The House of Wisdom: a lighthouse of knowledge and tolerance in Baghdad
Dream and revelation
In the beginning: Baghdad. Founded in 762, the city was a prosperous metropolis and a hub of commerce, attracting intellectuals from all over the world. Its size was such that it already had over 1 million inhabitants, compared with 50,000 in Rome, then the largest city in Europe.
At the heart of the city, the House of Wisdom was established under the caliphate of Harun al-Rashid (786-809), but it was during the reign of his son,
Al-Ma'mun (813-833), nicknamed the Wise Man of Baghdad, that the library reached its apogee. Al-Ma'mun was so passionate about literature that he spent his days reading and studying. Tradition has it that he was so keen on books that he agreed to stop the war against the Byzantines in exchange for a rare manuscript that was missing from his collection. One night, Al-Ma'mun had a dream in which Aristotle appeared to him. As a result, he decided to open the library to all scholars of the time, whether Jewish, Christian or Zoroastrian.
Erudition and tolerance
The House of Wisdom was not simply a library; it was a true center of knowledge, where scholars from different religions collaborated harmoniously. This diversity reflected the inclusive vision of the Abbasids, who saw the quest for knowledge as a duty transcending religious and cultural barriers.
Al-Ma'mun himself said that "knowledge is the noblest goal and should be sought from all quarters". Thus, the House of Wisdom has played a crucial role in the preservation and transmission of ancient knowledge. Scholars translated major works of Greek philosophy, Persian medicine, Indian mathematics and the natural sciences.
Famous translators include Hunayn ibn Ishaq, who translated the works of Galen and Hippocrates, and Al-Khwarizmi, whose work in algebra and astronomy had a lasting influence on the sciences. Activities are not limited to translating and revising existing works ; Hunayn Ibn Ishaq, for example, also enriched Arabic vocabulary by introducing innovative scientific terminology. He adapts Greek words, such as philosophia, which he transforms into falsafa, and creates equivalent meanings adapted to the Arab context. For example, for the term "pylorus", he takes its Greek etymological meaning (guardian) and uses the Arabic word bawab (porter). In addition to translations and the enrichment of languages, many scientific disciplines were given pride of place.
Indeed, the mathematicians of the House of Wisdom introduced the Indian numerical system (later known as Arabic numerals) to Europe. Al-Khwarizmi, often considered the father of algebra, wrote "Kitab al-Jabr wa-l-Muqabala", which can be translated as "The Book of Addition and Subtraction", a fundamental work of mathematics.
Decline and Legacy
Following al-Mamun's death, the House of Wisdom began a slow decline, culminating in its destruction during the Mongol invasion. In 1258, the Mongol army led by Hulagu Khan, grandson of Genghis Khan and first Mongol ruler of Iran, sacked Baghdad. Many precious manuscripts were thrown into the Tigris River, to the point of blackening its waters. Anticipating this disaster, the Persian astronomer Nasir al-Din al-Tusi (1201-1274) managed to save several thousand manuscripts by transferring them to the Maragha astronomical observatory, built by Hulagu in 1259 in north-west Iran. This observatory became a new center of knowledge, where the saved manuscripts continued to nourish the minds of the scholars of the day.
The House of Wisdom, a pioneer in the translation and dissemination of knowledge, has inspired many similar initiatives around the world over the centuries, in both East and West. Centers of translation and knowledge multiplied, notably in Muslim Spain with the famous School of Toledo, where Muslim, Christian and Jewish scholars worked together to translate and preserve classical works. The tradition of the House of Wisdom also influenced European universities in the Middle Ages. Institutions such as the University of Salerno in Italy and Oxford University in England were inspired by the Baghdad model, particularly in their approach to medicine, astronomy and philosophy.
The most recent of these initiatives is the "Maison de la sagesse - Traduire", founded by French philosopher and academician Barbara Cassin in Paris, to perpetuate the spirit of this legendary library through the promotion of translation and intercultural dialogue. This modern institution continues to celebrate the legacy of the House of Wisdom by bringing together translators and scholars from diverse backgrounds to work together on translation projects that foster mutual understanding and international cooperation.
In this way, the House of Wisdom not only represents a historic moment in Islamic culture, but also symbolizes a timeless vision of the quest for knowledge and peaceful coexistence between cultures. It is a reminder that the exchange of knowledge and collaboration between different civilizations are essential for the progress of humanity.
Sources :
https://www.bbc.com/afrique/monde-55396995
https://www.techno-science.net/glossaire-definition/Maison-de-la-sagesse.html
