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alwaysbewoke · 6 months

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NINE HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS COMPARE ZIONIST POLICIES TO THOSE OF THE NAZIS

“Sometime after [1956] I heard a news item about Israelis herding Palestinians into settlement camps. I just could not believe this. Weren’t the Israelis also Jews? Hadn’t we – they – just survived the greatest pogrom of our history? Weren’t [concentration] camps – often euphemistically called ‘settlement camps’ by the Nazis – the main feature of this pogrom? How could Jews in any measure do unto others what had been done to them? How could these Israeli Jews oppress and imprison other people? In my romantic imagination, the Jews in Israel were socialists and people who knew right from wrong. This was clearly incorrect. I felt let down, as if I was being robbed of a part of what I had thought was my heritage. …

I have to say to the Israeli government, which claims to speak in the name of all Jews, that it is not speaking in my name. I will not remain silent in the face of the attempted annihilation of the Palestinians; the sale of arms to repressive regimes around the world; the attempt to stifle criticism of Israel in the media worldwide; or the twisting of the knife labelled ‘guilt’ in order to gain economic concessions from Western countries. Of course, Israel’s geo-political position has a greater bearing on this, at the moment. I will not allow the confounding of the terms ‘anti-Semitic’ and ‘anti-Zionist’ to go unchallenged.”

Dr. Marika Sherwood, ‘How I became an anti-Israel Jew’, Middle East Monitor, 7/3/18. Marika Sherwood is a survivor of the Budapest ghetto.

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“Israel, in order to survive, has to renounce the wish for domination and then it will be a much better place for Jews also. The immediate analogy which a lot of people are making in Israel is Germany. Not only the Germany of Hitler and the Nazis but even the former German Empire wanted to dominate Europe. What happened in Japan after the attack on China is that they wanted to dominate a huge area of Asia. When Germany and Japan renounced the wish for domination, they became much nicer societies for the Japanese and Germans themselves. In addition to all the Arab considerations, I would like to see Israel, by renouncing the desire for domination, including domination of the Palestinians, become a much nicer place for Israelis to live.”

Dr. Israel Shahak, Middle East Policy Journal, Summer 1989, no.29. Israel Shahak was a survivor of the Warsaw ghetto and Bergen-Belsen concentration camp.

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“I am pained by the parallels I observe between my experiences in Germany prior to 1939 and those suffered by Palestinians today. I cannot help but hear echoes of the Nazi mythos of ‘blood and soil’ in the rhetoric of settler fundamentalism which claims a sacred right to all the lands of biblical Judea and Samaria. The various forms of collective punishment visited upon the Palestinian people – coerced ghettoization behind a ‘security wall’; the bulldozing of homes and destruction of fields; the bombing of schools, mosques, and government buildings; an economic blockade that deprives people of the water, food, medicine, education and the basic necessities for dignified survival – force me to recall the deprivations and humiliations that I experienced in my youth. This century-long process of oppression means unimaginable suffering for Palestinians.”

Dr. Hajo Meyer, ‘An Ethical Tradition Betrayed’, Huffington Post, 27/1/10. Hajo Meyer was a survivor of Auschwitz.

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“As a Jewish youngster growing up in Budapest, an infant survivor of the Nazi genocide, I was for years haunted by a question resounding in my brain with such force that sometimes my head would spin: ‘How was it possible? How could the world have let such horrors happen?’

It was a naïve question, that of a child. I know better now: such is reality. Whether in Vietnam or Rwanda or Syria, humanity stands by either complicitly or unconsciously or helplessly, as it always does. In Gaza today we find ways of justifying the bombing of hospitals, the annihilation of families at dinner, the killing of pre-adolescents playing soccer on a beach. …

There is no understanding Gaza out of context – Hamas rockets or unjustifiable terrorist attacks on civilians – and that context is the longest ongoing ethnic cleansing operation in the recent and present centuries, the ongoing attempt to destroy Palestinian nationhood.

The Palestinians use tunnels? So did my heroes, the poorly armed fighters of the Warsaw Ghetto. Unlike Israel, Palestinians lack Apache helicopters, guided drones, jet fighters with bombs, laser-guided artillery. Out of impotent defiance, they fire inept rockets, causing terror for innocent Israelis but rarely physical harm. With such a gross imbalance of power, there is no equivalence of culpability. …

And what shall we do, we ordinary people? I pray we can listen to our hearts. My heart tells me that ‘never again’ is not a tribal slogan, that the murder of my grandparents in Auschwitz does not justify the ongoing dispossession of Palestinians, that justice, truth, peace are not tribal prerogatives. That Israel’s ‘right to defend itself,’ unarguable in principle, does not validate mass killing.

Dr. Gabor Mate, ‘Beautiful Dream of Israel has become a Nightmare’, Toronto Star, 22/7/14. Gabor Mate is a survivor of the Budapest ghetto.

#israel #gaza #gaza strip #palestine #free palestine #anti-semitic #islamophobia #zionism

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luxe-pauvre · 10 months

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The good procrastinator accepts the fact that she can’t get everything done, then decides as wisely as possible what tasks to focus on and what to neglect. By contrast, the bad procrastinator finds himself paralysed precisely because he can’t bear the thought of confronting his limitations. For him, procrastination is a strategy of emotional avoidance — a way of trying not to feel the psychological distress that comes with acknowledging that he’s a finite human being. The limitations we’re trying to avoid when we engage in this self-defeating sort of procrastination frequently don’t have anything to do with how much we’ll be able to get done in the time available; usually, it’s a matter of worrying that we won’t have the talent to produce work of sufficient quality, or that others won’t respond to it as we’d like them to, or that in some other way things won’t turn out as we want. The philosopher Costica Bradatan illustrates the point by means of a fable about an architect from Shiraz in Persia who designed the world’s most beautiful mosque: a breathtaking structure, dazzlingly original yet classically well proportioned, awe-inspiring in its grandeur yet wholly unpretentious. All those who saw the architectural plans wanted to buy them, or steal them; famous builders begged him to let them take on the job. But the architect locked himself in his study and stared at the plans for three days and nights — then burned them all. He might have been a genius, but he was also a perfectionist: the mosque of his imagination was perfect, and it agonised him to contemplate the compromises that would be involved in making it real. Even the greatest of builders would inevitably fail to reproduce his plans absolutely faithfully; nor would he be able to protect his creation from the ravages of time — from the physical decay or marauding armies that would eventually reduce it to dust. Stepping into the world of finitude, by actually building the mosque, would mean confronting all that he couldn’t do. Better to cherish an ideal fantasy than to resign himself to reality, with all its limitations and unpredictability. Bradatan argues that when we find ourselves procrastinating on something important to us, we’re usually in some version of this same mindset. We fail to see, or refuse to accept, that any attempt to bring our ideas into concrete reality must inevitably fall short of our dreams, no matter how brilliantly we succeed in carrying things off — because reality, unlike fantasy, is a realm in which we don’t have limitless control, and can’t possibly hope to meet our perfectionist standards. Something — our limited talents, our limited time, our limited control over events, and over the actions of other people — will always render our creation less than perfect. Dispiriting as this might sound at first, it contains a liberating message: if you’re procrastinating on something because you’re worried you won’t do a good enough job, you can relax — because judged by the flawless standards of your imagination, you definitely won’t do a good enough job. So you might as well make a start.

Oliver Burkeman, Four Thousand Weeks

#Oliver Burkeman #Four Thousand Weeks

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bfpnola · 8 months

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definitely a longer piece so these excerpts are far from showcasing everything this piece has to offer! read the whole thing on your own time, and in general, just check out jewish currents, an educational, leftist, anti-zionist jewish magazine!

Every August, the township of Edison, New Jersey—where one in five residents is of Indian origin—holds a parade to celebrate India’s Independence Day. In 2022, a long line of floats rolled through the streets, decked out in images of Hindu deities and colorful advertisements for local businesses. People cheered from the sidelines or joined the cavalcade, dancing to pulsing Bollywood music. In the middle of the procession came another kind of vehicle: A wheel loader, which looks like a small bulldozer, rumbled along the route bearing an image of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi aloft in its bucket. For South Asian Muslims, the meaning of the addition was hard to miss. A few months earlier, during the month of Ramadan, Indian government officials had sent bulldozers into Delhi’s Muslim neighborhoods, where they damaged a mosque and leveled homes and storefronts. The Washington Post called the bulldozer “a polarizing symbol of state power under Narendra Modi,” whose ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is increasingly enacting a program of Hindu supremacy and Muslim subjugation. In the weeks after the parade, one Muslim resident of Edison, who is of Indian origin, told The New York Times that he understood the bulldozer much as Jews would a swastika or Black Americans would a Klansman’s hood. Its inclusion underscored the parade’s other nods to the ideology known as Hindutva, which seeks to transform India into an ethnonationalist Hindu state. The event’s grand marshal was the BJP’s national spokesperson, Sambit Patra, who flew in from India. Other invitees were affiliated with the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS), the international arm of the Hindu nationalist paramilitary force Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), of which Modi is a longtime member.

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On December 6th, 1992, a mob of 150,000 Hindus, many of whom were affiliated with the paramilitary group the RSS, gathered at the Babri Masjid, a centuries-old mosque that is one of the most contested sacred sites in the world. Over the preceding century, far-right Hindus had claimed that the mosque, located in the North Indian city of Ayodhya, was built not only upon the site where the Hindu deity Ram was born but atop the foundations of a demolished Hindu temple. The RSS and its affiliates had been campaigning to, in the words of a BJP minister, correct the “historical mistake” of the mosque’s existence, a task the mob completed that December afternoon. “They climbed on top of the domes and tombs,” one witness told NPR. “They were carrying hammers and these three-pronged spears from Hindu scripture. They started hacking at the mosque. By night, it was destroyed.” The demolition sparked riots that lasted months and killed an estimated 2,000 people across the country.

The destruction of the Babri Masjid was arguably Hindu nationalism’s greatest triumph to date. Since its establishment in 1925, the RSS—whose founders sought what one of them called a “military regeneration of the Hindus,” inspired by Mussolini’s Black Shirts and Nazi “race pride”—had been a marginal presence in India: Its members held no elected office, and it was temporarily designated a terrorist organization after one of its affiliates shot and killed Mohandas Gandhi in 1948. But the leveling of the Babri Masjid activated a virulently ethnonationalist base and paved the way for three decades of Hindutva ascendance. In 1998, the BJP formed a government for the first time; in 2014, it returned to power, winning a staggering 282 out of 543 seats in parliament and propelling Modi into India’s highest office. Since then, journalist Samanth Subramanian notes, all of the country’s governmental and civil society institutions “have been pressured to fall in line” with a Hindutva agenda—a phenomenon on full display in 2019, when the Supreme Court of India awarded the land where the Babri Masjid once stood to a government run by the very Hindu nationalists who illegally destroyed it. (Modi has since laid a foundation stone for a new Ram temple in Ayodhya, an event that a prominent RSS activist celebrated with a billboard in Times Square.) The Ayodhya verdict came in the same year that Modi stripped constitutional protections from residents of the Muslim-majority region of Kashmir and passed a law that creates a fast track to citizenship for non-Muslim immigrants, laying the groundwork for a religious test for Indian nationality. Under Modi, “the Hinduization of India is almost complete,” as journalist Yasmeen Serhan has written in The Atlantic.

To achieve its goals, the RSS has worked via a dense network of organizations that call themselves the “Sangh Parivar” (“joint family”) of Hindu nationalism. The BJP, which holds more seats in the Indian parliament than every other party combined, is the Sangh’s electoral face. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) is the movement’s cultural wing, responsible for “Hinduizing” Indian society at the grassroots level. The Bajrang Dal is the project’s militant arm, which enforces Hindu supremacy through violence. Dozens of other organizations contribute money and platforms to the Sangh. The sheer number of groups affords the Sangh what human rights activist Pranay Somayajula has referred to as a “tactical politics of plausible deniability,” in which the many degrees of separation between the governing elements and their vigilante partners shields the former from backlash. This explains how, until 2018, the CIA could describe the VHP and Bajrang Dal as “militant religious organizations”—a designation that applies to non-electoral groups exerting political pressure—even as successive US governments have maintained a warm relationship with their parliamentary counterpart, the BJP.

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The most extreme figures in the Hindu nationalist and Zionist movements were especially frank about the nature of their partnership: “Whether you call them Palestinians, Afghans, or Pakistanis, the root of the problem for Hindus and Jews is Islam,” Bajrang Dal affiliate Rohit Vyasmaan told The New York Times of his friendly relationship with Mike Guzofsky, a member of a violent militant group connected to the infamous Jewish supremacist Meir Kahane’s Kach Party.

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In 2003, Gary Ackerman—a Jewish former congressman who was awarded India’s third-highest civilian honor for helping to found the Congressional Caucus on India—told a gathering of AJC and AIPAC representatives and their Indian counterparts that “Israel [is] surrounded by 120 million Muslims,” while “India has 120 million [within].” Tom Lantos, another Jewish member of the caucus, likewise enjoined the two communities to collaborate: “We are drawn together by mindless, vicious, fanatic, Islamic terrorism.”

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uma1ra · 11 months

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Dua for Dhul Hijjah: First 10 Days

Many of us fail to grasp the immense significance of the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah, despite the fact that our Beloved Prophet (ﷺ) described them as the greatest ten days of the entire year (yes, even greater than the days of Ramadan)!

The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said: “There are no days on which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these ten days.” (Bukhari) That’s why we’re sharing some of the most important Dhul Hijjah duas for these exceptional days.

One of the simple and powerful Sunnahs of this month, especially during the first ten days isto be in a constant state of dhikr, especially to recite takbeer (Allahu Akbar), tahmeed (Alhamdulillah), tahlīl (Lā ilāha illā allah), and tasbeeh (SubhanAllah) - Try to recite these as often as possible at home, heading into work, while in the Mosque and even while you’re just walking down the street - give thanks and praise to Allah (SWT) during this special time and reap the countless blessings He has to offer us.

Dua for Fasting in Dhul Hijjah

Fasting during the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah – the greatest days of the year – will increase the barakah in your life and can even raise your Dhul Hijjah prayers directly to Allah (SWT).

We know from the tradition narrated by Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said among those whose prayers are accepted by God are “...the fasting person until they breaks their fast.’” [Sunan Ibn Majah]

During the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah, and especially on the Day of Arafat, fasting brings even more abundant blessings. The Prophet (ﷺ) even said: “Fasting the day of Arafah erases the sins of two years: the previous year and the coming one.” (Muslim)

Given the unique blessings found in these days, our duas are even more important at this time. When you break your fast after sunset, be sure to recite the following dua for acceptance this month:

اللَّهُمَّ اِنِّى لَكَ صُمْتُ وَبِكَ امنْتُ وَعَليْكَ تَوَكّلتُ وَ عَلى رِزْقِكَ اَفْطَرْتُ

Allahumma inni laka sumtu wa bika aamantu wa alayka tawakkaltu wa ala rizq-ika-aftartu

“O Allah! I fasted for You and I believe in You and I put my trust in You and I break my fast with Your sustenance.”

Dua for the Day of Arafat

لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٍ

Laa ilaaha ill-allaahu, waḥdahu laa shareeka lah, lahul-mulku wa lahul-ḥamdu, wa huwa ‛alaa kulli shay’in qadeer

None has the right to be worshiped except Allah, alone, without partner. To Him belongs sovereignty and all praise and He is over all things omnipotent.

At-Tirmidhi 5:504

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The Messenger (ﷺ) said: “The most excellent dua is the dua on the Day of Arafah, and the best of what I and the prophets before me have said, is ‘There is no god but Allah, alone, without partner.” [Muwatta Malik]

This particular dhikr, or way of remembering Allah, ‘There is no god but Allah’ is commonly known as the Tahlil (meaning rejoicing or jubilation). When you make dua during Dhul Hijjah, and especially on the Day of Arafah, face the Qiblah and raise your hands in complete submission, ask Allah for all that you desire from Him, ask sincerely for His forgiveness and call out to Him. Be sure to repeat this dhikr frequently:

لا إلَهَ إلا اللَّهُ

Lā ilāha illā allah

“There is no god but Allah.”

Dua for the 9th-13th of Dhul Hijjah

It is wajib (compulsory) for every adult Muslim to recite Takbeeraat-e-Tahreeq after fardh salah from the 9th-13th Dhul Hijjah. Men are advised to recite this Dhul Hijjah dua audibly, whilst women should recite this silently. The full dua for the Takbeeraat-e-Tahreeq is as follows:

اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ لَا إلَهَ إلَّا اللَّهُ وَاَللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ وَلِلَّهِ الْحَمْد

Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Laa ilaaha illallahu Wallahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Wa lillahil Hamd.

“Allah is the greatest, Allah is the greatest. There is no deity besides Allah and Allah is the greatest. Allah is the greatest and all praises are for Allah only.”

This is a great prayer to read with your family after each prayer and be sure to get the kids to join in too!

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speck-ofdust · 1 month

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One of the greatest virtues of praying Taraweeh in the mosque, behind the Imam.

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said:

"Whoever prays Qiyam with the Imam until he finishes, Allah (SWT) will record for him the Qiyam of a (whole) night."

—Sunan an-Nasa'i 1605

SubhanAllah! Indeed, Allāh ﷻ is THE MERCIFUL.

#allahﷻ #hadith #islam #islampost #muslimah #ramadan #allahuakbar #deen #deenoverdunya #ramadan kareem #ramadhan

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workersolidarity · 7 months

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🇵🇸🇮🇱 HAMAS LAUNCHES 2'000 ROCKETS AND INFILTRATES ISRAELI SETTLEMENTS

Hamas launched thousands of missiles and a multi-front attack on Israeli settlements outside the Gaza Strip on Saturday morning, killing more than 100 and injuring many hundreds more.

Hamas launched attacks on the settlements of Sderot and Ashkelon, releasing videos of Palestinian militants launching raids on Israeli communities. The attack began at 6:30am local time.

Israel has already launched a retaliatory bombardment of Gaza.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a recorded video message, told Israelis, "citizens of Israel, we are at war" from the Israeli Military headquarters in Tel Aviv.

According to a senior Hamas Military Commander by the name Mohammed Deif, the launch of 2'000 rockets into Israeli settlements marked the start of "Operation Al-Aqsa Flood."

"We've decided to say enough's enough" Deif said in a recorded message as he urged all Palestinians to confront Israel, "this is the day of the greatest battle to end the last occupation on Earth."

Later Saturday morning, Israeli Defense Forces began bombardment of Gaza in what IDF Forces are calling "Operation Iron Swords" with IDF soldiers fighting in several locations throughout the Gaza strip.

“Right now we’re fighting. We’re fighting in certain locations around the Gaza Strip … our forces are now fighting on the ground,” Israel’s army spokesman Richard Hecht told Al Jazeera News.

Tensions had been rising for some time in the area, with recent raids on the Al Aqsa mosque leading to several skirmishes in the last year and Israeli Defense Forces have killed 247 Palestinians in that time while only 32 Israelis and two foreign nationals have been killed in Palestinian attacks.

Hamas has called on all "resistance fighters in the West Bank" as well as "our Arab and Islamic nations" to join the fight against Israeli occupation and apartheid.

#source

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misterlemonztenth · 4 months

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01-02-24 | The Shah Mosque in Isfahan, Iran, is one of the World's greatest treasures. It was built in 1629. Why don't Americans know that any war with Iran could destroy one of the World's most treasured cultrures? Persia is one of the essential cradles of World civilization. We cannot lose her. We talk about other countries as they are our playthings. No wonder the Moslems think of us as The Great Satan. misterlemonztenth.tumblr.com/archive

#misterlemonztenth #original post #MOSQUE #tile #blue #iran #1600s

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freepalestinesposts · 2 months

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The apartheid/ genocide zionist machine has been working perfidiously for over 75 years.

Blaming Hamas for a desperate attempt to divert attention is the ultimate example of hypocrisy. Resistance and struggle was the only option to stop the world's greatest hotbed of crises controlled by merchants of death and wepons

Photo: Al Aqsa mosque April 2023.

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sabiraa-a · 1 year

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Khushoo in Salah

(Part 1)

Salaah is the greatest of the practical pillars of Islam, and khushoo in prayer is required by sharee’ah.

When Iblees, the enemy of Allah ﷻ, vowed to mislead and tempt the sons of Adam and said “Then I will come to them from before them and behind them, from their right and from their left...” [al-A‟raaf 7:17, interpretation of the meaning], one of his most significant plots became to divert people from salaah by all possible means and to whisper to them during their prayer so as to deprive them of the joy of this worship and cause them to lose the reward for it. As khushoo’ will be the first thing to disappear from the earth, and we are living in the last times, the words of Hudhayfah (رضي اللّٰه عنه) are particularly pertinent to us: “The first thing of your religion that you will lose is khushoo’, and the last thing that you will lose of your religion is salaah. There may be a person praying who has no goodness in him, and soon you will enter the mosque and not find anyone who has khushoo‟.” (al-Madaarij, 1/521).

Allah ﷻ says (interpretation of the meaning): “Successful indeed are the believers, those who offer their salaah (prayers) with all solemnity and full submissiveness.” [al- Mu‟minoon 23:1-2] – i.e., fearing Allah ﷻ and in a calm manner.

Khushoo’ means calmness, serenity, tranquility, dignity and humility. What makes a person have this khushoo‟ is fear of Allah and the sense that He is always watching.* (Tafseer Ibn Katheer, Daar al-Sha‟b edn., 6/414).

Khushoo’ means that the heart stands before the Lord in humility and submission. *(al-Madaarij, 1/520).

It was reported that Mujaahid said: “‟...and stand before Allah with obedience” [al- Baqarah 2:238 – interpretation of the meaning]‟ – part of obedience is to bow, to be solemn and submissive, to lower one’s gaze and to humble oneself out of fear of Allah, may He be glorified.” (Ta‟zeem Qadr al-Salaah, 1/188).

The site of khushoo’ is the heart, and its effects are manifested in the physical body. The various faculties follow the heart: if the heart is corrupted by negligence or insinuating whispers from Shaytan, the worship of the body‟s faculties will also be corrupt.

Making a show of khushoo is condemned. Among the signs of sincerity are concealment of khushoo’

Hudhayfah (رضي اللّٰه عنه ) used to say: “Beware of the khushoo‟ of hypocrisy.” He was asked, “What is the khushoo‟ of hypocrisy?” He said, “When the body shows khushoo’ but there is no khushoo’ in the heart.” Fudayl ibn Ayaad said: “It was disliked for a man to show more khushoo‟ than he had in his heart.” One of them saw a man showing khushoo’ in his shoulders and body, and said, “O So and so, khushoo‟ is here” – and he pointed to his chest, “not here” – and he pointed to his shoulders. (al-Madaarij, 1/521)

Allah has mentioned al-khaashi’eena wa’l-khaashi’aat (men and women who are humble (before their Lord)), and described this quality as one of the qualities of those who are chosen. He tells us that He has prepared for them forgiveness and a great reward (i.e., Paradise). [See al-Ahzaab 33:35].

Khushoo is very important, but it is something that is easily lost and is rarely seen, especially in our own times, which are the last times. The Prophet ﷺ said: “The first thing to be lifted up (taken away) from this ummah will be khushoo‟, until you will see no one who has khushoo‟.” (Al-Haythami said in al-Majma‟, 2/136: It was reported by al-Tabaraani in al-Kabeer, and its isnaad is hasan. See also Saheeh al-Targheeb, no. 543. He said it is saheeh).

Source: 33 Ways of Developing Khushoo’ in Salah by Sheikh Muhammed Salih al-Munajjid

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1533-secrets-from-history · 11 months

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Valide Afife Nurbanu Sultan Vs Valide Melike Safiye Sultan.

My previous pool showed that as I expected Safiye is regarded as more powerful than Nurbanu. In this post I will compare them in several aspects (difficulties before accession, intelligence, power, influence, reputation, political stability, legacy, wealth, personality,harem management) some of them will be discussed in two aspects: During the tenure as Haseki and Valide.

Let's start with

difficulties before accession: Unlike other mem- bers of kadinlar saltanat those women became favourites of there respective husbands, during their time as prince, therefore it posed some changes for their early status and influence. I would say their situation was kind of reversed. Nurbanu had risky princehood,but her tenure as Haseki was easier without the presence of Valide, while Safiye's time as prince's concubine was without any risks,but she had to compete with Valide Sultan. Both of them had to fight, but Nurbanu had to fight for the lives of her son and husband, while Safiye fought for her power as neither her husband's nor son's life was ever threatened. So I would go to Nurbanu.

Intelligence: I have to do this as some anime showdown and go for "feats and hype". Both of them were very smart women. Nurbanu was said to be wise and unusually intelligent woman, while Safiye's description says that she was wise and sensible. Both of them proved it through their life and while Safiye had great ability to gain power and supporters, Nurbanu showed prudence in not gaining enemies. One of her better strategic decisions includes hiding Selim's body and choosing non-direct approach against Safiye. One can't be denied,both women had great political mind.

Power: As Haseki Nurbanu was undoubtedly more powerful, first and utmost reason is absence of Valide sultan. Nurbanu took all the powers and responsibilities of her predecessor, except for sharing it with her sister-in-law Mihrimah, who acted as de-facto Valide of Selim. However, Nurbanu still outranked and outpowered her, held main power in Topkapi, expanded alinces and adviced to Selim. She, even as merely a cocnubine, enjoyed the privilege of sitting in front of master/husband and speak her mind freely. Greatest indication of her power is building Atik Valide mosque complex. She during her tenure as Haseki received permission to construct a project that was titled as Valide, she herself was mentioned as future Valide or simply Valide-i-atik couple of times. In this regard, she can be consid- erd as one of two "original Hasekis", who were fulfilling all the duties for which title was created in the first place, during her time as Haseki she resived 1100 aspers daily, ridiculously more than any other concubines. In 1571 Selim Married to Nurbanu and dowered her with 110 000 ducats, that would be approximately 9.2 million akches. (Providing the statement that 59 million akches was roughly the same amount as 700 000 ducats)

Nurbanu's tenure as Haseki was much less significant than Nurbanu's. There was Valide, one of the most powerful in history, and she restricted every possible way for her to gain power. She had nothing to say in harem management. First years of their relationship was relatively peaceful as Safiye was still getting used to her new rank,but later she started her attempts to influence Murad, although it was all in vain, because it was clear only person Murad would listen was his mother and no one in the world could oppose her decisions,Nurbanu still became upset by Safiye's actions regarding it as insolent. However, Nurbanu understood Murad's extensive bond with the woman,so despite the fact she could exile Safiye without second thought, it could stain the relationship between mother and son and increase Murad's lust towards his Haseki. So instead she chose much more intellectial approach and forced him to take more concubin- es. Things became even more intense, when ambassador remarked that Haseki sultan should have had greater status than Valide as it was in Europe as consort was closer than the mother. It enraged Nurbanu,banished ambassador from capital and attacked Safiye with greater might, as she had favoured that ambassador and he clearly spoke at her behest.Nurbanu then started to spread rumors that Safiye hired witches and sorcerers to bewitch Murad,many of her close friends and servants were either killed, tortured, exiled or imprisioned to get confessions,Safiye fell from Murad's favour and Nurbanu now banished her without any consequ- ences. Nurbanu died in December of 1583 and Safiye returned from exale in about 1585 when Murad got over his trauma of loss of mother. However, it did not secure her power as Nurbanu's will left Çanfeda hatun as chief harem manager, who restricted Safiye's influence within the harem and remained as supreme authority and de-facto Valide until 1595. While she was restricted in harem by Çanfeda, boundaries were set in political spectre by her husband, who sometimes listens to Safiye,but initially she could not shape events at her liking like Nurbanu and Hurrem could. Safiye also had less stipend, while other consorts had higher then other consorts of Selim(still not anywhere close to Safiye),still they had enough construct their own charity projects.

During their tenure as Valide it seems like Safiye had more direct power over politics. She was overruling her son,while Nurbanu was technically co-ruler,despite being more politically active of the two[her son]. Safiye was even chosen as de facto regent of empire in 1596 and enjoyed undesputable power untile 1600's, when people openly resented Safiye and three major rebellion challenged her rule. First her Kira was killed and Mehmed had to demonstrate her power by restricting her mother's actions from now on Safye was more careful,but still overruling her son, it resulted in two more rebellions, first was successfully restrained,but second caused the death of Safiye's eunuch Gazanfer, whose death broke hell in harem. Everything ended when Mehmed died in 1603 and new Valide Sultan exiled her for good.

Influence: while Safiye's direct power was greater, Nurbanu's overall influence overshadowed hers. Nurbanu had supreme control over Harem and her son and she made herself first registered Valide sultan(about which I will talk in more details in legacy category),which gave her second most powerful position in empire, however she chose not to overrule her son,but rule with him, so his authority and rank would not have been questionable, therefore her influence was great than direct power, but she was directing everything according to her liking, every high ranking position was taken after her approval, Murad was not taking actions before consulting with her, she had direct hand in dismissal and appointment of grand viziers and her influence even extended to foreign politics,was in touch with Catherine de Medici and greatly helped Venice, she promoted merchandise between nations and even stopped the war. As Haseki she was the most trusted advisor of Selim and like her tenure as Valide she had hands in every major decision made, however she was mostly focused on gaining alliances. One of the greates examples of her influence is attending Friday prayers in her son's and husband's stead. This was honour of padisah and harem women were not allowed to do this, even Kösem was not allowed by pashas to do this despite pre-existed precedence, this is the indication that pasha's and people acknowledged and accepted Nurbanu as sort of equal to padisah.

Safiye's influence was also great. As Valide she literally sold high ranking positions in greatest possible prices and when her authority was challenged that formarlly reduced her power,but she continued to influence Mehmed. She even secured her infuence in advance and restricted Mehmed from giving any of his consorts Haseki rank,still two of them acquired their own power. One of them, Handan, won Safiye's power by pretending to be obedient, while Halime was resented from the beginning due to her close relationship with Mehmed undeniably intimidating nature. While, Gazanfer agha was alive he did not let anyone, including Safiye, to demonstrate resentment,but when he was killed hell broke in harem and that is when Safiye and Handan orchestrated the death of Halime's eldest son Mahmud. Her foreign affairs were slightly more important than Nurbanu's. While her mother in law had purely political relationship with France and Venice, Safiye became "online" friend of Elizabeth I of England and the two exchanged gifts on regular basis.

Reputation: Nurbanu wins that one and it's not even a close match. She was loved, respected and admired, still everyone was cautious to remain on her good side, due to her known ruthless side. One indication of this is already mentioned friday prayers. She was also fearsome, when Kapudan killic Ali pasha wanted to start a war against Venice Nurbanu wrote him a letter and warned him to not even dare to say anything about war in front of padisah,after reading it he dropped the letter in horror and when he entered the council, where Murad asked what was the matter he wanted to discuss, he openly admitted that it was no more relevant as Valide Sultan did not approve it. That indicated three things: 1. Nurbanu had reputation that terrified Kapudan pasha 2. if Nurbanu did not want something it was losing it's relevance 3. Pasha's respected her opinions so much that no one protested it.

Safiye's reputation was on the other hand very much stained, in people's eyes she was immoral person, who hired witches and took ambassadors as lovers, none of the were true of course,but existence is evidence of their attitude. She was seen as corupted person, who should not have been allowed to rule. The hatered was spread on her son as well and caused three rebellions.

Political stability: most of this was already answered in previous categories. Nurbanu's rule was undesputable and every opposition was soon ripped out by the root,before it became uncontrollable.

On the other hand, Safiye's tenure was marked by rebelions and death of her servants. Nurbanu is still winner.

Legacy:

Safiye lefts little to no legacy in ottoman empire history. She did almost no charity, her mosque was finished by Turhan and actions were more egoistical rather than on greater scale. Her greatest legacy can be considered friendly relationship with Elizabeth I and their gifts and she was highly likely admired by kosem, who visited her and even named one of her granddaughters Safiye, possible in her honour. So, could she have been role model for young, ambitious Kosem? Who knows,but I personally would not cross out this possibility.

However, Nurbanu had great impact on people, empire and generally her successors.

First things first, she made Valide Sultan legal rank, Ayse Hafsa Sultan was first slave to become Sultan,but she was not Valide Sultan as we know now, she was juts honoured mother of Sultan Suleyman han, who carried status of Sultan. In short, she was just a woman, who carried title Sultan and "Valide part" was just honorific as every noble mothers were called Valide by their children, proper address to her was either effendi or Sultan and she was registered as "mother of Sultan Suleyman han",juts like Hurrem war " mother of shehzade Mehmed" and later " mother of shehzade Selim", however Nurbanu was registered as "Valide Nurbanu Sultan", was addressed as "My Valide" and had second most powerful political rank, something that was effectively used be all of her successive Sultanate of women members. In that sense, she can be considered as virtual co-founder of the era.

Another of her legacy is Atik Valide mosque complex, one of the greatest complexes in Istanbul, she was also first woman in ottoman empire to build Library.

She moved most of the harem in Topkapi and appointed Çanfeda as First Kethuda hatun, who lattered gathered unprecedented wealth and pover, with daily stipend equal to imperial pirncesses'.

She did a lots of charity apart from the mosque having baths, she built more separate baths, fountains and personally met people in her residence yeni kapı, listen their problems and helped them. once she listened commoner herself about problem. That woman asked her to help free her son who was captured in the battle. Nurbanu promised her to help and kept it. she also had adoptive son, whom she raised, gave education, gave rank and even wanted to marry her to her granddaughter, that was failed due to her death. It may stopped her plans of wedding,but certainly did not stop her charity, after her death she freed 150 women of her service, granted 1000 gold each and donated her vast wealth in charitable projects.She was infuletal even in her death: after her death his son broke tradition of isolated mourning and followed her all way to her final path, whole time sobbing.

Wealth: it would be crime not to give that one to Safiye. She had daily stipend of 800 akches for 20 years and 3000 akches for about nine. She had personal Kiras who arranged her business, she also sold high ranking positions and in 1596 got access to 1 billions akches from treasury, though it was only temporary.

Neither Nurbanu was short of money, despite having 1000 akches during first five year as Haseki, 1100 after her marriage and 2000 during her tenure as Valide Sultan, she was also dowered 110 000 dukats abour 9.2 millions akches as I have already said. She, unlike Safiye, also conducted charitable projects Building mosque complex, fountains, Hamams and dinning places. Çanfedas small mosques took 2 million akches, about same amount was spent for fountains, Hamam would have been even more expensive, therefore much greater scale construction projects would definitely worth dozens of millions. During her death Nurbanu's fortune was immense, she freed 150 of her servants and gave them 1000 ducats each( that would mean about 84,500 in ackhes and 12,625,000 in general), about same amount she gave to treasury,but it was only a small portion of her wealth, vast majority of her fortune was donated to charity, that would make her net worth of hundreed of millions. So even if Safiye's wealth was greater, Nurbanu had better use of it.

Personality: Nurbanu was mostly benevolent person and devoted mother, she career deeply about people. While Safiye demonstrated less of it. She had intensions to be charitable, she abandoned it, which means It was not her passion, she was more egoistical and power hungry, still she was careing person and when Esther handali fell ill, she sent gifts, food and doctors to her.

Major difference between those two is that Safiye would do anything to secure power and achieve her deeds, while Nurbanu had her priorities sorted. In a same situation, when their grandsons opposed them, Safiye had him executed, while Nurbanu did everything to save him anyways, which indicates despite her hatred towards Safiye, he lived Mehmed grately and all her efforts to force Murad produce more heirs,was to restrain Safiye as Haseki,but never meant to threat Mehmed, as she could have very well used pregnant concubine to get rid of Safye and Mehmed for good.

Harem management: that would go to Nurbanu. She had complete authority over princely and imperial harems of her son and husband, while Safiye struggled to maintain order after the death of Gazanfer.

That is a reason why I think Nurbanu was more important and more influential figure of the two.

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tawakkull · 5 months

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ISLAM 101: Spirituality in Islam: Part 170

Sofi

Sofi is used to designate the followers of Sufism, particularly by speakers of Persian and Turkish. Others use Sufi. I think the difference arises from the different views of the word’s origin. Those who claim that it is derived from sof (wool), safa (spiritual delight, exhilaration), safwat (purity), or sophos (a Greek word meaning wisdom), or who believe that it implies devotion, prefer Sufi. Those who hold that it is derived from suffa (chamber), and stress that it should not be confused with sofu (religious zealot), also use Sufi.

The word sofi has been defined in many ways, among them:

– A traveler on the way to God who has purified his or her self and thus acquired inner light or spiritual enlightenment.

– A humble soldier of God who has been chosen by the Almighty for Himself and thus freed from the influence of his or her carnal, evil-commanding self.

– A traveler on the way to the Muhammadan Truth who wears a coarse, woolen cloak as a sign of humility and nothingness, and who renounces the world as the source of vice and carnal desire. Following the example of the Prophets and their followers, as well as sincere devotees, they are called mutasawwif to emphasize their spiritual states and belief, conduct, and life-style.

– A traveler to the peak of true humanity who has been freed from carnal turbidity and all kinds of human dirt to realize his or her essential, heavenly nature and identity.

– A spiritual person who tries to be like the people of the Suffa the poor, scholarly Companions of the Prophet who lived in the chamber adjacent to the Prophet’s Mosque by dedicating his or her life to earning that name.

Some say that the word sofi is derived from saf (pure). Although their praiseworthy efforts to please God by serving Him continually and keeping their hearts set on Him are enough for them to be called pure ones, such a derivation is grammatically incorrect. Some have argued that sofi is derived from sophia or sophos, Greek words meaning wisdom. I think this is a fabrication of foreign researchers who try to prove that Sufism has a foreign and therefore non-Islamic origin.

The first Muslim to be called a Sofi was the great ascetic Abu Hashim al-Kufi (d. 150 AH9). Thus, the word sofi was in use in the second Islamic century after the generation of the Companions and their blessed successors. At this point in time, Sufism was characterized by spiritual people seeking to follow the footsteps of our Prophet, upon him be peace and blessings, and his Companions by imitating their life-styles. This is why Sufism has always been known and remembered as the spiritual dimension of the Islamic way of life.

Sufism seeks to educate people so that they will set their hearts on God and burn with the love of Him. It focuses on good morals and proper conduct, as shown by the Prophets. Although some slight deviations may have appeared in Sufism over time, these should not be used to condemn that way of spiritual purity.

While describing Sufis who lead a purely spiritual life, Imam Qushayri writes:

The greatest in Islam is Companionship of the Prophet, upon him be peace and blessings. This honor or blessing is so great that it can only be acquired by an actual Companion of the Prophet. The second rank in greatness belongs to the Tabi’un, those fortunate ones who came after the Companions and saw them. This is followed by the Taba’i al-Tabi’in, those who came after the Tabi’un and saw them. Just after the closing years of this third generation and coinciding with the outbreak of internal conflict and deviation in belief, and along with the Traditionists, legal scholars, and theologians who rendered great services to Islam, Sufis had great success in reviving the spiritual aspect of Islam.

Early Sofis were distinguished, saintly people who led upright, honest, austere, and simple and blemish-free lives. They did not seek bodily happiness or carnal gratification, and followed the example of the Prophet, upon him be peace and blessings. They were so balanced in their belief and thinking that they cannot be considered followers of ancient philosophers, Christian mystics, or Hindu holy men. Early Sofis considered it the science of humanity’s inner world, the reality of things, and the mysteries of existence. A Sofi studied this science, one determined to reach the final rank of a universal or perfect being.

Sufism is a long journey of unceasing effort leading to the Infinite One, a marathon to be run without stopping, with unyielding resolution, and without anticipating any worldly pleasure or reward. It has nothing to do with Western or Eastern mysticism, yoga, or philosophy, for a Sofi is a hero determined to reach the Infinite One, not a mystic, a yogi, or a philosopher.

Prior to Islam, some Hindu and Greek philosophers followed various ways leading to self-purification and struggled against their carnal desires and the world’s attractions. But Sufism is essentially different from these ways. For example, Sofis live their entire lives as a quest to purify their selves via invocation, regular worship, complete obedience to God, self-control, and humility, whereas ancient philosophers did not observe any of these rules or acts. Their self-purification if it really deserves to be considered as such usually caused conceit and arrogance in many of them, instead of humility and self-criticism.

Sofis can be divided into two categories: those who stress knowledge and seek to reach their destination through the knowledge of God (ma’rifa), and those who follow the path of yearning, spiritual ecstasy, and spiritual discovery.

Members of the first group spend their lives traveling toward God, progressing “in” and progressing “from” Him on the wings of knowledge and the knowledge of God. They seek to realize the meaning of: There is no power and strength save with God. Every change, alteration, transformation, and formation observed, and every event witnessed or experienced, is like a comprehensible message from the Holy Power and Will experienced in different tongues. Those in the second group also are serious in their journeying and asceticism. However, they may sometimes deviate from the main destination and fail to reach God Almighty, since they pursue hidden realities or truths, miracle-working, spiritual pleasure, and ecstasy. Although this path is grounded on the Qur’an and the Sunna, it may lead some initiates to cherish such desires and expectations as spiritual rank, working miracles, and sainthood. That is why the former path, which leads to the greatest sainthood under the guidance of the Qur’an, is safer.

Sofis divide people into three groups:

– The perfect ones who have reached the destination. This group is divided into two subgroups: the Prophets and the perfected ones who have reached the Truth by strictly following the prophetic examples. Not all perfected ones are guides; rather than guiding people to the Truth, some remain annihilated or drowned in the waves of the “ocean of meeting with God and amazement.” As their relations with the visible, material world are completely severed, they cannot guide others.

– The initiates. This group also consists of two subgroups: those who completely renounce the world and, without considering the Hereafter, seek only God Almighty, and those who seek to enter Paradise but do not give up tasting some of the world’s permitted pleasures. Such people are known as ascetics, worshippers, the poor, or the helpless.

– The settlers or clingers. This group consists of people who only want to live an easy, comfortable life in this world. Thus, Sofis call them “settlers” or “clingers,” for they “cling heavily to the earth.” They are mainly people who do not believe, who indulge in sin and therefore cannot be pardoned. According to the Qur’an, they are unfortunate beings who belong to “the group on the left,” or those who are “blind” and “deaf” and “without understanding.”

#allah #god #islam #muslim #quran #reevert #convert #convert islam #revert islam #revert help #revert help team #help #islamhelp #converthelp #how to convert to islam #welcome to islam

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