For the second year in a row, Palestinian mothers and children in Gaza celebrate it under the Israeli shelling as the Israeli government broke the ceasefire “it broke it since day one” and resumed the war.
We are back to see those scenes where a mother mourns her only child or her children or a child mourns his or her child.
Mother and Child by Palestinian renowned artist Silman Mansour
Those videos were filmed in Gaza in the past five days.
From Khan Younes, a mother woke up to find out that her children and husband were killed in an Israeli airstrike. They were already sleeping without Suhoor.
Tonight we will know what will happen to Reema in the realm of Jinn after meeting their Sultan Golan, “Correct spelling” after he claimed to be an apple seller.
So without further delay, here is the 689th episode of our Arabian Nights Egyptian radio show—or the 17th night in this year’s tale, The Tale of Fatima, Halima, and Karima
Episode 17: Rima saves the Sultan of Jinn
And so, on the six hundred and eighty-ninth night, when the new evening arrived, King Shahryar took his seat as he had the night before. No sooner had he settled than Scheherazade entered, greeted him, and took her place before him. She then resumed her tale and continued with the story.
Scheherazade spoke:
*"It has been told to me, O wise and fortunate king, that Rima returned to her old habit of stealing stories, claiming Kareema’s tale as her own and recounting it to the Sultan as if it had happened to her. But at that moment, King Golan revealed his true identity. Without hesitation, he seized Rima and flew with her to the land of the jinn, hiding her from all his servants to catch the Sultan off guard and expose the betrayal. Thus, he remained firm in his plan, concealing her in his chamber until nightfall.
When evening came, the dinner table was set, and the Sultaness dismissed all the servants. She sat alone with the Sultan, and what happened next is what we now witness..."*
Sultan Golan: "So, tell me, my Sultaness, where do we go from here?"
Sultaness Marjana: "Oh, my lord, why not just enjoy the meal?"
So without further delay, here is the 688th episode of our Arabian Nights Egyptian radio show—or the 16th night in this year’s tale, The Tale of Fatima, Halima, and Karima
Episode 16: The Apple seller
And so, Scheherazade arrived at the appointed hour, greeted the king, and took her seat beside him. Then, she continued her tale, weaving together the threads of the story.
"It has been told to me, O wise and fortunate king, that when Reema heard Kareema's story, she took Mishkah and made her way to the abandoned ruins. As she conversed with him, a fruit vendor passed by, calling out his wares—apples so fair they rivaled rosy cheeks, apples that blended with peaches. When the vendor caught sight of Reema’s apple, he asked for its tale. Reema, in turn, sent Mishkah to fetch the rest of the apples, while the vendor settled in, eager to listen.
Now, Reema fell back into her old ways—she took Karima’s story and spun it as her own, telling it with such conviction that it seemed as if it had truly happened to her. But as she spoke, the vendor suddenly transformed before her eyes. He was none other than Sultan Jolan himself, the very king Kareema had glimpsed in the garden. His fury was like a raging storm—he seized Reema and took to the skies, carrying her away to the land of the jinn. And thus, the tale unfolds before us now.
Reema: Who… who are you?
Sultan Jolan: Do not be afraid, O daughter of men.
Reema: What have you done to me?
Sultan Jolan: I merely took what was mine. Your tale is not yet complete, and you are here, hidden away where no one knows of your existence—no one but me and the Lord above.
Reema: By your mercy, my lord! I only sought to provide for my children.
Tonight, we will learn what Karima did in the cave of the Ghoul after she found herself in another realm and how one thing leads to another.
But first, a little chitchat, and tonight's chitchat is about the recurring guest star villain of the Arabian Nights tales, the Ghoul.
The ghoul (الغول) is a supernatural creature from pre-Islamic Arabian folklore, often depicted as a monstrous, shape-shifting being that lurks in desolate places, preying on travelers and consuming human flesh. While the legend is deeply embedded in Islamic folklore and 1001 Nights, its origins may trace back to ancient Mesopotamia.
The Gallu demons of Sumerian and Akkadian mythology were terrifying spirits that dragged victims to the underworld, often associated with wilderness and destruction—similar to how the ghoul was feared for lurking in abandoned ruins and deserts.
Additionally, the Mesopotamian Edimmu, restless spirits of the unburied dead, shared the ghoul’s eerie connection to graveyards and the afterlife.
Over time, the ghoul evolved into a prominent figure in Arabic folklore, blending influences from earlier Mesopotamian myths with local Arabian superstitions.
Though ancient Egypt did not have an identical creature, it had Ammit, the "Devourer of the Dead," who consumed the hearts of the impure, reflecting a similar fear of being devoured as punishment.
And that’s it for our chitchat.
So without further delay, here is the 687th episode of our Arabian Nights Egyptian radio show—or the 15th night in this year’s tale, The Tale of Fatima, Halima, and Karima.
There is no chitchat tonight due to the length of the episode.
So without further delay, here is the 686th episode of our Arabian Nights Egyptian radio show—or the 14th night in this year’s tale, The Tale of Fatima, Halima, and Karima.
Episode 14: Half Apple, Half Peach
King Shahryar took his seat as he had the night before, and Scheherazade arrived at her appointed hour. She stepped forward and withdrew, greeted him with a bow, and, when granted leave, began from where she had left off:
It has been told, O wise and just King, that when Fatima returned home without the oil, Rima was seized with fury. She cast upon her niece the weight of her doubts, riddled her with accusations, and hurled words of ill-temper. But Karima, standing between them, said:
"We have no need for oil tonight to light the house, for the moon is full, its glow complete, and I shall spin by its light upon the rooftop."
And Halima, her sister, added, "We have no need for lamps nor even the moon. We shall sleep now and wake at dawn’s first light."
Then Rima retired to her chamber, Halima lay down to sleep, and Karima ascended to the rooftop.
And when the morning came, spreading its light across the land, the two sisters looked about them but found no sign of Karima. Fear clutched at their hearts, and Fatima rushed up to the rooftop, searching high and low, yet she found no trace of her.
At this, Rima was seized by panic, lashing out like a raging beast or a storm-tossed sea. She scorned the innocent girls with cutting words and berated them without end—until they heard a knock upon the door.
They rushed to open it, and lo! It was Karima, standing before them with apples in her hands. At once, all eyes turned to her, and voices clamored for answers.
Rima: "Where have you been? And why have you returned so late?"
Karima: "Hush, Aunt! Let me catch my breath."
Rima: "Me hush? You vanish for a night and return as if nothing happened?"
Fatima: "Karima, where were you?"
Karima: "You wouldn’t believe me if I told you."
Rima: "Listen to her! Speaking as if she did no wrong!"
Karima: "Wrong? What wrong have I done, Aunt? You saw me go up to spin, but you never saw me come down. And yet here I stand! Are you not curious where I have been? And these apples in my hands—do you not wonder where they came from?"
Fatima (in wonder): "Where indeed?"
Rima (mockingly): "Ah yes, you climbed to the rooftop to bask in the moonlight! And did you find the moon, my girl? Did you?"
Karima: "Aunt, what is it you are trying to say? Why do you look at me so?"
Rima: "Don’t you see? Don’t you all see? Ask her! Ask her where she was!"
Karima (whispering): "I was with… Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim!" (seeking refuge in God's name, avoiding mention of the unseen beings)
Rima (echoing in disbelief): "Did you hear her?!"
Halima: "But truly, where were you?"
Karima (firmly): "I told you. I was with… Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim."
Tonight, we will know not only why Fatima did not bring the oil or the remaining money to her evil stepmom but also the future fate of the three girls, but first, a little chitchat.
For decades, many Egyptians and Arabs thought that Taher Abu Fasha chose the names of Fatima, Halima and Karima because of the rhythm. Thus it was a generational surprise when we found out that there could be a real inspiration behind the names of Fatima, Halima and Karima, and she was indeed a royalty, somehow a princess.
Yes, a princess. Princess Karima Halima Fatima of Egyptian Mohamed Ali Royal Family. holds probably the longest woman’s first name in the history of modern Egypt.
Noblewoman Karima Halima Fatima Mohamed Abdel Halim was born on March 15, 1898. She was the daughter of Prince Mohamed Abbas Halim, the son of Mohamed Abdel Halim Pasha, and the grandson of Mohamed Ali Pasha. On her mother's side, she was the granddaughter of Khedive Tawfiq, as her mother was Princess Fakhr Al-Nisa Khadija, the daughter of Khedive Tawfiq.
Karima had five sisters: Wojdan, Amina, Tawfiqa, Naematallah, and Zeinab.
Her first marriage was to Osman Fuad Oğlu (1873–1922), who served as the commander of Ottoman forces in Libya during World War I. The couple did not have any children.
Real noblewoman Karima Halima Fatima Helmy wearing her Cartier tiara
She later married Prince Youssef Kamal on January 11, 1937, but their marriage was short-lived. They divorced on October 29 of the same year.
Karima passed away on March 28, 1971.
According to Egypt’s Royal Story Facebook page “Best source of Modern Egyptian Royal History FB page” in 1935, her financial allowance was recorded at LE 600. She was also known for owning a remarkable Cartier tiara, crafted around 1930. The versatile piece could be worn as a necklace, bracelet, or a set of brooches.
Designed in an elaborate lotus motif, the tiara was made of platinum and adorned with small diamonds and round brilliant-cut diamonds, totaling approximately 52.50 carats, with a length of about 420 mm.
In 1980, the tiara was sold by an unknown owner at Christie’s for $75,000. In November 2010, an Italian noble family acquired it from Sotheby’s for $185,650. In 2015, it was resold at Sotheby’s for $287,277. Its current owner remains unknown.
Despite the lack of concrete proof that Karima Halima Fatima of the Mohamed Ali Royal Family inspired the tale of the three sisters, many, including myself, believe that folklorist Taher Abu Fasha may have drawn inspiration for their names from this noblewoman.
Now we will leave the real Karima Halima Fatima, May Allah bless her soul and go to the fictional Fatima, Halima and Karima’s world.
So without further delay, here is the 685th episode of our Arabian Nights Egyptian radio show—or the 13th night in this year’s tale, The Tale of Fatima, Halima, and Karima.
