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Cao'an is a temple in Jinjiang, Fujian. Originally constructed by Chinese Manicheans, it was viewed by later worshipers as a Buddhist temple. This 'Manichean temple in Buddhist disguise' is considered the only extant Manichean temple in China.<br/><br/> The most remarkable Manichaean relic in the temple is the statue of Manichaeism's founder Mani, commonly referred to in the Chinese Manichaean tradition as the 'Buddha of Light'. According to an inscription, the statue was donated to the temple by a local adherent in 1339.<br/><br/> Instead of being curly-haired and clean-shaven, as most other Buddha statues, this Buddha of Light is depicted having straight hair draped over his shoulders, and sporting a beard. The facial features of the prophet (arched eyebrows, fleshy jowls) are somewhat different from a traditional Chinese stone Buddha as well.
The Miraj forms part of the Night Journey that the prophet of Islam, Muhammad took during a single night around the year 621 CE. In the journey, Muhammad travels on the steed Buraq to 'the farthest mosque' where he leads other prophets in prayer. He then ascends to heaven where he speaks to God, who gives Muhammad instructions to take back to the faithful regarding the details of prayer.<br/><br/> Representations of the Prophet Muhammad are controversial, and generally forbidden in Sunni Islam (especially Hanafiyya, Wahabi, Salafiyya). Shia Islam and some other branches of Sunni Islam (Hanbali, Maliki, Shafi'i) are generally more tolerant of such representational images, but even so the Prophet's features are generally veiled or concealed by flames as a mark of deep respect.
Birth of the Prophet Muhammad. Miniature illustration on vellum from the book Jami' at-Tawarikh (literally 'Compendium of Chronicles' but often referred to as 'The Universal History or History of the World'), by Rashid al-Din, Tabriz, Persia, 1307 CE, now in the collection of the Edinburgh University Library, Scotland.<br/><br/> Representations of the Prophet Muhammad are controversial, and generally forbidden in Sunni Islam (especially Hanafiyya, Wahabi, Salafiyya). Shia Islam and some other branches of Sunni Islam (Hanbali, Maliki, Shafi'i) are generally more tolerant of such representational images, but even so the Prophet's features are generally veiled or concealed by flames as a mark of deep respect.
Representations of the Prophet Muhammad are controversial, and generally forbidden in Sunni Islam (especially Hanafiyya, Wahabi, Salafiyya).<br/><br/> Shia Islam and some other branches of Sunni Islam (Hanbali, Maliki, Shafi'i) are generally more tolerant of such representational images, but even so the Prophet's features are generally veiled or concealed by flames as a mark of deep respect.
The Banu Qaynuqa (also spelled Banu Kainuka, Banu Kaynuka, Banu Qainuqa, Banu Qaynuqa) was one of the three main Jewish tribes living in 7th century Medina, now in Saudi Arabia. In 624 they were expelled by the Prophet Muhammad for breaking the treaty known as the Constitution of Medina.
Representations of the Prophet Muhammad are controversial, and generally forbidden in Sunni Islam (especially Hanafiyya, Wahabi, Salafiyya).<br/><br/> Shia Islam and some other branches of Sunni Islam (Hanbali, Maliki, Shafi'i) are generally more tolerant of such representational images, but even so the Prophet's features are generally veiled or concealed by flames as a mark of deep respect.
Jeremiah (Hebrew: Yirmeyahu, Arabic: Iاrmiya‎), also called the 'Weeping prophet', was one of the major prophets of the Hebrew Bible (Christian Old Testament).<br/><br/> Jeremiah is traditionally credited with authoring the Book of Jeremiah, 1 Kings, 2 Kings and the Book of Lamentations, with the assistance and under the editorship of Baruch ben Neriah, his scribe and disciple.
Representations of the Prophet Muhammad are controversial, and generally forbidden in Sunni Islam (especially Hanafiyya, Wahabi, Salafiyya).<br/><br/> Shia Islam and some other branches of Sunni Islam (Hanbali, Maliki, Shafi'i) are generally more tolerant of such representational images, but even so the Prophet's features are generally veiled or concealed by flames as a mark of deep respect.
The Great Mosque was first built by the Umayyads in the 8th century CE and was modelled on the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus. It was almost completely destroyed in 1982 during the Sunni muslim uprising in Hama.<br/><br/> Hama is the location of the historical city of Hamath. In 1982 it was the scene of the worst massacre in modern Arab history. President Hafaz al-Assad ordered his brother Rifaat al-Assad to quell a Sunni Islamist revolt in the city. An estimated 25,000 to 30,000 people were massacred.
The Miraj forms part of the Night Journey that the prophet of Islam, Muhammad took during a single night around the year 621 CE. In the journey, Muhammad travels on the steed Buraq to 'the farthest mosque' where he leads other prophets in prayer. He then ascends to heaven where he speaks to God, who gives Muhammad instructions to take back to the faithful regarding the details of prayer.<br/><br/> Representations of the Prophet Muhammad are controversial, and generally forbidden in Sunni Islam (especially Hanafiyya, Wahabi, Salafiyya). Shia Islam and some other branches of Sunni Islam (Hanbali, Maliki, Shafi'i) are generally more tolerant of such representational images, but even so the Prophet's features are generally veiled or concealed by flames as a mark of deep respect.
Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Abdallah or Muhammad 'al-Imam' was the son of Ali ibn Abdallah ibn al-'Abbas and grandson of al-'Abbas ibn 'Abd al-Muttalib, the uncle of the Islamic prophet, Muhammad.<br/><br/> His tomb was destroyed destroyed by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in June2015.
Justin Perkins (1805-1869) was born on a farm in Massachusetts, and educated at Amherst and the Andover Theological Seminary. From 1833 until shortly before his death in 1869, he served as missionary to the Nestorian Christians of Qajar Iran (1794-1925) under the auspices of the American Board of Commissioners of Foreign Missions. He was the first American missionary in Qajar Iran, as well as an eminent scholar of Syriac.<br/><br/> He developed an alphabet for the writing of modern Syriac, which was the Nestorians' vernacular, and established a press at Urmia (spelled Oroomiah by Perkins) in western Azerbaijan to print his translations of the New Testament (1846) and the Old Testament (1852) in both liturgical and modern Syriac.<br/><br/> Urmia, sometimes spelled, Orumieh, during the majority of the Pahlavi Dynasty (1925–1979) called Rezaiyeh), is a city in Northwestern Iran and the capital of West Azerbaijan Province. The city lies on an altitude of 1,330 m above sea level on the Shahar Chay river (City River). Urmia is the 10th most populated city in Iran with a population of about 600,000. The population is predominantly Azerbaijani with significant Kurdish, Assyrian and Armenian minorities.
Mani (c.216–276 CE), of Iranian origin, was the prophet and the founder of Manichaeism, a gnostic religion of Late Antiquity which was once widespread but is now extinct. Mani was born in or near Seleucia-Ctesiphon in Asuristan (Assyria), at the time still part of the Parthian Empire.<br/><br/> Six of his major works were written in Syriac Aramaic and the seventh, dedicated to the king of the empire, Shapur I, was written in Middle Persian. He died in Gundeshapur, under the Sassanid Empire.
The Isra and Mi'raj (Arabic: الإسراء والمعراج‎, transl. al-ʾIsrāʾ wa l-Miʿrāğ), are the two parts of a Night Journey that, according to Islamic tradition, the Prophet Muhammad took during a single night around the year 621. It considered as both a physical and spiritual journey.<br/><br/> A brief outline of the story is related in surah 17 'Al-Isra' of the Qur'an, and other details come from the Hadith, supplemental accounts of the life ofthe Prophet Muhammad recorded by his companions. In the journey, the Prophet Muhammad travels on the celestial mount Al-Buraq to 'the farthest temple' (Holy Temple of Al-Quds or Jerusalem) where he leads other prophets in prayer. He then ascends through the seven heavens where he speaks to God, who gives Muhammad instructions to take back to the faithful on Earth about the number of times to offer prayers each day.<br/><br/> According to traditions, the Journey is associated with the Lailat al Miraj, as one of the most significant events in the Islamic calendar.<br/><br/> Representations of the Prophet Muhammad are controversial, and generally forbidden in Sunni Islam (especially Hanafiyya, Wahabi, Salafiyya). Shia Islam and some other branches of Sunni Islam (Hanbali, Maliki, Shafi'i) are generally more tolerant of such representational images, but even so the Prophet's features are generally veiled or concealed by flames as a mark of deep respect.
Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib (Arabic: علي بن أﺑﻲ طالب;, c.598-661 CE). The son of Abu Talib, Ali was also the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet, Muhammad, ruling over the Islamic Caliphate from 656 to 661, and was the first male convert to Islam.<br/><br/> Sunnis consider Ali the fourth and final of the Rashidun (rightly guided) Caliphs, while Shia regard Ali as the first Imam and consider him and his descendants the rightful successors to Muhammad, all of which are members of the Ahl al-Bayt, the household of Muhammad. This disagreement split the Ummah (Muslim community) into the Sunni and Shia branches.
A scene from the Isra and Mi'raj (Arabic: الإسراء والمعراج‎, al-’Isrā’ wal-Mi‘rāğ), the two parts of a Night Journey that, according to Islamic tradition, the Islamic prophet Muhammad took during a single night around the year 621.<br/><br/> It has been described as both a physical and spiritual journey. A brief sketch of the story is in sura (chapter) 17 Al-Isra of the Qur'an, and other details come from the Hadith, supplemental writings about the life of Muhammad.<br/><br/> In the journey, Muhammad travels on the steed Buraq to 'the farthest mosque' where he leads other prophets in prayer. He then ascends to heaven where he speaks to God, who gives Muhammad instructions to take back to the faithful on Earth about the number of times to offer prayers each day.
Isaiah (Hebrew: יְשַׁעְיָהוּ, Greek: Ἠσαΐας, Ēsaïās) was a prophet in the 8th-century BC Kingdom of Judah. Jews and Christians consider the Book of Isaiah a part of their Biblical canon; he is the first listed (although not the earliest) of the neviim akharonim, the later prophets. Many of the New Testament teachings of Jesus refer to the book of Isaiah.
Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib (Arabic: علي بن أﺑﻲ طالب;, c.598-661 CE). The son of Abu Talib, Ali was also the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet, Muhammad, ruling over the Islamic Caliphate from 656 to 661, and was the first male convert to Islam.<br/><br/> Sunnis consider Ali the fourth and final of the Rashidun (rightly guided) Caliphs, while Shia regard Ali as the first Imam and consider him and his descendants the rightful successors to Muhammad, all of which are members of the Ahl al-Bayt, the household of Muhammad. This disagreement split the Ummah (Muslim community) into the Sunni and Shia branches.
The Isra and Mi'raj (Arabic: الإسراء والمعراج‎, transl. al-ʾIsrāʾ wa l-Miʿrāğ), are the two parts of a Night Journey that, according to Islamic tradition, the Prophet Muhammad took during a single night around the year 621. It is considered as both a physical and spiritual journey.<br/><br/> A brief outline of the story is related in surah 17 'Al-Isra' of the Qur'an, and other details come from the Hadith, supplemental accounts of the life of the Prophet Muhammad recorded by his companions. In the journey, the Prophet Muhammad travels on the celestial mount Al-Buraq to 'the farthest temple' (Holy Temple of Al-Quds or Jerusalem) where he leads other prophets in prayer. He then ascends through the seven heavens where he speaks to God, who gives Muhammad instructions to take back to the faithful on Earth about the number of times to offer prayers each day.<br/><br/> According to traditions, the Journey is associated with the Lailat al Miraj, as one of the most significant events in the Islamic calendar.<br/><br/> Representations of the Prophet Muhammad are controversial, and generally forbidden in Sunni Islam (especially Hanafiyya, Wahabi, Salafiyya). Shia Islam and some other branches of Sunni Islam (Hanbali, Maliki, Shafi'i) are generally more tolerant of such representational images, but even so the Prophet's features are generally veiled or concealed by flames as a mark of deep respect.
Nakkaş Osman (sometimes called Osman the Miniaturist) was the chief miniaturist for the Ottoman Empire during the latter half of the sixteenth century. The dates of his birth and death are uncertain, but most of his works are dated to the last quarter of the sixteenth century.<br/><br/> The oldest known illustrations of Nakkaş Osman's were made between 1560 and 1570 for a Turkish translation of the Persian manuscript Firdausi's Shahnama.Among the works he illustrated, he is known to have been the chief illustrator of the various official histories written by Sayyid Lokman for Murad III that were produced in this era, including the Zafername (Book of Victories), the Şahname-ı Selim Han (Book of Kings) and the Şehinşahname (Book of King of Kings). He was also one of the illustrators of the Siyer-i Nebi, an epic on the life of Muhammad written around 1388, then illustrated around 1595.<br/><br/> Representations of the Prophet Muhammad are controversial, and generally forbidden in Sunni Islam (especially Hanafiyya, Wahabi, Salafiyya). Shia Islam and some other branches of Sunni Islam (Hanbali, Maliki, Shafi'i) are generally more tolerant of such representational images, but even so the Prophet's features are generally veiled or concealed by flames as a mark of deep respect.
The Isra and Mi'raj (Arabic: الإسراء والمعراج‎, transl. al-ʾIsrāʾ wa l-Miʿrāğ), are the two parts of a Night Journey that, according to Islamic tradition, the Prophet Muhammad took during a single night around the year 621. It considered as both a physical and spiritual journey.<br/><br/> A brief outline of the story is related in surah 17 'Al-Isra' of the Qur'an, and other details come from the Hadith, supplemental accounts of the life ofthe Prophet Muhammad recorded by his companions. In the journey, the Prophet Muhammad travels on the celestial mount Al-Buraq to 'the farthest temple' (Holy Temple of Al-Quds or Jerusalem) where he leads other prophets in prayer. He then ascends through the seven heavens where he speaks to God, who gives Muhammad instructions to take back to the faithful on Earth about the number of times to offer prayers each day.<br/><br/> According to traditions, the Journey is associated with the Lailat al Miraj, as one of the most significant events in the Islamic calendar.<br/><br/> Representations of the Prophet Muhammad are controversial, and generally forbidden in Sunni Islam (especially Hanafiyya, Wahabi, Salafiyya). Shia Islam and some other branches of Sunni Islam (Hanbali, Maliki, Shafi'i) are generally more tolerant of such representational images, but even so the Prophet's features are generally veiled or concealed by flames as a mark of deep respect.
According to Islamic prophetic tradition, Muhammad was descended from Adnan. Tradition records the genealogy from Adnan to Muhammad comprises 21 generations.<br/><br/> Various genealogies of Adnan up to Isma'il have been narrated and is subject to controversies and doubt. Adnan was the ancestor of the Adnani Arabs of northern, central and western Arabia and a direct descendant of Isma'il. It is not confirmed how many generations are between them, however Adnan was fairly close to Isma'il. Isma'il had twelve sons who are said to have become twelve tribal chiefs throughout the regions from Havilah to Shur (from Assyria to the border of Egypt).<br/><br/> Genealogists differ from which son of Isma'il the main line of descent came, either through his eldest son Nabut, or his second son Qedar who was the father of the North Arabian Qedarite tribe that controlled the region between the Persian Gulf and the Sinai Peninsula. Genealogists also differ in the names on the line of descent.
The Isra and Mi'raj (Arabic: الإسراء والمعراج‎, transl. al-ʾIsrāʾ wa l-Miʿrāğ), are the two parts of a Night Journey that, according to Islamic tradition, the Prophet Muhammad took during a single night around the year 621. It considered as both a physical and spiritual journey.<br/><br/> A brief outline of the story is related in surah 17 'Al-Isra' of the Qur'an, and other details come from the Hadith, supplemental accounts of the life ofthe Prophet Muhammad recorded by his companions. In the journey, the Prophet Muhammad travels on the celestial mount Al-Buraq to 'the farthest temple' (Holy Temple of Al-Quds or Jerusalem) where he leads other prophets in prayer. He then ascends through the seven heavens where he speaks to God, who gives Muhammad instructions to take back to the faithful on Earth about the number of times to offer prayers each day.<br/><br/> According to traditions, the Journey is associated with the Lailat al Miraj, as one of the most significant events in the Islamic calendar.<br/><br/> Representations of the Prophet Muhammad are controversial, and generally forbidden in Sunni Islam (especially Hanafiyya, Wahabi, Salafiyya). Shia Islam and some other branches of Sunni Islam (Hanbali, Maliki, Shafi'i) are generally more tolerant of such representational images, but even so the Prophet's features are generally veiled or concealed by flames as a mark of deep respect.
In the medieval Islamic tradition, Mani is described as a painter who set up a sectarian movement in opposition to Zoroastrianism. He was persecuted by Shapur I and fled to Turkestan, where he made disciples and embellished temples with his paintings.<br/><br/> Provisioning in advance a cave which had a spring, he told his disciples he was going to heaven, and would not return for a year, after which time they were to seek him in the cave in question. When they went to look for him, he showed them an illustrated book, called Ergenk, or Estenk, which he said he had brought from heaven: whereafter he had many followers, with whom he returned to Persia at the death of Shapur.<br/><br/> The new king, Hormisdas, joined and protected the sect; and built Mani a castle. The next king, Bahram or Varanes, at first favoured Mani; but, after getting him to debate with certain Zoroastrian teachers, caused him to be flayed alive, and the skin to be stuffed and hung up. Thereupon most of his followers fled to India, and some even to China, those remaining being reduced to slavery.
This Arabic panel praises Muhammad's son-in-law 'Ali and his famous double-edged sword Dhu al-Fiqar, which he inherited from the Prophet, with the topmost statement executed in black ink: 'There is no victory except in 'Ali [and] there is no sword except Dhu al-Fiqar' (la fath ila 'Ali, la sayf ila Dhu al-Fiqar).
Zoroaster (Old Persian: Zarathustra, in modern Persian Zardosht) is generally thought to have lived about the 11th or 10th century BCE. Zoroastrianism is a religion and philosophy based on the teachings of Zoroaster as prophet. The term Zoroastrianism is, in general usage, essentially synonymous with Mazdaism (the worship of Ahura Mazda, exalted by Zoroaster as the supreme divine authority).<br/><br/> In Zoroastrianism, the Creator Ahura Mazda is all good, and no evil originates from Him. Thus, in Zoroastrianism good and evil have distinct sources, with evil (druj) trying to destroy the creation of Mazda (asha), and good trying to sustain it. In some form, it served as the national- or state religion of a significant portion of the Iranian people for many centuries.
Zoroaster (Old Persian: Zarathustra, in modern Persian Zardosht) is generally thought to have lived about the 11th or 10th century BCE. Zoroastrianism is a religion and philosophy based on the teachings of Zoroaster as prophet. The term Zoroastrianism is, in general usage, essentially synonymous with Mazdaism (the worship of Ahura Mazda, exalted by Zoroaster as the supreme divine authority).<br/><br/> In Zoroastrianism, the Creator Ahura Mazda is all good, and no evil originates from Him. Thus, in Zoroastrianism good and evil have distinct sources, with evil (druj) trying to destroy the creation of Mazda (asha), and good trying to sustain it. In some form, it served as the national- or state religion of a significant portion of the Iranian people for many centuries.
Zedekiah had been installed as king of Jerusalem by the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar II following the Siege of Jerusalem in 597 BCE. But Zedekiah revolted against Babylon, and entered into an alliance with Pharaoh Hophra, the king of Egypt. In 589 BCE, Nebuchadnezzar began an 18-month siege of Jerusalem, eventually breaking down Jerusalem's walls and conquering the city. Jerusalem was plundered, its temples were burnt down, and most of its inhabitants were taken into captivity in Babylon.<br/><br/> The Prophet Jeremiah had tried to warn Zedekiah against breaking his alliance with Babylon. After conquering Jerusalem, Nebuchadnezzar ordered Zedekiah’s eyes gouged out. Jeremiah was well-treated however, and went on to live in Egypt. He is credited with writing the Books of Jeremiah, Kings I and Kings II in the Old Testament (Hebrew Bible), and the Book of Lamentations.
Joel (Hebrew: יואל‎) was a prophet of ancient Israel, the second of the twelve minor prophets and the author of the Book of Joel. He is mentioned by name only once in the Hebrew Bible / Old Testament, in the introduction to his own brief book, as the son of Pethuel (Joel 1:1).<br/><br/> The dates of his life are unknown; he may have lived anywhere from the 9th century BCE to the 5th century BCE, depending on the dating of his book. The book's mention of Greeks has not given scholars any help in dating the text since the Greeks were known to have had access to Judah from Mycenaean times. However, the book's mention of Judah's suffering and to the standing temple has led some scholars to place the date of the book in the post-exilic period, after the construction of the Second Temple. Joel was originally from Judah / Judea, and, judging from its prominence in his prophecy, was quite possibly a prophet associated with the ritual of the Jerusalem temple.
Job (Hebrew: אִיּוֹב, Arabic: أيّوب‎ Ayyūb) is the central character of the Book of Job in the Hebrew Bible. Job is also recognised as a prophet of God in the Qur'an.<br/><br/> The Book of Job begins with an introduction to Job's character. He is described as a blessed man who lives righteously. God's praise of Job prompts Satan to challenge Job's integrity and suggesting that Job serves God simply because he protects him. God removes Job's protection, allowing Satan to take his wealth, his children, and his physical health in order to tempt Job to curse God. Despite his difficult circumstances, he does not curse God, but rather curses the day of his birth. And although he protests his plight and pleads for an explanation, he stops short of accusing God of injustice. Most of the book consists of conversations between Job and his three friends concerning Job's condition and its possible reasons, after which God responds to Job and his friends.<br/><br/> The characters in the Book of Job consist of Job, his wife, his friends, a man named Eliyahu, God, and Satan. Neither the patriarchs nor any other biblical characters make an appearance.
From an illuminated Ottoman dua kitabi or ‘prayer book’ by Hasan Rashid (Istanbul, 1845) once the property of a Topkapi harem lady.<br/><br/> The Arabic term ‘du’a’ is generally translated into English as ‘prayer’, though a more exact rendering would be ‘supplication’. The term is derived from an Arabic word meaning to 'call out' or to 'summon', and Muslims regard this as a profound act of worship. This is when Muslims connect with God and ask him for forgivness or appeal for his favour. The Prophet Muhammad is reported to have said ‘Dua is the very essence of worship’, while one of Allah's commands expressed through the Qur'an is for Muslims to call out to Him: 'Call to Me; I will answer your prayers’.<br/><br/> There is a special emphasis on du'a in Muslim spirituality and early Muslims took great care to record the supplications of Muhammad and transmit them to subsequent generations. These traditions precipitated new genres of literature in which prophetic supplications were gathered together in single volumes that were memorized, taught – and treasured.
Isaiah (Hebrew: יְשַׁעְיָהוּ, Greek: Ἠσαΐας, Ēsaïās) was a prophet in the 8th-century BC Kingdom of Judah. Jews and Christians consider the Book of Isaiah a part of their Biblical canon; he is the first listed (although not the earliest) of the neviim akharonim, the later prophets. Many of the New Testament teachings of Jesus refer to the book of Isaiah.
From an illuminated Ottoman dua kitabi or ‘prayer book’ by Hasan Rashid (Istanbul, 1845) once the property of a Topkapi harem lady.<br/><br/> The Arabic term ‘du’a’ is generally translated into English as ‘prayer’, though a more exact rendering would be ‘supplication’. The term is derived from an Arabic word meaning to 'call out' or to 'summon', and Muslims regard this as a profound act of worship. This is when Muslims connect with God and ask him for forgivness or appeal for his favour. The Prophet Muhammad is reported to have said ‘Dua is the very essence of worship’, while one of Allah's commands expressed through the Qur'an is for Muslims to call out to Him: 'Call to Me; I will answer your prayers’.<br/><br/> There is a special emphasis on du'a in Muslim spirituality and early Muslims took great care to record the supplications of Muhammad and transmit them to subsequent generations. These traditions precipitated new genres of literature in which prophetic supplications were gathered together in single volumes that were memorized, taught – and treasured.
Joel (Hebrew: יואל‎) was a prophet of ancient Israel, the second of the twelve minor prophets and the author of the Book of Joel. He is mentioned by name only once in the Hebrew Bible / Old Testament, in the introduction to his own brief book, as the son of Pethuel (Joel 1:1).<br/><br/> The dates of his life are unknown; he may have lived anywhere from the 9th century BCE to the 5th century BCE, depending on the dating of his book. The book's mention of Greeks has not given scholars any help in dating the text since the Greeks were known to have had access to Judah from Mycenaean times. However, the book's mention of Judah's suffering and to the standing temple has led some scholars to place the date of the book in the post-exilic period, after the construction of the Second Temple. Joel was originally from Judah / Judea, and, judging from its prominence in his prophecy, was quite possibly a prophet associated with the ritual of the Jerusalem temple.
From an illuminated Ottoman dua kitabi or ‘prayer book’ by Hasan Rashid (Istanbul, 1845) once the property of a Topkapi harem lady.<br/><br/> The Arabic term ‘du’a’ is generally translated into English as ‘prayer’, though a more exact rendering would be ‘supplication’. The term is derived from an Arabic word meaning to 'call out' or to 'summon', and Muslims regard this as a profound act of worship. This is when Muslims connect with God and ask him for forgivness or appeal for his favour. The Prophet Muhammad is reported to have said ‘Dua is the very essence of worship’, while one of Allah's commands expressed through the Qur'an is for Muslims to call out to Him: 'Call to Me; I will answer your prayers’.<br/><br/> There is a special emphasis on du'a in Muslim spirituality and early Muslims took great care to record the supplications of Muhammad and transmit them to subsequent generations. These traditions precipitated new genres of literature in which prophetic supplications were gathered together in single volumes that were memorized, taught – and treasured.
Isaiah (Hebrew: יְשַׁעְיָהוּ, Greek: Ἠσαΐας, Ēsaïās) was a prophet in the 8th-century BC Kingdom of Judah. Jews and Christians consider the Book of Isaiah a part of their Biblical canon; he is the first listed (although not the earliest) of the neviim akharonim, the later prophets. Many of the New Testament teachings of Jesus refer to the book of Isaiah.
Representations of the Prophet Muhammad are controversial, and generally forbidden in Sunni Islam (especially Hanafiyya, Wahabi, Salafiyya). Shia Islam and some other branches of Sunni Islam (Hanbali, Maliki, Shafi'i) are generally more tolerant of such representational images, but even so the Prophet's features are generally veiled or concealed by flames as a mark of deep respect.
From an illuminated Ottoman dua kitabi or ‘prayer book’ by Hasan Rashid (Istanbul, 1845) once the property of a Topkapi harem lady.<br/><br/> The Arabic term ‘du’a’ is generally translated into English as ‘prayer’, though a more exact rendering would be ‘supplication’. The term is derived from an Arabic word meaning to 'call out' or to 'summon', and Muslims regard this as a profound act of worship. This is when Muslims connect with God and ask him for forgivness or appeal for his favour. The Prophet Muhammad is reported to have said ‘Dua is the very essence of worship’, while one of Allah's commands expressed through the Qur'an is for Muslims to call out to Him: 'Call to Me; I will answer your prayers’.<br/><br/> There is a special emphasis on du'a in Muslim spirituality and early Muslims took great care to record the supplications of Muhammad and transmit them to subsequent generations. These traditions precipitated new genres of literature in which prophetic supplications were gathered together in single volumes that were memorized, taught – and treasured.
Late 16th century minature of the Prophet Muhammad and the Muslim army at the Battle of Uhud, near Mecca, in 625. The painting was commissioned by the Ottoman sultan Murad III. Muhammad is represented veiled, according to Muslim convention.
Isaiah (Hebrew: יְשַׁעְיָהוּ, Greek: Ἠσαΐας, Ēsaïās) was a prophet in the 8th-century BC Kingdom of Judah. Jews and Christians consider the Book of Isaiah a part of their Biblical canon; he is the first listed (although not the earliest) of the neviim akharonim, the later prophets. Many of the New Testament teachings of Jesus refer to the book of Isaiah.
Representations of the Prophet Muhammad are controversial, and generally forbidden in Sunni Islam (especially Hanafiyya, Wahabi, Salafiyya). Shia Islam and some other branches of Sunni Islam (Hanbali, Maliki, Shafi'i) are generally more tolerant of such representational images, but even so the Prophet's features are generally veiled or concealed by flames as a mark of deep respect.
Isaiah (Hebrew: יְשַׁעְיָהוּ, Greek: Ἠσαΐας, Ēsaïās) was a prophet in the 8th-century BC Kingdom of Judah. Jews and Christians consider the Book of Isaiah a part of their Biblical canon; he is the first listed (although not the earliest) of the neviim akharonim, the later prophets. Many of the New Testament teachings of Jesus refer to the book of Isaiah.
From an illuminated Ottoman dua kitabi or ‘prayer book’ by Hasan Rashid (Istanbul, 1845) once the property of a Topkapi harem lady.<br/><br/> The Arabic term ‘du’a’ is generally translated into English as ‘prayer’, though a more exact rendering would be ‘supplication’. The term is derived from an Arabic word meaning to 'call out' or to 'summon', and Muslims regard this as a profound act of worship. This is when Muslims connect with God and ask him for forgivness or appeal for his favour. The Prophet Muhammad is reported to have said ‘Dua is the very essence of worship’, while one of Allah's commands expressed through the Qur'an is for Muslims to call out to Him: 'Call to Me; I will answer your prayers’.<br/><br/> There is a special emphasis on du'a in Muslim spirituality and early Muslims took great care to record the supplications of Muhammad and transmit them to subsequent generations. These traditions precipitated new genres of literature in which prophetic supplications were gathered together in single volumes that were memorized, taught – and treasured.
The Isra and Mi'raj (Arabic: الإسراء والمعراج‎, transl. al-ʾIsrāʾ wa l-Miʿrāğ), are the two parts of a Night Journey that, according to Islamic tradition, the Prophet Muhammad took during a single night around the year 621. It considered as both a physical and spiritual journey.<br/><br/> A brief outline of the story is related in surah 17 'Al-Isra' of the Qur'an, and other details come from the Hadith, supplemental accounts of the life of the Prophet Muhammad recorded by his companions. In the journey, the Prophet Muhammad travels on the celestial mount Al-Buraq to 'the farthest temple' (Holy Temple of Al-Quds or Jerusalem) where he leads other prophets in prayer. He then ascends through the seven heavens where he speaks to God, who gives Muhammad instructions to take back to the faithful on Earth about the number of times to offer prayers each day.<br/><br/> According to traditions, the Journey is associated with the Lailat al Miraj, as one of the most significant events in the Islamic calendar.<br/><br/> Representations of the Prophet Muhammad are controversial, and generally forbidden in Sunni Islam (especially Hanafiyya, Wahabi, Salafiyya). Shia Islam and some other branches of Sunni Islam (Hanbali, Maliki, Shafi'i) are generally more tolerant of such representational images, but even so the Prophet's features are generally veiled or concealed by flames as a mark of deep respect.
Generally the Prophet Muhammad is depicted with his face veiled, out of respect for his status as the seal of prophets. In the 14th century, during the Mongol Il-Khanid dynasty, however, the Prophet’s face is sometimes shown.
Isaiah (Hebrew: יְשַׁעְיָהוּ, Greek: Ἠσαΐας, Ēsaïās) was a prophet in the 8th-century BC Kingdom of Judah. Jews and Christians consider the Book of Isaiah a part of their Biblical canon; he is the first listed (although not the earliest) of the neviim akharonim, the later prophets. Many of the New Testament teachings of Jesus refer to the book of Isaiah.
Joel (Hebrew: יואל‎) was a prophet of ancient Israel, the second of the twelve minor prophets and the author of the Book of Joel. He is mentioned by name only once in the Hebrew Bible / Old Testament, in the introduction to his own brief book, as the son of Pethuel (Joel 1:1).<br/><br/> The dates of his life are unknown; he may have lived anywhere from the 9th century BCE to the 5th century BCE, depending on the dating of his book. The book's mention of Greeks has not given scholars any help in dating the text since the Greeks were known to have had access to Judah from Mycenaean times. However, the book's mention of Judah's suffering and to the standing temple has led some scholars to place the date of the book in the post-exilic period, after the construction of the Second Temple. Joel was originally from Judah / Judea, and, judging from its prominence in his prophecy, was quite possibly a prophet associated with the ritual of the Jerusalem temple.
From an illuminated Ottoman dua kitabi or ‘prayer book’ by Hasan Rashid (Istanbul, 1845) once the property of a Topkapi harem lady.<br/><br/> The Arabic term ‘du’a’ is generally translated into English as ‘prayer’, though a more exact rendering would be ‘supplication’. The term is derived from an Arabic word meaning to 'call out' or to 'summon', and Muslims regard this as a profound act of worship. This is when Muslims connect with God and ask him for forgivness or appeal for his favour. The Prophet Muhammad is reported to have said ‘Dua is the very essence of worship’, while one of Allah's commands expressed through the Qur'an is for Muslims to call out to Him: 'Call to Me; I will answer your prayers’.<br/><br/> There is a special emphasis on du'a in Muslim spirituality and early Muslims took great care to record the supplications of Muhammad and transmit them to subsequent generations. These traditions precipitated new genres of literature in which prophetic supplications were gathered together in single volumes that were memorized, taught – and treasured.
Nadr ibn al-Harith had repeatedly mocked the Prophet Muhammad and the Qur'an. The miniature comes from a six-volume edition of the Life of the Prophet commissioned by Sultan Murad III and made in the court studio in Istanbul. The Prophet Muhammad is depicted veiled to show respect, as was the general custom of the time.
Birth of the Prophet Muhammad. Miniature illustration on vellum from the book Jami' at-Tawarikh (literally 'Compendium of Chronicles' but often referred to as 'The Universal History or History of the World'), by Rashid al-Din, Tabriz, Persia, 1307 CE, now in the collection of the Edinburgh University Library, Scotland.<br/><br/> Representations of the Prophet Muhammad are controversial, and generally forbidden in Sunni Islam (especially Hanafiyya, Wahabi, Salafiyya). Shia Islam and some other branches of Sunni Islam (Hanbali, Maliki, Shafi'i) are generally more tolerant of such representational images, but even so the Prophet's features are generally veiled or concealed by flames as a mark of deep respect.
The Prophet Muhammad receiving his first revelation from the angel Jibril (Gabriel). Miniature illustration on vellum from the book Jami' at-Tawarikh (literally 'Compendium of Chronicles' but often referred to as 'The Universal History or History of the World'), by Rashid al-Din, Tabriz, Persia, 1307 CE, now in the collection of the Edinburgh University Library, Scotland.<br/><br/> Representations of the Prophet Muhammad are controversial, and generally forbidden in Sunni Islam (especially Hanafiyya, Wahabi, Salafiyya). Shia Islam and some other branches of Sunni Islam (Hanbali, Maliki, Shafi'i) are generally more tolerant of such representational images, but even so the Prophet's features are generally veiled or concealed by flames as a mark of deep respect.
The Prophet Muhammad preaching his final sermon to his earliest converts, on Mount Ararat near Mecca; taken from a medieval-era manuscript of the astronomical treatise 'The Remaining Signs of Past Centuries' by the Persian scholar al-Biruni; currently housed in the collection of Edinburgh University Library, Scotland.<br/><br/> Representations of the Prophet Muhammad are controversial, and generally forbidden in Sunni Islam (especially Hanafiyya, Wahabi, Salafiyya). Shia Islam and some other branches of Sunni Islam (Hanbali, Maliki, Shafi'i) are generally more tolerant of such representational images, but even so the Prophet's features are generally veiled or concealed by flames as a mark of deep respect.
The Prophet Muhammad preaching his final sermon to his earliest converts, on Mount Ararat near Mecca; taken from a medieval-era manuscript of the astronomical treatise 'The Remaining Signs of Past Centuries' by the Persian scholar al-Biruni; currently housed in the collection of Edinburgh University Library, Scotland.<br/><br/> Representations of the Prophet Muhammad are controversial, and generally forbidden in Sunni Islam (especially Hanafiyya, Wahabi, Salafiyya). Shia Islam and some other branches of Sunni Islam (Hanbali, Maliki, Shafi'i) are generally more tolerant of such representational images, but even so the Prophet's features are generally veiled or concealed by flames as a mark of deep respect.
The Prophet Muhammad preaching his final sermon to his earliest converts, on Mount Ararat near Mecca; taken from a medieval-era manuscript of the astronomical treatise 'The Remaining Signs of Past Centuries' by the Persian scholar al-Biruni; currently housed in the collection of the Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris, France.<br/><br/> Representations of the Prophet Muhammad are controversial, and generally forbidden in Sunni Islam (especially Hanafiyya, Wahabi, Salafiyya). Shia Islam and some other branches of Sunni Islam (Hanbali, Maliki, Shafi'i) are generally more tolerant of such representational images, but even so the Prophet's features are generally veiled or concealed by flames as a mark of deep respect.
The Isra and Mi'raj (Arabic: الإسراء والمعراج‎, transl. al-ʾIsrāʾ wa l-Miʿrāğ), are the two parts of a Night Journey that, according to Islamic tradition, the Prophet Muhammad took during a single night around the year 621. It considered as both a physical and spiritual journey.<br/><br/> A brief outline of the story is related in surah 17 'Al-Isra' of the Qur'an, and other details come from the Hadith, supplemental accounts of the life ofthe Prophet Muhammad recorded by his companions. In the journey, the Prophet Muhammad travels on the celestial mount Al-Buraq to 'the farthest temple' (Holy Temple of Al-Quds or Jerusalem) where he leads other prophets in prayer. He then ascends through the seven heavens where he speaks to God, who gives Muhammad instructions to take back to the faithful on Earth about the number of times to offer prayers each day.<br/><br/> According to traditions, the Journey is associated with the Lailat al Miraj, as one of the most significant events in the Islamic calendar.<br/><br/> Representations of the Prophet Muhammad are controversial, and generally forbidden in Sunni Islam (especially Hanafiyya, Wahabi, Salafiyya). Shia Islam and some other branches of Sunni Islam (Hanbali, Maliki, Shafi'i) are generally more tolerant of such representational images, but even so the Prophet's features are generally veiled or concealed by flames as a mark of deep respect.
In 630, the Prophet Muhammad marched on Mecca with a large force, said to number more than ten thousand men.<br/><br/> With minimal casualties, the Muslims took control of the city. The Prophet Muhammad declared an amnesty for past offences, except for ten men and women who had mocked and ridiculed him in songs and verses. Some of these were later pardoned.<br/><br/> Most Meccans converted to Islam and the Prophet Muhammad subsequently destroyed all the statues of Arabian gods in and around the Kaaba.<br/><br/> Representations of the Prophet Muhammad are controversial, and generally forbidden in Sunni Islam (especially Hanafiyya, Wahabi, Salafiyya). Shia Islam and some other branches of Sunni Islam (Hanbali, Maliki, Shafi'i) are generally more tolerant of such representational images, but even so the Prophet's features are generally veiled or concealed by flames as a mark of deep respect.
Mani (c.216–276 CE), of Iranian origin, was the prophet and the founder of Manichaeism, a gnostic religion of Late Antiquity which was once widespread but is now extinct. Mani was born in or near Seleucia-Ctesiphon in Asuristan (Assyria), at the time still part of the Parthian Empire.<br/><br/> Six of his major works were written in Syriac Aramaic and the seventh, dedicated to the king of the empire, Shapur I, was written in Middle Persian. He died in Gundeshapur, under the Sassanid Empire.
Mani, founder of the third-century C.E. religion Manichaeism, stands before his elect followers in this wall painting (now lost) from a Manichaean sanctuary, discovered in the early 20th century in Khocho, in the Sinkiang region of northwestern China.<br/><br/> Behind Mani in this eighth-century painting is a crescent moon encircling a white sun disk—perhaps a symbol of the Realms of Light and of Darkness that make up the Manichaean universe. The elect are arrayed by age, with the clean-faced youths at top and the mature, bearded men at bottom.
Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib (Arabic: علي بن أﺑﻲ طالب) was the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, ruled over the Islamic Caliphate from 656 to 661, and was the first male convert to Islam.<br/><br/> Sunni Muslims consider Ali the fourth and final of the Rashidun (rightly guided Caliphs), while Shi'a Muslims regard Ali as the first Imam and consider him and his descendants the rightful successors to Muhammad, all of whom are members of the Ahl al-Bayt, the household of Muhammad.<br/><br/> This disagreement divides the Ummah (Muslim community) into the Sunni and Shi'a branches. Ali is greatly revered in Shia Islam. Zulfiqar 'bifurcated' (Arabic: ذو الفقار‎ Dhū l-Fiqār) is the sword of Ali. In Arabic the name is commonly transliterated as Dhu al-Fiqar, Thulfeqar, Dhulfiqar, Zoulfikar etc.<br/><br/> Representations of the Prophet Muhammad are controversial, and generally forbidden in Sunni Islam (especially Hanafiyya, Wahabi, Salafiyya). Shia Islam and some other branches of Sunni Islam (Hanbali, Maliki, Shafi'i) are generally more tolerant of such representational images, but even so the Prophet's features are generally veiled or concealed by flames as a mark of deep respect.
Isaiah (Hebrew: יְשַׁעְיָהוּ, Greek: Ἠσαΐας, Ēsaïās) was a prophet in the 8th-century BC Kingdom of Judah. Jews and Christians consider the Book of Isaiah a part of their Biblical canon; he is the first listed (although not the earliest) of the neviim akharonim, the later prophets. Many of the New Testament teachings of Jesus refer to the book of Isaiah.