The Semetic Race

Of the human races that contributed to the ancient civilization of the world the Semitic race was one of them. The Semetics occupied a special place in the history of mankind. Hazrat Musa, the Founder of Judaism, Hazrat Isa, the founder of Christianity and Hazrat Muhammad, the Prophet of Islam (p.b.u.h) were the sons of this Semitic race and the East was their homeland. Of these monotheistic religions, Islam is the third and the last. Arabia, the birth place of Islam, was the original home of the Semitic people migrated to different parts of the Fertile Cresent and became known as the Habylonians, the Assyrians, the Phoenicians and the Hebrews (Jews) in history. The ancestors of these people must have lived here for sometimes as one people before they became differentiated. About 2500 B.C one of the branches of the Semitic race left their original home and settled permanently on the Tigris Euphrates Valley which had been populated by a highly civilized community, the Sumerians. As a result of their close association with the Sumerians there flourished a great civilization.
With the conquest of Persia y the Greek hero Alexander, the eastern civilization entered into Europe and the Greeks developed it in various ways. There grew up a new civilization out of this Eastern and Western culture. The new civilization is called the Hellenic Civilization. When the Romans conquered Greece (146 B.C) they became the heirs of the Hellenic Civilization. In the seventh century A.D the Muslims conquered Persia and Rome and they, by virtue of their conquest, became the heirs of these civilizations.

Introduction

Islamic History and Culture is one of the most glorious and brilliant chapter of the History of the World. The phenomenal rise of Islam and its decay in the several parts of its vast Empire during certain unfortunate periods of time is an interesting event of world civilization. It is a story of hope and determination, of unflinching faith in Allah Almighty and complete devotion to His Will and submission to the teachings of the Holy Quran and the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h), on the one hand and on the other it is a tale of Khalifahs, Sultans and Emirs who deviated from Islam and Islamic way of life and indulged themselves in debauchery, corruption and lewdness and caused a decay in their kingdoms. The lessons learnt from the Islamic History are thus of great importance, especially for young generation who has to defend their country and culture from its enemies and have to work for its solidarity and progress.