Latest news with #Elaph
Memri
3 days ago
- Politics
- Memri
Palestinian Journalist: Arab Countries Should Impose Sanctions On Hamas Leaders Abroad To End The Gaza War
In an article published May 26, 2025 on the Saudi news website Elaph, Palestinian journalist Hamid Karman, who resides in Amman, Jordan, called on Arab countries to impose sanctions on Hamas leaders abroad, as a move that will lead to a shift in the equation of the confrontation and an end to the Gaza-Israel war. Expressing harsh criticism of the Hamas leaders abroad and describing them as living in luxury hotels in Doha, Istanbul and Teheran and accumulating money while Gazans bear the burden of the war on their own, Karman wrote that these leaders are impervious to the cries for a realistic solution. There is an urgent need, he stated, to bring Arab pressure to bear on Hamas by means of sanctions – which he said should include restricting the movement of its senior officials and cutting off its funding and its access to fundraising – so as to compel the organization to change direction and bring an end to the war. He contended that such a step would not only help to end the fighting and suffering in Gaza, but would also advance solutions to additional regional crises, such as disarming the Palestinian organizations in Lebanon, and would prevent Hamas from obstructing Arab and international plans aimed at reaching a comprehensive solution for stability in the Middle East. Hamid Karman (Source: The following is the translation of Karman's May 26, 2025 article on Elaph: "It is known that the equation of the war in Gaza relies on the continued [existence] of its two sides – the Israeli right led by Benjamin Netanyahu and his government, and the Palestinian right, as represented by the Hamas movement – and there will be no end to the war without one of them surrendering... "The war will not end as long as the Hamas leaders abroad enjoy all their creature comforts in luxury hotels in Doha, Istanbul, and Teheran, accumulate money that they distribute amongst themselves, and give TV interviews, making demagogic declarations that show the movement's bankruptcy in the face of the suffering of the unarmed Palestinian people... "The senior Hamas officials close their ears to the clamor of the many voices calling for adopting a realistic [approach] to deal with the consequences of the struggle, by finding a political formula to impose a solution that will contribute to stopping the plans of the right-wing Israeli government. This is because the price being paid by the Palestinians, in its children and in its infrastructure, is greater than any amount that the movement may gain from holding the Israeli hostages. The truth is that Hamas has no more options, or room for political maneuvering... "At present, the vacuum in the [Hamas] military leadership in Gaza, following a series of killings carried out by Israel, will lead to a freeze in Hamas's positions in negotiations. This necessitates sanctions by Arab [countries] on the leaders of the movement abroad so that things will move forward. These sanctions [must] include preventing, and restricting, their [the Hamas leaders'] movements among Arab countries or through their airspace and their airports, and [must] hobble the movement's efforts to acquire funding by [imposing] an embargo, cutting off [its] financial support networks, and stopping the fundraising on which it relies by means of straw companies... "There is a pressing need to tighten the political and financial noose on the Hamas leaders abroad. This will not only bring an end to the war in the Gaza Strip, or to the tragedy of its inhabitants, who have had enough of the conflict and long for an end to the 18 months and more of violence and scarcity – it will also will also lead to a solution to the crises that we see on the horizon for several Middle Eastern countries, and in particular the matter of the weapons of the factions in the Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon. In this context, Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas has shown unprecedented responsiveness to Lebanon's official demands in order to conclude this complicated issue. This necessitates bringing swift pressure to bear on Hamas and on the factions that support it, such as Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Osbat Al-Ansar [operating out of the Ain Al-Hilweh refugee camp in Lebanon] so that they will surrender their weapons, without armed confrontation with the Lebanese Armed Forces. This will allow Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and his government led by [Prime Minister] Nawaf Salam to lay the foundations of the nation state with one regime, one law, and one weapon [i.e. held by only one body], as a prelude to actually tackling the issue of disarming Hizbullah. "The move [to impose] Arab sanctions is crucial to framing [our] relationship with Hamas the militia – which after October 7 has deluded itself that it can impose its equations on the region and change the international balance of power. Hamas is also betting on the overthrow of the government of Benjamin Netanyahu by the Israeli street, and thus will not hesitate to drag out [the negotiations] in the expectation that circumstances will turn in its favor as the de facto government in Gaza. This means that it will continue to be a stumbling block for the emerging Arab and international plans to reach a comprehensive solution that will lead to the stability of the Middle East...[1]"
Memri
21-04-2025
- Politics
- Memri
Emirati Political Analyst: We Must Remove The Extremist Hamas From Power In Gaza; Its October 7 Attack Violated Both Islamic And Human Values
In his March 22, 2025 column in the Saudi news portal Elaph, titled "Hamas and the Strategy of Collective Suicide," Emirati political analyst Salem Al-Ketbi accused Hamas of espousing an extremist ideology and of provoking Israel into an all-out war in Gaza despite being aware that it is the Gazan civilians who would pay the price. As part of its extremist outlook, he said, Hamas uses civilians as human shields, places its military facilities in dense population centers and in hospitals and schools, commandeers the humanitarian aid delivered to Gaza and uses the suffering of the Gazans to gain political leverage – all while its leaders live abroad in fancy hotels and villas. Al-Ketbi added that this extremist outlook underpinned Hamas' October 7 attack, in which Israeli civilians were deliberately targeted and taken hostage, in flagrant violation of universal norms and of the Islamic rules of warfare, which forbid targeting civilians and mutilating bodies and require hostages to be treated with humanity and respect. He also slammed Hamas for using religious terms like 'jihad' and 'martyrdom' to justify its violence and terror. Al-Ketbi concluded by stressing that Hamas must be removed from power in Gaza and replaced with a political force committed to humane values, to democracy and to the welfare of the citizens. Salem Al-Ketbi (Image: The following are translated excerpts from his article: [1] "The facts on the ground indicate that Hamas employs a strategy of using the civilians' suffering as a political bargaining chip while ignoring the humane principles it purports to represent. "On March 18, 2025, Israel resumed its offensive in the Gaza Strip – after a fragile two-month ceasefire – as part of its ongoing efforts to get back its hostages and the bodies of [Israelis] who were killed in the October 7, 2023 attacks, in which 1,200 Israelis were murdered and 251 were taken hostage. "What are the real motivations behind Hamas' strategy in the current conflict with Israel? An objective analysis of its actions reveals an extremist mentality that transcends the boundaries of armed resistance and is tantamount to using civilians as pawns in a strategic conflict. Hamas' extremist mentality was plain for all to see in its October 7, 2023 attacks, which were a flagrant violation of international norms and conventions. The strategy of 'collective suicide' stands out as one of the most dangerous behaviors Hamas has adopted, because the movement is fully aware of Israel's military advantage, yet despite this it deliberately provoked Israel and dragged it into an all-out military confrontation, knowing that the price would be paid by the Palestinian civilians. "One of the most extreme manifestations of Hamas's behavior is the use of civilians as human shields. [Hamas] deliberately places military facilities and weapon depos in densely populated civilian areas and its rocket launchers in hospitals and schools. The issue of the Israeli hostages is another blatant example of Hamas' criminal mentality, for they use them as bargaining chips and refuse to comply with international initiatives for their release, except under impossible conditions. "What, I wonder, is the true human price paid by the Gazans for Hamas' conduct? The answer reveals a multidimensional human tragedy in which the Gazans find themselves trapped between the hammer of the Israeli military offensive and the anvil of Hamas' exploitive policy. According to reports from the field, the resumption of hostilities in March 2025 caused the death of over 500 Palestinians in just a few days, casualties that joined the approximately 48,000 [Palestinians] who have been killed since the beginning of the war in October hospitals and medical centers in Gaza are dealing with a disaster amid a severe shortage of drugs and medical equipment, while the people suffer an unprecedented food crisis. "What makes this crisis worse is Hamas' conduct, which includes commandeering some of the humanitarian aid and channeling it to its own people, thus depriving the civilians of their right to receive this aid. Meanwhile, the movement leaders live abroad in fancy hotels and villas, far from the daily suffering faced by the simple folk [in Gaza]. "Does the conduct of Hamas – [a movement] which is known to be a product of the Muslim Brotherhood ideology and [touts] religious slogans – conform to the Islamic principles it purports to represent? An objective analysis of its conduct on the ground reveals a clear contradiction between its religious pretentions and its actions, which contravene the essence and the fundamental values of Islam. Islam is based on a system of values that gives top priority to protecting people and safeguarding their dignity. The Prophet Muhammad laid down clear rules of conduct during war, which forbid hurting civilians and non-combatants and mutilating bodies, and call for the humane and respectful treatment of hostages. Hamas violated these principles in its October 7, 2023 attacks, in which it deliberately and directly targeted Israeli civilians. Its actions, which included kidnapping civilians and holding them hostage, contravened the Islamic principles regarding the treatment of hostages. In addition, it uses Palestinian civilians as human shields, while Islam emphatically respects human life and forbids exposing people to danger. "But the most un-Islamic and troubling issue is Hamas' use of religious discourse to justify its behavior. It uses religious terms like 'jihad' and 'martyrdom' to justify violent actions, while disregarding the strict laws set out by the Islamic shari'a for the term jihad… "One of the saddening paradoxes is that Hamas, which purports to defend the Palestinian cause, actually hurts this cause with its terrorist actions, which blacken the international image [of this cause] and detract from the support it receives. For attacking civilians, taking hostages and using civilians as human shields are actions that contravene universal human values. "This tragic state of affairs gives rise to the most pressing question: What lies in Gaza's future if Hamas remains in power there? The answer requires a fundamental change in the accepted approach to the Gaza issue. [It requires] giving top priority to the needs and rights of the civilians, removing Hamas from power in the Strip, and finding an alternative political [power] that is committed to humane values and to the principles of democracy and seeks to realize the interests of the people and improve their lives." [1] March 22, 2025.
Memri
31-03-2025
- Politics
- Memri
Emirati Political Analyst: U.S. Universities Have Become A Platform For Spreading Extremism, Hate And Antisemitism On Behalf Of Terrorist Organizations
Following the arrest in the U.S. of Mahmoud Khalil, a key figure in the pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University, Emirati political analyst Salem Al-Ketbi warned that American universities and academic institutions have become a strategic platform used by extremist organizations to spread their ideas and even recruit supporters. Writing on March 16, 2025 on the Saudi website Elaph, Al-Ketbi stated that this is a broad and troubling phenomenon, whereby extremist and terrorist organizations use U.S. immigration laws to infiltrate American universities and form student cells whose members are eventually likely to receive U.S. citizenship, making it difficult for the U.S. to act against them. Some foreign students, he stressed, come to the U.S. not just to study but also to incite hatred and antisemitism, as part of a broader strategy to foster extremism on campus. Behind this strategy are countries, chief of them Iran, which fund terrorist organizations like Hamas while also employing charities and student organizations to recruit support for terrorism and cultivate a new generation of activists who promote extremist ideas without even realizing they are extremist. The extremist organizations, Al-Ketbi added, manipulate the academic discourse to justify their activities and ideology in the guise of humanitarian action. He called on the U.S. universities to reexamine their policy regarding foreign funding and activism by foreign students, and formulate clear guidelines for monitoring activities that transcend the boundaries of free speech and can become means for promoting extremism. Mahmoud Khalil (Image: The following are translated excerpts from his article. "On March 8, [2025] the American authorities arrested Syria-born Palestinian Mahmoud Khalil, a student activist and a high-profile mediator in the protests at Columbia University in support of the terrorist Hamas [movement], after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers raided his home. The arrest came after the U.S. State Department ordered to revoke his student visa because he was a key figure at the sit-ins on the Columbia University campus and in the negotiations between the student protesters and the university authorities. But [Khalil's] case goes beyond mere student activism: it sheds light on the way extremist organizations use America's immigration laws to insert their people into American society and build support networks [whose members] may later work to attain [U.S.] citizenship… "Mahmoud Khalil was one of the prominent faces of Columbia University's Apartheid Divest (CUAD) movement that called to boycott companies that support Israel and stop investments in them. As the tensions surrounding the war in Gaza increased, the demonstrations in which Mahmoud Khalil participated drew harsh criticism from supporters of Israel, who accused him of promoting 'Hamas' terrorist propaganda.' Although his lawyers denied these accusations and no real evidence has been found of 'financing' terrorism, his case sparks a debate about a graver issue: the way the American immigration laws are used facilitate the infiltration of terrorist elements and the establishment of cells supporting [terrorism, whose members] will hold American citizenship in the future, making it difficult to pursue them. "Mahmoud Khalil is not an isolated case. The American universities – which attract students from all over the world – have become a strategic target for extremist organizations, because the student visa programs allow foreign students from various countries, including Palestinians, to attend them. But some of these students don't come just to study, but also to disseminate extremism and to foment hatred. "In 2019, for example, an investigation of the American National Security Agency into a network of foreign students at the University of California revealed that they had used their academic positions to spread the extremist ideas of Al-Qaeda and that there were other cases of this sort, like that of a Pakistani student at New York University who turned the university's student dorms into centers for recruiting young people to ISIS. These examples demonstrate how the universities can be used to inculcate extremist ideology. "The troubling fact is that these universities are usually incapable of uncovering these instances or coping with them, due to their commitment to the principles of freedom of expression. Moreover, the competition between the world's universities makes them less conservative in their choice of students, which leaves them open to exploitation by foreign countries and elements. The extremist organizations exploit the concentrations of students and the culture clubs as fronts for disseminating their ideas. For example, groups were formed such as Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) or Columbia University's Apartheid Divest (CUAD), which purport to promote humanitarian issues but usually [just] serve as a platform for disseminating discourse that is antisemitic or supportive of terrorism. "In 2023 a student group at the University of California, Berkley sparked controversy when it organized a conference on 'Resistance to the Occupation,' at which Hamas' attacks against Israeli civilians [on October 7] were praised. Furthermore, in 2024, the university advertised a course [to be taught during the] 2025 spring semester that described Hamas as 'a revolutionary resistance force combating settler colonialism' – although it later deleted the course description. [Also], on two separate occasions the university faced lawsuits alleging antisemitism on campus. In November 2023 the Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law, a nonprofit organization, filed a lawsuit against the university alleging that its authorities turn a blind eye to antisemitism. "These methods and conferences indicate that this is not just an academic debate, but is part of a wider strategy to disseminate extremist ideologies on university campuses. This may seem natural in a country that believes in democracy and freedom of expression. But if we look a little deeper, we find that there is blatant foreign interference in the matter. What's more, several countries, including Iran but also others, have played a significant role in assisting the [Hamas] movement and in strengthening its presence in the U.S. Iran, which is considered one of Hamas' biggest financers, along with several other countries, used its financial networks to transfer funds to American charitable associations, [funds] that are later used to support [Hamas]. For instance, in 2012, a U.S. State Department investigation exposed a funding network designed to support Hamas via American charitable associations. This network enabled Hamas to expand its influence within these associations and use Palestinian and other foreign students to spread its ideas. "If the charitable associations and humanitarian organizations are a traditional mechanism that is being used by dubious elements to finance terrorism, then the universities and academic institutions have been turned by the extremist organizations into a strategic platform for disseminating their ideas and recruiting supporters. This exploitation goes beyond financial or logistic assistance; it is aimed at infiltrating young minds and creating a new generation of activists who espouse extremist ideas without realizing [that they are extremist]. "Furthermore, some rogue states and extremist organizations use the academic discourse to justify their activity by organizing conferences and debates about 'human rights' that present extremist ideologies as acceptable and justifiable. This manipulation of the academic discourse makes it difficult to differentiate between legitimate criticism of international policy and incitement to violence. "Exploiting universities as platforms for disseminating extremism is certainly nothing new, but [fighting it] has become more complicated due to globalization and freedom of movement. This leads us to wonder whether the American universities will reexamine their policy regarding foreign financing and monitoring political activity by foreign students on campus. Will clear guidelines be formulated for monitoring activities that cross the boundaries of freedom of expression and become tools in the service of extremist ideologies? Universities are not only institutes of learning, but are also a mirror of society and must be kept from falling prey to political or terrorist exploitation." [1] [1] March 16, 2023.
Memri
26-03-2025
- Politics
- Memri
Saudi Journalist: Hamas' Brutal Violence Against The Gazans Is A Crime Against Humanity
In a March 5, 2025 article on the Saudi news portal Elaph, journalist Rashed Al-Qahtani decried the brutal violence employed by Hamas against the people of Gaza since this movement's takeover of the Gaza Strip. Hamas' 'hangmen,' he said, terrorize the Gazans, beat them and shoot them at close range for various transgressions without a trial, even for small offenses like stealing food – which is a crime against humanity that the mind refuses to grasp. He adds that Hamas itself is to blame for the dire situation that forces Gazans to steal food, especially after it dragged Gaza into a war with Israel due to its subordination to Iran. Stating that Hamas' actions are un-Islamic although it bills itself as an Islamic movement, he stresses that Gaza needs a civil administration that will protect the rights of its people, rebuild the Strip and return it to the Arab fold. Rashed Al-Qahtani (Image: The following are translated excerpts from his article: [1] "Among the most important goals that societies aspire to achieve are security, stability, justice and equality. The security of society is a top priority of any regime. When the regime [itself] threatens the internal security and stability of society and exposes it to external danger – to the extent of fragmenting it and exposing it to internal discord and fighting – it incurs hostility, hatred and condemnation. "The people of Gaza have been complaining of oppression and violence on the part of Hamas since its inception and since its takeover of the Gaza Strip. The violence Hamas directs at the Palestinian people is despicable, horrifying and recurring. It is characterized by sadism, and constitutes an attempt to bring perdition, humiliation and dishonor upon every Palestinian and Arab, and to cause a rift among the Palestinians and wounds that cannot be healed… "Nobody is pleased with Hamas' actions in Gaza, neither within the Palestinian homeland or outside it. The mind refuses to grasp the crimes, humiliations and degradations we are witnessing, which resemble the actions of the Shi'ite militias against the Sunnis in Iran, Iraq, Syria, Yemen and Lebanon… But after some videos leaked of people being punished in the streets, [videos] that have come to represent the [behavior of] Hamas' hangmen, the scope of these brutal crimes became clear. Some of the punishments meted out by Hamas gunmen involve [people] being dragged [along the street], brutal beatings by several people, or restraining Palestinians and shooting them with machineguns at close range, especially in the feet and knees, on various charges. Such weapons should be reserved for real combat and must not be used against civilians, even in times of war! How can they be used as a means of punishment and torture against unarmed civilians? "Fear of Hamas' violence and oppression has begun to trouble the Palestinians in Gaza [even] more than the Israeli bombardments. Gaza's civilians are at the mercy of the clubs and bullets of Hamas' hangmen. "Such upsetting sights arouse disgust and feelings of hatred, anger and outrage over the injustice [of the deeds], and deepen the bleeding wounds in the hearts of the people who love the Palestinians and support them. How can we not [feel this way] when we see a Palestinian attacking his fellow Palestinian, torturing him brutally and committing the most heinous deeds on the pretext of punishing him for some offense or crime without the benefit of a trial and using unacceptable methods and means? "Convicting people and punishing them should be done by means of a fair trial and proceedings by the prosecutor general, in the presence of a lawyer and based on a system of legislation, judiciary procedures and legal [mechanisms]. Moreover, the punishment must fit the crime and be aimed at demanding commensurate compensation, deterring [criminals] and restoring the rights [of the victims]. But the violence employed by Hamas, without any religious restraint, moral laws or formal procedures, is a crime against humanity even before it is a crime against the helpless Palestinian people. "Does Hamas not wonder why some Palestinians dare to commit crimes [in the first place]? Is it not aware that it itself is the reason, in addition to Israel? Hamas is to responsible for bringing the Gazans to this economic situation, which forces some of them to steal out of hunger and deprivation. "Hamas humiliated the Palestinian people to the ground and exposed them to every kind of torture and destruction, to the point where the people of Gaza found themselves abandoned, [living] out in the open without shelter, food or water, all because of Hamas' stupidity, its subordination to Iran and its insistence on leading them into a tunnel… "Hamas claims to be an Islamic movement, yet it does not implement the Islamic shari'a in these matters… It has strayed very far from the laws of Islam even in matters of lenience and forgiveness, when it should have followed the example of [the second] caliph, Omar Al-Khattab, who stopped implementing the Quranic punishment for theft [i.e., amputation of the hand] in 18 AH. [He did this] because of the hunger and poverty the people were experiencing, not because he wanted to revoke Allah's laws. "This conduct of Hamas' is another in the list of its crimes. Among the worst of these crimes was destroying the Gaza Strip by [letting Hamas' fighters] hide among the people, thus exposing them to danger… Hamas caused the [Gazans'] homes to be destroyed and brought death, expulsion, trouble and disasters upon them on the pretext of waging war against Israel and liberating Jerusalem and the occupied Palestinian lands. "We all support restoring the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people. But sadly, some of their rights have been lost… because of the Palestinian factions [themselves]. Therefore, the people of Gaza must now have a civil administration that will safeguard their rights and address their problems in a civil and organized manner. [This administration] must have broad powers so it can perform the needed tasks, and so that Gaza can be rebuilt and return to the Arab fold." [1] March 5, 2025.
Memri
20-03-2025
- Politics
- Memri
Palestinian Journalist: The Way Of The Leaders of Hamas, Hizbullah And The Entire Resistance Axis Is Very Far From Allah And Leads Only To Death
In a February 26, 2025 article on the Elaph website, Palestinian journalist Majdi Al-Wahhab slammed the leaders of Hamas, Hizbullah and the entire resistance axis, stating that only getting rid of them will save the Arab nation from the situation it has reached. These leaders, he says, purport to raise the banner of resistance and liberation, but actually lead only to destruction and death. They also pretend to champion Islam, but are actually far removed from the righteousness and the compassion that characterize this religion. Focusing on Hizbullah secretary-general Hassan Nasrallah and Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, both of whom were killed by Israel in the course of the war, Al-Wahhab points to the discrepancy between their names and their deeds: The name Nasrallah means "Allah's victory," but Nasrallah and his organization are "very far from Allah, from His Names and from His attributes," and the name Yahya means "he will live," but the path of Hamas and the resistance axis leads only to death. These leaders, says Al-Wahhab, should be stripped of their names, for they are not worthy of them. He calls on the successors of Nasrallah and Sinwar to learn from the ways of the donkeys, who know how to overcome obstacles and difficulties, and exhorts them to lead their people to "a safe haven, far from wars and destruction." The following are translated excerpts from his article: [1] "Let me begin by apologizing to an animal we like to call stupid [i.e., the donkey] although, by Allah, it is smarter than many people who live among us or who have passed away… and who bear one of the Names of Allah [2] or one of the names of the Prophets. For example, the one who bore the name Nasrallah [i.e., Hizbullah's slain secretary-general Hassan Nasrallah, whose name means 'Allah's Victory'] or the one who bore the name Yahya [3] [i.e., slain Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar], who are very far from Allah, from His Names and from His attributes, and very far from the prophets, their vision and their righteousness. "This may be a harsh description of some of the leaders of the Arab world, starting with Hassan Nasrallah and Yahya Sinwar, and many others of those who bore and still bear the banner of resistance, liberation and war, but [actually] bear only the banners of destruction, extermination and killing and, by Allah, are not worthy of their names. "These leaders have not learned [a lesson] and will never learn, so only being saved from them – and Allah has already saved us from several of them – will extract the [Arab] nation from the state to which it has come, as we see in the Gaza Strip and in Lebanon. They insist that they are raising the banner of Islam and of Allah, [but they do so only] in words, not in deeds, for they are [actually] devoid of any compassion, empathy, wisdom or moderation. Perhaps they should study the Names of Allah, in order to become familiar with the path of righteousness. "I urge these leaders, the ones who still remain, to learn from the donkeys, who are famous for their ability to overcome obstacles they encounter on the road. They carry their owners on their backs and bring them home safe and sound, even if the road is rocky. This is a call for the successors of Nasrallah, Yahya [Sinwar] and others to behave like donkeys, and [then] they may be worthy of their names and realize that the way they chose and continue to choose leads only to death. For there can be no life amid devastation, war, killing and bloodshed, and there is nothing better than moderation, prudence, wisdom, compassion and life. "This is a call to divest [these leaders] of the names of Allah the Almighty and of the prophets, and start calling them by the names they deserve. Many have already done this very successfully by calling Nasrallah by the names he deserves. [4] So perhaps we should be creative and choose fitting names for Sinwar and his successor. Let's strip them of their names in order to save ourselves from them, or [so that] Allah will save us from them, and find our way to righteousness and to life. Perhaps we should [do so] riding donkeys, which can tread a tortious path in the mountains and valleys until they reach a safe haven, far from wars and destruction." [1] February 26, 2025. [2] The reference is to the 99 Names of Allah, such as Al-Rahman, "The Compassionate," or Al-Aziz "The Great, the Strongest," many of which are part of Arabic personal names. [3] In Islam Yahya is the name of John the Baptist, who is considered a prophet. [4] For example, some have called Nasrallah "Nassralat," an allusion to the pre-Islamic goddess Alat.
