Month: May 2016

With the way in which events continue to unravel in Libya, many Western news reporters and opinion writers categorize the conflict to be a courtesy of tribalism. This oversimplification in the portrayal of the Libyan conflict is especially problematic as it reaffirms a West-centric understanding of global politics. Knowledge is power, and the manner in which knowledge is shared and spread is significant. With Libya, most news agencies often portray the conflict in the language of tribalism. In this case, Libya is automatically assumed to belong to a certain category of conflict,…

Since the Syrian Civil War erupted in March 2011, the Peshmerga have been catapulted to the forefront of the world stage. The Iraqi Kurdish armed forces have become celebrated internationally as one of the main forces on the ground in the fight against Daesh. Peshmerga is derived from two Kurdish words and, when translated into English, comes to mean those who face death. There are between 100,000 and 250,000 militants in Peshmerga comprising of both men and women. Between December 2013 and March 2015, it is estimated that the Peshmerga…

Aside from the incalculable loss and displacement of human lives, during the course of conflict, another casualty of war is the destruction of religious and cultural heritage sites due to their symbolic importance and noticeable presence. More often than not, this has a spiral impact on the economy of a country, particularly if tourism is a significant contributor to the country’s annual income such as in Syria prior to the uprisings. When important heritage sites are destroyed or damaged, the country’s tourism sector may not recover. Aside from a heightened…

Over the last two decades, a strand of Islam, relatively unknown to many Westerners, had been brought into sharp focus as a result of an increasing number of attacks on global cities, as well as a growing threat from groups like Daesh in Syria and Iraq. Wahhabism – sometimes referred to as Salafism, though technically slightly different – emerged in the Najd region of modern day Saudi Arabia from the teachings of Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab. Over the 19th and 20th centuries, and supported by successive members of the Saud family,…

In Islamic tradition, the first divine revelation received by our beloved Prophet Mohammed was ‘Read’, and this was repeated three times by angel Gabriel. This emphasises how important it is to seek knowledge, and how crucial knowledge is in defining human integrity and dignity. We must also think about what it means to nurture and share knowledge. In this article, we look at the benefits of providing a more holistic and practical learning style to Arab millennials. Teachers and parents must learn to trust young people and to accept healthy…

After Egypt and Libya gained independence in the 1950s, the two respective states maintained a mutual cooperative relationship. With regards to foreign policy and regional security, the two neighbouring countries viewed each other as key players. When Gaddafi assumed power in 1969, his initial goal regarding Egypt was to try and create a partnership with Egypt both within the region and in the broader Pan-Arab community. Unfortunately for Gaddafi, he would prove more dedicated to promote his goal than either Nasser or his successor Sadat. Later, tensions arose due to…

By assuming the office of the Prime Minister on 5th of April 2016, Fayez al-Sarraj faces unprecedented challenges in the nation’s history and is now tasked with bringing a failing state back from the abyss and preventing Libya from becoming the Somalia of the Mediterranean. Prime Minister Sarraj must address the internal problems which currently plague the nation whilst balancing the interests and expectations of the international community. If Prime Minister Sarraj is to be successful he must; rid the country of the cancer which is Daesh, destroy the human…