How best to repair the damage done to Islam’s image by extremist attacks? Disown the violent philosophy that underpins such acts of violence? Social media has had a lively debate – and a lively week – on the issue, in parallel with discussions at the Emirates Centre for Strategic Studies and Research (ECSSR) in the capital earlier this week. But there’s more. What’s the magic ingredient when it comes to female entrepreneurship and do you have a name for whatever you spend the most time doing at home?
In the name of God
There was no doubt in Twitter-users’ minds about Tuesday’s ECSSR workshop on the threat of extremism. It distorts the way the world sees Islam. Whatever they may claim, no one kills in the name of God because it is “forbidden in Islam”, tweeted Omar @bushaika.
Naif @naif_alamri suggested that it seemed as if some radical groups were “trying to make Islam look bad and harm its pure image. Islam is all about peace and forgiving.”
@Asa_el3amri said that “terrorist groups know nothing about Islam”, except for how “to destroy the image of our peaceful religion.”
Saif @saif_alameri expressed bewilderment at the way events seem to play out these days: “What we see is the killing of innocent people but these deaths are a puzzle because we don’t know who killed them or why.”
Women on top
What’s the best way to succeed if you’re a female entrepreneur, many have been asking, off the back of the Achieving Women Forum, which is supported by Dubai Chamber of Commerce. A good idea and hard work, perhaps?
Oh, and a little bit of luck, as with finding the right investor, tweeted @ambareenm.
Or finding “wisdom and self-worth within you,” said Ema @emalinaker.
You really don’t necessarily “have to be everywhere” at any one time tweeted @EntMagazineME.
@mahagaber suggested that it was key for any entrepreneur – man or woman – to understand their brand’s digital purpose.
Aby @thisisaby, a journalist, added that it was all about the “beautiful” internet, which “allows transparency like never before.”
Shoug @Shougin advised entrepreneurs to keep the human dimension uppermost in their minds and Iman @ImanBenChaibah said entrepreneurship was “80 per cent doing what you have to and 20 per cent doing what you love to .”
Tech lifestyle blogger Noor Sweid Tamara @GlobalGazette quoted the editor in chief of Entrepreneur Middle East Magazine: “You should feel emboldened to approach other women.”
Housework blues
Are you incurably lazy at home or do you pitch in and help with the chores and look after family and friends?
Social media seemed to have more than its fair share of people leery of housework going by the stream of tweets from those who go home only to sleep and eat.
Thumbs up sleep, tweeted @ShooqWww , @La58W and others, while Hanadi @HNoo1434 offered this marginally more active core activity: “Making coffee”.
@BodyRere said she found it pretty busy “coming up with new recipes for my children” and Amna @loodyy_2 said home for her was the garden and her main occupation was “gardening.”
But Nouf @noufsaud20 found a few scant minutes away from housework to tweet about being a “house manager”, in between cooking and washing and every other chore.
And @b158b4e113f0468 looked ahead to Ramadan and said she dreaded the extra work “especially when one of my sisters has a baby”, adding that perhaps it would feel much better if her family paid her “a salary”.
Sarah Khamis is The National’s social media editor
salalawi@thenational.ae
On Twitter: @SarahKhamisUAE
