Category Archives: Saudi Arabia

Saudi Clerics and Christmas

Posted on December 24, 2016 by

In an interview last November, Saudi cleric Khaled Al-Felaij said Muslims are forbidden from greeting Christians and Jews on their holidays. He labeled Jews and Christians as infidels and explained that their celebration were “based upon falsehood, heresy, and polytheism,” … Continue reading →

Posted in Islam, Middle East, Saudi Arabia, Short Comments, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Banning the Niqab is a ban of disguised identity, not Islamic dress code

Posted on July 8, 2016 by

  Two women wearing niqab face veils (file pic) Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images The canton of Ticino, an Italian-speaking region of Switzerland, has banned the Niqab, the face veil worn by some Muslims. The decision came after a referendum in 2013, … Continue reading →

Posted in Best Read, Egypt, Islam, Saudi Arabia, women rights | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Egypt and the land

Posted on April 28, 2016 by

  “Awad sold his land” is a slogan that surfaced in Egypt following president Abdel Fatah al-Sisi’s agreement with Saudi Arabia to transfer two Red Sea islands (Tiran and Sanafir) to Saudi sovereignty. Egypt has been controlling those strategically placed … Continue reading →

Posted in Diary of Aak, Egypt, Saudi Arabia | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

How to enslave a woman – An #ISIL Fatwa (Ruling) Translation

Posted on December 29, 2015 by

Yesterday, I wrote about Nadia Murad, the Yazidi girl who was captured and raped by ISIS. For more perspective about her ordeal and thousands of other innocent girls, the Muslim world must be aware of how those thugs abuse Islam. … Continue reading →

Posted in Islam, Middle East, Saudi Arabia, Short Comments | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

Egyptian Aak 2015 – Week 13 ( March 23-28)

Posted on March 30, 2015 by

  ( Egypt’s El-Sisi receives Qatari Emir ahead of Arab summit via Ahram) Main Headlines  Monday Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan sign an initial agreement on sharing water from the Nile River El-Sisi arrives to Addis Ababa to address the Ethiopian … Continue reading →

Posted in Diary of Aak, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Yemen | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Any Vietnam in Yemen will not be Egypt’s Vietnam

Posted on March 27, 2015 by

( Yemen ‘s sixties civil war- gettyimages) After Saudi Arabia and its regional allies started their air strikes against the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, it did not take long for Egypt to announce its military support for the Saudi … Continue reading →

Posted in Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Yemen | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

There is nothing funny about the declaration of the ‘Caliphate’

Posted on July 4, 2014 by

Photo via Reuters Initially published in Turkish Hurriyet Daily It may be amusing to some, but there is nothing funny about the declaration of the “Caliphate”  by the militant group the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). The rise of … Continue reading →

Posted in Iran, Islam, Middle East, Politics, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey | 1 Comment

Qatar and the GCC rift

Posted on March 11, 2014 by

Here are three interesting pieces about the recent crisis in the Gulf, which I like to share with you.  First: Bilal Saab, Foreign Affairs  “The dispute between GCC members had been simmering for a while, and it was only a … Continue reading →

Quote | Posted on March 11, 2014 by | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Middle East Digest. December 2013 Part II

Posted on January 2, 2014 by

Iran British envoy to visit Iran for first time in two years Iran ready to discuss island dispute with UAE Iran’s Zarif stretches Gulf trip to include UAE Iran diplomacy must be backed by military power: Chuck Hagel Hassan Rouhani … Continue reading →

Posted in Iran, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Middle East, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Middle East Digest: November Edition

Posted on December 1, 2013 by

This is my second monthly selection of news, reports, and articles covering  the Middle East (except Egypt). I hope you find useful. Main Headlines  Iran Iran FM Zarif outlines ideas to exit nuclear dispute Hard bargaining in Geneva on Iran nuclear … Continue reading →

Posted in Bahrain, Gaza, Hamas, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Middle East, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment