Mosque of the week: The Great Mosque of Aleppo

Firstly built in 715 The Great Mosque of Aleppo or the Ummayad Mosque of Aleppo is not only the largest but oldest mosque in the city of Aleppo in northern Syria. The construction at that time was commenced by the Ummayad caliph al-Walid I and was finished by his successor Sulayman ibn Abd al-Malik. Carved Kufic inscriptions decorate the entire minaret along with alternate with bands of stylized ornaments. After the Mongols destroyed the mosque in 1260 it was later rebuilt and renovated. The Great Mosque is built around a vast courtyard that connects to different areas of the mosque, positioned behind the colonnaded arcade. The courtyard is well-known for its black and white stone pavement that forms complex geometric patterns. The courtyard holds the two ablutions fountains. It is also said that the shrine of the Prophet Zechariah is located in the main prayer hall of the mosque.

Breakfast Eggs with Smoked Salmon

It’s time for some delicious food again. This week Yvonne Maffei introduces you to a amazing tasting perfect day starter. I didn’t ask the chef at Colette for the recipe, but instead I tried to re-create the dish myself at home by guessing at the ingredients that were most likely in our brunch. It tasted so good, I think I may have nailed down a recipe we’ll be having for our own brunch at home. For brunch we decided on the Scrambled Eggs with Atlantic Smoked Salmon and Red Pepper Coulis (sauce). It was perfectly cooked, with quality smoked salmon and just enough punch of flavor coming from the red pepper- a delightful combination. Read recipe on My Halal Kitchen…

Looking for Muslim-friendly hotel reviews?

Today we’d like to give you some thoughts on why we did start halaltrip. Apart from the worldwide economic crisis the so-called “Halal tourism” is on the rise. Based on various World Travel Market Reports (WTM) this special segment of traveling is still an untapped field not only for Middle and Far East but also for Western Europe and the US, where the Muslim population is constantly growing. World travel markets like Turkey, Malaysia, the Gulf region, Singapore or Indonesia show already strong interests in Halal facilities and accommodations.

So what does that mean?

Hotels are especially keen on getting Halal food certificates to attract the huge amount of Arab tourists. In 2005, 150.000 tourists traveled from Middle East to Malaysia, in 2007 almost 250.000 people. Another example would be Dubai, where several Hotel groups announced the development of hotel chains complying with Islamic law. But there is also a growing number of Muslims, who are looking for ladies-only swimming pools and wellness activities, prayer facilities and a range of Halal food.

Further, Muslim travelers want to know as well if the hotel properties serve alcohol. Indeed, traveling and Web-based services are nowadays very closely related. Actually, one might say there is a ‘Travel-Web-Nexus’. In 2009 the online spending on leisure travel increased to $110 billion, which means that more than a third of online users are visiting travel-rating sites. And another 80% are regularly reading travel sites. Global Players like TripAdvisor, Zoover and YahooTravel are just the peak of a huge variety of rating sites. Despite that, there is still a (huge) niche market targeting a Muslim audience, who is keen on traveling within a Halal environment.

Mosque of the week: Demak Grand Mosque

This Friday we feature the oldest mosque on Java built in 1466. The Demak Grand Mosque or Masjid Agung Demak was designed by Sunan Kalijaga and was built from timber as a classic example of a traditional Javanese mosque. The front wall of the mosque is inset with sixty-six porcelain tiles. These exquisite blue and white tiles are believed to derive from Champa in modern-day Vietnam, a kingdom with which Demak’s former rival Majapahit had extensive trade contacts. In the environment of Masjid Agung Demak there are also graves of the sultans of Demak and a museum.

The ultimate Muslim travel packing list

Travelling around the world can be very exhausting due to heavy luggage, troublesome security checks and long flight duration. Busy preparation might also let you forget important stuff. So check out our ultimate Muslim travel packing list. If you do like it just print it out and place it over your working desk or on your fridge. Hopefully it helps

1.) Travel Light: You don’t need five or six trousers, dozens of books or all the stuff from your bathroom just to look good. No need of paying hotel guys for carrying or storing your bags, fast security checks, no stress the evening before takeoff and just imagine how flexible you will be at your final destination. But don’t forget your passport, flight tickets and some money!

2.) Check your hand luggage twice: Do you really want to explain why you took that nail scissors with you? Or do you like to throw your expensive Hugo Boss perfume into the waste because it’s more than 100ml? So have a second look to avoid displeasing interrogation at the security check.

3.) Do you have a VISA: Entering a country might not always be that easy. Traveling within the European Union as an European is different as going to the US or elsewhere in the world. Before booking your travel package just have a short look on the embassy website of your destination to clear things up.

4.) Do you want Halal food on the airplane? If you aren’t keen on the veggie sandwich or just a cup of tea for your overseas flight claim your Halal meal while booking. At least every airline in the world offers that option!

5.) Muslim travel package: Last but not least don’t forget your Muslim travel package. It should include a local prayer time table, a compass to find the Qibla direction and a pocket prayer rug or a hand towel to pray on.

Did we forget anything or do you have the ultimate hint? Just drop a comment below!

Penne Pasta with Pumpkin Alfredo Sauce

This week we’ll present another delicous cooking idea thanks to My Halal Kitchen. One of the best things about large squash such as pumpkin is that since they have a long shelf life, you can decorate your home with them (I personally prefer the real thing to any plastic decor) and still have time later on to use them for what they were created- as food. Read recipe on My Halal Kitchen…

Experience the spectacular world of Formula 1

Bahrain and Malaysia already hosted an amazing Formula One Grand Prix this year. On May 30th 2010 Jenson Button, Lewis Hamilton & Co. stop in Istanbul to drive on the famous Istanbul Park Circuit. Opened in 2005 the track follows the contours of the land and takes much influence from the best tracks worldwide. Due to the nature of the circuit the crowd experiences each year exciting on-track action. Who will succeed Jenson Button as last year’s winner? Come in, search your muslim-friendly hotel and find out live! Ticket prices starts from EUR 40 to EUR 280 and can be purchased online.

Travel Guide Thailand: Do’s and Don’ts

No question, Thailand is one of the most beautiful countries in the world. Travelers dive into amazing beaches, rich culture and great hospitality. There are also some Halal and Muslim-friendly hotels in Thailand making your holidays perfect. But like in each and every other country you have to adopt yourself to the local culture. Check out some Do’s and Don’ts to fully enjoy your journey to Thailand.

• Travelers should always respect the old tradition of Monarchy, even in cinemas all shown movies are preceded by the Thai Royal Anthem and visitors should stand up.
• While visiting religious shrines always dress neatly and take off your shoes when entering a chapel.
• All Buddha images are classified as sacred objects, so don’t show a lack of respect.
• Generally Thais don’t shake hands but instead press the palms together in a prayer-like manner. Moreover don’t touch ones head as this not approved even as a friendly gesture.
• Buddhist priests are not allowed to touch or to be touched by a woman.
• Don’t lose your temper at all.
• Do offer and receive anything with your right hand.
• Do smile a lot

Mosque of the week: Sultan Mosque Singapore

As we try to provide you interesting travel stuff on a regularly base we’ve decided to start our “Mosque of the week” posting series. On each Friday we present you one of the most beautiful mosques around the globe. Today we’d like to invite you to Singapore to explore one of the oldest Mosques in the country. The Sultan Mosque – built by Sultan Hussain Shah – was constructed from 1824 to 1826 and later renewed because of a growing Muslim community. The new Mosque was designed by Denis Santry and opened in 1928. The huge prayer room is covered with a massive golden dome. On March 14th 1975 the Sultan Mosque was named as one of the National Monuments of Singapore. So check out some Halal Hotels in Singapore and visit this impressive place.

Looking for some delicious food?

Maybe you return from an enjoyable trip but still miss all the delicious food. Or you just take some time off from your job and like to cook some great meals. So we did a little collaboration with “My Halal Kitchen” and present you each week a tasty meal or some cooking tips. Let’s start with an exotic Grapefruit Shrimp Curry.

I wouldn’t normally make this type of recipe out of the blue or just for having both grapefruit and shrimp somewhere in the kitchen. I made this recipe because a fellow website editor was asking for recipe writers, cooks and cookbook authors to come up with a recipe where ‘grapefruit is the main feature’. Read recipe on My Halal Kitchen…