Wishing to rekindle and spread the great and noble virtue of learning that marked
the Arab and Muslim worlds in earlier times, The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques
King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has established King Abdullah University of
Science and Technology (KAUST) as a new House of Wisdom on the shores of the Red
Sea.
History
The House of Wisdom (Bayt al-Hikmah) served as a library, research center, and translation
bureau in Baghdad from the 9th to 13th centuries. Founded by Caliph al-Ma῾mun together
with his father, Harun al-Rashid, in 830 C.E. in Baghdad, the House of Wisdom contained
manuscripts of the ancients, including originals in Persian, Greek, and Sanskrit,
which were collected and translated into Arabic. These texts, and the accomplishments
of House of Wisdom scholars in mathematics and science, made important contributions
to the Western civilization.
The House of Wisdom fostered non-traditional dialogue and alliances between those
of different backgrounds and different times through openness and understanding.
It spurred the development of Arabic thought and contributed to the zenith of the
"Golden Age" of Islam. The House of Wisdom was an intellectual hub that drew scholars
from all corners of the Islamic Empire and from all religions. Islamic scholars
fervently embraced the scientific and philosophical tradition of the Greeks, and
works on medicine, geography, astronomy, and mathematics were among the first to
be translated into Arabic.
Between 750 and 1000 C.E., all the major works of Aristotle and various Neoplatonic
treatises and commentaries were fully translated. These translations laid the foundation
for Arabic philosophy, which influenced both the Muslim world and the Christian
West.
The House of Wisdom’s scholars made fundamental contributions in medicine, navigation,
agriculture, and astronomy. Arabs distinguished themselves in the field of medicine,
most notably Avicenna, considered the founder of modern medicine, and Rhazes, known
as the founder of pediatric medicine. In the field of mathematics, the Arabs developed
algebra and trigonometry, led by Al-Khawarizmi, who is considered the father of
algebra. Arabic scientific achievements were not limited to theory. The inventor
Al-Jazari introduced 50 mechanical devices, including the crankshaft, water pump,
and some of the first mechanical clocks.
When the Mongols invaded Baghdad in 1258 C.E., they destroyed the House of Wisdom
and all other libraries within the city. It is said the waters of the Tigris ran
black for six months with the ink of all the books flung into the river.
Now, 750 years later, a new "House of Wisdom" rises in the Arabian Desert. As King
Abdullah said during his groundbreaking speech, KAUST "shall be a beacon for peace,
hope, and reconciliation and shall serve the people of the Kingdom and benefit all
the peoples of the world in keeping with the teachings of the Holy Quran, which
explains that God created mankind in order for us to come to know each other."