Culture & Heritage

Remembering Deshamanya Professor Tony Furkhan

Professor Tony Furkhan A year has passed since the departure of my brother, Tony Furkhan. I share and reminisce of our very fond and cherished memories in our life together. Two of us, our late brother Sapthy, who passed away at the age of sixteen, and our sister, Mashooratha, were the youngest siblings of the Thassim family. We both started …

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Dome-topped Leighton House embodies British painter’s love for Islamic art

Famous Victorian-era artist Frederic Leighton built ‘Arab Hall’ to introduce Islamic art to British society An interior design of Leighton House in London / Photos: Rasid Necati Aslim – Anadolu Agency London’s Leighton House is considered one of the country’s most important artist homes, but what sets it apart from the others is the integration of Eastern and Western art …

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Descendants of Ottomans in Latin America: ‘Los Turcos’

Many Ottomans who migrated from the Ottoman Empire to Latin American countries in the 19th century in search of a better life and were described as “Los Turcos” (Turkish people) have achieved significant success in many fields from politics to business, from art to literature. There were various waves of migration from the Ottoman Empire to Latin America from 1860 …

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S M Kamaldeen – Sri Lanka Muslim Personalities

ALHAJ S.M. Kamaldeen – My father – a man of few Words Aug 2008 – sent in by Mo Qamardeen from New Hampshire, USA My father, S.M. Kamaldeen, passed away on August 15, 2008. Until his death in August, he had lived a full life: provided for his family, achieved success in his career, volunteered his services to social causes …

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Ramadan: A centuries-old American tradition by Khaled Beydoun

Many forget that the first Muslims to celebrate Ramadan in America were enslaved Africans. This week marks the beginning of Ramadan. Nearly one-fourth of the world will observe the annual fast and eight million Muslims in the United States will abstain from food and drink from sunrise to sunset during the holy month. Islam in America is rapidly expanding. It …

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Akbar the Great: How the Mughal emperor set an example for religious tolerance in India By Imaan Qureshy

Akbar as depicted by the Indian artist Goverdhan in this painting made in 1630 (Wikimedia) The Indian ruler was known for his military conquests but also his respect for his non-Muslim subjects, especially India’s majority Hindu population In a famous anecdote, the Mughal Emperor Akbar holds court with representatives of the major religions, who each take turns to make the …

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