Their history and their resurgence by Laura Hayes, Borgna Brunner, and Beth Rowen Infoplease Atlas: Afghanistan Taliban ambassador to Pakistan Abdul Salam Zaeef seated in front of…
(Encyclopedia) zakatzakatzə-kätˈ [key] [Arab.,=purification], Islamic religious tax, one of the five basic requirements (arkan or “pillars”) of Islam. All adult Muslims of sound mind and body with a…
Factsheet: Indonesia's Election June 7th, 1999 by Borgna Brunner This article was posted on June 4, 1999.On the eve of Indonesia's first free parliamentary election since 1955, 48 political…
(Encyclopedia) MuawiyaMuawiyam&oomacr;äˈwēä [key], d. 680, 1st Umayyad caliph (661–80), one of the greatest Muslim statesmen; son of Abu Sufyan, a Koreish tribesman of Mecca. He submitted to…
(Encyclopedia) BedouinBedouinbĕdˈ&oomacr;ĭn [key] [Arab.,=desert dwellers], primarily nomad Arab peoples of the Middle East, where they form about 10% of the population. They are of the same…
(Encyclopedia) UmarUmar&oomacr;märˈ [key] or OmarUmarōˈmär [key], c.581–644, 2d caliph (see caliphate). At first hostile to Islam, he was converted by 618, becoming an adviser to Muhammad. He…
compiled by Borgna Brunner Pope John Paul II (Karol Józef Wojtyla) 1920–2005, pope (1978–2005) Birthplace: Wadowice, Poland Update: Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger becomes…
WHY WAS THE FIRST CRUSADE CALLED? WHAT DID THE CRUSADERS BRING BACK TO EUROPE? FIND OUT MOREIn 1095, Pope Urban II called for a war against the Muslim rulers of Jerusalem. This was the First…
compiled by Catherine McNiff Pope Francis Jose Mario Bergoglio (1936–), pope (2013–) Birthplace: Buenos Aires, Argentina Update: Pope Benedict XVI steps down from…
