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Pagan

2020-09-21T12:17:39-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Book Review: The Life-Saving Skill of Story

Last updated on: September 21, 2020 at 12:17 pm By Bader Saab

Growing up as a kid meant that I would listen to the stories in my family, anecdotes that spoke love, loss, death, wonder, miracles and wonder. I believe there is magic in storytelling, regardless of what others may think. Resilience: The Life-Saving Skill of Story, by Michelle Auerbach, reflects this in an excellent way. Thanks to the publisher for sending me a review copy in exchange for an honest review. This book explains how storytelling affects our minds and why... Read more

2020-09-15T19:16:10-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Book Review: The Book Collectors

Last updated on: September 15, 2020 at 7:16 pm By Bader Saab

I don’t remember the last time it hurt so much to read, to turn the pages, to start a new chapter. Coming from a Syrian family, this is a book I had to ask for. The Book Collectors: A Band of Syrian Rebels and the Stories That Carried Them Through a War, by Delphine Minoui, hurt me like never before, because I hold this country I have never visited, my country, close to my heart. Thank you so much to... Read more

2020-09-15T19:27:07-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Book Review: Shine On

Last updated on: September 15, 2020 at 7:27 pm By Bader Saab

Thinking about death conjures images of grief, sadness and fear. Seldom do we think of it as a catalyst of changes for the better, a radical way of the universe to put us into the right path. Near death experiences change us, undeniably, and sometimes they bring gifts that would have never found their way to us otherwise, such as in the case of David Ditchfield, who discovered how to shine on. Shine On: The Remarkable Story of How I... Read more

2020-10-27T23:31:21-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Jinn: Spirits of Fire and Wilderness

Last updated on: October 27, 2020 at 11:31 pm By Bader Saab

When examining history, genies, or more accurately, the jinn, are not that charming, especially in Pre-Islamic folklore. Read more

2020-10-27T23:31:12-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Al-‘Uzza: The pre-Islamic goddess of War, Protection, and Healing

Last updated on: October 27, 2020 at 11:31 pm By Bader Saab

The third pre-Islamic Arabic goddess, a daughter of Allah along with her sisters Al-Lat and Manat, is Al-‘Uzza, the goddess of war, protection, and healing. I’m eager to start working with her, since she was highly respected by many tribes and, as we will see, has both an interesting mythology and appealing epithets and names related to her. According to The Book of Idols, Kitāb al-Aṣnām, by Hishām ibn al-Kalbī: The person who introduced al-‘Uzza was Zilim ibn-As’ad. Her idol... Read more

2020-10-27T23:30:56-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Al-Lat: the pre-Islamic Goddess of the Harvest, Fertility, and Love

Last updated on: October 27, 2020 at 11:30 pm By Bader Saab

According to pre-Islamic Arabic myth, God, or Allah, created three daughters who will take care of all he had created so far, the highest deities after Him. These three sisters were Manat, Al-Lat and Al-‘Uzza. We already met Manat before, so it’s time to know more about the middle sister, Al-Lat, whose role is a bit more diffuse than Manat’s. Let’s start with the most basic book on Arabian paganism: The Book of Idols, by Hisham Ibn al-Kalbi, which states... Read more

2020-10-27T23:30:40-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Manat: The pre-Islamic Goddess of Time, Fate and Death

Last updated on: October 27, 2020 at 11:30 pm By Bader Saab

While searching for my roots and the beliefs of my ancestors, those who lived before Islam, I came across an interesting triad. Wicca taught me that the Goddess has three faces to represent womanhood’s three stages: Maiden, Mother and Crone. Although I’m no longer Wiccan, it was a nice surprise to discover an Arabic pre-Islamic triad with this same concept. The Three Daughters of Allah, Al-Uzza, Al-lat, and Manat are respectively the Maiden, Mother and Crone of the pre-Islamic world. After years of invoking the Greek Goddess Hekate, I obviously gravitated... Read more

2023-05-26T17:18:43-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

How an Arab Witch Honours and Contacts his Ancestors

Last updated on: May 26, 2023 at 5:18 pm By Bader Saab

I highly respect my ancestors, both my Beloved Dead and my Mighty Dead. (1) I don’t usually call their names and ask for their help, but I always try to know who my ancestors were, how they lived, what I can learn from them, and always respect their memory. However, many of my Beloved Dead would not even recognize me as one of their descendants because of their prejudices and their archaic thoughts. Even today, there are people in my family that... Read more

2023-05-11T13:20:57-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

If the Ancestors Don’t Answer, Change their Altar

Last updated on: May 11, 2023 at 1:20 pm By Bader Saab

I have been honoring my Ancestors for many months already, and I’ve always felt a special connection although I do not share their same fate. I’ve always felt their love, their support, the nearness when I am in the altar I use for them, no matter our differences, the way we see the world/s, and the fact that they would surely have many discussions with me because of my beliefs and opinions. However, a couple of weeks ago, I was... Read more

2023-05-11T13:20:40-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Something pre-Islamic this Way Comes?

Last updated on: May 11, 2023 at 1:20 pm By Bader Saab

Well, I’ve been waiting for this to finally happen, and I’m so happy to be here, part of the site I read the most in Witchcraft matters. When people look at me, they usually see a common man, someone not particularly remarkable, besides the Arabic looks, which is ironic considering I’ve been called such only a few times. People tend to think I’m European. However, they certainly don’t expect me to say that I’m a Witch and Pagan. Most recently,... Read more

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