By The Royal Opera House Muscat and Pink Jinn Now a treasured annual fixture in Muscat, the Royal Opera House Muscat has been hosting Sufi and Inshaad concerts to celebrate the Holy Month of Ramadan for several years, bringing together regional and local artists for a spiritual journey through the medium of sound. Few genres evoke the depth of spiritual connection and emotional resonance quite like Sufi and Inshaad music. These musical forms serve as profound vehicles for spiritual elevation and communal expression. The Opera House has been hosting Sufi and Inshaad concerts during the month o ..read more

Welcome to The Grapevine – a monthly series from Pink Jinn where we pass the mic to artists, thought leaders, influencers and pioneers from across the Middle East, North Africa and the global diaspora. They’ll be sharing their top arts, culture and lifestyle picks with all of us – from the books and podcasts shaping the way they think, to the music, food, places and brands that bring magic to their everyday. This month, we’re excited to be joined by Yemeni photographer, writer, educator, and storyteller Thana Faroq. Thana left Sana’a, Yemen in 2016, and now lives and works in the Nethe ..read more

By Adysen Moylan At the intersection of ancient Mesopotamian trade routes lies the ancient Assyrian city of Nineveh, present-day Mosul. Mosul is one of the largest cities in Iraq and is home to a diverse, multi-ethnic and multi-religious population. Recently, it has been subject to sectarian violence and foreign occupiers. From the US invasion and occupation between 2003 and 2011 to, most recently, the Islamic State’s three-year occupation, Mosulis have suffered greatly, and their beloved city was largely destroyed.  In 2014, the world watched as IS, or Daesh in Arabic, violently plunder ..read more

Welcome to The Grapevine – a monthly series from Pink Jinn where we pass the mic to artists, thought leaders, influencers and pioneers from across the Middle East, North Africa and the global diaspora. They’ll be sharing their top arts, culture and lifestyle picks with all of us – from the books and podcasts shaping the way they think, to the music, food, places and brands that bring magic to their everyday. We’ve got a fabulous edition of the Grapevine for you this month, including beauty recommendations from the woman who literally wrote the book on eyeliner! Journalist and author Zahra H ..read more

a fter the 6.8 magnitude earthquake which rocked Morocco in October, official reports are now showing its full catastrophic impact. The quake claimed almost 3000 lives, left over 5,500 people seriously injured and displaced more than 500,000 people from their homes. Although the aftershocks have subsided, the danger has not passed and relief organisations are working hard to support affected communities through the harsh winter. Although we may picture sunny climes when we think of Morocco, in the High Atlas temperatures can plunge well below freezing in the winter months, making efforts to re ..read more

Well into the second month of Israel’s siege and bombardment of Gaza and the ongoing violence and intimidation in the Occupied West Bank, over 14,800 Palestinians have now been killed, with 7000 more thought to still be under the rubble. Over 77% of Palestinians in Gaza have been displaced, and are at immediate risk of starvation, dehydration and hypothermia now that winter has come, in addition to the ever-present risk of further air strikes and attacks. More than 800 Palestinians were forcibly displaced from their homes in the West Bank in the month following October 7th. It’s more important ..read more

The death toll in Gaza has now surpassed 10,000. The atrocities continue in both Gaza and the Occupied West Bank, and we’ve seen many people feeling helpless and powerless to act. Very little aid is making it into Gaza, and none at all into the worst affected areas in the north of the territory.  It’s so important that we don’t lose hope, don’t look away, and don’t stop supporting Gaza and the rest of Occupied Palestine. Here are some things which you CAN do to channel your despair, grief and anger into action, and keep going. We’ll be updating this list as we go and as the needs of Pale ..read more

The issue of Palestine is hugely contentious and debates on the subject tend to be heavily polarised and heated. For that reason, it can seem difficult to engage with the issue in the first place – particularly if you feel that you aren’t well versed in the history and politics of the Middle East. Years of being told that the issue of Palestine is highly complex have dissuaded huge proportions of the population from taking a stand and have given legitimacy to the occupation. We would argue that the issue is, at its core, one of basic humanity, and does not require extensive study.  Howeve ..read more

Learning Arabic is incredibly rewarding, but no one will deny that it can be challenging! Whether you are a beginner learning Modern Standard Arabic or an advanced student working on your dialect skills, most Arabic students have experienced the struggle to find the perfect resources, keep up the motivation to practise, and to maximise their progress. But we are here to help – set yourself up for success and learn smarter, not harder with our top tips and favourite tools for Arabic language learning! This article does not include any affiliate links. 1. Find your motivation! The great news i ..read more

A further tragedy has struck in North Africa this week, with a devastating flood wiping out huge swathes of the Libyan city of Derna and the surrounding areas, as well as causing huge damage to cities like Benghazi, Soussa, Misrata and Shahat. Intense rainfall brought by the Mediterranean hurricane Storm Daniel caused historically unprecedented flooding, which was then compounded by the collapse of two dams close to the port city of Derna, sending a wall of water likened to a tsunami through dense neighbourhoods, sweeping homes and people out to sea. Authorities currently estimate that 25% of ..read more