Homs, Syria Khalid ibn Al-Walid may be one of the most underappreciated figures in Islamic history. As he never served as caliph, his historical importance is often overlooked. But it is quite possible that without the military genius of Khalid ibn Al-Walid, Islam might not have successfully spread beyond Arabia and Mesopotamia. He began his career as a ferocious opponent … [Read more...]
BAB AL-SAGHIR CEMETERY
Damascus, Syria The Bab Al-Saghir Cemetery in Damascus is actually a series of small graveyards located along the street known as the Bab Al-Saghir. Collectivelly they are the third most important cemetery of early Islam after the Maqbarat Al-Baqi in Medina and the Jannatul Mualla in Mecca, and a number of eminent, if lesser, personages are buried here. Although it is third … [Read more...]
TALHA IBN UBAYD-ALLAH MOSQUE (MASJID TALHA IBN UBAYD-ALLAH)
Basra, Iraq No city in the Islamic world has more embodied, or suffered more from, the endless blood feud between Sunni and Shi’ite Muslims than Basra. Located close to the mouth of the Tigris-Euphrates River, Basra is historically where the Sunni and Shi’ite worlds meet. Subsequently it has been the scene of brutal fighting between the two groups ever since, from the Battle … [Read more...]
IMAM ALI MOSQUE (MASJID IMAM ALI)
Najaf, Iraq Depending on who you ask, Ali ibn Abu Talib was either the 4th Caliph of Sunni Islam or the 1st Imam of Shi’ite Islam. Either way, he was the last man to rule over the Islamic Caliphate in its entirety. Ali was both a cousin and son-in-law of Mohammed, and a member of the Prophet’s inner circle of followers. His tomb is revered among Shiites, which regard it as … [Read more...]
MAQBARAT AL-BAQI CEMETERY
Medina, Saudi Arabia The Maqbarat Al-Baqi Cemetery in Medina is, along with the Jannatul Mualla Cemetery in Mecca, the most important and famous cemetery in the Islamic world. Also known as the Garden of Heaven, it is home to the gravesites of literally dozens of major personages associated with the early days of Islam. In addition to the many members of the Prophet … [Read more...]
JANNATUL MUALLA CEMETERY
Mecca, Saudi Arabia The Jannatul Mualla Cemetery in Mecca is one of the two most famous graveyards in Islam. Not quite as famous or historic as its counterpart, the Maqbarat Al Baqi cemetery in Medina, it is nevertheless older and boasts its share of famous gravesites. The ancestral cemetery of the Banu Hashim and other local Quraish clans, many of the Prophet Muhammad’s … [Read more...]
HILL OF ARAFAT & TENT CITY OF MINA
Mecca, Saudi Arabia Virtually every pilgrim to Mecca makes a detour to visit the Tent City of Mina and the Hill of Arafat. These are mandatory stops for those pilgrims making the official Hajj, and important ceremonies and traditions take place at both of these locations. Both places played a small but important role in the early history of Islam. The Hill of Arafat is the … [Read more...]
CAVE OF HIRA
Mecca, Saudi Arabia Often overlooked because of its proximity to the great shrines of Mecca, the Cave of Hira is nevertheless one of the great if underappreciated holy sites of Saudi Arabia. It was in this tiny cave, barely more than a niche on the side of Jabal An-Nur, that the Prophet spent much of his time during his early adult years; and it was here that he received his … [Read more...]
BATTLEFIELDS OF THE PROPHET
Badr & Medina, Saudi Arabia In addition to his role as spiritual leader of the early Muslim community, the Prophet Muhammad served his followers as their military commander as well. This necessity was forced upon him by the myriad foes that constantly threatened the survival of the Muslims, and much of the latter part of his career was spent fighting to unite the tribes … [Read more...]
AL-QUBA MOSQUE (MASJID AL-QUBA)
Medina, Saudi Arabia The Prophet Muhammad spent most of the later years of his life in Medina, at first as an exile and later as a permanent resident. During this period he erected a mosque in Medina so that he and his followers would have a regular place to pray when not in Mecca. This was the Masjid Al-Quba, and it is considered the first mosque ever built, not counting … [Read more...]
