Mughal Empire

The Mughal Empire (Urdu: مغلیہ سلطنت‎, Mug̱ẖliyah Salṭanat) or Mogul Empire, self-designated as Gurkani (Persian: گورکانیان‎‎, Gūrkāniyān, meaning "son-in-law"), was an empire based in the Indian Subcontinent, established and ruled by a Muslim Persianatedynasty of Chagatai Turco-Mongol origin that extended over large parts of the Indian subcontinent and Afghanistan.

The beginning of the empire is conventionally dated to the founder Babur's victory over Ibrahim Lodi, the last ruler of the Delhi Sultanate in the First Battle of Panipat (1526). The Mughal emperors were Central Asian Turco-Mongols belonging to the Timurid dynasty, who claimed direct descent from both Genghis Khan (founder of the Mongol Empire, through his son Chagatai Khan) and Timur (Turco-Mongol conqueror who founded the Timurid Empire). During the reign of Humayun, the successor of Babur, the empire was briefly interrupted by the Sur Empire. The "classic period" of the Mughal Empire started in 1556 with the ascension of Akbar the Great to the throne. Under the rule of Akbar and his son Jahangir, the region enjoyed economic progress as well as religious harmony, and the monarchs were interested in local religious and cultural traditions. Akbar was a successful warrior. He also forged alliances with several Hindu Rajput kingdoms. Some Rajput kingdoms continued to pose a significant threat to the Mughal dominance of northwestern India, but most of them were subdued by Akbar. All Mughal emperors were Muslims; while Akbar was Muslim most of this life, he followed a new religion in the latter part of his life called Deen-i-Ilahi, as recorded in historical books like Ain-e-Akbari and Dabestan-e Mazaheb.

Haroon Moghul

Haroon Moghul is a liberal academic and commentator on Islam and public affairs. He is currently a PhD candidate at Columbia University.

His pieces have been published by numerous websites including The Huffington Post, Religion Dispatches, Al Jazeera English. He has been a guest on CNN, the BBC, The History Channel, NPR, Russia Today and Al Jazeera English.

He is currently a fellow at the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding, a columnist for Al Arabiya's English website and is an active Twitter user. He has authored or contributed to several works including the The Order of Light and Salaam, Love: American Muslim Men on Love, Sex, and Intimacy.

Works

References

The Great Moghuls (film)

The Great Moghuls (1990) is a Channel 4 documentary series covering the dramatic story of the rise of the Moghul Empire (1526-1857) of India. Over six generations, from father to son, the Great Moghuls captured, consolidated and profoundly influenced control of the vast sub-continent of India. The six-part series was written and presented by Bamber Gascoigne based upon his 1971 book of the same name. It was produced and directed by Douglas Rae and filmed in India.

Description

The Great Moghuls is six-part series of half-hour films devoted to the most important of the Mughal emperors, starting with the founder of the dynasty, Babur (reigned 1526–1530) and ending with Aurangzeb (r. 1658-1707). The second Mughal ruler, Humayun (r. 1530-1556), does not have his own film, but his successor Akbar (r. 1556-1605) gets two. The carefully researched series has excellent photography and a script by the urbane narrator and television personality Bamber Gascoigne. Gascoigne also wrote an accompanying book for the series: The Great Moghuls (NY: Harper & Row, 1971), which he had actually completed almost 20 years before.

How to Be

How to Be is a 2008 independent comedy-drama film written and directed by Oliver Irving. It is about a young man named Art, played by Robert Pattinson, who is going through a quarter-life crisis. The film premiered in competition at 2008 Slamdance Film Festival on January 18, 2008. The film was also selected to open 2008 Strasbourg International Film Festival and Pattinson received 'Best Actor in a Feature' award for his portrayal of Art at the festival.

Plot

Art (Pattinson) is not talented, but aspires to be a musician. He has a dead-end job at a supermarket, despite having a degree (which he doesn't seem to value much). His girlfriend ends their relationship. Art is then forced to move back home with his cold and neglectful parents (played by Pidgeon and Michael Irving). Art buys a book titled, It's Not Your Fault. Upon reading it, he tries to follow the self-help book's advice. He decides to use inheritance money to first buy a car, and then pay for a Canadian therapist, Dr. Levi Ellington (Jones), the book's author, to come to his home in England and help Art get his life on track, about which his parents are less than thrilled.

To Be

To Be may refer to:

See also