Ever wondered who paved the way for the age of algorithms?

It was a 9th-century Muslim genius, mathematician, geographer & astronomer, Abu Abdallah Muhammad ibn Musa Al-Khwarizmi - also known as the Father of Algebra

A thread on the incredible Muhammad ibn Musa Al-Khwarizmi… 1/ Even the term algorithm is Al-Khwarizmi translated into Latin!

The scientist and mathematician Muhammad ibn Musa Al-Khwarizmi lived from 780 to 850 AD in Persia and Iraq.

Latinized names of scholars who worked within Islamic culture and wrote mostly in Arabic.

Some are amongst the greatest minds in human history.

A thread… 1/ Ibn Sinã
Latinized
Avicenna
(11th c. CE)

The Muslim world's preeminent philosopher/physician, flourishing during the Islamic Golden Age. His book Qanün ut-Tibb influenced Europe until the 16th c. Of Persian birth but wrote mostly in Arabic.

Turkey is a treasure trove of architectural wonders, natural beauty & ancient history. The country is at the point where Europe & Asia collide - it is this transcontinental culture-clash that enriches Turkey’s heritage.

A thread on Turkey’s beautiful cities & villages... 1/ Safranbolu A town in the Black Sea region of northern Turkey, once a stop on the trade route between Europe and the Orient. Its Ottoman architecture includes the old Çarşı district, with hundreds of preserved, red-roofed Ottoman houses on cobblestone streets

May the 4th be with you!

For #StarWarsDay here is the awesome work of @_Muratpalta who illustrates iconic movies in Ottoman miniature style.

‘Ottoman Star Wars’ is one of his most renowned works #MayThe4thBeWithYou

A thread on @_Muratpalta Ottoman miniature take on movies… 1/ Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory, Ottoman Miniature Style @_Muratpalta

A 1971 fantasy film which tells the story of a poor child named Charlie Bucket who, after finding a Golden Ticket in a chocolate bar, visits Willy Wonka's chocolate factory with four other children

Arabic has many names and epithets for the lion. Almost all are poetic and rarely used outside of literary texts and proper names. The only generic word for lion is أسد (asad), lioness is لبؤة (labu'ah) & cub is شبل (shibl.)

A thread on 9 Arabic names for the Lion… 1/ Asad - the usual word for lion

Shah-i-Zinda is one Samarkand’s most beloved sites, which contains some of the richest tile work in the world. The magnificent architecture draws inspiration from multiple periods & styles, taking you back through time & across cultures
 
A thread on the beauty of Shah-i-Zinda… 1/ The Shah-i-Zinda ensemble includes mausoleums, mosques & other ritual buildings of 11-15th & 19th centuries. The name Shah-i-Zinda (meaning The living king) is connected with the legend that Qutham ibn Abbas, a cousin of the Prophet Muhammad PBUH is buried here

📷 Ash Diler

Ever wondered who invented robotics?

Ismail al-Jazari, a Muslim inventor from the 12th century is known as the "father of robotics" due to his groundbreaking work in the field of automata, which are self-operating machines.

A thread on Ismail al-Jazari, engineering & robotics… 1/ While robotics is considered a relatively new field of science, with the public’s consensus that it is the creation of 20th-century scientists, it would be surprising to know that the field has its roots in the medieval era nearly a millennium ago, with Ismail Al Jazari

The Grande Mosquée de Paris was built as a tribute to the Muslim soldiers who fought for France in World War I.

Within the mosque, there is a beautiful courtyard garden filled with various plants, including the enchanting wisteria which blooms every spring…

A thread… 1/ The Grande Mosquée de Paris, also known as the Mosque of Paris is located in the 5th arrondissement of Paris, France. It was constructed between 1922 and 1926 and is one of the largest mosques in France

Contemporary Islamic architecture is redefining perceptions of tradition in a modern global world.

Here are 15 contemporary examples of Islamic architecture from around the world, that highlight innovative uses of forms & materials through context and locality

A thread… 1/ Cologne Central Mosque, Germany

The largest & grandest mosque in Germany. Cologne mosque is now regarded as a symbol of integration & symbol of the birth of German mosque architecture. The futuristic mosque is mainly characterized by the large dome.

Did you know there are approximately 4,000 Spanish words with Arabic origins?

The influence of Arabic on the Spanish language is due to the Arab rule in the Iberian Peninsula between 711 & 1492 AD, notably in Al-Andalus (الأَنْدَلُس)

For Spanish Language Day a thread... 1/ Ojalá (Hopefully/Let’s hope so) –
from the Arabic word inshālla (ان شاء الله), meaning ‘God-willing’ or ‘if God wills’

Many may not think too deeply about the academic apparel required for their graduation ceremony. But some believe the familiar graduation outfit worn throughout the world today originated from the Arab clothing - thawb

A thread on Universities in Islamic history & thawbs… 1/ Founded by a Muslim woman, Fatima El-Fihriya in 859, Al-Qarawiyyan University, Fez in Morocco is one of the oldest universities in the world & the oldest library in Africa. It also holds the distinction of being the world’s oldest working university, & is still in use today

Because a colourful world is more beautiful…

From the bright buildings in Istanbul, to the ‘blue pearl’ of Morocco, here are 20 of the most colourful neighbourhoods and cityscapes across the Muslim world…

A thread… 1/ Colourful Beirut, Lebanon

The architecture of Lebanon embodies the historical, cultural and religious influences that have shaped Lebanon's built environment. It has been influenced by the Phoenicians, Romans, Byzantines, Umayyads, Crusaders, Mamluks, Ottomans and French.

Cats were valued by Islamic scholars, who are said to have kept them in their libraries, because they would prey on mice that would ruin books. Cats are often depicted in paintings alongside Islamic scholars & bibliophiles

For Caturday, a thread on cats, books and the Qur’an… 1/ “Cats do not invalidate the prayer because they are one of the things that are useful in the house”
- Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.

Narrated by Abu Hurairah. Ibn Majah 369

#Caturday

The incredibly unique contemporary Bab Al-Salam Mosque in Oman is nothing like you’ve ever seen before!

Designed in the form of a circular disc, borrowing from the moon, the windows in the shape of its crescents & its glass ball pendant symbolises the vault of heaven

A thread… 1/ ‘Allahu Nur as Samawati wa al Ard’ means Allah is the Pure, Primordial Light of both the Heavens and the Earth.

Surah An-Nur ayat 35

Bab Al-Salam Mosque

From the Kufi to the Taqiyah to the Ghuttra, headdress worn by men in Muslim cultures is wonderfully diverse and super stylish - influencing mainstream fashion over the centuries.

Art @IbrahimSincere

A thread on of headdress worn by men in Muslim cultures… 1/ Fes (Tarboosh/Peci)

A brimless, cylindrical hat made of red felt, traditionally worn in Morocco & other parts of North Africa. Known as the Fes in Turkiye, Russia & Central Asia & as the Peci In Indonesia, it also traditionally worn in parts of the former Ottoman Empire.

Did you know the iconic Tiffany lamp was inspired by Turkish glass lamps?

Designed by Louis Comfort Tiffany, an American artist renowned for his innovative work in stained glass & decorative art. He found inspiration in the rich traditions of Islamic art & culture

A thread...

1/ Born into a family of artists in 1848, Tiffany's exposure to artistic influences from an early age laid the foundation for his eclectic style. Throughout his career, he showed an appreciation for the beauty of Islamic art, incorporating Islamic design into his own creations

The art of Henna has been practiced in South Asia, Africa & the Middle East for over 5000 years. The botanical name of the henna plant is Lawsonia inermis. A member of the Loosestrife family, henna originally comes from Egypt.
 
For Eid, a thread on henna in Muslim cultures… 1/ The English name henna comes from the Arabic term الحناء (al-ḥinnā). The name henna also refers to the dye prepared from the henna plant and the art of temporary tattooing from those dyes. Henna has been used for centuries to dye skin, hair & fingernails as well as fabrics

Tonight could be Laylat-al-Qadr - one of the holiest nights in the Islamic calendar, when Angel Jibril revealed the Qur'an’s first verses to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. The first word of the Qur’an revealed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was ‘Iqra’ which means ‘Read’

A thread on Laylat-al-Qadr 1/‘Read: In the name of thy Lord who created. Created man from a leech like clot. Read: And your Lord is the Most Bountiful. He taught by the pen. He taught man which he knew not’ (Al-`Alaq 96:1-5)

#LaylatulQadr

Every spring roses bloom in the western Saudi city of Taif, turning pockets of the Kingdom’s vast desert landscape a vivid & fragrant pink.

In April, they are harvested for the essential oil used to cleanse the walls of the sacred Kaaba in Makkah

A thread on the roses of Taif… 1/ Thanks to its favorable climate, Taif is home to nearly a thousand rose farms, with aromatic blossoms stretching from Wadi Mahram to Al-Hada. This is perhaps why the city of Taif is no stranger to festivals themed around roses

Did you know that the Persian scholar of medicine, Ibn Sina (980-1037) suspected some diseases were spread by microorganisms.

To prevent human-to-human contamination, he came up with a method of isolating people for 40 days.

A thread on Ibn Sina & his impact on modern science… 1/ Ibn Sina, also known to the Latin West as Avicenna, was a Persian polymath and one of the most influential Islamic philosophers, physicians, and scientists of the medieval period. He was born in 980 CE in present-day Uzbekistan and passed away in 1037 CE in Iran.

Syria is the soul of the Arab world & is nicknamed paradise on earth. One of the oldest civilizations in the world, it is a region rich in history & culture. A famous feature of Syria is the traditional architecture of its courtyard homes.
 
A thread on courtyard homes in Syria… 1/ In the old city of Damascus, Syria, lies centuries old houses that are a staple of Syrian historical architecture. Damascus is a city of rich history and beautiful and unique architecture. In Damascus houses that are centuries old still remain