Alchemists attempted to purify, mature, and perfect certain materials. Common aims werechrysopoeia, the transmutation of "base metals" (e.g.,lead) into "noble metals" (particularlygold); the creation of anelixir of immortality; and the creation ofpanaceas able to cure any disease. The perfection of the human body andsoul was thought to result from the alchemicalmagnum opus ("Great Work"). The concept of creating thephilosophers' stone was variously connected with all of these projects. (Full article...)
Originally, mosques were simple places of prayer for theearly Muslims, and may have been open spaces rather than elaborate buildings. In the first stage ofIslamic architecture (650–750 CE), early mosques comprised open and closed covered spaces enclosed by walls, often withminarets, from which theIslamic call to prayer was issued on a daily basis. It is typical of mosque buildings to have a special ornamental niche (amihrab) set into the wall in the direction of the city ofMecca (theqibla), which Muslims must face during prayer, as well as a facility for ritual cleansing (wudu). The pulpit (minbar), from which public sermons (khutbah) are delivered on the event ofFriday prayer, was, in earlier times, characteristic of the central city mosque, but has since become common in smaller mosques. To varying degrees, mosque buildings are designed so that there aresegregated spaces for men and women. This basic pattern of organization has assumed different forms depending on the region, period, andIslamic denomination. (Full article...)
In the 18 years that followed, Muhammad consolidated his domain by maintaining relatively peaceful relations with theCrown of Castile; in 1248; he even helped the Christian kingdom take Seville from the Muslims. But in 1264, he turned against Castile and assisted in the unsuccessfulrebellion of Castile's newly conquered Muslim subjects. In 1266 his allies in Málaga, theBanu Ashqilula, rebelled against the emirate. When these former allies sought assistance fromAlfonso X of Castile, Muhammad was able to convince the leader of the Castilian troops,Nuño González de Lara, to turn against Alfonso. By 1272 Nuño González was actively fighting Castile. The emirate's conflict with Castile and the Banu Ashqilula was still unresolved in 1273 when Muhammad died after falling off his horse. He was succeeded by his son,Muhammad II. (Full article...)
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Noah's Ark (1846), by the American folk painterEdward Hicks
The story in Genesis is based on earlierMesopotamianflood myths. The myth of the global flood that destroys all life begins to appear in theOld Babylonian Empire period (20th–16th centuries BCE). The version closest to the biblical story of Noah, as well as its most likely source, is that ofUtnapishtim in theEpic of Gilgamesh. Scholars note shared themes, dimensions, and language but different causes for the flood. Scholars also link its structure to theJewish Temple. (Full article...)
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Official portrait, 1956
Fakih Usman (alternatively spelled asFaqih Usman;Indonesian pronunciation:[ˌfakɪhˈʊsman]; 2 March 1904 – 3 October 1968) was anIndonesian Islamic leader and politician of theMasyumi Party. He twice served as theMinister of Religious Affairs under the cabinets ofAbdul Halim andWilopo from January until September 1950, and again from 1952 until 1953. In his early years, Fakih was criticized by conservative Muslims for his involvement with the modernist IslamicMuhammadiyah organization, though he is remembered fondly by the group. Born to a merchant and his wife inGresik,Dutch East Indies, Fakih studied with his father and at a series ofpesantren (Islamic boarding schools) until the 1920s.
In 1925 he became involved with the Muhammadiyah, rising quickly through the leadership until he became the head of theSurabaya branch in 1938. He was also active in local politics, in 1937, he became the treasurer of the Indonesian Islamic Assembly. He continued to be involved in politics and Islamic groups during theJapanese occupation and the ensuingnational revolution. Following the end of the war, he was appointed Minister of Religious Affairs. As a minister, he oversaw educational and institutional reform, growing in prominence within the Muhammadiyah. He also served as deputy chairman of the organization under several different leaders before being chosen as its chairman in late 1968. He died several days later. (Full article...)
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Scene fromSiyer-i Nebi, Hamza and Ali leading the Muslim armies at Badr. The writing isOttomanNaskh.
TheBattle of Badr or sometimes calledThe Raid of Badr (Arabic:غَزْوَةُ بَدْرٍ[ɣazwatubadr];Ghazwahu Badr), also referred to asThe Day of the Criterion (Arabic:يَوْمُ الْفُرْقَانْ,Arabic pronunciation:[jawm'ulfur'qaːn];Yawm al-Furqan) in theQur'an and byMuslims, was fought on 13 March 624 CE (17Ramadan, 2AH), near the present-day city ofBadr,Al Madinah Province inSaudi Arabia.Muhammad, commanding an army of hisSahaba, defeated an army of theQuraysh led byAmr ibn Hishām, better known among Muslims asAbu Jahl. The battle marked the beginning of the six-year war betweenMuhammad and his tribe. The Battle of Badr took place after five or six unsuccessful attempts by the Muslims to intercept and raid Meccan trade caravans between 623 and early 624 CE.
Muhammad took keen interest in capturing Meccan caravans and their wealth afterhis migration to Medina. A few days before the battle, when he learnt of a Makkan caravan returning from theLevant led byAbu Sufyan ibn Harb, Muhammad gathered a smallexpeditionary force to raid it. Abu Sufyan, learning of the Muslim plan toambush his caravan, changed course and took a longer route away from Muhammad's base atMedina and sent a messenger to Mecca, asking for help. Amr ibn Hisham commanded an army nearly one-thousand strong, approaching Badr and encamping at the sand dune al-'Udwatul Quswa. (Full article...)
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Image 1ABedouin woman inJerusalem, sometime between 1898 and 1914, dressed inPalestinian costume, the traditionalclothing worn byPalestinians. Many of the handcrafted garments were richlyembroidered and the creation and maintenance of these items played a significant role in the lives of the region's women. Until the 1940s, traditional Palestinian costumes reflected a woman's economic status, whether married or single, and the town or district of origin, and a knowledgeable observer could glean such information from thefabric, colors, cut, and embroidery motifs (or lack thereof) in a given woman's apparel.
Image 3A young woman fromRamallah, c. 1898-1914. Until the 1940s, women ofPalestine wore elaborate handcraftedgarments. The creation and maintenance of these items played a significant role in their lives. A knowledgeable observer could determine a woman's village of origin and social status from her clothing. The circular band near this woman's forehead is a ring of coins made from a portion of herdowry money, and indicates that she is unmarried.
Image 7TheFaisal Mosque (Urdu:فیصل مسجد) is amosque located inIslamabad,Pakistan. It is Located on the foothills ofMargalla Hills inIslamabad, the mosque features a contemporary design consisting of eight sides of concrete shell and is inspired by aBedouin tent, and is considered to be the city's main Landmark.
Image 8TheSixty Dome Mosque is a medievalmosque located inBagerhat, Bangladesh, built by Muslim saintKhan Jahan Ali in mid 15th century. This unique masonry mosque with 81 domes (including 4 corner domes) is a UNESCO world heritage site.
9 February 1912 -Muhammadiyah organization's central board and provincial chiefs endorse presidential campaign of its former chairman, sparking controversy inIslam in Indonesia
An Islamic State suicide bomber detonates explosives at a hideout inAl-Qa'im District, Iraq, during an attempted arrest, killing himself and injuring two security officers.(AP)
Selected biography
Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan,KBE (Persian:صدرالّدين آغا خان,Ṣadr ad-Dīn Āghā Khān) (17 January 1933 – 12 May 2003) served asUnited Nations High Commissioner for Refugees from 1966 to 1978, during which he reoriented the agency's focus beyondEurope and prepared it for an explosion of complex refugee issues. He was also a proponent of greater collaboration betweennon-governmental organizations (NGOs) and UN agencies. The Prince's interest inecological issues led him to establish the Bellerive Foundation in the late 1970s, and he was a knowledgeable and respected collector ofIslamic art. Born inParis,France, he was the son ofSir Sultan Mahomed Shah Aga Khan and Princess Andrée Aga Khan. He married twice, but had no children of his own. Prince Sadruddin died ofcancer at the age of 70, and was buried inSwitzerland.
I decided to say this after it was clear that over several years Saudis have been leaving for jihad. They did this because they are passionate about their religion but they are not wise enough to know right from wrong.
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