HAJJ AND EID AL-ADHA 1431/2010

By | November 16, 2010 | History, Pax Islamica, Travel + Leisure | 3 Comments

Mecca During Hajj, National Geographic magazine, January, 1966.

by Islam El-Shazly

It’s 6:15 AM on the 10th of Dhul-Hijja, 1431, 16 November, 2010. Outside the words: Allah Akbar, Allah Akbar, Allah Akbar, La Ilaha Illa Allah; Allah Akbar, Allah Akbar wa Lillah Al-Hamd (الله أكبر الله أكبر الله أكبر لا إله إلا الله. الله أكبر الله أكبر و لله الحمد) – is all I can hear. Every mosque everywhere in the world is echoing the same call that has been heard on the same day for the last 1431 years.

Today is Eid Al-Adha, the day of sacrifice. Yesterday was the Day of ‘Arafah. More than 3 million Muslims stood on Mount ‘Arafat, from 181 countries. It is the most important day in Hajj. Read more…

TURKISH COFFEE: DELIGHT TO THE SENSES

By | October 22, 2010 | Food + Beverages, Travel + Leisure | Comments Off on TURKISH COFFEE: DELIGHT TO THE SENSES

Turkish Coffee. By ağEl, Flickr.

by M. Butcher

Coffee has long history in the world, from humble beginnings in a story about a goat herder who noticed his goats got excited after eating the coffee berries to the widespread cafés and coffee shops all over the world. Coffee is believed to have been brought to Istanbul in 1555 by two Syrian traders, although others claim that it arrived much earlier than that, around 1517.  Coffee has come a long way since then, we find different types and ways to brew it different parts of the world. The Turkish have a particular way to make coffee and it has been adopted and modified into many cultures in the Arab world and aboard. Read more…

HOW MAY I HELP YOU?

By | October 19, 2010 | Retail + Shopping, Travel + Leisure | 2 Comments

Please ding for assisstnce. By Will Stein www.sxc.hu.

by Islam El-Shazly

Last year, Monocle’s April 2009 issue (issue 22, volume 3) was all about service and retail. They asked a very important question – actually two of them. Are you being served? If not, why not?

Monocle had conducted a global survey on the state of retail; it was about “the smartest shopkeepers, best buyers, happiest consumers and sharpest ideas on the street, in the aisles and online.”

But that was not the best thing about the issue. The best, in my opinion, was on the cover itself. Read more…

WHAT’S IN MY BAG? TRAVEL WITH KIDS

By | October 6, 2010 | Travel + Leisure | Comments Off on WHAT’S IN MY BAG? TRAVEL WITH KIDS

A travel tote loaded up with toys and activities from Travelkiddy. www.travelkiddy.com

by M. Butcher

When travelling with kids, we always end up carry extra things, and somehow we always forget to bring something that we needed or would have found useful if we had only remembered. I can’t count the number of times I forgot that extra change of clothes or wanted the pad of paper and a pencil that I had let on my desk! I generally use a backpack for all the stuff but sometimes I use a small tote bag and everything fits, whatever it ends up in, make sure you can lift it yourself and carry it for long periods of time if need be.

Here is my list of things that are essential when going out with kids, whether it is to the mall, out for coffee/dinner, on a road trip or on a plane. It can be modified to suit any situation and saves a lot of aggravation. Read more…

AHMAD IBN FADLAN (10th Century CE – 4th Century AH): THE EMISSARY EXPLORER

By | September 27, 2010 | Explorers, History, Pax Islamica | 4 Comments

by Islam El Shazly

Unlike his depiction in Michael Critchton’s Eaters of the Dead, or Antonio Banderas’ incarnation of him in The 13th Warrior, Ahmad ibn Fadlan was not expelled from the Court of the Abbasid Caliph because he courted one of the harems; he was actually favoured by the Caliph. His scholastic, literary, religious, and martial qualifications made him the primary candidate to lead a political and religious expedition. Its record would later be one of the earliest detailed descriptions of the Vikings.

Volga Bulgaria in the Eurasian world of AD 1200. Wikipedia.

Read more…

ZHENG HE (1371-1435): ADMIRAL OF THE TREASURE SHIPS

By | September 15, 2010 | Explorers, History, Pax Islamica | 24 Comments

by Islam El Shazly

When asked who were the first world-class Navigators are, Christopher Columbus and Vasco da Gama are first names that come to mind for almost anyone who read a bit of history.   But there’s one that predates both of them, with a fleet that put both their fleets combined to shame. His fleet was proof that at times bigger is better and stronger.

A replica of Zheng He’s treasure ship in Nanjing’s Baochuan Shipyard. Courtesy of www.kbismarck.org

Over 300 large treasure ships, troop ships, horse ships, water and store ships, and smaller escort or attack vessels. 28,000 crewmen and soldiers. Read more…

RAMADAN 1431

By | August 15, 2010 | History, Pax Islamica, Travel + Leisure | 2 Comments

Ramadan Kareem. By Mohamed Youssef.

by Islam El Shazly

Surah Al Baqarah (the Cow) 02: 183 O you who believe! Observing the fast is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become pious.

Ramadan is the 9th month of the Islamic calendar; the traditional definition of the month is abstaining from eating, drinking, smoking and sexual activity during the day (from dawn), and breaking the fast each sunset. Muslims are encouraged to read/recite the entire Quran as much as possible and contemplate on its meaning, to give freely to those in need, and strengthen their ties to Allah through more voluntary prayer than regular. The goal of the fast is to teach humility, patience and sacrifice, and to ask forgiveness, practice self-restraint, and pray for guidance in the future. Read more…

PAX ISLAMICA

By | July 14, 2010 | History, Pax Islamica, Travel + Leisure | Comments Off on PAX ISLAMICA
Camel Caravan

The caravan passes. A Camel Caravan from Somalia, photographed on the beach in Kenya. © alles-schlumpf

by Islam El Shazly

For as far back as the human memory can travel in time, there has always been explorers and exploration. Had there been no curiosity about what lay behind the walls of the village or the entrance to a cave, civilisations would have never emerged and we would not be where we are.

Curiosity might have killed the cat, but it did wonders for the children of Adam.

The world knows of Christopher Columbus, Magellan, Cook, and da Gama, but there are lots more, just look at the Wikipedia page for Explorers and you will realize just how many there has been throughout the ages. Read more…

TOP 10 DESSERTS IN EGYPT

By | June 17, 2010 | Egypt, Food + Beverages, Travel + Leisure | 18 Comments
Honey.

Honey, you are so sweet. By blentley on Flickr.

by Islam El Shazly

Egypt shares some desserts with the Levant, but they are a bit different when it comes to taste.

All the ingredients in the desserts are natural and include a lot of sugar; you will find that Egyptians like their sugar. These desserts are not like anything you have tried before, unless you have visited Egypt and decided to try them.

Below is a list of just a few of the most brilliant desserts you can find in Egypt, and believe me there is a lot more different kinds of desserts available: French, Danish, Italian, etc., and even more different kinds of Egyptian desserts but I think this list is enough to get you started.

Warning! Major calories here; but the taste is worth each one of them. Read more…

THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL

By | June 3, 2010 | Politics | Comments Off on THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL

Surah Al-Israa (The Night Journey). Also known as The Children of Israel.

by Islam El Shazly

Everyone has been following the news lately, and they have been following one thing Freedom Flotilla; unless of course they were otherwise following something more important such as soccer or the latest Star Academy.

A refresher; Freedom Flotilla carrying about 679 peace activists from over 50 different countries, Prominent passengers include some European MPs, and writers and journalists.

The Cargo included toys, school supplies, wheelchairs, medicines, food, clothing, cement, prefabricated homes, paper, and water purification tablets. “There is not even a razor, knife or jack-knife on board,” one of the organisers said, referring to the non-threatening nature of the cargo. Source

Read more…