I usually write to inform you about the latest celebrity news. However, after the both overwhelming and disgusting response to yesterday’s article about Star Academy contestant Shatha Hassoun, I think a history lesson is in order.
After the collapse of the last great Islamic Empire (which while called Islamic was home to Christians, Jews, and Zoroastrians also), what remained of the crumbling Umayyad Empire fled to Cordoba, in Spain. The Mongols had Arab nation with deep divides, and easily defeated them. But the Arabs in Spain; for 150 years there was a golden age in which Muslim, Jewish and Christian Arab scholars lay down the basis of the math that we use today (Algebra, etc.) and translated the lost works of Ancient Greece. However, just like the Abbasids overthrew the Umayyads in Baghdad, the emirs of Arab Spain (Al Andalus) began to quarrel and split up Southern Spain into little kingdoms.
The European Christians of Northern Spain craftily made alliances with small Arab kingdoms and would join them in destroying a large kingdom. When the large kingdom was defeated, the Europeans would turn on the little kingdoms and destroy them. This went on until in 1492 when the final kingdom of Granada fell to Spanish troops sent by the pope. The Arabs cheated themselves out of their own land!
The Arab world fell into a deep Dark Age for about 400 years. By the time we had woken up, the English, French, Turks, and Spanish had control of our lands. Numerous movements, revolutions, unifications, and civil wars, we are today split into 18 Arabic-speaking countries/territories: Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Western Sahara, and Yemen. Even after all of the things we went through, we still quarrel like silly children. Colonialism split us up, Shiites, Sunnis, Kurds, Armenians, Berbers, Africans, Bedouin, Christian, and so on. We argue, the religious tell us our girls are corrupted, the liberals claim that the religious are killing our freedom. Leave each other alone! If that isn’t enough some of us like a polite Ms. Dana proved in her comment, are actually racist, TOWARDS OUR OWN RACE. Take a look at this prime example why Arabs so easily fall into the hands of the Europeans and Americans (her mouth is so foul I censored some parts:
“I hate khalejeye people hafartalye..and i hate ali the
stupid ugly looking face!!god!!he didnot vote 4 imed..
let him go and look at himself in the mirror and see thee way he look like(like
monkey) i hate him alot
and stupid kwaiti ahmad he should soooo cut his hair(eww its like dog) and howe
kteeerr shayef 7alo and i dont know why they see him very handsome in the
academy i mean he is s***!!! stupid kaligi ppl”
This certain treasure I read was really a boiling point for me. Just so you know, I am an Imed fan. Yes, I have no bias towards Shatha, I am a Imed fan. If you truly were a Imed fan, you would know that he told most of the guys and girls to give their vote to Amel to give her a second chance. That’s why Ali voted for Amel. That’s why Tina voted for Amel, and that’s why Sally voted for Amel. I didn’t say Joseph didn’t deserve to win, I’m saying that had he been nominated, the outcome may have been much different. So, On a final note, Ms. Dana and others please keep your disgusting comments to yourself, we are all the same race, and if a silly competition will make you type poison like that, I don’t know what to say.
By Ahmed
Comments
Please do not forget that the real Arabs, the one who set out of the Arabian peninsula, went to OCCUPY lands that did not speak Arabic, that is the rest of the so-called Arab countries outside the Khalige.
They are occupiers who imposed their language through imposing their religion.
The claim to Arabism stops at that.
Hell when speaking the dialects, that take lots of their words from their pre-arab languages, the so-called arabs don't understand one another.
There is not one unified traditional costume.
Not even a common cuisine.
Why are so sorry about?
The Arab empire, was just like the roman, greek, english etc empires that spread out of a determined country to a wider geographical area, either to spread religion or for economic interest or for the sheer subduing of weaker populations.
All empires of the world collapsed. While modern day Italians and Greeks for instance do not look to reconstitute their former empires because this is an obsolete idea since one should look to improve one's country first, the so-called Arabs keep whining for obsolete ideas that have no place in the 20th century.
Let each country take care out of its own business without having to conform to norms of other countries it has nothing to do with.
You forgto to mention Somalia and the Comoros island in the realm of the ärab world.
Why should a white-skinned scantily dressed Lebanese have solidarity with a somalian on another continent than his for God's sake?
If by now you are not aware of the futility and sheer ridiculousness of panarabism then I am afraid you are blind to see the truth around you.
we are all the same race" as claims the writer of this article.
This is racist by excellence.
This is the sheer schizophrenia of the arab identity.
People don't know if it is a language space, a cultural space and some goes even to cancel all racial obvious differences and claim the one race.
Just horrible.
So please would you mind explain to me how blond-haried green-eyed Carlo belongs to the same race a naomi-campbell's lookalike Shrooq?
How come persian origin Ahmad belongs to the same race as his own compatriot Abdel Aziz who does not neither share his skin color or his features?
Please stop spreading erroneous info!
Hey guys ... take things easy ...
look at it this way ... at this point in time we 'arabs' are all arabs & we should stick together no matter what our 'origins' are! & no matter what religion we belong to!
No matter what Carlo or Ahmad's origins are, they are still arabs ... & that goes for the rest of us.
Please just lighten up!
Ahmed....I know u r trying to send a great message...I agree with u...yes indeed we all belong to the same race... THE HUMAN RACE. Now I'm happy to see that u know your history...congratulations. I believe that history teaches us to understand our own time... And yes the comments were discusting... but u see in these times that we live in, technology gives us the right and the freedom to be anonymous and write what we want at the same time... and I think little miss Dana and many like her take advatage of that and i honestly believe that refined readers disregard comments like that...well until someone decides to write an artical about it that is...
Just don't make make a deal out of it... there r greater issuse in the world u know...
Marie
Lulu, turning in the same vicious circle again.
I for instance as a Lebanese christians with my roots going back at least 600 years before Lebanon was arabized, why should I stick with a Sunni Yemeni at the tip of the desert or a Mauritanian against my brothers in religion in Europe or in the states??
This is racism.
All the world the should stick together, and not clinging to fictious and alleged identities, that the history, at least in the last 50 years has proven to be inefficient and rather destructive.
One should stick to his own country first and then to have peaceful thought about the entire world.
We are one human race.
Period
Well said lebchris, lulu and Ahmed, I believe you all have good points.
Peace to everyone.
my comment is a reply to Lebchris's comment, I really don't know why u're so angry ! if u wanna have a conv. let's make be calm ! but if u just want 2 lay out things that u think are a true then I guess u don't have 2 read my comment.
first I'll have to comment on what u said about (They are occupiers who imposed their language through imposing their religion) I guess u don'yt even know what u're talking about do u ?!
Islam never (occupied) a country ! thousands of years ago when islam started God said in the QURAN ( ed3 ela sapeel rabek bel7kma wa al mw3za wa gadelhom belaty hya a7san ) & also said ( la ekrah fy el deen ) & ( fazaker enma ant mozkr last 3alyhom bomsyter ) these three ( ayat ) clearly states that islam should never be spread by by violence & ONLY by understanding & beliveing in it & anyone who doesn't want 2 should never be forced to be a muslim .
I don't know if u even know our history cuz if u know it u'd see by yourself that muslims never entered a war to ( occupy ) a land it was always to ( DEFEND ) islam .
& I don't really understand your reasons for not considering us all arabs from the same race ! do u think that ( race ) only stands for ppl. who have the same skin colour & the same eye shape !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I don't know if think so I guess ur saying that africans should only live in afirca & white ppl. should only live togther !!!!!!!!!!!! the same race doesn't have to mean the same ORIGIN !
u say (one should look to improve one's country first) will honestly I agree with u in this BUT it has to be 4 a bigger reason 4 uniting us as arabs to be a strong ONE nation if u think that empire age has faded then u're SOOOOO wrong ! look at europe now how they're uniting & creating a new empire to be stronger all togther did they stop & think why should we unit there are black ppl. here & there yelow ppl. & stuff like that they didn't stay to think about thier origin they only want to improve & the only way in this world to improve is to unit to get bigger & stronger .
take a look at the USA did u realize that its called the (UNITED) STATES ?!!! ha ?!
do u even know how many kinds of ppl. live there ! but they still say we're AMERICANS !
those ppl. discovered long ago that the only way to improve is to unit & still we stand here saying I'm not arabian cuz egpt wasn't & arab country orignaly or lebnon or I don't know wut ever ! will here it is like it or not u're an arab u can't deny it ! can u deny that u feel so sorry for wut's happening in Iraq & Palestine can u deny that u feel that those ppl. hurting them r hurting u ! can u deny that u didn't feel sorry the same amount for ppl. whho died in Tsunami & don't mean I didn't feel bad for those but I just mean that my saddnes for palestenians or Iraqis or Lebanese is much much greater !
don't u feel angry & sad when u see algeria & morroco fighting togther on a part of land ! honestly plz reply 2 this !?
will I guess we're arabs & we're gonna stay like this its our disteny maybe if u were born in a different time u'd have been eurabean or chinese or wut ever but right now u're arab no matter ur wut ur religion is . & plzzzzzzz try 2 think 4 a moment if as u say every arab country works only 4 its self wut would it reach ?!?! & do u think that this israily american cancer is gonna leave it alone to improve as u say ?!
another reply for Lebchris.
u say (why should I stick with a Sunni Yemeni at the tip of the desert or a Mauritanian against my brothers in religion in Europe or in the states??) so u say u wanna stick to those ppl. just cuz they're the same religion as u r.
ok then I think I really dis agree with u , I think don't just have to stick to some one cuz he's the same religion as I am ! I think have to stick 2 wut I think is right !
I really don't consider my self a supporter to the way my country's president Egypt manages stuff , I think we do nothing to solve anything ! still my president is mulsim should that make me a supporter to that guy !!!
if u're saying u should stick to those americans ur saying that u think that they're doing the right things !?
ok plz answer those questions ?
do u think what america does in Iraq & the whole war is fair ?
do u think that the way america helps israil is fair ?!
do u think that the way those eurpeans run after the money of the Jews by supporting them in anything against arabs is right ? even leading to killing of thousands of( muslims ) is that all right ?!
if u think that its all right then I agree with u, u should really stick with them & belive me they REALLY like ppl. who stick with them LOL.
u should leave the not so good lookin yemenes or the black murtanians or wut or those really wierd lookin palestenians they're muslims right !? so its fair they should be killed ?
will 4 me I'll will stick with things I agree with not for some on'es religion cuz I'll still hate Sadam ( muslim ) & I'll like the work of steven spelperg & adimt that he's the best & I know that he's ( jewish ) ! its all about wut we belive in right ?
Hmmm
It seems that a lot of poeple dont know well the history !
I'm muslim, but why shall we change the history ?
pourquoi devons nous idéaliser les musulmans de la sorte ? il y avait bien des guerres et des morts lors de l'invasion des arabes! eh, oui les autres pays en dehors de l'ile d'arabie n'taient pas arabesn et ne le seront jamais complètement! cela a été une occupation, mais qui a porté de bonnes et de mauvaises choses.
Mahmoud
totally unintelligible text
how do you think i feel...i am just aobut 100% native american indian. years ago, the europeans came over, tried to kil of my ancestors and then trhew us into reservations while they thrive off the land of MY blood relatives and then have the nerve to call themselves americans. my ex hubbo was egyptian and when we went to his citizenship ceremony, it kind of angered me to see these people becoming something us indians are by blood.
especially when you get them racist southern people who say, 'americans only' but its like, 'dude, your irish and german, how the hell are you a real american! your family came here and murdered my family so go back to whatever european place you are from.'
as prejudice as i am not, i can relate to this article.
lebchris
many gulf countries (kuwait , Oman, Bharain, qatar ) have been british colonies but they are still arabs .....
in lebanon .. they sort of distance themselves from arabs or the arabic language .. everyone else knows that and its a fact ..
so , why you are upset ...?? history is known to everyone and its not a restricted book to certain people ...
can you tell me why Ahmad, carlo and tina keep singing french and english songs when its supposed to be an oriental program(star acadamy) ??
Wallahy msh 3aref 2a2olek eh !
I'm the one who called my self ( proud to be arab )
I'm saying that there's a problem with my computer or something cuz I can't write in arabic ! but still I can write in arabic cuz I've been learning it all my life ! & u don't have to belive me !
just anyway honeslty now I think u're trying to not reply on wut I said & honestly I think u understoo it cuz its obviuos !
I can't understand why u made the whole thing about the language & what I said is that I don't have talk in arabic to prove that I'm proud to be Arabian ! If I got the chance WALLAHY I would have written in arabic cuz akeeeeeeeeeeeeed its much easier for me !
anyway if u want to reply on wut I said reply if don't just plz don't try twist stuff :S
I'm really not trying to get u to be angry cuz then there will be no point of this discussion & I'll just end up makeing u hate arabs more ! we akeeeeeed that's not at all what I want.
Star Academy is not oriental. It's just a facade.
It is a Lebanese program that had to bring people from other nationalities to rip them off. That is a fact.
I am not upset, we distance ourselves from the Arabs and we are proud of it. Go to a Lebanese forum and state your pro-arab ideas and they will bite you to pieces.
We like European songs, we're damn good at them and we will keep singing and playing them and even composing them.
Gabriel Yared, the great composer of the English Patient score, Bechara el Khoury the classical composer, Michel Fadel are all Lebanese-born and opted for western music.
The Kahlije were British colonies, but they are real Arab, Arabic has always been their language.
That does not apply for Lebanon.
It's been years that you watch, pay then spit on Star Academy. Just tune to other all-arabic shows. That would be good for your nerves!
proud 2 be ARAB:
Are you kidding me?? Arabs never invaded a country?? they did so to defend Islam??
what are you talking about?? For sure they didn't come to Norht Africa to DEFEND Islam, nothing was threatening Islam in North Africa, they came to spread it, and invade the land, and impose aljezya if the people do not convert.. so don't tailor history on your story's size..
I am a North African Muslim, and I'm not upset against anyone, it's history, whatever happened we can't blame anyone for it today, but do not change history, and why wouldn't be called different races?? there is no problem with difference..
I never feel offended when orientals call us not Arab, because we're not, we're proud of who we are, speaking a dialect of Arabic doesn't make us necessarily Arabs and believe me that's fine with me.. Don't try to impose any Arabism on anyone..
What about Mai Ziadeh, Fairouz, Mekael Noayma ... aren't they Lebanese too?? or you Mr lebchris are the one who give people their nationality ... please stop this and stop posting more comments, your ignorance of facts and people like you in Lebanon are the reason why Lebanon is suffering ... akhhhhh :(
to Nounours
Most North africans countries people are not Arabs either Arabs back to more than 1000 year now or Arabs that came from Andalusia ... Berber and Turk are now minorities ... and most of them get mixed with Arabic blood ...
its really wierd how this article showed me ppl. who really hate being arabs ! I'm not sure whos' right 7 who's wrong & I can't reply on every one ! I'm just really surprised & honestly really sad its like I belived i something & now I'm like the only one ! one day a friend of mine told me that he doesn't hate israil that he thinks that we don't have a problem with them ! he said thatwe had a war with them & now its peace & I said will look at wut they still do 2 other arabs ! he said that ( other arabs ) sould take care of them selves ! I said 2 him that he's the only one that thinks like that & that most arab youth still belive in each other ! now I'm really starting 2 change my mind ! maybe I just should start thinkin about my self 2 !
Cupcake
For your information Feiruz's father is a Syriac Orhtodox from the Town of Mardin in Turkey and her mother a maronite from Chouf.
Hardly an Arab I guess.
THen all the personalities you mentioned knew how to right good arabic, as Gibran knew how to write good English, how Amin Maalouf knew how to write good French.
That does not make any of them an Arab, nor an English nor a French.They are just Lebanese hailing from their original Canaanite Aramaic heritage.
If anything it just show how versatile and good Lebanese are in adopting foreing cultures and excelling at them to the point of assimilating tehmselves to them.
And by the way, Lebanon suffered because of adhering to panarabism (getting the Palestinians into our country, fightin against the government to unite with Syria and Egypt and Lately nasrallah's bid to liberate arab prisoners embarking on a war that destroyed lebanon), not because people like me. People like me would like to mind their own business and improve their country.
Did you read Amin Maalouf's book "crusades through arab eyes"? If not .. i really recommand you to read it, it will open your eyes to many things and besides, you can refer to other books while reading it by checking the different mentioned references.
mahmoud, such person you refer to is the result of the enemy influence ... millions of people still strongly believe in what you believe because its not just some beliefs, its facts... if Christians came back to claim Jeruslam that would make sense but Israeli's ... BIG NO!
woww!!!!
this is a GREAT ARTCILE. acually one of the best ones i read on this website.
Well, if you don't want to be considered arab, its fine, its really fine, although its extremely ugly how BASHING arabs has become such a fashion after the tragic events on 9/11. Its not news that people always has tried to distance themselves from the arab identity even the Khaleejes, who are more or less are more Khaleejes than arabs these days...
However, I find it very odd when someone does something great from this region, they completely say he is phonecian/Pharonic,..but when something bad attributed to culture or something similar, People always stick it on the ugly arab traditions..
Yasse