History

The Acacus mountains are being vandalised. The prehistoric civilisation located in Southern Libya, filled with rock art and engravings, has long been a hotspot for tourism. Now after enduring countless epochs, they are left unprotected.

Rufaida Al-Aslamia, who lived during the time of the Prophet, was a pioneering figure in the field of Islamic medicine and social work. She is widely acknowledged as the first female Muslim nurse and the first woman surgeon in Islamic history.

Fyodor Dostoevsky's relationship with the Muslim world is unknown. Yet, the Russian novelist has repeatedly referred to the Qur'an, Islam and its Prophet Muhammed.

Mariam Al Astrulabi helped develop navigation and timekeeping as we know it. A pioneer of the astrolabe, a scientific device used to calculate the position of the sun and stars, Mariam's achievements have been recognised for over a millennium.

To commemorate the International Day of Tatreez and Palestinian culture, we met with The Tatreez Sisters, an online platform started by two British-Palestinian women living in the diaspora, that stitch together Palestinian culture and identity.

The queen of Egyptian music and an undisputed Arab icon, Umm Kulthum's voice continues to echo throughout the region's coffee shops, concert halls and living rooms. Recently voted as one of the world's greatest singers, we take stock of her legacy.

Ibn Sina is a giant of academia. A master of humanities, law, science and medicine, his contributions to knowledge have rippled for millennia. Now known for pioneering the quarantine technique, we take a brief look at some of his huge achievements.

Sufism's tradition, zeal and diversity in the Subcontinent have made it an essential part of modern India. Previously revered, now isolated, the Sufi way of life is nonetheless experiencing a resurgence, with public works emphasising its importance.

Muslim polymath Al-Biruni was a giant of science. The first to calculate the Earth's radius, and the first to describe how the Earth rotated on an axis around the Sun, much of the advances credited to the Renaissance can be traced back to Al-Biruni.

It's easy to forget the essential role medicine and surgery have played in humanity's survival. But this status could have been easily different had it not been for the countless advances made by Al Zahrawi, known as 'the father of modern surgery'.