Masjid: Mosques of Southern Africa

It is only recent that Islam was introduced to that most awesomely beautiful part of the Earth: South Africa. After the Europeans colonized the very fertile and mineral rich Southern tip of Africa, they needed labor to work in the fields; cheap labor. As fate would have it, the first European settlers who arrived there in the 17th Century, decided to bring 'slaves' - some of who were Muslims - from southern Asia. In the 19th Century when slavery had been 'abolished', the British needed cheap labor to work in their extensive sugar plantations, mainly in Natal; 'cheap labor' was brought in from India - many of whom were Muslims. It is mainly through these two groups that Islam first reached and initially spread in South Africa. In other parts of Southern Africa, especially the islands: Madagascar, Mauritius and Reunion - it is due, too, mainly, to the same reason of the need for 'cheap labor' that Islam was introduced to these places by those who were imported to work in the fields. Today: there are millions of Muslims in Southern Africa. And many mosques.

Books on Hadhramaut and the Hadharem

With all the very learned and well informed Hadharem, within and out of Hadhramout, it is incredible that none has undertaken to write a proper, well researched and informed book - in English - on Hadhramaut or the Hadhramis. Of the many well known books written and read by many who are interested in this part of Arabia, incredibly, none is by a Hadhrami. To mention a few of these books:

Sights from the Royal Automobile Museum, Amman

Situated near the scenic King Hussein Park or Al Hussein National Park, not far from the center of Amman, is the Royal Automobile Museum. It has an extensive collection of well maintained classic cars. All collected by the late Jordan's King Hussein. If you don't love autos, you will still like the very organized, very neat museum; with photos and streaming videos displayed at several points, the museum gives you an interesting insight into the Kingdom's history.

Mladic: at last in court

1994: in Rwanda, in just a few days - hundreds of thousands of people were mercilessly slaughtered for no reason rather than evil, ethnic reasons. Almost one year later, in July 1995: for almost the same reasons as in Rwanda and in just a few days, thousands of Muslim men were brutally slaughtered in Srebrenica, former Yugoslavia. Most of those involved in both massacres have not been caught and brought to justice. But, two days ago, though painful to watch and to remember - it was very relieving and comforting to see the 'Beast of Srebrenica' finally in a court and facing judges.