians are really dangerous and suicidal if your new to this country, as they will not wait for you to stop, for them to decide to cross the road once they get bored of waiting.
Traffic light timers:
A good invention. Lets you know exactly how many seconds of your life your wasting waiting for the traffic light to turn green. The benefit of those timers are not quite clear, here taxi drivers that I have been with think they are a method of entertainment and statistically 6 out of 10 drivers will ask you (if your in the passenger seat next to the driver) "will we make it?" and starts to speed up in order to "make it". In other instances the timer is a means of notifying those stuck way behind In a traffic when they should start blasting their horns, or for those in the front can use the timer to either drag race or waste a couple of seconds and see how pissed off those behind them get.
Roads like Silk:
Roads in Syria in general are shit. I apologize but there is no other way to put this. A well laid road in Syria is one which has 7 or less holes in it. When driving in Syria be sure to have a paper bag with you, like the ones they have on airplanes. They say Damascus is the oldest inhabited city in the world, and those roads are the evidence.
Taxis and other Public Vehicles:
Should be considered as hazard. Where to start...!?
Traffic policemen:
If it is the end of the month and traffic policemen are broke, they will pull anyone over for whatever reason it is no matter how unimportant you think it is (indecent looking car for example) and will try to get you to bribe them so that they will let you go.
and to round up something from my last personal experience of driving in Syria.
As I drove yesterday in the suburbs of Damascus, I had to cross a two way bridge that fits exactly two vehicles, to get where I wanted to go. I was driving right behind a pick-up car and as usual the load was a couple of men. All of a sudden and with no prior notice, the driver of that pick-up decided or most probably had made a previous decision with the three men at the back to drop them off on top of the bridge for some strange reason, knowing that they would eventually have to walk to either side of the bridge to get to the place where the micro-buses (little white buses) usually pass by. having little time to act and no choice of stopping I had to take the idiot over; I barely missed him and the glare of the 'highlights' from cars approaching from the other side, struck my eyes nearly blinding me during the process; I had to quickly swerve back into the right lane nearly missing the car and subsequent cars from the other side. Having avoided crashing, I also avoided ending up in prison that day as I decided not to kill that guy ("guy" is not the word or words in my head right now).
As I said, this post could have been about the Copenhagen Summit on Climate Change, or on Islam or even on government silliness (not restricted to any country) in whatever matter, But I choose to write about ignorant, selfish, unbelievably stupid and inconsiderate things that Syrian people (not everyone) usually do in public. Ofcourse this will require at least an essay that is 27 pages long so I will be talking about one thing every week - just so that I do not shock people who are reading this that live in a more civilized country. So for today, I shall talk about my favourite topic (which I usually complain about every single day): Driving in Syria. I really do get excited when I talk about driving in Syria and seriously become extra motivated, I am right now grinning at my laptop screen as the clicks of the keyboard gradually get louder.. I shall split this into subsections so that you don't get confused:
Rules.. really?:
Rules while driving in Syria are non existing. You can virtually stop where ever you want if your man enough you can even stop on a high way but that will just be pushing your luck; you can drive between lanes; you can go into a roundabout at a speed of approximately 165 Km/second (as long as there are no cameras); you can drive counter-flow; you can babysit your child while driving or you can even drive without any lights on (this one is for those military vehicles). Don't get me wrong people do stop on traffic lights just because they really hate paying those fees if a damn traffic policeman or camera gets them.
High beam headlights, Syrians' favourite:
Wherever you drive, be sure to be blinded by the high beam headlights (or more commonly known as 'Highlights') from cars driving 5 meters behind you, or cars coming from the other side. In some cases you can't blame some people since the roads might not be fully lit or lit at all, but come on people, Damascus is full of signs saying something along the lines of "driving requires manners and that driving properly shows how civilized a person is".. all in vein.
The Mezzeh Autostrade.. or is it?:
The Mezzeh autostrade is not really an autostrade (Italian for highway). First of all there is approximately 27 traffic lights. Secondly you are restricted to a speed of 60 Km/hour in whatever lane your in. And finally, although there are underpasses for pedestrians everyone crosses the road on the 'autostrade', there are even zebra crossings in front of the traffic lights, which brings me to the next point.
Crossing Roads:
A pedestrian may cross from where ever they want. A pedestrian can at times consider him/herself a moving vehicle and walk between cars until there is an opening between the traffic that would enable him/her to move on a lane closer to the side they wish to be on. Pedestrians are really dangerous and suicidal if your new to this country, as they will not wait for you to stop, for them to decide to cross the road once they get bored of waiting.
Traffic light timers:
A good invention. Lets you know exactly how many seconds of your life your wasting waiting for the traffic light to turn green. The benefit of those timers are not quite clear, here taxi drivers that I have been with think they are a method of entertainment and statistically 6 out of 10 drivers will ask you (if your in the passenger seat next to the driver) "will we make it?" and starts to speed up in order to "make it". In other instances the timer is a means of notifying those stuck way behind In a traffic when they should start blasting their horns, or for those in the front can use the timer to either drag race or waste a couple of seconds and see how pissed off those behind them get.
Roads like Silk:
Roads in Syria in general are shit. I apologize but there is no other way to put this. A well laid road in Syria is one which has 7 or less holes in it. When driving in Syria be sure to have a paper bag with you, like the ones they have on airplanes. They say Damascus is the oldest inhabited city in the world, and those roads are the evidence.
Taxis and other Public Vehicles:
Should be considered as hazard. Where to start...!?
Traffic policemen:
If it is the end of the month and traffic policemen are broke, they will pull anyone over for whatever reason it is no matter how unimportant you think it is (indecent looking car for example) and will try to get you to bribe them so that they will let you go.
and to round up something from my last personal experience of driving in Syria.
As I drove yesterday in the suburbs of Damascus, I had to cross a two way bridge that fits exactly two vehicles, to get where I wanted to go. I was driving right behind a pick-up car and as usual the load was a couple of men. All of a sudden and with no prior notice, the driver of that pick-up decided or most probably had made a previous decision with the three men at the back to drop them off on top of the bridge for some strange reason, knowing that they would eventually have to walk to either side of the bridge to get to the place where the micro-buses (little white buses) usually pass by. having little time to act and no choice of stopping I had to take the idiot over; I barely missed him and the glare of the 'highlights' from cars approaching from the other side, struck my eyes nearly blinding me during the process; I had to quickly swerve back into the right lane nearly missing the car and subsequent cars from the other side. Having avoided crashing, I also avoided ending up in prison that day as I decided not to kill that guy ("guy" is not the word or words in my head right now).
Tuesday, 17 November 2009
how arabs treat each other
This whole talk and hype regarding the football game between Egypt and Algeria which will qualify one of those teams to the world cup has unveiled the true colors of what we 'Arabs' think of each other, I am talking here at the people and not the governments.
I was amazed to hear after the game what one of the Egyptian presenters of a TV show had to say. As soon as the game was over the presenter (a lady) said something along the lines of 'this win is a pride for all Arabs'. The first thing that came to my mind is "so Algerians are not Arab?!"
To be honest, and whether we like to admit it or not, us "Arabs" never really 'liked' each other. We never treat an 'Arab' in the same why we would treat any other person. Let me give some examples, Example 1: if your an Arab and you apply for a job in the Gulf region you would be given X amount of salary per month, but if your still that same Arab but this time you apply to a job saying that your actually an American/Canadian/British citizen you will be given double that salary.
Example 2: when driving a car in another Arab country which say your there to visit family,and you are stopped at a checkpoint and you happen to be holding a driving license from another arab country which you arn't meant to be driving with, you will either be harrassed for a while or taken to jail, on the other hand if you hold an American/Canadian/British driving license the cop will see your license, and will then salute you then he will thank you for stopping and will ask you to please move on. (personal experience)
Example 3: When two Arab football teams face each other in a sensitive game one like lets say, a World cup qualifier game! The game will most definitely end up with escalating tensions between the two countries (on all levels including public, political, media, etc) like what happened between Egypt and Algeria, Syria and Kuwait (AFC cup), Kuwait and Saudi Arabia (Gulf cup), Syria and UAE (world cup qualifier) and so on. On the other hand when Arab teams face other countries nothing happens and the best example here is the lose of Tunisia against Mozambique and Bahrain against New Zealand given that both are vital world cup qualifying games which both Tunisia and Bahrain unfortunately were not able to make.
Example 4: In some Arab countries an Arab will require a visa prior to entering another Arab country (and may require to fill out an application and then wait for a couple of weeks before that Arab person gets the visa to visit another Arab country) but for non Arabs a visa can be obtained in the airport with no hassle or anything of that sort.
You see, we Arabs "speak alot" meaning we say what we don't really mean and many Arabs pretend like they are cool with each other and like each other, but in reality...
I was amazed to hear after the game what one of the Egyptian presenters of a TV show had to say. As soon as the game was over the presenter (a lady) said something along the lines of 'this win is a pride for all Arabs'. The first thing that came to my mind is "so Algerians are not Arab?!"
To be honest, and whether we like to admit it or not, us "Arabs" never really 'liked' each other. We never treat an 'Arab' in the same why we would treat any other person. Let me give some examples, Example 1: if your an Arab and you apply for a job in the Gulf region you would be given X amount of salary per month, but if your still that same Arab but this time you apply to a job saying that your actually an American/Canadian/British citizen you will be given double that salary.
Example 2: when driving a car in another Arab country which say your there to visit family,and you are stopped at a checkpoint and you happen to be holding a driving license from another arab country which you arn't meant to be driving with, you will either be harrassed for a while or taken to jail, on the other hand if you hold an American/Canadian/British driving license the cop will see your license, and will then salute you then he will thank you for stopping and will ask you to please move on. (personal experience)
Example 3: When two Arab football teams face each other in a sensitive game one like lets say, a World cup qualifier game! The game will most definitely end up with escalating tensions between the two countries (on all levels including public, political, media, etc) like what happened between Egypt and Algeria, Syria and Kuwait (AFC cup), Kuwait and Saudi Arabia (Gulf cup), Syria and UAE (world cup qualifier) and so on. On the other hand when Arab teams face other countries nothing happens and the best example here is the lose of Tunisia against Mozambique and Bahrain against New Zealand given that both are vital world cup qualifying games which both Tunisia and Bahrain unfortunately were not able to make.
Example 4: In some Arab countries an Arab will require a visa prior to entering another Arab country (and may require to fill out an application and then wait for a couple of weeks before that Arab person gets the visa to visit another Arab country) but for non Arabs a visa can be obtained in the airport with no hassle or anything of that sort.
You see, we Arabs "speak alot" meaning we say what we don't really mean and many Arabs pretend like they are cool with each other and like each other, but in reality...
Tuesday, 10 November 2009
I enjoy listening to speeches by Bashar Al Assad because he says things in his speeches that no Arab leader says or has said in a long time. Things like 'if peace is not achieved then our only means to get back what has been taken from us by force, will be through resistance', or 'Resisting occupation is a national duty and for Syria to back it up is a moral and a legitimate duty and that supporting it is an honor for us" are things that any body in this region likes to hear. Still in many cases what is being said does not match the reality on the ground...
Thoughts: being an Arab or a Muslim?
So I haven't been here a lot, apparently residing in a new country requires so much work to be done especially when you are residing in a country where the bureaucracy is unbelievable. Apart from that living in Syria for a while made me notice a lot of things that are wrong with this country, whether big or small but I'll leave those for other posts (just to have something to talk about later on).
As I read the news through a proxy server (since many useful websites that I used to visit are no longer permissible for the average Jim in Syria) a title of an article written by Michel Kilo caught my eye on Alquds Alarabi. The article is titled "The Arab inability to find Shared Nationalistic Denominators". The following is not a comment on the article but merely a remark on the title of the article.
To be honest as I became more interested in politics through the years, as most Arabs, I have been deceived with the colonial idea of Arab Nationalism. When it becomes hard to define what an Arab is in the first place (according to the Arab league it is mainly language?) then you will have a problem with finding the smallest shared denominator between different "Arab" countries. Arab nationalism only came about when western powers that had colonial interests in the region came up with this idea to break up the last of the Caliphates, the Ottoman Caliphate. Arabs back then were over excited with the promises and lies that were given to them by those seeking to colonize the region. Indeed after the "Arab revolution" finally getting what it wanted, an independent rule over "Arab territory" separate from Islamic rule they were (the Arabs) put aside as those seeking to colonize the region (Britain and France mainly) forgot about their promises to the Arabs and sent their armies to colonize the region (see for example the Sykes-Picot agreement).
In addition to this, the failure of Arab nationalism to really deliver the hopes and dreams of Arab states can be easily seen. Maybe the only time Arab Nationalism was saw the light of success with out it succeeding was during the time Abdulnasser was in power in Egypt who failed with uniting Arab countries even though he had widespread public support from nearly all Arab countries.
I think the only reason why many of us consider ourselves as being Arabs is just a result of something more greater that most of Arabs believe in. Our Arab identity is just part of a greater identity, which is Islam. In reality our ultimate identity as people who live in the region known today as the "Arab World" is not the over-puffed and hyped identity as Arabs, It is Islam whether it was through the Islamic culture and traditions shared by most Arabs or in the belief in Islam as a religion (keeping in consideration ethnic and religious minorities that do exist in this region).
As I read the news through a proxy server (since many useful websites that I used to visit are no longer permissible for the average Jim in Syria) a title of an article written by Michel Kilo caught my eye on Alquds Alarabi. The article is titled "The Arab inability to find Shared Nationalistic Denominators". The following is not a comment on the article but merely a remark on the title of the article.
To be honest as I became more interested in politics through the years, as most Arabs, I have been deceived with the colonial idea of Arab Nationalism. When it becomes hard to define what an Arab is in the first place (according to the Arab league it is mainly language?) then you will have a problem with finding the smallest shared denominator between different "Arab" countries. Arab nationalism only came about when western powers that had colonial interests in the region came up with this idea to break up the last of the Caliphates, the Ottoman Caliphate. Arabs back then were over excited with the promises and lies that were given to them by those seeking to colonize the region. Indeed after the "Arab revolution" finally getting what it wanted, an independent rule over "Arab territory" separate from Islamic rule they were (the Arabs) put aside as those seeking to colonize the region (Britain and France mainly) forgot about their promises to the Arabs and sent their armies to colonize the region (see for example the Sykes-Picot agreement).
In addition to this, the failure of Arab nationalism to really deliver the hopes and dreams of Arab states can be easily seen. Maybe the only time Arab Nationalism was saw the light of success with out it succeeding was during the time Abdulnasser was in power in Egypt who failed with uniting Arab countries even though he had widespread public support from nearly all Arab countries.
I think the only reason why many of us consider ourselves as being Arabs is just a result of something more greater that most of Arabs believe in. Our Arab identity is just part of a greater identity, which is Islam. In reality our ultimate identity as people who live in the region known today as the "Arab World" is not the over-puffed and hyped identity as Arabs, It is Islam whether it was through the Islamic culture and traditions shared by most Arabs or in the belief in Islam as a religion (keeping in consideration ethnic and religious minorities that do exist in this region).
Saturday, 10 October 2009
No Rain...no life
Drought has been hitting the North-Eastern parts of Syria in the harshest of ways, causing thousands of people to flee their once green fields into larger cities in Syria (mainly Damascus) looking for an alternative source of living. Speaking to the Financial Times, Nabi Rashid Mohammad, Syria's deputy minister of agriculture says that Syria wants "more parties to be involved in this problem because we, the Syrian government and the people are doing all we can but the problem is bigger than our abilities to deal with it."
Although Syria is seeking international aid, this has so far not been sufficient. The UN has not yet been able to come up with the required amount of funds to face this problem:
"The UN is seeking some $53m (€36m, £33m) in emergency funds but has not received any money yet from donors...
Drought is a slowly ongoing disaster and because of the political situation donors do not give money easily for humanitarian action in Syria," says Mostafa Shbib to the FT. According to a report on Aljazeera the UN has only managed to secure 19% of the total funds necessary.
The effects of the drought can be felt on many levels. Nabil Sukar a Syrian Economist has said that the effects of the drought on the economy can already be felt estimating that the drought will "shave about 1 per cent off gross domestic product growth this year." Syria's GDP growth this year is expected to be around 1%.
The BBC has also reported on the effects of the drought on the families that live in that region stating that nearly 300,000 families have already left the area. Although there has been 'limited assistance by the Un and Red Cross along with food aid distribution and the introduction of a system of tax breaks and new loans for farmers by the Syrian government; non of it is enough.'
Although Syria is seeking international aid, this has so far not been sufficient. The UN has not yet been able to come up with the required amount of funds to face this problem:
"The UN is seeking some $53m (€36m, £33m) in emergency funds but has not received any money yet from donors...
Drought is a slowly ongoing disaster and because of the political situation donors do not give money easily for humanitarian action in Syria," says Mostafa Shbib to the FT. According to a report on Aljazeera the UN has only managed to secure 19% of the total funds necessary.
The effects of the drought can be felt on many levels. Nabil Sukar a Syrian Economist has said that the effects of the drought on the economy can already be felt estimating that the drought will "shave about 1 per cent off gross domestic product growth this year." Syria's GDP growth this year is expected to be around 1%.
The BBC has also reported on the effects of the drought on the families that live in that region stating that nearly 300,000 families have already left the area. Although there has been 'limited assistance by the Un and Red Cross along with food aid distribution and the introduction of a system of tax breaks and new loans for farmers by the Syrian government; non of it is enough.'
Saturday, 19 September 2009
Ramadan 2009
Ramadan is nearly over, and for the first time I have spent it all in Syria. It has been an amazing experience and just knowing that tomorrow is the last day of Ramadan gives me that feeling I get when I am about to leave something precious behind, or the feeling I get when I remember something in the past that has left a mark within me. I leave you with these wonderful photos taken during the first couple of days of the holy month of Ramadan from different parts of the world.Happy Eid! :)
Tuesday, 8 September 2009
خطب الحجاج لأهل العراق
قال أبو العباس المبرد في إسناد ذكره آخره عبد الملك بن عمير الليثي قال: بينما نحن في المسجد الجامع بالكوفة وأهل الكوفة يومئذ ذوو حال حسنة يخرج الرجل منهم في العشرة والعشرين من مواليه إذ أتانا آت فقال: هذا الحجاج ابن يوسف قد قدم أميراً على العراق، فإذا به قد دخل المسجد متعمماً بعمامة غطى بها أكثر وجهه متقلداً سيفاً متنكباً قوساً يؤم المنبر، فقام الناس نحوه حتى صعد المنبر فمكث ساعة لا يتكلم، فقال الناس بعضهم لبعض: قبح الله بني أمية حيث تستعمل مثل هذا على العراق، قال عمير بن ضابئ البرجمي: ألا أحصبه لكم؟ فقالوا: أمهل حتى ننظر، فلما رأى عيون الناس إليه حسر اللثام عن فيه ونهض فقال: يا أهل العراق! أنا الحجاج بن يوسف بن الحكم بن أبي عقيل بن مسعود.
والله يا أهل العراق إني لأرى رؤوساً قد أينعت وحان قطافها، وإني لصاحبها، والله لكأني أنظر إلى الدماء بين العمائم واللحى. ثم قال: والله يا أهل العراق، إن أمير المؤمنين عبد الملك نثل كنانة بين يديه، فعجم عيدانها عوداً عوداً، فوجدني أمرّها عوداً، وأشدها مكساً، فوجهني إليكم، ورماكم بي. يا أهل العراق، يا أهل النفاق والشقاق ومساوئ الأخلاق، إنكم طالما أوضعتم في الفتنة، واضطجعتم في مناخ الضلال، وسننتم سنن العي، وأيم الله لألحونكم لحو العود، ولأقرعنكم قرع المروة، ولأعصبنكم عصب السلمة ولأضربنكم ضرب غرائب الإبل، إني والله لا أحلق إلا فريت، ولا أعد إلا وفيت، إياي وهذه الزرافات، وقال وما يقول، وكان وما يكون، وما أنتم وذاك؟.
يا أهل العراق! إنما أنتم أهل قرية كانت آمنة مطمئنة يأتيها رزقها رغداً من كل مكان، فكفرتم بأنعم الله، فأتاها وعيد القرى من ربها، فاستوسقوا واعتدلوا، ولا تميلوا، واسمعوا وأطيعوا، وشايعوا وبايعوا، واعلموا أنه ليس مني الإكثار والإبذار والأهذار، ولا مع ذلك النفار والفرار، إنما هو انتضاء هذا السيف، ثم لا يغمد في الشتاء والصيف، حتى يذل الله لأمير المؤمنين صعبكم، ويقيم له أودكم، وصغركم، ثم إني وجدت الصدق من البر، ووجدت البر في الجنة، ووجدت الكذب من الفجور، ووجدت الفجور في النار، وإن أمير المؤمنين أمرني بإعطائكم أعطياتكم وإشخاصكم لمجاهدة عدوكم وعدو أمير المؤمنين، وقد أمرت لكم بذلك، وأجلتكم ثلاثة أيام، وأعطيت الله عهداً يؤاخذني به، ويستوفيه مني، لئن تخلف منكم بعد قبض عطائه أحد لأضربن عنقه. ولينهبن ماله. ثم التفت إلى أهل الشام فقال: يا أهل الشام! أنتم البطانة والعشيرة، والله لريحكم أطيب من ريح المسك الأزفر، وإنما أنتم كما قال الله تعالى: "ضرب الله مثلاً كلمة طيبة كشجرة طيبة أصلها ثابت وفرعها في السماء" والتفت إلى أهل العراق فقال: لريحكم أنتن من ريح الأبخر، وإنما أنتم كما قال الله تعالى: "ومثل كلمة خبيثة كشجرة خبيثة اجتثت من فوق الأرض مالها من قرار".
اقرأ كتاب أمير المؤمنين يا غلام: فقال القارئ: بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم، من عبد الله عبد الملك أمير المؤمنين إلى من بالعراق من المؤمنين والمسلمين، سلام عليكم، فإني أحمد إليكم الله، فسكتوا فقال الحجاج من فوق المنبر: أسكت يا غلام، فسكت، فقال: يا أهل الشقاق، ويا أهل النفاق ومساوئ الأخلاق. يسلم عليكم أمير المؤمنين فلا تردون السلام؟ هذا أدب ابن أبيه؟ والله لئن بقيت لكم لأؤدبنكم أدباً سوى أدب ابن أبيه، ولتستقيمن لي أو لأجعلن لكل امرئ منكم في جسده وفي نفسه شغلاً، اقرأ كتاب أمير المؤمنين يا غلام، فقال: بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم فلما بلغ إلى موضع السلام صاحوا وعلى أمير المؤمنين السلام ورحمة الله وبركاته،فأنهاه ودخل قصر الإمارة ."
المصدر: كتاب الأوائل لأبي هلال العسكري
أنا ابن جلا وطلاع الثنايا متى أضع العمامة تعرفوني
والله يا أهل العراق إني لأرى رؤوساً قد أينعت وحان قطافها، وإني لصاحبها، والله لكأني أنظر إلى الدماء بين العمائم واللحى. ثم قال: والله يا أهل العراق، إن أمير المؤمنين عبد الملك نثل كنانة بين يديه، فعجم عيدانها عوداً عوداً، فوجدني أمرّها عوداً، وأشدها مكساً، فوجهني إليكم، ورماكم بي. يا أهل العراق، يا أهل النفاق والشقاق ومساوئ الأخلاق، إنكم طالما أوضعتم في الفتنة، واضطجعتم في مناخ الضلال، وسننتم سنن العي، وأيم الله لألحونكم لحو العود، ولأقرعنكم قرع المروة، ولأعصبنكم عصب السلمة ولأضربنكم ضرب غرائب الإبل، إني والله لا أحلق إلا فريت، ولا أعد إلا وفيت، إياي وهذه الزرافات، وقال وما يقول، وكان وما يكون، وما أنتم وذاك؟.
يا أهل العراق! إنما أنتم أهل قرية كانت آمنة مطمئنة يأتيها رزقها رغداً من كل مكان، فكفرتم بأنعم الله، فأتاها وعيد القرى من ربها، فاستوسقوا واعتدلوا، ولا تميلوا، واسمعوا وأطيعوا، وشايعوا وبايعوا، واعلموا أنه ليس مني الإكثار والإبذار والأهذار، ولا مع ذلك النفار والفرار، إنما هو انتضاء هذا السيف، ثم لا يغمد في الشتاء والصيف، حتى يذل الله لأمير المؤمنين صعبكم، ويقيم له أودكم، وصغركم، ثم إني وجدت الصدق من البر، ووجدت البر في الجنة، ووجدت الكذب من الفجور، ووجدت الفجور في النار، وإن أمير المؤمنين أمرني بإعطائكم أعطياتكم وإشخاصكم لمجاهدة عدوكم وعدو أمير المؤمنين، وقد أمرت لكم بذلك، وأجلتكم ثلاثة أيام، وأعطيت الله عهداً يؤاخذني به، ويستوفيه مني، لئن تخلف منكم بعد قبض عطائه أحد لأضربن عنقه. ولينهبن ماله. ثم التفت إلى أهل الشام فقال: يا أهل الشام! أنتم البطانة والعشيرة، والله لريحكم أطيب من ريح المسك الأزفر، وإنما أنتم كما قال الله تعالى: "ضرب الله مثلاً كلمة طيبة كشجرة طيبة أصلها ثابت وفرعها في السماء" والتفت إلى أهل العراق فقال: لريحكم أنتن من ريح الأبخر، وإنما أنتم كما قال الله تعالى: "ومثل كلمة خبيثة كشجرة خبيثة اجتثت من فوق الأرض مالها من قرار".
اقرأ كتاب أمير المؤمنين يا غلام: فقال القارئ: بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم، من عبد الله عبد الملك أمير المؤمنين إلى من بالعراق من المؤمنين والمسلمين، سلام عليكم، فإني أحمد إليكم الله، فسكتوا فقال الحجاج من فوق المنبر: أسكت يا غلام، فسكت، فقال: يا أهل الشقاق، ويا أهل النفاق ومساوئ الأخلاق. يسلم عليكم أمير المؤمنين فلا تردون السلام؟ هذا أدب ابن أبيه؟ والله لئن بقيت لكم لأؤدبنكم أدباً سوى أدب ابن أبيه، ولتستقيمن لي أو لأجعلن لكل امرئ منكم في جسده وفي نفسه شغلاً، اقرأ كتاب أمير المؤمنين يا غلام، فقال: بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم فلما بلغ إلى موضع السلام صاحوا وعلى أمير المؤمنين السلام ورحمة الله وبركاته،فأنهاه ودخل قصر الإمارة ."
المصدر: كتاب الأوائل لأبي هلال العسكري
قال القاضي المعافى زكريا: ثنا أحمد بن محمد بن سعد الكلبي، ثنا محمد بن زكريا الغلابي، ثنا محمد - يعني ابن عبد الله بن عباس -، عن عطاء - يعني ابن مصعب -، عن عاصم، قال: خطب الحجاج أهل العراق بعد دير الجماجم، فقال: يا أهل العراق، إن الشيطان قد استبطنكم فخالط اللحم والدم، والعصب والمسامع، والأطراف، ثم أفضى إلى الأسماخ والأمخاخ، والأشباح والأرواح، ثم ارتع فعشش، ثم باض وفرخ، ثم دب ودرج، فحشاكم نفاقا وشقاقا، وأشعركم خلافا، اتخذتموه دليلا تتبعونه، وقائدا تطيعونه، ومؤتمنا تشاورونه وتستأمرونه، فكيف تنفعكم تجربة، أو ينفعكم بيان؟
ألستم أصحابي بالأهواز حيث منيتم المكر، واجتمعتم على الغدر، واتفقتم على الكفر، وظننتم أن الله يخذل دينه وخلافته، وأنا والله أرميكم بطرفي، وأنتم تتسللون لواذا، وتنهزمون سراعا
ويوم الزاوية وما يوم الزاوية، مما كان من فشلكم وتنازعكم وتخاذلكم وبراءة الله منكم، ونكوس قلوبكم إذ وليتم كالإبل الشاردة عن أوطانها النوازع، لا يسأل المرء منكم عن أخيه، ولا يلوي الشيخ على بنيه، حين عضكم السلاح، ونخعتكم الرماح
:ويوم دير الجماجم وما يوم دير الجماجم، بها كانت المعارك والملاحم
بضرب يزيل الهام عن مقيله * ويذهل الخليل عن خليله
يا أهل العراق، يا أهل الكفران بعد الفجران، والغدران بعد الخذلان، والنزوة بعد النزوات، إن بعثناكم إلى ثغوركم غللتم وخنتم، وإن أمنتم أرجفتم، وإن خفتم نافقتم، لا تذكرون نعمة، ولا تشكرون معروفا، ما استخفكم ناكث، ولا استغواكم غاو، ولا استنقذكم عاصٍ، ولا استنصركم ظالم، ولا استعضدكم خالع، إلا لبيتم دعوته، وأجبتم صيحته، ونفرتم إليه خفافا وثقالا، وفرسانا ورجالا
يا أهل العراق، هل شغب شاغب، أو نعب ناعب، أو زفر زافر، إلا كنتم أتباعه وأنصاره؟
يا أهل العراق، ألم تنفعكم المواعظ؟ ألم تزجركم الوقائع؟ ألم يشدد الله عليكم وطأته، ويذقكم حر سيفه، وأليم بأسه ومثلاته؟
ثم التفت إلى أهل الشام فقال: يا أهل الشام، إنما أنا لكم كالظليم الرامح عن فراخه ينفي عنه القذر، ويباعد عنها الحجر، ويكنها من المطر، ويحميها من الضباب، ويحرسها من الذباب
يا أهل الشام ! أنتم الجنة والبرد، وأنتم الملاءة والجلد، أنتم الأولياء والأنصار، والشعار والدثار، بكم يذب عن البيضة والحوذة، وبكم ترمي كتائب الأعداء، ويهزم من عاند وتولى
المصدر: البداية والنهاية/الجزء التاسع/فصل خطبة الحجاج لأهل العراقSunday, 6 September 2009
Iraqi Bombings: Is Syria Responsible?
The press conference that was carried out two days ago between Hugo Chavez and Bashar Al Assad was very interesting to watch. Apart from what the talkative Hugo Chavez (I understand now why he has his own TV show) one thing caught my attention from what Bashar Al Assad said during that press conference. When answering a reporters question he said something along those lines 'currently there are no leaders or presidents that work for a cause, most leaders are serving their own interests instead of their peoples interest'. It is debatable as to the extent the Syrian regime serves the peoples interests rather than their own (my personal opinion is that they do) however this comment could be said to be directed towards the current members and leaders of the puppet government in Baghdad especially after the deteriorating situation between the two countries after the bombings on what is now known as the 'Black Wednesday' where more than 100 people were killed in bombings that targeted different Iraqi ministries.
When the bombings took place, the Iraqi prime minister Al Maliki was on a two day visit to Syria along with a group of ministers from the puppet Iraqi government signing Strategic agreements between the two countries including the creation of a higher strategic council that would look after the strategic affairs between the two countries. In some Arab news outlets some political analysts viewed the signing of those agreements as part of a large regional alliance between Iran-Turkey-Iraq and Syria. However those analysts, although they are probably right about the attempts by those countries to create a regional alliance, fell short after the bombings in Baghdad.
Al Maliki ended his visit to Syria a day earlier heading back to Baghdad where without any evidence Al Maliki and Hoshyar Zibari (Iraqi foreign minister) placed responsibility of the bombings to two members of the Iraqi Baath party that reside in Syria in a very Bush administration style; providing no evidence and placing the blame hours after the bombings occurred. Feeling deceived by the Iraqi puppet government the Syrian regime strongly denied all the allegations that were directed towards it. The Syrians went on to launch a diplomatic effort to explain to the world its position in this matter while the Iraqi's continued and escalated their tone and accusations to the Baathist members and 'neighboring states'. It is worth noting that some Arab news agencies reported that the head of the Iraqi intelligence services Mohammad Al Shehwani was retired as cheif of the intelligence services after disagreeing with Al-Maliki over who was behind the bombings saying that the Baathist party doesn't not have the capabilities to conduct such bombings. This comes contrary to what has been said by Reuters which claimed that Al Shahwani was released days before the bombing occurred as Al Shahwani reached the retirement age.
The issue of capabilities is probably the main issue that leads to the dissmisal of the Iraqi accusations towards the Baathists in Syria and the Syrian role in the bombings. Do members of the Baath party have the ability to conduct large simultaneous bombings in probably the most guarded areas in Baghdad? Do they have relationships with members of the current government security services that would allow for such bombings to occur?
A recent comment made by a Turkish newspaper "Hareet" stated that 'there is a country in the region that is annoyed by the growing relations between Turkey, Syria and Iraq' saying that 'Syria did not gain anything from those attacks'. It is clear which country might be annoyed with those growing relations between the three countries. Egypt remains the only country in the region that has not improved its relations with the Syrians and there remains to be any sort of high ranked diplomatic exchanges between the two countries other than the visit by Omar Soliman who arrived in Damascus earlier this year to conduct talks with the different Palestinian factions in Damascus. The Egyptians seem to be the most annoyed with the improving relations between the three countries as it was one of the main players in the region that took part in the attempts to isolate the Syrian regime during the Bush era; seeing itself i.e. the Egyptian regime, being slowly isolated from regional affairs and the decreasing influence and role of the Egyptian regime in the region.
The Iraqi's seem to be only interested in increasing the issue by directly blaming the Syrian regime and calling on for an international investigation and tribunal for those responsible for the bombings even though there are attempts by both Turkey and Iran to lower the tensions between the two countries. The Syrian president Bashar Al Assad will be on his way to Ankara soon in an attempt to resolve the issue, there is an expectation members of the Iraqi government will be present in Ankara too, however Iraq has still not confirmed if anyone from its government will be heading to Ankara.
When the bombings took place, the Iraqi prime minister Al Maliki was on a two day visit to Syria along with a group of ministers from the puppet Iraqi government signing Strategic agreements between the two countries including the creation of a higher strategic council that would look after the strategic affairs between the two countries. In some Arab news outlets some political analysts viewed the signing of those agreements as part of a large regional alliance between Iran-Turkey-Iraq and Syria. However those analysts, although they are probably right about the attempts by those countries to create a regional alliance, fell short after the bombings in Baghdad.
Al Maliki ended his visit to Syria a day earlier heading back to Baghdad where without any evidence Al Maliki and Hoshyar Zibari (Iraqi foreign minister) placed responsibility of the bombings to two members of the Iraqi Baath party that reside in Syria in a very Bush administration style; providing no evidence and placing the blame hours after the bombings occurred. Feeling deceived by the Iraqi puppet government the Syrian regime strongly denied all the allegations that were directed towards it. The Syrians went on to launch a diplomatic effort to explain to the world its position in this matter while the Iraqi's continued and escalated their tone and accusations to the Baathist members and 'neighboring states'. It is worth noting that some Arab news agencies reported that the head of the Iraqi intelligence services Mohammad Al Shehwani was retired as cheif of the intelligence services after disagreeing with Al-Maliki over who was behind the bombings saying that the Baathist party doesn't not have the capabilities to conduct such bombings. This comes contrary to what has been said by Reuters which claimed that Al Shahwani was released days before the bombing occurred as Al Shahwani reached the retirement age.
The issue of capabilities is probably the main issue that leads to the dissmisal of the Iraqi accusations towards the Baathists in Syria and the Syrian role in the bombings. Do members of the Baath party have the ability to conduct large simultaneous bombings in probably the most guarded areas in Baghdad? Do they have relationships with members of the current government security services that would allow for such bombings to occur?
A recent comment made by a Turkish newspaper "Hareet" stated that 'there is a country in the region that is annoyed by the growing relations between Turkey, Syria and Iraq' saying that 'Syria did not gain anything from those attacks'. It is clear which country might be annoyed with those growing relations between the three countries. Egypt remains the only country in the region that has not improved its relations with the Syrians and there remains to be any sort of high ranked diplomatic exchanges between the two countries other than the visit by Omar Soliman who arrived in Damascus earlier this year to conduct talks with the different Palestinian factions in Damascus. The Egyptians seem to be the most annoyed with the improving relations between the three countries as it was one of the main players in the region that took part in the attempts to isolate the Syrian regime during the Bush era; seeing itself i.e. the Egyptian regime, being slowly isolated from regional affairs and the decreasing influence and role of the Egyptian regime in the region.
The Iraqi's seem to be only interested in increasing the issue by directly blaming the Syrian regime and calling on for an international investigation and tribunal for those responsible for the bombings even though there are attempts by both Turkey and Iran to lower the tensions between the two countries. The Syrian president Bashar Al Assad will be on his way to Ankara soon in an attempt to resolve the issue, there is an expectation members of the Iraqi government will be present in Ankara too, however Iraq has still not confirmed if anyone from its government will be heading to Ankara.
Back Home
Three weeks ago I packed my bags in the UK and was on a plane on my way back to the Middle East; Syria for now. To be honest this is not what I planned for last year when I was hoping to work for a couple of years in the UK to gain some experience in my field and then moving on to the middle east where naturally I would have ended up. However due to many factors that affected my plans I was not able to stay in the UK given the current economic crisis and the job market in addition to other things that added to that I decided not to bother anymore and head straight back home.
It's great here. They always say that it is only great if a person comes here for a vacation, anything else a person will surely end up in depression. I don't think that is the case, I like it here, it is very much different especially now in ramadan where everyone seems to be pissed off for some strange reason as if each person fasting thinks they are doing it for everyone else and not themselves. What I don't like here is that in order to get something done in time and with little hassle you have to know someone who has some influence or works in the ministry where you are trying to get something done. It is terrible however I am getting my driving license done that way soooo... :D
Anyways I'm glad to be back!
It's great here. They always say that it is only great if a person comes here for a vacation, anything else a person will surely end up in depression. I don't think that is the case, I like it here, it is very much different especially now in ramadan where everyone seems to be pissed off for some strange reason as if each person fasting thinks they are doing it for everyone else and not themselves. What I don't like here is that in order to get something done in time and with little hassle you have to know someone who has some influence or works in the ministry where you are trying to get something done. It is terrible however I am getting my driving license done that way soooo... :D
Anyways I'm glad to be back!
Saturday, 15 August 2009
Arab Human Development 2009
The new UN Arab Human Development report 2009 has been released recently and is available in both Arabic and English for download HERE.
A summary will follow soon.
A summary will follow soon.
Tuesday, 4 August 2009
My Political Views
According to this quiz I am not on the extreme right of the political spectrum as a comrade once stated. Actually this is what he said and I quote:
"You think you're left wing? By UK standards?! When you write in your blog,
"The poor are lazy and need to work harder. I hate those guys. And all immigrants. If it weren't for the crappy liberal welfare state we wouldn't be in this mess. What we need is a more powerful, single ruler."??! "
I was about to write a post explaining my political position and how I don't classify myself as being far-right and to refute the outragous comments made about this blog (which obviously are all fabrications and false allegations made against this blog) , But! I guess this is good enough for now. I leave you with the following:
I am a left moderate social authoritarian
Left: 4.17, Authoritarian: 1.71
Political Spectrum Quiz
My Foreign Policy Views
Score: -6.74
My Culture War Stance
Score: -0.7
"You think you're left wing? By UK standards?! When you write in your blog,
"The poor are lazy and need to work harder. I hate those guys. And all immigrants. If it weren't for the crappy liberal welfare state we wouldn't be in this mess. What we need is a more powerful, single ruler."??! "
I was about to write a post explaining my political position and how I don't classify myself as being far-right and to refute the outragous comments made about this blog (which obviously are all fabrications and false allegations made against this blog) , But! I guess this is good enough for now. I leave you with the following:
I am a left moderate social authoritarian
Left: 4.17, Authoritarian: 1.71
My Foreign Policy Views
Score: -6.74
My Culture War Stance
Score: -0.7
Thursday, 23 July 2009
The Model for an Islamic Caliphate
"Increasing demands amongst Muslims populations for the rule of law, transparent, accountable and representative government, and an independent and efficient judiciary do not de facto translate into a call for democracy. These provisions are not the monopoly of liberal political philosophy; the Islamic political system addresses each of these but through a model that understands society, the individual, the goal of government and the role of the state differently. The Islamic political system - rather than inherently deficient - is characterized by its own relationship between ruler and subject, authority and sovereignty, law, property and power."
read the rest of the article here.
read the rest of the article here.
Tuesday, 21 July 2009
61 years and still going
Although the definition of the term 'revolution' does not imply a specific time-frame to accomplish a specific type of change in a drastic manner, however, one would assume that the term 'revolution' should be used when a drastic changes is happening in a short period of time.Many revolutions have occurred in the past that resulted in drastic changes in short periods of time. For example the French revolution (1789-1799), Spanish Revolution* (1936-1939), Cuban Revolution (1953-1959). Although to the start of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict as the Palestinian Revolution, it was an unsuccessful one, even though it had the support and backing of many countries and people. Still it is not out of the ordinary that revolutions are unsuccessful since there has been examples of unsuccessful revolutions in the past. But for a revolution that amassed such support and still failed, only points out that there were issues within the Palestinian revolution that rendered it unsuccessful.
The following three factors are believed to contribute to the failure of the Palestinian revolution:
Ideology:
- The main factions that formed and lead the Palestinian revolution were leftist, secular movements that dependent on the ideologies of Arabism and Marxism.
- ideologies were incompatible to the people of the region due to complexity and the different backgrounds of people that live in the region and also due to the traditions and cultures that are deeply rooted in a specific religion.
- many were motivated by those ideologies; they still didn't provide the element that would have unified the people into one organization with one aim.
- lead to different number of factions being created with different ideologies, leaving the leaders of those factions competing against each other rather than against their enemy.
Corruption:
- Corruption of the leaders of the Palestinian revolution lead to many battles being lost.
- in some cases came from the ideologies themselves,
- lead to disastrous events in the history of the revolution, for example Black September, and the Lebanese Civil war. Another good example are the current events within the Fatah movement and the leaders of that movement.
Ineffectiveness:
- leaders of the revolution were not able to use the advantages they had and different tools and means to create a successful revolution.
In some cases the wrong means were used to increase the exposure of the the Palestinian revolution in the West including the hijacking of civilian aircrafts and conducting operations outside the conflict region.
- different Palestinian factions were unable to utilize the privileges they received from different countries such as Lebanon and Jordan where they abused those rights that they were given.
Adaptability:
- Palestinian factions unable to adapt to the different circumstances they found themselves in and were either too late in their response or had unclear vision of consequences to their actions.
Today the 'Palestinian revolution' has been replaced by the 'Palestinian Struggle' symbolizing that the Palestinian cause has gone from one that sought to restore full rights and sovereignty to the Palestinian people to one that seeks to maintain whatever rights and sovereignty that are left, if any.
* Spanish Civil war was during the period of 1936-1939. The Spanish Revolution was during 1936 and lead to the civil war. A better example would have been the 1868 revolution (which I just read about).
The following three factors are believed to contribute to the failure of the Palestinian revolution:
Ideology:
- The main factions that formed and lead the Palestinian revolution were leftist, secular movements that dependent on the ideologies of Arabism and Marxism.
- ideologies were incompatible to the people of the region due to complexity and the different backgrounds of people that live in the region and also due to the traditions and cultures that are deeply rooted in a specific religion.
- many were motivated by those ideologies; they still didn't provide the element that would have unified the people into one organization with one aim.
- lead to different number of factions being created with different ideologies, leaving the leaders of those factions competing against each other rather than against their enemy.
Corruption:
- Corruption of the leaders of the Palestinian revolution lead to many battles being lost.
- in some cases came from the ideologies themselves,
- lead to disastrous events in the history of the revolution, for example Black September, and the Lebanese Civil war. Another good example are the current events within the Fatah movement and the leaders of that movement.
Ineffectiveness:
- leaders of the revolution were not able to use the advantages they had and different tools and means to create a successful revolution.
In some cases the wrong means were used to increase the exposure of the the Palestinian revolution in the West including the hijacking of civilian aircrafts and conducting operations outside the conflict region.
- different Palestinian factions were unable to utilize the privileges they received from different countries such as Lebanon and Jordan where they abused those rights that they were given.
Adaptability:
- Palestinian factions unable to adapt to the different circumstances they found themselves in and were either too late in their response or had unclear vision of consequences to their actions.
Today the 'Palestinian revolution' has been replaced by the 'Palestinian Struggle' symbolizing that the Palestinian cause has gone from one that sought to restore full rights and sovereignty to the Palestinian people to one that seeks to maintain whatever rights and sovereignty that are left, if any.
* Spanish Civil war was during the period of 1936-1939. The Spanish Revolution was during 1936 and lead to the civil war. A better example would have been the 1868 revolution (which I just read about).
Thursday, 16 July 2009
Ending Ignorance in the Arab World
Writing says: How do we end Ignorance (underdevelopment) in the Arab World?
Dust in the Air
While Obama declares his countries' eternal support to the Zionists entity no matter what asking (begging) Zionists leaders in the White House to give him more time in order to accomplish his vision for peace in the middle east; news from the Zionist entity that soldiers were given orders Not to differentiate between civilian and militants during the massacres of Gaza in 2008 are reported. Leaves me wondering, how could a president of a nation with the principles of Freedom, Liberty and Justice for all ask from those who commit atrocities and have never shown the will to make peace for more time to achieve anything..? Will Obama promise the Palestinians a life with no persecution, injustice or racial apartheid..?
Sunday, 28 June 2009
Difference Between Iran and EU
In an article published on the wall street journal, the writer reflects the difference between what is happening in Iran and the European Union saying:
"In some countries they rig votes, in the European Union they repeat votes to get the desired result."
Then there is Noam Chomsky whose opinion and speculations regarding different matters are always interesting to read. Chomsky says in a radio interview:
"In some countries they rig votes, in the European Union they repeat votes to get the desired result."
Then there is Noam Chomsky whose opinion and speculations regarding different matters are always interesting to read. Chomsky says in a radio interview:
Friday, 26 June 2009
Michael Jackson Dies
Probably one of the most influential people of the70's, 80's and 90's, "The King of pop" an icon and a reference point for so many people has died yesterday at the age of 50. Whether you like him for his music or dislike him for his attitude or actions, I doubt anyone will deny that he was one of those people whose name (and moon walk) will be known for generations to come.
Wednesday, 24 June 2009
Johann Hari on Iran/Peru media bias
It is not usual that I agree with what Johann Hari says, but this article is his finest for me. It seems that there are some people that are awake and actually to realize what is going on in the world.
Johann Hari: A fight for the Amazon that should inspire the world
Johann Hari: A fight for the Amazon that should inspire the world
Friday, 19 June 2009
Why Not Peru?
The coverage of the western media on the Iranian "revolution" has been so extensive that some outlets have dedicated a minute by minute coverage webpage to follow what is happening there. This meant that whatever is happening anywhere else in the world goes unnoticed. For example what happened in Peru during the demonstrations by the poor and native of that country against the government that had planned to introduce new laws allowing foreign companies to exploit the rainforest which those people lived by. Atleast 60 people have been killed during the demonstrations and many more missing. But this is not important because Peru unlike Iran is not hindering the West and their multinational companies from exploiting their natural resources and allowing them to dominate over the area.
The independent has writen an article about it, yes one article is all that it gets. And the only reason why they did is because it somehow is related to the UK...
The independent has writen an article about it, yes one article is all that it gets. And the only reason why they did is because it somehow is related to the UK...
Lost in Translation..?
Got extremely bored today at work, so I thought to myself what better to do then to check out whats going on in terms of sustainable development in Syria!!! Ya' feel me ! interesting stuff.
So I went on google and searched "Syria Sustainable Development" and as usual the relevant stuff comes up...(?) I was surprised to see that there was a report on the sustainable development programme in Syria that was submitted to the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, South Africa. So I decided to read it. It was really enlightening. The environmental management and planning system they were proposing to implement is very similar to the system here in the UK to some respect. Until I hit this bombshell of a sentence:
"MSEA is assisted by a Consultative Technical Committee and nine Environmental Committees reflecting scrotal interests."
SCROTAL??!!! reallyyy? they have scrotal interests? Excuse me if I am mistaken but scrotal does not fit in that sentence at all! unless there is another meaning to that word (from what I know scrotal is basically describing something that has a scrotum... you should google it if you need more info that's as far as I go)
NINE committees reflecting scrotal interests! I think we have some serious scrotal issues in Syria that no one knew about.. we should all get our scrotals checked by those committees before its too late! haha..
This is the link to the report in pdf. click here if interested.
So I went on google and searched "Syria Sustainable Development" and as usual the relevant stuff comes up...(?) I was surprised to see that there was a report on the sustainable development programme in Syria that was submitted to the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, South Africa. So I decided to read it. It was really enlightening. The environmental management and planning system they were proposing to implement is very similar to the system here in the UK to some respect. Until I hit this bombshell of a sentence:
"MSEA is assisted by a Consultative Technical Committee and nine Environmental Committees reflecting scrotal interests."
SCROTAL??!!! reallyyy? they have scrotal interests? Excuse me if I am mistaken but scrotal does not fit in that sentence at all! unless there is another meaning to that word (from what I know scrotal is basically describing something that has a scrotum... you should google it if you need more info that's as far as I go)
NINE committees reflecting scrotal interests! I think we have some serious scrotal issues in Syria that no one knew about.. we should all get our scrotals checked by those committees before its too late! haha..
This is the link to the report in pdf. click here if interested.
Global warming sweeps Syrian countryside
DAMASCUS: Some 160 villages in northern Syria were deserted of their residents in 2007 and 2008 because of climate change, according to a study released on Tuesday.
The report drawn up by the International Institute for Sustainable Development warns of potential armed conflict for control of water resources in the Middle East.
"The 2007/8 drought caused significant hardship in rural areas of Syria. In the northeast of the country, a reported 160 villages have been entirely abandoned and the inhabitants have had to move to urban areas," it said.
In Syria and also in Jordan, Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories, "climate change threatens to reduce the availability of scarce water resources, increase food insecurity, hinder economic growth and lead to large-scale population movements," the report said.
"This could hold serious implications for peace in the region," the Canada-based institute said.
The study, financed by Denmark, predicts a hotter, drier and less predictable climate in the Middle East, "already considered the world's most water-scarce and where, in many places, demand for water already outstrips supply."
Oli Brown, who co-wrote the report with Alec Crawford, said: "Climate change itself poses real security concerns to the region. It could lead to increased militarization of strategic natural resources, complicating peace agreements."
"Israel is already using climate change as an excuse to increase their control over the water resources in the region," he said.
The IISD said, however, that there is much that national governments and authorities, civil society and the international community can do to respond to climate change and the threats it may pose to regional peace and security.
"They can promote a culture of conservation in the region, help communities and countries adapt to the impacts of climate change, work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and foster greater cooperation on their shared resources," the study said.
Brown and Crawford's report says climate change could affect farm productivity in Syria, where agriculture represents 23% of gross domestic product and employs 30 percent of the active population.
"Some 13% of agricultural land was downgraded between 1980 and 2006 because of ... urban expansion and agricultural, industrial and tourism activities," Fayez Asrafy, a desertification expert, told AFP.
"Rainfall shrank by 10 millimetres (a year) between 1956 and 2006 while temperatures rose by (an average) 0.5 degrees Celsius, though below the worldwide average of 0.6 degrees," Syrian meteorologist Khales Mawed said.
The IISD predicts even modest global warming would lead to a 30% drop in water in the Euphrates, which runs through Turkey, Syria and Iraq, while the Dead Sea would shrink in volume by 80 percent by the end of the century.
more on treehugger.com
The report drawn up by the International Institute for Sustainable Development warns of potential armed conflict for control of water resources in the Middle East.
"The 2007/8 drought caused significant hardship in rural areas of Syria. In the northeast of the country, a reported 160 villages have been entirely abandoned and the inhabitants have had to move to urban areas," it said.
In Syria and also in Jordan, Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories, "climate change threatens to reduce the availability of scarce water resources, increase food insecurity, hinder economic growth and lead to large-scale population movements," the report said.
"This could hold serious implications for peace in the region," the Canada-based institute said.
The study, financed by Denmark, predicts a hotter, drier and less predictable climate in the Middle East, "already considered the world's most water-scarce and where, in many places, demand for water already outstrips supply."
Oli Brown, who co-wrote the report with Alec Crawford, said: "Climate change itself poses real security concerns to the region. It could lead to increased militarization of strategic natural resources, complicating peace agreements."
"Israel is already using climate change as an excuse to increase their control over the water resources in the region," he said.
The IISD said, however, that there is much that national governments and authorities, civil society and the international community can do to respond to climate change and the threats it may pose to regional peace and security.
"They can promote a culture of conservation in the region, help communities and countries adapt to the impacts of climate change, work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and foster greater cooperation on their shared resources," the study said.
Brown and Crawford's report says climate change could affect farm productivity in Syria, where agriculture represents 23% of gross domestic product and employs 30 percent of the active population.
"Some 13% of agricultural land was downgraded between 1980 and 2006 because of ... urban expansion and agricultural, industrial and tourism activities," Fayez Asrafy, a desertification expert, told AFP.
"Rainfall shrank by 10 millimetres (a year) between 1956 and 2006 while temperatures rose by (an average) 0.5 degrees Celsius, though below the worldwide average of 0.6 degrees," Syrian meteorologist Khales Mawed said.
The IISD predicts even modest global warming would lead to a 30% drop in water in the Euphrates, which runs through Turkey, Syria and Iraq, while the Dead Sea would shrink in volume by 80 percent by the end of the century.
more on treehugger.com
Wednesday, 17 June 2009
إلى كل شامي
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
إلى كل شامي لا يعرف قيمة بلده
إلى كل شامي لا يصدق متى تتاح له فرصة السفر والخروج من الشام
إلى كل دمشقي لم يدرك جمال دمشق ولم يحمل لها في قلبه الحب والإخلاص والوفاء
إلى كل مسلم لا يعرف وصية رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم بالشام
أهدي هذه الرسالة التي وصلتني في بيان فضل دمشق والشام من أحاديث سيد البشر صلى الله عليه وسلم,
وللاستزادة (كتاب فضائل الشام ودمشق) ((للإمام الألباني رحمه الله)) والذي خرّج فيه أحاديث كتابي (الربعي) و(شيخ الإسلام) عن نفس الموضوع وإليك الرسالة:
لقد ذكر النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم الشــام وخصوصاً دمشق بإسمها، من خلال أحاديث صحيحة ومسندة صححها أهل العلم والحديث
قال صلى الله عليه وسلم: ((إن فسطاط المسلمين ، يوم الملحمة ، بالغوطة إلى جانب مدينة يقال لها : دمشق ، من خير مدائن الشام
الراوي: أبو الدرداء - خلاصة الدرجة: صحيح - المحدث : الألباني - المصدر: صحيح أبي داود - الصفحة أو الرقم: 4298
قال عليه الصلاة والسلام: ((ستخرج نار من حضرموت – أو من نحو بحر حضرموت – قبل يوم القيامة ، تحشر الناس)) . قالوا : يا رسول الله فما تأمرنا ؟ فقال : ((عليكم بالشام ))
الراوي: عبدالله بن عمر - خلاصة الدرجة: صحيح - المحدث: الألباني - المصدر: صحيح التر! مذي - الصفحة أو الرقم : 2217
ذكر النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فقال: ( اللهم بارك لنا في شامنا ، اللهم بارك لنا في يمننا ). قالوا : يا رسول الله، وفي نجدنا ؟ قال: ( اللهم بارك لنا في شامنا ، اللهم بارك لنا في يمننا )......
الراوي: عبدالله بن عمر - خلاصة الدرجة: صحيح - المحدث : البخاري - المصدر: الجامع الصحيح - الصفحة أو الرقم: 7094
وقال صلى الله عليه وسلم: ((يوم الملحمة الكبرى فسطاط المسلمين بأرض يقال لها : ( الغوطة ) ؛ فيها مدينة يقال لها : ( دمشق ) ؛ خير منازل المسلمين يومئذ .))
الراوي: أبو الدرداء - خلاصة الدرجة: صحيح - المحدث: الألباني - المصدر: صحيح الترغيب - الصفحة أو الرقم : 3097
وعنه صلى الله عليه وسلم أنه قال: (( عليكم بالشام )).
الراوي: معاوية بن حيدة القشيري - خلاصة الدرجة: صحيح - المحدث : الألباني - المصدر! : صحيح الجامع - الصفحة أو الرقم: 4069
وعنه صلى الله عليه وسلم أنه قال: ((صفوة الله من أرضه الشام ، و فيها صفوته من خلقه و عباده ، و لتدخلن الجنة من أمتي ثلة لا حساب عليهم و لا عذاب))
الراوي: أبو أمامة الباهلي - خلاصة الدرجة: صحيح لغيره - المحدث: الألباني - المصدر: السلسلة الصحيحة - الصفحة أو الرقم: 1909
وقد ورد عنه عليه الصلاة والسلام أنه قال: ((يا طوبى للشام، يا طوبى للشام، يا طوبى للشام، قالوا يا رسول الله وبم ذلك ؟ قال: تلك ملائكة الله باسطوا أجنحتها على الشام )).
الراوي: زيد بن ثابت - خلاصة الدرجة: صحيح - المحدث: الألباني - المصدر: فضائل الشام - الصفحة أو الرقم: 1
Mousavi's big blunders
By Kaveh L. Afrasiabi
In the current post-election turmoil, when the reformist challenger to Ahmadinejad has petitioned the relevant authorities to void the presidential elections results and hold new elections, it is easy, too easy, to jump to conclusions about who is right or wrong in Iran today, as if Mousavi and the other reformist candidate Mehdi Karrubi, have the final say on the fraudulent nature of the elections results, hotly contested in the streets of Tehran and a number of other Iranian cities today.
The western media has adopted at face value Mousavi's allegation of rigged elections and the stream of images from Iran, showing the defiant mostly young Iranians battling the riot police, etc., has showered us with the tendency to dismiss any suggestion that the Mousavi camp bear some blame for what has transpired in Iran, that is, a major political crisis. Here is one plausible explanation:
Initially, the ruling elite had no intention of any "election engineering" and, in fact, lowered its guards by allowing a fiercely competitive race that galvanized the public attention through the TV debates, unfettered campaigns, etc. but then as we got closer and closer to the June 12 appointed hour, it became patently obvious that the reformist camp was pushing the envelope to new, and from the vantage point of system coherence, intolerable heights that, in turn, required a stern reaction.
With respect to Mr. Mir Hossein Mousavi, who is today appealing to the spiritual leader and pledging loyalty to the principle of rule of jurisprudence, velayat-e faghih, it is noteworthy that throughout the campaign Mousavi showed no deference whatsoever to the leader and, in fact, crossed the red line when he showed his secularist true colour in his speech at Tehran University, which can be seen on youtube, where he explicitly called on the clergy to not get involved in politics and maintain their independence from government.
During his long absence, Iran has been much transformed and, per the words of a University political scientist, a "regional power house under the leadership of ayatollah Khamenei" has emerged that, perhaps, Mr. Mousavi has no keen knowledge of, in light of his vitriolitic attacks on the regime's foreign policies, calling Iran's foreign policy a "disaster."
Ayatollah Khamenei was quick to respond to Mousavi's mostly unfounded criticism, by issuing a statement that questioned the views that claim Iran has been "isolated." Ahmhadinejad himself aptly rebuffed Mousavi in their TV debate, when he pointed at the 60 world leaders who have visited Iran during his term, adding that 118 nations of the Non-Aligned Movement have been supporting Iran.
That is true, and sadly neither Mousavi nor Karrubi ever showed any understanding of the country's dynamic foreign policy, e.g., the fact that Iran today is at the forefront of the NAM movement and its regional power and influence has substantially increased. Instead of constantly trashing Iran's foreign achievements, a fair opposition candidate would have praised the positive while criticising the negative and, yet, there was a conspicuous lack of balance in Mousavi's assessments of Iran's foreign policy performance.
Nor was Mousavi consistent all the time. Case in point, while in his Farsi speeches he criticised Ahmadinejad's hitherto unanswered letter to Obama, in his latest interview with an Arabic satellite channel, he sang a different tune by referring to the letter as a sign of Iran's proactive diplomacy. Also, he would defend Iran's program without ever giving Ahmadinejad any credit for the strides that Iran has taken in its nuclear program in the past four years. "We had three centrifuges when I came in and we have over 7000 now," Ahmadinejad pointed out during the debate, to Mousavi's oblivious ears.
How did a man known previously as an unreconstructed leftist, who is still so enamored of planned economy, with no ties whatsoever to the Second Khordad reformist movement end up at the helms of this movement and, now, with his great refusal to accept the elections' verdict without showing much evidence of voter fraud, has thrown that movement in a crisis of survival? That is surely a question for future historians to ponder, for at the moment with passions running high in Iran, Mousavi is simply viewed as a symbol of resistance to religious tyranny.
But what about the tyranny of simplistic and distorted portrayal of Iran's achievements and his tacit questioning of the highest religious authority, that is a prerequisite for candidacy in today's Iran, aforementioned? Mr. Mousavi may be right about some voter irregularities but to remain steadfast on his wild claim on June 12, before the vote count had began, that he is the "definite winner," leaves a lot to be desired.
In conclusion, a more prudent politician would try to utilize the millions of votes cast on his behalf into bargaining chips for influence and even policy input in the next administration, instead of wearing the hat of a martyristic hero and thus basking in the glow of regime-bashing, a regime that has done much to empower the ordinary Iranians and enhance Iran's power in the international arena.
Source: Middle East Online
In the current post-election turmoil, when the reformist challenger to Ahmadinejad has petitioned the relevant authorities to void the presidential elections results and hold new elections, it is easy, too easy, to jump to conclusions about who is right or wrong in Iran today, as if Mousavi and the other reformist candidate Mehdi Karrubi, have the final say on the fraudulent nature of the elections results, hotly contested in the streets of Tehran and a number of other Iranian cities today.
The western media has adopted at face value Mousavi's allegation of rigged elections and the stream of images from Iran, showing the defiant mostly young Iranians battling the riot police, etc., has showered us with the tendency to dismiss any suggestion that the Mousavi camp bear some blame for what has transpired in Iran, that is, a major political crisis. Here is one plausible explanation:
Initially, the ruling elite had no intention of any "election engineering" and, in fact, lowered its guards by allowing a fiercely competitive race that galvanized the public attention through the TV debates, unfettered campaigns, etc. but then as we got closer and closer to the June 12 appointed hour, it became patently obvious that the reformist camp was pushing the envelope to new, and from the vantage point of system coherence, intolerable heights that, in turn, required a stern reaction.
With respect to Mr. Mir Hossein Mousavi, who is today appealing to the spiritual leader and pledging loyalty to the principle of rule of jurisprudence, velayat-e faghih, it is noteworthy that throughout the campaign Mousavi showed no deference whatsoever to the leader and, in fact, crossed the red line when he showed his secularist true colour in his speech at Tehran University, which can be seen on youtube, where he explicitly called on the clergy to not get involved in politics and maintain their independence from government.
During his long absence, Iran has been much transformed and, per the words of a University political scientist, a "regional power house under the leadership of ayatollah Khamenei" has emerged that, perhaps, Mr. Mousavi has no keen knowledge of, in light of his vitriolitic attacks on the regime's foreign policies, calling Iran's foreign policy a "disaster."
Ayatollah Khamenei was quick to respond to Mousavi's mostly unfounded criticism, by issuing a statement that questioned the views that claim Iran has been "isolated." Ahmhadinejad himself aptly rebuffed Mousavi in their TV debate, when he pointed at the 60 world leaders who have visited Iran during his term, adding that 118 nations of the Non-Aligned Movement have been supporting Iran.
That is true, and sadly neither Mousavi nor Karrubi ever showed any understanding of the country's dynamic foreign policy, e.g., the fact that Iran today is at the forefront of the NAM movement and its regional power and influence has substantially increased. Instead of constantly trashing Iran's foreign achievements, a fair opposition candidate would have praised the positive while criticising the negative and, yet, there was a conspicuous lack of balance in Mousavi's assessments of Iran's foreign policy performance.
Nor was Mousavi consistent all the time. Case in point, while in his Farsi speeches he criticised Ahmadinejad's hitherto unanswered letter to Obama, in his latest interview with an Arabic satellite channel, he sang a different tune by referring to the letter as a sign of Iran's proactive diplomacy. Also, he would defend Iran's program without ever giving Ahmadinejad any credit for the strides that Iran has taken in its nuclear program in the past four years. "We had three centrifuges when I came in and we have over 7000 now," Ahmadinejad pointed out during the debate, to Mousavi's oblivious ears.
How did a man known previously as an unreconstructed leftist, who is still so enamored of planned economy, with no ties whatsoever to the Second Khordad reformist movement end up at the helms of this movement and, now, with his great refusal to accept the elections' verdict without showing much evidence of voter fraud, has thrown that movement in a crisis of survival? That is surely a question for future historians to ponder, for at the moment with passions running high in Iran, Mousavi is simply viewed as a symbol of resistance to religious tyranny.
But what about the tyranny of simplistic and distorted portrayal of Iran's achievements and his tacit questioning of the highest religious authority, that is a prerequisite for candidacy in today's Iran, aforementioned? Mr. Mousavi may be right about some voter irregularities but to remain steadfast on his wild claim on June 12, before the vote count had began, that he is the "definite winner," leaves a lot to be desired.
In conclusion, a more prudent politician would try to utilize the millions of votes cast on his behalf into bargaining chips for influence and even policy input in the next administration, instead of wearing the hat of a martyristic hero and thus basking in the glow of regime-bashing, a regime that has done much to empower the ordinary Iranians and enhance Iran's power in the international arena.
Source: Middle East Online
Tuesday, 16 June 2009
Saturday, 13 June 2009
Syrian League Final - Al Karamah - Again!
I have been following the Syrian football league this season extensively, and it has been quite the amazing for certain clubs, and a huge disappointment for others. Al Karamah (Homs) the league champions for the past 3 years were struggling in the first half of the season and just managed to finish the first half in the mid-table region. On the other hand Al Ittihad of Aleppo (or Al Ahly), were one of the strongest contenders battling through out the first half of the season until they topped the league above Al Jaish (Damascus) and Al Majd (Damascus).
The Second half of the season took a different turn. Al Ittihad remained top of the league for the entire time, while Al Karamah finally rediscovered their game and their goal touch, climbing slowly up the ranks of the league, beating Al-Ittihad 1-0. In the final 10 games of the league (which is technically the second half of the season minus three games since the league is only 14 clubs) Al Karamah managed to win 8 games, draw 1 and lost 1, while Al Ittihad won 4, drew 2 and lost 4.
By the end of the season Al Karamah managed to amass equal points to that of Al-Ittihad, 52 points each with Al Ittihad on top on goal difference. However, this is not how the Syrian League works. If two teams end up with equal points at the end of the season they play one more decisive game to determine the winner of the league. That game was played yesterday. A poll on the Syrian National News Agency (SANA) showed that most people though Al Ittihad were going to win the game and so on the 21st minute a penalty was given to Al Ittihad which Otobong Ene Ede, the Cameroonian National converted with ease past Mosab Balhous, the Karamah Goalkeeper. Everything seemed to be going as predicted until Mohammad Al Hamwi scored an equalizer in the 71st minute, rounding a defender from the right side of the penalty area and taking a shot which deflected off an Ittihad defender sending the goalkeeper in a completely wrong direction.
A killer typical goal by Al Karamah then came in the 95th minute of extra time (Al Karamah made it a habit of scoring late goals). A cross from the right side was headed back into the 6 yard box where Eyad Mando was left unmarked. Having all the time and ease to place the ball in the top right hand corner of the goal sending Al Kramah fans into ruptures.
By that Al Karamah ended an amazing season for themselves, while Al Ittihad will be left wondering where did it all go wrong.
It was good to see teams from Damascus up there again, Al Jaish playing really well so was Al Majd. Terrible to see Al Wahda unable to compete since I am a Wi7dawee... next season maybe ? haha..
The Second half of the season took a different turn. Al Ittihad remained top of the league for the entire time, while Al Karamah finally rediscovered their game and their goal touch, climbing slowly up the ranks of the league, beating Al-Ittihad 1-0. In the final 10 games of the league (which is technically the second half of the season minus three games since the league is only 14 clubs) Al Karamah managed to win 8 games, draw 1 and lost 1, while Al Ittihad won 4, drew 2 and lost 4.
By the end of the season Al Karamah managed to amass equal points to that of Al-Ittihad, 52 points each with Al Ittihad on top on goal difference. However, this is not how the Syrian League works. If two teams end up with equal points at the end of the season they play one more decisive game to determine the winner of the league. That game was played yesterday. A poll on the Syrian National News Agency (SANA) showed that most people though Al Ittihad were going to win the game and so on the 21st minute a penalty was given to Al Ittihad which Otobong Ene Ede, the Cameroonian National converted with ease past Mosab Balhous, the Karamah Goalkeeper. Everything seemed to be going as predicted until Mohammad Al Hamwi scored an equalizer in the 71st minute, rounding a defender from the right side of the penalty area and taking a shot which deflected off an Ittihad defender sending the goalkeeper in a completely wrong direction.
A killer typical goal by Al Karamah then came in the 95th minute of extra time (Al Karamah made it a habit of scoring late goals). A cross from the right side was headed back into the 6 yard box where Eyad Mando was left unmarked. Having all the time and ease to place the ball in the top right hand corner of the goal sending Al Kramah fans into ruptures.
By that Al Karamah ended an amazing season for themselves, while Al Ittihad will be left wondering where did it all go wrong.
It was good to see teams from Damascus up there again, Al Jaish playing really well so was Al Majd. Terrible to see Al Wahda unable to compete since I am a Wi7dawee... next season maybe ? haha..
Monday, 8 June 2009
Loving the Muslim World..
It was really interesting to listen to Obama’s speech the other day in Cairo in which he addressed the Muslim world trying to reconcile the differences and apologizing for the wrong doings (at least some of the wrong doings) that the United States committed against the Muslims in different parts of the world. Probably the most surprising aspect of the speech was that Obama admitted to the fact that the CIA was behind the coupe that lead to the overthrow of a democratically elected prime minister of Iran at the time and placing the Shah as the ruler of the country. I have to admit that the people attending the speech at the American University of Cairo were really reactive and applauded Obama excessively; it was funny that whenever Israel or the Jews were mentioned no one clapped however.
There are those that view the new American administrations role as one that is seeking to mend the American relations with different countries and especially Muslim majority countries. Yet to many this is just a different strategy for similar objectives, ones that I have earlier discussed. The long term objectives of the United States have not changed since the end of the Second World War, and there is no indication of them changing, there may be a change in the method and approach of how to achieve the objectives and aims as seen when ever there was a change in the American Administration, but the end result was always the same.
The following is an excerpt from the book “Confessions of An Economic Hit Man” written by John Perkins, the part describes one of the conversations John Perkins had while he was conducting an assignment he had in Indonesia:
“The beautiful English major laughed at this. “Because that’s the plan. Vietnam is just a holding action,” one of the men interjected, “like Holland was for the Nazi’s. A stepping-stone.”
“The real target,” the woman continued, “is the Muslim world.”
I could not let this go unanswered. “Surely,” I protested,” you can’t believe that the United States is anti-Islamic.”
“Oh no?” she asked. “Since when? You need to read one of your own historians – a Brit named ToynBee. Back in the fifties he predicted that the real war in the next century would not be between Communists and capitalists, but between Christians and Muslims.”
“Arnold Toynbee said that?” I was stunned.
“Yes. Read Civilization on Trial and the World and the West.”
“But why should there be such animosity between Muslims and Christians?” I asked.
Looks were exchanged around the table. The appeared to find it hard to believe that I could ask such a foolish question.
“Because” she said slowly, as though addressing someone slow-witted or hard hearing, “the West – especially its leader, the U.S. – is determined to take control of all the world, to become the greatest empire in history. It has already gotten very close to succeeding. The Soviet Union currently stands in its way. But the soviets will not endure. Toynbee could see that. They have no religion, no faith, no substance behind their ideology. History demonstrates that faith – soul, a belief in higher powers – is essential. We Muslims have it. We have it more than anyone else in the world, even more than the Christians. So we wait. We grow strong.”… “
There are those that view the new American administrations role as one that is seeking to mend the American relations with different countries and especially Muslim majority countries. Yet to many this is just a different strategy for similar objectives, ones that I have earlier discussed. The long term objectives of the United States have not changed since the end of the Second World War, and there is no indication of them changing, there may be a change in the method and approach of how to achieve the objectives and aims as seen when ever there was a change in the American Administration, but the end result was always the same.
The following is an excerpt from the book “Confessions of An Economic Hit Man” written by John Perkins, the part describes one of the conversations John Perkins had while he was conducting an assignment he had in Indonesia:
“The beautiful English major laughed at this. “Because that’s the plan. Vietnam is just a holding action,” one of the men interjected, “like Holland was for the Nazi’s. A stepping-stone.”
“The real target,” the woman continued, “is the Muslim world.”
I could not let this go unanswered. “Surely,” I protested,” you can’t believe that the United States is anti-Islamic.”
“Oh no?” she asked. “Since when? You need to read one of your own historians – a Brit named ToynBee. Back in the fifties he predicted that the real war in the next century would not be between Communists and capitalists, but between Christians and Muslims.”
“Arnold Toynbee said that?” I was stunned.
“Yes. Read Civilization on Trial and the World and the West.”
“But why should there be such animosity between Muslims and Christians?” I asked.
Looks were exchanged around the table. The appeared to find it hard to believe that I could ask such a foolish question.
“Because” she said slowly, as though addressing someone slow-witted or hard hearing, “the West – especially its leader, the U.S. – is determined to take control of all the world, to become the greatest empire in history. It has already gotten very close to succeeding. The Soviet Union currently stands in its way. But the soviets will not endure. Toynbee could see that. They have no religion, no faith, no substance behind their ideology. History demonstrates that faith – soul, a belief in higher powers – is essential. We Muslims have it. We have it more than anyone else in the world, even more than the Christians. So we wait. We grow strong.”… “
Wednesday, 3 June 2009
Something Worth Watching - Reality TV Show
'Stars of Science', the previously unseen Pan-Arab innovation contest on TV initiated by Qatar Foundation, kicked off, yesterday, with a highly-anticipated first prime-time episode, available to millions of Arab homes.
In a fast-pace and vibrant rhythm, the audience has been transported to Doha, Tunis, Alexandria and Beirut, where 100 hopeful applicants, shortlisted among 5600 applications, tried to impress and convince the jury with their projects of innovation.
Only 16 of them, from 11 countries, were selected and gained access to the ultra-modern Doha workshop, build within Qatar Science and Technology Park, where the competition will continue.
This episode was also the occasion to discover more about the candidates, their projects (see thereafter), personalities and aspirations, as well as the three jurors, Dr. Sadeg Fares, William Sawaya and Dr. Mona Zaki.
Engineer Dr. Sadeg Fares, with over 500 patents in his name, expressed his support for the candidates, saying that their projects will 'aid in developing the Arab world in the fields of science and technology.'
Renowned designer William Sawaya expressed his endorsement of Stars of Science, saying that it 'challenges Arabs to pursue technological excellence.'
Dr. Mona Zaki, businesswomen and marketing consultant, advised the candidates to 'be optimistic and to have confidence in what they do.'
The 16 candidates distinguish themselves by their various profiles and backgrounds, while their projects, characterized by their great diversity, are a testimony of the vibrant inventiveness of the Arab youth:
- Wahiba Chair (26 y.o - Algeria) - a nutrition label-scanning device that can be uploaded to mobile phones, immediately telling the consumer whether a food item is good for them.
- Sarah Al Sammak (24 y.o - Bahrain) - 'Canito' , a product bringing together a garbage and recycle bin that will attract people to recycle their waste.
- Mohammed Hijazi (25 y.o - Egypt) - a physiotherapy equipment that will help patients with various disabilities in strengthening their injured limbs with minimal interference.
- Mazen Salah (31 y.o - Jordan) - a device that would keep cars cool through all seasons.
- Sager Fayez (28 y.o - Saudi Arabia) - a reading tool for the blind persons, where books can be scanned and read aloud, as well as translated.
- Bassam Jalgha (22 y.o - Lebanon) - an automatic tuner for string instruments.
- Yasser Ramil (21 y.o - Morocco) - a wireless mobile phone charger
- Imad Al Harithy (23 y.o - Oman) - a mind-controlled wheelchair
- Mohammed Khalaf (25 y.o - Palestine) - a vertical keyboard to make typing a more comfortable process.
- Ahmed Abou Salim (29 y.o - Palestine) - an oxygenated drink that will give the consumer energy and revitalize the body
- Hashem Al Sada (22 - Qatar) - a specific tent fitted with solar panels for electricity generation.
- Mohammed Orsod (26 - Sudan) - an oil testing device that allows to determine the quality of cooking oil.
- Hassan Deeb (22 - Syria) - a piece of equipment that can generate electricity from waves.
- Saber Ben Massoud (24 - Tunis) - Tyres which can be changed in a lesser amount of time.
- Taha Tissaoui (26 - Tunisia) - a device to transport injured patients safely
The show promotes a healthy competitive and team spirit, in that it focuses on a non-eliminatory voting process, where candidates whose projects are not chosen, will join the teams of their peers.
Each of the subsequent weekly episodes, broadcast on Fridays, will revolve around one of the specific challenges of the innovation contest:
- Episode 2: Engineering (June 5)
- Episode 3: Design (June 12)
- Episode 4: Business (June 19)
During the final episode, to be broadcast live from Aspire Sports Academy in Doha on June 26, and in which the two finalists will be given the opportunity to launch their product, viewers will vote by SMS and telephone to decide the winner of a $300,000 prize.
Starting from tomorrow, Sunday, May 31, the audience will also be able to follow the activities of the candidates and their inner impressions, in daily episodes of this original reality show, broadcast from Sundays to Thursdays.
To be part of this experience, viewers can tune in to one of the 17 channels broadcasting the program, through an unprecedented Pan-Arab partnership:
Qatar Television, ENTV (Algeria); Bahrain TV; Nile Cultural Channel (Egypt); Jordan TV; Saudi 1 (KSA); Kuwait TV; Future TV (Lebanon), Tele Liban (Lebanon); Mauritania TV; Al Aoula (Morocco); Oman TV; Sudan TV; Syria 1, Hannibal TV (Tunisia), Yemen TV and ANA.
From AMEinfo.com
In a fast-pace and vibrant rhythm, the audience has been transported to Doha, Tunis, Alexandria and Beirut, where 100 hopeful applicants, shortlisted among 5600 applications, tried to impress and convince the jury with their projects of innovation.
Only 16 of them, from 11 countries, were selected and gained access to the ultra-modern Doha workshop, build within Qatar Science and Technology Park, where the competition will continue.
This episode was also the occasion to discover more about the candidates, their projects (see thereafter), personalities and aspirations, as well as the three jurors, Dr. Sadeg Fares, William Sawaya and Dr. Mona Zaki.
Engineer Dr. Sadeg Fares, with over 500 patents in his name, expressed his support for the candidates, saying that their projects will 'aid in developing the Arab world in the fields of science and technology.'
Renowned designer William Sawaya expressed his endorsement of Stars of Science, saying that it 'challenges Arabs to pursue technological excellence.'
Dr. Mona Zaki, businesswomen and marketing consultant, advised the candidates to 'be optimistic and to have confidence in what they do.'
The 16 candidates distinguish themselves by their various profiles and backgrounds, while their projects, characterized by their great diversity, are a testimony of the vibrant inventiveness of the Arab youth:
- Wahiba Chair (26 y.o - Algeria) - a nutrition label-scanning device that can be uploaded to mobile phones, immediately telling the consumer whether a food item is good for them.
- Sarah Al Sammak (24 y.o - Bahrain) - 'Canito' , a product bringing together a garbage and recycle bin that will attract people to recycle their waste.
- Mohammed Hijazi (25 y.o - Egypt) - a physiotherapy equipment that will help patients with various disabilities in strengthening their injured limbs with minimal interference.
- Mazen Salah (31 y.o - Jordan) - a device that would keep cars cool through all seasons.
- Sager Fayez (28 y.o - Saudi Arabia) - a reading tool for the blind persons, where books can be scanned and read aloud, as well as translated.
- Bassam Jalgha (22 y.o - Lebanon) - an automatic tuner for string instruments.
- Yasser Ramil (21 y.o - Morocco) - a wireless mobile phone charger
- Imad Al Harithy (23 y.o - Oman) - a mind-controlled wheelchair
- Mohammed Khalaf (25 y.o - Palestine) - a vertical keyboard to make typing a more comfortable process.
- Ahmed Abou Salim (29 y.o - Palestine) - an oxygenated drink that will give the consumer energy and revitalize the body
- Hashem Al Sada (22 - Qatar) - a specific tent fitted with solar panels for electricity generation.
- Mohammed Orsod (26 - Sudan) - an oil testing device that allows to determine the quality of cooking oil.
- Hassan Deeb (22 - Syria) - a piece of equipment that can generate electricity from waves.
- Saber Ben Massoud (24 - Tunis) - Tyres which can be changed in a lesser amount of time.
- Taha Tissaoui (26 - Tunisia) - a device to transport injured patients safely
The show promotes a healthy competitive and team spirit, in that it focuses on a non-eliminatory voting process, where candidates whose projects are not chosen, will join the teams of their peers.
Each of the subsequent weekly episodes, broadcast on Fridays, will revolve around one of the specific challenges of the innovation contest:
- Episode 2: Engineering (June 5)
- Episode 3: Design (June 12)
- Episode 4: Business (June 19)
During the final episode, to be broadcast live from Aspire Sports Academy in Doha on June 26, and in which the two finalists will be given the opportunity to launch their product, viewers will vote by SMS and telephone to decide the winner of a $300,000 prize.
Starting from tomorrow, Sunday, May 31, the audience will also be able to follow the activities of the candidates and their inner impressions, in daily episodes of this original reality show, broadcast from Sundays to Thursdays.
To be part of this experience, viewers can tune in to one of the 17 channels broadcasting the program, through an unprecedented Pan-Arab partnership:
Qatar Television, ENTV (Algeria); Bahrain TV; Nile Cultural Channel (Egypt); Jordan TV; Saudi 1 (KSA); Kuwait TV; Future TV (Lebanon), Tele Liban (Lebanon); Mauritania TV; Al Aoula (Morocco); Oman TV; Sudan TV; Syria 1, Hannibal TV (Tunisia), Yemen TV and ANA.
From AMEinfo.com
Sunday, 31 May 2009
Avi Shlaim: What Sane People Say
How Israel brought Gaza to the brink of humanitarian catastrophe:
Oxford professor of international relations Avi Shlaim served in the Israeli army and has never questioned the state's legitimacy. But its merciless assault on Gaza has led him to devastating conclusions...
Oxford professor of international relations Avi Shlaim served in the Israeli army and has never questioned the state's legitimacy. But its merciless assault on Gaza has led him to devastating conclusions...
Thursday, 28 May 2009
Random News
Given that I don't have much time to write even though there is so much I want to write about, I will just quickly go through some of the stuff that I have found interesting.
Israel Passes New Law
Israel is on the verge of passing a new law which makes it illegal for anyone to deny that Israel is a Jewish state to which the punishment will be imprisonment. According to an Arab-Israeli talking to aljazeera this will make it easier for the Zionist authorities to persecute the Arabs of '48. This will not be the only law that will be passed that will curtail freedom of speech and opinion there are another two laws being prepared one of which makes remembrance of the catastrophe by Arab-Israelis illegal and the other is known as the "patriotic citizen law" which makes it compulsory to swear allegiance for any Arab that has gained an Israeli I.D. card.
Amazingly enough I have yet to see this being publicized on any western news outlet, the same ones that rush to write about an incident where a muslim person is in the middle of it.
The Under-cover King
Apparently the King of Jordan has been going around ministries and government buildings undercover, in order to get to know the problems people face in those places and get a first hand experience of how it is there. At the same time a majority of people in a recent poll stated that they cannot recall any achievements of the current government, to be exact 70% said that.
The Champions
And finally, although I don't like to write about sports here, but I must admit this is the most amazing day in football history. Barcelona won the treble!! HAHAHAHA.. im so happy.. i think im gonna cry.. :D anyways thats all for today.. Visca El Barcaa!! o 3ashat 2umatuna..
Israel Passes New Law
Israel is on the verge of passing a new law which makes it illegal for anyone to deny that Israel is a Jewish state to which the punishment will be imprisonment. According to an Arab-Israeli talking to aljazeera this will make it easier for the Zionist authorities to persecute the Arabs of '48. This will not be the only law that will be passed that will curtail freedom of speech and opinion there are another two laws being prepared one of which makes remembrance of the catastrophe by Arab-Israelis illegal and the other is known as the "patriotic citizen law" which makes it compulsory to swear allegiance for any Arab that has gained an Israeli I.D. card.
Amazingly enough I have yet to see this being publicized on any western news outlet, the same ones that rush to write about an incident where a muslim person is in the middle of it.
The Under-cover King
Apparently the King of Jordan has been going around ministries and government buildings undercover, in order to get to know the problems people face in those places and get a first hand experience of how it is there. At the same time a majority of people in a recent poll stated that they cannot recall any achievements of the current government, to be exact 70% said that.
The Champions
And finally, although I don't like to write about sports here, but I must admit this is the most amazing day in football history. Barcelona won the treble!! HAHAHAHA.. im so happy.. i think im gonna cry.. :D anyways thats all for today.. Visca El Barcaa!! o 3ashat 2umatuna..
Friday, 22 May 2009
نكات اهل حمص تتحول الى وسيلة تعبير مأمونة لنقد المجتمع السوري
من القدس العربي
دمشق ـ ا ف ب: 'اجريت لحمصي عملية جراحية ناجحة، فقرر اجراءها مرة ثانية'. هذا نموذج عن النكات التي لاحقت اهالي مدينة حمص عبر التاريخ واوردها كتاب عن 'النكتة الحمصية' التي تحولت وسيلة تعبير مأمونة لنقد المجتمع السوري.
ويسبر الصحافي والكاتب الحمصي جورج كدر الخلفيات التاريخية للنكتة الحمصية في كتابه 'ادب النكتة: بحث في جذور النكتة الحمصية'، مبينا ان صفة 'الجنون' لم تكف عن ملاحقة اهل حمص منذ ايام العبادات الوثنية.
ويقول المؤلف في كتابه الذي اعاد اخيرا اصدار الطبعة الثانية منه بعد عامين على صدور طبعته الاولى، ان التندر على الحماصنة والسخرية منهم اخذ في الماضي البعيد شكل نوادر وقصص زخرت بها كتب من زارها من الرحالة والكتاب.
واشهر هؤلاء الرحالة ياقوت الحموي وابن الجوزي الذي قال عنهم انهم 'بين الحمقى والمغفلين على الاطلاق'.
اما الآن فيأخذ هذا التندر اشكالا مختزلة ومكثفة صارت شبكة الانترنت مجالا خصبا لتناقلها ونشرها.
ويعيد الكاتب في حديث لوكالة فرانس برس دوافع تأليفه هذا الكتاب الى ايام انتقاله للدراسة في جامعة دمشق. وقتها كما يقول 'ما ان يقابلك شخص ويعرف انك من حمص حتى يسألك: ما آخر نكتة لديك عن الحماصنة'.
هذا السؤال الذي لا يزال يكرر على مسامع اهل حمص دفع الكاتب للبحث والتقصي ان كان 'التنكيت على الحماصنة يأتي من فراغ ام له امتدادت تاريخية؟'.
وللنكتة الحمصية جذور 'موغلة في القدم' تصل الى 'عيد المجانين' الذي كان موجودا في العبادات القديمة واندثر، بحسب ما يستعرضه الكتاب.
كما ان المؤلف يجد ان لها صلات بعبادة إله الشمس في القرن الثالث الميلادي والتي كانت تتم في حمص واتسمت بمظاهر مجون وصخب حتى الهذيان، وهو ما حمل كل من يمر بحمص وقتها على الاعتقاد بان اهلها مصابون بـ 'لوثة جنون'.
ولم يغير في هذا 'الصيت' ان من حكم روما حينذاك كانت جوليا دومنا ابنة حمص، ووالدها ابسيانوس الثاني من دعا لعبادة اله واحد هو اله الشمس بعد الفرعون المصري اخناتون. وحتى الآن يستخدم السوريون في سخريتهم احالة دارجة على يوم الاربعاء بوصفه 'عيد الحماصنة'.
وفي هذا السياق، يسلط كتاب 'النكتة الحمصية' الضوء على روايات شعبية وتاريخية تحكي كيف تفادت حمص غزو تيمورلنك المغولي عبر استقبال اهلها الحافل له، وتظاهرهم بالجنون ليجنبوا المدينة الدمار.
وكما يورد الكتاب كانت مدن الشام التي دمرها المغول تتندر بهذه الحادثة بالقول 'جدبها اهل حمص على تيمورلنك يوم الاربعاء فعفا عنهم' ليبقى منه مع مرور الوقت فقط ما يتعلق بربط 'الجدبة' بيوم الاربعاء.
ومن القضايا التي يؤكد الكاتب تأثيرها على ظهور النكتة الحمصية تلك المتعلقة بالعصبيات القبلية والدينية.
فهو يسرد كيف كان اهل حمص 'كثيري التقلب في الامور الدينية' وهو ما جعلهم في مرمى نوادر جاءت لتكرس 'رؤية مسبقة' حولهم او انها انبثقت من خلفيات 'تحامل' بعض الكتاب والرحالة على اهل حمص، كما يشير الكتاب الذي جاء اشبه بمرافعة مطولة عن اهل حمص.
ويعلي الكاتب السوري الساخر نبيل صالح من شأن النكتة التي تدخل في نسيج كتابته الساخرة.
وهو يعتقد ان 'النكتة اكثر قدرة من الموعظة على اصلاح العالم' معتبرا ان 'اهل حمص الاذكياء هم الاكثر تأليفا وتسويقا للنكات حول انفسهم'. ويضيف ان ذلك يشكل 'دليل قوة وثقة وصحة نفسية عند الحماصنة'.
ويروي صالح كيف كان يعبر حمص في الماضي ويلاحظ عبارة على واجهة بقالية تقول 'لدينا ثلج بارد'.
وبعد سنوات طويلة دفعه فضوله لدخول البقالية والتأكد من 'جدبنة' صاحبها كما يقول، والذي اخبره ان العبارة كتبها والده وكانت عاملا في كسب زبائن استدرجهم فضولهم لشراء ما لا يلزمهم. وينقل صالح تعليق صاحب البقالية الذي قال له: 'من الجدبة برأيك: انا ام الزبون الواقف امامي'.
وعلى غلاف كتاب 'النكتة الحمصية' يوقع فنان الكاريكاتور السوري علي فرزات رسما لرجل حمصي باللباس التقليدي، يقف على تاج عمود تاريخي وقد اخترقت السهام كل جسده، ويبدو هذا الرجل واجما فيما لم يصب اي سهم التفاحة فوق طربوشه.
ويعلق فرزات على اشتغاله هذا الرسم غلافا للكتاب بان الرجل يجسد شخصية الحمصي 'الذي يتلقى النكات برحابة صدر دائما'.
ويشير الى ان الجميع يصيبون شخصية الحمصي ملحقين بها صفة 'الحمق' فيما تبقى الحكمة من نكاته مثل التفاحة في الكاريكاتور 'غير مصابة'، على حد تعبير فرزات في حديثه لفرانس برس.
ويعتبر الكاتب كدر ان النكتة الحمصية تحولت لدى السوريين الى 'وسيلة مأمونة لنقد الواقع السياسي والاقتصادي والاجتماعي'، مشيرا الى انها 'دخلت في الكثير من المحظورات'.
ومما يورده الكاتب من نكات جمعها من المتداول في الانترنت حول الحماصنة، تلك التي يذهب فيها حمصي الى ضابط في وزراة الداخلية طالبا الترشح للانتخابات فيجيبه الضابط 'هل انت مجنون؟'، فيرد عليه الحمصي 'وهل هذا شرط للترشح؟'.
ويدعو مؤلف كتاب 'النكتة الحمصية' في ختام بحثه التاريخي الاجتماعي الى اقامة مهرجان عالمي للفكاهة في مدينة حمص التي تعد اكبر المحافظات السورية مساحة، معتبرا انه صار من الضروري ان تتحول هذه المدينة الى 'عاصمة عالمية للضحك تثور على ما يسود العالم من كآبة وحروب'.
دمشق ـ ا ف ب: 'اجريت لحمصي عملية جراحية ناجحة، فقرر اجراءها مرة ثانية'. هذا نموذج عن النكات التي لاحقت اهالي مدينة حمص عبر التاريخ واوردها كتاب عن 'النكتة الحمصية' التي تحولت وسيلة تعبير مأمونة لنقد المجتمع السوري.
ويسبر الصحافي والكاتب الحمصي جورج كدر الخلفيات التاريخية للنكتة الحمصية في كتابه 'ادب النكتة: بحث في جذور النكتة الحمصية'، مبينا ان صفة 'الجنون' لم تكف عن ملاحقة اهل حمص منذ ايام العبادات الوثنية.
ويقول المؤلف في كتابه الذي اعاد اخيرا اصدار الطبعة الثانية منه بعد عامين على صدور طبعته الاولى، ان التندر على الحماصنة والسخرية منهم اخذ في الماضي البعيد شكل نوادر وقصص زخرت بها كتب من زارها من الرحالة والكتاب.
واشهر هؤلاء الرحالة ياقوت الحموي وابن الجوزي الذي قال عنهم انهم 'بين الحمقى والمغفلين على الاطلاق'.
اما الآن فيأخذ هذا التندر اشكالا مختزلة ومكثفة صارت شبكة الانترنت مجالا خصبا لتناقلها ونشرها.
ويعيد الكاتب في حديث لوكالة فرانس برس دوافع تأليفه هذا الكتاب الى ايام انتقاله للدراسة في جامعة دمشق. وقتها كما يقول 'ما ان يقابلك شخص ويعرف انك من حمص حتى يسألك: ما آخر نكتة لديك عن الحماصنة'.
هذا السؤال الذي لا يزال يكرر على مسامع اهل حمص دفع الكاتب للبحث والتقصي ان كان 'التنكيت على الحماصنة يأتي من فراغ ام له امتدادت تاريخية؟'.
وللنكتة الحمصية جذور 'موغلة في القدم' تصل الى 'عيد المجانين' الذي كان موجودا في العبادات القديمة واندثر، بحسب ما يستعرضه الكتاب.
كما ان المؤلف يجد ان لها صلات بعبادة إله الشمس في القرن الثالث الميلادي والتي كانت تتم في حمص واتسمت بمظاهر مجون وصخب حتى الهذيان، وهو ما حمل كل من يمر بحمص وقتها على الاعتقاد بان اهلها مصابون بـ 'لوثة جنون'.
ولم يغير في هذا 'الصيت' ان من حكم روما حينذاك كانت جوليا دومنا ابنة حمص، ووالدها ابسيانوس الثاني من دعا لعبادة اله واحد هو اله الشمس بعد الفرعون المصري اخناتون. وحتى الآن يستخدم السوريون في سخريتهم احالة دارجة على يوم الاربعاء بوصفه 'عيد الحماصنة'.
وفي هذا السياق، يسلط كتاب 'النكتة الحمصية' الضوء على روايات شعبية وتاريخية تحكي كيف تفادت حمص غزو تيمورلنك المغولي عبر استقبال اهلها الحافل له، وتظاهرهم بالجنون ليجنبوا المدينة الدمار.
وكما يورد الكتاب كانت مدن الشام التي دمرها المغول تتندر بهذه الحادثة بالقول 'جدبها اهل حمص على تيمورلنك يوم الاربعاء فعفا عنهم' ليبقى منه مع مرور الوقت فقط ما يتعلق بربط 'الجدبة' بيوم الاربعاء.
ومن القضايا التي يؤكد الكاتب تأثيرها على ظهور النكتة الحمصية تلك المتعلقة بالعصبيات القبلية والدينية.
فهو يسرد كيف كان اهل حمص 'كثيري التقلب في الامور الدينية' وهو ما جعلهم في مرمى نوادر جاءت لتكرس 'رؤية مسبقة' حولهم او انها انبثقت من خلفيات 'تحامل' بعض الكتاب والرحالة على اهل حمص، كما يشير الكتاب الذي جاء اشبه بمرافعة مطولة عن اهل حمص.
ويعلي الكاتب السوري الساخر نبيل صالح من شأن النكتة التي تدخل في نسيج كتابته الساخرة.
وهو يعتقد ان 'النكتة اكثر قدرة من الموعظة على اصلاح العالم' معتبرا ان 'اهل حمص الاذكياء هم الاكثر تأليفا وتسويقا للنكات حول انفسهم'. ويضيف ان ذلك يشكل 'دليل قوة وثقة وصحة نفسية عند الحماصنة'.
ويروي صالح كيف كان يعبر حمص في الماضي ويلاحظ عبارة على واجهة بقالية تقول 'لدينا ثلج بارد'.
وبعد سنوات طويلة دفعه فضوله لدخول البقالية والتأكد من 'جدبنة' صاحبها كما يقول، والذي اخبره ان العبارة كتبها والده وكانت عاملا في كسب زبائن استدرجهم فضولهم لشراء ما لا يلزمهم. وينقل صالح تعليق صاحب البقالية الذي قال له: 'من الجدبة برأيك: انا ام الزبون الواقف امامي'.
وعلى غلاف كتاب 'النكتة الحمصية' يوقع فنان الكاريكاتور السوري علي فرزات رسما لرجل حمصي باللباس التقليدي، يقف على تاج عمود تاريخي وقد اخترقت السهام كل جسده، ويبدو هذا الرجل واجما فيما لم يصب اي سهم التفاحة فوق طربوشه.
ويعلق فرزات على اشتغاله هذا الرسم غلافا للكتاب بان الرجل يجسد شخصية الحمصي 'الذي يتلقى النكات برحابة صدر دائما'.
ويشير الى ان الجميع يصيبون شخصية الحمصي ملحقين بها صفة 'الحمق' فيما تبقى الحكمة من نكاته مثل التفاحة في الكاريكاتور 'غير مصابة'، على حد تعبير فرزات في حديثه لفرانس برس.
ويعتبر الكاتب كدر ان النكتة الحمصية تحولت لدى السوريين الى 'وسيلة مأمونة لنقد الواقع السياسي والاقتصادي والاجتماعي'، مشيرا الى انها 'دخلت في الكثير من المحظورات'.
ومما يورده الكاتب من نكات جمعها من المتداول في الانترنت حول الحماصنة، تلك التي يذهب فيها حمصي الى ضابط في وزراة الداخلية طالبا الترشح للانتخابات فيجيبه الضابط 'هل انت مجنون؟'، فيرد عليه الحمصي 'وهل هذا شرط للترشح؟'.
ويدعو مؤلف كتاب 'النكتة الحمصية' في ختام بحثه التاريخي الاجتماعي الى اقامة مهرجان عالمي للفكاهة في مدينة حمص التي تعد اكبر المحافظات السورية مساحة، معتبرا انه صار من الضروري ان تتحول هذه المدينة الى 'عاصمة عالمية للضحك تثور على ما يسود العالم من كآبة وحروب'.
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