Bismillah. I was born in Nairobi, hence the interest when a friend told me about his people there, the Nubians who live in the Kibera district of the Kenyan capital.
He says, “This is the link to our website Nubians in Kenya. In this page are pictures of my father (Councillor Ali Ramathan el-Ali) in the 50’s.”
Bismillah. From the Catholic Association for Racial Justice (CARJ), http://www.carj.org.uk with slight editing- their thought-provoking discussion paper is appended below. Comments welcome, here or at the CARJ site.
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National Meeting of the Changing Face of Britain programme on Saturday 7 November at Westminster Cathedral, Victoria Street London, SW1
This programme marks the 25th Anniversary of the Catholic Association for Racial Justice (CARJ). The Celebration is an Inter-Faith event and we would welcome the participation of more different community members, so please feel free to circulate the flyer among your networks.
PROGRAMME
10.30 – 11.00am Tea/Coffee in Cathedral Hall (CH)
11.00am – 12.45pm National meeting on the CFB programme, speakers include:
Rt Hon John Battle Member of Parliament for Leeds West, Chair of the All Party Group on Poverty, Member of the International Development Select Committee
Revd Rose Hudson-Wilkin, Church of England Vicar at Holy Trinity Dalston and All Saints Haggerston and Chaplain to Her Majesty the Queen
Dr Usama Hasan, Senior Lecturer at Middlesex University and Imam at the Al-Tawhid mosque in Leyton (CH)
12.45 – 1.30pm Lunch in Cathedral Hall
2.00 – 3.30pm Mass in Cathedral with Most Rev Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster, other Bishops and clergy
3.30 – 4.00pm Tea/Coffee in Cathedral Hall
4.00 – 5.00pm Event hosted by Young People on the Changing Face of Britain theme, with music, presentations, debate (CH)
We have invited all communities to participate in the Celebration including people from parishes, religious communities, other Christian denominations, other Faith communities, schools, civil society, politicians and the media.
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The Changing Face of Britain Discussion Paper
1. The Changing Face of Britain Programme
During 2009, to mark its 25th Anniversary, CARJ is organising a Programme of local events culminating in a national celebration at Westminster Cathedral on 7 November 2009. The Programme will explore the theme: The Changing Face of Britain.
The Programme will have a twofold aim, relating to the theme. It will:
celebrate the ways in which the Church and the wider society have changed for the better over those 25 years
attempt to read ‘the signs of the times’ and discern in our the new situation the challenges that we are called to address in the future.
The Programme will also include a 25th Anniversary Appeal for funds for the future work of CARJ.
The Programme was launched at the celebration of the feast of St Martin de Porres on 1 November 2008.
2. Celebrating What Has Been Achieved
CARJ wishes to acknowledge and to celebrate all that has changed for the better over the past 25 years and the progress that we have all made toward becoming ‘a truly diverse Church in a truly diverse society.’
overt discrimination has been made illegal and largely banned from mainstream society
people of different backgrounds live and work in all sectors of society
educational disadvantage is being steadily overcome
our churches and schools are communities of every language, nation, colour and culture.
The Race Relations Act 1976 and the CRE are being replaced by a new Single Equalities Act and the newly formed Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC).
3. Future Challenges We Face
Some of the challenges we face in the coming years may seem obvious. However, we need to look below the surface, to read the signs of the times and to discern what role we are called to play in our developing society. The following are some of the issues we will wish to reflect upon and the groups who may need our support:
Second and third generation black British
The riots of the early 1980s, which were examined in the Scarman Inquiry, suggest something of the situation 25 years ago – alienated black youth, racism in the police, over-representation in prisons, high incidence of mental illness, educational under-achievement, the emergence of black consciousness, black power and black pride. Some of this remains, but there has also been positive development. Second and third generation black British today need our support to resist becoming alienated and to achieve their full potential.
Islam in British society
The Muslim community are currently in the forefront of public attention, partly because of terrorism but also because they are visibly committed to their faith and culture which some see as alien. Some second generation Muslims are becoming westernised under their traditional clothing – making their way in school and into jobs across society. Others are experiencing varying degrees of alienation and are sometimes under attack by groups like the British National Party (BNP). Issues of community cohesion often focus around divisions between Muslim communities and others. In some places, Muslim communities are residentially segregated and their physical and geographical separation reinforce cultural differences. Some schools are more segregated than their local neighbourhoods.
New Migrants
Migrants arriving in the UK since 1990 come from many parts of the world – Africa, Asia and Latin America – but especially from Eastern Europe. Some are undocumented. Others are from new accession countries in the EU. They come with a variety of needs and contributions to make to both the church and wider society. Many are not visible but they suffer from sporadic prejudice – including stereotyping and media criticism.
Asylum seekers and refugees
Asylum seekers and refugees are sometimes among the poorest and most vulnerable in our society. They suffer from the memory of past traumas, the current danger of being returned, lack of work or benefits, a variety of prejudices and other problems. There are a growing number of church projects to cater for their needs, but the situation is patchy and sometimes uncoordinated.
Dalits
The Dalit diaspora communities in the UK reportedly number some 200,000; and they experience caste prejudice and caste discrimination (often reinforcing poverty) in a variety of partially hidden forms.
Gypsies and Travellers
The communities of Gypsies and Travellers are said to be similar in size to the Bangladeshi community in the UK. They are culturally separated because of their life-style and they often suffer very serious levels of prejudice, discrimination and disadvantage. They experience problems accessing health care, problems with the police, educational under-achievement and difficult relations with local resident communities.
Poor, white, vulnerable and marginalised communities
This is not a single group but together make up a very vulnerable and fairly sizeable section of the white population. They are a breeding ground for the BNP and for the growth of the everyday racism of ordinary people. They are seen by some to be the ‘neglected poor’ as compared to black and minority ethnic groups.
4. Issues arising from these and other developments
These and other developments have substantially changed the environment of race relations in the UK since 1984. The following are only a few of these developments:
New equalities legislation
The Race Relations Act 1976 and the CRE are being replaced by a new Single Equalities Act and the newly formed Equality & Human Rights Commission (EHRC). This legislation and the new Commission will deal with discrimination on the grounds of race, gender, disability, religion or belief, sexual orientation and age.
Community cohesion
Community cohesion has emerged as an important concern at local and national level. How do we construct a common identity and citizenship while welcoming and appreciating our diversity? What place do local parishes and schools play in reinforcing divisions or in promoting cohesion.
Segregation
In some places faith and ethnic communities are residentially segregated and their physical and geographical separation reinforces other differences. Some schools are more segregated than their local neighbourhoods.
Policy on immigration, asylum, terrorism and human rights
Legislation on immigration and asylum is the subject of constant debate. The tension between human rights and protection from terrorism is becoming more and more serious, and in times of recession especially, migrants and asylum seekers are likely to be stereotyped as outsiders and as competition for employment.
Educational underachievement
Many from black and minority ethnic groups, along with white working class boys, suffer educational underachievement, which locks them into disadvantage and inequality and leads to alienation.
Caste discrimination in the UK
Voice of Dalit International (VODI) and Castewatch UK are only two of the organisations working to highlight the often hidden prejudice and discrimination which Dalits face in this country particularly from within South Asian communities.
Cultural and religious diversity and marginalisation
Some ethnic and religious groups find themselves marginalised, partly by choice and partly by prejudice, cultural segregation and economic disadvantage. This is especially true of Gypsies and Travellers and of some groups in Muslim, black Christian, Jewish and other communities.
Action for local groups
With all these developments and vulnerable groups in mind, the question we wish to ask of one another during our year of reflection and discernment is what role can we best play and what specific initiatives can we take to support vulnerable and marginalised groups, to encourage dialogue and to bring about a fairer and more equal society, where all live together as good neighbours and work together for the common good?
This paper is intended as a discussion starter. This and other materials produced by CARJ will be used to initiate a process of discernment (trying to read the signs of the times) in local groups. Local groups are invited to make the process their own by reflecting on their local situation. The discussion will then have to move on to how the situation is to be addressed.
Above all the aim of these discussions is to enable local groups and the Church nationally to begin fashioning a vision of how we want to work in the coming years to build a truly inclusive church in a truly inclusive society.
5. Get involved
For more information and to find out how you can participate in the 25th Anniversary programme of events and the special Appeal for the 25th Anniversary, please contact:
Rosie Bairwal
Catholic Association for Racial Justice (CARJ)
9 Henry Road, London N4 2LH
020 8802 8080
info@carj.org.uk
http://www.carj.org.uk
http://www.islaminbritishstone.co.uk/
Islam in British Stone is a web-based project that seeks out and promotes Britain’s most significant Muslim heritage sites and greatest Islamic influenced buildings. It was developed as a response to our work with young Muslims. It emerged that there was a gap in knowledge with regards to British Muslim/Islamic history and this could be a significant factor in the disenfranchisement of young British Muslims. This project aims to tackle this issue by highlighting the historic relationship between Islam and Britain in a positive manner.
The project focuses on the heritage of the Muslim community in Britain and its use, affect and influence on the built environment. Historically significant buildings like these can provide a way for a community to connect to its past and help establish a sense of place within society. These buildings have played a significant role at the heart of the Muslim community in Britain for generations and they deserve to be recognised as important monuments in its modern history.The learning and promotion of the history and heritage of the Muslim community in Britain is still at its very early stages. A huge amount of work to research, document and archive is required and we hope that in our own little way this project will help stimulate this sphere of work.
We are currently promoting and celebrating the 120 year anniversary of the Shah Jahan Mosque in Woking, the first purpose built mosque in the UK, opened in 1889 and a Grade II* listed building. By using the latest internet-based computer games technology we have created a 3-D environment that allows anyone to ‘virtually’ visit the mosque with a few clicks of a mouse and a broadband connection.
Any thoughts, suggestions and advice or potential links, partners and support would be very much appreciated.
Please be aware the site is ‘work in progress’.
Please feel free to pass on to any interested parties.
Website – http://www.islaminbritishstone.co.uk/
Twitter – http://twitter.com/MuslimHeritage
Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/pages/Islam-in-British-Stone/152425907498
Bismillah.
The Hadith scholars have the lovely tradition of composing short works comprising about 40 Hadith. Often these are about specific subjects. The most famous and influential such collection is of course by Imam Nawawi, because his 42 ahadith covered the major principles of Islam.
Here is a beautiful work by Imam Isma’il b. Muhammad of ‘Ajlun, Syria, who lived 1087-1162 H, i.e. about 75 lunar years. The Gregorian dates would be 1676-1749, roughly. His teachers included the Shaykh ‘Abd al-Ghani of Nablus.
‘Ajluni’s most famous work is probably his Kashf al-Khafa’ wa Muzil al-Albas ‘an ma-shtahara min al-Ahadith ‘ala Alsinah al-Nas (“Unveiling the Hidden Truth and Removing the Confusion about the Ahadith that are Widespread upon the Tongues of the People”), in which several hundred popular ahadith are listed in alphabetical order with his comments (of variable length) about the sources (takhrij) and authenticity of each hadith. He confirms that many widely-quoted and popular ahadith are not, in fact, authentic as genuine statements of the Prophet, peace be upon him. Many others are, of course, and still others have slightly different wordings than their popular versions. The Kashf was almost unique and the reference work in its field until the Shaykh al-Albani came along! However, the Kashf is still an extremely valuable resource in addition to Albani’s works. Some readers will remember that I quoted several times from the Kashf, in addition to Albani’s books, when I wrote the Introduction and Appendix to my father’s An Introduction to the Science of Hadith (Al-Quran Society, London, 1990’s – later republished and distributed widely by Darussalam, Riyadh).
One matter mentioned by Imam ‘Ajluni in the Kashf is that, contrary to the popularly-held belief, the head of Imam Husain, the revered grandson of the Prophet peace be upon him, is not buried in Cairo. The site has a major mosque and shrine there currently, known as al-Husainiyyah. Imam Husain was martyred at Karbala’ in Iraq, and in fact there are one or two other shrines in different countries where it is claimed that his head is buried. I was rather bemused by the fact that the esteemed, pioneering and inspirational Prof. Seyyed Hossein Nasr mentions in his autobiography that, out of all the places he had ever visited, he found his spiritual centre at the alleged burial-place of Imam Husain’s head in Cairo. One can understand its significance if one believes the story to be true, but surely the place cannot be more sacred than Medina and Mecca, whether you’re Sunni or Shia, Sufi or not?
Anyway, back to the current work which collects 40 hadiths from 40 different Hadith collections. (Most of us would probably be hard-pressed to name 10 Hadith collections, let alone 40). The hadith in each case is often the one which opens the relevant book.
The Arabic title of the book is ‘Iqd al-Jawhar al-Thamin fi Arba’in Hadithan min Ahadith Sayyid al-Mursalin (“A Necklace of Precious Jewels: Forty Traditions of the Chief of the Messengers”). It is described as a sanad (chain of narration) for the books of Hadith, so that a student of Hadith would have sanad in 40 books by gaining a sanad for this book. The later Hadith scholar Jamal al-Din al-Qasimi, also of Syria, wrote an excellent commentary on the ‘Iqd called al-Fadl al-Mubin (“The Clear Grace”).
The book is available here, only in Arabic, in Word and PDF formats, and would be a lovely one for someone to translate, even a list of the 40 Hadith books and an indication of the relevant hadith in each case, since some of the 40 hadiths are quite long. I’d be very grateful if someone could do this for the sake of God and for the benefit of non-Arabic readers. I’m very grateful to Ibrahim Ali for sending me these files.
Iqd al Jawhar_Ajluni_Mutii al Hafiz_another edn (Word format)
Iqd al Jawhar_Ajluni_Mutii al Hafiz_another edn (PDF format)
Bismillah. Some recommendations:
1) All knowledge comes from God, so continually pray to him to teach you more. This Koranic prayer is great: rabbi zidni ‘ilma(n) – “My Lord, increase me in knowledge.”
2) The first and last learning resource for astronomy is the sky itself, especially the night sky. Get into the habit of watching the movement of the sun and moon, where and when they rise and set etc. (Never look directly at the sun.) Sunrise/sunset and moonrise/moonset times are widely-available online and in good daily newspapers.
The apparent movement of stars and planets would be the next thing to learn. Make sure you know your N-E-S-W directions wherever you are. Learning about the North Star helps here! Binoculars are good for viewing the moon and fainter stars.
3) Visit the Royal Observatory Greenwich (ROG), http://www.rog.nmm.ac.uk – free entry with brilliant learning resources, planetarium shows and a good shop for books, software and telescopes.
4) There are many observatories and planetaria around the UK – do try to visit those.
5) Watch “The Sky at Night” on BBC1, it’s a monthly programme. Has a good website, too.
6) There are several national and international astronomical associations and astronomy magazines. The latter include “Astronomy Now” and “Sky and Telescope.” There are hundreds of websites.
7) Software: free, shareware or fairly cheap, and will show you on your PC screen what the night sky looks like at your location, at any time. “Starry Night” is about £10 at the ROG shop, and is excellent. Skyglobe is good shareware, available online. Others include Stellarium, but I’m not familiar with them. A good way to learn to recognise and name the planets, stars and constellations.
8. Many observatories, including ROG, run short courses with weekly sessions, teaching astronomy at beginner and more advanced levels, as do many adult-learning colleges. For children, there are GCSE and AS-level courses in astronomy.
9) My blog (https://unity1.wordpress.com) has a section on astronomy and Islamic astronomy.
10) There are many books on Islamic astronomy. Good websites include ICOP, the Astronomical Societies of Jordan, the UAE and Qatif in Saudi Arabia (qasweb.org) and various moonsighting ones.
Please check the Metropolitan Police Services’ new community messaging service on: http://www.neighbourhoodlink.met.police.uk
You can receive free text & email messages from the Metropolitan Police Service about incidents and issues that may affect you locally or as a member of the wider London community.
Communities Together Helpline: 0800 0282390
Communities Together Minicom: 0800 0286522
Email: CommunitiesTogether@met.police.uk
The Samosa is a new online magazine and blog site launching on 1 October 2009: http://www.thesamosa.co.uk
It addresses major issues facing the world today – what is the truth about radicalisation of British Muslims? Is Pakistan really a terrorist hotbed or a far more complicated country than usually reported? Is life getting better or worse for the world’s poor? – with the MidEast, UK and South Asia a special focus.
The Samosa is unique. It blends witty, incisive comment and blogging from over the world with no-holds-barred reportage from new journalistic talent. Humour, colour, investigative reporting, all under one site, taking a cue from The Onion, the Huffington Post and Liberal Conspiracy among others.
We will take you behind the scenes in countries like India and Pakistan, stripping away myths and fears to show you the people, their culture, stories and politics. You’ll meet the celebrity model turned Islamic preacher, the curators of truck painting, environmental campaigners, civil rights campaigners and the man who opens a new school every week. But The Samosa is nothing if not broad, covering politics, culture and society in the UK and the rest of the world.
Directing the project is Anwar Akhtar, a British Pakistani with a desire to: highlight the huge diversity of the Muslim world, champion progressive, liberal, non sectarian ideals worldwide; to platform the many faces and stories of the Pakistani Diaspora – and a love of classic disco and rock music. Anwar helped to found the Rich Mix in East London.
Bismillah. Thanks to different friends for the following pieces:
1) These are pretty good reviews for the types of brain tumour in children.
Different types, different growth rate, different prognosis, different treatment, etc.
http://www.mayoclinic.org/pediatric-brain-tumors/types.html
http://www.chw.org/display/router.asp?DocID=22484#22484_7
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000768.htm
2) Anonymous writes: My sister was in GOSH when she was a little girl, and I remember just how lovely the staff were, and how well they cared for not just her, but our whole family. I remember I was even jealous of her!!
(I’m pleased to say that things haven’t changed at GOSH, then. 🙂 )
3) Many thanks to another friend who sent us a lovely card at GOSH with the following story, edited slightly to preserve anonymity:
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Wed 16th Sept 2009
Dear Usama and family,
I was so sorry to hear about […]’s illness. I have read your blog and know now that […] is doing well – I do hope this continues.
I know it is not always helpful to hear about other people but I thought I would tell you my family’s story as you may get some comfort from hearing about other people who have survived this terrible ordeal.
My niece was diagnosed with two large, malignant tumours near her hypothalamus when she was 15. We were told they could not operate due to their position but eventually a surgeon agreed to do it. It was a terrible time for the whole family as we were told it was unlikely she would survive.
She is now 28 years old, has graduated in law and works as a solicitor. (We were told at the time that she had lost some brain function!) She still has a small piece of brain tumour left but so far this has not changed. She has a yearly brain scan.
I am sorry if all this seems miles away from your situation. I do hope […] will be out of hospital very soon and will be enjoying the Eid celebrations.
Best wishes,
(…)
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Thank you so much! This story is a huge comfort to us, and I hope to others also. We are touched at your taking the trouble to write it all down and send it to us.
4) Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of Natalie Morton, the 14-year-old UK schoolgirl who died this week after having the cervical cancer jab, which is thought to be unconnected to the death. According to BBC Radio 5 Live, the coroner said today that the cause of death was an undiagnosed heart tumour that could have killed her at any moment.
May God give them strength, faith and patience to overcome their ordeal. May Natalie be in Paradise with Abraham, Friend of God, who in Islamic tradition looks after children who die young.
Bismillah. I wrote the following short piece about the Perseid meteor shower at the request of the Guardian CIF on Wednesday 12th August 2009, around the time that the Perseids were peaking. By the grace of Allah, or “thanks to God and then to Google,” the article was No. 1 Most Viewed on the CIF section all day on Thursday 13th August 2009 and No. 3 on the Guardian website overall, with over 115,000 views. The photo of a meteor that CIF put at the top of the article generated many hits via Google.
Most readers were thus not regular CIFers, which is partly why there weren’t too many comments. However, as usual, some of the comments were hilarious and well-worth reading.
The last comment is my own, an extract from the Egyptian scholar al-Suyuti (d. 911 AH/ 15th century CE) regarding meteoric events in history. Here is an extended extract from those pages of History of the Caliphs, covering other events such as Siamese twins, etc.
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[Caliph no. 53:] Al-Nasir li Din Allah, Ahmad
Al-Nasir li Din Allah, Ahmad Abu l-‘Abbas b. al-Mustadi’ bi Amr Allah.
He was born on Monday the tenth of Rajab in the year five hundred and fifty-three [553]. His mother was a Turkish umm walad [“mother of a child,” a slavewoman who is free after her master’s death due to her giving birth by him] named Zumurrud. He was pledged allegiance when his father [Caliph no. 52, al-Mustadi’ bi Amr Allah] died at the beginning of Dhu l-Qa’dah in the year seventy-five [575]. Several scholars gave him permission to transmit from them, including Abu l-Husain ‘Abd al-Haqq al-Yusufi, Abu l-Hasan ‘Ali b. ‘Asakir al-Bata’ihi and Shuhdah. He himself gave permission to several others to narrate from him. They used to narrate from him during his lifetime, competing in that for the sake of fame, not of isnad.
…
One of his interesting anecdotes is that a servant of his named Yumn wrote him a note that included:
Biman yumann Yumn Thaman Yumn thumun
(By whom shall Yumn be favoured? The price of Yumn is an eighth!)
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In the year eighty [580]: the caliph made the tomb of Musa al-Kazim a sanctuary for anyone who took refuge there. Large numbers of people did so, and many problems resulted.
In the year eighty-one [581]: a boy was born in al-‘Alath – his forehead was a handspan plus four fingers in width, and he had one ear.
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In the year eighty-three [583]: it so happened that the first day of the (lunar) year was also the first day of the week, the first day of the solar year and the first day of the Persian year, and the sun and the moon were in the first zodiacal sign. This was an amazing coincidence.
…
One of the strange matters [connected to the reconquest of Jerusalem] is that Ibn Burrajan mentioned in tafsir of “Alif Lam Mim: The Romans have been conquered” [Qur’an, 30:1-2] that Jerusalem would remain in the hands of the Crusaders (al-Rum) until the year five hundred and eighty-three [583], when they would be vanquished. Jerusalem would be conquered and remain a Land of Islam until the end of time. He derived all this from the arithmetic of the ayah, and it is precisely what happened.
Abu Shamah said: What Ibn Burrajan mentioned is a wondrous coincidence, for he died ages before the event, his death having occurred in the year five hundred and thirty-six [536].
…
In the year five hundred and ninety-two [592]: a black wind gusted over Mecca, blinding everyone. Red sand covered the people. A piece of the Yemeni corner [of the Ka’bah] broke off and fell.
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In the year five hundred and ninety-three [593, around 1197 CE], a great celestial object fell to earth with a terrifying sound, shaking dwellings and lands. The people sought divine help and prayed publicly, and thought that this was one of the signs of the Day of Judgment.
…
In the year ninety-seven [597]: A great earthquake shook Egypt, Sham and Arabia, destroying many places and forts. A village near Busra sank into the ground.
In the year five hundred and ninety-nine [599, around 1202 CE] at the end of Muharram [the first month of the Islamic calendar], the stars were in commotion and swarmed around like locusts. This continued until dawn. The people were distressed and cried out to God the Exalted. The [celestial] phenomenon had only been experienced before at the advent of the Messenger of God, peace be upon him.
…
In the year six hundred and one [601]: a woman at Qutay’a’ gave birth to a boy with two heads, two arms and four legs. He did not survive.
In the year six hundred and six [606]: the story of the Tatars began, which will be explained later …
Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti, Tarikh al-Khulafa or History of the Caliphs, Muassasah al-Kutub al-Thaqafiyyah, Beirut, 2nd ed., 1417/1996, pp. 390-6 (my translation)
We were thrilled that Aluna was featured on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme and also on the BBC website on September 1st 2009. Thanks to those of you who heard it and have already been in touch.
You can also listen again to the Today Programme on the BBC iplayer for the next few days – http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00m9nxp/Today_01_09_2009/
Abu Ishaq Ibrahim Ibn Yahya Al-Zarqali (Arzachel in Latin), was a famous Andalusian scholar known also as Al-Zarqalluh and Al-Zarqallah. He was born in 1029 and died in 1087. His life corresponded exactly to that dramatic period when the Muslim realm of Spain completely disintegrated, and nearly collapsed, only to be saved in 1089, when the Almoravids of Morocco crossed into Spain, crushed the Christians at Zalaqa, and unified Spain once more. They were followed later by the Almohads, who kept Spain under Muslim rule for another two centuries, until the middle of the 13th century, when Muslim Spain, with the exception of Granada, was lost for good.
Al-Zarqali constructed the famed clocks of Toledo, which al-Zuhri has described in a Castilian translation, published by J.M. Millas-Vallicrosa. The clocks were in use until 1135, when King Alphonso VI tried to discover how they worked and asked Hamis Ibn Zabara to dismantle them. Once they were taken apart, nobody could reassemble them. They constituted a very precise lunar calendar and were, to some extent, the predecessors of the clocks or planetary calendar devices that became fashionable six centuries later in Europe.
Ahmad Thomson has given a vivid account of the intricate working of the clocks. The clocks consisted of two basins, which filled with water or emptied according to the increasing or waning of the moon. At the moment when the new moon appeared on the horizon, water would begin to flow into the basins by means of subterranean pipes, so that there would be at day-break the fourth of a seventh part, and at the end of the day half a seventh part, of the water required to fill the basins. In this proportion the water would continue to flow until seven days and as many nights of the month had elapsed, by which time both basins would be half filled. The same process during the following seven days and nights would make the two basins quite full, at the same time that the moon was at its full. However, on the fifteenth night of the month, when the moon would begin to wane, the basins would also begin to lose every day and night half a seventh part of their water, until by the twenty-first of the month they would be half empty, and when the moon reached her twenty-ninth night not a drop of water would remain in them. It is worthy of remark that, should anyone go to any of the basins when they were not filled, and poured water into them with a view to quicken its filling, the basins would immediately absorb the additional water and retain no more than the just quantity; and, on the contrary, were anyone to try, when they were nearly filled, to extract any or the whole of their water, the moment he raised his hands from the work the basins would pour out sufficient water to fill the vacuum in an instant.
UNITY 