“You will die and they will die, and Muhammad (SAW) is but a Messenger; of a surety, all Messengers before him have passed away. If then, he die or be slain, will you turn back on your heels? Whosoever worships Muhammad (SAW), let him then know that Muhammad (SAW) indeed is dead; but whoso worshipped…
Tag Islamic Empire
Paper in the Islamic Empire
Paper (or in Arabic, waraqa), a material which is used for so many things in our lives, can trace back its origins to over 2000 years ago in China. However, the Islamic Empire was responsible for spreading the use of paper throughout the world and sparked the start of its use in Europe hundreds of…
Optics in the Golden Age
Throughout history, Islam has distinguished itself in many areas of science – one of them being optics, the study of the behavior and properties of light. One may assume that optics aren’t nearly as important as, for example, math, but you’d be surprised at what far-reaching advancements the Islamic Empire made – and how such…
The Islamic Empire’s Golden Age
The roads wound all over the empire. Foreign goods were abundant in markets. The minds of the people were alive, buzzing with innovations and ideas. While the rest of the world was vanquished by intellectual darkness, the Islamic Empire was alive and teeming with knowledge and discovery, creating one of the greatest eras in history….
The Umayyad Era
Muawiyah bin Sufyan was seen as the most qualified caliph to take power after Ali, which began the Umayyad Era. Muawiyah was a great and capable man who governed of Syria and led the strongest military force in the Muslim world. He was admired for his impeccable self-restraint – he had said, “I apply not…
The Foundation of Islamic Law and the Conquest of Mecca
Shari’ah, or Islamic law, literally means “a way to the watering place” or “a path to seek felicity and salvation”, and is the laws and regulations meant to govern the lives of every day Muslims as a way to lead a moral and ethical life.1 Since Islam is considered less a religion and more a…
Spreading the Message in Mecca
Muhammad (SAW) began to meditate in the cave of Mount Hira to escape the corruption of Mecca and dwell on the deepest questions of life to which he could not seem to find answers. It is well known that he spent the entire month of Ramadan at this familiar retreat. It was then, in the…
The Early Life of Prophet Muhammad (SAW)
As we Muslims welcome the month of Ramadan, our faith is even more present in our lives than ever before. And, as all of us have undoubtedly realized, it is nearly impossible to discuss or even contemplate Islam without mentioning in some way its most celebrated messenger: the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) , who not only…
The Islamic Empire in 30 Days: Prelude
Starting Saturday, people in every country around the world will begin a month-long fast for Ramadan. The holiest month of the year, Ramadan is when Muslims refrain from food and drink from sunrise to sunset and try their best to bring themselves as close to Allah (SWT) as possible. This is not only a time…