Islam and Knowledge
According to UNESCO and Guinness World Records, the world's oldest continuously operating and first degree-granting educational institution, is The University of al-Qarawiyyi which was founded by a Muslim woman, Fatima Al-Fahri in the city of Fez in Morocco. It was created when Europe had been recovering from the Dark Ages while Africa and The Middle East shone as centers of knowledge (“The 10 Oldest Universities in the World | MastersAvenue”). After obtaining property from the El-Hawara tribe in 859 AD, Al Fihri began building on the institution. S she named it after her hometown in Tunisia, Qayrawan. The institution produced not just renowned Muslim philosophers and thinkers such as Ibn Rushd, but also members of other faiths. Some think that Maimonides, the Jewish philosopher, and Gerbert of Aurillac, better known as Pope Sylvester II, were among its foreign alumni (TRTWorld).
Islam fueled humanity's quest for knowledge. Iqra, which means "read," was the first verse to arrive to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)*, highlighting the importance to read, write, and reflect. The Quran encourages people to think, contemplate, reflect, and learn about God and his world. All Muslims were commanded by the prophet Muhammad (PBUH) to seek knowledge as far as they could reach, and to seek it at all times. "I would be a slave to a person who teaches me a letter," Ali ibn Abu Talib, the 4th Caliph (RA)**, reportedly declared, emphasizing the significance of knowledge. Following these mandates and traditions, Muslim rulers insisted that every Muslim obtain an education and provided substantial assistance to educational institutions and learning in general. This helped to make primary education nearly ubiquitous among Muslims (Zahid Ashraf Wani and Maqbool).
The need to preserve the Quran and Traditions (Hadith) sparked a desire to gather such texts in various forms, paving the path for the founding of the first libraries in the Muslim world. Mosques had great libraries containing literature on religion, philosophy, and science during the early decades of Islam when they served as the center for all political, social, religious, and educational activity. Some of the largest libraries of the middle ages were founded by Muslims who distinguished themselves as benefactors of learning (Zahid Ashraf Wani and Maqbool).
Muslims have a special connection with libraries as the preservation of knowledge is highly important to us. One of the largest and most prominent libraries of the ancient world is the Baghdad House of Wisdom, a wisdom academy that drew people from all over the world for more than two centuries. The academy was a prominent center of inquiry, discussion, and debate in Muslim Civilization, ranging from mathematics and astronomy to zoology. Translators, scientists, authors along with many others met every day in the House of Wisdom for translation, reading, writing, and discussion. Many manuscripts and books were translated there, covering a wide range of scientific fields as well as philosophical works. Male and female visitors of various faiths and races from all across Muslim civilization gathered at the House of Wisdom. Al-Kindi, who oversaw the translation of Aristotle’s works, and Hunyan ibn Ishaq, who translated Hippocrates, were two of the academy's most prominent figures (“The House of Wisdom: Baghdad’s Intellectual Powerhouse”). It was known to be the largest collection of knowledge in the ancient world and can be compared to the library of Alexandria. Muslims carry their desire for knowledge to this day and it is in our culture to learn as much as we can and become more aware of the intricacies of our faith as well as the intricacies of the world around us. It was later destroyed by the invading Mongol Armies during their conquest of Mesopotamia. This goldmine of knowledge has forever been lost to the footnotes of history as a result.
In my AP World Class in high school, I learned about the Baghdad House of Wisdom when we went over the Islamic Golden Age. I remember that unit to be highly interesting but it was only covered for less than a week. In American curriculums, we tend to take a Euro and Western-centric approach to history while failing to provide enough emphasis on those responsible for preserving the masterworks of Ancient Europe.
* PBUH is an acronym for “peace be upon him” designated to be used when referring to the Islamic prophet. As Muslims, our etiquette is to honor him by saying this phrase whenever we talk or write about him.
** RA is a short form for “raḍī Llāhu ʿanh” which translates to “God be pleased with him”. As Muslims it is our etiqutte to honor the companions of the prophet by expressing this phrase verbally or in writing when referring to them.