Umrah, also known as the "lesser pilgrimage," is an Islamic ritual that holds significant religious importance in the lives of Muslims worldwide. Unlike Hajj, which is compulsory for those who are physically and financially able, Umrah is a voluntary pilgrimage to Mecca that can be performed at any time of the year. This journey, while not an obligatory act of worship, encapsulates profound...

Not since the Battle of Badr had the Islamic world stood face to face with extinction as it did at the Battle of Ayn Jalut. Just as the Prophet had triumphed at Badr 600 years earlier, the Mamlukes triumphed over the combined armies of the Mongols, the Crusaders and the Armenians at the Battle of Ayn Jalut. The Muslim world survived by a margin that was as small as any allowed by history to any...