Author: Mohamed Yosri

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Abbasid Caliph Al-Qadir bestowing a richly decorated robe of honour on Mahmud of Ghazni in 1000 (miniature from Rashid al-Din’s "Jami' al-tawarikh", via Wikimedia Commons)

Ethnicity in the Muslim caliphates

To be a son of Quraish

The Ottoman Caliphate, which dominated the Muslim world for over thirteen centuries, was abolished on 3 March 1924 by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, putting an end to one of the most significant political-religious powers in history. By Mohamed YosriMore

Guardians of Thrones: When women ruled the Muslim worldHistory of the Caliphate: We are all caliphs!The Islamic reformer Ibn Tumart: The man who changed the course of Islamic history
Square coins dating from the Almohad era (source: Raseef 22)

The Islamic reformer Ibn Tumart

The man who changed the course of Islamic history

Ibn Tumart is considered the spiritual founder of the Berber dynasty of the Almohads in the twelfth century. His once revolutionary ideas sent shockwaves through the entire Arab world, ultimately resulting in violent tensions. By Mohamed YosriMore

The decline of Islamic scientific thought: Don't blame it on al-GhazaliAverroes' Enlightenment legacy: An intellectual earthquakeQantara dossier: History of Islam
Historical painting of female Abbasid ruler surrounded by her attendants (source: raseef22)

Guardians of Thrones

When women ruled the Muslim world

Were it not for the timely intervention of women down the centuries, many an Islamic dynasty would have torn itself apart. By Mohamed YosriMore

Women and Arab-Islamic education: The doyennes of learningWomen and Islam: On Muslim women and the Islamic dress codeGender equality in the Middle East: To the benefit of all
Typical Shia turbans (photo: FARS)

The Sunni-Shia debate

For clarity′s sake

It has been said that ignorance is the fuel of animosity. Indeed, over the years the historical rift between Sunnis and Shias, heightened by various misconceptions relating to a number of key Shia tenets, has served to exacerbate existing tensions in the Middle East. In his article, Mohamed Yosri attempts to de-bunk some of the mythsMore

Iran and Saudi Arabia: A plea for Islamic toleranceSunni-Shia tension: Islam versus IslamSunni-Shia conflict: The enemy of my enemy