The Shiites are coming , The Shiites Are Coming

Ahmedinajed

I had enough of that new hysteria of media in the middle of the daily madness we face in Egypt nowadays. That hysteria simply revolves about the visit of the minister of tourism Hisham Zaazou to Iran.
The man went to open new market for Egypt in Iran , it is a great opportunity especially in those extreme bad economic and tourism times. We should be thankful  but instead there are hysteria and fear from those future Iranian tourists.
The Islamists are extremely angry from Zaazou’s visit and believe the Iranian tourists will spread Shiism in Egypt and the Salafists are screaming to Morsi “The Shiites are coming , the Shiites are coming” ordering him literality to stop that Shiite touristic invasion in Egypt otherwise they will stand against him till death !!
The liberals too are hysterical about these Iranian tourists as well. They think that brining the Iranian tourists will enforce the religious state in Egypt and that these tourists will be members of the Iranian regime in disguise who came to teach their Egyptian counterparts who control the state.. etc.
I do not know what kind of liberals they are to be honest.I feel that we are dealing here not with liberals but rather with Nationalists. No wonder the Egyptian liberals have failed the test and are not defending the rights of those fellow Egyptian Shiites as they do with the Christians and even the Baha’is.

#AlAzhar and #Mufti Elections : And we will hold our breath "Update"

Later today Al Azhar’s elderly clerics council will hold an urgent meeting to elect the grand Mufti of Egypt. Sheikh Ali Gomaa’s term will finish next March and thus a new Mufti should be elected from 25 candidates.
The good thing that the president does not appoint the Mufti anymore but the bad thing now is that the MB's official Mufti is applying for this position !!
MB Mufti Abdel Rahman El Bar  is one of the candidates and to be honest I am extremely worried to have another MB member in that critical position.
El Bar claims that he was surprised by his nomination "what you know !!" yet people should not be discriminated for their political affiliation according to him"which theoretically is true"
Despite he says that he does not seek the position , he will have one hour interview on the State TV today !!!
I am totally against having El Bar as Egypt's grand Mufti because  if he is elected , we will have fatwas based on the MB's conservative interpretation for Islam !! We will have fatwas upon the request of the guidance office.
Based on how the MB members and supporters act online and say regarding the candidacy of El Bar , I fear from the elections' results today.

Updated :

And the Clerics elected Shawky Ibrahim as Egypt's newest Mufti. We do not know much about him expect that he is a professor of Maliki Fiqh in the faculty of Sharia and Law , Al Azhar University in Tanta. Before the elections he used to work in Oman.
We do not know any thing about his political affiliation. Here is his picture.

Sheikh Ibrahim, the new Mufti.

#Ahmadinejad in Al Azhar Mosque

Aside from his meeting with President Morsi , the visit of Iranian President Ahmadinejad to Al Azhar Mosque in Egypt is capturing all the attention in his important visit.
After all the leader of the main Shiite State nation in the world is visit Al Azhar Mosque , the biggest Sunni institution in the world. Again in any other time it can be great moment to celebrate it and even start a new page to bridge between the two main sects of Islam but it comes in extremely bad time.
Nevertheless the real star of the visit was not Ahmadinejad but rather Ahmed El Tayyib , the grand Sheikh of Al Azhar Mosque. The Upper Egyptian Sheikh began to play a bigger political role week after week !!
Today he hoped that Iran works to stop the war in Syria , to give rights to the Sunnis and Ahwaz in Iran and not to spread the Shiism in the Arab world plus to respect Bahrain and Gulf’s sovereignty and to make the Shiites stop their verbal attack against Prophet Mohamed’s companions.
Of course there is no word on the rights of Shiites in Egypt !!
Last week the man sponsored an initiative proposed by Pro-revolutionary youth to stop violence in Egypt attended by all political powers and parties and church representatives that boycott the president Morsi’s national dialogue.
Anyhow some Egyptians are pissed from Ahmadinejad and the victory signs he kept doing in Al Azhar for some reason I ignore !!

El Tayyib does not like it either !!

By the way for the record Ahmadinejad is not the first ruler of Iran to visit Al Azhar mosque and meets it sheikh. Shah Iran did it before when he was a crown prince during his engagement to Princess Fawzia , that later became his wife.

Happy Mawlid Nabawi #2013 : The Mawlid Bride

Mawlid Bride by Zeinab Ali

Today January 24 ,2013/Rabi' Al Awwal 12,1434 , today we celebrate in the Islamic world the Mawlid El Nabawi aka Prophet Mohamed "PBUH" birthday. 
A short break from politics and back to the old and beautiful celebration of Egyptian history, I will speak about  the Mawlid bride and Mawlid Horse.
As a typical feast in Egypt , it is associated with food. In this blessed occasion we got the famous set of Mawlid candies and sweets that include sugar coated bars of nuts , Hums , pistachio , sesame and almond as well the famous Turkish delights. This set of sweets and candies are known in Egypt as "Halwat El Mawlid". I do not know if that set came with the Fatimids or the Ottomans but I feel it came with the Ottomans thanks to the Turkish delights.
Now the Mawlid bride and Mawlid Horse are much older in the Egyptian 
Historical the Mawlid bride as well Mawlid Horse entered Egypt with the Fatimids. Some historians say that the Mawlid bride originated from the Fatima doll the Shiite Fatimids brought to Egypt from North Africa to commemorate their love to Lady Fatima , the daughter of Prophet Mohamed "PBUH". Sooner the Fatima doll evolved to the Mawlid bride for girls and Mawlid Horse or Knight for boys. A sculptured sugar doll of a girl decorated with very vivid colors became the symbol of the Mawlid after centuries and centuries.
Some folklorists say that our Fatima lady figure was soon mixed with the figure of Virgin Mary in the Egyptian folkloric mindset and the proof was in the decoration of the Mawlid Bride , these circles in the back of the Mawlid were actually the halo around saints.
Amazingly other folklorists and historians say that the shape of the doll whether the bride or the knight goes back to the famous legend of Isis and Horus.

Difference between these preachers and our preachers

This video is circulating in Egypt , of course it is too late now but I found it interesting. It is a video for a famous Islamist preacher called Imran Hussein who is speaking about Egyptian constitution. He is furious from MB and believes that constitutions are made by consensus.

Of course Sheikh Imran Hussein does not know that not only Christians withdrew from the constituent assembly but actually also Non Islamist Muslims and there are many Muslims who are against this constitution.
Sheikh Imran Hussein is speaking about consensus when the Muslim brotherhood and Islamists are speaking about Majority Rule.

A lesson We should learn from

Despite there were no Muslim victims in the horrible Newtown school’s horrible massacre , the local Muslim community participated in the interfaith vigil service yesterday.

I think our preachers and sheikhs should learn from that young sheikh and to understand carefully to what he said because I believe this is the core of Islam.His small speech is actually a lesson we should learn from

May all the victims rest in peace.

#Nov23 : What if they did not pray !?

The Muslim brotherhood members and supporters like Dr. Ahmed Rushdy spread on twitter rumors that the protesters in Tahrir square today did not pray Friday prayers where as the protesters or rather the President’s supporters “from mobilized Muslim brotherhood” were praying Friday and praying to God.
So as a person who believes in truth and that God wants us to be honest , as person who does not want to be a silent , I would like to share these three photos.

Belated Happy New Hijri Year

This is a belated Happy new Hijri year post that I should have posted from 5 days ago but unfortunately our new 1434 Hijri year started last Thursday on the same day Gaza was witnessing hell on earth.

Despite we are late by 5 days in Muharram , I will say Happy New Hijri year 1434 regardless what. Hopefully this year will be better for Muslims and Non Muslims as well in the whole world regardless of all the sadness seemed to surround us.

Insh Allah tomorrow we will be better

And the fall will be much faster than I have thought !!

This video shows Mohamed Badie , the current MB guide surrounded by a human shield of Muslim brotherhood members in none other than the Kabaa , Islam’s holiest site during the last pilgrimage season !! I am so provoked by this scene !!
How dare did the MB think to do such provoking action !? Did not they attack similar Mubarak’s action in pilgrimage ?? I see imitation. Already I do not understand how Badei accepted this action !! Silly me the man accepts to see the MB members kiss his hands !!
Who will think to harm an old man or even the MB guide in the holiest place for Muslim ??? This is not from Islam !!
The MB is falling quite fast when it comes to power , seriously too fast !!

Happy Eid Al Adha ”2012”

Happy Eid Al Adha to all Muslims around the globe

Happy Arafat Day

Today nearly 3 million Muslim pilgrims climbed to Mount Arafat in one of the climax rituals of pilgrimage in Islam. It makes me shiver when I see those photos and footage showing millions escalating the mount.

Hopefully one day I will be blogging from there.
Happy Arafat and happy fasting to all Muslims around the globe.

#UNGA : Our President speaks in front of the world

And our first democratically elected president addressed the whole world from few hours ago at the 67th UN General Assembly in New York. Here is the speech in video.

#USembassy : It is #Google's mistake now !!

Now the White House has shifted the blame to Google in the offensive film fiasco after the internet giant’s refusal to remove the “Innocence of Muslims” from YouTube. Google insists that clip that caused deadly uproar in the Middle East did not violate its terms and conditions. Google said that it already blocked the clip in Egypt, Libya and India despite it has been spread already.
Of course Google will put the blame on the Uploader of the video aka Mr. Nakoula Basseley Nakoula according to its terms and conditions that no one reads

You understand and agree that you are solely responsible for your own Content and the consequences of posting or publishing it. YouTube does not endorse any Content or any opinion, recommendation, or advice expressed therein, and YouTube expressly disclaims any and all liability in connection with Content.

To be honest I wish all the racist and offensive videos of Muslim radical sheikhs and Christian priests to be removed online not only that disgusting clip but I am afraid it is just a wish , a debatable one. Already this wish can be implemented if Google revises its terms and conditions , it can find a gap that can save the day.

We encourage free speech and defend everyone's right to express unpopular points of view. But we don't permit hate speech (speech which attacks or demeans a group based on race or ethnic origin, religion, disability, gender, age, veteran status, and sexual orientation/gender identity).

Already I think the video is hateful enough.
Anyhow as I said the 13 minutes clip now is spread across to the YouTube in different channels as well websites across the internet.
As expected people began to attack Google in Egypt and Middle East. It is nightmare for Google regional offices in the area. Wael Fakharany , the head of Google Egypt told press already in Egypt that removing the Video from YouTube is up to Google in the States and not in Egypt.
Now there are calls online among the Islamists to boycott Google led by none other than the MB big mouth former MP Hassan El Prince.

#USEmbassy : Another Mad Day in #Tunis, #Yemen , Lebanon and Sudan , search for politics before religion

And after Cairo , US embassies in Tunis , Yemen ,Lebanon and Sudan are being attacked and stormed by angry protesters who allegedly are objecting the offensive film that no one would have heard if it were not for the Islamist media and parties in Egypt !!!!!
In Tunis 3 dead and 28 injured after hours of clashes between Salafists and security forces at the US embassy. Already a Tunisian counter terrorism squad along with US Marines managed to secure the US ambassador and get him out from the complex. The Salafists along with alleged members of radical Hizb El Tahrir members in Tunisia managed to replace the US flag in the embassy with the Black so-called flag and to set fire in some building in the embassy.
The Salafists also set the American embassy on fire. It is worth to mention that from watching the live broadcast from Tunis in Al Jazeera Mubshar no one can deny that the Tunisian security forces seemed to be slow and clumsy in a way that surprises me. Here is a clip filmed inside the embassy.

The Salafists in Tunisia have become a true violent threat and a burden on Al Nadha Islamist government “The MB branch in Tunisia”.
Some think that Salafists , Hizb El Tahrir and Al Qaeda are giving the Muslim brotherhood in Egypt and Tunisia hard time to remind them that they are not the only Islamist power and group in the region.
Update:
Now Tunisians are telling me that there was something abnormal in the US embassy's breaching , again no army or security forces except when it was too late !!
Here is a video report from the famous Nawaat website

#USembassy : And security forces are back to their normal place "Updated"

And the security forces are back in to their normal place at the US embassy kicking away and pushing protesters to Tahrir using tear gas grenades. According to eye witnesses the barbered wires are back and the CSF are standing behind them forcing angry young protesters back to Tahrir square.
According to journalist Cliff Cheney who went to the US embassy parameter , things were calm considerable earlier when there were couple of hundreds “mainly Islamists” who chanted anti-American chants then a group of young men came and things heated up between them and the CSF that already circulating the embassy.
It started with stones hurled at both sides then the tear gas started to show up. Cheney knew from the Egyptians in the street that these young protesters were from Ultras group as they were singing Ultras songs.

The battle in Tahrir square and to return back to the embassy has not finished yet , we got Adrenaline junkies  who miss the smell of tear gas from time to time !!

#USembassy : Important questions we have to answer

After the huge conquest of US embassy in Cairo yesterday and what followed from implications that have not finished up till now , still there are several questions that many Egyptians “including me” ask themselves today about the whole scene.

• Why do People suddenly remember that offensive home made film now when it was produced from several months ago ??
• Why was the first one to air the video publicly on any TV channel was rude Khaled Abdullah on Salafist TV channel Al Nas ?? Khaled Abdullah is said to be from the state security men in Islamist realm in Egypt since 1990s by the way. I do not understand already why Abdullah would air such offensive crappy film for his Ultra-Conservative viewers and to spread the film in this way !?? I did not want to post clips from that crappy short film but I have to post this clip to prove that Abdullah was the first to speak about it in Egypt publicly on TV

The Protest that everybody ignored

All the media focused on the sad unfortunate circus at the US embassy in Cairo last night , all the media focused on the protests by Hazmamoon and their brothers and yet they ignored a very important protest that took peacefully and was actually much more important than all the other protests.
A group of several Egyptian Christian movements led by the famous revolutionary Kolena Mena Daniel Movement protested against the insulting film in Tahrir square for several hours. The amazing Mary Daniel , the sister of the late activist who was killed in Maspero clashes from nearly a year ago was there leading the protest.

Mary Daniel 

The Copts 38

The Egyptian Orthodox church of Alexandria was first to condemn the film and its makers. Already I can not tell how many tweets I received from Christians in Egypt and outside it against the insulting film and its makers , it was overwhelming. The Christians in Egypt and States are against the film and attacking Morris Sadek still no one is paying attention or care to listen to them.
Here is a video clip showing the Copts 38 group protesting against the film.

The media is speaking about Mohamed El Zawahiri ,about Ben Laden slogans and flags as well chants and they will forget these small yet significant protests. 

Regarding Morsi and the conquest of Tehran 2012 !!

Morsi and Ahamedinajed

The speech of Mohamed Morsi in the NAM summit meeting in Tehran yesterday is still echoing and causing controversy among Egyptians and the Arabs. Most people in Egypt find it reasonable balanced as well announcement that Egypt is back in leading the  region once again. “Despite it is still speech, there are no real actions yet to make Egypt return back to its position ”
Nevertheless the brothers in the Gulf as well the brothers in the Muslim brotherhood and Salafist movement in Egypt and Arab worldwide have turned the 42 minutes speech in to the greatest victory over the Persian Empire since 1400 years and beyond !!
Unfortunately the overreaction of the Islamists in Egypt after the speech whether online and offline stunned many revolutionary Egyptians with its sectarian nature including me. The MB and Al Nour Party ordered their members to receive Morsi in the airport and then head to his house in order to salute him. Now Morsi is being hailed as the New Saladin of modern time because the radical sectarian Islamists believe that he slammed the Shiite in their own land thanks to the few words he said in his speech.
In the beginning of his speech Morsi saluted the four caliphs by name

Peace upon Prophet Mohamed “PBUH”’s companions our lords Abu Bakr, Omar , Othman and Ali

Save the Sultan from that ugly Metal thing !!

I think I spoke about this before , may be on twitter anyhow I think the ministry of Culture and Cairo Governorate should do something about that ugly metal structure called “Ayman Taha Mall” beside the famous and Ancient Sultan Abu Ela Mosque in Boulaq Down town Cairo.

I took those photos in a taxi with my iPhone so I am sorry if they are not that great.

That building made of metal and glass is called the “Ayman Taha Mall” , some sort of a project by former MP Ayman Taha for street vendors in the famous Boulaq quarter. Needless to say for months that building is not working or operating , standing still beside the ancient mosque and destroying the scene which is already damaged by the popular market of Boulaq !!

Taha was a member of the NDP who used to represent labor seat in the parliament on behalf of Downtown Cairo area. You can see the ads showing NDP MP Taha calling the women to vaccinate their children freely with the NDP logo on the walls of Al Galaa hospital.

After the revolution he joined the Free Egyptians Party “ I doubt he knows the meaning of liberalism” and he won the parliamentary elections and represented the Labor seat of Downtown Cairo. After being a member in the industry committee, Taha resigned from the party. “I bet he is thinking of joining Freedom and Justice Party now”

I do not care about Taha and his project , I care about that old ancient mosque , it is enough the damage this bridge had to endure because of the bridges now it got that tasteless metal building besides it with the ugly posters of Taha all over it , enough is enough !!

Sultan Abu Ela was not a Sultan but rather a Sufi Sheikh from Arabia who came and lived in Egypt in order to be near from Prophet Mohamed’s family “Peace upon them” in Egypt. He was called a Sultan as the Sultan of Sufis. Despite the current building or mosque was built and decorated in time of Mamluks , the shrine itself exists since 9th century CE for God sake.

This mosque and its history is part of the real history of Cairo. For God sake

By the way I read in the newspapers late 2011 that this ugly mall thing is going to be removed by the municipals workers and that

You can read more about the Sultan Abu Ela mosque in those links :

• An excerpt from Baladi women of Cairo : Playing with an egg and a stone “Love that title so much, it really describes the women of Cairo perfectly”.
• Sultan Abu Ela Tale in Arabic

Happy Eid Prayer 2012

Today is the first day from the 3 days of Eid El Fitr. I do not feel like posting any serious stuff to be honest , so I will keep it light those 3 days unless anything serious takes place. “Hopefully not”
So here are couple of interesting scenes from today’s Eid prayer.

Women praying "Reuters"

Morsi prayed publicly in Amr Ibn El As mosque, Cairo’s oldest and biggest mosques in a scene that we have missed for decades. Nasser and Sadat used to pray with the public in various mosques across Cairo and in the governorates unlike Mubarak who used to pray in army mosques at back row.

Morsi Praying "AP"

The rivalry between the MB and Salafists is still over which group would control the praying spaces and mosques in the Eid. The MB won this Eid. Many expressed their dismay from how the MB is trying to use the religious event to promote for its political party Freedom and Justice.
BY the way after decades the famous Mohamed Ali Mosque was opened for Eid prayers.

Eid prayer in Mohamed Ali Mosque "Reuters"

In North Sinai, Al Arish a Salafist Sheikh addressed the the people in the prayer speaking about the importance to cooperate with authorities to fight terrorism in the Eid’s speech.

Al Arish Eid prayer in a a stadium "AP"

Happy Eid everybody.

A kid scared from Republican guards "Reuters"