Masjid: some Mosques of Amman

Masjid Malik Abdullah

Due to its central, strategic, geographical location: very close to Jerusalem and in between the main centers of Islam - Makkah, Damascus, Egypt and Iraq, few places are as blessed with as many holly, Muslim sites, shrines and tombs as the Kingdom of Jordan. Many of God's Messengers, including The Founder of Islam, passed through Jordan. In the Kingdom too, many old, venerated holly Muslim men lived or passed through. With most of the Kingdom's citizens being Muslims, there are many mosques in the country. Some very old. Many new. No where else in the Kingdom are there as many mosques as in its vibrant capital: Amman.

Within Dar Al Hajar in Wadi Dhahr

The builders and craftsmen who worked on Dar Al Hajar, took much care with every part of it: the walls, the windows, the stairs and the rooms were all well planned and thought of, with the Yemeni, Sana'ani architecture in mind. Inside Dar Al Hajar, there is a small museum and gift shop. The Rock House itself from outside and of what is inside - is a museum.

Tomorrow ~ Bokra: Quincy Jones does it again

Children, Jones and Akkad in Bokra

In 1984 to 1985, in Ethiopia - due to record low rainfall and the then ongoing civil war in the country, an estimated one million people died of hunger due to the devastating famine there. And millions more were made destitute. Then: Bob Geldof, Quincy Jones and several musicians came up with the masterpiece: 'We Are The World' - to assist with the famine and the extreme suffering in Ethiopia. 'We Are The World' became, worldwide, one of the all-time best selling singles ever released. And now, for the people of the Middle East, children in particular - there has just been released, a similar, charity aimed song. A few days ago, the legendary American composer-conductor-musician, Quincy Jones - teamed up with producer-director Malek Akkad, RedOne and others - and was again involved, through music, in making a positive difference to people. This time, the Bokra initiative is aiming to raise funds for humanitarian, cultural and educational projects around the Middle East.

Is a Tropical Storm headed for Hadhramaut?

Can a tropical storm, that has caused havoc and much devastation in Oman - heading for Yemen, hit Hadhramout as it devastatingly did in 2008? As it is - since last Saturday night, Mukalla, and the areas around it, have reportedly been having some of the heaviest rains in memory. During these Eid festivities, Mukalla and areas around, are reportedly wet, muddy and bleak. Reportedly, floods have swept away a few cars and closed some roads.  A Tropical Storm Four is reportedly headed for Southern Yemen:

Muhammad Asad: The Road to Makkah

How many people have heard of Muhammad Asad? He is, undoubtedly, one of the most extraordinary, and least known, Muslim scholars of the last century. He was not only a scholar, but also a thinker, a traveler, an explorer and one of the most influential European Muslims of the 20th Century. And most of all - an extraordinary man indeed; who lead a most extraordinary life: a Jew who, due to his feeling "a spiritual emptiness, a vague, cynical relativism born out of increasing hopelessness" lead him to converting to Islam. Of Islam, he said: "Islam appears to me like a perfect work of architecture. All its parts are harmoniously conceived to complement and support each other; nothing is superfluous and nothing lacking; and the result is a structure of absolute balance and solid composure." He wrote several books, one of which is: 'The Road to Mecca'.

Congratulations to Palestine!

Palestine is a full member of UNESCO! It is a step forward for Palestinians to achieve full, very rightly justified and deserved; and the very long awaited world recognition for statehood. Most countries and all peace loving people support Palestinians. Palestinians who have been most patient, resilient and constant in their struggle and fight for independence and statehood. Palestinians who have immensely suffered and still continue to do so.