Bukhara – History and Architecture
Oasis city in the Republic of Uzbekistan, Central Asia. Bukhara is located in the valley of the Zeravshan river 200 km west of Samarkand. The city was first mentioned by its present name…
Cairo (Arabic: al-Qahira)
Capital of Egypt and one of the most prominent cities of the Islamic world. The English name for the city derives from the French, Le Caire, which in turn is derived from the…
Baghdad (Madinat al-Salam)
Baghdad was founded by the Abbasid caliph al- Mansur in 762. According to historical accounts al- Mansur built a round city with four gates and a palace and mosque at the centre. Leading…
Damascus to Aqaba– Guardians of the pilgrim wells (Hajj Forts)
Written by David L. Kennedy and Andrew Peterson Since the early 20th century, pilgrims to Makkah have sped to their destination in engine-powered vehicles. But for 13 centuries before that, they experienced very…
Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan – Architecture & History
Small country (88,946 square km) located at the east end of the Mediterranean, bordering Palestine, Syria, Iraq and Saudi Arabia. Jordan can be divided into four main zones, each of which extends into…
History of the Nasrids of Granada
by Markus Hattstein The last Islamic kingdom in Western Europe and the rise of the Nasrids The last Islamic kingdom in Western Europe, the Nasrid kingdom of Granada, has always fascinated historians…
An Islamic History of Europe
In this 90-minute documentary, Rageh Omaar uncovers the hidden story of Europe’s Islamic past and looks back to a golden age when European civilisation was enriched by Islamic learning. Rageh travels across…
The Influence of Islamic Culinary Art on Europe
This article was originally a talk presented at the international conference 1001 Inventions: Discover the Muslim Heritage in our World organised by FSTC at the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester on…
Medieval Islamic World – Astronomy and Astrology
The Study of Astronomy During the medieval period, scientists in the Islamic worldmade many contributions to the field of astronomy. While their work was based on ancient sources from Greece, Iran, and India, they updated…
When the Moors (Muslims) Ruled Europe (complete documentary)
An insightful documentary into the glorious rule of the Moors in Spain Join British historian Bettany Hughes as she examines a long-buried chapter of European history–the rise and fall of Islamic culture in what is…
