Topic: Islamic History

A rewritten and expanded telling of M. Saeed Dehlvi’s classic tale of a young girl who finds Islam- and danger – amidst the harrowing religious conflicts of medieval Muslim Spain.

Experience first time what life was like in the splendid Muslim City of Cordoba, Spain. See through the eyes of Isabella as she struggles with her father’s Christian beliefs and finds that life is not always as easy as people think. Embark on a journey into history. Into the heart…. As you follow her on the path from darkness into light.

In A Luscious Garden

In a famous garden of Spain, well known for its beauty and freshness vying with the garden of Eden, which was always crowded by sight-seers, two learned men were engaged in a theological discussion in a corner. The sun at this time had completed its round and was preparing to set in the west; while the enchanting songs of birds returning to nests were exhilarating the passers-by. A Christian girl, whose name is given in history as Isabella, was also sitting with some friends in the garden and watching with delight the beauty of Nature. Aged about sixteen or seventeen she was the daughter of a Christian priest. In her "beauty and grace she looked like a hourie of Paradise, and nobles and religious leaders aspired for her hand to make their lives happy and joyful, but her father wanted her to be the model of virgin Mary and did not want to give her away in marriage. Since she was being given religious training, she was well acquainted with religious matters and took keen interest in theological discussions.

Our eternally blessed and exalted Prophet (saws} was having a midday nap in the residence of Umme Haram, the aunt of his companion Anas (ra). She was also the prophet's foster sister. The Prophet (saws), during the course of sleep woke up with a pleasant smile on his ever-shining face. Umme Haram asked the Prophet, "'What made him smile." The Holy Prophet (saws), said, "Thai he had a vision Of his followers who would sail across the violent waves of the sea for Jihad like kings seated on their thrones." Umme Haram solicited the Prophet (Saws)} to pray that she had the honor to be with them. The Holy Messenger of Allah (saws) prayed accordingly and slumbered again. After some time he got up again with a similar delightful smile. Umme Haram was naturally tempted to know about the new vision. The Holy Prophet (saws) said, "I have been informed in my dream that the first army to siege the city of Constantinople shall be blessed with Divine forgiveness. Umme Haram. ever keen for such blessings, requested the Prophet (saws) again to pray that she too had the privilege of their association but this time her request was declined.

Time Period: Sometimes during the period that Hadhrat Ali (ra) was the khalifah, Amirul Mu’minin-Leader of the Believers. (35-40 A.H.)

Personalities Involved:
i. Hadhrat Ali (ra)
ii. Qazi Shureh (ra), a judge, appointed to this position by Hadhrat Umar (Ra) during his khalifat;
iii. a Yahud who lived in Madina as a subject, under the rule of Amirul Mu’minin.

Amirul Mu’minin, Hadhrat Ali’s (ra) armour had been stolen. One day, while walking through the market place, he recognized his armour in the possession of a Yahud. He went up to the Yahud and said, “This is my armour.” The Yahud retorted, “Bring witnesses to prove it. Alternatively, file a law-suit!”

Allaamah Jalaaluddin Abdurruhmaan Suyooti rahmatullahi alayh is an Islaamic scholar of great renown of the tenth century. Allaamah. his vast knowledge is evident from his many writings which can easily fill a whole library and establish a separate institution of knowledge and research. A great part of this knowledge was acquired not from male teachers only, but also from female teachers. At that point in time, it was very commonly seen that women were deeply involved in imparting higher learning.

Juwayriyyah Bint Abul F'adhl: She is the daughter of Haafiz Abul Fadhl Iraqi. She studied ahaadith from her father and other renowned Scholars like Abubakr Haashmi. Ibne Haatim. etc. Imam Sakhaawi who is her student writes, she had special knowledge in hadith and many Imams benefited from her knowledge.

The history of numerology, complex as it is, can be traced to the ancient civilisations of Egypt, Babylon, Assyria, Greece and India. This ancient art of numerology went hand in hand with the development of mathematics, geometry and trigonometry. One man who contributed most to this art was Pythagoras. In his view, all things can be expressed in numerical terms because all the science of Gematria. The Qabalist Gemetria is based on the combination of magic and philosophy which centred on twenty two letters of the Hebrew alphabet and its corresponding numbers to discover hidden meaning in the Scripture by interchanging Hebrew words whose letters have the same numerical value when added.

Some Muslim theological adventurers who called it ABJAD borrowed this science of Gemetria. Thomas Patrick Hughes, in his Dictionary of Islaam, explains ABJAD as "The name of an arithmetical arrangement of the alphabets; the letters of which have different powers from one to one thousand. It is in order of the alphabets as used by the Jews as far as 400 AD, then six remaining letters being added by Arabians."