Learn Arabic language Online for Free

I have found a really good website to learn arabic online. The website owner is an Egyptian Arabic Tutor who is living in NYC.

The website has a good amount of Arabic songs accompanied by lyrics and translation.

check it out

http://yallaarabic.blogspot.com

Learn Arabic online for free

Best website for those who are passionate about learning the arabic language. The website has a good collection of free Arabic lessons.

here is the Link to the website

http://arabiclessonsonline.wordpress.com

Pictures from Tahrir Square

Fortress of Babylon

One of the towers of the southern gate of the fortress stands to the right at the garden entrance to the Coptic Museum. The other tower is visible as the foundation of the Church of Saint George on the left.

The present fortress was built by the emperor Trajan, around 100 A.D., on what was then the east bank of the Nile, to guard the canal that linked the river with the Red Sea. The name derives from Bab il-On ('gate of On'), the ancient sanctuary of the sun god at Heliopolis. It became the center of Byzantine administration and Coptic religion. The fortress has several interresting associations with Islamic Cairo. Quartered here was the Byzantine garrison that 'Amr ibn al-'As defeated before making Egypt an Islamic country. The use of polychrome masonry, which is a hallmark of Mamluk architecture, is derived from the Roman tradition of building with alternating courses of brick and stone. This technique is visible in these towers in the layers of red brick and yellow limestone. Finally, although only two of the towers of the fortress are readily visible, the area it occupied is quite vast, and most of the churches of Old Cairo are built on its foundations. Several churches in this area contain interesting relics in the Islamic style.

Synagogue of Ben Ezra

Ben Ezer's Synaguege , have been erected in the 6th or the 9th Century AD. The temple site and the surrounding grounds,originally a property of the church, was acquired by the Jews in return for "kantars of gold". The basilica-style temple contains a Jewish heritage library, that was inaugurated on November 25,1997.
In 1896, a collection of documents known as "Jineesah" were found in the temple. The document, written mostly in what was called "Hebrew Arabic", a variation of Arabic in Hebrew alphabet, exclusively used by Jews in the Middle Ages, reflected political, economic and social conditions of Jews under the Arab rule of Egypt as well as sectarial organizations and relations between different Jewish sects. The said documents contained a number of rare manuscripts of interpretations of the Old Testament, excerpts of linguistic research on Hebrew as well as documents explaining how Jews dealt with the Arab Muslim authorities. These documents, first compiled during the Fatimid era, were earlier within in Aramaic but were later written in Arabic, the official language in government departments (diwans). At the back of the temple, there is a very deep well, where the coffers in which Prophet Moses as an infant was placed by his mother, was reportedly found.

The Complex of Farag Ibn Barquq

The Complex of Farag Ibn Barquq lies in El-Sultan Ahmed Street few meters away from the Northern Cemetery . This magnificent complex was initiated by Sultan Barquq who was the first MAmluk Sultan to be buried next to the Sufi Shaykhs in the Northern Cemetery , and then completed by his successor Farag . Sultan Farag ruled Egypt for about 13 years after the death of his father and his reign was a period of turmoil and conflicts and ended with his assassination in Syria . He was brought back to Egypt to be buried in his tomb in this complex . This complex is regarded as a typical example for the sumptuous style of the Mamluk period . This is clear in the twin Sabil-Kuttab whose porch can be seen over the entrance and was used as a place for studying Quran and prophetic instructions . In addition to the are magnificent twin minarets , from their top one can enjoy a magnificent overview of the surrounding area that involves many charming monumental places including the Heliopolis , the complexes of Barsbay , and Qaytbay and the Citadel . The original entrance of this complex was placed in the southwest corner and preceded by a block of stone that date back to the Pharaonic period . After the main entrance , there is an arched vestibule with some openings in the ceiling for illumination and ventilation . The interior plan opens with a central courtyard supported with arcades which can be regarded as an imitation of the style of the mosque . There is also an arcaded sanctuary aisle surmounted by shallow domes and in its far end exists a Dikka or a platform that was used for reciting holy Quran . Of special interest among the items placed inside the complex are the simply decorated Mihrab and the stone Minbar with attractive carvings that date back to 1483 . Through some stair steps in one of the courtyard's corner , one can go up to the second floor that was dedicated to the residence of the Sufi Dervishes or mystics , in addition to some passageways and other places . These lodgings prove that the building was mainly established as a Khanqah for the Sufis but its style is different from the typical Mamluk style .

Islamic Cairo - Mosque of Sultan Gaqmaq

The Façade of the Mosque of Sultan Gaqmaq lies in Sahria El-Saliba , Nearby Sayyeda Zeinab Square . The constructor of this gate was a prominent Emir in the Mamluk period and then becam the Sultan of Egypt in the period from 1438 to 835 . It is the the only remaining part of the palace of Sultan Gaqmaq that date back to the 15th century . On the right side of this façade appears the remains of the Sabil-Kuttab of Yusuf Bey that date from 1643 .