Have you ever wondered why we study history in our schools, or what importance does history have in our present lives? The majority of you might answer, explore the impacts of the past on our current lives, or know the various foundations of our present identity. All these answers make perfect sense, but what if I tell you that studying history might have changed the way we see things in our current time? History allows us to observe and understand how people and societies behaved. It shows us how change happened in the past and how these changes impacted the communities later-on. Our present is one of these impacts. Continue reading “World History Series Documentaries: The Crusades – Episode 01: The Origins”
Category: World History
Does Religion mean to Bind a Nation or Vice Versa?
Does Religion mean to Bind a Nation or Vice Versa?
By Ahmad AmirAli
Yesterday, upon delivering a session on ‘pluralism and diversity’ one participant asked a question ‘Sir, does religion have any relationship with diversity? I questioned him back ‘what do you think?’ He replied, ‘Sir, I think religion divide the nation, but pluralism binds it’. I asked him ‘who taught you about the pluralism/diversity?’ doesn’t every religion convey the same ethics and principles of diversity and La Convivencia (coexist) one society? Well, he agrees, but I somehow questioned myself, does religion means to bind a nation or is it really a vice versa.
History has revealed to us that there were instances when we, people, use religion to segregate and establish differences among us, but then there were instances when religion binds-back the people of different faiths and believes under one society. Whether Islam or Christianity, every religion conveys the same principle and message of deepening the divides and accept the differences. Continue reading “Does Religion mean to Bind a Nation or Vice Versa?”
The Forgotten Crown of Cairo: The Mosque of Ahmad Ibn Tulun
The Forgotten Crown of Cairo: The Mosque of Ahmad Ibn Tulun
By Ahmad Amirali
Cairo (al-Muizziya al-Qahira) one of the oldest cities, founded by the Ismaili Fatimid general Jawhar al-Siqilli making it as the new capital of Fatimid dynasty in the 10th century. The worlds 3rd largest and oldest university and learning centre, The Al-Azhar Mosque University was also founded in Cairo by the Fatimid Caliph Al-Mu’izz li-Din Allah. Blessed with the thousand beautiful mosques, Cairo is the home of the famous ‘Al-Hussein Mosque’ which was built over the remains of the martyred Shia Imam. However, the architecture piece in which I am going to talk about in this article is situated in the most remote and impoverished area of the Cairo city. Continue reading “The Forgotten Crown of Cairo: The Mosque of Ahmad Ibn Tulun”
The Original Assassins: Medieval Warriors of Alamut
The Original Assassins: Medieval Warriors of Alamut
By Ahmad Amirali
Recently, I came across an article published on National Geographic magazine website about the Assassins of Iran and their stronghold in a mountainous fort called ‘Alamut’. Since eight centuries, the legends of Nizari Assassins are keeping its well-maintained place in the works of crusaders chronicles and the manuscripts of later Syrian-Sunni Muslims. These legends caught-up its fame when a traveller named Marco Pollo visited the forts and later mentioned these tales in his travelogues. Continue reading “The Original Assassins: Medieval Warriors of Alamut”