Abbasid Caliphate
19 articles in this era
Abbasid Caliphate
The third major Islamic caliphate that ruled from 750 to 1258 CE, marking the Islamic Golden Age with unprecedented achievements in science, philosophy, literature, and arts. Based in Baghdad, the Abbasids transformed Islamic civilization into a cosmopolitan empire that synthesized Greek, Persian, Indian, and Arab traditions.
Al-Farabi: The Second Teacher and Father of Islamic Philosophy
Al-Farabi (c. 872-950 CE) was one of the greatest philosophers in Islamic history, known as 'The Second Teacher' after Aristotle, who synthesized Greek philosophy with Islamic thought and made foundational contributions to logic, political philosophy, metaphysics, and music theory.
Al-Khwarizmi
Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi (780-850 CE), the father of algebra and pioneer of mathematics, whose revolutionary work 'Al-Kitab al-mukhtasar fi hisab al-jabr wa'l-muqabala' introduced algebra to the world and whose name gave us the word 'algorithm'.
Al-Razi (Rhazes)
Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Zakariya al-Razi (854-925 CE), known in the West as Rhazes, the greatest clinical physician of the medieval world, pioneering medical researcher, and polymath who made groundbreaking contributions to medicine, chemistry, and philosophy.
Battle of Hattin - Saladin's Decisive Victory
The decisive battle fought on July 4, 1187 CE, where Saladin's Muslim forces achieved a crushing victory over the Crusader armies near the Horns of Hattin in Palestine. This pivotal battle led to the recapture of Jerusalem and marked the beginning of the end of Crusader dominance in the Holy Land, demonstrating Islamic military prowess and Saladin's strategic genius.
Caliph al-Ma'mun: The Scholar-Caliph and the Islamic Golden Age
Al-Ma'mun (r. 813-833 CE) was the seventh Abbasid caliph and one of the most intellectually accomplished rulers in Islamic history. His reign marked the peak of the translation movement and the flourishing of the House of Wisdom in Baghdad, making him a central figure in the Islamic Golden Age.
Fall of Baghdad (1258): The End of the Abbasid Caliphate
The fall of Baghdad in 1258 CE to the Mongol forces of Hulagu Khan marked the end of the Abbasid Caliphate and the destruction of one of the world's greatest centers of learning, fundamentally altering the course of Islamic civilization.
Fatima al-Fihri: The Woman Who Founded the World's Oldest University
Fatima al-Fihri (فاطمة الفهرية), also known as Umm al-Banin, was a visionary Muslim woman who founded Al-Qarawiyyin in Fez, Morocco in 859 CE, establishing what would become the world's oldest continuously operating university and one of the leading centers of Islamic learning for over a millennium.
Harun al-Rashid: The Golden Age Caliph
Harun al-Rashid (786-809 CE) was the fifth Abbasid Caliph who presided over the Islamic Golden Age, transforming Baghdad into the world's center of learning, culture, and prosperity during the height of Islamic civilization.
Ibn Sina (Avicenna): The Prince of Physicians
Ibn Sina (980-1037 CE), known in the West as Avicenna, was one of the greatest polymaths in history, whose contributions to medicine, philosophy, and science profoundly influenced both Islamic and European intellectual traditions for centuries.
Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal
Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Hanbal (780-855 CE), the Imam of Ahl al-Sunnah and founder of the Hanbali school of Islamic jurisprudence, known for his Musnad, his steadfast defense of orthodox Islamic beliefs during the Mihna (Inquisition), and his emphasis on hadith-based jurisprudence.
Imam al-Bukhari
Muhammad ibn Ismail al-Bukhari (810-870 CE), the master of hadith science and compiler of Sahih al-Bukhari, the most authentic collection of Prophetic traditions after the Qur'an, known for his rigorous methodology and unparalleled contribution to Islamic scholarship.
Imam al-Shafi'i
Muhammad ibn Idris al-Shafi'i (767-820 CE), the founder of the Shafi'i school of Islamic jurisprudence and the father of Islamic legal theory (Usul al-Fiqh), known for his systematic methodology, the Risala, and his role in establishing the four sources of Islamic law.
Imam Muslim
Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj (817-875 CE), the great hadith scholar and compiler of Sahih Muslim, the second most authentic collection of Prophetic traditions after Sahih al-Bukhari, known for his rigorous methodology and systematic organization of hadith.
Islamic Golden Age
The Islamic Golden Age (8th-13th centuries CE) represents the pinnacle of Islamic civilization, characterized by unprecedented achievements in science, mathematics, medicine, philosophy, literature, and the arts, centered in Baghdad, Córdoba, Cairo, and other major Islamic cities.
Saladin (Salah al-Din al-Ayyubi) - Liberator of Jerusalem
Salah al-Din Yusuf ibn Ayyub, known in the West as Saladin, was a Kurdish Muslim military commander and statesman who founded the Ayyubid dynasty and served as the first Sultan of Egypt and Syria. Born in 1137 CE in Tikrit, Saladin rose from relatively modest origins to become one of the most celebrated figures in Islamic history. He is best known for uniting the Muslim territories of Egypt, Syria, and Mesopotamia under his rule and for his decisive victory over the Crusaders at the Battle of Hattin in 1187 CE, which led to the recapture of Jerusalem after 88 years of Crusader occupation. Renowned for his military genius, political acumen, and chivalrous conduct toward both allies and enemies, Saladin became a legendary figure respected by Muslims and Christians alike. His legacy as a just ruler, skilled commander, and defender of Islam has endured for more than eight centuries, making him a symbol of Islamic resistance, unity, and ethical leadership.
Samanid Dynasty - The Persian Renaissance in Central Asia
The Samanid Dynasty (819-999 CE / 204-389 AH) ruled over a vast empire in Central Asia and Greater Khorasan, presiding over a remarkable cultural and scientific renaissance. This Persian dynasty played a crucial role in preserving Persian language and culture, patronizing scholars and poets, and establishing the foundations for the Islamic Golden Age in the eastern Islamic world.
The House of Wisdom: Baghdad's Legendary Center of Learning and Translation
The House of Wisdom (Bayt al-Hikmah) was a major intellectual center in Baghdad during the Abbasid Caliphate (8th-13th centuries) that became legendary for its role in preserving and translating Greek, Persian, and Indian knowledge into Arabic, contributing profoundly to the Islamic Golden Age and the transmission of classical learning to medieval Europe.
The Mihna: The Abbasid Inquisition and the Crisis of Authority
The Mihna (833-848 CE) was an inquisition initiated by Caliph al-Ma'mun to enforce Mu'tazilite doctrine, particularly the belief that the Qur'an was created. It became a defining crisis about religious authority in Islam, ultimately failing and establishing that political rulers should not interfere in matters of religious doctrine.