After the death of the Prophet Muhammad , the Islamic religion was spreading rapidly all across the Middle East and the world. Because of this, there was an increased demand for mosques and spiritual gathering places. The construction of these designated places of worship marked the beginning of the influential architectural creations of the Muslims.
Islamic architecture is undeniably one of the most beautiful forms of man-made symmetry and designs. It has evolved within Muslim cultures throughout Islamic history, inspired by spiritual essence.
An important factor in every work of Islamic art and architecture is abstract decoration of the surface, whether [...]

Paper (or in Arabic, waraqa), a material which is used for so many things in our lives, can trace back its origins to over 2000 years ago in China. However, the Islamic Empire was responsible for spreading the use of paper throughout the world and sparked the start of its use in Europe hundreds of years later after Muslims established paper mills in Spain. It was because of the Muslim discovery of paper that it would begin to have widespread use across Asia and Africa, and eventually reach and be used in Europe earlier than it would have otherwise.
Muslims most [...]

Throughout history, Islam has distinguished itself in many areas of science – one of them being optics, the study of the behavior and properties of light. One may assume that optics aren’t nearly as important as, for example, math, but you’d be surprised at what far-reaching advancements the Islamic Empire made – and how such developments led to the invention of modern day devices, such as the camera.
Before Muslim scientists took over the field of optics, it was believed that the eye is the source of light and that the world would be dark without it. There were also no [...]

Human bodies have been a mystery to mankind since the earliest of creations.  The functions of its parts – from the intricacies of its hands and feet to the mission of the heart – have been in the limelight for centuries and advancement in this field is unyielding.  Medical sciences have taken an important part and we have become dependent on the theories found in our textbooks, many of which originated during the Islamic Empire.
Our current understanding of the human body takes its root in its analogy with animal structures.  The Greek physician Galen is credited with shifting the focus [...]

Shari’ah, or Islamic law, literally means “a way to the watering place” or “a path to seek felicity and salvation”, and is the laws and regulations meant to govern the lives of every day Muslims as a way to lead a moral and ethical life.1 Since Islam is considered less a religion and more a way of life by its adherents, the importance of Islamic law is therefore significant.
When Muhammad settled in Medina after migrating from Mecca, he did so at the request of several of its residents who had accepted Islam after meeting the Prophet . Their [...]

Muhammad began to meditate in the cave of Mount Hira to escape the corruption of Mecca and dwell on the deepest questions of life to which he could not seem to find answers. It is well known that he spent the entire month of Ramadan at this familiar retreat. It was then, in the year 610 A.D, that Allah changed the course of history and shed light upon darkness, starting with the man best equipped to enlighten the world: Muhammad .
Gabriel (peace be upon him) filled the cave with light, and Muhammad clearly saw someone with a [...]

Starting Saturday, people in every country around the world will begin a month-long fast for Ramadan. The holiest month of the year, Ramadan is when Muslims refrain from food and drink from sunrise to sunset and try their best to bring themselves as close to Allah as possible.
This is not only a time to bring ourselves closer to Allah , but to each other as well. During this time, 1.6 billion people across the globe will be united by the spirit of Islam. It is said that the Holy Qur’an was revealed to the Prophet on Laylat [...]