The media’s manipulation of anything related to Islam has led to the increased Islamophobia we are all too well aware of today. However, I feel like with our focus on how we are portrayed, we fail to acknowledge an important effect of the media’s narrative on Islam besides Islamophobia. Or maybe I’m alone in experiencing this … though I doubt it.
Easter
Well it is the day before Good Friday and almost the end of Holy Week.
I won’t bore you all with the details about what Easter means, as you probably don’t care. So I shall not attempt to preach to you all. But if I may take a few minutes of your time I shall try to give you another side of Easter. One that most Christians miss, but is, I believe useful to all.
Thursday evening some churches have a quiet service, which very few people attend. The theme of the service is to reflect on the life of Jesus, mainly the last three years of his life. At the end of the service the alter is stripped bare of any ornamentation. The attendees of the service hurriedly leave the church, lights are turned out, no one speaks, and we disperse to go separate ways.
It seems that the Arab nations can unite for a cause... but not a good one.
This is the old guard of repressive regimes fighting for the world they recognise - it is ironic when General Sisi and the Saudi's use terms such as legitimacy.
The rebels in Yemen may be Shia, but that doesn't mean they dont deserve their rights.
I suspect the plot linking them to Iranian influence has more to do with Arab uncertainties over the American negotiations with Iran that could potentially work out.
I doubt that will happen and I suspect in the long run the Iranians will regret trusting the Americans, but right now atleast it is surprising to see arab nations allied with Israel against Iran.
It's like they learnt nothing from someone called Lawrence.
Tonight is the night of the BIG non-debate - from 9PM on Channel 4 and Sky News.
David Cameron chickened out from a proper head to head debate, so we get something that has an awkward format.
David Cameron and Ed Miliband will face the audience and Jeremy Paxman, but not head to head, at the same time or debate each other.
David Cameron will go first, Ed Miliband second.
There has already been an election event featuring, George Osborne and Ed Balls - something that was mostly invisible.
This debate may get better attention as it involves the leaders and not the prospective chancellors.
David Cameron is more salesman like while Ed Miliband is more cerebral.
There are many signs over whether we are losing the duel with the devil that may be easily ignored, or readily apparent. This list has no real order and is more something to think about.
For a short period of time some flaws and issues may seem normal and not destructive but eventually if left unchecked the only people we hurt are ourselves and those around us.
As Muslims every day we should strive to be better than we were yesterday. If we are not doing this, at best it is a score draw, but more likely a sign of losing.
Is it me or have they gone ludicrously high?
The last time I got a phone (HTC One X in 2012), my contract was for £25 a month. Way more than what I needed.
Now for the latest phones (HTC One M9/Samsung Galaxy S) the contract prices seem closer to £40 - and often with way way less data.
Then again since my phone is often a glorified watch, I should invest in a smart watch instead... it'll last til midday atleast.
Israel is going to elections on 17 March 2015.
Recent news reports suggest that Netanyahu's campaign has started to falter recently. But it doesn't matter.
Left or right, "peaceniks" or hawks, it does not matter- none of them are willing to negotiate for peace with the Palestinians.
It was the "moderate doves" that started this new tradition of pummeling Gaza for political gain in 2009. If they return to power, nothing stops them from acting in line with their past performance.
The only glimmer from either side is that Netanyahu's bellicose performances help deligitimise Israel actions.
Those are the views of the current foreign Minister of Israel.
He wants to cleanse the nation of those who did not pack up and leave in 1948, 1967 or since.
Now if this guy had a name that sounded like Ahmedinejad, he wouldnt even have to have said what he did to have it plastered over the world's newspapers and news sites.
But since it doesn't, even though he did ask for the murder of Israeli arabs "opposed to us", it wont be reported, especially in the occupied territories of BBC News.
Online, this threat has been turned into an ISIS style threat to behead Israeli arab politician Hanin Zoabi
Yes you, yours.
If you ever thought the Iraq war was wrong or questioned the proxies operating in Syria, you are to blame for Syria.
The security services, military interventions or intelligence agencies? they are blameless.
It is not just Syria. The current chaos in Libya, that is also your fault.
If you ever suggested that meddling in Libya was a bad idea, what were you thinking!?!
You have created a monster that our beloved intelligence services now have to deal with and clean up your mess.
Forget that we were lied to about Libya, it wasn't your place to question those lies.
Now, its your fault that the world has gone to pot.
Know your place, pleb!
Today there are reports about a Briton who was so enraged by events that he went to fight in Syria has been killed.
He allied himself with groups many consider to be terrorists.
However, most news reports will be sympathetic to his case for he was not Muslim.
His case will be shown more nuance than for Muslims who may return or die in Syria - who may have even been fighting against the same group!
Many of them will also have been fighting against terrorism and barbarity - the top two groups responsible are probably Assad's forces followed by ISIS. The barbarity of Assad's forces is probably an order of magnitude greater than all the other groups combined.
