ACROSS THREE CONTINENTS

come under their control, they have been unable to make the best use of them because of the misguided nature of their political mentality. Language Diversity of Mali Different parts of Mali having come under British and French colonial rule, English and French languages are still spoken by the elite, although many years have elapsed since the withdrawal of the two powers in question. While the masses speak their regional languages, French is retained as the official language. In ancient times, Arabic held much the same position in foreign lands as French and English do nowadays. At the outset of the Islamic era, after the conquest of North Africa, the Muslims crossed the Mediterranean and entered Spain and Sicily. Here, they not only ruled but also laid the foundations of a glorious civilization that was far ahead of the Christian civilization of the day. This resulted in a large number of Christians in these areas starting to speak and write in Arabic. The expertise which nonMuslims of this period had acquired in Arabic and Arab sciences can be gauged from the fact that during the Muslim period an English Christian by the name of Thomas Brown was appointed as a Judge in Sicily. Later, when Muslim political power declined in Spain and Sicily, although the languages of the masses were Hebrew and Latin, Arabic remained in use in the courts and offices and was regularly spoken by the upper classes. Stressing the domination of Arabic languages and culture even after the end of Muslim rule, Bertrand Russell writes, “Greek and Arabic were still living languages in Sicily. Frederick II learnt to speak six languages fluently (including Arabic). He was at home in Arabian philosophy and had friendly relations with Mohammedans.” (A History of Western Philosophy, p. 436) Keeping the mind open and receptive, having a knack of getting to the core of things and gleaning lessons from the events past and present form the key requirements of healthy travelling. Travelling is not an end in itself. It should not be undertaken for mere sightseeing or entertainment, rather travelling should nourish our soul and help us gain lessons to plan our life with utmost caution. o Islamists are influenced by a political interpretation of Islam. They have raised the banner of revolution against Muslim governments, and have become culpable, or at least suspect in the eyes of the authorities.