During the first (and probably only) presidential debate ahead of the 2020 elections, Democratic candidate Joe Biden uttered a word so quickly that you might have missed it. You might have thought he coughed, or that it was some funny insider-joke word (if you couldn’t really hear what it was). But for the incredulous Muslims … More Inshallah, Biden, Inshallah
The August 4th explosion in Beirut’s port created a crater in the center of the Lebanese capital that is a stark visual representation of the country’s social, political and economic turmoil. Lebanon’s long, free-falling descent culminated in an explosion of 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate that left over 180 people dead, billions in dollars’ worth … More Non à France’s Neo-Colonial Aspirations in Beirut
China’s brutal treatment of the Muslim Uighur population is by now well known. More than a million ethnic Uighur people–who are Muslims–have been detained in China’s Xinjiang region. In the camps, men, women and children are put through a “reeducation” program to assimilate them to traditional Chinese culture. Family members have disappeared. Arabic writing in … More China’s Uighur Muslims Make a Case for Mental Harm & Genocide
Charity did not end when the Coronavirus pandemic began. As countries poor and wealthy alike dug in their heals to fight the virus, they were not left alone in the crisis. One country in particular seemed to be dealing pretty poorly with the virus, as its healthcare system was in shambles. Many Middle Eastern countries … More US-Arab Relations: The Role Reversal
Thanks to Covid-19, covering one’s face has now become a de facto fashion requirement. With many countries enforcing face masks/coverings in order to prevent the spread of the virus also known as the Coronavirus, it has become commonplace to see people in public spaces with only their eyes visible. Not wearing a mask, in fact, … More How Face Masks Poke Holes in the Burqa Bans
Lockdowns, quarantine, curfews, social distancing: practically every country around the world has issued laws in order to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 virus. From the autocracies of the East to the democracies of the West, individual freedoms everywhere have been sacrificed in the name of the Coronavirus, or Covid-19. This has subsequently lead both … More Covid-19: The Rise of Authoritarian Measures
There were so many. The regime-battered defiers of Iran. The countrymen, young and old, Muslim and Christian, who filled Martyr’s Square in Lebanon. The Algerian’s who forced an ancient dictator to step down. The youth of Hong Kong and their fight against China. The Gilets Jaunes who stormed the streets of France. The Catalonians who … More The Protests that Disappeared
The war in Yemen has directly claimed the lives of at least 7,290 civilians and left 80% of the population- some 24 million people-in need of humanitarian assistance. Yet this so-called “civil” war, now in its fourth year, is hardly a war between brothers. The Saudi coalition, which has included at one point or another … More Holding those Accountable: Yemen
An invitation to study at one of the world’s most prestigious universities should have been enough to secure safe passage into the United States. Yet 17 year-old Palestinian Ismail Ajjawi was barred entry to the US for ten days after Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) agents detained him for questioning upon arrival at Boston Airport. … More Social Media and Discrimination Against Immigrants
The #10YearChallenge has blown up on social media, with people either gloatingly posting photos that show how they haven’t aged (or better yet, how much better they look now!) or (a select few) lamenting the age process. A parody that has since popped up is the #10YearChallenge Middle East version, that show’s pictures of Arab … More #10YearChallenge: Middle East Version
S-L-M: Peace 