Students dedicated to mastering Qur'an
 Jul 31,2011 The boy rocks gently on his knees, eyes closed, as if lost in meditation. The young imam tilts his head to listen, and the boy begins to chant. It is a rhythmic, almost musical, intonation in Arabic as he recites, from memory, long passages of the Qur'an. Like the imam before them, the boys at Masjid Al-Huda in Greenfield are working to "make hifz," to memorize an...

Cancer Hospital Holds Meeting on Life of Prophet Muhammad
 Jul 25,2011 A cancer hospital in Kashmir,India on Monday organised a conference on the holy life of the Prophet of Islam, with speakers highlighting the contemporary relevance of the Last Messenger’s teachings. The Hakeem Sanaullah Cancer Hospital in Sopore, founded and run by Dr. Shad Saleem, an oncologist with world-class experience in some of the most advanced institutions abr...

Life Of Muhammad was a thoughtful and important series
 Jul 25,2011   The final episode of Rageh Omaar's Life Of Muhammad chronicled the latter stages of the prophet's life and the way in which his behaviour shaped the Islam we recognise today. Omaar began by exploring some of the ammunition critics of Islam find in Muhammad's life, like the barbaric punishments he recommended, or the fact that he may have married a nine-year-o...

The Life of Muhammad: a timeline
Jul 25,2011 Timeline of Muhammad's Life   570- Born in the town of Mecca. His name (Abu al-Qasim Muḥammad ibn Abd Allah ibn Abd al-Muttalib ibn Hashim ibn Abd Manaf ibn Qusai ibn Kilab) derives from the Arabic verb hamada, meaning "to praise, to glorify". 575- Orphaned upon the death of his mother and placed in the protection of his paternal grandfather, then his uncle. ...

Masters of Time: The Smith of Derby prayer clock
Jul 20,2011 The division of time into measurable units has been something of an obsession for mankind for at least the last 4,000 years. From the observation of shadows cast by stone stele, the movements of stars and planets and on through increasingly exotic mechanical, electrical and finally atomic regulated mechanisms, fine engineering and scientific minds have sought to measure the passage of...

Is Muhammad a force of good?
Issue 82 July 2011 In the first of the series, Rageh Omaar asks a crucial and poignant question: was Muhammad a force of good or evil? It seems for a series commissioned by a Muslim (Aaqil Ahmed – BBC Head of Religion & Ethics), directed by a Muslim (Faris Kermani), presented by a Muslim (Rageh Omar) and written by a Muslim (Ziauddin Sardar), the answer is maybe. And that’s the p...

The Life of Muhammad exposed our own ignorance
Jul 18,2011 You’ve got to hand it to Rageh Omaar for being brave enough to make this programme – when Peter Andre films one of his latest documentaries about taking his kids to school or doing a poo he probably doesn’t have to worry about a life-size effigy of himself being burnt on the other side of the world. Although, when it comes down to it, The Life of Muhammad isn’t...

British Museum to stage exhibition dedicated to hajj pilgrimage
Jul 19,2011 The British Museum is to stage a major exhibition dedicated to the hajj, the Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca. Hajj: journey to the heart of Islam will bring together historic and contemporary objects – including manuscripts, textiles, archaeological items and photography – to explore the experience and importance of the pilgrimage.  The exhibition, opening in January, will also feature th...

Complete Encyclopedia on Islam and Prophet Muhammad released aft
Jul 17,2011 Islamic encyclopedia written and prepared by a handful of scholars and edited by Syed Iqbal Zaheer compiled in two volumes in English was released in Bangalore. Broadly, it covers religious aspects of Islam and its progress over the centuries. The contents in encyclopedia cover a wide range of topics like definitions of Islamic terms, life of Prophet Muhammad, social and political mov...

Madina does not require a new identity, says governor
Jul 12,2011 Madina Governor Prince Abdul Aziz bin Majed has said the two holy cities of Makkah and Madinah do not require any identity other than their religious status. “Since Makka and Madina are indelibly marked with principles of monotheism and Islamic faith, the two cities do not need to look for another identity as many other cities in the world do,” Prince Abdul Aziz said on ...

The Life of Muhammad documentary film airs in a first for the We
Jul 11,2011 The BBC’s airing of the Life of Muhammad, a first-ever documentary on the life of the Prophet Muhammad screened in the western world generated animated discussion even before its broadcast on Monday night. The three-part series, commissioned by head of Religion & Ethics Aaqil Ahmed, was the target of attack by Iranian authorities in the month prior to its broadcast on British state-ru...

Live Ramadan Webcast celebrates life of Prophet Muhammad globall
Jul 13,2011 Prominent scholars and performers will address global audiences in their living rooms via the CelebrateMercy live webcast during the month of Ramadan. Following its international success last year, the webcast will present the Prophet Muhammad’s life and character, focusing specifically on his experience of the fasting month, to both Muslim and non-Muslim audiences. In so doing,...