Discovering MENA and other thoughts

Women are not only half of a society but its mainstay. They bear its children and they raise its generations. Together with Tunisia, Syria was one of the countries in which women were allowed a limited margin of freedom and benefited from a more advanced social status than their brethren throughout the Arab world. One example was the wife of Bashar Al-Assad, known worldwide for her stylish and elegant attitude, a symbol of the will of the regime to appear as a civil and secular state. Their situation was, of course, far from what Western women are familiar with, as most of them were subject to the tyranny of a culture dominated by men. The civil war represented however a turning point in this evolution. And, when violence broke out in Syria, women were the first victims, seeing themselves subject to the whims of extremists both in the rebel-side and in the regime. 

I found an enlightening article on what jihad really is. See for yourselves. "The Arabic term jihad, short for jihad fi sabil-ilah, literally translates as a struggle in the cause of God. Struggling in the cause of God is an endeavor highly elevated within all three Abrahamic faiths. Within Islam it is done in several ways, each operating within its contextual mandate. To understand this one must note that although jihad has a single basic definition, its application varies. The Qur’an teaches Muslims that any endeavor intended to alleviate the suffering of a people is considered a jihad. Feeding the poor, providing medical assistance, defending against a bully, building a road, defending one’s country or family, seeking and teaching good knowledge and striving to improve one’s self are some examples of jihad. The focus here is on three levels, the personal, the verbal and the physical jihad. The personal jihad is the best struggle to undertake. Evidence of the significance of