Drinking Beer In Mecca!

On my trip to Raleigh, I visited the downtown area and spotted a neon sign for a restaurant called Mecca. I was cool, this looks like an interesting establishment to visit. My first thought this is some Arabic food place, that serves Halal meat or something of that nature.

We walked around and then looked for a place to grab some food, we were back close to the restaurant and there we go, their menu is at the door. I looked and then came the surprise. This was no Halal place, not even close. This is a 1930 establishment that is still standing till now.

It's a diner where they actually serve tons of wines and beers. I was confused and not sure how the name came about  It might not be an insult for Islam's holy city, but I do not know why Mecca came to be a place for a drinking. I am aware that in the pre-Islam era, alcohol was the cool thing to do in that Mecca. But Mecca is neither known for its food nor for its drinks. This is like having an accounting/auditing firm with the name Washington, DC in the title. It does not really add up.     

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On Selective Faith, Muslim Rage And Spitting

I find is interesting that most people of faith are so quick to have faith when it comes to their our religion yet they are so quick to dismiss it when it comes to other people’s religion. I am talking about the mainstream, and not the vocal extreme that always makes it to the news editing room.

The Koran is filled with stories and examples of miracles and issues pertaining to faith, we as Muslims are thought many stories form the Jewish, the Christian  faith as well as other religions too. We are asked to believe them. Noah, Moses, Abraham  Joseph, Mary and many more. In my observations, Muslims tend not to be as selective about other faiths.

Sure many Jewish and Christians may think that Prophet Mohammed is fraud, but in his teachings they are both revered in Islam and so are the books they came with. Muslims take all the stories of the prophets--the ones we know of and the ones we are unaware of to be true. Most choose to believe miracles and blessings God has passed on to certain individuals even if they had to suspend the rules of physics.All Muslims believe in the Virgin birth, even though a lot of Christians question it.    

So, next time you see an angry Muslims projecting intolerance  know he does not understand his religion very well. A gloried movie trailer, an ad on the subway or Metro, a guy burning a copy of the Koran are nothing to be alarmed about. They should know that any insults and disrespect for Islam, its teachings and its main prophet is nothing more than a spit in the sea. It does nothing and changes next to zero!

Sami Yusuf - It's a Game

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The Muslim Brotherhood Vs. Jihadist Salafis, The Showdown

The Muslim Brotherhood  Vs. Jihadist Salafis, The Showdown

The anti-Islam film responsible for provoking protests across the Muslim world over the past two weeks was, to say the least, a bad idea. This is a project with a lot of vile motivations behind it that must be uncovered. At the same time, violence as a response to a film is certainly the wrong way for Muslims to react. These are truths that most people seem to accept by now.

However, what demands more discussion is the fact that this film has provided one more in a long list of excuses for governments in the Middle East to confront extremists at home. The political landscape in the Middle East has changed dramatically due to new leadership in many countries and the general political pressure brought to bear by widespread political change. Let’s look at some examples.

1.           On September 17th, 2012, Hamas handed down 4 convictions to Salafi-linked extremists responsible for killing Italian activist Vittorio Arrigoni last year. Two of them will serve life; the third will be in jail for 10 years. They would have sent these men to be hanged had it not been for the Arrigoni family asking that the death penalty not to be imposed. "They will find justice with God and not with this court," a relative of the one of the defendants muttered.

2.           On the same day, the Tunisian forces surrounded the house of Saif Al Hussini, a Jihadi Salafi, in his stronghold mosque in downtown Tunis. The government accuses this Al Hussini of instigating the riots surrounding the American embassy and American school that lead to the deaths of 4 people. Al Hussini, who has traveled and worked in Morocco, London, and Pakistan, is defiant and continues to criticize the government. “I do not fear the threats made by the Ministry of the Interior; this government is a dictatorship that is picking fights with the Salafis”

3.           A day earlier in Egypt, the Minister of the Interior personally went down to the streets of Cairo and led the operation to clear the streets of protesters (mostly Salafis) who are seizing on the opportunity to draw global attention to their agenda. As a result, the American embassy in downtown Cairo has been placed inside of a kind of de facto safe zone. Close to 200 rioters and violent protesters have been rounded up. Other troublemakers have been chased off.

Governments in those three places are made up of Muslim Brotherhood linked/affiliated individuals. This is somehow the new model in the Middle East: put the moderates in charge and let them reason with the ultra-conservatives. A microcosm of this model has been working in places like Saudi Arabia, where religious scholars often sit down with terrorists and potential terrorists and attempt to reason with them and get them to change their violent ways. Many young people who have been “mislead” or “brainwashed” return home.  After all, if they fail, a drone will meet them wherever they are going.     

"Our manner of protesting should reflect sense and reason," said renowned cleric Youssef al-Qaradawi in his Friday sermon. The Egyptian-born and Qatar-based Al-Qaradawi has a global following thanks to Aljazeera and YouTube.  This is a very sobering call from the same figure who called for unrest in Egypt, Libya, and now Syria. He is not the only one to make such statements.  Scholars and imams in most Muslim countries have echoed the same remarks. An Indonesian Muslim scholar, Komaruddin Hidayat, noted that Muslims have the duty to oppose anything they deem offensive to their faith, but must "avoid using violence in expressing their objections." At the other end of the Muslim world in Nigeria, a top Islamic leader, Sheik Sani Yahaya Jingir, said violence never brings "any benefit to Islam."

I am watching this with mixed feelings. Certainly, Jihadist Salafis subscribe to extremist (and sometimes violent) ideas. They come across as angry, and they hold themselves above the rest. Thus, they give themselves the right to harass other people and try to force them to submit to their strict interpretation of Islam. The right thing to do, according to these folks, is whatever they tell you. They claim to know best, when in reality they know little. Such people tend to idolize their leaders and imams to a startling level. This is why a lot of Muslims rightfully fear the Jihadi Salafi mentality. These people shun weddings, entertainment, the human body, science and oftentimes education. They expect people not to make mistakes, and often quote the Quran and the Sunnah. But when they themselves sin, it should of course be understandable and forgiven. They are often dismissed and ostracized by societies, but for the most part they are not doing anything illegal. They may stop you in the street and give you a cassette tape or a book about the virtues of modesty. They are often mocked for their uncontrollable appetite for food and polygamy. And historically, most Muslims have questioned their sources of funding, which invite a whole host of conspiracy theories.

But now things are different for these Jihadist Salafi; they are no longer facing off against a secular out of touch government. Instead, they are answering to whole new governments courtesy of the Arab Spring. Their brothers in faith--as they call them-- are firmly in the driver’s seat; The Muslim Brotherhood is well acquainted with these Salafi groups. Jihadist Salafi can no longer claim that the government imprisoning them is run by godless goons. They are both on the same moral ground, except one has a mandate to govern and a country to run and the other wants to sing the blues about the nostalgic “glory days” of his/her religion. One wants to work with everyone and the other wants to force his views on the rest of us.

The Brotherhood are now in control, but the Salafis seem to think that the new governments of the Arab world will let them get away with these shenanigans instead of arresting them like the secular dictators did for years. Little did they know, the Muslim world’s two dominant strains of political Islam are now pitted against one another, and the whole world is watching.

It isn’t clear if this change –the installation of moderate political Islamists in seats of power in the Arab world-- will pay off in the long run, but it’s certainly worth a try. Until then, this will continue to be a debate between the party that wants to play ball and the party that wants to spoil the game for everyone.

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anti-Islam movie ‘weirdest movie scam of all time’

This Anti-Islam movie gets weirder and weirder. Here's a great video reporting on this movie, a person that was actually in the theater and saw the movie along with just 10 people. The promotional material is really strange as it plays like it's pro Islam, only to show a movie that's blatantly anti-Islam.

This is not the one thing weird about this film, watch the video to see more. The people who made the movie are a weird bunch who wanted to stir trouble and provoke Muslims. Cenk Uygur from The Young Turks on Current TV reports

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Are The Muslims Really Forcing Their Way Of Life On The World?

Listening to NPR as my wife drove us to the grocery store, a caller calls in and says, Muslims are the only ones to blame for the murders; they are trying to force their way on us"

While, I do agree with the caller's first statement, it's his second that I take issue with. Here,s why:

If anything, Muslims have little impact on the life of an average American. On the other hand, America (or someone in America) makes money every time, a Muslim guzzles a soft drink; a bag of Doritos; washed his/her hair with Pert Plus. Every time, they go to the movies; every time they shave; every time they sport some cool sneakers; ever time, they use Google and Facebook. These are all American things, they are part of the American narrative and they have been forced (without violence) on many people around the world. The average American would be mistaken to think that Arabs/Muslims are forcing their way on America.

They are merely telling you, "Stop offending my, stop insulting my religion". It's all a misunderstanding. America fails to see how serious people are about their religion, they are no longer able to process that. Arabs/Muslims do not fully understand the freedom of speech and its almost sacred position. Some Muslims, fail to see that a crappy film made in California, has nothing to do the pop in the Vatican. Otherwise, they would never ask him to apologize for the film that I am certain he has no idea about.

Being anti-religion is a virtue (or a vice) that came in from the West. The Muslims can also claim, that the West is forcing their way of life on them. Mainstream Muslims almost never engage in any act that disrespect or violate any religion. Most scholars in Muslim countries with a stable economy have sobering messages that asked people to chill out. In poor countries, no such restrains exist.

Violence is wrong, the mob are tainting Islam and the message of Mohammad (peace be upon him). Yes, the filmmaker is an idiot, but we are the bigger fools here. Sorry, but you just do not murder people. Spreading fear is against the teaching is Islam; the sanctity of life is far more important than the holy Kaaba. 

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Anti Islam Film "Innocence of Muslims" Kills People

For starter, I wish we Muslims do not get worked up as much about things that are offensive to us. This rage can be used against us and it certainly can be used to harm others among us. If we get upset every time a moron makes a vile movie about Islam, draws a cartoon of the prophet, or says dumb things, we are in trouble. Because certain people will use that to get us to react in a certain way to show others that we are not civilized. But this is what we have to deal with. We should not kill people even if we do not like them, this should be our attitude.

The teaser movie "Innocence of Muslims", depicts Muhammad as a fraud and a womanizer. that has been making the rounds on the internet had 54 actors in and and close to 50 people behind the camera it cost 5 million dollars to make. We are also being told that it was financed by a 100 Jewish funders. The director of the film is an Israeli who lives in California and now is in hiding. He made this movie despite the facts he knows what will happen. He now has blood on his hands. Why did he release the movie now?

Now this is where my opinion kicks in, Obama is trying to get elected and he is having to answer a lot of questions. Now he has to explain to the American people about the death of American diplomats in Libya and trouble in Egypt. It will not make things easier for him. If anything many ultraconservative Israelis seem not like him and are more interested in seeing him gone. The preview was also released on the 11th anniversary of 9/11.

It seems the director wants to see this get worse, he is adding gasoline to the fire....with statements like "Islam is a cancer" and 100 Jewish people funded my project. I think most Jewish people are smart enough not to put a dime for such a project. And then this is this annoying Coptic activists lawyer who has been attached to the film. He is a disgrace to his people and he is making his life much worse for his peers. He is not helping them. For this reason, more than a 130 Coptic group have spoken out against this film and the activist.

The movie goes out of its way to insult Islam and the prophet. The film has nothing to say about Islam and rather an assortment of ill informed and vile interpretations of events that taken place 1500 years ago. The crew had the right to make a movie about this, I also have the right to scream fire in a packed movie theater or tell the bus people there's a bomb. This is all free speech, but we all self censor our speech for the betterment of everyone. Aside from the obvious white washing where the cast is largely made out of white actors, this movie has a bad taste and no artistic integrity.

I have said before, the West should not fear weak Muslims nor strong ones, they should only fear those who feel disrespected. It's then when people feel vulnerable and their acts do not always make sense. I hope the film crew are feeling extra American today as they watch their country men murdered by angry mob upset with a movie they made to advance their lunatic agenda.

On a personal note, a cousin of mine was murdered (and his body was disrespected) by a mob in June 2007 in Gaza. I am not the one to approve of mob justice.  

Update: The American patriots should think abut how one Israeli filmmaker is making the world is more dangerous place for Americans. It only takes on idiot to rally up the easily offended religious mobs. Why did he chose America, not Israel as a place to make his vile movie?

Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokesman on US Embassy protests
 

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The Three Different Phases Of Islamic States

I have been studying up on my history and found myself studying a book about the Muslims states and the history of Islam and governance. We all now see Islamic law leaning politicians winning elections and preparing themselves to rule over countries for the first time.  

I have came to a conclusion about the three different phases a Muslim State goes through

1. The Inception Stage; we love everyone, everybody is welcome and they can worship as they wish. Fasting with the Jews of Arabia on Yom Kippur.  This is the good phase where we see a hug fist and tolerances high. This is when people wanted to join the religion based on their heart not some calculation. The Muslims were learning the principles of the religion--they were weak and poor but had a lot of faith in what to come.   
2. The Vulnerable Stage, the Muslims had to live in this one after they were defeated in the battle of Ohod. They lost really bad during this war after the other army lured the archers to collect the spoil of war before the war has ended.  In the aftermath, revenge was the normal. Anyone who has mocked Muslim state or disrespect had his head cut off. They really had to scare off people so that they can buy time tell they make a comeback. At this stage many of the common rules do not apply as people are emotional than logical. Think Afghanistan, Yemen, Pakistan 
3. The Mighty State: Islam prevailed, people have submitted and joined the religion, no need for violence or senseless murder, people know you are in charge. This phase started as the Muslims walked into Mecca and told their enemies, stay in your home and you will not be fought, you are safe and so is your property and money. It's in this stage where forgiveness and the real civilization took hold. Universities and education were made a priority.  The States would defend itself and fight back those who fight them. It was at this stage, when Arabs started translating the literature work of the rest of the world to learn from them. Think Turkey, Indonesia

This is not unique to Muslims, you do not see much violence and senseless murder in a strong and well developed country. But then, if you dare to cross one of those mighty countries of today's world, you will hear the answer withing minutes. I know the States know this very well, the moment something about the mishandling for the Koran or an inappropriate quote about Islam comes out--they try to make it right in a bid not to come across as someone who belittles the religion of Islam or its figures. 

While I have tremendous disagreement with some of the Salafi groups, I happen to agree with them on few things. For example, I have read that in Tunisia they have tore down a number of shrines where some Muslims go to worship by the graveside of some righteous person. Many got upset, but not me....God does not need a middle man to answer your prayer, he hears you. No need to go visit the grave of some guy to ask him to pray on your behald, this is bullshit. By the same token I disagree with those who forget that there are no sainthood in Islam.

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Me, Myself and My Muslim Eid

The Muslim holiday of Eid is almost upon us (this Sunday by most accounts), marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan when Muslims abstain from many things including food and drinks from dawn to sunset. Eid is the day we no longer have to fast and we can feast upon whatever the heart desires. It’s a day where many Muslims get stomach aches from pigging out. I learned this the hard way a few years ago on my first Eid at home after being away for so long. The next day I fell ill due to eating lots of candy, desserts and nuts during my visits with family and friends.

I realize that many of the Muslim countries and communities around the globe have their own rituals to celebrate the day. The biggest winner on this day of celebration are the kids who extort cash and gifts from the adults in the family, most notably their parents. It’s a great day to be a kid as you get to buy pretty much whatever you like and eat all the candy and street food you can find.

I recall not going to sleep on the eve of Eid as the mosques go crazy with their microphone praying and wishing everyone a happy holiday. But that’s not why I would not go to sleep, it’s just that we are excited for this day to come. We would put our new clothes next to our beds and wake up first thing in the AM. We would break into our parents’ bedroom, kiss their hands looking cute and wait for them to give us our cut. This became an issue for many countries, as there would be a shortage of smaller bills and coins because everyone wants change to hand out to people. As kids, the last thing we wanted to hear from our parents was “I will you give you your cash gift once I have change.” Instead we would offer to go break the money for them and we would do just that.

I lived part of my childhood in Dubai, and on the day of the Eid we would wear our new clothes--the ones we bought just a few days prior, and then accompany our parents (mostly our dad) to the mosque. Everyone looked so happy and so shiny on this day, and yes, everyone gets a new pair of shoes, too. Aside from getting cash or (عيدية) from our parents, in Dubai it was common for strangers to offer you gifts, cash and candy on that day. Some would even walk around the rich neighborhood and knock on doors, asking for something. The streets were decorated, and the shops were well stocked with toys and anything that kids like.

At the mosque, complete strangers would shake your hand and give you hugs; people were joyous. I remember being impressed by the Pakistani and African Muslims who would wear their brightly-colored national dresses on this day--something I still see here in the States, too. Afterward, everyone would head home where they would partake of a feast--mostly containing salty food. In Egypt and many Arab countries they would consume Feisikh (grey mullet left out to putrefy, then salted and left to pickle for several months). I was not a fan, but my mom would never know it.

This is the one day when as a kid, you get to go through your wish list and pick out something nice for yourself. Some mothers try to reason with their kids and persuade them to let mommy hold that money for them--not me. I remember in every Arab country boys would buy kites, trucks and swords. But the most popular boy toy was a plastic gun, either water or firecracker. We would organize games where we’d play off against the guys two streets down from our homes. Needless to say, while boys are rolling in the dirt and running around, girls are looking snazzy with those fancy purses and popular dolls. In Dubai, the local politician would have an open house where people would come to meet and greet--they could also pick up a generous gift on their way out.

Most countries release some inmates on this day to have them be with their families, a nice gesture that most Muslim countries do around the holidays. TV would show the best movies and the best music videos all day in the hopes you would get home and watch their ads. Families would also visit with each other and bring sweets and sometimes raw meat.

Eid stops to be fun for boys who are in their early teens, as at that point people start to treat you as a grown man and not give you a cash gift. Lucky for the ladies, they will always get those cash gifts--people are very religious about this. Brothers, fathers, and uncles who are too poor to give out cash gifts still visit their female relatives and strive not to come empty-handed.

At one point when I realized I could no longer receive cash gifts, I figured out another way to make money. I started a toy stand where I would make money selling toys for boys and girls around town. I did well that day, even though I did not get to rest, but the money was worth it and I found a way to be busy on this day.

In Dubai we did not have family, but when we relocated to Gaza, the family came into the picture and we would get more cash gifts--also my dad had to give a lot more than he used to in Dubai. My lovely grandparents were the most generous with us and their gift to us meant a lot more. We liked their teasing and jokes about us--of course we would still kiss their hands and place it on our forehead. A few things make Eid different in Gaza: for starters, there seems to be a truce between the Occupation and the Palestinians on this day. It’s something that most appreciate, though the Israelis have used that day to sneakily abduct or assassinate people whom they do not like. Another thing is the funeral homes, where if a family has seen the passing of a family member it has an open house where people can swing by to visit with those in mourning. At the time, there were not too many places one could go in Gaza for Eid. You could either go to the beach or the Gaza business district and buy a liver and onion sandwich for about 25 cents. Yet somehow, family made all the difference and our days of celebrations were fun filled even in this hot spot. Regardless of where one lives, it’s always good to have a good time.

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Ramadan and The Muslims Contraception

Muslims do not need contraception pills and other family planning techniques, we have a system that works, we call it Ramadan.

By the same token in theory we do not need any diets of birth loss tablets, if we would keep off those desserts, we might lost some weight.

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Would Jesus Mary A Muslim Girl?

This is a stupid title that has so many things going wrong for it. But I wanted to raise a point that I feel a lot of people misunderstand about Islam. Muslim males can marry non Muslims and their spouses do not have to convert to Islam. However, most Muslim females are not supposed to marry men of other faiths. While there are many Muslims who might disagree with this principle, it seems that most accept it as such.

So, few weeks ago, some internet troll, kept arguing that Muslim women cannot marry non Muslims and he is right for the most part. The troll kept asking name one couple where the wife is Muslim and the husband is non. I really could thing of any examples--sure many might exist in India and the West, but I do not know of any.

Now, enter the stage Pat Robertson, a man of faith who was on a show and was asked the following questions, watch the video and decide for yourself.

Pat Robertson: Dump Your Muslim Girlfriend


It seems that when a Muslim girl accepts to marry a non Muslim, Christians leaders are not too happy about that and they plea with the man to dump his Muslim girlfriend--as Muslims are heathen. While Pat Robertson does not speak for the entire Christian nation, he does have a rather large fellowship. So his opnions and sermons carry a certain weight with many in the States and beyond.  

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Fashion And Celebrities Cultural Precipitation Does Matter

Lebanese singer Myriam Faris goes to attend Paris Fashion week, and she leaves little to the imagination. She literary shows everything there's to see. And even people walking in the streets took notice of this notorious Lebanese pop star.  

At the same function where Myraim was putting on a show, another American celebrity was there, but this time the American celebrity dressed more Conservatively.

Kim Kardashian wore a long black dress that revealed little. No question, Kim can wear whatever she wants like she has always manged to shock people with her outfits. Now compare the two... Myriam feels the pressure, she comes from a culture where people think she might be conservative or she might not get style or she might want to cover up...so what does she do?

Well, this Lebanese Arab girl wears that to tell people "I'm free", "I am bold" Naturally both Arab and Western people were shocked by the choice of wardrobe. Meanwhile Kim, comes form a culture where anything goes, so she does not have to represent her people or try to claim something she is not by trying to shock the system. for Kim to dress in a conservative dress is the shocker--maybe. As of what would Myriam Faris get I am still not sure.

 Many of her fans now are questioning her taste and her style. And those in the West, are shocked, but she is not showing them something new or something that they have not seen before. I do not think she will be giving a role or a new song by one of those international event goers. Just be yourself, will you?

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The Attitude Is Different, The Actions Are The Same

For a really long time, I have had a hard time why so many Arab people fail to explain themselves politically to people in the West. And I think I now have figured something important. At first when America was not at war, people found it easy to preach universal principles to others. But then when the games has changes, they are having a hard time explaining some things they hear in the news. They just do not want to think about it. And in order for them to get a better night sleep, they will say, the other guy would have done much worse than we have. While this is true....when the US constitution was written, they did not want to copy the other guys.  

In college, my peers would tell me, we do not kill people here in America, but you do kill them back home. I am often speechless as I see this is to be true. I think this is about attitude at the end of the day. Terrorists are dubbed as people who seem to enjoy murdering people, but armies in uniforms are giving a break. Because they have a code of conduct on paper. And such armies would open an investigation in their wrong doings. Good luck with that!    

But then, things now have changes with the war in Iraq, Afghanistan, some pars of Pakistan and Yemen and elsewhere. I have realized that when it comes to killing someone "we" deem as a bad guy, we like to think we do not want to do it, but it's something we have to do.

To begin, I think many of us Arab people were not quick to denounce and condemn suicide bombs and indiscriminate killing. While many did not like the approach, few spoke up against such brutality. It was stupid to try to defend or justify such actions. Luckily for us, Palestinians are no longer using that tactic.  

But then now, I read about drones killing innocent people by mistake, many in Yemen and Pakistan have lost their lives because someone made a mistake. Do I see many American speaking against such brutality? No, but I really know they do not like it. A drone makes killing so easy and so cheap, so America is using it to get rid of bad guys--as they should. But then there's the collateral damage that no body wants to talk about. Exactly like those suicide bombers tried to argue.
  
Arabs do not celebrate, glorify death, they really hate it and at least the religion teaches people not to celebrate death of people we do not like. That's why is was a shame than many Americans celebrate often the death of bad people. Upon learning the news of Osama's death, many rushed to the White House to cheer and celebrate. I am certain those people felt justified as Osama was a murderer.

So recap, Israelis kill people and so do Americans. When they get caught they say, this was  a mistake and they pay up--cannot really bring back the dead. Other guys kill innocent people and try to justify it. After all this is a PR game, wear a suit and speak perfect English more people will listen to you--as long as you are not shouting.     

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So Where Does The Middle Go?

In DC, the Arab and the Muslim scene in terms of organizations are either or. You are either white or black, you are either cool hip and down or traditionalist and secluded. What I am trying to get at here is the following, in DC there are two Arab groups or Muslim ones, the one that does drink, party and wear really short dresses. And there are those who are conservative, and thus identify with either conservative groups.

I find myself somewhere in the middle, I do not drink, but I do not like to be identified solely on my religion. Thus, an official Arab organization here in DC might have a dinner, and serve wine and other alcoholic drinks. I do not feel this is me. On the other hand, there are those who band together based on religious identity, those are usually fine if it wasn't for two reasons that tend to keep me away from them.

1. They are heavily monitored and they tend to be under surveillance more so than any other groups, who needs to feel like a celerity surrounded by government paid paparazzi.
2. One ideology seems to rule that group and you are assumed to be part of such ideology. Meaning, there's some older person who thinks they can make your decisions for you or judge if your head cover is too bright. Not always, but this has happened in the past.  

I am sure, members of other groups face similar challenge as they are in the middle road. I tend to call myself and others who feel the same way, cynically observant. To me, it means I believe, strongly in what I practice, but I am unwilling to get up in people's faces about what I believe. Further, this means I accept that there might be other people out there who have it right too.    

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My Issue With The Religious And The Non-Religious

I see the many Muslim voices wining elections in the Arab world, and I cheer and worry at the time time. Many conservatives seek culture wars with those who are secularists or the non-religious among us . This is not exclusive to one country, I see and read about this struggle here in America between the right and the left.

However, I think neither have the absolute truth. Diversity of opinion and ideology is a good thing, it should be encouraged. I do not think it serves a great purpose if you try to convert someone from one school of thoughts into another. Otherwise, who will keep you in check? We cannot all think and see eye to eye on everything--God created us different for a reason.

Here's me two observations on this matter:

1. The religious among us tend to view their faith as their own property. As one does with his or her property, they protect such valuable. So if someone who does not belong near that property, he or she can be shot because they are trespassing on private property. Yet no one owns an idea or owns a religion. No matter how the religious try to sell it...they do not own their religion, it's meant to be shared. There's no reason why Afghans should lose their life as they are upset with the burning of the Koran--a book that holds human life sacred. Likewise, the right in America should not put more value on their own life, then they put on an Afghan one.
2. Leftists or secularists tell you it's a fair game to say whatever they want about any topic in the world. So religious people should accept that. While, I agree with that concept, I have yet to see secularist get fired from his or her job for badmouthing their boss. They are not naive to say stupid stuff about things they do not like in their lives. Thus, they pretend that they always talk about what troubles them with something. Yes, they never talk back to a police officer. Because if they have done that, they would become social pariahs, unemployed and might find themselves in jail.

I think everyone needs to step back a little bit and just chill.

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Of Cats and Muslims: A Gaza Cat Story

In 2005, the municipalities of Gaza had a cat shortage. Cats are important to Gaza as they serve a great purpose, munching on rodents that gather by the local landfills. Apparently, the local governments used a strong kind of poison; so strong that it killed both the rodents and the cats. As the population of cats dwindled, the rodents ran amok. Those were tough times in Gaza, as little kids were traumatized by increasingly bold rabbit-sized rodents who were running around unchallenged.

The local governments within Gaza starting offering up to a $100 reward for anyone who could bring them cats, as cats were the answer to keep the rodents in check. So when I crossed the Rafah—Egypt border in August of 2005, and had to spend the night at the border holding area in the desert, cats were all over the place. When 4 other dudes and I wanted to eat our dinner, skinny yet adorable cats started gathering around us in the hopes they could eat, too. Luckily, we had enough shitty corned beef to keep them happy.

As the government put a value on cats, and as more people realized the key role played by those cuddly creatures, Gazans started to breed cats, and started to treat cats with more respect. Within a few years the cat population bloomed. But what’s more important is that people now see the value of cats. In the summer of 2009, I was amazed by how many cats were in the streets. What was more amazing is that many homes have a cat or two that shadow them and emerge at the time of supper. My mother-in-law would feed them, and she had one particular cat that could use a treadmill. Living in the US for such a long time, I came to really appreciate the love and attention the people of Gaza give to those cats. Considering Gaza was still under siege and they lost upward of 1,300 hundred Palestinians due to Israeli attacks on Gaza’s population only a few months prior, it was a breath of fresh air to see this relationship.

Muslims’ love for cats is well documented in history; in fact, one of Prophet Muhammad’s companions, the one that narrates many of his accounts with the prophet, is called “Abu Horayrah”, which translates to “the man with a kitten.” Abu Horaryrah used to have a cat on his shoulder all the time. His nickname took over his name so that till this day, few can tell with certainty what was his real name. While dogs are generally kept outside of Muslim homes, kittens are welcome inside it. Before you misunderstand me, there’s a story that in the time of the prophet, a lady who did all kind of wrongs in her life and lived a wicked life, was guaranteed a place in heaven. Why, you ask? She served a thirsty dog water! That sole act was deemed worthy of redeeming her from all her past transgressions.

It was narrated by Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: ‘A woman entered Hell because of a cat which she tied up and did not feed, nor did she let it loose to feed upon the vermin of the earth.’ “ (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3140; Muslim, 2242).

Another interesting fact: Muslims do not believe that you should buy or sell cats and dogs; you can only give them as a gift. This is derived from a hadeeth of Abu’l-Zubayr who said “I asked Jaabir about the price of dogs and cats. He said, ‘The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) forbade that.’ ” (Narrated by Muslim, 1569).

Back to a prank my brothers pulled on me in Gaza. Prior to my arrival in 2009, they found a cat who had just given birth to 3 cute kittens. My brothers asked me to take the kittens to the vet to get them their shots. I told them I’d gladly do it and took the kittens in a cab to the local vet, who mainly dealt with livestock. He looked at the three day-old kittens and said, “Bring them back in a few weeks. Those are too young for any shots and they could die from the effects.” I was disappointed, but I took the kittens back home and found my brothers laughing at me for being a grown man chasing after three kittens to put them in a box for a trip to the vet.

Here’s a video of my rascal nephew, Hani, whose nickname is Foxy. He is running around the cats to put them in the box so that we can transport them to the vet. The picture is of my other nephew Abdallah and his new best friend, a cat that shows up every morning at their apartment. I was told he feeds his cat with a spoon and his mother is enjoying this new friendship as her little boy is learning to take charge of something.


[Hat Tip Kellee Koenig]

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How Saudi Writer Hamza Kashgari Is Right

Saudi authorities are now chasing one of their own citizens who has been threatened after the issuance of a fatwa against him by some religious authorities in that country on charges that he insulted the Prophet Mohammad. As of this moment he is detained in Malaysia, who have said they will hand him over to the Saudis, who will in turn get creative on this bold writer.

Instead of giving this guy a trophy for speaking his mind, they detain him. No wonder this happens in Saudi Arabia—a country largely in denial and where casting the first stone seems to be their leadership's favorite pastime.

Here's what this writer said on Twitter, speaking on the Prophet Mohammad:

1. “On your birthday, I will say that I have loved the rebel in you, that you’ve always been a source of inspiration to me, and that I do not like the halos of divinity around you. I shall not pray for you,” he wrote in one tweet. My comment: Prophet Mohammad warned Muslims of worshiping him and forgetting his teachings. The Koran has the same language as well. The same people who are now piling on hamza are the same ones who make shrines for the prophet and other Early figures of Islam. Which funny because Islam ruled these things out.
2. “On your birthday, I find you wherever I turn. I will say that I have loved aspects of you, hated others, and could not understand many more,” he wrote in a second. My comment: There are two sides of the prophet, the religious side which has been perfected and the personal side that was up for opinion and interpretation. At times, the prophet would consult his companions and seek their counsel.
3. “On your birthday, I shall not bow to you. I shall not kiss your hand. Rather, I shall shake it as equals do, and smile at you as you smile at me. I shall speak to you as a friend, no more,” he concluded in a third. My comment: Again, we do not worship Mohammad, he is our beloved prophet. Instead of kissing his hand and such, we should perfect ourselves and cleanse our souls. That would bring us closer to God, his God and ours. If this is blasphemy then those celebrated Sufi scholars should also be executed it as well. Hamza has only echoed what famed thinkers of Islam have struggled with earlier.
   

It was OK to disagree with the prophet back then and there are times when he was told he was wrong and he changed course (the location of Bader is an example), and when people called him "unjust", he instructed his companions not to do harm to those people. At one time, his next-door neighbor put trash at his door and he would not fight them, but instead go visit with them. There are many stories like that, where blood was never shed.

What's worse than a guy peeing in the mosque and getting away with it in the presence of the prophet? These people were let go and there was no sharia trial for them. Hamza did none of that, yet he is being promised a death sentence. This goes to show you that Islam was a lot more tolerant back then than the version Wahabis and Salafis promote.

I think the fact that a lot of Muslims celebrate the prophet’s birthday is a made-up occasion. It should not be celebrated; the teachings of the man should be. Later Muslims wanted to maintain a connection with the prophet (peace be upon him), so they started loving the messenger and ignoring the message. The real motive behind the lynch mob's attacks on Hamza is his low opinion of the religious police in his beloved country. The religious police operates like a certified mafia that only applies punishment on those who have no connection with the rulers. Hamza's first offense in the eyes of this mafia is his speaking ill of them. Their sham outrage is laughable. They are just settling the score with this bold writer whose only guilt is believing the talk of free society the Saudi government speaks of.

Question: How many dictators do we know that claim to be from the house of the prophet, when in reality they are making a profit from the prophet?

It's a shame that such an issue is being raised. If they have their way, these few extremist loons of Islam in Saudi Arabia would execute the man and not even give him a chance to defend or explain his words. This is why they call for him to be tried in a sharia court for apostasy. These people should stick to their business and leave others to enjoy the Free Will that comes with Islam. And they need to remember that they do not have a monopoly on Islam. I maintain these people have every right to be offended, what they do not have a right to is to terrorize people for declaring their personal truths.

I hope those modern day Imams who tour around speaking about tolerant Islam will come to Hamza's defense and argue his case, because he did nothing wrong. And if they do not stand up for this young man, the misguided ones will certainly win. I know I am praying for Hamza and his family at this critical time. Hamza should not have to explain what he said, and he is not alone. There's nothing he said that I disagree with. Islam is about perfecting yourself, not just paying blind lip service to historic figures.

In reality all these people who might end up charging him are full of sins themselves, but they are much better actors who mange to sell an image of being pious. And there's nothing more zealots in any religion loath as much as someone who begs to think outside the box. Because, after all, it's their box. I am really sick of these loons speaking on behalf of my religion, when in reality their own offspring despise them and disapprove of their way of life.

[Hat Tip: Kellee Koenig]

P.S. This kind of backward thinking is not exclusive to Saudi Arabia; it has many franchises throughout the Arab world.

P.S. 2 If the Saudis so in love with the prophet why did they then turned his home into a public restroom? Watch here


Update: Malaysia deported a Saudi Arabian blogger on Sunday, police said, despite fears voiced by human rights groups that he could face execution in his home country over Twitter comments he made that were deemed insulting to the Prophet Mohammad.

For those who only understand Arabic:

القرآن واضح "لا إكراه في الدين" لماذا تريدون اجباره على اتباع منهجكم؟ لماذا تكرهون الاختلاف؟ وحتى بعد ان تراجع الشاب تقتادونه كمجرم لا يدري ماهو مصيره؟ لماذا نكره انفسنا لهذه الدرجة!؟

مهما كان ان كفر او صح الكلام ..يبقى حكمه عند من (( خلقه ))... وليس لأحد على احد من مسيطر .....فأذا اردنا التدقيق والتمحيص بكل (( الناس )) فأعتقد لن يسلم احدا من (( الخطا )) باحكام الدين حتى اللذين وكلوا انفسهم (( اولياء )) على الناس ..وقد نجد جرمهم وكفرهم (( اكثر )) كفرا وتعديا على الدين من المدعو (( السعودي كاشغري )).. نصيحه كلما زاد (( المزايدين ))بالدين قسوة واستغلاله على هذا الوجه ...سيكون رده الفعل عند الكثيرين اقسى ..وتفتح ابوا جهنم (( الدنيـا عليهم )) .. .

طيب تعالوا لنناقش أقوال الشاب لنتبين أين هي الإهانة، ألم يردد علماء الدين وفقهاءه أن لاكهنوت في الاسلام ، أي تستطيع أن توجه الكلام لنبي أو لإله بدون واسطة، صحيح؟ لقد توجه الكاتب لنبيه ليقول له مايجيش في صدره: قال له اتبسم إليك(محبة) قال له اصافحك الند للند ، ألم يخاطب أصحاب الدعوة(نبيهم ) وباسمه ؟، طبعاً فعلوا، والكاتب يقول في يوم مولدك أشاهدك أينما توجهت (محبة) يراه ويشعر به فهي محبة في الشعور، يقول له لن أقبل يدك، فهل كانوا يفعلون في زمانه؟ في صلح الحديبة وافق على نزع صفته كرسول لله ودونوا ذلك، حتى أن عمر قال له أليس هناك نبوة؟ ولكن كاشغري يقول أن هناك أشياء لايحبها فيه ، فهل الغزوات والسبي وتقسيم الغنائم ولبس الدروع وإرسال السرايا للقتل هي صفات يمكن مدحها ؟ أطلقوا سراح هذا الشاب وإلا ستثبتون أن هذا الدين هو دين عنف وإخضاع،وستكونون أول الخاسرين، أنقذوا دينكم واسمحوا بنقده طالما ارتضى أن يكون حكماً سياسياً.

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This Halal Thanksgiving I Give Pam Geller The Bird

Not sure if you heard this story here

Butterball Turkeys have been certified halal (the Muslim equivalent of kosher), this is a big brand in Turkey that want to sell more of their birds. Now, some conservative bloggers found some conspiracy and now they are making a mockery of this ordeal.

I first want to thank Butterball for their initiative to provide, Halal turkey that many Muslims appreciate--I am not keen on Halal business, but now many are. Such conservative voices won't have a paycheck unless they manufactured something about Muslims in America and went out to cry about it.

I found this is odd, here's why.

1. Butterball is making a business decision not a religious one, they want more value and they thought doing Halal Turkey would earn them new customers. Whatever happened to conservatives being pro business? Why are the conservatives trying to stop a company from making a buck?
2. Butterball sells their Turkeys overseas in many countries where Islam is the religion, it makes sense they would have a Halal division. Why are those conservatives trying to undermined an American company that is doing good by doing good?
   
3. Muslims celebrating Turkey day, should be cheered not jeered. No one celebrating Turkey day would be a danger to you. They are part of the society and their shopping choices say as much. Why are you rejecting those Muslims who want to be part of the greater American community?
   

Per Butterball website:

Butterball is one of the largest global turkey providers in the world. For more than 25 years, Butterball® has been providing quality turkey to markets around the globe. Currently, exporting over 100 million pounds of turkey products annually to over 50 countries, it’s no wonder that Butterball is one of the most celebrated choices for turkey. Butterball is committed to developing the best new products to specifically cater to all international cultures. From our bilingual packaging to flavor profiles geared toward international palates, we are continually developing unique ideas that satisfy the tastes of our customers.

On another note, I do not like when a noble concept becomes a commercialized. I resent that fact that few in the community have established a labeling mechanism which they provide to certain companies if the price is right. But with all that, next time I am shopping for a bird, I would make sure to buy myself a butterball, and send Pam Geller and her loons a bird--the kind I can gesture.

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The Video Proof For Gaza's High Unemployment

Gaza is my home, and I laugh when I see videos like these in Gaza, in time for the Eid, the time Muslim slaughter animals honoring the story of Abraham and his son when he was asked to sacrifice him later to be saved by a sheep.

Things got really bad when the bull got loose, droves of young Gaza men and teenagers chased the bull around town hoping to contain him. Not sure what happened, but one thing for sure, I feel bad for the poor bull. He must be terrorized.

This is the kind of video that could start the local chapter for PETA in Gaza. Had all these people had jobs, my aunt would be the one chasing down this animla not droves of youngsters.

مطاردة العجل الهارب2 بالسيارات. Chasing Bulls In Gaza 2011

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An Example Where I'm The Problem: Prayer Line

During the Friday Prayer, as we line up to pray. We are supposed to be all on one line straight line. So the guy to your right and to your left should be shoulder to shoulder. That means your feet also need to be standing straight next to the person next to you.

Now, I have always wondered, why is the line where I stand to my left the line is one level and to my right side, the line is on another level, making the line crooked. I try to fix it by putting my feet on one level, and the other on another to make it look like the line is straight. I thought it was always weird that I someone end up in this crooked line every time.

But then it hit me all of sudden today, I should line myself with the line from my right and not take my cue from the left line. I figured that causes the problem, I should always do what the right does becasue the left side will take their cues form me. They would think I am following the right side, when in fact I am doing what they are doing. So finally I realized the problem, it's not my luck it was me all along who does not choose the right.

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Marry Them Young And Unleash The Drama

Few months ago, I wrote about a new song by the King of Arabic pop Amr Diab, a song in which he tells a young gal that he wishes she was a bit older --two years older so that he can approach her--maybe marry her or something of that nature. When I heard the sneak peak of the song, I was hoping the king of Arab pop wouldn't include it in his album, but he did. Read more about the song here

Well, it's becoming taboo to marry a person younger than 18 even in the Arab world, even here in the States some states allow those of the tender age of 16 to marry. But in all fairness, 16 year olds do get married sometimes, but in my own family, no one has gotten married younger than the age of 18 but one sister of mine. It's all about being busy and having something that keeps you busy. If one is in school or working full time, they can defer as much as they like to.

Now here's what moved me to write this blog, a relative of mine who married a young gal at the tender age of 16 is now having some domestic disturbance--four years later. What I am hearing is this, that wife whose now 21 has upset her husband because supposedly she has been talking to some of his make friends on the phone and for him that was the end of the line.

If this is true, this is sad. Sure she is at fault for doing that, but we really don't know the circumstance of those alleged phone calls. Now here,s what upsets me: if you are marrying someone at a young age, you should expect them to do things wrong. You cannot be sane in your mind and expect them to act like grownups do.

The main reason people marring younger souls quote is that they want to shape the person they are marrying. Even though, I disagree with that mentality of course, but if their purpose is to mold the their spouses personalities, then they have not done a good job shaping the characters of those they are marrying. That's all.

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