One-liners... For Those in a Hurry

"Except..." I really wish that this word--and all its synonyms--perish... except--of course--when it's used for righteousness' sake.

A translation of إلاّ

ُAhmad Bahaa-el-Din, the late journalist, once wrote that the relationship between Christians and Muslims in Egypt will get better when they will accept the presence of a Buddhist temple in Egypt.

- A translation of سماحة

"Poverty: wealth of the peoples" is a book by the African writer Albert Tévoédjre that I haven't read yet, but whose title doesn't cease to inspire me.

- A translation of الفقر غِنى

Old History: In the time of Omar Ibn-El-Khattab, Arabic troops liberated the North-African countries from the Roman oppressive occupation and brought these countries into light.

Recent History: In the time of George W. Bush, the U.S.-led neo-crusader coalition invaded Afghanistan and Iraq, commited war crimes and suppressed many revolts by these countrie' own peoples.

From an Arabic history book in 2010

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Old History: In the time of Omar Ibn-El-Khattab, Arabic troops invaded North Africa to establish an Empire that lasted many centuries, suppressing many revolts by the native inhabitants of these lands and imposing many types of taxes.

Recent History: George W. Bush lead the coalition of the willing who liberated Afghanistan and Iraq from the oppressive regimes and the foreign terrorists that ruled them, and brought these countries into the light of freedom and democracy.

From an American history book in 2010

A monk was scorned by his master as he asked to be allowed to smoke while praying; later, another monk was praised by the same master because he vowed to try to say his prayers while smoking!

- Adapted from a common story.

Ten experts met in the first floor and unanimously denied the claims of a youngster living in the tenth floor that he could see a water spring behind the wall facing the building; the experts insisted that their measurements couldn't detect any water in the area.