By Bekmurza Bekmurzaev, Minister for National Policy, Religious Affairs and External Relations of the Republic of Dagestan

50 to 80% of Russian pilgrims have always been Dagestanis

Muslims take great pride in citing a hadith that says "Seek knowledge even unto China." It points to the importance of seeking knowledge, even if it meant traveling as far away as China, especially as at t the time of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), China was considered the most developed civilization of the period.

Islam in China began during the caliphate of 'Uthman ibn Affan (Allayhi Rahma, ra), the third caliph. After triumphing over the Byzantine, Romans and the Persians, 'Uthman ibn Affan, dispatched a deputation to China in 29 AH (650 C.E., Eighteen years after the Prophet's (pbuh) death), under the leadership by Sa'ad ibn Abi Waqqaas (Allayhi Rahma), Prophet Muhammad's (Salla Allahu wa Allahai wa Sallam, pbuh) maternal uncle, inviting the Chinese emperor to embrace Islam. 

By S.M.H.Akbar /Haj and Umra magazine/Jeddah/June 2009 

Ancient Ghana derived power and wealth from gold and the introduction of the camel as the Trans-Saharan trade increased the quantity of goods that wre transported. 

ISLAM in Ghana is said to have been brought by traders. Much of the information about Ghana comes from the Arab writers. Al-Hamdani, for example, describes Ghana as having the richest gold mines on earth. These mines were situated at Bambuk, on the upper Senegal River.

By Elmira Akhmetova
Freelance Writer

Part 1

There are about 20 million indigenous Muslims living in the Russian Federation where the total population is over 140 million (about 15 percent of the total population). Unlike other Muslim minorities in Europe, Russian Muslims are not foreign immigrants. They are native citizens of the country in which they live in.
 

Islam and the Golden Horde

Source : Dr. Syed Ahmed | TCN