“The pyramids and temples of the Egyptian Old Kingdom (early mid-third millennium BC) are testament to an epoch of global significance in the evolution of monumental stone architecture. The basalt quarries of Widan Al-Faras and gypsum quarries of (...)
Unlike other Spanish cities, Madrid's Islamic past is not easily visible to today's visitor. It takes a visit to the Arab city walls to get a feel for the city's Andalusi origin. Founded by Emir Mohamed I between 860 - 880 as Majrit (the Arabic name (...)
Every day, thousands of tourists visit the Louvre, Paris attracted by its legendary collection of works by the Italian Masters. Nevertheless, those with the slightest interest in the ancient history of the Middle East should head straight to the (...)
"The Pride of the Poor and Prince of the Austere, the Blessing of al-Andalus ... Abul Hasan of Sustar was a man of great knowledge" says Ibn al-Khatib on the ultra spiritual poet and musician
"The Pride of the Poor and Prince of the Austere, the (...)
“Give him alms, woman, for nothing in this life is sadder than being blind in Granada,”saidMexican poet Francisco de Icaza
This year is like no other in the history of Granada, for it marks its millennium. One thousand years have passed since the (...)
“Egypt is the gift of the Nile,” said Herodotus. What would Herodotus have said if he had visited present-day Khartoum?
Khartoum is where the White Nile and the Blue Nile finally merge into one river, which continues its journey on all the way to (...)
The Greeks were not the first to have a ‘Mount Olympus' where their pantheon of gods resided. Long before them, the Ancient Egyptians had their own version of Mount Olympus, but it was neither located in Greece nor Egypt. Named Gebel Barkal, the (...)
The Island of Meroe
Following the Nile as it flows north, some 200 kilometres from Khartoum, one comes close to the last capital of the Kushite Kingdom, one of ancient Africa's most prominent cultures. The site, known as the Island of Meroe, is no (...)
The Manuscript Museum at Alexandria's Bibliotheca Alexandrina currently has an impressive collection of manuscripts on display.
Among the collection is a famous Islamic jurist (faqih), Abu Bakr Al-Turtusi who lived during perilous times and traveled (...)
Among the criteria mentioned for the inclusion of the Fiesta of the Patios on the UNESCO List of Cultural Heritage, the committee highlighted the fact that, “celebrating social spaces that promote human contact and cultural exchange, the Fiesta of (...)
“I was once at the kuttab (Quranic school) scribbling in my sheet when a man approached and told me "a Sufi never smears the whiteness of a sheet with black ink." I replied: "You don't get it right. A Sufi is one who never smears the whiteness of (...)
Countless visitors to Alexandria, Egypt are unaware of the strong Andalusi cultural imprint that the city bears.
Throughout history, successive waves of Andalusi traveled from southern Spain to Egypt, some as pilgrims on their way to Mecca, some as (...)
It should come as no surprise that, two hundred and twenty years after its inauguration, the Louvre boasts unparalleled collections of artifacts and masterpieces, with Egypt having more than its fair share of representation.
From ancient Egyptian (...)
“Wadi El-Hitan is the most important site in the world to demonstrate one of the iconic changes that make up the record of life on Earth: the evolution of the whales. It portrays vividly their form and mode of life during their transition from land (...)
As we approach the site of Philoxenite on Lake Maryut, we come across a dull signpost advising passersby to stay away. “Military Zone,” it reads.
A closer look reveals that the warning is probably an empty one, as tens of people can be spotted at (...)
As Granada celebrates the successful restoration of the Alhambra's Fountain of the Lions, a masterpiece of Andalusian art, Egyptians can celebrate the Al-Andalus imprint in Cairo's Mamluk art and architecture
Just like Ithaca, the term "Al-Andalus" (...)
Tuesday and Wednesday, 23 and 24 October 2012 holds new hopes for yet another record as two masterpieces by Egyptian iconic painter, Mahmoud Saïd are set to lead the Modern and Contemporary Arab, Iranian and Turkish Art sales at Christie's in (...)
Commissioned by a Caliph, Al-Farghani made a long journey, from his home in present-day Uzbekistan, through Iraq and finally to Egypt to add his extensive knowledge to the Nilometer - by which life on the Nile depends on
In a charming spot on the (...)
##R#Truth does not become more true by virtue of the fact that the entire world agrees with it, nor less so even if the whole world disagrees with it.”
– Ibn Maimoun (Maimonides), 'The Guide for the Perplexed'
Back to the streets of Islamic Cairo, (...)
“Salt come from the North, and gold, from the South,
Silver comes from the land of the white people,
But the words of God, the holy things, the beautiful tales,
Can only be found in Timbuktu” – Ahmed Baba al-Massufi (XVI c.)
Ahmed Baba was one of (...)
“He who has not seen Cairo knows not the glory of Islam, for it is the metropolis of the Earth, the garden of the World, the forum for the gathering of nations, the birthplace of humanity, the palace of Islam, the throne of power, a city adorned (...)
“It was under the influence of the Arabs and Moorish revival of culture, and not in the 15th century, that a real renaissance took place.” - Robert Briffault, The Making of Humanity
There are over 600 listed monuments in historic Cairo, and one can (...)
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the death of Thor Heyerdahl, the legendary explorer famous for showing the Pharaohs were possibly capable of crossing the Atlantic to establish contact with Western Hemisphere's cultures
“Civilization grew in (...)
Gustav Klimt (14 July 1862-6 February 1918) needs no introduction. Or maybe he does, especially in Egypt, a country whose ancient history and culture inspired some of Klimt's most celebrated artworks. Before delving into the Egyptian imprint in his (...)
A few years ago, New Zealand called on the UNESCO to put one of its sites, Aoraki Mackenzie, on the World Heritage List. The site is a Dark Sky Park, known as one of the best spots on earth for stargazing. The call was rejected because there were no (...)