Al-Andalus

Did you know that Spain is the third largest country in Europe? When viewed on a map of Europe, you can see Spain prominently sticking out on the Iberian Peninsula of Europe Spain is a beautiful country with a diverse and unique culture, recognized widely throughout the world. I chose this country because of the deep appreciation I hold for the culture and values upheld by the Spanish people, some of which everybody could stand to incorporate into their daily lives. So here is what you need to…

(Heritage 79) The Visigoths were ejected from Cordoba by the Umayyad caliphate during the Muslim conquest of Spain in the 8th century. In 756, Abd al Rahman I abandoned Syria after the attack of the Abbasid caliphate, and fled through North Africa to the Iberian Peninsula, where he made Cordoba the capital of his renewed Umayyad empire. (Heritage 84) Rahman restored the city and built many mosques…

of the Mosque of Cordoba is the longest standing example of Islamic artwork and Cordoba’s Christian identity combination. This can be seen through the Hypostyle Hall, the dome, and the mihrab. When the basilic became property of Abd al-Rahman III, he and his son al-Hakam II worked to make the Mosque a focus of patronage. They did very costly renovations such as a new…

Prompt A1: The Seljuk Turks were an Islamic tribe in Persia during the early eleventh century that began to expand westward. In 1071 CE, at the Battle of Manzikert, the Byzantine army battled the Seljuk Turks. Romanus IV, the emperor of the Byzantine Empire, was killed and his army obliterated. The Turks expanded their empire into Anatolia, Syria, Jerusalem, and throughout the Holy Land. Turkish zealots prevented Christian pilgrims from visiting Jerusalem and other places Christians…

In Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, there sits a maximum security prison where the worlds most dangerous terrorists are held. This prison opened in 2002 and has kept the U.S. informed about terrorists groups. Guantanamo Bay, currently one of our nations strongest statements to any terrorist group, and which has become necessary to continue running in full stride because of the danger from groups who wish to harm American lives. The fact about these terrorist group is they look to form terror and fear…

“Should national security override free speech?” Freedom of speech was first established in the First Amendment of the United States Constitution in 1791, and almost two centuries later, in the International Declaration of Human Rights, the UN recognised freedom of speech as a human right (reference). The question of whether or not national security should override the freedom of speech has been, and continues to be a controversial subject, particularly among governments and law-abiding…

were to name the twenty-first century, I would call it the Age of Disaster. Many events have happened throughout the course of the twenty-first century that forever changed lives all around the world. To kick off the twenty-first century, a group named Al-Qaeda, planned a terrorist attack. The plan went in full force on September 11, 2001. Two planes crashed into the Twin Towers, destroying the towers within hours. A second plane also crashed into the Pentagon. A final plane was thought to be…

Al Capone Al Capone was a crime boss and his success flourished in the 1920s. He owned towns, and almost owned the nation. Throughout the years, he has been a subject of many art forms such as movies and books. Even though he was responsible for many violent murders, Capone was still a celebrity during the 1920s. Capone caused the people that knew him to shrink in fear, while still making America awe at him. When Prohibition was put into place, people like Capone stepped in and took…

Al Qaeda is a terror group with a deep religious ideology, which it uses to justify their actions. Al Qaeda has a Salafi-Jihadi ideology, a dogma that has found its beginnings with Jamal al Din al Afghani. Four main terms that formulate this ideology are Salifism, Jihad, Hijra, and Jahiliyya. Al Qaeda engages in what is called a lesser jihad, meaning creating a better community, expanding it or defending it through terror attacks or war. Greater Jihad includes betterment of the community and the…

Misrepresentation of Muslim Americans in the media after 9/11 After the impact of the terrorist attack of September 11th, 2001 the media had brought derogative attention toward Muslim Americans. Misrepresentations based on stereotypes have been assigned to Muslims before and after this tragic event, as well. The media affects society’s point of view in general and often comes from a perspective that lacks a complete historical background of the topic that is being talked about. The process of…