Remembering legendary Caliph Harun Rashid on the anniversary of his death

Perhaps there is no other Muslim ruler after Prophet Muhammad and his four companions who has provoked admiration as great as that of famous Abbasid Caliph Harun Rashid. 

On March 24, exactly 1213 years ago, Rashid left the world, leaving behind a towering legacy of good governance and the seeds of the Muslim revolution that inspired Europe to come out of intellectual darkness from the 14th Century onwards. 

During the years leading up to the collapse of the Roman Empire in 476 AD, Europe was plagued by the age of decadence, which was followed by centuries of intellectual rot. 

But the medieval city of Baghdad symbolised hope and became a guiding light for humanity. Under Rashid's reign, intellectual powerhouses like the “House of Wisdom” (Bayt al-Hikmah) came into being, hosting the greatest philosophers, polymaths, poets, mathematicians and astrologers from around the world and from different faiths such as Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and Zoroastrianism. 

Their works later inspired European minds and provided the much-needed spark for Europe's Renaissance. 

Rashid was the fifth Abbasid Caliph. He ruled from 786 to 809 AD, an era that is traditionally regarded as the beginning of the Islamic Golden Age.

Talking to TRT World, Professor Nahide Bozkurt of Ankara University says Rashid was "among the most splendiferous caliphs of Islamic History." 

Bozkurt, who specialises in the history of Islam, adds that Rashid is also known as the top caliph of the Islamic Golden Age in Western literature.

“It is known that one of the main information sources of the West’s enlightenment period were Islamic scholars, and its roots can be found in Harun Al-Rashid’s term,” she says. 

According to another historian, Professor Adem Apak of Uludag University, “Harun Al-Rashid was raised to become a wise head of state" as he was trained by the best minds of his time. 

“Khabib Zeyyat taught him how to read the Holy Quran, Ali Hamza Al-Kisai trained him in syntax. Imam Malik also lectured Harun Al-Rashid on the hadith and Islamic Law,” Apak adds. 

Investing in intellectual knowledge and building a peaceful society were key features that defined the fifth Abbasid Caliph's rule. Bozkurt says the caliph encouraged meritocracy and didn't much care about the religious or ethnic backgrounds of scholars and philosophers he invited to his kingdom. 

“His administration was structured based on knowledge and talent. Harun Al-Rashid had Christian viziers, doctors and even Zoroastrians working with him without any kind of discrimination, contrary to the Omayyads. There was respect for science and human beings,” Bozkurt tells TRT World. 

Paving the way for science

The Abbasids, on the other hand, moved towards establishing institutions rather than focusing only on conquests. They created large cities, and Baghdad became a symbol of their cultural advancement. Founded in 756 AD, Baghdad became the most populous city in the world 30 years later, with 800,000 inhabitants, according to the estimates.

The caliph is also known as the man who paved the way for the establishment of The House of Wisdom (Bayt al-Hikmah) which became an unrivalled knowledge centre where arts and sciences flourished. 

Harun Al-Rashid established the legendary library, The House of Wisdom in Baghdad in present-day Iraq, and during his rule, Baghdad began to flourish as a world centre of knowledge, culture and trade. 

Commenting on the role of Harun in establishing the House of Wisdom, Bozkurt says: “It is known as Bayt al-Hikmah. The idea of building such a grand library came to fruition during Harun Rashid’s term. He started bringing books from across the world for translation. During his son Al Ma’mun’s term, the process went further.”

Bayt al-Hikmah served as a bridge between ancient Greek and modern Western philosophy. It collected ancient Greek artefacts from Egyptian, Byzantine, Sassanid and Roman countries and prevented them from disappearing. 

According to Professor Apak, new ideas revolutionised positive science and philosophy during Al Ma'mun's term, as he did not deviate from the path his father had set to help humanity grow and prosper under the shade of Islam.

“Harun Al-Rashid’s term as Abbasid Caliph even comprises the main basis for the ‘One Thousand and One Nights’ tale because of the cultural activities that took place at that time,” Apak adds.

Commenting on the role played by The House of Wisdom on western enlightenment, Professor Nahide Bozkurt says: “It is fair to say that the enlightenment of the West was triggered by Harun Al-Rashid’s and his son Al Ma’mun’s terms.”

“Also, Islamic enlightenment was highly impacted by Chinese, Indian cultures.”

Following the efforts made by the wisdom-filled administrations of Harun and Al Ma’mun, The House of Wisdom became an unrivalled centre for the study of humanities and sciences, including mathematics, astronomy, medicine, chemistry, geography, philosophy, literature and the arts—as well as some more subjects such as alchemy and astrology.

It is believed that the House of Wisdom was an intellectually vibrant place that was mainly driven by its cosmopolitanism, something that was "never seen before." 

After Harun Al-Rashid, his son, Al Ma’mun followed his father's footsteps.

Al Ma'mun created a 68-person scientific delegation, which included one of the great polymaths of that era, Al Khwarizmi. They studied measurements and experimented with various philosophical methods from the Indian and Greek traditions. 

The research helped them draw detailed maps of the world with latitude and longitude. The length of the Earth’s equatorial belt with almost the same current value was also measured. In addition, a world map was drawn, and easy methods were formed to solve financial problems and formulate land measurements, including inheritance divisions, taxation and financial regulations. Plus, 700 formulas were developed by Al Khwarizmi at Al Ma’mun’s request. 

In the 13th Century, however, the scientific rigour was cut short at The House of Wisdom. While a Mongol siege destroyed this intellectual hub, the marauders could not erase its rich contributions in the field of arts and science. The knowledge the House of Wisdom left behind was later picked up by various empires from Asia to the Middle East to Europe.