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Today We Honor Omar ibn Said
Omar ibn Said was an educated Muslim African born about 1770 in Futa Toro (modern Senegal).
Said was an Islamic scholar and a Fula who spent 25 years of his life studying with prominent Muslim scholars, learning a range of subjects including mathematics, astronomy, business, and theology.
He was enslaved and transported to Charleston, South Carolina. Not long after his arrival and sale to a local planter, Said escaped and made his way to Fayetteville, North Carolina, where he was imprisoned after entering a Christian church to pray. He gained attention for writing on the walls of his prison cell in Arabic. Although ibn Said was converted to Christianity on December 3, 1820, there are dedications to Muhammad written in his Bible, and a card dated 1857 on which he wrote Surat An-Nasr, a short sura which refers to the conversion of non-Muslims to Islam ‘in multitudes.’
Literary analysis of ibn Said’s autobiography suggests that he wrote it for two audiences, the white literates who sought to exploit his conversion to Christianity and Muslim readers who would recognize Qur’anic literary devices and subtext and understand his position as a fellow Muslim living under persecution.
CARTER™️ Magazine
#carter magazine#omar ibn said#carter#historyandhiphop365#wherehistoryandhiphopmeet#history#cartermagazine#today in history#staywoke#blackhistory#blackhistorymonth
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In 1807, Omar ibn Said, a Muslim scholar, was stolen from Senegal & sold into slavery in America. He left behind an autobiography written in Arabic.
To mark the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade & its Abolition, here is the remarkable story of Omar…
“The Life of Omar Ibn Said,” recently acquired by the Library of Congress, is a rare handwritten autobiography of an American slave and one of the earliest accounts of Muslim history in the United States.
Omar wrote his brief life story 190 years ago, which remained forgotten in an old trunk in Virginia for much of the last century. Born into a wealthy family in West Africa’s Futa Toro, Omar was an Islamic scholar who studied various disciplines for 25 years before being enslaved and brought to Charleston, South Carolina. His autobiography recounts his violent capture, the horrors of the middle passage, and his journey to America.
Omar was one of the roughly one-third of American slaves who were Muslim. His arrival in South Carolina in 1807 coincided with the end of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. After being sold to a violent slaveholder, Omar escaped to North Carolina, where he was later jailed. His Arabic writings on the cell walls challenged the stereotype of illiterate enslaved Africans.
General James Owen eventually purchased Omar, acknowledged his Islamic faith, and provided him with an Arabic Bible, leading to Omar’s baptism as a Christian in 1821. Despite his apparent conversion, Omar subtly continued practicing Islam, writing Qur’anic verses in Arabic.
Reposted: @baytal.fann
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#panafrikan #blacktraveljourney #africanhistory #blacktravel #everydayafrica #africancreatives #representationmatters #Moyoafrika #amplifyblackvoices #amplifymelanatedvoice #africandiaspora
#african#afrakan#kemetic dreams#africans#brownskin#brown skin#afrakans#african culture#omar ibn said
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Omar ibn Said!
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In 1807, Omar ibn Said, a Muslim scholar, was stolen from Senegal & sold into slavery in America. He left behind an autobiography written in Arabic. To mark the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade & its Abolition, here is the remarkable story of Omar…
#Omar ibn Said#article#american slavery#chattel slavery#history#american history#african history#muslim scholar#autobiography#Arabic
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A day off to visit the Library of Congress
A day off to visit the Library of Congress
As a Library of Congress docent, I get advanced notice of special programs at the world’s greatest library. So when I got word of the special program opening the Omar Ibn Said Collection, I quickly adjusted my schedule and came in on one of my off days in order to devote a whole day to the event. From the loc.gov site, “The Omar Ibn Said Collection consists of 42 digitized documents in both…
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Hi
There is no "Hi" in Islam.
Its "Assalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh" its important because The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said "Whenever two Muslims meet and shake hands, they are forgiven before they part ways."
So train yourself and dont forget that The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ also said: "The rights of one Muslim over another are six: When you meet him, greet him with peace; if he invites you, respond to his invitation; if he seeks your advice, give him sincere advice; if he sneezes and praises Allah, bless him; if he falls ill, visit him; and if he dies, follow his funeral procession."
And He ﷺ said: "You will not enter Paradise until you believe, and you will not believe until you love one another. Shall I not tell you of something that, if you do it, will make you love one another? Spread peace among yourselves."
And Omar Ibn Al-Khattab said “We are a people whom Allah has honored with Islam, and if we seek honor through anything else, Allah will humiliate us."
This emphasizes the importance of holding firmly to the identity of Islam and not imitating non-Muslims in matters of beliefs and morals. Our religion is a religion of honor.
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In regard to questions of conversion, it is well to keep in mind that resistance to slavery did not always entail rejecting the master’s religion. It could frequently mean, as is vividly manifested in the case of Nat Turner, interpreting the master’s religion in a manner he did not like.
- Ala Alryyes (A Muslim American Slave: The Life of Omar Ibn Said, page 25)
Using Christianity to colonize usually backfires eventually because colonized peoples end up discovering that the God they were forced to worship is really on their side. They discover that the God of the Bible is a God who frees enslaved people and condemns those who exploit them. The colonized discover that the Christian story is a story of a God saving people like them from the type of people that forced Christianity on them.
- Damon Garcia (The God Who Riots: Taking Back the Radical Jesus, page 63)
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Star-Crossed | Basim x OC | Part 4
As strange things happen at the House of Wisdom, Nashira begins to wonder what Basim has been up to the last four years…and what he’s up to now.
Nashira was never one to hold her tongue.
Perhaps being raised by her father had something to do with that.
Khalid ibn Mohammed was many things: a respected astronomer, a loving father, and above all else, a spirited debater. She’d seen him confidently share his theories and findings to rooms filled with the world's most celebrated scholars from Baghdad to Greece to Timbuktu. She’d also seen the many lengthy instances where he was asked to defend such findings, which he always did, with ample evidence to boot.
Anytime Nashira wanted something, she and her father had a little game where she’d have to defend her reasons as to why she should have it, while Khalid would argue against it. In fact, such a game is how she got Halah.
“A cat will keep the mice away,” A young Nashira stated.
“They are a big responsibility azizati” he’d say.
“I’m very responsible,” She persisted, “I study very hard, and I complete my chores without being asked.”
Khalid raised a brow, pointing to her study area, “Then why is your desk still a mess?”
“Because if it was clean, Baba, I wouldn't have any way to show you how responsible I am.”
Khalid let out a roar of a laugh. He could not argue with that logic. The next day he presented his daughter with a fluffy white cat.
She never held back in any conversation, especially an intellectual one. She’d learned the art of having tact, but that tact could only do so much in the face of outright foolishness. It was no surprise then when she openly criticized the House of Wisdom’s head scholar, Fazil Fahim.
The man was a charlatan, at least Nashira thought so. He spoke of people who came before, how they would come again one day, how his so-called “great work” proved as much.
Nashira read his research, she attended his lectures, and saw absolutely no basis for this claim. Fazil Fahim had no place as first scholar of the House of Wisdom if intended to spout the musings of a fool. Worse yet, he was spending an unthinkable amount of money on a pointless dig sight out in the wilderness. That part angered Nashira the most.
“To make such claims without any solid evidence is moronic!” Nashira exclaimed after one of his symposiums, “I expect better from a man as intelligent as Fazil Fahim, especially when he is the head scholar of the House of Wisdom. With the money he spends on that dig site, we could fund stipends for more scholars and pay school fees for students who cannot afford it otherwise. A terrible waste!”
What Nashira had not considered was that unlike her father, who was understanding and encouraged her to speak freely around him, other men did not take such talk as well from a woman.
Lately, she swore someone was following her. Around the House of Wisdom, around the markets, outside her home. She couldn’t explain it but she felt a presence near her at all times, starting around the time she made the comment about Fazil.
Perhaps it was him following her around? To confront her on what she said? If that were the case he knew where her observatory was. Nothing stopped him from simply strolling right in and giving her a piece of his mind.
Nashira sighed, drumming her fingers on the open book in front of her. After some contemplation, she let her thoughts drift to where she tried so hard no to let them go.
Could it be Basim?
Her mind filled with the image of his round eyes, his dark brows, his full bottom lip he bit when he was nervous….
She let out a frustrated huff, “Stop it Nashira….” She made herself clear the last time they spoke. That was all in the past. She was married to Omar and he was a good husband to her. This was just her wishful thinking again. The residuals of reckless teenaged passion.
She glanced at the open window. Why did she even bother keeping it open anymore when the only person who ever used it was him?
Nashira walked over to it, taking hold of the window panes and froze. Keeping it open just a little bit wouldn’t hurt? Right? It was quite hot today and the draft would be nice.
She dropped her arms by her side with a heavy sigh, resigning to her desk as she gazed at the window she was too cowardly to close.
Halah jumped into her lap, meowing at her.
She let out a laugh, “You’re right Halah, I need to forget about Basim,” She petted the cat, “Especially before Omar comes back…he’ll notice something is wrong with me and I wouldn’t have the heart to be honest as to why…”
The cat purred into her hand.
Suddenly, Basim leaped through the window. It wasn't in his usual way, he barreled his way in like he was in a rush, or rather a panic.
She gasped, “Basim?”
She paused upon seeing his expression. Basim looked distraught, “You need to get out of here. Now.” He walked over and grabbed her by the arm.
She resisted, “Excuse me? You can’t just barge in here and demand I go anywhere with you, not without an explanation!” She barked at him, and he backed a little in response.
Suddenly the doors of the observator burst open, revealing a group of heavily armed guards. Many of them holding weapons that seemed too coarse for a building full of scholars.
Nashira let out a scream, “What in the world?” She muttered under her breath. The guards drew their swords, filling the entrance. Basim stepped in front of her and Halah, a deadly look in eyes. It didn’t seem to match the face of the sweet boy she used to know, but she considered herself lucky to not be on the receiving end of it.
The biggest guard pointed his sword directly at Nashira, “There she is. Get her!” He ordered.
Basim drew his scimitar from his hilt, a deadly focus growing on his face, “Nashira, Halah, stay behind me.”
_______________________________________________
Basim panted, returning his scimitar to its hilt on his side. Around them lay the dead bodies of the assailants. Taking them out was light work, though he hated making a mess of the observatory.
Nashira stood in place clutching Halah, whose fur stood on ends. They both trembled after witnessing such carnage.
He walked over to her, “Are you alright?” He asked. His voice sounded gently and sweet, a total contrast to the ferocity he displayed in the earlier fight.
Nashira nodded slowly, eyes still focusing on the bodies in front of her. She had never seen so much blood before. She shivered thinking how It would have been her blood had Basim not arrived in time.
He sighed with relief, “Now you see why I need you to come with me?” He asked.
Nashira let out a shaky breath, “Why on earth would these men try to kill me?” She asked, clutching Halah tightly against her.
Basim stepped towards her, “Many people in The House of Wisdom have been going missing, some of them have even been killed. I decided to look into this and spoke with a man who said someone by the name of Al Rabisu was targeting scholars getting involved with a mysterious dig site out in the wilderness. Your name came up and I rushed over here.”
He let out a sigh, “I am just glad I wasn’t too late.” He said just above a whisper.
Nashira swallowed hard, “Me too.” She thought for a moment, “Who is this Al Rabisu?”
“That is what I am trying to find out,” Basim said, “Think, is there anyone you could have angered in the last few days? Anyone at all?”
Nashira thought for a moment, “Well…I may have said some critical things about Fazil Fazim?” She bit her lip nervously. Looking back on it, maybe openly criticizing the most powerful man in the House of Wisdom was a bad idea.
Basim’s eyes widened, “The head scholar?”
She nodded.
He exhaled, “Well I can’t say I’m surprised you'd do something like that.” He said, placing his hands on his hips. This pointed to motive for Fazim in regards to Nashira’s criticism, and further connected him to the order. Still, he needed to be absolutely sure before acting.
She frowned, “I know I said some harsh things, but what would killing me do? I don’t understand.” Nashira asked.
“I have my suspicions as to what Al Rabisu is up to, but first I need to get you somewhere safe.” Basim explained.
Nashira furrowed her brows as Basim guided her towards the window, “Basim what are you-” She was cut off by Basim blindfolding her.
She yelped when he picked her up. She tightened her hold on Halah as Basim carried them both out of the window. To where, she had no idea.
______________________________________________
Nashira sat in a strange room holding Halah in her arms, listening to the muffled voices below. Basim had been speaking with a hooded gray haired woman for some time now. Most of it sounded like her reprimanding him.
“What do you think you’re doing bringing an outsider here?” An older woman with a raspy voice asked angrily.
“I know, Master Roshan, but she was in danger. This was the only place I knew that would be safe.” He pleaded.
Roshan huffed, “You know the rules. No compromising the brotherhood.”
“She won’t,” He added, “I trust her with my life. We’ll keep her here as soon as I can figure out who’s behind the mask in the House of Wisdom.”
Nashira felt a sense of relief hearing him vouch for her to stay. She definitely didn’t feel safe enough to go home, especially with her husband gone.
Downstairs, Roshan didn’t budge, instead crossing her arms and hardening her stare.
Basim pressed his hands together, “Please master,” He lowered his voice, leaning in a bit, “This is important for the success of my mission.”
His mentor raised a brow, “Is all this important for your mission, or is she important to you?” she asked at full volume.
Basim opened his mouth to negate that, but couldn’t.
Nashira listened intently to the conversation, feeling her face growing red at what Roshan insinuated. She quickly shook the feeling away.
“That’s in the past.” she insisted to herself. She kept listening.
Roshan let out a deep sigh, “Alright. But make haste on finding out the truth behind Al Rabisu and this dig site. We do not have time to waste.”
Nashira let out a sigh of relief and heard footsteps walking up the stairs. She quickly busied herself, making it seem like she hadn’t been listening to that conversation.
Basim entered the space looking indignant after the harsh talking-to he just received, but quickly fixed his face once he saw Nashira.
“You can stay here as long as you need.” He said, “It is safe here.”
She sighed in relief, “Thank you, Basim…I really appreciate what you’re doing for me.”
He gave her a soft smile, “Of course, ya sayidati.”
She let Halah jump down from her arms, smiling when she saw her snuggle up against Basim’s boot, “If I might ask, where exactly am I?”
Basim let out a deep sigh, “I’m afraid I cannot tell you.”
Nashira raised a brow at him, but continued with her questions, “Then, can I ask what you are going to do now?” She hesitated, “Do you intend to…fix this issue the way you did in my observatory?”
Basim crossed his arms, “I will do what needs to be done to ensure your safety.”
She made an irritable noise at that, and Basim tried not to laugh. She hated not knowing things.
“What is with all these secrets? He’s never been this secretive…” she thought to herself, no doubt her face showing how irritated she was.
Basim gently patted her shoulder, “Try to relax while I’m gone.”
She rolled her eyes, “Easier said than done. You’re not the one with a target on their back.”
“True.” He shrugged, “At least not today.”
Basim turned around before he could see the look of wide eyed shock on Nashira’s face. Just what on earth does he do for a living?!
The steely look in his face returned as he glanced behind him, “I must go now. If you need anything, Master Roshan and Tabid will help you. I’ll be back soon.” He turned to leave the room, headed for the House of Wisdom to continue his investigation.
Just as Basim was about to turn the corner, he heard her voice behind him.
“Be careful.”
She said it softly, nearly a whisper. He smiled to himself, then turned just enough to nod at her, and left.
When he disappeared from her sight, Nashira let out a long breath, trying to shake off the feeling in her chest. She thought back to the fight that broke out in her observatory. As scary as the situation was, Basim skillfully subdued her attackers with ease.
If she hadn’t already known him, she’d swear he was a hero from an epic tale that leaped off the page and into real life. He could protect anyone from anything, no longer the defenseless boy from the streets she once knew. This Basim was a different beast entirely.
She shook her head when she realized she was thinking about him for too long, “Stop it Nashira!” she said to herself.
Her eyes drifted to Halah, who sat on the floor and looked up at her, tilting her head.
Nashira shrugged, “What?”
Halah simply meowed, walking toward one of the cushions on the floor to take a nap.
______________________________________________
Nashira knew she was supposed to stay in the room and out of the way of everyone else in the bureau, but her curiosity couldn’t stay away. It had been at least a day since Basim brought her here, and the only fresh air she got in that time was from the small enclosed courtyard just outside the bureau. She crept out of the room Basim left her in and made her way down the hall.
There weren’t many people at all in the bureau. The few people there were too occupied with their own studies to notice her. Or rather, she suspected, they did notice her and decided she was such a non threat they didn’t have to acknowledge her presence. She figured that was for the best all things considered.
She made her way down the stairs, taking note of her surroundings: there was a desk, a bookshelf filled with reference books and maps of the city hanging on the walls. Near the door was a board with several papers pinned to it.
Nashira got close to the desk in an attempt to read the papers on it, having to strain her eyes just to make out a few letters at a time.
“What are you doing?”
She whipped her head around at the sound of the raspy voice from earlier. There stood the woman in similar robes to Basim, only she had a red sash instead of the blue one he wore. Her hood was up, unlike the other hidden ones in the bureau, and Nashira could only make out the bottom half of her face. She must have been the woman Basim was speaking with earlier, Master Roshan.
“Nothing,” she sputtered, “I was just-“
“You were just looking at confidential documents?” Roshon finished for her as she stalked up to Nashira, towering over the younger woman.
“My apologies, I didn’t know they were confidential, they were out in the open,” Nashira clarified, “I don’t even have my magnifying glass on me so I could hardly read any of it.”
“A likely story,” said Roshan, “Or a clever lie.”
Nashira frowned, “I am no liar. And unlike you and Basim I do not keep secrets either.” She crossed her arms.
Roshan hummed, “Then perhaps you’re not so clever after all.”
Nahsira scoffed in response.
Roshan examined the woman in front of her. She didn’t peg this woman as a member of the order, but she could never be too careful. By the looks of her, she had zero fighting prowess about her. She was young, about twenty if she had to guess, olive skinned, shaped like a pear with a soft tummy, and lacking in muscle. Nashira didn’t possess any weapons on her person and definitely dressed like a woman could afford to hire people to fight for her judging by her elegant robes and jewlery.
It was clear she wasn’t a threat, at least not physically.
No doubt she was beautiful enough to compel the hearts of men and women around her. Men like Basim, who despite having grown from the scared boy he was when Roshan first met him, was still a man. A young one at that, making him an easy target for seduction.
She decided she wouldn’t let up until she had a better understanding of who this young woman was and what she was doing with her student.
Roshon narrowed her eyes, “Who are you?”
“Nashira bint Khalid ibn Mohammed.” She answered quickly, “I’m an astronomer at the House of Wisdom.”
“A woman astronomer,” Roshan thought, not hiding her intrigue in her face, “Being a woman in your position must make you quite vulnerable. Especially to men with fragile egos in the House of Wisdom I imagine.” She said aloud.
Nashira sighed, “Perhaps…I’ve been made quite aware of that recently…”
Roshan tilted her head. Clearly she was intelligent considering she was a scholar. Though intelligence does little to help naïveté it seems. Any woman in a lower class knew a man’s ego was a threat, as Roshan herself was well aware. However women of higher class lived in a world sheltered by the men around them. Those women had the protection of their well to do male relatives and whoever served them. Perhaps the events leading to Nashira staying here were a rude awakening on that fact.
Roshan continued, “How do you know Basim?”
Nashira rubbed her hand up and down her arm, “We were…friends.” She said, trying to keep her gaze locked on Roshan but couldn’t help but to shift her eyes to the ground.
“Friends?” Roshan raised a brow, sensing she was withholding information. Still, her hesitation to answer her questions regarding Basim did not seem to come from a place of deception, at least not with the goal of deceiving Roshan in this very moment.
Nashira shifted her eyes from the floor to Roshan’s, “Perhaps more than that.”
Now it was coming together for Roshan. Like his friend Nehal, she was just another piece of the past Basim had to reckon with, “I see…And are you still more than that?”
“No.” Nashira answered quickly.
“Why not?”
The young woman shrugged her shoulders, “He disappeared,” she looked Roshon up and down, “I suspect you know the rest.”
“The rest?”
Nashira rolled her eyes, “The parts I don’t know…or aren’t allowed to know it seems.”
Roshan clasped her hands behind her back, “Basim took an oath, to leave his past behind him and walk our path. To walk the shadows and serve the light.” She held Nashia’s gaze, “He has no room for anything else. I’m sure you understand Nashira.”
Nashira nodded. So then this was the reason he stayed away so long. This oath of his to leave his past behind, her included. After all the time they spent together, had he really intended to forget about her just like that? It took her years to make peace with his sudden disappearance. Was it really so easy for him? If he wasn’t required to come back to Baghdad, would he have even bothered seeking her out at all?
She swallowed hard. Why did the thought of that upset her so much?
Her somber expression didn’t go unnoticed by Roshan, “I do not say this to be cruel. I just do not want you to get you to get your hopes up.”
She met Roshan’s gaze with her own, “That will not be a problem. What we had is in the past.”
“Is it?” The hidden one tilted her head.
“It is.” Nashira answered sternly, “And once this is all over and I can go back to my observatory and we can forget all about this.”
Roshon paused for a moment, then let out a sigh. This woman was smart, but a terrible liar.
“Very well.” She said, turning on her heel toward the door, “I enjoyed our chat, Nashira bint Khalid.” She put her hand on the doorknob, “there are some books on the shelf behind you. I suggest you read those to keep your boredom at bay.”
Without another word she walked out the bureau, leaving a stunned Nashira behind.
Nashira held her gaze on the door, letting her feelings sink into her. Despite the presence of others in the office, she suddenly felt more confused and alone than ever.
What path did Basim walk that led him so far from her?
_______________________________________________
Hours later, Basim walked into the upstairs room, startling both Nashira and Halah out of their sleep.
Sleeping on the floor was not her preferred method, but at least the Hidden One’s hideout was mostly quiet, save for the sound of footsteps. She stretched her sore muscles and Halah followed suit.
Nashira noticed Basim seemed…off? Like he had grown weary since she last saw him hours ago. She wondered what made him so.
Given what happened at the observatory, perhaps it was best if she didn’t know any details.
“It’s done,” He said, “Come morning you’ll be able to return to the House of Wisdom with no danger.”
She let out a sigh of relief, “That is good to hear,” She relaxed her shoulders, “So, was it Fazil Fahim then?”
Basim figured she’d find out he was dead anyway once she returned to the House of Wisdom. so he nodded.
She raised a brow, “Are you going to tell me what was going on with all those disappearances?” She asked.
He sighed, “I cannot reveal-”
“Right, more secrets.” She rolled her eyes, getting a bit fed up with all this secrecy.
“Trust me Nashira,” Basim put a hand over his heart, “If I could tell you, you’d be the first to know.”
Her eyes soften, remembering her conversation with Roshan earlier about Basim’s oath, “It’s fine. Thank you ya sadiqi.” She smiled warmly at him, showing her sincere thanks.
Basim felt a warmth spread in his chest seeing her smile at him, “I can escort you home if you’d like? So you do not have to stay in…here.” He gestured around the room, beautiful but quite small and simple compared to the observatory.
She grinned, “I’d love that.”
_______________________________________________
Basim marveled at the estate in front of him.
Nashira’s home was beautifully decorated with sun, moon and star designs etching the walls and arches. The private courtyard he stepped into was filled with a lush garden and a fountain where the moon’s reflection shone in the water.
“This house is beautiful.” Basim touched the etchings in the archways. His own father would be speechless if he saw this place.
Nashira smiled, “Thank you.” She took a seat on the edge of the fountain, “Omar is always away with the merchant caravans so he figured he’d have the house built to suit my tastes.”
Basim clasped his hands behind his back, “That is good. You deserve a gorgeous home.” His eyes softened at her.
She smiled back, and then looked up at the sky. A skwak rang out, catching her attention. Moments later an eagle flew down onto Basim’s outstretched arm.
“You’ve been flying all day,” he fed the bird a snack, “Do you ever tire?”
Nashira tilted her head as Basim brought the creature closer to her, “This is Enkidu, my animal companion.”
The bird was beautiful, and quite alert, seeming to take notice of the woman in front of him. She carefully reached out a hand to pet the top of Enkidu’s head.
The bird clicked with delight at the action.
“It’s very nice to meet you Enkidu.” Nashira smiled at the creature.
Basim let out a chuckle, “I can tell he likes you.”
Nashira blew the bird a few kisses, not noticing her cat stalking up the winged creature. With one swipe of the paw, Halah hissed at the bird, causing it to fly back in the sky with a loud screech.
“Bad Halah!” Nashira picked up the cat, placing it in her lap, “you mustn’t hiss at our friend Enkidu.” She sent an apologetic glance at Basim.
He chuckled again, “Enkidu is a lot tougher than he seems.”
Nashira let Halah jump out of her lap. She patted a spot next to her on the fountain, “Please, sit with me.”
Without hesitation, Basim did as she asked. Stars filled the night above them, twinkling up above Nashira’s courtyard garden.
He sighed, “This reminds me of those times we’d sit on the roofs in Anbar.” He said, gazing above them.
Nashira smiled fondly, “Yeah, it does.”
A silence hung over them for some time.
She looked at Basim, taking in his new choice of dress. He wore a hood now, though it was down at the moment. His clothing was simple and plain, like a peasant or monk’s clothing. The only thing that stood out was the bright sash, and if you looked closely, you could see an array of thinly veiled weapons all over his person.
She gave him a long look, raising an eyebrow at him. Slowly the corner her mouth raised up in a smirk.
He noticed her gaze, “What?”
Nashira let out a small laugh, “I couldn’t help but notice how you choose the dress lately : hoods, concealed weapons…or should I say hidden? Much like those elusive hooded liberators you used to talk about all the time. What were they called?” She tapped her cheek with her finger as she circled around him, “The Hidden-”
Basim covered her mouth to stop her from talking.
His face turned serious, “Do not mention them, ever, understood?” He said in a hushed tone.
She nodded.
He took his hand away and she smacked him hard on the shoulder, “And stop shushing me!”
Basim grunted out a laugh at the smack and rubbed his shoulder, feigning pain. Nashira nearly hit him again but he caught her hand before she could.
“Nice try.” He smirked. He and Nashira laughed for a moment before realizing how close to each other they were, and that Basim currently held her hand in his. They both thought back to the times they used to play these kinds of games together in the observatory.
They were so close to each other. Close enough to feel each other's breaths on their noses.
He let go, clearing his throat and she tucked some hair back into her head scarf.
Nashira let out a little laugh, “To be honest I wouldn’t have figured it out had I not spoken to Master Roshan.” She mentioned.
Basim’s eyes widened, “You spoke with Roshan?”
She nodded, “She may have caught me looking at some confidential documents while you were away.”
Basim blinked, “I am surprised you lived to tell the tale.”
“As am I.” Nashira thought for a moment and then laughed, “I am surprised you took out those mercenaries so easily. I wouldn’t have expected that from you.”
Basim raised a brow, “What do you mean?”
“Well thieves aren’t exactly known for fighting.” She shrugged, “You were more so the ‘avoid a fight and run away as fast as you can’ type.”
“Hey now, I used to put up a good fight back then!” He protested.
She chuckled, “You certainly gave them what for…from the ground.” She winked.
Basim huffed in annoyance and rolled his eyes as she laughed thinking about all the times she saw Basim scrambling from the guards in the House of Wisdom.
She fidgeted with her hands in her lap, “I know I was a bit…harsh the night you returned to Baghdad,” She almost whispered, “I still stand by what I said, but, It is good to have you back. I missed having a friend to talk to.”
Basim smiled softly at the word friend. They had started out as friends, and he cherished that friendship just as much, if not more, than their romance for he would have never known he loved her without it. The love he had for Nashira never left, but perhaps it could change.
“I am glad to be back too. Even more so knowing we can still be friends.”
After a moment, she cleared her throat, “Roshan mentioned the reason you hadn’t come back to Baghdad was because of your Hidden One’s training.”
Basim nodded, “That is true. I needed to train hard and remain focused to reach my goal,” he explained, “and in order to do that I needed to take an oath to leave my old life behind.”
It grew quiet between them. He realized what he implied when he saw Nashira frown. Her face remained still, thought he swore he could see the slightest bend in her eye brow like something bothered her.
“Hold on, I didn’t mean- “
“No, do not apologize, I understand.” She assured him, “I’m happy for you. Becoming a Hidden One has always been your dream. Don’t apologize for following that path.” She gave him a small smile.
“You were my dream too.” He wanted to tell her, but remembered how she shut him down when they first reconnected.
Nashira couldn’t help but notice how tired Basim’s eyes looked. The dark circles pooled under them, growing darker since the last time.
“You are happy right? You look so weary,” She said.
Basim didn’t look at her, “I’m fine,” he lied. After killing Fazil Fahim, he saw another vision of the jinni. What used to only haunt him in his sleep now tormented him in his wake as well. He lacked the answers as to why, but it always happened when he slayed one of his targets.
Nashira placed a hand on his shoulder, “Are you sure?” Her eyes grew more concerned as she tried to get him to look at her but he wouldn't. He couldn’t.
Instead he asked her, “Are you happy Nashira?”
Nashira removed her hand from his shoulder. She looked far ahead of her, gazing at the beautiful archway of her home, built for her by a devoted husband who loved her.
“I should be…” She muttered out loud.
Basim looked her way, seeing the forlorn look in her eyes as she stared ahead of her. What did she mean? She had to be happy, right? She had her observatory, this house, a kind and wealthy husband, everything she’d need to live a secure and comfortable life. What was missing from it?
He brought his gaze back up towards the stars. If this was how things were meant to be, how could she be unhappy? How could he be expected to let what they had go if he knew she was unhappy with this life?
He shook his head. No, no, he couldn’t think like that. He was harping on feelings from the past, not focusing on the reality of the present.
He stood up, “I have to go. Master Roshan is expecting me.”
He needed to go. He couldn’t stay a moment longer or he’d say something he’d regret and ruin any chance of them being friends.
Nashira opened her mouth to say something, to tell him to come back, tell him to stay with her, even for just a moment longer.
Instead, all she said was “Goodnight, Basim.”
Basim swallowed hard, “Goodnight, Nashira.” He disappeared into the night.
_____________________________________________
The sun was shining high over Baghdad as Basim leaped across the rooftops to get to the House of Wisdom. Weeks had passed since he assassinated Fazil Fahim and by the looks of things, the House of Wisdom was bouncing back from corruption.
No signs of burning books, people freely walking about, freely discussing their findings and philosophies amongst themselves and their students.
He smiled to himself. It was nice to see the results of his work for once.
He made it to the ledge just above the window into Nashira’s observatory. He grabbed a hold of it and swung himself into the building, landing effortlessly on the floor.
As he stood, he dusted himself off, “Nashira, I have some work for you from Master Rosha-“
He stopped talking when he saw not only Nashira’s wide eyes staring back at him, but about 10 other pairs of eyes as well. All them were young girls, anywhere from thirteen to sixteen years old. They sat together at their desks as Nashira stood in the front with a board showing complicated math equations.
She cleared her throat, “Basim, this is my class.” She turned to her class, “Class, this is my old friend Basim. What do we say to our guests?”
“Assalamu alaikum.” They said in unison.
Basim put a hand to his heart, bowing his head, “Walaikum Assalam. My apologies for interrupting your class, children.” He said, “Perhaps I should come back later.”
One of the younger girls perked up, “Ustadah, why does he dress like a peasant?” She asked
“Fatima!” Nashira used a warning tone in her voice, the kind Basim recognized as the one her father used to let her know she was crossing a boundary.
Basim shook his head, “It is fine ya sayidati,” Basim looked at Fatima, “That is a fine question, young lady. When I was not much older than you, I grew up in Anbar, one of the poorer districts in Baghdad. Because of this, I saw many people and children like yourself go without the things they need and treated poorly by others, myself included,” he explained, clasping his hands behind his back as he spoke, “My clothes are a reminder of the oath I made to help those less fortunate.”
Most of that was true, though the simple answer was that the clothes concealed his identity. These girls didn’t need to know for what reason though.
He continued, “Like all of you, I spent a lot of time in this very room learning as much as I could, thanks to your teacher.” He said, looking over at Nashira.
Nashira smiled softly at him and he returned the gesture. This action did not go unnoticed by her students, who unfortunately for her were growing more and more observant everyday.
One of the girls raised her hand and Nashira called on her, “Yes, Reem?”
Reem smirked, “Is he the reason you tell us not to talk to boys from Anbar?” She teased.
Nashira clapped her hands, “Class dismissed!” She said, completely side tracking that question.
Immediately the girls scurried from their desks and out the doors to the rest of the House of Wisdom, carrying their books with them, breaking off into smaller groups to chat and giggle amongst themselves, stealing glances at their teacher and this mysterious bearded man from Anbar.
When all the students were out of the room, Nashira slowly turned around to face Basim, cringing when she saw his hands on his hips and a cheeky expression on his face.
“And what’s wrong with boys from Anbar?” He asked with a playful tone.
“Nothing! Nothing,” Nashira giggled, “I just wanted to make sure my girls know to look out for their-”
“Sticky fingers?” Basim answered, holding up both hands and wiggling his fingers.
“No,” Nashira pointed to her mouth, “Their slick tongues.” She said before they both burst out into a laugh.
Basim chuckled, “Do your students know what a bad influence you were on me?” He asked.
In their youth, Nashira often dragged him along to parts of the library they weren’t allowed in, or would convince him to use his “sticky fingers” to swipe books about topics her father wouldn’t allow her to read. If they ever got caught, Nashira would distract the guards and stewards so Basim could sneak away with their bounty.
Nashira smirked, “You were a worst one.”
At some point in the middle of their banter they had migrated very close to each other, leaving only a few inches of space between them. They cleared their throats and put more space between them.
“So, what did you come by for?” Nashira asked.
He grinned, “Isn’t it obvious? I’ve come to see my good friend.”
Nashira cracked a smile, only to scoff when he crouched down to pick up the fluffy white cat.
“Halah!” He said in a joyous tone, holding up the chubby cat who purred from the attention.
Nashira thumped his forehead with her finger, “You interrupted my class for that?”
Basim shook his head with a laugh, letting Halah jump out of his arms, “Master Roshan needs to know which stars to follow to get to these locations.” He handed her a parchment with Roshan’s request on it.
Nashira read the parchment. Many of the locations extended out of Baghdad, into areas like Greece, Constantinople, even the Norse lands, “Why does she need to go here?” She asked.
Basim shrugged his shoulders, “I can not tell you what I don't know.”
Nashira tilted her head, “You mean you didn’t ask?” That was so unlike the Basim she knew, who like her, was always nosy to fault. Though it seemed this Basim didn’t question his master on anything.
Basim shook his head.
She rolled her eyes, “More secrets.” She placed the parchment on the table, “Very well, I’ll figure it out in a few hours. Right now I need to go.”
Basim looked confused, “Go where?”
“To Anbar,” She explained, filling a bag with books, “One of my students, Maha, hasn’t been coming to class lately because her mother is sick and she has to watch her younger siblings. So I’m going over there to teach her in her home.”
“Really,” Basim hummed thoughtfully, “I never thought someone from Anbar could afford such a class.”
“Of course she can’t afford it. That’s why I don’t charge her, or any of my students for that matter.” Nashira clarified as she continued packing, “Maha is too bright for me to let her fall through the cracks.”
Basim wasn’t sure what he felt just then, but he found himself smiling at her while she wasn’t looking. He suddenly remembered how she said teaching was how she wanted to better the world around her. It was nice to see her following that call to purpose.
“It is a good thing you are doing, ya sayidati,” he said, “Though I wish we had more time to share a snack of dates and tea.”
Nashira smirked, “Consider yourself lucky. Since you are so eager to spend time with Halah, you can cat sit while I’m gone.” She winked at him, before heading out of the observatory.
#assassins creed#assassins creed mirage#basim ibn ishaq#ac mirage#basim#basim ibn is’haq#basim x oc#assassins creed fanfiction
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Israeli tanks close in on a Palestinian hospital. Doctors and medical staff are warned that they must leave — with or without patients in need. Artillery assaults follow, even if thousands of people are still inside.
On Monday, it was the turn of the Indonesian Hospital in Beit Lahia, Gaza. At least 12 people have been killed in Israeli attacks on the facility, even as armoured vehicles edge closer and closer to the hospital.
But it was only the latest medical centre to face the wrath of the Israeli army.
Six weeks into its war on Gaza, Israel’s attacks on hospitals have emerged almost as a motif of the conflict, even though refugee camps, schools and churches have not been spared either. At least 21 of Gaza’s 35 hospitals — including the strip’s solo cancer centre — are completely out of service, and others have been damaged and are short of medicines and essential supplies. . . . On Friday, Israel’s military extended its approach in Gaza to the occupied West Bank, where armoured vehicles surrounded at least four hospitals. The Ibn Sina Hospital, one of the largest in the West Bank, was raided. And in early November, Israeli forces arrested some patients and their attendants from an East Jerusalem hospital.
But why does Israel target Palestinian hospitals given that this also brings significant criticism from leading human rights organisations, which have accused it of war crimes? . . . Israel claimed Hamas was using al-Shifa as a command centre, for instance. But Hamas has denied that claim, and days after taking control of the facility, Israel has been unable to provide strong evidence to back its assertions.
The real reason Israel targets hospitals is different, according to Omar Rahman, a fellow at the Doha-based Middle East Council on Global Affairs. It is a form of psychological warfare, he said.
“Attacking hospitals tells the population that nowhere for [Palestinians] is safe,” Rahman told Al Jazeera, adding that Israel acts with “total impunity”.
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Learning to Trust Allah's Timing
"And there's something very profound about this because as Ibn al-Jawzi said, if Yusuf focused on only getting out of prison, then he wouldn't have benefited from what was actually happening within the prison. And so when you're in a trial or a hardship, a person becomes so eager for that hardship to end. Ya Allah, when is this going to be lifted?"
"that if they don't pay attention, they're missing out on the unique opportunities of that hardship to come close to Allah . As he said, one of the Salaf, one of the pious predecessors asked Allah in a dream, Ya Allah, how come this dua has not been fulfilled yet? And the answer was, Ya Abdi, O my servant, I love to hear your voice."
"I love to hear your voice in du'a. And what you were getting out of those moments of du'a as the delay was happening was better than what you were seeking in the immediate moment. The delay became good for you because what you attained in terms of faith and character in that delay was far greater than what Allah could have hastened for you in the moment. When you're in the midst of the trial,"
"Allah pushes you towards certain things or offers you the potential to push yourself towards certain things. The entire time you're saying, when, when, when? And it's important to take a step back and say, you know what? While I'm asking Allah for this trial to come to an end, let me pay attention to the unique opportunities that exist within this trial. As the scholars mentioned, when you're pursuing a blessing,"
"Sometimes, subhanAllah, in the process of pursuing a particular blessing, we neglect the blessings that already exist around us. And I'm not just talking about the idea of health and the idea of, you know, the concept of gratitude and shukr for what you have."
"But while you're in the pursuit of this particular thing, if you develop tunnel vision, when is this going to happen? When am I going to get this? When am I going to get that? The other ni'm in your life all have a timeline. The other blessings all have a timeline. And they're moving towards a sense of expiration."
— Dr. Omar Suleiman
#omar suleiman#journaling#life quotes#quotesoftheday#life lessons#catatan#tulisan#selfreminder#motivation#menulis#renungan
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[piety]
Omar, may Allāh be pleased with him, was asked about people who desires to sin but do not commit it? He said: (Those are the one whose hearts Allah has tested for piety. For them is forgiveness and a great reward.)
{ أُو۟لَـٰۤئِكَ ٱلَّذِینَ ٱمۡتَحَنَ ٱللَّهُ قُلُوبَهُمۡ لِلتَّقۡوَىٰۚ لَهُم مَّغۡفِرَةࣱ وَأَجۡرٌ عَظِیمٌ }
[Al-Hujurat:3]
- Fath al-Bari by Ibn Rajab 1/88
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Today We Honor Omar ibn Said
Omar ibn Said was an educated Muslim African born about 1770 in Futa Toro (modern Senegal).
Said was an Islamic scholar and a Fula who spent 25 years of his life studying with prominent Muslim scholars, learning a range of subjects including mathematics, astronomy, business, and theology.
He was enslaved and transported to Charleston, South Carolina. Not long after his arrival and sale to a local planter, Said escaped and made his way to Fayetteville, North Carolina, where he was imprisoned after entering a Christian church to pray. He gained attention for writing on the walls of his prison cell in Arabic. Although ibn Said was converted to Christianity on December 3, 1820, there are dedications to Muhammad written in his Bible, and a card dated 1857 on which he wrote Surat An-Nasr, a short sura which refers to the conversion of non-Muslims to Islam ‘in multitudes.’
Literary analysis of ibn Said’s autobiography suggests that he wrote it for two audiences, the white literates who sought to exploit his conversion to Christianity and Muslim readers who would recognize Qur'anic literary devices and subtext and understand his position as a fellow Muslim living under persecution.
CARTER™️ Magazine carter-mag.com #wherehistoryandhiphopmeet #historyandhiphop365 #cartermagazine #carter #omaribnsaid #blackhistorymonth #blackhistory #history #staywoke
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عن ابن عمر رضي الله عنهما أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال :
ما من جرعة أعظم أجرًا عند الله من جرعة غيظ كظمها عبد ابتغاء وجه الله. 🤍
ابن ماجه 4189
On the authority of Ibn Omar, may God be pleased with him, that the Messenger of God, may God’s prayers and peace be upon him, said: There is no greater reward in the sight of God than a dose of anger that a servant suppresses, seeking the pleasure of God. Ibn Majah 4189
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I have never heard of this man’s amazing story until today. I find great value in it, and plan to study and research it further and perhaps read his book if I’m able to find it. My DNA journey has taken me around the world, genetically speaking, Mali and places like Sierra Leone, Senegal Gambia in West Africa, Nigeria, Egypt and other North African places are a part of my vast and varying DNA. Though I do not know Omar ibn Said to be one of my direct ancestors he is non the less an ancestor, he defies the description of enslaved African’s were uneducated, unprosperous, and unfamiliar with godliness. With tears of joy, I honor this ancestor!!!
I too have dreamed the other side of the river, even when I am awake, in the dreams I live throughout the day, I carry both sides of the river. It is in my walk and my talk, my form of dress and in my nakedness, I dream of the river, this side and the other side, Yalla!!! Let us go forward, and not forget the other side- ” Z”
In honor of my ancestors, not a poem per se just a thought fresh from my heart, in real time.
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Saudi Chambers Federation wants office in São Paulo
On a visit to the Arab Brazilian Chamber, a delegation from the Saudi federation spoke about business possibilities in the private sector in both countries.
The Federation of Saudi Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FSC) wants to set up an office in São Paulo, according to the assistant secretary-general of the organization, Waleed Alorainan. He visited the headquarters of the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) in São Paulo this Tuesday (1) and expects to stay for a few more days before returning to Riyadh. The chair of the Saudi-Brazilian Business Council, Mishal Ibn Hithlain, was also part of the visit delegation and said the Arab country is working to make this happen as soon as possible.
Accompanying the visit were Saudi Arabia’s Commercial attachée to Washington D.C. and responsible for the Americas, Reem Altharwa; the Relations manager for the Americas and director of the Saudi-Brazilian Business Council, Abdulrahim Almuaibid; member of the Saudi-Brazilian Business Council, Abdulmalik Alqahtani; and representing the Saudi General Authority for Foreign Trade (GAFT), Omar Almughamis.
The Saudis were welcomed by the ABCC’s president, ambassador Osmar Chohfi, Institutional Relations director Fernanda Baltazar, and director Mohamad Abdouni.
Continue reading.
#brazil#politics#saudi arabia#brazilian politics#saudi politics#economy#international politics#mod nise da silveira#image description in alt
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