Scroll down to see an interactive timeline of articles on history over the last twelve months.
“History will be kind to me for I intend to write it.”
― Winston Churchill
Whilst aspects of history are important to be learnt by all peoples, those that have been subjected to a sustained effort to disconnect them from their heritage and legacy of world-shaping giants must pay extra attention. Epistemicide is a well studied phenomenon in postcolonial and decolonial scholarship which has played a key role in European hegemony in particular. It is often described as,
A war on knowledge, destruction of existing knowledge, and thereby aborting the possibility of new knowledge coming about from the exercise of the intellect on existing knowledge.
Epistemicide has, in the Muslim context, involved severing the legacy of Islamic history and civilisations and rewriting history based on millennium-old projections from the popular imagination of some non-Muslim societies.
This is why Islam21c has consciously tried to reconnect Muslims of the 21st century to their collective past; not to hearken back to an imagined golden utopia but to arm people with information, learn from mistakes and successes, and build confidence to shape the present and future in their respective spheres of influence.
Whilst tragic events in Paris shone a spotlight on Muslims in Europe, Islam21c’s resident historian, Z A Rahman kicked off last year reminding readers of the long existence of European Muslims and of When France Almost Went Islamic as early as the 1st century AH.[1] Also that month, whilst millions were either celebrating ‘Australia Day’ or mourning ‘Invasion Day’, marking 228 years since the British landed on the continent, our Editor Ayshah Syed uncovered something many of us did not know: that Muslims were also subjected to the ensuing systematic extermination of the continent’s people once they were “discovered” by the British.[2]
Australia’s forgotten Islamic roots
This was followed by an article that generated a great amount of debate last year. This was the story of Sultan Muhammad Fātih, hailed as the man the Messenger of Allāh (sall Allāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) had prophecised; boldly titled to convulse stereotypical projections, The prophecy of Islam liberating Europe.[3] This thread was then picked up later on in the year when Ahmed Hammuda recalled When Constantinople became Istanbul | A celebration of modern times.[4]
Modern Turkey was then the subject of a series exclusively written for Islam21c by Dr Mohamed Soudan, the Foreign Relations Secretary of Egypt’s first (and only) popularly elected President, Mohammad Morsi (may Allāh hasten his release) and prominent member of the Muslim Brotherhood.[5] In The Remarkable Story of Islamic Turkey, Dr Soudan explored the history of political Islam in Turkey out of staunch, violent secularism, and its parallels with other grass-roots popular Muslim movements such as the Muslim Brotherhood.
The 3rd of March last year also represented 92 years without the Caliphate,[6] when journalist Dilly Hussain reflected on “arguably, the darkest chapter in Islamic history after the death of Rasūl-Allāh (sall Allāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam)”. Z A Rahman then argued Why the world needs to know about Edwin S Montagu, the Jewish MP that opposed the Balfour Declaration in 1917,[7] who passionately argued in the debate to give the land of the Palestinians over to European Zionists—creating what is today the last remaining European colony in the Middle East. The author then argued in another article that Zionist ideology, at the core of this colonisation, is in fact The Struggle of Our Generation.[8]
Zionist Ideology is the Struggle of Our Generation
There were also many other positive pieces of history published to show the long, celebrated history of Islam and Muslims with other peoples. We learned that the Ottomans had a very friendly relationship with the Japanese (and robots!),[9] and that Muslims were vital to the resistance to imperialism in the West Indies.[10] The football champions of Europe, Seville and Portugal also are no strangers to Islam and Muslims,[11][12] and one beautiful Mediterranean Island even invited Muslims to ‘conquer’ it![13]
In a time when some are manufacturing tensions between Muslims and other people, societies and countries, it is more important than ever to relearn simple history and reinforce the fact that Muslims are not new. Before the forceful spread of certain vicious, feeble man-made values, the cult of modernity that has split communities apart and industrialised oppression and injustice, the world was by no means perfect. But those of us who do look into the past with a critical eye will often be pleasantly surprised.
Scroll down to see an interactive timeline of historical articles over the last twelve months.
When France almost went Islamic: ʿAbd-ar Raḥmān al-Ghafiqi
“Of the believers are men who are true to that which they covenanted with Allāh. Some of them have paid their vow by death (in battle)…”[1] The recent tragic events in Paris have put the spotlight on the Muslims in France. Indeed, there was a time when the land…Read More
The Prophecy of Islam Liberating Europe
On this day, 29th May in 1453, Sultan Muhammad al-Fatih was in the state of prostration to his lord at the entrance gate of Constantinople (Istanbul), praying for the conquest of Constantinople at his hands.
Why the world needs to know about Edwin S Montagu
Edwin S Montagu – The Jewish MP who opposed the Balfour Declaration On 23 August 1917, when the question of fraudulently giving the land of Palestine to Zionists was discussed in the Commons (what was to be known as the Balfour Declaration), the only Jew in the cabinet in parliament…Read More
The History of Muslim Resistance in the West Indies
The recent victory of the West Indies over England in the recent cricket World Cup reminded me of the great struggle that was faced by millions of Muslims, many of whom were likely to be the ancestors of those who heroically defeated this very nation. Their struggle contributed significantly to the…Read More
Zionist Ideology is the Struggle of Our Generation
As many of you will have seen from recent events, there has been a real aggressive push from the Zionist lobby in aiming to shut down debate of Israel once and for all by seeking to equate anti-Zionism with ant-Semitism. Allegations such as ‘when someone attacks Zionism they are indirectly…Read More
The Rise and Fall of Islamic Seville
Seville’s Islāmic Heritage The city of Seville has once again been propelled to our attentions with Sevilla FC recently being crowned champions of the Europa League for a third successive year, this time overcoming an average looking Liverpool team from England. The city of Seville does of course have its…Read More
When Constantinople became Istanbul | A celebration of modern times
There is no comparison between the honour and nobility of Islam conquering nations and the disgrace and degradation left by Crusader and Safavid campaigns. When Islam and peace were spread to all corners of the earth, it struck the finest example of the preservation of Human Rights during both battle…Read More
The Islamic History of the Champions of Europe – Portugal
Portugal was once an Islamic kingdom The Portugal football team were crowned champions of Europe for the first time in their history after overcoming France in the Euro 2016, European Cup. It may come as a surprise to many that much of Portugal once lived under Islamic rule for over 500…Read More
The Remarkable Story of Islamic Turkey
Dr Mohamed Soudan, Foreign Relations Secretary of Egypt’s democratically elected Freedom and Justice Party, led by President Mohammad Morsi, and one of five members of the Muslim Brotherhood’s Arbitration Committee that arbitrates between members of the MB at all levels of the organisation, discusses the remarkable story of Islamic Turkey.…Read More
Japan & the Last Caliphate: Dawn of Robotics?
When the Rising Sun met the Crescent Moon The history of robots has its origins in the ancient world. Even as early as the 12th Century, Muslims such as al-Jazari were making significant advances in the field of automata/automations which are self-operating machines, or machines or control mechanisms designed to…Read More
The Lasting Legacy of Islam in Malta
Many today question whether Islām and Muslims have a place in Europe. Yet not many of us know that Muslims ruled not only Spain but other countries in Europe like Portugal, southern France, parts of Italy, Greece and Albania. Among them was the Mediterranean island of Malta. The Invitation…Read More
Australia’s forgotten Islamic roots
Australia Day; a day of progress, a day of fireworks and laser shows, a day of communities gathering, unified in celebration of what makes Australia great – or so they would have us believe.[1] The truth of the matter is that Australia Day marks the anniversary of conquest, slaughter and…Read More
#3rdMarch1924 – The Abolishment of the Last Caliphate
Today marks 97 years since the destruction of the Ottoman Caliphate, heralding one of the darkest chapters in history...
Source: www.islam21c.com
Notes:
[1] https://www.islam21c.com/politics/europe/france/when-france-almost-went-islamic-%CA%BFabd-ar-ra%E1%B8%A5man-al-ghafiqi/
[2] https://www.islam21c.com/politics/europe/uk/australias-forgotten-islamic-roots/
[3] https://www.islam21c.com/islamic-thought/the-prophecy-of-islam-liberating-europe/
[4] https://www.islam21c.com/politics/when-constantinople-became-istanbul-a-celebration-of-modern-times/
[5] https://www.islam21c.com/islamic-thought/history/the-remarkable-story-of-islamic-turkey/
[6] https://www.islam21c.com/islamic-thought/3rdmarch1924-91-years-without-the-caliphate/
[7] https://www.islam21c.com/politics/why-the-world-needs-to-know-about-edwin-s-montagu/
[8] https://www.islam21c.com/politics/zionist-ideology-is-the-struggle-of-our-generation/
[9] https://www.islam21c.com/islamic-thought/japan-the-last-caliphate-dawn-of-robotics/
[10] https://www.islam21c.com/islamic-thought/the-history-of-muslim-resistance-in-the-west-indies/
[11] https://www.islam21c.com/islamic-thought/the-rise-and-fall-of-islamic-seville/
[12] https://www.islam21c.com/islamic-thought/the-islamic-history-of-the-champions-of-europe-portugal/
[13] https://www.islam21c.com/islamic-thought/the-lasting-legacy-of-islam-in-malta/
1 Comment
URGENT: all quds needs us!!!
Also qudsu tunaadeeNAA _ all quds is calling US
Please check FOA Israeli embassy tapes
Write letter to Boris Johnson… sample on site
Our intentions, and sincerity, no matter how little the deed.
Masot discusses in tapes how to neutralise bring down,
Deputy foreign minister Alan Duncan
…Success of BDS..
JazaakumuAllaah khayraa. — FOA