Thursday, July 26, 2012

Early Islamic History

Aryans were nomadic people in search of better land when they entered the Iranian plateau toward the end of the second millennium B.C. The reason for their migration may have been that they exhausted the natural resources, such as croplands and pastures, in their homeland. A group of these immigrants settled along the western slopes of the Zagros Mountains and set the foundation for an emerging empire known in the West as the Achaemenid Empire. Most of Iran’s present-day nomads, still living on the slopes of these rugged mountains, are descendants of the original Aryans.

ACHAEMENID EMPIRE (550–330 B.C.)
The Achaemenid Empire, known also as the Persian Empire, became one of the greatest empires that the world had ever seen. It was established by Cyrus the Great, who defeated the powerful Babylonian Empire in 539 B.C. While in Babylon, Cyrus ordered the release of Jewish prisoners who had lived in captivity for many years. For this he became known as the “liberator of Jews,” as is revealed in Jewish history and as is documented in the Book of Isaiah in the Old Testament. The empire that Cyrus created reached its peak during the reign of Darius the Great (541–486 B.C.). Under Darius, the empire stretched from the western borders of modern India to the valley of the Nile River and included numerous satellite kingdoms.

Iran's traditional food

Iran's national food list is long. Rice is a staple served at most meals. Fresh Vegetables are used in either stews, salads, or soups served with the rice. Lamb is used as a primary meat with Chicken being second and then near the coastal regions Fish is the principal meat.


It is a complex, time consuming, and very flavorful cuisine that is very similar to all Mediterranean foods. Freshly baked breads are enjoyed by every family each morning with hot tea and jam, it is also used with other meals. Torshi is used as a standard side dish with most evening meals. Torshi is picked vegetables made similar to other vinegar based pickles. Tea is served hot most of the day and evening. It is enjoyed with sweets and also served as an offering to any guests arriving at one's home.
Street foods would be skewers of grilled meats served with fresh pita breads and other daily flat breads. Yogurt dressing and grilled tomatoes are served with these flat breads and meats.

Marriage in Iran


In Iran women control marriages for their children, and much intrigue in domestic life revolves around marital matters. A mother is typically on the lookout for good marriage prospects at all times. Even if a mother is diffident about marriage brokering, she is obliged to "clear the path" for a marriage proposal. She does this by letting her counterpart in the other family know that a proposal is forthcoming, or would be welcome. She then must confer with her husband, who makes the formal proposal in a social meeting between the two families. This kind of background work is essential, because once the children are married, the two families virtually merge, and have extensive rights and obligations vis-á-vis each other that are close to a sacred duty. It is therefore extremely important that the families be certain that they are compatible before the marriage takes place.
Marriage within the family is a common strategy, and a young man of marriageable age has an absolute right of first refusal for his father's brother's daughter—his patrilateral parallel cousin. The advantages for the families in this kind of marriage are great. They already know each other and are tied into the same social networks. Moreover, such a marriage serves to consolidate wealth from the grandparents' generation for the family. Matrilateral cross-cousin marriages are also common, and exceed parallel-cousin marriages in urban areas, due perhaps to the wife's stronger influence in family affairs in cities. 



A tray of multi-colored herbs and spices ( Sini-ye Aatel-O-Baatel) is also set out on the "Sofreh-ye Aghd" to guard the couple from evil. The seven herbs and spices are poppy seeds, wild rice, angelica, salt, nigella seeds, black tea and frankincense.

Although inbreeding would seem to be a potential problem, the historical preference for marriage within the family continues, waning somewhat in urban settings where other considerations such as profession and education play a role in the choice of a spouse. In 1968, 25 percent of urban marriages, 31 percent of rural marriages, and 51 percent of tribal marriages were reported as endogamous. These percentages appear to have increased somewhat following the Revolution.
In Iran today a love match with someone outside of the family is clearly not at all impossible, but even in such cases, except in the most westernized families, the family visitation and negotiation must be observed. Traditional marriages involve a formal contract drawn up by a cleric. In the contract a series of payments are specified. The bride brings a dowry to the marriage usually consisting of household goods and her own clothing. A specified amount is written into the contract as payment for the woman in the event of divorce. The wife after marriage belongs to her husband's household and may have difficulty visiting her relatives if her husband does not approve. Nevertheless, she retains her own name, and may hold property in her own right, separate from her husband.
The wedding celebration is held after the signing of the contract. It is really a prelude to the consummation of the marriage, which takes place typically at the end of the evening, or, in rural areas, at the end of several days' celebration. In many areas of Iran it is still important that the bride be virginal, and the bedsheets are carefully inspected to ensure this. A wise mother gives her daughter a vial of chicken blood "just in case." The new couple may live with their relatives for a time until they can set up their own household. This is more common in rural than in urban areas.
Iran is an Islamic nation, and polygyny is allowed. It is not widely practiced, however, because Iranian officials in this century have followed the Islamic prescription that a man taking two wives must treat them with absolute equality. Women in polygynous marriages hold their husbands to this and will seek legal relief if they feel they are disadvantaged. Statistics are difficult to ascertain, but one recent study claims that only 1 percent of all marriages are polygynous.
Divorce is less common in Iran than in the West. Families prefer to stay together even under difficult circumstances, since it is extremely difficult to disentangle the close network of interrelationships between the two extended families of the marriage pair. One recent study claims that the divorce rate is 10 percent in Iran. For Iranians moving to the United States the rate is 66 percent, suggesting that cultural forces tend to keep couples from separating.
Children of a marriage belong to the father. After a divorce, men assume custody of boys over three years and girls over seven. Women have been known to renounce their divorce payment in exchange for custody of their children. There is no impediment to remarriage with another partner for either men or women.

Persian Graphic Arts


Persian miniature paintings illustrating Iranian epics and classic stories are among the world's great art treasures. These miniatures depicted both humans and animals. Another tradition, more religiously approved, is the artistic development of calligraphy. This is a highly developed Iranian art, as it is throughout the Middle East. Iran has its own styles of Arabic calligraphy, however, and has developed many modern artists who fashion common words into figurative art of great beauty. Iran's modern painters often use classic themes from miniatures combined with calligraphy for a uniquely Persian effect. Geometric design is also approved, and is seen in architectural detail and carpet design.
No discussion of Persian art would be complete without mention of carpet making. Carpets are Iran's most important export item after oil, and their creation is an art of the highest order. Carpets are hand-knotted. The finest take years to complete and have hundreds of knots per square inch. The designs are drawn from a traditional stock of motifs, but are continually elaborated upon by weavers. Each region of Iran has its own traditional designs. Carpets are not only beautiful works of art, they are investments. Older carpets are worth more than new carpets. Every Iranian family will try to own one, with the secure knowledge that if they take care in their purchase it will always increase in value.
Also of significance are the centuries-old traditions of silverwork, wood-block printing, enamel ware, inlay work, and filigree jewelry manufacture. These arts were revived during the Pahlavi era in government-sponsored workshops and training programs. This support has continued after the Revolution, and owning excellent examples of these artistic products has become a hallmark of good taste in Iranian homes.

American Literature

Huckleberry Finn
There have been many great works of American literature written over the years. One of these classics is The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, penned by Mark Twain in 1884.
 
 What is American literature? It’s writing created by American authors writing in the English language. Much of this literature describes life in America or of Americans living elsewhere. Americans started writing soon after the first European settlers arrived in the 1600s. Ever since, American authors have asked questions: Who are Americans? What do they believe? How do they live, and what do they do?
THE NEW NATION
After the American Revolution (1775-1783), the United States strived for its own identity, culture, and literature.
Americans wanted books by American authors. They sought homegrown, real-life heroes like Daniel Boone. Biography and history books were popular. People eagerly read about Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, and other Americans who explored the American West.
Literature also explored American problems. Slave narratives told about the evils of slavery. One of the best was the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave. In New England, Henry David Thoreau wrote in favor of abolishing (outlawing) slavery.

TWO GREAT POETS


Emily Dickinson
Emily Dickinson, one of America’s most famous writers, produced nearly 2,000 poems in her lifetime. She died in 1886.
 
Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson are two of the greatest American poets. Both of them used simple, everyday language. Whitman celebrated freedom and American democracy. He wrote about laborers, immigrants, and others who led hard lives. Dickinson brilliantly expressed her thoughts and feelings, especially her fears about death.

Islam

The Kaʿbah surrounded by Muslim pilgrims, in Mecca, Saudi Arabia

 Islam is the second largest religion in the world. Only Christianity has more followers. People who follow the religion of Islam are called Muslims. Today, almost 1 billion people call themselves Muslims. Most Muslims live in a string of countries that extends from Morocco in North Africa to Indonesia in Southeast Asia.
BIRTH OF ISLAM
An Arab trader named Muhammad was the founding prophet of Islam. He lived in Mecca, a busy trading town in Arabia (now called Saudi Arabia). Mecca had temples built to honor various pagan gods. Pilgrims visited these temples to worship statues of the gods. One day, while fasting in a cave, Muhammad had a vision. He returned to Mecca to preach a new religious message. He said there is only one god, not many, and no one should worship idols (statues of gods). He called on the people of Mecca to surrender themselves to Allah, as he called God.
ISLAM GAINS POWER
Muhammad’s message angered some Meccans. In the year 622, they forced him to flee to another city, now known as Medina. That journey—or Hegira, as Muslims call it—marks the beginning of the Islamic calendar. In Medina, Muhammad became the head of the community. Soon, he led his Muslim followers back to Mecca. After a battle, the Meccans accepted Islam. Within a century, Muslims ruled an empire that stretched from India to Spain. Throughout this empire, Islam took root. The empire crumbled after a few centuries, but many people of these lands remained Muslims.

Comics


Animated films, such as Finding Nemo (2003), are a very popular form of entertainment. Animated films were once drawn entirely by hand, but today many are made on computers.
 Comics, or comic strips, are cartoons with several panels that tell a story. You can find comic strips in the funny papers, a section of the daily newspaper. In some comics, each daily strip tells its own story. In others, each strip is part of a continuing story. Popular comic-strip characters include Charlie Brown, his dog Snoopy, and their friends in Peanuts, and the fussy cat in Garfield.
The first comic strips appeared in American newspapers in the 1890s. One of the earliest was Hogan’s Alley, by Richard Outcault. It featured a bald boy in a yellow nightshirt called the Yellow Kid. By the early 1900s, comic strips were a part of most American newspapers.

COMIC BOOKS

The first comic books were just collections of newspaper comic strips. Comic books with original material began to appear in the 1930s. They could tell longer and more detailed stories than newspaper strips. Comic books became widely popular beginning in 1938 with the first appearance of the superhero character Superman.
New superheroes soon appeared in other comic books, including the Flash, Wonder Woman, and Captain Marvel. Comic books in the 1960s introduced a whole new set of superheroes, such as X-Men, Spider-Man, and the Fantastic Four. These newer superheroes all had special powers, but they had problems in life like everyone else.


The State of the Physical and Social Sciences


Iran has had a long and proud national tradition in mathematics and the sciences. Iranians view this as an emanation of their cultural heritage. During the period from the ninth to the twelfth centuries the greatest scientists in Baghdad, often thought of as Arabs, were in fact Iranian scholars. Avicenna (Ibn Sīnā) is perhaps the most famous of these. The high regard for medicine and engineering has produced the strongest education and research programs in the country. More than half of all university students are enrolled in these fields. 





 There are forty-four universities (fifteen in Tehran) currently active in Iran along with a number of other institutes of higher learning and technical training. Approximately 450,000 students are enrolled, men outnumbering women two to one. The University of Tehran, Tehran Polytechnic University, the University of Isfahan, the University of Shīrāz, and the University of Tabrīz are premier educational institutions operating at a high international standard.

One of the more interesting developments following the Revolution was the establishment of the Islamic Open University. This was largely due to student discontent with the restrictive admission policies of the existing universities. Set up throughout the country, it is truly a university without walls, enrolling nearly 400,000 students. Although admission examinations are required, it is not necessary for applicants to submit standard high school diplomas for admission.
A third innovation in higher education has been the establishment of a correspondence institution, the Remote University. This is open to everyone, but in practicality it serves primarily government officials, teachers, and civil servants who wish to further their education.
The nation has enough applied scientists to carry out the functions of infrastructure maintenance and health care. Nevertheless, research institutes have suffered severe declines since the Revolution. Many of the country's best scientists and researchers emigrated to Europe and the United States. A few have returned, but the combination of the massive brain drain and the relatively young population of the nation indicate that it will be some time before much rebuilding can take place.
The government has realized that this is a problem and has increased appropriations to research institutes in recent years. The National Research Council formulates national research policy. The Industrial and Scientific Research Organization of the Culture and Higher Education Ministry carries out research for the government. Other institutes, such as the Institute for Theoretical Physics and Mathematics and the Institute for Oceanographic Research, are given little support.
Social science research is somewhat underdeveloped in Iran. Where it exists it has been developed on French models. The University of Tehran has strong faculties in sociology, psychology, and linguistics, and an active Institute for Social Studies and Research. The University of Shīrāz also has instruction and research in anthropology and sociology.

Iranian Poets


Seyyed Mohammad Hossein Behjat-Tabrizi (Shahriar)

  Mohammad Hossein Shahriar (Died on September 18, 1988) , was the first Iranian Azeri to write a significant collection of poetry in the Azerbaijani language. Born in 1906 in Tabriz, he received his elementary education, including the Divan of Hafez, under his father's supervision. Shahriar’s first formal education was at the Motahari (former Mansoor High School) Secondary School in Tabriz. He subsequently studied at the Darolfonun (former higher education school) in Tehran. Although he studied medicine in college, he dropped out just before getting his diploma and went to Khorasan, where he found a job as a notary public and bank clerk. Initially he published his poems under his given name, Behjat, but later chose the name Shahriar.

Iran - Marriage

Marriage in Iranian culture is viewed not only as the sole socially acceptable pathway to sexual access, but also as a permanent commitment to lifelong companionship, bonding not only the married couples, but also their families (Shapurian and Hojat 1985).
 A copy of the couple's Holy Book is placed on the table as well to symbolize God's blessing for the couple.


In Iranian culture, procreation is a primary goal of marriage. Some Iranians consider infertility an adequate justification for divorce. It has been reported that about 2 percent of all divorces in Iran occur because one spouse is unable to have children (Aghajanian 1986). The choice of a spouse in traditional families is often made or supervised by parents and older family members. Even in modern families, parental approval of the prospective spouse is an important factor.
Men and women each have marital pledges. Marital undertakings by the man include a bride-price sheer bahaa (literally milk price, or an agreed upon money or gift given to the bride's family), and mahri-eh (an agreed-upon sum of money, gold coins or property that women are entitled to receive at any time after marriage; more often, it is a source of financial security for married women in case of divorce or widowhood). Also, the groom's family pays the expenses for the marriage reception and ceremony. In return, the girl's family provides the dowry (jehizi-eh), which usually includes basic household items (e.g., rugs, bedding, furniture, cookware) needed by the newly wed couple to start their new lives in their new home.

 A decorated flatbread adorned with nigella seeds symbolizes prosperity for the couple's life from there on out.


In the rapidly urbanizing contemporary Iranian society, however, most people view the bride-price as demeaning to women (Afkhami 1994; Haeri 1994), although mahri-eh and jehizi-eh in some cases have become important status symbols. In more educated intellectual and religious families, these two customs are also considered demeaning and indicative of a lack of trust between the bride and the groom and their families. In these families, often spiritually valuable but inexpensive items such as a volume of the holy Qur'an are exchanged instead of mahri-eh, and the bride and groom mutually agree to share the expenses for purchasing the jehizi-eh.

Travel & Tourism

There is a wide range of places to visit in Iran, a country that has something for everyone, from the lovers of art and culture to the more adventurous at heart. For visitors who want to discover the culture and traditions of Iran, there are several magnificent ruins of ancient cities, glorious mosques and mausoleums. The adventure seekers can enjoy budget-priced skiing, trekking, or some rock climbing.







Tehran Visiting Iran without having a trip to Tehran is to miss out...
Esfahan: Who can claim to have seen the most beautiful city of the world without having seen Esfahan?
Shiraz: is known as the city of poets, wine and flowers. It is also considered by many Iranians to be the city of gardens, due to the many gardens and fruit trees that can be seen in the city.
The locals are friendly, liberal and literate, the climate is moderate with regular seasons; and the nearby attractions of the spectacular ruins of Persepolis and the royal burials of Naqshe Rostam are the equal of anything in Athens or Rome.

If you like bazaars then welcome to the best one in Iran, selling everything from carpets to cake under a vaulted ceiling dating back 250 years. Shiraz also excels in architecture - indeed many of its finest buildings were built to rival Esfahan.
The centre of Iran is dominated by the Zagros mountains and the Dasht-e Kavir desert. Squeezed between the two is Yazd, one of the most ancient and historic cities in Iran, a centre of Zoroastrian culture and an excellent place to walk through and explore.

The architecture here is unique in Iran, particularly the traditional wind towers which provide an ancient form of air-conditioning to the adobe houses below.
Yazd is also home to some excellent accommodation options, staying in old merchant's houses tucked away in the corners of the bazaar.
Popular Beaches of Iran Iran enjoys many different beaches with different mood and a wide range of holiday experiences. Shores of the Caspian Sea have mild and relatively cold weather and southern parts enjoy moderate and pleasant weather.

The coastline of the Persian Gulf in the south is rocky and mountainous in some areas and sandy and swampy in others; it is not as even as the northern shores of the country.
Kish: Island Located on the north east of the Persian Gulf around 17 km from the southern offshore of the mainland Iran, Kish Island is one of the most beautiful places to visit in the Persian Gulf. With its gorgeous white silvery sand beaches, Kish Island is great for calming walks and other activities like swimming, jogging, boat riding, scuba diving and snorkeling. On the Kish Summer Cinema, often concerts and plays are also held.

Kish Island has beautiful villas, hotels, and guesthouses, but the accommodations and restaurants on the island are comparatively expensive than the mainland.
Attractions on Kish Island include Kish Aquarium, the Pearl Culturing and Developing Center. There is also a Helicopter shuttle service accessible for flying over the waters of the Persian Gulf.
Northern Iran Northern Iran (Shomal) is one of the favorite places for many people of Iran. In the North there are three provinces of Mazandaran, Gilan and Gorgan having forests, mountains, and a coastal plain amidst the Alborz Mountain and the southernmost shores of Caspian Sea.

The Caspian Sea is the world's largest lake which is 170m (561 feet) deep, almost twice as deep as the Persian Gulf. In Northern Iran visitors can enjoy the beaches of Caspian Sea, view of beautiful forests, skiing, go hiking, and make the most of cold and hot mineral springs.
A few of tourist attractions in north are Anzali Lagoon, Rasht, historical and traditional village of Masouleh, tea farms of Lahijan, and Ramsar City.
Persepolis Anyone with even a passing interest in Antiquity should make a visit here their first priority.

Dimensions of Imam Khomeini’s Character



The digestive power of time digests the vitriolic and sweet incidents, great and minor events in itself and analyzes them. The event no matter how great, sensational and rousing can remain in the digestive power of the world for sometimes and attract the intellections toward it. However, the passage of the day and night fades the incident gradually and decrease its light and changes it to an ink over the pages of history little by little and it is impossible to find any bright space for it in the history possibly. Meanwhile, some incidents are exempted from this tradition completely and the digestive power of the world can never digest and solve them despite being powerful and strong. It seems that the incident is as a diamond in the world's stomach that can never be changed into the other elements and also the heat and strength of the digestive system can have no influence on it. So, it will never be forgotten and the passage of time won't drain and decrease its freshness.
These special incidents are benefited by the stability and firmness due to their special feature. This characteristic consists of the conjunction between the event, religion and custom of a nation on one side and the connection of religion and human's nature on the other side that the result of these two directions is the stability of the incident in the hearts and souls of the nations.
Creation of human being is mixed with the religion and leaning toward the supernatural and never gets separated from it, and is always accompanied by such attraction and desires until the world exists. Also, the incident which has a direct connection with the inner and immortal desire of man is never forgotten and this principle is a general rule that is unknown for the East and West.
According to this principle, the Islamic society and history of humanity will never forget the prominent and unique character of Imam Khomeini who has changed the way of history with his high thoughts and intellections and also his pure efforts.
Imam Khomeini was a character who could put the two thousand and five hundred year-old system into the dustbin of the history and gave a new identity to the Islamic society; he erased the dust of self-forgetfulness from their face and familiarized them with his real character under the trust in divine favor and having faith in the purpose.
This character and event will be stable and confirmed and won't be forgotten due to the connection between him, religion and faith of people. The character of Imam Khomeini, the founder of Islamic Revolution and awakener of the poor and the dispossessed's society, has various and different dimensions that all rights of them can not be fulfilled in this essay.
In short, it can be said that he was a complete person who has mixed the science and act together and represented the theosophy and ethics in himself. In fact, he introduced the Islamic commandments, politics and rights via the realistic jurisprudence and qualification for the religious leadership.
Not only had he been as the pioneer of this way in the scientific stages, but also he had been an aware person concerning the condition of time; he was familiar with the pain and remedy in the social and political steps. Furthermore, his threat toward the arrogant and aggressive people was a whip that shivered down their spine and dissipated their plots.
The mystic and philosophical position, jurisprudence and qualification for religious leadership, literary talent and his familiarity with the epigrams of the words, awareness of him concerning the global politics and also his instructive and constructive ethics, the shocking intimate prayer of him at midnight, all of them are a shaft of extensive dimension of his character . But whatever we can say is that he has got two valuable characteristics which followed the whole effects and manifestations:
1) Having faith in the origin and resurrection; the true and powerful belief that caused the covers to be pushed aside from his eyes and seen the supernatural.
2) His love in purpose and Islamic ideal and also multilateral dedication in this direction.
Theses two elements are the obvious characteristics and significant factors of his character. So, according to this matter we mention some dimension of his character.

Iran among top 10 countries in defense capabilities


Iran is one of the top ten countries in the world in terms of defense capabilities, according to Iranian Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi.


 “I can declare with confidence that Iran is among the top ten countries in the world which has succeeded in playing its role efficiently in the area of defense,” Vahidi told reporters in Tehran on Sunday on the sidelines of a festival on defense industries and their adherence to environmentally friendly policies.
On Iran’s nuclear activities, he said, “Iran’s policy in the nuclear issue is defending the nation’s rights, and we will never forego our rights.”
He added, “As the Supreme Leader of the Revolution has stated, the use of nuclear weapons is haram (prohibited in Islam) and the Westerners should be aware of this issue.”
Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei issued a fatwa on April 17, 2010 declaring that the production, stockpiling, and use of nuclear weapons are all haram.
The United States, Israel, and some of their allies accuse Iran of pursuing military objectives in its nuclear energy program.
However, the International Atomic Energy Agency has conducted numerous inspections of Iran’s nuclear facilities but has never found any evidence showing that Iran’s civilian nuclear program has been diverted to nuclear weapons production.
And Iran is a signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and thus has the right to enrich uranium to produce fuel.

Worlds Oldest Windmills Are Still Working



Windmills are mud-brick structures erected in eastern Iran and western Afghanistan to harness wind power to move the runner stone of a mill to grind flour. These mills rely on a consistent wind known as the "120-day wind" which blows southward from the Qizil-Qum steppes in Turkmenistan toward the Baluchistan desert during the summer months. The strip along which this wind blows includes the eastern parts of Khorasan and Sistan provinces in Iran and the western border of Afghanistan.
The greatest number of well-known windmills are located in villages around Khaf in Khorasan, including Nashtifun and Neh (located midway between Birjand and Zahedan), where they can be found in rows along the outskirts of villages, where the terrain is higher in elevation. Building windmills in rows appears to be a practical way to save material and space while providing safety and protection for the millers. Free-standing and semi-detached windmills are more common on the Afghan side of the border. 


Some scholars have proposed that eastern Iran is the origin of the first windmills, which then spread as far as China in the east and Europe in the west. Historical sources suggest that these windmills predate their European equivalents by at least five hundred years. The first written reference to Persian windmills was found in 644 C.E. in the work of the famous medieval historian Masudi. An explanation of the architectural and functional characteristics of windmills is found in a fourteenth-century document written by the Syrian geographer al-Dimashghi, whose description also includes a schematic illustration. The construction date of the area's existing windmills is unclear, as they have been rebuilt and renovated over time. Some of them are considered to be Safavid or Qajar constructions, although no solid evidence exists.
A typical windmill with a vertical axis has two main components, the wind-wheel and the millhouse. The design of these windmills is determined by the north-south direction of the "120-day wind." While its northern wall is diagonal, in order to augment the wind pressure, there is no wall on the rear side of the wind-wheel. Two supporting lateral walls flank the wind-wheel and rise to the same height as the front wall (about five meters). The walls are approximately 90 centimeters thick, narrowing to 50 centimeters at the top. The top bearing of the wind-wheel is usually a ring of apricot wood set into a beam that lies directly on the lateral walls. 

The lower part of a windmill, the mill house, is a room typically measuring six meters long by six meters wide and three and a half meters tall. These measurements vary slightly in different regions. Similar to other structures in the area, millhouses are roofed by mud brick vaults. In Nashtifun, millhouses are divided into three bays. In the final bay the wind-wheel is connected to two circular stones, placed on a raised platform about one meter above the floor. The runner stone revolves while the lower one (often the larger) is fixed in place. The middle bay collects the flour, and the winnowing takes place in the bay adjacent to the entrance.
Mud brick is the main construction material for a millhouse, which is then coated with mud plaster. The wind-wheel itself is made out of wooden parts, sometimes with metal joints, which transform the wind power into the force needed to turn the millstones. The wooden parts used in the wheel are different woods sourced from various regions. Generally, the millhouses have no decorative elements, although some freestanding windmills, such as the one near Zabol, are decorated on the eastern and western walls with brickwork, where empty spaces between the bricks create patterns.
Up until the 1970s, a number of windmills were still in use in Iran and Afghanistan. With the advent of mechanical engines, abandoned windmills have fallen into disrepair and ruin. In recent years, some windmills have been renovated and restored by the National Heritage Organization of Iran. The best-preserved examples are in the Khorasani villages of Neh and Nashtifun, where thirty-three out of forty original windmills are still standing. (Source: archnet.org)

Obstacles to Iran-Hungary ties should be removed



Expediency Council Chairman Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani has said that the obstacles in the way of promoting ties between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Hungary should be removed.
In a meeting with the Hungarian ambassador to Tehran on Monday, Rafsanjani described economic and cultural cooperation between the two countries as close and expressed hope that political ties would be cemented as well.

The Holy Quran



The Quran (can also be spelled as Qur'an, Koran, or Coran) is the holy scripture of Muslims. The Quran states that the name of God's religion is Islam and it refers to its followers as Muslims.
The Quran (Koran) started to be revealed by God to Prophet Mohammad through arch-angel Gabriel, when he was 40 years old, around year 610 AD. It was revealed gradually, few verses at a time, over a period of about 23 years. The Quran is a very unique book that differs from the Bible in many ways. Unlike the Bible which supposedly contains the sayings of Jesus and other writings which Christians believe were inspired by God, the Quran is the "literal" word of God. We mean that the words in the Quran are the exact words of God. Therefore, the author of the Quran is God himself. Furthermore, also unlike the Bible, the Quran does not contain the sayings of Prophet Mohammad, nor does it contain an account of Prophet Mohammad's life.
God in the Quran (Koran) promises clearly to protect the Quran from corruption. Indeed, God has protected the Quran. The Quran has remained the same. All the verses that were revealed to prophet Mohammad by angel Gabriel are included in the Quran that is available today.
The Quran states that the Quran, in by itself, is the most important miracle that Prophet Mohammad has brought to humanity. Since Prophet Mohammad was intended to be the last prophet and the Quran was the last message, God decided to give people a unique miracle that can be examined and experienced by not only people who lived at the time of the prophet, but for the hundreds of years to come. So, it was natural for God to choose Quran to be such a miracle.
That is why the Arabic Quran (Koran) is a unique miracle. The only book in the world authored by God himself, word by word, and that is still available today in its original form. People throughout the Ages have wondered whether they can see God or something that can be attributed directly to God. The Quran is the answer. It is available today for all humans to experience how God expresses himself in words. The Quran is a book of knowledge with a uniquely captivating style, in which every verse is a sign from God. Each word used in the Arabic Quran was uniquely chosen by God for a purpose. You can not add or subtract a word to/from the Quran, without the corruption becoming noticeable. Scholars have discovered some hidden logic structures (codes) in the Quran that prove its authenticity and help in protecting its integrity from corruption.
The Quran (Koran) contains lots of scientific knowledge, from various fields such as astronomy, geology, medicine, embryology, etc., that have only been known recently which were totally unknown and could not have been discovered at the time of prophet Mohammad.
The Quran was revealed in Arabic language and Muslims consider only the Arabic Quran to be the Word of God because translations are authored by ordinary human beings, most of the translations were done in the past 100 years, whereas the Arabic Quran is authored by God. Therefore, those translations are not considered by Muslim as a Word of God or holy scriptures. The 5 daily prayers of Muslims are in Arabic (Prayer consist of reciting verses from the Quran as well as saying specific phrases and sentences). However, Muslims are not required to be able to speak Arabic, other than learning to utter few sentences in Arabic that are part of regular prayers.
There are many translations of the Quran currently available. Most of the translators of the Quran are non-Arabs and their knowledge of Arabic is limited. However, even if they were Arabs, you should not expect the translation to be perfect. The Quran is in ancient Arabic language. Many of the vocabulary in the Quran are not used in Modern Arabic. However, even when compared to ancient Arabic literature and poems, the Quran is far more challenging to comprehend fully. That is why ordinary Arabs today, including well-educated Arabs, who are not experts in Arabic language, only understand the general meaning if they simply read the Quran, without reading additional Quran commentaries and interpretation books written by Islamic scholars.
Arabic language is a rich, complex language. The same word may have different meanings. From the same root, you may create tens of derivatives, each derivative has its own significance. By varying the structure of a sentence, you can change the meaning of the sentence. That may explain why translators of the Quran, particularly non-Arab translators, face a very difficult task. No one knows what is in the mind of God and therefore the full intended meaning of each word of the Quran. So, translators find themselves trying to guess what God may have meant.
Furthermore, the most widely-used English translations of the Quran today were done more than 70 years ago: (a) by Abdullah Yusuf Ali who lived from 1872 to 1953 , and (b) by Marmaduke William Muhammad Pickthall who lived from 1875 to 1936 . The discoveries of the miraculous, scientific information in the Quran primarily started in 1970s. The leading figure in such discoveries was a French doctor, named Maurice Baucaille, who converted to Islam and published in 1976 his landmark book, The Bible, The Quran and Science. That is why these popular translations of the Quran do not present clearly the scientific information, embedded in the verses of the Quran.
Each word in the Quran may have multi-level meaning with multi-dimensional significance and may have been chosen by God for multiple purposes. These unique aspects of the Quran may allow, for example, an ordinary Muslim to understand the meaning correctly of a word or verse, but only at one level of depth, while another Muslim may be able to capture a different meaning or significance at another level of depth. Both could be correct in their understanding.
You may think of every word or verse in the Quran as a marvelous painting or piece of art, done by God, the Master Artist and Creator of the Universe, each person who views it (or reads it) may come to a different conclusion regarding the message or meaning intended by God through that word or verse. A Muslim astronomer, who is also expert in Arabic, may be able to infer information of significance in astronomy when reading a verse that an ordinary Muslim will not notice.
We have to consider that God may have also chosen to articulate his message (or multiple messages) in a single verse (or word) with a specific number of words (or letters) for a good reason. God may have intended to send us a numerical message, such as a date of an event or number of certain significance. The Quran was revealed gradually, few verses at a time. However, the way the verses are arranged in each chapter of the Quran and sequence of the chapters which does not necessarily follow chronological order are not haphazard or by chance or coincidence.

Awareness of world's circumstance




Imam Sadiq, Peace be Upon Him , says in a short Hadith that : "العالم بزمانه التهجم عليه اللوابس" it means the person who is aware of the time's circumstances and condition is never taken by surprise concerning the unexpected incidents .
In this Hadith, one of the conditions of leadership has been stated; the leader should be aware of the vitriolic and deplorable incidents which are in the ambush of his nation with the piercing view. Also, he should find a solution about it.
One of the dimensions of Imam Khomeini's character was his awareness from the world's circumstance and the situation of the time. Furthermore, he was well aware of the political and atheistic movements which were forming against the Islam. He considered all of them and if he didn't have such characteristic in the days of youth, he couldn't be the leader of the Islamic Revolution with such stability and rigidity more than 10 years and surprise the enemies in the period of oldness and senility which he took the reins of power.
Due to having such characteristic, he knew the country's state men, the treacherous state men and also the righteous ones. Also, he followed the political matters from the different way as much as possible.
In the suffocating period of Rezakhan government that started from solar 1304 year and ended in Shahrivar of 1320, the whole devices were in charge of the state and no book was printed even concerning the matters which were far from the politics. But, after Shahrivar, 1320 and by the arrival of allies in Iran and also the blazing of worldwide war's fire, the barriers were removed from the pen and wording. So, Imam Khomeini used this opportunity and as the denial of the epistle of "The thousand year secrets", he began to state the facts and also moved the covers aside.
The eloquent pen, delicate and sensational statement of the book under the name of "secrets discovery" could blow a fresh spirit to the Muslim's hearts in Iran. He explained the nature of Rezakhan government under the title of this question," why Rezakhan behaved badly toward the scholars? " and presented the valuable position of clergy for the people in this book.
This book which was printed in 1323, created the great excitement and vast wave in Iran. Not only the book of the "secrets discovery "is a thought book but also it is a complete political one.
Although, Imam Khomeini printed this book without mentioning the author's name and didn't like its author to be known, according to this commandment, "ما کان لله نيمو" , "any act which is sincere for God grows more ", the publication of the book without the name of his author increased the reputation of the writer. However, everyone who reads this book admits this matter that Imam Khomeini had high political thought and wanted to replace the spoiled system by Islamic system from the old time.
The allies left Iran from 1324 to 1325 and the colonization again recommended that Rezakhan's son to continue the dominion and follow the plan of his father with an especial trick. Gradually, it returned the autarchy to Iran another time and as it went on, the power of the system increased.
However, we see Imam as a quite calm person in this interval, i.e. from the years of 1325 to 1340. He began to teach the jurisprudence, religious principles, ethics and philosophy in these years and also he discussed about the political matters less. What happened to the sensational and motive pen that the book of "secret discovery" was the obvious example of it? Why did he come to a stop from the years of 25 to 40 and move in the scientific channel?
Here, there is a point that is noticed less:
Ayatollah Boroujerdi came to Tehran from Boroujerd in order to be cured in 1324 and resided in this town by the request of the Qom's leaders and scholars. Then, he grabbed the reins of leadership after the death of Ayatollah Isfahani.
In fact, Ayatollah Boroujedi was a great person and a unique jurist. When Imam Khomeini, who was one of the inviters of the late Boroujerdi to Qom, understood that this great man is the acceptor of the responsibility, felt the calmness and don't consider it as his duty to follow the political matters directly. So, he remained silent with an especial self-restraint and spoke less that is one of the spiritual courage of complete human beings that sometimes to remain silent in spite of the fact that they have high thoughts and effective guidance. So, Imam respected the supreme authority and reminded some subjects and matters when necessary and only in the private visitations.
There are 12000 orations, epistles and words from Imam Ali, Peace be upon Him that all of them are related to the period after the Prophet's death, despite having such knowledge and awareness in the prophethood time, he completely remained silent and quiet in front of the Prophet. Similarly, we felt this characteristic in Imam Khomeini in the authority time of the late Boroujerdi , but as we mentioned, he didn't forget the import matter of "النصيحه لائمه المسلمين" and accomplished the necessary reminding and clues in the critical situations .
Death of Ayatollah Boroujerdi or Turning Point in history of Imam Khomeini life:
Ayatollah Boroujerdi passed away in Farvardin of 1341. Shah who expected the death of him for sometime in order to accomplish his treacherous plans one after another, took advantage of this opportunity to weaken the spiritual guidance in Iran
So, he sent a condolatory telegram for supreme Ayatollah Hakim in order to refer the people to the outside of Iran. Sometimes in his speech, Shah said the obstacles are removed now and the corrected plans should be performed and the important character who is the barrier of the accomplishment of our plans is not seen any more.
After a short time, the ratification of the regulations of regional and provincial associations came up in which our holy book was insulted especially and some accredited rules of it were transgressed. The proposal of the regulation of "regional and provincial associations" was a pilot scheme so that the governing body becomes aware of its reaction in the cleric circles and their interest toward the maintenance of Islam's principles. The chief topics of this scheme were printed in the evening newspaper of the capital, i.e. Keyhan and Etela'at newspaper of that day on Mehr15, 1341.
The writer, who was considered as one of the gleaner of the scientific harvest of Imam Khomeini, was the observer of his critics from the government and its malice toward the Islam in the private meetings. So, he took advantage of this opportunity and gave Keyhan newspaper to Imam. He had performed the evening prayer and wanted to start the night prayer. When he informed him concerning the content of the regulations of "regional and provincial associations ", he felt an extreme sadness in the face of Imam. Imam performed the congregational prayer and then summoned his son-in-law, the late Ishraqi, and requested him to go to Ayatollah Hayeri's home and requested him to invite the time authorities to his home so that they think and decide about this resolution together.
The glorious gathering of the authorities at that night in the house of Ayatollah Hayeri was the sign of the unity and solidarity and everyone's telegrams was the representation of stability and resistance of the clergy against the conspiracies of Shah, meanwhile, Imam's telegram had especial solidity and firmness.
In this movement which lasted two months, the telegrams of Imam and his letters to the surroundings familiarized the nation with the aware character of him and the people knew his leader little by little.
The process of "regional and provincial associations "ended and the time government retook the resolution with special trickery , but after some months , it followed its way via the other ruse under the title of six-fold bills that the right and nullity were mixed in this bills.
So, under the existing circumstances, the firmness, solidity and resistance of Imam became obvious more than before and he stroked a hard blow to the reputation of governing body via the sanctions of referendum, resistance against the pressure of the system and also the announcement of national.

Where Is the Middle East?


The Middle East is not a country. It’s not a continent. It has no set borders. What is it then? What is it in the middle of?

WHERE IS THE MIDDLE EAST?






The heart of the Middle East stretches from Egypt in northeastern Africa to the countries of southwestern Asia. People disagree over exactly which countries make up the Middle East. Some scholars use a broader cultural definition. They believe the Middle East also includes all of the Muslim countries of northern Africa, as well as Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The term Middle East was coined in 1902 by a traveler from America. He meant the lands east of Europe but west of India and China. In truth, the heart of the Middle East is easier to locate than its edges.


WHO LIVES THERE?

Most of the people in the Middle East are Arabs. Other groups include the Persians of Iran, the Turks of Turkey, the Jews of Israel, and the Kurds. Most Kurds live in Turkey, Iran, and Iraq. The main language is Arabic. The languages of Farsi, Turkish, Hebrew, and Kurdish are also spoken.
More than 90 percent of the people in the Middle East are Muslims, who follow the religion of Islam. Yet the Jewish state of Israel is located at the heart of the Middle East. Small communities of Christians live there, too.


WHAT DO MUSLIMS BELIEVE







The Muslim faith centers on five beliefs and practices. These are known as the five pillars of Islam. According to the five pillars, Muslims must
Accept that only one God exists and Muhammad was his messenger.
  1. Perform certain prayers five times a day.
  2. Fast from dawn to dusk during a month called Ramadan.
  3. Give a portion of their wealth to the poor.
  4. Visit Mecca at least once if they are able to.

These practices are based on the holy book of Islam, the Qur’an (also spelled Koran). Muslims believe that the Qur’an is the word of God, delivered through Muhammad. Muslim practices are also based on the Hadith—Muhammad’s own deeds and sayings as reported by his companions.