The terrorist’s son by Zak Ebrahim with Jeff Giles
In The terrorist’s son, the son talks about his father and mother, his youth, his family, and the atrocities of the world.
People are cruel and very short-sighted to each other when it comes to it, . The cultural layer on top of the short drives and instincts that distinguish man from animals is apparently very thin. Z has experienced this from different points of view: hatred of believers of another faith, hatred of children who are too young for empathy, hatred of adults for being simply connected to a “perpetrator” because of bloodlines, hatred against a system where you were received but could not live in, hatred because of greed, hatred in order to be able to respond and to “be at the other side”, but also repentance about the latter.
What Zak Ebrahim proves is that they are all choices. Some are very influenced in this. Others are rock solid for their individuality and realize that they choose themselves. They choose despite the circumstances. And despite the circumstances, everyone is liable for his own choices. Regardless of a good lawyer. Regardless of a religious leader. Regardless of the system. Regardless of the pure fact that many can be pointed out for their share in your choice.
That is why terrorism is never OK.
That is why it is important that everyone realizes that their own choice makes a difference. That is in general the hope for this world. That is in general the message that I read in this booklet.
Zak Ebrahim kept a TED talk about it. You can find them here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyR-K2CZIHQ
Lessons identified from this life can be:
- People can continue to choose themselves despite the hateful circumstances.
- Everything can be misused, also faith.
- There are four important pillars in a person’s life:
- family and friends,
- work,
- residence,
- (psychological) health.
- Always hope for the understanding of others, but do not expect it.
- Always create a strong friendship with people before you allow yourself to be vulnerable to them.
- Learn to trust again and again.
Jeff Giles is a successful author and former journalist who has been recognized for his work in young adult fiction and nonfiction. He wrote the fantasy thriller "The Edge of Everything" and its sequel "The Brink of Darkness." These novels combine elements of mystery, family drama, and paranormal romance and have received positive reviews for their engaging characters and imaginative settings (PublishersWeekly.com) (Book Reporter) (Book Series in Order).
Before transitioning to a full-time author, Jeff Giles had a distinguished career in journalism. He was the Deputy Managing Editor of Entertainment Weekly, supervising movie and book coverage. Before that, he worked as an arts writer and editor at Newsweek, where he profiled numerous celebrities and created the magazine's Oscar Roundtable. Giles has also contributed to Rolling Stone and The New York Times Book Review, among other publications (Book Reporter).
Giles's nonfiction work includes co-authoring "The Terrorist's Son: A Story of Choice" with Zak Ebrahim. This book tells the story of Ebrahim's life as the son of a convicted terrorist and his journey to reject his father's radical beliefs (Book Reporter) (Book Series in Order).
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Zak Ebrahim is an American author and peace advocate known for his work against violence and extremism. Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Ebrahim is the son of El Sayyid Nosair, a convicted terrorist. Despite his tumultuous childhood, influenced by his father's actions, Ebrahim chose a path of peace and empathy. He is a notable speaker and has shared his journey of transformation from hatred to tolerance at various national and international platforms.
Manu works at the Flemish Government in risk management and Business Continuity Management. On this website, he shares his own opinions regarding these and related fields.
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