The House of Wisdom (Arabic بيت الحكمة Bayt al-Hikma) was a library and translation institute in Abbassid-era Baghdad. It is considered to have been a major intellectual center of the Islamic Golden Age. Arabic can mean: From or related to Arabia From or related to the Arabs The Arabic language; see also Arabic grammar The Arabic alphabet, used for expressing the languages of Arabic, Persian, Malay ( Jawi), Kurdish, Panjabi, Pashto, Sindhi and Urdu, among others. ... Abbasid provinces during the caliphate of Harun al-Rashid Abbasid was the dynastic name generally given to the caliphs of Baghdad, the second of the two great Sunni dynasties of the Muslim empire. ... Baghdad (Arabic: ) is the capital of Iraq and of Baghdad Governorate. ... Photo taken from medieval manuscript by Qotbeddin Shirazi (1236–1311), a Persian Astronomer. ...

Origins

In the Abbasid Empire, scholars translated many foreign works into Arabic and Persian , built large libraries, and welcomed scholars persecuted by the Byzantine Empire [1]. There was an imperial library in Ctesiphon, and works were also translated at the Academy of Gundishapur. During the Islamic conquest of Persia. In 750, the Abbasid dynasty replaced the Umayyad dynasty as head of the Islamic empire, and in 762, the caliph al-Mansur (reigned 754 - 775) built Baghdad and made it his capital (the previous capital being Damascus). The Abbasid dynasty had a strong Persian bent, and adopted many practices from the Sassanid empire - among those, that of translating foreign works, except that now works were translated into Arabic. For this purpose, al-Mansur founded a palace library, modeled after the Sassanid Imperial Library. Abbasid provinces during the caliphate of Harun al-Rashid Abbasid (Arabic: العبّاسيّون, Abbāsīyūn) is the dynastic name generally given to the caliph of Baghdad, the second of the two great Sunni dynasties of the Islamic empire, that overthrew the Umayyad caliphs from all but Spain. ... Arabic can mean: From or related to Arabia From or related to the Arabs The Arabic language; see also Arabic grammar The Arabic alphabet, used for expressing the languages of Arabic, Persian, Malay ( Jawi), Kurdish, Panjabi, Pashto, Sindhi and Urdu, among others. ... Persian (Local names: فارسی Fârsi or پارسی Pârsi)* is an Indo-European language spoken in Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan as well as by minorities in Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, India, Pakistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Southern Russia, neighboring countries, and elsewhere. ... Byzantine Empire at its greatest extent c. ... Ctesiphon, 1932 Ctesiphon (Parthian and Pahlavi: Tyspwn as well as Tisfun, Persian: ‎, also known as in Arabic Madain, Maden or Al-Madain: المدائن) is one of the great cities of ancient Mesopotamia and the capital of the Parthian Empire and its successor, the Sassanid Empire, for more than 800 years... The Academy of Gundishapur (in Persian: ‎) was a renowned center of learning in the city of Gundeshapur during late antiquity, the intellectual center of the Sassanid empire. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Islamic conquest of Afghanistan. ... Events Last Umayyad caliph Marwan II (744-750) overthrown by first Abbasid caliph, Abu al-Abbas al-Saffah Bold textItalic textLink title GARY CANT SWIM GARY CANT SWIM GARY CANT SWIM GARY CANT SWIM GARY CANT SWIM GARY CANT SWIM GARY CANT SWIM... Abbasid Caliphate (Abbasid Khalifat) and contemporary states and empires in 820. ... The Courtyard of the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, one of the grandest architectural legacies of the Umayyads. ... Events Abbasid caliph al-Mansur founds new capital at Baghdad, Iraq Births Deaths Emperor Xuanzong of Tang China Chinese poet Li Po, the Poet Immortal. ... pooperson he was the first bisexual man to have a heshe baby This article is abliph Al Mansur of Baghdad. ... Damascus ( transliteration: , also commonly known as الشام ash-Shām) is the largest city of Syria and is also the capital. ... Arabic ( or just ) is the largest living member of the Semitic language family in terms of speakers. ...

The House of Wisdom was originally concerned with translating and preserving Persian works, first from Pahlavi (Middle Persian), then from Syriac and eventually Greek. The Pahlavi script was used broadly in the Sasanid Persian Empire to write down Middle Persian for secular, as well as religious purposes. ... Syriac is an Eastern Aramaic language that was once spoken across much of the Fertile Crescent. ...

Works on astrology, mathematics, agriculture, medicine, and philosophy were thus translated. Hand-coloured version of the anonymous Flammarion woodcut. ... Euclid, Greek mathematician, 3rd century BC, as imagined by by Raphael in this detail from The School of Athens. ... medicines, see medication and pharmacology. ... The philosopher Socrates about to take poison hemlock as ordered by the court. ...

The Barmakids were influential in the ensuing movement of restoring and preserving Persian culture. They are also credited with the founding of the first paper mill in Baghdad. The secret of papermaking had been obtained from Chinese prisoners taken at the Battle of Talas (751). Previously, copyists would used papyrus (which is fragile) or parchment (which is expensive). The introduction of paper thus facilitated the multiplication of books and libraries. The Barmakids (Persian: برمكيان Barmakīyān; Arabic: البرامكة al-barāmika, also called Barmecides) were a noble Persian family which attained great power under the Abbasid caliphs. ... International Paper Companys Kraft paper mill in Georgetown, South Carolina. ... Chinese court official Cai Lun achieved a break-through improvement in papermaking process. ... Combatants Abbasid Caliphate Tang Dynasty Commanders Ziyad ibn Salih (Persian)[3][4] Gao Xianzhi (Goguryeo)[3] Li Siye (Chinese)[3] Duan Xiushi (Chinese)[3] Strength The number of troops from Arab protectorates was not recorded by either side. ... Papyrus plant Cyperus papyrus at Kew Gardens, London Papyrus is an early form of paper produced from the pith of the papyrus plant, Cyperus papyrus, a wetland sedge that was once abundant in the Nile Delta of Egypt. ... German parchmenter, 1568 Parchment is a material for the pages of a book or codex, made from fine calf skin, sheep skin or goat skin. ...

Under Al-Ma'mun

Under the sponsorship of caliph al-Ma'mun (reigned 813 - 833), it seems that the House of Wisdom took on new functions related to mathematics and astrology. The focus also shifted from Persian to Greek science. Abu Jafar al-Mamun ibn Harun (also spelled Almanon and el-Mâmoûn) (786 – October 10, 833) (المأمون) was an Abbasid caliph who reigned from 813 until his death in 833. ...

At that time, the library was directed by the poet and astrologer Sahl ibn-Harun (d. 830); the other scholars associated with the library are Mohammed ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi (780 - 850), the Bana Musa brothers (Mohammed Jafar ibn Musa, Ahmad ibn Musa, and al-Hasan ibn Musa), and Yaqub ibn Ishaq al-Kindi (801 - 873). Soviet postage stamp commemorating the 1200th anniversary of Muhammad al‑Khwarizmi in 1983. ... The Banu Musa (Children of Musa, Arabic: بنو موسى, sometimes transliterated Bana Musa) brothers were three Persian scholars, of Baghdad, active in the House of Wisdom: Muhammad bin Musa (800-873), who specialised in geometry and astronomy Ahmad bin Musa (805-873), who specialised in mechanics Hasan bin Musa (810–873), who... Ǧa‘far Muḥammad ibn MÅ«sā ibn Šākir (800 - 873), was a 9th century Persian mathematician and astronomer from Baghdad, the eldest of the Banu Musa brothers. ... Ahmed ibn Musa ibn Shakir Banu Musa, also Bani Musa, (805 - 873), was a 9th century Persian mathematician from Baghdad, the middle of the Banu Musa brothers. ... al-Hasan ibn Musa ibn Shakir Banu Musa, also Bani Musa, (810–873), was a 9th century Persian mathematician and astronomer who lived in Baghdad. ... Abū-Yūsuf Ya’qūb ibn Ishāq al-Kindī (c. ...

Hunayn ibn Ishaq (809 - 873) was placed in charge of the translation work by the caliph. The most renowned translator was the Sabian Thabit ibn Qurra (826 - 901). Translations of this era were superior to earlier ones, however, soon after, the emphasis on translation work declined, as new ideas became more important. Hunayn ibn Ishaq al-Ibadi (809—873) was Nestorian physician in the House of Wisdom. ... Yazdânism or Cult of Angels (also Yazdâni or Yazdanism) is a modern term for the monotheistic, though universalist, religion that was practiced by most Kurds up to the Islamization during the sixteenth century. ... Abul Hasan Thabit ibn Qurra ibn Marwan al-Sabi al-Harrani, (826 – February 18, 901) was an Arab astronomer and mathematician. ...

The House of Wisdom flourished under al-Ma'mun's successors al-Mu'tasim (reign 833 - 842) and al-Wathiq (reign 842 - 847), but declined under the reign of al-Mutawakkil (reign 847 - 861), mainly because Ma'mun, Mu'tasim, and Wathiq followed the sect of Mu'tazili, while al-Mutawakkil followed orthodox Islam. He wanted to stop the spread of Greek philosophy which was one of the main tools in Mu'tazili theology. Abu Ishaq al-Mutasim ibn Harun (أبو إسحاق المعتصم بن هارون , 794 – January 5, 842) was an Abbasid caliph (833 - 842). ... Al-Wathiq ibn Mutasim (d. ... Al-Mutawakkil Ala Allah Jafar bin al-Mutasim (821–861) (Arabic: المتوكل على الله جعفر بن المعتصم) was an Abbasid caliph who reigned (in Samarra) from 847 until 861. ... Mutazilah (Arabic المعتزلة al-mu`tazilah) is a theological school of thought within Islam. ... Islam (Arabic:  ) is a monotheistic religion based upon the teachings of Muhammad, a 7th century Arab religious and political figure. ... Mutazilah (Arabic المعتزلة al-mu`tazilah) is a theological school of thought within Islam. ...

Destruction

Along with all other libraries in Baghdad, the House of Wisdom was destroyed during the Mongol invasion of Baghdad in 1258. It was said that the waters of the Tigris ran black with ink from the enormous quantities of books flung into the river. Combatants Mongols Abbasid Caliphate Commanders Hulagu Khan Guo Kan Caliph Al-Mustasim Strength Unknown Unknown Casualties Unknown, but believed minimal Military, 50,000(est. ... The Tigris is the eastern member of the pair of great rivers that define Mesopotamia, along with the Euphrates, which flows from the mountains of Anatolia through Iraq. ...

The House of Wisdom eventually acquired a reputation as a center of learning, although universities as we know them did not exist at that time — transmission of knowledge was done directly from teacher to student, without any institutional surrounding. Madrasahs only began to develop in the city later on, when Nizam al-Mulk founded the Al-Nizamiyya of Baghdad. A university is an institution of higher education and of research, which grants academic degrees. ... Ulugh Beg Madrasa, Samarkand, ca. ... Abu Ali al-Hasan al-Tusi Nizam al-Mulk (نظام الملك، ابو علي الحسن الطوسي in Arabic; 1018 - 14 October 1092) was a celebrated Persian vizier of the Seljuk... Al-Nizamiyya of Baghdad was an early Islamic university established in July of 1091[1] when Nizam al-Mulk appointed the 33-year-old Al-Ghazali as a professor of the school. ...

So it is most likely that the House of Wisdom was only a palace library, but acquired a greater reputation afterwards.^{[citation needed]}

Other Houses of Wisdom

Some other places have also been called House of Wisdom:

• In Cairo, Dar al-Hikmah, the "House of Wisdom", was another name of the House of Knowledge, founded by the Fatimid Caliph Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah in 1004.

• There is a research institute in Baghdad called Bayt al-Hikma after the Abbasid-era research center. While the complex includes a 13th century madrasa, it isn't the same building as the medieval Bayt al-Hikma. It was looted during the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

Nickname: Egypt: Site of Cairo (top center) Coordinates: Government  - Governor Dr. Abdul Azim Wazir Area  - City 214 km²  (82. ... Dar Al-Hekma was an ancient university in Fatimid Caliphate (todays Egypt), built in 1004 as a library untill the Fatimid Chaliph Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah converted it to a university for the state in the same year. ... Tāriqu l-ḤakÄ«m, called bi Amr al-Lāh (Arabic الحاكم بأمر الله Ruler by Gods Command), was the sixth Fatimid Caliph in Egypt, ruling from 996 to 1021. ... Madrassa in the Gambia The word madrassa in the Arabic language (and other languages of the Islamic nations such as Persian, Turkish, Indonesian etc. ... The subject of this article is the 2003 invasion of Iraq. ...

External links

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• Islamic Astronomy by Owen Gingerich
• Centuries in the House of Wisdom in The Guardian - overall history with particular focus on the House of Wisdom
• Legacy of the Islamic Golden Age, with details on the House of Wisdom
• Pictures of the modern Bayt al-Hikma and the damage it took during the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
• Iraq Manuscript Collections, Archives, - Libraries Situation Report, includes a description of the modern Bayt al-Hikma and it's looting.
• e-Learning, The mission of the e-Learning Center is to provide opportunities to the University community in exploiting the potential of technology to enhance self-paced, learner-centered education.
• Jeff Oaks: The scholarly milieu of Abu'l-Wafa, with references to the House of Wisdom
• Was al-Khwarizmi an applied algebraist? - with discussion of the role of House of Wisdom (references George Makdisi and Dimitri Gutas)
• Translation Movements in Iran; Sassanian Era to Year 2000, Expansion, Preservation and Modernization
• The Transmission of Knowledge - A case study: the Arab acquisition of Greek science.