Islam and Sufism an introduction

Rabia Al Adawiyya an early scholar of Islam was born in 717. Because her tomb (Mausoleum) is in Basra in Iraq, she is also known as Rabia Al Basri. Below is a poem from her. O God, my whole occupation And all my desire in this world, Of all worldly things, Is to remember You. And in the Hereafter It is to meet You. This is on my side, as I have stated. Now You do whatever You will."

Patience and gratitude, a chapter from Al Ghazali by professor Timothy Winters(Abdullah Hakim Murad) of Cambridge University on Al Ghazali https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=somCA6kd9GE

Role of Sunna a lecture by Dr. Jonathan Brown of Georgetown University.   https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=FC6GK5ZroxM&t=616s

Islam a rational faith part 2 of 2.  An interview with Murad Hofmann. A auther and German diplomat ,served as an Ambassador. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kEYiQqdxmk

Islam a rational faith an interview with Dr.  Murad  Wilfried Hofmann (art 1 of 2). He is a retired German diplomat and served as an ambassador in the German Diplomatic service. He has authored several books on Islam, including Journey to Makkah and Islam: The Alternative. https://youtu.be/81oT_kyHZCg

Silk road route in Pakistan.

Professor Timothy Winters (Abdullah Hakim Murad) 0f Cambridge University. A Masters class on Tauba-repentance , a chapter of Al Ghazali's book https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=SlUYzGarFac  

An example of roof decorations and architectural treatment of roofs in an old Muslim Neighbourhood in North India.. This photograph taken in 1968.

An example of the architecture and layout of homes in centuries old Muslim neighbourhoods in North India. It consisted of an open courtyard with a few fruit trees bounded by verandah and rooms on several sides. It was connected to another building with a similar layout where guests were received. Access to them came from a pedestrian lane called "gali".  The lanes were connected to a collector road (sarak).  This layout in one form or other exists from India to North Africa. The layout of homes in old neighbourhoods in China was similar, However, the architectural details were different. This photograph taken in August 2017.

Tawheed  a lecture by Professor Timothy Winters (Abdullah Hakim Murad) of Cambridge University. https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=xGuNt-x4_LU

A world out of balance by Professor Sayyed Husein Nasr of George Washington University. He hols an undergraduate degree in Physics and Mathematics from MIT.  A masters from Hayward in earth sciences (geology and geophysics) and also from Harvard a PhD in history of science and philosophy. https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=z_vnd_N0_Ho  

A hundred year later diversity in  Muslim attire  worn by well to do men in 1950s in North India.

An illustration of Muslim attire worn by a well to do men in 1850s  in north India. 

 A short comment on Islamic  Muslim movements. A link to a lecture by professor Timothy Winters (Abdullah Hakim Murad of Cambridge University. https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=NMR1xq5cZM4&t=375s

Decorative work on an entrance door to a house. Photograph taken in a centuries old Muslim neighbourhood in north India.

Silk road route through the mountainous region of Pakistan. It is an ancient and existed long before the Islamic era began. It brought prosperity to the Muslim regions and China in the golden age period of Islam (from 7th to 18th century)..

Fasting-, a lecture by professor Timothy Winters of Cambridge University. https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=Mtps_c0Wcoo

Samarkand, Uzbekistan, a Madrasa in Registan Square. (I took this picture in 1968 long before restoration of the Registan Square began). This building was able to withstand quite well when an earthquake struck this area in early 1966.  "'Madrasa"" means a learning institutions. The education system ln Muslim regions consisted of Maktab for children up to age of 6 where they learned  basics and  ability to read Quran  and memorised surahs required to read the in the daily prayers. The Maktab was followed by Madrasas and they had 16 grades ln 2 levels. Level 1 from age 6 to 14 and level 2  from age 15 to 22.  In level 1, one trade was compulsory. The curriculum of Madrasa was multidisciplinary and included subjects like science, logic, Falsafa (philosophy), literature, law, governance, religion and others. Haroon Al Rashid in 790 in Baghdad started the first Madrasa, an institution of advanced learning called Al Nizamya center of knowledge. Madrasa in the...

Entrance gate of Taj Mahal complex in Agra, India.. The Taj Mahal was built by Moughal Emperor Shahjahan in 1631 and is a resting place (a tomb) for his wife Mumtaz Mahal.

The Silk Road route goes through  a beautiful part of Pakistan. I took this picture of Satpura lake in Skardu area at dusk during our travels of the mountainous regions of Pakistan. The silk road brought prosperity to Muslim regions and China in the golden age of Islamic period( 7th to 18th century) .