Iraqi Historian Hussein Amin Elegizes Baghdad Libraries in the Abbasid Age
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Alexandria—
The BA organized, on Saturday, 16 June, a lecture entitled "Libraries in Baghdad During the Islamic Era" by Dr. Hussein Amin, Professor of History, Baghdad University; Visiting Professor, Alexandria University; and Former Secretary General, Union of Arab Historians. The Lecture was moderated by Dr. Mostafa El-Abady, President of the BA Friends Association, and Dr. Ezzat Kadus, Professor of History, Alexandria University and Chairperson of the Antiquities Association in Alexandria. A group of scholars and historians, on top of which was Mr. Naggar Bergan, Consul General of Iraq, attended the lecture.
At the outset of his talk, Dr. Hussein Amin discussed the mutual relationship between Egyptian and Iraqi civilizations. He added that the exchange between the two peoples dated back to Prophet Abraham, Peace be Upon Him, in the city of "Ur" in Iraq, when he married the Egyptian Hagar. Amin spoke about libraries, starting with the Ancient Library of Alexandria, which he described as a Landmark in Human heritage, then moved on to Babel and its libraries.
Libraries in the Islamic age were founded in Mosques, and continued as such in the ages of Rashidun Caliphs (Righteous Caliphs), Umayyad and Abbasid Caliphs; there was a library in each Mosque, serving as a center for learning and knowledge.
The Abbasids also founded what is known as Bayt al-Hikma (House of Wisdom). Caliph Harun ar-Rashid established Bayt al-Hikma as the first public library comprising all rare books at that time, and thousands of books donated by kings and princes of the ancient world were also added to the library's collection. Al-Mamun, the successor of Harun, was fond of books, science, and learning, thus, he brought all the sciences of India, Greece, and Persia to Bayt al-Hikma. The Library swarmed with a multitude of books and volumes, which were catalogued and classified to facilitate the search process within the Library.
Hussein Amin said that following Bayt al-Hikma, many small libraries were established in the streets of Baghdad. One of the visitors of Baghdad in the year 891 counted Baghdad libraries and found them to be more than 100 public libraries.
Other important libraries during the Islamic age were al-madrasa al-Nizamiya (Regular University) established by Seljuqs; Mašhad Abi Hanifa Library, and al-Šaykh Abdul Qadir al-Ghilani Library. Mustansiriya University was established eight centuries ago as the first Islamic university in Baghdad. Hussein Amin explained that Mustansiriya University is still alive, and was the first University to teach the four schools (Mazahb) of Fiqh (religious jurisprudence): the Hanafi Madhhab, the Maliki Madhhab, the Shafi'i Madhhab, and the Hanbali Madhhab in one place.
Amin added that Mustansiriya University was destroyed and its library was burned and looted by Mongols under the leadership of Hulagu Khan 656-1258, who threw thousands of books and volumes in the Tigris, which turned blue from the ink of these books.
Baghdad resembled in its nature the city of Alexandria in the Hellenistic age, in which the Ancient Library of Alexandria played a crucial role in attracting scientists and intellectuals.