An Epic of 1,400 Years

From the Bedouin poets of the Arabian desert to the cosmopolitan culture of Ottoman Istanbul, from the Bayt al-Hikma to the libraries of Cordoba, from the court of Harun al-Rashid in Baghdad to the court of Bahadur Shah in Delhi, a remarkable civilization took shape that witnessed an incredible flowering of literature, philosophy, science and art.

This civilization, which embraced an astonishing variety of peoples, languages, sects and philosophies, had Islam as its cohesive principle, which gave it unity amidst its diversity. But although “Islamic civilization” is the label most often applied to this cultural sphere, its contributions to our shared humanity go far beyond the religious domain.

To name just a few of these achievements: the wine songs of Abu Nuwas, the picaresque tales of the Maqamat, the enchanted world of the 1,001 Nights, the subtle psychology of Ibn Hazm, the epic story of the Shahnameh, and the mystical teachings of Jalaluddin Rumi all contain treasures that can enrich our lives.