Friday, June 13, 2025

It is Friday 13th : War Erupts Between Israel and Iran; Egypt First to Be Affected “Updated”

Friday, 13th June 2025 will be another unforgettable date in the Middle East.

In an unprecedented escalation, Israel launched a massive, coordinated operation under the name “Rising Lion” to strike deep into Iranian territory, targeting nuclear facilities and assassinating high-ranking military officials, mostly inside civilian areas.

The attacks caused widespread destruction in Tehran and other cities, reportedly killing over 400 people, mostly civilians, including children.

The operation, seemingly aimed at weakening the regime and sparking internal dissent, backfired as angry protests erupted not against the government, but in support of retaliation and accelerating Iran's nuclear ambitions, aka build nuclear bombs ASAP.

Friday evening, Iran launched a massive retaliatory strike—firing around 100–150 ballistic missiles (plus drones)—across at least two waves toward central Israel, including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.

Despite Israel’s air defenses that include US air defenses, the Iranian missiles breached and struck urban and military sites; one reportedly hit the IDF’s headquarters area in Tel Aviv, causing structural damage and injuring dozens—reports estimate 22–40 people hurt, with one civilian confirmed dead.

The barrage, code-named “True Promise” by the Iranian government, marked the first direct ballistic retaliation against Israel.

The scale and intensity of the strike mark a dangerous turning point. What the Iranians feared for 30 years has happened.

In other words, war broke out directly between Israel and Iran.

In some historical coincidence, it is Friday the 13th, and it is June.

Wednesday, June 11, 2025

Malcolm X at 100 : Malcolm X Goes to Mecca

It is the Hajj season of 2025 — and it also marks the 100th anniversary of Malcolm X’s birth.

In these difficult times filled with despair, anger, and growing racism in the Arab Muslim world — and beyond — I find myself unable to ignore the profound spiritual experience Malcolm X had during his Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca in April 1964.

That journey was a turning point in his life. It marked his transformation from a former member of the Nation of Islam — which he had recently left — to someone who truly embraced being a brother within the global Muslim ummah.

Hajj expanded Malcolm X’s worldview. After years of advocating the separatist, Afrocentric ideology of the Nation of Islam, the pilgrimage introduced him to a vision of Islam rooted in unity, equality, and racial harmony among Muslims of all backgrounds.

The experience moved him deeply — so much so that he wrote a letter during the pilgrimage to a friend. That letter, written in Mecca on April 26, 1964, would later be included in the final chapters of The Autobiography of Malcolm X, as told to Alex Haley.

What follows is the full text of that letter, written by Malcolm X — who by then was calling himself El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz.

Letter from Mecca

I have just completed my pilgrimage (Hajj) here to the Holy City of Mecca, the hollyiest City on earth, which is absolutely forbidden for non-Muslims to even rest their eyes upon. This pilgrimage is the most important event in the life of all Muslims, and there are over 226,000 who are here right now from outside of Arabia. From Turkey came the largest contagion, around 50,000 in over 600 buses. This refutes Westerner propaganda that Turkey is turning away from Islam.

I know of only 2 others who have made the actual Hajj to Mecca from America, and both of them are West Indians who also converts to Islam. Mr. Elijah Muhammad, 2 of his sons, and a couple of his followers visited Mecca outside the Hajj season, and their visit is known as the “Omra”, or Lesser Pilgrimage. It is con-

(Page 2) -sidered a blessing in the Muslim World even to make the “Omra”. I very much doubt that 10 American citizens have ever visited Mecca, and I do believe that I might be the first American born Negro to make the actual Hajj itself. I’m not saying this to boast but only to point out what a wonderful accomplishment and blessing it is, and also to enable you to be in a better position intellectually to evaluate it in its proper light, and then your own intelligence can place it in its proper place.

Monday, June 9, 2025

The Odyssey of the Madleen: The Fragility of Power and the Bravery of Twelve

The Madleen, a ship carrying 12 aid workers on a mission to break the Israeli siege on Gaza, has become an odyssey of both hope and defiance.

Early Monday, UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese reported that she was in live contact with the Freedom Flotilla Coalition’s Madleen crew when the ship was approached by five Israeli speedboats circling the vessel in international waters.

The ship’s captain instructed the team to remain calm and seated, with their passports and life jackets readily available. Albanese, who was simultaneously tweeting updates, heard the crew informing Israeli soldiers that they were carrying humanitarian aid and intended to reach Gaza peacefully. At that point, the Israeli boats were circling but had not yet intervened.

Albanese, an Italian lawyer and human rights advocate, confirmed that she was still online with the team and recording events in real-time.

Brazilian activist Thiago Ávila also spoke out about the escalating situation while on board the vessel on his Instagram account.

According to military observers, the Madleen was then reportedly attacked by Shayetet 13—Israel’s elite naval commandos, the same unit responsible for the deadly raid on the Gaza flotilla in 2010.

Moments later, the speedboats briefly withdrew. Then came the drones.

At 12:40 a.m. UK time, Albanese reported that Israeli drones were releasing white paint onto the deck of the Madleen, marking a chilling new phase of the confrontation.

By 12:51 a.m. UK time, the crew of the Madleen remained in good spirits, though they had taken cover due to two Israeli quadcopters hovering overhead.

Friday, June 6, 2025

Happy Eid al-Adha 2025

Happy Eid al-Adha from Egyptian Chronicles to all Muslims around the world who are celebrating, despite many of our fellow Muslims, especially in Gaza and Sudan, being unable to do so this year.

A son of sheep vendors in Egypt hugging a lamb 
Amr Abdullah for Reuters

Many share a deep frustration during this Eid due to the ongoing genocide in Gaza. Countless voices echo the poignant verses of the renowned poet Abu Tayyib Al-Mutanabbi.

عيدٌ بأيِّ حالٍ عدتَ يا عيدُ
O Eid, with what condition have you returned?

بمثلِ هذا الحالِ، هل تعودُ عيدُ؟
With such a state, can you really be Eid?

Al-Mutanabbi composed this 30-verse poem just one day before leaving Egypt, on the Day of Arafah in the year 350 AH (around Eid al-Adha). The poem expresses his profound sadness and longing as he awaited Eid to bring good news and reunion with loved ones after a year of separation during his stay in Egypt. At the same time, the poem carries a sharp tone of satire and criticism towards the ruler of Egypt, then-Kafur al-Ikhshidi, as Al-Mutanabbi’s ambitions for power and prestige there remained unfulfilled.

The poem has become famous for its first line, “O Eid, with what condition have you returned?”

 Here are the Takbeerat of Eid with the sounds of artillery shelling east of Gaza City earlier today.


Happy Eid from Gaza

Nevertheless, it is Eid al-Adha, a time when we, as Muslims, remember how the pilgrimage in the Holy Land is a living reenactment of the moment when Lady Hagar and baby Prophet Ismail were stranded in the desert—what would later become Mecca. Although the situation seemed desperate, Lady Hagar’s faith and patience led to the miraculous emergence of the Zamzam well, which saved them and eventually brought life to Mecca, according to Islamic tradition.

Lady Hagar never abandoned her faith in God, despite the hopelessness of her circumstances.

Personally, this is my first Eid without someone very close to my heart—my aunt, who was like a second mother and an older sister to me—after what can only be described as a short yet bitter battle with illness. May Allah bless her soul and grant patience to me and all those facing similar losses.

I’m not yet ready to fully speak about this, but the past weeks have been difficult, and I am still trying to come to terms with this new reality. This is why I haven’t blogged regularly since mid-Ramadan. Nevertheless, I am beginning to catch up.

Nevertheless, it is Happy Eid.

Happy Eid al-Adha to all, and hopefully, insha’Allah, an Eid miracle will happen for both Palestinians and Sudanese.

Saturday, May 31, 2025

Alexandria Storm: Unusual Weather for This Time of Year "Updated"

For the record, the Egyptian Meteorological Authority did warn of rain on the Western North Coast — but it did not mention that it would be a full-blown thunderstorm capable of paralyzing a city preparing for summer.

A thunderstorm did indeed strike Alexandria and Matrouh, but its impact on Alexandria was especially severe, with the city appearing to be overflooded once again.

According to many Alexandrians commenting online, this was an unprecedented storm — unlike anything they had seen in decades, not even during the winter.

Alexandrians tend to have their own informal calendar for storms, and it seems that tonight’s event doesn’t correspond to any known seasonal patterns.

Monday, May 19, 2025

Malcolm X at 100 : When Malcolm visited Gaza

On this day, May 19, a hundred years ago, Malcolm Little was born in Nebraska.
He would later become known as Malcolm X, and eventually as El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz — a pioneering Black African American Muslim activist who emerged as a global icon in the struggle for human rights and justice.

On the occasion of his 100th birthday, I believe it’s the right moment to revisit the op-ed he wrote for The Egyptian Gazette following his visit to Gaza in September 1964, just months before his assassination in February 1965. 

The article, titled “Zionist Logic,” remains a powerful reflection of his evolving worldview.

I will be sharing it with you.
I only wish The Egyptian Gazette’s remarkable archives were available online.

Zionist Logic

By Malcolm X

The Zionist armies that now occupy Palestine claim their ancient Jewish prophets predicted that in the "last days of this world" their own God would raise them up a "messiah" who would lead them to their promised land, and they would set up their own "divine" government in this newly-gained land, this "divine" government would enable them to "rule all other nations with a rod of iron."

If the Israeli Zionists believe their present occupation of Arab Palestine is the fulfillment of predictions made by their Jewish prophets, then they also religiously believe that Israel must fulfill its "divine" mission to rule all other nations with a rod of irons, which only means a different form of iron-like rule, more firmly entrenched even, than that of the former European Colonial Powers.

These Israeli Zionists religiously believe their Jewish God has chosen them to replace the outdated European colonialism with a new form of colonialism, so well disguised that it will enable them to deceive the African masses into submitting willingly to their "divine" authority and guidance, without the African masses being aware that they are still colonized.

Camouflage

The Israeli Zionists are convinced they have successfully camouflaged their new kind of colonialism. Their colonialism appears to be more "benevolent," more "philanthropic," a system with which they rule simply by getting their potential victims to accept their friendly offers of economic "aid," and other tempting gifts, that they dangle in front of the newly-independent African nations, whose economies are experiencing great difficulties. During the 19th century, when the masses here in Africa were largely illiterate it was easy for European imperialists to rule them with "force and fear," but in this present era of enlightenment the African masses are awakening, and it is impossible to hold them in check now with the antiquated methods of the 19th century.

The imperialists, therefore, have been compelled to devise new methods. Since they can no longer force or frighten the masses into submission, they must devise modern methods that will enable them to maneuver the African masses into willing submission.

The modern 20th century weapon of neo-imperialism is "dollarism." The Zionists have mastered the science of dollarism: the ability to come posing as a friend and benefactor, bearing gifts and all other forms of economic aid and offers of technical assistance. Thus, the power and influence of Zionist Israel in many of the newly "independent" African nations has fast-become even more unshakeable than that of the 18th century European colonialists...and this new kind of Zionist colonialism differs only in form and method, but never in motive or objective.

At the close of the 19th century when European imperialists wisely foresaw that the awakening masses of Africa would not submit to their old method of ruling through force and fears, these ever-scheming imperialists had to create a "new weapon," and to find a "new base" for that weapon.

Saturday, May 3, 2025

Hind Ragab would have turned 7 today if it were not for this man

Hind Ragab Would Have Turned Seven today.

Hind Ragab would have turned seven years old on 3 May.

Instead, she, her cousins, uncle, aunt, and the two Palestinian Red Crescent medics Yusuf Zeino and Ahmed Al Madhoun, who tried to save her, were killed by the Israeli army on a cold January day — in what amounted to a series of war crimes.

Hind’s weak and scared voice while she pleaded for the Palestinian Red Crescent operators to come and take her home shook many to the core, including me.

Earlier this year, in February, Hind’s voice was echoed through the UN Security Council thanks to Ambassador Riyad Mansour 

Hind lived only five years on this Earth, but her name has become a symbol of justice, a name that will haunt war criminals worldwide — thanks to the Hind Ragab Foundation.

Based in Brussels, the Hind Ragab Foundation (HRF) was founded and launched in September 2024 by a group of lawyers and human rights advocates as a branch of the 30 March Movement. It is chaired by Lebanese lawyer and activist Dyab Abou Jahjah.

The foundation’s mission is to actively pursue legal action against those responsible for atrocities and war crimes — including perpetrators, accomplices, and inciters of violence against Palestinians, especially in Gaza.