CONTRIBUTION OF EAST AND MUSLIM WELFARE STATES TO EUROPE
Posted on 12. Jul, 2012 by Brig Samson Sharaf in World News
By Brig Samson S Sharaf
In the study and commentary of Arthashastra written by Vinshnugupta Kautilya Chanakya, I learned that the sub continent had a formative influence on the Arab World of antiquity in arts, governance and sciences. Later, through trade and warfare, this knowledge fused with the Persian and Chinese schools of thought transferred to Europe in the times of Hazrat Omar Bin Abdul Aziz, Muslim rule of Spain and the Abbasside Khilafat. The Asian Civilisation Episodes and their effect on renaissance by the Discovery Channel have refocused this obscure development. Imran Khan’s referral to Omar’s Law is an indirect reference to this transitional fact.
From antiquity to middle ages, the Arabian Peninsula remained the commercial and educational hub of the world. Caravans used the traditional silk routes to debouch from as far afar as Eastern Europe, Central Asia, the Sub Continent and China transferring goods and with it politics and knowledge. Arab sailors dominated all sea fares in the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean till the arrival of the Portuguese. Philosophy with its diverse schools ultimately became the common language. Though the world assumes that it were the Greek Philosophers like Aristotle and Plato who provided the framework for modern philosophy, it ignores history.
There were two landmark developments prior and during the Arab influence and Muslim rule of Europe. First, the Arab monks of Christian denominations began the translation of Greek scripts into Arabic and Hebrew. When Abbasides established the House of Wisdom in Baghdad, they ordered all philosophies to be translated into Arabic. While Europe fought wars and plummeted into darkness, the Arabs, Persians and Nestorian Christians were busy in preserving and documenting these great works with accuracy. Writing in his well-known book "The Making of Humanity" Robert Briffault admits: `The incorruptible treasures and delights of intellectual culture were accounted by the princes of Baghdad, Shiraz and Cordova, the truest and proudest pomp of their courts…. Caravans laden with manuscripts and Botanical specimens plied from Bukhara to Tigris, from Egypt to Andulusia; embassies were sent to Constantinople and to India for the purpose of obtaining books and teachers; a collection of Greek authors or a distinguished mathematician was as eagerly demanded as the ransom of an Empire.'
Later, when the search for origins and authenticity of Greek scripts began, the Baghdad translations assumed cardinal importance. Thus began a discourse between the Islamic and European worlds that included Al-Kindi (Alkindus), Al-Farabi (Abunaser), Ibn Sina (Avicenna), Ibn Bajjah (Avempace), Ibn Rushd (Averroes), and Ibn Khaldun. Their works and commentaries influenced middle age European and Catholic scholars and helped them retranslate the treatises into European languages.
Modern western philosophy considers Ibn Rushd as the greatest commentator and exponent of Aristotelian philosophy, surpassing Ibn Sina by correcting his misconceptions on rational philosophy. He and Ghazali represented two diverse schools in which he prevailed. Many of his invaluable works were lost when the Christian conquerors set fire to the intellectual treasures of the Moors (Spanish Muslims). His treatises had a permanent impact on Christian Europe and he still continues to be the most popular Muslim philosopher in the West. He was also an astronomer and wrote a treatise dealing with the motion of the sphere and credited with the discovery of sunspots. He also summarized the "Almagest" of Ptolemy which was translated into Hebrew by Jacob Anatoli in 1231.
According to George Sarton, ‘he (Ibn Rushd) deeply influenced Jewish philosophy’ and ‘Jewish Averroism reached its zenith under Levi ben Gershon in the fourteenth century, and continued to prosper until the end of the fifteenth century’. Alfred Gillaume in his article Legacy of Islam writes: `Ibn Rushd belongs to Europe and European thought rather than to the east … Averroism continued to be a living factor in European thought until the birth of modern experimental science’. He goes on to write, `We may be sure that those who accuse the Muslim scholars of lack of originality and of intellectual decadence have never read Averroes or looked into Algazel but have adopted second hand judgements. The presence of doctrines of Islamic origin in the very citadel of Western Christianity, the `Summa' of Aquinas, is a sufficient refutation of the charge of lack of originality and sterility.' According to Phillip K. Hitti, `the last of the great Arabic writing philosophers, Ibn Rushd belonged more to Christian Europe than to Muslim Asia or Africa’.
In a painting placed in Vatican (circled in red) Ibn Rushd appears the only Muslim scholar in the historic School of Athens.
In statecraft Ibn Rushd himself of Maliki tradition considered the Pious Caliphate as the model republic in which the dreams of Plato’s Republic were realized. The later revival of the Caliphate tradition under Hazrat Omar Bin Abdul Aziz (also acclaimed as the fifth Pious Caliph) and the relentless pursuit with which the concept of a welfare state took shape also influenced his writings. So what was this realisation of Plato’s Republic?
The Caliphate of Hazrat Omar Farooq was the consolidation of a model republic with a philosopher head. The state was built around virtues such as honesty, truthfulness, integrity, fairness, equality, compliance and observance. He assisted the Holy Prophet in stamping the Treaty of St. Catherine giving equal rights to Christians and refused to pray in churches and synagogues lest someone may make it a precedence to convert them to mosques. The Caliph lived a simple life as a servant of the people. He established the Diwan with a central treasury called Baitul Mal whose main responsibility was distribution rather than accumulation of wealth, insurance and pensions. He abolished landed aristocracies. He declared that every man including him were equal before law. His regimentation of the army into different arms and services made it the most agile, hard hitting and logistically self contained fighting machine. These monumental developments were eclipsed and abused during the Umayyad rule.
His great grandson Omar bin Abdul Aziz (Al-Khalifat-us-Saleh) emerged as the first revivalist in Islamic history. This philosopher and scholar Caliph sacrificed his lavish life style as governor of Madina for an ascetic and humble life of abstinence and poverty. He reformed the entire political, social and cultural landscape to Hazrat Omar’s Model State. In his historic address to the people he said, "Brothers! I have been burdened with the responsibilities of the Caliphate against my will. You are at liberty to elect anyone whom you like." He allowed them to break their allegiance to him, if he wavered from the path of God. Islam’s democratic spirit was the outstanding feature of his rule.
As a welfare state, he abolished slavery, undertook extensive public reforms and works in Persia, Khorasan and North Africa removing the distinctions of Arab and non Arab Muslims. Dignity and honour were restored to minorities. He was the first Caliph to commission a translation of the Holy Qur’an from Arabic into the ancient Sindhi language and order the compilation of Hadith. He was the Caliph who began a serious reconciliation of political and religious differences amongst Muslims i.e. Bani Hashim, Shi’as and Kharijites. To sustain prolonged peace for development, he recalled his armies from the borders of France, India and the outskirts of Constantinople.
These reforms were not taken well by the Umayyad who got him murdered; the dynasty crumbled. Abbasides and the rulers of Spain continued the traditions of the model republic with greater focus on development and education. The rise of Muslim philosophers, scientists and inventors were their link with Europe.
If dignity, respect for life, tolerance, good governance, justice and austerity are a measure of a welfare state led by a philosopher, the States established by Hazrat Omar Farooq and persevered by Omar Bin Abdul Aziz, fit the definition of Plato’s Philosopher Kings and that of a modern welfare state, Ibn Rusd establishes an intrinsic link between the two that precipitated into the European welfare states post Industrial Revolution.
a WordPress rating system
5 Responses to “CONTRIBUTION OF EAST AND MUSLIM WELFARE STATES TO EUROPE”
Leave a Reply
Join Us
 |
| Subscribe to Opinion Maker |
| Email: |
Author Profile
Brig Samson Sharaf
Raja Mujtaba
13. Jul, 2012
Muslims around the world in general and Pakistan in particular must feel the guilt that a Pakistani Christian is digging out and telling them about the impact of Islamic Civilization on the West.
Afriq
13. Jul, 2012
No Raja sahib not in the least and thy doth great injustice to Muslims in general.
Muslims know FULL well their history and it is only NOW with internet that they have the possibility to GIVE THEIR SIDE. I have known the Pakistani scientic Abdus Salaam and one of the finiest individual I have ever met.
ICTP – International Centre for Theoretical Physics
The Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) is a driving force behind global efforts to advance Some shots from the graduation ceremony held in Trieste on 19 August 2011.
ictp.trieste.it
I always wanted to ask the birt "what was their contribution" to mankind. What resorce rich Africa + Asia had + have is perfidy – nefracious colonialism from these barbarians
lord carey started his bile against Islam & Muslims – Palestine, Lebanon, Iraq, Libya, Pakistan, Syria,…… etc now he has gone into hiding. So where is his "holier than thou lecturing"
Khalif
13. Jul, 2012
thanks for the opportunity and about time they start with the truth!
why should i feel guilty if the truth is coming out? How many scientist/academic/writers/politicians has the west slaughtered in Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan,Africa, Asia? especially US/UK/Israhell?
Why do you think they are slaughtering CHILDREN in PAKISTAN AFGHANISTAN, LIBYA; SYRIA; PALESTINE;……..?
Patrice Lumumba, The Sacrifice of a True African Leader
By Honourable Saka
We must move forward, striking out tirelessly against imperialism. From all over the world we have to learn lessons which events afford. Lumumba’s murder should be a lesson for all of us”. — Che Guevara, 1964.
“Dead, living, free, or in prison on the orders of the colonialists, it is not I who counts. It is the Congo, it is our people for whom independence has been transformed into a cage where we are regarded from the outside…” — Patrice Lumumba, October 1960.
The World Mathaba Against Racism Imperialism Zionism Fascism and Reaction is our common fighting front — Muammar Qadhafi, 1982
——————————–xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx—————————–
If you can’t see the picture, .
Pakistan Produces A Second Youngest IT Prodigy
From civil nuclear technology applications in agriculture, to music to IT, Pakistanis continue to excel even as a failed political elite and a crumbling political system slowly brings the nation down.
SPECIAL REPORT | Wednesday | 11 July 2012
PakNationalists.net
KARACHI, Pakistan—Shafay Thobani, an eight-year-old child has become the world’s youngest Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist, Geo News reported.
He is the second youngest IT specialist from Pakistan. The world’s youngest, Arfa Karim, also from Pakistan, was nine when she became the world’s young Microsoft Certified Professional.
Interestingly, Shafay was born the same year Arfa became the world’s youngest Microsoft professional, in 2004.
Shafay and Arfa are part of a long list of Pakistani achievers who have emerged during the past decade.
This decade was dominated by the US-led war in Afghanistan and the consistent negative media coverage of Pakistan primarily driven by the American media.
As the US media demonized Pakistan for political reasons, it detracted the world from seeing Pakistanis as a hardworking people trying to improve their lives like people do everywhere.
The real story of Pakistan is the one that Shafay, Arfa and other smart and hardworking Pakistanis epitomize, a country where ordinary Pakistanis would excel if not suffocated by failed politicians whose faces haven’t changed over the past quarter century and their political parties have turned into armed militias and family holdings threatening to turn Pakistan into another Lebanon.
Unlike a failed democratic system, ordinary Pakistanis are the engine that drives progress and creativity in Pakistan.
This year, six universities of Pakistan won positions in the list of top 300 Universities, according to QS World Universities Rankings 2012. Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) UK is the world's most renowned and prestigious ranking agency.
This year, rap song Islamabad II became a sensation, as pop music in several Pakistani languages, including Pashto, Sindhi, Punjabi, and the national language Urdu attracted wide following outside Pakistan.
Also in 2012, a Pakistani scientist was honored by the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) as the Scientist of the Year for his pioneering work in the cotton biotechnology sector. This was also an honor in a way for Pakistan’s progress in civil nuclear science, since honored scientist, Dr. Yusuf Zafar, is a director general for agriculture and biotechnology at the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission.
WORLD’S YOUNGEST IT PROFESSIONAL
Born on March 13, 2004, Shafay Thobani grew interested in computers ever since he was a toddler.
On April 9, 2012, Shafay appeared in the Prometric test and secured 91 per cent marks, thus making him the world’s youngest Microsoft Certified Training Specialist (MCTS) at the age of eight years and 24 days.
The young man is certified professional in Microsoft Windows 7 Configuration and Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2. Before appearing in the exam, he remained under training of Microsoft certified trainers for 13 months.
His trainer Faisal Durrani said it was a challenge for him to teach complicated concepts such as Domain Name System (DNS) and Internet Protocol (IP) address to a child as young as Shafay. “So we split the 40-hour course designed for grown-up IT specialists into 13 months for the child. We taught him by giving him easy examples in order to grasp the concepts. Teaching him for three to four hours every day, we would also allow him breaks to let him be the normal kid that he is, swimming, playing football or rollerblading,” said Mr Durrani.
Speaking of the boy’s main areas of interest, Shafay’s father Dr. Shah Thobani said he liked network and communication programming. “He has already completed 65 per cent of Microsoft Hyper-V virtualization, too,” he added.
“Shafay was born in 2004, the same year Arfa was declared the world’s youngest Microsoft Certified Professional at the age of nine. Arfa was an inspiration for us and I hope that Shafay, too, would be a role model for more children to show their tremendous achievements,” Dr Thobani said.
In the tradition of most ordinary Pakistanis who are patriotic when it comes to their homeland, Shafay echoes familiar feelings.
Shafay said, “I am proud of myself and I will work for Pakistan in any way possible.”
[To see more features in our Pakistanis At Work Collection, click here.]
© 2007-2012. All rights reserved. PakNationalists.com
Verbatim copying and distribution of this entire article is permitted in any medium without royalty provided this notice is preserved.
Impact of Eastern Muslim welfare states on Europe « Area 14/8
13. Jul, 2012
[...] link between the two that precipitated into the European welfare states post Industrial Revolution.Opinion Maker Bookmark on Delicious Digg this post Recommend on Facebook Share on Linkedin Share with Stumblers [...]
Tariq J Qureshi
13. Jul, 2012
Samson, You have gone a great job. Lot of people don’t know most of what you have written. There is a documentary on Moors rule in Europe , and this is every now is mentioned by IK in his speech.
When you talk of Welfare State that west will never understand, because Christopher Columbus stopped to see Queen Isabella…….the one who captured Granada, and burnt 700 years of great civilization where all lived in peace and inter-dependence. Where else can they learn from?
Regards
Tariq J Qureshi (TQ)