Back to Moulid on Ashura: Yet another old visit to Al-Moulid Market at El-Sayeda Zeinab

It is Ashura, a holy day for not only Muslim Shia but for all Muslims as well as all the believers if you think about it.

According to the popular Islamic Sunni tradition, Ashura marks the parting of the Red Sea by Prophet Moses, Prophet Joseph was released from prison, Prophet Noah disembarked from the Ark, God forgave the father of all prophets and all mankind Prophet Adam

Nevertheless, some Muslim religious scholars believe that the only thing that happened on that day was the parting of the Red by Prophet Moses as mentioned by Prophet Mohamed “PBUH” while the rest was not explicitly mentioned.

Some believe that rest was added to the day by the Umayyads to downplay what happened on that day and left a black mark that divided the Muslims into two sects: Sunni and Shia.

On that day, the battle of Karbala occurred where the big Umayyad army led by Yazid stood against the army of the few led by no other Imam Al-Hussein, the grandson of Prophet Mohamed “PBUH”

On that day, Al-Hussein was martyred defending what can be described now as the right to elect the ruler aka election of a new caliph through shura (consultation) instead of the hereditary rule.

Happy New Hijri Year 1446: Let’s remember how early Muslims became refugees

Happy and blessed New Hijri Year 1446 to all Muslims in the world, especially to the Muslim refugees

I am seizing this opportunity to remind some people “especially in Egypt, Lebanon, Turkey and Ethiopia” that we are celebrating how Prophet Mohamed “PBUH” and his companions, the early Muslims had become refugees seeking safety in Yathrib as well as Ethiopia from 14 centuries ago technically speaking.

Two little Sudanese refugees making it to Chad across the desert
"AFP

The Muslim World has the biggest and oldest refugee crisis in the world with refugees from Palestine, Sudan, Syria, Yemen Afghanistan and Myanmar. Already some Muslim countries and governments caused this refugee crisis.

The Muslim World also has countries with political and financial capabilities to solve this crisis but unfortunately despite being about nearly 2 billion-people nation, we are as Prophet Mohamed “PBUH” said “numerous but weak”.

Regarding what happened in the Hajj 2024 Season : It is not the responsibility of the Egyptian unauthorized pilgrims alone

On Sunday, Saudi Arabia announced officially that at least 1,301 people died during the Hajj 2024 season.

According to statements from Saudi officials, most of those who died were from the unauthorized pilgrims who went to Hajj without a permit.

No Hajj without a permit sign in Saudi Arabia "AFP"

This is the first time Saudi officials have admitted that such a large number of pilgrims have passed away this Hajj season, following a week of public denial online.

Saudi Arabia officially hosted about 1.8 million pilgrims this season; a number lower than in years before the coronavirus pandemic.

Unofficial reports indicate that the majority of those who died were Egyptians who went on pilgrimage without a permit.

According to the Wall Street Journal last Friday, over 680 Egyptians died due to the scorching heatwave during the pilgrimage, almost all of whom participated without permits. An additional 700 Egyptians are still missing, the report added.

On Saturday, Egypt’s Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly ordered the immediate revocation of licenses for 16 tourism companies involved in organizing unauthorized pilgrimage arrangements over the death of the unauthorized Egyptian pilgrims during the Hajj 2024 season.

The officials responsible for these companies are referred to public prosecution on charges of fraud, the statement of the Egyptian government said.

Blessed and Happy Eid Adha 2024

Blessed and Happy Eid Adha 2024 regardless of all the sadness worldwide, especially in the Middle East and Africa.

Here is a special “Last Meal” of Eid’s sheep by Egypt’s legendary painter and illustrator, the underrated Hussein Bicar.

The Last Meal by Bicar 

Published in 1954, it is watercolours on paper. After seeing it on Bicar's official Facebook page, I admit that I enhanced the painting a bit.

Gaza War 2023 : This is what the graffiti of Gaza says ( Vol.1)

As a loyal 25 January supporter, I feel weak whenever I see political graffiti. Political graffiti has always played a role in Egypt and the Arab world.

From its rise in 2011 to its decline in 2015, the graffiti of the Egyptian Revolution provided a platform for the public to express their opinions to the world.

That’s why when I see pictures of graffiti in Gaza from the past 8 months on social media, I feel deeply touched.

Here is some graffiti from Gaza.

Unlike other graffiti, most of it is drawn and written on the rubble and crumbling walls of houses.

According to data collected by the United Nations Satellite Centre (UNOSAT) on May 3 and published on May 31, more than half of all buildings in Gaza have been destroyed.

At least 137,297 buildings have been damaged, according to satellite imagery-based assessments by the UNOSAT.

In the past 8 months, the most common type of graffiti seen in Gaza, at least from photos, consists of notifications written on walls indicating that someone was killed under the rubble.

Usually, family members who survived but lost their homes in the Israeli shelling leave these messages for others as they embark on an unknown journey of displacement.

On the occasion of Eid Adha, photographer Haneen Salem found a young man in Gaza City who had written "Eid Mubarak to all of you" on the walls of his destroyed house.

"Happy Eid to all of you" from Gaza to the World 

He told Salem that his family was still under the rubble of the house, and this was the first Eid without them.

"I wanted to write next to their spirits and tell them that their Eid in paradise is more beautiful," he told her.

These pieces of graffiti have become like tombstones.

All Eyes on Sudan : Wad Al-Noura Massacre is just one of too many Massacres

I told you before that 5 June 2024 was a bitter one as it was not only the anniversary of the Six Day War Defeat in the Gaza war and the flags parade in East Jerusalem, but it also came at the time another Arab country witnessed a horrifying genocide and the world is still watching.

A photo from a screenshot showing the first mass funeral held for the victims
on the Wednesday at Wad Al-Noura 

In Sudan, we found out Wednesday night that more than 100 men were killed by the Rapid Support Forces “RSF” in one day in one single village in Al Jazira state.

According to the latest numbers we have got, there are at least 180 men who were killed by the RSF in this massacre that officially carries the name of the village it had been committed at “Wad El Noura”.

The latest numbers confirmed that there are 35 children among the victims. There are 220 people seriously injured by the villagers.

“Wad El Noura” village which was unknown outside Sudan has become world famous for the most wrong reasons ever.

Watch this : The setback defeat Continues from 1967 to 2024 “Updated”

The anniversary of the Six Days War aka 1967 War passes this year in a very bitter way in the Arab world, especially in Egypt. With all that is happening in Palestine whether in Gaza especially in Rafah or in the West Bank, especially in East Jerusalem, it is a very bitter anniversary.

The Israeli ultranationalist flag parade entering the Al-Aqsa complex on Wednesday
5 June 2024 in Occupied East Jerusalem by Activestills.org 

I do not know if I posted this here before or not, but I remember speaking about it earlier.

In cooperation with the Al-Mawkef Al-Masry political news Facebook page, renowned Egyptian historian Dr. Khaled Fahmy presented a series of episodes about the Six Days War in 2022.

It is a must-watch series.

Unfortunately, it is in Arabic. I wish it were translated into English one day.

Until now, the official documents of the Six Days War in Egypt have not been released.

Fahmy depends on foreign sources as well as the transcripts of Nasser’s cabinet meetings that were released by his family, in addition to the memoirs of Egyptian officials.