Konya, Turkey While Sufism originated in Persia and other eastern Islamic nations, it reached the pinnacle of its popularity much later in the Turkish territories of Asia Minor. This was due in large part to one Jala Al-Din Rumi, one of the greatest and most revered of Sufi philosophers, who came to Konya as a refugee fleeing the Mongols. He contributed much in the way of … [Read more...]
DARGAH SHARIF
Ajmer, Rajasthan The Dargah Sharif of Ajmer is the most important Islamic shrine in India. It was built in honor of Moinuddin Chishti, one of the greatest Sufi theologians and missionaries of the 12th century. Moinuddin Chishti was pivotal both in the early development of Sufism but also in the spread of Islam across Northern India. He is also highly venerated by the Hindus … [Read more...]
SIDI BOU MEDIENE MOSQUE (MASJID SIDI BOU MEDIENE)
Tlemcen, Algeria Ever since Islam arrived in North Africa, Tlemcen enjoyed a prominent position along the trade and pilgrimage routes between West Africa and the east. Although politically and militarily important throughout the Middle Ages, it was overshadowed by nearby Kairouan in neighboring Tunisia. However, during the 1100s, Tlemcen managed to establish itself as a … [Read more...]
MAUSOLEUM OF OMAR KHAYYAM
Nishapur, Iran The city of Nishapur is, along with Mashhad and Toos, part of the region in northeastern Iran that churned out some of the foremost Muslim thinkers and academics of the Middle Ages. Nishapur’s favorite son, and its primary claim to fame, was Omar Khayyam, possibly the greatest mathematician to live between Euclid and Copernicus. Interestingly, he is even … [Read more...]
MAUSOLEUM OF THE MAHDI
Omdurman, Sudan Muhammad Ahmad, also known as the Mahdi, is one of the most colorful and controversial Muslim figures of the 19th century. He is held by many as an ardent Sudanese Nationalist and champion of Sharia law, and vilified by many as a violent extremist and Jihadist. Both points of view recognize him as a determined foe of European colonialism and western cultural … [Read more...]
TAJ MAHAL
Agra, Uttar Pradesh Shah Jahan was one of the greatest builders in history, and his mind-boggling mosques grace many cities throughout India and Pakistan. However, it is not for his mosques for which he is best known, but rather for a mausoleum, the Taj Mahal. Built in memory of his beloved wife, the Taj Mahal is many things; an Islamic shrine, a monument to love, and the … [Read more...]
SULEIMAN MOUNTAIN
Osh, Kyrgyzstan Suleiman Mountain has been venerated as a sacred place since ancient times. Named in honor of the Qu’ranic Prophet Suleiman, who may or may not be the same person as King Solomon of the Hebrew Bible, the mountain has been visited by religious pilgrims since well before the advent of Islam. The mountain itself is an absolutely amazing rock formation which … [Read more...]
KHAST IMAM MOSQUE (MASJID KHAST IMAM)
Tashkent, Uzbekistan Generally speaking, the most revered artifacts of Islam that have survived the centuries have been preserved in places that make geographical sense: Mecca, Cairo, Istanbul and so forth. So it is unusual that the Uthman Qur’an, believed to be the oldest known copy of the Qur’an and which according to tradition was once in the possession of Uthman, Ali or … [Read more...]
SHAH I ZINDA NECROPOLIS
Samarkand, Uzbekistan Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Samarkand marked the frontier of the Islamic world in Central Asia. Although Muslims could be found beyond, it was for many years the most remote great Islamic city in the east. Situated at the geographical heart of the Silk Route between China and the Middle East, it was consistently ranked among the world’s most … [Read more...]
SULTAN AHMET MOSQUE (MASJID SULTAN AHMET)
Istanbul, Turkey After the Hagia Sofia and the Masjid Suleymaniye, it is almost unthinkable that Istanbul could witness an even more beautiful mosque constructed in its midst. However, the Masjid Sultan Ahmet, also known as the Blue Mosque, impossibly outshines all of its predeccesors. No other mosques in Turkey, and few other mosques in the world, can rival the stunning … [Read more...]
