شيعة‎ Shi´a Islam

Shia Islam the second largest denomination of Islam, after Sunni Islam.

Similar to other schools of thought in Islam, Shia Islam is based on the teachings of the Islamic holy book, the Qur'an and the message of the final prophet of Islam, Muhammad. In contrast to other schools of thought, Shia Islam holds that Muhammad's family, the Ahl al-Bayt ("the People of the House"), and certain individuals among his descendants, who are known as Imams, have special spiritual and political rule over the community.Shia Muslims further believe that Ali, Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law, was the first of these Imams and was the rightful successor to Muhammad and thus reject the legitimacy of the first three Rashidun caliphs. Shia Muslims, less than a third of the Muslim world, constitute the majority of the population in Iran, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, , Lebanon, and Iraq. Countries with a significant minority of Shia are Syria, Kuwait, Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Oman and Yemen.

-Holy Cities:

Both Shia and Sunni Muslims share a certain veneration and religious obligations towards certain shrines and holy sites, such as Mecca (Masjid al-Haram), Medina (Al-Masjid al-Nabawi), and Jerusalem (Al-Aqsa Mosque). For a list of some of the holiest uniquely Shia shrines see Shia holy sites.

-The Twelve Imams:


The Twelve Imams are the spiritual and political successors to Muhammad for Twelvers.

‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib (600–661), also known as Amīru l-Mu'minīn "Commander of the Faithful" in Arabic and in Persian as Shāh-e Mardan "King of the People"
Ḥasan ibn ‘Alī (625–669), also known as Al-Hasan al-Mujtaba
Ḥusayn ibn ‘Alī (626–680), also known as Al-Husayn ash-Shaheed
‘Alī ibn Ḥusayn (658–713), also known as Ali Zayn-ul-'Abideen
Muḥammad ibn ‘Alī (676–743), also known as Muhammad al-Bāqir
Ja‘far ibn Muḥammad (703–765), also known as Ja'far aṣ-Ṣādiq
Mūsá ibn Ja‘far (745–799), also known as Mūsá al-Kāżim
‘Alī ibn Mūsá (765–818), also known as Ali ar-Riża
Muḥammad ibn ‘Alī (810–835), also known as Muḥammad al-Jawad and Muḥammad at-Taqi
‘Alī ibn Muḥammad (827–868), also known as ‘Alī al-Ḥādī and ‘Alī an-Naqī
Ḥasan ibn ‘Alī (846–874), also known as Hasan al Askari
Muḥammad ibn Ḥasan (868–?), also known as al-Hujjat ibn al-Ḥasan, Mahdī, Imāmu l-Aṣr

-The five articles of faith in the Shi'a Roots of Religion are:

Tawhīd (Oneness)
Adl (Justice)
Nubuwwah (Prophethood)
Imāmah (Leadership)
Yawm al Qiyyamah (The Day of Resurrection)

-Twelvers have five Principles of the Religion which relates to Aqidah.

Salah (Prayer)
Sawm (Fast)
Hajj (Pilgrimage)
Zakāh (Poor-rate)
Khums (One-fifth of savings)
Jihād (Struggle)
Amr-Bil-Ma'rūf (Enjoining what is good)
Nahi-Anil-Munkar (Forbid what is evil)
Tawallá (To love the Ahl al-Bayt and their followers )
Tabarrā' (To disassociate from the enemies of the Ahl al-Bayt)

خالد عبدالرحمن الدوسري Khaled Abdulrahman

Was born in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia 1966, is a Saudi singer, musician, and songwriter. He is nicknamed "makhawi al-layl" (مخاوي الليل) which means the friend of night. He regarded the night as his close friend because he used to stay up late writing poems in the night silence. He is one of the region’s most popular vocalists alongside Mohammed Abdu, Abdul Majid Abdullah and Rashed Al-Majed. Unlike most singers, he gained fame from his first album, sarihini (Arabic: صارحيني) (tell me the truth), which was the beginning of a series of successful albums. He gained a large number of fans in a short period of time. So, he successfully competed with popular singers in the arab world. He got a number of nicknames like mulek alfun (Arabic: مللك الفن) (king of musci), and al-general (arabic: الجنرال) (The General).

He started singing in 1987. Some of his top songs are ahat (arabic: آهات), sarihini (arabic صارحيني), sudiqini (arabic صدقيني), khuberooh (خبروه), tedhkar (arabic تذكار) and al-ata (arabic العطا).

He released his last album Rouh Rouhey (Arabic: روح روحي ‎) (Soul of my Soul) in 2008. It contains 8 songs.

Wahabism الوهابية

Wahhabism - Origin of the term Wahhabi:

The term "Wahhab" (Wahhābīya) refers to the movement's founder Muhammad ibn Abd al Wahhab. It is rarely used by members of this group today, although the Saudis did use it in the past.

The Wahhabis claim to hold to the way of the "Salaf as-Salih", the 'pious predecessors' as earlier propagated mainly by Ibn Taymiyya, his students Ibn Al Qayyim and later by Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahab and his followers.

The term is considered offensive by some members who prefer to call themselves al-Muwahhidun (the monotheists), or the movement Salafism.


Muhammad ibn Abd al Wahhab.

-Wahhabism - Beliefs:

Wahhabism accepts the Qur'an and hadith as basic texts. It also accepts various commentaries including Ibn Abd al-Wahhab's Kitab al-Tawhid ("Book of Monotheism"), and the works of the earlier scholar Ibn Taymiyya (1263–1328).

Wahhabis do not follow any specific maddhab (method or school of jurisprudence), but claim to interpret the words of the prophet Muhammad directly, using the four maddhab for reference. However, they are often associated with the Hanbali maddhab. Wahhabis hold that some Muslim groups such as Sufism and Shia Islam follow novel (and thus non-Islamic) practices.

Wahhabi theology advocates a puritanical and legalistic stance in matters of faith and religious practice.

Wahhabists see their role as a movement to restore Islam from what they perceive to be innovations, superstitions, deviances, heresies and idolatries. There are many practices that they believe are contrary to Islam, such as:

The invoking of any prophet, saint or angel in prayer, other than God alone (Wahhabists believe these practices are polytheistic in nature)
Supplications at graves, whether saints' graves, or the prophet's grave
Celebrating annual feasts for dead saints
Wearing of charms, and believing in their healing power
Practicing magic, or going to sorcerers or witches seeking healing
Innovation in matters of religion (e.g. new methods of worship)
Erecting elaborate monuments over any grave
Wahhabis ban pictures, tobacco, photographs, and celebrating Muhammad's birthday, among many other things, based on their interpretation of the hadith. Many Wahhabi men grow long beards and wear their traditional dresses above their ankles.


Wahhabism - Modern spread of Wahhabism:

In 1924 the Wahhabi al-Saud dynasty conquered Mecca and Medina, the Muslim holy cities. This gave them control of the Hajj, the annual pilgrimage, and the opportunity to preach their version of Islam to the assembled pilgrims. However, Wahhabism was a minor current within Islam until the discovery of oil in Arabia, in 1938. Vast oil revenues gave an immense impetus to the spread of Wahhabism. Saudi laypeople, government officials and clerics have donated many tens of millions of dollars to create Wahhabi-oriented religious schools, newspapers and outreach organizations.

Some Muslims believe that Saudi funding and Wahhabi proselytization have had a strong effect on world-wide Sunni Islam (they may differ as to whether this is a good thing, or a bad one). Other Muslims say that while the Wahhabis have bought publicity and visibility, it is not clear that they have convinced even a sizable minority of Muslims outside Saudi Arabia to adopt Wahhabi norms.

Haredi (Ultraorthodox) jews

Most theologically conservative form of Orthodox Judaism. A follower of Haredi Judaism is called a Haredi (Haredim in the plural). In non-Jewish circles, it is sometimes referred to as Ultra-Orthodox Judaism, a term never used by those involved, who use the word Ḥaredi or other expressions instead.

Haredi (חֲרֵדִי) is derived from charada, meaning fear or anxiety, which in this context is interpreted as "one who trembles in awe of God" (cf. Isaiah 66:2, Isaiah 66:5).
Haredi Jews, like other Orthodox Jews, consider their belief system and religious practices to extend in an unbroken chain back to Moses and the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai. As a result, they regard non-Orthodox streams of Judaism to be unjustifiable deviations from authentic Judaism.

-Lifestyle:

Haredi life is very family-centered. Depending on various factors, boys and girls attend separate schools and proceed to higher Torah study, in a yeshiva or seminary respectively, starting anywhere between the ages of 13 and 18. A significant proportion of young men remain in yeshiva until their shidduch, a marriage often arranged through facilitated dating. Many also continue study in kollel (a Torah study institute for married men) for many years after marriage. In many Haredi communities, studying in secular institutions is discouraged, although some have educational facilities for vocational training or run professional programs for men and women. Most men, even those not in kollel, will make certain to study Jewish texts (collectively referred to as Torah) daily. Families tend to be large, reflecting adherence to the Torah commandment "be fruitful and multiply"

Haredi poskim (authorities in Jewish law) forbid television and films, reading secular newspapers and using the Internet for non-business purposes. They feel that mobile phones should be programmed to disable internet and other functions that could influence their users in undesired ways, and most companies in Israel now offer basic cell phones with limited capabilities to accommodate Haredim. However, it appears that many Haredi people use the Internet, as evidenced by the large number of participants in "Haredi chat rooms".

Another important stricture is the prohibition of publishing/viewing photographs of women.

-Dress:

Many men have beards, most dress in dark suits, and wear a wide-brimmed hat (typically black) during prayer and while outside, and men wear a kippah at all times. Women adhere to meticulous tznius (modesty) standards, and hence wear long skirts and long sleeves, high necklines and some form of head covering when married (scarves, snoods, shpitzelach, hats, or wigs).

-Israel:

The vast majority of Haredi Jews rejected Zionism for a number of reasons. Chief among these was the claim that Jewish political independence could only be obtained through Divine intervention, with the coming of the Jewish Messiah.
The Haredim are relatively poor, compared to other Israelis, but represent an important market sector.

-Rabbinical organizations and dynasties:

Rabbis of the Edah HaChareidis rabbinical council of Jerusalem.
Rebbes of the Satmar Hasidim (originally Hungary, now New York).
Rebbes of the Gerrer Hasidim (originally Poland, now Israel).
Rebbes of Lubavitch.

Karma कर्म

-Karma Hinduism

One of the first and most dramatic illustrations of karma can be found in the epic Mahabharata. In this poem, Arjuna the protagonist is preparing for battle when he realizes that the enemy consists of members of his own family and decides not to fight. His charioteer, Krishna (an avatar of god), explains to Arjuna the concept of dharma (duty) among other things and makes him see that it is his duty to fight. The whole of the Bhagavad Gita within the Mahabharata, is a dialogue between these two on aspects of life including morality and a host of other philosophical themes. The original Hindu concept of karma was later enhanced by several other movements within the religion, most notably Vedanta, and Tantra.

Karma means "deed" or "act" and more broadly names the universal principle of cause and effect, action and reaction that governs all life.

According to Paramhans Swami Maheshwarananda, we produce Karma in four ways:

*through thoughts
*through words
*through actions that we perform ourselves
*through actions others do under our instructions

Everything that we have ever thought, spoken, done or caused is Karma; as is also that which we think, speak or do this very moment. After death we loose Kriya Shakti (ability to act) and do karma. Actions performed consciously are weighted more heavily than those done unconsciously. But just as poison affects us if taken unknowingly, suffering caused unintentionally will also give appropriate karmic effect. We are in position to do something about our destinity by doing the right thing at the right time. Through positive actions, pure thoughts, prayer, mantra and meditation, we can resolve the influence of the karma in present life and turn the destiny for the better. A spiritual master knowing the sequence in which our Karma will bear fruit, can help us. As humans, we have the opportunity to speed up our spirital progress with practice of good Karma. We produce negative karma because we lack knowledge and clarity.

Sri Tulsidas said: "Our destinity was shaped long before the body came into being."

Hindu scriptures divide karma into three kinds :

Sanchita is the accumulated karma. It would be impossible to experience and endure all Karmas in one life. From this stock of sanchita karma, a handful is taken out to serve one lifetime and this handful of actions, which has begun to bear fruit and which will be exhausted only on their fruit being enjoyed. Hence, It is the sum of one's past karmas – all actions (good and bad) that follow through from one's past life to the next.

Prarabdha Fruit-bearing karma is the portion of accumulated karma that has "ripened" and appears as a particular problem in the present life.
Kriyamana is everything that we produce in current life. All kriyamana karmas flow in to sanchita karma and consequently shape our future.
In this way, so long as the stock of sanchita karma lasts, a part of it continues to be taken out as prarabdha karma for being enjoyed in one lifetime, leading to the cycle of birth and death. A Jiva cannot attain moksha until the accumulated sanchita karmas are completely exhausted.

Karma is also considered to be a spiritually originated law. Many Hindus see God's direct involvement in this process, while others consider the natural laws of causation sufficient to explain the effects of karma.

Followers of Vedanta consider Ishvara, a personal supreme God, as playing a role in the delivery of karma. Theistic schools of Hinduism such as Vedanta thus disagree with the Buddhist and Jain views and other Hindu views that karma is merely a law of cause and effect but rather is also dependent on the will of a personal supreme God. Examples of a personal supreme God include Shiva in Shaivism or Vishnu in Vaishnavism. A good summary of this theistic view of karma is expressed by the following: "God does not make one suffer for no reason nor does He make one happy for no reason. God is very fair and gives you exactly what you deserve."

Karma is not punishment or retribution but simply an extended expression or consequence of natural acts. The effects experienced are also able to be mitigated by actions and are not necessarily fated. That is to say, a particular action now is not binding to some particular, pre-determined future experience or reaction; it is not a simple, one-to-one correspondence of reward or punishment.

Karma is not fate, for humans act with free will creating their own destiny. According to the Vedas, if we sow goodness, we will reap goodness; if we sow evil, we will reap evil. Karma refers to the totality of our actions and their concomitant reactions in this and previous lives, all of which determines our future. The conquest of karma lies in intelligent action and dispassionate response.


-SIKHISM-

Within Sikhism, all living beings are described as being under the influence of Maya's three qualities namely Rajas (mode of passion), Tamas (mode of ignorance), and Saatav (mode of goodness)[citation needed]. Always present together in varying mix and degrees, these three qualities of Maya bind the Soul to the body and to the earth plane. Above these three qualities is the eternal time. Due to the influence of three modes of Maya's nature, jivas (individual beings) perform activities under the control and purview of the eternal time. These activities are called Karma. The underlying principle is that karma is the law that brings back the results of actions to the person performing them.

This life is likened to a field (Khet) in which our Karma is the seed. We harvest exactly what we sow. No less, no more. This infallible law of Karma holds everyone responsible for what the person is or going to be. Based on the total sum of past Karma, some feel close to the Pure Being in this life, and others feel separated. This is the Gurbani's (Sri Guru Granth Sahib, SGGS) law of Karma. Like other Indian as well as oriental school of thoughts, the Gurbani also accepts the doctrines of Karma and reincarnation as the facts of nature.

Khat- قات (drug)

Khat contains the alkaloid called cathinone, an amphetamine-like stimulant which is said to cause excitement, loss of appetite and euphoria. In 1980 the World Health Organization classified khat as a drug of abuse that can produce mild to moderate psychological dependence. The plant has been targeted by anti-drug organizations like the DEA. It is a controlled/illegal substance in many countries.

-History:

Man consuming khat in Sana'a, Yemen, January 2009It's believed that it is Ethiopian in origin, from where it spread to the hillsides of East Africa and Yemen. Others[who?] believe that khat originated in Yemen before spreading to Ethiopia and nearby countries. Sir Richard Burton explains that khat was introduced to the Yemen from Ethiopia in the 15th century.

-Effects:

Comparison of physical harm and dependence regarding various drugs (the British medical journal The Lancet)Khat consumption induces mild euphoria and excitement. A meta-analysis in The Lancet has stated that khat creates a pleasuring effect to the same degree as ecstasy. Individuals become very talkative under the influence of the drug and may appear to be unrealistic and emotionally unstable. Khat can induce manic behaviors and hyperactivity. Khat is an effective anorectic and its use also results in constipation. Dilated pupils (mydriasis), which are prominent during khat consumption, reflect the sympathomimetic effects of the drug, which are also reflected in increased heart rate and blood pressure. A state of drowsy hallucinations (hypnagogic hallucinations) may result coming down from khat use as well. Withdrawal symptoms that may follow occasional use include mild depression and irritability. Withdrawal symptoms that may follow prolonged khat use include lethargy, mild depression, nightmares, and slight tremor. Long-term use can precipitate the following effects: negative impact on liver function, permanent tooth darkening (of a greenish tinge), susceptibility to ulcers, and diminished sex drive. Those who abuse the drug generally cannot stay without it for more than 4–5 days, feeling tired and having difficulty concentrating.Occasionally a psychosis can result, resembling a hypomanic state in presentation.

-Demographics:

It is estimated that several million people are frequent users of khat. Many of the users originate from countries between Sudan and Madagascar and in the southwestern part of the Arabian Peninsula, especially Yemen. In Yemen, 80% of the males and 45% of the females were found to be khat users who had chewed daily for long periods of their life. The traditional form of khat chewing in Yemen involves only male users; khat chewing by females is less formal and less frequent. In Saudi Arabia, the cultivation and consumption of khat are forbidden, and the ban is strictly enforced. The ban on khat is further supported by the clergy on the grounds that the Qur'an forbids anything that is harmful to the body. In Somalia, 61% of the population reported that they do use khat, 18% report habitual use, and 21% are occasional users.

Researchers estimate that about 70-80% of Yemenis between 16 and 50 years old chew khat, at least on occasion, and it has been estimated that Yemenis spend about 14.6 million person-hours per day chewing khat. The local researcher Ali Al-Zubaidi has estimated that the amount of money spent on khat has increased from 14.6 billion rials in 1990 to 41.2 billion rials in 1995. Researchers have also estimated that families spend about 17% of their income on khat (the real number may be more).

Somali Pirates

Piracy off the Somali coast has been a threat to international shipping since the beginning of Somalia's civil war in the early 1990s.[1] Since 2005, many international organizations, including the International Maritime Organization and the World Food Programme, have expressed concern over the rise in acts of piracy.[2] Piracy has contributed to an increase in shipping costs and impeded the delivery of food aid shipments. Ninety percent of the World Food Programme's shipments arrive by sea, and ships have required a military escort

Somali Pirates Profile:

Most pirates are aged 20–35 years old and come from the region of Puntland, a region in northeastern Somalia. The East African Seafarers' Association estimates that there are at least five pirate gangs and a total of 1,000 armed men.According to a BBC report, the pirates can be divided into three main categories:

Local Somali fishermen, considered the brains of the pirates' operations due to their skill and knowledge of the sea.
Ex-militiamen who used to fight for the local clan warlords, used as the muscle.
Technical experts who operate equipment such as the GPS devices.

According to Globalsecurity.org, there are four main groups operating off the Somali coast. The "National Volunteer Coast Guard" (NVCG), commanded by Garaad Mohamed, is said to specialize in intercepting small boats and fishing vessels around Kismayu on the southern coast. The "Marka group", under the command of Sheikh Yusuf Mohamed Siad (also known as Yusuf Indha'adde), is made up of several scattered and less organized groups operating around the town of Marka. The third significant pirate group is composed of traditional Somali fishermen operating around Puntland and referred to as the "Puntland Group". The last set are the "Somali Marines" and reputed to be the most powerful and sophisticated of the pirate groups with a military structure, a fleet admiral, admiral, vice admiral and a head of financial operations.

-Effects and perceptions:

There have been both positive and negative effects of the pirates' economic success. Local residents have complained that the presence of so many armed men makes them feel insecure, and that their freespending ways cause wild fluctuations in the local exchange rate. Others fault them for excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages and khat.
On the other hand, many other residents appreciate the rejuvenating effect that the pirates' on-shore spending and re-stocking has had on their impoverished towns, a presence which has oftentimes provided jobs and opportunity when there were none. Entire hamlets have in the process been transformed into veritable boomtowns, with local shop owners and other residents using their gains to purchase items such as generators -- "allowing full days of electricity, once an unimaginable luxury.

-Weaponry and funding:

The pirates get most of their weapons from Yemen, but a significant amount comes from Mogadishu, Somalia's capital.

Various photographs of pirates in situ indicate that their weapons are predominantly AKM assault rifles, RPG-7 rocket launchers and semi-automatic pistols such as the TT-30. Additionally, given the particular origin of their weaponry, they are likely to have hand grenades such as the RGD-5 or F1.

-Ships held by Somali pirates:

CAPT. STEPHANOS: Seized Sept. 21. The freighter was flying the Bahamas flag. It was carrying a cargo of coal and has 17 Filipinos, one Chinese and a Ukrainian aboard.

FAINA: Seized Sept. 24. The ship was carrying 33 T-72 tanks, grenade launchers and ammunition destined for Kenya's Mombasa port. Pirates have demanded $20 million in ransom.

AFRICAN SANDERLING: Seized Oct. 15. The Panama-flagged, Japanese-operated, and Korea-owned bulk carrier has 21 Filipino crew aboard.
STOLT STRENGTH: Seized Nov. 10. The chemical tanker with 23 Filipino crew aboard was hijacked by pirates in the Gulf of Aden. It was carrying 23,818 tonnes of oil products.

THE KARAGOL: Seized Nov. 12. The Turkish ship with 14 crew was hijacked off Yemen. It was transporting more than 4,000 tonnes of chemicals to the port of Bombay.

TIANYU 8: Seized Nov. 13/14. The Chinese fishing boat was reported seized off Kenya. The crew included 15 Chinese, one Taiwanese, one Japanese, three Filipinos and four Vietnamese.

CHEMSTAR VENUS: Seized Nov. 15. The combined chemical and oil tanker was travelling from Dumai, Indonesia to the Ukraine. It had 18 Filipino and five South Korean crew.

SIRIUS STAR: Seized Nov. 15. The Saudi supertanker, the biggest ship ever hijacked, held as much as 2 million barrels of oil. Captured off east Africa, it had 25 crew from Croatia, Britain, the Philippines, Poland and Saudi Arabia.

THE DELIGHT: Seized Nov. 18. The Hong Kong-flagged ship with 25 crew aboard is loaded with 36,000 tonnes of wheat bound for Iran. It was captured off the coast of Yemen.
ADINA: Seized last week. The Adina is a Yemeni-operated bulk carrier and carried seven crew, including three Somalis, two Yemenis and two Panamanians.

BISCAGLIA: Seized on Nov. 28. The Biscaglia is a Liberian-flagged chemical tanker with 30 crew on board, 25 Indians, three Britons and two Bangladeshis.
Sources: Reuters/International Maritime Bureau Piracy Reporting Centre/Lloyds List/Inquirer.net

Queen of Sheba

Born: c. 10th century B.C.
Birthplace: Sheba (now Yemen or Ethiopia)
Died: c. 10th century B.C.
Best Known As: The wealthy queen who tested Solomon.

Queen of Sheba was an ancient name for Abyssinia, a kingdom on the Red Sea in the vicinity of modern Ethiopia and Yemen. The Queen of Sheba is best known for a story in the Bible's book of Kings: at the head of a caravan of riches, she visits Israel's King Solomon to test his legendary wisdom. After Solomon successfully answers her riddles, the queen showers him with gifts. According to Ethiopian tradition the queen returned to Sheba and bore a son by Solomon, Menelik I, who was the beginning of the Ethiopian royal dynasty.

Ramadan is coming...

The first evening of Ramadan:

In many places around the world Muslims will be looking to the heavens this evening. They will be interested in knowing if they will be able to see the crescent moon. If it is visible this will be the signal for the beginning of the month of Ramadan. (In most countries religious authorities will make a proclamation concerning the beginning of Ramadan). No fasting will take place till tomorrow morning. Muslims will rise early to eat their breakfast before the day begins. Afterwards they will not have anything else to eat or drink till nightfall. This will be their daily experience during the next 30 days.

Fasting - Ramazan:

Fasting is one of the Five Pillars of the religion of Islam and one of the highest forms of Islamic worship. Abstinence from earthly pleasures and curbing evil intentions and desires is regarded as an act of obedience and submission to God as well as an atonement for sins, errors, and mistakes. Called Ramadan (or Ramazan), Muslims fast during this holy month from the moment when it first starts to get light until sunset. Muslims fast as an act of faith and worship towards Allah, seeking to suppress their desires and increase their spiritual piety. Fasting together as a worldwide community - Ummah - affirms the brotherhood and equality of man before Allah.

The Meaning of Ramadan:

The name Ramadan is derived from the Arabic word ramida or ar-ramad, denoting intense scorching heat and dryness, especially the ground. From the same word there is ramdaa, meaning ’sunbaked sand’ and the famous proverb Kal Mustajeer minar ramadaa binnar - to jump out of the frying pan into the fire. Some say it is so called because Ramadan scorches out the sins with good deeds, as the sun burns the ground.

The Special Feeling of Ramadan:

Ramadan brings out a special feeling of emotional excitement and religious zeal among Muslims of all ages. Though fasting is mandatory only for adults, children as young as eight willingly observe fasting with their elders. Children look forward to the excitement of sighting the moon and eating special meals with their families. Adults appreciate the opportunity to double their rewards from God and seek forgiveness for past sins. As Ramadan emphasizes Muslim brotherhood and community all feel a particular closeness.

Muslims have to change their whole physical and emotional selves during this 30 long days of fasting. A typical day of fasting begins with getting up early, around 4:30a.m. and sharing a meal called Sahur together before the fast begins at dawn, about 5:10a.m. As dawn breaks, the first of five daily prayers, Fajr, is offered.

As the day proceeds, fasting Muslims are constantly bombarded with messages from their stomachs that it is time for breakfast, snack, lunch, and so on. And each time, Muslims remind themselves that they are fasting for the sole purpose of pleasing Allah and seeking his mercy. They offer the second and third prayers during early and late afternoon, respectively.

Fasting helps one to experience how a hungry person feels and what it is like to have an empty stomach. It teaches one to share the sufferings of the less fortunate. Muslims believe that fasting leads one to appreciate the bounties of Allah, which are usually taken for granted - until they are missed!

Throughout the day Muslims are encouraged to go out of their way to help the needy, both financially and emotionally. Some believe that a reward earned during this month is multiplied 70 times and more. For this reason, Ramadan is also known as the month of charity and generosity.

To a Muslim, fasting not only means abstaining from food, but also refraining from all vice and evils committed consciously or unconsciously. It is believed that if one volunteers to refrain from lawful foods and sex, they will be in a better position to avoid unlawful things and acts during the rest of the year.

I borrowed this from here and will continue to bring attention to this through the month of September or Ramadan!

Culture of Saudi Arabia

The cultural setting of Saudi Arabia is Arab and Muslim. To preserve the country’s Wahhabi purist religious position, many proscriptions of behaviour and dress are enforced. Alcoholic beverages are prohibited, for example, and there is no theatre or public exhibition of films (until recently). Educated Saudis are well informed on issues of the Arab world, the Muslim world, and the world at large, but public expression of opinion about domestic matters is not encouraged. There are organizations such as political parties or labour unions to provide public forums.

-Music and dance

One of Saudi Arabia's most compelling folk rituals is the Al Ardha, the country's national dance. This sword dance is based on ancient Bedouin traditions: drummers beat out a rhythm and a poet chants verses while sword-carrying men dance shoulder to shoulder. Al-sihba folk music, from the Hejaz, has its origins in al-Andalus. In Mecca, Medina and Jeddah, dance and song incorporate the sound of the mizmar, an oboe-like woodwind instrument in the performance of the mizmar dance. The drum is also an important instrument according to traditional and tribal customs. Samri is a popular traditional form of music and dance in which poetry is sung.

-Dress

Saudi Arabian dress follows strictly the principles of hijab (the Islamic principle of modesty, especially in dress). The predominantly loose and flowing but covering garments are helpful in Saudi Arabia's desert climate. Traditionally, men usually wear an ankle-length shirt woven from wool or cotton (known as a thawb), with a keffiyeh (a large checkered square of cotton held in place by a cord coil) or a ghutra (a plain white square made of finer cotton, also held in place by a cord coil) worn on the head. For rare chilly days, Saudi men wear a camel-hair cloak (bisht) over the top. Women's clothes are decorated with tribal motifs, coins, sequins, metallic thread, and appliques. Women are required to wear an abaya or modest clothing when in public.

-Food

Islamic dietary laws forbid the eating of pork and the drinking of alcohol, and this law is enforced strictly throughout Saudi Arabia. Arabic unleavened bread, or khobz, is eaten with almost all meals. Other staples include lamb, grilled chicken, falafel (deep-fried balls), shawarma (spit-cooked sliced lamb), and Ful medames (a paste of fava beans, garlic and lemon). Traditional coffeehouses used to be ubiquitous, but are now being displaced by food-hall style cafes. Arabic tea is also a famous custom, which is used in both casual and formal meetings between friends, family and even strangers. The tea is black (without milk) and has herbal flavoring that comes in many variations.


-Film and theatre

Public theatres and cinemas had been prohibited for over three decades, as Wahhabi tradition deemed those institutions to be incompatible with Islam. However, in June 2009, citizens finally got a chance to go to the movies when Menahi, a film produced by Rotana, owned by Saudi Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal, began showing in the King Fahd cultural centre in Riyadh.

However, an IMAX theatre is available,[2] and in private compounds such as Dhahran and Ras Tanura public theaters can be found, but often are more popular for local music, arts, and theatre productions rather than the exhibition of motion pictures. DVD retail sales, including American and British movies, are legal and widely available.


-Literature:

Some Saudi novelists have had their books published in Aden, Yemen, because of censorship in Saudi Arabia. Despite signs of increasing openness, Saudi novelists and artists in film, theatre, and the visual arts face greater restrictions on their freedom of expression than in the West. Contemporary Saudi novelists include:

Abdul Rahman Munif (exiled, now deceased)
Yousef Al-Mohaimeed
Abdu Khal
Turki al-Hamad (subject of a fatwā and death threats)
Ali al-Domaini (in jail)
Ahmed Abodehman (now writes in French)
Raja'a Alem
Abdullah Al-Qasemi
Rajaa Al Sanie, author of best-selling novel Girls of Riyadh

Temani (yemenite) jew wedding

Weddings and marriage traditions:

A bride in traditional Yemenite Jewish bridal vestment.During a Yemenite Jewish wedding, the bride is bedecked with jewelry and wears the traditional wedding costume of Yemenite Jews. Her elaborate headdress is decorated with flowers and rue leaves, which are believed to ward off evil. Gold threads are woven into the fabric of her clothing. Songs are sung as a central part of a seven-day wedding celebration and their lyrics often tell of friendship and love in alternating verses of Hebrew and Arabic.

Yemenite and other Eastern Jewish communities also perform a henna ceremony, an ancient ritual with Bronze Age origins, a few weeks or days before the wedding. In the ceremony the bride and her guests hands and feet are decorated in intricate designs with a cosmetic paste derived from the henna plant. After the paste has remained on the skin for up to two hours it is removed and leaves behind a deep orange stain that fades after two to three weeks.

Yemenites, like other Middle Eastern and North African Jewish communities, had a special affinity for Henna due to biblical and Talmudic references. Henna, in the Bible, is Camphire, and is mentioned in the Song of Solomon, as well as in the Talmud.

"My Beloved is unto me as a cluster of Camphire in the vineyards of En-Gedi" Song of Solomon, 1:14
Rashi, a Jewish scholar from 11th c France, interpreted this passage that the clusters of henna flowers were a metaphor for forgiveness and absolution, showing that God forgave those who tested Him (the Beloved) in the desert. Henna was grown as a hedgerow around vineyards to hold soil against wind erosion in Israel as it was in other countries. A henna hedge with dense thorny branches protected a vulnerable, valuable crop such as a vineyard from hungry animals. The hedge, which protected and defended the vineyard, also had clusters of fragrant flowers. This would imply a metaphor for henna of a "beloved", who defends, shelters, and delights his lover. In the first millennium BCE, in Canaanite Israel, henna was closely associated with human sexuality and love, and the divine coupling of goddess and consort.

Rabbi Akiva

-Rabbi Akiva – The Simple Shepherd:

Where did Rabbi Akiva get the strength to persevere while watching all but 5 of his students die, his country in revolution, and while being tortured himself?

Akiva ben Yosef ben Avraham was not always a great sage. In fact, he was the son of a convert who was once a thoroughly ignorant and illiterate shepherd. So poor and downtrodden a figure was Akiva ben Yosef that his father-in-law, one of the wealthiest men in Israel, disinherited his daughter, Rachel, for marrying him

At the age of forty, Akiva's life changed suddenly. One day, while out tending his flocks, he noticed a rock with a strange hole going straight through it. This hole was created by constantly dripping water. Akiva ben Yosef decided then and there to go and learn Torah, for if dripping water could bore a hole into solid rock, then even he, a forty year old man could learn Torah through constant effort. He had to start from scratch, for Akiva ben Yosef did not even know the aleph-bet!

Fully supported by Rachel, his wife, he went to study Torah for 12 years. When he returned he overheard his wife tell a friend that she would gladly let him learn for another 12 years. And he did. When he finally returned, he had become the great sage and acquired his 24,000 students.

Like Moses, Rabbi Akiva started as a shepherd. He became one of the greatest sages of the Jewish people with enough wisdom to unravel the intricacies of the law, guide the populace, and inspire an army.


-Rabbi Akiva-Hero and Martyr :

One of Israel's greatest sages, Rabbi Akiva ben Yosef, was a scholar, a teacher, a shepherd and a revolutionary.

A revolutionary? In the year 70 of the Common Era, the Romans destroyed the Second Temple and the Jews were exiled from Jerusalem. The emperor promised to rebuild the city, but his plan was to rebuild it and rename it Aeila Capitalina, dedicating it to the Roman god, Jupiter. This outrageous act, along with the harsh laws forbidding the study of Torah and the observance of many of the mitzvot, led to the Bar Kochba revolt over 60 years after the destruction of the Temple, in the year 132 CE.

While Shimon Bar Kochba was the military commander of the revolt, the spiritual leader was Rabbi Akiva. He had such faith in Bar Kochba that he believed him to be the Messiah, which, unfortunately, he was not. It was during the Bar Kochba revolt that the 24,000 of Rabbi Akiva's students died in a plague. The rabbis understood this plague to be a result of the students lack of respect for each other, and, despite their high level of intellectual development, their lack of proper moral comportment was fatal. Devastated by the death of his pupils, and the failure of the Bar Kochba revolt, Rabbi Akiva nevertheless persevered and continued teaching his surviving students.


Living in such turbulent times, however, Rabbi Akiva's life was not to end peacefully. Ignoring the Roman prohibitions against the Jewish people and their practices, he was declared a criminal for teaching Torah wherever he could, and was eventually captured by the Romans. Tortured, he called out joyfully: "All my life I've been waiting to fulfill the concept 'You shall love Hashem, your G-d, with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your resources...'[the first paragraph of the Shema] and now I finally have the chance." Rabbi Akiva died a martyr's death.

Ayatollah Khomeini

Ayatollah Khomeini- Un ciclo di venti puntate per reccontare la vitá dell´ayatollah ruhollah Khomeini, il fondatore della Repubblica islamica iraniana: non solo la sua infanzia, la giovinezza, gli anni della formazione politica e religiosa e non solo il Khomeini politico e revoluzionario, ma anche le sue abitudini, i drammi familiari, i luoghi in cui é nato e in cui ha vissuto.
Una biografia non convenzionale che cerca di raccontare insieme all´ayatollah piú famoso e piú discusso dei nostri tempi anche L´Iran e il mondo che lo hanno circondato e lo hanno reso uno dei personaggi capaci di determinare alcuni dei mutamenti politici piú significativi del 1990.

Attraversando la vitá dell´ayatollah Khomeini include anche episodi curiosi e inediti: i suoi travestimenti durante l´esilio in Turchia, le sue giornate di riposo al mare e il vezzo di escrivere versi d´amore imitando i grandi poeti mistici irani,
Khomeini, ayatiollah intransigente, fautore di una teocrazia sciita di modello medievale in un paese antico come L´Iran, fanatico integralista e incubo delle democrazie occidentali, ma anche adorato dal suo popolo che nel nome di questo ayatollah accigliato, avaro di sorrisi e di compromessi ha rovesciato una monarchia che durava da 2500 anni.

المملكة العربية السعودية - Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Is an Arab country and the largest country of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Jordan on the northwest, Iraq on the north and northeast, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates on the east, Oman on the southeast, and Yemen on the south. The Persian Gulf lies to the northeast and the Red Sea to its west. It has an estimated population of 27.6 million, and its size is approximately 2,150,000 square kilometres (830,000 sq mi).

The Kingdom is sometimes called "The Land of the Two Holy Mosques" in reference to Mecca and Medinah, the two holiest places in Islam.

Saudi Arabia is the world's leading petroleum exporter.


-Name of King:

King Abdul Aziz (Ibn Saud) 1932 - 1953
King Saud (Saud bin Abdul Aziz), son of King Abdul Aziz 1953 - 1964
King Faisal (Faisal bin Abdul Aziz), son of King Abdul Aziz 1964 - 1975
King Khalid (Khalid bin Abdul Aziz), son of King Abdul Aziz 1975 - 1982
King Fahd (Fahd bin Abdul Aziz), son of King Abdul Aziz 1982 - 2005
King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al-Saud 2005-

-Flag:

green background, with in white letters the Muslim creed in Arabic: "There is no god but God: Muhammad is the Messenger of God."

-Emblem:

a date palm, representing vitality and growth, and two crossed swords, symbolizing justice and strength rooted in faith.

-Location:

southwest Asia, at the crossroads of Europe, Asia and Africa; extending from the Red Sea in the west to the Arabian Gulf in the east; bordered on the north by Jordan, Iraq and Kuwait, on the south, by Yemen and Oman, and on the east by the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain.

-Religion:
Islam, which is the basis of the legal system and of government.

-Language:
Arabic; English widely spoken in urban areas.

-National Day:
September 23, commemorating the foundation of the modern Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 1932.

The 13 provinces and their capitals:

• Riyadh Province
Riyadh

• Makkah Province
Makkah

• Madinah Province
Madinah

• Qasim Province
Buraidah

• Eastern Province
Dammam

• Asir Province
Abha

• Tabuk Province
Tabuk

• Hail Province
Hail

• Northern Border Province
Ar'ar

• Jizan Province
Jizan

• Najran Province
Najran

• Baha Province
Baha

• Jouf Province
Sakakah


-Law:

The Basic Law, in 1992, declared that Saudi Arabia is a monarchy ruled by the progeny of King Abd Al Aziz Al Saud. It also declared the Qur'an as the constitution of the country, governed on the basis of Islamic law.

Criminal cases are tried under Sharia courts in the country. These courts exercise authority over the entire population including foreigners (regardless of religion). Cases involving small penalties are tried in Shari'a summary courts. More serious crimes are adjudicated in Shari'a courts of common pleas. Courts of appeal handle appeals from Shari'a courts.

Civil cases may also be tried under Sharia courts with one exception: Shia may try such cases in their own courts. Other civil proceedings, including those involving claims against the Government and enforcement of foreign judgments, are held before specialized administrative tribunals, such as the Commission for the Settlement of Labor Disputes and the Board of Grievances.

The Saudi legal system prescribes capital punishment or corporal punishment, including amputations of hands and feet for certain crimes such as murder, robbery, rape, drug smuggling, homosexual activity, and adultery. The courts may impose less severe punishments, such as floggings, for less serious crimes against public morality such as drunkenness. Murder, accidental death and bodily harm are open to punishment from the victim's family. Retribution may be sought in kind or through blood money. The blood money payable for a woman's accidental death is half as much as that for a man. The main reason for this is that, according to Islamic law, men are expected to be providers for their families and therefore are expected to earn more money in their lifetimes. The blood money from a man would be expected to sustain his family, for at least a short time. Honor killings are also not punished as severely as murder. This generally stems from the fact that honor killings are within a family, and done to compensate for some dishonorable act committed. Slavery was abolished in 1962.

-Calendar:
Islamic (Hijrah), dating from emigration of the Prophet Muhammad from Makkah to Madinah; weekend, Thursday and Friday.

-The 12 months of the Islamic lunar year:
Muharram, Safar, Rabi' Al-Awal, Rabi' Al-Akher, Jumada Al-Awal, Jumada Al-Akher, Rajab, Sha'ban, Ramadan, Shawwal. Dhu Al-Qadah , Dhu Al-Hajjah .

-Holidays:
closure of all offices and schools on Eid Al-Fitr, the feast of the breaking of the fast, from the evening of the last day of Ramadan through the third day of Shawwal; and Eid Al-Adha, the culmination of the Hajj, from the tenth through twelfth of Dhu Al-Hajjah.

-Business:
Government offices Saturday through Wednesday from 7:30 am to 2:30 pm; private businesses from 8:00 am to noon and 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm; general banking from 8:00 am until noon and from 5:00 pm until 8:00 pm and markets and shops from 8:00 am until 10:00 pm.

-Currency:
Saudi Riyal (SR) pegged to U.S. dollar ($1=SR3.745); bank notes, in Arabic and English, in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 50, 100 and 500 riyals; coins in denominations of 5, 10, 25, 50 and 100 halalahs, with 100 halalahs equal to one riyal; metric system in use.

Ash Shabaab (Somalia)

Ash-Shabaab, Hizbul Shabaab ( "The Party of Youth").A group of Somali Islamists, primarily acting in Somalia.

The group developed in the wake of the loss of the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) at the hands of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and its backers, primarily the military of Ethiopia, in the War in Somalia (2006–present).
An estimated 3,000 or so members of the ICU went underground to form an insurgency and armed cells across Mogadishu and elsewhere in Somalia, and are conducting attacks against the government and the allied Ethiopian forces. The term Shabaab ("youth") is common in the Islamic world for youth groups, and the current movement should not be confused with other similarly named organizations.

One of the group's primary objectives is the establishment of the rule of sharia.

Their origins are not clearly known, but former members say Hizbul Shabaab was founded as early as 2004. Al- Shabaab also has various foreign fighters from around the world, according to an Islamic hardliner Sheikh Mukhtar Robow Abu Manssor. Before the losses sustained by the Islamic Courts Union in December 2006, estimates of their strength varied between 3,000 to 7,000 members.

Al-Shabaab is said to have non-Somali foreigners in its ranks, particularly at its leadership. Fighters from the Persian Gulf and international jihadists were called to join the holy war against the Somali government and its Ethiopian allies.
Though Somali Islamists did not use suicide bombing tactics before, the foreign elements of Al-Shabaab are blamed for several suicide bombings. UN's 2006 report stated Iran, Libya, Egypt and others in the Persian Gulf region as the main backers of the Islamist extremists. Egypt has a longstanding policy of securing the Nile River flow by destabilizing Ethiopia. Similarly, recent media reports also cited Egyptian and Arab jihadists as the core elements of the Al-Shabaab, who are training Somalis in sophisticated weaponry and suicide bombing techniques. A few young Somali men who have emigrated with their families to the United States have also reportedly been recruited to fight in Somalia. According to UN Security Council documents, submitted by the US there are some 280-300 fighters being used by Somali rebel groups, mostly Al-Shabaab.

*The group has been blamed or claimed responsibility for, among other attacks, the February 2008 Bosaso bombings and the 2008 Hargeisa–Bosaso bombings.By late 2008, it was estimated that the group controlled the whole of southern Somalia, except for some pockets of Mogadishu. This was more territory than that controlled by the Islamic Courts Union at the height of their power.

*On February 22, 2009, al-Shabaab carried out a suicide car bomb attack against an African Union military base in Mogadishu, killing at least six Burundian peacekeepers.

*In May, 2009, al-Shabaab, along with allied grou Hizbul Islam launched a major offensive in the city of Mogadishu to take over the city leaving hundreds killed and injured and tens of thousands displaced. The group made large gains, taking over most of the capital.

Arab States- العالم العربي‎

The Arab World refers to Arabic-speaking countries stretching from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Arabian Sea in the east, and from the Mediterranean Sea in the north to the Horn of Africa and the Indian Ocean in the southeast. It consists of 25 countries and territories with a combined population of 325 million people straddling two continents.

-States and territories:

*Algeria (al-Jazā'ir الجزائر)

*Bahrain (al-Baḥrayn البحرين)

*Chad (Tshād تشاد) Arabic is one of the official languages, the other being French. Often not considered an Arab state.

*Comoros (Juzur al-Qamar جزر القمر) (Comorian and French are the other two official languages)

*Djibouti (Jībūtī جيبوتي) (French is the other official language)

*Egypt (Miṣr مصر)

*Eritrea (Iritriya إرتريا) Arabic is one of the official languages, the other being Tigrinya. Has a large number of Arabic speakers. Often not considered an Arab state.

*Iraq (al-`Irāq العراق) (Kurdish is the other official language (minority))

*Israel (Isrā'īl اسرائيل) (Though not recognized by many Arab states, such as Saudi Arabia, Israel has a large native Arabic-speaking minority. Arabic is one of two official languages, the other being Hebrew)

*Jordan (al-'Urdunn الأردن)

*Kuwait (al-Kuwayt الكويت)

*Lebanon (Lubnān لبنان)

*Libya (Lībiyā ليبيا)

*Mauritania (Mūrītāniyā موريتانيا)

*Morocco (Al-Maġrib المغرب)

*Oman (`Umān عمان)

*Palestinian Authority (Al-Sulta Al-Filasṭīniyya السلطة الفلسطينية) (Full member of Arab League, but not recognized by the U.N., Israel, or most Western states)

*Qatar (Qaṭar قطر)

*Saudi Arabia (al-`Arabiyya as-Sa`ūdiyya العربية السعودية)

*Somalia (aṣ-Ṣūmāl الصومال) (Somali is the other official language)

*Sudan (As-Sūdān السودان) (English is the other official language (minority))

*Syria (Sūriya سورية)

*Tunisia (Tūnis تونس)

*United Arab Emirates (al-Imārāt al-`Arabiyyah al-Muttaḥidah الإمارات العربيّة المتّحدة)

*Western Sahara (as-Ṣaḥrā' al-Ġarbīyyah الصحراء الغربية) (Status contested between the POLISARIO Front and the Government of Morocco, which has administered most of Western Sahara since 1975)

*Yemen (al-Yaman اليمن)

Sikhism

Sikhism is a monotheistic religion. The word Sikh means ‘disciple’ and they are the disciples of G-d who follow the writings and teachings of the 10 Sikh Gurus.

-A Sikh believes:

· There is only one God and he is the same God for all
religions.

· The soul goes through a cycle of birth and death
before reaching its human form. The goal of life is to
merge with God and to maintain a balance between
spiritual and temporal obligations.

· The true path to God does not mean a renunciation of
the world but through living the life of a householder,
earning an honest living and avoiding temptation and
sin.

· Sikhism condemns rituals such as fasting,
pilgrimages.

· All people of all races and sex are equal in the eyes of
God. There is total equality between man and woman
and women can participate in any religious function
and lead the congregation in prayer.


-Sikh Afterlife:

Sikhs when they die are generally cremated and mourners come to the Gurudwara and offer prayers. A Saptah (seven day recitation) or Dusehra (ten day recitation) of the Granth is started at the deceased’s house. On the last day the ‘Sadd Ramkali’ is read which tells of the third Guru’s death and the transitory nature of life and the acceptance of God’s will. The period of mourning normally lasts for 10 days. No memorials are erected and it is forbidden to commemorate anniversaries of the death. The ashes are scattered on a river or in the sea.


-Organization:

Sikhs do not have priests. They were abolished by Guru Gobind Singh who felt they had become corrupt and full of ego. In some Gurdwaras a person known as a Granthi is employed to read the scriptures, conduct worship and perform such ceremonies as weddings but they are not considered as a priest – any Sikh can undertake the same tasks at any time. A Sikh can read the Guru Granth Sahib in a Gurdwara (Sikh Temple) or at home.

There are three main branches of Sikhism:

*Udasis – An order of ascetics and holy men, they are often active as missionaries.

*Sahajdharis – Who are clean shaven and do not follow the Khalsa tradition.

*The Khalsa.

-Other Sikh traditions:

Scriptures forbid the eating of meat killed in the Muslim tradition (Halal) and the consumption of tobacco, alcohol or other intoxicants.

Sikhs live according to the Rahit Nama (code of Discipline) which is believed to interpret the Gurbani and to be based upon the teachings of Guru Gobind Singh.

מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל‎ دَوْلَةُ إِسْرَائِيلَ State of Israel

Wars of Israel:
The violent confrontations which appear in this list were recognized as wars by the Defense Minister of Israel:

1948 War of Independence (November 1947 - July 1949), that started by a 6 months of civil war between Jewish and Arab militias at the end of the British Mandate of Palestine and that turned into a regular war after the declaration of independence of Israel and the intervention of several Arab armies. In its conclusion, a set of agreements were signed between Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria called the 1949 Armistice Agreements which established the armistice lines between Israel and the West Bank, also known as the Green Line.

The Sinai War (October 1956) - a military attack on Egypt by Britain, France, and Israel beginning on 29 October 1956 with the intention to occupy the Sinai Peninsula and to take over the Suez Canal. The attack followed Egypt's decision of 26 July 1956 to nationalize the Suez Canal after the withdrawal of an offer by Britain and the United States to fund the building of the Aswan Dam.

Six-Day War (June 1967) - fought between Israel and Arab neighbors Egypt, Jordan, and Syria. The nations of Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Algeria also contributed troops and arms to the Arab forces. Following the war the territory held by Israel expanded significantly ("The Purple Line") : The West Bank, Golan Heights and Sinai were occupied from Jordan, Syria and Egypt, respectively.

War of Attrition (1968-1970) - a limited war fought between the Israeli military and forces of the Egyptian Republic, the USSR and the Palestine Liberation Organization from 1967 to 1970. It was initiated by the Egyptians as a way of recapturing the Sinai from the Israelis, who had been in control of the territory since the mid-1967 Six-Day War. The hostilities ended with a ceasefire signed between the countries in 1970 with frontiers remaining in the same place as when the war began.

Yom Kippur War (October 1973) - fought from October 6 to October 26, 1973 by a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria against Israel as a way of recapturing part of the territories which they lost to the Israelis back in the Six-Day War. The war began with a surprise joint attack by Egypt and Syria on the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur. Egypt and Syria crossed the cease-fire lines in the Sinai and Golan Heights, respectively, which had been captured by Israel in 1967 during the Six-Day War.

First Lebanon War (1982) - began in 6 June 1982, when the Israel Defense Forces invaded southern Lebanon. The Government of Israel ordered the invasion as a response to the assassination attempt against Israel's ambassador to the United Kingdom, Shlomo Argov by the Abu Nidal Organization and due to the constant terror attacks on northern Israel made by the terrorist organizations which resided in Lebanon. See also Operation Litani.

Second Lebanon War (summer 2006) - began as military operation in response to the abduction of two Israeli reserve soldiers by the Hezbollah. The operation gradually strengthened, to become a wider confrontation. The principal parties were Hezbollah paramilitary forces and the Israeli military. The conflict started on 12 July 2006, and continued until a United Nations-brokered ceasefire went into effect on 14 August 2006, though it formally ended on 8 September 2006 when Israel lifted its naval blockade of Lebanon.


*Violent confrontations that were not recognized as wars:

The retribution operations (in the years 1950s) - originally held to get a high 'blood cost' in the Arab side for every terror action made by the Fedayeen which would occasionally infiltrate into Israel.

Operation Litani (March 1978)- The 1978 South Lebanon conflict (code-named Operation Litani by Israel) was an invasion of Lebanon up to the Litani River carried out by the Israel Defense Forces in 1978.

The fighting in Southern Lebanon (1985 - 2000) - held in order to maintain a security zone which prevented attacks on the northern border of Israel until Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon in 2000.

The First Intifada (Erupted in December 1987) - was a mass Palestinian uprising against Israeli rule that began in the Jabalia refugee camp and quickly spread throughout Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

The Gulf War (1991) - during the war the major cities in Israel were attacked by missiles which were launched from Iraq. Israel was abstained from reacting in militaristic means in response to the Iraqi aggression.

The al-Aqsa Intifada (Erupted in September 2000) - the second massive Palestinian uprising against Israeli rule in the occupied territories.

Operation Cast Lead (2008-2009) - a military operation of the IDF held in the Gaza Strip. The strikes were a response to frequent Palestinian Qassam rocket and mortar fire on its southern civilian communities.

Afar عفار

Afar are an ethnic group in the Horn of Africa who reside principally in the Danakil Desert in the Afar Region of Ethiopia, as well as in Eritrea and Djibouti. They number 1,276,374 people in Ethiopia (or 1.73% of the total population), of whom 108,488 are urban inhabitants, according to the most recent census (2007).

They are sometimes called Danakil, a name used specifically to refer to northern Afars, while southern Afars can be called Adel (also transliterated as Adal), similar to the former Adal Sultanate.

Culture and Lifestyle:

Although some Afar have migrated to cities and adopted an urban lifestyle, the majority have remained nomadic.
Traditionally, the society is ruled by sultanates made up of several villages headed by a dardar.

Afar are organized into clan families, and into classes -- asaimara ('reds') who are the dominant class politically, and the adoimara ('whites') who are a working class.

Circumcision is practiced for both boys and girls. A boy is judged for his bravery upon bearing the pain of circumcision, and is then allowed to marry the girl of his choice, though preferably someone from his own ethnic group.

The Afar have a strong relationship with their environment and its wildlife, sharing land and resources with animals and doing them no harm. It is this tendency that is largely responsible for the preservation of the critically endangered African wild ass (Equus africanus), which has become extinct in more vulnerable environments.
The Afar culture features unique items of clothing.

These include:

*When married, women traditionally wear a black headscarf called a shash or mushal.

*For men and women, the main article of clothing is the sanafil, a waistcloth. Women's are dyed brown (although today many women adopt multi-coloured sanafil) while men's are undyed.

Religion:

The Afar began to convert to Islam in the 10th century after contact with Arab merchants from the Arabian Peninsula.

Afar lenguage:

East Cushitic language spoken in Ethiopia, Eritrea and Djibouti. It is believed to have 1.5 million speakers, the Afar. The basic word order in Afar, like in other East Cushitic languages, is subject object verb. Its speakers have a literacy rate of between one and three per cent. Its closest relative is the Saho language.