Virality Spot

"Seek knowledge even if it means going to China" (Prophet Muhummad (SAW)) A candle on the large Lotus wood desk flickered in the dimly lit room. The shadow of a man hunched over his desk cast against library on the wall behind him. Weathered books authored by Khwarizimi, Ptolemy, Battani, Farghani, Aristotle and Kindi; lay stacked side by side, covering a broad range of topics that interested the Sultan. An educated man, the Sultan wrote extensively from royal decrees to his thoughts about the philosophical questions of the day. But today... he was frustrated!  Little drops of ink splattered across his desk as he dipped his quill pen in the nearby ink bottle. Blue blotches from the endless writing stained his thobe and hands. The paper on which he wrote was smudged with random blue marks,  like the childish art work of a two year old toddler. It made a mockery of his nuanced philosophical argument. He thought angrily “this is not the work of a powerful ruler!” He stared at th...

Read part 1 of the Battle of Yarmuk here March 634 - 2 Years Before The Battle of Yarmuk Heraclius stood by the window with one hand on the wall gazing down at the city. He stared at the morning bustle in the streets of Constantinople but he wasn’t interested in the life below. He was lost in thought, disturbed by the reports he just received. A Roman Legion defeated by desert nomads! The engagement at the oasis of Dasin, just outside of Gaza, was a minor skirmish but the Muslim victory sent a shock wave all the way up to Constantinople! To Heraclius the Arabs were a backward people living in a desert wasteland. The Arabs he knew were an unsophisticated lot in constant conflict with each other, just barely eking out an existence under the unforgiving desert sun. The Arabs were not a military threat let alone a military power they were just a thorn in his side when they did pop out of the desert. He looked down on them as petty raiders looking to snatch camels, goats and sheep; the mode...

Read part 3 of the Battle of Yarmuk here.   "...how often has a small force vanquished a large force by the permission of Allah? Allah is with those who steadfastly persevere." (Quran 2:249) Day 6 Standing on the hilltop of Jummu’a, Khalid (RA) placed his foot on top of a large boulder. His forearms bore the brunt of his weight as he leaned forward on his thigh. Khalid (RA) watched intently as the Romans lined up into battle formation. He was looking for cracks in the defense that he could exploit and make last minute adjustments to his plan. Khalid (RA) was going to rely on speed and mobility, he was going to blitz this army and anything that could slow him down had to be dealt with. His train of thought was interrupted when a hulking Roman on a heavy war horse trotted out arrogantly into no man’s land and threw down a challenge. Judging by his colorful ornamentation, Khalid (RA) deduced that he must be a high ranking general; and a warrior of similar status had to meet him...