Updated on Thursday, 23 April
2026: a Kuwaiti court acquitted US-Kuwaiti journalist Ahmed
Shihab-Eldin on all charges following nearly two months of
detention. He has not yet been released, though.
Updated on Saturday, 25 April 2026: Ahmed Shihab-Eldin and left Kuwait safely.
Ahmed Shihab-Eldin, an award-winning Kuwaiti-American journalist of Palestinian origins who posts prolifically on social media, especially on Twitter, where he is known as @ASE, was arrested in Kuwait on March 3, 2026.
"It is understood that authorities have charged him with spreading false information, harming national security, and misusing his mobile phone – vague and overly broad accusations that are routinely used to silence independent journalists," the CPJ statement said, calling on the Kuwaiti government to release him.
In the days before his detention, Shihab-Eldin — who was visiting his family in Kuwait — shared publicly available videos and images related to the US-Israel war on Iran and the Iranian retaliation on Gulf states, just as any respectable professional journalist would do in his place.
Ahmed Shihab El-Din in Doha Film Festival
On March 2, he shared photos and videos of a US fighter jet that crashed in Kuwait on Substack.
That video had been geolocated and verified by CNN. None of his posts were photos or videos he took himself.
What makes this case particularly absurd from a legal standpoint is the timing.
Kuwait enacted Law No. 13 of 2026, aimed at safeguarding and protecting the supreme interests of military authorities, on March 15— nearly two weeks after his arrest on March 3.
He was therefore arrested and charged under a law that did not yet exist at the time of his alleged offense.
The law carries prison terms of up to 10 years for spreading false rumours related to military entities with the intent of undermining confidence in them.
Several international organizations including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch demanded his release.
The story was covered by several Western news outlets. Several US senators and members of Congress raised his case as an American citizen — but as of today, nothing has moved on the Kuwaiti side.
Updated: Most critically — as of yesterday, April 22: his international legal counsel issued an urgent statement saying they were "extremely concerned for Ahmed's safety and wellbeing" in Kuwaiti detention.
And so, it turned out to be one last winter storm—not the beginning of a nuclear winter, as many online in Egypt feared on Tuesday.
In case you missed it, Egypt is currently experiencing a brief period of unstable weather, including thunderstorms and heavy rainfall.
The Egyptian Meteorological Authority (EMA) had issued early warnings, stating that the wave would begin on Tuesday evening, bringing rain, slightly cooler temperatures, and stronger winds across several regions before gradually improving by the weekend.
According to the EMA, the instability would start along the northwestern coast—including Salloum, Matrouh, and Alamein—before spreading to the Nile Valley and Sinai.
Rainfall was expected to intensify on Wednesday and Thursday, becoming more widespread and occasionally accompanied by thunderstorms, particularly along the northern coast, the northern Delta, and parts of Sinai. Lighter showers were forecast to reach Greater Cairo and the Canal cities.
For once, the Egyptian government took a proactive step, suspending classes in schools and universities on Wednesday and Thursday to spare millions of Egyptians the usual traffic chaos.
Ironically, Tuesday itself felt like a calm, early-spring day across the country.
That calm, however, fueled suspicion. Some began to believe something more sinister was coming—and within hours, that suspicion evolved into a full-blown conspiracy theory, amplified by a video from the Kuwait National Guard.
Watch this interview with Dr. Mohamed ElBaradei, former Vice President of Egypt and former Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, in which he discusses Iran and the current war.
ElBaradei speaks with David Hearst of Middle East Eye.
Mohamed ElBaradei was heading the IAEA when it began talks with Iran in 2009. He was also leading the UN’s nuclear watchdog in 2003 when he stated explicitly that Iraq had no weapons of mass destruction.
What is happening to Iran, the Nobel Peace award laureate says, reminds him of Iraq—perhaps even worse, to be honest.
Ramadan Kareem to all Egyptian Chronicles readers.
Tonight, we will learn what happened to King al-Nu’man and how he ultimately met his fate. But first, it is time for our little chit-chat.
Our chit-chat tonight will focus on two things: what happened to the real historical inspiration behind our tale—Al-Nu'man III ibn al-Mundhir—and how his dramatic end marked the beginning of another ending: the fall of the Lakhmid kingdom and, not long after, the decline of the Sasanian Empire.
It also helped inspire one of the most famous pre-Islamic Arabian epics.
According to Arab historians, even though King al-Nu’man once gave refuge to the Sasanian King Khosrow II, son of Sasanian King Hormizd, during his flight from the usurper Bahram Chobin in 590, and even fought alongside him to help restore him to the throne, the two rulers eventually fell out.
According to legend, their falling-out happened after al-Nu’man rejected Khosrow’s proposal to marry his daughter, Princess Hind. Some historical accounts, however, suggest that the proposal may actually have come from one of Khosrow’s relatives rather than from the king himself.
But that was not the only reason for the rift. Al-Nu’man also fell out with his former tutor and the powerful Sasanian court official and Arab envoy Adi ibn Zayd. Accusing him of plotting against him, al-Nu’man ordered his execution. Adi’s son—who had the ear of Khosrow—then managed to turn the Persian ruler against al-Nu’man in what feels like a real-life Game of Thrones scenario.
No wonder that show was such a hit in the Middle East. Several historical traditions describe what happened once al-Nu’man realized that Khosrow intended to remove him from power. One famous Arabian account says that al-Nu’man fled his capital and sought refuge among the powerful Banu Bakr of Arabia. He was eventually forced to surrender and, according to the story, executed by being trampled by elephants.
Our chit-chat tonight will be about our tale’s title hero, al-Nu’man.
By now, you know that our tale for this Ramadan was inspired by an original One Thousand and One Nights story: the saga of King Omar al-Nu’man. One of the main differences between the original tale and our radio adaptation, trimmed for Egyptian State Radio by Taher Abu Fasha, is that the king’s name became al-Nu’man instead of Omar al-Nu’man.
It is unclear why Abu Fasha changed the name; frankly, it is beyond me. My only interpretation is that, just as he pushed the story back into pre-Islamic times, rather than the Umayyad era, as in the original tale, he may have chosen to focus on the root inspiration of the protagonist: al-Nu’man.
Anyone familiar with the history of Arabia and ancient Iraq will immediately recognize that inspiration. The most famous historical figure bearing that name was Al-Nu'man III ibn al-Mundhir, the last king of the Lakhmid kingdom of al-Hirah in ancient Iraq.
If you are familiar with Arabian myths and epics that predate The Book of One Thousand and One Nights, you will know that al-Nu’man and his family inspired some important legends and heroic tales.
The Lakhmid kingdom—commonly known in the Arab world as al-Manādhirah (المناذرة)—was an Arab kingdom that ruled parts of southern Mesopotamia and northeastern Arabia from the late 3rd century until 602 CE. It was governed by the Nasrid dynasty of the Banu Lakhm tribe, and its political center was the city of Al-Hirah.
Ramadan Kareem to all Egyptian Chronicles readers.
Tonight, we will discover what King Sharkan and Princess Nuzhat al-Zaman will do to mend the tragic events reminiscent of a Greek tragedy—but first, it is time for our little chit-chat.
Did you know that the name Sharrkan is not a classical Arabic name?
It is believed to have Persian-inspired roots. The first part, “Sher”, means lion in Persian, while the second part, “Kan”, can suggest a den or place.
Together, storytellers interpreted it as “Lion’s Den.”
However, this is likely a literary invention rather than a historically attested Persian name. It was crafted to give the character a heroic and exotic flavor, fitting the world of One Thousand and One Nights.
That’s all for tonight’s chit-chat; I’ll keep it short.
Let us now see what will happen to al-Nu’man’s offspring in the 102nd episode of One Thousand and One Nights, as originally broadcast on Egyptian State Radio.
Tonight is a very special night in the history of the One Thousand and One Nights. It is the 100th episode — a true milestone for one of the longest-running radio shows in the history of Egyptian and Arab broadcasting.
Despite this celebration, our chit-chat tonight is still tied to our tale.
The names of our twins, separated by slave traders, are Nuzhat al-Zaman and Daw’ al-Makan. Taher Abu Fasha kept these same names from the One Thousand and One Nights story of Umar al-Nu'man, without changing them in his radio adaptation.
The name Nuzhat al-Zaman means “Delight of the Age,” while her brother Daw’ al-Makan means “Light of the Place.” At first glance, they may sound like purely fictional names, but historically, they are not entirely unusual.
These names follow a well-known naming tradition from the medieval Islamic world. During the Abbasid Caliphate, it was common for royals, scholars, and prominent figures to use honorific names formed by a noun followed by elements such as al-Din (“of the Religion”), al-Dawla (“of the State”), or al-Zaman / al-Dahr (“of the Age” or “Time”).
For example, the famous medieval poet and man of letters Badi' al-Zaman al-Hamadhani — whose real name was Ahmad ibn al-Husayn — used the title Badi’ al-Zaman, meaning “Wonder of the Age.” His surname al-Hamadhani simply means “from the city of Hamadan.”
Enough of our short chit-chat.
Let us now see what will happen to our lost prince in the 100th episode of One Thousand and One Nights, as originally broadcast on Egyptian State Radio.
Ramadan Kareem to all Egyptian Chronicles readers.
Before we continue our tale and discover how King Sajur's sons will save Princess Amira's life — and whom she will ultimately choose — it's time for our little chit-chat.
Tonight, we will speak about yet another recurring element in the tales of Taher Abu Fasha: the Magic Carpet.
The idea of magical flying carpets is much older than the One Thousand and One Nights. One of the earliest references appears in legends surrounding King Solomon (dating from the 3rd to 6th centuries CE).
In later Jewish and Islamic traditions—though notably not in the Hebrew Bible itself—Solomon is said to have possessed a green silken carpet (or throne) carried by the wind, capable of transporting him and his entire army across vast distances in a single day.
While the Qur’an (21:81 and 38:36) speaks of Solomon commanding the wind to blow at his order, it does not explicitly mention a carpet.
The "flying carpet" detail is a later narrative expansion found in Isra’iliyyat (narratives derived from earlier Judeo-Christian traditions) and Persian storytelling layers.
The concept reappeared in the Persian epic tradition, most famously in the Shahnameh (c. 1000 CE). In this epic, King Kay Kavus builds a flying throne powered by eagles.
While these weren't always literal carpets, the imagery of airborne royal platforms became a staple of medieval Persian romance literature.
When it comes to the One Thousand and One Nights, there is a major surprise for modern audiences: the 'flying carpet' most people imagine is largely a later European association.
Now, without further delay, I present the seventh and the last episode of our story—The Tale of Sajur and his sons, or the 201st night of One Thousand and One Nights, as broadcast by the Egyptian State Radio.
Now, a quick piece of trivia: the actor who narrated the role of the Dervish in the episodes was the late Egyptian actor of Palestinian origin, Saad El-Gazawy.
El-Gazawy was a distinguished radio performer known for his powerful and recognizable voice. He began his artistic career in the 1960s and performed numerous radio roles, particularly religious ones.
In cinema, he appeared in films such as Hijrat Al-Rasul (The Prophet’s Migration) and Min Ozamaa Al-Islam (Among the Great Figures of Islam). On television, he took part in the historical series Omar ibn Abdel Aziz.
The program first aired in 1975 and is considered one of the oldest and most culturally significant radio programs in Egypt. Blending poetry, literature, history, philosophy, and religion into a single format, it featured only two performers: Samira Abdel Aziz and Saad El-Gazawy.
El-Gazawy remained with the program until his death in May 2013.
Now, without further delay, I present the third episode of our story—The Tale of Sajur and his sons, or the 197th night of One Thousand and One Nights, as broadcast by the Egyptian State Radio.
Ep. 3 “It is always the Darvish”
And when it was the One Hundred and Ninety-Seventh Night, and the night that followed, King Shahryar took his seat as on the evening before. Shahrazad came at the appointed hour, bowed before him, and continued her tale, joining what had been severed of speech.
Shahrazad: It has reached me, O fortunate king, wise in counsel and just in decree, that when the three princes — Firuz, Nairuz, and Ma‘zuz — found their hearts bound in love for their cousin, and their father could discover no remedy for their contention, King Sajur feared that discord might ripen into calamity, and that brother would rise against brother.
Therefore, he gathered them before the princess and gave to each a purse of gold, commanding that she should belong to him who returned with the most wondrous gift.
The three brothers accepted and set forth across deserts and valleys in search of marvels worthy of her hand. After many days they came to a khan, where they lodged for three nights. Then they mounted their horses and resumed their journey, until they reached a road divided into three paths.
There they halted in perplexity.
“Before us lie three roads,” said one.
“Which shall we take?” said another.
As they debated, there came to them a dervish whose laughter rang strangely in the air.
“Each road,” said he, “holds both its good and its evil.”
“Which shall we choose?” they asked.
“You are three brothers,” replied the dervish. “Your purpose is one — but your paths are not one.”
When they tried to walk together upon a single road, they found themselves returned to the very place from which they had begun.
“The end of it is its beginning,” said the dervish, “and the beginning its end. No single road will bear you three.”
“Why?” they cried.
“Because your intentions differ, and so your roads must differ. Each of you must walk alone. Then each shall reach his desire.”
He pointed to the paths before them.
“This is the Road of Safety. This is the Road of Regret. And this is the Road from which there is no Return.”
They trembled — yet none would yield.
The dervish gave to each a small sphere.
“Cast it,” said he. “It will choose your road.”
They cast the spheres.
To one fell the Road of Safety. To another, the Road of Regret. To the third, the Road from which there is no Return.
“The path now lies open,” said the dervish. “Go your ways. Though you part, you shall meet again.”
And the brothers agreed to reunite after one year, at the same khan, on the same day — each awaiting the other.
Thus, they embraced and separated, each vanishing upon his appointed road.
A year passed.
In the palace of King Sajur there was no tidings.
The princess Amira grew pale with sorrow. “If only I knew,” she wept, “whether they live or lie beneath the earth. I am the cause of what has befallen.”
But the king answered her, “Your tongue did not command them, nor did your hand compel them. Do not lay this burden upon your heart.”
Messengers were sent. They returned with nothing.
“It is as though the earth had opened and swallowed them,” said the vizier.
The king’s grief deepened.
One day a dervish came to the palace gates — the same who had appeared in former years.
“I come to bring peace to your heart,” he said. “Your sons live.”
“Where?” cried the king.
“They will come to you flying like birds.”
The princess lifted her face. “And will they arrive safely?”
The dervish answered only, “I have but two days left of my life. I have delivered the message and fulfilled the trust.”
Then he departed.
But the princess had grown grievously ill.
Her sorrow consumed her, and the physicians despaired of her life. King Sajur stood beside her bed, remembering his brother Azdeshir, and tears filled his eyes.
While they stood thus in despair, the palace trembled, and shouts rang through its halls. Servants rushed inward crying:
“My lord—!”
And before her tale was complete, the dawn overtook Shahrazad, and she fell silent until another night.
In the spirit of Ramadan, I invite you to support UNICEF’s relief efforts in Gaza and Sudan, as well as other places in the globe. Every pound, dollar, or euro can make a difference.
Ramadan Kareem to all Egyptian Chronicles readers.
Before we continue our tale and discover what fate has in store for Sajur and his three sons, it is time for our chit-chat.
Last night, we learned that Bahram Gur was a real historical figure from Persian history whose name Taher Abu Fasha borrowed for the story.
Tonight, we discover that the inspiration behind Azdashir, the brother of King Sajur, was also a real man — a real Ardashir from Iranian history, though with a slightly different spelling.
Azdeshir is the Arabic rendering of the Old Persian name Ardashir or Ardeshir
King Ardashir — and here I mean Ardashir I — was in fact the founder of the Sasanian Empire, the last empire of ancient Iran. Ardashir called himself shahanshah (King of Kings) and began conquering the lands he referred to as Eranshahr, the realm of the Iranians.
There were three kings named Ardashir in the Sasanian Empire: Ardashir I, Ardashir II, and Ardashir III.
In modern times, perhaps the most famous bearer of the name was Ardeshir Zahedi, the prominent Iranian politician and diplomat who served as Iran’s foreign minister from 1966 to 1971 and as ambassador to both the United States and the United Kingdom during the 1960s and 1970s.
He was married for seven years to Princess Shahnaz Pahlavi, the Egyptian-Iranian daughter of the Shah of Iran.
Today, many Iranians remember Ardeshir Zahedi, especially for his stance in later years: although he opposed the Islamic Revolutionary regime in Tehran, he firmly rejected foreign military intervention in Iran.
Now, without further delay, I present the second episode of our story—The Tale of Sajur and his sons, or the 196th night of One Thousand and One Nights, as broadcast by the Egyptian State Radio.
Ramadan Kareem to all Egyptian Chronicles readers.
Yes, we are back to our Ramadan Arabian Nights this year.
This year, we got a fragile ceasefire in Gaza that Israel violates every day as usual, but the people in Gaza are trying their best to enjoy or rather live, Ramadan as much as they can.
This year, we got the ghost of war looming over the Middle East as the US has been transferring like 1/4 of its military power to the Middle East for a possible military action with Israel against Iran.
On this occasion, I discovered that selecting short tales is a better choice, as well as the tales themselves, which are somehow related to current events or the location in the Middle East.
Tonight, we will start the tale of King Sajur of Persia and his sons.
But first, for the newcomers, this is what we are going to do this Holy Month of Ramadan, like every year in Egyptian Chronicles.
Every Ramadan, we tune in to episodes of Egypt’s One Thousand and One Nights radio show, created in 1955 by the legendary Egyptian broadcasterMahmoud Shaaban, better known as Papa Sharo.
Originally inspired by the famous bookOne Thousand and One Nights (also known in the West as The Arabian Nights), it became one of the longest-running programs in the history of Egyptian State Radio.
Shaaban could not have created the show without the ongoing work of Egyptian writer and folkloristTaher Abu Fasha, whose name became forever linked to the Arabian Nights tradition.
While other writers contributed to the show over the years, this year’s tale was written by Abu Fasha himself.
The story draws inspiration from the original book — its universe, its enduring themes, and the history of the Middle East, especially Persia, as we will soon hear.
The book Arabian Nights — or rather, One Thousand and One Nights — is often considered to be of Indo-Persian origin, but we will leave that discussion for another night.
This is the annual post marking the January 25 Revolution of 2011 in Egypt, published on January 28—the true day of the Revolution.
Although it may seem like a distant memory, it has rarely felt closer. Many—if not all—of the causes and conditions that led to that moment, which reshaped the Middle East (if not the world), still exist today, in one form or another, across almost every country in the region—not just in Egypt.
Step Down sign from February 4 million man protest in Tahrir square
I am writing this post while Iran stands on the brink of war, following mass protests that were hijacked by the U.S. and the Israeli regime and brutally cracked down on by the Iranian regime. The result has been a tragedy: thousands killed, thousands more detained, and millions waiting in fear, uncertain about what the future holds.
I cannot ignore what is happening in Iran, as we remember the January 2011 Revolution—the peak moment that truly launched the Arab Spring, with all due respect to the Tunisian Revolution. For context, Tunisians themselves protested earlier this month against their government and President Kais Saied, who has turned out to be little more than a Temu-version strongman.
After the 12-day war in the summer of 2025, I thought the Iranian regime might finally read the writing on the wall and grant greater freedoms to its people, especially after Iranians stood firm during the Israeli–U.S. war.
Once again, the Iranian people proved—like people everywhere—that they are the first and true line of defense, resilient despite years of repression and crushing economic sanctions. For a brief moment, videos from Iran suggested a slight opening: more women appeared unveiled in public. Yet economic hardship deepened, demanding urgent reform.
On the occasion of the 73rd anniversary of July 23—our official National Day, regardless of whether it's considered a movement, a coup, or a revolution—I came across something by pure coincidence last week.
“An International Conspiracy Implemented in Cairo.” The cover of Akher Saa issue no.926 on 23 July 1952
Gracing the cover was the beautiful (and now, most likely, late) daughter of Mr. Mahmoud Beik Saleh El-Falky, then undersecretary of the Ministry of Finance in Alexandria’s Corniche district. Strangely, the magazine never mentioned her name on the cover—despite prominently featuring her. I’m not sure why.
1952 was probably among the final years when Akher Saa still featured socialites on its covers.
What intrigued me even more is that I believe Mahmoud Beik and his daughter are buried in the famous El-Falky Cemetery, established by Mahmoud Pasha El-Falky—the pioneering father of modern Egyptian astronomy.
Sadly, the El-Falky Cemetery was demolished this past April to make way for a new highway, despite public outcry and campaigns to spare Cairo’s historic City of the Dead.
We lost that irreplaceable part of Cairo, despite all efforts and even a presidential committee formed to assess the situation, which concluded that there was no need to remove those cemeteries.
Back to the magazine: the headline on that same 23 July 1952 issue read, in bold— “An International Conspiracy Implemented in Cairo.”
Al-Azhar Mosque held its first Friday prayer on 7 Ramadan 361 AH, corresponding to 21 June 972 CE, marking its effective inauguration as a mosque of public worship.
There is no better moment than this anniversary to share an important message from Al-Azhar’s current Grand Imam, Sheikh Ahmed El-Tayeb, delivered in Arabic, Farsi, and English.
On Friday, El-Tayeb issued a trilingual statement condemning Israel’s ongoing war against Iran and denouncing the international community’s silence, which he described as complicity.
I strongly condemn the ongoing aggression by the occupying entity against the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the systematic attacks and continued recklessness committed by this usurping aggressor and its backers, acts that risk dragging the region to the brink of explosion and…
Not in my wildest thoughts did I ever expect to consider Tucker Carlson one of the saner voices in the United States today. However, if you have time, I recommend watching his two-hour interview with Senator Ted Cruz.
Senator Ted Cruz demands regime change in Iran. He’s not interested in the details.
(0:00) Why Does Cruz Want Regime Change in Iran? (6:28) Is the US Currently Acting in Its Own Best Interest? (7:49) Was Regime Change in Syria Beneficial to the US? (12:31) Was the Iraq War a… pic.twitter.com/iIdENogQ2T
The very fact that Tucker Carlson is now among the few outspoken, sane voices opposing the war on Iran says a lot about the dire state of the U.S. mainstream media.
That Carlson is doing the work western liberal media should be doing—asking the hard questions—only underscores how badly that media has failed.
It feels like the invasion of Iraq all over again. Donald Trump is pushing the United States toward a confrontation—this time with Iran—following nearly a week of Israel’s failure to compel Tehran into submission to Benjamin Netanyahu’s demands.
In just a few days, the narrative has shifted from halting Iran’s alleged nuclear weapons program to escalating tensions on a much broader scale. It’s worth noting, just as in the lead-up to the Iraq War, that the IAEA has no evidence of a systematic Iranian effort to develop nuclear weapons.
It’s déjà vu—once again, God’s foreign policy is being invoked in the Middle East.
This post was originally planned to focus on how Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu uses religious rhetoric to influence both Israeli society and the broader Jewish community—an approach amplified when U.S. President Donald Trump shared a message he received from the U.S. ambassador to Israel, former pastor Mike Huckabee.
That SMS is like something from G.W. Bush Jr's divine orders to invade Iraq. For the second time in less than 50 years, the Middle East is being dragged into the hell of neo-crusades.
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.
Egypt’s Al-Azhar celebrated the 1,085th Hijri anniversary of its inauguration with its first prayer on 7th Ramadan (361 AH / 972 AD).
Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, originally established as a center for Shi’a Islam, has become the world's largest and most influential Sunni Islamic institution—one of history's greatest ironies.
In another irony because from two weeks ago, its Grand Imam Sheikh Ahmed El-Tayeb launched a call in the Islamic world to end the sectarian division between Sunni and Shi’a Muslims.
Al-Tayeb led top Islamic scholars and religious leaders from across the Muslim world who signed the Call of Ahl Al-Qibla declaration, a landmark document aimed at strengthening dialogue and unity among different Islamic sects and schools of thought.
In other words, the dialogue between Sunna and Shia.
The Call of Ahl Al-Qibla asserts that sectarian diversity is a natural and legitimate part of Islamic scholarship, rejecting any attempts to impose uniformity by dissolving distinct sects into a single doctrine.
Instead, the document calls on Muslims to focus on the shared foundations of the faith, which are rooted in the Qur’an and the Sunnah.
The declaration also underscores the historical harmony among Muslims across different regions and theological backgrounds, highlighting their shared contributions to intellectual, social, and economic development. It reaffirms that Islamic unity is a sacred covenant that must be safeguarded against political and ideological divisions.
Renowned Egyptian TV host Mahmoud Saad said it late Wednesday when he opened a live-streaming discussion about yet another long bloody day in the Gaza war that has taken a very heavy toll on all of us as Arab people.
In a livestream watched by hundreds of thousands, Saad discussed the two major events that defined the day and made it a particularly heavy one.
The major event was the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, the head of Hamas’ political bureau in the heart of Iran’s Tehran in the early hours of Wednesday.
Haniyeh was in Tehran to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the new Iranian President on Tuesday.
Haniyeh's last photo at an exhibition in Tehran dedicated to Al-Quds and and the Dome of the Rock on Tuesday.
What happened was like a practical Israeli declaration of war against Israel killing any chance of a ceasefire.
Ismail Haniyeh is not part of Al-Kassam, the military branch of Hamas. Already many experts believe that Yahia Senwar and Mohamed El-Deif are more powerful than him and they are the ones who gave the orders currently to the Political office
Ismail Haniyeh was playing two roles, Hamas’ top negotiator as well as its top spokesperson. He was the top negotiator of Hamas and Palestinian factions in the current ceasefire talks mediated by Egypt, Qatar and the US.
I won’t say anything more than what the Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister said on Wednesday Mohamed Abdel Rahman Al-Thani.
On Monday, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Sheikh Ahmed El-Tayeb issued a statement where he expressed his huge welcome to the message he received on Saturday from Ayatollah Alireza Arafi, the director of the religious Shia seminaries in Iran.
Very few paid attention to the statement despite its importance and timing.
Ayatollah Arafi sent on Saturday a message to Sheikh El-Tayeb, the head of the biggest Sunni institution in the world thanking him in a strong statement for his stand against the frequent insults against the Holy Quran hoping that officials and religious men in the Islamic world would follow his steps.
“Noble Egypt with its esteemed scholarly and religious institutions, especially Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, holds a prestigious, decisive, and inspiring position," Arafi said in what I considered the first message of its kind to be sent to an Egyptian official like Ahmed El-Tayeb from Iran and from the Shia world.
In his message, Sheikh El-Tayeb hoped that this incident would be the greatest incentive to heal the rift and unite the world of Muslims around the globe.
He renewed his call to move forward to hold an "Islamic - Islamic" dialogue between Islamic scholars around the world, of all sects and schools, to establish unity, rapprochement and acquaintance, and to reject the causes of sedition, division and difference. The Egyptian sheikh did not use “Sunni-Shira” but rather “Islamic-Islami”.
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