Ancient History Civilization

Writing and Religion
By 7000 BCE, in what is called the Fertile Crescent, in West Asia where hunter-gatherers had roamed, planting had grown into the major source of food. There true farming had begun, and farming required permanent settlement. [...]

Fall of Assyria’s Empire and Rise of the Moses Legend
Assyria’s great empire lasted no longer than would the empires that began in the late nineteenth century — about seventy-five years. Assyria weakened itself economically by continuous wars to maintain its empire, including defending against invasions by an Indo-European tribal people, the Cimmerians, [...]

Manichaeism, a Universalist Faith

An artist’s concept of Mani the Prophet
from Wikimedia Commons
The Prophet Mani
Persia was between India and the Roman Empire, and the Silk Road ran through it, making Persia a crossroad of ideas. It had Jews who had had fled from their homeland. After the Jews came Christians. Buddhist ideas [...]

Question: What does the Qur’an say about Christians?
Answer: In the Qur’an, Christians are often referred to as among the “People of the Book,” i.e. people who have received and believed in previous revelation from God’s prophets. There are verses that highlight the commonalities between Christians and Muslims, and other verses that warn Christians against sliding [...]

Question: What does the Qur’an say about Jesus?
Answer: In the Qur’an, stories about the life and teachings of Jesus Christ (called ‘Isa in Arabic) are abundant. The Qur’an recalls his miraculous birth, his teachings, the miracles he performed by God’s permission, and his life as a respected prophet of God. The Qur’an also repeatedly reminds [...]