AS an amateur historian and philosopher, I am perplexed to see that most Pakistanis are ignorant, more correctly say, forgotten of the glorious period of Islamic civilization, that is, the Abbasid dynasty during the nine to tenth centuries. Most Pakistanis aspire that their beloved country of Pakistan become a progressive and welfare state in the modern world, following the vision of its founders. However, disunity and ideological fractions have not only hindered the country’s development, but the vision for the country’s future seems to be drifting. In the meantime, the wealth disparity is deepening, 40 percent of the population lives miserably below the poverty line. The brain drain continues; Pakistan is losing the driving force for the country’s future development, and the suffering of the common people is increasing day by day.
As a foreigner, I am not a critic, but as a friend and companion of the beloved Pakistani people, I want to accompany them on their journey from the suffering and poverty to the path of progress. So, it will be appreciated if you read this article as a letter from a friend.
There have been numerous attempts to pursue Plato’s ideal state, but of course, a perfect state has never appeared on earth. But amid the rise and fall of many nations and civilizations, some civilizations that came close to it have emerged. Historically, the golden age of Islamic civilization is the Abbasid dynasty in Baghdad and the Al-Andalusian in Muslim Spain. In particular, the Abbasid dynasty stands as the heyday of Islamic civilization. What made the Abbasid dynasty great? The history of the Abbasid dynasty provides several implications for Pakistan’s progress.
Inclusive society: The Abbasid Dynasty was a society in which many ethnicities, languages, and religions coexisted. It was this inclusivity that set the tone for the development of the Abbasid dynasty.
Intellectual openness: The Abbasid dynasty had a strong pursuit of knowledge. The prosperity of Islamic civilization was based on this knowledge and science. The House of Wisdom (Bait al Hikma) established by al-Mansur was an expression of it. Under the king’s command and patronage, scholars translated and studied texts from Greece, Syria, Persia, India, China, and other places. The scholars who participated in this work were Persians, Syrian Christians, Indians, and Arabs, and laid the foundations for the development of civilization in an atmosphere of intellectual openness. It is a pride for Muslims that the intellectual heritage of Baghdad transferred to Europe, making the Renaissance in the Fourteenth century and scientific revival possible in Europe.
Promotion of science and knowledge: The Abbasid dynasty had a deep understanding of the value of science and knowledge and implemented national projects such as the House of Wisdom. It is natural to value science and knowledge for the development of society and civilization.
Throughout history, however, there have been numerous instances of opposition to intellectual openness and fall into anti-intellectualism and exclusivity. Since in 529, Justinian, the Eastern Roman Emperor, shut down the Academia of Philosophy in Athens because it was unchristian, the whole of Europe drifted into the long and dark Middle Ages.
In the late modern era, the Korean peninsula fell into seclusion, rejecting the advanced modern civilization, and stayed in the past, resulting in a decline of national fortune, and eventually becoming a colony of Japan. Likewise, it was not external reasons that led the glorious Islamic civilization to decline, but the result of the anti-intellectualism and profound traditionalism movement of Islamic scholars such as al-Ghazali and Ibn Taymiyyah.
As an educator, I was completely baffled to see the reality of education in classrooms. All the students who came to the university had never studied philosophy, thoughts, or world history. If the purpose of higher education is to develop critical and creative thinking to successfully cope with a rapidly changing environment and develop leadership skills, education in Pakistan needs to undergo fundamental changes. If the next generation, who must live with the people of the world, is unfamiliar with the history of the world and does not know how to understand and communicate with them, the future of Pakistan is bleak. Isn’t it the right time to ponder what is educational responsibilities for the next generation?
—The writer is Professor of Pakistan Global Institute, Pakistan.
