Who is Daniel Haqiqatjou?Daniel Haqiqatjou was born in Houston, Texas. He attended Harvard University where he majored in Physics and minored in Philosophy. He completed a Masters degree in Philosophy at Tufts University. Haqiqatjou also studies traditional Islamic sciences part-time. He writes and lectures on contemporary issues surrounding Muslims and Modernity.
What is Ceasefire?A ceasefire or a truce is a stoppage of a war in which each side agrees with the other to suspend aggressive actions, often due to mediation by a third party. Ceasefires may be between state actors or involve non-state actors. Unlike declarations of a cessation of hostilities or a truce, a cease-fire is generally meant to be binding. Like a cessation of hostilities or truce, it is only temporary in nature but is generally expected to last for a longer period of time. Unlike a truce, a humanitarian pause, or a cessation of hostilities, the declaration of a cease-fire often applies to the entire geographical area of a conflict, according to the UN.
Ceasefires may be declared as part of a formal treaty but also as part of an informal understanding between opposing forces.
What is a Genocide?Genocide is intentional action to destroy a people. People are defined as an ethnic, national, racial, or religious group in whole or in part. The hybrid word "genocide" is a combination of the Greek word genos ("race, people") and the Latin suffix -cide ("act of killing"). The United Nations Genocide Convention, which was established in 1948, defines genocide as "acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group". The Political Instability Task Force estimated that, between 1956 and 2016, a total of forty-three genocides took place, causing the death of about 50 million people. The UNHCR estimated that a further 50 million had been displaced by such episodes of violence up to 2008.
The Holocaust is a specific instance of genocide. It refers specifically to the systematic, bureaucratic, state-sponsored persecution and murder of approximately six million Jewish people by the Nazi regime and its collaborators.
What is Madkhali?Madkhalism is a branch of the larger Salafi movement that emphasizes loyalty to and submission to secular and authoritarian governments, particularly in the Arab world, based on the teachings of Sheikh Rabee al-Madkhali.
Madkhalism is a quietist ideology that some critics view as excessively submissive to authority and potentially neglecting important social issues.
Where is Israel?Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in the Middle East. Located on the southeastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea and the northern shore of the Red Sea. It has land borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the northeast, Jordan on the east, the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and Gaza Strip to the east and west, respectively, and Egypt to the southwest.
What is Islam?One of the major religions of the world, Islam literally translates to "submission," as a follower of Islam (Muslims) devotes their life to that of their God. The religion began with the teachings of Muhammad in the 7th century. The theology of Islam is based on the Qur'an, which was given to Muhammad by God. Some of the major fundamental principles of Islam include the Five Pillars, which hope to unite all Muslims into a community. Two different factions of Muslims exist - the majority are known as Sunni, with a small percentage known as Shi'a - both predominantly reside throughout the Middle East.
Muhammad died in 632 AD and the religion of Islam formally started after his death. The Quran was formally compiled and finalised in 650 AD, prior to which it was 'memorised' and written across many parchments.