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I was interested in Somalia since it is an African-Muslim country - something we briefly touched on in class but did not fully explore in depth. Over 99% of the population in Somalia is Sunni Muslim. I chose to represent Somalia through the Bakara Market because I feel that such open markets are the truest and most authentic description of a country's culture and traditions.

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Mosul is a major city in Iraq and also serves as the capital of  Nineveh Governorate. It has also been the center for the conflicts between the ISIS and the Iraqi Government. I chose this picture because it is the poster of a movie -  a western depiction and narration of the 2017 Battle of Mosul. Based on our previous discussions in class about misconstrued western narratives surrounding islam, I am curious and incentivised to research the Battle and then compare that to its depiction in the movie.

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Jerusalem is situated on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. It is one of the world's oldest cities and a holy center for Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. I was interested in this city because it both Israel and Palestine claim it to be its capital and. I chose this photo because it accurately portary's Jerusalem's religious significance and influence as the meeting point between three major Abrahamic religions.

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Marmara, Sea Istanbul - Marina Homes, Beylikdüzü/İstanbul, Turkey

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Marmara, Sea Istanbul - Marina Homes, Beylikdüzü/İstanbul, Turkey

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Marmara, Sea Istanbul - Marina Homes, Beylikdüzü/İstanbul, Turkey

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The Sea of Marmara is an inland sea located inside Turkey's borders. Through the Bosporus and Dardanelles straits, it connects the Black Sea to the Aegean Sea, thereby separating Turkey's European and Asian sides.

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One of the things Cyprus is most famous for is their sweet dessert wine. This wine and its popularity stems from the fact that Cyrus was successively dominated by the Assyrian, Egyptian, Persian, Greek, and Roman Empires. This mix of colonization and ruling lends to their multiplicity of cultures and interests.

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Hijaz is the region of Saudi Arabia which incorporates two of the most important and holiest cities in Islam- Mecca and Medina. I incorporated a photo which accurately marks the range of the Hejaz because on Padlet, I can only post a pin and cannot mark a range.

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In 2014, The Aral Sea disappeared completely. The process of the Aral Sea drying up started in 1960, when the Soviet Union undertook a water diversion project in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan wherein they diverted the water from the region’s two major rivers into the desert, with the aim to grow crops in the desert - the Aral Sea was a lake formed by these rivers. Today, while the desert is in full bloom, the Aral Sea has dried up because the rivers no longer flow here. I picked this particular picture of the Aral sea because I thought the man in the picture made it extremely powerful, incorporating and pointing out the effect of such projects on local communities.

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The Green Zone has historically been the center for the different historical regimes which captured Iraq over the years, serving as the center for the Ba’ath Party and the location for Sadam Hussain’s palace. It is also the epicenter of international presence in Baghdad as it was the governmental center of the Coalition Provisional Authority during the American-led 2003 occupation of Iraq and suffered through some of the heaviest fighting at the time of this conflict. I chose this location because it was recently infiltrated by protestors after Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr announced that he was stepping away from politics. In a series of violent clashes on Monday, 10 people were killed and over 200 were injured. As we think about the history of Islam, I think it is also important that we familiarize ourselves with the the current problems and conflicts happening in the regions which are integral to Islam.

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After Mecca, Medina is the second holiest city for Muslims. Medina is often known as the city where Prophet Muhammad established the Muslim ummah and it is also where his body is entombed. I chose to demarcate Medina by the Dar Al Madinah Museum because the museum, through its collection of old Quranic scriptures, swords, and other artifacts allows us to view the history of Islam from the very beginning of its time. I think that this historical context is absolutely essential because Islam evolved based on both the timing of the Prophet revelations, as depicted by the difference in the Early and Late Revelations, and on the dominant community interpreting it at the time.

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When thinking about Mecca, the first thing that pops into anyone’s mind is how it the holiest city in Islam. It was the place of Muhammad’s birth and every Muslim tries to make a trip to Mecca (as a pilgrimage) at least once in their lives. Muslims turn towards Mecca while saying their prayers and thus, I chose the Masjid al-Haram, or the great mosque of Mecca. It is the site of the Hajj Pilgrimage and is the largest mosque in the world.

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This is the Azadi Tower in Tehran - a famous monument which is inspired by both, colonial and post-colonial Iranian architecture. It was created to set in stone (quite literally, since it is completely made from marble) 2,500th anniversary of the Persian Empire. I chose the word 'Azadi' which means freedom. 'Azadi' is a commonly used in India and many Indians associate it with our battle of independence. This made me think that maybe the tower was a grounding force and reminder for Iranians, in context of the Iraq-Iran wars.

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Something that many people dont know is that Uzbekistan lies on the Silk Route! The Silk Route was, as the name suggests, a silk trading route which dates from the second century to 14th Century AD and span across Asia and the Mediterranean. It connected many countries including Italy, Greece, and India. This photo depicts 'the centre of the Silk Route' and I thought it to be important because it is played a huge role in interactions between the East and the West.

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To best demarcate Turkey, I chose a hammam! A hammam is a kind of communal Turkish bath which is actually a key feature of the Islamic world, although it was borrowed from the Roman thermae. I chose to show a hammam not only because it is a prominent feature of Islam and very popualr in Turley but also because to me, the concept behind it contardicts the idea that Islam is a very conservative soceity - most people here are naked!

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The Red Castle of Tripoli is one of Libya’s most major landmarks, sitting on the waterfront of Tripoli. The origins of the castle are still unknown and may date as far back as the 7th Century BCE. I chose this monument because it has stood steadfast through the many years of colonization, from the Romans in 534 to Karamanli Dynasty in 1711.

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This image if of Al Said - the world’s third largest yacht owned by the Sultan. Al Said is, in every way shape and form, a magnificent yacht. It is about 509 foot long and equipped with multiple suites, a saloon, cinema, dental care room, health room, and an operating room. It is no wonder that the yacht is referred to as a “floating palace.” I chose this yacht as a description of Oman because our reading this week Ibn Sa’ad on Muhammad’s Wives highlighthed the imporatnce of wealth and stature in traditional Islamic soceity. I thought this was fitting for Oman since it is known to be one of the most traditional Arabian countries.