The Government is a Reflection of Itself, Not the People

Why are there no-fly zones over Somalia and Darfur? The answer is simple. Self interest. Why would the U.S. intervene in a nation that has nothing to offer in return? Exactly why my studies of International Affairs are constantly reinforcing my beliefs that politics=corruption. If you don't believe me than watch the news. None-the-less, I love studying politics, just not engaging in it. That way it allows me to expose the truth. 

Fact: Every Year 1/3 of U.S. Foreign Aid goes to Israel. That's about $2 Billion. The U.S. spends only $300 million to fight AIDS in Africa. So, the U.S. spends 10 times more money supporting Israel, rather than fighting one of the world's greatest killers. 

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I left my ❤ [HEART] in Sudan

  As I'm writing my foreign policy paper on the Sudan referendum, I can't help but feel sadness for my country. My research tells me that the secession is for the best, but my heart tells me it's not. It didn't hit me until now what a great impact this will have the Sudanese people. I wonder what my late grandfather would have thought about this. I wonder what my uncle Allah Yirhamu would have reacted to this news. He gave his life for Sudan, and Sudan didn't repay him back for his efforts. It rather merely gave up and broke away. 

Photos that made me smile---Sudan ❤ 

There's nothing as beautiful as the essence of a Sudanese woman

Ancient Pyramids of Meroe in Sudan

Friday Sufi's (mystics) in Omdurman, Sudan [my hometown <3]

Michael Kuany, Founder of Rebuild Sudan 

Sudan is one of those places where strangers become like family in an instance

A woman and her child in Southern Sudan on the 6th day of the Independence referendum vote

P.S.--it was nearly impossible for me to find positive images of Sudan on the net, but luckily I found some after intense searching. That tells you something about the media. Sudan is a beautiful place, some people just like to highlight it's negative attributes only. 

Bill Maher To Muslim Rep. Keith Ellison: The Qur'an Is A 'Hate Filled Holy Book'

Mr. Maher, all I have to say is learn your facts before you publicly denounce Islam and come off sounding like an ignorant bigot. AstakhfarAllah, I swear these days it seems as though the world is just out to get Islam. Whenever I see Islam being talked about in a horrible manner I remember this hadith: "Islam began as a stranger and shall return as a stranger, so give glad tidings to the strangers." [Sahih Muslim] May Allah reward Rep. Keith Ellison for standing up and defending Islam because I find that a lot of the time, when these alligations are being made, there is no one there to stand up and speak the truth. InshAllah, if we spend enough time educating the public about what Islam is really about than maybe one day ignorance won't be as widespread.

Be the CHANGE you wish to see in the world

Allahu Akbar!

Don't give up on humanity. There is both good and bad in the world

Safia Ishag's Rape

As a human being, let alone a Sudanese woman, I am speechless after hearing Safia Ishag's rape story. She is tremendously brave for coming out and publicly telling her story of what happened to her on that horrible day when she was raped and tortured by three Sudanese government personnel in Khartoum. Having been raised in America on the concept of freedom of speech, I can hardly imagine someone being punished for participating in a peaceful protest. I'm disgusted by the Sudanese government! They have killed, raped, and tortured far too many people and have gotten away with it. Spread her story, so that people everywhere are aware of what is going on within Hassan Al Bashir's regime. InshAllah, through awareness we can all participate in ending this corrupt regime and putting to justice those that were involved in this inhuman crime.

New Zealand Earthquake

  A few days ago, a 6.3 magnitude Earthquake hit Christchurch, New Zealand killing at least 75 and leaving 300 missing. I constantly hear on the news about disasters happening around the world, but this one struck me in particular because of the photo posted above. This photo was taken at the time that a family was told that their mother was presumed dead due to the quake. You can clearly see and feel the heartbreak that this family is going through just from this photo. SubhanAllah, this life is truly a test and can be over in a split second. May we always be among the believers in Allah's eyes. 

Imagine If London Was Occupied by Israel

If you are not familiar with what is occurring in Palestine today, than you need to watch this video. It will put in perspective for you what the Palestinians are going through on a day to day basis. May Allah grant them patience and reward them for what they are going through in this world.

It May Be Broken, but It Is Still My Country

  As the deadline for the decision on Sudan's fate approaches, I feel many emotions. For the longest time I've learned about Sudan's issues; the north vs. the south, but I never thought that I would be here witnessing my country's division. I left Sudan when I was five years old, but I've gone back to visit many times and during those visits I developed a strong bond with the land and it's people. It hurts me to know that so many lives were lost as a result of war and now it's as though those lives were lost for nothing. My uncle died in Sudan's civil war 17 years ago and whenever the division is brought up in a conversation or shown on television, I can see the sadness in my mother's eyes. Her brother gave up his life for his country, but he didn't sacrifice his life for Sudan to be broken into two. Some say that the only way to achieve peace is through separation, but I just can't get myself to believe that they have finally come to a final conclusion as tremendous as this.

"Mothers Love for Sudan" by Joi Wilson

 After witnessing the discrimination and racism displayed towards the Southern Sudanese citizens, in a way, I don't blame them for wanting to leave. The Sudanese government, which is majorly run by Arab Northerners has been extremely unfair towards the Southerners and they have imposed on them many laws that are utterly ridiculous. Besides displaying prejudice and racism towards the Southern Sudanese citizens, the government has left the majority, whether residing in Khartoum or in Juba, in complete poverty. The Southerners cannot find jobs to help feed their families, and the Sudanese government is not aiding in any manner what so ever.

  A long time ago, people had high hopes for Sudan; they saw the promise of coexistence in a country where both Muslims and Christians, as well as Arabs and Africans resided together. Now, as the almost definite division approaches, it's evident that, that dream was only an "illusion"; a dream that would never become a reality. I remember when I was in elementary school, the other kids would always ask me, "where are you from?" I would answer, "I'm from Sudan." They would than ask me, "Where's that?" I would reply,"it's in the north and it's the biggest country in Africa." I would never forget to mention that it was the biggest country Africa; I don't know why, but at the time I held so much pride in the fact that Sudan was the largest in Africa, but now all of that doesn't matter to me anymore. The size of the land is not the issue of the matter; the issue is that the people are going to be divided and it's heartbreaking to have that occur.

I Am Freedom

It's going to take a lot of time for me to get used to the idea of there being a Northern and a Southern Sudan. When I was in Sudan in 2010 I took a trip to the market to buy my friends little artifacts to bring back as gifts. Many of the market vendors would insist on selling me maps of Sudan; they would tell me to hurry up and buy a map of Sudan united before the division in January. Even hearing about the separation from the mouths of Sudanese people was not enough to convince me. I was sure that they would fix their problems, and the country would continue on the way it has for years. I was wrong; Sudan will not go on the way it has, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. I have hopes that maybe Sudan, both the north and south, will prosper and develop into better nations than they have ever been in the past.

To read more on the conflict in Sudan, go to Sudan: History of a Broken Land