True History of Pakistan

Introduction

Pakistan lies in the North Western part of South Asia. It is bordered by China in the North, Afghanistan in the North-West, Iran in South-West, Arabian Sea and Indian Sea in the South and India in the East. Pakistan, as evident, is located at the crossroads of South Asia, Central Asia, and the Middle East making it an easy linking point between Central Asia and South Asia.

There have been significant immigration movements, in the areas now constituting Pakistan since pre-historic times. The people of Pakistan are descendants of different racial groups and sub-racial stocks, who entered the subcontinent over the past 5000 years, mainly from central and western Asia from time to time. Yet unlike the popular misconception, it always maintained its identity and individuality separate from its neighbor India who claimed that Pakistan was a part of Aakhand Bharat (Undivided India) on the basis of history. 

The Media's Portrayal of Islam and the Hijab

Time, people, culture, society, and the environment we are surrounded by, can produce the formation of many perspectives regarding an issue that we see in today's society. One of many controversial topics is Islam and the Hijab. Many questions and generalisations are often formed in the minds of many non-Muslims in regards to the concepts behind the Hijab through the influence of the media.

Throughout the years of conflict between the "West" and "Islam", the media has strongly altered the minds of non-Muslims by negative exploitation of Islam, and Muslims, in particular on Muslim women. Misconceptions such as, "Are you bald underneath" "Do you go to sleep with that on?" to the association of "terrorism" that contrasts to what Muslim women believe the Hijab represents.

Meet History's Three Gorgon Sisters Christianity, Islam and Judaism

My favorite nickname for Christianity is Medusa; Islam, Sthenno and Judaism, Euryale. Meet the three Gorgon sisters whom some prefer to refer to as the "Abrahamic" religions.Whatever you choose to call them, these three daughters of the Patriarch Abraham share the distinction, among the religions of mankind, of smugly held but mutually conflicting claims of a unique and exclusive universalism; the wellspring of much misery and suffering in human history.

Who were the Gorgons? The Gorgons are from Greek mythology: three ugly winged daemons; Medusa, Sthenno and Euryale. Vase paintings by ancient Greek artists portray the "ladies" as winged daemons with serpent-locks of hair and fierce looking ugly faces. They were identified as sea daemons of reefs which lurked treacherously submerged and posed a deadly threat to ancient mariners. Many are familiar with the story of Therseus whom King Polydektes of Seriphos gave the task of bringing back the head of the eldest of the Gorgons, Medusa. Armed with a sword, a winged boot and a polished shield, Therseus killed Medusa and returned, unscathed, with her head after being hotly pursued by the other two sisters.

Review of Islam in NYT Book Review

The January 6, 2008 edition of the New York Times Book Review was devoted to "Islam," as the header for the edition boldly proclaims. The edition aims to highlight some of the most relevant historical, literary, political and theological issues informing contemporary discourse around the topic of Islam, as it is found in recent literature. The effort to shed light on such an important subject is laudable. What follows are my comments on the various articles and essays. They follow the order presented in the Book Review. 1. This issue of the Book Review begins with Tariq Ramadan's excellent essay Reading the Koran. Ramadan is able to capture in a concise essay both the simplicity and the nuanced complexity of the Koran (Qur'an). Its simplicity is rooted in its ability to singularly address the believing heart. At this level the Qur'an is simple and universally accessible. Each person finds in its message, filtered through the prism of his or her personal experiences, knowledge, joy, pain, triumphs and setbacks, a distinct intimacy. At this level, the message requires "no intermediary." This is the basis of what Ramadan refers to as the dialogue that exists between the Qur'an and its reader. Ramadan beautifully captures the spirit of that dialogue.

A Short History Of Islam

The teachings of Islam were passed down to humanity through Mohammed who is commonly thought of as the last, so far, in the line of Middle Eastern prophets. The first was Abraham of Judaism renown, then there was Jesus for Christianity and then came Mohammed. Mohammed was born in about 570 AD in Mecca, western Saudi Arabia and passed away 62 years later in 632 in Medina.

The Koran, or the 'Recitation' in English, consists of 144 chapters and was related to Mohammed by God. These teachings were written down by his scribes during the course of 23 years.

Like its predecessor religions, Islam is a monotheistic religion and its narrative includes stories or references to Abraham, Moses (and the Ten Commandments) and Jesus, but does not accept Christianity's declaration of his divinity.

Another major difference from the Middle Eastern religions before it, is that Jews trace their lineage through Abraham's son Isaac, whereas Muslims trace their history through Abraham's son Ishmael by another wife.

Understanding Islam and Democracy

Islam, a true religion of peace and humanity, unfortunately is now being considered a root cause behind undemocratic practices prevailing in Islamic states. The major reason behind such misconception is misunderstanding and absolutely wrong analysis of Islamic political values. While discussing the topic of Islam and democracy people often take extreme positions; some present Islamic political system as an antithesis of democracy, while others emphasize that both Islam and democracy are two different terms implying same thing as John Esposito and John Voll argued in their recent book 'Islam and Democracy' that both are compatible with each other. But the real picture is different from both viewpoints. Therefore before taking sides of either group one must have complete understanding of some important concepts regarding the place of democracy in Islam.

The Concept of Sovereignty in Islam

Who Was Muhammad, The Prophet of Islam?

The Prophet of Islam was born Muhammad ibn Abdullah in Mecca in the year 570 CE. He is the messenger and prophet of Islam and according to Muslims, he is the last and final prophet that God has sent. Muhammad's role went beyond being a Prophet, he was also a politician, a legislator, a military man, and a social reformer.

Muhammad was born in the Saudi Arabian city of Mecca and was orphaned at a very young age. His father, Abdullah, died several weeks before his birth and his mother died when Muhammad was 6 years old. His grandfather Abd al Muttalib and then his uncle, Abu Talib, took custody of him and raised him. When Muhammad was of age, he worked as a shepherd and a merchant and traveled to several Middle Eastern cities with the trade caravans. He got married to a rich Meccan widow by the name of Khadijah at the age of 25. At the time Khadija was twice widowed and was 40 years old. Together, Muhammad and Khadijah had 6 children, four girls and two boys.

Islamic Globalization

"What is worse than politically correct writing?" (Jeremiah Horrigan - Journalist)

"There is a world that wants to have mercy and a world that does not have any." (Authorless)

Is globalization facing an inevitable decline, designed of being pressured by the emerging Islamic fundamentalism project? We are not jumping to any deduction, on the other hand, we are trying to understand whether the historical moment has privileged a renaissance of a spiritual afflatus, which was hidden for a couple of centuries within the Muslim world.

Islamic history has always expressed a continual military movement n order to plan the basis of propagation of a messianic political-religious ideology. Europe, in its history, has often faced this project of expansion for thousand years about.

The Suez Canal

Suez Canal is the largest man-made artificial sea-level waterway found in Egypt. It was opened in the 1869 to allow water transportation between Europe and Asia to avoid ships navigation around Africa. The canal original size was 164 km long and 8metre deep. However enlargements have been undertaken and it now has a length of 193.30 km and its 24 metres deep. It also has a northern access channel of 22 km and 9 km southern access. The canal has a northern terminus known as Port Said and a southern terminus called Port Tewfik.

The Craddle of Civilization - A Brief Introduction to Egyptian History

Egyptian culture has emerged from a process that had been going on for thousands of years. The nomad tribes of fishermen and hunters began to be stationary in villages in approximately 6000 BC, and after the adapting of agriculture in approximately 5000 BC, some of them grew to quite a substantial size.

Other communities were also developing, by other rivers like Indus which is in today's India/Pakistan and much closer by Eufrat and Tigris in Mesopotamia.

Archaeology has revealed habitats which had their own typical pottery, tools, weapons, burial customs etc.

Until the advanced civilization from the southern town of Nagada started to spread north- wards, the cultures at the middle Egyptian town of Badari and a couple of minor at the southern delta, lived their own lives.

They stopped in the south at the cataract of Aswan, where the abundant shores ended and the sterile desert reached right down to the shores of the Nile. This point was the natural lower border of Egypt for thousands of years, separating them from the black inhabitants further south by a vast stretch of wasteland. As there was a need to have a single authority to manage the waters of the Nile, there was a creation of the world's first state in Egypt in approximately 3000 BC.

Some Facts in History and Philosophy

History is a subject pointing out important dates in the affairs of man and society. The center of history is the average man who does something spectacular worth remembering.

Man carves time with events in his search for a triumph such as winning in battles and creating something useful to remember. Studying our planet, life, and creations teach us the value of courage and faith to discover - that- which would carry nations to progress.

History of the Panama Canal

A survey was ordered for the isthmus. Following this, a working plan for a canal was drawn in the year 1529. The project was put on permanent hold due to the wars in Europe. The cravings for the control of kingdoms in the Mediterranean Sea also played a major role.

According to the history of the Panama Canal, a Spanish officer suggested an alternative canal route in 1534. This route was in close proximity to the present canal. Subsequently, several other plans were suggested for the canal. However, there was lack of action. The Spanish Government was quick to abandon its interest in the canal.

Books by German researcher Alexander von Humboldt revived interest in the canal in the early 19th century. The Spanish Government started construction of the canal formally in 1819. They selected a company to build it. American showed growing interest in the construction when gold was discovered in California in 1848. There was an increased rush among would-be miners.

The Panama Canal - American Era History at Its Best

The building of the Panama Canal marked the beginning of a new era in American history. America had arrived as a world power, and the Canal was an important demonstration, and component that power. The story of the building of the Panama Canal should be required reading in our schools. It is a story of magnificent planning, ingenuity, hard work, and dedication.

Until I, myself, read about the building of the Panama Canal, I had no idea what a grand accomplishment it was, and still is. In MY modern era, i.e., the 21st Century, where I see small mountains leveled in a matter of weeks, I didn't realize that even in this day and age, the building of such a canal would still be a monumental task.

And that is not even the whole story. The conquering of Malaria, and Yellow Fever, themselves, is an accomplishment beyond compare, and is a story unto itself.

History of the Dead Sea

Dead Sea is more than thirteen hundred feet below the sea level. Its water is much more salty than other oceans. The Dead Sea has a rich history that very few people know about. For thousands of years, people from across the world traveled hundreds of miles to this place for a number of reasons. It is also mentioned in the Old Testament of Bible, also known as Torah. This landlocked lake forms the natural border of Jordon on the eastern side and Israel on the western side. Because of the low elevation, many water streams pour themselves into this landlocked lake.

Other than algae, few bacteria and a species of fish, no other living beings can survive in the Dead Sea. It's hard for the living beings to survive in the harsh conditions of saline water and hot atmosphere. The formation of this landlocked lake can be assumed to be caused by the shifting of large tectonic plates in earth's crust. According to researchers' surveys and findings, this lake was formed because earth around the area was pulled apart, thereby creating a low elevation region. It's a fact that land around the lake is sinking even to this day.

A number of ancient cities were located around this lake. Before destruction, Jericho and Sodom are believed to be located around Dead Sea. Regions around the lake have been populated for more than two thousand years according to the ancient historic records. Various scrolls were discovered in the 1947 and the years that followed. Most of these scrolls were located around Qumran. A number of ancient texts have been found in the region. Many of them date back to a thousand years before Christ's birth. A place so rich in history is now on the verge of extinction. Everyone should come forward to support the cause and save this natural miracle for our future generations.

The History of the Helicopter

When we think of the first aircraft, many of us think of the hot air balloon. But the helicopter actually predated it by thousands of years. As early as 400 BC, people knew that rotary devices could fly.

Perhaps the earliest helicopter-like device was an ancient Chinese children's toy made out of bamboo. It consisted of a propeller attached to a stick in a T-formation. When the stick was rolled quickly between the palms and then released, it flew a short distance.

Mysterious History of the Flutes of the Native Americans

Many musicians and players of flutes (woodwind instruments) are familiar with the sounds of this ancient musical instrument of the Native Americans of the western plains of the United States. It is said to have originated as a "love instrument" in the beautiful area we now call Monument Valley in the southwest.

Early Native Americans spent many days searching for the proper kinds of wood to carefully carve this very special musical instrument. Following the long period of painstaking carving by hand were many more days of dedicatedpractice to learn how to play and thus create the hauntingly beautiful sounds that could then be produced in no other way.

The Patriotic History of the Stars and Stripes

On that historic day, the flag of the United States of America came into existence and this form remains unchanged to the present day. Just who designed the first flag or who made it is a question still debated by historians. Some believe that Betsy Ross designed the first flag, although claims have also been made that Francis Hopkinson, a Congressman, designed and made the first flag. Historical records do show that Betsy Ross made flags for the government in 1777, but whether she made the first United States flag will probably always remain in doubt. In 1782, the Congress of the confederation reaffirmed the choice of the Continental Congress by stating that the national seal and the flag would remain red, white and blue. Deeper meaning was also given to the flag and its design. The thirteen original states would always be represented by the seven red stripes and the six white ones. However, they left open the question of how the stars on the blue union would be arranged. In 1777, Congress had not specified any particular design for the arrangement of the stars and some flags had thirteen stars in a circle. Others had twelve in a circle with the thirteenth in the center. By 1782 though, almost all the national flags had the thirteen stars in a circle. In 1794, Vermont and Kentucky were admitted to the Union bringing the number of states to fifteen. Congress ordered that all new flags would carry fifteen stars and fifteen stripes, and that a star and a stripe would be added as each new state joined the Union. This would later prove to be too cumbersome and would soon be abandoned. This flag, with its fifteen stars and fifteen stripes, is the flag Americans carried in the War of 1812. By 1817, The Union was expanded by five more states: Tennessee, Ohio, Louisiana, Indiana and Mississippi. This expansion meant a new flag. Samuel C. Reid, a navy captain, redesigned the flag using the original thirteen stripes and adding a star for each of the twenty states. This idea was proposed to Congress by Peter Wendover, a representative from New York. It was passed as the New Flag Act, and the date was set as July 4th next after a new state had been admitted to the Union as the day on which a new flag would be flown. Congress again left open the question of how the stars might be arranged, so the design was left to individual flag makers. In later years, the President has usually proclaimed how the stars would be arranged and all flags must agree with the Presidential proclamation. New states were constantly being admitted to the Union and the United States had thirteen national flags between 1817 and 1861. During the Civil War, we had another two flags with the admission of Kansas and West Virginia. Union troops fought under a 33-star flag during the first three months of the war; a 34-star flag until 1863; and a 35-star flag until the end of the war. President Lincoln refused to take out the stars of the southern states which had seceded. After the war had ended, the nation began to move west. Nebraska joined the Union in 1867; followed in 1877 by Colorado; 1890 by North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Washington and Idaho; 1891 by Wyoming; 1896 by Utah; and 1908 by Oklahoma. During this period of transition in the country, we had six more national flags. The twenty-third flag, adopted in 1896, was the flag that we fought under during the Spanish-American War in 1898. In 1912, Arizona and New Mexico were admitted to the Union and thus the United States needed another new flag. This was the twenty-fifth flag, adopted in 1912, and which lasted until 1959. The total of 47 years that this flag flew over the nation represents the longest period of duration of any one flag of the United States. This flag was carried to the battlefields of World War I and World War II, as well as the Korean War. In 1959, Alaska was admitted as the 49th state of the Union. The 49-star flag, adopted in 1959, was raised at 12:01 a.m. on July 4th, 1959, over Ft. McHenry to signal the official admittance of Alaska. This flag lasted but a short while for on July 4th, 1960, the United States raised the present 50-star flag signaling the admission of Hawaii as our 50th and last state. To date, we have had twenty-seven national flags, and they have all flown in glory over this great nation, the United States.

27 Flags of the United States

History of the Earth

The age of the earth is estimated at 4.6 billion years. During the course of this immense period of time, the earth evolved from a cloud of cosmic dust, undergoing constant changes into what we know today.

The earliest era, called Precambrian, encompasses the time period from the very first beginnings of the earth to the time when the first rocks appeared. These rocks contained petrified residues from which it was possible to determine the age of one layer of rocks. No petrified remnants dating back to the Precambrian proper were found. It is not possible to provide any precise information concerning the formation of the rocks of that time because, since that time, the earth has been undergoing constant changes. It is possible to classify only certain processes of the origins of the mountains (most importantly in Northern America, Scotland, and Greenland - Laurentian Plateau formation).