Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Shahid Minar
Every year on the 21 st of February, Bengalis pay tribute to martyrs who have died for their language. Flowers are laid to honor those who have passed away.
first letter in the Bangla alphabet
The 21 st of February is a very important day for worldwide Bengalis. On this day in 1952 Bangla was an official language of Bangladesh. Bengalis fought long and hard to break free from their oppressors, Pakistanis who have forced Bengalis to speak Urdu. Bangla comes from Old Indo-Aryan language and the alphabet derives from Brahmi inscriptions.
Geologists cleared in Bangladeshi poisoning case
Court finds British team not negligent for failing to spot arsenic.
A British court has ruled that a geological survey team is not to blame for failing to detect arsenic contamination in Bangladesh's well water. Bangladeshi villagers had accused the British Geological Survey (BGS) of negligence, arguing that it should have spotted the danger.
Lawyers representing the villagers plan to appeal against the decision, which is expected to prevent other lawsuits against the BGS in this matter from going ahead.
Arsenic poisoning is a serious issue in Bangladesh, where natural water supplies are contaminated with the poison by natural run-off from the Himalayas.
The problem only emerged in the 1990s, after wells were dug in the country in an attempt to find safer drinking water for its inhabitants. Before then, the main source of drinking water was surface supplies, which were frequently contaminated with sewage and dangerous bacteria.
In response, the Bangladeshi government and the children's charity UNICEF sunk more than a million wells in the 1970s and 1980s. In 1992, the BGS undertook a pilot survey, one purpose of which was to obtain limited data relevant to the toxicity of well water.
The study looked for chemical contaminants such as iron and phosphorous, but did not look for arsenic. The BGS found no contaminants of significant toxicity. Only in 1995, when villagers began to display symptoms of poisoning such as major skin lesions, did experts realize that the water was heavily polluted.
"At the time of the study, there was no reason to expect arsenic to be there," says David Lynn, director of science and innovation at the Natural Environment Research Council, which runs the BGS. "In many respects, it was not an obvious thing to look for," agrees Andy Meharg, a biogeochemist at the University of Aberdeen, UK.
But critics of the study say there was a reason to suspect the presence of the poison.
Poisoned neighbours
Bozena Michalowska-Howells of London-based law firm Leigh, Day and Co., which prepared the lawsuit against the BGS, says that a similar problem in neighbouring West Bengal was documented in a World Health Organization bulletin as long ago as 1988. She believes that the BGS ought to have been aware of this.
Lord Justice Kennedy of the Court of Appeal rejected the Bangladeshis' case, however, declaring that the BGS did not have a direct duty to ensure that the villagers were safe. Unless the appeal succeeds, the case will not proceed to trial.
Millions of Bangladeshis continue to drink water tainted with arsenic. The problem has been described as the worst mass poisoning in history - health experts estimate that 100,000 people living on the Bengal delta have suffered debilitating skin lesions. Other effects of the contamination include cancer and neurological problems.
Meharg suggests that villagers could obtain safer water by collecting some of Bangladesh's huge annual rainfall. "But they would need to store it cleanly," he says. "As soon as it hits the ground it's contaminated."
The BGS is playing a role in beating the problem, points out Lynn. "Since 1995, the BGS has led a major survey of arsenic in Bangladeshi groundwater," he says. It has been trying, in part, to steer villagers towards the least polluted wells.
A British court has ruled that a geological survey team is not to blame for failing to detect arsenic contamination in Bangladesh's well water. Bangladeshi villagers had accused the British Geological Survey (BGS) of negligence, arguing that it should have spotted the danger.
Lawyers representing the villagers plan to appeal against the decision, which is expected to prevent other lawsuits against the BGS in this matter from going ahead.
Arsenic poisoning is a serious issue in Bangladesh, where natural water supplies are contaminated with the poison by natural run-off from the Himalayas.
The problem only emerged in the 1990s, after wells were dug in the country in an attempt to find safer drinking water for its inhabitants. Before then, the main source of drinking water was surface supplies, which were frequently contaminated with sewage and dangerous bacteria.
In response, the Bangladeshi government and the children's charity UNICEF sunk more than a million wells in the 1970s and 1980s. In 1992, the BGS undertook a pilot survey, one purpose of which was to obtain limited data relevant to the toxicity of well water.
The study looked for chemical contaminants such as iron and phosphorous, but did not look for arsenic. The BGS found no contaminants of significant toxicity. Only in 1995, when villagers began to display symptoms of poisoning such as major skin lesions, did experts realize that the water was heavily polluted.
"At the time of the study, there was no reason to expect arsenic to be there," says David Lynn, director of science and innovation at the Natural Environment Research Council, which runs the BGS. "In many respects, it was not an obvious thing to look for," agrees Andy Meharg, a biogeochemist at the University of Aberdeen, UK.
But critics of the study say there was a reason to suspect the presence of the poison.
Poisoned neighbours
Bozena Michalowska-Howells of London-based law firm Leigh, Day and Co., which prepared the lawsuit against the BGS, says that a similar problem in neighbouring West Bengal was documented in a World Health Organization bulletin as long ago as 1988. She believes that the BGS ought to have been aware of this.
Lord Justice Kennedy of the Court of Appeal rejected the Bangladeshis' case, however, declaring that the BGS did not have a direct duty to ensure that the villagers were safe. Unless the appeal succeeds, the case will not proceed to trial.
Millions of Bangladeshis continue to drink water tainted with arsenic. The problem has been described as the worst mass poisoning in history - health experts estimate that 100,000 people living on the Bengal delta have suffered debilitating skin lesions. Other effects of the contamination include cancer and neurological problems.
Meharg suggests that villagers could obtain safer water by collecting some of Bangladesh's huge annual rainfall. "But they would need to store it cleanly," he says. "As soon as it hits the ground it's contaminated."
The BGS is playing a role in beating the problem, points out Lynn. "Since 1995, the BGS has led a major survey of arsenic in Bangladeshi groundwater," he says. It has been trying, in part, to steer villagers towards the least polluted wells.
History of construction
The river Jamuna (Brahmaputra), along with the lower stretch of the Padma (Ganges) divides Bangladesh into nearly two equal halves. Until now all road and rail communication between the two parts of the country has had to rely on time-consuming ferry services that were often disrupted because of navigabilityproblems in the rivers. The need for a bridge over the river Jamuna was felt, especially by the people living in north-western Bangladesh, for a long time. This perceived need did not go unnoticed by the policy makers. The people and successive governments always longed to bridge the mighty Jamuna and thereby integrate the communication systems of the region. Popular leader Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani first raised the demand for construction of theJamuna Bridge at a political level in 1949. In the 1954 provincial elections of East Pakistan, the 21-point manifesto of the united front contained a demand for the bridge. On January 6, 1964, Mohammad Saifur Rahman, a member from Rangpur in the Provincial Assembly inquired about government’s intentions with regard to the construction of a bridge over the Jamuna. On July 11, 1966, Shamsul Haque, another member from Rangpur in the same Assembly, moved a resolution for the construction of the bridge and the house adopted it unanimously.
Accordingly, a preliminary feasibility study was carried out in 1969 by Freeman Fox and Partners of UK. They recommended a rail-cum-road bridge near Sirajganj with an estimated cost of $175 million. The estimates were preliminary in nature and a more detailed study was recommended. On the other hand, in his address to the nation over radio and television on the eve of general election in Pakistan in 1970, the Awami League leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahmanmentioned the construction of Jamuna Bridge as an election pledge of his party. But all efforts were interrupted due to political unrest and liberation war.
After Bangladesh attained independence in 1971, the new government publicly stated its intention in 1972 to construct a bridge over the Jamuna and budgetary provisions were kept for the purpose in the 1972-73 budget. On being invited by the Bangladesh government, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) funded a feasibility study through Nippon Koei Co. Ltd. in 1973 on the construction of a road-cum-rail bridge over the Jamuna.
The JICA study, completed in 1976, concluded that the Jamuna project would cost $683 million with an economic rate of return (ERR) of only 2.6%. Considering that the project is not technically and economically viable, the government had abandoned the project. The government had, however, revived it later in 1982 and commissioned a new study to determine the feasibility of transferring natural gas to western parts of the country across the Jamuna. The study concluded that an independent gas connector was not economically viable. However, the consultants made an assessment of the engineering feasibility and cost of a combined road-cum-gas transmission bridge, which introduced the concept of a multipurpose bridge. It was estimated that a 12-km long bridge with three road lanes would cost $420 million. Upon consideration of the report, the cabinet made a decision to take immediate steps in pursuit of the project.
The Jamuna Multipurpose Bridge Authority (JMBA) was set up by an ordinance promulgated by the then President Hussain Muhammad Ershad on July 3, 1985 to implement the project. For mobilisation of domestic resources, another ordinance was promulgated by which a Jamuna Bridge surcharge and levy were introduced. A total of Tk 5.08 billion was mobilised in the process till its abolition.
In 1986, phase-I feasibility study for the bridge was carried out when the site between Sirajganj and Bhuapur (Tangail) was found to be the best. Between 1987 and 1989, the phase-II feasibility study was carried out when a road-cum-rail-cum-power bridge was found both economically and technically viable. Funding arrangements for the bridge were finally made with IDA, ADB and JBIC (formerly known as OECF) of Japan by the government of Bangladesh in 1992. Tenders were invited through international bidding for construction contracts in 1993. Contracts for the bridge, river training work and two approach roads were awarded in March 1994. The foundation stone of the bridge was laid on April 10, 1994. Physical implementation of the project commenced on October 15, 1994, and all the components except gas transmission line were completed by June 1998. The bridge was opened for traffic on June 23, 1998.
Jamuna Multipurpose Bridge was constructed at a cost of $62 million. The cost of construction was shared by IDA, ADB, OECF of Japan, and the government of Bangladesh. Of the total, IDA, ADBand OECF supplied 22% each, and the remaining 34% was borne by Bangladesh. The components of the project’s cost were as per given pie chart:
The main bridge is 4.8 km long with 47 main spans of approximately 100 metres and 2 end spans of approximately 65 metres. Connected to the bridge are East and West approach viaducts each with 12 spans of 10 metre length and transition spans of 8 metres. The total width of the bridge deck is 18.5 metres.
The crossing has been designed to carry a dual two-lane carriageway, a dual gauge (broad and metre) railway, a high voltage (230 kV) electrical interconnector, telecommunication cables and a 750 mm diameter high pressure natural gas pipeline. The carriageways are 6.315 metres wide separated by a 0.57 metre width central barrier; the rail track is located along the north side of the deck. On the main bridge, electrical interconnector pylons are positioned on brackets cantilevered from the north side of the deck. Telecommunication ducts run through the box girder deck and the gas pipeline is located under the south cantilever of the box section. The bridge has been built by Hyundai Engineering and Construction (Korea) as a ‘design and build’ contract. TY Lin Assoc. of San Francisco carried out the design as a sub-contractor for Hyundai. The approach roads were constructed by Samwhan Corporation (Korea).
Considering the fact that the width of the main channel does not exceed 3.5 km, and after making allowances for floods, a bridge length of 5 km was considered adequate. In October 1995, one year after the commencement of physical work of the bridge, a bridge length of 4.8 km, instead of a flood-width of the river at 14 km, was finalised. This narrowing was essential to keep the overall project cost within economic viability. It has, however, required considerable river training work to keep the river under the bridge.
Monday, December 28, 2009
The Pala dynasty of bd
Pala dynasty were the first independent Buddhist dynasty of Bengal. The name Pala (Modern Bengali: পাল pal) means protector and was used as an ending to the names of all Pala monarchs. The Palas were followers of the Mahayana and Tantric schools of Buddhism. Gopala was the first ruler from the dynasty. He came to power in 750 in Gaur by a democratic election. This event is recognized as one of the first democratic elections in South Asia since the time of the Mahā Janapadas. He reigned from 750-770 and consolidated his position by extending his control over all of Bengal. The Buddhist dynasty lasted for four centuries (750-1120 AD) and ushered in a period of stability and prosperity in Bengal. They created many temples and works of art as well as supported the Universities of Nalanda and Vikramashila. Somapura Mahavihara built by Dharmapala is the greatest Buddhist Vihara in the Indian Subcontinent.
Somapura Mahavihara in Bangladesh is the greatest Buddhist Vihara in the Indian Subcontinent, built by Dharmapala.
The empire reached its peak under Dharmapala and Devapala. Dharmapala extended the empire into the northern parts of the Indian Subcontinent. This triggered once more for the control of the subcontinent. Devapala, successor of Dharmapala, expanded the empire to cover much of South Asia and beyond. His empire stretched from Assam and Utkala in the east, Kamboja (modern day Afghanistan) in the north-west and Deccan in the south. According to Pala copperplate inscription Devapala exterminated the Utkalas, conquered the Pragjyotisha (Assam), shattered the pride of the Huna, and humbled the lords of Gurjara, Pratiharas and the Dravidas.
Buddha and Bodhisattvas, 11th century, Pala EmpireThe death of Devapala ended the period of ascendancy of the Pala Empire and several independent dynasties and kingdoms emerged during this time. However, Mahipala I rejuvenated the reign of the Palas. He recovered control over all of Bengal and expanded the empire. He survived the invasions of Rajendra Chola and the Chalukyas. After Mahipala I the Pala dynasty again saw its decline until Ramapala, the last great ruler of the dynasty, managed to retrieve the position of the dynasty to some extent. He crushed the Varendra rebellion and extended his empire farther to Kamarupa, Orissa and Northern India.
The Pala Empire can be considered as the golden era of Bengal. Never had the Bengali people reached such height of power and glory to that extent. Palas were responsible for the introduction of Mahayana Buddhism in Tibet, Bhutan and Myanmar. The Pala had extensive trade as well as influence in south-east Asia. This can be seen in the sculptures and architectural style of the Sailendra Empire (present-day Malaya, Java, Sumatra).
Sena dynasty
Main article: Sena Empire
The Palas were followed by the Sena dynasty who brought Bengal under one ruler during the twelfth century. Vijay Sen the second ruler of this dynasty defeated the last Pala emperor Madanapala and established his reign. Ballal Sena introduced caste system in Bengal and made Nabadwip the capital. The fourth king of this dynasty Lakshman Sen expanded the empire beyond Bengal to Bihar, Assam, and Orissa. Lakshman was later defeated by the Muslims and fled to eastern Bengal were he ruled few more years. The Sena dynasty brought a revival of Hinduism and cultivated Sanskrit literature in India. It is believed by some Bengali authors that Jayadeva, the famous Sanskrit poet and author of Gita Govinda, was one of the Pancharatnas (meaning 5 gems) in the court of Lakshman Sen.
Late Middle Ages - arrival of IslamIslam made its first appearance in Bengal during the twelfth century AD when Sufi missionaries arrived. Later occasional Muslim invaders reinforced the process of conversion by building mosques, madrassas and Sufi Khanqah. Beginning in 1202 a military commander from the Delhi Sultanate, Bakhtiar Khilji, overran Bihar and Bengal as far east as Rangpur, Bogra and the Brahmaputra River. The defeated Laksman Sen and his two sons moved to a place then called Vikramapur (present-day Munshiganj District), where their diminished dominion lasted until the late thirteenth century.
Turkic rule
Khilji maliks
The period after Bakhtiar Khilji's death in 1206 devolved into infighting among the Khiljis - representative of a pattern of succession struggles and intra-empire intrigues during later Turkic regimes. Ghiyasuddin Iwaz Khalji prevailed and extended the Sultan's domain south to Jessore and made the eastern Bang province a tributary. The capital was made at Lakhnauti on the Ganges near the older Bengal capital of Gaur. He managed to make Kamarupa, Orissa and Trihut pay tribute to him. But he was later defeated by Shams-ud-Din Iltutmish.
Mameluk ruleThe weak successors of Iltutmish encouraged the local governors to declare independence. Bengal was sufficiently remote from Delhi that its governors would declare independence on occasion, styling themselves as Sultans of Bengal. It was during this time that Bengal earned the name "Bulgakpur" (land of the rebels). Tughral Togun Khan added Oudh and Bihar to Bengal. Mughisuddin Yuzbak also conquered Bihar and Oudh from Delhi but was killed during an unsuccessful expedition in Assam. Two Turkic attempts to push east of the broad Jamuna and Brahmaputra rivers were repulsed, but a third led by Mughisuddin Tughral conquered the Sonargaon area south of Dhaka to Faridpur, bringing the Sen Kingdom officially to an end by 1277. Mughisuddin Tughral repulsed two massive attacks of the sultanate of Delhi before finally being defeated and killed by Ghiyas ud din Balban.
Mahmud Shahi dynastyMahmud Shahi dynasty started when Nasiruddin Bughra Khan declared independence in Bengal. Thus Bengal regained her independence back. Nasiruddin Bughra Khan and his successors ruled Bengal for 23 years finally being incorporated into Delhi Sultanate by Ghyiasuddin Tughlaq.
Ilyas Shahi dynasty
Sixty Dome Mosque in Mosque city of Bagerhat was built in the 15th century and is the largest historical mosque in Bangladesh, as well as a World Heritage site.Shamsuddin Iliyas Shah founded an independent dynasty that lasted from 1342-1487. The dynasty successfully repulsed attempts by Delhi to conquer them. They continued to reel in the territory of modern-day Bengal, reaching to Khulna in the south and Sylhet in the east. The sultans advanced civic institutions and became more responsive and "native" in their outlook and cut loose from Delhi.
Considerable architectural projects were completed including the massive Adina Mosque and the Darasbari Mosque which still stands in Bangladesh near the border. The Sultans of Bengal were patrons of Bengali literature and began a process in which Bengali culture and identity would flourish. The Ilyas Shahi Dynasty was interrupted by an uprising by the Hindus under Raja Ganesha. However the Ilyas Shahi dynasty was restored by Nasiruddin Mahmud Shah. The dynasty was finally overthrown by the Habshi (Abyssinian) slaves of the sultanate.
Hussain Shahi dynasty
The Habshi rule gave way to the Hussain Shahi dynasty that ruled from 1494-1538. Alauddin Hussain Shah, considered as the greatest of all the sultans of Bengal for bringing cultural renaissance during his reign. He conquered Kamarupa, Kamata, Jajnagar, Orissa and extended the sultanate all the way to the port of Chittagong, which witnessed the arrival of the first Portuguese merchants. Nasiruddin Nasrat Shah gave refuge to the Afghan lords during the invasion of Babur though he remained neutral. However Nusrat Shah made a treaty with Babur and saved Bengal from a Mughal invasion. The last Sultan of the dynasty, who continued to rule from Gaur, had to contend with rising Afghan activity on his northwestern border. Eventually, the Afghans broke through and sacked the capital in 1538 where they remained for several decades until the arrival of the Mughals.
Suri dynasty
Sher Shah Suri established the Sur dynasty in Bengal. After the battle of Chausa he declared himself independent Sultan of Bengal and Bihar. Sher Shah was the only Muslim Sultan of Bengal to establish an empire in northern India. The Delhi Sultanate Islam Shah appointed Muhammad Khan Sur as the governor of Bengal. After the death of Islam Shah, Muhammad Khan Sur became independent. Muhammad Khan Sur was followed by Ghyiasuddin Bahadur Shah and Ghyiasuddin Jalal Shah. The Pashtun rule in Bengal remained for 44 years. Their most impressive achievement was Sher Shah's construction of the Grand Trunk Road connecting Sonargaon, Delhi and Peshawar.
Karrani dynasty
The Sur dynasty was followed by the Karrani dynasty. Sulaiman Khan Karrani annexed Orissa to the Muslim sultanate permanently. Daoud Shah Karrani declared independence from Akbar which led to four years of bloody war between the Mughals and the Pashtuns. The Mughal onslaught against the Pashtun Sultan ended with the battle of Rajmahal in 1576, led by Khan Jahan. However, the Pashtun and the local landlords (Baro Bhuyans) led by Isa Khan resisted the Mughal invasion.
Gangaridai Empire of bd
Though north and west Bengal were part of the Magadhan empire southern Bengal thrived and became powerful with her overseas trades. In 326 BCE, with the invasion of Alexander the Great the region again came to prominence. The Greek and Latin historians suggested that Alexander the Great withdrew from India anticipating the valiant counter attack of the mighty Gangaridai empire that was located in the Bengal region. Alexander, after the meeting with his officer, Coenus, was convinced that it was better to return. Diodorus Siculus mentions Gangaridai to be the most powerful empire in India whose king possessed an army of 20,000 horses, 200,000 infantry, 2,000 chariots and 4,000 elephants trained and equipped for war. The allied forces of Gangaridai Empire and Nanda Empire (Prasii) were preparing a massive counter attack against the forces of Alexander on the banks of Ganges. Gangaridai according to the Greek accounts kept on flourishing at least up to the 1st century AD.
[edit] Early Middle Ages
The pre-Gupta period of Bengal is shrouded with obscurity. Before the conquest of Samudragupta Bengal was divided into two kingdoms: Pushkarana and Samatata. Chandragupta II had defeated a confederacy of Vanga kings resulting in Bengal becoming part of the Gupta Empire.
[edit] Gauda Kingdom
By the sixth century, the Gupta Empire ruling over the northern Indian subcontinent was largely broken up. Eastern Bengal became the Vanga Kingdom while the Gauda kings rose in the west with their capital at Karnasuvarna (Murshidabad). Shashanka, a vassal of the last Gupta Empire became independent and unified the smaller principalities of Bengal (Gaur, Vanga, Samatata) and vied for regional power with Harshavardhana in northern India. But this burst of Bengali power did not last beyond his death, as Bengal descended afterwards into a period marked by disunity and foreign invasion.
Proto-History of bd
Hindu scriptures such as the Mahabharata say that Bangladesh was divided among various tribes or kingdoms, including the Nishadas and kingdoms known as the Janapadas: Vanga (southern Bengal), Pundra (northern Bengal), and Suhma (western Bengal) according to their respective totems. These Hindu sources, written by Indo-Aryans in what is now Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, say that the peoples of Bangladesh were not Indo-Aryans. However, Jain scriptures identify Vanga and Anga in Bangladesh as Indo-Aryan. While western Bangladesh, as part of Magadha, became part of the Indo-Aryan civilization by the 7th century BCE, the Nanda Dynasty was the first historical state to unify all of Bangladesh under Indo-Aryan rule.
Overseas Colonization
The Vanga Kingdom was a powerful seafaring nation of Ancient India. They had overseas trade relations with Java, Sumatra and Siam (modern day Thailand). According to Mahavamsa, the Vanga prince Vijaya Singha conquered Lanka (modern day Sri Lanka) in 544 BC and gave the name "Sinhala" to the country. Bengali people migrated to the Maritime Southeast Asia and Siam (in modern Thailand), establishing their own colonies there.[
History of Bangladesh 1971
Bangladesh became one of the large nation states in 1971 when it seceded from Pakistan. Prior to the creation of Pakistan in 1947, modern-day Bangladesh was part of ancient, classical, medieval and colonial India. Since independence, the government has experienced periods of democratic and military rule. The father of the country and its first president was Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. His daughter Sheikh Hasina Wazed is currently the prime minister, as leader of the Awami League. The opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party is led by Begum Khaleda Zia, who is the widow of the revered freedom fighter and former military ruler Ziaur Rahman.
Etymology
See also: History of Bengal
The exact origin of the word Bangla or Bengal is unknown, though it is believed to be derived from the Dravidian-speaking tribe Bang/Banga that settled in the area around the year 1000 BCE.[1][2] Other accounts speculate that the name is derived from Vanga (bôngo), which came from the Austric word "Bonga" meaning the Sun-god. According to Mahabharata, Purana, Harivamsha Vanga was one of the adopted sons of king Vali who founded the Vanga kingdom. The Muslim Accounts refer that "Bong", a son of Hind (son of Hām who was a son of Prophet Noah/Nooh) colonized the area for the first time.[3] The earliest reference to "Vangala"(bôngal) has been traced in the Nesari plates (805 AD) of Rashtrakuta Govinda III which speak of Dharmapala as the king of Vangala. Shams-ud-din Ilyas Shah took the title "Shah-e-Bangalah" and united the whole region under one government for the first time.
Pre-historic Bengal
Stone tools provide the earliest evidence of human settlements. Prehistoric stone implements have been discovered in various parts of West Bengal in the districts of Midnapur, Bankura and Burdwan. But it is difficult to determine, even approximately, the time when people using them first settled in Bengal. It might have taken place ten thousand years (or even more) ago. The original settlers spoke non-Aryan languages—they may have spoken Austric or Austro-Asiatic languages like the languages of the present-day Kola, Bhil, Santal, Shabara and Pulinda peoples. At a subsequent age, peoples speaking languages from two other language families—Dravidian and Tibeto-Burman—seem to have settled in Bengal. Archaeological discoveries during the 1960s furnished evidence of a degree of civilisation in certain parts of Bengal as far back as the beginning of the first millennium BC, perhaps even earlier. The discoveries at Pandu Rajar Dhibi in the valley of the Ajay River (near Bolpur) in Burdwan district and in several other sites on the Ajay, Kunar and Kopai Rivers have thrown fresh light on Bengal's prehistory. Pandu Rajar Dhibi represents the ruins of a trading township, which carried on trade not only with the interior regions of India, but also—possibly indirectly—with the countries of the Mediterranean.
[edit] Bengal in mythology
Some deprecatory references indicate that the early people in Bengal were different in ethnicity and culture from the Vedic beyond the boundary of Aryandom and who were classed as 'Dasyus'. The Bhagavata Purana classes them as sinful people while Dharmasutra of Bodhayana prescribes expiatory rites after a journey among the Pundras and Vangas. Mahabharata speaks of Paundraka Vasudeva who was lord of the Pundrasand who allied himself with Jarasandha against Krishna. Mahabharata also speaks of Bengali kings called Chitrasena and Sanudrasena who were defeated by Bhima, Kalidas mentions Raghu defeated a coalition of Vanga kings who were defeated by Raghu and Raghu established a victory column in the Gangetic delta.
Etymology
See also: History of Bengal
The exact origin of the word Bangla or Bengal is unknown, though it is believed to be derived from the Dravidian-speaking tribe Bang/Banga that settled in the area around the year 1000 BCE.[1][2] Other accounts speculate that the name is derived from Vanga (bôngo), which came from the Austric word "Bonga" meaning the Sun-god. According to Mahabharata, Purana, Harivamsha Vanga was one of the adopted sons of king Vali who founded the Vanga kingdom. The Muslim Accounts refer that "Bong", a son of Hind (son of Hām who was a son of Prophet Noah/Nooh) colonized the area for the first time.[3] The earliest reference to "Vangala"(bôngal) has been traced in the Nesari plates (805 AD) of Rashtrakuta Govinda III which speak of Dharmapala as the king of Vangala. Shams-ud-din Ilyas Shah took the title "Shah-e-Bangalah" and united the whole region under one government for the first time.
Pre-historic Bengal
Stone tools provide the earliest evidence of human settlements. Prehistoric stone implements have been discovered in various parts of West Bengal in the districts of Midnapur, Bankura and Burdwan. But it is difficult to determine, even approximately, the time when people using them first settled in Bengal. It might have taken place ten thousand years (or even more) ago. The original settlers spoke non-Aryan languages—they may have spoken Austric or Austro-Asiatic languages like the languages of the present-day Kola, Bhil, Santal, Shabara and Pulinda peoples. At a subsequent age, peoples speaking languages from two other language families—Dravidian and Tibeto-Burman—seem to have settled in Bengal. Archaeological discoveries during the 1960s furnished evidence of a degree of civilisation in certain parts of Bengal as far back as the beginning of the first millennium BC, perhaps even earlier. The discoveries at Pandu Rajar Dhibi in the valley of the Ajay River (near Bolpur) in Burdwan district and in several other sites on the Ajay, Kunar and Kopai Rivers have thrown fresh light on Bengal's prehistory. Pandu Rajar Dhibi represents the ruins of a trading township, which carried on trade not only with the interior regions of India, but also—possibly indirectly—with the countries of the Mediterranean.
[edit] Bengal in mythology
Some deprecatory references indicate that the early people in Bengal were different in ethnicity and culture from the Vedic beyond the boundary of Aryandom and who were classed as 'Dasyus'. The Bhagavata Purana classes them as sinful people while Dharmasutra of Bodhayana prescribes expiatory rites after a journey among the Pundras and Vangas. Mahabharata speaks of Paundraka Vasudeva who was lord of the Pundrasand who allied himself with Jarasandha against Krishna. Mahabharata also speaks of Bengali kings called Chitrasena and Sanudrasena who were defeated by Bhima, Kalidas mentions Raghu defeated a coalition of Vanga kings who were defeated by Raghu and Raghu established a victory column in the Gangetic delta.
History of Bangladesh
Bangladesh came to today's shape through a long history of political evolution. Bengal was probably the wealthiest part of the subcontinent up till the 16th century. The area's early history featured a succession of Indian empires, internal squabbling, and a tussle between Hinduism and Buddhism for dominance. All of this was just a prelude to the unstoppable tide of Islam which washed over northern India at the end of the 12th century. Mohammed Bakhtiar Khalzhi from Turkistan captured Bengal in 1199 with only 20 men.
Under the Mughal viceroys, art and literature flourished, overland trade expanded and Bengal was opened to world maritime trade - the latter marking the death knell of Mughal power as Europeans began to establish themselves in the region. The Portuguese arrived as early as the 15th century but were ousted in 1633 by local opposition. The East India Company negotiated terms to establish a fortified trading post in Calcutta in 1690.
The decline of Mughal power led to greater provincial autonomy, heralding the rise of the independent dynasty of the nawabs of Bengal. Humble East India Company clerk Robert Clive ended up effectively ruling Bengal when one of the impetuous nawabs attacked the thriving British enclave in Calcutta and stuffed those unlucky enough not to escape in an underground cellar. Clive retook Calcutta a year later and the British Government replaced the East India Company following the Indian Mutiny in 1857.
The Britons established an organizational and social structure unparalleled in Bengal, and Calcutta became one of the most important centers for commerce, education and culture in the subcontinent. However, many Bangladeshi historians blame the British dictatorial agricultural policies and promotion of the semi-feudal zamindar system for draining the region of its wealth and damaging its social fabric. The British presence was a relief to the minority Hindus but a catastrophe for the Muslims. The Hindus cooperated with the Brits, entering British educational institutions and studying the English language, but the Muslims refused to cooperate, and rioted whenever crops failed or another local product was rendered unprofitable by government policy.
At the closure of World War II it was clear that European colonialism had run its course and Indian independence was inevitable. Independence was attained in 1947 but the struggle was bitter and divisive, especially in Bengal where the fight for self-government was complicated by internal religious conflict. The British, realizing any agreement between the Muslims and Hindus was impossible, decided to partition the subcontinent. That Bengal and Punjab, the two overwhelmingly Muslim regions, lay on opposite sides of India was only one stumbling block. The situation was complicated in Bengal where the major cash crop, jute, was produced in the Muslim-dominated east, but processed and shipped from the Hindu-dominated city of Calcutta in the west.
Inequalities between the two regions i.e. East and West Pakistan soon stirred up a sense of Bengali nationalism that had not been reckoned with during the push for Muslim independence. When the Pakistan government declared that `Urdu and only Urdu' would be the national language, the Bangla-speaking Bengalis decided it was time to assert their cultural identity. The drive to reinstate the Bangla language metamorphosed into a push for self-government and when the Awami League, a nationalistic party, won a majority in the 1971 national elections, the president of Pakistan, faced with this unacceptable result, postponed opening the National Assembly. Riots and strikes broke out in East Pakistan, the independent state of Bangladesh was unilaterally announced, and Pakistan sent troops to quell the rebellion.
The ensuing war was one of the shortest and bloodiest of modern times, with the Pakistan army occupying all major towns, using napalm against villages, and slaughtering and raping villagers. Bangladeshis refer to Pakistan's brutal tactics as attempted genocide. Border clashes between Pakistan and India increased as Indian-trained Bangladeshi guerrillas crossed the border. When the Pakistani air force made a pre-emptive attack on Indian forces, open warfare ensued. Indian troops crossed the border and the Pakistani army found itself being attacked from the east by the Indian army, the north and east by guerrillas and from all quarters by the civilian population. In 11 days it was all over and Bangladesh, the world's 139th country, officially came into existence. Sheikh Mujib, one of the founders of the Awami League, became the country's first prime minister in January 1972 ; he was assassinated in 1975 during a period of crisis
The ruined and decimated new country experienced famine in 1973-74, followed by martial law, successive military coups and political assassinations. In 1979, Bangladesh began a short-lived experiment with democracy led by the overwhelmingly popular President Zia, who established good relationships with the West and the oil-rich Islamic countries. His assassination in 1981 ultimately returned the country to a military government that periodically made vague announcements that elections would be held `soon'. While these announcements were rapturously greeted by the local press as proof that Bangladesh was indeed a democracy, nothing came of them until 1991. That year the military dictator General Ershad was forced to resign by an unprecedented popular movement led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and the Awami League.
Democracy was re-established and the economy ticked along at a 4.5% growth rate, which hardly made it an 'Asian tiger' but was at least respectable. Political dog-fighting between the BNP and the Awami League became acrimonious in the run up to national elections in February 1996 leaving the country strike-ridden and rudderless. The election was marred by violence and boycotted by the three main opposition parties, resulting in a BNP shoo-in. However, low voter turnout and reports of ballot-box stuffing by polling officials raised serious questions about the government's legitimacy and in April 1996 Prime Minister Begum Khaleda agreed to stand down and appointed an interim caretaker administration, pending new elections scheduled for 12 June 1996.In the elections Awami League got the largest number of seats. Sheikh Hasina Wazed, the leader of the Awami League, was sworn in as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh Government.
Under the Mughal viceroys, art and literature flourished, overland trade expanded and Bengal was opened to world maritime trade - the latter marking the death knell of Mughal power as Europeans began to establish themselves in the region. The Portuguese arrived as early as the 15th century but were ousted in 1633 by local opposition. The East India Company negotiated terms to establish a fortified trading post in Calcutta in 1690.
The decline of Mughal power led to greater provincial autonomy, heralding the rise of the independent dynasty of the nawabs of Bengal. Humble East India Company clerk Robert Clive ended up effectively ruling Bengal when one of the impetuous nawabs attacked the thriving British enclave in Calcutta and stuffed those unlucky enough not to escape in an underground cellar. Clive retook Calcutta a year later and the British Government replaced the East India Company following the Indian Mutiny in 1857.
The Britons established an organizational and social structure unparalleled in Bengal, and Calcutta became one of the most important centers for commerce, education and culture in the subcontinent. However, many Bangladeshi historians blame the British dictatorial agricultural policies and promotion of the semi-feudal zamindar system for draining the region of its wealth and damaging its social fabric. The British presence was a relief to the minority Hindus but a catastrophe for the Muslims. The Hindus cooperated with the Brits, entering British educational institutions and studying the English language, but the Muslims refused to cooperate, and rioted whenever crops failed or another local product was rendered unprofitable by government policy.
At the closure of World War II it was clear that European colonialism had run its course and Indian independence was inevitable. Independence was attained in 1947 but the struggle was bitter and divisive, especially in Bengal where the fight for self-government was complicated by internal religious conflict. The British, realizing any agreement between the Muslims and Hindus was impossible, decided to partition the subcontinent. That Bengal and Punjab, the two overwhelmingly Muslim regions, lay on opposite sides of India was only one stumbling block. The situation was complicated in Bengal where the major cash crop, jute, was produced in the Muslim-dominated east, but processed and shipped from the Hindu-dominated city of Calcutta in the west.
Inequalities between the two regions i.e. East and West Pakistan soon stirred up a sense of Bengali nationalism that had not been reckoned with during the push for Muslim independence. When the Pakistan government declared that `Urdu and only Urdu' would be the national language, the Bangla-speaking Bengalis decided it was time to assert their cultural identity. The drive to reinstate the Bangla language metamorphosed into a push for self-government and when the Awami League, a nationalistic party, won a majority in the 1971 national elections, the president of Pakistan, faced with this unacceptable result, postponed opening the National Assembly. Riots and strikes broke out in East Pakistan, the independent state of Bangladesh was unilaterally announced, and Pakistan sent troops to quell the rebellion.
The ensuing war was one of the shortest and bloodiest of modern times, with the Pakistan army occupying all major towns, using napalm against villages, and slaughtering and raping villagers. Bangladeshis refer to Pakistan's brutal tactics as attempted genocide. Border clashes between Pakistan and India increased as Indian-trained Bangladeshi guerrillas crossed the border. When the Pakistani air force made a pre-emptive attack on Indian forces, open warfare ensued. Indian troops crossed the border and the Pakistani army found itself being attacked from the east by the Indian army, the north and east by guerrillas and from all quarters by the civilian population. In 11 days it was all over and Bangladesh, the world's 139th country, officially came into existence. Sheikh Mujib, one of the founders of the Awami League, became the country's first prime minister in January 1972 ; he was assassinated in 1975 during a period of crisis
The ruined and decimated new country experienced famine in 1973-74, followed by martial law, successive military coups and political assassinations. In 1979, Bangladesh began a short-lived experiment with democracy led by the overwhelmingly popular President Zia, who established good relationships with the West and the oil-rich Islamic countries. His assassination in 1981 ultimately returned the country to a military government that periodically made vague announcements that elections would be held `soon'. While these announcements were rapturously greeted by the local press as proof that Bangladesh was indeed a democracy, nothing came of them until 1991. That year the military dictator General Ershad was forced to resign by an unprecedented popular movement led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and the Awami League.
Democracy was re-established and the economy ticked along at a 4.5% growth rate, which hardly made it an 'Asian tiger' but was at least respectable. Political dog-fighting between the BNP and the Awami League became acrimonious in the run up to national elections in February 1996 leaving the country strike-ridden and rudderless. The election was marred by violence and boycotted by the three main opposition parties, resulting in a BNP shoo-in. However, low voter turnout and reports of ballot-box stuffing by polling officials raised serious questions about the government's legitimacy and in April 1996 Prime Minister Begum Khaleda agreed to stand down and appointed an interim caretaker administration, pending new elections scheduled for 12 June 1996.In the elections Awami League got the largest number of seats. Sheikh Hasina Wazed, the leader of the Awami League, was sworn in as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh Government.
True History of Islam, Mohammed and the Koran 6
nothing but a slave on whom God showed favor (Surah 43:59); yet elsewhere in the
Qur'an we are told the Messiah is not a slave (Surah 4:172). The Qur'an tells us that
Jesus Christ did not atone for anyone's sins, although he was himself sinless (Surah
3:46) and is one of those who are near to God (Surah 3:45). Positively, the Qur'an
says that Jesus Christ performed miracles (Surah 3:49; 5:110) and was the Messiah.
The Qur'an says Jesus did not die on a cross. Various Muslim traditions say that
Jesus either miraculously substituted Judas Iscariot for himself on the cross, or that
God miraculously delivered Him from the hands of the Romans and Jews before He
could be crucified. Most Muslims believe that Jesus Christ was taken bodily into
heaven without having died (Surah 4:157). However, Surah 19:33 says He died and
would be resurrected. Muhammad on the other hand died in his wife Aisha's home, not
long after he was poisoned by a slave girl. Muhammad's body was lowered into a hole
in Medina, and his dead body was covered by dirt and brickwork.
It is interesting to compare Jesus and Muhammad according to the Qur'an. Jesus did
miracles (Surah 3:49; 5:110), but Muhammad did not (Surah 13:8: "thou art a warner [of
coming divine judgment] only"; also 6:37; 6:109; 17:59 and 17:90-93).
Jesus was sinless (Surah 3:46), but Muhammad sinned and needed forgiveness
(Surah 40:55: "Ask forgiveness of thy sin"; 42:5: "Ask forgiveness for those on the
Earth"; 47:19: "Ask forgiveness for thy sin" ; 48:2: "that Allah may forgive thee of thy
sin").
Jesus was called "the Messiah" by Allah in the Qur'an. And Jesus was even born of a
virgin (Surah 3:45-57)! Yet Muhammad who had 12 wives, 2 concubines, and
participated in many attacks on innocent caravans and villages, and insisted on 20% of
all the booty from these raids -- is supposed to be the greatest of the prophets.
Both Muslim holy books (Qur'an/Koran and Hadith) contain commands for Muslims to
subjugate the world, militarily. Muhammad commanded Muslims to spread Islam
through Offensive Jihad; or conquest of non-Muslim lands. Muslims are also
commanded to take back any land that was formerly Muslim, such as Israel.
Radical Muslims believe that they are Mujahideen, or "holy warriors of Allah". Their
goal, like Islam's goal is to establish the entire world as a pure Islamic state (a Khalifah)
, which conforms to Islamic laws.
Radical Islam may be Satan’s final effort to take over the whole world and subject it to
his will.
An example of what Muslim children are taught in Muslim schools is this statement,
found in a Jordanian/Palestinian school book in 1998:
"This religion (Islam) will destroy all
other religions through the Islamic
Jihad fighters"
Qur'an we are told the Messiah is not a slave (Surah 4:172). The Qur'an tells us that
Jesus Christ did not atone for anyone's sins, although he was himself sinless (Surah
3:46) and is one of those who are near to God (Surah 3:45). Positively, the Qur'an
says that Jesus Christ performed miracles (Surah 3:49; 5:110) and was the Messiah.
The Qur'an says Jesus did not die on a cross. Various Muslim traditions say that
Jesus either miraculously substituted Judas Iscariot for himself on the cross, or that
God miraculously delivered Him from the hands of the Romans and Jews before He
could be crucified. Most Muslims believe that Jesus Christ was taken bodily into
heaven without having died (Surah 4:157). However, Surah 19:33 says He died and
would be resurrected. Muhammad on the other hand died in his wife Aisha's home, not
long after he was poisoned by a slave girl. Muhammad's body was lowered into a hole
in Medina, and his dead body was covered by dirt and brickwork.
It is interesting to compare Jesus and Muhammad according to the Qur'an. Jesus did
miracles (Surah 3:49; 5:110), but Muhammad did not (Surah 13:8: "thou art a warner [of
coming divine judgment] only"; also 6:37; 6:109; 17:59 and 17:90-93).
Jesus was sinless (Surah 3:46), but Muhammad sinned and needed forgiveness
(Surah 40:55: "Ask forgiveness of thy sin"; 42:5: "Ask forgiveness for those on the
Earth"; 47:19: "Ask forgiveness for thy sin" ; 48:2: "that Allah may forgive thee of thy
sin").
Jesus was called "the Messiah" by Allah in the Qur'an. And Jesus was even born of a
virgin (Surah 3:45-57)! Yet Muhammad who had 12 wives, 2 concubines, and
participated in many attacks on innocent caravans and villages, and insisted on 20% of
all the booty from these raids -- is supposed to be the greatest of the prophets.
Both Muslim holy books (Qur'an/Koran and Hadith) contain commands for Muslims to
subjugate the world, militarily. Muhammad commanded Muslims to spread Islam
through Offensive Jihad; or conquest of non-Muslim lands. Muslims are also
commanded to take back any land that was formerly Muslim, such as Israel.
Radical Muslims believe that they are Mujahideen, or "holy warriors of Allah". Their
goal, like Islam's goal is to establish the entire world as a pure Islamic state (a Khalifah)
, which conforms to Islamic laws.
Radical Islam may be Satan’s final effort to take over the whole world and subject it to
his will.
An example of what Muslim children are taught in Muslim schools is this statement,
found in a Jordanian/Palestinian school book in 1998:
"This religion (Islam) will destroy all
other religions through the Islamic
Jihad fighters"
True History of Islam, Mohammed and the Koran 5
follow Him (Matthew 16:11-12) . Paul warned us when he wrote:
“But even if we (or an angel from heaven) should preach a Gospel contrary to the one we
preached to you, let him be condemned to hell!” (Galatians 1:8).
Since Islam’s message differs fundamentally from the Gospel, it is clear what Paul taught
regarding the fate of Muhammad and those who propagate Islam. Islam bypasses the
sacrificial mediating work Jesus did for believers on the cross, thus negating the
forgiveness of sins. This condemns non-believers to die in their sins. Jesus said; "I said
therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall
die in your sins." John 8:24
Jesus also predicted the current dilemma of Muslim intolerance and fanaticism. He
warned that the day was likewise coming when religious zealots will kill Christians and
think they are offering a service to God (John 16:2-4).
Dear Christians and Muslims. Jesus is committed to winning the spiritual Holy War. He
wants nobody to suffer an eternity without God, confined to a godless place. Know this,
that God Himself is calling out those Muslims with good hearts! Jesus (Isa) Himself is
appearing to many. A few years ago, Al-Jazeera reported that roughly six million Muslims
are leaving Islam and becoming followers of Jesus every year in Africa. In 2005, roughly
250,000 Muslims converted to Christianity in Iran. Between 2003-2005, roughly 1 million
Muslims converted to Christianity in Arab countries. Muslims are coming to Christ in North
America, too, although not to the same extent as in Muslim countries. Tens of millions are
embracing Jesus every few years in India and in China. Chinese missionaries are now
gearing up to bring the Gospel of Jesus to dark Muslim places.
The Muslim Qur'an (Koran) and Muslim Hadith are
unique among all the sacred writings in the entire world
-- because they alone counsel its followers to make war
on unbelievers. Any thoughtful reader will be forced to
admit that evil literally "drips" from their pages. One in
every 55 verses in the Muslim Qur'an consists of this
fake god Allah insisting that Muslims make war on
unbelievers.
As you will see below, the Qur'an is a made up book of
gibberish, of evil verses abrogating (superseding)
peaceful verses.
The Qur'an cannot be trusted because it contains
numerous "divinely inspired" contradictions. If God
has a history of abrogating (changing) his own
revelations as is done in the Qur'an, then how can we
be certain he will not abrogate it again in the future? If
Allah can abrogate his eternal speech, how can you
trust him with your eternal soul?
Comparing the Bible with the Qur'an "has likewise
brought the firm realization that the contrast is stark and
astounding. The superiority of the Bible is so transparently
evident that one is flabbergasted and dumbfounded that so
many human beings have embraced Islam in the last 1,400
years". .. "The Quran lacks this heavenly manifestation of
inspiration". The Quran Unveiled, page 254
Jesus Christ:
To the Muslim, Jesus Christ is merely one of the many prophets of Allah (Sura: 4:171;
5:74). According to Islam, the prophet Muhammad supersedes Jesus Christ. Islam
says Jesus Christ is not the Son of God or part of any Trinity (Surah 5:17; 5:116; 19:35)
. We are told by Islam that Jesus was the Messiah (Surah 3:45; 4:157; 171), but
“But even if we (or an angel from heaven) should preach a Gospel contrary to the one we
preached to you, let him be condemned to hell!” (Galatians 1:8).
Since Islam’s message differs fundamentally from the Gospel, it is clear what Paul taught
regarding the fate of Muhammad and those who propagate Islam. Islam bypasses the
sacrificial mediating work Jesus did for believers on the cross, thus negating the
forgiveness of sins. This condemns non-believers to die in their sins. Jesus said; "I said
therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall
die in your sins." John 8:24
Jesus also predicted the current dilemma of Muslim intolerance and fanaticism. He
warned that the day was likewise coming when religious zealots will kill Christians and
think they are offering a service to God (John 16:2-4).
Dear Christians and Muslims. Jesus is committed to winning the spiritual Holy War. He
wants nobody to suffer an eternity without God, confined to a godless place. Know this,
that God Himself is calling out those Muslims with good hearts! Jesus (Isa) Himself is
appearing to many. A few years ago, Al-Jazeera reported that roughly six million Muslims
are leaving Islam and becoming followers of Jesus every year in Africa. In 2005, roughly
250,000 Muslims converted to Christianity in Iran. Between 2003-2005, roughly 1 million
Muslims converted to Christianity in Arab countries. Muslims are coming to Christ in North
America, too, although not to the same extent as in Muslim countries. Tens of millions are
embracing Jesus every few years in India and in China. Chinese missionaries are now
gearing up to bring the Gospel of Jesus to dark Muslim places.
The Muslim Qur'an (Koran) and Muslim Hadith are
unique among all the sacred writings in the entire world
-- because they alone counsel its followers to make war
on unbelievers. Any thoughtful reader will be forced to
admit that evil literally "drips" from their pages. One in
every 55 verses in the Muslim Qur'an consists of this
fake god Allah insisting that Muslims make war on
unbelievers.
As you will see below, the Qur'an is a made up book of
gibberish, of evil verses abrogating (superseding)
peaceful verses.
The Qur'an cannot be trusted because it contains
numerous "divinely inspired" contradictions. If God
has a history of abrogating (changing) his own
revelations as is done in the Qur'an, then how can we
be certain he will not abrogate it again in the future? If
Allah can abrogate his eternal speech, how can you
trust him with your eternal soul?
Comparing the Bible with the Qur'an "has likewise
brought the firm realization that the contrast is stark and
astounding. The superiority of the Bible is so transparently
evident that one is flabbergasted and dumbfounded that so
many human beings have embraced Islam in the last 1,400
years". .. "The Quran lacks this heavenly manifestation of
inspiration". The Quran Unveiled, page 254
Jesus Christ:
To the Muslim, Jesus Christ is merely one of the many prophets of Allah (Sura: 4:171;
5:74). According to Islam, the prophet Muhammad supersedes Jesus Christ. Islam
says Jesus Christ is not the Son of God or part of any Trinity (Surah 5:17; 5:116; 19:35)
. We are told by Islam that Jesus was the Messiah (Surah 3:45; 4:157; 171), but
True History of Islam, Mohammed and the Koran 4
The god of Muslims is revealed as a tyrant who demands Muslims and all others submit to
him. Whereas in the New Testament, Jesus revealed to Christians a God who is a loving
Father, who wants us to come to Him via free will. In the Old Testament (Exodus 34:6) the
real God revealed Himself as "merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in
goodness and truth". He is the Creator of the Universe, the God of Love, and Lord of Life.
The God of Israel is this true God. He insists "Thou shall not kill the innocent and just".
Have you ever wondered why even the word "love" is conspicuously missing from the
Qur'an?
When a Muslim declares that Islam is a religion of peace, he/she is either ignorant of the
Koran (Qur'an), or is deceitfully thinking of this "peace", as it extends only to those within
the Muslim Community. The deceit is that they will not tell you exactly what they mean.
According to the Qur'an: "Muhammad is the Apostle of Allah. Those who follow him are
merciful to one another, but ruthless to unbelievers" Surah 48:29. "Kill the Mushrikun
(unbelievers) wherever you find them, and capture them and besiege them, and lie in wait
for them in each and every ambush..." Surah 9:5. Also see Surah 9:29: PICKTHAL: "Fight
against such of those who have been given the Scripture (Christians & Jews) as believe
not in Allah nor the Last Day, and forbid not that which Allah hath forbidden by His
messenger, and follow not the Religion of Truth, until they pay the tribute readily, being
brought low.". Please note that there is not a single verse in the entire Christian Bible that
contains this "open-ended", universal command to kill/or be ruthless to unbelievers.
Surah 47:4 says:
Fa'idhā Laqītumu Al-Ladhīna Kafarū Fađarba Ar-Riqābi Ĥattaá 'Idhā 'Athkhantumūhum
Fashuddū Al-Wathāqa Fa'immā Mannāan Ba`du Wa 'Immā Fidā'an Ĥattaá Tađa`a AlĤarbu
'Awzārahā Dhālika Wa Law Yashā'u Allāhu Lāntaşara Minhum Wa Lakin
Liyabluwa Ba`đakum Biba`đin Wa Al-Ladhīna Qutilū Fī Sabīli Allāhi Falan Yuđilla
'A`mālahum
which means
Therefore, WHEN YOU MEET THE UNBELIEVERS, SMITE AT THEIR NECKS; At
length, when ye have thoroughly subdued them, bind a bond firmly (on them): thereafter (is
the time for) either generosity or ransom: Until the war lays down its burdens. Thus (are ye
commanded): but if it had been Allah's Will, He could certainly have exacted retribution
from them (Himself); but (He lets you fight) in order to test you, some with others. But those
who are slain in the Way of Allah,- He will never let their deeds be lost.
Many Quran translators have tried to soften the meaning in their translation by adding the
words “in war” in brackets after the word “Unbelievers” but they are NOT there in the
original Arabic text.
Then there is this. Muhammad produced this one to prompt those Muslims who knew in
their hearts that killing innocent people is wrong: "Fighting is obligatory for you, as much
as you dislike it." (Surah 2:216)
Allah - the Pagan god:
Islam, teaches that Jews and Christians both have earned the wrath of Allah by failing to
follow Islam, and that they have also lost the way by following the teachings of the Torah
for the Jews, or the Bible for Christians. Additionally, This god Allah (with a little g) lies
about Jesus. Islam says that Jesus not only is not the Son of God, but that He did not even
die on a cross in Jerusalem... Allah is therefore proven to be a false pagan god... Jews
also do not believe this about Jesus (Yeshua). Who will believe it? The greatest of kings.
Born in the humblest of places.... God, born in the flesh! The Apostle Paul tells us that
Jews have been supernaturally blinded to this by God. Yet Christians and Jews worship
the same God (Yahweh) and share the same Bible. Learn more. See movies "The Nativity
Story" and "Jesus", here.
About 578 years before Islam came along, Christians were warned against Islam by both
Jesus and the Apostle Paul. Jesus warned us about the many false prophets who would
him. Whereas in the New Testament, Jesus revealed to Christians a God who is a loving
Father, who wants us to come to Him via free will. In the Old Testament (Exodus 34:6) the
real God revealed Himself as "merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in
goodness and truth". He is the Creator of the Universe, the God of Love, and Lord of Life.
The God of Israel is this true God. He insists "Thou shall not kill the innocent and just".
Have you ever wondered why even the word "love" is conspicuously missing from the
Qur'an?
When a Muslim declares that Islam is a religion of peace, he/she is either ignorant of the
Koran (Qur'an), or is deceitfully thinking of this "peace", as it extends only to those within
the Muslim Community. The deceit is that they will not tell you exactly what they mean.
According to the Qur'an: "Muhammad is the Apostle of Allah. Those who follow him are
merciful to one another, but ruthless to unbelievers" Surah 48:29. "Kill the Mushrikun
(unbelievers) wherever you find them, and capture them and besiege them, and lie in wait
for them in each and every ambush..." Surah 9:5. Also see Surah 9:29: PICKTHAL: "Fight
against such of those who have been given the Scripture (Christians & Jews) as believe
not in Allah nor the Last Day, and forbid not that which Allah hath forbidden by His
messenger, and follow not the Religion of Truth, until they pay the tribute readily, being
brought low.". Please note that there is not a single verse in the entire Christian Bible that
contains this "open-ended", universal command to kill/or be ruthless to unbelievers.
Surah 47:4 says:
Fa'idhā Laqītumu Al-Ladhīna Kafarū Fađarba Ar-Riqābi Ĥattaá 'Idhā 'Athkhantumūhum
Fashuddū Al-Wathāqa Fa'immā Mannāan Ba`du Wa 'Immā Fidā'an Ĥattaá Tađa`a AlĤarbu
'Awzārahā Dhālika Wa Law Yashā'u Allāhu Lāntaşara Minhum Wa Lakin
Liyabluwa Ba`đakum Biba`đin Wa Al-Ladhīna Qutilū Fī Sabīli Allāhi Falan Yuđilla
'A`mālahum
which means
Therefore, WHEN YOU MEET THE UNBELIEVERS, SMITE AT THEIR NECKS; At
length, when ye have thoroughly subdued them, bind a bond firmly (on them): thereafter (is
the time for) either generosity or ransom: Until the war lays down its burdens. Thus (are ye
commanded): but if it had been Allah's Will, He could certainly have exacted retribution
from them (Himself); but (He lets you fight) in order to test you, some with others. But those
who are slain in the Way of Allah,- He will never let their deeds be lost.
Many Quran translators have tried to soften the meaning in their translation by adding the
words “in war” in brackets after the word “Unbelievers” but they are NOT there in the
original Arabic text.
Then there is this. Muhammad produced this one to prompt those Muslims who knew in
their hearts that killing innocent people is wrong: "Fighting is obligatory for you, as much
as you dislike it." (Surah 2:216)
Allah - the Pagan god:
Islam, teaches that Jews and Christians both have earned the wrath of Allah by failing to
follow Islam, and that they have also lost the way by following the teachings of the Torah
for the Jews, or the Bible for Christians. Additionally, This god Allah (with a little g) lies
about Jesus. Islam says that Jesus not only is not the Son of God, but that He did not even
die on a cross in Jerusalem... Allah is therefore proven to be a false pagan god... Jews
also do not believe this about Jesus (Yeshua). Who will believe it? The greatest of kings.
Born in the humblest of places.... God, born in the flesh! The Apostle Paul tells us that
Jews have been supernaturally blinded to this by God. Yet Christians and Jews worship
the same God (Yahweh) and share the same Bible. Learn more. See movies "The Nativity
Story" and "Jesus", here.
About 578 years before Islam came along, Christians were warned against Islam by both
Jesus and the Apostle Paul. Jesus warned us about the many false prophets who would
The Muslim Qur'an (Koran) is literally dripping in evil!
The Muslim Qur'an (Koran) is literally dripping in evil! This demonically
inspired document goes out of its way to lie about Jesus; thus negating the salvation Jesus
made possible. Islam is uniquely at odds with Christianity in all its major dogmas. As
an example, the "god" of Islam created and inspired sin. The Qur'an (Koran) says that this
"god of vengeance", Allah both created and inspires sin, right there in the Qur'an. Whereas
the real holy God who cannot sin, took our sins on Himself. Islam says if you believe God
came to earth as a man, as Jesus did, then you will go to Hell. Doctrinally, wouldn't the one
who created sin be an unholy sinner himself?
Islam is the religion of anger and hatred. It is an anti-freedom system, which seeks to
ultimately control the entire world.
Additionally, only a demon or fallen angel would insist its followers make never ending war
on non-believers, as this impersonal "god" Allah does. 1 in every 55 verses in the Qur'an
incites Muslims to make war on non-Muslims. The Qur'an, is in fact a satanic blueprint for
the art of deception, doubletalk, double-dealing and treachery. The word love is
conspicuously missing from the Muslim Qur'an.
inspired document goes out of its way to lie about Jesus; thus negating the salvation Jesus
made possible. Islam is uniquely at odds with Christianity in all its major dogmas. As
an example, the "god" of Islam created and inspired sin. The Qur'an (Koran) says that this
"god of vengeance", Allah both created and inspires sin, right there in the Qur'an. Whereas
the real holy God who cannot sin, took our sins on Himself. Islam says if you believe God
came to earth as a man, as Jesus did, then you will go to Hell. Doctrinally, wouldn't the one
who created sin be an unholy sinner himself?
Islam is the religion of anger and hatred. It is an anti-freedom system, which seeks to
ultimately control the entire world.
Additionally, only a demon or fallen angel would insist its followers make never ending war
on non-believers, as this impersonal "god" Allah does. 1 in every 55 verses in the Qur'an
incites Muslims to make war on non-Muslims. The Qur'an, is in fact a satanic blueprint for
the art of deception, doubletalk, double-dealing and treachery. The word love is
conspicuously missing from the Muslim Qur'an.
True History of Islam, Mohammed and the Koran 2
Muhsin Khan, Yusuf Ali, or Shakir. The oldest Qur'an fragments date to around 725 A.D. - a century after they
were first recited.
The main intent of this article is to warn Christians who may be "fooled" into Islam,
because they did not have all the facts. It is a matter of grave concern. If you reject
Jesus and the salvation He made possible -- and follow Islam, your entire salvation
(where you will spend eternity) is at stake. Islam can deceive you. It can fool the very
elect. It rejects the salvation Jesus has made possible. Islam spreads the lie that Jesus
never even died on a cross. That alone makes it demonic. This document also exists as a
reference document to get out the truth which Muslims are never allowed to see. Of all the
holy books in the world, Satan has taken pains to ensure that Muhammad and his Qur'an
defiantly stand in diametrical opposition to Jesus, the Son of God, the true Prince of Peace
- and his New Testament.
The unholy Allah, who creates sinThe truth is that the "god" of Islam is the one who creates and inspires sin. It says that
right in the Muslim Qur'an - that Allah created and inspires sin. The true God who came to
earth as a man to save us from our sins is the Most Holy God who cannot sin Himself or
bear to be in the presence of sin. Islam says if you believe God came to earth as a man, as
Jesus did to pay the price for our sins, then you will go to Hell. Doctrinally, wouldn't the one who
created sin be an unholy sinner himself?
The immortal souls of billions of individuals are involved here. To good Muslims I say; "I have
sympathy with your having to grow up in a closed society -- where not embracing Islam would
have gotten you shunned or even killed". According to many interpretations of the Qur'an (aka:
Koran), conversion to a faith other than Islam is punishable by death. Like Satan's slavery, Islam
maintains a choke hold on its followers. This sorrowful situation most Muslims are born into
should arouse compassion and not scorn, from the followers of the Christ.
Jesus never said a true prophet would appear in the last days. Rather, He said false prophets
would arise who would deceive, if possible, the very elect.
One Must be a Christian to be Saved! References for this is found in John 14:6; Acts 4:12, and
26:28; 1 Peter 4:16. One cannot be a Christian without verbally confessing the deity of Jesus the
Christ. One cannot even pray to God, let alone have sins remitted by Him, without approaching
Him through Jesus (John 14:6 and 13, 15:16; 16:23-24; Romans 5:2, and Ephesians 2:18). I know
Muslims and Mormons, Christian Scientists and Seventh Day Adventists will not want to hear this,
but the Bible declares that Jesus was the FINAL revelation of God to man. There have been no
were first recited.
The main intent of this article is to warn Christians who may be "fooled" into Islam,
because they did not have all the facts. It is a matter of grave concern. If you reject
Jesus and the salvation He made possible -- and follow Islam, your entire salvation
(where you will spend eternity) is at stake. Islam can deceive you. It can fool the very
elect. It rejects the salvation Jesus has made possible. Islam spreads the lie that Jesus
never even died on a cross. That alone makes it demonic. This document also exists as a
reference document to get out the truth which Muslims are never allowed to see. Of all the
holy books in the world, Satan has taken pains to ensure that Muhammad and his Qur'an
defiantly stand in diametrical opposition to Jesus, the Son of God, the true Prince of Peace
- and his New Testament.
The unholy Allah, who creates sinThe truth is that the "god" of Islam is the one who creates and inspires sin. It says that
right in the Muslim Qur'an - that Allah created and inspires sin. The true God who came to
earth as a man to save us from our sins is the Most Holy God who cannot sin Himself or
bear to be in the presence of sin. Islam says if you believe God came to earth as a man, as
Jesus did to pay the price for our sins, then you will go to Hell. Doctrinally, wouldn't the one who
created sin be an unholy sinner himself?
The immortal souls of billions of individuals are involved here. To good Muslims I say; "I have
sympathy with your having to grow up in a closed society -- where not embracing Islam would
have gotten you shunned or even killed". According to many interpretations of the Qur'an (aka:
Koran), conversion to a faith other than Islam is punishable by death. Like Satan's slavery, Islam
maintains a choke hold on its followers. This sorrowful situation most Muslims are born into
should arouse compassion and not scorn, from the followers of the Christ.
Jesus never said a true prophet would appear in the last days. Rather, He said false prophets
would arise who would deceive, if possible, the very elect.
One Must be a Christian to be Saved! References for this is found in John 14:6; Acts 4:12, and
26:28; 1 Peter 4:16. One cannot be a Christian without verbally confessing the deity of Jesus the
Christ. One cannot even pray to God, let alone have sins remitted by Him, without approaching
Him through Jesus (John 14:6 and 13, 15:16; 16:23-24; Romans 5:2, and Ephesians 2:18). I know
Muslims and Mormons, Christian Scientists and Seventh Day Adventists will not want to hear this,
but the Bible declares that Jesus was the FINAL revelation of God to man. There have been no
True History of Islam, Mohammed and the Koran
Christians & Jewish martyrs say; "I will die for what I
believe".
A Muslim martyr says; "you will die for what I believe"....
We apologize to anyone who may be offended by the history of the founder of Islam (Muhammad)
below. And we are aware of the sensitivities involved. However, infinitely more damage has been
done to Islam's "believers" by Islam's history of withholding the truth about its founder to them -- -
and the circumstances surrounding its inception -- than any "damage" this true history below can
cause.
As you will see below, Muhammad posed as an apostle of God. Yet his life is filled with
lustfulness (12 marriages and sex with a child, slaves and concubines), rapes, warfare,
conquests, and unmerciful butcheries. The infinitely good, just and all holy God simply cannot
tolerate anything in the least unjust or sinful. What Muhammad produced in the Qur'an is simply a
book of gibberish consisting of later evil verses abrogating (superseding) earlier peaceful verses.
These verses in Arabic poetically "tickle" the ears of Arab listeners. Islam is a caustic blend of
paganism and twisted Bible stories. Muhammad, its lone "prophet", who made no
prophecies, conceived his religion to satiate his lust for power, sex, and money. He was a
terrorist. And if you think these conclusions are shocking, wait until you see the evidence
mostly from Islamic historians below. 70% of what is here is from Muslim and ex-Muslim
historians - back to the 8th century.
The Sirat Rasul Allah was written by Ibn Ishaq in 750 A.D. He died in 773 A.D. It was edited and abridged by
Abd al-Malik ibn Hisham in 828 A.D. and translated by Alfred Guillaume under the title, The Life of
Muhammad in 1955 by Oxford Press. Abd al-Malik ibn Hisham's "Life of Muhammad" relied on the earlier
works. Ulmar al-Waqidi of Medina, who died in 825 A.D. produced a work, which portions of which have
survived, called "The Expeditions of Muhammad". The History of al-Tabari was written by Abu Muhammad bin
al-Tabari between 870 and 920 A.D. His monumental work was translated and published in 1987 through 1997
by the State University of New York Press. Make sure you study I, II, VI, VII, VIII, and IX. Al-Bukhari's
Hadith, titled: Sahih Al-Bukhari and The True Traditions which was collected by Imam Bukhari in 850 A.D. Be
sure to use the collector's original nomenclature because the only printed English translation (Publisher-
Maktaba Dar-us-Salam, Translator-Muhammad Khan) was abridged and erroneously numbered. Finally, I
recommend that you acquire at least three of the following Qur'an translations: Ahmed Ali, Pikthal, Noble by
believe".
A Muslim martyr says; "you will die for what I believe"....
We apologize to anyone who may be offended by the history of the founder of Islam (Muhammad)
below. And we are aware of the sensitivities involved. However, infinitely more damage has been
done to Islam's "believers" by Islam's history of withholding the truth about its founder to them -- -
and the circumstances surrounding its inception -- than any "damage" this true history below can
cause.
As you will see below, Muhammad posed as an apostle of God. Yet his life is filled with
lustfulness (12 marriages and sex with a child, slaves and concubines), rapes, warfare,
conquests, and unmerciful butcheries. The infinitely good, just and all holy God simply cannot
tolerate anything in the least unjust or sinful. What Muhammad produced in the Qur'an is simply a
book of gibberish consisting of later evil verses abrogating (superseding) earlier peaceful verses.
These verses in Arabic poetically "tickle" the ears of Arab listeners. Islam is a caustic blend of
paganism and twisted Bible stories. Muhammad, its lone "prophet", who made no
prophecies, conceived his religion to satiate his lust for power, sex, and money. He was a
terrorist. And if you think these conclusions are shocking, wait until you see the evidence
mostly from Islamic historians below. 70% of what is here is from Muslim and ex-Muslim
historians - back to the 8th century.
The Sirat Rasul Allah was written by Ibn Ishaq in 750 A.D. He died in 773 A.D. It was edited and abridged by
Abd al-Malik ibn Hisham in 828 A.D. and translated by Alfred Guillaume under the title, The Life of
Muhammad in 1955 by Oxford Press. Abd al-Malik ibn Hisham's "Life of Muhammad" relied on the earlier
works. Ulmar al-Waqidi of Medina, who died in 825 A.D. produced a work, which portions of which have
survived, called "The Expeditions of Muhammad". The History of al-Tabari was written by Abu Muhammad bin
al-Tabari between 870 and 920 A.D. His monumental work was translated and published in 1987 through 1997
by the State University of New York Press. Make sure you study I, II, VI, VII, VIII, and IX. Al-Bukhari's
Hadith, titled: Sahih Al-Bukhari and The True Traditions which was collected by Imam Bukhari in 850 A.D. Be
sure to use the collector's original nomenclature because the only printed English translation (Publisher-
Maktaba Dar-us-Salam, Translator-Muhammad Khan) was abridged and erroneously numbered. Finally, I
recommend that you acquire at least three of the following Qur'an translations: Ahmed Ali, Pikthal, Noble by
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