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(Day 20, for Saturday, 20 September, coinciding with Ramadan 2008)

The land of the Nawabs

Murshidabad District is a district of West Bengal in eastern India. When India became independent on the 15th of August 1947, Murshidabad, on the basis of the fact that Muslims were a majority, was part of (East) Pakistan for two days. Thereafter it became part of India on the basis of the final award of the Radcliffe Commission. Read the rest of this entry…

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(Day 19, for Friday, 19 September, coinciding with Ramadan 2008)

Lina’s fear of evil

Lina is a young Minangkabau woman from a large family, all of whom are proud of their culture and religion. They do everything that Islam requires of them, but they are also involved in other traditional practices. Instead of going to a doctor when someone is sick, they will often visit a dukun (a traditional healer). Lina especially believes that evil spirits are everywhere and she is very interested in all things supernatural. Read the rest of this entry…

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(Day 18, for Thursday, 18 September, coinciding with Ramadan 2008)

The second largest city

The second largest city in Syria, Aleppo, is one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world, along with the capital, Damascus. With populations of around 4 million and 6 million respectively, about half the country’s population live in these two cities. Read the rest of this entry…

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(Day 17, for Wednesday, 17 September, coinciding with Ramadan 2008)

The Mazandarani Muslims of Iran

The Mazandarani speakers of Iran number between 3 and 4.5 million people who live mainly in the Mazandaran province and neighbouring provinces bordering the Caspian Sea, in northern Iran. (The Caspian Sea is actually called the Khazar Sea or Mazandaran Sea in Persian.) Mazandaran province is divided into two parts: the coastal plain and the Alborz Mountain Range, both providing beautiful natural landscapes. The Mazandarani language is related to the neighbouring Gilaki language and also to Persian (Farsi), which is the official language of Iran. The more educated Mazandarani can read Farsi well. This people is almost 100% Shi’a Muslim, and Islam has been present in this province for about 1,300 years. In Iran it is a capital offence to convert from Islam to another religion. The full weight of this law is seldom applied, but a Muslim convert can certainly expect persecution from family and the local community, as well as economic hardships as a result of exclusion from certain occupations, business options and government benefits. Read the rest of this entry…

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(Day 16, for Tuesday, 16 September, coinciding with Ramadan 2008)

Daring to Question Islam in Darfur, Sudan

The Massalit are a group of some 400,000 people in Sudan (most in Darfur) and in Eastern Chad. They live as subsistance farmers in this dry region, totally dependant upon the annual rainy season for their survival. Millet is their basic food crop and peanuts is a cash crop for them. The Massalit are proud of their cattle, although large numbers of their animals have perished during various droughts. Massalit homes are rounded huts made from straw and grass. Even though their life is hard, they have generally been a happy people. Read the rest of this entry…

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(Day 15, for Monday 15 September, coinciding with Ramadan 2008)

Living in Nigeria, Niger and Chad

Chad

Niger

Nigeria

Kanuri main tribes consist of the Yerwa Kanuri, the Manga Kanuri, and Kanembu Kanuri. The majority of the Kanuri live in northeastern Nigeria, where they are the dominant people group. Smaller numbers are also located across the borders in the surrounding countries of Niger, Chad, and Cameroon. This entire region was once ruled by the ancestors of the Kanuri. Aspects of Kanuri culture, language, and religion have been adopted by many of the neighbouring tribes. The Kanuri are tall and very dark in appearance, with a stately, dignified look. Many Kanuri speak Hausa and Arabic. Read the rest of this entry…

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(Day 14, for Sunday 14 September, coinciding with Ramadan 2008)

A Great Opportunity in Bangkok

City Population: 10 million

The official Muslim population of Bangkok, Thailand is 262,023 people (2000 est.) but some estimate the number to be closer to one million. Over 160 officially registered mosques are located in the city. Many Muslims live along canals which were historically important transportation corridors (there were few or no roads into many areas until 30 years ago). The mosques and temples were all built along the canals for easy access, yet today many of the canals have disappeared. Read the rest of this entry…

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(Day 13, for Saturday 13 September, coinciding with Ramadan 2008)

700,000+ Aimaq in Afghanistan (estimate)
Possibly 200,000 Aimaq in Iran (estimate)

The name “Aimaq” (the Mongolian word for tribe) refers to the tribal peoples living in the largely barren and mountainous region of western Afghanistan and northeastern Iran. The Aimaq are actually a group of up to 20 smaller tribes which have historically linked themselves together through alliances and marriage. The most numerous tribes are the Taimani, Char Hazara, Jamshidi, Firozkuhi and Timuri (remember Revelation 7:9). Tribalism dominates so much that local customs and concepts of honour and shame are more important than Islamic or state law. Disputes tend to be settled by tribal rather than by government authorities. Read the rest of this entry…

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(Day 12, for Friday 12 September, coinciding with Ramadan 2008)

Oldest Islamic City of Northwest Africa

Population: 120,000

The city of Kairouan has existed for about 1,300 years. Founded as part of the expansion of the Islamic Empire, it boasts the oldest mosque in North Africa, with the oldest standing minaret in the world - a tribute to the city’s original purpose: to be a base for the spread of Islam across the region. Read the rest of this entry…

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(Day 11, for Thursday 11 September, coinciding with Ramadan 2008)

“We have the duty to make the World a better place”! - His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan IV.

To his followers Prince Karim Aga Khan IV is more then just their leader; he traces his ancestry back to the Prophet Muhammad through the line of Ali and Fatima, the Prophet’s daughter. The Aga Khan’s 18 million followers reside in more than 25 countries, stretching from Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Europe all the way to North America. Although most Ismailis have their roots in India, their major language today is English. The Aga Khan’s grandfather had urged the community to become more western oriented, and his grandson’s headquarters has moved from India to Paris in Europe. Read the rest of this entry…

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