Culture & Heritage

Yesterday marked the start of the Hajj, the annual Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. The Saudi Press Agency said that a record number of Muslims were expected to make the Hajj this year – over 3.4 million anticipated over the five days of the pilgrimage. One of the pillars of Islamic faith, the Hajj must be carried out at …

  Omar Ibn Said spent much of his life as a slave on a Bladen County plantation, but some claimed he was reared as a Muslim prince in Africa. The deeply religious man lived a life of celebrity, the subject of national newspaper and magazine stories despite his lowly status in the antebellum South. Said (who last name also is …

Think of the origins of that staple of modern life, the cup of coffee, and Italy often springs to mind. But in fact, Yemen is where the ubiquitous brew has its true origins.       Along with the first university, and even the toothbrush, it is among surprising Muslim inventions that have shaped the world we live in today. …

Assalamualaikum It is with the deepest sense of sorrow I write this to share my encounters with professor Jiffry. I first met him when he was the Deen of the faculty of medicine in the University of Sri jayawardenapura in Nugegoda. That was the first meeting at the Deen's office to discuss establishing a para medics training centre or a …

Muslim men and women across the world are currently observing Ramadan, a month long celebration of self-purification and restraint. During Ramadan, the Muslim community fast, abstaining from food, drink, smoking and sex between sunrise and sunset. Muslims break their fast after sunset with an evening meal called Iftar, where a date is the first thing eaten followed by a traditional …

Rani Rupmati Mosque Year of construction: 1430-1440 AD. Established by: Sultan Mehmood Beghara Located in Mizapur on the Northern side of the Ahmedabad city, Rani Rupmati mosque is one the ancient mosques of the city. It was built by Sultan Mehmood Beghara. Named after Rani Rupmati, the wife of Sultan, the mosque was constructed during 1430-1440 AD. This mosque is …