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¹ In Islamic belief, the Israa' and Mi'raj refer to the two stages of the miraculous night journey undertaken by the Prophet Muhammad: first from Mecca to Jerusalem, and then from Jerusalem (specifically the Dome of the Rock) to the heavens
² The Temple Mount, referred to by both Muslim and Christian Palestinians as Bayt al-Maqdis ("the Holy House"), is the area on which Masjid al-Aqsa and the Dome of the Rock are built, and where the Temples of Solomon are alleged to have stood
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This week I was originally going to translate and upload an old album of beautiful dhikrs from the Shadhili Hamidi Sufi order (the Egyptian branch of the Shadhili Sufi order), but in light of recent events in Palestine and Israel's latest atrocities against the Palestinian people, I decided to delay those and instead upload this rare music video of one of Fairuz's best songs.
Fairuz is probably the most famous and most loved singer alive in the Arab world today, and like the rest of the people in this video she is a Lebanese Christian. The music video is from 1967, when it was produced and shown as part of the 1967 Cedars International Festival in Lebanon.
As well as being the best song about Palestine I've ever heard, Zahrat al-Mada'in is also a masterpiece on its own, split up into three different stages/emotions like Bohemian Rhapsody, but released almost 10 years before it.
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Following the illegal, forced evictions of Palestinian residents to make way for Israeli settlers in Sheikh Jarrah during the middle of Ramadhan, the Palestinian people have suffered provocations from far-right Israeli marches, constant invasions of Masjid al-Aqsa, and an onslaught of Israeli airstrikes throughout Ramadhan. As of the 13th May, 64 Palestinians and 7 Israelis have lost their lives, and the conflict only looks to be getting much worse.
You can help by raising awareness of the Palestinian cause, attending pro-Palestinian protests in your area, and contacting your MP to bring up the inhumane treatment and illegal occupation of the Palestinian people in Parliament.
#Fairuz
#AlQuds
#Palestine
