World Heritage : (Islamic) Timbuktu

Timbuktu History :

Brief Description

Home of the prestigious Koranic Sankore University and other madrasas, Timbuktu was an intellectual and spiritual capital and a centre for the propagation of Islam throughout Africa in the 15th and 16th centuries. Its three great mosques, Djingareyber, Sankore and Sidi Yahia, recall Timbuktu's golden age. Although continuously restored, these monuments are today under threat from desertification.

Long Description

The three great mosques of Timbuktu, restored by the Qadi Al Aqib in the 16th century, bear witness to the golden age of the intellectual and spiritual capital at the end of the Askia dynasty. They played an essential part in the spread of Islam in Africa at an early period.

Timbuktu is thought to have been founded towards the end of the 5th century of the Hegira by a group of Imakcharen Tuaregs who, having wandered 250 km south of their base, established a temporary camp guarded by an old woman, Buktu. Gradually, Tim-Buktu (the place of Buktu) became a small sedentary village at the crossroads of several trade routes. Quickly converted to Islam (the two great mosques of Djingareyber and Sankore appeared during the Mandingue period), the market city of Timbuktu reached its apex under the reign of the Askia (1493-1591). It then became an important centre of Koranic culture with the University of Sankore and numerous schools attended, it is said, by some 25,000 students. Scholars, engineers and architects from various regions in Africa rubbed shoulders with wise men and marabouts in this intellectual and religious centre. Early on, Timbuktu attracted travellers from far-away countries.

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Converted2Islam | December 24, 2010 - In this Sermon (Khutbah) I warn against the dangers of celebrating Christmas. I also cover topics such as:

Is it allowed or prohibited for us as Muslims? When was Prophet Jesus born (p)? The pagan origins of Christmas and the cult of the SUN god who was worshiped in Rome, Persia, Babylon, and Egypt.

Did early Christians and Church Fathers celebrate Christmas.The shocking truth about Santa Claus.

Dr Maza : Mengupas Shiah

SYIAH: MAZHAB ATAS NOSTALGIA SEJARAH
:: Prof Madya Dr Mohd Asri bin Zainul Abidin

 Syiah adalah satu mazhab yang hidup atas ‘nostalgia’ lampau. Muharram adalah salah satu musim golongan Syiah menzahirkan tangisan mereka terhadap sejarah. Isu pembunuhan Saidina Hussain yang sudah berlalu empat belas kurun yang lepas diwarisi secara dendam yang tidak berkesudahan. Ramai yang menjadi mangsa kemarahan itu. Dendam itu bukan sahaja terhadap mereka yang terlibat dalam krisis lampau tersebut, tetapi turut dibabitkan mereka yang selepas itu yang enggan berkongsi tafsiran politik yang sama. Maka, Ahlus Sunnah menjadi sasaran ‘kemarahan warisan’.

 Syiah sebenarnya bukan bermula dengan isu pokok dalam Islam. Ia hanya bermula dari sebuah aliran politik atau dalam istilah ‘politik kepartian’ lalu dibina dan dibajai sehingga menjadi dogma agama yang tidak dapat dibuang lagi. Isu-isu yang berkaitan dengan polisi pentadbiran pada zaman Saidina Uthman, diambil kesempatan oleh pihak tertentu untuk membina aliran politik pada zaman tersebut. Hari demi hari, dalam usaha mengukuhkan ‘parti’ dan menambah pengikut maka pelbagai nas-nas mula diberikan tafsiran yang mempunyai kepentingan politik, bahkan diwujudkan nas-nas baru bersifat politik yang sengaja diada-adakan.

Emosi

Ertinya, krisis politik dalam kalangan umat Islam selepas kewafatan Nabi s.a.w telah diwarisi secara emosi dan kekeliruan. Emosi di sini bermaksud isu-isu itu dilihat hanya pada sudut kehendak aliran politik tertentu, atau sentimen tertentu tanpa cuba merongkaikannya atau memahaminya secara holistik. Isu khalifah atau kepimpinan yang cuba dijadikan warisan keluarga Nabi s.a.w (Ahlul Bait) jika diterima akan menafikan sifat Islam sebagai agama yang tidak berteraskan nepotism atau kepentingan keluarga.

Minda Tajdid : 24 Disember 2010 - baca karya sepenuhnya :

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Dr Maza (pic) di petik berkata ::

"Even though I personally don't agree with Shia teachings and even frequently criticize and debate with them, I cannot accept the approach of the allegedly democratic Malaysian government in denying the people's right to practice their faith," he said.

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My name is Angela and Angela is a Muslim:

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Here in the United States, converts to Islam represent a variety of ethnic and religious backgrounds, and account for close to one third of this nation's 3 million Muslims. The vast majority, some 900,000 persons, are of African-American heritage, while the number of white and Hispanic converts is estimated at 75,000.

Youths Stand-out at Cancun Cop

DN - December 13, 2010

Local US Farmers Cater to Muslim Traditions:

VOAvideo | October 01, 2010 - Many Muslim-Americans have often had difficulty finding Halal-certified meat, or meat slaughtered in according to Islamic tradition, in their local grocery stores. Sometimes, they have resorted to buying whole goats or lambs on farms and slaughtering them on-site themselves, in accordance with tradition. But this is illegal in many parts of the United States. Realizing the growing Muslim market in the US, some American farmers are opening legal halal-certified slaughterhouses with great success. Jeff Swicord reports

WARNING: THIS VIDEO CONTAINS GRAPHIC IMAGES

Video Music Clip on America :