Essays on Umayyad

The Dome of the Rock is the first imperial structure made for Islam and also the second most important Islamic site after Mecca. It was built in the 7th century in Jerusalem by Caliph Abd al-Malik, also known as the Umayyad. As an edifice, the Dome of the Rock is not a mosque, but more of a religious shrine. Like Mecca, the Dome of the Rock stands on a sacred stone this is the period of the Islamic culture, which also involves Mohamed. Mohamed was born in the 6th century in Mecca. The Dome of the Rock has its ...

Comparison Essay on Architectural History of a Building

Introduction The Dome of the Rock (Qubbat as‐Sakhrah) is a religious edifice structure built in the7th century that is located in Jerusalem. It was built by Caliph Abd al‐Malik, the Umayyad. This edifice is not a mosque, but may be described as a Muslim shrine. Like the Mecca Ka'ba, the Dome of the Rock is built on a sacred stone. It is widely believed to be the place from which Muhammad the prophet ascended into heaven in the process of his night journey into heaven. The sacred stone over which this edifice is built was long considered ...

The history of Spain illustrates the effects of certain religions and cultures on the Spanish style of life, traditions, language, and population. Many tribes and religions have invaded Spain over the years, including the Visigoths (416 AD) and the Germans (411 AD) (Eggers 39). Contemporary Spain has clear evidence of the Spanish invasion. This essay purposes to scrutinize the impact of Islamic invasion of Spain. In my opinion, the Islamic invasion had a positive impact on Spain and its people. Islam affected many areas of life in Spain such as family, society, science, economics, religion, education, and culture. Primarily, ...

Classical Arab poetry usually covers the period beginning with the earliest traceable Arabic poems. The earliest form Arabian poetry dates back from the 6th century to the consolidation of the High abbasid court poetry. To its foundations lies a very rich oral traditional comprising of pre-Islamic tribal and court poetry which are presented in preeminent Arabic poetic form (Polythematic qasida or ode) ( Hoyland 41).

This kind of poetry usually expressed and preserved the values the traditional warrior in its full tripartite form. It consisted of nasib, rahil (desert journey), praise of madih,fahkar, personal and tribal boast. Ancient Arabic ...

Interrelation of Jerusalem and Mecca and of the Temple and the Ka‘ba in medieval Islam

Jerusalem and Mecca are two most renowned holy cities worldwide. Conspicuously, an enormous quantity of writing and scholarly treaties has been written about both cities. However, there is very little that has been done in a comparative study. Arguably, the majority of comparisons that has been done between Jerusalem and Mecca are the link of the holiness of Jerusalem among Islam to that of Mecca in Islam. This paper seeks to analyze the interrelation of Jerusalem and Mecca and of the Temple and the Ka‘ba in medieval Islam.

The similarities between Jerusalem and Mecca, Jews and Muslims are ...

- The Ibadis believed that Caliphs were tyrants. - They disassociated themselves with all of the Caliph’s except `Umar b. `Abd al-`Aziz. - When Mu`awiyah became Caliph a new era of Islam with Umayyad reign began. - The independence of Oman was expected to change due to the new rule. - Oman and the new Caliph had no relationship at all. - The rulers of the two nations did not see each other as any kind of threat so they did not see sense in using valuable military resources in any kind ...

Islam’s Shari'a Law

Introduction Our world is not just made up of different nations with different governments. There are also many religions that have their own ideology and scriptures that they teach to their followers. One of these religions that cover billions of followers is Islam. Many Muslims are devoted to their religion to which they are also guided by the law that makes Islam a very significant religion among others. This is law is called the Shari'a Law. Muslim people strictly follow what is written in the Holy Qur’an in their everyday life. Thus, some other people may think of ...

The Prophet’s Mosque

Two categories describe the distinctive visual elements of Islamic art/architecture as decorated surface and structural shape. Understanding these characteristics of Islamic art/architecture proves a historical journey of the second holy mosque built next to the Prophet Muhammad’s home in Medinah in the 5th century 622 C.E. (Araffin 2005). The evolution of mosques from the humble rendering of the first erected with the Prophet’s own hands to the geometric patterned, repetitive designed, and calligraphy domed places of prayer and worship found in the Islamic world today is a testament to the faith in God of all Muslims globally. The ensuing ...

Mohammed introduced Islam, or submission to God, to the people of Mecca in 610 (Ro). The religion combined some Jewish and Christian traditions and later on included set of laws influencing most aspects of life. The religion proved to be influential and an empire that included Central Asia and Spain was established. However, his death 1400 years ago caused a divide amongst the Muslims. Debates about who will succeed Mohammed ensued, with some saying that a qualified member should be the next successor, while the others insisting that the next ruler should come from Mohammed’s bloodline. In the end, members ...

Background of Islamic Faith

In the VII century BC most of Arabia was a desert inhabited by tribes of nomadic Bedouins. However, on the fertile lands along the shores of the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean were scattered permanent settlements, from where originated caravan routes across the sands to the cities of Syria and Mesopotamia (now Iraq). Due to the caravan trade, there flourished rare oases along the trade routes, including the small towns of Mecca and Medina, which in the history of Islam were destined to play a key role.

Prophet Mohammad was born in Mecca, in the family of camel driver. Upon ...

The essay will discuss the death and burial narratives that associate with Adam, the first human being in the Islamic religious literature called Qisas al-ambiya or Stories of the Biblical prophets (Boeschoten and Vandamme 107). The stories relate to the discursive religious communities that articulate political identities. The author examines the reburials of political figures in Eastern Europe preceding the collapse of Russian Empire. The paper provides an argument concerning Islamic narratives on the death and burial of Biblical figures such as Adam that redefine and reinstitutes boundaries to identify and distinguish Muslims and other religious sects. The paper ...

Prophet Muhammad ibn Abd Allah has been able to carry on Islam religion during (ca. 570-632) in western Arabia. After the death of the prophet, caliphs have succeeded him as leaders that claimed political authority over the Muslim community. The period of the caliphate, Islam as a religion has undergone civilization around the world. The Near East period captures the historical view of Islam in its early development. In the historical setting around the sixth century, two empires controlled Arabia these included Byzantine Empire in the west and the Sasanian Empire in the East. Small players in the political ...

The Islam religion had no divisions before the death of Prophet Muhammad in the year 632 A.D. It is believed that the Prophet Muhammad had prophesied that upon his death there would emerge more than 72 Muslim sects (Friedman 128) but only one of them would not go to hell (Mervin 11). The biggest cause of the split was the lack of and/or the failure by Prophet Muhammad to name his successor before his death. Conventionally, his successor would have been his eldest son or a male relative. The problem was that all his three sons who were the ...

Great Mosque of Damascus or the Umayyad Mosque

The Great Mosque of Damascus is located in Syria and is known to be one of the most important shrines of Islam. In fact it is probably the largest mosque in the world as well as being the oldest having been built on a site where there was a Christian church dedicated to St John the Baptist whose head is also said to be buried there. The mosque was built in the year 634 and has undertaken several changes and modifications ever since. The tomb of the great Caliph Saladin is also located close by next to the Northern walls ...

- What was the hijrah (emirgration/migration) that Muhammad and his followers made, and why was this such an important event in Muslim history? The “Hijrah” – is the Prophet Muhammad's and his supporters` flight from Mecca to Medina, where the first Muslim community was founded in 622 AD. Basically, “hijrah” in Arabic language has got a meaning of relocation from one place to another. As a religious term, the word "hijra" is used in cases of relocation of believers who are oppressed in their homeland and deprived of freedom of religion, to other regions where there are more favorable conditions for ...

The spread of Islam began when Prophet Muhammad received the revelation for the Almighty Allah in heaven. This is estimated to be between the years 570 AD to 630 AD. He was by then a mature man of about 40 years. His teaching began in Arabia. It is also within this time that Islam as a religion began to take shape. The first section of Muslims was the Muslim ummah who mainly inhabited Arabia. During this initial stages of Islam, its spread was mainly facilitated by kingdom conquests facilitated Umayyad Caliphas and Rashidun. This paper will discuss the expansion of early ...

The Islamic Golden Age is a historical time that lasted before the 1258. It is an Abbasid period in existence before the Mongolian invasion and conquest of Baghdad. Islamic Historians trace the beginning of the period to the 8th century. It lasted between Muhammad’s eras in 700 AD to 1200 AD. It is one of the most important periods in the Islamic history in which developments during the period brought about an Islamic Renaissance and contributions to the uncivilized period. The Abbasid Caliphate (Muslim religious leaders and a succession of the prophet) ruled over the Muslim subjects in Baghdad, a new ...

Introduction

Mosaic is a simple form of art and technique that mainly uses small tiles (tesserae) or/and pottery pieces to make large portraits on different flat forms which includes walls, frames and floors (Paul 12). Mosaic technique has been adopted by many cultures globally such as in Rome, Greece and in Middle East. The main form of art used in the areas is cladding. Cladding is preferred since its effective and the artwork formed by cladding is long lasting. History and Popular beliefs have it that, in the Middle Eastern architecture is heavily influenced by the middle ages Roman and Byzantium ...

The Byzantine and Islamic Empires are closely linked together, sharing similar influences in terms of technological advancements, their political systems, and their culture.

The Byzantine and Islamic Empires

Byzantium’s capital, Constantinople, was the empire’s core. It is where the trading takes place and it played a vital role during the Golden Ages of the empire during the 9th , 10th, and 11th centuries before the capital fell from the hands of Mohammed II, the Ottoman Turkish Sultan. During its Golden Ages under the rule of Justinian, Baths, churches and water supplies were built and city planning and social services were also established. Until now, ...