The 1001 Arabian Knights

"Gnosis" is a Greek word which means "knowledge" or "awareness" and it is precisely with this in mind that Gnosticism is born. Gnosticism can be best described as a mode of being that is optimal to for attaining the "Ultimate Knowledge". It is a state of mind and a mode of being that brings you closer to the Divine. Far from the dogmatic approach of institutionalized religions, Gnosticism seeks to focus on the spiritual aspects of religion. This spiritual approach to religion, especially with Christianity is exactly what many "Prophets" tried to introduce into a world that they saw as spiritually void, where the masses dare not to philosophize on their existence and only accept traditions and dogmatic practices for salvation. Emphasizing on the spiritual aspect, Gnostics seek to lead people to  spiritual enlightenment. However, preaching enlightenment often means preaching against the orthodoxy, which only resulted in strife and divisions. Although, Gnostics form a minority of worshippers, their impact can be heavily found in many religions. Learn more about Gnosticism and how it impacted the major Abrahamic religions of its time and more on this latest episode of The 1001 Arabian Knights.

In the hills of Judea there lay a people rooted in the land, resisting all those who came to disturb their worship of Elohim. These are the Hebrew tribes who in centuries would come to form what we know as the Jewish people. From them comes the legacy of all Abrahamic faiths: there is but one true God. In this episode the 1001 Knights team discusses the story of these people, the Roman genocide, and their impact on their Arab neighbors. Why did the Jewish people resist the Greeks and Romans so fiercely? How and why were they expelled from the land? How (or if) the land ceased to be the Land of the Jewish People?  Find out about these questions and more in the part one in our series on religion guest hosted by the amazingly awesome Iman Nagy, archaeologist and PhD student of Near Eastern languages and cultures specializing in ancient religions.

Born of smokeless fires and scorching winds. They are the shadows on the walls, the creatures of the night, the others.

Poetry, Generosity and Knighthood (Furusiyah). These are the big 3 when it comes to the culture of the ancient Arabs. As romantic as it is brutal one can not deny the importance that this culture has on Islam and on the world. It exported the concept of the romantic knight in armor to Europe and the mystical creatures of Djinn to Persia. Honor is the central theme of this culture. Clans wage war to restore their honor and kings sacrifice themselves to protect their honor. These are the ancient Arabs, the world's most honorable people. Come and join us on this episode as we narrate to you some of the most wonderful stories that have marked ancient Arab culture. 

In this first installment of our second season, we dive into the pre-Islamic era. Also known as the Jahiliyah period, the Age of Ignorance. This period is the ~400 years before Islam. It is commonly known that this era in Arab history was a period of barbaric practices, shameless display of nudity and low moral standards. But how true was this? Was the Jahiliyah period really an epoch of barbarity and savagery or was the Jahiliyah the era of eloquence, and as Ibn Qutaybah puts it: the defining age of "the world's bravest nation". How was the pre-Islamic era perceived and how did that perception change throughout time? All of this and more on our first episode of our season on Jahiliyah. 

Who are the 'Ad? Who are Thamud? Some swear they were giants who defied God because of their arrogance. The superstitious swear they are Djinn. Certain legends even describe them as one-armed, one-legged creatures from space. Others claim they never existed. Poets recall them fondly saying "if I had been the race of Ad and Iram". Cities of pillars never seen before in the land, homes carved into gigantic stones. These are Ad and Thamud. Ancient Arab civilizations that have equally captured the minds of the superstitious and the rational. 

In this episode our hosts Houston and Oban return to the land of Yemen, a land gripped by war between two powers who - by exploiting religious animosity - vie for control over the Middle East. This is not contemporary Yemen but the long ago story of Dhu Nuwas, the Jewish King of Himyar, and the tragedy of the Christians of Najran. This event has been portrayed in polemical fashion throughout the centuries. However, our hosts attempt to bring context and nuance to this often simplified chapter of the history of the Arabs. This was the story of patriots, conquerors, and martyrs. This was a time when Yemen lay at the center of a power struggle between Ethiopia, Iran and Rome. A time when Christianity, Judaism, and pagan belief fought for the soul of Arabia. Please join join us as we explore the explore the world of Yemen in the 6th century in this episode of The 1001 Arabian Knights!

In this episode Houston and Oban will take you on a voyage to discover the Syrian Queen of Arab origin: Zenobia of Palmyra. Known for her beauty, intelligence and her strong character, the Queen of Palmyra was hailed as a descendant of Cleopatra and a savior of her people. She led her armies in many campaigns to expand the territory of her empire, to defying both the Emperors of Rome and the Shahs of Iran.