Islamic Scientific Schools

In the Name of Allah---the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful. The Kingdom of Ghassan in Arabia: History and Archaeological Heritage Introduction The Kingdom of Ghassan (Arabic: الغساسنة, al-Ghasāsinah ) was one of the most influential Arab kingdoms of Late Antiquity. Flourishing between the 3rd and 7th centuries CE , it served as a powerful Arab Christian kingdom that protected the southeastern frontier of the Byzantine Empire against the Sasanian Persians and their Arab allies, the Lakhmids. Although often remembered as a Levantine kingdom, the Ghassanids were Arabian in origin . According to both Arab historical traditions and growing archaeological evidence, they originated in South Arabia (Yemen) before migrating northwards into the Levant, where they established their political center while retaining strong tribal links with northern Arabia. Their sphere of influence extended across southern Syria, Jordan, Palestine, and the northern Ḥijāz , reaching as far south as Yathrib (Ma...

In the Name of Allah---the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful. The Kingdom of Saba: Arabia's Greatest Ancient Civilization Introduction The Kingdom of Saba (biblical Sheba ; Arabic: سبأ ) was one of the most prosperous and influential civilizations of the ancient Near East. Centered in present-day Yemen , with its capital at Ma'rib , Saba flourished through its mastery of irrigation, international commerce, monumental architecture, and centralized administration. For centuries, it controlled the lucrative trade in frankincense and myrrh, linking southern Arabia with the Mediterranean, Mesopotamia, East Africa, and the Indian Ocean. While the Kingdom of Saba is well known through the Biblical account of the Queen of Sheba and the Qur'anic narratives in Surahs Saba' and Al-Naml , archaeology has firmly established that Saba was a historical kingdom whose achievements rivaled those of many contemporary civilizations. Thousands of inscriptions, magnificent temples, extens...

In the Name of Allah---the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful. The Kingdom of Lihyan: An Ancient Arabian Civilization Between Archaeology and Islamic Historical Tradition Introduction Among the civilizations that flourished in the Arabian Peninsula before the advent of Islam, the Kingdom of Lihyan (مملكة لحيان) occupies a distinguished place. Centered at Dadan (modern AlUla) in northwestern Arabia, it emerged as one of the most prosperous kingdoms controlling the caravan routes that linked southern Arabia with the Levant, Egypt, and Mesopotamia. Unlike many ancient Arabian civilizations known only through classical Greek and Roman accounts, the existence of Lihyan is firmly established by indigenous inscriptions discovered at AlUla. Thousands of Dadanitic inscriptions, royal monuments, temples, and tombs have revealed that Lihyan was a politically organized kingdom with its own rulers, religious institutions, and administrative system. Interestingly, although the kingdom itself had ...

In the Name of Allah---the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful. Introduction The name “America” is one of the most influential geographical and political names in human history. Today it is commonly associated with the United States, but historically, the term originally referred to the vast continents of the Western Hemisphere — North America and South America. The etymology of the word “America” has fascinated historians, geographers, linguists, and political thinkers for centuries. While the mainstream explanation connects the name to the Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci, alternative theories have also emerged, linking the name to indigenous languages, medieval merchants, and ancient traditions. This article explores the linguistic origin, historical development, cartographic adoption, and cultural significance of the name “America.” The Mainstream Theory: Amerigo Vespucci Who Was Amerigo Vespucci? Amerigo Vespucci was born in Florence in 1454. He was an Italian navigator, merchant,...

کیا زمین ساکن ہے؟   قرآن زمین کی دوری حرکت کی تائید نہیں کرتا البتہ زمین کی محوری حرکت کی طرف واضح اشارہ کرتا ہے۔ اس اعتبار سے زمین نہ تو مکمل طور پر ساکن ہے اور نہ ہی سورج کے گرد گردش کرتی ہے۔ کیا زمین ساکن ہے یا اس میں کسی قسم کی کوئی حرکت پائی جاتی ہے؟ آئیے دیکھتے ہیں۔ قرآنی اشارات قرآنِ مجید میں کئی مقامات پر زمین کے قرار، ثبات اور سکون کا ذکر آیا ہے۔ یہ الفاظ زمین کے "استقرار” (یعنی مضبوطی اور ٹھہراؤ) کی طرف اشارہ کرتے ہیں۔ چند نمایاں آیات درج ذیل ہیں: 1. زمین کو قرار گاہ قرار دینا وَهُوَ الَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمُ الْأَرْضَ فِرَاشًا "اور وہی ہے جس نے تمہارے لئے زمین کو بچھونا بنایا۔” (البقرۃ 2:22) یہاں "فِرَاش” (بچھونا) سے مراد زمین کی ہم وار اور پر سکون حیثیت ہے۔ 2. زمین کا مستقر ہونا اللَّهُ الَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمُ الْأَرْضَ قَرَارًا "اللہ وہ ہے جس نے تمہارے لئے زمین کو قرار (ٹھہرنے کی جگہ) بنایا۔” (غافر 40:64) "قرار” کا مطلب ہے ایسی جگہ جہاں سکون و ثبات ہو۔ 3. زمین کا استقرار اور پہاڑوں کی میخوں کی طرح جڑت أَلَمْ نَجْعَلِ الْأَرْضَ مِهَادًا۝ وَالْجِبَالَ...