Islamic World

The Islamic world refers to countries and regions where Islam is dominant, influencing various aspects of life, including culture, politics, law, and education. It is not just limited to the Middle East; it spans Africa, Asia, and Europe.
Critical Aspects of the Islamic World:
1. Geographical Spread:
Middle East and North Africa (MENA): The heartland of Islam, including countries like Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iran, and Turkey.
South Asia: Countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan, where Islam plays a central role.
Southeast Asia: Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim-majority country, Malaysia, and Brunei.
Sub-Saharan Africa: Countries like Nigeria, Sudan, and Somalia have significant Muslim populations.
Europe: There are significant Muslim communities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, and growing populations in Western Europe due to migration.
2. Cultural and Religious Practices:
Religious Practices: The Five Pillars of Islam (Shahada, Salah, Zakat, Sawm, Hajj) are central to Islamic life.
Islamic Law (Sharia): In many Muslim-majority countries, Sharia law influences or directly governs legal systems, covering everything from criminal law to personal status issues like marriage and inheritance.
Language: Arabic is the liturgical language of Islam, but other languages, such as Persian, Turkish, Urdu, and Malay, are widely spoken in the Islamic world.
3. Historical Contributions:
The Golden Age of Islam (8th to 14th century) was a period of significant advancements in science, medicine, mathematics, and philosophy, with learning centres in cities like Baghdad, Cairo, and Cordoba.
Architecture: Islamic architecture is renowned for its mosques, madrasas (schools), and palaces, featuring minarets, domes, and intricate geometric designs.
4. Modern-Day Dynamics:
Political Landscape: The Islamic world includes various governance systems, from monarchies in the Gulf States to republics in Iran and Turkey. Political Islam and movements like the Muslim Brotherhood have had significant influence in some regions.
Economic Power: The Islamic world includes some of the world's largest oil producers, like Saudi Arabia and Iran, which play a critical role in global energy markets.
Social Issues: The Islamic world faces diverse social challenges, from modernisation and globalisation to debates over women's rights, democracy, and the role of religion in the state.
5. Global Influence:
Diaspora: Significant Muslim communities in Europe, North America, and other parts of the world contribute to the global influence of Islam.
Interfaith Relations: Islam is one of the world's major religions, with interfaith dialogue becoming increasingly important in promoting understanding and cooperation between different religious communities.
The Islamic world is diverse and complex, with a rich history and significant impact on global culture, politics, and economics.

️Kurtuba Camii/Katedrali, İspanya’nın Cordoba kentinde bir yapı. İspanyolcada ,(mescit)Mezquita adıyla bilinir. 600’lerde kilise olarak inşa edilmiş, 786-1146’da eklemelerle cami olarak kullanılmış, tekrar kilise olarak günümüze gelmiştir.
️Endülüs Emevileri başkenti Kurtuba’da 600 cami vardır. Bu camilerin en ihtişamlısı Kurtuba Camii’dir. Vadil-Kebir nehri kenarındaki caminin temelini 786’da I. Abdurrahman atmıştır.
️Cordoba merkez, Roma, Arap ve Hıristiyan tarihinin zengin anıtlarına sahiptir.
Minare kenarları 8,48 m’dir. Kubbe sisteminde üst üste binen kemerlerde kırmızı beyaz mermer kullanılmıştır. Cami içinde 1293 sütun vardır Bu cami bugün Cordoba Katedrali’dir.
I. Abdurrahman tarafından 785’de inşasına başlanan caminin büyüklüğü 75 m. eninde 100 m. boyundaydı. Diğer hükümdarların eklemeleriyle , 833’de mabet 175 m. uzunlukta, 134 m. genişlikte muazzam bir yapıya dönüştü. ️Caminin çevresinde 12,20 m. yükseklikte duvar vardır.
En güzel oymalı mermer mihraba sahiptir. Duvarlardaki kufî yazılar lacivert zemine altınla yazılmıştır. Mimber fildişi ve değerli taşlardan altın çivilerle yapılmıştır.
850 adet granit ve çeşitli taşlardan sütunlarıyla ; dünyada en fazla sütuna sahip mabettir.
Kemerleri iki katlı tek cami burasıdır.
️Kurtuba Camii, 1236’da katedrale çevrilmiştir. 1523’te çeşitli ilaveler yapılmıştır.
1984’de UNESCO DÜNYA MİRASI ilan edildi.
•
•
•
#europe #españa #cordoba #travel #adventure #wanderlust #vacation #travelgram #holidays #architecturephotography #andalusia #andalucia #mezquita #monumentoshistoricos #cultura #visitespaña #mezquitadecordoba #travellover

In 875 CE, at the age of 65, ’Abbās ibn Firnās attempted to fly. Using a hang-glider made of feathers and wood that he built after hours of observing birds in flight, he leapt off the roof of the Rusāfa palace in Cordoba. By all accounts, he flew for several minutes, gliding on the air currents like a raptor!

He is known as “the first man to ever fly”, but in addition to that, he also designed a water clock. He devised means of manufacturing glass, and he developed a chain of rings that could be used to display the motions of the planets and stars. He also developed a process for cutting rock crystal. Thereafter, Spain no longer needed to export quartz to Egypt, but could finish it at home.

‘Abbās Ibn Firnās was an Andalusi polymath, an inventor, astronomer, physician, chemist, engineer, and an Arabic-language poet. You’ve probably heard about the Wright brothers inventing the first motorized flying plane, but the truth is that centuries before them, this Muslim individual invented it.

#KnowYourHistory #didyouknow #didyouknowfacts

"In 875 CE, at the age of 65, 'Abbās ibn Firnās tried to fly. Using a hang-glider made of feathers and wood that he built after hours of observing birds in flight, he leapt off the roof of the Rusāfa palace in Cordoba. By all accounts, he flew for several minutes, gliding on the air currents like a raptor!

He is known as "the first man to ever fly", but other than that, he also designed a water clock. He devised means of manufacturing glass, and he developed a chain of rings that could be used to display the motions of the planets and stars. He also devoloped a process for cutting rock crystal. Thereafter, Spain no longer needed to export quarts to Egypt, but could finish it at home.

'Abbās Ibn Firnās was an Andalusi polymath, an inventor, astronomer, physician, chemist, engineer and an Arabic-language poet. You probably may have heard about the Wright brothers inventing the first motorized flying plane but truth is that centuries before them, this Muslim individual man invented it."

Here are some facts about the Moors in Europe: They ruled Spain and Portugal 754 years before the fall of the Mali Empire.

1. The Moors brought a wide variety of new fruits and vegetables to Europe.
The Moors brought many new fruits and vegetables to Spain and Europe that were considered exotic novelties at the time. These products included pomegranates, peaches, lemons, oranges, saffron, cotton, rice, silk, sugar cane, and a variety of other fruits and vegetables. Even though they are commonplace today, the Spanish at the time considered these objects to be almost alien. Several centuries later, they are still important components of Spanish food and production.

2. The Moors Developed Far More Rapidly Than Medieval Europe
The Arabs had an advanced civilization known for its architecture, science, mathematics, and exploration when they conquered the Iberian Peninsula. When the Moors arrived in Spain, they brought with them architectural innovations that astounded European stonemasons. The Alhambra, a fortress and palace complex in Granada, Spain, is one of the most stunning examples of Moorish architecture. Its construction started in 1238, and its grandeur and beauty far outstripped those of any comparable palace. It is still one of the palaces of the Islamic world that has been preserved the best today.

3. Chess Became Popular Across Europe Because of the Moors
Chess has been played for more than 1,500 years, but the Moors brought the game in its present form to Europe. The Moors brought chess to Spain after it had spread from India to the Arabic world. It spread through Europe's courts and society very quickly after it gained popularity. Chess was a well-liked game of strategy and endurance in medieval Spain. Chess was first mentioned in writing in Spain in the Catalan Testament in 1010 AD.

4. The Moors Took Their Hygiene Very Seriously.
A Moor, according to a catchphrase, "would rather go without bread than without soap." The Moors were known for their love of cleanliness. Due to their customs and the demands of their religion, the Moors valued cleanliness and often bathed; in the Moorish town of Cordoba, there were about 900 public baths. This made it possible to maintain proper hygiene at a time when plumbing and running water were still uncommon. Some sources also assert that the Moors introduced some kind of soap to Europe, ushering in a new era of hygiene.

5. The Moors Placed a High Value on Education
The Moors placed a high value on education and made sure that everyone in their realm had access to it. This was in stark contrast to medieval Europe, where education was only available to the richest nobles and clergy and where 90% of the populace was still illiterate. In fact, there have even been instances of European Kings who are illiterate. The Moors founded 17 prestigious universities in Spain, including ones in Cordoba, Malaga, Granada, Seville, Toledo, and Almeria.

6. Many Moorish Words Are Still Used Today in Spanish and English
The Moors introduced new ideas and words to Europe after they arrived, and these quickly assimilated into the common language. Up to 4,000 words in the Spanish language have Arabic roots, including algebra, checkmate, and influenza. Cipher, alcohol, chemistry, typhoon, orange, alkaline, cable, and nadir are additional examples.

7. The Moors Were Very Resourceful
The old Roman irrigation systems that the Moors discovered in Iberia had great potential, so they quickly adopted, improved, and revived them. This increased agricultural productivity and boosted the economy. Additionally, they were able to grow new crops they had brought, including figs, dates, apricots, lemons, and oranges. Thanks to the Moors' creative irrigation methods, Spain quickly rose to become one of Europe's top producers of crops.

8. The Moors brought significant Changes to Spanish Cuisine
For Europeans, spices were an uncommon commodity, and their cuisine was frequently regarded as bland. By bringing over hundreds of unusual spices, fresh recipes, and cutting-edge cooking techniques, the Moors altered that. We still eat a variety of wonderful dishes as a result of this culinary revolution. The spice markets of the Moors were renowned for their variety and provided options for chefs of all types. These medieval markets must have had the most amazing sights and smells.

Source: Solution Reporters

#solutionreporters
#moors
#spain
#portugal
#europe
#arab
#Mali

İngilizler 1636'da Harvard'ı kurduğunda; İspanyollar Amerika kıtasında epey şehir kurmuştu.
Şehirler: Santo Domingo, Lima, Mexico City, Bogota, Quito, Cordoba, Santiago de Şili vb.

When you think of European culture, one of the first things that may come to your mind is the renaissance. Many of the roots of European culture can be traced back to that glorious time of art, science, commerce and architecture. But did you know that long before the renaissance there was a place of humanistic beauty in Muslim Spain? Not only was it artistic, scientific and commercial, but it also exhibited incredible tolerance, imagination and poetry. Muslims, as the Spaniards call the Muslims, populated Spain for nearly 800 years. As you’ll see, it was their civilization that enlightened Europe and brought it out of the dark ages to usher in the renaissance. Muslims entered Europe from the South Led by Tariq bin Zeyad. Abd al-Rahman I, a survivor of a family of caliphs of the Muslim empire, reached Spain in the mid-700’s. He became the first Caliph of Al-Andalus, the Muslim part of Spain, which occupied most of the Iberian Peninsula. He also set up the Umayyad Dynasty that ruled Al-Andalus for over three-hundred years. (Grolier, History of Spain). Al Andalus means, “the land of the vandals,” from which comes the modern name Andalusia.
At first, the land resembled the rest of Europe in all its squalor. But within two-hundred years the Muslims had turned Al-Andalus into a bastion of culture, commerce and beauty.
“Irrigation systems imported from Syria and Muslimia turned the dry plains... into an agricultural cornucopia. Olives and wheat had always grown there. The Muslims added pomegranates, oranges, lemons, aubergines, artichokes, cumin, coriander, bananas, almonds, pams, henna, woad, madder, saffron, sugar-cane, cotton, rice, figs, grapes, peaches, apricots and rice.” (Burke, 1985, p. 37)
By the beginning of the ninth century, Muslim Spain was the gem of Europe with its capital city, Cordova. With the establishment of Abd al-Rahman III - “the great caliphate of Cordova” - came the golden age of Al-Andalus. Cordova, in southern Spain, was the intellectual center of Europe. At a time when London was a tiny mud-hut village that “could not boast of a single streetlamp” (Digest, 1973, p. 622), in Cordova…
“…there were half a million inhabitants, living in 113,000 houses. There were 700 mosques and 300 public baths spread throughout the city and its twenty-one suburbs. The streets were paved and lit.” (Burke, 1985, p. 38)
“The houses had marble balconies for summer and hot-air ducts under the mosaic floors for the winter. They were adorned with gardens with artificial fountains and orchards”. (Digest, 1973, p. 622) “Paper, a material still unknown to the west, was everywhere. There were bookshops and more than seventy libraries.” (Burke, 1985, p. 38). during these years major works of the architecture of al-Andalus were built and enlarged, such as the palatine city of Madinat al-Zahra as an example And the Cordoba Mosque, we will talk about it in the next article in shaa Allah.

Müslüman Morolar (Moors ) hükümdarlığı (Moors- Morolar Arap Endülüs medeniyetini kurmuşlar ve 11-17. yüzyıllarda mülteci olarak Kuzey Afrika'ya yerleşmişlerdir. )
İspanya üzerinde, özellikle güney İspanya üzerinde muazzam bir kültürel etkiye sahip olmuştur.
Bunlardan birisi Mezquita yapısı. Çok kültürel bir yapı, aynı anda bir çok dinlerin barınabildiği bir yapı.
Unesco, binayı 1984 yılında Dünya Mirası Listesi'ne aldı.

Mezquita Camii ve Katedrali'nin tarihi 8. yüzyıla kadar uzanmaktadır. Bu etkileyici simgesel yapıyı Cordoba, İspanya'da bulabilirsiniz. Bina 1300 yılı aşkın bir süredir katedral ve cami olarak kullanılmaktadır. Burada farklı üsluplara hayran kalabilirsiniz ama cami aynı zamanda pek çok dinin bir bütün oluşturduğu bir merkezdir. Bu onu Cordoba tarihinin bir yansıması yapar.
Córdoba'nın muhteşem Mezquita'sı, İspanya'nın Müslüman geçmişine tanıklık eder.
Mezquita, dünyanın en büyük İslami yapılarından biridir ve Cordoba'da bin yıldan fazla bir süre önce, şehrin İslami İspanya'nın başkenti ve Batı Avrupa'nın en büyük şehri olduğu dönemde gelişen kültürün bir simgesidir. Ancak bu ünlü binadan daha görülecek çok şey var. Bu ortaçağ şehrinin güzel sokaklarında dolaşın ve birçok gizli plazayı keşfedin.

Oldukça sakin ve ferah iç mekanıyla bu devasa caminin güzelliğini anlatırken abartmak mümkün değil.
İslam mimarisinin dünyadaki en büyük eserlerinden biridir. Lüks dekorasyonlarıyla Mezquita, ilginç bir kültür karışımına sahip bu canlı şehirde Müslümanların, Yahudilerin ve Hıristiyanların nasıl yan yana yaşadıklarını gösteriyor. 900'lü yıllara, Emir Abd-ar-Rahman döneminde İspanya'nın en önemli kültürel harikalarından biridir.

Córdoba'nın Cami-Katedrali veya "Mezquita"da, kompleksin ortasındaki Rönesans Capilla Mayor'dan yemyeşil portakal bahçesine kadar hem İslam'ın hem de Hıristiyanlığın sanatsal tarzlarına hayran kalınabilir.

30 Haziran 1236'da Kastilya Kralı III. Ferdinand, Córdoba şehrine girdi ve birliklerinin şehrin ana meydanı etrafındaki beş aylık kuşatmasına son verdi. İslami Al- İspanyol Reconquista (Yeniden Fethi)
Bir zamanlar Endülüs'ün en güçlü ve en büyük şehri olan Córdoba, İslam mimarisinin harikalarından biri olan Aljama Camii'ne de ev sahipliği yapıyordu.
Kral, bu arada Müslümanlar tarafından boşaltılan şehre girmeden bir gün önce, bir grup Kastilyalı kamp alanlarından ayrıldı, Algeciras Kapısı'ndan surlarla çevrili şehre girdiler ve Aljama Camii'ne giderek orada bir haç koydular ve minarenin tepesinde bir Kastilya bayrağı. Birkaç saat sonra, Osma Piskoposu yapıyı bir katedral olarak kutsadı, yüksek sunağı kutsadı ve özel bir ithaf ayini ile kutladı. Aljama Camii bir anda bir Hristiyan katedraline dönüştürüldü.

The 9th century polymath and engineer dared to make heavier-than-air machine flight a thousand years before motorised aeroplanes were invented.
The Wright brothers may have invented the first motorised aircraft, but the 9th century engineer Abbas Ibn Firnas is considered to be the first human to fly with the help of a pair of wings built by silk, wood and real feathers.

According to historians, when Ibn Firnas was between the age of 65 and 70, he jumped off a cliff from Yemen's Jabal Al-Arus mountain and glided in the air, staying in flight for at least '10 minutes’. The short flight left him both injured and disappointed. He realised that because he had neglected the mechanics of landing, he couldn't balance his flight in the air and ended up crash landing.

Ibn Firnas lived for another 12 years. He realised that slow landing is achieved via the collaborative work between tail and wings, a conclusion he reached after decades of studies of bird flight and their landings. It is Firnas who could successfully claim to be behind the theory that went on to create the ornithopter, an aircraft that mimics birds and flies by flapping its wings. His flying machine diagrams went on to become the cornerstones of aviation engineering in the late 20th century.

Flying had been the dream of human beings for several centuries before it was finally accomplished. History is full of myths and fables featuring humans with wings doing extraordinary things in the sky. In Greek Mythology, Icarus is believed to have flown so close to the sun despite his father's advice, that his waxed feathers melted, leading to his crash landing and subsequent drowning in the sea.

When it comes to the practicality of flying, the first experiment where an object ‘flew’ in the air, was in fact carried out by two Chinese philosophers, Mozi and Lu Ban, who are also said to be the inventors behind the kite. As a result of their pioneering ways in the 5th Century, they were able to gather military intelligence from rival kingdoms.

That said, Ibn Firnas is still considered to be at the forefront of his field given that he was the first aviator to fly with a heavier-than-air machine.

Born in the 9th century in Izn-Rand-Onda Al Andalus, which is present-day Ronda, Spain, he spent most of his adult life in the Emirate of Cordoba, one of the major learning hubs during the Umayyad Caliphate.

Some historical accounts suggest al Firnas was influenced by Armen Firman, who was neither a scientist nor polymath but an astute observer of nature. It was Firman who first built wings made of wooden planks wrapped in silk and bird feathers. In the early 850s, Firman climbed to the top of the tallest mosque minaret in Qurtuba and jumped off wearing the wings. Although his attempt quickly failed and he plummeted to earth, the flying machine inflated just in time and slowed his descent. He was lucky enough not to break any bones in the fall; the delay of his landing proved somewhat life-saving.

Ibn Firnas watched Firman's adventure as he stood among the gathered, fascinated crowds who were all watching the skies above in amazement. Impressed with Firman's result, Ibn Firnas began to realise that the act of flying in the air needed further investigation.

He studied flight patterns of different birds and objects for twenty-three years. He then constructed his flying machine and jumped off Jabal al Arus in Yemen despite his advanced years.

Several centuries later, an Ottoman Turk Ahmed Celebi successfully flew and landed across the Bosphorus in 1630.

Other inventions

Ibn Firnas’ keen interest in science and technology led him to invent water-powered clocks. He also experimented with sand and quartz crystals in order to understand the nature of these properties. Many historians credit him for making transparent glass these materials. He allegedly was also the pioneer behind the famous Andalusian glasses, which are still in demand and use today. The visually-challenged benefited from him, too, as he is credited with making lenses which helped with reading.

Ibn Firnas is of Berber descent. His name's root is Afernas, which is now a common and widespread name heard in both Morocco and Algeria today.

Several airports, bridges, hills, parks, avenues and scientific bodies have been named after him, especially in Muslim majority countries. A statue of him exists near Baghdad Airport and the bridge over the Guadalquivir river in Cordoba, Spain, is also named after him.

He died sometime between 890 and 895 AD and many historians say his death may have been hastened by his injury.