As the crescent moon heralds the end of Ramadan, the Islamic community worldwide prepares to bid farewell to the blessed month with a mixture of joy, gratitude, and contemplation. Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, is where Muslims engage in a period of fasting, increased prayer, and acts of charity. It is a time for spiritual reflection and personal growth, culminating in...

Genghiz Khan died in 1227. Upon his death, his vast empire was divided up into five parts: (1) Mongolistan consisting of the Mongol home turf, (2) Chagtai, consisting of Khorasan and Farghana Valley, (3) Persia, ruled by the Il-Khans, (4) Russia and Kazakhstan, ruled by the Golden Hordes and (5) China. The Mongols continued their advance after Genghiz. In 1229, they planned three great...

Civilizations collide when the transcendental values that govern them are used to define identity. During the Crusades, the Christian belief that God was immanent in the person of Jesus Christ collided with the Islamic vision that God is transcendent. For the Christian world all that was holy and venerable was embodied in the Cross of the Holy Sepulcher on which Jesus is believed to have been...