Others argue with the jurisprudence that allows for women judges. And, again, El-Gebali is quick with fiqhi refutations (she has a diploma in Islamic Shari'a as well, something that has been useful against conservative religious opponents in her battles for civil liberties). "Today's judge is an institution, not an individual. He or she doesn't rule alone but is supported by institutions. A judge is no longer both faqih (jurist) and qadi (judge). He no longer carries out fiqh (jurisprudence), but issues rulings based on codified laws. A judge's role today is separated from an academic's. And there are precedents of women judges when the qadi was also a faqih; the Caliph Omar Ibn Al-Khattab appointed a woman, Shifaa, as qadi hisba in the market. Shifaa used to issue fatwas in religious matters as well... If it was religiously permissible in Omar's times, how could it not be now, when the role of a judge itself has altered?"

France is now confirmed to be like Portugal, Belgium and Greece — just another Eurowimp nation. These countries are led by vacillating, no-brained, soulless leaders that exhibit grand hypocrisy on all matters related to Zimbabwe, and on other major international issues as well.

Of course the decision by the government of France to entertain Mugabe in Paris is an abominable discredit to the French intelligentsia by their government’s efforts to curry favour to themselves. That they need to stoop so low for quasi-friends is indicative of the progressive demise of French values and morality, and their diminished relevance in international affairs.

[...]

France keeps ensnaring itself in expensive and futile commitments in insignificant places, and at the moment is no doubt furious that four African countries have been moving towards the Anglo-Saxon sphere of influence. One formerly Portuguese and three of them Francophone. These countries are Rwanda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Mozambique.

The French, like Mugabe, are somewhat immune to disgrace so they have become impervious to the ramifications of their blatant hypocrisy, immorality, irrelevance and stupidity. Scandals related to corruption and adultery have surrounded the presidents of both countries — so they have much in common with regard to morality and ethics than some may be aware of.

Both leaders have sought re-election to avoid prosecution for not less than corruption. The question so far unresolved is that who is whose whore? After all, Paris is famous for prostitution of all kinds, and not much seems to have morally improved there at any level over the last 100 years.

The Adha eid is tomorrow, Haj is over and time will be ticking out. The streets are full of people buying Eid treats for kids and preparing for the Eid feast. My parents, because they are from two different environments, have separate traditions for eid I get to choose where to go for the big lunch, which should be after the Eid prayer in the mosque but since I don’t do that I get a couple of extra hours of sleep.

I will most probably spend the first day with my mother’s family. Tastier food, our favorite caterer Abu-Karam is making the stuffed lamb and he will, as always, drop by to see how well his lamb has been received and have a drink with my uncles, besides, around 30 people and 4 generations make a good party. Big family gathering food fest. Yay.

The war will just have to wait.

[unrelated funfact: you know the band BUSH ? DJs on the English language radio station in Baghdad (voice of youth) are not allowed to say the name of the band, they have to spell it. “Bee yu ess etch have yet another single out”. I bet all the DJs there thank god there isn’t a band called schwartzkopf, imagine having to spell that everytime you play a song.]

Members of the Jerusalem council have mixed feelings at Lupolianski potentially becoming mayor. The secular members of the council met Sunday at City Hall to discuss a move that could stymie the ultra-Orthodox deputy mayor's promotion. One third of the members announced that they intend to sign a letter, to be presented to Olmert on Friday, in which they demand that, if the municipal elections are delayed until October, Jerusalem hold internal elections to select an candidate acceptable to all parties.

Asked why he did not keep the video tape for the purpose of submitting it in court as an exhibit, Mr Ben-Menashe said he wanted to show the 50 heads of state gathering in Australia for the Commonwealth conference that Tsvangirai wanted to commit treason.

"Accused (Tsvangirai) was going around the world making false accusations against His Excellence President Mugabe and the Government," said Mr Ben-Menashe, adding that Tsvangirai and his party were making false and untrue statements about themselves.

A contract kept out of evidence in a Zimbabwe treason trial yesterday because it is considered a state secret has been publicly available in North America for months. It shows the star prosecution witness remains a hired mouthpiece for increasingly iron-fisted President Robert Mugabe.

In the past year, Montreal-based consultant Ari Ben Menashe performed various paid public-relations jobs for Mr. Mugabe, which included spreading negative information about the defendant, Morgan Tsvangirai.