The man standing in the middle of the sidewalk blocking other pedestrians would have been handsome had his dark face not been contorted by rage as he screamed at the young boy. The man’s well-trimmed beard with its scattering of grey, his black hair curling around the edges of his lavishly jeweled turban, his beautifully tailored clothing told of his aristocratic lineage.
I am a Palestinian American who now lives in the USA, times have changed, and Jerusalem has changed, especially since Trump's announcement. This week the U.S. officially opened its embassy in Jerusalem as dozens of Palestinian protesters were killed in Gaza.
Muslims are well known for their warm hospitality. Our prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said that whoever believes in God and the Day of Judgement, let him honor his neighbor, whoever believes in God and the Last Day, let him honor his guest as he is entitled.
I grew up in a Muslim home in Palestine. My father was a dentist, politician, community leader, and civil rights activist. My mother was a Liberal Arts professor who taught poetry and Arabic language in An Najah University.
When I was a young girl in Palestine, I grew up embracing the three Abrahamic faiths: Islam, Christianity, and Judaism.
During my experience as a teacher, I have found that when working with English as a Second Language (ESL) learners it is important to understand the diversity of native languages spoken at home and the cultural background of each student. This background is an important part of the student’s work ethic and shapes the challenges he or she may face in school.
A few days before Hurricane Harvey made landfall, my husband left to perform the Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca. As the Hurricane approached and in the days before it, my phone was ringing like crazy with weather warnings and cautions to leave South Padre Island. With my experience from growing up in a war zone, I quickly began to think about the safety of my children, and my husband and I thought it would be best for us to leave the island for safety.
Malak is a five-year-old girl who was born in Aleppo in Syria in 2010. A few months before the war in Syria started, her mom Iman and dad Saeed had a big celebration when she was born. Malak means ‘Angel’ in Arabic. Iman named her Malak after her aunt Malak because she wanted her to carry her name and be as her aunt.
New stories will begin, new futures will start, new hopes will appear, fears will be overcome, challenges will melt away; this is what newcomers face when they begin their path in the United States.
The Celebration of Eid Al-Adha, also known as the Greater Eid or the Festival of Sacrifice, is an important Muslim Festival observing Prophet Abraham’s (Peace be upon him) willingness to sacrifice his son Ismael (Peace be upon him). Allah appeared to Abraham in a dream and asked him to sacrifice his son to show his devotion.
Eid al-Fitr is a three-day holiday that all Muslims celebrate at the end of fasting the month of Ramadan; it is a wonderful and fun holiday for everyone. The Eid is a reward for all Muslims who fast during the month of Ramadan and is celebrated on the first of Shawwal, the tenth month of the Islamic lunar calendar.
