The ninth month of the Muslim calendar is one of fasting and abstinence. It is a month of prayer, study and discipline meant to bring followers closer to God, marking the revelation of the first revealing of the Qur’an to the Prophet Mohammad known as Laylat al-Qadr, the holiest night of the year. The festival has its [...]
Posts Tagged ‘Islam’
Ramadan
Posted in Beliefs, Festivals, Religion, tagged Islam, Ramadan on August 9, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Jerusalem Old City
Posted in History, Maps, Places, Religion, tagged Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Old Jerusalem on May 3, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
In the east of the modern city of Jerusalem is the walled city of Old Jerusalem, cultural and religious center for the three Abrahamic faiths, and one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world. The Armenian Apostolic Church, represented by the christian Armenian smallest segment, is the world’s oldest national religion. The Dome of the Rock is [...]
Ramy al-jamarāt
Posted in Beliefs, Religion, tagged Hajj, Islam, Ramy al-jamarāt on November 28, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
The Stoning of the Devil ritual is the climax of the Islamic Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, at the nearby city of Mina, re-enacting Abraham’s pilgrimage to Mecca where the Angel Gabriel urges him to deflect the Devil by throwing stones. It is not mentioned in Islamic scriptures but has become a recent tradition and all [...]
The Black Stone at Mecca
Posted in Beliefs, History, Religion, tagged Black Stone at Mecca, Islam on April 20, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
During the Hajj ritual sometimes a pilgrim will want to kiss the Black Stone seven times, once for every walk around the Kaaba, because Muhammad was once observed to kiss the stone. Such stones were venerated prior to Islam, when objects thought to have fallen from the moon and stars were considered sacred. Some people believe the [...]
Birthday of Muhammad
Posted in Beliefs, tagged Islam, Mawlid an Nabi on March 4, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Next week’s Mawlid an Nabi marks the birthdate of the Prophet Muhammad in some of the Islamic religions. Although he was born in 570 and exorted followers not to make a big celebration out of the birthdate as Christian religions do, by the 13 th century it was celebrated with gift-giving, family gatherings and a month of [...]
Preaching hatred
Posted in Current events, tagged Christianity, Crusades, Hate crimes, Islam, United Kingdom on October 28, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
United Kingdom Home Secretary Jacqui Smith announced today that the British government will be taking measures to prevent radicals staying in the UK: Coming to the UK is a privilege and I refuse to extend that privilege to individuals who abuse our standards and values to undermine our way of life. The suspected individual will be asked to [...]
Female Imams : theological destiny
Posted in Beliefs, Current events, People, tagged Islam, Women on October 17, 2008 | 1 Comment »
Professor Amina Wadud lead the prayers at the start of a conference on Islam and feminism at Wolfson College in Oxford, UK, today. Although women have lead mixed prayers in the US, South Africa and Canada, this is a first for the UK, welcomed by Muslim feminists: ‘within the Hadith there is a woman called [...]
Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, Saudi Arabia
Posted in Beliefs, Current events, tagged Islam, Saudi Arabia on August 7, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
هيئه الأمر بالمعروف و النهي عن المنكر A story which is all over pet-loving American media this week is the restriction on sale of pets and leisure activities of pets and pet-owners by the Saudi religious law enforcement agency Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice in Riyadh. There are 5000 agents [...]
United Arab Emirates- Museum of Islamic Civilisation
Posted in Places, tagged Islam on July 8, 2008 | 1 Comment »
Museum of Islamic Civilisation, UAE This popular tourist attraction of Sharjah also known as Souq al-Majarrah houses seven themed galleries dedicated to Islamic faith, tradition, history and contemporary art. The main gallery was previously a souk or market hall: The intention is to demonstrate not only over a thousand years of Muslim history [...]
