u/HarryLewisPot

Btw most British soldiers were South Asian Muslims.

Between 1300-1850 AD, the world experienced a Little Ice Age and it seems the Arabian Peninsula was more suitable to human civilisations at the time.

Even during the Antique Little Ice Age (550-650 AD) the population of West/Central Arabia (1m) was comparable to South Arabia (1.5m), Egypt (3m), Mesopotamia (3m) and Levant (1.5m). Estimates vary by source but that’s roughly the consensus.

I’ve read about ostriches, lions and leopards that used to roam these lands and pictures of Mecca during heavy rains in 2024 and that lead me to wonder:

Would Arabia have looked like this (Picture is of Gebel Elba across the Red Sea) during the Ice Ages? Or atleast during spring etc.

Otherwise known as Charax Spinasu.

Characene was quite the kingdom: Hellenistic culture, Persian monarch, Aramaic language and Arab people. Very uniquely diverse imo.

I made this because I recently found out many popes and Roman emperors are from modern-day Arab borders. This includes Arabs like the Severan dynasty and Philip the Arab. This shows everywhere in MENA that a Roman emperor was born or died, Syrian and Ifriqiya popes, Arab-Byzantine dynasties and important figures to Western Civilization.

This doesn't even include all the contribution of Ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia and Phoenicia, the Hellenistic periods of Iraq, Libya and Egypt, all the Abrahamic prophets and 12 apostles, the numerous Roman cities in Maghreb and Levant or the Islamic Golden Age.

Shoutout Homs, Syria and Tripoli, Libya for having both a Pope and Roman Emperor.

Tunisia and Saudi just both lost 4-0 too

Morocco and Egypt are my last hopes, inshallah they win.

Whilst disappointing and no wins yet,

Egypt and Morocco looked very strong, Morocco was expected but Egypt took me by surprise. I'm anticipating deep runs from both.

Saudia and Qatar managed to salvage draws against better teams which is very helpful to try and sneak into the r32. If any of them make it out of the group, that’s a huge achievement in my books.

Jordan and Iraq, I didn't expect much, just being there is an accomplishment. Iraq played an amazing first half, going toe to toe with Haaland's team, it could’ve easily been 2-2 but unfortunately they were let down by a usually competent keeper. Jordan scored an amazing goal and both teams could've scraped draws but fitness and experience let them down.

Algeria and Tunisia were super disappointing man, Tunisia lost by a horrible amount and to top it all off, a Tunisian kid scored a brace against them. Algeria were my dark horses and they were the only Arab team not to score a goal so I put their closest chance, but I guess Messi decided he wanted a hat-trick and there's nothing anyone can do about that.

Sorry for the English, I know it’s dull and boring compared to Essam Shawali’s beautiful commentary but it's the only clips I can find online.

It’s heartbreaking because Morocco did so well against title-contenders Brazil and Qatar managed to get a draw against heavy favourites, Switzerland.

It hurts even more that Ayari, a Tunisian, scored two goals for Sweden. I’m happy he didn’t celebrate though.

Edit: the jerk celebrated his 2nd goal.

I made a starting XI for the best Arab players going to the next world cup, not all of them play for Arab countries but they are all of Arab descent. The ones that may shock you:

• Mbappe and Olise have Algerian Mothers.
• Dembele has a Mauritanian Mother (and Moroccan wife).
• Lamine Yamal has a Moroccan father.
• Saliba has a Lebanese father.

Really excited for the record-breaking 8 Arab nations at the 2026 World Cup, cant wait to root for all of them and hopefully we get another upset like 2022 Morocco!

I was gonna post this in r/Iraq but I remembered I was banned from there due to the dictatorship the mods got going on.

Anyway, as an architecture student I love this design as whilst other western architects like Gropius and Corbusier designed brutalist or Bauhaus styles native to Europe, FLW really distinguished himself by heavily researching Iraqi history and culture and developing a plan according to that.

One of the landmarks would’ve been a Harun al Rasheed Statue, atop something that resembled the Malwiya Minaret with camels climbing the spiraling ramp. Another landmark is the Opera Houses large proscenium arch, which was visible inside the theater but also continued outside the building and plunged into the surrounding pool. The arch, which Wright described as a "crescent rainbow," contained roundels depicting scenes from The Book of One Thousand and One Nights and the building is topped with a statue of Aladdin holding his lamp and a spire which Wright intended to represent the "Sword of Mohammed.”

The university campus was designed around a large circular earthen barrier called the “curriculum,” which contained roads and parking while defining the campus boundary. Inside, the space was reserved for pedestrians, with gardens and fountains creating a park-like setting. Academic buildings were arranged along the circular form, while the centre featured television and radio towers symbolising Baghdad’s modernity, this layout referenced the original Round City of Baghdad.

I think it would’ve been a beautiful landmark that would’ve rivalled both the Sydney Opera House and Statue of Liberty.