The Help of Allah is near - Part 6

 

We have previously mentioned that the new caliphate will be established in Jerusalem. While there is no exact known timeline for this, the latest threat from the Zionists in occupying Gaza, does not bode well for the region, meaning “will this hasten the implementation of the caliphate?”. Their approach is basically an all or nothing approach. The question that arises now is if it is even a possibility, and if it is one, then what is the probability. But before we get there (perhaps in the next post), to better understand the nature of divine justice, we can reflect on the story of Prophet Yousuf (AS).

The Quran dedicates an entire chapter to his story. In summary, the Qur'an mentions that his brothers plotted to kill him, but an inkling of humanity led them instead to throw him into a well — alive. The voice of humanity is causing a trickle of aid to get into Gaza. Their ill-feeling towards him caused them to plot to get rid of him. They threw him into the well in the hope that some traders might pick him up and take him to distant lands. This indeed happened. Now look at the Zionists: they would like to get rid of the Palestinians. They have killed many and would not mind that the survivors go to neighbouring countries. In Egypt, Yousuf (peace be upon him) is wrongly accused and ends up in prison. Are not the people of Palestine labelled as terrorists, wrongly, because they seek their freedom in their homeland? Are not the people of Gaza living in an open-air prison?  Eventually, though, Allah caused that he, Yousuf, rise in rank in Egypt. His brothers, initially unaware of his newfound status, were forced to come to him for aid. He granted them aid and forgave them for what the harm they inflicted on him. Will Allah perhaps likewise cause the people of Palestine to rise above their oppressors, forcing the perpetrators of this genocide to face justice?

The stories of the Qur'an are not mere history — they are timeless lessons for our lives today. This is not intended as a tafsir, and may Allah protect me from error, but as a reminder that Allah never abandons His servants. Just as He raised Yousuf (AS) from the depths of the well to a position of honour, He can raise the people of Palestine from their trials to victory and dignity. In the previous post we did mention the hadith relating to the people living in the precincts of Jerusalem.  

And Allah knows Best

See Next: https://capemuslimspeak.blogspot.com/2025/09/the-help-of-allah-is-near-part-7.html

See Previous: https://capemuslimspeak.blogspot.com/2025/08/the-help-of-allah-is-near-part-5.html

Picture courtesy:  https://www.dws.gov.za/

March to the Holy Land - Part 4

 

Arab Land

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ established the Islamic state in Medinah. After his passing, the baton of leadership was given to Abu Bakr (Allah be pleased with him) as the first Caliph of the Muslims. The caliphate expanded far and wide during the reign of Umar ibn al-Khattab (Allah be pleased with him). He was followed by Uthman and then Ali (Allah be pleased with them). It was after this that the next caliph, Mu’awiyah appointed his son, Yazeed, to succeed him. This gave rise to the Umayyad dynasty. They were eventually ousted and replaced by the Abbasid dynasty. Alongside came the Fatimid dynasty, and, for a short while, the Mamluks. The Ottoman empire was the last to hold the caliphate which was abolished with their demise.

You may have your own view of the Ottoman Empire. The debate is not about the religiosity or the beliefs of the Ottomans. Unless you wish to declare them Non-Muslim, a heavy call, then that argument is different. However, they had the caliphate and that was enough for Muslims. It was the goal of the Western powers and the Czar-led Russia to destroy the Ottoman empire and more importantly, the Caliphate. Their meddling in the affairs of the Ottomans led to Sultan Abdul Hamid II to be deposed. While the Ottomans were already reeling from the constant barrage from these foreign powers, the final blow really was the deposing of Sultan Abdul Hamid. The few years it survived beyond him was largely just the last breathes of the empire. Two things happened then. The Ottomans made the mistake of entering World War I. Having already stirred the flames of rebellion in Arab lands, the Ottomans entering the war gave the British more reason to continue on this path and with greater vigour.

Read into it what you will, but your lineage means nothing by Allah, but rather it is your Allah-consciousness. One of the Arabs who rebelled was Sharif Hussein, a descendant of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Perhaps rebellion is one thing, but to enter into an alliance with the British and then kill your fellow Muslims, is quite another thing. This is how the Arab states effectively became colonies of the West. Sure, they have independence and sovereignty for all to see, but I will leave it to you to make sense of it, if only looking the current Middle Eastern situation. The few blanks to be filled in: The Sykes Picot agreement took precedence over any agreement that Hussein had with the British. Palestine was lost and placed under British rule for the establishment of a Zionist state. The British also had an arrangement with the Al-Saud family. The result, Sharif Hussein ended up in Trans-Jordan (now Jordan) where his son, Abdullah, was given temporary rule by the British. Sharif’s other son, Faizal, eventually became king of Iraq. Weird story that. Abdul-Aziz bin Saud took over the Hejaz and proclaimed the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The bottom line is that the hand that fueled the flames that lead to the demise of the Ottoman Empire and the Caliphate, is very much still exerting influence in that region. Now, going back to the Balfour declaration and the Sykes-Picot agreement, where is the Arab agreement? With whom were these agreements and what exactly did/does it contain?

 See next:         https://capemuslimspeak.blogspot.com/2025/06/march-to-holy-land-part-5.html

     

See previous:  https://capemuslimspeak.blogspot.com/2025/06/march-to-holy-land-part-3.html

The Line in the sand - Part 10

 

Abandoning Hajj

The world may be in turmoil. But Muslims appear to be in greater turmoil. So much can be read into this last statement, that it begs for deeper understanding. Muslims are to take the lead in calling to good and preventing evil. Generally, Muslims are at fault in their failure to uphold this and then there are specific situations when the general Muslim population may have some excuse.

The re-establishment of the Caliphate is important. Is this merely supposed to happen at the End of time? And how close is the world to that time? As mentioned previously, Quds plays a role in the Caliphate. The devastation caused in those lands are continuing unabated. Does the Muslim world show that it is colonised and hence its subjugation? Do not get carried away with the fanfare of the recent Trump Middle Eastern “tour”. The usual American rah-rah to go with their leader who blows his own trumpet anyway, must be taken with a pinch of salt. This simply means that whatever agreements were reached, go back many years, and is now confirmed as news. The numbers and other details are immaterial. The reflection is upon us that Muslims too, the world over, is subjugated. And therein lies a simple question, “Are Muslims voluntarily being subjugated?”. The answer lies in the line on the sand and whatever lines of deviation Muslims follow. For is it not in our general disobedience to Allah that we are being tested without what appears to be any way to defend Quds and/or to establish a caliphate?

The principles of Islam are five. The rulings concerning these are clear and each and every Muslim must strive to fulfil it. Hajj is one of those pillars of Islam. Corrupt rulers, corrupt Muslim rulers have lived before, and the pilgrimage was never in question. Hajj must continue as it is the one pillar that physically bring people from all over the world together in one place. Hajj is that period that the entire world is focused on Makkah and its precincts. The call to pilgrimage was first made by Prophet Ibrahim – peace be upon him - upon the instruction of Allah. The pilgrimage is one that the enemies of Islam acknowledge as key and a reflection of Islam. While it continues when Muslims are weak, then consider the greater impact when the Muslims are strong. Non-Muslims acknowledge this. Thus, any call to abandon it, is filled with emotion but has no basis.  Even during the misguided lockdown period in 2020, hajj took place (more on the topic of lockdown at another time, but know that the same people who brought the lockdown are massacring our brothers and sisters in the land of Quds). Can you really fix something by abandoning a prescribed act of worship?

The question of which line you are following seems simple, yet you and I may be tainted. You cannot claim to be on the straight path while crawling into the lizard hole. Should you not stick to the basics, and travel along this straight line, light and focused?

See Next: https://capemuslimspeak.blogspot.com/2025/05/the-line-in-sand-part-11-task-ahead.html

See previous: https://capemuslimspeak.blogspot.com/2025/05/the-line-in-sand-part-9.html

The line in the sand: Part 9

Caliphate

The caliphate is necessary and important for Muslims. Others will argue against it, saying that such talk is emotional and without basis. I will not spend time on that point directly but address the issue from the viewpoint that the nation is leaderless.

The first point to consider is that Islam does not confine itself to man-made geographical borders. We consider ourselves one nation under the banner of “Laa ilaaha ilallah MuhammadurRasoolullah” (There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, Muhammad ﷺ is His messenger). A nation ought to have a leader, and it did for thirteen hundred years. You may argue that, for the most part, they were not righteous and there was corruption. However, does the contrast of “independent” states with its own rulers suggest that righteousness is the order of the day and that no leader is corruptible? There is that one little need to reflect on the demise of the caliphate. In order to do that, you will need to open the history books and consider the landscape, especially the period leading up to that fateful declaration that “the Caliphate is no more”. World War 1 had just finished. The colonies of the Europeans were ill at ease. Yes, that word “colon-ies” had to crop up. Colonies are places that were colonised? And what is colonisation? Something rather distasteful and the mildest form of it is called subjugation. And had you analysed that word, every one of its meanings should bring forth such disgust that you rather would wish to believe that humans cannot do that to other humans. Here we are, at the next phase of colonisation where there is apparent independence and sovereignty given to countries on a new map. The history of the last century.

In a previous post, we alluded to end times, meaning the end of the world. On a global scale it certain seems to be heading that way fast. But we always reflect on ourselves, the individual, the family, the community, until we get to the global situation. The line in the sand indicates that there in one straight line, then there are so many other lines along which many people will deviate. Of course, the immediate focus is on the serious matter that of the Muslims are those who may deviate. In a narration of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, he refers to Muslims following the ways of the non-Muslim, specifically the Jew and Christian, that even were they to crawl into a lizard hole, then some will follow them into it. In one way, you could argue that Muslims, to a degree, lost part of their global identity at the fall of the caliphate. However which way you want to see it, it is still up to you to stay on the straight line in the sand. Ultimately, those who remain on this straight line will soon rejoice at the reinstatement of the Caliphate. Yes, those who remain of the straight line or return to it. The task ahead is heavy because in an ever more deceptive world, you have to hold onto your faith. People ask, “how do I know I am on the right path?”. Delightful question. Perhaps there will be one more concluding part to this series, but for starters, maybe you can reflect on what was stated so far. Of course, you must stay on the straight path, that is your main goal and to do that, you must be informed. This whole series begged of you to learn and be informed.

The re-establishment of the Caliphate is directly linked to Palestine, Quds. Quds is indeed a sacred place. Reflecting on this point does indicate that Muslims must incline to having a caliphate. Now, much of the world is colonised. What about being mentally and intellectually colonised? Can those who are colonised in this manner be on the straight line in the sand?

 See next: https://capemuslimspeak.blogspot.com/2025/05/the-line-in-sand-part-10.html

See previous: https://capemuslimspeak.blogspot.com/2025/05/the-line-in-sand-part-8.html

The line in the sand - Part 7

Schools of Thought

Quran and Sunnah are the two main sources of knowledge for the believer. Revisiting earlier points is an important reminder that your love for Allah and His Prophet (Muhammad ﷺ) determines how you approach your life and your adherence to Islam. Many are guilty of interpreting hadith and certain rulings to suit their understanding. “We hear and we obey” is overlooked, dismissed.

In an environment in which nothing changes, the literal understanding and application of rulings is much easier. However, the world is made up of multitudes of people from different backgrounds, simply meaning ethnicity, culture and language. With the expansion of Islam came new situations and challenges. While we can say people are ultimately the same, there may be some nuances. Referring to the sources of knowledge in Islam being Quran and Sunnah, the changing landscape created a need for the interpretation of the main sources as new situations arose. When everyone agrees, then the solution is easy. There may, though, be instances where there is no consensus, then what? I am paraphrasing some of the texts of history. The evolution and development of the Islamic legal system and jurisprudence is a subject on its own, far beyond a few paragraphs. The point is that in the first few centuries of Islam, there were certain developments which led to compilations of books and schools of thought, generally known as a madh-hab.

Beyond that lay a dangerous beast. Before, we get into that detail, it must be pointed out that there are four madhahib (pl of madh-hab) prevalent today. However, there were many more that did not survive for many reasons, not one necessarily better than the other. Understanding how matters developed during the period in which these madhahib were given life, you cannot incline to rigidity in any one madhab. This refers to acting in a way or believing that one is right and the other is wrong. These schools of thought did not come to change the shari’ah but came to bring a level of understanding to it. Therefore, the many sins being committed have not been made permissible by any of these schools of thought. Their basis is Quran and Sunnah. Thus, the rulings on tabarruj, dress-code, haircuts, dating, etc have not changed. On the matter of rigidity, sometimes people question you if you do an act of worship slightly differently and will then continue to suggest that you have formed a new madhab. The important thing is to learn and, therefore, if an act or action falls within the framework of the teachings of Islam, it is acceptable. This needs discussion for better understanding. Stick to your madhab, but if someone does one permissible act outside of the madhab, it does not mean that they do it blindly. Overlook or try to understand.

The one who learns and seeks deeper knowledge will incline to study more in depth and will seek out proofs so that he/she continues to strive to follow Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in the best way possible. The imams of the madhabs were firm on all aspects of the deen, not only fiqh.

See next: https://capemuslimspeak.blogspot.com/2025/05/the-line-in-sand-part-8.html

See previous: https://capemuslimspeak.blogspot.com/2025/05/the-line-in-sand-part-6.html

They don't know what we know

 

Auwal Masjid in Dorp Street, Cape Town

“They don’t know what we know”. This is true of non-Muslims knowing very little, if anything, about Islam. An example is of someone once telling me that they cannot be Muslim because our prayers are so methodical and are repeated all the time in the same way.  Muslims are partly to blame for the ignorance of non-Muslims.

If you look to the example above, then Muslims must educate themselves too to convey the message. The first port of call is, of course to be the best Muslim you can be which requires, as a start, some knowledge. Were you to look at the global situation, you will find many mindboggling statements and events. How do you unravel this? Were you to look locally, then people are bamboozled and getting swept away by the current of corruption while thinking they are fighting corruption. You can go through every facet of life and find that all does not appear to be what it is in reality. How does this all relate to the example above? That should be almost self-explanatory to the Muslim. But just a quick point that there is hardly a person who is not tainted by the evil that pervades society, nay the evil that pervades the planet. Too few are willing or able to speak about it because they have mentally been washed away and believing that the current sweeping them away, means good. The answer to every question is to refer to Allah and His messenger, Muhammad ﷺ and nothing has been left out. This blog has always been to get you to think, to ponder, to discuss and look for those ways to get closer to Allah. Of course, along that way is a faith that can never be independent of action. To the Christian who queried our form of worship, then that person left out the purpose, the purpose of life. Just like anybody would find it strange that a father, Prophet Abraham – peace be upon him, was ready to sacrifice his son, he did it because he believed and worshipped Allah who commanded him to do so (although Allah rewarded him for his intention and the sacrifice was a replacement ram). The first point is to believe in God, Allah, and to worship Him as it pleases Him. What your views are on the matter is of no consequence.

The views you have on worship must conform to Allah’s command and that of His prophet, Muhammad ﷺ. Anything else is but an opinion which carries weight, if any at all, only for a short while in this world but will be meaningless and worthless on the Day of Reckoning if it did not conform with Quran and Sunnah. Islam is a complete way of life and covers all aspects from rituals to health and wellbeing to inter-personal relationships to penal law, etc. Your knowledge and education must conform to Allah’s law and guidance. Islam is a complete way of life – It covers your purpose on earth.

What about Palestine and your role? What about “laa adwa” and pandemics? What about healthy eating and fitness? What about avoiding interest (usury)? The list goes on. Then consider how much of a way of life Islam is for you and consider the reasons you are lacking. Then consider the state of the ummah.

Do read, share and comment on these links below:

https://capemuslimspeak.blogspot.com/2024/09/who-do-you-emulate.html

https://capemuslimspeak.blogspot.com/2024/09/your-place-in-history.html

https://capemuslimspeak.blogspot.com/2024/08/rewind-and-repeat.html

https://capemuslimspeak.blogspot.com/2024/07/what-is-with-your-superstition.html

https://capemuslimspeak.blogspot.com/2024/06/see-this-example.html

https://capemuslimspeak.blogspot.com/2024/05/resilience-and-reversion.html

https://capemuslimspeak.blogspot.com/2024/03/bold-question.html

 

#muhammad  #palestine #genocide #healthyeating  #khilafat #islam

 

 

 

Rewind and Repeat

 

History is nothing but stories until you become part of it and live it. Sure, there are stories, then there are stories. People incline to stories of gossip, the majority anyway, while few incline to stories of the Prophets, of the Banee Israel and the history that followed those periods.

There is not a story in Quran but that it has meaning for us today. And so too are there many historical events that followed that should be lesson to us. But history is boring except when it repeats itself and you are caught in the middle of it all. The latest round of Islamophobia in England is not totally unexpected. And as you can guess there is a clear Zionist link. Are we not warned about people who are intent to spread mischief throughout the earth? It is worth noting two points about people, and in this case the Islamophobes. One is that many, the vast majority, are ignorant about Islam. The second is that people lack principles and are easily bought, be it one or both of power and money. It is therefore important to firstly reflect on yourself and ensure that your principles are intact. These principles include not being involved in betrayal and, secondly, not being reckless and acting outside the bounds of Islam. Indiscriminate retaliatory action is being undisciplined. 

Did you know that Islam, Christianity and Judaism forbid usury (interest). Yet today interest is the cornerstone of the system in which we live. Quran commands us to eat healthy, linking doing otherwise as following the footsteps of satan. Here we are with junk food being the staple diet of the vast majority. Certainly, even though you are transgressing the laws of Islam, it will not be enough (for the enemies of Islam) except that you leave the religion of Islam. As mentioned before, what you do today will determine your religion tomorrow and so too that of your offspring. The killing of Sheikh Ismail Haniyeh was a betrayal in one way or another. That means there is infiltration by the enemy at the highest level. Therefore, the acquiring of solid Islamic knowledge, a watertight belief system and strong eemaan (faith in Allah) – which requires the active disbelief in speech and action of anything or anyone other than Allah. The demise of the caliphate was largely due to infiltration by the enemy.  Then see what happened, not to long ago, in Bosnia. See what is happening in Tajikistan with the hijab ban. The subject of hijab is a topic on its own because it is one of the key instructions of Quran abandoned or misunderstood in its proper application. Should all Muslim women who adorn the hijab be referred to us nuns to avoid the Islamophobic reaction to the dress-code?

History has a way of repeating itself. Learn it, understand it and reflect upon it. 

Do read, share and comment on these links below: 

https://capemuslimspeak.blogspot.com/2024/07/what-is-with-your-superstition.html

https://capemuslimspeak.blogspot.com/2024/07/real-entertainment.html

https://capemuslimspeak.blogspot.com/2024/07/in-death-there-is-life.html

https://capemuslimspeak.blogspot.com/2024/06/see-this-example.html

https://capemuslimspeak.blogspot.com/2024/05/resilience-and-reversion.html

https://capemuslimspeak.blogspot.com/2024/04/the-march-to-holy-land.html

https://capemuslimspeak.blogspot.com/2024/03/bold-question.html

Picture courtesy of https://www.iemoji.com/

#islamophobia #hijab #haniyeh #genocide #zionism

Iftar at the third haram

How many are aware of the demise of the Caliphate on 03 March 1924 corresponding to 27 Rajab 1342 of the Hijri calendar? And just like the youth do not relate to apartheid, there are life-changing events that are forgotten. Will the Palestinian people be forgotten as it seems that, at this rate, they are getting wiped out?

Just as people debate the importance of the Caliphate, so too there are “debates” about the “need” and the “how” to support the Palestinians. Of course, imagine Jerusalem without Palestinians. Will that be the end of Masjid-al-Aqsa? An example of how we have strayed, i.e. how we have lost our connection to what is important, is the matter of “Ramadan Expo’s”. I thought it was a place where the basics and importance of Ramadan are covered. Rather, it is but a market. By all means have your market, but why associate it to Ramadan since it has nothing to do with Ramadan. We have trivialised some matters and forgotten others. Will you remember the starving Palestinians when you break your fast? Do you understand that the fall of the Caliphate gave rise to monarchs and presidents of “countries” whose role is to justify the division of the ummah, based on nationality. It created a vacuum in which Muslims have no leader. It seemingly removed the duty to defend Muslims. And further to the geographical divide after Muslims rebelled against the Ottoman empire and sided with the British and French so that they can get their fiefdom, the enemies of Islam did not stop there. Muslims are not bound by geographical boundaries, so the enemies of Islam infiltrated further, in many guises, and sought to corrupt the religion of Islam. This is a heavy subject of which we cannot cover the details in a short space of time except to warn against it. The pointing of fingers at Arab leaders has its merits, but self-reflection is important. Your belief must not be corrupted. Things that you may find trivial, may well be far more important than you think. And yet, belief is corrupted. Ramadan is such a month that you must reflect, repent and attain Allah-consciousness. The latter is the goal. Allah is Lord and deifying anyone by giving them attributes that belong only to Allah, is a grave sin. Keep matters simple and worship Allah alone. Reflect on the issues affecting the ummah and the world at large. Remember those suffering and assist to alleviate their plight, especially the Palestinians. Return to the pristine teachings of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ upon whom was revealed Quran in the month of Ramadan, and who taught us also through his sunnah.   Avoid innovation for it distorts the teaching of Rasoolullah ﷺ.

Let us, through our sincere actions, be the reason Allah not only saves the Palestinians, but grants us ease from calamity and grants peace. Let us have iftar (break fast) in Jerusalem.

 

 

You need to also read:

https://capemuslimspeak.blogspot.com/2024/03/slaughter.html

https://capemuslimspeak.blogspot.com/2024/02/final-wake-up-call.html

https://capemuslimspeak.blogspot.com/2024/02/wars-and-scores.html

https://capemuslimspeak.blogspot.com/2024/02/toxic.html

https://capemuslimspeak.blogspot.com/2024/02/red-heifer.html

https://capemuslimspeak.blogspot.com/2024/01/why-its-trump.html

https://capemuslimspeak.blogspot.com/2023/03/suicide-at-cape.html

 

 

 

 

 

Wars and Scores

 

The naivety of man is to consider matters totally independent of each other, e.g proclaiming justice while feeding on the poison of the unjust and evil.

This needs to be unpacked, but we will deal with it in short breathes. Consider the two world wars and their impact on Muslims. A need to join the dots and formulating a new question on the historical impact on Muslims of the ages or specifically over the last say, two hundred years or shall we make it one hundred and twenty years. History books will paint a picture and within it will be certain protagonists. To a large extent, it will be hard to argue that those mentioned were not protagonists. The set up and framework within certain events happened is so plausible that it must be accepted as the main plot. The reason for both world wars are clearly documented and you found no reason to see it any differently. Cast a glancing eye to the Muslim world in both these wars and you will start to see who were the ultimate victims of both wars. Germany was the main player in both wars, but they recovered both times and are thriving overall even they lost both wars. The first world war resulted in the demise of the Ottoman empire and with it the Caliphate. The allies 1, Muslims 0. Along came the very many Arab kingdoms and states, all as a result of the Sykes-Picot agreement. And in between came the Balfour declaration while Palestine became a British protectorate. Can we say Allies 2, Muslims 0? Fast forward to the second world war in which Turkey, the remaining land of the erstwhile Ottoman empire, did not partake. Germany was at it again and a certain Adolf Hitler. The Allies were victorious and even though the Muslim involvement in the war was negligible, the result by 1948 was: Allies 3 Muslims 0. The state of Is-rale was formed in occupied Falasteen. Thus, the results of the wars were heavily against Muslims while they were, at no time, protagonists in the war.

Today, the Palestinians are facing geno   cide at the hands of the Allies. No one is willing to help. The International Court of Justice is an organ of the United Nations - UNO (more on this another time)  - while the UNO is proven to be an institution of injustice. Is this Allies 4 Muslims 0, for certainly nought has come from so-called Muslim countries. Is this latest Rafah situation game over? This needs further discussion and elaboration. We conclude this note affirming our belief that Allah is in control and victory will come. He decides on when it will happen, but, for sure, that we must seek forgiveness, repent and give up sins and innovation, to gain the pleasure of Allah. The enemy is rejoicing in our misguidance (in following their way) while fear will grip their hearts when Muslims are firm on their deen.

And Allah knows best

·        The term Allies is used. Effectively, as things stand now, it is pretty much NATO. Nato though was formed in 1949. NATO can be seen as Allies minus Russia. Japan is not part of NATO but has an alliance with NATO.

 You need to also read:

https://capemuslimspeak.blogspot.com/2024/02/toxic.html

https://capemuslimspeak.blogspot.com/2024/02/red-heifer.html

https://capemuslimspeak.blogspot.com/2024/01/why-its-trump.html

https://capemuslimspeak.blogspot.com/2023/03/suicide-at-cape.html

 

 

Picture courtesy https://www.arabnews.com/