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Ali A Olomi

@aaolomi

22 Dec

This week was shab-e yalda, the Winter Solstice festival. It was historically observed in the Persianate world through poetry, fruits, the lighting fires to keep away the dark, and the reading of fortunes.

A thread-

Several yearly festivals are mentioned by al-Biruni and shab-e yalda or chelle as it is observed today likely reflects a mixture of different practices and traditions.

He mentions festivals among the Persians and the Sogdians as pre-Islamic traditions which may have seen a revival during the Samanid period alongside Nowruz, the new years festival.

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Ali A Olomi

@aaolomi

16 Dec

@RepKatiePorter

The cost of American apathy when trying to evacuate loved ones from Afghanistan:

“I called my congressional representative @RepKatiePorter and was met with a mixture of confusion and lack of interest. Eventually, @katieporteroc stopped taking my calls” washingtonpost.com/outlook/2021/1…

when you spend 20 years waging a war you only pay attention to when convenient, the cost is in human lives.

Today the US is gearing up to deny entry to the very people they helped make refugees in the first place.

To forget is a choice, a decision cocooned in privilege

The Biden admin, Congress, and USCIS each have the ability to resolve this yesterday but they’ve chosen not to act.

It is an intentional act of cruelty

Read 5 tweets

Ali A Olomi

@aaolomi

15 Dec

Medieval Muslims were fascinated with moon and stars often making reference to them in stirring poetry, coy metaphors, and in subtle meanings. These references to the heavenly bodies are immensely illustrative of the astral knowledge of the time period.

A thread-

One of the most common celestial metaphors was references to the Moon.

In a panegyric, the poetess Umm Sinan bint Khaythama writes:

“Here is Ali, he is like the crescent surrounded
By stars of good fortune in the sky” (trans: Boullata)

Here the poet invokes a famed astrological conjunction between the Moon and the auspicious planets, Jupiter and Venus to praise Ali ibn Abi Talib.

Read 28 tweets

Ali A Olomi

@aaolomi

17 Nov

Throughout Islamic history poetry held status as one of the most important literary pursuits. Women in the Islamic world wrote stirring verses which reverberated through the ages.

A thread-

Muhammad’s daughter, Fatima was reputed to be a brilliant poet. In addition to her unimpeachable piety and character, her skill as a poet would be remembered for centuries

The legendary sufi, Rabia al-Basri is another whose devotion stirred verse.

Though it’s unclear how many of the poems attributed were actually written by her they certainly capture the essence of her teaching of divine love

Read 14 tweets

Ali A Olomi

@aaolomi

27 Oct

Throughout history, people have told tales of monsters and ghouls who haunt the edges of human imagination.

From jinn to fearsome beasts, a thread

We are told of the terrifying ghuls, described by Damiri as horrifying in manner they can appear alluring and beautiful guiding strangers astray until falling upon them and devouring them.

They have a taste for the flesh of the living and the dead and haunt cemeteries

Crafty and cunning they stalk their prey carefully

Read 20 tweets

Ali A Olomi

@aaolomi

13 Oct

In Islamic cosmology humanity is not alone in this world, but rather the world is shared with the jinn an invisible race of beings born of smokeless fire. Some places in the world are said to be especially connected to them.

A thread on the realms of the jinn

Jinn are deeply connected to the natural world and so many are said to live in trees, caves, and mountains.

Popular advice warns people to not wander near trees at night to avoid mischievous jinn

The sa’alin are a particular trickster jinn said to harass people from trees

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