By Nurin Daniesyah
Once in history, Islamic civilization has been a witness to a remarkable celebration of knowledge and that was in the form of the House of Wisdom or Grand Library in Baghdad, Iraq. It was one of the leading libraries in Islamic history, major public institutions and intellectual academy during the Golden Age of Islam. It was destroyed in 1258 by the Mongols when they attached Baghdad.
Bayt-Al-Hikmah (The House of Wisdom)
During the Abbasid era, the Muslim world was at its peak and was known as “The Golden Age.” Islamic scholars’ contributions to science, technology, mathematics, physics, and medicine are a magnificent narrative and a crucial foundation for modern science, technology, and economics today. While Europe was in the dark, Muslims, with their elegant system of learning and teaching, preserved the knowledge of ancient times and expanded it to the entire continent.
The Abbasids championed the preservation of knowledge and established Bayt Al-Hikmah or known as the House of Wisdom, which was divided into two sections; one, was concerned with translation works, and the other, was related to a book collection from all over the world thus housing an extensive library. Transcending its origin, book collecting, Bayt-Al-Hikmah became an intellectual powerhouse of the most powerful empire at the time. It became a global center for intellectual learning and higher education, a storehouse for academic scholars, and a translation center.
Some activities included academic debates that Caliph Al-Ma’mun personally attended, a medical consultation and an office for architects. It contained approximately 400,000 books, including those on mathematics, astronomy, and geology.
Among the outstanding achievements of Bayt Al-Hikmah was the Translation Movement, which involved many levels of society and the intellectual culture.
It was one of the most successful and most extensive episodes of translations by collecting all of the world’s knowledge and books from previous civilizations such as Greek (Byzantium), Syriac, Pahlavi (Persia), and Sanskrit (India) and bringing it together under one roof and one language: the Arabic language. It aimed to innovate knowledge and contribute it to the Muslim world for public benefit, where Arabic is the primary language.
Additionally, Bayt Al-Hikmah is often linked with notable scholars such as Al-Khawarizmi, Al- Kindi and Ibn Sina whereby these names were prominent not only in the Islamic world also in European countries due to their works that contributed to the foundation of modern sciences, medicine and vice versa.
As a result, the library was renown in the Islamic world for being the first educational and scientific library to assemble many distinguished Muslim scholars, scientists, and translators. It became a model for other caliphs who strive to promote further intellectual and scientific developments across the Islamic world. Some libraries that existed as a result of the impact of preserving the heritage of knowledge and influence had extended beyond the Arab Peninsular to Spain and Cordoba.
Islamic libraries hugely contribute to knowledge and culture; they play a fundamental role in society. The resources and services they offer create countless notable Muslim scholars and famous works, also opportunities for Muslims across the world to learn and be a knowledge-based civilization. It helps shape new ideas and perspectives central to a creative and innovative Muslim society.
For instance, the translation movement required the translators to be proficient in the respective language to translate or rephrase the work into Arabic. It was a massive innovation to spread more knowledge to the people. It was neither ambitious nor delusional history, but rather the fact that Muslims could conquer the world with the abundance of knowledge in their hands.
Evidently, many glorious scholars and intellectuals were born during this time and contributed to the Islamic world; most of their advanced research and works were universally known and benefitted today’s civilization even though hundreds of years passed, such as Al-Khawarizmi, Al-Biruni, Al-Razi, Imam Syafi’e, and many distinguished figures.
The fact that their knowledge and contributions remain relevant until the 21st century indicates their deep and solid understanding in the respective area of interest, and the knowledge in Islam is the truth whereby the knowledge belongs to Allah, and it is the divine favours conferred on mankind. Besides, the libraries in the Islamic world consist of thousands of books worldwide and civilizations. They helped contribute to other civilizations’ rise to utilize and thrive from their Dark Ages. It shows that the importance of knowledge is very significant; it allows one society to rise to the highest peak or the deterioration of knowledge would lead to the demise of civilization.
Indeed, libraries and knowledge were found in almost every corner of the Muslim world during the Islamic era. The whole Muslim civilization revolved around the book and knowledge. As a result, it eradicates ignorance and enlightens humankind’s minds and souls. Further, given the wisdom for us today, it was the gift Islam bestowed to generations, and the development of a country does not rely entirely on the economy or politically but on the thorough understanding of knowledge and its proper use.***
(This article is written as part of an individual assignment for Knowledge and Civilisation in Islam class)