The Stream We were recently introduced to the Arabic term ribat. Historically, it referred to those areas where invading Muslims, having been halted or pushed back to, maintained a presence and created a base whence they continued waging jihad on the non-Muslim frontier. Gaza can be seen—and indeed portrays itself—as a modern day manifestation of the ribat: bordering against … [Read more...]
‘Don’t Be So Two-Faced, Man!’ Muslim Reformer Lashes Out against Accusers
Dr. Ahmed Abdu‘ Maher, an Egyptian scholar with a long history of being relatively straightforward about Islamic history and doctrine in his many books and lectures—to the point that he was sentenced to five years imprisonment, but pardoned at the final moment—has apparently had enough. In a recent video, Maher lashed out at his accusers: All these people are complaining … [Read more...]
‘We Will Drink Your Blood and Eat Your Skull’: A Legacy of Islamic Savagery
What’s the deal with Muslim calls for, not just violence, but eating the flesh or drinking the blood of their infidel enemies? Consider the case of Ahed Tamimi, described by Wikipedia as a Palestinian activist … in the occupied West Bank in Palestine. She is best known for appearances in images and videos in which she confronts Israeli soldiers. Tamimi's advocates consider … [Read more...]
Epiphany Moment: Tiktokers ‘Rediscover’ Long-Discredited al-Qaeda Propaganda
Osama bin Laden is back, opening American eyes to the innumerable ills of their society. A 21-year old letter from the former al-Qaeda chief recently went viral on Tiktok, prompting many of its denizens—primarily Gen Z’s and not a few Millennials—to “see the light.” A few reactions to reading bin Laden’s so-called “Letter to Americans” (2002) follow: “It’s wild and … [Read more...]
Israel’s (and the West’s) Islamic Ribat Problem
The Stream “A Palestinian man,” to quote from a recent report, “handed out sweets following the death of his sons and daughters and shouted: ‘There is no God but Allah’ and ‘Allahu Akbar!’” While such behavior is, by now, somewhat banal, he did make an important, if cryptic (to the West), statement: We, our sons and daughters are dead. And we [also] want to die now. We want … [Read more...]