Latest news with #BattleofUhud
The Sun
30-05-2025
- General
- The Sun
Do not let the past vote on your future
WE all have a room in our minds where the past lives. Some call it memory, others call it baggage. It is filled with faded moments – some precious and some painful. The successes we revisit for confidence and the failures we replay are often far too much. While that room can hold valuable lessons, it is not where we are meant to live. The trouble begins when we start hanging up curtains in that room, rearranging the furniture and calling it home. There is a line I often reflect on: Treat the past as a separate room you can visit but don't live there because the truth is, the past has no power over us unless we give it the keys. This does not mean we should ignore history or pretend our scars do not exist; quite the opposite. Sometimes, we need to visit that room to gather something we left behind: a truth we missed, a lesson we skipped or even a version of ourselves we have forgotten. However, we go there with intention and not attachment. We visit, we retrieve and we leave. We do not unpack our bags. Take Khalid ibn al-Walid, for instance. One of the greatest military minds of the early Islamic world. But it didn't start that way. He was once among Islam's fiercest opponents – he fought against the Prophet Muhammad in the Battle of Uhud. Yet later, he embraced the faith and went on to become one of its most legendary commanders, earning the title Saifullah – the Sword of God. Imagine if he had stayed in that other room, chained by guilt, regret or public shame. Imagine if he had let his past dictate his future. History would have remembered him as a different man altogether. But Khalid chose otherwise. He did not live in the past; he took what he needed – his strategic mind, his discipline and his drive – and redirected it towards something greater. His legacy was not in his mistakes but in his transformation. That is the key. The past is a reference point, not a residence. If we linger too long, it becomes a trap – one lined with stress, self-pity and procrastination. 'If only I had...', 'I should have...', 'Back then, I was better...'. Sound familiar? These thoughts are heavy – they slow us down – and before long, we find ourselves stuck, not moving forward, just spinning in place. Even science, in its pursuit of truth, does not get stuck. It corrects itself. Moves on. Remember Pluto? Once declared the ninth planet of our solar system, Pluto had its planetary status revoked in 2006. People were up in arms – students rewrote their science notes, astronomers debated passionately and some of us felt genuinely betrayed. But here is the thing: science did not dwell on the emotional fallout. It adjusted, recalibrated and moved forward. In 2023, new discoveries and reclassifications reopened the conversation, with some even suggesting Pluto may deserve its planetary badge again. The takeaway? Even knowledge evolves. What we once believed may no longer hold. What seems discarded may find new relevance down the line. But the process never stops; it keeps moving. So should we. This same spirit echoes in The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. Amir, the novel's protagonist, spends years haunted by a childhood betrayal. His guilt eats away at his adult life, colouring his decisions and clouding his joy. It is only when he returns to Afghanistan – revisiting the past with the goal of righting a wrong – that he finds redemption. He did not go back to wallow; he went back to repair and that made all the difference. The point is not to cut ourselves from our histories but to know when to leave the room. The past has value but it has no vote. It may inform us but it cannot define us unless we let it. If you are still replaying an old failure, quoting an old version of yourself and measuring your progress against a time that no longer exists, pause and ask yourself: 'What exactly am I holding on to?' More importantly, is it helping me move forward? There is only one way to live life: going forward. Progress does not require perfection. It only asks that we keep walking. If you must look back, do so with gratitude or clarity, not attachment. Visit the past with purpose – pick up what you need and close the door behind you, then face forward. Because that is where life happens. Dr Nahrizul Adib Kadri is a professor of biomedical engineering at the Faculty of Engineering and the principal of Ibnu Sina Residential College, Universiti Malaya. Comments: letters@
Express Tribune
14-03-2025
- General
- Express Tribune
Saudi Arabia restores Al-Fas'h mosque: A reminder of the Battle of Uhud
Listen to article Nestled at the foot of Mount Uhud, north of Madinah, Al-Fas'h Mosque stands as a historical gem and a reminder of the Battle of Uhud, a pivotal event in Islamic history. The mosque, also known as Uhud Mosque or Sha'b Al-Jerar Mosque, holds a special place in the Islamic tradition, with many believing that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) prayed here. It continues to attract visitors from around the world, the Saudi Press Agency reported. Historian Dr Fouad Al-Maghamsi emphasized the significance of Al-Fas'h Mosque within the broader historical context of the Uhud region, which also includes Jabal Al-Rumah and Wadi Qanat. 'The remnants of Al-Fas'h Mosque, enclosed by a roughly 1-meter-high stone wall on three sides, measure 6 meters in length and 4 meters in width,' Al-Maghamsi said. Al-Fas'h Mosque is approximately 800 meters from the Uhud battlefield. Courtesy: The mosque, built with resilient black stones, has withstood the test of time and undergone several restorations, the most recent under the reign of King Salman, as part of a wider effort to revitalize historical sites. The mosque's simple yet distinct architecture features a rectangular prayer space and a mihrab made of red bricks. Restoration efforts by the Saudi Heritage Commission have introduced a wooden roof, a floor of artistically arranged yellow natural stones, paved surrounding areas, seating, and informative signage. Located approximately 4.5 km north of Al-Masjid Al-Nabawi (the Prophet's Mosque), Al-Fas'h Mosque lies in the heart of an area steeped in Islamic heritage. Its proximity to the Uhud battlefield, roughly 800 meters away, makes it an integral part of Madinah's sacred landscape.
Arab News
13-03-2025
- General
- Arab News
Masjid Al-Fas'h in Madinah meticulously restored
RIYADH: A historical gem nestled at the foot of Mount Uhud, north of Madinah, Al-Fas'h Mosque stands as a reminder of the Battle of Uhud, a pivotal moment in Islamic history. This has a special place in the history of Islam because it is also where Prophet Muhammad is believed to have prayed, and attracts visitors from around the world, the Saudi Press Agency reported recently. Historian Dr. Fouad Al-Maghamsi highlighted Al-Fas'h Mosque's significance within the wider historical landscape of Uhud, which includes Jabal Al-Rumah and Wadi Qanat. Known as Uhud Mosque or Sha'b Al-Jerar Mosque, Al-Fas'h has been meticulously preserved and restored. 'The remnants of Al-Fas'h Mosque, enclosed by a roughly 1-meter-high stone wall on three sides, measure 6 meters in length and 4 meters in width,' said Al-Maghamsi. He added that this landmark, constructed with resilient black stones, has endured through centuries and undergone numerous restorations, most recently under the reign of King Salman, as part of a broader initiative to revitalize historical sites. The mosque's simple yet distinctive architecture features a rectangular prayer space and a mihrab crafted from red bricks. Recent restoration efforts, overseen by the Saudi Heritage Commission, have introduced a wooden roof, a floor of artistically arranged yellow natural stones, paved surrounding areas, seating, and informative signage. The mosque's location, approximately 4.5 km north of Al-Masjid Al-Nabawi or the Prophet's Mosque, places it in the heart of an area rich with Islamic heritage. Its proximity to the Uhud battlefield, roughly 800 meters away, makes it an integral part of the sacred landscape of Madinah.
